Covering Porter Ranch, Northridge, Granada Hills, Chatsworth, and Valley Communities West of the San Diego Freeway Volume 8, Number 10 October, 2013 Find Us 24 Hours a Day at: www.evalleyvoice.com YOUR Award-Winning Local Newspaper FREE Everywhere (Continued on page 4) City in “Hole” Again Ethics Complaint Alleges “Rigging” A n ethics complaint filed against a city building official overseeing the planned Millennium Hollywood skyscraper project “appears to confirm our worst fears” that the project “was rigged from the get-go,” a spokesman for the project’s opponents said. The complaint, filed by a project opponent, alleges the son of Department of Building and Safety Manager Raymond Chan worked for Sheppard Mullin, the law firm representing project developer Millennium Partners. John Schwada, a spokesman for a coalition of neighborhood groups suing the city over the approval of the project, said Sheppard Mullin was the “legal guru” and “chief lobbyist” for the developer. Sheppard Mullin spent more than $400 million lobbying on behalf of Millennium Partners during the first half of 2013, according to city ethics filings. Chan’s son, Jeremy, was a paid intern at the firm from January until May, the Los Angeles Times reported on its website. An attorney at the firm told The Times the firm was aware Chan’s son was interning there and took care to put up an “ethical wall between him and any work that Sheppard Mullin did that involved Building and Safety.” A spokesman for the Department of Building and Safety declined to comment on the complaint. This is not the first time conflict of interest claims have dogged the project, which has been approved by the City Council and Mayor Eric Garcetti. Earlier this year, then-Planning Commission President Bill Roschen had to abstain from voting on the Millennium Hollywood project because he was its main architect. Despite approval by city leaders, the project, which includes 35- and 39-story towers flanking the historic Capitol Records building, cannot move forward without a go-ahead from Building and Safety officials. Those same city officials are waiting on studies into whether the Hollywood earthquake fault lies underneath the project site. Project opponents who filed the lawsuit contend city officials and the developers’ engineers knew of the potential earthquake risks but failed to reveal them in the environmental impact report that went for a vote before the City Council. L.A. Seeks Olympics 2024 T he Board of Supervisors voted its support for bringing the Olympic Games to Los Angeles in the summer of 2024. The board will send a letter to the United States Olympic Committee to formalize its interest and cooperate with the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games in its hosting bid. “Los Angeles is home to more Olympians than anywhere in the world, and has twice hosted the summer Olympic Games,” said Supervisor Ridley-Thomas, who recommended the move. The Los Angeles City Council issued a unanimous resolution of support of hosting the 2024 games. But more than half of the venues would be outside the city limits and within the county of Los Angeles, according to Barry Sanders, chairman of the committee managing the bid. Funding for the bid will come from private, not public, sources, according to Sanders. Other cities that have expressed interest in making a bid include Dallas, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. A bid by Boston is also under consideration, while a proposed joint bid by San Diego-Tijuana was quashed by international rules. Los Angeles lost its bid as the 2016 U.S. option to Chicago, though the games were ultimately awarded to Rio de Janeiro. “In this game, persistence wins,” Sanders said. Ratepayers’ Money DWP Must Account For $40 Million L os Angeles City Council members said they want an accounting of how two safety and employee training groups spent an estimated $40 million in Department of Water and Power ratepayer money. The Joint Training Institute and the Joint Safety Institute, two trusts formed to smooth relations between DWP workers and management, have received about $4 million annually from the DWP’s coffers over the past decade, but the department declined to detail how those funds were used, according to media reports. The board of trustees for the two “trust organizations” are made up of representatives of DWP and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 18, which represents the bulk of DWP employees. The purpose of the nonprofit groups are to create safety and employee training curriculum. Los Angeles City Council members - in a motion introduced by City Councilman Felipe Fuentes - say they want DWP officials and the boards that oversee the two trusts to report “as to the function and current status of these nonprofits/Trust entities and their expenditure/ programming of public funds.” The motion has been referred to the Energy and Environment Committee, which Fuentes chairs. IBEW’s business manager Brian D’Arcy, responding to the motion in a letter to Fuentes said “both trusts have a solid record of accomplishing its missions.” The Joint Training Institute in 2009, worked with the City Council and utility management to secure $8 million in federal grants that were used toward an apprentice training program, D’Arcy said. The trusts also put forth a safety information and action plan that trained 7,800 workers and developed a “field ergonomic initiative” that benefited 3,500 employees, he said. The contributions to the trusts are required as part of a collective bargaining agreement, D’Arcy said. For every hour employees work, DWP puts 25 cents into the trust, he said. The trusts are subject to “stringent oversight requirements,” such as annual audits and are under the lens of the two boards of DWP Workers Ratify Proposed City Contract M embers of the labor union that represents Los Angeles Department of Water and Power workers ratified a proposed contract with the city that would postpone an Oct. 1 pay raise, union officials announced. The agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 18 - which represents 8,500 DWP employees - still needs the approval of the Department of Water and Power Commissioners and the Los Angeles City Council. Union members voted in favor of the four-year contract by a three-to-one margin, according to the union. The contract would take effect Oct. 1 if it receives final approval. “This contract makes sense and results in billions of dollars of savings for the city and DWP ratepayers,” said Brian D’Arcy, the union’s business manager and financial secretary. “I would like to thank the membership of Local 18 and all of our officers,” he said. “We have addressed a number of substantive issues in a thoughtful and mutually satisfactory way.” When the deal was announced earlier this summer, Mayor Eric Garcetti and other city leaders hailed the agreement as the first step toward closing a widely criticized salary disparity between DWP employees and other city workers. Garcetti, responding to the union’s ratification vote, said IBEW members “delivered a strong mandate to reform DWP and this contract contains significant ratepayer savings and clears the way for the further reforms we need to ensure DWP is efficient and accountable.” DWP workers were scheduled to get a cost-of-living raise of about 2 percent on Oct. 1. The new agreement would delay that increase to 2016. Top city officials project the new labor pact would save DWP $6.1 billion over three decades and help control the cost of utility rates, which are still expected to go up over the next three years. The DWP is a city-owned utility, but is funded through the rates paid by its electricity and water customers. Personnel costs make up more than 20 percent of the DWP’s budget.
Transcript
Covering Porter Ranch, Northridge, Granada Hills, Chatsworth, and Valley Communities West of the San Diego Freeway
Volume 8, Number 10 October, 2013
Find Us 24 Hours a Day at:www.evalleyvoice.comYour Award-Winning Local Newspaper FREE
Everywhere
(Continued on page 4)
City in “Hole” Again
Ethics Complaint Alleges “Rigging”An ethics complaint filed against a city building official overseeing the planned Millennium Hollywood
skyscraper project “appears to confirm our worst fears” that the project “was rigged from the get-go,” a spokesman for the project’s opponents said.
The complaint, filed by a project opponent, alleges the son of Department of Building and Safety Manager Raymond Chan worked for Sheppard Mullin, the law firm representing project developer Millennium Partners. John Schwada, a spokesman for a coalition of neighborhood groups suing the city over the approval of the project, said Sheppard Mullin was the “legal guru” and “chief lobbyist” for the developer. Sheppard Mullin spent more than $400 million lobbying on behalf of Millennium Partners during the first half of 2013, according to city ethics filings. Chan’s son, Jeremy, was a paid intern at the firm from January until May, the Los Angeles Times reported on its website. An attorney at the firm told The Times the firm was aware Chan’s son was interning there and took care to put up an “ethical wall between him and any work that Sheppard Mullin did that involved Building and Safety.” A spokesman for the Department of Building and Safety declined to comment on the complaint. This is not the first time conflict of interest claims have dogged the project, which has been approved by the City Council and Mayor Eric Garcetti. Earlier this year, then-Planning Commission President Bill Roschen had to abstain from voting on the Millennium Hollywood project because he was its main architect. Despite approval by city leaders, the project, which includes 35- and 39-story towers flanking the historic Capitol Records building, cannot move forward without a go-ahead from Building and Safety officials. Those same city officials are waiting on studies into whether the Hollywood earthquake fault lies underneath the project site. Project opponents who filed the lawsuit contend city officials and the developers’ engineers knew of the potential earthquake risks but failed to reveal them in the environmental impact report that went for a vote before the City Council.
L.A. Seeks Olympics 2024The Board of Supervisors voted its support for bringing the Olympic Games to Los Angeles
in the summer of 2024.The board will send a letter to the United States Olympic Committee to formalize
its interest and cooperate with the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games in its hosting bid.
“Los Angeles is home to more Olympians than anywhere in the world, and has twice hosted the summer Olympic Games,” said Supervisor Ridley-Thomas, who recommended the move.
The Los Angeles City Council issued a unanimous resolution of support of hosting the 2024 games. But more than half of the venues would be outside the city limits and within the county of Los Angeles, according to Barry Sanders, chairman of the committee managing the bid.
Funding for the bid will come from private, not public, sources, according to Sanders.Other cities that have expressed interest in making a bid include Dallas, Philadelphia and
Washington, D.C. A bid by Boston is also under consideration, while a proposed joint bid by San Diego-Tijuana was quashed by international rules.
Los Angeles lost its bid as the 2016 U.S. option to Chicago, though the games were ultimately awarded to Rio de Janeiro.
“In this game, persistence wins,” Sanders said.
Ratepayers’ Money
DWP Must AccountFor $40 Million
Los Angeles City Council members said they want an accounting of how two safety and employee training groups spent an estimated $40 million in Department of Water and Power ratepayer money.
The Joint Training Institute and the Joint Safety Institute, two trusts formed to smooth relations between DWP workers and management, have received about $4 million annually from the DWP’s coffers over the past decade, but the department declined to detail how those funds were used, according to media reports. The board of trustees for the two “trust organizations” are made up of representatives of DWP and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 18, which represents the bulk of DWP employees. The purpose of the nonprofit groups are to create safety and employee training curriculum. Los Angeles City Council members - in a motion introduced by City Councilman Felipe Fuentes - say they want DWP officials and the boards that oversee the two trusts to report “as to the function and current status of these nonprofits/Trust entities and their expenditure/programming of public funds.” The motion has been referred to the Energy and Environment Committee, which Fuentes chairs. IBEW’s business manager Brian D’Arcy, responding to the motion in a letter to Fuentes said “both trusts have a solid record of accomplishing its missions.” The Joint Training Institute in 2009, worked with the City Council and utility management to secure $8 million in federal grants that were used toward an apprentice training program, D’Arcy said. The trusts also put forth a safety information and action plan that trained 7,800 workers and developed a “field ergonomic initiative” that benefited 3,500 employees, he said. The contributions to the trusts are required as part of a collective bargaining agreement, D’Arcy said. For every hour employees work, DWP puts 25 cents into the trust, he said. The trusts are subject to “stringent oversight requirements,” such as annual audits and are under the lens of the two boards of
DWP Workers RatifyProposed City Contract
Members of the labor union that represents Los Angeles Department of Water and Power workers ratified a proposed contract with the city that would postpone an Oct. 1 pay raise,
union officials announced. The agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 18 - which represents 8,500 DWP employees - still needs the approval of the Department of Water and Power Commissioners and the Los Angeles City Council. Union members voted in favor of the four-year contract by a three-to-one margin, according to the union. The contract would take effect Oct. 1 if it receives final approval. “This contract makes sense and results in billions of dollars of savings for the city and DWP ratepayers,” said Brian D’Arcy, the union’s business manager and financial secretary. “I would like to thank the membership of Local 18 and all of our officers,” he said. “We have addressed a number of substantive issues in a thoughtful and mutually satisfactory way.” When the deal was announced earlier this summer, Mayor Eric Garcetti and other city leaders hailed the agreement as the first step toward closing a widely criticized salary disparity between DWP employees and other city workers. Garcetti, responding to the union’s ratification vote, said IBEW members “delivered a strong mandate to reform DWP and this contract contains significant ratepayer savings and clears the way for the further reforms we need to ensure DWP is efficient and accountable.” DWP workers were scheduled to get a cost-of-living raise of about 2 percent on Oct. 1. The new agreement would delay that increase to 2016. Top city officials project the new labor pact would save DWP $6.1 billion over three decades and help control the cost of utility rates, which are still expected to go up over the next three years. The DWP is a city-owned utility, but is funded through the rates paid by its electricity and water customers. Personnel costs make up more than 20 percent of the DWP’s budget.
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"Don't Threaten Me..."From the Left
The 14 Percent Solution
By Susan Estrich
In the latest polls, just 14 percent of all Americans approve of the job Congress is doing. You might think that number would inspire fear in people who stand for
reelection every two years. You might hope that members of Congress would see in such numbers a mandate to do better — to stop playing games (hello, Ted Cruz) and focus on actually getting things done. Nope. There are at least two reasons for this. First, most Americans draw a line between the institution as a whole — which they disapprove of — and their own representatives. Second, and no doubt related, most members represent “safe” districts in which one or the other party dominates; most members have more to fear from primary challenges by ideologues in their own party (hello, tea party), which means that reaching across the aisle is riskier than destructive partisanship. But what is good for individual members is not what is good for Congress as an institution, or for the country. Indeed, after watching Cruz’s non-filibuster filibuster, after hearing John Boehner tie defunding Obamacare (which is simply not going to happen) to keeping the government open, it’s hard to believe that even 14 percent of all Americans could possibly approve of the way Congress is doing its job. And if all these machinations should lead to a shutdown of the government or a default by the United States, the bottom line is that no one should approve of what Con-gress is doing. I visited the Capitol for the first time decades ago as a Girl Scout. We had our picture taken with our congressman. We sat in the gallery and watched a vote being taken. I was awestruck.
* * *
How lucky I was, a decade later, to be hired to work for the Senate Judicia-ry Committee, to rub shoulders with the giants of American politics, Democrat-ic and Republican. I could think of nothing, and nowhere, that I would rather be. A little more than a year later, the Democrats lost both the White House and the Senate. Nonetheless, Sen. Strom Thurmond, the ranking Republican and a man who, in terms of ideology, could not have been further apart from Sen. Ted Kennedy, the committee chair, agreed that the committee should move forward with the nomination of my boss, Stephen Breyer, to serve on the United States Court of Appeals in Boston. That would not ever happen today. I used to think money was the cancer that was threatening to destroy Con-gress. For most members, the next campaign begins the moment the last one ends; raising money occupies more time than any other activity. The way you deter someone from challenging you, either in the primary or the general elec-tion, is to raise a huge war chest that you actually don’t need. What could be more debilitating? Ugly partisanship. A complete absence of respect. The dominance of angry ideology and vicious and personal attacks. We live in such a dangerous world, where we have so little control. We are
vilified by those who would destroy everything we hold dear. We are hated by people who reject all of the values we hold dear. We face challenges that I could not have imagined. We have real enemies. I hate al-Qaida. I do not hate Ted Cruz or John Boehner. I disagree with them. There is a huge difference. We are all Americans. Sappy, but so important. The enemy is not Obamacare. The enemy is a terrorist group that attacked an upscale shopping mall on a Saturday morning in Kenya, a group that sends children with bombs strapped to their bodies out to kill. Vigorous debate is essential to a healthy democracy. But when civil discourse gives way to ugly demagoguery, we put at risk the miracle that is our democracy.
- Creators.com
CityWatch
Missing In Action:LA 2020 Commission
By Jack Humphreville
Mickey Kantor’s LA 2020 Commission was expected to release its first report on the facts surrounding the City’s unstable and overleveraged finances and its sputtering economy by July 4, three months after this group was formed to study the challenges
and opportunities facing the City as it approaches 2020. Six months after the announcement of the LA 2020 Commission, we have not heard a peep out of this independent, blue ribbon commission, leading many concerned citizens to
(Continued on page 9)
(Continued from page 1)
Chatsworth Hills Academy’s Fifth AnnualAppreciation and Remembrance Assembly…
In remembrance of the 2008 Chatsworth Metrolink train crash, Chatsworth Hills Academy held their Fifth Annual Appreciation and Remembrance Assembly to honor of our uniformed and civic personnel. Personnel from the Los Angeles Fire
Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s De-partment and the California State Highway Patrol were treated to a breakfast and a concert organized by the students. At the close of the ceremony, they were given notes of thanks written by the students. My office was honored to be a part of this ceremony. -Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District
Open HOuse Dates:Sunday, Nov. 3 1–3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26 1–3 p.m.
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Poverty Rises
Census Stats on L.A.Poverty went up in the Los Angeles area last year while the median household
income remained statistically unchanged, the U.S. Census Bureau reported. The bureau also found that Los Angeles-area residents pay substantially more
for homes and rental units than in the rest of the nation and that about 34 percent are foreign-born, compared to about 15 percent in the rest of the United States. In terms of education, more L.A-area children who are 3 and 4 are enrolled in school than in the rest of the nation, but the Southland is behind when it comes to high school graduation rates. The Census Bureau said in a statement that its 2012 American Community Survey showed 17.6 percent of people in the Los Angeles area were in poverty in 2012, an increase from 17 percent in 2011. At the same time, 20.9 percent of the area’s population lacked health insurance coverage, a decrease from 21.2 percent in 2011, and the median household income was $57,271, which was not statistically different from $57,745 in 2011, the Census Bureau reported. Across all U.S. metro areas, median household income was $53,607 in 2012, the poverty rate remained at 15.5 percent, and the uninsured rate decreased from 15 percent to 14.7 percent, it said. The bureau also released these American Community Survey findings regarding education, home ownership and immigration:
* * * - In 2012, 53.9 percent of 3- and 4-year-olds were enrolled in school, which was not statistically different from 52.9 percent in 2011. Nationally, 48.7 percent of 3- and 4-year-olds living in metro areas were enrolled in school in 2012, which was not statistically different from 48.4 percent in 2011. - Among the Los Angeles area’s 25-and-older population, 78.8 percent had completed high school or more in 2012, an increase from 78.1 percent in 2011. Among all U.S. metro areas, 86.7 percent were high school graduates or higher, an increase from 86.3 percent in 2011. - Of the Los Angeles area’s 25-and-older population, 31.8 percent had a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2012, an increase from 31 percent in 2011. Nationally, 31.2 percent had a bachelor’s degree in 2012, up from 30.6 percent in 2011. - In 2012, the median value for an owner-occupied home in the Los Angeles metro area was $428,500, a decrease from $439,200 in 2011. Across all U.S. metro areas, homes had a median value of $188,300 in 2012, a decrease from $191,000 in 2011. - In 2012, the median gross rent - rent plus utilities - was $1,233, not statistically different from $1,236 in 2011. Renters in metro areas across the U.S. paid $925 in 2012, not statistically different from $927 in 2011. - About 33.9 percent of Los Angeles area residents were foreign-born in 2012, which was not statistically different from 34.1 percent in 2011. Among all U.S. metro areas, 14.8 percent of the population was foreign-born, not statistically different from 14.7 percent in 2011.
Los Angeles Metro Area’s Household Income at
$57,271 in 2012The U.S. Census Bureau reported that the Los Angeles metro area’s median
household income was not statistically different from the year before, the poverty rate increased and the uninsured rate decreased.
According to the 2012 American Community Survey, the median household income in the Los Angeles metro area was $57,271 in 2012, which was not statistically different from $57,745 in 2011. In addition, 17.6 percent of people in the Los Angeles area were in poverty in 2012, an increase from 17.0 percent in 2011. In 2012, 20.9 percent of the area’s population lacked health insurance coverage, a decrease from 21.2 percent in 2011. Across all U.S. metro areas, median household income was $53,607 in 2012 (not statistically different from $53,545 in 2011), the poverty rate remained at 15.5 percent, and the uninsured rate decreased from 15.0 percent to 14.7 percent since 2011. (Table CP03) The American Community Survey provides a wide range of important statistics about all communities in the country — including the Los Angeles area. The American Community Survey gives communities the current information they need to plan investments and services. Retailers, homebuilders, police departments, and town and city planners are among the many private- and public-sector decision makers who count on these annual results. The survey is the only source of local statistics for most of the 40 topics it covers, such as educational attainment, housing, employment, commuting, language spoken at home, nativity, ancestry and selected monthly homeowner costs.
trustees, he said. Before the two trusts were set up, “DWP had numerous and disparate training and safety programs” that were “inefficient, expensive, duplicative and didn’t achieve the goals of thoughtful and consolidated programs for our workforce,” D`Arcy said. Fuentes’ motion also calls for a list of other nonprofit or trust organizations that receive DWP funds, complete with explanations of the amounts they receive and the purpose of each organization. Los Angeles City Controller Ron Galperin said he would be auditing the two nonprofit organizations, and Mayor Eric Garcetti has called on nonprofit and DWP officials to disclose how the money was spent.
DWP Must AccountFor $40 Million
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Recently I was honored to have my eldest daughter, Kayla, speak at Shepherd of the Hills Church. Given her affinity for comic book heroes like Batman and Superman, she used an analogy to share the true story of how Esther—a
seemingly ordinary girl of humble beginnings—exhibited superhero qualities by saving the people of Israel during the reign of King Xerxes. Oftentimes, when you and I are confronted with a daunting task, we make excuses such as, “I can’t because I’m not ________ enough.” As Kayla put it, it’s a good thing God doesn’t listen to what we have to say about ourselves or even what other people have to say about us! Esther was a young, orphaned, Jewish girl living in a foreign land after the Babylonians had carried the Israelites into exile. Esther could have lived an ordinary life, feeling limited by the oppression of her people or by her family background, but she dared to do the extraordinary because of her faith in a supernatural God. Here’s how: When King Xerxes became displeased with his wife and deposed her, he held a kind of beauty pageant to find a new queen. At the prompting of her adopted father, Mordecai, Esther joined the many young women who entered the competition, but kept her nationality and family background a secret. “Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her,” including the king, who chose her to be his queen (Esther 2:15b). Esther could have missed this tremendous opportunity if she had let her circumstances restrict her. After some time, one of King Xerxes’ officials, Haman, made false claims about the Jews and persuaded the king to issue an edict to destroy them (Esther 3:8, 9). When Mordecai heard the news, he urged Esther to use her position as the king’s wife to intercede for her people. However, according to the customs of that day, anyone who entered the king’s presence without being summoned could be punished by death, “unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives” (Esther 4:11). Despite her initial fear of such punishment, Esther took to heart Mordecai’s reminder that she may very well have come to her “royal position for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). The Bible tells us in Romans 8:28 that “God works all things for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purpose.” Certain events in our lives may not always be what we expect or hope for, but with faith in God, we can be assured that He can use any circumstance for His glory and
Pastor Dudley C. Rutherford - Shepherd of the Hills
God sAvEdTHE quEEn
By
for our good. As such, Esther responded in faith, instructing Mordecai to have all the Jews in their province fast for her, as she and her attendants did the same. She explained that after their fasting, she would approach the king, “And if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16). In her brave response, Esther acknowledged that her first step was to humble herself and to seek God’s favor and leading through prayer. Secondly, she courageously and faithfully accepted God’s purpose for her life, no matter what the outcome may have been. Ultimately, King Xerxes spared Esther’s life when she entered his inner court. Moreover, after hosting a banquet in the king’s honor, Esther exposed Haman’s evil plan and begged for the salvation of her people. In a rage, King Xerxes had Haman executed immediately. Because documents written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring could not be revoked, the king issued another edict to counter the first, which “granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves…” (Esther 8:11a). As a result, “there was joy and gladness among the Jews” in every province and in every city because their lives had been spared (Esther 8:17). We learn from Esther’s example that we are not held captive by our current circumstances, but rather empowered by an omnipotent God when we step out in faith and obedience. Like Esther, God may be calling you to step out in faith to do and be more than you imagined or believed was possible. To learn more about God’s extraordinary purpose for you, please join us for weekend services at Shepherd of the Hills Church, especially during our five-day Revival, October 19 through 23. Visit www.theshepherd.org for more information.
Edited by Rhona CoxDudley Rutherford is the author of God Has an App for That (www.God-
hasanapp.com) and the senior pastor of the 10,000-member Shepherd of the Hills Church in Porter Ranch (Los Angeles), California. Service times at Shep-herd are Saturdays at 5:00 and 6:30 pm and Sundays at 8:30, 10:00, and 11:30 am. You can find Dudley online at www.DudleyRutherford.com or on Twitter @pastordudley.
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“Rediscovering”the LA River
T he public will have about one month to give input on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’s study of four options aimed at restoring natural habitat on an 11-mile stretch
of the mostly concrete Los Angeles River. The Los Angeles River Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study details the environmental impacts and costs of four options - ranging in cost from $375 million to more than $1 billion - designed to return sections of the river, from Griffith Park to downtown Los Angeles, to their natural state. Most of the 51-mile-long river, which stretches from the San Fernando Valley to the Pacific Ocean in Long Beach, was paved and turned into a concrete flood channel during the first half of the last century. Each of the plans would attempt to reverse the damage by re-introducing layers of natural habitat over existing concrete barriers at sites along the waterway. Sites that may be affected by the plans include Taylor Yard and the Verdugo Wash. Engineers have tentatively recommended the second most conservative option, Alternative 13, which costs about $453 million and would restore about 588 acres of wildlife and aquatic habitat.
* * * A coalition of Los Angeles river advocates, have their eye on a more ambitious plan and are pushing for Alternative 20, which would cover the most sites at an estimated cost of $1.08 billion. Meredith McKenzie of the Urban Rivers Institute said the Army Corps’ study “does not go far enough.” Alternative 13 does not include restoration at the “Cornfields” Historic State Park and the Arroyo Seco and Verdugo Wash confluences. “True long-term restoration of the Los Angeles River cannot be achieved” without those sites, she said. The Los Angeles City Council approved a resolution in August that puts the city on record as backing Alternative 20 as well. The Los Angeles River restoration effort was one of seven picked as part of the Urban Water federal Partnership, an urban waterway revitalization program launched under President Barack Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors initiative. A public meeting about the report will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 17 at the Los Angeles River Center and Gardens Atrium, 570 W. Avenue 26. The public have until Nov. 5 to comment on the report before the Army Corps makes its recommendation to Congress. The public can begin submitting comments to [email protected].
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Easton Bat Dangerous?An Ohio teen baseball pitcher who suffered a skull fracture after being struck by a ball during
a game is suing the Van Nuys-based manufacturer of an aluminum bat. Cole Schlesner, 18, filed the products liability suit in Los Angeles Superior Court against
Easton Sports Inc. and some of its subsidiaries, alleging its BT265 bat is defectively designed and “unreasonably dangerous.” He is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. He also wants an injunction preventing Easton from claiming the bat is safe when the company knows, according to the plaintiffs, of its “serious propensity to cause injuries” during play. “Easton designed its bat so that players could hit a ball harder and faster than any other bats,” the suit states. Schlesner was unable to protect himself because Easton did not warn him and others about the risks associated with playing in baseball games in which the BT265s were used, the suit states. An Easton representative did not immediately return an email seeking comment. According to published reports, Schlesner, then 15, was injured in a game of the Cincinnati Stix traveling team on May 17, 2009. He was taken by helicopter to the city’s Children’s Hospital, where he had surgery to remove part of his skull, making room for his swollen brain, the reports stated. When he awoke from his coma, he could not talk or walk and his right side was paralyzed, the published reports stated. In 2010 the plaintiff’s father, Scott Schlesner, estimated the cost of his son’s care to date at between $750,000 and $1 million, with 80 percent to 90 percent covered by insurance, the published reports stated.
valley’s Warner Centerseen as urban Hub
A wide-ranging plan re-envisions the San Fernando Valley’s Warner Center commercial area as a pedestrian- and bike-friendly urban hub, with transit-oriented developments near the Metro Orange
Line. Los Angeles City Councilman Bob Blumenfield said the final draft of the “Warner Center 2035 Plan” reflects an eight-year collaboration between city officials and local stakeholders. “The end result is a transformative vision for the future of Warner Center that has been shaped by local stakeholders, and I look forward to shepherding this plan through the final stages of approval,” he said. The councilman encouraged public input on the planning document, which, if approved by the City Council, would guide future development at Warner Center, now made up of retail space and a concentration of entertainment and healthcare industry firms.
* * *
Warner Center supports around 40,000 jobs and will soon be the home of the headquarters for Farmers Insurance, according to Blumenfield’s office. The plan, available at the Planning Department office and online in the city’s council file system, will soon be presented to the City Council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee, according to Blumenfield spokesman Jason Levin. Brad Rosenheim, executive director of the Warner Center Association, hailed the partnership between the city and stakeholders, saying the resulting plan has the potential to “set a new standard for specific plans in the city of Los Angeles for decades to come.” The plan would impact the College, Commerce, Downtown, North Village, Park, River, Topanga and Uptown areas, each with its own distinct land use and goals. The River district, for example, includes plans to have businesses face the Los Angeles River.
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The Valley Voice is published every last Tuesday of the Month.
SupervisorfragilisticexpialidociousBy Paul Hatfield
The campaign to replace termed-out Los Angeles County Supervisors has run largely under the radar even though the election is now just eight months away. The LA mayoral race sucked up the headlines for a year or so, then the IBEW contract controversy took center stage. Add to that, potential supervisorial candidates have stayed on the
sidelines waiting for the fallout from the mayoral election. But things are heating up as quickly as when Bert sensed the arrival of Mary Poppins: “Wind’s in the east. Mist comin’ in. Like something is brewin’, about to begin.” And the campaign might be “something quite atrocious,” especially in Zev Yaroslavsky’s 3rd District. As of now, the only two announced candidates are Sheila Kuehl, a former Assembly Member and State Senator, and former Malibu Mayor and City Councilwoman Pamela Conley Ulich. Kuehl has already raised $250,000, probably enough money to discourage most lesser known candidates from entering the contest, but not enough to discourage bigger names who are veterans of high stakes races.
* * * One of the potential candidates is Wendy Greuel. Her supporters are apparently urging her to run. If Greuel had not run for mayor, she would have undoubtedly declared for Zev’s seat and would have accumulated a significant lead in money over Kuehl at this time. But she ran and lost, leaving her with two problems – $680,000 in campaign debt and a damaged reputation, not exactly the foundation of a political force. She cannot afford another loss in such a short time span. It would mark the end of her viability as a candidate for anything but a Neighborhood Council seat. Greuel would need to score big in the Valley, but you saw what happened in the mayoral race. She barely eked out a majority, even in her own precinct. Although you can attribute her lack of success there to Kevin James, Valley voters will not soon forget how she pandered to the DWP’s IBEW 18 union, basically throwing the ratepayers under the bus in return for big money. Greuel’s gender card strategy was not productive; it will be even less so against Kuehl. Her so-called achievements as City Controller were largely debunked by the media and opponents, so no help there. Greuel’s candidacy will only add to her debt with nothing to show for it. Mary Poppins would be a more effective candidate. If he does announce, Greuel’s chances go from slim and none, to none. Krekorian would cut into what remains of her Valley base. If John Shallman manages her campaign, her chances drop to less than none.
(Paul Hatfield is a CPA and serves as Treasurer for the Neighborhood Council Valley Village.)
Here We Go Again -NFL Team to L.A.?
T he Los Angeles City Council’s Economic Development Committee backed a resolution urging the National Football League to bring back at least one, and possibly two teams to the region. The resolution will now go before the full City Council.
Councilman Tom LaBonge, the author of the resolution, said it “puzzles me why, out of 32 teams, one doesn’t want to come here to sunny Southern California.” Brian McCarthy, a spokesman for the NFL, said the league is keeping an eye on Los Angeles. LaBonge said his “real hope is the league expands” to 34 teams, so that Los Angeles would actually be getting its own team - or teams – rather than poaching from other cities. The St. Louis Rams, the Oakland Raiders and the San Diego Chargers are seen as likely candidates to relocate because they may be interested in upgrading their stadium facilities. All three of those teams used to play in Los Angeles. The Chargers played in Los Angeles during the team’s first season in 1960 as part of the American Football League. The Los Angeles area has not had an NFL team since 1994. In 1995, the Los Angeles Raiders returned to Oakland after playing at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum from 1982-1994 and the Los Angeles Rams, who played in Anaheim Stadium, moved to St. Louis. City leaders last fall signed a deal with entertainment and sports events company AEG to redevelop the Los Angeles Convention Center to include additional exhibition space. The agreement includes using a football stadium project at the site as leverage for bringing in financing for the convention center improvements.
Neighborhoods Tours On Sunday, October 20, the non-profit L.A. Commons (www.lacommons.org)—with the mission to connect people across Los Angeles’ vast metropolis through the artistic, social and cultural projects that celebrate the unique stories of L.A.’s neighborhoods—will host its 3rd annual Found L.A: Festival of Neighborhoods tours. The Los Angeles River will provide the focal point for all the locally-guided tours, from breweries to hiking spaces to beautiful gardens. Tours are neighborhood specific and are free of cost, but RSVP is required. Space is limited. For additional information, please visit www.lacommons.org (click on Found LA) or contact Jamie Poster at [email protected]. L.A. Commons general info: 323-640-2624.
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Chaminade’s Middle School Music Teacher, Kathy Rohrs, has been named as a semi-finalist for the first
ever Music Educator Award, given by The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation. She is among a group of 25 teachers, from 24 cities and 15 states to be named as semi-finalists. In May 2013, Rohrs was announced as a quarter-finalist. At the time, there were 217 music teachers, from 195
cities and 45 states. Initially, more than 30,000 nominations were submitted from all 50 states. The top 10 finalists will be announced in December, and the winner will be named in January. Rohrs is a multi-talented vocalist, guitarist, harpist, conductor, composer, who has been in music education for more than 30 years. She is a native of the San Fernando Valley, and attended St. Mel Catholic School and Louisville High School. Rohrs earned her bachelor degree in Classical Guitar and K – 12 Secondary Music Credential in Music Education from California State University, Northridge. In 2001, Rohrs joined the Chaminade faculty and staff as the middle school general music director and choral director. The middle school choir, known as the “C-Notes” has won top honors at the Heritage Choral Festival in San Diego twice, and has also been selected as the “feature choir” twice for the National Children’s Festival held at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The C-Notes’ most recent Carnegie Hall appearance was in April 2013. Rohrs also created the Liturgical Choir at Chaminade’s middle school campus in Chatsworth. They perform during Mass and prayer services; which helps to promote one of the Characteristics of a Marianist Education, formation in faith. Rohrs is an active part of music ministry at her own parish, St. Mel’s.
Hidden Creeks Project Progress Report
By Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council
Changes to the proposed Hidden Creeks Estates and Preserve project were the focus of the Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council meeting in September. The project has been presented to the Council several times, starting in 2008. It is planned to include 188
homes, an updated equestrian village, 114 acres of open space and 19 acres of public youth sports fields west of Browns Canyon and the Renaissance community. The developer plans to donate the sports fields to the City of Los Angeles and has agreed to pay for the grading and underground improvements for the park. The City was concerned about taking on additional maintenance costs for the park in their budget, so the developer has agreed that any deficit to the expected $146,000 annual park maintenance costs would be paid for by the developer. The park is now planned to include a helicopter landing spot and lot 193 south of the park will be used for public safety and fire fighting. The current proposal calls for a one million gallon oversized water tank on the east end of the property. This water tank will be gravity based and serve as a back up in case of pump failure at the other water tanks in Porter Ranch. As the only entrance to Hidden Creeks would bring traffic up Mason to an access road at its north end, PRNC Board Member Sean O’Rourke inquired whether the traffic study included all the current traffic in the vicinity of the Porter Ranch Community School. He was informed that the traffic study took into consideration expected traffic at the complete buildout of Porter Ranch. Various attendees expressed concern about the condition of the Brown’s Canyon Road, which it would serve as access for the equestrian center and as an emergency exit. The developer noted that they are working on getting a permit to rebuild the bridge in Brown’s Canyon and would like to put a coat of asphalt on the road. At inception, property owners on Brown’s Canyon were given the right to use the road, but no obligation to maintain it. * * * “Would there be a school in the development?” was the question asked by a stakeholder, who was told that there would not; the Environmental Impact Report addressed the availability of schools. The EIR, completed in 2008, indicates that the project would have 549 residents generating “approximately 75 students in grades K-6; 66 students in grades K-5; 38 students in grades 7-9 and 6-8; 39 students in grades 10-12; and 51 students in grades 9-12 for a total of approximately 268 students.” The numbers are based on LAUSD’s student generation factors, provided in the report. The report further documents that Hidden Creeks is in the district of Germain Elementary, Lawrence Middle and Chatsworth High. At the time of the report, the overcrowding of Germain Elementary was expected to be relieved by the buildout of new elementary and middle schools in Porter Ranch. The report concludes that builder payments of school impact fees (in 2008 the fee was $3.96 per square foot) would be used towards the construction of new schools in the Porter Ranch area (the schools have already been built) and no new schools would need to be built. If the houses are from 3,000 to 4,000 square feet in size, the fees generated would total $2.2 to 3 million. The operation of the 114 acres of open space was clarified to explain that the City of Los Angeles does not want any liability associated with owning the property. The homeowner’s association will own it and maintain it. The private trails will be open to the public through a permanent public easement and maintained to the City’s standards. The project is currently pending annexation by the City of Los Angeles, which is determined by a Boundary Adjustment Review Board that includes the Chief Administrative Officer, Councilmember Mitchell Englander, a legal analyst, and the Department of Planning. The project is expected to be considered by the Planning Commission in late November. In the meantime, there will be a public meeting where you may bring your questions, on Thursday, October 10, 6:30pm at the Porter Valley Country Club. More information can be found about the project at: http://www.prnc.org/hidden-creeks.
wonder if the downtown centric LA 2020 Commission has been co-opted by City Hall and its special interest, campaign funding cronies. Assuming LA 2020 releases its first report, we should expect its recommendations on how to stabilize the City’s finances, energize the economy, and create value added jobs by year end. While City Hall is telling us the worst is over because of an improving economy and the structural changes that have been implemented over the last several years, our City’s finances are still a huge mess. Over the next four years, the City is projecting a cumulative deficit of $350 million, including a deficit of $160 million next year. But this assumes significant wage and benefit concessions from the City’s workers, which, based on past history, is a very aggressive assumption. Otherwise, the cumulative four year deficit will approach $800 million. Our City’s streets, curbs, sidewalks, trees, parks, and the rest of our failing infrastructure require an investment of more than $10 billion over the next ten years. This is due to City Council’s decision to divert funds away from our infrastructure to finance the $1.4 billion increase in salaries, benefits, and pension contributions during the Villaraigosa era. The City’s two pension plans are also a major liability as they underfunded by $11.5 billion. However, if a more realistic investment rate assumption is used, the unfunded pension liability increases to $15 to $20 billion, implying a truly scary funded ratio of only 60%. The LA 2020 Commission’s review and analysis of the City’s financial condition and operations and its recommendations on how to stabilize the City’s finances are of critical importance to the City. Over the years, the Budget and Finance Committee and the City Council have failed to develop long term solutions to stabilize the City’s finances. Instead, they have continued to “kick the can down the road” to insolvency. As part of its efforts, the LA 2020 Commission needs to earn our trust and confidence since Angelenos do not respect the City Council. This was evident in March when 55% of the voters rejected Proposition A, the permanent half cent increase in our sales tax. As a first step, LA 2020’s report needs to be perceived as independent from the corrupting influences of City Hall. This would involve the release to the public of its findings at the same time it is delivered to our Elected Elite and the City Hall bureaucrats. The LA 2020 Commission has an excellent opportunity to stabilize the City’s finances. But it needs to maintain its independence and establish a relationship with the people of Los Angeles. Don’t blow it by being co-opted by City Hall and its campaign funding special interests.
Missing In Action: LA 2020 Commission(Continued from pge 3)
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LOCAL Events
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Four Loko BeverageCleveland High School
Students Fight“Blackout in a Can”
By Haeeun Blessing Jee, Valley Voice Reporter
F our Loko is a beverage containing either 6 percent or 12 percent alcohol (depending on state regulations), and a large shot of caffeine, equivalent to the amount of caffeine in a tall Starbucks coffee. This combination makes the beverage deadlier
than most other alcoholic drinks. Drinkers get drunk and high but because the caffeine shields the effects of the alcohol, they are unaware of their state and drink more to feel that intoxication “buzz” in the end. Not only is Four Loko under investigation because of health concerns, but Cleveland students are questioning the advertisement intentions and methods used by Phusion Project LLC, the company that produces Four Loko. “Four Loko is marketing by the graphics that they use and the proximity that they sell their products. [Targeting] kids of color, [Four Loko will] use graffiti style labeling that is attractive to the youth. These products are sold heavily in populations of folks of color. You won’t find these products in Beverly Hills,” said Fluke Fluker, a co-founder of Village Nation. “And it’s cheap and it’s attractive for our kids to drink.” Senior Desirae Duncan, co-president of BSU, added her own thoughts on this dilemma. “If you go to a store and you see a can with something you can relate to on it - the graffiti - you become interested in the product. The containers make alcohol even more attractive to the already enquiring young adults. “Four Loko is like ‘alcohol for kids,’” she said.
* * * An anonymous Cleveland junior believes that the flavor of Four Loko is what really makes teens prefer this beverage over other alcoholic drinks, like beer. “With Four Loko, it’s like drinking a juice! And you don’t taste the alcohol. The aftertaste is fruity – it’s awesome!” he exclaimed. “The thing is, you don’t feel drunk. What happens is, out of nowhere, it’ll just hit you, you’re [expletive] up, you’re done.” “You can drink half a can, you’ll feel a buzz. You finish that [one can and] you don’t even know you’re drunk. You’re just gone,” he said. Assistant Principal Shanna Sarris said the speaking out Four Loko is a good idea. “I think any type of movement from the students’ perspective is always the best thing because students listen to students more than they necessarily listen to adults preaching to them about something,” she said. But instead of limiting the target audience to people of color, she believes that it should be widened to include all socio-economically impoverished people. Dean Rolando Young also believes that saying Four Loko specifically focuses on people of color would be jumping to conclusions. “The way [Phusion Projects] markets their product is geared towards young people. You have to remember that Cleveland is like a mini-city. So whatever is going on outside, outside our walls, it’s happening here,” Young said.
* * * Would it be safe to say that Four Loko has increased teen alcohol consumption at Cleveland? The previously-stated anonymous junior claims that it has. “Definitely. Here at Cleveland? Especially,” he said. “I have friends that drink. The other day, this kid was [passed out] on the bench [after drinking Four Loko].” “This year, we have had a few incidents where kids came to school intoxicated. They did make us aware that they had drunk the Four Loko. However, they have also been helpful in letting us know that there are a lot of stores out there that are just selling it to minors, without carding them,” Sarris said. The Land reflects what is going on across the country, the increasing consumption of drinks containing both caffeine and alcohol. The state of Michigan has completely banned the sale and consumption of Four Loko in its state. Ramapo College in New Jersey, Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington, and the University of Rhode Island have banned Four Loko and other similar alcoholic beverages containing caffeine. Other colleges are quickly following suit as they realize the disaster Four Loko is causing on campuses, including students requiring hospitalization.
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Getting a Handle on DWP’s Budget and Transfer Fees: A No Brainer
YES ON BALLOT MEASURE JBy Jack Humphreville
A Yes Vote on Measure J is a no brainer. It is what Corporate America has been doing for generations. So let’s welcome City Hall and our Department of Water and Power to the late Twentieth Century.
Here’s the ballot language on Measure J: “Shall the Charter be amended to (a) require the Department of Water and Power for informational purposes to submit to the City Council by March 31 each year a preliminary budget for the ensuing fiscal year ( July 1 through June 30), to be updated by May 31 with new information, and (b) establish procedures for making surplus transfers from the Power Revenue Fund to the City Reserve Fund?”
Measure J, if passed, will require the DWP to submit its preliminary budget for the year beginning on July 1 to the City Council for informational purposes b y March 31, about three weeks prior to the release of City’s budget. An update will be due on May 31.
Measure J, if passed, will also require that DWP Board of Commissioners notify the City Council and the Mayor of the status of the 8% Power Transfer Fee by December 31, and if the transfer cannot be made in full, to document why the 8% Power Transfer Fee cannot be made in full.
DWP and its Ratepayers are the largest single source of cash for the City’s General Fund. The City Utility Tax and the not so transparent 8% Power Transfer Fee are projected to contribute $315 million (7.2%) and $257 million (5.9%) to the City’s General Fund, a total of $573 million (13.1%) of the General Fund’s revenues.
* * * However, there are two troubling issues with Measure J.
The first is that the ballot measure is not written in “Plain English” (as recommended by the Securities & Exchange Commission, Arthur Levitt, and Warren Buffett), so that the Ratepayers and voters are buried in legalistic, bureaucratic and charter mumbo jumbo which requires a special decoder ring. It also allows our political elites to play word games when they want to change the rules.
The second issue is that Measure J does not reform DWP’s lax accounting policies that rely on the controversial standards developed by the Government Accounting Standards Board rather than the more rigorous standards that are applicable to publicly held companies like Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric.
One major difference is that DWP would be required to carry its unfunded pension liability on its balance sheet. This liability would also be determined by using the market values of the pension plan’s assets (not the actuarial value that allows “smoothing” and “market value corridors”) and an Investment Rate Assumption that is more consistent with reality.
In DWP’s case, the advertised liability of $1.6 billion would increase to $2.6 billion based on market values, and that liability would increase to over $3.5 billion based on a lower Investment Rate Assumption. This would imply a funded ratio of less than 65%. Any liability would also include the liabilities associated with post retirement medical benefits.
Of course, Measure J may be an academic exercise if the 8% Power Transfer Fee is determined to be subject to a popular vote pursuant to Proposition 26 that was adopted on November 2 by the California voters. According to the Los Angeles Times, this matter is being studied by the City’s lawyers.
In the meantime, Vote Yes on Measure J. - City Watch
Members questioned the District’s readiness for this change with supplies, maintenance, etc. and were also concerned about the difficulty parents would have making adjustments to childcare or changing vacation plans on such short notice.
To get the word out to many parents who were not aware of the calendar change, UTLA members handed out flyers to parents in January urging them to call the School Board if they were opposed to the Early Start calendar.
UTLA and LAUSD will now establish a working group to study the Early Start Calendar and its impact on instruction, with an eye towards implementation in 2012-13. A calendar committee will meet as soon as possible to determine the school start date for 2011-12.
LAUSD PostponesEarly Start Calendar
(Continued from page 1)
Imagine Job and Resource Fair Councilman Mitch Englander is happy to partner with Shepherd of the Hills Church for the Imagine Job and Resource Fair. The goal of the event is for everyone in and around the San Fernando Valley who is in need of a Job and/or resources to have the opportunity to attend. Tuesday, October 1st, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, is the “Prepare Fair” which will feature free assistance with resumes, interview skills, and credit counseling as well as free professional services including wardrobe, make-up and hair. Wednesday, October 2nd, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, is the “Job and Resource Fair” with workshops, resume coaches and job recruiters. To schedule an appointment for the “Prepare Fair” please go to www.imaginejobfair.com. Church is located at 19700 Rinaldi St in Porter Ranch. Phone (818)831-9333.
GH Blood Drive The Granada Hills Rotary Club will be holding a community blood drive at Saturday, October 5, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm at Granada Hills Recreation Center, 16730 Chatsworth St and at North Valley Youth Sports Complex, 13225 Whistler Ave in Granada Hills. If you have any questions, please call (818) 388-6428.
Emergency Preparedness Get preparedness information from the Red Cross, the Gas Company, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and many others. Learn how to volunteer with emergency response organizations like Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), California Emergency Mobile Patrol and Civil Air Patrol Saturday, October 5, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, at Fire Station 87, 10124 Balboa Blvd. in North Hills.
One At Bat: Adam Greenberg Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Adam Greenberg share his story of perseverance and resilience. Join us Sunday, October 6 from 5 pm to 8 pm at Temple Ahavat Shalom, 18200 Rinaldi Place, Northridge for a screening of the short film “One At Bat” chronicling Adam’s effort to return to major league baseball following one pitch that changed his life. Following the film, Adam will share his personal journey and answer questions. After the presentation, enjoy dinner, shop sports memorabilia and meet Adam as he signs autographs. Enter the raffle for a chance to win an iPad or one of many other great prizes. Temple’s phone number is 818-360-2258.
Chatsworth Pioneer Day Attend Pioneer Day at Chatsworth Park South on Sunday, October 6, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm at Minnie Palmer Homestead Acre at Chatsworth Park South, 10385 Shadow Oak Drive. It is $5 donation to attend. Call Ann Vincent at (818) 882-5614.
Walk to School Day The City of LA is coordinating Walk to School events all over the city on October 9th. We are calling on organizers to lead events at individual schools, and we could use your help. This person can be a parent, nurse, school champion for physical activity or traffic safety, student leadership member, PTA representative, etc. Visit www.WalkToSchoolDay-LA.org.
Bingo Players The public is invited to join The Chatsworth FUN-raisers at Straw Hat Pizza in Chatsworth as they raise money for Special Olympics and have fun at the same time on Wednesday, October 9th at 6:15pm. $20 donation per person buys 12 games. Cash prizes from $10 to $200, depending on the crowd. Food & drinks available for purchase.21515 Devonshire St. Reserve your seats: 818-882-6437.
Fall Forum Luncheon SAGE Society of CSUN annual Fall Forum Luncheon on October 11, 11 AM, at Airtel Plaza Hotel. Topic: History of the SF Valley; Presenter: Richard Hilton; Cost including parking, tax, tip and meal is $35 for member, and $40 for non member. Call Joyce at (818) 882 2098, email at [email protected] or visit web www.sagesociietycsun.org.
West Hills Optimist Club The West Hills Optimist Club Presents “Blithe Spirit,”a comedic play written by Noël Coward, on Saturday, October 12 at West Valley Playhouse, 7242 Owensmouth Ave in Canoga Park. Tickets are $28 per person. Call Kathy Willets at (818) 970-7200.
Oktoberfest Oktoberfest is coming to Oh’ Gradys on Saturday, October 12 from 2:30 pm – 7:00 pm. There will be Brats, Burgers, and Ice Cold beer. There is a $5.00 admission fee and all proceeds will go to the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles.Oh’ Gradys is located at 17633 Chatsworth St. in Granada Hills. (818) 368-8424.
Equestrian for Special Athletes The Kiwanis Club of Warner Center is holding its 20th Kiwanis Equestrian Competition for Special Athletes on Sunday, October 13 from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm at Hansen Dam Equestrian, 11127 Orcas Ave. in Sylmar. (818) 347-6523.
Bunco Night The public is invited on Wednesday, October 16th, from 6:15pm - 9:00pm for a fun evening of Bunco. The Chatsworth FUN-raisers will be playing at SanSai Japanese Grill (next to Applebee’s), located at the corner of Winnetka & Prairie, 9243 Winnetka Ave, Chatsworth. The entry fee is $10 per person to play. Call Annie to reserve your seats: 818-882-6437.
Free Harvest Festival Heritage Christian School’s Annual Harvest Family Festival is Friday, October 18th, 6:00 – 9:00 pm. There will be a Family Scavenger Hunt, Mechanical Bull, Bouncers, Pumpkin Carving Contest, Food Trucks, & more. Heritage Christian School is located at 17531 Rinaldi St. at the corner of Rinaldi & Shoshone. Please call (818) 368-7071 or visit www.heritage-schools.org.
SOLID Pasta Dinner Come join SOLID’s all you can Eat Pasta Dinner Fundraiser and help the Devonshire LAPD Station raise money for updates to their Police Station on Friday, October 18, 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm at St. Nicholas Greek Church. 9501 Balboa Blvd. in Northridge. Dinner fundraiser will be $9 per person and children under 3 eat for free. Attendees can pay at the door and if you have any questions please call (818) 718-9498 or visit www.soliddevonshire.org.
Haunted House Maze Halloween fundraiser for Big Worm’s Cystic Fibrosis Foundation will be open October 18th, 19th, 20th, 25th, 26th, 27th from 7pm to 10pm and on Halloween from 7pm-Midnight at 8856 Encino Ave. in Northridge. This charity’s (http://bigwormscff.org) mission is to help ease the time for Cystic Fibrosis patients during hospital stays. Please check out www.sherwoodscare.com, which includes a trailer from last year’s haunt and our reviews.
Chatsworth Book Sale The Chatsworth Branch Library, 21052 Devonshire St. is having a Giant Book Sale on Saturday, October 19, from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. The Library is raising funds to support their day to day operations and gives them an opportunity to open up space to put new books and give their older books new homes. (818) 341-4276.
Robotics Competition Spectators of all ages won’t believe their eyes as they watch the robots that are completely designed and built by students, compete and perform against each other in the competition on Saturday, October 19, 7:00 am – 5:30 pm at Viewpoint School, 23620 Mulholland Highway in Calabasas. Watch and support the Reseda High Robotics team compete against other schools and teams from around California and from the United Kingdom. The competition is based on the VEX Educational Robotic Design System. The event is free for spectators. Call Lance Rush at (818)340-2901.
Open Arms Walkathon Open Arms Pregnancy Clinic is holding a Walkathon and 5K run on Saturday, October 19, 8:30 am – 11:30 am at California State University Northridge. By registering as a walker or runner, or by pledging support for a participant, you will be helping the Open Arms Pregnancy Clinic to offer practical help and hope to those facing an unexpected pregnancy. To register please visit http://www.withopenarms.org/events/
College/Career Fair Granada Hills Charter High School will be hosting the College/Career Fair and HighlanderFest on Saturday, October 19, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm at Granada Hills Charter High School, 10535 Zelzah
Ave. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about different careers and colleges. If you have any questions, please email Carrie Boutros at [email protected].
Holiday Boutique Shop the possibilities at Temple Ahavat Shalom’s Holiday Boutique, Sunday, October, 27th, from 10:00 am-3:00 pm. With over 40 vendors selling fun, unique and distinct merchandise gift buying was never this easy. Temple Ahavat Shalom is located at: 18200 Rinaldi Place in Northridge. Phone (818) 360-2258 or visit www.tasnorthridge.org.Memorabilia Show
“Looking for Space” Valley Jewish Community Center is looking for space in the central part of the San Fernando Valley. Ideally we need office and programming space. If you know of a location that you think would be ideal for our first permanent location since 2002 please contact me at (818)-360-2211 and ask for Jerry.
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The original art work shown was created by Porter Ranch Community School and displayed at Facey Medical Center, also in Porter Ranch. Stu-dents in teacher Moira Talan’s class participated; Mary Melvin, Principal.
(Photo by Josh Reiter)
CityWatch
Villaraigosa and Herbalife: Made for Each Other
By Michael Sigman
T aking a job at a multi-level marketing firm would be a tacky signpost of any first-tier politician’s professional trajectory. It’s especially unsightly when that politician is Antonio Villaraigosa, who less than a decade ago inspired so much hope among progressives,
minorities and the disenfranchised when he became LA’s first Latino Mayor since 1872. Last month, multi-billion dollar supplement/weight loss outfit Herbalife announced the hiring of Villaraigosa via a press release packed with corp-speak. Villaraigosa will be not only a “consultant” but also a “senior advisor” - no junior advising for him! Both his consulting and his advising will be “strategic,” as opposed to, well, non-strategic consulting and advice. He’ll work on “business development” and “global community outreach.” The word “lobbyist” was absent from the announcement, but it’s no stretch to guess that Villaraigosa was brought in to serve as ambassador to the company’s two million-plus distributors, a majority of whom are Latinos. The company faces charges it’s operating a pyramid scheme and five Latino groups have asked for an FTC investigation of its business practices. Herbalife has denied all wrongdoing, and before bringing on Villaraigosa had hired a small army of lobbyists to make its case, including the Podesta Group, the Raben Group, the Ogilvy Group and Downey McGrath Group. That’s more groups than a full day’s lineup at Coachella.
* * * According to a cover story in LA Weekly last spring, Villaraigosa’s final days in office were overshadowed by his need for money. “At an Oscar party,” LA Weekly reporter Patrick Range McDonald wrote, Villaraigosa “glided past film stars and caught up to (Fox host/ratings king Bill) O’Reilly, flashing a welcoming grin, according to an Oscar partygoer. Then Villaraigosa loudly asked O’Reilly for help landing an on-camera job. He said he wanted to speak to [Fox News CEO] Roger Ailes about going to work at the network.” And Villaraigosa never promised not to lobby, unlike former five-term Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Ct.). Dodd mocked lobbyists while in office and repeatedly vowed never to join their ranks, only to become the chief lobbyist for the movie industry just two months after leaving the Senate. Before long, Dodd was up and running, all but threatening his former colleagues when he said on Fox News, “Those who count on ‘Hollywood’ for support need to understand that this industry is watching very carefully who’s going to stand up for them when their job is at stake. Don’t ask me to write a check for you when you think your job is at risk and then don’t pay any attention to me when my job is at stake.” For longtime “Dean of City Hall” reporter Marc Haefele, the Herbalife gig is, in a way, a good fit for Villaraigosa: “You could say that, whether Herbalife is a Ponzi or not, Villaraigosa himself was. This in the sense that so many of us invested our deepest hopes in him and saw them washed away to little or nothing. So maybe he belongs in the firm.”
(Michael Sigman is a writer/ editor, media consultant and the president of Major Songs, a music publishing company.)
USC 4th -On Party List!
It may not be the list USC officials want to be on, but the university was ranked fourth on Playboy magazine’s list of the nation’s Top 10 Party Schools.
USC was the only California university to make the list, which ranked West Virginia University as the top party school in the nation.
According to the magazine, the list was compiled using data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the NCAA and the U.S. Census, along with input from millions of people on social media.
The magazine’s top party schools are: - West Virginia University; - University of Wisconsin; - University of Colorado; - USC; - Florida State University; - University of Texas; -- Louisiana State University; - University of Georgia; - Arizona State University; and - University of Maryland.
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