Politics & Government

Englander E-News: A Year of Emergency Preparedness, and More ...

Congratulations Granada Hills High's State Academic Decathlon Winners.

COUNCILMEMBER ENGLANDER'S E-NEWS

March 23, 2012

A Year of Emergency Preparedness...

On January 17, the 18th anniversary of the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, we kicked off our Year of Emergency Preparedness in Los Angeles. 

Throughout 2012, we will be working on legislation, programs and public awareness efforts to help the residents of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley be prepared for natural or man-made disasters. 

Every week, our newsletter will feature a new item in an Emergency Preparedness Checklist. These are simple steps that everyone in Los Angeles should take in order to be prepared for any disaster. If you follow each item on this checklist, you will be highly prepared at the end of the year.

Week 10: Secure Your Hot Water Heater
During an earthquake, unsecured hot water heaters often fall over, rupturing water and gas connections. This can cause fires, and it can waste what is otherwise up to 50 gallons of clean drinking water. The water in your water is clean and safe to drink, and could become a crucial source of water if municipal water supplies are disrupted for long periods following an earthquake.

Your water heater should have two heavy steel straps that wrap completely around it and are screwed into the studs or masonry of the wall. Easy-to-install bracing kits are available at most hardware stores or emergency supply stores. Also, have a plumber install flexible (corrugated) copper water connectors if you do not have them already. They are less likely to rupture during an earthquake.

To read in more detail about how to secure your water heater and how to utilize it as an emergency drinking water source, click here.

To see our printable Emergency Preparedness Checklist, with every week's entry, click here

Congratulations Granada Hills Charter High School on Winning the State Academic Decathlon!

Find out what's happening in Northridge-Chatsworthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

We are proud to congratulate Granada Hills Charter High School on winning the California State Academic Decathlon for the second consecutive year this week.

The nine students from Granada Hills scored 52,327 out of 60,000 possible points during the grueling two-day contest, featuring essays, tests, speeches, interviews and the rapid-fire Super Quiz.

Congratulations to team members Lev Tauz, Sean Wejebe, Hamidah Mahmud, Christian Koguchi, Priscilla Liu, Kimberly Ly, Jimmy Wu, Stella Lee and Julia Wall and to coaches are Matt Arnold, Spencer Wolf and Nick Weber!
The Granada Hills team will go on to try for their second consecutive win in the U.S. National Academic Decathlon on April 26-28 in Albuquerque, N.M. 

To read the article in the Daily News about the Academic Decathlon victory, click here.

Find out what's happening in Northridge-Chatsworthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Bureau of Sanitation Yards Open House...

Don't miss the Bureau of Sanitation's annual open house at their maintenance yards. Kids love this fun, free event, with hands-on trash truck demonstrations, sanitation facility tours, and educational information and demonstrations about recycling and the environment.

Saturday, April 28
9:00 am to 2:30 pm
East Valley District Yard
11050 Pendleton St., Sun Valley
Click here for the flyer.

Saturday, May 19
9:00 am to 2:30 pm
West Valley District Yard
8840 Vanalden Ave., Northridge
Click here for the flyer.

For more information, click here.

Off-Site Budget & Finance Committee Meeting...

The City Council's Budget & Finance Committee is holding one of its regular off-site meetings in the San Fernando Valley on Wednesday, March 28. Councilmember Englander is Vice Chair of the Budget & Finance Committee.

Wednesday, March 28
6:00 pm
Van Nuys City Hall
14410 Sylvan St., Van Nuys

At the meeting, there will be an update on the City's financial situation from the Chief Legislative Analyst (CLA) and the City Administrative Officer (CAO).  

National Volunteer Week Management Trainings...

In celebration of National Volunteer Week, April 15 - 21, 2012, Volunteer Los Angeles is holding a series of free Volunteer Management Trainings sessions, including several in the San Fernando Valley.

As non-profits and public agencies in Los Angeles cope with the ongoing effects of economic hardship, they need to generate creative solutions to deliver services, including establishing new partnerships and more strategic ways to engage volunteers. Volunteer Los Angeles's series of trainings for non-profits and public agencies will help them learn how to strategically engage volunteers for maximum impact.

All sessions are 10:00 am to 12:00 pm or 1:00 to 3:00 pm. For more information, call Rafael Castellanos at (323) 450-5053 or email  rcastellanos@volunteerlosangeles.org, or Pedro Barrientos at (323) 450-5087 or email pbarrientos@volunteerlosangeles.org.

SOLID Fundraiser Dinner at Islands in Porter Ranch...

Come enjoy a delicious dinner and help support a great cause at the SOLID (Supporters of Law Enforcement in Devonshire) fundraiser night, Wednesday, April 18 at Islands Fine Burgers & Drinks in Porter Ranch.

Wednesday, April 18
4:00 pm to close
Islands Restaurant
11400 Porter Ranch Dr.
Porter Ranch

Print and cut out this flyer [see adjacent photo box] and present it to your server and Islands will donate 20% of your food and beverage purchase to SOLID.

SOLID is a non-profit organization that purchases non-City supplied materials and equipment that is needed by the Police Officers at Devonshire Community Police Station.

For more information visit http://soliddevonshire.org.

SOLID Pancake Breakfast...

SOLID's annual All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast is coming up on May 19, so save the date! Proceeds benefit SOLID (Supporters of Law Enforcement in Devonshire), which provides non-City supplied materials and equipment needed by the Police Officers at Devonshire Division.

Saturday, May 19
7:30 am to 1:30 pm
Devonshire Community
Police Station
10240 Etiwanda St., Northridge
$7 per person.

Regency Theatres in Granada Hills has generously donated 25 pairs of movie tickets to be given away to guests in a prize drawing. Free child photo-IDs are provided by Hollywood-West Valley Masonic Lodge. Free facepainting for kids! 

For more information, visit http://soliddevonshire.org.  

RideOn Pancake Breakfast...

Don't miss RideOn Therapeutic Horsemanship's annual Open House and Free Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, March 31 at the RideOn Ranch in Chatsworth.

Saturday, March 31
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
10860 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Chatsworth


Come enjoy a delicious, free pancake breakfast, and learn about the services RideOn provides, see their facility, learn about volunteer opportunities, and meet their staff and their horses. RideOn offers physical therapy on horseback for sport, exercise and recreation for children and adults with special needs.

For more information, contact Sara Jones at sara@rideon.org.

Used Motor Oil & E-Waste Collection Event...

Come drop off your used motor oil, oil filters as well as unwanted or broken TVs, computers, toys or other electronic devices at the free collection event on Saturday, March 24 in Van Nuys.

Saturday, March 24
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Anheuser-Busch
15800 Roscoe Blvd.
(Enter parking lot from Haskell Ave.
just south of Roscoe)
Van Nuys

They will not accept paint, chemicals, fluorescent light bulbs or batteries or bulky items.

For more information, call (800) 988-6942 or visit www.LACitySan.org.

Free Electronic Waste Collection Day...

Bring your unwanted or broken TVs, computers, toys, and other electronic devices to be safely and properly disposed of on Saturday, March 31 at St. Euphrasia School in Granada Hills.

Saturday, March 31
9:00 am to 2:00 pm
St. Euphrasia School
17637 Mayerling St.
Granada Hills


It is illegal to throw away electronic devices into the regular trash. They contain toxic substances that can leach into the environment if the end up in a landfill.

For more information, visit www.steuphrasiaschool.org or call (818) 363-5515.

"Sky's the Limit" 7th Annual Aviation Career Day at Van Nuys Airport...

Save the date for the 7th Annual Sky's the Limit Aviation Career Day at the historic Synchro Hangar at Van Nuys Airport on Friday, April 20.

Friday, April 20
9:00 am to 2:00 pm
Synchro Hangar
Van Nuys Airport

Every year, this great event offers over 1,400 young people the chance to learn about the exciting and challenging careers paths in the aviation and aerospace industries in the San Fernando Valley and beyond.

The event will feature interactive aviation and aerospace exhibits, military and civilian aircraft displays, airfield bus tours, and light refreshments.

For more information, call (818) 901-9828 or email letv@saicraftsmen.com.

Join Northridge West Neighborhood Council's "Clean Sweep" Weekly Clean-Up and Help Make Northridge Shine!

Join Northridge West Neighborhood Council's Clean Sweep community beautifictaion project every Thursday! 
 
Clean-Up Schedule for March
March 29 - South side of Lassen St. at Vanalden Ave. 

At 8:00 am the crew will review the game plan with free refreshments provided by Northridge West Neighborhood Council. Bring gloves if you have them, sunscreen,a sunhat and appropriate shoes for outdoor work. Northridge West Neighborhood provides the refreshments and tools.
 
For more information contact Jo Ann Phillips at (818) 304-4989 or  japhillips1@yahoo.com or visit www.NorthridgeWest.org

For a map, go to http://g.co/maps/zc4a4.

Northridge Hospital Trauma Center Annual Champagne Brunch...

Save the date for the Northridge Hospital Trauma Center's Annual Golden Guild Champagne Brunch, on Sunday, March 25 at the Odyssey Restaurant in Granada Hills.

What happens in the first 60 minutes after traumatic injury is critical to one’s survival. That is why paramedics and trauma doctors call it “The Golden Hour.” The Golden Hour Guild is a volunteer fundraising group dedicated to supporting the Northridge Hospital Trauma Center.

Sunday, March 25
Odyssey Restaurant
Granada Hills

This great annual event helps raise funds to support the Pediatric and Adult Trauma Centers at Northridge Hospital. There will be drawings for prizes, including $1,000 in cash, women's jewelry donated by Gold Rush, and a two night stay at the Luxe Hotel, City Center at LA Live. Their 2011 event raised almost $60,000, which helped the Trauma Center purchase much-needed equipment for Northridge Hospital.

If you are interested in sponsoring or donating toward this event, please call the Northridge Hospital Foundation at (818) 885-5341, ext. 2.

Tip-A-Cop to Support the Special Olympics...

Our Public Safety Deputy Jim Dellinger was an LAPD Officer with over 25 years on the force, and he is still an active duty Reserve Officer. He reports this week on a fun way to help our local Police Officers support a great cause. Tip-A-Cop is coming back to the Claim Jumper Restaurant in Northridge on Thursday, April 5 to raise funds for the Special Olympics.

Come out for a delicious dinner at the Claim Jumper, while LAPD Officers volunteer to work as your celebrity waiters. All of their tips go toward the Tri-Valley Special Olympics. 

Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.7 million athletes in more than 170 countries. Special Olympics activities are held every day, all over the world. To learn more visit www.SOSC.org.

Thursday, April 5
5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Claim Jumper Restaurant
9429 Tampa Ave., Northridge
(At the north end of Northridge Fashion Center)




 


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