Englander E-News: Committee OKs Ban on Pot Shops

COUNCILMEMBER ENGLANDER'S E-NEWS

June 1, 2012

PLUM Committee Approves Citywide Ban on Illegal Pot Shops...

As a member of the the Planning & Land Use Management Committee, I voted to move forward with a citywide ban on illegal marijuana storefronts on Tuesday, May 29. The proposed ordinance would outlaw storefront pot shops in Los Angeles while allowing small groups of patients and their primary caregivers to grow medical marijuana on their own.

As Chair of the Public Safety Committee, I will be reviewing the ban in my Committee, after which it will go to the full Council. The ban would be in effect in L.A. at least until the California Supreme Court reviews pending cases.

The City has struggled for years with the unintended consequences, crime and other negative impacts on neighborhoods of illegal pot shops, and has been unable to find ways to effectively regulate them. When voters approved  the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, legalizing medical marijuana in California, it is likely they had clinics or pharmacies in mind, rather than the nearly 1,000 storefront marijuana stores that sprang up across L.A.

Since 2008, Police conducting raids of illegal marijuana businesses have made over 74  arrests citywide, and seized over $2 million in cash, assault weapons, 9 kilos of cocaine, and large amounts of other illegal drugs. Together with LAPD Devonshire Division Narcotics Enforcement Officers, we shut down 60 of the illegal marijuana dispensaries that were operating in our District. The remaining ones are now closed, and we now have none operating in Devonshire Division. 

It has become commonplace for people as young as 18 years old to easily obtain prescriptions for ailments such as anxiety or insomnia and buy marijuana from storefront dispensaries for recreational drug use. Marijuana remains illegal at the Federal level for any use. 

- Mitchell Englander, Councilmember, Twelfth District

Follow us on Twitter at
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Don't Miss the Valley Family Festival This Saturday, June 2 at Northridge Park!

Get ready for a day of family-friendly fun in the park at the Valley Family Festival and Movies Under the Stars, coming up on Saturday, June 2 at Northridge Park.

The AMAZING lineup includes live music and dance acts, gourmet food trucks including Gourmet Genie, PerKup Coffee and Tea, Cambalaches Gourmet and Breezy Freeze!

There will also be bouncers, arts & crafts activities for kids, a climbing wall and a FREE outdoor screening of the animated movie "Puss in Boots" and more! What better way to kick off the summer than this awesome outdoor celebration of the San Fernando Valley? Please "like" the Facebook event page,  share it on your Facebook page and invite your friends to attend!

Saturday, June 2
3:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Northridge Park
18300 Lemarsh St., Northridge

We are proud to host this event in partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Northridge and the L.A. Department of Recreation and Parks.

For more information go to http://db.tt/tsonqVto or call (818) 882-1212. 

9th Annual Still Saving Lives Car Show...

The 9th Annual Still Saving Lives Car Show & Family Traffic Safety Fair is coming up on Saturday, June 2 at Warner Center Park in Woodland Hills.

Saturday, June 2
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Warner Center Park
5800 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills

This annual free event is sponsored by the LAPD Valley Traffic Division and the Valley Traffic Advisory Council. There will be over 300 classics, hot rods, race cars, motorcycles and other beautiful and rare vehicles, as well as food trucks, games and vendors. The LAPD's SWAT, K-9 Unit, Motorcycle Drill Team and Bomb Squad will have demonstrations and vehicles on display.

For more information, visit www.VTAC-VTD.org.

Volunteer or Donate to Operation Gratitude...

Volunteer or donate to help Operation Gratitude assemble and ship care packages to our troops serving overseas. Operation Gratitude is a San Fernando Valley-based non-profit organization that has sent over 775,000 care packages to bring letters of support and the comforts of home to U.S. military personnel serving in war zones abroad.

They hold major assembly and shipping drives every spring and winter, and volunteers and donations are needed year-round.

Weekdays
Mondays & Fridays, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays, 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Weekends
Sunday, June 3, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Saturday, June 16, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Sunday, June 24, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Saturday, June 30, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Gourmet lunch trucks sell a variety of delicious food for lunch in the parking lot from 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm, and the truck operators each donate 10% of all proceeds to Operation Gratitude. This activity qualifies for Community Service Hours.

Anyone over 12 years old can volunteer, but anyone under 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult. If you would like to volunteer please send an email to OpGratVolunteer1@yahoo.com with the subject “Operation Gratitude Volunteer.” To make a donation, visit https://www.operationgratitude.com/donate/.

Imagine Job & Resource Fair...

We are proud to co-sponsor the “Prepare Fair” and the “Imagine Job & Resource Fair” at Shepherd of the Hills, a great free event offering many valuable resources to help job seekers get ahead.

Speakers and workshops at the “Prepare Fair” will coach attendees free of charge to improve their interview skills, perfect their resumes and optimize online searches and applications to help find a great job!

Prepare Fair
Monday June 4
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Shepherd of the Hills
19700 Rinaldi St., Porter Ranch

At the “Imagine Job & Resource Fair” job seekers will have the opportunity to meet with as many as 100 hiring employees from a wide variety of industries. In addition, the resource area will offer valuable tools and services for the soon-to-be-employed.

Imagine Job & Resource Fair
Tuesday, June 5
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Shepherd of the Hills
19700 Rinaldi St., Porter Ranch

Any qualifying person who finds a job through the job fairs will receive clothing and gasoline vouchers to help until their first paycheck arrives, courtesy of WorkSource! Co-sponsors include WorkSource California, the Valley Economic Alliance, the Chatsworth/Porter Ranch Chamber of Commerce, the Valley Economic Development Corp., the North Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce and Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council.

For more information please visit www.imaginejobfair.com.

Public Meeting on DWP's Proposed Rate Increases...

The Department of Water and Power (DWP) will be holding a meeting on Wednesday, June 6 at LAPD Devonshire PALS Youth Center to present information on proposed power and water rate increases. Senior
Managers from the DWP will be on hand to answer questions and take comments regarding the proposed rate increases.

Wednesday June 6
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
LAPD Devonshire PALS Youth Center
8721 Wilbur Ave., Northridge

For more information click here.

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 beautification project every Thursday!

Thursday, June 7
Devonshire St. between Tunney Ave. and Corbin Ave., Northridge

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 Council 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.

“Hope” Work Out Day to Benefit St. Jude Hospital...

On Saturday, June 9, CrossFit Body Elite in Chatsworth is holding a fundraising event to help support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Saturday, June 9
10:00 am to 3:00 pm
CrossFit Body Elite
9144 Jordan Ave., Chatsworth

Join your local CrossFit gym and participate in the work out of the day or pledge a donation. All of donated proceeds will benefit St. Jude Research Hospital, where 81 cents of every dollar go directly to support research and treatment at St. Jude. For more information, to register, or if you can't participate in the workout, but would like to support St. Jude, visit http://hope.crossfit.com.

Fundraiser Night for C.E.M.P. at Panda Express in Granada Hills...

Come to Panda Express in Granada Hills on Thursday June 7 and 20% of your bill will be donated to support C.E.M.P. (California Emergency Mobile Patrol).

Thursday, June 7
11:00 am to 10:00 pm
Panda Express
Granada Hills Town Center
(Chatsworth St. & Zelzah Ave.)
Granada Hills

Just get the flyer here.  Print the flyer, and present it to the cashier.

C.E.M.P. Search & Rescue is an all-volunteer search and rescue team that serves the LAPD and other agencies in the San Fernando Valley. They primarily help the LAPD locate missing people.

For more information, call (866) 448-3212 or visit www.CEMP.org.

Northridge Village Beautification Project Fundraiser at El Rancho...

The efforts of the Northridge Sparkle Campaign to beautify the business corridor on Reseda Blvd. between Nordhoff St. and Parthenia St. in Northridge have evolved into "Northridge Village Beautification." The group is holding "A Night on Broadway," a fundraiser concert at El Ranch Cordillera Del Norte on Saturday, June 9 to raise funds for the revitalization of the Historic Reseda Boulevard
Business District.

Saturday, June 9
4:00 pm - silent auction
5:00 pm - show begins
6:30 pm - wine & appetizers
El Rancho Cordillera del Norte
9015 Wilbur Ave., Northridge
$25 donation. Free Parking.

The event features nine great singers (Annie Grimes, Meggan Taylor, Gina Mitchell, Sue Fountain, Joe Green, Dave Berges, Carl Nakamura, Terry Lieberstein, and Northrdige Sparkle's own Andrea Alvarado) led by Charlie Harrison, Music Director of El Rancho. Sponsored by Northridge South Neighborhood Council.

Seating is limited so RSVPs are required. To reserve, please email northridgebeautification@gmail.com or call (818) 885-0825.

Chatsworth Fine Arts Council Annual Depot Art Show...

Don't miss the Chatsworth Fine Arts Council Annual Depot Art Show on Sunday, June 10 at Chatsworth Depot Train Station. This amazing annual art show has been hosted by the Chatsworth Fine Arts Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to support visual arts in our community, since 1998. Come support the arts in our community and see artwork by local artists.

Sunday, June 10
10:00 am to 5:00pm
Chatsworth Depot 
Metrolink Station
10040 Old Depot Plaza Rd. 
Chatsworth

A wide variety of original art created by local artists in all different media will be on display.  There will also be live music, a free kids' art activities booth, and the Whistle Stop Cafe in the train station will be open and serving delicious snacks and refreshments.

For more information, call (818) 772-1639 or email  chatswortharts@att.net or visit www.ChatsworthFineArtsCouncil.com.

YMCA's 23rd Annual Kids To Camp Golf Tournament...

Come out for a great day of golf and help raise funds so that North Valley Family YMCA can send kids to summer camp at the North Valley YMCA's 23rd Annual Golf Tournament. 

Monday, June 11
Porter Valley Country Club
19216 Singing Hills Dr., Northridge
9:00 am - Registration, Continental Breakfast, Driving Range Open, Putting Contest
11:00 am - Shotgun start, 4-Person Texas Scramble
5:00 pm - Awards Dinner, Raffle & Auction

Proceeds from the golf tournament provide scholarships to young and at-risk YMCA campers and supports the year-round camping program for more than 1,200 young people. YMCA summer camp creates unique experiences for young people that they will remember for the rest of their lives, and is a positive turning point for many YMCA kids.

For more information, call (818) 368-3231 or visit www.ymcala.org/nv.

New Horizons 5K Walk...

Join New Horizons for their Fifth Annual Walk on the Horizon 5k Walk to benefit developmentally disabled people in our community on Saturday, June 23 at Woodley Ave. Park.

Saturday, June 23
Registration - 7:00 am
Run - 8:30 am
Walk 9:00 am
Woodley Park
6350 Woodley Ave., Van Nuys
Map - http://g.co/maps/uuhvv

Take a little walk, or run, and make a big difference for New Horizons’ programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The event will feature a 5k run and a non-competitive walk around Woodley Park in Van Nuys, followed by an awards celebration with food, and live music by the band Arrest My Sister.

For 57 years, New Horizons has empowered individuals with developmental disabilities such as mental retardation, cerebral palsy and autism to fulfill their dreams.

For more information on Walk on the Horizon, or to register, visit www.newhorizons-sfv.org/walk or call John Thornton at New Horizons (818) 221-0644 or email jthornton@newhorizons-sfv.org.

Call for Submissions - Artwork Made By Local Artists for a District 12 Art Exhibition...

The Council District 12 office is putting out a call for submissions of artwork by Northwest Valley artists to be part of a community art exhibition in our Community Service Center in Chatsworth.

We will display the artworks for up to six months. There is no cost involved, and the artists will receive 100% of any sales of their artwork. The works will be by artists living or working in Council District 12 in the San Fernando Valley, and they will be related to the unique culture, landscape, people, places and life of our community or the City of Los Angeles as a whole.

If any artist wishes to donate proceeds from the sale of their work to support the arts in our community, our office will match the donation. For more information, call Semee Park at (818) 882-1212.

If you are an artist in the Northwest San Fernando Valley, please submit your work for review! Click here to see the guidelines and the entry form. 

Congratulations and Good Luck, L.A. Kings!

We were proud to see our hometown hockey team, the great L.A. Kings, advance into the Stanley Cup Finals. On Wednesday, May 30, they beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 to take a 1-0 lead in the Finals. Congratulations Kings and Kings fans, and good luck !

Traffic Disruptions Possible During Final Period of Construction On Canoga Ave. Orange Line Extension...

With construction nearly complete on the Canoga Ave. Orange Line Extension, MTA is now working seven days a week including some evenings. Paving, utility, traffic signal and other work is being done on each street along Canoga Ave. from Vanowen St. to Devonshire St. Some traffic disruptions and congestion can be expected between now and the end of May.

When the Canoga Orange Line Extension is complete, it will provide a fast, safe connection between Chatsworth Depot Metrolink Station and the endpoint of the Orange Line Busway at Warner Station in Woodland Hills. It will provide Northwest Valley commuters vastly greater public transit options and alleviate traffic congestion on our streets.

Canoga Station Park & Ride Lot Closure

In preparation for the grand opening of the Metro Orange Line Extension, the Canoga Station Park & Ride Lot will be re-constructed. This work will require a partial closure of the parking lot starting on Wednesday, May 31, through Friday, June 15.  

Disabled parking will remain available at the Canoga Station Park &
Ride Lot during the reconstruction. Metro encourages patrons to utilize the Pierce College Park & Ride lot.

For further questions, please call (818) 701-2827 or email molextension@metro.net.

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 20: Decide if Earthquake Insurance Is Right For You...
Only about 12% of Californians with home insurance have quake coverage. Whether you should purchase earthquake is a complicated question that you should consider carefully. Earthquake insurance is expensive and limited. But if your home is damaged in an earthquake and you have no earthquake insurance, the cost of repairs could be so high that you could lose your home entirely.

It's important to look at what the coverage costs, covers and excludes. The California Earthquake Authority is a good resource, offering a lot of information that can help you make a decision. It is a non-profit organization whose mission is to make earthquake insurance affordable to anyone who wants and needs it. To learn more, visit California Earthquake Authority's website.
 
To see our printable Emergency Preparedness Checklist, with every week's entry, click here or visit our website at www.CD12.org.

VEDC to Open L.A. BusinessSource Center in the West San Fernando Valley...

Our Field Deputy Erik Richardson handles a range of service requests from residents, and he also serves as our business liaison, offering information and assistance to local companies.

He reports this week that the Valley Economic Development Corp. (VEDC) opens their second Los Angeles Business Source Center in the San Fernando Valley this week. The new LA Business Source Center is located at 18645 Sherman Way, Suite 114, in Reseda and serves the entire West Valley Region. VEDC is a non-profit small business lender that offers direct micro and small business loans as well as SBA 7(a) and SBA 504 loans to companies in the San Fernando Valley.  To learn more visit www.vedc.org. 

The Business Source Center will offer a range of services and resources, including training, consulting and access to capital to help Valley-based businesses grow, thrive and create jobs. They help businesses navigate permitting and contracting processes and overcome obstacles. The Business Source Center will also be an asset to help attract new businesses to locate in the Valley and retain existing ones.

During such challenging economic times, the Business Source Center offers crucial services, particularly for small businesses, which are the backbone of our economy.

For more information on the Los Angeles BusinessSource Centers visit www.LABusinessSource.org or call (818) 705-9977.