Englander E-News: Elections, Equines, Earthquakes, and More ...

COUNCILMEMBER ENGLANDER'S E-NEWS

Sept. 7, 2012

Follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/Mitch_Englander 

Get Involved in Your Community! Participate in the Upcoming Neighborhood Council Elections...

Looking for a chance to get more involved in your community? Participate in the upcoming election for Neighborhood Council Board Positions in the Northwest San Fernando Valley.

Joining your local Neighborhood Council is a great way to make a meaningful, positive contribution to your community, meet others who are engaged in the community, and get involved in rewarding community projects and events. 

Each neighborhood council will conduct their own election with various processes. For more information about the Neighborhood Council you're interested in, see links below and contact them directly.

Sept. 6, 2012 Town Hall Selections for:
Northridge South Neighborhood Council
Town Hall Selection Meeting:
Northridge Middle School Library
17960 Chase St., 
Northridge
6:00 pm
http://empowerla.org/nsnc/ 

Sept. 8, 2012 elections for:
Granada Hills South Neighborhood Council
Polling Location:
Granada Hills Recreation Center
16730 Chatsworth St.,
Granada Hills
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
http://empowerla.org/ghsnc/ granada-hills-south-nc- elections/

Northridge East Neighborhood Council
Polling Location:
Northridge Recreation Center- Arts & Craft Room
18300 Lemarsh St., 
Northridge
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
http://empowerla.org/nenc/ northridge-east-nc-elections/

Northridge West Neighborhood Council
Polling Location:
Topeka drive Elementary School
9815 Topeka Drive. 
Northridge
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
http://empowerla.org/nwnc/ northridge-west-nc-elections/

North Hills West Neighborhood Council
Polling Location:
Sepulveda Unitarian Universalist Society
9550 Haskell Ave. 
North Hills
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
http://empowerla.org/nhwnc/ north-hills-west-nc-elections/

Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council
Polling Location:
Shepherd of the Hills Church
19700 Rinaldi St., 
Porter Ranch
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
http://empowerla.org/prnc/porter-ranch-nc-elections/

Sept. 29, 2012 elections for:
West Hills Neighborhood Council
http://empowerla.org/whnc/west-hills-nc-elections/

Reseda Neighborhood Council elections
http://empowerla.org/rnc/reseda-nc-elections/

For complete rules and guidelines, information about acceptable forms of ID, candidate guidelines and frequently asked questions, visit the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment's website athttp://empowerla.org/elections or call (818) 293-8683.

L.A. Equine Advisory Committee: Preserving Horsekeeping Culture in Los Angeles...

In District 12, we are proud to have a large and vibrant equestrian community, with thousands of horses, numerous horsekeeping properties, boarding ranches, miles of beautiful horse trails in natural areas and bridal paths in neighborhoods. 

We are committed to preserving and promoting this unique part of our community, and we encourage those interested in horses to attend the monthly meetings of the Los Angeles Equestrian Advisory Committee (LAEAC). The LAEAC was created in 2009 to address equestrian related issues within the City and is committed to preserving equestrian culture in Los Angeles.  

The LAEAC is comprised of volunteers who live within the City. We were proud to appoint as the Twelfth District representative Mary Kaufman, a pillar of the Valley equestrian community who is also the Chair of Chatsworth Neighborhood Council's Equestrian Committee, President of Equestrian Trails International, Corral 54 and organizes the annual Chatsworth Day of the Horse. 
The LAEAC committee meets regularly on the 4th Monday of the month at Friendship Hall 3201 Riverside Dr. in Los Feliz. The meetings are open to the public.  

Fore more information on the Los Angeles Equine Advisory Committee visitwww.laparks.org/equine.

National Preparedness Month Course: Assessing Earthquake Damage…

September is National Preparedness Month, so the L.A. Fire Department Battalion 18, in coordination with your CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) is providing information, demonstrations and preparedness drills on four Sundays in September. These courses could make all the difference for you and your family before, during and after a disaster.

Assessing Earthquake Damage
Sunday, Sept. 9 
10:00 am to 12:00 pm 
Temple Beth Am
1039 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles

This course is a must-attend day for anyone who wants to learn what to do immediately following a major earthquake. It covers: how to recognize the damage done to any structure; the location and shut-off procedures of all utilities; how to evaluate whether it is safe to enter structures; how to communicate the information so that professional rescue teams can best evaluate what to do; which emergency officials need to be informed. Emergency preparedness supplies will be available for purchase.

This valuable information can affect when and how emergency professionals will respond. For more information visit www.ntp-la.com or email info@ntp-la.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 beautification project every Thursday!

Thursday, Sept. 13
North side of Chatsworth St. between Vanalden Ave. and Wilbur 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 orjaphillips1@yahoo.com or visit www.NorthridgeWest.org.

Cancelled: Insurance Brokers & Agents of the San Fernando Valley Community Gala...

Insurance Brokers and Agents San Fernando Valley (IBA SFV) has announced that, unfortunately, they must cancel their Community Gala which was scheduled for Sept. 13. For more information, call (818) 220-8408

Northridge United Methodist Church Gospel Concert...

The Lincoln Avenue Celestial Temple Sanctuary Choir is a regional winner of Verizon's "How Sweet the Sound" competition to find the best gospel choir in the nation. Come and enjoy the winning songs as they present a program of traditional and new gospel. 

Saturday, Sept. 15
7:30 pm to 10:00 pm
Northridge United Methodist Church
9650 Reseda Blvd., Northridge 

$10  suggested donation. For tickets and additional information please visit 
http://www.northridgeumc.org/ or call (818) 886-1555.

Get Ready for Citrus Sunday!!!

Save the date for our 7th Annual Citrus Sunday coming up on Sunday, Sept. 23. This volunteer fruit drive brings tens of thousands of pounds of fresh oranges and grapefruits to food banks that serve struggling San Fernando Valley families. 

Join Northridge West, Northridge South, Granada Hills North, Granada Hills South, West Hills and  North Hills West Neighborhood Councils along with Temple Ahavat Shalom for this great event!

Sunday, September 23
9:00 am to 1:00 pm 
 
Participating is easy! 
1. Just pick oranges, grapefruits or other citrus fruit from your trees, or ask your neighbors if you can pick from their trees.  
2. Drop them off at participating locations between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Sunday, Sept. 23. Our partner organization, Valley Interfaith Council (VIC) will collect all the fruit and distribute it to families served at VIC food pantries in the San Fernando Valley.

Drop off locations: 
North Hills West NC
Fire Station 87
10124 Balboa Blvd., North Hills 

West Hills NC
Field’s Market
23221 Saticoy St., West Hills 

Granada Hills South NC
Granada Hills Charter High School
10533 Zelzah Ave., Granada Hills
 
Northridge West NC & 
Northridge South NC
Wilkinson Senior Center
8956 Vanalden Ave., Northridge 

Temple Ahavat Shalom 
18200 Rinaldi Place, Northridge 
(8:30 am – 12:00 pm)

Join Ride with Pride’s Concert in the Canyon...

Ride with Pride will be hosting the 3rd annual Concert in the Canyon on Saturday, September 29. Enjoy a fun filled evening with community members while helping to raise money for Ride with Pride's programs.

Saturday, Sept. 29
6:00 pm to 10:00 pm 
Browns Canyon Ranch
12051 Browns Canyon Rd., 
Chatsworth

Ride with Pride offers therapeutic horseback riding to enhance the lives of children and adults with disabilities. 

For more information please visit http://www.ridewithprideth.org/newsRoomUpcomingEvents.html
For sponsorship information contact Pat UpdeGraff at (818) 885-8138. 
 

West Hills 25th Anniversary Community Picnic and Elections...

We are proud to co-sponsor the West Hills 25th Anniversary Picnic and Neighborhood Council Elections at Shadow Ranch Park in West Hills. 

West Hills 25th 
Anniversary Picnic
Saturday, Sept. 29
1:00 pm to 6:30 pm
West Hills Neighborhood Council Elections
2:30 pm to 6:30 pm
Shadow Ranch Recreation Center
22633 Vanowen St., West Hills 

The event is hosted by the West Hills Neighborhood Council and co-sponsored by West Hills Hospital, Grossman Burn Center, Fairwinds West Hills Retirement Center, The Boeing Co., Foundation for Arts and Community Events (FaCE)/Cinema Heritage Project and the Department of Recreation and Parks. 

There will be live rock and roll bands, picnic games, a community resource fair, petting zoo, bouncers, health screenings, and gourmet food trucks. At 7:00 pm, there will be a free outdoor screening of the classic film The Wizard of Oz. 

For information or to reserve a booth, please call Ed Young at (818) 704-1505or email Ed19357@Yahoo.com. 
 

Workshops for Disability Rights, Education and Advocacy...

The Family Focus Resource & Empowerment Center  in partnership with Gold Standard Advocates is offering several workshops for community members, focusing on children with Special Education needs and their families.

Family Focus Resource & Empowerment Center (FFREC) assists families of children who have special needs.  FFREC is a non-profit organization and is a sponsored project of the Michael D. Eisner College of Education at California State University, Northridge. For more information, visithttp://familyfocusresourcecenter.org/.

Gold Standard Advocates is a Los Angeles-based Special Education Advocate group specializing in individuals with disabilities. For more information, visit  http://www.theiepadvocates.com/
 

"Transition from Early Intervention Into Pre-School"

 Wednesday, Sept. 12

10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Councilmember Mitchell Englander's 
Community Service Center
9207 Oakdale Ave., Chatsworth
RSVP to (818) 677-6854 

"Special Education & IEP Rights"
Saturday, Sept. 15
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
LAFD Fire Station 87
10124 Balboa Blvd., Northridge
RSVP by Sept. 13 to (818) 677-6854 

"Insurance Coverage for Autism-Related Services"
Thursday, Oct. 4
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Councilmember Mitchell Englander's 
Community Service Center
9207 Oakdale Ave., Chatsworth

For questions or to RSVP to any of the workshops, contact Theresa Quary at(818) 677-6854 or Theresa.quary@csun.edu. 

Support the Granada Hills Rotary Foundation Blood Drive...

Give the gift of life! Give blood! The Granada Hills Rotary Foundation is holding a blood drive in two locations in Granada Hills on Saturday, September 29 in an effort to raise at least 500 pints of blood. Free lunch will be provided to all donors. 
 
Saturday, Sept. 29
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Granada Hills Recreation Center
16730 Chatsworth St.,  Granada Hills
North Valley Youth Sports Complex
13100 Balboa Blvd., Granada Hills

An appointment is required. To make an appointment visitwww.rotarygivesblood.org
 
For sponsorships opportunities and additional information email John Weitkamp at jweitkamp@aol.com 

Submissions are now being accepted for Keep Los Angeles Beautiful (KLAB) Grants, competitive matching grants that are awarded to community groups for neighborhood beautification projects. The deadline for project submissions is Sept. 21. 

KLAB has $30,000 in total, and each project can be awarded a maximum of $5,000. KLAB is run by the Department of Public Works and its aim is to engage residents, businesses and community organizations in a collective effort to prevent litter, promote the reduction of waste and beautify neighborhoods. 

For more information call Salyna Cun at (213) 978-1041 or emailSalyna.Cun@lacity.org. To apply for a KLAB grant, visit http://bpw.lacity.org/ocb/KLABGrant.html.

Pioneer Day at the Homestead Acre in Chatsworth... 

Pioneer Day at the Homestead Acre in Chatsworth is coming up on Sunday, Oct. 7, so save the date for this great Northwest San Fernando Valley tradition. 

Sunday, Oct. 7
11:00 am to 4:00 pm
Homestead Acre
Chatsworth Park South
10385 Shadow Oak Dr.
(At the west end of Devonshire St.)
Chatsworth

This wonderful, family-friendly event celebrates the rich history of our community, and includes tours of the Virginia Watson Chatsworth Historical Museum and the historical Minnie Palmer Cottage. There will also be the famous Chili Cook-Off, a bake sale, and demonstrations of wood-carving, arrowhead making, weaving, panning for gold, quilting, blacksmithing, Native American artifacts, and more. 

There is free parking and a shuttle service to and from the park at Chatsworth Depot Metrolink Station, located at 10038 Old Depot Plaza Rd. (Enter from Devonshire St. between Canoga Ave. and Owensmouth Ave.). 

$5 donation for adults. $1 for kids. Proceeds support the Chatsworth Historical Society. 

For more information, visit  http://www.historicalsocieties.net. 

Darby Elementary School Fundraiser to Support Goodwill...

Please donate unwanted or used household items, electronics and clean clothing in good condition to Darby Elementary School's 5th Grade Class for their Goodwill donation drive. Darby has partnered with Goodwill Southern California to raise funds as well as support Goodwill’s mission of enhancing the quality of life for people with disabilities through education, training and job placement services.  

This event is a win-win! For every trailer full of donated items, Darby Elementary's 5th Grade Class earns money to help pay for school supplies for students, and Goodwill receives donated items that will go to struggling families in our community. 

Saturday Oct. 13
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Darby Elementary School
10818 Darby Ave., Northridge
Teacher's parking lot on southwest corner.

To see the list of accepted and not-accepted items, click here. 
To have items picked up please call (818) 319-7139.

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 32: Trash Bags for Your Toilet...
Following a major earthquake, you may be living in your damaged home for days or weeks before repairs are completed. While your water may be running, it is advisable to not flush your toilet until you have had an inspection or are certain that your sewage pipes are not damaged. If you flush your toilet and your pipes are cracked or broken, the leaking water could damage your foundation, or you could have a raw sewage leak under your home. No one wants that!

To avoid this, keep extra trash bags with your emergency supplies. You can line your toilet with a trash bag, and then seal and bury the bag outside away from your home. 

To see our printable Emergency Preparedness Checklist, with every week's entry, click here or visit our website atwww.CD12.org.

Police Community Meetings Coming Up... 

Our Public Safety Deputy Jim Dellinger, who was also an LAPD Police Officer with over 26 years on the force and is still an active duty LAPD Reserve Officer, reports this week on some great community meetings coming up. 
LAPD Devonshire Division Community Police Advisory Board Meeting...
The LAPD Devonshire Division's Community Police Advisory Board (CPAB) Meeting is on Wednesday, Sept. 19 in Northridge. 

Wednesday, Sept. 19
7:00 pm
St. Nicholas Greek Church
17037 Plummer St., Northridge

The LAPD's Community-Police Advisory Boards (C-PABs) were created in 1993 to provide community members with an opportunity to share information with the local Police Officers that protect and serve their neighborhoods. It also offers the LAPD to share important public safety, crime prevention and crime trend information with the community. 

Each of the 21 geographic Areas (community police stations) throughout Los Angeles has its own C-PAB which meets monthly. Each C-PAB has two co-chairs - one is one of the Area Commanding Officers while the second is a civilian member voted on by the Advisory Board. Many C-PABS also have subcommittees focusing on specific issues such as graffiti, youth, homeless outreach and traffic. 

For more information, click here. 

LAPD Devonshire Division Basic Car 17A35 & Neighborhood Watch Meeting...
Join Senior Lead Officer Dario Del Core for a Basic Car & Neighborhood Watch meeting on Thursday, Sept. 20 in Granada Hills. 

Thursday, Sept. 20
7:00 pm
St. Euphrasia Church
11766 Shoshone Ave., Granada Hills

The Basic Car Meeting is every 3rd Thursday of the month at 
at St. Euphrasia Church. These meetings are a great way to learn how you can get involved in keeping our neighborhoods safe, and build strong relationships with our local Police.

For more information, call Senior Lead Officer Dario Del Core at (818) 634-0577 or email 27286@lapd.lacity.org. 
To see a map of the Devonshire Basic Car Area, click here.