Englander E-News: Jane Skeeter Honored as Pioneer Woman of 2012

COUNCILMEMBER ENGLANDER'S E-NEWS

Aug. 24, 2012

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

Honoring a Business and Community Leader...

We were proud to honor Jane Skeeter, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Chatsworth-based Ultraglas Inc., in City Council as the Twelfth District Pioneer Woman of 2012, on Friday, Aug. 17. 

Every year, the Los Angeles Commission on the Status of Women holds the Pioneer Women Awards to honor the extraordinary women whose lifelong work has advanced the status of women and girls in the City of Los Angeles. 

As the head of the world's leading manufacturer of designed architectural and high-performance glass, Jane Skeeter is not only a leader in the business community, she also does a tremendous amount of work to benefit the community. 

Jane serves on the Advisory Boards of Woodbury University School of Business and Promerica Bank, and is a Board Member of the Valley Economic Alliance, VICA, Val*Pac, the Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley, the Valley Group, Valley Green Team, and the National Association of Women Business Owners - LA Foundation.

Keep Los Angeles Beautiful Grants...

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.

Be Ready for Summer Heat Waves ...

The summer heat waves are here, so be ready! 

During extreme heat the City opens up hundreds of facilities to be utilized as cooling centers, including Senior Citizen Centers, most Recreation and Parks facilities, and City Libraries. The air-conditioned facilities offer residents cold water, and a place to rest indoors. For more information on where all the cooling centers are located, call 3-1-1 or click here. 

Senior Centers: (213) 202-2700 or visit http://www.laparks.org/dos/senior/senior.htm .
Libraries: (213) 228-7000 or visit http://www.lapl.org/branches/ .
Recreation & Parks Facilities: (213) 202-2700 or visitwww.laparks.org.

Tips to Beat the Heat
DRINK PLENTY OF WATER. If you plan to be outdoors, take precautions to protect yourself from the sun and heat. Avoid the sun from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm when the sun's burning rays are most intense. Reduce physical activity. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and light- colored, lightweight, loose-fitting clothes. Avoid hot, heavy meals and alcohol. Drink Gatorade or other non-caffeinated drinks with electrolytes. Take a cool shower or bath. If you do not have air-conditioning, you can go to a public park to sit in the shade, or go to an air-conditioned shopping mall, where there are plenty of places to sit. 

Be Aware of Symptoms of Dehydration and Heat Stroke
Symptoms of dehydration and heat stroke include dizziness, fatigue, faintness, headaches, muscle cramps and increased thirst. To learn more,click here.

Never Leave Pets or Kids Unattended in a Vehicle
Leaving a child or a pet in a closed vehicle on a hot or sunny day, even with the windows cracked, can be fatal. On hot or sunny days, the temperature inside a car can be 50 degrees hotter than outside.

Heat Wave and Other Emergency Information:
UpdateLA : http://www.updatela.com/ 
ReadyLA: http://www.readyla.org/ 
Twitter: http://twitter.com/readyla 
Emergency Management Department:http://www.emergency.lacity.org/ 

Online Calculator to See How DWP Proposed Rate Increases Would Affect You...

The Department of Water & Power (DWP) has launched an online tool that allows customers to calculate how DWP's proposed rate increases will impact their water and power bill. To use the tool and for more information, visitezweb.ladwp.com/Customer.aspx

DWP says it needs to raise rates to allow it to ramp up investment in developing local water supplies to reduce the City’s reliance on more expensive imported water purchases from the Metropolitan Water District, replace aging infrastructure, and meet state and federal water quality regulations.

The power and water rate proposals are currently being reviewed by the LADWP Ratepayer Advocate. They are expected to be considered by the Board of Water and Power Commissioners in August, and thereafter by the City Council. 
 

Public Pools in Los Angeles Open Through Labor Day...

The summer swimming season is here and L.A.'s 48 public pools are open now and will remain open through Labor Day. (Department of Recreation and Parks extended the pool season due to the heat wave.)
 
Admission is free for kids under 17, seniors and people with disabilities. The pools are open 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm on weekends, and are open 11:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekdays. 

Our public pools are a wonderful resource, offering kids and adults in the community a great, economical way to cool off, get exercise and have fun!

The City’s Aquatics facilities include regular public swimming pools with a wide variety of amenities, programs, sports and classes for children, adults and people with disabilities and competitive athletes in training. The City also offers a Junior Lifeguard Training Program designed to prepare young people who are interested in pursuing a career as a Lifeguard.

L.A. Public Pools in the West San Fernando Valley
GRANADA HILLS POOL
16730 Chatsworth St., Granada Hills
Click here for a map.

NORTHRIDGE POOL
(818 ) 709 – 7475
10058 Reseda Blvd., Northridge
Click here for a map.

CANOGA PARK - LANARK PARK
(818) 756-9364
21817 Strathern St., Canoga Park
Click here for a map.

VAN NUYS/SHERMAN OAKS WAR MEMORIAL PARK
(818) 783-6721
14201 Huston St., Van Nuys
Click here for a map.

To learn more about all of the City’s Aquatics facilities 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, Aug. 30
Tampa Ave., between Superior St. and Lassen St., 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.

National Preparedness Month Courses Throughout September…

September is National Preparedness Month so all month long 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, starting Sept. 2. These courses could make all the difference for you and your family before, during and after a disaster. 

LA Fire Chief Brian Cummings will be attending the first day. All of the events are free and open to all community members. For more information, please call Alicia Welch, Battalion Chief, Battalion 18 Headquarters at Fire Station 68 at(213) 485-6288. 

Family Emergency Planning
Sunday, Sept. 2
10am to 11:30am
Cheviot Hills Recreation Center
2551 Motor Ave., Los Angeles 

This course is a must-attend day for anyone who wants to learn how to keep their family safe and together. It covers: what to do during and after a disaster; what food, water and supplies you must have on hand; how to plan and practice an evacuation plan; what to take and what to leave behind; emergency phone numbers you MUST have; plus much more critical information that you need to keep yourself, your family and your neighbors safe. 

For more information visit www.ntp-la.com or email info@ntp-la.com.

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 on Sept. 8 and Sept. 29. 

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. If you're interested in running for a neighborhood council board position, the Candidate Filing Form is available here. 

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
http://www.northridgesouth. org/2012-nsnc-election/

Sept. 8, 2012 elections for:
Granada Hills South Neighborhood Council
http://empowerla.org/ghsnc/granada-hills-south-nc-elections/

Northridge East Neighborhood Council
http://empowerla.org/nenc/northridge-east-nc-elections/

Northridge West Neighborhood Council
http://empowerla.org/nwnc/northridge-west-nc-elections/

North Hills West Neighborhood Council
http://empowerla.org/nhwnc/north-hills-west-nc-elections/

Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council
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 at http://empowerla.org/elections or call (818) 293-8683. 

Grandparents as Parents 25th Anniversary Grandparent's Day Brunch...

Grandparents as Parents is holding their annual Grandparent's Day Brunch on Sunday, Sept. 9 to raise funds for their important programs, and to honor outstanding community members for their support. 

Sunday, Sept. 9
11:00 am to 3:00 pm
Millenium Biltmore Hotel
506 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles

Grandparents as Parents was founded in 1987 by Sylvie de Toledo, a clinical social worker whose own family was impacted by the death of her sister. Grandparents as Parents provides free programs and services that meet the needs of grandparents and other relatives raising at-risk children, including group therapy, support groups, crisis counseling, education, advocacy and emergency referrals to food, clothing and shelter.

For information on tickets and sponsorship call (818) 264-0880 or emailtickets@grandparentsasparents.org. To learn more about Grandparents as Parents visit www.GrandparentsAsParents.org. 

"Asphalt Orchestra" - Free Concert at CSUN's Valley Performing Arts Center...

The Valley Performing Arts Center at CSUN is holding a free concert featuring a performance by "Asphalt Orchestra" on Thursday, Sept. 13. 

The New York City-based Asphalt Orchestra is a wild collective that boldly fuses western classical, rock, jazz and pop into a coherent sound. The twelve-member ensemble group includes a jazz drummer, an Indian dhol virtuoso, a Japanese-born classical percussionist and various other talented musicians playing trombone, sousaphone, over-the-shoulder drums and other assorted instruments—all while marching and dancing on stage.  

Thursday, Sept. 13
8:00 pm 
Valley Performing Arts Center
CSUN campus
18111 Nordhoff St. (at Lindley Ave.) 
Northridge

All are welcome, but the free tickets are only available by calling the Performing Arts Center's Ticket Office at (818) 677-3000. For more information, click here. 

Chatsworth/Porter Ranch Chamber of Commerce Family Festival...

We are proud to be co-sponsoring the Chatsworth/Porter Ranch Chamber of Commerce's Family Festival on Saturday, Sept. 15. 

Saturday, Sept. 15
10:00 am to 7:00 pm
Northwest Corner of Rinaldi St. & Porter Ranch Dr.
Porter Ranch

Admission is free to this fun family event, which will feature live music, food vendors, balloon animals, face painting, and more. All-day tickets for special activities including pony rides, bungee jumping, rock climbing wall, kid's train rides, carnival rides, bouncers, a slide and more are available for $30. Purchase your all-day ticket before Sept. 10 and save $5. 

Half of all ticket proceeds will be donated to S.O.L.I.D. (Supporters of Law Enforcement in Devonshire), which offers non-City supplied materials and equipment that are needed by our Police Officers at Devonshire Division. Co-sponsors include Facey Medical Group and Egremont School. 

For more information, call (818) 357-5373.

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) 704-1505 or email Ed19357@Yahoo.com. 

Support the Granada Hills Rotary Foundation Blood Drive...

Give the gift of life! Give blood! The 4th Annual Granada Hills Rotary Foundation and Granada Hills AYSO  are 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

To make an appointment visit www.rotarygivesblood.org. Walk-ins are also welcome. 
 
For sponsorships opportunities and additional information email John Weitkamp at jweitkamp@aol.com 

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 30: Find out Where the Red Cross Shelters Are Located...
When a major earthquake, wildfire or other disaster strikes that requires evacuations, destroys homes or otherwise displaces people from their homes, the American Red Cross establishes emergency shelters in the community. These shelters offer displaced people a place to stay, as well as food, medical attention, clothing, grief or trauma counseling and other necessities. The Red Cross has released an iPhone app that will let you find out where the Red Cross shelters will be in your community. It shows locations and shelter details across the United States. You can see details about each shelter, such as the agency managing the shelter, capacity of the shelter and current population, the associated disaster event and the specific shelter address and location.

The application uses data about open shelters from the American Red Cross National Shelter System (NSS). The NSS contains information about 60,000 potential disaster facilities and is used to track and report on shelter information during disasters. The NSS enables emergency managers and disaster relief workers to identify relevant information for all shelters in use and to develop effective response strategies before disasters strike. 

To learn more or to downloand the iPhone app, click here. 

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

Northridge West Neighborhood Council Promoting Unity in the Community...

Our Field Deputy Semee Park works with many of the Neighborhood Councils in our District. She reports this week on a great Neighborhood Council event coming - Northridge West Neighborhood Council's Candidate Forum and Great Streets Great Neighborhoods. 

This is  a great opportunity to get involved in making our community a better place, learning about the Neighborhood Council candidates and NC election process and to give your input on L.A. City Planning issues. In addition to discussing the candidates and the election system, Northridge West Neighborhood Council will discuss Government Affairs and Land Use items. 

August 28
7:00 pm to 10:00 pm 
Calahan Elementary School 
Auditorium
18722 Knapp St.
Northridge

For more information please visit www.NorthridgeWest.org ,www.EmpowerLA.org , email Glen Wilson at gwilson@northridgewest.org
or call (818) 886-3534. 

The Department of Neighborhood Empowerment Neighborhood Council Election Hotline is (818) 293-8683.