Calendar of Events

Mon., Dec. 24, 2007
Christmas Eve

Mon., Dec. 24, 2007
3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Info at (213) 972-3099
* Admission is free! *
L.A. County Holiday
Celebration
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
135 N. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles 90012

Tues., Dec. 25, 2007
Christmas Day
* County buildings closed *

Mon., Dec. 31, 2007
New Year’s Eve

Tues., Jan. 1, 2008
New Year’s Day
* County buildings closed *

Tues., Jan. 8, 2008
Starts at 9:30 a.m.
L.A. County Board of
Supervisors Meeting
500 W. Temple St., Rm. 381B
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tues., Jan. 15, 2008
Starts at 9:30 a.m.
L.A. County Board of
Supervisors Meeting
500 W. Temple St., Rm. 381B
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tues., Jan. 19, 2008
Starts at 9:30 a.m.
L.A. County Board of
Supervisors Meeting
Public Hearing
500 W. Temple St., Rm. 381B
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Mon., Jan. 21, 2008
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
* County buildings closed *

Tues., Jan. 22, 2008
Starts at 1:00 p.m.
L.A. County Board of
Supervisors Meeting
Public Hearing
500 W. Temple St., Rm. 381B
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Thurs., Jan. 24, 2008
Starts at 9:30 a.m.
Metro Board of
Directors Meeting
1 Gateway Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Mon., Jan. 28, 2008
Starts at 2 p.m.
Alameda Corridor East (ACE)
Board of Directors Meeting
Irwindale Council Chambers
5050 Irwindale Ave.
Irwindale, CA 91706

Tues., Jan. 29, 2008
Starts at 9:30 a.m.
L.A. County Board of
Supervisors Meeting
500 W. Temple St., Rm. 381B
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tues., Feb. 5, 2008
Presidential Primary
Election Day!

Wed., Feb. 6, 2008
Starts at 1 p.m.
L.A. County Board of
Supervisors Meeting
500 W. Temple St., Rm. 381B
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tues., Feb. 12, 2008
Starts at 9:30 a.m.
L.A. County Board of
Supervisors Meeting
500 W. Temple St., Rm. 381B
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Thurs., Feb. 14, 2008
Valentine’s Day

Mon., Feb. 18, 2008
President’s Day Holiday
* County buildings closed *

Tues., Feb. 19, 2008
Starts at 1:00 p.m.
L.A. County Board of
Supervisors Meeting
500 W. Temple St., Rm. 381B
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Mon., Feb. 25, 2008
Starts at 2 p.m.
Alameda Corridor East (ACE)
Board of Directors Meeting
Irwindale Council Chambers
5050 Irwindale Ave.
Irwindale, CA 91706

Tues., Feb. 26, 2008
Starts at 9:30 p.m.
L.A. County Board of
Supervisors Meeting
Public Hearing
500 W. Temple St., Rm. 381B
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Thurs., Feb. 28, 2008
Starts at 9:30 a.m.
Metro Board of
Directors Meeting
1 Gateway Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tues., Mar. 4, 2008
Starts at 9:30 a.m.
L.A. County Board of
Supervisors Meeting
500 W. Temple St., Rm. 381B
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Sun., Mar. 9, 2008
Daylight Savings Time Begins

Tues., Mar. 11, 2008
Starts at 9:30 a.m.
L.A. County Board of
Supervisors Meeting
500 W. Temple St., Rm. 381B
Los Angeles, CA 90012

December 21, 2007 -- Volume III, Issue IX

ARTIST SHOWCASES ‘A TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS’

It has become an annual tradition for us to showcase the work of a local artist each holiday season. This year, we displayed paintings by Aydee Lopez Martinez and featured a sumptuous piece titled "A Traditional Christmas" (Una Navidad Tradicional) on the First District Holiday Card (pictured at left). At our artist showcase, guests were treated to the culinary delights depicted in Martinez' painting and got the opportunity to view a variety of Martinez' works firsthand.

Born in Teocaltiche, Jalisco in Mexico, Martinez grew up in Northeast Los Angeles. After earning her Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts from UCLA in 1999, she continued living in L.A. County with her husband and two children while dedicating herself full-time to her art. Many mediums comprise her work including oil pastels, acrylics, pottery, ceramic sculpture, and woodcuts. Her work has been displayed throughout Southern California, in Chicago, in México, and at the Jadite Gallery in New York City.

You can view more of her work in these three full-color books: A Contemporary Chicana and Chicano Art; Artists, Works, Culture and Education, as well as Chicano Art of Our Millennium, and Triumph of our Communities, published by the Bilingual Press and Arizona State University Chicano Studies Department. Or you can go to www.aydeeart.com.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EAST LOS ANGELES!

East L.A. rejoiced in the start of the holiday season at the 33rd Annual East L.A. Christmas Parade. This year, like so many over the past three decades, hundreds of East L.A. residents packed the sidewalks to watch local marching bands, drill teams, charros, and vaqueros stride with pride underneath East L.A.’s landmark Whittier Boulevard Arch -- designed by architect Frank Villalobos, president of Barrio Planners, and officially dedicated in 1986.

I proudly participated in the 33^rd Annual East L.A. Christmas Parade and took my First District Field Director Erica Jacquez-Santos (pictured at right) along for the ride. This year, the famous singers and spouses Antonio Aguilar, Jr., and Flor Silvestre (pictured below) served as co-grand marshals -- a big thrill for so many East L.A. residents who enjoy their music.

The East L.A. Christmas Parade is a wonderful tradition that genuinely brings the community together. My office has worked hard over the years to foster this kind of civic spirit through a variety of projects. These include the Centro Estrella facility on Avenida César Chávez for children with disabilities, the East L.A. Civic Center -- including an East L.A. County Hall, a new library, and a completely landscaped Belvedere Park -- as well as the Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension light rail line, which is under construction and should open to the public in 2009.

BEVERLY BOULEVARD BRIDGE REOPENS!

We are overjoyed to announce that the Beverly Boulevard Bridge has reopened! This 552-foot vital commuter and commercial artery connecting the cities of Montebello and Pico Rivera was completely destroyed when a transient accidentally set fire to it in late 2005. The 33,000 commuters who use it each day felt the effect immediately. So L.A. County quickly allocated $150,000 -- and the Cities of Montebello and Pico Rivera pitched in $85,000 each -- for a temporary structure with two lanes of traffic in each direction.

It opened to the public in February 2006. But with a 16-ton limit, emergency vehicles still couldn't use it -- which that made construction of the permanent structure all the more urgent. The state allocated an additional $534,000 in demolition and cleanup costs, which was critical since over 3,300 tons of debris and contaminated soil had to be removed from the site.

And once again, the cities of Montebello and Pico Rivera came through with $793,000 each for the permanent structure. This is civic collaboration at its best, a fitting Christmas present to thousands of commuters, residents, and local merchants who recognize -- as we do -- the importance of keeping the Beverly Boulevard Bridge open.

VERNON POWER PLANT—WE WANT ANSWERS!

Many people are unaware that the City of Vernon plans to build a 943 megawatt power plant that will produce more than 880 tons of air emissions per year. If the power plant is built, it will tie as the seventh largest contributor of PM-10 emissions. And it will be the most massive facility of its kind in L.A. County. The proposal has families living near Vernon extremely concerned. Already, the L.A. City Council voted unanimously to oppose the project. That is why L.A. City Councilman José Huizar -- who represents the Boyle Heights neighborhood adjacent to Vernon -- mobilized local residents (pictured at right) on November 26^th to protest the proposed project.

Since then, the word has spread to surrounding Southeast L.A. Communities -- including unincorporated East L.A. and Florence-Firestone/Walnut Park. Most residents in these areas already endure the worst pollution rates in L.A. county. We represent them -- so we demand answers. That is why the L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to petition the California Energy Commission -- which will decide whether the power plant can move forward -- to intervene as an interested party. Basically, our action allows us to raise questions and make Vernon prove their information. We will not support the power plant's construction unless the commission and the City of Vernon can guarantee a simultaneous -- and greater -- reduction of pollutants by other pollution sources in the vicinity. If the power plant is going to be clean, let Vernon prove it. If it's going to be a project that is truly beneficial to the community, let them prove it. If the community is going to have to live with this intrusive power plant, let Vernon be a good neighbor and prove that this facility is worth it to everyone. Many thanks to the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Mothers of East Los Angeles for their hard work on this issue.

FITNESS ZONES COMING TO A PARK NEAR YOU!

For so many people, joining a gym is enticing but the cost is simply prohibitive. Yet each year, more studies show that incorporating more physical activity into our daily lives is vital to maintaining good health. That is why we have prioritized the construction of Fitness Zones at L.A. County parks throughout the First District. Recently, we joined Eastside residents, health specialists, fitness advocates, environmental activists, and county planners at our Fitness Zone Launch at Belvedere Park in East L.A.

Thanks to a $750,000 donation from Kaiser Permanente to the Trust for Public Land--which then partnered with L.A. County -- East L.A. residents can access basic health club equipment free of charge. The elliptical machines, weights, and aerobic equipment are suitable for a variety of ages and fitness levels. Plans are underway to build Fitness Zones at San Angelo Park in Bassett, Sunshine Park in Valinda, Roosevelt Park in Florence-Firestone/Walnut Park, and Dalton Park in unincorporated Azusa.

FIRST ‘GREEN’ HOME IN EAST LOS ANGELES

Making your home environmentally friendly is easier than you think -- especially if you live in an unincorporated region of L.A. County -- thanks to the "Green Grant Program." These funds make it financially possible for many environmentally conscious homeowners to transform their residence into a "green" home. Margarita Garcia of East L.A. did just that, and we recently joined environmental advocates, green energy entrepreneurs, and local Eastside residents to celebrate the first "green home" in East L.A.

Ms. Garcia's home -- located at 520 South Arizona Avenue -- features solar panels, specially insulation, a tankless water heater, and an electric meter that goes backwards when the home at times actually generates electricity. "Green" homeowners typically enjoy savings of between 30 and 80 percent in the first year. Thanks to a partnership between L.A. County and Enterprise Home Ownership Partners (EHOP), hundred of unincorporated First District L.A. County residents may qualify for the Green Grant Program. To learn more, go to www.enterprisecommunity.org.

1,065 SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES HIRED IN 2007!

On Dec. 20th, 90 trainees from Sheriff's Academy Class 366 graduated and became full-fledged Sheriff's Deputies. Other jurisdictions are bragging about their hiring efforts. But only L.A. County can say that they hired and trained 1,065 in one calendar year. That is a phenomenal accomplishment!

I am so proud of the fact that one of my own former employees, Connie Cheng (pictured below), is part of Academy Class 366 -- and I proudly provided the keynote speech at the swearing-in ceremony that she and her fellow rookie deputies participated in. At one point, L.A. County had over 1,200 Sheriff's Deputy vacancies. This made it tough for the Sheriff's Department to effectively patrol our communities and properly staff our jails.

But Sheriff Lee Baca and his team -- with support from the Board of Supervisors -- quickly got to work on a major Sheriff's Deputies recruitment and retention campaign. And the remarkable results speak for themselves! From Pomona to East L.A., from Compton to Lancaster, residents' number one priority is ridding our communities of gang violence. So congratulations to all new L.A. County Sheriff's Deputies -- and, "Let's be careful out there!"

GRAFFITI PREVENTION HOMICIDE SUSPECT CAUGHT

Words cannot describe how relieved we are that an alleged suspect in the Robert Whitehead homicide case has been caught. You may recall how on the evening of March 9, 2006, 44-year-old Robert Whitehead -- a resident of unincorporated West Valinda -- was shot and killed when he attempted to stop alleged gang members from spray-painting graffiti on his neighbor’s home.

Now, we are pleased to report that the Sheriff’s Department has arrested a suspect: Anthony Castillo. The other -- Robert Lopez -- is still on the run but we are confident that it is only a matter of time before the long arm of the law captures him, too. Many thanks to Sheriff’s Dept. personnel for their tenacity on this homicide case -- and our sincere condolences go out to all of Robert Whitehead’s surviving friends, family, and neighbors this holiday season.

FOUNTAIN NAMED FOR L.A. COUNTY’S DAVID JANSSEN

L.A. County’s finances are still in great shape thanks in large part to the leadership and fiscal discipline of David Janssen, our former Chief Administrative Officer who served us so well for over a decade. That means we have had sufficient funding to support our public health, safety, and social service programs and to augment services at our libraries and parks. L.A. County’s current fiscal condition stands in marked contrast to the situation Janssen found us in back in 1996, when we were still reeling from our massive budget deficit the year before. By helping bring us to a state of fiscal solvency and by improving interdepartmental communication and effectiveness, David's influence will be felt for generations to come.

The Board of Supervisors wished to express our gratitude to David in a way that could be enjoyed publicly and that would last permanently, so we officially dedicated the Music Center Plaza fountain in his honor. David and his wife Jeannie (pictured) happily attended the ceremony. It was a special Christmas treat for them and for L.A. County, which unquestionably is a better place because of David’s leadership.