State’sParolePolicyEndangeringNeighborhoods · 2014. 2. 11. · August 2010 Vol 5 Number 7 What’s Inside: YouShould Know Pg. 2 Money, Power &CorruptioninL.A. Pg. 3 Calendar ...

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August 2010Vol 5 Number 7

What’s Inside: You ShouldKnowPg. 2

Money, Power& Corruption in L.A.

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PublicSafetyPg. 6

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By Katharine Russ

The proven flawed and failed policies of the CaliforniaDepartment of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)andDivision ofAdult Parole Operations (DAPO) nearlycost two Los Angeles police officers their lives. One ofthe officers was shot in the wrist and the other injured inthe incident. Officers in LAPD’s Foothill Division in theSan FernandoValley initiated a pursuit of a possibleDUIsuspect. Eventually, Javier Joseph Rueda, age 28,stopped his vehicle, got out and began shooting at offi-cers. Reports say Rueda shot at least ten times in an ef-fort to kill the officers. Officers returned fire andsubsequently killed Rueda. Rueda also known as “Jay-boy”, “Lilskinny” and “Ghost” had two loaded semiau-tomatic handguns that were recovered at the scene.For over a year, the Los Angeles Police Protective

League (LAPPL) haswarned that the implementation ofthis programwould severely jeopardize the safety of ourcommunities and law enforcement just to save a few dol-lars. In fact, Law Enforcement officials across the statehave voicedmajor concerns over theNonRevocable Pa-role (NRP) policy.Paul M. Weber, President of the LAPPL, said, “for

months we have repeatedly warned it’s only a matter oftime before the Department of Corrections’ NRP pol-icy - which pushes prisoners back onto the streets andprevents their return to prison - enables a parolee to killa police officer, or an innocent member of our commu-nity. It was only by the sheer grace of God that these

officers were not killed by this parolee, who still shouldhave been in prison.”As outlined by Secretary of the California Depart-

ment of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Matthew Cate,in a January 21 letter, the objectives of the newNRPpol-icy “allows the CDCR to reserve active parole supervi-sion for offenders who have been assessed as being highrisk to re-offend, have a serious or violent commitmenthistory, and sex offender.”On July 14, four days after the shooting incident, an

“All StaffAlert Notification” fromMaria Franco, ChiefDeputy RegionalAdministrator-DAPO, announced that“Ruedawas on active parole and a documentedVinelandBoys gangmember” who has a history of assault on po-lice officers. But, Rueda was not on “active” parole. Hewas re-classified as an NRP in late May 2010 due to a“flaw” in the program. Franco should have known that.She also should have remembered that not very long ago,a member of theVineland Boys killed a Burbank PoliceOfficer and disabled his partner when they interruptedthe gang’s drug transaction.Caroline Aguirre, a retired Parole Agent, said, “In

December of 2009, Rueda’s assigned ParoleAgent com-pleted what is known as an annual Discharge Reviewwith the recommendation that Rueda, based on his vio-lent history, use and possession of firearms and his doc-umented gang membership, be retained on parole. TheBoard of Parole Hearings concurred with all recom-mendations and retained Rueda on parole for a secondyear. The Board of Parole Hearings, in their decision,

believed and assessed that Ruedawas likely to re-offendand he posed a risk to the welfare and safety of the com-munity.” So how was Rueda classified as NRP?The CDCR’s Parole Violation Decision-Making In-

strument (PVDMI) system had misclassified hundredsof felons. It was also later acknowledged that 656 re-leased inmates pose a danger to public safety and shouldbe in jail or under parole supervision.Bob Walsh, retired Lieutenant-CDCR, believes the

entire history of parolees was not taken into considera-tion and that screeners were poorly trained. Walsh alsoreported, “One of the released parolees held a 17 year-old girl in his room against her will for several days, re-peatedly raping her. Among the persons the state isnow trying to find are 29 domestic violence cases, 4rapists, 12 with weapons violation charges and 3 streetgang members.”

Continued on page 3

State’s Parole Policy Endangering Neighborhoods

By Adel Hagekhalil

As promised, I wanted to provide youwithmore details about the background and cur-rent status of the proposed ordinance to regulate operation of OnsiteWastewater Treat-ment Systems (OWTS), commonly known as septic tanks. We appreciate your interestin this issue and recognize the value in the feedback you have offered.Since the launch of this outreach effort in April, our team has attended more than

25 communitymeetings to brief various neighborhood councils and stakeholder groups

around the city. We set out to sharewhatwewere thinking about for this ordinance gov-erning the operation of OWTS, and then hear from the people who understand thisissue best – OWTS owners. A letter also went out to all OWTS owners in the city toacquaint everyone with what is currently under discussion.The City of LosAngeles Department of PublicWorks Bureau of Sanitation’s mis-

sion is to protect public health and the environment. We are responsible for a widerange of environmental programs and services to meet that goal. One of our major re-sponsibilities is compliance with federal and state water quality mandates. As part ofthe city’s stormwater permit andwater quality regulations for bacteria and nitrogen, thecity is required to address and eliminate any potential sources of bacteria. Propermain-tenance and regular pumping are vital to avoiding septic system backups and expen-sive repairs. A failing system is not only unpleasant due to overflow to the groundsurface or the plumbing in the home backing-up, but it is a human health risk and a haz-ard to the environment. Properly operatedOWTS are essential to the protection ofwaterquality and necessary for compliance with state and federal laws.Based onmonitoring data that show excessive bacteria levels in our waterways, the

Environmental ProtectionAgency’s (EPA) and the State water resources Control Boardidentified most of the waterways in Los Angeles as impaired water bodies as definedby the 303(d) list of the CleanWaterAct.Amap (Attachment No.1) depicts water bod-ies impaired by bacteria in the LA River watershed. Our water quality sampling in theTujungaWash along the LosAngeles River indicates high levels of E-coli bacteria (At-tachment No. 2).The CaliforniaWater Code requires that a “Report ofWaste Discharge” (ROW) be

filedwith theRegionalWaterQuality Control Board for issuance ofwaste discharge re-quirements (WDRs). This applies to all OWTS. However, in 1952, the California Re-gionalWater Quality Control Board, LosAngeles Region, waived the requirement forhomeowners to obtainWDRs for residential septic systems in the Region. In 2004, thewaiver expired and SB 390 mandated the State only to renew the waiver as part of theMemorandumofUnderstanding (MOU)with theRegional Board to improve local reg-ulations of residential OWTS. The City of Los Angeles entered into a five-year MOUwith the Regional Board in May 2005, which extended the waiver. Without the MOUand the waiver, the Regional Board would have been able to require and apply generalWDRs for each residence with OWTS. TheWDRs would require each homeowner tofile a “Report ofWaste Discharge” (ROW), essentially proving that their septic systems

Continued on page 2

Septic Systems Update

Change inLA’s Planning Dept.

Pg. 8

National Night OutTuesday, August 3

Page 2 NORTH VALLEY REPORTER August 2010

COMMUNITY NEWS

Continued from cover— Septic

work properly, protect the public’s health and do not pol-lute any waters of the State. By easing administrative is-sues and lightening the burden on homeowners, the Cityintends to act as a buffer between the State and residen-tial OWTS.As part of thisMOU and the waiver extension, how-

ever, the State has mandated the City to develop this or-dinance to regulate the operation of septic tanks, and theordinance must be in place by December 31, 2010. Inaddition, under the City’s storm water permit and waterquality regulations for bacteria, the City is required todiligently address and eliminate any potential sources ofpollution, especially bacteria. Having properly operat-ing OWTS is an essential component for the protectionof the quality of our waters and compliance with Stateand Federal laws.The proposed ordinance already has undergonemany

revisions as we have been listening to the input peoplehave offered at these meetings. We know that there is agreat deal of information circulating about this impor-tant topic, and that some of it is inaccurate or outdated,so we want to make sure everyone knows, from us,where we stand at this time.At the most basic level, the proposed OWTS ordi-

nance is our attempt to take inventory of the systems outthere.We believe there are approximately12, 000OWTSin the City, but we want people to register so we knowwhere they are and so owners can indicate that they arecaring for their systems properly. This would involveself-certification, and the registration would be good forfive years.While nothing is finalized, we expect that thisfee will be minimal, or may even be administered at no

cost. This will apply to the vast majority of OWTS inLosAngeles.Based on the Environmental Protection Agency’s

(EPA) and the State Water Resources Control Board’smost recent list of impaired water bodies, as defined bythe 303(d) list of the CleanWaterAct, there are approx-imately 300 OWTS in high-risk areas. This means theyare either within 900 feet of activewater wells, or within600 feet of impaired water. Additional properties andareas along Santa Monica Bay in the Pacific Palisadesarea may be included as part of the high-risk areas aspart of the City’s compliance with water quality man-dates for bacteria in Santa Monica Bay. The proposedordinance would require OWTS owners in high-riskareas to obtain operating permits every three years, andwould require a certified inspection upon permit re-newal. The cost for the OWTS permit in high-risk areasis currently being evaluated to ensure full cost recovery.We estimate that each three-year permit would cost$350, or an annual cost of about $117.There has been much discussion about whether the

City will require OWTS owners to connect to the sewer.The proposed ordinance will not require OWTS ownersto connect to the sewer or to upgrade to advanced treat-ment OWTS. However, the City’s Municipal Code al-ready mandates that property owners are required toconnect to the sewer system if their septic system failsand/or requires replacement [LAMC94.101.15.2] and asewer is available within 200 feet of the structure[LAMC 94.713.4].Residents should be aware that Assembly Bill 885

(passed in September 2000) directs the StateWater Re-sources Control Board to develop standards for the per-mitting and operation of onsite sewage treatment and

disposal systems. These statewide standards were sup-posed to become effective in 2004, but they have beenundergoing a long stakeholder review and revisionprocess. As part of previous drafts ofAssembly Bill 885regulations, mandates to connect to sewers in high-riskareas were considered. Nothing has been decided at thistime, but updates can be viewed at the CaliforniaWaterResources Control Board website www.swrcb.ca.gov(go to “Septic” under “Programs” and see “New DraftOWTS Regulations”).Thank you for your patience as we work through

the process of preparing this ordinance. We are verygrateful for your thoughtful input and engagement inthis issue. We look forward to continuing to work to-gether, and will be holding a few more “listening” ses-sions to hear frommore of you. Two sessions will takeplace at the Bureau of Sanitation’s Media Center of-fices, located at 2714 Media Center Drive, Los Ange-les, 90065 on Tuesday,August 3, from 1:30 pm.– 3:30pm, and on Thursday, August 12, from 9:00 am to11:00 am. There will also be an evening session onTuesday,August 10, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Coun-cil District 2’s Sunland-Tujunga Field Office - 7747Foothill Blvd., Tujunga 91042.Wewill provide another update before the ordinance

is finalized. For more information or to request a meet-ing, please call the Public Affairs Office at 213-978-0333, or email [email protected] 40 percent of theOWTS are in theNorthSan FernandoValley.

Editor’s Note: Mr. Hagelkhalil is Assistant Direc-tor of the Wastewater Collection Systems and Water-shed Protection for the Dept. of PublicWork’s Bureauof Sanitation.

Former Mayor Richard Riordan was a Special Guest Speakerat the kick off fundraiser for LA Clean Sweep on Saturday,July 17, at the Mayflower in North Hollywood. The room ofapproximately 200 attendees who turned out in the swelteringheat, was bursting at the seams as Master of Ceremony, RadioTalk Show Host Kevin James introduced Mayor Riordan andRon Kaye, Founder and Chairman of Saving LA Project’s LAClean Sweep Committee. Other speakers included ShirleyFord with The Parent Revolution, Parents Advocate LydiaGrant, Tezomoc leader of South Central Farmers and GerardoAlmeida, organizer of labor union organizer. The event re-ceived wide spread publicity from the media because mem-

bers of Clean Sweep plan to raise funds in order to seek and support qualifiedcandidates to run for public office in 2012.Info: LACleanSweep.com

You Should Know...By Nina Royal

Whooping Cough (Petrussis) - is back on the radar.The last outbreak was in 2005. Two hundred eight-nine possible cases have now been reported and 184are confirmed. The coughing of infected people whomay not even know they have it is spreading the dis-ease. The California Dept of Public Health is recom-mending vaccinations for children 7 years and older,who are not fully immunized, as well as persons 64years and older. Call 211,or visit www.pub-lichealth.lacounty.gov for more information.Volunteers needed for a Mounted Equestrian

Patrol - Trails have become increasingly unsafe andmisused. As a result, volunteers are being sought tocommit a minimum of three hours on a weekend sothat the trails can be utilized safely by everyone. Formore information call Linda, 310-397-8886, or email:[email protected] Holders of foreclosed property beware -A

new L.A. City ordinance has been passed that vacantproperty must be registered as defaulted and main-tained and kept safe as soon as a notice is issued, orthe city can levy a $l000 a day fine per each code vi-olation. Community members are requested to call the311 hot line and report nuisance dwellings.National Night Out August 3 - Check the Calen-

dar in the middle of this issue for locations and times.

Neighborhood Council Election feedback meet-ing - by the office of City Clerk will be held ThursdayAugust, 5, at Marvin Braude Constituent Center,6262 Van Nuys Blvd, Rm 2B, Van Nuys. Neighbor-hood Council Board members are being invited to aseries of regional meetings.AFamily Resource Fair in the North Valley - is

being held by the Community Development Depart-ment. (CDD) and is a great opportunity to networkand share resources. Businesses, organizations andservice clubs will be providing resources and infor-mation regarding jobs, training. Also informationservices will be available free of charge to low/mod-erate and low-income residents in the City of LosAn-geles and more. It will be held on Saturday, August7, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at Hansen Dam Recre-ation Center, 11770 Foothill Blvd, Lake View Ter-race. Contact Cynthia at CDD for more informationat 818-352-135Lloyd Hitt, retired as President of Little Lan-

ders Historical Society - The public is invited to joina celebration to honor his many of years of service tothe Society, Bolton Hall Museum and the Sunland-Tujunga Community. Join him on Sunday, August 8,4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Bolton Hall Museum, 10110Commerce Ave., Tujunga.Looking for a job - Try the Job Fair hosted by

Congressman Buck McKeon, Friday, August 13,

10:00 am – 3:00 pm in the Antelope Valley CollegeCafeteria, 3041 West Ave K., Lancaster. RSVPwww.McKeon.House.gov.Watermelon Festival time - is here. Marked an

official tourist destination in the San FernandoValley,the annual festival, sponsored by the Sunland-TujungaLions Club, begins August 13 through August 15.See the back page of this issue for more information.A Non-Profit Leadership Summit - is being

hosted by the Assistance League of So. California onWednesday, August 15, 8:15 am to 4:15 pm, at 1370St.Andrews Place, Hollywood. Council member EricGarcetti will be the welcoming speaker. For questions,contact Marta A. Segura, District Director, at 323-957-4500, or by email [email protected] Sunland-Tujunga Family Safety Fair -

scheduled to be held on Saturday, August 21, hasbeen canceled until further notice due to budgetcuts. City, County, and State Public Safety Depart-ments are under strict financial control and until theeconomy improves there are no funds for extra out-reach activities.Community Carnival -A Fundraiser for LAPD’s

Foothill Division Cadet program is coming soon. Savethe dates, September 3, 4, 5 and 6, at Glenoaks andVan Nuys Boulevards. The times will vary. More in-formation will be provided at a later date.

Maximum Crowd at Kickoff Event

U.S. Congress Member Howard “Buck” McK-eon brought his office to Sunland-Tujunga onFriday, July 9. He met with Sunland-TujungaNeighborhood Council’s Executive Committeemembers in the morning to discuss land issuesand other concerns of the community. He thenmet with a core group of community activistsduring lunch and followed up with a Town Hallmeeting in the afternoon. The Congressman is agraduate of Verdugo Hills High School and re-iterated his support for preserving both theVer-

dugo Hills Golf Course for open space and recreational use, as well asthe Rim of the Valley.

Congressman Supports VerdugoHills Golf Course

Kevin James,KRLA AM 870

August 2010 NORTH VALLEY REPORTER Page 3

COMMENTARY

Continued from cover— Parole

Aguirre was adamant that “heads needed to roll” over these and other incidents. Aguirre named MatthewCate, Scott Kernan, Robert Ambroselli, Margaretta Perez and Maria Franco and said, “They have been lessthan transparent and totally incompetent.” Assemblymember Nathan Fletcher and Ted Lieu both publicly ac-knowledged that the “system was broken”.Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck sent a letter to Cate expressing concern that Rueda had been

placed on "non-revocable parole" inMay, after serving just two years of a 10-year prison sentence on firearmsand other charges.Assemblyman Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), has called for an investigation by Office of the Inspector General

(OIG). "Rueda should have never been on NRP," said Lieu. "This is another example of this failed parole pol-icy. CDCR needs to halt the implementation of NRP immediately before someone dies."SBX 3 18, the bill passed last year by, among others, former Assemblymember Paul Krekorian, now

an LA City Councilmember, and Assemblymember Felipe Fuentes, a possible candidate for City Coun-cil’s District 7. It was voted on before the Department of Corrections even wrote the policy and procedurefor the implementation of the Bill. Others who voted to pass SBX3 18 can be found at: http://www.votes-mart.org/issue_keyvote_member.php?cs_id=27630 and http://www.votesmart.org/issue_keyvote_mem-ber.php?cs_id=27478While lawmakers scramble to make a bad law “better” with the introduction of SB 1487, that would al-

legedly clarify ambiguities of SBX3 18, no one appears to be challenging the incompetent actions of theCDCR or DAPO.InMarch, CrimeVictimsUnited ofCalifornia (CVUC) filed a lawsuit in SanDiego Superior Court against the

Governor and theCDCR.The lawsuit challenges the various constitutional violations byGovernor Schwarzeneg-ger and the CDCRwith their “early release” policies alleging the law is in direct conflict withMarsy’s Law, over-whelmingly passed byvoters in 2008.CVUC is seeking a temporary restraining order to immediately stop the earlyrelease of prisoners in order to protect California’s communities from dangerous criminals.Aguirre said, “Those who voted for this defective bill owe the people and all in law enforcement a sincere

apology for putting them in danger.”LAPD’s Deputy Chief, KirkAlbanese, who is in charge of the San FernandoValley, reported “I am happy

to say that both officers are recovering from the injuries they sustained in that gun battle and both will make afull recovery and return to the field to serve the LAPD and the community in the near future.”

Editor’s Note: Caroline Aguirre, Parole Agent-Retired, who had 26 years of experience with the CaliforniaDept of Corrections and Rehabilitation, contributed to this article. [email protected]

We accept all letters on all subjects of public concern. All lettersare subject to editing and condensation. They will only be publishedwith the name reßecting the writer's true identity. Only writer’s homecommunity rather than full address will be published. Letters mustinclude the writer’s complete home address and daytime telephonenumber for veriÞcation purposes. Letters and columns that are submittedand for which no compensation was paid,may be republished in digitaland other formats, and retained in archives without compensation to theauthor. The North Valley Reporter reserves the right not to publishletters for any reason.E-mail: [email protected] opinions expressed in “Sound O� “ and ”Commentary” arethose of the writers only.

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P.O. Box 674, Tujunga Ca 91043

Publisher/EditorNina Royal

Layout DesignPaccio Ad & DesignContributing Writers

Tomi Lyn Bowling, Commander James Cansler,Michael Connelly, Captain Joseph M. Hiltner,

Marlene Hitt, Ron Kaye,

Investigative ReporterKatharine RussProofreadersPaula Warner

PhotographersCindy Cleghorn, Lloyd Hitt,

North Valley Sales RespresentativesGordon Lee, Betty SalazarSpecial Recognition to:

Elaine Brown, Cindy Cleghorn,Peter DiNova, Terry Kaiser,Mike O’Gara, Al Piantanida, Morris Pichon,

Dan Rosales, Erna Royal, Bobby Royal, Mark Seigel,Kim Thompson

By Ron Kaye

What started 18 months ago as aDavid vs. Goliath struggle betweenordinary citizens against the DWPand its IBEW now appears to bewithin eyesight of being on an evenplaying field. A massive effort to

keep those organizations from taking $4 billion out ofthe pockets of ratepayers for a phony solar energy planhas gained momentum to radically reform the nation'slargest municipal utility and elect better people for agreat LosAngeles.On the upside, we have seen the City Council reluc-

tantly stand up to the mayor's effort to raise electricityrates by up to 28 percent. We have also seen this samecouncil escalate its battle over the DWP for an inde-pendent Rate Payer Advocate and change the makeupof the Board of Commissioners to free it from total po-litical control.Charter reform measures that would achieve those

changes are expected to go on the ballot inMarch at thesame time that the seven even-numbered Council seatsare up for election.The L.A. Clean Sweep reform movement (laclean-

sweep.com) ismobilizing people across the city to fightfor citizen control of theDWP. Their goal is to also helpelect new people to the City Council…people who haveintegrity and honesty and will stand up to the pressuresat City Hall to go alongwith policies and programs theyknow are bad.

A new study entitled "Money and Power in the Cityof Angels”, by Robert Stern's Center for GovernmentStudies, shined the light on somuch of what is wrong atCity Hall. The study found that 99.93 percent of allCouncil votes were unanimous -- a shocking fact thatshows just how controlled the Council, how lacking inindependence of thought, and how submissivemembersare to the directions they are given.The reason it's that way is because anyone who

dares to show the courage of their convictions will beisolated and unable to achieve even the smallest needsfor their district.Here are some other facts the study uncovered: In-

cumbents in 2009 raised a combined total of $5.3 mil-lion in private contributions, compared to challengers'total of $285,000, a ratio of over 19-to-1. In addition,the study reported: "Independent expenditures madeby unions, corporations, and other entities comprisedabout $1.77 million and were concentrated in racesfor open seats."In plain language, those who hold City Hall offices

owe their elections to unions, developers, contractorsand the flow ofmoney that comes through lobbyists. It'sa vicious circle in which the only interest that doesn'tcount is the public interest. That’s why fees, taxes andrates keep going up and the city keeps moving closer tobankruptcy with libraries and parks closing, other coreservices being slashed, even as those residents who haveany financial resources are having to pay the full cost ofwhat services they do get, from ambulances to tree trim-ming to sidewalk repair.

The "Money and Power" study recommended thatcontributions to candidate controlled ballot measurecommittees should be subject to the same limits as con-tributions to candidate committees, and the informationon contributions and expenditures should be put up on-line like those for candidates themselves.It also called for banning lobbyists from "acting” as

intermediaries who can deliver campaign contributionsfrom their clients to officeholders or candidates that theyhave registered to lobby.Youmight remember that CityHall fooled the public into believing that lobbyists con-tributionswere banned by the ballotmeasure that sneak-ily gave the Council a third term instead of being limitedto two terms.The study's recommendations are sensible enough.

But laws and rules don't mean much when the peoplewho write them and those who enforce them who areall part of a monolithic political machine.The fight to fix L.A. is about power itself. Until

strong and independent candidates are elected to officethat are committed to and beholden to the voters noth-ing will change.Join the L.A. Clean Sweep movement and get in-

volved. It's going to take an army of ordinary people tochange the political culture of City Hall and bring everysegment of the community to a seat at the table of power.It can be done. It depends on you.

Editor’s Note: Ron Kaye writes for the NVR andRonkayeLA.com

Money, Power and Corruption in L.A.

Save up to 50% on your DWP BillSubMeter Maid is a one-stop service. We equip

your home to cut down your water billsCall 818-366-7865

Visit: [email protected]

There was a large turn out at theAmerican HeroesAir Showheld in Hansen Dam in LakeViewTerrace on Saturday, July24, to honor our men and women in uniform, as well as civil-ian volunteers. High tech helicopters were on display, aerialdemonstrations were performed, and two helicopters werebusy providing rides to the public for a fee. Booths weremanned by safety personnel for those seeking informationregarding future careers in military and safety professions.

American Heroes Air Show

Photo by Bobby Royal

Sunday, Aug 1Bolton Hall MuseumPresents “Water”10110 CommerceAve., S-TDocent Tours1:00 pm - 4:00 pm 818-52-3420

Monday, Aug 2STNC/Land Use Comm.NorthValley City Hall7747 Foothill, S-T7:00 pm 818-951-7411Info: stnc.org

Tuesday, Aug 3*National Night Out Events ** Help Stamp Out Crime*Potluck FestivalLiberty Temple Church13821 Osborne, Arl6:00-8:00 pm

Andres PicoAdobeFood & Entertainment10940 Sepulveda, MH4:00 – 7:00 pm

PicnicSepulveda Rec Center8810 Kester, NH6:00-8:00 pm

Picnic &MovieNorthridge Park10100 Reseda, NrthPicnic dinners a 7:00 pmMovie at dark

BBQ&ChildActivities9261Wakefied, PC6:00-8:00 pm

BBQ&ChildActivities14265 Terra Bella PC6:00-8:00 pm

Community ForumPlaza Del Valle8700Van Nuys, PC6:00-8:00 pm

Block PartyBBQ and ChildAcivitiesMarson and Salmoa, PC6:0-8:00pm

Pot Luck & OutreachHansen HillsEmpire Dr. & Empire Pl, Pac6:00 pm

Pot Luck &MovieRichie Valens Park10731 Laure Cyn, SV6:00 pm

BBQ, Pot LuckLive EntertainmentLittle Lander Park10110 Commerce, S-T6:00-9:00 pm

Block Party and EntertainmentCarey Ranch, Syl6:00 – 8:30 pm

Fitness FairFood & BeveragesSylmar Park, Syl6:30-10:00 pm

Block PartyFood, ChildActivitiesBlythe at Cardenas ParkVN5:00-7:00 pm

Block PartyBBQ and ChildActivitiesMarson and Salmoa, PC6:00-8:00 pm

******************Bolton Hall MuseumPresents “Water”10110 CommerceAve., S-TDocent Tours1:00 pm - 4:00 pm 818-52-3420

FTDNC Land Use9747Wheatland, SH7:00 pm

NHNE NCOutreach Com.Valley Plaza Library12311Van Own, NoHo6:30 pm 818-765-2202

Wednesday, Aug 4Rotary ClubCoco’s Restaurant10521 Sunland Blvd., S-T7:00 pm 818-951-5299

NHWNCGen. MeetingHoly MartyrsArmenian School1667 Parthenia St., NH7:00 pm

BingoS-T Elks Lodge11037 CommerceAve., S-T6:30 pm 818-352-5504

Thursday, Aug 5PCNC Land UseMission Comm. Hospital14860 Roscoe Blvd., PC6:30 pm 818-894-7841

S. V. RotaryMandarin Terrace8815 Sunland Blvd., SV12:00 pm -1:30 pm 818-768-9888

PCNC-Commerce ComWells Fargo Bank8548Van Nuys Blvd., PC2:00 pm

Sunshine CanyonAdvisoryCommKnollwood Country Club, GH12040 Balboa Blvd. GH3:00 pm-5:00 pm

S-T League ofWomen VotersNorthValley City Hall7747 Foothill Blvd., S-T1:30 pm 818-782-4236

Kagel Cyn CivicAssoc.Dexter Park, KC11053 No. Trail Rd. KC7:30 pm

Saturday Aug 7Friends of GH Library10640 Petit Ave., GH10:30 am 818-368-568

Family Resource FairHansen Dam Rec. Center11770 Foothill, LVT7 am – 2 pm 818-352135

Sunday, Aug 8Lloyd Hitt ReceptionLittle Landers Historical Soc.Bolton Hall Museum10110 Commerce, S-T4:00-6:00 pm

Monday, Aug 9PCNCOutreachPCNC Office (4th Floor)14500 Roscoe Blvd., PC6:30 pm 818-714-2133

SNC Land Use ComSylmar Park13109 BordenAve., Syl6:30 pm

GHNNC, Rules &Policy Comm.11139WoodleyAve, GH4:00 pm

L.A. EquineAdv Commit.L.A. Equestrian CenterGrand Prix Banq. RoomA480W. Riverside, Burbank6:30 pm

Tuesday, Aug 10Bolton Hall MuseumPresents “Water”10110 CommerceAve., S-TDocent Tours1:00 pm-4:00 pm 818-52-3420

PCNC CommerceWells Fargo Bank8548Van Nuys Blvd., PC2:30 pm 818-714-2133

SVANCGenMeet10631VinedaleAve., SV6:30 pm

SNC Outreach Com.Sylmar Park13109 BordonAve., Syl6:30 pm

PNC – House/Econom.& Land Use Comm.11243 Glenoaks Blvd., Pac5:30 pm 818 890-1563

NorthridgeWest NCBeckford Elem. School19130 Tulsa St., Nrth7:00 pm

MHNC Budget & FinanceLAPDMission Station16161 Sepulveda Blvd., MH7:00 pm 818-892-2414

FTDNC Land Use9747WheatlandAve., SH7:00 pm

Wednesday, Aug 11STNCGenMeet.NV City Hall7747 Foothill, S-TRefresh. 6:30 pm7:00 Meet. 818-951-7411

FTDNC Exec. Board9747WhatlandAve., SH7 pmSunValley Beautiful9081 TujungaAve., SV11:30 am

No Ho Neighb’dWatchPentecostal Church6800 Radford, No Ho7:00 pm 818-331-1398

Thursday, Aug 12LAPD CPABFoothill Div.Big Jim’s Restaurant8950 Laurel Cyn SV.6:00 pm 818-756-8866

ValleyAlliance of NC’sSherman Oaks Hospital4929Van Nuys, S.O.6:30 pm

FTDNC Equestrian Meet.9747Wheatland, SH7:00 pm

GHSNCGen. MeetingGranada Hills Charter H.S.Guest:Wendy Greuel10535 Zelza, GH7:30 pm 818-668-5969

SNC Spring Clean UpSylmar HeightsArea8:00 am 818-367-3487

August 13, 14, 15S-T Lion’s 49thWatermelon FestivalSunland Park - $2 admSunland & Foothill Bl, S-TSee back page for info

Sunday, Aug 15Bolton Hall MuseumPresents “Water”10110 CommerceAve., S-TDocent Tours1:00 pm - 4:00 pm 818-52-3420

Hansen DamTriatahalonHansen Dam Rec. CenterFoothill & Osborne, LVT7:00 amInfo: www.hansendamtri.org

Wednesday, Aug 13Job FairAntelopeValley College3041W.Avenue K, Lancaster10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Thursday, Aug 15Leadership Summit1370 St. Andrews Pl, Ho.8:15 am – 4:15 pm

Monday, Aug 16Valley VoteGalpin Ford15555 Roscoe , NH6:30 pm

SNC Land Use Comm.SNC Office Sylmar Park13109 Bordon, Syl6:30 pm

GHNNCOutreach & Pub.11139Woodley, GH7:00 pm

Tuesday, Aug 17Arleta NC Gen. MeetingBeachy Elem. School9757 Beachy, Arl.6:30 pm

Bolton Hall MuseumPresents “Water”10110 CommerceAve., S-TDocent Tours1:00 pm - 4:00 pm 818-52-3420

LAPD-CPABMission Division11121 Sepulveda Blvd., MH8:30 pm

Rotary ClubCoco’s Restaurant10521 Sunland Blvd., S-T7:00 pm 818-951-5299

Pacoima NC4:00 pm -SeniorAdvocate5:00 pm -Comm. Outreach6:30 pm -Gen. MeetingPacoima Comm. Center11243 Glenoaks Blvd., Pac

MHNCQuarter. OutreachLAPDMission Station11121 Sepulveda Blvd., MH7:30 pm

Northridge East NCNorthridgeAcadem HS9601 ZelzahAve., Nr7:00 pm

Bingo NightS-T Elks Lodge10137 Ave., S-T6:30 pm 352-2098

NVCity Hall7747 Foothill Blvd., S-T6:45 pm -7:30 pm

GHNNCOutreach & PR11139Woodley, HG7:00 pm

Wednesday , Aug 18North HillsWest NCNew Horizons,15725 Parthenia St. NH.7:00 pm 818 893-8613

STNC Safety CommNV City Hall7747 Foothill B Blvd., S-T6:00 pm – 6:45 pm

S-T SERVSNV City Hall7747 Foothill Blvd., S-T6:45 pm -7:30 pm

SNC Land Use CommSNC Office, Sylmar Park13109 Bordon, Syl6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Page 4 NORTH VALLEY REPORTER August 2010

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Strathern Neigh’dWatchStrathern Elem. School7939 St. Clair, NoHo6:30 pm

Thursday, Aug 19FTDNCGen. Meetingwww.ftdnc.org for location7:00 pm

SNC Gen. Meet.Hubbard St. Elementary13325 Hubbard St., Syl6:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Northridge East NCNorthridgeAcademy9601 Zelzah Nr7:00 pm

Saturday, Aug 21NHNE NCGenMeetStrathern Elem. School7639 St.Clair Ave. No Ho.7:00 pm 818-765-2202

Sunday, Aug 22Bolton Hall MuseumPresents “Water”10110 CommerceAve., S-TDocent Tours1:00 pm - 4:00 pm 818-52-3420

Monday, Aug 23GHNNCGen. MeetingVan Gogh Elem. School,17160Van Gogh, GH6:30 pm

Thursday, Aug 26Northridge South NCNorthridge Middle School17960 Chase St., Nr7:00 pm

SNC BoardMtng.Sylmar Rec. Cnter,13109 Borden, Syl6:30 pm 8737

Sunday, Aug 29Bolton Hall MuseumPresents “Water”10110 CommerceAve., S-TDocent Tours1:00 pm - 4:00 pm 818-52-3420

Tuesday, Aug 31Bolton Hall MuseumPresents “Water”10110 CommerceAve., S-TDocent Tours1:00 pm - 4:00 pm 818-52-3420

Wednesday, Sept 1STNC Safety CommNV City Hall7747 Foothill Blvd., S-T7:30 pm

Rotary ClubCoco’s Restaurant10521 Sunland Blvd., S-T7:00 pm 818-951-5299

NHWNCGen. MeetingHoly MartyrsArmenian School1667 Parthenia St., NH7:00 pm

BingoS-T Elks Lodge11037 CommerceAve., S-T6:30 pm 818-352-5504

Thursday, Sept 2PCNC Land UseMission Comm. Hospital14860 Roscoe Blvd., PC6:30 pm 818-894-7841

S. V. RotaryMandarin Terrace8815 Sunland Blvd., SV12:00 pm -1:30 pm 818-768-9888

PCNC-Commerce ComWells Fargo Bank8548Van Nuys Blvd., PC2:00 pm

Sunshine CanyonAdvisoryCommKnollwood Country Club, GH12040 Balboa Blvd. GH3:00 pm-5:00 pm

S-T League ofWomen VotersNorthValley City Hall7747 Foothill Blvd., S-T1:30 pm 818-782-4236

Kagel Cyn CivicAssoc.Dexter Park, KC11053 No. Trail Rd. KC7:30 pm

Saturday Sept 4Friends of GH Library10640 Petit Ave., GH10:30 am 818-368-568

Sunday, Sept 5Bolton Hall MuseumPresents “Water”10110 CommerceAve., S-TDocent Tours1:00 pm - 4:00 pm 818-52-3420

Monday, Sept 6STNC/Land Use Comm.NorthValley City Hall7747 Foothill, S-T7:00 pm 818-951-7411Info: stnc.org

Tuesday, Sept 7Bolton Hall MuseumPresents “Water”10110 CommerceAve., S-TDocent Tours1:00 pm - 4:00 pm 818-52-3420

FTDNC Land Use9747Wheatland, SH7:00 pm

Wednesday, Sept 8STNC GenMeet.NV City Hall7747 Foothill, S-TRefresh. 6:30 pm7:00 Meet. 818-951-7411

FTDNC Exec. Board9747WhatlandAve., SH7 pmSunValley Beautiful9081 TujungaAve., SV11:30 am

No Ho Neighb’dWatchPentecostal Church6800 Radford, No Ho7pm 818-331-1398

Thursday, Sept 9ValleyAlliance of NC’sSherman Oaks Hospital4929Van Nuys, S.O.6:30 pm

FTDNC Equestrian Meet.9747Wheatland, SH7:00 pm

GHSNCGen. MeetingGranada Hills Charter H.S.Guest:Wendy Greuel10535 Zelzah, GH7:30 pm 818-668-5969

Saturday, Sept 11Plan Check NCHist. Downtown O.R. Center114W. Fifth St., L.A.10:00 am -1:00 pm

Bolton Hall MuseumPresents “To Mount LoweWith Love”10110 CommerceAve., S-T1:00 pm 818-352-3420

SNC Land Use ComSylmar Park13109 BordenAve., Syl6:30 pm

GHNNC, Rules &Policy Comm.11139WoodleyAve, GH4:00 pm

Monday, Sept 13PCNCOutreachPCNC Office (4th Floor)14500 Roscoe Blvd., PC6:30 pm 818-714-2133

Tuesday, Sept 14Bolton Hall MuseumPresents “Water”10110 CommerceAve., S-TDocent Tours1:00 pm-4:00 pm 818-52-3420

PCNC CommerceWells Fargo Bank8548Van Nuys Blvd., PC2:30 pm 818-714-2133

SVANCGenMeet10631VinedaleAve., SV6:30 pm

SNC Outreach Com.Sylmar Park13109 BordonAve., Syl6:30 pm

PNC – House/Econom.& Land Use Comm.11243 Glenoaks Blvd., Pac5:30 pm 818 890-1563

NorthridgeWest NCBeckford Elem. School19130 Tulsa St., Nrth7:00 pm

MHNC Budget & FinanceLAPDMission Station16161 Sepulveda Blvd., MH7:00 pm 818-892-2414

FTDNC Land Use9747WheatlandAve., SH7:00 pm

Thursday, Sept 16FTDNCGen. Meetingwww.ftdnc.org for location7:00 pm

SNC Gen. Meet.Hubbard St. Elementary13325 Hubbard St., Syl6:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Northridge East NCNorthridgeAcademy9601 Zelzah Nr

August 2010 NORTH VALLEY REPORTER Page 5

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By Marlene Hitt

It has been said that the nomadic people who oncelived in this area had hand-made homes called wicki-ups. These houses were made of Tule reeds andgrasses which, when full of vermin and probablypretty dusty, were burned down and a new house built.Think of all manner of items not needed in that so-

ciety: dust cloths, vacuum cleaners, cleanser powders,oven cleaner spray, toilet brushes, paint removers,plaster patch and crack fill. And dishwasher soap, fur-niture wax and floor cleaner.Those who built out of logs and debris gleaned from

the canyons, like one fella, name of Silas, never neededto clean out his fireplace because he dragged in trees tohis cabin, burned the ends, then kept dragging the treefarther into the parlor until it was burned to ash,wherein he had to go get another tree. That man had no

windows so he didn’t need windex or paper towels.If we could think hard enough we could have earth-

quake-proof homes underground and cooking over acookhouse outside. Has that been done? The wallswould be thoroughly washable so that every morninga rush of air would go down the walls and floor fol-lowed by jets of water, all debris going down the drainin the center of the dwelling. If a carpet was necessary,all furniture could be raised on chains and suspendedwhile the one vacuum, placed as a wall to wall extrastrong rug beater with edge attachments. At the touchof a switch the vacuum cleaner would just chug alongand suck up every molecule of debris. Then in ten min-utes your house would be spic and span clean, non-al-lergenic; all this while you shower and dress.All stuff and junk (called ‘projects’) would be

housed in hidden rooms and caverns.All cooking would be done with as many prepared

foods as possible. Combine a can of tomatoes, a can ofbeans and some leftover roast and there you have it!Look for other handy hints in the forthcoming

cookbook being created by the Little Landers Histor-ical Society housed in Bolton Hall, Tujunga.This wishful thinking column is really a commer-

cial for the upcoming cookbook being prepared bySandy Shaffer-Broms and the museum committee.Our book will be a three-in-one with, not only recipes,but also a business directory and helpful handy hintsfor the house.Please share your recipes by sending to Bolton Hall

Museum, P.O.Box 203, Tujunga 91043, or E-mail [email protected], subject “cook book” or “recipes”.

Editor’s Note: Marlene Hitt is Director of BoltonHall Museum, a former Sunland-Tujunga Poet Lau-reat, and writes for the NVR.

Futurama

Commander James H. CanslerLos Angeles Police DepartmentOperations Valley Bureau

In the recent weeks, local shoppingmalls throughout the San FernandoValley have been the scene of repeated auto-related thefts from high-end sport utility vehicles. Specifically, late model General Motors ve-hicles to includeYukons, Tahoes, Denalis, and Escalades have been thefocus of car thieves.

Recent victims of these crimes have reported going intomalls and localmovie theaters onlyto return to their vehicle and find electronic mirrors, back seats, tailgates, navigation systems,and dashboard instrument clusters removed from their cars. The thieves are not as focused ontaking the cars as removing accessories and key electronic stock components that can likely beused on other similar vehicles.Due to the volume of these crimes which range from the San FernandoValley intoVentura

County. It is reasonable to assume that several groups of car thieves areworking independently.As a reminder for public awareness, the police department is suggesting that you follow

steps routinely to enhance the security of your personal property and vehicles when leavingthem unattended.The Los Angeles Police Department places a high priority on the apprehension of these

criminals and has dedicated a number of police resources to address and focus on these crimes.The apprehension and prosecution of these criminal remains a goal of the police departmentand our local communities. We are asking your assistance, by reporting criminal activity andby taking care to properly park and lock your vehicles.

High End Vehicles Targeted

PUBLIC SAFETYPacoima - Sunday, July 18, LAPDFoothill DivisionOfficers, responding to nu-merous neighbor complaints, shut down a very large, loud birthday party in thearea of Cayuga Ave. and Pierce Streets. 60 to 70 revelers were creating a dis-turbance, angering many of the neighbors.An Air Support Unit was over-head when a number of the party celebrants

pelted policewith rocks, bottles, cans, and other items. One officer was admittedto a local hospital with a concussion after having been hit with a heavy object.The Air-Ship called in more police and skirmish lines were formed to try

to disperse, in an orderly manner, what had quickly become a disorderlycrowd. The additional officers were also assaulted as they attempted to closethe party down.The LAPD has learned that an Internet video exists that appears to depict a

portion of the incident between the officers and some of the party attendees andalso appears to show the officers in the skirmish line formation.Among the charges against the nine partygoers arrested are: Assault with a

DeadlyWeapon on a Peace Officer, and/or Resisting, Delaying, or Obstructingan OfficerAs a result, Foothill Division has received several calls and interviewed the

partygoers who complained about the actions of some of the officers, includingexcessive force.The Internal Affairs Group is conducting an investigation into the matter,

which will include inspection of all evidence, a review of any videos, whichmay have been taken, and interviews of involved parties of the incident.

Birthday Party Gone Wrong

Captain Joseph M. HiltnerCommanding OfficerFoothill Area StationLos Angeles Police Department

We’re in the midst of summerand property crimes still plagueall of our communities. Resi-dents of the Pacoima, Lake

View Terrace, SunValley and Sunland-Tujunga areas,this meansYou!!! Little things that you do to preventcrime sends a clear message to career criminals thatall of us mean business. Although this point has beenspoken about over and over again, it has not reachedeveryone. All of us here at Foothill Area Police Sta-

tion remind you to remind your neighbors, friendsand relatives of the following:For your homes:• Keep your doors and windows locked to preventan uninvited entry.• Trim bushes and trees so that your house and frontdoor are visible from the street.• Don’t leave valuables, including jewelry and cash,purses or brief cases on your dresser.• Put up motion lights around your property and/orleave lights on at night. Criminals do not like light.

And for you cars:• Never leave your car running or keys in the ignition.• Always roll up your windows and lock the car,even if it is in front of your house.

• Do not leave valuables in plain sight, e.g., I-pods,cell phones, GPS, wallets, or cash.• Park in lighted areas. Anti-theft devices likealarms and clubs may help also.• Use special screws available from FoothillCommunity Relations to prevent the theft of yourlicense plates.Please make it a personal mission for each you

to tell someone about the above reminders. Any tip,even if minor, helps us to solve bigger cases. If you oryour neighbors would like to start a neighborhood orbusiness watch, please contact the Foothill Commu-nity Relations Office at (818) 756-8866. Enjoy therest of your summer.

Listen Up…Please Don’t Become a Victim!

It’s all happening at:

Big Jim’s FamilyRestaurant

8850 Laurel Cyn Blvd. Sun ValleyPhone: 818-768-0213

Carrick's Journey—Part Twenty-NineBy Tomi Lyn Bowling

Whiskers didn't really know whatto expect when he set out on this

journey. He only knew that Sebastian, Drake, andFanella would be there, whereever there was, to in-struct him further. Though he started out very earlyin the morning it was now getting dark andWhiskersstopped quite suddenly nearly causing the womanbehind him to fall over to avoid running into him.He stood in his spot, looking around at the vast num-bers of people making this trek.Whiskers stepped off the path where the others

continued in a line. He walked over to a thicket oftrees and began to settle in for the night. Whiskerslooked up inside the trees as though he was makingsure he was safe beneath it. Then he suddenly let outone of his famous belly laughs, set down his bigrifle, dropped his backpacks and belts and jumpedonto the trunk of one of the trees. He shimmied upthe trunk and reached out into the branches. Muchmore carefully he made his way back down. He gen-tly placed the three eggs he had found in a pile ofleaves while he made a little fire.Whisker's reached down to grab one of the eggs

just in time to see a small piece of shell come flyingoff. He was not prepared for what happened next. Theappearance of a little bird head popping out of the eggmade even a grumpy old man coo. Tired, hungry, andnow realizing he had not found his night meal at all,he mustered up the strength to climb back up into thetree and return the hatching chicks to their nest.As he came back down he noticed the line of trav-

elers had all but disappeared. He stepped back ontothe path and looked forward and back several timesin disbelief. There were a few still walking but therest had disappeared. He walked forward a few yardsand then saw that one group had now gone off to theside, just like he had done. Then he noticed another,and another.All had parked themselves for the night.Whiskers went back to his little spot and started tounroll his blanket. A cloth packed with some meatand bread fell out as he did. He smiled when he sawthe cloth. He knew exactly where that cloth had comefrom. He happily ate some, but not all, having towork hard to stop and save some for later.

To be continued…

August 2010 NORTH VALLEY REPORTER Page 7

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COMMENTARY

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By Dick Platkin

Gail Goldberg, the Director of Plan-ning, recently quit her job. One weekafter her last day at work, the Mayornominated the Chief Zoning Admin-istrator, Michael LoGrande, to be-come the new Director of Planning.Why did the Mayor and his

consigliere, Austin Beutner, decide that they wanteda City Hall backroom player to take over the Plan-ning Department?Some turn to personal scheming for an explanation,

but I think the deeper answer is the poor state of thelocal, regional, and national economies. As a result,short-term real estate speculation continues to be thepreferred investment strategy rather than long-termbusiness or city planning by the politicians and in-vestors that these economies enable. Despite the cur-rent Great Recession, large investment houses andcorporations are awash with cash, but with fewways toprofitably invest it. Old-fashioned options, such as tax-ing some of this money so the government can use itfor planned infrastructure improvements, no longercompute. Such a public approach is too iffy, and it takestoo long for a new subway or remodeled airport to pro-duce a better business environment.Since major investors can’t make money like they

used to, by investing in public infrastructure and actu-

ally making and selling things for a profit, they haveturned to increasingly risky financialization. In a nut-shell, more andmore of their businessmodels consist ofbuying and selling financial instruments, most of whichare based on real estate speculation.This desperation by large investors previously

led to the Savings and Loan crisis of the 1980s. Italso produced the bank meltdowns of 2008-9. Inboth cases losses at the top were covered by theFederal government.The process which led to those speculative collapses

is still alive and well in Los Angeles and much of theUnited States. Never mind that the crises of the 1980sand then twenty years later in the first decade of the 21stcentury showed the folly of such a high risk investmentstrategy. Never mind that it will not work again.After all, there simply is not enough demand to prof-

itably fill new condos and shopping centers, especiallyin Los Angeles. The specter of empty buildings, justlike the S and L crisis, is again at hand, except this timethe Federal Government is broke. Even those real estateinvestors who have no intention to build anything,whose investment strategy is to collect building entitle-ments so they can flip properties and make some quickmoney, will be blind-sided when they, too, run out ofbuyers and bailouts.Meanwhile, with public services cut and infrastruc-

ture underfunded, LosAngeles has become a less invit-

ing place to live, to work, or to run businesses. Voila, adownward spiral appears in which each short termCityHall maneuver, like furloughs and layoffs, begets fur-ther urban decline.Who wants to live or do business in a rundown city,

like LosAngeles is becoming, if they have a choice?As part of this pitiful race to the bottom, each “plan-

ning” decision is short term and designed to facilitaterisky real estate speculation at the expense of adoptedcity plans and zoning. More to the point, why gothrough the pretense of maintaining plans or having aplanning director who can talk the profession's talk,when you can quickly bring in a replacement from thedugout who claims he can walk their walk? Whyshould plans and zones get in the way of quick entitle-ments allowing commercial real estate to be flipped?But, sooner or later, the truth will come out. Quick

entitlementsmight produce a few small fortunes or evenamodest building boom, an echo of the 1980s, but theywill not revive LosAngeles. When the dust settles andthe quick buck artists have moved on -- most of themavoiding a stint at “Club Fed” -- LosAngeles will needeven better urban planning than it has occasionally hadin the past and could still have and desperately needsin the present.

Editor’s Note: Dick Platkin is a Los Angeles basedcity planning consultant. He invites comments on thisarticle at [email protected].

Analysis of Changes in LA’s Planning Department

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