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November/December 2006
We have been proud to make the following announcements from the Mayor's Office in the last months of 2006.
- Holiday shopper traffic relief initiative unveiled: To ease tension and eliminate the delay of driving on gridlocked streets during the busy holiday season, the Mayor unveiled the holiday shopper traffic relief initiative, deploying 77 traffic control officers at 55 of the most heavily congested intersections around the busiest shopping centers and plazas across the City. The traffic relief initiative will continue until December 24th.
- Water released into Lower Owens River: The Mayor joined Inyo County officials to release water once again into the Lower Owens River from the L.A. Aqueduct. The water fills 62 miles of riverbed that had been dry for almost a century and will create hundreds of acres of wetland habitat and off-river lakes.
- $65 million invested in workforce housing: Three of the largest City and County employee pension funds invested $65 million to create 2,250 housing units for L.A.'s middle-income families. The investment will also generate $1.3 million in property taxes and 3,750 construction jobs that will benefit Angelenos.
- $15 million invested in South Los Angeles: The Mayor announced an investment of over $15 million in South Los Angeles, bringing retail, living-wage jobs and affordable housing for families and senior citizens to this much-neglected part of the City.
- Living wage ordinance signed: The Mayor signed a trio of Century Corridor hotel living-wage ordinances into law. Under the newly signed ordinances, service workers for LAX-area hotels will earn a living wage, receive job security during transitions in management, and earn service charges and gratutities collected for the services they perform.
- 4,500 volunteers attend Watts Day of Service: Volunteers across the City served Los Angeles by participating in 60 beautification and improvement projects in Watts. The day was a great example of what can be accomplished if everyone pitches in to help fellow Angelenos, one community at a time.
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Keep OurLA Green
Water flows again into Lower Owens River
The Mayor and Inyo County officials made history when they released the first flow of water into the Lower Owens River since the City of Los Angeles began diverting water from it nearly a century ago.
The Lower Owens River Project (LORP), a cooperative effort of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and the County of Inyo, will provide a steady flow of water to 62 miles of the Owens River below the Los Angeles Aqueduct where the river has been essentially dry since the Aqueduct opened in 1913.
From the Aqueduct Intake, water will be released through automated gates, and follow its natural route down to the Delta of Owens Lake just south of Lone Pine. Additional water will spread into basins at Blackrock and the Owens Lake Delta to create hundreds of acres of wetland habitat and off-river lakes and ponds for waterfowl, shore birds and fisheries.
For the complete press release, click here.
Keep OurLA Safe
Be Prepared for an Emergency
December is Preparedness Awareness Month. While picking up those last minute gifts and celebrating the holidays with loved ones, think about how your family can be better prepared for an emergency. Be sure to take the necessary precautions to ensure your family's safety:
1. Put an emergency kit in your car.
2. Have a portable radio with extra batteries.
3. Make a first aid kid for the home.
4. Buy extra batteries.
5. Update out-of-state emergency contacts.
6. Buy a box of disposable gloves for your emergency kit.
7. Make a pet disaster kit.
8. Winterize your car.
9. Visit your neighbors. Share phone numbers.
10. Hold an emergency evacuation drill with your family at night.
11. Buy extra flashlights and give them to your child's teacher.
12. Sign up for CERT training.
13. Add a blanket to the trunk of your car.
14. Put a sturdy pair of shoes, flashlight, and batteries in a plastic bag under the bed.
15. Test your smoke alarms.
To take online emergency preparedness courses, visit www.fema.gov.
OurLA ... Featuring
New Funding Expands After School and Outdoor Education
The Mayor announced funding to expand educational opportunities for children beyond the traditional classroom and school day.
He announced $1 million in new funding from the Verizon Foundation to expand LA's BEST, the nationally-recognized after-school education, enrichment and recreation program that serves 25,000 of L.A.'s children with the greatest needs and fewest resources. The program is a key component of the Mayor's Community Partnership for School Excellence.
He also announced $1 million to fund expansion and renovation of the Point Fermin Outdoor Education Center for LAUSD students located in San Pedro and UniCamp, a summer camp for children of low-income families run by UCLA in the San Bernardino Mountains. |
What OurLA is thinking...
In preparation for Emergency Preparedness Awareness Month, OurLA readers were asked a few questions. Correct answers are below.
1. What is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S.? Cooking.
2. During an earthquake, which location poses the greatest danger? Directly outside buildings, at exits and along exterior walls, due to falling debris.
3. If you are involved in a minor car accident, what should you NOT do? Discuss what happened with those involved in the accident before police arrive.
4. Which is an effective way to cope with extreme heat? Stay inside during hottest time of the day, avoid strenuous outdoor activity, drink plenty of water, limit alcohol intake, and never leave children or pets alone in a closed vehicle.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is January 15th. Test your knowledge of the holiday by clicking here.
It's OurLA
Looking for a way to make your mark in OurLA? Start today by participating in one of the ways below.
Become a Mentor! Studies have shown that students with mentors are 70% more likely to graduate from high school. 90% of these graduates go on to college. Make a difference by going to connectinglosangeles.com.
Volunteer for the City's Crisis Response Team! Contact Jeff Zimerman at 213-978-0697 or send an email. Bilingual speakers who speak Korean or Spanish greatly needed.
OurLA Events
We hope you check out these events in OurLA.
47th Annual Los Angeles County Holiday Celebration: "Choirs, Music and Dance Companies"
Sun, Dec 24, 3 – 9 pm
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
135 North Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90012
For more information, call (213) 972-3099.
LADWP Holiday Light Festival
Through Dec 30, 5 -10 pm
Griffith Park
Crystal Springs Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90027
For more information, please call (323) 913-4688, ext. 9.
LA Downtown on Ice
Through Jan 15
Pershing Square
532 South Olive Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
For more information, call (213) 847-4970.
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