current newsletter - the Old Granada Hills Resident`s Group

....to identify,
discuss, and
resolve problems
and issues within
our community...
February
2015
Contact Information
Mailing Address:
July, 2001
Dave Beauvais
President
[email protected]
818-831-2318
Vol. 15 No. 2
Thursday, February 19th, 2015
Next Meeting is
7:03 pm - 8:29 pm
OGHRG
PO Box 34055
Granada Hills, CA 91394
Board of Directors
w w w . OGHRG. o r g
A Monthly Publication
Granada Hills Charter High School - Rawley Hall
Happy
Valentine’s
Day
7:03
7:04
7:09
7:15
Introductions, Disclaimer
Reading of Minutes, Agenda Review
Community Announcements; News; Events
OGHRG Committee Reports
Financial; Zoning and Density; Newsletter
7:30 Guest Speaker: LAFD
Captain Hampton, from local
Fire Station 87
8:15 Updates and reports on current issues
8:26 New Business and Wrap-up
Gayle Biava
Guest Speakers
gayle.biava @ csun.edu
March meeting will be March, 19th
Bette Biers
Secretary
[email protected]
OGHRG President’s Message
Maria Fisk
Co-Founder
Zoning/Density
[email protected]
Our yearly call for annual dues returns this month. We had an excellent response from our
membership last month, and hope that if you have not yet sent in your annual dues you will
pull the trigger this month. As usual we are providing a self-addressed envelope for your
convenience. We only have two sources of income; newsletter sponsors and your voluntary
dues. Dues are $15 per person or $25 per household and are tax deductible. To those of you
who have already submitted your dues, a huge thank you.
Bob Castle
Treasurer
[email protected]
John Seletos
www.johnseletos.com
Richard Fisk
Editor
[email protected]
Bob Biava
All Around
[email protected]
Committees
Zoning / Density
Newsletter
Formed as Needed
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Newsletter articles, pictures,
comments, suggestions:
[email protected]
or mailing address above
Dues Call 2.0
Newsletter Committee
Last month I made a request for new newsletter committee members and got a couple
positive responses. It’s not too late to join the committee and help us get out one of the finest
community newsletters in Los Angeles. You can email me at the email address on the front
page of the newsletter, or simply let us know you are interested when you return your dues
this month.
Granada Hills/Knollwood Community Plan
We are still awaiting our Community Plan to be taken up by the Los Angeles City Planning
and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee. At this juncture we are trying to schedule
a meeting with our Councilmember to assess the situation and try to find a path forward that
will get our plan through the final two hurdles (PLUM and City Council).
Water Conservation
There is good news and bad news about the water situation in California and Los Angeles
in particular. The good news for Angelenos is that we have done a pretty good job so far in
conserving water; usage is down over 20% from this time last year. The bad news is that the
drought continues; the Sierra Nevada snowpack, which provides the majority of our drinking water, is just 21% of normal at this point. The long range weather forecast does not look
particularly good for the rest of the winter, we will be lucky to get much higher than 30% of
normal in the Sierra Nevadas. This means residents will be subject to even harsher restrictions
on water over the summer. More on this as we get closer to the hot weather. Dave Beauvais
Old Granada Hills Residents’Group
February’s Meeting
Public Safety Is Our Top Priority!
The Los Angeles Fire Department is often in the news.
Captain Hampton, from our local Fire Station 87, will be
our speaker on February 19, 2015 to tell us about what they
do and how they do it when fighting a fire as well as their
involvement in other areas. He will also answer any questions
you may have so be thinking about what you’d like to know
that he may not include in his talk.
There are many regulations for homes
as well as schools, churches and public
assembly as well as brush near homes
and on hillsides. They are responsible
for inspecting all public buildings on a
regular basis. He will explain ambulance
bills, what to do in case of a fire at home or if a fire is coming
close to your house. They have a defibrillator program and
provide disaster preparedness. Their hiring practices have been
questioned recently in the news and we can find out how this
is being rectified as what the requirements are needed to apply.
Over the years, reports have surfaced questioning the
accuracy of LAPD crime statistics. But there is no method
of measuring crime that is perfect. It is nearly impossible to
know exactly how much crime is going on in any community
at any time. Inaccuracies arise because some crimes go
undetected, are witnessed and not reported, or are reported
and a formal written police report is not filed. Accurate crime
statistics serve very important purposes. This data is used to
determine policies, budgets, funding priorities and deployment
of resources. The number of officers, police cars, specialized
units and other services are not allocated evenly across the
City of LA. Those communities that can demonstrate the necessity are granted additional
LAPD resources.
Therefore, all residents and business owners
of Old Granada Hills must do our part to
make sure that the City of LA is maintaining
accurate crime data so that limited LAPD resources aren’t
allocated to other areas of the City when they are needed
here. If you witness a crime or have been a victim of a crime,
contact the police (refer to last month’s article on when to
call 911 or 877-ASK-LAPD). Make sure that the officer
completes a formal written police report. Or you may report
a crime in person at the front desk of the Devonshire Community Police Station. It is the front desk officer’s responsibility
to file a formal written police report. If for some reason, this
officer does not wish to complete a formal police report, ask to
speak to the supervising officer or watch commader to make
sure this is done. Keep in mind that if a crime is not reported
and not documented, it is as if it never happened. Underestimating the incidents of crime could lead to a community that
is left underserved and unprotected. By doing our part and
supporting the efforts of the LAPD and Senior Lead Officers,
the community of OGH can better ensure a safer community
and our fair share of critical City services.
Dispute Resolution Program
Mediation is a confidential, voluntary process in which a
neutral third party facillitates communication between people
to resolve their disputes.
Mediation is Fair: A neutral mediator helps with the negotiation process; Each side is encouraged to suggest solutions to
the problem; The mediator does not decide who is right, but
helps the parties collaborate to reach a fair and reasonable
decision; Individuals have control over the decisions that affect
their future; The goal is a mutually acceptable resolution for all
parties.
Mediation is Fast: Mediation takes place outside the court
system; After all parties agree to participate, mediation can
be scheduled immediately; Mediators
negotiate with all parties involved to
find solutions as quickly as possible.
Mediation is Free: Mediation through
the program is free to all residents and
persons who have conducted business in Los Angeles County,
regardless of income; The Dispute Resolution Program
provides additional free services including informtion referrals,
problem assessment, conciliation, facilitation, fact finding, and
consultation.
The Program mediaties all types of civil disputes: Business
related; Community related; Consumer/Merchant; Employment realted; HIV/AIDS discrimination; Landlord/tenant;
matters related to ethnicity and or race; neighborhood; School
related; Violence prevention.
The Dispute Resolution Program is offered by the Los
Angeles City District Attorney’s Office; It’s fair; It’s fast;
and It’s Free. call 213-978-1880 FAX 213-978-1312; email:
[email protected] website: http://atty.lacity.org
LA City Attorney
Town Hall Meeting
Hosted by LAPD Devonshire Division
March 11th, 6:30pm
Granada Hills Woman’s Club
10666 White Oak
LA City Attorney, Mike Feuer; will discuss the main
objectives and goals of the Office and will be introducing
the neighborhood prosecutor of the LAPD Devonshire Area
Only a few more weeks until we
lose a hour of sleep when Daylight
Savings time makes us move our
clocks ahead 1 hour; March 8th
This issue was proofread by Sharon Klek
February
2
2015
Old Granada Hills Residents’Group
Big Church Project
Coming Events
In a formal ceremony January 25th, LA District Attorney
Jackie Lacey, Assemblyman Scott Wilk, former Councilman
Greig Smith, LAPD Devonshire Captain Robert Marino,
Jarod Degonia from Supervisor Antonovich’s office, and
Councilman Mitch Englander broke ground on a 3,500 seat
addition at Shepherd Church in Porter
Ranch.
The 58,600-square foot building, which
will be used for worship services and
community events, will feature a café with
a stage for live music, a bookstore and a
large outdoor veranda with seating, fire
pits, a waterfall, a fountain and environmental art. It will also
boast a tower that will give visitors a panoramic view of the
San Fernando Valley.
The $35 million project also includes a new parking
structure and remodeling the current auditorium, which will
be made into children’s classes, said Senior Pastor Dudley
Rutherford.
Actual construction is scheduled to begin February 2nd and
will run 18 months.
Feb 14: St. Valentine’s Day, Saturday
Feb 16: Presidents’ Day
Feb 16: Valley Vote; 6:45 Galpin Ford
Feb 17: candidate forum and debate in
Canoga Park; see article
Feb 19: OGHRG Meeting; 7:00
Feb 19; LAPD Valley Bureau Women’s forum; 6:00, at Mission Divisioa
Feb 19: Chinese New Year; Year of the Sheep
Feb 21&22: Fruit picking in West Hills; see article
Feb 24: 17A49 Neighborhood Watch, 7:00 pm. Brookdale
(White Oak & Devonshire); SLO Janine Angeles
Feb 25: Brookdale ribbon cutting/ open house; see article
Feb 26: Transportation in the Valley meeting; see article
Feb 27: GH Chamber of Commerce installation & awards
dinner; see article
Feb 27,28: Rummage Sale at the GH Woman’s Club; 10666
White Oak; 8-2, Friday; 8-noon on Saturday
Mar 3: Granada Hills North Neighborhood Council, 6:30pm;
St. Euphrasia Church auditorium; Shoshone & Mayerling.
www.ghnnc.com
Mar 3: Primary Election Day
Mar 3: GH Chamber Gov’t Affairs Committee monthly meeting; 11:45AM, Chamber office,
Mar 5: Granada Hills South Neighborhood Council, 6:30pm
Granada High; www.GHSNC.org
Mar 8: Daylight Savings time; reset clocks 1 hour ahead
Mar 11: LA City Attorney & LAPD Town Hall; 6:30pm
Granada Hills Woman’s Club, see note
IRS Correction
The January, 2015 newsletter article“Tax
Return Time Again” had an erroneous telephone
number to order the Publication 17 and or other
forms . The correct telephone number is 800829-3676. Sorry. However the IRS has announced that Pub 17
is no longer available in print. It is available electronically at
www.irs.gov/pub17
A big THANK YOU to all those wonderful, supportive people that have sent in donations to keep
the organization alive and active. The enclosed envelope is for those who intended to donate last
month but may have misplaced the return envelope. Any amount helps keep the cause going and
signifies a commitment to our community of Granada Hills. Donations are accepted all year.
3
February
2015
Donations to OGHRG are tax deductible and are used to fund the newsletter
and ongoing organizational expenses
checks payable to OGHRG
$15
$25
$50
$100
$ Other
www.OGHRG.org
First and Last
12345 street address
Name
Phone
Email
emails are not given or sold to anyone
Please join us at our Monthly Meeting the third Thursday of the Month
7:00 PM Granada Hills Charter High School
Old Granada Hills Residents’ Group
PO Box 34055 Granada Hills CA 91394
Old Granada Hills Residents’Group
Sponsor Spotlight
Go Shopping
Van’s Jewelry is a long time supporter of Old Granada Hills
Residents’ Group with their advertising in this newsletter. As
a valued sponsor we have asked them to send us an article
about themselves. Here is what they sent:
Our roots run deep. We started as a
family owned and operated fine jewelry
store in 1974. Today, after 40 years, our
family business is still running strong
and we continue our commitment to
our loyal customers. If you are looking for a unique gift for a
special someone in your life, or if there is a special event that
you would like to immortalize in a permanent way, we are
here to accept the challenge and do so in perfection. We also
specialize in repairs, restoration of old jewelry, create original
jewelry and transform antique jewelry in to modern pieces. If
any of this describes a wish or a need, please don’t hesitate to
contact Van’s Jewelry.
The store is located at 17708 Chatsworth Street in downtown Granada Hills. The phone number is
The Granada Hills Woman’s Club is hosting a Rummage
Sale on household items, clothing, decorations, jewelry and
small pieces of furniture will be on display.
The sale will take place at their facility
located at 10666 White Oak, just south of
Chatsworth street, the on Friday and Saturday, February 27th
and 28th. Starting both days at 8am ending at 2pm on Friday
and noon on Saturday. Come by, find some surprise items and
help support our local Woman’s Club.
For more information call Yoland Petroski; 818-363-9844
Women’s Forum on Sex Trafficking
Hosted by the LAPD Valley Bureau Chief
February 19, 6:00 PM
Mission Division Community Room
11121 N. Sepulveda Blvd
Has it Been That Long Ago
February 9th, 44 years ago, when the 1971 Sylmar quake
at 6:01 in the morning awoke many Valley residents. The
reported magnitude was 6.6 on the Richter Scale.
It was in 1966, that the Cultural Heritage Board declared the
White Oak Deodar trees to be historical monument No. 41.
A Note...
Did you know that this newsletter is printed and mailed
to over 1300 addresses, mostly in and around the historic
downtown Granada Hills area. It is also posted on the website
where the previous 2 years are archived. Not only residents
receive the newsletter, the mailing
list includes city officials and
some department heads and their
representatives along with LAPD
officers at Devonshire.
Being around for almost 14 years with formal acknowledgment by the City of Los Angeles and the State of California
provides us some respectability and a voice with City issues.
We can be a stronger and more meaningful organization if
you get involved. Come to the monthly meetings, send in an
article for publication consideration.
E-Policing
Sign up for getting local neighborhood crime information
directly from LAPD through Los Angeles Police Department’s E-policing program. E-policing is their way of bringing
community policing to the Internet. The website: http://www.
lapdepolicing.org/
Devonshire Division Crime Stats 1/04 thru 1/31
Burglary ..... 79
Homicide ....0
GTA ........... 41
Rape ........... 2
BTFV ........ 107
Robbery ...... 19
Personal/
Aggravated
Other theft.....135
Assault ...... 21
Arrests ........ 303
Shots fired .. 2
Data from LAPD Compstat
February
4
2015
Use the space below for comments and suggestions or if you would
like to make any corrections to your mailing label
Last year we received single donations from $10 to $1,000
Thank you!
The production and mailing cost
of this newsletter is about $500
per month. It is our largest single
expense and your donation helps
to continue its publication. With
it, we try to bring you news and
events that relate to all of us in
this local community. It is mailed
to over 1350 addresses in this
immediate area providing a common thread for communication.
The newsletter is also posted
and archived on our website. We
welcome articles for publication.
Old Granada Hills Residents’Group
Vote March 3rd - Primary Election Day
Transportation in the Valley
California State law gives all registered voters the option
to Vote By Mail regardless of whether or not they anticipate
being “absent” on Election Day. A voter who is not currently a
permanent VBM voter must submit an application no later than
Tuesday, February 24 at 5:00 p.m in order to
receive a VBM ballot for the election.
Applications can be mailed to the Office of the
City Clerk - Election Division, 555 Ramirez St.,
Space 300, Los Angeles, CA 90012 or faxed to
(213) 978-0611 or (213) 978-0612.
If you require further information or assistance, please contact
the Office of the City Clerk - Election Division between 8:00
a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, at (213) 978-0444 or
toll-free at (888) 873-1000.
More information can be found on the City Clerk’s website at:
http://clerk.lacity.org/elections/
Thursday, February 26th is the date for the San Fernando
Valley Town Hall meeting discussing transportation issues
here in the Valley. The title of the event is : Imagining Our
Transportation Future. It is sponsored by the San Fernando
Valley Council of Governments and Move LA in cooperation
with the Transit Coalition.
Meeting will take place at the Valley Municipal Building,
Council Chambers from 6 to 9 pm. The address is 14410
Sylvan Street in Van Nuys. For more information please call
Marisa at Move LA, 310-310-2390 or reach her by email:
[email protected].
GH Chamber Installation and Awards
Meet the Candidates who are challenging Incumbant Tamar
Galatzan for her seat on the LAUSD School Board. Elizabeth
Ralston, president of the League of Women Voters will be
moderating the forum with the candidates on February 17th, at
the Canoga Park Elks Lodge located at 20925 Osborne St. in
Canoga Park. The forum begins at 6:00pm.
At 7:30, a debate will begin for the open seat on the LA
Community College District Board of Trustees. There are 4
candidates vying for the position.
The evening should be enlightening and help make your decision of whom to vote for election day.
The Granada Hills Chamber of Commerce is holding the
87th annual Installation and Awards Ceremony at the Odyssey
Restaurant on Friday, February 27th. At this dinner and
social event, the 2014 Board of Directors will
be recognized and the 2015 Board and Officers
will be sworn in. Board President, Laine Caspi,
will begin her second year. The nominees (Laura
Andrews Clemens, Maria Fisk, J.Mike Kabo, Linda
Williamson) for the Gil Benjamin Citizen of the Year Award
will be honored and the winner will be announced. There will
be an auction for a variety of items and opportunities. You
are welcome to attend and meet the people involved with our
business community. For more information or to RSVP, contact
Julie at the Chamber office at 818-368-3235.
Freshly Picked Grapefruit
Ribbon Cutting
Yes, it will be fresh, because you are going to pick it
yourself. Saturday and Sunday, the weekend of Februray
21&22, Orcutt Ranch in West Hills allows
fruit lovers to pick their own ripe Valencia
Oranges and White Grapefruit. Bring your
own plastic bags to fill up and you will only
be charged $3 per bag or $6 per box (no size specified?).
Orcutt Ranch is located at 23600 Roscoe in West Hills.
Picking begins at 7am and continues until 1:30 in the afternoon. For more inforamtion call: 818-883-6411
If you are considering moving to an assisted living facility
or need nursing care following a medical condition there
are several facilities in our local area. Brookdale, formerly
Emeritus, as a new member of the Granada Hills Chamber of
Commerce is having a ribbon
cutting ceremony and tours
of their different departments.
There will also be the In-N-Out hamburger food truck and
other activites. Brookdale is located at Southeast corner of
White Oak and Devonshire. The event is on Wednesday, February 25th from 4-7pm with the ribbon cutting at 5:30. If you
have never been inside, you might be surprised how nice it is.
Staples vs Office Max
Will they both stay open? Which one on Chatsworth Street
in Granada Hills would close? The Staples at Balboa or the
Office Max in the Ralph’s/Orchard shopping Center at Zelzah?
Staples just announced they intend to buy Office Depot. The
signage hasn’t even changed at Office Max since they were
bought by Office Depot last year and when that happened, the
Office Max store in Northridge was closed.
Stephen Mikita, PT, DPT
Owner / Manager
10667 White Oak Ave.
Granada Hills, CA 91344
phone [818] 368-9484
Recently Sold Homes
17326 Ludlow $2,250,000
17328 Ludlow $2,250,000
17954 SF Mission $465,000
February
www.sgmikitapt.com
[email protected]
17332 SF Mission $525,000
17220 Tulsa
$630,000
10539 Louise
$460,000
5
2015
P.O. Box 34055
Granada HIlls, CA 91394
February
2015
Old Granada Hills
Residents’ Group is
a non profit organization of volunteers
and concerned residents of our community. In our 14th
year, we are a voice
well known to our
elected representatives with issues
that affect us all please join us.
Please Support Our
Neighborhood Sponsors
The businesses you have seen listed in this newsletter are dedicated to preserving
our Old Granada Hills Neighborhood. If you would like to become an advertising
sponsor please call us at 818-368-7454 or email; [email protected]
Gentle Quality Care
17708 Chatsworth Street
Granada Hills, CA 91344
(818) 363-1083
Wednesday - Friday, 10am to 6pm
Saturday, 10am to 3pm
Appointment Only
Phone:(818) 368-8646
FAX (818) 368-9547
SavinBurskLaw.com
60
MINUTE
TUNE
L AW OFFICES OF
S AVIN & B URSK
BONNIE MARIE BURSK,ESQ.
CERTIFIED SPECIALIST- PROBATE, ESTATE PLANNING & TRUST LAW
CALIFORNIA STATE BAR BOARD OF LEGAL SPECIALIZATION
[email protected]
10663 Yarmouth Ave. Granada Hills, Ca 91344-5936
Dave Jackson
Complete Automotive Service
60 Minute Tune
11920 Balboa Blvd.
Granada Hills, CA 91344
(818) 360-2277
Fax (818) 831-6609
Email: [email protected]