Yearly Archives: 2006

New Transit Services Comes to South Whittier

On the morning of Saturday, January 21, Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe will participate in the inaugural ride and dedication ceremony for the new South Whittier Shuttle Service. The new community shuttle will make stops at more than three dozen locations between the Whittwood Town Center and Sorensen Park. The service will also connect to other transit systems run by the MTA and other local cities.

This is a true milestone for the South Whittier community, said Supervisor Knabe. We are adding a valuable service for hundreds of families, workers and residents who will be able to access this shuttle service.

The $811,225 contract cost to fund the route will be spilt between two sources. 75 percent, or a little over $600,000, was approved by Supervisor Knabe from his Proposition A transit funds. The remaining 25 percent was contributed by Supervisor Gloria Molina. An additional $400,000 was appropriated by Congresswoman Linda Sanchez for the purchase of the two 29-seat, propane powered buses that will be used on the route.

The shuttle dedication will happen as part of a larger transit fair Saturday morning at the Community Resource Center at 10750 Laurel Avenue in South Whittier.

The transit fair begins at 9 a.m. with the actual dedication ceremony starting at 10:30 a.m.

The first week of shuttle service will be free to the public. After January 18, rides will cost 25 cents per trip. More information about the shuttle is available online at
http://www.southwhittiershuttle.info

Knabe to Announce New South Bay Job Training Program

On Friday, January 20, Supervisor Don Knabe will kickoff Career Pathways, a new employment pilot project designed to provide scientific training and high-income job opportunities for foster youth, dislocated workers and disadvantaged adults.

Program participants will receive free college-level training in basic skills and industry-specific training, as well as free supportive services such as child care and employment counseling. If participants successfully complete the training, they will be guaranteed a job at corporate sites like ConocoPhillips, BP, Valero and Exxon-Mobil. Funding for this pilot project was provided by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s discretionary Workforce Investment Act Fund.

This program represents an outstanding model of how to connect low-income residents with high-income jobs and the expertise training that goes with it, said Supervisor Knabe. I am happy to be a part of this pilot program and look forward to finding ways to expand it throughout the County.

Supervisor Knabe will be joined at the event by Patrick Henning, Director of the California Department of Employment Development, as well as executives from ConocoPhillips and other participating refineries.

This program provides access for those from the local community who need a helping hand to get started on a very challenging and well paid career in the refinery industry, said Jay Churchill, Los Angeles Refinery Manager for ConocoPhillips.

Rosecrans Ave. to be Widened in the City of Manhattan Beach

The Board of Supervisors approved a project that will widen Rosecrans Avenue from Douglas Street to 300 feet west of Aviation Boulevard in the City of Manhattan Beach, Supervisor Don Knabe announced today.

This project is part of a larger overall project to widen the entire intersection at Aviation Boulevard and Rosecrans Avenue, which will also include moving the overhead utilities in the area. The County’s contribution to the project will be approximately $300,000 and will come from the Fourth Supervisorial District’s Road Construction Program.

Today’s unanimous vote by the Board of Supervisors approves the joint financing and construction agreement between the County and the City of Manhattan Beach needed to complete the project.

By widening this street, both the residents of Manhattan Beach and the nearby unincorporated County areas that travel on Rosecrans Avenue will benefit, said Supervisor Knabe.

Rosecrans Avenue to be Widened in the City of Manhattan Beach

The Board of Supervisors approved a project that will widen Rosecrans Avenue from Douglas Street to 300 feet west of Aviation Boulevard in the City of Manhattan Beach, Supervisor Don Knabe announced today.

This project is part of a larger overall project to widen the entire intersection at Aviation Boulevard and Rosecrans Avenue, which will also include moving the overhead utilities in the area. The County’s contribution to the project will be approximately $300,000 and will come from the Fourth Supervisorial District’s Road Construction Program.

Today’s unanimous vote by the Board of Supervisors approves the joint financing and construction agreement between the County and the City of Manhattan Beach needed to complete the project.

By widening this street, both the residents of Manhattan Beach and the nearby unincorporated County areas that travel on Rosecrans Avenue will benefit, said Supervisor Knabe.

Supervisor Knabe Reappoints Two Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Commissioners

Supervisor Don Knabe announced today that Lawrence T. Gentile and Arthur E. Herrera have been reappointed to the Los Angeles County Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Commission (NDDC).

Gentile, a resident of Torrance, is currently the President/CEO of Behavioral Health Services, Inc., which is an agency that provides drug and alcohol treatment recovery and prevention services. He also serves on the California Association of Alcohol and Drug Program Executives, and he has served on the NDDC for over twenty years.

Herrera who resides in Diamond Bar is a retired Commander of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He is also a member of the California Gang Investigations Association, and after having served in the Sheriff’s Department for 35 years has an incredible knowledge of this field. The illegal use of narcotics and dangerous drugs is a plague in our communities, said Herrera who has a deep desire to alleviate this problem.

Arthur and Lawrence are both extremely qualified, said Supervisor Knabe. We are very lucky to have their extensive knowledge and experience on this most important commission.