More than 130 young adults will take center stage to celebrate their success on Thursday, June 4, 2008, as part of the 19th annual "Celebration 2008: Honoring the Academic Achievements of Foster Youth." The event will begin at 7:00 p.m. at Walt Disney Concert Hall, located at 111 South Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. Actor and comedian Michael Epps will serve as the master of ceremonies.

Hundreds of friends, foster parents and family members will watch as the youth proudly march across the stage to honor this milestone in their lives – an occasion marked by academic accomplishment and triumph over adversity. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Director Patricia Ploehn and the Los Angeles County Chief Probation Officer Robert Taylor are among the invited guests.

As part of the "Celebration 2008" graduation ceremony, $577,500 in scholarships will be presented to the youth by a variety of corporations and non-profit organizations. Donors include United Friends of the Children (UFC), the Teague Family Foundation, DCFS, the County of Los Angeles Probation Department (Probation), KLOS, Rising Stars, Wells Fargo, the Ralph Hauser III Foundation, Accenture, The Heads Up Youth Foundation and the Rotary Club of L.A. Every graduate receives a new business suit for college and business interviews, and the girls have their make-up done by top celebrity stylists who donate their time and skills for the event.

All of the young adults taking center stage on June 4th have demonstrated strong character and perseverance in overcoming past obstacles to graduate from high school with honors, strong grade point averages and acceptance at prestigious universities, colleges and vocational schools. "Celebration 2008," is a collaborative effort involving DCFS; Probation; UFC; the Teague Family Foundation; the Community College Foundation; and Casey Family Programs.

Los Angeles County Acting Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) Dean Logan announced that additional pollworkers are needed to staff polling places for the June 3, 2008, Statewide Direct Primary Election for certain communities. Pollworkers serve on the frontline of democracy, said Logan. Their commitment to public service is a tribute to them and their communities.

Active recruitment is still taking place for the following communities and areas: Agoura Hills, Beverly Hills, Calabasas, Canyon Country, Castaic, Hermosa Beach, San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita, Studio City, Malibu, Malibu Heights, Pasadena, Topanga, West Hills, and West Hollywood.

Pollworkers must be available between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. to set up the polls, provide assistance to voters, and conduct poll closing procedures. Pollworkers are compensated $80 for working Election Day plus $25 for attending a 1-1/2 hour training session. In addition, pollworkers who served during the February 5th Presidential Primary and who will work in the upcoming June Statewide Direct Primary Election and November General Election will be paid a $75 bonus.

Training sessions are conducted throughout Los Angeles County in the days prior to the election. A schedule of classes, pollworker training videos, and training materials can be found on the RR/CC’s website www.lavote.net under POLLWORKER INFO. Additionally, pollworker training videos are available at county libraries.

If interested in becoming a pollworker for the June 3rd Primary Election, please call the Polls Section of the RR/CC at (800) 815-2666, option 7 or visit the RR/CC website at www.lavote.net

Persons requiring multilingual assistance in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog/Filipino, or Vietnamese regarding information in the press release, may call (800) 481-8683.

Marina del Rey residents will have an opportunity to Meet and Greet the new Beaches and Harbors Acting Director, Santos H. Kreimann on June 12, 2008, from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. in the Burton Chace Park community room located at 13650 Mindanao Way in Marina del Rey.

The public is invited to attend an open forum where community residents and businesses can gather and meet regarding important Marina del Rey issues.

Parking for the Meet and Greet is available in County Lot #4 located at 13500 Mindanao Way and County Lot #5 located at 4545 Admiralty Way in Marina del Rey for $5.00. For more information, contact the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors at (310) 305-9503 or visit:

www.marinadelrey.lacounty.com

Los Angeles County Acting Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) Dean Logan announced recently that an additional 11,300 pollworkers are needed to staff polling places for the June 3 Primary Election.

Pollworkers are an essential part of a successful election day, said Logan. We have recruited over 18,000 pollworkers, but with the election less than one month away we are still in need of over 11,000 pollworkers.

Recruitment has been especially difficult in the communities and areas of Agoura Hills, Beverly Hills, Canyon Country, Castaic, Encino, Lomita, Los Angeles (90026, 200929, 20024, 20025, 90026, 90027, 90045, and 91605), Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Playa Del Rey, Rancho Palos Verde, Santa Monica, Saugus, Sherman Oaks, Valencia, Venice, Winnetka and Woodland Hills.

Pollworkers must be available between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. to set up the polls, provide assistance to voters, and conduct poll closing procedures.

Pollworkers are compensated $80 for working election day plus $25 for attending a 1-1/2 hour training session. Training sessions are conducted throughout Los Angeles County in the days prior to the election. A schedule of classes, pollworker training videos, and training materials can be found on the RR/CC’s website www.lavote.net under POLLWORKER INFO. Additionally, pollworker training videos are available at county libraries.

The RR/CC also needs bilingual pollworkers who can speak one or more of the following languages: Cantonese, Japanese, Mandarin, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog/Filipino, or Vietnamese. In addition, pollworkers who speak other languages such as Armenian, Russian and Cambodian are encouraged to help serve their communities. Those eligible to become pollworkers must be registered voters and residents of California.

If interested in becoming a pollworker for the June 3rd Primary Election, please call the Polls Section of the RR/CC at (800) 815-2666, option 7 or visit the RR/CC website at www.lavote.net

As residents prepare for Memorial Day, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health would like to highlight the importance of safe swimming practices. The week before Memorial Day (May 19-25, 2008) has been designated as National Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week.

We want to encourage people to enjoy the great beaches, lakes, water parks, and swimming pools that Los Angeles County has to offer in the healthiest way possible, both in terms of great exercise and in great health, said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer. That means taking precautions to ensure that you, your friends or family don’t get sick from germs that are normally found in lakes and the ocean. Don’t swallow water while swimming or playing; do shower before entering a pool or spa, and practice good hygiene when visiting public swimming pools.

Swallowing, breathing, or having contact with germs in pools, spas, oceans, lakes, or rivers can cause recreational water illnesses (RWI). Diarrheal illnesses are most commonly reported and may be due to parasites and bacteria. Swimmers who ingest contaminated water could experience severe symptoms such as diarrhea, or milder symptoms such as bloating, cramping, and nausea.

It is especially important that swimmers and other recreational water users consider the following precautions when enjoying beaches, water parks, pools, or other venues:

– People should routinely disinfect their pools or spas using chlorine or an equivalent product. They should also use a filter to screen out solids.

– Swimmers, including children, who have diarrhea should never enter public water areas.

– Toddlers should use swim diapers and the diaper should be checked often. If it needs to be changed, this should be done in the restroom and not near the water.

– Swimmers should wash their hands after using the toilet, or after changing a child’s diaper.

– Swimmers, including children, should practice good hygiene by showering before entering the water.

– Children should be taught to not swallow water either in swimming pools, in the ocean or in a lake.

Children ages one to nine years of age are particularly vulnerable to infection as they tend to swallow water indiscriminately. Pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems are also at greater risk. Locally, people can find LA County public swimming pool inspection reports on the Public Health Web site at
www.publichealth.lacounty.gov to review recent closures or complaints.