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County to Launch Child Rating System

The County of Los Angeles will soon be launching the Steps to Excellence Program (STEP), an innovative new child care rating system to help parents make informed child care choices for their children, Supervisor Don Knabe announced at a press conference recently.

When it starts in July, STEP will be the first program of its kind in California. In much the same way as the County’s successful restaurant grading system has empowered consumers with information, the goal of rating child care centers is to educate parents and improve the quality and services of the centers.

STEP will begin by assessing more than 200 child care centers and more than 400 family child care homes in nine communities across the County, including Inglewood, Long Beach, Palmdale, Pasadena, Pomona, Santa Monica, Wilmington, Florence/Firestone, and Pacoima/Arleta. The program is supported with funds from the County of Los Angeles, the California Department of Education and the First 5 LA Commission.

This is a great opportunity to give parents access to clear, concise information about child care centers that they may not have time or the ability to research on their own, said Supervisor Knabe, who carried the concept of the program through to the Board of Supervisors. The STEP program will assess six key areas that all parents would want to know about a child care setting, including safety, program quality, teacher qualifications, and whether or not they can accommodate kids with special needs.

Child care is big business in Los Angeles County and across California. In Los Angeles County alone, it is estimated that more than $1.4 billion is spent on child care services annually and the demand for services and facilities continues to grow every year. But, with this increasing demand for services comes an increasing need for oversight and access to information for parents about the quality of care their children are receiving in these facilities, Knabe said.

Participation in STEP will be voluntary. Child care providers will first conduct a self-review of their services, and based on the results of that review, providers can either proceed directly to the rating process, or engage in training and support prior to submitting an application. On-site observations will be conducted by a trained field researcher in all STEP programs. Data from the classroom observations as well as administrative records will be considered in determining the STEP rating. A program at Step 1 will be meeting basic licensing standards, whereas a program at Step 5 will have better trained teachers, higher-teacher-to-child ratios, enriched learning environments, and stronger ties to community resources.

Child care licensing standards in the State of California are based solely on health and safety concerns, and do not address program quality, said Supervisor Knabe. The goal of this program is to rate the quality of care being offered, establish a mechanism to distinguish programs that are meeting higher standards, and provide parents a benchmark to go by when selecting a facility for their children.

Marina del Rey Waterbus Cruises Into Summer Service

The Marina del Rey WaterBus summer weekend service will begin this Friday, June 29 and run through Monday, September 3, Supervisor Don Knabe announced today.

WaterBus service is available on Fridays from 5:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m., Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m., and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.. Holiday WaterBus service is available for the 4th of July, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m. and Labor Day, September 3 from 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.. Riders can schedule an on-call pick-up by dialing (310) 628-3219 to board the WaterBus.

There are six Marina boarding locations including: Fisherman’s Village at 13755 Fiji Way; Burton Chace Park at 13650 Mindanao Way; Waterfront Walk/Fire Station #110 at 4433 Admiralty Way; Mother’s Beach at 4101 Admiralty Way; Dolphin Marina at 13900 Panay Way, Dock Gate #C-200; and Marina Harbor at 14028 Tahiti Way, Dock Gate #A-2200. Tickets are available at each boarding location for $1.00 per person, one-way. Day passes for a $5.00 fee are available for purchase as well as season boarding passes for $30.00.

All boarding locations are fully ADA compliant except Fisherman’s Village and Marina Mother’s Beach. Parking is available at Los Angeles County lots located throughout Marina del Rey for a minimal fee.

A special Thursday night WaterBus service will operate 5:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. during the Marina del Rey Summer Concerts on July 12 and 26 and August 9 and 23 for concertgoers who prefer water transportation to and from the concerts.

In addition to WaterBus service, the free, clean fuel, landside Beach Shuttles will circulate hourly in Marina del Rey and Venice, and every half hour between Playa Vista and Playa del Rey on summer weekends and during the Marina del Rey Summer Concert Series. The Beach Shuttles service the Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, Venice Beach Pier and Marina del Rey areas with expanded service to Fisherman’s Village.

For additional information on Marina del Rey WaterBus service call (310) 628-3219 or visit the Beaches and Harbors website at www.marinadelrey.lacounty.gov to download a full WaterBus schedule.

County Has Eye Towards The Environment With New And Upgraded beach Vehicles

Over $2.2 million in renovations and improvements at Schabarum Regional County Park in Rowland Heights will be underway shortly, Supervisor Don Knabe announced today.

This extensive construction at Schabarum includes three distinct projects: the demolition and replacement of seven existing pedestrian/service bridges and the repair of two existing vehicle bridges; the regrading of the existing horse staging area to improve drainage and horse trail alignment; and the replacement of the existing playground equipment with new equipment.

The estimated cost of each project is as follows: $1,294,000 for the Bridges Replacement Project, $646,000 for the Horse Staging Area Project, and $312,000 for the Play Area Replacement Project. The total budget for the entire three-part project is $2,252,000.

The Bridges Replacement and Horse Staging Area Projects are completely funded with Fourth District Capital Project funds and the Play Area Replacement Project is funded in part by State Proposition 40 Grant funds.

This project is about making a reinvestment in our community, said Supervisor Knabe. These improvements will not only increase the safety at and usefulness of Schabarum Park, but will also benefit the many residents of surrounding communities who utilize this Park.

Los Angeles County Collects Record Child Support Payment

The Los Angeles County Child Support

Services Department on Monday received the highest collection in the history of child support enforcement in the United States, Supervisor Don Knabe announced today.

The payment of $311,491 in overdue support payments was collected from a

man seeking reentry into the United States. The payment occurred when the Federal Passport Intercept Program flagged his passport as he was entering the United States from China. The full amount was routed through the Child Support Services Department and paid directly to the man’s ex-wife, who has custody of their 12-year old daughter.

The man had sold his business in Los Angeles County several years ago and fled to China with the assets from the sale. His payment included child and spousal support arrears due on his case and his

outstanding child support obligation of almost $6,000 a month.

"Rigorous enforcement of child support orders works," said Supervisor Knabe, who hailed the efforts of the Department on behalf of this family. Last year, the Department collected over $495 million in child support payments on behalf of over 500,000 families, many of whom are low-income and on public assistance.

On Monday, Supervisor Knabe directed the County to appropriate $500,000 to the Child Support Services Department to initiate a partnership with the District Attorney to increase enforcement of child support orders against parents who are the most delinquent in their child support

payments.

"For every dollar we invest in child support enforcement, we see a return of two dollars in collections that are passed directly onto the families," Knabe added. "These efforts will improve the well-being of children in our communities, and I can’t think of a better return on our investment than that."

Confirmation of this collection being the single largest payment since enforcement began in the United States came from Margot Bean, Commissioner of the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement.

Schabarum Regional County Park in Rowland Heights Will soon undergo Three Major Improvement Projects

Over $2.2 million in renovations and improvements at Schabarum Regional County Park in Rowland Heights will be underway shortly, Supervisor Don Knabe announced today.

This extensive construction at Schabarum includes three distinct projects: the demolition and replacement of seven existing pedestrian/service bridges and the repair of two existing vehicle bridges; the regrading of the existing horse staging area to improve drainage and horse trail alignment; and the replacement of the existing playground equipment with new equipment.

The estimated cost of each project is as follows: $1,294,000 for the Bridges Replacement Project, $646,000 for the Horse Staging Area Project, and $312,000 for the Play Area Replacement Project. The total budget for the entire three-part project is $2,252,000.

The Bridges Replacement and Horse Staging Area Projects are completely funded with Fourth District Capital Project funds and the Play Area Replacement Project is funded in part by State Proposition 40 Grant funds.

This project is about making a reinvestment in our community, said Supervisor Knabe. These improvements will not only increase the safety at and usefulness of Schabarum Park, but will also benefit the many residents of surrounding communities who utilize this Park.

The United States Veterans Initiative In Long Beach Will Receive County Funds For New Kitchen

The United States Veterans Initiative – Long Beach, located at the Villages at Cabrillo, will receive $800,000 to construct a new commercial kitchen, Supervisor Don Knabe announced today.

The new kitchen and dining area, which will serve as a location for homeless veterans to receive meals, will be located in a 6,375 square foot rehabilitated building at 2220 Williams Avenue on the grounds of the Century Villages at Cabrillo. The project consists of renovating a dilapidated kitchen, and adding a small food grill/sandwich shop that will be staffed by residents of the Veterans Initiative. The project will provide needed cooking space and storage capacity, meet the recommendations of the Veterans Affairs dietician, and create a job training program for the veterans.

The kitchen facilities that are currently at the Veterans Initiative are completely inadequate in meeting the needs of the growing veteran population, said Supervisor Knabe. I am excited about this project because these new facilities will allow the staff to prepare a variety of high quality meals for our veterans.

The total cost of the project is $800,000, with funds coming from two different sources. The first $400,000 is coming from Fourth District Capital Project funds and the remaining $400,000 will come from the $80 million in funding for Countywide homeless prevention initiatives that was approved by the Board of Supervisors last year.

Overhauling Education In The Council Juvenile Justice System

The schools designed to teach children incarcerated in the Los Angeles County juvenile justice system may be seriously underserving students, according to a new report by the Children’s Planning Council (CPC). As a result, Supervisor Don Knabe today called for a top-to-bottom reform of the education system in the County’s juvenile halls and probation camps, including the possible use of charter schools.

According to the CPC, recent student performance data show that most of the youth in the juvenile justice system have been – and continue to be – left behind despite ongoing research that shows that education is one of the areas most in need of improvement in the system.

Among the recent findings:

– In 2004, 74 percent of juvenile justice students did not pass the California High School Exit Examination.

– 20 percent of all Probation students require special education programs; double that of the general school special education population.

– School attendance records for Nidorf Juvenile Hall reveal that on one particular day in April 2007, 14% of students in the hall were not enrolled in the on-site school and only 78% of the enrolled students attended that day.

– Students in some high-risk units received little more than one hour of instruction on a particular day.

Knabe’s call for reform directs County agencies to develop a comprehensive plan to dramatically reform education programs in the County’s juvenile halls and probation camps, including an exploration of the feasibility of charter schools and other innovative models of education.

We have nearly 3,000 children enrolled in our probation schools and we have an obligation to provide each and everyone one of them with access to educational opportunities, said Knabe. If we want to keep these kids from returning to the juvenile justice system or from ending up in County jails later in life, then access to quality schooling must be a critical component of how we are serving children in our camps and halls.

Fourth District Pools Scheduled to Open to the Public on Saturday, June 23

The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation has released its 2007 Summer Pool Schedule, and the pools at California High School, Cerritos Regional Park and La Mirada Regional Park will open to the public on Saturday, June 23, 2007, Supervisor Don Knabe announced today.

Recreational swimming is free of charge and will be open to swimmers of all ages, Monday thru Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (recreational swim begins at 12:30 p.m.) and Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. This schedule is effective through, Monday, September 3, 2007.

It is very important to me that we have public pools open during the hot days of summer, said Supervisor Knabe. This is an excellent opportunity for the public to have free access to some great pools for the remainder of the summer.

For additional information about swim lessons, aerobics and other aquatic programs, patrons may contact the parks directly for details.

Opening Pools

California High School Pool

(310) 965-8257

Cerritos Regional Park Pool

(562) 924-5144

La Mirada Regional Park Pool

(562) 902-5645

Deadline To Request Absentee Ballot Approaching

The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) Conny McCormack is reminding voters who wish to vote by mail that the deadline to request absentee ballots for the June 26, 2007, 37th Congressional District Special Primary Election is Tuesday, June 19, 2007.

Registered voters who would like to obtain an absentee ballot must send a written request containing the voter’s name, residence address and address to which the ballot is to be mailed. The signature of each person asking for an absentee ballot is required in order to verify the legitimacy of the application. Absentee ballots may be requested in the following ways:

– By filling out the Vote-By-Mail Application on the back cover of the Official Sample Ballot booklet sent by the RR/CC to each registered voter; or

– By letter addressed to the RR/CC, Absentee Voter Section, P.O. Box 30450, Los Angeles, CA 90030; or

– By accessing the RR/CC website at www.lavote.net and clicking on the Absentee Voting page under "Registrar of Voters Operations" and filling out an Absentee Ballot Application online; or

– In person at the RR/CC’s Office, 12400 Imperial Highway, Room 3002, Norwalk, CA 90650.

If a voter has applied for an absentee ballot and has not received it within a week after sending in the application, the voter should call the RR/CC’s Office at (800) 815-2666. The range of remedies available to the voter includes:

1) requesting a replacement absentee ballot to be mailed; 2) voting at the RR/CC’s Norwalk Office through Election Day; or 3) going to the designated neighborhood precinct polling place to vote on Election Day.

To be counted, the voted absentee ballot must either be returned in person to the RR/CC’s Office, delivered to any polling place conducting this election on election day during poll hours 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., or mailed in time to be in the RR/CC’s Office by 8:00 p.m. on June 26 (postmarks are not acceptable). Additionally, the voter may authorize a designated family member to return the voted ballot to any polling place conducting this election or to the RR/CC’s Office in accordance with the procedures outlined on the absentee ballot return envelope.

Under special circumstances from June 20-26 a voter may request an emergency absentee ballot by applying in person or by sending a designee to the RR/CC Headquarters. Additional information regarding this service or any questions regarding absentee voting can be obtained by calling the RR/CC Absentee Voter Section at (562) 466-1323, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. weekdays, or accessing 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.

County to Acquire New Mobile Hospital for Disaster Response

The County of Los Angeles will soon have a new mobile hospital to provide support to local hospitals in the event of a large-scale disaster such as an earthquake, pandemic influenza, or bioterrorism incident, thanks to a Homeland Security grant accepted by the Board of Supervisors.

The $5,390,000 grant will allow the County’s Department of Health Services (DHS), through its Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency, to purchase a new Mobile Hospital, medical equipment for the hospital, a warehouse lease to house the hospital, and personal radiation equipment.

The mobile hospital system consists of a tractor-trailer facility and a tent facility. Each facility is self-contained and can be deployed independently of each other depending on the type and scale of the incident. The Tractor-Trailer Mobile Hospital Component consists of two 53-foot tractor-trailers, and will serve as the patient care facility, which includes two surgical suites and ten critical care beds. The Tent Structure Mobile Hospital Component is comprised of four 25-bed tent modules, and can be deployed as a 25-bed, 50-bed, or 100-bed facility. Each module is fully equipped with a heating and air-conditioning system, an electrical power distribution system with generator, folding patient cots and treatment beds, sanitation facilities, and a refrigerator.

DHS applied for the funds through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s 2006 Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Grant program, which provides funding to address the unique equipment, training, planning and exercise needs of large urban areas. The grant process is being overseen by the California Office of Homeland Security.

This new mobile hospital and emergency equipment will greatly enhance our ability to respond to a natural disaster or an act of terrorism, said Supervisor Don Knabe. I applaud the Department of Health Services for working hard to secure these critical funds.