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Reward Authorized For Information Related to Murder of Jeffrey Tidus

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion introduced by Supervisor Don Knabe to extend a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) involved in the murder of Jeffrey Tidus.  With this motion, the reward fund will total $100,000.

On December 7, 2009, Jeffrey Tidus, 53, an attorney, was shot and killed in Rolling Hills Estates. Sheriff’s investigators are seeking information to identify the individual(s) responsible for this crime. Information may be provided anonymously.

Contact: Detectives Joe Espino or Bob Kenney

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
Homicide Bureau
5747 Rickenbacker Road
Commerce, CA  90040
(323) 890-5500

Full Nightly Closures Coming to I-405 North at Seal Beach Boulevard

The northbound I-405 freeway between Seal Beach Boulevard and the I-605 interchange will be closed nightly for several weeks beginning Saturday Dec. 10.

Nighttime closures will take place seven days a week; between 11 p.m and 5 a.m., Monday through Friday, and between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., Saturday and Sunday. The work will last approximately three to four weeks.

These full northbound I-405 freeway closures are necessary as part of the northbound I-405 / westbound SR-22 / 7th Street connector reconstruction. Crews will perform the closure in order to erect false work over the freeway for the 7th Street bridge.

Detours:

  • From the northbound I-405, exit Seal Beach Boulevard, turn right and proceed north on Seal Beach Boulevard / Los Alamitos Boulevard. Turn left on Katella Avenue to access the northbound I-605 on-ramp.
  • From the northbound I-405, exit Seal Beach Boulevard, turn left and proceed south on Seal Beach Boulevard. Turn right on Westminster Avenue and then turn right on Studebaker Road to access the northbound I-405 on-ramp.
  • From the northbound I-405, exit Westminster Avenue, turn left on Westminster Avenue and proceed west. Turn right on Studebaker Road and proceed northbound to access the northbound I-405 on-ramp.
  • From the northbound I-405, exit Westminster Avenue, turn left on Westminster and proceed west. Turn right on Seal Beach Boulevard, continue north on Seal Beach Boulevard / Los Alamitos Boulevard then turn left on Katella Avenue to access the northbound I-605 on-ramp.

For a full breakdown of all work planned for next week, including recommended detours, please visit the Closure & Detour Notice for the Week of Dec.4, available here.

Knabe Delivers State of Los Angeles County

Supervisor Don Knabe delivered his annual state of Los Angeles County to a capacity crowd at a luncheon at the Long Beach Convention Center today, hosted by the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.

In his fifth annual address, Supervisor Knabe called for more focus on supporting businesses, creating jobs and reforming programs.  With the County’s caseloads for programs and services at an all-time high, he encouraged public/private partnerships to  put people back to work.

“With the crunch on our resources and a near doubling of our caseloads since 2007, we must be even more diligent about where our money is spent.  We may not be able to solve the world’s financial crisis, but we can get our own house in order,“ Knabe said.  Citing examples of workforce training efforts between Cerritos and El Camino colleges and local auto dealerships he said, “One of the most frustrating things I read about is seeing that companies have jobs they can’t fill because workers don’t have the knowledge they need. It’s important that we all play a role in building the skills of our local workforce.  We have the largest automotive market in the country and these programs are helping young people prepare for good careers, while meeting the workforce demands of our local businesses.”

The full speech is available onlineand can be watched on Supervisor Knabe’s YouTube Channel.

County’s Child Care Rating System Receives $7.6 Million in New Funding

Despite serious cuts to child development programs, Los Angeles County’s child care rating system continues to grow, thanks to a significant new grant from Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP) that will allow for dozens of additional child care centers to be inspected and graded.

The rating system, called the Steps to Excellence Program (STEP), was launched by Supervisor Knabe in July 2007 as 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.

The program started as a pilot in nine communities across the County, including Long Beach.  Currently, over 400 child development centers and family child care homes participate in the Steps to Excellence Project (STEP). The information collected during the review process will be analyzed and used to assign quality ratings to STEP participants.  It is supported with funds from the County of Los Angeles, the California Department of Education, the First 5 LA Commission and now LAUP.

The $7.6 million grant from LAUP will enable the STEP program to sustain its current operation and allow for expansion of the program into 15 new communities over the next five years.

“What is unique about the STEP program is that we are evaluating the overall quality of these child care programs,” said Supervisor Knabe. “We aren’t just assessing whether or not the carpet is clean and the walls are painted, we are looking at the ‘learning environment’ as well. To me, that is the most important consideration for any parent in deciding where to place their children and that is why this program is so important.”

In Los Angeles County, it is estimated that more than $1.9 billion is spent on child care services annually and the demand for services and facilities continues to grow every year. With this escalating demand for services comes an increasing need for oversight and access to information for parents about the quality of care their children are receiving. The STEP program assesses six key areas including safety, program quality, teacher qualifications, and whether or not the center can accommodate children with special needs.

For more information about STEP, contact the County Office of Child Care at (213) 893-0505 or visit www.childcare.lacounty.gov.

A Final Goodbye For Our County Family Members

This holiday season many of us are reminded of how fortunate we are to be surrounded by our loved ones.  Sadly, not everyone shares this blessing.  On Wednesday, the County will bury the remains of 1,639 individuals in a mass grave.  These are individuals that, for one reason or another, have no one but the County to provide them with a respectful and dignified burial.  Some are homeless.  Many are poor.  Some have no families to grieve for them.  Regardless of what their status in life was, each one of their lives mattered.  It matters to us, their County family.

The service will be held tomorrow, Wednesday December 7, at 9:00am at the Los Angeles County Crematory and Cemetery.

Knabe to Address the ‘State of the County’

Supervisor Don Knabe will be addressing the state of Los Angeles County and the Fourth District at a luncheon at the Long Beach Convention Center on Thursday December 8, 2011 at 11:30am, hosted by the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.

In his fifth annual address, Supervisor Knabe will speak about the ongoing challenges of the global economic crisis and the impact of the state budget on Los Angeles County.  With the County’s caseloads for programs and services at an all-time high, he will discuss how the public and private sectors must join together to put people back to work.

Constituents can view a live streaming broadcast of the “State of the County” address through Facebook by going to http://www.facebook.com/supervisorknabe and clicking the play button. Utilizing this feature will allow anyone to view the broadcast as well as allow them to chat with other viewers about the topics addressed in the Supervisor’s speech.

County employees interested in viewing the broadcast can watch it by visiting http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ask-don-live1.

Any organization wishing to simulcast Supervisor Knabe’s address can embed the video stream from the link as well.

Statement on the Passing of Shaun Lumachi

I am deeply shocked and saddened to learn of of the tragic death of Shaun Lumachi. Shaun was a great friend and loyal supporter.  He was a young man devoted to Long Beach, deeply involved in many local organizations.  He believed in the importance of active civil participation as evident by his hard work and commitment to the Long Beach Post and keeping the community informed and engaged.  Julie and I send our thoughts and prayers to his family at this very difficult time.

Metrolink Kicks Off 15th Annual Holiday Toy Express

Metrolink officially kicks off its month-long Holiday Toy Express Tour on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 5:00 p.m. in Anaheim, in conjunction with the launch of the  Southern California Firefighters’ Spark of Love Toy Drive.

Between Nov. 18 and Dec. 18, the 450-ton train will spread cheer across the Southern California region, making 32 stops over five weekends.

The festive train will be decorated with more than 50,000 lights and include a flat car that will be used as a stage for the musical show featuring Santa and Mrs. Claus. Cities hosting the train’s stop have additional events before and/or after the train arrives.

“Metrolink’s Holiday Toy Express has become a tradition that Southern Californians look forward to. We are truly honored to be a part of an activity that brings us together during the holidays and puts smiles on so many faces,” said Richard Katz, Metrolink Board Chairman. “We are grateful to the cities that have supported the Holiday Toy Express. This is truly a united effort to spread cheer across the region.”

Events at all stops, except Camp Pendleton, are open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring their friends and family, as well as one or more unwrapped toys to donate to Southern California Firefighters’ “Spark of Love Toy Drive”.

Please click here to see the full schedule.

Land Movement Continues at Paseo Del Mar

Paseo Del Mar –  County Public Works Update

Ground movement in the area has intensified. The vertical displacement on Paseo Del Mar near the intersection with the access road is about six feet. A portion of the access road leading from Paseo Del Mar to the beach, along with 5 sections of the abandoned 60-inch RCP pipe, have slid onto the beach area.

Department of Beaches & Harbors staff will be placing warning signs at the end of the promenade behind the White Point restroom where it connects with the baseball diamond fence. They will also replace an existing nylon fence at the beach level with a chain-link fence with similar warning signs.

Realignment of Storm Drains

Construction continues on the 84-inch pipe realignment on the easterly side of Paseo Del Mar. The forms for the junction structure are set and the concrete pouring is scheduled for today. Subsequent to the concrete pour, the Contractor will bring a crane on-site to facilitate the construction of the two 36-inch HDPE pipes down the slope to the beach.

There are currently no design issues, but staff has continued to monitor the situation and make any necessary field adjustments.
The 54-inch line bypass is nearing completion with the remaining item of work being the construction of the headwall at the outlet. There is a bypass line constructed around the work site of the 84-inch line to handle nuisance flows and runoff.

Weather

The forecast calls for dry weather through at least Thursday. After that there are two storms that may affect the area, one on Friday and a second storm possibly late Sunday into Monday. The first system looks like it will move inland before reaching southern California and precipitation from this storm is currently anticipated to be light with accumulations being in the 0.20” or less range. The second storm may bring rain to LA County as well with amounts also light. Public Works anticipates having better storm total estimates for the weekend storms by the end of the week.

Supervisor Knabe to Host Thanksgiving Dinner at Adventure Park

Thousands are expected to attend the Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner at Adventure County Park. Each year, the office of Fourth District Supervisor Don Knabe, Adventure Park staff and community volunteers sponsor a free meal for families in the community. The delicious dinner, of turkey, stuffing and all the traditional sides, is open to men, women and children of all ages.  Music and entertainment will complete the festivities.  The park served over 2,000 meals last year and is prepared to serve 3,000 people this year.

Other event sponsors include Rose Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary, Orchard Dale Water District, PizzaMania Whittier, Frisco Bakery, First Family Church, All Level Sports, Eli Sports and Better Thru Basketball.

WHEN:           Thursday, November 17, 2011

TIME:             2:00 p.m to 7:00 p.m.

WHERE:         Adventure County Park,  10130 S. Gunn Avenue, Whittier, CA 90605

VISUALS:       More than 2,000 children and families receiving a free meal

For more information, please contact Dingo Mercado, Adventure Park Supervisor, on 562-698-7645.