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Supervisors Approve Marina Del Rey Odor Control Project

Beaches and Harbors announced today the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved plans, specifications and advertisement for a construction bid contract to construct a sanitary sewer air scrubber in Marina del Rey.

“Residents and visitors across Marina del Rey are going to notice a significant improvement,” said Supervisor Knabe. “But this project is going to particularly benefit the condo owners living in the adjacent Marina City Club towers, who have had to deal with sewer-like smells coming from the area for a long time.”

The Odor Control project will help deal with the odor issue along Admiralty Way in front of the Marina City Club, which is part of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works ongoing program for the operation, maintenance and repair of sewer systems.

The project will be completed in approximately 20 working days and has an estimated cost between $145,000 and $170,000, which is included in the Fiscal Year 2010-11 Marina del Rey Sewer Maintenance District Fund Budget.

Work on the Odor Control project is anticipated to start in October 2010 and is scheduled to be completed November 2010.

Vaccination Recommendations For Pertussis Expanded

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health today reported the third death due to pertussis countywide so far this year. The announcement comes as the California Department of Public Health has expanded its vaccination recommendations amid rising numbers of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, cases throughout the state.

In addition to the usual series of childhood pertussis vaccinations, the California Department of Public Health now recommends an adolescent-adult pertussis booster vaccine (Tdap) for:
• anyone 7 years and older who is not fully immunized, including those who are more than 64 years old,
• women of childbearing age, before, during, or immediately after pregnancy

“This expanded set of recommendations is an appropriate response to the epidemic in Los Angeles County and statewide,” said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer. “Vaccination is our best defense against pertussis. This is a disease that is especially dangerous for infants under six months of age, who are not old enough to have received the number of vaccine doses needed to be protected against whooping cough.”

This year, 289 possible cases have been reported in LA County, of which 184 are laboratory confirmed, probable, or suspected. For all of 2009, the corresponding number of cases was 156.
It has claimed three lives, all of whom were infants, in LA County. In an average year, LA County has 0 – 1 deaths attributable to pertussis.

“Infants are most likely to be infected by parents, grandparents, older siblings, day care workers, and other caregivers who have whooping cough but often don’t know that this disease is the reason for their symptoms,” said Dr. Fielding. “People suffering from a cough illness who have contact with infants should seek medical care immediately. Anyone who lives with or has frequent contact with an infant should ensure that their vaccinations are up-to-date.”

According to one recent study, when the source of the infant’s infection could be identified, 41 percent of infants infected with pertussis contracted the disease from a sibling, 38 percent from their mother, and 17 percent from their father. As such, anyone who has frequent contact with an infant is urged to make sure that their vaccinations are up-to-date. In addition, anyone with a cough-illness of any kind should avoid contact with infants.

Pertussis is spread by the coughing of an infected individual. Typical symptoms in young children include intense coughing accompanied by a whooping sound, and post-cough vomiting. However, some infants infected with pertussis may not show typical symptoms, but can still suffer life-threatening complications, which can include pneumonia and seizures. Among older children and adults, the primary symptom may be a cough that often lasts for several weeks or longer. If you suspect that you or a loved one may have pertussis, contact your doctor right away.

Children should receive three primary vaccinations containing the pertussis vaccine and two boosters by age four to six, followed by a Tdap booster (which protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) during their preteen years. Any teen or adult who has not received a Tdap booster yet should do so, particularly if they are in contact with an infant. Los Angeles County residents are encouraged to contact their regular healthcare provider to arrange for recommended vaccinations.

Everyone should also practice standard hygiene habits in order to help prevent the spread of any illness. These healthy habits include washing your hands often with soap and water, staying home from work or school when sick, avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth, and covering coughs and sneezes appropriately with a tissue.

Those who do not have a regular healthcare provider or insurance coverage for vaccines may dial 2-1-1 or click here for referrals to providers and community sites offering immunizations free or at a reduced-charge.

Supervisor Don Knabe To Be Next Chairman Of Metro

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe was selected today to be the next Chair of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, effective July 1, 2010. Outgoing Metro Chair and Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian entered a motion, which was unanimously approved by the Board, nominating Supervisor Knabe as the next Chair.

“As Chair of the MTA, I will promote a balanced transportation plan that equitably benefits residents in all parts of Los Angeles County,” said Supervisor Knabe. “Our efforts must also include accelerating upgrades to our highways and improving our existing mass transit system.”

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was nominated to serve as the Board’s First Vice Chair and Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich will serve as Second Vice Chair.

Protect Your Pets On Fourth Of July

The Fourth of July is one of the busiest times for the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC). Dogs and cats can become startled and disoriented by the loud noises of fireworks. Pets may panic and attempt to escape your property. To ensure the safety of your pets, here are a few tips:

• Make sure your dog’s license is current and be sure the tags are securely affixed to your dog’s collar.
• Keep your pets indoors in a cool, comfortable place.
• Do not keep your pets in the backyard, even if they are tied up. Dogs, in particular, can break free from restraints and jump fences when frightened.
• Do not take your pets to community fireworks events. Most events do not allow pets, and the noises are terrifying for pets.
• If you are leaving town for the weekend and cannot take your pets with you, make sure you leave them with someone who will be cautious during the Fourth of July celebrations.

If your pet becomes lost over the Fourth of July weekend, DACC will be maintaining its regular shelter hours to accommodate pet owners. The hours for the Fourth of July weekend are as follows:

• Saturday, July 3, & Sunday, July 4, 2010: 10:00 AM-5:00 PM, and
• Monday, July 5, 2010 between the hours of 12:00 PM-7:00 PM.

The addresses to the shelter locations are:

1. Agoura Animal Shelter- 29525 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, 91301
2. Baldwin Park Animal Shelter- 4275 N. Elton St., Baldwin Park, 91706
3. Carson Animal Shelter- 216 W. Victoria St., Gardena, 90248
4. Castaic Animal Shelter- 31044 N. Charlie Canyon Rd., Castaic 91384
5. Downey Animal Shelter- 11258 S. Garfield Ave., Downey 90242
6. Lancaster Animal Shelter- 5210 W. Avenue I, Lancaster 93536

If you have any questions, you can visit our website, http://animalcare.lacounty.gov or contact your local animal shelter.

Father’s Day at Paramount’s Fire Station 31

It was baby Marvin’s eight-month birthday recently when his parents took him to Los Angeles County Fire Station 31 in the City of Paramount to meet the station’s crew but that was not the real reason for their visit. Baby Marvin and his parents, Daniel, 26, and 29-year-old Marvin, domestic partners and adoptive parents to the baby, were there to officially thank the firefighters who found newborn Marvin abandoned last October outside the front door of the Paramount fire station curled up in a Reebok shoe box.

Marvin and his parents first gathered inside the station’s front office together with Assistant Chief Gerry Heinzel, Battalion Chief Dan Ertel, Fire Fighter Paramedic Phil Muller, Fire Fighter Jeramy Virgin, and Community Services Representative La Fonda Riggins. Virgin was the first to discover the baby last year when he peered into the box and found him lying inside, wrapped in a towel and seemingly healthy, with a five-inch umbilical cord, unclamped.

Fire Station 31 members were returning from a call on October 9, 2009, when they saw a young female dressed in a hooded pullover sweater at the station’s front door. She was there to surrender Marvin under California’s Safely Surrendered Baby Law, they now know, but after parking rigs in the apparatus bay and walking out to the front door, they realized that she had departed and only the shoe box remained, which is considered to be an abandonment. The law requires the surrendering adult to physically hand the baby to firefighters on duty or to hospital staff if the baby is taken to a hospital.

Both of Marvin’s parents praised the firefighters and their own Los Angeles County social worker for going beyond the call of duty, as they described. I am really proud of this fire station, said Daniel, and of our own L.A. County social worker for the way that we and Marvin have been treated. Marvin’s doctors have declared him a fully healthy young baby boy. But for now at least, the firefighters were excited, the parents were gracious and Marvin was all smiles as the group gave thanks that a potentially tragic situation resulted in such a happy ending.

Knabe Statement On Probation Credit Card Fraud Allegations

Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe issued the following statement regarding new allegations of credit card abuse within the County’s Probation Department:

The decision to have criminal prosecutors investigate these allegations of credit card fraud by a handful of individuals within the Probation Department is absolutely the right thing to do and a justified move. I fully support the District Attorney’s effort to swiftly respond to this criminal activity.

The minute you begin issuing credit cards under the name of a government agency, you start a slippery-slope that can often lead to exactly this type of fraud. Credit cards need the tightest of controls and checks, and that clearly failed here. Government employees need to have the highest responsibility for every taxpayer dollar they spend, and even more so in times of extremely tight budgets such as this.

Fortunately, we have appointed new leadership within the Probation Department over the last several months. Chief Blevins and his team are strong reformers and have been given a clear mandate and power to take disciplinary actions and make the changes needed to bring this type of mismanagement to a swift end.

Knabe Applauds Sheriff’s Department As Overall Crime Continues To Decline

Supervisor Don Knabe is pleased to announce that as of May 31, 2010, preliminary crime data shows that criminal homicides in Sheriff’s patrol areas have decreased by 17.24 percent, compared to last year. This follows a five-year continuous decrease, resulting in nearly half as many homicides as there were five years ago and the lowest homicide rate since 1975. Most notable were decreases in homicides in the Century Station area and Compton Station area. Century Station had 16 homicides during the same period last year, as compared to 10 homicides this year, for a 37.2 percent decrease. Compton Station homicides have reduced by 38.2 percent, with 21 homicides last year compared to 13 this year.

I am pleased with the overall hard work and commitment of our Sheriff’s department, said Knabe. They passion and dedication continues to protect our citizens and keep our communities safe from crime.

Reported incidents of violent crimes have declined 7.19 percent, and serious property crimes have declined by 4.73 percent in Sheriff’s patrol areas countywide, compared to last year. Sheriff’s stations experiencing the most significant decreases in overall violent crimes over the same period last year included Walnut Station at 46.2 percent, Industry Station at 31.2 percent, and Norwalk Station at 17 percent.

County To Improve South Bay Groundwater Monitoring System

Supervisor Don Knabe announced today that the Board of Supervisors approved Phase 2 of the communications system for the West Coast Basin Barrier Project. This project will greatly enhance the County’s ability to protect its groundwater supply from seawater intrusion.

The $3.41 million project will create an Automated Data Acquisition and Telemetry System that will enable the County’s Department of Public Works to remotely collect, store and analyze information on the operational conditions at facilities associated with the project. By creating a unified communications system between the wells, engineers can control the West Coast Basin Barrier remotely from a centralized monitoring facility. This will allow for more rapid changes in the injection system and better monitoring of the groundwater supply in the underground aquifers.

The West Coast Basin Barrier is comprised of 153 injection wells that stretch from the Palos Verdes Peninsula, north to Los Angeles International Airport. By injecting water into these wells, seawater from Santa Monica Bay is prevented from seeping into the critical freshwater aquifers underneath the Los Angeles Basin. Seawater intrusion is the movement of ocean water into fresh groundwater, causing contamination of the groundwater by salt.

In Phase 1 of the project, which was completed in April 2010, the County constructed a 12-inch-wide underground conduit which the future telecommunication controls of Phase 2 would eventually run through. The West Coast Basin Barrier Project is located in the Cities of El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, and Torrance. Access to adjacent properties will remain open during construction and traffic impacts will be minimal.

Supervisor Knabe Proclaims June 11th “National USA BID And FIFA World Cup Day”

In an effort to support the U.S. Men’s National Team in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the USA Bid Committee for 2018 and 2022, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed a motion by Supervisor Don Knabe to proclaim June 11th, 2010 as National USA Bid and FIFA World Cup Day.

In the spirit of FIFA’s goal of bringing together people of all nations under one banner of peace, friendship and spirited but fair competition on the stage of the world’s most popular sport and athletic event, said Knabe. The County of Los Angeles joins in support of the Men’s National Team and USA Bid Committee in helping return the FIFA World Cup to the United States for a new generation of Americans and their guests.

Residents can increase the United States’ chance of being named host of the FIFA World Cup in 2018 or 2022 by adding their name to the online petition on GOUSABID.com.

I urge all County residents to add his or her name to the online petition to bring the FIFA World Cup to the United in 2018 or 2022, added Knabe.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup kicks off June 11th, with the USA Men’s National Team playing their first match on June 12th.

Voting Hours Extended For In-Person Early Voting

Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) Dean Logan reported that In-Person Early Voting hours at the RR/CC Headquarters in Norwalk have been extended the following two weekends leading up to the June 8, 2010 Statewide Direct Primary Election.

We are committed to providing options to LA County voters to give them every opportunity possible to cast a ballot. The option to vote on the weekend is a service much appreciated by many, whose hectic schedules do not provide that opportunity on Election Day, said Logan.

To vote early, voters can visit the 3rd floor of the RR/CC Headquarters located at 12400 Imperial Hwy., Norwalk, CA, through June 7. In-person Early Voting will be available Monday thru Friday during regular office hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and the weekends of May 29-30 and June 5-6 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Logan also reported that on April 9, the RR/CC began processing Vote by Mail ballot requests from voters wishing to cast a ballot by mail for the June 8 Election. To date, over 752,000 voters have been issued Vote by Mail ballots, and nearly 95,000 have returned their voted ballot by mail or in-person to the RR/CC, stated Logan.

Voters who requested a Vote by Mail ballot can check the status of their request using the RR/CC’s online look-up. Visit www.lavote.net and click on the Vote by Mail button in the Quick Links box located on the main page. Voters may also call the RR/CC at (562) 466-1323.

In order to be counted, ballots cast by mail must be returned with sufficient time for mail delivery to the RR/CC by 8:00 p.m. on June 8, 2010 (postmarked ballots will not be counted). Vote by Mail ballots may also be returned in person to the RR/CC Headquarters, or delivered to any polling place in Los Angeles County before the polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day. A voter may authorize a designated family member to return the voted ballot to a polling place or to the RR/CC in accordance with the procedures outlined on the Vote by Mail ballot return envelope.

Further information, regarding early voting and Vote by Mail services, can be obtained by going online at www.lavote.net or by calling (800) 815-2666.