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Knabe Spotlights Economic Impact Of El Segundo Aircraft Manufacturer

Supervisor Don Knabe, Chairman of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, visited the Northrop Grumman F/A-18E/F Super Hornet assembly line in El Segundo this week to learn more about the positive impact the facility has on the regional economy.

Northrop Grumman is the principal subcontractor to The Boeing Company for the F/A-18E/F, the U.S. Navy’s frontline carrier-based strike fighter. The company produces the aft/center fuselage section and vertical tails and integrates all associated subsystems.

I was extremely impressed during this visit to see the obvious pride and dedication of Northrop Grumman’s people who work on the F/A-18E/F program, Knabe said. They should be commended for their contributions to delivering the Super Hornet to the men and women in our armed forces who count on it to keep them out of harm’s way.

Northrop Grumman has delivered more than 1,900 fuselage shipsets to Boeing since the original F/A-18 program began in the 1970s. The current F/A-18E/F program accounts for about 1,200 jobs in Los Angeles County and more than 10,000 jobs in California with over 700 supplier companies. The Super Hornet industry team includes Boeing, Northrop Grumman, GE Aircraft Engines, the Raytheon Company and more than 1,900 suppliers in the United States and Canada.

The F/A-18E/F entered service with the U.S. Navy in 2001. The Navy is expected to acquire a minimum of 506 Super Hornets and 88 EA-18G Growlers, which along with a previous order of 24 aircraft for Australia, will keep Northrop Grumman’s assembly line open for many years.

Deputies Employ New License Plate Recognition System To Catch Wanted Vehicles In Unincorporated Whittier

Supervisor Don Knabe, Chairman of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, announced that two Sheriff’s vehicles have been equipped with a new license plate recognition system that can automatically detect wanted vehicles. The vehicles are now deployed in the unincorporated areas of South and East Whittier.

The new technology known as Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) transforms how law enforcement personnel search for wanted vehicles by automating the task. Sheriff’s deputies currently have to manually type in a license plate and request a database search, which can be a time-consuming process. A vehicle equipped with the ALPR system has a mobile computer and multiple cameras that can capture all license plates within the cameras’ field of view. The process is entirely automatic and doesn’t require any action on the part of the deputy. Up to 1,000 license plates can be read and recorded hourly.

The two ALPR vehicles will be deployed 24 hours a day, and 7 days a week on all shifts. Each deputy that works the unincorporated Whittier area went through 2 hours of training on how to operate the system. Each ALPR unit cost $32,600, and was funded with a Federal Juvenile Crime Prevention Grant.

Reward Extended For Long Beach Double Murder

A $10,000 reward was extended today by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, at the request of Supervisor Don Knabe, to assist in the investigation of a double murder that claimed the lives of Sarith Em and Vannaly Tim in the City of Long Beach on New Year’s Day.

On January 1, 2009, at 12:39 a.m., Sarith Em, 25, and Vannaly Tim, 24, were both found with multiple fatal gun shot wounds at the 1800 Block of Gardenia Avenue in Long Beach. According to family members, the victims went outside to move a car and did not return.

Long Beach detectives are still investigating the incident, and believe it would be beneficial to extend the reward in the case, which may prompt reluctant witnesses to come forward and provide information to identify the individual(s) responsible for this crime.

It is important for the County of Los Angeles to display its resolve in protecting innocent citizens from appalling crimes, said Supervisor Knabe. In order to bring these suspects to justice, and demonstrate our intolerance to such deplorable crimes, I believe this reward should be extended, hoping someone will come forward so that we can bring these suspects to justice.

Anyone having any information related to this accident is asked to contact Detective Patrick O’Dowd or Detective Russell Moss at the Long Beach Police Department’s Homicide Division at (562) 570-7244.

Los Angeles County Sues State To Protect And Improve Water Quality

After a unanimous vote by the Board of Supervisors, the Los Angeles County Flood Control District has filed a lawsuit against the State of California Water Resources Control Board to improve water quality and keep beaches across the County clean and safe.

Supervisor Don Knabe, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, said the lawsuit was necessary in an effort to force the State of California to hear scientific evidence that proves methods adopted by the State to determine bacteria levels at Santa Monica Bay are unreliable.

Public health and water quality remain a top priority of the County, said Supervisor Knabe. We support water standards that protect public health and safety and we want to ensure the State is using the best scientific standards possible in addressing water quality.

The County is committed to working with local cities to develop and implement state-of-the-art, cost-effective solutions for reducing pollutants in stormwater and keeping our beaches clean and safe, Supervisor Knabe added.

Since 2004, the County and cities together have spent more than $200 million a year to improve and protect water quality at local beaches. However, for more than 18 months, the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board has failed to respond to repeated requests to address new scientific evidence County officials believe should be considered before making huge investments of public funds.

We are perplexed at the State’s failure to act, said Gail Farber, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works. Instead of working with us on this issue, the State has silenced science.

The County of Los Angeles maintains approximately 500 miles of open channel, 2,800 miles of underground storm drains, and 79,000 catch basins. The County’s stormwater program is developed under the oversight of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, the state agency that is responsible for overseeing these programs, and is undertaken in partnership with the cities at the beaches and watersheds. The County’s stormwater program includes multifaceted public education efforts such as stenciling storm drains and airing public service announcements, as well as extensive structural improvements, such as devices to exclude trash from entering into streams and waterbodies and low-flow stormwater diversion devices at the beaches.

County Supports Education Law Reforms In ‘Race To The Top’

The Board of Supervisors has unanimously passed a resolution made by Supervisor Don Knabe to state the Board’s strong support of the Governor and California’s Legislature in their efforts to make the necessary changes to state law that would enable California to apply for billions of dollars in new federal education funding.

"Race to the Top" is a $4.35 billion competitive grant program that is a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), designed to support education reform and innovation. A primary focus of this program is to improve education by linking teacher performance to student progress, supporting innovative educational models such as charter schools, and a targeted effort to address the lowest 5% of under-performing schools. Unfortunately, the state laws that govern education in California currently render the state ineligible to apply for this funding. A special legislative session called by the Governor to address this issue began this week.

"There is overwhelming need for reform and change in the approach to education," said Supervisor Knabe, "and no where more so than in the County’s camp schools and community day schools, which serve as the educational home to thousands of young people under jurisdiction of the juvenile court. These are precisely the type of students this federal funding is designed to reach."

Supervisor Knabe’s proposed overhaul of educational opportunities in Los Angeles County’s juvenile camps and halls was unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors. The reforms were proposed by Supervisor Knabe after a study revealed students were seriously underserved by the schools designed to teach children incarcerated in the Los Angeles County juvenile justice system. Among the reforms will be the creation of charter schools in the probation system. The reforms will also customize educational opportunities based on the individual needs of the student, including a vocational education path, a college-bound path, and a GED completion path, among others.

"We cannot leave this funding on the table," Knabe continued, "it would be tragic if we let arcane state laws bar us from this significant opportunity to compete for these funds."

South Central Fire Station Receives Safely Surrendered Newborn

Supervisor Don Knabe, Chairman of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, is pleased to announce that a baby girl was safely surrendered yesterday at Fire Station 33 in the City of Los Angeles.

The mother of the newborn female gave birth at home and immediately took the baby to the South Central fire station where she surrendered the infant. LAFD took the newborn to a nearby hospital, and the baby was reported to be in good health. As is standard practice, the baby girl is in protective custody and will eventually be placed with a family approved for adoption by the Department of Children and Family Services.

I want to thank this newborn’s mother for doing the right thing, said Supervisor Knabe. The Safe Surrender Program continues to protect babies from abandonment and give mothers a safe, secure, and anonymous way to get their child into safe hands.

This is the fifth Safe Surrender in Los Angeles County in 2009, and the 74th since the program began eight years ago. The program was initiated by Supervisor Knabe and approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors in 2001. It allows someone to surrender an infant that is no more than three days old, as long as the infant shows no signs of abuse.

County Begins Repair Process For Fire Areas

Critical infrastructure damaged or destroyed in the recent string of wildfires across Los Angeles County will be swiftly repaired under a motion introduced today by Supervisor Don Knabe and Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich. The motion gives the County Department of Public Works wide authority to spend up to $25 million to issue emergency contracts and begin repairs to roadways, flood control systems, and utilities that were impacted during the Station, Morris, and Rancho Palos Verdes Fires.

The County’s top priority is repairing and reopening roads that were damaged and closed during the fire. This includes replacing damaged guardrails, removing dead trees, and strengthening roadbeds that were weakened by the intense heat. Emergency repair work will also restore damaged flood control infrastructure, including the construction of temporary protection against winter rains.

Damage reports are still preliminary, but early estimates from the Station Fire area reveal the need to repair at least 95 guardrail locations, remove more than 760 trees, clean out 24 debris basins, and repair minor damage at the construction site of the ongoing $88 million Big Tujunga Dam Seismic Rehabilitation Project. Additionally, the County will need to rebuild the destroyed Public Works office and crew quarters at the Mill Creek Road Division Depot near Angeles Forest Highway.

We are removing the bureaucratic red tape by giving Public Works the authority to make these repairs, said Supervisor Knabe. We need to get the burn areas on the road to recovery as soon as possible and this motion will make that a reality.

This action allows the County to fast-track repairs and minimize the risk of potential mudslides and floods in the aftermath of the fire, said Supervisor Antonovich.

County Fire Resources

With Los Angeles County deeply affected by this year’s fire season, a number of resources are available for County residents to prepare before the threat of fires, and how the respond or seek help after a fire. Below is a list of some of the County’s primary emergency preparedness resources:

Overview of Fire Assistance Services

The California Emergency Management Agency has issued a comprehensive brochure to provide information on assistance and services for disaster recovery for those impacted by the fires. The State Board of Equalization has also announced that extensions for filing, audits, billing, notices, assessments and relief from subsequent penalties are available for businesses and individuals impacted by the wildfires. Click here for more information.

Current Fire Maps

Current information and maps of the various fires in the Southland is available at this website. The maps may be maneuvered for a comprehensive perspective. Click here for more information.

Housing for Fire Victims

Individuals who have lost their housing due to the Station Fire may qualify for rental assistance under the Section 8 program. To check on eligibility requirements, go to the Housing Authority website, or call (562) 347-4663, option 2, or (800) 731-4663. Click here for more information.

Mental Health Counseling

The County Department of Mental Health is offering mental health crisis counseling services to Station Fire victims, family members and children. Click here for more information.

Road Closures

A detailed list provides fire-related road closures and estimated re-opening dates within unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. The public may sign up to receive e-mail notifications of road conditions and other matters of interest. Click here for more information.

Irrigation Overhaul Planned At Los Amigos Golf Course

More than $5.5 million will be invested in renovating the irrigation system at the County’s Los Amigos Golf Course in the City of Downey, Supervisor Don Knabe, Chairman of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, announced today.

The existing irrigation system at Los Amigos is more than 35 years old and has exhausted its useful life. The project consists of replacing the outdated irrigation system with a new fully-automated reclaimed water system. In addition, the golf course’s two lakes, which currently require frequent refilling, will also be renovated, so they can be used as reservoirs for the new reclaimed water irrigation system.

The project supports the Board of Supervisor’s Sustainable Design Program by providing a reclaimed water irrigation system that will eliminate the use of potable water. Additionally, the project will use Smart Water Controller Technology to irrigate the course to maintain proper conditions while minimizing overwatering.

The total project budget is $5,516,000, which will be funded with $2,471,000 in

Los Amigos Golf Course Capital Improvement Funds, $2,595,000 in net County cost consisting of $1,125,000 in Fourth Supervisorial District Capital Project funds, $1,470,000 in prior year net County cost, and $450,000 in grant funding from the Central Basin Metropolitan Water District.

"Los Amigos is a wonderful asset to affordable public golf in our region, said Supervisor Knabe. "This new irrigation system will not only help update and maintain the stunning grounds for golfers, but it will also increase the longevity of our local water supply."

Los Amigos Golf Course will remain open during construction as there is no anticipated impact on play or anticipated closure of any part of the golf course.

Job Creation Program Passes Halfway Mark

There is good news for the local economy – Supervisor Don Knabe, Chairman of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, announced today that the County is more than halfway towards meeting its goal of employing at least 10,000 people in temporary local jobs.

A total of 5,480 people have been employed as part of the 10,000 Jobs Initiative, so far. Of this number, 75% are young people between the ages of 16 and 24. Nearly 350 businesses across the County have hired employees through the program.

On March 3, 2009, Supervisor Knabe introduced the program, which utilizes almost $200 million in federal stimulus funding to create temporary subsidized employment opportunities in County departments, private sector employers, non-profit organizations, and in cities across Los Angeles County.

We are continuing to move rapidly in getting these jobs created and filled. said Supervisor Knabe. The federal stimulus money we are using expires in September 2010, so we want these temporary workers to have the maximum amount of time in their jobs.

Two resources are available for employers looking to hire workers or for those looking for a job. The first is the County’s telephone hotline, 211.

The second is a dedicated website: www.employmentstimulus.org