Issues

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."

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.

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 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

County Keeps The Pressure On Most Wanted Delinquent Parents

Supervisor Don Knabe announced today that another one of LA County’s Most Wanted Delinquent Parents has been arrested and jailed. Darrick Ellington was sentenced to 135 days in jail by Superior Court Commissioner John Green. Ellington’s arrest follows soon after the arrests of Osvaldo Fernandez and Sergio Diaz earlier this month. All three men were sought on warrants issued when they failed to surrender to serve jail sentences. Each had been in violation of court-ordered probation terms requiring them to make support payments.

Ellington, 46, was first convicted in September 2001 of failing to support his then-11 year old daughter. He pleaded no-contest to a charge of criminal contempt for failing to pay court-ordered child support. He was placed on 36 months probation on the condition that he would make ongoing payments. Ellington owes more than $75,000 in unpaid support.

Since first receiving probation in 2001, Ellington has been in and out of court on child support related charges on multiple occasions. On June 26 of this year, he was sentenced to 90 days in the County Jail. Ellington failed to surrender as ordered and a bench warrant with bail set at $100,000 was issued for his arrest. His photo and identifying information were added to the County’s Most Wanted Delinquent Parent website. His case was turned over to investigators assigned to the Child Support Arrest Warrant Project, a joint effort of the Child Support Services Department and the District Attorney’s office.

Steven J. Golightly, Director of the Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department, said, Our goal in criminally prosecuting parents is first and foremost to secure compliance with their financial obligations to their children. Sometimes, in cases like those of the three Most Wanted parents arrested this week, nothing short of jail time is enough to demonstrate how serious we are in ensuring that parents cannot avoid their responsibilities without paying a price.

The Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department maintains the Most Wanted Delinquent Parent List. It was developed as an initiative of Supervisor Don Knabe.

Whittier Greenway Trail Transit Plan Derailed

Light rail trains will not be running down the middle of the Whittier Greenway Trail in the future, Supervisor Don Knabe announced today.

Metro has started work on the Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 project that would extend the Gold Line light rail system to cities further east of Los Angeles, including Whittier. One of the four routes under consideration for the future light rail extension would have included running tracks down the middle of the Whittier Greenway Trail.

Metro will be abandoning any further consideration of the Greenway Trail option after significant community opposition and the opposition by Supervisor Knabe, who serves as First Vice Chair of Metro’s Board of Directors. In addition, technical analysis indicates that the route has several fatal flaws that renders it infeasible for construction.

I am adamantly opposed to any Gold Line track alignment that would come anywhere near the Greenway Trail, said Supervisor Knabe.

Having train tracks run down the middle of the trail was not what I had in mind when committed $100,000 in public park funds towards the project, and it is not what supporters of the Greenway Trail had in mind either. The expansion of mass transit options in the area is critically needed, given our congested roads and expected 25-percent increase in local population in the next two decades, but we can’t expand mass transit at the expense of parks and open space."

The Greenway Trail is a five-mile bicycle/pedestrian trail which replaces an abandoned railroad right-of-way. The trail was dedicated in January 2009 and begins in the northwest corner of Whittier, near the 605 Freeway.

Another Most Wanted Delinquent Parent Is Sentenced

Osvaldo Fernandez, one of Los Angeles County’s Most Wanted Delinquent Parents, was ordered to serve 90 days in jail recently. He was remanded into Sheriff’s custody one day after being arrested by District Attorney Investigators working in collaboration with the Los Angeles County’s Child Support Services Department.

In April, 2008 Fernandez pleaded no contest to a charge of criminal contempt for failing to support his 8 year old daughter. He was placed on probation for 36 months and ordered to make payments. Despite repeated assurances to the court that he would comply, he made no payments between June 2008 and June 2009. On July 20, Superior Court Commissioner Marshall Rieger found him in violation of probation and ordered him to surrender on July 22 to serve 45 days in the County Jail. Fernandez failed to surrender as ordered and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Fernandez, who owes more than $21,000 in unpaid support, was quickly added to the County’s Most Wanted Delinquent Parent website. His case was turned over to investigators assigned to the Child Support Arrest Warrant Project, a joint effort of the Child Support Services Department and the District Attorney’s office. Following up on leads provided by associates and former neighbors, a team of two DA Investigators succeeded in tracking down Fernandez. He peacefully surrendered to them at a downtown location and was transported to the County Jail for booking.

On Wednesday, Fernandez appeared in custody before Commissioner John W. Green at the downtown Central Arraignment Court facility. Green found Fernandez guilty of a second probation violation for failing to surrender as ordered. In addition to remanding him to serve the 45 days previously imposed by Commissioner Rieger, Green tacked on 45 more days to the sentence for the additional violation.

Since the inception of the Most Wanted Delinquent Parents website in March of last year, 22 parents have had their photos posted with details of their cases and the warrants for their arrest. 15 of the 22 have been arrested or surrendered to court after their photos and stories were made public.

The Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department maintains the Most Wanted Delinquent Parent List. It was developed as a result of an appropriation by the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors on the initiative of Supervisor Don Knabe.

First Symptomatic Human Case Of West Nile Virus Confirmed In Los Angeles County

The Los Angeles County Health Officer has confirmed the first symptomatic human case of West Nile Virus (WNV) infection in Los Angeles County for the 2009 season. The case is a teenager, with pre-existing medical conditions, from the Antelope Valley who became symptomatic in mid-July. The individual has now recovered. Earlier this year, two individual blood donors, including one reported in June, tested positive for WNV, but did not show any symptoms (asymptomatic). The donated blood was not used.

People should take precautions to avoid mosquitoes, as that is the primary way this disease is transmitted. Mosquitoes obtain the virus by feeding on infected wild birds, said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer. West Nile Virus can appear anywhere in Los Angeles County or around the state, and we urge residents to get rid of pools of stagnant water around their homes where mosquitoes breed, and to use a repellant containing DEET or another approved repellent when outdoors in mosquito-prone areas, especially around dawn or dusk.

As of August 5th, Public Health and the independent mosquito abatement districts have detected WNV in 38 dead birds, 6 mosquito pools, and 10 sentinel chickens. The Antelope Valley region of the county has shown the most WNV activity to date in 2009. In past seasons, most infected birds and positive mosquitoes have been found in the San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley, and East Los Angeles County areas.

Exposure to West Nile Virus

WNV is spread from humans through the bite of an infected mosquito; mosquitoes can become infected by biting a bird that carries the virus. Most mosquitoes do not carry the virus and most people bitten by a mosquito have not been exposed to the virus. The virus is not spread through person-to-person contact, or directly from birds to humans.

In most case, people who are infected with West Nile Virus never become sick, or have only very mild symptoms that include fever, headache, nausea, body aches, and a mild skin rash. Symptoms of West Nile Virus could appear within three to 12 days after infection. Fortunately, fewer than one in 150 people who are bitten by an infected mosquito become severely ill, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In these rare cases, the virus can cause encephalitis and death. The elderly are most at risk for severe cases of the disease. There is no specific treatment for West Nile Virus. However, individuals with severe symptoms may be hospitalized.

Preventive Measures

People can decrease their risk of infection by following these recommendations:

– Avoid mosquito-infested areas at dawn and dusk.

– Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants whenever you are outdoors.

– Repellants containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of eucalyptus, when used as labeled, are effective defenses against mosquitoes.

– Check your window screens for holes.

– Do not allow water to collect and stagnate in old tires, flowerpots, swimming pools, birdbaths, pet bowls, or other containers. These are prime breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

– Clean and chlorinate swimming pools; drain water from pool covers.

– Stock garden ponds with goldfish or other mosquito-eating fish. These eat mosquito eggs and larvae.

– Empty and wash birdbaths and wading pools weekly.

The Los Angeles County Public Health Department has established a toll-free information line that will provide callers with updated information on West Nile Virus within the county. Call (800) 975-4448. If a recently dead bird (less than 24 hours) is found, the public is encouraged to report this by calling (877) 747-2243. If residents see a green pool or stagnant swimming pool at a home, please report this to Public Health’s Environmental Health Bureau at (626) 430-5200.

Where to call with questions about mosquitoes:

Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District: (562) 944-9656

Los Angeles County West Vector Control District: (310) 915-7370

San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District: (626) 814-9466

Antelope Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District: (661) 942-2917

Compton Creek Mosquito Abatement District: (310) 639-7375

Pasadena City Health Department: (626) 744-6004

City of Long Beach Vector Control Program: (562) 570-4132