Los Angeles County Acting Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) Dean Logan announced recently that an additional 11,300 pollworkers are needed to staff polling places for the June 3 Primary Election.

Pollworkers are an essential part of a successful election day, said Logan. We have recruited over 18,000 pollworkers, but with the election less than one month away we are still in need of over 11,000 pollworkers.

Recruitment has been especially difficult in the communities and areas of Agoura Hills, Beverly Hills, Canyon Country, Castaic, Encino, Lomita, Los Angeles (90026, 200929, 20024, 20025, 90026, 90027, 90045, and 91605), Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Playa Del Rey, Rancho Palos Verde, Santa Monica, Saugus, Sherman Oaks, Valencia, Venice, Winnetka and Woodland Hills.

Pollworkers must be available between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. to set up the polls, provide assistance to voters, and conduct poll closing procedures.

Pollworkers are compensated $80 for working election day plus $25 for attending a 1-1/2 hour training session. Training sessions are conducted throughout Los Angeles County in the days prior to the election. A schedule of classes, pollworker training videos, and training materials can be found on the RR/CC’s website www.lavote.net under POLLWORKER INFO. Additionally, pollworker training videos are available at county libraries.

The RR/CC also needs bilingual pollworkers who can speak one or more of the following languages: Cantonese, Japanese, Mandarin, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog/Filipino, or Vietnamese. In addition, pollworkers who speak other languages such as Armenian, Russian and Cambodian are encouraged to help serve their communities. Those eligible to become pollworkers must be registered voters and residents of California.

If interested in becoming a pollworker for the June 3rd Primary Election, please call the Polls Section of the RR/CC at (800) 815-2666, option 7 or visit the RR/CC website at www.lavote.net

As residents prepare for Memorial Day, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health would like to highlight the importance of safe swimming practices. The week before Memorial Day (May 19-25, 2008) has been designated as National Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week.

We want to encourage people to enjoy the great beaches, lakes, water parks, and swimming pools that Los Angeles County has to offer in the healthiest way possible, both in terms of great exercise and in great health, said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer. That means taking precautions to ensure that you, your friends or family don’t get sick from germs that are normally found in lakes and the ocean. Don’t swallow water while swimming or playing; do shower before entering a pool or spa, and practice good hygiene when visiting public swimming pools.

Swallowing, breathing, or having contact with germs in pools, spas, oceans, lakes, or rivers can cause recreational water illnesses (RWI). Diarrheal illnesses are most commonly reported and may be due to parasites and bacteria. Swimmers who ingest contaminated water could experience severe symptoms such as diarrhea, or milder symptoms such as bloating, cramping, and nausea.

It is especially important that swimmers and other recreational water users consider the following precautions when enjoying beaches, water parks, pools, or other venues:

– People should routinely disinfect their pools or spas using chlorine or an equivalent product. They should also use a filter to screen out solids.

– Swimmers, including children, who have diarrhea should never enter public water areas.

– Toddlers should use swim diapers and the diaper should be checked often. If it needs to be changed, this should be done in the restroom and not near the water.

– Swimmers should wash their hands after using the toilet, or after changing a child’s diaper.

– Swimmers, including children, should practice good hygiene by showering before entering the water.

– Children should be taught to not swallow water either in swimming pools, in the ocean or in a lake.

Children ages one to nine years of age are particularly vulnerable to infection as they tend to swallow water indiscriminately. Pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems are also at greater risk. Locally, people can find LA County public swimming pool inspection reports on the Public Health Web site at
www.publichealth.lacounty.gov to review recent closures or complaints.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has released a study that for the first time shows posting calorie information on menus and menu boards at large chain restaurants (with 15 or more outlets in California) could have a significant impact in reducing the obesity epidemic. The study found that if just 10% of restaurant goers ordered reduced-calorie meals (average reduction of 100 calories per meal) as a result of calorie information provided on menus, it would result in a 40% decrease in the 6.75 million pound average annual weight gain in the county population.

Obesity is one of the most serious public health threats we face today, said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer. This study shows that providing restaurant customers with calorie information at the point of purchase could lead to more informed decisions, and have a dramatic effect on reducing the overall obesity epidemic.

The study looked at a range of consumer responses in calculating potential impacts on the obesity epidemic. The results indicate that with public education, pricing incentives, or other strategies to promote reduced-calorie meals, the impact on reducing the epidemic could be greatly enhanced. For example, if 20% of restaurant patrons ordered reduced calorie meals (average reduction of 100 calories per meal) 77.7% of the county population’s annual weight gain could be prevented.

The study also found that dropping 100 or more calories from a typical restaurant meal is an achievable goal. It examined calorie information from three fast food restaurant chains and found that creating a reduced-calorie meal could be as simple as ordering a medium-sized soft drink instead of a large (saving 95 calories), ordering medium-sized French fries instead of a large (saving 163 calories), or ordering a single-meat patty hamburger instead of the double (saving 244 calories). Just one change in how a person orders could cut calories where they count.

The Health Impact Assessment titled Menu Labeling as a Potential Strategy for Combating the Obesity Epidemic can be viewed at www.publichealth.lacounty.gov

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s (LACMA) Muse program presents their thirteenth annual ArtWalk on Saturday, May 17, 2008, from 12:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. ArtWalk features an afternoon survey of a unique art scene in Los Angeles and culminates with a celebratory reception in the evening. After traveling for a number of years, ArtWalk returns to the Mid-Wilshire District this year, with more than forty participating galleries, in conjunction with the recent debut of LACMA’s Broad Contemporary Art Museum.

Muse is also partnering up with the participating galleries this year for an exceptional lineup of programming, including artist lectures, art seminars, musical performances, and much more. Programs will be held throughout the afternoon from 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., followed by happy hours at select host galleries from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Muse will host the ArtWalk After Party at LACMA’s newly opened BP Grand Entrance from 8:15 p.m. – 11:00 p.m., concluding the day with complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, as well as a performance by the Los Angeles-based indie rock/pop trio Craft Club.

The following galleries and art spaces will participate in this year’s ArtWalk: Adamson-Duvannes Gallery, Alitash Kebede Gallery, Carl Berg Gallery, Concrete Walls Gallery, Couturier Gallery, Craft & Folk Art Museum, Daniel Weinberg Gallery, DF2 Gallery, DNJ Gallery, Fahey/Klein Gallery, Forum Gallery, Gallery 825, Gallery Brown, Iturralde Gallery, Jack Rutberg Gallery, Korean Cultural Center, Lawrence Asher Gallery, MAK Center, Marc Foxx Gallery, Mark Selwyn Fine Art, Merry Karnowsky Gallery, Michael Kohn Gallery, Milo Gallery, Perrell Fine Art, Photographers Gallery, Richard Telles Fine Art, Sabina Lee Gallery, Solway Jones Gallery, Stephen Cohen Gallery, Steve Turner Contemporary, The Loft at Liz’s, Tobey C. Moss Gallery, Verve Gallery, and Voila! Art for the Modern Eye.

Ticketing

Tickets are not necessary for the daytime portion of the event, but are required for the After Party at LACMA. Tickets are $20 for Muse members, $30 for LACMA non-Muse members, and $40 for the general public. Tickets go on sale May 3 for the general public, and can be purchased at www.lacma.org/muse, at any of LACMA’s three Welcome Centers, or by telephone at (323) 857-6010. Advance purchase is recommended, as the event is expected to sell out quickly.

The Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors announces effective immediately, Seamark Marine will provide temporary boat moving and launching services to boat owners who store their boats in the dry dock storage facility at Del Rey 77, located at 13575 Mindanao Way in Marina del Rey. Del Rey 77 boat owners should contact the Department of Beaches and Harbors at (310) 305-9503 for boat storage rental or access to their vessels.

Boaters that want to launch their vessels from Del Rey 77 Monday through Saturday should contact Seamark at (310) 301-8303. For Sunday launching, boaters may contact Seamark on Friday or Saturday, and the vessels will be placed in the water Saturday night; these boaters can use and return their boats on Sunday to the water area at Del Rey 77, and Seamark will retrieve the boats for storage on Monday morning.

Seamark will also offer Del Rey 77 boat owners the option of launching from the Seamark hoist located at 13441 Mindanao Way in Marina del Rey at no extra charge, which can hoist vessels up to 26 feet in length. Hours of operation for Seamark are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.; and closed on Sunday.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s (LACMA) Art Museum Council (AMC) presents its 51st annual Art & Architecture tour on Sunday, April 27, 2008. One of the AMC’s most popular events, the Art & Architecture tour grants access to some of the finest homes and private art collections in Los Angeles. This year, the ticketed and docent-guided tour will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and includes a Special Projects boutique located at one of the homes, where attendees may purchase unique works of art created especially for the tour.

To take the tour, one must first become a LACMA member. Benefits of membership include free admission to LACMA, exclusive exhibition previews, discounts on special programs and gifts, and much more. For information about becoming a LACMA member please call (323) 857-6151.

General admission to the Art & Architecture Tour is $150; patron tickets for luxury mini-bus, sedan, and limousine service can also be purchased. Ticket-holders at these levels will enjoy access to one additional home, plus chauffeured front of the line access to all homes via luxury minibus (Gold, $350), sedan (Emerald, $2,500), or limousine (Platinum, $5,000); and a gourmet lunch. Tickets can be purchased by calling (323) 857- 6287. All proceeds benefit LACMA and help fund museum programs and acquisitions.

Artworks on display in the homes include works by Peter Alexander, John Baldessari, Jim Dine, David Hockney, Jenny Holzer, Elsworth Kelly, Paul McCarthy, Robert Motherwell, Bruce Nauman, Sigmar Polke, and many others. The homes on this year’s Art & Architecture tour include:

A dazzling modern home, nestled in Santa Monica’s idyllic Rustic Canyon and filled with a superb collection of contemporary art from internationally known artists.

A Mediterranean villa, situated on a beautiful Bel Air hilltop, with city and ocean views outside, and contemporary and American Impressionist art inside.

A Trousdale mid-century home with airliner views of the city, authentic mid-century furnishings and works by current contemporary artists.

A tastefully remodeled traditional home, located in Beverly Hills, filled with Asian art and photo-realistic paintings.

A newly built Spanish-style home in Brentwood, seamlessly incorporating the owners’ collection of California and European artists.

Bonus home, to be viewed by upper-level ticket-holders only: a contemporary home, filled with Asian art, antique carvings and glass, located on one of the bird streets above the Sunset Strip.

The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works will once again host a series of Earth Day Events in conjunction with the Board of Supervisors throughout the months of April and May. These enriching events allow students, community groups and civic leaders to work together to plant native trees and shrubs and to educate the students on how to preserve the beautified greenery and to protect the local watersheds. Some events will also have students participate in eco-fairs and recycling demonstrations.
Each Earth Day event is filled with educational elements to help students understand how their everyday activities can affect our environment. The following is a summary of each upcoming Earth Day Event.
Date:
April 21, 2008
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Supervisorial District:
Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, Third District
Location:
Studio City
Along Valleyheart Drive between Fulton Avenue and Coldwater Canyon Avenue
Activities:
Planting 294 California Native Flowers and Trees
Participating School:
Carpenter Elementary School
Number of Students and Grade Level:
65 – 4th grade students Date:
April 23, 2008
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Supervisorial District:
Supervisor Michael Antonovich, Fifth District Location:
Unincorporated Altadena Adjacent to Las Flores Debris Basin
Activities:
Planting 344 California Native Shrubs and Trees Participating School:
Loma Alta Elementary School
Number of Students and Grade Level:
71 – 5th and 6th grade students Date:
April 24, 2008
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Supervisorial District:
Supervisor Gloria Molina, First District Location:
La Primaria Elementary School 4220 Gilman Road
El Monte, CA 91732 Activities:
Planting 299 California Native Flowers and Trees, L.A. County Fire "No Way Out" booth and other educational booths, Watershed Model Presentation
Participating School:
La Primaria Elementary School Number of Students and Grade Level:
60 – 2nd and 3rd grade students Date:
April 24, 2008
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Supervisorial District:
Supervisor Yvonne Burke, Second District
Location:
Ballona Creek At the intersection of Sepulveda Boulevard and Ballona Creek on the southeast bank of the creek.
Activities:
Planting 234 native shrubs and trees and painting reusable grocery bags. Participating School:
Farragut Elementary School
Number of Students and Grade Level:
48 – 3rd and 4th grade students
Date:
May 22, 2008
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Supervisorial District:
Supervisor Don Knabe, Fourth District
Location:
Hill Classical Middle School
1100 Iroquois Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90815
Activities:
Planting 322 California Native Shrubs and Trees, Eco-Fair, essay and photo contest.
Participating School:
Hill Classical Middle School
Number of Students and Grade Level:
TBD

Just Be Ready: Prepare Together – Emergency Preparedness Campaign Outlines 10 Essential Items For Your Earthquake Kit

A recent study by a group of earthquake experts states that there is a 67% chance that a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake will strike the greater Los Angeles area sometime in the next 30 years. Los Angeles County would like to encourage people to evaluate their disaster readiness.

The 10 Essential Items, as recommended by the Emergency Survival Program in LA County’s Office of Emergency Management, include:

1. Water

2. Food

3. Cash and Important Documents

4. Clothes

5. Flashlight

6. First Aid Kit

7. Medicine

8. Radio

9. Toiletries

10. Tools

These essential items will help ensure that people have access to basic essentials when other resources may not be available during an emergency. It is also vital that families put together a Communications Plan, in case they are separated or at work or school when a disaster strikes. This plan should include information on how to contact each other and designate a safe place to meet.

For more information on earthquake and disaster readiness, call (866) 999- 5228 or visit www.publichealth.lacounty.gov

Bilingual Public Health staff is available Monday to Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman has announced the promotional appointment of Daryl L. Osby to the position of Chief Deputy of Emergency Operations. He is the first African-American chief officer to be appointed to the rank of Chief Deputy in the history of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Osby joined the Department 24 years ago and has served in all ranks, most recently as Deputy Chief of the East Regional Operations Bureau, where he was responsible for emergency service delivery and management, performance and personnel management, training, budget and community issues related to the region’s 76 fire stations serving 33 cities and several unincorporated communities. In his new position, Osby will serve second in command to the Fire Chief and will be responsible for the Department’s entire emergency operations.

His executive level experience also includes leadership, development and management of the Special Operations Bureau, including the Department’s ocean lifeguards, Air Operations, fire suppression camps and technical rescue services. Osby has also worked in several emergency management positions throughout his career and has been an Incident Commander on an Incident Management Team for the last five years. He was a top commander of many headlining incidents, including the Commerce train derailment, the 2003 California fire siege, the 2005 Topanga Fire and the Catalina Island fire in May 2007. Following Hurricane Katrina, Osby was deployed to Louisiana for 18 days to assist the City of New Orleans in developing a continuity plan for their city government and managing recovery efforts.

Osby holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Leadership from Azusa Pacific University and is a candidate for a Master of Science Degree in Emergency Services Administration at California State University, Long Beach. He has instructed at Clark Atlanta University, Carl Holmes Executive Development Institute, for the last decade and previously taught at the James Shern Fire Academy in Los Angeles. He is also a State-certified incident commander and chief officer.

Throughout his career, Osby has been actively engaged in community and mentoring activities throughout the Los Angeles region. He has been the recipient of many awards and commendations from local and State entities for his related work. He currently directs three youth-oriented foundations, including Los Angeles Junior Firefighters Foundation, Youth for Excellence Foundation and Firefighter ABCs. He serves on the board of directors of the African American Museum and Learning for Life. He is a member and former president of the Stentorians, a firefighter organization, and former member of the board of directors for the Inglewood YMCA.

A long-time resident of Pomona, Osby and his wife, Margaret, have two daughters, Stephanie, 22, and Nicole, 17.

A fifth member of the Los Angeles County Child Support Services Department’s Most Wanted Delinquent Parents, surrendered himself in court yesterday to avoid arrest on an outstanding warrant.

Joseph A. Italia turned himself in to LA Superior Court Judge Dennis Landin in Department 82, located in the Central Arraignment Court facility downtown. Italia is the fifth of 10 child support offenders originally included on the County’s "Most Wanted" list to be arrested or to surrender to court in the last three weeks.

The bench warrant for Italia’s arrest was issued in September, 1999, after he failed to appear for a hearing on a probation violation. Italia had been placed on probation in 1997 after entering a plea of "no contest" to a charge of contempt of court [Penal Code section 166 (a) (4)] for failing to support his son.

In court, Judge Landin sentenced Italia to 180 days in the county jail; that sentence was stayed on the conditions that Italia make a lump sum payment of $5,000 on or before July 8, that he resume making payments of current support in the amount of $220.00 and that he pay an additional $225.00 per month on arrears. Italia was ordered to return to Department 82 on May 29 for the court to review his progress.

Prior to his appearance, both Italia and his attorney had been in contact with District Attorney Investigators working arrest warrants on behalf of the Child Support Services Department. Last Friday, Italia made a "good faith" payment of $10,000. At the time he made the lump sum payment, agency records show that Italia’s outstanding balance of unpaid support was more than $264,000. Until last Friday, Italia hadn’t sent a payment for support since September, 1999.

The County’s Most Wanted List for child support evaders was launched by Supervisor Don Knabe, District Attorney Steve Cooley, and Child Support Services Department Director Steven J. Golightly on Tuesday, March 18. Since the existence of the Los Angeles County Most Wanted website was announced, the names and photos of 4 new parents have been added, with more expected as those on the list are arrested or surrender.