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Proudly serving the communities of Lake View Terrace, La Tuna Canyon, Mission Hills, North Hills, Pacoima,
Shadow Hills, Sunland-Tujunga and Sylmar
August 2014
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Dear Friends,
Summer is coming to an end. I hope you and your loved ones enjoyed some quality time together.
While the Los Angeles City Council took a brief summer recess, my staff and I continued our work, in Council District Seven, pursuing a number of issues and projects that matter most to you. From unveiling a new universal accessible playground to dealing with solar and sanitation issues, as well as reminding Californians about our drought emergency. At the same time, as chair of the city's Energy and Environment Committee, I had to handle the unfortunate situation of a broken water main near the University of California at Los Angeles.
I also had the privilege of spending time with many of you, out in our communities. I had a blast Racing for Youth with the Los Angeles Police Department's Mission Division; I spoke to a number of community members during the first ever Council District Seven Family Movie Nights; and I had the pleasure of helping students prepare for a new school year.
When the City Council resumed, I had the privilege of recognizing three Council District Seven community members for their bravery trying to rescue a neighbor from a burning building.
As your elected representative, it is important to me to hear from you. I am eager to continue working with you to find new ways to improve, preserve and advocate for our neighborhoods.
As always, I welcome your feedback and appreciate your continued support.
 Felipe FuentesCouncilmember, Seventh District
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Touring the Hyperion Treatment Plant
As Chair of the city's Energy and Environment Committee, the Bureau of Sanitation invited me to tour the Hyperion Treatment Facility in Playa del Rey. The Plant is the City's Oldest and largest wastewater treatment facility. Today, leading edge technological innovations capitalize upon the opportunity to recover wastewater bio-resources that are used for energy generation and agricultural applications. In addition, air emission controls and odor management facilities are integrated in all improvements. More of these forward thinking strategies will become realities at Hyperion in the coming years to better protect our coastal environment and serve our communities.
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Universal Accessible playground opens in Pacoima
I was excited to unveil a new universal accessible playground at Hubert Humphrey Park in Pacoima. The playground will accommodate all children, even those with physical challenges. Humphrey Park is one of four new inclusive parks in Council District Seven. The others are located at Howard Finn Park, Hansen Dam Park, and Ritchie Valens Park. A fifth one will soon open at Sepulveda Park. The park is nestled in an area of Los Angeles that was in great need of the playground. Pacoima has the highest rate of type II diabetes amongst kids, in the entire state of California. Working together we can ensure everyone has the ability to enjoy the great park system of the city of Los Angeles. (Check out the full blog here)
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Beacon Solar Plant Groundbreaking & Pine Tree Wind and Solar Farm tour
I joined the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to break ground on the Beacon Solar Plant near the Mojave. The new solar array will provide 250 megawatts (MW) of clean, renewable solar power for Los Angeles, and is a significant step forward in meeting the state-mandated level of 25% retail sales from renewable energy by 2016 and 33% by 2020. The Beacon Plant, combined with the in-basin projects, will provide clean, renewable electricity for 127,000 homes. The environmental benefits include displacing 328,800 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, which is equivalent to removing 82,500 cars off the road.
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New Ads remind folks to conserve water
 Earlier this year, Governor Jerry Brown declared a drought emergency and conditions have yet to improve. The State Water Resources Control Board enacted mandatory water conservation measures in July that impact all Californians, banning excessive watering, hosing of sidewalks and driveways, washing cars without a turnoff valve, and using fountains without recycled water. But we need to reach more Californians with this message-conservation now. I joined the Southern California Water Committee and Clear Channel Outdoor to launch a new campaign. @Lawn_Dude will grace billboards across Southern California and share conservation tips. Clear Channel Outdoor donated space on 25 digital billboards to get the important message across. It's important that each and every Californian do their part to save water and limit outdoor watering. We've made great progress over the years in Los Angeles, but there is much more to be done.
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Surveying the damage caused by a broken water main near UCLA
Many Angelenos saw the images on the local news-a 30 foot tall geyser in the middle of Sunset Boulevard near the University of California at Los Angeles. A 93 year old pipe broke, sending 20 million gallons of water out at a rapid rate. The water flooded portions of UCLA. I got a close up look at the broken pipe. I also surveyed the damage to the University with City Council President Herb Wesson, Councilmember Paul Koretz and Councilmember Joe Boscaino. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power worked around the clock to fix the issue. As chair of the City's Energy and Environment Committee, we will learn from this incident to prevent it in the future. (Check out the full blog here)
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MAKING A CHANGE IN THE COMMUNITY
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Racing for Youth with the Los Angeles Police Department's Mission Division
The LAPD's Mission Division held its Fifth Annual Race for Youth Fundraiser at MB2 Raceway in Sylmar recently. Organized by the Mission Division Police Council, the event is a chance for community members to pay to get on the race track, get their motors running and put all the rules of the road aside for a good cause. All proceeds go towards LAPD-related programs for at-risk youth. I was honored to participate and support the cause.
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Council District Seven invites you to be our Guest
 This summer, I was thrilled to offer Family Movie Nights at Pacoima City Hall. So far, I've shown three movies on the outdoor screen where hundreds of people attended to spend some quality time with their loved ones, it was also a chance to meet new neighbors. In fact, many families walked from their homes. Family Movie Nights allow families and neighbors to gather, in one location, to bond and discuss ways to improve, preserve and advocate for our community. Pacoima Neighborhood Council and Los Angeles Unified School District Boardmember Monica Ratliff were proud co-sponsors of the summer movie series.
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 The Los Angeles Police Department's Baseball team promotes healthy lifestyles, physical fitness, and team work amongst our youth, while helping create gang free, drug free, crime free communities. The team regularly hosts free baseball clinics for 100 kids. In July, the LAPD baseball team held a clinic for the El Cariso Park Summer Youth Camp. LAPD players gave instruction on batting, hitting, catching, fielding, throwing, running, and team work. They also had contests and giveaways for the kids. At the end of the afternoon, the kids watched the LAPD battle it out against the baseball team for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. I had fun at the event!
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Getting Ready to go Back to School
The 2014-2015 school year is here for thousands of students in Council District Seven. Children are back in their classrooms, hitting the books. For many families, teachers and staff it's an exciting time of year. To help students prepare for a new year, the Youth Policy Institute and the El Nido Family Source Center provided nearly 1,000 kids with backpacks stuffed with the essential tools needed to succeed in school. I'm grateful to these organization for providing assistance to those who need it most in our communities.
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Honoring Angelenos for Risking their Lives to Save a Neighbor
 During the July 30th City Council meeting, I had the pleasure of honoring Council District Seven residents Peter Moreno, Frank Felix and Daniel Munoz for their bravery and selflessness. They risked their lives to try and save the life of a neighbor, 94 year old Daniel Coronado, from a burning garage on June 25th on Brand Boulevard in Mission Hills. Peter Moreno noticed Mr. Coronado reentered his garage engulfed by flames. Without hesitation, Peter rushed over with a fire extinguisher to save the man inside the burning garage. Because of his efforts, his face, hands and neck were burned. It's taken him a month to start feeling better, but he's recovering. My heart goes out to the Coronado family as they grieve this tragic loss. But I am honored to call Peter, Frank and Daniel, Angelenos and Council District Seven residents. They are true examples of Good Samaritans. They put themselves on the line, in order to save their fellow neighbor. Thanks for never hesitating and jumping into immediate action. (Read the full blog here)
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In the thirstiest days so far in the state's ongoing drought, a new spokesman has emerged to get Southern Californians to save water. Meet Lawn Dude.
He's not really a dude at all. As a lawn, he looks like he's got a green tennis ball for a head...and he's got a drinking problem that we enable with all our watering. Clear Channel Communications and the nonprofit Southern California Water Committee are bringing the exploits of Lawn Dude to a billboard near you. The SCWC's Charlie Wilson says Lawn Dude wants you to help him stop drinking. Read more here...
UCLA flood: DWP should cover costs of water-main break, school says
LA flood damage costs caused by a ruptured water main should be paid by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, a university official said Wednesday, even as officials continued to tally the cost. "We believe all costs associated with this incident should be borne by the DWP; they weren't our pipes," said UCLA spokeswoman Carol Stogsdill. City Council members with DWP officials at the rupture site. Officials have balked at water rate hikes to repair the aging water lines faster. Read more here...
Fear of fire, health concerns prompts homeless sweep in Tujunga Wash
Piles of mattresses, couches and clothes were hauled out of the Tujunga Wash in the past few days as part of the city of Los Angeles' effort to clean the area of debris and to discourage permanent encampment by homeless people.
The sweep began on Monday after the men and women who live there were given notice that the sanitation department and other agencies were coming in to clean the wash, said Councilman Felipe Fuentes, whose district includes that part of the northeast San Fernando Valley. Read more here...
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Across the country, people are growing their own food. Where? You can find out by heading to Pacoima City Hall on Friday, August 15. Council District Seven partnered with Youth Speak Collective, MEND, and the Los Angeles Community Garden Council to show, Growing Cities, a film about Urban Farming in America. It's free. Bring a picnic dinner, your blanket and your chair. The movie starts at 8:30 pm.
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Conserve Water and Get Money Back
To encourage more outdoor water conservation, the Department of Water and Power has increased its Cash In Your Lawn incentive to $3 a square foot from $2 a square foot for residential customers. All you need to do is replace your water-thirsty grass with California Friendly plants and other water-wise landscaping. DWP water customers must adhere to the current, mandatory Water Conservation Ordinance that limits watering with sprinklers to three days a week. All LADWP customers interested in the Cash In Your Lawn Program must pre-apply for a rebate and receive LADWP approval before starting the turf replacement project. The Department will rebate up to 2,000 square feet of lawn replaced, for a maximum cash repayment of $6,000. LADWP may also inspect the lawn before it is removed, and return when the project is completed. Click here for more information.
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SYLMAR DISTRICT OFFICE
14117 Hubbard Street #D1
Sylmar, CA 91342
Tel: (818) 756-8409 | Fax: (213) 847-0707
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SUNLAND-TUJUNGA DISTRICT OFFICE
7747 Foothill Blvd
Tujunga, CA 91042
Tel: (818) 352-3287 | Fax: (818) 352-8563
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