June 26, 2015
In This Issue
Paul's Blog:
Summer Night Lights Program
Makes Our Community Shine
Councilmember Krekorian with the Summer Night Lights Youth Squad staff at Valley Plaza Park Recreation Center. | Photo: CD2
 
Dear Friend:

This week I kicked off another year of the Summer Night Lights program in Valley Plaza Park to provide a our community with a safe and enriching place for young Angelenos to spend their summer days as the school year ends.  
 
The program, made possible by the Mayor's Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development, is an expanded series of evening events in public parks located in areas where crime has been a problem. Summer Night Lights keeps LA's youth engaged and off the streets, helping to reduce crime and violence during peak months for gang-related activity. 
 
Currently in its eighth year, the citywide initiative is an opportunity to uplift our community. From now until Aug. 28, 32 parks across Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, including Valley Plaza Park, will host programs and provide services, free meals, and fun activities for the whole family from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

In the past year, gang-related crime dropped by 15.4% at the 32 sites. Since the program's inception, it has hosted approximately 4.2 million visits from community members and served more than 2.6 million meals.
 
In places where our neighborhoods are endangered by crime and gang-related activities, Summer Night Lights is exactly the kind of programming we need to steer our youth away from negative influences and give them access to the many positive activities these city parks provide.
 
Click on the flyer below to see the where Summer Night Lights events are happening this summer. 
 

Very truly yours, 

 

Councilmember Paul Krekorian, District 2 

 

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TOP STORIES
Sidewalk Hearings Ask for Public Input

 

LOS ANGELES - City Councilmembers Paul Krekorian and Joe Buscaino held the first meeting in a series of joint public hearings of the Budget and Finance and Public Works committees to get input from you on what the city's program to repair  sidewalks next to homes and businesses should look like.  
 
"We are determined to come up with a fair and comprehensive sidewalk repair program for the City of Los Angeles," said Councilmember Krekorian. "In order to do that, we need to get input from residents and stakeholders across the city. These meetings over the next month will engage the public and help inform our decisions as we create a policy that will improve our sidewalks for decades to come. Please come out and let us know what you think will work for our city. We want to hear from you."

Click here to download a flyer listing all the public sidewalk hearings. And mark your calendars for the San Fernando Valley Meeting:

 

Thursday, July 30, 6 p.m.
Van Nuys City Hall
6262 Van Nuys Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 91401 

 

Councilmember Krekorian wants to hear from residents and stakeholders like you. Your opinions and ideas on the policy options are critical and will help shape the final product before it comes to the full City Council for a vote this fall.

If you have any questions or feedback, please email [email protected]
 
On Location Film Program Seeking Submissions

  

LOS ANGELES -  "On Location," sponsored by NewFilmmakers Los Angeles, is seeking submissions for its annual Los Angeles Video Project. The multimedia program celebrates and enlists LA's remarkable pool of filmmakers to create stories that highlight the city's diverse neighborhoods

 

The deadline to submit your original work for a chance to win more than $55,000 in prizes is Aug. 28.  Additional details on submission guidelines and rules are available at  www.nfmla.org/onlocation.  
Guy Weddington McCreary Memorial Square Unveiled
Councilmember Krekorian with Diane McCreary, Guy's widow,
and Councilmember Tom LaBonge | Photo: CD2

 

NORTH HOLLYWOOD - Councilmembers Krekorian and LaBonge dedicated the intersection of Lankershim Blvd. and Weddington St. in North Hollywood as Guy Weddington McCreary Square.

 

The unveiling was attended by dozens of community members and leaders to honor the memory and contributions of the late San Fernando Valley businessman, noted historian and preservationist who lost his long battle to cancer last October.

 

The memorial signs can be seen on the traffic signals next to the historic El Portal Theater and the Art Institute. Click here to see the photos from the event.

 

CITY SPOTLIGHT
Metro to Launch Bike Share Program
Metro's proposed branding of bike share stations for the regional system. | Photo: Metro

LOS ANGELES - Metro announced the launch of a county-wide program to implement a bike share system by Spring 2016. 

On Thursday, the Metro Board of Directors voted to award an $11 million contract to Bicycle Transit Systems, Inc. to launch a pilot bike share system with a network of 1100 bikes at 65 stations in Downtown Los Angeles. 

According to Metro, t he launch will follow an extensive public outreach process to give local residents, business owners and other stakeholders the opportunity participate in the planning of the county's newest form of transportation. As the community input process advances, bicycles will be available for short-term hire at a wealth of downtown locations such as Union Station, L.A. Convention Center, Staples Center, Grand Park/Music Center, 7 th  Street/Metro Center, Grand Central Market, Pershing Square, the Arts District, the future Figueroa Cycle Track corridor, University of Southern California area and numerous attractions.
 
Metro plans to expand the system to Pasadena in 2017 following the Downtown LA launch, followed by locations in North Hollywood and elsewhere thereafter.   

COMMUNITY CORNER
Krekorian Honors Small Business 
for Immigrant Heritage Month
Councilmember Krekorian with Gangadin Indian Cuisine restaurant owner Manmeet Singh Sahni (center) and his son Deepak (left) at the City Hall celebration of Immigrant Heritage Month. 
| Photo: CD2

LOS ANGELES - Councilmember Krekorian recognized Studio City restaurant Gangadin Indian Cuisine as an exemplary immigrant owned business in Council District 2 as part of the city's second annual celebration of Immigrant Heritage Month. 
 
Gangadin Indian Cuisine is a family owned and operated business located on Ventura Place in the heart of Studio City that has brought the vibrant the flavors of India to the San Fernando Valley and beyond. For more than 30 years, Manmeet Singh Sahni and his family have been lauded for serving the traditional, flavorful curries and dishes of India's Punjab region that are made from scratch.  Gangadin is considered by many as one of the best places for Indian food in Los Angeles.

Mr. Sahni and his family take pride in their authentic home-style Indian cooking, which is both healthy and delicious. The restaurant, with flower-lined tables and Indian music playing in the background, offers a wonderful sensory experience for new diners and regulars alike. 
 
In addition to running a great establishment, Mr. Sahni is very involved in the community and can be seen dishing out samples during the Studio City Farmers Market every Sunday on the street in front of  Gangadin.

Photos of the Week
Community volunteers cleaned up the Whitsett Slope in North Hollywood. | Photo: CD2

The Los Angeles City Council celebrated outgoing Councilmember Tom LaBonge's nearly 4 decades of public service. "My friend Tom is an irreplaceable part of our city family and LA's best booster," said Councilmember Krekorian. "I'll miss sitting next to him."

Events
Summer Movies in the Park: Jurassic Park
June 27, 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Studio City Recreation Center
12621 Rye St., Studio City

The Studio City Neighborhood Council, in collaboration with Councilmember Krekorian and other community partners, presents a screening of Jurassic Park, the 1993 American science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. The outdoor movie screening will be a free, fun and family-friendly event. Food and snacks will be available for purchase at 6:30 pm and there will be free popcorn.

For more information please visit studiocitync.org/2015/06/free-summer-movies-in-studio-city.

Outdoor Summer Movie: Rocky 
July 3, 8:15 p.m.
North Hollywood Park
Magnolia Blvd. and Tujunga Blvd.

The International Film Festival North Hollywood, in collaboration with Councilmember Krekorian, and the Midtown NoHo, NoHo Northeast and NoHo West neighborhood councils presents the next movie in the summer series in the park with a screening of Rocky. This outdoor movie screening will be a free, fun and family-friendly event. 
 
For the full summer  movie  schedule, visit  www.facebook.com/NorthHollywoodFilmFestival .
Cops and Cowboys 2015
July 18, 6 p.m.
Leonis Adobe Museum
23537 Calabasas Road, Calabasas

Join the Mid Valley Community Police Council and the Van Nuys LAPD fortheir annual Cops and Cowboys benefit event. It will be agood old-fashioned Hoedown and BBQ. For tickets, call 818.994.4661.