Dear Friend:

Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world and the film industry remains our region's heritage industry and the source of tens of thousands of good jobs. Throughout my years of work in public service, keeping this industry thriving in our backyard has been one of my top priorities. 

While I've spent much of my career fighting for greater film tax credits that benefit hardworking people and incentivize the industry to keep production local, preventing talent scammers from taking advantage of Hollywood dreamers, and working to make filming in Los Angeles an easy process, I've also remained dedicated to supporting and launching the budding careers of young filmmakers through my annual high school student film festival, the Los Angeles Student Film Festival.

This year, the Los Angeles Student Film Festival is graduating to become something even bigger and better than before. I am proud to announce that LASFF has now joined forces with another established local film festival, North Hollywood Cinefest! This is a step forward for LASFF and will solidify North Hollywood Cinefest as the Valley's premiere film festival for professional and student filmmakers alike.

In 2017, the festival received more than 100 short film submissions from high school students across LA County, and the student films selected by the festival as finalists will be screened on March 28 through March 30 in Council District 2. The screenings of the LASFF films are free and open to the public. I encourage you to attend them and to check out all the great films at North Hollywood Cinefest. 

This year's North Hollywood Cinefest will run from March 24 through March 30, with screenings in the heart of the NoHo Arts District at the Laemmle NoHo 7 theater. The fantastic line-up of films includes new work from established filmmakers and fresh talent. Support our local film festival by heading to North Hollywood Cinefest tonight and throughout the week.

For more information about the film festival and a complete schedule, visit: www.nohocinefest.com.
 
Very truly yours, 
Councilmember Paul Krekorian, District 2
TOP STORY
Report Shows Fiscal Improvement for LA


LOS ANGELES - As the City of Los Angeles nears the end of its current fiscal year, a new report from the City Administrative Officer shows a significant decrease in the city's budget deficit. Although the city is not out of the woods just yet, Los Angeles has narrowed it's 2016-2017 fiscal year from $245 million to $57 million, thanks to work by Councilmember Krekorian's Budget and Finance Committee, an increase in revenues, and the discipline of city departments. The city's Reserve Fund is also set to remain at levels higher than it has been in decades.

Next month, Krekorian will once again lead deliberations on the city's finances as his Budget Committee reviews the Mayor's 2017-2018 budget proposal. Once the budget is released and hearings begin, the committee will meet with all of the various city departments to hear about their needs and listen to the public's input. Follow along on www.facebook.com/paulkrekorian for more information about the city's upcoming budget hearings and why next year's budget matters to you and your neighborhood.
Krekorian Leads Public-Private Partnership Conference


LOS ANGELES - Councilmember Krekorian, chair of the Jobs Committee, led a conference with city officials and business leaders to identify development opportunities in the City of Los Angeles that connect public infrastructure opportunities with the private sector to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain development projects.  

The conference was part of Krekorian's push to use and enhance creative models for the city to spur job growth and economic activity. 
CITY SPOTLIGHT
City Council Declares USC Champions Day in LA
Councilmembers Krekorian and Price "Fight On" with USC's championship teams. | Photo: CD2

LOS ANGELES -   On  Friday, Councilmembers Paul Krekorian and Curren Price led a special presentation in City Hall to declare USC Champions Day in Los Angeles. 
 
The event, featuring the university's top-ranked women's teams in soccer, water polo and beach volleyball, in addition to USC football, celebrated their respective 2016 NCAA championship wins and the 2017 Rose Bowl victory.
 
In the 2015-2016 season, the Women of Troy led USC to its 126th national championship title. O f USC's 12 women's sports programs, eight teams finished in the top 10 in NCAA championship play.  In 2016, USC also won its first  Women's Capital One Cup , a prestigious annual all-sports competition that determines the best women's and men's Division I collegiate athletics programs, ranking USC as the top women's sports program in the country.
 
Trojan football, one of the top collegiate football programs in the nation, celebrated the New Year with a 52-49 win over Penn State to clench the prestigious title.

Councilmember Krekorian, the only Trojan alum on the current City Council, was thrilled to recognize the incredible teams and their unparalleled performances and to congratulate them on their well-deserved championship victories. 
COMMUNITY CORNER
Valley Glen's Great Wall Mural Up for National Registry
 
VALLEY GLEN - The Great Wall of Los Angeles may soon be added to the National Historic Registry. This May, the State Historic Resources Commission will consider the nomination of this incredible San Fernando Valley site for preservation.
 
The National Registry is the country's official list of historical properties that are deemed worthy of protection and preservation. The Great Wall of Los Angeles s pans more than 2,700 feet in the Tujunga Wash and was painted over the course of five summers. It is a visual representation of the history of California's ethnic communities from prehistoric times up to the 1950s. 
 
Judy F. Baca, the mural's creator, conceived of the idea in 1974 when the Army Corps of Engineers gave her the task of beautifying a portion of the flood control channel. Through contributions from numerous government and private groups and individuals, the project launched in the summer of 1976.
 
Under Baca's direction, with support from a team of 80 young people, 10 artists and five historians, the first 1,000 feet was painted. During the subsequent summers of 1978, 1980, 1981 and 1983, the mural makers added the additional panels of history, commemorating the contributions and struggles of California's ethnic peoples.
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Councilmember Krekorian honored Doreen Hudson for 40 years of city service with the LAPD Criminalistics Labratory. She pioneered the "Walk in Weekdays" program, an international model to fast track firearm evidence images into the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network database, and has led countless teams of experts to redesign the LAPD's beanbag munitions to increase safety. | Photo: CD2

Councilmember Krekorian honored Fire Captain Charles "Chuck" Ruddell of North Hollywood's Station 89 as 2016 Firefighter of the Year. | Photo: CD2
EVENTS
Valley Glen Community Clean Up
Saturday, March 25, 10am - 1pm
Hazeltine Park
14201 Huston St.
Valley Glen

Join the Valley Glen Neighborhood Association for a community clean up event. Members and volunteers will help deliver 3-1-1 flyers throughout the neighborhood to provide information about the city's program, clean neighborhood streets, and do a neighborhood walk to report bulky items and graffiti. 
Vegan Street Fair
Sunday, March 26, 11am - 7pm
Chandler Blvd. between Tujunga and Vineland
North Hollywood

The Vegan Street Fair is an annual vegan food celebration where local vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants and vendors come together to serve you bite-size portions of vegan eats all in one place. Come to this fabulous NoHo event. Free entry, $4 bites available. For more information, visit:  http://www.veganstreetfair.com/
Metro Budget Telephone Town Hall
Tuesday, March 28, 6:30pm
Call in number: 888.400.1932
Spanish interpretation will be available by calling 888.400.9342.

As Metro continues putting together its budget for Fiscal Year 2018, effective  July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018 , the agency seeks your input. Metro will host a  Telephone Town Hall Meeting  to discuss FY18 budget development, answer questions and hear comments.
LAFD Girls Camp
Saturday and Sunday, April 1 and April 2, 8 am to 5 pm
Drill Tower 81
14345 Arminta St.
Panorama City, CA 91402
 

Ever wondered what it's like to be a firefighter? The Los Angeles Fire Department invites girls aged  14 to 18, to experience L.A.'s bravest job with  a hands-on, two-day weekend program taught by our very  own female firefighters and cadets. The camp will challenge the girls and teach them about future career opportunities with fun activities  using actual firefighting tools and equipment. They'll  even suit up and try on official protective gear. The registration is mandatory, so visit lafd-camp.eventbrite.com to do so today. The deadline is March 29. For more information, visit  joinlafd.org or call (213) 893-9899. 
Metro Connect Small Business Partnership Program
Tuesday, April 4, 8:30 am
LA Metro
One Gateway Plaza
Los Angeles 

You are invited to Metro Connect's  inaugural   Small Business Partnership Program event! Grow your business, learn about small business certifications, programs and look ahead. Engage with LA Area Public Agencies. Email sbp.parsons@parsons.com to RSVP no later than March 31 and be sure to include attendee name, firm name, NAICS codes, email address, and phone.
Community Input on the LAPD's Video Policy
Hosted by the UCLA and NYU Schools of Law

Should the LAPD release body camera videos after an officer-involved shooting? If so, when? And who should make the decision? The Los Angeles Police Commission is considering a new policy on the release of video. It has asked the Policing Project, along with UCLA School of Law and UCI School of Law to help gather public input on what the policy should be.  Go to  www.lapdvideopolicy.org  to take an online questionnaire to share your views. You also can submit more detailed written comments, or attend a community forum to be announced in April.
National Alliance on Mental Illness 
FREE Peer-to-Peer Recovery Course
To register, contact (818) 9940-6747

NAMI San Fernando Valley  is offering this course designed to encourage growth, healing and recovery among participants.  NAMI Peer-to-Peer  is a free, 10-session educational program for adults with mental illness who are looking to better understand their conditions and journey toward recovery. Taught by a trained team, the program includes presentation, discussion and interactive exercises. All participants are required to register by calling (818) 994-6747 or emailing info@namisanfernandovalley.org.