A Politically Incorrect Blog About Living in Woodland Hills, California

CHIME Charter Elementary School Holding “Walk-N-Roll-A-Thon” Friday Jan 29

A concerned parent and reader of the blog wrote in to let me know that CHIME Charter Elementary School in Woodland Hills needs our help to save their music program.

She writes:

CHIME Charter Elementary School Walk-N-Roll-A-Thon to save Music Fri, Jan 29th. The proceeds go 100% toward supporting our beloved music program. The kids each need to collect sponsors, either at a set donation or a per lap rate. Checks can be made to Chime Charter Elementary and must be in by race day. You can also call in a pledge to 818 346 5100 and select option 3, to pay by credit card. We appreciate your support. Thank you!’

From their press release:

On Friday, Jan. 29, more than 320 kindergarten through fifth grade students are going to run, walk and roll their wheelchairs around the school track in an effort to save their music teacher’s job. They are asking their friends and family members to support their efforts by pledging a flat amount or an amount per lap.

“The amazing thing about this event is the community support and care for music instruction. The commitment of these families and their children to ensuring that we have a music program is literally demonstrated with the rubber hitting the road,” said Julie Fabrocini, the elementary school’s principal and executive director of the institute’s schools program.

The Walk-N-Roll-A-Thon is scheduled to take place from 1:15 to 2:30 p.m. at the school located at 19722 Collier St. in Woodland Hills. The kindergartners will begin their quest at 1:15 p.m., followed by the first through fifth graders at 2 p.m.

Braving rain and mud last year, the elementary school students ran, walked and rolled their wheelchairs around the school track and raised more than $48,000 in pledges and donations. They were able to save their music program through June 2010.

But the state budget’s situation in many ways has gotten worse, and the music program’s future in the 2010-2011 school year, and beyond, is threatened again.

“The state’s budget crisis has impacted our ability to pay for high-quality classroom teachers,” Fabrocini said. “As always when we have to weigh the state’s requirements against children’s needs, the arts end up on the chopping block. What is most difficult about this is that we have no choice in the matter. Without these kids and their parents, we would continue to have no choices.”

Here’s a video where you can learn more about CHIME Charter Elementary School:

Popularity: 2%

Rotary Club Of Woodland Hills Sponsoring Ferne Saltzman Photo Art Show Jan 30th

TheAcorn.com writes:

The Rotary Club of Woodland Hills will sponsor a photo art show and sale featuring the works of artist Ferne Saltzman from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sat., Jan. 30 at Clyde Porter’s Playhouse, 7242 Owensmouth Ave., Canoga Park.

The show will feature Saltzman’s works in a variety of sizes, both framed and unframed. Refreshments will be served. The show is open to the public with no admission charge.

All proceeds from the sale of the art will benefit Rotary International’s PolioPlus campaign to immunize children around the world from polio.

Saltzman studied at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara. She was the official photographer of the Kodak Albuquerque International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta for 11 years. Her work is featured in several California galleries and regularly at fine art shows in Southern California and Arizona.

For more information, call Lois Koch at (818) 857-7566 or e-mail lois@ourbungalow.com.

Thanks to Ferne for providing me with the above image and permission to use it.  Hopefully some of my readers can drop by on Saturday January 30th, and I hope to check it out myself.

Popularity: 2%

Supercar Sunday Has Good Turnout At New Location, Westfield Topanga Promenade

I was going to check out the new venue for “Supercar Sundays” today at the Westfield Topanga Promenade but the only thing I ended up looking at this morning was the inside of my eyelids.  Thankfully, I was able to get a report from one of my readers.

tle writes in a comment:

Jay Leno was there today with a million dollar Veyron! Guess he was trying to gain back popularity or viewer approval for this show.

There are some good pictures here.  Autoblog.com has an entry about the event here.

There you have it, I’m sure one week soon I’ll make it out there to take a look.  I’m kind of bummed out that I missed Jay Leno, even though I am definitely not a fan.  I pray every night that they make a Late Shift 2.

Also, I spoke briefly to LAPD’s Senior LEAD Officer Rygh today, who was also in attendance at the event.  He told me that there was quite a big turnout, and expressed his opinion that it’s a great thing for the mall, and for the car owners as well. Also, I asked Officer Rygh if there would be a January newsletter for Topanga Station, and he informed me that due to the frenetic pace of the holidays and an illness of the woman at the station who compiles the newsletter, they had to skip the January issue.  However, there will be one in February.

Popularity: 2%

Woodland Hills Ice Ribbon Cutting Today At 5PM – Free Skating 3 to 5, Toy Drive, and Much Wackiness!

Wow, the day is finally here.  Woodland Hills Ice is having its official ribbon cutting ceremony today, hosted by the Woodland Hills – Tarzana Chamber of Commerce.  They are also collecting toys for West Valley PALS (learn about  them on Facebook) and if they reach certain benchmarks all sorts of wacky mayhem will happen including Laura Levinsky ice skating in a sumo outfit, and West Valley PALS President Leslie Kaz shaving off his beard and mustache!

There will be free skating from 3pm to 5pm with the ribbon cutting at 5pm sharp!

Jen Svejda from the Chamber kindly sent me the full details:

MEDIA ADVISORY

Monday, December 14, 2009

The Woodland Hills~Tarzana Chamber of Commerce has been very active this season with Valleywide Toy Drives.  Spark of Love, West Valley PALS and Toys for Tots are recipients of a very generous Woodland Hills ~Tarzana Community.

WHO & WHAT: Woodland Hills~Tarzana Chamber of Commerce Ribbon cutting celebrating the Grand Opening of  Woodland Hills Ice– Councilman Dennis P. Zine expected.

Prior to the official Ribbon cutting, the West Valley PALS has challenged the members of the Woodland Hills~Tarzana Chamber to raise 100 toys.  Join Woodland  Hills Ice as they launch their Grand Opening with Free Skating from 3-5.

WHEN:  Free Skating today from 3pm – 5pm

4:00pm  Toy Drive

4:30pm  Laura Levinsky skating & Leslie Kaz ~clean shaven (100 toys)

5:00pm Sharp – Ribbon Cutting

WHERE: Woodland Hills Ice 6100 Topanga Cyn. Blvd. Woodland Hills , CA 91306

tel: 818-854-4151 Whitney Kennedy, owner

The Challenge that was presented by Chamber Members, West Valley PALS, to fellow Woodland Hills~Tarzana Chamber Members is as follows:

Laura Levinsky, an active chamber member and LA area director for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, has issued a challenge to our community to assist Leslie Kaz, the new President of  West Valley PALS (Police Activity League Supporters), with a toy drive to benefit the children of  West Valley PALS.  If we can collect 80 toys Laura will dress in an inflatable sumo wrestler outfit and ice skate with Woodland Hills-Tarzana Chamber Staff.  If we are able to collect 100 toys, Leslie Kaz will shave off his beard & mustache at 4:30 pm.

Expected Attendance: Councilmen Dennis P. Zine will be attending the formal ribbon cutting at 5pm.

For more information contact:

Leslie M Kaz

President, West Valley Pals

818-332-1566 x102

Or for Ribbon Cutting Information

The Woodland Hills~Tarzana Chamber of Commerce Website

http://www.woodlandhillscc.net/

Popularity: 1%

Morton’s (Arnie Morton’s) Open For Prix Fixe Lunch Select Days In December

Morton’s The Steakhouse (or Arnie Morton’s as it’s known in Los Angeles) will be open in Woodland Hills (Warner Center) for select days in December with a special $25 per person Prix Fixe menu.  Limited a la carte items are also available.  I learned of this from their Twitter account (@Mortons).

The special lunch dates are December 10 (today), 11, 17, 18, 21, and 22.

From their site:

$25 Morton’s Prime Lunch Selections*

Includes Cup of Soup or Salad, Entree and Dessert

Choice of Soup or Salad:
Lobster Bisque, Baked Five Onion Soup, Morton’s Salad, Caesar Salad or Mixed Field Greens Salad

Choice of Entree:
• Grilled Ribeye Steak with Garlic Butter and Mashed Potatoes
• Grilled Colossal Shrimp & Sea Scallops with Grilled Vegetables
• Grilled Northwest King Salmon with Sauteed Garlic Green Beans
• Chicken Christopher with Garlic Beurre Blanc Sauce and Mashed Potatoes

Choice of Dessert:
Double Chocolate Mousse or Key Lime Pie

Limited a la carte menu also available.

Morton’s is not normally open for lunch at a location, this is a special seasonal promotional event.  What could be a better way to say “thanks” to an employee or your favorite blogger than taking them to lunch at Morton’s?

Reservations are not required, but they are highly recommended.  Use their website or call 818-703-7272.

Popularity: 14%

Motor Trend Does Write Up On Sunday’s Motor4Toys Car Show & Toy Drive

Man, it was cold out there on Sunday, but at least the rain held off.  I stopped by for a quick peak at the Motor4Toys car show and toy drive and snapped the above picture, but I couldn’t stay because I had a very important Miami Dolphins game to watch at a friend’s house.  There were hundreds of cars and hundreds of people there – at 8:30am on a Sunday! Amazing.

Motor Trend magazine covers the event:

The dark clouds that hung over SoCal this past Sunday morning faded away to shed some much-needed sunlight over this year’s biggest and most successful car meet/toy drive of the year – an event known as Motor4Toys.

The 6th annual Motor4Toys charitable car show took place in the city of Woodland Hills, California. An overwhelming number of auto enthusiasts overflowed the parking lot at the Anthem Building in Warner Center in what was the largest turnout of sports cars, tuners, and classics from all over Southern California. More than 5,000 vehicles pre-registered for the meet, but as soon as the caravans began to arrive, it was obvious more space was needed.

Popularity: 1%

Reminder: Motor4Toys Charity Toy Drive 8am-12pm Tomorrow

Nixle (see  this post to learn how to sign up for Nixle) sent me a notice to remind me about the charity toy drive and car show tomorrow in the Anthem parking lot:

Community Message has been issued by the Nixle Administration.

Saturday December 5, 2009 12:46 PM EST

Tomorrow come to the 6th Annual Motor4Toys Charity Toy Drive and Car Show from 8am-12pm. See full msg for more detail

When:
Sunday, December 6, 2009
8:00 a.m.- 12:00 noon

Where:
Anthem Building (Blue Cross) Parking lot in Warner Center
21555 Oxnard Street
Woodland Hills, CA  91367

Who:
West Valley and Topanga Community Police Stations and Staff

Why:
Motor4Toys is a charitable foundation that has partnered with local law enforcement agencies to host a Car Show and Toy drive for this Holiday Season.  Their mission is to bring the motor sport community together to collect as many toys as possible for less fortunate children.

Classics, Customs, Hot Rod, Muscle Cars, Specialty Cars, Police Cars, Trailered Cars, Motorcycles, Raffles, Food, Drinks, Silent Auction, Music, Los Angeles Police Department SWAT, Air Support, Dive Team, Mounted Unit, K-9, Los Angeles Fire Department, Los Angeles Sheriff Department, Celebrities.

Family fun for ALL ages! Entry fee is FREE. However, we do ask that each guest donate an unwrapped toy.

Come and join us for a wonderful cause!

For more show information go to www.motor4toys.com or contact Dustin Troyan d@motor4toys.com.

I’m going to try to check it out, hopefully some of you can attend!

Popularity: 1%

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