Congratulations To Dennis T. DiBiase
Well, seems like I lost in a landslide (tentatively 58 to 3) to Mr. DiBiase. My only real regret is that I didn’t write my name in for Business Representative. No one was running, and not a single name was written in. I hesitated looking at the ballot for a few minutes, but decided against it. Live and learn. I guess the #2 slot earns me status as an ‘alternate,’ however I believe those powers only come into effect in times of nuclear war. So, at least there’s an outside shot for me.
I believe perhaps I can do more good from my journalistic lair. It’s like in Spider-Man 2 when Tobey Maguire realized giving up his powers for a girl wasn’t worth it. Well, something like that. Anyways, congrats Dennis!
Election results are trickling in at this URL.
Popularity: 15%
Do You Live In Area 1 Of Woodland Hills? Go Vote For Me!
WHWC NC Area Map
Okay, this is a shameless plug for myself. If you live in Woodland Hills – Area 1 – please vote for me as your Residential Representative in today’s Neighborhood Council election at Fire Station 84 from now until 8pm tonight!
Look at the map on this page (and above) to see if you live in Area 1. My real name is []. Keep that on the QT, it’s a secret. Go vote!
This is a situation where just a few votes is likely to make all the difference. Thanks in advance. And you know I’m just an e-mail away to help you with any of your Woodland Hills needs.
My candidate statement:
My name is [] and I have been a resident of Woodland Hills for almost 7 years. For the past six months, I have been operating an Internet website exclusively about Woodland Hills that has given me the opportunity to meet many residents and business people in our community. By doing this, I have become aware of many issues facing our community from crime & law enforcement, to real estate development, to the concerns of our local businesses.
I believe that I have my finger on the pulse of our community, and as your Residential Representative for Area 1 I will work diligently with your other elected officials and public servants to improve the quality of life of every resident of Woodland Hills.
Thanks for your support!
Popularity: 10%
It’s Neighborhood Council Election Day – Woodland Hills Stakeholders Can Vote From 2pm to 8pm At Fire Station 84
Neighborhood Council elections are today. Residents of Woodland Hills should do their part today and vote at Fire Station 84 which is at 21050 Burbank Blvd right near Kaiser Permanente. Polling is from 2pm to 8pm and you need not be a registered voter, just a stakeholder. Essentially bring your ID or a bill or business card at least with an address in one of Woodland Hills’ 7 areas. Neighborhood Councils are important because the LA City council would pretty much gladly ignore localized needs unless the councils are there to open up their eyes and ears. This is especially true of the highly neglected San Fernando Valley.
Most people don’t know, but today is election day in the San Fernando Valley for 11 neighborhoods. If you live, work or are otherwise a stakeholder in Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Granada Hills North, Granada Hills South, North Hills West, Northridge East, Northridge West, Porter Ranch, West Hills, Winnetka, and Woodland Hills, you may be eligible to vote.
Unfortunately, June Lagmay and her City Clerk’s Office have done a terrible job communicating the basics of who, what, where, when by hiding all pertinent information in a series of PDFs so to take part is more of a puzzle than anything else (add to that, zero press releases announcing this first of a kind effort). Your best bet is call their office at (213) 978-0444 to figure it out. Or even better, find your neighborhood council’s webpage and they will most likely have all the info you need. All voting will take place between 2 and 8 p.m. today.
Elections for other neighborhoods will continue through upcoming months.
You can visit the Woodland Hills Warner Center Neigbhorhood Council’s election page to learn more about the election. I agree with LAist that the way the city clerks website is laid out with a bunch of strange interactive PDFs is really stupid. Haven’t they heard of this thing called the World Wide Web. They really don’t need to do this in PDFs. But, here is the link to the PDF for the elections.
This link takes you straight to the PDF with the Candidate List and Personal Statements.
Popularity: 7%
LAPD Peforming “Sobriety Checkpoint” A/K/A “Revenue Shakedown” In Topanga Area TONIGHT
The LAPD will unfortunately be conducting a “sobriety and drivers license checkpoint” tonight in our area. It is well known and widely reported that these checkpoints have little to do with catching drunk drivers and are essentially about the revenue they collect when they catch people driving on suspended licenses. Your vehicle will be impounded. The notice included a map which had the intersection of Califa St and Topanga Canyon Blvd marked, however if it s not 100% clear if that is where the checkpoint will be.
If you encounter this checkpoint, please disregard your civil rights before entering. I joke not when I tell you this is one of the most evil things going on with the government of California today. Watch the video below for more information as well.
A sobriety and drivers license checkpoint will be held tonight.
The purpose of the sobriety checkpoint is to reduce the number of traffic collisions involving intoxicated drivers and hit and run collisions. During this year, residents residing in the Topanga Area endured 19 driving under the influence-related and 99 hit and run traffic collisions. The checkpoint will educate the community to use designated drivers and not drink and drive. Our message is simple: If we catch you drunk, you will be arrested.
It is the Los Angeles Police Department’s goal to continue providing public awareness on the dangers of drinking and driving, and the laws concerning driving without a valid driver’s license. Motorists approaching a checkpoint will observe traffic signs, information and police officers advising that a checkpoint is ahead. Once diverted into a lane, each motorist will be detained momentarily while an officer explains the purpose of the checkpoint.
Funding for this checkpoint is provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. We can all help make our streets safer, please report Drunk Drivers – Call 911.
Update: Full time and location info from LAist (8pm to 3am).
Popularity: 24%
A Reader Updates Us On The Collateral Lender Zoning Variance Hearing
With regards to Tuesday’s The Collateral Lender zoning hearing, CH writes:
Big turnout at the hearing today with residents expressing opposition to the proposed Zoning Variance. Jonathan Brand from Dennis Zine’s office also came and spoke out on the residents behalf.
The zoning administrator has taken the decision under advisement and will make a written determination somewhere between 4-6 weeks.
If anyone has further information about the meeting, please post a comment.
Popularity: 13%
Neighborhood Council Rejects Zoning Variance For Collateral Lender (Last Wednesday) – New Meeting Today
I had intended to get this up a little sooner, but it’s been a little bit of a hectic last few days for me. I did indeed attend last weeks Neighborhood Council meeting, specifically for the purpose of hearing the debate on the proposed zoning variance which would allow The Collateral Lender to relocate from it’s current location at 20930 Ventura Bvld to 21840-21844 Ventura Blvd to (corner of Ventura Blvd & Don Pio).
I consider myself to be pro-business, so I went into the meeting with that mindset. I generally believe that businesses should be allowed to operate unless they really infringe on the rights of community members.
This business requires a variance to operate because it does ‘collateral lending.’ As explained at the meeting, any business can buy merchandise. But, once you issue a loan on merchandise and use that merchandise as collateral until the loan is repaid, it’s a whole other ballgame legally. You have to submit to various requirements and demands from the city to operate.
At the current location The Collateral Lender is subject to various signage restrictions, limited operating hours, and other restrictions like that they may not buy any item valued at less than $1,000.
Numerous passionate residents of the neighborhood South of Ventura Blvd voiced strong opposition to the variance, and in reality to The Collateral Lender being able to open at the new location in general. These residents have good reason to be concerned, although you can make a strong argument that some of their venom is unfairly directed toward this jewelery store/pawn business.
You see, as many people reading this blog know, the area surrounding Topanga Canyon Blvd and Ventura Blvd is completely infested will all manner of drug addicted degenerate homeless degenerates. It’s really bad, and very unfortunate as we all know the homes in the area are very expensive and it’s a shame for these vagabonds to be ruining the lives and property value of so many good, hardworking people.
Whether or not The Collateral Lender moving to this new location would be a detriment to the community is unclear. But, community members are right to be concerned about creating a prominent street corner with a motel, a liquor store, and a pawn shop all in one location. It’s a property value disaster in the making.
You could tell that a great many members of the Neighborhood Council were initially fine with issuing the variance, but the strong opposition by the community members seemed to sway several of them. In the end the measure failed by approximately 1 vote.
However, at the end of the day the NC really only provides variance to the Zoning Administrator. And it’s up to them to make the final decision. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out where and when the meeting for this was, and then finally realized that it was posted right on the building. And, sadly it’s in 30 minutes, but hopefully those of you passionate about the issue are probably already well aware of the time and place, and have motivated your constituents to attend.
There is a meeting today at 9:30am with the Zoning Administrator at 6262 Van Nuys Blvd in the First Floor Conference Room of the Marvin Braude Building in Van Nuys.
Editorial Note: This story is a work in progress. Please check back shortly. I will update this store this afternoon with more information from last week’s meeting and the fixing of I’m sure many typos.
Popularity: 13%
Woodland Hills Area Community Policing Meeting Tonight 6:30PM At Topanga Station
Once a month, the Senior LEAD Officers for each of the Basic CAR Areas that Topanga Station covers conduct a meeting with the community. From what I understand, the west and east portions of Woodland Hills now have a single meeting, which is tonight at 6:30pm at Topanga Station (21501 Schoenborn St). If you have anything you’d like addressed, you should attend and bring it to the attention of SLO Brent Rygh or SLO Charles Dinse. Note that in March the meeting moves to the third Wednesday of the month.
SLO Brent Rygh, Basic Car 21A73 (Covering Woodland Hills – West of Topanga Canyon) Office (818) 756-3075 Cell (818) 731-2581 Email 30450@lapd.lacity.org The 21A73 meeting will be combined with the 21A97 meeting and will be held on the 1st Tuesday of every month at the Topanga Station at 6:30 PM. PLEASE NOTE: beginning March, this meeting will be moved to the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 6:30 PM.
SLO Charles “Sean” Dinse, Basic Car 21A97 (Woodland Hills – East of Topanga Canyon) Office (818) 756-3076 Cell (818) 731-2568 Email 34920@lapd.lacity.org The 21A97 meeting will be combined with the 21A73 meeting and will be held on the 1st Tuesday of every month at the Topanga Station at 6:30 PM. PLEASE NOTE: beginning March, this meeting will be moved to the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 6:30 PM.
The 2 hour season premier of Lost starts tonight at 9pm, so I’m not sure that I will be willing to take the chance of dying on my way to or from the event and not be able to catch the show. It’s just too risky.
Update: SLO Rygh writes in an e-mail:
Tonight’s meeting will focus on Disaster Preparedness, “What’s Your Plan?” I will have my “go bag” displayed and discuss basic survival emergency scenarios. I have had many requests for this lately due to flooding, mudslides, Haiti, etc.
That’s definitely a helpful subject, as I’m sure all too many of us aren’t really prepared for an emergency. Thanks for the info, Officer Rygh!
Popularity: 12%
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