Examining a newly resurfaced street in North Hollywood | Photo/CD2

LOS ANGELES - Mayor Eric Garcetti last week announced the appointment of Councilmember Paul Krekorian to the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority, becoming the first elected official from the San Fernando Valley in two decades. Coucilmember Mike Bonin and "Jackie" Dupont-Walker were also tapped to serve.

 

LOS ANGELES - Councilmember Paul Krekorian was voter by his peers last week to lead the San Fernando Valley Council of Governments, a coalition of representatives from the County of Los Angeles and cities of Los Angeles, Glendale, Burbank, Santa Clarita and San Fernando.  In accepting the position, Krekorian said the Council of Governments would focus its attention on significant transportation and economic development priorities that broadly impact the Valley and its residents.
 
Councilmember Krekorian was nominated for the chairmanship by County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. The vote in support of Krekorian, who is also the chairman of the L.A. City Council's Budget and Finance Committee, was unanimous.
 
"I am honored to assume the chairmanship of the San Fernando Valley Council of Governments. The challenges facing our communities are best addressed through the coordinated efforts of all of the government entities that represent the Valley," Councilmember Paul Krekorian said. 

 

"Increasing mobility, and spurring broad and sustainable economic growth in the Valley, while preserving the character of our neighborhoods, will require forward-looking cooperation among Valley cities and the County. While we may not always have complete unity of interests, we certainly can find consensus about the most pressing, Valley-wide priorities on transportation, jobs creation and planning issues.  I look forward to working with all of the elected representatives and stakeholders throughout the Valley in identifying and implementing long-term strategies for improving our economy and our quality of life."
 
The SFVCOG was established in 2010 to develop and implement policies and plans to address the unique needs of the greater San Fernando Valley region, including transportation, environmental and planning issues. The board meets bimonthly to discuss coordination of government programs while working to provide recommendations and solutions to problems of common and general regional concern.
 
The Council of Governments consists of the two County Supervisors and seven Los Angeles City Councilmembers whose districts encompass the Valley, as well as one councilmember from each of the City Councils of Burbank, Glendale, San Fernando and Santa Clarita.

 

Funded by a community partnership grant from the LADWP, the film series showcases a critically acclaimed film each Sunday examining different aspects of our water supply and the challenges we face. With Californians facing drought levels and water strains in re
cord numbers,  The River Project and Water LA aim to bring together l

 

The next showing will feature American Southwest: Are We Running Dry? this Sunday at 6:30 p.m., in the Radford Screening Room at CBS Studios, 4024 Radford Ave., Studio City. The event is free and open to the public but space is limited, so attendees are encouraged to reserve tickets ahead of time, which you can do by clicking here.

 

 

In other film news, the Neighborhood Council Valley Village last Saturday, in collaboration with Councilmember Krekorian, hosted its first Family Fun Night Under the Stars at Colfax Charter Elementary. Neighbors laid down blankets, unpacked picnic baskets and enjoyed food trucks while watching winning films from the 2013 L.A. Student Media Festival before the night's main feature, Wreck it Ralph, rolled on screen.  

 

Previously, the Studio City Neighborhood Council hosted a very successful feature at the Studio City Recreation Center, with more than 500 moviegoers attending the showing of Back to the Future and Despicable Me.

 

To stay current with events happening around Council District 2 and beyond, follow our updates on Twitter and Tumblr. 

Bulky Items Get Swept From Valley Streets

Bulky item removed from Valley Glen in April | Photo/CD2

LOS ANGELES - The North Valleyheart Riverwalk project broke ground last week, working to restore the area's natural habitat.

 

The half-mile stretch, from Coldwater Canyon Avenue to Fulton Avenue along the L.A. River in Studio City, will include new landscaping with native plants along the embankments, upgraded fencing along the south side and a mixed-media mural, which will serve as a spillway for excess water during large storms and prevent erosion.

 

The estimated $3.6 million project was proposed in 2008 by Studio City nonprofit the Village Gardeners and adopted by L.A. County to help with the project's implementation. Funding for this project comes from voter approved Proposition 84's California River Parkways grant program and is expected to be completed as early as February 2014. 

 

Councilmember Krekorian toured the site last month while meeting with members of the local nonprofit dedicated to beautifying this portion of the riverbank.

 

"Through extraordinary partnerships between government agencies and the community, we are working together to help realize our collective vision of revitalizing our city as we continue to improve quality of life in the San Fernando Valley," Councilmember Paul Krekorian said.

 

For more information about the project, visit the Village Gardeners website: www.thevillagegardeners.org.