Happy New Year, Whittier!

I hope you had a chance to enjoy one of the many holiday festivities hosted in Whittier last month, and a special thanks to the Whittier Uptown Association and City staff for putting on yet another wonderful Whittier Christmas Parade. It was a beautiful day and I know the City Council and I enjoyed meeting so many local families along Greenleaf Avenue who continue to make this one of Whittier's most celebrated traditions each year.

January is off to a busy start with fun events planned for everyone including youth, parents, and our senior community like Bingo Night and film screenings at the Whittier Public Library, as well as a special performance honoring the life and music of Doris Day. Information is also included below on the Whittier Well-Being Initiative, our COVID-19 Non-Profit Recovery Grant Program, online tutoring for students, and resources for small business owners. Watch for additional updates throughout the year on City projects underway like the completion of the Greenway Trail extension, a Parks Master Plan and equipment upgrades, the Whittier Senior Center renovation, enhancements to our Community Theatre, new lighting at the Murphy Ranch Little League Fields, and more in the pipeline.

As a reminder, City Council meetings are held the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month and streamed live online and via cable channel 3 for those who cannot attend in person. In the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. Day observed January 16 and his dedication to bettering the lives of those around him, I appreciate the opportunity to serve the Whittier community and hope you find joy in the diverse offerings the City has planned for you in 2023.

The holidays are over but your tree is still up? Let us help you recycle it responsibly! Athens Services and Republic Services will offer tree recycling through January 21, 2023 at no extra charge. Please remember to remove the stand, all ornaments, lights, garland, and tinsel prior to disposal as trees will be chipped and composted, and trees taller than 6 feet should be cut in half. Place your tree next to your trash container on your regular collection day. Should you need to dispose of your holiday tree after the designated collection period, cut your tree into small pieces and place them in your green container with the lid properly closed. Artificial trees will not be accepted. Questions? Contact your trash hauler: Athens Services at (888) 336-6100 or Republic Services at (562) 347-2100. 

The City of Whittier has completed the process of digitizing all building permits from projects dated 2017 and earlier and interested members of the public are reminded to request their original hard copy permits and plans from the Community Development counter before January 15, 2023. Original permits will be released on a first come, first served basis with priority given to the property owner of each address. To request your paper permits, please email atekunoff@cityofwhittier.org and provide the address, name, phone number, and a follow-up email address for confirmation. All unclaimed hard copy documents will be destroyed following the January 15 deadline, yet will remain on file with the Building Division and made available electronically via the City's website. For specific inquiries regarding original permits and when they can be picked-up, please contact Adam Tekunoff at (562) 567-9331.

The City of Whittier will continue its decennial redistricting process in the New Year following the release of updated 2020 U.S. Census data. Per California law, cities with district-based elections must revisit voting boundaries every 10 years to ensure representation, equitable boundaries, and that each district is substantially equal in population. A third public hearing will take place during the Whittier City Council meeting on Tuesday, January 24 in the City Hall Council Chambers (13230 Penn St.) at approximately 7:30 p.m. (Council meeting starts at 6:00 p.m.) and residents are invited to propose changes to current district boundaries, review proposed maps, and provide feedback on existing City Council districts at that time. Available mapping tools also include:

Paper maps: available at City Hall and City facilities

Online Redistricting App (DRA): a simple drawing tool for neighborhoods and communities of interest

Interactive Review Map: to review, analyze, and compare maps (not create). Similar to Google Map technology, users can zoom in and out on boundaries, search for addresses and points of interest, and view draft maps (once released).

Online tools, past workshops, maps, notices, data sets, and earlier presentations are available at www.cityofwhittier.org/census. Please submit proposed maps or feedback in person to the City Clerk counter at City Hall or via e-mail to ccd@cityofwhittier.org. For further inquiries, please contact the City Clerk department directly at (562) 567-9850 or sign up for e-notifications here and select the boxes for 2020 Census Information and Elections.

The Senior Services Division will host an afternoon excursion for residents ages 55+ to enjoy the music of Doris Day on Saturday, January 28 performed at 3:00 p.m. at the Second Story Theatre in Hermosa Beach. Tickets are $28 per person and transportation will be provided from the Parnell Park Senior Center (15390 Lambert Rd.) at 1:30 p.m. and returning at 6:00 p.m. Tickets may be purchased online at www.whittierrec.com or by calling (562) 567-9470.

The Whittier Public Library will host a Family BINGO Night on Monday, January 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Whittwood Branch (10537 Santa Gertrudes Ave.). Start the year off with some free family fun and get ready to whisper BINGO! Contact the Whittwood Branch Library at (562) 567-9950 with inquiries.

The Library will also host a Family Film Afternoon on Friday, January 20 at the Whittwood Branch (10537 Santa Gertrudes Ave.) beginning at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are required and snacks will be provided. Contact the Whittwood Branch at (562) 567-9950 to register your family.

Thanks to special grant funding awarded by the California State Library, the Whittier Public Library is now offering Brainfuse, a new online tutoring platform designed to assist students with free online homework help anywhere, at any time. No matter where you are, receive free homework help, play games, take practice tests, and connect with a live tutor from any device with an internet connection. Access the portal at www.WhittierLibrary.org and call the Central Library at (562) 567-9900 or the Whittwood Branch at (562) 567-9950 with inquiries.

The City of Whittier will look to launch its Whittier Well-Being Initiative later this month, a mental health collective and online platform aimed at addressing the growing opioid crisis facing local families. Its mission will be to enhance the sharing of critical information and helpful resources to assist parents and families with navigating the threat of fentanyl and counterfeit pills in our community. Through partnership with local Whittier schools, non-profits, social service and public health providers, and various youth groups, the hope is not only to create awareness of the dangers of fentanyl, abuse of prescription medication, and increasing availability of fake pills often laced with other deadly substances, but to encourage greater communication among families and additional support for mental health resources in our community. A page on the City's website dedicated to providing useful links, materials, and tools for parents is currently under development and will be announced in the coming days via social media and other channels. Although the subject matter may be difficult, community members are encouraged to talk about the dangers of counterfeit pills with their loved ones and share these resources with friends and neighbors. Please visit www.dea.gov/onepill to learn more and watch for announcements regarding upcoming workshops, Q&A sessions, and town hall events. Thank you for doing your part to champion the importance of mental health and well-being in Whittier!

The City of Whittier will be allocating funds derived from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to eligible Whittier-based non-profit agencies to address the negative economic impacts experienced in our community as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Non-Profit Recovery Grant Program will be open to agencies with a 501(C)3 status that have served the public for a specific period of time and reviewed by category including public health, economic hardship, revenue loss, and infrastructure (water, sewer, and broadband). Applications will be reviewed by the City’s Social Services Commission for completeness and eligibility, and recommended recipients and funding allocations will be provided to the City Council for final approval. Applications will be accepted through January 31, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. via Google Forms or by email to GonzalezR@cityofwhittier.org. Please click here to review eligibility requirements and apply online today, or call the PRCS staff at (562) 567-9400 with inquiries. We appreciate and thank our extended Whittier non-profit community for their tireless service and advocacy on behalf of residents throughout the pandemic!

Are you looking to start your own business in the New Year? The Small Business Development Center of Long Beach, one of the City's leading economic development partners, offers free webinars for small business owners and entrepreneurs. January courses will include:

17-Part e-Commerce Series for Shopify: January 9;

How to Sell When You're Not A Salesperson: January 17;

Business Finance and Literacy Series: January 17;

Creating a Social Media Content Calendar: January 18;

Setting Up & Registering Your Business: January 25;

Turning Your Dream Into A Business: January 25;

Developing an Actionable Business Plan: February 1.

For those not yet familiar with the Long Beach Small Business Development Center (SBDC), business owners in need of assistance are able to receive no-cost business advising offered by paid experts in their respective fields. Contact the Long Beach SBDC at (562) 938-5100 or set up an appointment online by visiting www.longbeachsbdc.org/callme. The City of Whittier appreciates your support of our local one-of-a-kind small businesses and we look forward to strengthening Whittier's economic development footprint in 2023.

Applications are being sought for the 2022-23 fiscal year California Competes Tax Credit. The program, sponsored by the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), is an income tax credit available to businesses who want to come, stay, or grow in California. The application period began January 3, 2023, and closes on January 23, 2023. Visit the website for regulations and FAQs or apply online here. Webinars providing detailed instruction on how to apply for the tax credit will take place on January 12 (register here) and January 17 (register here) with webinar recordings made available for those who cannot attend a live workshop. Visit the California Business Portal for additional information on other tax incentives and to help you get your business up and running in the New Year.

The Whittier City Council has adopted a Graffiti Abatement Program that allows unlimited graffiti removal requests for residential property owners. As a homeowner and resident of the City, you can access a 24-hour Graffiti Hotline to report vandalism to your home. Thanks to oversight by the City's Public Works department, graffiti is addressed and removed within 24-48 hours following a request for service. To report graffiti, please fill out and submit the form online, call the City's 24-hour Graffiti Abatement Hotline at (562) 567-9560, or submit via the City's Whittier 365 mobile phone app.

As an additional effort to discourage graffiti vandalism in the City, the City Council has adopted a Graffiti Reward Program. Any person who observes graffiti vandalism and files a report with the Whittier Police Department leading to the arrest of the graffiti vandal(s) will receive a $500 reward from the City Council as a token of thanks and recognition. For further information on the program, please call the Police Department at (562) 567-9200.