Happy Spring, Whittier! The days are about to get longer and we have plenty in store to keep you and your family busy in March.

Thank you to Chief Tony Marrone, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, and Supervisor Janice Hahn for their partnership in bringing a Paramedic Assessment Unit (PAU) to Station 28 on Greenleaf Avenue (pictured right). This marks the 2nd PAU in Whittier and the promise of quicker access to life-saving care when residents need it most. The City Council remains committed to prioritizing public safety and will look to begin the initial phase of upgrading and renovating Fire Station 17 on Hadley Street later this year.

Read below for details on everything from the City's inaugural Beautification Awards, scholarships for high school seniors, and the annual Street Banner Art contest to community events including Arbor Day, a free compost giveaway, a Veterans Resource Fair, and the annual Eggxtravaganza. As always, please follow @WhittierCityGov on social media to stay connected!

During its regular meeting on February 28, 2023, the City Council received a mid-year budget review and financial forecast wherein City staff reported healthy available balances and positive revenue performance. Overall revenues have trended favorably, and expenditures have been largely in-line with forecasted amounts. The City's fiscal stability reflected in the report should be attributed to both past and current Council's prudent financial oversight and Whittier voters' passage of Measure W in 2020, which has strengthened the City Council's ability to further support critical service needs and allocate funding toward major projects that provide the most benefit to the community-at-large.

The Council's priorities, as outlined in the City's five-year strategic plan adopted in 2020, include enhancing quality of life in Whittier, providing support for public safety, promoting transparency, maintaining a strong economic base, and ensuring long term fiscal sustainability. The Whittier City Council meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. and participation is encouraged either in person or via Zoom. For inquiries regarding City Council meetings or to review the meeting agenda, please contact the City Clerk department at (562) 567-9850 or email clerk@cityofwhittier.org. 

The Whittier Well-Being Initiative, a mental health collective and online platform established this year by the City of Whittier, was launched in response to concerns regarding fentanyl and counterfeit pills in our community. Thanks to a partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the program's reach is expanding. City staff is coordinating upcoming trainings for adults, youth affiliates, teachers, and other community members on a variety of pertinent topics including How to Talk to Your Teen About Drugs, Understanding the Connection Between Substance Abuse Disorders and Mental Health, Recognizing & Responding to an Overdose with Naxolone, and others. Additionally, residents can now visit www.cityofwhittier.org/whittierwellbeing to access:

If you or someone you know needs help with substance abuse, please call the Substance Abuse Services Hotline at (844) 804-7500 to be connected with a treatment program and download the RecoverLA mobile-friendly app for personalized assistance. For anyone looking for mental health support, please call the LA County Mental Health Hotline available 24/7 at (800) 854-7771.

The City of Whittier's decennial redistricting process, which evaluates the population balance amongst the City's four voting districts, will include a fourth public hearing on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 in the Whittier City Hall Council Chambers (13230 Penn St.) at approximately 7:30 p.m. (Council meeting starts at 6:00 p.m.). Residents are invited to provide feedback on two maps for consideration:

The first map highlights the existing City Council districts and maintains current voting boundaries. These boundaries were evaluated by the City's consultant, National Demographics Corporation, and determined to be compliant with state law.

The second map, referred to as "Public Map 2," alters the boundaries of Districts 1, 3, and 4 and conforms to population deviation requirements (current boundaries are boldfaced for reference).

Both maps are available for review at www.cityofwhittier.org/census and Whittier residents will be mailed a meeting reminder in early March. Those interested in participating in the redistricting discussion are asked to refer to the March 14, 2023 City Council agenda online at www.cityofwhittier.org for details on how to provide comments. For inquiries, please contact the City Clerk Department at (562) 567-9850 or email ccd@cityofwhittier.org.

The Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity is seeking applicants for its new Economic Opportunity Grant program, which will award $54M+ across 6,800 grants to LA County's microbusinesses, small size businesses, and non-profit agencies that have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Potential grantees may be awarded between $2,500 and $25,000, with Phase 1 initially targeting microbusinesses with less than $50,000 in annual gross revenue (closes March 25) and grants for small businesses and non-profit agencies now available through Phase 2 (closes May 20). Interested applicants should visit grants.lacounty.gov for more details and to access live webinars, how-to videos, demos, one-on-one application support, and more. Click here to review eligibility and apply today!

The Whittier Parks, Recreation & Community Services department is seeking nominations for the City's First Annual Whittier Beautification Awards aimed at recognizing and celebrating residents' efforts to maintain and beautify their homes and exterior spaces. Submissions will be accepted for residences (single or multi-family) located within the City of Whittier and should include 5-7 photos highlighting exceptional landscape, exterior maintenance, and overall curb appeal. Nominations received by the 5:00 p.m. deadline on Friday, March 31, 2023 will be evaluated by the Keep Whittier Prettier Committee and award recipients will be recognized with a certificate and commemorative yard sign at the first City Council meeting in June. Please click here to apply online or contact a member of the PRCS staff for assistance at (562) 567-9400.

The Whittier Cultural Arts Commission invites you to submit your design for consideration as part of the City's 2023 Community Street Banner Program. This year's theme is "Off the Beaten Path" and encourages artists to showcase how they follow their own compass. Artists selected must live, work, or go to school within the City and will have their pieces displayed overhead along prominent streets in Whittier for the community to enjoy. Artists should submit vertical designs that measure 5" by 14" in person to the Whittier Community Center (7630 Washington Ave.) no later than 5:00 p.m. on March 16, 2023. Click here for more information or call (562) 567-9430.

Whittier Parks, Recreation & Community Services department invites you to celebrate Arbor Day in Whittier on Thursday, March 16 at 10:00 a.m. The annual celebration will take place this year at Founders Memorial Park (6031 Citrus Ave.) with participation from Cal Fire, local Whittier garden clubs, the Whittier Conservancy, and students from Longfellow Elementary School who will be assisting staff with planting new trees. This is Whittier's 39th year receiving the Tree City USA designation! To learn more about Arbor Day or to get involved, please call PRCS at (562) 567-9400.

The Whittier Social Services Commission is offering a scholarship opportunity for high school seniors who live in the City of Whittier. The contest, co-sponsored by Athens Services and Republic Services, prompts students to imagine themselves as the new Director of Sustainability for the City of Whittier. Students are asked to discuss their ideas for educating Whittier residents on how to enhance their sustainability, specifically on properly recycling and composting their food waste. Athens Services and Republic Services will award $500 scholarships to a select number of students within each of their service areas. Click here to review the official essay prompt and application guidelines. All submissions must be received by Friday, March 17 at 3:00 p.m. For questions call PRCS at (562) 567-9400.

CalRecycle, in partnership with the County of Los Angeles Public Works department and participating cities, will host a filter exchange event at Auto Zone in Santa Fe Springs (11560 Telegraph Rd.) on Saturday, March 11 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Bring a used filter and receive a new one for free, or recycle up to 5 gallons of used motor oil responsibly and help keep California beaches clean. Call (888) 253-2652 or visit www.FreeFilterLA.com to learn more.

The Whittier Public Works department, in partnership with Athens Services, Caltrans District 7, and the Clean California campaign, encourages you to dump and dispose of your household waste and bulky items at Guirado Park in Whittier (5760 Pioneer Blvd.) on Saturday, March 18 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Hazardous waste WILL NOT be accepted, however City of Whittier residents with identification may drop off approved debris including furniture, mattresses, household items, glass, solid waste, etc. For specific inquiries and more information on what will be collected, click here or call Xavier Reid at (213) 598-4342.

Athens Services, in partnership with the City of Whittier, will give away free compost to Whittier residents with identification at the Whittier Senior Center parking lot (13225 Walnut St.) on Saturday, March 18 from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Athens' compost is a blend of organics material including green waste, wood waste, and food scraps and is OMRI Listed and licensed by the California Department of Food & Agriculture. Attendees should bring a dolly, shovel, and sturdy containers (no larger than 32 gallons), as well as masks, eye protection, and gloves for the self-service drive-up event. For specific inquiries and more information, please call Athens Services at (888) 336-6100.

The Whittier Public Library will offer two recurring events for children in March beginning with Little Listeners Storytime every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at the Central Library (7344 Washington Ave.). Little ones ages 2 to 5 are invited to get out of the house and enjoy stories, songs, and fun with their caregiver present. To inquire about this program, please call (562) 567-9900.

The Whittwood Branch (10537 Santa Gertrudes Ave.) will also host a "Stay & Play" event every Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. designed to promote early literacy skills and school readiness through guided play activities with caregivers. The program is open to youth ages 0 to 5 and made possible with support from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Learn more by calling (562) 567-9950.

The Whittier Public Library will offer its popular LEGO Club every Monday at 3:30 p.m. at the Central Library (7344 Washington Ave.). Youth ages 5 to 12 are invited to enjoy a fun weekly building challenge with plenty of bricks to go around! Call (562) 567-9900 with questions.

Also at the Central Library, don't miss REEL Club on March 20 at 6:00 p.m. featuring a fun documentary about the life and work of "Big Daddy" Roth who caused a shift in mid-20th-century culture through customized cars, famous T-shirts, and his creation of the "rat fink" logo. The film features the vocal talents of John Goodman, Ann-Margret, Jay Leno, Brian Wilson, and others. A special screening of the new Mooneyes Documentary trailer for "Craft of Speed" will be shown immediately following the film. To learn more about both events call (562) 567-9900.

The Whittier Public Library will host a Veterans Resource Fair at the Central Library (7344 Washington Ave.) on Saturday, March 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to connect local veterans with information on housing, healthcare, employment, and other benefits available. Please speak with a veterans' service representative (562) 567-9905 to learn more.

Local veterans are also invited to attend the annual Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day gathering at Central Park (6532 Friends Ave.) scheduled for Saturday, March 25 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Servicemembers from all branches of the military are invited to come together for entertainment, food, fellowship, and remembrance. Please bring the family and spread the word!

The annual Eggxtravaganza is back at Parnell Park on Saturday, April 1 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The Whittier Parks, Recreation & Community Services department invites local families to enjoy the City’s spring kick-off with traditional egg hunts, photos with the Easter Bunny, inflatable attractions, crafts, music, and food trucks. Wristbands are required for $5 each (or 5 for $20) and financial assistance is available for families in need. In the event of rain, Eggxtravaganza will move to Saturday, April 8. Please call (562) 567-9450 for more information and join us out at the park!

The annual Senior Easter Egg Hunt for residents ages 55 and older will take place at Parnell Park on Wednesday, April 12 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The Whittier Senior Services Division has a special outdoor activity planned featuring filled festive eggs, fun surprises, light refreshments, and fellowship. RSVP to (562) 567-9470 for more details.