Wind Advisory

Communities in the First District were hit hard by winds overnight and the situation continues with power outages, fallen trees and downed power lines. We have received the most recent reports of number of customers without power:

·Highland Park - 13,000

·Chinatown - 1,700

·Cypress Park – 9,300

·Lincoln Heights – 3,000

At the direction of my Chief of Staff Jose Gardea, we have dispatched our field deputies to survey the damage and have thus far reported more than 200 downed trees. We continue to assess damages and have sent City crews to respond to any danger from continuing gusts.

If you smell gas, or have another emergency, please call 9-1-1 immediately. Call 1-800-DIAL-DWP(800-342-5397) to report downed power lines and power outages. To report non-emergency wind-related problems, call the City’s 3-1-1 call center, which will be open 24 hours during the wind event.

Earlier in the day, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) had urged Northeast Los Angeles residents to conserve water after a power outage had affected water pumping infrastructure that supplies water to the following communities: Mt. Washington, Mt. Hermon, Monterey Hills, Cypress Park, Glassell Park, Montecito Heights. Thankfully, the LADWP announced this late afternoon that this water conservation alert has been lifted.

Thank you for your patience.

Reyes, Councilmembers Call for Arizona Boycott

For Immediate Release Contact:
May 11, 2010 Reyes/Tony Perez (213) 473-7001
or (213) 761-2281

MEDIA ADVISORY

Who: Councilmembers Janice Hahn and Ed P. Reyes

What: Press Conference following Arizona boycott vote by the Los Angeles City Council

When: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at 11:30 a.m.

Where: Top of Spring Street steps outside of Los Angeles City Hall

Background

A resolution proposed by Councilmembers Janice Hahn and Ed P. Reyes to denounce Arizona’s new immigration legislation and boycott the State of Arizona will be voted on by the Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday, May 12. The resolution calls for Los Angeles, and all of its departments, to end current contracts with, and refrain from future contracts with, Arizona-based companies.

According to a City report, Los Angeles has 35 contracts totaling about $7.7 million with Arizona-based companies. The City and its proprietary departments, not including Department of Water and Power(DWP), have 48 contracts totaling at least $56 million with Arizona-based companies. Proprietary departments include the Harbor Department, Community Redevelopment Agency/LA, Los Angeles World Airports(LAWA) and LAWA Airlines. Data from DWP is not yet available.

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Reyes Helps Spanish-Speaking Cyclists Get Safer Commute

WHEN: Monday, November 9 2009, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

WHERE: Day Labor Center
1600 Shatto at Wilshire and Union
(Southeast corner of Home Depot Shopping Center)
Los Angeles CA 90017

PARKING: Fifteen complimentary parking spaces located in the lower level of The Home Depot parking
garage (accessible via ramp located off Wilshire directly in front of The Home Depot
store)

WHAT: With the increase of cyclists sharing the road with motorists and the recent daylight saving time change, there is a greater need for cyclists to be visible and to use safety equipment. Many of the cyclists are Spanish-speaking immigrants who rely on bicycles as their primary form of transportation because they cannot afford to own cars. Many are riding during early mornings or nights without lights and helmets and are not aware of traffic laws that can make their commutes safer.

"Countless residents traverse the City’s congested streets daily to get to work,” said Reyes. "Many do so more out of necessity than recreation. The safety of our City’s bicyclists, especially in my district, is just as important as that of our drivers and pedestrians. We need to do everything in our power to ensure their safety. That’s why programs like this are so important.”

To address that need, Kaiser Permanente has provided a $25,000 grant to the Los Angeles
County Bicycle Coalition. The grant will fund more bike safety supplies such as bike lights and helmets for the day laborer cyclists. It also enables LACBC to further its mission to bring together the diverse bicycling community in a united mission to make the entire L.A. county region a safe and enjoyable place to ride.

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Reyes, Federal Fish and Wildlife, Bring Wilderness to Pico-Union School

November 6, 2009

Contact: Monica Valencia/Reyes (213) 280-0740, monica.valencia@lacity.org
Mary Loquvam/Audubon (323) 664-1294, maryloquvam@laaudubon.org

Councilmember Ed P. Reyes will join hundreds of K-5 students, families, Audubon and Los Angeles Unified friends tomorrow, Saturday, November 7, to transform a Pico-Union school yard into a lush ecosystem of oak woodland, vernal pools, and grassland just blocks from the 10 freeway. The event will take place from 10 a.m.-Noon at the Leo Politi Elementary School yard, 2481 West Eleventh St., Los Angeles, CA 90006.
"Together we are transforming 6,000 square feet of school yard into an urban oasis in Pico-Union, one of the most park poor communities in Los Angeles," said Reyes.
Reyes will join about 400 people to plant native oak and sycamore trees, wild grasses and plants, helping to protect and restore Coastal Sage Scrub, a plant community unique to Southern California that has been drastically reduced due to urbanization.
Los Angeles Audubon helped Leo Politi secure a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service School Yard Habitat Grant of $18,000 for the project. The School Yard Habitat Program is a new one for the Fish & Wildlife Service and Leo Politi is the program’s inaugural school in Southern California, and a model for other schools in Los Angeles.
Leo Politi Elementary lies in the Pico-Union neighborhood, one of the City’s densest neighborhoods. Yet since its construction in 1991, the school has emerged as an urban oasis for its 818 pre-K-5 students, their families, the community, and hundreds of birds-some resident, some migratory. The 8-acre campus is home to more than 200 trees and the planting of trees has been part of the school’s culture since ground was broken.
The school’s vision is one which began with its namesake, Leo Politi, a Caldecott Award winning author of children’s books. When Leo moved to L.A. in the late 1920s, he embraced the city’s multiculturalism, children, history, flora and fauna. Leo focused his artistic eye on the City’s urban parks and the wonders found within them. The school seeks to fulfill Leo’s dream of making this city a peaceful, safe and happy place for its youngest citizens-a place where their imaginations can run wild and where they can explore all the wonders of the natural world.

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Bicycle Plan Update Meeting TONIGHT in Highland Park

I will be holding a Bicycle Plan Update public meeting tonight in northeast Los Angeles in response to a great interest from you in making L.A. more bicycle-friendly. Join me tonight at Ramona Hall, 4580 N. Figueroa St., in Highland Park to learn about, and weigh in on, the City's Bicycle Plan. Tamales and refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Jill Sourial at (213) 473-7001, or Jill.Sourial@lacity.org, or visit http://www.labikeplan.org/.

Northeast Los Angeles (Highland Park)

When: Wednesday, November 4, 2009, from 6-8 p.m.

Where: Ramona Hall, 4580 N Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90042

Information: www.labikeplan.org

Highland Park Teen Readies for Inauguration

Jacqueline Mendoza is captain of Nightingale's Science Bowl and president of Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA).

Jacqueline Mendoza, 13, almost turned down the opportunity to attend the historic presidential inauguration. Her family couldn't afford the $3,500 trip.

But thanks to Councilmember Reyes, her science teacher and others, the Florence Nightingale Middle School eighth grader is packing her bags, which will include a special pink dress, for Washington D.C.

She is one of several students--and the only one from Los Angeles--selected nationwide by the Junior Presidential Youth Inaugural Conference to witness Barack Obama take the oath of office on January 20.

Jacqueline, who lives in Reyes' First District community of Highland Park, raised the money needed for the five-day trip. The funds include $1200 from David Meyerhof, her science teacher. Councilmember Reyes kicked in an additional $1000.

Now Jacqueline is getting ready for January 17 when she boards a Southwest Airlines flight to the nation's Capitol.

Not only will she be representing Los Angeles, she’ll be doing it with a fashionable vintage flair.

“The dress my dad made me for the trip is based on Jackie Kennedy’s style of clothes. It’s a coral pink dress with a hand-stitch top,” she said.

The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Jacqueline recognizes the advantages of education and opportunities her parents did not receive. She humbly attributes her success, thus far, to her parents.

“Some students who come [to Nightingale] don’t take advantage of the opportunities given here. Lots of students don’t like coming [to school], but I love it here. I love learning,” she said.

Once Jacqueline graduates from Nightingale in June, she hopes to attend Bravo Medical Magnet High School and later enroll at the University of Southern California to become a cardiologist.

“My parents always push me to study because it’s going to help me out so much in life,” she said.

Her advice to students: "Never give up. Always try your best. And remember, a little effort goes a LONG way."

Reyes, Dodgers and Supermarkets Team Up to Help More Than 600 Families For Thanksgiving

Many families experience hardships through the holidays, especially now during these difficult economic times. But thanks to the generosity of local businesses and volunteers, their holidays will be a little brighter this year.

I recently joined more than 40 volunteers, the Los Angeles Dodgers and local businesses at Dodger Stadium to hand out all the fixings for 600 Thanksgiving dinners to needy families. A special thank you to Ralphs and Food 4 Less who generously donated the food to families in my district, Council District 13, and those qualified through nonprofit groups throughout the City.

Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier, Hall of Fame manager and special advisor to the chairman Tommy Lasorda, Dodgers legends “Sweet” Lou Johnson and Bobby Castillo, the Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council and the Echo Park Improvement Association all volunteered their time for the Nov. 20 event.

Having grown up in many of the neighborhood I represent, giving back to the community is something that has always been very important to me. I wish you, your family and friends a loving and safe Thanksgiving Day.