Let's Take the Time to Thank & Honor our Veterans

Fortunate to live in a country where we can have heated political debate like Tuesday’s Presidential Election and share our opinions freely. Our Veterans and their sacrifices are a big reason why – We’ll be celebrating Veterans’ Day tomorrow in El Sereno at 10 a.m. at Huntington Drive and Eastern, and Sunday at Cinco Puntos in Boyle Heights at 10 a.m. and a ceremony at our Eagle Rock City Hall at 11 a.m. before the 1 p.m. Northeast Veterans Day Parade. Let’s all take the time to thank our Veterans this weekend and beyond!

Celebrate Independence Day At Three CD 14 Concert & Fireworks Shows

Help us celebrate an early Independence Day as my office joins community groups to sponsor three Concert and Fireworks shows, with two next Saturday, June 30th, in El Sereno and Boyle Heights, and one on Sunday, July 1st, in Eagle Rock.

Since taking office, I have made it a priority to bring back our beloved neighborhood 4th of July fireworks shows, which had been non-existent in some CD 14 neighborhoods for decades.

So please join us for food, kids games, music and fireworks as we celebrate our great nation's birthday!

Click on flier or see below for details:







Saturday, June 30, 2012

El Sereno Fireworks Show is preceded by the El Sereno Bicentennial Committee 4th of July Parade, which begins at 2 p.m. on Huntington Drive , traveling down Eastern and ending at El Sereno park.

El Sereno Concert and Fireworks Show
4 p.m. - 9 p.m. (fireworks begin at 8 p.m.)

El Sereno Park
4721 Klamath Place
Los Angeles 90032

Please call (323) 226-1646 for more information.

Boyle Heights Concert and Fireworks Show
4 p.m.- 9 p.m. (fireworks begin at 8:30 p.m.)

Hollenbeck Park
415 S. Saint Louis St.
Los Angeles, 90033

Please call (323) 526-3059 for more information.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Eagle Rock Concert and Fireworks Show
4 p.m.-9 p.m. (fireworks begin at 8:30 p.m.)

Eagle Rock Park
1100 Eagle Vista Drive
Los Angeles 90041

Please call (323) 254-5295 for more information.

Click on the fliers for info, or see below:

Saturday, June 30, 2012

5th Annual El Sereno 4th of July and Fireworks Show







& El Sereno Bicentennial Committee 4th of July Parade















Parade begins at 2 p.m. on corner of

CD 14 Fireworks Shows this Holiday Weekend

Friends: Please come and enjoy the CD 14 Fourth of July Concert and Fireworks shows my office is sponsoring this upcoming Independence Day weekend.

All three events in El Sereno, Boyle Heights and Eagle Rock are offered free of charge and will feature musical entertainment, activities for kids, a fireworks show and much more. See dates and times below. Hope to see you there and Happy Independence Day!



4th Annual El Sereno Concert & Fireworks Show &
4th of July Independence Day Parade

When: Saturday, July 2, 2011
2 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Fireworks will start at approximately 8:30 p.m.

Where: El Sereno Park
4721 Klamath St.
Los Angeles, 90032

Councilmember Huizar and the El Sereno Bicentennial Committee present the annual parade and, for the fourth year in a row, concert and fireworks show. The parade will start at 2 p.m. on the corner of Huntington Drive and Van Horne Avenue and end at El Sereno Park where the Concert and Fireworks show will take place from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The concert and fireworks show is offered free of charge by Councilmember Huizar and will feature musical entertainment, kids’ activities, as well as community resources and information booths.

For more information, please call the CD 14 El Sereno Field Office at (323) 226-1646.

5th Annual Boyle Heights Concert & Fireworks Show
& Carnival

When: Sunday, July 3, 2011
4 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Fireworks will start at approximately 8:15 p.m.

Where: Hollenbeck Park
415 S. Saint Louis St.
Los Angeles, 90033

Councilmember Huizar and the Los Angeles Police Department, in collaboration with the Hollenbeck Cadet Program and the Hollenbeck Police Business Association, bring you this free family event. Plenty of free music, entertainment and activities for children will be offered, along with community resources and information booths, as well as a great fireworks show to conclude the evening.

The carnival will take place throughout the 4th of July weekend.

Carnival Days and Times
Friday, July 1, 5 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Saturday, July 2, 12 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Sunday, July 3, 12 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Purchase your tickets before the carnival and receive a discounted price at the Hollenbeck Police Station (Community Relations Office).

For additional ticket information, please call (323) 342-4140.

For more information on the event in general, please call the CD14 Boyle Heights Field Office at (323) 526-3059.

2nd Annual Eagle Rock 4th of July Concert in the Park & Fireworks Show

When: Sunday, July 3, 2011
4 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Fireworks will start at approximately 8:30 p.m.

Where: Eagle Rock Park
1100 Eagle Vista Drive
Los Angeles, 90041

Councilmember Jose Huizar, in partnership with the Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce and Eagle Rock Recreation Center, invites you to the 2nd Annual Fourth of July Concert in the Park & Fireworks Show.

This free community event will ring in Independence Day AND celebrate Eagle Rock’s Centennial Anniversary. Come enjoy musical entertainment, face painting, a moon bounce, community booths and fireworks show.

For more information, please call the CD 14 Northeast Office at (323) 254-5295.

Ascot Hills Nature Park Grand Opening

Thrilled to join the community Saturday for Grand Opening of Ascot Hills Nature Park. Along with the 19 acres my office helped secure on Elephant Hill, El Sereno and the surrounding communities now have more than 100 acres of open-space land to hike and enjoy nature. I want to thank local residents for never letting up and my staff and Recreation and Parks for getting creative when state froze our funding. I encourage all Angelenos to come enjoy the largest park on the Eastside!

District 14 News - March 25, 2011

Dear Friends:

With the election season behind us, we can now return to our regular distribution of the e-newsletter. Please read below for important updates in Council District 14, including City Election Results, El Sereno Vision Workshops, the new TAGRS Graffiti Tracking Program, Ascot Hills Open House and much more.

• City Election Results
• Ascot Hills Phase II Open House
• TAGRS Graffiti Tracking Program
• L.A. Street Car Gets Funded
• El Sereno Vision Workshop
________________________________________

City Election Results

PHOTO

Congratulations to Councilmember Huizar, elected on March 8th to serve another four-year term in District 14 starting on July 2, 2011. Stay tuned for community swearing-in information.

In addition to the election for the CD 14 Seat, there were a number of citywide measures; two of which Councilmember Huizar strongly supporting and helped get on the ballot: Measures H and I. You can see the results below as well as click here for information on all Council seats, L.A.U.S.D. Board of Education Seats and Community College Board seats.

CHARTER AMENDMENT H – Contract Bidder Campaign Contribution Restrictions/Strengthening City’s Campaign Matching Fund Program
YES – Votes: 131,553 (74.98%) / NO – Votes: 43,904 (25.02%)

CHARTER AMENDMENT I – DWP Office of Accountability; Ratepayer Advocate
YES – Votes: 137,581 (77.57%) / NO – Votes: 39,776 (22.43%)

CHARTER AMENDMENT J – DWP Preliminary Budget to City Council; Procedures for Transfers to Reserve Fund
YES – Votes: 143,422 (81.53%) / NO – Votes: 32,486 (18.47%)

CHARTER AMENDMENT L – Public Library Funding Votes Percent
YES – Votes: 113,350 (63.32%) / NO – Votes: 65,669 (36.68)

PROPOSITION M – Taxation of Medical Marijuana Collectives
YES – Votes: 106,654 (59.34%) / NO – 73,074 (40.66%)

CHARTER AMENDMENT N – Campaign Finance Votes Percent
YES – Votes: 119,643 (70.19%) / NO – Votes: 50,820 (29.81%)

PROPOSITION O – Los Angeles Oil Production Tax Votes Percent
YES – Votes: 82,898 (48.93%) / NO – Votes: 86,509 (51.07%)

CHARTER AMENDMENT P – Establishment of Contingency Reserve Fund
YES – Votes: 107,996 (65.91%) / NO – Votes: 55,867 (34.09%)

CHARTER AMENDMENT Q – Employment Provisions
YES – Votes: 102,455 (62.38%) / NO – Votes: 61,784 (37.62%)
________________________________________

Ascot Hills Open House Celebration – Grand Opening Coming Soon

Councilmember José Huizar joined community members, Rec and Park officials and Wilson High School students for an “Open House” celebration of the much-anticipated Ascot Hills Nature Park Phase II improvements. The improvements, which will be fully completed by March 31st, include full stream restoration, an outdoor amphitheatre, hiking trails and 300 new trees and plants.
Councilmember invites you to join him and Mayor Villaraigosa on Earth Day, Friday, April 22 at 9 a.m. for the Grand Opening of Ascot Hills Nature Park. For more information, please call (323) 226-1646.

Enjoy the slideshow of the Open House event.

________________________________________

TAGRS Graffiti Tracking Program to Focus on Chronic Taggers

Councilmember Huizar joined with Mayor Villaraigosa along with LAPD officials and City Attorney Carmen Trutanich to launch TAGRS, a graffiti tracking program in Hollenbeck, Van Nuys, Harbor and Central LAPD divisions. Councilmember Huizar first introduced legislation to create a City-operated program in 2008 and worked with the Mayor’s office, LAPD and the City’s Information Technology Agency to implement TAGRS. While the program was launch in four divisions, it is designed so that all 21 divisions will have access to it and will be used Citywide. Mayor Villaraigosa provided funding for the program, which will equip the City’s Graffiti Removal teams with smartphones to take pictures of tags, which will then go into the TAGRS database monitored by LAPD. Police will use that evidence to help pursue prosecution and restitution by the City Attorney and District Attorney against the City’s worst taggers and tagging crews.

Here is a slideshow of the program launch. Below is recent media coverage.

• LAPD has a new assault to combat graffiti
• LAPD Releases High Tech Graffiti Program (click on videos)
• Usarán tecnología para atrapar a los que hacen "grafiti"
• LAPD use computers and smartphones to fight graffiti
• Citywide Graffiti Database Launches to Prosecute Perps
• L.A. launches graffiti-tracking program using smart phones
________________________________________

Downtown L.A. Streetcar Receives $8.4 Million– Environmental Study Gets Go-Ahead

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a plan by the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA) to obligate $8.4 million in funding for the Downtown L.A. Streetcar. The streetcar effort is a public-private partnership project championed by Councilmember Huizar’s Bringing Back Broadway initiative. Previous actions obligated $1.6 Million of the $10 million pledged by the agency for the project.

In early March, the City Council voted to allocate $1 million to the project from the Measure R Local Return program. And Councilmember Huizar sits on the Metro Board of Directors, which voted unanimously Thursday to begin an environmental study for the L.A. Streetcar, which also puts the project in position to receive federal funds.

An AECOM report indicates the Streetcar will generate 9,300 jobs, spur $1.1 billion in development and generate $24.5 million in annual tourism and spending.

Enjoy the slideshow and footage from the recent Streetcar press conference.
________________________________________

“Our Downtown” Living Streets Plan Workshop

Sponsored by Councilmember Huizar, the El Sereno community once again met with consultants for a walk along Huntington Drive and a discussion about potential pedestrian plaza sites as part of the on-going El Sereno Our Downtown project.

About 40 people gathered to discuss the pros and cons of each of the potential locations during their evaluation. A few additional locations were proposed based on their proximity to the El Sereno Library, Community Garden, and weekly Farmers’ Market.

For more information on the El Sereno Our Downtown Vision Plan, please call (323) 226-1646.

###

District 14 News - February 16, 2011

Dear Friends:

Please read below for important updates in Council District 14, including efforts to increase pedestrian safety at the iconic 4th street bridge, raise awareness for the Jessica Triangle designation, showcase the 1st Annual East L.A. Alumni Classic, provide entertainment for local seniors and adopting pets, and much more.

* 4th Street Bridge Improvements
* Jessica Triangle-Mt. Washington Designation
* 1st Annual East L.A. Alumni Classic
* 4th Annual Senior Snowball
* Adopt-A-Pet Adoptions
* Our Downtown El Sereno Vision Workshop
* Fitness Zone Ribbon Cutting

4th Street Bridge Improvements

Councilmember Huizar joined community members in Boyle Heights Saturday to celebrate the addition of a Smart Crossing Walk on 4th Street and Concord, which had long been identified by the community as a dangerous place to cross. Now when pedestrians push the cross button, large caution lights flash overhead, alerting drivers to stop. The improvements are part of $412,000 seismic retrofitting of the 4th Street Bridge. Other improvements include storm drain upgrades, landscaping and paving underneath the bridge.

Jessica Triangle-Mt. Washington Designation

Following on the heels of the Verdugo Village designation in Glassell Park, Councilmember Huizar joined members of the Mt. Washington community to celebrate the Jessica Triangle designation with two new signs. Jessica Triangle is a triangular shaped median at Cleland Avenue and Jessica Drive that has been turned into a mini-garden with trees, plants and a trail. This community improvement project, which has had many volunteer community stewards over the years, is a source of pride for the Mt. Washington community. In 2007, Councilmember Huizar protected it from destruction when he worked with Public Works to re-direct a proposed sewer line, which was scheduled to run right through the garden. He also had the City designate Jessica Triangle as an official City of Los Angeles site.

Bulldogs Win 1st Annual East L.A. Alumni Classic

Councilmember Huizar served as the Honorary Coach for the Rough Riders in the 1st Annual Alumni East L.A. Classic at E.L.A.C.C. Garfield dominated for three quarters but Roosevelt almost tied it up in the closing minutes. It was a great showcase for healthy competition, respect and sportsmanship. Congratulations went out to all of the alumni as the relived some of their gridiron glory. This should be the first of many alumni East L.A. Classics to come.

Enjoy the slideshow from the event.

4th Annual Senior Snowball

More than 600 seniors from all over Council District 14 came out for the 4th Annual Senior Snowball sponsored by Councilmember Huizar. Attendees were treated to a delicious meal and desserts. With more than 20 senior clubs present, all the seniors were recognized for their leadership and community involvement, and also had the opportunity to win raffle prizes. Musical entertainment by Chico followed dinner and the seniors took to the dance floor without invitation.

Enjoy the slideshow from the event.

Adopt-A-Pet Valentine Adoptions

As part of Valentine’s Day weekend, Councilmember Huizar participated in the Adopt-A-Valentine Pet Adoption at the North Central Animal Shelter on Lacey. Sponsored by his office, the City of Los Angeles, CD 13 and Friends of Hermon Dog Park, the community came out to adopt some of our four-legged friends in need of a home.

Enjoy the slideshow and footage from the event.

“Our Downtown” Living Streets Plan Workshop

Sponsored by Councilmember Huizar, the El Sereno community held its third vision workshop on how to spend funds for improving Huntington Drive. Friends and neighbors came out to vote on their priorities. Stay tuned for more announcements.

Fitness Zone Ribbon Cutting

Eagle Rock Recreation Center is the latest Council District 14 park to see new improvements. Councilmember Huizar secured $150,000 to install an Outdoor Fitness Zone at the park, consisting of 10 exercise machines, which were installed near the playground so parents watching their kids, and seniors from the nearby Senior Center, could get in some exercise free of cost. Other improvements at the park include upgrades such as a new gym floor, repaired basketball hoops and improved lighting in the Recreation Center and a new dumpster location to address trash and illegal dumping problems that were beginning to happen at the park.

Enjoy the slideshow from the event.

Slideshow from the 4th Annual Senior Snowball

A great time was had by all at the 4th Annual Senior Snowball in El Sereno. Enjoy the slideshow from the event:

Wilson Mules Showing Their Spirit with Book Drive

I want to thank the Wilson Mules Book Drive Committee and all their volunteers who came out and worked so hard today to put on a great Pep Rally to raise money for the Wilson Library, which hasn't received new books for six years because of budget cuts. Made up Wilson alumni from different generations, the committee, chaired by Peter Cabrera, brought this pressing issue to my attention at a fundraiser they hosted at Shakey's in Alhambra. Today, I was honored to present them with a check for $1,500.

My office also brought in author Reyna Grande, who is program coordinator for the Latino Book and Family Festival (LBFF), which is the largest festival of Latino writers ever (Oct. 9-10 at Cal State L.A.). The LBFF has graciously offered to donate books to the Wilson library from this year's festival, as well as create a place where patrons can buy books and donate them to the Wilson library.

As a child, libraries were my sanctuary and the foundation for my education. I voted against budget cuts to our City libraries because I know they can transform lives, especially for our youth.


Please support both these very important and deserving efforts here in our community. For more information on the Wilson book drive go to wilsonmulesbookdrive.org. For more information on the Latino Book and Family Festival, go to lbff.us/losangeles.

El Sereno Gains a ‘Serene’ Gateway Monument

I am pleased to announce that this past Friday, for the first time in modern history, there is a sign welcoming visitors to El Sereno. The Monument dedication ceremony honored El Sereno at a busy thoroughfare serving 40,000 commuters daily. I want to thank the Community Redevelopment Agency, the Bureau of Street Services, the El Sereno Gateway Monument Advisory Committee and the residents of El Sereno for their help in getting this monument built.

This all comes to a town that was originally established in 1771—a full decade before the City of Los Angeles. The El Sereno Gateway Monument is not just a marker for the Historic El Camino Real and Route 66, but also a reminder of the importance of pride in one’s community and city. The special design of the sign pays homage to the community’s iconic hillside and is just one of many upgrades Huntington Drive has seen recently, including decorative sidewalks, business façade upgrades and street and crosswalk improvements designed to increase pedestrian traffic.

Other recent improvements include the Valley Boulevard Bridge, which ends 35 years of frustration by allowing commuters to avoid up to 30 freight-train crossings per day. Phase II construction on Ascot Hills Park is currently underway, which will make it the largest City-run open-space park on Los Angeles’ Eastside when it is completed in early 2011. I also helped the City purchase 19 acres of land on Elephant Hill, which will protect the land as open space.

Enjoy the slideshow and video of the event.

Independence Day Fun for the Whole Family at CD 14 Concert and Firework Shows

There are a number of FREE community events to celebrate our nation’s Independence Day—in Boyle Heights, El Sereno and Eagle Rock. Come enjoy musical performances, have the kids participate in activities, eat some tasty food and learn more about community resources. They are all family-friendly so no alcohol is allowed and each one will culminate in a spectacular fireworks show.

4th Annual Boyle Heights Concert and Fireworks Show
o Friday, July 2nd @ Hollenbeck Park, 415 South Saint Louis St., Los Angeles, CA 90033. It will be from 4 p.m. – 9 p.m. and the fireworks start at 8:30 p.m.

3rd Annual El Sereno Concert, Fireworks Show & 4th of July Independence Parade
o Saturday, July 3rd @ El Sereno Park, 4721 Klamath Pl., Los Angeles, CA 90032
o It will be from 4 p.m. – 9 p.m. The parade begins at 2 p.m. @ the corner of Huntington Drive & Van Horne—and ends at El Sereno Park. The concert starts at 4 p.m. and the fireworks begin at 8:30 p.m.

Eagle Rock Concert and Fireworks Show
o Sunday, July 4th @ Eagle Rock Park, 1100 Eagle Vista Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90041. Fireworks start at @ 8:30 p.m.

Historic Ground-Breaking for Ascot Hills Park

Today was a historic day for El Sereno-Hillside Village residents. We broke ground on what will be about 100 acres of open-space at Ascot Hills Park. When completed, this park will be one of the largest in the entire city and allow families from the eastside to enjoy a completely natural setting in the middle of the city. My office worked with our partners at Rec and Parks, Bureau of Engineering, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority and, most importantly, the El Sereno-Hillside Village community to begin Phase II construction today. The $3.3 million Phase II project will cover 53 acres and include an outdoor amphitheatre, new hiking trails, stream restoration, new native plantings, irrigation and fire safety improvements and additional parking. This massive preservation effort, along with our decision to purchase and protect land on Elephant Hill and our Northeast Hillside ordinance, which protects hillsides from overdevelopment, ensures that the beautiful, rolling hills that are this area's most striking feature, will be around for decades to come. Thanks to all who made this day possible and hope to see you all at the grand opening early next year!

El Sereno Farmers’ Market Serves up Great Opening

We had a lot of fun at the inaugural El Sereno Farmers’ Market on Friday. I want to congratulate Angie De La Torre and Melissa Chincilla for bringing this valuable resource to our community, which on Friday drew about 300 people. It was my pleasure to help facilitate the permitting process in order to make the farmers’ market happen and serve as one of its sponsors, along with Barrio Action Youth and Family Center and the L.A.-32 Neighborhood Council. There was entertainment, plenty of vendors and even the famous Kogi Korean Taco Truck . The El Sereno Farmers’ Market is located on the corner of Huntington Dr. North and Maycrest Avenue and will be open every Friday (current schedule: 4 p.m.-8 p.m.). Please tell your friends and families. Check out the El Sereno Farmers’ Market facebook page here.

Thanks to El Sereno for Turning 35-Year Dream into Reality for Valley Bridge

A big thank you to all the folks who showed up to our Valley Bridge Opening in El Sereno. The $54 million bridge, which links the San Gabriel Valley with Downtown Los Angeles, is now fully functional and ends a 35-year struggle for a much-needed solution to the 30 train crossings per day that adversely affected residents, commuters and emergency personnel. In 2006, the project was shelved by Metro and I and my staff spent several months working to convince Metro that the City was serious about getting this project done. We also got them to agree to put in $9 million, which the City matched to bring the project to fruition. I want to thank our City partners in helping getting this done, notably the Department of Public Works and BOE. But mostly, I want to thank all the people of El Sereno and its surrounding communities for never giving up and making sure that once and for all, El Sereno received a bridge that it needed and could be proud of. On hand yesterday were Luanna Allard and the Hillside Village Property Owners Association, as well as representatives from L.A.-32 Neighborhood Council; The El Sereno Bicentennial Committee; University Hills Homeowners Association; Rose Hill Review; El Sereno Chamber of Commerce and a host of other community members. The El Sereno Middle School Marching Band provided fantastic entertainment and Los Angeles Fire Department Station 16 sounded the sirens as they drove across the bridge, reminding us all why the bridge’s unimpeded access is not just about convenience, but our community’s safety.

8a.m. Cinco de Mayo Valley Bridge Opening Celebration in El Sereno!

Join me, Department of Public Works President Cynthia Ruiz and the El Sereno Middle School marching band tomorrow morning at 8 a.m., Cinco De Mayo, for the opening of new Valley Boulevard bridge in El Sereno! With up to 30 freight trains passing per day, this multi-million dollar bridge ends traffic jams at tumultuous train crossing and is what I consider to be an environmental justice victory for this community. It has been a 35+ year wait to ensure that this bridge became a reality. Located between Eastern and Marianna Avenues, the busy train crossing linking the San Gabriel Valley to downtown Los Angeles has long been a source of frustration for residents, commuters and police and fire officials. Eastbound lanes opened in January 2009 for the new bridge, which promises to be a source of community pride as artists have utilized personal photos of residents in tile and limestone art pieces on the bridge depicting the history of El Sereno.

Pictured: Design of the bridge as show at Eastbound lanes opening in January 2009.

Neighborhood Council Elections TODAY for CD14 2-8pm

Today, the City of Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Elections for Region G (East and Northeast LA) will take place. In general, eligibility is extended to any person, 16 years and up, who lives, works, or owns property within a particular Neighborhood Council's boundaries.

Voting will take place from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. TODAY at your neighborhood council (listed below).

Lists of certified and write-in candidates are available at the City Clerk’s Neighborhood Council Election webpage, HERE.

Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council

There are 12 certified and two write-in candidates running for19 seats on the council that represents Mt Washington, Hermon, Montecito Heights, Monterey Hills, and Sycamore Grove. Polling is at Ramona Hall (lobby) 4580 N. Figueroa St., LA 90065.

Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council

There are 25 certified and four write-in candidates are running for 35 seats on the council that represents the northwest, northeast, southeast and southwest regions of Boyle Heights. Polling is at the Hollenbeck Recreation Center (Boyle Heights Room), 415 South Saint Louis St., LA 90033.

Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council

There are 10 certified candidates and one write-in candidate running for one of 18 seats on the council that represents eight districts. Polling is at the Eagle Rock City Hall (Community Room) 2035 Colorado Blvd. LA 90041.

Glassell Park Neighborhood Council

There are 9 certified and two write-in candidates running the 15 seats on the council that represents seven regions. Polling is at the Glassell Park Community/Senior Center (Conference Room 2), 3750 North Verdugo Rd., LA 90065

Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council

There are 15 certified and three write-in candidates running for 21 positions. Polling is at the Highland Park Recreation Center (Dining Room), 6150 Piedmont Ave., LA 90042.

LA- 32 (El Sereno) Neighborhood Council

There are 17 certified and no write-in candidates running to hold one of 21 positions that represent 4 regions. Polling is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the El Sereno Senior Center (Lobby/Music Room) 418 Klamath Place, LA 90032.

El Sereno Little League Opening Day!

The grand opening of the El Sereno Little League was this past Saturday and took place at the El Sereno Rec Center. This youth baseball league has been opeating for decades and is one of the biggest leagues in the City of Los Angeles - a fact all residents from local residents should be very proud of! This year the league has 31 teams, 24 which are co-ed and 7 girl teams, all of whom show great potential. I have always said that sports can play a big role in the develpment of child's self-esteem, leadership and teamworking skills. It was a great day for opening day, thank you to everyone that participated and best of luck to all the teams!

National Census Day Tracking!

Today is National Census Day, make yourself count!
The below numbers are the 2010 Census average return rates for each area within CD14, let's get to 100%!




Boyle Heights:


Downtown:


Eagle Rock:


El Sereno:


Garvanza:


Glassell Park:


Highland Park:


Hermon:


Mt. Washington:


Overall City of Los Angeles:

4th Annual Winter Wonderland in El Sereno

Join me tomorrow for the 4th Annual Winter Wonderland in El Sereno!

Schedule of CD 14 Holiday Events

Holiday festivities begin today! Hope you and your family can make it out to any of the below events taking place in CD 14. All events are free for the whole family.

- Jose

Hermon Tree Lighting
December 4, 2009 6:30-8:30p.m.
Monterey Road & Via Marisol

Eagle Rock Tree Lighting Ceremony
December 4, 2009 6:30-8:30p.m.
Corner of Colorado Blvd. & Maywood Ave.

Glassell Park Tree Lighting Ceremony
December 11, 2009 6:30-7:00p.m.
Rite-Aid Parking Lot
4044 Eagle Rock Blvd.

Boyle Heights Tree Lighting Toy Giveaway
December 12, 2009 4-8:00p.m.
2844 E. 2nd Street Evergreen Park

El Sereno Tree Lighting and Toy Giveaway
December 19, 2009 4:00-8:00p.m.
Corner of Huntington Drive & Van Horne Ave.

Please consider donating a toy to our partners:

LAFD Spark of Love Program
Contact: Firefighter Michael Marquez

Marines Toys for Tots Foundation

Sgt. Franciso Ulloa

Giving Thanks this Thanksgiving

I just want to wish everyone a very happy and safe Thanksgiving. As for myself, I have much to be thankful for. First and foremost, like all of you, I am thankful for my wonderful family, my wife, Richelle, my children, Emilia, Isabella and Simon Luis (with another daughter on the way). I am thankful for my health. And as the Councilmember for District 14, I am thankful to you, my constituents, for allowing me to represent you. I have the greatest job in the world and I enjoy coming to work each and everyday to work on your behalf. I am also thankful for all the improvements that are going on in our district. We recently opened the Edward R. Roybal Gold Line Eastside Extension and had a fantastic block party celebrating its opening and the $1.4 billion in public improvement projects in Boyle Heights. I am thankful for community members like the late Ross Valencia, “Mr. Boyle Heights,” who we recently named a park after. I am thankful for a committed group of people in El Sereno who helped me fight against potentially dangerous development on Elephant Hill, or “The Heavens” as it once was known. I’m thankful that I have the opportunity to effect policy that protects our neighborhoods from the over-proliferation of unlicenced medical marijuana dispensaries. I am thankful for our veterans who have sacrificed so much so that we all can enjoy the freedoms we have in this great country and I’d ask you to please say a prayer for our men and women who are serving our country right now, many far away from their families during the holidays. Again, thank you for allowing me to be your representative. It is something that I take very seriously and to you, I am deeply thankful. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Ross Valencia Pic: Courtesy of Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council