Swine Flu Information from County Health

As Chair of the City Council's Arts, Parks, Health and Aging Committee, Councilmember LaBonge encourages everyone to stay up-to-date on the latest information regarding the swine flu epidemic.
Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding M.D., M.P.H.director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will brief the City Council on the epidemic next Tuesday, May 5 at 10 a.m. in Council Chambers. For up-to-date information, please visit the County Health website by clicking here.

Enjoy and Love Los Angeles!

One of the best ways to see the city (and beyond) is to hike from the Charlie Turner Trailhead to the top of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park. It's also a great way to stay healthy and fit.

Did you know that low-to-moderate intensity walking can help you drop excess pounds, help prevent heart disease, and even slow the aging process?

So get outside this weekend and take a hike ... it's good for your health!

Source: American Hiking Society [PDF]

Cleaning the Los Angeles River

Councilmember Ed Reyes (from left to right) and Friends of the Los Angeles River Founder Lewis McAdams with Councilmember LaBonge at FoLAR's 20th Annual River Clean-Up.

Councilmembers Tom LaBonge and Ed Reyes helped the Friends of the Los Angeles River (FoLAR) kick off its 20th Annual River CleanUp today. Eight hundred students, including those from Thomas Starr King and Bancroft middle schools in Council District 4, joined the effort to collect and sort trash, test water and identify river plants.
"The revitalization of the Los Angeles River will bring tremendous new vitality to our City," said Councilmember LaBonge. "Thank you for helping in this important effort."
To see more photos from this event, please click here.

Hike for Health

Councilmember LaBonge with fifth graders from Valley View Elementary School on the fourth annual CD4 Hike for Health

Councilmember Tom LaBonge led more than 600 public school fifth graders up Mt. Hollywood in Griffith Park on his Fourth Annual Hike for Health this morning. The event was established in 2006 to encourage healthy exercise (to fight obesity); instill civic pride by exposing children to the expansive views from the mountain and foster an appreciation of the natural environment.
The students planted 12 trees in Dante’s View, a garden near the top of the mountain.
Students from six Los Angeles Unified School District elementary schools participated, including Hancock Park, Oxnard Street, Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter, Van Ness Avenue, Valley View and Vine Street schools. All are in (or on the perimeter of) Council District 4. The mostly 10- and 11-year-olds walked the gentle 1.5-mile hike to the top of Mt. Hollywood, stopping at points of interest including the Berlin Forest, which offers an unparalleled view of the Hollywood Sign.
“This is one of my favorite events every year,” said Councilmember LaBonge. “Not only does the hike up Mount Hollywood get your heart pumping, it offers sweeping views of Los Angeles that many Angelenos have never seen.”
Along the hike students were treated to fly-overs by Los Angeles police and fire department helicopters. Clif bars provided free snacks for the students. Once they reached the summit, students learned about animals at the Zoo Mobile. Officials from the Department of Recreation and Parks, Department of Water and Power and Bureau of Sanitation contributed to the event as well. Park rangers acted as guides on the trails. Sanitation officials discussed recycling and provided those services and the Department of Water and Power talked to students about water conservation. The Library department provided free bags to all hikers.

Green is Universal Color on Earth Day

NBC/Universal CEO Ron Meyer and Councilmember LaBonge planted trees in Griffith Park to mark Earth Day.

To commemorate Earth Day, Councilmember Tom LaBonge and 85 employees of media giant NBC/Universal cleared invasive weeds and planted trees in Griffith Park this morning with the help of the L.A. Conservation Corps.
NBC/Universal has made a commitment to the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks to maintain a section of the park called Aberdeen Canyon, which is just above the Vermont Tennis Courts.
"To me, every day is Earth Day," the Councilmember said. "Congratulations to NBC/Universal for its community spirit and commitment to Aberdeen Canyon in Griffith Park. The residents of Los Angeles will reap the rewards of this tree-planting and clean-up effort for generations to come."
The LA Conservation Corps (the Corps), a 501(c)(3) private non-profit organization, was founded in 1986 by former U.S. Secretary of Commerce and Trade Ambassador Mickey Kantor. The Corps is a national leader in workforce development and alternative education for inner-city youth/young adults and is currently the largest urban conservation corps in the nation.
To view more photos from this event, click on the Photo Gallery link at the top of the page.

Read about Tom in Los Angeles Magazine

The April issue of Los Angeles magazine features an eight-page profile of Councilmember LaBonge. The story, written by Steve Oney, dubs Tom "Mr. LA," and covers in detail his vision for Los Angeles, the city he loves.
To read about the work that Tom is doing for you and see the story on-line, please click here.

Anonymous Donor Supplies Bread

Councilmember LaBonge, a regular member of Friends of the Monastery of the Angels, was pleased to announce today that the nuns’ prayers have been answered. An anonymous donor has appeared and bought the nuns a new oven. That means the Councilmember will soon be handing out his signature pumpkin bread again.
"I love the sisters at the Monastery of the Angels and I love their pumpkin bread," the Councilmember said at a press conference this morning. "I also love the donor who stepped forward to buy the nuns a new oven."
The cloistered Dominican nuns make and sell their own pumpkin bread and candy in a gift shop at the quiet monastery. About ten days ago, they hung a “no pumpkin bread” sign on the door because their oven had broken down. Neighbors and the Councilmember rallied to help the nuns, as did Sr. Mary Jean Meier, RSM, of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The story caught the attention of the local and national media.
“I am so happy to hear that the nuns’ prayers have been answered, but I'm not surprised,” said Councilmember LaBonge, who has been handing out loaves of the bread to visiting dignitaries include President Barack Obama for years. “They’re the original Angels in the City of Angels. Who could ignore their call for help?”
Dominican nuns, who have forsaken contact with the outside world, established the Monastery of the Angels in the 1930s to pray for troubled souls in Hollywood. The 20 nuns – all of whom wear traditional long habits and veils - cooks, bakes, gardens, sews and prays at the idyllic 3.7-acre compound.
Sr. Mary Raymond, OP, who is Prioress at the monastery, said an anonymous donor agreed to buy the commercial oven needed to produce the 18,000 loaves of pumpkin bread that they bake each year. The oven is expected to be delivered within the next couple of weeks.
“We’re thankful from the bottom of our hearts,” Sr. Raymond said. “People are hurting all over because of the economy, but they’ve come through for us.”

Sunset Boulevard Re-Paved Tonight

Councilmember Tom LaBonge and City street services officials advised Hollywood club-crawlers to avoid Sunset Boulevard tonight because the stretch between Highland and LaBrea will be closed for re-surfacing.
All lanes of Sunset Blvd. will be closed from 8p.m. on Friday, April 17th until 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 18th, prime hours for Hollywood partiers. At a press conference in front of Hollywood High School, Councilmember LaBonge announced that this stretch of Sunset Boulevard was being re-surfaced for the first time in 30 years.
“Instead of a movie, tonight, we're making a brand new street called Sunset Boulevard,” said Councilmember LaBonge. “City crews will work through the night to finish the job as quickly as possible. There will be short-term pain for long-term gain."
Also on hand were Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services Superintendent D. Brian Davis; Hollywood Chamber of Commerce President Leron Gubler; and the Hollywood Entertainment BID’s Katie Zandona.