Santa Parade Returns to Hollywood

Councilmember LaBonge presents Santa with a loaf of pumpkin bread, baked by an order of cloistered nuns in a monastery just below the Hollywood sign.

Council President Eric Garcetti and Councilmember LaBonge announced October 20th that the Hollywood Santa Parade will be one feature of the day-long Winterfest, a free, family-friendly event to kick off the holiday season on Sunday, November 30.
The event will include a concert by Disney Channel and "Camp Rock" star Demi Lovato, a traditional street parade and lots of games and food. Winterfest will run from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will be located on Hollywood Boulevard at Highland Avenue. The City of Los Angeles, Lift Up America, and the Hollywood Youth Foundation are Winterfest’s presenting sponsors, which will include a special “VIP” area for more than 1,000 children who participate in Los Angeles-area programs for underprivileged youth.

"Grease" 30th Anniversary

Councilmember LaBonge honored the cast of "Grease" at Mel's Drive-In on Highland Ave. in Hollywood.

The Hollywood High School choir, dressed in poodle skirts and letter sweaters, serenaded cast member from the 1950s-era film "Grease," as Councilmember LaBonge celebrated the 30th anniversary of the release of the film.
"Grease was the most fun, classic movie and it showed off so many places in our great city of Los Angeles," the Councilmember said. "I'm happy to celebrate these wonderful actors and their film."
Besides “Grease” Director Randal Kleiser, stars Jeff Connaway (Kenicki), Jamie Donnelly (Jan), Barry Pearl (Doody) and Annette Cardona (Cha-Cha Di Gregorio) were on hand, as well as actress Ilene Kristen, who was the original Patty Simcox on Broadway. The Hollywood High School choir sang a medley from the film to the actors. Visit our photo page to see pictures of the students.

10-4 Day Parade in Hollywood

Councilmember LaBonge joins law enforcement officers and K-EARTH 101's Shotgun Tom Kelly at the culmination of the 10-4 Day Parade.

It was a big “10 - 4" for a parade of vintage police cars in Hollywood on Saturday, Oct. 4.
Councilmember Tom LaBonge’s Fifth Annual 10-4 Day Parade brought together public safety officers and KRTH Radio’s Shotgun Tom Kelly to discuss public safety awareness at a parade on Hollywood Boulevard.
Officers from the California Highway Patrol, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff Office joined about a thousand vintage car enthusiasts at a ceremony at the Broderick Crawford star on Hollywood Boulevard. Crawford played CHP Chief Dan Mathews in the popular series “10-4” that ran from 1955-59.
“This parade is intended to be fun but carry a serious message about all that our public safety officers do to protect and serve us,” said Councilmember LaBonge.

Fifth and Final Ride in Tour LaBonge

Members of the Los Angeles Police Department's bike escort confer about the route for the fifth and final ride in Tour LaBonge

Councilmember Tom LaBonge completed his “Tour LaBonge” series of summer evening bike rides on Wednesday, August 20th, by leading about 40 cycling enthusiasts on a 10-mile tour of Hollywood, Larchmont and the Miracle Mile areas. The ride culminated with a cruise along a neon-lit Hollywood Boulevard just past dusk.
“We could solve so many of the challenges facing Los Angeles right now if more of us rode bikes,” the Councilmember said. “We could take a big chunk out of air pollution, traffic and our waistlines, too.”
The Hollywood Ride was the fifth and final ride in “Tour LaBonge,” a series of five Wednesday evening rides in Council District 4. The councilmember launched the bike series to promote good health, instill a sense of community and help people avoid the financial strain of high gas prices. In keeping with tradition, the Councilmember served ice cream cones to all riders at Fire Station 27 at the end of the 10-mile ride.
The Councilmember highlighted some of his favorite spots in the area, including the new BCAM, Broad Contemporary Art Museum on Wilshire Boulevard. Michelle Mowery, bicycling coordinator for the Los Angeles Dept. of Transportation, joined the ride. The City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation is updating its Bicycle Master Plan, a process that includes the gathering and analysis of data on improving the city’s bike route system. You can read more about the bicycle master plan by clicking here.

City Toughens Soil Stability Requirements

A home in the Hollywood Hills that was damaged during 2005 rainstorms.

Hillside residents will welcome the rain now that, thanks to Councilmember LaBonge, the city is adopting tougher soil standards for construction in steep hillside areas. After the record rain storms of January, 2005, mudslides forced officials to close several canyon roads, some of which remained closed for months. Over 100 hillside buildings were also “red-tagged” by the City, which means they were declared “unsafe to occupy,” and residents of the Mount Olympus neighborhood in Council District 4 were temporarily evacuated. The councilmember immediately directed the Department of Building and Safety to review its standards for soil stability in these areas and determine whether requirements need to be tougher. After careful review, the department determined that every building that had been red-tagged was constructed before current building, grading and soil stability standards were in place. To tighten enforcement of those standards, however, the city will now require all new hillside development - including building additions and major improvements – to supply engineering and geological reports on the mitigation of flood and mudflow hazards. “Soil stability isn’t glamorous or exciting until you wake up on a rainy night and your house is sliding down the hill,” the Councilmember said. “I made sure the City is doing everything possible to protect people and their homes if a mudslide should happen.”

EMS response in CD4 upgraded

Residents of the Hollywood Hills will receive improved service from their local fire station with the addition of a third fully-staffed emergency response vehicle.
     Beginning July 1, 2008, a Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance will once again be stationed at Fire Station 41, 1429 N. Gardner St. BLS Rescue Ambulance 841 will be staffed every day between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. and will serve to reduce response time by fire personnel.
     "The reinstatement of this service is a great example of the fire department's commitment to the people of Los Angeles. I'm proud to welcome this ambulance back to our district," said Councilmember LaBonge.
     The ambulance rejoins FS41's existing paramedic ambulance and BLS engine and is part of the fire department's improvements in EMS service citywide despite this year's budget constraints.

CD4 Community Congress

About 150 residents attended Councilmember LaBonge's second quarterly Community Congress of 2008 at the Friendship Auditorium on May 21st.

“Information is knowledge is power,” the Councilmember said. “Our great city is facing a number of important challenges right now. The public should have the opportunity to hear from their public officials, ask questions, and make their voices heard.”

The town-hall style meeting lasted about two hours. City officials discussed the 2008-2009 City Budget, land use issues, public safety and emergency preparedness.

Councilmember LaBonge Moves Green-Roofed Fire Station Forward

FS 82 Rendering provided by L.A. City Bureau of Engineering

Hollywood residents will think green when they hear fire alarms now that the Los Angeles City Council has granted environmental clearance for the first fire station in Los Angeles with a living green roof.

The new 32,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art station will replace the current Station 82 on Bronson Ave., which at just 5,500 square feet, is over-crowded and has antiquated systems. Councilmember Tom LaBonge, who has championed this project from its inception, said final designs for the project are expected to be completed by the end of this summer.

“This is about public safety and providing the best possible fire response to Hollywood and the Hollywood Hills,” the Councilmember said. “This station will provide easy access for trucks. It will also be big enough to house the equipment needed to address the complex needs of both the Hollywood Boulevard theaters and the wilderness of Griffith Park. The green roof and sustainable elements are an added bonus.”

The capacity of the new three-story station will be a dramatic improvement over the existing station. The old fire station, which will be renovated and re-used for community use and equipment storage, houses six firefighters. The new station will have the capacity to house 16 firefighters per shift. The $30 million fire station is being funded through the Prop F General Obligation bond, approved by voters in November, 2000.

The new fire station, designed by RRM Design Group, will feature a variegated roofing system that will capture and treat rainwater on-site before it is piped to the storm drainage system. The roof garden will also keep the building cool and help save energy. These and other features will qualify the building for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED certification through the U.S. Green Building Council. Since 2003, all Department of Public Works’ newly designed and constructed projects of 7,500 square feet or more must be LEED-certified.