VENICE
YO!
See Section B for our SUMMER CAMP GUIDE and our Home and Garden Guide
www.yovenice.com
April 23 – May 21, 2021
Fundraiser for Venice Woman Whose Rescue Dog Was Killed in Fire Wednesday morning incident still under investigation B y S am C atanzaro A fundraiser is being held to support a Venice woman whose dog was killed after her home went up in flames last week. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), the incident was reported at 3:37 a.m. Wednesday at 129 E Clubhouse Avenue in a two-story bungalow on a raised foundation. 26 firefighters extinguished the fire in 18 minutes, the LAFD stated. Monetary loss to the 108 year-old home is still being tabulated. Property records on Zillow show that the house is a 2 bed, 2 bath, 1,200 square
foot duplex home built in 1913 with an estimated value of $2,845,665. No human injuries were reported, however, LAFD spokesperson Brian Humphrey says that a family dog did pass away. In the wake of this tragedy, a fundraiser has been launched to help the dog’s owner Courtney, a doctor who was working when the fire broke out. “We won’t be able to replace the life of our beloved four legged friend Togo, but we can help with the hard times this tragic event brings to our friend Courtney,” reads the GoFundMe, which has raised nearly $12,000 as of Thursday evening. “All funds raised will be given to Courtney to cover costs for her losses and support the animal rescue shelter where she got Togo just last year.” Neighbors say there has been an increase in homelessness in the area in
Photo: GoFundMe Togo, a dog that was killed after a Venice home went up in flames this week.
recent months and ABC 7 reported that the owner had several confrontations
Dog Fundraiser, see page 3
Bonin Proposes Westside Shelters Including in Fisherman’s Village and Pacific Palisades Temporary site for tiny-homes or safe camping at Will Rogers State Beach, Fisherman’s Village parking lots? B y S am C atanzaro Councilmember Mike Bonin has proposed bringing homeless shelters to Fisherman’s Village, Pacific Palisades among other Westside locations. On March 31, Bonin introduced a motion to Los Angeles City Council that would evaluate the feasibility of bringing a variety of projects to combat homelessness to locations across the Westside.
“To end homelessness and sidewalk encampments, we need more housing, more shelter, and more services,” Bonin said. “On the Westside, we have added permanent supportive housing, interim housing, and bridge housing. We have leased or purchased hotel rooms. We have opened safe parking, safe camping, and emergency shelters. And there is more supportive housing on the way. But it is not enough. Across the state, the city and the district, homelessness is increasing. My team and I have been working for months to identify additional locations, more programs, and different forms of housing to address homelessness on the Westside.” Among the locations is the Los Angeles County-owned parking lot at Will Rogers Stage Beach at 17000 Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades. and Fisherman’s Village in Marina del Rey, 13755 Fiji Way. According to Bonin, both these locations would serve as a temporary sites for single-occupancy tinyhomes or safe camping.
The motion also calls for looking into the feasibility of bringing similar housing options to the following locations across the
Shelters, see page 5
Venice Pride Flag Lifeguard Tower Gets Facelift Fresh coat of paint ahead of Pride Month By Timothy Michael The Venice Pride Flag Lifeguard tower gets a fresh coat of paint and a bit of a facelift just in time for Pride Month. The tower, located North of the skate park at the end of Brooks Ave was built and then unveiled on June 1st, 2017 by Venice Pride, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the needs of the LGBTQ+ community and painted by Venice Pride board members. The special event to kick off Pride Month in Venice was hosted by Los Angeles City Councilmember Mike Bonin, Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and Venice Pride Board President Grant Turck where they unveiled the “Venice Pride Flag Lifeguard Tower” as well as a dedication of the “Bill Rosendahl Memorial Beach” which was named in honor of the first openly gay man to be elected to the Los Angeles City Council. Over the years the once bright and vibrant lifeguard tower began to fade due to weather and lack of upkeep.
2
Thanks to the efforts of Richard Martinez and his crew from Beaches and Harbors Los Angeles County the tower has been restored to its original glory just in time for this years Pride Month in June. This comes just over a week after the Long Beach Lifeguard tower, painted the colors of the rainbow flag, burned to the ground. The tower, on the beach bike path between 12th and 13th Places, was already “fully engulfed” in flames by the time firefighters arrived shortly around midnight on March 23rd. That fire is still under investigation but many, including Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, have speculated an act of hate. In a statement Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, who also identifies as gay, stated “The tower served as a symbol of our strong support for the diversity within our ranks and the LGBTQ community who call Long Beach home.” He added, “To whoever committed this act, just please know that, one, you are not welcome in our community,” he said. “And two, that we will rebuild the lifeguard station, brighter, gayer, and bigger than it was before.” Plans are already in the works to get a new rainbow-colored lifeguard tower built.
Photo: Venice Pride (Facebook) The Venice Pride Lifeguard Tower following a recent touch up from the Beaches and Harbors Los Angeles County crews.
It will be built by Industrial Design Research, Inc. and is expected to be delivered in about six weeks though it typically can take several months to produce one, according to a statement from the city.
WWW.YOVENICE.COM
According to a Facebook post Venice Pride has donated $500 to The LGBTQ Center Long Beach to support Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia and the Long Beach Fire Department to rebuild the new tower.
April 23 – May 21, 2021
LAPD Seek Information on Fatal Venice Hit and Run
E K A M 2021 T N U O C
GET YOUR
STUDENT-
Photo: Google
The area of Lincoln Boulevard and Flower Court where a fatal hit and run took place in January.
Police are seeking info regarding a hit and run that killed a 60-yearold Venice man earlier this year.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), on Sunday, January 17, 2021, around 5:50 p.m., a dark colored minivan was traveling northbound on Lincoln Boulevard south of Flower Court when it collided with a pedestrian crossing the roadway outside of a crosswalk. “The driver of the minivan fled the scene without identifying themselves or rendering aid as required by law,” the LAPD said. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics transported the pedestrian to a local area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries on January 26, 2021. “The victim is a 60-year-old male resident of Los Angeles, his name is being withheld at this time. The investigation is ongoing, and no
further details are available at this time,” the LAPD said. Reports from the media, however, indicate the victim was Venice-resident Robert Crawford. A reward of up to $50,000 is available to community members who provide information leading to the offender’s identification, apprehension, and conviction or resolution through a civil compromise. Anyone with information about this collision is asked to contact West Traffic Division detectives, at (213) 473-0234. During non-business hours, or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD24-7 (1-877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org. Tipsters may also visit www.lapdonline.org, and click on “Anonymous Web Tips” under the Get Involved-Crime Stoppers” menu to submit an online tip. Lastly, tipsters may also download the “P3 Tips” mobile application and select the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.
ATHLETE BACK IN THE GAME!
7th, 8th & 8th grade reclassification student athlete private athletic academy
NOW
Dog Fundraiser, from page 1 with unhoused individuals recently. LAFD spokesperson Humphrey said that arson investigators have been assigned to the incident and that as of Thursday there is no evidence that indicates that a homeless individual was involved. “The cause of the fire remains under active investigation, with members of the LAFD Arson / Counter-Terrorism Section continuing to review physical evidence, as well as security and bystander video from adjacent buildings and at the scene, in order to make a precise cause determination. At this early stage of the
April 23 – May 21, 2021
ENROLLING FOR FALL 2021!
investigation, there is no evidence that indicates the involvement of a person experiencing homelessness,” Humphrey said in a statement. To view the GoFundMe visit https://gofund.me/ed0ac97c
WWW.YOVENICE.COM
VISIT FUTUREELITEACADEMY.COM OR CALL (805) 908-0022 TO LEARN MORE
3
FLOWER | EDIBLES | VAPES | TINCTURES | TOPICAL
25% OFF EVERYTHING IN STORE VALID THROUGH 08.01.2021
FOR FREE DELIVERY CALL 424.235.2601 C10-0000018-LIC 22523 PACIFIC COAST HWY, MALIBU, CA 90265
4
WWW.YOVENICE.COM
April 23 – May 21, 2021
4.917x11.7_HCI_ad.pdf
1
3/15/21
3:57 PM
Grunion Fish Make Their Annual Run
Spawning season under way in Santa Monica Bay By Toi Creel
Grunion, the small silver fish, have made their way to the shores of Venice Beach and Santa Monica Bay as part of their yearly spawning season. The fish lay eggs at night, traveling to the sand through the waves, burying their eggs in the coast. This particular process happens only in southern California and the northern Baja coast. Female Grunions bury in the sand, tail first, and lay eggs. A male Grunion comes afterwards, wraps around the female and then proceeds to fertilize the eggs. Ten days later the eggs hatch and the small Grunions swim away with a life span from between two to four years. A female Grunion will only lay eggs once, laying between 1,600 and 3,600 eggs during one spawn. Males can fertilize many sets of eggs and will come back several times during the night. The eggs are buried in the sand to avoid predators and disruption while young grunions are developing. The Grunion spawn starts as early as March
and as late as August, but usually the fish are more active during high tide months from April through June. The fish are usually visible from flat, sandy beaches and start spawning around 10:00 p.m. and can go till around 1:00 a.m. For the best viewing locations and times you can visit the California Department of Fish and Wildlife at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/ Grunion . According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, despite local concentrations, grunion are not abundant. “The most critical problem facing the grunion resource is the loss of spawning habitat caused by beach erosion, harbor construction, and pollution. By the 1920s, the fishery was showing definite signs of depletion. A regulation was passed in 1927 establishing a closed season of three months, from April through June. The fishery improved, and in 1947 the closure was shortened to April through May. This closure is still in effect to protect grunion during their peak spawning period,” the California Department of Fish and Wildlife writes on their website. During the open season, a fishing license is required to capture grunion using hands only. “No holes may be dug in the beach to entrap them. There is no bag limit, but fishermen may take only what they can use—it is unlawful to waste fish,” the Department added.
Hyperthermia cancer therapy. FDA approved, targeted, non-invasive.
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
California grunion spawning on a sandy Southern California beach.
Shelters, from page 1 Westside: Mar Vista (Mar Vista Park), Marina Del Rey (Fisherman’s Village), Playa del Rey (Dockweiler Beach), Del Rey (private building at 5000 Beethoven Avenue), Westchester (Westchester Park) and West LA (West LA Municipal Building). In addition, the motion proposes a singleoccupancy tiny-homes or safe camping sites
April 23 – May 21, 2021
Photo: CDFW
on a property owned by Culver City for a joint LA-Culver City program and at an undetermined location at LAX. The motion also would instruct the City Housing Authority to work with Council District 11 and willing property owners to enter into master lease agreements for hotel rooms or apartment units to be used for homeless housing. The motion is currently pending in the City Council Homelessness and Poverty Committee
888.580.5900 | HCIoncology.com 2001 Santa Monica Blvd. Suite 1190W Santa Monica, California 90404
WWW.YOVENICE.COM
5
New Interactive Map Sheds Light on Venice’s Tsunami Vulnerability California Geological Survey’s interactive Tsunami Hazard Area B y S am C atanzaro Early last month morning a 4.0 earthquake occurred near LAX, rattling the Westside. After some small aftershocks the event was over, but for residents in low lying coastal areas like Venice, the prospect of a tsunami looms large following earthquakes. A new interactive map from state geologists sheds can help prepare for a worse-case scenario. Tsunamis are a rare event in Southern California; the last major one occurred in 1812. But tsunamis can be deadly and destructive disasters that can occur quickly, giving residents in low-lying coastal areas very little time to prepare. Last month, the California Geological Survey rolled out a new interactive map that shows residents if they live in a tsunami hazard zone. The Tsunami Hazard Area map serves two purposes. First, using new data and improved computer modeling, it updates 2009 inundation maps showing how far inland a surge of seawater might go in a worstcase scenario. Second, it ties a small buffer beyond the modeled inundation area to roads or landmarks to help local officials easily communicate evacuation plans. Local tsunami evacuation material will be added to the online map interface as it is developed. “After 10 years of research following the Tohoku-Oki earthquake and tsunami in Japan, we’re releasing maps with many improvements to keep Californians safe,” said Dr. Steve Bohlen, Acting State Geologist of California and head of CGS. “Japan utilized data from several hundred years of tsunami records in its planning, which seemed perfectly reasonable, then was hit by a once-a-millennium tsunami. So, we’re using a thousandyear scenario as the baseline for our new maps, hoping to avoid the tragic loss of life experienced there. While damaging tsunamis are infrequent in California, if you’re on the coast, you need to be aware of this potential hazard.” More than 150 tsunamis have hit California’s shore since 1800. Most were barely noticeable, but a few have caused fatalities or significant damage — most
6
recently the 2011 tsunami that not only devastated Japan but caused $100 million of damage to California ports and harbors. The most destructive tsunami to hit California occurred March 28, 1964. Several surges reaching 21 feet high swept into Crescent City four hours after a magnitude 9.2 earthquake in Alaska, killing 12 and leveling much of the town’s business district. While the new Los Angeles County map takes a variety of potential tsunami sources into account, the worst-case scenario would result from a magnitude 9.3 earthquake in the eastern Aleutian Islands. Changes to the existing Los Angeles County inundation map are modest, with the inundation potential upgraded in some areas and downgraded in others, noted Rick Wilson, head of the CGS Tsunami Program. CGS and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) have advised several communities with isolated pockets of population and few roads for evacuation — such as in Alamitos Bay, Marina del
Rey, and the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles — about their increased inundation areas. “A large tsunami could flood sizeable areas of Marina Del Rey and Long Beach to an elevation of 15 feet,” Wilson said. “Flood levels for the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach could reach elevations of 12 to 15 feet, which would inundate almost all of the land in the ports and some of the surrounding communities. Local officials have indicated that if both ports were shut down for one day, the economic loss to the county would be over $1 billion.” Los Angeles County’s beaches can have over a million visitors per mile of beach during summer weekends and holidays, posing an evacuation challenge. The Tsunami Hazard Area maps will help communities understand their threat and plan appropriately. “This map is based on the best data we have, but there’s a margin of error when you’re trying to consider a thousand-year event, so we err on the side of caution,” said Nick Graehl, the CGS engineering
WWW.YOVENICE.COM
geologist who developed the Los Angeles County map. “The buffer zones on the map accounts for that uncertainty. We worked closely with local emergency planners to identify places where mapped tsunami hazards have changed so that they can update their evacuation plans.” According to the scenario used by CGS, the first surges of a worst-case tsunami would reach the Los Angeles coastline in about six hours. “That may seem like a lot of time, but it will take an hour or so for the National Tsunami Warning Center to issue a warning to California and then additional time for local authorities to determine whether an evacuation is necessary, ” Wilson cautioned. “The bottom line is, if you’re near the coast and feel strong shaking from a local earthquake or get an official notification to evacuate, move inland as soon as possible.” To view the interactive map visit conservation.ca.gov/cgs/tsunami/maps/ los-angeles
April 23 – May 21, 2021
Letter to Editor: Opposition to CD 11 Homeless Shelters
To the Honorable Councilman Mike Bonin,
My family and friends strongly object to your City Council motion March 31st, to study bringing additional overnight homeless camping to several LA County beaches, or to anywhere else in CD 11. During our large CD 11 fire safety meeting at Palisades High in March 2018, we requested your position on overnight camping on beaches. You told all of us that you OPPOSED such camping. My wife and I attended your public outreach, at Westminster Elementary in October 2018, where you and Mayor Garcetti tried to persuade your Venice audience that Bridge Housing on the MTA lot would help that community An assistant to the Mayor claimed sincerely, “The proposed shelter will raise the value of nearby homeowners’ properties”. What happened to your promises of frequent cleaning, enforcement against tents, and extra security detail? Riding the bike path weekly since 1995, I’ve had a first-row seat to watch Venice decline since you took office in 2013. Also, I’ve confirmed in periodic conversations with LAPD, that you had instructed LAPD to stop enforcing against overnight loitering on Venice Beach, and we now see the results of your policies and actions. Joining the April 8 City Council meeting on Homelessness I heard callers pushing new large-scale housing construction, claiming “Housing is a Human Right”, and discussing “unhoused neighbors”. But nothing on property rights, tax policy, or projected ongoing costs. Roughly 450 joined the Palisades Community Council meeting with you last night where you asked us for a location (in the Palisades) to locate your proposed encampment of “cabins”. Please do not force us, or the rest of CD 11, to accept your cabins of chaos. You and the Mayor created this crisis, and we resent being tasked now with cleaning up after your destructive policy decisions. Why are such crises not seen in Beverly Hills or Manhattan Beach? Your voting record shows a continuing enablement of homeless people, including 1) reduction of periodic cleanups, and 2) raising the amount (and timeframe) for storable homeless possessions. You cater to homeless advocates, at the growing expense of taxpayers. You propose a “Continuum of Care” including housing, food, treatment, and job training, but adding costly housing and services only attracts even more homeless. Reviewing your proposal, let’s use HONEST vocabulary: 1. The camping you propose as ”Safe” is instead dangerous. Your $8M Bridge Housing in Venice reveals a strong correlation between vagrancy and violence, including three murders near the Venice shelter since December. 2. Camping labeled “Temporary” will be
April 23 – May 21, 2021
Photo: Sam Catanzaro “You and the Mayor created this crisis, and we resent being tasked now with cleaning up after your destructive policy decisions. Why are such crises not seen in Beverly Hills or Manhattan Beach?” write CD 11 constituents.
permanent. Any location will become an encampment protected by activists, lawyers, and yourself. We saw last month’s conflict at Echo Park Lake, and your outcry against LAPD clearing the park for scheduled cleaning of a public property. After your complicit response to homeless advocacy groups, inquisition of local police, and your vote to defund the LAPD, we wonder who you truly represent. 3. Renters and owners are NOT simply “one paycheck away from homelessness”. If housing were a human right, many would be pitching giant tents on large parks in Beverly Hills. 4. Homeless are NOT our “unhoused neighbors”. Neighbors do not defecate on lawns, or leave heroin needles on streets, or murder the elderly Surveys indicate homeless often come from OUTSIDE Los Angeles. You now ask us to import from outside the Palisades, from outside of CD11, and from outside Los Angeles. Worse, you seek to limit our choice to where (not whether) to import into our community. 5. You push “Solutions in Every Neighborhood” but this proposal instead simply relieves pressure on yourself from angry constituents in Venice, spreading and magnifying problems. Your approach mirrors Council moves in July 2019: Adding >222 homeless beds to every Council District would be unpopular, so no Councilmember demurred. If any did, the others would suffer asymmetric heat from their respective voters. So all Councilmembers voted, en masse, to force a homeless shelter on each District.
Within CD 11, you’re now doing the same. This is not leadership. Most homeless in CD11 are not from CD11, and we have zero further obligation to shelter locally. When constructing shelters, choose locations where they can be expanded without resistance, well outside of municipalities and neighborhoods. Stop guilting us into endless obligations for your public policy. We see the results, in mushrooming tents, trash, needles, fights, noise, feces, fires, stabbings and murders by homeless people in your District. Where’s our $1.2B from your Prop HHH in 2016 Where’s our millions from the 2004 income tax, intended for treatment of the mentally ill Deploy appropriate medical treatment to those in need. Enforce no-camping laws on those who don’t. Work with your colleagues on the City Council, and with State Assemblyman Richard Bloom and State Senator Ben Allen, to achieve the following: A. Repeal the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act of 1967, to help the mentally ill. B. Repeal the destructive Propositions 47 and 57, to keep communities safe by reducing the population of criminals. C. Identify available govt buildings and lots, to secure less expensive housing, safe parking, and required services. D. Create a program to help people return to their families outside of California, to halt the explosion of homeless in L.A. E. Update mental health legislation, including: + Thresholds for holds + LPS conservatorship + Probate conservatorship
WWW.YOVENICE.COM
Implement solutions which actually HELP the homeless. Abandon your March 31 LACC motion. Thank you for your service to the Palisades, and to the rest of Council District 11. Respectfully,Matthew Reiser, CD11 voter, and Los Angeles native Denise Reiser, CD11 resident and voter Valerie Williams, CD11 resident and voter Jennifer Hawks, CD11 resident and voter Pamela Finck, CD11 resident and voter Caryn Perez, CD11 resident and voter Scott Quigley, CD11 resident and voter Elynor Chiu, CD11 resident and voter Gene Rink, CD11 resident and voter Lucia Ludavico, CD11 resident and voter Paul Blyumkin, CD11 resident and voter Lori Erenberg, CD11 resident and voter Lisa Ross, CD11 resident and voter Kathleen Lilley, CD11 resident and voter Beth Holden-Garland, CD11 resident and voter Julie Lai, CD11 resident and voter Alla Douglas, CD11 resident and voter Kathleen Lilly, CD11 resident and voter Holli Gomes, CD11 resident and voter Liz Bluestone, CD11 resident and voter Cheryl Robinson, CD11 resident and voter John Attard, CD11 resident and voter Victoria Zet, CD11 resident and voter Jeaneen Fabbro, CD11 resident and voter Krishna Thangavelu, CD11 resident and voter
7
SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
FLEXIBLE ONLINE CLASSES Classes start Jun 21 smc.edu/summer
46 per unit $
SANTA MONICA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES Rob Rader, Chair; Dr. Louise Jaffe, Vice Chair; Dr. Susan Aminoff; Dr. Nancy Greenstein; Dr. Margaret Quiñones-Perez; Dr. Sion Roy; Barry A. Snell; Joshua Elizondo, Student Trustee; Kathryn E. Jeffery, Ph.D., Superintendent/President Santa Monica College | 1900 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 | smc.edu
8
WWW.YOVENICE.COM
April 23 – May 21, 2021
Home and Garden B1 - B4 / Summer Camp Guide B5 - B8
HOME and GARDEN Free and Sustainable Trees for Your Yard City Plants and California Native Plant Society making a greener Los Angeles BY C HAD W INTHROP Two programs are helping make Los Angeles greener, more sustainable and shadier by facilitating the planting of trees on private property. First up is City Plants, a non-profit organization running a public-private partnership between the City of Los Angeles and six other non-profit organizations. “Together, we work with community groups, residents, and businesses to coordinate tree planting and care throughout Los Angeles,” the organization writes on their website. City Plants is a continuation of LA’s former tree planting program, Million Trees LA. “Our current name reflects our changing priorities, which are to focus our efforts in low canopy areas and to plant in a way that maximizes the benefits trees provide rather than on reaching a specific number of trees,” City Plants said. Among other initiatives, the organization plants and distributes around 20,000 trees a year, including free shade trees to plant in yards on private property and in parkways. “If you live in the City of Los Angeles, you can receive free trees to plant in your yard! Planting trees in your yard is an easy way to save energy and cool your home. We’ll supply you with up to seven free, water-efficient shade trees and deliver them straight to your door, along with stakes, ties, and fertilizer pellets to get your trees started off right,” City Plants says. There are two ways to get trees through this program, the first is free shade trees delivered straight to your door. Choose from over 30 different water-efficient species, and City Trees will deliver 5-gallon sized trees to your home with stakes, ties and fertilizer pellets. All you have to do is plant and care for them. There is a 7 tree limit per household. All yard trees come in a 5-gallon container and are between 3 – 5 feet tall. Trees are delivered approximately in 8-10 weeks. In addition, for those who do not want to wait, City Plants Collaborative offers limited free fruit and shade tree “virtual adoptions” to bring trees straight to Angelenos. So who can take part? You must be a resident of the City of Los Angeles and present a photo ID or LADWP bill to prove eligibility. Visit
CityPlants.org for more information on the program. So why should LA Residents take part in this program? “We cannot take our trees for granted. We must plant now to ensure a green future for our kids and grandkids. We are losing trees at a time when we need them the most. We expect our City to get hotter in the coming decades, and trees are key to cooling our homes, streets, and schools. We must plant aggressively now to ensure that as temperatures rise, our City is equipped with a cooling canopy of healthy, mature trees,” City Plants says. People who do not live in the City of Los Angeles who can’t access the free trees that are part of City Plants can still feel good about planting trees in yards. The California Native Plant Society, a collaboration between UC Berkeley and the Jepson Flora Project offers a resource that displays nurseries in the state that specialize in native plants. “True native plants are the foundation for nature restoration. They attract butterflies, birds, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals,
City Plants, see page B-4
The cutting edge of quality craftsmanship With over 35 years of experience in the industry, Calcoast Construction will take your project from inception to completion. Each home project has its occupants in mind in order to create the most enjoyable living environment for them. A custom experience — built to last.
310-828-8095 calcoastconstructioninc.com
General Contractor Tony Cosko - Licensed/Bonded/Insured (Lic #902807)
Family Owned - 35 Years
B-2
How to Heal the Soil and Why. We all know how important the vital role the soil plays in your plants’ health, trees, and eventually the Earth’s health. We take for granted the soil that lies beneath our feet. For a while now, humankind has been dumping chemical fertilizers, pesticides, etc., into the soil, air, water, ocean. These all kill off the microbial life that lives within the soil. The microbial army whose home is the soil. A long time ago, when I first started gardening in my backyard, I realized right away how alive the soil was. Earthworms everywhere, and many things were moving around! Looking under a microscope, I discovered a fascinating hidden world. I call them Earth Warriors. They are the real Invisible Gardeners. It didn’t take me long to realize what my calling was! To help these tiny beings in their work of healing the soil! Why is healing the soil so important? All life depends on the Earth having living soil. The soil provides everyone else the minerals they need to be alive, stay alive, and be healthy. The soil microbes are grouped according to their functions. The ones I am talking about are the ones that take the minerals in the soil and convert it into a soluble nutritional form that the plants can use. This is one grouped of mycelium. These guys then pass this food along to another grouped of mycelium that
lives on the plants’ root hairs, trees, etc. These have evolved to attach themselves to the roots and then transfer directly into the trees. The plant then transfers the food to all its parts. Like when we eat, the body has a system of making sure all aspects of our body receive the proper nutrition. The central part of this food is minerals. But we cannot digest minerals straight, so the microbes and plants do that. I often tell folks that all diseases start in the soil. They are already there, waiting for the right time to emerge. When is it the right time? The higher the stress, the greater the pest. The stress can come about through many things indirectly, like overwatering. Too much water floods the soil and drowns the microbes. So the water is an indirect cause, but the real reason is that the soil no longer has these beneficial microbes to provide food to the plants. All diseases and pests attacks are directly related to a trace mineral deficiency. The health of the soil directly affects the plants’ health and their ability to absorb the minerals. We can help heal the soil by avoiding chemicals, especially chemical fertilizers. Use only organic fertilizers best if they carry their mycorrhiza. Learn to apply rock dust as a source of minerals. Find a source of living compost rich in microbes. For more information, please visit InvisibleGardener.com Any questions visit my website and use the contact form. Mention this paper and I will answer back in next column
Andy Lopez Heal the Earth, and you Heal Yourself
B -3
Contact me today to learn more! Ryan Woodward
Vice President, Mortgage Lending
O: (310) 791-6077 grarate.com/ryanwoodward Ryan.Woodward@grarate.com 130 North Brand Blvd, Suite 207 Glendale, CA 91203 NMLS ID: 700492, LO#: CA CA - CA-DFPI700492 Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC is a registered trademark of Guaranteed Rate, Inc., used under license. Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC is a subsidiary of Guaranteed Rate, Inc.; NMLS #1598647; For licensing information visit nmlsconsumeraccess.org. Equal Housing Lender. Conditions may apply Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC is a registered trademark of Guaranteed Rate, Inc., used under license. Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC is a subsidiary of Guaranteed Rate, Inc. CA: Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act
B-4 City Plants, from B-1 bees and other pollinators that evolved with those plants, and over time create a working natural ecosystem, without pesticides, and without artificial fertilizers. The butterfly and bird life in particular in a true natural garden is often spectacular. With the right plants, it’s not hard for homeowners to create small patches of nature throughout even the developed part of the state,” California Native Plant Society writes on their website. California is an extremely environmentally diverse state. According to the California Native Plant Society, different California native plants evolved to grow in areas of the state with very different temperatures, rainfall levels, summer drought periods, air moisture levels, and marine influences, among other factors. “It’s always best to grow California native plants in the areas in which they evolved. They are easier to grow, healthier and require little or no artificial irrigation when they are planted in an area in which they evolved and naturally belong. Native California plants that aren’t really native to that location will often struggle or die no matter how much you water them,” California Native Plant Society writes. “For successful native plant landscaping and nature restoration, it’s important to grow plants that are native to your location AND placed in spots with the right soil, sun and water conditions. Before you finalize which native plants to grow and exactly where to place them, please review the Calscape plant descriptions to make you place them in spots with the conditions they require.” Visit calscape.org for more information.
Mention this ad for 20% discount
B -5
SUMMER CAMP GUIDE 2021
Get Away Without Going Away
5 family staycation ideas that won’t break your budget
Family vacations are a great way to bond and take a step back from the hectic schedules that accompany everyday life, but sometimes time or money (or both) make planning an elaborate trip a non-starter. However, a staycation - a vacation you take right in your hometown (or nearby) - can be much less expensive and fit into nearly any amount of available time with the added bonus of skipping out on potentially stressful travel. Consider these staycation ideas to take advantage of your local area’s attractions and prove you don’t have to go far to spend quality time together. Visit local landmarks. Just because it’s not a traditional vacation doesn’t mean you can’t pretend to be tourists. Start by visiting the places you recommend to friends and family from out of town or pick up a city guidebook to uncover hidden spots you may not even know exist. Make a plan to seek out historic
Photo: Getty
Staycation, see page B-7
SUMMER is the BEST time to build learning skills CALL TODAY ! K & M Center Remediates Learning Differences 310-582-1563 ext 102 www.kandmcenter.com
Writing
Reading/Dyslexia
Flexible Thinking
Math
Executive Functioning
Processing Speed
B-6
Sunshine BEACH VOLLEYBALL CAMP
SUMMER
2021
Y EARLATION R t): ST REGI e May 1s r , (Befo per week y 0 a 0 $3 0 per d $6
June 7 - Aug 20, 2021 • 9:00am - 12:00pm Ages 8 to 16
Will Rogers State Beach (PCH and Temescal)
www.SunshineVolleyball.org
B -7 Staycation, from B-5 sites, visit local landmarks like museums or try an out-of-the-way restaurant (or two) you’ve never eaten at before. Camp out in the backyard. Camping doesn’t have to be done far from home. In fact, it can be done right in your own backyard. Pitch a tent
to sleep under the stars and plan a night full of traditional camping activities like roasting s’mores, telling spooky stories by flashlight and trying to identify stars and constellations. Set up a picnic in the park. Pack a basket with sandwiches, fruit and other treats and head to the park. You can enjoy a casual meal then take advantage of the open space for a family walk or game of tag before retreating to
the playground to let the little ones expel any leftover energy. Have a home spa day. If you’re looking for some relaxation but don’t want to splurge on the full spa treatment, plan an at-home oasis instead. Light some candles, run a bubble bath and break out the facial masks and fingernail polish. Visit an amusement park. No matter where
you live, there’s probably an amusement or water park within driving distance. A quick online search before you arrive can help prepare a strategy for hitting the most popular thrill rides and waterslides while skipping those that may not provide quite the same entertainment value. Find more tips and tricks for enjoying family time together at eLivingtoday.com.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE LATEST LOCAL NEWS!
DO SOMETHING AWESOME THIS SUMMER www.hw.com/summer
B-8