Tom LaBonge Newsletter: Arson Arrest, Redistricting and New Year

Every day is a blessing, and every New Year is a new chance to make our Neighborhood, our Community and our City a better place to live.  I pledge to continue to work hard as your Councilman in 2012 to improve the lives of those living in Council District 4 and the City of Los Angeles.  With your help and participation, we can get it done.
Happy New Year ... let's make 2012 a great year.

Suspect arrested in a string of Hollywood 
Arson Fires

Councilman LaBonge speaks at a news conference announcing the arrest of a suspect in a string of more than 50 deliberately-set fires in and around Hollywood over the New Year's Holiday weekend.  Many of the arson-blazes were torched in Council District 4.  In response, Councilman LaBonge introduced an emergency motion, unanimously approved by the City Council this week, to expedite the rebuilding process for individuals whose buildings were damaged by the fires.  We're learning now that the man in custody on suspicion of setting the fires is also being investigated in his home country of Germany as well as Canada.
Click here for more details

See an NBC4 web story on the Emergency Motion



CD4 Redistricting Meeting well-attended

Photo courtesy of Karen Jordan, Hollywood Patch
More than 150 people showed up to discuss the City of Los Angeles Re-Districting Process during a meeting January 4th at Friendship Auditorium near Griffith Park.  Re-drawing City Council District maps is mandated by law following each Census Count to ensure that each of the 15 Council Districts has approximately a quarter-million constituents.  Thanks to all of those who showed up to be heard on the future look and geographic boundaries of Council District 4.


A Dry Winter of 2012?
As we approach mid-January without much rainfall yet, there is the possibility that it could be a dry winter in southern California.  Weather experts predict a so-called "La Nina" weather pattern, which typically means colder and drier winter-weather than usual for the Southland.  During a La Nina year, Los Angeles generally gets ten to 12 inches of rainfall, compared to the average 15 inches of rain per season.  Since 85% of the City of Los Angeles water-supply comes from imported sources -- which start as snowmelt from the eastern Sierra Nevada -- a dry winter can lead to expensive water for Los Angeles.  Councilman LaBonge has introduced a motion calling on the Department of Water and Power and the Metropolitan Water District of southern California to report to the City Council on current weather trends as they relate to rainfall and the impact on the City of Los Angeles' ability to purchase water this year. 



Unveiling the Sister Cities Sign at the 
Los Angeles Convention Center

(from left) Los Angeles Convention Center General Manager Pouria Abbassi, Councilman Tom LaBonge, CD4 Sister Cities Coordinator Kamilla Blanche and Convention Center Assistant General Manager Phillip Hill unveil the new Sister Cities of Los Angeles sign-post at the Los Angeles Convention Center, which will be hosting the 14th Annual Los Angeles Times Travel Show starting on January 27th.
Click here for more information and tickets



Copper Wire Thefts Continue, leaving some areas in the dark
Recently, Los Angeles has been hit hard by criminals who are stealing Copper Wire out of the Street Lights.  This has led to an increase of crime in our neighborhoods.  Over the last couple of years the price of Copper has gone up, which has resulted in an increase in copper wire theft. 
The Department of Public Works Bureau of Street Lighting has to replace over 870,000 feet of copper wire a year, costing the city millions of dollars to repair the street lights.  In these challenging budget times for the city, repairing street lights that have been tampered with is a cost we simply can't afford..  
LAPD needs your help to catch the criminals at work.  If you ever see anyone working on a street light, take a second look.  What does their van say?  Does it have a California Exempt License Plate?  Do the workers look like city workers?  If it is at all suspicious, immediately call 911.  Many of the Criminals will steal the wire during the day, so no one will see the lights go out.  Most people don't look twice at service workers and we won't know the light has been tampered with until that night. 
Please help us protect our lights and our neighborhoods.  If you see something, say something!



Last LaBonge Hike of 2011

Councilman LaBonge and his wife Brigid share a sunset vista from the peak of Mount Hollywood with a group of hikers who came along for the last hike of the year on New Year's Eve 2011.  What a way to ring-in the New Year, with a healthy climb in beautiful Griffith Park.



Plunging into the New Year!

-Photo courtesy of Gary Leonard
Councilman LaBonge joined Congresswoman Janice Hahn on New Year's Day at beautiful Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro for the 60th Annual Polar Bear Swim.  Hundreds of hearty souls turned-out on a beautiful southern California winter-day to brave the frosty depths for a bracing swim to a buoy and back.  Some folks have been taking the plunge for decades in one of the truly fun New Year's Day traditions.  Participants were treated to snacks, hot cocoa and hot coffee after the swim by the Polar Bear Club.