Tom LaBonge Newsletter, May 14

"No Parking Cars for Sale" signs unveiled on 
Los Feliz Boulevard

Councilmember Tom LaBonge unveils one of scores of No Parking Vehicles for Sale signs on Los Feliz Boulevard.  Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, Los Feliz Improvement Association President Don Seligman and Ron Ostrow from the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Association look on.  The new signs follow passage of a new ordinance prohibiting parking vehicles for sale on Los Feliz Blvd., between Western Ave. and Interstate 5 ... and on Franklin Avenue from Western to Hillhurst, where signs will be going up soon.  Click here for more information
Click here to see more photos of the event

A long-closed Silver Lake Intersection reopens

Councilman LaBonge and students from Ivanhoe Elementary School cut the ribbon, reopening the key Silver Lake intersection of West Silver Lake Drive and Rowena Avenue, which had been closed for more than a year for construction.  Crews have been installing 96-inch water-pipe for the River Supply Conduit Improvement Project, lower reach -- Unit 4.  
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Earthquake Preparedness Tip of the Week
-Get a free Earthquake Preparedness DVD 
 MySafe:LA will be distributing FREE "Earthquake:LA" DVDs to a number of fire stations here in Council District 4. DVDs will be available at the following fire-houses:
Stations 56, 82, 27, 76,  60
Get yours on Fire Service Day Saturday May 14.
The DVD is a powerful tool to help you prepare yourself and your family for the earthquake experts say will surely hit southern California. 

Becoming an Education Nation

Councilman LaBonge and NBC LA President and General Manager Craig Robinson at the Education Nation kickoff event on May 13.  Both men graduated from John Marshall High School
NBC News is staging its Education Nation event in Exposition Park this year, with a exhibition outside the Natural History Museum from May 13 - 19.  Sponsored by University of Phoenix, the display has interactive exhibits about the state of education in the U.S. and in the world -- where we are and where we want to be.  Check it out.

Arrests made in Hollywood murder

Councilmember Tom LaBonge comforts Octavia Smith, whose son was murdered at a Hollywood party last month
LAPD Hollywood Detectives announced multiple arrests in the April 17th Hollywood murder of 22-year old Lorenzo Smith.  Police say they have all but one suspect -- all known gang-members -- in custody in connection with the incident at a party in the 1600 block of North La Brea Avenue, during which multiple suspects drew several guns and fired numerous times.  The gunfire killed Lorenzo Smith and seriously wounded another.  Smith's mother, Octavia Smith, thanked police for their diligent work in bringing her son's alleged killers to justice.

NOHO getting a new theater complex
We're pleased to report that San Fernando Valley movie-lovers will have a new option before the end of the year.  Construction is underway on the long-awaited Laemmle 7-Plex on Lankershim Boulevard in the NoHo Arts District, next to the Television Academy and Phil's Diner (dinner and a movie).  The builders say they hope to be finished by Thanksgiving.