MARCH ARCHIVES
1998
Yaroslavsky Anti-Smoking Update - On Friday, February 27, Yaroslavsky joined a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. to oppose any “global” tobacco settlement under legislative consideration in Congress that fails to protect county interests around the nation in recovering local costs incurred in the treatment of smoking-related illnesses. On March 4, Yaroslavsky joined state and local health officials in releasing a survey of bar patrons in California that revealed strong support for continued enforcement of the state’s anti-smoking law for bars, which took effect on January 1, 1998. The tobacco industry has mounted an aggressive public-relations campaign intended to undermine and eventually repeal the law.
Yaroslavsky Anti-Gang Efforts Continue - As part of a continuing effort to drive out criminal street gangs from Los Angeles County, Yaroslavsky has actively supported the CLEAR Program (Community Law Enforcement And Recovery), which concentrates and coordinates Los Angeles City and County law enforcement, social-service and community resources to combat gang activity in trouble-prone areas.
On February 19, Yaroslavsky appeared in Pacoima with Mayor Richard Riordan, Sheriff Sherman Block, District Attorney Gil Garcetti, Acting Probation Director Walt Kelly, Los Angeles Police Chief Bernard Parks and other officials to release CLEAR’s first annual progress report, and to announce the program’s expansion into two other gang “hot spots.”
On March 4, Yaroslavsky announced a major new crackdown - financed largely through $184,000 of Yaroslavsky’s Third District anti-gang funding allocation - aimed at curbing criminal activities of the notorious “Mara Salvatrucha” gang in East Hollywood.
Yaroslavsky’s contribution will underwrite the cost of securing and enforcing a court injunction against the gang’s 40 most active and dangerous members, employing one Deputy District Attorney and one Deputy Probation Officer to accompany LAPD officers and ensure compliance with court-ordered terms of probation.
Yaroslavsky Unveils MTA Reform Initiative - On Monday, March 30, Yaroslavsky announced the launch of an initiative campaign to halt new subway construction and reform the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the region’s troubled and much-criticized transit agency. The measure will need 103,500 valid signatures by June to qualify for the November ballot. Click below to view:
Board Approves Yaroslavsky Call for Review of Valley Pediatric Trauma Services - In the wake of a tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of a young auto-accident victim and three Los Angeles City Fire Department rescue workers ferrying her to Childrens Hospital in Hollywood, the Board of Supervisors on March 31 unanimously adopted a motion by Yaroslavsky for a comprehensive review of pediatric trauma services in the San Fernando Valley. Yaroslavsky noted that while nine of the County’s 13 trauma centers offer specialized pediatric treatment, neither of the two Valley-based trauma centers do so - a geographical gap in service which led to the fatal airlift crash. Click here for a copy of the motion.
PCH Improvements Underway - On March 17, the Board of Supervisors approved a $7 million package of improvements to speed traffic flow on the congested Pacific Coast Highway corridor between the McClure Tunnel and Trancas Canyon Boulevard. These will include signal synchronization, message boards, radio advisories, and video surveillance.
Kanan Dume Road Reopens - On Thursday, March 12, Yaroslavsky appeared with Malibu Mayor Jeff Jennings to announce the long-awaited reopening of Kanan Dume Road, a crucial commuter traffic artery linking the West San Fernando Valley to Pacific Coast Highway. The road had been closed since September 1996 due to a slope failure. In August 1997, Yaroslavsky brokered an agreement with City officials to assemble the necessary financing from federal, state, County and City sources to complete the nearly $1 million repair job.
Yaroslavsky Announces Commission Appointments in March (+ designates reappointment)
03/10/98 John Perez, Economic Development Corporation
03/31/98 Leslie Gilbert-Lurie, +Los Angeles County Board of Education
03/10/98 Expanded WorldWideWeb Access to County Government
A motion to establish interactive constituent assistance and suggestion forms on all individual County Department Web sites and Home pages03/24/98 Anti-Smoking Efforts
A motion to retain the state’s ban on smoking in bars and nightclubs, and to oppose any legislation that seeks to repeal the measure.03/24/98 AIDS Prevention
A motion requesting that Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala lift the standing federal ban on funding for needle-exchange programs in recognition of their proven value in stemming the spread of AIDS among injection-drug users and reducing the risk of transmitting the infection to others.
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