HOLMBY NEWS
August 19, 2016
From the Holmby Westwood Property Owners Association, serving the Holmby Westwood community since 1960.
1. Back to School Safety
2. Holmby Park Preservation News
3. Helicopter Noise Complaints
4. Westwood Area Auto Crimes Report
5. Fire Station #71 – at Sunset & Beverly Glen
6. ACS Security Update
7. LAPD Blood Drive
8. Congressional “App Challenge”
9. 2017 Military Academy Nominations
10. HWPOA Communication and Ad Policy
11. Resident Ads
12. HWPOA Contact Information
1. BACK TO SCHOOL SAFETY
Earlier this week, the school year began for LAUSD schools. Please be careful when driving around the neighborhood at drop-off and pick-up times, and if you are a parent of a student, please observe all safety regulations when dropping off or picking up your children. Let’s keep the neighborhood safe!
2. HOLMBY PARK PRESERVATION NEWS
Have you tried playing golf at Holmby Park? It is an especially fun course to play with children. The course is an 18-hole “pony course”. It is deceptively difficult and will definitely help improve your short game and concentration. The longest hole is 60 yards. Most of the holes are in the 40-yard range. The greens are about 10 feet wide. All you need to play is a wedge and a putter. It costs just $3 to play during the week and $4 to play on weekends. You can also rent a club for 25 cents.
There is no information about who actually designed the par- 54 course, but it is known that Olmstead’s original blueprints included a pony golf course. In 1981, the Armand Hammer Foundation gave a gift to help maintain the golf course in perpetuity.
Park Facts: An underground river flows beneath the park toward Wilshire Boulevard.
3. HELICOPTER NOISE COMPLAINTS
The Los Angeles Area Helicopter Noise Coalition (LAAHNC) is working to seek relief from helicopter noise across Los Angeles County. You can file a noise report with the Automatic Complaint System. For more information about how to find your reports in the Automatic Complaint System, please watch this 4-minute video:
Video – Helicopter Noise Disturbance Reports
4. WESTWOOD AREA AUTO CRIMES REPORT
The West Los Angeles Area continues to be a target rich environment for auto crimes. Car burglars canvass neighborhoods throughout the night to commit their crimes while most of us are sleeping. The Los Angeles Police Department is making every effort to combat this problem.
An unattended automobile is never a safe or secure place to leave any valuables, whether or not the vehicle is locked. If any property is left unattended in the car, even for just a few minutes, IT WILL BE STOLEN! Something as simple as a sunglass case, an empty backpack or gym bag will cause your car window to be smashed resulting in hundreds of dollars in damage alone.
Car burglars are taking a variety of small electronics and valuables. The top items being taken in most car break ins are back packs, portable GPS systems, cellular phones, lap top computers, tablets, purses, wallets and money.
Community awareness and involvement is instrumental to the prevention of these crimes.
Do not leave ANY property or valuables visible in the car! Remember to Lock It, Hide it, Keep It!
5. FIRE STATION #71 – AT SUNSET & BEVERLY GLEN
This past month, the firefighters at Engine Station # 71 (Beverly Gen and Sunset) cooked dinner for the homeowner representatives whose organizations have contributed to the ongoing financial support of the station. Over the past 14 or so years, these associations have helped to raise enough funds to purchase the many requests from the firefighters that the city does not provide for our station. This year, we contributed $11,000 for a new tool room which had not been updated for 50 years. Over the years, we purchased a TV, remodeled the kitchen, provided dividers for privacy in the sleeping quarters, lazy-boy reclining chairs in the recreation room, and canopies for shade at the Pancake Breakfast.
During our dinner, I inquired about emergency calls to 911 and equipment for such calls at Station #71. I believe this info will be of interest to our members:
Every firefighter at #71 is an EMT and is CPR certified. Each firefighter can use AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) when working with a full cardiac arrest. They have emergency training and can administer some drugs that fall under County Health protocols. They can do CPR, bandaging, splintering, etc. to make you comfortable.
FS #71 has 3 Firefighter Paramedics (2 Firefighter Paramedics on the ambulance and 1 on the fire engine.) All three rotate from two positions on the Rescue Ambulance to the paramedic position on the engine. They respond to all emergency 911 calls. Most of the members have close to or over 20 years on the job. They have all spent time in the much busier areas of the city so, all have extensive medical, fire, and emergency related experience.
They will ask you what hospital you normally go to or wish to be taken to. According to the data they receive from the hospital, they are able to determine if that hospital is full or is able to accommodate you. If the hospital you request is full, they will take you to another hospital. If it is a life or death situation, they will take you to the closest hospital.
Fire Station #71 is not only open to visitors during the Fire Service Day and the Pancake Breakfast. You can call to make arrangements to visit at anytime. It is always open to our community but the firefighters could be out on a call. They are a fantastic group of firefighters and we thank them for their service as first responders in times of need!
There is an ongoing Station support effort known as “Adopt Fire Station #71” in which I serve as president. The Holmby Westwood Property Owners Association, Bel Air Association, Comstock Hills Homeowners Association, Benedict Canyon Association, and Residents of Beverly Glen all participate in the “Adopt” program.
Adopt Fire Station # 71 is a CA nonprofit PUBLIC BENEFIT Corp, 501 © (3). Your gift will not only benefit the facility but, most importantly, will improve the quality of life for the firefighters and paramedics who, while on duty, live at the station for many days each month.
If you would like to contribute to this ongoing effort, please make your check payable to Adopt Fire Station # 71
and send it to:
Adopt Fire Station # 71
c/o HWPOA
P.O. Box 49180
Los Angeles, CA 90049
Thank you,
Sandy Brown
6. ACS SECURITY UPDATE
Report from Greg Garver, ACS Security:
We currently have a car 24 hours covering from Sunset to Wilshire and from Mapleton to Hilgard. This we started with no customers in the area and kept the coverage for the 1 1/2 years it took to gain enough supporters to support the patrol service. Our weekend patrol is the same as weekday patrol.
As far as private patrol agreements we have a car on Conway from 6pm to midnight and Loring from 8pm to midnight, both of which are 8 hour shifts that assist in response and vacation watches in the area when not at their assigned duties (4pm to 6pm and 4pm to 8pm respectively). We also provide a 16 hour car in the area of Malcolm, Glenmont and Manning.
As far as crime in the area, unfortunately it is up in West L.A. as well as the Valley. The neighborhood should expect to see our patrol cars at random intervals throughout the day and we have no problems with HWPOA.
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7. LAPD BLOOD DRIVE
Show your spirit by taking part in the Cedars-Sinai’s annual LAPD West Bureau Blood Drive on August 24, 2016 and support the West Los Angeles Community Police Station.
Wednesday, Aug. 24 (Noon – 6 p.m.)
West Los Angeles Division
1663 Butler Ave. (Mobile Unit)
Contact Officer Gray – 30469@lapd.lacity.org
310-444-0735
All donors receive a custom T-shirt and each competing division is eligible to win a grand prize for the most donors registered.
8. CONGRESSIONAL “APP CHALLENGE”
Congressman Ted W. Lieu announced the launch of the Congressional App Challenge, a competition designed to engage student creativity and promote their participation in computer science and coding. The competition will take place from July 18 to November 2 and is open to all constituents.
Established by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2013, this nationwide effort allows students to compete against their peers by creating and an application or “app,” for mobile, tablet, or computer devices. The Challenge is designed to promote innovation and engagement in coding and computer science.
For more information, please click here:
Congressional App Challenge
9. 2017 MILITARY ACADEMY NOMINATIONS
From the Office of Congressman Ted W. Lieu:
The honor of attending a United States Military Academy comes with the obligation to serve in the Military for at least nine years, including four years at the Academy and five years with the Service.
Members of Congress may nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. Military Academies: U.S. Military Academy (USMA), West Point, NY; the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), Annapolis, MD; the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), Colorado Springs, CO; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), Kings Point, NY. The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA), New London, CT, does not require a congressional nomination for appointment.
To request a Military Academy Nomination from our office or for more information, please CLICK HERE.
10. HWPOA COMMUNICATION AND AD POLICY
Please direct all comments, questions or issues regarding the Holmby News to hwpoa@aol.com.
Ads for plumbers, housekeepers, garage sales, etc. will be posted in the weekly News. Emergency situations such as coyote sightings, lost and found pets, traffic alerts and similar situations will continue to be published during the week as received.
When placing an ad, please send to hwpoa@aol.com for the Holmby News moderator to review. Responses to ads should be directed to the ad placer, not to HWPOA.
11. RESIDENT ADS
SPRINKLER SYSTEM & GARDENER
Dear Neighbors,
I’m looking for someone to analyze our sprinkler system and adjust it accordingly for coverage and duration.
Also, I’m considering changing gardeners. Any rave reviews for someone?
Many thanks,
Andrea Smith
310-470-8343
ablsmith@dock.net
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SEEKING HANDYMAN
We are looking for an experienced handyman to help with some projects. If you have any good recommendations, please let me know.
Thank you,
Gary Reuben
greuben@pacbell.net
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HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE
After almost 40 years, we are downsizing from a large house to a condo. Maria Estevez, our beloved housekeeper of 10 years, speaks English, drives, and is a jewel. She does everything with a smile, and is wonderful with children and pets. She comes to us 2 1/2 days a week, so she will have time available. She can be reached at 310-625-9254, and please feel free to call me for a reference if you like.
Denise Frankfort
310-274-4721
12. HWPOA CONTACT INFORMATION
HOLMBY WESTWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
P.O. Box 49180
Los Angeles, CA 90049
310-470-1785
Email: hwpoa@aol.com
Web site: www.holmbywestwoodpoa.org