Results tagged “sanfernandovalley”

conditions improve." Although the above geographical locations are specific, Fielding says wind can shift the level of dust particles in the air, so everyone should always be aware of their environment.

Even the occasional Adam Carolla listener -- whether during his decade on KROQ's Loveline, mornings via KLSX's The Adam Carolla Show, or digitally on his iTunes-topping The Adam Carolla Podcast -- knows the Ace Man has a great much to say about his formative years in North Hollywood. This 2007 rant (part of Zocalo's Public Square lecture series) is no different. (Zocalo hosts the full chat: How to be a Genius Without Even Trying: A Conversation with Adam Carolla.)

Once upon a time, Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley boasted its own theme park. The theme, ostensibly: Beer. Well, what else would you make the central focus of an amusement park located on the property of a major brewery?

With an ailing economy in the era of prolific self-expression via a multitude of platforms, sometimes the best way to be heard is to grab some paper and a pen and put the message up on your own four wheels. This is what one San Fernando Valley resident seems to be fond of doing, as found byLAist Featured Photos pool contributor CookieDuster, who explains the sign-maker's most recent foray into their version of Twittering:

The neighbor is riled up enough again to post his first tailgate message since election day. A total lack of punctuation and a spelling mistake only adds to the charm.

Continue reading "Found in LA: America's Armpit Analogy, With Spellcheck"

If you've been sitting on the edge of your seat waiting to grab up the best 747 area code number (747-666-6666?), today is the first day to grab one. The San Fernando Valley has been in overlay mode--that means you have to first dial 1 when calling within the 818 area code--since last month. Starting today, new phone line activations can be in the new 747 area code or still within the 818 one until it's fully exhausted.

On Sunday at LA Heritage Day, when over 60 local historical groups gathered at Heritage Square, one of the most crowded booths was from the Museum of the San Fernando Valley. The museum's president, Jerry Fecht, displayed hundreds of historical postcards drawing people to see what their Valley home looked like before massive development.

"Who in their right mind would pay 125.00/semester to spend hours stalking/fighting for parking spaces when you could arrive 15 minutes early, easily park a few blocks away, and walk?" ~ San Fernando Valley Yelp Review of the Day by Erin H. from the blog News Me Baby.

Today's Daily News takes a look at one of Los Angeles' main streets, Ventura Boulevard, and how it's faring in the current economic crisis. Not surprisingly, things are not going well for business owners whose shops are located on "the San Fernando Valley's most robust commercial strip."

As the downpour lightens across Los Angeles, things are still not back to normal for the region. The Los Angels Fire Department closed over two and a half miles of streets around the Sepulveda Basin in the Valley this morning due to flooding, mandatory evacuations are in place in Orange County and the roof of a building in Anaheim collapsed.

Good news for LAX: "The Marine layer has lifted across the L.A. County Coastal Communities and as a result, visibilities have improved over the coast," reported the National Weather Service shortly before 1:30 a.m. this morning. Last night's fog diverted one plane yesterday morning to Ontario Airport with passengers sitting on board for around nine hours.

Sunday afternoon saw the Sayre Fire reach 35% containment and no further buildings lost, however the blaze did continue to push north through the brush in Santa Clarita. According to local newsradio KHTS's website, "the fire made a run down the hill just after 3:15 p.m., although LA County fire crews say that it did not reach any of the containment lines and it has not prompted additional concerns for them."

The Air Quality Management District have issued a smoke advisory in the San Fernando Valley for today due to the Sayre fire currently burning. They caution that "all individuals are urged to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary outdoor activities in any area directly impacted by smoke. This includes areas where residents can see or smell smoke."

The wildfire that began late last night in Sylmar (13000 Sayre Street) has now grown to be at least 2600 acres, and has destroyed an as-of-yet undetermined number of homes and structures. Many local freeways remain shut down as the firefight continues. Currently there is one civilian who has been reported with major burns, and a few others with minor injuries. Evacuation centers are set up at Sylmar, San Fernando, Kennedy, and Chatsworth High Schools, and there are two major mandatory evacuation areas. Pierce College and the Hansen Dam are able to take in large animals from evacuees. Residents are being urged to gather up important documents, medication, and irreplaceable items such as photo albums and to leave their homes when asked, with the doors and gates unlocked so that firefighters can access the property as needed.

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The Sayre fire, which began around 10:30 last night in Sylmar has caused several transformers in the hills above the San Fernando Valley to explode, and as a result, the DWP has taken action to ensure the public's safety and to help the firefighters battle the blaze. According to a press release from early this morning:

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power began taking major power transmission lines near the Sayre Fire out of service at 5 AM today as the fire moved west toward the I-5 Corridor in Sylmar. Transmission lines were taken out of service due to the threat posed by the fire in order to assist firefighters and protect the public's safety. The I-5 corridor through Sylmar serves as a major utility corridor for the LADWP and other utilities, bringing imported power to Los Angeles from power plants in the Pacific Northwest and Southwestern US. As the fire moved toward the high-voltage transmission lines, the LADWP turned off these lines to ensure the safety of firefighters and the public.

The U.S. Forest Service has come out saying the apparent cause of the Marek Fire is "vehicle related," the LA Times reports. "Although preliminary findings indicated the blaze was caused by a vehicle, no further information was available, said Sherry Rollman, a spokeswoman for the Angeles National Forest." Earlier reports indicated the fire started near a shooting range, which it may have, but easily led to gun firing theories.

Smoke from the Sesnon and Marek fires continue to affect the San Fernando, Simi and Santa Clarita Valleys, including the immediate areas around fire scorched San Gabriel Mountains. However, the South Coast Air Quality Management District adds a new warning today with the changing winds: "As the winds diminish and shift, additional areas may experience smoke and ash, causing air quality to be Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or higher." Basically, continue to keep those windows shut and avoid vigorous outdoor or indoor exertion, they say. LA County's Dept. of Public Health recommends that "all individuals wanting to pursue any outdoor activities in areas where smoke, soot, or ash can be seen or there is an odor of smoke" should be avoided.

As of this morning, here's the latest on road closures and public transit routes affected by the Sesnon and Marek Fires (things can change, if they do, they should be updated at (800) 439-2909):

Follow LAist's continuing coverage of the wildfires by clicking here

Due to the Marek and Sesnon fires, the South Coast Air Quality Management District is sending out daily advisories. Today, they warn people in the San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita Valley and portions of the San Gabriel Mountains near the fires. "Concentrations of fine particulate may reach the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups category or higher in areas impacted by the fires," the advisory says. "As the winds diminish and shift, additional areas may experience smoke and ash, causing air quality to be Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or higher." As usual, they say that outdoor activity and even indoor activity should be avoided. Bad example: Fox 11 showed a man going for a run, jogging suit and all, in Porter Ranch this morning.

As people are dealing with the effects of the local wildfires, there are also organizations making sure the four-legged victims are being looked after. Especially since there are so many horses in the fire-stricken neighborhoods.

"Winds are causing fire conditions to change by the hour, which is why it is so important that residents in the areas surrounding these wildfires heed warnings from public safety officials to evacuate," Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said in preface to his emergency proclamation. "It's critical that everyone in the warning areas continue to be prepared-know what you're going to take and be ready to move very quickly if the evacuation order comes in your area. The state is coordinating with federal and local officials to ensure that firefighters have the resources they need, but with such a serious situation on our hands, we need residents to take every precaution to remain safe during this dangerous and difficult time."

Fire Chief, Michael Freeman reportedly told City News Service that there "is a real possibility" the fire could make a run down toward the Pacific Coast with the wind conditions, which are expected to pick up again tonight. At a 4:30 p.m. press conference, LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said that the fire "can go from [the Valley] to the ocean in a matter of two to three hours... now is the time to get prepared and be alert." Communities threatened by the current movement of the fire could be Hidden Hills, Bell Canyon, Calabasas and Agoura Hills.

The two fires burning in the San Fernando Valley have neared a total of 9,000 acres. The Sesnon Fire, which began north of Porter Ranch around 10:30 a.m. this morning, has quickly grown to 3,700 acres reaching into Chatsworth with no containment reported. The Marek fire in the Northeast Valley that began early Sunday morning is at 5,000 acres with 5% containment.

Depending where you are in the San Fernando Valley, it's super windy or not at all. The National Weather Service sent out an alert at 12:31 a.m. announcing a wind advisory through 9:00 a.m.: "Northerly winds 20 to 30 MPH with gusts to 45 MPH will continue overnight mainly affecting the Western portion of the San Fernando Valley including but not limited to Porter Ranch, Chatsworth and Van Nuys." ALSO: The weather is predicted to cool over the weekend with temps in the high 60s and low 70s.

"The tragic case of the Rajaram family is at the bleakest edge of the economic turmoil that is rattling Americans' emotional well-being. Worries about home foreclosures, job losses and plunging stock prices have sparked a surge in mental health problems," says the LA Times in a report about the economy and a national surge in mental health problems. "Rates of depression and suicide tend to rise during hard economic times. A study that looked at economic shifts between 1972 and 1991 found suicides rose an average of 2% when the economy faltered."

Following an LAPD press conference on the six deaths from a presumed murder-suicide in Porter Ranch, a northwestern San Fernando Valley community, police disclosed that the father left behind three letters indicating that he was behind the slaying of his mother, wife and three children because of "financial difficulties." The man had worked for Price Waterhouse and Sony Pictures and had a MBA in business. More info on the killings can be found here.

blogdowntown is all over the parks in their hood making a special page dedicated to the event. Our favorite is the bike rack in a parking space, something that is not a stranger to the streets of Portland. Over at Curbed LA, a reader is disappointed in the Valley. Apparently, the Studio City and NoHo Arts District parks were no where to be found and one in the Northeast Valley was "was little more than a tent set up in the street with a few big tables." We're lucky the Sherman Oaks one was there as said. Phew!

During a live press conference around 11:08 p.m. tonight, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa updated the injury count saying some 135 people were injured at this afternoon's Metrolink/Freight Train crash in Chatsworth. An estimated 222 people were on board with around 20 fatalities suspected. Update, 12:50 a.m.: 45 people were critically injured, according to KNBC.

A report about San Fernando Valley air quality released yesterday states that overall air quality has improved but the West Valley's ozone levels have risen while some East Valley neighborhoods have seen an increase in particulate matter, according to the Daily News.