Results tagged “shelter”

After Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger slashed 100 percent of funding for domestic violence programs in California, shelters began making plans to cut services or worse, shut doors. In Santa Clairta, the local shelter laid off some employees and moved offices to save on rent.

State Parks are not closing after all, but at least six domestic violence shelters around the state have closed due to a small, but devastating budget cut by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger over the summer. That's according to the Domestic Violence Center of the Santa Clarita Valley, which came close to being the seventh such closure.

As firefighters get a better handle on the Station Fire, evacuations are lifted and shelters close. Two remain open, the Red Cross announced today. One at Verdugo Hills High School in the L.A. neighborhood of Tujunga (10625 Plainview Avenue, Tujunga, CA 91042) and the other at Golden Valley High School in Santa Clarita (27051 Robert C. Lee Parkway, Newhall, CA 91350). Since the beginning of the Station Fire last week Wednesday, the Red Cross has sheltered more than 700 people at seven shelters across the Los Angles region with the help of 500 volunteers. The organization estimates that they served 5,100 meals, 8,600 snacks and 525 comfort kits (containing a toothbrush and other personal hygiene items). Dozens of clean-up kits for homes were also given away.

This afternoon there are several new areas in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains that are under mandatory evacuation orders due to the Station Fire. While authorities cannot force people to leave their homes in these areas, heeding orders is seriously urged; this afternoon 5 people who opted not to leave Gold Canyon under orders two days ago are now in a situation too dangerous to allow a helicopter rescue.

One thing that stuck out from Obama's Election-night speech Tuesday was his promise to his two young daughters that they could get the puppy they've wanted for so long when they moved to the White House. Yesterday, Obama gave his first post-Election press conference, and was asked what kind of dog the Obama family had in mind. He explained that they were hoping to get a dog from a shelter, but that one of his daughter's allergy to dander meant they'd need to get a dog who was hypo-allergenic.

Whether you're a homeowner or renter, after a fire destroys your property, you'll be working with insurance to start over again (that's assuming, you have insurance, probably a good idea if you live in Southern California). "Residents need to prepare for evacuation with a 'grab and go box' containing important insurance and financial documents, a room-by-room inventory and relevant receipts," tips the Daily News.

It's already law that your pooch must be snipped, but starting tomorrow it is enforceable. If you didn't know about this, that's because "though Animal Services is charged with enforcing the mandatory spay-and-neuter law, it does not intend to do so," according to City Controller Laura Chick's scathing audit released in the summer. The purpose of the law is help control pet population growth. In theory, the less the little buggers are born and in turn not adopted, the less Animal Service shelters will have to practice euthanasia in overcrowded shelters. Fines start in the triple digits.

The 11-part no-kill animal shelter workshop series has gotten quite a buzz around town already, so we decided to talk to the man who is helping to facilitate the dialogue at these workshops, Rabbi Allen Freehling. For a little background, Rabbi Freehling was first asked to serve as the Director of the Human Relations Commission by then-Mayor Jim Hahn in 2002 and was asked to remain in this position by existing Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Rabbi Freehling said that the role of the Human Relations Commission is to try to bring different viewpoints to the same table.

The nearly 10,000 person death toll (and rising!) after yesterday's massive 7.8 earthquake in the Sichuan province of China serves as a reminder to Los Angeles that we are just as vulnerable to such a large shaker. It was just last month that scientists said "California faces an almost certain risk of being rocked by a strong earthquake by 2037." And they're talking about "the big one."

I'm pissed. On Tuesday night, one of Hollywood's top clubs had too many fat chicks and at least one couch that belonged on the porch of a frat house. Yes, I know there are people out there with real problems. Cry me a Red Bull and vodka. I'm not talking about the underprivileged, I'm talking about Privilege. I didn't want to roll deep, roll dubs, or roll bows. I just wanted to roll out. Privilege...