Tag: Los Angeles

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Monthly Full Moon Hikes in Southern California

Photo Taken by Julie Moree, on the trail in Coldwater Canyon park, looking of into the distance as the sun sets.
Photo Taken by Julie Moree, on the trail in Coldwater Canyon park, looking of into the distance as the sun sets.
Photo taken by Julie Moree, roughly 150 hikers tackled the trails to experience the beauty of the forest on the last full moon hike on July 28, 2013.
Photo taken by Julie Moree, roughly 150 hikers tackled the trails to experience the beauty of the forest on the last full moon hike on July 28, 2013.

Once a month, Los Angeles County residents and visitors have the opportunity to stroll through Coldwater Canyon Park located on the ridgeline between Studio City and Beverly Hills and view the beauty of the city in a rural setting.  For just five dollars, people of all ages and skill levels can walk along a choice of three different trails:  a kids hike for those who just want to enjoy the scenery, a medium hike for the average hike and an advanced hike for those who wish to challenge themselves with an hour long hike up and down the side of the mountain.

Photo taken by Julie Moree, each month residents can hike up the mountain and howl at the moon.
Photo taken by Julie Moree, each month residents can hike up the mountain and howl at the moon.

All hikes are under the supervision of a trained associate of TreePeople, an organization celebrating 40 years of its work and dedication to preserving the environment through education and restoration of the parks and recreation.

For a full list of monthly activities including Hiking under the Harvest Moon, visit the calendar section of their website.

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Automatic License Plate Readers: ‘Invasion of Privacy’ or ‘For our protection’?

The recent addition of License Plate Scanners to Law Enforcement cars in roughly 38 States is raising concern amongst residents. 

Station located on San Fernando Rd
Photo taken outside station
Photography by: Julie White

In San Diego, Calif, the cameras have been in use for four months and the Sheriff’s Department Spokeswoman, Jan Caldwell, confirms that the cameras have helped recover a “stolen car within the first ten minutes” of deployment.

But groups like the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa (ACLU) argue that the cameras “represent a potential threat to the privacy of Innocent (people)”.

 

In California, there are distinct laws regarding invasion of privacy—

  1. If a person “knowingly enters onto a land of another person without permission.”
  2. And If they “attempts to capture, in a manner that is offensive to a reasonable person, any type of visual image, sound recording,  or other physical impression” of person

The scanners are meant to help law enforcement fight crime and terrorism, but in a report from 

Photo taken of back plate of car
Photography by: Julie White

Bloomberg Businessweek,

“ACLU says, their biggest concern is figuring out ‘how long the location and movements of people are being kept on file’ after the pictures are taken by cameras mounted on police cars.In a question posted on Facebook that asked if “License plate scanners should be used to curb crime or if they are an invasion of privacy”,  Manuel Vasquez of San Fernando, Calif. answered, “Invasion of Privacy”.

Thus far in Los Angeles County, according to a the July 2012 report in the Police Chief Magazine, there are only “12 cars fully installed with the systems, 8 in the Compton area and 4 in the La Habra Heights area.”

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Honoring Lives On Memorial Day

Heroes come in all forms.  As we previously reported, a true hero doesn’t have to go to war to have battle scars.  And all heroes, likewise, should be celebrated.

On Memorial Day, celebrations and ceremonies are held around the country as patriots celebrate America’s accomplishments. 

In Los Angeles, a ceremony entitled “Honor A Life”, officially began the Memorial Day Festivities, which concluded with Ice Cream Bars and Water as residents were allowed to view the monuments at the Forest Lawn Cemetery.

 

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Bullying: A Rising Problem for not only children, but everyone.

In Los Angeles, like a lot of other states, there is one issue that is plaguing people, whether it be in school, the workplace or even at home.  Kristina Diener is a clinical psychologist who deals with violence related issues such as bullying. 

At the same time, we asked Facebook users to tell us what they know and think of bullying.

Watch now as she talks about the root of bullying and what one can do to conquer it.

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Autism Awareness And The LAPD

 

One out of 88 children have autism as the number consistently grows each year. As part of Autism Awareness Month this April, the Autism Society of Los Angeles teamed with the Los Angeles Police Department to accomplish two missions for the officers as well as for the children. 

Watch now, to see just how the children and the police officers are being educated to deal with each other in Los Angeles County.

 

 

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Homelessness In LA: What It Will Take To End Homelessness

“Homelessness isn’t universal.  It’s unique to the person who’s experiencing it at the time.”  (Herb Smith, Los Angeles Mission President)

While the U.S. is currently facing high homeless rates, in Los Angeles, Calif, other statistics show, men in their forties are more likely to make up the homeless

50% of African Americans in LA are or have been homeless
Data compiled from the Weingart Center

population.

Additionally, the study by the Weingart Center show African Americans make up about half of the homeless population, most, of which, reside in the downtown Los Angeles, Skid Row.  Skid Row, by definition, is geographically “a run-down, dilapidated area with a large, impoverished population.”  For Los Angeles, it is one of the largest areas where the homeless population live, but Los Angeles MissionPresident, Herb Smith says, “Skid row used to be that kind of a place, but today, that lead to something else, a change in the culture and a change in the individuals and interestingly enough we are now seeing people who are saying, ‘skid row is my home of origin… this is my community’.

One of the largest missions in the country, the L.A Mission provides homeless in and near Skid Row with many services including,

  • Hot meals, served 3 times daily,
  • Overnight shelter,
  • Clean clothing,
  • Showers,
  • Shaves,
  • And temporary baggage storage

The Los Angeles Christian Health Centers works with the mission to provide free medical services, such as,

  •  TB screening and follow up therapy,
  •  HIV Education,
  •  Counseling,
  •  Testing and follow up,
  •  Dental care,
  •  Chiropractic care
  •  And other general health services.

Many people, Smith says, that come into the mission are “non-skilled”.


Additionally, he says, the mission sees “education as a critical component to the solution of homelessness long term”.