Friends’ voices and support are needed right now, as Governor Brown’s latest budget totally eliminates California state funding for the Library Services Act, the Public Library Foundation, and the state literacy services program. Not only are these programs in jeopardy, so is approximately $16 million in federal funding tied to them.

Glendale city council member Laura Friedman suggested eliminating Glendale’s ebook program during city budget deliberations this week, saying patrons could be referred to the Los Angeles library system, which has a larger selection. Such a move would handicap Glendale’s Library Arts & Culture Department, making it less flexible as future format changes in information resources occur.

Protecting the role of the public library in these uncertain times is critical. All Friends of the Library (join if you haven’t yet!) should attend tonight’s meeting, hear about what the library is doing in our community, and speak to neighbors and colleagues and especially elected officials in the coming days.

Following the meeting will be another free Friends of the Library author event at 7 p.m. featuring local physician Dr. Lawrence Dorrs.

CLC members have been asked to invite members of the public to a series of Open Houses which just began (one will be held in Eagle Rock Thursday, another in La Canada on Saturday). Even though the format of the Open Houses is more ‘for information only,’ Glendale citizens should attend and submit in writing any questions they have about the project.

There are conflicting statements from senior officials on the SR-710 extension’s use by trucks for goods movement. Some officials have stated the extension is to provide a north-bound route for trucks; others say trucks won’t be allowed in the tunnel. Truck traffic has a direct connection to safety, pollution, and congestion. It is also a significant factor in toll income projections, but these have been formulated without a clear idea of who will use this extension.

Community members from Long Beach to La Crescenta don’t want freeways expanded and extended to accommodate more trucks; instead they want forward-looking freight-to-rail alternatives, a completed light rail public transit network, better air quality and road safety, and less congestion.

Students at Glendale’s R.D. White Elementary School rode to school for international Bike to School Day today, and Walk Bike Glendale worked with the PTA and Safe Routes to School on the event. Giving students safer roads so they can exercise while walking or riding to school is one reason a road diet is a good idea.

Glendale’s Safe and Healthy Streets Plan development included webinars and case studies for city staff. Sunroom Desk road diet webinar notes indicate that road diets have achieved real success in cities across the U.S. The rate of accidents involving pedestrians or bicyclists, and vehicular accidents, fell after road diets were introduced. Safety improved, more people were out walking or bicycling, and vehicle traffic adjusted well.

A road diet is not a “bike project”; it is a redesign that gives more travel space to pedestrians and bicyclists while calming vehicle traffic. Fewer car lanes make it safer for pedestrians to cross streets. Seniors and children especially benefit from these improvements. Drivers benefit because a middle left-turn lane creates better access to driveways and more separation of traffic. People who live along such streets have a safer environment.

Glendale’s Safe and Healthy Streets Plan, which includes these and other transportation infrastructure changes, just received a Southern California Association of Governments’ Compass Blueprint Award. This video describes Glendale’s work recognized by the President’s Award for Excellence: Visionary Planning for Mobility, Livability, Prosperity & Sustainability.

From the Compass Blueprint SCAG Recognition Awards announcement:

The Safe and Healthy Streets Plan was adopted unanimously on April 19, 2011 and promotes a vision of Glendale where residents live safer, healthier lives by walking and riding a bicycle for transportation and recreation. The plan lays out a blueprint to develop a multi-modal road network that addresses the needs of all users through a combination of education, encouragement, enforcement, engineering and evaluation policies.

Developing a Citywide network of Neighborhood Greenways, the plan will connect major civic, educational, recreational and commercial destinations in Glendale. The City of Glendale collaborated closely with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC) to create the policy, work with advocates, and develop overwhelming community and residential support.

Brand Library’s special art, music, and architecture collection of new books, old books, the Reference Songbook collection, DVDs, CDs, and more are on the library’s main level, to the right just past the check-out desk. All library patrons can get 3 hours of validated parking in the structure on the corner of Maryland and Harvard by stamping their tickets in the machine at the end of check-out.

The Associates of Brand Library and Art Center are continuing to provide arts programming during the renovation. A special screening of the documentary Grandma’s Tattoos took place April 18, a Neon tour of Glendale with the Museum of Neon Art (photos on Tropico Station!) was held April 28, and a screening of The Desert of Forbidden Art is set for May 10 at 7 p.m. (the film series is co-sponsored by the Glendale Public Library).

Media Advisory released today:

Residents of the “Diesel Death Zone,” named by doctors serving the area surrounding the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, sent a video tour [http://bit.ly/Is15bx] of their neighborhoods to Warren Buffett, CEO of the parent company of the BNSF railroad, calling on him to halt BNSF’s plan to build a new facility near their homes and schools, and instead locate it on the dock of the port.

[Excerpts from the letter to Warren Buffet] –

April 10, 2012

Re: Southern California International Gateway proposed railyard

Dear Mr. Buffett,

We live in the neighborhoods of West Long Beach and East Wilmington, California and are members of organizations that work in these areas that have come to be called the “diesel death zone” by doctors and other health professionals who serve our community. We’ve earned this designation because we live near the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles which together make up the largest port complex in the United States where ships, trucks and trains spew the cancer-and asthma-causing diesel fumes into the air that we and our children breathe every day.

As you may know, one of your companies, Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), is proposing to build a railyard in our community that will significantly increase harmful diesel air pollution. The purpose of this proposed railyard is to increase the amount of cargo hauled by BNSF railroad. However, we believe there must be a better solution, one that will create a net increase of jobs without adding additional pollution and increasing more negative impacts on our communities. We are asking for your help to achieve this solution.

The Port of Los Angeles will decide soon whether or not to allow the BNSF rail yard to be located in our neighborhoods that stretch from Wilmington to West Long Beach. The location will subject us to millions of additional diesel trucks and hundreds of additional diesel locomotives. BNSF wants to build this railyard within 500 to 1000 feet of multiple public schools and only 250 feet from a daycare center for homeless children. More than 30 locomotives a day would go in and out of the yard—and thousands of trucks a day. This project flies in the face of all the latest research findings from studies at the University of Southern California (USC) and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), and across the country, showing extremely harmful health effects from air pollution in areas adjacent to traffic pollution, including diesel emissions.

…There is an alternative to the proposed railyard: the Port should build more railyard capacity right at the Port—on its dock, rather than in our neighborhood—so that cargo containers could be moved directly from ships onto BNSF trains. More on-port rail would eliminate tens of thousands of truck trips and the accompanying pollution near our homes and schools. We would have as many new, good jobs as the polluting alternative, but without damaging the health of our families or imposing massive new health care costs on our community.

…[signed by]

Coalition for Clean Air

Coalition for a Safe Environment

Communities for a Better Environment

East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice

End Oil

Greater Long Beach Interfaith Community Organization

Long Beach Alliance for Children with Asthma

West Long Beach Association

Beatriz Reyes

Carmen Rivera

Elena Rodriguez

Evelyn Knight

John Cross

Sofia Carrillo

www.eycej.org

]]> http://sunroomdesk.com/2012/04/26/los-angeles-port-bnsf-expansion-protest-to-warren-buffet/feed/ 0 http://sunroomdesk.com/2012/04/25/scag-plan-budgets-billions-for-more-freewaysis-this-a-sustainable-communities-strategy/ http://sunroomdesk.com/2012/04/25/scag-plan-budgets-billions-for-more-freewaysis-this-a-sustainable-communities-strategy/#comments Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:05:16 +0000 Editor http://sunroomdesk.com/?p=11070 The LA Times praised the Southern California Association of Governments’ 2012 Regional Transportation Plan. LA Streetsblog offered a neutral assessment, while The Wall Street Journal criticized it. The focus in all cases was on transit-oriented development vs. suburban sprawl, the result of a state requirement for incorporating a Sustainable Communities Strategy. Major coverage ignored the SCAG plan’s biggest flaw: allocating billions for freeway construction to accommodate more trucks from the ports instead of funding a zero-emission freight to rail system.

The Goods Movement Strategy at this point means more pavement, more trucks, more congestion, and more pollution in Southern California. Electrified rail systems are only acknowledged in the plan as long-term possibilities, even though detailed proposals for systems such as GRID, which would dramatically reduce the number of trucks on congested urban roadways, are circulating.

Billions are allocated to study the SR-710 gap closure EIR instead of funding transit alternatives now. Billions more will go to plans for a new East-West corridor for trucks carrying freight instead of building a separate rail system starting now. Billions are already allocated to expanding the ports’ real estate instead of modernizing and computerizing container storage. And all this was approved over the opposition of the majority of community members living nearby these proposed expansions and extensions.

The plan’s environmental impact report only considered residential development alternatives for achieving a sustainable communities strategy. The EIR should have offered a direct comparison between conventional goods movement practices (more real estate, freeways, and trucks) and electrified rail systems (smaller footprints, separate transportation, fewer trucks).

SCAG has overlooked a key opportunity to 1) use taxpayer funds wisely, 2) move ahead with a 21st century technology transportation project, 3) improve air quality, and 4) stay competitive with ports in Mexico, Panama, and the Gulf Coast which are expanding and modernizing to capture export business.

]]> http://sunroomdesk.com/2012/04/25/scag-plan-budgets-billions-for-more-freewaysis-this-a-sustainable-communities-strategy/feed/ 2 http://sunroomdesk.com/2012/04/24/armenian-genocide-remembrance-resolve-glendale-california/ http://sunroomdesk.com/2012/04/24/armenian-genocide-remembrance-resolve-glendale-california/#comments Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:25:32 +0000 Editor http://sunroomdesk.com/?p=11067 Armenian-Americans in Glendale: honoring the past, seeking justice, striving for a better future…highlighting Greg Krikorian, the Attarian family, Larry Zarian, Ardy Kassakhian.

From Asbarez Armenian News –

Baseball and the Armenian Dimension during April in Glendale

Glendale City Clerk Ardy Kassakhian will MC Capitol Hill Observance of the Armenian Genocide April 25.

]]> http://sunroomdesk.com/2012/04/24/armenian-genocide-remembrance-resolve-glendale-california/feed/ 0 http://sunroomdesk.com/2012/04/23/sr-710-eir-community-meetings-starting-late-in-the-process-getting-little-attention/ http://sunroomdesk.com/2012/04/23/sr-710-eir-community-meetings-starting-late-in-the-process-getting-little-attention/#comments Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:19:39 +0000 Editor http://sunroomdesk.com/?p=11054 A poorly publicized and sparsely attended meeting for the SR-710 environmental impact report and alternatives analysis took place April 16 for La Crescenta, Montrose, Burbank, and Glendale. This was the second of a series of “Community Liaison Committee” (CLC) meetings scheduled in April. Metro’s aim is to have area locals, who have signed up to represent their respective area(s), at each meeting.

(This Glendale News-Press feature discusses an upcoming April 30 CLC meeting at La Canada High School). The CLC meetings are separate from a series of Open Houses on the SR-710 EIR, which have just been announced.

Another group, the SR-710 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), composed of technical consultants actually conducting the EIR, city representatives, elected officials’ staff representatives, and various managers from agencies such as the Southern California Air Quality Management District, has been meeting regularly since January and discussing project alternatives. Citizens who signed up as community liaisons haven’t been asked to propose, select or reject alternatives alongside the TAC; at the April 16 meeting, those who came as community liaisons were informed about selections already made.

CLC participants received a Study Description and map, a CLC Roles & Responsibilities sheet, a Project Timeline, a list of future CLC meetings and Open Houses, and a portion of the SR-710 Scoping Summary Report, Volume 1, with Executive Summary and chart of comments (which No 710 Action Committee members stated were inaccurate).

A participant’s report from the meeting:

Mary McCormick, EIR outreach consultant and CLC meeting facilitator, said the study area was 210 square miles, one of the largest she has seen. A group representing the No 710 Action Committee suggested that the study area be expanded to at least Sylmar/Pacoima since those cities would also be affected by increased traffic from the project. No one from Burbank was present, and the study area doesn’t currently include that city (although its northern arterials could be affected by increased traffic on the 210).

Only two CLC meetings are planned in each community (the second in the middle of the summer!) and two series of Open Houses (schedule below).

The Open House format will be information stations with the “technical team” available to answer questions about alternatives. Anyone can attend any or all of the Open Houses. There will be no formal public comments but comment/question forms will be available.

McCormick stated that all alternatives are still on the table and that CH2MHILL and the technical team had come up with the recommendations presented. These included only the “no build” option, four freeway options, one rail alternative (Meridian route), 2 bus routes, and 2 arterial improvements. She explained that the team had taken the information directly from the Scoping Summary comments and narrowed down the choices for various reasons.

Those present asked for clarity on the Purpose & Needs of the project and the ultimate decision maker(s). The number of trucks that would use an expanded South 710, extended North 710, and a High Desert Corridor is unknown and highly debatable. Increased congestion and pollution in foothill communities is a big concern for residents, but no mitigation plans were presented.

Work is rapidly proceeding on the SR-710 EIR study, which includes study of a huge tunnel extension of the 710 to the 210, and residents need to speak up for safer, less expensive, and more sustainable approaches to 21st century goods movement and transportation planning in Southern California.

Open House Schedule (which does not yet appear to be on Metro’s SR-710 webpage):

May 8, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
El Monte Community Center – 3130 Tyler Ave.

May 9, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
La Canada High School, Info Resource Center – 4463 Oak Grove Dr.

May 10, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Alhambra Auditorium, Ratkovich Company – 1000 South Fremont Ave, Unit 1, Building A-10, Center, Suite 10150, Alhambra

May 14, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
El Sereno Senior Center – 4818 Klamath Place, Los Angeles

May 16, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
South Pasadena Library – 1100 Oxley Street

May 17, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Eagle Rock Elementary – 2057 Fair Park Ave, Los Angeles

A Saturday date may be added.

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