LA City Vaccine/Testing Mandate Now In Effect
As of November 8th, the City of Los Angeles vaccine requirement is in effect, building on the rules already in place by the County. So what does this mean for daily activities?
Proof of COVID-19 vaccinations, or a recent negative test if you are claiming a medical or religious exemption, is now required to eat indoors at restaurants as well as go to gyms, hair salons, music venues, movie theaters and other similar congregate settings. While the new rules are officially in effect, there will be no fines issued to businesses until after November 29th to allow for a period of adjustment, awareness and education. Before anyone is subject to a financial penalty, warnings will be issued.
Our city cannot afford another shutdown and far too many Angelenos have already lost their lives or are living with long term impacts of this virus. We must continue to encourage everyone to get the vaccine. Unnvaccinated people are 7 times more likely to get COVID than vaccinated people. Also, a recent study published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said COVID-19 survivors who remained unvaccinated were five times more likely to get a new coronavirus infection compared with fully vaccinated people who had never been infected.
This means that when unvaccinated people are in crowded indoor spaces, especially those spaces where people often take off their masks, they are not only putting themselves at risk, but they are much more likely to be carriers and to infect others. Requiring vaccinations to be in these indoor spaces where people are likely to remove their masks is an inconvenience and a highly unusual restriction, but it is necessary to save lives by reducing the spread of COVID.
To find out more about how to get your vaccine, if you are eligible for a booster shot, or additional information please go to VaccinateLACounty.com. To learn more about the City’s vaccine requirement, go to safepassla.org To learn how to get a QR code on your phone which easily shows you have been vaccinated, please go to myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov
This week the City Council moved forward with a new redistricting plan that helps expand equity and keeps West Valley communities together. With the threat of having CD3 split in half, Councilmember Blumenfield successfully fought to ensure that almost all current residents of CD3 remain in the CD3, despite the fact that the district must shrink in territory to maintain a population balance with the other districts.
Essentially, the biggest change that impacts the West Valley is that instead of the north eastern portion of Reseda being represented by Councilmember John Lee, that area will now be served by Councilmember Nithya Raman. She will also serve a tiny portion of Reseda that had been in the CD3 (CM Raman will also represent Encino which is currently represented by CM Paul Koretz).
Blumenfield’s Reseda Rising investments which include the Reseda Theater and Senior Housing project, the Reseda Ice Rink, the Sherman Way facade program and various LA River park projects all remain in CD3, the district represented by Blumenfield.
To learn more about this process and the results, please read this recent editorial by Blumenfield.
As part of the City’s virtual Veterans Day celebration, each Councilmember honored a local veteran in their community. Councilmember Blumenfield recognized Petty Officer Third Class Bob Akre as Council District Three’s Veteran of the Year. A native Angeleno, Bob Akre served in the United States Navy from 1965-1969. Though he served during Vietnam, he served all over Asia including the Philippines, Hong Kong and Okinawa where he was an Opticalman specialist who serviced radar equipment, telescopes, and other crucial equipment. Today, Akre is an active member of the community and a leader of the LA River Walker and Watchers, a Reseda based group helping clean up and maintain the West Valley portion of the river.
Also, Councilmember Blumenfield helped kick off the 18th annual San Fernando Valley Veterans Day Celebration (virtual this year). Blumenfield recognized veterans who may have passed away due to COVID-19 and emphasized the need for more housing for unhoused veterans. Blumenfield continues to fight to protect homeless veterans as they had protected us while in the service.
Eighteen years ago when Blumenfield worked for Congressman Howard Berman, he helped start this parade with fellow staff member, Fred Flores, and a committee of active community members. It all began when Fred’s son, Alfred (of blessed memory), didn’t like having to go all the way to Long Beach for a Veterans Day parade. After researching and finding out there were no official Veterans Day celebrations in the area, the San Fernando Valley parade was born. Blumenfield is proud that it has become a wonderful annual tradition and it's always touching to help bring so many service members together and honor them.
Watch the recap video here.
On November 5, LADOT activated a new traffic signal at Victory and Vanalden, including ADA-compliant curb ramps and high-visibility crosswalks. This signal helps provide a safe, convenient connection between the LA River Path and the Orange Line Bike Path, and makes it safer for nearby residents to use the Vanalden pedestrian bridge across the LA River to access the West Valley Library, local schools and other destinations. Councilmember Blumenfield provided the funding for this project from CRA Excess Bond proceeds.
Also more pedestrian safety improvements are taking shape in Canoga Park. This week Blumenfield visited StreetsLA crews at Sherman Way/Independence to check out new curb extensions at Canoga Park Branch Library, part of a small grant-funded project to make it safer for people to cross.
More biking/walking infrastructure improvements are coming soon from our $31M Active Transportation Program with the California Transportation Commission.
The LA Conservation Corps is working hard to make a difference in the West Valley. One of their recent projects was servicing a request at the alleyway on Saticoy between Mason and Oso, as well as, on the sidewalk of Mason Ave in Winnetka.
Blumenfield has provided space for the Corps in his West Valley office to encourage the inclusion of local young people on projects in the district and he set aside special funding from his budget to make their local work possible. Together they have been doing cleanups throughout the District. These special CD3 cleanups supplement the work of the Department of Sanitation.
If you have suggestions for cleanup locations, please send us an email with location information to [email protected]
Blumenfield at the 21st Annual Dia de los Muertos Family Festival in Canoga Park celebrating and remembering loved ones who are no longer with us. Thanks to Main Street Canoga Park and Valley Cultural Foundation for bringing together the community for another successful event.
This week's photo from the Los Angeles Public Library's archives is from the Valley Times on November 16, 1964. Taken at at Melvin Avenue Elementary School in Reseda, a color guard from the Canoga Park Marine Corps recruiting depot join students in a Veteran's Day celebration. Learn more about this photo here.