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Volume 4, Issue 2 May 2016

May

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Pledgerville: Renovations 1

Are you Registered? 1

Ignored or Neglected? 2

2016 Another Election Year 3

Concept of Own Death 4

What’s the Difference? 4

Pledgerville: Pride and Achievement of the Pacoima Community

In the summer of 1983, a ground-breaking ceremony was held on the corner of Norris Ave. and Van

Nuys Blvd. next door to the historic and legendary Greater Community Baptist Church, founded by the

late Reverend T.G. Pledger; this was the inaugural first step for the Pacoima’s first housing project for

senior citizens and the handicapped. Pledgerville was the dream and vision of Rev. Pledger; legend has

it, Rev. Pledger wrote a letter to God in the mid-1970s expressing his desire to build a housing facility for

the elderly and handicapped in the community. The visionary pastor organized his church to jumpstart

the project and spearhead the planning committee that later separated from the church to become

Pledgerville Senior Citizens Villa Inc.; Owner and nonprofit managers of the facility. Pledgerville opened

its doors to residents in May 1984. The current Board of Directors has successfully refinance the proper-

ty and payoff the first loan and secure additional funding for the modest renovation and upgrade of the

facility and its grounds in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

(HUD) and Ziegler Financial Corporation, an independent financial investor. The renovations will include

improvements to the 93 one-bedroom apartment, the common areas, and landscaping as part of Phase

I. A planned Phase II will include the addition of a Family Life Center. These improvements will greatly

enhance the overall mission of Pledgerville. On Saturday, June 4, 2016, residents and their families,

community leaders and elected officials will be invited to an Open House Reception at the facility. The

reception will be the Kick-Off ceremony for the renovation of the entire facility and will provide the op-

portunity to meet the ownership entity, the representatives of the various partners in the renovation

and to view the model unit showcasing the new features.

By Leroy Geter, President/CEO Pledgerville Senior Citizens Villa, Inc.

The ownership entity: Leroy Geter,

President/CEO. Shane Coleman, 1st

Vice President. Carol McClure, Execu-

tive Secretary. Edward Johnson, Treas-

urer/Controller. Rev. Braxton Berkley,

Member-at-Large. Currently managed

by Barker Management Inc., of Ana-

heim, California

Seek Enlightenment, not Entertainment! Informative Television Viewing

DIRECTV…….FSTV…...Ch.348 “David Pakman Show”...4:00am & 8:00pm “The Bill Press Show”…..4:00am & 3:00pm “Ring of Fire”……………….5:30am & 8:00pm “Thom Hartmann”……….9:00am & 7:00pm

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Pacoima Today May 2016 Volume 4 Issue 2

Is Pacoima Ignored or Neglected?

With all of the proud history and accomplishments of so many community members in Pacoima, it is just hard to see that not much has improve. Ignoring these problems makes it easier for Public service to become a self-service opportunity for our elected officials. Have you notice how many of them have gone from one elected office to another? Are we getting our fair share in Pacoima? We have more homelessness than Encino, Studio City, Woodland Hills and other affluent communities, we have more parolees (thanks to prop 47) or we would not have the Probation Department in town, we lost the Skill Center, every elected official (in the area) will tell you how they have secured millions (more) for education but, you choose and visit any school in Pacoi-ma and they will tell you how much funding they have recently lost, vandalism and food (taco trucks) vend-ing has increased and so much more that we choose to ignore. The City wants you to call and report these things, they will give you a reference or confirmation number, but then, they use these reports to vali-date their need for a tax increases and/or the need to raise the cost of services. Calling the council member's office use to be a good option but, these days, after announcing he will not be seeking a second term, it should not be a surprise if anyone working for the council's office (Council member included) is making a greater effort in securing a job for next year, than doing a better job this year. What will be the condition of Pacoima (CD7) at the end of the term? There are those who think it would be more honorable to resign than to continue the self-service. Pacoima Today has had good experi-ences and results in reporting troubled areas to the Council's office and also noted reports made to field reps during various community meetings, including Neighborhood council's meetings where reports have been acknowledge and ignored or not followed up. City services in Pacoima? There are many reasons to be concern with LAPD performance but, to be fair, not everything is their responsibility, they should not be expected to monitor those on probation when the probation department has a branch in Pacoima; large vehicles (RVs) park on residential areas should be a task for parking enforcement; cars parked on front lawns should have Building and Safety busy; food vending is the job for the County's health department; vending in front of schools should be ad-dressed by school police… the City and their Departments will tell you that they do not have the resources to do their jobs, but, nobody has a problem collecting a pay check! When is the Pacoima Neighborhood Council going to step-up and help improve the delivery of City services? After 14 years, their outreach is virtually none existence, their meetings are attended, mostly, by those requesting funds, they have no agenda, no direction and no goals of their own and worse of all, no community assessment to work with, bad record keeping and the belief that a two hour meeting per month will accomplish anything.

Motorhomes Wrecked vehicles Boat Storage

Why are streets used as storage areas?

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Pacoima Today May 2016 Volume 4 Issue 2

Co-Editors & Publishers: Morris Pichon moepichon@aol.com Edwin Ramirez ramediv@yahoo.com

2016 Another Exciting Elections Year!

In the past few weeks the mail carriers have been leaving you daily flyers and information on various candidates

for public office, and, if you take the time to read the information, you will see how many of them claim to have

increased funding and improved education, have improved the safety in your community, passed balanced budg-

ets, made sure we get our fair share and are asking for the opportunity to continue their work, but, look around

your neighborhood and ask yourself, have you gotten your fair share?

A large number of high school graduates require remedial classes at the local community colleges prior to entering

any university, turning a four year college degree into a longer process and more costly; Community colleges and

universities have increased their tuition, lower the number of classes they provide or stopped providing some clas-

ses altogether; 80% of the adult education funding was cut, affecting the Pacoima Skills Center and the North

Valley Occupational Center where a large number of students were from Pacoima and surrounding areas; the ear-

ly education programs at the local schools were consolidated into a lesser number of locations lowering the num-

ber of kids able to attend. So, Where has the extra money for education go?

Pacoima, and most of the Northeast Valley, share a Congressman, State Senator, Assembly member, County Su-

pervisor, LAUSD Board member, City Council members for districts 6 and 7… they all have change hats and

chairs when the music stops but, is your neighborhood safer with them in office? There is pride in knowing that

most of them are from Pacoima (or local area), from immigrants parents, attended local public schools, have a

college education and have held various public offices or worked for different public offices; your support has

provided them a good paying job, good benefits and job security but, what have you gotten? Besides higher taxes,

higher cost for "inadequate" public services, higher cost for education… The State is Billions of dollars short on

their pension funds and so is the City on theirs. The State is eager to spend 68 billions on a devastating high speed

rail and the City wants to host the Olympic games and two football teams. How do they get a balanced budget

out of that? Well, it is our tax dollars that will be covering the cost (and their salaries). Is that how they ensure

our fair share…of the cost!

Most people believe that, the candidate that raises the most money, has more people supporting them and there-

fore better qualified to serve, so, they never ask about where the money comes from, Why is this im-

portant? Well, Special interest groups are interested in government funding or grants for their projects; Corporate

lobbyists are interested in government contracts and/or waivers, exemptions or limited liabilities within state laws;

realtors and developers are interested in public funded programs (profits included) for them to be able to build or

maintain our "Affordable Housing" and while their interests may be different, They all want money and they

know how to get it! They spend their money on the candidate that will provide a better return for their invest-

ment. All you have to do is vote for them, as requested in their flyers.

Did you know? That most flyers are coming out of Sacramento and are sent by the group "Keep California Gold-

en" you should ask, Golden for whom? They also tell you the advertisement was not authorized or paid for by the

candidate or committee controlled by the candidate; nevertheless, it is advertisement and advertisement is not al-

ways right or truthful, but it does generates sales and in this case…votes! We encourage you to get to know the

candidates, to hear from them and ask yourself, has 20 years of "home grown representation" been good for the

Northeast Valley?

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Pacoima Today May 2016 Volume 4 Issue 2

Why, What’s the Difference Several months ago as I was driving through the City of San Fernando I noticed that there were no “cars for sale”. As I continue to drive in an attempt to get home to Pacoima it also became obvious to me that there are no parking lots on the lawns of single family residents nor were the streets being used as auto repair shops. I decided to ask “why?” I drove to the San Fernando City Hall and inquired. A young woman asked me could she help I replies “Yes.” I asked “Why are there no cars for sale on the streets of San Fernando?” She ask me to wait a minute and made a phone call. A young man entered from the rear and I repeated my question. He laughed and asked, where did I live? Once I said Pacoima, he really had a good laugh, and replied: “We enforce the laws in San Fernando, we all live under the same state laws, the difference is the City of Los Angeles don’t enforce the existing laws.” I didn’t need any additional explanations, the reason for the steady creeping decadence and crud in the city of Los Angeles is the failure of the city’s code enforcement agencies. It matters not what laws are on the books, if they are not enforced they are worthless. But then, I read almost daily the city council is steady making new laws. For what, they cannot enforce the ones they have now. Since that initial drive through San Fernando, I have been there many times. There are no peddlers on the street, I never see individuals cooking and selling food from carts on the streets or in the parks. Nev-er saw an 18 wheel tracker trailer parked on the streets of San Fernando. Why, what is the difference, two communities in such close proximity, yet one is clean, the other in a steady decline into “Third World Status”.

YOUTH: No Concept of Their Own Death

Three times in the last two months I have had near accidents with youth on skate boards, in black

clothing with no lights, no reflectors, after dark violating STOP SIGNS. I have come to believe that youth have no

concept of their own deaths or no desire to obey the traffic rules to protect their personal wellbeing.

At one time in America, youth were taught to STOP, LOOK and LISTEN before crossing a street. Today

they are taught “…you have the right-away…” I drive a 4,000 pound automobile, although I try to make every

effort drive cautiously, I find it difficult to avoid those reckless youth who place little value on their own lives.

Nightly we in Los Angeles are bombarded with news of individuals killed in the streets of the city.

Pedestrians, bicyclists, skate boarders, old, young and otherwise. City officials and police departments talk

about driving safely, when will someone talk to those who are not in automobiles?

There are walkers, bicyclist, skate boarders, texting individuals, and cell phone talkers in the middle of

traffic with their heads in the sky, and their ass looking for the loving touch of the bumper of a 4,000 pound

automobile.

It doesn’t matter what the WALK/DON’T WALK sign says: “Pedestrians thinks HE/SHE have the right-

away.” I think that each individual have a responsibility to protect his/her own life, health and wellbeing.

Teach your family, friends and neighbors to ware bright clothes after dark; get lights and reflectors on

their bicycles and other modes of transportation. In order to avoid pain, broken bones and death, they are

responsible for avoiding the loving touches of the bumpers of 4,000 pound automobiles.

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