Potholes

According to a story posted today on KTLA's website, "Operation Pothole" will begin this weekend. Street repair crews will attempt to reach the goal of filling 10,000 potholes in two days. The story blames the proliferation of potholes on the recent storms, but anyone who has driven in the Valley during the past few years is painfully aware that, while storms may make things worse, our streets have been plagued with neglected holes for a very long time.

Residents can report potholes by calling 311 or 800-996-2489.
 

Progress in Fight Against Mobile Ad Trailers

The following is an edited version of a press release issued by Councilman Grieg Smith's office:

In a major victory for the community, the City began towing mobile advertising trailers from L.A. streets after Councilman Smith’s legislation to regulate the blight of unhitched trailer billboards went into effect on Jan. 1, 2011.

“This is a huge success in our efforts to protect the quality of life in our community,” Councilman Smith said. “This ordinance is long overdue, but now with local control over this issue, we can finally rid our streets of these nuisances.”

Smith's motion to have the City Attorney immediately begin drafting an ordinance to strictly regulate the mobile advertising trailers was approved by City Council on Friday, Dec. 17, 2010. On Thursday, Sept. 30, 2010 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 2756 into law, a bill by Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield that allows Los Angeles to ban or regulate the mobile advertising trailers that have become a plague on San Fernando Valley streets. To see the full ordinance, visit http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2009/09-2140-s1_ord_181495.pdf

The weekend that the enforcement action began, more than a dozen unhitched advertising trailers were impounded and towed and over 30 were cited. Owners of the trailers face misdemeanor fines from $250 to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.

To report a mobile ad trailer, call the DOT Parking Enforcement Communications Division at 818-752-5100 or 213-485-4181. Immediately Press "2" to report a parking violation. Be ready to provide the trailer license plate number and the street block location.

Great Horned Owl

When we lived in Granada Hills, there was a great horned owl that regularly perched in a big pine tree on the property. Once during the daytime I saw a young hawk in the same tree, screaming at the owl in fear or fury. The owl just sat there, apparently unperturbed, while the hawk gradually backed away and eventually flew off. Usually, though, the owl was only seen at night; we'd spot it in silhouette when it landed in the tree. Sometimes we'd hear its calls and the responses from a more distant bird.

But in ten years in West Hills, we've had neither sight nor sound of an owl, until last night. I woke up around 3:30 am to repeated calls. If there were any replies, I couldn't hear them.

This area provides a good living for birds of prey. There are rabbits, rats, mice, lizards, and small birds of all kinds. We see hawks every day, and on a few occasions, kestrels. I'm sure there have been owls here all along, but they have managed to remain unknown until now.

At WhatBird, you can search for "great horned owl" and find out exactly how they sound.

Things I Don't Write

This morning on the way to a fast-food breakfast I saw an apparently homeless man lying by the side of the road, passed out next to the plastic bag that held his extra-large beer can. I could have snapped his picture and then used it to illustrate a blog post about the problems of homelessness, alcoholism, or just the good fortune that last night's temperature in the Valley did not drop below freezing. But I just couldn't bring myself to take that picture. There are plenty of people who become prize-winning photo-journalists based on their willingness to exploit report on other people's misery. My distaste for doing that is doubtless one of the factors that doom me to blog obscurity. Oh well.