March 24, 2011
If you missed the last electronic recycling event, don’t worry! There’s another one coming up soon!
Do you have outdated or broken computer monitors, TV sets, printers or old VCR’s taking up room in your house or garage? If so, take advantage of this FREE recycling event!
Where: 20121 Ventura Blvd. (Back parking lot)
When: Saturday April 9th 9:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m.
The event is sponsored by the Woodland Hills Tarzana Chamber of Commerce and 1-800-GOT-JUNK. There is a $5 processing fee for all microwave ovens. Items not accepted include: household batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, refrigerators, washers and dryers.
All items collected will be recycled by organizations approved by the California State Integrated Waste Management Board.
For more information visit the California State Integrated Waste Management Board or call 818-645-8100.
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March 17, 2011
The Los Angeles Department of Public Health (LADPH) has granted 12 member agencies of the Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles (CCALA) just under $1 million to offer free flu vaccines and provide health literacy information to over 50,000 children, families and child care providers in Los Angeles County.
One of the two main goals of the campaign is to exercise the capacity of Child Care Resource Referral agencies to improve pandemic and emergency preparedness through planning, coordination and mass distribution of influenza (flu) vaccinations and information. The collective goal is to vaccinate as many children (age 6 months and older), parents, child care providers and their families as possible by the end of April.
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March 16, 2011
Currently, there are more than 100,000 people in the United States waiting for a second chance at life; more than 21 percent of them reside in California. April is designated as Donate Life Month in California, and the California Department of Motor Vehicles is highlighting its partnership with the state authorized registry program, Donate Life California. The DMV would like to remind residents that they have an opportunity to give life and hope to others by signing up with the Donate Life California Donor Registry.
There are currently eight million Californians that have checked ‘Yes’ to become a registered organ donor-making the state the highest enrollment of a donor registry in the nation. Ninety-eight percent of those who register their decision to be an organ and tissue donor in California do so through the DMV.
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February 28, 2011
When: Saturday, March 12 and Sunday, March 13th, 9:00am - 4:00pm
Hosted by the Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce
Where: Canoga Park Bowl – Parking Lot
20122 Vanowen Street
Canoga Park
Help our community eliminate E-Waste the right way by sending it to a proper recycling process and not into the landfills. Drop off your used and unwanted electronic waste between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Computer Monitors, TVs, PC Systems, Printers, Laptops, Copiers, Scanners, Fax Machines, Toner Cartridges, UPS, Cell Phones, PDAs, Power Supplies, Main Frame Units, Networking Equipment, Circuit Boards, VCR/DVD Players Home Entertainment Systems, Phone Sets, Lab Testing Equipment, and other small portable devices.
Microwave ovens will incur a $5 drop off fee.
Not accepted: Fluorescent Light Bulbs, Refrigerators, Washer & Dryers.
For more information call (818) 989-0300
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February 18, 2011
If you are a renter, make sure you make your payments on time! If you do, it can help you build credit. If not, your late payments may be reported to Experian, which can hurt your credit.
CNN has reported that this change may affect millions of renters. Not all landlords will report to Experian, so if you have a good relationship with yours, ask. Right now, this can affect renters only in a positive way. If you don’t have credit cards or any loan history, paying your rent on time is a great way to start building credit. The more positive credit and payment histories on your credit report, the easier it will be in the future for you to get a good rate on a loan, whether it’s a car loan or mortgage. If you pay on time, it will reflect positively on your credit report.
However, if you do not pay on time, this can certainly affect your credit in a bad way, by reporting late payments. But don’t fret just yet. Negative accounts will not be reported to Experian until next year, as reported by cnnmoney.com. That’s not to say you can get away with late payments now. Start this off with a positive payment history and you won’t regret it later when you *do* need that car loan or want to buy a home.
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February 14, 2011
These days, perhaps more than ever, having patience is most definitely a virtue. And from where I’m standing, nowhere is patience needed more than when you apply for a mortgage loan. Whether you’re looking to purchase a home or refinance your home, being a borrower in today’s market may make even the most tolerant among us lose our cool.
But that doesn’t mean you should shy away from purchasing or refinancing. Interest rates are still historically low and home prices are more or less stable. Instead, what it means is that you should be prepared for your loan approval and funding to take at least a month and you should expect curveballs to be thrown your way during the process.
The first thing to prepare for is the fact that, online, you may see interest rates that are absolutely incredible. However, what the fine print may or may not explain is that those rates apply to 15 day lock-ins for borrowers with very high credit scores and a lot of equity. This sounds great at first glance, of course, except for the fact that it is next to impossible to fund a loan in 15 days especially given the changes in the lending industry.
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January 18, 2011
Operation Blankets of love is looking for volunteers who want to get involved and are passionate about helping needy animals. Operation Blankets of Love collects, transports and distributes recycled and new blankets, towels, pet beds and pet-related items to comfort animals in shelters, rescue groups, sanctuaries and foster grops. They are holding a volunteer training on Sunday, January 23rd in Chatsworth.
When: Sunday, January 23
Time: 11:30 am to 12:30 pm
Where: West Valley Animal Care Center
20655 Plummer St., Chatsworth
The training will cover the history of the organization and what you can do to help. To RSVP for the training please call Eileen at (818) 402-6586 and for more information please visit Blankets of Love.
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January 3, 2011
The new year has begun and the California Department of Motor Vehicles would like to inform and remind drivers that several new laws are now in full effect. The public must adhere to them throughout the year (and beyond), and law enforcement personnel will regulate these laws as necessary.
Details of these new laws are as follows:
Motorcycle Instruction Permit
Currently, more than 6,000 drivers 19 years of age and younger are licensed to ride a motorcycle in California. As of January 1, 2011, the new law requires any person younger than 21 years of age to complete an approved motorcycle safety course before being issued an instruction permit required to practice operating a motorcycle. The law also requires the permit to be held by an individual for six months before they will be issued a class M motorcycle driver license. Read the rest of this entry »
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December 15, 2010
The City of Los Angeles is holding a special pet adoption event for the holidays on Saturday, Dec. 18 at Animal Services centers around the City, offering discounted adoption fees.
The adoption event in the North Valley is at West Valley Animal Shelter in Chatsworth. During the holidays is a perfect time to make an adopted animal a part of your family.
Saturday, Dec. 18
10:00 am to 5:00 pm
West Valley Animal Shelter
20655 Plummer St., Chatsworth
For more information or to find a shelter location in your area call (877) 580-7387 or visit www.Foundanimals.org.
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December 3, 2010
The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, has tips and information for consumers who use gift cards for holiday gift-giving. New federal rules that took effect in August are designed to protect consumers, and will restrict fees and affect gift card expiration dates. These new rules apply to two types of cards: Retail gift cards, which can only be redeemed at the retailers and restaurants that sell them; and bank gift cards, which carry the logo of a payment card network like American Express or Visa and can be used wherever the brand is accepted. Here are the highlights:
- Money on a gift card cannot expire for at least five years from the date the card was purchased, or from the last date any additional money was loaded onto the card. If the expiration date listed on the card is earlier than these dates, the money can be transferred to a replacement card at no cost.
- Inactivity fees can be charged only after a card hasn’t been used for at least one year, and then only once per month. But fees may be charged to buy the card or to replace a lost or stolen card.
- The card must clearly disclose its expiration date, and the card or packaging must clearly disclose any fees. There is one exception: Some cards produced before April 1, 2010, that list a short expiration time or inactivity fees in the first year may be sold through January 31, 2011. However, no matter what a card says, consumers still are protected by the new rules.
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