ourpersonofthemonth - northridge chamber · cator, co-owner of adx computers services, inc. and...

By Robin KelloggFor years, Richard Weatherman,

owner of AdvantagePlus Care-givers®, was discouraged to seeseniors who desperately neededservices or products, but for a vari-ety of reasons were not receivingthem. Some seniors were unawareof what was available to them, oth-ers didn’t have the finances to securethe products or services, and thenthere were those who didn’t knowwho to go to for further information.

He wanted to develop a safetynet for seniors and their families.One that would use donations andgrants to fund products and servicesfor deserving seniors. His idea tookthe form of a nonprofit organization,a 501(c)(3) charity, which he named

the Foundation for Seniors Services(FFSS). Though established in2014, his dream really began tounfold in 2016.

That happened when Richardmet Joyce Robertson, a former edu-cator, Co-Owner of ADXComputers Services, Inc. and Co-Founder/President of WIN-Networking, Inc. She envisionedbuilding an arm of the Foundationthat would not only help fund it butwould bring together quality profes-sionals and businesses who serve thesenior marketplace and could act asadvisors to facilitate between sen-iors, their families and the help theyneed.

As Executive Director of FFSS,

By Robin KelloggDevonshire PALS is gearing up

for one of its biggest fundraisers ofthe year, its 39th Annual Grand GolfInvitational, scheduled for Monday,May 7 at the Porter Valley CountryClub. Registration begins at 9:00a.m. with a shotgun start at 11:00a.m. and cocktails/dinner at 4:30 p.m.Golfers will enjoy a continentalbreakfast, lunch and dinner; on-course contests; awards; a PALS polo

shirt; a goodie bag; and an opportuni-ty drawing and auction.

Proceeds from the golf tourna-ment allow the nonprofit organiza-tion to continue to fulfill its missionto intervene with at-risk youth, and tocreate a safe and healthy environ-ment for the children in the neighbor-hood.

A Safe, Fun Place to Play andLearn

For more than four decades,Devonshire PALS has reached out toat-risk youth who reside within theDevonshire area to create a better

understanding between the childrenand police officers.

“We believe that if children arereached early enough, they candevelop strong, positive attitudestoward police officers and the law,”Sue Bruno, Executive Directorexplained. “We may serve ‘one hun-dred kids per day, but we impact onechild at time.’”

As a former at-risk youth, StarTomlinson, a Devonshire PALSboard member, could not agree more.“My mother was a single parent

PRSRTSTDECRWSS

U.S.POSTAGEPAID

EDDMRETAIL

A Community Service Publication of theNorthridge Chamber of Commerce

(818) 349-5676 • www.northridgechamber.orgLocalPostalCustomer

Vol. 15, No. 3 | March 2018

By Robin KelloggWith the severe cuts to many of

the school arts and enrichmentprograms made by the LosAngeles Unified School Districtover the last 20 or more years, it isalways a pleasant surprise to comeacross an educator who has foundinnovative ways to re-introducedthese studies into the curriculum.Richard Ramos has done this notonce but twice in his short buteventful career as principal first at

Pacoima’s Haddon STEAMAcademy and currently as princi-pal at Northridge Middle School.

Since starting his position atNorthridge in July 2017, he hasinstituted a music program, createda debate team and set up roundta-bles during which he meets withparents—all replications of whathe did at Haddon just three yearsearlier.

What’s remarkable is that he

Continued on page 10

Over the years you’veprobably heard or readabout Northridge resi-

dent Don Larson. Whether it’scommunity beautification efforts

or his leadership in the city’sGreat Streets Program, theNorthridge Vison Committee oras a member of the NorthridgeChamber of Commerce Board of

Directors, Don seems tobe everywhere…whether it’s clearing thestreets of debris orremoving graffiti frombuildings and boulders atStonypoint, you canassume that Don isinvolved with a cadre offellow volunteers.

So, we asked Don toshare his passion for

NORTHRIDGE � PORTER RANCH � CHATSWORTH � GRANADA HILLS

Continued on page 3

Continued on page 4

PALS teaches leadership and service to community.

RichardRamos

Continued on page 12

Tae Kwon Lessons are offered atPALS on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Devonshire PALS Continues toStrengthen Our Community

Tutoring is offered every afternoon.

Joyce Robertson, a former educator,Co-Owner of ADX Computers Ser-vices, Inc. and Co-Founder/Presi-dent of WIN-Networking, Inc.

Non-Profit Spotlight

Foundation for Seniors Services Works for

the Betterment of the Senior Community

Northridge Middle School Principal FindsInnovative Ways to Re-introduce the Artsand Enrichment Programs Cut by LAUSDFinds Common Ground with Parents, Students and Teachers

Our Person of the Month:Don

Larson

Don removinggraffiti

COMMUNITY CONNECTION MARCH 2018

Custom Marble &Granite Countertops

Porcelain TileSlate & TravertineGlass Mosaics & MedallionsOcean Glass

818.704.92227631 Canoga Avenue

(just north of Saticoy)in Canoga ParkOpen 7 Days

Stone Mosaics & LinersMetal DecorationsHand Crafted Designer CollectionsHand Painted, Glass &

Copper SinksCleaners, Sealers & Setting Materials

WESTSIDE TILE & STONE‘For the Love of Tile’

“We’re Dog Friendly as Well”

Have Tile Problems or Questions?

Give us a call.We Will Be Happy to Help!

Thinking about ‘Downsizing’ to a One Level Home?Avoid risk of falling down stairs ■ Avoid knee or back pain from climbing stairs

See your options for one level living by requesting a sample transition plan atLaSeniorTransitions.com, a division of 818MyHouse.com

Or call Dave FriedmanP: 818-970-7701 • E: [email protected] • calbre 01877524

By Barry Pascal, Pharm.D.Humorist, Satirist, and All-AroundNice Guy

There are many educational programsavailable for retirees and/or seniors through-out L.A. and the Valley. Several are centerednear and usually in conjunction with a nearbycollege or university. The Osher LifelongLearning Institute (OLLI, or just plain Osher)has 121 programs in 50 states and the Districtof Columbia. In California, there are OLLIcenters at seven University of California (UC)campuses and 16 California State University(CSU) campuses. (Unfortunately for us in thenorth Valley, CSUN does not have an Osherprogram.)

Bernard Osher was an interesting guy. Heowned a hardware store and an amusementpark in Biddeford, Maine. After becomingfairly well-to-do, he sold everything andmoved to California to join his sister, MarionOsher Sandler. To make a long story short,they started a little company called GoldenWest Financial which initially had one branchlocation, and eventually changed the branchnames to World Savings. Marion ran thecompany while Bernard was on the board andthe chief financial backer. Smart, innovative,and forward thinking, they created theadjustable rate mortgage. You guessed it ...World Savings grew to become the secondlargest savings and loan in the United States,with more than 12,000 employees, $60B indeposits, and greater than $125B in assets. In2006, Bernie and Marion sold the entire oper-ation to Wachovia Bank for $24B.

So what else did Bernie do? He loved artand he loved learning. His interest in fine artinspired him to buy the auction houseButterfield & Butterfield (which became the4th largest auction house in the world). Then,in his spare time he helped create and sponsorlearning programs for “older learners” (any-one 50 years old and older). Held all over thecountry, OLLI educational classes are whatwe all dreamed about when we were in col-lege — no books, no tests, no grades, no writ-ten papers, no pressure, and, most of all, sub-jects we all wanted to enroll in and learnabout.

Osher classes are usually one day a week,about 2 hours a session, and last four to sixweeks. They have classes on music, litera-ture, art, travel, science, comedy, and evenchocolate. (Access the website at the end ofthis article for programs and information.)

Shirley and I have been taking classes forthe past 10 or 12 years at the UCLA campusin Westwood. The classes have been great,but the drive was horrible and getting worseeach year. We were forced to take the directroute through the parking lot known as the405 Freeway.

Finally, last year wereceived some really goodnews. The UCLA Osherprogram opened an auxil-iary campus in WoodlandHills. Yes, you understoodme correctly ... UCLAOLLI is now in WarnerCenter. Shirley and I wereso excited we opened abottle of champagne .... and we were havingbreakfast at the time.

And now, there is more good news for allof us. One of the best teachers I have ever hadis teaching one of the best classes I have everhad. Yes, I am taking the class for the secondtime in April. The class, The 70s: The Decadeof the Singer-Songwriter is being taught bySteve Barri at the Warner Center facility.

In 1964, the Beatles hit America and dom-inated our radios as well as music sales for theremainder of the 60's. The rest of our musicspace was taken up by other groups from theEnglish invasion, as well as Motown. If youwere a rock ‘n roll or pop musician with agood song you had a tough time squeezinginto the charts. Thanks to a unique group ofreally talented singers and songwriters, thingschanged in the 70s.

This class is about that special group ofbrilliant musicians who changed rock 'n roll.Taking the class is like going to a concert, orremembering a “special date,” or visualizing afavorite song or singer and then going back-stage or into the recording booth. This classcovers many of the performers who createdour generation’s classic all-time hits — suchgreats as Paul Simon, Carole King, JamesTaylor, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Elton John,Tom Petty, and Billy Joel, just to name a few.Our instructor, Steve Barri, leads our journeyinto the background of the industry, the livesof the performers, as well as the music andlyrics ... in short, the what and how these clas-sics became classics.

Some of the unanswered questions weheard about in our younger years will getanswered. Did Simon and Garfunkel getalong? Were Carole King and James Taylorreally friends or ??? Who did Carly Simonwrite You're so Vain about?, Why was EltonJohn responsible for Neil Sadaka's resurgencein the 70s? The class is so interesting andimpactful, you feel like you have drifted backinto your own history, but you have takenyour grownup self with you.

And boy, is our instructor, Steve Barri,qualified to tell us how all this happened!Steve was a songwriter, performer, producer,and music industry executive. He has writtenseveral hit songs, had a few hit groups, andproduced many of our favorite records. He

On The “Lighter” Side

A Visit To Memory LanePROTECTIONALARMS

• Remote Access Via Mobile Device & Web• Perimeter & Interior Protection• Access Control Systems• HD Video Surveillance Systems

866-359-6555protectionalarms.com

Continued on page 3

community service with us.NVCC: Tell us a little about

your connection to the community.DL: My great grandparents

moved to Northridge after 1910.We have lived on the same cornerof Etiwanda and Rayen ever sense.I’m the 4th generation living thereand my children are the 5th. I havebeen pulled into community workever since I was a kid. I guess youcan imagine, I am haunted by myfamily as I walk and work aroundthe neighborhood; I must take careof it. I know how and why theygravitated to Northridge over ahundred years ago and those samesimple messages about being agood neighbor and good citizenmotivates me completely today. Itake care of Northridge (and nowmuch of the valley with CleanStreets Clean Starts) because I wasborn to it. I am a caretaker!

NVCC: Tell us a little aboutyour personal life, if you don’tmind.

DL: I have been married for 32years to my wife Lee. We have 2children who have attended all ourlocal schools. And both childrenhave served honorably in ourMilitary. My son Peter recentlycame out from the Marine Corps asa sergeant serving four tours ofduty in Afghanistan. He is now incollege working toward a degree inEngineering. My daughter,Harmony is a LieutenantCommander in the Navy MedicalCorps. She is now serving on anextended Far East tour.

NVCC: You’ve been veryengaged in Northridge beautifica-tion projects. What prompted youto head west to the Santa SusanState Park?

DL: After all the work I do inNorthridge and around the valleyfor the Clean Streets Clean Startsprogram, it’s a break for me to goup and work in the Santa SusanaState Park as a volunteer ParkRanger. I am more of a worker beeso I get involved in the mainte-nance of the park and all of ourspecial work projects. I have beena volunteer ranger for about 3years now, but it was last year thatI was able to focus on graffiti andtrail maintenance. We have a smallcare-taker crew that we started.

I first read about the call forvolunteer Rangers on theEnglander Newsletter. I thought Iknew the park well before Ibecame a ranger, but after manymonths of study, I had no idea howcomplicated and important thoseHills are. I love that park and allthe other Rangers who haveworked there much longer thanme. But I like working up there. Itis a challenge.

NVCC: What type of equip-ment do you use for the graffitiremoval? Was it borrowed or didyou purchase it?

DL: Moving around in thosehills is very difficult to do just hik-ing, but try to carry in paint andsupplies. Now that’s a challenge.We first started with rollers andpaint buckets, but that was obvi-ously totally inadequate and theend product looked bad. So Ibought a commercial back packpump weed sprayer and that solveda lot of problems for me. First itdid a great job on the rocks. Thesprayer makes it look more naturaland to carry the 5gallons of painton my back keeps my hands free toclimb around. It’s hard to do upthere, but much safer than holding

buckets of paint in my hands. But it’s my next invention that

will make the most difference upthere. I am in the process of buyingand training a BURRO to fallowme up into the hills with all thesupport I need to work. It’s funnythat I am making an old idea newagain. Over the last several hun-dred years that’s how we movedback and forth over those hills, sonow I am going to do it again.

NVCC: How much did yourclean-up cost you?

DL: I own my own sprayers.But the Park Foundation and theState Park Service provide thepaint and other supplies. I also usethem up on the Railroad Tracks atour underpass at Reseda andParthenia. This is also an area Ispend my alone time cleaning upand painting out graffiti. When Iget my Burro working this willalso be my personal project.

NVCC: How long did it takeyou to do, and what percent of thegraffiti do you think you were ableto remove?

DL: I am able to work fastbecause I try to work smart. AndI’m strong. Weather I am workingon the Streets with Clean StreetsClean Starts, or crawling aroundthe rocks in Santa Susana state parkI have a plan in mind. Thereforemy time is very directed and pro-ductive. Up in the rocks I spend anaverage of about 3 hours walkingaround working. But I have madesome significant progress aroundthe hills in the last six months, andhope to do a lot more.

NVCC: Do you have plans todo regular clean-up of the park?

DL: Yes. The ChatsworthNeighborhood Council is awareofmy efforts and supports my effortsincluding often making donationsto the Santa Susana State ParkFoundation. They are great sup-porters. Good neighbors to have.

has those first-hand stories that werarely ever get to hear that make thesongs from our past even moreinteresting and unique. And mostimportantly, Steve is an incredibleteacher. Each class is like going to aperformance or seeing a productionfor the first time.

The class starts on Wednesday,April 4th, at 1:00pm and lasts for sixweeks. For more information callMary Ann Wilson at (310) 825-7093,or visit the UCLA Osher website athttp://osher.uclaextension.edu/spring/ .

After taking a Steve Barri class,you will become a more interestingperson, especially at those long, bor-ing holiday dinners.

The '70s: The Decade of theSinger-Songwriter information:

https://www.uclaextension.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=241023161&_ga=2.73411090.1624424782.1518417010-1066369115.1517877199

The class number: Genint741.331 359779 Spring 2018

Barry Pascal, our former NorthValley Honorary Mayor and formerHonorary Sheriff, ownedNorthridge Pharmacy for 32 yearsand is now retired. He has written

seven comedy books and wrote ahumorous column for the CaliforniaPharmacists Association Journal aswell as writing for the North ValleyCommunity Connection. Barry hasbeen asked not to sing in the show-er because his plumber claims hissinging has damaged the shower-head. © Barry Pascal March 2018

On The “Lighter” Side(Continued from page 2)

By Peter LaskyPresident, NWNC

The volunteer resident membersof NWNC work diligently through-out the year to keep the NorthridgeWest community abreast of the var-ious projects, programs and elec-tions that may affect us on a local,county or state level. Here are someof the issues that were discussed atthe February 13 general meeting.

The Future of Natural Gas.George Minter, Regional VicePresident for External Affairs andEnvironmental Strategy for SoCalGas, spoke about the future of natu-ral gas. He explained why naturalgas is desirable as an energy sourceand some of its new applications.Mr. Minter also shared information

on newly developed processes thatcan be applied to its transportation,and how it can be reused and repur-posed. It was surprising to learn thatnatural gas was a power source forillumination before electricity, that itwas made from coal, and that it wasused to power early street lamps,hence the name gaslight district.

Progress on Tampa MedianTopiary. Northridge West was rec-ognized by the Board of PublicWorks on January 13 for our plan to

MARCH 2018 COMMUNITY CONNECTION PAGE 3

North Valley

Community Connection

is published monthly by

Decision Publications.

Approximately 13,000 copies aremailed to households in Northridge,Porter Ranch and Chatsworth, with

additional copies distributed at select locations.

Publisher: Wayne AdelsteinProduction/Art Director: Kim Mcgill

For editorial and press release submissions, email: [email protected]

For advertising, call (818) 585-6589 or request ad rates via email at

[email protected] San Fernando Valley Office:

18860 Nordhoff Street, Suite 203Northridge, CA 91324Conejo Valley Office:

5739 Kanan Road, Suite 269Agoura Hills, CA 91301

Tele: (818) 585-6589Email: [email protected]

NWNC: Serving the CommunityKeeping Residents Informed and EnhancingOur Neighborhoods

Our Person of the Month: Don Larson(Continued from page 1)

Winter storms and the flu don’tjust mean a lot of people are missingwork and school – it also means theycan’t keep their American Red Crossblood and platelet donation appoint-ments. The Red Cross is urging healthy donors of all blood types toroll up a sleeve to help maintain the blood supply for patients in need.

Severe winter weather has forced about 600 blood drives to can-cel, resulting in more than 17,500 uncollected blood and plateletdonations. And, widespread flu across the U.S. has resulted in lowerturnout at blood drives.

Blood and platelet donations are needed in the coming days tohelp replenish the blood supply and ensure patients continue toreceive lifesaving treatments. Donors can help even more patientswhen they invite a loved one, friend or co-worker to give with them.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities in March will be onMarch 4th, 7:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Temple Ahavat Shalom, at 18200Rinaldi Place, and march 10th, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Granada HillsPavilion, 11128 Balboa Blvd in Granada Hills.

Make an appointment to donate this winter by downloading thefree Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or call-ing 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Donors Urged to Help the RedCross Maintain Blood SupplySevere winter weather, flu disrupting blood donations

Continued on page 6

By Chris SalesLimeBike is a dockless bike share compa-

ny that has recently partnered with CSUN tooffer a dockless bike share program to thecampus and the surrounding area. This isLimeBike’s second foray in the city of LosAngeles, the first being Council District 15(Wilmington, Watts, San Pedro and HarborCity). LimeBike’s goal is to provide sustain-able solutions for short term transportation,the “first and last mile”, and to help reduce thepollution associated with the many vehicleson the road in Los Angeles. The goal of ful-filling that “first and last mile” provides usersanother way to access local transportationhubs, local business as well as schools anduniversities like CSUN.

LimeBike’s original deployment included400 bikes, roughly half in housing on thenorth side of campus, and half on the campusitself. LimeBike currently employs a localoperations team of one manager and eight

operation’s specialists, four of which are stu-dents. These employees are tasked with thesweeping up and repositioning of the bikes, aswell as responding to complaints aboutimproperly parked and unattended bikes. Thissweeping process is done in two scheduledsweeps, one at 7 am in the morning and one at5 pm in the afternoon. LimeBike is availablefrom 7 am to 11 pm to pick up, remove and

PAGE 4 COMMUNITY CONNECTION MARCH 2018

CSUN Initiates Bike Sharing

Program with LimeBike

FREE

Northridge Store8814 Reseda Blvd. 818-772-8888Canoga Park - 6941 Topanga Cyn 818-347-7775Van Nuys - 5960 Van Nuys Blvd. 818-304-0444North Hollywood - 7107 Radford Ave. 818-765-2629Burbank - 1022 W. Burbank Blvd. 818-308-1599

COLORSample Pint!

With this adLimit 1 per customer

Thursday, March 22nd

raising two girls, and she worked two jobs. Iwas pretty much on my own from the age of11, but fortunately for me, LAUSD had schoolprograms available that prevented me fromfalling through the cracks… Since those pro-grams are now few and far between, too manykids are now left to their own devices, andthat’s where LAPD Devonshire PALS comesin… I have watched kids make complete lifetransformations by being a part of the programand my hope is that PALS keeps growing sothat our children will always have a safe andcaring place to go to.”

PALS is More Than an After-SchoolProgram

Over the years, Devonshire PALS has builta program that caters to all aspects of a child’sgrowth, from academics to the arts to sportsactivities. The nonprofit provides these freeenrichment activities onsite at its facility,Monday through Thursday from 1:00 to 6:00p.m. On Fridays, programming is targetedtoward teens, including PALS Live B.L.U.E.mentoring program, a curriculum-drivencharacter training program.

“PALS plays a huge part in improvingchildren’s education level. English is a secondlanguage for most of these families, and momand dad are truly unable to help with home-work. The center has volunteers that come inand help tutor the children in subjects such asreading, math and science,” said DevonshirePALS Board Chair Kimberly Ohrt.

Children come to PALS for different rea-sons, whether it is to get their grades up, takeone of the many arts or sports classes offeredor because they need structure. Whatever theoriginal intent was, they all seem to find ahome away from home.

Allan Sanchez, age 16, has been attendingprograms at Devonshire PALS since he wasnine, when he enrolled in Tae Kwon Do class-es. Since then he has taken advantage of manyof the programs, including guitar and home-work tutoring, and credits the program forhelping to guide him through his high schoolclasses. Said Sanchez, “This is a place I enjoycoming to, where I’m comfortable. It’sbecome a second home.” The teen, a blackbelt in Tae Kwon Do, also volunteers his timeteaching the martial art at the center.

It was academics that brought ChristianHenriques, now 14, to PALS four years ago.“My Dad wanted me to get my grades up.”After raising his grades, he liked it so much hekept coming back. Henriques wants youngerkids to know that “it’s a great privilege to be atDevonshire PALS,” and that they should make

the most of the classes, the field trips, the par-ties and making new friends.

The Devonshire PALS center has alsoserved as a career training ground for ShantNazarian, age 20, who began coming to thecenter in August 2015. A future forensic psy-chologist, he wanted to be in an environmentthat worked with law enforcement. PALS wasthe perfect setting. Nazarian is currently amember of the LAPD Police Cadet programand a student at CSUN. He believes PALS isnot only a place for kids to get academic helpbut as a place to broaden their horizons. “A lotof these kids have trouble at home, are notachieving in school or not getting the help theyneed. Coming here helps stimulate their mindsand bodies at the same time.” Nazarian addedthat he doesn’t believe enough people knowabout Devonshire PALS. “They need to adver-tise it more. My parents work down the street,and I never knew existed. It’s a hidden gem.”

PALS Annual FundraisersIn addition to its flagship golf tournament,

other fundraisers include the PALS 8thAnnual Circle of Heroes Giving Campaign,the Holiday Toy Drive, smaller fundraisingevents like our Comedy Night, and benefitevents like concerts and restaurant fundrais-ers. All monies are directed toward program-ming and activities for the children.

“The PALS Center is simply the best, mostefficient and practical way to directly affectthe lives of the at-risk youth in our communi-ty,” noted Board member Tom Christopher.“This is not a city-run program. We rely com-pletely on fundraising and grants to exist.There is no better example of a private/publicbased organization that I know of.”

Added Victoria Bourdas Martinez, a BoardMember since 2006 who has served asSecretary and President and is currently VicePresident of Marketing, “PALS has given theyouth in the Devonshire area a place to growand learn. They are given opportunities thatthey might not have if the youth center didn’texist…We are fortunate to have a group ofvolunteers that make each experience one thechildren will not forget.”

Devonshire PALS is housed in the GreigSmith LAPD Devonshire Youth Centerlocated at 8721 Wilbur Ave., Northridge, CA91324. To find out more about DevonshirePALS visit their website, www.devonshire-pals.org. To find out more about the upcom-ing golf tournament and how you can sup-port it contact Hank Miller, (818) 523-6741,[email protected]. You can regis-ter for the golf event at www.devnshire-pals.org/golf.

Devonshire PALS(Continued from page 1)

Continued on page 9

Oakridge Estate park con-struction is moving ahead at afast pace. This bird’s eye aerialview taken from DevonshireStreet looking south to LemarshStreet clearly illustrates all theactivity. Friends of Oakridge isusing the talents of a local pro-fessional photographer wholives adjacent to Oakridge. Wewill continue to document theconstruction project then sharethe drone images with the pub-lic. The quarterly newsletter,All About Oakridge, will alsocontain park project informa-tion and more photographs.The March issue will be arriv-ing in email Inboxes soon!

Third Saturday ToursFriends of Oakridge continue to be amazed at the public’s interest in the monthly

docent led tour program. Tours are 90 minutes in length. Guests view the two EnglishTudor Style home of Barbara Stanwcyk and Jack Oakie. Reservations are required dueto limited parking at the “house on the hill”. The March 17, 2018 tour is filled. We haverequested dates from Recreation and Parks for April, May and June tours. As soon asdates are approved, reservations will be possible on our website. In order to be notifiedof tours and reservation availability, please visit us at www.theoakridgeestate.org and addyou name to our email list. Over 2100 names are currently on our master email list. Allinterested people on our distribution list also receive the quarterly newsletter, All AboutOakridge.

Bring the Oaks Back to Oakridge CampaignThe Friends of Oakridge, a 501(c)3 non-profit, first fundraising campaign to replace

several California Live Oak trees continues in full swing. A huge thanks you to thosewho have already donated! Please watch for funds raised information and projectprogress in the next issue of Community Connection. Donations can be make via thewebsite at www.theoakridgeestate.org or by mailing checks to Friends of Oakridge, P. O.Box 3973, Chatsworth, California 91311.

For additional information, call 818 739-0292.


Support our Advert isers…They make Community Connection possible!

News From Friends of Oakridge

Construction Progressingat Oakridge Estate Park

Learn more at dignityhealth.org/heart or find a specialist by calling 855.543.2785.

Who does your heart beat for?

A Birdseye View of Oakridge Estate Park (PhotoCourtesy of Shel Mosk)


By James Lanza, CPFISound familiar? It should. About

forty per cent of you have beenthrough this scenario. Another twen-ty per cent might have only lost fif-teen days, but when the diet endedthe fifteen days came back. It’s ahard thing to go through. It can bede-motivating, it can cause addedstress, and it usually ends with thescale telling you that added poundshave appeared. Winter is almostover, Spring is coming, and you’re searchinghigh and low in your closet for those pants withthe extra room. So what’s a person to do? Let

me start by relating a story I onceheard.

This guy was walking along,minding his own business. All of asudden he falls into a giant hole. Helooks around and tries to get out buthe finds he can’t. He starts to worrywhen all of a sudden a Priest walks by.The guy asks, “Father, can you helpme? I can’t get out.” The Priest makesa sign of the cross, says a prayer andwalks away. The guy looks worried

now when a doctor walks by. Again, “Hey doc,can you help me out?” The doctor writes a pre-scription, throws it in the hole and walks away.

Now the guy is really scared. Then, he sees hisfriend walk by. He yells”Hey Phil! Can youhelp me? I’ve fallen in this hole and I can’t getout!” To his amazement, Phil jumps in the holewith the guy. The guy asks “What did you dothat for? Now we’re both stuck!” Phil looks athis friend and says “No, we’re not. I’ve beenhere before and I know the way out.”

Well, I’ve been there as well. And I knowthe way out. It’s not easy. It is hard work. Butthe payoff in the end is worth it. So, if you’llfollow me, I’m going to show you the way out.

The first step is portion control. Understandit, know it, embrace it. Each meal should haveno more than four to six ounces of lean protein(chicken, turkey, fish etc.), which is about thesize of a deck of cards. Six to eight ounces ofcarbohydrate (vegetable or salad), and a goodfat (avocado, olive oil) in a salad dressing. Andthat’s it! That’s all your body needs for survival.If you eat at a restaurant, automatically dividethe plate and take half home. I don’t know anyrestaurant that serves controlled portions.Although it’s probably because people would-n’t eat there.

The next step is moderation. “Don’t elimi-nate, moderate!” Putting on weight, especiallyfat, is cumulative. It doesn’t happen overnight.It takes time. So, if you like deserts eat them inmoderation. You can still have them, but notevery night. If you want a candy bar, have one.But not every day. You don’t have to give upthe guilty pleasures. Just cut back on the fre-

quency.And of course, the final step is exercise.

Resistance training two to three times a week isthe most effective. You have to build muscle toburn calories. I know quite a few body builderswho eat their cheesecake, chocolate coverednuts and cheeseburger and fries. They don’t doit often, but they do it. And the muscle on theirbodies just burns it up. The more muscle youhave the more calories you burn. Olympic goldmedal swimmer Michael Phelps eats abouttwelve to fifteen thousand calories a day duringtraining. And swims about 600 Olympic speedlaps a day. And trains in the gym with weights.Speaking of laps in the pool, you also have toput in some time doing cardio training. Thirtyminutes a day, three to five times a week. Itbuilds stamina, lung capacity and burns a fewextra calories as well. Keep your target hearttraining rate at about seventy-five per cent ofyour maximum heart rate. How do you knowwhat your maximum heart rate is? Simple.Deduct your age from 220. That would be yourmaximum heart rate. And then multiply it byseventy-five per cent. O.K. let’s go through itagain. If I’m fifty years old, I subtract 50 from220 and I get 170. I then multiply 170 by 75 percent and I get 127.50 which I round up to 128.There you have it. In my thirty minutes of car-dio my heart rate should stay around 128 beatsper minute. Going to 130 to 135 is okay but nohigher. You’ll start to burn muscle. And how do

I Dieted for a Month and all I lost Was Thirty Days!

James Lanza,CPFI

a Call us for a free phone consultation and quote. There is never any additional charge for our services.

a We are independent agents representing the major carriers for Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, and Part D prescription drug plans.

a We also offer Long Term Care, Individual Health including Covered California, and Group Health.

Looking for Medicare Options?a Do you know someone who has questions

about Medicare health plans? a Are you helping a parent or someone else?a Turning 65 and need to know more

about your health plan options?I’M HERE TO HELP!

Call us 818-888-0880www.pdinsure.com

Voted “Best Insurance Agent” for 15 years by readers of the Daily News 2002-2016!

Paul Davis CA LICENSE

#0669770

2002-2016

MLMML

Mofo

M e Og

M diMedicarLLooking f

r?ionss?Opt

a or aall us fC eefr phoni l hddit f

MMaa D

aa Aa

aEREI’M H!HELPOTTOTOTO HELP!

. Thetion and quoattne consuli

e OMedicaromeone ww su knoDo yo

h pte healut Medicarreaboenu helping a parree yoArreo k5 and need ttourning 6TTu

h plan tur healut yoabo

e isher yer anvne

?ionss?Optionswho has quest

?plans??eomeone elsnt or s

ew morrekno?ionstop

geional charaddit or of

a e independent ae arWe S, MedicarageantdvvaA

a eong Ter Lffo oe alsWornia,aliffoC and oup Gr

PP

.viceserour s

ing the majoenteseprs ragentSupplement, and cesart D prP

th in, Individual Healearerm Cth.Heal

aaDDlluuaaPP

oror carriers f eMedicar.ion drug planscript

ncluding edervoovC

isisvvaa

Cw

Vf

62 1160012--220020220

18-888-0880all us 8C

com.e.pdinsurwww

ance ed “Best InsurotVVof theeaders oy rears bor 15 yffo Da

”gentA

aily News 16!202002-

LICENSECA0797660#

ME MBER OF NO RTHRIDGE CHAMBER SINCE 1986

11260 Wilbur Ave., Suite 105Porter Ranch, CA 91326 place topiary on the Tampa Median. The cer-

tificate of recognition also came with a dona-tion of $1000 to be used for the project.

The board approved a grant of $4000 toNorthridge Beautification Foundation for usetoward the median project. We are awaitingapproval for our application to Adopt-A-Median so that we can get started.

The board also approved a grant of $1000to the Friends of Oakridge for the planting ofa large Live Oak to replace one that had diedbecause of the drought. Part of the funds willbe used to install a drip system to ensure thatthe new tree receives adequate water.

Earth Day Clean Up & Support ofOther NCs. We are proud to be partneringwith Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council in aJoint NC Earth Day Clean Up that PorterRanch NC will be holding on April 14 from12-4:00 p.m. at Holly Bernson Park. Foodwill be served and we are inviting all stake-holders to join us.

Support of City Council Motions. Theboard voted its approval of two city councilmotions.

• Council File (CF-17-1421) filed byCouncilmen Mitch O’Farrell to establish anillegal Fireworks Task Force to report onissues related to illegal fireworks and to cur-tail their use in the city.

• Councilmen David Ryu’s motion, CF-18-0045, to ask the Chief Legislative Analyst toreport on the costs and feasibility of amendingcouncil rules to establish one or more councilmeetings to be held at 5:00 p.m. instead of the

current time of 10:00 a.m.Homelessness in Our Neighborhood.

Gail Lapaz, chair of our newly establishedHomelessness Committee, reported on theirfirst committee meeting. The committee willbe holding a Homeless Connect Day inOctober. More information will be forthcom-ing as the committee works to firm up thedetails and logistics of the event.

Town Hall Meeting with Dr. Nordella:The Possible Health Effects of the

Aliso Canyon Gas LeakNWNC is holding a town hall meeting

about the possible health effects of the AlisoCanyon Gas Leak with Dr. Jeffrey Nordellaon March 29 at the Northridge Park Gym.An exact time will be announced shortly.We are pleased to report that the NorthridgeSouth Neighborhood Council will be a part-ner in the event, and AQMD andDepartment of Water & Power will be par-ticipating. Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s staffwill also be on hand. More details will beforthcoming.

Assembly Candidate. During public com-ment, Tricia Robbins Kasson, a candidate forthe vacated 45 Assembly District, introducedherself to the audience and enumerated herqualifications for the office.

We hope to have other candidates at thenext meeting.

One Opening on the Board. We presentlyhave one opening on the board. Interestedapplicants should contact President PeterLasky at 818-687-0123 or by email [email protected].

NWNC: Serving the Community(Continued from page 3)

Continued on page 8

Main Sewer Drains, Kitchen Sinks, Laundry Lines, Showers, Tubs, Basins,Toilets, yard Drains and most Pool Drains

All pricing listed on website: www.thedrainco.comVisit us at: www.thedrainco.com or call 818-344-1114

THE DRAIN CO. family has been providing

Preventative and Emergency Drain

Service for Residential, Commercial

and Multi-unit Properties in the

Greater Los Angeles Area Since 1969


Support our Advertisers… They make Community Connection possible!

NORTHRIDGE WEST NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL

Join us for our next GENERAL BOARD MEETING.

Tuesday, March 13 from 6:15-8:30 PMCalahan Community Charter School auditorium

18722 Knapp Street, Northridge 91324

GUEST SPEAKER: Patrick Frank, Presidentof the Coalition to Ban Billboard Blight discussing thepossibility of digital billboards in LA neighborhoods

Find more information at NorthridgeWest.org

FOLLOW: @NorthridgeWest

Interested in serving on the board?One seat is open. Contact Peter Lasky:

[email protected] or 818-697-0639

Northridge EastNeighborhood Council

“Making Northridge a Better Place to Live, Work, Play and Learn”

The Northridge East Neighborhood Council (NENC) meets on the third Wednesday of everymonth at 7:00 p.m. at the Northridge Woman’s Club, 18401 Lassen Street, Northridge.

The NENC includes all of the Northridge community east of Reseda Boulevard and north ofNordhoff Street. For more information on the NENC and to subscribe to receive our meetingnotices, visit www.NENC-LA.org, email [email protected], or telephone 818-527-2913.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @NorthridgeEast

Next Board Meeting: Wednesday, March 21 at 7:00 pm

Northridge Woman’s Club, 18401 Lassen StreetAgenda topics will include:

✓ Update on “Clean Streets Clean Starts” program in Northridge✓ Update on proposed mixed use development at

Northridge Post Office site

Resident & Alternate Board Member openings – apply now

Applications accepted from NENC stakeholders for these open Board seatsVisit www.NENC-LA.org for more details on Board positions. To apply,

email [email protected] or call 818-514-5355.

“Make a difference. Get involved.”

By Martha Patterson, EsqMost people think Probate court is only for

the dead. Few realize that you can end up inProbate Court when you are alive. AConservatorship (other states call themGuardianship) is a legal proceeding filed bysomeone who claims that you either no longerare able to manage your finances, or physical-ly take care of yourself or that you are so sus-ceptible to undue influence that your right tocontrol your finances should be taken awayfrom you. As you can imagineConservatorship proceedings are painful andexpensive as no one wants to take a loved oneto court to declare they lack the ability to paytheir bills, and no one wants to be in court withloved ones fighting over them and each claim-ing that the other took advantage of them.

Here are three ways to avoid Probate Courtwhen you are Alive:

1. Make sure your estate planning docu-ments are up to date

Trusts and Powers of Attorney are not doc-uments that should sit on a shelf. You shouldhave a relationship with the Attorney whodrafted the documents and you should sched-ule an appointment every 3 to 5 years, to makesure that no laws have changed and that youdiscuss any changes in your family or health.If you have a child you don’t trust you need tomake sure your attorney knows your con-cerns. Remember, if you do your documentson line or use a non-lawyer they can’t andwon’t advise you about how to protect your-self from an untrustworthy child, they proba-bly don’t know how to do anything other thaninput your information into forms. Further,remember only lawyers can keep your con-cerns a secret.

2. Consider Adding a Trusted Person as aCo-trustee and co-signor

As an Elder LawAttorney, I meet withmany clients who havejust been diagnosed withdementia or had their first“mini-stroke” or “TIA”.These clients know that itis likely that one day they may no longer beable to handle their own finances. I often havethem add a person they trust as a Co-trusteeand perhaps even as a co-signor on theiraccounts. The person who is added will beable to learn from their loved one all thedetails of their finances, they have the author-ity to act, but typically will be in the role ofassistant (often to their parent) until the daycomes when stroke or dementia take away theability to pay your bills or the bad guy tries toswindle, then the co-Trustee is able to takeover immediately to pay the bills and the badguy.

3. Don’t sign documents you don’t under-stand

It is sadly all too common for a person tosign documents they don’t understand. APower of Attorney gives the Agent the right toaccess all your money, they can steal it! Theyaren’t supposed to but they can. You can signa deed or a mortgage and end up losing yourhouse. A Trust gives rights to the Trustee tomanage your money allowing them to stealfrom you. Financial Advisor’s can be dishon-est and invest your money in scams.

NEVER SIGN ANYTHING YOU DON”TUNDERSTAND OR WHEN YOU ARETOLD YOU MUST SIGN RIGHT NOW.

Martha Jo Patterson, Certified Elder lawAttorney, can be reached at (866) 452-9657 oremail at [email protected]. Visit herwebsite at www.ElderLawMom.com

Advertorial

How to Avoid Probate Court

When You Are Alive

Martha Patterson


When we travel to non-western destina-tions we get to experience a new culture andyes, culinary delights unique to where you arevisiting. And Thailand is no exception.

Yes, Thailand is known for its magnificentbeaches, UNESCO protected temples, archi-tectural wonders, and national parks rich invegetation and animal life.

And of course, there’s the food. Visitors toThailand often list the food among the mostmemorable experiences. The food is uniquelycrafted to appeal to all tastes, combining thebest of flavors, textures, colors, and presenta-tion. The use of herbs, spices, and fresh ingre-dients, along with coconut milk, seafood, andfruits play a huge role in many of the populardishes. It’s what characterizes Thai cuisine.

Street food has always been a part of theThai way of life. Some of the best places tofind these street vendors include YaowaratRoad, or Thailand’s Chinatown, rated at thetop of the list of Bangkok street foods; Silom,a major business district in Bangkok thattransforms into an entertainment venue offer-ing an array of street food treasure as nightfalls; and, Sukhumvit Road, one the longest

roads in Bangkok with many adjoining ‘sois’or small streets with countless carts, stalls, andvendors cooking mouthwatering food.

The culinary experience in Thailand reach-es beyond sitting down to a meal as “foodtourism” in the country is bursting with hands-on experiences. Wouldn’t it be nice to be ableto cook your favorite Thai dishes at home?There is no better way to learn to cook like aThai than learning with a Thai chef! The expe-rience will surely kindle your appetite to seekfor more adventures in Thailand.

For more information about Thailand,please visit www.tourismthailand.org.

Let’s Travel�.

There is so Much to Experience

in Thailand, Especially the Food

The 2018 Board of Directors, led by newChairperson Robin Kellogg was installed atthe annual luncheon Friday, February 23,2018. Also installed as 2018 board membersare: Vice-Chairperson Scott Weber (Rocket -boyMedia)

Treasurer Paul Eisenstadt (ProtectionAlarms), Secretary Cherry Hendrik (Flowersby Cherry), Paul Davis (Paul Davis AlbertaBelissario Ins),Colin Donahue (CSUN, V.P.Administration & Finance), Carla Kazimir(North Valley Physical Therapy), ChrisSales (Northridge Vision), Steve Harris (S.Harris Consulting), Monica Diaz (MonicaDiaz Ins. Agency/Farmers), Immediate PastChair person Mark Freedman (MarkFreedman, CPA), Dave Kahn (Kahn AirConditioning & Heating), Don Larson (TheNorthridge Beautification Foundation), JonArima (Arima Business Solutions), ThomasChris topher (Christopher Law Group), Carol

Salazar Loweree (Cartwright Entertain -ment/Happy House Foundation), and MelWilson (Mel Wilson & Associates).

Highlights of the event included presen-tation of the CK Tseng Leadership Award to

Congressman Sherman Swears-in New Board

Northridge Chamber Installs

2018 Board of DirectorsCity Councilmember MitchEnglander Keynote Speaker

From the left, CK Tseng Leadership Awardrecipient Nancy Cartwright (AKA the voice ofBart Simpson, and others), Chamber presi-dent Stephanie Schwinn and 2018 Board ofDirectors Chairperson, Robin Kellogg.

2017 CK Leadership Award recipient RichardLeyden with Nancy Cartwright.

Continued on page 9

Councilman Mitch Englander served as theInstallation Luncheon Keynote Speaker

I find my heart rate some of you are asking?Heart rate monitors, fingers on your carotidartery, the silver handles on the treadmill. Callme, we’ll talk.

So, there you have it. You’re out of the hole.Now find your way here to Lanza Fitness andlet’s get started! Summer is right around thecorner. I can show you how not to fall back intothat hole!

James Lanza is certified by the NationalAcademy of Sports Medicine and theInternational Sports Sciences Association. Hehas been in the fitness industry for over twentyyears. James owns Lanza Fitness PersonalTraining, a premiere private training facilitylocated at 20551 Devonshire St. in Chatsworth.Right next to Sizzlers Restaurant. His clientsrange from celebrities and athletes to house-wives and retirees. James can be reached at hisfacility by calling 818-822-6127 orwww.Lanzafitness.com

Lanza(Continued from page 6)

818MyHouse.comDavid Friedman(818) 970-7701

A-1 Oxygen Medical Fred Robinson(818) 642-6523

Bel-Air ExteriorsLarry Cohen(818) 787-3200

Christopher Law GroupThomas Christopher, Esq. (818) 360-9500

Crawford MortuaryAnthony Hernandez(818) 349-9701

Geisler Patterson LawMartha Patterson (866) 452-9657

Glass Etc Cal.Josefina Duran(818) 705-9878

Hearing Aid Specialist, Inc.Joel Lipin / (818) 701-5484

Kahn Air ConditioningDave Kahn(818) 886-2600

Senior Resources

North Valley Physical Therapy Carla Kazimir(818) 217-4868

Paul Davis & Alberta Bellisario Ins.Paul Davis(818) 888-0880

Remedy Home Health CareAmy Kalajian(818) 900-0788

Senior Resources, IncSandy Rosenholz(818) 359-2125

The Great Frame UpKathy Cryer(818) 920-4000

The Mortgage House, Inc.Claudia Manly(818) 227-0922

UCLA HealthNickie Bonner(213) 700-0129

Utter Mckinley Mortuary George Perez(818) 361-4751

By Jill Levy-FischThis year, over 200,000

Americans will order genetic teststo see if they’re at risk for morethan 2,000 hereditary diseases,including cancer. Patients and theirdoctors can choose tests from over500 different laboratories.

Most people don’t think twiceabout their choice of lab. They fig-ure all labs’ tests are of similarquality. They’re wrong.

Many labs are sending patientsinaccurate test results. Sometimes,labs notify patients that they have adangerous genetic mutation whenthey really don’t. So patients need-lessly undergo expensive and inva-sive surgeries to prevent a diseasethey’re unlikely to develop.

Other times, labs tell patientsthat a mutation is harmless —when it’s actually dangerous. Sopatients don’t take preventativeactions and ultimately developdeadly diseases.

It’s time for the FDA to protectpatients by regulating these tests,just as the agency regulates pre-scription drugs.

Genetic tests, formally knownas “laboratory developed tests,”detect mutations in people’s DNA.

Some mutations are harmless.Others make it extremely likelythat a person will develop a certaindisease later in life. Certain muta-tions in the BRCA gene, forinstance, give women an 87 per-cent chance of developing breastcancer.

This foreknowledge can be life-saving. Women who learn they'reat heightened risk of breast cancercan undergo frequent screenings.Women who catch early-stagetumors have a 93 percent five-yearsurvival rate, according to theAmerican Cancer Society. Whenpatients don’t catch tumors untilthe most advanced stage, after thecancer has spread throughout the

body, the survival rate plummets to15 percent.

Many women with BRCAmutations preemptively have theirbreasts and ovaries removed toprevent tumors from forming.

Patients need reliable informa-tion before deciding whether toundergo such invasive surgeries.Too often, many labs provide inac-curate genetic test results.

Consider a 48-year-old womanwho took a genetic test at a locallab and tested positive for a BRCAmutation. She decided to have herbreasts, uterus, and ovariesremoved. After the procedure, herparents also underwent genetictesting. Neither of them tested pos-itive for the gene. Stunned, thewoman took another test, whichcame back negative.

Or take one California-basedlab that just admitted its tests failedto detect a mutation linked to col-orectal cancer. Thousands ofpatients may have received thefaulty tests.

Many newer labs don’t haveenough experience or samples tofind mutations or determinewhether a mutation is harmful.Many are so new that they’ve only

published a relative handful ofpeer-reviewed studies and investedjust a few million dollars in devel-oping their tests.

The consequences of incorrectdiagnoses are severe. Society loses$775,000 for every breast cancerpatient who receives a false nega-tive result, according to an FDAstudy.

More federal oversight couldprevent laboratories from deliver-ing inaccurate test results.

The FDA proposed severalreforms to govern laboratorydeveloped tests last year. All newand severely modified LDTs, forinstance, would have to undergo arigorous review process. Thisprocess could help identify qualitycontrol missteps that could lead tofalse diagnoses. The FDA wouldalso continually monitor the quali-ty of LDTs to ensure that theydeliver accurate results.

Such reforms would protectpatients and save lives. But so far,Congress has shown little interestin allowing the FDA to regulateLDTs. Until that changes, thou-sands of Americans will continueto receive inaccurate and incom-plete genetic test results.

Jill Levy-Fisch is president ofthe Save Babies ThroughScreening Foundation. The Foun -dation’s goal is to see that everybaby born in the United States isscreened successfully, effectively,and comprehensively.

relocate bikes. Issues can bereported 24 hours a day, either byemail ([email protected])phone (1-888-LIME-345) or text(1-888-546-3345).

LimeBike’s metrics, collectedsince January 16th (as of 2/14/18)indicate that there have been over23,000 individual rides taken, fornearly 10,000 miles total, and over5500 individual riders. The averagespeed has been 4.23 miles an hour

(these bikes are three speed cruisers)and the longest ride was 37.78 milestaking 2.72 hours. The bikes havebeen seen regularly at the Metrolinkstation as well as various OrangeLine stations.

LimeBike staff are aware ofsome concerns from local commu-nity members surrounding the cam-pus, that some of these bikes arebeing ridden to parked cars andbeing abandoned in residentialneighborhoods. However, as of

2/14/18 when this information wascompiled, only 45 complaints (sta-tistically 1.6 a day) had beenreceived. This number is consid-ered relatively low of a new deploy-ment. However, as mentionedabove, issues or concerns can beshare at the email, phone and textnumbers above.

LimeBike is also considering thefollowing, based on technologyproof of concept: Geo Fencing,which tracks hot spots and mappingno parking zones off campus withinthe LimeBike app, various disincen-tives for improper parking off cam-pus, as well as targeted communica-tions based on user and location.Properly implemented and utilized,these sanctions could go a long wayto reducing the misused of the pro-gram, and alleviate some of thelocal concerns.

If you have any questions orcomments, please contact LimeBikeat [email protected].

Bike Sharing(Continued from page 4)


What People Don't Know About

Genetic Testing Can Hurt Them

Jill Levy-Fisch

Nancy Cartwright, in recognitionof her business and civic contribu-tions, the Chair person’s Awardpresented to Robin Kellogg (RobinKellogg and Associates) for hercontributions as a member of theboard and the President’s Award toWayne Adelstein (DecisionPublications) for his continue sup-port.

Keynote Speaker, CouncilmanEnglander, discussed numerousissues affecting the business com-munity as well as the community at-large. The video of the event willbe available on the Chamber’s web-

Chamber Installation(Continued from page 8)

Councilman Englander and NancyCartwright


By Thomas Christopher, Esq.Congress has passed tax reform that will

take effect in 2018. As a result, many peoplehave Estate Plans with Revocable Living Truststhat are now needlessly complex as they relateto the new laws applicable to their estate.Simply stated, they are outdated and need to bereviewed.

Under the new law, the Estate Tax or “DeathTax” as it is commonly referred to, is now set at11.2 million dollars per individual and 22.4million for a married couple. The likelihoodthat you have a taxable estate has been madehighly unlikely. The threshold for Probate inCalifornia, however, still remains at$150,000.00. This means that you still need aRevocable Living Trust to avoid Probate. TheProbate process is a formal legal process thatcan take 1-2 years and is very formal and cost-ly.

Here is the crux of the issue created by thenew tax reform law. Most married coupleswho had their estate plans prepared since theyear 2000 have estate plans that involve an A/BTrusts. This is a plan in the Trust that allowsyou pass twice the estate tax limit through yourtrust without paying taxes. The trade-off is thatyou need to engage in formality on the death ofthe first spouse to die, appraise and allocateassets, file tax returns for part of the Trust and… part of your Trust becomes irrevocable(can’t be changed) on the death of the firstspouse. This causes expense to the estate andtypically the hiring of professionals like

Accountants andAttorneys to help do thisright.

If you have this type ofTrust, you need to serious-ly consider having yourEstate Planning docu-ments reviewed and updated. Your Estate Planshould allow you to pass what you have to yourbeneficiaries without cost, time and formality.The new tax laws render the A/B Trust planunnecessary for all but those who have assetsthat exceed 22.4 million dollars.

The good news is that you can get this donetoday! The initial consultation and review ofyour documents is free. I founded ChristopherLaw Group, Inc. to provide an easy, comfort-able and convenient way to create an EstatePlan or modify your existing Plan. My office isconveniently located in Porter Ranch. An attor-ney will meet you in your home at no cost todiscuss your estate planning options. We willdo the same for you if you have a plan alreadybut want it reviewed amended or updated.

Please call my office today at (818) 360-9500, or visit us on the Web at www.christo-pherlawgroup.com to schedule a complimen-tary meeting in your home. Protect your fami-ly legacy today and gain peace of mind.

Thomas P. Christopher, Esq., ChristopherLaw Group, Inc., (818) 360-9500, 11260Wilbur Ave., Suite 105, Porter Ranch,California 91326. www.christopherlaw-group.com

New Tax laws Make it Essential

to Have Your Living

Trust Reviewed!

Thomas P.Christopher, Esq.

We treat your family like our Family!Call Us! (818) 721-9092

19248 Roscoe Blvd. Northridge, CA 91324www.rmauto.com • [email protected]

10% Discount with this Ad (up to $50 off) • Financing available - Ask for details

More FriendlyMore HelpfulAll Asian Imports

Need a ride? We’ll get youhome and fetchyou back!

Guarantee yourService!

30 Months/30,000miles warranty!

Hours: M-F7:30am – 6:00pm

Named a “Top Shop” by Motor Age Magazine

Worried about Running Out of

Money Due to the High Cost of

Nursing Home Care?There are options to Avoid Having

Your Life Savings wiped out. Help is available without Selling Your Home

or Leaving Your Family Without a Dime!FREE One Hour Consultation When you call our office

and mention this coupon.

• Asset Protection• Nursing Home Medi-Cal

Eligibility• Veteran’s Benefits• Long Term Care Planning• Power of Attorney with

Specific Language to ProtectYour Assets

• Advance Healthcare Directives• Probate and Trust

Administration• Special Needs Trusts• Empowerment Planning for

the Second Half of Life• Estate Planning

Call (888) 865-7452 or go towww.ElderLawMom.com

to set up your FREE Consultation

IT IS ABOUT EMPOWERMENT NOT IMPOVERISHMENT

Martha Patterson, Esq., CELA* is one of only 29 Attorneys in California Nationally Certified by the National Elder Law Foundation as a Certified Elder Law Attorney, she is expert in helping families with loved ones facingDementia, Disability or Disease, plan for Long Term Care

Joyce applies the same philosophy behindWIN to the Senior Specialists Group (SSG) asshe opens each new chapter. Members arevetted to make sure that individuals who fill aspecific profession work together for the bet-terment of the senior community, and collab-orate with one another to educate and supportthe municipalities they serve. In just a littleover a year, Joyce has helped to grow SSG toseven chapters, spread out over greater LosAngeles, Ventura and Orange County areas.SSG chapters continue to evolve to meet thegrowing need for quality senior assistance.

Senior Care is Greatly Impacted by theGrowing Aging Population

It has been estimated by the Administrationon Aging that the American senior population(those 65 and older) will reach 70 million by2030, double what it was in 2000. That’s only12 years in the future. And by 2050, that num-ber will reach 83.7 million.

California will also see exponential growthin its senior population, with expected growthjumping 87 percent (four million people). Thisincrease in the senior population will requiremore senior-based facilities and services aswell as the healthcare workers and caregiversto staff them.

How FSS/SSG Provides Help to SeniorsFFSS/SSG links the community to the

needs of seniors, allowing them to livelonger, happier, healthier lives, and to stayin their own homes as long as possible. Thenonprofit educates seniors and their familieson available services, helps prepare familymembers who are taking on the role of care-giver, and provides valuable informationalresources and compassionate support toassist at every level of senior care.

The nonprofit typically receives requestsat one of three levels. The first level repre-sents a compassionate call (“I need some-one to move my Dad or spend some time

with my Mom”). The second is specific to aservice or product, and the third level is in-home caregiver support. These services arepaid for through grants, fundraising efforts,sponsorships and donations received by theFoundation.

How to Ask for HelpSeniors or their family members can

request assistance, education and resourcesfrom the non-profit’s qualified serviceproviders, partners and volunteers in one offour ways.

1. Contact the Foundation at 855-836-08072. Reach out to the SSG chapters at 818-

691-26213. Contact the call center currently man-

aged by Helping Hands LA at 855-836-08074. Request services online at the website,

www.foundationforseniorservices.orgBefore any assistance is approved, seniors

or their representatives must fill out an assess-ment form available on the website,www.foundationforseniorsservices.org, orwhen contacting the call center. Once theassessment form has been submitted to FFSS,it goes before the Foundation board forapproval. FSS ranks the services according tospecific need and cost.

Partnerships with Other GroupsTo broaden its ability to serve the senior

communities in Southern California,FFSS/SSG partners with other charitableorganizations. It sees these independent enti-ties as strategic partners that share a commoncause, and work in a mutually beneficial way.Partners may contribute marketing, informa-tion, products, funding, distribution channelsand volunteer time toward the mutual goal ofserving seniors and their loved ones.

To find out more about the Foundation forSenior Services and the SSG chapters, visitthe website at www.foundationforseniorser-vices.org or contact Joyce Robertson [email protected].

Foundation for Senior Services(Continued from page 1)

By Robin KelloggWe all have a story. Each one is

unique and dynamic and tells theworld who we are, what webelieve and why we do what wedo. As a business professional,your story is extremely important,and not just from a credibilitystandpoint. Your story is what yourelay to your clients, explainingwhy they should do business withyou and not your competitor. Yourclients need to hear, absorb andconnect with your story and make it theirs.

Some Stories Others Have ToldHere are some examples of stories I’ve

heard over the years from others in business.They all tell why someone got involved intheir current profession, whether it was due totragedy, passion or a sense of duty.

• One estate planning attorney tells how hisparents ran a restaurant and his mother wasunprepared when his father suddenly died.Neither of his parents had made any prepara-tions for who would take over and what wouldhappen with other financial holdings they had.He is passionate about helping families createdocuments with their future in mind.

• A financial professional spoke about how

her parents divorced, and hermother almost lost the familyhome. Her father had alwaystaken care of the finances, so hermother was entirely out of her ele-ment after the divorce. She wentinto financial planning to helpwomen like her mother succeed.

• A real estate agent took hispassion for real estate investmentand turned it into his profession.He now helps other find thehomes of their dreams and invest

in other properties.• A former nonprofit executive traveled the

world helping those in need. As an entrepre-neur she started her own coffee company,exporting beans from Asia and Africa, andsending money back that helps improve thelives of farmers, widows and orphans. Shestill lives her passion to help others, while pro-viding a quality cup of coffee to the public.

• A former teacher who loved helping herstudents detangle their family issues eventual-ly became a marriage and family therapist.She now works with youngsters and their par-ents and can offer more options than before.

How to Tell Your StoryNow that you have a better idea of others’

stories, here are some tips on how to tellyours.

• Frame your story. Your audience (cus-tomer) has to understand why you’re sharingthis story.

• Understand your audience and what theirwants and needs are. This will help frame thestory.

• Tell it with feeling. Your audience needsto connect with your message on a viscerallevel.

• Keep it concise. It’s easy to go off on atangent. To avoid this, make your story asbrief as possible.

• Include some details.• Listen to what others are saying. How are

they presenting their stories? What tips can

you pick up from them?How you present your story matters. You

don’t have to be a great writer to tell a goodstory. You, do, however, have to believewhat you are telling your audience and say itwith conviction. People want to know thatthey have a connection with you. Once youestablish that connection it’s up to you tofind ways to nurture it and create a long-term bond.

Robin Kellogg is a content and marketingwriter based in Chatsworth, CA. She workswith business professionals to help them honein on their audience and present messagingthat elevates their business to new levels. Shecan be reached at 818-993-5468 or [email protected].


March 2018 Chamber CalendarRSVP’s are requested for all events via

[email protected] or phone, (818) 349-5676

Mon., Mar 12th • 11:30am-1pm

Networking Luncheon& RIBBON CUTTING

to welcome new owner, Dimitri IoakimEvent Location:

8930 Corbin Ave.Cost: $16 RSVP (818) 349-5676

A Reservation Made Is Paid

18860 Nordhoff Street, Suite 203Northridge, CA 91324

(818) 349-5676www.NorthridgeChamber.org

Event Location:California State University

Northridge18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge, CA

Next Date TBD

CSUN Networking Connection

Tues., Mar 20th • 7:45am-9am

Senior Services Business/ HIRE Council Meeting

Event Location: Marie Callender’s Restaurant

Cost: $25; guests $15 RSVP (818) 349-5676

What’s Your Story?

Robin Kellogg

Fri., March 2nd • 7:30-9:00am

VNA Breakfast

Event Location: Monterey at Encino

16821 Burbank Blvd, EncinoCost: $25 RSVP (818) 349-5676


Event Location:

Sylvan Learning Center, Northridge8984 Tampa Avenue, Northridge

FREE EVENT : RSVP (818) 349-5676

Wed, Mar 21st • 9 am-10 am

Education ConnectionTues., Mar 27th • 7:00-9:00am

Coffee, Contacts & ComedyMembership Breakfast

Event Location:Porter Valley Country Club

(Corner of Rinaldi & Porter Valley Dr)Cost: $25 with RSVP; $30 at the door



Proudly serving the San Fernando Valley since 1923BURBANK • MISSION HILLS • NORTHRIDGE • PORTER RANCH • TARZANA

Facey Medical Group doesn’t sell health insurance but choosing a Facey doctor for your care is easy. We accept most HMO, PPO, Medicare and Medicare Advantage health plans. Ask your insurance company how you can switch today. For a list of the health plans we currently contract with, visit our website at facey.com/insurance or call 1-844-MY-FACEY.

W W W. FAC E Y.CO M 1-844-MY-FACEY @FACEYMEDICAL

More doctors in one place =More time to make memories.

Learn more about choosing a Facey Medical Group doctor by calling us toll-free at:

1-844-MY-FACEY

has accomplished this with the con-sensus of teachers, parents and stu-dents alike by employing grassrootsorganizational tools he learned as astudent of Chicano Studies atMission College and CSUN.

According to Ramos, there arethree main principals to organizingany group. Everyone begins bytelling their story. You then look forvalue-based commonalities and,weaving them together, create the”story of us” until you finally arriveat the “story of now,” a mutuallybeneficial agreement that satisfiesthe demands of both parties.

These tools came in handy whenRamos accepted his first principal-ship at Haddon STEAM Academywhere parents were on the verge ofwithdrawing from the district tobecome a charter school. The par-ents wanted arts back in the curricu-lum. He understood their concernsbut didn’t think a charter was theway to go. Ramos started withhouse meetings to take parents’ tem-perature on the situation, and thencame up with solutions that wouldwork for the school and the families.

The result was an innovativeMariachi music program, a debateteam and continued meetings with

parents. The parents dropped theidea of a charter and students whohad left the school before his arrivalreturned in droves. Enrollmentjumped by 115 students.

A Change of VenueWhen Ramos left Haddon to

accept the principalship atNorthridge Middle School justseven months ago, his Pacoima col-leagues told him to expect a differ-ent population of students inNorthridge. However, what hefound was quite the opposite. Theneighborhood in both areas washeavily Hispanic, with many immi-grants, and both were Title 1 schoolsas a large number of students at bothschools came from homes that werebelow the poverty level andreceived breakfast and lunch atschool. Both had Title 3 coacheswho worked with students born inthe U.S. but who struggled withreading and writing English at theirgrade level.

It wasn’t long before Ramos real-ized the students and their parents atNorthridge would benefit from thesame programs he began at Haddon.

He recruited Oliver Mata, theMariachi professional he hired atHaddon, who was part of the well-known Mariachi Conservatory inBoyle Heights. Under his tutelage,the Haddon Mariachi ensemble per-formed at the Valley PerformingArts Center in Northridge last year.

Ramos is excited that theMariachi music program is now atNorthridge and noted that the stu-dents are as much enamored with itas he is. “The kids love the musicprogram so much that they arrive at

school at 7:30 a.m. and don’t leaveuntil 5:30 p.m.,” he stated. He addedthat Mata has also been hired towork with aspiring musicians atKYDS (Keeping Youth DoingSomething), the school’s after-school program.

Besides the music class, Ramoshas also started a debate team atNorthridge and Roundtables withRamos, similar to his house meet-ings with Haddon parents. Next fall,a Medical/Health Magnet will openon campus with an enrollment thusfar of 120 students. However,Ramos takes no credit for the mag-net, pointing out it was a project theteaching staff had been working onlong before his arrival.

A Neighborhood ResourceNorthridge Middle School is

much more than an educationalfacility. It is a part of the neighbor-hood. Adults who want to learnEnglish can attend ESL classes oncampus certain weekday morningsand residents under the age of 18can partake in a “Hot Supper” pro-gram at the school.

Like his students, Ramos grewup in a neighborhood in SanFernando that was poor and hadgangs. He understands the socialpressure many of these kids' experi-ence having to straddle two very dif-ferent worlds—life in America andas the child of immigrants. Andwhen these worlds collide, kidsoften fall through the cracks.

“I understand troubled kids,”stated Ramos. “I was troubled. Iknow what’s leading them downthat road,” he noted.

The youngest of four children,

Ramos was the only one who gotinto any trouble. He stressed that it’srarely about bad parenting and moreabout seeking attention no matterwhere it comes from.

His own experiences with gangsand juvenile hall taught Ramos thatany situation can be resolved if youuse the right tools. Following juve-nile hall, he continued his education,eventually graduating from CSUNwith a degree in Chicano Studies. In1999 at the age 29, while teachingelementary school, he ran and won aseat on the San Fernando CityCouncil in a landslide electionagainst a 16-year incumbent, and ayear later was named Mayor ProTem. During his tenure, he broughteconomic development into blight-ed areas in the city, including attract-ing the first Starbucks to the area.Ramos also taught at MissionCollege off and on from 2008 to2012, a total of 12 years.

Ramos is an inspiration to everystudent at Northridge MiddleSchool who for one moment doubtsthat they can rise above their eco-nomic, academic or social chal-lenges and create the life they havealways dreamed of. It’s possible;he’s a living example of it.

Northridge Middle School / Richard Ramos(Continued from page 1)

Richard Ramos

ourpersonofthemonth - northridge chamber · cator, co-owner of adx computers services, inc. and...

Documents