CVCA to Meet April 28

The Crescenta Valley Community Association will have its monthly meeting tonight, April 28 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. The meeting will include discussion on local issues as well as an opportunity for foothill area residents to bring their own concerns. Contact the CVCA at crescentavalleycommunityassn@gmail.com with questions and for Zoom meeting information.

All are welcome.

Betty Porto Honored

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, with the Commission for Women, will hold its 37^th Annual Women of the Year Commemorative Celebration Luncheon on Monday, May 9.

This year, 12 exceptional women will be recognized at the themed event “A Time of Reverence, Hope and Action” for their work to bring about social and economic change. The luncheon will be held at the Sheraton Grand Los Angeles in Downtown Los Angeles. Among those being recognized is Betty Porto, vice president and director of Community Relations for Porto’s Bakery and Café.

Registration and check-in will open at 10:30 a.m. and the event will begin promptly at 11:30 a.m. For more information to become a sponsor or for those who have questions about this event, please contact Commission staff at laccw@bos.lacounty.gov or (213) 974-1431.  

Armenian American Museum Launches Young Professionals Committee

The Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center of California has launched a new Young Professionals Committee to promote the mission of the museum, connect young professionals throughout the community and empower the next generation of leaders. The inaugural members of the Young Professionals Committee include Eric Davidian, Sarine Hajiar, Maria Kevorkian, Lana Minassian, Sera Najarian, Ani Nalbandian, Deanna Nazarian, Aleen Ohanian, Arman Ohanian, Natalie Orphali, Katia Orphali and Orzhen Rushanyan.

For more information, visit https://www.ArmenianAmericanMuseum.org/YP.

Portantino Bill Passes Senate Education Committee

Senate Bill 1255, a measure introduced by Senator Anthony J. Portantino and inspired by the Glendale Environmental Coalition that seeks to reduce waste in K–12 schools and community colleges, passed the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday. SB 1255 would establish a dishwasher grant program to address the state’s single-use trash and waste crisis.

Commercial dishwashers use little water, heat to high temperatures for complete sanitation, dry quickly and are fast and energy efficient, lowering the number of single used products.  Machines can last 15 years, providing significant savings over time and offsetting waste management costs that are expected to rise in the near future.

SB 1255 would establish the Dishwasher Grant Program for Waste Reduction in K–12 schools and community colleges and would be administered by the Dept. of Resources Recycling and Recovery. The
Department would provide grants to school districts, charter schools and community college districts for the purchase and installation of commercial dishwashers at the school sites and campuses. SB 1255 would require the Dept. of Resources Recycling and Recovery to award grants of up to $40,000 per kitchen of a school or campus and to develop administrative guidelines for implementation of the program. The bill would require the Department to develop materials and conduct outreach to those local educational agencies about the program and authorize them to work with the State Dept. of Education, the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, or other relevant state agencies for purposes of the program. Finally, SB 1255 would make the implementation of these provisions contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or another statute.