Holmby News 1-27-15

HOLMBY NEWS
January 27, 2015

 

From the Holmby Westwood Property Owners Association, serving the Holmby Westwood community since 1960.

1.  Warner Ave. School – Seeking Auction Donations
2.  Helpful Phone Numbers
3.  LAPD Crime Report
4.  Dog Attack
5.  Carpool Bus to Palisades High School

6.  HWPOA Communication and Ad Policy
7.  Resident Ads
8.  HWPOA Contact Information

1.  WARNER AVE SCHOOL – SEEKING AUCTION DONATIONS

Dear Holmby Westwood Neighbors,

WAVE, the parent-teacher organization for Warner Avenue Elementary, is kindly requesting donations for its upcoming Spring Auction on March 14th. Are you a season ticket holder to any professional or college sports events (Clippers, Kings, UCLA, etc.)? Do you have tickets to the Geffen, LA Philharmonic, Center Theatre Group, or LA Opera you can’t use and would like to donate? Also, we are looking for restaurant certificates, room nights at hotels and resorts, stays at vacation homes, spa certificates, fine wines, and other desirable goodies. Any and all donations are greatly appreciated.

If you wish to make a tax-deductible donation, please contact Sabrina IsHak at sabrina.ishak@gmail.com or mail your donation to:

WAVE
615 Holmby Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Attn: Spring Auction

Thank you for supporting your neighborhood school!

2.  HELPFUL PHONE NUMBERS

The following is a list of local agencies that may be of service:

  • Immediate life threatening emergency (police, fire or medical): 9-1-1
  • Parking enforcement (blocked driveway, parking violation, locate impounded vehicle): 213-485-4184
  • Police (non-emergency): 877-ASK-LAPD (877-275-5273)
  • Sanitation (missed trash pick-up, broken container): 800-773-2489
  • Traffic control (signal light out): 213-485-4184
  • Dept. of Water & Power: 800-342-5397
  • Other City issues: 3-1-1

3.  LAPD CRIME REPORT

BURGLARY THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE ALERT!

An automobile is never a safe or secure place to leave any valuables whether locked or unlocked. If any property is left unattended in the car, even for just a few minutes, IT WILL BE STOLEN! Even something as simple as a small sun glass case, an empty backpack or gym bag will cause your car window to be smashed resulting in hundreds of dollars in damage alone.

Car burglars are stealing a variety of small electronics and valuables. The top items being taken in most car burglaries are back packs, portable GPS systems, IPODS, cellular smart phones, lap top computers, IPADS, purses, wallets and money.

The West Los Angeles Area continues to be a target rich environment. Based on the history and information from arrests that have been made, we know there are a variety of car burglars that canvass the west side neighborhoods of Los Angeles to commit their crimes. Although many arrests have been made, the crimes continue occur. This tells us there are numerous suspects that are targeting the area.

The Los Angeles Police Department is making every effort to combat this problem. Community awareness and involvement is instrumental to the prevention of these crimes.

If valuable property is not left inside cars, eventually thieves will seek out other areas to commit their crimes. Please do not leave ANY personal property visible in the car!

Remember to Lock It, Hide it, Keep It!

Current Trending Analysis:
Residential Burglaries: North of Santa Monica Blvd. (4 crimes), North of Sunset Blvd. (1 crime). Auto related crimes (Break Ins and Stolen Vehicles): North of Santa Monica Blvd. (4 crimes), North of Sunset Blvd. (2 crimes). Package Thefts appear to be trending throughout the area. Packages being delivered and left unattended in accessible areas are being stolen. Please arrange to have packages dropped off in a secure location or receivable location.

Protect yourself from becoming a victim and crime statistic. Ensure that you remove all visible items and valuables from inside of your vehicle. Your car, regardless of whether it’s locked and secured or not, is not a safe or secure place to leave ANYTHING! Remember, Lock It, Hide It, Keep It!

Burglary Theft from Motor Vehicle:
10700 block LeConte Ave. RD: 0805. Between 1/14/15, 9:00 PM and 1/15/15, 7:30 AM, unknown suspect(s) entered vehicle parked in driveway and removed money.

4.  DOG ATTACK

A resident recently reported that her dog was attacked by another dog while they were walking through the neighborhood. Both dogs were on leashes, but one dog broke away from the dog walker and attacked the other dog, causing injury.

Please take appropriate precautions with your dogs to keep our neighborhood safe for everyone, including pets and children.  Remember to hold leash firmly, stay off your cell phone and avoid other distractions while walking your dog.  Your dog is your responsibility.  Thank you.

5.  CARPOOL BUS TO PALISADES HIGH SCHOOL

There will be a private carpool bus originating from Holmby Hills for children attending Palisades Charter High School during the 2015-16 school year. Names are currently being placed on a wait list.  For more information, please click here: Paul Revere Newsletter

6.  HWPOA COMMUNICATION AND AD POLICY

Please direct all comments, questions or issues regarding the Holmby News to hwpoa@aol.com

Ads for plumbers, housekeepers, garage sales, etc. will be posted in the weekly News. Emergency situations such as coyote sightings, lost and found pets, traffic alerts and similar situations will continue to be published during the week as received.

When placing an ad, please send to hwpoa@aol.com for the Holmby News moderator to review.  Responses to ads should be directed to the ad placer, not to HWPOA.

7.  RESIDENT ADS

SEEKING HOUSEKEEPER

We need a housekeeper, who speaks English, one day a week to do house cleaning for an older couple. No driving or elder care needed, only cleaning.

Please send any recommendations to Sandra at swy333@gmail.com.
Thank you for your suggestions.

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SEEKING TREE TRIMMERS

We are seeking an honest tree trimmer that is licensed, bonded and insured.  Please send recommendations to  tracypenhas@hotmail.com.  Thank you.

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SEEKING HOUSEKEEPER

I am looking for a housekeeper for part-time work (1 or 2 days per week). Must speak English. References required. Please respond to Dean at DVA81538@gmail. com. Thank you!

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SEEKING HOUSEKEEPER

We request leads and recommendations for a daily part time light housekeeper and dinner preparer. Please contact Jerry Mehlman at 310-475-5317 or email at gjmehlman@yahoo.com. Thanks.

8.  HWPOA CONTACT INFORMATION

HOLMBY WESTWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. 
914 Westwood Blvd. Suite 573 
Los Angeles, CA 90024
310-470-1785 
Email: hwpoa@aol.com
Web site: www.holmbywestwoodpoa.org 

Holmby News 1-19-15

HOLMBY NEWS
January 19, 2015

 

From the Holmby Westwood Property Owners Association, serving the Holmby Westwood community since 1960.

1.  Valet Parking Survey and Input
2.  LAPD Crime Report
3.  Car Break-Ins
4.  Phone Scam Alert
5.  E-Waste Drive on January 31
6.  Skylight Gardens Friends & Family Event

7.  HWPOA Communication and Ad Policy
8.  Resident Ads
9.  HWPOA Contact Information

1.  VALET PARKING SURVEY AND INPUT

Thank you to everyone who filled out a survey or attended the board meeting last week to provide input regarding the valet parking problem in HWPOA.  If you did not receive a survey or were unable to attend the meeting, you may still give your opinion to the LAPD as follows:

Via e-mail:  PCenforcement@lapd.lacity.org

Via phone:  (213) 996-1270

Via mail:
Police HQ Building
Attn: Commission Investigations
100 W. 1st St., Suite 147
Los Angeles, CA  90012

2.  LAPD CRIME REPORT

Protect your home from Residential Burglary. A common MO that has been occurring is suspects who typically knock or ring the doorbell to verify if the resident is home. When there is no answer, the suspects enter the side or rear of the residence and force entry by smashing the window or door glass to gain entry. Suspects are targeting the master bed and bath areas of the home and removing Jewelry and small electronics.

If you are home when someone knocks on the door or rings the doorbell, announce yourself to let them know that someone is home but do not open the door unless you verify who they are and you know the person at the door.

Another Burglary trend that has been occurring is construction thefts and break ins. Items of value being targeted are construction tools, equipment, appliances and building materials. If you observe after hours suspicious activity at a construction site or major remodel location, call 911 immediately!

The Los Angeles Police Department recommends the following tips to help secure your home and harden the target.

• ALARMS: Ensure that security alarms are in good working order and set when not at home whether leaving for 10 minutes or 10 hours.
• ALARM RESPONSE: Consider a private patrol alarm response to enhance your current alarm and security system. In many cases private patrols are already contracted in many neighborhoods or associations.
• SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS: Web based surveillance camera systems will allow homeowners to view and monitor activity from any smartphone or computer which are motion sensor activated and will alert your device when there is activity. They also lend valuable information and clues to the investigation.
• MOTION SENSOR LIGHTING: Install motion sensor lighting around your home to illuminate normally dark areas around the home. This will also alert residents to outside activity around the home when motion lights are activated.
• GATES: Ensure that all gates and access points to the side or rear of the residence are locked and secured.
• DOOR AND WINDOW LOCKS: Ensure that all doors and windows are locked and secured with sturdy secured locks and that there are second locking mechanisms securing all doors and windows as a second line of defense.
• MAKE IT LOOK LIKE YOU’RE HOME…Even when you’re not.
• NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH: Monitor suspicious activities in your neighborhood and alert your neighbors. Should the activity escalate to a crime about to occur, crime in progress or crime that just occurred, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY!
• SECURITY PATROLS: Consider after hours on site security at construction sites or major remodel projects. Many neighborhoods contract with private security patrols which monitor neighborhoods and can quickly respond to burglar alarm activations or reports of suspicious activity when they occur.

You may access the crime mapping feature listed below on a day to day basis to obtain up to date crime information for your area or any other area in the city.

To sign up for E-Policing, simply go to the E-Policing link below and enter your address and your email address. You will receive crime updates and Community Alert information from the Los Angeles Police Department. You may also view recent crimes that have occurred in the area on the LAPD website. To receive text alerts when critical information is sent, sign up for Nixle. Feel free to print this out or share this information.

Contact me directly should you have any questions or concerns.

EMERGENCY: 911
NON-EMERGENCY: 1-877-275-5273
All other City Services: 311

LAPD Website: http://www.lapdonline.org/
E-Policing: http://www.lapdonline.org/e_policing
Crime Statistics and Maps: http://www.lapdonline.org/crime_mapping_and_compstat
Nixle: www.nixle.com

Christopher Ragsdale
Senior Lead Officer
West Los Angeles Community Police Station
Office: 310-444-0741
Cell: 213-305-5895
Email: 26690@lapd.lacity.org
Website: www.lapdonline.org

Current Trending Analysis:
Residential Burglaries: North of Wilshire Blvd. (1 crime), North of Sunset Blvd. (1 crime). Auto related crimes (Break Ins and Stolen Vehicles): North of Santa Monica Blvd. (4 crimes), North of Sunset Blvd. (2 crimes). Package Thefts appear to be trending throughout the area. Packages being delivered and left unattended in accessible areas are being stolen. Please arrange to have packages dropped off in a secure location or receivable location.

Protect yourself from becoming a victim and crime statistic. Ensure that you remove all visible items and valuables from inside of your vehicle. Your car, regardless of whether it’s locked and secured or not, is not a safe or secure place to leave ANYTHING! Remember, Lock It, Hide It, Keep It!

3.  CAR BREAK-INS

There have been several car break-ins recently in the Holmby Westwood area. One resident with video surveillance reported that at 1:20 AM one night last week, cameras caught a man in a baseball cap and hood walking down the street (300 block of Comstock) and trying to open car doors on the street and in driveways. Another resident reported a car break-in on Manning and Le Conte. Please lock your cars and take appropriate precautions, as mentioned in the LAPD report above.

4.  PHONE SCAM ALERT

A resident recently reported a prank phone call that may have been a phone scam. When the resident answered the phone, the caller said “Hello, Grandma” and attempted to engage the resident. The resident suspected something and asked for the caller’s phone number, at which point the caller replied with an offensive remark. While this may have been a prank phone call, it’s also possible that the caller was attempting to scam the resident for money or personal information.

If you receive a suspicious phone call/solicitation that you believe is not from a real government agency, please contact the Department of Consumer Affairs at (800) 593-8222. You can also file a complaint on the DCA website at www.dca.lacounty.gov .

5.  E-WASTE DRIVE ON JANUARY 31

St. Paul the Apostle School in Westwood is conducting an e-Waste drive on Saturday, January 31st from 9 am to 3 pm:

FER_Flyer_St. Paul the Apostle_01-31-2014_Front

6.  SKYLIGHT GARDENS FRIENDS & FAMILY EVENT

HWPOA likes to support local businesses in Westwood Village:

SkylightGardens event

7.  HWPOA COMMUNICATION AND AD POLICY

Please direct all comments, questions or issues regarding the Holmby News to hwpoa@aol.com

Ads for plumbers, housekeepers, garage sales, etc. will be posted in the weekly News. Emergency situations such as coyote sightings, lost and found pets, traffic alerts and similar situations will continue to be published during the week as received.

When placing an ad, please send to hwpoa@aol.com for the Holmby News moderator to review.  Responses to ads should be directed to the ad placer, not to HWPOA.

8.  RESIDENT ADS

CABINET REPAIR

We are in need of person who does good cabinet repairs for a cabinet that will not close. If you have a recommendation of such a person have the call Rick Wilson @ 310-474-6404.

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SEEKING HOUSEKEEPER

I am looking for a once a week person who speaks a little English. My Spanish is not great ..but I understand quite a bit. My phone number is 310 508-4668. Or, you can email me@ Mickey.keys@gmail.com.
We have a 2 story house with just my husband and I.
Would like a reference please.
Thank you…
Mickey

9.  HWPOA CONTACT INFORMATION

HOLMBY WESTWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. 
914 Westwood Blvd. Suite 573 
Los Angeles, CA 90024
310-470-1785 
Email: hwpoa@aol.com
Web site: www.holmbywestwoodpoa.org 

Holmby News 1-12-15

HOLMBY NEWS
January 12, 2015

 

From the Holmby Westwood Property Owners Association, serving the Holmby Westwood community since 1960.

1.  HWPOA Board Meeting – Tues. 1/13
2.  Coyote Alert
3.  LAPD Crime Report
4.  2015 L.A. Homeless Count – Volunteer Opportunity
5.  Solicitors in HWPOA
6.  L.A. Musical Salon – 2015 Season

7.  HWPOA Communication and Ad Policy
8.  Resident Ads
9.  HWPOA Contact Information

1.  HWPOA BOARD MEETING – TUES. 1/13

On Tuesday, January 13 at 8:00 PM, the HWPOA Board of Directors will hold it’s monthly meeting at Belmont Village (10475 Wilshire Blvd.). Members of the community are welcome to attend, though space is limited. We will be discussing the valet parking problem with two LAPD detectives, so if you would like to express your concerns, we encourage you to attend.

2.  COYOTE ALERT

A resident reported that three coyotes were seen at 1:30 am on Wednesday, January 8th on the corner of Woodruff Ave and Charing Cross Rd. The coyotes were chased off the front lawn by the property owner as they were trying to go after a neighborhood cat.

Please take appropriate precautions with your children and pets, as well as keep your trash covered and pet food inside. It is very common for coyotes to come into Holmby Westwood neighborhoods to hunt for food and neighborhood pets.

3.  LAPD CRIME REPORT

Current Trending Analysis:
Residential Burglaries: North of Santa Monica Blvd. South of Wilshire Blvd. (3 crimes). Auto related crimes (Break Ins and Stolen Vehicles): North of santa Monica Blvd. (4 crimes), North of Sunset Blvd. (2 crimes). Package Thefts appear to be occurring throughout the area. Packages being delivered and left unattended in accessible areas are being stolen. Please arrange to have packages dropped off in a secure location or receivable location.

Protect yourself from becoming a victim and crime statistic. Ensure that you remove all visible items and valuables from inside of your vehicle. Your car, regardless of whether it’s locked and secured or not, is not a safe or secure place to leave ANYTHING! Remember, Lock It, Hide It, Keep It!

Grand Theft Auto:
Wilshire Blvd./Manning Ave. RD: 0828. Between 1/3/15, 11:00 PM and 1/4/15, 9:00 AM, unknown suspect(s) stole a 2008 Suzuki motorcycle which was parked on the street.

4.  2015  L.A. HOMELESS COUNT – VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

Join us to make a difference in the lives of homeless men, women and children throughout Los Angeles County by taking part in the nation’s largest homeless census—The Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count!  For Registration & more information, please click here:  http://www.lahsa.org/homelesscount.asp

5.  SOLICITORS IN HWPOA

We continue to receive reports of various solicitors in the Holmby Westwood area.   Residents have reported both men and women knocking on their doors and making unusual requests.

If anyone knocks, calls, emails, texts, or approaches, unsolicited by you, LAPD’s recommendation is DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR, DO NOT ENGAGE! Respectfully and politely indicate that you are not interested. If the solicitors become persistent or refuse to leave, advise them you are notifying the police and report the details to the Non-Emergency Dispatch at 1-877-275-5273.

6.  L.A. MUSICAL SALON – 2015 SEASON

If you’ve enjoyed any of our Quartet-in-Residence series at the Westwood Library this past year, you might also enjoy our annual series of three dinner-concerts. Our exciting 2015 Season of dinner-concerts is about to begin, with another fabulous lineup for our 8th season! Once again, we’ll be at the Bel Air Bar & Grill on Sepulveda Blvd. at Moraga, in the private Sunset Room upstairs.

Reservations are essential. Members of the LA Musical Salon are entitled to a discounted ticket price for our dinner-concerts for themselves and their guests. Your annual dues are tax-deductible – our membership year runs from July 1–June 30, so if you haven’t renewed or signed up since July 1, don’t wait another minute! More info on our website at: http://www.lamusicalsalon.org/

7.  HWPOA COMMUNICATION AND AD POLICY

Please direct all comments, questions or issues regarding the Holmby News to hwpoa@aol.com

Ads for plumbers, housekeepers, garage sales, etc. will be posted in the weekly News. Emergency situations such as coyote sightings, lost and found pets, traffic alerts and similar situations will continue to be published during the week as received.

When placing an ad, please send to hwpoa@aol.com for the Holmby News moderator to review.  Responses to ads should be directed to the ad placer, not to HWPOA.

8.  RESIDENT ADS

CAREGIVER AVAILABLE

My excellent home-healthcare giver, who has been with me for this past year and whom I no longer need, is now looking for more work in this area. She lives in the Westwood area, drives, is extremely well trained and has a lovely personality. She has great references in addition to mine. Her name is Thelma and can be reached at (310)383-6593 or rib_t@yahoo.com. If you prefer, call me at (310)279-1086 for more info.

– Sue Grotstein

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WESTSIDE TEAM IN TRAINING – CYCLE TEAM

My wife and I are coaching the Westside Team in Training cycle team this season and want to invite our neighbors to join us. We begin training on Feb 7th for Americas Most Beautiful Bike Ride in Lake Tahoe on June 7, 2015. TNT uses athletic events like this to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society blood cancer research programs. No previous experience is necessary.

We will be having a BBQ at our home (910 Hilts) on 1/24/15 to give more information about the program. Contact Gregg Ritchie (richkid@me.com) if you would like to participate with the team as a rider or support member.

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ACADEMIC TUTOR AVAILABLE

Neighborhood resident and Northwestern University graduate Seth Goldman offering tutoring in Spanish, English, History and Math for elementary, middle, and high school students. Contact at sgoldman90@gmail.com or 310-968-3130. Resume and/or references available upon request.

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SEEKING PLUMBER

Our excellent, creative, troubleshooting plumber has retired. Does anyone have a recommendation? Thank you.

Jill S.
jillnpaul@jpslighting.com

9.  HWPOA CONTACT INFORMATION

HOLMBY WESTWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. 
914 Westwood Blvd. Suite 573 
Los Angeles, CA 90024
310-470-1785 
Email: hwpoa@aol.com
Web site: www.holmbywestwoodpoa.org 

HELP NEEDED – Valet Parking Issue in HWPOA

LAPD QUESTIONNAIRE – HWPOA VALET ISSUE
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED

In the summer of 2013, parking restrictions in Bel Air were changed which prohibited event/party parking on many streets in Bel Air. The result has been that valet companies have been using our neighborhood (Holmby Westwood) as a parking lot, filling entire blocks, for events taking place in Bel Air. These valets either use shuttle buses to collect their guest here and drive them to the parties, or use shuttles to collect the valet drivers who park the guest cars here. The streets most significantly affected include Beverly Glen, Conway, Bainbridge and Woodruff. This problem has created both a public safety issue and a complete nuisance to the homeowners who are affected.

The HWPOA Board of Directors has been working tirelessly with our council office to find a solution to the problem. We are seeking to amend the valet parking ordinance and prohibit the use of valet shuttle buses in HWPOA. This will not affect airport or other types of shuttles that you may choose to use. It will simply stop the abusive practice of using HWPOA as a parking lot and disturbing those who live there.

Recently, a motion was passed by the city’s Transportation committee to resolve this issue. Part of this process involves an investigation by the LAPD, which is currently underway. The LAPD recently sent out questionnaires to over 200 homes to get feedback on this issue. If you received this survey, we need you to fill out the form and return them by 1/20. WE WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE ALL HOMEOWNERS IN HWPOA TO SUPPORT a resolution to this issue regardless of whether it personally affects you or not.

As part of LAPD’s investigation in this matter, they are sending a detective to attend our next board meeting on January 13.

Please support your neighbors in our efforts to prohibit these practices of using our neighborhood as a parking lot for events in other parts of the city. We need everyone to pitch in and help.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

1. Complete the LAPD Survey. If you received the LAPD survey, please fill out the form and return them by 1/20.

2. Let us know if you did not receive the LAPD Survey. If you did not receive the LAPD survey but would like to participate, please send us your name and address.

3. Attend the upcoming HWPOA Board Meeting. An LAPD Detective will be at the meeting to listen to our concerns. We need as many residents as possible to turn out in force, particularly those who are directly affected by this issue. There is free parking at the Belmont location and it will be the first item on the agenda so you won’t need to be there very long.

Tuesday, January 13
8:00 PM
Belmont Village
10475 Wilshire Blvd.

4. Send us an email. If you’ve had a negative experience with valet companies in Holmby Westwood, please let us know about it. Emails may be sent to Dana at hwpoa@aol.com

5. Ask your neighbors. Please talk with your neighbors and ask them to complete the survey, attend the board meeting and send us an email.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Dennis Rosenblatt, who is on the HWPOA Board of Directors and is overseeing this project. Dennis may be reached at nearlyfamous@mac.com

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

IMG_0827 IMG_0831

Holmby News 1-5-15

HOLMBY NEWS
January 5, 2014

 

From the Holmby Westwood Property Owners Association, serving the Holmby Westwood community since 1960.

1.  How to Dispose of Your Christmas Tree
2.  HWPOA Board Meeting

3.  Solicitors and Crime Prevention
4.  LAPD Body Camera Survey
5.  Poll Workers Needed – City Elections
6.  HWPOA Communication and Ad Policy
7.  Resident Ads
8.  HWPOA Contact Information

1.  HOW TO DISPOSE OF YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE

Christmas Tree Recycling Program

The City of LA Bureau of Sanitation has CURBSIDE collection for Christmas trees. If your Christmas tree is too big to cut and place it inside the green waste bin, simply place the tree next to your green waste bin on collection day.

Using your green bin to recycle Christmas tree?

  1. REMOVE all ornaments, decorations, tinsels, and stand from the tree
  2. CUT tree in pieces to fit into the green bin, and
  3. PLACE the tree pieces inside the green bin for regular pick-up on collection day. Collected Christmas trees will be recycled into compost and mulch.

2.  HWPOA BOARD MEETING

Next week, on Tuesday, January 13 at 8:00 PM, the HWPOA Board of Directors will hold it’s monthly meeting at Belmont Village (10475 Wilshire Blvd.). Members of the community are welcome to attend, though space is limited. Please let us know if you plan to attend, by emailing Dana at hwpoa@aol.com.

3.  SOLICITORS AND CRIME PREVENTION

The following is from Christopher Ragsdale, Senior Lead Officer, West LAPD:

If anyone knocks, calls, emails, texts, or approaches, unsolicited by you, my recommendation is DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR, DO NOT ENGAGE! Respectfully and politely indicate that you are not interested. If the solicitors become persistent or refuse to leave, advise them you are notifying the police and report the details to the Non-Emergency Dispatch at 1-877-275-5273.

Be aware that another trend has been Distraction Burglaries. In these incidents a person posing as a utility worker, roofer or tree trimmer knocks on your front or side door and tells you they need to access your back yard. The suspects will lure you into the back of your residence while a second suspect will enter through the front and quickly ransack areas inside the home seeking small valuables and cash. In most cases the suspects stay in contact and communicate by cellular telephone or two way radios. Other methods of operation have been female suspects who claim their pet or small child went into your backyard.

Whenever receiving emails from financial institutions or retail stores advising you “click here” or providing a direct link to follow in the email, NEVER CLICK ON THE LINK! This is a phishing scam!

Another recent scam has been persons calling and claiming to be from the power company or other utility. The caller demands immediate payment or the power or other utilities will be shut off. In most of the scams, the caller directs the resident to purchase cash debit cards at a retail location and provide the card numbers and pin number as payment.

Just to reiterate, if you receive anything from anywhere, unsolicited, DO NOT RESPOND!

· Solicitors, regardless of if they are selling a product, offering a service, seeking a donation or, political in nature, should be turned away.

· If someone knocks on your door and says you have to step out of your home, especially to go to your back yard, CALL 911 Immediately!

· When logging into online accounts always use the saved link on your browser or type in the web address on your own.

· You may report Internet scams and crime to: www.ic3.gov

EMERGENCY: 911
NON-EMERGENCY: 1-877-275-5273
All other City Services: 311

Christopher Ragsdale
Senior Lead Officer
West Los Angeles Community Police Station
Office: 310-444-0741
Cell: 213-305-5895

Email: 26690@lapd.lacity.org
Website: www.lapdonline.org

4.  LAPD BODY CAMERA SURVEY

The Los Angeles Police Department is conducting a survey on its lapdonline.org website, regarding the use of body-worn video cameras by law enforcement personnel. If you would like to participate in the survey, please click on the link below.

Link to the Survey “Your Thoughts on LAPD use of Body Worn Video”
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LAPDBodyWornVideo

Thank you for taking the time to provide your input.

5.  POLL WORKERS NEEDED – CITY ELECTIONS

You can volunteer, but you can also get paid for supporting your community by becoming a poll worker in the 2015 City elections. The upcoming primary and general elections will be held on March 3 and May 19, 2015, and you can make a difference by calling the poll worker recruitment hotline, at (213) 978-0363 or (866) 899-8683. The multilingual hotline is (888) 873-1000. The poll worker recruitment section of the City Clerk-Election Division is eager to hear from any interested person!

To be a poll worker, you must be all of the following: at least 18 years old; a United States citizen; a registered voter; able to speak, read, and write English or be bilingual (read/speak the second language); and recruited through the Election Division.

6.  HWPOA COMMUNICATION AND AD POLICY

Please direct all comments, questions or issues regarding the Holmby News to hwpoa@aol.com

Ads for plumbers, housekeepers, garage sales, etc. will be posted in the weekly News. Emergency situations such as coyote sightings, lost and found pets, traffic alerts and similar situations will continue to be published during the week as received.

When placing an ad, please send to hwpoa@aol.com for the Holmby News moderator to review.  Responses to ads should be directed to the ad placer, not to HWPOA.

7.  RESIDENT ADS

COMPUTER HELP NEEDED

Recent retiree wants to hire a high school student to teach basic IPad and desktop computer skills. Call Paul@ 310-475-7819.

8.  HWPOA CONTACT INFORMATION

HOLMBY WESTWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. 
914 Westwood Blvd. Suite 573 
Los Angeles, CA 90024
310-470-1785 
Email: hwpoa@aol.com
Web site: www.holmbywestwoodpoa.org