Glendale’s city website has the deets:

“Glendale Neighborhood Services Administrator Sam Engel says people should keep in mind the LA County survey was conducted in 2007. ‘That was well before our most recent effort to curtail exposure to second-hand smoke which began in 2008,’ says Engel. He noted as a national trend, smoking prevalence has held flat since 2002.

“The report contains a number of recommendations for communities to adopt in an effort reduce prevalence of smoking. Glendale has already implemented all but one of the recommendations, which is a tax on cigarette butts.

“Engel noted the City has been recognized by the American Lung Association for its efforts to reduce second hand smoke. ‘Glendale has taken steps to reduce the impact of their smoking on non-smokers, earning a letter grade of ‘A’ from the American Lung Association, for two years running,’ says Engel. ‘We are the only large City in California with such a consistent record.’

“Engel added that the Glendale City Council has consistently recognized that the two issues associated with smoking – the accepted social behavior and the chemical dependency caused by tobacco – have to be addressed in order to reduce the prevalence of smoking in a community. The strategy that the council adopted along with the Second-hand Smoke Ordinance included three parts:

• Enforcement

• Education

• Cessation/Prevention (which target these two issues)

“Now that the City is in the second year of implementation, the emphasis has shifted to Enforcement and Cessation programs. Classes have been scheduled for the fall, and will be promoted in through various media.

“Glendale is well-positioned to implement cessation programs within the community and make a significant impact on smoking prevalence, not counting for the transient nature of population shifts. The City is working with Glendale’s three major hospitals (and their associated community relations programs) and Kaiser Healthcare, which serves a number of Glendale residents & employees. Kaiser offers a variety outreach programs to their members about healthy lifestyles & regularly promotes/provides smoking cessation programs.” (City of Glendale)

Photo Courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Here are some other tips from GWP on how to conserve water:

• Turn off your faucet while brushing your teeth or shaving = Saves 6 gallons per day.
• Take 5 minute showers – Save 20 – 40 gallons.
• Use low-flow showerheads and cut showers by two minutes = Saves 15 gallons per shower. Free through our Smart Home Energy & Water Survey Program. (818) 265-5062
• Fix leaky faucets = Saves 20 gallons per day.
• Catch the flow of your tap water while you wait for the water to get hot = Saves 200-300 gallons a month.

More tips can be found on GWP’s Web site at: www.GlendaleWaterAndPower.com. To obtain copies of the free water conservation brochure please call (818) 548-3300.

“As we start entering the warmer months, we are seeing customers using more water,” stated Glenn Steiger, General Manager of GWP. “We are reminding our customers that we are still in mandatory conservation and that means only watering our yards three days a week. Three day watering is sufficient and will help us maintain our water reserves.” (Glendale Water & Power)

This mandatory water conservation has been going on since August 2009, and the results from this have been very positive.

“These efforts resulted in an 18 percent drop in consumption. With the wet winter and cooler temperatures behind us, GWP is seeing a drop in conservation efforts and is reminding customers that California is still facing a severe water shortage and customers need to step up their conservation efforts.” (Glendale Water & Power)

Customers can still anonymously report water waste by calling (818) 550-4426, or report it online www.GlendaleWaterAndPower.com.

Photo Courtesy of GWP

365 Things To Do in Glendale:

Day 1 – Visit the Brand Park Art and Music Library

Day 2 –  Have Dinner at Sushi Manster

Day 3 – Hike The Beaudry Loop

Day 4 – Breakfast at Black Cow Café

Day 5 – Have a party at Montrose Bowl

Day 6 – Attend a Street Feast!

Day 7 – The Whispering Pines Tea House in Brand Park – Otherwise known as the Japanese Tea House

Day 8 – Take a ride through Downtown in style—on the Orange Trolley!

My favorite from the list is Day 7. I hadn’t heard of the Whispering Pines Tea House until now. Going to tea houses was something my grandma and I liked to do when she was still alive, and Whispering Pines is the name of the street I grew up on. I can’t wait to visit this place! Here’s Kendyl’s description:

“The traditional teahouse was built in 1974 through the combined efforts of the Sister Cities of Glendale and Higashi-Osaka, Japan. It is one of the few traditional Japanese Teahouses open to the public in the United States. Given the name “Shoseian” or “Whispering Pine Teahouse” by the Fifteenth Grand Tea Master of the Urasenke School of Tea in Japan, the Teahouse is designated an official Tearoom. Dr.Yamazaki of Higashi-Osaka provided initial support for the Teahouse and Gardens. The Teahouse, which was designed by architect Hayahiko Takase, is a unique blending of western and eastern design and an apt expression of the spirit of cross-cultural community.

The garden and koi pond are open Monday – Thursday, 10am – 3 pm and the teahouse is open by reservation every 3rd Sunday for events related to Asian arts and culture.”

Thanks, Kendyl, for all the work you’ve put into this list so far. Can’t wait to read more!

You can also check out the 365 Things To Do in Glendale Facebook page.

Photo Courtesy of Kendyl’s Open House

EVENT: Invasive Plant Species Removal in Station Fire Burn Area

Host Organization: USDA Forest Service, Angeles National Forest

Contact Person: Suzanne Avila, Volunteer Partnership Coordinator

Phone: (626) 574-5224 office, (626) 297-4195 cell

E-mail: savila@fs.fed.us

Event Date: Every Sunday in June (6/13, 6/20, 6/27)

Event Time: 8:30am to 2:00pm

Event Location: Along Angeles Forest Highway (Highway 59) in Angeles National Forest.  Meet at Ralph’s Supermarket parking lot in Sunland, CA (see Directions below).

Event Directions: To Ralph’s Supermarket, 10455 Sunland Blvd, Sunland: From the 210 Freeway, take the Sunland Blvd exit and turn right (east) on Sunland Blvd.  Ralph’s Supermarket is on the left (north) side of the street.

Events Planned: Removal of all non-native shoots and plants that are growing along the road as a result of the spring rain.

Event Description: Moderate to strenuous work, removing non-native plants by hand and with pick axes.  Tools will be provided.

Event Sponsor(s): USDA Forest Service.

Event Leader(s): Katie VinZant, Botanist, Angeles National Forest

What to bring: Volunteers will need to bring water (more than 1 bottle) and lunch.  Must be dressed in long pants, long-sleeve shirt, work boots, gloves, and a broad brimmed hat.  Wear sunscreen and insect repellant.

Pre-Registration: YES. Please call or e-mail contact person listed above so that we may confirm the number of volunteers participating.

I’ll be blogging about other volunteer opportunities this summer, so if this particular event doesn’t work with your schedule, check back for new events. Lord knows it’s been too long since I’ve volunteered my time for a good cause, so I plan to scope out other ways to help out in local communities. If you have any suggestions on local volunteer opportunities, please leave us a comment!

Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service

Effective June 10, 2010, the City will for a limited time reinstate the Residential Mud Removal Program to help residents with the removal of any remaining accumulated mud as a result of the 2009-10 winter storms and mudflows. Residents of mud-impacted areas may, once again place mud and mudslide debris (ONLY mud and mudslide debris will be removed, no construction or other debris) on adjacent public streets for City removal.  The mud will be removed by the City on each of the following Fridays:

•        June 18

•        June 25, and

•        July 2

There will be no cost to residents for the mud removal, however, residents must REGISTER with the City in advance.  The Residential Mud Removal Program will be in effect ONLY until JULY 2, 2010.  After this date, the program will be discontinued. Residents desiring to place mud on public streets for City removal must first register by completing the attached Temporary Permission form and submitting to the Department of Public Works. Residents may be responsible for the cost of mud removal on public streets if not pre-authorized by the City. Please print, complete, and return the Temporary Permission form to: City of La Cañada Flintridge, Public Works Department, 1327 Foothill Boulevard, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011.

Further questions regarding the Residential Mud Removal Program should be directed to the City’s Public Works Department at (818) 790-8882.

Photo Courtesy of Simon Howden and FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Free Pool Test Kit

I don’t know what the pool guy has been up to lately, but he’s certainly not cleaning our pool. It looks green. You better believe I ordered this free pool test kit. HealthyPools.org is offering free test kits to see how your pool compares to others across the country. Click here for your free kit. You can also read many articles about the importance of swimming in a clean pool at HealthyPools.org.

Free Boycott BP Sticker

Receive your free sticker when you pledge to buy gas from anyone but British Petroleum until the spill is stopped and the disaster is cleaned-up. This group will not only send a message to BP that people are holding them accountable, they will also alert the media and make sure to support candidates running for office nationwide that share this same goal. Click here for your free sticker and for more information.

Free Well-Being for Dummies Book

I love free books. If you register with REAL Powered by Humana, you can get this free Dummies book as well as access to other resources on the site. I think maybe this is a site geared toward people approaching retirement? I’m not entirely sure, but that would make sense. They’re also offering a free Retirement for Dummies book. Click here to register.

Thank you to Free Stuff Times for the freebies listed above!

Free Dove Bathrobe

Try new Reinvented Dove Hair Care and tell Dove what you think. Show off your beautiful hair and upload a video or photo with text review to receive a free luxury bathrobe. Click here to upload your review. This site also offers free Dove samples.

Free Sherman’s Travel Magazine

This freebie is from Hey, It’s Free, which is one of my favorite freebie sites. I’m not actually familiar with this particular travel magazine, but here’s the description:

“Created for sophisticated travelers, Sherman’s Travel spans the globe to provide expert travel tips and advice on domestic and international destinations. Experience all the world has to offer with Sherman’s Travel Magazine, the industry standard for Smart Luxury.”

Click here to sign up for your free subscription.

Enjoy your freebies!

Photo Courtesy of Sherman’s Travel Magazine

Completed in February 2010, The Gardens on Garfield generated over 4,000 applications for the 30 available units. The City selected 240 applicants through a lottery and rigorous qualification process. The Glendale Housing Authority provided $4.2 million in funding assistance for the project, which cost an estimated $13 million to develop. Other financial partners include the Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles (HACoLA) and Bank of America.

“The Gardens on Garfield raises the standard of what is possible when creating an affordable housing community,” said Andrew Gross, Vice President of Development for Thomas Safran & Associates. The professionally-planned and designed common areas at The Gardens on Garfield also include:

• Community room with pool table, lounge seating, television area and full kitchen
• Community laundry room
• Manager’s office
• Artisan-designed children’s play area
• Courtyard with barbeque/picnic area and shaded seating
• Exercise room with cardio equipment and weights
• Third floor community terrace
• Covered parking garage and storage space for every apartment

For additional information, please contact Peter Zovak, Deputy Director Community Redevelopment & Housing, City of Glendale, (818) 548-2060, or Ryan Croy of Fifteen Minutes Public Relations, representing Thomas Safran and Associates, at (323) 556-9700. You can also visit thegardensongarfield.com.

Thank you to the City of Glendale’s Management Services Department for this information.

Thomas Safran & Associates owns and manages over 3,000 units of affordable rental housing in California. For over 35 years they have specialized in developing affordable housing projects, many of which have won awards from prestigious organizations.

Image Courtesy of The Gardens on Garfield

Thank you to Atwater Village Newbie for the following info:

Saturday, June 12, 8:30pm: Famous actor Joel McHale introduces a performance of Violators Will Be Violated, Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave., and hosts a party to help send the show to the New York International Fringe Festival this August.

Sunday, June 13, 11:00am to 4:00pm: Atwater Village Street Festival, celebrating neighborhood’s centennial, 3100 block of Glenadale Blvd.

Sunday, June 13, 11:30am: Return of the Homemade Cookie Contest (check out 2007’s winner) during the Atwater Village Street Festival, 3100 Block of Glendale Blvd. Prizes awarded at 1:30pm.

Now through July 10: Atwater Playhouse, 3191 Casitas Ave., presents the world premiere of Tick Tock, written by Roland Allen and directed by Jamie Paolinetti, running Fridays and Saturdays, June 4 to July 10, 8:00pm. (Extra matinee Sunday, July 11, 3:00pm.) General admission tickets are $15 each, $10 each for seniors and students.

I’m sure there will be plenty more events this month in Glendale, but here are two to get you started:

Thursday, June 24: The City of Glendale City Clerk’s Office will be sponsoring a low cost vaccination clinic for dogs and cats from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm. The location will be directly behind City Hall at 613 E. Broadway. The City Clerk’s Office will provide dog and cat licensing services. Physical exams, de-worming, flea control, nail trimming and other services will be offered by Vet Care Vaccination Services, Inc. Click here for more information.

Friday, June 25: Jackson fans will get to visit the King of Pop’s gravesite at Forest Lawn Memorial Park. Apparently, there is still some discussion as to how close they will allow fans to be. This story is gonna be all over the place. Here’s a link to CBC News for some more information.

We’ll keep you posted on more events in and around the Glendale area. Got an event you want to tell us about? Let us know!

Image Courtesy of Salvatore Vuono and FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“IHOP knows that Father’s Day is a special time not only for dads, but for the entire family, and that’s why we offer each member of the family their favorite craveable meal to celebrate dad in style,” said Carolyn O’Keefe, IHOP’s senior vice president, marketing. “Whether it’s a juicy T-bone steak for dad, or a Create-A-Face Pancake for the kids, IHOP has all the family’s favorite meals in one place.” (Market Wire)

Complete IHOP “I HEART Dad” contest rules can be found at www.ihop.com. Glendale IHOP is located at 605 N. Glendale Avenue, Glendale CA 91206-2408.

Here are a few more Father’s Day activities  from Glendale’s Parks and Recreation Department:

Father’s Day Craft – Senior Activity

Time: 10:00 a.m.

Location: Sparr Heights Community Center

Description: Personalize a key chain to give to that special dad for father’s day.

For information call: Sevag Garabetian at (818) 548-3773

Father’s Day Luncheon – Senior Activity

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Location: Adult Recreation Center and Sparr Heights Community Center

Description: Join us as we honor our fathers and grandfathers for Father’s Day. We have a delightful lunch planned and we’ll be raffling away some wonderful prizes. Participants will also be able to enjoy a 5-hole round of miniature golf.

For information call: Sevag Garabetian at (818) 548-3773

Stay tuned for more Father’s Day ideas and info…

Photo Courtesy of Healing Dream and FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“While motorcycle fatalities had been on the rise in California, increasing 175 percent in the last decade, from 204 killed in 1998 to 560 killed in 2008, preliminary numbers for 2009 show that the trend may be changing. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reporting that California may see a 20% reduction in motorcyclists killed. There were 4 motorcyclists killed and 139 injured in the City of Glendale from 2003 to 2009.

“California collision data reveals that primary causes of motorcycle-involved crashes include speeding, unsafe turning and impairment due to alcohol and other drugs. The Glendale Police Department is also reminding all motorists to always be alert and watch out for motorcycles, especially when turning and changing lanes.

“’Motorcyclists are much more vulnerable than others sharing the road,’ said California Office of Traffic Safety Director, Christopher J. Murphy. ‘Motorcyclists, per vehicle mile traveled, are 37 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash.’

“Rider’s can get training through the California Motorcyclist Safety Program. Information and training locations are available at www.CA-msp.org or 1-877 RIDE 411 or 1-877-743-3411.

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.” (City of Glendale)

Photo Courtesy of Harley-Davidson Glendale