PBI Announces Special Green Lecture with S. David Freeman

ADVISORY

Wednesday, October 28, 2009
For Immediate Release
PBI Contact – Jacqueline Ruiz, 323.343.3770
Media Contact – Edward Headington, 818.720.7181
Website – http://www.patbrowninstitute.org/

PBI Special Green Lecture with Interim L.A.D.W.P General Manager, S. David Freeman

Los Angeles, CA. For the first time ever, the Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Institute of Public Affairs (PBI) is hosting a special green lecture on Thursday, November 12th with Interim L.A.D.W.P. General Manager, S. David Freeman. Often referred to as the "Green Cowboy" for his years of leadership on environmental issues, Mr. Freeman will be speaking on "The Emerald City: The Green Agenda and Public Policy." This will be Freeman's first major address since assuming his new responsibilities. His remarks will immediately follow the PBI's 17th Annual California Policy Issues Conference entitled "Building a Green and Inclusive California: An Infrastructure for the 21st Century."

Event Info

• November 12, 2009
• 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Millennium Biltmore Hotel
• There is no cost to attend and is open to conference guests, the media and public at large
• To R.S.V.P., call 323.343.3770 or email RCampos9@cslanet.calstatela.edu.
• For all media inquires, contact Edward Headington at Edward@HeadingtonMedia.com.
• For more event information, please visit www.PatBrownInstitute.org.

Freeman will talk about:

• The history and background of Los Angeles' "Green LA" and other similar initiatives
  
• The importance of Los Angeles pushing forward a green and sustainable development agenda and why this is critical to sustaining the state's infrastructure
  
• The significance of Los Angeles as a leader in moving ahead on this agenda.

###

Coro Announces The Water Conservation Luncheon

CORO Convenes Key Figures in Water Community to Address California’s Water Challenges and Solutions

WHAT: California continues to navigate an unprecedented water crisis and the stakes have never been higher for constructive solutions among urban, agricultural and environmental interests. Recognizing the importance of productive dialogue that will lead to action and change, CORO is hosting the “Surfacing the Solutions,” a luncheon featuring federal and state leaders, natural resource experts, elected officials and community stakeholders. Participants will present the challenges and potential solutions and invite all participants to take an active role in the pursuit of sustainable solutions.

David J. Hayes, Deputy Secretary of the Interior in the Obama Administration, (Keynote Speaker) and Lester Snow, Director of California Department of Water Resources (Special Guest Speaker)

Deputy Secretary Hayes will be joined by a panel of experts that include:

• Thomas Birmingham, General Manager and General Counsel Westlands Water District
• Barry Nelson, Senior Policy Analyst for the Natural Resources Defense Council
• Ron Gastelum, Executive Director of the Southern California Water Committee
• Debra Man, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
• Paula Daniels, Commissioner LA Board of Public Works
• Conner Everts, Executive Director of the Southern California Watershed Alliance
• Randall Lewis, Executive Vice President Lewis Group of Company
• Andy Lipkis, President of TreePeople

WHEN: Thursday, November 12, 2009 @ 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: The Westin Bonaventure Hotel – Catalina Ballroom (3rd Floor) @ 404 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071

COST: $75. To purchase tickets for the luncheon, please visit http://www.corola.org/.

BACKGROUND: CORO was established in 1942 to strengthen the process of democracy by preparing individuals for effective and ethical leadership in the public arena. At the core of CORO programs is the convergence of experiential immersion and the CORO Method in environments of extreme diversity. Coro is a non-profit, non-partisan educational institute supported by foundations, corporations and individuals.

###

Coro Southern California and its six affiliated centers nationwide shape civic leaders for effective roles in public affairs. The theme of Crystal Eagle Awards Gala this year was “Be Bold” and Coro continues to embody that spirit. Coro graduates are teachers, investment bankers, union leaders, corporate directors, activists, lawyers, journalists, and elected officials, among other professions. No matter where they work or what job titles they hold, they have learned how to challenge themselves and others to be more ethical and effective leaders. Coro runs programs in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Cleveland. For more information, go to http://www.corola.org/.

Press Club Condemns L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. Over 1st Amendment Violations

Serving Southern California since 1913, the Los Angeles Press Club is the only Southern California journalism group that speaks for all journalists working for daily and weekly newspapers, radio & TV, magazines, documentary films and online.

STATEMENT

Thursday, October 22, 2009
For Immediate Release
Edward Headington, Publicist
818.720.7181, edward@lapressclub.org

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Violated the First Amendment Rights of TMZ's Harvey Levin

Hollywood, CA. The Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Press Club condemns the actions of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in violating a reporter's right under state law to maintain confidential sources in the case involving website TMZ's Harvey Levin. The department obtained a search warrant to examine Levin's private telephone records thereby identifying the reporter’s confidential sources, a direct assault on freedom of the press.

Harvey Levin is the founder and editor of TMZ.com, a Hollywood celebrity website. According to records examined by the Los Angeles Times, a now identified Sheriff’s deputy, who believed he was acting as a confidential source and a whistleblower, leaked the story behind actor Mel Gibson’s drunk-driving arrest in 2006.

Levin says the department is seeking “revenge” for his publishing the story that charged the arresting deputy was ordered by superiors to suppress the details of Gibson’s abusive language and behavior and anti-Semitic remarks.

Levin says he only found out about the warrant that authorized the sheriff's department to see his home telephone records when he read about it in the Los Angeles Times.

“We share Mr. Levin’s outrage as well as the deep concern of the executive director of The Reporter’s Committee for the Freedom of the Press,” said Los Angeles Press Club President Chris Woodyard, a reporter for USA Today.

“The tradition of protecting a reporter’s sources is key to the media’s role as watchdog—that’s why the California Shield Law was enacted. And that’s why there is a federal shield law winding its way through Congress. This assault on the First Amendment should not be tolerated in a free society.”

Woodyard will have press availability to discuss this issue. Please contact Press Club publicist, Edward Headington, at the number or email above to arrange for an interview.

###

The Los Angeles Press Club stands as an organization devoted to improving the spirit of journalism and journalists, raising the industry’s standards, strengthening its integrity and improving its reputation all for the benefit of the community at large. Serving the Southland since 1913, it is the only Southern California journalism group that speaks for all journalists working for daily and weekly newspapers, radio & TV, magazines, documentary films and online. For more information, go to http://www.lapressclub.org/.

PR Newswire, co-sponsor for all Los Angeles Press Club events, is the global leader in news and information distribution services for professional communicators. For more information, go to http://www.prnewswire.com/.

Headington Media Group is a boutique communications firm dedicated to promoting public affairs in Southern California, specializing in image management, branding, messaging and public relations. For more information, go to http://www.headingtonmedia.com/ and/or visit http://www.headingtonmediacenter.org/.

BREATHE LA Statement on Gov. Schwarzenegger's Veto of Smoke-Free Hospital Campuses

STATEMENT

October 14, 2009
For Immediate Release
Edward Headington
323.935.8050x233 or Edward@HeadingtonMedia.com

Governor Leaves Ailing Californians Gasping for Air with Veto of Smoke-Free Hospital Campuses

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoes AB 574, legislation important to many tobacco cessation advocates

Los Angeles. Breathe California of Los Angeles County (BREATHE LA) has been "protecting the 'Breath of Life' since 1903" and the passage of Assemblymember Jerry Hill's AB 574 was the top priority of the nonprofit, public benefit organization's legislative portfolio for the recent session. The bill would have made hospital campuses smoke-free, protected patients with asthma, and encouraged patients and staff to quit. The Governor wrote that AB 574 would be "unnecessary," yet smoking continues to be the number one cause of preventable death in California.

"While I have commended Governor Schwarzenegger for his courage in other areas, I join others in condemning the veto of Assemblymember Hill's AB 574," said BREATHE LA President & CEO, Enrique Chiock. "This legislation would have moved California forward in the fight against tobacco and nicotine addiction and was completely necessary. Research has shown that smoke-free hospitals have significant and measurable effects on encouraging people to quit smoking."

###

BREATHE California of Los Angeles County (BREATHE LA) is a non-profit, public benefit organization that promotes clean air and healthy lungs through research, education and technology. It has been "Protecting the 'Breathe of Life' since 1903." For more information, go to www.BreatheLA.org.

Pat Brown Institute Announces “Los Angeles: 2009 State of the City Report” Press Conference

MEDIA TIP SHEET

Wednesday, October 14, 2009
For Immediate Release
PBI Contact – Jacqueline Ruiz, 323.343.3770
Media Contact – Edward Headington, 818.720.7181
Website – http://www.patbrowninstitute.org/

The 5th edition of the “Los Angele State of the City” report is now available

LOS ANGELES, CA—The Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs (PBI) has made public its 5th edition of “Los Angeles: State of the City” report and a press conference has been scheduled for tomorrow to discuss the findings and conclusions of several expert contributors.

SPEAKERS: (full bios included in the report)

· Dr. Ali Modarres, Former PBI Associate Director and Chair, CSULA Department of Geography and Urban Analysis
· Dr. Jaime Regalado, Executive Director, Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs
· Jack Kyser, Founding Economist at the Kyser Center for Economic Research at the L.A. County Economic Development Corporation
· Dr. Bill Pitkin, Sr. Program Officer at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
· Dr. Michael Cousineau, Director of Community Health Family Medicine, USC Center for Community Health Studies

OPPORTUNITIES: Speak one-on-one with the SOTC report authors; Click here for the full report.

TIME: Thursday, October 15, 2009 @ 9 a.m.

LOCATION: Cal State LA @ 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90032 in the Student Union on the 3rd Floor, Los Angeles Room A

FYI: In this report, six regional experts offer substantive discussions of various issues that affect the quality of life in Los Angeles: demographic dynamics and the state of the economy, healthcare, housing challenges and opportunities, immigration, governance, and education.

MEDIA INQUIRIES/RSVP: Media requests to Edward Headington at 818.720.7181 or edward@headingtonmedia.com; all others to Jacqueline Ruiz at 323.343.3770 or JRuiz@cslanet.calstatela.edu. MORE: This is a free public event open to the media, elected officials, and all community stakeholders. Parking available on campus at Parking Structure C or Lot 5 located at Paseo Rancho Castilla; Cost is $2 per two hours (cash only).

###

PBI HPOC "The Latino Elderly Population in L.A. County"

ADVISORY

Tuesday, October 13, 2009
For Immediate Release
PBI Contact – Jacqueline Ruiz, 323.343.3770
Media Contact – Edward Headington, 818.720.7181
Website – http://www.patbrowninstitute.org/

"The Latino Elderly Population in L.A. County"

presentation by Dr. Tony Kuo, Office of Senior Health, L.A. County Dept. of Public Health

This presentation will focus on the Latino elderly population and the health and economic disparities facing the demographic group. It will also address the implications of these data highlighting health care provider workforce issues, the need for more health data, and opportunities to improve the quality of life of the Latino elderly population through policy.

DATE: Wednesday, October 14, 2009

TIME: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

LOCATION: Cal State LA @ 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles in the Student Union on the 3rd Floor, Los Angeles Room A

RSVP: 323.343.3770 or rcampos9@cslanet.calstate.edu

MORE: This is a free and open event for healthcare professionals. Parking available on campus at Parking Structure C or Lot 5 located at Paseo Rancho Castilla; Cost is $2 for the two hours (cash only)

Sponsored by Kaiser Permanente and The California Wellness Foundation

###

More info on PBI's Health Policy Outreach Center http://www.patbrowninstitute.org/community/healthp

Steve Allen’s “Meeting of Minds” is Back Tonight with Ed Asner as Karl Marx

ADVISORY

Monday, October 5, 2009
For Immediate Release
Contacts: Diana Ljungaeus, 310.210.1860
Bob Ladendorf, 217.494.5610Email – MeetingOfMinds@WorkingStage.com

This will be Episode 2 of the critically acclaimed series at the Steve Allen Theater

Hollywood. The award-winning and thought-provoking PBS television series created by Steve Allen returns tonight as live theater. Well-known local actors are portraying intriguing and dynamic historical characters from different eras. Prepare to meet Steve Allen (Gary Cole), Dr. Karl Marx (Ed Asner), President Ulysses S. Grant (Dan Lauria), Queen Marie Antoinette (Meeghan Holaway) and Sir Thomas More (Bruce Davison).

WHO – Gary Cole (Entourage) is Steve Allen! He is joined on stage by Ed Asner, Dan Lauria, Meeghan Holaway, and Bruce Davison.

WHAT – “Meeting of Minds” Episode 2 (This is a theater-in-the-round staged reading performance)

WHEN – Monday, October 5, 2009, @ 8 p.m.

WHERE – Steve Allen Theater @ 4773 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90027; Plenty of free parking behind the building (enter off of Berendo Street); Click here for a map; Metro: Red line, Sunset/Vermont station

FYI – Directed by Frank Megna, this is the second of 24 episodes in the revival of the Steve Allen master series. Produced by Diana Ljungaeus and Bob Ladendorf. In association with Meadowlane Entertainment. Tickets are still available: Prepaid for $15 or $20 at the door.

###

“Meeting of Minds” is presented by Opening Minds Productions. For a full list of episodes and upcoming performances, go to www.WorkingStage.com or email MeetingOfMinds@WorkingStage.com.

BREATHE LA Receives National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute Funds to Educate Communities and Medical Professionals on COPD

RELEASE

October 2, 2009

For Immediate Release
BREATHE LA Contact – Pat Etem 323.935.8050x231 or PSetem@BREATHELA.org
NHLBI Contact – 301.496.4236 or nhlbi_news@nhlbi.nih.gov
Media Contact – Edward Headington 818.720.7181 or Edward@HeadingtonMedia.com

Los Angeles. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health has approved the award of 15 contracts under its communications contract with Porter Novelli totaling $462,000 to leading community-based lung health organizations from California to New Hampshire to support efforts to improve awareness and understanding of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), the nation’s fourth leading cause of death.

BREATHE California of Los Angeles County (BREATHE LA) is a recipient of this effort at the $47,000 level, and intends to strengthen medical professional education to improve under diagnosis of COPD, educate women and individuals over 40 years of age about COPD symptoms and management, and raise general awareness in diverse communities in Southern California.

"One in five Americans over the age of 45 has COPD but as many as half may not even be aware of it. More and more organizations are joining the NHLBI in taking on the challenge of improving understanding of this common disease," said Elizabeth G. Nabel, M.D., director, NHLBI. "We’re pleased to support these prominent organizations as they carry forward important messages about COPD detection and treatment."

“BREATHE LA funds cutting edge COPD research, among our current efforts by Dr. Margaret Nield out of the VA in West LA, and by Dr. Christopher Cooper, out of UCLA, is to study innovative ways to reach limited mobile individuals to help them better manage their COPD. Our researchers are incorporating electronic models to train individuals on COPD Management, and community based models that train fitness experts in local area gyms to improve exercise levels of individuals with moderate COPD,” explained Dr. Guy Soo Hoo, co-chair of BREATHE LA’s Research Committee.

The new awards support the goals of the NHLBI’s COPD Learn More Breathe Better campaign. This community partnership network is designed to broaden the reach of the national campaign effort, which was developed by NHLBI to help bridge the gap in awareness about this highly prevalent disease.

Since the campaign began in 2006, more than 25 states have initiated COPD education programs or convened coalitions in support of developing plans of action. BREATHE LA will enhance our COPD network with a Spring symposium and through Better Breathers’ Clubs.

"The NHLBI’s support of community organizations will help build capacity and sustain the momentum among organizations seeking to improve the lives of people with COPD," said John Walsh, president, COPD Foundation, a partner of the Learn More Breathe Better campaign since its inception. "We look forward to working in collaboration with NHLBI as the campaign and its network of partners grows."

Ten organizations will each receive between $25,000 and $47,000 to conduct programs reaching people at-risk for COPD, patients, or health care providers, or to coordinate state coalitions—including Breathe LA, Los Angeles and Breathe New Hampshire, Bedford, N.H.

Part of the National Institutes of Health, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) plans, conducts, and supports research related to the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood diseases; and sleep disorders. The Institute also administers national health education campaigns on women and heart disease, healthy weight for children, and other topics. NHLBI press releases and other materials are available online at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/.

Resources:

BREATHE California of Los Angeles County (BREATHE LA) is a non-profit, public benefit organization that promotes clean air and healthy lungs through research, education and technology. It has been “Protecting the ‘Breathe of Life’ since 1903.” For more information, go to http://www.breathela.org/.
http://www.breathela.org/resources/article/what-copd-are-you-risk

The COPD Learn More Breathe Better Campaign: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/lung/copd/

Diseases and Conditions Index: COPD: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Copd/Copd_WhatIs.html

###