Solis Breaks Ground on Puente Hills Regional Park
Los Angeles County Supervisor Chair Pro Tem Hilda L. Solis (D-Central and Eastern Los Angeles including Downtown LA, East LA, Pico-Union, Boyle Heights, El Monte, West Covina, Baldwin Park, Pomona) on Saturday, joined residents and community leaders to officially break ground on Puente Hills Regional Park, launching Phase 1 of one of the County’s most significant environmental justice and public space projects in decades.
“This moment has been more than 30 years in the making. I grew up just a few miles from this site, where we lived in the shadow of the Puente Hills Landfill. I remember the smell, the trucks, and the lack of green space. This land was once a symbol of environmental injustice — and now, we are reclaiming it,” said Solis. “This groundbreaking is a victory for the people who fought to stop the landfill’s expansion, for the families who deserve access to parks and clean air, and for the next generation who will learn and thrive here.“
The event marked the beginning of construction on Phase 1 of the 140-acre Puente Hills Regional Park, which will convert the site of what was once the largest active landfill west of the Mississippi River into a major destination for recreation, education, and community connection.
The project is the result of decades of advocacy, dating back to Solis’ time in the State Assembly when she authored Assembly Bill 2632 to halt the landfill’s expansion and secure its conversion to parkland. That bill, passed in 1994, established legal protections for the site and laid the foundation for today’s groundbreaking.
Phase 1 is fully funded, with $157.35 million secured through local, state, and federal sources. It is expected to be completed by Fall 2026 and will include:
- Environmental Justice Center
- Park entry plaza
- Workman Mill Road trailhead and staging area
- Amphitheater for community performances
- Nature Play Zone
- Arts plaza
- Dog park
- Playgrounds
- Restrooms, parking, trails, and native landscaping
Bass Urges Valley businesses to apply for AI integration program
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Friday, urged small business owners in the San Fernando Valley to apply for the Business Idea Accelerator program administered by the Mayor’s Office.
“Programs like Vision Lab are ensuring that the City is supporting our small businesses in the Valley by providing innovative and dynamic training programs that prepare them for the future,” said Bass.
Local businesses will get hands-on experience and learn to:
- Automate Processes: Streamline marketing, customer service, and back-office tasks using AI-enabled tools.
- Create Content: Use generative AI to produce branded content, storytelling, and customer experiences.
- Develop Tech-Enabled Strategies: Learn how to thrive in an AI-driven economy.
- Identify Local Opportunities: Find opportunities within the city that can help your business grow and gain visibility.
The application deadline is tomorrow, Sept. 9. Interested business owners in the Valley can apply to visionlab.la/accelerator.
Kraut’s invites Calabasas residents’ input on financial plan
Calabasas Mayor Peter Kraut, in his weekly letter to the community, invited residents to a special meeting of the City Council at City Hall for a critical study session on the City’s financial future.
“Our staff has updated our long-range financial plan and identified trends that are not aligned with our fiscal sustainability goals as a City Council,” Kraut wrote.
“The Study Session will review historic trends, examine projections and provide a forum for our City Council to engage in free-form discussion about the trends and potential solutions. While the City has a solid financial reserve, it is critical we plan for the future and proactively pursue a sustainable financial picture. Moreover, we want your input and participation as we plan for long-term fiscal resiliency.”
The special session, which can also be viewed online, is slated for 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10. Following the study session, the regular Calabasas City Council meeting will start at 7 p.m. Agenda items are available online.
Stern’s bill regarding severely mentally ill misdemeanor defendants moves forward
State Sen. Henry Stern (D-Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Malibu, Westlake Village, portions of the San Fernando Valley) last week saw the Assembly Appropriations Committee advance his legislation (SB 820) that will help people with severe mental illness who commit misdemeanors have a chance to receive lifesaving medication while in jail.
The legislation will address persistent gaps in California’s treatment of individuals deemed incompetent to stand trial for misdemeanor offenses (MIST).
“Right now, some of California’s most vulnerable people are being cycled through the jail to street pipeline without the care they so desperately need,” said Stern. “By allowing for involuntary medication to be administered in very limited but critical circumstances, SB 820 will reduce recidivism, protect public safety and save lives.”
Hundreds of Californians are found incompetent to stand trial on misdemeanor charges yearly. Many spend extended time in jail awaiting treatment beds that are scarce and backlogged, where their mental health deteriorates further. Others are released without services, fueling recidivism, homelessness, and costly cycles of re-incarceration.
SB 820 will next be considered on the Senate Floor for a vote.
