Kristy Pyke

Photo by bodycoach via Flickr Venice is currently the destination spot for over 250 vehicles serving as replacement homes for the homeless. But some have now decided to deal with this increasing issue of homelessness in a new and somewhat controversial way. Los Angeles City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl has proposed a program that would get the homeless living in cars and RV’s off the streets, at least for the night. The program, Streets to...

Photo by andysternberg via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr The Mayor's Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) received some gentle criticism from the Los Angeles City Controller Wendy Greuel after an audit was released suggesting the program needed more oversight and evaluation. The audit did acknowledge how the mayor’s gang prevention program has seen a 10.7 percent decrease in crime and did a fairly good job in implementing the 109 recommendations from...

Marta Lopez sat in church one Sunday as her head spun and her thoughts became blank. She recovered consciousness and stared in confusion as paramedics standing over her asked questions she could not answer. Lopez, a Spanish-speaking El Salvadoran, struggled not only to regain her senses but simultaneously muster up the little English she knew to describe a heart condition that had caused her to faint.

President Obama on Monday created a new council entirely devoted to the protection of our oceans. The National Ocean Council will oversee the recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force to protect, maintain and restore the health and biodiversity of the oceans, coast, and great Lakes, according to the White House blog.

Farmers know that for the most part the word ‘organic’ sells. The problem occurs when the food is not really organic. With the $1.1 billion industry growing quickly and exponentially, enforcement and regulation seems to lag behind.

Photo by tyger_lyllie via Flickr Despite the optimistic future for AB 1998, the statewide ban on plastic bags, Los Angeles County Supervisors are going ahead with efforts to pass their own ordinance. Earlier this month the County completed an environmental impact report making it possible to go forward with such an ordinance. Plastic bag manufactures have sued counties who have tried to pass similar ordinances in the past due to insufficient environmental impact reports,...

City of Pasadena Preserve America has been a pet project of both First Ladies since 2003 when President Bush issued an incentive to preserve the historical and cultural heritage deeply grounded in communities across the country. Last week the city of Pasadena became one of those communities after Michelle Obama approved (PDF) their application. Pasadena applied back in February to receive such an honor and will now reap the benefits promised to them under...

Photo by Southern California Edison A new plan to install smart meters in every home in Southern California using Edison electricity has reached a milestone. The utility has now installed one million smart meters in only 10 months time. The first smart meter was installed in September of last year in a home in Downey and the one millionth was installed yesterday in a home in Redondo Beach. But Edison does not plan to...

Photo by Dave Dugdale via Flickr It has never been easier to go solar than right now. Cities like Glendale, Lancaster, and Palm Desert have answered California's challenge to install energy efficient improvements starting with the every day home. It has been a long road of lobbying, debating, and amending legislation but California is finally reaping the fruit of what was sewn. Back in 2006 California passed the Global Warming Solutions Act (PDF) to...

Photo by trazomfreak via Flickr The Los Angeles City Council is expected to consider a resolution supporting same day voter registration on Wednesday. If passed, the weight of city hall will go behind Senator Leland Yee’s SB 1140 and Assemblymember Anthony Portantino’s AB 1531, both which would allow California voters to register the same day they vote. Current voting law requires a citizen to register at least 15 days prior to election and must...