Los Angeles will be celebrating her 230th Birthday this year– and hundreds, perhaps thousands of people joined in a parade to honor our city’s birth. New Orleans has her Mardi Gras, Los Angeles has her Queen of Angels Procession and Celebration. Organizers are making this an annual event as it was a generation ago.

It’s always nice to make the news! I was reading the Sunday newspaper and saw myself in the paper. It was from when I covered the EV event. I am in the blue shirt.

THE MALIBU COUNTRY MART UNVEILS ELECTRIC CAR CHARGING STATION – Continuing the commitment to eco-friendly practices and the environment

MALIBU, Calif., August1, 2011 – The Malibu Country Mart, known as one of Southern California’s premiere retail centers, continues its on-going commitment to eco-conscious practices and is proud to announce that it has installed its first electric vehicle charger at the center. The new charging station will give guests the opportunity to recharge – both literally and figuratively – at the Malibu Country Mart.

The new electric vehicle charger, which is compatible with the current generation of electric cars, including the Chevrolet Volt, the Nissan Leaf and the all-electric CODA, is located next to Ralph Lauren, just off of Cross Creek Road, and will be free for visitors to use.

“Installing the charger speaks to our philosophy that by utilizing as many sustainable practices as possible, we will continue to have a positive impact in our community of Malibu and beyond,” said Michael Koss, General Partner of the Malibu Country Mart.

The new electric vehicle charging station will be unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 20 at 2:00 p.m. Headlining and speaking will be actor and eco-advocate Ed Begley, Jr. co-star of the Planet Green series “Living with Ed,” Paul Scott, Co-Founder of Plug In America and Nissan Leaf Specialist, Rod Bergen, President of Solar West International, Paul Glenney, Director of EV Solutions Aerovironment and Michael Koss of the Malibu Country Mart. A reception with live music and food from Howdy’s and John’s Garden will immediately follow.

Additionally, there will be an outdoor showroom featuring the Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, CODA and Telsa, for those who are interested in learning more about the new wave of electric vehicles.

“Some drivers of electric vehicles might feel ‘range anxiety’ and have concerns about venturing too far from home,” said Julie Labin, Director of Sustainability at the Malibu Country Mart. “Our new charging station will allow Southern Californians a place to stop along the coast, without concern about running out of battery capacity along the way.”

The new electric vehicle car charging station is just one piece of the Malibu Country Mart’s Green Initiative Program, which includes a comprehensive composting and recycling program, the use of drought-tolerant succulents and native vegetation, plant-based biodegradable cleaning products and participation in a biofuels program where grease from restaurants is turned into biodiesel fuel.

To get the latest news about The Malibu Country Mart, please visit malibucountrymart.com.
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contact Julie Labin 310-826-5636

About the Malibu Country Mart
The Malibu County Mart encompasses six acres of prime real estate in the heart of Malibu. Its 90,000 square feet of high-end retail, dining and service offerings are housed in an eclectic mix of architectural styles including Mediterranean, modern and rustic influences. The structures are complimented by world-class gardens, unique sculptures, outdoor dining and picnic areas and the popular children’s playground. Additionally, the Malibu County Mart is leading the trend in Malibu in eco-friendly practices, from a chemical-free sandbox in the children’s playground to being the first commercial property to participate in the Geo Green Biofuels Program. malibucountrymart.com

The 2011 Japanese earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters have raised awareness in the official emergency response communities as well in business and civic groups. Ventura County is one of the most disaster prone counties in California.

Are you “Red Cross Ready?”

Soundbites are from Civil authorities, law enforcement and business leaders.

I love that I got to work with MMA contender Reuben Duran on this shoot. MMA is the biggest thing in sports right now. Let us know what you think!

“Fighting For Stardom” is a documentary-styled MMA video featuring rising MMA contender Reuben Duran. Reuben currently fights at 135lbs in the UFC Bantamweight Division.

Over a 1 year time period – The video documents Reuben’s career path to the UFC, including his transition from King of the Cage. Reuben describes his UFC debut and talks about his 2nd UFC fight on Saturday, June 4 in Las Vegas. (TUF 13 Finale)

“The Village” Ready for School Center in Canoga Park, California employs professional staff with extensive training, experience, and educational background that include child and adolescent development, counseling, early childhood education, adult education, and community outreach. We offer applied, practical experience in mentoring and coaching with the goal of enhancing and increasing the number of quality, committed professionals to work with children and families 0-5.

Lorna Milman originated the program and was the site director for the duration of it’s operation.

“The Village has also been noted for its diversity. “We have more than 12 languages spoken in the Saturday class,” said Lorna Milman, The Village program director. As a result of Lorna’s efforts, interns from the local universities and community colleges are now involved in helping to accommodate the extensive language needs of families participating in The Village programs.” (courtesy First5/LA)

An important focus of our center is that the parent is the child’s first teacher. At our center, parents are supported in attaining skills and tools that enhance the powerful intrinsic motivation of helping their child succeed.

“The Village” Ready for School offers workshops, classes, and referrals to services that provide training and skill in parenting, childcare, school readiness, and health and safety issues. We offer unique parent/child classes in learning through music and art as well as traditional classroom settings. Our Village is truly trans-generational; “The Village” also enriches the lives of our 0-5 children with the benefit of the volunteer activities of seniors in our community. Retired social workers and educators from the Retired Senior and Volunteer Program come weekly to our center, connecting with our families as tutors in English as a Second Language as well as mentors and coaches in parenting. Parent can attend sessions of tutoring and mentoring with baby in arms, or in the same room, honoring the process of separation, and making a smoother transition to more formalized classroom settings for each of them.

Advocacy is a primary goal of our center. Our vision is to create a strong, empowered presence of support for children and their needs in the community. This enables young children and their families to be better connect with the resources that already exist as well as to play a part in enhancing and expanding them where necessary. “The Village’s” community outreach continually assesses and monitors quality providers and resources that are available in the community.

Funding by First5/LA and LAUSD.

Ready for School provides both population based and need based services for all local children prenatal to five years of age and their families. Activities are cooridnated through a family resource center model which provides the hub for an integrated service system. The family resource center provides a borad range of services on site and maintains linkages to other community providers serving young children. The initiative focuses on improved access to child care, health and wellness services, early intervention, early literacy, and family support.

As much as I love taking professional head shots for clients and filming commercials, I have always been fascinated by less-conventional ways that a camera can be used. Especially when it has historical significance.

Thanks to cameras, a Mayan tomb closed to the world for 1,500 years has finally been seen. Scientists were able to snake a tiny camera into a red-and-black painted burial chamber. The room that the camera filmed contained paintings of nine figures, pottery, jade pieces and shells. Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History were able to confirm all of this.

The actual location of the tomb is in Palenque, which are stone ruins in the Mexican state of Chiapas. The historians were even able to see the burial chamber for the first time in many, many years. They threaded a tiny video camera through a 6-inch by 6-inch (15 cm by 15 cm) hole above the tomb to do this.  The burial chamber ended up holding a sarcophagus and pottery dishes. Because of the items that they found, they are guessing everything in it was from sometime between A.D. 431 and A.D. 550.

Now this is what I am talking about! I love coming up with new uses for cameras, from medical innovations to law enforcement uses cameras can help with everything. How soon before kids snake a flip cam into some other undiscovered area? We are living in exciting times for sure.

To check out the pictures for yourself visit – http://www.livescience.com/14768-mayan-tomb-images.html

To counter the multi-million dollar, mechanized/chemical attack planned for the exquisite Malibu Lagoon by out-of-touch California State officials, the Wetlands Defense Fund and Malibu residents have come up with a “kinder, gentler” plan. This one involves 7 steps to remove invasive non-native plants by hand with community volunteers, plant appropriate wetland plants in areas along shoreline and pathways and use muscle power – not bulldozers and chemical herbicides – to improve water quality and maintain the current thriving ecosystem.

The State’s plan will kill or permanently displace all plants, birds, fish and insect species now living harmoniously in the Malibu Lagoon. Their plan calls for ripping out the three charming bridges and central pathway system for a longer peripheral path far removed from most of the wildlife. Please visit ww.SaveMalibuLagoon.com for the details.