By NADRA KAREEM Staff Reporter Granada Hills The City of Destiny. The Beverly Hills of San Fernando Valley. The City of Rabbits. These are just a few of the nicknames by which historical Granada Hills was known. In “Images of America: Granada Hills,” Jim Hier presents a photographic history of his native town from 1793 to now. In addition to references to the town’s former nicknames, the book details how Granada Hills got its official name , its climate and geography resembled that of Granada, Spain , and includes advertisements used to lure people there. In total, the book features more than 200 historic images, many of which were donated by private citizens and have not previously been shared publicly. To gather photographs and memories from residents, Hier, a 1973 graduate of John F. Kennedy High School, established the Granada Hills History Project, as well as a Web site. “Fortunately, there are still a number of people around that lived in Granada Hills during the 1930s, 40s and 50s,” he told Arcadia, the book’s publisher, in an interview. “I was able to talk with a number of them to gain an appreciation for what the community was like during the years they lived there.” While there have been a number of histories written about the Valley, very little information about Granada Hills has been provided, according to Hier. This inspired him to write what is said to be the first comprehensive history of the community. “I think people will be interested in a number of things in the book There is information that corrects a number of commonly held ‘facts’ about the early history of Granada Hills, including the community’s actual founding date, information on an important early landowner and the dramatic growth of the community following the end of World War II,” said Hier. The book also includes a number of Granada Hills “firsts.” It is available through Arcadia Publishing, (888) 313-2665 or www.arcadiapublishing.com. Area bookstores and independent retailers may also carry it. SANTA CLARITA VALLEY Santa Clarita Enterprise Zone: Santa Clarita will be one of 42 designated zones which will afford businesses state income tax credits in the form of hiring credits, sales and use tax credits and state income tax deductions. Accordingly, Santa Clarita Business Banking Center recently hosted a luncheon seminar that referenced the city’s efforts to establish the Enterprise Zone, which goes into effect this month. Ninety percent of the businesses within the City of Santa Clarita fall within the designated zone. The city is conducting an extensive outreach to ensure that all businesses located within it are aware of the tax benefits afforded them. For more information, contact Community Bank at (661) 295-2850. SIMI VALLEY Wine: The Valley Veterinary Clinic Charitable Non-Profit Corporation hosts its 3rd annual summer wine festival on Sept. 8 in the Lexington Hills Estates overlooking the Santa Rosa Valley. The event treats revelers to an afternoon of music, food, and wine while raising money for unwanted pets abandoned each year in Ventura County. “Dumping pets in the hills or at the local shelter should not be an option,” said Valley Veterinary Clinic President Lowell Novy. “Every animal deserves care, compassion and respect.” Tickets are $75 in advance and $90 at the door. For more information contact (805) 526-2743. SAN FERNANDO VALLEY Encino Radio: Bid4Spots, a web site where radio stations compete for advertising dollars in a reverse auction, has experienced a 300 percent increase in activity in June with a roster of nearly 1,800 advertisers and agencies combined. “Advertisers tell us they like our approach of using online tools to make offline advertising affordable and more easily accessible,” said Dave Newmark, Bid4Spots CEO, in a written statement. “Radio is an attractive option for ROI-driven advertisers, especially now that there’s an easy, flexible way to buy prime airtime at great rates.” Launched in 2005, the Encino-based business makes last-minute inventory available to advertisers from about 2,400 participating radio stations in all 300 top-ranked Arbitron DMAs. Auctions take place between advertisers and stations and the lowest bid wins. Concert: As many as one out of three homeless people are veterans, according to some estimates. To raise awareness about this segment of the homeless population, the Regional Black Chamber of Commerce will present “American Soldier Thank You for All the Things You Do,” a concert for homeless veterans, July 28 at Woodley Park in Encino. “These are incredible individuals who have fought gallantly and now have lack of shelter and lack of food,” chamber president M.C. Townsend said of homeless veterans. “I think the community needs to come out and embrace each and every one of them and financially help them to get the skills to get back on their feet.” The event will feature a lineup of musical performers, including Christopher B. Duncan, Al Wilson, The Honey Cones, Willard Pugh and Willie & Woody. Arguably, the most notable performer will be “prolific artist Cuba Gooding Sr. of the Main Ingredient,” Townsend said. Gooding Sr. “will be putting on an extraordinary show for the veterans. His son is the legendary Cuba Gooding Jr.” Gooding Jr. is expected to attend the event. Also performing will be Mike Majik Boyd who recorded the single “American Soldier Thank You for All the Things You Do.” Copies of the single will be available at the event. “Every proceed from the single itself will be donated to support veterans,” Townsend said. Information: (818) 464-3484. Glendale Launch: Target will officially open at the Glendale Galleria July 29. Operating hours will be Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sherman Oaks Search: Westfield Fashion Square and Westfield Topanga in the San Fernando Valley announced the launch of a new service which allows consumers to find any product, brand or sale available in the shopping center using the Internet or mobile phones. San Fernando Valley area shoppers can now search the shopping center from home by going online to explore available products and sales from shopping center retailers. Shoppers can also experience the service while at Fashion Square and Westfield Topanga by using text messaging on their mobile phones. This unique service is powered by NearbyNow Inc., the first company of its kind to provide Internet and mobile search technology for shopping centers and retailers. North Hollywood Space: Rick Tumlinson, president of North-Hollywood-based Orbital Outfitters Inc., participated in a conference examining the impact of civilian space travel on the U.S. economy, culture and global relations. The Conference on the Overview Effect took place July 18 in Washington, D.C. Orbital Outfitters designs and manufactures the next-generation space suit to be worn in commercial space flights. “There is a new era starting right now in space,” Tumlinson said. “Billions of dollars are flowing into all kinds of new commercial spaceships, which will carry all kinds of people into space.” Van Nuys Programs: The Los Angeles Community College District and the Valley Economic Development Center have teamed up to sponsor a new program that will provide free classes aimed at helping small, local and emerging businesses in Los Angeles County. These programs and classes will prepare those businesses to connect with the LACCD’s business opportunities for its $2.2 billion construction campaign. The first program, which began on July 18 and will go until August 8, is “Entrepreneurial Preparation for Contractors” and will cover business plans, labor compliance, insurance, bonding, contracting and bidding and statement of qualification. The second program, which will run from September 13 to September 27, is “Access to Capital for Contractors” and will cover business finance, accounting and legal structure, financial statements and loan options related to rating, bonding and budgeting. “We look forward to this partnership with the VEDC to bring free assistance to small and emerging businesses,” said Sylvia Scott-Hayes, president of the LACCD Board of Trustees, in a written statement. “It’s exciting to work closely with local businesses to keep dollars in the community as we work together to modernize classrooms and teaching facilities for the nine Los Angeles Community colleges.” Classes are offered at VEDC’s office in Van Nuys from 6 to 9 p.m. To register for classes call 818-907-9922 or visit www.vedc.com.