Valley Glen Having severed ties with Los Angeles Valley College, a group of Valley residents that operated the college’s historical museum now set their sights on a bigger mission. Gerald Fecht and other members of the disbanded board of the Museum of the San Fernando Valley still want to see a museum with a contemporary history collection that will appeal to young people. The San Fernando Valley as well as the city as a whole deserves to have a museum of its own, Fecht said. “Los Angeles is the only major American city that does not have a city historical and cultural museum,” Fecht said. The group promoting the museum met on March 28 to discuss how to proceed, just a month after their association with Valley College ended. The group of volunteers including Fecht came on board in 2004 and later incorporated under the name of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley to operate a historical museum on campus. Then the museum board was told that its incorporation violated community college district policies and that the museum’s artifacts and the $110,000 it had in the bank all belonged to the college. The board members’ roles were lessened in running the museum. The campus museum now falls under the care of the Valley College Foundation and a new advisory committee while Fecht and the board members embark on a new project. Fecht said there are no hard feelings in that the college was only following the advice of its lawyers. “In my opinion there was no one at fault. The college president was concerned we would move artifacts off campus,” Fecht said. “That was never our intention.” Foundation Executive Director Raul Castillo said he was sorry to see Fecht and the board go but there had been a difference of philosophy on the future of the museum. “We can have a regional museum and still stay on campus,” Castillo said. The college museum currently occupies a bungalow that was one of the original administration buildings. In a few years it will move to a new 1,500 square foot facility, Castillo said. The school’s budget will determine how much can be spent on programs and marketing for the museum, Castillo said. “That has always been our hurdle,” Castillo said. “Our success has always been through word of mouth.” As Fecht and his colleagues go about bringing their museum to fruition, they will reach out to the business community. Often times, Fecht said, cultural institutions treat business merely as the cash cow to get donations and sponsorships from but otherwise they don’t want them around. But that’s not the case in the Valley where the area’s evolution is so strongly tied to business, he said. The aviation industry helped the Valley grow and the entertainment industry put it on the map. But there was also, Fecht pointed out, the sports industries, clothing manufacturing, the automotive industry, and agricultural from ranches to horse breeding. “The Valley has a far richer history than people realize,” Fecht said. SAN FERNANDO VALLEY Burbank Green: On April 1, Warner Home Video began printing DVD product packaging using 30 percent post-consumer recycled content, chlorine-free paper. Product incorporating this new printing standard will bear a Warner Bros.-branded recycling logo. “Warner Home Video has an ongoing charge to develop methods and practices that reinforce its commitment toward the use of renewable materials,” said its President Ron Sanders. “We were fortunate to find an option that allowed us to go green without compromising quality; it’s a smart business move.” Encino Award: Inter/Media Advertising received a Zephyr award for its television commercial produced for Good Sam VIP Insurance. Zephyr Awards honor advertising that is powerful enough to change knowledge, beliefs and attitudes, and to motivate action. Inter/Media is a fully integrated advertising agency blending direct response advertising with general market techniques. Glendale Perks: Verdugo Hills Hospital has introduced a concierge-style feature for patients and guests at the medical facility. The service, called “Just Ask,” is located in the hospital’s main lobby and features a customer service representative who can help with typical requests, such as dry cleaning, DVD rentals and dinner reservations. The program launched March 15. Studio City Filmmakers: Withoutabox, an online media company advancing independent film received the Special Recognition Award at the 4th Annual San Fernando Valley International Film Festival. The Studio City company was chosen because of its use of innovative technologies to assist filmmakers through social networking, a film festival submission system, and new tools for scheduling, ticketing and judging, said Rany Salter, president of the film festival. “This award is a special distinction for us and one that we are proud to accept,” said David Straus, co-founder and CEO of Withoutabox. “Festivals like San Fernando Valley serve as a valuable doorway to success with filmmakers and everyone at Withoutabox is delighted to be involved with this increasingly important event.” Sylmar Care: Olive View-UCLA Medical Center on March 29 played host to a health career day for dozens of area middle and high school participants. Students were taken on a behind-the-scenes tour of the emergency, pathology and physical therapy departments and participated in mock operative procedures, CPR and trauma cases. The annual fair is an effort by Olive View and ValleyCare to excite students about a career in health care. Kudos: The medical device maker St. Jude Medical Inc., which houses the bulk of its heart division in Sylmar, was named the No. 1 medical product and equipment company on the list of “America’s Most Admired Companies” by FORTUNE Magazine. St. Jude, based in St. Paul, Minn., also took honors for people management, use of corporate assets, quality of management and long-term investment. Tarzana Graphics: AvatarLabs created and delivered the online banner campaign for the film adaptation of the graphic novel “300.” Dozens of the AvatarLabs ads acted as mini sites to promote the film, containing video, photo galleries, a synopsis, and a “Spartan Training” game to be played in-banner. Standard online ads included quick two-second or less pieces of video integrated into the ad resulting in a more arresting and engaging ad. “300” was released by Warner Bros. Pictures and earned a record-breaking $70 million on its opening weekend. Toluca Lake Vroom: The corner of Riverside Drive and Riverton A venue has been renamed “George Barris Place” in honor of the custom car icon. Barris owns Barris Kustom Industries, which has called the intersection home since the 1960s and designed cars for Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, John Lennon and the original Batmobile and Love Bug. Van Nuys Take-Off: More than 1,000 students from 25 L.A. schools are expected to attend the Second Annual Aviation Career Day Friday, April 20, at Van Nuys Airport. The fair, hosted by Syncro Aviation Inc. and City Councilman Tony Cardenas, will feature hands-on demonstrations, presentations and tours and is meant to build awareness and interest among students for a career in the aviation or aerospace industry. The fair starts at 8:30 a.m. at the Syncro hangar at 7701 Woodley Ave. in Van Nuys. Walk: Volunteers are being sought to participate in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life taking place June 2 at Birmingham High School. The community-based overnight event honors cancer survivors and remembers those who have their battle against the disease. Each Relay team should have 10 to 15 members taking turns running, walking or strolling around the Birmingham High track. When not on the track, participants enjoy food, games, music, fun and friendship. For more information contact event Chairwoman Heidi Mankoff at (818) 523-2659, or at www.valleyrelayforlife.org. La Ca & #324;ada Flintridge Move: The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has approved $25,000 towards a new electric tram at Descanso Gardens. The 14-seat train, which will traverse the 25-acre garden, meets American with Disabilities Act requirements and helps reduce emissions. The tram costs $121,000; the rest will be funded through a grant from the South Cost Air Quality Management District’s Clean Fuels Fund. CONEJO VALLEY Camarillo Open: A new, 65,000-square-foot library opened March 31. The two-story facility at 4101 E. Las Posas Road at Fieldgate Drive replaces a dated library at 3100 Ponderosa Drive. Construction started in 2005 and was funded through a grant from the California Library Bond Act and the city. Radio: Salem Communications landed comedian and former Saturday Night Live cast member Dennis Miller as a talk show host for its radio network. The Dennis Miller Show will broadcast in Los Angeles on News Talk 879 AM KRLA. The show also airs on stations in eight other metropolitan markets. Salem Communications is a broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher of Christian and family-themed content.
