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    One of the greatest assets we have here in L.A. is our beautiful, warm weather. So it is unfair and unhealthy for non-smokers, including children, to have to breathe in the secondhand smoke of people who take over outdoor patios to have cigarettes.

   That is what motivated us to introduce legislation on Wednesday, June 11, that would prohibit smoking in outdoor patios where food is served in the City of Los Angeles.

   Since California enacted a statewide ban on workplace smoking to protect customers and workers from secondhand smoke, outdoor dining areas in L.A. have become dominated by smokers.

   That means that non-smokers cannot enjoy outdoor dining without breathing in harmful secondhand smoke, even though smokers form only a small segment of the population.

   Evidence shows that smoking and second-hand smoke have major negative health effects. There are approximately 4.8 million deaths worldwide from smoking each year. Secondhand smoke exposure causes as many as 300,000 children in the Untied States under the age of 19 months to suffer lower respiratory tract infections and exacerbates child asthma.

   This is not meant to be a witch-hunt against smokers, rather an effort to make it possible for more people to enjoy outdoor dining without damaging their health involuntarily. Our motion would exclude bars because there is an expectation that these are places where people go specifically to drink and smoke.

   Los Angeles has already prohibited smoking in City parks and beaches, and many other cities have banned smoking in certain public areas. Calabasas, Malibu, Glendale, and Burbank all have similar ordinances. As this motion goes through committee, we will be studying the experiences of other cities with such ordinances so that we can find the most fair and effective path.

   Because of the home foreclosure crisis, abandoned homes with overgrown weeds, dead lawns, half-empty pools and boarded-up windows have become a blight in some neighborhoods.

   To address this growing problem, we introduced a motion Wednesday, June 11, to develop a substantive framework requiring owners and banks to maintain foreclosed properties in order to avoid the deterioration of neighborhoods.

   This phenomenon has the potential to destabilize our neighborhoods. It reduces home values for neighbors, lures squatters, vandals and pests and degrades the beauty of well-tended neighborhoods.

   It is more than an eyesore. It can become a public health problem as well. The swimming pools of vacant homes can become breeding grounds for mosquitoes that can spread illnesses such as West Nile Virus.

   The foreclosure crisis is not expected to slow down any time soon, and the number of foreclosed homes will continue to rise. In light of this, we need to review the City’s existing resources and enforcement tools and find new ways to prevent foreclosed homes from becoming a blight in our neighborhoods.

   Summer is upon us, and the unseasonably high temperatures this June should be a reminder to prepare for heatwaves and the wildfire season. As of May 1, properties in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) are inspected by the Fire Department to check for mandatory brush clearance to help protect neighborhoods from wildfires.

    Homeowners living in this zone, which includes the northern and western edge of the San Fernando Valley, should have received reminders by mail from the Fire Department. Timely and thorough brush clearance in these areas significantly increases our ability to keep wildfires from destroying homes and property.
   For more information on brush clearance, please visit the L.A. Fire Department's website at http://lafd.org/brush/ or call the Brush Clearance Unit at (818) 374-1111.

   Heatwaves bring multiple problems, especially in the Valley. As residents crank up their air conditioning, the extremely high energy demand can cause blackouts. That means no air conditioning, and the combination can be deadly for vulnerable people, especially the elderly.

   Lowering energy use can reduce the strain on our power grid to help prevent blackouts and keep your electric bill lower. Here are some tips to reduce energy use:

·         Try to avoid using heavy appliances such washing machines, dishwashers and vacuum cleaners, as well as cooking, during peak hours (weekdays, 10:00 am to 8:00 pm).

·         Turn off lights and electronic equipment when not in use.

·         Replace regular bulbs with energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs.

·         If your power goes out, or if you have no air conditioning, try going to a public swimming pool, seeing a movie, or going to an indoor shopping mall, public library or other air-conditioned public place to stay cool.

·         For more tips on reducing energy use, visit www.LADWP.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp008434.jsp.