20 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ANIMAL SHELTERS COME TOGETHER FOR

THE FALL 5000 SUPER ADOPTION

Weekend Adoption Event Starts the Race to 5000 Adoptions in November

WHAT: The Los Angeles Animal Alliance presents an unprecedented adoption campaign spanning 5 counties with a goal of finding forever homes for 5000 shelter animals in the month of November. The campaign kicks off November 4-6 with a weekend Super Adoption at all participating shelters featuring discounted adoption fees and giveaways to adopters, personal matchmakers and professional behavior trainers. To honor our nation’s heroes, The Fall 5000 also launches the Pets to Patriots program, sponsored by The Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, which offers free adoptions for veterans throughout November at participating shelters.

WHEN: November 4-6, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm

WHERE: 20 animal shelters throughout Southern California including Los Angeles Animal Services, Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control, Riverside County Department of Animal Services, San Bernardino City Animal Shelter, Camarillo Animal Shelter, Irvine Animal Care Center and Orange County Animal Care.

Los Angeles Animal Services

South LA Animal Shelter, 3612 11th Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90018

North Central Animal Shelter, 3201 Lacy St., Los Angeles, CA 90031

East Valley Animal Shelter, 14409 Vanowen St., Van Nuys, CA 91405

West Valley Animal Shelter, 20655 Plummer St., Chatsworth, CA 91311

West LA Animal Shelter, 11361 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064

Harbor Animal Shelter, 957 N. Gaffey St., San Pedro, CA 90731

Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control

Agoura Animal Care Center, 29525 Agoura Rd., Agoura, CA 91301

Baldwin Park Animal Care Center, 4275 N. Elton, Baldwin Park, CA 91706

Carson Animal Care Center, 216 W. Victoria St., Gardena, CA 90248

Castaic Animal Care Center, 31044 N. Charlie Canyon Rd., Castaic, CA 91384

Downey Animal Care Center, 11258 S. Garfield Ave., Downey, CA 90242

Lancaster Animal Care Center, 5210 W. Ave I, Lancaster, CA 93536

Antelope Valley Adoption Center, 42116 4^th St. East, Lancaster, CA 93535

Riverside County Department of Animal Services

Blythe Animal Shelter, 245 S. Carlton, Riverside, CA 92225 (closed Saturday and Sunday)

Coachella Valley Animal Shelter, 72-050 Pet Land Pl., Thousand Palms, CA 92276 (closed on Sunday)

Western Riverside Animal Shelter, 6851 Van Buren Blvd., Riverside, CA 92509(closed on Sunday)

San Bernardino City Animal Shelter

333 Chandler Place, San Bernardino, CA 92408 (closed on Sunday)

Camarillo Shelter

600 Aviation Dr., Camarillo, CA 93010

Irvine Animal Care Center

6443 Oak Canyon Rd., Irvine, CA 92618

Orange County Animal Care Center

561 The City Drive South, Orange, CA 92868

WHY: To find homes for all the great animals in our Southern California shelters.

FOR PRESS INQUIRIES: Weil Public Relations, 818-341-3646 / 818-378-8995,rachel@weilpr.com

The Los Angeles Animal Alliance is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation dedicated to creating high-impact programs that help humane organizations and local communities work together to increase adoptions, promote spay/neuter, maximize life-saving and end the euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals.

www.TheFall5000.org

FREEDOM FLIGHT TAKES 50 SHELTER DOGS TO SAFETY

The Orange Dog Transport, Sponsored by TD Bank,

Gives Dogs a Second Chance at Life

Long Beach, CA – Orange Dog’s sixth Freedom Flight will depart from Long Beach on October 27^th to transport 50 small dogs from the Mary S. RobertsPet Adoption Center to the Edmonton Humane Society in Canada, where they will have a better chance of finding a forever home. The flight, sponsored by TD Bank, is set to depart at 9:15 am.

In 2010, Jan Folk opened Orange Dog Bar and Grill (the “restaurant with a cause”) in Huntington Beach to give back to her community. All merchandise sales from the restaurant support her nonprofit, Orange Dog Inc., which saves dogs from shelters in Los Angeles and brings them to shelters and humane societies in Canada where the euthanasia rates are much lower. All online sales from the charity’s website support their life-saving flights toCanada where shelters have a wait list for small dogs to adopt!

Approximately one million dogs and cats enter California shelters each year and over half of them are euthanized because there are not enough people adopting them. “To me, success has always meant contributing to the community. It’s one way I live my values,” Folk states. “Animal shelters inCalifornia are overflowing with animals, many of whom will be euthanized. As an animal lover this breaks my heart. As an entrepreneur, this was a call to action!”

Wednesday the 26^th 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm, The Orange Dog Bar and Grill,18552 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach, will be hosting an evening of entertainment to celebrate the Freedom Flight and to raise awareness for homeless animals. Pictures of all the dogs scheduled to be on the flight on the 27th will be displayed at the restaurant that evening!

Thursday the 27^th 8:00 am – 9:00 am, 50 small dogs will board a private Gulfstream lll jet at AirFlite, 3250 AirFlite Way in Long Beach. At 9:15 am theOrange Dog Freedom Flight departs for the Edmonton Humane Society inCanada, giving these dogs a second change at life!

www.orangedog.ca

Miss Alameda Stars as “Recycle Woman

“Green Carpet” Premiere of Locally Produced Movie at Alameda Theater on November 26th

Alameda, Calif. – October 18^th, 2011 – Since competing for Miss California USA, Jessica Robinson (a.k.a. Miss Alameda) has been working hard to save the planet – or at least Alameda. To that end, Jessica, who is also a professional model and actress, has produced “Recycle Woman,” a short environmental film dedicated to opening minds and changing lives. She also stars in the film.

According to Jessica, “‘Recycle Woman’ is a movie bringing awareness of environmental issues while empowering the youth and community with the tools to become the solution to the problem.” Written and directed by Donald E. Lacy, the script fuses Jessica’s actual community work, and her journey, with comedy, reality TV spoofs, romance, special effects, and real environmental disaster footage.

Jessica has sought to encourage behavior changes among the public by promoting Alameda’s recycling and composting program in local schools and businesses. Last year, Jessica launched the “Miss Alameda Says Compost” program to support recycling and composting at restaurants in Alameda. So far, 30 new restaurants have joined the program, reducing landfill by nearly 500 tons and saving restaurants over $33,000 on their garbage bills.

The movie premieres in November at the Alameda Theater on November 26^th, where Jessica and her cast and crew will walk the “green carpet,” introduce the film, and sign limited edition recycling posters. Attendees can then see a first-run feature movie of their choice at the theater after the event. The Green Carpet event begins at 5:45 p.m. and the movie starts at 6:30 p.m. in the historic theater.

Advance ticket sales are available through Pinchit until November 13th, at:http://www.pinchit.com/deals/401/miss-alameda-recycle-woman

A November 26^th VIP ticket, priced at $20.50, includes the $10.50 movie ticket, a $10 donation to the foundations listed below, an invitation to the “after party,” personalized certificates from each benefiting organization, and a personalized autographed picture of Recycle Woman and Donald E. Lacy Jr.

Jessica will also screen the film at the Michaan Auction House Theater on December 3^rd. This more intimate community event will feature a panel discussion, a reception, a screening of “Recycle Woman” and celebrate Alameda’s successes in recycling and composting. The reception starts at 5:45 p.m. and the program begins at 6:30 p.m.

Proceeds from both events benefit the LoveLife Foundation, Kids on the Move America, and the Alameda Education Foundation.

WHETHER YOUR ZIP CODE CAN DETERMINE YOUR HEALTH

AND HOW WALMART IS MOVING IN

ALL NEW EPISODE AIRS OCTOBER 7 AT 8:30 PM

LOS ANGELES, October 4 – This week on SoCal Connected, correspondent Angie Crouch takes a look at fat and skinny ZIP codes and the correlation between park space and overall health in “Park Poor,” while correspondent Judy Muller investigates a new plan by Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, to move into neighborhoods previously denied to them in “Big Box Invasion.” The all-new episode airs Friday, October 7 at 8:30 p.m.

“PARK POOR”

When it comes to green space, Los Angeles is one of the poorest major cities in the nation. Correspondent Angie Crouch delves into new research that shows a direct correlation between income, race, health, and the availability of community park space. Activists have taken the lead as the city and county lag, but they often face a multitude of political road blocks. Tune in to find out which LA County cities are living fit and which are living large. The producer is Karen Foshay.

“BIG BOX INVASION”

For years, Walmart has weathered protests, ballot measures, and resolutions designed specifically to keep big box chains out of LA County. With only a handful of stores spread throughout the densely populated area, the megastore may have found a way to open new stores in the wake of the recession and glut of commercial real estate on the market. Walmart’s new strategy is centered on purchasing space left vacant by defunct retailers like Mervyns without public hearings, zoning permits, and environmental impact studies that have prevented the retailer from opening shop in the past.

While protesters are making noise, other city officials are happy to have Walmart as their neighbor, including the jobs they create and their low cost products and groceries.   Correspondent Judy Muller reports. The producer is Karen Foshay.

“THE UNGER REPORT”

This week, satirist Brian Unger weighs in on the hysteria surrounding the upcoming release of the iPhone 5.

The all-new episode airs Friday, October 7 at 8:30 p.m.

The Executive Producer of SoCal Connected is Bret Marcus. Co-Executive Producer is Justine Schmidt. Anchor is Val Zavala.

About SoCal Connected

SoCal Connected, winner of the Peabody and duPont-Columbia awards, 14 Emmy® Awards, 15 Golden Mikes, 18 LA Press Club Awards, the Edward R. Murrow Award for Best News Documentary and Los Angeles Magazine’s “Best New Local TV Program” of 2009, airs Fridays (8:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.), with encores Saturdays (6 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.), Sundays (6:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.) and Mondays (10:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.) exclusively on KCET. For more information, to view episodes online or to post comments, please visitwww.kcet.org/socalconnected.

SoCal Connected is made possible through the generous support of The Ahmanson Foundation, serving the Los Angeles community since 1952; Jim and Anne Rothenberg; The Maddocks-Brown Foundation; The Elizabeth Hofert-Dailey Trust; The John Randolph Haynes & Dora Haynes Foundation; Akaloa Resource Foundation, The City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, UCLA and U.S. Bank.

Press Contacts

Nick Jones or Liza Nedelman, MPRM Communications

323-933-3399; socal@mprm.com

The Santa Monica Museum of Art (SMMOA) in California is currently organizing “Tantra Song: Contemporary Tantric Paintings from Rajasthan” till December 10.

This is a collection of 39 anonymous works from India; made in tempera, gouache, and watercolor on salvaged paper. “The process of painting these works is part of a spiritual practice” and they are “anointed for use as spiritual objects”, the Museum announcement says.

This rare lineage of Tantric art evolved from seventeenth-century, and these deeply symbolic paintings, used to awaken heightened states of consciousness, include a range of familiar geometric forms, each imbued with spiritual meaning, symbolically represent goddess Shakti, Lord Shiva, etc.

Applauding SMMOA for exhibiting Hinduism focused art, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that art had a long and rich tradition in Hinduism and ancient Sanskrit literature talked about religious paintings of deities on wood or cloth.

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged major art museums of the world, including Musee du Louvre and Musee d’Orsay of Paris, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Los Angeles Getty Center, Uffizi Gallery of Florence (Italy), Art Institute of Chicago, Tate Modern of London, Prado Museum of Madrid, National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, etc., to frequently organize Hindu art focused exhibitions, thus sharing the rich Hindu art heritage with the rest of the world.

SMMOA, founded in 1984, claims to foster “diversity, innovation, and discovery in contemporary art” and celebrate “expanding boundaries; exploring individual differences; enhancing public knowledge of art; and broadening the art experience”. Elsa Longhauser is the Executive Director while Peter A. Gelles is Board of Directors President.

Motorcycle Ride And Poker Event Will Raise Important Funds For Orange County Fallen Peace Officers, Firefighters, & Military Personnel And Their Families

This Sunday, September 25, law enforcement, fire service, and military supporters from throughout Orange County and California will gather at the Ocean Institute in Dana Point to participate in a charity motorcycle ride and poker run that will benefit three very important public safety charitable organizations: The Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs (AOCDS) Memorial Fund, The Fallen Fire Fighters Relief Fund, and The Laguna Niguel Military Support Foundation.

Each of the three 501 (c) (3) non-profit charities play an important role in assisting Orange County peace officers, firefighters, and military personnel and their families who have been impacted by serious injuries or death in the line of duty, including the Laguna Niguel Military Support Foundation who plan to donate their funds raised to the 1st/4th Marine Division stationed at Camp Pendleton and the USS McClusky.”

“The event, aptly called the ‘O.C. Guns & Hoses Charity Ride,’ is a great opportunity for riders and passengers to join together in support of our public safety and military personnel in their time of need. There is something very special about hundreds of motorcycle riders and their passengers cruising together through the streets of Orange County to proudly pay tribute to their community’s peace officers, firefighters, and military heroes.”
- Tom Dominguez, President of the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs

If you are interested in participating in Sunday’s event or becoming a sponsor, get more information at www.ocgunsandhoses.com or (714) 285-2805.

The Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs (AOCDS) represents the 1,800 men and women who serve Orange County’s residents and business community as fully sworn deputies, investigators, and sergeants of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigations.

Everyone knows that a marriage gone bad can be painful. But can it actually cause you to suffer from increased health problems – or even lead you straight to the grave?

“No doubt, when the wedded bliss ends and you’re trapped in a loveless marriage, it can affect you – and, of course, your children – not just psychologically but physically,” says Judy Joseph Hamlin, author of the book “From Riches to Happiness,” which details her life as a real housewife of Orange County and how she walked away from the lifestyle. “When my marriage was on the rocks, I regularly suffered from stress-induced illnesses. I can imagine some women – those who don’t want their marriages to end – have it much worse.”

As we see from Bravo TV’s Real Housewives series, divorce can be very harmful and change people’s lives 180 degrees. This happened to housewife Taylor Armstrong, whose husband recently committed suicide after deciding to get a divorce.

According to studies presented on Health.com, women and men who live in unhappy marriages are more like to fall victim to:

• High blood pressure
• Increased risk of heart attack and stroke
• Depression and stress
• Eating disorders
• Obesity
• Strange behavior
• Low self-esteem

In many cases, ongoing misery at home can lead to a depleted immune system, which can open you up to a whole range of ailments and pain. With your body’s defenses lowered, it’s easier to pick up viruses or other illnesses that can become life-threatening if they go untreated.

“The problem is,” says Ms. Hamlin, “when you’re in the middle of a divorce, or even if you’re just questioning if you want one, you get so caught up in the drama of what’s going on, you forget to take care of yourself. But you have to – it’s an important step toward becoming an independent woman. Learn how to care for you and the rest will fall into place.”

Judy Joseph Hamlin, a former Orange County housewife, earned a master’s degree in special education. She is a teacher in Newport Beach, California. “From Riches to Happiness” is Judy’s first book, available on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

Hurricane Irene is heading towards the East coast, possibly even into New York. Several eastern states have already asked for assistance, through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). EMAC is a Congressionally ratified agreement that provides form and structure to interstate mutual aid.

California is lending a helping hand by deploying experts trained in search & rescue, emergency operations, planning and logistics to help with state and local emergency response efforts.

California Task Force members heading east include one member from CA-TF6 (Riverside), two members from CA-TF2 (Los Angeles), three members from CA-TF8 (San Diego). California also deployed several members to form an Urban Search and Rescue Task Force (US&R). These are common requested organized by FEMA and have responded to various disasters around the world.

“We’re hoping for the best for all of those in the path of Hurricane Irene and we urge residents to take this storm seriously,” said Cal EMA Acting Secretary Mike Dayton. “California stands ready to provide assistance to our sister states as they prepare for this natural disaster.”
- Mike Dayton, Cal EMA Acting Secretary

Cal EMA may also deploy six emergency service coordinators with experience in Emergency Operation Centers and an Incident Management Team (IMT) to assist in emergency response, remaining in New York state until the situation stabilizes. The IMT is the Easy Bay Type 3 Incident Management Team and consists of 36 first responders from Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Expenses for the deployment will be covered by the state(s) requesting assistance. Cal EMA will be in constant contact with emergency management staff on the East coast for future requests.

Daniel DiCriscio, the over the top platinum blonde, also known to the media as “The Messiah of Makeover”, will be singing his chart topping dance hit “Take Me To The Other Side”, remixed by the legendary PWL in London, live on the main stage as he headlines as part of the live entertainment at “Chocolate: The Event”, Southern Calfornia’s Premier Chocolate, Coffee, Wine & Music Festival, which hits the streets of downtown Anaheim on Center Street Promenade, Saturday, July 30 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Sweetest Event of the Year, “Chocolate: The Event” will indulge your senses with over 30,000 square feet of chocolate indulgence. There will be a celebrity chef challenge, live entertainment and musical acts, street performers, a myriad of epicurean and chocolate delicacies to delight your palette, wine tastings, and fine coffees.

With a dual career as a Recording Artist and Celebrity Stylist, DiCriscio will also be a Celebrity Host for; “The Chocolate Fashion Show”, a couture fashion show with celebrity designers strutting their sweet fashions down the runway.

In his upcoming Reality TV project, “The Messiah of Makeover” will follow his life and career as a Celebrity Hairstylist, Recording Artist, Model, and Actor, as he juggles his hectic schedule of clients, photo shoots, trips, charity events, studio recordings of his music and live performances, the launch of his brand, as well as a look into his personal life. Many of DiCriscio’s celebrity friends will make special guest appearances on the show as well as a few infamous faces from DiCriscio’s past.

“Chocolate: The Event” is a fund-raising effort for both the MUZEO’s Eniro programs for access to the Arts for at-risk youth and children throughout the region, along with the Downtown Anaheim Association, as well as other charities.

The Event is planning to receive an enormous amount of coverage by major TV, radio, web, and print media. Sponsors include; Disneyland, jetBlue, Ultraluxe Anaheim, OC Foodies, OC Standard and Lance Magazine.

Admission to this event is FREE to the public. Tickets for tastings, VIP, or museum experience, can be purchased online.
http://www.ChocolateTheEvent.com.