Zoo Drive Hit and Run Victim To Survive But May Lose His Legs

By Colin Stutz, Los Feliz Ledger Contributing Writer

GRIFFITH PARK—The 36-year-old bicyclist who was victim to a hit and run that dragged him 600 feet down the Interstate 5 onramp near the Los Angeles Zoo in February, Damian Kevitt, may lose both his legs but will survive the brutal incident.

Meanwhile, his accident has sparked increased awareness of bicycle and pedestrian safety in the region, and may help lead to stricter hit-and-run legislation statewide...

...Kevitt was wearing a helmet but broke 20 bones and crushed his right leg, which was later amputated below the knee. His left foot is missing skin and tissue and may also need to be amputated. His road rash was so extreme, his left elbow was exposed to the bone and his buttocks will require skin grafts.
He has now been released from the hospital’s intensive care unit.

Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge (CD4) announced a $25,000 reward for information leading to the identification, apprehension and conviction the driver. So far it has yielded no successful results. The van was also identified to have a “for sale” sign in the window.

“A car shouldn’t be a weapon. Let’s do our part to end this kind of violent crime,” LaBonge said in a statement...

...To address the issue, a month before Kevitt was hit, California State Assemblyman Mike Gatto introduced a bill that will extend the statute of limitations for such offenses to three years from the date of the offense, or one year after a possible suspect is identified by law enforcement, whichever is later. Under current law if a motorist is not identified within three years, he cannot be prosecuted.

“Damien Kevitt is just one of thousands hit-and-run victims who suffer life-threatening injuries annually,” said Gatto in a statement. “Allowing the perpetrators to avoid prosecution just adds insult to these injuries.”

Added Eric Bruins, Planning & Policy Director for the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, “It’s hard for us to encourage people to bike and walk, when our streets are treated like the Wild West.”

An online fundraising account has been setup to help Kevitt handle his medical fees: www.gofundme.com/26nbpc

You can read this article and more at the Los Feliz Ledger HEREMike Gatto is the chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly. He represents Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada-Flintridge, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto

Read at Roosevelt

Got to do a really cool thing yesterday morning, and that was reading a book I wrote (for Elliana)
to Room 18 at Roosevelt Elementary School.
I also renewed my appreciation for our teachers, who work so hard and do a terrific job.

The Wall Came Tumbling Down

Veterans, from left, Mike Baldwin, Warren Spayth and Roy Allmon, salute the old Two Strike Park
Memorial Wall as the bulldozer waits. Funds have been raised for a new memorial wall.
Photo by Mary O'Keefe, Crescenta Valley Weekly

By Mary O’KEEFE

On Tuesday morning, veterans Roy Allmon, Warren Spayth, Mike Baldwin and Steve Pierce stood on a small hill at Two Strike Park and watched the past fall to make way for the future.

The occasion was the demolition of the old wall at the park, the first step in establishing a new memorial for fallen local war heroes...

...Spayth reminisced on a project that began six years ago, one that was started with a family’s wish to honor their son, Nick Steinbacher, by adding his name to the wall.

The existing memorial being demolished.
Photo by Mary O'Keefe, Crescenta Valley Weekly

Steinbacher, a Crescenta Valley High School graduate, was an Army specialist serving in Iraq in 2006 when he was killed in action. The memorial wall at Two Strike Park was not large enough to add Nick’s name or any other soldier’s name. Members of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars wanted a memorial that could honor those who had given their life for their country...

“...I think when I knew we were going to make it was when we started fundraising with the help of the CV Chamber, CV Town Council and CV Weekly,” Baldwin said. “And all the other groups that [joined].”

The group reached out to several organizations throughout the community including local schools. One of their first supporters was Lt. Col. Dave Worley and his CVHS JROTC cadets. They helped organize the 5K Memorial Run as well as other fundraisers.

Schools got involved as well with the most recent support coming from Rosemont Middle School’s California Junior Scholarship Federation that held a Walk for the Wall a few weeks ago.
“They raised $5,000,” Baldwin said.

Assemblyman Mike Gatto announced a $5,000 gift from
Home Depot at the memorial in 2012.

Government officials showed their support, not only reaching into their own pockets like then-Assemblymember Anthony Portantino, State Senator Carol Liu, Assemblymember Mike Gatto and Congressman Adam Schiff, but raising awareness of the project. Liu reached out to Forest Lawn, which is donating all the bronze plaques as well as affixing them to the wall at a savings of over $10,000. Gatto contacted Home Depot for $5,000 in gift cards to purchase building materials, and the Assemblymember added $1,500 from his office.

“[Civic leader] Jean Maluccio has been with us since the beginning,” Spayth said, “[providing] the contacts with the [officials] and the [Los Angeles County] Parks and Recreation.”

“We had so much support from the L.A. County Parks and Rec. Without them we couldn’t do this,” Baldwin said.

Locally, the support grew with Bonners Equipment Rental donating cement, Kiwanis and the Lions clubs donating funds. Fellow veteran Andy Gero and his family donated two flagpoles that will be placed at the wall.

And that is just a few of those in the community who have generously donated funds...

...The veterans are just $5,000 away from their goal, close enough to start the project.

The new memorial will have room for names of those CV residents who gave their life for their country. The names have been submitted to the Two Strike Park Memorial Committee. Families are grateful that the sacrifice made will not be forgotten...

...Construction on the new Two Strike Park Memorial will begin immediately.

For information on the wall or to donate visit www.twostrikememorial.org.

You can read this entire article, and more, at the Crescenta Valley Weekly HERE

Mike Gatto is the chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly. He represents Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto

Press Enterprise Editorial: End the legal shakedowns over chemical warnings

Legislators should back a bill that would curb abusive lawsuits over warnings about harmful chemicals. Businesses would have the chance to correct violations promptly, and avoid lawsuits and fines.  Photo: The Press Enterprise

THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE - March 14, 2013; 05:47 PM

California should not confuse bounty hunting with consumer protection. Predatory legal shakedowns under Prop. 65 burden businesses while doing nothing to safeguard the public. Legislators should back a bill that would curb abuses while ensuring compliance with the law.

Assemblyman Mike Gatto, D-Los Angeles, has a sensible proposal that would protect the goals of Prop. 65 while combating abusive lawsuits. His AB 227 would give businesses that receive notice of a Prop. 65 violation 14 days to correct the issue — and thus avoid costly lawsuits and fines of up to $2,500 per day.

Prop. 65, approved by voters in 1986, requires businesses to notify customers about harmful chemicals in the products they purchase. The state maintains a list of more than 800 chemicals that compel the warning notices, ranging from well-known health threats such as lead and asbestos to obscure chemicals such as dibromoacetonitrile, a byproduct of drinking water disinfection. Many prescription drugs are on the list, which also includes such commonplace items as diesel exhaust, tobacco smoke and unleaded gasoline.

But the measure allows enforcement through private lawsuits, leading to a thriving practice of threatening unsuspecting businesses with fines and litigation unless they agree to a settlement. Businesses can easily run afoul of Prop. 65, given the broad range of chemicals involved. Some are common ingredients in manufactured products, while others — such as diesel exhaust — are nearly inescapable in populated areas.

The legal threats do little besides earning money for lawyers and adding to the already high cost of doing business in California. The violations usually consist of failure to post proper warnings about hazardous chemicals, rather than any immediate hazard to public health. And Prop. 65 notices are so ubiquitous that most people pay little attention, anyway.

The lack of a proper posted warning, however, can cost big money. The state attorney general’s office reports than in 2011, Prop. 65 lawsuits led to settlements totaling $16.3 million. Nearly three-quarters of that amount, almost $12 million, went to attorneys’ fees — and not fines or corrective actions.

But voters did not approve Prop. 65 with the idea of making attorneys wealthy. Allowing businesses to correct violations instead of saddling them with huge payouts advances the goal of the measure — without also harming the state’s economy.

The Legislature has a ready precedent for this approach: Last year, legislators approved a bill that protected businesses from abusive lawsuits under the Americans with Disabilities Act, by cutting any potential damages if businesses correct violations promptly.

Likewise, AB 227 would refocus Prop. 65 enforcement on compliance, rather than on exploiting trivial violations for monetary gain. That approach serves the public’s interest in both environmental safety and economic progress. Californians’ desire to know about the presence of hazardous chemicals does not justify the bane of excessive, greedy litigation.

# # #

This editorial can be read in its entirety at the Press Enterprise, by clicking HERE

Mike Gatto is the chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly. He represents Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto

Fox and Hounds: Some Hopeful Signs for Business Under the Capitol Dome

By Joel Fox

Editor of Fox & Hounds and President of the Small Business Action Committee

Thursday, March 14th, 2013

California’s notoriously bad reputation for business seems to be making an impact with the leaders of the state’s government...

...Governor Jerry Brown and Senate president pro tem, Darrell Steinberg, have voiced support for modifying features of the California Environmental Quality Act that is often used as a roadblock to business development...

...Another sign that Sacramento recognizes government imposed burdens on business is Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s AB 227, which would give businesses 14 days to fix any problems related to a violation of Proposition 65’s warning requirements. Businesses would have time to make adjustments and avoid lawsuits.  Note that all the legislators mentioned above attempting to improve the business concerns are Democrats...

You can read this entire article, and more at Fox and Hounds Daily  HERE

NASA/JPL's Mars Curiosity Team visited my Capitol Office yesterday!

A great treat yesterday as my Capitol office got visited by some folks from home. Members of the Mars Curiosity Rover team, from La Canada's own NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Several members of the team are Glendale residents too! Anyone should feel free to visit anytime.

LA Streets Blog: “Damien’s Law?” Gatto Hit and Run Bill Clears Committee

by Damien Newton

Every time a cyclist is struck down by a negligent driver, especially when a hit and run is involved, I shudder. Since most of my on-bike time these days involve having a child either strapped to a seat behind me or nestled in a car-seat attachment in front of me, every crash leaves a scary reminder that no matter how safe I bicycle, I’m reliant on every passing car not to crash into me.

When a struck cyclist happens to share my name, I double-shudder. When the case is as horrific of the one suffered by Damien Kevitt, it’s a triple shudder. Kevitt was struck by a mini-van while riding his bicycle and dragged more than a quarter mile, down Interstate 5.  The collision resulted in dozens of broken bones and the amputation of one of Kevitt’s legs. The driver fled the scene.

Damien Kevitt. Image via ABC 7

In a press statement today celebrating the movement of AB 184, legislation that could lead to more arrests and prosecutions of hit and run drivers, the bill’s sponsor referenced Kevitt’s horrific experience as one more reason that California needs to change the way it views hit and run crashes.

“Damien Kevitt is just one of thousands hit-and-run victims who suffer life-threatening injuries annually,” said Assemblyman Mike Gatto, the legislation’s sponsor.  “Allowing the perpetrators to avoid prosecution just adds insult to these injuries.  AB 184 will allow victims and law enforcement to obtain justice.”

Currently, motorists who flee the scene of an accident can simply ”run down the clock” to avoid any liability whatsoever.  If a motorist is not identified within three years, the motorist cannot be prosecuted.

The legislation, AB 184, provides an additional tool to law enforcement officers investigating hit-and-run offenses by extending the statute of limitations for such offenses to three years from the date of the offense, or one year after a possible suspect is identified by law enforcement, whichever is later.

The Legislature has passed similar changes to statutes of limitations for crimes with hard-to-identify perpetrators, such as clergy abuse.

Eric Bruins, Planning and Policy Director for the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, noted that bicyclists and pedestrians are particularly vulnerable to hit-and-run collisions that result in death or serious bodily injury. “It’s hard for us to encourage people to bike and walk, when our streets are treated like the Wild West,” said Bruins.  “The L.A. County Bicycle Coalition commends Assemblyman Gatto for bringing attention to this issue and giving hit-and-run victims hope that their perpetrators might be brought to justice once identified.”

“This is a relatively easy and sensible fix to the law,” said Gatto.  “Presuming my bill becomes law, my hope is that people who would otherwise flee the scene of an accident realize that they can be prosecuted, no matter how long it takes.”

For Kevitt, new and improved laws come too late, just as the city’s bicycling anti-harassment ordinance came to late for those injured when Dr. Christopher Thompson decided to road-rage on some cyclists. However, if every bike crash helps lead to better laws, then eventually the city and state might finally treat traffic crime for what it really is…an ongoing community health crisis.

You can read this article and more at the LA Streets Blog HERE

Excerpt from a great article by Joyce Rudolph of the Burbank Leader about a truly great organization in Burbank.  There is a great quote by my eloquent Field Representative too!

Burbank Coordinating Council celebrates 80 years

Representatives from government offices joined those from PTAs, religious organizations, businesses, and local nonprofits to wish happy birthday Monday to the Burbank Coordinating Council, which turns 80.

President Eileen Cobos welcomed the more than 50 members and guests to the event at the Little White Chapel Social Hall, where community leaders thanked the council for creating some of the vital and enduring programs that make the city such a great place to live...

A volunteer carries a one of nearly 500 food boxes packed for
needy families a Holiday Basket event four years ago.
(Times Community News / December 12, 2008)

...Burbank Coordinating Council began in 1933 through the efforts of the Burbank PTA and Burbank Unified School District administrators. It has been responsible for beginning the Safety Sallies (school crossing guards), Burbank Temporary Aid Center, the Senior and Youth Boards, community forums, Child Guidance and Protection Programs, Books for Korea, Foster Home Studies and other programs.

The council received commendations from Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Silver Lake) and Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich.

Suzanne Dunwell, senior field representative for Gatto, said presenting a piece of paper wasn't enough to commemorate the council for all its efforts over the last 80 years.

"You deserve a special gold star in heaven," Dunwell said of the eight decades of service to the community. "It is truly commendable and sets an example for all."

You can read this article and more at the Burbank Leader, by clicking HERE

Mike Gatto is the chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly. He represents Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto

La Canada Professor Honored as Woman of the Year by Assemblyman Gatto

So proud to have honored Dr. Frances Arnold on the Assembly floor yesterday. Dr. Arnold, of Cal Tech, was recently awarded the National Medal of Science, the highest honor the US government can give to a scientist. She is an inspiration to so many.  The article below is from the La Canada Flintridge Patch.

Dr. Frances Arnold was received the "Breaking the Glass Ceiling Award from
the California Legislative Women's Caucus on Monday.  She was nominated
for the award by Assemblyman Mike Gatto.

Caltech Professor Honored by State Legislators

La Cañada resident Frances Arnold is the only woman to receive engineering's highest award, the Charles Stark Draper Prize.

• By Natalie Ragus

Caltech Professor Frances Arnold is among 10 woman recognized Monday at the California Legislative Women's Caucus "Breaking the Glass Ceiling" award ceremony in Sacramento.

The ceremony commemorates the achievements of women who have made a great contribution to California and have inspired women and girls in the state. 

Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Burbank) nominated the La Cañada resident for her accomplishments in science, medicine and engineering.  

Arnold is the only woman to receive the Charles Stark Draper Prize—the engineering profession's highest honor. She is also the only woman to be elected to all three U.S. National Academies of Science, Medicine and Engineering.

Dr. Arnold was escorted on to the Assembly floor by Assemblyman Gatto
where she received a standing ovation for her accomplishments.

In December, President Barack Obama presented her with a National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the highest award granted to scientists in the U.S.

Gatto learned of Arnold’s efforts after reading a newspaper article about her.  Immediately, he knew the state should honor her, also. 

“I owe so much to the strong women in my life, like my mother, who fought her way through night law school while raising three kids," Gatto said in a media statement. "It is so important that we recognize these woman leaders for their positive effects on society. Dr. Arnold is an inspiration to us all.”
You can read this article and more at the Patch, by clicking HERE
Mike Gatto is the chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly. He represents Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto

Op-Ed: A Fix-It Ticket for Broken Parking Meters

If a city failed to keep the meter in repair, a driver shouldn’t be ticketed. After all, we taxpayers pay for maintenance of the street, installation of the meters, and the salaries of those who monitor them and keep them in working order.  The absurdity of ticketing those who park at broken meters is the theme of my Op-Ed in this week's LA Downtown News.  I've shared that Op-Ed below and give thanks to Jon Regardie of the LA Downtown News for allowing me to share my thoughts on this important topic.

A Fix-It Ticket for Broken Parking Meters

photo by Gary Leonard / LA Downtown News

by Mike Gatto - Los Angeles Downtown News

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - From approximately 1935 until 2012, if a motorist in California came across a broken meter, that motorist could park for free. The logic was sound. If a city failed to keep the meter in repair, a driver shouldn’t be ticketed. After all, we taxpayers pay for maintenance of the street, installation of the meters, and the salaries of those who monitor them and keep them in working order.

In an all-too-familiar theme of governments inconveniencing the average citizen, some cities are chipping away at this tradition. Certain municipalities have enacted ordinances that ban parking at a space with a broken meter, leading to tickets for motorists. The Los Angeles City Council voted in December to institute just such a law.

This is a particular problem in high-traffic communities such as Downtown Los Angeles, where parking is at a premium. As Los Angeles Downtown News noted in a January editorial, this can require drivers to pass up a rare open space in search of another open one with a functioning meter.

I don’t think the crackdown is just. In January I introduced legislation, Assembly Bill (AB) 61, that forbids cities from ticketing citizens who park at broken or malfunctioning parking meters. Motorists would still have to obey all other posted parking rules, like street-cleaning restrictions, but they’d be allowed to park for the maximum time allowed by a functioning meter.

I believe this is the right course of action for a number of reasons. First, we all lead busy lives, and the time spent in traffic or running errands takes us away from our loved ones. Forcing a motorist to drive around when there are perfectly good spots available is not good for the driver or the environment.

Second, forcing that motorist to park in an expensive lot is also not acceptable. I’d rather encourage cities to keep their meters working and have the revenue go into city coffers as well. Third, merchants deserve better. Commerce flows when people can park conveniently and get to where they’re going.

Finally, I believe AB 61 will decrease careless citations. A recent investigation found that more than 17,000 parking tickets had been issued, in a single year, for meters that had been reported as malfunctioning to the city of Los Angeles, even while the old rules were in effect. This is unacceptable.

The primary argument against the bill, concern about increased vandalism, lacks merit. As noted above, almost all cities have allowed parking at broken meters since the dawn of the parking meter. Most continue to do so now. Few people, if any, have carried around a sledgehammer or glue to avoid paying a quarter (or much more). As we transition to large, strong, street-parking kiosks that resemble ATM machines and feature cameras, I believe vandalism will decrease anyway.

The bottom line is that it is the responsibility of local governments to maintain their meters or parking kiosks and keep them in good working order. The people should not have to drive around ceaselessly or pay for the government’s mistakes and inefficiencies, especially when we already paid to install and maintain the meters in the first place.

Mike Gatto is the Assemblyman for California’s 43rd District. He is also the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.

You can read this Opinion Editorial and more at the LA Downtown News HERE