Dr. Spitz started the Shoe Drive program after hearing from his patients – especially from women – they often had a closet full of shoes in excellent condition that were no longer being worn.

"I thought that these shoes could be put to good use at homeless shelters. Many residents of these shelters suffer from a wide variety of foot problems from wearing improper shoes – conditions like bunions, corns, calluses and heel pain. Some have diabetes and peripheral neuropathy which is particularly dangerous if the wrong shoe style or size is worn," says Dr. Spitz.

Following the Shoe Drive, Dr. Spitz resumes his regular duties as the director of the Foot Pain Center and CEO of Footpaincenter.com – a company that provides information on foot pain, foot conditions, and comfort and performance footwear; and foot health for diabetes.

"The Shoe Drive has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Since its inception we have donated over 30,000 shoes to homeless shelters. The donated shoes provide comfort and protection and in some cases the dressier shoes are worn for job interviews."

Information about the Shoe Drive: June 11-15, 2012 – shoes in good condition should be dropped off at the Foot Pain Center: 1920 St. Andrews Drive, Seal Beach, CA 90740

About Dr. Marc Spitz:

Dr. Spitz is a well known author and lecturer and a leading podiatrist in Southern California. He graduated from The California College of Podiatric Medicine in 1973 and was the chief podiatry resident at Magnolia Hospital in Long Beach California. He is the co-author of "The Numb Foot Book" (ISBN: 978-0978182052), a guide to the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral neuropathy. His recently published article, alternative treatment options for the management of diabetic neuropathy, appeared in the Pain Practitioner – the Journal for the American Academy of Pain Management.

For more information, visit: www.footpaincenter.com or www.DrMarcSpitz.com .

Copyright © 2012 CaliforniaNewswire® and Neotrope®. California Newswire is a publication of the Neotrope News Network and a U.S. reg. TM of Neotrope.

Classes will focus on what’s easy to grow, how to choose what to plant and how to keep your crops alive and thriving! Admission and parking are free.

Visitors can attend any or all of the workshops held at the Great Park Farm + Food Lab on the first Thursday of every month from May through October, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., rain or shine. This series was developed as part of a Health and Wellness partnership between the City of Irvine Senior Services and the Orange County Great Park to teach adults how to grow their own fresh, healthy food.

The Gardening for Adults Workshops include:

Edibles You Can Plant Now
May 3, 2012
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

What do you like to eat? What’s easy to grow? Learn how to choose what to plant and how to keep it alive and thriving!

Food Preserving
June 7, 2012
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Enjoy the fruits of your garden year round. UCCE Master Food Preservers will teach you the basics of food preserving.

Pest Management
July 5, 2012
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Learn Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques to control insect and rodent pests using “least toxic” methods.

Start Your Seeds
August 2, 2012
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Increase your garden variety and decrease your cost by learning the basics of seed starting at home.

Composting
September 6, 2012
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Use your kitchen and garden waste to supercharge your soil. Learn how to choose an effective compost bin and composting materials.

Gardening Q&A
October 4, 2012
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Don’t let garden issues bring you down. Ask the experts! A panel of previous workshop speakers will be available to answer any gardening questions you may have. Note: “Gardening Q & A” will be held at the Rancho Senior Center, 3 Ethel Coplen Way, Irvine.

The Orange County Great Park is located at Sand Canyon and Marine Way, and can easily be reached by the 5 or 405 freeways. For more information, visit, please visit www.ocgp.org or call 949-724-6800.

About the City of Irvine:
Since its incorporation in 1971, Irvine has become a nationally recognized city, with a population of 219,156, spans 65 square miles and is recognized as one of America’s safest and most successful master-planned urban communities. Top-rated educational institutions, an enterprising business atmosphere, sound environmental stewardship, and respect for diversity all contribute to Irvine’s enviable quality of life. This family-friendly city features more than 16,000 acres of parks, sports fields and dedicated open space and is the home of the Orange County Great Park – the first great metropolitan park of the 21st century. For more information, please visit cityofirvine.org.

About the Great Park:
The Orange County Great Park, with its approximately 1,300-acre master plan, is the focal point of the redevelopment of the publicly-owned portion of the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro. The Great Park features an iconic tethered helium balloon that rises 400 feet in the air, providing an aerial view of Park development. Other features include the Carousel, Farm + Food Lab, Kids Rock Playground, Walkable Timeline, Palm Court Arts Complex, North Lawn recreation area and historic Hangar 244. The South Lawn lighted soccer fields and Community Garden will be added in the next phase of construction. For more information go to www.ocgp.org.

UCCE Master Gardener Volunteer Program:
UCCE Master Gardeners play an instrumental role in educating the citizens of Orange County on the proper use of pesticides and fertilizers in home gardens and the important link proper use has to the quality of local channels, creeks, and beaches. Over 300 strong, UCCE Master Gardeners provide an effective conduit for the dissemination of science-based information to people of all ages. Annually, Master Gardeners provide over 12,000 hours of educational contacts per year on topics ranging from planning a school garden to safely controlling insects. Through various venues, volunteers donate over 4,000 hours per year to county residents.

These Fresno businessmen and women will be on hand to tell their stories at the press conference. These businesses have been neglected and abused by the City and County of Fresno as well as the High-Speed Rail Authority.

The lost revenue to the city and county of Fresno will be in the tens of millions of dollars. This is revenue that the city and county rely upon for essential services for all citizens. One business represented pays over a million dollars monthly in sales tax alone. Another Fresno business pays the county over a million dollars annually for truck licensing fees.

These direct losses of tax base do not include similar losses from each and every employer. The number of employees lost is another unreported issue. Many of the companies effected will be leaving Fresno altogether – many to other counties and several to other states. It will be nearly impossible to relocate these businesses to locations with similar freeway access inside of Fresno.

The displacement costs on top of the lost revenue will never adequately replace the active business dollars these businesses have built over generations of being in the right location. Eminent domain seizure of these properties is already planned by the High-Speed Rail Authority and the only recourse of these businesses may be a class-action lawsuit that could tie up the project for years.

Here is a partial list of Fresno businesses who have signed a letter against high-speed rail:
Fresno Commercial Neon
John R Lawson Trucking
Thermo-King
La Quinta Inn
Discount Tire

Subway
Bob's Mini-Storage
Riverside Nursery
The Cosmopolitan Restaurant
Dustin Pest Control

Klein's Truck Stop
Fresno Rescue Mission
Romo's Towing
Allied Waste
A&R Transmission

Yukon Jack's
Rosenbaum Rockery
United RV Storage
Bulldog Recycling
Valley National Express

WHAT – WHEN – WHERE:
"Mayday! Mayday! Stop the Train"
100 Fresno Businesses Opposed to High Speed Rail
Tuesday May 1st
At Klein's Truck Stop
(Herndon and Freeway 99)
12 noon (Lunch Served).

More information: centralvalleyteaparty.com .

Copyright © 2012 CaliforniaNewswire® and Neotrope®. California Newswire is a publication of the Neotrope News Network and a U.S. reg. TM of Neotrope.

VERTE, which translates to green in many languages, was created to recognize environmental champions who have grown a local program in just two years to reach over 66,000 students in over 100 schools across 19 states, Canada and Australia. The event, now in its second year, will also raise money and awareness for Grades of Green's vision to make environmental protection second nature in young minds.

Environmental advocate and former educator, Ranae DeSantis, will be honored for her unwavering support of Grades of Green and the environment. Grades of Green will also honor Wells Fargo for bringing Grades of Green's program to numerous inner-city schools and the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County for sponsoring a Trash Free Lunch Challenge that will result in 10,000 bags of trash being diverted from landfills annually.

JD Roth, executive producer of ABC Daytime's "The Revolution," as well as long-running television series "The Biggest Loser" and "Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition," will host the evening's festivities. Grades of Green students and educators will provide live demonstrations at "Eco-Stations" that highlight Grades of Green key programs, such as In-Class Composting, Trash Free Lunches, and Walk to School Wednesdays, and will explain how guests can take Grades of Green's free and easy to use templates to bring to their own schools.

"The impact Grades of Green has had on our school is profound," stated Dawnyell Goolsby, principal of Warren Lane Elementary. "Since launching Grades of Green's Trash Free Lunch activity, our school has reduced the number of lunch time trash bags from eight to four. Its educational activities are also teaching our students how to compost, which will reduce the number of trash bags even more!"

For more information on the event, or to purchase a ticket, go to gradesofgreen.ejoinme.org/?tabid=339232 .

About Grades of Green:

Grades of Green is an international nonprofit 501(c)3 that provides parents, students and educators with free instruction on its website. Anyone wanting to implement sustainability programs can register their school online – at no cost – to get tips and measure their success on reducing trash, emissions, harmful classroom chemicals, plus dozens of other ways to help the environment. Grades of Green has been honored with many awards, including the U.S. EPA's prestigious Environmental Award. The nonprofit is growing rapidly, with over 66,000 students enrolled across 19 states and Canada and Australia, including many low-income schools.

Additionally, Grades of Green recently partnered with Republic Services to provide environmental education on recycling and composting to nearly 1,100 schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District. Grades of Green's goal is simple – to enroll thousands of schools with millions of kids- all caring for the environment and collectively making a difference.

For more information, please go to www.gradesofgreen.org .

Copyright © 2012 CaliforniaNewswire® and Neotrope®. California Newswire is a publication of the Neotrope News Network and a U.S. reg. TM of Neotrope.

The panel, which is geared toward loan originators, will feature a lineup of industry experts that features David Battany, director at PennyMac; Sue Woodard, president of the Mortgage Market Guide; Phil Rasori, chief operating officer at Mortgage Capital Trading; and Rob Chrisman, capital markets consultant. The event will be moderated by Jeff Tarbell, vice president of Comstock Mortgage and host of the Talkin' Money show on CBS radio.

Key topics to be discussed include:
* A cloud view of the industry from Rob Chrisman;
* The impact of HARP 2.0;
* Identifying a myriad of new changes with the FHA;
* Effective marketing and database management for 2012;
* How to best compete with the big box banks;
* The future of Fannie Mae;
* Defining loan hedging;
* Why only certain rates get offered (rate shelf).

Session details:
Date: Thursday, April 26, 2012.
Time: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. Pacific Time.
Location: Arden Hills Resort Club & Spa, Sacramento, Calif.

The Mortgage Insight Conference is sponsored by Comstock Mortgage. For more information, visit www.insightconference.net or call 800-955-6180.

About MCT Trading:

MCT Trading, Inc. is a risk management and advisory services company providing independent analysis, training, hedging strategy and loan sale execution support to clients engaged in the secondary mortgage market. Founded in San Diego, Calif. in May 2001, the company has expanded to include field sales and support offices in Philadelphia, Pa.; Dallas, Texas; Charlotte, N.C.; and San Francisco, Calif. MCT is recognized as a leading provider of mortgage pipeline hedging service and currently supports more than 70 clients on the HALO (Hedging And Loan sales Optimization) Program. For more information, please visit www.mct-trading.com or call (619) 543-5111.

Copyright © 2012 CaliforniaNewswire® and Neotrope®. California Newswire is a publication of the Neotrope News Network and a U.S. reg. TM of Neotrope.

Learn how to raise your own chickens in your backyard and harvest fresh eggs, and all about composting and aquaponics. Enjoy sampling food from local restaurants and many of your favorite gourmet food trucks. Visit the nearby Palm Court Arts Complex where the Imagination Celebration will be in full swing, featuring art exhibitions that are exclusive to the Great Park.

“The Artisan Food & Arts Festival will inspire creativity learning and wellness. Visitors will leave with knowledge about living more sustainably and creatively,” said Beth Krom, Chair, Orange County Great Park Board Corporation. “We are proud to present this event in partnership with Arts Orange County and Imagination Celebration and with support from Slow Food Orange County, the Foundation for the Great Park, and the UCCE Master Gardeners.”

The festival will take place at historic Hangar 244, the Back 40 lawn area, Farm + Food Lab and the Palm Courts Arts Complex. Admission and parking are free.

At the Palm Court Arts Complex, hear Lyricism and Virtuosity, the closing recital sponsored by the Foundation for the Great Park, featuring the Iryna Krechkovsky/Kevin Kwan Loucks Duo, learn collage making inspired by fruits and vegetables from artist Margie Zuliani at the Taste of Art, see the final installation of Artist-in-Residence Amy Catarina’s 9 X 19- foot Palm Tree Cozy, and enjoy Marks on the Land – A View From Here, Aerial Photography by Tom Lamb exhibition in the Great Park Gallery.

The Orange County Great Park is located at Sand Canyon and Marine Way, and can easily be reached by the 5 or 405 freeways. For more information, please visit www.ocgp.org .

About the Great Park:
The Orange County Great Park, with its more than 1,300-acre master plan, is the focal point of the redevelopment of the publicly-owned portion of the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro. The Great Park features an iconic tethered helium balloon that rises 400 feet in the air, providing an aerial view of Park development. Other features include the Carousel, Farm + Food Lab, Kids Rock Playground, Walkable Timeline, Palm Court Arts Complex, North Lawn recreation area and historic Hangar 244. The South Lawn lighted soccer fields and Community Garden will be added in 2012

FAME and the AMC Cinema chain will sponsor several "Bully Movie Events" across the country, with selected theaters offering free admission to a one-night "Bully" awareness event – with the continued goal of involving parents, students, educators, and advocates in the movement to ending bullying.

In addition, with every "Bully" ticket purchased through www.MovieTickets.com FAME will provide a free download of its book "Kid2Kid, Keepin' it Safe Online" (ISBN: 978-0-675-50025-6) made available for the NOOK and Kindle eBook formats. "Kid2Kid" includes great advice for young people about staying safe online, and includes a chapter about preventing bullying in cyberspace and in everyday life.

"We are happy to join The Weinstein Company's 'Bully' campaign to help raise awareness about the serious effects of bullying. We hope to help inspire kids from around the world to stand up to bullying," said Zachary Swauger, age 13, FAME co-founder.

"This has always been a mission of the Jackie Fame network," added Joshua Swauger 11, FAME co-founder. "In 2011, we launched 'We Have the Power' at www.WeHaveThePower.net – a grass roots awareness movement about the terrible effects of bullying on school-aged kids. We recorded an original song, produced by DJ Boom and Hip-Hop recording artist G-Money. We wrote the lyrics to express how deeply concerned we are about bullying and its effect on our peers."

The FAME co-founders hope all school-aged kids and their parents will see "Bully" and join together in the fight to stop all forms of bullying.

About "Bully":

Directed by Sundance and Emmy-award winning filmmaker, Lee Hirsch, "Bully" is a beautifully cinematic, character-driven documentary. At its heart are those with huge stakes in this issue whose stories each represent a different facet of America's bullying crisis. "Bully" follows five kids and families over the course of a school year. Stories include two families who have lost children to suicide and a mother awaiting the fate of her 14-year-old daughter who has been incarcerated after bringing a gun on her school bus.

With an intimate glimpse into homes, classrooms, cafeterias and principals' offices, the film offers insight into the often cruel world of the lives of bullied children. As teachers, administrators, kids and parents struggle to find answers, "Bully" examines the dire consequences of bullying through the testimony of strong and courageous youth. Through the power of their stories, the film aims to be a catalyst for change in the way we deal with bullying as parents, teachers, children and society as a whole.

About The Weinstein Company:

The Weinstein Company (TWC) is a multimedia production and distribution company launched in October 2005 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films in 1979. TWC also encompasses Dimension Films, the genre label founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein, which has released such popular franchises as "Scream," "Spy Kids" and "Scary Movie." Together TWC and Dimension Films have released a broad range of mainstream, genre and specialty films that have been commercial and critical successes.

TWC releases took home eight 2012 Academy Awards(R), the most wins in the studio's history. The tally included Best Picture for Michel Hazanavicius's "The Artist" and Best Documentary Feature for TJ Martin and Dan Lindsay's "Undefeated." "The Artist" brought TWC its second consecutive Best Picture statuette following the 2011 win for Tom Hooper's "The King's Speech."

Since 2005, TWC and Dimension Films have released such films as "Grindhouse," "I'm Not There," "The Great Debaters," "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," "The Reader," "The Road," "Halloween," "The Pat Tillman Story," "Piranha 3D," "Inglourious Basterds," "A Single Man," "Blue Valentine," "The Company Men," "Miral," "Scre4m," "Submarine," "Dirty Girl," "Apollo 18," "Our Idiot Brother," "I Don't Know How She Does It," "Sarah's Key," and "Spy Kids: All The Time In The World In 4D." Currently in release are "My Week With Marilyn," "The Artist," "The Iron Lady," "Coriolanus," "W.E." and "Undefeated." Upcoming releases include "Bully" and "The Intouchables." Recently wrapped was "Silver Linings Playbook," and currently in production is "Django Unchained."

TWC is also active in television production, led by former Miramax Films President of Production and current President of Television Meryl Poster, with credits including the Emmy(R) nominated and Peabody Award winning reality series "Project Runway," spin-off series "Project Accessory" and "Project Runway All Stars," the VH1 reality series "Mob Wives," and the critically acclaimed HBO comedy/crime series "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" which also received a Peabody Award. The company is currently in pre-production on the martial-arts epic "Marco Polo" for Starz as well as production on the second season of "Mob Wives" and the newest installment in the series' franchise "Mob Wives Chicago." TWC additionally has 17 series in different stages of development, including "The Nanny Diaries," being adapted for ABC by Amy Sherman Palladino ("Gilmore Girls").

About MovieTickets.com:

MovieTickets.com (www.movietickets.com), the worldwide leader in advance movie ticketing, offers moviegoers a quick and convenient way to purchase tickets, while serving as a top destination for movie news, reviews and trailers. The Company currently enables consumers across 17 countries/territories, including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Argentina, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean to buy movie tickets online, from any mobile device or by phone at 877-789-MOVIE.

Formed in 2000, MovieTickets.com is a joint venture between AMC Entertainment, Hollywood Media Corp. (NASDAQ: HOLL), National Amusements, Cineplex Entertainment, Marcus Theatres (NYSE: MCS), Viacom (NYSE: VIA) and Time Warner. Its elite collection of partner theaters consistently represents more than 50 percent of the top 100 grossing theaters in North America on any given weekend. The MovieTickets.com theater chain group includes 254 theaters chains, which is about 10 times the number of chains of its nearest competitor.

About Jackie Fame:

Jackie Fame (www.JFame.com) continues to expand its Jackie Fame(R) brand with the national retail launch of the FAMEbody personal care and cosmetic lines, BrandFAME apparel lines, FAME50.com merchant platform; and Face-the-Fame, FAME America!, the online music and talent contest. In 2013, FAME is launching its FAMEgirl salon in selected cities.

The mission of the Jackie Fame Network is to be the leading teen social networking destination with the largest, most engaged audience and community. The network will be supported by its unique position as one of the strongest, most valued brands focusing in the highly coveted kid-teen audience.

Jackie Fame is a privately held company and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina with offices in Los Angeles, Calif.

Jackie Fame(R), FAME50(R), JFame(R), FAMEbody(R), Face-The-Fame(R) and FAMEVision(R) are registered trademarks of Jackie Fame Inc. All other trademarks acknowledged.

To learn more about Jackie Fame network, please visit www.JFame.com .

Copyright © 2012 CaliforniaNewswire® and Neotrope®. California Newswire is a publication of the Neotrope News Network and a U.S. reg. TM of Neotrope.

“CicLAvia represents a sea change in our city,” said Mayor Villaraigosa. “We’re getting off our addiction to the single passenger automobile by creating infrastructure for bikes, increasing public transit options, and making it easier for Angelenos to get from point A to point B—with or without their cars. CicLAvia is an amazing example of what happens we get out of our cars.”

On Sunday, April 15, 2012, over 100,000 Angelenos are expected to participate in the City’s fourth CicLAvia event. From 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, a 10-mile stretch of City streets will be closed to motor vehicles. Streets will be open to all residents to rediscover their city on alternative modes of mobility.

“People love CicLAvia because it is incredibly fun, and there is a sense of camaraderie and community that is rare for a city as large and diverse as ours,” said Aaron Paley, CicLAvia’s co-founder and producer. “Los Angeles is undergoing a transformation, and CicLAvia gives people a chance to enjoy the benefits of the city’s improved walkability, public transit, and vibrant street life while also changing how we use our streets on a daily basis.”

Members of the community feeling the lasting impact of CicLAvia’s temporary change joined the Mayor at the press conference today. After experiencing CicLAvia, many Angelenos changed their day-to-day habits by beginning to ride their bikes to work, using more public transportation, charting a healthier lifestyle, or shopping locally.

“CicLAvia showed me that I could bike and take transit more in my daily life,” said Angeleno Steven Nancarrow. ”I started by simply biking to friends that lived nearby. Now I bike or take the Gold Line to work, and I have convinced more people to do the same.”

Local businesses also feel the lasting effects of CicLAvia’s temporary change. Some call it the “CicLAvia Bump.” Read and watch more about it HERE.

“Having just 100 people go by your shop on a bike or by foot is significantly better than 1,000 speeding by in their cars,” said Bolt Barbers founder Matt Berman, “The exposure we get from events like CicLAvia is crucially important.”

The Mayor today announced that this CicLAvia the City is partnering with the bike share company Bike Nation to provide 100 free bikes for the April 15th CicLAvia. Bikes can be reserved online HERE on a first come, first served basis with suggested donations going to CicLAvia. The confirmed renters will be able to pick up their bikes at the MacArthur Park Hub or at the El Pueblo Hub.

“There’s nothing like experiencing Los Angeles on a bicycle,” said Councilman Tom LaBonge. “You see more and it’s healthy. CicLAvia gives us the safe opportunity to get a two-wheeled view of this great city.”

The Mayor also announced a new Spanish language public safety campaign for cyclists in Los Angeles. The LA Department of Transportation and LA County Bicycle Coalition City of Lights program partnered with workers utilizing the Bici Libre bicycle repair shop to create a slogan and design for the public safety posters. The winning design will is on display at CBS bus shelters and a video PSA can be found online HERE.

“Besides being an incredibly successful community gathering event, promoting healthy living and a cleaner environment, CicLAvia has become the single most important tool we have to encourage more bicycling and pedestrian use in the City of Los Angeles,” said Councilmember José Huizar. “From its inception, CicLAvia has helped everybody from lawmakers to residents see for themselves the benefits of increased bicycle use throughout our City, and I am happy to join the Mayor and Council in support of this worthwhile event.”

CicLAvia is a part of the City’s efforts to promote a more sustainable Los Angeles by creating the infrastructure for the mobility of people—not just cars. The City is improving bike infrastructure, diversifying our public transit options, and making it easier for Angelenos to get where they’re going.

On March 1, 2011, the City adopted a long-term Bike Plan to build 1,680 miles of bikeways throughout the city. The city hit its first goal of 40 miles of bikeways installed for the fiscal year 2011/2012. While the City is installing more bikeways than ever, it is also adding the infrastructure needed to support more bike use. Since Villaraigosa took office, LA has increased the number of bike racks in the City from 2,456 to 4,400, a nearly 80% jump.

With Measure R’s help, the City is expanding its regional rail network to give Angelenos more public transit options. The first phase of the Exposition line, connecting downtown to Culver City, will open on April 28th. Last fall, Metro broke ground on Exposition Phase Phase II and by 2015 we will have the first rail connection between the Westside and Downtown in 50 years. Work will also soon begin on the Crenshaw Line, the Westside Subway and the Regional Connector. All of these improvements will make it easier for Angelenos to do their day-to-day business or attend special events like CicLAvia.

Inspired by Bogotá’s weekly Ciclovia created over 35 years ago as a response to the congestion and pollution of city streets, CicLAvia is a collaboration between the City of Los Angeles, the non-profit organization CicLAvia, and the cycling community to encourage healthy, active transportation and connect communities across the city.

“CicLAvia brings together people of all stripes to work together for a healthier city,” said CicLAvia Board Member Miguel Luna, “As a Colombian native, the origin of ciclovias, I’m honored to be part of this movement here in my LA.”

This year’s route will stretch through South LA, Boyle Heights, Little Tokyo, Downtown, Westlake and MacArthur Park, Koreatown, and into East Hollywood at the Bicycle District. Click HERE for a map of the route.

CicLAvia is one part of the Mayor’s “all-of-the-above” strategy to build a more sustainable City. Los Angeles is: 1) increasing energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy, 2) building a 21st century public transit system, 3) expanding green space, 3) recycling and conserving water, and 4) helping to grow a green economy. A quick fact sheet about Mayor’s environmental issues is attached. Click HERE to watch the video.

About CicLAvia
CicLAvia is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting public health, green transportation, open space, economic development, and community building through car-free public events. With the full support of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the Los Angeles City Council, Police Department, Fire Department, Department of Transportation, the Department of Public Works, the Department of Water and Power, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Los Angeles County of Public Health, CicLAvia is an innovative model for creating new public space and enriching civic life.

CicLAvia is free of charge and open to all. No reservations are required. For more information, or to download maps, please visit www.ciclavia.org.

Support for CicLAvia:
CicLAvia is made possible through the generosity of its supporting partners, including RENEW (Renew Environments for Nutrition, Exercise and Wellness), an initiative of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro); the U.S. Department of Energy; the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition; and REI.

Generous support for CicLAvia is provided by the Annenberg Foundation/Metabolic Studio, the Rosenthal Family Foundation, the Wasserman Foundation, the California Endowment, the Goldhirsh Foundation, the David Bohnett Foundation, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, the Roth Family Foundation, Wells Fargo, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, and Occidental College. Sponsors include Metrolink, Intelligentsia Coffee, LA Weekly, L.A. Downtown News, Indie Printing, Laemmle Theatres, iZip Stores, and Tern Bicycles.

“Sunday Streets not only showcases San Francisco’s commitment to sustainability and innovation, it is a proven cost-effective way to better health for San Franciscans,” said Mayor Lee. “We’re committed to ensuring the program’s continued growth and success in 2012 and beyond. We look forward to returning to Chinatown, doing a more frequent Mission route, and adding a new route in the Southwest neighborhoods of our City to bring the benefits of Sunday Streets to more San Francisco neighborhoods.”

Founded in 2008, Sunday Streets has grown from two events to 10 and creates miles of car-free space on City roads. San Francisco was the third city in the United States to premier this free, community-oriented initiative. Since then it has become the nation’s largest, and one of the City’s most exciting initiatives promoting benefits such as biking, walking, recreation, and community-building. The program was one of only eight programs in the country to be selected for possible inclusion in Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” anti-obesity campaign.

Highlights this year include:
· Continuing and possibly expanding the new Chinatown event;
· Increasing the popular Mission District event to four consecutive events held on the first Sunday of May, June, July and August; and
· Introducing a new route in Southwestern neighborhoods.

Sunday Streets is presented by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and Livable City, Sunday Streets’ non-profit fiscal partner. The 2012 season is co-presented by Bank of America. The Mayor’s Office, San Francisco Police Department, Department of Public Works and the Recreation and Parks Department.
“We are proud to host our most ambitious Sunday Streets program to date,” said SFMTA Director of Transportation Ed Reiskin. “The Sunday Streets program has a tremendous impact on San Franciscans and visitors alike, who have started to envision the streets in a whole new way; not just as a means to get from place to place, but as an opportunity to create a healthier, more connected City for all.”

“Sunday Streets brings tens of thousands of people outside to explore more than 20 distinct neighborhoods of San Francisco. As a global company founded in San Francisco, Bank of America is proud to support this wonderful event,” said Bank of America San Francisco and East Bay Market President Martin Richards. “Sunday Streets and Bank of America share a commitment to building economically strong, connected, healthy communities in San Francisco and to celebrate the many diverse communities that benefit from the program.”

Financial partners include: AT&T, Shape Up SF, Kaiser Permanente, Bay Area Air Quality Management District, California Pacific Medical Center, PG&E, Lennar, Park Merced, The Seed Fund, The California Endowment and UCSF. Neighborhood sponsors include Sports Basement, Mikes Bikes, REI, CH2MHILL, Clif Kid, The New Wheel, Darling International, Bi-Rite Markets, and The Exploratorium. Major in-kind support is provided by The American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter, which provides Emergency Medical support, City CarShare and Parkwide LLC. The San Francisco Examiner and Clear Channel Radio are media sponsors. The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition runs Sunday Streets’ volunteer program.

Business community support includes Fisherman’s Wharf, Tenderloin and Fillmore Community Benefits Districts, Lower 24th Street (Mission), Bayview, Taraval and Outer Sunset and Valencia Corridor Merchant Associations, San Francisco and Chinese Chambers of Commerce, and dozens of community groups representing host neighborhoods along Sunday Streets routes.

Sunday Streets 2012 Season Schedule (subject to change):
· March 11: Embarcadero- Season kick off
· April 15: Great Highway/Golden Gate park- new route through the park
· May 6: Mission
· June 3: Mission
· July 1: Mission
· July 22: Bayview
· August 5: Mission
· August TBA: Chinatown
· September 9: Western Addition/N. Panhandle Alamo Square
· October 21: Outer Mission/Excelsior

Sunday Streets Information: SundayStreetsSF.com. Volunteer Information: SundayStreetsSF.com/volunteer. MUNI routes and vehicle access, call 311 or go to sfgov.org/311.

The Showcase, a partnership between the U.S. Department of State and USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, brings award-winning American films, including documentaries, feature films and animated shorts, to foreign audiences through events worldwide. Filmmakers and film experts will discuss the films and conduct workshops and master classes on a variety of issues related to filmmaking and film scholarship.

The American Film Showcase builds on Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s vision of “smart power diplomacy,” which embraces the use of a full range of diplomatic tools – in this case film – to bring people together and foster greater understanding.

Comprised of 29 American films, the Showcase represents work of high artistic quality, illustrates diverse viewpoints, and reflects contemporary American society and culture. In addition to presenting the films to overseas audiences, the filmmakers and film experts will also conduct lectures, workshops, master classes on a variety of topics including filmmaking, storytelling, cinematography, marketing, distribution and funding, animation, digital technology, and emergent media, among others.

The 2012 American Film Showcase includes the following films:

Documentary Films:

1. CALAVERA HIGHWAY – Director: Renee Tajima-Peña

Website: www.calaverahighway.org/Calavera_Highway/Home.html

2. CATFISH – Director: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman

Website: www.iamrogue.com/catfish

3. CONNECTED – Director: Tiffany Shlain

Website: connectedthefilm.com/

4. ELEVATE – Director: Anne Buford

Website and Trailer: elevatethemovie.com/

5. FOOD INC. – Director: Robert Kenner

Website: www.foodincmovie.com/

6. FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE – Director: Jim Bigham

Website: 4onceinmylife.com/proyecto/

7. GASLAND – Director: Josh Fox

Website: www.gaslandthemovie.com/

8. THE INTERRUPTERS – Director: Steve James

Website: interrupters.kartemquin.com/

9. MAD HOT BALLROOM – Director: Marilyn Agrelo

Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5wEb_3S2VM

10. REBIRTH – Director: Jim Whitaker

Website: www.projectrebirth.org/

11. REVENGE OF THE ELECTRIC CAR – Director: Chris Paine

Website and Trailer: www.revengeoftheelectriccar.com/

12. SHAKESPEARE HIGH – Director: Alex Rotaru

Website and Trailer: shakespearehigh.org/

13. SPELLBOUND – Director: Jeffrey Blitz

Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkbJWZvBVvk

14. SWEETGRASS – Director: Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Ilisa Barbash

Website: sweetgrassthemovie.com/

15. TO BE HEARD – Directors: Amy Sultan, Roland Legiardi-Laura, Edwin Martinez, Deborah Shaffer

Website: www.tobeheard.org/

16. UNDEFEATED – Director: Daniel Lindsay, T.J. Martin

Website and Trailer: weinsteinco.com/sites/undefeated/

17. WE STILL LIVE HERE – Director: Anne Makepeace

Website: www.makepeaceproductions.com/wampfilm.html

18. WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR – Director: Chris Paine

Website: www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com/

19. WO AI NI MOMMY – Director: Stephanie Wang-Breal

Website: www.woainimommy.com

Documentary Shorts:

1. LIBRARY OF DUST – Director: Ondi Timoner

Website: libraryofdustmovie.com/Welcome.html

2. PHANTOM LIMB – Director: Jay Rosenblatt

Website and Trailer: www.jayrosenblattfilms.com/phantom_limb.php

3. PILGRIMAGE – Director: Tadashi Nakamura

Website: tadashinakamura.com/Tadashi_Nakamura/Pilgrimage.html

4. A POET’S ALZHEIMER’S (aka Translating Edwin Honig: A Poet’s Alzheimer’s) – Director: Alan Berliner

Website: www.alanberliner.com/index.html

Narrative Feature Films:

1. REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES – Director: Patricia Cardoso

Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKpDifyDIp0

2. THE STRAIGHT STORY – Writer/Producer/Editor: Mary Sweeney

Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OnsVDKjhpc

Animated Shorts:

1. GUARD DOG – Director: Bill Plympton

Website: www.plymptoons.com/gallery/gallery.html

2. STILL LIFE WITH ANIMATED DOGS – Director: Paul Fierlinger

Full film: www.hulu.com/watch/66691/pbs-indies-still-life-with-animated-dogs

3. THE MOON AND THE SON: AN IMAGINED CONVERSATION – Director: John Canemaker

Full film: video.baomihua.com/whw1113/4884622

4. BOTTLE – Director: Kirsten Lepore

Website: www.imdb.com/title/tt1680060/

Film Experts:

Claire Aguilar — Claire Aguilar Vice President of Programming at the Independent Television Service (ITVS).

Kate Amend — Award-winning documentary film editor whose credits include THE LONG WAY HOME and INTO THE ARMS OF STRANGERS: STORIES OF THE KINDERTRANSPORT.

Alan Berliner — His award-winning documentary films, THE SWEETEST SOUND, NOBODY’S BUSINESS, INTIMATE STRANGER, and THE FAMILY ALBUM (all featured on POV) have been broadcast all over the world and have been honored at top international film festivals.

Les Blank — Considered to be one of the pre-eminent documentary filmmakers of the past 50 years, according to the New York Times, “Blank is a documentarian of folk cultures who transforms anthropology into art.” His films have been a series of intimate glimpses into the lives of passionate people who live at the periphery of American society, including such titles as GARLIC IS AS GOOD AS TEN MOTHERS, SPEND IT ALL, A WELL SPENT LIFE, and GAP-TOOTHED WOMEN

Ted Braun — USC School of Cinematic Arts associate professor who teaches courses in screenwriting and motion picture script analysis. His first feature film, the documentary, DARFUR NOW, won the NAACP Image Award for best documentary of 2007, and was named one of 2007’s top five documentaries by the National Board of Review.

Patricia Cardoso — Director of the HBO feature REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES which received two awards at the Sundance Film Festival, and will be one of the AMERICAN FILM SHOWCASE feature film recommendations.

Mary Ann Doane – UC Berkeley Class of 1937 Professor of Film and Media. The author of several books, including The Desire to Desire: The Woman’s Film of the 1940s, Femmes Fatales: Feminism, Film Theory, Psychoanalysis, and The Emergence of Cinematic Time: Modernity, Contingency, the Archive.

Harrison Engle — With more than 80 films to his credit, Engle has produced specials and documentaries for nearly every broadcast network and cable company. Amongst his credits are THE LOST KENNEDY HOME MOVIES, THE INDOMITABLE TEDDY ROOSEVELT, THEY CAME TO PLAY, FUTURE FLIGHT, and many others.

Jane Gaines — Professor in the Film Program, School of the Arts at Columbia University, Jane Gaines is award-winning author of two books: Contested Culture: The Image, the Voice and the Law and Fire and Desire: Mixed Race Movies in the Silent Era.

Lynn Goldfarb – Lynn Goldfarb has produced, written and directed television specials for PBS and numerous cable networks for the past 25 years. She has also been an instructor, including teaching classes at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, and in 2010, at the American Center, U.S. Embassy, Yangon, Myanmar.

Mark Harris — Co-Principal Investigator of the AMERICAN FILM SHOWCASE, he is also a Distinguished Professor and Head of Advanced Documentary Production at the USC School of Cinematic Arts where he has taught since 1983. Mark’s films have won three Academy Awards, including for Best Short Documentary for THE REDWOODS, and Best Feature Length Documentary for INTO THE ARMS OF STRANGERS: STORIES OF THE KINDERTRANSPORT, and THE LONG WAY HOME.

Judith Helfand — Documentary filmmaker whose films explore the areas of chemical exposure, corporate behavior, home, class and relationships. She is also a full-time faculty member at New York University’s Kanbar Institute of Film & Television.

Jeremy Kagan — Professor of Production in the USC Cinematic Arts program, he is a motion picture and television director whose productions have received Emmy, Cable ACE and Humanitas awards as well as nominations for a Golden Globe, Directors Guild and the NAACP.

Marsha Kinder – An SCA University Professor in Critical Studies, Kinder is a film scholar whose works on Spanish cinema, children’s media and multimedia installations have been particularly influential, as well as her books entitled Blood Cinema and Playing with Power.

Lisa Leeman — A documentary filmmaker whose film, ONE LUCKY ELEPHANT is part of the 2011 American Film Showcase package, she also teaches Documentary Producing, Writing non-fiction, Editing and Visual Communication at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Doe Mayer — Professor and Co-Head, Documentary Production Program in USC Cinematic Arts, and since 2005, she has held the endowed Mary Pickford Chair. Doe also holds a joint appointment with the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

Bill Nichols — Professor in San Francisco State University’s Department of Cinema, whose areas of expertise include documentary and ethnographic film, film history and theory, Postwar American Cinema, film style, and issues of social and historical representation.

Amanda Pope — USC Cinematic Arts Production professor whose most recent film that she co-directed and produced, THE DESERT OF FORBIDDEN ART (shot entirely in Uzbekistan), has already received several international awards including the CINE Golden Eagle, and was an Official Selection at the United National Association Festival, and has been shown on PBS.

Anayansi Prado — An experienced filmmaker with numerous credits, she has also served as a film expert for the American Documentary Showcase in Angola this year, and as a filmmaker in Singapore and Burma in 2009.

Michael Renov – Professor of Critical Studies and Vice Dean for Academic Affairs at SCA, Renov is a documentary scholar and co-founder of Visible Evidence, an international and highly interdisciplinary documentary studies conference begun in 1993. He is the author or editor of seven books including The Subject of Documentary and Theorizing Documentary.

B. Ruby Rich — Professor, Social Documentation at the University of California, Santa Cruz, she specializes in Latin American and Latino/a cinema. U.S. Independent film and video, and feminist film history.

Jay Rosenblatt — An independent documentary filmmaker with more than 25 films to his credit, and more than 100 awards, they have been shown on HBO, Sundance Film Festival and the Museum of Modern Art.

Mary Sweeney — A feature film director, writer, producer and editor whose credits include MULHOLLAND DRIVE, THE STRAIGHT STORY, BARABOO and TWIN PEAKS, she is also an associate professor in the Cinematic Division of Screenwriting

Tyger Williams — Writer and producer of the feature film, MENACE II Society, he has written over 30 screenplays for major film and television studios. He is also an adjunct professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Debra Zimmerman — Debra Zimmerman has been the Executive Director of Women Make Movies, a non-profit NY based film organization that supports women filmmakers, since 1983.

Patricia Zimmermann — Professor of Cinema, Photography and Media Arts at Ithaca College, she is also the co-director of the Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival, and has previously held tenured positions at the University of Iowa and at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.