NORTH HOLLYWOOD - Community partners and neighborhood leaders joined Councilmember Krekorian to cut the ribbon on a new rectangular rapid flashing beacon crosswalk at the intersection of Lankershim Boulevard and Emelita Avenue.

LOS ANGELES - The City Council voted to ban the use of smokeless tobacco, also known as chewing tobacco, in all city sporting venues, including stadiums, arenas and parks.

LOS ANGELES - The City Council passed an agreement to approve cost-sharing between building owners and tenants that will lead to retrofitting buildings with mandatory earthquake safety upgrades. 

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Fire Dept. reported a 54 percent drop in structure fire-related fatalities in 2015. The statistic accounts for 11 structure fire-related civilian deaths last year.

LOS ANGELES - This winter, El Niño is expected to bring heavy rains and severe weather to the southland. As public safety officials track the storm system, the city urges that resident take the necessary steps to prepare for potentially fierce weather conditions. 

LOS ANGELES - This Thursday, the LA Superior Court denied the request by National Rifle Association lawyers to block Los Angeles from enforcing its recent ban on the possession of large-capacity magazines. The ban, authored by Councilmember Krekorian, passed by the full City Council and signed into law by Mayor Garcetti this past summer, will allow police to enforce the ban beginning on Nov. 19, 2015.

Our country is beset by gun violence. Since 1970, there have been more Americans killed by private guns than the total number of all Americans killed since the Revolutionary War. Something has to be done, and I'm proud to say that in Los Angeles we are doing everything we can to stop this epidemic from taking more innocent lives.

LOS ANGELES - Earlier this week, Councilmembers Paul Koretz and Paul Krekorian introduced a motion calling on the City of Los Angeles to consider enacting a sales tax on firearm and ammunition sales. The motion requests a report from city staff on the feasibility of enacting a sales tax and suggests that the money collected could be used to fund gun violence prevention research and programs throughout the city.

LOS ANGELES - This year, the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control has confirmed more than 25 cases of West Nile Virus activity in Council District 2. 

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a measure to retrofit nearly 15,000 building in the city with seismic safety measures.