With Halloween just around the corner, I know we’re all starting to stock up on candy and get costumes ready for the big night. But once the trick-or-treaters have come and gone, and the Halloween decorations come down, there’s one thing left on many doorsteps: pumpkins. Every year, an estimated 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins end up in landfills, contributing to methane emissions and environmental waste. But we have a better plan for those jack-o'-lanterns: The 2nd Annual Great Pumpkin Bash.

And there’s more. There will be plenty of activities everyone will enjoy. We’ll have face-painting, bounce houses, and free bike repairs. Free food will also be available, and you can take home some useful items like compost kitchen pails, fruit trees, and prizes like rain barrels and compost bins. Whether you’re looking to have some fun, learn more about composting, or meet your neighbors, we’ve got something for everyone.

So mark your calendars, bring your pumpkins, and come ready to smash.

All my best,
Katy

It was wonderful connecting with neighbors at the annual Beverly Fairfax block party this Sunday. We discussed public safety updates, upcoming events like the Great Pumpkin Bash, and heard directly from residents about their priorities. These gatherings are important for staying engaged with the community and hearing directly from residents about their neighborhood’s needs. If you and your neighbors are interested in hosting a block party, reach out to my office: we can help with permits!

This week, my team and I hit the pavement in the Melrose neighborhood near Poinsettia Park to knock on doors and talk directly with residents. We had a lot of great conversations around public safety, homelessness, and supporting small businesses, while also making sure everyone knew how to get in touch with our office and other city departments. We’re looking forward to continuing knocking doors across the district to talk to residents in every neighborhood! In the meantime, if you ever need to get in touch with my staff, please don’t hesitate to reach out:

City Hall Office
200 N. Spring Street, Suite 440
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 473-7005

District Office
6380 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 800
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 866-1828

General Inquiries: Councilmember.Yaroslavsky@lacity.org

LA Waterkeeper’s Making Waves Awards
I was deeply honored to receive an award from Los Angeles Waterkeeper for my work developing Measure W and the Safe Clean Water Program at Waterkeeper’s annual Making Waves Awards. The Safe Clean Water Program has funded over $1 billion in projects since voters adopted it in 2018, and focuses on delivering green infrastructure projects that increase our local water supplies, clean our stormwater, and increase tree canopy and green space across the region. Six years after Measure W’s adoption, it continues to serve as a model for what can be accomplished for our communities through collaboration and coalition building. I was joined by fellow awardee LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath who leads on water and climate policy work at the County of Los Angeles. Together, we’re focused on making our region more water independent, getting single use plastics out of our waste stream, and making Los Angeles greener and healthier for everyone.

Southern California’s landmark arts event, PST ART, returns Sept ’24, presenting 70+ exhibitions from organizations across the region exploring the intersections of art and science, both past and present. As part of the celebrations, PST ART will be hosting six regional events featuring art and science exhibitions, conversations, music, hands-on workshops, local vendors, opportunities to meet artists and scientists, and more! On October 18th-20th, PST ART will be hosting a West LA to South LA Weekend. From the Hammer Museum to Crenshaw Dairy Mart and the Getty Center to the Wende Museum, the West LA to South LA PST ART Weekend will weave together an exciting variety of events from outdoor activities, film screenings, community gatherings, and more. For more information about PST ART Weekend: West LA to South LA, please visit https://pst.art/events/westlaweekend