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JUNE 19, 2008
IN THIS ISSUE
BEAT THE HEAT AT LOS ANGELES CITY POOLS
With temperatures soaring and school out for the summer, today was the perfect day to announce the opening of the summer pool season in the Los Angeles. L.A. City Council President Eric Garcetti helped announce that city pools will be open for the summer beginning on Saturday, June 21 .
Kaiser Permanente has once again partnered with the City of Los Angeles to launch Operation Splash, which will provide free swim lessons to 8,000 young people and scholarships for 700 young people to participate in the junior lifeguard program.
For more information, visit the City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks website.
GARCETTI OFFICIATES SAME-SEX MARRIAGE OF FORMER STAFF MEMBERS
On Tuesday June 17, the first day that marriages licenses became available to same-sex couples in the State of California, Council President Garcetti officiated the wedding of Shane Goldsmith and Monica Granados. Goldsmith and Granados are both former Garcetti staff members who met while working in his office. The joyous occasion on the steps of Los Angeles Cit y Hall was attended by the couple's family, friends, and current and former co-workers.
"Shane and I met in City Hall, so it's very exciting to be one of the first couples married here. But I'm also very nervous because of the proposed constitutional amendment," said Granados. "It's a mixed feeling to tell others about this special occasion, but also have to explain that it could be taken away by voters in November. So I have to remind myself that the love I have for Shane is real and cannot be taken away by referendum."
"We both believe in Los Angeles so much," said Goldsmith, who like Granados, grew up in Los Angeles. "It feels powerful that the government is recognizing our wedding, and that our community values us and our love for each other."
ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY FEATURES OF GARCETTI-WAKELAND HOME HIGHLIGHTED IN DWELL MAGAZINE
 The July/August issue of Dwell Magazine highlights environmentally-friend features of the home that Council President Garcetti shares with his partner of more than 12 years, Amy Elaine Wakeland.
“I think L.A. offers a way to live with nature while living green so it doesn't have to be either-or. I think we can live in harmony with both the city and the topography and lifestyle that has always  defined Los Angeles,” Garcetti told Dwell's Frances Anderton.
Their mid-century modern home includes an amazing garden that produces most of their vegetables, herbs, and fruit; solar paneling on the roof; a tankless water heater; no-VOC paints; non-toxic sealants; bamboo flooring; and an electric vehicle charger in the carport.
The home is featured in Dwell's sustainability issue, and Garcetti spoke about the city's Green Building Ordinance that he authored at the magazine's annual Dwell on Design conference earlier this month.
In these photos, Garcetti and Wakeland take a break from their two-day photo shoot (top) and Garcetti in green cleans the solar panels on their rooftop while photographer Misha Gravenor snaps a photo (bottom).
L.A. City Council President Eric Garcetti represents the Thirteenth Council District which includes all or part of the communities of Glassell Park, Little Armenia, Thai Town, Atwater Village, Elysian Valley, Echo Park, Historic Filipinotown, Silver Lake, East Hollywood and Hollywood. Councilmember Garcetti serves as President of the Los Angeles City Council.
Council President Garcetti and his staff can be reached via e-mail at councilmember.garcetti@lacity.org or by mail or phone at City Hall, 200 N. Spring Street, Room 470, Los Angeles, CA 90012, 213-473-7013 and 5500 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028, 323-957-4500.
www.ericgarcetti.com
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