Press Release

Wood Ranch Turns 20

The company is celebrating its milestone by giving back to charity.

Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill turns 20 this year. The Agoura Hills-based company will celebrate by contributing a portion of guests’ checks to end child hunger.  Also, each Wood Ranch restaurant will hold a weekly drawing to give away a $50 gift card. “We just thought it would be better to celebrate by giving back to our guests and to our community,” said Eric Anders, co-founder, and father of two. “More than a million children in Southern California go hungry every day. We’ve partnered with Share Our Strength’s ‘No Kid Hungry’ campaign to try to help end that. We’ll also be giving away a $50 gift card in each Wood Ranch restaurant for 20 weeks beginning on May 7.” “We’ve always contributed to good causes in the communities we serve,” said co-…

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What Would You Ask 50th Assembly Candidates?

What would you like Patch to ask the candidates running for California's 50th Assembly District seat, which includes Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Brentwood, Westwood, Hollywood, Agoura Hills, Malibu and the Pacific Palisades?

Want to know Assembly candidates' takes on an issue as local as the dredging of the Malibu Lagoon or an expensive state project such as high speed rail? With the June 5 primary election date inching closer, campaigns for the 50th Assembly District are kicking into high gear, and, Patch, too, is revving up its coverage. In the coming weeks, editors will interview each candidate (willing) about biographical information and where they stand on important concerns. Reader input and suggestions will play an important role in coverage, so we would like to hear from you: What questions do you want us to ask the candidates? Here's the field for the June 5 primary with links to the candidates' campaign Web sites or Facebook page so you can get …

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Assembly Candidates Forum Saturday to Focus on Education

The forum is from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday in Santa Monica. It is free and open to the public.

Residents of the 50th Assembly District, including the communities of Santa Monica, Malibu, Brentwood, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Pacific Palisades, Hollywood and Agoura Hills, are invited to a forum Saturday to learn more about the candidates' positions on education and other issues. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to noon at Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board Room, at 1651 16th St. in Santa Monica. Each of the June 5 primary candidates are scheduled to participate: Richard Bloom, Democrat; Betsy Butler, Democrat; Torie Osborn, Democrat; and Bradly S. Torgan, Republican. The focus of the discussion will be on quality public education from the early years through high school graduation. Candidates will also …

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5 Things You Need to Know Today

April 21: Relay for Life; Activities at the Adobe

Support those running in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, take a rock n' roll yoga class and pick up bargain books at the library.

1. The Forecast: Sunny, 89 It will be sunny with a high near 89, according to the National Weather Service. Tonight will be mostly clear with a low around 56. 2. American Cancer Society Relay for Life Relay For Life, a 24-hour event, helps communities across the globe celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. This year's relay is being held at Willow Elementary from 10 a.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday. 3. Rock N' Roll Yoga at Burn Yoga Announcing Rock n' Roll Yoga at Burn Yoga with Julie Kundert at 12 p.m. Flowing poses, pounding pulses, and the beats to go along with it! This one will fill up fast! Sign up online today at www.burnyogala.com. 4. Children's Activities…

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Female Assembly Candidates Rake in Cash Donations

Current Assemblywoman Betsy Butler has the most cash on hand, followed closely by Torie Osborn in the election for the 50th Assembly District.

With sizable donations from unions and colleagues at the state Capital, first-term state legislator Betsy Butler is boasting the biggest campaign war chest in the race for the 50th Assembly District. Butler reported having $463,687 on hand in the most recent filings with the Secretary of Sate ahead of the June 5 primary. While firefighter and labor unions, lawmakers and political action committees cut Butler big checks, she wasn’t the only candidate to rake in more than a quarter of a million dollars from January to mid-March. And, she wasn’t spending the most, either. Torie Osborn—the grassroots organizer who snagged endorsements this winter from most of the area’s local Democratic clubs—reported $429,450 and outspent Butler by $28,679 …

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Rep. Henry Waxman Holds Big Fundraising Lead

Rep. Henry Waxman reported having more than six times as much cash on hand as his next opponent in the election for the 33rd Congressional District.

Rep. Henry Waxman, a staunchly Democratic candidate who has served in Congress since 1975, has more than six times as much cash to spend then his next opponent ahead of the June 5 primary election for the 33rd Congressional District, according to figures released Monday by the Federal Election Commission. Waxman reported having $985,577 cash on hand at the end of the April 15 quarterly filing period, which dwarfed that of the second-leading fundraiser Steve Collett, a Libertarian, who reported cash on hand of $147,229. The reporting period covered contributions made from Jan. 1 through March 31. A total of eight candidates were certified to compete in the June primary election, but only four candidates filed their April quarterly report. …

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City Becomes Successor to Redevelopment Agency

Since the dissolution of the Agoura's RDA, the City takes over its affairs.

Following Wednesday evening's regularly scheduled City Council meeting was a brief special meeting about the successor agency to the Agoura Hills Redevelopment Agency (RDA). As of February 1, 2012, all RDAs in California were dissolved with the passage of Assembly Bill 26 (ABX 26). All redevelopment and affordable housing activities under Agoura’s RDA have since ceased. The City of Agoura Hills has been designated to serve as the RDA’a successor agency while the Housing Authority of the County of LA has taken over affordable housing duties. “We’re just winding down right now and liquidating assets,” said Nathan Hamburger, assistant city manager. “The successor agency will be around and will be meeting for as long as there are affairs to …

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Official 50th Assembly Candidates List Released

No surprises as the Secretary of Sate releases the certified list for the 2012 election: Republican Brad Torgan and Democrats Betsy Butler, Richard Bloom and Torie Osborn.

With the exception of lone Republican Brad Torgan, who just announced his candidacy in February, the hot race for California's 50th Assembly will look just as it has for many months—Democrats Betsy Butler, Richard Bloom and Torie Osborn will go head-to-head to clinch the seat in 2013. The deadline is passed for any other contestant to join the field as the California Secretary of State released the certified candidates list for the June 5 primary Thursday evening. The candidates and their official ballot designations are: Butler has already won the endorsement of the California Democratic Party while Osborn has the backing of a handful of local democratic clubs, including those in Malibu, Santa Monica, Westwood-Beverly Hills and San …

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Zink to Oppose Pavely in Senate District 27 Race

Republican challenger seeks to bring jobs to the region and improve public safety.

California Senator Fran Pavley has picked up competition for the California 27th District seat. Deputy District Attorney Todd Zink, a former marine, has announced his candidacy. He's running on a platform of bringing jobs to the region and improving public safety. Pavley is a Democrat, Zink a Republican. Democrats have a 5.8 percent registration advantage in the district. “Because of the State’s fiscal mismanagement, thousands of felons some of whom have committed serious crimes including illegal possession of assault weapons, illicit drugs, and not to mention unconscionable identity theft will be released back into our communities before they complete their sentences,” Zink said in a news release. “This puts our families at more risk of …

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