the next event lighting demo and dinner at spj lighting /...

California Landscape Contractors AssociationSan Fernando Valley Chapter

Volume 32, Number 4April 2014

Valleyscape is now available online! www.eldoradocommunicationspublications.info

EVENT HOST at ValleyCrest, Vice President and Horticulturist Pam Stark, and Golden Oak’s Nelson Colvin are all smiles once everything is set up and running smoothly at the March SFV Dinner Meeting at ValleyCrest. The meeting featured a presentation by Harvest Group’s Bill Arman. See more photos Page 2.

Cover Photo:SPECTACULAR ATRIUM and lobby of ValleyCrest’s Headquarters in Calabasas welcomed attendees to the SFV March 27 Dinner Meeting.

THE NEXT EVENT

Lighting Demo and Dinner at SPJ Lighting / Hollywood West• Thursday, April 24, 6:30 p.m., in Westlake Village

• CI Chapter Members to Join In (see story page 4)

California Landscape Contractors AssociationSan Fernando Valley Chapter20946 Devonshire St., Ste. #200Chatsworth, CA 91311

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

2 April 2014 SFV CLCA Valleyscape

State Convention ScheduleMarch Dinner Highlights Ways to Capture Opportunities

PAST SFV PRESIDENT Ken Bragar and his wife Iris attend just about all SFV Chapter major

events and it is great to see them.

VALLEYSCAPE EDITOR and State Associate Member Director John Hernandez, gets some

marketing tips from VP Membership Dan Dvorak of Landscape Contractors Insurance Services.

BEST PRODUCTS rep Steven Bitter and wife Lorry came all the way out from Pomona to listen to Bill Arman’s presentation, and to sample some

of the delicious BBQ. The drive was well worth it.

JOINING IN THE FUN and good eats are ValleyCrest reps Stephanie Olivieri, Mike Poteet

and Jamie Mynatt.

OC CHAPTER’S Allen Chariton and long time friend Mickey Strauss enjoy dinner and some good

conversation.

NEW MEMBER Julio Lopez of Cadre Landscape is welcomed to the Chapter by

Executive Secretary Jan Veis.

PAST STATE DIRECTOR and SFV President Rene Emeterio of SLM and his son Josh enjoy the networking, delicious dinner, and another

excellent presentation by Bill Arman.

CLCA AMBASSADOR and Past State President Charles Nunley discusses the latest Green Industry

news with SFV Board Member John Vorbeck.

HARVESTER BILL ARMAN of the Harvest Group keeps the room smiling, even when dealing with the serious topic: “5 Ways to Capture Your

Share of Opportunities,” at the March 27 Dinner Meeting at ValleyCrest.

LEGISLATION GURU Mickey Strauss talks politics and policy with State Legislation Chair

and CI Board Member Atty. Mike Martin.

SFV TREASURER Martin Schaefer (a former ValleyCrest VIP) chats with business

coach Jonathan Goldhill at the interesting and informative March Dinner.

BOARD MEMBERS Dave Junod and Tommy Endres do a little generational networking as they

discuss the SPJ Lighting Demo and Dinner April 24 in Westlake Village. Tommy is a rep

for SPJ Lighting.

SFV CLCA Valleyscape April 2014 3

Coming Events, Contact Numbers & More

Subject to Change – Check with Chapter Office First

April 24 Dinner Meeting – Lighting Demo at SPJ Lighting/Hollywood West, Westlake

26 Green Industry Hall of Fame Induction Dinner, 6 p.m. Black Gold Golf Course, Yorba Linda

May 9 Beautification Awards Early Bird entries are due

22 Dinner and Poker Night – Ewing Chatsworth Dinner provided by taco truck.

May 29 – June 1 Judging for Beautification Awards

28 Beautification Awards Dinner Valley Crest Specimen Tree Nursery, Sunland

July 24 Dinner Meeting – Mystery Bus Trip Tentatively with LA/SGV and CI Chapters

Aug. 30 Family Swim/BBQ at Strauss Residence

Sept. No Dinner Meeting this month

10 Channel Islands Water Symposium, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Ventura County Museum, Downtown Ventura

Oct. 9 Golf Tournament, Angeles National, Sunland

23 Women’s Auxiliary – Chinese Auction

Nov. 12-15 State Convention, New Orleans

Dec. 6 Holiday Party – Alfonso & Lisbet Castillo’s home

2015

Jan. 8 Board Meeting – NOTE: 2nd Thursday

22 Installation Dinner TBD

Board Meetings are held the 1st Thursday; Dinner Meetings are the 4th Thursday of the month, unless otherwise noted.

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Steven Kinzler

S K Landscape Design, Inc. 818-345-0492

818-266-3828 cell [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT PROGRAMS Tommy Endres

Hollywood West Electric 31238 Via Colinas #A

Westlake Village, CA 91362

VICE PRESIDENT MEMBERSHIP Dan Dvorak

LCIS 818-772-2121 310-480-7803

[email protected]

SECRETARY Jamie Alamillo

Alamillo Landscape, Inc. 661-903-2424

[email protected]

TREASURER Martin Schaefer

Automatic Sprinkler Controls 818-994-1159

818-519-5702 cell [email protected]

AMO REP Open

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Nelson Colvin Golden Oak Co-op Corporation

818-772-2262 818-772-2221 fax

[email protected]

Rene Emeterio Specialized Landscape

Management Services Inc. 805-520-7590

805-823-5603 cell 805-520-7592 fax

[email protected]

David Junod Sheridan Landscape

818-768-6556 818-768-4648 fax

[email protected]

Gordon Larson Larson Landscaping

818-776-8197 818-974-5903 cell

[email protected]

Ted Sirkin Valvette Systems 818-887-1866

[email protected]

Mickey Strauss MSM Landscape Services, Inc.

818-402-4500 818-341-9236 fax

[email protected]

John W. Vorbeck John W. Vorbeck Landscape

Contractor 818-652-2967 cell 818-848-9239 fax

[email protected]

PRESIDENT Alfonso Castillo, Jr.

Land Creations 818-833-7172

800-795-6110 fax [email protected]

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY CHAPTER Jan Veis, Executive Secretary

(818) 772-7233 Chapter fax (818) 772-2221

[email protected]

VALLEYSCAPE PUBLISHER John Hernandez (626) 965-5015

19055 Abdera St. Rowland Heights, CA 91748

[email protected] FAX (866) 591-5093

ASSOCIATE EDITOR/ART DIRECTOR Jerry Robin (626) 794-2674

[email protected]

STAFF WRITER Jared Hernandez (626) 965-5015

[email protected]

San Fernando Valley Chapter

2014 Board of Directors

San Fernando Valley Chapter SPONSORSHIP RECOGNITION

SILVER SPONSORS

LCISBirch

Thank you for your support!


The Chapter is Blooming with Activity

Spring is already here and our Chapter activities have bloomed with it. We

are just coming off a series of great activi-ties, including our Family Bowling Night and our Valley Crest Dinner Meeting with Bill Arman. Both were fantastic. Bowling Night was FUN in spite of the rainy weather, and Bill Arman’s presenta-

tion was instructive, enlightening and at times humorous. Thank you to Bill for sharing his wisdom. And thank you Valley Crest for again hosting such a wonderful event. By the way, the delicious BBQ dinner from Stone Fire Grill was out of this world.

For those of you who have been taking advantage of these events, hopefully you’ve noticed that we try to keep them fun and energetic…and business-oriented as often as we can. This will be the case with the SPJ Lighting / Hollywood West Lighting Demonstration and Dinner April 24 in Westlake Village. This will be another terrific educational event for those of you already involved in landscape lighting, and for those of you trying to get into that part of the business.

We also have coming up on May 9 – right around the corner – our Early Bird entry deadline for your Beautification Awards entries. We will again feature projects from our friends at Channel

Islands and Los Angeles/San Gabriel Valley Chapters as well. This will ensure that our Beautification Awards program will again be filled with entries of great properties from great companies.

This year the Awards Dinner will be held June 28 at the Valley Crest Tree Company specimen nursery across from Angeles

National Golf Club in Sunland. This is where we have that great BBQ dinner to wrap up our Annual Golf Tournament. We have had plenty of outdoor awards programs in the past, but I’m betting this one will be extra special. Get your applications in as soon as possible to take advantage of the Early Bird discount.

Make sure and attend our special Dinner and Poker Night May 22 at Ewing-Chatsworth. This event will also include tasty treats from a taco truck. We held a similar event last year, and it was a blast! Also, keep an eye out for the

information leading to our Mystery Bus Tour July 24 which seems to be making a comeback due to popular demand. The mystery is in not knowing where the bus will be taking us. What is not a mystery, is that wherever we end up, a fun-filled program and delicious food will be waiting for us when we arrive. – Alfonso

For those of you who have been taking advantage of these events, hopefully you’ve noticed that we try to keep them fun and energetic…and business-oriented as often as we can.

President’s Message

ALFONSO CASTILLO SFV President Land Creations

SPJ Lighting/Hollywood West to Host CI and SFV Chapters Thursday, April 24• Joint Dinner Meeting to Feature

Lighting Demos

• FREE with RSVP…$20 at the Door!

Tommy Endres, SFV VP of Programs and an SPJ Lighting / Hollywood West VIP, along with SPJ Executive Vice

President Bob Klaidman (the newest addition to the Channel Islands Chapter Board), recently announced that SPJ Lighting/Hollywood West would be hosting both the San Fernando Valley and Channel Islands Chapters for dinner and lighting demonstrations on Thursday, April 24. The event is set for 6:30 p.m. at the company’s Westlake Village office located at 31238 Via Colinas #A, Westlake Village, CA 91362; (818) 735-0564.

The event is free to all CLCA members and guests who RSVP, otherwise it’s $20 at the door. The Lighting Demo Night will include a delicious dinner, a discussion about the rapidly changing landscape lighting industry, great networking, a raffle, and of course lighting demonstrations.

Please RSVP by Monday, April 21 to Jan Veis at the SFV Chapter Office who is coordinating the attendance. Jan can be reached at (818) 772-7233.

Green Industry Hall of Fame Induction Dinner Set for April 26• Black Gold Golf Course in OC’s Yorba Linda

to Host 2014 Inductees

The non-profit Green Industry Hall of Fame is gearing up for its Annual Induction Dinner on Saturday, April 26, 6 p.m.

at Black Gold Golf Course in Yorba Linda, CA. The event will honor the latest group of achievers who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame for their years of dedication and commitment to the Green Industry. Meeting the GIHOF strict criteria, these “excep-tional individuals” have been in the Green Industry for over 20 years and have “contributed to making significant changes that impact the industry in a positive way.”

The organization was founded in 2005 by CLCA Ambassador and Past State President Charles Nunley, and Richard Daigle of Irrigator Tech. Richard is the current President of the Inland Empire Chapter of CLCA (California Landscape Contractors Association), and one of this year’s inductees.

Black Gold Golf Course is located at One Black Gold Drive, Yorba Linda, CA 92886. Dinner is $70 per person. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Visit the organization’s website at www.GreenIndustryHallofFame.org for more information.


The Crescendo of Spring is Upon Us

Just takin’ a moment…to look around and realize how awesome and wonderful springtime can be. Mother Nature may play with

the weather, but the bounties of spring are ours to enjoy. In fact, we can play a part with shaping the bounties of spring by utilizing water-wise techniques and beautiful plant palettes that flourish this time of year. You might say we are co-creators of the season.

During this time of the year, color is dominant. The leaf foliage changes and flowers are budding – both competing for the spotlight. Spring’s visual beauty surrounds us; this is nature in all its glory.

It’s humbling to recognize that we help to create these surroundings. We can take God’s creative principles in nature and build upon them. No matter what vocation you’re in, it’s within you to utilize that creative expression. In fact, the creative matrix encompasses everything. Spring, in all its wondrous beauty, is an awakening, but it represents just one part of the canvas of life.

Spring awakens nature from a quiet restful sleep to a crescendo of magnificent display. The beauty around us makes us feel good all over. This display is the Creator’s expression of the season; it is an embodiment of God’s love within everyone. Love does…

This time of year is also boundless with expectation and anticipa-

tion of what’s to come. An energetic feeling comes when we realize we can work together with nature and create balance and harmony along with the beauty. We can express our individual personality while we strengthen our professional image at the same time,

all while working as a co-creators of this magnificent time of year.

Spring is also the time of year to begin reviewing your projects, and preparing those that you will want to enter in our Beautification Awards competition. With entries from surrounding Chapters as well, it will be your time for your creativity to shine among your peers from

throughout the region. Early Bird entries are due May 9, so don’t miss out.

As members of the San Fernando Valley Chapter of the California Landscape Contractors Association, we are committed to our part in creating the visual crescendo in the lives of our clients. Think of the beauty we have not yet seen… then create it.

Love does… – Dave

Just Takin’ a Moment

DAVID JUNOD Director

Sheridan Landscaping, Inc.

During this time of the year, color is dominant. The leaf foliage changes and flowers are budding – both competing for the spotlight.

May 22 Poker Night at Ewing in Chatsworth• Card Sharks and Novices Welcome

Feeling lucky? Well, your time has come! Don’t miss the SFV Chapter’s fabulous Poker Night on Thursday, May 22 at Ewing-

Chatsworth. The festivities will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a delicious dinner provided by Ewing’s favorite taco man. The poker action will take place after dinner.

The cost for dinner, the buy in to play and other details are still being worked out. But rest assured if this event is as much fun as last year’s, you’d better put it down in your calendars today. Details will appear in the next issue of Valleyscape or call Jan at the SFV Office (818) 772-7233 for more information.

The location of this great night of poker is Ewing Irrigation, 21101 Superior St., Chatsworth, CA 91311; (818) 882-9530. We’ll see you there!

http://lcisinc.com

http://www.adsod.com


Smart Water Conservation

Five Steps to Get Smart: Fix a Leak This Week Excerpt of article by Alan Harris, Director of Sales Operations and Regional Sales Leader for the landscape division at ValleyCrest

In honor of the recent official EPA WaterSense Fix a Leak Week (March 17–23), let’s take a look at five ways to use less water in

irrigation.

1: Repair Irrigation Leaks. Irrigation leaks waste water fast. A single broken irrigation head can send 800+ gallons a month down the gutter. My field day in 2013 was spent as an irrigation tech. I was amazed at how many heads were broken on a retail site. Of course irrigation heads and car bumpers don’t mix well and the bumper always wins.

2: Only Water the Landscape. If someone was pushing you with 30 – 50 psi several times a week you might get a little twisted. Make sure the irrigation heads are watering the landscape and not pavement.

3: What’s in Your Contract? Most landscape maintenance contracts (at a maximum) only call for monthly inspections with weekly checks of the irrigation system. Often the number of “wet checks” where the entire system is inspected while running is limited to two or three times a year. In some markets the only in contract irrigation service is a spring startup and a fall shut down; in other markets irrigation is “as requested.”

4: Get Smart and Let’s Flow. Regardless of what is in your contract, every 30 days or even every seven days is not often

enough to ensure there is no water leaking from the irrigation system. Would you prefer to get an email or text message about leaks as they happen? Learn about smart controllers and flow meters.

5: Follow the Three Fix a Leak Tips from EPA WaterSense:

• An irrigation system should be checked each spring before use to make sure it was not damaged by frost or freezing. NOTE: If the polar vortex wreaked havoc on municipal water mains in your city there is a better than average chance there will also be freeze damage to your irrigation system.

• An irrigation system that has a leak 1/32nd of an inch in diameter (about the thickness of a dime) can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month.

• To ensure your irrigation system is not leaking water, consult with an irrigation partner who has passed a certification program focused on water efficiency.

Alan Harris is a water management pioneer. With roots in landscape architecture, Alan has worked with irrigation throughout his career, experimenting with hydrozones and a variety of high-efficiency irriga-tion systems.


SLM Landscape Gets Water Agency Contract Extended• Story receives front page coverage

-in Santa Clarita paper

Congratulations to Rene Emeterio

and his company Specialized Landscape Management Services (SLM), for having their contract to install free smart controllers for Castaic Lake Water Agency customers extended for another year. That in itself is great news, but the front page write up and large photo of Rene in

a recent issue of the Santa Clarita Valley Signal concerning the contract extension, is a double win for the SFV Chapter Past President.

The article also discusses the benefits and water savings generated by the smart controller program. Kudos, Rene!

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Beautification Awards

THE SIGNAL . moNDAY, mArcH 31, 2014 . A5In the News / Weather

A5 MAIN

Today's WeatherLocal 5-Day ForecastMon

3/31

68/46Mostly sunny skies.High 68F. WindsSSW at 10 to 20mph.

Sunrise Sunset6:42 AM 7:14 PM

Tue4/1

61/41Morning showers.Highs in the low 60sand lows in the low40s.


Wed4/2

63/42Few showers. Highsin the low 60s andlows in the low 40s.


Thu4/3

66/44Mostly cloudy. Highsin the mid 60s andlows in the mid 40s.


Fri4/4

68/45Partly cloudy. Highsin the upper 60s andlows in the mid 40s.


San Francisco56/47

Sacramento59/42

Los Angeles64/52San Diego

64/58

Redding45/39

Santa Clarita68/46

California At A Glance

Area CitiesCity Hi Lo Cond. City Hi Lo Cond. City Hi Lo Cond.

Anaheim 68 52 mst sunny Modesto 65 43 rain Salinas 64 42 rain

Bakersfield 69 45 rain Mojave 64 42 windy San Bernardino 68 48 mst sunny

Barstow 70 44 windy Monterey 60 45 rain San Diego 64 58 pt sunny

Blythe 84 53 sunny Needles 82 54 sunny San Francisco 56 47 rain

Chico 55 42 rain Oakland 58 47 rain San Jose 62 45 rain

Costa Mesa 65 54 mst sunny Palmdale 65 43 windy Santa Barbara 62 50 pt sunny

El Centro 84 52 windy Pasadena 69 50 mst sunny Stockton 63 44 rain

Eureka 52 42 rain Redding 69 48 mst sunny Susanville 45 27 rain

Fresno 68 43 rain Riverside 69 49 mst sunny Truckee 41 19 snow

Los Angeles 64 52 mst sunny Sacramento 60 43 rain Visalia 68 43 rainNational CitiesCity Hi Lo Cond. City Hi Lo Cond. City Hi Lo Cond.

Atlanta 74 50 sunny Houston 77 63 pt sunny Phoenix 77 51 sunny

Boston 40 33 rain Los Angeles 64 52 mst sunny San Francisco 56 47 rain

Chicago 66 40 cloudy Miami 78 64 cloudy Seattle 61 41 pt sunny

Dallas 81 60 cloudy Minneapolis 54 24 rain St. Louis 72 43 cloudy

Denver 57 30 windy New York 51 35 rain Washington, DC 67 40 pt sunny

Moon Phases

NewMar 30

FirstApr 7

FullApr 15

LastApr 22

UV IndexMon 3/31 8 Very HighTue 4/1 8 Very HighWed 4/2 7 HighThu 4/3 8 Very HighFri 4/4 8 Very HighThe UV Index is measured on a 0-11number scale, with a higher UV Indexshowing the need for greater skin pro-tection. 0

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©2010 American Profile Hometown Content Service


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Tue4/1



Wed4/2



Thu4/3



Fri4/4



San Francisco56/47

Sacramento59/42


64/58

Redding45/39

Santa Clarita68/46


















Moon Phases

NewMar 30

FirstApr 7

FullApr 15

LastApr 22


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Tue4/1



Wed4/2



Thu4/3



Fri4/4



San Francisco56/47

Sacramento59/42


64/58

Redding45/39

Santa Clarita68/46


















Moon Phases

NewMar 30

FirstApr 7

FullApr 15

LastApr 22


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Saturday low Sunday highNewhall Pass 51° at 11:56 p.m. 66° at 4:56 p.m.Saugus 48° at 4:57 a.m. 69° at 4:57 p.m.

Newhall Pass station: 6.56” Saugus station:

3.33”Reading taken 2:57 p.m. Sunday.

Annual precipitation (From Oct. 1 through Sept. 30)

SCV air quality

Weather spotlight

Associated PressA woman holding a child smiles as she crosses the street in downtown Washington D.C. as snow and rain move through the Mid Atlantic region on Sunday.

Good

tee calling for each house-hold in the SCV to re-duce water use by at least 10 percent. Marks said the controllers on hand at the agency allow the average single-family homeowner to hit that target. Online courseRene Emeterio, who owns and operates Special-ized Landscape, regular-ly taught homeowners how to install and use the con-trollers during classes at the Castaic Lake agency’s Rio Vista Water Treatment Plant in Saugus.Now a homeowner can complete the same course online by filling out a ques-tionnaire — similar to an online traffic school ques-tionnaire — which, upon completion, earns him a voucher to pick up his free wireless weather station sprinkler controller, Eme-terio said.

“The people who are ac-

tually getting the control-lers are seeing savings in water and money,: said Emeterio. A good portion of Santa Clarita Valley homeowners who have taken advantage of the free smart sprinklers are also people who have installed solar panels on their homes, said the Santa Clarita Valley resident.“They are becoming more and more conscious of saving money where they can,” he said.

Conservation planLocal water officials ad-opted a water conservation plan called the Santa Clar-ita Valley Water Use Effi-ciency Strategic Plan back in February 2009, well be-fore the current drought. The plan included a resi-dential landscape program. They agreed to hire Eme-terio’s Specialized Land-scape Management Servic-es to begin implementing

the smart sprinkler lawn transformation.They originally planned for a one-year contract, renewable for four years. However, as the program grew, agency staff found ways to convince the agen-cy board to authorized ex-tending it, Marks said.A little more than a year ago, the board agreed with staff recommendations to amend Emeterio’s con-tract for a third year, for $146,000. On Wednesday, the board extended the program to a fifth year.

When local water of-ficials at the agency first hammered out their water efficiency plan, their focus was on training gardeners and landscapers on “smart sprinkler” technology.Emeterio, who is bilin-gual, assists in implement-ing the program in the fol-lowing ways, according to the agency:

n Conducting outreach to residents and landscape contractors.n Conducting follow-up inspections of the control-lers.n Fielding questions from

residents with controllers.Agency officials esti-mate the sprinkler con-trollers save more than half an acre-foot of water per device over 10 years, and that water savings are

about 10 percent of to-tal household water con-sumption. That saving amounts to enough wa-ter to fill 2,178 bathtubs. [email protected]

Castaic Lake Water Agency/Courtesy photo

Rene Emeterio, a consultant for Castaic Lake Water Agency, conducts an inspection

of a newly installed sprinkler control system.

controllers save an estimated 10 percent of total household usage

Gentle Barn works to heal ‘at-risk’ kids through animal interactions

Dogs’ owner suffered minor injuries

WATER from A1

LAKS from A1

ROLLOVER from A1The dogs are expected to be reunited with their owner, who was taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital Sun-day morning with minor injuries after his pick-up truck hauling a trailer overturned on Interstate 5, near Valencia Boule-vard, said Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Drew Smith.The single-vehicle crash ended up injuring the driver and leaving two dogs running loose in the area, he said.One of the dogs was captured and tied to a light standard on the side of the freeway. But the other f led the area, Smith

said at the scene of the crash.The captured dog, Charlie, was taken to the shelter by a CHP officer shortly after noon, Mara-diaga said. A couple of hours later, a CHP offi-cer found the other dog, Tucker, by a school soft-ball field, he said.When the crash hap-pened, several people re-ported seeing the two dogs running around the area, California Highway Patrol officers said.“This is a single-vehi-cle rollover,” Smith said on the scene Sunday. “The driver apparently lost control.”

The truck was travel-

ing northbound around 10:30 a.m. on I-5 just south of Valencia Bou-levard when it f lipped, Smith said. “One man was taken to the hospi-tal with minor injuries,” he said.The crash scene was next to grassy hills that extend from the interstate to the football stands at College of the Canyons.The two right-most lanes of the northbound freeway and the Valencia off-ramp were closed to traffic while CHP officers investigated the [email protected] Twitter @jamesarthurholt

which chronicles the growth of the local nonprofit group aimed at healing “at-risk” kids through the healed animals it rescues.“This has been a dream of mine since I was 7 years old,” she told a group of about 50 people who gathered at her book-signing table.More than 700 people visited The Gentle Barn on Sierra Highway Sunday, many for the animals but many more to welcome Laks’ debut as an author.Her book, subtitled “Creating a Sanc-tuary Where Animals Heal and Chil-dren Learn to Hope,” details how she started The Gentle Barn after adopting a sick goat from a run-down petting zoo in 1999.

“From the time I could walk, I was al-ways off barefoot, mucking around in

the lakes and wood, running after ani-mals,” she told the group. “When I got little older, when I was 7 years old, I re-alized that sometimes animals need help. Sometimes they fall out of their nests or get injured.“I started bringing them. And my plan was to have a house full of animals that I saved and they would be my friends,” she said. “My parents were not amused. They told me, ‘When you grow up you can have as many animals as you want.’“So, now I have 170,” she said. “At The Gentle Barn, we purposely seek out ani-mals no one else wants. Once they’re fi-nally healed and happy, they stay here for the rest of their lives. And then, they help us heal kids with the same stories of abuse and neglect.”

[email protected]

Early Bird Awards Entry Deadline Friday, May 9• SFV and CI Chapter Landscapers

to Compete for Top Honors

This year’s Beautification Awards will include entries from the San Fernando Valley and Channel Islands Chapters, with

Past CI Chapter President Julio Gomez actually on the planning committee. LA/SGV landscapers have also been invited to enter, but are not involved in planning or staging the event.

Landscapers should have already started preparing their projects for judging, as the last day for Beautification Awards Early Bird entries (lower fee) is May 9. The last day to enter with additional charges is May 19. Judging will take place May 29 to June 1.

This year’s fabulous Awards Dinner will be at the Valley Crest Tree Growing Grounds in Sunland on Saturday, June 28. This is the same outdoor location that the San Fernando Valley Chapter Golf Tournament has its BBQ dinner after the golf day. Bring your crew leaders, landscape architects, and your special clients. This will be a fantastic night of awards and networking that you will not want to miss.

You are encouraged to enter a few of your best projects in the Awards Competition to receive the recognition from your peers that you deserve. For more information and entry forms, contact Jan Veis at the SFV Chapter Office (818) 772-7233 or visit the SFV Chapter Website at: www.clcasfv.org.

The Santa Clarita Valley

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of Valencia

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INDEX

By Jim HoltSignal Senior Staff Writer

A motorcyclist was injured

and taken to Henry Mayo Ne-

whall Memorial Hospital on

Sunday following a traffic col-

lision near Gorman involving

the motorcycle and a truck, a

spokesman for the Los Ange-

les County Fire Department

said.Shortly before 8:30 a.m.

Sunday, paramedics respond-

ed to a crash in the northbound

lanes of Interstate 5 just north

of Highway 138, said Fire De-

partment Supervisor Ray

Dong.

“We received the call as

a motorcycle versus a semi

truck,” he said.Paramedics arrived on the

scene at 8:37 a.m. and placed

the injured person on a Fire

Department helicopter.

The motorcyclist, whose age

and gender were not disclosed,

was airlifted to Henry Mayo,

arriving at the hospital at 9:30

a.m., Dong said.There was no other reports

of people injured.jholt@

signalscv.com

661-287-5527on Twitter

@jamesarthurholt


Two dogs left strand-

ed on the highway Sun-

day morning after the

pickup truck they were in

crashed and sent the driv-

er to the hospital are “do-

ing well” at the Casta-

ic Animal Care Center, a

center spokesman said.

The dogs — a fox ter-

rier named Charlie and

a spaniel mixed breed

named Tucker — were re-

united at the shelter Sun-

day afternoon, said Paul

Maradiaga.“They’re doing great,”

he said at 6 p.m. Sunday.

“We have them in the

kennel with food and wa-

ter and blankets.”


From the time she was a little girl

running barefoot through the woods,

bringing wounded animals home

to mend, Gentle Barn founder Ellie

Laks has made it her mission to care

for animals, she said, and now she’s

put her journey in writing.

On Sunday, as cows and pigs

stretched out in the sun in pens behind

her, Laks signed copies of her recently

--published book, “My Gentle Barn,”


Directors of the Santa Clarita Val-

ley’s water wholesaler have agreed

to extend for another year a free wa-

ter sprinkler program credited with

conserving about 10 percent of wa-

ter used by the average single-fam-

ily household — one “smart sprin-

kler” at a time.The Castaic Lake Water Agency

directed its general manager, Dan

Masnada, to renew its contract with

Specialized Landscape Management

Services on Wednesday.

“Basically, the contract renewal

supports the agency continuing with

its successful program of providing

Santa Clarita Valley residents with

free smart irrigation controllers that

automatically adjust watering times

to take into account actual weather

conditions,” said the agency’s water

resources manager, Dirk Marks.

“Our experience is that residents

typically save about 10 percent over

the course of a year” by using the

smart irrigation controllers, he said.

During the past four years, Spe-

cialized Landscape has distributed

2,325 “weather-based irrigation con-

trollers” throughout the Santa Clar-

ita Valley. On average, that means

a dozen water-wasting lawns have

been transformed into water-saving

lawns every week since 2010.

“It’s really beneficial for the val-

ley as a whole and for individual ho-

meowners,” Marks said.

“The controller, a mini weather

station, and modules retails for over

$600,” he said. “It’s a great deal for

Santa Clarita residents. And all SCV

residents have to do is take an online

course that explains the devices’ op-

eration to qualify.”

10 percent reductionA mandatory water-use-reduction

order was passed last month by the

Santa Clarita Valley Water Commit-


A 44-year-old Santa

Clarita Valley man died

this weekend after his SUV

rolled backward down a

hillside in the Rowher Flats

Off-Highway Vehicle area

in Canyon Country, ac-

cording to the California

Highway Patrol.The deceased man has

been identified as Jin Ahn

Jeong.Jeong was traveling

northbound at an unknown

rate of speed within the

designated off-road vehicle

area in the Angeles Nation-

al Forest when his SUV lost

traction and rolled back-

ward off the trail, said CHP

Officer Aaron Maurer,

The incident occurred

about 4:15 p.m. Saturday

west of Sierra Highway

near Lookout Trail north of

Texas Canyon, Maurer said

in a news release.“Jeong was ejected from

Jim holt/The Signal (See additional photos at signalscv.com)

Gentle Barn founder Ellis Laks signs copies of her book, “My Gen-

tle Barn,” Sunday at the nonprofit’s facility on Sierra Highway.

Castaic lake water agency/Courtesy photo

This photo provided by Castaic Lake Water Agency shows the

smart irrigation controllers available to SCV residents for free.

Jim holt/The Signal

(More photos at signalscv.com)

(Above) A paramedic with the Los

Angeles County Fire Department

packs up his gear on Interstate 5,

near Valencia Boulevard, Sunday

morning after the driver of a truck

and over-turned trailer was taken to

Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hos-

pital with minor injuries. (Left) One of

two dogs that were occupants of the

truck waits by the side of Interstate

5, tied to a light standard.

Two dogs in truck briefly lost after I-5 crash

Gentle Barn founder

celebrates her new book

with public signing

Smart irrigation controllers available to SCV residents free of charge

Accident happened on hillside at

Rowher Flats Off-Highway Vehicle

Area near Canyon Country

Motorcyclist injured

in collision with truck

Sprinkler program gets extension

One hurt in rollover

From a helper to an author

SCV man killed in SUV crash

See WATER, A5

See ROLLOVER, A5

See CRASH, A3

See LAKS, A5

http://westcoastturf.com

http://www.eldoradocommunicationspublications.info


Mindfully Overcoming Chronic Work-Life Imbalance By Jonathan Goldhill

I must ask you for a reality check by asking this question: How many years have you

been promising yourself that you will improve your work-life balance? And, through all those years, how close have you really come to where you really want to be? It’s no surprise that my business coaching clients in hectic Los Angeles often find life balance an ongoing challenge.

If you are like many people who are in a constant struggle to time-manage your work, family time, hobbies, sports and other personal interests, you have resolved many times to make changes and can even point to some improvements…and yet, you also feel you are a long way from where you really want to be. Why do you achieve so many goals – but not the satisfying feeling that your life is in balance? Is there anything that can truly make a positive, permanent change?

I’m going to tell you a couple of (possibly painful) truths:

1) You have more time for the things you value most than you think you do – see (2).

2) Most of your time is probably not being used for what is most important to you.

No matter how productive you are or how much you have accom-plished, you are likely under the influence of the 80/20 rule (aka The Pareto Principle), meaning that 80% of your time is spent on trivial, rather than significant, activities, and only 20% on things that truly matter to you.

In Los Angeles’ workplace and society the “overwhelmed” feeling is common, and a major contributor to stress and anxiety, often a principal topic in my business coaching. If you know your life is not in balance, you almost certainly are feeling that you are drowning under more tasks than you can possibly complete. Most likely you also feel that you don’t complete the tasks you start because of interruptions and distractions. Am I getting warmer?

But so often we fail to recognize that over-busyness has become a habit that focuses on the mundane and the “things that must get done.” We rush ourselves from one “must do” to another, while finding it “impossible” to make time for the quality tasks such as talking with our kids or planning the next strategic step for our landscaping business. We can’t seem to prioritize the highest-value work over the errands and chores (both at work and at home). We’ve given ourselves routines of busyness we follow daily without much thought as to other ways to accomplish the same things.

Mindfulness will bring balance and harmony where it matters most!

How long have you been telling yourself you will make big changes in your work-life balance – and how close are you to what you really want?

How much time do you PLAN to work each week? How much time do you ACTUALLY work each week?

Jonathan Goldhill is a business coach, business owner, strategic sales and marketing specialist, father and husband. He grew several companies from nothing into multi-million-dollar businesses and has been helping entrepreneurs, and small- and medium-sized businesses ever since. He can be reached at (818) 716-8826 or online at www.thegoldhillgroup.com.

Business 101

JONATHAN GOLDHILL

CEO The Goldhill Group

It’s All

24 hours a day, 365 days a yearAbout YoU

FIND US: www.ewing1.com/california TALK TO US: 800.343.9464

http://www.bestfertilizer.com


Automatic Sprinkler Controls, Inc.

5914 Noble Ave. • Van Nuys CA 91411Ph (818) 994-1159 • Fax (818) 994-1809

E-Mail: [email protected]

• Controller Repair• Warranty Service Center for Irritrol, RainBird, etc…

• Fast Turnaround Time

RICHARD BARTOLOS ANGELES / VENTURA TERRITORY MANAGER

1589 N. MAIN STREET, ORANGE, CA 92867800-542-0209 / 714-279-3171 / CELL: 714-920-4389 / FAX 714-279-3199

www.villagenurseries.com / [email protected]

R O O T E D I N Q U A L I T Y

The Bottom Line

How to Create a Better Employee Ad for Your Company By Bill Arman & Ed Laflamme

Spring has sprung, and we need to find good people. We are

seeing a lot of ads, but they’re very transactional, and they’re not

working out very well in most cases. Most companies use trans-actional ads looking for good people, but they don’t “hook” the good ones with that type of ad.

Instead, when fishing for the perfect employee, try what we call “warm and fuzzy” ads. You’ll get better responses and you may land a “big one.”

So, what’s a warm and fuzzy ad? It’s one that doesn’t simply describe what you’re looking for. Instead, talk about your company. Maybe list what awards you’ve won, such as safety awards. Make it appealing to the potential employee. Say something to draw them in. Only after that should you list infor-mation about the type of person you’re looking for, their qualifica-tions, the job description, and all the rest.

When one of our clients tried this approach, he got 30 resumes in two days and hired a fantastic account manager as a result. The Harvest Group website has some sample ads for you to check out if you’re interested at www.harvestlandscapeconsulting.com

Happy fishing!

BILL ARMAN (L) and ED LAFLAMME

The Harvest Group

http://www.ascsprinklers.com

http://www.birchfinancial.net

http://villagenurseries.com

http://swbrock.com


Call Our Advertisers First!

A-G Sod Farms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Automatic Sprinkler Controls, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Best/Simplot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Birch Equipment Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Coastline Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6, Back Cover

Ewing Irrigation Products . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, Inside Back Cover

Green Thumb Super Garden Centers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Gro-Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Landscape Contractors Insurance Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 9

Smith Pipe & Supply, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Southland Sod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Southwest Boulder & Stone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Village Nurseries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

West Coast Turf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

2014 CLCA State Board of DirectorsPRESIDENT – Chuck Carr (818) 388-0214 Landscape Contractor, [email protected]

PRESIDENT-ELECT – Javier Lesaca (661) 836-0229 Lesaca Landscape Company, [email protected]

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT – Frank Niccoli cwm (650) 592-9440 The Village Gardener, Inc., [email protected]

SECRETARY/TREASURER – Ted Sandrowski (530) 345-6101 Sandrowski Landscaping, Inc., [email protected]

DIRECTOR OF CHAPTER SERVICES – Richard Sheffield (661) 245-1147 Antioch Nursery, Landscape & Tree Service, [email protected]

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS – Jessica Centeno (310) 768-4089 Centeno’s Landscaping Company, Inc., [email protected]

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION – Aaron Huxley (408) 824-0181 Hunter Industries, [email protected]

DIRECTOR OF EVENTS – Eric Briner (559) 453-2539 Briner & Son Landscape Management, [email protected]

DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATION – Pete Dufau clt, cwm (805) 642-1239 Dufau Landscape Inc., [email protected]

DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP – James Walker (650) 333-2021 Landsculpt Gardens, [email protected]

DIRECTOR OF RESOURCE MANAGEMENT – Shari Collins (805) 517-1971 Gardens 4 the Soul, [email protected]

ASSOCIATE MEMBER DIRECTOR – John R. Hernandez (626) 965-5015 El Dorado Communications, Inc., [email protected]

CHAPTER PRESIDENTS COUNCIL (North) Tim Hendricks (800) 891-7710

Cagwin & Dorward, [email protected]

CHAPTER PRESIDENTS COUNCIL (South) Steve Beckstrom clt, clia, cwm (714) 797-8974

Tierra Verde Landscape, Inc., [email protected]

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR – Sandra Giarde cae (916) 830-2780 [email protected]

Advertising Index

[email protected]/GreenThumbGGwww.gtgrowinggrounds.com

http://sod.com

http://www.gropower.com

SFV CLCA Valleyscape April 2014 11 www.ewing1.com/locations

Ingredients: Grass seed, fertilizer, AquaSmart, water-efficient nozzles, smart controller, soil moisture sensors. May contain traces of water and sunshine.

*Water and sunshine may vary state to state. Please see your local branch for more details.

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