AROUND THE VALLEYS

News and notes from around the greater San Fernando Valley area VENTURA COUNTY Camarillo Poverty: California State University at Channel Islands President Richard Rush appeared at the Global Social Business Summit in Germany to talk about the school’s new California Institute for Social Business. In his presentation Rush described the three emphases of the institute as curriculum; research on existing and prospective social businesses; and incubation of new ideas, promoted through a Social Business Plan Completion. The institute will officially open in fall 2011 and was created in conjunction with Muhammad Yunus, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and founder of Grameen Bank, the pioneer of micro-finance as a means to eradicate poverty. Cahuenga Pass Adult: Vivid Entertainment Founder and Co-Chairman Steven Hirsch will be the keynote speaker at the 2011 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas. Hirsch’s talk is titled, “Still on Top: How the Leading Adult Film company in the World Continues to Reinvent Itself.” The adult entertainment industry continues to evolve as it embraces new technology and business models, said show spokesperson Sean Devlin. “(The Expo) is pleased to present the head of the world’s leading adult film company and one of the most-recognized global brands, Vivid Entertainment, to remark on the changing adult market and discuss Vivid’s strategies to adapt,” Devlin said. SAN FERNANDO VALLEY Connect: Time Warner Cable Business Class recently completed an expansion of its coverage area to include an additional 125,000 serviceable businesses. The cable provider, the business-to-business arm of Time Warner Cable, installed fiber optic cable strand in 16 rings that create a reliable infrastructure for customers by delivering service continuously and eliminating outages in less than 50 milliseconds. Two of the rings service much of the San Fernando Valley. Business Class services include phone, Internet, Ethernet and cable television. Van Nuys Honor: Aviation businessman and pilot Clay Lacy received a resolution from the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners recognizing him for his accomplishments in aviation and at Van Nuys Airport. Lacy also received a framed resolution from the office of Councilman Tony Cardenas, whose district includes the airport, for his achievements. The resolutions cap a year in which Lacy has been honored. In July he was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame; and in October he received a Pathfinder Award at the Seattle Museum of Flight and the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration. Burbank Educate: The Hub TV Network has formed an independent advisory board of leading professionals to provide the network with insight regarding new research on the impacts to the health and safety of children. Dr. Helen Boehm, a noted educational psychologist and television industry specialist, will chair the board. There will initially be seven members with more to be added in 2011. The Hub Network is a joint venture between Discovery Communications and Hasbro Inc. for children’s and family programming. The network began airing in October. The value of the board to the network cannot be overstated, said President and CEO Margaret Loesch. “We have a unique opportunity to be a positive influence in children’s development and in their lives,” Loesch said. “The guidance of The Hub Advisory Board will enable us to become part of the solution, and make better informed and more insightful decisions about the content and presentation of our programs.” Woodland Hills Opinion: The Motion Picture & Television Fund, the not for profit health and social services provider to the entertainment industry, is surveying industry workers on the future needs the fund should provide. The 15-20 minute online survey reaches out broadly to more than 200,000 members of the entertainment industry, both active and retired, to solicit their input on a variety of topics. “We have been overwhelmed by the support for this survey from the guilds, unions, studios and other entertainment companies,” Beitcher said. “All of our partners are telling us the same thing: everyone who works in our industry stands to benefit by using the survey tool to let us know how we can better serve them now and in the future.” CONEJO VALLEY Agoura Hills Mobile: THQ Wireless Inc. is working with ngmoco to develop and co-publish Star Wars Imperial Academy exclusively for iPhone and iPod touch. In the game, players prove they are elite stormtrooper material as they compete against other Imperial Academy recruits in intense four-player death-match battles that take place across the Star Wars galaxy. “We’ve been inspired by the Star Wars films to raise the quality bar to a new high for Imperial Academy, which we’ve developed as a totally unique experience, combining a first-person shooter with the excitement of Star Wars for amazing mobile game play,” said Adam Comiskey, Vice President, THQ Wireless. Thousand Oaks Sunshine: California Lutheran University unveiled a solar-power fountain designed and built by its students on Dec. 15. The fountain includes a handcrafted waterwheel that uses hydropower and a 245-watt solar module donated by SolarWorld USA, based in Camarillo. The landscape fountain is the latest green project undertaken by the CLU community. Other projects include a community garden, the LEED-certified Swenson Center for the Social and Behavioral Sciences, and the elimination of food trays and introduction of biodegradable packaging and organically grown food on campus. ANTELOPE VALLEY Lancaster Speaker: Ingrid Chapman has been named as the mistress of ceremonies for the 39th Business Outlook Conference taking place at the Poppy Pavilion at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds on Feb. 18. Chapman is founder of Chapman Communications, a public relations firm located in Palmdale. She serves on the executive committee of the Antelope Valley Board of Trade, the Lancaster Museum and Art Gallery, and is past board chairman of the Antelope Valley Chambers of Commerce. The conference theme of “Navigating Change” was suggested by Chapman because businesses must find ways to stay creative and deal with constant change Keynote speakers at the outlook conference are Howard Putnam, an executive in the airline industry, and Ken Carter, a former high school basketball coach portrayed in the feature film, “Coach Carter. Arts: A youth sculpture exhibition took place on Dec. 11 at the Lofts Gallery in downtown Lancaster. The exhibit was sponsored by InSite Development, the developer that has done much of the work in downtown, and the Housing Corporation of America. Local artists Michael Davis and Nuri Amanatullah worked with residents ages seven years to 28 years old from two Antelope Valley affordable housing communities during the 10-week program to design, create, and paint three-dimensional busts of a person, animal or creature. The students also learned about financial literacy practices, a signature piece of InSite and HCA programs. – Compiled by Mark R. Madler