COMMUNITY NEWS BRIEF:

Santa Monica Rent Control in it’s 30th YearApril 10 will signify the 30th anniversary of Santa Monica Rent Control. Rent control was created during the late 70’s when Santa Monica experienced a huge boom in real estate, which in effect made it difficult for many Santa Monica residents to make rent. Today Santa Monica currently has 30,000 controlled units with a little more then 2/3 of the residents in the city being renters. Santa Monica was the first of many cities in California to pass rent control policies. * * * *U.S. EPA launches National Cell Phone Recycling Week: April 6-12As part of its efforts to celebrate Earth Day during the entire month of April, the U.S Environmental Protection Agency has launched National Cell Phone Recycling Week, April 6 through April 12. This joint effort between EPA’s Plug-In to eCycling program and leading cell phone manufacturers, retailers, and service providers will increases national awareness about the importance of cell phone recycling. If Americans recycled the 100 million cell phones that are no longer being used, enough energy would be saved to power more than 18,500 homes for a year. To celebrate National Cell Phone Recycling Week, Plug-In partners across the country, including AT&T, Samsung, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless, are introducing a series of in-store promotions, contests, and giveaways. The partners will provide in-store and online recycling opportunities for consumers. To find more cell phone recycling centers go to www.erecycle.org.* * * *A Fight for the Parkinson’s Cure On Sunday April 26, there will be a Beach Brigade Walk-a-thon. Hundreds of people will join together in their fight for a cure during the Parkinson’s Beach Brigade Walk-a-thon in Santa Monica. This Walk-a-thon will raise awareness and funds for Parkinson’s disease research. The two-mile walk, fair, and educational expo provides an opportunity for the Los Angeles community to come together to celebrate and recognize the more than one million Americans who along with their families and friends, are affected by Parkinson’s disease. Registration is $25 and participants are encouraged to fundraise by obtaining sponsorships from family and friends.To receive more information on Parkinson’s disease and the Parkinson’s Beach Brigade, or to lend support and donate, please visit www.ParkinsonsBeach Brigade.org or call 818.486.2111.