
Archive for September, 2009
NEW EMAIL ADDRESS
September 27, 2009National Day of Remembrance – September 25th
September 24, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: LaWanda Hawkins, 310-738-4218
Patricia Wenskunas, 949-872-7895
MEDIA ADVISORY
CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL JERRY BROWN, LOS ANGELES SHERIFF LEE BACA TO SPEAK AT NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE RALLY HONORING MURDER VICTIMS
FAMILIES OF CRIME VICTIMS MARCH TO HONOR SLAIN LOVED ONES; FORMER U.S. DIRECTOR OF OFFICE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME JOHN GILLIS, AND MARSY’S LAW CO-AUTHOR DR. HENRY T. NICHOLAS, III TO SPEAK; FALLEN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO BE REMEMBERED.
Friday, September 25, 11 a.m.
500 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles
BACKGROUND: At Los Angeles’ First Annual Day of Remembrance in Downtown Los Angeles, participants will join communities around the nation in honoring slain loved ones and fallen members of law enforcement (Friday marks the third National Day of Remembrance). For Californians it has been nearly a year since voters passed Marsy’s Law, a Constitutional Amendment that is the nation’s most comprehensive Victims’ Bill of Rights. Today, families and friends continue the fight for victims’ rights by uniting in solidarity. The rally is organized by Justice for Murdered Children (JFMC) founder LaWanda Hawkins in association with all Southern California Crime Victims’ organizations. Hawkins founded JFMC in 1996 after her only child, Reggie, was murdered.
EVENT: 11 a.m. Media interviews with LaWanda Hawkins and other Victims’ Rights leaders and event speakers.
11:30 a.m. Families carrying photos of slain loved ones will march across the Plaza courtyard. Booths of Victims’ Rights organizations that provide support, guidance and counseling for homicide survivors will be in the courtyard.
12 p.m. Speakers at the ceremony include:
• California Attorney General Jerry Brown
• Los Angeles Sheriff Lee Baca
• Former U.S. Director of Office for Victims of Crime John Gillis
• Marsy’s Law co-author and Broadcom Corporation founder, Dr. Henry T. Nicholas, III
DATE/TIME: September 25, 2009; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
LOCATION: 500 W. Temple St. Los Angeles, CA In the Plaza Area behind the Hall of Administration
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GOT CASH — WIN CASH
September 23, 2009TOP FINISHERS WIN CASH
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MEDIA ADVISORY
September 22, 2009
www.surviveandthriverunwalk.org
September 20, 2009
9/11 – Proud to be an American
September 10, 2009
Thanks To Our Sponsors
September 3, 2009
FACTS ABOUT SB 662 AND THE VCGCB
September 3, 2009- SB 662 (Yee) proposes to take $16.3 million from the Victims Compensation Program which will bankrupt the Restitution Fund and cut off services to thousands of victims of crime in California.
- The Senator proposes to transfer this money to help fund the Department of Public Health’s Domestic Violence Program that had its funding cut as part of the Governor’s line item veto.
- The Department of Public Health’s’ Domestic Violence Program has served California well – it’s a great program and the merit of the program is not being disputed.
- However, the California Victim Compensation Program already addresses domestic violence issues. In fact, 25% of the programs payouts go to domestic violence recipients.
- What Senator Yee is proposing will most certainly diminish the integrity of the Restitution Fun and take already committed funding from takes funding from a viable and well established program that has been serving victims of violent crimes since 1965.
- The fiscal information provided by Senator Yee is completely incorrect. In his recent press conference, Senator Yee claimed the Restitution Fund has a balance of over $136 million. The truth is the Budget Act of 2008 transfers $80 million out of the Restitution Fund. This fund has already been hit hard.
- If SB 662 is not stopped, the program will not be able to provide assistance to California’s victims beyond this fiscal year. Bankruptcy is certain and must be avoided.
- This proposal is not a viable solution. It merely steals funding from the program serving all victims of violent crime, including domestic violence. Despite the rhetoric, SB 662 is not the solution for California’s victims.
- The California Victim Compensation Program helps rebuild lives of millions of people, including victims of domestic violence. This type of fund robbery is careless without proper analysis and evaluation of what other programs will be effected.

