The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 58

B2 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1995 LOS ANGELES TIMES- Getting Involved Arleta N. Hollywood San Fernando Sunland-Tujunga Universal City Lake View Terrace Pacoima Sherman Oaks Sun Valley Valley Village Mission Hills Panorama City Studio City Sylmar VanNuys MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY Girls Hear of Choices Better Than Alcohol SYLMAR $25,000 Offered in Search for Woman Hoping to spark new leads in the stalled search for a Sylmar woman who disappeared last month after a trip to a Laundromat, Los Angeles police and City Council members Monday an Nevarez was spotted at a thrift store in the mini-mall where the Laundromat is located at about 3:30 p.m., about the time she should have picked up her son from school. Her Chevrolet Nova was found at 4:30 p.m. in the parking lot along with spatters of blood near the rear of the vehicle. Nevarez's purse was found under her car, with $120 in cash inside and nothing apparently stolen, family members said.

Her laundry was found washed and inside the trunk. Police detectives have contacted coroner's offices in surrounding counties, notified the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and interviewed area residents, but to no avail, they said. "We just pray that somebody knows something, that they'll see the money offered, and something will come up," Tanya Nevarez said Monday. "The detectives say they have nothing new, so far." Nevarez was last seen wearing a black sweats outfit. Anyone with information should call Detective Frank Bishop at (818) 834-3110.

-TIM MAY amended to include a fence around the park for an additional $31,900. But Jane Purse, 82, a member of Park Watch's leadership, and others decried the work after contractor management problems and severe rainstorms caused lengthy delays. The 60-day contract began in August, and work on the first phase should have been completed in November, parks officials said. But in January open trenches and other signs of labor in progress continued to mar the park's landscape. After heated discussion at a meeting last week, parks commissioners ordered a temporary halt to the work until the problems could be resolved.

On Friday, city officials decided to delete certain components of the project. "We've asked the contractor not to pour any more concrete," said Julie Riley, a landscape architect with the parks department. "We've also directed them not to install the water fountain, not to pour the concrete for a mow strip beneath the fence and not to pour a concrete landing for the steps." Purse and others said the problems could have been avoided if members of ParkWatch had been consulted when the improvements were being planned. -TIM MAY STUDIO CITY Some Dog Park Improvements Axed Attempting to appease angry community members who say a protracted, city financed project has mangled the pastoral, canyon-bed setting of Laurel Canyon Park, the Los Angeles parks department has directed its contractor to skip some planned improvements and finish the work as quickly as possible. The move was viewed as a victory for members of Park Watch, a group of area residents who fought 20 years ago to establish the city's first off-leash dog exercise area at the park in the Hollywood Hills above Studio City.

The ParkWatch group also lobbied successfully against efforts to install tennis courts and a running track there in the early 1980s. Last year, the department launched an $86,224 improvement project using voter -approved recreation funds. The first work undertaken was to include a water fountain, steps from the parking lot into the grassy park area, curbing and signs. The contract was later By ED BOND SPECIAL TO THE TIMES The philosophy of the Valley Women's Center in Tarzana in its battle against alcoholism and the abuse of women is simple. "We feel that prevention is going to go a lot further than treatment," said Carolee Newman, community relations coordinator for the group, founded almost 20 years ago when women with these problems had fewer allies.

The center acts nounced a $25,000 reward for information on her whereabouts. "We just hope that it will work," said Tanya Nevar-ez, 20, whose mother, Sandra Nevarez, vanished under suspicious circumstances Jan. 17. At about 7:45 Sandra Nevarez a.m. on that day, Nevarez, a 41-year-old mother of four, left home, dropped her son off at school and went to a coin-operated laundry in the 13200 block of Gladstone Street.

as a public information and referral service and offers counseling, support groups, outreach and community presentations to try to inform women about their options regarding alcoholism and Carolee Newman TPS Photos by ALICIA WAGNER Los Angelet Time Frank Sheftel prepares a custom-made chocolate heart at his company, the Candy Factory. Neil Wythe removes thorns from roses and Debbie Glebocki takes a telephone order at A Touch of Romance Flower Shop in Sherman Oaks. Valentine's Day a Busy, but Sweet Holiday for Merchants the violence that often accompanies the disease. "We feel that women with self-esteem are much less likely to be a co-dependent in an alcoholic relationship," Newman said. A co-dependent is one who allows or helps a person engaging in self-destructive acts, such as drinking, to continue the acts as a part of their relationship.

On a recent afternoon, Newman took her message to San Fernando Middle School, where she met with about 20 teen-age girls in a small room off the auditorium. The students talked guardedly about what they would do if they were being abused, ridiculed or hurt. "I didn't expect anyone to come out with any real confessions," Newman said. "That's really too personal. You don't know me." The girls talked in generalities, such as about what they might do if they were being abused.

Newman underscored the point that alcohol and violence are often related. A man may strike a woman because of his drinking and, worse, the woman may see drinking as her only option, too. Newman told the students that if they have a problem with abuse or alcohol, they are not powerless. "There is always a choice," she said. If the students come away with one message, she added, "that is what I want you to know." Newman said there are alternatives to an abusive relationship caused by drinking, including counseling, calling the police or turning to a shelter for battered women.

The Valley Women's Center, on Corbin Avenue in Tarzana, was founded in 1976 by Norma Ehrlich, who had seen her cousin die from alcoholism. The center operates with only two full-time employees. Volunteers run the center's office and make referrals for women who call in for help. Through the center, women can get into a 12-step recovery program, obtain family counseling or become involved in "Weekends for Women," an educational retreat program for women worried about their drinking or that of a loved one. The center is also starting a new volunteer association that will organize Sober Socials, nonalcoholic gatherings like bowling, theater outings or parties.

Information on volunteering: (818) 757-2188. The Burbank Family YMCA needs volunteer tutors to teach adults to speak, read and write English. Training is provided during a four-week period. The next training session begins March 18. Information: (818) 845-8551.

Valley Presbyterian Hospital's Volunteer Services Department needs retired pharmacists or pharmacy technicians to volunteer in the hospital's pharmacy. Information: Anne Fastlggi, the volunteer director, (818) 902-2932. The Valley Storefront Multiservice Center for Seniors is looking for volunteers to instruct seniors in a variety of subjects such as astrology, improvisa-tional comedy, photography or indoor gardening. Classes are one hour once a week. To schedule an interview with Judy Raffel, activities director: (818) 984-1380.

Getting Involved is a weekly listing of volunteering opportunities. Please address prospective listings to Getting Involved, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie Chatsworth, 91311. Or fax them to (818) 772-3338. Frank Sheftel. "This is the most romantic time though," he said.

But not for himself. "I have no significant other," Sheftel said, "but I am looking. However, whoever I do meet must like chocolate." Meanwhile, across town at the Love Boutique in Tarzana, it was lingerie, sex toys and other strictly adult fare that was packing them in. "People know we're the Valentine's Day headquarters," said store owner Judy Levy, between greeting customers. "This is a place where you can ask questions about the things we sell, where everyone feels comfortable, men and women." "Valentine's Day is a day where a little more risk can be taken," she said, explaining the number of shoppers buying lotions, oils, and other sensuality enhancing items in the store.

"It's a day that society gives its OK to for expressions of love." -TIMOTHY WILLIAMS if fJj lew -rT3 JfX it Candy maker Adrian Solano's relationship with chocolate is strictly pla-tonic. Flower shop employee Neil Wythe's hands sometimes get pricked when he tries to remove the thorns from long-stemmed roses. And the owner of the Love Boutique wishes every day was Valentine's Day. Still, for Valley merchants dealing sweets, flowers and lingerie, the rainy Monday before Valentine's Day wasn't so bad: For example, as a friend of Neil's pointed out, each thorn in the finger led to another finished bouquet. "In the 24 hours before Valentine's Day, we won't be sleeping," said Neil's boss, John Glebocki, owner of A Touch of Romance Flower Shop in Sherman Oaks.

"There will be somewhere between 350 and 400 people stopping in today. It's going to be crazy." To prepare for the expected Valentine's Day massacre, Neil, 17, and his best friend, Cayden Matthes, 16, spent most of the day sitting on plastic buckets, scraping thorns from roses. Not a great way to spend a day, they agreed, but not so terrible either. "There's always pretty women around a flower shop," said Neil, smiling. His friend nodded.

"And of course, we can always get flowers for Valentine's Day, if we need to. Girls like that." Over at the Candy Factory in North Hollywood, Adrian Solano may spend 40 hours a week making chocolate goodies, but that doesn't mean he has to eat the stuff. "No, I don't like it too much," he said. "Even before I started here, I didn't eat it much." But certainly Solano plans on taking some home to his girlfriend, doesn't he? "Naw," he replied. "She doesn't need it.

Makes you fat." All around him were stacked Impound solid chocolate hearts, boxes with a dozen chocolates shaped like long-stemmed roses, chocolate bars, chocolate nuggets, white chocolate, mint chocolate, orange chocolate, molds for chocolate and more. Even chocolate-covered potato chips. And as busy as Valentine's Day is at the small operation on Riverside Drive, the holiday ranks only third behind Easter and Christmas as a chocolate-buying holiday, said the shop's owner. School Official Plans Town Hall Meeting Los Angeles school board member Mark Slavkin will conduct a town hall meeting Feb. 22 in Woodland Hills.

Discussion topics will include the progress of reforms in the Los Angeles Unified School District, proposals for local control of schools and other topics. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at Serrania Avenue Elementary School, 5014 Serrania Ave. Slavkin also will conduct a town hall meeting March 22 at Marquez Charter Elementary School in Pacific Palisades. More information is available by calling (213) 625-6387.

High Schoolers Train as Peer Counselors Armed with messages against drugs and gangs, scores of Cleveland High School youths have set out to counsel school they want to go to," Mitchell said, adding that some of the students are returning to the lower-grade schools they once attended. The Cleveland students will pair up to visit classrooms at least four times a semester at Northridge and Sutter middle schools; Winnetka, Melvin Avenue, Cantara Street, Blythe Street and Napa Street elementary schools; and Miller High, a special education school. Local anti-drug organizations such as El Proyecto del Barrio and the San Fernando Valley Partnership will help teach the Cleveland students how to talk to younger kids about drugs and gangs. -MAKI BECKER their younger counterparts at neighboring elementary and junior high schools. About 120 Cleveland students volunteered to be peer counselors and began their training Thursday, Principal Ann Mitchell said.

In three weeks, the teen-agers will head out to the seven campuses that feed into Cleveland, as well as to a nearby high school for special education students. Mitchell said the young counselors will visit classrooms and speak on four drug abuse prevention, alcohol and tobacco prevention, violence prevention and school dropout prevention. "Each volunteer) got to select which.