^NEW YEAR DAWNS FOR 103-YEAR-OLD VALLEY RESIDENT@.

Byline: Tracy Valeri Community Columnist

Most of us are still trying to get over the shock of the new year, but Elsie Grant has seen more than 100 new years come and go.

Grant turned 103 on Jan. 3 and the centenarian celebrated with fellow residents and the staff of Rinaldi Convalescent Hospital in Granada Hills.

Grant's son-in-law, Walter Munk of Westlake Village, has known Grant for 60 years _ longer than he knew his own mother.

``In 1937 when I met her for the first time, I was an hour late for dinner because I was lost and when she opened the door, I called her by the name of the street I had been looking for,'' said Munk. ``She doesn't remember that I visited her yesterday, but she remembers that and we still laugh about it.''

Grant continued to live with Munk even after her daughter, Marjorie, died in 1988. Grant left when she became ill after a bout with pneumonia in 1992 and moved into the Rinaldi Convalescent Hospital a short time later.

Grant was born in Pennsylvania, the seventh of 14 children, and moved to Northridge with her husband, Louis, in 1966 to live with Walter and Marjorie.

She has three surviving siblings _ two sisters, 95 and 89, and a brother, 86 _ who still live in Pennsylvania.

Grant has two granddaughters, one great-grandson and one great-great-grandson.

Shana Ilyse Goffman, a 1997 transfer student from Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills to the University of California, Berkeley, has been awarded a $6,000 Chevron Scholarship.

The scholarship is given based on financial need, involvement in extracurricular activities and is awarded to academically eligible California students.

``This scholarship helps me out for the entire year,'' Goffman said from her parents' Tarzana home. ``It's rewarding to know that all of the hard work I put into keeping my grades up and making an effort to be active on campus paid off.''

Goffman, 24, graduated from Van Nuys High School and fulfilled her dream of becoming a ballet dancer by dancing with two prominent out-of-state ballet companies.

When she started college at 21, she achieved a 4.0 grade point average and served as a math tutor and a commissioner for the associated student organization, planning campus activities.

Goffman, who recently made the move to the Berkeley area, says she intends on majoring in mathematics and minoring in English in the upcoming spring semester.

Her future plans include graduate school.

The scholarships were established at Berkeley as part of Chevron Corp.'s $2.5 million ``The Promise of Berkeley _ Campaign for the New Century'' campaign.

Assemblyman Robert Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, will offer free classes on accessing California government through the Internet at Los Angeles Valley College.

``I want to bring government to the people,'' said Hertzberg. ``With this class and this manual, my constituents will be able to interact with their government any time day or night.''

The classes will focus on how to access California government once students get on the Internet. Everyone taking one of the classes will be given the manual ``Internet Guide to California Government.''

The classes will provide information on such topics as accessing Assembly and Senate bills, tracking legislation, researching votes and locating other government Web addresses and links.

The Internet guide can also be picked up free of charge at Hertzberg's District Office, 6150 Van Nuys Blvd., Suite 305, Van Nuys.

Four of the 1 1/2-hour classes will be offered Jan. 24:

Two will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Business/Journalism building, Room 105.

The other two will be from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Behavioral Sciences building, Room 101.

Seating is limited. To reserve a seat in one of the classes, call Hertzberg's office at [phone].

CAPTION(S):

PHOTO Elsie Grant, left, celebrates her 103rd birthday as friend Bar bara Schwebke lights a single candle on her cake at Rinaldi Convalescent Hospital.

Bob Halvorsen/Daily News