LANCASTER DEPENDENCY COURT OPENS CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUND.Byline: John Sanders John Sanders is the name of
Children waiting for court hearings in the Antelope Valley's 21-month-old dependency court now have a place to play, thanks to local businesses and a service club. Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich Michael Dennis Antonovich (born 1939 in Los Angeles, California) is a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors representing the Fifth District, which covers northern Los Angeles County, the Antelope, Santa Clarita, Pasadena, and parts of the San Fernando and San , presiding Juvenile Court juvenile court Special court handling problems of delinquent, neglected, or abused children. Two types of cases are processed by a juvenile court: civil matters, often concerning care of an abandoned or impoverished child, and criminal matters, arising from antisocial Judge Michael Nash and other officials were on hand Monday morning to dedicate the $150,000 play area, created through donations and volunteer labor from Rotary Club members, Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley Bank, Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is an aerospace and defense conglomerate that is the result of the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company is the third largest defense contractor for the U.S. and Home Depot The Home Depot (NYSE: HD) is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services. Headquartered in Vinings, just outside Atlanta in unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia, Home Depot employs more than 355,000 people and operates 2,164 big-box stores in Palmdale and Lancaster. ``Court can be a very intimidating place, not only for the children but for their families when they come in,'' said Paul Freedlund, deputy director of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. ``So to create an environment that is very child-friendly and does not provide that level of intimidation I think is very important in helping them to relax to be more appropriate in court.'' The playground, which includes swings, slides, and walkways and bars to climb on, was built in a walled enclosure adjoining the Antelope Valley juvenile dependency court. Inside the court building is an area called ``shelter care,'' where children can watch movies, play video games, read, play with dolls and play games. The court oversees children who are removed from their homes because of suspected abuse and neglect. It opened in September 1997 in the building that had formerly been the Antelope Valley sheriff's station, saving families the trip to the main dependency court in Monterey Park. ``There are a significant number of cases that come from the Antelope Valley that involve abuse and neglect of children,'' said Nash. ``To make those children and those families have to travel the 75 miles to the children's court in Monterey Park is almost abuse and neglect in and of itself. We're happy to accommodate the community and give it what it needs.'' The playground was specifically designed as a safe refuge for children who find themselves thrust into the adult world of courts and hearings, Antonovich said. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (Color) Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich speaks at Monday's playground dedication. Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News |
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