TAKING BITE OUT OF BIGOTRY : LEADERS PROMOTE HOTLINE AGAINST CRIMES OF HATRED.Byline: Romy Jacobson Daily News Staff Writer Three billboards warning ``Not in Our Valley'' demonstrate commitment to wipe out hate crimes, 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 civic leaders said Friday. Bearing the 888-AT-PEACE telephone number for the valley's 24-hour Hate Crime Hotline, the billboards have been erected on Sierra Highway Sierra Highway is a road in Southern California, United States. It runs from Tunnel Station near the north limit of the City of Los Angeles, where it intersects with San Fernando Road and Foothill Boulevard, as well as Interstate 5, and continues north to Mojave, mostly paralleling , Palmdale Boulevard and Avenue I. ``Hate is a cancer and needs to be eradicated,'' said 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 , one of more than two dozen officials and others who attended an unveiling ceremony at the billboard on Sierra Highway. The billboards are part of the three-year-old Antelope Valley Human Relations human relations npl → relaciones fpl humanas Task Force's campaign against crimes inspired by bigotry Bigotry See also Anti-Semitism. Beaumanoir, Sir Lucas de prejudiced ascetic; Grand Master of Templars. [Br. Lit.: Ivanhoe] Bunker, Archie middle-aged bigot in television series. . Also planned are public-education programs in schools, forums and in the media and cooperative programs The Cooperative Program is a unified funds collection program of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) designed to support SBC seminaries, mission agencies and denominational ministries. in community organizations and churches. ``It is important that this effort takes place,'' said Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford Jr., ``We want to make sure that we're pro-active.'' The task force was formed after several hate crimes in the valley. Authorities said work by law-enforcement officers and others has contributed to a decline in hate crimes, from 14 last year to seven so far this year. Ron Wakabayaski, director of the 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 Human Relations Commission, said the Antelope Valley's anti-hate campaign is one of the most extensive he has seen. ``It was a real hot spot, and we've seen a change in the statistics,'' added FBI Special Agent Leane Blevins. ``We've made great strides in the last year,'' said Darren Parker, the Antelope Valley Human Relations Task Force chairman. The toll-free hotline is operated by volunteers trained by the county commission. Each call will be logged in and information will be forwarded to the local task force and county commission. Hotline organizers emphasized that callers should first telephone the Sheriff's Department at 911 in an emergency. The task force meets the third Monday of each month, rotating between Lancaster and Palmdale, and meetings are open to the public. Those interested in attending meetings or working as hotline volunteers can call 1-888-AT-PEACE for more information. ``We need to join together for the cause against anything that is going to hurt our valley,'' said Lancaster Vice Mayor Henry Hearns. ``We do care and we do love. That's the way our valley will grow.'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (color in Verb 1. color in - add color to; "The child colored the drawings"; "Fall colored the trees"; "colorize black and white film" color, colorise, colorize, colour in, colourise, colourize, colour AV only) Touting a billboard for a hate-crimes hotline are, from left, Antelope Valley Human Relations Task Force Chairman Darren Parker, sheriff's Capt. Joe Hladky and Lancaster Vice Mayor Henry Hearns. Jeff Goldwater/Daily News |
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