Valley
Block to Secede
From Other Valley Block
by George Wolfe
WOODLAND HILLS – The 3500 block of Woodland
Hills Avenue has declared its intent to secede from the 3600 block
of the same street.
After voters failed to endorse the hotly contested secession of
the San Fernando Valley from greater Los Angeles, residents of this
block took matters into their own hands.
This latest twist represents the first micro-secession to hit the
Southland.
Leading the "3500 Block United" movement is Bernie Nickelbur,
a lawyer who's also a block resident. "Just because the valley
didn't suceed at the polls doesn't mean we have to suffer the same
fate. We just want to be able to govern ourselves. It's as American
as apple pie."
Asked if his movement suggested a gripe with
his neighbors, Nickelbur said, "Look, a lot of us on our block
simply relate to one other in a way that we don't with the folks
on the 3600 block. Basically, it's a different set of values.
"We prize our homes and our neighborhood.
We keep our lawns trimmed, our houses painted, our cars washed,
and we clean up after ourselves — if, say, we're walking our
dogs in front of someone else's house. But I don't want to sling
mud, so let's leave it at that, okay?"
"Look, a lot of us on our block simply relate
to one other in a way that we don't with the folks on the 3600 block.
Basically, it's a different set of values."
— Bernie
Nickelbur, block leader
Nickelbur defended his block's position, clarifying
that, "We get along fine with the 3700 block, and even the
3800 block — but those two blocks just felt it wasn't right
for them to push for all-out secession. That's their choice and
so they'll have to sleep in that bed."
Asked how the block would attend to the day-to-day
matters of managing their block as a separate entity, Nickelbur
added, "We're an amazingly diverse group of people. Very talented.
If we need police, Jim Johnson, over at 3520, used to work as a
private investigator. If we have a problem with fire, we've got
a guy over at 3581 who used to serve with the Oxnard volunteer fire
department. We've got a few exceptional housewives who've agreed
to do home-schooling. And as far as city administration is concerned,
my wife used to work as an administrative assistant many years ago.
It's definitely happening. If we're unified in this, there's nothing
we can't do."
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