San Fernando Valley roundup: Carmageddon improves air quality, Federal school grants come with strings and candidates prepare for local races

Good morning, readers. Today is Sunday, September 30. It’s the last day of the month. We’re getting close to the November election.

At this point, you’ve probably decided on a presidential candidate, but what about local races? Who’s running and what measures are on the ballot? Daily News has a handy election guide for Valley dwellers.

Millions of dollars in federal education grants are up for grabs, but with a caveat: Schools must use student test scores in teacher evaluations. Is it a fair assessment of a teacher’s performance? Glendale News-Press

Early Saturday morning, burglars stole prescription drugs from a Walgreens pharmacy. Glendale News-Press

If Carmageddon occurred every weekend, would the air smell better? UCLA researchers (no doubt affected by the closure themselves) say the freeway closure this weekend dramatically affected levels of pollution. L.A. Observed

So how is Carmageddon II affecting the Valley? Around my neighborhood, in Studio City and North Hollywood, restaurants and stores were noticably more crowded. But a hotel manager in Sherman Oaks says he hasn’t seen more visitors than usual. L.A. Now

-- Tiffany Kelly, Times Community News

Follow me on Google+ or on Twitter @LATiffanyKelly