On the 5 January 2011 at the request of Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Koretz, the City Council unanimously agreed to adjourn its meeting early in memory of Don Van Vliet. The Councilmember also spoke at some length about Captain Beefheart, when making his adjourning motion.

Adjourning certificates are created following such an adjournment, to be sent to loved ones. In this case the certificate was passed to Gary Lucas (at his Beefheart Symposium on 13 January) for him to send on to Jan.