‘SHOCKED AND HEARTSICK’ ‘SHOCKED AND HEARTSICK’ over mass shooting in Monterey Park

MONTEREY PARK (Compton Bulletin)—The Lunar New Year celebration was halted in the midst of a terrifying shooting spree that took place late Saturday on Jan. 21.

The end result of this callous act of violence was a grand total of 20 people shot and leaving at least 11 of the victims deceased from the gunshot wounds they sustained.

“The reports coming out of Monterey Park are absolutely

Lynwood Unified Board members sworn in

LYNWOOD, CA.—Returning leaders of Lynwood Unified School District’s Board of Education took the oath of office during the board reorganization meeting on Dec. 15.

The ceremony began with a lively holiday performance from Firebaugh High School students and was followed by an overview on this year’s achievements, including the $250 million awarded by the state to rebuild Lynwood High School, increased COVID-19 support for staff and families and new social emotional learning tools for staff and students.

Board President Alfonso Morales, Esq., who has been serving on the board since 2005, was re-elected and sworn in by Superintendent Dr. Gudiel Crosthwaite. He was additionally recognized with a Certificate of Recognition as an outstanding board president on behalf of the office of Councilmember Nanette Barragán, newly elected city Mayor Oscar Flores and the office of Assemblymember Mike Gipson.

Gary Hardie Jr., appointed in 2014, was selected to serve as the new vice president of the board, and Dr. Alma Carina Castro, appointed in 2020, was selected as the new clerk.

Previous vice president Julian Del Real-Calleros, who has served on the board since 2021, will continue serv- n LUSD Board, see page 2 devastating. Families deserve to celebrate the holidays in peace— mass shootings and gun violence are a plague on our communities,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said. “As investigations determine whether these murders were motivated by Asian hate, we continue to stand united against all attempts to divide us. My heart goes out to Monterey Park and the families and friends of those lost.”

The individual allegedly to blame for the massing shooting is Huu Can Tran, a 72-year-old n Shooting, see page 7

City of Compton appoints new city clerk

By Allison Bracher

FCompton appointed Vernell McDaniels as the new city Clerk. McDaniels, who previously served as the chief deputy City Clerk, will replace longtime City Clerk Alita Godwin who retired earlier this month after over 40 years of service.

The appointment of McDaniels followed a debate among council members over the process of selecting a new city clerk.

Councilmembers Johnathan Bowers and Andre Spicer advocated for an application process, while Councilmember Deidre Duhart and Lillie Darden believed that McDaniels’ knowledge and experience within the office made her the best candidate for the job.

“This is not a council position. The city clerk’s position is not a learning position. They need to be qualified and have to already be in the office,” said Duhart. Councilmember Lillie Darden agreed. “This is not an on-thejob training type of job,” said Darden. “Ms. Vernell [already knows] how to conduct business in the office.”

Mayor Emma Shariff stressed the importance of having a city clerk in place and said that time constraints did not allow for an application process.

“Having someone in this seat who understands the process and what is happening in the city clerk’s office is extremely important,” she said.

The city charter allows the council 30 days to name a successor, but without an application process in place, the council would only have two weeks to develop and review applications before making an appointment.

Prior to the vote, McDaniels’ son, Wilbur, a 24-year servicemember currently serving at Fort Bragg, delivered heartfelt comments to the council emphasizing his mother’s commitment to public service.

“Our commitment [as a family] to public service is a direct reflection of my mom’s countless examples. My mother epitomizes leadership, integrity, and selfless service. She is always fair and impartial; she is decisive when making decisions that are complex. She’s the kind of leader that the city needs,” he said.

McDaniel’s appointment by a 5-0 vote was met with a standing ovation from the audience.

“I will serve this appointment with transparency and integrity and do evn Clerk, see page 7