August 6, 2015
Eye on the City (Continued from page 4) Councilman Alex Padilla chimed in: “This is the new Inglewood folks. This isn’t the same Inglewood from a few years ago. These (advertising) companies were not knocking on our doors a few years ago.” Butts explained the ordinance does not require that a certain number of billboards be placed throughout the city, but provides flexibility to have them. The Inglewood Planning Commission will come up with parameters of what type of advertising is appropriate and present it to the council at a later date. A second public hearing considered an ordinance to amend regulations related to land use and signage. A staff member from Economic and Community Development said her department has “identified code provisions that need to be updated or are unnecessary.” Some signage does not comply with federal regulations and needs to be amended in order to continue receiving federal funds. Marquee signage in Inglewood, she said, would be restricted to live public events as opposed to private events. A very tearful and surprised Austin received a commendation from the City of Inglewood for her volunteer work with the Special Olympics. Austin assisted Team Jamaica during their visit. Inglewood was the host town for the 91-member delegation. “I want to thank the mayor especially,” Austin said. “You are the first mayor that has ever recognized the things I’ve done. No one ever appreciated it,” Austin said. “And Ralph (Councilman Franklin), the rest of you guys, and Melanie McDade, I want to thank you for loving me and caring about me.” A 41-year Inglewood resident complained that she wanted to pay for a service in the city and was told cash was not accepted. She had to go to the post office to get a money order. “Why do we have a cashier’s office on the first floor if they can’t take a payment?” she asked. A good question. Butts said he would look into it. Bill Widner wanted to know if the
Inglewood Today
council supports getting rent control in Inglewood. “There will be a lot of new rentals available and people would like to know about protection of some kind.” During closing remarks, Mayor Butts and council members each congratulated Austin and praised the work of Mari Morales and her back-toschool event. Morales is the founder of One For All (OFA), an Inglewood non-profit that provides social programs for youth. Programs emphasize character building and personal growth. “The kids were so excited to get their scholarships, and those who didn’t get scholarships got backpacks and things they could use for school,” Councilman George Dotson said. Padilla noted that the OFA “got tons of community support.” Butts thanked Councilman Ralph Franklin for representing Inglewood as a member of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments. “There are so many committees that I cannot participate in. Councilman Franklin (advocates) for such benefits as tax money that produces revenue so we can do things for our city,” he said. Some residents criticized the mayor and council for voting unanimously each week. Dotson defended their actions: “There is a lot of discussion before (we say) ‘aye, aye, aye.’ We are a unified front. That’s what makes this city great. You used to have council meetings that lasted all night long, what did it get you? This council— we love each other, that’s why we can work so well together.” Padilla said Mayor Butts was a man of integrity. To his critics, Butts responded: “You have never found one good thing that the city has done, you should do some introspection. Lord knows Ethel Austin and I don’t always agree, but her heart is pure and that’s why we recognized her. “This city has progressed and continues to progress. There are a number of people that would love to have cohesive leadership…We make no apology for that.”
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D at e s i n J U ly – Sep t e m b e r Through August 21, 2015 Inglewood Summer Day Camp Are you ready for summer? The City of Inglewood is offering great summer day camp experiences for youth ages 3-14. There are two sessions: June 29-July 24, 2015 and July 27-August 21, 2015. Camps will be held at Lockhaven Community Center, 11125 Doty Avenue; Siminski Park, 9717 Inglewood Avenue; Rogers Park, 400 West Beach Avenue; and Darby Park, 3400 West Arbor Vitae. Programs include Kiddie Camp designed for kids 3 to 5. Camp Discovery and Fun and Fitness are for youth ages 6-14. For details and registration information, visit www.cityofinglewood.org. Through September 7, 2015 Swimming at Edward Vincent Park The Edward Vincent Jr. Park pool will open on Wednesday, June 24 and close on Monday, September 7, 2015. The park is located at Centinela Avenue, just north of Florence Avenue. The swim program includes lessons for youth and adults, lap swimming, parent and me swimming, Know Your History, Preserve Your Future (Continued from page 5) in Section 4(b) of the VRA, which was used to determine the states and political subdivisions subject to Section 5 preclearance, was unconstitutional. Thus, while the Court did not invalidate the Section 5 preclearance mechanism in the VRA per se, it effectively halted its use by invalidating the formula that determined which places were subject to the preclearance obligation. Again, Amicus Curiae Briefs were filed in the U.S. Supreme Court for this case.
adult water aerobics and family swim nights. Costs range from $1 to $15 for Inglewood residents. Non-residents pay $20. For more information, and specific times, call (310) 412-8750. Ongoing Phonetic Reading Center Johnny Can Read Phonics Center in Inglewood invites families with 5 and 6 year-olds to practice their reading skills and go well beyond their grade levels in 30 to 60 days. The center is open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 6pm. There is a 30-minute free session to introduce parents to the program. Interested parents can call and schedule their free session at (310) 412-8750 or email funphonics48@yahoo.com. Get Fit at the Mall BFit offers you ways to get fit, have fun and live your life to the fullest. Join us for amazing free fitness classes at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza every week. Classes held on the Macy’s Bridge include: Zumba every Tuesday from 7:30-8:30pm; Cardio Kickboxing every Thursday from 7:00-8:00pm and Yoga every Saturday from 10:00-11:00am. Democracy is something we cannot take for granted and your vote is important to its preservation. Your vote strengthens our democracy and shares with the decision makers in local, state and federal elections, that your opinion matters and that “your vote counts.” If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the office of the Inglewood City Clerk at (310) 412-5280 or stop by and visit us at One Manchester, Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90301, across from the cashier on the first floor. My staff and I are there to assist you.