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Including Inglewood Airport Area • Baldwin Hills • Crenshaw/LA • Ladera Heights VOL. 22, No. 47

November 21, 2013

Oprah on Obama and the Race Issue

prah Winfrey says that President Barack Obama has been the victim of racism and that the ongoing issue of prejudice is generational. Like the Israelites in the Bible who remained stuck in the wilderness until the older generation died off, Winfrey said, older people “just have to die” before racism can end. In an interview with BBC to promote Winfrey’s movie, “The Butler,” the Queen of Talk and staunch Obama supporter said there are still “generations of people, older people, who were born and bred and marinated in it, in that prejudice and racism.” Winfrey used the illustration of Republican Congressman Joe Wilson yelling “liar” during a 2009 speech Obama was giving to Congress. “Just the level of disrespect,” she said. “When the senator yelled out, ‘You’re a liar.’ Remember that? Yeah, I think that there is a level of disrespect for the office that occurs, and that occurs in some cases, and maybe

On The Inside: • News • Community • Entertainment • Health • Real Estate • Business

Inglewood to Receive $7 Million

even many cases, because he’s African-American.” She was quick to point out, however, that “It would be foolish to not recognize that we have evolved in that we’re not still facing the same kind of terrorism against black people en masse as was displayed with the Scottsboro boys. It’s gotten better,” she said. “…There are laws that have allowed us to progress beyond what we saw in the Scottsboro boys and beyond even the prejudice we see in ‘The Butler.’”

Oprah Winfrey The movie tells the story of Cecil Gaines, an African American man who served as a White House butler for eight different presidents. “One of my favorite scenes in the movie is him going in and asking for the raise. I think that it’s one of the finest acting jobs I’ve ever seen,” Winfrey said. “So, problem solved?” BBCs Will Gompertz asked “I’m saying problem not solved,” Winfrey replied. “That’s the beauty of a film like ‘The Butler,’ is it allows people to see where the

ongresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Inglewood) congratulated Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) and the City of Inglewood on reaching an agreement on $7.07 million in funding for noise mitigation efforts in Inglewood. The agreement will provide funding to continue soundproofing residences in the City of Inglewood from the noise of aircraft utilizing root of the problem start- Los Angeles International ed. They say that’s how it Airport (LAX). started, and this is how far we’ve come…(But) as long as we can still be judged by the color of our skin, the problem is not solved.” Right-wingers immediately chimed in on Winfrey’s comments about Obama and race. Noel Sheppard, who is white, wrote on the conservative media watchdog Maxine Waters site NewsBusters: “Why do “I am very pleased that folks such as her only see racism through the prism of LAWA and the City of In(Continued on page 11) glewood have reached this agreement for noise mitigation for our constituents,” said Congresswoman Waters. “Although Inglewood has previously received noise mitigation funds, not all residents were covered and many have been waiting ment rates among this for years for upgrades to regroup, the sacred youth duce noise in their homes.” demo just may be more “Over the years, dissecular. cussions with Gina Marie Youth runs the world, Lindsey, LAWA’s Chief we get that. In Holly- Executive Officer, have wood, it’s called age- been fruitful and the work ism, a term used to de- of Inglewood’s city ofscribe the discrimination ficials has all led to this against older women meaningful agreement,” (Continued on page 2) (Continued on page 7)

Is 18-34 Still the Way to Go?

By Thomas Bunn

t’s been a general consensus for retailers, businesses, and especially marketers over the years to target the “Ark of The Demographic” 18-34 age group. With the shift in the economy, record high $1 trillion dollar student loan debt, and inflated unemploy-

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Inglewood Today

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Everybody’s Talkin’ By Veronica Mackey

A new feature about topics in the news to get you involved in the conversation.

Where Were You When You Got the News?

riday, Nov. 22 will mark the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. The impact of that day is etched so clearly in the minds of those old enough to remember that it transcends time. I was in school and remember hearing the news over the intercom. I knew it was something important because the intercom was only used for important announcements. The principal said the flag would be raised at “half staff” in honor of the president, though none of us kids knew what that meant. It was the first time I’d ever heard the word “assassination.” When I came home from school, I began to slowly understand how far reaching the news was, though it would be years before I fully understood the politics. I ran into the room where my daycare provider was, and announced what I’d heard as if my school had been privy to some secret information. “I know,” she said sadly. The television was on with reporters and police cars, and scores of people crying everywhere. I watched, with eyes glued to the black and white screen for what seemed like hours. My mother told me Kennedy was the first president she had ever voted for. It was such a sad moment. I worried about Caroline and John Jr., who were around my age, and what it would mean for them. By the time they arrested Lee Harvey Oswald, and then he was killed by Jack Ruby, I was totally confused. What was going on with the grown-ups? Why was everybody killing everybody? Up until this point, I had been shielded from violence. It was something I only saw on television or in the movies. And now here it was, right in my face, in real time. Our real president, had been killed in broad daylight, despite swarms of security agents surrounding him. It was a fateful event, made even more significant when juxtaposed against another president who was also assassinated—Abraham Lincoln. It just so happens that this week is also the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s famous Gettsyburg Address. History points to other uncanny similarities between the two presidents: • Both were assassinated on Fridays

• Lincoln’s secretary was named Kennedy and Kennedy’s secretary was named Lincoln • Both assassins were themselves killed before they could be brought to trial • Both were succeeded by men named Johnson Movies, books and a whole lot of conspiracy theories have been made about the assassinations in the years that have followed. Everyone has their opinions and it’s hard to say what really happened. In Oliver Stone’s “JFK,” a man asks who really killed Kennedy. The other man replies, “Who didn’t?” We may never really know the answer, but we’ll always remember what it felt like that fateful day in November. I’d like to hear from those of you old enough to remember John F. Kennedy. Where were you when you got the news? Drop me a line at veronica@inglewoodtoday.com. Your comment may be published in Inglewood Today and is subject to editing. Last week, I asked the question: “Should street food vending be legalized?” Barbara Dell Hobbs writes: “I think that street food vending should be legal for more than one reason. First, legalizing street food vending will make life more difficult for drug dealers who allegedly use street food vending to sabotage illegal drug deals. Second, street food vending will make life a little more economical to benefit those individuals who cannot afford to eat out at restaurants.” Joi L. Aldridge said, “I do feel that the vendor must obtain proper permits from the City as well as permits from the County of Los Angeles Public Health Department. Health and safety should be the first and foremost concern. And if all City and County requirements are met…..let’s eat ‘em up and let the vendors get paid!”

Is 18-34 Still the Way to Go? (Continued from page 1) and how they are pushed aside for young starlets to keep the testosterone levels in the theaters high. Sex is youthful, and Lord knows America sells a ton of that to our audiences. That being said, targeting the young impressionable minds has always proved to be the wise thing to do. However, research is showing that the Great Recession has left a lot of our young people without jobs and disposable income, turning us into frugal old kids. With 54% of Americans between 18 and 24 employed, young adults are more prone to live at home with mom and dad, which translates to a lack of motivation, a lack of professional skill, and a lack of interest in the country’s economy. So, it makes perfect sense why American businesses would slowly begin to shy away from this demographic—they simply wouldn’t care to buy. There have been several articles in relation to this topic, such as “Move Out of Your Parents’ House” and “Save The Economy.” The articles give a critique on youth culture in America since the 1980’s, and shows how, since the dawn of the Internet Age, Generation Y has become “Generation Why Bother?” I beg to differ. The Internet has created a booming industrial revolution that is still being discovered as we speak. There are more young millionaires and billionaires than there have ever been, thanks to the Internet. We are in an age of innovation and technological advancement so high, that 10-year olds from India are becoming computer programmers and developing sites that help their country’s economic infrastructures. So the Internet is not why Gen Y’ers are having such a hard time. Capitalism has become a practically deregulated economic system. More and more companies spend more and more money on lobbyists and lawyers that exploit loopholes and play backdoor politics with promises of campaign contributions. This allows the CEOs to outsource industrial jobs to foreign countries to operate at substantially less overhead. The Internet has led to the discovery of these truths, and young people are choosing not to participate and create their own jobs, as research supports that more than 50% of people claim that they know an entrepreneur. I still believe that the sacred demographic is 18-34 year-olds because this is a period of great selfdiscovery for us. We are coming out of our naiveté and into the actualization of our self-knowledge. During this time we explore and experiment, which leads to breakthroughs, and critical masses. Look at Silicon Valley, look at what young people are doing in New York. Los Angeles has had a multitude of youthful culture swells in the past decade. (Continued on page 10)

November 21, 2013

President/Publisher/ Editor Willie Brown Vice President Gloria Kennedy Assistant Editor Veronica Mackey Contributing Writers Veronica Mackey Thomas Bunn Brooke Stanley Staff Photographer Thomas Bunn PRODUCTION Manager Dené Glamuzina Quality Control Manager Gloria Kennedy Inglewood Today Weekly is a legally

adjudicated newspaper of public cir culation, published weekly by Ads Up Advertising, Inc. News and press releases may be submitted for consideration by mail to 9111 La Cienega Boulevard, Suite 100, Inglewood, CA 90301 or by email to itnetworks@msn.com.

You can reach us at 310-670-9600 or by fax 310-338-9130 www.inglewoodtoday.com The artistic contents of Inglewood Today Weekly are copyrighted by Ads Up Advertising, Inc. and permission to reprint any article herein must be obtained in writing from the Publisher. Display Advertising 310-670-9600 X107 Classified Advertising 310-670-9600 X104 Subscription Information Subscriptions are available by mail for $100.00 per year. Home Delivery may not be available in all areas, or gated communities.

We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think about local issues. Letters should be addressed “To the Editor” and include your name, address and phone number. (Only your name and city will be published.) Email: itnetworks@msn.com Online: www.inglewoodtoday.com Mail: 9111 La Cienega Blvd., Suite 100, Inglewood, CA 90301 Fax: 310.338.9130 Letters may be edited for clarity or length. Not all letters will be published. Submission of a letter to the editor constitutes permission to publish the letter in the printed version of Inglewood Today Weekly and on www.inglewoodtoday.com.

November 21, 2013

Inglewood Today

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Financial Planning for Individuals – Safeguarding Against Fraud and Identity Theft By Curtis Flannigan Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager, Union Bank, N.A.

ccording to the U.S. Department of Justice, nearly 12 million Americans have their identities used fraudulently each year with financial losses totaling approximately $21 billion in 2013. Identity thieves don’t just steal money; they often steal your credibility and their actions can jeopardize your financial future. Following is information about financial planning for individuals, and is fourth in a four-part financial planning series. Guard Your Identity Identity theft occurs when someone uses information, such as your name, Social Security number, or credit card number without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes.

Curtis Flannigan Web sites where scammers may capture sensitive information (“phishing”) if you try to log in. If you receive a suspicious email, call the company in question, but do not use phone numbers supplied in the email.

• “Synthetic identity theft” is the • Medical identity theft can happen fastest growing type of fraud acwhen somebody gains access to counting for 80 to 85 percent of your medical identity by stealing all identity fraud. Synthetic fraud insurance cards or other docuis when somebody steals real inments. This can result in incurred formation, such as your Social medical bills for services you Security number, and combines didn’t receive, inaccurate informait with a fake name, phone numtion entered in your medical file, ber or address to create a new or denial of health and life insurand different identity. Since the ance coverage. Always pay close fraudulent accounts are not in attention to your medical bills and your name, they often go undeexplanation of benefits (EOB) tected, while a sub file is attached statements and look for discrepto your main credit file which ancies. Keep your insurance cards may impact your credit rating. in a safe place and shred sensitive medical documents when they are Check your credit report every no longer needed. year and review your bank and credit card statements regular- Recovering from Identity ly. Be diligent about shredding Fraud sensitive documents before you If you do become a victim of discard them. Keep personal in- identity theft, there are steps you formation in a secure place, and can take to recover. Immediately don’t carry your Social Secu- contact the three major credit burity card in your wallet or write reaus and place a “Fraud Alert” your Social Security number on on your credit reports, so credidocuments. When re-ordering tors will be aware of the problem checks, consider requesting that and will proceed with caution bethey be sent to your bank branch fore issuing new credit or making to help prevent them from being changes to your accounts. stolen from your mailbox. The three nationwide consumer reporting companies have toll-free • Cyber fraud is also a growing numbers for placing a fraud alert: concern, with con artists exploitExperian: 1-888-EXPERIAN ing technology to target con(397-3742) sumers, but precautions can be TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289 taken to help minimize your risk. Equifax: 1-800-525-6285 When shopping online, make You should also file a police resure you are using a secure Web port right away and contact the sesite and protect your computer curity or fraud departments of each with an updated antivirus and an- company where an unauthorized ti-spyware software. Avoid using activity may have occurred. Keep public computers and “hot spots” copies of the police report as you to shop or do your banking, and may need to provide it to creditors keep user names and passwords when resolving credit and financial secure. Be cautious of emails issues. Individuals who suspect asking for sensitive informa- that their Social Security number tion as they can lead you to fake is being used fraudulently should

contact the Social Security Administration (800-269- 0271), and call your local Postal Inspection Service office if you suspect a thief has submitted a false change-of-address form and is having your mail redirected. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the government agency responsible for receiving and processing complaints from individuals affected by identity theft, has counselors who can guide you through the process and can be reached toll-free at 877-IDTHEFT (438- 4338), or you

can visit the Web site at www.consumer.gov/idtheft. Recovering from identity theft can be a long and laborious journey. The FTC estimates that it takes an average of six months and 200 hours of phone calls, written correspondence and working with credit bureaus and law enforcement agencies to make sure victims won’t be liable for the debts thieves create in their names. Taking careful steps to prevent identify theft is prudent on a daily basis. (Continued on page 10)

Forum Job Fair

nglewood residents are encouraged to apply for open positions at the Fabulous Forum. There will be a job fair Nov. 21 from 11am to 3pm and Nov. 22 from 3pm to 7pm, at the Forum, 3900 W. Manchester Blvd., on Manchester and Prairie. Interviews will be conducted on-site. Bring your resume and

dress for success! The Forum is looking to hire parking attendants, cashiers, ushers, bartenders, security officers, custodial workers, laborers, ticket takers, concession workers, and maintenance technicians. The Forum is an equal opportunity employer. The venue reopens Jan. 15, 2014.

Inglewood Today

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November 21, 2013

Eye on the City O

Future Leaders Attend First Council Meeting

n Tuesday night, the Inglewood Council recognized a group of bright young women from Inglewood High School (IHS) with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher. They are members of the National Honor Society. The Inglewood Chapter, organized by Gail Atley, IHS Activities Director, is a service organization. Students will be volunteering in rest homes and soup kitchens throughout the city, Atley said. During public comments, residents expressed their gratitude for the interest shown in city government. This was the very first council meeting they have attended. Gil Mathieu talked about their future leadership potential: “We are doing everything we can do. We will do everything we can to assure you get the best edu-

By Veronica Mackey

Inglewood City Council cation in the State of California,” Councilman George Dotson’s Mathieu said. Willie Agee said recent town hall, he said: “At jokingly that young people will that meeting, there were probbe taking over City Hall. “You’re ably only 5 questions that were going to have to force me out, but put forth because the information you’re going to have to earn it,” was so comprehensive. You get he said. your three minutes (at council Mayor James Butts explained meetings) to talk about whatever to Society members what happens you want. That’s what our direcat public meetings. In regard to tion is about.”

City Council members approved an agreement with the Gardena Police Department to become eligible to receive reimbursements for personnel costs related to the AVOID the 100 DUI Campaign; and the purchase of a 2013 Ford F150 Super Cab Pickup Truck for public works in the amount of $24,530.18. The council also said yes to increasing total expenditures for the Van Ness Avenue Improvement Project to $750,937. The increase will be reflected in an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2013-2014 budget. A public hearing was set for December 10, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. to consider modifying regulations for emergency shelters, transitional/supportive housing, and miscellaneous housing related definitions. The City will be updating (Continued on page 10)

Pick up your copy of Inglewood Today at one of these locations: 1 Stop Mini-Mart, 420 E. Florence Ave. A-Man Inc., 101 La Brea Ave. Airport Gas, 501 Hillcrest St. Allstate, 2300 W. Manchester Bl. Bayou Grill, 1400 N. La Brea Ave. Boston Cream Donuts, 2576 La Brea Ave. Bourbon Street Fish & Grill, 601 S. Prairie Ave. Briarwood, 3500 Manchester Bl. Broadway Federal Bank, 170 N. Market St. Brolly Hut Barber Shop on 109th & Crenshaw Bruno’s Pizza, 450 E. Manchester Bl. Budda Market, 3753 Slauson (Rimpau) C&J Beauty Supply, 11252 Crenshaw Bl. Carlton Square, 8700 Carlton Centinela Hospital, 555 E. Hardy St. Chili’s, 3490 W. Century Bl. Chile Verde on Crenshaw Choice Berry, 599 1/2 S. La Brea Ave. City One Stop, 110 Queen St. Cranford Scott, M.D., 211 N. Prairie Ave. CVS Pharmacy, 222 N. Market St. Darby Park, 3400 W. Arbor Vitae Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen #1, 202 E. Manchester Bl. Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen #2, 3249 W. Century Bl. Edward Vincent Park Senior Ctr., 700 Warren Lane Fabulous Burger, 1315 Centinela Ave., Family Fish Market, 1300 Centinela Ave. Fiesta Martin Mexican Grill, 1330 N. La Brea Ave. Gin’s Liquor, 11001 Crenshaw Bl. Gonzales Northgate Market, 10801 Prairie Ave. Heart & Soul Grill, 128 N. Market St. Hollywood Park Casino, 1050 S. Prairie Ave. Inglewood Airport Area, 330 E. Queen St. Inglewood Park Cemetery, 720 E. Florence Ave. Inglewood Community Police Ctr., Manchester/7th Ave. Inglewood City Hall, 1 West Manchester Bl. Inglewood Library, 101 W. Manchester Bl. Inglewood Meadows, 1 Locust St. Inglewood Park Mortuary, 3801 W. Manchester Bl. Inglewood Police Station, 1 West Manchester Bl. Inglewood Today, 949 S. La Brea Ave. Inglewood Unified School District, 401 S. Inglewood Ave. In the Kut Barber Shop on 109th & Crenshaw Jamba Juice, 5305 W. Centinela Ave. King Fish Market, 10901 Crenshaw Bl. KJLH Radio, 161 N. La Brea Ave. Ladera Physiotherapy, 409 S. La Brea Ave.

Lan’s Nails, 10901 S. Crenshaw Bl. Lawrence Carey Barber Shop, 10901 S. Crenshaw Bl. Liquorette Liquor Store, 1400 Centinela Ave. Louisiana Fried Chicken, 170 La Brea Lucy Laundromat across from Sizzler’s on Manchester M&M’s Soul Food on Manchester M&M’s Soul Food (new) on Crenshaw Martino’s Liquor, 706 E. Manchester Bl. Mike’s Deli, 4859 W. Slauson Ave. Moby’s Breakfast & Lunch, 3008 W. Manchester Bl. Morningside Adult Day Care, 3216 W. Manchester Bl. Nix Check Cashing, 140 E. Manchester Nix Check Cashing on Crenshaw & 110th Osage Senior Villas, 924 S. Osage Pann’s, 6710 La Tijera Bl. Pay Day Loans on Crenshaw & 110 Pep Boys, 200 E. Spruce Ave. Red Lobster, 3400 W. Century Bl. Regal Cleaners, 700 E. Manchester Bl. Regency Towers, 123 Locust St. Regent Plaza, 201 Regent St. Roger’s Park, 400 W. Beach Ave. Scottie’s Gumbo & Grill, 945 S. Prairie Ave. Sizzler’s, Manchester/Prairie Smoke 4 Less, 925 N. La Brea Spa 313 Salon, 313 La Brea Starbucks, 5301 Centinela Ave. Starbucks, 941 N. La Brea Ave. Starbucks on Century Stuff I Eat, 114 N. Market St. Super Fish Market, 11007 S Crenshaw Bl. Superior Groceries, 11202 S Crenshaw Bl. The Serving Spoon, 1403 Centinela Ave. TGIFriday’s, 6721 La Tijera Bl. True Vine Baptist Church, 1437 Centinela Ave. Union Bank, 6719 La Tijera Bl. Vons, 500 E. Manchester Bl. Walgreens on Century Westchester Villa Senior Living, 220 W. Manchester Bl. Whole Foods, 4508 Overhill (Slauson) Winchell’s Donuts, 2601 W. Manchester Bl. Winchell’s Donut Shop on Crenshaw near 108th St. Wings Stop on Century Wise Tires & Brakes, 949 S. La Brea Ave. Woody’s Barbeque, 4751 S. Market St. Yvonne B. Burke Senior Center, 4750 62nd St. (La Brea)

Inglewood Today

November 21, 2013

Publisher’s Message Beware of This Outside Hustler

s Inglewood continues its rise as a world class city, it will inevitably draw its share of haters. Randall Fleming, Editor-in-Chief of the Morningside Park Chronicle is one of them. This is a plea to those who want this city to succeed to take heed. Randall Fleming has put down or denigrated almost everything good about our community. He has criticized much of the church community, Faithful Central Bible Church and West Angeles, in particular. Using a hustler’s mentality, Randall spread misinformation about the City of Inglewood and Faithful Central in regard to the purchase of the Forum. Although Mayor Butts has continually stated that Inglewood had to use $18,000,000 in funds received from the California Redevelopment Agency, or risk sending it back to the state when redevelopment agencies were disbanded in California, Randall continues to ignore the facts.

Randall Fleming His M.O. is to distort the truth and talk badly about the city or specific people in code language. He has been to enough council meetings to know the truth if he would care to report it. But he prefers to continue to tell the story that the City paid Faithful Central $18,000,000 of taxpayer’s money for the Forum. He knowingly used the incorrect name of the church in his stories to cover himself against liability. He referred to the church as Central Faithful Baptist Church. But, of course, anyone familiar with Inglewood would know or assume that he is actually talking about Faithful Central Bible Church. 2UrbanGirls.com called him out on their blog (http://2urbangirls. com/2013/11/08/is-the-game-

Page 5

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Just Saying... Willie Brown, Publisher, Inglewood Today Weekly checkers-or-chess/). So he updated the story to reflect the change: “Edited at November 8, 2013 at 3:55 p.m. Faithful Central Baptist Church’s name was inadvertently printed as Central Faith Baptist Church (http://tinyurl.com/ kajnl52). Notice the reference to the church name as Faithful Central Baptist Church is still wrong, but still technically keeps him out of trouble. This misinformation is a clear attempt to mislead without assuming liability for his actions. He is trying to have it both ways—claiming to be a wellinformed writer who accidentally transposed the words in the church name. But all he is really doing is telling a false story and using this “mistake” to try and protect himself. Fleming has also made derogatory statements referring to West Angeles Church of God in Christ and Broadway Federal Bank as well. We are used to his criticism of practically everything that stands for something good in the City of Inglewood. Here is a man who claims to have worked for the New York Times. But Google him and you’ll find no connection between Randall and the newspaper—at lease nothing with a byline attached. Randall comes to Inglewood as an outsider, intent on ruining the image of a city whose residents have worked many years to improve. But he is looking to make a name for himself. And if that means bashing people, lying and manipulating words to deceive the public, then so be it! Inglewood Today got started by offering an alternative to the way news had been reported. We set out to present the positive aspects

As a tree gives fruit, healing words give life. Yvonne Horton

of our city—unlike the motives of the traditional media. If anything bad happened anywhere near Inglewood—whether it happened here or not—our city was somehow implicated. Now this hustler has come to the city to destroy that and take the city back 20 years. The MPC began as a political hit piece for former Councilman Mike Stevens to try and take the city down. Now that Stevens is no longer in the picture, Randall wants to continue to hurt the city for his own personal gain. He makes innuendos without any facts and he comes just close enough to libel to avoid any potential lawsuits. He goes on radio stations that talk about how bad the City is being done and how money is being ma-

nipulated by those in charge. He is attempting to fleece the residents of Inglewood by asking them to support a newspaper that is so irregular that no one knows when it is coming out, and when it does, no one knows where it goes. He is trying to hustle the people of Inglewood by attempting to sell subscriptions because he has no real revenue to support it. Inglewood Today has been in Inglewood for a long time, and we know this city. We believe the people of Inglewood are not going to fall for this scam. Citizens of Inglewood, beware of the latest scam by this outsider.

Need a checkup? Have health questions? Call (310) 673-3133 • Diabetes • Geriatrics • Personal Injury • Holistic Medicine We accept almost all insurance plans except for Kaiser. H. Milano Mellon, M.D. has over 35 years experience as a medical professional, and he has served the local community for 25 years. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Fisk University and his Medical Degree from Meharry Medical College. He completed his postgraduate training at L.A. County USC Medical Center. Dr. Mellon is an Associate Member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, a medical staff member of Cedars Sinai and Centinela Hospitals, while maintaining a private practice in Inglewood.

915 Myrtle Avenue, Inglewood, CA 90301 Email: pcphmm@gmail.com • Fax: (888) 730-4070 • Website: drhmilanomellon.com

Inglewood Today

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November 21, 2013

Volunteers Needed for “Miracle on Manchester”

The City of Inglewood 2013 Thanksgiving Gift Box Event

he City of Inglewood, Salvation Army Inglewood, Madison Square Garden-Forum, Inglewood Park Cemetery-Mortuary, Faithful Central Bible Church, Inglewood Lions Club, Consolidated Disposal Services and the Boy Scouts of America are partnering, once again, to host the 2013 City of Inglewood “Miracle on Manchester” Thanksgiving Gift Box Event. It will be held on Monday, November 25, 2013 from 10am - 3pm on the Madison Square Garden-Forum parking lot. Last year, the city served more than 1,000 families and. This year, the goal is to serve up to 1,250! Families selected to participate in this event will be pre-screened by the Salvation Army Inglewood and will receive a participation letter which will entitle them to receive a Thanksgiving gift box with all the trimmings along with a food gift card to a local chain grocery store Again, the gift boxes will be distributed on Monday, November 25 to those families that have been preselected, and who bring their invitation letter as proof of selection, in order to pick up their Thanksgiving gift box and gift cards.

The scale of this event takes a tremendous amount of effort and this is where all of you come in! We are in need of volunteers to serve in the following areas on November 21, 22 and/or 25.

pack and seal boxes. Friday, November 22, 9:00am 4:00pm: Load sealed boxes onto the truck for transport. We are in need of 80 volunteers—30 volunteers for Wednesday, 30 volunteers for Thursday and 20 for Friday. We welcome volunteers to work as much or as little as they can—even one hour will help.

Package and Assemble Salvation Army Food Boxes Location: Salvation Army Church, 324 East Queen Street (at Miracle on Manchester Thanks Locust Street) Thursday, November 21, 9:00am giving Gift Box Distribution Location: MSG-Forum Parking - 8:00pm: Affix decals to boxes;

Lot, 3900 W. Manchester Blvd. (Manchester and Prairie) Monday, November 25. There are three shifts: 8:00am - 10:00am, 10:00am - 12:30pm, and 12:30pm - 3:00pm. Cleanup: 3:00pm to 4:00pm. Volunteers are needed to serve in both areas on Monday, November 25—registration and distribution. For more information, contact Claudette Matthews at (310) 4125320 or cmatthews@cityofinglewood.org.

BE PART OF THE FABULOUS FORUM! » INGLEWOOD, CA

Join us for one of our two JOB FAIRS: •Thursday, November 21st from 11am to 3pm •Friday, November 22nd from 3pm to 7pm. The Forum will be opening on January 15 of 2014. The Madison Square Garden Company has re-imagined the Forum to create a world-class entertainment venue that bridges its iconic past with today’s state-of-the-art technology and amenities. As a result, the Forum will be the largest and most important indoor performance venue in the country designed with a focus on music and entertainment.

The Forum and its service partners are recruiting for the following event-driven positions:

»Bartenders

»Concession

»Merchandise Cashiers »Parking Attendants

Workers »Ticket Takers »Security Ofﬁcers

»Custodial Workers »Laborers »Maintenance Technicians

»Ushers

TWO JOB FAIRS THE FORUM

3900 West Manchester Blvd.• Inglewood, CA 90305. Thursday, November 21 11am-3pm • Friday, November 22 3pm-7pm Interviews will be conducted on-site. Please bring your resume. All initial inquiries will be kept confidential. An Equal Opportunity Employer

Inglewood Today

November 21, 2013

Page 7

Health&Fitness T•O•D•A•Y

First 5 LA Allocates $1.5 Million to Expand Free Vision Care Services for Children

irst 5 LA, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help children under the age of 5 live physically and emotionally healthy lives so they are ready to learn, allocated $1.5 million to ensure that the county’s neediest children receive free vision care services. Acting on a motion by First 5 LA Commission Chair Mark Ridley-Thomas, the commission voted to expand their existing partnership with UCLA to facilitate a children’s vision care program and establish new partnerships with two leading nonprofit organizations that provide vision care services to children: Vision to Learn and the Junior Blind of America. Inglewood to Receive $7 Million (Continued from page 1) continued Congresswoman Waters. “Despite the fact that there have been missteps, we have all worked to ensure that residents affected by airport noise could have their homes mitigated.” The project consists of soundproof construction work on approximately 173 homes and design and engineering for another 131 homes. The noise mitigation upgrades could include sound-insulation windows, doors, and attics and efficient heating and air conditioning units. Inglewood has received a total of $317 million in noise mitigation funds since 1985 from LAWA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The city’s Residential Sound Insulation Program administers the grants. For residents interested in additional information about possible future funding, please contact their office at 310-412-5289. “The individuals and families that live, work and go to school near LAX experience airport noise every day,” said Congresswoman Waters. “These funds are critical for providing relief to Inglewood residents from the noise caused by aircraft that fly into and out of LAX.”

“This momentous decision ensures that children across Los Angeles County will receive vision care services that otherwise may not be afforded to them,” said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair-

man Mark Ridley-Thomas. “Equipping students with glasses to reach their full potential will not only help students perform optimally in the classroom; it is a significant tool to help them excel in life.” The motion designates $1.2 million over four years to Vision to Learn and $300,000 over two years to Junior Blind of America. The funding is projected to serve at least 50,000 additional children over the next four years. The motion comes on the heels of the 15th Anniversary of the passage of Proposition 10, which was approved by California voters in 1998 and allocates funding for early childhood health and development programs for pregnant women and young children up to five years of age.

Vision to Learn delivers optical care to low income communities through a unique partnership with Los Angeles Unified School District by providing two mobile eye clinics on site. After an initial screening from LAUSD nurses, children are served in the mobile clinic by trained opticians and optometrists who offer free eyes exams and deliver free prescription glasses to students. Since 2012, this innovative mobile clinic has provided more than 12,500 children with free vision care. “This support from First 5 LA will help better the lives of 12,000 kids, giving them a chance to succeed in school and in life.” said Austin Beutner, Founder and Chairman of Vision To Learn. He added, “Vision To Learn solves the problem of access to eye care and glasses in low income communities through Los (Continued on page 9)

Sherri Shepherd Shines as Ambassador of First Ladies Health

herri Shepherd, co-host of the Emmy Award-winning talk show “The View,” spoke candidly at the Third Annual Walgreens First Ladies Health Luncheon in Los Angeles about how her diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes actually saved her life. The Walgreens First Ladies Health Luncheon was attended by a coalition of more than 100 pastors’ wives from the Los Angeles area who are committed to turning the tides of the proliferation of chronic illnesses in their communities. Sherri began her ambassadorship with the health initiative in 2012, and has since spoken at three of the program’s luncheons. The actress, comedienne, host and author is pictured here with members of the nationally-acclaimed Divine Praise Dancers, the featured entertainment for the Nov. 16 Los Angeles luncheon. More information on the First Ladies Health Program is available at www.firstladieshealth.com.

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November 21, 2013

Today A

Following Warren Buffett’s Lead in Energy Deregulation

ccording to recent reports, Warren Buffett has identified energy deregulation as the next big financial opportunity to reverberate around the country. Similarly, former GE Chairman Jack Welch described deregulation as “the next biggest thing since the Internet.” It is estimated that by 2020, all 50 states will have some form of deregulated energy. State monopolies controlling energy prices and supply will cease, giving consumers a choice about who provides their electricity. Estimates show that deregulation has created a $500 billion industry, and Warren Buffett has been reported to say that he expects it to be the largest transfer of wealth in history. While this creates room for savings for residential and commercial customers, it also means a potential windfall for investors. Where Buffett leads, the savvy soon follow. A stacked financial team, spearheaded by former investment banker and entrepreneur Randall Letcavage, took over a public company, Premier Holding Corp (PRHL), specializing in green products. His team includes board members like Dr. Woodrow Clark

Warren Buffett II and Lane Harrison. lation is central to progress in green Dr. Clark is a Nobel Peace Prize power and energy-efficient technolrecipient for his work on the climate ogy. Armed with Letcavage at the change panel in 2007. The econo- helm and reputable advisors on the mist has also authored five books board, PRHL is shaping up to be a related to the green economy. Har- key player in deregulation that can rison is no stranger to high finance also offer solutions to reduce enereither. He is the former president of gy consumption. BiCoastal, and he brings a wealth of In February, PRHL purchased experience as well as extraordinary 80 percent of The Power Compatechnology and business expertise ny (TPC) from Illinois, picking up to PRHL. more talent—Patrick Farah, manAs board members for PRHL, aging director for The Power Comboth recognize that energy deregu- pany, was instrumental in helping

acquire the energy contract for the City of Dallas for Suez in 2007. In addition, he was one of Suez’s biggest contractors, acquiring clients that represented billions of kilowatt hours of usage. Once TPC solidified its infrastructure, allowing for scalability, it accumulated over 18,000 residential and commercial customers with top U.S. power suppliers. Prior to the acquisition of TPC, Letcavage developed a PRHL subsidiary called Energy Efficient Experts (E3) to offer a full spectrum of green energy products. Now, it’s all in-house. TPC assists clients in driving down their energy costs by competitive supply pricing, and then E3 helps clients reduce their usage with energy-efficient solutions. Who doesn’t love a model like that? Wall Street does. Today, 14 states have deregulated power, and more are following suit. California, PRHL’s home base, is already on the fast track. To learn about investment opportunities (NASDAQ.OTCBB: PRHL), visit www.prhlcorp.com. For more information about PRHL, contact Tim Connor at 858-5687059 or directly contact PRHL at 949-260-8070.

Dot-coming Your Business (Part 2)

Eight Elements of a Successful Marketing Plan

ut yourself on the map. Most likely, you identified a few skeleton profiles when you searched for your business on popular online directories. Now it’s time to strategically augment them. Based on your location, identify the top three online directories consumers use when searching for the product or service you offer. For instance, social and crowd-sourced sites like Yelp and Foursquare tend to be more popular in major metro areas, while more traditional directories like Yellow Pages, Citysearch, and MerchantCircle are utilized in more rural areas. Make sure you prioritize search engine directories like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. “Once you have identified the top three directories, set up a business profile on each of them,” Tsai

instructs. “In addition to your basic information, add photos and a business description that tells a story to potential buyers. You can also comment on or address any existing reviews that need attention. Now, you’re in a great position to monitor and interact with your potential customers as time permits. Remember, the value you’ll get out of these online reputation outlets depends almost entirely on the quality of your engagement with customers.” Work on your social life. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know how popular social media has become. But did you know that, when used effectively, social media sites can increase your business’s visibility, give you an opportunity to present a more personal side to potential customers, drive

awareness through social activity and check-ins, and turn casual buyers into true fans? “If you have the time-and-energy bandwidth to do so, set up profiles for your business on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram,” Tsai recommends. “A little research will usually show you which sites your target market spends the most time on. And don’t just stick to status updates. Bear in mind that the old saying ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ is as true online as it is in the ‘real world.’ It’s been shown that a Facebook status update with a photo and caption generates around four times higher engagement than text alone does, as long as the content is appropriate for the channel and your audience.”

Do regular maintenance. It’s a given that over time, your business will evolve. You’ll modify your logo, employees will come and go, information and photos will become outdated, you’ll introduce new products, etc. That’s why it’s important to set up a regular online maintenance schedule—Tsai recommends doing it at least quarterly—to make these necessary updates to your website and various online profiles. “However, there are some updates you should make immediately,” she clarifies. “If you’ve moved locations, changed your contact information, modified your hours, or made any other change that could make it difficult for customers to find you with existing online infor(Continued on page 11)

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November 21, 2013

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Denise McKenzie Joins Arnold & Porter LLC

nother Inglewoodian has made our city proud! Denise McKenzie, former electrical engineer and Kirkland & Ellis LLP attorney has joined Arnold & Porter LLP’s intellectual property practice and will be working out of the firm’s Los Angeles and Silicon Valley offices. Already successful as a patent litigation partner for Kirkland & Ellis for more than three years, McKenzie will spread her wings within the ever expanding horizons of technologically based litigation. Arnold & Porter officially announced their newest lawyer to join the West Coast team on Nov. 4, 2013. McKenzie came on board Oct. 28. The firm’s strategic expansion requires lawyers who have both trial skills and technological backgrounds. McKenzie told Law360 that the move was partly spurred by the recent growth of the firm’s intellectual property practice. “I was impressed. They are really invested in San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Palo Alto and here in Los Angeles. They are focused on intellectual property and patent litigation, and that’s exciting to me,” she said. McKenzie grew up and attended

First 5 LA Allocates $1.5 Million for Children’ Eye Care (Continued from page 7) Angeles by bringing the services directly to the kids at school.” According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Vision Health Initiative, vision disorders are the most prevalent disabling condition among children. Moreover, it is estimated that one out of every four children between the ages of 5 and 17 has a vision disorder that is often undiagnosed because the child has never received a comprehensive eye examination from an eye doctor. The Junior Blind of America Vision Screening Program shares Vision to Learn’s successful track record in providing comprehensive screenings to preschool children throughout LA County since 2008. “Thanks to this generous support from First 5 LA, Junior Blind will be able to provide thousands of low-income children with vision screening services,” says Dr. Jonathan Macy, longtime Junior Blind Board Member and ophthalmologist. “Together, Junior Blind and First 5 LA will help ensure healthier vision for some of our counties’ most vulnerable and underserved children.”

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Denise McKenzie school in Inglewood. In 2009, She wanted to give back to her McKenzie was lead trial counsel hometown and to gain stand-upas a volunteer prosecutor at the in-court experience before a jury, Inglewood City Attorney’s of- which can be hard to come by for fice in criminal cases, handling an IP attorney at a large law firm all phases of several jury trials. because so many patent cases set-

tle. In 2009 and 2010, McKenzie was named a “Super Lawyer” by Law & Politics Media Inc. and Los Angeles Magazine. McKenzie was part of the Kirkland and Ellis team that represented Warsaw Orthopedic Inc., a unit of Minneapolis-based Medtronic Sofamor Danek USA Inc., in an infringement suit (“Arnold & Porter Lands Ex-Kirkland IP Litigator In Calif.” 11/5/2013, http:// www.law360.com/articles/485840/ print?section=ip) dating back to 2008, over patents related to implants and devices used in minimally invasive spinal surgeries. A jury found in September 2011 that Warsaw had proven that several NuVasive products infringed the medical technology company’s patents, and jurors decided NuVasive should pay $101 million. Since receiving her law degree from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law 1996, McKenzie has built up a practice comprising cases involving computer architecture, semiconductor technology, computer software and hardware, and Internet technology. For more than 15 years, she has handled patent and high-technology litigation matters.

Delight Your Guests with a Decadent Dessert Bar

nyone who entertains knows it takes effort to make it look effortless. For those planning to host a dinner party this holiday season—or throughout the year—incorporating special touches is part of the fun and adds to your guests’ experience. The next occasion where you plan on entertaining, resist the temptation to delegate bringing a dessert to your guests. Instead, save the best for last by serving up a dessert pie bar as the sweet finale to a wonderful gathering. Follow these easy steps to help bring your dessert bar to life for your next event.

homemade when it looks and tastes just like it is made from scratch. With more than 21 delicious dessert pie varieties, let Marie Callender’s be your extra set of hands in the kitchen and bring signature special touches to your next occasion.

Top it all off Let your guests get in on the fun with a toppings bar that allows them to tailor each piece of pie to their tastes. Consider presenting a wide selection of toppings for mixing and matching like Reddi-wip, ice cream, chocolate syrup, chocolate chips, marshmallows, coconut, crushed cookies and fresh fruit.

Pie pairings that please When planning your pie bar, select an assortment of three to five pies that bring complementary A delightful display Show off the signature special touches of each pie with a display of elevated pie stands. Keep some pies sliced in the pie dish and some served onto dessert plates for added dimension. You can always Decadent and decorative replenish the plated slices as dessert pie bar needed to avoid a cluttered Create a pie bar that looks table. Add to the festivity by as pretty as it is delicious. displaying the array of topIndulge your guests with an pings in martini glasses or easy-to-create pie bar that deMason jars and feature pie livers an unexpected, temptslices on small, square plating twist for your event. color, texture and flavor. For a tra- ters to complement the round pies. ditional pie bar serve holiday fa- Don’t forget to add a pie server next Shhhhh ... it can be your little vorites, such as Dutch Apple Pie, to each pie and spoons for each topsecret Pumpkin Pie and Southern Pecan ping. Finding ways to save time with- Pie. Wow your guests with a pie bar The time you save on making pies out compromising quality is the full of vibrant colors by slicing into will allow you to savor every delihallmark of a savvy host or host- the rich Razzleberry Pie, Lattice cious moment of the evening with ess. With the high-quality ingredi- Cherry Pie, and Peppermint Pie. If friends and family. For more inspients and handmade touches avail- you have chocolate lovers on the ration on pie pairings, visit www. able in today’s pre-made pies in the guest list, satisfy their cravings with mariecallendersmeals.com. frozen aisle of your local grocery a chocolate lover’s themed pie bar, Courtesy: Family Features store, your guests will never guess serving Chocolate Satin Pie, Turtle that the flaky crust on their pie isn’t Pie and Peanut Butter Cream Pie.

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LEG A L NOT I CES CITY OF INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA REQUEST FOR BIDS RFB-0065 STREET SWEEPER BROOMS BIDS DUE: DECEMBER 11, 2013 AT 11:00 AM IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK LOCATED ON THE 1ST FLOOR OF INGLEWOOD CITY HALL 1 MANCHESTER BLVD., INGLEWOOD, CA. 90301 CONTACT PERSON DURING BIDDING PERIOD: MICHAEL TATE PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTS COORDINATOR (310) 412-5266 RFB-0065 REQUEST FOR BIDS CITY OF INGLEWOOD INVITATION TO SUBMIT BID (Specifications and Conditions Governing Award) The City of Inglewood invites and will receive bids duly filed as provided herein for the furnishing of qualified “STREET SWEEPER BROOMS” as specified in this document. Each bid shall be submitted and completed in all particulars and must be enclosed in a sealed envelope addressed to the City of Inglewood, Purchasing and Contract Services Division, Inglewood City Hall 8th Floor, with the designation of the project “STREET SWEEPER BROOMS” appearing thereon. The City Council reserves the right to waive any irregularities in any bids, and to take bids under advisement for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days from and after the date bids are opened and announced. The following conditions and terms apply: 1) The City Council reserves the right to reject any or all bids. 2) Attached are detailed specifications and conditions for bid submission. 3) You must execute your contract within ten (10) days after the City mails it. If the contract is not executed within ten (10) days, the City reserves the unilateral right to cancel it. 4) If any provisions of the contract are violated, the City, after suitable notice, may cancel the contract and make arrangements to have the products and or services supplied by others. Any extra cost to the City will be paid by the vendor. 5) Bids may be obtained from the Purchasing Division located on the 8th floor of City Hall, or call (310) 412-5266. 6) All bids must be for specific amounts. Any attempt to qualify prices with an ‘escalation clause’ or any other method of making a price variable, is unacceptable. Bid shall be valid for ninety (90) calendar days from receipt of bid. 7) The City reserves the right to add or subtract quantities and/or services based on the unit prices/unit lump sums so indicated as its budgetary needs may require. Artie Fields, City Manager City of Inglewood, California Dated at Inglewood, California This 21st Day of November, 2013.

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2013 233823 The following Person is doing business as:

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2013 222595 The following Person is doing business as:

Wortham’s Adult Res. Care Facil Velma’s Guest Home A Healthier Choice Day Program Bernice’s Senior Retreat Facility Located at: 2709 W. 109th St., Inglewood, CA 90303 P O Box 5417, Inglewood, CA 90310

Pearl Whites Located at: 1311 W. 68th Street Los Angeles, CA 90044

Registered owner: R L Harris Wortham, 2709 W. 109th St., Inglewood, CA 90303

This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on October 25, 2013.

This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on November 12, 2013. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) R L Harris Wortham, Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk on November 12, 2013 NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.

Registered owner: Cheyenne Covington, 1311 W. 68th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90044

I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.) Cheyenne Covington, Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk on October 25, 2013 NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.

November 21, 2013

Is 18-34 Still the Way to Go? (Continued from page 2) In efforts to shorten the generation gap I won’t make the obvious distinctions between the elders and the youth, but I will say that we see the game, and we don’t like it. Therefore, we aren’t as willing to play the spend, spend, spend game, especially when companies are offering less and less in return yet expecting more production. This method of behavior is a dangerous one, because studies show that learned behaviors early on become

hard-to-break habits later. If we continue with frugality, we won’t have an economy in the next 30-40 years, and our children face a very grim development. On the positive side of things, our country is a forgiving one, and I’m sure that there is a grand plan to forgive the $1 trilllion debt accrued by the millions of Americans who followed the tradition of “Get your education, and get a good job.” After all, we’ve bailed out much worse individuals under the threat of economic collapse, right? Bank’s Chino Hills Branch. Union Bank, N.A., is a fullservice commercial bank providing an array of financial services to individuals, small businesses, middlemarket companies, and major corporations. The bank operated 422 branches in California, Washington, Oregon, Texas, Illinois, and New York as well as two international offices, on September 30, 2013. not be renewed in January 2014. It is a substantial drain on the General Fund.” Councilman Alex Padilla responded to a comment made about the council’s ability to govern. “There were comments made about why is this city so much harder to run. Anytime you are doing the heavy lifting to move this city forward, it’s going to be hard work. So yes, it is hard work, but that’s why we’re here, to make that happen.” Dorothy Cole was appointed as Human Affairs Commissioner, and was nominated by Councilman Franklin.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State or common law (See Section 14411 et.seq., Business and Professions Code.) Original Nov 14, 21, 28; Dec 5, 2013 ITO0422301011 Inglewood Today

Safeguarding Against Fraud and ID Theft (Continued from page 3) The foregoing article is intended to provide general information about financial planning for individuals and is not considered financial or tax advice from Union Bank. Please consult your financial or tax advisor. Curtis Flannigan is an assistant vice president and branch manager of Union

Eye on the City (Continued from page 4) its drug and alcohol policy to comply with the Federal Drug and Alcohol Testing Program administered by Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. City Clerk Yvonne Horton shared election news. “(Voters) can now register with the County—not Inglewood—to vote the same day, but the request still has to be verified (by Inglewood Clerk’s Office).” This option, called “conditional voting” will allow more people to participate in the voting process. New

laws will also be in effect for military families. A young man complained that Inglewood police denied him access to medical assistance for a documented back condition. According to the man, three officers forced him into a police vehicle during an arrest, and ignored his request for assistance. “I wanted to put this on record so no one can say they did not know of this concern,” he said. Mayor Butts told the man to give the sergeant his contact information for follow up. Are traffic tickets generated by red-light cameras effective in reducing mov-

ing violations? A man showed up with graphs and photos of cars photographed by red-light cameras to give the council food for thought. “When it comes time to decide if there is time to continue this program I hope you will make an informed decision. If you look back 5 or 6 years, you’ll see the number of tickets has not gone down,” he said. Councilman Ralph Franklin said the City has already decided to end camera light ticketing. “With reference to cameras, the council has repeatedly said when it comes up, that we have no interest. We know it will

Inglewood Today

November 21, 2013

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Dates in November & December November 22, 2013

Farmer’s Market Thanksgiving Heritage Square @ Vermont and Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science will make Thanksgiving brighter for families this season. The market, located at 7901 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90044. Free turkeys will be given away to the first 100 people who show up. There will also be free HIV screening and cooking and gardening demonstrations. The market is open from 10am to 2pm. EBT accepted.

Dot-Coming Your Business (Continued from page 8) mation, it should also be updated online. Don’t make yourself crazy doing online maintenance, but bear in mind that the more accurate your website and profiles are, the more useful they’ll be in attracting, informing, and helping customers.” Consider hiring pros to boost your reputation. After you have established a basic online presence, the sky is the limit in terms of how involved, extensive, and creative your interactions with consumers can be. But if you’re like most small business owners, the basics are all you have the time and resources to cover yourself. “If that’s the case, don’t worry— you’ve done what’s necessary to set up an online storefront in which customers can connect with you,” Tsai says. “But if you still want to up the ante, know that there are paid-for services to help you connect even more quickly and effectively with potential and existing customers. For instance, you can invest in ‘paid search,’ which enables you to purchase the rights for a higher display rate when consumers search for specific terms. You can also advertise with business directories like Google and Yelp and post deals directly on your business profile; for instance, offering a discount to first-time buyers.” Be smart with your budget. In one very important way, establishing and growing your online presence is no different from establishing and growing your physical one: You need to be financially savvy. For instance, the last thing you want is to blow your overall budget in the course of creating a too-ambitious online marketing plan. “Especially at first, figuring out how much you should allocate to online marketing can be tricky,” Tsai comments. “I recommend starting by cataloging your current marketing allocations, categorizing by group (e.g., direct mail, events, print marketing, broadcast marketing, etc.). Then, figure out which cat-

Thru December 22, 2013 Ongoing Hollywood Park Horse Racing Betfair Hollywood Park has begun its 33rd and final Autumn Meet. Horse racing in Inglewood will end on December 22, 2013. To mark 75 years of premier racing, Betfair Hollywood Park is giving away different limited edition commemorative pins every Saturday. To view the racing schedule, visit their website at http://www.betfairhollywoodpark.com.

egory or categories are least effective. These are the marketing efforts you’ll want to scale back in order to test new online channels. As you move forward, you can continue to tweak your budgeting allocations.” “Building a plan for your online reputation before you dive in will save you countless hours down the line, so take the time to do things right up-front and to cultivate a solid understanding of the work ahead of you,” Tsai concludes. “Again, these are skills you already have as a small business owner, so don’t allow yourself to become so intimidated that you throw in the digital towel before you’ve begun. “And don’t feel that you have to do everything yourself, either,” she adds. “You may find that one of your employees has the skills and interest to take on these kinds of projects, which is an ideal situation for the business since you can keep things in-house and support career development for someone on your team. In the end, don’t be afraid to ask for help, especially if you’re under time constraints. Whatever the outcome here, the first step is to understand what you need to do and be thoughtful about how you take on this very important piece of your business.” Annie Tsai is the author of The Small Business Online Marketing Handbook: Converting Online Conversations to Offline Sales (Wiley, 2013, ISBN: 978-1-118-61538-6, $25.00). She is chief marketing officer at Demandforce, an Internet marketing and communication company that advises small- to mediumsized businesses. She and the team at Demandforce have worked closely with small businesses for over a decade to understand how to leverage online tools to maximize return. Tsai has prior experience designing global customer experience and retention management strategy and managing sales, sales engineering, and social and email marketing strategy design and implementation. Her blog about customer experience and life in the San Francisco Bay Area is immensely popular.

Counseling for Anxiety, Depression Get free help for anxiety, depression, stress and anger. Recovery International provides tools and practice in changing thinking habits so individuals can gain personal control over distressing emotions and improve life-coping skills. This worldwide non-profit organization, founded in 1937, holds weekly meetings every Monday at 6:00 p.m. at SHARE! 6666 Green Valley Circle, north of Centinela Ave., (2nd building on the right). Call 310-322-6411

Oprah on Obama and the Race Issue (Continued from page 1) how blacks are treated? By looking at the problem so narrowly, doesn’t it make matters worse?” And the website Right Scoop added, “Oprah Winfrey is going around the world telling everyone that Americans are racist.” During a discussion on MSNBCs “PoliticsNation” with Al Sharpton on Wednesday, TheGrio. com’s Joy Reid said backlash

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comes from those who think successful black Americans like Oprah shouldn’t complain about society’s problems. “The right expects AfricanAmericans who’ve been successful to essentially be Christmas ornaments. To shine brightly and affirm the awesomeness of America, and that’s it, and to leave behind the breadth of their experience, to never talk about it because it will make people on the right feel badly,” Reid said.

National Honor Society Students Attend First City Council Meeting

ayor James Butts welcomed a group of young women from Inglewood High School to their first ever city council meeting on Nov. 19. The students, who are members of the National Honor Society of Inglewood, a service organization, are expected to place second in Societyâ€™s canned food drive. That ranking would earn the school $1,000. As smart as they are enterprising, Society members currently have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher!