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Your Community Connection since 1994

Including Inglewood Airport Area • Baldwin Hills • Crenshaw/LA • Ladera Heights VOL. 24, No. 39

September 24, 2015

Matthews Named New IUSD Administrator

he Inglewood Unified School District has found a new state administrator. Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced last week that San Jose Unified Supt. Vincent Matthews has been appointed to replace Dr. Don Brann, who said in June that he would be stepping down. In addition to San Jose, Matthews was superintendent at the Oakland School District, which was returned to local control under his leadership. Matthews was also the head of the San Diego School District, which is the second-largest district in the state. Matthews will become the fourth administrator for Inglewood since the state took over in 2012. He will assume the position on Oct. 19. “As we enter a new phase in the path toward local control, building on a strong financial foundation with robust academic programs is my priority,” Torlakson said. “There are very few leaders who have led districts under state receivership and Dr. Matthews is one of them. His experience and pas-

Vincent Matthews sion are the right fit at the deliver a high-quality educaright time for the Inglewood tion in every classroom and school community.” return local control to the Matthews said, “Ingle- elected school board.” wood students deserve a After struggling for years, world-class education, and I Inglewood schools received am eager to work with teach- a $55 million line of credit in ers, parents, and the Ingle- exchange for giving up local wood community to realize control, making it the ninth every student’s potential. It California school district to will take a sense of urgency enter receivership. The disand a spirit of collaboration, trict has since drawn $29 and I have no doubt we can million in credit, which must

Inglewood Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

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

be repaid within 20 years. Brann joined Inglewood in 2013, after coming out of retirement as superintendent of the Wiseburn School District. In June he announced that IUSD had a balanced budget. “I’m proud of the 27 months that I served there and that I was able to balance a budget that’s had deficits for many years,” he said. “It’s a lot of responsibility, that job. I’ve been doing it since 1980 so it’s somewhat of a release. According to the Inglewood Teachers Assn. (ITA) website, ITA leadership met with Torlakson twice after learning about Brann’s departure. “At both meetings we made it crystal clear that input from ALL stakeholders must be a top priority before he appoints the next administrator. It’s disappointing that Tom Torlakson made this decision without genuine stakeholder input.” “We had problems with Brann but we were starting to build a relationship. We were moving in the right direction. Then they abruptly got rid of him and brought (Continued on page 3)

By Thomas Bunn eptember 15th is National Hispanic Heritage Month, and is an opportunity for the nation to recognize and celebrate historical contributions of Americans whose ancestors come from Spain, Mexico, Central and South America. The City of Inglewood kicked off its Hispanic (Continued on page 12)

COMING SOON THE BEST OF INGLEWOOD

Visit www.inglewoodtoday.com & see page 6 ➤

Will Pope Francis Talk Race?

ill Pope Francis address the racial injustice that is oppressing Black America, during his visit, such as police brutality and overincarceration of African American males? Rev. Traci Blackmon of St. Louis is hopeful that he will. During his stay in the U.S., which began on Tuesday and ends on Sunday, the Pope will visit a school in Harlem and a Philadelphia prison, among other places.

Pope Francis in Washington, D.C.

Rev. Traci Blackmon According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Blackmon visited the Vatican in June to discuss the racial tension in the U.S. As pastor of Christ the King United Church of Christ in north St. Louis County, she was one of the most visible religious organizers during the Ferguson protests following the death of Michael Brown last year. (Continued on page 11)

Inglewood Today

Page 2

September 24, 2015

Community

Kaiser Permanente Misleads Press, Public to Tone Down Negative Publicity HMO’s press release makes misleading claims about staffing, new hiring in Kaiser’s mental health departments

aiser Permanente, in an effort to deflect mounting criticism of its mental health care services from patients and their families, state regulators, and NUHWrepresented Kaiser mental health clinicians, claimed in a recent press release to have hired hundreds of additional therapists. Misleading figures fail to account for staff attrition that Kaiser has suffered due to the HMO’s patient-care failures, violations of state law, and declining working conditions. Kaiser’s numbers also fail to account for a dramatic increase in enrollment. In the past four years, Kaiser has added nearly by 1.2 million new members in California, significantly boosting demand for services at its mental health clinics while staffing has stagnated. Furthermore, a substantial portion of Kaiser’s new members have more acute mental health conditions requiring more intensive services. “At best, Kaiser is simply treading water,” says Clement Papazian, a psychiatric social worker at Kaiser’s Oakland Medical Center and president of NUHW’s Northern

California chapter of Kaiser mental health clinicians. “This means our mental health clinics are still understaffed and our patients are still forced to endure lengthy, illegal delays for therapy. They’re simply not getting the care they need, deserve, and pay for with their monthly premiums.” Kaiser’s dubious press release is an attempt to blunt negative publicity stemming from NUHW’s fiveyear struggle to hold the HMO accountable to its patients and staff. In February, California’s Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC), after investigating thousands of pages of documentation provided by NUHW, cited Kaiser for the second time in two years for “serious” and “systemic” violations of state law. DMHC investigators found 22% of Northern California patients and 9% of Southern California patients experienced excessive delays in initial and/or follow-up therapy appointments. The DMHC found that patients were forced to wait as long as 41 days for an initial appointment, far exceeding the maximum 10-day wait time under Cali-

fornia law. (DMHC report: http:// tinyurl.com/oqvru4r). After denying the claims of its clinicians for years, Kaiser attempted to deflect the negative media attention surrounding the February DMHC report by claiming that it had a plan to fix the problems in its mental health services. Kaiser did not offer specifics regarding this plan then, nor has Kaiser offered any since. Since February, Kaiser has continued to face unwanted publicity for its mental health care failures. In July Barbara Ragan, a retired Kaiser employee, committed suicide by jumping, Kaiser card in hand, from a Kaiser parking garage in Santa Rosa after the HMO informed her that she would have to wait eight weeks for one-on-one therapy for severe depression. Ragan’s death was “a statement,” her husband told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, about “how [Kaiser] treats people.” (“Kaiser Permanente faces renewed criticism over mental health services after Santa Rosa suicide,” Santa Rosa Press Democrat, August 1, (Continued on page 8)

Applications Accepted Now for Nation’s Largest Undergraduate Scholarship

he Jack Kent Cooke Foundation invites applications for its College Scholarship Program, the largest undergraduate scholarship in the country. Students selected as Cooke Scholars will be awarded as much as $40,000 each year for four years for tuition, living expenses, books, and other required fees. Cooke scholarships are available to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who seek to attend the nation’s best fouryear colleges and universities. “There are thousands of students with financial need who are among the nation’s highest achievers,” explained Executive Director Harold O. Levy. “They are the academic superstars who, if given the chance to reach their full potential, could become the next generation of leaders and innovators.” The program, which boasts a network of 2,000 extraordinary scholars and alumni, also connects students to opportunities they might not otherwise have, such as intern-

ships, studying abroad, and funding of up to $50,000 per year for graduate study. “We want to not only support them financially, but to raise their profiles, provide them with a community of fellow scholars, and offer support and advising to make sure they attend the highly selective institutions that match their talents,” Levy said. Recipients will be chosen based on exceptional academic ability and achievement, unmet financial need, persistence, desire to help others, and leadership. Applications require students to provide their academic transcripts, standardized test scores, teacher recommendations, self-assessments, and essays. The application period will close on November 3, 2015. Final notification to accepted students will be made in March 2016. For information about the College Scholarship Program, visithttp://www.jkcf.org/ scholarships/college-scholarshipprogram/.

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. By offering the largest scholarships in the country, comprehensive counseling and other support services to students from 7th grade to graduate school, the Foundation is dedicated to ensuring high-performing, lowincome students have the support necessary to develop their talents and excel educationally. In addition to its scholarship programs, the Foundation provides grants for innovative, high-impact initiatives that benefit such students. By doing so, the Cooke Foundation seeks to use its resources to end the Excellence Gap, the disparity between the number of low and high income students who reach the top levels of academic performance. Founded in 2000, the Foundation has awarded $147 million in scholarships to nearly 2,000 students and over $88 million in grants. www.jkcf.org.

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.

September 24, 2015

Inglewood Today

Page 3

c e l e b r at i n g H i s pa n i c H e r i ta g e M o n t h

Latinos Want State Lawmakers to Tackle Pollution, Climate Change in Latino Communities

mmigration reform is largely seen as a “Latino or Hispanic issue” due to the large number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. However, research shows that environmental issues are high on their list of priorities as well. While whites are at the forefront of causes related to global warming and clean energy, Latino communities are focused on environmental justice. Recent studies reveal Latinos are pushing for stronger action to address the impact of global warming, climate change and air pollution in the U.S. and in Latin American countries. An article on the Latino Decisions website (Aug. 19, 2015) noted that new groundbreaking data points to overwhelming support by California Latino voters on critical positions on the need for stronger state efforts in combating pollution particularly in communities of color, reducing our dependency on petroleum, and further expanding the Green Economy in Latino communities. The poll of 400 Latino registered voters was conducted by Latino Decisions in partnership with Presente.org, Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), the California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA), Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles (PSR-LA), and the Greenlining Institute (http://www.latinodecisions.com/blog). The survey, implemented by pollster Adrian Pantoja of Latino Decisions, confirms that Latinos not only want the state of California to address global warming, climate change and air pollution, but they also expect more aggressive action to invest in locally targeted renewable energy sources rather than fossil fuels. Latino voters also said that environmental attitudes have political consequences. When asked whether they would feel more or less favorable toward their State Representative if he or she supported a bill to reduce the use of fossil fuels, an overwhelming majority of respondents (75%) said they would be more favorable to their representatives. A whopping 82% said they would be more favorable toward a legislator who supported a bill to add new penalties and fines to companies that pollute. • 79 percent of Latinos said it was very to extremely important that the state of California address global warming and climate change; • 81 percent of Latinos said it was very to extremely important that

the state of California reduce air pollution from oil and gas; • 74 percent of Latinos said it was very to extremely important that the state of California develop renewable energy sources as a solar and wind power; and • 88 percent of Latinos agree that renewable energy should account for half of all energy produced by the state by the year 2030. But when asked about how to address the problem, Latino voters respond more enthusiastically to environmental justice and protection strategies that are specifically devoted to targeting most impacted communities, particularly Hispanic and other communities of color. • 87 percent of Latinos agree that we need to increase investment in clean public transportation in our communities to decrease the amount of cars on the roads; • 75% support the state to provide financial assistance for low income families in buying low emission cars; • 87 percent of Latinos say they would like to see more “Green Jobs” in the Latino community; • 81 percent of Latinos agree that our state government should devote more resources to address environmental issues and pollution in Black and Latino communities; and • 89 percent of Latinos agree that if the state invests money to develop new technology for renewable energy and pollution control, we need to make sure those investments go equally into the Latino community. Reacting to the Latino environmental justice poll, Arturo Carmona, Executive Director of Presente. org, said: “We are thrilled by the data in this poll, which finds overwhelming support for key arguments in the environmental justice fight and validates strong Latino commitment to fighting climate change. Latino voters are sending a powerful message that we see a bright future without petroleum, with less pollution, where most resources and pollution reduction mandates benefit the most impacted communities in the state. Our community is demanding a healthier, greener, a more just, and more equitable environmental transformation of our economy and society. But the poll also sends a chilling message of accountability to those elected officials still willing to advance the lies of Big Oil and their allies saying ‘we don’t support

you and you do not speak for us’.” Byron Gudiel, Executive Director of Communities for a Better Environment, added: “Oil industry operations and fossil fuel combustion in transportation accounts for more than half of greenhouse gasses emitted in California in addition to causing wide range of other serious health impacts in Latino communities as well as low income communities and communities of color.” “The community is fully aware of these negative impacts, and they strongly support urgent decisive action by their elected officials as demonstrated by this revealing poll results. We need massive and equity-based clean energy investments through a just transition away from fossil fuels towards a sustainable path in economic development, job creation and building healthy, safe and resilient communities.”

Matthews Named New IUSD Administrator (Continued from page 1) in someone else,” said Christopher Graeber, field representative for the California Professional Employees. “We just hope some of the good things Brann did are incorporated into the new things Matthews is doing.” Despite reports that suggest Brann resigned, he said he neither resigned nor retired. “All I said that night was that I would be transitioning out and working with (Torlakson) to make a smooth path from my work to the next trustee,” he said. Brann said he wishes Matthews and the district success. “I’m thrilled that someone of his (Matthews) background, experience and track record of success would be coming to head our school district,” Inglewood Mayor James Butts said. “He’s the expert but I believe he will provide a sense of stability, provide a medium-range vision for the improvement of our education system and that he’ll provide an immediate focus on the state of our school facilities for the children.”

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Inglewood Today

Page 4

September 24, 2015

EYE ON T H E C ITY

New Budget Indicates Stability for Inglewood

uesday’s council meeting opened with two public hearings. The first was held to consider amending the Master Fee Schedule. The second considered adding the accumulated consumer price indices to the City’s Master Fee Schedule from June 2012 through June 2015. Both resolutions were adopted. The council approved an agreement for legal advice and representation by Bergman Dacey & Goldsmith. A tentative tract map was approved, which consists of 9 lots for the development of 310 new homes at 333 N. Prairie Ave. Inglewood Police Officer Jesse Guiza was given sole custody of a retired Police Services canine named Ares. The police department was also authorized to accept a grant in the amount of $245,000 and include it in the 2015-16 budget. Council members approved two contracts on behalf of Public Works. One is for elevator maintenance and the other is for Century Boulevard Mobility Improvement Projects. City Manager Artie Fields and

By Veronica Mackey

his staff presented the proposed annual operating budget for Fiscal Year 2015-16. Here are some of the highlights: Budget increases for the past year included personnel costs ($4 million); active and retiree health costs ($1.8 million); Workers Compensation ($1.7 million); retirement ($1.4 million); tax assessment ($775,000); and L.A. County Fire Dept. cost of living increases ($348,000). Assistant City Manager/Chief Financial Officer David Esparza said the City’s property tax is up, utility users tax is down, and sales and motor vehicle in-lieu tax are up. The utility users tax has declined because of a decline in landline phone use. Proposed expenditures for 201516 are $218,547,200. The total shortfall projected is $12,364,943. Fields discussed the City’s options for closing the gap: “We have about $43 million now in reserves. We will be freezing positions which comes to about $1 million. Our (fee) increases will generate another $60,000. We will

be bringing back and reviewing our banking contract with Bank of America, and will be saving about $50,000.” Esparza said the new budget has built-in provisions if revenue from the proposed stadium “does not come into play.” Councilman Alex Padilla commented that making cuts to retiree medical benefits was a good decision for the City. “If we had not made those tough decisions, we would be hurt more than we are now substantially,” he said. Councilman George Dotson concurred: “This mayor (Butts) sends us emails all night long about this city and that city that has gone bankrupt because of failure to reduce medical costs. This city has done that.” “We took a lot of heat about the Forum, but we are 50% above sales tax revenue—more than we had anticipated. Those are amazing jumps,” Councilman Eloy Morales said. Mayor Butts painted a picture of Inglewood’s financial journey from 2006 to the present:

“We had around $48 million in reserves around 2006-7. During that time CalPERS (state retirement system) did not collect because they were making more money in the stock market. We (Inglewood) were down to $11 million in 2011. The stock market has not done that well since then. So to get back to $43 million is an incredible feat and I don’t want that to be lost.” Reflecting on how the council and staff turned around City finances, he continued: “You don’t run from one crisis to another. Our retired medical people spent more on doctor visits than they did on premiums. That jacked us up,” Butt said, adding that lifetime medical costs have gone up. “Had we just let this thing go, we would not have made it to 2017.” Butts also explained that the City of Inglewood is not “putting all our eggs in one basket” with regard to the stadium. One thing we are looking at is digital advertising. People depend on their government…We intend to be successful no matter (Continued on page 10)

Pick up your copy of Inglewood Today at one of these locations: 1 Stop Mini-Mart, 420 E. Florence Ave. AAA, 1234 N. Centinela Ave. A-Man Inc., 101 La Brea Ave. Airport Gas, 501 Hillcrest St. Allstate, 2300 W. Manchester Bl. Anthony’s Autobody and Painting, 259 N. LaBrea Ave. Bayou Grill, 1400 N. La Brea Ave. Big 5 Sporting Goods (1), 301 S. Market St. Big 5 Sporting Goods (2), 11310 Crenshaw Bl. 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 Cleaners, 1413 Centinela Ave. 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. D’Menace Copies, 254 North Market St. Darby Park, 3400 W. Arbor Vitae Diamond Beauty Supply, 1300 N. Centinela Ave. Dr. Daniel’s Weight Loss Program, 105 S. Locust St. 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 El Super, 3321 West Century Blvd. Fabulous Burger, 1315 Centinela Ave., Fabulous Forum, 1 West Manchester Bl. Faithful Central Bible Church, 333 W. Florence Ave. Family Fish Market, 1300 Centinela Ave. Fatburger, 3020 W. Manchester Ave. Fiesta Martin Mexican Grill, 1330 N. La Brea Ave. Foreign Car Repairs & Sales, 1110 Centinela Ave. Fabulous Forum, 1 West Manchester Bl.

Gin’s Liquor, 11001 Crenshaw Bl. Gonzales Northgate Market, 10801 Prairie Ave. Happy Time Liquor, 730 E. La Brea Ave. Heart & Soul Grill, 128 N. Market St. Hollywood Park Casino, 1050 S. Prairie Ave. House of Tacos and Pupuseria, 254 North Market St. 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. Instant Print, Inc., 425 E. Manchester Bl. 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. Kwin Service Gasoline, 1235 W. Centinela Ave. L&L Paralegal Services, 171 N. LaBrea 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 Orleans & York (1), 400 E. Florence Ave. Orleans & York (2), 4454 W. Slauson Ave., LA 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 St. Mary’s Academy, 701 Grace Ave. Starbucks, 5301 Centinela Ave. Starbucks, 941 N. La Brea Ave. Starbucks on Century Stuff I Eat, 114 N. Market St. Sunrise Groceries, 1400 N. Centinela Ave. Super Fish Market, 11007 S Crenshaw Bl. Superior Groceries, 11202 S Crenshaw Bl. TenderCare Child Development Center, 335 E. Spruce Ave. 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 Water 4 U, 254 W. Market St. Westchester Villa Senior Living, 220 W. Manchester Bl. Whitehorse Fish Market, 3119 W. Imperial Hwy. Whole Foods, 4508 Overhill (Slauson) Wilder’s Preparatory Academy Charter School, 830 N. La Brea Ave. 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) Zahra’s Books “N” Things, 900 N. La Brea Ave.

Inglewood Today

September 24, 2015

Publisher’s Message

City Budget an Example of Solid Financial Planning

Page 5

Word for the Wise Fall Special! Tires Repaired At No Charge Now Until October 31, 2015 With This Ad

our years ago, the City of Inglewood had $11 million in the bank. Now it has around $43 million—nearly 4 times as much! It took a lot of creativity and heart-wrenching decision making to turn things around. But actually improving the City’s finances is not that different from what most families deal with every day. The dynamics are the same, and it got me to thinking what families could do to improve their own financial situations. A significant part of Inglewood’s budget deficit was caused by unfunded liabilities, particularly retiree lifetime medical benefits. These benefits were extended to all Inglewood City employees during a time when the economy was robust. Administrations prior to Mayor Butts promised these benefits, but had no budget to cover them. There was no way the funds could be sustained forever, especially when the economic bottom fell out. The City was legally obligated to continue providing coverage to retiring employees, regardless of the fact that many qualified for Medicare. Here are the three ways Inglewood managed to survive and come back from the brink of financial devastation. If you are deep in debt, you may want to consider taking these steps: Make hard decisions. The City had 2 choices: Do nothing and eventually go bankrupt or change its policy. While Inglewood had to honor its promise to take care of the health needs of former employees, it decided to discontinue the benefits for active employees. Elected leaders were criticized for making changes, but they had to make hard decisions in order to keep the City afloat. It was a matter of protecting the future and long term interests of Inglewood residents, and not just those who worked for the City. Negotiate. It was not enough for the City to simply stop the bleeding by ending lifetime benefits. Officials had to protect future revenue by negotiating with labor representatives. They had to come to an agreement that satisfied current employees while reducing the City’s obligations. Too often when people get into debt over their heads, they neglect to communicate with creditors. They fail to negotiate or re-negotiate the terms. This is

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Willie Brown, Publisher, Inglewood Today Weekly a mistake, as negotiating could save you literally thousands of dollars, not to mention salvage your credit. You may think negotiating only works with big corporations or municipalities like the City. But creditors are usually more willing to work with you than you think. If you are having trouble making ends meet and cannot pay your bills, figure out a different scenario that will allow you to meet your obligations. You may need to negotiate a lower interest rate or monthly payment, or different terms. Create a written plan that you can live with before you contact your creditors. There is no guarantee they will approve your plan, but it is certainly worth a try. Explore new income sources. Elected officials took the heat again when a resolution was passed allowing the sale of super graphics billboard advertising. Residents who were against the billboards expressed their discontent loudly. Others felt advertising was rather innocuous, and as long as certain guidelines remained in place, it could bring much needed revenue to Inglewood. Mayor Butts and council members seized the opportunity to allow businesses to advertise, and came up with a lucrative deal which has been praised as a win-win. Likewise, after you have made the hard decisions and negotiated down your personal debt, you should consider ways to increase your household income. There have never been more ways to earn money than there are now. Whether it involves moonlighting with a second job, a part time business or investment, or selling some of your valuables on eBay, there is always something you can do to get the flow of dollars going. Take a lesson from the City of Inglewood and improve your own bottom line.

Just Saying... Don’t let circumstances pull you down, keep moving ahead.

Yvonne Horton

Citywide Yard Sale & Recycling Event City Of Inglewood Date: October 3, 2015 Time: 7:00 a.m. - 3:00p.m.

FREE ADMISSION Clean out closets of unwanted treasures and earn some cash! Or come down to browse and maybe purchase a treasure that is new to you! Booths are available to Inglewood residents only. Proof of residency and a $40 registration fee is required. Residents can register at the Public Works Department on the 3rd floor in City Hall.

Location: Hollywood Park Race Track Parking Lot Gate 8 at Pincay Dr.

Reduce - Reuse - Recycle A NON-PROFIT DONATION CENTER & DOCUMENT SHREDDING SERVICES WILL BE ON SITE Please contact the Public Works Department for more information at

(310) 412-5333 Learn to compost while you shop at the

Inglewood Citywide Yard Sale

Inglewood Today

Page 6

September 24, 2015

Community

Staying Healthy By Anne Cheek La Rose

nless you have an ongoing medical issue such as a heart condition, diabetes, or high blood pressure, your day-to-day health is a subject on the back burner. If you are like me, you focus on health periodically. I’m always looking for information that will help me to eat smart and stay active with minimal change in my life. The single best thing we can do is make changes to our diet. Sugar makes everything taste good, but it really isn’t good for us. Sugars come from a variety of sources and the trick is to stay away from the bad sugars and lower intake of the not-so-bad sugars. Fructose, high fructose corn syrup, and corn syrup are the bad sugars. These sugars are in a wide variety of products. The only way to become knowledgeable is to read the ingredient labels of all packaged and prepared food you intend to purchase. The not-so-bad sugars are natural and less refined. In case you are a fan of these

te Your Vo Counts!

for flavor, protein, and healthy fats; gluten-free desserts have added sugars and gum to replace lost ingredients; fruit is high in sugar, so have a 4 oz. glass of orange juice instead of a 12 oz. glass; your best bet with yogurt is plain and add fresh fruit, if you must; diet foods are notoriously high in sugars and salt, as those replace the fat. Instead of diet foods and drinks, eat real food and limit your intake of real soda. Salt is found in most foods naturally. When food is cooked, more salt is added. Then, when the meal Anne Cheek La Rose arrives at the table, many folks add foods, be aware that they are high more salt. Your best bet is to use in sugars: whole-grain bread, bal- one of three salt substitutes. Morsamic vinegar, oatmeal, gluten-free ton Salt Substitute, Mrs. Dash, or foods, fruit juice, yogurt, and diet my favorite, 21 Seasonings Salute foods. Whole-grain bread is the from Trader Joe’s. best choice, just not sandwich after Foods that are high in fat, fast sandwich; instead of balsamic vin- foods, and fried foods are major noegar at home or out, choose extra no’s for those with heart issues, diavirgin olive oil and red wine vin- betes, and high blood pressure. egar; choose quick-cooking plain Heart disease, high blood presoatmeal or better yet, steel-cut oats sure, and diabetes are all related. and add a dollop of almond butter The American Diabetes Association

notes that 65% of people with diabetes die of heart disease or stroke. Diabetes increases the risk of heart problems and high blood pressure. We can cut our risk of these diseases with diet and exercise. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and low-fat dairy products should be the major part of our diets with small amounts of protein at each meal. Olive oil is a better choice for cooking than either butter or margarine. Almonds and walnuts deliver good fats that help lower cholesterol. Keeping cholesterol low will help arteries stay open and keep blood flowing to and from the heart at the proper rate. Exercise doesn’t have to be a big deal. Take a brisk walk three times a week, dance, do yoga, or chair exercises. Take stairs instead of an elevator for one or two floors. Park away from a store entrance to add a bit of exercise. Do some gardening. The object is to keep moving.

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Inglewood Today

September 24, 2015

Page 7

E n t e r ta i n m e n t

Viola Davis Uses Emmy Win to Push for Diversity At the same time, Entertainment Weekly reported Davis as saying she would prefer that race not always be brought up in regard to her performance: “One of the things that I admire about Shondaland [Shonda Rhimes is the creator of “Murder”] is Annalise Keating was not written specifically for a black woman. I made her black because I’m black. But what needs to happen in the writing is when you put pen to paper, you’ve got to let your imagination fly.” For some, Davis’ making history came as a surprise. Given the Emmy’s long standing history, and the number of television roles featuring Voila Davis is the first African-American woman to win an African Americans, a previous win Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama Series. by a black woman in Davis’ category was a foregone conclusion. Said to win Best Lead Actress, Davis just the award. It’s what it’s going comedian and host of “The Nightly used her acceptance speech to push to mean to young girls—young Show,” Larry Wilmore, “That can’t for more roles for black women. brown girls, especially. When they possibly be true! The first black She later said, “What it meant saw a physical manifestation of a woman. I mean, the Emmys have for me to win the Emmy is I found dream, I felt like I had fulfilled a been around for like 67 years… it,” she says, choking up. “It’s not purpose.” Well, better late than never.”

One Is Too Many

National Network to End Domestic Violence

By Norielle Aurelio and Abby Stallworth

ost people have their first relationships while in high school or college. It’s new, exciting, thrilling, sometimes sexual, and perfectly normal. Unfortunately, this can also be one of the most dangerous times in a woman’s life. Women ages 16-24 experience the highest rate of intimate partner violence. In fact, nearly 1.5 million high school students experience physical abuse from a dating partner each year and more than half of the women who are raped are under the age of 18. We refuse to remain a silenced majority. Dating violence is domestic violence. It is the use of power and control over one individual by someone who is supposed to care about her or him. Dating violence is not only just physical, but can also be emotional and psychological abuse and include behaviors such as stalking, isolation of friends and family, and being possessive. Since this is often their first love or serious relationship, many young people may not know the red flags or identify problematic behaviors. It is time to end the silence on dating violence. As young women and college interns at the National Network to End Domestic Violence, the victims of dating violence are our friends and classmates; they are the familiar fac-

es on the quad or in the library. We know people in our lives who have experienced dating violence and the odds are that you or someone you know has too. What can we do? We speak up when our friends make jokes about a drunk girl being ‘easy,’ and we offer support to a friend who is being abused. It is essential to raise awareness among our peers so we can recognize dating violence and have the resources to help one another. Educating young men and women to be responsive bystanders is a key element to ending dating violence. You can be there for your friend and listen to her or him, and you can point out behaviors that are troubling or have red flags, both without judgment and blame. Education on healthy relationships exists at our college campuses, but there needs to be more education in middle and high schools, the media, and in the community at large; without proper education, information about resources, and how to stand up against it, dating violence will continue unchecked. Recently, the White House released its “1 is 2 Many” campaign to raise awareness on dating violence. As young adults we encourage our peers to take a stand against dating violence...because one is too many.

Transit Agencies in LA County now accept TAP!

26 Agencies in LA County Now Use TAP Technology With every transit agency in LA County now accepting TAP, it’s an excellent time to get your TAP card! TAP is a durable plastic card you can use again and again to pay your fare. Load Stored Value or an EZ transit pass and ride from Long Beach to Antelope Valley or Santa Monica to Norwalk. Your TAP card will know exactly how much to deduct for each ride. Learn more at taptogo.net. Go Metro to College Football If you're heading to the Coliseum and Rose Bowl on game day, Go Metro. Metro’s bus and rail lines will help get you past the tra;c and parking hassles and straight to the action. To plan the trip that’s best for you, use our Trip Planner at metro.net/gameday. Go Metro to Taste of Soul Live music, delicious food, local crafts and more: enjoy it all at this year’s Taste of Soul festival in the Crenshaw District. Admission is free! Save time and the hassle of >nding parking by going Metro to the event. Stop by the Metro booth and take the pledge to Eat, Shop and Play at participating businesses and be entered to win great prizes. Plan your trip at metro.net. Regional Connector Project Street Closures If you work or live in Downtown LA, please note that for three months Broadway will be reduced to one lane in each direction between 1st St and 3rd St, and westbound 2nd St will be closed between Spring St and Broadway starting as early as September 12 for construction of the Regional Connector Transit Project. For more details, visit metro.net/regionalconnector.

metro.net @metrolosangeles losangelesmetro

iola Davis made history on September 20 when she became the first African-American woman to win an Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama Series. Davis’ win was her first career Emmy and first nomination. In a moving speech, the “How to Get Away With Murder” actress began by quoting Harriet Tubman: “In my mind, I see a line. And over that line, I see green fields and lovely flowers and beautiful white women with their arms stretched out to me over that line. But I can’t seem to get there no how. I can’t seem to get over that line.” “The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity,” she said. “You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there. So here’s to all the writers, the awesome people … people who have re-defined what it means to be beautiful, to be sexy, to be leading women, to be black.” Like Halle Berry, who became the first African American woman

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Inglewood Today

September 24, 2015

H EALTh & F ITNESS

How Clean Is Your Hospital Room?

ost people scheduled for a trip to the hospital expect the facility to be clean, or at least not harboring organisms that can cause life-threatening illness. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 75,000 people in the United States die from hospital-acquired infections each year. Many hospitals struggle to prevent the spread of two common, but potentially life-threatening bacteria in particular: Clostridium difficile (C. diff) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Poor hand hygiene, overuse of antibiotics and inadequate disinfection practices are often contributors to the problem. Consumer Reports recently published rankings of which U.S. hos-

pitals do best and worst at fighting when necessary; excessive use of bacteria that cause infections. Only these drugs can promote the de6 percent of hospitals scored well velopment of resistant organisms. against both C. diff and MRSA. disinfection. • Environmental What can hospitals do to destroy Pulsed xenon ultraviolet (UV) these organisms and keep patients light can destroy the infectious casafe? Strategies that have shown pability of bacteria and viruses. Insuccess include improving hand novative hospitals including MD hygiene, antibiotic stewardship and Anderson Cancer Center, Stanenvironmental disinfection. ford, the University of Washington • Hand hygiene. Proper hand hyand Orlando Health are harnessgiene means handwashing/disining this technology in the form of fection by all health care workers germ-zapping robots. Here’s how before and after caring for each it works: Full spectrum UV light patient. Setting up hand sanitizer passes through the cell walls of stations and reminding hospital bacteria, bacterial spores and vistaff of hand hygiene protocol ruses, where it damages the DNA, has been shown to improve comRNA and proteins. This renders pliance and reduce the spread of the organisms inert and incapable infection. of causing infection. • Antibiotic stewardship. Use More than 300 hospitals, surgery broad-spectrum antibiotics only centers and skilled nursing facilities

in the United States and Europe are using Xenex Germ-Zapping Robots for room disinfection, and have seen infection rates drop up to 70 percent. Pulsed xenon UV devices take only minutes to completely disinfect a room and make it safe for the next patient. You and your loved ones deserve a pathogen-free room during your hospital stay. Is your hospital using Xenex robots for disinfection? Email Xenex at: stopinfections@xenex.com with the name of a hospital, and the company will let you know. Meanwhile, visit xenex.com for more information about how Xenex robots can make hospitals safer. Source: NewsUSA

Kaiser Permanente Misleads Press, Public to Tone Down Negative Publicity (Continued from page 2) 2015 (http://tinyurl.com/pe27oqv). On August 31, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Wynne Carvill denied Kaiser’s motion to dismiss a class-action lawsuit against the HMO. The lawsuit, brought by Kaiser patients, alleges that Kaiser is violating multiple California laws by withholding adequate care

from patients with mental illness. The lead plaintiff’s husband committed suicide after Kaiser denied him timely and appropriate care for treatment amid a crisis related to his bipolar disorder. In his ruling, Judge Carvill cited Kaiser’s understaffing of its mental health services: “An inference to be drawn from all of the Plaintiffs’ allegations is that Kaiser simply does not allocate adequate resources to coverage, treatment and care of its

members suffering from mental illness. All of the Plaintiffs’ claims, whether focused on long wait times or the predominance of group therapy as opposed to individual therapy, may well be accounted for by a shortage of providers.” (“Judge clears path for classaction lawsuit against Kaiser for violations of Mental Health Parity Act,” Pasadena Independent, September 9, 2015 (http://tinyurl.com/ q9ezh8d). The judge’s ruling parallels the February DMHC report in which government investigators concluded that Kaiser’s access failures are fundamentally rooted in its failure to have sufficient numbers of mental health providers available for patients. The DMHC report states that Kaiser’s “monthly access reports suggest that the Plan’s current behavioral health provider network remains inadequate to serve the needs of its enrollee population.” (DMHC report: http://tinyurl.com/ nfnv3cu). DMHC Director Shelley Rouillard underscored Kaiser’s staffing failures in comments published in the Los Angeles Times: “That is not a good performance,” Rouillard said. “Fundamentally it comes down to there are not enough providers in the Kaiser system to serve

everyone who needs mental health services.” (“California again slams Kaiser for delays in mental health treatment,” Los Angeles Times, February 24, 2015: http://tinyurl.com/ pgx6k24. In addition, Kaiser is facing a wave of retirements. Nearly 30 percent of Kaiser’s 2,600 California mental health clinicians are at or approaching retirement age, meaning Kaiser’s meager hiring program will break even at best. (“Kaiser’s Mental Health Care Crisis,” NUHW, November 2014: http://tinyurl.com/q8xotqo. Rather than commit to staffing its clinics appropriately, Kaiser is instead trying to implement a quota system that will force its clinicians to fit more and more patients into their already overbooked schedules. Kaiser’s failure to invest in adequate mental health services comes at the same time that the giant HMO is reporting record profits. During the first six months of 2015, Kaiser reported $2 billion in profits. Since 2009, the company’s profits total more than $16.6 billion and its executives have enjoyed multimillion-dollar salaries. Kaiser also has amassed a $23 billion reserve—1500 percent more than state law requires.

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September 24, 2015

Inglewood Today

Page 9

BUSINESS

7 Strategies to Raise Private Money for Your Real Estate Transactions By Josh Cantwell

n order to be successful as a real estate investor, you need to have access to money. The one thing you do not want to have to rely on is your own money or credit. The ideal solution is building a bank of private money that you can use to fund your real estate transactions over and over. In a perfect world, you would have a cache of people calling you, begging you to take their money. But chances are, that is not going to happen. However, there are strategies you can use that will give you access to private capital and help build massive private cash flow. The key is to structure transactions so that they are beneficial for both you and your private money partners. Here we take a look at some specific, actionable tips that you can use to raise private money in as soon as the next 7-10 days. This will allow you to bring capital into your business to finance your real estate transactions. Who You Know. The best place to start in finding private money is by looking within your own network of contacts. By physically creating a list of potential private money partners, you are building a database and capitalizing on immediate re-

sources. These contacts are going to be warm leads because they already know you. Start the whole process now, it takes time. People need to start seeing you as a good, safe place to invest money. They need to trust you, believe in you, like what you’re doing or what you’re about. Be the National Bank of You! Newsletters. Creating a simple newsletter and distributing it to everyone on your list is a great way to share exactly what you are doing, and what the possibilities are for their partnership with you. The newsletter does not have to be fancy. You want to share information about what you do, include case studies and photos and samples of returns that other partners have experienced. Always remember to include your call to action—get the readers to do something, which is call you right away to learn how they can get involved. Highlight Opportunities. Ideally, you do not want to have to ask for money. You want them to learn about the opportunity, become so excited or interested that they offer their money to you. They will want to get involved as one of your private money partners. The best way to do

this is by showing how they can earn strong, double-digit returns on their investment. Make it very easy for them to see the proof. Sometimes you may want to structure the deal so the equity partner gets a greater return so you can get them talking about their positive experience. The Presentation. Put together a simple but clear PowerPoint presentation that you can share with potential private money partners. In this presentation, you want to explain how partnering with you is different than any other type of investment, how they can earn double-digit returns, sample case studies of projects you have done and partnerships. Do not get bogged down in details or worry about how long or short the presentation is. Focus on getting the information across. The presentation sets the stage for you. One-Pagers (aka Opportunity Sheets). Once you have established a pre-existing relationship with your contacts, remember the 3-touch rule (3 touches are needed to establish a relationship.) If you have an opportunity for a real estate transaction, create a simple one-pager or opportunity sheet to share with poten-

tial partners. This document shows the property, describes the partnership opportunity (equity partnership structure) and includes the return rates you are offering. Make sure your wording is simple and clear and that the offer is easy to understand. Use as few words as possible and include appropriate photos. Email this to your list to tee up the deal. Make sure you are not offering a security or making any guarantees (violation of SEC laws); rather, you are offering an ownership stake in real estate. Cash Flow Projections. For each property you have, set up a cash flow projection spreadsheet that tracks all financial information related to the specific property transaction. This gives you a very precise snapshot of what is happening with each property, but also can show the equity partner what is happening. This is especially helpful if you have multiple property transactions going on at one time. Long-Term Relationships. The biggest strategy for raising money is building long-term relationships— having passion for what you do, dripping information to the people (Continued on page 10)

5 Overlooked Variables to Consider for Your Longest Unemployment Stretch – Retirement

t wasn’t long ago that most Americans had a secure three-legged stool on which to rest their retirement concerns—a well-funded Social Security system, substantial corporate pensions with retiree health benefits and, ideally, a strong personal savings rate. Nowadays, however, pensions aren’t what they used to be; they’ve been largely replaced by employersponsored plans such as a 401(k), 403(b) or 457, the reliability of which is yet to be proven. Social Security, which was never meant to be a sole income provider during retirement, is often said to be vulnerable for future generations. Alarmingly, only 53 percent of the civilian workforce contributes to or participates in a retirement plan, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with subsets like the private industry at just 48 percent. And, according to the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, 36 percent of baby boomers plan to rely on Social Security as their primary source of income. “All is not lost; however, whether you’re retired, soon-to-be retired or planning on it a few decades in ad-

Financial advisor says the time to plan is now. vance, your best move is to do something about it now,” says Marc Sarner, president of Wake Up Financial and Insurance Services Inc. (www. wakeupretirement.net). While there are many clear factors to consider when planning for retirement – such as when to draw Social Security benefits and the possibility of long-term medical care—Sarner summarizes five variables you may be overlooking. • You may need a housing plan —or two. Between 2005 and 2007, U.S. home values spiked drastically in value, but shortly thereafter plummeted. Fluctuations in the housing market could impact your retirement income strategy. Your home may not provide the backup retirement income you have anticipated, Sarner says. Looking ahead, the rate of house appreciation is likely to revert closer to the long-term norms (pre2006) of 0.75 to 1 percent per year over the rate of inflation – not double-digit annual increases, according to the Urban Land Institute. • Consider the potential impact of inflation. Inflation can be experienced a little differently when you retire because you’ll likely spend

money proportionately on different things. For retirees, the tendency is to spend money on things that experience a higher rate of inflation. For instance, health care, which has an inflation rate of about 8 percent – is currently two to three times greater than the overall inflation rate. • Reconsider your goals. The distribution of retirement income differs from accumulation because, once

retired, you may no longer have the timeline to help you recover from the impact of a down market. You can’t control what the markets will do, or when they will do it, Sarner says. The occurrence of a market downturn, such as in the first few years of retirement, can have an impact on how long retirement assets may last. One helpful strategy is to combine (Continued on page 10)

Allstate Agency Owner Billy Campbell Honored Named Premier Agency for 2014

As a business leader and involved citizen in the Inglewood area, Allstate exclusive agency owner Billy Campbell has been designated an Allstate Premier Agency for 2014. This designation is being presented to Billy Campbell for outstanding business performance and commitment to putting customers at the center of his agency’s work. Billy Campbell’s agency is located at 2300 W Manchester Blvd. in Inglewood and can be reached at (323) 750-1777 or http://agents.allstate.com/billy-campbell-inglewood-ca.html.

Inglewood Today

Page 10

September 24, 2015

LEGAL NOTICES Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2015 217731 The following Person is doing business as:

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2015 203993 The following Person is doing business as:

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2015 232328 The following Person is doing business as:

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2015 235686 The following Person is doing business as:

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2015 231727 The following Person is doing business as:

Expressions Group Home 8505 Crenshaw Blvd. Inglewood, CA 90305

YDE Enterprises Evans Staffing Agency 2390 Crenshaw Blvd., #193 Torrance, CA 90501

HAIR By Joy 5925 Wooster Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90056

A A G Trucking 711 W. Beach Ave., Apt #2 Inglewood, CA 90302

The Free Your Mind Chatline 642 E. Hyde Park Blvd. Inglewood, CA 90302

Registered Owner: Joyce Brown, 5925 Wooster Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90056

Registered Owner: Alfredo Alvarez Garcia, 711 W. Beach Ave., Apt #2, Inglewood, CA 90302

Registered Owner: James Brock 642 E. Hyde Park Blvd., Apt. #4, Inglewood, CA 90302

This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on September 11, 2015.

This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on September 8, 2015.

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.) Alfredo Alvarez Garcia, Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk on September 11, 2015

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.) James Brock, Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk on September 8, 2015

Registered Owner: Empowering Sounds Of Movement, Inc, 8505 Crenshaw Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90305 This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on August 21, 2015.

Registered Owner: Yolanda Evans 2390 Crenshaw Blvd., #193 Torrance, CA 90501 This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on August 5, 2015.

This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on September 8, 2015.

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.) Empowering Sounds Of Movement, Inc., Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk on August 21, 2015

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.) Yolanda Evans, Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk on August 5, 2015

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.

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 Sept 3, 10, 17, 24, 2015 IT00422301072 Inglewood Today

Eye on the City (Continued from page 4) what. That’s what you hired us for, and that’s what we’re going to do.” The City Manager will come back with a final version of the budget for approval in a week. A District 4 resident complained about being ticketed for parking in the driveway. “We want to know if there is some other resolution rather than ticketing the residents. There are only 7 parking spaces on the opposite side of the street,” she said. Butts replied: “Because the driveways are so short, it forces pedestrians to walk in the street and forces

handicapped people into the streets.” Councilman Ralph Franklin told the woman about a meeting on September 24 at 6pm at the Police Community Center, 2656 W. Imperial Highway. The meeting will address transportation issues. Staff at the Social Justice Learning Institute operated the first of 4 Farmers’ Markets planned for the remainder of 2015. Comments were mostly supportive, except for Ethel Austin, who wanted a larger market. Councilman Dotson commented on how successful and enjoyable the Hispanic Heritage Festival was. He reminded everyone about

his District 1 Shredding Day event at 2901 W. Manchester, from 9 to noon. “I look forward to the next Farmers’ Market,” Councilman Alex Padilla said. “You start off with baby steps and you grow it.” He invited everyone to the grand opening for the new gas station on 64th Street and La Brea, Oct. 3 at 11am. Councilman Ralph Franklin said he was “overwhelmed” by the number of people who attended the Hispanic Heritage Festival. “To have that many dancers, singers and face painters there—it was incredible. He called the Farmers’ Market a “step in the right direction.”

Morales said the festival had the highest number of people of any that he has attended since the 90’s. “A city our size depends on community events. It’s amazing how many people really are proud to live in the City of Inglewood. We went to the renaming of La Tijera Village. They (residents) were very educated as to what was going on in the City. They knew we were close to bankruptcy and that our property values have gone up by 54% in the last 2 years.” The mayor took a look back at how Inglewood has progressed: “We have our council policy of trying to maintain 25%

of our reserves. In 2011 we got down to 14%. Since then, we trimmed more trees and paved more streets, while saving money. We had lost money for residential sound insulation, but we will do all 2,300 homes at the end of the year, and that includes people at the end of the block who were not eligible before. There were people who were gleeful when we (were going through hardship). I have not seen one of them say, you guys have done a great job. The voices have dwindled. But when people are happy, they don’t need to come down here. They know they are being taking care of.”

7 Strategies to Raise Private Money for Your Real Estate Transactions (Continued from page 9) you know are good prospects for you and need to know that they can make money investing with you. This is how real money is raised. Josh is a full time real estate investor from Cleveland, Ohio who has personally been involved in hundreds of profitable real estate transactions. He has also been a mentor to students who have closed thousands of wholesaling,

rehabs, rentals, foreclosure, pre-foreclosure and short sale transactions over the past 8 years. Josh has been training and teaching apprentice partners and students since 2004. Josh has vast knowledge and experience in helping coaching clients, mentor students and apprentice partners from across the US in finding, structuring, negotiating and closing various types of transactions for a profit. To learn more, visit http:// www.strategicrealestatecoach.com or http://www. acceleratedinvestor.com today.

5 Overlooked Variables to Consider for Retirement (Continued from page 9) growth opportunity with reliable income sources. • Understand taxes in retirement. Many pre-retirees think that when they retire their taxes will be less because they are no longer working. However, many of my clients pay more taxes in retirement then while they were working. Shocking? It’s true. The house is paid off, you have no dependents and have less write offs. Throw in your pension and Social Security income, plus

RMD income from IRAs and 401ks, and now you have a real taxation problem. Proper planning can help elevate this future tax liability. • Find your distribution strategy. Saving for retirement is like standing at the foot of a tall mountain and beginning the slow, steady climb towards your retirement savings goal. If you’re not prepared for a long and controlled descent, you could run out of an adequate supply of rope to make your journey safely. A distribution strategy is all about how to descend the mountain as steadily, carefully and se-

curely as possible. “These are summary explanations of lengthy considerations,” Sarner says. “Be sure to carefully review the many aspects of these retirement variables.” As president of Wake Up Financial and Insurance Services, Inc. (www.wakeupretirement.net) for nearly two decades, Marc Sarner provides retirement solutions for retirees and pre-retirees that focus on reducing taxes, increasing income and managing risks. He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from California Polytechnic State University.

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.) Joyce Brown, Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk on September 8, 2015

September 24, 2015

Will Pope Francis Talk Race? (Continued from page 1) The Pope’s advisors wanted to meet with Blackmon and other grass-roots advocates to better understand the racial tension between African American communities and police. One of the advisors specifically asked about the pool party in a Dallas suburb involving a black bikini-clad teenage girl who was thrown to the ground by a white policeman. “I was very shocked,” Blackmon said. “It did catch me off guard. And when we were there, (the pool party) had just happened. This wasn’t a case where anyone lost their life, and to ask about it was a way of saying, ‘We are paying attention. We do know what’s going on. And we’re looking deeper than the surface.’’’ She added, “I told them it was indicative of racial discord that permeates America, that’s always been here, and it manifests in various ways in the history of our nation and that we’re at a critical moment.” Up to this point, Pope Francis has been the most vocal about the environment and global climate change. In June the Vatican released an “encyclical,” a lengthy public letter about climate change—not just for the globe’s 1.2 billion Catholics, but to everyone of any—or no—faith. “In it, (he) boldly challenges us all to take an honest look inside our hearts and question the foundations of a society that has created wealth for some at the expense of others and “our common home— the planet earth,” Inequality.org reports. He calls for the wealthiest nations to pay their fair share in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and assisting developing countries in building climate resilience and renewable energy. In the past, the pontiff has also spoken out against income inequality. He urged global leaders to fight growing income inequality in his first major written work as pope. He laid out the platform for his papacy in the 84-page document last November, attacking the “idolatry of money” and calling on politicians

Inglewood Today

to guarantee all citizens “dignified work, education and healthcare.” The pontiff’s planned meeting at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic School in Harlem on Friday will likely not be the venue to discuss race, as questions will be vetted and presented by third and fourth graders. On Sunday morning, the pope visits Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility. Inmates at a neighboring prison built the chair that the Pope will sit in. While much attention has been given to the chair, prison reform advocates hope Francis will discuss America’s flawed criminal justice system. The pope will have a perfect opportunity to open up about Ferguson and other cities where racial tension has dominated the news on Thursday when he speaks to the Senate and House. During the joint session, he will make the firstever address to Congress, which will broadcast live on the Capitol’s West Front. This speech will be one of four he will hold in English. The remaining 14 speeches on his U.S. trip will be in his native Spanish. In 1985, Pope John Paul II, apologized to African leaders for the involvement of white Christians in the slave trade, and later called racism “a plague” on the United States during a 1999 trip to St. Louis. Leaders of the Black Lives Matters movement expect Pope Francis to comment on the obvious lack of progress in communities of color two decades later. “It would mean a lot if he used some of his time in the United States to address police brutality and racial injustice,” said Shaun King a leader in the movement. “I’d stop short of calling it a wasted trip if he didn’t, but it would be a disappointment,” he said. “The history of Pope Francis’s remarks indicates that he wouldn’t come to the United States and not address the issue that’s most pressing. And here, that’s race.” Blackmon said.

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D at e s i n S e p t e m b e r & Oc t o b e r September 24, 2015 Construction Update Community Meeting Join Metro and Walsh-Shea Corridor Constructors at the Construction Update Community Meeting. It will be held from 6:30-8pm, 733 Hindry Ave., Inglewood, CA 90301. You’ll learn about upcoming construction activities and speak with staff about the Crenshaw/ LAX Metro Rail project. Street parking is available around the facility on Hindry Ave., Isis Ave. and Arbor Vitae St. For RSVPs, accommodations, or questions, please call (213) 922-2736 or emailcrenshawcorridor@metro. net. For information about taking Metro busses or trains, please call 323-GO-METRO (466-3876). All Metro meetings are held in ADA accessible facilities. Other ADA accommodations and translations available by calling (213) 922-2736 at least 72 hours in advance. September 26, 2015 1st District Document Shredding Day Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes around. Don’t be a victim! Protect yourself and family by destroying any documents containing sensitive information that you no longer need. Attend this free shredding event, held from 9am to noon at the Police Community Center, 2901 Manchester Blvd. Limited to 3 boxes per household. September 26, 2015 2nd District Picnic Bring your lawn chair, blan-

ket and a dish or two and head on down to the 2nd District Picnic. Enjoy this day of games and fun in the sun and see who’ll get bragging rights for the best chili. The 3rd annual picnic will be held from noon to 4pm at North Park, 623 E. Hargrave Street. To register for the chili cookoff, contact the office of Councilman Alex Padilla at (310) 412-8601. October 1, 2015 Free Water Education Class and Tour As California’s drought worsens, now is really the time to get serious about your water use. Attend West Basin’s Water 101 class to learn about where your water comes from, current and future water challenges, the importance of local, drought-proof water supplies, and more. The class will be held at the Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility, 1935 S. Hughes Way, El Segundo, CA 90245. Free parking is available in the front lot. The class will be held from 7 to 9pm. Dinner will be provided at 6:30pm. Bring in a pair of gently used shoes on the day of the class for the Soles for Life organization and take home a free conservation item! (Limit: 1 device per person) Reservations are required. Please email info@westbasin.org or leave a message on our tour hotline at (310) 660-6243. Class is recommended for people 18 years and older. Spots are limited and the class fills up quickly, so register early! For more information, go to westbasin.org.

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c e l e b r at i n g H i s pa n i c H e r i ta g e M o n t h

Inglewood Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month (Continued from page 1) Heritage Month celebration with a booming festival and day of fun in the sun for families, residents, and guests at the 2015 Hispanic Heritage Festival. After being on hiatus for a number of years, the City is now entering its second year of celebrations. Accompanied by his two young sons, Councilman Eloy Morales shared his thoughts on the celebration. “Back when I was growing up we had this event for 16 consecutive years starting in 1988 and

it stopped because of budget reasons. The beauty about these types of events is that we get to be this role model for the rest of the country. When you see cultures not getting along in cities, it’s amazing to me because I grew up here, and especially amongst the Black and Brown communities that exist here today, they get along. When other cities are having that issue, we’re not, and I love that about our city. Councilman Alex Padilla enhanced the festivities this year by adding a classic car show that featured some of the hottest classic added, “We’re celebrating Hispanic automobiles in the community. He heritage this month, and as part of this festival we wanted to bring in the classic cars. Classic cars are so important to major events, and here in Inglewood we have a lot of these classic cars, so we want to display some of these beautiful cars that our residents own, and make this a part of our annual event.” The stage was filled with talented performers from the young and gifted musician Pedrito Rigoso, The Real Band, Ballet Folklorico Ensemble, Sonsoles, and the 2-Time Grammy Awarding winning, Mariachi Divas.

The classic car show awarded participants with trophies for “Best of 50’s,” “Best of 60’s,” “Best Motorcycle,” and other categories. Vendors, gaming areas for kids, Fiesta Martin’s tacos, burritos, and aguas frescas were some of the other treats the event had to offer us this year. I could go for another one of the aguas frescas if you ask me! If you missed the event this year, subscribe to the City of Inglewood on YouTube, and watch the short documentary. To see more photos, log on to www.inglewoodtoday.com and view the photo slideshow. Follow me on twitter @Tommybunnz1.