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TUESDAY
08.02.16 Volume 15 Issue 215
@smdailypress
SMRR endorsements favor incumbents BY MATTHEW HALL Daily Press Editor
It was a good day for incumbents at the annual Santa Monicans For Renters’ Rights convention this weekend. Three of the four possible endorsements for City Council went to incumbents as did two of three for School Board, three of three for the SMC Board and one of two for Rent Control Board. As of Aug. 1, 15 candidates had requested paperwork to run for City Council but only six individuals sought the SMRR endorsement: Tony Vazquez, Gleam Davis, Ted Winterer, Terry O’Day, Jennifer Kennedy and Armen Melkonians. To secure an endorsement from the convention, a candidate must receive 55 percent of the vote. If the first round of voting fails to nominate enough candidates to fill the available positions, candidates with less than 20 percent of the vote are eliminated and a second round of voting is held featuring the candidates who secured 20-55 percent during the first round. The process can repeat a third time if necessary. Incumbents Vazquez, Winterer
and Davis secured nominations in the first round of voting with 141, 140 and 114 votes out of 198. Incumbent O’Day, challenger Kennedy and challenger Melkonians were fourth, fifth and sixth. Melkonians was eliminated in the second round and neither O’Day or Kennedy received 55 percent in the third round. The event’s only moment of drama occurred between the second and third rounds of voting for City Council. SMRR’s bylaws allow for up to three rounds of voting when selecting candidates, but the third round isn’t guaranteed. Typically a member would make a motion to hold the third round. This year, Nicole Phillis, who currently serves on the Rent Control Board but is not up for election this year, made a motion to end voting after two rounds. The motion met with vocal opposition from the crowd and prompted a substitute motion to take the vote to a third round. After speeches for and against the motion a third round of voting was held but it failed to pick a canSEE SMRR PAGE 7
National Night Out spreads to four parks BY MATTHEW HALL Daily Press Editor
The Santa Monica Police Department is hosting National Night Out, tonight from 6 – 8 p.m. throughout the city. All events have free food, snacks and drinks while supplies last. Events are scheduled at four locations citywide and organizers are encouraging partici-
pants from all four locations to gather at Clover Park at 8:15 p.m. for a free showing of Kung Fu Panda to cap the evening. Tongva Park (1615 Ocean Ave.) in Beat 1 will host a welcome from Neighborhood Resource Officer Marilyn Amiache. Entertainment includes music from the 80’s
WHAT’S UP WESTSIDE ..................PAGE 2 PICO SUCCESS ................................PAGE 3 MODELS AND MENTORS ..............PAGE 4 CRIME WATCH ..................................PAGE 8 OCEAN INSPIRATION ....................PAGE 10
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Santa Monica Daily Press
smdp.com
Pushing his cluck The kooky story of the owner of Santa Monica’s chicken car
Courtesy Photo
ROOSTING: The chicken car is seen less often today, but still solicits a strong reaction.
BY JEFFREY I. GOODMAN
‘MEANT TO BE’
Daily Press Staff Writer
Tommy Kendall was sitting in his Glendale office nearly 20 years ago when he heard a strange sound outside. “I was like, ‘What is that noise?’” the Santa Monica resident recalled. “It was sitting out there in the rain, just clucking. I said, ‘Oh, my God, that’s the coolest thing. I’ve got to have that.’” Kendall rushed outside and flagged down a woman who told him the rusty car had been transported from Ohio to Southern California for a movie production. He gave his name and phone number to the woman, offering $3,500 for a vehicle he believed was priceless. She said she would pass along his information to the owner. Silence ensued. Kendall used his platform as an occasional Autoweek magazine writer to pen a back-page
If you’ve spent any significant amount of time in Santa Monica over the years, you’ve probably seen the chicken car. It’s become a piece of local lore, a legend among the multitudes of motorists and pedestrians whose paths it has crossed. It’s the bright yellow one with the giant rooster head atop its roof and curved tail feathers protruding from its trunk. It’s got an exterior audio system that plays a series of clucking noises and a backstory that sounds just as strange. Its official name is El Gallo Grande (Spanish for “The Big Rooster”), its saga is closely linked to Santa Monica and its owner is a former racecar driver who saw it one day and decided he had to have it.
SEE CHICKEN PAGE 5
SEE NIGHT PAGE 3
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