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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013
Volume 12 Issue 286
Santa Monica Daily Press
SAMOHI GOES FOR THREE-PEAT SEE PAGE 3
We have you covered
THE PAY TO PLAY ISSUE
Trainers say new fitness fees too high BY DAVID MARK SIMPSON Daily Press Staff Writer
CITY HALL Fitness trainers are going to have to shell out some cash if they want to continue using public parks to hold their classes. An ordinance approved Tuesday night by the City Council introduces new regulations and permit fees for trainers. Use of Palisades Park, which was at the center of the debate, was restricted more heavily than other parks. The ordinance, which introduces a oneyear pilot program, banned training on Sunday at Palisades Park and established four fitness zones within the park to reduce overuse in other areas. City officials had initially recommended a pecentage-based permit fee, but council amended the ordinance to a flat fee suggested by Jeff Jordan, a local trainer, during the public comment portion of the meeting. Council approved Jordan’s proposed fees, which he’d heard from another trainer based
in a small suburb outside of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Annual permits for one-on-one training at all but two of the approved parks cost $1,800. Groups of three to 10 pay $3,600 and groups of 11 or more pay $5,400. Costs at Palisades Park are increased by 50 percent to reflect the park’s high demand. Permit costs at Reed Park are halved in an attempt to encourage use. Reed Park is a known homeless hangout. Erin Dick, head of the Santa Monica Outdoor Fitness Coalition, said that a decision to switch to flat fees and to increase those flat fees for Palisades Park was a rash, uncalculated decision. Fees for Palisades trainers will cost $2,700, $5,400, and $8,100 for the various group sizes. “What happened last night in Council Chambers has effectively banned fitness training at Palisades Park,” she said. “I SEE FEES PAGE 9
Pedestrian killed while crossing Lincoln BY KEVIN HERRERA Editor-in-Chief
LINCOLN BLVD A 54-year-old man was hit and killed by a motorist while walking across Lincoln Boulevard at Pier Avenue just after midnight Wednesday, police said. The driver of the vehicle, a 34-year-old female from Culver City, Calif., told police that she did not see the pedestrian until she
struck him with her car, said Sgt. Jay Moroso, spokesman for the Santa Monica Police Department. The pedestrian, who was walking eastbound at the unmarked intersection, sustained major trauma to his body as a result of the collision and was pronounced dead at the scene. SEE FATALITY PAGE 11
SMC professor removed after alleged racist comments BY DAVID MARK SIMPSON Daily Press Staff Writer
FLUSHED
Daniel Archuleta daniela@smdp.com Wednesday's rains created the area's 'first flush' of the season, bringing waste and debris to Santa Monica's beaches. Los Angeles County health officials are asking the public to avoid contact with the water for 72 hours following the storm. The National Weather Service expects mostly sunny conditions today. Santa Monica-based Heal the Bay will deploy a Storm Response Team to pick up some of the trash that has washed onto local beaches.
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SMC Santa Monica College removed an Italian language professor after he allegedly made racially insensitive comments in a non-credit class, said Vice President of Academic Affairs Jeff Shimizu. Romualdo Scherillo stated, among other things, that he was afraid to fail black stu-
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dents for fear of reprisal, student Susie Duff said. He also made comments about their work ethic. Scherillo did not respond to e-mails from the Daily Press. “There has been a history of complaints about this individual,” Shimizu said. “They went back as far as 2011 with similar comSEE SMC PAGE 10