Family affair in runoff election - Broadcast Interactive Media

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A2 Thursday, May 12, 2011 Inglewood/Hawthorne/Gardena/Lawndale Wave • Southwest Wave/Southwest Topics/Angeles Mesa & Tribune • Central News/Southside Journal/Compton/Carson/Wilmington Wave P LICE ACTIVITY Blotting out crime, one call at a time Two held in string of shotgun robberies Two people were arrested Wednesday in connection with a series of armed robberies in the Koreatown, Harvard Heights and West Adams areas, but a police captain said detectives have not linked the hold-ups to the slaying of an MTV music coordinator. Late Wednesday morning, offi cers swarmed a parking lot in the area of Washington Boulevard and Tenth Avenue and took two people into custody at gunpoint. They also impounded a light blue sedan that appeared to match the general description of a vehicle used in the crimes. By late afternoon, one of the suspects who had been detained was arrested, and information he provided led them to a second suspect, police said. The names of the suspects were not immediately released. Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Matt Blake said police believed the same suspects may have been involved in as many as nine robberies that occurred in the area beginning April 29. The robberies included at least one instance in which a victim fought back, prompting one of the suspects to open fi re, Blake said. The victim was not injured. Blake insisted, however, that police have not connected the robberies to Sunday’s slaying of MTV music coordinator Gabriel Aron Ben-Meir in the mid-Wilshire area. Blake also noted that a person was killed by a shotgun blast in the area on April 30 during an apparent attempted robbery. “When he (the victim) didn’t give up his property, he (the suspect) turned the shotgun on him, and he is deceased,” Blake said. Blake said the robbery suspects also had not been linked to that killing, although he conceded there were similarities in the crimes and that “shotguns are kind of a rare weapon to be used in a street crime.” The search for suspects in the robberies had prompted a tactical alert for Los Angeles police offi cers early this morning. Offi cers had been looking for two Black men in their late 20s or early 30s, 5 feet 9 inches tall, with an average build and dark clothing. Victims said one of the suspects was armed with a rifl e or shotgun. The suspects were driving a silver or blue American-model sedan. In one of the robberies, the suspect was described as having a duffel bag with a rifl e or shotgun inside. The most recent robberies included on that occurred at about 6:15 p.m. Tuesday near Eighth Street and Normandie Avenue, Los Angeles police Detective John Skaggs of the Olympic Station said. In a second robbery, the suspects approached a pedestrian on the street about 9:40 p.m. Tuesday near Sycamore Avenue and Westhaven Street, Skaggs said. In a third robbery, a pedestrian was robbed about 10:15 p.m. Tuesday in the 1800 block of South Oxford Avenue, near Washington Boulevard, Skaggs said. Victims of all three robberies had the same description of the suspects, Skaggs said. Public assistance program puts focus on healthier food choices BY LEILONI DE GRUY STAFF WRITER A little more than half of county residents who qualify for the federally funded supplemental food benefit, formerly known as food stamps, take advantage of the program, according to the county Department of Public Social Services. Marking May as CalFresh Awareness Month, the department is joining with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the California Department of Social Services and more than 25 community partners to get the word out to the public. They will be scouring community centers, recreational centers, worksource centers, senior centers, Social Security offices, schools, churches, faith-based organizations, food banks, food pantries and farmers markets in order to reach those who are eligible for the program, but either do not know it or are hesitant to apply due to a lingering stigma. “These are places that we know are important gathering points where we can do outreach,” said Bill Taylor, director of intergovernmental relations for the county Department of Public Social Services. “There is a misconception that food stamps signify a certain kind of person. But we know that by looking at our data that a lot of people who receive CalFresh benefits are employed or underemployed.” Yet, they are not the only ones in need, Taylor added, noting that senior citizens, immigrants and the homeless also rely on the program. The food stamp program became CalFresh last year in an effort to encourage healthy food options. Instead of the old food stamp coupons, recipients are now issued electronic debit cards that can be swiped at most grocery stores and food marts when purchases are made. The Department of Public Social Services is using mobile vans to enroll qualified people into the program at various farmers markets and other places within the next month. “That helps with the stigma or the way they may feel if they have to walk into one of our offices and wait in line,” said a CalFresh representative. “We are doing whatever we can to make the program convenient.” The campaign — which includes television and radio advertisements featuring national civil rights organizations that Whitney Houston enters drug rehab BY ALAN DUKE CNN Whitney Houston is getting new help for her much-publicized struggle with drugs and alcohol, her representative confirmed Monday. “I can confirm that Whitney Houston is currently in an outpatient rehab program for drug and alcohol treatment,” Kristen Foster said. “Whitney voluntarily entered the program to support her long-standing recovery process.” No details about the treatment, or what led to the singer’s decision to start it, were released. Illness forced Houston to postpone several shows on the European leg of her “Nothing But Love” comeback tour a year ago. represent the poor — is a coordinated effort to increase access and participation in food assistance while reducing food instability in the most populated parts of the county. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the number of homes lacking adequate food has more than tripled in the last four years. When the recession began, unemployment was slightly over five percent, said Phillip Browning, director of the Department of Public Social Services. With the unemployment rate now between 12 and 13 percent — and in some minority communities even higher than that — CalFresh participation rates have increased dramatically. “Too many people have lost their homes, they have lost their jobs or have had to go part-time, instead of full-time,” Browning said. “We have added around 400,000 new individuals to the program but estimates show that there are hundreds of thousands of individuals still in Los Angeles County who are eligible.” Understanding that there are language barriers, the campaign will produce a special message for Spanish speakers and will Autumn Leaves Tour 15 Days from $1199* Departs September - October in 2011 This tour captures the colors of New England and the Northeast in the fall. Enjoy New York City, historic Boston, and Cape Cod, all gently nestled in fall’s “Coat of Many Colors.” Your tour winds through �ve states to Montreal and the only walled city in the North America, Quebec. See the Liberty Bell, Valley Forge, Salem, Williamsport, Gettysburg and the Big Apple. The fall foliage of orange, yellow and brilliant reds are not to be missed! Includes accommodations, professional tour driver-guide, sightseeing and more. Travel with YMT Vacations today! *PPDO, plus $149 tax, service and gov’t fees. Seasonal charges may apply. Air add-on available. Photo by Bill Jones Singer Whitney Houston, who has had a well-documented struggle with substance abuse, is in an outpatient rehabilitation program. Call for details! 1-888-817-0471 Promo Code: TN111578 answer questions about immigration. “We are trying to hammer on the fact that immigrants can be eligible and that their immigration status does not affect eligibility in that regard,” Browning said, “nor does it affect their citizenship.” When asked what the partners will do to target the African- American community, who are considered highly eligible but less likely to apply, a CalFresh representative said “we are not targeting any group specifically, we are targeting anyone that may be eligible that we cannot reach otherwise.” Added Browning: “We hope this campaign shines a light on the critical role CalFresh plays to help folks struggling to make ends meet and keep nutritious food on their tables.” For more information visit http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/ foodstamps. 1730 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 500 Los Angeles, CA 90015 Phone (323) 556-5720 Advertsing Sales (323) 556-5720 x 210 Pluria Marshall, Jr. Publisher Andre Herndon Executive Editor Jorge Infante Production Manager Feras Shamuon Circulation Director Johnathon Woods IT Director Wave West Edition Serving Baldwin Hills, Carson, Central Los Angeles, Compton, Crenshaw, Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, South Los Angeles, and Watts Vol. 86 94 • No. 19 ?? Subscription by mail in the state of California, $98 per year. Member of the California Publishers Association, California Free Press Association, National Association of Hispanic Publications, National Publishers Association. Wave Publications reserves the right to approve or reject any and all copy and assumes no responsibility for errors not of its own making. For errors of its own making or any loss or losses sustained thereby, Wave Publications will not be responsible beyond the value of the actual space occupied by the item appearing in error. The Wave is not responsible for the return of unsolicited news releases or photographs. Copyright 2011, Wave Community, Inc.
Inglewood/Hawthorne/Garden a/Lawndale Wave • Southwest Wave/Southwest Topics/Angeles Mesa & Tribune • Central News/Southside Journal/Compton/Carson/Wilmington Wave WAVE PUBLICATIONS Thursday, May 12, 2011 A3 Inglewood schools try to address fiscal woes LOANS from page A1 “It was mentioned in our letter [last year] when the county took over fiscal oversight,” he said. “It’s a very long process and if you wait until the last minute it could be too late. [But] it can be stopped or revoked.” Iizuka said that the county had authorized the district to borrow some of their construction funds and use other funds to meet its May payroll. “There is some money coming from the state that normally comes in July,” he said, “but will be paid in June and that and the other borrowing will be paid back to the state.” The Wave went to press before the vote was taken, but had reported previously that district officials had floated the possibility of securing up to $20 million in loans that could be brokered through — but not provided by — the county. According to a background brief on the agenda item, the district is facing deficit spending for 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 — and despite a budget reduction plan that slashed $7 million in 2010-11 spending and $21 million in 2011-12, there is still a deficit of over $1 million in 2010-11 and $10 million in 2011-12. “The District is scheduled to run out of cash in May and will only be able to survive through receiving income that has been deferred, additional expenditure reductions or inter-fund borrowing,” it says. The resolution, according to the agenda, was prepared by the office of Superintendent Gary McHenry, but a reporter was advised that McHenry was in a meeting when called for a comment. The Wave also left messages Tuesday night and Wednesday morning for Eric Hall, the fiscal adviser appointed last November by the Los Angeles County Office of Education to overlook the District’s financial matters. Reached by phone on Wednesday, board member Trina Williams said she hadn’t had a chance to look at her agenda packet, but confirmed that the loan request was part of the budget recovery plan and the resolution marked a process that “needed to start now.” “It’s a six-month process and there’s a probability that we might need it … but it’s not a definite,” she said. Speaking for herself, Williams projected that the district would survive without needing state funds and made a public plea to the teachers union to re-open negotiations on labor agreements struck last year. Added Williams: “We have been doing pretty good with the reductions we’ve made. My personal belief is that we won’t need the state loan. In fact, I really believe that if the teachers would be willing to offer to re-open negotiations in terms of furlough days, health benefits ... you know the stuff that impacts us all ... I really believe that would be a big help to us. “[But] they have been firm in not wanting to do that and it’s not fair ... everyone has pitched in something to the budget or given something up to try to put money back into our general fund and I just don’t see why the teachers union is so dead set against it.” Williams said district personnel have been asking the teachers to come back to the table, but had been met with a firm no. “The question is why; you should ask the teachers why that is,” Williams told a reporter. A call to Peter Somberg, president of the Inglewood Teachers Association, was not returned at press time. Meanwhile, Ronald Johnson, the chair of the California Professional Employees Local Union No. 2345, which represents 650 classified employees in the district, was hopeful for a solution. The drastic budget cuts have affected classified employees the most with Wednesday night’s agenda calling for another 25 job losses and up to 20 furlough days. “I just hope they succeed in getting the loans,” Johnson said. “People are in all sorts of difficulty and need to pay their bills.” America’s Parks Yosemite Yellowstone Glacier Tetons Bryce, Zion Grand Canyon Guided Vacations $995 - $1295 + tax & fees Yellowstone 8 days Grand Canyon 8 days Canada Rockies 9 days Nova Scotia 10 days Costa Rica 10 days Call for Free 28 Page Catalog 1-800-227-2826 • Caravan.com Caravan Since 1952 com Photo by Gary McCarthy After tragedy, a plea for children’s safety At a makeshift memorial for young Kailyn Williams (pictured inset), who was struck by a car April 22 on Arbutus Street in Compton and died nine days later, organizers of a Monday candlelight vigil also issued a call for motorists to watch more carefully for children riding bicycles in local neighborhoods.
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