The Weekly Newspaper of El Segundo Herald Publications - El Segundo, Torrance, Manhattan Beach, Hawthorne, Lawndale, & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 106, No. 22 - June 1, 2017 Inside This Issue Certified & Licensed Professionals.....................16 Classifieds............................4 Crossword/Sudoku.............4 Entertainment......................6 Legals............................ 14,15 Obituaries.............................2 Politically Speaking............7 Police Reports.....................2 Real Estate.........10-13,19,20 Sports.................................5,8 Weekend Forecast Friday Mostly Sunny 70˚/61˚ Saturday Sunny 72˚/60˚ Sunday Mostly Sunny 70˚/60˚ Chevron Helps Area Middle School Unveil 21st Century Media Center The new Chevron 21st Century Media Center was just launched at Jane Addams Middle School in Lawndale. This new space will offer students invaluable resources for research, critical thinking development, educational discovery, and collaborations with their peers. Photo, from left to right: Dennis Perry, Addams Middle School Principal; Ann M. Phillips, Lawndale Elementary School District Trustee; Lily Craig, Chevron External Affairs Manager; Cathy Burris, LESD Board President; and Dr. Ellen Dougherty, LESD Superintendent at the ribbon cutting ceremony at Addams. Photo Provided by LESK. • Berkman Lands Permanent Job as Public Works Director By Brian Simon Pleased to shed the “interim” tag from his title, Ken Berkman officially became the City of El Segundo’s Director of Public Works on May 22. In landing the permanent gig, Berkman outlasted nearly 150 applicants for the position. “As the interim director for the past six months, it really gave me a chance to see what El Segundo and the Public Works Department are all about,” Berkman said. “The City and I got a chance to try each other out and we’re a great fit for each other. The experience met all my expectations and really sold me to want to be here for the long haul. We have a great team and it’s a wonderful place to work.” Berkman’s responsibilities include leading a staff of almost 50 people and overseeing an operating budget close to $40 million that supports the Engineering, Streets, General Services, and Water divisions. In introducing his new hire, City Manager Greg Carpenter noted that Public Works is “responsible for the operation and maintenance of about 60 miles of city streets and alleyways; 65 miles of water lines and 5,000 water meters; 60 miles of sewer lines; 18 miles of storm drains; 45 city buildings comprising 68,000 square feet; 156 vehicles, and the delivery of an approximate $10 million annual capital Wiseburn School Board Recognizes Longtime Employees, Two Retiring Principals By Duane Plank An evening of celebration last Thursday evening, the annual Wiseburn Unified School District board meeting honoring long-time employees, also had its bittersweet moments as the School Board members paid homage to two stalwart principals who will be retiring at the end of the school year. Margaret Lynch, Principal at Cabrillo Elementary and a selectee as California State Principal of the Year, and Burnett Elementary’s Laura Sullivan will both be retiring, effective June 30. Board member sentiments were summed up during their comments, noting that they were very happy for the principals pending retirements, but sad for the District. Said Board President Israel Mora: “You are what makes Wiseburn special.” Added District Superintendent Tom Johnstone: “I always say that this is my favorite meeting of the year, because the heart and soul of Wiseburn is the people.” Sullivan noted her love of the District and the students, saying she told her husband that working in education was “something that I have done every day for 40 years, and something that I did take a lot of pride in.” The meeting took place two days after the Trump administration unveiled its initial budget, pages of parchment that will surely be sliced and diced by the folks on Capitol Hill--but it initially cuts funds improvement program.” The department deals with virtually every aspect of life in town and the breadth of those duties is what drives Berkman, who brings over 25 years of public works and engineering experience to the table—both in the public and private sectors. “After spending the first 16 years in the public arena and then the next 10 in private focusing on public works and construction projects, it led me to realize that my favorite place to work is for a city where there are a lot of things going on and I can stay busy,” Berkman said. “What I sought out I have found here in El Segundo--a well-established city going through a great deal of growth and transition with so many different kinds of development.” Born and raised in Long Island, New York, Berkman initially did not expect to get into this line of work. “Through high school, I always thought about going into the health profession and to become a doctor or dentist as a way to best help society,” he admitted. “But then I realized I wouldn’t be able to start working until I was 30, which back then seemed so old. I ended up gravitating to civil engineering. In public works, it’s all about helping society and making it a better place in a variety of areas.” After graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in Civil Engineering, Berkman happened upon a brochure offering an entry level position in Los Angeles County. His goal was to only spend a brief period on the West Coast, pick up his license and then See Berkman, page 15 See Wiseburn, page 9
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