The Weekly Newspaper of El Segundo
Herald Publications - El Segundo, Hawthorne, Lawndale & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 109, No. 44 - October 29, 2020
Inside
This Issue
Certified & Licensed
Professionals ....................11
Classifieds ...........................4
Crossword/Sudoku ............4
Election 2020 ....................3,9
Film Review .........................8
Halloween Happenings ....3
Legals ............................. 7,10
Obituaries ............................2
Police Reports ....................4
Real Estate. .....................5-7
Weekend
Forecast
Herald Coloring Contest Winners
9-12 YEAR OLD WINNER: Makena - Age 9
5-8 YEAR OLD WINNER: Morgan - Age 8
The Herald’s Halloween Coloring contest was a huge success! We had over 20 colorful and unique submissions, which got us into the “Halloween Spirit”. Two talented winners emerged from the pack:
9-year-old Makena Burton captured top honors for the 9-12-year-olds; while Morgan Guimbarda, age 8, was the leader of the 5-8-year-old contestants. Keep up the amazing artwork, you two!
These two winners will receive a $20 gift card, but everyone “wins” at the Herald. Each participant will receive a special sweet treat as a thank you. Come by the office between 9:00 am - 3:00 pm to
reclaim your artwork and pick up your treat.
El Segundo Fire Chief Chris
Donovan Loves His Job
By Duane Plank
El Segundo Fire Department (ESFD) Chief
Chris Donovan has flourished in a career in
fire service spanning more than three decades
and still relishes his service to the community
and his firefighters, often working seven-day
weeks, spending a few nights a week away
from his Orange County home and wife,
bunking overnights in his “dorm” in Fire
Station 1, which is located on Main Street,
adjacent to City Hall.
Donovan started his fire service career in
Monterey Park as a firefighter. He said that
he had an interest in the work paramedics do,
so in 1990, he attended paramedic school,
which prepared him to ascend to firefighter/
paramedic the following year. He worked his
way up the Monterey Park fire department
ranks, rising to the post of battalion chief.
In April of 2006, Donovan landed the job
of fire chief in Monrovia. He worked there
for a decade before hearing about a fire chief
opening in El Segundo. Donovan knew the
outgoing ESFD fire chief Kevin Smith, who
thought Donovan would be a good fit for the
soon-to-be-open position. After researching the
viability of working in El Segundo, Donovan
went through what he termed a “lengthy
interview process,” then landed the job.
So after more than three decades in the
fire service industry, Donovan was asked
what has changed? “Community advocacy
and transparency have changed,” he said.
“It has required leaders in the community
to be more responsive to city and governmental
People Can’t Agree on Halloween
By Rob McCarthy
It’s decision week for El Segundo citizens,
with the opening of local polling places from
Friday through Election Day for registered
voters who want to cast their ballots in
person. But politics aside, there is another
decision to be made about trick-or-treating
this Halloween, and a lively discussion on
social media over the weekend exposed a
difference in opinion this year on whether
handing out candy at the door is allowed.
Do we pass out candy? Are trick-or-treaters
encouraged to don costumes and make the
rounds in El Segundo’s neighborhoods?
Does the city have an official policy on
whether to open the door if there’s a knock
on Saturday? The short answer is just like
Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day;
this next holiday will look and feel differently.
Haunted houses and outdoor festivals
are banned in Los Angeles County, which
remains in the purple tier that indicates
COVID-19 remains a widespread threat.
The county Public Health Department
discourages trick-or-treating this year.
It’s not possible to avoid close physical
contact with people who aren’t members
of a household, making it unsafe. Local
health officials made the argument for
safe, alternative Halloween activities in a
bulletin issued October 18; however, that
recommendation wasn’t enough to persuade
everyone to go dark this Halloween night.
Trick-or-treating isn’t banned, per se. It
is discouraged in favor of the trunk-or-treat
and other community activities planned this
year by El Segundo Parks and Recreation,
See Halloween, page 10
leaders. Ultimately, it provides better
service to our community through openness
and transparency.”
He said he looks at fire service in the local
community as a “three-legged-stool,” including
collaboration with the local government,
school district, and the Chamber of Commerce.
Speaking of the ESFD collaboration with
the El Segundo Unified School District,
Superintendent Dr. Melissa Moore emailed
that the “ESUSD is thankful for Chief
Donovan’s tremendous leadership throughout
the COVID-19 pandemic and the valued partnership
with ESFD. We can count on Chief
Donovan, and ESFD for the steadfast support
of our schools to step up for fun activities
like judging homecoming floats to ensuring
critical needs are met, such as training school
personnel on emergency response. He views
the school district as a community stakeholder
and takes time to hear our input on strategic
planning or provides feedback to schools on
safety and disaster plans.”
Donovan said he covets his opportunity
Friday to serve the citizens of El Segundo, which, See Fire Chief, page 8
Sunny
72˚/57˚
Saturday
Sunny
75˚/59˚
Sunday
Partly
Cloudy
78˚/62˚
Fire Chief Chris Donovan