Hawthorne Press Tribune Herald Publications - Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, Torrance & Manhattan Beach Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 - March 5, 2015 Students from Orville Wright Enriched Sciences Magnet and Albert Monroe Middle Schools observe a Los Angeles Airport Police officer with their K9 partner. The students were participating in Job Shadow Day, where high school students were partnered with professionals in order to have a “real-life” professional experience. This year, students had job shadow opportunities in the fields of Accounting, Airfield Operations, Airlines, Aviation Services, Aviation Law Enforcement, Business Administration, Engineering, Environmental Management, Human Resources, Information Technology and Law. Photo by Jay Berkowitz, LAWA. Lawndale City Council Opposes Placement of 70 Foot Monopole To No Avail By Nancy Peters Two months ago the city of Lawndale received word from the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LARICS) Authority that a 70 foot monopole would be placed within the property, owned by the County of Los Angeles, at the site of the 147th Street fire station. The notice was received that the construction would commence within four days of that letter, with no chance for the city to agree with, oppose, ask questions about, or make any response to the declaration announced by LA-RICS. On Monday, March 2, Patrick Mallon, Executive Director for LA-RICS, attended the Lawndale City Council meeting to present the elected officials and the people with the specifics of the project. The CEQA-exempt construction of the 70 foot monopole, with an added lightning rod atop the transmitting equipment and no flashing red light for pilot alerts, already has begun. According to a resident whose home is less than 75 feet from Fire Station 21 at 4312 West 147th Street, a large retaining hole is dug out, concrete is poured, and other equipment has been delivered to install the monopole. In fact, Mallon advised the City Council that construction was slated to begin on Wednesday, March 4. The project involves a grant that must be utilized no later than September 30, 2015, and, additionally, must be constructed either at a fire station, police station, or Sheriff’s station in order to remain CEQA-execmpt. The towers are to facilitate a cohesive network between fire, police, and sheriffs in the county, particularly when there is a disaster of massive proportions. Currently, each first responder is on a different communication system. The Long Term Mobil (voice) (LMR) and Long Term Evolution (data) (LTE) are necessary for the system to be effective. Since the city does not own the property (it is county-owned), any amount of opposition will not stop the project from moving forward. The approval of the site and the placement on that site, which is 10 feet from two private residences, lies solely with the Los Angeles County Fire Chief. Mayor Robert Pullen-Miles stated that the placement of the monopole must be reconsidered due to the residential proximity and contact with the fire chief would be made to stop the erection of the monopole on March 4. Other fire stations operated by the Los Angeles County Fire Department may sit on land owned by the individual cities, such as the city of Hawthorne, and those cities have rejected the building of a monopole at their fire stations. The mayor also advised that the County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas would be consulted to assist in obstructing the construction at this time. The participation of the city of Lawndale in the Joint Powers Agreement with LA-RICS will be reexamined at a future date. Despite no effect of any voting, the Lawndale City Council did cast a unanimous vote, with Council member Larry Rudolph absent, on a motion to oppose the construction of the 70 foot monopole at 4312 West 147th Street in the city of Lawndale. The City Treasurer reviewed the mid-year budget versus actuals and reported that the General Fund is in need of adjustment due to less sales tax collected from the sale of gasoline that was sold at lesser rates over the first six months of the 2014-2015 fiscal year. However, property taxes and franchise fees have increased, although only a few percentage points. The revenues are not at the levels originally anticipated. Expenditures seem to be more due to telephone rates and water rates being increased. Although city staff is reviewing ways to cut down on costs in both of these utilities, it is necessary to make an adjustment in these line items for the next six months in the range of $27,000. Additionally, in order to be more realistic about the budget, the anticipation of the $13.3 million dollars due to be received from the state for the deferred LRA loan capital improvement projects dating back to 2000 and the cash on hand of $7.65 million dollars, as well as the monies in the General Fund from the defunct UDAG funds, the city budget will be adjusted to $20,935,879. The City Council unanimously accepted the mid-year review of the budget for the 2014-2015 fiscal year. The Harold E. Hofmann Lawndale Community Center will be permitted to purchase 100 new seat cushions and 25 round banquet tables for use in the Great Room for daily events, and at times two events per day, as over the three-year period since the Center was opened the tables and chairs have been used and are in need of replacement due to general wear and tear. The Lawndale Historical Society is granted one extension of the original three-year lease for use of the property at 14616 Grevillea Avenue, Lawndale, for the Lawndale Historic Museum and will be allowed to occupy the space until February 22, 2018. The Public Safety report included the apprehension of three of four burglary suspects who illegally entered a business on Prairie Avenue and ransacked the business. Also arrested was a male suspect for committing forgery and cashing fictitious checks at a Money mart business on Hawthorne Boulevard. A transient was arrested for possession of methamphetamine while he was being questioned as to his living conditions in a tent under the 405 Freeway at Manhattan Beach Boulevard. Sheriff Captain Steven Sciacca advised that persons who are traversing the streets and are using their cell phones while walking should be overly cautious about exposing the equipment to potential thieves who will walk up to an inattentive citizen and grab the phone from the user’s hands and be off and running very quickly. Be aware of your surroundings, be aware of those around you, be attentive, and don’t be a victim. The next meeting of the Lawndale City Council will be held on Monday, March 16 at 6:30 p.m. • Inside This Issue Briefs.....................................2 Classifieds............................3 Certified & Licensed Professionals.......................2 Finance..................................5 Food.......................................8 Hawthorne Happenings....3 Legals............................4, 6-7 Obituaries.............................3 Police Reports.....................2 Sports....................................5 Tech Talk...............................4 Weekend Forecast Dog Bites Man at Job Shadow Day Friday Sunny 74˚/52˚ Saturday Sunny 76˚/54 Sunday Sunny 75˚/54 The Weekly Newspaper of Hawthorne
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