Inside
This Issue
Calendar of Events.............3
Certified & Licensed
Professionals.......................4
Classifieds............................3
Entertainment......................2
Hawthorne Happenings....3
Lawndale..............................4
Letters...................................3
Legals.................................6,7
Pets........................................7
Weekend
Forecast
Friday
Partly
Cloudy
66˚/53˚
Saturday
Partly
Cloudy
63˚/51˚
Sunday
Mostly
Sunny
61˚/46˚
The Weekly Newspaper of Inglewood
Herald Publications - El Segundo, Hawthorne, Lawndale & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 67, No. 48 - November 29, 2018
Sportsmanship and Friendships
Students recently travelled to Opunake for their final day of TSSSA Modified Sports where they were able to play either Ultimate Frisbee or Offside Touch. They acquired great sportsmanship skills, through
self-officiated games, and many new friendships throughout the high schools that surround our Maunga. Photo: Inglewood High School.
Voting Initiative Will Bring 21st
Century Technology to Inglewood
By Haleemon Anderson
A new voting initiative will dramatically
change the way Inglewood residents cast their
ballots in the 2020 election, it was noted at
Tuesday’s meeting of the City Council. City
Clerk Yvonne Horton announced the new
program, which is rolling out to the entirety
of Los Angeles County.
Voting Solutions for All People (VSAP)
was developed by the Registrar-Recorder/
County Clerk in 2009 to address an aging
voting system and an increasingly large and
complex electorate. The project promotes “a
collaborative approach to voting system design
that will put voters at the center and maximize
stakeholder participation,” according to the
county-sponsored website on the project.
Horton said the program is designed to
enhance voting in 2020, and will incorporate
a new voting system that replaces traditional
polling places with “voting centers.” Voters will
no longer be tethered to a specific local polling
place. Paper ballots can be dropped off 29 days
before the election anywhere in the county.
Voting in person can happen up to 10 days
early. Perhaps the most dramatic change is
the transition to online and digital voting. The
program will replace paper sample ballots with
a digital sample ballot that is interactive. The
digital ballot will be available in multiple languages
and will have a QR code. “The days of
inking your ballot are rapidly coming to an end,”
according to the website. “Innovation and new
technology will revolutionize the way we vote.”
Horton said a slate of community meetings
is already being held throughout Los Angeles
County proper. The informational meetings began
mid-November and are scheduled through
Jan. 19. Community input is sought on a variety
of topics, and there will be training on the allnew
digital devices. Organizations sponsoring
the community meetings include The League
of Women Voters, California Common Cause,
Black Women for Wellness and NALOE Educational
Fund. More information can be found
at the website VSAP.LAVOTE.net.
Two scheduled public hearings were held.
In the first, several residents spoke regarding
a proposed amendment to the city code to add
additional permit parking at Long Street and
67th Street. Resident Rochelle Williams of
66th and Long streets expressed opposition to
the change. She said the parking problems are
created by residents themselves. “From 66th to
67th, there are only three houses facing Long
Street. There is parking for residents,” said
Williams. “They just refuse to use it.”
Another resident said the new permit parking
is definitely needed. “I live here and I can’t
even park on the street. There are residents
with multiple cars. There was an RV parked for
over two weeks.” The man pointed to extreme
congestion on the corner of 67th and Long.
“It’s bad,” he said.
Public Works Director Louis Atwell offered
an observation. “There is a lack of on-street
parking mainly due to the over-spill parking
from the church,” he explained. Atwell noted
that it gets particularly congested at Long Street
and East Redondo Boulevard. The Council approved
the recommendation to move forward
and introduce the amendment as an ordinance.
One respondent spoke in the second hearing
-- an appeal filed against a Planning Commission
decision to limit the size of electronic signs on
Manchester Boulevard. Business owner Caprice
Collins objected to the proposed restrictions
and presented her case to the Council. “I am
a resident of 35 years and have owned the
building for 25 years,” she said. “I’ve made
numerous improvements to the building.”
Collins, the sole appellant to the issue, said
her organization offers free informational
seminars at the building. “We did over 50
this year. I want to increase the outreach to
the community,” said Collins. She added that
the electronic signage is vital to her outreach
and she objects to proposed restrictions by
the planning committee, which would limit
the signs to only static images, logos and text.
Mayor James T. Butts said he applauded
Collins for keeping her business in the city
for so long. He then made a motion to find in
favor of Collins’ appeal, saying the specifications
“seemed arbitrary.”
Councilmember Ralph L. Franklin asked if
the case could qualify for a special use permit.
The Council voted four ayes and one abstention
to pass the Mayor’s motion in favor of Collins.
Councilmember George W. Dotson abstained
from the vote, prompting Mayor Butts to note,
“You’re breaking up a four-year streak.” The
Inglewood City Council has been notable, and
occasionally criticized, for its united voting
record with no apparent dissent on subjects
great or small.
Councilmember Dotson announced his annual
Toy Drive at the Inglewood Senior Center
on Dec. 5. Councilmember Alex Padilla will
have his annual Toy and Canned Food Drive
in District 2 on Dec. 8, at the District 2 Community
Center and a fundraiser for One-for-All
at St. Johns Church on Dec. 15. Submissions
for Padilla’s Holiday Home Decorating Contest
will be taken until Dec. 17.
In public comments, Dr. Jynona Norwood
presented a commendation to the Council in
appreciation for the members’ support of a
project honoring child victims of the Jonestown
massacre in 1978. Also announced, the Annual
Tree Lighting Celebration will take place Dec.
6 at City Hall at 6 pm.
The Inglewood City Council meets every
Tuesday, unless otherwise noted, at 2 p.m.
in the Council chambers on the 9th floor,
Inglewood City Hall. •