Lawndale Tribune AND lAwNDAle News The Weekly Newspaper of Lawndale Herald Publications - Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, Torrance & Manhattan Beach Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 - June 26, 2014 Inside This Issue Business Briefs...................4 Calendar...............................3 Classifieds............................3 Certified & Licensed Professionals.......................4 Hawthorne Happenings....3 Food.......................................8 Legals............................2, 6-7 Sports....................................5 Weekend Forecast Station Chief Awarded Firefighter of the Year at Kiwanis Club Los Angeles County Fire Dept. Battalion Chief Tom Ray presented the Firefighter of The Year Award to Captain William “Chip” Gamble at the Kiwanis/Rotary Firefighter & Police Officer of the Year Awards. Gamble has previously served in Fire Departments in Cerritos, Palmdale, Lancaster, and Lake Hughes. He is currently Headquarters Captain at his current station. Pictured from L-R are: Kiwanis President Rick Carver, Battalion Chief Tom Ray, Councilmember Angie English-Reyes, Captain William “Chip” Gamble and his wife, and Rotary President Patrice Jinso Springer. Photo courtesy of Doug Herbst, Kiwanis Club of Hawthorne. Hawthorne Council Divided on City Casino as Revenue Stream Hawthorne Boulevard Improvement Project Update Public Works Director Arnie Shadbehr reports that the Hawthorne Boulevard Improvement Project, begun in May and scheduled through February 2015 will affect traffic at various intervals. During June, the southbound lanes of Hawthorne Boulevard between 129th and 132nd Streets will be restricted to one lane during normal business hours, between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. Two lanes will remain open in each direction and access to all businesses will be maintained. All construction zones will have specific posted lane designations and construction zone speed limits must be observed. Also affected through July 1 are the southbound lanes from Rosecrans Avenue to 132nd Street, with median reconstruction as well affecting the northbound lanes at the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue and Hawthorne Boulevard through to 135th Street. Parts of the project involve new storm drain pipes and sewer line replacements; lane restructuring; underground conduits for new traffic signals and a widening at Rosecrans Avenue and El Segundo Boulevard at the Hawthorne Boulevard intersections. • By Nancy Peters The agenda discussion item directing the City Attorney to draft a resolution for an initiative on the November ballot proposing legalized gambling in the city of Hawthorne led many citizens to voice their opposition to the proposed revenue increaser, including representatives from local churches and mosques. The last discussion point on the Tuesday night schedule in Hawthorne’s City Council Chambers is the one topic that caused five local television stations to send news reporters and cameras to record the results. The people who gave their opinions during the oral communications portion of the evening were all concerned with the crime that could accompany any casino business, or would undermine the city’s family atmosphere that prevails in most neighborhoods. Several gallery members were vocal from their seats when elected officials gave their opinions, two in loud opposition to the proposal from Mayor Chris Brown. The state of California has a law on the books that no new casinos may be opened until after 2020, but the mayor insisted that state law does not take precedence if the people vote for casinos or card clubs, which is the name that these establishments were given on this night. Legalized gambling was the topic to be included in a resolution and then to be on the ballot, but after all the objections from citizens and input from the Council, the mayor changed what the motion to be voted upon during the Council meeting would actually be. Mayor Pro-Tem Olivia Valentine and Council member Angie Reyes-English both agreed that more information was necessary in order for their votes to be cast to place any legalization of gambling on the November ballot. It was requested that staff provide a cost-benefit analysis from casinos or card clubs, additional labor costs for city staff and police personnel, and a report that would include the economic and social impact of casinos garnered from other cities that have this type of business in their municipality. The Chief of Police was also requested to provide three years of statistics for potential crime based on other municipalities that have casinos. These reports and statistics will be made available to the public for their review and when completed, they will be accessible on the city website or in hard copy from the City Clerk’s Office. However, Council members Alex Vargas and Nilo Michelin provided their opinions that the reports and statistics were not needed and no more staff time should be devoted to exploring this idea. It was also stated that the cost of a ballot measure – initially stated at $80,000, but then said to be up to $150,000, but neither amount was confirmed – should not be put on the city’s expenditures, especially with a current $6 million deficit in an interim budget. The motion was presented that the legalized gambling decision for a ballot measure would be put on hold for the requested reports to be produced. The City Council passed the motion by a vote of 3-2, with Vargas and Michelin dissenting. In other business, the Council approved the 2014-2015 interim budget in order for the city to continue normal business after the beginning of the new fiscal year on July 1, with the full disclosure that a balanced budget will be presented in August for consideration of approval. Presentations were made to the family of deceased resident Beverly Robinson, who passed away in May, honoring the city volunteer for more than 30 years’ service. Retiring Police Officer Paul Sepulveda was honored with a Proclamation naming Tuesday, June 24, 2014 as “Paul Sepulveda Day” in appreciation for his 27 years of service to the community. The Hawthorne Force Youth Hockey Team was presented and congratulated on their season supported by the National Hockey League Players Association and the Hawthorne Police Department Employees Association presented the team with a $5,000 donation. A request was made that “No Smoking” signs be prominently placed near all the parks and that sign-adjacent receptacles be made available for tobacco waste to be deposited before smokers enter any park. There is an ordinance that prohibits smoking in all cityowned parks and at all city events held on city property. • Friday Sunny 74˚/64˚ Saturday AM Clouds / PM Sun 74˚/64˚ Sunday AM Clouds / PM Sun 77˚/65˚
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