January 23, 2014

Your Community Connection

Including Inglewood Airport Area • Baldwin Hills • Crenshaw/LA • Ladera Heights VOL. 23, No. 4

January 23, 2014

MTA Breaks Ground on Crenshaw/LAX Rail Project

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onstruction began Tuesday morning on the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project, an 8.5-mile, $2.058-billion light-rail line that will run between the Metro Expo and Green lines and is expected to open in 2019. The project will also bring Metro Rail closer to Los Angeles International Airport.

The groundbreaking brought together top officials from federal, state and local government, including U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), and U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts, Jr. were also present.

The event was held at the intersection of Crenshaw and Exposition boulevards, where the first of the project’s three underground stations will be built. Demolition of some existing structures will be among the first work done, with heavy construction expected to begin this spring.

“Thousands of hardworking families and se-

On The Inside: • News • Community • Entertainment • Health • Real Estate • Business

Dr. King Honored with Music, Speeches, and Community Gathering

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nglewood celebrated its 31st annual King Day on January 18 at Crozier Middle School. One of the city’s most anticipated events, King Day featured inspirational award-winning speeches from winners of the Dr. MLK Day speech contest; performances by local choirs and community groups; participation from elected officials and special guests. A family festival followed.

niors living in Crenshaw depend on public transportation every day to get to work, to school, and to obtain medical care,” said Secretary Foxx. “Bringing light rail to this community will create jobs, spur local economic development and make it easier than ever for residents to access downtown Los Angeles and beyond.”

The new Crenshaw/LAX

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Transit Project will be the first rail line to serve Crenshaw Boulevard and the city of Inglewood since the streetcars of the Los Angeles Rail Line (known as the “Yellow Cars”) stopped running in 1955. In some places, the new light rail line will use the old alignment for the streetcars.

“The Crenshaw Line is a top priority for me because it will provide a crucial

transportation link, create over 18,000 jobs, help connect communities, reduce air pollution, and provide economic development and economic opportunities,” said Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

The new light-rail line will serve the Crenshaw Corridor, Inglewood, West(Continued on page 4)

Flow

By Thomas Bunn

ruce Lee urged us to flow like the waters, Erykah Badu proclaimed that she was born under it with three dollars and six dimes, and Brandy Rudolph, owner of Branded Body Dance Fitness on Market Street, finds her flow through the Orisha Yemanja, the divine mother of the sea and protector of children.

(Continued on page 2)

Brandy Rudolph

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Martin Luther King, Jr. KJLH radio personality Kevin Nash served as the master of ceremonies, and Tuskegee Airmen, Buffalo Soldiers, and Montford Point Marines were among the special guests.

“The celebration is still going strong after 31 years,” said First District Councilman George Dotson, a founding member of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Planning Committee for the City of Inglewood. “It is one of the finest MLK programs I’ve seen.”

(Continued on page 12)

Inglewood Today

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Counterfeit Tobacco Products Crushed at Badlands Sanitary Landfill

erome Horton, Chairman of the California Board of Equalization, led a team of enforcement agents last Wednesday, in the destruction of 32 pallets of contraband tobacco products, valued at in excess of $600,000, that closely resembled authentic Cuban cigars, hookah and pipe tobacco, and domestic, brand-name cigarettes.

The two truckloads of counterfeit products were unloaded and dumped onto the pile of trash and other debris at the Badlands Sanitary Landfill in Moreno Valley, California. Horton tore-into the first container leading the way for the agents to empty the trucks onto a pile before the massive landfill bulldozers crushed the material that would have produced nearly $166,000 in tax revenue for the state and local governments if they were sold by legitimate, Board of Equalization permit holders.

“These illegal cigarettes are often sold in minority communities and could be laced with chemicals that add to the health risk associated with smoking cigarettes,” said

Flow (Continued from page 1) Flow. Doors opened and immediately the beat from the soulful rhythm of Zap Mama’s “Sweet Melody” sent a rush through my body that made me think I was auditioning for the new season of “So You Think You Can Dance.” The mirrors reminded me of why I am a writer.

Flow. A long brick wall, wooden beams overhead, hard wood floors, and tons of natural lighting create a safe haven where women can come and discover themselves again, and move as the waters do.

A graduate of San Francisco State, who majored in Kinesiology and Black Studies, Rudolph failed to find a moment in her life when she wasn’t dancing. With a minor in dance as well, at 19 she took her talents to new heights and began dancing professionally. A native of Oakland, California, Brandy took a trip to Los Angeles and fell in love with the town. After landing a job and snagging her apartment, fate could not have said, “This is home…” fast enough.

For the past six months, Brandy has lived here in Inglewood, providing a combination of African, Brazilian, Caribbean, and Haitian fitness sessions that not only tone the body, but tone the spirit, and aid with self acceptance.

Brandy admits, “Women—especially women in our community—

January 23, 2014

President/Publisher/ Editor Willie Brown Vice President Gloria Kennedy Assistant Editor Veronica Mackey Contributing Writers Veronica Mackey Thomas Bunn Brooke Stanley Staff Photographer Thomas Bunn PRODUCTION Manager Dené Glamuzina Quality Control Manager Gloria Kennedy

Jerome Horton. “In addition, the taxes unwitting buyers pay to the retailers, selling illegal contraband, are not remitted to the state, thus stealing our tax dollars and cheating our local community of tax revenues.”

“The revenues they collect from California taxpayers and do not remit to the state,” Horton continued, “helps fund criminal activities from prostitution and human

need to understand and accept that everyone is different. We too often try to look like others, dress like others, and even dance like others.

That’s why I keep that mirror on the wall, and I’m even going to put up a wall all the way across, because some women don’t like to see themselves dance in the mirror, so they move to an area where there is no mirror, or they wear baggy clothes.

The thing with that is, with baggy clothes on, you can’t see how your body moves.

My brother is an amazing artist, and I’m going to have him paint affirmations around the mirrors that remind the women in my class that this is you, and you need to love the reflection you see.”

It’s always a sad reminder when we think about Black women being part of community that dies from more chronic illness than any other ethnicity, but it’s also a great uplift when we remind ourselves that the Black woman gave birth to civilization. In her purest form, she gives life, she’s the nurturer, and the first teacher of our children.

These truths emanate from the walls and floor space of the Branded Body studio Dance isn’t about sex, it’s about freedom. Self-discovery is engraved in the stone temples of Egypt, and inked in the thousands of ancient texts of practically every culture known to man.

I believe this sister has cultivated a remarkable model for tapping in-

Horton trafficking, to terrorism and gun smuggling. Their activities perpetuate crime in our community.”

Overall tobacco tax losses to the state are estimated at $276 million annually, $182 million of which is attributable to cigarettes alone.

The California tax on a carton of cigarettes is $8.70, and the losses add up quickly.

ward, and building outward. To add icing on the cake, she also urges her clients to begin taking baby steps toward a healthy diet.

“I’m pretty good about eating healthy, but I’m not perfect, and I encourage my clients to take it step by step, and build toward that goal.

I have a garden that I’ve started for members of the studio. That way if they need any fresh vegetables after class, and can’t afford them at the grocery store, I can provide it for them.”

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Woman can solve any problem Woman can do wonders, my dear Woman is sister, woman is mother Woman is the best creator.

Woman is the pious flowing water Woman has kept nectar If you are pure and in Truth I am sure woman is better.

(Excerpt from Woman Flowing Water By Gajanan Mishra)

We want to hear from you!

Flow. I met a refreshing spirit today. One whose movements motivate and liberate. The desolate soil that makes up our Market Street seemed starved and abandoned just a week ago. We all asked, what will revitalize our downtown cornerstone?

Only the waters can make the land fertile again. And there is a sizeable amount at the Branded Body Dance Fitness Studio. Take note Inglewood. Salute.

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Letters may be edited for clarity or length. Not all letters will be published. Submission of a letter to the editor constitutes permission to publish the letter in the printed version of Inglewood Today Weekly and on www.inglewoodtoday.com.

Inglewood Today

January 23, 2014

Win by Losing in 2014 Shed bad communication habits for a happier new year.

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he fastest and the best way to improve your communication is to stop doing things that repeatedly cause you trouble.

Communication expert Geoffrey Tumlin identifies seven bad communication habits that are at the top of the quit list for the new year.

One or two bad communication habits is all it takes to cause a lifetime of trouble. And with today’s quick and easy methods of communication, it’s all too easy for bad habits to work their way in. You overreact to an email—not for the first time—and send off a furious and damaging reply. Your spouse accuses you of not listening (again) and you have to sheepishly admit (again) that she’s right. You offend your “friends” or followers on a social media platform with yet another ill-advised attempt at humor. Or you can’t resist a snarky comeback to a difficult customer’s provocation, even though you immediately regret your words. When bad communication habits take over, the reputation you worked so hard to cultivate takes a beating.

“Bad communication habits are the punishment that keeps on giving,” says Tumlin, author of the new book Stop Talking, Start Communicating: Counterintuitive Secrets to Success in Business and in Life (McGraw-Hill, August 2013, ISBN: 978-0-0718130-4-4, $20.00,www.tumlin.com). “Even if you suffer from only one bad habit, it can recur in dozens of conversations and cause damage each time.

But the good news is that by eliminating a single bad habit you can prevent many future problems. In fact, nothing else you can do gives you as much bang for your buck as resolving to eliminate a bad communication habit. And there’s no better time to add a bad communication habit to your quit list than the new year.”

That’s where Stop Talking, Start Communicating comes in. Full of counterintuitive yet concrete advice, it draws on Tumlin’s extensive experience as a communication consultant to show readers how to unload bad habits, improve conversations, and use today’s powerful digital devices, not to fragment attention and dilute relationships, but to achieve more of their most important goals and aspirations.

“This is the best time in human history to be a competent communicator,” Tumlin asserts. “It’s true that it can be incredibly difficult to break free of the bad habits associated with the distraction, expediency, self-expression, and excess that characterize so much of our digital-age communication. Yet if

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we are willing to cast off some of our bad communication habits, we can optimize opportunities to connect productively and meaningfully with other people.”

Here, Tumlin shares seven of the most common bad communication habits. If any of the habits hit dangerously close to home, resolve to improve or eliminate them in 2014: Bad Habit #1: Letting the Neanderthal pick your words. When we’re agitated, irritated, or frustrated, a battle plays out between our primitive, impulse-driven Neanderthal brain and our more modern, thoughtful, and deliberative brain.

And while the Neanderthal parts of our brain are indispensable when we’re in physical danger, our Neanderthal brain is terrible at picking our words. Word selection is better left to our more analytical modern brain, because the Neanderthal prefers to club first and ask questions later.

harmless, but it’s often an excuse to indulge in destructive behavior,” points out Tumlin. “Smart communicators realize that by focusing on what they want to accomplish instead of what they want to say, they keep their conversational goals in their rightful place—above their feelings in terms of priority.

“Authenticity sounds good in theory, but in practice it often torpe-

The problem is that although words can build relationships only slowly, they can cause damage with lightning speed. A blurted retort, a thoughtless tweet, or a hasty remark can—and does—land people in hot water all the time. When the Neanderthal chooses our words, it never ends well.

“A simple but powerful way to improve your communication in 2014 is to stop talking and think for a minute whenever you’re frustrated or upset,” Tumlin asserts.

“You don’t need to take a vow of silence, but you do need to pause long enough to keep your more thoughtful and deliberative brain in charge of selecting the words you’re going to express. Even a few seconds can help you to steer clear of the Neanderthal’s exhortations to club someone, can allow you to get in front of ill-advised words, and can provide you with the space you need to self-correct when you’re angry or upset.”

Bad Habit #2: Using authenticity as an excuse for bad behavior. “‘I was just being myself’ sounds

does our goals,” says Tumlin. “I’m not suggesting that you become a fake, just that you don’t cloak momentarily gratifying, but counterproductive, communication in the fabric of ‘being yourself.’ Poor communication—when your words hijack your goals—isn’t a trait; it’s a choice.”

Bad Habit #3: Multitasking when we should be listening. The digital revolution facilitated hypercommunication and instant selfexpression, but, ironically, made it harder for anyone to listen. There’s just too much communication junk getting in the way. (Just consider the frenetic activity happening on Twitter at any given moment!) Our thoughts are scattered, our minds wander, and ever-present distractions make it difficult for us to focus on the person right in front of us. In 2014, most of us need to make a concerted effort to reinvigorate our listening skills.

“Intentional listening will make you more present in conversations and will decisively improve your communication,” promises Tum-

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lin. “The funny thing is that people are telling us all the time about what they want, what they fear, and what’s important to them, but we’re often too busy thinking about what’s in our inbox or who just texted us to absorb much of what they’re saying. The ‘old school’ behavior of listening will help you become a much better communicator and will enable you to become far more knowledgeable about the people in your life.”

Bad Habit #4: Asking faulty questions. Questions aren’t always neutral. They make some of your conversations better, but as you’ve probably noticed, many questions make a surprisingly large number of your conversations worse. Even “simple” inquiries can go awry. “Is your mother coming over for dinner again?” or “Did you call Jim in accounting about this?” can cause trouble if the other person thinks there’s a criticism behind the query.

“Some of your relationship problems probably reflect your underdeveloped questioning skills,” says Tumlin. “Faulty questions contribute to many conversational failures and can add anxiety, defensiveness, and ill will to interactions. In general, the more you query simply to indulge your personal cravings to get an answer, to hammer home a point, or to satisfy a narrow personal interest, the more your questions are likely to stifle dialogue. It’s better to focus on what you can learn from or about another person and to ask questions that reflect a broad curiosity about the person or topic you’re discussing.”

Bad Habit #5: Meddling. Our quick, cheap, and easy digital devices allow us to have far too many unnecessary conversations, engage in way too much unnecessary collaboration, and get our hands (and thumbs) on too many irrelevant issues. That’s why smart communicators, like smart doctors, have a good triage system—its categories are Now, Delay, and Avoid—to focus on the most pressing issues, while delaying or ignoring less important matters.

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Inglewood Today

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MTA Breaks Ground on Crenshaw/LAX Rail Project (Continued from page 1) chester and the area around Los Angeles International Airport with eight stations, a maintenance facility and park-and-ride lots.

“I was proud to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Crenshaw/ LAX Transit Corridor today, for which I worked tirelessly to secure federal support. The federal government is expected to provide approximately $160 million for the project, as well as a $546 million loan, which will be repaid with local funds,” said Rep. Maxine Waters.

“This corridor will provide service to several communities in and around my district in both the cities of Los Angeles and Inglewood, and it will give residents access to work, school, shopping, entertainment, and everything else Los Angeles has to offer.”

“Los Angeles Metro’s Crenshaw/ LAX Transit Project is about making a long-term investment in South Los Angeles’ infrastructure that will benefit Angelinos for generations to come,” said Congresswoman Karen Bass.

She added: “This project is about

generating over 18,000 jobs over the next six years for the Southern California economy as we work to climb out of the Great Recession.

This project is about providing real work now to people who need it, with over half of the current jobs being filled by economically disadvantaged workers, and many of these jobs are currently being filled

by African American workers. And this project is about time.”

The project will include eight new stations: Expo/Crenshaw (underground), Crenshaw/Martin Luther King (underground), Crenshaw/Vernon in Leimert Park (underground), Crenshaw/Slauson, Florence/West (Inglewood) Florence/La Brea (Inglewood), Florence/Hindry and Aviation/Century (LAX).

The Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project is one of 12 major transit projects funded by Measure R, the half-cent sales tax approved by 68 percent of Los Angeles County voters in 2008. The project is also receiving other state and local funds.

“A world class Los Angeles needs a world class transit system that reduces traffic and connects our neighborhoods,” said Los An-

geles Mayor and Metro Board Vice Chair Eric Garcetti. “The Crenshaw/LAX Corridor light rail will be a vital link in our regional transportation network and will serve thousands of residents in Crenshaw, Inglewood and Westchester and people traveling to and from LAX.” Mayor Butts said, “Today marks the transformation of hope into reality. Real jobs, real commerce, real progress for this region. This transit line in combination with the rebirth of the Fabulous Forum and the groundbreaking of the Hollywood Park Tomorrow project later this year continues the march of Inglewood towards prosperity.”

In a separate project, planners at both Metro and Los Angeles World Airports officials are working together on the Airport Metro Connector that will link the Crenshaw/ LAX Line to the LAX terminals via light rail, a people mover or a combination of the two.

“This day has been a long time coming,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.

“The Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project not only will provide much needed transportation to our airport, but it will create thousands of jobs

January 23, 2014

over the course of construction and link the Crenshaw District to the rest Los Angeles. That’s something to celebrate.”

The federal Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program, which provides credit assistance for infrastructure projects and is overseen by the U.S. Department of Transportation, provided a $545.9-million loan toward the Crenshaw/ LAX Line. The project also is expected to receive approximately $130 million in other funds from the USDOT and the Federal Transit Administration.

The new light-rail line will be built by Walsh/Shea Corridor Constructors, a joint venture between Walsh Construction and J.F. Shea Company (WSCC). WSCC expects to first begin construction of the Crenshaw/Exposition underground station, where the Tunnel Boring Machines will be lowered into the ground and then begin working south to 48th street, where the tracks will rise to street level.

About 55 percent of the Crenshaw/LAX Line will be separated from roadways with the tracks either in a tunnel, in a trench or an (Continued on page 5)

Pick up your copy of Inglewood Today at one of these locations: 1 Stop Mini-Mart, 420 E. Florence Ave. A-Man Inc., 101 La Brea Ave. Airport Gas, 501 Hillcrest St. Allstate, 2300 W. Manchester Bl. Bayou Grill, 1400 N. La Brea Ave. Boston Cream Donuts, 2576 La Brea Ave. Bourbon Street Fish & Grill, 601 S. Prairie Ave. Briarwood, 3500 Manchester Bl. Broadway Federal Bank, 170 N. Market St. Brolly Hut Barber Shop on 109th & Crenshaw Bruno’s Pizza, 450 E. Manchester Bl. Budda Market, 3753 Slauson (Rimpau) C&J Beauty Supply, 11252 Crenshaw Bl. Carlton Square, 8700 Carlton Centinela Hospital, 555 E. Hardy St. Chili’s, 3490 W. Century Bl. Chile Verde on Crenshaw Choice Berry, 599 1/2 S. La Brea Ave. City One Stop, 110 Queen St. Cranford Scott, M.D., 211 N. Prairie Ave. CVS Pharmacy, 222 N. Market St. Darby Park, 3400 W. Arbor Vitae Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen #1, 202 E. Manchester Bl. Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen #2, 3249 W. Century Bl. Edward Vincent Park Senior Ctr., 700 Warren Lane Fabulous Burger, 1315 Centinela Ave., Family Fish Market, 1300 Centinela Ave. Fiesta Martin Mexican Grill, 1330 N. La Brea Ave. Gin’s Liquor, 11001 Crenshaw Bl. Gonzales Northgate Market, 10801 Prairie Ave. Heart & Soul Grill, 128 N. Market St. Hollywood Park Casino, 1050 S. Prairie Ave. Inglewood Airport Area, 330 E. Queen St. Inglewood Park Cemetery, 720 E. Florence Ave. Inglewood Community Police Ctr., Manchester/7th Ave. Inglewood City Hall, 1 West Manchester Bl. Inglewood Library, 101 W. Manchester Bl. Inglewood Meadows, 1 Locust St. Inglewood Park Mortuary, 3801 W. Manchester Bl. Inglewood Police Station, 1 West Manchester Bl. Inglewood Today, 949 S. La Brea Ave. Inglewood Unified School District, 401 S. Inglewood Ave. In the Kut Barber Shop on 109th & Crenshaw Jamba Juice, 5305 W. Centinela Ave. King Fish Market, 10901 Crenshaw Bl. KJLH Radio, 161 N. La Brea Ave. Ladera Physiotherapy, 409 S. La Brea Ave.

Lan’s Nails, 10901 S. Crenshaw Bl. Lawrence Carey Barber Shop, 10901 S. Crenshaw Bl. Liquorette Liquor Store, 1400 Centinela Ave. Louisiana Fried Chicken, 170 La Brea Lucy Laundromat across from Sizzler’s on Manchester M&M’s Soul Food on Manchester M&M’s Soul Food (new) on Crenshaw Martino’s Liquor, 706 E. Manchester Bl. Mike’s Deli, 4859 W. Slauson Ave. Moby’s Breakfast & Lunch, 3008 W. Manchester Bl. Morningside Adult Day Care, 3216 W. Manchester Bl. Nix Check Cashing, 140 E. Manchester Nix Check Cashing on Crenshaw & 110th Osage Senior Villas, 924 S. Osage Pann’s, 6710 La Tijera Bl. Pay Day Loans on Crenshaw & 110 Pep Boys, 200 E. Spruce Ave. Red Lobster, 3400 W. Century Bl. Regal Cleaners, 700 E. Manchester Bl. Regency Towers, 123 Locust St. Regent Plaza, 201 Regent St. Roger’s Park, 400 W. Beach Ave. Scottie’s Gumbo & Grill, 945 S. Prairie Ave. Sizzler’s, Manchester/Prairie Smoke 4 Less, 925 N. La Brea Spa 313 Salon, 313 La Brea Starbucks, 5301 Centinela Ave. Starbucks, 941 N. La Brea Ave. Starbucks on Century Stuff I Eat, 114 N. Market St. Super Fish Market, 11007 S Crenshaw Bl. Superior Groceries, 11202 S Crenshaw Bl. The Serving Spoon, 1403 Centinela Ave. TGIFriday’s, 6721 La Tijera Bl. True Vine Baptist Church, 1437 Centinela Ave. Union Bank, 6719 La Tijera Bl. Vons, 500 E. Manchester Bl. Walgreens on Century Westchester Villa Senior Living, 220 W. Manchester Bl. Whole Foods, 4508 Overhill (Slauson) Winchell’s Donuts, 2601 W. Manchester Bl. Winchell’s Donut Shop on Crenshaw near 108th St. Wings Stop on Century Wise Tires & Brakes, 949 S. La Brea Ave. Woody’s Barbeque, 4751 S. Market St. Yvonne B. Burke Senior Center, 4750 62nd St. (La Brea)

January 23, 2014

Inglewood Today

Publisher’s Message New Internet Ruling a Bad Deal for Consumers

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hile most of us were busy, surfing the web or playing with our latest phone apps, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals has been quietly chipping away at our freedom. Recently, the Court tossed out critical government protections against discrimination by the broadband companies that provide web access. The Verizon vs. FCC ruling will give a handful of major corporations total control over what we’re able to see and do online.

It seems the big guys found a loophole in the way Internet service is classified and want to change the entire game. Basically, Verizon, AT&T, Comcast, and Time Warner Cable want to be able to strike deals with, say, entertainment companies like Netflix and charge them more so their content can be downloaded more quickly than the average user. They are, I believe, trying to introduce a tiered system similar to what the airlines have done, charging more money for business class.

They want to privatize the web, make it more exclusive and, therefore, less available to the masses.

What can we do?

ColorofChange.org is mobilizing Internet users to sign an online petition to influence Washington.

According to the website, “New Federal Communications Commission chair Tom Wheeler has the power to stop them—Wheeler

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Willie Brown, Publisher, Inglewood Today Weekly can take action today to reverse the Bush-era rule that treats the Internet differently depending on the wires we use to access it.”

It is urging Chairman Wheeler to correct the agency’s past mistakes and reclassify broadband as a telecommunications service subject to rigorous consumer protections.

Here is an excerpt from the letter: Dear Chairman Wheeler, The free and open Internet is critical to our communities’ ability to access and share information without a corporate filter, and to effectively organize for racial and social justice. And as the FCC’s National Broadband Plan acknowledges, high-speed Internet is an essential service that all Americans need in order to perform basic tasks, from applying for a job, to doing schoolwork, finding a home, and running

Rod Wright Testifies on Residency Issue

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tate Sen. Roderick D. Wright (D-Inglewood) testified Tuesday that he did not intentionally deceive the public when he switched his official address to run for office, according to the L.A. Times.

The jury trial, now in its second week before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Kathleen Kennedy, is being held to determine whether the senator knowingly violated election laws which require him to live in the district that he represents. He has pleaded not guilty to eight felony counts of perjury and voter fraud.

Prosecuting attorneys contend that Wright lived in the Baldwin Hills area of Los Angeles—outside his district—at the time he ran for office in 2008. They offer as evidence photos and testimonies from Wright’s neighbors, who said he was frequently seen at the upscale

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Sen. Roderick D. Wright Baldwin Hills home. A tenant at his property in Inglewood said she never saw him spend the night at his modest home which sits behind a five-unit Inglewood apartment complex.

In his defense, Wright cited a section of the California Elections Code that says the “domicile of a member of the Legislature .... shall be conclusively presumed to be at the residence address indicated on (Continued on page 8)

As trees give fruit, healing words give life.

Yvonne Horton

a business.

With the DC Circuit Court’s dismantling of your agency’s 2010 Open Internet Order, which provided imperfect but vital protections for web users against discrimination by our Internet service providers (ISPs), it is urgent that the FCC take immediate and decisive action to protect the public from these corporations’ predatory business practices.

The FCC exists to serve the public, not the corporate bottom line, and the court in Verizon v. FCC made clear

that your agency has the authority to regulate interstate communications. I urge you to act on that authority now to reverse the Bush Administration’s deeply flawed decision to deregulate cable broadband, which made the Open Internet Order unsustainable from the start and just handed Verizon a major victory in its fight to privatize the web.

The ball is squarely in the FCC’s court: please take action to reclassify broadband as a telecommunications (Continued on page 8)

MTA Breaks Ground on Crenshaw/LAX Rail Project (Continued from page 4) aerial structure. That’s far more than tracks serving the existing Blue Line, Expo Line and Gold Line. The great majority of those rail lines run at street level.

“Today we celebrate the beginning of construction of a new 8.5mile light rail project along the Crenshaw corridor that connects the Expo Line with the Metro Green Line completing a vital north/south piece of the LA County Metro Rail system,” said Metro Board Chair Diane DuBois. “Not only will this project improve mobility but it will deliver economic opportunity to communities that have been passed by progress enjoyed elsewhere.”

The groundbreaking was both a sign of progress and a reminder that more needs to be done to protect the well being of residents whom the rail project will affect—mostly black and Latino residents in L.A. and Inglewood.

A press conference was held by the Crenshaw Subway Coalition across the street to draw attention to unresolved issues. According to a statement from the Coalition, the “11-block street-level portion and cut-and-cover design will kill the last black business corridor in Los Angeles.” The statement also voiced concern about “the insufficient numbers of black workers on the project and the failure of elected black leadership on the MTA board” to resolve the issues.

The Crenshaw Subway Coalition has launched a lawsuit alleging that the project violates civil rights law, California environmental law, and the national environmental law. A court hearing is scheduled for February 6.

For more information on the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project visit metro.net/crenshaw or by email to crenshawcorridor@metro.net, by phone at (213) 922-2736 or follow the project at facebook.com/ crenshawrail or twitter.com/crenshawrail.

Inglewood Today

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January 23, 2014

Health&Fitness T•O•D•A•Y

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Health Alert: Beware of Bad Food from China

he imbalanced trade arrangements between America and some Asian countries is well documented. It seems nearly everything we buy comes from China.

The quality of workmanship has given way to cheap labor and cheap prices.

While buying cheap clothing from China or Korea might help a low income family survive, there is one thing no family can afford— dangerous food.

Starkist Tuna is now owned by Korea, which means the fish is no longer regulated. According to an article in FoodSafetyNews.com (March 11, 2011), an FDA inspector who visited an America Somoa processing plant was refused safety documents.

In an interview, a food inspector said he had lived overseas and had witnessed the filthy conditions in which food is processed. The “farmed” fish were reportedly fed raw sewage daily. Some foreign workers have to wear masks as they work in these places to deal with the stench.

Food coloring and some flavoring was added to the fish; then it was shipped to the US and Canada.

There were no food and safety inspectors to monitor how the fish are processed.

A

The FDA banned certain types of farmed fish from China in 2007.

To be safe, however, consumer advocates recommend avoiding all “farm raised” seafood, especially that which comes from China, Vietnam, or the Philippines.

In addition to fish, there are other foods from Asian countries that consumers need to avoid. According to public health commentator Alberto Alemanno (http://www. albertoalemanno.eu), even Chinese families fear eating their own food: “Families are so fearful that food (in particular baby formulas) might be tainted that are massively turning to relatives based outside of China

as well as middlemen to source supplies from overseas. Chinese parents and consumers are prepared to pay a hefty premium for food they perceived to be free from the contamination that blights much of the Chinese marketplace. As a result, it is becoming common practice for frequent travellers to China to ‘smuggle’ some food products into the country these days.”

You’ll want to watch out for key words on the packaging like “prepared for,” “packed by,” or “imported by.” The country of origin should be clearly shown on the item in the store. If the country of origin is not clearly marked, beware. Ask

the grocery workers.

Fish isn’t the only food on the watch list. Steinfeld’s Pickles from India and no-name canned mushrooms from Indonesia are just as bad. A lot of bad canned foods can be found at local dollar stores.

Also, look out for those cute little fruit cups, imported honey and garlic, and Green Giant frozen vegetables.

There are many more foods packaged in China. Check the labels.

While the Chinese export inferior and even toxic food, dangerous toys, and other goods to be sold in North American markets, 70% of North Americans believe that the trading privileges afforded to the Chinese should be suspended! Consumers don’t have to wait for the government to suspend trading privileges.

Why not do it ourselves?

Simply look on the bottom of every product you buy, and if it says ‘Made in China’ or ‘PRC’ (and that now includes Hong Kong), avoid it.

You will be amazed at how dependent you are on Chinese products, and you will be equally amazed at what you can do without.

If 200 million North Americans refuse to buy just $20 each of Chinese goods, that’s a billion dollar trade imbalance resolved in our (Continued on page 11)

4 Mental Ways to Cut Inches of Belly Fat

re you beginning to realize summer is coming around the corner and you’re no more inclined to a stroll down the shore any more than you were last year? Have you already been preparing for this enchanting summer and not noticed any results from the programs you’ve been following?

So have I! In this blog article I’m going to give you 4 ways to lose belly fat in just 1 week. The path to healthy living is natural and harmless. Here are some things you can do to naturally target your path to a more fit lifestyle!

1. Change your mindset!

When I started learning Chundokwan Taekwondo in high school my Sabbamnim (or instructor) told me, “funny thing is your body already thinks it knows how to defend itself, but really every belt between white and black is to show you

By Derek Guzman

that’s not true. After you figure that out—you’re a black belt—then the real learning begins.” This advice is critical to learning the right way of doing anything. The first step to learning more about a solution is to realize you don’t already have it and be open to new ideas that may make the whole process from 0-1 a fun one for you.

2. Stop not enjoying life!

Which leads me right into this gem. Stop denying yourself those guilty foods and torturing yourself at the gym if it doesn’t have a real benefit to you. A healthy lifestyle incorporates a positive experience into every fact of the human experience.

In other words, the best way for you to live is in a way that makes you happy all the time—not unhappy during every moment of your life except when you step on a scale.

There is a natural and healthy way to

lose belly fat without going through pier having met those goals you’ve ridiculous lengths that make you un- just set for yourself. If need be write comfortable. down the number of pounds you plan to lose. This is perhaps the most ef3. Set goals fective way to accomplish any goal Setting the parameters for your first as it sets up your attitude for success, step is as important as taking it. Real- which in turn, directly affects the ize that to attain your dreams you’re amount of effort you’re going to put going to have to identify what that into reaching your dreams. dream is. Is your dream just to drop If you follow these 4 steps you al6 lbs. by your wedding date? Or are ready have the right to tools to get you aiming to gain 20 lbs of muscle started on this journey. Whatever before your next body building show? program you choose will benefit Make your goals realistic and hold to you if you hold on to these tools. your guns down the line so you don’t For more information on a program settle for less than the goal you set for I’m personally using and already yourself. showing great results visit this web site; http://bit.ly/1ebFxvW. 4. Visualize Derek Guzman is an author and This may be the most impor- avid fitness guru continuing to extant step to take before realizing tend reviews and advice on upcomyour dream for a healthier lifestyle. ing weight loss programs. He conYou’re going to need to see yourself tinues to lead the western world already living a healthier and more in forward thinking on how to apfit lifestyle. See yourself living hap- proach healthy living.

Inglewood Today

January 23, 2014

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Page 7

LBA Mixes Business With Fun

ennox Park was the place to be on Jan. 14. The Lennox Business Alliance hosted a community styled gathering, which packed the conference room with about 300 lively guests. The crowd was treated to entertainment by young Latina dancers and musicians, food and lots of networking.

The event resembled more of a family gathering than a business mixer, but there was plenty of business being done. Local Lennox vendors occupied about a third of the room, sharing their information.

Raffle giveaways were one of the highlights of the evening, and the LBA was not stingy on prizes. One lucky girl walked away with a new bike! Other prizes included a television and microwave oven.

LBA President Alvaro Cerda and Vice President Linda Estrella invites Inglewood residents and business owners to network with their

(l-r) Sgt. Clayton, LASD; Deputy Ebling, LASD; Francine Rizzio, LASD; Jose Davila, CHP; Karina Munoz, CHP; Alvaro Cerda, LBA; Paul Peterson, CHP; Linda Estella, LBA; Willie Brown, Inglewood Today; Kevin Murray; and Brian Williams.

group on the second Thursday of is located at 10828 Condon Ave. in each month at 6pm. Lennox Park Lennox. This is a free public event.

For more information, call Alvaro at 310-779-8907.

A lucky girl wins a bike! Pictured here with her mother.

Standing: (l-r) Sgt. Clayten, LASD; Deputy Ebling, LASD; Francine Rizzio, LASD; Brian Williams; Alvaro Cerda, LBA; Willie Brown, Inglewood Today; Jose Davila, CHP; Karina Munez, CHP; and Paul Peterson, CHP.

Inglewood Today

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Target Hacker May Have Been Falsely Accused

ast Friday, IntelCrawler told major media outlets that a 17 year-old from Russia was the culprit behind the data breach which affected over 70 million Target shoppers. According to the Washington Post, the teen was based in St. Petersburg, FL, IntelCrawler’s president, Dan Clements, told PCWorld that the group is “90 percent” sure that Sergey Tarasov is their man. However, on Monday, the firm released an updated report which points the finger at another Russian man, according to Fox News.

The cyber thief, whose username is “ree4” on several hacker forums reportedly sold his ‘BlackPOS’ malware to more than 60 Eastern European cybercriminals, plus some in other regions. That username is now believed to belong to

W

January 23, 2014

Rinat Shabayev.

While IntelCrawler may have backed off, it is not completely backing down. The company maintains that Shabayev may have been the one to write the code, but Tarasov worked with him: “Ree[4] is working closely with Sergey Tarasov, who was acting as his technical support together with several other members, having roots in St. Petersburg (Russian Federation), a very well known programmer of malicious code in underground,” the company wrote in its report.

Meanwhile Tarasov is fighting back and has already reached out to a lawyer. He has criticized California based cyber monitoring company and the media, noting that he lacks the necessary education to create such a virus, and that while

Are You Free to Flow?

he writes code, it is only for personal use.

“Our media grabs information and gives it to the masses without checking beforehand.” Tarasov told Russian news outlet Tjournal.ru, according to a Google translation of the report. He also said he has no connection to Shabayev or St. Petersburg and has lived in Novosibirsk his entire life.

Earlier this month, Neiman Marcus admitted that its data systems had been hacked, and Reuters reported that at least three other retailers may have been victimized as well. Reuters stated that authorities believed the hackers originated from Eastern Europe, though it did not specify the country In addition to reporting Tarasov as a prime suspect, the Washington Post said that hackers were able to

plant the BlackPOS malware because the credit card terminals at the retailers they targeted had default passwords that were guessable and therefore weak.

Names of other affected retailers have so far not been revealed, though they are not the only ones hacked. Both Target and Neiman Marcus have come under fire for not immediately alerting customers. It seems that the companies only admitted the breach because journalist Brian Krebs discovered the situation and posted about it on his blog.

Regulations in 46 states mandate disclosure when hackers steal customer information in a cyber attack.

The problem is there is no consistent deadline for reporting. Rules vary from state to state.

Meanwhile, the investigation continues…

Americans Would Avoid Clothes Made With Child Labor

riting and speaking are important skills that you can use anywhere. But expressing yourself in written and spoken words can be scary. Fear of speaking in public is often ranked as phobia number one— sometimes ranking higher than fear of dying!

The reasons are many, including overly critical parents, teachers, and friends who can kill your creative desires, leading you to hide your gifts from others and yourself.

The Flow is a creative writing experience that focuses on freedom first and perfection later. In fact, perfectionism and the need to “get it right” form the basis of ‘writer’s block.”

Fear of failure impedes our flow; while permission to mess up and make big mistakes cracks writer’s block, allowing a flow experience to take place.

The Flow is a creative writing class, which will run 8 Saturdays, starting

January 25 through March 15 in the historic Veterans Memorial Building, 330 Centinela Avenue in Inglewood, from 10am to 12noon. Presented in a safe and encouraging style, you will be free to write and share your work in a fun and supportive community.

The Flow is free, but donations will be graciously accepted. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Are you free to flow? Remake 2014 into 20FlowTeen— the year you look fear in the face, write it a goodbye letter and read it out loud. This year, you get your Flow on!

The Flow is taught by Adwin David Brown, international spoken word artist, writer, and Billboard Top Ten recording artist is the creator of Flowskool and several creative education models implemented in school districts throughout the United States.

He lives in Inglewood. For more information, call (310) 895-6428 or email flowlicious@gmail.com.

Rod Wright Testifies on Residency Issue (Continued from page 5) that person’s currently filed affidavit of registration.”

When questioned about loan documents he signed, which acknowledge the Baldwin Hills home as his primary residence, Wright replied that he did not pay attention to the statement. What matters most, he said, is interest and monthly payments.

If convicted on all eight counts, Wright could be sentenced to eight years and four months in state prison and would be barred for life from holding elected office, the district attorney’s office said.

Testimony is to continue Wednesday. The case will probably go to the jury late Thursday or Friday, the judge said.

Publisher’s Message (Continued from page 5) service now.

This is our chance to make our voices known. Free and equal access to the Internet levels the playing fields. Just recently, I read and article that young African Americans are on Twitter more than any others ethnic group in their age category. Something is clicking with young people like never before. Fortunately, the same technology that consumes so much of their time can also be used to bring them closer to world events and global discoveries.

I guess it was only a matter of time that capitalists would find a way to I encourage you to go to Color- our access to the Internet being sold try and change the game, by fixing the Internet so the average consum- ofChange.org and sign the petition. to the highest bidder.

Let them know that we don’t want er goes to the end of the line.

I

t’s safe to say that most people enjoy saving a dollar where they can, but those savings often come with a steep price—at the expense of child laborers.

According to a survey released

by ChildFund International (http:// www.childfund.org/) about child labor, of 1,022 people surveyed, the average American guesses that only 6.5 million children aged 5 to 14 are child laborers, and 73 percent of survey respondents say there are fewer than 1 million.

Only 1 percent accurately estimate the correct number of child laborers—150 million.

With knowledge comes power—spending power. When asked if they would be willing to pay more for clothing made without child labor, more than half (55 percent) indicate that they would.

Among those indicating a willingness to pay more, the average person says they would be willing to spend one-third (34 percent) more.

Until the recent collapse of a factory in Bangladesh, child labor was a far from hot topic around the dinner table or water cooler.

“This spring’s collapse of a garment factory in Bangladesh has focused the world’s attention on the often hazardous working conditions that many workers in developing countries confront every day. And while it appears that the more than 1,000 victims of that tragedy were adults, the fact is these factories regularly employ children as young as 10 years

old,” says Anne Lynam Goddard, president and CEO of ChildFund International.

Almost one in six children ages 5 to 14 in developing countries is engaged in labor, and aside from the obvious physical dangers that young children face in hazardous working conditions, these children are less likely to complete their educations. The hours they spend working are hours they’re failing to devote to their studies. To prevent this, ChildFund supports programs that provide families with safer options for earning income and opportunities that allow children to remain in school and out of factories.

Goddard emphasizes that not all labor is exploitative or necessarily harmful to children, noting that many children within developing countries work on their families’ subsistence farms or are engaged in other labor to supplement the families’ income.

“The dual nature of our concern,” she says, “is when a child is compelled to work in unsafe conditions or when any work a child is engaged in serves to interrupt his or her education.

These survey results indicate that, while Americans don’t have a full appreciation for the extent of the problem, they do have an intrinsic understanding of the negative impact that child labor has on a child’s future.”

Source: NewsUSA

Inglewood Today

January 23, 2014

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Financing Your Business in 2014

he New Year usually brings with it a sense of hope. Hope that the world will be a better place to live. Hope that our economy will progress. And, hope that our personal lives will improve.

Further, for business owners, they add another hope. A hope that their businesses will be faced with countless new opportunities in the coming 12 months, combined with the hope that they will be able to take advantage of those opportunities.

However, last year, we had the same hopes and dreams as we entered 2013. Some faded because of issues outside our individual control (like the merger growth in the economy or uncertainty about regulations). Some faded because we just could not obtain the things we needed (like increasing sales or access to capital).

Looking Back to 2013 While there are many factors that can contribute to a better world and better businesses in the New Year, one of the most pressing issues for is their ability to get needed capital when and where they need it.

This past year showed us banks— the traditional source for business financing—pulling further back from providing business loans to any company except the largest of businesses.

In fact, according to an article published in The Post and Courier: “The largest of small businesses had an easier time obtaining credit in 2013, partly because small businesses are getting healthier. Revenue at larger small businesses had growth slightly more than 1 percent.

[While] the smallest of companies weren’t as heartily embraced even though revenue at those businesses grew at a faster 2 percent pace.

Banks tend to be more comfortable lending to larger companies.”

To further this point, overall SBA lending for 2013 (from their flagship 7(a) loan program) was $18 billion for their fiscal year ending September 30 - a $3 billion increase over the prior year.

But, according to the SBA’s own published data, that increase is the result of two happenstances: 1. The SBA modified its definition of a small business. They essentially lifted the standards to allow previously defined medium and large businesses to be reclassified as small businesses and thus receive small business loans.

2. Banks (particularly SBA

By Business Money Today

preferred lenders) increased their lending to those newly classified businesses—meaning they only provided business and commercial loans to those larger, newly classified “small businesses.”

Lastly, in August 2013, the Federal Reserve of Cleveland published a bombshell of a study that showed:

“Banks have been exiting the small business loan market for over a decade. [Small business lending] has declined steadily since 1998, dropping from 51 percent to 29 percent.”

Looking Forward to 2014 So, what does all this mean in 2014? It means that these trends should continue. Thus, if your business is a “larger small business” or bigger (e.g. medium or large company) and has growing revenue, then your business should have no problem accessing traditional sources of capital in the coming year.

However, if your business is new or will be new in 2014 or if your business is a one of the true 22 million small businesses that still remain in this country, you will again —be left out of the conventional capital markets. No bank, SBA or traditional business loan for you.

In fact, it is our opinion, based on the fact that many of the macro- and microeconomic issues facing businesses in 2013 will continue into 2014 and beyond, that. In terms of small business financing, 2014 will be no different than 2013 for most companies.

Small businesses will struggle to obtain start up or growth capital as banks continue to “exit the small business loan market.” But, that does not mean that it cannot get the money it needs. It just means that it might not be able to do it from those

traditional sources of capital.

The upside is that while banks and other traditional capital sources pull back, other, alternative lenders have and will continue to step in to fill those lending gaps. These business lenders will continue to find ways to fund businesses of all sizes—partly because they do not face

the same regulations that banks and other lenders do and partly because they are actually trying to make this market work as opposed to trying to move away from it.

Financing Your Business In 2014 Based on the trends in 2013, most businesses seeking capital—those businesses that actually need outside money to grow—will again be forced to pursue these “alternative” loans.

Thus, they have to find new ways to get financing—ways that will be based more on non-traditional underwriting issues like overall revenue volumes and time in business, as opposed to cash flow, credit or collateral.

This could be good for some businesses that only have the strength of their operations to fall back on and bad for others who might meet the traditional lending standards yet find themselves on the outside as more and more banks pull out of the small business capital markets.

But, the bottom line for financing in 2014 is this: If you think that your business might not qualify in the dwindling traditional business loan market, you are probably right.

If you did not qualify last year, you will in no way qualify this year.

As more and more alternative lenders enter the market to take up this slack and bring new, innovative products that actually work in providing capital to businesses.

Overall, more options will become

available—more options that might be harder to understand and require more effort on the part of the potential borrower.

Still, more options will allow these alternative players to gain more market share. And, for them to gain more market share, they will have to reate loan products for businesses that traditional sources won’t touch as well as facilitate more approvals, or their efforts would be wasted. Thus, while banks continue to pull back their small business lending efforts, these new, alternative players will continue to step in and fill those gaps. For alternative lenders to be successful, they will have to find a way to fund all businesses—even yours.

Conclusion While we should hope for a better New Year, it does appear that 2014 will not look much different than 2013 in terms of business financing.

Bank lending will continue to decline while alternative lenders will continue to find ways to fill those gaps.

And, while it is not likely that access to capital will become a nonissue in 2014, it is likely that businesses needing capital and those that are willing to put their hearts and soul into finding it should be quite successful.

So, in order to ensure that your business is one of the successful, here are two suggestions to keep in mind: 1. Research. Research all (ALL) types of financing options that are out there—from traditional resources to these new alternative lenders.

The goal here is to understand what might be available to your company (when you need it) as well as to understand what the requirements are for those capital sources. This will give you plenty of time to ensure that your business is positioned for a business loan long before it is actually needed.

2. Apply. When the time does come and you have done all the research necessity, then apply. Far too many good businesses in 2013 failed to apply for business loans when they needed them. They failed to apply because they thought they didn’t have a chance of landing the capital they needed. But, here is the thing to keep in mind in 2014: If you feel your business needs capital, apply because it is the only true (Continued on page 11)

Inglewood Today

Page 10

January 23, 2014

LEG A L NOT I CES CITY OF INGLEWOOD INVITATION TO SUBMIT BID (Specifications and Conditions Governing Bid Award) Project Subject to Bid: “TRAFFIC SIGN REPLACEMENT PROJECT HSIPCYCLE 4” The City of Inglewood invites and will receive bids duly filed as provided herein for the furnishing of labor and materials and/or the completion of the abovedesignated project.

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2014 001545 The following Person is doing business as:

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2013 257403 The following Person is doing business as:

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2013 256901 The following Person is doing business as:

Anisa Rashad, LLC Located at: 1246 Magnolia Dr. Carson, CA 90746

A-Man Community ESL Center 101 S. La Brea Avenue, Inglewood, CA 90301

Trinitee Exclusive Beauty Supply & Hair Care Solution Located at: 400 N. La Brea Ave., Ste 300 Inglewood, CA 90302

Registered owner: Anisa Rashad, LLC, 1246 Magnolia Dr., Carson, CA 90746

A mandatory job walk meeting for interested bidders will be conducted on Wednesday, February 5, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. at the Public Works Department, on the Third Floor of Inglewood City Hall, One Manchester Boulevard, CA, 90301. Interested bidders who arrive for the meeting after 10:30 a.m. will not be eligible to submit bid proposals. Call the project Manager Alan Mai at (310) 412-5333 should you require further information.

This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on January 3, 2014.

Each bid to be considered must be delivered to and received by the City Clerk no later than 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 19, 2014 at the Office of the City Clerk, First Floor of Inglewood City Hall, One Manchester Boulevard, Inglewood, CA, 90301.

I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.

(A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.)

Anisa Rashad, Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk on January 3, 2014

Each bid shall be submitted and completed in all particulars using the form entitled, “Bidder’s Proposal and Statement” attached hereto and must be enclosed, together with the requisite bid security, in a sealed envelope addressed to the City Clerk with the designation of the project “TRAFFIC SIGN REPLACEMENT PROJECT HSIP-CYCLE 4” appearing thereon.

Each bid shall state the unit price of each item if called for on the Bidder’s Proposal and Statement form. In the event alternative bids are called for in said form, each alternative bid shall be completed.

Each bid shall be submitted as one (1) original set and two (2) copies.

Bids will be opened in public in the City Clerk’s Office and will then and there be announced to all persons present.

Specifications and other Bid Documents for the above items are on file in the Public Works Department and may be obtained upon request.

Each bid must be accompanied by a deposit in the form of cash, a cashier’s or certified check made payable to the City of Inglewood, or a bid bond, for an amount of not less than ten percent (10%) of the aggregate of the bid, as a guarantee that the successful bidder will, within the time specified, enter into an agreement as provided in the Bid Document and furnish bonds when required in the Special Provisions: one for Faithful Performance in the amount of the Contract Sum, and one for Contractor’s Labor and Materials in the amount of the Contract Sum. The City Council reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive any irregularities in any bid, and to take bids under advisement for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days from and after the date bids are opened and announced.

Attention is directed to the provisions of Sections 1777.5 and 1777.6 of the Labor Code concerning the employment of apprentices by the Contractor or any subcontractor under them. The Contractor or any subcontractor shall comply with the requirements of said sections in the employment of apprentices. Information relative to apprenticeship standards and administration of the apprenticeship program may be obtained from the Director of Industrial Relations, San Francisco, CA, or the Division of Apprenticeship Standards and its branch offices.

Notice is hereby given that the City Council has ascertained the prevailing rates of per diem wages in the locality in which the work is to be done for each craft or type of workman or mechanic needed to execute the Contract in accordance with the provisions of Section 1770, et. seq. of the Labor Code; said prevailing rates are on file in the Office of the City Clerk and are incorporated herein by reference. Copies shall be made available to any interested party on request.

Attention is directed to the provisions of Public Contract Code Section 10164 concerning Contractor’s licensing laws. This Contract requires a Class A and/ or C32 Contractor License.

The successful bidder must obtain, and maintain current until completion of the Project, an Inglewood City Business License.

This notice is given by order of the City Manager of the City of Inglewood, California, and is dated this 23rd day of January, 2014.

Artie Fields, City Manager City of Inglewood, California

ORDINANCE NO. 13-05 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING NEGATIVE DECLARATION EA-ND-2013-16 AND APPROVING ZONING CODE AMENDMENT ZCA 2013-01 TO AMEND ARTICLES OF CHAPTER 12 OF THE INGLEWOOD MUNICIPAL CODE (IMC) TO MODIFY REGULATIONS FOR EMERGENCY SHELTERS FOR THE HOMELESS, TRANSITIONAL/SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS HOUSING RELATED AMENDMENTS. A FULL TEXT OF THIS ORDINANCE IS AVAILABLE IN THE INGLEWOOD CITY CLERK’S OFFICE LOCATED IN CITY HALL ON THE FIRST FLOOR AS WELL AS ON THE CITY’S WEBSITE (WWW.CITYOFINGLEWOOD.ORG) LISTED UNDER THE CITY CLERK’S DEPARTMENT.

NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State or common law (See Section 14411 et.seq., Business and Professions Code.)

Original January 9, 16, 23, 30, 2014 ITO0422301016 Inglewood Today Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2013 262609 The following Person is doing business as: NUMBER 9 GROUP 110 Pine Avenue, Suite 218 Long Beach, CA 90802

Community ESL Center 6709 La Tijera Blvd., # 920, Los Angeles, CA 90045 Registered owner: Hildreth Walker, Jr., 101 S. La Brea Avenue, Inglewood, CA 90301 This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on December 17, 2013.

I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.

(A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.)

Hildreth Walker, Jr., Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk on December 17, 2013 NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State or common law (See Section 14411 et.seq., Business and Professions Code.)

Original Jan 16, 23, 30, 2014; Feb 6, 2014 ITO0422301018 Inglewood Today

This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on December 16, 2013.

I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.

(A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.)

Jacquelyn Glover, Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk on December 16, 2013 NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State or common law (See Section 14411 et.seq., Business and Professions Code.)

Original Jan 16, 23, 30, 2014; Feb 6, 2014 ITO0422301017 Inglewood Today

NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE A NEGATIVE DECLARATION Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, a Negative Declaration has been prepared on the below-referenced program, on the basis that said program will not have a significant effect on the environment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT:

Registered owner: Geoffrey Thompson 110 Pine Avenue, Suite 218, Long Beach, CA 90802

This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business listed above on December 24, 2013.

I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.

(A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime.)

Geoffrey Thompson, Owner This statement was filed with the County Clerk on December 24, 2013

NOTICE-In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the County Clerk, except as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A New Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration.

Registered owner: Jacquelyn Glover, 734 Venice Way, #1, Inglewood, CA 90302

STANDBY CHARGE PROGRAM RENEWAL

APPLICANT: West Basin Municipal Water District

LOCATION:

West Basin Municipal Water District ****************

Copies of the Negative Declaration for this program are available for review at the West Basin Municipal Water District offices located at 17140 South Avalon Blvd., Suite 210 in the City of Carson (310)217-2411. Anyone wishing to comment on this program may do so prior to February 24, 2014. All comments should be directed to the District Secretary, at West Basin Municipal Water District’s office.

Richard Nagel General Manager West Basin Municipal Water District Date Published: January 2014 The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State or common law (See Section

14411 et.seq., Business and Professions Code.)

Original Jan 23, 30, 2014; Feb 6, 13, 2014 ITO0422301019 Inglewood Today

Inglewood Today

January 23, 2014

Page 11

Dates in January Through January 26, 2014

BlackNLA’s Neo Soul Sundays Enjoy live music every Sunday with no cover. What can be better?

You never know who will show up: Frenchie, B.Slade, Tanisha Arnold, Keith Washington, Steve Wonder or Shanice Wilson. Enjoy a day of relaxation and social conversation with others who share the same objective—rejuvenation on a Sunday afternoon. Subtle vibes, live music, light cocktails, and tasty appetizers all in enough time to get home and recharge for the week ahead.

Held from 3:30pm to 9pm.

Doors open at 3:30pm; show starts at 5:00 pm. Live music, special appetizer menu, street parking and connected parking structure, and Sunday afternoon casual dress code. Location: H.O.M.E. (House of Music and Entertainment), 430 North Camden Drive, Beverly Hills, CA. For more information, call 323-954-8988 or visit http:// www.blacknla.com/Ads/HOME. asp.

Through June 19, 2014

Making Parenting a Pleasure Attention all parents, caregivers, grandparents, and teachers! The Enrichment Counseling Center is offering a series of 13 free parenting workshops. Resolve to have a better relationship with the children in your life. Workshops are court certified, open to everyone, and will focus on all age groups from infants to teens. Each participant who completes the course will receive a certificate of completion.

Workshops will be held from 7:30pm to 9:30pm at the Kingdom Community Center, 319 East Kelso Street, Inglewood, CA 90301. To register, contact Chandra Hudson, 310330-8300, chudson @bamcm.org.

January 23, 2014

Metro to Vote on Supervisors’ Motion for a Transit Line Study On January 23, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board Metro Board will vote on Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and Don Knabe’s motion to require Metro to study building a station for the future Crenshaw/LAX transit line locat-

ed directly in the airport terminal area. The current Metro proposals would have the line stop some distance from the terminals to be connected by a shuttle. The meeting will take place at the Metro Board Conference Room, One Gateway Plaza, 3rd Floor, in Los Angeles.

The Vision Theatre is located at 3341 W. 43rd St., Los Angeles CA 90008. The show begins at 7:00pm. (Doors open at 6:30pm).

Tickets are $25 and available online at www.robeytheatrecompany. org or call 213-489-7402.

January 25, 2014

First District Document Shredding First District Inglewood Councilman George Dotson invites residents to safely discard old documents at his Shredding Day event.

Bring your documents to the ICOP Center, 2901 W. Manchester Blvd., from 9am to 1pm. For more information, call (310) 412-8602.

An Intimate Evening with Street Corner Renaissance Celebrating its 20th year of presenting excellent theatre, the Robey Theatre Company will kick off the Leimert Park cultural community’s theatrical series, “Weekends in Leimert.” The show features the Acapella sensation, Street Corner Renaissance. The group is fresh off a stunning stretch on NBC’s hit mid-season musical show, “The Sing-off,” where they wowed millions during their soulful four night appearance. “Leimert Park is where it all started for the group,” says Maurice Kitchen, SCR’s founder.

“We shot segments for the show at The Vision Theatre and thought it’s only fair that we return here before we take to the road.”

Financing Your Business in 2014 (Continued from page 9) way of knowing if you will actually qualify or not. If you get declined, try to figure out why and fix those issues. If you do get approved, then forget the past and move forward as fast as you possibly can.

In 2014, the economic conditions of the past year will spill over. But, if you approach both your business and its capital raising efforts differently, then maybe you and your business can manufacture a differ-

ent result. You can actually get the money you need to succeed and turn your business into the dream you always knew it could be. It is really up to you in 2014.

Business Money Today is your place to find the capital your business needs whether it is a start up business or growing company. It is our mission in life to get you the business loan you need regardless of who else has turned you down.

Visit http://www.businessmoney today.com/.

Health Alert: Beware of Bad Food from China (Continued from page 6) favor... fast! The downside? Some Canadian and American businesses will feel a temporary pinch from having foreign stockpiles of inventory.

We deserve better, America! Just one month of trading losses will hit the Chinese for 8% of their North American exports. Then they will at least have to ask themselves if their disregard for consumer health and safety is worth the cheap labor.

Win by Losing in 2014 (Continued from page 3) “Problems in the Now category require an immediate, solutionbased conversation,” explains Tumlin. “Don’t automatically assign too many issues to this category—this is the fundamental miscalculation your triage system is trying to correct. Delay is your default category. Many issues may disappear completely or resolve themselves without your intervention. Finally, avoid issues that reflect highly emotional, incredibly complicated, and other volatile feelings that reside deep inside another person unless they are impairing the accomplishment of critical work.

“A New Year’s resolution well worth keeping is to have fewer conversations, but to try to make each one count,” he adds. “Most of us are guilty of inserting ourselves into far too many unnecessary conversations.”

Bad Habit #6: Fighting with difficult people. Jane talks too much. Jim is incredibly stubborn.

Uncle Billy loves to argue. Your client is moody. Whether they’re controlling, critical, or cranky, the behaviors that make someone a difficult person tend to spark frequent confrontations—even though we’re unlikely to influence these people.

For example, we wrestle with Jane to get a word in edgewise. We struggle to change Jim’s mind. We fire a barrage of points and counterpoints into Uncle Billy’s arguments. We try to offset our client’s mood swings. It’s time to quit trying, insists Tumlin.

“At the end of a conversation, the difficult person remains the same, but often you are in a weaker position,” Tumlin points out. “But giving up your desire to ‘win’ by imposing your will on the other person can realistically and consistently improve your communication with difficult people. When you find

yourself with no choice but to interact with a difficult person, have modest expectations, avoid tangents, and stay focused on your end goal. It’s really all you can do.”

Bad Habit #7: Overreacting.

In 2013, we often used more force than needed to accomplish our objectives. We yelled when a measured response would have worked better, sent a blistering e-mail when a more restrained reply would have sufficed, and issued an ultimatum when a firm but gentle statement of convictions would have done the trick. But excessive force frequently causes a destructive cycle—attack, retaliation, escalated attack, and escalated retaliation, etc. No matter how justified you may feel, the bottom line is that using excessive force isn’t usually a winning strategy.

“Exercising restraint during a contentious interaction is challenging, but try to apply the least amount of interpersonal force and

February 22, 2014

Ongoing

Counseling for Anxiety, Depression Get free help for anxiety, depression, stress and anger. Recovery International helps individuals gain personal control over distressing emotions and improve life-coping skills.

This worldwide non-profit organization, founded in 1937, holds weekly meetings every Monday at 6pm at SHARE! 6666 Green Valley Circle, north of Centinela Ave., (2nd building on the right). Call 310-322-6411 or visit www.lowselfhelpsystems.org.

Bingo Games Operation 3801 hosts Bingo every Sunday afternoon from 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. We are a drug and alcohol free environment. We are a non-profit looking for your support. Cost is $1 per game. Anyone mentioning BlackNLA will get 5 free games. Located at the Bingo Hall, 3801 S. Western Ave., Los Angeles, CA. For more information, contact Jimmy Jam, 323-777-2422, jimmyjam@vel.net. intensity necessary to accomplish your objective,” asserts Tumlin. “In other words, bring a stick to a knife fight in order to prevent a conversation from escalating dangerously.

Try to stay serious and focused, don’t add any new emotional material, and keep the conversation as brief as possible. Be the calm, controlled, and stabilizing influence on a conversation that’s become heated so you can minimize the chance of permanent relational damage.”

“In 2014, let’s focus on shedding the bad communication habits that are coming between us and the most important people in our lives, because those bad habits prevent us from having the kinds of productive and meaningful interactions we desire,” concludes Tumlin. “Eliminating just one or two bad communication habits will dramatically improve your communication and strengthen your relationships in the new year.”

Dr. King Honored with Music, Speeches and Community Gathering (Continued from page 1) Inglewood was one of the first U.S. cities to make the birthday of Dr. King a holiday. It became an official national holiday, signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983.

Pictured above: Mayor James Butts with members of the ROTC and IUSD State Trustee, Dr. Donald Brann (far right).

Pictured left: Mayor Butts and IUSD Advisory Board Member Carol Raines-Brown with little Zharia, winner of the MLK Essay Contest.

I

District 4 Town Hall

nglewood Councilman Ralph L. Franklin is inviting all District 4 residents and friends to the first town hall meeting of the new year.

The meeting will be held this Saturday, January 25, 2014, from 10:00am to 12:00pm at the Hollywood Park Casino,3883 West Century Blvd.

Themed, “Moving Our Economy Forward,” the agenda will cover several topics vital to the interest of Inglewood.

Chief of Police Mark Fronterotta will discuss “Reflection on the 2013 Violent Crimes in District 4 and Public Safety Tips.” Louis Atwell, Public Works Director, City of Inglewood, will provide “Capital Improvement Project Updates;” Ronald C. Smith and Gloria Gray, Division Directors for the West Basin Municipal Water District will discuss “Future Water Opportunities and Local Impacts.”

Residents and business owners will also hear an important update on the Hollywood Park Tomorrow project by Gerard McCallum II, Hollywood Park Tomorrow; Mike Harriel, Public Affairs Manager of Southern

Dumping and Scavenging is

illegal!

Ralph Franklin California Gas Company will share “Southern California Gas Company Updates and Safety Tips.”

The Fabulous Forum in now open! Sid Greenfeig, SVP West Coast Business Operations and Nick Spampanato, Vice President & General Manager, will be on hand to talk about exciting plans for the newly renovated Forum and owner, The Madison Square Garden Company.

To RSVP or for more information, please contact Ms. Claudette Matthews at cmatthews@cityofinglewood.org or by phone at (310) 412-8605.

IF YOU SEE IT….REPORT IT! Call our HOTLINE at:

(310) 502-8971