Centennial High Alumni Network
COMPTON " THE HUB CITY'S FINEST " (Motto: Birthing A New Compton)!!
This Group is for "All" who once lived in Compton, or were educated in the Compton Schools, and for those who still live in the "Hub City. Feel free to display articles regarding "Events" taking place in the City of Compton!!"
Tamara Johnson
This reminds me when we were little and when we use to go to CAMP and Take SWIMMING LESSONS.
Great Job CITY OF COMPTON!!
Love, Tam
Jun 8, 2010
Tawnette Fulton- Gilbert
Thank You for Posting all of the fun things for the kids to do in The City Of Compton!!!
I hope they all have FUN!
Jun 9, 2010
Perdita (Dee Dee) Kennedy-Brown
I remember going swimming @ the pool located on El Segundo and Main, not in Compton but close. We all shopped in downtown Compton and Roscrans Plaza was our neighborhood hang out.
Oh, The memories!
Jun 16, 2010
Phoebe Macon
Thank You for Joining the Compton Group and the Entrepreneur's Group. I know what you mean about the "Memories". I too have many great memories of living in Compton, going to school in Compton; and so many memories of the wonderful Summers that we had. I still reside to this day in Compton (I just love the Hub City)!!
Love and Blessings,
Jun 16, 2010
Larry Williams
Jun 17, 2010
Phoebe Macon
I know what you mean Larry. It is nothing like the Good Ole' Days!! But the kids nowadays can not only take the MTA Bus, they can take the Greyhound Bus to places right from the Compton MLK Transit Center Station (where the Old Downtown Compton was) or they can take the Blue Line Train to their Jobs or to Shopping Places in Long Beach or Downtown L.A. The Blue-Line gets you there real fast. When my last Car was not working well; I took the Blue Line to work until I bought another car. It was very convenient for me. I was so glad to have it close by!! There's also a Compton Transit Bus that picks up the Senior Citizens (60 and over) and will take them Shopping at the Shopping Centers in Compton. It only costs them 5 cent to ride in Compton; now you can't beat that, and the MTA Bus & Train charges them only $5.00 a month to ride anywhere in L.A.!!
Here's a few photos that may take you down Memory Lane Larry:
GOD BLESS YOU LARRY!!
Love and Blessings,
Jun 18, 2010
Phoebe Macon
Jun 21, 2010
Phoebe Macon
(Compton , Ca.) Tennis Stars Ace Red Carpet Looks
2 Hot 2 Handle: Venus and Serena Williams Sport Hot & Sexy Ensembles.
Venus Williams, Hotties
Venus Williams has been quite fashionable on court as of late, but the tennis ace also manages to dress well when not crushing her opponents. At a Wimbledon party, hosted by Ralph Lauren, the elder Williams sister looked smashing in a simple yet stylish textured frock, metallic peep-toes, and gold accessories.
Serena Williams, Hotties
Following in Venus' footsteps was her younger sister Serena, who opted for an off-the-shoulder black mini, bedazzled, mirrored booties, and a wavy 'do.
Jun 23, 2010
Phoebe Macon
Jun 29, 2010
Phoebe Macon
Performers included Jeffrey Osborne, Teena Marie, and Phil Perry!!
Jun 29, 2010
Tiffany Jackson
Luv,Tiffany J.
Jun 29, 2010
Phoebe Macon
Jul 14, 2010
Phoebe Macon
Jul 28, 2010
Phoebe Macon
Aug 15, 2010
Phoebe Macon
Aug 18, 2010
Phoebe Macon
Aug 30, 2010
Phoebe Macon
Aug 30, 2010
Phoebe Macon
Sep 1, 2010
Tiffany Jackson
Love Tiffany J.
Sep 1, 2010
Phoebe Macon
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search) This article lists famous and notable people who are natives of Compton, California or have been residents of the City.
Contents
1 Civic Leaders
2 Sports
3 Arts and Entertainment
4 References
CIVIC LEADERS
Omar Bradley - Compton Mayor
Lionel Cade - Compton Mayor
Del M. Clawson - US Congressman & Mayor of Compton
Doris A. Davis - The first African-American female Mayor of a Metropolitan City, Compton
Douglas Dollarhide - California's first African-American Mayor of a Metropolitan city, Compton
Kelvin Filer - Los Angeles County Municipal Court Judge & Commissioner
Dr. Willie O. Jones - Educator & elected official
Xenophon F. Lang, Sr. - Los Angeles Municipal Court Judge
Eric J. Perrodin - Mayor of Compton
Paul H. Richards II - Compton City Manager & Lynwood Mayor
Walter R. Tucker, Jr. - Compton Mayor
Walter R. Tucker III - US Congressman & Compton Mayor, son of Walter R. Tucker Jr.
SPORTS
Lonnie Smith - Former Major League Baseball Player
Floyd Hodge - Former NFL Football Player
Don Wilson - Former Major League Baseball Player
Roy White - Former Major League Baseball Player
Arron Afflalo - former UCLA basketball player, current Denver Nuggets player
Bob Beamon - Olympic gold medalist
Jeanette Bolden - UCLA track coach
Earlene Brown - Olympic medalist
Kenny Brunner, a streetball player for the AND1 Mixtape Tour
Cedric Ceballos - NBA player
Tyson Chandler - NBA player
Robin Cole - National Football League (NFL) player
Mickey Cureton - UCLA football star
Baron Davis - NBA current Los Angeles Clippers player
Richard Davis - Major League Baseball (MLB) player
Demar DeRozan - NBAcurrent Toronto Raptors player
Charles Dumas - Olympic gold medalist
Henry Ellard - former NFL player
Michael Fletcher - CFL football player
Mike Garrett - former NFL player and Heisman Trophy winner
Nesby Glasgow - NFL player
Danny Harris - Olympic medalist
Floyd Heard - NFL player
Larry Holifield - UCLA basketball star
Brandon Jennings - NBAcurrent Milwaukee Bucks player
Dennis Johnson - NBA player and coach (deceased)
Marques Johnson - former NBA player
Stafon Johnson - NFL player
Don Klosterman - Los Angeles Rams general manager
Kenny Landreaux - MLB player
Tiny Lister - actor, professional wrestler
James Lofton - NFL Hall of Fame player
Mike McKenzie - NFL player
Anthony Munoz - NFL player
Eddie Murray - MLB Hall of Fame player
Syd O'Brien - MLB player for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, California Angels, and the Milwaukee Brewers
Troy O'Leary - MLB player for the Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, Montreal Expos, and the Chicago Cubs
Violet Palmer - first female professional sports official in the United States, NBA, and WNBA
Tayshaun Prince - NBAcurrent Detroit Pistons player
Mike C. Richardson - NFL player, member of the 1985 Super Bowl Champion Chicago Bears
Jerry Robinson - NFL player
Pete Rozelle - NFL commissioner
Dennis Smith - NFL player
Reggie Smith - Major League Baseball player
Duke Snider - outfielder for the MLB Brooklyn Dodgers
Dennis Thurman - NFL player
Greg Townsend - NFL player
Clinton Washington - NFL player
Quincy Watts - Olympic gold medalist
Bryant Westbrook - NFL player
Frank K. Wheaton - sports agent, personal manager and former official spokesperson of Compton
Marcellus Wiley - NFL player, ESPN Football Analyst
Richard Williams - Tennis coach
Serena Williams - Former World No. 1 ranked female tennis player with nine Grand Slam singles titles and two Olympic golds
Venus Williams - Former World No. 1 American tennis player and the reigning Wimbledon champion
Tim Clark - Oregon State University football player
ARTS and ENTERTAINMENT
Neicy Nash- Actress, Comedienne, Dancer, Style Network Host of Clean House TV Show
Eric "Lonzo" Williams - Known across the world as Lonzo “The World Class Grand Master” Founder of the World Class Wreckin Cru
Louil Silas Jr. - Founder of Silas Records, Louil was the A & R Director at MCA Records & was very instrumental to the success of SOLAR (Sound Of Los Angeles Records) and their artists, including Babyface, The Whispers, Shalamar, Dynasty, etc.)
Kalaan Fitzhue- 3rd Bass foo
2nd II None - Rap Group
AMG - Rapper
Anthony Anderson - Actor & Comedian
B.G. Knocc Out - Rapper
James Coburn - Actor (Deceased)
Coolio - Rapper and Actor
DJ Quik - Rapper, Producer
DJ Yella - World Class Wreckin' Cru & N.W.A
Double K - Rapper & Member of People Under the Stairs
Dr. Dre - Rapper, Record Producer, founder and co-owner of Death Row Records (until 1996), founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment, founder and member of N.W.A. and highly influential launcher of the careers of such artists as Snoop Dogg, Tupac Shakur, Eminem and 50 Cent.
Dresta - Rapper
Eazy-E - Rapper, Record Producer, often called the "King Of Compton", founder and CEO of Ruthless Records, Founder and member of N.W.A and called the "Godfather of Gangsta Rap" (Deceased)
Game - Rapper, Actor
Nationwide Rip Ridaz - Rap group consisting of members G-Bone, Troll Loc, Sin Loc, Crip Inch, Big Bun, B.G. Scarface and AWOL
Guerilla Black - Rapper
William Hanna - Co-Founder of Hanna-Barbera Studios (Deceased)
Ice Cube - Rapper, Actor, Record producer, Director, Member of N.W.A.
King Tee - Rapper
Suge Knight - CEO of Death Row Records
Lil' Eazy-E - Rapper, Son of legendary rapper Eazy-E
Lynn Manning - Award-Winning Playwright & Co-Founder of Watts Village Theatre Company
MC Chill - Rapper, Member of Compton's Most Wanted
MC Eiht - Rapper, Member of Compton's Most Wanted
MC Ren - Rapper, Member of N.W.A
Krist Novoselic - Bassist of Nirvana
Mort Sahl - Satirist & Comedian
Greydon Square - Rapper
Leslie Sykes - Television News Anchor
TQ - Singer
Tweedy Bird Loc - Rapper
Tyga - Rapper, Signed with Young Money Entertainment
James Wheaton - Actor, Writer & Educator
Jeffery Griffin - Former NFL Player for the Arizona Cardinals
Problem-rapper, producer & writer
References
1.^ Gumbel, Andrew (2002-02-16). "Guns, death threats and fraud in the battle for Compton". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/guns-death-threats.... Retrieved April 25, 2009.
2.^ "This Week In Black History". Jet. 2001-06-11. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-10633946_ITM. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
3.^ Bermudez, Esmeralda (2008-07-09). "Douglas Dollarhide, 85; community leader was first black mayor of Compton". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jul/09/local/me-dollarhide9. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
4.^ McNulty, Jennifer (2005-07-11). "Compton judge dispenses justice with compassion". Currents Online (UC Santa Cruz Public Information Office). http://currents.ucsc.edu/printer_friendly.asp?url=/05-06/07-11/file.... Retrieved April 25, 2009.
5.^ Chiu, Tony (1991-10-24). "L.A. Law Gains a New Practitioner". People. http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20063452,00.html. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
6.^ De Gruy, Leiloni (2009-04-22). "Voters Return Perrodin to City Hall". Los Angeles Wave. http://www.wavenewspapers.com/news/local/43498982.html. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
7.^ "Ex-Rep. Tucker Draws Prison For Extortion". The New York Times: p. A18. 1996-04-19. http://www.nytimes.com/1996/04/19/us/ex-rep-tucker-draws-prison-for.... Retrieved April 25, 2009.
8.^ Barnes, Evan (2008-07-24). "For Bolden, success is more than a journey". Los Angeles Sentinel. http://www.lasentinel.net/For-Bolden-success-is-more-than-a-journey.... Retrieved April 26, 2009.
9.^ Hoffer, Richard (1995-01-23). "Lake Show". Sports Illustrated. http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG10.... Retrieved April 26, 2009.
10.^ Worth, Robert F. (2002-11-20). "James Coburn, 74, Is Dead; A Sly Presence in 80 Films". The New York Times: p. B8. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/20/arts/james-coburn-74-is-dead-a-sl.... Retrieved April 26, 2009.
11.^ Willman, Chris (1995-12-29). "1995: The Entertainers". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,300110,00.html. Retrieved April 26, 2009.
Problem-Rapper, producer, writer
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_from_Compton,_California"
Categories: People from Compton, California
Sep 8, 2010
Phoebe Macon
Compton City Manager Charles Evans Fired After City Council Meeting
When Compton City Council Members returned from closed session last night (Tuesday, September 7, 2010) at 1:38 am, they announced the decision to fire City Manager Charles Evans and replace him with City Controller Willie Norfleet.
Agenda items 15 and 16 were listed as the "discipline/dismissal/release" of a public employee and the appointment of a new city manager.
The sudden re-organization, however, is not unfamiliar territory for the Compton City Council. (In June 2007, Evans' predecessor former City Manager Barbara Kilroy was also unanimously voted out of a job).
(Evans — a Compton native —was officially appointed as City Manager in July 2008 after a year serving as Interim City Manager. His career at City Hall spanned 28 years, beginning in the Risk Management office until he was promoted to Assistant City Manager in September 2004).
(Compton residents attending Council Meetings have complained of Evans' lack of action with regard to tasks appointed by the Council or requests made by members of the public).
**Compton resident Robert Ray says the decision to fire Evans may have been due to a personal vendetta on Mayor Eric Perrodin's part.
"It is a habit with Perrodin that if he doesn't like the City Manager, [he will] fire him/her," wrote Ray on HubCityLivin,com.
"In this case, it is going to cost the City a ton of money as they have to buy out his contract and also give him his full retirement. If he gets fired he will probably get more money than he would have while employed. As to whether this move would help the City, I have my doubts."
More information on this story will be published here on The South Los Angeles Report as it becomes available.
Sep 8, 2010
Phoebe Macon
City of Compton: Youth Basketball (Registration Dec. 2010 thru Jan. 24, 2011)!!
Dec 11, 2010
Phoebe Macon
BURLINGTON COAT FACTORY OPENS UP IN COMPTON
(10-29-10)
Dec 15, 2010
Phoebe Macon
Posted by Phoebe Macon
on February 1, 2011, 3:16 am
The body of well-known former Compton City Councilman Maxcy Filer lies in state inside the City of Compton Council Chambers, as his wife Blondell Filer,left, and his daughter Tracy Filer,right, pay their respects Thursday January 13, 2011. (Stephen Carr / Press-Telegram)
Dressed in an impeccable black suit, with a Thurgood Marshall pin on his lapel and a tie displaying the scales of justice, the body of Maxcy Filer lay in regal stillness Thursday in the Compton City Council Chambers.
Filer, the popular former city councilman who died Monday, will lie in state today as well as before his funeral Saturday.
While Maxcy's wife, Blondell, 81, sat quietly in the back row of the room, well-wishers came to pay respects to the late lawyer nicknamed "Mr. Compton" for his unabashed support of all things Compton.
Filer, 80, died in his sleep Monday in his Compton, Ca. home, leaving a legacy of leadership in his city and taking with him a significant piece of the area's history.
Filer is the third person to lie in state at City.
Maxcy Filer, 65, a Compton attorney in his office in front of a painting of the most respected man in his life. (Matthew J. Lee)Hall, following former mayors Walter Tucker in 1990 and Douglas Dollarhide in 2008.
"He was a kingmaker," said Doris Davis, the former mayor of Compton who was among those who came Thursday to view her old friend. She will deliver the eulogy Saturday.
Davis said Filer not only helped her and Dollarhide become mayors, but he also was a central figure in her first foray into politics when she ran for city clerk.
Although Filer was undoubtedly a major player in Compton politics, Davis said his interests were in all people.
"As the president of the Compton NAACP, he made it his goal that we have fair, equitable representation of African-American citizens in this community," Davis said.
"He believed in the community of Compton and
in the people of Compton," said JoAnn Glasper, who first met Filer when he was a councilman between 1975 and 1990 and attended First United Methodist Church with the Filers. "He worked hard to improve Compton."
Soloman Martin, another church member, remembers Filer's inexhaustible energy.
"He was one of the nicest guys and one of the most active guys in the city," Martin said. "He was just involved in everything."
Snippets of that involvement could be seen arrayed around the anteroom.
Maxcy Filer ,center, as he protested outside a Woolworth's in the City of Compton in the early 1960's. the council chambers on six poster boards.
There were photographs of Filer through the years. There were newspaper articles, including several that detailed how he took the State Bar of California exam 48 times over 25 years to finally gain his license to practice law.
There were invitations to presidential inaugurations, including one from President Lyndon Johnson. There were photos of Filer picketing for civil rights in the 1960s.
Missing on Thursday, but expected to be at his funeral on Saturday, is the California state flag that Filer carried in 1963 during the march on Washington, D.C., when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his historic "I Have a Dream" speech.
Kelvin Filer, who shared his father's love of the law to become a lawyer himself and now a judge at Compton Superior Court, said his father was a source of inspiration to many and shared his visions with all who would listen.
"He believed if you have a dream, pursue it and don't let anything stop you," Kelvin Filer said.
Living most of his adult life in the old Henrietta Square neighborhood of Compton, Filer was a part of the fabric not only of Compton but of the national civil rights movement.
Those who came by Thursday agreed that it was only proper that he be honored by the city.
"It's a thrill to me to be able to come out and pay my respects," Martin said.
"I think he deserves every moment (of respect) that's given to him," Glasper said.
Kelvin Filer said his father "would be embarrassed and humbled" by the outpouring. But inwardly he probably would have smiled.
Besides his wife and son Kelvin, Filer is survived by sons Duane, Anthony and Dennis; daughters Maxine McFarland, Stephanie Hoxey and Tracy Filer; 14 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and three sisters.
A memorial service was held at 11 a.m. Saturday, January 17, 2011 at the Love and Unity Christian Fellowship, 1840 S. Wilmington Ave., Compton, Ca. Filer was buried in the City of Compton' Angeles Abbey Memorial Park.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Congresswoman Laura Richardson’s statement
on the death of civil rights champion Maxcy Filer
WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Laura Richardson (D-CA 37) issued the following statement on the death of Civil Rights Champion Maxcy Filer also recognized as ‘Mr. Compton’ who died in his sleep on Monday January 12, 2011. He was 80 years old.
“Today, the City of Compton, the Civil Rights community and the nation as a whole lost a friend, activist and a true champion for justice who fought with dignity to make the City of Compton a better place to live and work, but he also taught us the value of perseverance when he passed the California Bar exam on his 48th attempt at the age of 60.
His iconic legacy inspired a television sitcom “Sparks” that honored the passion that he had for the legal profession which ultimately became the career paths for both his sons Kelvin, who is a Compton Superior Court Judge, and Anthony, who is a supervising attorney for the Norwalk office of the Legal Aid Society.
I have had the privilege of knowing Kelvin for quite some time and my immediate thoughts and prayers are with him, his sibling and other family members. This is a tremendous loss for all of us, but Maxcy Filer left us with a vivid legacy to cherish and carry on.”
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
R.I.P. Maxcy Filer we love you and we will never forget all you have done for the City of Compton!
Feb 1, 2011
Tawnette Fulton- Gilbert
MAXCY FILER REST IN PEACE!!!
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID FOR THE CITY OF COMPTON. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED.
P.S. PHOEBE THANKS FOR THE POST AND FOR ALWAYS KEEPING US INFORMED!!!
Feb 1, 2011
Phoebe Macon
Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper Article: "STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON"!!
Mar 2, 2011
Phoebe Macon
CITY OF COMPTON: MARDI GRAS 2011 CARNIVAL (FRIDAY, 3-4-11 & SATURDAY, 3-5-11)!!
Mar 2, 2011
Phoebe Macon
Hours after she dazzled the red carpet at the Vanity Fair Oscars party, Serena Williams was in a Los Angeles hospital receiving emergency treatment for a blood clot in her lungs.
People magazine was the first to report that Serena suffered a pulmonary embolism last week and was seeing doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for the problem. It was discovered after she returned from New York for doctor's appointments relating to her foot issues.
"Monday Serena Williams underwent emergency treatment at Cedars [Medical Center] for a hematoma she suffered as a result of treatment for a more critical situation," a representative for Williams, Nicole Chabot, told the magazine.
Chabot said doctors are continuing to monitor the situation.
Earlier in the week, Serena said she had been targeting the French Open as her return to tennis. She hasn't played since last year's Wimbledon because of a foot injury suffered when she stepped on broken glass.
For now, Serena has more important issues to deal with than the timetable of her return to the court. Getting her health in order is priority one. Tennis can wait.
-------------------------------------------------
Update: Serena Williams released a statement about her condition later Wednesday:
"Thank you everyone for all of your prayers, concerns, and support. This has been extremely hard, scary, and disappointing. I am doing better, I'm at home now and working with my doctors to keep everything under control. I know I will be ok, but am praying and hoping this will all be behind me soon. While I can't make any promises now on my return, I hope to be back by early summer. That said, my main goal is to make sure I get there safely."
-------------------------------------------------
In another statement, her agents said the clot was caught in time and that Serena is resting at home under doctor's care.
There had been reports that the 13-time Grand Slam champion could miss up to a year. Her timetable seems more optimistic.
-------------------------------------------------
Serena,
We your City of Compton Family wish you well and wish you a speedy recovery. God bless!
Mar 2, 2011
Phoebe Macon
L.A. Sentinel LEGENDS: African American Mayors of Compton, Ca. (Thursday, March 10, 2011)
Mar 16, 2011
Phoebe Macon
by Krissy Clark- NPR Radio
Lawyers representing Latinos in Compton, Calif., head to court Tuesday to try to postpone upcoming City Council elections. They're suing the city over political representation. Latinos want the city to change the way it votes for City Council members — from at-large to district elections.
STEVE INSKEEP, host:
It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.
RENEE MONTAGNE, host:
And I'm Renee Montagne.
Let's go to Southern California now, to a city that has long indentified itself as African-American. In Compton, changing demographics have landed the city in court. Latinos have overtaken African-Americans there as the largest ethnic group, but blacks still dominate the city politically. Now, a group of Latinos is suing to change the way city council members are elected in Compton, to give Latino neighborhoods more power.
Krissy Clark of member station KQED has the story.
KRISSY CLARK: If you stand outside Compton's city council chambers, through the glass doors, you'll see a giant mural in the lobby.
Mr. JOAQUIN AVILA (Attorney): Portraits of African-American elected officials.
CLARK: Like the first black mayor, elected after years of segregation, in 1969. But Joaquin Avila sees what's not in the mural.
Mr. AVILA: I think it's a very incomplete picture. Basically, we're invisible.
CLARK: By we, Avila means Compton's Latinos, who made up just a small part of the city when he was growing up here in the 1960s. But in the last few decades, Latinos have grown to more than 60 percent of Compton's population, and 40 percent of eligible voters. At least eight have run for city office in that time. And yet, Avila says...
Mr. AVILA: There had never been a Latino on the city council. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that you have a problem.
CLARK: But it could take a voting rights lawyer like Avila to solve it. He's representing three Latinos suing Compton under the California Voting Rights Act. They want to restructure city council elections so they give more opportunity for Latino candidates. The goal is ambitious and technical. To understand it, consider the city council campaign of one former candidate.
Mr. PEDRO PALLAN (Bakery Owner): Pedro Pallan. I established a business here in Compton, the bakery.
CLARK: In the early 1990s, Pallan almost won a council seat. He said he had lots of open support in the Latino parts of town where he lived and worked. But in the African-American neighborhoods, those who backed him were discrete.
Mr. PALLAN: And they told me flatly, I cannot walk with you. My community would make me feel like a traitor for voting other than African-American.
CLARK: This is what political scientist Lisa Garcia Bedolla calls racially polarized voting. She teaches at the University of California, Berkeley.
Professor LISA GARCIA BEDOLLA (University of California, Berkeley): If you can show that along racial lines, people are voting in particular ways and that that's consistent, that's the place where you need some sort of remedy, so that the folks who are continually losing have some ability to be represented.
CLARK: In cities with racial polarization, where council members are chosen at large, it can be nearly impossible for minorities to win. Garcia Bedolla says in places from the Deep South to San Francisco, a move to district elections has opened the doors of city governments to minorities. And it could do the same in Compton.
Prof. BEDOLLA: The fundamental difficulty is how do you honor the history of the African-American community in that city, while at the same time understanding that the city demographics have changed?
Mr. BENJAMIN HOLIFIELD: Honorable mayor, city council staff, ladies and gentleman.
CLARK: At a recent Compton city council meeting, silver-haired Benjamin Holifield stands at the microphone to comment on police issues. Almost everyone in the room, including him, is black. The mayor, the entire city council and most of the audience. At a break, Holifield describes a time when these meetings looked very different.
Mr. HOLIFIELD: I used to go to the city council here when it was all white, and they'd run me out of there. They'd say we're going to go out to closed session, so I'd leave. Then when I leave, I'd find out later they came right back out and started the meeting over again. So really, they threw me out.
CLARK: He says years of political organizing and a severe bout of white flight slowly changed things. Craig Cornwell, Compton's city attorney, says the same thing will eventually happen for Latinos. He's defending the city in the lawsuit.
Mr. CRAIG CORNWELL (City Attorney, Compton): Having your vote count is a tenet of this country and what a lot of people of various ethnicities have fought for.
CLARK: Cornwell argues the problem's not the structure of elections, but that only 7 percent of Compton's eligible citizens bother to vote.
Mr. CORNWELL: I think what's really at issue here is increasing voter participation of all ethnicities for the city of Compton.
CLARK: But voter apathy is a vicious cycle. In court today, the Latino plaintiffs will argue that the current at large election system actually heightens disengagement. Since Latinos are in the minority, even if every one voted for the same candidate, it wouldn't be enough. If the judge agrees, he could freeze Compton's city council elections until the lawsuit's resolved.
For NPR news, I'm Krissy Clark.
Apr 17, 2011
Phoebe Macon
April 12, 2011
After floundering for several months, plans to create a new Compton Police Department officially died Tuesday night.
Faced with a massive budget deficit and the prospect of layoffs, the Compton City Council rescinded last June’s vote to end its contract with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and form a local police force again.
Councilwoman Barbara Calhoun, one of the three who voted in favor of bringing the city's police department back, switched her vote Tuesday night, rendering the venture officially dead for the time being. Calhoun also announced her intention to place a measure on the ballot that would allow voters to mandate that the city keep the sheriff's contract.
Former City Clerk Charles Davis, with backing from the sheriff's deputies' union, has been circulating a petition that would place an initiative posing that question on the ballot. Calhoun is up for reelection April 19 and faces a field of six challengers. She said the revelation of "cash-flow problems,” not the impending election, led her to change her mind.
“In 2009, there was money. In 2011, there's no money. We're talking about layoffs," she said after the meeting.
The plans had been on shaky ground for several months, despite the $1.7 million the city has spent on preparations to set up the new department. The hiring of staff, including a police chief, was stymied in December, when a budget amendment failed to get the four votes necessary to go forward.
The council had reallocated $19.5 million in lease revenue bonds originally slated to build a senior center and transit center parking structure to the project. Because the bonds were tax-exempt, the funds could be used only for capital costs and not for staffing. As of January, Compton was facing a $33-million budget shortfall for the fiscal year, having already begun the year with a $20-million general fund deficit.
Mayor Eric Perrodin, a former Compton police officer and leading proponent of reviving the municipal department, said he believes the city would be better able to control costs if it had its own police department. But he said he will not continue to press the issue.
"I'm a realist, and I can see right now, the majority of the council doesn't believe that's the case, so I'm not going to expend any more energy on that," he said.
Apr 17, 2011
Phoebe Macon
City of Compton:
April 19, 2011
(Primary Nominating Election)
Tuesday, April 19, 2011 is Voting Day!!
The Following Candidates Are Running For Office This Year:
-------------------------------------------
Candidate(s) District 1:
1- Barbara Calhoun (Incumbent)
2- Demetreal Lynn Boone
3- Robin Bradley
4- Jasper B. Jackson
5- Francisco J. Rodriguez
6- Janna Zurita
7- Otha Ray Scott
-------------------------------------------
Candidate(s) District 4:
1- Lillie Darden
2- Willie O. Jones (Incumbent)
-------------------------------------------
(Lillie Darden)
(Barbara Calhoun)
(Willie O. Jones)
(Jasper B. Jackson)
Greetings,
Thank you, I look forward to hearing from you during my campaign for city council. With my past experience as a business professional and as an active community member, I feel that I have some unique qualifications for city council. I know how to make tough decisions and get things done. I am driven by setting and achieving goals and would work hard as your next city councilman to move the city forward. I am dedicated to efficient and effective government that creates opportunities for new business and job creation as well as providing essential service to our citizens. I also know that one person cannot accomplish anything that it takes cooperation and everybody working together and I will work hard to foster a good working relationship with other council members to make sure that you get the professional government that you deserve. Let's work together to make Compton the best hometown in the country. Feel free to call me at 310-497-6426 or email me at JasperBJackson@gmail.com with any questions or suggestions.
Best regards,
JASPER B. JACKSON
Apr 17, 2011
Phoebe Macon
Jacob Lusk (born June 23, 1987) is an American singer from Compton, California. Lusk is currently a Top 7 finalist on the tenth season of American Idol.
Lusk was born in 1987 and is from Compton, California. He began singing when he was four years old. He is a minister of music at his church. Prior to American Idol, he worked as a spa concierge.[1] In 2007, he joined a gospel group called InNate Praise formed by the late hip-hop singer Nate Dogg, and he performed with the group at churches around Los Angeles County.
Lusk auditioned for the tenth season of American Idol in Los Angeles, California. He received high praise from Randy Jackson for his performance of "God Bless the Child" during the Hollywood rounds as the best ever seen on Idol. He was one of the top five males in the semi-final round, and therefore advanced to the Top 13.
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I was told that Jacob is kin to and in the family of our fellow Classmate William Lusk'.
Apaches please show your support for Jacob and remember to cast your votes so that Jacob will continue to stay the whole way until the end; and win the American Idol competition. Apaches: Please keep this young man in your prayers as well. Thanks!!
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GOOD LUCK JACOB & GOD BLESS YOU!!
Love and Blessings, Phoebe
Apr 17, 2011
Phoebe Macon
SUNDAY, April 17, 2011 L.A. TIMES ARTICLE
Apr 18, 2011
Phoebe Macon
SUNDAY, April 17, 2011 L.A. TIMES ARTICLE
Apr 18, 2011
Phoebe Macon
SUNDAY, April 17, 2011 L.A. TIMES ARTICLE (COMPTON CITY COUNCILWOMAN BERNICE WOODS "LAST RESPECTS")
Apr 18, 2011
Phoebe Macon
Apr 22, 2011
Phoebe Macon
Compton Elections
Compton City Council
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- Dist. 1 – No Consensus – Runoff (June 7, 2011)
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- Dist. 4 – Willie Jones* – Won for Dist. 4
(Councilman Willie Jones)
Apr 22, 2011
Phoebe Macon
Apr 25, 2011
Phoebe Macon
Apr 25, 2011
Phoebe Macon
Apr 25, 2011
Edmund Stevens
THANKS PHOEBE FOR ALL OF THE POSTS!
Love Ed
Apr 25, 2011
Tawnette Fulton- Gilbert
COMPTON KEEP ON KEEPING ON!!!!!!!!!!
THANKS PHOEBE
Apr 27, 2011
Wayne Ware c/o '75 (WebMaster)
The Compton Friendship Society Picnic!!!
May 2, 2011
Tawnette Fulton- Gilbert
May 4, 2011
Phoebe Macon
Posted Thu May 5, 2011 6:49pm PDT by Lyndsey Parker
On Thursday's "American Idol" top five results show, Jacob Lusk went home, and given how things had panned out for him in recent weeks, this elimination was no huge shocker. However, if you were to rewind your DVR to about two months ago, you would've never expected this guy to only make it to fifth place. In February, Randy Jackson actually told Jacob that his "God Bless The Child" performance was the best in "Idol" history. Ever. Back then, it seemed Jacob had the potential to become the first R&B singer to win "Idol" in seven years.
So what went wrong? Well, I have a couple theories. While there was little doubt that Jacob had the pipes, some of the strongest pipes of the top 13, he never came across as current. Or cool. Just look at the swag-laden R&B charts these days. It's all about pop/hip-hop crossover acts like Drake, B.o.B., Jason Derulo, Chris Brown, Usher, et al; there's nothing in the old-school vein a la Luther Vandross, the singer to whom Jacob was constantly and perhaps excessively compared, and if Season 2 winner Ruben Studdard wasn't able to bring that style back, then Jacob certainly was doomed. But of course, when Jacob did try to modernize things and cover the Jordin Sparks/Chris Brown pop hit "No Air" this week, it was far and away his worst performance of the season, and it did him in. So I guess he was doomed either way.
Still, doing one treacly, over-emotive, chest-beating power ballad after another, week after week, did Jacob no favors. Maybe he should have realized that being called a "diva" is not a good thing if you're a man. And maybe he shouldn't have worn weirdly patterned/colored suits so much, either. This is "American Idol," after all, not a job interview at Century 21.
Additionally, while Jacob usually came across as a jolly, effusive, all-around pleasant fellow (something we were reminded of during his exit video, a montage of him goofing off in a series of brightly colored anchorman blazers), occasionally he had "diva moments" that might have alienated viewers, who historically vote against anyone who comes across as cocky. Jacob's comment from a few weeks ago--"If I'm in the bottom three, it's not because I'm a bad singer, it's because America is afraid to look at themselves in the mirror"--however he intended it, was offputting, and I actually believe his decline in popularity began that night. Hopefully his fun and over-the-top exit-song performance this Thursday further reminded everyone of his more likable side.
As for the other contestant in the bottom two, it was the barely-16-year-old Lauren Alaina, and there was actually a part of me who wanted her to go, just to put her out of her misery. Her reaction to finding out she was in the bottom--her first time EVER on the chopping block--really showed her age. While Jacob, who'd obviously gotten used to the old elimination drill by now, was pretty stoic, Lauren was a tearful mess the moment her name was called.
Lauren's thin-skinned behavior on the show, whether it was her clearly hurt reaction to Jimmy Iovine's critique of her "Unchained Melody" performance this week, or the way she bristled when anyone dared to call her anything less than perfect several times this season, made a good case for why lowering the "Idol" age limit this year was a bad idea. Let's face it, most 15- or 16-year-olds, especially ones from small towns who've been told all their lives that they're amazing and "The One," simply cannot handle the pressure of a competition like this. Lauren would have been wise to wait until she was 18 to audition, when her emotional maturity finally caught up with her voice.
As for the other 57 minutes of Thursday's elimination episode, there was plenty of the usual filler, like an extended skit in which "Hell's Kitchen" tyrant Gordon Ramsay had the kids compete to make the best omelet (yeah, because what I look for most in my future American Idol is the ability to fry eggs properly); an ickier Gordon skit in which the contestants were force-fed tofu while blindfolded (wait, I thought I was watching "Idol," not 9 1/2 Weeks); and a whole bunch of on-point commentary from Jimmy Iovine in which he said ev-er-y-thing the judges were either too clueless or too afraid to say the night before. (How come Jimmy isn't allowed to give his two cents on Wednesday nights, when it counts?) There was also a surprisingly decent "On The Floor" performance from judge J.Lo...and while it was hard to tell if Jennifer was singing live or lip-synching, either way she fared better than the five live-singing Idols who attempted to harmonize on a group performance of "Happy Together" and didn't sound remotely together at all.
So there you have it. The final four on the floor are Scotty McCreery, James Durbin, Haley Reinhart, and Lauren Alaina, the latter of whom will hopefully be able to hold it together next week. It's really anybody's game--Scotty's the closest we have to a frontrunner this year, but in a season when someone as hyped as Jacob Lusk can suffer such a mighty fall, and someone like Pia Toscano can go home in ninth place, obviously nothing is guaranteed.
Parker out.
May 5, 2011
Phoebe Macon
May 10, 2011
Phoebe Macon
May 10, 2011
Phoebe Macon
The City Of Compton: Alondra Park Master Plan Community Meeting (June 1, 2011 & June 11, 2011)
Jun 1, 2011
Phoebe Macon
Jun 3, 2011