Sorted by date Results 76 - 100 of 184
By Lynne Bronstein Observer Reporter Every April, Culver City's city council performs the spring rite of choosing a new Mayor and Vice Mayor. Since there are only five members of the City Council the ritual isn't filled with suspense. The members merely rotate the positions, with the previous year's Vice Mayor usually ascending to the position of Mayor. This year, there was probably even less suspense than usual because the terming out of two council members next year meant that these two...
Thank you so much John, Keith, Chris... AVPA Jazz Combo - Dr. Tony Spano! It's been an incredible honor and an absolute pleasure to serve as Mayor of Culver City. Being the Mayor of the town I love so much has been one of the most fulfilling experiences in my life. ... It's also been incredibly busy. For the past year, I've been to more meetings than there were days in the year: - 374 meetings - 93 community events - 64 speaking engagements I've met with residents, congress members,...
By Lynne Bronstein Observer Reporter Last September, the City Council discussed a projected funding shortfall for the housing programs provided by the City and Housing Authority. At the Council's March 23 meeting, the Council reexamined current housing programs and the problems of funding. Culver City Community Development Director Sol Blumenfeld and Housing Director Tevis Barnes gave the Council a detailed staff report on the options available. Formerly, Culver City's housing programs had been...
By Lynne Bronstein Observer Reporter January The Culver City Expo Line station was closed for almost two hours on January 7 due to a security threat involving what police called "a suspicious package" on the station platform. The Culver City Police were alerted and dogs from the County's K-9 division sniffed out the package, which was wrapped in duct tape and appeared to be merely a cushion. On January 17 Culver City police shot and wounded a man outside a 7-11 store at Washington Boulevard and...
By Lynne Bronstein Observer Reporter The issues of rent control and affordable housing might be seen as six of one and half a dozen of the other. Affordable housing was, however, the preferred issue for the Culver City Council, who on Monday night agreed to agendize a discussion of that topic while dismissing rent control as a topic. The Council came to this conclusion after hearing from more than 50 public speakers, plus written comments. Four council members weighed in, as Mehaul O' Leary...
By Lynne Bronstein Observer Reporter June Lehrman and Stephen Murray brought up a new concern at the City Council meeting Monday night that of airport noise affecting Culver City. Airport-related problems are nothing new in urban affairs but as far as Culver City goes, the problem of overflight noise is on the increase, according to the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Community Noise Roundtable, on which Lehrman and Murray are representative and co-representative, respectively. As...
By Lynne Bronstein Observer Reporter Smoking-of any substance that creates smoke-is no longer legal within the walls of multiple unit residences (condos and apartments) in Culver City. The Council on October 13 acted as anticipated and passed an ordinance that, by forbidding smoking in shared residences, would help to dissipate the threat of health hazards from second hand smoke. The Council’s vote was 4-1 in favor of the smoking ban. The sole dissent came from Jeff Cooper who thought the o...
By Lynne Bronstein Observer Reporter If you’re old enough you may remember the commercial from the days when cigarette ads were allowed on TV—“just a silly millimeter longer.” On August 11, the City Council moved a not-at-all-silly millimeter closer to a ban on smoking in apartment complexes and condos, giving direction to the City for drafting an ordinance that would ban smoking in any complex of two or more units. The issue might seem to be a no-brainer but the Council has moved cautiously due...
By Shane Bruce Special to the Observer While most teens are updating their Facebook status, preparing for exams, and concerned about dating, brother/sister team, Rachel and Robert Greenberg are concerned with making Culver City a better place to live. During a Sunday brunch in June 2013 at Dinah's Family Restaurant, 19 year old Robert Greenberg cast a gaze across the street to the then dilapidated Culver City sign that sits nestled between Sepulveda Blvd. and the 405 Freeway. Robert turned to...
By Lynne Bronstein Observer Reporter Is an invocation by any other name a prayer? Because some people regard an invocation as having a religious connotation, the City Council voted 3-2 on June 9 to allow the mayor to call the traditional City Manager’s opening address at meetings by whatever name suits her or him—“thought for the day,” “reflection,” et cetera. The question on the meaning of “invocation” in the Council’s agenda was called by Mayor Meghan Sahli-Wells, who voted, along with counci...
By Lynne Bronstein Observer Reporter The City Council bade farewell again on May 27 to a city servant who had given his best to Culver City-Fire Chief Chris Sellers, who is retiring after four years of service. Chief Sellers filled the position vacated by Jeffrey Eastman who retired in December 2009 after 32 years of service. "It gives me the greatest of pride to present this commendation to you," said council member Mehaul O' Leary, as the council gathered in the well below the dais, "because...
By Sandra Coopersmith Features Writer Every pet should have its day. In Culver City the likelihood that day will happen was substantially increased on May 13 when Adopt & Shop, a one-stop adoption and shopping experience at 4235 Sepulveda Blvd., had its grand opening. This flagship store at the corner of Sepulveda and Culver is the second Adopt & Shop, the first having opened in Lakewood in 2011. "A dog's life" generally refers to a fairly dismal existence. Sadly, it's one that's faced by many...
By Lynne Bronstein Observer Reporter "Our new mayor is incoming, "But wait, she is outgoing. "Her personality clearly shines through." --Dr. Janet Hoult, from "Outgoing/Incoming" a poem she read to the City Council on April 21. Residents of Culver City packed City Hall on April 28 to welcome the first female mayor the city has had in a decade-Meghan Sahli-Wells. Sahli-Wells was elected by the Council, along with Micheal Mehaul O' Leary as Vice Mayor, following the oath of office being taken by...
By Lynne Bronstein Observer Reporter A line of uniformed Culver City police officers stood at the left side of the Mike Balkman Council Chambers; another line filled the back of the auditorium. The chamber was also packed with community residents who had come to salute Police Chief Don Pedersen. At its April 21 meeting, the City Council gave a commendation to Pedersen, who is retiring after serving for eight years. Pedersen has accepted a newly created position as Inspector General with the...
City Manager’s Office • City Council Announces the Appointment of Assistant Chief Scott Bixby - as Interim Police Chief - At a Special City Council meeting on April 9 Mayor Jeff Cooper, speaking on behalf of the City Council, announced the City Council’s appointment of Assistant Police Chief Scott Bixby as Interim Chief of Police. “The City Council unanimously supported Assistant Chief Bixby’s appointment as Interim Chief”, said Mayor Cooper. “After growing up here in Culver City and decades o...
Culver City Walk With A Doc began when Mayor Jeff Cooper asked Pediatrician Jeffrey Penso to start a walk in Culver City. Penso had recently heard of the Walk With A Doc program being sponsored by Los Angeles County Medical Association and he was inspired to bring this program to Culver City. Ours begins with warm-up and stretching preceding a brief health talk and subsequent walk through the nearby neighborhood. January 2014 was the first in the monthly series. Walk With A Doc was created by an...
By Neil Rubenstein Observer Columnist For those who are familiar with the terms par, eagle, birdie and tee, you just know the lead paragraph is something about golf. And you would be right. Golf began over 200 years ago in Scotland at Saint Andrews. Now here is the big question: What is the only thing that hasn’t changed in two centuries? If you said, “Women cannot play at Saint Andrews,” you win!!! Later this year members will vote whether ladies can tee off. I just dusted my old bugle and soon...
City Council Announces the Appointment of Assistant Chief Scott Bixby as Interim Police Chief At a Special City Council meeting of April 9, 2014, Culver City Mayor Jeff Cooper, speaking on behalf of the City Council, announced the City Council’s appointment of “The City Council unanimously supported Assistant Chief Bixby’s appointment as Interim Chief” said Mayor Cooper. “After growing up here in Culver City and decades of proud and distinguished service in the Police Department, the City Coun...
By Stephen Hadland Observer Publisher Throughout the evening the election was never in doubt. From the absentee ballots which were counted first to the last precinct councilmembers Jeff Cooper and Jim Clark maintained a strong lead over challengers Christopher Patrick King and Gary Abrams. Cooper, currently serving a one year term as Mayor, was seeking a second full term while Clarke had just completed a two year stint on the council finishing out Scott Maslin's term after Malsin resigned two...
Semi Official Returns Jeff Cooper 2167 Votes Jim Clarke 2072 Votes Christopher King 1181 Votes Gary Abrams 288 Votes Full Story posted online Wednesday and in this week's Culver City Observer...
By Lynne Bronstein Observer Reporter Jeff Cooper After spending the most recent year of his council membership as Mayor, Jeff Cooper considers his first term in office as one of many accomplishments. In his recent address at the Mayor's luncheon, Cooper noted: "Just a short time ago, we were on pace to out-spend our reserves in just three years....our city is socking away more reserves and pre-funding our pension liabilities, something we have never done before." He lists among some of his...
Dear Editor, A common refrain anyone will hear coming from me is that I love living in Culver City because of the ability we have to actually speak with our community’s leaders. Over the 14 years I have lived here, there have been many occasions where I’ve felt the need to personally contact one or more of our city council members about an issue or an idea. Jeff Cooper & Jim Clarke are two council members who take the time to listen. I know that they listen, because they respond not with a rot...
Dear Editor, Why We Support Jeff Cooper and Jim Clarke. They’re proven leaders. They’ve demonstrated their ability to collaborate with council colleagues, guiding the city through some very difficult times and toward a promising future. They’re thoughtful, and responsive to constituents while sticking to their principles. In short, they’re what we elect our council members to be. That’s why. Molly Wyant Leslie Spanier-Wyant Scott Wyant Culver City...
Dear Editor, We are supporting Jeff Cooper for City Council for many reasons. Over the many years that we have known him, he has demonstrated strong leadership skills, a willingness to go the extra mile, a great sense of caring, a good ear for listening and forward thinking. We have watched Jeff as he has honed his skills in each of the above areas. As Mayor of Culver City in the past year he has taken his responsibilities seriously, and has always been respectful to those who have come before...
Dear Editor, This past year as mayor, Jeff Cooper led us through tough economic times and recently outlined plans to increase city revenues. He works with his colleagues in seeking to find ways that the City Council can protect our homes, improve our environment, work with our schools to decrease bullying and keep our community – our “hometown” - safe and secure. Jeff Cooper, our current mayor, Is a very fine leader indeed Faced with grave economic troubles He provided guidance in time of need...
