Re “Racial Bias – Even if We Have to Fake It”   With questionably supported allegations of racial bias by black and white Oakland police officers against black lawbreakers back in the news, Culver City, says the police chief, can stand up with an unquestionably clean record. After reading yesterday’s shaky report in the Los Angeles Times, Scott Bixby expressed … Read More

Two liberal Stanford researchers, driving from Palo Alto to Oakland, stopped for a red light. Each licked the tip of the fingernail on the index finger of the driver’s left hand, the passenger’s right hand. Each social/sociable scientist extended the appropriate digit out the window, piercing a driving rain. Fifteen seconds later, each yanked his drippy digit back inside. With … Read More

If the wider non-Jewish community of Los Angeles had been peering in a window at the Bais Naftoli synagogue in LaBrea a week ago Sunday morning, the politically astute would have been staggered. Especially if they share the most common American perspective, that Orthodox Jews are politically conservative, and that non-Orthodox and non-religious Jews are liberal. Wrong. Diversity abounded. Among … Read More

First of two parts   See if this tickles your attention: “One hundred years ago today, Harry Culver taught the band to play.” Nobody around Culver City this morning was hanging here in 1917. Therefore, imaginative Gary Mandell’s magnetic assertion stands. His eye-catcher is dripping with timeliness. The community is 75 percent of the way through its Centennial Year. This … Read More

Only one question had to be asked of Vice Mayor Thomas Small, the portrait of an accomplished rhetorical artist who specializes in imagery: Did the trip reach expectations  — the recent 11-day mission City Hall’s top three executives undertook to Capo d’Orlando, Sicily, to evaluate Capo as Culver City’s prospective next Sister City? “Oh, boy, it was mind-blowing,” Mr. Small … Read More

Second in a series Re “Eskridges Pool Their Thoughts on Natatorium” With the imminent razing of the Natatorium, Mike Eskridge was in a sentimental mood this week. When he made the first of his four runs for the School Board 25 years ago, his campaign centered on keeping the Natatorium open despite severe School District budget cuts. Mr. Eskridge won. … Read More

Second of three parts Re “Why Is County Sitting on Homeless Numbers?” The slickest, fastest and most honest response to yesterday’s question – why is Los Angeles County temporarily hiding the number of homeless persons in Culver City? – is succinct: Because it can. The County is the biggest bureaucratic kid, or bully, on the block. To a rumbling tumult, … Read More

First in a series The School District announcement that the storied and controversial Natatorium will be razed – finally – this summer stirred syrup-like sentiment in the bosom of Mike Eskridge. A quarter-century ago his younger son Brian happily was learning the joys of swimming as a 4-year-old. Mr. Eskridge held one view then, a different one today. Brian was … Read More