News Articles

With a timely assist from the sun in the midst of a seemingly unrelieved rainy spell, Dr. Loni Anderson opened the gates to her City Council campaign yesterday afternoon with a well-attended fundraiser in Sunkist Park.

Since this is her first run for the Council, perhaps it is not surprising that she is promising “a new vision and a new voice” for Culver City in the April 8 election.

By the 2 o’clock starting time, she had dried off from a morning outing. She bicycled from her Hayden Tract home to her mid-town office while the sun was hiding. The result: She got drenched.

City Council candidate Mehaul O’Leary was served the optimal breakfast when he dropped by Tito’s Tacos this morning.

Blair C. Salisbury, president of the Los Angeles chapter of the California Restaurant Assn., greeted him across the table at Tito’s Tacos. He announced that the state group will support one of its own, and will endorse the Irish-born Mr. O’Leary for the April 8 election.

Two of the more colorful and widely known personalities to prominently walk across the Culver City stage in the second half of the 20th century, businessman/philanthropist Sam Paperny and former City Councilman Ron Perkins have died within the past 24 hours.

Mr. Paperny was 87 years old, and Mr. Perkins also was in his upper 80s.

Mr. Paperny’s funeral will be on Sunday at 3 at Hillside Memorial Park. Rites for Mr. Perkins will be at 12 noon on Monday at Wiefels & Son Mortuary, 690 S. Vella Rd., Palm Springs 92264. Telephone: 760.327.1257.

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While both had long-running careers and broad influence in Culver City, stylistically the gentlemen were very different.

[Editor’s Note: The City Council candidate, who is attracting wide attention, responded this morning via email to yesterday’s story (“After Confronting Fulwood, Russell Is Called an ‘Embarrassment,” Jan. 24) on what transpired the night before at a Candidates Orientation meeting. Gary Russell’s comments are italicized. The boldface words are extracted from the story.]

My unwavering opposition to the current administration in Culver City, my outspoken support of eco-friendly development and my call for new leadership that will transform our city have all been mischaracterized in the past two weeks.

Part 2

[Editor’s Note: See Part 1 of the interview with Ronni Cooper, president of the Ladera Heights Civic Assn., in her Ladera Heights home, under News, “Ladera Heights Surveys Its Setback and Prepares to Plot a New Route,” Jan. 22.]

As the principal spokesperson for Ladera Heights families in their 2 1/2-year — so far unsuccessful — attempt to transfer out of the Inglewood Unified School District and into Culver City, Ronnie Cooper was asked her opinion of the Jan. 10 state hearing that supposedly sealed the Ladera case in defeat.

“It will be a complete embarrassment to Culver City if Gary Russell is elected,” said an eyewitness to the City Council candidate’s latest quirky performance, a raw, tense showdown with City Manager Jerry Fulwood last night at City Hall.

Before a roomful of stunned City Hall department heads and the full field of Council candidates, Mr. Russell challenged the City Manager after his extended series of questions was short-circuited.

The tirade’s temper temperature quickly shot from zero to 60.

While eyewitnesses gulped and wondered what would happen next, Mr. Russell asked the reserved Mr. Fulwood if he wanted to take their disagreement outside.

Their extraordinary accomplishments barely have been noted in the public prints of Culver City over the years, but last Saturday night the businessman Gus Prado and his wife Dr. Mayra Prado were recognized by intimates and admirers who know them best.

Before 250 guests at a restaurant in the City of Commerce, the Los Angeles Cuban American Assn. saluted the Prados for a lifetime of generosity and for setting a sterling example for immigrants and natives with their world-class philanthropy.

This is a signal occasion that is closely watched and applauded by many of the estimated 300,000 Cuban Americans who reside in the Los Angeles area.

With an important meeting six days away, the Gateway Neighborhood Assn. is inviting residents of Culver City to participate in a six-session study group covering issues of development in the community.

From January through June, Gateway will convene on the last Tuesday of the month, starting next Tuesday evening.

The meeting will last from 7 until at Living Green, 10000 Culver Blvd.

Part 1

Breakfast with Gary Russell, probably the most unusual, certainly the most fascinating, candidate for the City Council, can cause a visitor to consult his optician. The visitor suspected he was interviewing more than one person, so frequently did Mr. Russell, a quite successful 63-year-old architect, amend, adjust, change his positions on the leather seat across the restaurant booth.

He could turn into a one-man promotion machine for the 9-way Council season that is racing toward the April 8 election for three seats.

Mr. Russell is sui generis, and here is why.

Part 1

In her kitchen yesterday afternoon, Ronni Cooper could have passed for any other matron along her sloping street in Ladera Heights.

A portrait of serenity, for just a moment it was difficult to believe the president of the Ladera Heights Civic Assn. was discussing the most volatile issue to roil the fashionable neighborhood in awhile.

Whether she was talking about the state’s denial of Ladera’s transfer petition a fortnight ago or Culver City’s determination to keep its school doors closed to Ladera, Ms. Cooper spoke as calmly as if she were comforting a grieving friend.