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Scene of the sign crimes
The Gillette family that owns the Culver Motor Clinic, across the intersection from West Los Angeles College, has found a rainproof method for ending the string of election-sign harassments that lately have plagued the 58-year-old business, not to mention the victimized School Board candidates.
The Gillettes stood by patiently, loyally for more than a month while signs by candidates Kathy Paspalis and Vernon Taylor repeatedly were uprooted.
The end, however, is here, and not just because Tuesday will be Election Day for the seven candidates pursuing three seats.
“Never again,” R.J. Gillette, a son of owner Jeff Gillette, told the newspaper.
The decision was struck last Thursday after an anti-Taylor person sneaked down the sidewalk at the busy intersection of Jefferson Boulevard and Overland Avenue, impressively unearthed the sign attached to a steel holder, hoisted it over his head and heaved it over the fence, onto Motor Clinic property.
The unimaginative petty thief has done that before.
Only this time, his petulant pitch, intentionally or not, cracked into the car of Mardi Gillette, R.J.’s mother. It was not the lone locus of damage.
“When this sign-throwing happens to scratch one of my customer’s cars,” said an unhappy R.J. Gillette, “I have to pay the it. And obviously I am going to have to pay for my mom’s as well.”
The angry thief’s slightly errant arm fired the sign and its steel attachment onto the side of Mrs. Gillette’s car, clipping both the front and rear doors.
With a high-profile display grounds to offer at one of the most densely traveled corners in Culver City, the Gillette family has hosted election season signs for years.
“But this experience has soured us,” Mr. Gillette said. “We will not do this again.”
One final dollop of intrigue to close this drama:
Ms. Paspalis’s supporters and Mr. Taylor’s hang in two widely separated camps. While both identify as liberals in this non-partisan race, they probably would not be allies as colleagues.
Further, it is a cinch neither camp will spend a vote on the other candidate.
