Keeping Track of the City Council Candidates This Weekend

No organized group appearances by the nine contenders for three seats on the City Council are scheduled until a week from tomorrow night when the Culver Crest Neighborhood Assn. hosts a Candidate Forum — apparently the next to last one — at 6:30 at El Rincon School.

Catching up with the candidates:

Jeff Cooper, Andy Weissman, Christopher Armenta, Dr. Luther Henderson, Loni Anderson, Mehaul O’Leary and Cary Anderson.

Jeff Cooper

Two events this weekend:
Hike for Health on Sunday

In furtherance of his Healthy Culver City campaign, City Council Candidate Jeff Cooper is inviting the community to walk with him to preserve the critical local healthcare services supplied by Brotman Medical Center.

The walk will begin at 2 at the Senior Center, on the northwest corner of Culver Boulevard and Overland, and it will end at Brotman Hospital Plaza, just off Venice Boulevard.

“Recent revelations about the financial distress of Brotman Hospital — the ownership group has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection — has sent shockwaves through our community,” said Mr. Cooper when asked why he was promoting the walk.

“Since 1924, Brotman has been integral to the health of our community. Many babies have been born there and lives have been saved there because of easy access to quality emergency care at Brotman. To no one are these essential services more important than to our children and seniors.”

Mr. Cooper said Brotman's financial instability is not just a private matter but an issue of vital local importance. “If I am elected, I will make the preservation of Brotman a top priority,” he said. “Without Brotman, the closest emergency rooms are more than 20 minutes away. At rush hour or in bad weather, the travel time can double or triple.

“I am focused on building a Healthy Culver City. I am not suggesting that Culver City stick its nose into a private business or that we consider buying Brotman, although other communities have taken this step to prevent the loss of local hospital care.

“But the question of whether Brotman will continue to provide its full range of essential emergency and medical services is one of the most important issues facing our community.”

For information contact Laura Stuart at 310.487.5214 or Mr. Cooper’s website http://www.cooperforcitycouncil.com/

Fiesta on Saturday

Doors will open at 6 on Saturday evening at the Culver Event Center, 11948 W. Washington Blvd., for Mr. Cooper’s gala event, a salsa-themed party,Fiesta Del Cooper.

Adapted from Culver City’s annual Fiesta La Ballona, the Cooper campaign celebration will feature lively music, strolling mariachis and even piñatas that the guests will be invited to whack. Those in attendance will be feted with the Mr. Cooper’s favorite carne asada tacos and other Latin-Caribbean specialty dishes. Drinks are included with the $55 door ticket, and there will be an open no-host bar to slake the thirst of guests.

"When Rafia and I entertain at our home,” said Mr. Cooper, “we like to think that we go all out to make sure that we have great food, plenty of festive drinks and that our guests have a great time.

“Even though this campaign bash isn’t at our house, we think we owe it to our friends to have a little fun.”

Along with dinner and dancing, there will be a live auction, a silent auction a 50/50 raffle and an “opportunity” drawing. In addition to the cornucopia of gourmet dinners-for-two at several of Culver City's tonier eateries, some auction items will include a workday with City Councilman Scott Malsin where the winner can get Mr. Malsin to work for him or her; rinkside Kings’ hockey tickets, donated by Mayor Alan Corlin; a framed and signed Joe Montana original poster showing the quarterback’s career highlights; and to help eliminate the clutter in garage, a day of help from a team of professional movers.

Guests are invited to bring their sombreros, dinero and dancing huaraches to the Fiesta Del Cooper.

“Dinner and Dancing Under the Stars,” is the way Christopher Armenta is billing his fundraiser that is nine days away.

With an accent on entertainment, the Friday, March 14, event that formally begins at 6:30 will be held at a private home, 5315 Slauson Ave.

With food provided by restaurateur Carlos Rodriguez, music by the Culver City All-Stars, starring Ronnie Jayne, and photography by Carlos Gauna, this will be a fun time for all. Tickets, including dinner, drinks, and dancing, are $40 per person or $70 per couple.

Coming off an enormously successful Mardi Gras-style fundraiser last Saturday night that drew 160 friends and netted his campaign more than $8,000, Planning Commissioner Andy Weissman is inviting the public to join him in two days for his next “Saturdays in the Park With Andy” event.

From 11 to 1 on Saturday at Carlson Park, corner of Braddock Drive and Motor Avenue, voters will have an opportunity to meet Mr. Weissman and hear his position on the issues.

Meanwhile, the best-known candidate in the huge field is attracting endorsements at a near record rate.

They include:

“Depends on who you ask and what endorsements the particular candidate has,” Mr. Weissman said.

“In my case, the significance is that I have been endorsed by (virtually) every group or organization that has chosen to endorse.

“These endorsements validate my across-the board appeal to all of the diverse elements in Culver City.”

As for Saturday, Mr. Weissman said that as a former member of the Parks and Recreation Commission, Culver City’s parks are a perfect place to meet.

“As a grandfather of three, I will work to make sure Culver City provides the best for our children and seniors,” Mr. Weissman said.

“Whether it’s keeping parks safe and enhancing recreational opportunities, promoting greater cooperation with the School District, providing cultural arts enrichment or providing more opportunities for seniors, I will continue working for our community.

“Culver City is faced with many challenges and many opportunities in the years to come. I know that by working together we can make Culver City an even better place for the next generation.”

Mr. Weissman said those who cannot attend the free event may telephone him directly at 310.839.5217 or email him at info@WeissmanforCouncil.com.

The Beverly Hills Greater Los Angeles Assn. of Realtors has endorsed Dr. Luther Henderson for City Council.

“I am pleased and gratified to receive the endorsement from one of the real estate industry’s premier professional organizations.

“They have a proven commitment to serve the public and support the quality of life of Culver City through a strict code of ethics. Their endorsement of my candidacy for the April 8 election is greatly appreciated.”

A 16-year Culver City resident, Dr. Henderson is Chair of the Cultural Affairs Commission.

His priorities are to protect the neighborhoods while initiating a comprehensive review of the city’s General Plan for land use and redevelopment areas in order to control growth; to attract more small businesses to increase city revenues; to maintain and improve city services, and to maximize revenue sources and identify future ones.

In recent weeks, Dr. Henderson has been endorsed by Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke, three-time former Mayor Albert Vera and U.S. Rep. Diane E. Watson (D-Culver City).

[img]87|left|Stan Chambers||no_popup[/img]On Saturday, Cary Anderson will host the legendary television news icon Stan Chambers at his Irving Place home for an intimate evening of book signing.

Mr. Anderson, his wife Tina and their daughter Jacqueline will be hosting Mr. Chambers and his wife Gigi from 6 to 9 p.m.

Mr. Chambers will be available to chat about the past and the present of Los Angeles.
KTLA/CW’s Stan Chambers is unique among television newsmen.

He has been with the same station for 60 years.

In a major market such as Los Angeles, where news personalities come and go almost as quickly as one switches channels, such longevity is no small accomplishment.

In six decades of reporting the news for Channel 5, Mr. Chambers has covered every major news event in and around L.A., including political elections, floods, earthquakes, human tragedies, riots, assassinations and fires.

His career started with the birth of KTLA, the first commercial television station west of the Mississippi.

Mr. Chambers’ big-story career began with the Kathy Fiscus tragedy in 1949, where he covered the story live for 27 straight hours — the first reporting of its kind — to breaking the monumental Rodney King beating story that rocked the nation.
In his book, he shares his thoughts behind his enduring career while highlighting some of his more than 22,000 stories.

He still is out there, mic in hand, because, as Mr. Chambers puts it, “When you report news in Los Angeles, you are broadcasting to the biggest hometown in America.”
His intelligent and professional manner of reporting critical news stories has made him one of L.A.'s most admired newsmen.

RSVP by Friday to 310.838.0078. or info@CulverCity.tv

Prices are $35 for adults, $25 for seniors over the age of 60, $15 for children under 12.

A full refund will be given to the person with a birthday closest to the day that Mr. Chambers started at KTLA. Price includes the book “KTLA’s News at Ten: 60 Years with Stan Chambers,” autographed to you by Stan Chambers.

Tito’s Tacos will be catering dinner.
Mr. Anderson’s home is two 2 blocks south of Town Plaza and two blocks east of Duquesne Avenue, at 4214 Irving Pl.

Armed with two new endorsements, from Vice Mayor Carol Gross and City Councilman Steve Rose, following a very successful fundraiser this past Sunday, Mehaul O'Leary and his campaign team are finalizing plans for St. Patrick's Day.

With a native of Ireland at the helm, this should be a tasty celebration on Sunday afternoon, March 16, from 1 to 4, at Joxer Daly's Irish Pub, 11168 Washington Blvd.

The celebration will include corned beef and cabbage, a no- host bar featuring green beer, live Irish music by The Lads, and a special appearance by Jerome the Leprechaun.

Admission prices are $20 for adults and $10 for seniors.

Ms. Gross, the Vice Mayor and an eight-year member of the City Council, seemed to catch guests at last Sunday’s fundraiser by surprise when she made her endorsement announcement.

Ms. Gross lauded Mr. O’Leary for acknowledging imperfections from his first run two years ago, and his confidence — and hers — that he will learn the inner and outer workings fast, once elected. “I have seen him grow tremendously in the last two years,” she said.

Meanwhile, Mr. O’Leary is busy walking neighborhoods around Culver City, meeting voters and listening to their concerns.

Loni Anderson will have a very special guest at her next Meet and Greet.

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Ms. Anderson, right, with Speaker Bass.