Author: Emilie St. John

GARDENA – No tickets were sold matching all six numbers in Wednesday’s Powerball drawing, pushing Saturday’s estimated jackpot to $145 million. One ticket was sold matching five numbers in California and is worth $317,465, according to the California Lottery. The ticket was sold in Gardena at a market in the 14400 block of S. Crenshaw Blvd. The numbers drawn in Wednesday evening’s Powerball lottery were 15, 31, 45, 49, 53 and the Powerball number was 19. The Powerball game is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.

PASO ROBLES – No tickets were sold matching all six numbers in Wednesday evening’s SuperLotto Plus drawing, pushing the estimated jackpot for Saturday’s drawing to $46 million. One ticket was sold matching five numbers and is worth $41,727, according to the California Lottery. The ticket was sold in Paso Robles at a grocery store in the 100 block of Niblick Road. The numbers drawn Wednesday night were 23, 26, 30, 39, 42 and the Mega number was 13.

INGLEWOOD – Metro’s proposed specific plan adjacent to its Compton station brings the Compton mayor’s reelection campaign fundraiser in Inglewood into focus. Compton Mayor Emma Sharif’s campaign committee has scheduled an October 4 campaign fundraiser in Inglewood, which features Mayor James T. Butts Jr., who is a member of the transit agency’s Board of Directors. 2 Urban Girls pondered whether the campaign fundraiser, which is seeking up to $25,000 from donors labeled “Champions” was attached to a planned Metro project. The campaign committee’s “Compton Next” tagline is a reference to the website called www.nextstopcompton.org, which discusses the Transit Oriented Development plan in…

INGLEWOOD – There is growing concern that the will of California voters is being usurped as the battle between Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Donald Trump reaches a fever pitch that has resulted in a special election taking place this November. As Trump continues to wield his iron fist over Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Gavin Newsom sees this as an opportunity to further alienate residents in the Golden State. Last month, Abbott signed off on new congressional maps that would provide Republicans with five new seats. This was met with lawsuits by groups representing Black and Latino voters who have…

INGLEWOOOD – The former owners of an Inglewood property that was shuttered to make way for the Intuit Dome have begun construction on a new hotel along the Century Blvd. corridor. According to UrbanizeLA, Bhagat Investments – Century, LLC, which previously owned and operated the Rodeway Inn at 3940 W. Century Boulevard have begun construction on a Fairfield by Marriott property at 3640 W. Century Boulevard adjacent to the multi-billion NBA arena. The new Fairfield by Marriott will consist of a five-story structure featuring 150 guest rooms above a new ground-floor bar and lounge. The Inglewood Fairfield is designed by…

Reading of top prize-winning ‘Angel’s Share’ set for May 25, open to the public The Echo Theater Company is pleased to announce the winners of the company’s 2024 New Play Competition. In first place, winning a $1000 cash prize plus travel and housing to attend rehearsals and a public reading, is Dominic Finocchiaro with Angel’s Share. The reading, directed by Echo associate artistic director Elana Luo and featuring Carter Calahan, Joy DeMichelle, Jenny Soo and Timothy Wright, will take place on Sunday, May 25 at 1 p.m. at Atwater Village Theatre. Admission is open to the public, with a suggested donation of $10. The second place prize of $500 and a rehearsed online reading went to Boni B.Alvarez for his play The Cathedral, and playwright Chelsea Sutton is the recipient of the…

INGLEWOOD – The members of the city council entered into an exclusive negotiating agreement to bring 110 workforce housing units to downtown Inglewood. The council voted 5-0 to enter into an Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (ENA) with 244-268 Market Nutwood Management LLC (Developer) to acquire a 25 space city-owned parking lot which is contiguous to the properties they own during the May 13 regular city council meeting. According to the staff report, “the Developer approached the City and proposed to specifically acquire City-owned property located on Nutwood Street, east of Market Street, commonly referred to as a twenty-five (25) space public…

California landlords could be required to provide refrigerators and stoves under a proposed state law. The new law is being proposed by South Bay lawmaker Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) under Assembly Bill 628 which was approved by the Assembly 54 to 10 during a vote held April 7. “A working stove and a working refrigerator are not luxuries – they are a necessary part of modern life,” said Assemblymember Tina McKinnor. “By making these necessary appliances standard in rental homes, California can provide all of its residents with a safer, more affordable and more dignified place to call home.” According…

It is being reported that a Southern California nonprofit based in Long Beach, California, is facing state scrutiny for allegedly misappropriating $11 million in state funds. The Foodbank of Southern California has been around for five decades and is being accused of misspending the state funds on a lavish lifestyle, including trips to Las Vegas, cars, jewelry and issuing funds to members of its board of directors. “For at least the last decade, the Foodbank’s officers, directors, and vendors worked together to divert millions of dollars of state and federal funds away from these most vulnerable communities, into their own…

The former executive assistant to Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. was ordered to pay $217,4040 in a recent ruling in her ongoing wrongful termination lawsuit against the City. Judge Lia Martin ruled on March 5 that she granted evidence and monetary sanctions against Melanie McDade in the amount of $217,404 and also bars her from introducing any new evidence in her lawsuit where she alleges she was terminated after ending her sexual relationship with Butts. The City’s attorneys lauded the sanctions as “decisive” where they allege McDade committed loan fraud when she purchased a new home with documents the…