Wednesday, May 01, 2013  
  
  • The Dirt on Dotson

    A resident speaks about why Inglewood’s planning commish needs to be put out to pasture

    I have resided in Inglewood over 51 years. Consequently I have seen many changes.

    I witnessed white flight and the influx of minorities—mostly black. I observed the local politics educational system and public resources change with the renewed community. And I welcomed the present candidate, George Dotson, and his family to the rapidly changing neighborhood.

     

    Politics that universally organize and structure the community, was suddenly in need of leadership. The greed for power threw opponents into an arena throwing vicious lies and back-room deals. George Dotson, a weak opponent stayed in the background with wishful thinking.

    George followed in the footsteps of Roy Harvey, the original organizer of the 4th Avenue Block Club. Dotson has lied and stolen the laurels of the deceased 4th Avenue Block Club founder Mr. Harvey. He has no conscious about his lies.

    George has been dutiful and patient. He was subservient to Ed Vincent in dedicating the renaming of the Centinela Park in his honor.

    George’s weak demeanor was rewarded with the title Commissioner of City Planning. However, George has poor skills, but that works well for One Manchester leadership. He is always told what to do. He is an excellent obedient servant, and he has been retained by all mayors.

    Roosevelt Dorn followed next with a notorious reign that ended with his expulsion from public positions. However, Dorn still holds the reigns like a mafia king. He brought us Butts. George continues to be the silent puppet —bowing to every command.

    A young handsome community gentleman Mike Stevens appeared concerned about the abuse of the community homes from LAX air traffic. Mike immediately met with LAX executives and voiced the community’s complaints. The community walked and distributed flyers to homeowners for support. Our following grew large. Mike chartered bus rides. We picketed with signs.

    1. Mayor Dorn opposed our efforts;

    2. Dorn threatened to arrest Mike;

    3. Dorn would turn off the mike when we spoke;

    4. Dorn stopped our meetings at the ICOP Bungalow;

    and 5. Mike’s leadership inspired us to decorate our cars with signs and to caravan.

    Where Was George?

    1. George did not support the community;

    2. George knows nothing about sound proof insulation;

    3. George lies when he campaigns with that promise; and

    4. When Dorn went down in disgrace, George adopted a new master: Mayor Butts.

    Why are the houses not insulated?

    The city council did not sign the contract papers, so millions were returned to LAWA. Mike and the community’s efforts were destroyed by a DO- NOTHING council that “works” four days a week. Mike has acquired another contract.

    Mike is fighting for more single family homes to be insulated. Mayor Butts has changed the language and is permitting contractors to sound-insulate multiple-dwelling units.

    Mayor Butts is supporting patient, do-nothing George with funds, endorsements and lies. Mayor Butts wants total council control.

    Wake up community!

    Don’t let this happen to your community.

    1. Mike Stevens fought executives at LAX to achieve sound insulation.

    2. George Dotson does not have the expertise or the ability to converse with executive management.

    3. George Dotson did not inform the community about Hollywood Race Track for community to discuss plans for use. George can only do as he is told.

    Do not give Butts another bobble-head.

    Inglewood has an illegally placed mayor corrupting the City of Inglewood. Butts’ residence is not in the City of Inglewood, and his place is not on the dais at city hall.

The Dirt on Dotson
Cafe to the Future
Buster
Dotson's Thought on Inglewood's Business Enviornment
Dotson's Views
Building a Better Future for Our Children
Letters: Please Vote on April 2
March 15, 2013 Letters
· Hypocrisy
 
 
The Dirt on Dotson
April 30, 2013
  

A resident speaks about why Inglewood’s planning commish needs to be put out to pasture

I have resided in Inglewood over 51 years. Consequently I have seen many changes.

I witnessed white flight and the influx of minorities—mostly black. I observed the local politics educational system and public resources change with the renewed community. And I welcomed the present candidate, George Dotson, and his family to the rapidly changing neighborhood.

 

Politics that universally organize and structure the community, was suddenly in need of leadership. The greed for power threw opponents into an arena throwing vicious lies and back-room deals. George Dotson, a weak opponent stayed in the background with wishful thinking.

George followed in the footsteps of Roy Harvey, the original organizer of the 4th Avenue Block Club. Dotson has lied and stolen the laurels of the deceased 4th Avenue Block Club founder Mr. Harvey. He has no conscious about his lies.

George has been dutiful and patient. He was subservient to Ed Vincent in dedicating the renaming of the Centinela Park in his honor.

George’s weak demeanor was rewarded with the title Commissioner of City Planning. However, George has poor skills, but that works well for One Manchester leadership. He is always told what to do. He is an excellent obedient servant, and he has been retained by all mayors.

Roosevelt Dorn followed next with a notorious reign that ended with his expulsion from public positions. However, Dorn still holds the reigns like a mafia king. He brought us Butts. George continues to be the silent puppet —bowing to every command.

A young handsome community gentleman Mike Stevens appeared concerned about the abuse of the community homes from LAX air traffic. Mike immediately met with LAX executives and voiced the community’s complaints. The community walked and distributed flyers to homeowners for support. Our following grew large. Mike chartered bus rides. We picketed with signs.

1. Mayor Dorn opposed our efforts;

2. Dorn threatened to arrest Mike;

3. Dorn would turn off the mike when we spoke;

4. Dorn stopped our meetings at the ICOP Bungalow;

and 5. Mike’s leadership inspired us to decorate our cars with signs and to caravan.

Where Was George?

1. George did not support the community;

2. George knows nothing about sound proof insulation;

3. George lies when he campaigns with that promise; and

4. When Dorn went down in disgrace, George adopted a new master: Mayor Butts.

Why are the houses not insulated?

The city council did not sign the contract papers, so millions were returned to LAWA. Mike and the community’s efforts were destroyed by a DO- NOTHING council that “works” four days a week. Mike has acquired another contract.

Mike is fighting for more single family homes to be insulated. Mayor Butts has changed the language and is permitting contractors to sound-insulate multiple-dwelling units.

Mayor Butts is supporting patient, do-nothing George with funds, endorsements and lies. Mayor Butts wants total council control.

Wake up community!

Don’t let this happen to your community.

1. Mike Stevens fought executives at LAX to achieve sound insulation.

2. George Dotson does not have the expertise or the ability to converse with executive management.

3. George Dotson did not inform the community about Hollywood Race Track for community to discuss plans for use. George can only do as he is told.

Do not give Butts another bobble-head.

Inglewood has an illegally placed mayor corrupting the City of Inglewood. Butts’ residence is not in the City of Inglewood, and his place is not on the dais at city hall.

 
Cafe to the Future
April 29, 2013
  

The 1990s was filled with many independently run coffeehouse cafés. The skeleton of my never finished novel was born in these independently run, homegrown, community-oriented places of people first, food second and commerce and business plans—maybe.

In Los Feliz there was the infamous Onyx, in Hollywood there was Ground Zero and in Inglewood we had Cafe Future.
Cafe Future was founded by Inglewood-raised and current Morningside Park resident Terrence McClain. “Michael Massenburg’s art collective that later became the Inglewood

 

Cultural Arts was found- ed at Cafe Future,” McClain said in a recent exclusive interview.

Many do-it-yourself movements were started in 1990s coffee shops and cafes.

To find a person from that era is always a treat. So many trailblazers from that period went underground. I’m still wondering where is Al Flipside of Flipside Magazine and many others who ended their endeavours in the 90s? (Flipside was a L.A. based underground music magazine of internationally renown.) One wants to know: Would they do it all again if they had the opportunity?

“People always ask me, ‘Do you think about doing it again?’ and I say, ‘Yes, I want to,’" said a joyful Terrence.

His new venture is being a Joy Fanatic.

“I originally wanted to have something I was calling a Possibility Club, which would have a nightclub kind of atmosphere.
I looked around Inglewood nightly to find a location to do the Possibility Club. I found a space that was originally called Tortia Pete’s on LaBrea and Fairview. I wanted to start something that had music and art, but people would be thinking about their dreams. Partying with a purpose. When I found the spot, I redefined my idea and I decided to start a cyber cafe,” Terrence stated enthusiastically as if were yesterday.

I view Inglewood as the City of Possibilities. There is nothing that you can’t imagine in Inglewood.

But as Onyx fell, so did Cafe Future. A movement away from the DIY generation X ethos, a coming-of-age of the huge, more financially lucrative and marketing-wise Generation Y had the corporations knowing that if they emulated the small community cafe, they could make lots of money.

“Magic Johnson started his Starbucks on Centinela. All the poets ran over there to do poetry,” said Terrence. Who are these strange people who read poetry at Starbucks?

“Starbucks put me out of business,” said Terrence in a very Zen way.

Starbucks killed a lot of poetry readings. In the 90s you could go to a café, plug in your computer and debate with friends and neighbors until the wee hours.

Nevertheless, Terrence McClain remains a visionary Inglewoodian from Inglewood’s past and still a part of its future.

 
 
Sound Insulation
In order for Mayor Butts to restore Inglewood's sound insulation money from LAWA he must get 1000 homes insulated this year. Last year we did 200. How many homes will he insulate in April




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