Rose Downs

Aug 25 2011

They allege violations of city, state laws

The Coalition of Compton Unions, which represents about 400 city employees, filed unfair labor practice charges with the California Public Employment Relations Board against the city of Compton in response to the City Council’s approval of a budget that called for worker layoffs and unilaterally imposed concessions on the remaining work force.

Juliana D. Norwood  |   OW Staff Writer
Jul 21 2011

With layoffs imminent, unions gear up to fight back

The Compton City Council passed a budget at its Tuesday meeting that officials said avoids a government shutdown but that is expected to result in layoffs.

The city council voted 3-1 to approve the budget, with Janna Zurita, Lillie Dobson, and Mayor Eric Perrodin voting “yes,” and Yvonne Arceneaux casting the only “no” vote. Willie O. Jones, was absent.

The majority of the viewing public was upset with the outcome, and many  yelled and stormed out of the meeting.

Juliana D. Norwood  |   OW Staff Writer
Jul 14 2011

Layoffs, furloughs, and cutbacks loom

COMPTON, Calif.—A number of ideas were bounced around Tuesday at the Compton City Council meeting regarding the budget, which the Council postponed voting on until next week’s council meeting.

After listening to the frustration of the public, the mayor suggested that rather than complaining about the budget, which has been presented by the city manager, people should take it upon themselves to come up with alternative solutions to balancing it.

Compton is facing a projected $25 million shortfall.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.

California
San Diego college students and volunteers will carry out their sixth home restoration project on Wednesday, July 10 through Sunday, July 14. as part of the “Healing our Heroes’ Homes” (H3) program created by the nonprofit Embrace. The five-day effort will take place at the home of medically retired Marine Corps Capt. Sarah Bettencourt. Bettencourt served with many different units across the country during the Global War on Terrorism and developed a rare neurological disorder in 2008. With a focus to restore the homes of disabled veteran homeowners, H3 falls in line with Embrace’s mission to mobilize college-student volunteers and community members to serve less fortunate members of civilian and veteran communities. The project for the Bettencourts’ home includes kitchen and bathroom remodeling, building ADA-compliant disability ramps, widening their driveway to ADA standards, widening doorways and landscaping.
 
District of Columbia
The 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival will showcase its five-year community research project on African American identity with the program “The Will to Adorn: African American Diversity, Style, and Identity.” This multicity collaboration examines the history and culture of the aesthetics of African Americans. The festival will be held June 26-30 and July 3-7, outdoors on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets. “Whether we realize it or not, we are all dress artists. The way we compose our look is a creative expression of our ideas about who we are and who we aspire to be,” said Diana N’Diaye, program curator. “This program explores the diversity of African American traditions of style, but also teaches young people the importance of documenting their own culture and saving that information for themselves and future generations.”