The Weekly Newspaper of El Segundo Herald Publications - El Segundo, Torrance, Manhattan Beach, Hawthorne, Lawndale, & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 106, No. 36 - September 7, 2017 Inside El Segundo Mayor Honored This Issue with Service to the Flag Award Certified & Licensed Professionals ....................14 Classifieds ...........................4 Crossword/Sudoku ............4 Entertainment .....................6 Legals ........................... 12,13 Obituaries ............................2 Pets .....................................14 Police Reports ..................13 Amanda Clauss, 2017 President Women in Defense Greater Los Angeles Chapter; and Mayor Suzanne Fuentes, City of El Segundo. Photo by Casey Janes. See story in yellow box below. • Real Estate. .........8-11,15,16 Surprising News Arrives as Council Sports ...................................5 Gears Up for TopGolf Vote Next Month By Brian Simon is a “function of market and demand,” In Bur- different ground lease numbers if those are In anticipation of a final vote on the project lingame’s case, he said that city scored very important to the City. on October 3, the long-pending TopGolf saga highly and boasts “huge population growth Boyles said he was “struggling” with the took an unexpected turn during Tuesday night’s and corporate demand” with a lease area of many thousands of annual free hitting bay El Segundo City Council meeting when new, 13 acres and opportunities for larger revenues. hours, calling it a “huge gift” but realizing potentially game-changing information came He then spoke of the trade-off for community it could mean significant revenue loss as a Weekend to light during a lengthy public hearing on the benefits that are part of the TopGolf agreement result of “subsidizing our golf programs here matter. Mayor Suzanne Fuentes revealed that in El Segundo. Fuentes asked point blank if and in Manhattan Beach.” It was noted several Forecast TopGolf had just inked a deal with the City the City could have another million dollars if times on Tuesday that the bulk of patrons at of Burlingame in Northern California to build “we take away the free hours” (i.e. professional The Lakes of El Segundo are non-residents. a facility there with an annual ground lease of and youth groups that can use 10 hitting bays Ultimately, the Council majority (with Fuentes $1.5 million escalating to nearly $2 million gratis during certain hours). Charhon indicated and Dugan dissenting) agreed to certify the final after 20 years. This in comparison to the El that TopGolf would be “willing to talk about” See City Council, page 12 Friday Segundo agreement of $525,000 annually to Sunny start and an eventual increase to $687,000 in two decades. “I’m embarrassed for our city,” Mayor Suzanne Fuentes Honored 74˚/66˚ Fuentes said in response to the deal and El Segundo’s significantly lower yearly take. The Mayor added that Burlingame similarly has an with Service to the Flag Award “underperforming driving range,” deed restric- El Segundo Mayor Suzanne Fuentes was the government category. tions on the project land, and a major airport one of the three outstanding women honored Women in Defense (WID) is a National Saturday (San Francisco) nearby—and will get at least by Women in Defense, Greater Los Angeles Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) af- as nice a facility as El Segundo. Chapter (WID-GLAC) with a “Service to filiate that cultivates professional growth Sunny While sharing Fuentes’ concerns, Mayor Pro the Flag” award. The award honors the and opportunities to advance women in 75˚/67˚ Tem Drew Boyles pointed out that TopGolf (and achievements of outstanding women within all aspects of national security. Each year, developer CenterCal Properties) agreed to add the Southern California aerospace and de- its “Service to the Flag” award recognizes capital contributions (e.g. new clubhouse, golf fense community and serves as a benefit extraordinary leaders whose work in and course redesign, night lighting, among other to raise funds for Horizons scholarships. outside of government identifies and ad- items) to the El Segundo project that are not Mayor Fuentes joined Teri Kelsall, co- dresses some of the nation’s most trying Sunday included in the Burlingame arrangement. City founder, The Jonas Project; and Robin national security challenges. Manager Greg Carpenter estimated the total Follman-Otta, chief operations officer, A lifelong resident of El Segundo, Fuentes Sunny of those to be over $5 million, including $3.5 Markall Inc. & RA Industries LLC honored was elected Mayor in April 2014. Prior to 78˚/69˚ million in construction costs. at the fifth annual WID-GLAC celebration that, she was elected to serve a four-year In explaining the “perceived disparity” be- at Hotel Maya in Long Beach on Sunday, term on the City Council in April 2010 and tween El Segundo and Burlingame, TopGolf August 27. Mayor Fuentes was honored then re-elected in 2014. Mayor Fuentes’ Director of Real Estate Devon Charhon noted with the “Service to the Flag” award in See Mayor Fuentes, page 3 that “every deal is different and unique” and Page 2 September 7, 2017 EL SEGUNDO HERALD Obituaries ESPD Engages Citizens Through Ara Avak Ara Avak passed away peace- the Airport Advisory Committee, Community Police Academy fully in his sleep on 28 August and the Senior Housing Board. By Brian Simon as well as educate them as to what it takes 2017 at age 92. He was born in He and Ellen continued to enjoy Ever wonder what it’s like to be a police to be an ESPD officer.” Harbin, China in 1924 as his par- folk dancing, ragtime (especially officer? A group of local citizens recently Sgt. Corkins noted that the impetus for ents traveled to the United States, at Old Town Music Hall) and got quite the overview as they attended and establishing the CPA was a suggestion from finally settling in Los Angeles. travel after retirement. They took He graduated from Manual Arts special delight in their two grand- High School in 1942 then attended children. He was predeceased by the Merchant Marine Academy at his wife Ellen. Ara is survived Kings Point in New York. He by his sisters Lydia Avak, Marena graduated in 1944 and, at one Larson (Jack), and Aida McBride, point, was the youngest chief his children Tony Avak and Susan engineer in U.S. Merchant Marine service, Richardson (Patrick) and grandchildren Robin serving on oil tankers until the end of WWII and Eric Richardson. A memorial service and into the 1950’s. Ara met the love of his will be held at Old Town Music Hall, 140 life, Ellen, at a folk dance party. They married Richmond Street, on Friday September 8th at in 1953 and moved to Inglewood, then to El 1:00 PM. All of Ara’s friends are invited to Segundo in 1966 to raise their two children. attend and share their memories. In lieu of Ara worked for Bell Telephone for many years flowers donations in his name can be made to and served on the El Segundo School Board, the Red Cross for Hurricane Harvey relief. • Herald in Spain CPA Class #1 graduating class. Bottom Row: Officer John Deer, Chief Bill Whalen, Ryan Glennan, Vicky Moraga, Suzanne MacKusick, Captain Bob Turnbull.Middle Row: Anna Pirkl, Joel Gerlach, Bob McCarthy, Nathan Kostelecky, Tom Marick, Allen Semerdjian, Casey Cline from ESPD Special Operations. Back Row: Jay Morgan, Tyler Thomas, Dennis Falk, Matt MacKusick, Lt. Jeff Leyman, Sgt. Aaron Corkins. Photos by Lieutenant Dan Kim. eventually graduated from the first El Segundo a friend of several of the officers. “He ap- Police Department (ESPD) Community Po- proached us and said he attended a community lice Academy (CPA). The program debuted academy at a nearby agency and thought this on July 6, with eight consecutive Thursday would be perfect for our department and local night sessions running from 6 to 9 p.m. that citizens,” he said. From there, Lieutenant Jeff covered topics including K9, SWAT, CSI, traf- Leyman instituted the program and served fic enforcement, crime scene investigations, as a main proctor along with Sgt. Corkins DUI, officer safety and a scenario night. The and Officer John Deer. Gavin McCaulley, Heath Shoepe, Cole Shoepe and Jack McCaulley brought the El Segundo Herald with them to Mallorca, Spain. Now it’s back to school… Photo Provided by Heather McCaulley. The Jewelry Source Anniversary Sale Contest “Win $1,000 Shopping Spree” CSI Night. Academy students were introduced to different methods to obtain evidence at crime scenes. first class graduated on August 24. The aforementioned friend, Bob McCarthy, For ESPD Sergeant Aaron Corkins, the CPA admitted it was his “fault” that the ESPD serves to strengthen the bond and partnership launched the CPA. “I went through it [a CPA] between the officers and residents/business in Redondo Beach, fell in love with the con- Celebrate the Joy of Jewelry! members. “Most contact with a police officer cept and lobbied Captain Bob Turnbull that Tell us what your favorite piece of jewelry is and why: is negative,” he said. “Getting pulled over and ESPD should have one,” he said. “I believe (100 word maximum, please) getting a ticket, watching negative publicity it’s imperative that police departments reach on the news, or even being arrested. This out to their community any way possible. program gives us an opportunity to show This creates a non-adversarial situation that the community we are normal guys and gals puts cops in front of the folks. It is an open, with families. The main goal is to maintain two-way conversation that allows the citizens our positive relationship with the community See Police Academy, page 6 Name: Phone Number: Fill out this form and drop it off at The Jewelry Source, before September 30, 2017.