LOCALmotion – Jozelle Smith

13-225x300After going dark the last two Wednesdays in December (important Eves), Culver City Rotary Club’s Reciprocator editor Janet Chabola was understandably having trouble remembering what had happened at their last meeting! She had no problem, however, recalling the most important event of the day: the induction of their first public sector members, our own Culver City Police Department. Janet and Don Trepany were honored to induct Police Chief Scott Bixby and command staffers Jason Sims, and Ron Iizuka. “They will be the ace of the department at our meetings,” reported Janet. “Other officers will interchange with us with our events.” The Club was thanked profusely for the support of the CCPD’s new 21st century “Santa Sleigh,” with the Rotary logo now adorning that sleigh along with other major donors to the project. The Police Officers Association has volunteered to man the sleigh for 30 years. According to Janet, “This project will be a great way to increase our Club’s community service in the years to come.” The Culver City Rotary Club meets Wednesdays at 12:15 p.m. at the historic Culver Hotel, 9400 Culver Blvd.

Seems like only yesterday the were new, but The Mike Balkman Council Chambers’ 20-year old audio/visual systems are being upgraded. During this 15-week project, the Council Chambers will not be useable as a meeting venue. Meetings of the City Council scheduled during the construction period are now scheduled to be held in the Rotunda Room of the Veterans Memorial Building located at 4117 Overland Avenue. Meetings of the four Commissions scheduled during the construction period are now scheduled to be held in the Patacchia Room (ground floor) of City Hall located at 9770 Culver Blvd., all at their usual times, and the public is, as always, welcome to attend.

Culver City’s children’s musical theater group, dee-Lightful Productions, invites you to come see their latest show: “Annie, Jr.” on Thursday and Friday, January 15th and 16th at 7:00 p.m., and on Saturday, January 17th at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (What, you already saw the movie? Both of them?) That’s great, now come see the live stage version with real kids from Our Town. Talented local children ages 7-15 will perform in this junior version of “Annie,” which includes all your favorite songs like “Tomorrow,” “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “Maybe,” “Easy Street” and more! The show is perfect for all ages and runs approximately an hour and a half, including intermission. The production takes place at the Robert Frost Auditorium, 4401 Elenda Street. Tickets ($10.00) will be available at the door.

If you want a (semi) final taste of the great food at Waterloo & City, you’ve only got until the end of this month to do it. After five years, chef Brendan Collins and partner Carlos Tomazos have decided to go to a similar concept, but in a smaller site. The name and menu will be the same, but 6,000 square feet was a tad bigger than they were comfortable handling. The word is they’ll take a little time off to regroup and look for a site while still keeping their casual (and smaller) restaurant, Larry’s, open in Venice at 24 Windward Ave.

Thinking Ahead Dep’t.: Our city’s 100th anniversary is officially set, and the CCCCC (Culver City Centennial Celebration Committee) has already held several meetings. The fun begins in 2016, culminating on the historic date of September 17, 2017. (As a member of the CCCCC board of directors, this writer has doubled up on her vitamins – and hopefully that’s enough…) As time goes on, you’ll see an official logo, lots of publicity, activities and celebrations organized by Heart of Screenland businesses, organizations, schools, and service clubs bursting forth.

It’s not been the norm to see so many news trucks, photographers, and mentions of Culver City in the media, but the activities surrounding the non-release, semi-release, and limited release of Sony Pictures Studios “The Interview” has put us on the map, good or bad (…and have you seen it yet?)

Coming up soon (January 17, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) Culver City will be hosting the 10th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Event, honoring the life and contributions of Dr. King. “Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere” is the theme. A screening of the film “Freedom Summer” directed by filmmaker Stanley Nelson (Freedom Riders, The Murder of Emmett Till) will be shown at 2:00pm. “Freedom Summer” highlights the patient and long-term efforts by outside activists and local citizens in Mississippi to organize communities and register black voters — even in the face of intimidation, physical violence and death. Other programs include a panel discussion with KPFK’s host of Sojourner Truth, Margaret Prescod, former California State Senator Tom Hayden, former City of Los Angeles Councilmember Robert Farrell, Kokayi Kwa Jitahidi, Bobby Grace, and Funmilola Fagbamila, musical performances, and an art exhibit from the Mayme A. Clayton Library and Museum. There will also be a community service fair. For more information call Arames White-Shearin at (310) 253-6675 or visit www.culvercity.org/en/Articles/MLKCelebration.

Celebrating chilly birthdays this week are Desmond Styles, Peter Stern, Aaron Gonzales, Shiranda Zee, Jonathan Shaham, Robert Condinus, Brendan O’Brien, Flavia Winston, Judith Maass, and Dolores Johnson. If you’d like to have your (or a friend, neighbor or family member’s) birthday noted here, send the info to [email protected] and we’ll post it!

The Actors' Gang

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