CALIFORNIA | LOCAL
May 1, 2003 | Richard Marosi, Times Staff Writer
The South Gate City Council, taking its first major actions against people hired by the city's former political leaders, has rescinded the contracts of the former police chief and his two deputies, calling their salaries and perks "unconscionable." At a marathon meeting that ended early Wednesday morning, the five-member council voted unanimously to terminate the contracts of Acting Police Chief Rick Lopez, Assistant Chief Mark A. Van Holt and Deputy Chief Carl Heintz.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL
February 7, 2003 | Richard Marosi, Times Staff Writer
At the first meeting of the new South Gate City Council, no one threw a punch, no one was kicked out of the chamber and every resident who wanted to speak was given a turn. And that's news in South Gate, a working-class community of 96,000 in southeast Los Angeles County that grabbed headlines this week when the mayor slugged a councilman.
OPINION
November 13, 2002
Bravo for exposing the spending of 1.5 million taxpayer dollars for the legal defense of public officials in South Gate (Nov. 11). As a resident of South Gate I am outraged and embarrassed that our City Council majority has shamelessly spent taxpayer dollars to hire the top-notch law firm Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton to represent city Treasurer Albert Robles. The same three individuals who make up the City Council majority also authorized attorneys' fees to fight a recall effort against them -- stalling the matter in the courts for almost a year until the state Supreme Court recently denied any further appeals.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL
November 20, 2001 | RICHARD MAROSI, TIMES STAFF WRITER
Molotov cocktails were thrown early Monday at the business of a South Gate political activist involved in a fiercely contested voter recall effort. The fire destroyed one van and damaged another at the plumbing business owned by Joseph Ruiz. A second firebomb failed to ignite after being thrown at the front door of the building. "It's definitely arson," South Gate police Lt. Vincent Avila said.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL
November 18, 2001 | RICHARD MAROSI, TIMES STAFF WRITER
When audience members at a recent South Gate City Council meeting were ordered to stop meowing every time a councilwoman spoke, they changed tactics. At the next meeting, they sat silently but waved placards reading, "Meow-Meow-Meow." City officials are now barking back. Saying unruly behavior at council meetings disrupts civic affairs and borders at times on riot conditions, the officials launched a campaign to stop it.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL
November 14, 2001 | RICHARD MAROSI, TIMES STAFF WRITER
A former candidate for the South Gate City Council was found guilty Tuesday of lying about where he lived in order to qualify for the ballot. The conviction of Richard Mayer on seven felony counts, including three of perjury, marks the first court victory for Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley's public integrity squad. Prosecutors viewed it as a strong indicator of the public's willingness to convict officials--or would-be officials--charged with wrongdoing.