COMPTON ROUNDUP: New city councilman sponsors free gasoline giveaway

By Emilie St. John

Contributing Writer

COMPTON — Some local residents received some much needed relief at the pump with a July 1 gas giveaway at a local gas station.

New District 2 Councilman Andre Spicer partnered with singer Rhyan Lowery, a Compton native who goes by the stage name El Compa Negro, “to provide the community with relief as gas prices continue to be high,” the councilman’s office said in a statement.

Compton residents were eligible to receive up to $50 worth of gas per vehicle during the two-hour event.

Residents lined up hours before the scheduled 8 a.m. start time and some were frustrated the station ran out before the 10 a.m. end time.

The giveaway was part of a challenge promoted on Lowery’s social media encouraging other famous Compton residents to give back to the residents.

“We are putting up $3k for free gas to the community and challenging Compton celebs to do the same,” Lowery posted.

He tagged Kendrick Lamar, YG, Dr. Dre, Anthony Anderson and Serena and Venus Williams in the post.

This was Spicer’s first official event as councilman after a judge overturned the 2021 municipal election results due to allegations of voter fraud.

School board plans

new bond measure

The Compton school board voted 5-2 to put another school bond before voters on the Nov. 8 ballot during the June 21 school board meeting.

Residents voted in favor of a $350 million bond in November 2018 to replace Compton High School with a state-of-the-art facility, which includes a performing arts center funded by a $10 million donation from Compton native Dr. Dre.

The district has already drawn down $250 million of those bonds, but is unable to access the last $100 million.

The district held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Compton High School May 7 and plans to use the new bonds for facility repairs at the district’s other high schools, Centennial and Dominguez.

The two dissenting votes were cast by Mae Thomas and Sandra Moss.

Three killed in

July 4 shootings

The city of Compton had a deadly Fourth of July holiday weekend with three reported murders, all occurring on July 4.

The first shooting happened around 5 p.m. in the 800 block of El Segundo Boulevard where the victim was taken to the hospital and later pronounced dead.

The second shooting is believed to have begun within Compton city limits but ended in the unincorporated area of Willowbrook.

“Based on preliminary information, it appears the victims were traveling in a vehicle in the city of Compton at the time of the incident,” said Tracy Koerner with the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

Deputies responded to a call of a person down at about 5 p.m. and found the man near the south entrance to the MLK Community Hospital with a gunshot wound to the upper body. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A second victim was located and taken to a hospital for treatment.

The third shooting occurred about 11:20 p.m. in the 1000 block of West 134th Place. Deputies responded to the scene to find a dead male victim.

No identities of the three victims were released.

Emilie St. John is a freelance journalist covering the areas of Carson, Compton, Inglewood and Willowbrook. Send tips to her at emiliesaintjohn@gmail.com.