Compton Chamber of Commerce

09/04/2026

Things are moving forward nicely at the Compton College.

Compton College is in week 88 of construction of the college’s new 280-bed student housing facility, which has an $80.3 million budget fully funded by the state of California.

When completed in late summer 2027, Compton College will be the first California Community College in Los Angeles County to have student housing! We are so proud of this significant milestone!

Photo courtesy of Bernards

09/03/2026

The new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, opening September 22 in South Los Angeles, represents far more than George Lucas’s celebrated filmmaking career. The museum was co-founded by Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson, a prominent Black business leader, philanthropist, and co-CEO of Ariel Investments.

Hobson also serves as co-chair of the museum’s board and has helped shape its commitment to accessibility, education, and community engagement. Located in Exposition Park, the 300,000-square-foot museum will showcase visual storytelling ranging from paintings, illustrations, and comic art to photography and Star Wars artifacts.

For Black and other historically underrepresented communities, Hobson’s leadership carries special significance. Raised by a single mother in Chicago and the first in her family to graduate from college, she rose to the highest levels of American business and philanthropy. Her role in founding a major cultural institution demonstrates that minority leaders can do more than participate in established institutions—they can help create, finance, and direct institutions that will influence how future generations understand art, culture, and storytelling.

The museum’s South Los Angeles location further strengthens that meaning by placing a major cultural destination near communities that historically have not enjoyed equal access to institutions of this scale. Hobson’s journey and leadership make her a powerful role model for young people: an example of how education, perseverance, financial knowledge, and community commitment can lead to lasting cultural impact.

Source: Reuters—A galaxy of storytelling comes to life at George Lucas’ new museum

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/galaxy-storytelling-comes-life-george-lucas-new-museum-2026-09-02/

09/03/2026

🚆🌊 DO SOMETHING AFFORDABLE AND FUN ON LABOR DAY-MONDAY SEPT. 7 --- TAKE A $10 LABOR DAY TRAIN TRIP TO SAN CLEMENTE!

Compton families looking for an affordable Labor Day adventure can ride Metrolink from the Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs Station directly to San Clemente Pier on Monday, September 7, 2026.

Metrolink will operate its weekend schedule and offer a special $10 SoCal Day Pass, providing unlimited Metrolink travel throughout the day.

MORNING DEPARTURE

📍 Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs Metrolink Station
12650 Imperial Highway
Norwalk, CA 90650

Families should leave Compton a little before 8:00 a.m. and arrive by approximately 8:30 a.m. to allow time to park, purchase tickets, find the correct platform and prepare for boarding.

🚆 Train 1660 departs: 9:03 a.m.
🌊 Arrives at San Clemente Pier: 10:20 a.m.

The train ride takes approximately one hour and 17 minutes and delivers passengers directly to the beachfront beside San Clemente Pier.

SUGGESTED FAMILY ITINERARY

10:20–11:00 a.m. — Explore San Clemente Pier

Walk along the historic wooden pier, watch surfers and fishing activity, enjoy the Pacific Ocean views and take family photographs.

11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. — Coastal walk

Explore a comfortable portion of the San Clemente Beach Trail near the pier. Families do not need to walk the complete 2.3-mile trail. The walk can be shortened or skipped if it starts drizzling rain.

12:00–1:00 p.m. — Family lunch

Enjoy lunch at a restaurant or café near the pier or in downtown San Clemente. Families seeking to minimize expenses may also bring food, although outdoor dining could be less comfortable if it rains.

Restaurant availability and Labor Day hours will vary.

1:00–1:30 p.m. — Board the free San Clemente Trolley

The City of San Clemente’s trolley will operate from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Labor Day. The trolley is free and normally arrives every 15 to 25 minutes.

1:30–3:00 p.m. — Explore downtown San Clemente

Ride to Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente’s principal downtown shopping and dining street. Families can browse local stores, visit cafés and dessert shops, enjoy the Spanish-style downtown atmosphere or stop for coffee, pastries or ice cream.

Individual businesses establish their own holiday hours, so not every shop or restaurant can be guaranteed to be open.

3:00–4:00 p.m. — Optional trolley excursion

Families can continue aboard the free trolley to North Beach or the Outlets at San Clemente.

The Outlets may offer a more comfortable alternative during light drizzle because families can combine shopping, food and covered storefront areas. However, it is an outdoor shopping center—not a completely enclosed indoor mall.

4:00–4:30 p.m. — Begin returning to the pier

Families should begin traveling back toward the pier by approximately 4:00 p.m. This allows time for trolley delays, holiday traffic and the walk back to the station.

4:30–5:20 p.m. — Final stop near the pier

Enjoy a final snack, take additional photographs, use nearby restroom facilities and confirm the return train’s platform.

Families should be waiting at the platform by approximately 5:20 p.m.

RETURN TO NORWALK

🚆 Train 1667 departs San Clemente Pier: 5:47 p.m.
📍 Arrives at Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs: 7:08 p.m.

⚠️ IMPORTANT: The 5:47 p.m. train is the last scheduled train from San Clemente Pier that returns to Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs.

A later train leaves the pier at 6:50 p.m., but it does not stop in Norwalk. Families returning to vehicles parked at the Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs Station must not miss the 5:47 p.m. departure.

The scheduled stay in San Clemente is seven hours and 27 minutes, providing approximately six hours of practical time for sightseeing, meals and trolley travel after allowing adequate time to return to the platform.

TRANSPORTATION COSTS

🎟️ Metrolink Holiday SoCal Day Pass: $10 per adult passenger
🚗 Station parking: Budget approximately $5 per vehicle
🚋 San Clemente Trolley: Free
🍽️ Meals and shopping: Based on each family’s choices

The Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs station lists a parking permit requirement and a charge of $5 each weekday. Because the published information does not specifically explain whether that charge is waived on Labor Day, families should budget $5 and follow the instructions posted at the parking kiosk.

Metrolink allows up to three children age 5 or younger to ride free with an adult holding a valid ticket. Its broader free-ride promotion for children through age 17 is advertised for Saturdays and Sundays. Because Labor Day falls on Monday, families should not assume that older children will ride free and should verify their fares before traveling.

Estimated transportation totals:

• One passenger and one vehicle: approximately $15
• Two passengers and one vehicle: approximately $25
• Family of four requiring four passes: approximately $45

Food and personal purchases are additional.

IMPORTANT WEATHER REMINDER

Families should check San Clemente’s weather conditions one day ahead—on Sunday, September 6—before deciding whether to go.

Cloudy skies or occasional light drizzle may still permit families to enjoy the train ride, pier, trolley, downtown shops and restaurants. Steady rain, strong winds, thunderstorms, flooding, hazardous surf or other coastal warnings could make the trip unsuitable.

Families should also check Metrolink’s service alerts and Train Tracker before leaving home on Labor Day. Train times and track assignments can change because of operating conditions.

🔗 Metrolink holiday information:
https://metrolinktrains.com/ticketsOverview/discounts/current-promotions/holidaytickets/

🔗 Metrolink schedules and service alerts:
https://metrolinktrains.com/

🔗 San Clemente trolley information:
https://www.sanclemente.gov/198/San-Clemente-Trolley

09/03/2026

🚨 AI-POWERED FLOCK CAMERAS: PUBLIC SAFETY OR MASS SURVEILLANCE?

More than 120,000 Flock cameras reportedly operate across 49 states, creating billions of vehicle records every month. These cameras do far more than read license plates—they can identify a vehicle’s make, model, color, distinguishing features, location, and time, producing searchable records of where vehicles have traveled.

The technology can help recover stolen vehicles, locate vehicles associated with missing people, and support criminal investigations. But a nationwide AI-powered surveillance network has rapidly emerged without comprehensive public debate, federal authorization, or uniform legal safeguards.

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley has now opened a congressional investigation into who can access the data, how long it is retained, how it is shared, and what protections exist against inaccurate alerts and misuse.

Read our full article to understand how the technology works, what it records, and why communities should demand transparency and accountability before these cameras become permanent national infrastructure.

Public safety and civil liberties must both be protected.

AI-powered Flock cameras do more than read license plates: they record vehicle make, model, color, distinguishing features, location and time, creating searchable travel records. More than 120,000 cameras reportedly operate across 49 states. Senator Josh Hawley has opened an investigation into data....

09/02/2026

🚨 STREET TAKEOVERS ARE ESCALATING ACROSS OUR NEIHBORING COMMUNITIES

What begins as reckless driving is increasingly leading to burglaries, looting and serious losses for neighborhood businesses. Recent overnight takeovers were reported in South Los Angeles, Gramercy Park and Downey, while businesses in East Los Angeles have also been repeatedly targeted.

When stores are ransacked, residents lose services, employees lose work and businesses may reconsider operating in communities already lacking investment. This growing regional problem requires coordinated law-enforcement action, rapid response and stronger cooperation with affected communities.

Read the Patch article.

Several people fled the scene, but officers were able to take one person into custody, police said.

09/02/2026

🧡 SEPTEMBER IS HUNGER ACTION MONTH

One person, one gathering and one good idea can make a meaningful difference. Jessica O’Donnell turned a casual backyard party and workplace donation match into $1,750 to help Los Angeles County neighbors facing hunger.

Read how her “Party with a Purpose” demonstrates the power of bringing friends, families and coworkers together for a worthy cause. The link also provides more stories from the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank about local food assistance, community support and the ongoing effort to fight hunger throughout the county.

Read the full story and explore more Food Bank news.

This Hunger Action Month, meet Jessica O'Donnell, a fundraiser who turned a backyard party into $1,750 for neighbors facing hunger.

09/02/2026

⛈️ COMPTON RESIDENTS: PREPARE FOR UPCOMING STORMS AND A POTENTIALLY WET WINTER

The National Weather Service currently reports a moderate chance of light rain Sunday through Tuesday and a lower—but potentially serious—chance of heavy rain, thunderstorms and localized flooding. Large waves, strong rip currents and some coastal flooding are also possible elsewhere in Los Angeles County.

Beyond the coming days, County officials are preparing for a potentially powerful 2026–27 El Niño storm season. A strong El Niño does not guarantee a disastrous winter, but it can increase Southern California’s likelihood of above-average rainfall, urban flooding, landslides and debris flows—particularly from December through March.

County crews are inspecting dams, drainage channels, debris basins, storm drains and pump stations while preparing for possible evacuations, emergency shelters and assistance for vulnerable residents.

RESIDENTS SHOULD:
*** Sign up for emergency alerts and monitor official forecasts.
*** Clear gutters, downspouts and nearby storm drains.
*** Repair roof leaks and obtain sandbags before heavy rain begins.
*** Prepare food, water, medications and other essentials for up to 10 days.
*** Know the flooding and mudflow risks around their homes.
*** Develop a family evacuation and communication plan.
*** Never walk or drive through flooded roads.
*** Stay away from downed power lines and move to higher ground if water, mud or debris begins rising.
*** Review flood-insurance options early because standard homeowners insurance generally does not cover flooding, and a separate policy may take at least 30 days to become effective.

Residents concerned about mud or debris-flow risks may call Los Angeles County Public Works at 800-933-0930 to speak with an engineer.

For updated regional conditions, follow the National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard Forecast Office. https://www.weather.gov/lox/
For Compton-specific conditions, review the National Weather Service seven-day Compton forecast.

Preparation—not panic—is the appropriate response. Forecasts will continue to change, but taking reasonable precautions now can help protect your family and property throughout the coming storm season.

For conditions specifically in Compton, use the National Weather Service seven-day Compton forecast

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Compton&state=CA&site=LOX&textField1=33.8958&textField2=-118.219&e=0

09/02/2026

FORMER COMPTON GANG LEADER CONVICTED IN TUPAC SHAKUR MURDER

Nearly 30 years after Tupac Shakur was fatally shot in Las Vegas, a jury found Duane “Keffe D” Davis guilty of first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon.

The case has a direct Compton connection. Davis grew up in Compton and became a prominent leader of the South Side Compton Crips. Prosecutors argued that he orchestrated the September 1996 drive-by shooting in retaliation for an earlier confrontation involving his nephew, Orlando Anderson, and Shakur’s entourage.

The case remained unresolved for decades because investigators lacked sufficient physical evidence, witnesses were reluctant to cooperate, accounts changed over time, and the other three men alleged to have been inside the vehicle later died. The investigation gained new momentum after Davis repeatedly discussed the shooting publicly and described his involvement in interviews and his 2019 memoir, Compton Street Legend. Those statements became central to the prosecution’s case.

Although Davis was not accused of firing the fatal shots, prosecutors said he supplied the weapon and helped organize the attack. The jury reached its verdict after less than three hours of deliberation. Davis, 63, could face life in prison.

The verdict marks the first conviction in a case that has remained part of hip-hop history and the public consciousness for three decades. With sentencing still ahead and an appeal expected, a long and painful chapter involving Compton is now nearing its conclusion.

Read the KTLA report:

Closing arguments are complete, and the jury that will decide whether Duane Davis is guilty of orchestrating Tupac Shakur’s murder has begun deliberations.

09/02/2026

🧠 A PAID HEAD START IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FOR COMPTON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

More than 400 Los Angeles County high school students participated in the 2026 Youth Mental Health Academy, including students supported through Compton Unified School District.

This five-week, publicly funded program offered hands-on research experience, professional mentorship, college and career preparation, and stipends of up to $1,750—at no cost to participating families.

The Chamber’s full article explains program details, and employment outlook for behavioral-health careers.

The funding supporting this program ended with the 2026 academy, and no funding has been allocated for 2027 or beyond. Interested families should follow the program organizers for announcements about any future opportunities.

👉 Read the full article: