9 to vie for city council seats in Lynwood

LYNWOOD - Seven candidates will challenge two incumbents for spots on the Lynwood City Council, officials have announced.The filing nomination period officially ended Aug. 9 but because one of the incumbents did not file nomination papers for his re-election, the filing period was extended five days, city officials said. Up for re-election this year are council members Maria Santillan-Beas and Jim Morton, who have filed as the only two incumbents vying to keep their seats on the City Council. Mayor Pro Tem Ramon Rodriguez announced earlier this year that he would not seek re-election. Incumbents Santillan-Beas and Morton will face seven other candidates in the race for three seats up for grabs. They include Domitila Aguilar, Terri Armstrong, Lynder Joyce Briggs-Hancock, Edwin Hernandez, Arthur Martinez Jr., Iris Pygatt and Jose Solache. Hernandez is Lynwood's current treasurer and Solache is a member of the Lynwood Unified School District's governing board. If either is elected to a seat on the City Council in November, it will be up to the council and school board to decide whether or not to hold a special election to fill those seats, or to simply appoint a replacement until the seat's terms are up. In the race for Lynwood school board, there are six certified candidates, including incumbent school board member Alfonso Morales. He is being challenged by Linda George, Edwin Jacinto, Alma-Delia Renteria, Alejandra Becerra and Arturo Ramos. Longtime school board member Rachel Chavez decided not to seek re-election.

********** Published: Aug. 22, 2013 - Volume 12 - Issue 19