Jim Hill

$70M Magic Johnson Park Renovation Breaks Ground

(left to right) Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Supervisor Ridley-Thomas, and CBS’ Jim Hill at Magic Johnson Park Renovation Groundbreaking. Photo by Martin Zamora / Board of Supervisors Surrounded by hundreds of cheering South Los Angeles residents, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and Earvin “Magic” Johnson kicked off a $70-million renovation of the park bearing the basketball legend’s name in the community of Willowbrook. The project represents the largest investment in a park improvement ever by the County of Los Angeles, and is the first phase of a master plan that is slated to dramatically transform Magic Johnson Park over the next two decades.

McCoy Memorial Honors Pastor and Blacks Leaders

With a stellar cast of recipients, McCoy Memorial Baptist Church conducted its own version of the Oscars on February 28. The southeast Los Angeles church recognized Pastor R.A. Williams, recording artist Jeffrey Osborn, CBS broadcaster Jim Hill, Councilmember Curren Price, LAUSD Superintendent Michelle King, Congresswoman Maxine Waters and the family-owned Woody’s Bar-B-Que as “Outstanding African Americans Giving Back to the Community.”  The program highlights included Osborn singing a melody of songs.  “Hey church, we can’t woo, woo, woo now, but some of these old songs work in praising the Lord, too,” he said. Hill, a 30-year sports journalist, expressed his