The Region : Watts Festival Delayed; County Blamed

The Watts Summer Festival--originally scheduled to begin today and continue through the weekend--has been postponed, and a festival organizer blamed county officials. “Once again, the county of L.A. has thrown a monkey wrench into plans for the Watts Summer Festival,” said a spokesman for festival organizer Truman Jacques. County supervisors requested a postponement until after Sept. 1. James Cleaver, speaking for Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, said the postponement was necessary because festival organizers have not yet been able to get the required $1 million in liability insurance, and because the firm that was to have run a carnival during the festival has had difficulty proving ownership of its equipment.