CITY HALL ROUNDUP : X-rated news racks hit a dead end at school ‘safe path’ in Hermosa Beach.

SMUT SWEEPER: Dozens of Hermosa Beach parents will be relieved to note that those X-rated news racks that lined the crosswalk near Hermosa Valley School, the city’s public elementary school, have already been excised.

The parents had been complaining about the news racks for weeks, but city officials were afraid freedom of speech provisions prohibited them from removing them.

At a City Council meeting last week, Hermosa Beach City School District trustee Cathy McCurty said the news racks were smack in the middle of the the city-designated “safe path” children take to school. “I just think, I don’t know, maybe it will cause them to be late,” McCurty later blushed.

But just when Councilman Sam Edgerton was poised to propose a ban on sidewalk smut, police officials informed him that they already had impounded the offending racks.

“I don’t know why they were there for so long,” said Edgerton, a father of three. “But I’m glad it took care of itself.”

COO WORLD: It wasn’t a coo thing to do. A neighbor of pigeon breeder Salvadore Gascon informed the city of Carson that Gascon had 14 of the racing birds at his home--well over the city’s limit of three racing pigeons per household. Gascon thought his flock might have to flee.

But planning commissioners relented after a parade of other neighbors told them last week that Gascon should be allowed to keep the birds. . The commission directed its staff members to draw up an ordinance that increases the number of allowable racing pigeons at a residence from three to 46. It could be voted on next month.

“They’re not like your common everyday park pigeons,” said Senior Planner Sheri Repp. “The chances for problems with these kind are minimal.”

WARNING SIGNS: Social activists in Inglewood are taking the direct approach in battling the spread of AIDS. This week, officials announced that they will begin distributing condoms to prostitutes and asked motel owners to post signs urging hookers and their clients to proceed with caution.

Saying that they were going to target the “epicenter,” Bobby Glandon-Smith, marketing director of a black business group, said activists would begin passing out condoms around 78th and Figueroa streets in Inglewood, an area reportedly frequented by prostitutes.

Glandon-Smith said they would enlist support from business leaders to promote programs designed to help stop the rapid spread of AIDS. He said that if the motel signs--which advise people that engaging in certain sex acts without a condom can lead to the spread of the disease--are successful, they will push for a state law requiring all motels to post similar warnings.

WAIST-HIGH, KNEE-DEEP: Three waist-high brick columns could cost Rolling Hills Estates realtor Betty Poe six months in jail and a $500 fine.

Poe is scheduled to stand trial next week on charges that she refused to remove decorative columns in front of her house in violation of a city law that prohibits homeowners from erecting pillars more than 2 feet high.

City officials say the ordinance is designed to maintain the rural, open appearance of the community. But Poe notes that there are hundreds of decorative pillars around the city and claims she has been singled out for prosecution because she is an outspoken critic of City Hall.

Although she has collected more than 600 signatures from residents who want to overturn the the 1974 ordinance, city officials said they are looking to revise the statute. Both Poe’s initiative and a revised city ordinance could appear on November’s ballot.

“Frankly, both sides sound silly,” Poe’s attorney James Link said about the dispute. “But the fact of the matter is there’s some principle at stake here.”

LAST WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Torrance: The City Council pruned a benefit that allowed top managers to cash out thousands of dollars annually in unused leave time. The program last year added nearly $500,000 to the paychecks of city managers.

Lawndale: The City Council unanimously voted Thursday night to approve an amended general plan that eliminated the city’s right of eminent domain--its right to acquire private property for development. The amended plan also changed a previous proposal to create a downtown urban village of condominiums, retail shops, entertainment establishments and restaurants to a downtown commercial zone free of residences. The amended general plan will be placed on the November ballot.

THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Inglewood: The city is sponsoring a day of Disneyland, a tour of black-owned businesses and a viewing of the movie “Batman” for a group of 10 Korean teen-agers. The youngsters are from Kyongju, which is Inglewood’s sister city in Korea. Next year, 10 Inglewood teen-agers will travel to Korea.

OTHER MEETINGS THIS WEEK

Avalon: 7 p.m. Tuesday, 209 Metropole. (310) 510-0220. Televised live on Channel 3 (Catalina Cable) and repeated Saturday morning.

Carson: 6 p.m. Tuesday, 701 E. Carson St. (310) 830-7600. Televised at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday on Channel 26 (Continental Cablevision) and repeated the following Wednesday.

El Segundo: 7 p.m. Tuesday, 350 Main St. (310) 322-4670. Televised live on Channel 22 (Paragon) and repeated at noon Wednesday.

Inglewood: 7 p.m. Tuesday, 1 Manchester Blvd. (310) 412-5280. No cable telecast.

Lawndale: 7 p.m. Thursday, 14717 Burin Ave. (310) 973-4321. Televised live on Channel 60 and repeated several times during the week.

Lomita: 7 p.m. Monday, 24300 Narbonne Ave. (310) 325-7110. No cable telecasts.

Los Angeles: 10 a.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 200 N. Spring St., Los Angeles. In San Pedro, (310) 548-7637; in Wilmington, (310) 548-7586; in Harbor City/Harbor Gateway, (310) 548-7664; in Westchester, (310) 641-4717. Televised live on Channel 35; meetings repeated individually at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and collectively on Sunday starting at 10 a.m.

Manhattan Beach: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, 1400 Highland Ave. (310) 545-5621. Televised on Channel 3 (MultiVision) at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Rancho Palos Verdes: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Hesse Park, 29201 Hawthorne Blvd. (310) 377-0360. Televised live on Channel 3; repeated at 7:30 p.m. the following Thursday.

Redondo Beach: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, 415 Diamond St. (310) 372-1171. Televised live on Channel 8 (Century); repeated at 3 p.m. Wednesday and 6 p.m. Sunday.

Torrance: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, 3031 Torrance Blvd. (310) 618-5880. Televised live on Channel 22 (Paragon), and replayed at 10 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, and at 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.