SAN FERNANDO VALLEY : Hall Captures Black Leader’s Backing

Los Angeles City Council candidate Lyle Hall captured an endorsement Thursday from LeRoy Chase, a prominent black community figure who may boost Hall’s stock among African-American voters in his June 8 runoff battle against Richard Alarcon in the northeast San Fernando Valley.

Chase, longtime head of the Pacoima-based Boys & Girls Club of San Fernando Valley, placed third behind Hall and Alarcon in an April primary election. Chase was strongly supported by blacks, and his blessing could give Hall a boost among black voters, who make up about 20% of registered voters in the 7th Council District.

In a brief statement released by Hall’s campaign, Chase said he was backing Hall because he believes Hall, a city fire captain, “is the best candidate to bring together our diverse community and to make things happen.”

“As a firefighter, Lyle has been involved in the community for a long time and knows firsthand the issues that the residents are concerned about,” Chase said.

Chase pledged to “actively campaign” for Hall in the 7th District, which stretches from Van Nuys to Sylmar. Incumbent Ernani Bernardi, 81, is leaving after a losing bid for mayor of Los Angeles this spring.

Alarcon’s press spokesman, Leo Briones, shrugged off the Chase endorsement, saying Alarcon is backed by black ministers and other grass-roots activists in the district.

“The Minister’s Alliance has endorsed Richard,” he said. “That’s the churches in the community. That’s the people who live and breathe in the district.

“We’re not surprised that people who are politically involved are going over to Hall. . . . We have grass-roots support from the African-American community. To us, that’s important.”