Compton is planning its next generation of growth through a sweeping General Plan update meant to renew its standing as the Hub City.

Transit-oriented plans around the Artesia and Compton A Line stations envision walkable neighborhoods, with room for roughly 4,800 homes near Artesia alone.

A Charter Committee is reviewing how the city governs itself, while the council approves road, water and utility upgrades.

Residents say today's streets still need attention, and they want longtime families to share in what comes next.

The choices made in upcoming public hearings will shape Compton for decades.

Compton's tech culture is taking off at Compton/Woodley Airport, where aviation programs have turned the runway into a living classroom for young people.

Students earn flight time through good grades, and alumni have become pilots, mechanics and engineers.

The new Compton High School was built for technology, and Compton College has made artificial intelligence a strategic priority through 2028.

Gaps in home internet, devices and paid internships remain.

Still, a homegrown pipeline of innovators is already in training.

Compton High School's Class of 2026 became the first to graduate from its new campus, with about 90 percent earning college acceptances.

More than 1,230 seniors graduated across the district, and a new $270 million Centennial High School broke ground in May.

Voters approved Measure CPT, a $360 million school bond, in June.

Compton College is focused on helping students finish faster while closing equity gaps.

Test scores still trail state averages, and the next chapter is turning new buildings into stronger classroom results.

The Makers Hub hosts free community repair clinics where volunteer coaches teach residents to fix clothing, appliances, furniture and electronics themselves.

The clinics save families money, keep usable items out of landfills and build confidence along the way.

For some participants, a repair restores a cherished memory as much as a working object.

The next free clinic is Sunday, October 18, from noon to 3 p.m. at 2125 West Compton Boulevard.

Before the White House, the Bush family lived in Compton for about six months in 1949 and 1950.

A young George H.W. Bush, then a recent Yale graduate, was selling oil-drilling equipment for a Dresser Industries subsidiary.

With him were Barbara Bush and their three-year-old son, George W. Bush.

On Dec. 20, 1949, Barbara gave birth to daughter Robin in Compton.

Robin died of leukemia in 1953.

The Compton of that era was shaped by restrictive housing covenants that kept Black families out, a sharp contrast to the diverse city known worldwide today.

Family members later listed Compton among the couple's many early homes, alongside Ventura, Bakersfield and Midland.

Two future presidents and a future first lady once lived here, and one member of the family was born here.

Lonzo Williams, president of the Compton Entertainment Chamber of Commerce, is urging Compton to treat the 2028 Olympics as an emergency-level opportunity.

After meeting with Carson officials and Olympic committee member Renee Bowen, he says neighboring cities are already well into planning.

Compton cannot afford to keep talking.

His plan builds on the city's hip-hop history, sports legacy and car and bike culture, anchored by a Compton Hall of Fame and Walk of Fame.

He also wants to revive Eazy Street, 1984 Olympic Park and the César Chávez and Martin Luther King monument area.

He is calling for a working plan within 30 days, with budgets, deadlines and clear leaders.

Affordable events could draw visitors into Compton, and every improvement should leave lasting benefits for residents.

Mail ballots for the Nov. 3 general election are already arriving in Compton, and voters are being urged not to sit this one out.

Local races can be decided by a handful of votes, and most state and local seats go to whoever earns the most.

There is no perfect candidate, so voters should choose who best represents their family and neighborhood, not just one hot-button issue.

Rent, utilities, public safety, jobs and schools are on the line.

Generations fought for the right to vote, and fights over ballot access prove votes carry power.

Key dates: Oct. 19 is the last day to register online, with same-day registration still available.

Los Angeles County vote centers open Oct. 24.

On Election Day, polls run 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and mailed ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3.

Jeanette Grant is drawing community support for teacher of the year after a career spent in Compton Unified School District classrooms.

She has taught at King Elementary, Vanguard, Dominguez High School and Centennial High School.

Inspired by a Long Beach Poly sign that called students scholars and champions, she set out to be both.

Her early students at King Elementary often faced foster care, incarcerated parents and instability at home.

Grant offered them encouragement, structure and hope alongside math and English.

When those students moved up, she followed them into high school so she could keep mentoring them toward adulthood.

Today she is known as a problem solver, advocate and trusted resource for Compton families.

Supporters say she understands both the classroom and the community, and that her commitment deserves the city's recognition.

Compton’s street repair plan is moving from long-range strategy to construction on major routes and neighborhood roads.

Adopted by the City Council in September 2024, the plan aims to improve travel and extend pavement life.

Under Phase 2C, crews began paving both sides of Alameda Street in August 2026, from the northern city limit to the area near Gateway Towne Center.

Work began in September on Walnut Street, Walnut Parkway and Walnut Park Drive.

Phase 2C is scheduled to run through December, with new street-name and regulatory signs planned for its final stage.

Approved in September 2026, Phase 2D is set to run from November 2026 through May 2027, covering pavement, sidewalks, curbs, ramps and other street features.

Another project, Phase X, is slated to begin in March 2027 across 40 street segments citywide.

For residents, the measure will be whether the coordinated repairs make everyday trips smoother and safer.

Kendrick Lamar grew up in Compton surrounded by family and ambition, but he also learned early that violence could arrive without warning.

He has spoken about witnessing violence as a child and carrying those memories into adulthood.

Writing gave him a way to confront what he had seen without letting it define his future.

On good kid, m.A.A.d city, Lamar turned the pressures of staying safe, fitting in and finding a way forward into a story rooted in Compton.

Later albums explored fame, family, faith and the weight of others’ expectations.

Throughout his music, Compton remains more than a symbol of hardship: it is a community he portrays with affection as well as honesty.

His success does not erase old wounds, but his work shows how examining them can open a path toward healing.