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CALTRANS REROUTED TRAFFIC WITHOUT INFORMING CERRITOS, ILLEGAL MOVE WILL COST Campaign THE CITY OVER $5 Filings MILLIONReveal Exclusive: Finance ta or Artesia is a city designated flows onto arterial streets.” BY BRIAN HEWS The City is claiming that the during the construction period. Coordinated Political Operation Behind Cerritos The City then cited the nurerouting has caused over $5 “Caltrans has failed to coor- truck route, commercial vehicles Hews Media Group-Los Cer- million in damage to the streets, dinate thus far, and any further over 6,000 pounds are strictly merous safety hazards caused by and Water-Rate Repeal Efforts on the streets, per the rerouting of traffic, concerns ritos Community News has ob- increased pollution in the area, lack of communication or con- prohibited Recall tained a letter, dated September 6, 2019, addressed to Caltrans from the city of Cerritos that blasts the state agency for rerouting tractor-trailer traffic through the City due to I-5 construction projects. Shockingly, the rerouting was done without notifying the City.
increased traffic noise, and increased the safety risk of residents. Further the letter states that Caltrans is in violation of the project’s final Environmental Impact Report which obligates the agency to coordinate with cities to minimize adverse impacts
sultation with the City and its residents is unacceptable.” The City blasted Caltrans for establishing a detour route on southbound Carmenita between the I-5 and Artesia Blvd., and eastbound Artesia Blvd. between Carmenita and the I-5. “Neither stretch of Carmeni-
that have been voiced by CerriCity Municipal Code.” unpaid obligations. tos residents in$25,000 calls andinemails The Caltrans rerouting of Campaign finance filings The committee also contribtrucks has caused severe dam- to both HMG-LCCN and the reveal more than $26,000 uted $2,000 each to two separate age and increased traffic at peak City. nearly $50,000 spent hours, the raised, extensive damage The rerouting on Carmenita political committees—one formed with two Cerritos alone is estimated “to cost $5.2donors takes large trucks two schools, to by repeal the city’s water and sewer givingand $5,000 each. Stowers Elementary million to repair,” the “averand Carmerate increases and another supportage daily traffic on said streets nita Middle school in recall addition ing the of Mayor Lynda P. has significantly increased and Johnson and Councilman Frank
By Brian Hews
A review of Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) filings by Los Cerritos Community News has found that what had
See Aurelio CALTRANSYokoyama. page 14
Although California campaign finance law permits separate committees for different political purposes, the filings reveal extensive
ARTESIA HIGH STAFF-MEMBER RECEIVES AWARD OF VALOR FROM LAKEWOOD BY THOM MARTIN
action, jumping out of her car grabbing the boy and helping the woman. She took them to Artesia High School, where they received medand women of the Los Angeles ical assistance and were ultimateCounty Sheriff’s Department and ly transported to the hospital. Fire Department, as well as the Because of her selfless accommunity volunteers who pro- tions, the City of Lakewood retect and serve Lakewood. cently awarded Bridget with the Bridget Perrizo, a staff mem- Mayor’s Award at the city’s anber at Artesia High was honored nual Awards of Valor ceremony. when she helped two people that "I always wondered what I was being attacked by a dog. would do when faced with a situBridget, was headed back to ation like this one," said Perrizo. work from lunch when she spot- "By the grace of God, I had the ted a dog attacking a woman and courage to take action. I'm so young boy. The dog had knocked glad that both the mom and son them to the ground and they were are okay, and I'm so honored to been presented as separate grass- overlap among the organizations. screaming for help. receive this award.”Both the Repeal Cerritos Water campaignstook to recall CerriBridget roots immediately & Sewer Rate Hikes committee
ARTESIA MAYOR Rene Trevino, members of the City Council, L.A. County Sheriff’s deputies, firefighters The City of Lakewood held and other first responders joined residents during Tuesday night’s National Night Out celebration. The annual its annual Award of Valor lunevent strengthens partnerships between law enforcement and the community while promoting neighborhood cheon on Nov. 6 to thank the men safety, crime prevention and stronger relationships through education, outreach and family-friendly activities.
Fire-Preventing Goats: California’s Four-Legged Firefighters Are Hard at Work Everywhere
Artesia Celebrates National Night Out With Community, Public Safety Partnerships
Annual event brings residents, deputies and city leaders together to TRASH piles up at a condominium complex in Hawaiian Gardens. The Citystrengthen chose Wastecommunity Resources Incorporated as their new hauler, who said they would immediately begin trash pick up. Photo Brian Hews. partnerships.
See HERO page 15 tos Mayor Lynda P. Johnson and and the Recall Cerritos Council Councilman Frank Yokoyama and Members Johnson and Yokoyaoverturn the city’s controversial ma committee list Carla Gilhuys By Brian Hews water and sewer rate increases is as principal officer and Theresa part of a well-coordinated politi“Terry” Pedace as treasurer. The cal operation involving interconFamilies from across Artesia committees also share the same CLEARING: A herd of goats grazes a hillside near the intersection BY BRIAN HEWS “Poor leadership, no foresight included several default letters, nected committees, shared leadTuesdayPublic evening for the of Cannon Street and Serrano Avenue Orange as part of athis targeted which, gathered under California’s on theinsituation, typical ership, common vendors, tens of committee email address, operate annual National While rotting trash is accumuCity Council,” Hawaiian Code Section 49000,Night Out, thousands of dollars in campaign from the same Cerritos mailing advegetation management program. The animalsformer naturally clear Resource dry city’s anclock event to strengthen lating in many parts of Hawaiian starts the on designed termination. Mayor Rey Rodriguez brush, grasses and weeds, helpingGardens reduce wildfire fuel while providing spending, a former Cerritos Mayor dress, and utilize many of the same relationships between residents, Gardens, Mayor Myra Maravilla told HMG-LCCN. City staff even went the extra an environmentally friendly alternative to heavy equipment and and Councilman, and legal repre- campaign vendors. Both commitand the City Council finally conThe staff report included in step andlaw attempted to workand with enforcement community herbicides. Photo by Brian Hews. sentation by a former chairman of tees also received identical $2,000 ducted a hearing, waiting an en- last week’s meeting presented CWS toorganizations cure the breaches whileandpromoting the Fair Political Practices Com- contributions from Concerned Cittire week, and allowing the trash clear evidence that CWS was in defaultsneighborhood starting in March of this safety. izens of Cerritos, according to the mission. to accumulate even more, to once violation of its contract with the year, each of which gave CWS Held from 5 to 8 p.m., the tional leader in using targeted At the center is Concerned FPPC filings. The reports further again discuss terminating CWS’ City, but Mayor Maravilla and the steps to resolve the defaults. family-friendly event featured California’s four-legged goat grazing to reduce wildfire contract. Council were apparently afraid to In addition to the default noCitizens of Cerritos, a political show both committees received Los Countyto Sheriff’s committee that functioned as the in-kind copying support from forfirefighters quietly Under the Ralph clear M. Brown pullrisk. From Orange to the the termination trigger, County leav- tices, CityAngeles also attempted vehicles, a primary fundraising organization mer Cerritos Mayor Grace Hu and Act, Maravilla and the City Coun- ing the arrangeDepartment meetings withdisplay CWS but residents by Napa stinkyValley, dangerous brush, helping Sierra driving foothills, sheriff’s helicopter, cil couldwildfires have sentwithout out a notice piles trash Bay for the foreseeable CWS did not attend most meet-local ven- for the related political efforts. made payments to Mars Printing prevent theof East hills, Los Angeles and held a bulldozers meeting within ings. dors, live entertainment and HIGH ARTESIA staff-member the Awardmaterials. of or campaign The filings County and San Diego County, chainsaws, or two future. Campaign finance Bridget reportsPerrizo showreceived days to address the situation. The voluminous staff report Valor from Lakewood for saving two in a dog attack.also identify the campaign’s prinfree barbecue for residents who public agencies, utilities, parks chemical herbicides. the committee raised $26,644 See TRASH page 15 and private property owners in- signed up for the city’s electron- during the reporting period, spent creasingly rely on goats to clear ic newsletter or Flash Vote com- $49,372, and reported nearly See RECALL, Page 6 By Brian Hews dry grasses, weeds and dense munity survey. National Night Out is a naDriving near the intersec- brush before they become dantionwide community-building gerous fuel during fire season. tion of Cannon Street and SerraThe concept is simple. Rather campaign that encourages partno Avenue in Orange recently, I than sending crews with chain- nerships between law enforcecouldn’t help but smile. saws, bulldozers or herbicides ment and the communities they There, on a steep hillside, into steep or environmentally serve. The annual event gives was a familiar sight I hadn’t seen ported on its expansion to more sensitive areas, trained grazing residents an opportunity to meet By Brian Hews in several years—a large herd than $225,000 and questioned of goats methodically chewing companies release carefully man- deputies, learn about public safethe District’s growing reliance their way through thick brush. It aged herds to eat virtually ev- ty resources and build stronger on a no-bid consultant. After more than two years was the same location where I’d erything in their path. The goats neighborhood connections. Rather than approving anand $611,125 in payments to a Children and families had the photographed them years ago for excel on rugged hillsides and can other $169,000 increase, the consultant originally hired under Los Cerritos Community News, safely reach places where heavy opportunity to explore emergena $21,125 no-bid contract, the Board voted to let the MV and watching them work was ev- equipment is difficult—or impos- cy vehicles, visit with deputies Cheng & Associates agreement and representatives from com- Central Basin Municipal Water ery bit as entertaining the second sible—to operate. expire and directed staff to move District Board of Directors on The animals are kept within munity organizations, and enjoy time around. forward with recruiting a permaMonday rejected a proposed While they may look like an designated grazing areas using an evening of music and activinent Finance Director. The profourth contract amendment, endunusual landscaping crew, the temporary electric fencing and ties. posed amendment would have ing one of the District’s most “National Night Out is one of goats were actually performing are watched over by herders and increased the contract from controversial consulting agreean important public safety ser- livestock guardian dogs. Once the my favorite community events ments. The contract first came vegetation has been consumed, because it brings our residents, vice. under public scrutiny after Los California has become a naSee CONTRACT, Page 9 See ARTESIA, Page 9 Cerritos Community News reSee GOATS, Page 8
TRASH WILL FINALLY GET CLEANED UP IN HAWAIIAN GARDENS
Central Basin Board Ends $611,000 No-Bid Consulting Contract Following Years of Scrutiny