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la miraDa, ca., NovemBer 222026 , 2019 Serving La Mirada and ten other surrounding communities • February 13, • Vol. 70, No. 17 • LMLAMPLIGHTER.COM
CALTRANS REROUTED TRAFFIC WITHOUT INFORMING CERRITOS, ILLEGAL MOVE WILL COST CITY OVER $5 MILLION State Moves to BanTHE Blackjack-Style Cardroom BY BRIAN HEWS
The City is claiming that the rerouting has caused over $5 million in damage to the streets, increased pollution in the area, 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
during the construction period. “Caltrans has failed to coordinate thus far, and any further lack of communication or consultation 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-
Games; Industry of Thousands in Jobstreets.” Losses ta or Artesia is a city Warns designated flows onto arterial
The City then cited the nutally altering cardrooms merous safety how hazards caused by operate. The targeted games the rerouting of traffic, concerns have been legally offered for that have been voiced by Cerridecades under rules approved by tos residents in calls and emails multiple prior attorneys general. to both HMG-LCCN and the Hours after the approval beCity. cameThepublic, theonCalifornia rerouting Carmenita Gaming Association issued a takes large trucks by two schools, sharp condemnation of the acStowers Elementary and Carmetion, warning that the regulanita Middle school in addition tions will immediately eliminate more than half of all cardroom See CALTRANS page 14 the rules will slash jobs, gut jobs and revenues across Calicity revenues, and destabilize fornia. The association said the dozens of municipal budgets. Bureau’s own economic analyLate Friday, the Office of sis projects losses approaching Norwalk Breaks Ground on Mixed-Use Project Administrative Law approved 50 percent statewide, placing MAJOR PROJECT: Norwalk city and state officials join Primestor representatives February 7 for two sets of regulations issued tens of thousands of working the ceremonial groundbreaking of The Walk at Norwalk Boulevard and Imperial Highway, posing by the California Department families at risk and forcing citto slash police, Justice governing with polished shovels to mark the start of a project that will bring more than 90,000 square feet of of BY THOM MARTINcardroom ies action, jumping outfire, of parks, her car senior, and food programs when operations. The approval was retail and restaurant space and approximately 320 residential units to the city’s civic center area. grabbing the boy and helping the cardroom tax revenue collapses. issued without substantive comPhoto courtesy city of Norwalk. The City of Lakewood held woman. The Atment and without requiring a its annual Award of Valor lunSheassociation took them toaccused Artesia High torney General Rob Bonta and revised rulemaking package or cheon on Nov. 6 to thank the men School, where they received medBy Brian Hews ofand advancing the an comment andadditional women ofpublic the Los Angeles the icalBureau assistance were ultimaterules without identifying any period. The regulations will County Sheriff’s Department and ly transported to the hospital. safety ofthreat, legal neNorwalk officials and develop- take April 1,as2026, with Fire effect Department, well as the public Because her selfless accessity, or evidence of harm ers broke ground February 7 on cardrooms submit community required volunteersto who pro- tions, the City of Lakewood re36 consecutive awards for ex- The Walk, a large mixed-use de- compliance plans to the De- tied to the games being banned. tect and serve Lakewood. cently awarded Bridget with the By Brian Hews cellence in financial reporting, velopment planned at the inter- partment of Justice by May 31. Industry leaders also said Bridget Perrizo, a staff mem- Mayor’s Award at the city’s anand that assessed valuation section of Norwalk Boulevard DOJ failed to meaningfully The regulations, enforced ber at Artesia High was honored nual Awards of Valor ceremony. climbed to roughly $9.91 bilengage with cities, workers, and Imperial Highway, immedi- through La Mirada officials used the Bureau of Gamwhen shethe helped two people that "I always wondered what I lion, an increase of about 6.2 and other stakeholders, deately adjacent to City Hall and bling city’s 2026 State of the City Control, prohibit was being attacked by along-apdog. would do when faced with a situspite extensive warnings about presentation to outline financial percent from the previous year. other county and civic facilities. proved blackjack-style Bridget, was headed games back to ation like this one," said Perrizo. Building activity remained The project, developed by and conditions, ongoing infrastrucrequire of the work from rotation lunch when sheplayspot- "By the grace of God, I had the [ See CARDROOMS, ] ture investments, and public steady. The city recorded Primestor, will include more er-dealer ted a dog attacking a woman and courage position, fundamento take action.page I'm6 so safety trends while preview- 3,205 building transactions than 90,000 square feet of openyoung boy. The dog had knocked glad that both the mom and son ing priorities under a strategic with a total valuation of work air retail and restaurant space, them to the ground and they were are okay, and I'm so honored to plan extending through 2028. exceeding $108 million. Per- along with approximately 320 screaming for help. receive this award.” In his remarks, Mayor Ed Eng mit-related fees generated near- residential units located next to Bridget immediately took TRASH piles up at a condominium complex in Hawaiian Gardens. The City chose Waste Resources See HERO page 15 the commercial development. Incorporated as their new hauler, who said they would immediately begin trash pick up. Photo Brian Hews. The site sits within Norwalk’s civic center, surrounded by incident due to its intensity. City Hall, the courthouse, sher- By Brian Hews “Two people were found deiff’s station, county offices, and ceased inside the building,” nearby employment centers. the source told Los Cerritos Housing is a significant com- A weekend fire that tore through Community News. The victims BY BRIAN HEWS includedofseveral default Plans letters, a vacant commercial building “Poor leadership, no foresight ponent the project. on the situation, typical of this call which, under California’s for approximately 320Public resWhile rotting trash is accumu- City Council,” former Hawaiian idential Resource Code 49000, units builtSection immediately lating in many parts of Hawaiian Gardens Mayor Rey Rodriguez adjacent starts theto clock termination. the on retail portion of Gardens, Mayor Myra Maravilla told HMG-LCCN. City staff even extra The Walk, addingwent newthehousand the City Council finally conThe staff report included in ing steptoand attempted to work with Norwalk’s civic center ducted a hearing, waiting an en- last week’s meeting presented area. CWSThe to cure the breaches and units will be located tire week, and allowing the trash clear evidence that CWS was in above defaultsorstarting in March of this alongside commerto accumulate even more, to once violation of its contract with the cial year,space, each of which gave consistent withCWS the again discuss terminating CWS’ City, but Mayor Maravilla and the project’s steps to resolve the defaults. mixed-use layout. contract. Council were apparently afraid to In addition the not default noCity officials to have yet reUnder the Ralph M. Brown pull the termination trigger, leav- leased tices, the City also attempted details on unit sizes, rentto Act, Maravilla and the City Coun- ing residents driving by stinky levels, arrangeormeetings withportion CWS but whether any of BUDGET SURPLUS: La Mirada Mayor with cil could have sent out a(l-r) notice CWS did not attend most meetpiles of trash for Ed the Eng foreseeable the housing will be set aside as Councilpersons John within Lewis, two Michelle Velasquez Bean and Steveand held a meeting future. ings. ARTESIA HIGH staff-member Bridget Perrizo received the Award of deed-restricted affordable units. DeRuse. Mayor Eng reported that La Mirada entered thestaff 2025–26 days to address the situation. The voluminous report The development’s proximity to Valor from Lakewood for saving two in a dog attack. fiscal year with 53.9M in revenues and a $49.3M budget. See TRASH page 15 City Hall, the courthouse, sheriff’s station, county offices, and major employment centers rais- LOS ANGELES COUNTY firefighters respond to a structure said the city’s success rests on ly $2 million, and in-person es questions about who the hous- fire Sunday evening in the 19000 block of Pioneer Boulevard in what he described as five core counter visits totaled 3,874. ing is intended to serve, partic- Artesia, where two people were later found deceased inside the pillars: strong finances, safe Officials also emphasized La ularly given rising rents across vacant building. neighborhoods, modern infraMirada’s economic positionsoutheast Los Angeles County. structure, a thriving economy, Developers have said the and quality community pro- ing, citing its gateway locawere reportedly believed to be gramming, crediting city staff tion, comparatively low sales housing is designed to support in Artesia has left two people experiencing homelessness, for sustaining those foundations. tax rate, and what they de- the commercial component by dead, according to sources. though authorities have not yet Fire crews responded shortly Mayor Eng reported that La scribed as a safe community increasing foot traffic and acbefore 5:50 p.m. Sunday to a publicly released their identities. as key factors supporting busitivity throughout the day and Mirada entered the 2025–26 At least two firefightfiscal year with a general fund ness attraction and retention. evening, rather than function- structure fire in the 19000 block ers were transported to a budget of approximately $49.3 Infrastructure projects were ing as a standalone residential of Pioneer Boulevard. More than local hospital during the inmillion and projected reve- a major focus of the presen- project. Further details on pric- 60 firefighters from the Los An- cident. Their conditions nues of about $53.9 million. tation. Completed improve- ing, affordability, and tenant geles County Fire Department battled the blaze, which was The city said it has received LA MIRADA, MIRADA, page page 16 ]] See NORWALK, NORWALK, page page 16 ]] later upgraded to a second-alarm See ARTESIA, ARTESIA, page page 17 ]] See LA [[ See [[ See [[ See Hews Media Group-Los Cerritos Community News has obtained 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.
truck route, commercial vehicles over 6,000 pounds are strictly By Brian Hews prohibited on the streets, per City Municipal Code.” The Caltrans rerouting Sacramento — California reg-of trucks has caused severe damulators have formally cleared age and increased traffic at peak the way for sweeping new gamhours, the extensive damage bling restrictions that will elimalone is estimated “to cost $5.2 inate blackjack-style games million to repair,” and the “averand impose mandatory playage dailyrotation traffic on said streets er-dealer in cardrooms has significantly increased and statewide, despite warnings that
ARTESIA HIGH STAFF-MEMBER RECEIVES AWARD OF VALOR FROM LAKEWOOD
La Mirada State of the City Highlights Finances, Infrastructure and Public Safety Trends
Artesia Warehouse Fire Leaves Two Dead, Two Firefighters Injured
TRASH WILL FINALLY GET CLEANED UP IN HAWAIIAN GARDENS