California’s Cardroom Crackdown:
The Timeline, the Money, and the Risk to Cities By Brian Hews California’s latest crackdown on cardrooms did not begin with a February announcement about blackjack-style games. It began years earlier — with campaign contributions, tribal exclusivity claims, and regulatory moves that now threaten jobs and city budgets across Southern California. On February 9, the California Department of Justice announced that new rules targeting player-dealer rotation and blackjack-style games were approved by the Office of Ad-
ministrative Law, with implementation scheduled for April. Cardroom operators warn the changes could eliminate some of their most popular games and sharply reduce revenue. Mainstream outlets have now begun covering the potential fallout. But this newspaper documented the pattern long before the latest headlines. In June 2019, Los Cerritos Community News reported that then-Attorney General Xavier Becerra had accepted nearly $300,000 in campaign contributions from tribal gam-
ing interests. In February 2020, this paper expanded that review, documenting more than $500,000 in total contributions connected to tribal casinos and affiliated entities, based on public campaign finance filings. The reporting did not allege motive. It documented money and timeline. On October 20, 2025, Los Cerritos Community News again reported that Attorney General Rob Bonta was pursuing regulatory changes aimed at limiting cardroom gaming structures — months before statewide outlets treated
the issue as breaking news. That article outlined the growing conflict between tribal gaming interests asserting exclusivity rights and commercial cardrooms defending long-standing player-dealer models. In late 2025, cardroom employees protested the proposed rules, warning of job losses and revenue collapse. By February 2026, the regulatory shift was formalized. The arc is clear: Campaign finance filings show substantial tribal gaming contributions
to
statewide officials. Legal disputes over exclusivity intensified. The Department of Justice advanced new interpretations affecting cardrooms. Regulations were approved. Cities now face uncertainty. Those records were public. The effects are only now visible.
See Cardrooms, Page 5
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CALTRANS TRAFFIC WITHOUT INFORMING CERRITOS, ILLEGAL MOVE WILL COST THE CITY OVER $5 MILLION ABC UnifiedREROUTED Updates Immigration Enforcement
ta or Artesia is a city designated flows onto arterial streets.” The City is claiming that the during the construction period. Policy to Comply withrerouting New State Law The City then cited the nuhas caused over $5 “Caltrans has failed to coor- truck route, commercial vehicles
BY BRIAN HEWS
Hews Media Group-Los CerState-mandated ritos Community News has obchanges tained a define letter,access dated September rules for campuses andto Caltrans 6, 2019, addressed student records forcing from the city of Cerritos that the adoption. blasts the state agency for rerouting tractor-trailer By Brian Hews traffic through the City due to I-5 construction projects. The ABC Unified School Shockingly, the rerouting was District Board of Education is done without notifying the City.
set to adopt a new immigration enforcement policy this week, replacing its existing guide-
million in damage to the streets, Administrative Regulation increased pollution in area, 5145.13 and replacingthe it with increased traffic noise, and innew Board Policy and Admincreased the safety risk of Acresiistrative Regulation 1445. dents. cording to the staff report, the Furtheralign the letter that revisions withstates updated Caltrans is in violation of the model language issued by the project’s final Environmental California Attorney GenerImpact Report which obligates al’s Office and the California the agency to coordinate with citSchool Boards Association. ies to minimize adverse impacts The new policy clarifies how school officials must respond if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
dinate 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-
over 6,000 pounds are strictly prohibited on the streets, per City Municipal Code.” The Caltrans rerouting of trucks has caused severe damage and increased traffic at peak hours, the extensive damage alone is estimated “to cost $5.2 million to repair,” and the “average daily traffic on said streets has significantly increased and
merous safety hazards caused by the rerouting of traffic, concerns that have been voiced by Cerritos residents in calls and emails to both HMG-LCCN and the City. The rerouting on Carmenita takes large trucks by two schools, Stowers Elementary and Carmenita Middle school in addition
See CALTRANS page 14
ARTESIA HIGH STAFF-MEMBER RECEIVES CHARRED DEBRIS and twisted steel mark the siteOF of aVALOR vacant commercial building on Pioneer AWARD FROM LAKEWOOD Boulevard in Artesia following a second-alarm fire Sunday evening that left two people dead. The Aftermath of Deadly Artesia Blaze
cause of the blaze remains under investigation. by Brian Hews. action, jumping out of her car BY THOMPhoto MARTIN grabbing the boy and helping the The City of Lakewood held woman. its annual Award of Valor lunShe took them to Artesia High cheon on for Nov. several 6 to thank years. the men tice, School, they received medmunity the where restaurant is expected andThe women of the was Los named Angeles toical assistance and were ultimaterestaurant generate approximately $1.3 CountyBusiness Sheriff’s Department and million ly transported to the Small of the Year in sales taxhospital. revenue Firethe Department, well as the during Because her agreement. selfless acby Downeyas Chamber the life of of the volunteers whoand pro- tions, City of describe Lakewoodthe reofcommunity Commerce in 2019 Citythe officials tect and Lakewood. cently awarded withinthe was laterserve recognized nation- incentive as a Bridget strategic staff mem- vestment Mayor’s Award at the city’s anally Bridget as onePerrizo, of the a country’s intended to support ber atromantic Artesia High was honored nual Awardsrevitalization, of Valor ceremony. most restaurants in downtown inshe helpedDay two people that crease "I always wondered activwhat I awhen Valentine’s ranking. local economic was being attacked by aconcept dog. would do when faced with a situThe Mediterranean ity, enhance property values, Bridget, was headed back to ation like this one," said Perrizo. is known for its made-from- and expand dining and nightwork from lunch when she spot- life "By options the grace of I had the scratch menu, banquet space, forGod, residents. ted a dog attacking a woman and courage to take action. I'm so and lively dining atmosphere. The subsidy would begin young boy. The dog had knocked glad that both the mom and son Under the proposed agree- after council approval, recordthem to the ground and they were are okay, and I'm so honored ment, the city would provide ing of required documentsto for grant help. of $3 mil- against receive the this property, award.” and exeascreaming conditional Bridget immediately took lion in general fund assis- cution of a purchase agreement. See HERO page 15 tance over a 10-year period. It would remain in effect In exchange, the opera- for 10 years and is conditor would commit to invest- tioned on the restaurant reing at least $6 million into maining in operation under the project and creating 40 the terms of the covenant. full-time equivalent jobs. The public hearing will According to city projec- be held at 6:00 p.m. in the tions included in the public no- City Council Chambers.
Santa Fe Springs Weighs $3 Million Incentive for Olive RestoBar Expansion Operator would invest $6 million and create 40 full-time equivalent jobs under proposed agreement.
ICE AGENTS during a federal enforcement action. ABC Unified’s new policy clarifies that immigration officers must present a judicial warrant before entering non-public school areas.
By Brian Hews
The City of Santa Fe Springs and a local restaurateur are pursuing a proposed $3,000,000 or other immigration authoreconomic development agreelines in order to comply with a recently enacted state law. ities request access to school ment to bring an Olive RestoBThe change comes in re- campuses or student records. ar and banquet facility to the Under the updated guidecity’s planned downtown area. sponse to California Assembly lines: Council hold Bill 49, which took SepTRASH piles up at effect a condominium complex in Hawaiian Gardens. TheThe CityCity chose Waste will Resources a public hearing March 3 to Immigration officers must tember 20, 2025, Incorporated as theirand newrequires hauler, who said they would immediately begin trash pick up. Photo Brian Hews. consider entering into a 10-year all local educational agencies present a valid judicial warto update their policies gov- rant before entering non-pub- Operating Covenant Agreeerning how schools respond lic areas of a school campus. ment for the property locatto immigration enforcement Administrative warrants are ed at 11900 Telegraph Road. Olive RestoBar has actions by March 1, 2026. not sufficient for access to an several established of BYDistrict BRIAN HEWS included defaultpart letters, “Poor leadership, no foresight been staff recommendSee ABCUSD Page 6 the Downey business comon the situation, typical of this which, under California’s Public , ed deleting Board Policy and While rotting trash is accumu- City Council,” former Hawaiian Resource Code Section 49000, lating in many parts of Hawaiian Gardens Mayor Rey Rodriguez starts the clock on termination. Gardens, Mayor Myra Maravilla told HMG-LCCN. City staff even went the extra
TRASH WILL FINALLY GET CLEANED UP IN HAWAIIAN GARDENS