LOS CERRITOS
Winner of Nineteen LA Press Club Awards from 2012-2021 Serving Cerritos and ten other surrounding communities since 1985 • June 26, 2026 • Vol. 41, No. 34 • LOSCERRITOSNEWS.NET
Central Basin Spent $465,000 on Litigation; Was the Lawsuit Ever Properly Authorized? A June 22 agenda item sought approval of additional legal invoices. A public records request seeking records related to the firm’s retention remains unanswered. By Brian Hews
Endeavour Ready for Liftoff Again SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR stands in its permanent vertical launch configuration inside the new Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery at the California Science Center, where it will serve as the centerpiece of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center when the facility opens Nov. 13, 2026. Courtesy Science Center.
World Cup Visitors Discover America’s Secret Weapon … and It’s Ranch Dressing TSA warnings, police jokes and travel-size packets follow an unexpected World Cup trend: international visitors obsessed with ranch. By Brian Hews
For decades Americans have returned from Europe talking
Lakewood Approves Traffic-Calming ly returning home talking about Projects After ranch dressing. What started as a lightheart- Speeding Drops
ed social media trend during the FIFA Club World Cup has quickly become one of the tournament’s most unexpected stories, with foreign visitors developing an enthusiastic appetite for America’s favorite condiment. Videos posted online show visitors from around the world
TSA COMPLIANT: Ranch dressing has become so popular that Kraft is now teasing a TSA-compliant travel version, allowing fans to bring their favorite condiment through airport security and onto flights. Courtesy Dallexpress.com.
about French wine, Italian pasta, German beer and Belgian chocolate. Now Europeans are visiting the United States and apparent-
sampling ranch on pizza, French fries, chicken wings, vegetables and chips, while social media See RANCH, Page 4
By Brian Hews LAKEWOOD — After months of testing, neighborhood surveys and traffic analysis, the Lakewood City Council voted Tuesday to make traffic-calming improvements on Palo Verde Avenue and Studebaker Road permanent, citing dramatic reductions in speeding and strong community support. The council’s action follows a public study session in which city staff presented data showing the temporary pilot projects successfully met their traffic safety goals. The projects featured updated striping, signage, lane reconfigurations and traffic circles, also known as mini-roundabouts, at key intersections to slow traffic while improving safety for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists. The traffic-calming measures were initially installed as temporary pilot projects so the city could evaluate their effectiveness before committing to permanent
See TRAFFIC, Page 5
Two weeks ago, Los Cerritos Community News exclusively reported that Central Basin Municipal Water District had spent nearly $871,000 on outside legal costs associated with the Alejandro Rojas and Leticia Vasquez Wilson lawsuits through April 2026. The report raised questions about the growing financial impact of litigation stemming from board actions taken in late 2024. Now, a new agenda item involving additional payments to outside counsel is placing renewed scrutiny on how the district retained one of the firms at the center of the controversy. The legal spending stems from a controversial November 2024 board action in which Directors Juan Garza, Nem Ochoa, Joanna Moreno, and then-Director Martha Camacho-Rodriguez voted to remove General Manager Alejandro Rojas and strip then-President Art Chacon of key authority. The actions immediately triggered controversy, with LCCN calling out the board for violating district rules and California open-meeting laws. Rojas subsequently challenged the actions, alleging that the board acted unlawfully and that the directors improperly coordinated outside public meetings. What began as an internal governance dispute quickly evolved into multiple legal battles involving the district, board members, and former executives. According to records reviewed by Los Cerritos Community News, approximately $465,283 of the litigation-related spending was associated with the Rojas matter, while another $405,686 was tied to the ongoing Vasquez litigation, bringing the combined total to approximately $870,969 through April 2026. The spending continues to grow. On its June 22 agenda, Central Basin included Item 9.B, which asks directors to authorize the General Manager to approve and process payment of Buchalter LLP invoices related to the district’s defense in the Rojas arbitration matter. The agenda states the in-
voices would be paid pursuant to an “already-existing Legal Services Agreement” between the district and the firm. That language has raised new questions about how Buchalter was originally retained. The agenda item does not identify when the agreement was approved, who authorized the firm’s retention, or how directors voted. Those questions have become a significant issue because multiple directors have disputed whether the firm was ever properly authorized by the board. According to directors familiar with the matter, Directors Gary Mendez, Jim Crawford, and former Director Art Chacon did not support retaining Buchalter, while Director Leticia Vasquez Wilson was absent when the matter was allegedly considered. If accurate, that would leave Directors Garza, Ochoa, and Moreno as the apparent votes in favor of the firm’s retention. See LITIGATION, Page 7
The New Homework Helper, Counselor and Friend? Artificial Intelligence From homework to health questions, children increasingly rely on artificial intelligence for guidance once sought from adults. By Brian Hews A new national survey suggests artificial intelligence has become a daily part of life for millions of American children, with many turning to the technology for help with schoolwork, health
NEW RESEARCH shows artificial intelligence is becoming a regular part of daily life for millions of kids. questions, personal problems and life decisions. The 2026 Common Sense Media Census: AI Use by Tweens and Teens found that 86% of chil-
See HELPER , Page 5