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la miraDa, ca., NovemBer , 2019 Serving La Mirada and ten surrounding communities • June 5, 202622 • Vol. 70, No. 33 • LMLAMPLIGHTER.COM
CALTRANS REROUTED TRAFFIC WITHOUT INFORMING CERRITOS, ILLEGALABCUSD MOVE Consolidation WILL COST THE OVERWhere $5 MILLION PlanCITY Reveals Nearly BY BRIAN HEWS 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.
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-
1,400 Students Will Go Afterflows Fouronto Schools Close ta or Artesia is a city designated arterial streets.”
truck route, commercial vehicles The City then cited the numerous safety causedanby over 6,000 pounds are strictly 453 students to hazards 562 students, District maps prohibited onshow the streets, per increase the rerouting of traffic, of 109 students,concerns while Aloha, Juarez, Furgeson City Municipal Code.” that have been voicedwould by CerriHawaiian Elementary inand The Stowers students tos residents in students calls andtoemails Caltrans rerouting of crease from 299 467 redistributed amongsevere dam- students, 168 students. trucks has caused to both gaining HMG-LCCN and the remaining campuses overat peak City. Stowers Elementary’s 304 age and increased traffic be redistributed The would rerouting on Carmenita hours, the extensive damage students two years. totrucks Cerritos Elementaalone is estimated “to cost $5.2 primarily takes large by two schools, ry and Wittmann Elementary. million to repair,” and the “averStowers Elementary and CarmeBy Brian Hews Elementary inage daily traffic on said streets Cerritos nita Middle school would in addition has significantly increased and crease from 298 students to 451 ABC Unified School Dis- students, gaining 153 students. See CALTRANS page 14 trict’s long-awaited school Wittmann Elementary’s consolidation plan is now pro- attendance area also expands viding the clearest picture yet significantly under the plan, alof where students will go after though the presentation did not four elementary schools close provide enough information to over the next two years. See ABCUSD, Page 14 During a June 3 presentation, consultants from MGT BY THOM MARTIN action, jumping out of her car unveiled attendance boundary grabbing the boy and helping the Exclusive mapsThe showing students City of how Lakewood held LCCN woman. from Aloha,Award Juarez,ofFurgeson its annual Valor lunShe took them to Artesia High and Stowers cheon on Nov. 6 toelementary thank the men School, where they received medschools will of be the reassigned as and women Los Angeles ical assistance and were ultimatethe district continues to address County Sheriff’s Department and ly transported to the hospital. declining enrollment andasre-the Fire Department, as well Because of her selfless acconfigure elementary schools. community volunteers who pro- tions, the City of Lakewood reThe unfolds in two phases, tectplan and serve Lakewood. cently awarded Bridget with the withBridget Aloha and Juarez closing Perrizo, a staff mem- Mayor’s Award at the city’s anfor school year and berthe at 2026-27 Artesia High was honored nual Awards of Valor ceremony. Furgeson Stowers closing when sheand helped two people that Court "I ruling alwaysbacks wondered Pico what I one later in 2027-28. wasyear being attacked by a dog. would do when faced Rivera’s enforcementwith a situThe district’s stated goals Bridget, was headed back to efforts ation like one," said Perrizo. afterthis 150 were assign students to the worktofrom lunch when she spot- "By the grace of God, I had the recuperative-care clients closest possible creted a dog attackingschool, a woman and courage to take action. I'm so placed at the Epic ate compact attendance areas, were young boy. The dog had knocked glad that both the mom and son Hotel without avoid moving students twice, them to the ground and they were are okay, and notification I'm so honored to or required balance among screamingenrollment for help. receive thisapprovals. award.” campuses keep boundary Bridgetandimmediately took By Brian Hews See HERO page 15 changes localized around the schools being closed. Phase 1 affects Aloha EleA Los Angeles Superior Court mentary and Juarez Elementa- judge has handed the City of Pico ry. Rivera a significant early victory Aloha Elementary’s 402 in its legal battle against operators students would be divided of a controversial housing operaamong three nearby schools. tion at the Epic Hotel, a case that Willow Elementary would has exposed how approximategrow from 418 students to 596, ly 150 recuperative-care clients an increase of 178 students. were moved into the city before Palms Elementary would in- officials were notified. crease from 481 students to The dispute centers on the 618, gaining 137 students. Epic Hotel at 4335 Rosemead Melbourne Elementary would Blvd., where Safe Haven Propgrow from 434 students to 521, erty Management entered into an adding 87 students. occupancy agreement on March Juarez Elementary’s 408 27 to house individuals recoverstudents would be distributed ing from hospital stays, many of among four campuses. Kenne- whom were homeless or experidy Elementary would receive Bridget encing housing insecurity. ARTESIA HIGH staff-member Perrizo received the Award of the largest share, growing from What happened next trigValor from Lakewood for saving two in a dog attack. 346 students to 585 students, gered one of the fastest-moving an increase of 239 students. legal battles in recent Pico Rivera Niemes Elementary would history. increase from 530 to 579 stuWithin days, city officials, dents, Burbank Elementary code enforcement officers, sherwould grow from 472 to 536 iff’s deputies, firefighters and students, and Wittmann Ele- county representatives were inmentary would increase from specting the property. By April, Pico Rivera had filed suit, ob267 to 323 students. Phase 2 takes effect in tained a temporary restraining 2027-28 and closes Furgeson order and launched an aggressive Elementary and Stowers Ele- legal challenge that ultimately resulted in a preliminary injunction mentary. Furgeson Elementary’s against the operation. At the center of the contro277 students would be divided between Melbourne and versy is an admission from Safe Hawaiian elementary schools. Melbourne would grow from See HOTEL, Page 6
ARTESIA HIGH STAFF-MEMBER RECEIVES AWARD OF VALOR FROM LAKEWOOD
Pico Rivera Scores Court Victory After 150-Person ‘Hotel’ Housing Operation Sparks Legal Battle
BOUNDARY CHANGES: ABC Unified’s school consolidation plan would close Aloha and Juarez elementary schools in 2026-27, followed by Furgeson and Stowers in 2027-28. The maps show the progression from current attendance boundaries (top left) to Phase 1 (top right), Phase 1 implementation (bottom left), and the final Phase 2 boundaries (bottom right). Under the plan, approximately 1,400 students would be redistributed among the district’s remaining elementary schools, with Kennedy, Willow, Hawaiian, Cerritos and Palms seeing the largest enrollment increases as ABCUSD responds to declining enrollment district-wide.
TRASH piles up at a condominium complex in Hawaiian Gardens. The City chose Waste Resources Incorporated as their new hauler, who said they would immediately begin trash pick up. Photo Brian Hews.
Sánchez, Archuleta, and Pulido Advance as SE Los Angeles County Election Results Come Into Focus
$80K La Palma Council Chamber Upgrade, But TRASH WILL FINALLYrales GETfinished CLEANED UP IN HAWAIIAN GARDENS first overall with Will Anyone Watch? Commerce voters
BY BRIAN HEWS overwhelmingly approve tax measure while Linda Whileclings rottingtotrash is accumuSánchez a razor-thin lating in many parts of Hawaiian 34-vote lead in Congress. Gardens, Mayor Myra Maravilla andBrian the City Council finally conBy Hews ducted a hearing, waiting an entire week, and allowing the trash As ballotseven continue be to accumulate more, totoonce counted following Tuesday’s again discuss terminating CWS’ primary contract. election, voters across Southeast Angeles Under Los the Ralph M.County Brown delivered a mix of incumbent Act, Maravilla and the City Counvictories, cil could tax havemeasure sent outapprovals a notice and several intriguing matchand held a meeting within two ups heading toward November. days to address the situation. The highest-profile local contest was the Los Angeles mayoral race, where incumbent Karen Bass finished first with 34.97% of the vote. Television personality Spencer Pratt placed second with 29.91%, while City Councilmember Nithya Raman finished third with 22.81%. Because no candidate received a majority, Bass and Pratt will advance to a November runoff. One of the most closely watched local races was the 67th Assembly District contest, which stretches across portions of Los Angeles and Orange counties. Republican Paulo Mo-
20,205 votes, while Cerritos “Poor leadership, no foresight Mayor Mark Pulido placed secon the situation, typical of this ond with 14,708 City Council,” votes. Democratformer Hawaiian Gardens Mayor Rey Rodriguez Ada Briceño told HMG-LCCN. finished third staff report included in withThe 11,516 last week’s meeting presented votes, followed clear evidence by Ali Taj withthat CWS was in violation votes, of its contract with the 4,475 City, butGonzaMayor Maravilla and the Paul Council apparently afraid to les withwere 3,085 pull theand termination trigger, leavvotes Reing residents driving by stinky publican AdripilesAyub of trash for the foreseeable an with future. votes. 3,840 The voluminous staff report While Morales led the primary, the State Senator numbers sug- Bob Archuleta gest a potentially competitive general election. If Democratic voters largely consolidate behind Pulido and Republican vot- Cerritos Councilman ers rally behind Mark Pulido Morales, the combined primary totals would give Democrats approximately 33,784 votes compared to 24,045
included several default letters, By Brian Hews which, under California’s Public Resource Code Section 49000, starts the clock on termination. The Citythe CounCity La staffPalma even went extra cil is and preparing to spend nearly step attempted to work with $80,000 a new CWS to on cure the audio-visual breaches and system livestream defaultsdesigned starting intoMarch of this meetings, proceedings, year, each record of which gave CWS and remote public parstepsexpand to resolve the defaults. ticipation. In addition to the default noCitythestaff recommending tices, Cityisalso attempted to approval of a top-tier proposarrange meetings with CWS but alCWS fromdidFullerton-based not attend mostWestmeetern ings.Audio Visual at a cost of $79,457. The system would include three cameras, new mi-15 See TRASH page crophones, speakers, display equipment, and a control system capable of professionally broadcasting council meetings. The recommendation comes after the council directed staff in April to explore options for modernizing meeting broadcasts before August. While city officials describe the project as a way to improve transparency and public access, the proposal raises a practical question that was not addressed in the staff report: How many
See ELECTIONS, Page 2
See LA PALMA, Page 6