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la miraDa, ca., NovemBer 22 , 2019 Serving La Mirada and ten other surrounding communities • May 22, 2026 • Vol. 70, No. 31 • LMLAMPLIGHTER.COM
CALTRANS REROUTED TRAFFIC WITHOUT INFORMING CERRITOS, ILLEGAL COSTFireTHEOver CITYUnion OVERPay $5 MILLION Ada MOVE BriceñoWILL Under ta or Artesia is a city designated flows onto arterial streets.” BY BRIAN HEWS The City is claiming that the during the construction period. Raises and Years of Internal Criticism The City then cited the nurerouting has caused over $5 “Caltrans has failed to coor- truck route, commercial vehicles
merous safety hazards dinate thus far, and any further over 6,000 pounds are member. strictly “That’s easy for unioncaused bossesby Her salary climbed from making That’s not fair. For lack of communication or conprohibited on the streets, per six thefigures. rerouting of traffic, concerns $118,000 in its 2021City to more already Municipal Code.” lower-wage thathotel haveworkers been voiced bystrugCerrisultation with the City and glingofto pay and groceries, it hits a than $144,000 in 2024 tos rent residents in calls and emails residents is unacceptable.” The Caltrans rerouting harder.” while manyfor rank-and-file The City blasted Caltrans trucks has caused severelotdamto both HMG-LCCN and the The latest and increased traffic at peak City.scrutiny follows circulation establishing a detour route workers on agewere hospitality of a lengthy accountability The rerouting ondocument Carmenita southbound Carmenita between to hours, still struggling recoverthe extensive damage criticizing Local the I-5 and Artesia and alone is estimated “to cost $5.2 takes large trucks by two schools, fromBlvd., layoffs. leadership over eastbound Artesia Blvd. between million to repair,” and the11 “averStowers Elementary and Carmecompensation, hiring age daily traffic on said streets nita Middle school in addition Carmenita and theByI-5. Brian Hews practices, political “Neither stretch of Carmeni- has significantly increased and tactics and what crit- See CALTRANS page 14 LCCN has obtained new information ics describe as growdeepening years of criticism surrounding ing consolidation Ada Briceño and UNITE HERE Local 11 of power inside the leadership, as Briceño campaigns for Cal- union. The document VOLUNTEERS SUPPORT LA COUNTY DEPUTIES Ada Briceño ifornia’s open 67th Assembly District seat calls for independent VOPS: Volunteers on Patrol members from the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station pose during while renewed scrutiny focuses on rising audits, transparency Saturday’s car show event outside Cerritos City Hall. The volunteer unit assists deputies union executive compensation, internal reforms and leadership accountability with community patrols, traffic support, and neighborhood visibility. BYtactics THOM MARTIN labor unrest, political and whether measures.action, jumping out of her car Criticism surrounding 11 leadgrabbing the boyLocal and helping the leadership priorities became increasingly The City of Lakewood held woman. disconnected from the economic strug- See CANDIDATE, Page 5 its annual Award of Valor lunShe took them to Artesia High gles facing many rank-and-file hospitality cheon on Nov. 6 to thank the men School, where they received medworkers. and women of the Los Angeles ical assistance and were ultimateBriceño, who also serves as chair of boys kept their eyes fixed on the toddler’s the Orange CountyCounty Sheriff’s Department and ly transported to the hospital. Democratic Party, is By Brian Hews Fireseat Department, as well as the Because of her selfless aclocation. When sheriff’s deputies arrived seeking the Assembly being vacated community volunteers within minutes, Preston and Julian used by termed-out Assemblymember Sharon who pro- tions, the City of Lakewood retect and serve Lakewood. cently awarded Bridget with the Three Cerritos residents who helped their flashlights to guide responders Quirk-Silva. The race is expected to besave a drowning toddler at Don Knabe Bridget Perrizo, a staff mem- Mayor’s Award at the city’s andirectly to him. Their calm teamwork come one of the more closely watched Community Regional Park were honored berbattles at Artesia was honored nual Awards of Valor ceremony. and quick thinking helped ensure the Democratic primary in theHigh region City officials blame Friday during the American Red Cross when she helped two people that "I always wondered what I and includes Cerritos Councilman Mark safe rescue of the 2-year-old, transformaccounting errors dating 21st Annual Hometown Heroes Awards was being attacked by a dog. would do when faced with a situPulido and Artesia Councilman Ali Sajjad ing an ordinary night at the park into back to 2022 as critics ask Luncheon aboard the Bridget, was headed back to ation like this one," said Perrizo. Taj. an extraordinary act of awareness and how the problem survived historic Queen Mary. work from lunch when she spot"By the grace of God, I had the As Briceño’s candidacy advances, three audit cycles. Preston Hoang, 11, ted a dog attacking a woman and courage to take action. I'm so renewed scrutiny is focusing on whether Julian Mata, 11, and See RED CROSS, Page 6 young boy. The dog had knocked glad that both the mom and son rising compensation and leadership tacDr. Mark M. Chung Bywere Brian Hews them to the ground and they are okay, and I'm so honored to tics at Local 11 reflected the economic were recognized for screaming for help. receive this award.” struggles faced by many union members. their actions during the Bridget immediately took labor filings show Briceño’s TRASH piles up atdramatic a condominium Resources A stunning accountingSee revelation rescue thatcomplex in Hawaiian Gardens. The City chose WasteFederal HERO pagein-15 compensation Incorporated as theirunfolded new hauler, who Brian Hews.increased for several years side the City of Fullerton is now raising earlier thissaid they would immediately begin trash pick up. Photo while many union hospitality workers uncomfortable questions about oversight, year at the park lake. Dr. Mark Chung What began as a continued to bear economic hardship after financial controls, and how nearly $10 quiet evening of fishthe COVID-19 shutdowns devastated ho- million in reserve funds were misclassiing turned into a lifetels, restaurants and tourism throughout fied for years without detection by either saving response when By Brian Hews Southern California. city management or outside auditors. Department The controversy erupted after a March BY BRIAN HEWSclose friends Preston “Poor leadership, no foresight included several default letters, of Labor records show Hoang and Ismaelon “JuBriceño’sPublic gross salary rose from approx- budget presentation revealed that approxthe situation, typical of this which, under California’s lian” Mata III noticed Artesia received a majorResource federal fundWhile rotting trash is accumu- City Council,” former Hawaiian Code imately Section $118,000 49000, in 2021 to more than imately $10 million previously believed unusual splashing in boostRey this Rodriguez week after U.S. Represenin 2024, with total reported available for general city operations had lating in many parts of Hawaiian Gardens ing Mayor starts the clock on$144,000 termination. the lake at Don Knabe tative Derek Tran announced City nearly $1evencompensation exceeding approximately actually been restricted or assigned for Gardens, Mayor Myra Maravilla staff went the extra told HMG-LCCN. Preston Hoang Community Regional million in Community Project Funding $157,000. Additionally, other Local 11 other purposes. Included in the disclosure and the City CouncilPark. finally conThe staff report included in step and attempted to work with At first, they for the city’s future Emergency Operaofficers reportedly received raises during was a reported $2.9 million clerical error ducted a hearing, waiting an enlast week’s meeting presented CWS to cure the breaches and thought it was a fish. tions Center project. dating back to 2022. the same period. tire week, and allowing the trash defaults starting in March of this clear evidence that CWS was in Moments later, they Tran presented Artesia Mayor Rene City officials insist no money was lost Critics argue leadership compensation to accumulate even realized more, to aonce year, each of which gave CWS violation of its contract with the young Trevino with $925,000 in steps federal fund- the or stolen, stating the funds were simply continued rising while many union hosagain discuss terminating CWS’ City, but Mayor Maravilla and the to resolve defaults. child was struggling ing secured through the congressional workers contract. apparently afraid to In addition topitality the default no- struggled with layoffs, placed in incorrect accounts and later rein the water. WithCouncil were Communitytrigger, ProjectleavFunding program to also reduced hours Under the Ralph M. Brown pull the termination tices, the City attempted to and lingering financial classified according to accounting stanno adults nearby, support construction and arrange equipping of hardship. dards. But the explanation has done little Act, Maravilla and the City Couning residents driving by stinky meetings with CWS but Preston immediately “Dues are right now $98 for everycil could have sentcalled out a 911 notice piles of trash for the foreseeable CWS did not attend most meetwhile both Ismael “Julian” Mata Page 6 the Award of body,” said a management-level Unite 11 See FULLERTON and held a meeting within two future. See ARTESIA, Page 7 ings. ARTESIA HIGH staff-member Bridget Perrizo, received days to address the situation. The voluminous staff report Valor from Lakewood for saving two in a dog attack. 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.
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
ARTESIA HIGH STAFF-MEMBER RECEIVES AWARD OF VALOR FROM LAKEWOOD
Cerritos Boys, Doctor Honored After Saving Toddler From Drowning at Don Knabe Park
Fullerton’s $10 Million Budget Gaffe Raises Questions About City Management and Auditors
Artesia Lands Nearly $1 Million in Federal Funding for Emergency Operations Center
TRASH WILL FINALLY GET CLEANED UP IN HAWAIIAN GARDENS
See TRASH page 15