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CALTRANS REROUTEDServing TRAFFIC WITHOUT CERRITOS, ILLEGAL MOVE12,WILL OVER $5 MILLION La Mirada and tenINFORMING other surrounding communities • September 2025 • COST Vol. 69, THE No. 51CITY • LMLAMPLIGHTER.COM
ABCUSD Board Will Consider Closing Schools to Address Declining Enrollment
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 ABCUSD special session the City due to I-5 construction confronts enrollment projects. decline, weighs Shockingly, the rerouting was done without notifying the City. consolidation, finances,
The City is claiming that the during the construction period. rerouting has caused over $5 “Caltrans has failed to coormillion in damage to the streets, dinate thus far, and any further increased pollution in the area, lack of communication or conincreased traffic noise, and in- sultation with the City and its creased the safety risk of resi- residents is unacceptable.” The City blasted Caltrans for dents. Further the letter states that establishing a detour route on Caltrans is in violation of the southbound Carmenita between months of analysis and required project’s final Environmental the I-5 and Artesia Blvd., and equity impact undereastbound Cal- Artesia Blvd. between Impact Report whichstudies obligates ifornia law. the agency to coordinate with cit- Carmenita and the I-5. The adverse closures—scheduled “Neither stretch of Carmeniies to minimize impacts
ta or Artesia is a city designated truck route, commercial vehicles 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
flows onto arterial streets.” The City then cited the numerous 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 to begin in the 2026–27 school year—came as the District had lost more than 3,300 students in By Brian Hews the past decade and anticipated shedding nearly 2,000 more by The ABC Unified School 2029–30. Demographic shifts, District Board of Education lower birth rates, rising housing held a Special Study Session BY THOM MARTIN action, jumping out of her car costs, and increased competion September 2, 2025, to adgrabbing the boy and helping the tion from alternative education The City Causes of Lakewood held woman. at Long Beach PORT dress the ongoing crisis of Cargo Collapse Chaos providers had compounded the its annual Award of Valor lunShe took them to Artesia High declining enrollment and the cheon on Nov. 6 to thank the men School, where theyBeach, receivedrattling med- crews and halting problem, leaving many campusA WALL OF CARGO containers collapsed at the Port of Long District’s ability to sustain and women of the Los Angeles ical assistance and were ultimatees operating well below capacioperations. Officials are investigating how the failure occurred. Courtesy The Independent. programs and facilities. The County Sheriff’s Department and ly transported to the hospital. ty. meeting combined data preFire Department, as well as the Because of her selfless ac“This is not a decision we community volunteers who pro- tions, the City of Lakewood resentations from staff with ditook lightly,” the District stated LCCN Staff Report tect and serve Lakewood. cently awarded Bridget with the rect community input, creating in its presentation. “But it was Bridget Perrizo, a staff memMayor’s Award at the city’s anone of the most detailed and ber at Artesia High was honored nual Awards of Valor ceremony. The Port of Long Beach exnecessary to preserve long-term candid discussions yet on the when she helped two people that "I always wondered what I educational quality and fiscal perienced a costly accident this future of ABC schools. While was being attacked by a dog. would do when faced with a situsustainability for ABC Unified.” week after several shipping coner major highlight is Chubby no final decision was taken, Bridget, wasCerritos headed back to ation like this one," said Perrizo. quarterly After a detailed review of enCattle, the high-end hot pot tainers toppled during a cargo work from lunch when she spot-report "By shows the grace of God, I had the the board had the option to development rollment patterns, capacity, and restaurant handling operation, disrupting ted a dog attacking a woman and courage to take action. I'm so taking over the forplace a consolidation plan on brisk construction, new young busboy. The dog had knocked glad that both the mom feeder areas, district staff recomson Wok space at Plaza merand Peking traffic at one of the nation’s the September 16 agenda. businesses, housing growth, them to the ground and they were are okay, and I'm so honored to mended the following closures: 183. Exterior renovations are iest gateways. Facing a steep and conscreaming for help. receive this award.” and plans for Sears site. Aloha Elementary: Students finished, and the restaurant is According to port officials, tinuing decline in enrollment, Bridget immediately took TRASH piles up at a condominium complex in Hawaiian Gardens. Theand City chose Waste Resources reassigned to Melbourne See HERO page 15to open this month. expected the mishap occurred Tuesday By Brian Hews ABC Unified already Incorporated as theirhad new hauler, who said they would immediately begin trash pick up. Photo Brian Hews. Willow Elementary. Several projects remain unafternoon when a crane operator recommended the closure of Furgeson Elementary: Studer construction. Valley Chriswas stacking containers on Pier five elementary schools and a The City of Cerritos has re- tian Schools is finishing its stadents moved to Hawaiian and T. comprehensive restructuring Melbourne Elementary. For reasons still under in- leased its quarterly update on dium remodel, which includes of grade levels and attendance Juarez Elementary: Students vestigation, a stack became development projects, showing new bleachers, turf, and a rubboundaries. District officials BY BRIAN HEWS “Poor leadership, foresight or included default letters, steady progress in both com- berized track, with completion transferred to noBurbank Ken- several unstable, sending unveiled the sweeping propos- on the situation, typical California’s Publicat least nine of this which, under nedy Elementary. onto the mercial and residential con- anticipated in September. Tous al at a special board meeting City Council,” former Hawaiian Resource containers While rotting trash is accumuCode Sectiontumbling 49000, [ SeeRey ABCUSD, 13 ]the clock lating in many Hawaiianby Gardens Mayor Rodriguezpage starts on termination. wharf. Some of the containers struction across the commu- Les Jours bakery on South on May 20, parts 2025,of backed Gardens, Mayor Myra Maravilla told HMG-LCCN. City staff evendamaged went the extra were and a portion of nity. The September 4 report Street is adding an outdoor dinand the City Council finally conThe staff report included in step and attempted workbriefly with closed for highlights recently completed ing patio, while Angelo’s Burgthe pier towas ducted a hearing, waiting an en- last week’s meeting presented CWS to cure the breaches and projects, ongoing construction, ers continues its renovation of cleanup and safety tire week, and allowing the trash clear evidence that CWS was in defaults starting in March of thisinspections. serious injuries were re- and future plans that reflect the the former Boy’s Burger site to accumulate even more, to once violation of its contract with the year, each of No which gave CWS again discuss terminating CWS’ City, but Mayor Maravilla and the steps to resolve the defaults. ported, though one dockwork- city’s strong economic base and on Artesia Boulevard. Meancontract. Council were apparently afraid to In addition to the defaultatno-the scene for appeal to investors. while, Keystone Plaza’s Craftser was treated laws. The agreement, announced Under the Ralph M. lawsuit, Brown pull the termination trigger, leav- tices, the City also scrapes. attempted Officials to Norwalk settles state City officials noted that from man-style exterior remodel is minor said Friday, driving requires Norwalk to Act, Maravilla and the City Counby stinky arrange meetings with CWS but agrees to repeal shelter ban, ing residents proceeding in phases, with some January through August 2025, a hazardous materials were not ban, implement cil could have sent out a notice piles revoke of trash forthe the foreseeable CWS did not attend most meetfund housing, and launch work complete and Chase Bank of aHIGH total of 1,327Bridget building permits overdue housing programs and held a meeting within two future. ings.to involved, easing concerns ARTESIA staff-member Perrizo received the Award of long-term state compliance upgrades still under review. days to address the situation. The voluminous staff mandates, report Valor from Lakewood savingand two1,463 in a dogpermits attack. were for issued comply with state and larger environmental threat. See TRASH page 15comes at a finalized, underscoring brisk programs. Auto-related projects also The incident establish a housing trust fund with an initial $250,000 deposit. time when ports nationwide are activity in construction and ren- feature prominently. Volvo Cars By Brian Hews Cerritos has joined the Auto The settlement is subject to under pressure to move goods ovation. quickly while maintaining court approval, according to Among completed projects Square and is awaiting final Norwalk has agreed to California Attorney General safety standards. Long Beach, is the expansion of Golden Star signage installation. Ford is prerepeal a local ordinance that Rob Bonta. which handled more than nine Technologies (GST) at 166th paring to launch a reconditionbarred emergency shelters and Governor Gavin Newsom million container units last year, Street. The company added ing facility at Studebaker Road, certain supportive facilities for criticized the city’s initial stance, has been working to modernize while Extra Space Storage on unhoused residents, settling a saying the council’s refusal to its terminals with automated warehouse space, new employ- Crusader Avenue has reopened state lawsuit that alleged the reverse the policy until sued equipment and improved yard ee amenities, and site enhancements, celebrating its grand city violated California housing [ See CERRITOS, page 12 ] [ See CARGO, page 13 ] re-opening in August. Anoth[ See NORWALK, page 12 ]
and community concerns.
ARTESIA HIGH STAFF-MEMBER RECEIVES AWARD OF VALOR FROM LAKEWOOD
Cerritos Development Update Highlights Expansions, Remodels, and Future Plans
TRASH WILL FINALLY GET CLEANED UP IN HAWAIIAN GARDENS
Norwalk to Revoke Ban on Homeless Housing in Settlement With State
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