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la miraDa, ca., NovemBer , 2019 Serving La Mirada and ten other surrounding communities • September 22 5, 2025 • Vol. 69, No. 51 • LMLAMPLIGHTER.COM
CALTRANS REROUTED TRAFFIC WITHOUT INFORMING Artesia’s 2025 State of the City: CERRITOS, ILLEGAL MOVE WILL COST THE CITY OVER $5 MILLION ta or Artesia is a city designated flows onto arterial streets.” BY BRIAN HEWS The City is claiming that the during the construction period. Safety Gains,rerouting Balanced Books, The City then cited the nuhas caused over $5 “Caltrans has failed to coor- truck route, commercial vehicles Hews Media Group-Los Cer- million in damage to the streets, dinate thus far, and any further over 6,000 pounds are strictly merous safety hazards caused by andNews a Downtown on the Rise lack of communication or con- prohibited on the streets, per the rerouting of traffic, concerns ritos Community has ob- increased pollution in the area,
that have been voiced by Cerriincreased traffic noise, and in- sultation with the City and its City Municipal Code.” encesafety and technology. The residents city partnered creased the risk of resiis unacceptable.” The Caltrans rerouting of tos residents in calls and emails illicit Cityacblasted Caltrans for trucks has caused severe dam- to both HMG-LCCN and the dents. with Southwest Patrol to deterThe tivity in neighborhoods, parks, and busiFurther the letter states that establishing a detour route on age and increased traffic at peak City. andof installed 11 automated The rerouting on Carmenita Caltrans ness is indistricts violation the southbound Carmenita between hours, the extensive damage license plate reader cameras to and speedArtesia Blvd., and alone is estimated “to cost $5.2 takes large trucks by two schools, project’s final Environmental the I-5 responses. Looking ahead,eastbound a new PubImpact Report which obligates Artesia Blvd. between million to repair,” and the “aver- Stowers Elementary and CarmelictoService Center space and for the I-5. the agency coordinate withwill cit- house Carmenita age daily traffic on said streets nita Middle school in addition the Sheriff’s Department, ies to minimize adverse impacts an Emergency “Neither stretch of Carmeni- has significantly increased and Operations Center, and the Community See CALTRANS page 14 Artesia Mayor Ali Sajjad Taj used his Development Department to strengthen 2025 State of the City address to frame coordination during emergencies and Artesia’s year as one of steady gains and day-to-day operations. shared purpose, saying the city is “UnitOn infrastructure and beautification, ed We Thrive” as it balances its budget, the city completed pavement rehabilita- Cerritos College Reopens Health Science Building reduces major crime, invests in parks, tion on six residential streets, installed CERRITOS COLLEGE’S Health Science Building, updated with new labs, accessibility and positions downtown for transit-ori- decorative wrought-iron fencing and features, and sustainable upgrades. The modernized building at Cerritos College will host BYhealthcare THOM MARTIN action, jumping out of her car hands-on training for and cosmetology students. ented growth. landscaping along the Historical District grabbing the boy and helping the Mayor Taj reported a balanced bud- Recreational Trail, and finished Phase 1 The City of Lakewood held woman. learning. It’s not just a get with a surplus and pointed to an 86% of a citywide sidewalk replacement prowork to hands-on itsEditor annual Award of Valor lunSheantook them to Artesia High year-over-year jump in new business li- gram to address trip hazards. Internally, By Karina Soriano, lecture hall; it’s environment that simcheon on Nov. 6 to thank the men School, where they received medcenses—170 issued—with a 90% renew- the city modernized systems: Finance in Chief, Talon Marks ulates what educators will experience in and women of the Los Angeles ical assistance and were ultimateal rate, underscoring that business activ- rolled out a new budgeting platform, the actual preschool settings.” County Sheriff’s Department and ly transported to the hospital. ity is critical in a city that does not rely City Clerk began digitizing records, and Gibson added that the redesign inCerritos College the grandasreFireheld Department, well as the Because of her selfless acheavily on property tax revenue. cludes outdoor classroom element Council Chambers received an audio-vi- opening of its renovated Health Science who pro- antions, community volunteers the City of Lakewood rePublic engagement tools expanded sual upgrade. Additional staffing is being Building on Wednesday, Aug. 20, from that promotes STEM learning. “I’m realtect and serve Lakewood. cently awarded Bridget with the over the past year, including a monthly added to meet service demand. ly most excited about the outdoor class5 to 6:30 p.m., welcoming the public to Bridget Perrizo, a staff mem- Mayor’s Award at the city’s ane-newsletter, broader social media outroom,” shenual said. “Evenofthough the space Taj highlighted more than \$19 mil- explore the upgraded through ber at facility Artesia High was honored Awards Valor ceremony. reach, increased website traffic, a new lion secured in federal, state, and local self-guided tours of its modernized spac- replicates a child’s environment, you’ll when she helped two people that "I always wondered what I FlashVote survey platform, and an online grants for infrastructure, parks, emer- es. see outdoor seating set upfaced for adults, alwas being attacked by a dog. would do when with a situService Request System that residents gency preparedness, and community lowing to practice setting meaningBridget,the wasHealth headed back to us ation like this one,"upsaid Perrizo. Constructed in 1974, used nearly 300 times. fulspotactivities. even mud Ikitchen from housed lunch when "ByThere’s the grace of aGod, had the programs. Those funds are supporting Science Building work has long the she Taj said the goal is a more transparent improvements at Artesia Park and AJ college’s cosmetology ted a and dog attacking a woman to for takeouraction. I'm toso andand large courage ramp sets students health occuand responsive City Hall, with real-time Padelford Park, development of the Ar- pations programs.young boy. The dog had knocked both the mom son work with.glad It’sthat a wonderful way toand inteThe renovation adds input guiding decisions. them to the ground and they were are okay, and I'm so honored tesia Botanical Garden, and creation of improved accessibility and sustainable grate play and professional training, en-to Public safety was a central theme. a Hazard Mitigation Plan and a Climate infrastructure upgrades, screaming for help.new suring thatreceive this not award.” breathing educators only understand The mayor reported a 42% reduction in Bridget immediately took life into the structure. TRASH piles up at a condominium complex in Hawaiian Gardens. The City chose Waste Resources child development but can Seealso HEROactively page 15 major crimes,ascrediting Incorporated their newheightened hauler, whopressaid they would immediately begin trash pick up. Photo Brian Hews. The enhanced facility now offers stuengage with the learning tools.” [ See ARTESIA, page 12 ] dents state-of-the-art laboratories and The early childhood spaces are a key learning environments designed to meet part of Cerritos College’s broader stratecurrent industry standards and prepare gy to prepare educators for the realities graduates for careers in healthcare and of the classroom. By creating a profescosmetology. sional lab school atmosphere, the instituBY BRIAN HEWS “PoorBellflower’s leadership, no foresight The included default letters, to the advanced faciliIn addition conditions. Councilseveral set tion aims to help future teachers feel less Publicand cosmetology training, on the situation, typical of this which, under California’s City fast-tracks 2025 a second reading and public hearing for ties for health overwhelmed by the challenges of coorWhilecode rotting trash is accumu- City Council,” former Hawaiian Resource Code Cerritos Section 49000, building with local College has invested in new dinating a preschool environment. Sept. 22, with the ordinance scheduled to latingwildfire in manyand parts of Hawaiian Gardens Mayor Rey Rodriguez starts the clock onearly termination. fire, liquefaction childhood education classrooms take effect Jan. 1, 2026 if adopted. The reopening of the Health Science Gardens, Mayor Myra Maravilla City staff even went the extra told HMG-LCCN. standards ahead of California adopts updated building and learning spaces. These areas pro- Building and the launch of the early and 130’s the City Council finally conThe staff report included in step and attempted to work with AB housing limits. standards every three years, but the vide an authentic setting where students childhood development learning spaces ducted a hearing, waiting an en- last week’s meeting presented CWS to cure the breaches and can apply their coursework and practice underscore Cerritos College’s commitLegislature has was tightened the window tire Brian week, Hews and allowing the trash clear evidence starting in March of this that CWS in defaults By real classroom scenarios, according to ment to evolving educational environfor local amendments that regulate to accumulate even more, to once violation of its contract with the year, each of which gave CWS program residential units. Assembly Bill 130 bars again terminating Mayor Maravilla and the steps to resolve the defaults.director and California Early ments that meet contemporary needs. Thediscuss Bellflower City CWS’ Council City, heldbut new Childhood Program Coordinator College officials expressed optimism city-level afraid amendments Council apparently to Inaffecting addition to the defaultMentor noacontract. special meeting Wednesday, Sept. 3, were Dionne Gibson. housing units between Under the Ralph M. Brown trigger, leav- October tices, the2025 City also attempted to about the new pathways these renovaat 9 a.m. to consider Ordinancepull No.the termination “The fresh and June 2031.byBellflower staff said the Act, Maravilla and the City Coun- ing residents driving stinky arrange meetings with CWS butspaces offer a blend of tra- tions create for students; with a strength1449, a sweeping measure that folded action was strategic and in keeping with ditional and modern learning methods,” cil could have sent out a notice piles of trash for the foreseeable CWS did not attend most meetCalifornia’s 2025 Building Standards current city policies — locking in local Gibson said. “We have brand-new child ened focus on practical engagement, the and held a meeting within two future. ings. ARTESIA HIGH staff-member Bridget Perrizo received Award upgrades are intended to help the future pro-of Code into the city’s municipal code while rules before the state ban takes effect. development classrooms where our stu-for saving two in a dog attack. days to address the situation. The voluminous staff report Valor from Lakewood fessionals excel in fields critical to the adding local amendments tailored to dents transition TRASH page 15 from theoretical course- local and regional economy. [ See BELLFLOWER, page 12 ] See tained a letter, dated September 6, 2019,Tajaddressed Mayor cites 42%to Caltrans from the city of Cerritos that crime drop, budget blasts the$19 statemillion agencyin for reroutsurplus, ing tractor-trailer traffic through grants, and transit-driven the City due to I-5 construction downtown growth. projects. By Shockingly, Brian Hewsthe rerouting was done without notifying the City.
ARTESIA HIGH STAFF-MEMBER RECEIVES AWARD OF VALOR FROM LAKEWOOD
Bellflower Council Moves to TRASH WILL FINALLY CLEANED UP IN HAWAIIAN GARDENS Fast-Track StateGET Building Code Adoption
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