2012 HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION EDITION
HEWS MEDIA GROUP
COMMUNITYNEWS
Serving Cerritos, Artesia, Hawaiian Gardens, Norwalk, Lakewood, Pico Rivera, La Mirada, and La Palma • 45,000 HOMES EVERY FRIDAY • JUNE 15, 2012 • Volume 26, No.22 • LosCerritosNews.net
Smuts Lauded, Roasted During Retirement Dinner
Burbank Students Tour Cerritos Library
Cerritos Council Delays Goodwill Application to Open Store
By Randy Economy
By Jerry Bernstein
randy@cerritosnews.net
editor@cerritosnews.net
A
T
BC Unified School District Superintendent Gary Smuts was “roasted” and “toasted” at a retirement celebration this past Friday night at the Sycamore Plaza at the Lakewood Civic Center. Smuts is retiring from the ABC Unified School District after a career that has spanned four decades and nearly 400 family, friends, community leaders, and coworkers gathered to pay tribute to one of the “most amazing educators in the history of ABC Unified School District.” Cerritos Mayor Jim Edwards served as Master of Ceremonies and the event was filled with video tributes from local mayor’s, state elected officials, and by County
[See SMUTS DINNER page 12]
Hawaiian Gardens Council Renews City Administrator’s Contract By Jerry Bernstein editor@cerritosnews.net
T
he Hawaiian Gardens city council unanimously renewed their contract with City Administrator Ernesto Marquez for three years. The contract opens the door to a future revision of the position of City Administrator to City Manager. The contract, becomes effective on July 25 and adjusts the annual base salary from $169,941 to $168,000, increases vacation and leave from 18-21 hours per month to 20 and 80 hours per fiscal year to 100. The city also agrees to pay 100 percent tuition and cost fees if the City Admistrator decides to complete a Graduate Degree program in Public Administration. City Attorney Omar Sandoval said although the present contract stipulates Marquez is entitled to the benefits afforded other city employees; the new agreement stipulates he will also be subject to benefit decreases in
[See H.G. COUNCIL page 12]
JERRY BERNSTEIN PHOTO
Burbank Elementary School fifth grade students take a break on the field trip to the Cerritos Library to have their picture taken by the “Wedding Tree” in the Cerritos Civic Center Plaza. Teacher Wendy Huang said the class is studying language arts and social studies. “Many of them have not been to the library,” she said, “adding during their visit the class will get a tour of the third floor. Following the library visit they will have lunch in the city’s Sculpture Garden,” she said.
he Cerritos City Council upheld a Planning Commission recommendation calling for passage of an urgency ordinance that establishes a 45-day moratorium on a request by Goodwill Stores to open a store located at 17518 Carmenita Road Goodwill is seeking a Conditional Use Permit to permit it to operate a store and drop-off center where the former Rite Aid store was located. Director of Community Development Torrey Conteras said the permit was necessary because the city’s municipal code does not have any regulations regarding second-hand stores. The ordinance prohibits the establish-
[See GOODWILL page 12]
ARTESIA DEDICATES OLD FIRE STATION #30 WITH POMP, MEMORIES By Randy Economy randy@cerritosnews.net
T
hey gathered to honor real life heroes who helped save countless lives and to dedicate a “little fire station” that will forever serve as a monument for Artesia’s rich past and a symbol for the future. Old Fire Station #30, on the corner of Corby Avenue and 187th Street in the “heart” of Artesia was official dedicated after a massive restoration project that took thousands of volunteer hours to complete as well as an untold amount of tender loving care. With nearly 300 residents, community leaders, county fire department officials, and members of the Artesia Historical Society on hand, Mayor John Lyons oversaw a two hour program that took those gathered down a historical memory lane to recall the “enormous role” Old Fire Station #30 played in the lives of thousands of residents. Mayor John Lyon was beaming with pride and smiles as he recalled the amount of “team work” that went into restoring the fire station. “This was a true labor of love, and today we can all enjoy the value and importance this fire station has played in
PHOTO BY RANDY ECONOMY
Artesia's Old Fire Station #30 was official dedicated recently with a fitting tribute, ribbon cutting and community tours of the facility. Seen at the Ribbon Cutting were Artesia Mayor John Lyon, Artesia Historical Society President Barbara Applebury, Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe, and Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby.
our history,” he said. Barbara Applebury, the President of the Artesia Historical Society praised Lyon and Los Angeles Counhe said. Barbara Applebury, the President of the Artesia Historical Society praised the City of Artesia and Los Angeles County Super-
visor Don Knabe, as well as Chief Daryl Osby of the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the ABC Unified School District for helping “create the perfect partnership” to make the restoration a “dream
[See FIRE STATION #30 page 11]
00254.081611
00254.110909
La Palma Intercommunity Hospital
00254.LPIH.AD.General_Ad_10x3.081611indd.indd 1
We are a full service, general acute care hospital and have been a part of the community since 1971. 7901 walker street
• 24-Hour Emergency Services • Behavioral Medicine • Maternity Services • Comprehensive Wound Care • Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory |
la palma, ca 90623
(714) 670-7400
8/16/2011 10:16:36 AM