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Official publication of the Greater Lakewood Chamber of Commerce | 30,000 Circulation - Delivered to every home in Lakewood
February 2021
Volume 41 Number 02
Virtual Lakewood Run is a fun and City gives extra focus to easy way to support the community message of Martin Luther
Rain or shine, the 2021 Virtual Lakewood Run will kick off on Saturday, March 6, 2021. Although COVID considerations prevent the Lakewood Run from offering its traditional activities, this year’s participants can download a virtual “race map” and have 30 days to complete the “30 for 30th Challenge” by visiting local businesses for fun giveaways and discounts. Registration is online only at www.lakewoodrun.com/registra-
tion. The Jan. 31 early registration fee includes a specially designed T-shirt ($35) or half-zip ($45). Registration fees from Feb. 1 through March 5 will be $45 and $55. Every participant will receive a medal, but those who have participated for five years in a row will receive a special legacy medal to mark their achievement. See www.lakewoodrun.com for full details. Your support of the Lakewood Run funds the Soroptimist In-
ternational of Lakewood/Long Beach Live Your Dream program to assist women who provide the primary financial support for their families by giving them resources to improve their education, skills and employment prospects. Proceeds also benefit high school girls through the Dream It, Be It program that provides access to professional role models and career education. In addition, Run proceeds help local organizations such as Lakewood Meals on Wheels, Su Casa~Ending Domestic Violence, Friends of the Lakewood Sheriff’s Station Fund, and 9-9-9 for Kids (a program benefitting foster children in L.A. County). Major sponsors include Lakewood Center, Lakewood Family YMCA, F&M Bank, TLD Law, Kenny’s Auto Service, City Light and Power, Back to Life Chiropractic, Basiago Family Dentistry, Grocery Outlet-Lakewood, Teamwork Escrow, State Senator Bob Archuleta and the City of Lakewood. ♦
Lakewood begins transition to council district elections
At its Jan. 12 meeting, the Lakewood City Council reviewed its legal options under the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA), which strongly encourages cities to create council district seats, each representing a portion of a city, instead of having each council member elected by the entire city, which Lakewood has done since its incorporation in 1954. The CVRA makes it relatively easy for lawsuits to succeed against cities that maintain citywide council elections. If a city loses a lawsuit, the city pays the attorney fees for the party bring-
ing the suit, which can run into the millions of dollars. No city or other jurisdiction has won in such a suit, and over 150 California cities and school districts have now transitioned to district elections, many doing so to prevent a costly lawsuit. After deliberation, the Lakewood City Council voted unanimously to avoid the costly legal challenge and passed a Resolution of Intent to create district council seats starting with the 2022 and 2024 council elections. City Council Members expressed appreciation for having members elected by and re-
sponsible to the entire city under Lakewood’s current system, but also expressed hope that council members in the future would continue the tradition of looking out for the interests of the entire city, even if elected by only one area of it. The transition process will include the hiring of an expert demographer who will help the city hold a series of public meetings, likely beginning in April of this year, with the goal of finalizing maps for council district lines by Oct. 1 of this year. The theory behind the California Voting Rights Act is that when council members are elected citywide, there tend to be fewer minority group members elected, and that requiring voting by district creates more opportunities for minority group members to be elected, especially if they represent a particular region of a community that has a high population of a minority group. While the Lakewood City Council currently has two minority group members, that fact alone does not prevent the city from losing in a lawsuit under the CVRA. ♦
King, Jr.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. giving his “I Have a Dream” speech in August 1963.
At the Lakewood City Council meeting on Jan. 12, Mayor Todd Rogers spoke about the violent mob attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 and about the national commemoration of the birthday of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “The right to protest is inalienable and part of our nation’s DNA,” said Rogers, “but violence, destruction of property, and attacks against our core institutions and the men and women in law enforcement…wherever they occur and regardless of who commits the acts…are not acceptable and cannot be tolerated.” “I feel very fortunate to live in our diverse community of Lakewood where we have many more common values than not…and where civil discourse still prevails,” said Rogers. “I want to say thank-you to everyone in Lakewood for that. I pray that others throughout our nation will follow your example.” “Speaking of following a good example,” said Rogers, “in these harrowing times, I can’t think of a better American role model for all of us to be remembering and looking up to right now than Dr. King.” Rogers and other City Council
Members went on to describe Dr. King’s leadership in the struggle for civil rights for African Americans, who in the 1950s and 1960s were still being denied those rights in many aspects of life in the U.S. “Because of Dr. King’s persuasive words and his philosophy of non-violent political action,” said Rogers, “hearts and minds…and laws…were changed which resulted in major improvements in civil rights and equal treatment under the law for all Americans. More still needs to be done.” The city later sent an email to residents with links to Dr. King’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech, his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” and bullet points on his philosophy of non-violent action and communication. You can view these at www. lakewoodcity.org/MLK. “I encourage our residents to listen to and read these treasures of American history,” said Rogers. “This can also be another important step toward furthering the goals of our Community Dialogue, to build on all the good in Lakewood, and to make our city the safest and most welcoming place it can possibly be…for everyone.” ♦
Presidents' Day service changes
City Hall will be closed on Monday, Feb. 15 in observance of Presidents’ Day. Trash service will continue as usual. There will be no street sweeping on this day, no makeup sweep and no citations issued for street sweeping-related parking violations. There will be no DASH Transit service available. When City Hall is closed, here is how you can report a non-emergency issue: • Call and leave a message for the customer service staff at 562866-9771, extension 2140 or send an email to service1@lakewoodcity.org. They will answer messages on the next business day. • Submit a non-emergency
service request online at www. lakewoodcity.org/service. • Use the Lakewood Connect app for your smartphone to report an issue, ask a question or give input to the City of Lakewood. The app is available for free from both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. For emergency city service requests, like downed tree limbs or water main leaks, please phone 562-866-9771 and follow the recorded instructions to page a 24hour city emergency staff worker. For questions or requests regarding trash and disposal services, contact EDCO Disposal at 562-531-3054. ♦
Today
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February 2021
Thank you health care and frontline workers! By Mayor Todd Rogers
The New Year is bringing us the optimism of COVID vaccines starting to arrive (although with a distribution process that definitely needs improvement). But our optimism is tempered by the realization that right now we are in the depths of the deadliest COVID surge we’ve had, especially here in California. Hospitals have been overflowing with sick COVID patients, medical care across the board has been negatively impacted, and people are tragically dying at record levels. COVID is hitting our local hospital…Lakewood Regional Medical Center…very hard, like other hospitals in our state. Lakewood Regional’s medical staff are working long hours in stressful conditions for several months now, doing their best to heal sick patients, and doing so with compassion, care and all of their skill. These Lakewood heroes have been on the frontlines in our nation’s battle against COVID…and they deserve our continued gratitude. With that in mind, a few weeks ago the City of Lakewood launched a THANK YOU campaign to encourage Lakewood residents to express appreciation to the staff
at Lakewood Regional and all our Lakewood health care professionals who are struggling bravely in the battle against COVID. On behalf of my colleagues on the Lakewood City Council, I want to say THANK YOU to all the Lakewood residents who took the time to post a message on the city’s Facebook page. We’ve reposted those comments to the city website now so that everyone can take a look, even if you don’t use Facebook. It’s at www.lakewoodcity.org/HealthCareWorkerThanks. One more BIG WAY you can show respect to our health care workers is to do everything possible to keep yourself from getting COVID so you don’t end up in a hospital adding to the overflow of patients. While this particular thank-you effort was focused on our health care workers, we never forget all of our essential workers who have continued to work our grocery stores, make deliveries to our homes, and provide all the essential services we have needed these many months during the pandemic. We appreciate all of you very much! I often get asked what’s the latest on vaccines coming to our region? The good news of course is that in record time we’ve had TWO vaccines tested, approved and in mass production in the country. That’s amazing! The disappointing news is that getting the vaccines distributed has proven to be a tremendous organizational challenge to the state and county. Delays have been made worse because the health care system that would normally distribute them is stretched very thin, with staff and resources tied up in the COVID surge. Even with this issue, however, it is clear that the initial distribution is
not going as quickly as it should. The City of Lakewood does not control the distribution of the vaccines; however, we have told county health officials that we will assist in whatever way we can to speed the distribution of the vaccines in our city. For the latest on vaccine distribution countywide, go to www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/vaccine. There, you can also subscribe to a county e-newsletter for regular updates. The city is also including vaccine updates specifically related to Lakewood in our weekly eMagazine. Subscribe at www.lakewoodcity.org/emag. Like many of you, I have been very frustrated by the slow pace of vaccine distribution, but I am cautiously optimistic that the process will soon ramp up and finally allow us to vaccinate millions of Californians, including Lakewood residents, in the next few months. As we wait, we must continue our vigilance about keeping ourselves and others safe. Wear a mask. Avoid gathering with anyone outside your household. And if you feel sick, take it seriously, isolate yourself, and contact your health professional for guidance. I know that we all ended the year 2020 looking forward to a much better 2021…and we got off to a very rough start in many ways. But we still have the ingredients in place to make 2021 a great year… and hopefully by the end of this year we will be looking at COVID far off in the rearview mirror! Please continue to do your part to stay safe…and on behalf of the Lakewood City Council, we wish you a very Happy New Year ahead. ♦
City Spotlight Take ‘Survive For 7’ virtually The Survive for 7 disaster training and planning program is typically offered in-person three times annually to the Lakewood community at no cost to the participants. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, a new virtual, easy-to-view presentation has been created and is available at www.lakewoodcity.org/Survive. Having food, water and shelter for seven days is the standard for family disaster survival. This course, taught by the City of Lakewood’s Emergency Manager, explains the skills citizens need to survive in the first week following a catastrophe and covers the potential emergencies that could affect Lakewood. In an emergency, fire, Sheriff and emergency medical services may be delayed in responding. This program educates participants about how to get organized, create an emergency plan, and get prepared to take care of themselves, their family members and their neighborhood. Residents can access the new Survive for 7 online presentation any time at www.lakewoodcity.org/Survive. Distance-learning support for kids The City of Lakewood’s Park Alternative Learning Sites (PALS) program offers weekly sessions at two locations to support Lakewood families who have elementary school-aged children in distance learning.
Expires 2-28-21
PALS is offered at Lakewood Youth Center and Mayfair Park Monday through Friday (except designated school holidays) for children in first through fifth grades from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 1-26, 2021. For Lakewood residents, the rate is $130 per week. Tuition assistance is available on a limited basis through the Lakewood Project Shepherd program. The non-resident rate is $145 per week. For more details, see the flyer at www.lakewoodcity.org/PALS. PALS offers a safe atmosphere for children to complete their schoolwork and participate in virtual learning while in a group setting of one adult to ten children. Participants must provide their own laptop or tablet with webcam, but each site will provide ample bandwidth to support all the devices on the network simultaneously. Face coverings and daily temperature checks are required for safety. Space is limited. If registration minimum is not met, participants may be transferred to another site. Visit www.lakewoodcity.org/ecatalog and enter PALS in the search box to register. For more information, including applying a 10% sibling discount for a second child, call City Hall at 562-8669771, extension 2408. ♦
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Minding February 2021
How to protect your home from fumigation burglaries
Homeowner staying in RV observed burglars and notified police (©Press Telegram).
Tenting your home for termites helps protect your investment, but it’s also an opportunity
Register for spring recreation classes Registration is open now for the City of Lakewood’s spring recreation classes that begin Feb. 1 and run through June. The new Lakewood Recreation and Community Services Spring Catalog is only available online at www.lakewoodcity.org/catalog. It features COVID-safe virtual and outdoor activities for participants of all ages. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Lakewood is committed to providing programs and services to the extent safely allowed by the L.A. County Department of Public Health. The catalog’s availability through the city’s webpage allows for the most up-to-date information. As always, many classes are free or low cost. You can register for classes and programs by calling City Hall at 562-866-9771, extension 2408, or at www.lakewoodcity.org/ecatalog by entering the keyword or activity number from the catalog description. ♦
for thieves to steal from unwary homeowners. Criminals will wear gas masks
www.lakewoodchamber.com and cut into the fumigation tent to gain entry and burglarize the home of valuables without anyone suspecting. Here are some steps you can take to help protect your home: • Research various pest control companies before you select one. Ask about policies for home burglaries that happen during fumigation and any security measures they may put in place. • Request vacation checks by Deputy Sheriffs. You can request a free vacation check of your tented home while you are away. Call Lakewood Station at 562-623-3500 to request the vacation check or download the form at www.lakewoodcity.org/ Vacation. • Stay at home in an RV. Some homeowners prefer to stay right outside their home in a parked RV, which is a great deterrent to criminal activity. You can rent an RV or some fumigation companies will offer them. Be sure you are aware of Lakewood’s rules for RV parking and get a free permit online at www.lakewoodcity.org/RVPermits. For more helpful tips and resources, including a short video, be sure to visit the City of Lakewood’s new webpage at www. lakewoodcity.org/FumeBurg. ♦
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February 2021
February 2021
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February 2021 Eric M. Reed, D.D.S. UCLA ‘91 / Lakewood HS ‘82
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Lakewood citrus trees still at high risk of disease
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Asian citrus psyllid insect spreads the tree disease.
The devastating citrus disease Huanglongbing (HLB) continues to be a serious threat to citrus trees, including those in Lakewood. An insect called the Asian citrus psyllid spreads the disease as it feeds on leaves. The main way the psyllid spreads throughout California is by people transporting infested plants or plant material. HLB can affect all citrus trees, including orange, lemon, lime, mandarin, pomelo, kumquat, grapefruit, tangerine and more. If you have any of these plants in your backyard, inspect them monthly, or whenever watering, spraying, pruning or tending trees. Remember to wash your citrus fruit and remove any stems or leaves before sharing with neighbors. The Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program recommends these tips: • Inspect trees for the insect and disease. • Don’t move citrus into or out of your area. • Buy citrus trees from licensed, local nurseries. • Only use registered budwood. Cooperate with agriculture crews. • Apply products that protect your tree. • Dry or double bag plant clippings. Once a tree is confirmed with the disease, it will die and must be removed to limit its spread. Visit www.CaliforniaCitrusThreat.org for more information on the disease and how to inspect your own trees.♦
FUN-Tastic Family Night Featuring The Young Music Group
The City of Lakewood’s FUN-Tastic Family Nights returns LIVE online with The Young Music Group on Friday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. at www.lakewoodcity.org/ FFNVirtual. Start your weekend by moving and dancing along to high energy songs and rhythmic games, and turn your home into an adventure while you’re flying like a Super Kid and going on a Pirate Treasure Hunt! Nick and Jen Young have something fun for the whole family to enjoy! This LIVE virtual event is FREE for all ages and does not require registration. For more information, visit www.lakewoodcity.org/FFNVirtual or call 562-8669771, extension 2408. ♦
Town
Around February 2021
Register for the Virtual Code Jam Hackathon
Are you a student programmer? A beginner interest in coding? Want to improve your skills by learning from professionals and experts? Or perhaps are looking for a volunteering opportunity in the Computer Science field? Join our 2021 all-day Virtual Code Jam Hackathon on February 27th, 2021! Code Jam is an annual studentrun collaborative-coding hackathon for all ABC Unified School District students who are interested in coding of all different levels. This is an event where you can code with friends and hear from professionals to have fun and level up your coding abilities. Specifically, we offer an opportunity for novice coders to take a crash course in programming, and there will be workshops from industry professionals and student speakers! At the end of the event, all coders are able to collaborate with experts on projects to demo. What’s more, the event is FREE. At the Code Jam 2021, the teams will receive prizes and at the end of the day, everyone earns programming experience and opportunities to meet new people! We are also looking for volunteers to mentor teams, help out the hackathon goers, and generate excitement for the event. Don't hesitate to be a volunteer even if you don't know how to code! If you are interested in participating, fill out the Interest Form or Volunteer Sign Up Form located on our instagram @whitneycodejam. For any questions or more information, please contact us at whitneycodejam@gmail.com. ♌
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February 2021