Volume 44 Number 1
January 2024
Chamber celebrates 2023, starting New Year with a bang
The Greater Lakewood Chamber of Commerce ended the year with a bang after co-hosting its first Christmas Mixer & Tree Lighting Ceremony with F&M Bank, in honor of Lakewood restaurants. With Santa Claus on hand, over 20 restaurant owners in Lakewood were honored for their years of service to Lakewood. (1-4 Years Category) Honored were: Nostalgia
Gorditas, Stinkin' Crawfish, The acci Pizza & Pasta, and Cassidy's Buffulo Spot, Coco's LipSmacking Corner. (20 Years Plus Category) Cupcakes, Patty's Recognized were: Cakes, Cobbler Foggia Italian More Inside & Fried Chicken, Market & Deli, for Str8 Up Tacos, 88 Keys Coffee, 24 years; Outback Steakhouse, for Craft'd Nutrition, Cookie Plug and 27 years; Heritage Family Pantry, Big Brian's Meats Catering. (5-10 for 29 years; Glory Days Sports Years Category) Recognized were: Grill,for 30 years; the Spongberg Cane's Chicken Fingers, Cafe Rio, Family for serving Lakewood for Daebak Korean Restaurant, Ali- 35 years with two El Pollo Locos;
The City of Lakewood's annual State of the City Luncheon is set for Tuesday, Jan. 30 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at The Centre. Attendees will hear what Lakewood's leaders are saying about the city's upcoming opportunities and challenges. This annual event is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Lakewood, Greater Lakewood Chamber of Commerce and City of Lakewood. The early-bird deadline for reservations is Tuesday, Jan. 16.
Reservations are $45 per person, and tables of nine can be reserved for $405 if purchased by 5 p.m. on Jan. 16. From Jan. 17 through Jan. 23, reservations are $55 per person. Seating is not guaranteed after Jan. 23. Reservations may be purchased online at www.lakewoodcity.org/SOTCtickets. Gourmet vegan and vegetarian entrees are available by request. Residents who do not wish to pur-
and the Piazza Family, for serving Lakewood with four McDonald's restaurants for 54 years! "What a beautiful way to end a year and start a new one," said GLCC's President/CEO Jose Solache. "With our last mixer of the year, we wanted to celebrate our businesses, not just our members, but all of our businesses to shine a light on all of their hard work, and
Annual State of City Luncheon tickets on sale Congratulations Mayfair
(Cont'd. on Pg. 7)
honestly, for their resilience in being a business owner. It's not easy opening a business, and sustaining it for over a year or 54 years. Restaurants don't just need local permits, they also need to be approved by the county's health department before they can open. It takes courage to open a restaurant, and for that, we should all celebrate them every chance we get."
Photo Courtesy by Ted Meyers
The Mayfair High School Monsoons ended a historic season with a 13-3 record, including winning the 2023 CIF-Southern Section Division 7 Championship and bringing home the school's first CIF Southern California Regional Championship Trophy. Read more inside, on Page 5.
Lakewood enhancing its Neighborhood Public Safety Program A
You can see a short video on the program on Lakewood CityTV at www.lakewoodcity.org/Patrol
s a new year begins, the City of Lakewood would like to remind its residents that public safety, in 2024, continues to be a core community value. Last year, the Lakewood City Council passed a $400,000 “Neighborhood Safety Enhancement Program” to do all that Lakewood could at the local level to address a rise in catalytic converter thefts and other property crimes that have been impacting communities
across California and the nation. This year, the city has continued the program and added to it. The Lakewood effort includes paying for more Deputy Sheriff patrol time in Lakewood, to the maximum possible given the limits on the number of L.A. County Sheriff’s personnel. Another key feature of the package is paying for private security guards to patrol Lakewood neighborhoods every night to provide more public safety
“eyes and ears” on the residential streets of the city. The guards, from Southwest Patrol, conduct highly visible patrols of neighborhoods, parks, schools and shopping centers, as well as targeting specific areas of concern from 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. seven days a week. Community response has been positive, with residents indicating they feel safer knowing the security patrols are keeping a watchful eye overnight.