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CALTRANS REROUTED TRAFFIC WITHOUT INFORMING CERRITOS, ILLEGALArtesia MOVE WILL COST THEResigns, CITY OVER $5 MILLION City Manager Receives
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 the City due to I-5 construction projects. Shockingly, the rerouting was done without notifying the City.
The City is claiming that the rerouting has caused over $5 million in damage to the streets, increased pollution in the area, increased traffic noise, and increased the safety risk of residents. Further the letter states that Caltrans is in violation of the project’s final Environmental Impact Report which obligates the agency to coordinate with cities to minimize adverse impacts
during the construction period. “Caltrans has failed to coordinate thus far, and any further lack of communication or consultation with the City and its residents is unacceptable.” The City blasted Caltrans for establishing a detour route on southbound Carmenita between the I-5 and Artesia Blvd., and eastbound Artesia Blvd. between Carmenita and the I-5. “Neither stretch of Carmeni-
PERMITS ISSUED FOR HAWAIIAN GARDENS HOTEL THE HOLIDAY IN AND EXPRESS will be located at Norwalk and 226th and will be over 42,000 square feet, have 71 rooms, 64 parking spaces, 53 feet tall, and boast a bar and a lounge.
Lakewood Will Hold Public Hearings for District Elections
By Brian Hews
of guest rooms, a meeting room, offices, a bar and lounge, fitness Hawaiian 1311, LLC re- room, business center, kitchen cently pulled construction per- and breakfast area, and an outmits valued at over $6.8 million, door pool and patio area. The second, third, and fourth generating over $390,000 in fees to the city for the upcoming floors would primarily consist of By Tammye McDuff Holiday Inn Express and Suites guest rooms and ancillary storage areas. in Hawaiian Gardens. Beginning in 2022, LakeHawaiian Gardens Mayor The project involves the conwood City Council Members struction of a four-story, 42,164- Luis Roa told HMG-CN, “the will be elected based on district, square-foot, 71-unit hotel with green property was vacant for each one representing a portion 64 parking spaces on the vacant many years. We hope that with of the city, instead of having 1.25-acre lot located at 22434 a modern-looking Holiday Inn each council member elected by Norwalk Blvd., at the intersec- guests will be greeted with a the entire city as is the current fresh image of Hawaiian Gar- practice in Lakewood. tion of 226th and Norwalk. The California Voting Rights According to documents, dens as they are heading norththe project would have a maxi- bound on Norwalk Blvd from Act [CVRA] strongly encourmum height of 53 feet with a Long Beach and Los Alamitos. ages cities to create district TRASH at aconsisting condominium complexSee inHOLIDAY Hawaiian INNGardens. page 12 The City chose Waste Resources first-floorpiles lobbyuparea Brianpage Hews. Incorporated as their new hauler, who said they would immediately begin trash pick up. SeePhoto LAKEWOOD 12
Talk to the Other Side: Couple Appearing at Bellflower Club Apparently Have the Power
flows onto arterial streets.” $244,000 Severance, $420,000 Total The City then cited the nu-
ta or Artesia is a city designated truck route, commercial vehicles over 6,000 pounds are strictly Several managers accused prohibited on the streets, per City Municipal Manager Bill Rawlings City Code.” of verbal harassment, the of The Caltrans rerouting issue came to lightsevere and damtrucks has caused age increased traffic at peak and and he resigned. hours, the extensive damage alone is estimated “to cost $5.2 By Brian million to Hews repair,” and the “average daily traffic on said streets learned this past has HMG-CN significantly increased and Wednesday that Artesia City Manager Bill Rawlings resigned and that the separation was "amicable." No further comment came from the city given that it is now a personnel matter. His resignation comes after BY THOM MARTIN several managers and employees complained about Rawlings The City of Lakewood held treatment of them. its HMG-CN annual Award of Valor was told of the lunstocheon on Nov. to thank ry months ago 6but couldthe notmen get and women of Los Angeles confirmation of the the kind or level County Sheriff’s Department and of harassment from city officials. FireSources Department, as well as that the tell HMG-CN community volunteers who proMelissa Burke will take over as tect and serve temporary CityLakewood. Manager and that Bridget staff memthe city willPerrizo, begin aasearch for a ber at Artesia High was honored permanent manager in the comwhen she helped two people that ing weeks. wasThe beingSeparation attacked byAgreement, a dog. Bridget, was headed backthat to obtained Wednesday, shows work from lunch when she spotRawlings, received a $244,000 ted a dog attacking a woman and severance along with vacation young boy. The dog had knocked and sick leave totaling over them to thefor ground andhit they $178,000 a total towere city screaming for help. coffers of nearly $420,000. Bridget immediately took The city will also pay Rawling's health costs for 10.5
merous safety hazards caused by months, unless he is employed the rerouting of traffic, concerns before that. that have been voiced by Cerrihealth is tos Typically residents in callsinsurance and emails upwards of $1,000 perand month, to both HMG-LCCN the costing the city an additional City. $10,000 if Rawlings does not The rerouting on Carmenita find another job. by two schools, takes large trucks The agreement that Stowers Elementaryindicated and Carmethe city and Rawlings agreed to nita Middle school in addition resolve all existing and future See CALTRANS page 14 disputes, arising from Rawling's employment. Standard in a separation agreement is the statement that the parties acknowledge that there has been no admission of any wrongdoing, fault, violation of law, or liabilityout of any on action, jumping of kind her car the part of either the city or Rawgrabbing the boy and helping the lings and that the agreement canwoman. not She be used future lawsuits. tookinthem to Artesia High Some of the wording strongly School, where they received medindicated the city is bracing for ical assistance and were ultimateemployee lawsuits. ly transported to the hospital. Rawlings not selfless separating Because ofis her accompletely withof the agreement tions, the City Lakewood restipulating that Bridget he will with use the his cently awarded Mayor’s Awardtoatcooperate the city’s and an“best efforts” nual Awardsinofany Valor ceremony. participate personnel in"I alwaysthat wondered what I vestigations were ongoing would do faced with a situbefore thewhen Separation Date and ation like this one," said Perrizo. help in any current or future law"By the gracetheofcity God, the suits against thatI had involve courage to take action. I'm so Rawlings. gladHethat both the mom and son also agreed to participate are any okay,trials, and I'm to in andsoallhonored elements receive this award.” within a trial including discovery, depositions,Seeetc., HERO without page 15 compensation.
ARTESIA HIGH STAFF-MEMBER RECEIVES AWARD OF VALOR FROM LAKEWOOD
TRASH WILL FINALLY GET CLEANED UP IN HAWAIIAN GARDENS
By Tammye McDuff BY BRIAN HEWS Have you ever wanted to While rotting trash is accumuspeak to someone that has passed lating in many parts of Hawaiian away, crossed the veil and left Gardens, Mayor Myra youMaravilla withand the City Councilout finally conclosure? ducted a hearing, waiting enNow isanyour tire week, and allowing the trash chance. to accumulate even more, T to honce e again discuss terminating S t a n CWS’ dUp contract. Comedy Marti & Michael Under the Parry RalphClub M. Brown in Act, Maravilla and the City CounBellflower cil could haveMarti sent out a notice will present & Michael and held a meeting within two Parry Live, a Mediumship and days to address the situation. Psychic Art Demonstration.
The Parry’s are a dynamic “Poorand leadership, no foresight husband wife team that inon the situation, of duo this vestigate the ‘othertypical side’. The City Council,” former Hawaiian work together; Michael channels Gardens Mayor Rodriguez messages directlyRey from friends told HMG-LCCN. and relatives that have passed The staff report included in on while Marti, a psychic artist, last week’s meeting independently draws presented detailed clear evidenceportraits that CWS was in recognizable of people violation of its contract with the in spirit to further prove the exisCity, but Mayor Maravilla and the tence of life after death. Council were apparently afraid to Through extreme and uncanpull the termination trigger, leavny details, the information that ing residents comes throughdriving leaves by no stinky room piles of trash for the foreseeable for doubt that departed loved future.are watching over us and ones The voluminous staff report
See OTHER SIDE page 12
included several default letters, which, under California’s Public Resource Code Section 49000, starts the clock on termination. City staff even went the extra step and attempted to work with CWS to cure the breaches and defaults starting in March of this year, each of which gave CWS steps to resolve the defaults. In addition to the default notices, the City also attempted to arrange meetings with CWS but TRIBUTE TO LINE COACH WHO PASSED AWAY CWS did not attend most meetings. CERRITOS HIGH football team ARTESIA HIGH staff-member Bridget aPerrizo the Award of THE poses for a group photo following victoryreceived last Thursday night Valor from Lakewood for saving two in a dog attack. against John Glenn High. Several members were showing a “W” with their hands in honor of offensive See TRASH linecoach Webster Peters page who 15 passed away earlier in the week due to a heart attack. See page 4.