LOS CERRITOS
Winner of Nineteen LA Press Club Awards from 2012-2021 Serving Cerritos and ten other surrounding communities since 1985 • August 14, 2026 • Vol. 41, No. 41 • LOSCERRITOSNEWS.NET
COMMENTARY
Water Rates or Political Power? Three weeks after the recall began, we warned the water rate fight appeared to be a vehicle to change political control of Cerritos City Hall. Campaign finance filings now show tens of thousands of dollars flowing through the effort.
Combined from two $5000 contributors. Approximately paid to attorney/ consultants. Money owed to attorney/ consultants.
U.S. CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: The La Mirada Junior All-Stars beat Michigan 4-2 on Wednesday to advance to Saturday’s 3 p.m. PST U.S. Championship game at the Junior League Baseball World Series in Taylor, Michigan. La Mirada jumped ahead early, played error-free defense and used strong pitching to move within one victory of the World Championship game.
Long Beach’s New Waterfront Amphitheater Has Big Ambitions — and a Few Growing Pains
La Mirada Junior AllStars Beat Michigan 4-2, Continue World Series Run La Mirada defeats host Michigan 4-2 behind strong pitching, flawless defense and aggressive baserunning to continue its World Series run. By Brian Hews
LONG BEACH WATERFRONT: The temporary 11,000-seat F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach overlooks the harbor and Queen Mary, giving concertgoers one of Southern California’s most distinctive entertainment backdrops. The venue is serving as a realworld test as Long Beach considers whether to develop a permanent waterfront amphitheater. Photo courtesy Urbanize LA.
By Brian Hews Long Beach has spent years trying to turn its waterfront into more than a collection of attractions. This summer, the city took a major step by opening an 11,000seat outdoor amphitheater overlooking the harbor and Queen Mary. The F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach opened in June with Snoop Dogg and has since drawn major performers and thousands of concertgoers. City officials hope the temporary venue could eventually lead to a permanent waterfront entertainment destination. For now, it remains a trial run. The amphitheater combines professional concert production with temporary infrastructure. Fans get a large stage, strong sound, tiered seating and a spectacular waterfront backdrop. They also get shuttle rides,
expensive parking options, hard seats and portable toilets. The venue recently hosted Ice Cube and Mike Epps for “Everyday’s Friday,” providing another test of how the site handles large crowds. Once fans are inside, the setting does much of the work. The Queen Mary dominates the view, particularly around sunset, giving the amphitheater an identity few Southern California venues can match. Food trucks, temporary bars and customizable areas surrounding the performance space give the grounds more of a festival atmosphere than a traditional concert venue. Getting 11,000 people there and back is more complicated. The amphitheater lacks a massive dedicated parking operation. Fans can use rideshare, public transportation, bicycles, scooters and water taxis, while some reserved parking requires a shuttle
See Amphitheater, Page 6
TAYLOR, MI — The La Mirada Junior All-Stars continued their impressive run at the Junior League Baseball World Series Wednesday, defeating host Michigan District 5, 4-2, at Heritage Park in Taylor, Michigan. Representing the West Region, La Mirada jumped ahead in the second inning when Noah Jauregui singled home a run and Lucas Gaeta followed with a tworun double, quickly giving the All-Stars a 3-0 advantage. La Mirada added another run in the third when a batter was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, extending the lead to 4-0. From there, La Mirada’s pitching and defense took over. Adam Brewer delivered a strong start, holding Michigan scoreless through 4 1/3 innings. Brewer allowed just three hits while striking out seven and walking only one. Noel Jaime provided 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits while striking out two. Gaeta led the offense with two RBIs, while Jayden Valdez, Ryan Barberena, Jauregui, Ryann Rios, Gaeta, Ryder Ong and Brewer each collected a hit. La Mirada also created problems on the basepaths, stealing
See LA MIRADA, Page 5
Additional cost to the average household over the five-year water-rate increase. Sources: campaign-finance disclosures filed with the FPPC and the City of Cerritos water rate study.
By Brian Hews A few months ago, this newspaper wrote that the effort to recall Frank Aurelio Yokoyama and Lynda P. Johnson, ostensibly over the water-rate increase, was a mask for Cerritos Republicans to grab political power. We made that argument just three weeks after the recall effort began, long before campaign-finance reports revealed where the money was coming from, where it was going and how closely the organizations behind the water-rate fight and re-
calls were connected. Now those filings are in, and the numbers are extraordinary. Two Cerritos residents with the same last name, Wendy and Robert Shavelle, contributed $5,000 each — $10,000 combined. Another contributor put in $3,000, others contributed $1,000 each, and even a $600 contribution represents several years of the average annualized cost of the water-rate increase they were supposedly fighting. Put the $10,000 contribution in perspective. According to the city’s own water-rate study, the
See POWER, Page 5
From Switzerland to Santa Fe Springs: Plasma Giant’s Local Center Triggers City Action By Brian Hews SANTA FE SPRINGS — One of the world’s largest human protein manufacturers is headquartered thousands of miles away in Switzerland, but part of its international operation sits on Telegraph Road in Santa Fe Springs — and activity associated with that location became serious enough for city officials to prevent another plasma center from opening. The Santa Fe Springs City Council approved an emergency 45-day moratorium Aug. 11 prohibiting the approval, establishment, expansion or relocation of blood banks, plasma centers and other specimen-donation facilities throughout the city. Behind the action is Octapharma Plasma, which operates Santa Fe Springs’ only plasma donation center at 11528 Telegraph Road. According to city records, more than 60 law enforcement
and emergency medical responses were associated with the center or its immediate vicinity between July 2024 and July 2026. The incidents included disturbances, people refusing to leave, trespassing, threats and reported assaults, theft, suspicious persons and welfare-related calls. Medical emergencies included fainting, seizures, unconscious persons and people having difficulty breathing. Several incidents required multiple public safety units, while some activity extended into adjoining parking areas and neighboring businesses. The city concluded that the volume and nature of the incidents raise questions about the recurring demands such facilities can place on law enforcement and emergency medical services. The company behind the local center is considerably larger than its Telegraph Road storefront might suggest. Octapharma is a family-owned
See PLASMA, Page 5
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2 | Los Cerritos Community News | August 14, 2026
Artesia Fiber Optic Network erations gather, traditions are practiced rather than simply remembered, and cultural and Construction Now Underway
For 26 Years, Hawaiian Gardens Pow Wow Has Kept Native American Traditions Alive
DRUMMERS GATHER in a traditional drum circle during the Robert Canada Friendship Pow Wow in Hawaiian Gardens. The annual gathering brings Native American dancers, singers, drummers, elders and families together to celebrate culture, community and traditions passed from one generation to the next. By Brian Hews HAWAIIAN GARDENS — For one of Los Angeles County’s smallest cities, Hawaiian Gardens has sustained a cultural tradition with a remarkably long reach. The Robert Canada Friendship Pow Wow returns Aug. 22 and 23 for its 26th year, bringing Native American dancers, drummers, singers, elders, families and vendors together at the Fedde Sports Complex for a gathering that has become one of Hawaiian Gardens’ signature community events. The tradition dates to approximately 2001 and was started by former Hawaiian Gardens Mayor Robert Canada, who was proud of his Cherokee heritage. The earliest gathering was considerably different from the two-day event residents know today. It began as a Christmas gathering at the C. Robert Lee Activity Center,
where toys were distributed to children attending with their families. More than a quarter-century later, the gathering bearing Canada’s name has evolved into a full weekend celebrating Native American culture while retaining its emphasis on family and community. This year’s event is sponsored by the Native community with assistance from the Hawaiian Gardens Eagles Soccer Club and will feature Native American dancing, singing and drumming, along with an Indigenous marketplace offering goods from Native artisans and vendors. Organizers say the importance of the pow wow extends well beyond the performances. For urban Native Americans, who may not have access to dedicated tribal or cultural gathering places, organizers describe the pow wow as something of a community center for a weekend — a place where gen-
spiritual connections are maintained. That role has helped make the Hawaiian Gardens gathering particularly enduring. Through the years, dancers in elaborate regalia have filled the arena while the steady sound of drums carries across the grounds. Families gather beneath canopies surrounding the arena, Native artists and vendors display their work, and visitors who may have little previous exposure to Native American traditions are welcomed into the celebration. The 2026 gathering will honor former Hawaiian Gardens mayors Robert Canada and Leonard Chaidez, community member George Gonzalez and several community elders and spiritual leaders who have died. Robert Jacobo will serve as spiritual advisor. Victor Chavez will serve as arena director, Glen Begay as master of ceremonies, Tso Richard Yanez as head man and Kat Yanez as head woman. Hale & Company will serve as Southern Host Drum and The Horses as Northern Host Drum. Saturday’s program includes Grand Entry at noon, invocation, the Flag and Victory Song, posting of the colors, introductions of the head staff, and dancing. The program is scheduled to conclude at 8 p.m. Sunday will feature the Gourd Dancers followed by Grand Entry at noon, invocation, the Flag and Victory Song, posting of the colors, dancing and specials, with the gathering concluding at 6 p.m. All dancers and drums are welcome. The event is free, family friendly and open to the public. The 26th Annual Robert Canada Friendship Pow Wow will be held Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 22-23, at Fedde Sports Complex, 21409 Elaine Ave. in Hawaiian Gardens. For vendor information or additional details, contact Jesus Mendoza at aajmen2@ gmail.com.
LCCN Staff Report Artesia is alerting residents and motorists that construction on the Regional Fiber Optic Network has begun and will continue through October 2, 2026, along several major streets in the city. The project is part of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments Regional Fiber Optic Network, an effort to expand high-speed communications infrastructure throughout the Gateway Cities region. Construction in Artesia will take place along 183rd Street from Clarkdale Avenue to the eastern city limit; Clarkdale Avenue from 183rd Street to South Street and from South Street to Park Avenue; South Street from Clarkdale Avenue to the western city limit; and Pioneer Boulevard from South Street to the southern city limit. Drivers should expect temporary traffic controls and possible lane closures or restrictions while crews are working. Barriers, K-rail and other equipment may be used to separate construction areas from traffic. Temporary no-parking restrictions will also be imposed in areas where crews are scheduled to work. No-parking signs are expected to be posted at least 72 hours before work begins, and residents are urged to carefully check the dates and times shown on the signs. Vehicles remaining in restricted areas may be towed. Officials are asking motorists to allow additional travel time and use caution when driving through construction zones. Residents with questions about the project or those requiring special accommodations may contact the project outreach team at 562-286-9199 or outreach.info@dccm. com. Additional project information is available through the Gateway Cities Council of Governments.
Los Cerritos Community News | August 14, 2026 | 3
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Cerritos Celebrates National Night Out
CERRITOS Mayor Lynda Johnson, Mayor pro tem Mark Pulido, Councilmembers Sophia Tse, Frank Yokoyama, Jennifer Hong, and Cerritos Sheriff Station Captain Dru E. Strong with L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna at Cerritos National Night Out.
Bacteria Warnings Issued at Nine L.A. County Beaches
Beachgoers are being advised to avoid ocean water at nine locations across Los Angeles County after recent testing found bacteria levels exceeding state health standards. at beaches stretching from Malibu to San Pedro. Officials said people should avoid swimming, surfing and playing in ocean water at the affected locations while the warnings remain in effect. The affected areas are: •Hermosa Beach Pier in Hermosa Beach — 100 yards in both directions from the pier. •Avenue I storm drain at Redondo Beach — 100 yards in both directions from the storm drain. •East Montana Avenue storm drain at Santa Monica State Beach — 100 yards in both directions from the storm drain. •Wilshire Boulevard storm drain at
Santa Monica Beach — 100 yards in both directions from the storm drain. •Ramirez Creek at Paradise Cove — 100 yards in both directions from Paradise Cove Pier. •Solstice Creek at Dan Blocker County Beach — the entire swim area. •East Wilshire Boulevard storm drain at Santa Monica Beach — 100 yards in both directions from the storm drain. •Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro — the entire swim area. •Santa Monica Pier — 100 yards in both directions from the pier. The warnings were prompted by recent water samples showing bacteria levels above state health standards. The county regularly tests ocean water along the coastline and updates warnings as conditions change. Beachgoers can check current conditions before heading into the water through the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s beach water-quality program.
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4 | Los Cerritos Community News | August 14, 2026
Hahn Honors Dr. Sue ElHessen, Disability Rights Advocate and Ms. Wheelchair California
LOS ANGELES County Supervisor Janice Hahn honors Dr. Sue ElHessen, a Bellflower resident, disability rights advocate and Ms. Wheelchair California 2026, inside the Board of Supervisor’s chamber. Courtesy Board of Supervisors.
LCCN Staff Report LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn honored Dr. Sue ElHessen, a disability rights advocate, educator and Bellflower resident who was crowned Ms. Wheelchair California 2026. ElHessen serves as Hahn’s appointee to the Los Angeles County Commission for Public Social Services and is a member of California’s Equity Advisory Committee on Aging and Disability. “It’s rare that we get an opportunity to recognize someone as inspiring as Dr. Sue. At every turn throughout her life, she was told the same thing: ‘We’ve never had someone like you before.’ She wasn’t afraid to blaze new trails, and has spent her life opening doors,” Hahn said. “We opened Disability Pride Month with a flag raising with the disability community, and now as it comes to a close we take a moment to honor one of its trailblazers.” Disability Pride Month is observed annually in July and recognizes the history, achievements and contributions of people with disabilities. Hahn marked the beginning of the month by joining Long Beach city leaders to raise the
Disability Pride flag above Long Beach City Hall. This year’s observance also marks the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the landmark 1990 civil rights law prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities. “As Ms. Wheelchair California 2026, and in celebration of the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, I am honored to collaborate on sharing a message of disability advocacy, inclusion, and empowerment,” ElHessen said. “The ADA is more than a law; it is a promise that every person deserves dignity, opportunity, accessibility, and belonging. However, a law is only as powerful as the people who understand and utilize it.” ElHessen said disability should be recognized as part of a person’s identity and strength rather than viewed simply as a limitation. “Disability is not a limitation — it is a powerful part of our identity, our strength, and our collective journey toward a more inclusive world,” she said. ElHessen is scheduled to travel to Michigan to represent California in the Ms. Wheelchair America competition.
Santa Fe Springs Adds $275,000 Upgrade to 2027 Rose Parade Float By Brian Hews SANTA FE SPRINGS — Santa Fe Springs is preparing to make a much bigger splash at the 2027 Rose Parade, with the City Council considering an additional $275,000 investment that would bring live mariachi music to its float and secure nearly three minutes of dedicated presentation time in front of the parade’s television cameras. The city is planning to feature Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlan, an internationally recognized mariachi ensemble, aboard its “Bienvenidos a Santa Fe Springs” float during the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day. The council is being asked to appropriate $50,000 for expenses associated with the mariachi group and up to $225,000 to the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association to have Santa Fe Springs’ entry designated as an official Entertainment Float. The $275,000 would come from the city’s Art in Public Places Contracted Services Special Fund and would not impact the General Fund. The Entertainment Float designation provides something Santa Fe Springs officials believe could dramatically increase the city’s exposure during the nationally televised parade. Instead of simply traveling past the television cameras at normal parade speed, the Santa Fe Springs float would come to a complete stop for approximately two minutes and 45 seconds while Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlan performs live. That would give television broadcasters additional time to feature the float and the city before an audience numbering in the millions in the United States and internationally. City officials said the Rose Parade provides Santa Fe Springs with an opportunity to showcase the community and its Mexican heritage to an audience far beyond Southern California. The City Council originally approved participation in the 2027 Rose Parade in December 2025. In June, the council approved the final design for the float, titled “Bienvenidos a Santa Fe Springs.” The entry is designed to celebrate the city’s Mexican heritage, cultural traditions and
community identity. Since then, city staff has been working with Phoenix Decorating Company, which is designing and building the float, and the Tournament of Roses to expand the city’s presentation. The proposed agreement with Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlan would cover performances during Tournament judging on Dec. 31, the Rose Parade on Jan. 1 and Float Fest on Jan. 2. Under the proposed agreement, Santa Fe Springs would provide airfare, lodging, meal stipends, local transportation stipends, rehearsal accommodations and a performance stipend for the musicians. The city estimates those expenses at $50,000. The substantially larger expense is the Entertainment Float designation. Santa Fe Springs would make a sole-source payment of up to $225,000 to the Tournament of Roses Association for the enhanced presentation. City officials said competitive bidding is not possible because the Tournament of Roses is the only organization authorized to administer the parade and control Entertainment Float designation, parade sequencing, placement, timing and broadcast presentation. The designation does not guarantee precisely where the float will appear in the parade or exactly how the television coverage will unfold. Final parade placement, timing and presentation remain under the control of the Tournament of Roses. However, city officials believe stopping the float for approximately two minutes and 45 seconds while the mariachi performs will provide significantly greater national and international exposure than the city’s entry would receive simply traveling through the television presentation area. If approved, city staff will work with the Tournament of Roses, Phoenix Decorating Company and Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlan to coordinate rehearsals, travel, performances and float operations leading up to the Jan. 1 parade. The $275,000 expenditure is in addition to the cost of designing and constructing the city’s Rose Parade float.
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POWER
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additional cost to an average residential customer over the entire five-year rate ramp is approximately $1,030. The Shavelles contributed nearly ten times that amount to the political effort. Then there is the spending. Approximately $24,000 has already been paid to attorneys and political consultants, with another approximately $26,000 still owed — nearly $50,000 in expenses associated with a political campaign born from outrage over a water-rate increase that would cost the average household approximately $1,030 more over five years. A seventh-grader could do the math. Residents had every right to protest the increases, organize against them and pursue an initiative to repeal them. But somewhere along the way, this stopped being simply about water rates. For months, residents have been presented with what appear to be several different political movements: opposition to the water and sewer increases, an initiative to repeal those increases, and recalls targeting Yokoyama and Johnson. The campaign-finance filings now show financial and organizational connections among those efforts. Concerned Citizens of Cerritos transferred $2,000 to the water-rate repeal committee and another $2,000 to the committee supporting the recalls. Money was raised, attorneys retained, political consultants hired, legal notices purchased, and political committees established. That brings us back to the question this newspaper raised three weeks after the recall began: If this was really about water rates, why was a recall necessary when proponents already had an initiative specifically designed to repeal those rates? A recall accomplishes something entirely different. Removing Yokoyama and Johnson does not repeal the water rates. It does not repair aging infrastructure or make the costs identified by the city disappear. It changes who sits on the Cerritos City Council. There is also the question of why Yokoyama and Johnson were selected. They were not the only councilmembers involved in dealing with the city’s water system and rate increases, yet they are the two officials proponents want removed. Removing two members from a five-member City Council can significantly alter its political balance. Seen through that lens, pursuing two recalls alongside a separate water-rate repeal initiative no longer looks like two ways of accomplishing the same objective. They accomplish two very different things: one can change the water rates; the other can change the composition of the City Council. The signature numbers make the under-
taking even more revealing. Opponents submitted approximately 6,400 Proposition 218 protests against the rate increases, of which roughly 4,800 were deemed valid. To qualify the recalls, proponents need 7,279 valid signatures for Yokoyama and another 7,279 for Johnson. Experienced petition campaigns rarely aim for the bare minimum because some signatures inevitably are rejected during verification. Adding even a modest 10 percent cushion yields a practical target of approximately 8,007 signatures per recall — more than 16,000 signatures combined. Compare that with the roughly 4,800 valid Proposition 218 protests. Residents have every right to oppose the water rates, circulate an initiative to repeal them and attempt to recall elected officials. But voters also have every right to understand exactly what they are signing and exactly who is financing the effort. A petition to repeal the water rates is about water policy. A petition to recall two councilmembers would remove two elected officials and potentially alter the political balance at City Hall. Those are not the same political decision. Campaign-finance filings cannot tell us what is in someone’s mind, and proponents are entitled to explain why they believe Yokoyama and Johnson should be removed. But the filings can tell us who contributed money, how much they contributed, where committees transferred money and how much was spent or remains owed. Those facts provide considerably more information than residents had when this campaign began. Three weeks into the recall, we said the water-rate issue appeared to be masking a effort to gain political power at City Hall. Months later, voters can look at the campaign-finance reports and decide for themselves whether that warning was justified. Water rates and political control are apples and oranges. Mixing the two together creates a toxic political cocktail.
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six bases. Blake Leal and Ong each stole multiple bases, while the team drew six walks. Perhaps just as important was La Mirada’s defense. The All-Stars did not commit an error, with Barberena recording a teamhigh 12 defensive chances. Michigan attempted a late comeback, scoring twice, but could not overcome La Mirada’s early four-run advantage. The victory keeps La Mirada moving forward in the Junior League Baseball World Series and brings the West Region champions another step closer to playing for the title.
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global healthcare company headquartered in Lachen, Switzerland, and describes itself as one of the world’s largest manufacturers of human proteins. The company develops medicines derived from human plasma and human cell lines. Octapharma reported record sales of €3.64 billion in 2025 and €577 million in operating income. The company operates more than 200 plasma donation centers and says 88% of the plasma used to manufacture its therapies comes from its own centers. The Santa Fe Springs location is one of those collection points. Unlike traditional volunteer blood drives, Octapharma compensates plasma donors, advertising payments and promotional bonuses for new and returning donors. The plasma ultimately becomes raw material for medicines used in hematology, immunotherapy and critical care. While Santa Fe Springs officials have not alleged that Octapharma violated federal or state medical regulations at the Telegraph Road facility, the company’s operations elsewhere have encountered regulatory scrutiny. In 2025, U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspectors issued a Form 483 after inspecting an Octapharma Plasma center in Sparks, Nevada. Inspectors raised concerns about donor eligibility determinations, including instances of pulse or blood pressure readings outside acceptable limits. A Form 483 documents inspectors’ observations and does not constitute a final agency determination that federal law was violated. Octapharma has also faced workplace-safety enforcement at other U.S. facilities. In 2017, federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration records show serious bloodborne-pathogen violations at an Octapharma Plasma facility in Northlake, Illinois, including one involving an employee needlestick exposure. The violations were subsequently abated. In 2021, OSHA cited an Octapharma operation after employees were exposed to unsafe carbon dioxide levels associated with dry ice stored in a walk-in freezer. That violation also was subsequently abated. None of those regulatory actions involved the Santa Fe Springs facility. Under the approved moratorium, the existing Octapharma center can continue operating but cannot expand or relocate. No additional plasma or similar specimen-donation centers can receive city approval during the 45-day period. Hospitals, physicians’ offices, clinics, urgent care facilities and medical labora-
tories collecting specimens as part of ordinary diagnosis or treatment are exempt, as are certain temporary nonprofit and hospital-sponsored blood drives. The 45-day pause gives city officials time to determine whether permanent regulations are necessary, including restrictions involving location, concentration, security, donor queuing, parking, traffic, hours of operation, emergency access and demands on police and emergency medical services.
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6 | Los Cerritos Community News | August 14, 2026
Restaurant Closures Hit Cerritos, Artesia, Downey & Other Southeast Cities LCCN Staff Report L.A. County health inspectors temporarily closed more than a dozen restaurants and other food facilities across Southeast L.A. County in recent weeks, with vermin infestations accounting for the overwhelming majority of the shutdowns. The closures are contained in L.A.County Department of Public Health records. CERRITOS Dimassi’s Mediterranean Buffet, 12727 Towne Center Drive — The allyou-can-eat Mediterranean and Middle Eastern restaurant, known for hummus, falafel, kebabs, shawarma, salads and
other halal dishes, was ordered closed July 9 following a sewage discharge and an inspection score below 70. The restaurant was cleared to reopen the following day, July 10. ARTESIA Little Dhaka Restaurant and Grocery, 18159 Pioneer Blvd. — The Bangladeshi restaurant and grocery specializing in traditional South Asian foods was closed June 25 because of a vermin infestation. It reopened July 2. County records contain entries associated with both the restaurant and market operations at the location. Mekenies, 18152 Pioneer Blvd. — The Filipino restaurant, which serves traditional Filipino dishes and combination meals, was closed July 22 because of a vermin infestation. It reopened July 24. BELLFLOWER Chris & Pitts BBQ, 9839 Artesia Blvd. — The longtime Southern California barbecue restaurant, known for barbecue ribs, steaks, chicken and its distinctive barbecue sauce, was closed May 19 because of a vermin infestation. The county export reviewed by Los Cerritos Community News does not show a reopening date. DOWNEY Dolce Cravings, 11945 Paramount Blvd. — The dessert and snack shop was closed June 23 because of a vermin infestation. County records show the business reopened June 25. Downey Pizza Co., 9026 E. Florence Ave. — The neighborhood pizza restaurant was closed June 12 because of a vermin infestation and reopened June 15. Fonda Maria, 7840 Firestone Blvd., Unit 104 — The Mexican restaurant was closed April 30 because of a vermin infestation. It was cleared to reopen May 2. LA MIRADA Cream & Sugar Cafe, 12826 La Mirada Blvd. — The cafe, which offers coffee, desserts and other light fare, was closed June 10 because of a vermin infestation. County records show it reopened June 12. LAKEWOOD Gangnam Korean BBQ, 21004 Pioneer Blvd. — The Korean barbecue restaurant, where diners cook meats and other selections at tabletop grills, was closed May 26 because of a vermin infestation. It reopened May 28. NORWALK Rainbow Donuts, 12307 Imperial Highway — The neighborhood doughnut shop was closed July 13 after inspectors cited a vermin infestation. It reopened July 15. PICO RIVERA Chili’s Grill & Bar #1141, 8890 E. Washington Blvd. — The national casual-dining restaurant serving burgers, fajitas, ribs and other American and Tex-Mex fare was ordered closed Aug. 4 because of a vermin infestation. The county export does not list a reopening date, making it the most recent closure among the establishments reviewed by LCCN.
Commerce Bans Data Centers, For Now
INSIDE A DATA CENTER: Rows of computer servers and networking equipment housed inside modern data centers. Commerce has imposed a 45-day moratorium on new facilities while officials study their electricity and water demands and potential noise, air-quality and infrastructure impacts.
By Brian Hews COMMERCE — The Commerce City Council has imposed an immediate 45-day moratorium on new data center development while city officials determine how the massive power, water and infrastructure demands of the facilities should be regulated. The City Council adopted the urgency ordinance at its Aug. 11 meeting, temporarily prohibiting approvals of land-use permits, entitlements or agreements involving data center development anywhere in Commerce. City officials said Commerce’s existing municipal code does not specifically define or regulate data centers, leaving the city without standards designed to address the increasingly large facilities and their potential effects on surrounding neighborhoods and businesses. Modern data centers house large concentrations of computer servers and other equipment used to store, process and transmit digital information. But operating that equipment can require enormous amounts of electricity along with extensive cooling systems. Facilities may also require substantial water capacity and backup generators to keep equipment operating during power interruptions. Commerce officials said the city’s ex-
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for the final trip to the venue. Getting into concerts has generally worked better than getting everyone out. Shuttle lines, waits and confusion about pickup locations have generated complaints, with some concertgoers reportedly leaving early to avoid the post-show rush. Then there are the bathrooms. For a project with aspirations of becoming Long Beach’s answer to the Hollywood Bowl, portable toilets are an unmistakable reminder that this remains temporary. But identifying those problems is part of the experiment. Rather than immediately building an expensive permanent venue, Long Beach created a modular amphitheater to determine whether the market exists, how crowds move through the waterfront and what infrastructure would be needed for something permanent. The stakes go beyond concerts. Long Beach faces a long-term decline in revenue associated with oil production and has increasingly looked toward tourism, conventions, hotels, restaurants and entertainment to generate economic activity. An 11,000-person audience can fill hotel rooms, restaurants and bars while generating parking and other spending throughout downtown and the waterfront. Long Beach also has something most
isting zoning regulations do not adequately address potential noise, air-quality and infrastructure impacts associated with such high-intensity facilities. The moratorium gives city planners time to study data center operations and develop potential land-use standards, zoning amendments and environmental protections specifically designed for Commerce. “Our focus is to deliver proactive, responsible oversight,” City Manager Ernie Hernandez said. “We aim to ensure Commerce remains prepared to manage complex industrial proposals moving forward.” The 45-day prohibition may be only the beginning. City staff must return to the City Council within 35 days with a written report detailing measures being taken to address the conditions that prompted the emergency ordinance. The council will also schedule a public hearing to consider extending the moratorium for as long as an additional 10 months and 15 days. Any permanent regulations developed during that period could determine where future data centers are permitted in Commerce and what requirements developers must meet before projects can move forward.
cities trying to build a concert destination do not: the Queen Mary. The ship and harbor give the amphitheater an instantly recognizable backdrop that promoters can market nationally. There are other challenges. Downtown residents have complained about concert noise traveling across the waterfront, while parking, transportation and crowd management remain works in progress. Comparisons with the Hollywood Bowl may be premature. The Bowl has permanent infrastructure and a century of experience moving enormous crowds. Long Beach currently has a temporary amphitheater beside the Pacific. But people are showing up. Major performers are booking the venue, fans are buying tickets and audiences are discovering that the combination of music, harbor, sunset and Queen Mary can make for a memorable night. Long Beach still has plenty to figure out — parking, shuttles, neighborhood noise, permanent infrastructure and actual bathrooms. But the experiment has answered its first question: the city can draw thousands of people to the waterfront for major concerts. Now comes the expensive question: whether Long Beach should turn the experiment into a permanent Bowl.
Los Cerritos Community News | August 14, 2026 | 7
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Carol Elaine Rayburn, 1945–2026 Carol Elaine Rayburn passed away peacefully in Los Alamitos surrounded by her family. She was 80. Born in Vancouver, Washington, in 1945 to Victoria and Harry “Doc” Isbelle, Rayburn graduated from Cal State Long Beach with a degree in Home Economics. Rayburn went on to build an extraordinary career in real estate, becoming one of Century 21’s most accomplished Carol Rayburn agents and selling well over half a billion dollars in combined real estate assets during more than four decades in the profession. Away from work, Rayburn was devoted to her family and faith. She loved gardening, beach bonfires, skiing in Mammoth, Neil Diamond, See’s Candy, movies and cooking with her family. Rayburn was also known for her determination, generosity, warmth and unmistakable, contagious laugh. Her family remembered her as tough but deeply sentimental and someone who was always there for the people she loved. Rayburn was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Theodore “Teddy” Isbelle. She is survived by her daughter, Mindy (Mark); sons Joshua (Allison), Patric (Kathleen), Mathew (Brittany) and Daniel; and six grandchildren, Jacob, Dylann, Logann, Luca, Cole and Tyler. A celebration of life will be held Tuesday, Aug. 18, at 10 a.m. at New Life Community Church, 18800 Norwalk Blvd., Artesia. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Rayburn’s memory to the Adaptive Sports Program at Mammoth Mountain through Access Mammoth.
Anaheim White House Celebrates 39 Years After Fire, Rebuilding and a Lot of Italian Food By Brian Hews There really isn’t another restaurant quite like the Anaheim White House. I’ve been there a number of times over the years, and it’s one of those places you remember. The sprawling white mansion on Anaheim Boulevard is elegant, a little funky and unmistakably old-school, with ornate dining rooms, celebrity photographs and plenty of history. Then there’s Chef Bruno Serato, who somehow always seems to be nearby. I’ve gotten to know Bruno over the years, and he’s genuinely one of the good guys. He clearly loves his restaurant, but what he has accomplished outside the White House may be even more impressive. On Sunday, Aug. 16, Serato will celebrate 39 years at the Anaheim White House with a special Italian anniversary dinner beginning at 6 p.m. In 2017, a devastating fire ripped through the historic 1909 mansion, badly damaging the restaurant and forcing it to close. Serato could have walked away. He didn’t. He rebuilt it. After more than a year of restoration, the Anaheim White House reopened in 2018. Over the years, the restaurant has attracted celebrities, athletes, politicians and international visitors, including Madonna, David Beckham, Gwen Stefani, Andrea Bocelli and Oscar de la Hoya, along with U.S. presidents and members of royalty. Its proximity to Disneyland certainly helps, but the Anaheim White House has never felt like something dreamed up by a corporate hospitality company. The century-old mansion has quirks and
SEMI-PRIVATE dining rooms are among the many elegant dining rooms inside the historic Anaheim White House, which is celebrating its 39th anniversary this month. personality, and that’s part of the fun. For the anniversary, Serato and his staff are going all-in with a multi-course Italian dinner. The evening begins with passed appetizers followed by Gamberoni Pomodoro, Pacific prawns sautéed with tomatoes, garlic, white wine, herbs and Calabrian chili. The main course is Scaloppini Marsala, featuring veal with mushrooms in a Sicilian Marsala wine sauce and saffron mashed potatoes. A seafood alternative is available. Dessert is Torta al Cioccolato, Italian chocolate cake with dark chocolate ganache and seasonal berries. Dinner is $95 per person or $150 with Italian wine pairings, plus tax and gratuity. But you really can’t tell the Bruno Serato story by talking only about his restaurant. Serato founded Caterina’s Club in
honor of his mother, and the nonprofit has spent years feeding children in need. Its work has expanded to helping families obtain permanent housing and training atrisk young people for hospitality careers. That’s the side of Bruno I’ve always admired. There are plenty of successful restaurateurs. Far fewer use that success to make life better for families who may never be able to afford dinner in their restaurants. His humanitarian work has earned international recognition, including being named a CNN Hero, receiving the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and recognition from Pope Francis. The Anaheim White House is located at 887 S. Anaheim Blvd. in Anaheim. The anniversary dinner begins at 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16. Reservations can be made by calling 714-772-1381.
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8 | Los Cerritos Community News | August 14, 2026
48 HOURS ON CATALINA DAY 1 Morning: Ferry over & explore Avalon waterfront Late Morning: Golf cart tour to the viewpoints Lunch: Waterfront dining in Avalon Afternoon: Snorkel or take a glass-bottom boat Evening: Casino tour, dinner, then stroll the harbor
DAY 2 Morning: Hike to Wrigley Memorial & Botanical Garden Mid-Morning: Descanso Beach or rent a kayak Lunch: Casual bite in town Afternoon: Zipline Eco Tour or relax on the beach Late Afternoon: Ferry back to the mainland
SNORKEL & DIVE
Crystal clear waters and kelp forests teeming with sea life.
ZIPLINE ECO TOUR
Soar over canyons with stunning island and ocean views.
ISLAND BUFFALO
Over 150 bison roam the interior – brought to the island in the 1920’s.
THE CATALINA CASIN
Built in 1929, this iconic landmark is the heart of Avalon.
NO
Los Cerritos Community News | August 14, 2026 | 9
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TOP RESTAURANTS IN AVALON 1
BLUEWATER GRILL Fresh seafood with the best harbor views.
2
STEVE’S STEAKHOUSE Classic steaks, seafood & old-school charm.
3
EL GALLEON Catalina’s original Mexican restaurant. A local fave!
4
CATALINA CREPES Perfect for breakfast or a light lunch.
5
ANTONIO’S ORIGINAL PIZZA Pizza, pasta & the best people watching.
GETTING THERE FERRY DEPARTURE POINTS: • Long Beach • San Pedro • Dana Point • Newport Beach (Seasonal)
GLASS BOTTOM BOAT
GOLF CART ADVENTURE
FERRY RIDE TIME: 1–1.5 HOURS
TIPS FOR YOUR TRIP Book ferry tickets in advance, especially in summer. Reservations recommended for dinner. Pack layers! It’s cooler on the island. See the underwater world of Catalina without getting wet!
The best way to explore the island’s hidden gems and epic viewpoints.
Bring reef-safe sunscreen. Cash is accepted in many places, but cards work too. Design and artwork by Brian Hews
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10 | Los Cerritos Community News | August 14, 2026
2026 FOOTBALL PREVIEW
La Mirada faces new, tougher challenges but confident in having better season
LOREN KOPFF Sports Editor @LorenKopff on X
After two straight seasons of identical 3-7 overall records, 2-3 Gateway League marks and fourth place finishes, La Mirada High head coach Lucas Mealy finally reached the postseason with one more victory. It’s the baby steps the Matadores made last season that Mealy hopes will produce a better 2026 season in the newest version of the Gateway League. “It was definitely a step in the right direction,” said Mealy. “Obviously, [going] 4-6 [in the regular season] isn’t our goal, but we beat Troy on a last second field goal, which is pretty good for us as far as building the confidence up on how to win. We really want to teach these kids how to win, because when I got here, these kids didn’t know what winning was, and they almost accepted losing. “So last year was a good step; we got that extra week of playoffs,” he continued. “Obviously, we ran into a pretty good Beckman team who ended up winning the CIF Division 8 championship. Overall, it
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was a really good success for us. Again, the big thing was to get our kids in a position to where they could overcome adversity, and we did make some progress on that.” One of the positives from La Mirada’s first playoff game since the program went to the quarterfinals in 2021 under former head coach Mike Moschetti was the fact that the score was 14-14 after the first quarter and only 20-14 at halftime. The Matadores missed a golden chance of taking the lead at the break, then couldn’t get the stops they needed in the second half. Now that this is Mealy’s fourth season at La Mirada, none of the seniors were part of the Moschetti era. Mealy went on to say that his teams have been playing at an uptempo pace and they conduct practices, lift and coordinate the everyday activities different than before he took over. “All these seniors know what I’ve been around,” said Mealy. “The same thing with the juniors, sophomores and freshmen. But there’s definitely that fourth year where it’s like these kids don’t know anything other than what coach Mealy has brought into their lives. Without being disrespectful to the old regime, that’s a big thing for us because if you watch us practice on a daily basis compared to how we did, not just last year, but the year before and going back to my first year, we do things the way I want them done and I’m confident in what we’re doing; that we’re going to find success with the way that we’re doing it.” OFFENSE The Matadores scored at least 24 points in all four victories but no more than 21 points in the seven losses. Returning at quarterback is senior Isaac Cuevas (68 of 141, 558 yards. three touchdowns, eight interceptions last season). But no longer on the team is junior Ace
Faagata (52 of 96, 520 yards, two touchdowns, four interceptions in seven games), who had transferred from Desert Pines High in Las Vegas last offseason. This is the third season on the varsity unit for Cuevas, who according to Mealy, is a gunslinger. “I’m not comparing him talentwise to Brett Favre, but our comparison with him as Brett Favre is he’s going to sling the ball; he’s going to make some throws that maybe we look back and go, ‘well, maybe he shouldn’t have thrown it’, but he’s going to complete it, then he’ll make some other throws where you [say] you live by that, you die by that.” Backing up Cuevas will be sophomore Sam Cameron, a transfer from St. John Bosco High. At running back, the Matadores will be locked and loaded with seniors Josiah Fregoso (118 carries, 678 yards, six touchdowns) and Ismael Garcia (117 carries, 678 yards, seven touchdowns) and junior Matthew Sotelo Jr., a transfer from St. Paul High who will be the second guy behind Fregoso with Garcia the third running back on the depth chart. “Josiah obviously is a great running back, but the best trait that Josiah has besides being a great young man is his ability once he gets the ball in his hands,” said Mealy. “His acceleration, his explosiveness, his vision, his feel…it’s hands down. We’re going to use Josiah in a multiple of different ways.” Mealy added that Fregoso will be used as an all-purpose guy, so even if he doesn’t get 1,000 yards rushing the ball, he’ll certainly eclipse that mark with the yards he gets from kickoff and punt returns and from catching the ball. He continued by saying that the goal is to get the ball in Fregoso’s hands at least 20 times a game. The Matadores will have a plethora of receivers for Garcia to throw to in Fregoso (11 receptions, 64 yards), seniors Jaleel Scott (seven receptions, 80 yards) and Matthew Solorio (six receptions, 68 yards), junior Adan Tedrick (nine receptions, 86 yards), and sophomores Brody Palmer and Kaiden Wardlow (46 receptions, 422 yards, four touchdowns), who is Mealy’s nephew. Also seeing some action is senior Wyatt Gorham, who is also a starting free safety on defense. “You’re going to see a lot of receivers touching the ball depending on where [the opposition] is putting that seventh or eighth defender,” said Mealy.
Mealy says his offensive line is the best that he has had in his four seasons at La Mirada and up to nine linemen could see a lot of time in the five positions. With less than two weeks before the season opener, none of the nine have been guaranteed of starting positions, but the front five will stack up in a rotation formation with junior left tackle Aiden Land, who moves from right tackle, seniors Matthew Alvarado and DeAngelo Garcia, juniors Guillermo Lopez, Carl Peter and Sotelo (Charlie) Sitani, who was the center last season, and sophomores Raymond Garcia, who will be battling for right tackle, a pair of St. Paul transfers in Steven Rodriguez and Robert Sanchez, who will have to sit out the first half of the season, and Zack Taylor. Mealy hinted that his team can go into a game this year with all five sophomores playing. But his entire offense has been built to win more games this season and compete for one of the top three spots in the Gateway League. “Not just from a physical standpoint of what they can do as far as making plays, catching, blocking, throwing, we have some depth, which is crucial,” said Mealy. “But we also have a higher understanding of what we’re doing. Most of these guys played for us last year and having that extra week it allowed us to bring some freshmen up to see how we do things. So, our schematics are far more advanced than they were last year.” DEFENSE La Mirada allowed over 25 points in six games, all losses. It’s best defensive performance came in a 34-7 victory against Dominguez High. The line took a little bit of a hit with its lack of depth, but Mealy is confident that his team will have the best defensive line in the league. The line will consist of seniors Amir McCalope, who is being recruited by Boise State University and Fresno State University, to name a few, and Christopher Sowell, juniors Vito Consoloe and Christian Prado (23 tackles, four sacks), a third year starter who Mealy says is a high level explosive young man, and sophomore Riley Gonzales (44 tackles, four sacks), who has some ‘incredible ability on the field’. In the secondary, it will be Gorham (18 tackles, two interceptions), a starting free safety, seniors Fernando Orozco (52 tackles), a strong safety who has already See LA MIRADA, Page 12
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2026 FOOTBALL PREVIEW
New coach, offensive attack, league opponents just a trio of Norwalk’s different season
LOREN KOPFF Sports Editor @LorenKopff on X
For those who have been familiar with the Norwalk High football program since the mid 2000’s, the most noticeable aspect has been the double wing offense. For those who haven’t followed the Lancers program since former head coach Dean Gray began the first of his two stints in 2005, this season might not seem like much has changed. But as we enter the 2026 season, Norwalk ushes in the program’s fifth head coach since 2008 and eighth in the past 29 seasons. With that comes an entirely new offense and the birth of the new Suburban Valley Conference in which the team will be part of the Mid-Cities League. Anthony Cobbs takes over for Ruben Guerrero, who had handled the program for five successful seasons, compiling a 37-18 record with four trips to the CIFSouthern Section playoffs. Cobbs, who was hired right before spring ball, has never been a head coach before, recently was a staff member at St. Anthony High but has also spent time at his alma mater, Long Beach Poly High and has spent time at Golden West College and Lawndale High. “I thank Ruben Guerrero every day because he left the cupboard full; big, strong, respectful young men at this school,” said Cobbs. “My coaching staff walked into a situation that was just ready to go. The talent is here, the enthusiasm is here, the hunger is here. There just needs some motivation, and I brought along a few coaches who I know who are experts at that as far as relationships and teaching. “I think on top of what the double wing brought as far as a tenacity and identity, it’s okay for the regular season; it’s okay for league,” he added. “But when you get to the playoffs, you have to have a little bit more. So I think the foundation is here to have a dominant team, but one that wins championships. It takes a little bit more innovation; a little bit more forward thinking, a little bit more studying and learning the game of what the big boys do.” Cobbs added that the Lancers have a very strong team as is, but he is going to make sure he adds the necessary weapons that are missing, which are a passing attack and more sophisticated defensive schemes. Kevin Cabot, Chris Castro and Juventino Liera, the defensive line coach from Guerrero’s staff, will be part of the new era of Norwalk football. Cobbs had been told by former mentors that it’s best to bring in three coaches from the previous head coaching staff who the players liked the most to be part of the new staff. Cobbs watched last season’s playoff loss to Warren High and could tell that the Lancers weren’t really enthusiastic and weren’t really confident. He knew there was something missing there.
“The way I like to approach football from when I was a player and when I was a coach is that they have to deal with us,” said Cobbs. “I just think the expectation of winning; the expectation of dominance can’t just be because we’re bigger and stronger. It has to be because our preparation was better, our attention to detail was better and the way we love our kids is what is going to help them become more confident in them and will resonate with their life. I hope we can win a championship, but I’m more concerned about them being good men.” OFFENSE The Lancers scored 324 points under the double wing offense last season and graduated all but three yards of the 3,055 rushing yards and all but 51 of the 3,266 total yards and all 211 passing yards. “We’re retooling the entire offense,” said Cobbs. “We don’t have a returning starter we expect to have 1,000 yards or a returning quarterback who is going to run the offense. We have a new set of quarterbacks, we have a new set of running backs and our [offense] is steady with the likes of [senior] Zion Burris, [senior] Bobby Fanelli, and [senior] Daniel Garcia. We have enough guys up front that I’m confident in that no matter what offense we run, we’re going to have several backs who will have 500 yards or more.” Cobbs added that he won’t have a running back that will crack the 1,000yard plateau. Instead, he found six or seven wide receivers who are capable of catching the football. He also has up to seven players who could very well line up behind center as the signal caller. As of two and a half weeks before the season opener, he had not decided on a starting signal caller. But the ones in the mix are seniors Chaz Barnhill, Johnniele Madera, who was injured as a sophomore while at Compton High, juniors Julian Lewis and David Pelayo. “I’m making the team think about this differently,” said Cobbs. “The next man up is not just position guys; it’s the quarterback, too. Every position that we have, we’re going to roll two deep, at least. I want to be comfortable enough running the football no matter who we have at quarterback. As long as we don’t turn it over, we’re going to be just fine.” Running the ball will be seniors Jordan Ballenger, Jayden Barrios, Erick Dominguez, Fanelli, David Ibarra and a few more sprinkles throughout the year, as Cobbs indicated. Slated as the wide receivers are seniors Riley Howard and Miguel Urueta, who will be the tight end, and juniors Lucas Lewis, Andrew Sanchez, Isaac Segura and Andrew Tiaesca. “We’re going to have fun this year,” said Cobbs. “We’re going to have a steady, disciplined attack, but I want to have a wrinkle every game. I want to be able to give a senior the football and put him in like [former Chicago Bears defensive tackle William ‘The Refrigerator’ Perry]. I want to be able to have some fun out there. I’m always open to using our talent, and I don’t want to just be stuck with one player needing all the love. I have a heavy senior-ladened team, and I want them to have memories that last a lifetime.” The offensive line sets up with Burris, Fanelli when he’s not running the ball, seniors Onosai Faamatau, Matthew Galvez and Kevin Rivera, but will be moved around up front at the guard positions a lot. DEFENSE While the offense will look vastly different this season and players will be jumped around from one position to another, it’s completely different on the
other side of the ball. The Lancers return nine of the 11 starters from last season, where they allowed over 30 points only once and limited six of the last seven opponents [the Firebaugh High game was a forfeit victory] to under 20 points. Juniors Marcus Castillo (47 tackles last season) and Marcus Ceja will
solidify the defensive end positions with Fanelli playing defensive tackle. Also playing some time on the line will be junior Evan Dougherty and sophomore Matthew Linares. The secondary is a bit of making See NORWALK, Page 12
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12 | Los Cerritos Community News | August 14, 2026
LA MIRADA
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received Division II offers and is probably the team’s best overall defensive players in terms of his ability to play the game, according to Mealy, Jaylen Scott, who has had the best offseason of any player Mealy has ever coached, and Marcus Sowell. Junior Ryan Gonzales, who spent the last two seasons on the defensive line, earning all Gateway League honors, moves to middle linebacker and will be joined with fellow juniors Anthony Franco and Mathew Ybarra (47 tackles). The Matadores will operate with three linebackers with junior Noah Lendo being the next guy up. “I’m confident in them; we have to figure out a little bit of our identity,” said Mealy of his defense. “The one thing that I’ll give is everybody bashed our defense the first two years because they’re giving up 46 points a game and when you look at the offense which has four turnovers a game and they’re going three and out nine times a game, it’s hard to play defense. I think for the first time since I’ve been here, the defense is going to have the confidence of knowing that the offense is going to have their back. They don’t have to be perfect. We’re going to blitz a lot this year and we’re going to get after the quarterback.” SCHEDULE La Mirada’s schedule this season will have a variety of the old and new in the sense that South Gare High is the only repeat non-league foe it will face. Last season’s opener was a 34-16 win that was put away with a 20-point fourth quarter, But the Matadores will face former Suburban League rival Norwalk High for the first time since 2023 and have won nine straight against the Lancers. After that, La Mirada goes on the road against Bellflower High, another former Suburban League rival whom it has won 11 straight against, and Brea Olinda High, first time opponent in recent memory, who fell in the Division 8 championship game. The non-league slate ends with a home encounter with El Rancho High, another first time opponent, from at least the past 20 seasons. Including the five league games, this might be La Mirada’s toughest schedule in a long time as all 10 opponents went to the playoffs last season with four advancing to at least the semifinals.
“We know South Gate played 15 games and those extra playoff weeks are huge,” said Mealy. “They have some studs returning; their quarterback is a stud back there and they gave us fits last year. Then Norwalk has a new coach. I’m not super familiar with them, but I heard nothing but great things about them. I know they’re getting away from that Wing-T [offense].” Nothing will come easy with the league opponents, even with Cerritos High, which has not defeated the Matadores since 2001, a 28-17 victory. La Mirada has won four of six games against La Serna High dating back to 2016 but is winless against Downey High and Warren High in 10 combined games since 2018 and has lost nine straight meetings against Mayfair High. “No disrespect to Cerritos, but our last four-game stretch right there-La Serna, Downey, Warren and Mayfair…there’s not a lot of teams in Southern California playing that four-game stretch,” said Mealy. “Obviously, you have your big dogs; your Mater Dei’s, your [St. John] Bosco’s. You have your Alpha League in Orange County, but as far as public schools goes in L.A. County, I challenge somebody to name me a tougher fourgame stretch to end the season. It’s going to be a grind and it’s going to be fun.” HOMECOMING Since 1975, La Mirada holds a 22-5 advantage over Cerritos, which will be the homecoming opponent. The last time the new league opponents faced each other was Sept. 29, 2017, and La Mirada routed Cerritos 56-7 in a Suburban League contest. The Matadores scored three touchdowns in the first and third quarters each and displayed just over 500 yards total offense. The last time Cerritos defeated La Mirada was in 2001, a 28-17 victory. The next two seasons, La Mirada escaped with 17-7 and 10-7 wins, and when the Matadores defeated Dominguez High 34-7 last season, it was the program’s first homecoming victory since defeating Paramount High 2022. FINAL COMMENT “We’re excited; we know we have a grind in front of us,” said Mealy. “But we’re in a good position, I feel like, and we’re just eager to get to game one and go from there.”
NORWALK
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something out of nothing as Cobbs found a pair of quarterbacks, Lewis and Pelayo, who aren’t starting at that position but are now the starting cornerbacks. Senior Joshua Ayala and Joseph Ochoa (17 tackles), who were linebackers last season, will handle the safety positions. Senior Josh Rodriguez (27 tackles) and juniors Geovanny Corona and Andrew Sanchez could also find time in the secondary along with Ibarra, who might be scattered throughout the defense. Dominguez (10 tackles), who is also the starting tailback, is expected to be the team’s top linebacker along with Faamatau (67 tackles), Noah Gonzalez, Adrian Napier, Ibarra and Ochoa. “There’s a lot of guys who are going to move around,” said Cobbs. “My whole thing is we have a bunch of kids whose culture was just to bully and manhandle people. My philosophy is a little bit different. I played rover, corner, free safety and linebacker when I played. My whole thing was to be a versatile player, so when I put you in the game, you’re not shellshocked.” SCHEDULE Norwalk begins the season with Lawndale High, presumably the first meeting between the two schools, before hitting the road for three straight contests. The Lancers have lost nine straight games against former Suburban League rival La Mirada High since a 2013 victory (42-27). That season, the purple and gold fell in the CIF-SS finals to La Serna High. Norwalk defeated Pasadena High 42-24 and Venice High 28-27 last season. When league play commences, the Lancers play California High for the first time since 2019 before reuniting a common rivalry with Gahr High who they have won two straight games against. Norwalk has won two straight against Santa Fe High, four straight against Bellflower High and is 2-3 against Paramount High since 2004. “I’m blessed to have a team where I don’t care about who we play against,” said Cobbs. “I’ve always been on a team that could care less who the opponent was. When I was little, our coach
instilled in us it doesn’t matter who we play. If you prepare what you do the best, it’s going to be successful no matter who you play against. “I don’t really care about La Mirada,” he continued. “I don’t care about Venice; I don’t care about West Covina, who they have and what they do. All I care about is what we do. If we do what we do well, we’re going to be successful. And yes, we’re supposed to lose to La Mirada because historically, they’ve had a stronger team. I have no recollection of that. That’s not who I am; I don’t care. They’ve got to have a guy that’s big as Robert Fanelli. They’ve got to have a guy as big as Zion Burris. They’ve got to have a guy as athletic as Julian Lewis.” Cobbs did say that Gahr’s offensive coordinator Jordan Simpson is one of his best friend’s son and knows that the Gladiators operate a pro style offense similar to what the Lancers will be running. Cobbs also predicted that the final regular season game against Paramount will be for the league title. HOMECOMING Norwalk’s homecoming game will be the latest in the season out of the seven area schools as it will have to wait until the eighth week before it can have all the pomp and circumstance. Dating back to 1998, the Lancers have split their four meetings with the Sentinels, losing in 1998 and 1999 by a combined score of 58-7 before winning in 2024, 48-13, and in the second game last season, 35-20. Last season, Norwalk obliterated Compton Early College 70-0 to improve to 17-10 in homecoming games since 1998. FINAL COMMENT “I’m just excited about the season,” said Cobbs. “We have a system that’s working, and the kids have bought in; kids are coming into the weight room. From when I first got the keys to 6 a.m. workouts, we had 85 kids at 6 a.m. and I was in there with them. They were my students before they were my athletes, and they were kind of like, ‘if you took the job, we would really be excited about it’. So I’m very excited about the future. Like I said, this group is special and I have a five-year plan.”
EMPLOYMENT AND LEGAL NOTICES - YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW! T.S. No.: 2026-05109 APN: 7016-012-047 TRA No.: 02013 NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED 3/28/2025. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDINGS AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. A public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash payable at time of sale in lawful money of the United States by cash, a cashier’s check drawn by a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association, or savings bank specified in Section 5102 of the Financial Code and authorized to do business in this state will be held by the duly appointed trustee as shown below. The sale will be made, but without covenant or warranty, expressed or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the remaining principal sum of the note(s) secured by the Deed of Trust, with interest and late charges thereon, as provided in the note(s), advances, under the terms of the Deed of Trust, interest thereon, fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee for the total amount (at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale) reasonably estimated to be set forth below. The amount may be greater on the day of sale. Trustor: ERIC L. CHAPMAN, SR. AN UNMARRIED MAN Beneficiary Name: VERMONT RESOURCES LLC, A CALIFORNIA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY Duly Appointed Trustee: INTEGRATED LENDER SERVICES INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION and pursuant to Deed of Trust recorded 4/3/2025 as Instrument No. 20250213142 in book ---, page --- of Official Records in the office of the Recorder of Los Angeles County, California, Date of Sale: 9/8/2026 at 10:30 AM Place of Sale: Behind the fountain located in Civic Center Plaza located at 400 Civic Center Plaza, Pomona, CA 91766 Amount of unpaid balance and other charges: $303,805.80 The property heretofore is being sold “as is.” The street Address or other common designation of real property is purported to be: 10802 166TH ST, CERRITOS, CA 90703 Legal Description: As more fully described on said Deed of Trust. A.P.N.: 7016-012-047 The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address or other common designation, if any, shown above. If no street address or other common designation is shown, directions to the location of the property may be obtained by sending a written request to the beneficiary within 10 days of the date of first publication of this Notice of Sale. The beneficiary under said Deed of Trust heretofore executed and delivered to the undersigned a written Declaration of Default and Demand for Sale, and a written Notice of Default and Election to Sell. The undersigned caused said Notice of Default and Election to Sell to be recorded in the county where the real property is located and more than three months have elapsed since such recordation. NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS: If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on the property itself. Placing the highest bid at a trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property. You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder’s office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same lender may hold more than one mortgage or deed of trust on the property. NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call 1-844-477-7869 or visit this Internet Web site http:// www.stoxposting.com/sales-calendar, using the file number assigned to this case 2026-05109. Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the Internet Web site. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale. NOTICE TO TENANT: You may have a right to purchase this property after the trustee auction pursuant to Section 2924m of the California Civil Code. If you are an “eligible tenant buyer” you can purchase the property if you match the last and highest bid placed at the trustee auction. If you are an “eligible bidder,” you may be able to purchase the property if you exceed the last and highest bid placed at the trustee auction. There are three steps to exercising this right of purchase. First, 48 hours after the date of the trustee sale, you can call 1-844-477-7869 or visit this internet website site http://www.stoxposting.com/sales-calendar, using the file number assigned to this case 2026-05109 to find the date on which the trustee’s sale was held, the amount of the last and highest bid, and the address of the trustee. Second, you must send a written notice of intent to place a bid so that the trustee receives it no more than 15 days after the trustee’s sale. Third, you must submit a bid so that the trustee receives it no more than 45 days after the trustee’s sale. If you think you may qualify as an “eligible tenant buyer” or “eligible bidder,” you should consider contacting an attorney or appropriate real estate professional immediately for advice regarding this potential right to purchase. Effective March 1, 2026, the U. S. Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) requires that a Real Estate Report (“FinCEN Report”) be filed with FinCEN for certain residential real estate transfers, including purchases with all cash or without institutional lender financing, where at least one buyer or transferee is a legal entity, limited liability company, corporation, partnership, trust, trustee or other non-natural person. If the proposed transaction involves a reportable transfer, the 3rd party purchaser, prior to receiving the Trustees Deed, must provide all information and documentation necessary to complete and file the FinCEN Report. If this is a reportable transfer, the 3rd party purchaser will be receiving an email from our FinCEN Report vender and will be required to provide the information being requested. . Additional information regarding FinCEN’s reporting requirements is available at https://www.fincen.gov/rre/. “NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS: WE REQUIRE CERTIFIED FUNDS AT SALE BY CASHIER’S CHECK(S) PAYABLE DIRECTLY TO “INTEGRATED LENDER SERVICES, INC.” TO AVOID DELAYS IN ISSUING THE FINAL DEED”. THIS FIRM IS ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. Date: 8/4/2026 INTEGRATED LENDER SERVICES INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION, as Trustee 1551 N. Tustin Avenue, Suite 840 Santa Ana, California 92705 (800) 232-8787 For Sale Information please call: 1-844-477-7869 MICHAEL REAGAN, TRUSTEE SALES OFFICER
NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF JOUNG SIK PARK Case No. 26STPB08328 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of JOUNG SIK PARK A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by Juhyun Park in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that Juhyun Park be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A HEARING on the petition will be held on August 25, 2026 at 8:30 AM in Dept. No. 240 located at 111 N. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: STEPHEN CHAI ESQ SBN 324214 LAW OFFICE OF STEPHEN CHAI 4801 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 308 LOS ANGELES CA 90010 CN129339 PARK Jul 31, Aug 7,14, 2026
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT File Number 2026128992 THE FOLLOWING PERSON(S) IS (ARE) DOING BUSINESS AS: FIAT ADVOCACY & LITERACY CONSULTING SERVICES, 16022 MART DR, LA MIRADA CA 90638, LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Registered Owner: MONJE CONSULTING SERVICES, LLC 16022 MART DR, LA MIRADA CA 90638. This business is conducted as a LIMITED LIABILITY CORPORATION. The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: N/A. I declare that all the information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). /S/ MONJE CONSULTING SERVICES, LLC, MANAGING MEMBER KARlNA ALEXANDRA MONJE. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on 7/31/26. In accordance with Subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the of notice of the County Clerk, except, as provided in Subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. A new Fictitious Business Name Statement must be filed before the expiration. Effective January 1, 2014, the Fictitious Business Name Statement must be accompanied by the affidavit of identity form. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under Federal, State or Common Law (see Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code). LCCN 8/7, 8/14, 8/21, 8/28/26
Los Cerritos Community News | August 14, 2026 | 13
To advertise call 562-407-3873 CITY OF CERRITOS, NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Project Identification: REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR GENERATOR AND RELATED HARDWARE SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF CERRITOS, RFP NO. 1574-26. Project Description: The City of Cerritos is seeking a qualified contractor to provide all labor, services, tools, equipment, materials, appurtenances, and incidentals necessary for performing miscellaneous GENERATOR AND RELATED HARDWARE SERVICES for the City of Cerritos. These services include response to requests for routine maintenance, emergency repairs, installations, troubleshooting, testing, inspections, and replacement of generators, transfer switches, associated electrical components, control systems, fuel systems, and related hardware across City facilities as needed. The selected contractor shall work closely with the Public Works Department, who will administer the contract to ensure that costs are minimized while maintaining quality, ensuring that schedules and deadlines are met, and pricing is competitive. The term of the proposed contract is two (2) years with a provision of up to four (4) one-year extensions. Project Specifications: A copy of the General Descriptions and Conditions and Agreement can be obtained by e-mailing Maintenance Division at: jlabbate@cerritos.gov. Any questions, please contact (562) 916-1220 during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., weekends and observed holidays excepted). Notifications, updates, and addenda will be posted on the City’s bid page at: cerritos.gov/bids. Proposed Service Providers (referred to as “Proposers”) shall be responsible for monitoring the site to obtain information regarding the solicitation. Failure to respond to required updates may result in a determination of a nonresponsive proposal. Sealed Proposals must be received on or before: 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 2, 2026. Place of Sealed Proposal receipt: The sealed proposal submission must be physically received in the: Office of the City Clerk, 1st Floor, 18125 Bloomfield Avenue, Cerritos, CA 90703. It is the responsibility of the bidder to ensure that the proposal is properly marked and received in the appropriate location by the deadline. Bids not received in the Office of the City Clerk at the above-referenced location by the deadline provided will not be considered. Sealed Proposals must be marked: “PROPOSAL – GENERATOR AND HARDWARE SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF CERRITOS, RFP NO. 1574-26- DO NOT OPEN.” No proposal will be accepted unless it has the above referenced information clearly identified on the outside label. Final selection criteria: The City’s final selection criteria will be based on, but not limited to, the following analysis: (1) Completeness of proposal. (2) Contractor’s demonstrated understanding of the scope of work. (3) Feedback received from references listed on Reference Sheet. (4) The total fee for the proposal. The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, or portions thereof, or to waive any informality or irregularity in a proposal to the extent allowed by law. No proposal will be received unless it is made on the official forms in the Contract Documents that include the Proposal Cost Schedule/ Non-Collusion Affidavit. Failure to properly execute the Proposal Cost Schedule/ Non-Collusion Affidavit will render the proposal non-responsive and the proposal will not be accepted. No proposal will be accepted from a contractor who has not been licensed in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 9, Division III of the Business and Professions Code of the State of California. The contractor must possess a license of the following classification at the time the contract is awarded (and must maintain this license classification through completion of the project): “A, B, C-10” is required. The proposer’s attention is also directed to Section 7028.15 of the Business and Professions Code. Pursuant to the provisions of Section 1776, et al. of the Labor Code of the State of California, the Director of Industrial Relations for the State of California has determined the general prevailing rate of wages and employer payments for health and welfare, vacations, pensions and similar purposes applicable to the work to be done. These rates shall be the minimum rates for this project. Rates are available on
the Internet at http://www.dir.ca.gov/DLSR/PWD. In addition, the information can be obtained by calling the Division of Labor Statistics and Research’s Prevailing Wage Unit at (415) 703-4774, or by faxing the Prevailing Wage Unit at (415) 703-4771, or by writing to: California Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Statistics and Research, Prevailing Wage Unit, P.O. Box 420603, San Francisco, CA, 94142. Any requests for information regarding proposals submitted shall be directed to the Office of the City Clerk via a formal Public Records Act request. The City has determined that opened proposals are confidential and therefore the negotiations process outweighs the public interest in prematurely disclosing such records. (Gov. Code § 7922.000). By order of the City of Cerritos. Published at Los Cerritos Community Newspaper 8/14/26 LEGAL NOTICE CITY OF BELLFLOWER ORDINANCE NO. 1459 AN ORDINANCE ADDING CHAPTER 12.45 TO THE BELLFLOWER MUNICIPAL CODE (“BMC”) GOVERNING PUBLIC TREE MANAGEMENT FOR THE CITY OF BELLFLOWER Pursuant to Government Code Section 36933(b), Ordinance No. 1459 is summarized as follows:
Ordinance 1459 would add Chapter 12.45 to the Bellflower Municipal Code (“BMC”) to establish a framework for the management, protection, maintenance, and replacement of public trees. The Ordinance would designate the Director of Public Works, or his or her designee, as the responsible authority for public tree management and for establishing and implementing an Urban Forest Master Plan. The Ordinance would also establish permit requirements for work affecting public trees, prohibit activities and conditions that damage or endanger public trees, provide a method for tree valuation, establish penalties and liability for unauthorized removal or damage, and create an administrative appeal process. Ordinance No. 1459 had its first reading on July 13, 2026, its second reading on August 10, 2026, and was duly passed, approved, and adopted by the City Council of the City of Bellflower at its Regular Meeting of August 10, 2026, by the following vote to wit: AYES: Council Members –Morse, Sanchez, Dunton, Koops, and Mayor Santa Ines Effective Date: September 11, 2026. For a copy of Ordinance No. 1459, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (562) 804 1424. Approved as submitted above: Karl H. Berger, City Attorney ATTEST: Mayra Ochiqui, City Clerk Published at Los Cerritos Community Newspaper 8/14/26
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING/PROPOSED ORDINANCE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Cerritos City Council will conduct a public hearing at a regular meeting on Monday, August 24, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. on the following matter: Recommendation by the Cerritos Planning Commission, on a vote of 4-0, to approve the following: Review and consideration to waive full reading of and introduce AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CERRITOS APPROVING DEVELOPMENT MAP AMENDMENT 2026-2, A REQUEST TO AMEND THE CERRITOS DEVELOPMENT MAP BY CHANGING THE ZONE CLASSIFICATION OF APPROXIMATELY ±3.93 ACRES OF LAND, LOCATED AT 17600 CRUSADER AVENUE, CERRITOS, CALIFORNIA, 90703, FROM INDUSTRIAL (M) TO INDUSTRIAL/ COMMERCIAL (MC) (APN 7034-017-019).* Review and consideration to waive full reading of and adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE CERRITOS CITY COUNCIL APPROVING CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 2026-2, A REQUEST BY AUTONATION INC., TO PERMIT THE OPERATION OF A NON-CUSTOMER-FACING AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR FACILITY, PRIVATE CAR WASH, AND VEHICLE PARKING FACILITY AT 17600 CRUSADER AVENUE, CERRITOS, CALIFORNIA, 90703, TO SUPPORT THE EXISTING LEXUS OF CERRITOS DEALERSHIP, LOCATED AT A SEPARATE SITE. THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT 17600 CRUSADER AVENUE, CERRITOS, CALIFORNIA, 90703 (APN 7034-017-019).* *Pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, this project is exempt from CEQA Review. City Attorney Summary: The proposed ordinance (DMA 2026-2) will amend the zone classification at the property from Industrial (M) to Industrial/ Commercial (MC). If the proposed ordinance is approved, the zone classification of the property will be changed to Industrial/Commercial (MC), which will allow for automobile repair, private car wash uses as accessory uses, and surplus vehicle storage. Other properties directly south of the subject property are also zoned Industrial/Commercial (MC). The proposed resolution (CUP 2026-2) will provide a conditional use permit to allow the operation of a non-customer facing automotive repair facility, private car wash, and vehicle parking facility to support the existing Lexus of Cerritos dealership. If the proposed resolution is approved, AutoNation Inc. will be permitted to operate a non-customer facing automotive repair facility, private car wash, and vehicle parking facility that meets the requirements of the conditional use permit. A copy of the full text of the proposed Ordinance and Resolution can be viewed or obtained by contacting the Office of the City Clerk during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., weekends and observed holidays excepted) at 18125 Bloomfield Avenue, Cerritos, CA 90703, city_ clerk@cerritos.gov, or (562) 916-1248. This public hearing will be conducted in person in the Cerritos City Council Chamber, 18125 Bloomfield Avenue, Cerritos, California, 90703, and via Zoom teleconference, Meeting ID: 897 8691 1692. The public hearing will also air live on Cerritos TV3 and will be streamed over the City of Cerritos website at cerritos.gov/agendas and the City’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/cityofcerritos. A copy of the related agenda report will be available for download from the website on the Tuesday prior to the public hearing. Live public comments can be provided in person or via Zoom teleconference during the hearing. Written comments can be provided via email to city_clerk@cerritos.gov or by hard copy to the Office of the City Clerk no later than 3:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Please identify the agenda item number in the subject line of the email or hard copy document. All written correspondence received by the 3:00 p.m. deadline will be distributed to the legislative body prior to the meeting and retained with the official meeting record. If you challenge the above-mentioned item and related actions in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence received in the Office of the City Clerk by the submission deadline, prior to the public hearing. Any person interested in this matter may contact the Office of the City Clerk at (562) 916-1248 for additional information and/or appear at the hearing in person or by agent and be heard. /s/Cynthia Nava, City Clerk Published at Los Cerritos Community Newspaper 8/14/26 CITY OF LA MIRADA NOTICE INVITING BIDS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT NO.: 2026-01 PUBLIC WORKS ADA CREW RESTROOM REMODEL Notice is hereby given that the City of La Mirada, California invites sealed bids for the furnishing of all labor, materials, equipment, and services for Capital Improvement Project No. 2026-01, Public Works ADA Crew Restroom Remodel. Work includes providing all materials, labor, tools, supplies, equipment and all other services necessary to complete the renovation of the restroom facilities at the La Mirada Public Works Office located at 15515 Phoebe Avenue, per the plans and specifications in the City of La Mirada. Project Documents are available online from American Reprographics Company (ARC). Bidders may obtain free copies of the Plans, Specifications and other Contract Documents online by visiting the ARC Southern California website: https://customer.e-arc.com/ arcEOC/PWELL_Main.asp?mem=29. Look under PUBLIC PLANROOM and click GO, then search for City of La Mirada from the dropdown list titled “in all company”. You can also contact ARC at (949) 660-1150 or costamesa.planwell@e-arc.com to request Plans and Specifications. Sealed bids shall be delivered to the City Clerk at or before 11 a.m. on September 2, 2026. Bids must be submitted on the blank forms, prepared and furnished for that purpose and included in the Plans and Specifications. The City reserves the right to reject any and all bids, or delete portions of any or all bids, or waive any informality or irregularity in the bid or the bid procedures. Leticia Revilla, City Clerk Published at La Mirada Lamplighter 8/14/26
LOCAL CRIME. COVERED. Find Out Which Streets In Your Neighborhood Are Hot.
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To advertise call 562-407-3873
14 | Los Cerritos Community News | August 14, 2026 CITY OF BELLFLOWER
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE THAT THERE ARE NO MORE CANDIDATES THAN OFFICES TO BE ELECTED IN COUNCIL DISTRICTS 3 AND 5
CITY OF PICO RIVERA Unclaimed Monies This notice is to inform the public that the City of Pico Rivera (“City”) is in possession of certain unclaimed monies. A list of the unclaimed monies and the names of potential claimants is available on the City’s website at:
TAKE NOTICE, pursuant to Election Code § 10229 governing the General Municipal Election in the City of Bellflower called for Tuesday, November 3, 2026: As of the close of the nomination period on August 7, 2026, at 5:00 p.m., one qualified candidate is eligible for each the following elected offices:
https://www.pico-rivera.org/index.php/unclaimed-property/
Council District 3: Sonny R. Santa Ines Council District 5: Ray Dunton
The list is also available through the City’s Administrative Services Department. Any person with a legal claim to the unclaimed monies must submit a written claim to the address or email below within 45 days of the first publication of this notice. Otherwise, the unclaimed monies will become City property. City of Pico Rivera, Administrative Services Department, Accounting Division 6615 Passons Blvd., Pico Rivera, CA 90660 www.Pico-Rivera.org Ph: 562-801-4392 Email: FinanceDepartment@Pico-Rivera.org Published at Los Cerritos Community News 8/14/26 and 8/21/26
CITY OF HAWAIIAN GARDENS CITY COUNCIL Notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Hawaiian Gardens will conduct a public hearing pertaining to the following item: City Council
DATE OF HEARING:
August 26, 2026
TIME OF HEARING:
6:00 P.M., or soon thereafter
LOCATION OF HEARING:
1. Appoint to one of each of the open offices one of the persons who has been nominated. 2.Appoint to the office any eligible voter if no one has been nominated. 3.Hold the election if either no one or only one person has been nominated. At a special City Council meeting to be held on August 19, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., the City Council will consider whether to make an appointment or direct an election to be held. The person(s) appointed, if any, will qualify and take office and serve exactly as if elected at a municipal election for the office. If, by the 75th day before the municipal election (August 20, 2026), no person is appointed to each of these offices pursuant to (1) or (2) above, then the election for Council Districts 3 and 5 must be held along with all other elective offices on the ballot. If appointments are made to these offices, the Election for Council Districts 3 and 5 will be cancelled, but will be held for all other elective offices on the ballot.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICIA PARA UNA AUDIENCIA PUBLICA
HEARING BODY:
Elections Code § 10229 allows for one of the following courses of action to be taken by the City Council when there are not more candidates than offices to be elected:
If the City Council makes an appointment pursuant to Elections Code § 10229, then the City Clerk cannot accept for filing any statement of write in candidacy which is submitted after the appointment is made. Mayra Ochiqui, City Clerk Dated: August 12, 2026 For a translated version of this notice or more information regarding this election, please visit www.bellflower.ca.gov or contact the City Clerk’s Office at (562) 804-1424, ext. 2271.
City Hall, Council Chambers City of Hawaiian Gardens 21815 Pioneer Boulevard Hawaiian Gardens, CA 90716
Case PLNG2026-0048-Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for PUBLIC HEARING: Condominium Conversion and Case PLNG2026-0049-Tentative Tract Map (TTM) No. 83883, a request to convert six existing detached single-family residential dwellings into six condominium units. The project is located at 22001 Claretta Avenue, zoned R-3 (Intermediate Density Residential). Any interested person may attend the meeting and be heard or present written comments to the City Council at or prior to the conclusion of the public hearing. Written correspondence may also be submitted beforehand to Elise McCaleb, Community Development Director, at cddirector@HGCity.org.
The proposed project is Categorically Exempt from the CEQA requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) DETERMINATION: per Section 15301 (Class 1 – Existing Facilities) of the CEQA guidelines. Based on Staff’s analysis, the request to convert the existing single-family dwellings into condominiums will not result in any changes in land use and will not have a significant effect on the environment. Thereby the request qualifies for an exemption.
Further information may be obtained by contacting the Hawaiian Gardens Community Development Department at (562) 420-2641 Ext 246. Si desea obtener mas informacion, llame al Departamento de Desarrollo de la Comunidad al (562) 420-2641 Ext 246. Elise McCaleb, Community Development Director Published: Los Cerritos Community News 08/14/2026 Published at Los Cerritos Community Newspaper 8/14/26
Published at Los Cerritos Community Newspaper 8/14/26 SUM-100 SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) FOR COURT USE ONLY (SOLO PARA USO DE LA CORTE) NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): Jose Luis Gonzalez Mariscal; and DOES 1-10, inclusive YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: (LO ESTÁ DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): First Technology Federal Credit Union NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below. You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center ( www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site ( www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center ( www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or coun ty bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration aware of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court’s lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. ¡AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 dias, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su versión. Lea la información a continuación. Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presentar una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y más información en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California ( www.sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de ley es de su condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario de la corte que le dé un formulario de exención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumpli miento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin más advertencia. Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remisión a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro. Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, ( www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, ( www. sucorte.ca.gov) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de aboga dos locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar las cuotas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperación de $10,000 ó más de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un caso de derecho ci vil. Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso. The name and address of the court is: (El nombre y dirección de la corte es): CASE NUMBER (Número del Caso): SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES COUNTY, LOS ANGELES NORWALK COURTHOUSE 12720 Norwalk Blvd., Norwalk, CA, 90650 The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff’s attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is: (El nombre, la dirección y el número de teléfono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante que no tiene abogado, es): Muna Ali, Esq. | McCarthy & Holthus, LLP, 2763 Camino Del Rio S. Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92108 | (619) 685-4800 DATE: (Fecha) Clerk, by, Deputy (Secretario) (Adjunto) IDSPub #0316417 8/7/2026 8/14/2026 8/21/2026 8/28/2026
PUZZLE ANSWER: DREADLOCKS
Los Cerritos Community News | August 14, 2026 | 15
To advertise call 562-407-3873
WANTED: CASH PAID for large collections of electronics including ham radio equipment, stereo equipment, glass vacuum tubes, test equipment, early computers, and more. Call or text Ethan at 775-3862506 (Cal-SCAN) LeafFilter Gutter Protection Eliminate gutter cleaning with LeafFilter’s advanced debris-blocking system. Free estimates. 20% off entire purchase plus 10% senior and military discounts. Call 1-855-4247581. (Cal-SCAN) Consumer Cellular Reliable nationwide coverage with no long-term contracts, no hidden fees and free activation. Plans with unlimited talk and text starting at $20 per month. Call 1-844-908-0605. (Cal-SCAN) Heritage for the Blind Donate your car, truck or SUV to assist the blind and visually impaired. Free vehicle pickup and potential tax benefits. Call 1-844-491-2884. (CalSCAN) Generac Home Standby Generators Prepare for power outages with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Free quote and free 5-year warranty with qualifying purchase. Call 1-844439-5645. (Cal-SCAN) Priority Tax Relief Tax problems? Free consultation
available. Call Priority Tax at 1-877361-0387. (Cal-SCAN) AUTOS WANTED Patriotic Hearts Vehicle Donation Donate your unwanted vehicle. Free nationwide pickup. Proceeds help veterans find employment or start businesses. Call 1-833-426-0105. (Cal-SCAN) Patriotic Hearts Donación de Vehículos Done su vehículo no deseado. Recogida gratuita en todo el país. Los programas ayudan a veteranos a encontrar empleo o iniciar negocios. Llame al 1-833-695-1947. (CalSCAN)
(Cal-SCAN) HOME IMPROVEMENT Safe Step Walk-In Tubs Walk-in tubs with lifetime warranty, professional installation and financing available. Call 1-888-989-5749. (CalSCAN) SERVICES Bath & Shower Updates Bathroom updates in as little as one day. Lifetime warranty. Senior and military discounts available. Call 1-877-252-9868. (Cal-SCAN)
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Home Warranty Coverage Protection for major home systems and appliances. Call 1-855-411-1731. (Cal-SCAN)
Debt Relief If you have more than $10,000 in debt, assistance may be available. No upfront enrollment costs. Call 1-833641-3437. (Cal-SCAN)
Water Damage Cleanup & Restoration Professional water damage cleanup and repair services available 24/7. Call 1-888-248-0815. (Cal-SCAN)
HEALTH Viagra & Cialis Savings Program Affordable alternatives to retail pricing. Call 1-833-641-3889. (CalSCAN) INSURANCE/HEALTH Physicians Mutual Dental Insurance Coverage for more than 400 procedures. Request a free information kit. Call 1-844-203-2677.
REAL ESTATE LOANS V.I.P. Trust Deed Company Business-purpose real estate loans. Credit considerations flexible. Call 1-818-248-0000. DRE 01041073. No consumer loans. (Cal-SCAN) ADVERTISING CNPA Advertising Services Reach nearly 13 million California newspaper readers through CNPA’s statewide advertising network. Call (916) 288-6011 or email [cecelia@ cnpa.com](mailto:cecelia@cnpa. com). Discover the Power of Newspaper Advertising Learn how newspaper content reaches audiences through print, online, social media and broadcast channels. For information call (916) 2886011 or email [cecelia@cnpa.com] (mailto:cecelia@cnpa.com). (CalSCAN)
16 | Los Cerritos Community News | August 14, 2026
To advertise call 562-407-3873