LOS CERRITOS
Winner of Fourteen LA Press Club Awards from 2012- 2017.
LOS CERRITOS Serving Cerritos and ten other surrounding communities • August 21, 2020 • Vol 35, No. 2 • loscerritosnews.net
LOCAL CLUB SHOWS SUPPORT FOR POSTAL WORKERS
D.A. Reviewing Incompatible Office Charges Against CENTRAL BASIN Downey Assistant MANAGER PAYING AGENCYJohn EMPLOYEES Manager Oskoui
LAST WEEK! Win a $100 Eureka Burger Card! L.A. D.A.GiftRaid See page 16
Snags Cerritos CERRITOS TRIPLETS HELP THE HOMELESS DURING COVID WRD APPROVES Resident & Bell CONSTRUCTION OF City Manager MONITORING WELL
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HMG EXCLUSIVE
INBYCERRITOS BRIAN HEWS
WITHOUT APPROVAL
Review is a result of an HMG-CN series of the Finance Director Andrew controversial Director. Hamilton refuses to submit ďŹ nancial reports for scrutiny. BY BRIAN HEWS
BY BRIAN HEWS The Los Angeles County District At-
Hews Media Group-Los Cerritos ComBY BRIAN HEWS munity News has exclusively learned that Hews Media Cerritos Los Angeles CountyGroup-Los District Attorney’s Community Newsishas learned that Office of Integrity reviewing the inCentral office Basin Finance compatible chargesDirector leveled Andrew against Hamilton been issuing paychecks to Central Basinhas Director and Downey AsCentral Basin employees despite the fact sistant Manager Jahanshah “John� Oskthatoutlined the board not passed a 2020-’21 oui as inhas a letter sent by former
budget. See OSKOUI page 11 The budget stalemate is due to Directors John Oskoui and Bob Apodaca; they are defying a court decision from last week deliberately not attending special board meetings called to approve the budget. In addition, the actual amount of payroll has not been approved as an item on the consent calendar during regular board meetings, and Hamilton is not submitting
torney’s Office raided homes and offices Lakewood~The Replenishment this week as part Water of a corruption probe District (WRD) is embarking proj-of into a failed solar project in on theaCity ect to construct two new wells as part of Industry. WRD’s Regional Groundwater MonitorThe bill to taxpayers was $20 million ing Program (RGWMP). and nothing came of it. One well would be in Paramount in the One search warrant was served on other well will be in Cerritos. Paul Philips, Cerritos resident andVera current In a phone call WRD President Bell City Manager. DEMONSTRATING at the Cerritos Post Office are Hubert Humphrey Democratic Robles DeWitt told HMG that the wells Club Membership Chair Norma Williamson and her husband Alan, Linda Hernandez, will be in Progress Park and See Cerritos D.A. RAIDPark page 12 East. Wendy Moonier, Al Barlevy, Pamela Crawley, Beverly and William Porter, and CoKITS FOR HOMELESS: Cerritos residents Josiah, Jacob and Jared Joseph with LAFD Because groundwater, water contained President Caballero. ofďŹ cialsLarry display their COVID Kits for the Homeless. They were inspired by paramedic in deep underground aquifers, cannot Jose Perez and his actions helping the homeless. FireďŹ ghter Perez, a 16-year veteran, be directly observed; WRD must track it recently died after contracting COVID. Photo courtesy of the Joseph family. through deep wells and specialized moniSTAFF REPORT al workers. Since the President said he wants to toring equipment. BY TAMMYE MCDUFF teens less howmoney to develop business plan, Several Hubert Humphrey Demo- give to the apost office to hinSee WRD page 14 learnpeople critical thinking and homes learn cratic Club members have been wearing der from voting skills from their Jacobholdand Jared toJoseph what it than takes to be your in ownlines boss.for Instead masksJosiah, while they up signs show rather standing hours are making their mark. As part of the of baking cupcakes or creating shirts, the their support for the post office and postSee SUPPORT page 12
Is Amazon Opening a Grocery Store PROP 17 WOULD in Cerritos?
State Preparing Norwalk’s CYA ALLOW PAROLEES Facility for BY TAMMYE MCDUFF FOOD BANK SEES INCREASE, PROJECTS GREATER NEED INTOHews THE Media BALLOT Group-Cerritos News Inmates See $&/53"- #"4*/ page 12 See TRIPLETS page 12 has learned that the former Toys R Us curriculum for Los Angeles Urban League 2020 Online Biz Camp, these young men had to turn an idea into a business. Partnering with the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, Biz Camp is a four week summer program that teaches
Joseph brothers took it to a whole new level. After holding a family meeting they decided to give back to the community and develop CoVID Kits for the homeless. Initially the project was made possible
BY BRIAN HEWS
FIFTH ANNUAL CITY HALL SELFIE DAY COMING FRIDAY AUGUST 14
BOX. HOW WOULD building across from Los Cerritos Center could become an Amazon retail grocery THEY VOTE? store.
Hews Media Group-Cerritos News HMG-CN has confirmed that Amahas exclusively learned that the state of BY BALA THENAPPEN zon has applied for a business license California has notified the city of Norwith city. walk that they are “preparing the [SouthThisthe November’s ballot will feature Last year Amazon released proposition 17, which would allowtheir plans ern Youth Correctional Center] facilityâ€? to open a new grocery store in WoodCalifornians on parole for a felony conin case it is needed to house inmates. land Hills, as the company ramped up viction to vote. Currently, felons must Built in 1954, the correctional center, their ambitious push to become a bigger complete their prison sentence and their also known as the California Youth namesentence in food.to"Amazon hasparolees temporarily parole vote. Could Authority, was closed in 2011and is swing elections in the state’s most comopened the Woodland Hills store, April of located on Bloomfield Avenue just north petitive districts? this year,â€? an Amazon spokesperson conof Foster Rd. The term “paroleesâ€? applies to peofirmed to HMG-CN. In an email, Norwalk City Manager ple who are allowed backgiant into the com- that The e-commerce reported Jesus Gomez told HMG-CN, “The munity from prison before their prison it had opened the Woodland Hills store state has informed the city that they sentence is scheduled to be completed, as a temporary online-only store, focused will be utilizing the CYA as a satellite as exclusively long as they on follow certain guidelines fulfilling grocery delivery location for the state mental hospital to and reporting requirements. Roughly orders. house COVID-negative mental forensic 52,000 Californians are expected to be Amazon has already posted job openinmates.â€? on parole in 2021. ings for the lead store, hiring grocery and The California Department of State California parolees should be expectA SECOND HARVEST’S FOOD BANK volunteer placing food into the truck of a food service associates for the Woodland Hospitals defines forensic inmates as, to lean left as a voting bloc. In 2007, recipient at their Pop-Up Drive Thru Food Distribution held from March to the end of edHills location. The ex-felons store has who beenhad report“individuals who have beenGOVERNMENT charged gave 150,000 ALL ABOUT LOCAL PRIDE: Hall SelďŹ e Day isfood a celebration of local government and in gives employees June. As ofCity July, they provided to more than 530,000 individuals Orange County. Florida ed to be a former Toys R Us that's withand or convicted of opportunity criminal behavior residents the to get out in their andneed showwill offonly theirincrease best camera while showcasing theirongoing local been convicted for less serious offensesabout Theycommunity anticipate the morephone in theskills coming months due to the government buildings. The pictures must beeconomic posted to effects social media using hashtag #cityhallselďŹ e to enter the contest. Story on page 9. of COVID-19. Story on page two.
See CYA page 12
SeeSee PROP 17 pagepage 4 12 AMAZON
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