America’s Free Press is in Crisis
T
oday, many local newspapers are under incredible financial pressure and in jeopardy of going out of business because the control of access to trustworthy news online has become concentrated between two Big Tech companies: Facebook and Google. They set the rules for how, where and when we see journalistic content online and how much revenue is made – and by whom
– from the hard work of journalists. Big Tech’s dominance over news distribution and the ad sales it drives threatens quality journalism, and the cost of inaction – the decline of local news – is too great to continue to ignore. In recent years, we have all seen how critical the free press is to a functioning democracy, as the spread of dangerous misinformation online has permeated our
culture. Big Tech platforms are built to favor content that drive clicks which, in turn, favors extreme and outrageous misinformation. They undervalue quality news content and, as a result, the information ecosystem has become increasingly confusing and unhealthy. As newsrooms across America have downsized or shuttered, Facebook has filled the void with untrustworthy sources, becoming
America’s de facto local news source. Additionally, these platforms’ revenue models are structurally built around distributing content that separates us, which could not be more alarming in our highly fractured and partisan environment. The government cannot regulate news under the First Amendment, leaving the duopoly of Facebook and Google free to handle
HEWS MEDIA GROUP
it as they see fit. Ironically, U.S. antitrust laws prevent small and local papers from coming together to negotiate fair compensation from the tech giants for the news content they pay to produce. Though this crisis may seem insurmountable, given the stranglehold Big Tech has on journalism, we have a viable solution. We are asking our members of Congress to support the Jour-
See CRISIS page 12
"In America, the president reigns for four years; journalism governs forever and ever." ~ Oscar Wilde
Winner of Sixteen LA Press Club Awards from 2012-2020.
Serving Cerritos and ten other surrounding communities • February 4, 2022 • Vol. 36, No. 7w • loscerritosnews.net
'Game-Changer-' New Development Coming to Commerce By Brian Hews The City of Commerce, home to one of the largest cardrooms in the nation, and one of the largest high-end malls in the state, might now become a move-in city thanks to a new project the City Council is currently considering. The proposed project will be located at Veterans Park and
an adjacent open lot next to the park, with completely new structures, an all-inclusive playground, a soccer and baseball youth sports complex, a library, and ample outdoor green space for community events and services. The project will also include a new grass-stepped-amphitheater for community events and
See MODELO page 4
Community Garden Opens in La Mirada By Tammye McDuff In 1998 La Mirada spent $110,000 to relocate a community garden from its location at
gardeners and forwarded the funds to the Church. A ten-year agreement was signed, then in July 2008, an 18-month extension was agreed
THE LA MIRADA COUNCIL, minus Andrew Sarega (as usual) at the Community Garden dedication at Frontier Park. La Mirada Activity Center to a portion of land owned by Mount Olive Lutheran Church. The land had 42 plots, and the City collected annual fees from
upon. The garden went on until 2017, when the church informed the City that the garden would close in 2017.
See GARDEN page 12
MODELO will be located at Veterans Park and an adjacent open lot next to the park, with 850 residential units, an all-inclusive playground, a soccer and baseball youth sports complex, and a library.
Money Pouring in to Cerritos Council Race
La Mirada Chamber and City Hold Sold-Out State of the City Luncheon
By Brian Hews
By Tammye McDuff
Cerritos is holding its City Council election in April of this year with two seats open, one is incumbent Frank Yokoyama’s, the other is Mayor Grace Hu’s, who is not running; and the campaign finance money, unlike any other City Council race in the county, is once again flowing heavily. People often question why candidates spend tens, evens hundreds of thousands like Joseph Cho once did, to win a City Council seat that pays very little. Candidates running for election must periodically file campaign donation reports known as 460’s, listing all their donations and expenses incurred for the period. One of the reporting deadlines during the year is Dec 31, 2022, with reports filed by January; each Cerritos candidate turned in
The La Mirada Chamber of Commerce, and the City of La Mirada held their State of the City address and luncheon for the first time in thirteen years. Hosted at the Holiday Inn, the event was sold-out with over 130 people filling up the ballroom consisting of residents, business owners and local government of-
See CERRITOS page 12
ficials. Chamber President Richard Trujillo welcomed the room with a heartfelt speech," It is wonderful to see so many of you that have come out to our first annual State of the City Address 2022. The last time we had an event like this was in 2008, quite a few years ago!!" Trujillo continued, "Like most
See LA MIRADA page 12
Pico Rivera Putting Rescue Plan Funds to Work By Brian Hews The votes are in from the Pico Rivera City Council in regards to the application of nearly $15 million the City received from the Biden Administration’s American Rescue Plan. The City used a point system and asked each council person to rank projects, the highest achievable score was 20.
Council members were asked to rank projects including renovating the Smith Park Aquatics Center; building a 45,000 sf dog park; street median beautification; purchase Automatic License Plate Readers and PFAS Water Treatment to treat the City’s water.
See PICO RIVERA page 7