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CALTRANS Central BasinREROUTED Dir. VasquezTRAFFIC ViolatedWITHOUT Code, INFORMING CERRITOS, ILLEGAL MOVE WILL COST THE CITY OVER $5 MILLION BY BRIAN HEWS The City is claiming that the during the construction period. ta or Artesia is a city designated flows onto arterial streets.” Refuses to Say if She Stolererouting Confidential Files The City then cited the nuhas caused over $5 “Caltrans has failed to coor- truck route, commercial vehicles
Hews Media Group-Los CerThe Director is seen onhas obritos Community News tained a letter,the dated September video inside agency's 6, 2019, addressed to Caltrans confidential filing room, from the city aof Cerritos later handing package to that blasts the state agency for reroutDir. Camacho-Rodriguez. ing tractor-trailer traffic through the City due to I-5 construction projects. By Brian Hews Shockingly, the rerouting was done without notifying the City. Hews Media Group-Com-
munity News has obtained a disturbing video showing embattled Central Basin Director Leticia Vasquez and her crony friend Joey Martinez trespassing at Central Basin offices in violation of the agency’s Administrative Code, and acknowledging on the video, they were looking
million the Central streets, to “startina damage ruckus” to with increased pollution in the area, Basin employees. increased traffic and inMartinez feltnoise, so emboldcreased risk of with resiened bythe hissafety relationship dents. Vasquez, he shot the video on Further the states that his personal cellletter phone. Caltrans is in violation the The video will likely beofused project’s final Environmental as evidence against Vasquez and Impact Report obligates Martinez in anywhich employee hathe agency to coordinate citrassment lawsuits filed with against ies to minimize adverse impacts Central Basin that will cost the agency thousands in legal fees. A check on the L.A. Superior Court’s website shows former employees Tammy Hierlihy and Sandy Plimpton filing wrongful termination complaints, court case numbers 21STCV27334 and 21STCV06132 respect-
dinate thus far, and any further lack of communication or consultation with the City and its residents is unacceptable.” The City blasted Caltrans for establishing a detour route on southbound Carmenita between the I-5 and Artesia Blvd., and eastbound Artesia Blvd. between Carmenita and the I-5. “Neither stretch of Carmeni-
over 6,000 pounds are strictly prohibited on the streets, per City Municipal Code.” The Caltrans rerouting of trucks has caused severe damage and increased traffic at peak hours, the extensive damage alone is estimated “to cost $5.2 million to repair,” and the “average daily traffic on said streets has significantly increased and
merous safety hazards caused by the rerouting of traffic, concerns that have been voiced by Cerritos residents in calls and emails to both HMG-LCCN and the City. The rerouting on Carmenita takes large trucks by two schools, Stowers Elementary and Carmenita Middle school in addition
See CALTRANS page 14
ARTESIA HIGH STAFF-MEMBER RECEIVES AWARD OF VALOR FROM LAKEWOOD
BY THOM MARTIN action, jumping out of her car CHALKED UP: Best in Show winner Jennifer Ripassa (center) from Eastvale, California with Miss grabbing the boy and helping the Teen Belmont Shore and organizer Justin Rudd The City of Lakewood held woman. See VASQUEZ page 14 its annual Award of Valor lunShe took them to Artesia High HMG-CN INVESTIGATION RESULTS cheon on Nov. 6 to thank the men School, where they received medand women of the Los Angeles ical assistance and were ultimateCounty Sheriff’s Department and ly hospital.shore By Tammye McDuff thetransported sidewalkstoofthe Belmont Fire Department, as well as the as the Because canvas.of her selfless accommunity volunteers the City of Lakewood reAttracting seasonedwho andprode- tions, Rudd’s contest drew a crowd By Brian Hews tect and serve Lakewood. cently awarded Bridget with the veloping visual artists, with par- on Saturday, November 6, 2021, Bridget Perrizo, staffschools mem- Mayor’s anBy Brian Hews construction company, Diaticipants from local ahigh along 2ndAward Streetatinthe thecity’s Belmont The California Contract Cities ber at Artesia High was honored nual Awards of Valor ceremony. and universities, Justin Rudd Shore neighborhood of Long mond Construction and Design, Association (CCCA), at its annual when she helped two people that "I always wondered what I In July 2017, a Hews Media donated the money to RBLM. presented his the annual Belmont Beach. Drawing in more than Fall Educational Summit on Sep- was being attacked by a dog. would do when faced with a situGroup-Community News inChalk Art Contest. Hosted 60 seasoned and emergent viDiamond listed its company tember 18, presented Pico Rivera Shore Bridget, was headed back to ation like this one," said Perrizo. vestigation found Residents for by Rudd’s nonprofit Community sual artists, the contest was held address as 921 N Harbor Blvd. with the John Todd Award. work from lunch when she spot- "By the grace of God, I had the a Better La Mirada, an obscure Action Team (C.A.T.), artists along the trendy Second Street This award recognizes the city ted #622 in La Habra. HMG-CN a dog attacking a woman and courage to take action. I'm so campaign committee that afshowcased diverse of art glad business corridor, mainly bewent out to the La Habra address for its successful partnership with young boy. The dog works had knocked that both the mom and son fected the 2017 La Mirada City with to chalk as the medium and the California Choice Energy Au- them and found it to be a PO Box in a the ground and they were are okay, and I'm honored to Seeso CHALK page 12 Council election, was funded by thority (CalChoice) in launching screaming for help. UPS Store. receive this award.” Stelian Onufrie. Pico Rivera Innovative MuniciBridget immediately took Investigating further, HMGTRASH piles upwas at aa friend condominium complex in Hawaiian Gardens. The City chose Waste Resources Onufrie, who See HERO page 15 pal Energy (PRIME). CN was able to locate the mailIncorporated their new pick up. Photo Brian Hews. of current La as Mirada City hauler, who said they would immediately begin trash "We're honored to have been ing address for Diamond. An Councilman Andrew Sarega, selected for Contract Cities' John internet search showed that the poured $6,500 into RBLM, a Todd Award," said Pico Rivera address is a 2,089 square foot lot of money for a City Council Mayor Raul Elias. "As a contract single-family dwelling located in city, Pico Rivera understands the campaign. Buena Park. Just weeks later, the RBLM importance of great partnerships, BY BRIAN HEWS “Poorisleadership, no foresight included several default letters, documents showed the money That when the investigaand we're proud of our collaboraon the situation, typical of this which, under California’s Public was used to slam District 1 cantion found Onufrie hiding behind tion with CalChoice to successWhile accumuCity Council,” former Hawaiian Resource Code Section 49000, didate Johnrotting Lewistrash and is District 2 his fully bring PRIME to our comcompany and an obscure lating in many parts of Hawaiian Gardens Mayor Rey Rodriguez starts the clock on termination. candidate and incumbent Pauline committee to give money to get munity." Gardens, Mayor Myra Maravilla told HMG-LCCN. City staff even went the extra Deal using extremely unfaltterThe Association grants the elected. and the City Council finally con- his friend The staff report included in step and attempted to work with ing direct mailed pieces. annually to cities that have $6,500 award ducted a hearing, waiting an en- last Diamond week’s donated meeting the presented CWS to cure the breaches and Lewis won his election, beat- to RBLM, which was the only implemented a project or program tire week, and allowing the trash clear evidence that CWS was in defaults starting in March of this that exemplifies the benefits of ing Tony Aielo, who is another the documents. to accumulate even more, to once donation violation listed of its incontract with the year, each of which gave CWS the contracting model. To be sefriend of Sarega’s, but Deal lost again discuss terminating CWS’ Then City, but Maravilla and the steps to resolve the defaults. the Mayor three mailers were sent. lected for the award, the city subto Sarega. contract. In addition to the default noCouncil were apparently afraid to Coincidently, the mailers mitted an application explaining RBLM’s address on camUnder the Ralph M. Brown were pull the termination trigger, leav- tices, the City also attempted to FIRE ERUPTED at a Bellflower storage facility Tuesday night, the mailed from Fort Worth, PRIME's goals and effectiveness, paign documents was 12800 Act, Maravilla and the City Coun- Texas; ing residents driving by stinky arrange meetings with CWS but three alarm fire brought out over 65 firefighters. Some people said the Sarega and candidate implementation and outcome, and Oakwood Lane in La Mirada, cil could have sent out a notice Tony piles Aiello of trashused for the the same foreseeable CWS did not attend most meetcompartnership and participation. The fire was started in a storage unit by homeless people but HMG-CN and its treasurer was Ionel Imand held a meeting within two future. ings. ARTESIA HIGH staff-member Bridget Perrizo received the Award of pany for their mailers. city launched PRIME to increase could not confirm that. The apartment building next to the storage bre. calls met daysHMG-CN to addressphone the situation. The voluminous staff report Valor from Lakewood savingdamage two in atodog facility suffered majorfor smoke all attack. units consequently, 26 The committee was fined with "I have no comment." See TRASH page 15 tenants had to be housed by the Red Cross. $500 for its actions. HMG-CN then found that a See PICO RIVERA page 12
Committee That Helped Sarega’s 2017 La Mirada Council Campaign Fined by FPPC
Pico Rivera Selected for Contract Cities Award
Artists Show Their Skills at Belmont Contest
Fire Guts Bellflower Apartments
TRASH WILL FINALLY GET CLEANED UP IN HAWAIIAN GARDENS