Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Commerce, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, Norwalk, and Pico Rivera • 86,000 Homes Every Friday • March 18, 2016 • Vol 30, No
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Winner of Six LA Press Club Awards LOS CERRITOS in 2012, 2013, and 2014. Serving Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Commerce, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, Norwalk, and Pico Rivera • 86,000 Homes Every Friday • March 18, 2016 • Vol 30, No. 52 Organizations Aim to Artesia Celebrates Grand Re-Opening of Pioneer Boulevard-Downtown Recall Hawaiian Gardens By Tammye McDuff Artesia City Council, Chamber of Mayor Barry Bruce Commerce and members from Griffith Company cut the ribbon yesterday after- By Brian Hews noon to officially re-open Pioneer Down- town. Last week, Hews Media Group Com- “Welcome to Pioneer Boulevard, munity News exclusively learned that streetscape modernization project,” said long-time Hawaiian Gardens City Manag- D.I.Y. PiZMayor Victor Manalo. Many were pres- er Ernesto Marquez was forced to resign ent including Miss Artesia and Miss Ar- his position from the tiny city located in tesia teen, the Artesia Historical Society, Southeastern Los Angeles County. Police Chief and Fire Department. “This Sources told HMG-CN thatwww.lmlamplighter.com Hawai- is a big moment for the City, the Chamber ian Gardens Mayor Barry Bruce and City of Commerce, and local businesses, we CouncilmanDelivered to Reynaldo 14,000 Homes “Rey” Every Rodriguez Week LA MIRADA, CA., JANUARY 8, 2016 are looking forward to a new direction for were behind the removal and have plans the city of Artesia,” commented Manalo. to “basically take over the city.” HMG-CN INVESTIGATION: The first two phases of the project Bruce ramped up his takeover plan Artesia Mayor Victor Manalo (center with scissors) along with Mayor pro tem Ali have been completed. Manalo said, “The in Dec. 2015, where sources said he was Sajjad Taj and Council members Tony Lima, Sally Flowers, Miss Artesia, and members Council and I are all in one accord when of the Artesia Chamber of Commerce cut the ribbon at the grand re-opening of Pioneer EMINENTSee BRUCE RECALL pageDOMAIN 13 Boulevard-Downtown SCHEME: Artesia. CITY Photo by OF Tammy COMMERCE McDuff. PAID $9.8 MILLION TOSee PIONEER page 8 InsultsCOMMERCE-BASED and Personal JUSTMANLa Palma Baseball PACKAGING Club Heads FOR to BUILDING Nationals THEYLa STILL Mirada OCCUPY High Girls AttacksJustmans' Mar rent Hawaiianhas not no, received $9.8 million in City than double the original price, Council in November 20, 2008, redevelopment funds in 2010, paying a total of $9.8 million to but was surprisingly re-electedSoccer Team Wins First been raised in ve years. Commerce $4.4 million more than they were acquire the building. in 2009. Many residents cited the Mayor Tina Gardens Council Meetingoffered in 2006, for their build- The Feb. 2010 agreement was heavy financial support from the- By Brian Hews State ChampionshipBaca Del ing and property located at 5918 between the Commerce Commu- Justmans and Steve Craig, owner Rio (top) and By Brian Hews Telegraph Rd. in Commerce. nity Development Commission of Citadel Outlets, as reasons she A Hews Media Group-Com- By Rachel Fanelli Commerce The City authorized an emi- (Commission) and the Justmans, won back the council seat. munity News investigation has Mayor pro Controversy surrounded the Fridaynent domain action on the prop- signed by then Commerce May- Buying the building for $9.8 found that Morley Justman and The La Mirada Hightem School Lilia girls March 11 special meeting called byerty Ha and- building in 2006, at the or Tina Baca Del Rio and City million was “ludicrous” accord- Russel Justman, owners of Com- soccer team capped a triumphantLeon have season, waiian Gardens marked by Council memheight- of the real estate bubble, Attorney Eddie Olivo. ing to one local realtor. “Just merce-based Justman Packag- capturing its first state championshiptaken tens of af - bers yelling at each other, yelling at andthose deposited $4.442 million as A previous investigation by compensation is the fair market ing, and a family that has donat- ter a thrilling 1-0 victory overthousands Moorpark in attendance, hurling personal attacks“just on compensation,” that is, fair HMG-CN revealed that Mayor value of the property, which, in ed tens of thousands of dollars in the CIF Southern Californiaof dollars Division in each other, with attendees even hurlingmarket in- value, for the building. Baca Del Rio and the Justman 2006, they established at $4.442 each to the campaigns of current IV final on Saturday at LMHS.campaign sultsCommerce at the City Mayor Council. Tina Baca Del Four years later, after the real family have close ties. million. They did not recognizeFreshman Megan Day scored the estate market had imploded and After violating campaign fi- that 2006 property values were at donations from Rio, The Mayor meeting pro temwas Liliaa result Leon, of the “res- game’s solitary goal and junior goal- the country was still deep in re- nance laws, Baca Del Rio was their peak of the real estate bub- the Justmans. ignation”and Councilman of long-time Ivan HawaiianAltamira- Gardens keeper Melissa Torres had another stel- cession, the city agreed to more recalled from the Commerce City City Manager Ernesto Marquez and the See JUSTMAN pagelar game 12 in the net, leading the Matado- reported hiring of convicted felon and for- res to their 18th consecutive win to finish mer Hawaiian Gardens Police Chief Wal- La Palma Sisters, La Palma Mayor Gerard Goedhart with the Caligamers Baseball Team who will play Lathe season.Mirada Just Rotarianstwo weeks before, the in the 2016 Baseball Futures event. Members of theSee INSULTS‘Nesting page 13 Proudly WatchSee LA Rose MIRADA page 8 Dolls’ Ready to Take Off Parade Float By Tammye McDuff By Brian Hews La Palma has its own home-grown all La Mirada Rotarians and club mem- girl band, and they are called The Nesting bers throughout the nation watched with Dolls. interest on New Years Day as the Rotary The Khramov sisters - Mikayla, 21 and float in the Tournament of Roses Parade Marlena, 18 - are singers, songwriters and carried the message of “Working Together instrumentalists who grew up around Rus- for Peace” to viewers around the world. sian folk music. Rotarians’ actions have often changed They have invented their own genre, people’s lives and given them hope where paying homage to the musical influences of there appears to be none. In order to Russian-American Rock, Folk and Rock- achieve important goals Rotarians have a-Billy. [l-r] The Khramov sisters, Mikayla, 21 and Marlena, 18, have invented their own genre, many times found it necessary to bring paying homage to the musical influences of Russian-American Rock. See NESTING DOLLS page 12 See LA MIRADA page 8 La Palma Intercommunity Hospital We are a full service, t)PVS&NFSHFODZ4FSWJDFT general acute care t#FIBWJPSBM.FEJDJOF t.BUFSOJUZ4FSWJDFT hospital and have been t$PNQSFIFOTJWF8PVOE$BSF a part of the t$BSEJBD$BUIFUFSJ[BUJPO community since 1971. -BCPSBUPSZ 7901 WALKER STREET LA PALMA CA 90623 | , 00254.081611 (714) 670-7400 00254.110909 00254.LPIH.AD.General_Ad_10x3.081611indd.indd 1 8/16/2011 10:16:36 AM 2 MARCH 18, 2016 HewsMediaGroup.net TO ADVERTISE CALL 562-407-3873 graduated so I could inspire children to Norwalk-La Mirada USD strive for everything, as my teachers did for me. It has been an honor serving par- Head Start Preschool ents and students for the past 25 years and seeing my students graduate, go to college and become productive members of soci- Program Celebrates 50th ety. ” Los Angeles County Office of Educa- Anniversary tion and NLMUSD officials -- along with representatives from State Senate, As- Staff Report sembly and County Board of Supervisor district offices -- congratulated District The Ramona Preschool auditorium staff for the high quality program before was festooned with colorful paintings of parents dispersed to classrooms set up to trees and children’s handprints created by engage them in art projects, group reading the preschoolers of Norwalk-La Mirada and other activities. School District’s Head Start classes in NLMUSD’s Head Start program was honor of the program’s 50th anniversary created in 1966 to prepare children from Ramona Preschool staff surround Director of Preschool Services Laurel Parker who celebration held on Feb. 26. low-income households for kindergarten holds a California State Senate resolution signed by Senator Tony Mendoza in honor of More than 100 Head Start parents, stu- and to connect families with the support Norwalk-La Mirada’s Head Start 50th anniversary on Feb. 26. dents and preschool staff listened to mov- systems needed to promote health and ing personal accounts from two Head Start well-being. alumni who shared some of their earliest One of the nation’s earliest operating comes at or below the poverty level typi- (LACOE). childhood memories of learning to speak Head Start programs, NLMUSD began cally lag in cognitive development by age “This program is vital to the early learn- English and making new friends as Ramo- with just two classes of about 40 students 2. When these children enter kindergarten, ing experience of many children in our na Preschool students. at Ralph Nottingham Elementary School they are often further behind and tend to community, providing them with a solid “As a Head Start student, parent and (now Arturo A. Sanchez Elementary remain there. foundation to begin their educational jour- The District’s program has cut this now teacher, I have experienced all fac- School). Today, 42 classes serving more neys, ” NLMUSD School Board President achievement gap by 20 to 50 percent, with ets of this organization since I was little than 800 students operate at six locations. Karen Morrison said. “We are committed Head Start students consistently scoring from learning to read and write to singing This year, the District began an Early Head to providing the support needed for all of above goals set for literacy, motor skills, and dancing with classmates, ” said Odelia Start program, serving 103 pregnant moth- our students to become successful learn- social and emotional development by the Pena, a Head Start alumna and teacher.