Order Closes Cardrooms Devastating Employees & Cities California
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LOS CERRITOS Winner of Fourteen LA Press Club Awards from 2012- 2017. Serving Cerritos and ten other surrounding communities • December 4, 2020 • Vol 35, No. 14 • loscerritosnews.net California Interscholastic Order Closes Cardrooms Devastating Employees & Cities Restaurants Defy Federation Delays L.A. County Start of 2020-2021 COVID Orders Fall Athletic Season BY TAMMYE MCDUFF As many restaurants and businesses are BY LOREN KOPFF reeling in the aftermath of new shutdown mandates, some have defied the order and Less than a month after area high expressed their feelings for the small busi- schools were permitted to begin condi- nesses. tioning for their fall sports, the Califor- One such organization is the La Mira- nia Interscholastic Federation state of- da Chamber of Commerce. At a special fice put a wrinkle in start of the regular meeting of the La Mirada City Council season this past Tuesday afternoon. The Rich Trujillo, President of the Chamber California Department of Public Health and Noel James, Executive Director took announced it has temporarily put a stop the dais to express their outrage, while at to its youth sports guidance and is not ex- GARDENS CASINO General Counsel Keith Sharp speaks at a news conference the same time expressing concern for the pected to change that until at least Jan. this week to voice concerns over the closures mandated by the L.A. County Health businesses in La Mirada. 1, 2021 as the surge in COVID-19 cases Department. The closures will force thousands of layoffs and hit cities, such as Hawaiian Last week the City Council unani- increases daily, meaning the high school Gardens, with a major loss of revenue. mously passed Resolution 20-25 in a spe- fall season, which includes boys and girls cial meeting, basically stating that the City cross country, football, gymnastics, boys Council opposed the Los Angeles County and girls volleyball and boys and girls BY BRIAN HEWS that of bars, restaurants, and gyms, that Public Health officer order precluding out- water polo won’t start on time. card rooms spread the coronavirus. See RESTAURANTS page 15 According to CIF-Southern Section Cities, families, and cardrooms are Keith Sharp, General Counsel for the Commissioner Rob Wigod, the 10 sec- once again reeling due to the L. A. Coun- Gardens Casino in Hawaiian Gardens told tion commissioners had a meeting with ty Department of Health’s order to close HMG-CN, “There is no data to support Cities Contemplating the state office this past Tuesday morning card rooms without solid evidence, like See CARDROOMS page 13 where they talked about different scenar- Breaking Away ios and different possibilities. “The primary reason why they made Cerritos Resident Brings Joy to COVID Patients, Frontliners From County that decision was it would allow sections more flexibility and allow us more of an Health Department opportunity with the seasons that poten- tially could happen,” Wigod said. BY BRIAN HEWS He added that the Southern Section can always build its scheduling back from Several cities in Los Angeles County that of the state, meaning once the state are looking into establishing their own announces dates of its regional and state municipal health department to circum- championships, then each section has to vent orders from L.A. County and the complete its sectional championships state. prior to the start date of the regionals and The move comes amid the county league competition has to be concluded implementing the strictest stay at home at a certain point. orders and prohibiting restaurants from On July 20, the CIF-SS announced serving customers, unless it is for take- its 2020-2021 athletic calendar with the out. boys volleyball season to begin on Dec. The closures have angered many lo- 12 and other fall sports to begin over the cal businesses, who say they will go out next couple of weeks. Boys volleyball is of business if they don’t receive help or the only spring sport that was moved to allowed to remain open. City officials and politicians are also the fall for this unprecedented 2020-2021 ASHA GREENIDGE (center) with Miller's Children and Women's Hospital frontliners angry, with city officials now agendizing a athletic season with the CIF Southern holding homemade best wishes and get well cards created by Asha and her friends. The move to establish their own health depart- Regionals to be played Mar. 15-20, 2021. service started out small but now includes high, middle and elementary school students ment simply because they are in survival Although the state announced that there who make cards for area hospitals and employees. mode. won’t be any regional championships, The city of Commerce relies on the Wigod said the regular season for boys Commerce Casino for 25% of its budget; BY TAMMYE MCDUFF interviewed by local papers and news sta- volleyball may not be changed. the Bicycle Casino contributes 50% annu- tions. “That doesn’t necessarily mean ally to the city of Bell Gardens’ budget; This past June, we brought attention Asha Greenidge is about to expand that the entire season in our state has to Hawaiian Gardens has been forced to to a young Cerritos resident who became Project Caring Cards [PCC] this month. move,” Wigod said. “Our plan is to take make major budget cuts because the Gar- so overwhelmed with the complicated As CoVID related cases seem to reach an the next week or so and get feedback dens Casino accounts for 75% of the city’s loss of loved ones due to CoVID that she all time high, Greenidge has enlisted the from our member schools as to what they budget. and her family began to make ‘caring support of her high school, middle school want to do. Because, we have the option Not only cities are hurting but so are cards’. Her idea quickly took shape and and elementary school mates as well as to either keep the boys volleyball season before the summer was over she had been See CIF page 11 See CARING CARDS page 15 See HEALTH page 15 Massive Development Crime Summaries Thanksgiving Holiday Desserts Sports Commentary Support the Cause 95-acre mixed use next Cerritos and La Mirada; Norwalk native serves Peppermint cheesecake Saying goodbye to old Rancho Los Alamitos to Honda Center. carjacking/armed robbery. meals to 3rd Fleet. brownies anyone? San Diego Stadium. xmas shop now open. Page 2. See page 4. Page 5. See page 8. See page 10. Page 12. 2 Los Cerritos Community News - LosCerritosNews.net To advertise call 562-407-3873 DECEMBER 4, 2020 Owners of Anaheim Ducks Will Build Massive Mixed Use Development Next to Honda Center BY BRIAN HEWS into the design of the project. All of ocV!BE will be connected by A 95, acre $3 billion mixed use en- a trail system, including a 3-mile loop tertainment development will be built and access to existing public trails along around the Honda Center by the owners the Santa Ana River. of the Anaheim Ducks. The area runs south of Ball Road The first phase is scheduled to open and along the western edge of the Santa in 2024. Ana River bed. The goal is for the project to be Over 1,500, down from 2,800 completed in 2028 and be a showcase apartments will be built, 15% will be for the Summer Olympics when Honda affordable housing according to the Center hosts indoor volleyball. developers. Called ocV!BE, the master plan The development will also feature a includes multiple new urban parks, all new 6,000 capacity concert venue, 30+ linked via walkways and trails. restaurant concepts, including a food These publicly accessible parks hall with diverse offerings of multiple THE URBAN PARK will be an open 3-acre area anchored by the 6,000 capacity include a more than 4-acre park focused standalone restaurants, two hotels concert venue with a bridge spanning Katella leading to access of ARTIC Center. on wellness and nature, as well as a five- consisting of 550 rooms total and over acre greenspace in front of ARTIC along 8,000 parking spaces new roads and the Santa Ana River. increase traffic capacity. With 20-acres of public space,the 860,000 square feet of office space, public green spaces are fully integrated including a new 325,000-square foot office tower, will also be built. economic impact prior to completion The development will also include and more than $400 million in annual a network of pedestrian bridges and a recurring economic impact.* bridge over Katella so people can walk Tax revenue generated by ocV!BE from the Arctic to the Honda Center in will assist the City of Anaheim in its a safe manner. efforts to enhance neighborhoods and There will be four plazas each with public safety. its own focus. The west plaza will be The project will request no rebate or 3-acres anchored by the concert venue. subsidy of General Fund tax revenues. The southern facing plaza will pro- The project brings attractive restau- vide ample opportunities for dining. rants and retail to Anaheim, allowing The north plaza will feature a residents and visitors to dine and shop collection of smaller entertainment experiences while the eastern plaza will locally. provide a garden setting with terrace It also creates a revenue stream to seating and public art. maintain and improve Honda Center, The developers say the project a publicly-owned facility, at no cost to ocV!BE will provide more than 10,000 taxpayers. new construction jobs and more than ocV!BE is an endeavor of the 3,000 permanent jobs upon operation.