La Mirada Football Booster Club Under Scrutiny By
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LOS CERRITOS Serving Artesia, Cerritos, Hawaiian Gardens, La Palma, Lakewood, Norwalk, and Pico Rivera • 45,000 Homes Every Friday • December 12, 2014 • Volume 29, No. 43 • LosCerritosNews.net HMG-CN EXCLUSIVE LA MIRADA FOOTBALL BOOSTER CLUB UNDER SCRUTINY BY ATTORNEY GENERAL By Brian Hews walk-La Mirada School District also gave nia laws and had little or no oversight on there are no bank statements available money to the program. where and how hundreds of thousands of from the organization. or almost 10 years, the La Mirada Even Coach Moschetti’s family got in dollars were spent every year. Given the lack of a registered 501c3, Football Booster Club, run by Di- on the fundraising, donating $15,000 Even more alarming, the Booster the booster club has also placed any per- Fane Grimajo and La Mirada foot- per year. Club indicated on all donation son or organization that donated money to ball coach Mike Moschetti, have taken in Yet Grimajo, who documents that it was a the club in a tax liability position. more than $110,000 every year supporting was the only person registered 501c3 non- As a result of this stunning misman- the football program at La Mirada High to handle money profit organization, agement, the organization could be facing School. and had signing going so far as us- huge monetary penalties for failing to pay All levels of the program, Freshman, authority to is- ing an inactive payroll taxes, failing to withhold taxes on Junior Varsity, and Varsity, are required to sue checks, and and non-existent independent contractors, and failing to raise funds for the booster club, with each Moschetti were identification pay sales tax. of the 150 team-members giving $250, or the only people number. The investigation has also revealed $37,500 annually. who knew how The inves- that current and past Norwalk-La Mirada Money is also raised through various the money, total- tigation also re- Unified School District School Board fundraisers such as the annual Booster ing over $1 mil- vealed that the members, ex-NLMUSD Superintendent Club fireworks stand that earns a reported lion, was spent in organization did not Dr. Ruth Perez, La Mirada High School $20,000 per year, sales of “Spirit Packs” the last few years. have a California Fran- (LMHS) Principal William “Bill” Seals, that earned $35,000 annually, the “Pow- But now others, along chise Tax Board number, Moschetti, and LMHS Athletic Director der Puff” game that earns nearly $10,000 with the California Attorney and therefore did not remit tax- Armando Rivas knew what was going on General, want to know. able sales from fundraisers to the state. per year, the “50/50” drawing at football and either took action to cover the mis- A Hews Media Group-Community Finally, no year-end or internal finan- games that earns over $11,000, as well as management up or did nothing about it. News investigation has revealed that the cial statements have been generated since many other seasonal fundraisers. Booster Club has violated several Califor- 2006, and sources told HMG-CN that La Mirada High School and the Nor- See FOOTBALL page 10 Artesia Council Sends Cerritos Employees and Sheriff’s Station Toy Drive LA PALMA'S BILLBOARD Vehicle Impact PROJECT UNRAVELING Ordinance Back to By Rico Dizon The City of La Palma amended its Planning Commission zoning code to allow for the construction of huge digital billboards within its city By Rico Dizon limits as part of the agreement for turning the revenue-making project a reality. The Artesia City Council, during its However, their contractor, La Palma Dec. 9 regular meeting, unanimously vot- Signs Partners (LPSP), after over a year ed to send back the proposed draft Vehicle since its official appointment in October Impact Protection Ordinance to the Plan- 2013, has so far failed to deliver. ning Commission for further review. Douglas Dumhart, Community Devel- Mayor pro tem Victor Manalo im- opment Director of La Palma, said, "There Employees from Cerritos and the Cerritos Sheriff's Station with the over 300 gifts they mediately expressed his elation over "the is not a single site recommendation yet collected for needy families. Photo and story courtesy City of Cerritos. good comments" from the Planning Com- presented to the City Council. In the mean- mission about the proposed ordinance the time, the city needs an additional deposit More than 300 gifts and nearly $650 in “My City Council colleagues and I moment this agenda item came up under of $20,000 from the company to pursue gift cards were donated by City of Cerri- the consent calendar. are proud of the generosity displayed by tos and Cerritos Sheriff’s Station employ- See BILLBOARD page 13 However, Manalo's high spirit was cut our City employees,” said Cerritos Mayor ees to help families this holiday season. short by strong objections from Council- Mark E. Pulido. “Their actions will help Employees brought new, unwrapped toys member Sally Flowers. brighten the holidays for many of the less or gift cards to the City’s employee holi- HMG-CN Sports "I don't like what I see in the update. fortunate people in our community this day luncheon. $150,000 for one business to install bar- holiday season.” riers is just not reasonable. Wait until the The gifts have been distributed through 2014 FALL the Artesia Cerritos Community Christ- “City staff is to be commended for Planning Commission takes another look. their contributions to the community and I don't even have an answer to the 10 mas Program, The Salvation Army Angel for their ongoing efforts to serve the peo- ALL-AREA TEAMS questions raised by the commission. This Giving Tree Project, the Cerritos Optimist Club’s Needy Family Project and Toys for ple who live and work in Cerritos,” Pulido See page 12 See VEHICLE IMPACT page 11 Tots. added. La Palma Intercommunity Hospital We are a full service, t)PVS&NFSHFODZ4FSWJDFT general acute care t#FIBWJPSBM.FEJDJOF t.BUFSOJUZ4FSWJDFT hospital and have been t$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 DECEMBER 12, 2014 TO ADVERTISE CALL 800-901-7211 gotiation with labor unions towards the Reorganizations Held in renewal of city's expiring labor contract and third would be the more vigorous and Artesia and La Palma vibrant development of new and current businesses in the city," said Mayor Kim. By Rico Dizon Both of them will hold their respective positions in one year duration and their The cities of La Palma and Artesia term in the City Council will be for four recently held their re-organization meet- years with the chance of re-election for ings. another four-year term. Elected Mayor of La Palma is Peter In Artesia, Miguel Canales was nomi- Kim while the new Mayor Pro Tem is Ge- nated as mayor and Victor Manalo as rard Goedhart. Kim and Goedhart were Mayor Pro Tem. Both of them are pas- elected by the residents to the City Coun- sionately engaged in the same teaching cil in November of 2012. "First and foremost, I want to again profession in addition to their community thank the people of La Palma for giving service vocations. me the opportunity to serve the commu- Canales told HMG-CN, “I am very proud REORGANIZATION: Artesia Mayor Miguel Canales center with, from l-r, Coun- nity by electing me to the City Council. to serve this great city as Mayor and I cilmember Tony Lima, Mayor pro tem Victor Manalo, and Councilmembers Ali Taj My first three priorities as mayor include look forward continuing the momentum and Sally Flowers. developing a balanced budget. Second, built up by our previous Mayor Tony will be an effective and meaningful ne- Lima." dren in grades K-12, including toys and Advanced Arthritis and NLMUSD Toy Drive for gifts for teens, including perfumes, book novels, sports equipment, jewelry, scarves, Rheumatology Center Families in Transition hats and gloves and gift cards. Norwalk-La Mirada’s McKinney- Dr. Dipti Doshi, M.D., Rheumatologist Norwalk-La Mirada Unified is accept- Vento program serves approximately Diplomate, Board of Rheumatology ing unwrapped gifts for its sixth annual 4,000 families living in transitional hous- JOINT PAIN IS NOT A WAY OF LIFE! “Toy Shop,” where families who are liv- ing situations, including living with other CALL TODAY FEEL BETTER TOMORROW! ing in transitional housing can choose new families, in hotels and motels, garages or toys to gift to their children on Christmas single rooms due to economic need or loss Day. of housing. $100 During the private event, about 150 This event was created to provide par- WE ACCEPT District families will also enjoy breakfast, ents with the dignity and satisfaction of OFF MOST community-building activities and the op- being able to choose a gift for their chil- INSURANCES portunity to have their toys wrapped and dren for the holidays. 1ST VISIT write a personal message to their chil- It also provides children the joy of re- Call for details dren. ceiving a gift from their parents and not Norwalk Toys will be accepted now through from an agency or stranger. For appointments call: 562.860.2111 Dec. 17 at the District’s McKinney-Vento For more information on Norwalk-La 12225 South St., Ste. 105, Artesia, 90701 South Program Office, at 12820 Pioneer Boule- Mirada’s McKinney-Vento program go to www.aarcclinic.com vard, Norwalk.