Winner of Four LA Press Club Awards HEWS MEDIA GROUP in 2012 and 2013. Serving Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Commerce, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, Norwalk, and Pico Rivera • 74,000 Homes Every Friday • May 1, 2015 • Volume 30, No. 9 • LosCerritosNews.net Valley Christian Alumna ARTESIA AND OPERATION CLEAN SLATE UNVEIL MURAL HMG-CN Investigation Kenna on Verge of Commerce City Council Debut Single, Album Secretly Initiates By Loren Kopff Litigation to Recall For three years at Val- Councilman Argumedo ley Christian High School, Vote takes place while Commerce Kenna was Mayor pro tem Baca Del Rio is committing p r i m a r i l y fraud against the city; her friend City known for Attorney Eduardo Olivo stands to earn being a var- hefty fees during litigation. sity member of the girls By Brian Hews b a s k e t b a l l team. But she also had another talent that The mural at the A.J. Padelford Community and Teen Center was a collaborative effort Hews Media Group-Community News she has used to her benefit and now it’s between the city and residents as a reminder to create traffic safety. The city partnered has learned through a public records request paying big dividends. with Operation Clean Slate on the project. Photo by Tammye McDuff. that, during an April 21 closed session meet- Kenna is set to debut her first self-titled ing, Mayor Lilia Leon, Mayor pro tem Tina album, “Kenna”, later this year. But her Baca Del Rio, and Councilmembers Ivan first single, “Do You Love Me”, is slated to By Tammye McDuff and environmental sustainability through Altamirano and Oralia Reballo voted 4-0 to be released in late May or early June. All of water conservation.” use a little known law to initiate a recall at- this is coming less than a year since Kenna A very special mural was unveiled this Operation Clean Slate is a community tempt against recently elected Councilman graduated from V.C. past Tuesday afternoon at the Artesia Parks beautification program to involve students and top vote getter Hugo Argumedo. “I’ve always loved music; music has and Recreation Department located at the in painting murals with a message for been a big part of my life since I was Teen Center at AJ Padleford Community their community. The company is based young,” Kenna said. “I’ve been singing for Center. in Costa Mesa but creates the murals in See COMMERCE page 13 a very long time, since I can remember. I The mural is a collaborative effort be- many Southern California cities. “We want started vocal lessons my sophomore year tween the city and residents as a reminder to bring all people together in a common Artesia City Council and that’s when I met Tim.” to create traffic safety The city partnered project to enhance community and im- She is referring to Tim Carter, who is with Operation Clean Slate on the project. prove communication,” states Howard, basically a jack of all trades in Kenna’s Artesia Parks and Recreation Program “this requires, team work, communication Grants Restaurant Live new up and coming career. He is, among Coordinator, Jose Martinez stated, “our and rubbing elbows.” other things, her vocal coach, producer and goal was to encourage safe driving, pre- Howard had an epiphany one day while Entertainment Permit manager. When Kenna was a junior and vent crashes, remind teens not to text while driving down the 405 freeway. “I drive the while she was taking vocal lessons from driving and above all else, save lives.” The 405 freeway all the time and when I spot- By Rico Dizon Department held a contest within the mem- Carter, he asked what she was going to do. ted that white concrete wall with the red bers of the Teen Center and choose several At the time, Kenna didn’t know what her lettering on it, I immediately understood The Artesia City Council during its last plans were but decided to pursue a music renderings to combine together. the cry for help behind it.” Howard recalls, regular meeting in April unanimously ap- project. Last year over 6,000 people died due to “ I remember going into neighborhoods proved a resolution granting a long-term Kenna, who had played basketball since texting and driving related crashes. Thou- and asking why kids would tag property live entertainment permit to Azon Restau- the age of five, began her interest in music sands more were injured. Operation Clean that did not belong to them.” The answer rant located at 11612 South Street. at the same time. But her life began to go Slate teamed up with State Farm Insurance, Howard received was one he will never The restaurant faces the huge parking in many directions shortly after graduat- the City of Artesia Parks and 15 local stu- forget, “these kids wanted to see their name lot of the commercial shopping center at ing from Valley Christian Middle School. dents to create a traffic safety mural. the South side of South Street in Artesia. That’s when she transferred to the Renais- Operation Clean Slate began in 1993 on something. They wanted to be noticed.” Howard wanted the change the ‘me’ thing The permit would enable the dine-in sance Performing Arts School in Long as a solution to the multi-million dollar restaurant specializing in authentic Fili- Beach where she stayed less than a month graffiti vandalism issue. Owner and CEO, into a ‘we’ thing. In the majority of these murals, graffiti does not return. Howard pino cuisine, to operate a karaoke and/ because her father, who began having brain Michael Howard formulated a program or DJ playing selected music inside the aneurysms while she was in middle school, commented, “these kids now have a sense that involves youth in hands-on activities, restaurant from 5:00 in the afternoon until passed away. It was at that point that Kenna of pride and ownership in the murals. I channeling their talents and improving the 12:00 midnight. transferred back to V.C. to be closer to her have seen it time and time again, they will community. Azon Restaurant has been operating older sister, Vanna. She also wanted that typically leave the mural alone.” Howard remarks, “We involve students solely as a dine-in and banquet restaurant Christian foundation that V.C. offered. in the creation of brightly colored murals To date, Operation Clean Slate has for the past several years from 7 a.m. to 9 Kenna was also going through a rebel- that beautify school campuses and com- partnered with over 25,000 volunteers and p.m. , Tuesday thru Sunday. lious stage in her early teen years because munities. These murals require teamwork. produced over 970 murals at 400 schools In his written report and recommenda- of the trials she was facing at home. Before The painted images we create contain posi- throughout Southern California and in 6 tion to the City Council, the city's Admin- her father passed away, her parents were tive, beneficial, and educational messages other countries. istrative Services Director Pradeepkumar going through a separation and she wasn’t to promote topics like good nutrition and For more information on this mural and Elayath noted, "Azon has a clean business healthy eating, wellness, pedestrian safety, other operation clean slate projects visit See KENNA page 10 prevention of drug and tobacco use, fitness www.OperationCleanSlate.com See ARTESIA page 12 2 MAY 1, 2015 HewsMediaGroup.com TO ADVERTISE CALL 800-901-7211 LA MIRADA HIGH HOLDS TEST DRIVE FOR STUDENT-BUILT ELECTRIC VEHICLE orwalk-La Mirada Unified night riding to participating students. marked its 10th Annual “Zero “This was a great opportunity to NEmissions: Bike, Walk to School heighten environmental awareness not Day” by showcasing a student-built, all- only at La Mirada High, but throughout electric vehicle on April 24 at La Mirada our entire community,” NLMUSD Board High School. of Education President Jesse Urquidi said. It was all part of the District’s Earth “Congratulations to the La Mirada stu- Day celebration, where students, district dents for organizing an exciting event to and community members came together commemorate Earth Day. I’m proud of to raise awareness for the threat that tail- their interest in green technology and their pipe emissions pose to the environment. environmental activism.” Planned by La Mirada High’s Model The event also included a display of United Nations/Environment Programme, “Clean Cars,” including one built right on the event aimed to reduce the school’s campus. carbon footprint by encouraging students Members of La Mirada High’s Electric La Mirada High students (l-r) Nicole Tate, Vincent Nava and Kevin Park at the Earth and staff say “no” to gasoline-based auto- Vehicle Club test drove their student-built, Day Celebration with an electric car they built with fellow LMHS Electric Vehicle Club motive transportation by walking, biking, highway-ready electric vehicle in the members. or riding in zero-emission vehicles for the school’s front parking lot. The only sound day. Participants submitted pledge forms as the engine switched on were shouts and Vehicle Association President Jim Mc- the green tech industry,” McCarty said. detailing the number of miles walked/ applause from fellow students, teachers Carty, Assistant Principal Joseph Powers, “Building the Switch EV was not only biked for the day, which will enable stu- and community members as they watched and ROP EV instructor Ilya Berkan. Past an exciting project for these students, it dents to calculate how many CO2 pounds the car circle the parking lot.