April 24, 2020 Hews Media Group-Los Cerritos Community Newspaper eNewspaper by Hews Media Group-Los Cerritos Community Newspaper

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Use after #STAYATHOME is over! See page 5 Serving Cerritos and ten other surrounding communities • April 24, 2020 • Vol 34, No. 39• loscerritosnews.net

PIH HEALTH WHITTIER, WHITTIER PD AND LACFD HONOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS LAKEWOOD DEPUTY WHO WORKED AT CERRITOS SHERIFF’S STATION TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 BY BRIAN HEWS

Photo by Tammye McDuff

FRONTLINE WORKERS at PIH Health Hospital in Whittier honoring others during the Parade of Heroes event last Friday. Police and fire personnel drove slowly through the hospital's u-shaped drive, sounding sirens and flashing lights in honor of all healthcare workers currently caring for patients during this pandemic.

A deputy who usually works at the Lakewood Sheriff’s station, but was working overtime at the Cerritos Sheriff’s station located at City Hall two weeks ago, tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus after leaving the station. Hews Media Group-Los Cerritos Community News was given internal communications by a source confirming the deputy roamed the Cerritos Station and Community Center for over

BELLFLOWER TEMPLE DONATES GROCERIES TO FAMILIES

BY TAMMYE MCDUFF PIH Health Whittier Hospital partnered with City of Whittier Police and LA County Fire personnel in a Parade of Heroes Friday, April 17, 2020. Law enforcement and emergency personnel drove slowly through the hospitals u-shaped drive, sounding sirens and flashing lights in honor of all healthcare workers currently caring for patients during this pandemic. In turn, hundreds of hospital staff lined the sidewalks holding signs, balloons, and banners to salute one another. Police and Fire personnel drove from Washington Boulevard into the main entrance of the hospital on Dan Adams Way, made a right on Hospital Drive, and then exited the campus via the Access Road toward Washington Boulevard once again. Ramona Pratt, Chief Nursing Officer for PIH Health Whittier Hospital told HMG that staff and personnel are, like the rest of the world, anxious about the situation, but come to work and do a fantastic job, “We want to commend our first responders in the community. These people are the ones who are bringing in patients. They have their own families and we appreciate the work they do and hope that they and their families remain safe.” Pratt remarked that all first respond-

See HEROES page 3

See LAKEWOOD page 14

WHITNEY HS FALLS FROM TOP IN STATE, DROPS 16 SPOTS IN NATIONAL RANKINGS BY BRIAN HEWS

Photo by Tammye McDuff

DONATING FOOD: Bellflower Mayor Juan Garza (left with black mask) helps volunteers load food into cars at the Temple.

BY TAMMYE MCDUFF The Shriji Mandir Temple in Bellflower reached out to Bellflower Mayor Juan Garza asking how they could be of assistance to the city. “Through the conversations that I have had, the Temple reached out to Cerritos Mayor Naresh Solanki and he

in turn contacted Mayor Garza,” said Victor Sanchez, Bellflower Kiwanis Past President and Caring Connections Board Member. “The Mayor in turn contacted the Kiwanis to try and coordinate buying groceries for 40 families. It grew from that.”

U.S. News & World Report's newest 2020 rankings placed two of the top 20 high schools in the nation in Southern California and five of the top 10 in California. The U.S. News Best High Schools rankings include data on more than 24,000 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Nearly 18,000 schools were ranked on six factors based on their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare students for college. The study evaluates six areas: college readiness, reading and math proficiency, reading and math performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth, and graduation rates. According to its methodology, U.S. News used advanced placement and International Baccalaureate test scores to measure college readiness.

See BELLFLOWER page 5

See WHITNEY page 6 Printed with soy inks on a majority of recycled paper.

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L.A. COUNTY WILL SUE TO OPEN CORONAVIRUS HOTEL IN NORWALK FOR HOUSELESS POPULATION

CORONAVIRUS FALLOUT ESCROWS FALL 48% IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA STAFF REPORT Coronavirus has dramatically slowed Southern California house hunting, with n e w sales contracts falling 48% in the past four

UNDER PROJECT ROOMKEY, the state mandated the opening of hotel rooms in cities, Norwalk passed an ordinance to stop that, now the county is suing. BY BRIAN HEWS Norwalk city officials are up in arms saying they were not consulted by L.A. County to open a motor hotel in their city to house houseless people in danger of contracting the coronavirus as part of Project Roomkey. Attorneys for the county are going to federal court claiming that their courtordered project to help house houseless people are being blocked by other cities, including Bell Gardens. Norwalk officials knew of what was going on so this past Tuesday they voted to impose a temporary ban on hotel conversions without prior city approval, passing an emergency ordinance. Just one day later, L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger authorized the county to sue Norwalk.

That action is an attack on Project Roomkey, injecting an illegal city approval process to a program that has been expressly authorized under state law, attempting to supersede the clear authority of the state and the county to address the COVID-19 emergency without delay,” the order said. Norwalk City Manager Jesus Gomez indicated Norwalk also may go to court to enforce its measure and to prevent the contract with the hotel from going into effect, but since it is a statewide mandate, it might not work. City Attorney Arnold Galsman said, “We are not saying there cannot be housing made available for homeless or COVID-19 individuals, the ordinance is saying that any permission to allow that to occur must be approved by the city.”

APRIL 24, 2020

weeks, according to one tracking service. ReportsOnHousing follows homebuying trends found in the listing services for Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties. Here’s what the report found, as of April 16, during which is usually prime selling season. DEMAND » 8,646 homes were put into escrow in the previous 30 days in the sixcounty Southern California region, down 7,973 or 48% in four weeks. SUPPLY » 31,279 homes officially listed, up 1,338 or 4.5% in four weeks. SELLING SPEED » ReportsOnHousing ’s “market time” measures supply versus demand. It’s now 108 days versus 54 four weeks earlier. That’s 100% higher. The economy has been rocked by business limitations and social distancing mandates that have impacted the ability to sell homes. Statewide, 2.8 million people have applied for unemployment benefits. Here’s how the trends run in the region’s counties: LOS ANGELES COUNTY » 2,479 in escrow, down 2,527 or 50% in four weeks; 9,037 listings, up 387 or 4.5% in this period.

Market time? 109 days versus 52. That’s a 110% increase. ORANGE COUNTY » 1,080 in escrow, down 1,318 or 55% in four weeks; 4,344 listings, up 185 or 4.5% in this period. Market time? 121 days versus 52. That’s a 133% increase. RIVERSIDECOUNTY» 1,621 in escrow, down 1,362 or 46% in four weeks; 7,001 listings, up 208 or 3.1% in this period. Market time? 130 days versus 68. That’s a 90%

increase. SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY » 1,351 in escrow, down 962 or 42% in four weeks; 4,616 listings, up 210 or 4.8% in this period. Market time? 103 days versus 57. That’s an 80% increase. SAN DIEGO COUNTY » 1,738 in escrow, down 1,400 or 45% in four weeks; 5,079 listings, up 271 or 5.6% in this period. Market time? 88 days versus 46. That’s a 91% increase. VENTURA COUNTY » 377 in escrow, down 404 or 52% in four weeks; 1,202 listings, up 77 or 6.84% in this period. Market time? 96 days versus 43. That’s a 122% increase.

APRIL 24, 2020

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HAWAIIAN GARDENS EMPLOYEE AND NURSING GRADUATE SIGNS UP TO HELP DURING PANDEMIC Other Recreation and Community Services employees stepping up to help residents. BY TAMMYE MCDUFF The Hawaiian Gardens Recreation and Community Services Department is stepping up to assist residents during the COVID19 crisis, adjusting typical duties to provide essential services to our and Candelario Montion seniors youth. From March 16th to April 15th, staff spoke with 171 customers on the department’s dedicated COVID-19 senior assistance line and addressed issues ranging from eviction information to senior food assistance. The Transportation Division provided rides to 55 senior residents. Staff distributed 118 food boxes with bread, rice and other non-perishable goods to our seniors and distributed or delivered 511 senior lunches. In addition to their work with seniors, Recreation and Community Services staff distributed 100 flyers to local businesses about loan resources. The department also hosted a supervised WiFi hotspot location at the C. Robert Lee tennis courts to support local students who may lack adequate WiFi access at home. City staff organized this study

space with proper social distancing measures in place. This daytime program ran from March 31st to April 2nd and again during ABCUSD’s spring break from April 13th to April 16th. City special events coordinator and nursing student, Candelario Montion went above and beyond his work in the City to help out the state. When Montion heard about the launch of the California Health Corps, the program coordinating healthcare professionals and students across the state, he registered the same day. During emergencies, the Corps may ask members to temporarily relocate to high-need locations across the state. When Governor Gavin Newsom put out a call for healthcare workers, within 24 hours, 25,000 people responded. Montion has served the City of Hawaiian Gardens for the past eight years. This May, he is graduating from California State University, Fullerton with a B.S. in Nursing. He was one of the 25,000 who signed up, ready to risk his health for ours. Whether the Office of Governor Newsom calls him or not, he took the initiative to respond to a cry for help in a time when PPE is scarce at hospitals and healthcare workers are falling ill. “Candelario and every other staff member in the Recreation and Community Service Department are stepping up to provide the essential services that will get our city through this difficult time,” said City Manager Ernie Hernandez. “With every meal delivery, transport and wellness check, Hawaiian Gardens is one step closer to emerging strong on the other side of this crisis.”

CITY OF LA MIRADA AMONG SAFEST IN CALIFORNIA Public Safety continues to be the highest priority for the City of La Mirada. The City allocates significant resources towards reducing crime to preserve La Mirada as a safe community. Crime in the City stands near its lowest point in more than 10 years, according to statistics from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The strong partnership between the City, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and the community has helped achieve this record of safety. In the sixth annual Safest Cities in California report recently released by Safewise, La Mirada was named among the top 50 safest cities for 2020. According to the report, the safest cities were below national and state violent crime levels, with no city reporting more than three violent crime incidents per 1,000 residents. All the safest cities had crime rate levels below the statewide crime rate. Safewise determines the safest cities ranking by using FBI crime report statistics and U.S. Census Bureau population data. Crimes in La Mirada dropped by 14.2

percent in 2019, as the number of total major crimes fell from 921 to 790. Major crimes include homicide, rape, larceny, burglary, auto theft, robbery, assault, and arson. La Mirada also experienced a five percent drop in Part 2 crimes including alcohol and narcotics offenses, disorderly conduct, forgery, fraud, non-aggravated assaults, sex offenses, vandalism, and Vehicle Code violations and weapons violations. “The City of La Mirada’s remarkable record as a safe community is due to the collaborative efforts of our residents, businesses, schools, and the Public Safety Team who work together to deter crime,” says Mayor John Lewis. “The City will continue to keep the safety of the public as its highest priority.” Opportunities to keep the community safe include Neighborhood Watch, Business Watch, and the Volunteers on Patrol programs. For more information, visit the City’s website at www.cityoflamirada.org or call the La Mirada Community Sheriff’s Station at (562) 902-2960.

HEROES from page one ers look to the hospital for guidance in assisting with the public saying, “We have partnered with law enforcement and the fire department from the very beginning of the pandemic. PIH Whittier is a disaster resource center for Los Angeles County and I believe that we started off well prepared for CoVID-19 patients.” The hospital has reported that they are fully equipped with ventilators, medication and protective wear, with plenty of necessary items in stock.

“Our staff is humbled by the gesture from Whittier Police and LA County Fire to recognize the dedication of healthcare workers during this pandemic. We are grateful for our partnership with the City of Whittier, Los Angeles County and its emergency responders,” said Jim West, President and Chief Executive Officer. As of Friday, PIH had approximately 30 patients that have tested positive for CoVID-19, with six patients in ICU.

Los Cerritos Community News - LosCerritosNews.net

Many local eateries remain open for take-out, p/u, or delivery. Support your local eatery! Also essential service co's are still open! Many in this paper are open! Remember if you must shop....necessities only. Those over 65 are advised to stay home.

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Here is my dream.... Governors of states who want to rid the country of COVID-19 must take control now and create the Anti-Pandemic States of America. Create a flag and use the slogan “Don’t Spread on Me!” Create a travel ban, residents of states that do not have a lock down cannot travel to any states within the APSA, sorry, if you have no regards for your life stay in your own state. The CDC just said there could be a second wave, keep your wave in your own state. The goals of APSA would be what all health experts are calling for: increased testing, testing, testing, and PPE’s for medical workers. In order to return to a normal life, we have to come up with some kind of instant testing kit, no one is going to go to restaurants, etc., if they think they can catch this virus. The Orange Menace has done nothing to further testing, telling the states to do their own. The Menace does not want to test, “don’t want those numbers to go up;” he said to cruise ship passengers, the numbers will make him look bad and you know Trump is all about his image. Which is why we need to form the APSA, we will never get out of this pandemic with Trump and Doofus Pence in charge. Heck, Pence promised 27 million tests by the end of March, at the time of this opine we had tested 4 million. We need to test the workforce to activate the economy, that is 160 million

Pete’s

Dear Editor: It was disheartening to read about the decline of local newspapers throughout the nation on your website, including several sister publications of the Los Angeles Times. Although there is never a good time for an industry to collapse, I cannot think of a worse time for print journalism then right now. Growing up reading the newspaper gave me a glimpse of the world around me and my neighborhood. Sometime I read about far away places, people, and issues but more importantly, reading newspapers helped me decipher between fact and opinion. My favorite assignment in fifth grade was creating our own newspaper. I never had a knack for putting words in an order that appeal to readers, but I

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OPINION

GOVERNORS SHOULD FORM THE ANTI-PANDEMIC STATES OF AMERICA people. Do the math, 1 million tests per day will take over five months. APSA states would nominate a president, my choice is either Newsom, Cuomo or Congresswoman Val Demings. The president would represent all states and take control, hiring a guy like General Honoré to coordinate the battle against the feds. Retribution? Trump won’t be able to do anything, because the great negotiator has backed himself into a corner, what is he going to do, cut funding from the states and be responsible for the deaths of thousands of more people? An Honoré clone would use mili-

tary ingenuity and beat Trump at his own game, immediately pooling all the state’s resources, hospitals, universities, and organizations within the APSA and fund them, any testing idea should be considered to corner the virus. We have to do this now, we all saw the Morons in Michigan, the Sh*theads in San Clemente, the Hoards in Huntington Beach "rally"… all are followers of Trump and Fox News… with no care about catching a virus, and no care about our frontline medical workers once those morons get the virus. And there will be more of these suicidal rallies coming. Let the feds coordinate the growth of the economy, giving people paychecks using the very successful coronavirus Denmark model. Give workers weekly paychecks through the unemployment model that is successful in most states (sorry Flori-DUH....Florida). If you give workers paychecks, they will stay home while the testing is being built up so we can squelch this virus. One final and very important part of the APSA Strategy. The APSA President should conduct his/her press conference at the same time as Trump’s campaign rallies, errrr-ummm “coronavirus task force briefing,” so Trump will only be carried by Fox News. I can hear the “Don’t Spread on Me” anthem now. That’s my dream.

Re: Glendale News-Press: Not a good time for local newspapers to fold

Keeping It Flowing For You!

BEFORE

i-Pandemic States of America A nt

APRIL 24, 2020

have always admire those who did. Today, I share the joy of reading a newspaper with my 13-year-old son, to whom I pass on the important skill of deciphering fact from opinion. Frank Long Web submittal Dear Editor: I'm really sorry to see you write about the end of the award-winning Glendale News Press, which has been around since 1905. I lived in Cerritos then moved up to the area eight years ago. Reading the News-Press is how I found out that the Glendale City Council had passed a more strict requirement for wearing masks than Los Angeles county. Like your Los Cerritos Community Newspaper, it helped me feel connected

to community life and happenings that I wouldn't have known about otherwise. Thank you. Mike Alt Web Submittal Dear Editor: I want to thank the entire staff of the Los Cerritos Community News for continuing the hard work of putting out a newspaper during this difficult time. You continue to produce a quality product even though I see there is seriously diminished advertising revenue. I appreciate everything that your entire staff does. And I really appreciate your generosity and leadership, I know that your paper relies solely on revenue, so readers support the advertisiers! Tom D. Web submittal

APRIL 24, 2020

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BLOOMBERG The clock is ticking for the U.S. to avoid a meat shortage as sick workers force more slaughterhouses to shut down. Tyson Foods Inc. on Wednesday said it was idling its largest pork plant, becoming at least the sixth major U.S. meat facility to shut in the last few weeks. Currently, about 15% of hog-slaughtering capacity is completely offline, and there are also additional slowdowns at pork, beef and poultry companies across the nation. Meat prices are starting to surge on the disruptions. But with slaughterhouses closing, farmers don’t have a market for their animals. That’s causing hog futures to drop, potentially creating a situation in which pigs get euthanized and buried as supplies back up. Meanwhile, retail costs may rise as grocery stores mandate rationing on pork chops. Things are so dire that Iowa, the biggest hog state, activated the National Guard to help protect supplies. “Meat shortages will be occurring two weeks from now in the retail outlets,” Dennis Smith, a senior account executive at Archer Financial Services, said, citing industry sources. “There is simply no spot pork available. The big box stores will get their needs met, many others will not.” Much has been made of the frozen inventories that are kept in warehouses, which could help cushion the blow of plant closures — as long as they don’t last very long. There are hundreds of millions of pounds of frozen meat in U.S. warehouses, but the supplies account for only a fraction of what’s typically produced in any given month. “For all the talk of cold-storage supplies, it’s just never a lot,” Bob Brown,

an independent market consultant in Edmond, Okla., said about supplies of pork, beef and poultry. “It’s roughly a week’s worth of production in the freezer.” Shutdowns for slaughtering plants are cascading through meat supply chains and causing weird dislocations for prices — finished products are surging, while farmers are getting paid much less for animals. Prices for pork bellies, the cut for bacon, have more than doubled in just the four days through Tuesday on supply concerns. With so many fewer hogs moving through slaughter, Smithfield Foods had to shutter facilities in Wisconsin and Missouri that turn pork into finished products such as bacon and sausage. Meanwhile, prices for the hogs themselves are plummeting. There are way more pigs than can be processed right now, so animals are backing up on farms. Hog futures traded in Chicago are down about 21% in April. That means skyrocketing margins for meat packers — the folks who slaughter and turn pigs into chops and bacon. They’re paying less to farmers to get the animals, and then turning around and getting higher prices for finished products. Pork margins are up about 340% since April 1, according to data from HedgersEdge. Some meatpackers are giving raises and bonuses to workers, in part to protect against rising absenteeism at plants. Almost half of Canada’s beef-processing capacity has been halted after a closure for Cargill Inc. this week in Alberta. “The solution, of course, is to make sure the plants can be back up and running as soon as possible,” said Marie-France MacKinnon, spokeswoman for the Canadian Meat Council.

IS U.S. NEARING A MEAT SHORTAGE?

Los Cerritos Community News - LosCerritosNews.net

TEMPLE STEPS UP TO FEED FAMILIES from page 1 Since the initial conversation, the Temple was able to buy enough groceries for 100 families. The Kiwanis of Bellflower provided volunteers to move the groceries and distribution sight to the Kiwanis Hall for storage and Caring Connections invited the families most in need. In addition, the Caring Connection Board reallocated $7,000 into gift cards from local grocery stores to help an additional 100 families. A total of 200 families will be helped this week. “The food baskets include rice, lentils, cooking oil, tomatoes sauce, pancake mix, toilet paper, tooth paste, and fresh vegetables,” said Caring Connections Coordinator Tia Ewing, “We plan on doing this again in May as well.”

Secretary for Shriji Mandir Temple Brakash Mehta told HMG that the money was raised and food items collected in two days, ”We contacted Grocery Outlet and they were able to gather all of the food items on our list.” The food distribution took place on Wednesday, April 22nd at Kiwanis Hall in Bellflower. Mayor Juan Garza and Councilman Ray Hamada were present and helping to pass out the bags of food. “This is really something,” said Hamada, “despite these daunting times our residents still show their generosity. Our Kiwanis might be taking a risk coming out this morning, but they are here to help our city. Our service organizations and our church’s have really stepped up.”

WORKERS PREPARE the abundance of food donated by local organizations to help feed families in the Bellflower area. Photo by Tammye McDuff.

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Barton Brands of California in Carson is producing hand sanitizer for major U.S. industries experiencing a shortage I can help you with that. due to the pandemic. The Sazerac Company, the largest producer of distilled DeAnna Allensworth spirits in North America, has started Broker - Advisor producing hand sanitizer for some of Phone: 562-533-5600 the world’s largest organizations in the www.CenturionMF.com healthcare, government, military, retail, CA DRE 01443787 distribution, airline, banking industries NMLS 206457 and pharmacies. Although production began at their Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, production is being rolled out to all locations across the country including Barton Brands of California in Carson. “As California continues to navigate its way PHARMACY & MEDICAL SUPPLIES PHARMACY & MEDICAL SUPPLIES through this crisis it is good to know that PHARMACY & MEDICAL SUPPLIES businesses such as Sazerac are able to • Local•Delivery Available pivot quickly and pitch in where needed,” Local Delivery Available Local Delivery Available • We•Are A Compounding Pharmacy said Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson, • We Are A Compounding Pharmacy We AreOur A Compounding Pharmacy • Ask• About Weight Loss Program • Ask About Our Weight Loss Program “We are proud to have Barton Brands of • Ask About Our Weight Loss Program California help supply hand sanitizer for 17623 17623 PIONEER BLVD. BLVD. the front lines.” PIONEER “We have seen a great need for hand 11515 ARTESIA BLVD. 17623 PIONEER BLVD. ARTESIA ARTESIA sanitizer from industries across the board ARTESIA ARTESIA 562-402-1000 562-402-1000 – many of these organizations are desper562-402-1000 fax562-402-1000 562-402-2471 562-402-2471 ate, as supplies have dwindled,” said faxfax 562-402-2471 Matt Maimone, Sazerac’s Chief Operatfax 562-402-2471 176th STARTESIA ing Officer. “To date, we’ve produced 176th ST 176th ST nearly 2,000,000 liters of hand sanitizer across our sites in North America and are continuing to source more ingredients to Stan Winters, R.Ph R.Ph Stan Winters, produce more every day. Our workforce GRIDLEY Stan Winters, R.Ph

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APRIL 24, 2020

BARTON HAS PRODUCED nearly 2,000,000 liters of hand sanitizer across their sites in North America and are continuing to source more ingredients to produce more every day. Seen here is their production line. has risen to the occasion to help meet this demand, and we appreciate their willingness to step up.” If your business has a need for industrial hand sanitizer, you can fill out the form in the attached link: https://forms. gle/ywtypRX5iDqBHbMS7 or email info@sazerac.com and someone from Sazerac will get back to you. Barton Brands of California employs 57 people and is part of the Sazerac fam-

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WHITNEY from page 1

information on nearly every public high school in the country," said Anita Narayan, managing editor of Education at U.S. News. "Families can use this information to see how their local schools compare on graduation rates and state assessments, as well as academic performance by students who are traditionally underserved – those who are black, Hispanic or from low-income households." The highest-ranked schools are scattered throughout the country, showing that the best schools are not concentrated in any one geographic area. Nine different states are represented among the top 10 schools. More broadly, the top 100 schools span 29 states. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Virginia moves up to No. 1 this year, due to its best-in-state performance in English and math assessments, top ranking in college readiness and 100% graduation rate.

The California Academy of Mathematics and Science, a Long Beach Unified magnet school in Carson, ranked first in California and 11th nationally. Oxford Academy in Cypress ranked second in California and 19th nationally. Cerritos’ Whitney High School fell from the top spot in California to third best, while also falling sixteen spots from the 14th best high school nationwide to 30th this year. U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 rankings were based on the 2017-18 academic year, so the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent shuttering of schools did not play a role in the evaluation. But that was when a new principal, John Briquelet, was hired at Whitney. "The Best High Schools rankings provide the most comprehensive, data-based

Sazerac is one of America’s oldest family owned, privately held distillers with operations in the United States in Louisiana, Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia, Tennessee, Maine, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Maryland, California, and global operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, India, Australia and Canada. For more information on Sazerac, please visit www.sazerac.com

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Natural gas, electric utilities offer COVID-19 assistance

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Customer service representatives continue to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer your questions, help you select a payment option, or determine if the service youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re calling about needs our attention right away. If in need of assistance, we encourage customers to call us at (800) 427-2200. For our Small Business Customers, we are waiving late payment fees. SoCalGas is aware that scammers are taking advantage of the COVID-19 outbreak to send phishing emails, texts and social media posts. Please note that SoCalGas has suspended service disconnections to customers who have a hard time paying their bills and does NOT call to demand payment. Please be on the lookout for scams asking for personal information or selling phony products and never click on malicious links or attachments. SCE: Our Response to COVID-19 The following information is provided by Southern California Edison (SCE): If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re facing financial hardships or are just looking for ways to save during the COVID-19 emergency, these programs and tools may help. We offer a number of payment assistance options for our customers, including payment extensions and arrangements for customers who may need more time to pay their bill. You can also visit our Help Paying Your Bill page at sce.com/residential/ assistance to find out what options are available for you. If someone in your home requires the use of electrically powered medical devices or equipment, you may qualify for our Medical Baseline Allowance program. Information is available at sce.com/ residential/assistance/medical-baseline. Safely providing reliable service means critical scheduled outages must continue, even during this unprecedented COVID-19 situation. This is consistent with Governor Newsomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stay at Homeâ&#x20AC;? Executive Order, which recognized that essential work as defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Securityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guidelines must continue. We are prioritizing critical work necessary to protect our communities from the threat of wildfires and to make urgent repairs, even as we postpone less pressing upgrades. Postponing this critical work could inadvertently create larger and more dangerous risks. We do not take the decision to proceed with an outage lightly, and our teams are working to shorten the dura-

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tion as much as possible. We must go forward with work necessary to protect public safety including reducing wildfire risk. We are postponing noncritical work that would cause a customer outage and evaluating each outage on a case-by-case basis. Visit our Outage Center at sce.com/ outage-center to report an outage, view current outages or check the status of a planned outage in your area. We are working hard to reschedule or minimize the impact of critical, necessary outages, especially for vulnerable customers, businesses and other critical services that are part of the response to the outbreak. You may also see our crews conducting inspections from the ground or air to determine the need to clear or remove vegetation near our equipment or actively working to remove it. Learn more about our wildfire mitigation activities. Please know we will not disconnect your power now because youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re having trouble making payments due to hardships caused by COVID-19. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re temporarily suspending service disconnections for nonpayment and waiving late fees by request. If you are having trouble paying your bill, we encourage you to contact our SCE Customer Contact Center to talk about a payment extension or arrangement. For more information, visit sce.com/billhelp. If you are a business customer, you also qualify for suspended service disconnection for nonpayment and waiver of late fees by request. You may also qualify for the CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program, which will provide 100 percent federally guaranteed loans to small businesses. For more information, visit

our Small Business Resources page at sce.com/business/Small-BusinessResources. Unfortunately, scams targeting utility customers increase during times of uncertainty; we urge you to call us first at (800) 655-4555 before taking any action, or if you are suspicious about any COVID-19-related emails or calls you receive from people claiming to be with SCE. We will never call you or email you to demand payment and threaten to disconnect your service if payment isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t received immediately.

CalMet continues to collect trash and recyclables As of press time, the City's contract waste hauler, CalMet Services, will continue to collect trash, recyclables, green waste and bulky items in Cerritos during the COVID-19 public health crisis. Maintaining these essential services without interruption is a priority for the City. Out of an abundance of caution, facilities that process collected recyclables have suspended operations. Therefore, the City is allowing CalMet Services to dispose of recyclables at landfills on a temporary basis. Cerritos residents may see only one truck collecting the material from their trash bins during this time. However, all residents and businesses should continue to separate recyclables and green/organic waste and place them in the correct bin so that the City can resume recovering recyclables as soon as processing facilities resume operation.

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HERB GROWING PROBLEMS PLANTS TO CONSIDER WHEN COMPANION PLANTING AND REAL SOLUTIONS BY MELINDA MYERS

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Holes in Basil Leaves

I’ve read that you should plant tomatoes next to carrots to increase your yield of both crops and lessen the risk of insect damage. Are there any other good combinations to consider when planning your garden? Much of the pest management claims made for companion planting have not been duplicated in research studies. But a few indirect benefits have been found. Anytime we add plants that attract beneficial insects and pollinators to the garden and landscape we help improve productivity and reduce pest problems. Members of the carrot family like dill and cilantro, sunflowers and its cousins like cosmos, coreopsis, tansy and yarrow, plus members of the mustard family like alyssum and other various plants such as buckwheat, milkweed and potentilla help attract the good guys. Limit your use of pesticides and tolerate some damage so the beneficial insects set up residence in your garden and eat away your pest problems. Try rotating crops, diversifying your plantings and keeping weeds that attract insects and disease out of the garden. If you decide to experiment make sure the plants you combine grow well in the existing growing conditions. Then monitor for pest problems throughout the growing season.

Last year I planted basil in a pot on our deck. It wasn't long before there were holes in the leaves. It looked like something was eating them. I wasn't sure how to treat it and wanted to check with you before I buy some again. Thanks so much! Slugs eat large ragged holes in the leaves of basil and many other plants. They feed at night and hide under mulch, plant leaves and rocks during the day. Trap and drown slugs using beer. Place the beer in a shallow dish sunk into the ground or use a half empty bottle laid on its side. The slugs are attracted to the fermenting yeast, crawl inside and drown. Sluggo and other slug controls with iron phosphate as the active ingredient can be used around food crops. Be sure to read and follow all label directions before purchasing and applying. The four lined plant bug can also damage basil. They suck plant juices causing circular clear or black spots on the leaves. The dead tissue can eventually fall out resulting in small holes. Hand picking, if you are quick, and insecticidal soap can be used to control these pests. Japanese beetles are the culprit when the leaf tissue is devoured and just the veins remain. You can’t miss these pests as they eat and mate in broad daylight. Pluck these insects off the plants and drop them in soapy water. Or try Neem. This eco-friendly product can help control small populations of Japanese beetles.

APRIL 24, 2020

STAFF REPORT As many as 94% of today’s older adults wish to stay in their own homes as long as possible. This group, as of 2010, accounted for 13% of the population (40 million people), and that number is projected to increase to 20% of the population by 2030. Studies show there are numerous benefits to home-based aging, such as increased life satisfaction, quality of life and self-esteem. Maintaining familiar surroundings and connections is also a benefit, allowing older adults to remain close to friends and neighbors, keep the same doctors and visit favorite coffee shops and grocery stores. The time is now to start planning it is important to understand the appropriate renovations that may be required and to equip the home with modifications that are right for you and any caretakers providing attention as you age in place. What you should know about designing a home while aging in place Studies confirm there are benefits to keeping older adults in their homes longer, such as maintaining more independence and connection to friends and family, as well as avoiding the high costs of institutional care. Luckily, there are many options, services and helpful solutions available to help us stay independent as we age at home. Improve lighting Improving the lighting in the home is an inexpensive solution that can provide an increased sense of safety and security for older adults — safeguarding against stumbling and falling, as well as break-ins. Consider adding lighting strips to stairways and other dark areas inside the home, as well as installing exterior lights that can be programmed to turn on and off, creating a pattern to deter breakins. Nightlights are also a recommended addition — great for hallways, bathrooms and on or near steps. Add easy-use fixtures and safety considerations

AGING IN RENOVATING WITH IND These simple home modifications are easy to implement and can have a significant impact on improving security and comfort in the home as we age: Install oversized light switches; replace faucet knobs with levers; use automated garage door openers; purchase larger digital display options for remote controls, phones, and screens; add grab bars or rails around the home to prevent falls and improve mobility; consider chair and toilet lifts; use cord covers to prevent tripping and falling. Update your flooring Falls are prevalent as we age in what should be our safest environment: our home. And flooring is often the biggest culprit. Loose rugs, slip-inducing mats, and curly edges on carpets are among the most common dangers. Many preventive measures are

To all of our many healthcare professionals, first responders, and volunteers, the Gardens Casino says THANK YOU for your tireless efforts, strength of spirit and unfailing determination. We are grateful for your selflessness and sacrifice in helping restore our health and well-being. Together we will emerge stronger!

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PLACE: DEPENDENCE IN MIND

easy, DIY and often relatively inexpensive. Here’s what you need to do: Secure rugs throughout the home: Use double-faced, anti-slip rug tape to secure the edges of all area rugs firmly to the floor. Install anti-slip flooring throughout the home: Ensuring the type of flooring installed in the home (and especially in the bathroom) isn’t slippery is an important consideration for older adults. Contrast for visibility while moving throughout the home: Consider varying the colors and textures of the flooring used throughout the home to provide better visual guidance, especially in transitional areas in the home, such as a sunken living room. Advanced home renovations Sophisticated upgrades to help current and future home healthcare needs not only

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add protections, they often heighten future selling prices. Keep in mind for some of these more advanced home modification tips, outsourcing to a professional may be necessary. Assistive renovations Widen your doorways: Even just carrying packages can make doorways impassable, so imagine providing adequate space for assistive devices like wheelchairs. To meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility standards, doorways should be at least 36 inches wide. Add a stairlift: Unless you’re enjoying single-story living (or unless you have a downstairs bedroom and bath), many people need to navigate stairs in the home. In these cases, stairlifts are a great tool. Keeping the home secure Home security systems are an essential tool for being alerted to dangers you may not sense, like fire, carbon monoxide and breakins. And these tools become even more critical for older adults. According to the National Fire Protection Association, people ages 65+ are twice as likely to be injured or killed by house fires, compared to the rest of the population. For outside the home, consider installing security cameras, which can allow loved ones to monitor fall-prone areas around the home. Assistive technology There is a lot of assistive technology available today, including devices, software programs and equipment that’s specifically designed to help people work around their challenges — from arthritis-friendly light switches and easier-to-grip drawer pulls, to computer voice recognition programs, entryway ramps and more. Here are a few assistive devices for you to consider when updating your home for current or future assistive needs: Clap-detection lights: Turning on lights with the clap of your hands makes turning lights on/off much easier. Plus, set the device

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in its “away” mode, and your lights will turn on with the detection of any sound, which can deter break-ins. Smart entryway: Assistive tools like key finders, keyless doors and doorbell cameras make entering the home and monitoring activity at the front door easier. Learning who is at the front door from the safety of your couch reduces the need for unnecessary movement around the home, which can also prevent accidents and falls. Home hub automation: Smart home options are now available to provide a one-stop solution for controlling your digital life at home, from programmable temperature controls and sophisticated home security systems to playing music and helping you keep track of appointments. For example, Amazon’s Alexa allows users to easily keep track of daily activities, call their doctor and even order food. And home hub security systems can offer older adults a greater sense of control over the safety of their home and valuables, all from the leisure of their couch. Why designing with in-home care in mind is a good idea Considering the high costs of long term care options in the U.S., it’s not surprising people are turning to alternative solutions. Although costs vary by state, let’s take a look at the average monthly costs of some of the more common long-term care options available: A private nursing home room: $8,364 per month A semi-private nursing home room: $7,362 per month Assisted living facility: $3,862 per month Adult day health care: $1,562 per month To avoid these costs, and if in-home care is your goal, it’s important to start making plans now — so you’re not managing lastminute renovations and home modifications to accommodate the needs of caretakers at the same time your health takes a turn. Some of the in-home care services you

may need to consider planning for include health care aides, registered nurses, physical therapists, social workers and other specialists that make home visits. Your in-home caregiver might also be a companion or a loved one. Regardless of who is providing the care, it’s important to ensure your home is ready, so you can more easily adapt should the need arise. Renovating your home for the future When renovating your home, it’s important to keep future health challenges in mind, and the possibility of needing in-home care. Understanding your needs — and the needs of others potentially sharing your space — will create a more harmonious and comfortable environment while aging in place. Creating a bedroom on the main floor of the home is ideal — allowing for easier accessibility throughout the home. In addition to reducing the use of stairs, main floors also provide faster exits to safety in case of emergencies — like injuries, break-ins or fires. To accommodate live-in care, or for having loved ones stay, a separate bedroom is an essential consideration. Make sure the room has easy access to a bathroom, and even consider installing a small kitchen. You’ll also want to equip your home for caregiver accessibility, including: Installing smart locks, so people who take care of you always have access to the home. Ensuring caregivers have access to WiFi, so they’re connected in the event of an emergency, or to purchase necessary items online. Providing caregivers access to security systems, so they can help monitor the home in an emergency. Adding more electrical outlets in the home, in case there is medical equipment to set up in the future. Creating wider doorways and entryways for wheelchairs, as well as ramps for wheelchair accessibility.

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APRIL 24, 2020

BY LOREN KOPFF @LORENKOPFF ON TWITTER The first thing Gerardo Perez wanted to do when he took over the Gahr High baseball program in 2005 was keep the legacy going left behind by Tom Bergeron. It is safe to say that the legacy still continues and is getting better like fine wine. In the past 20 seasons, the Gahr baseball program has produced a winning percentage of .658 and when next season begins, Perez will get his 300th victory most likely within the first few weeks. But he will be the first to tell you that it is not about the wins that the Gladiators keep on getting. It’s getting the most out of the players, most of whom go on to play collegiate baseball and/or get drafted by a Major League Baseball franchise. Gahr has always had players reach the “Big Show”, long before Perez took over. You have to go back to 1981 when Shane Mack was drafted by the Minnesota Twins. More notable names after that, and before Perez became the head coach, have been Bret Barberie and Valentino Pascucci, both of whom were drafted by the Montreal Expos in 1988 and 1999, respectively. Before he took the Gahr job, Perez was already connected to a lot of people that had played in the program. He says he was blessed to have played for some of the best coaches around, including George Horton, Dave Serrano and current associate head coach at Texas Christian University, Bill Mosiello. Horton was at Cerritos College from 1976-1977 and again from 1980-1990. Serrano was at Cerritos College from 1988-1990 and from 1992-1994 and Mosiello was at Cerritos College from 1987-1990. Perez, who graduated from Cerritos High, played at Cerritos College in 1989 and 1990 was the Cerritos College head coach in 2003. “I wanted to make sure I get my hands on the steering wheel and just kind of make sure that we continue to bus or [keep] the train on the track, probably with a little bit more of a developmental PHARMACY & MEDICAL SUPPLIES PHARMACY & MEDICAL SUPPLIES approach because I was in college for PHARMACY & MEDICAL SUPPLIES 12 years before I got to high school,.” • Local•Delivery Available Perez said of taking over Gahr. “Player Local Delivery Available Local Delivery Available • We•Are A Compounding Pharmacy development and getting kids better was • We Are A Compounding Pharmacy • We Are A Compounding Pharmacy • Ask About Weight Loss Program • AskOur About Our Weight Loss Program pretty important.” Perez’ connection with Coach • Ask About Our Weight Loss Program Bergeron, as he calls him, still continues 17623 17623 PIONEER BLVD. BLVD. PIONEER to this day. Greg Bergeron, Tom’s brother, 11515 ARTESIA BLVD. 17623 PIONEER BLVD. ARTESIA ARTESIA graduated with Perez’ wife Kelly InouyeARTESIA ARTESIA 562-402-1000 Perez, the successful head coach for the 562-402-1000 562-402-1000 fax562-402-1000 562-402-2471 UCLA softball team, and they keep in 562-402-2471 faxfax 562-402-2471 fax 562-402-2471 touch with Coach Bergeron consistently. 176th STARTESIA “There’s still a lot of alumni 176th ST 176th ST connections that we’re connected to just because,” Perez said. “Coach Bergeron was really close with my wife as well. Stan Winters, R.Ph R.Ph Stan Winters, I just know Tom got the most out of his GRIDLEY Stan Winters, R.Ph teams; they were extremely competitive.

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HEWS MEDIA GROUP 1-800-901-7211 • Email: editor@cerritosnews.net Phone 562.407.3873 • loscerritosnews.net P.O. Box 788 • Artesia CA., 90701 18000 Studebaker Rd., Ste. 700 • Cerritos Ca 90703 16700 Valley View Ave, Suite 300 La Mirada, CA., 90638 STAFF WRITERS TAMMYE MCDUFF LOREN KOPFF GLEN CREASON EDITOR & PUBLISHER BRIAN HEWS Los Cerritos Community News and La Mirada Lamplighter is published weekly and delivered to Artesia, Cerritos and surrounding communities. Los Cerritos Community News has been established as a newspaper of general circulation in Los Angeles County. Based on this legal status we are eligible to publish Legal Notices and Fictitious Business Name Statements. Published and copyrighted by Eastern County Newspaper Group, Inc. Reproduction in whole or part of any material in the Community News without permission of the publisher is prohibited. ©2012

GAHR HIGH BASEBALL CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF SOUTHLAND’S TOP PROGRAMS I got a lot of the Gahr players at Cerritos College when I was there, and those kids were fundamentally sound, mentally tough, and very committed. So, they had a big jump over the kids from other high schools.” Since 2004, there have been 70 Gahr players that have either played collegiate baseball or have been selected in the MLB Amateur Draft right out of high school. Former Atlanta Braves pitcher Kris Medlen graduated the year before Perez took over and played at El Camino College before transferring to Santa Ana College. At the time, Greg Bergeron was coaching El Camino College but left after Medlen’s freshmen season. Perez recalls that Medlen did not know what to do after Greg Bergeron left El Camino College. He worked out at Gahr before transferring to Santa Ana College to play with Hall of Fame coach Don Smith. Medlen, who is retired, is now an announcer for the Braves. “Even though he graduated the year before I got there, he would back and throw bullpen [sessions] and I think everybody would see it,” Perez said of Medlen. “[Chris] Devenski was just very committed and worked extremely hard and Jake [Faria] was just like a surgeon; very detailed in his work. You knew it was just a matter of time before he got an opportunity.” In Perez’ first season at Gahr, the only senior to play collegiate baseball was Eddie Murray, who went to UCLA, while Greg Cain was drafted by the New York Mets. Perez said that he wanted to put a lot of emphasis on the academic side because, as he puts it, kids who do really well in school are more consistent on the field than the kids who do not as far as homework assignments and being held accountable in the classroom. “I think it was a little bit different perspective,” Perez said. “Remember, I was in college since the fall of 1992. So, I have had teammates and kids that I have coached in college get drafted. It was pretty special to have a high school kid get drafted. But I was really focused on trying to have Greg Cain being prepared,

because it’s a different life; it’s a really hard life. “What [the kids] don’t see is how consistent you have to be as a human being on the field and off the field in order to get there,” he continued. “Because it’s every single minute of every single day and you’re around older people and older kids and it’s not an easy thing. I just wanted to make sure that Greg was going to be prepared for that.” Perez would go on to say that when you recruit in college, you’re a little bit more selective, whether it’s ability or personality, and you’re targeting certain positions. Then, you’re not really developing those people as much. “You’re developing more on the field than off the field,” he continued. “In high school, I always say that pretty often that a kid who is with me for four years is really not one kid. He’s really four different kids because a 15-year old is not the same as a 16-year, not the same as a 17-year old and is definitely not the same as an 18-year old mentally and emotionally.” Perez considers the Gahr baseball program like an AP classroom. There’s expectations and the coaching staff tries to get everybody to reach their full capabilities on the field and off the field. He says the biggest thing is there’s a college out there for everybody and whether they choose to go to that college is up to them and their parents in the end. “In doing so, I think our kids are prepared, and I think people know that,” Perez said. “It’s one of those things that pays you back and I think colleges know that if they want a kid or a pro guy; a baseball player out of Gahr, they know they’re getting a complete human being that’s been held accountable, whether it’s in the classroom or in the weight room or on the field or whatever.” Even though the Gahr program has always been successful, advancing to the CIF-Southern Section playoffs 37 times in school history and winning 29 league titles, the number of players continuing their baseball dreams has grown over the past three seasons. From 2004-2017,

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APRIL 24, 2020

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APRIL 24, 2020

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GAHR

Continued from page 10 there were a combined 42 players who either played in college or went straight to the minor leagues. From 2018 to this past season, there have been 28 players that have been, or are about to play collegiate baseball. Perez cites that more kids are coming into high school prepared academically as well as mentally and emotionally â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think a lot of it has to do with kids coming to the high school with the expectation that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to go to college and play already,â&#x20AC;? Perez said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They already know theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to have to do well in the classroom because if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have grades, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not going to move on.â&#x20AC;? There are currently two former Gahr players in the MLB-pitcher Chris Devenski, who graduated from Gahr in 2008 and is with the Houston Astros, and 2011 graduate Jake Faria, who was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays but was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers last season. Faria was given his outright release from the Brewers in January. From 2007-2011, there have been two more former Gahr standouts that have been drafted, but not called up to the majors yet-Victor Sanchez (St. Louis Cardinals) and Brenton Allen (Washington Nationals). Perez said once one of his former players gets to AA or

AAA, he begins to follow their progress. Social media wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t around that much in 2005 and Devenski and Faria never got the chance to tell Perez they were called up. He found out from other people, but then later reached out to both of them to congratulate them. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was extremely proud,â&#x20AC;? Perez said of Devenski and Faria. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Both of them have different journeys along the way. [They] were two different kids, two different situations, two different organizations and I was so proud of both of them. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even put it into words.â&#x20AC;? Other former Gahr standouts who are still in the minors are 2013 graduate Kevin Franklin, who was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds but is now with the Atlanta organization, 2014 graduate Jaime Estrada, who was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles, and Jeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Von Ward, who graduated three years ago and is with the Milwaukee organization. In 2018, nine of 12 Gahr seniors played collegiate baseball. The next season, nine out of 14 seniors continued their baseball careers and this past season, which was cut short after nine games due to the COVID19 pandemic situation, 10 more seniors are pursuing their baseball goals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every season is a different journey; a different ride,â&#x20AC;? Perez said of the 2018 season. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think this season, we were starting to come together. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look at our record because weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always competing against really top teams early. We played nine games, 63 innings [and] we were extremely competitive for 60 of those 63

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innings. We were just starting to put it together. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tough to consistently line up against our schedule with five freshmen and a couple of sophomores that were key players. The seniors were able to support those guys.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really special when you get a kid who makes it to the big leagues,â&#x20AC;? Perez later said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But when the kids are graduating from college and playing in college, I think thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be a lifelong memory and something that impacts them for the rest of their lives, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really important.â&#x20AC;? If Long Beach Poly High has more National League Football players than any other high school in the country, Gahr could be one of the top high schools with a pipeline to the MLB. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Part of the beauty is nothing ever comes easy for us,â&#x20AC;? Perez said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cerritos High School has a completely different culture over there, as well as they should, and every school is unique to itself. But I can tell you that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing that really comes easy for us. I think that helps preparation mentally and emotionally as the kids go through their four years at Gahr High School. They have to work, and they have to be excellent in a lot of different areas. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think overcoming challengesâ&#x20AC;Śthe more challenges you overcome it kind of defines who you are,â&#x20AC;? he continued. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And when you play minor league baseball, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be a lot of roadblocks; a lot of challenges.â&#x20AC;?

HAVE NO FEAR CERRITOS! CERRITOS DRINKING WATER IS SAFE TO DRINK STAFF REPORT Cerritos drinking water is filtered, disinfected and safe to drink. Cerritos water meets Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comprehensive and safe drinking water standards, which require a multi-step treatment process. This process removes and kills viruses, including coronaviruses that cause diseases such as COVID-19. The State Water Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Division of Drinking Water establishes and enforces drinking water standards that ensure the delivery of pure, safe and potable water. In addition to health-based water quality standards, treatment facilities must comply with stringent performance measures to ensure treatment processes are continuously operating at peak performance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID19 is transmitted person to person, not through water.

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LAKEWOOD

Continued from page 1 seven hours while infected with the highly infectious disease. HMG-LCCN was told by the source that some personnel inside the Community Center were ordered to quarantine themselves, it is unknown if any sheriff’s deputies in the building also came under that order. The Station and Community Center provides a full range of public safety services for Cerritos residents, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Station serves as headquarters for LASD personnel serving Cerritos and the City's Community Safety Division. The center is located adjacent to Cerritos City Hall, and the public entrance to the building is on the top floor of the facility. The City's Community Safety Division is located on the top floor, along with the Sheriff's service counter, a communications/dispatch center and meeting rooms. The second floor contains Sheriff's Department operations, including a training/briefing room, booking and custody areas, holding cells and lock-

To advertise call 562-407-3873

ers. Some 14,000 square feet of secured parking for Sheriff's personnel is also located on this level. The bottom floor consists of parking for City staff with a stairwell and elevator used by everyone at City Hall. The subsequent investigation by Cerritos management found that the deputy worked from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday April 10, 2020. After being contacted by Cerritos Sheriffs, the deputy stated he did not go inside City Hall or have any interactions with City Staff. But he did walk the halls inside the Sheriff’s Station interacting with staff “to complete his tasks,” which evidently took over seven hours. In his summation, dated April 14, newly appointed Cerritos Station Captain Minh Dinh described the deputies movements that day, which HMGLCCN obtained through the source. According to Dinh, the infected deputy entered the front public entrance of the station, which has glass doors that must be opened manually. The Deputy entered into the secretary area of the sheriff deputy’s offices, and then went into the dispatch room to obtain an overtime slip which he filled it out inside the room. Normally two sheriff’s personnel

APRIL 24, 2020

are inside the dispatch room. The deputy then left the dispatch room and went to the watch commander’s office to have his overtime slip signed, later using the copy machine to make a copy of his slip. The deputy “walked the hallway” to the men’s locker room, where he used the restroom in the locker room and washed his hands. During the time he also entered the building through the lower garage entrance which is next to the parking spot of City Manager Art Gallucci. Dinh finished by writing, “The Lakewood Station deputy only stayed in the building as long as he needed to complete his tasks. He did greet some Sheriff’s employees but had no interaction with city staff. In fact, he was never in close proximity with any city staff. Also he did not visit any other city facility.” Sources said employees inside City Hall and the Community Center were livid that the Deputy came to work at the Cerritos Station. None wanted to be identified, but one employee remarked, “they waited four days to tell us, they did not shut the building down and clean it, that’s not right.” A former Cerritos Mayor and Councilman told HMG-LCCN, “why are we

mingling sheriff’s deputies between stations during a pandemic, it makes no sense.” Several emails into Cerritos Mayor Solanki and Mayor pro tem Vo, along with Councilmembers Hu, and Edwards, went unreturned. In those emails, HMG-LCCN asked if the City informed residents, who might have entered the Sheriff’s Station that day, of the infected deputy’s presence, the question went unanswered. Councilmember Frank Yokoyama commented, "I ask the City Manager everyday for updates and if anyone else has tested positive for COVID-19. We should've done COVID-19 testing for everyone at the Cerritos station by now. My prayers go out to the Cerritos station deputies and personnel and their families."

Repairs approved for water main break in Cerritos

The Cerritos City Council recently awarded a $148,662 contract to Doty Bros. Construction Co. to fix a water main break at the intersection of Norwalk Boulevard and 166th Street. The work is expected to be completed by the end of April.

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WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED: DTSC is proposing to approve a draft Removal Action Work Plan (RAW) and a draft Negative Declaration (CEQA) prepared for the LeFiell Manufacturing Company Facility. The RAW proposes remediation of soil, soil vapor and groundwater contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to eliminate or reduce the risk to human health of site workers and the environment (groundwater). The RAW proposes to use air sparging and soil vapor extraction. The LeFiell Site is comprised of three parcels of land located at 13700, 13750, and 13770 Firestone Boulevard, in an industrial area of Santa Fe Springs, in the south portion of Los Angeles County, California. Although the entire LeFiell site covers approximately 9.5 acres, the LeFiell operations cover the northern 7.5 acres. The southeastern 2 acres are operated separately as Avis Car Rental/ Budget Truck Rental facility. The LeFiell Site is bordered by Firestone Boulevard and Marquardt Avenue (with Interstate Highway 5, I-5 or Santa Ana Freeway, immediately beyond) to the northeast, Alondra Boulevard to the south, and by the Union Pacific Railroad to the southwest. Since 2004, the LeFiell site has been the subject of various environmental investigations, which have identified the presence of VOCs in the soil, soil gas, and groundwater. These investigations identified two areas of concern at the site necessitating cleanup: Building F: Tetrachloroethene (PCE) and 1,1,1-Trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA) have previously been used in the former vapor degreaser. Building H: An area near the currently operating parts cleaner, which uses trichloroethene (TCE), and an area near the former hydraulic press (referred to as Rujak press) were investigated. Historically, PCE was also used in Building H. How to Submit Comments: You can submit written comments during the 30-day public comment period beginning April 28, 2020 and closing on May 28, 2020. Please direct all written comments by mail, e-mail or fax by no later than May 28, 2020 to: Mr. Tajinder Gill, Project Manager, Hazardous Substances Engineer 9211 Oakdale Avenue, Chatsworth, CA 91311, Phone: (818) 717-6586; Fax: (818) 717-6515, Email: Tajinder.Gill@dtsc.ca.gov Elsa Lopez, DTSC Public Participation Specialist, (818) 717-6566 Elsa.Lopez@dtsc.ca.gov WHERE DO I GET MORE INFORMATION? Due to the current situation regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the LeFiell Manufacturing Company RAW and other Site documents will only be available for review electronically on EnviroStor at: https://www.envirostor.dtsc.ca.gov/public/profile_report.asp?global_id=60001240 Hard copies will only be made available for review by appointment, and only at the DTSC Chatsworth Office by calling (818) 717-6500 for an appointment.

COMMERCE WAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FROM EASTERN AVENUE TO WASHINGTON BOULEVARD FEDERAL AID PROJECT NO. DEMO8L-5362(024) PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT NO: 2019-04 PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the CITY OF COMMERCE, referred to as “CITY”, invites sealed bids for the above stated project and will receive such bids at Commerce City Hall in the Office of the City Clerk, 2535 Commerce Way, Commerce, California 90040 by the due date of 11:00 AM on Tuesday, May 19, 2020. The bids will be opened in the City of Commerce, Engineering Conference Room, located at 2535 Commerce Way, Commerce, CA. 90040 shortly after the due date and read aloud. 1.

BID DOCUMENTS: Electronic files of the Plans, Specifications and Contract Documents are available for download on the City website at: https://www.planetbids.com/portal/portal. cfm?CompanyID=32906. Hard copy of the bid package will not be mailed.

PRE-BID MEETING: None.

SCOPE OF WORK: The work to be done consists of furnishing all labor, materials, tools, equipment and incidental for the improvements as shown on Project Plans.

LOCATION OF WORK: The project is located on Commerce Way from Eastern Avenue to Washington Blvd at City of Commerce.

SCHEDULE OF WORK: In accordance with the Standard Specifications, and/or as may be provided for with-in the herein Special Provisions, after notification of award and prior to start of any work, the Contractor shall submit to the Engineer for approval its proposed Con-struction Schedule. At a scheduled date prior to commencement of work, the Con-tractor and all subcontractors shall attend a pre-construction conference at the City Hall. Total construction duration is 60 working days. Please see Section A.00200 – In-structions to Bidders for the project schedule.

ESTIMATED COST OF WORK: Estimated cost is $1,750,000.

BID BOND: Bids must be accompanied by a bid bond, made payable to the City of Commerce for an amount no less than ten percent (10%) of the bid amount.

CONTRACTORS LICENSE: Contractor shall have a valid California General Contractor License, Class A, Gen-eral Engineering Contractor, at the time of bid, at the time of award and during the performance of the work.

FEDERALLY FUNDED PROJECT: This is a federally funded project. Federal Labor Standards Provisions, including prevailing wage requirements of the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts will be en-forced. Any contract entered into pursuant to this notice will incorporate the provi-sions of the State Labor Code. Compliance with the prevailing rates of wages and apprenticeships employment standards established by the State Director of Indus-trial Relations and the Federal government will be required. This is a Federally funded project and Davis-Bacon will be enforced, and where the State and Federal wage rates are applicable, the higher of the two will be used.

10.

DBE: All bidders are required to comply with all applicable competitive bidding and labor compliance laws including, but not limited to, active solicitation of subcontract bids from minorityowned businesses, women-owned businesses, and businesses owned by disabled veterans. Bidders are advised that, as required by Federal law, the State has established a statewide overall DBE goal. This contract is considered to be a part of the statewide overall DBE goal. The City is required to report to Cal-trans on DBE participation for all Federal-aid contracts each year so that attainment efforts may be evaluated. This project is subject to Federal Funding Requirements and has a DBE Goal of 15%.

11.

CALIFORNIA PREVAILING WAGE The City hereby notifies all qualified bidders that it will affirmatively insure that quali-fied minority business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, or handicap in consideration for an award. Attention is directed to the provisions of Section 1777.5 (Chapter 1411, Stat-utes of 1968) and 1777.5 of the Labor Code concerning the employment of appren-tices by the Contractor’s or any such subcontractors under hire. The bidders and the selected Contractor shall not allow discrimination in employment practices on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, or handicap.

Hearing impaired individuals may use the California Relay Service at 711 or 800-735-2929 TTY/ VCO/HDO to voice. Additional information on DTSC sites can be found through our EnviroStor. Published at Los Cerritos Community Newspaper 4/17 and 4/24/20

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ES-TATE OF: CHOW WEI LI CASE NO. 20STPB03118 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the WILL or estate, or both of CHOW WEI LI. A PETITION FOR PROBATE has been filed by PE-TER WEI-DER LI in the Superior Court of California, County of LOS ANGELES. THE PETITION FOR PROBATE requests that PETER WEI-DER LI be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. THE PETITION requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Es-tates Act . (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtain-ing court approval. Before taking certain very im-portant actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A HEARING on the petition will be held in this court as follows: 05/13/20 at 8:30AM in Dept. 29 located at 111 N. HILL ST., LOS ANGELES, CA 90012 IF YOU OBJECT to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objec-tions or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. IF YOU ARE A CREDITOR or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative ap-pointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined in sec-tion 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. YOU MAY EXAMINE the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as pro-vided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for Petitioner BYRON R. LANE - SBN 132625 LANE LAW GROUP, INC. 28924 S. WESTERN AVENUE, SUITE 206 RANCHO PALOS VERDES CA 90275 BSC218195 4/24, 5/1, 5/8/20 CNS-3360617# LOS CERRITOS COMMUNITY NEWS

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NOTICE INVITING SEALED BIDS

April 2020 DTSC PUBLIC NOTICE Department of Toxic Substances Control- Our mission is to protect the people, communities, and environment of California from harmful chemicals by cleaning up contaminated sites, enforcing hazardous waste laws, and compelling the development of safer products.

DRAFT REMOVAL ACTION WORK PLAN LEFIELL MANUFACTURING COMPANY SANTA FE SPRING, CALIFORNIA 90670

Los Cerritos Community News - LosCerritosNews.net

In entering into a public works contract, or a subcontract, to supply goods, services, or materials pursuant to a public works contract, the Contractor, or subcontractors, offers and agrees to assign to the awarding body all rights, title and interest in, and to, all causes of action it may have under Section 4 of the Clayton Act (15 U.S.C. Section 15) or under the Cartwright Act (Chapter 2 [commencing with Section 16700] of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Business and Professions Code), arising from purchases of goods, services, or materials pursuant to the public work’s contract or subcontract. This assignment shall be made and become effective at the time the awarding body tenders final payment to the Contractor, without further acknowl-edgment by the parties. To comply with SB 854, beginning January 1, 2015 the following applies: (1) No contractor or subcontractor may be listed on a bid proposal for public works project (submitted on or after March 1, 2015) unless registered with the Department of In-dustrial Relations (DIR) pursuant to Labor Code section 1725.5 [with limited excep-tions from this requirement for bid purposes only under Labor Code section 1771.1(a)]. (2) No contractor or subcontractor may be awarded a contract for public works on a public works project awarded on or after April 1, 2015, unless registered with the DIR. (3) The project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the DIR. (4) Require the prime contractor to post job site notices prescribed by regulation (regulation not created yet) or the City must post the notices itself. The contractor shall fill in the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) Contractor Regis-tration Number Form provided in “Section B – Bidder’s Proposal” and submit it with the Sealed Bid. Bids must be prepared on the approved Proposal forms in conformance with the In-structions to Bidders and submitted in a sealed envelope plainly marked on the out-side. Bids must be accompanied by a bid bond, made payable to the City of Com-merce for an amount no less than 10 percent of the amount of bid. The City will deduct a State-mandated 5% retention from all progress payments. No bid will be accepted from a Contractor who has not been licensed in accordance with the provisions of the Business and Professions Code. The successful Contrac-tor and his subcontractors will be required to possess business licenses from the City. The City reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive any irregularity, and to take all bids under advisement for a period of 60 calendar days. If there are any questions regarding this project, please submit your questions via Planet Bid at https://www.planetbids.com/portal/portal.cfm?CompanyID=32906 no later than May 11, 2020 at 5:00 P.M. It is the responsibility of the bidder to confirm transmission of correspondence. By order of the City Council of the City of Commerce, California LENA SHUMWAY, City Clerk Dated: April 20, 2020 Published at Commerce Community News 4/24 and 5/1/20

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Our streets may be empty. But our hearts remain full. Whether staying home or working the front lines, thank you for doing your part.

APRIL 24, 2020