LCCN 2-26-10

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45,000 homes every Friday • February 26, 2010 • Volume 20, No. 50 • www.loscerritosnews.net

Accusation of impropriety made by Hawaiian Gardens councilman Councilman Bruce attempts to censure Mayor Farfan and Mayor pro tem Oyama-Canada for releasing "closed packets", vote fails 3-2.

Cerritos soldier on assignment in Iraqi town Artesia Council votes for Youth Baseball fee increase while canceling the Pre-School Program

By Jerry Bernstein

By Jerry Bernstein Accusations of impropriety by Hawaiian Gardens Mayor Victor Farfan and Mayor Pro Tem Michiko OyamaCanada for giving “closed packets” to the City Administrator and City Attorney were issued by Councilman Barry Bruce at the Feb. 23 meeting of the city council.

Bruce said the council should have discussed it before the packets were given to anyone else. He and Councilman Reynaldo Rodriguez were not consulted. Canada said neither was Councilman Mike Gomez. She didn’t believe the action was out of order. If there is possible legal action to be taken, the City Administrator and City Attorney need to know about it, she said. Despite this, Bruce moved that they be censured.

The motion failed in a 3-2 vote.

The packets were given to the council members at their Dec. 8 meeting by former City Attorney John Cavanaugh at which time he stated it included concerns that led to his resignation. He recommended the council review the information and take appropriate action.

The Council met in closed session and agreed to put it on the council’s agenda for its next meeting. However the Mayor pro tem, after reading the material, turned her packet over to the city administrator.

She said if there was the possibility there might be legal action taken, he should know about it. Mayor Victor Farfan gave his copy to City Attorney Omar Sandoval for the same reason.

On Jan. 12, the council had waived the attorney-client privilege and instructed the City Attorney to forward the packet to District Attorney Steve Cooley. In a letter to the City Council dated Feb. 8, and after reviewing the contents of the packet and charges, Deputy District Attorney Max Huntsman said that Assistant Building Official did not commit perjury. This was related to a August 20, 2009 declaration and whether

See ACCUSATIONS CONTINUED ON 10

ADMINISTERING AID: Cerritos U.S. Army Pfc. Annabel Chong assigned to Charlie 296, 2nd Infantry Division takes the blood pressure of a local Iraqi farmer in the first Tripartite Medical Civil Action Project, Albu Gade, Feb. 9. U.S. Soldiers participated with the Iraqi and Peshmerga army to provide locals with medical attention.

Sponsors and donors are at the heart of Soroptimists' Monte Carlo success

The Artesia City Council unanimously approved an increase in fees for the Youth Baseball League and in a 3-2 vote canceled the city’s Preschool program at its Feb. 8 meeting.

In her report to the Council City Manager Maria Dadian said the Youth Baseball/Softball program annual cost to the city is $45,416. Under the current fee schedule approximately $24,000 is taken in. “ That means the city is subsidizing the program by $21,416,” she stated.

Turning to the pre-school program, she said the yearly cost is $85,733. Revenue received under the current fee schedule is $20,000. She added, “That means the city is subsidizing this program by $65,732.

The pre-school program recommendations included full cost recovery. Dadian said the program includes three 10-week sessionsFall, Winter and Spring. To recover the costs for the three sessions the cost recommended was $595 per child. For a six week summer session the cost per child was $357. This includes resident and nonresident participants. She said an increase in fees was necessary in order to recover as much as possible costs of the programs to the city. In a 3-2 vote the Council voted to cancel the preschool program. Voting no was Councilmember Sally Flowers and Mayor Pro Tem Victor Manalo.

In a unanimous vote the Council approved the following fees for the Youth Baseball/Softball program.

Residents: • 4-6 years - $50.

• 7-14 years - $59.

See ARTESIA CONTINUED ON 10 BIG SPONSOR: Monte Carlo Night Co-Chair Ivana Royse (left), Sponsor Chair Sandy Fikse (second from right), and President Patricia Law (right) meet local WalMart manager Tammy Cannon (second from left) to deliver Monte Carlo Night tickets to the Diamond Sponsor and thank WalMart for their exceptional support.

By Lou Kaku On March 6, 2010, The Artesia-Cerritos Chapter of Soroptimists International will hold their 18th annual Monte Carlo Night from 7 to 11 pm at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. This year’s theme is “Springtime in Paris” and costs $75 per

person. The evening includes dinner tres magnifique catered by Turnip Rose, raffles, an evening of gaming, and lots of prizes.

All proceeds benefit local charities including Su Casa ((a home for battered women and children) and Family Guidance Center See Monte Carlo on Page 11

More Inside ABCUSD teachers tenured Page 2 Opinion/Letters Page 4 Sports Page 12 Crime summary Page 11

2 COMMUNITY NEWS GROUP • FEBRUARY 26, 2010

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ABCUSD teachers presented tenure certificates

Shekinah Williams crowned 2010 Miss Cerritos

TENURED TEACHERS: Certificates of tenure were presented to 33 ABC teachers at the ABC School Board meeting Feb. 2. Receiving tenure were Michelle Arend Ekhoff, Cerritos HS; Kalsey Blum, Kennedy ES, Dana Bricker, Gonsalves ES; Miguel Canales, Gahr HS; Fred Chang, Hawaiian ES; Krista Chauff, Kennedy ES; Susan Chen, Hawaiian ES; Heather Dean, Carmenita MS; Jennifer Engle. Hawaiian ES/Spec. Ed.; Jessica Ferguson, Bragg ES; Lori Eulberg, Artesia HS; Maja Forsatrom, Wittmann ES; Carlos Guzman, Artesia HS, David Hind, Cerritos HS, Alisa Kelemen, Haskell MS, Andrew Long, Bragg ES, Sarah Lopez, Tetzlaff MS, Stephanie Machado, Cerritos HS, Denise Macias, Artesia HS, Tiffany Moreno, Bragg ES, Jill Nicholson, Gonsalves ES, Mizraim Olive, Cerritos HS, Krystie Patacsil, Bragg ES, Chad Reed, Cerritos HS, Mark Reed, Elliott ES/ Spec. Ed., Anne Sato, Special Ed., William Stecher, Cerritos HS, Jamileh Strause, Carmenita MS, Blanca Strong, Witmann ES, Joseph Veach, Artesia HS, Sara Vieira, Pallms ES, Denise Weuve, Cerritos HS, and Michelle Wheeler, Bragg ES.

CONTEST WINNER: Shekinah Williams (second from left) was crowned the new 2010 Miss Cerritos Feb. 18 at the Sheraton Cerritos Hotel. Vying for the title of Miss Cerritos were eight contestants. Wiliams graduated with a B.A. in Music from the Berkley College of Music and plans to continue her education by pursuing an MBA, with a concentration in entrepreneurial business. Cerritos resident Marissa Sunio was named Miss Cerritos Princess. Sunio is currently a first year law student at Whittier Law School. With them [l-r] is Miss Cerritos 2009 Nicole Sambeolla, Williams, Chamber President Chris Halderson, Sunio, and Cerritos Princess 2009 Adurliz Woodhouse.

Sayoni Saha takes first place in annual Artesia-Cerritos Lions Club Speech Contest

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WINNERS: The Artesia-Cerritos Lions Club held its annual Speech Contest Feb. 2 with Whitney High School student Sayoni Saha winner of the competition. Topic was “Universal Healthcare and how it will effect us. ” Participating in the club competition and judges were [l-r] Toni Grijalva, Cerritos College Coordinator of Community Relations, Judge; Sayoni Saha; Jenny Shim, Cerritos High School; Theresa Prumatico, President of Artesia Cerritos Lions Club; Cerritos Councilmember Carol Chen, Judge; Larissa Lacroix, Gahr High School; Andrew Fang, Whitney High School, and Artesia Mayor Tony Lima, Judge.

Moskowitz Foundation donates $25,000 Hawaiian Gardens group

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MANY THANKS: Sal Flores [l-r] representing the Irving Moskowitz Foundation presented a check in the amount of $25,000 to Femia Morles, Director of the United Community Group at the Feb. 23 meeting of the Hawaiian Gardens City Council. The organization teaches English Language Classes and Cake Decorating Classes at Lee Ware Park.

Morles thanked the Foundation for the donation and the “many” people who work with the group.

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COMMUNITY NEWS GROUP • FEBRUARY 26, 2010

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4 COMMUNITY NEWS GROUP • FEBRUARY 26, 2010

Good neighbors on a street like yours

By Mayor Bruce W. Barrows

The recent caring actions of two of my neighbors got me thinking of our City’s past when the original home owners would get together for block parties and birthday parties (for both the children and the parents). Many even vacationed together. They watched over each other’s property and each other. They were more than good neighbors.

They became friends – good friends.

Over the years, I have heard many com-

s

ments about how the City changed as families grew older and their children moved away and as whole families moved. The neighborhood changed. Maybe you have found the change has brought new neighbors who are creating a new community fabric with acts of friendliness, personal generosity and sharing.

I’m bringing this up in the last weeks as serving as your Mayor to suggest that we, too, initiate a Good Neighbor program to recognize the acts of our good neighbors.

These are usually people who don’t draw attention to themselves, usually don’t hesitate to step in to help and are sometimes referred to as angels for the timeliness of their caring and acts. Our City places great value on the time and commitment of its volunteers and recognizes them, officially, for their service to our Senior Center, the Library, the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, the Volunteers on Patrol and all the sports programs, etc.

At our last Council meeting we recognized the heroics of Angel Baltazar, Officer Alvaro Garzon, Aaron White, Tony Whitfield, William and Kathleen Kooiman, Carlos Rubio, and Deputies Raul Marquez, Jason Jones, Frank Cordova and Anthony Morga for their successful rescue of Genessia Mercado, who was trapped in her burning vehicle after a traffic accident. As important as these individuals and their actions are, I’d like to share one story of a neighbor of mine – and maybe you know of someone whose caring deeds you would like to share with us also.

I have a neighbor, as many do, who lives alone. We stop and talk infrequently due to our busy schedules. A couple of years ago she became ill and required surgery. During her recovery she wasn’t able to take out her trash or maintain her yard. This is when another neighbor, Harold Orr, stepped in to help. (Mr. Orr, like me, moved into the neighborhood years after the original owners.) Mr. Orr started mowing and edging our recovering neighbor’s lawns and taking her trash cans out and putting them back at the end of the day. He then started doing these chores for the neighbor on the other side when he, too, needed surgery – Mr. Orr was now taking care of three houses at the same time. When the second neighbor recovered the two men struck a deal to take care of all three houses together. Now Mr. Orr is joined by Lew Gentiluomo helping out the woman between their houses.

I can’t possibly cover all they have done for our neighbor, but Mr. Orr and Mr. Gentiluomo are examples of the unsung everyday heroes of our City, neither seeking recognition. If you know of others whose neighborly kindness should be noted, please let me know. You can reach me either at City Hall at (562) 916-1311, by e-mail: bbarr90703@aol.com. or via facebook.

Re: State of education Get the facts straight It is unfortunate that as school districts all over California including ABC are preparing to make more draconian cuts in their budgets including layoffs of personnel, increasing class sizes (already the highest

in the nation), and reducing educational programs, we see a letter in LCCN “State of Education” 2/22/10 that is a collection of dated, inaccurate, cut and paste statistics that is pretty much fact free. When we should all be outraged that our children are now paying the price for the dysfunctional government in Sacramento there are still a few people out there belonging to the flat earth society on the plight in public education.

Instead of using old 2006-07 information the author, Steve Kwon, should be reading the recent educational project studies by both Pew Research and the Rand Corporation which incorporate the $11.5 billion reduction in public education funding in California over the last couple of years and the long term damage it is causing. Our state has reduced funding by over $2,000 per student which puts California the richest state at 49th in funding just behind Idaho and just ahead of Utah, two small rural states with relatively homogeneous populations and a much lower cost of living. In per capita income spending on education, California is last in the nation by far and that has been the case since long before the latest economic crisis. Put another way, California spends about six times as much per person per year to keep the nation’s highest percentage of its people in prison as it does to educate them. It’s not hard to connect these two dots.

As for a “rainy day fund”, Mr. Kwon would know if he ever attended a school board meeting on the budget or district finance committee meetings held each month, both open to the public, that all school districts are required to maintain a 3% reserve. ABC has even more than is required although that rainy day fund is rapidly draining away.

Mr. Kwon obviously doesn’t know that no one in the district has received a pay rise in three years and this year everyone from the superintendent to the office staffs and even school board members got a 2.1% cut in pay to help balance the budget. For the entire decade of 2000-09 the salary schedule for teachers rose 14.3%, well below inflation over the same period.

Finally, in ranting about pensions Mr. Kwon evidently doesn’t know that teachers and administrators contribute a large portion of their salaries into their own pension system—State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) and it is therefore not a burden on “Joe Taxpayer”, to use Mr. Kwon’s term. In fact the existence of STRS makes teachers and administrators ineligible for Social Security and they have only been able to buy into Medicare with an additional monthly deduction since 1986. Also remember that some 500,000 active, retired, and now increasingly laid off certificated educators are Joe and Jane Taxpayers in California.

It is obvious from his letter that Mr. Kwon has a steep learning curve on public education finance but the public should not be fooled by people trying to substitute bluster for knowledge. We have enough of those on cable TV and the radio already.

Gavin Riley Cerritos

TO ADVERTISE CALL 800-901-7211 Re: State of education Budget Deficit and Student Enrollment Dear Editor: Yes, due to the economy, the state has decreased the overall state budget significantly but are local district budget woes due to decreased funding or due to lack of proper budget management. According to the Department of Finance (DOF), from 2006 to 2009 state funding per student has increased from $10,649 to $12, 152 per year. (source: Department of Finance historical budgets) Most districts in the state have experienced declining enrollment and I believe ABCUSD’s enrollment has declined by about 3,000 students over the last 5-10 years. Fewer students, you would

Opinions expressed are not opinions of the editor. To submit letters e-mail to editor@cerritosnews.net.

think, would require fewer Principals, Assistant Principals, coordinators, supervisors, directors, Assistant Superintendents, secretaries, teachers etc to operate. I believe ABC is still operating with the same number of Principals, other administrators and non-teaching staffing as it had when enrollment was high and herein lies the problem.

Simple math will illustrate how decreased enrollment might have a bigger impact on the budget than state reductions.

Being conservative let’s say ABCUSD’s total revenue per student is $9,000 per student per year and enrollment declined by 2,500 students over the last 5 to 10 years.. Under this scenario, district revenues would have decreased by $22.5 million dollars. Now if you’re operating the district with the same staffing as when enrollment was high, you would indeed be in very deep financial do do. If positions had been decreased as enrollment declined, the district would not have to make drastic cuts now. It appears that someone at the district has been asleep at the wheel (hopefully not a Toyota ) during the period of declining enrollment.

And how in the world can you expect the state to fund a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) when state revenues are decreasing and the cost of living has actually decreased. Not even Social Security recipients were given a COLA last year. Another thing bothered me about the CFO's numbers. How do you end up with only a $6.5 million dollar deficit if your revenues have been decreased by $28 million dollars? Doesn't add up.

Brian Lakewood

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COMMUNITY NEWS GROUP • FEBRUARY 26, 2010

The Chieftains with Ry Cooder: Undiluted Joy at the Cerritos Center

By Glen Creason I have gone past double figures in hearing the great Chieftains perform at the Performing Arts Center, a lucky thirteen to be exact and have never seen a similar show twice. I have to believe it is the ultimate test of musical artists to continue to excel and entertain even when crowds know you like family. The genius of this evergreen band is that they never sit still and are always looking forward, never staying put where they might form a rut. Instead, each visit brings clean new sounds, great artists that they introduce or established greats who might join in the loosely arranged musical merriment. Still, the Sunday afternoon show they offered this visit was just something extra special, something so warm and wonderful and full of surprises that it reached heights not achievable for most groups. With great success that has continued unabated for almost fifty years the group can afford to work with the very best and thanks to the guidance of the legendary Paddy Maloney they make each show beyond memorable.

You would not expect an Irish band lead by a man from Dublin to perform Mexican music but this show blended the traditions perfectly, juxtaposing the sounds in a way that elevated each song.

The proceedings before a packed house began, appropriately with the sweet sound of Maestro Maloney’s uilleann pipes that lulls then joins with fiddle, drum, harp, and guitar to create that Chieftains magic. The first half of the show had so much to see and hear it truly defies description but then again this isn’t You Tube. The music ranged from the Irish of “the Foggy Dew,” and “... Gallant Brave” sung by Scot soprano Alyth McCormack and voice of the Chieftains Kevin Connell to “Orange Blossom Special” and “Cotton Eyed Joe” assisted and sung perfectly by Jeff White along with fiddler Deanie Richardson. Midway the gents brought out a very special guest in Ry Cooder, the legendary musicologist,

Neighbors save life of man in his 90’s from burning house in Norwalk

By Randy Economy Over the weekend, a group of neighbors in helped rescue a man in his 90’s man from a house fire.

The fire broke out about 1 a.m. at 12107 Lowemont Street according to Los Angeles County Fire Department officials.

Neighbors called 911when they saw smoke coming from the house where the elderly man lived alone and went in to help.

The brave neighbors pulled the elderly

guitarist and storyteller who brought with him the dazzling music and dance ensemble “Los Cenzontles” who could have easily put on a fine concert alone. Much of the music was from the superb recent Chief Chieftains work done with Cooder’s help called “San Patricio.” The memorable “Sands of Mexico” told the story of the St. Patrick’s Brigade of Irish volunteers who came to Mexico to fight, only to be betrayed and eventually executed for their efforts on behalf of Mexican independence. There was also electrifying dancing from the sensational Pilatske brothers and step dancing queen Cara Butler along with the Cenzontles that just released endorphins across the giddy hall every time they put toe to stage.

The second half was just more amazement filled with Irish and Mexican sounds along with dancing by the Pilatske’s, Cara Butler, the beautiful ladies of “Los Cenzontles,” and the enchanting young Irish dancers of McCarten’s school. Could there possibly be more than all that? How about a full-sized pipe band in full regalia playing the rousing “March to Battle,” the Cenzontles dancing and playing “La Iguana” in the Jarocho style of Vera Cruz and plenty of Irish reels and assorted solos by harpist Trina Marshall, flutist Matt Molloy, Alyth McCormack, Deanie Richardson, Jeff White, sones from members of the Cenzontles and more hoofing by the Pilatzkes and lovely Cara Butler. Yet the highlight of the show may have been the heartbreakingly beautiful “Cancion Mixteca” that was introduced by an exquisite guitar lead by Ry Cooder and then sung by “Los Cenzontles” with such emotion it caused genuine goose bumps. Somehow, this show bejeweled with greats songs and dance performed wonderfully by a star-studded cast transcended the concert form and changed the afternoon into a celebration of the human spirit and left the audience glowing with joy. Whatever Paddy Maloney is doing to bring these shows off I hope he continues for a good long time.

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man out from his bed and into a safe place outside before fire officials arrived on the scene.

The man was lucky to make it out alive, and only suffered minor burns to his legs and smoke inhalation, and he is expected to recover fully.

Sadly, the victim’s small dog and cat that were inside the home died in the fire, but two other small dogs escaped the blaze.

The fire caused an estimated $200,000 worth of damage to the house and its contents and the cause is being blamed on an electric floor heater in the room where the man was sleeping.

Firefighters put out the blaze in 20 minutes.

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MIND, BODY, SPIRIT Dr. Urban on Today’s Dentistry

Feeling tired all the time?

Does it seem like you go to bed early, get your eight hours of sleep and still feel tired?

Perhaps you are not getting the sleep you think you are.

Many of us suffer from obstructive sleep apnea or OSA. Sleep apnea is characterized by pauses in breathing from a few seconds to a minute. These pauses can occur a few times during the night or over a hundred times an hour. It can allow a low oxygen saturation level in the blood resulting in oxygen starvation of the tissues and organs. It can result in strokes, hypertension, heart disease and death.

Sleep study tests can determine the incidence of breathing cessation. A medical doctor can confirm a diagnosis of sleep

Norwalk Lions hold annual speech contest

By Helen Brown This year the Speech Contest was held in council chambers at City Hall on February 3, 2010. There were four contestants; Daniel Macias from El Camino HS, Rocio Pena from John Glenn HS, Paola Herrera from Norwalk HS, and Isaac Remijio from Santa Fe HS. The judges this year were Judge Thomas I. McKnew, Jr. from Norwalk Superior Court, Carlos Ramos, Director of Norwalk Public Safety, and Julie Johnson, Job Developer/Placement Specialist of the Whittier School District.

The speech topic was Universal Health Care and the students had definitely done their research. They were all well spoken and whether you agreed on their point of view or not, you had to appreciate and admire their arguments and the maturity with which it was stated.

The Norwalk Lions was chartered June 4, 1946 and for more than 60 years their members have provided services and assistance to help those in need. They have never wavered from their commitment to serve and always strive to live up to their

apnea after carefully reviewing the results of a sleep study test. These tests monitor the blood oxygen level, REM cycles, and the frequency of obstructive episodes per hour.

You can ask yourself these questions to see if you should seek help. What are my chances of dozing when I sit and read, watch TV, sit in public places, wait for red lights while driving or sit as a passenger in a car? What is the likelihood of falling to sleep after lunch? If you are tired or fatigued easily during the day it would be very prudent to consult with your physician for advice.

Sleep apnea can be initiated from the brain or from physical factors that obstruct and collapse the breathing space. Exactly where the collapse occurs in the back of the throat can determine the treatment alternatives.

Treatments for OSA can vary from anti-snoring devices made by dentists, sleeping on specially tilted pillows, neck slings, or wearing facemasks attached to positive pressure air pumps (CPAP). As with all treatment options these CPAP pumps cannot be tolerated by everyone and may have a limited success with some

individuals.

In severe cases where respiratory arrest is possible surgery may be the only option. Surgical removal of excessive soft tissues in the throat and nasal sinus surgeries have been performed to open up the airways with limited success. In the most severe cases skeletal surgeries are performed to open up airways. This type of surgery, although extensive, has had great success. It sounds like a lot of treatment, but we are talking about a life-threatening situation if left untreated.

Regardless, I hope that you can appreciate that snoring may be a sign of a more serious problem and that it should be discussed with your physician or dentist.

Your dentist can do a quick airway analysis, ask a few questions, and refer you to a physician that specializes in sleep apnea.

Depending upon the results you may just have a snoring problem that can be alleviated with a simple appliance. Remember that OSA is not condition about a lack of sleep, but a medical condition about a lack of oxygen.

For answers to your dental questions, contact Douglas Urban, D.D.S. Cerritos, CA 90703 562 924-1523

motto “We Serve”.

The Norwalk club is made up of members of the community from all walks of life who share a common interest to serve and give back. Through service members expand their leadership opportunities and gain skills valuable to business and professional life.

Last year alone they provided hundreds

port education and provide numerous college scholarships. They support community programs and co-sponsor events such as the Halloween Festival, Easter Egg Hunt, and Santa Claus Float. They unselfishly help support youth organizations and local youth little leagues. They also support foundations that provide critical assistance with health and safety. Not long ago they provided all the boxing gym equipment located at the Norwalk Arts & Sports Complex to help keep kids off the streets! Most of the city residents know nothing of these good works or how they are funded.

The Lions extend a warm invitation to anyone who would like to learn more about the Lions organization and the good work they do.

For more information SPEECH WINNERS: Daniel Macias from El Camino HS, Ro- contact Manny Sancio Pena from John Glenn HS, Paola Herrera from Norwalk HS, chez at 562-708-9061, and Isaac Remijio from Santa Fe HS. The judges this year were Information Officer for back row, [l-r] Carlos Ramos, Director of Norwalk Public Safety, the Lions.

Judge Thomas I. McKnew, Jr. from Norwalk Superior Court, and On Saturday, FebJulie Johnson, Job Developer/Placement Specialist of the Whit- ruary 20 the lions will tier School District. be holding a Pancake Breakfast fundraiser of free eye examinations and gave out 95 at the NASC at 13600 Clarkdale from 7:00 pair of prescription eyeglasses to Norwalk a.m. to 12:00 noon. Tickets can be purresidents experiencing hardship. While chased at the door for $5.00. they are known for their services in eyeHonored guests at the event included sight and blind prevention they also provide school board members Margarita Rios, services in many other ways. This year the Karen Morrison, and NLMUSD SuperinLions implemented the “Lions Alert” pro- tendent Ruth Perez. Also present were some gram which provides critical emergency visiting District 4 officials. information to the community. They sup-

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7

MIND, BODY, SPIRIT

Largest turnout ever at the Annual ABC Magnet Schools Fair are open and free to all families residing in and outside the District.

The magnet schools in the District include the following: Burbank ES (Visual, Performing and Folk Arts Magnet); Carver (Communication Arts Magnet); Elliott ES (Global Studies and Technology Magnet); Furgeson ES (Academy of Communications and Technology Magnet; Leal ES (Visual and Performing Arts Magnet); Niemes ES (School of Environmental Science and Technology Magnet); Stowers ES (School of International Studies); Fedde MS (International Studies Academy); Ross MS (Academy of Creative and Media Arts Magnet ) and Artesia HS (Bridge to the Future Magnet).

For more information about the ABC Magnet schools contact the schools, view the website at: www.abcusd.k12.ca.us or call the District Magnet Schools Office at (562) 9256-5566, ext.

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BIG TURNOUT: Thousands of families lined the District Office to learn about the magnet schools

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February 22 - 27 Shopping for a great new school?

That’s what over 1000 people did on Febr.11 at the ABC Magnet Schools Recruitment Fair held at the District Office in Cerritos. Families from in and outside the District came to learn about the 10 magnet schools in ABC Unified School District.

According to Dr. Mary Sieu, Deputy Superintendent, “Since 1996, the District has created 10 specialized themed schools to provide greater options for parents. A magnet school is one that is selected by the District and the U.S. Department of Education to receive extra funding, equipment, and teacher training in a chosen field. All magnet schools provide innovative programs that are aligned with the California academic content standards and are specially

designed to enhance our students’ educational experience”.

Principals, teachers and students from the 10 magnet schools were available at their school booths to address questions about their special programs.

An information session was held for interested parents to ask questions about admissions, curriculum and the application process.

Magnet schools

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8 COMMUNITY NEWS GROUP • FEBRUARY 26, 2010

Miss La Palma loves her city

By Larry Caballero

When Judy Yoo and her family came to the United States from Seoul, Korea, in 2000, they bought a home in La Palma.

She was only seven years old and living in a new country with a different language and traditions. Even so, it didn’t take long for her to learn English and to love her new city and school.

She only spent two months in the second grade in an ELD class for English learners before she was ready to be in mainstream classes. By the third grade she was an outstanding student who even won an award for her drawing in art. At Walker Junior High she was enrolled in advanced placement classes and played the clarinet in the school band. She also

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learned figure skating at the same time.

At Kennedy High, she continued excelling in her studies in high-level classes while being an active member of the Key Club as its fundraising and publicity chair and as the liaison to the La Palma Kiwanis Club. She was also treasurer to the Christian Club, and in the tenth grade she created her own group called the Green Earth Club. As its President, she was instrumental in having a garden planted at the school In the ninth and tenth grades she was a Christian missionary in Mexico during her summer vacations where she helped to build houses, teach arts and crafts to the children and be involved in Bible study classes.

It was her mom who encouraged her to try out for the Miss La Palma contest.

“She said it would be a way for me to get to know the community better and to try something new. She was really proud when I won.” Five judges interviewed

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Yoo was both happy and surprised when she won the contest, but she did take private lessons in Korean Fan Dancing to prepare for the talent portion of the competition. She not only won in that category, but in the evening gown and one speech question as well.

“It gave me a great feeling of accomplishment when I won the competition. I hope now that I can do all that is expected of me.” Yoo loves to “hang out with my friends, read and watch Korean soap operas on television.”

She isn’t sure what her future holds in store for her, but she is thinking about becoming a lawyer. She has already been accepted to Amherst College in Massachusetts to study pre-law. “My teachers were all happy and proud for me, and I hope I won’t disappoint them,” said Yoo.

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The tennis courts at the Cerritos Tennis Center at Cerritos Regional County Park have a long history of top youth playing USTA (United States Tennis Association) junior open tournaments.

Pete Sampras, Jim Courier and Michael Chang are examples of youth players who used to play tournaments here in Cerritos.

Sampras and Courier would also come here for round robin match play regularly on weekends as youth players. Unfortunately, it’s been many years since the courts at Cerritos Regional County Park have hosted a sanctioned USTA junior open tennis tournament. This weekend, tennis is coming back to Cerritos.

On Presidents Day Weekend, Saturday, February 13 – Monday, February 15, Cerritos will be host to the 1st Annual Cerritos Regional Park Junior Open Tournament. Over 200 youth tennis players from across the Los Angeles area will be coming to Cerritos to compete to gain points for their junior rankings. Matches begin at 8am each day and go through 7pm. The Cerritos Regional Park is located at 19700 Bloomfield Avenue (cross

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Bram Sada, Manager of the Cerritos Tennis Center, was very pleased to get the approval of the USTA to bring junior tournaments back to Cerritos. “Since I began managing the Cerritos Tennis Center last year, the tennis community had been urging me to bring back USTA junior tennis tournaments to the Cerritos area. Many could not understand why there was an annual Cerritos Invitiational Junior Tournament on the USTA calendar but that tournament had nothing to do with Cerritos since the matches were always held in Long Beach, Seal Beach and Lakewood. With the lobbying efforts of key community members, we were able to successfully gain approval from the USTA. It will be very nice to have a Cerritos tennis tournament that the Cerritos community can call its own since it really will be played in Cerritos.”

Because it is the first year of the tournament, Bram Sada only hoped to get around 100 youth entrants. Currently, the number of youth entrants has already surpassed 200. The funds used for the tournament will help upgrade and repair the tennis courts in Cerritos Regional Park. The goal next year for the tournament will be to develop opportunities for local businesses in the area to sponsor and support the tennis tournament in different ways.

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Alumni opinions on Whitney High School’s new Multimedia Center

By Maria Bolanos As an alumnus of Whitney High School, I’ve seen first-hand the caliber of which it is capable: students are always top-notch in the fields of mathematics and engineering, attending and winning robotics competitions across the region; we always score in the top percentile on standardized tests regarding languages and literature; we have a strong social sciences department, augmented with a history of excellence in Model United Nations. And despite the school’s emphasis on academics, Whitney High has also produced some of the most talented visual artists to apply to art school.

Yet for a while, this spectrum of excellence and talent has not been showcased at its full potential--which is why students, teachers, and alumni alike were all ecstatic at the prospect of Whitney’s own multimedia center: with this direct access to a theatre and media lab equipped with film-making software, we would finally be able to adequately explore media, mass communications, and the performing arts as serious outlets for students and a taste test of potential careers.

As a college student with the intent to major in Media Studies, I can personally attest that had Whitney built the multimedia center during my days as a wildcat, I would have definitely taken advantage of the opportunity to learn more about media, mass communications, and theatre production. As it turns out, many Whitney High School alumni such as myself, who have decided to undertake majors related to mass communications in the hopes of careers in film or broadcast media don’t really know what to expect, having never been on the air or handled more than rudimentary film equipment.

To get an opinion on the matter of

COMMUNITY NEWS GROUP • FEBRUARY 26, 2010

Chinese New Year at ABC Board Meeting

practical advantages that a new multimedia center would bring, I interviewed Alexander Chang, a fellow alumnus from the Class of 2009, who had been both an editor for Aspects, the school newspaper, and a student taking Mr. Ziolkowski’s Contemporary Media course. He told me that a new multimedia center “would facilitate things and help you to get more into what you're doing if you aren’t just borrowing the school's computer lab for a (class) period.

It was always inconvenient when the place would be full with other classes. In terms of Aspects…one of the things that made broadcast journalism seem less feasible (as a program at Whitney) was that we didn't even know where we'd film the show or if we'd have equipment or storage space. That discouraged a lot of us from supporting the start of the Whitney broadcast channel.”

I have high hopes and high expectations for the multimedia center, and can’t CELEBRATING NEW YEAR: Cerritos Elementary School students enrolled in wait to see the kinds of productions that the the Chinese Foreign Language Assistant Program [FLAP] perform at the ABC School school will now be able to produce, with Board meeting Feb. 16 in celebration of the Chinese New Year. much more autonomy and less technical and bureaucratic hindrance. I feel confident that the availability of this Mercury OFFers sOMe OF THe lOWesT raTes new center will in caliFOrnia FOr FaMilies WiTH Teen DriVers. spark newfound passions and talHOW DOes yOur insurance cOMPare? ent in broadcast media, film, and For a fast, free quote contact your local Mercury Agent: La Palma Artesia Cerritos the performing (90623) (90701) (90703) arts. Pretty soon, alongside the Mercury Insurance $1,362 $1,470 $1,470 budding new en- Vicencia & buckley ins. sVc. Progressive Insurance $2,410 $2,550 $2,541 gineers, political 20 Centerpointe Drive, Ste. 100 leaders, authors, La Palma, CA 90623 State Farm Insurance $2,339 $2,300 $2,300 and artists of the CA License: 0578496 nation, Whitney 21st Century Insurance $2,225 $2,167 $2,335 High School will be able to Travelers Insurance $2,108 $2,315 $2,303 see the beginnings of the next Allstate Insurance $1,946 $2,199 $1,978 generation of news reporters, Geico Insurance $1,888 $1,911 $2,213 actors, producRate comparison criteria: Six month premium; married couple; 45/43; no accidents or citations; and a female teen driver, 16, with a good student discount; driving a 2006 Toyota Camry and a 2007 Ford ers, and film Edge SE with 12,000 annual miles each. Coverages: BI-PD 100/300/50; UMBI 100/300; CDW; $5,000 Med Pay; $500 comprehensive deductible; and $500 collision deductible. Quotes obtained June 2009 from sources we believe are reliable, but we cannot guarantee their accuracy. Rates do not reflect any changes that may have been made after these quotes were obtained. All rates reflect full payment directors.

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10 COMMUNITY NEWS GROUP • FEBRUARY 26, 2010

ACCUSATIONS

Continued from page 1 a “conflict of interest” existed.

Huntsman said the accused who served as Assistant Building Official for the city performed the function of a public official in all ways except for being paid through a third party firm which contracts with public agencies to provide staff.

The Deputy District Attorney said on Aug. 20, 2009 the accused declared under penalty of perjury, “I am an Assistant Building Official for the City of Hawaiian Gardens” and, “I began working for the city in the Building and Safety Department as an Assistant Building Official on or about November 2006.” Huntsman said the statements were valid and at no time did he deny being paid through an agency.

He said from the facts no perjury

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was committed by the accused calling himself an “Assistant Building Officer.

The same holds true for the former city attorney, John Cavanaugh, to call himself “City Attorney”. Each serves as a pubic official and is bound to lawfully discharge the functions of their office even if their paycheck does not bear the city seal.

He concluded by stating the District Attorney’s office sees no reason to inquire further as to any allegations of perjury by the accused in his August declaration.

Cavanaugh also raised the question of there being a “conflict of interest” by the accused who is a paid member of ICC, a non-profit trade organization for public building inspectors that also sells reports regarding building materials. In his letter, the Deputy District Attorney said membership is common among public officials and the accused does not receive any income from the organization or serve in any decision-making capacity. ICC has one major competitor for the production of such reports, also a non-profit trade organization, IAPMO. In his capacity as Assistant Building Officer, the accused promulgated a policy providing that the city would not accept reports regarding the suitability of building materials from IAPMO. On Oct. 19, 2009, lawyers from IAPMO sent a letter to Cavanaugh stating that because of the accused membership in ICC, it caused his decision to be “tainted by a conflict of interest.” However, under state code a conflict of interest occurs when there is proof of a financial interest in the outcome of the matter in the form of a source of income to the public official and requires a government contract that is absent here.

The D.A. said the accused did not appear to receive any income from ICC and pays ICC for the privilege of being a member, which provides him specified fixed benefits primarily the right to cite his membership among his qualifications and certain small discounts. The District Attorney’s office could find no conflict of interest and sees no reason to inquire

further as to allegation of criminal conflict of interest in his decision to exclude IAPMO reports.

Bilingual Service In other business the council acting on a proposal by Councilman Bruce unanimously agreed to set up an EnglishSpanish bilingual interpreting service for city council meetings at an annual cost of $33,700.

The program will include two professional interpreters who will be on duty during the council meetings, which will be recorded and within three days; the meeting will be on the web sight and cable and be televised in Spanish. For those residents attending the council meetings headsets will be provided upon request with an interpreter providing the translation simultaneously.

The council also voted to limit the council meetings, which begin at 6 p.m., to a maximum of three hours with no new business after 9 p.m. Items on the agenda that cannot be addressed would be carried over to the next council meeting or considered at a special meeting if urgent. The council hopes to begin the new program at the second meeting in March, depending on the time it takes to purchase and install the necessary equipment.

Survey The council voted 3-2 to solicit proposals for a police customer service survey. Voting for the survey was Mayor Victor Farfan, and Councilmembers Barry Bruce and Reynaldo Rodriguez.

Mayor pro tem Michiko Oyama- Canada and Councilman Mike Gomez voted against it.

Gomez said a report had already been done and there was no need for a second report. However Bruce said the report did not survey the residents, which he said was needed. He said the report was limited to the Sheriff Department.

The City Administrator and the former Assistant City Administrator authorized the report. Bruce said if the results showed the residents were satisfied with the present law enforcement in the city he would be satisfied. However, if it showed the majority was not satisfied, then the city had a problem.

City Clerk Sue Underwood pointed out not every resident in Hawaiian Gardens would be approached. Such surveys are usually done on a random basis.

In other business the council voted to donate $5,000 to the Hawaiian Gardens Little League.

ARTESIA

Continued from page 1 •

Additional child $10 discount.

Non Residents: • 4-6 years - $69.

• 7-14 years - $81.

• No discount for additional children, Uniforms are the obligation of the teams In her report to the Council, the City Manager said the staff went to the

TO ADVERTISE CALL 800-901-7211 Recreation Commission seeking its support of its proposed fee schedule. She said the commission was told the city wanted to recover as much as possible of the sports program subsidies. She said they proposed the following: Residents: 4-6 years old $50. Non-Residents $69. Uniforms $25.

Residents 7-14 years old $59. NonResidents $81. Uniforms, $30. Uniforms would be optional at time of registration.

The Commission however recommended residents age 4-6 years $50 for first child, $30 for each additional child and $25 per uniform which would be refundable at the end of the season when the uniforms were turned in. For ages 7-14 years $59 for first child and $30 each additional child and $25 for uniforms/ refundable amount.

For non-residents, the Commission proposed age 4-6 years, $69 for the first child, $40 for each additional child, and $25 per uniform/refundable amount. For ages 7-14 years, $81 for the first child, and $40 for each additional child, and $25 per uniform/refundable amount. She said both recommended fee schedules were inclusive of umpire fees, game equipment, trophies and a $25 uniform fee. The commission also recommended an annual evaluation of youth league fees in the fall of each year.

She said the fees recommended were not there to recover the total amount but to encourage people to participate in the program. It was also pointed out that the city’s funds were very limited and staff’s recommendation was based on cost recovery.

Councilmember Sally Flowers said she would go with the Parks and Recreation Commission proposal. She said she thought the full recovery fees would destroy the program. ”I like to see the children out there playing.”

Councilmember John Lyon said he was not sure which way to go. He said his problem was if the council implemented cost recovery for other things it would be hard to justify when and where to implement full cost recovery elsewhere.

Councilman Larry Nelson said he also had mixed emotions on which way to go. He stated the city couldn’t afford to subsidize each organization any longer. “We’re hanging on by the skin of our teeth and I don’t know where the line is. “ Mayor Tony Lima agreed. Mayor Pro Tem Victor Manalo agreed with Councilmember Flowers noting the city was subsidizing more than 50 percent of the Parks and Recreation costs.

Clarification At the Feb. 8 City Council meeting Councilman Larry Nelson stated he favored the proposed computerized valet parking structure over a surface parking lot for Pioneer Boulevard shoppers. However, he would go along with the majority of the council to move forward with a surface parking lot with the understanding the Council was not “scrapping” the parking structure but would return to the proposal if it was seen additional parking space would be needed.

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“Members work very hard to make the event a success,” co-chair Marcia Verkaik said. “But our secret weapon is the sponsors and donors who contribute out of the goodness of their hearts.”

“Our local Wal-Mart is a Diamond Sponsor,” co-chair Ivana Royse explained.

“And they’ve been our biggest sponsor for several years now. They are truly invested in our community.”

Third co-chair, Billie Thornton, agreed, adding, “You can really tell which businesses and community members care about the local community by looking at our list of sponsors each year. Supervisor Don Knabe always supports our efforts, as does Dr. Terrisa Ha, realtor Diana Needham, the cities of Artesia and Cerritos, the law offices of Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud and Romo, and , of course, the Los Cerritos Community News.”

“And we have wonderful new sponsors this year as well,” Ivana Royse pointed out.

“Both La Palma Hospital and Gum’s Mall of Antiques have come on board in a big way.”

Marcia Verkaik added, “Our donors continue to be so very generous despite these tough economic times. We have overnight stays at hotels or resorts in Rancho Palos Verdes, Anaheim, San Diego, Los Angeles, Lake Tahoe, Reno, Mississippi, and Florida as well as Morongo, Pala, and Pechanga Resorts. “ Prizes also include attending a Dodgers or Kings game, rounds of golf, snowboarding, cruising the LA harbor or watching whales. Attendees might also win entry to The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, Long Beach Museum of Art, Golf N Stuff, Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts, The Richard Nixon Library, La Mirada Theater, Laemmle Theatres, and the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts.

“We even have 2 raffles where winners need not be present to win,” Marcia added.

“Prizes for the Limited 200 raffle include getaways to Florida, the California wine country, and Lake Tahoe. And prizes for the Opportunity Drawing include a wine sampling for 12 with a wine consultant; a 2 night stay at the La Jolla Hyatt Regency with admission to San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park, and a $50 gas card; or a $250 Costco gift card. We even have gift cards from over 30 restaurants. Basically, there’s something for everyone! So be sure to get your tickets.”

To purchase tickets for the event or raffle tickets, or to be a sponsor or donate a prize, call Ivana Royse at 562 925 1566.

Your News Online www. loscerritosnews.net

COMMUNITY NEWS GROUP • FEBRUARY 26, 2010

CERRITOS SHERIFF’S STATION

Weekly Crime Summary February 8-14, 2010 Cerritos Sheriff’s Station reported twenty-two Part I felony crimes last week, down by one crime from the previous week. All reported categories were down with the exception of vehicle thefts. Patrol personnel handled 315 calls for service, which is up from the 288 the previous week, and still above the 2010 weekly average of 308.

There were no robberies investigated last week.

There were no residential burglaries reported last week. Four were logged the week before. The new 2010 weekly average in residential burglaries is 2.1.

The Cerritos Sheriff’s Station/Community Safety Center receives frequent inquiries from new and established residents as to the best methods to protect a home from burglary. Our number one recommendation is to have a monitored alarm system installed. These systems are a proven deterrent and we cannot recall the last time a completed burglary has occurred involving a residence with a functioning monitored system in place.

One commercial burglary and a burglary to a gym locker were reported last week. A school was targeted where a window was used to attempt entry but no loss was reported. ID and cash were taken from the locker. The 2010 weekly average in this crime category is 2.3.

Vehicle burglaries dropped again from six to four cases last week. High-volume commercial lots were the crime scenes in all four. Three of the vehicles were SUVs, one having a third row seat removed. Front seats, MP3 players, wallets, cash, a Social Security card, and ID were also taken. The new 2010 weekly average in vehicle burglaries is 7.9.

Social Security cards should never be left unattended. They are needed when beginning employment and applying for certain benefits. If your Social Security account number becomes available to criminals, identity theft will be the likely result. Credit, goods, and services can be obtained by using this number and it is known to take years to straighten out.

Safeguard this very important document.

Vehicle thefts rose from four to nine last week. High-volume commercial parking lots were involved in six cases. Six Hondas and three SUVs were taken. The 2010 weekly average in vehicle thefts is 5.3.

Even though we see more Hondas and Toyotas stolen compared to others, car thieves are not always as selective as you think and are most often just looking for transportation. Consider a steering wheel locking device that serves as a good visual deterrent.

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11

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12 COMMUNITY NEWS GROUP • FEBRUARY 26, 2010

CIF BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS

Potts, Gahr crown Sea Kings, face Serra in III-A semifinals

By Loren Kopff NEWPORT BEACH-Back in mid November before the regular season began, Gahr boys basketball head coach Bob Becker said there were seven teams within the California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section Division III-A which would be road blocks for his team in the playoffs. Corona Del Mar is one of them and the Gladiators took care of the Sea Kings this past Tuesday night in a quarterfinal game.

Despite blowing a 16-point second quarter lead, Gahr fought back and rode the sharp shooting of junior Davon Potts in the fourth quarter to pull out a 68-62 win in front of a hostile crowd. Fourth seeded Gahr will play top seeded Serra tonight at Cerritos High School for the right to play for a CIF championship next Saturday morning at the Honda Center.

“It’s a UW if I’ve ever seen one,” Becker said, referring to another ugly win. “We blew a 15-point lead obviously and we blew it early.”

Several times this season, Gahr (25-4) has seen double digit leads formed in the first half evaporate in the second half, then having to forge back for a win. Against Corona Del Mar, that 16-point lead would eventually be a three-point deficit late in the third quarter.

Both teams came out the gate shooting well as they each were true on seven of 16 shots from the field in the first quarter and combined for five three-pointers. Gahr was leading 19-18 but began the second quarter on a 15-0 run and some thought it was the beginning to what would be a rout. The Sea Kings got just two downtown shots in the stanza and trailed by 15 at the half. Still, that wasn’t good enough for Becker and his halftime speech to his team proved to be spot on.“Teams that have good shooters come out and shoot poorly early,” Becker said. “I told my guys at halftime that these guys are going to hit some shots. I just didn’t expect them to take a lead on us.”

Back to back three-pointers from Ramon Mejia and Danny Cheek began the second half for Corona Del Mar. The hosts would proceed to score 18 of the next 24 points of the third quarter and when Cheek drained his fourth long distance shot of the game with 1:47 remaining in the stanza, the Sea Kings had a 48-45 lead. Corona Del Mar sank 10 trifectas and is one of the best perimeter shooting teams Becker has faced this season.

Junior Javonte Sales tied the game at 52-52 with four seconds left, then Potts and sophomore Anthony Martinez each added two more points to the lead. But the Sea Kings rallied and although they never regained the lead, they got to within one point three more times and tied the game at 58-58 with 3:21 left to play.

The big shot of the game came with 1:32 remaining when Martinez scored the last of his 14 points as the shot clock expired. That made the score 61-58 but Mejia would answer back, then again after Potts hit two free throws with 24 seconds left.

“I give them credit; they came out and played great in the third quarter,” Becker said. “We didn’t do much to stop their momentum. In the fourth quarter, we hung on and played smart again. I like how this team plays smart.”

Any chance for the Sea Kings to tie the game was dashed when Clayton Ragsdale stepped on the end line under his basket with five seconds left. That came right after a timeout and Potts would seal the game with three more free throws. He would lead the Gladiators with 23 points but hit 14 of 15 free throws. He also had six rebounds.

“Davon is one of those kids who puts so much into it and gets so much out of it,” Becker said. “That’s the guy you want at the line. We were just fortunate that they were fouling our right guy in that situation.”

Senior Charles Nebo quietly had 11 points and seven rebounds while senior Ervin Ware added nine points, five assists and

four steals DIVISION IV-A BOYS # 3 Pacific Hills 62, # 15 Valley Christian 37

A long season finally came to a halt for the Crusaders last Friday night as they couldn’t get anything going offensively in this second round game. The Crusaders were 10 of 44 from the field and were hoping for a closer game against the Bruins following a road victory two nights prior to begin the playoffs.

“It was nice to get one the other night at Desert; it was a fun win for the guys,” said Valley Christian head coach Bryan Branderhorst. “We knew tonight was tough. They have a lot of good players on their team; athletic all over the place. They’re used to winning a lot of games.”

V.C. took a brief 6-2 lead midway through the opening quarter on a pair of baskets from senior Dean Pollema and one from junior Jeff Hing. But the Crusaders would be held scoreless for the next 5:19 before those two scored consecutive baskets. V.C. trailed by 10 points with 2:52 left in the half but would not get the deficit into single digits the rest of the way.

“Our offensive execution wasn’t great tonight,” Branderhorst said. “We turned the ball over a lot in the second quarter and we missed a lot of shots that we were hoping to make. But that’s part of the game and we’re still proud of the guys. They fought really hard to the very end.”

It went from bad to worse in the third quarter where the hosts connected on one of 14 shots from the field and scored just five points. One of the bright spots in the game came from Pollema, who, along with senior Aaron Padilla, scored eight points but also had 10 rebounds. Four of them came in the first quarter and five more came in the third.

“He has a way of finding the ball,” Branderhorst said. “He has good hands and sees the ball come off the rim nice.”

Senior Chris Hunt added seven boards while junior Trevor Rodriguez scored all four of his points and had all four of his rebounds in the fourth quarter. The Crusaders, who finished in last place in the Olympic League and ends the season at 11-16, can see the light at the end of tunnel as far as next season is concerned. With the new league realignment beginning next season, V.C. will now face Los Angeles Baptist, Maranatha, Village Christian and Whittier Christian twice instead of Brentwood, Campbell Hall, Crossroads, Montclair Prep and Windward.

“I’ve never had a team where every single guy played every single game,” Branderhorst said. “That was the case this year.

With that being said, a lot of guys got a lot of experience and we’ll bring back some guys next year.”

DIVISION II-A GIRLS #3 Woodbridge 65, Norwalk 14 IRVINE-No one expected the Lady Lancers to do much against the third ranked team in the division and that’s exactly what happened last Thursday night. Norwalk trailed by five points just under two minutes left in the first quarter, then watched the Warriors go on a 30-6 run the rest of the half.

“Sometimes it’s hard to find a positive,” said Norwalk head coach Richard Drake.

“But if you really had to pick one, it’s three years in a row that we actually made the playoffs. So, that is a positive for a program that really never went to the playoffs. The thing that we haven’t been able to do is get out of our own ways. We don’t really have great seasons to allow CIF to give us a better seeding.”

Norwalk (12-15) stumbled into the playoffs, going 4-8 in the Suburban League and finishing in fifth place. It did take a 2-0 lead 12 seconds into the game on a basket from senior and Loyola Marymount University signee Alexis Love. But Woodbridge scored the next 12 points and the rout was on. That would be the only field goal for Love as the Lady Lancers were led by junior Vanessa Ramirez, who scored all eight of her points in the first half and did not miss a shot from the field.

“I told her that was the best half she’s played all year,” Drake said. “If she can get that consistently next year, she’s going to have a great year. That’s all you can ask.”

Norwalk was blanked in the third quarter, missing on all seven field goals and four more shots from the charity stripe. In addition, Norwalk turned the ball over 33 times in the first three quarters before the game was

TO ADVERTISE CALL 800-901-7211 played under running clock in the fourth quarter. Love grabbed seven rebounds and had two assists. Sara Lipton led everyone with 16 points while Sara McCutchan added 12 points, all in the first half.

“That’s a credit to how good they are, not necessarily how efficient we are,” Drake said. “We know we have a lot of work to do.

But you’re playing a third seed. Mayfair is the 12th seed and we played them hard for a half. Even they would have a hard time with this team.”

DIVISION III-A GIRLS # 4 Bonita 58, # 13 Gahr 36 Poor shooting in the second and third quarters spelled doom for the Gladiators last Saturday night at home as a two-point game early in the second quarter quickly turned into 14-point advantage for the Bearcats late in the stanza. Gahr would lead for much of the first quarter thanks to five points from junior Symone Brown. But following a basket from sophomore Alii Salone 30 seconds into the second quarter, Bonita scored the next 12 points and never looked back.

“To me it changed when I changed the guards,” said Gahr head coach Al Dorogusker. “Our guard play was just horrendous tonight. We didn’t hit any outside shots until when it didn’t really matter anymore.”

Gahr had no answers for the height that Bonita threw at the hosts. Madison Zylstra, who scored a game-high 18 points, stood at 5’ 9” while Brianna Kennedy at 6’ 2” and Taylor Anderson at 5’ 10” combined to score 21 more points. Adding more insult was 5’ 8” Lauren Hastings who came off the bench to score 11 points. Gahr has three starters that are at least 5’9”.

“I was disappointed in that we didn’t close up the middle,” Dorogusker said. “I was more concerned with the cuts down the middle and the lack of help down the middle. It was very, very disheartening because we rebounded well.”

Gahr, which finished the regular season at 15-13 and was an at-large representative from the San Gabriel Valley League, was outscored 15-4 in the third quarter and Bonita’s lead would expand to 50-25 midway through the fourth quarter. Brown was Gahr’s leading scorer with 15 points along with eight rebounds while freshman Jewelyn Sawyer had six points and 10 rebounds.

CIF SOCCER PLAYOFFS

Valley Christian boys knock out old but future Olympic League rival in first round

By Loren Kopff

Valley Christian boys soccer head coach Chris Becher got a mini preview of what to expect for at least the next four years when his team hosted Whittier Christian last Thursday in a California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section Division VI first round game. The Crusaders and Heralds, once Olympic League foes, will be reunited once again beginning next season and lasting until at least 2014.

But for now, V.C. has bragging rights over the Heralds following a 3-1 victory that sent the Crusaders into this past Tuesday’s second round game. V.C. had previously defeated the second place representatives from the Alpha League (1-0 on Jan. 5) but that didn’t completely mean Becher was breaking out his scouting report.

“Not because of them, but as the season went on, the high school season is so short and you make adjustments constantly,” Becher said. “The adjustments we did make was we took center [junior] midfielder Daniel Hernandez and put him wide. We also took [senior] Tanner Miller and put him at striker.”

Miller put V.C. in front within the first minute of the game when he followed up on a miss from junior striker Josh Sutherlin. The Crusaders could have made it 2-0 12 minutes later but Sutherlin’s miss on a breakaway was deflected. For the rest of the half, the Crusaders, who finished second in the Olympic League, were stymied by a tough Whittier Christian defense and it would remain that way in the early moments of the second half.

In the 57th minute, freshman midfielder Zac Way took a shot that was a foot over the net. Three minutes later, he headed a ball to junior midfielder Tyler Boer whose shot was just right of the post.

“It was kind of a blue collar goal but I’ll take it,” Becher said of Miller’s goal. “You think going up 1-0 is really good right away, but our guys got lazy. For the next 30 minutes, we couldn’t move the ball around.”

It wasn’t until the 67th minute when the Crusaders began to put the game away.

Senior striker Jeriah Dunk, who at 5’ 5” is the shortest player on the field, out leaped Whittier Christian goalkeeper Ariel Ciribe and made it 2-0. Then 10 minutes later, Dunk received a throw in and fed a pass to Hernandez who iced the contest. The only blemish came when Marcus Rojas scored on a penalty kick just seconds before the referees whistled the game over.

V.C. would see its season end in the second round after falling to second ranked and defending CIF champion Mountain View 1-0 in overtime. The Crusaders (116-4) lose only three players to graduation and plan to return 76 percent of their goal production from this past season.

DIVISION III GIRLS SOCCER Chadwick 1, Artesia 0 PALOS VERDES PENINSULA-The up and coming Pioneers battled with the co-champions of the Prep League for the majority of the second half but a goal in the 67th minute proved to be all the Dolphins needed. Artesia, the third place representatives from the Suburban League, took just four shots on goal in the entire game and had to withstand a barrage of golden opportunities from Chadwick that could have easily turned the game into a blowout.

“In the first half, we got lucky,” said Artesia head coach Octavio Marquez. “We started off pretty good, then we kind of fell into their game. They were much bigger and much quicker than us. Fortunately we were able to hold our own. In the second half, we stepped up and played much better than the first half.”

The best chance for the Pioneers (15-81) came in the 18th minute when freshman forward Carolina Ornelas received a pass from senior midfielder Martha Rodriguez but missed near the right post. Meanwhile, sophomore goalkeeper Itzel Gonzalez was keeping her team in the game with one gem of a save after another.

Four minutes after the Ornelas miss, Gonzalez punched away a corner kick taken by Channing Press. In the 27th minute, Jamie Soroka got loose on a breakaway but her shot barely sailed above the left corner.

Two minutes later, Jayne Woolard took a free kick five yards from the penalty box but Gonzalez batted that shot down. In the 33rd minute, a shot from Press hit the cross bar and five minutes later, Gonzalez punched away yet another corner kick, this time taken from Woolard.

“Itzel is a phenomenal goalkeeper,” Marquez said. “She’s the backbone of our defense.”

The Dolphins continued to put the pressure on in the second half when Press had a shot in the 51st minute miss the cross bar by a foot and Soroka’s breakaway shot two minutes later punched away by Gonzalez.

But the fourth corner kick of the game by Chadwick finally worked when Press sent a pass to Jessy Hale who leaped and placed a header in the upper left corner of the net.

Despite the loss, the Pioneers have finally put themselves in a position to contend for a Suburban League title rather than just contend for a playoff spot. Between the 2000-2001 and 2006-2007 seasons, the Pioneers won 36 games and never finished above fourth place. But in the past three seasons, Artesia has gone 35-27-5 and this past season edged league powerhouse Mayfair 2-1 in the biggest upset in league history.

Also, the Pioneers went to the playoffs last season for the first time in school history and lost an overtime affair to Laguna Beach 2-1. Artesia also loses just four seniors to graduation and will return six of the top eight leading goal scorers.

“Our program is finally getting to a respectable level,” Marquez said. “Starting five freshmen in the back this year makes a difference. We’ve tried to work hard with these girls to be disciplined and get them to the level of the Mayfair’s and La Mirada’s.”

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COMMUNITY NEWS GROUP • FEBRUARY 26, 2010

New Forever 21 now open at the Los Cerritos Center After a year of renovations, Forever 21’s new 85,691-square-foot store opened at the Los Cerritos Center in January to crowds of expectant shoppers.

The new store is located at the site of the former Mervyn’s, and both the interior and exterior were remodeled with a design that will serve as the “flagship” style for future Forever 21 department stores. The new twostory store is approximately twice the size of its previous flagship store in Pasadena.

The building’s exterior includes a white translucent laminated glass panel system that will be backlit with LED lights. At night, the lights will project various colors onto the wall with subtle transitions. The glass panel system is nearing completion.

Forever 21 Cerritos employs over 200 people and has 86 fitting rooms. The floor, walls and ceiling are bright white, showcasing the clear and black crystal chandeliers. The store’s different departments are uniquely decorated to look like individual boutiques, including love & beauty, Heritage 1981, Twelve by Twelve and Forever 21 Twist.

Participate in the United States Census The 2010 Census will be held in April.

Participation is critical, as the results determine how Congress is apportioned and how more than $400 billion in federal funds are distributed annually to state, local and tribal areas.

Participation in the Census is everyone’s civic duty and responsibility. Everyone will receive a simple form with 10 easy questions. All personal information collected by the Census Bureau is protected by law and completely confidential.

Reasons to participate are: • The federal government uses census numbers to allocate more than $400 billion in federal funds annually.

• State, local and tribal governments use census information for planning and allocating funds for new school construction, libraries and other public buildings, highway safety and public transportation systems, new roads and bridges, location of police and fire departments, and many other projects.

• Community organizations use census information to develop social service programs, community action projects, senior lunch programs and child-care centers.

• The census totals are used to determine how many seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives. In addition, states use the numbers to allocate seats in their state legislatures.

The 2010 Census is currently hiring temporary, part-time census takers. For more information, visit www.2010censusjobs.gov.

Business News

SM

The City of Cerritos Business News is published on a quarterly basis to provide information to companies based in Cerritos.

City information is also available by calling Redevelopment/Economic Development Administrator Metré Anthony at (562) 916-1208, or by visiting the City’s website at www.cerritos.us.

The new two-story Forever 21 at the Los Cerritos Center features 85,691 square feet and more than 200,000 items.

Forever 21’s new children’s line, HTG81, was launched at the Cerritos store and is now available in select stores nationwide.

New items are available in stores daily.

The Cerritos store is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Forever 21 has successfully operated a retail clothing store in the Los Cerritos Center since 1997.

Business Spotlight: Jeepney Asian Grill Jeepney Asian Grill is one of the newest restaurants in the City of Cerritos, offering an array of grilled Asian cuisine with influence from the Philippines. The restaurant gets it name from the Jeepney, a brightly colored vehicle used for public transportation in the Philippines. After World War II, Filipinos adapted surplus American military Jeeps into Jeepneys.

Jeepney Asian Grill president Daniel Moran said: “As a Cerritos resident, I have found the City to be very well organized and developed both for residents and businesses. The residential areas are clean and orderly, and the business establishments are complete and conveniently located. In planning our Jeepney Asian Grill restaurant, I found the diverse population in the City to be very compatible with our target market. When we finally opened our business last February, which was a very easy process with the city permits and licenses, we received a lot of support from the City of Cerritos and the Cerritos Chamber of Commerce.”

Jeepney Asian Grill is located at 11900 South St., Suite 101 in Cerritos. For more information, contact Jeepney Asian Grill at (562) 207-0070 or visit the restaurant’s website at www.jeepneyasiangrill.com.

The City of Cerritos features local businesses in a bi-monthly Business Spotlight on the City website. Featured businesses are those that have chosen Cerritos as their home and whose story highlights the benefits of locating in Cerritos. The aim of this program is to showcase local businesses and foster pride in Cerritos’ thriving business community and strong local economy.

In addition to being located in Cerritos, featured businesses must hold a valid Cerritos Business License. Featured businesses must also provide direct sales or services to the general public, have a positive impact on the community, and be able to provide a testimonial as to why they have chosen Cerritos as their home. Businesses interested in being featured should contact the Redevelopment/Economic Development Administrator at (562) 916-1208. A submission does not guarantee placement in the Cerritos Business Spotlight.

13

Nordstrom grand opening gala set A gala to celebrate the opening of the new Nordstrom at the Los Cerritos Center is set for Tuesday, May 4 at 7 p.m. (the store opens to the public on Friday, May 7).

Gala attendees will enjoy lavish hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, dinner and dessert buffets, live entertainment and the opportunity to do some “sneak preview” shopping in the new 138,000-square-foot store. New spring fashions will be featured throughout the store.

Gala tickets are $75 per person. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Community Family Guidance Center and the Long Beach Museum of Art. For information or tickets, call (562) 439-2119, ext. 336 or visit lbma.org/nordstromgala.

Established in 1976, the Community Family Guidance Center is a private, nonprofit, MediCal certified mental health service provider. The Long Beach Museum of Art was founded in 1950 and is a community-based organization that collects and cares for a permanent art collection, presents exhibitions in a variety of media and provides educational programming.

Nordstrom, Inc. is one of the nation’s leading fashion specialty retailers, with 184 stores located in 28 states.

Shopping center renovations nearing completion Renovation of the shopping center near the southwest corner of Gridley Road and South Street, which includes Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que, is nearing completion. The shopping center has been renamed “Landmark Square.”

Upgrades to the landscaping have been completed and a new left-turn lane onto South Street is planned. To improve the safety of pedestrians, the crosswalk between the northwest parking lot and Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que has been removed.

The setback area along South Street now includes lush landscaping, a garden area and pedestrian access from South Street.

Construction of the plaza upgrades is expected to be completed in April.

Renovations are expected to be completed in the next few months.

Commercial/Industrial Property Listing Information Sought Brokers are encouraged to call the City’s Redevelopment/Economic Development Administrator Metré Anthony at (562) 916-1208, or e-mail him at economic_development@ cerritos.us and share information about space available within Cerritos. Companies seeking retail, industrial or commercial space in Cerritos can also contact Mr. Anthony or visit www. cerritos.us/BUSINESSES/business_ relocation_to_cerritos/find_an_ available_cerritos_property.php.

16 COMMUNITY NEWS GROUP • FEBRUARY 26, 2010

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