The Woman’s Club of Artesia-Cerritos will hold a Cerritos City Council Candidate Forum Feb. 1 in the city council chambers from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The candidates will have an opportunity to give a brief statement and then they will answer questions from cards filled out by members of the audience. There will be no pre-planned questions.
The forum is to inform Cerritos voters how the candidates feel about the state of the city and its future concerns. It will also be telecast on the Cerritos cable network and future dates. For more information, contact Forum Coordinator Gail Grossman at 562-926-8487.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Cerritos hosts 2011 Debutante Leadership Workshop
By Larry Caballero
This year the Orange County Chapter of The Links, Inc., an international, non-profit corporation established in 1946, consisting of women of color, hosted a Career Workshop at the Cerritos Senior Center Jan. 23 to introduce 11 debutantes to the many careers they might want to consider as they prepare for their future.
Chapter President Robin Hastings Bonner welcomed more than 50 guests including Debutantes and their families. “We want all of you to become community leaders someday,” said Bonner. “We also want you to understand the value of social skills and the building of teaming skills. It begins with defining your character and knowing who you are inside.”
Cerritos Debutante Elishebah Tate-Pulliam is attending the California Academy of Mathematics and Science (CAMS), located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills.
“It is at this lovely school that I have been blessed with the opportunity to sing at the world renowned Carnegie Hall under the direction of Dr. Joanna Nachef. I take college level courses in chemistry, am a part of numerous musicals, and co-founded the first ever jazz band on campus.”
Tate-Pulliam is a five-year Ambassador of the International Peace Choir based out of Long Beach that promotes the motto, "Children singing and dancing with a vision of world peace".
She loves the message of the choir, and “I enjoy with all my heart being able to brighten the lives of our audiences with an inspirational song of peace and love. There is nothing like seeing the smile of a person and knowing that they are a little happier because of a song that you sing.”
Tate-Pulliam is also an Ambassador of the Cerritos Girl Scouts of America troop 3303 that feed the homeless and less fortunate during the holidays, and give toys and toiletries to children in need of help.
When she learned that she was chosen to be this year’s Deputante, she was very happy. “This is such an honor and I can't even begin to express how grateful and deeply touched I am to be a part of this. I have met so many inspirational and strong women who have given me a renewed drive to help the generations that are coming into this world.
There is so much chaos and bad influences circulating today, and to be apart of an organization that is standing strong, and being a beacon of light in so much worldly darkness, is something that is spirit filling and humbling.
I am ever appreciative for their love, support, and for the lessons that they have bestowed upon my Debutante sisters and me. The Links are true angels of this world.”
Debutantes were given the opportunity to ask questions of the panelists who represented many professions including management consultants, lawyers, motivational speakers, advertising and corporate executives, operation managers, a clinical geneticist, educators and a choreographer.
Panelists advised parents to get more involved in their children’s lives and for the young women to choose a profession wisely and to “love what you do.”
The national organization consists of more than 12,000 members and is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enforcing, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.
Gadabouts elect new officers for 2011
The Cerritos Senior Gadabouts elected new 2011 officers. They are [l-r] Judy Mendes, President; Jean Elliott, First Vice President; Don More, Second Vice President; Esthere Padron, Secretary; Eileen Mills, Treasurer. The Gadabouts meet the first four Mondays of each months ar 10 a.m. at the Cerritos Senior Center on South Astreet. For more information contact Jean Elliott at 714-522-7865.
January 1st CEB Meritorious Marine
Cpl David Bernabe (promotion to Sergeant pending) and his wife Veronica came to Cerritos Sunday, January 23rd, to attend the afternoon performance of BalletX, tickets complementary by the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. He was met by his Host and new Meritorious Marine Co-Chair, Wayne Switzer, who is himself an Army veteran of Vietnam. Cpl Bernabe and wife spent the night at the Sheraton Hotel and treated to breakfast at the hotel's Club 21. On Monday, Major Joseph Cho and the the city council presented Cpl Bernabe with a Cerritos City Proclamation for his service, which included one tour of duty in Iraq and and one in Afghanistan. His meals were provided by TGI Friday, the Macaroni Grill, and BJs Restaurant. In the picture (left to right) are Mickey Christiason, Councilwoman Laura Lee, Wayne Switzer, Cpl Bernabe, Major Joseph Cho, Councilman Bruce Burrows, Dorothy Owen (Presidents of the Friends of the 1st CEB), Councilwoman Carol Chen, and Laurie Forward. Anyone interested in supporting the Friends of the 1st CEB, please contact Dorothy Owen at 562 926-1092 or Chuck Sooter at 562 860-8174.
Cerritos High School Senior captures 3rd Annual Top Student Chef Crown held at Sheraton Cerritos
By Randy Economy
Food Critic
You can now call Yoonah Jeon, a 17 year old Senior from Cerritos High School the “hottest chef” in town.
Jeon, has won the 2011 Iron Chef Competition sponsored by the Sheraton Cerritos Hotel in conjunction with the Southeast ROP and ABC Unified School District.
The third annual event was held on Monday at the Grille 91 at the Sheraton Cerritos Hotel located next to the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts.
Jeon wowed a panel of 11 local well known judges with an amazing Chocolate Lava Cake with pomegranate and blood orange glaze with fresh cream with a twist of candied orange peel and a sprig of fresh mint. It was beyond mouthwatering, and soon her award winning creation will be featured on the Grille 91 menu as a desert item. Jeon said she is planning a career as a chef, and her experience she has gained while participating in the SEROP and Cerritos Sheraton sponsored event has given her a huge step in the right direction in reaching her goal.
Chef Carlos Garcia from the Sheraton Cerritos has been serving as the instructor for the “student chef program” for the past three years. Area high school students from Cerritos, Gahr, Whitney and Artesia high schools participate in the course that requires students to spend several hours each and every week to be at the Sheraton to learn the art of cooking.
This year, nine students were featured in the finals of the competition. Here is a brief description of the participant and their mouth watering creations.
Top Chef: Yoohan Jeon, 17, Senior at Cerritos High School with her Chocolate Lave Cake.
First Runner Up: Israel Gomez a Junior at Cerritos High School for his Pork Chops with broccoli, carrots, encrusted Yukon gold potatoes, with a cilantro and casabella Chile sauce.
Second Runner-Up: Joy Sampoonachot, Cerritos High School Senior for a Fresh Mango Carmel Cheesecake with fresh melon and a layer of mouthwatering camel glaze.
Third Runner-Up (Tie): Lucas Han, Cerritos High School Senior, for a Bibimbop Korean Noodle dish with ground beef, sautéed spinach, chili paste, shitake mushrooms, and bean sprouts topped with a fried egg. Also earning Third place honors was Sarah Kim a 17 year old Senior from Cerritos High School for her Asian Huevos Rancheros Appetizer complete with avocados, rice, crispy tortilla, rice and casabella sauce.
The other student finalists included: Christina Wu, 17, Cerritos High School for a Pork Tenderloin Tonkatsu with white rice and apple sauce; Elaine Wang, 17, Cerritos High School for an amazing Spicy Crab Cake with Dijon mustard/apple cider sauce; Cherie Woo, 17, Cerritos High School for a Vegetarian Risotto with carrots, fresh peas, asparagus with a red wine vinegar with Mexican parmesan cheese; Marisa Chiechi, a Senior at Cerritos High School with her version of a Grilled Pineapple Chicken Kabob with Teriyaki glaze, zucchini, onions over a bed of fried rice.
The winner also received two Passports to Disneyland. Each participant also received a Certificate of Recognition and lots of kudos from the panel of well known, “celebrity” judges.
Serving as Judges this year were Maynard Law, President of the ABC School Board, Celia Spitzer, Vice President of the ABC School Board, Armin Reyes, ABC School Board Member, Denise Strong, Coordinator of the SE Area ROP, Yesenia Piascencis, Human Resource Director of the Sheraton Cerritos, Faith Reed, Food and Beverage Manager for the Sheraton Cerritos, Randy Economy, Cerritos Community Leader; Laurie Calaunan, Director of Sales and Marketing for the Sheraton Cerritos, Gil Montano Southeast ROP Superintendent, Janice C. Peterson, Principal at Cerritos High School, and Cristina Riveroll, the General Manager of the Sheraton Cerritos.
Congratulations to these amazing talented young people here in our community. This is becoming on the of “premiere” high school student chef programs in all of Southern California. Chef Carlos Garcia said that all of his students are prepared and dedicated to the art and business of being a “top chef.”
“Their futures are bright. These talented students are the future master chefs for the world around us,” Garcia remarked.
Food Critic
You can now call Yoonah Jeon, a 17 year old Senior from Cerritos High School the “hottest chef” in town.
Jeon, has won the 2011 Iron Chef Competition sponsored by the Sheraton Cerritos Hotel in conjunction with the Southeast ROP and ABC Unified School District.
The third annual event was held on Monday at the Grille 91 at the Sheraton Cerritos Hotel located next to the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts.
Jeon wowed a panel of 11 local well known judges with an amazing Chocolate Lava Cake with pomegranate and blood orange glaze with fresh cream with a twist of candied orange peel and a sprig of fresh mint. It was beyond mouthwatering, and soon her award winning creation will be featured on the Grille 91 menu as a desert item. Jeon said she is planning a career as a chef, and her experience she has gained while participating in the SEROP and Cerritos Sheraton sponsored event has given her a huge step in the right direction in reaching her goal.
Chef Carlos Garcia from the Sheraton Cerritos has been serving as the instructor for the “student chef program” for the past three years. Area high school students from Cerritos, Gahr, Whitney and Artesia high schools participate in the course that requires students to spend several hours each and every week to be at the Sheraton to learn the art of cooking.
This year, nine students were featured in the finals of the competition. Here is a brief description of the participant and their mouth watering creations.
Top Chef: Yoohan Jeon, 17, Senior at Cerritos High School with her Chocolate Lave Cake.
First Runner Up: Israel Gomez a Junior at Cerritos High School for his Pork Chops with broccoli, carrots, encrusted Yukon gold potatoes, with a cilantro and casabella Chile sauce.
Second Runner-Up: Joy Sampoonachot, Cerritos High School Senior for a Fresh Mango Carmel Cheesecake with fresh melon and a layer of mouthwatering camel glaze.
Third Runner-Up (Tie): Lucas Han, Cerritos High School Senior, for a Bibimbop Korean Noodle dish with ground beef, sautéed spinach, chili paste, shitake mushrooms, and bean sprouts topped with a fried egg. Also earning Third place honors was Sarah Kim a 17 year old Senior from Cerritos High School for her Asian Huevos Rancheros Appetizer complete with avocados, rice, crispy tortilla, rice and casabella sauce.
The other student finalists included: Christina Wu, 17, Cerritos High School for a Pork Tenderloin Tonkatsu with white rice and apple sauce; Elaine Wang, 17, Cerritos High School for an amazing Spicy Crab Cake with Dijon mustard/apple cider sauce; Cherie Woo, 17, Cerritos High School for a Vegetarian Risotto with carrots, fresh peas, asparagus with a red wine vinegar with Mexican parmesan cheese; Marisa Chiechi, a Senior at Cerritos High School with her version of a Grilled Pineapple Chicken Kabob with Teriyaki glaze, zucchini, onions over a bed of fried rice.
The winner also received two Passports to Disneyland. Each participant also received a Certificate of Recognition and lots of kudos from the panel of well known, “celebrity” judges.
Serving as Judges this year were Maynard Law, President of the ABC School Board, Celia Spitzer, Vice President of the ABC School Board, Armin Reyes, ABC School Board Member, Denise Strong, Coordinator of the SE Area ROP, Yesenia Piascencis, Human Resource Director of the Sheraton Cerritos, Faith Reed, Food and Beverage Manager for the Sheraton Cerritos, Randy Economy, Cerritos Community Leader; Laurie Calaunan, Director of Sales and Marketing for the Sheraton Cerritos, Gil Montano Southeast ROP Superintendent, Janice C. Peterson, Principal at Cerritos High School, and Cristina Riveroll, the General Manager of the Sheraton Cerritos.
Congratulations to these amazing talented young people here in our community. This is becoming on the of “premiere” high school student chef programs in all of Southern California. Chef Carlos Garcia said that all of his students are prepared and dedicated to the art and business of being a “top chef.”
“Their futures are bright. These talented students are the future master chefs for the world around us,” Garcia remarked.
Candidate’s Forum Bruce Barrows
Question #4
Should the city consider a public/private partner ship pertaining to the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts?
During my first election, in 1994, there were two candidates who supported selling the Theater as a way to eliminate the operating subsidies. Although there wasn’t a good answer to how do we sell a building at a price that would recoup the money invested by the City, it was just lets sell it and ignore the potential loss. The major question that no one has been able to answer is; if someone were to buy/invest in the theater, they would need a return on their investment – where would it come from, when we, with no debt to pay, like all theaters, aren’t able to generate a profit.
Although I wasn’t on the City Council at the time of the building, I was involved during my 6 years on the Planning Commission. What stands out, to me, wasn’t the risk nor the boldness to build our award winning theater, but the way it fit into the plan for the town center.
This City Council initiated project considered the whole of the Town Center (once referred to as the Golden Triangle). After considerable analysis, the City’s consultant confirmed the Council’s vision that buying the whole center and leasing the ground to owners of the office and retail buildings would generate significant income. The ground rent, the sales tax income and the property taxes all generate enough income for Cerritos to not only cover the operating expenses of the theater each year, but to generate a profit for the City. The Theater was used to induce other businesses to come to Cerritos and the Town Center. It should also be noted, the more shows the Theater schedules, the better the businesses perform and the greater the value of the Town Center becomes.
In closing, we paid cash for the Theater, which means there is no debt. Our Theater, when looked at as part of the whole Town Center is a successful money making project.
Should the city consider a public/private partner ship pertaining to the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts?
During my first election, in 1994, there were two candidates who supported selling the Theater as a way to eliminate the operating subsidies. Although there wasn’t a good answer to how do we sell a building at a price that would recoup the money invested by the City, it was just lets sell it and ignore the potential loss. The major question that no one has been able to answer is; if someone were to buy/invest in the theater, they would need a return on their investment – where would it come from, when we, with no debt to pay, like all theaters, aren’t able to generate a profit.
Although I wasn’t on the City Council at the time of the building, I was involved during my 6 years on the Planning Commission. What stands out, to me, wasn’t the risk nor the boldness to build our award winning theater, but the way it fit into the plan for the town center.
This City Council initiated project considered the whole of the Town Center (once referred to as the Golden Triangle). After considerable analysis, the City’s consultant confirmed the Council’s vision that buying the whole center and leasing the ground to owners of the office and retail buildings would generate significant income. The ground rent, the sales tax income and the property taxes all generate enough income for Cerritos to not only cover the operating expenses of the theater each year, but to generate a profit for the City. The Theater was used to induce other businesses to come to Cerritos and the Town Center. It should also be noted, the more shows the Theater schedules, the better the businesses perform and the greater the value of the Town Center becomes.
In closing, we paid cash for the Theater, which means there is no debt. Our Theater, when looked at as part of the whole Town Center is a successful money making project.
Candidate’s Forum Joeseph Cho
Thank you for your questions to LCCN.
1. Will you try and make it easier for the residents to get the over night parking passes?
Our overnight parking ordinance helps maintain the high quality of life we have enjoyed in Cerritos by reducing clutter in our streets. I support making the overnight parking pass easier to obtain by allowing on line requests. Additionally, I support modifying the ordinance to exempt the weekends from the overnight parking restrictions because during the weekend the demand goes up when out of town guests come to visit Cerritos residents.
2. The City of Cerritos has a growing population of children and adults with special needs. How do you feel about the city's Adaptive Programs and would you support the program's growth?
There is an African proverb that says “it takes a village to raise a child”. Having three children of my own, I fully appreciate the message behind this proverb, and I believe that this proverb is even more relevant in the case of children with special needs. This is why I fully support our City ’s Adaptive Recreation Program and why I voted to have a full time coordinator for the program.
3. Should the city consider a public/private partnership pertaining to the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts?
I fully support having private companies perform functions when it does not make sense for the City to perform them. This is why I support continuing to have outside contractors provide services such as the printing of the brochures and the catering. The management of the Theater, though, should remain the City’s responsibility.
4. Should the city consider bringing back the Rose Parade float?
I believe the Rose Parade float is a wonderful opportunity for the community to come together to rally around a common goal. When I have decorated the float, I have seen an entire cross section of our community participating in the float decoration--from high school students to senior citizens--and everybody in between. This is why I have consistently voted against the elimination of the Rose Parade Float.
If you have any questions or concerns you would like to discuss with me, I have an Open Door policy at City Hall. You can also call my office at 562-860-8025 or email me at www.vote4cho.com.
1. Will you try and make it easier for the residents to get the over night parking passes?
Our overnight parking ordinance helps maintain the high quality of life we have enjoyed in Cerritos by reducing clutter in our streets. I support making the overnight parking pass easier to obtain by allowing on line requests. Additionally, I support modifying the ordinance to exempt the weekends from the overnight parking restrictions because during the weekend the demand goes up when out of town guests come to visit Cerritos residents.
2. The City of Cerritos has a growing population of children and adults with special needs. How do you feel about the city's Adaptive Programs and would you support the program's growth?
There is an African proverb that says “it takes a village to raise a child”. Having three children of my own, I fully appreciate the message behind this proverb, and I believe that this proverb is even more relevant in the case of children with special needs. This is why I fully support our City ’s Adaptive Recreation Program and why I voted to have a full time coordinator for the program.
3. Should the city consider a public/private partnership pertaining to the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts?
I fully support having private companies perform functions when it does not make sense for the City to perform them. This is why I support continuing to have outside contractors provide services such as the printing of the brochures and the catering. The management of the Theater, though, should remain the City’s responsibility.
4. Should the city consider bringing back the Rose Parade float?
I believe the Rose Parade float is a wonderful opportunity for the community to come together to rally around a common goal. When I have decorated the float, I have seen an entire cross section of our community participating in the float decoration--from high school students to senior citizens--and everybody in between. This is why I have consistently voted against the elimination of the Rose Parade Float.
If you have any questions or concerns you would like to discuss with me, I have an Open Door policy at City Hall. You can also call my office at 562-860-8025 or email me at www.vote4cho.com.
Candidate’s Forum Chris Fuentes
As I watched the incredible story of the city of Bell unfold in the papers and then on the national media, it reminded me how the truth is always stranger than fiction, the recurrent question was not “Why?” that’s simple: Greed, the perplexing question was “How?” In plain sight, an all-powerful city manager and a rubberstamp city council were able, for an extended period of time, to escalate staff salaries and benefits along with city council salaries and benefits to the point where even an apathetic citizenry was forced, with the help of the Los Angeles Times, to confront the obvious. There were “watchdogs” in Bell, people branded as “critics” and “negative muck rakers” who actually brought this runaway abuse of power to the attention of the Times and then a shocked nation. Those people wondered how it was that their staff had such huge wage/benefit packages and how their elected representatives were able to vote themselves huge pay, benefits, insurance, travel, perks, credit cards and even fat retirement packages. “Well that was Bell it could never happen right here in the “model city of Cerritos!”… could it? Those negative muckraker critics here in Cerritos know better, the answer is YES and although not yet to the scope of Bell, well on its way. Our executive city staff are OVERPAID. Our elected representatives on the Cerritos City Council are OVERPAID ($3500 per month EACH! They have voted themselves the same type of perks, travel, credit cards, etc. as the now-disgraced routed former Bell City Council. Bell was run on cronyism, just like Cerritos is. That is why the SAME people play musical chairs on city commissions and though voters by 73% voted for term limits (2 Terms) councilmembers use a loophole to run again and again and again. Some challengers have even spent $250,000 to buy a seat! We know why? Again it’s: HOW? History repeats itself. I believe the residents of Cerritos deserve better. Please vote for Open, Transparent, Independent representation on the Cerritos City Council, my name is Christopher F. “Chris” Fuentes and I approved this message. www.chris4cerritos.com
Candidate’s Forum Mark Pulido
As I have been walking throughout the City and talking to residents, I continue to hear about the need to re-invest in our neighborhoods.
As someone who is a product of our wonderful schools, parks and neighborhoods, I recognize that what makes Cerritos a great place to live is our neighborhoods - where we live, raise our families and enjoy retirement.
During these difficult economic times, we must be innovative in finding ways to improve our community while maximizing limited resources.
For the past nine years, I have the experience on the ABC School Board of doing more with less - keeping our schools among the best in the nation despite significant budget cuts. I will bring that same new leadership and proven record to the City Council.
For example, as your city councilmember, I will work to establish the first dog park in Cerritos. Dog parks are very successful in some nearby cities. They help build a sense of community, as people socialize with each other, and they give an opportunity for people to take their dogs to enjoy other dogs and play off-leash.
A dog park can be built with very little cost to the City by utilizing some existing open space. I would also explore a public/private partnership, as other cities have done, working with pet-related companies to sponsor the dog park and cover many of the costs.
By establishing a volunteer dog park association, interested residents and stakeholders can help oversee the dog park and raise money for necessary improvements.
This is one example of how we can improve our neighborhoods with limited resources.
For more information, please visit my website www.markpulido.com or email me at markpulido@yahoo.com.
I want to be your voice in City Hall, providing accessible and accountable leadership.
My name is Mark Pulido and I would be honored to have your vote for City Council on March 8th.
As someone who is a product of our wonderful schools, parks and neighborhoods, I recognize that what makes Cerritos a great place to live is our neighborhoods - where we live, raise our families and enjoy retirement.
During these difficult economic times, we must be innovative in finding ways to improve our community while maximizing limited resources.
For the past nine years, I have the experience on the ABC School Board of doing more with less - keeping our schools among the best in the nation despite significant budget cuts. I will bring that same new leadership and proven record to the City Council.
For example, as your city councilmember, I will work to establish the first dog park in Cerritos. Dog parks are very successful in some nearby cities. They help build a sense of community, as people socialize with each other, and they give an opportunity for people to take their dogs to enjoy other dogs and play off-leash.
A dog park can be built with very little cost to the City by utilizing some existing open space. I would also explore a public/private partnership, as other cities have done, working with pet-related companies to sponsor the dog park and cover many of the costs.
By establishing a volunteer dog park association, interested residents and stakeholders can help oversee the dog park and raise money for necessary improvements.
This is one example of how we can improve our neighborhoods with limited resources.
For more information, please visit my website www.markpulido.com or email me at markpulido@yahoo.com.
I want to be your voice in City Hall, providing accessible and accountable leadership.
My name is Mark Pulido and I would be honored to have your vote for City Council on March 8th.
Candidate’s Forum Kiran Rami
Dear Cerritos residents :
I am Kiran Rami. I am a first time candidate among some veterans of city council running for re-election on March 8, 2011. I am a single mother living and raising three young children in this great city of ours since 1994.
I have Master’s Degrees in English as well as Master of Philosophy in English Literature. I am a professor of English at Long Beach City College and Golden West College. I am a former US immigration officer with Department of Homeland Security.
As a proud, well-informed, and community-minded resident I have involved myself in the community by being a coordinator and counselor for Boy Scouts Troop 693, a president of Gonsalves Elementary School Booster Club, and a member of the screening and selection committee for ABC Unified School District and Long Beach City College. I also volunteer at BPSOS Boat People organization to help seniors go through citizenship interviews. I am an advisor for the Medieval Society Club at Long Beach City College and an active member of CTA/NEA.
I am excited by the prospect of serving the residents of this progressive city I dearly love. When elected, I will bring in a fresh new perspective to the city council.
I love the city for the quality of life it offers. I am happy with the general direction of our city’s running. Thus far, our city has done very well. The city’s achievements are many. To name a few: Highly successful number one Auto Mall in the nation, coveted public library, top notch schools, attractive performing art center, senior programs and recreation centers. Thanks to solid revenue stream foundations (Auto Mall, Well-planned Retail Centers) the city’s financial strength and solvency, is perhaps, envy of many cities of its size.
When elected, my approach will not be of “change for the sake of change”; it will be more of review, reassessment, realignment and refinement. While the severe economic downturn brought on by worst recession nationwide, has shaken the core of public administrations at all levels everywhere, Cerritos has come out relatively unscathed. However, I don’t see the stormy clouds of economic downturn going away any time soon. Our state is near broke and the officials are eyeing the local funds. The new governor is proposing abolishing Redevelopment Agencies as one of the measures to close state’s massive budget gap. This and other unpopular measures are sure to pose bigger challenges ahead. My focus, while remaining cognizant of the effect, will be to protect and safeguard city’s programs and services the residents have grown to love. I will resist any compromises to this aim.
In conclusion, I pledge an effective representation that will bring measurable results. I pledge to live up to the expectations of suave voters of Cerritos. Please vote for me (#1 on ballot) on March 8, 2011.
I am Kiran Rami. I am a first time candidate among some veterans of city council running for re-election on March 8, 2011. I am a single mother living and raising three young children in this great city of ours since 1994.
I have Master’s Degrees in English as well as Master of Philosophy in English Literature. I am a professor of English at Long Beach City College and Golden West College. I am a former US immigration officer with Department of Homeland Security.
As a proud, well-informed, and community-minded resident I have involved myself in the community by being a coordinator and counselor for Boy Scouts Troop 693, a president of Gonsalves Elementary School Booster Club, and a member of the screening and selection committee for ABC Unified School District and Long Beach City College. I also volunteer at BPSOS Boat People organization to help seniors go through citizenship interviews. I am an advisor for the Medieval Society Club at Long Beach City College and an active member of CTA/NEA.
I am excited by the prospect of serving the residents of this progressive city I dearly love. When elected, I will bring in a fresh new perspective to the city council.
I love the city for the quality of life it offers. I am happy with the general direction of our city’s running. Thus far, our city has done very well. The city’s achievements are many. To name a few: Highly successful number one Auto Mall in the nation, coveted public library, top notch schools, attractive performing art center, senior programs and recreation centers. Thanks to solid revenue stream foundations (Auto Mall, Well-planned Retail Centers) the city’s financial strength and solvency, is perhaps, envy of many cities of its size.
When elected, my approach will not be of “change for the sake of change”; it will be more of review, reassessment, realignment and refinement. While the severe economic downturn brought on by worst recession nationwide, has shaken the core of public administrations at all levels everywhere, Cerritos has come out relatively unscathed. However, I don’t see the stormy clouds of economic downturn going away any time soon. Our state is near broke and the officials are eyeing the local funds. The new governor is proposing abolishing Redevelopment Agencies as one of the measures to close state’s massive budget gap. This and other unpopular measures are sure to pose bigger challenges ahead. My focus, while remaining cognizant of the effect, will be to protect and safeguard city’s programs and services the residents have grown to love. I will resist any compromises to this aim.
In conclusion, I pledge an effective representation that will bring measurable results. I pledge to live up to the expectations of suave voters of Cerritos. Please vote for me (#1 on ballot) on March 8, 2011.
Artesia Library Feb. events
Family Storytime and Art Activity, Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m., February 1, 8, 15, 22
Book Bingo For Children, Saturday, February 5, 2:00 p.m.
Artesia Adult Book Club, Tuesday, February 8, 11:00 a.m. Discussion, refreshments, and prizes! Refreshments provided by the Friends of Artesia Library.
Valentine Storytime and Card Making, Saturday, February 12, 2:00 p.m.
Make a Mardi Gras Feather Mask, Saturday, February 19, 2:00 p.m. Made possible with the support of Friends of Artesia Library.
Little Dance World Dance Troupe performs folk and classical Chinese dances, Saturday, February 26, 2:00 p.m.
Artesia Library is located at 18722 S. Clarkdale Avenue, Artesia, CA, 90701. Call the library at (562) 865-6614,
www.colapublib.org/libs/artesia/index.
Book Bingo For Children, Saturday, February 5, 2:00 p.m.
Artesia Adult Book Club, Tuesday, February 8, 11:00 a.m. Discussion, refreshments, and prizes! Refreshments provided by the Friends of Artesia Library.
Valentine Storytime and Card Making, Saturday, February 12, 2:00 p.m.
Make a Mardi Gras Feather Mask, Saturday, February 19, 2:00 p.m. Made possible with the support of Friends of Artesia Library.
Little Dance World Dance Troupe performs folk and classical Chinese dances, Saturday, February 26, 2:00 p.m.
Artesia Library is located at 18722 S. Clarkdale Avenue, Artesia, CA, 90701. Call the library at (562) 865-6614,
www.colapublib.org/libs/artesia/index.
AAUW Presents “Operation Literacy”
Long Beach –Members and guests of AAUW Long Beach Branch will welcome Virginia Sanchez, General Librarian with the Long Beach Public Library on Saturday, February 5, 2011 at the Leisure World Clubhouse, 1280 Golden Rain Rd., Seal Beach, CA. Sanchez is widely recognized for her efforts as a U.S. Navy intelligence analyst stationed for ten months at Camp Blackhorse outside Kabul, Afghanistan where she organized “Operation Literacy” for servicemen stationed there to read books to their children.
The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. with the program at 11:00 a.m. For luncheon reservations, please call Pat Ferrer at 562-597-4781. Cost of the luncheon is $12.00. The program is open to the public.
The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. with the program at 11:00 a.m. For luncheon reservations, please call Pat Ferrer at 562-597-4781. Cost of the luncheon is $12.00. The program is open to the public.
Re: Mendoza champions undocumented workers bill
Mr Mendoza wants to give blanket amnesty for undocumented workers who broke the law. I have a good friend who is Chinese. She spent 3 yrs to learn English and has spent over 10 thousand dollars for an Immigration Lawyer to help her to become a US Citizen. Mr Mendoza will reward those who have broken the law who will get paid 10 thousand dollars every 6 months by employers, but my friend will lose her money by doing it "the right way"!!!
Richard B.
Cerritos
Richard B.
Cerritos
Repeal Patient's Bill of Rights Revoke Vital Consumer Protections
By Congressman John Garamendi,
Former California Insurance Commissioner
Americans correctly believe that the most critical issue facing our nation is job creation. You would think the Republican-run House of Representatives, in its first major policy vote of the 112th Congress, would be focused on putting Americans to work. Instead, House Republicans have decided their number one priority is repealing the Patient's Bill of Rights, legislation that is creating 250,000 to 400,000 jobs a year .
The Republican repeal would return America to the dark days when insurance companies told patients and doctors what treatments to pursue, a time when insurers routinely discriminated against Americans to maximize their profits.
When Democrats in Congress passed health care reform - the Patient's Bill of Rights - last year, we put a stop to the worst abuses of the insurance industry. We told the insurance companies they can no longer drop coverage for women who become pregnant or get cancer. We told the insurance companies they can no longer deny care to children with pre-existing conditions, and by 2014, no American will be turned away from insurance because they have the misfortune of falling ill. We told the insurance companies they must allow young people under the age of 26 to be covered under their parents' plan. We've replaced the Insurance Industry's Right to Discriminate with the Patient's Bill of Rights.
I've known women denied coverage after a pregnancy, cancer victims kicked off their insurance after their diagnoses, and parents terrified to seek better employment out of fear that losing their employer-provided coverage would put their child with asthma in danger. Many of my proudest moments as a public servant have been spent fighting these insurance companies on behalf of California consumers, particularly as California's Insurance Commissioner.
Today, if you are in the market for new insurance, because of the Patient's Bill of Rights, you are now protected by the strongest consumer protections that have ever existed in America - and the system is now improving with every passing year.
Republicans in the House tell us this debate isn't just about 'repeal'. They say they want to 'repeal and replace' health care reform, yet they've offered no serious alternatives. During the years they controlled Congress and the White House from 2000-2006, Republicans offered no solutions to the health care crisis. For years they told us they'd get around to fixing health care later. Later is now, and we still see no real solutions from their side of the aisle.
The Patient's Bill of Rights has already lowered the prescription drug costs of seniors, and in less than a decade, we're completely closing the dreaded Medicare Part D prescription drug 'donut hole'. One in every five seniors is in the donut hole. What is the Republican solution? The Patient's Bill of Rights ends annual and lifetime limits on coverage. This doesn't much matter for a Member of Congress with gold plated coverage, but if you're struggling to make ends meet at a low paying service sector job - say at McDonald's - knowing that your insurer can't cut you off once your medical expenses exceed $2,000 can bring a Super Sized sense of relief. What is the Republican solution?
Indeed, by 2014, every American will have access to the same coverage that a Member of Congress already enjoys. We're able to do all of this while simultaneously lowering the deficit by $230 billion over the next decade, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. How does it make sense to add hundreds of billions of dollars to the deficit while denying you access to vital consumer protections?
Let's move on to the health care discussion that really matters: how best to 'implement and improve' the tough consumer protections found in the Patient's Bill of Rights.
Former California Insurance Commissioner
Americans correctly believe that the most critical issue facing our nation is job creation. You would think the Republican-run House of Representatives, in its first major policy vote of the 112th Congress, would be focused on putting Americans to work. Instead, House Republicans have decided their number one priority is repealing the Patient's Bill of Rights, legislation that is creating 250,000 to 400,000 jobs a year
The Republican repeal would return America to the dark days when insurance companies told patients and doctors what treatments to pursue, a time when insurers routinely discriminated against Americans to maximize their profits.
When Democrats in Congress passed health care reform - the Patient's Bill of Rights
I've known women denied coverage after a pregnancy, cancer victims kicked off their insurance after their diagnoses, and parents terrified to seek better employment out of fear that losing their employer-provided coverage would put their child with asthma in danger. Many of my proudest moments as a public servant have been spent fighting these insurance companies on behalf of California consumers, particularly as California's Insurance Commissioner.
Today, if you are in the market for new insurance, because of the Patient's Bill of Rights, you are now protected by the strongest consumer protections that have ever existed in America - and the system is now improving with every passing year.
Republicans in the House tell us this debate isn't just about 'repeal'. They say they want to 'repeal and replace' health care reform, yet they've offered no serious
The Patient's Bill of Rights has already lowered the prescription drug costs of seniors, and in less than a decade, we're completely closing the dreaded Medicare Part D prescription drug 'donut hole'. One in every five seniors is in the donut hole. What is the Republican solution? The Patient's Bill of Rights ends annual and lifetime limits on coverage. This doesn't much matter for a Member of Congress with gold plated coverage, but if you're struggling to make ends meet at a low paying service sector job - say at McDonald's - knowing that your insurer can't cut you off once your medical expenses exceed $2,000 can bring a Super Sized sense of relief. What is the Republican solution?
Indeed, by 2014, every American will have access to the same coverage that a Member of Congress already enjoys. We're able to do all of this while simultaneously lowering the deficit by $230 billion over the next decade, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. How does it make sense to add hundreds of billions of dollars to the deficit while denying you access to vital consumer protections?
Let's move on to the health care discussion that really matters: how best to 'implement and improve' the tough consumer protections found in the Patient's Bill of Rights.
Robert Kapilow: Clear thinking about mixed Sondheim feelings
By Glen Creason
Time flies when you are learning while being entertained and Robert Kapilow’s series “What Makes It Great” in its thirteenth year at the Cerritos Center for Performing Arts! Thirteen years of stellar programs and sterling insight into the magic of musical creation ranging across some genre lines from the giants of classical to the greats of more popular forms. In the case of this show on a Wednesday evening, the subject was the modern musical maestro Stephen Sondheim where Kapilow, an accomplished composer and conductor himself dissected then put four gems back into whole piece as performed by three very talented Broadway savvy singers.
Kapilow said it and it is hard to deny that Sondheim stands high above his contemporaries for memorable compositions and risk taking shows that have left an indelible mark on this wonderful American art form. Not since Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein has the musical stage had such a treasure of songs as have flowed from the pen of Sondheim. It is a tribute to Kapilow’s skills that he is able to demonstrate this great genius by using just a few songs out of the hundreds that date back to “A Funny Thing Happened to on the Way to the Forum” in 1962 to “Road Show” in 2009. This Kapilow master class was probably inspired by the fascinating, recently published memoir “Finishing the Hat” that was explained with piano and voice on this night.
The beauty of any Kapilow show is his empathy for the composers and insight into the process of creating the structures of musical art. On this evening he started with the most well-known of all Sondheim songs “Send in the Clowns” from “A Little Night Music” which is full of a sort of trademark longing and lack of resolution. Kapilow shows how the song is antithetical to the standard approach seen in almost all previous musical song writing. The quote from the poet W.H. Auden sums up the genius accomplishments of such songs as “clear thinking about mixed feelings.” After explanations the song was performed exquisitely by soprano Sally Wilfert whereupon you could have heard a tiny pin drop in the big hall.
The second song was “Finishing the Hat” from “Sunday in the Park with George” that won Sondheim a Pulitzer. Once again we find subtlety and ambiguity that put edges of emotion on the lyrics. Another wonderful singer Michael Winther put a shine on this twenty-six year old lovely by just singing it as written. “Too Many Mornings” from “Follies” is an absolute heartbreaker as the lady Sally longs for “what might have been” and even “the selective memory of nostalgia” cannot bring back to life. The final piano punctuation by Kapilow after Miss Wilfert’s silken solo sent serious goose bumps from the orchestra to the back row.
The last song showed the versatility of Sondheim with a light-hearted romp from “Company” called “Getting Married Today” that while comedic was packed with wisdom. Cerritos’ own Erin McNally was outstanding in adding a second soprano to this brilliant and brisk trio, providing a true show stopping moment to an already terrific evening. Adding icing to a fully delicious slice of musical cake the encore softened hearts one last time with “You Are Not Alone” from “Into the Woods” which forced hankies out in tribute to Sondheim’s power to move his audiences.
Time flies when you are learning while being entertained and Robert Kapilow’s series “What Makes It Great” in its thirteenth year at the Cerritos Center for Performing Arts! Thirteen years of stellar programs and sterling insight into the magic of musical creation ranging across some genre lines from the giants of classical to the greats of more popular forms. In the case of this show on a Wednesday evening, the subject was the modern musical maestro Stephen Sondheim where Kapilow, an accomplished composer and conductor himself dissected then put four gems back into whole piece as performed by three very talented Broadway savvy singers.
Kapilow said it and it is hard to deny that Sondheim stands high above his contemporaries for memorable compositions and risk taking shows that have left an indelible mark on this wonderful American art form. Not since Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein has the musical stage had such a treasure of songs as have flowed from the pen of Sondheim. It is a tribute to Kapilow’s skills that he is able to demonstrate this great genius by using just a few songs out of the hundreds that date back to “A Funny Thing Happened to on the Way to the Forum” in 1962 to “Road Show” in 2009. This Kapilow master class was probably inspired by the fascinating, recently published memoir “Finishing the Hat” that was explained with piano and voice on this night.
The beauty of any Kapilow show is his empathy for the composers and insight into the process of creating the structures of musical art. On this evening he started with the most well-known of all Sondheim songs “Send in the Clowns” from “A Little Night Music” which is full of a sort of trademark longing and lack of resolution. Kapilow shows how the song is antithetical to the standard approach seen in almost all previous musical song writing. The quote from the poet W.H. Auden sums up the genius accomplishments of such songs as “clear thinking about mixed feelings.” After explanations the song was performed exquisitely by soprano Sally Wilfert whereupon you could have heard a tiny pin drop in the big hall.
The second song was “Finishing the Hat” from “Sunday in the Park with George” that won Sondheim a Pulitzer. Once again we find subtlety and ambiguity that put edges of emotion on the lyrics. Another wonderful singer Michael Winther put a shine on this twenty-six year old lovely by just singing it as written. “Too Many Mornings” from “Follies” is an absolute heartbreaker as the lady Sally longs for “what might have been” and even “the selective memory of nostalgia” cannot bring back to life. The final piano punctuation by Kapilow after Miss Wilfert’s silken solo sent serious goose bumps from the orchestra to the back row.
The last song showed the versatility of Sondheim with a light-hearted romp from “Company” called “Getting Married Today” that while comedic was packed with wisdom. Cerritos’ own Erin McNally was outstanding in adding a second soprano to this brilliant and brisk trio, providing a true show stopping moment to an already terrific evening. Adding icing to a fully delicious slice of musical cake the encore softened hearts one last time with “You Are Not Alone” from “Into the Woods” which forced hankies out in tribute to Sondheim’s power to move his audiences.
Cerritos College Art Gallery to Present "Object- Orientation" Exhibition
Fourteen contemporary artists will be participating in Object-Orientation: Bodies and/as Things, at the Cerritos College Art Gallery. Explore a multiplicity of relational transactions and/or transformations between human bodies and the objects that extend, limit, inhabit, and surround them. In so doing, they directly, and/or indirectly, surface current body discourse, particularly the examination of the concept of the body-as-medium (i.e. the organized body in a state of continuous construction and reconstruction, oscillating between holism and fragmentation).
Through drawings, photographs, and videos, as well as mixed-media sculptures/assemblages, bodies (often those of the artists themselves) are presented in various states of articulation with, and/or through, material fragments of the natural/urban environment.
Some artists in the exhibition focus on the disturbing practice, especially in an image-obsessed culture, of the body-as-a-commodity (ie. a 'project' to be 'worked on'), but others seek to purposely lose their subjective egos, at least temporarily, through a process-of-becoming 'pure' object, performatively emulating inanimate, or at least immobile, things. While a few artists revel in the sensuous patterns of pop-cultural consumption, others reveal bodies conspicuously weighed down by those same objects of capitalist consumerism.
Not surprisingly, then, given this context, more than a few artists explore gendered/sexed power relations historically associated with scopophilia and the body-as-thing. In presenting personal and societal anxieties regarding an alienated body-in-pieces, many of the artists resort to hiding the intimacy of the human face, typically through an auto-topographic surrogacy of objects, while leaving the body itself very much exposed. Some artists actually allude to a speculative agency for objects, literally 'skinning' household things or cloaking the human body in a kind of textured camouflage, as if having been infected by the leaky patterning of adjacent objects. Participating Artists: Joseph Barbaccia, Nicole Belle, Melanie Bonajo, Brian Bress, Justin Cole, Monica Duncan, Jessica Harrison, Candice Lin, Samantha Magowan, Max Maslansky, Alex Mirutziu, Yuval Pudik, Macha Suzuki, and Suzanne Wright.
February 1, 2011 - March 10, 2011 Opening Reception: Tuesday, February 1, 2011, 3-7 p.m. Gallery Hours Day: Monday - Thursday from 10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Evening: Tuesday - Wednesday 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. Cerritos College Art Gallery 11110 Alondra Blvd.
Norwalk, CA 90650
A map of the campus is available at www.cerritos.edu/guide.
Daily Parking is available for $2.00 in lot C-10 in the student white stalls only.
COST: Admission and events are free and open to the public.
Funding for the sound sculpture generously provided by the Cerritos College Foundation.
Through drawings, photographs, and videos, as well as mixed-media sculptures/assemblages, bodies (often those of the artists themselves) are presented in various states of articulation with, and/or through, material fragments of the natural/urban environment.
Some artists in the exhibition focus on the disturbing practice, especially in an image-obsessed culture, of the body-as-a-commodity (ie. a 'project' to be 'worked on'), but others seek to purposely lose their subjective egos, at least temporarily, through a process-of-becoming 'pure' object, performatively emulating inanimate, or at least immobile, things. While a few artists revel in the sensuous patterns of pop-cultural consumption, others reveal bodies conspicuously weighed down by those same objects of capitalist consumerism.
Not surprisingly, then, given this context, more than a few artists explore gendered/sexed power relations historically associated with scopophilia and the body-as-thing. In presenting personal and societal anxieties regarding an alienated body-in-pieces, many of the artists resort to hiding the intimacy of the human face, typically through an auto-topographic surrogacy of objects, while leaving the body itself very much exposed. Some artists actually allude to a speculative agency for objects, literally 'skinning' household things or cloaking the human body in a kind of textured camouflage, as if having been infected by the leaky patterning of adjacent objects. Participating Artists: Joseph Barbaccia, Nicole Belle, Melanie Bonajo, Brian Bress, Justin Cole, Monica Duncan, Jessica Harrison, Candice Lin, Samantha Magowan, Max Maslansky, Alex Mirutziu, Yuval Pudik, Macha Suzuki, and Suzanne Wright.
February 1, 2011 - March 10, 2011 Opening Reception: Tuesday, February 1, 2011, 3-7 p.m. Gallery Hours Day: Monday - Thursday from 10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Evening: Tuesday - Wednesday 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. Cerritos College Art Gallery 11110 Alondra Blvd.
Norwalk, CA 90650
A map of the campus is available at www.cerritos.edu/guide.
Daily Parking is available for $2.00 in lot C-10 in the student white stalls only.
COST: Admission and events are free and open to the public.
Funding for the sound sculpture generously provided by the Cerritos College Foundation.
Cerritos Planning Commissioner guest speaker at local political club meeting
By Larry Caballero
By the time Hubert Humphrey Democratic Club members left their General Meeting Jan. 17, they knew exactly what a Planning Commissioner does. “My powers, duties and responsibilities as an advisory board member are to establish policies for the growth and development of our city,” said Chen. “But that isn’t always an easy task.”
Chen remembers having to excuse herself from one public hearing because of a possible conflict of interest when her neighbor across the street wanted to do a room addition. “Someone could always accuse a member of winking or gesturing to fellow Commissioners on how they should vote on a particular issue unless he or she steps outside.”
One family had hired a painting company that did not ask the City about the codes and standards that apply to painting a residential property. The color was not on the City’s official palette. Consequently, the Commission by a 4-1 vote required the family to repaint the home.
“I was the one who disagreed with the decision. The family didn’t know that only certain colors are allowed. Yet the family had no other recourse.
Commissioners and Committee members are appointed by the Councilmembers and serve at the pleasure of the Council. “We can be removed at any time,” said Chen. Yet the members usually are allowed to serve so long as the Councilmember has not been termed out. Chen is the appointee of Mayor Pro-Tem Laura Lee who will be stepping down after serving her two full terms once the March 8 election winners are known.
By the time Hubert Humphrey Democratic Club members left their General Meeting Jan. 17, they knew exactly what a Planning Commissioner does. “My powers, duties and responsibilities as an advisory board member are to establish policies for the growth and development of our city,” said Chen. “But that isn’t always an easy task.”
Chen remembers having to excuse herself from one public hearing because of a possible conflict of interest when her neighbor across the street wanted to do a room addition. “Someone could always accuse a member of winking or gesturing to fellow Commissioners on how they should vote on a particular issue unless he or she steps outside.”
One family had hired a painting company that did not ask the City about the codes and standards that apply to painting a residential property. The color was not on the City’s official palette. Consequently, the Commission by a 4-1 vote required the family to repaint the home.
“I was the one who disagreed with the decision. The family didn’t know that only certain colors are allowed. Yet the family had no other recourse.
Commissioners and Committee members are appointed by the Councilmembers and serve at the pleasure of the Council. “We can be removed at any time,” said Chen. Yet the members usually are allowed to serve so long as the Councilmember has not been termed out. Chen is the appointee of Mayor Pro-Tem Laura Lee who will be stepping down after serving her two full terms once the March 8 election winners are known.
Volunteers clean up railroad tracks in Artesia
January 15th saw a group of people spending a few hours together in an effort to make a difference. Approximately fifty volunteers armed with shovels and rakes worked along the railroad tracks in Artesia between South Street and 187th Street Saturday morning cleaning up tumbleweeds, debris, and weeds. The cleanup was coordinated by Council Member Michele Diaz and she was joined at the event by Mayor Victor Manalo and Council Members John Lyon and Sally Flowers. The volunteers were a diverse group but all were interested in improving the appearance of their city. Planning Commissioner Miguel Canales attended with his family and was instrumental in encouraging a number of students from Gahr High School to come and help out. Members of the school’s National Honors Society were especially well represented. Pat Nelson was kind enough to offer her pickup truck to haul the trash to the bins that had been donated by Consolidated Disposal. The Water Replenishment District also contributed to the event by donating bags to hand out to the participants as a thank you.
Council member Diaz said, “I am very encouraged with the turnout today and I hope we can do this type of volunteer effort every couple of months. I love the fact that people of all ages from all over the city came out to help. We spent just a few hours working but I think we made a big difference in how the area looks. This was a true community effort.
1st CEB Committee fundraiser held at Mimi’s Cafe
Supporters of the 1st CEB Adoption Committee met for breakfast at Mimis Café this week to discuss the recent fundraising drive held at the restaurant on Jan. 24. Mimi’s is located in the Cerritos Towne Center. Present at the breakfast were [l-r] Charles Lee, CEB Board Member Maria Skiles, Larry Caballero, ABC School Board Member Mark Pulido, Marylou Landes, Ester Pulido, Committee President Dorothy Owens and Cerritos Mayor Pro Tem Laura Lee.
Annual State of the Cerritos Chamber Luncheon Held
By Jerry Bernstein
The Cerritos Regional Chamber of Commerce held its annual State of the Chamber luncheon meeting Jan. 20 at the Sheraton Cerritos Hotel. President Dr. Mary Sieu reported the chamber’s budget was balanced, business members represent 38
surrounding cities, and the chamber has formal contracts with the City of Cerritos and the City of Hawaiian Gardens. Our business membership continues to grow.
Dr. Sieu said. “We are proud to report we are moving forward in building our 10-year mission and updating our three year strategic plan that focuses on the short-term goals in the areas of communications, community and economic development, government, and membership.
Many of you may not be familiar with the Chamber’s Los Cerritos Foundation. She explained the purpose of the Foundation is to bring business, education and community leaders together as effective partners to build a quality workforce and will help the workforce in job development and placement in meeting the needs of employers and shopkeepers and help our students with job opportunities, focusing on the transition from student work to economic self efficiency.
Dr. Sieu said she could go on and on describing the work of the chamber for the past year. She thanked the chamber’s Board of directors who have been a part of the chambers accomplishments this past year and the Chamber staff under the direction of the Chamber’s Executive Director Catherine Gaughen.
For more information about the Chamber RSVP the Chamber office at [562] 467-0800 or chamber@cerritos.org.
The Cerritos Regional Chamber of Commerce held its annual State of the Chamber luncheon meeting Jan. 20 at the Sheraton Cerritos Hotel. President Dr. Mary Sieu reported the chamber’s budget was balanced, business members represent 38
surrounding cities, and the chamber has formal contracts with the City of Cerritos and the City of Hawaiian Gardens. Our business membership continues to grow.
Dr. Sieu said. “We are proud to report we are moving forward in building our 10-year mission and updating our three year strategic plan that focuses on the short-term goals in the areas of communications, community and economic development, government, and membership.
Many of you may not be familiar with the Chamber’s Los Cerritos Foundation. She explained the purpose of the Foundation is to bring business, education and community leaders together as effective partners to build a quality workforce and will help the workforce in job development and placement in meeting the needs of employers and shopkeepers and help our students with job opportunities, focusing on the transition from student work to economic self efficiency.
Dr. Sieu said she could go on and on describing the work of the chamber for the past year. She thanked the chamber’s Board of directors who have been a part of the chambers accomplishments this past year and the Chamber staff under the direction of the Chamber’s Executive Director Catherine Gaughen.
For more information about the Chamber RSVP the Chamber office at [562] 467-0800 or chamber@cerritos.org.
First Suburban League title in sight for Artesia girls soccer
By Loren Kopff
There will still be two more weeks left in the regular season and anything can happen. But if the Artesia girls soccer team can do something it has never done before, at least on the field, then the Pioneers will have a chance of clinching at least a share of the school’s first ever Suburban League championship.
All the Pioneers have to do is knock off league nemesis La Mirada today and thoughts of a league title will be on the minds of the players as well as longtime head coach Octavio Marquez for the next two weeks.
Throughout the majority of the program’s existence, the Pioneers have been towards the bottom of the league with more losing seasons than winning ones. But three seasons ago, Artesia began to turn the corner and has now become one of the league’s fiercest opponents.
“I think it definitely had to be that first year when we finally went to the playoffs,” Marquez said. “We started to get some talent in here; we weren’t losing those girls to Cerritos High School. The thing that helps us a lot is now, the city of Hawaiian Gardens has a club program and girls are signing up and starting to play.”
That season, the Pioneers went 10-10-2 overall, 6-6 in league play and lost a heart breaking 2-1 overtime decision to Laguna Beach in the California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section playoffs. The future of the program was beginning to take shape as Marquez had a pair of freshmen and four sophomores who are still making key contributions to this day.
One of those freshmen was 5’ 5” goalkeeper Itzel Gonzalez, who actually began that season as a forward. But Marquez noticed she would be much more valuable between the pipes and made a dramatic change in the middle of the season.
“Before she even came in as a ninth grader, I’ve always heard about Itzel and that she was a really good goalie and also a good field player,” Marquez said. “A goalkeeper is a very important position to have and she gave the team a lot of confidence just knowing you have someone of that caliber in goal.”
Gonzalez still led the team in goals with 14 while one of those four sophomores, Gaby Zamarripa, was third with nine tallies. Those two have been just part of the team’s rise to fame lately. But the success of that season carried on into last season with much better results in more ways than one. The program was beginning the see the emergence of two of the league’s top players-sophomore Jasmine Cornejo and freshman Carolina Ornelas. Cornejo was a transfer from Millikan High School and immediately opened a lot of eyes with a school record 24 goals, over half of them in league action, and eight multiple goal games. That record is bound to be eclipsed this season and possibly again next season.
“You don’t see too many girls scoring 24, 25 goals for a high school team,” Marquez said. “It’s very rare that it happens. It was a blessing in disguise that we got her over here.”
“It was pretty amazing transferring and being new and helping,” Cornejo said. “I didn’t think I was going to break records. When I found out I was doing all of those things, I got happy.”
As for Ornelas, who stands at 4’ 11”, she wasn’t even sure how much playing time she would get. But after scoring 15 goals, including three games of two goals, the Pioneers had themselves a lethal scoring punch on the front line. Last season, at least one of those two scored in 16 of the 19 games that Artesia found the back of the net.
“I thought I was going to be on the bench all of the time because I was competing against seniors,” Ornelas said. “But I started to get to know the girls well and I played well with them.”
“It really helps when you get talent; it helps build the program a lot easier,” Marquez said. “Before, we weren’t getting the talent. It was either the girls had not played soccer or had only played one or two years. It was just tough. The Hawaiian Gardens Eagles soccer club…we’re very fortunate for them to start some club teams. Most of our soccer girls come from that city.”
Cornejo and Ornelas have known each other for about four years and both of them play for the Hawaiian Gardens Eagles. In fact, they have quickly become best friends both on and off the soccer field.
Another turn the page moment last season came when the Pioneers upset Mayfair 2-1 in overtime on Mayfair’s turf. That win signified the Pioneers weren’t going away anytime soon and Marquez stated that was the biggest win he has had while at Artesia. In fact, just four days earlier, the team had fallen to La Mirada 2-1 at Artesia but later was given a forfeit victory as a result of the Matadores playing an ineligible player. That was the first victory ever against La Mirada.
But this season, Artesia has gone farther than ever thus far with a 14-3-1 overall mark, 6-1 in league after its 5-1 home victory under the lights against Bellflower. Both win totals are one away from the school record. Cornejo posted her second hat trick of the season against Bellflower and now has 20 goals this season while Ornelas has 17 and Zamarripa half a dozen. The rest of the team has combined for six other goals. Marquez said he constantly preaches to his two forwards about demanding the ball as the two speedsters are very dangerous on one on one situations.
“To have a combination of two forwards like that is just great to have,” Marquez said. “I think their stats back it up. They have proved it on the field.
“I don’t think I’ve ever dreamed of having a one-two combination scoring punch,” he added. “My goal here was to build a team competitive enough to make the playoffs. Making the playoffs to me was more important.”
Entering today’s game, Cornejo has 44 goals as a Pioneer, six off the all-time school record held by Meghan Pasos. Zamarripa has 37 career goals and Cornejo has 32 career goals, good for fourth and fifth all-time respectively.
“Gaby should deserve a lot more credit than she really does,” Marquez said. “She just creates a lot for our two forwards and brings a lot of attention from opponents. There are times where I tell her she needs to be a little more selfish.”
Again, the two forwards have been involved in the scoring in all but one game in which Artesia has scored a goal. Cornejo has scored at least two goals seven times, four for Ornelas.
“When we get on the field, we always tell each other we have to score,” Cornejo said. “I always tell her she has to score and she tells me I have to score. I don’t think of it as I have to be better than her.”
Not to be forgotten is the work Gonzalez has done in the past season and a half. Since the beginning of last season, the Pioneers have allowed 48 goals in 42 games and Gonzalez has posted 12 shutouts. In front of her, the Pioneers have received stellar defensive work from juniors Sashan Green and Jazmine Meza and sophomores Jenny Gomez, Stephanie Torres and Anna Zamarripa and freshmen Tiffany Castillo, Stephanie Flores and Andrea Murguia, among others.
“Not only is she a good student in the classroom, but she has become a leader ever since her freshman year,” Marquez said of Gonzalez. “She’s been a captain and it has shown. Her leadership has grown.”
If the Pioneers haven’t shown the rest of the league they are for real, just check out their 5-1 victory at Mayfair on Jan. 21. Cornejo posted a hat trick as Artesia has now scored eight goals in its past four games against the defending league champions. Now, the focus is on beating La Mirada, which blanked the Pioneers 3-0 on Jan. 7. If Marquez can finally beat the Matadores, then only a league title, a playoff victory and a CIF championship will be the only feats left to complete on his Artesia girls soccer resume.
“Mentally, we weren’t there,” Marquez said. “I was able to scout La Mirada a couple of times and I told the girls what needed to be done in order for us to be successful. It was 3-0 at the half and the game was over. The second half was more different. I thought we competed better in the second half.”
Artesia will visit Cerritos on Monday and Norwalk on Wednesday before finishing the regular season at home against Mayfair and at last place John Glenn.
“We just worked hard last year and did pretty well to get to where we were,” Cornejo said.
“This year we’re doing much better than last year,” Ornelas said. “We lost one of our starters but this year we’re better with younger players.”
There will still be two more weeks left in the regular season and anything can happen. But if the Artesia girls soccer team can do something it has never done before, at least on the field, then the Pioneers will have a chance of clinching at least a share of the school’s first ever Suburban League championship.
All the Pioneers have to do is knock off league nemesis La Mirada today and thoughts of a league title will be on the minds of the players as well as longtime head coach Octavio Marquez for the next two weeks.
Throughout the majority of the program’s existence, the Pioneers have been towards the bottom of the league with more losing seasons than winning ones. But three seasons ago, Artesia began to turn the corner and has now become one of the league’s fiercest opponents.
“I think it definitely had to be that first year when we finally went to the playoffs,” Marquez said. “We started to get some talent in here; we weren’t losing those girls to Cerritos High School. The thing that helps us a lot is now, the city of Hawaiian Gardens has a club program and girls are signing up and starting to play.”
That season, the Pioneers went 10-10-2 overall, 6-6 in league play and lost a heart breaking 2-1 overtime decision to Laguna Beach in the California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section playoffs. The future of the program was beginning to take shape as Marquez had a pair of freshmen and four sophomores who are still making key contributions to this day.
One of those freshmen was 5’ 5” goalkeeper Itzel Gonzalez, who actually began that season as a forward. But Marquez noticed she would be much more valuable between the pipes and made a dramatic change in the middle of the season.
“Before she even came in as a ninth grader, I’ve always heard about Itzel and that she was a really good goalie and also a good field player,” Marquez said. “A goalkeeper is a very important position to have and she gave the team a lot of confidence just knowing you have someone of that caliber in goal.”
Gonzalez still led the team in goals with 14 while one of those four sophomores, Gaby Zamarripa, was third with nine tallies. Those two have been just part of the team’s rise to fame lately. But the success of that season carried on into last season with much better results in more ways than one. The program was beginning the see the emergence of two of the league’s top players-sophomore Jasmine Cornejo and freshman Carolina Ornelas. Cornejo was a transfer from Millikan High School and immediately opened a lot of eyes with a school record 24 goals, over half of them in league action, and eight multiple goal games. That record is bound to be eclipsed this season and possibly again next season.
“You don’t see too many girls scoring 24, 25 goals for a high school team,” Marquez said. “It’s very rare that it happens. It was a blessing in disguise that we got her over here.”
“It was pretty amazing transferring and being new and helping,” Cornejo said. “I didn’t think I was going to break records. When I found out I was doing all of those things, I got happy.”
As for Ornelas, who stands at 4’ 11”, she wasn’t even sure how much playing time she would get. But after scoring 15 goals, including three games of two goals, the Pioneers had themselves a lethal scoring punch on the front line. Last season, at least one of those two scored in 16 of the 19 games that Artesia found the back of the net.
“I thought I was going to be on the bench all of the time because I was competing against seniors,” Ornelas said. “But I started to get to know the girls well and I played well with them.”
“It really helps when you get talent; it helps build the program a lot easier,” Marquez said. “Before, we weren’t getting the talent. It was either the girls had not played soccer or had only played one or two years. It was just tough. The Hawaiian Gardens Eagles soccer club…we’re very fortunate for them to start some club teams. Most of our soccer girls come from that city.”
Cornejo and Ornelas have known each other for about four years and both of them play for the Hawaiian Gardens Eagles. In fact, they have quickly become best friends both on and off the soccer field.
Another turn the page moment last season came when the Pioneers upset Mayfair 2-1 in overtime on Mayfair’s turf. That win signified the Pioneers weren’t going away anytime soon and Marquez stated that was the biggest win he has had while at Artesia. In fact, just four days earlier, the team had fallen to La Mirada 2-1 at Artesia but later was given a forfeit victory as a result of the Matadores playing an ineligible player. That was the first victory ever against La Mirada.
But this season, Artesia has gone farther than ever thus far with a 14-3-1 overall mark, 6-1 in league after its 5-1 home victory under the lights against Bellflower. Both win totals are one away from the school record. Cornejo posted her second hat trick of the season against Bellflower and now has 20 goals this season while Ornelas has 17 and Zamarripa half a dozen. The rest of the team has combined for six other goals. Marquez said he constantly preaches to his two forwards about demanding the ball as the two speedsters are very dangerous on one on one situations.
“To have a combination of two forwards like that is just great to have,” Marquez said. “I think their stats back it up. They have proved it on the field.
“I don’t think I’ve ever dreamed of having a one-two combination scoring punch,” he added. “My goal here was to build a team competitive enough to make the playoffs. Making the playoffs to me was more important.”
Entering today’s game, Cornejo has 44 goals as a Pioneer, six off the all-time school record held by Meghan Pasos. Zamarripa has 37 career goals and Cornejo has 32 career goals, good for fourth and fifth all-time respectively.
“Gaby should deserve a lot more credit than she really does,” Marquez said. “She just creates a lot for our two forwards and brings a lot of attention from opponents. There are times where I tell her she needs to be a little more selfish.”
Again, the two forwards have been involved in the scoring in all but one game in which Artesia has scored a goal. Cornejo has scored at least two goals seven times, four for Ornelas.
“When we get on the field, we always tell each other we have to score,” Cornejo said. “I always tell her she has to score and she tells me I have to score. I don’t think of it as I have to be better than her.”
Not to be forgotten is the work Gonzalez has done in the past season and a half. Since the beginning of last season, the Pioneers have allowed 48 goals in 42 games and Gonzalez has posted 12 shutouts. In front of her, the Pioneers have received stellar defensive work from juniors Sashan Green and Jazmine Meza and sophomores Jenny Gomez, Stephanie Torres and Anna Zamarripa and freshmen Tiffany Castillo, Stephanie Flores and Andrea Murguia, among others.
“Not only is she a good student in the classroom, but she has become a leader ever since her freshman year,” Marquez said of Gonzalez. “She’s been a captain and it has shown. Her leadership has grown.”
If the Pioneers haven’t shown the rest of the league they are for real, just check out their 5-1 victory at Mayfair on Jan. 21. Cornejo posted a hat trick as Artesia has now scored eight goals in its past four games against the defending league champions. Now, the focus is on beating La Mirada, which blanked the Pioneers 3-0 on Jan. 7. If Marquez can finally beat the Matadores, then only a league title, a playoff victory and a CIF championship will be the only feats left to complete on his Artesia girls soccer resume.
“Mentally, we weren’t there,” Marquez said. “I was able to scout La Mirada a couple of times and I told the girls what needed to be done in order for us to be successful. It was 3-0 at the half and the game was over. The second half was more different. I thought we competed better in the second half.”
Artesia will visit Cerritos on Monday and Norwalk on Wednesday before finishing the regular season at home against Mayfair and at last place John Glenn.
“We just worked hard last year and did pretty well to get to where we were,” Cornejo said.
“This year we’re doing much better than last year,” Ornelas said. “We lost one of our starters but this year we’re better with younger players.”
Cerritos Crime Summary JANUARY 17-23
There were twelve Part I felony investigations conducted by deputy personnel at the Cerritos Sheriff’s Station for the above period, down from twenty-two the previous one. All categories in this report decreased with the exception of other structure burglaries. Calls for service also dropped from 300 to 251. By the end of the week, field units were handling an average of 267 calls for service in 2011.
GREAT NEWS! There were no robberies reported last week. Residential burglaries dropped from seven to three last week. Open/unlocked doors or windows were the entry points in all of the crimes. Jewelry, passports, briefcases, and plumbing fixtures were stolen. The new 2011 weekly average in residential burglaries is 4.8.
By nature, burglars do not like to attract any attention. Breaking glass is not one of their preferences. The majority of our entries in Cerritos are caused by either a door or window being left open or unlocked, and by use of a pry tool. A good defense to prying is to make sure that it will be unsuccessful. This is best accomplished by installation of hardware that keeps the sliding window or door connected to the frame. This inhibits any lateral or vertical movement that could allow the window or door to be lifted from the tracks. Locking pins are available at many hardware stores and are a very small investment for such a vital purpose.
Three commercial burglaries were investigated, along with one “other structure burglary”. Three closed businesses were targeted where doors were pried or windows shattered to gain entry. A golf cart, yard maintenance equipment and electrical parts were stolen. A fitness center locker was also involved and the patron reported the loss of an MP3 player and a cell phone. The 2011 weekly average in commercial burglaries is now 4.0.
Vehicle burglaries dropped again from seven to one last week. A high-volume commercial parking lot was the location where a purse and ID were taken. The new 2011 weekly average in vehicle burglaries is 6.0.
A knife and a parking permit may seem insignificant, but these items have been taken from locked vehicles in the past after the windows were smashed. Thieves will take almost anything and the damage to a victim’s vehicle and the inconvenience of repairs is hardly worth leaving anything visible in the passengers compartment.
Vehicle thefts also dropped again from two to one last week. A high-volume commercial parking lot was involved in that crime where a Honda was stolen. The 2011 weekly average in vehicle thefts is now 2.5.
Using a steering wheel locking device will offer a good visible deterrent to the would-be thief. While there have been cases reported where the steering wheel is cut to allow the theft, these are very few in numbers. These devices are inexpensive and let the car thief know that more work will be required to take your vehicle. There are many more in a parking lot for the criminal to target that are not equipped with a locking device.
GREAT NEWS! There were no robberies reported last week. Residential burglaries dropped from seven to three last week. Open/unlocked doors or windows were the entry points in all of the crimes. Jewelry, passports, briefcases, and plumbing fixtures were stolen. The new 2011 weekly average in residential burglaries is 4.8.
By nature, burglars do not like to attract any attention. Breaking glass is not one of their preferences. The majority of our entries in Cerritos are caused by either a door or window being left open or unlocked, and by use of a pry tool. A good defense to prying is to make sure that it will be unsuccessful. This is best accomplished by installation of hardware that keeps the sliding window or door connected to the frame. This inhibits any lateral or vertical movement that could allow the window or door to be lifted from the tracks. Locking pins are available at many hardware stores and are a very small investment for such a vital purpose.
Three commercial burglaries were investigated, along with one “other structure burglary”. Three closed businesses were targeted where doors were pried or windows shattered to gain entry. A golf cart, yard maintenance equipment and electrical parts were stolen. A fitness center locker was also involved and the patron reported the loss of an MP3 player and a cell phone. The 2011 weekly average in commercial burglaries is now 4.0.
Vehicle burglaries dropped again from seven to one last week. A high-volume commercial parking lot was the location where a purse and ID were taken. The new 2011 weekly average in vehicle burglaries is 6.0.
A knife and a parking permit may seem insignificant, but these items have been taken from locked vehicles in the past after the windows were smashed. Thieves will take almost anything and the damage to a victim’s vehicle and the inconvenience of repairs is hardly worth leaving anything visible in the passengers compartment.
Vehicle thefts also dropped again from two to one last week. A high-volume commercial parking lot was involved in that crime where a Honda was stolen. The 2011 weekly average in vehicle thefts is now 2.5.
Using a steering wheel locking device will offer a good visible deterrent to the would-be thief. While there have been cases reported where the steering wheel is cut to allow the theft, these are very few in numbers. These devices are inexpensive and let the car thief know that more work will be required to take your vehicle. There are many more in a parking lot for the criminal to target that are not equipped with a locking device.
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