La Mirada Blog
Articles by Brooklynn Ackerman
Owner of New Grocery Outlet Receives a Warm Community Welcome
By Brooklynn Ackerman
La Mirada~This morning was the grand opening of the new Grocery Outlet Bargain Market located at Imperial Highway and Santa Gertrudes Avenue.
Yesterday, the store hosted a sneak preview event and invited some members of the community to roam the aisles before the doors were opened today.
The store is filled with GREAT deals, lots of organic options and helpful staff members.
I had a chance to speak with Pam Brown, one of the co-owners and operators. Pam has lived in Whittier for about 18 years and is looking forward to fostering great relationships and giving back to the community.
She expressed her gratitude to neighboring businesses and members of the community who have given her and her team such a warm welcome. When I asked if she was prepared for the grand opening she stated, “I’m nervous because it’s such a big day, but I am very excited. My team has been awesome and we are ready”.
The fastest growing extreme-value grocer in the U.S., Grocery Outlet now has over 290 locations covering six states.
In honor of the grand opening, Grocery Outlet will be donating the amount of customer savings from the first hour of operation to Love La Mirada. Also this morning, mystery coupons were handed out to the first 200 guests and every shopper received a reusable bag.
From April 5th through May 3rd, shoppers can enter to win free groceries for one year! There is much to be excited about, so stop by the Grocery Outlet and check out the amazing deals!
Recent Neighborhood Watch Meetings in La Mirada
By Brooklynn Ackerman
La Mirada~On Thursday, March 15th, City of La Mirada Public Safety officer Mary Cipres and the principal of Foster Road Elementary, Sal Villagomez, hosted a Neighborhood Watch meeting to give the community a chance to express some of their concerns.
Around 30 members of the community gathered at Foster Road Elementary to ask questions directly to the deputies that are assigned to the La Mirada area. The deputies were happy to answer any questions and shared a few positive updates.
Recently there have been a few troubling incidents in the area and the officers confirmed they have discovered the cause of the issues and have a firm handle on it. They reiterated that gang activity will not be tolerated and they are taking action to suppress it.
Cipres and the officers encourage the members of the community to call the La Mirada Sheriff's station at (562) 902-2960 if they witness anything suspicious, no matter how big or small.
She also shared a few other ways to stay informed and involved in the community. E-Watch is a weekly email that is sent out to provide updates about criminal activity in the city. You can access it on the city's website under "Reference Links".
In addition, you can download the app My La Mirada which is an easy way to bring attention to things that need to be addressed, such as broken city equipment, tagging, etc. You simply take a photo of what you are observing and send it through the app. You can also follow La Mirada Public Safety on Facebook (@LaMiradaPublicSafety) and on Twitter (@LaMiradaPS) to stay connected.
Additional meetings were hosted at Gardenhill Elementary on March 22nd and at a home in the Foster Park area on March 23rd.
Itâs the âEnd of an Eraâ in La Mirada
By Brooklynn Ackerman and Tony Aiello
La Mirada~April has a different feel in town this year as it appears that the “4 La Mirada Kids Carnival” at Benton Middle School will not take place after a 23-year run.
The three-day event has been held since 1994, when it was started by a core group consisting of Howard Haas (La Mirada High School Principal), Pete Dames (La Mirada City Council), Gary Sloan (La Mirada City Manager) and visionary Ray Haugh (Kiwanis Club of La Mirada).
Haugh originally pitched the idea about hosting a carnival in 1983, but it was shelved until 1994 when Haas approached the group saying that La Mirada High School was falling short by $10,000 for extracurricular activities. These funds were jeopardized by education budget cuts at the time.
So, the group started the event to help raise funds for local educational programs and activities such as field trips, sports and band equipment. In 1996, the carnival raised $33,500 for this purpose.
The carnival would go on to raise over $30,000 annually and consistently, for many years, with 100% of the proceeds going back into the community.
The Kiwanis Club was the major underwriter of the event until the La Mirada Community Foundation took over about 15 years ago. The Foundation has stated they would not be the signing authority (insurance) in 2018, putting the carnival in jeopardy.
Foundation member and former City Councilman Hal Malkin, an early-year organizer and contributor for many seasons said, “There have been some disasters over the past few years. Rain two years ago and last year the county shut down the rides,” he said in a phone interview, “It’s just dwindled over the years and it’s the end of an era, it’s seen its life.”
Also in question this year is where the carnival would be hosted as Benton is currently undergoing major athletic field renovations.
Current organizers are hopeful and said the event could possibly be held at an alternate location this year and perhaps return to Benton next year if a new sponsor could be found.
Life is a Cabaret at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
The La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts is now showing Cabaret, a sexy, modern rendition of a timeless production.
Set in Germany during the 1930’s, an American writer, Clifford Bradshaw, travels to Germany in search of a story for his novel and stumbles upon the beautiful, yet eccentric Sally Bowles.
Sally, who is a performer at the famous “Kit Kat Klub”, entices Cliff and unexpectedly leads him on a journey that is novel-worthy.
The emcee of the Kit Kat Klub exclaims, “Leave your troubles at the door” and sets a sensual, racy tone that lingers throughout the remainder of the show. The performers heat up the theater and enchant the audience with amazing vocals.
Aside from the glitz and glamour, the play also showcases the hysteria that arose within Nazi Germany and presents morals that are still pertinent to this day.
The writers and performers brilliantly intertwine drama, romance and comedy to keep the audience entertained from start to finish. This show is marvelous and truly sticks with you. So much so that you may find yourself imitating a German accent and attempting to the dance like the performers days after leaving the theater!
Don’t miss your chance to see Cabaret at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts now showing through February 11th.
Reading Oasis at Foster Road to Open at the Thanksgiving Feast
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| Foster Road Principal Sal Villagomez cuts the ribbon at the new Reading Oasis flanked by (l to r), NLMUSD Trustee Jesse Urquidi, La Mirada City Councilman John Lewis, Cerritos College Trustee President Zurich Lewis, NLMUSD Superintendent Hasmick Danielson and Trustee Chris Pflanzer along La Mirada Kiwanis President Jack Miranda and Interclub Director Debbie Schiebel. (Photo La Mirada Kiwanis) |
La Mirada~On Wednesday November 1st, members from the Kiwanis Club of La Mirada unveiled the Reading Oasis at Foster Road Elementary School.
The Kiwanis Club, with the help of Scholastic and several other donors, designed a bright, spacious room and filled it with several books, tables, and computers. Their vision was to provide a space for children and members of the community to gather, read, and grow. There are over 1,200 books in the room all of a wide variety, including Spanish books as well as a few audio books.
The co-chairs of this project were proud to present the room to all the esteemed members of the community that attended the grand opening. They graciously thanked all of the donors who together contributed a total of 14,000 to make this room financially possible as well as those who attended the "working parties" to get the room set up.
Foster Road's principal, Sal Villagomez, showed his gratitude to the Kiwanis Club for setting forth the idea and working with him to bring such a positive contribution to the school and the community as a whole. He mentioned his hopes to garner more parent involvement and this room is a clear step in that direction.
After discussing the intention and overall vision for the room, the grand opening commenced with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The Reading Oasis will be introduced and opened to the public during the Foster Road's Thanksgiving Feast on November 16th.
Reunited and It Feels So Good; Theatre Piano Used By Bennett in ‘77 Restored by Same Piano Man for Special Reunion Concert in La Mirada
By Brooklynn Ackerman
La Mirada~As you may or may not know, this year marks the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Art’s 40th anniversary and in celebration of this milestone, Tony Bennett is returning to the stage where he performed back in September of 1977 for the Theatre’s grand opening night.
On Thursday night October 12, 2017 the theatre is not only welcoming back Bennett, but also welcoming back its old piano, the same piano Bennett played on 40 years ago. But the chain of homecomings doesn’t stop there.
The piano Bennett played on that opening night in 1977 was installed and tuned by a man named Ed Whitting. Mr. Whitting prepared the piano for opening night and had the pleasure of meeting Bennett. After all these years the piano was retired and replaced, as it was in need of major repairs and adjustments to get it back into its old tune.
In preparation for this big night, the city financed the piano’s restoration and so Mr. Whitting was called upon to work his magic and prepare the piano once again. Mr. Whitting will complete the restoration of the Theatre’s old piano just in time for Bennett’s show.
This grand reunion adds to excitement of the night as well as to the extensive history of the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. Stories such as these truly highlight how theatre has been and will continue to be such vital part of our community.
Over 300 Attend La Mirada Senior Health Fair
La Mirada~On Wednesday, September 13th the City of La Mirada hosted a senior health fair at the Activity Center to educate residents on wide array of topics to help maintain good health.
From 9am to 12pm around 300 residents attended the fair and received free health screenings and information, as well as cooking demonstrations to encourage healthier habits.
Several local vendors and organizations contributed to make this event possible. Biola’s Nursing Department provided glucose and cholesterol screenings and New Age Dental provided dental screenings.
In addition to health information, attendees were also offered lunch on behalf of Café on the Green and salsa lessons from Nifty after Fifty. This event is expected to be held again next year on September 12th, 2018.
Continuing their commitment to serving our community, The City of La Mirada, with the help of the Los Angeles Department of Public Health, will also be hosting a flu clinic and providing free flu shots on October 31st from 9am to 11am.
For more information or to register for the flu clinic please contact the La Mirada Activity Center at (562) 902-3160.
REVIEW: La Mirada Theatre Kicks Off New Season in 40th Year
The La Mirada Blog is very pleased to announce the addition of Brooklynn Ackerman to our team of contributors.
As the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts celebrates its’ 40th anniversary this year, it kicks off the season with the lively, jazz musical Ain’t Misbehavin’, a tribute to the famous musician Thomas “Fats” Waller.
This rendition of the original Tony awarding-winning production in 1978, not only showcases Waller’s great musical talents, but his knack for entertaining the crowd with his great personality.
The cast, Frenchie Davis, Thomas Hobson, Boise Holmes, Natalie Wachen, and Amber Liekhus, flawlessly perform hits such as, “Ain’t Misbehavin’”, “The Joint is Jumping”, “Squeeze me”, “Honeysuckle Rose”, “Black and Blue” and what seemed to be the crowd’s favorite, “Your feet’s too big”.
From beginning to end, the cast captivates the audience with a combination of bold, entrancing vocal performances and comedic duets and interludes. Upon returning from a brief intermission, the audience is able to appreciate the music from the band before the show resumes.
Whether or not you are familiar with Waller’s music, or the swing-jazz era as a whole, this show is guaranteed to keep your feet tapping and shoulders swaying in your seats throughout its entirety. Together, the cast’s performance, stage set, and wardrobe bring the jazz era to life and leave the audience in awe.
This production will be at the La Mirada Theatre until October 8th, so don’t miss out on your chance to see this phenomenal show while you can!
Performances are 7:30pm on Wednesdays & Thursdays; 8pm on Fridays; 2pm and 8pm on Saturdays; 2pm on Sundays. There will be no performance on Saturday, September 16 at 2pm. There will be an Open Captioned performance on Saturday, September 30 at 2pm and an ASL interpreted performance on Saturday, October 7 at 2pm. Tickets range from $20 - $70 and can be purchased at La Mirada Theatre’s website, www.lamiradatheatre.com or by calling the La Mirada Theatre Box Office at (562) 944-9801 or (714) 994-6310. Student, Senior and group discounts are available. $15 Student Tickets available for the first 15 performances of the production.
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