La Mirada Blog
Articles by Tony Aiello
“Out, Out, Brief Candle” to Play at La Mirada Theatre May 16th
La Mirada~The deadly consequences of teen drug and alcohol use are all too real and often times ignored.
The drug and alcohol prevention production presented by La Mirada-based theatre group Phantom Projects, “Out, Out, Brief Candle”, by former La Mirada High School teacher Bruce Gervitzman, is playing May 16th at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, bringing harsh truth to an up-close and personal level.
Audiences will relate to the real-life issues acted out on stage; they will also meet teens during the post-performance discussion that have dealt with and overcome obstacles in their own road to recovery.
Candid and deeply personal, cast members will share firsthand accounts of how drugs and alcohol can have impacted their young lives. Hear from an inspirational group of teens as they share the realities of their lives with honesty, compassion, and hope.
The production is directed by former La Mirada High School student and founder of Phantom Projects, Steve Cisneros.
10am Performances: ALL SEATS $7.00 10am field trip performances can be arranged by calling Phantom Projects at (714) 690-2900 | 7pm Performances: Adults: $20; High School Students w/ID: $12; Middle School Students w/ID: $7 | Group Discounts for groups of 15 or more. Call the Box Office for info. | Subscribe & Save! Subscriptions: See all 4 shows for just $25 | Evening tickets may be purchased online or by calling (562) 944-9801 | Visit phantomprojects.com
Gaming and Entertainment at BEST Foundation Casino Night in La Mirada
La Mirada~Have a lot of fun and contribute to a great cause at Casino Night presented by the Southern California BEST Foundation.
The event will be held Saturday, April 27th at the La Mirada Volunteer Center, 11900 La Mirada Blvd. in La Mirada
Happy hour and dinner run from 5:30-7:00, followed by gaming, raffles, and a live auction from 7-11 p.m.
The cost is $40 or $75 per couple and includes gaming chips, dinner and entertainment.
All proceeds to support the Southern California Best Foundation Scholarship Fund.
Now in its eighth year of operation, BEST (Business, Education, Scholarship, Training) has presented over $25,000 to local high school students.
Its partners include The La Mirada High School Business Academy, the La Mirada Chamber of Commerce, and the La Mirada business community and service groups,
Checks and credit cards accepted and sponsorships are available.
For more information contact Mimi Frick at (562) 943-3177 or (562) 458-9650.
See you this Saturday night for Casino Night in La Mirada!
Off-Duty Deputy Shoots and Kills Himself in La Mirada
La Mirada~A Sheriff’s deputy apparently shot and killed himself in La Mirada early Saturday morning, the Coroner's office said.
There is very little information available at this time about the suicide other than the victim being a male and it occurred around 2:00 a.m. on San Feliciano Drive.
It is unknown at this time whether the deputy was a member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
We are working to obtain more details.
16:34 NEW: We can now confirm that the deputy was a member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and he was off-duty at the time, according to Steve Whitmore, Sheriff's spokesperson.
Suburban League High School Baseball: Kruip Throws Six Shutout Innings in Mats Win; Monsoons’ Carpenter Throws No-No
Norwalk~Kyle Carpenter no-hit the John Glenn Eagles, giving up only three walks, as Mayfair defeated John Glenn 10-0, in a battle of unbeaten Suburban League teams.
Although Glenn (10-7, 2-1) and Mayfair (13-5, 5-0) both entered the game without a loss in league play, the Eagles were clearly overmatched.
It was the 17th straight league win, dating back to last year, for the Monsoons who have won the league title the last two seasons.
Senior Justin Davis was 3-4 with 3 RBI’s, garnering a single, double, and triple-a home run short of the cycle. Senior Nico Olvera also had three singles and an RBI for the Monsoons.
Eagle ace Cesar Arzate, victim of some shoddy Glenn defense and some bad hops, gave up three runs in the first inning and never recovered, giving up seven runs and six hits in five innings overall.
Carpenter, faced only 24 batters (three over the minimum), had seven strikeouts, and did not allow a ball out of the infield.
The two teams will play the second game of the home-and-home series Friday at Mayfair beginning at 3 p.m.
In other Suburban League action:
La Mirada, trying to keep pace with Mayfair, improved to 4-1 in league with a 11-0 victory over Norwalk. Cody Kruip pitched six shutout innings for the Matadores. The Lancers fell to 0-3 in the Suburban League.
Lou Piltz: A Man That Contributed So Much to the Community
Lou Piltz, former La Mirada City Councilmember and Mayor recently passed away. Lou was loved by the community.
Here is a little snippet Lou sent the La Mirada Blog last year, providing his insight to early La Mirada that will appear in the La Mirada history book, “Reflections From McNally’s Mirror,” being released in June of this year:
In 1957 when Hiram's Market opened, I had to drive from Long Beach to La Mirada over 2 lane asphalt roads , about 12 miles, as manager of the new market. There was very little housing in between and lots of dairies and open space. The new store was in the La Mirada Shopping Center, where some of the signs indicated Bonds Men’s Store and May Company. The street called Rosecrans was a two lane street separated by a dirt strip in the center. A lot of construction was occurring for Ohrbach’s, Newberry’s, and Barker Brothers. When I became more involved in the area, it was not a city yet; The City of La Mirada was incorporated in March 1960. I decided to purchase a home in the City in 1964. I instructed the real estate company, because I was becoming more involved with the city, I wished to be located in the city. Guess what? They sold me a home that was right in the middle of an area called Mitchell’s Island-the only area excluded from the last city incorporation election, because of the negative votes of the first election. I wondered why City Hall was across the street and I wasn't in the city? It was an island surrounded by the City of La Mirada. After my discovery I proceeded to organize a move to annex our area to the city, and we were successful!
-Lou Piltz
Here are some accolades from Gene Gleason, longtime La Mirada local attorney and Kiwanis Club member who grew up in La Mirada:
From the time I was a first or second grade child in the early 1960’s turning in empty glass soda bottles at the Hiram Market in the old La Mirada Mall to store manager Lou Piltz, I have learned many life lessons from him, especially from how he treated other people. Those lessons include:
- Laugh at yourself: Who has not seen Lou acting like a child, telling self deprecating jokes or stories? We could all benefit by not taking ourselves too seriously and being able to laugh at ourselves. How many times I can recall seeing a Key Club member from La Mirada High School not sure how to react when their mayor balanced a spoon on his nose at a breakfast meeting or when Lou gave them lessons on how to flip “panny-cakes”at a fundraiser!
-Smile - even when that may be the opposite of what you want to do. It takes so little effort and so many people need to see a smile.
-Serve others because it is the right thing to do, not out of a desire for recognition for yourself.
-Be alert to the needs of others. We are called to be the eyes and ears of our community looking for those in need.
-Sincerity- when you ask “How are you doing?” Lou was not just “making talk.” When he asked how you were doing, he honestly wanted to know how you were doing. How little effort it takes to be sincere and care about your fellow man.
-One of the prices of truly caring is that you feel disappointment- Lou had a difficult time hiding it when someone let him down, when they did not measure up to what they should do. The hurt/disappointment would show-that was because he cared.
-I can picture him shaking his head from side to side and or rolling his eyes upward when something like that happened, as if to say “You can do better than that.”
-Stability-Love of Family. Lou was justifiably proud of his wife Sylvia, his children and his grandchildren. There was never any question about Lou's dedication to his family or his family's love for him
La Mirada Bids Goodbye to Legends at Oxman Memorial and Piltz Funeral
La Mirada~Two well-known La Mirada community members have passed recently and the community will say goodbye today.
Jerome "Mr." Oxman passed away at 97 on February 22nd at his home after a battle with prostate cancer and a recent stroke.
Oxman founded Oxman's Surplus retail store in 1961 at the corner of Rosecrans and Valley View Avenues after his mail-order business shipping surplus items, took off.
There will be a memorial, ceremony and a celebration of Mr. O's life today beginning at 2 p.m. at Oxman's Surplus, 14128 Rosecrans Avenue. Light refreshments will be served.
Lou Piltz, former councilman and three-time Mayor passed away this past Wednesday.
He helped former councilman Wil Simendinger on his campaign in the late seventies and it peaked his political interest. He was appointed to city council in 1978 when the late Wayne Grisham ran for Congress and created a vacant seat. Piltz then served three additional four-year terms.
He was the grand opening manager for the new Hiram’s supermarket in La Mirada in 1956 and managed it for many years when it eventually became Lucky Stores.
Also, in 1966, he and his wife owned and operated the Orange Julius in the same center for six years. The community hub provided many jobs for La Mirada High School students at the time.
However, many remember Piltz for his activity after retirement. He was active in many community organizations including the Kiwanis Club of La Mirada and the La Mirada chapter of Meals-on-Wheels, among many others.
Piltz was not just a member of these many groups, but an active one, serving as chairman and organizer of countless committee’s and events.
Piltz’s funeral begins today at 2 p.m. at Hillside Memorial Park & Mortuary, 6001 W. Centinela Avenue in Los Angeles.
World War II Veteran; Beloved La Mirada Community Figure Dies at 97
OBITUARY
Founder of Oxman’s Surplus Created One of the Largest Military Surplus Stores in the Nation
La Mirada~Jerome Oxman, World War II Veteran and founder of Oxman’s Surplus passed away February 22 at his home in Buena Park after a battle with prostate cancer and a recent stoke. He was 97.
Mr. Oxman was laid to rest February 26th at Pacific View Memorial Park in Corona del Mar during a private ceremony.
During WWII he served in the United States Army-in Iran-as part of the Persian Gulf Command.
After the war, he wed Miriam Averbook of Superior, Wisconsin on June 14, 1947 and they were married over 65 years.
That year they visited California on their honeymoon and never returned, with Jerome first getting a job at Palley’s Surplus in Vernon, California.
Mr.”O,” as he is commonly known by family and friends, founded Oxman’s in 1961 after he convinced the former owner of the “Big A” property to let him use the old auto service garages on the property, located at Rosecrans and Valley View Avenues, to operate a mail-order business that would ship military “surplus.”
He bid strategically at government surplus auctions and the military and aircraft that he sold and shipped got so much attention that Mr. “O” had to open the doors to the public, and Oxman’s Surplus was born.
Today, Oxman’s, now encompasses the garages and the adjacent 7,500 square foot building and has long been considered one of the most extensive surplus stores in the nation.
In 2010, after 49 years, Oxman’s changed their main entrance from the back of the store to the front, and also opened up a 2,000 square foot museum displaying hundreds of pieces of military memorabilia from Mr. “O’s” collection. The museum is free of charge and also includes a brand new Mess Tent Café, where patrons can
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| Jerome and Miriam Oxman appeared at the 3rd Annual La Mirada Blog Fest this past August |
snack and watch some military TV.
Oxman was very active in the La Mirada community over the years. He is past president of the La Mirada Chamber of Commerce, board member of the La Mirada Meals-on-Wheels, and a La Mirada Little League sponsor for over fifty years.
There will be a Memorial Service and a celebration of Mr. “O’s” life on Sunday March 24th, 2013 at the store located at 14128 Rosecrans Avenue, beginning at 2:00 p.m. Please RSVP by March 22nd if you would like to attend this public event.
Oxman is survived by his wife, Miriam, sons Brian, Murray, and Jason; and sister Renee Oxman and four grandchildren.
BREAKING: Ballot Counting Process at City Hall Ongoing
NEW UPDATED NUMBERS:
Deal 1,710, Keithly 1,316, Saregs 1,304, Garcia, 867, Gray, 735
Remaining ballots not yet counted, absentees dropped at polling places and provisionals, now being counted.
BREAKING: Ballot Counting Process at City Hall Ongoing
La Mirada~A recount of the ballots for La Mirada City Council has been taking place since 2 p.m. at La Mirada City Hall.
All vote-by-mail ballots have been counted with Pauline Deal gaining 16, Steve Keithly 15, Andrew Sarega 13, Randy Gray 11, and Gabe Garcia 8.
The current count stands at Deal 1,444, Keithly 1,125, Sarega, 1,078, Garcia, 767, and Gray 659.
Counting of additional 391 ballots not yet counted, including 63 provisional now taking place.
We will try to provide you with updates as we get them.
All Ballots to be Recounted in La Mirada City Council Race
La Mirada~In a race too close to call, all ballots will be recounted in the La Mirada City Council race along with 326 additional ballots not yet counted.
There are five candidates running for two open seats.
When vote counting ended last night late, Pauline Deal led all candidates with 1,693 votes. For second place however, Steve Keithly leads Andrew Sarega by only nine votes, 1,300 to 1,291. There are still 326 provisional ballots to be counted today, so the race for second had to wait.
However, it was announced this morning, ALL ballots will be recounted today, before the provisional, due to mechanical issues experienced last night.
The recount will take place today at 2 p.m. at City Hall.
The ballot-counting was plagued with problems last night, forcing the city to use a back-up machine, delaying the process.
Deputy City Manager Anne Haraksin told us this morning that the firm they use, Martin & Chapman advised them to recount, “They told us that due to the race being so close it would be a good idea to run all ballots through a machine again.”
She said ballot operators provided by the company experienced problems throughout the evening.
Martin & Chapman is an election and consultation service company based in Anaheim. According to their website, they “are the primary election consultant and supplier for the 65+ cities who conduct their own elections in Los Angeles County.”
Today, the firm will bring two different machines to count the ballots.
Haraksin reiterated, “No candidates contacted us to demand a recount, we are strictly going by the advice given to us by Martin & Chapman.”
After a second machine was brought in last night, and some issues still persisted, Haraksin said, “We think it might be some sort of power problem.” She said that issue will be resolved today as well before the recount.
In a different twist, the provisional ballots have not been counted at all yet, and will probably decide the race for second.
Those uncounted vote-by-mail (VBM) ballots will be tallied around 4 p.m. today, shortly after the recount.
173 of those are ballots received at city hall Monday after the city inspected the initial VBM ballots and sealed the box at a decided time, a normal process, said Haraksin. After the boxes were sealed, the city received additional ballots by residents at City Hall, as well as additional VBM ballots picked up from the P.O. Box at the Post Office, again, a normal process.
The remaining 153 VBM ballots are from residents who applied to vote-by-mail, who then decided to drop off their ballots at different polling locations throughout town.
Haraksin said the 173 additional VBM ballots received after the box-sealing is the most ever for the city, probably attributed to the fact that more La Mirada residents chose to vote by mail this time around.
She said 2,000 more people voted this way than the last election two years ago.
As of know, Mayor Gabe Garcia has captured 855 votes with Randy Gray grabbing 725.
UPDATE: Ballots not yet counted is now up to 391 with the addition of 63 additional true provisional ballots. City offiicials have been unable to get a machine to work properly at City Hall. The latest is all ballots from last night are to be counted by hand, and then the 391 additional VBM and provisional ballots will be counted immediately following.
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