La Mirada Blog
Articles by Tony Aiello
Diverse Group Gathers in La Mirada to Pray and Give Tribute
La Mirada~Over fifty residents & clergy leaders gathered on a beautiful late summer afternoon in the courtyard at the Civic Center Plaza for the annual La Mirada Prayer for 9/11.
The event had a theme of unity and recognized those we lost from the September 11th, 2001 attacks and also paid tribute to past and current emergency personnel and military members.
Speakers from Temple Beth Ohr, La Mirada Christian Church, La Mirada Masjid, and Living Faith Church were featured.
Latest La Mirada News
City Council
The council recently recognized Temple Beth Ohr of La Mirada on its 60th anniversary. Rabbi Mark Goldfarb was on hand to accept a certificate on behalf of TBO. The synagogue, located at Rosecrans and Santa Gertrudes, was started by eight Jewish families in La Mirada shortly after subdivision in 1954. They hooked up on a supermarket bulletin board.
A resolution was passed authorizing the installation of stop signs and pavement markings on the east and west approaches of Hesse Drive at Talbot Drive.
A resolution was passed to remove the ladder-type crosswalk, signs and pavement markings on Telegraph Road at Armsdale Avenue. It has been determined the crosswalk is no longer needed for El Camino High School which currently operates at the site. The crosswalk remained from when the school operated as Mesa Elementary School.
Wow! How awesome to see residents Joe and Millie Emmerling recently recognized for their 70th wedding anniversary. The Emmerling’s moved to La Mirada in 
September of 1960. “We were here when La Mirada wasn’t a city yet,” the 98-year-old Mrs. Emmerling told the audience. They received a plaque and two tickets to the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts for their efforts.
The 1.5 acre parcel at 13400 Biola Avenue will be subdivided and construction of six single-family dwelling units will be developed. The parcel was formerly owned by Suburban Water and was the site of one of the original artesian water wells of Andrew McNally’s Windermere Ranch in the late nineteenth and early 20th century.
Sports
The La Mirada High School football team beat Orange Lutheran 24-17 on August 26th to open the 2016-17 campaign. The defending Suburban League and State Bowl champs then opened up the home season with a 34-0 loss to nationally ranked St. John Bosco this past Friday. The Matadores take on Mater Dei, also nationally ranked, this Friday September 9th on the road.
Eats
Although no lease has been signed yet, Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen has submitted initial tentative plans to develop the lot adjacent to Savers at the Green Hills Shopping Center North at Imperial Highway and Santa Gertrudes.
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onstruction has begun on the new McDonald’s at the former site of The Carriage at Imperial Highway and Telegraph Road. The new Mickey D’s will be an ultra-modern facility similar to the store in Brea.
Across the street, construction has also begun on The Habit Burger Grill which will occupy the former Starbucks and Verizon facility on the southwest corner of La Mirada Boulevard and Imperial Highway.
La Mirada City Council Recognizes Supervisor Knabe
La Mirada~The La Mirada City Council recognized Supervisor Don Knabe on August 9th for his career of public service, local support, and leadership for the past 20 years. The Supervisor’s term ends in November.
During his time as Supervisor, Knabe saw the City of La Mirada’s facilities expand to include the Community Gymnasium, Community Resource Center, Activity Center,
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| La Mirada City Council members Ed Eng, Steve De Ruse, Larry Mowles and Pauline Deal with Supervisor Don Knabe (center). |
Community Sheriff’s Station, and Splash! La Mirada Regional Aquatics Center. His support was instrumental in making many of these facilities come to fruition.
Currently, Supervisor Knabe’s “Operation Libraries” project is investing over $4.4 million to renovate the La Mirada Library, which will open by the end of the year.
Supervisor Knabe also created the very popular Knabe Katch Fishing Derby in 1996. The 20th event takes place this year on Saturday, September 24th, as always at Regional Park Lake. The event’s future is uncertain after this year.
Supervisor Knabe was presented with a recognition plaque and a framed photo collage at the August 9th City Council meeting.
Traditional Japanese All-You-Can-Eat Buffet May Take Former China Star Spot
La Mirada~A new restaurant may be coming to La Mirada, occupying the empty building at the southeast corner of La Mirada Boulevard and Rosecrans Avenue in the Theatre Center adjacent to the La Mirada Theatre for the Peforming Arts.
City Planner Gabriel Bautista told the La Mirada Blog that Shabuya, featuring all-you-can-eat shabu-shabu, has submitted plans for tenant improvements with the intent to remodel the inside of the building located at 15028 Rosecrans Avenue.
The La Mirada Chamber of Commerce has also also reported in their newsletter that Shabuya “has recently signed a lease with the property management company 
Kimco.”
Shabu-shabu is a traditional Japanese dish of thinly sliced meat and vegetables served at the dining table hotpot style-quickly boiled in water and accompanied with dipping sauces when finished. Seafood, chicken and lamb can also be used. The beef is usually rib eye or top sirloin and is traditionally served with shiitake and enokitake mushrooms.
We have tried to reach the owners of Shabuya, but so far our calls have gone unreturned. They currently operate the Shabuya in Los Angeles on Wilshire Boulevard and their website touts, “we pride ourselves as a traditional shabu-shabu establishment.”
The building has been vacant since China Star Buffet (also known as Asian Palace Buffet at one time) closed its doors in September of 2013.
Other Development News
Plans seem to be continuing for The Habit to take over the former Starbucks located at the southwest corner of Imperial Highway and La Mirada Boulevard. There seems to be indications that permits will be pulled relatively soon in relation to this project.
Matadores to Play in 49th 605 All-Star Classic
Whittier~Paul Tully and AJ Rivas from La Mirada High School will participate in the 49th 605 All-Star Football Classic Friday, June 3rd.
The game, pitting schools on the east side of the 605 freeway against teams on the west side, was started in 1967 by the Whittier Kiwanis Club and showcases high school seniors many playing in their last game.
This year, the game has been moved to Pioneer High's new Titan Stadium. Game time is 6:05 p.m.
La Mirada Paramedic Unit Collides With Vehicle
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| The paramedic unit from LA County Fire Station 49 in La Mirada collided with another vehicle this afternoon at La Mirada Boulevard and Oakwood Drive. Photo La Mirada Blog Twitter feed @LaMiradaBlog via Joe Flores |
La Mirada~A paramedic vehicle from L.A County Fire Station 49 in La Mirada collided with another vehicle today at the intersection of La Mirada Boulevard and Oakwood Drive.
The incident occurred about 1:30 p.m.
La Mirada Blog fan Joe Flores reported the paramedic unit was traveling northbound on La Mirada Boulevard. A female was driving southbound on La Mirada and attempted a left turn on to Oakwood.
It is unclear was caused the mishap. It is also unclear if the emergency vehicle had its lights and siren on at the time of the incident.
No injuries were reported at scene.
Oxman’s to Unveil New Purple Parking Space on Armed Forces Day
Santa Fe Springs~Oxman's Surplus, an Army/Navy Retail Surplus Store, will be hosting a celebration Saturday, May 21st, Armed Forces Day, to unveil their new “purple parking space” to be used exclusively by combat wounded, injured military personnel, and all veterans.
There will be free hot dogs and soda to the first 200 visitors. Hot dogs, will be served at 12:00 noon and at 1:00 p.m. there will be short comments by the Oxman family, Joe Enriquez of Point Man Ministries, and short impromptu comments by some of the Veterans in attendance. The purple parking space will then be unveiled.
Oxman's Surplus, founded by Jerome and Miriam Oxman in 1961 has been in the same location for 55 years. Jerome Oxman (1915-2013) was a WWII veteran and dedicated his life to buying, selling, collecting military memorabilia, and creating a store that is also a museum. Mr. Oxman wanted every customer to find what they wanted and learn a little bit about our military history and understand that "FREEDOM IS NOT FREE"
Oxman's is still under the watchful eye of Miriam Oxman as two of her sons, Murray and Jason, have taken the reins and are going strong.
On Saturday, Oxman's will be offering a 10% discount on all items in the store and a 20% discount on cold weather gear.
The Oxman family would like to thank Point Man Ministries for the generous food donations.
Oxman's Surplus is located at 14128 Rosecrans Avenue at Valley View Avenue along the border of Santa Fe Springs and La Mirada.
Please feel free to Contact Murray, Jason, or Miriam during the business hours of Mon.-Sat. 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at 562.921.1106.
Hutchinson Middle School Student to Appear on National TV Cooking Show
La Mirada~When a young child prefers to watch cooking shows on TV rather than cartoons, it has to be a sign of things to come.
La Mirada resident Bella Coonis will be appearing and competing on the Food Network's television program, Chopped Junior this Tuesday May 17th at 8:00 p.m. PT, after being chosen to appear on the show.
Bella went through an interview and tryout process to be considered and got the call late last year that she made the cut. She flew to New York City this past February to film her episode, but there is a hush-hush about the outcome of the show so you will have to tune in to find out what happens.
The 13-year old creator of fare is the oldest child of La Mirada natives Nick and KC Coonis, who have three other children. Bella is a big fan of the Food Network.
Her Mom KC told me, Bella has been in the kitchen since she was around two and didn’t think anything of her TV viewing habits at first. However, she knew something was up in later years when Bella would ask for kitchen appliances, such as torches and mixers, at Christmas time instead of toys.
She said her daughter “has a passion for what she does and it shines through.”
I asked Bella what one of first memories is of cooking or baking and she said making sugar cookies with her mom, “She inspired me. I loved watching her and I wanted to help her in the kitchen.”
She produced YouTube videos showing how to make such dishes as tuna casseroles when she was five years old. She was around “seven or eight” when she first began preparing complete dinners for the family.
Talking with Bella I sensed she gets a special joy out of pleasing people with her food, such as when she made spaghetti & meatballs for her Uncle Johnny, who apparently hadn’t had it prepared a certain way in a long time.
Bella attends Hutchinson Middle School and is an honor roll student. Her principal Sara Siemens said it has been low-key on campus because of the sensitivity of the outcome of the show but offered, “We are extremely excited for her and it is quite an accomplishment. It is especially enjoyable when our students take their passions and expand on them.”
As for her future, Bella said she would like to attend the Culinary Institute of America and get a business degree in hospitality. After that, she would like to open her own cafe.
See Bella’s casting video from last year here.
Recently, Bella entered a cooking competition at the Anaheim Citrus Festival. Her dish was her own original recipe called Indulgent Citrus Cake with Mascarpone Cream, and she won against an all-adult panel.
Everyone is invited to join family and friends for a viewing party of her episode "Go Fish!" this Tuesday, May 17th at 8:00 p.m. at Chili's, 1600 West Imperial Highway in La Habra.
UPDATE: Bella beat the other three contestants and was named a Chopped Junior Champion! Although she had a challenge in the desert round, she rose to the occasion to make La Mirada proud!
UFC Offering Free 22-Day Pass for Veterans to Support Awareness Program
La Mirada~UFC GYM hosted their #22ADAY Campaign to generate awareness for the #22Kill Veteran Awareness Program, a global movement bridging the gap between veterans and civilians to build a community of support to help and address issues of veteran mental health.
UFC teamed up with 22 local business partners within Whittier, La Mirada, La Habra and Buena Park to share the experience and members and partners did 22 pushups each on Friday April 22nd at 2:22pm.
UFC Gym has a goal of generating 222,000 pushups to support the cause. Members who participated received a #22ADAY UFC Gym branded rubber bracelet to show their support after the event.
From April 22nd-30th, all Veterans will receive a 22-day UFC membership. Military ID required, contact UFC GYM/La Mirada at (714) 332-1770 for details.
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