News
Business Landscape Changing in La Mirada
Dunkel Bros. Machinery Moving is….Moving.
The La Mirada-based company will be staying in town, but will be relocating to 14555 Alondra Blvd after the California Department of Transportation purchased its current facility on Firestone Blvd. for the I-5 Widening Project, it announced last year.
The firm is best known for the well-publicized move of the Space Shuttle Endeavor from LAX to its new home at the California Science Center two years ago.
They will be renovating the building on Alondra that was built in 1968 and utilizing it as its corporate headquarters. The building is 237,089 square feet building and sits on 12+ acres.
The building originally was scheduled to be demolished but the previous owner (Heitman LLC) received an offer from Dunkel they couldn’t refuse.
The 2015 holiday season may be the last chance for area residents to view the company’s famous light display that adorns the 5 freeway every year.
Full Steamed Buns Ahead
Plans to build a McDonald’s at the site of the iconic Carriage Coffee Shop are moving forward according to City Community Development Manager Alison Moore.
A fire broke out in the kitchen in December of last year and shuttered the eatery permanently.
Many people have commented and speculated publicly on this website’s Facebook page, the fire last year seemed suspicious at a time when the closure of The Carriage seemed imminent.
Moore told us indications from the developer, Rich Development, reflect that there should be “activity” on the site soon.
Diving Right In
Pacific Diving Academy USA, Inc. currently located in Santa Fe Springs will be moving to La Mirada after purchasing the former 24-Hour Fitness facility located on La Mirada Blvd.
The non-profit organization was founded in 1996 by Andy and Amy Kwan. Along with a world class dry-land diving facility, their training center houses a full size gymnastics spring floor, numerous gymnastics apparatus, dance studio, and a weight training center.
The company purchased the building outright. Kimco Realty Corp. are the owners of most of the remainder of the Theatre Center.
The City currently contracts, with the academy for some of their classes.
The former LA Fitness gym next to IHOP is currently undergoing a renovation you can see when you drive by.
POWER OUTAGE INFO
There is a power outage currently affecting residents and businesses in the Biola/Stage area of La Mirada.
So Cal Edison website is reporting power should be restored by 7:30 a.m.
La Mirada Blog and Gateway Guardian Announce Partnership
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| Stories from the La Mirada Blog will begin appearing in the Gateway Guardian newspaper this week as recently announced by Blog Founder/Editor Tony Aiello and Gateway Publisher Melinda Kimsey. |
La Mirada~Gateway Guardian Newspaper Inc., based in Artesia, will begin a partnership with the La Mirada Blog as they expand their coverage into La Mirada, recently announced by Publisher Melinda Kimsey.
The Gateway is a bi-weekly paper that currently covers the cities of Artesia, Cerritos, Hawaiian Gardens & La Palma.
La Mirada Blog stories will begin appearing exclusively in this weeks edition.
"I am excited and proud about the prospect of the Blog being available in print," said founder and editor Tony Aiello, "We were one of the first to provide local news on-line. My inspiration of course, was local print newspapers."
"The La Mirada Blog website model has been extremely successful, nobody informs residents as efficiently as we do. But also, there is room and a need for print newspapers in smaller communities, it's just that simple. This is just another way of getting our stories in front of more eyes and keeping people informed."
The Gateway newspaper can currently be picked up for free at key locations throughout its distribution area including Artesia, Cerritos and Hawaiian Gardens city halls.
You can also get the the Gateway delivered straight to your home for $25.00 a year by sending in the form located inside the paper or you may call (562) 522-8776.
The Gateway Guardian is also available on-line at gatewayguardiannews.com.
La Mirada Cyclist to Support Rotary’s Ride to End Polio
La Mirada resident Paul Milward will be representing the Rotary Club of La Mirada as a rider in El Tour de Tucson, an annual 100 mile bicycle race in Arizona to raise funds to end polio.
Milward will join Rotary General Secretary John Hewko and more than 9,000 cyclists raising funds for PolioPlus on November 21. The team’s goal is $3.4 million, which will be tripled by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, for a total of more than $10 million.
Although not a Rotarian, Milward takes Rotary’s quest to end polio throughout the world very personally. His father, Charles Milward, was afflicted by the disease. The elder Milward was a successful Santa Fe Springs businessman for many years until his death a few years ago.
La Mirada Chamber to Host Home-Based Business Meet and Greet
The La Mirada Chamber of Commerce is inviting La Mirada home-based businesses to attend a meet and greet at the Sporting News Grill on October 29th from 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Attendees will get the chance to meet their local chamber board members face to face and find out what services are available for them.
The free event hosted by the chamber will also include appetizers and a chance to converse and network with other home-based business owners in La Mirada.
The Sporting News Grill/La Mirada is located 14299 Firestone Boulevard at the 5 freeway, just east of Valley View Avenue.
Contact Executive Director Dustin Dahl for more information at 714-655-7340 or dustin.dahl@yahoo.com
The La Mirada Chamber of Commerce was established and has been helping businesses grow since 1958.
La Mirada Offers Free Mulch Event for Residents.
EDCO and the City of La Mirada are sponsoring a free mulch distribution on Saturday, October 24 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the La Mirada Community Gymnasium parking lot, 15105 Alicante Road.
“Mulch has many gardening benefits including preventing weed growth, holding in moisture, and ensuring an even soil temperature as the weather fluctuates,” says Senior Administrative Analyst Marlin Munoz. “Adding mulch is one of the simplest ways to help save water.”
Mulch will be available for residents while supplies last. This will be a self-serve, self-loading service and residents must bring their own cans/bags and shovel. Limit of 3 cans/bags per vehicle. If transporting mulch in an open truck or trailer, remember to bring a tarp to cover the material.
This event is for La Mirada residents only and proof of residency, such as a CA Driver's License or utility bill indicating a La Mirada address is required.
For more information, call the Public Works Department at (562) 902-2385.
La Mirada Rotary Seeks Donations to Help Fight Polio; World Polio Day Marks Progress
La Mirada Rotarians are seeking donations to support efforts to end polio throughout the world as part of Rotary’s World Polio Day on October 23.
Established by Rotary International more than a decade ago, World Polio Day honors Dr. Jonas Salk, who led the team that developed the first polio vaccine.
“Rotary is very proud of the remarkable progress that has been made towards a polio-free world over the past 30 years,” says Russell Hall, president of the Rotary Club of La Mirada.
“No child anywhere should have to suffer from this terrible disease, which can be so easily prevented by immunizations,” says Rotarian Hal Malkin, whose Rexall pharmacy served the La Mirada community for many years.
“Rotary launched PolioPlus, the first global campaign to immunize the world’s children against polio in 1985, at about the same time I joined Rotary,” says Dr. Wayne Wong, a dentist who has served the La Mirada community for decades. ”At that time there were more than 350,000 cases of crippling polio each year in over 125 countries.”
In 1988, Rotary mobilized the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to join in this effort. Since Rotary began working with its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to immunize more than 2 billion children, the incidence of polio has decreased 99 percent. Rotary has contributed over $1.4 billion and countless volunteer hours to polio eradication.
Bicyclist Struck and Killed at California’s Most Dangerous Railroad Crossing
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| A bicyclist was pronounced dead at the scene near his bicycle after being struck by a BNSF freight train Friday afternoon near the Santa Fe Springs/La Mirada border. Photo (c) Brian Feinzimer |
Santa Fe Springs~A bicyclist was struck and killed at the intersection of Rosecrans and Marquardt Avenues earlier this afternoon just outside the La Mirada city limits shortly before 3:00 p.m.
It was first reported on our Twitter feed by @momofabc3 at 2:47 pm.
Witnesses on the scene told us a man was attempting to cross the track when his wheel became stuck in the rails and he fell off his bicycle. While attempting to get out of the way he was struck by the train. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Rosecrans Avenue was closed in both directions for hours as officials conducted an investigation. Metrolink and Amtrak service was also delayed.
We have an unconfirmed report that the victim was possibly a transient from the North Fork Coyote Creek encampment near the Rosecrans bridge, just a couple of hundred yards to the west.
The railroad crossing at Rosecrans and Marquardt Avenues has been rated by the California Public Utilities Commission as the most hazardous grade crossing in California.
Just last week, as reported on this website, Metro officials announced plans at a community meeting held in La Mirada that a grade separation project has been proposed for the intersection. The project is fully funded with construction expected to begin in the spring of 2018 with Rosecrans Avenue more than likely to be reconstructed to go over the railway tracks.
California’s Most Dangerous Railroad Crossing Will Be Fixed
Metro will hold two community meetings on the grade separation project On September 30th from 3-5 p.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m. at LM Resource Center
Santa Fe Springs~A Grade Separation Project is being considered at the railroad crossing at the intersection of Rosecrans and Marquardt Avenues in the city of Santa Fe Springs, just beyond the La Mirada western border.
Los Angeles County Metro is partnering with the BNSF Railway along with the City of Santa Fe Springs and Caltrans. The project is fully funded by the State's Section 190 Program, Proposition 1A, Measure R and BNSF.
The crossing has been rated by the California Public Utilities Commission as the most hazardous grade crossing in California, thus it is ranked first on the priority list for crossings eligible for funding. The project is expected to cost $130 million.
Once constructed, motorists will be able to travel safely through the intersection without the possibility of train to vehicle collisions. It will also improve the efficiency of train movement and eliminate the need for required train horns at the intersection. Metro officials say approximately 130 trains and 45,000 vehicles use this crossing daily.
There have been numerous accidents at the intersection over the years the last being on January 7, 2013 when 26-year-old Emily Scott of La Mirada was killed when her automobile collided with a freight train. There have also been suicides and attempted suicides at or near the intersection.
In June of this year Caltrans released its Benefit-Cost Analysis of the project. The report stated four fatalities, six injuries, and five property damage only incidents have occurred over a 10-year period that involve this at-grade intersection.
On October 30 2012 two LA County Sheriff's deputies pushed a disabled vehicle off the tracks preventing a mass transit disaster. We reported here in 2009 of a train vs. car incident.
Residents can learn about the proposed alternatives, provide feedback and talk one-on-one with project representatives at the September 30th meetings.
Future meetings will be held. For more information visit here or call (888) 512-1198.
Metro representatives say construction could begin as early as spring of 2018.
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