News
La Mirada Approves District-Based Election System
La Mirada~The City will be holding a by-district election on March 7, 2017 to fill two City Council seats The third and final public hearing was held on November 8 to gather input on draft City Council district maps.
The City Council initiated the change after a threat of a lawsuit from MALDEF (Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund).
A total of 12 maps were considered by the Council including submittals from residents Dale Nowicki, Noel Jaimes and Zurich Lewis. MALDEF submitted a map as well. A firm the City hired also submitted map choices.
After the public hearing, the City Council approved to change the City Council election system from at-large to by-district and adopted a district map, known as Map 12 (submitted by Lewis), to be in effect by the March 2017 City Council election.
Members of Districts 1 and 2 will be elected in March 2017, while members of Districts 3, 4, and 5 will be elected in March 2019. Members must reside in the districts they represent. To view the District Map, visit the City’s website.
The map pits incumbents Pauline Deal and Andrew Sarega against each other in District 2. Both have already filed for re-election. In District 1, nobody has filed papers as of this time.
The nomination period opened at on November 14 and closes at 4:30 p.m. on December 9. If an incumbent does not file papers by December 9, the nomination period is extended until 5:30 p.m. on December 14. You must be a registered voter in the City of La Mirada on the date nomination papers are picked up at City Hall to qualify to run for the office of La Mirada City Councilmember.
The last day to register to vote in the March 7, 2017 election is February 20, 2017. Registration forms will be available at City Hall, the La Mirada Library, the Post Office, or you can request it by mail by calling the Los Angeles County Elections Registration Request Line at (800) 481-VOTE (8683).
If you have general questions about the election, please contact the City Clerk’s office at (562) 943-0131.
Business Beat: Steinmart May Switch to Ross; Elephant Bar Closes its Doors
La Mirada~According to a source, for unnamed reasons, the Steinmart located at 15754 Imperial Highway will be closing its doors when its lease expires in February. Multiple sources have also indicated to us that a Ross Department Store may take its place.The Steinmart is expected to remain open through the end of the year.
Also, we received a message the Elephant Bar Restaurant at 14303 Firestone Boulevard has shuttered. We tried calling the restaurant earlier this evening to confirm, but there was no answer and no message opportunity. After visiting the site, we can confirm the restaurant has closed.
The Costa Mesa-based parent S.B. Restaurant Co. filed for bankruptcy in 2014 and closed 16 units. They also closed 4 units in the Bay area last month. A check of the chains website revealed the La Miirada location has been omitted with only three Southern California locations remaining.
In 1980, founder of the Carrows family-dining chain, David Nancarrow, opened the first Elephant Bar Restaurant location in Lubbock, Texas. At one time, the chain had 25 stores in six states.
The La Mirada Blog has also learned the Big O Tires on Valley View Avenue has also closed its doors.
La Mirada Pearl Harbor Survivor to be Honored at Veterans Event
The City of La Mirada will host its annual Salute to Veterans event this Monday, November 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd. The public is invited to attend this worthwhile event which pays tribute to veterans and those currently serving in our military.
This year, the City is honored to welcome Mr. Lauren Bruner as its special guest. Mr. Bruner is a WWII Veteran, Pearl Harbor survivor, and La Mirada resident of more than 50 years. Mr. Bruner was the second to last soldier to leave the USS Arizona on the day of the Pearl Harbor attacks in 1941. Mr. Bruner will be releasing his historical novel, Second to the Last to Leave USS Arizona 12.7.41, on December 1, 2016. Signed copies of the book will be available for pre-order during the event. The City is honored to welcome Mr. Bruner to share his story during the event.
Wounded Warrior Project's National Speaker Mary Tallouzi will serve as this year’s key note speaker. Mary will tell her heartfelt story of a single mother who lost her son former Sgt. Daniel Tallouzi, following trauma suffered while serving our country in Iraq.
The City and community members will have an opportunity to honor La Mirada veterans who have returned home. Military street banners will be retired and presented to veterans and his or her family members during the ceremony on stage. Many veterans will be on hand to display memorabilia and talk to guests about their service. A video presentation showcasing photos submitted from local veterans will also be shown.
For more information about the event, contact the City’s Community Services Department at (562) 942-7277.
I-5/Valley View Interchange Project Finally Gets Underway
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U.S. Representative Grace Napolitano, Assemblyman Ian Calderon, Supervisor Don Knabe, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti, La Mirada Mayor Steve DeRuse await to speak at the I-5/Valley View Interchange groundbreaking. Photo Tony Aiello (c) La Mirada Blog 2016 |
La Mirada~The time has finally come as Caltrans and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) announced construction of the final phase of the $1.9 billion I-5 South Corridor Improvement Project has officially got underway.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held at an old furniture store parking lot Wednesday, October 26th.
The sixth and final segment, the $631 million I-5/Valley View Interchange Project, extends from Artesia Boulevard to North Fork Coyote Creek near Alondra Boulevard and will add new carpool lanes and general-purpose lanes in each direction through the cities of Buena Park, La Mirada, Cerritos and Santa Fe Springs.
“This is the final hurdle toward making transportation safer and less congested along this vital stretch of the I-5 South corridor,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. It brings us one step closer toward improving freeway connections for commerce and the local communities.
The project will replace the two bridges at Valley View with a six-lane overcrossing that will span 1,600 feet. Additional improvements include the construction of a railroad bridge, reconfiguring on-and-off ramps and the realigning of Firestone Boulevard.
Guest speakers at the ceremony included Grace Napolitano, U.S. Representative, Congressional District 32; Ian Calderon, Assembly Member District 57; Supervisor Don Knabe, LA County Fourth District and Metro Board Member; John Fasana, Chair, Metro Board and City of Duarte Councilmember; Steve DeRuse, La Mirada Mayor; Eric Garcetti, First Vice Chair, LA Metro Board, and Los Angeles Mayor; and Monica Gourdine, Associate Division Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.
No closures of Valley View Avenue are expected for the duration of the project; however South Firestone Boulevard will be closed for an extended period of time.
The project is expected to be completed in late 2019.
La Mirada to Host Council Districting Informational Workshop Oct. 20
La Mirada~The City is in the process of considering modifying its elections from the current at-large system, where all voters elect all members of the City Council, to a by-district system, where only voters in a given district vote on one person to represent them. The City held the first of three public hearings on October 11 to gather community input to assist in setting City Council districts. Two more public hearings are scheduled for Tuesdays, October 25 and November 8 at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall.
The City is also hosting a City Council Districting Informational Workshop on Thursday, October 20 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall to educate residents on the districting process. City staff will provide a demonstration of the on-line mapping tool that residents can use to participate in the process. Four map drafts are currently available online on the City’s website along with the district mapping tool where residents can suggest their own districts.
For more information on the Council Districting process, contact (562) 943-0131.
City Will Change to District Voting for March 2017 Election
The City of La Mirada has scheduled three Public Hearings to receive public testimony and gather input to consider modifying its elections from the current at-large system, where all voters elect all members of the City Council, to a by-district system, where only voters in a given district vote on the person to represent them.
The number of representatives on the City Council will remain at five.
The first Public Hearing was held on October 11, with the other two slated for October 25 and November 8 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers at La Mirada City Hall.
The City Council members made the decision they would elect by district rather than fight a lawsuit from the Latino voting rights group, the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and face the possibility of having to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The city received the letter from MALDEF that stated, “We have received complaints from Latino voters in the city of La Mirada that the use of an at-large election system for the election of city council members results in Latino voter dilution. We reviewed the demographic and electoral information pertaining to your jurisdiction, based on our investigation we believe that the city of La Mirada is in violation of the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) and must convert to a by-district election system.
La Mirada is comprised of 36% Latino who are voting age however none of the five current members of the city Council is Latino and, with one exception, there have been no Latino city council members since the City’s incorporation.
Based on that, MALDEF concluded that the lack of success of Latino candidates results from the inability of Latino voters to elect candidates of choice due to racially polarized voting among the electorate.
Latest La Mirada News Bites #4
Paper/E-Waste Recycling and Free Mulch Event
EDCO and the City of La Mirada are sponsoring a free paper shredding, e-waste collection and mulch event on Saturday, October 15 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the
La Mirada Community Gymnasium parking lot, 15105 Alicante Road. All items will be shredded onsite with a limit of three bankers boxes (10”x12”x15”) per household.
Unwanted electronics (e-waste) will also be collected including TVs, computer monitors, printers, fax machines, VCRs, DVD players, and answering machines. No household hazardous waste material will be accepted.
Free mulch will be available while supplies last. This is a self-serve, self-loading service, so residents must bring their own cans/bags and shovel. Limit of 3 cans/bags per vehicle will be enforced. If you plan to haul your 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 Volunteers Clean Up Creek Park
The “Love La Mirada” community group recently held a service day event in conjunction with the City of La Mirada’s Helping Hands program. Approximately 15 total volunteers painted the Creek Park sign and a bridge, picked up trash, and cleared walkways of debris.
“This event was a great way to promote the City’s Helping Hands program,” says Community Services Supervisor Lisa Montoya. “It was also an excellent opportunity to partner with a local organization to help better the community.”
The Helping Hands program provides free services to seniors, low-income and disabled La Mirada residents. Services include minor outdoor home maintenance and yard assistance, such as lawn mowing, planting, hedge trimming and painting.
The program is held on the last Saturday of each month, with exceptions during holiday weekends. This month’s event will take place on Saturday, October 29. Volunteers are asked to meet at the Resource Center at 8:30 a.m. Volunteers may sign up prior to the event or simply arrive at the Resource Center on the day of the event.
Community members, local businesses, churches and other groups make this worthwhile program possible. For more information about the program, call the Activity Center at (562) 902-3160.
La Mirada Property Values Continue to Rise
Property values in La Mirada have grown by more than 4.5 percent during the past year according to a recent report by the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office.
La Mirada’s assessed value increase was $265 million, which is its highest mark ever at $6,051,859,016.
The increase in value is attributed primarily to the Assessor’s adjustment pursuant to Proposition 13 and re-assessments of property that were sold prior to January 1, 2016. The new figures were part of the 2016 Assessment Roll recently released by the Assessor’s Office.
The local housing market has also remained strong. The median sale price of a single family home in La Mirada from July to October 2016 is $525,000. This represents a $40,000 (8.2 percent) increase in median sale price from 2015.
For more information, call the La Mirada Economic Development Office at (562) 943-0131.
Reports of Abduction Attempts Continue to Unfold
La Mirada~We recently received multiple messages from concerned parents and residents about a possible child abduction at Windermere Park this past Monday and then at Behringer Park on Tuesday evening, but authorities have told us no crimes have been committed in either instances.
La Mirada Soccer Association President Ruben Orozco sent out a letter to parents Monday evening advising them of an apparent abduction attempt. The letter quickly went viral on social media within the La Mirada area.
Tuesday, a school administrator in La Mirada became concerned when hearing of the letter so she contacted Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District officials, according to our unnamed source.
An e-mail was immediately sent out to NLMUSD board members from the head of security for the district, Elaine Williams, advising that local law enforcement officials had informed the district no crime occurred near a child and there is no merit to the claim.
We contacted Lt. Robin Limon at the Norwalk Sheriff’s Station who said the call came in at 5:40 p.m. but was a “suspicious person only” incident and a report was taken.
However, Limon said there currently is an active ongoing investigation.
The league then sent out an additional letter on Tuesday evening stating a similar “kidnapping” attempt had occurred, this time at Behringer Park.
Limon told us there is no record of an incident at Behringer Park on Tuesday night.
Calls made to La Mirada Lieutenant Kevin Beggs have gone unreturned.
We will have more information here if it becomes available.
UPDATE: 21:28-100616: Since our initial report, the father of the child involved in the incident has contacted us. He advised us the first incident DID occur at Windermere Park on Monday. He asked his name not be used. He said a kidnap attempt investigation is ongoing. He told us his three-year old child was playing near bushes at the park while his five-year old played soccer. He said a male popped out "from behind the bushes" with his arms outstretched towards his daughter. He chased the man away. Report was taken, investigation ongoing.
We apologize if anyone was misled. We only reported the information that we were given. Parent recently exclusively contacted us only.
The family of the child has asked us to share the description of this man:
Hispanic Male, approximately 5'7 to 5'8, about 150-160 lbs, light complexion, dark brown hair, facial goatee, wearing cap; drove away in a tan 4-door sedan.
City Debuts New Smartphone App
La Mirada~Keeping in step with these technological times, the City of La Mirada recently launched the “My La Mirada” smartphone application and web portal for residents to access local services. “My La Mirada” enables residents to submit, track, and view service requests through their smartphones or online.
Residents can submit a variety of service requests and report issues such as graffiti, potholes, broken, street signs, and public records requests using one convenient system. Requests and issues are delivered to City staff and are tracked from start to finish. Residents have the option to receive notifications, real-time status updates, and comments on the submitted requests.
“My La Mirada” enhances communication between residents and City officials. To help reach all residents, the application supports 17 languages In-app widgets provide users information about local news, programs, services, events, and public facilities.
“My La Mirada” was launched in partnership with Accela, Inc., an innovative civic software company that helps residents and local governments connect to improve the quality of life in their communities.
“The ‘My La Mirada’ service request system is an innovative and convenient way for residents to stay connected to the City and report issues affecting local neighborhoods,” says City Manager Jeff Boynton.
The “My La Mirada” smartphone app can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Service requests can also be submitted online at www.cityoflamirada.org. For more information on the “My La Mirada” system, call (562) 943-0131.
Latest La Mirada News #2
Arts Colony
The Arts Colony of La Mirada will hold its October meeting on Monday the 3rd at the La Mirada Resource Center, 13710 La Mirada Blvd. at 6:30 p.m. They will be discussing the upcoming "Mirrors of your Mind" open art show in November. Oil artist David Min will present a demonstration of his art and unusual method of applying paint to canvas. The public is welcome to join. For further information call 562-448-3427, 562-941-4116 or find the colony at acolm.org.
Disaster Preparedness
The City of La Mirada is joining thousands of communities across the country to participate in National Preparedness Month throughout the month of September. The month-long nationwide effort is hosted by the Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps, encouraging households, businesses, and communities to prepare and plan for emergencies. Preparing can start with three important steps:
1. Get an emergency supply kit
2. Make a plan for what to do in an emergency
3. Be informed about emergencies that could happen locally, and identify sources of information that will be helpful before, during, and after an emergency.
National Preparedness Month focuses on turning awareness into action by encouraging individuals and communities nationwide to make an emergency preparedness plan. The La Mirada Disaster Preparedness Steering Committee (DPSC) will be meeting later this month to discuss plans for the upcoming Communitywide Disaster Exercise. This year the exercise will be held on October 20 in conjunction with the statewide earthquake awareness campaign The Great California ShakeOut.
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