La Mirada Kiwanis Scholarships Available
La Mirada~The Kiwanis Club of La Mirada is now accepting applications for scholarships. Graduating high school students must be residents of the City of La Mirada and be pursuing an education at a college, university or accredited trade school. Applicants will be required to provide documentation prior to the deadline and will then participate in an interview with the Kiwanis Scholarship Committee members. Awards will be based on grades, merit, civic involvement, and financial need.
Application forms may be obtained at the high schools, on the Kiwanis website, or by emailing to info@lamiradakiwanis.org. They may also be obtained by request to Kiwanis Club of La Mirada, P.O. Box 116, La Mirada, CA, 90637. All applications must be returned to the P.O. address by Monday, April 21, 2014, or they are scanned and emailed to the address indicated above.
Interviews will be conducted on Saturday, May 3, 2014. Applicants will be contacted the week prior to schedule an interview hour. Results will be sent by mail approximately one week after the interview, and award presentations will be coordinated with the school event schedule.
Fire Destroys Vehicles at Mattress Factory
La Mirada~Residents were awakened in La Mirada to the sound of sirens early this morning around 3:00 a.m. after a fire erupted at the Ortho Mattress Factory Showroom at Valley View Avenue and Artesia Boulevard along the Cerritos border.
When firefighters arrived on the scene they were greeted by three bobtail trucks fully engulfed in the parking area of the building. The three trucks and two private vehicles appeared to have been destroyed.
NBC4 is reporting that fire officials are saying the incident is suspicious, yet they are are still calling it accidental at this time, as arson officials continue their investigation.
Fire units quickly doused the flames and no structural damage was reported.
City Receives Grant for Noise Study Along Railway Corridor
La Mirada~The City of La Mirada has received a $100,000 grant from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) to conduct a noise study in residential neighborhoods along Stage Road located near a 1.8 mile segment of the BNSF Railway tracks.
At a recent board meeting, Metro approved the funding for the study. The funds will come from LA County’s 2008 Measure R..
The action was spurred by the organization of a group of residents, led by former Norwalk-La Mirada School Board Member Nancy Jenkins, who live in the Neff Park area that is adjacent to the railroad tracks.
It was reported first on this website in August of 2012.
The group had become growingly concerned about the increase in noise associated with the operations of BNSF Railway and its auxiliary tracks that run parallel to Stage Road.
On October 23, 2012 City Council received a petition with more than 700 signatures submitted by the group expressing their concerns with future and current impacts from the BNSF tracks located near their homes.
Lady Matadores Finish Second at Woodbridge Tournament
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| After beating some of Orange County's top-rated teams in the Woodbridge Softball Classic, the Lady Matadores of La Mirada High are all smiles showing off their second-place plaque last night in Irvine. |
Irvine~The La Mirada High Softball team lost last night 9-0 to M.L. King of Riverside finishing in second place after an exciting run in the annual Woodbridge Softball Classic at Bill Barber Park in Irvine.
The Lady Matadores won their previous four games in the tournament including a 1-0 win over No. 4 Marina High and a 4-0 victory over Edison High, along with victories over Capistrano Valley and Fountain Valley.
Valerie Alvarado, Stephanie Baro and Jaslin Rivas earned all-tournament honors for La Mirada.
The next game for the Mats is against league rival John Glenn on April 15th. The game will be played at La Mirada High beginning at 3:15 p.m.
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| Valerie Alvarado, Stephanie Baro and Jaslin Rivas of La Mirada were chosen for the all-tournament team. |
Lady Matadores Take Two in Irvine
UPDATE: 04/01/14 06:30-Valerie Alvarado pitched a no-hitter as the Mats continued their winning ways by beating Marina 1-0 as pool play continued. La Mirada will play Edison in the semifinals Saturday April 5th at 3:00 p.m.
Irvine~The La Mirada High Softball team won two games in pool play action Saturday at the Woodbridge Tournament at Bill Barber Park.
In the first game, The Lady Mats beat Fountain Valley 2-1. Starting pitcher Val Alvarado had eight strikeouts and Jaslin Rivas drove in both runs including the game-winning homer in the sixth inning.
In the second game, the Lady Mats won 3-2 over Capistrano Valley. All three runs for La Mirada (7-5, 2-0), were scored in the first inning behind back-to-back-to-back RBI’s by Rain Vega, Stephanie Baro and Jessica Gutierrez.
Pool play continues tomorrow (Monday) as the Lady Mats go up against Marina High beginning at 5:30 p.m. The finals of the tournament will take place Saturday, April 5th.
League play continues Wednesday for La Mirada as they travel to Artesia with game time at 3:00 p.m.
BREAKING: Two Lanes Remain Closed on NB I-5 at this Hour After Truck Fire
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| A big rig rests in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 in La Mirada early Sunday morning shortly after firefighters extinguished it. The blaze closed the freeway for an hour. Photo Dennis Simms |
Only two lanes remain open at this hour just east of Valley View Avenue as authorities clean up mess
La Mirada~A big rig caught on fire early this morning in La Mirada and temporarily closed Interstate 5 as fire crews battled the blaze.
The incident occurred in the northbound lanes just east of Valley View Avenue.
The truck laid to rest directly in front of the Dale Tiffany Outlet Center on Firestone Boulevard.
According to La Mirada Blog social media reports, the incident occurred at around 3:00 a.m.
Firefighter Joel Entreken from Los Angeles County Fire Station 49 in La Mirada told the La Mirada Blog that when they arrived the tractor/cab was “fully involved” and about three-fourths of the trailer was on fire.
Entreken said the driver was the only occupant of the truck and he escaped unharmed.
The driver said he hit an object on the freeway, rupturing his fuel pump, causing it to drag and catch on fire, according to Entreken.
Entreken said the freeway was fully closed for about an hour and it took firefighters about 30 minutes to knock out the fire.
About 100 feet of the guardrail along the freeway was very badly damaged.
LA County Fire Station 35 from Cerritos also responded to the scene along with units from the Orange County Fire Authority and two units from the Anaheim Fire Department.
Earthquake Centered in La Habra Shakes Area
La Mirada~A large earthquake has just hit the La Mirada area.
The preliminary report indicates a 5.3 mag centered in La Habra.
This follows two quakes earlier centered in La Habra at 8:03 and 8:16 p.m. as reported on our Twitter feed.
Follow the latest on our Facebook and Twitter feeds
Mowles Begins Term as New Mayor of La Mirada
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| Larry Mowles was selected to serve as Mayor of La Mirada at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Pauline Deal was selected to serve as Mayor Pro Tem Photo Tony Aiello |
La Mirada~The La Mirada City Council selected Larry Mowles to serve as Mayor at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Councilmember Pauline Deal was selected to serve as Mayor Pro Tem. The Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem each serve one-year terms and are elected by the City Council.
Mayor Mowles has served on the City Council since 2011. He has been a resident of La Mirada for more than 35 years and works in the insurance industry. This will be his first term as Mayor.
Prior to serving on the City Council, Mayor Mowles served on the Planning Commission from 2009-2011. He also served on the Public Safety Commission from 2007-2009, and the Community Services Commission from 2000-2007.
Mayor Mowles is a founding member and Past President of the La Mirada Community Foundation where he served from 1999-2007. During this time, he was responsible for the operation of the “4 La Mirada Kids” Community Carnival, which raises funds for youth programs and community organizations.
Mayor Pro Tem Deal was first appointed to the City Council in 2011 and re-elected in 2013. She has been a resident of La Mirada since 1980 and serves as the Assistant Controller for an area business.
Prior to serving on the City Council, Mayor Pro Tem Deal was elected to the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District Board of Education four consecutive times, serving from 1995-2011. She twice served as President of the School Board in 1999 and 2006. She also served on the Southeast Regional Occupation Program (R.O.P.) Board for four years.
Mayor Pro Tem Deal has been active locally in youth sports leagues, where she served as the Treasurer/Board Member and Coach for the La Mirada Girls Softball Association for seven years. She has also been active with the Parent Teachers Association for the past 26 years, where she has served in several capacities, including as Auditor for the Norwalk-La Mirada Council of PTA’s and President.
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| The La Mirada City Council. [l to r]Councilmember Andrew Sarega, Mayor Pro Tem Pauline Deal, Mayor Larry Mowles, Councilmembers Steve De Ruse and Steve Jones Photo City Services |
Also serving on the City Council are Steve De Ruse, Steve Jones, and Andrew Sarega.
Matadores Topple Bucs In Suburban Opener
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL
La Mirada~Blake Wilson shook off a rough first inning then helped his own cause with the bat as La Mirada beat Bellflower on a very windy day in La Mirada, 7-5, in the Suburban League opener for both teams.
Wilson gave up four first-inning runs to the Bucs but the Matadores battled back and put up a five-spot in the third inning highlighted by Wilson's bases-clearing double to take a 5-4 lead.
In the top of the fourth, Wilson gave up a solo home run to Brandon Polizzi to tie the game and than a single and a walk, but Wilson coaxed the Bucs into an inning-ending double play.
That fourth inning and the game might have been saved when Mats third baseman Devon Aldridge made a superb on-the-knees play and throw for the first out of the inning.
The Mats regained the lead 6-5 in the bottom of the frame when Ethan Lopez doubled home Aldridge. They added another in the sixth on an RBI single by R.J. Lan.
Tyler Charlton held the Bucs at bay by pitching scoreless fifth and sixth innings and Eric Tapper survived a shaky seventh to preserve the victory.
The two teams square off Friday at Bellflower beginning at 3 p.m.
Planning Commission Delays Voting on Fate of Nostalgic Eatery
La Mirada~An overflow crowd of over 250 people-many wielding signs-showed up at the planning commission meeting last night to support The Carriage Coffee Shop and they left with a small victory, although it could just be a temporary reprieve.
After a public hearing, the commission voted 4-0 to delay the decision of granting McDonald’s a conditional use permit for a drive-through at a new restaurant to replace the 49-year old relic at 14871 Imperial Highway, while a preliminary traffic study is conducted.
Commissioner Keith Chung made the request after more than 30 residents and others spoke on behalf of The Carriage, with many of them concerned about increased traffic and potential problems associated with it.
Tab Johnson is partner and development manager for Rich Development Enterprises, LLC who are the owners of the Crossroads Center property where the Carriage is located, “This is a well thought out project. We are not generating any additional traffic,” he said.
Currently, the Carriage has a month-to-month lease agreement with the development company.
That fact that McDonald’s is requesting to construct a drive-through at its new 4,335 square foot restaurant is what the commission was considering along with a variance to allow a stand-alone sign, which is being requested by McDonald’s.
They weren’t deciding if a new McDonalds was going in, only deciding about the drive-through, which confused many in the audience and this reporter.
City Planner Gabriel Bautista tried to explain to the audience that this is a private deal involving private property. He explained that any restaurant can negotiate with the land owner and build there because that is what it is zoned for, as long as they meet city general plan and land usage requirements.
There is not a drive-through at the current establishment (The Carriage), thus creating the need for the hearing.
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