School Board May Decide to Close Dulles
District Staff Recommends Closure of School
Norwalk~The Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District Board members are meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m. and will vote on whether or not to keep Dulles Elementary School in La Mirada open.
At the January 7th meeting, district staff reported that Dulles is currently operating at 50 percent capacity (237 students). The school has nine teachers and three of the nine have combination classes (two grades, one class).
Five Dulles parents spoke at the meeting in support of keeping the school open.
The district is expected to save at least $366,000 annually if the school is closed.
The school district is looking to cut costs as the combination of recent budget deficits and declining enrollment are expected to deplete reserve monies in a few years.
Four years ago, the district closed Hargitt and Huerta schools in Norwalk
UPDATE: 01/22/13 8:13p~The Board of Education voted unanimously to keep Dulles open after the district's finance department miraculously provided information at the meeting from the Governors office, they say they received last Wednesday, in which new projections indicate more money to be available. In other words, an hour and a half of my life I will never get back.
REVIEW: A Delightful Evening of Comedy and Romance at La Mirada Theatre
"Ladies and Gentlemen, please return your seats to the upright position and securely fasten your seat belts. You will need to be belted in when you are doubled-over with laughter."
Fans of “Mad Men” who long for the carefree days of the saucy and sexy sixties, “Boeing, Boeing” will be a delightful evening of comedy and romance.
Ably directed by JEFF MAYNARD, this Tony Award-winning comedy features a self-styled playboy, Bernard, based in a stylish Parisian apartment , with his Italian (Gabriella), German (Gretchen), and American (Gloria ) fiancés, all beautiful airline hostesses with frequent "layovers.”
Adding to the fun is his hilariously exasperated housekeeper Berthe and his visiting American buddy, Robert.
With the expertise of a juggler, Bernard keeps "one up, one down and one pending" until unexpected schedule changes bring all three ladies to Paris and his apartment at the same time.
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| "Boeing, Boeing" is playing through February 10th at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts |
The cast is high energy and commit themselves admirably to the hilarious antics. Working together like a well-oiled machine, all the actresses and actors fully embrace their roles and plunge into the verbal and slapstick antics with abandon. The play is fast moving and funny, however, it is also ultimately touchingly romantic.
The scenic design by Kevin Clowes transports the audience to the joyful sixties with the clever use of bright colors and geometric shapes.
For a happy-go-lucky evening of humor and romance, get a boarding pass for “Boeing Boeing” and be prepared for a pleasurable and satisfying voyage.
School Board May Decide to Close Dulles Elementary
District staff recommends closure of school
Norwalk~The Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District Board members, at its meeting tonight, may decide to close Dulles Elementary School in La Mirada.
At the January 7th meeting, district staff reported that Dulles is operating at 50 percent capacity (237 students). The school has nine teachers and three of the nine have combo classes.
Five Dulles parents spoke at the meeting in support of keeping the school open.
The district is expected to save at least $366,000 annually if the school is closed.
The school district is looking to cut costs as recent deficit budgets are expected to deplete the current surplus in a few years.
Four years ago, the district closed Hargitt and
Tony Award-Winner Opens at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
“It’s deliciously, deliriously innocent. Pure pleasure!” – NY Times
La Mirada~La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts & McCoy Rigby Entertainment are thrilled to present the Tony Award-winning (2008 Best Play Revival), hilarious, sexy, non-stop comedy, Boeing-Boeing, written by Marc Camoletti, translated by Beverley Cross & Francis Evans and directed by Jeff Maynard.
In this Tony Award-winning comedy, a self-styled playboy, Bernard, (played by Carter Roy), has French, German, and American fiancées, each a beautiful airline hostess with frequent “layovers.” He keeps "one up, one down and one pending" until unexpected schedule changes bring all three to Bernard's apartment in Paris, France all at the same time which leads to unexpected and very funny escapades.
Boeing also stars Michelle Azar, Melanie Lora, Kalie Quinones, Amy Rutberg and Marc Valera.
Boeing-Boeing will begin performances on Friday, January 18, 2013 and runs for four weeks through Sunday, February 10.
Performances will be 7:30pm on Wednesdays & Thursdays; 8pm on Fridays; 2pm and 8pm on Saturdays; and 2pm on Sundays.
There will be no matinee performance on Saturday, January 19th and talkbacks with the actors will be on Wednesday, January 23 and Wednesday, February 6.
Tickets range from $20 - $70 and can be purchased at La Mirada Theatre’s website, www.lamiradatheatre.com or by calling the La Mirada Theatre Box Office at (562) 944-9801 or (714) 994-6310. Student, Senior, Children and group discounts are available.
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts is located at 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue where the 91 and 5 freeways meet. Parking is free.
La Mirada Mayor Gabe Garcia Arrested for Reported DUI
Mayor crashes vehicle into parked car on Tacuba Drive
La Mirada~Hews Media Group is reporting that La Mirada Mayor Gabe Garcia was arrested last night, reportedly on suspicion of driving under the influence.
According to the La Mirada Lamplighter and the Los Cerritos Community Newspaper, Garcia struck a parked vehicle while driving his car along the 14700 block of Tacuba Drive near Biola Avenue around 10:30 last night, said Captain Pat Maxwell of the Norwalk Sheriff's Station.
La Mirada Lieutenant Pat Valdez told the La Mirada Blog that the Mayor received no special treatment and was booked by standard protocol, "The fact that he is a city councilman absolutely had no affect on how he was treated. He was treated no differently than anyone else."
Valdez said Garcia was held for eight hours was then released around 5:30 this morning, and was issued a citation for drunk driving.
Garcia more than likely will face a court appearance in the future, but we have no information on the court date at this time.
There were no other persons or moving vehicles involved.
The Mayor is seeking re-election for a second term as a La Mirada City Councilman on March 5th.
We will provide additional information as it becomes available.
Support A Great Program in La Mirada; Attend Annual LM Meals-on-Wheels Spaghetti Dinner
La Mirada~The annual Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser for Meals On Wheels La Mirada is scheduled for Friday, January 18, 2013 at the La Mirada Activity Center, 13810 La Mirada Blvd.
The event is scheduled to be held from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the MOW Office by calling 562-943-0037. The cost of the tickets is $8.00 for adults and $3 for children 6 to 12. Children under six are free.
The dinner will include spaghetti with meat sauce, garlic bread and salad. Soft drinks and water will be available for sale and desserts will be provided by La Mirada Ebell Club for a nominal donation.
Master of Ceremonies for the evening will be Tony Aiello, Editor of the La Mirada Blog.
Two raffles will be held; one 50/50 Raffle for cash and another Raffle for great prizes! Entertainment will also be provided.
The Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of La Mirada. All money raised will go to help Meals on Wheels to continue providing hot, nutritious meals to the elderly and disabled members of our community throughout the year.
Scouts to Race at Pinewood Derby
La Mirada~More than 40 Cub Scouts in Pack 919 will be participating at the Pinewood Derby event Saturday, January 19th beginning at 11:00 a.m. at Community Presbyterian Church in La Mirada.
This annual event is the highlight of the scouting year when the Cub Scouts demonstrate craftsmanship and sportsmanship through friendly competition as they race personally crafted cars on an aluminum track.
Scouts work with their parent’s weeks before race day, collaborating on the design and construction of their cars. Even siblings and parents are encouraged to participate in a race of their own. “Parents and scouts take this race very seriously and it shows with the end product,” said Moses Covarrubias, Pack 919 Cub Master. “In my six years of Cub Scouting, I’ve seen some spectacular vehicles!”
The Pinewood Derby is open to the public for this fun-filled day and seeing the scout’s race car masterpieces in action.
ABOUT PACK 919
Pack 919 is a Cub Scout unit chartered through Community Presbyterian Church La Mirada assigned to the Los Angeles Area Council serving areas of La Mirada, Whittier, La Habra, Buena Park and surrounding cities. Cub Scout Pack 919 La Mirada has been serving the community for almost 50 years. Boys in first through fifth grade can join Pack 919 anytime. Den and Pack meetings are held September through May with additional fun events throughout summer. For more information on Pack 919 La Mirada, contact Moses Covarrubias at pack919info@pack919.org or visit their website at www.pack919.org.
ABOUT CUB SCOUTS
Scouting has had more than 100 million members since its inception in 1910. Cub Scouts is a year-round family- and home-centered program that develops ethical decision making skills for boys in the first through fifth grade (or who are 6 – 11 years old). Activities emphasize character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness.
La Mirada Symphony Offers Free Concert
The La Mirada Symphony will present a “Celebration of Dance” concert January 12, 2013 8 pm at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts.
Music Director Robert Frelly of Chapman University will conduct selections including “The Emperor Waltz” by Johann Strauss II, “Slavonic Dance” by Antonin Dvorak, and the “Three Cornered Hat” by Manuel de Falla.
Admission and parking is free. Donations are encouraged. The La Mirada Theatre is located at 14900 La Mirada Blvd., La Mirada. For more information visit LaMiradaSymphony.com.
Contestants to Compete for the Crown of Mr. La Mirada
Ten Students to Battle for Scholarship Funding
La Mirada~Presented by the Girls League Club of La Mirada High School, the community is invited to the 2nd annual Mr. La Mirada pageant to be held Saturday, January 12th on the school campus from 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Ten nominated male seniors will compete for the crown of Mr. La Mirada, based on their personalities, talent, fashion and more.
First-place prize is $200 in scholarship money, with second and third place receiving $100.
Three judges will decide the winner. Scheduled judges to appear are La Mayor Mayor Gabe Garcia, La Mirada Blog Editor Tony Aiello, and the La Mirada Fire Station 49 Battalion Chief Douglas.
Tickets are $5 with an ASB card, $8 without, with tickets being sold the night of the event for $8.
EXCLUSIVE: Standard Protocol for Career Politicians; Wendy Greuelâs Official Calendar Shows Years of Campaigning for LA Mayor on Taxpayerâs Dollar
(Copyright Los Cerritos Community Newspaper, La Mirada Lamplighter, La Mirada Blog. All Rights Reserved. Republishing Granted With Proper Attribution)
Cerritos~A six month investigation by Los Cerritos Community Newspaper (LCCN) into the official activities of Los Angeles City Controller Wendy Greuel has shown that, in possible violation of the Los Angeles Governmental Ethics Commission Ordinance, she has spent an overwhelming majority of her official schedule for the past three years attending lavish dinners, lunches, breakfasts, and social events in an effort to advance her 2013 mayoral campaign.
Greuel is in a heated four-way campaign for Mayor of Los Angeles in the upcoming March 5th Primary Election against fellow city councilmembers Eric Garcetti, Jan Perry, and former Federal Prosecutor Kevin James.
LCCN released more than 640 pages of Greuel’s “official city appointment calendar” that was obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. Those FOIA requests went unanswered for more than five months by Greuel and her office.
“We had received tips from inside her office that Gruel was campaigning on county time, so LCCN requested copies of her 2009-2012 daily calendar,” Hews said. “LCCN was able to conquer a bureaucratic maze created by the Controller’s Office that included being told more than 15 times that our request was being “gathered” by personnel in her office.”
“The process to obtain the records was extremely arduous and involved. As a public official, whose calendar is open to the public, I expected this process to be simple, and for city staff to be helpful rather than adversarial toward releasing information about a public employee, especially to a community newspaper,” Hews said. “This treatment certainly raised some red flags.”
According to the California Public Records Act (PRA) [GOVT. CODE 6250 - 6276.48] the responding agency of the government must fulfill the request for public records within approximately 24 days. Further extensions can be requested but should not go longer than three months.
“But in this case it took the Controller’s office six months and several phone calls to provide LCCN with Greuel’s calendar. That being said, whether or not the controller’s office is in compliance with the California Public Records Act is definitely a big question,” Hews said.
