Letters to Editor

Publisher's Rant
Keep the Rose Parade A-Float

With all the budget cuts due to the economic meltdown, Cerritos is contemplating ceasing participation in the Rose Parade. Bad move. We need to keep marketing this great city and the Rose parade float and the exposure it gives the city is a great way to do it.
Waste of money? 30 seconds commercial time during the parade would cost over $250K. During the showing of the float, there is about a 45 second description, with the announcers dropping the city’s name several times. Our float wins some kind of award every year so the description carries even more weight.
The parade is watched in 60 countries by millions of people. Advertising. Needless to say I am a fan and know advertising works. Somewhere in tv-land there might be a business looking to relocate, sees the float, investigates the city, and opens a business here. City administration is smiling. With all the corporations included in the parade, a larger company might do the same thing.
But some in the city might say it is still too much money. Fine. As has been bandied about, we should set up a Float Committee and solicit sponsors for the float. There are many very large corporations in the city-including the US’ largest vinegar maker, more on that later-that would probably be willing to give a donation to be mentioned on the float. The City of Cerritos/UPS Rose Parade Float featuring flowers bought by AIS and manufacturing provided by ATT. There, 3 sponsors in one sentence, cha-ching.
The people on the float could wear uniforms provided by Caremore, I could go on and on.
Having published here for 6 years, I have found this to be a great city (with the exception of the inability to pull a u-turn anywhere) run by great people, from top to bottom. The city has an image and the float carries that image out to the world. Let’s not lose that. The economy will bounce back (now that we have a competent administration running things), revenues will come back, all eventually will be well.
Keep the float let’s not “throw the baby out with the bathwater”. Thoughts? Send to brianhews@cerritosnews.net



Editor Note: This is the first in a series of columns from Randy Economy. a resident of Cerritos since 1968. In 2004, Economy served as California Advisor to Vermont Governor Howard Dean. His mission: To hold our local, state and federal elected officials accountable and to “tell it like it is"

Econo-My-Scene:
Don’t ever be afraid to seek the truth

by Randy Economy

I have never been afraid to hold any elected official accountable for their actions.
For me, it started in 1975 when, at age 15, (I was a Freshman at a newly built Cerritos High School), I organized more than 2,000 local Cerritos area students to attend a meeting on behalf of “open park” space at a Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. The issue: Should 82 acres of Los Angeles County owned land at Bloomfield Avenue and 195th be turned into a Regional Park, or should the entire area be turned into more luxury houses. The Board of Sups heard our plea, and voted 3 to 2 to construct our Cerritos County Regional Park. Supervisor Ken Hahn, a legend in California politics cast the deciding vote.
I learned one valuable lesson that spring day in 1975. Anything is possible if you stand up and fight for what you believe in.
When I attended Cerritos College from 1978 to 1980 I worked my way up to Executive Editor of the Talon Marks Newspaper, I was “recruited” to serve as the Sports Editor of the Utah Statesman at Utah State University located in the confines of the Cache Valley in magnificent Logan, Utah. I managed a staff of 10 Sports reporters, assistant editors and copy editors and we turned out a thrice weekly, 12 to 16-page Sports Section.
I took on corruption in the USU Athletic Department; exposed a cheating scandal with star athletes who were given passing grades in order to preserve academic eligibility, and I learned HOW to question authority.
I returned to Cerritos, in 1982, and was immediately hired as the youngest City Editor in the 92 year history of the Hearst Community Newspaper Chain, and oversaw the publishing of the Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs/Whittier Herald American to 80,000 homes every Wednesday and Saturday.
When you’re the Editor of a community newspaper, you learn HOW to ask tough questions, and you are always walking a tight rope. It is probably one of the toughest jobs in the world of journalism.
I learned how NOT to be intimidated from those who were older and who had positions of power in City government. I learned HOW to determine WHERE and HOW our government spends our tax dollars. I learned how to get documents from City and School officials to determine EXACTLY where millions of dollars were being spent locally each and every week.
In 1986, I uncovered more than $200,000.00 spent by four Norwalk City Council members, (over a six month period) travelling to 5-star hotels in Europe, Palm Springs, New York, San Francisco, Canada and Mexico, all in the name of conducting “city business.”
None of us should ever back away from holding our elected officials accountable. None of us should sit on the side lines “wondering” where our tax money is being spent, and on “what.”
Government waste and fraud is destroying the American Dream.
We didn’t get into this Global Recession by mistake. We got into it because WE didn’t demand a seat at the table at city hall, and at our school boards, our state capitols, our local water boards, our city library districts, and other agencies that spend hundreds of billions of dollars of our taxes each and every year.
One more thing, remember, when an elected official tells you in public that “we’ll get back to you with an answer,” you know you’re on the verge of opening another can of worms.
What are your thoughts? Drop me a note to RREconomy@cerritosnews.net.

A new state budget gap already?

by Larry Caballero

I could not believe it when I read in a recent Los Angeles Times story that the plan that Arnold and our state lawmakers approved last month, to fill the state's giant budget hole, "has already fallen out of balance with a projected $8 billion shortfall." What happened?
It depends on what reality you are willing to accept. The government legislative analysts will tell you that the reasons are rapidly rising unemployment and lower than expected economic growth. Now Arnold is worried about getting voter approval for a package of budget related ballot measures scheduled for the special election on May 19.
Both the governor and legislators have been telling us that they have resolved the state's financial woes. Then the next day we are told that deficits are rapidly rising. Nevertheless, we are also being told that if the May 19 propositions are not passed, then the budget gap would increase by an additional $6 billion.
We have heard these doom and gloom assertions before. Who can forget the previous 2008-09 budget that passed, two and a half months late, in September, 2008, which contained several overly optimistic assumptions concerning revenue.
They included the sale of over $3 billion in revenue bonds to help balance the budget. The only problem--no one wanted to buy California bonds Our state leaders wanted to borrow from over 40 different special funds in the budget, all of which were declining because of the economy. The list goes on and on.
Another reality, that most of us already have accepted, is that our state leaders are less than credible. Many of them have never owned a business, have never dealt with a payroll, and have very little business sense. That does not mean, however, that they are not motivated to do the right thing. They are. It just may not be the right thing for us.
Is it because our state legislators are not as beholden to us as we may think? Oh sure, we have to vote and elect them, but with redistricting, that is not usually a concern for them. Once they get elected the first time, they are assured of getting re-elected again. Only term limits stops them from riding this gravy train forever. If they don't really care about us, then whom do they care about? Such a silly question.
It's the special interest groups who finance their campaigns. Since most legislators are not as interested in a particular bill--or budget--as they are about getting elected to a new office when they are termed out, it makes sense where their true allegiance lies. And it's not to us, no matter how personable they may be when you meet them at a public event.
I don't know if voting for the May 19 propositions will do as much good as most of our state leaders are telling us, but we probably need to do something. Yet until we elect legislators who genuinely care about what is good for the state and not their own personal ambition and pocketbooks, I'm not very optimistic. Thoughts? Drop me a line at larryc@cerritosnews.net

Community Sports

2009 SOFTBALL PREVIEW
Norwalk Tries Again For A Suburban League Title While Cerritos, Gahr and Valley Christian Build For Future

By Loren Kopff

If at first you don't succeed, then win the Suburban League in 2009. That could be the slogan for Norwalk's softball team which will make another attempt at a league title after finishing in second place last season. While the Lancers will win games because of their senior leadership, the same can't be said for three other area teams. Cerritos, Gahr and Valley Christian will all field teams of primarily underclassmen or players with no varsity experience and will win games from their youth.
ARTESIA (3-13 last season, 2-10 in the Suburban League, sixth place)
Head coach: Kelly Clinton (second season, 3-13)
Team's record previous five seasons: 19-76
Key losses: Kristen Douglas, Dai Hunter, Rebecca Munoz, Erika Posada, June Rodriguez
Projected starting lineup:
P-Alyssa Alcala (SR)/Chelsea Small (SO)/Reanna Guzman (SO)
C-Emily Rodriguez (SO)/Jessica Lugo (JR)
1B-Jessica Gomez (SR)
2B-Jessica Mejia (JR)
3B-Monica Randle (FR)/Rodriguez
SS-Guzman (SO)/Small (SO)
OF-Briana Valencia (SR)
OF-Erica Rivera (JR)
OF-Nancy Montanez (SO)
Head coach Kelly Clinton wasn't sure what to expect in her first season. She was hoping to put the Pioneers in the hunt for their first playoff trip since 1992 but the attitudes and commitment overshadowed the potential they had. Clinton said they wanted it, but just didn't show it enough. This season, with the help of assistants Jillian Sandoval, who played at St. John's University, and John Zamora, Clinton feels much better about 2009.
"This year we are a lot different as far as dedication, mostly, and working hard," Clinton said. "The work ethic is huge this year; totally different from last year. The hard part for me [last year] wasn't that they needed to work on their skills. It was their attitudes and not wanting to try. Not getting along with each other was a big deal last year."
Artesia returns six players but some of the newcomers are currently facing ineligibility which could hamper the squad for the time being. One player who doesn't have that problem is Alcala, a four-year varsity member who Clinton said is much faster and much more confident. In the team's season opener this past Wednesday against Long Beach Jordan, Alcala struck out 12 batters. Gomez, Guzman, Mejia, Small and senior Olivia Vega are the other returning players. Clinton is positive the Pioneers can escape the bottom half of the Suburban League and move to at least fourth place.
"I think we can get there if everyone keeps their grades up and stays committed and keeps working hard," Clinton said.
CERRITOS (6-19 last season, 4-8 in the Suburban League, fifth place)
Head coach: Bob Medina (first season)
Team's record previous five seasons: 57-75-1
Key losses: Krystal Diaz, Betty Espinoza, Karissa Galindo, Ana Mayer
Projected starting lineup:
P-Megan Smith (SR)/Kim De La Cruz (JR)Drianna Drulias (FR)
C-Sarah Smith (FR)
1B-Nicole Rosenburger (SO)/De La Cruz
2B-Amanda Hernandez (FR)/Drulias
3B-Samantha Adams (JR)
SS-Alyssa Marquez (FR)/Kassandra Torres (SO)
OF-Rebecca DeFiesta (SR)/Drulias
OF-Esther Yang (JR)/Smith/De La Cruz
OF-Jessika Castaneda (FR)/Torres/Jackie Trimble (JR)
Bob Medina becomes the program's fourth head coach in as many years but is no stranger to the sport. The popular Artesia Punishers travelball and former California State University, Dominguez Hills coach hopes to revive a program that has gone through consecutive losing seasons. Medina will also have tons of "Punisher" help with assistants Ed Blanck, daughter Michelle Medina and Case van der Linden, father of former Cerritos star Jessica van der Linden of the late 1990s.
"I told the athletic department for me, it's a 10-year program," Bob Medina said. "I would like to stay here for 10 years and do something to the program. If I turn it around to a positive, so be it. If I turn it around and give them a great program...that's all I'm trying to do. Everyday, we'll work hard and try to develop every single kid that comes in here."
Although six players return, Megan Smith and DeFiesta have the most experience and the team is still relatively young. There are still a lot of uncertainties but early on, Drulias and Sarah Smith have already opened a lot of eyes. The Lady Dons picked up two hits in each of their first two games with both Megan Smith and Drulias sharing time in the circle in those games. Cerritos figures to battle Bellflower for fourth place in the Suburban League.
"I think the girls are on the plan and when I always coach, I try to set out a plan," Medina said. "Nobody can come out and turn around a team in one day. I think we're on our way to doing something really good."
GAHR (18-13 last season, 9-1 in the San Gabriel Valley League, co-champions, lost to Ocean View in the Division IV quarterfinals)
Head coach: Mike Rogers (third season, 62-25-1)
Team's record previous five seasons: 90-49-1
Key losses: Roni Alvarado, Eileen Flores, Corina Hernandez, Amanda Marquez, Lindsey Marquez, Alyssa Morales, Brittany Nava, Devin Salmones
Projected starting lineup:
P-Valerie Rios (JR)/Alyssa Nava (FR)
C-Krystal Purkey (FR)/JoJo Ayala (FR)
1B-Holly Sloan (SR)/Erica Willig (SO)/Kayla Gonzales (SR)
2B-Brittney Miller (SR)/Catherine Gonzalez (JR)
3B-Nani Mejia (SO)
SS-Jasmine Ruiz (SO)/Olivia Arredondo (JR)
OF-Amber Giron (SO)/Erika Jackson (JR)
OF-Arrendondo/Ruiz
OF-Nava/Karina Gonzalez (SO)
For the second straight season, a trip to the California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section finals slipped through the fingers of head coach Mike Rogers and his Gladiators. With the departure of eight everyday starters, Gahr will almost rebuild with a very inexperienced group of freshmen and sophomores. This has all of the makings of the team Gahr had in 2005 when it was loaded with the freshmen who graduated last season.
"It does [hurt], but we built up the program the last couple of years," Rogers said of not getting to the finals. "We lost a lot of great players last year who are doing excellent in the colleges right now. Nobody likes to lose but they didn't go down without a fight."
Four players return and all of them posses a lot of offensive punch. Mejia, who moves from the outfield, batted .333 last season, third on the team, scored 17 runs and drove in just as many. Miller batted .295, scored 16 times and drove in that same number. Ruiz (.279, 19 runs) also moves from the outfield and Sloan, who played in just 10 games due to an injury, still batted .375. Pitching will be the crucial key as San Gabriel Valley League rivals Downey and Warren both return at least one pitcher from last season. Rogers will still experiment with moving players position to position to find the right combination.
"Yeah, we have four returning players but we have a lot of new players and we have some good talent in this program right now," Rogers said. "If these girls continue to work hard, they're going to have the same success we've had in the past."
JOHN GLENN (0-21 last season, 0-12 in the Suburban League, seventh place)
Head coach: Pam Trimble (ninth season, 43-129-1)
Team's record previous five seasons: 27-79-1
Key losses: Janet Chavez, Justine Figueroa
Projected starting lineup:
P-Denise Ponce (FR)/Lily Moreno (SR)/Brenda Nava (SR)
C-Jackie DeAvila (SR)/Karla Lomeli (SO)
1B-Moreno/Nava
2B-Lyndsay Castello (SR)
3B-Bianca Martinez (SR)
SS-Jaclyn Zertuche (SR)
OF-Jennifer Alvarez (JR)
OF-Ashley Lopez (SR)/Lomeli
OF-Naomi Rubio (SR)/Ponce
The Lady Eagles haven't been to the playoffs since 1990 and if head coach Pam Trimble wants to break the drought, this might be the season with the return of nine players. Trimble has a pair of new additions in assistants Ed Chavez and Andy Garcia, the latter who has worked with U.S. Olympians. Trimble said the new hitting coaches will also bring a little different approach to the team and will not be afraid to take charge. Since it can't get any worse than it did last season, the team will be treated to pizza after each victory.
"The fact that I had them all want to come back and they wanted a change," Trimble said of the positives of last season. "They told me even before I had the new coaches, they were all offering to find coaches to help me because I knew I couldn't do it by myself. They were not happy with how things ended up and they were accepting responsibility for losing, which is a start."
Trimble hopes the margin of defeat won't be as big as it was last season. Look for Ponce, a former all-star in the Norwalk youth circuit, to be an up and coming hurler in the Suburban League while DeAvila figures to be a huge offensive threat.
NORWALK (17-11 last season, 9-3 in the Suburban League, second place, lost to Tesoro in the Division II wild card)
Head coach: Paulette Gasporra (sixth season, 67-54-1)
Team's record previous five seasons: 67-54-1
Key losses: Natalie Cano, Alexis Castaneda, Andrea Gutierrez, Stevie Lakey, Janae Townsend
Projected starting lineup:
P-Stephanie Jimenez (SR)/Cristina Jacobo (SR)/Kassandra Caro (SO)
C-Claudia Torres (JR)/Anai Zarate (SO)
1B-Michelle Contreras (SR)/Alex Gomez (JR)
2B-Zarate/Alexis Velazquez (SO)/Amanda Rosa (JR)
3B-Elizabeth Jimenez (JR)/Torres
SS-Caro/Jimenez, E.
OF-Gomez/Jordan Ancona (JR)/Jasmine Valenzuela (SO)
OF-Lorraine Fitzgerald (SO)
OF-Celina Hernandez (SR)
If the Lady Lancers continue their yearly pattern, then this is the season that head coach Paulette Gasporra wins the Suburban League. In the past three seasons, her teams have moved from fourth to second. Now is the time the Lady Lancers supplant pesky La Mirada for the top spot in the league.
"I think the team that we had last year battled and came out strong," Gasporra said. "We came out short but it was still an improvement from the season before. Was it disappointing? Yes. Was it something to work forward to for this year? Of course."
The heart and soul of the team is Stephanie Jimenez, who enters her senior season as the league's top pitcher. She also sets the tone when the Lady Lancers are batting as she is in the number one spot. Contreras and Elizabeth Jimenez add tons of punch in the middle of the order while the outfield is new but posses a lot of speed. The one major obstacle facing Norwalk will be dealing with the loss of junior Alexis Love, who has decided to concentrate on basketball. Love would have been another offensive threat.
"Stephanie has improved tremendously, both on the field and off the field," Gasporra said. "She's stronger as a player this year and she's also working both sides of the plate this year."
VALLEY CHRISTIAN (7-16 last season, 1-7 in the Olympic League, fifth place)
Head coach: Richard Avila (first season)
Team's record previous five seasons: 79-54-1
Key losses: Madi Larcher, Amanda Walhof
Projected starting lineup:
P-Beverly Bultsma (SR)/McKenzie Goff (FR)/Lexie Snyder (JR)
C-Emily Craig (JR)/Sydney Nelson (FR)
1B-Lina Avila (JR)/Charlene Bousema (SR)/Chelsee Brubaker (SR)
2B-Bultsma/Tatum Schultz (FR)
3B-Bousema/Brubaker/Nelson
SS-Schultz
OF-Ashley Oxley (SO)/Louisa Bakker (JR)
OF-Snyder
OF-Bousema
Richard Avila replaces Bill Garner as Valley Christian's new head coach and inherits a team that lost just two players. But also missing from the team, at least pitching wise, is Lina Avila who missed the final seven games of last season to a shoulder injury. She's back this season as the team's first baseman and will be a huge threat with her bat. That leaves the pitching duties open for Bultsma, who pitched a few seasons ago, newcomer Goff and Snyder.
"Everybody now is injury free," Avila said. "Obviously [Lina] will not be pitching this year but I do have pitchers who were injured last year that are going to able to go. I have a great freshmen class that also has a couple of pitchers. So now, it's going to be a share the wealth situation. We're not going to hesitate to share and we're not going to hesitate to make the changes when needed."
This team should win more games than last season and has the offense to do so. Brubaker has a lot of power but is also coming back from an injury that sidelined her all of last season. Oxley is a star in the making while Bousema brings some veteran leadership.
"I'm so excited because these kids have been playing travelball most of their lives and there's experience there," Avila said. "There's nothing like playing in a varsity game and when the pressure is on. But I think as we get going, and in our preseason, which is kind of soft, we'll give them that experience. So when we do hit league, they'll be ready to rock and roll. I expect a lot out of them."

Crime Summary
March 9-15, 2009

Felony Part I crime investigations dropped by two incidents last week when thirty-two were reported. Commercial burglaries increased, residential burglaries and robberies remained the same, and vehicle burglaries and vehicle thefts were down. Calls for service rose slightly as 311 were handled compared to 308 the week before. The 2009 weekly average in calls for service is now 312. One robbery was reported when a male teen relinquished his cell phone after being threatened by two other teens. This occurred on Tuesday March 10 at 3:30 p.m. near the intersection of Studebaker Road and Artesia Boulevard. For the third consecutive week, two residential burglaries were investigated. Open/unlocked doors or windows were involved in one, and a pried window in the other. No loss could be determined in either case. The 2009 weekly average in this category is now 2.5.
Burglars look for the easiest and most quiet way to enter homes and the most popular method is still locating an open or unlocked door or window. Make sure that you conduct the “exit check” by looking at all doors and windows before you leave the residence. Close them and lock them. There were three commercial burglaries recorded last week. All were closed businesses where cash, stereo equipment and a ping-pong table were stolen. Vehicle burglaries dropped by one crime over the previous week as ten were logged. High-volume commercial lots were the crime scenes in seven cases. Six involved SUVs. One car stereo and two GPS units were taken. Others stolen items included wallets, golf clubs, a bowling ball, cell phones, purses, laptop computers, a briefcase, and helmet. The 2009 weekly average in vehicle burglaries now stands at 8.5. Storing property in the passenger compartment, especially leaving it in plain sight, is exactly what the vehicle burglar will be looking for. Note the type of property stolen last week included wallets, credit cards, and cash. Don’t make the mistake of leaving valuable items behind because you just may never see them again. Vehicle thefts dropped from seven the past two weeks to three cases last week. Two were from high-volume commercial parking lots. One Honda, a Nissan, and a Mazda were reported stolen. The 2009 weekly average in vehicle thefts is now 6.9. None of these vehicles last week were equipped with a steering wheel locking device. A common complaint among motorists is that these devices are too cumbersome and take time to engage and remove. If you own one of the most commonly reported stolen vehicles in Cerritos, such as an 80’s or 90’s Honda or Toyota, we would suggest that one of these devices become part of your auto accessories.