Saturday, March 28, 2009

Gals and Guys SHINE Bright during Artesia-Cerritos Woman's Club Annual Fashion Show!


What a BEAUTIFUL event today at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. KUDOS to the Artesia-Cerritos Woman's Club for the BEST Fashion Show EVER!
You Gals ROCK, and Don Knabe and Johnny Martins were lookin' REAL cool!
Here is more about these GREAT GALS from AC Womans Club...and all of the GREAT things they do to help make life better here in our community!!
The Woman's Club of Artesia-Cerritos was organized in 1915 to provide support to members and to promote moral and social welfare, civic improvement, and education. Having celebrated its 90th Anniversary in 2005, the Woman's Club of Artesia-Cerritos has a current membership of almost 100 people. Among its past members is the late, former First Lady, Patricia Nixon.
Remaining true to the vision of its founding members, the Woman's Club of Artesia-Cerritos interprets th organization's mission in terms of today's woman. Member's support the philanthropic, cultural, and educational organizations of the community, including, but not limited to:
Rio Hondo Temporary Shelter
Cerritos College Scholarships
Su Casa Family Crisis and Support Center
Community Family Guidance Center
Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
Friends of the Artesia & Cerritos Libraries
Long Beach Veteran's Hospital
Proud of the diversity of its membership, and the richness of its collective experience, the Woman's Club of Artesia-Cerritos provides mutual support and encouragement, as well as the opportunity for members to share their special interests and community concerns with others.
To meet the needs of new members, Club meetings alternate between day and evening. Members are encouraged to support Club activities at the level most compatible with the demands on their personal time. The Club sponsors special speakers at its General Meetings,  publishes an award-winning monthly newsletter, and organizes day trips for educational, historic and entertainment purposes. 
Interested members may join, or form, special interest groups which meet at members' homes or other community locations. Currently, there are groups devoted to literature and needlework.
The Woman's Club of Artesia-Cerritos welcomes all women of the community who wish to extend their circle of friends, share special interests, become enriched by the talents of others, and make a difference in the community. At present, club members include: Homemakers, Entrepreneurs, Elected Community Leaders, Professional Women, Seniors, Business Women, and Community Activists.
Randy Economy Photos

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Cerritos City Council to take action on Commission Roles, and what to do about our Rose Float! My take....

The Cerritos City Council will be determining the future role of City Committees and Commissions and how we as a community should be involved with the Pasadena Tournament of  Roses. 


COMMISSION PLAN:

The Plan to change the Cerritos commission structure has been debated for the past couple of months.

This plan needs to be defeated by the Cerritos City Council.

If IT AIN'T BROKEN....IT DON'T NEED FIXIN!  

Sure, we all need to tighten our belts during these hard financial times.  But, lets not throw the baby out with the bath water.  We should actually create MORE Committees and Commissions here in CERRITOS, not ELIMINATE them.

Cerritos needs MORE community members to be engaged, empowered, and INVOLVED.  The backbone of our community is The People.  Not just 5 or 10 or 20 people, but 55,000 people who love Cerritos.
 
We need to establish a Senior Citizens Commission. 
 
We need to establish a "Human Relations Commission" that out reaches to those with special needs, and to engage our "at risk youth." 
 
We need MORE voices and MORE people to help make our community more caring and compassionate.

This Commission "restructuring plan" was devised by Councilman Joseph Cho and his "brain" trust (Parks Commissioner) Alon Barlevy.    It is full of flaws, and needs to be defeated.  I hope the Cerritos City Council sees this Proposal for what it is, and for WHAT it IS NOT!

EVERYONE who cares about GOOD Government BY and FOR ALL PEOPLE should speak out against this rotten plan.


ROSE PARADE?

How is the BEST way to get Cerritos down Colorado Boulevard without costing taxpayers a single Dime?

Also to be debated, is HOW and IF the City of Cerritos should be invovled with the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade. 

I believe the time has come that the community needs to oversee this Project, NOT the City Council.

This must become a true "community project" by and for the community.  I recognize the importance of participating in this annual iconic All-American event that is seen by literally BILLIONS of PEOPLE all over the WORLD.

For too long, the Rose Parade Float has been a "pet project" by and FOR the Cerritos City Council.

I support allowing  the People of Cerritos, and our Business leaders to fund, coordinate, and plan this ENTIRE project. 

We have tons of creative people here in Cerritos, and I think WE can handle this project with GUSTO.  By allowing the "People" to coordinate this project, the better our COMMUNITY will be ENGAGED in promoting Cerritos to the World....without costing the taxpayers A DIME.

See you at the People's Podium tonight!  What are your thoughts?  Write me at Economy4ABC.Blogspot.com@gmail.com


Randy Economy

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Adele STEALS the SHOW on Dancing With The Stars! Richards is OUT, The Woz LIVES to Dance ANOTHER Day!


Now for something TOTALLY not on the recent election scandal over at Norwalk City Hall.

Tonight was Go Home-See Ya and Don't Let The Door Hit You In The Behind Night for Denise Richards on Dancing With The Stars.

In my opine, the HOT performance of the night was from my new fav singer Adele, singing her Grammy Award Winning song "Chasing Pavements." The two sultry stars dancing here in this number is Alec and Edyta Sliwinska.



But here is the HOT DWTS NEWS....
In one of the lowest scoring performances ever, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak doesn't let a pulled hamstring keep him from busting out the worm, and tonight the People VOTED to KEEP HIM DANCING! 
Woz recieved the LOWEST SCORE EVER RECORDED in the history of DWTS when he got "10" points TOTAL last night.  The Apple Founder/Multi-Billionaire Dances ON for Another Week!

Get outta da' way, Cloris,   Steve is my hero.   Dance on Woz!

Randy Economy

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Barack-A-Bowl-Brew-Ha-Ha: Special Olympic Champ to Obama -- "Get a NEW BALL!"

This is a GREAT article over the "Barack-A-BowlBrewHa." Obama needs to go BACK on LENO and FACE Kolan McConiguhey in a ONE GAME BOWL OFF. My Money is on Kolan!  BTW, check out the "new White House Bowling Lane" that President Obama recenly had refurbished.  NO wonder he's a lousy bowler....the lane is leaning to the Left. LOL
                  Randy Economy
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - So President Barack Obama thinks he bowls like a competitor in the Special Olympics?
He's obviously never met Kolan McConiughey, a mentally disabled man considered one of the nation's top Special Olympics bowlers, with five perfect games to his credit. He'd like to go to the White House and show the president a thing or two about how to roll strikes.
"He bowled a 129. I bowl a 300. I could beat that score easily," McConiughey said Friday.
His challenge to Obama followed the president's offhand remark on Jay Leno's "The Tonight Show" on Thursday comparing his famously inept bowling to "the Special Olympics or something." Recognizing his blunder, Obama apologized to the chairman of the Special Olympics before the show aired.
During an interview, the 35-year-old McConiughey quickly rolled several strikes with his left-handed hook in a short demonstration of his prowess at Colonial Lanes in Ann Arbor.
In addition to five perfect games since 2005, McConiughey has also had an 800 series and carries a 212 average. He laughed as he joked about the popular president's apparently poor game.
"I'd tell him to get a new bowling ball, new shoes and bring him down to the lane," said McConiughey, who speaks with a serious stutter. "Keep his body straight, his arm straight and keep his steps straight. He has to practice every single day."
With an IQ less than half of the 100 considered average, McConiughey lives with his foster mother and has held the same job at a grocery store for 16 years. He greets customers, sweeps floors and maintains the store's break room.
"He can't read much, can't do math, can't do bill-paying," said his foster mother, Jan Pardy. "Kolan faces all these challenges, but he has an area of genius, and his genius is bowling."

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Outrage over the AIG Screw Up: Start Explain' Obama on WHY you gave these Crooks BILLIONS

I have one question for President Barack Obama today when he is in Sunny Southern California:
What were you thinkin' when you gave $178,000,000,000.00 of our money to fund those crooked "bastards" at AIG? 

Kids, that's One Hundred Seventy Eight Billion Dollars...to ONE company.  One crooked, greedy company.
Someone needs to start thinking about where these Multi-Billion Dollar "Bail-Outs" are being spent, and where our money is ending up.

AIG Execs are all laughing in the face of Obama this week...all the way to the bank.

How much was paid to AIG execs this week in the name of a "sound economic recovery plan?"  Let's see. Hummm?   $200,000,000.00 was given to top AIG execs in "bonuses." 

President Barack Obama is going to be in Southern California today.

I hope EVERY single person at his "Town Hall Meeting" at the Orange County Fair Ground asks him over and over again why he was so quick to line the pockets of those CROOKS at AIG.  
No more give aways for AIG.  Let's THINK how to build a BETTER ECONOMIC SYSTEM.  We can do better....we CAN'T do worse...or can we?

No more free money to these crooked Wall Street Fat Cats.

No more.  None.

It's time for a Revolt here in America against Corporate Greed.

The Chairman of AIG needs to be brought up on Fraud charges.

Edward M. Liddy, chairman and CEO of American International Group Inc. has only been on the job since last fall. 
Liddy is one smooth talker. 
He and Bernard Madoff need to spend sometime TOGETHER in a "double padded" cell....to think about a "new bail out plan" of their own.
Let Freedom Ring!
Randy Economy



Follow-Up:
After watching President Obama in Orange County today, he totally lacked "rage" over the AIG Pay-Off.  He said he takes "full responsibility" for the situation,  but this smells rotten to me.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

HOLY GREAT DISCOVERY: The Story behind how I preserved the History of Norwalk for Generations to enjoy!


As you may recall, my house suffered a fire last June 15th, 2008. Everything in my garage was lost to the blaze. Remarkably in the ash and trash, I found this tattered article about the history book I wrote in 1983 on Norwalk, California.

From fire comes Blessings, and this FIND was literally a true MIRACLE!


Here's a little background:


I was hired as the Public Information Officer for the City of Norwalk in 1982 when I was 22 years old. At the time, I was the youngest Municipal Public Information Officer in California, according to the California Association of Public Information Officers.


Prior to joining the City of Norwalk, I was the City Editor of the Norwalk Herald American, where I was responsible for the editing, writing and producing a twice weekly newspaper to Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, South Whittier and Los Nietos. We had more than 80,000 weekly readers, way back before the invention of the Internet.




As the Norwalk Public Information, one of my first jobs, was to embark on writing, editing, and composing a 144-page pictorial history book on Norwalk's rich past.

I worked closely with former Norwalk Mayor Margaret I. "Peg" Nelson on the project. It was a true labor of love, and one that I will always cherish.


I began looking through almost 100,000 photos, most coming from the Estate of Ramsey and Marian Cowan. Ramsey Cowan was a photographer and owned the only camera store in Norwalk. His wife Marian Cowan, assisted me with this massive task that took over 14 months of hard research and photo selection. We also had dozens of Norwalk "pioneer" families who donated photos to this true "community" effort. Click the above "Acknowledgements" page to see those who were truly responsible for making this book a reality.


I only had a budget of $25,000.00 to complete the entire project. Now a days, cities in our area will spend OVER $25,000.00 EACH month to print ONE city newsletter. Since this original printing, the City of Norwalk has reprinted literally thousands of these local "history" books.

The above article was written by Southeast News Reporter Mark Higgins, and the date of the article appeared May 6, 1983. Click BOTH articles to see larger. Hey, Mark, if you happen to stumble upon my blog, drop me a note at RREconomy@aol.com.

The History of Norwalk, California is amazing. Did you know that Norwalk use to have an airport, was the home to California's largest ostrich farm; and was the "halfway point" between Los Angeles and Anaheim in the late 1890's for stagecoaches.


It also was the located of film many major motion pictures including "The Postman Always Rings Twice" with Lana Turner and John Garfield....



...and also hosted a major celebrity charity concert at Excelsior High School Auditorium with the legendary Jayne Mansfield and her husband Mickey Hargitty (seen with former Norwalk Mayor Demy Apodaca and his wife, Genevive backstage) .

Norwalk was also the site of one of Los Angeles County's worst air disasters when in 1958 a huge four engine Air Force Transport Plane collided with a sleek twin-engine Navy Anti-Submarine Bomber. More than 50 people lost their life in the horrific crash, and more than 250,000 people invaded the sleepy Norwalk community on the day after the crash occurred.




I am STILL proud of this book that has helped literally thousands of children in Norwalk learn about the history of their community.



Make sure you click BOTH the TOP and BOTTOM news clips in order to read.


It's ironic, that after I left the City of Norwalk to pursue a career in politics and cable television, my name was removed as the "Author" of this book. I guess, sometimes petty politicians enjoy "rewriting" local history. But sometimes, history can NEVER be rewritten.


By the way, you can STILL purchase this book on-line at Amazon.com. I found this by looking it up on the Amazon website. Problem is, it's being sold for $84 bucks while they last. LOL.




Norwalk, California: "proud of our past-- confident of our future"


by Randell R Economy (Author)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Price at a Glance Used: from Norwalk, California. City Of Norwalk. 1985. Very Good Condition.

$84.00

+ $3.99 shipping


Rating: 95% positive over the past 12 months (82 ratings.) 486 lifetime ratings. Comments: Excellent Paperback with clean, crisp, bright and tightly bound pages. Great for the Norwalk historian.






Monday, March 16, 2009

President Obama visits Long Beach, Costa Mesa and Pomona this Wednesday. Here's the scoop!

If your interested in President Obama's Southern California Trip this coming Wednesday and Thursday, here are the details from the White House Press Office. The last time Obama appeared in Orange County was when he appeared at Saddleback Church with Pastor Rick Warren hosting a "candidate forum."  Both Obama and GOP Nominee John McCain attended the campaign event weeks before the November 2008 Presidential Election. Warren gave the "Benediction" at President Obama's Inaguration in January and is seen below during that event.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The White House today announced that President Barack Obama will make stops in California on Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday, President Obama will hold a town hall meeting in Costa Mesa followed by a tour of the Edison International Vehicle Electrics Plant in Pomona, CA on Thursday. Please note media must RSVP by 5:00 PM EST TODAY for the Costa Mesa town hall meeting. President Obama’s tour on Thursday is pool press only. See below for logistical details and RSVP information.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18
Long Beach, CA → Orange County, CA

Long Beach, CA
AIR FORCE ONE ARRIVAL
Long Beach Airport
4100 Donald Douglas Drive
Long Beach, CA 90808

All media wishing to cover the President’s arrival on Air Force One must meet at the check-in location separate from the physical airport location by 12:00 NOON PST. All media will need all equipment for coverage at that time, and all equipment will be subject to search.
Media Access: 12:00 PM (All media must arrive by noon. Media who arrive late will NOT have access to cover the Air Force One arrival.)
**Media Check In: Long Beach Fire Department, 3205 Lakewood Blvd., Long Beach, CA (Note media will not meet at the physical airport, but will instead meet at the Fire Station to be swept and caravan to the site.)

Air Force One Scheduled Arrival: 3:00 PM

Throw: 200 ft.
Cable run: 500 ft.
Live truck parking: Directed on site. All live trucks must meet at the media check in location by 12:00 PM

Media Coverage: The event is open to the press. For credentials, please email media_affairs@who.eop.gov. All media must RSVP by 5:00 PM EST Monday, March 16. All names submitted for credentials must be accurate and reflect the identification media presents to obtain a credential on site.

Orange County, CA TOWN HALL MEETING WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA OC Fair and Event Center Building
1288 Fair Drive Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Media Pre-set: 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM (Equipment must be dropped at the site by 10:00 AM; media will not have access to the site from 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM.) Media Access/Gates Open: 1:30 PM Program Begins: 4:00 PM Throw: 60 ft. Cable Run: 500 ft. Live Truck Parking: Live trucks ONLY should enter from Arlington Drive into Gate 4 and proceed to the Green Gate to drive to the Main Mall. Parking will be directed on site. Live trucks must be on site and cabled in by 10:00 AM. Media Entrance: Media should enter from Arlington Drive into Gate 8 and park in Lot I. The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are required and will be available at the following ticket distribution location beginning at 10:00 AM Tuesday, March 17. Tickets will be limited and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis: OC Fair and Event Center (Enter at Gate 1 or Gate 10; Park in Lot A.) 88 Fair Drive Costa Mesa, CA For security reasons, do not bring bags and limit personal items. No signs or banners permitted. The OC Fairgrounds will be charging $5/car for on-site parking. Media Coverage:

The event is open to the press. For credentials, please email media_affairs@who.eop.gov. All media must RSVP by 5:00 PM EST Monday, March 16. All names submitted for credentials must be accurate and reflect the identification media presents at the check point. THURSDAY, MARCH 19 Pomona, CA Pomona, CA PRESIDENT OBAMA TOURS ELECTRIC VEHICLE PLANT Edison International Vehicle Electrics Plant Ticketing Info: This event is not open to the public. Media Coverage: The event is POOL PRESS ONLY.

Friday, March 13, 2009

You Know You Grew Up in Cerritos When You Remember.....More Great Memories, compliments of Cerritos icon Gail Grossman!

These are some more AMAZING Cerritos Memories, from longtime Cerritos community leader Gail Grossman!  Thanks, Gail, and these are WONDERFUL!

"You KNOW You Grew Up In Cerritos when You Remember...."

going to the Feed store on Pioneer to buy feed for your rabbits

Sutherland Lumber on Artesia, which used to be a Club for singers like Joe & Eddie

when you couldn't decide if you wanted Pioneer Chicken or KFC

you lined up at the ABC School District offices to sign up for Pre School classes

you remember the balloon launch at Cerritos Elementary in the rain and one balloon landed in Germany

when your parents social life from February to August was either at the Little League or Softball fields

you watched calves being born at the dairy by CPE
you remember the drive in dairy on Carmenita Road
when you bought paints at Standard Brands
when Ralphs was Market Basket
when Liberty Park had a pig roast
when Heritage Island was built and there were no ducks
when the Cerritos Library was only one floor and only books

when Shane Mack played on the 1984 Olympic baseball team

when the Olympic Bicycle races rode by on the 91 Freeway

when Ernest Vitale and Joe Mendoza were just recreation referee for the city

Send me your Cerritos Memories to RRECONOMY@aol.com   also, send me some of your OLD pics of Cerritos PAST as well.  This is really been FUN walk into our cities past!
Randy Economy

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Cerritos Memories: Mystery Meat at Cerritos Elementary School in the 70's

Here is another GREAT Memory from Cerritos Past:
Hi Randy,

I came across your page by mistake. My friend told me about a Cerritos List. I’m waiting to hear from her. She went to Cerritos Elementary School with me.

One more memory is:

you remember eating beef and barf at Cerritos Elementary School.

BTW, your house is looking really nice! Anyway, take care and see you around!
--Dawn

"Thanks Dawn for your Memory!" Send me more to RREconomy@aol.com .
Randy

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

CERRITOS COW Memories.....These are WONDERFUL!

Randy....
Here's a few more for your list.
Jay Gray!

Thanks Jay!
R
YOU KNOW YOU GREW UP IN CERRITOS WHEN YOU REMEMBER.....

gopher invasion when they began landscaping for the towne center

picking strawberries where the library/city hall now sit.

pick other
fruits and veggies around town.

waking up in the moring to find cows wandering the streets.
reading about cow thefts not auto thefts
the smell of cows, not the propane burning ones we have now
lining up along the barb wired fences, after school, to watch the cow
give birth
When students rode their bike or walked to school
When elementary schools used busses for students
Attending a new elementary school each year waiting for the elementary
school down the street to be built
when the classrooms had no walls in between classrooms
city hall in the trailer
only one stop light on 183rd between Carmenita and Bloomfield
183d was a two lane street that flooded
riding go karts and big wheels down the 183rd hill (overpass) because
there were rarely any cars on the road
The little park at 183rd/Shoemaker Ave now Guadalajara St.
the radio station & antenna that sat near where Heritage Park now sits
gas stations on nearly every corner
Uncle Tony's on Artesia Blvd. now a tofu place
Market Basket
4th of July block parties w/fireworks
When Croky's son took over the business (didn't last long after that)
did I mention the smell of cows
When trains ran on the old PE right away
motorcycle park where the sports complex now sits
Before there was a sports complex and it was just Regional Park
Parnelli Jones in the Gemco parking lot
Belly Busters (best sandwich shop ever) in the Cerritos mall
Texas tomato burger (pup 'n taco) and three hot dogs or 3 tacos for a $1
Hilton (fine dining @ CHS)
World of work building at CHS [electronics, drafting, wood shop, metal
shop, auto body/mechanics, child care, accounting]
the first library remodel, the first library computer room
George Bush Sr. made a campaign stop at Heritage Park
Pat Nixon House
Bull fights at Artesia's Portuguese Hall
The small plane pilot that threatened to crash into a home near
183/Shoemaker and had to be talked down
Weekly calls from the Sheriffs helicopter PA system telling the
motorcycle riders to leave the field (where the town center now sits)
"Teachers Pet" - Gahr/Gary Densham/Funny Car
Casa Maria (gridley across from the Cerritos mall)

Send me your Cerritos Memories to: RREconomy@aol.com
Randy

More Memories....keep em' coming!


You use to hear the train whistle from Knotts Berry Farm You know where Sutherland Lumber was
The train that ran thru Cerritos
The smell of cow manure and flies
The Model Homes at Shadow Park
Plow Boys
Riding a bike to the ocean on the San Gabriel River
First Chinese Food restaurant
Japanese Deer Park  (above left)
Alligator Farm
Indian Guides
Tot Lot
Fishing in Regional Park
Big Yellow House  (above right)

Thanks to Gordon for sending this in!  These are GREAT....
Randy

I have joined the FACEBOOK Group: "You know you grew up in Cerritos when...." What a RIOT!

I love Facebook. I have joined some wacky Groups lately like: "Throw Your Shoes at George W. Bush," "Pirates in America," "Howard Dean for Secretary of Health and Human Services," "Fans of Pope Benedict," "Throw Tortillia's at Dumb People" and a few notable others.

One HOT HOT Group that is a MUST JOIN is "You KNOW you GREW UP in CERRITOS WHEN...."

Here are some of the hundreds of memories posted on this Facebook Group. Check them out, and JOIN this group and be part of 1,276 others who love telling stories about our Tony/Snooty 'Hood!

Randy Economy

YOU KNOW YOU GREW UP IN CERRITOS WHEN...

you bought your clothes at Chess King.
you bought Munchos from the C.P.E. vending machine.
you hear AeroMexico Arlines and it sends a shiver down your spine.
you know where Shabadoo lived.
your main source for news was the Weekly World News.
you would sweep your front porch while blasting Tour De France and hope that your broom would start to float like Turbo’s did on Breakin’.
you either loved or loathed Chad Allen.
Patty Nichols and David Morrison served you a Black Bart with extra Jimmies at Swensons.
you got your frozen yogurt from Kim Degener at Penguins.
you ate nachos and red ropes and drank Slush Puppies at skate depot after skating as fast as you can backwards with the rental skates with the giant blue gaurds in the front.
you remember how hard Andre Coleman laughed at cartoons.
you spent 4th of July at C.P.E.
you tried to buy a Slushee at CJHS but the cup came out and fell over and Slushee everywhere!!!
you saw Mr. Hand as the grand marshall in the 40th anniversary parade.
you watched "Winter of the Witch" in one of your classes, the one with the magic pancakes.
you remember when there was no towne center.
you'd whisper to your desk mate "got any 0.5?"
you performed at the Big Yellow House
you ate breakfast at Bob's Big Boy on late days.
you made your own burger at Flakey Jake's.
you had your birthday party at Farrell's.(Big Bass Drum)
you bought silly stuff at Doo Dah's.
you slept on the floor so the Night Stalker couldn't see you from your bedroom window.
you remember, but never ate at, Monterey Bay Canners.
you bought crazy shoes at Dominics.
you spent all your quarters at Time Out playing Punch Out.
you are a fan of Boy's Hamburger's onion rings.
Mr. Bowlen had a nickname for you. (mine was "The Bull")
you took the Whitney test. (or didn't)
whether you went to CHS or GHS, you had your football games and graduated at Gahr.
you know the significance of Garbage vs. Cherrios.
you went to C.P.E. tot lot.
you were in AYSO region 54 and had your games at Los Coyotes, then went next door to Carls Jr. for lunch.
you miss the wavy fries that Carls Jr. once had.
you bought your groceries at Alpha Beta... tell a friend.
you bought home improvement items at National Lumber or Ole's.
you worked at Stuft Pizza.
you played soccer with one of the Casanova brothers.
you made friendship bracelets at Frontier Park.
you made the baseball guy on your Pee Chee have a high heel.
you jumped off the high dive at the C.P.E. pool.
you know about another UCLA.
you got a 15 cent ice cream at Thrifty.
you remember Thrifty.
during the winter your parents took you to Santa's Village and you ate at the Pixie Pantry and the Good Witch's Bakery.
you passed by Santa's Village on the way to 6th grade camp (Oongo) and you still have your memory stick.
you went to High School with the girl who played the friend on Sweet Valley High.
you bought your appliances at Phil & Jims.
you remember The Federated Group, Gemco, & Fedco.
you remember, and sat on the head of, the giant caterpiller at Wittmann Elementary, or were brave enough to climb up and over the doggie bone chain wall and you can't forget the horse swings on the Kindergarten playground. Sunshine Awards!!
you took pictures by the rocks w/ the fountian.
you poured soap or put dye in same fountain.
your friends were on Romper Room and the Gong Show.
you were in the audience of Kids Incorporated and you remember Stacey Ferguson before she was "Fergie".
you remember BEST and waited for your merchandise to come down the conveyor belt.
you knew Gil at Goody's Donuts.
you watched movies at Alondra 6($1) or at the Cerritos Twin.
you lived in Shadow Park.
you snuck into Shadow Park.
you remember when rats chewed through the electrical wires at CHS and the power went out and everyone ditched. TWICE!
you ate at Don Jose all the time. Their chips and salsa are #1!
you were brave enough to climb up the rope at Heritage or climb to the very top of the church.
you've seen or have starred in one of Adam and  Matt Bullard's videos.
you know who Marcelo Balboa is...(seen....pro soccer star and A Cerritos kid).
you rode on The COW and you remember the cows.
you splashed in the dolphin pool at C.P.E in the summer.
you bought your tapes and records at The Warehouse, and computer games at Egghead.
you remember when Naugles turned into Del Taco. "Vive Naugles, Viva Del Taco!"
you played Chinese Jump Rope at recess.
you knew someone named " Fish ", and someone else named " Digger "
you ate breakfast at Park Pantry!
you shopped at Judy's, J.Jacobs, Comtempo, Clothestime.
you went to Cypress College even though Cerritos College was just down the street.
you were in Mr. Chapel's class and he would always send someone from class to get Mc Donalds for everyone .
Mr. Chapel reminded you of Mr. Dilley


you remember the picture of Mr. Bowlen with Kenny Rogers in Mr. Bowlen’s classroom. Twins (seen here)!


you wore karate shoes but you didn't know any martial arts.
you wrote notes to your friends with an "outliner" that you had to shake first. Boy were those stanky, and they are still available in stores.


you made a sling shot out of the patch on your Toughskins.
you remember Videopolis at Disneyland.
you danced at Studio K at Knott's, but stayed away on Odyssey Night.
you'd buy Froze Toes from Corky. The blue foot shaped popsicle with a gumball toe.
Love Lines! you had your friends over on Sunday night and u called up love lines with some outrageous story and they fall for it and you get it on tape and you still have the tape. Ruthie T. was the queen.
you had a US Boys shirt.
you were at the party at my house when Joey Zakota put a GIANT hole in the wall while in the mosh pit.
you went on a pen pal picnic.
you went to a school board meeting for class where they were discussing teacher's salary
cuts and you stand up and shout "No Cuts, No Butts, No Coconuts"!
you had OP short shorts.
you were sporting JIMMY'Z shorts.
You knew me when I was a Bullard.
you remember when Whitney had a restaurant.
you listened to 100.3 Pirate Radio, 105.5 KNAC, 105.9 Power 106, KDAY 1580 am.
you remember when Knott's had the parachutes, and before Kindom of the Dinosaurs, there was the Knott's Berry Tales ride and it smelled delicious.
you remember the day tha Scott Forst got hit by a car in front of CJHS.
you remember the Mighty 690.
you've been to a Ruby Diver show.
you remember the sheriff wearing a white polo, jeans, and that green jacket that said "Sheriff" on the back on yellow letters, instead of a standard uniform.
you remember the poor excuse for toilet paper at the elementary schools.
you skated to "Celebrate Good Times, Come On!" at Skate Depot. Oh and the giant train on the the wall there, and the birthday party rooms.
you loved the school pepperoni pizza in the rectangle tin with the little pepperoni cubes so much that you'd buy two lunches that day school lunch was 80 cents and you were sooo happy when your parents gave you a dollar for lunch because that meant you had 20 cents to spend on the ice cream man.
you remember the mad rush to the ice cream man after school.
you went to birthday parties at a places like unto Chuck E Cheese called River Towne or Showbiz.
Marcelo Balboa was your soccer coach when you were 12 and remember him pulling up to practice in his car at Leal Elementary blasting "Word Up" by Cameo.


you were jealous of the Leal Lions at the district track meets with their fancy uniforms and sweeping every event! They should have been drug tested!


you went to that barn pre-school where you take naps in the hay beds.
you were at my 15th birthday party but didn't know it was my 15th birthday party.   you played soccer at the sports complex every Thursday night with Eric Quick and the gang, then headed over to am/pm afterward to drink gatorade and hang out in the parking lot where Druv Patel would make you laugh.
you were on a GGASP indoor soccer team called "The Saints" with light blue uniforms.
you've seen Jim Koford's Emmy Award.
you remember Skaggs turning into Sav-On then to Osco, the back to Sav-on.
you got sent to the pentaly box by Darren with the referee shirt at Skate Depot for breaking the rules.
you remember seeing Randy Economy on KCER Television at Cerritos High School along with Teri Taylor, Allison Smith and Mr. Charles Ledbetter back when they were 14 years old.
you had a crush on Aaron Flowers (aka Little Ricky Schroder) and Scotty Edwards in elementary school.
you remember when Mayor Edwards was just "Scotty's dad".
you were on a K-League soccer team with Eddie Lewis and Matt Bullard and Matt Bullard stole a clear shot on goal from his sister.. and missed. Thanks Matt!!
you drove to HG to get your soccer gear at Soccer Central, always 10% off.
your mom would take you to the Santa Fe Springs mall which was just a big round circle of stores and you played at the arcade there called "Noah's Arkade."
you had a duck tail...sometimes extra extra long.
you wore a hat with two flaps in the back.
you remember when Roger Lodge (shown) ran for ASB President at Cerritos HighSchool and LOST to Ruben Zepeda 
you remember when Roger Lodge drove the "Rocket" around Cerritos with the really bad muffler.


you were absent at CJHS and the next day you had to get a “re-admit” slip and have all your teachers sign it.


you lived by the YKK zipper factory and you'd always check your zipper to see if it was a YKK.
you were at the Carmentia / Tetzlaff dance in 1989.
you had those shoes that looked like boots, but they were really shoes, or the sandals that laced all the way up to your knees.
you shopped at GEMCO which is now Target
you really wanted to be chosen to be the one to push the button to change the frames on the filmstrips.
you watched FILMSTRIPS!
you know to get your adverbs at Lolly's, and you know the function of a conjunction.
before internet chat rooms, you'd go out to your mom's van with all your friends and talk to boys on the c.b. radio.
you knew everyone who worked at the watch repair in Sears.
my dad didn't want you dating me.
you had Spanish Class at Cerritos High School with Ben Howland  (shown) before he became the Head Coach at UCLA.


you had Pottery Class at Gahr High School with Washington Redskin Head Coach Jim Zorn (below)


you ACTUALLY got a TOPPS Trading Card with Jim Zorn on it when he was the Seattle Seahawks QB! (Below)
you drive down 183rd St. and honk and wave at Ben.you went to a Jr. High, not a "Middle School".
you played Jr. High sports and Haskell was the school to beat.
you remember playing sports against Killingsworth, they had to have the police there.
you remember Killingsworth changing it's name to Fedde because they didn't want "Kill" in the name anymore.
you saw dudes at the Cerritos Mall walking around with their "pull-out" stereos so no one would steal.
your elementary school had an Olympics and you were champion of the side-step.
you ate food and played games at Frank N' Scoop.
Food Barn! BYOB (bring your own bags)
 you watched "after school specials" and you remember "one to grow on".
you used "Sun-In" to lighten your hair.
you knew what number to call to hear "Ms. Tique Nails may i help yoooooooooooou.?"
your brothers' got you kicked out of the Woolworth Restaurant.
you ate Frogen Yozurt.
you remember eating at Pup N Taco and then the break dancer who's street name was Pop N Taco!
you knew that CHS football games would not have been the same if it weren't for Mr. Bowlen's commentations in his mack daddy voice.
 You shopped at FEDCO...seen here.
you ate a roast beef and cheese sandwich every day at Antony's while they played  you went to school w/ Troy Aikman.
 you rented videos at Video Galaxy. Be kind rewind or $.50 charge.
you remember the smell of the Sanrio store in the mall.
you worked at Computer City.
you remember walking by the vacant lot on the s/w corner of Shoemaker and 
you remember "shelf markers" at your elementary school library, which were just paint stir sticks in pretty colors.
you got your name on the board and then two checks next to it meant you were in BIG trouble!
you remember when actress Lela Rochon was Homecoming Queen at Cerritos High School (seen)


Send me your memories about growing up in Cerritos to:


Randy Economy   RREconomy@aol.com