Supervisor Don Knabe and MPT Joe Cho dishing up a great afternoon at Friendship Park

Around 200 of my neighbors here on the Eastside of Cerritos attended a special afternoon event to hear Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe and Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Cho talk about the many challenges facing our city, county and state.

I enjoied seeing lots of community leaders, and candidates for local offices at the eventl as well as lots of my neighbors. 

I have to salute Mayor Pro Tem Cho for organizing these "neighborhood" picnics for the past couple of years. 

He is the only City Councilman to ever host these type of neighborhood  to neighborhood events that give Cerritos residents the opportunity to get vital information about "what's happening around Cerritos and at City Hall."  To date, he has hosted almost 10 of these local gatherings.  Also saw our local Sheriff Commander Gonzales at the picnic.

Also had a nice visit with the Cho family, including Joesph's wife Lucy, and sons Andy and Tony Cho, who were cooking up a storm on the BBQ. (Seen above).

I also visited with 2 candidates running in next week's election.  James Kang for ABC School Board and Dr. Shin Liu for Cerritos College Board of Trustees.  Both are working hard in this campaign, and both are facing tough opponents. >>>>>

Also seen were Cho-appointed commissioners Ken Cha, Alon Barlevy, Nick Kim, and Julietta Williams.

Thanks for a great afternoon Don Knabe and Joseph Cho!

BREAKING: NORWALK COUNCILMAN RICK RAMIREZ ARRESTED for Criminal Threats against his wife, Little Lake School Board Clerk Gina Ramirez! EXCLUSIVE!

Happier times...Gina and Rick Ramirez

Randy Economy EXCLUSIVE PHOTO

BREAKING NEWS--EXCLUSIVE

NORWALK COUNCILMAN RICK RAMIREZ IS ARRESTED FOR MAKING CRIMINAL THREAT ON WIFE
Little Lake School Board Member Gina A. Ramirez!

By Randy Economy
UPDATED AT 11:00 p.m.
October 24, 2009

Note:  I was the FIRST to BREAK this STORY at 11:40 a.m. on SATURDAY, OCT. 24th, just 20 minutes after Councilman Ramirez was released on Bail.

(Norwalk, CA)  Norwalk City Councilman Rick Ramirez, 41, was arrested this morning for making "ciminal threats" against his wife Little Lake School Board Member Gina Ramirez. He was held on a $50,000 bail and was released at 11:25 a.m. on Saturday.

According to Watch Commander John Gannon of the Norwalk Sheriffs Station, Deputies were called to the Ramirez home in North Norwalk at 11:30 p.m. Friday night for a domestic disturbance call.  Ramriez was placed under arrest at 1:20 a.m., according to Sheriff booking records.  The Ramirez'es live at the 11000 block of Pluton Avenue,

Gina Ramirez is currently serving as Clerk of the Little Lake School Board of Education.  She announced earlier this Summer that she would not be seeking another term citing "personal family" matters.

Deputies took Councilman Ramirez into custody and booked him on one Felony count of making a "criminal threat."  The threat claimed the Councilman threatened his wife with "great bodily harm or death."

Councilman Ramirez is scheduled to appear in Bellflower Superior Court on Tuesday, October 27th at 8:30 a.m., according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department website.   I will be reconfirming the exact time of his first Court appearance on Sunday.  Some media members are reporting that Ramirez first appearance in Court will be on November 20th.

More details to follow.

Sup. Don Knabe to attend MPT Joe Cho's monthly meeting at Friendship Park this Saturday afternoon!

Friendship Park here in my 'hood will be the site of Cerritos Mayor Joseph Cho's Monthly Neighborhood bar-b-que this Saturday, October 24th from Noon to 2 p.m.

This event is open to everyone here in Cerritos, and especially to our great neighbors here on the Eastside. 

The main speaker will be the amazing, and talented Don Knabe, who is the Chairman of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

Admission is free, and Korean BBQ will be served.

Friendship Park is located at 13650 Acoro Street here in Cerritos. 

This is my HOT PICK of the weekend here in Cerritos!

Just Another HALO VICTORY! Angels beat Yankees in Game 5 thriller!

Image via Wikipedia

I was totally lucky to get to watch BOTH Game 3 AND Game 5 of the American League Championship series this week between the Los Angeles Angels of Cerritos and the New York Yankees.  Last night I went to see the ANGELS BEAT the Yanks in a come from behind AMAZING victory!

These two games will go down in Angel history.  Here is the final pitch of the game from Angel pitcher Brian Fuentes.  He was literally shaking on the mound right before the Angels got the final out.

Now, let's GO ANGELS, and beat New York in Yankee Stadium and bring the World Series here to the Hood! Let's win this for Nick Adenhart...our fallen Angel pitcher who passed away tragically at the beginning of this season!

I still have my "Big A" face tattoo...and it's not coming off till we go to the Series....baby! 

BtW...The Rally Monkee is my new Leader....

 

The Prayer for Peace: Passing along Mother Teresa of Calcutta's moving words!

I wanted to pass along the "Prayer for Peace" that was given this morning at the Cerritos Prayer Breakfast from Rev. Tony Gomez from St. Linus Catholic Church here in Norwalk. Thanks, Fr. Tony for sharing this with me and our readers.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta and speaks to everyones heart and these words are inspriational for everyone regardless of your Faith!

The version found written on the wall in Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta:

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.


If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.


If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.


If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.


What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.


If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.


The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.


Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.


In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.


-this version is credited to Mother Teresa

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CALLING ALL ANGELS!! KEEPING HOPE ALIVE! LET'S BEAT THE YANKEES ON THURSDAY!

I will not give up on my Angels. I didn't give UP on them in 2002 when EVERYONE COUNTED them OUT, over and over and over again!

They took it on the chin on Tuesday night from the

NY Yankees. I'm heading over to Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Thursday night in Anaheim.

So, calling all Angels...
Say your prayers...
Keep calm...and remember...
 The New York Yankees are still a bunch of over paid idiots...who cheat and lie and take steroids...
Forgive me Father....
Hand me my Rally Monkey!
Randy Economy

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Angels beat Yankees in GAME 3 in BOTTOM of 11th INNINING! What an AMAZING GAME!

randy economy pics

...TODAY I headed over the watch my Angels take on the NY Yankees in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series and ended up seeing one of the most exciting games ever in recent memory!

I want to thank my pal Chris Halderson for attending this landmark game with me today. We had GREAT seats, and didn't mind the massive traffic jam both coming and going to and from Anaheim Stadium!

Here is the latest story from the Associated Press on the game, and my pics of today's game are also here.  So....I'm HEADING to GAME 5 of the ALCS SERIES on THURSDAY....RIGHT ON ANGLES!

Mathis provides Halo heroics in win vs. Yanks

Two-out double in 11th seals Los Angeles’ 5-4 victory; N.Y. lead now 2-1

From the Associated Press:
ANAHEIM, Calif. - When Derek Jeter led off Game 3 with a homer into the bullpen, this AL championship series seemed uncomplicated. Power hitting and steady pitching appeared to be driving New York to the World Series.

About 261 minutes, 14 pitchers, six homers and several big blunders later, a winning hit by a backup catcher left only one thing certain in this cuckoo series: The Los Angeles Angels won’t be trampled by the mighty Yankees.

Jeff Mathis drove home Howie Kendrick with a two-out double in the 11th inning, and the Angels survived a second straight ALCS thriller, beating New York 5-4 Monday to trim the Yankees’ series lead to 2-1.



“There was a lot of great baseball on that field this afternoon,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “There were a lot of twists and turns, and both teams played a terrific game. We just got it done at the end.”

Kendrick, himself a part-time infielder, homered and tripled before singling with two outs in the 11th off rookie Alfredo Aceves. Mathis followed with his drive up against the left-field wall, and Kendrick slid home well ahead of a desperate throw, setting off an on-field celebration of the backups’ bonanza.

Mathis, a .211 hitter in the regular season, came up with his third late-inning, extra-base hit of this outlandish series, just two days after the clubs’ 310-minute, 13-inning icy epic in Game 2.

“Obviously, it’s the biggest hit of my life,” Mathis said. “For Howie to have the at-bat he did right there, and to get on base and put one in the gap to win the game, it’s a pretty good feeling.”

If the Angels had any lingering doubts about their ability to match up with the big-money Yankees after two discouraging losses in the chilly Bronx, those worries melted during their comeback in the balmy Orange County sun.

“Man, that was one of the craziest games,” said Angels outfielder Torii Hunter, who lamented his 1-for-5 effort. “It was an emotional roller coaster, man. We were up, we were down. I’ve got a headache right now, but it was a lot of fun. Both teams were battling and we came through in the end. As long as you have innings and outs left, you’ve got a chance to make something happen.”

Game 4 is Tuesday night, with CC Sabathia pitching on three days’ rest against Angels newcomer Scott Kazmir. Game 5 in the best-of-seven series is Thursday.

Vladimir Guerrero hit a tying two-run homer as the Angels overcame a 3-0 deficit and four solo homers by the Yankees’ stars, including Jorge Posada’s tying shot in the eighth. Bobby Abreu made a big baserunning mistake, Joba Chamberlain flopped, and Mariano Rivera made a gutsy stand with the bases loaded in the 10th before Kendrick and Mathis made it all academic with two quick hits against Aceves, the Yankees’ eighth pitcher.

Mathis entered Game 3 in the eighth, and had a leadoff double in the 10th.

“You wouldn’t think Jeff Mathis would be the guy that beats us, but top to bottom, they’re a good lineup,” said Yankees reliever Phil Hughes, who got five outs and finished the ninth.

For the second straight game, the Angels and Yankees played into tense extra innings, stretching nerves and bullpens still frayed from Saturday’s marathon New York victory at Yankee Stadium.

“This is the type of series we expected it to be,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “We didn’t really stretch out any of our pitchers too far today out of the bullpen, so I believe our guys will be fine tomorrow.”

Rally Monkey: Let's GO ANGELS! I'm heading to Game 3 today. Send in the Monkey's!

RALLY MONKEY TIME!



I'm heading over to Anaheim Stadium to watch Game 3 between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angeles of East Cerritos in the American League Championship Series this afternoon.

WE NEED THE RALLY MONKEY TODAY!  We CAN'T GIVE IN to the EVIL NY YANKEES! 

LETS GO ANGELS!

Randy Economy: Taxes only a mother could love. My take on local ballot tax measures in Artesia and Pico Rivera

 Note: This is my weekly column in the Los Cerritos Community News and is about Measure S and Y in Artesia, and Measure TR in Pico Rivera.

BY: RANDY ECONOMY

We ALL hate taxes.

California is the highest taxed state in the WORLD.

Have you ever thought about how much of your money goes to taxes each and every year or each and every day?

It’s amazing when you stop and actually ponder just how much it costs to live and gasp for air here in California. We are taxed for everything under the sun here in the Golden State, and I’m sick of it.

Candy bars, coffee, a bottle of coke, internet access, cable television, utilities, car registrations, and property taxes, special “district” taxes for water and mosquito abatement and libraries.

We get taxed to stay in a hotel, or when we buy a ticket to the movies. We get taxed when we buy tickets to baseball games on line.

Last week my cell phone broke into 7 pieces, so I had to replace it. When I found a new phone, over at the Verizon Store here at the Cerritos Towne Center the $79.00 phone replacement ended up costing me $113.80, because of $21 in “special fees” like “optional service access fees,” “equipment, surcharges and ‘other’ charges/credit’ activation fees,” and the good old’ “government surcharge fee of $4.81.”

What the hell? Are you kidding me?

Now, we are getting ready to vote in our local city and school board elections here on Tuesday, November 3rd. In the city of Artesia, and city of Pico Rivera voters face three local tax measures.

In Pico Rivera, voters will determine the fate of Measure TR that would decrease their “Utility Users Tax” by ½ of 1 percent. Pico Rivera residents are one of the highest locally taxed cities in the entire United States, and they are heading back to the ballot box to determine the fate of this controversial measure.

In Artesia the voters are facing two tax increases in Measures S and Y.


Measure Y would increase business license taxes. Artesia is the home of the wonderful and colorful Pioneer Boulevard Shopping District and is the home to the nationally known “Little India,” the California Milk Producers, as well as Olympic icon Michele Kwan’s “East West Ice Palace.”


Can small business people afford higher business “license” fees, especially in this rotten economy?


Let’s take a brief look at Measure S in Artesia.


Measure S would more than double the hotel occupancy tax from 6% to 12.5% on every Hotel/Motel room each and every night.


This means, a one night stay at the “Quality Inn & Suites” at Pioneer Boulevard and the 91 Freeway would cost you $112.00 a night instead of the current $99. These prices are from the Quality Inn’s web site.


On the other hand, if you book the same sized room over at the Sheraton Hotel in the Cerritos Towne Center, for the same one night stay, the cost would be around $99 per night.


Sheraton Cerritos or Quality Inn in Artesia? Humm?


So, what’s in a “hotel” occupancy tax increase? You might be surprised if you stop and “compare” prices and to actually do the “math.”


I understand that Cities are facing financial “crisis.” I get it. I also understand how we can make government more accountable with an active citizenry.


Less government is better. Leaner is not meaner. Let’s really tighten up the purse strings. Let’s hold our City Managers and our ELECTED City Council Members accountable for how they spend our money, before they ask us for yet another tax increase.


Sometimes we need to really think about how we vote, before we vote, and what we are actually voting on. Why? Because, we are being taxed to death.


What are your thoughts? How are you going to vote?


Drop me at note to RREconomy@CerritosNews.com

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ARTESIA COOL! City of Artesia celebrates 50 Years....Prom stylin....!

The HOT PARTY of the YEAR continued tonight in the City of Artesia, California!  The Artesia Historical Society held a real life PROM tonight at the Albert O. Little Community Center in celebration of it's 50th Birthday!!  What a BLAST!  Poodle skirts, bow ties, hula hoops, motorcycles, car hops, bee hives, up dos...this Prom had it all!

Seen tonight was the "Whoes WHO of Artesia!" 

Looking totally cool were (above-clockwise): Steve Donn and his son with sweet tunes; Hamburger? Fries? Ice Cream?  What's your pleasure?; Artesia Councilwoman Sally Zuniga Flowers (looking amazing) Diane Padelford Young (Artesia's FIRST FIRST Daughter), Former Mayor John Lyons in his vintage red Mustang, and the VERY cool Councilman John Martins and his wife Karen....ala John Travolta and Olvia Newton John from "Grease" fame!  Happy BIRTHDAY ARTESIA! Enjoy the PICS!

Randy Economy!

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El Monte City Manager brings new meaning to "Political Prostitution." He got BUSTED!

Speaking of Political Prostitutes in the San Gabriel Valley...

El Monte City Manager Jim Mussenden was arrested on Thursday night on suspicion of soliciting prostitution in Pomona. 

Is this guy totally stupid, or is he another City Manager who thinks that they are "above the law?"


Mussenden, 59, was among 30 suspects arrested during a six-hour sting, which began at 6 p.m. near east Holt Boulevard. He was cited, given a court date and released, Pomona police said. Mussenden referred all questions about the arrest to his attorney on Friday.

According to the El Monte City Website,  Mussenden was hired as City Manager on  July 1, 2006. He has  worked for the City of El Monte since 1983, almost 25 years serving as El Monte’s Code Enforcement Manager.  Code Enforcement Manager?  Are you kidding me?  He was actually responsible for ENFORCING the LAWS of EL MONTE, and gets popped by the Pomona Police Department for Prostitution solicitation?

The El Monte City Council has scheduled an emergency meeting for Saturday at 12:30 p.m. The council will consider in closed session Mussenden's "discipline, dismissal, or release," according to the meeting's agenda. It has also placed on the agenda "consideration of appointment of city manager."

Councilwoman Emily Ishigaki thinks the council will put Mussenden on administrative leave, and that he will resign. "There is no way he could stay on. I don't think Jim would cause himself that embarassment," she said.

The sting involved undercover police officers posing as both prostitutes and customers in an area known for heavy prostitution activity, according to Pomona Ltn. Alex Rilloraza.

Twelve women and 18 men were arrested in the sting. The men without outstanding warrants were cited and given a court date, Rilloraza said.

Mussenden has been active in the El Monte Kiwanis Club and the Boys & Girls Club of San Gabriel Valley, according  to his biography on the city's Web site.  He is married with an adult daughter.

Randy Economy with Reports from The Associated Press

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FANTASTIC LOOK BY THE LA TIMES ON HOW MUCH MONEY IT COSTS TO EAT WITH OBAMA!

Note: This is a GREAT look at how much money it took to attend President Barack Obama's "Mega" Fundraiser in San Francisco last night. This is from the LA Times and I HAD to pass this along to all of you this morning.  So much for his "Change We Can Believe In" stuff.

Randy Economy

It takes this much money to eat with Barack Obama

October 16, 2009 |  2:38  am

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES
By Andrew Malcolm

Didja ever hold one of these $10G notes in your hands?

Well, it took this bill....

...plus this bill....

and yet ANOTHER IDENTICAL $10,000 bill

 PLUS FOUR BEN FRANKLINS:

for a couple to have dinner with Barack Obama Thursday night in San Francisco's Westin Hotel. And hundreds of northern Californians lined up to do so. It better be an abundant shrimp cocktail for that price.

This is a newish administration that so quickly denounces the egregious excesses and appalling financial greed of corporate America. And was someone recently saying the country faces one of the most serious economic eras since back before even Joe Biden was born?

Apparently not these San Francisco Democrats, who also got to hear Speaker Nancy Pelosi, well, speak. (VP Biden, by the bye, is in Nevada Friday doing the same campaign/money thing for happy Harry Reid, the embattled Democrat Senate Majority Leader.)

You'll be surprised to know that Pelosi praised the attendees as "a great collection of....

...intellectuals, entrepreneurial spirit, idealism (and) integrity." And, she told the president during her introduction, "They have a full appreciation for what you have done." details, video and transcript available here). According to the White House press pool report, the president seemed energized. And the night's haul of $3 million couldn't hurt.

The speaker told the crowd that the major issue at hand is healthcare reform. But she said the reforms were not really "about the details of the policy, it was about something bigger. It was about our moral responsibility…social responsibility and the character of our country.'' "Mr. President," Pelosi stated, "you give us hope, you make us proud. Thank you, Mr. President, for giving us hope. Thank you for being with us so soon after the Nobel Peace Prize.''

Obama was fresh from the long, comfortable 747 flight from New Orleans, which is a lot closer than Copenhagen. Obama held another town hall meeting in the Crescent City

(Obama returned Pelosi's praise: "Having now known Nancy, I can tell you that, day in and day out, she faces down some of the toughest problems…and she doesn't break a sweat. And she is willing to stare folks down and tell them how things are going to be.

"And that steel that Nancy Pelosi has is part of the reason why this has been such an incredibly productive Congress — and why I am so confident that we are going to end up getting healthcare done.''

The president predicted that it was going to take a long time to address the nation's vast array of problems, perhaps even longer than 36 months. Which coincidentally puts him right at the 2012 presidential election.

"We're just getting started," Obama said. "Some of our opponents seem to think they can wear us out and I just want to be clear. I'm not tired. I'm refreshed. We are not going to stop."

Oh, btw, for their $30,400 dinner tab, attendees also got a photograph with the president. It won't cost you even one of these....

INSPIRE: Former LA Dodger Matt Luke headlines upcoming Cerritos Community Prayer Breakfast on October 21st at Cerritos Sheraton!

Image via Wikipedia

The Cerritos Community Prayer Breakfast is going to be held on Wednesday, October 21 at the spectacular Cerritos Sheraton Hotel from 7:15 to 9:00 a.m.

Keynote Speaker for the uplifting event is Matt Luke who played 10 years in the Major Leagues for both the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor Don Knabe will serve as Master of Ceremonies and will also feature lots of local religious leaders from our community. Tickets are $25. See the flyer above. See you at the Prayer Breakfast!

Randy Economy

From the Cerritos ICKY file: Severed "paw" found was not human but anaimal

This just in from the Associated Press.

Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies say a body part found on the sidewalk in Cerritos is a severed animal paw, and not human. YIKES! So, we have NOTHING to FEAR...remain calm.

Lt. Ron Kegel says a security guard found the badly decomposed part Wednesday morning outside a parking garage across from a business office here in our "tony hood" of Cerritos.

Kegel says coroner's officials determined the part was animal after initially wondering if the fur on the hand was human hair.

There is no fresh blood in the area or reports of other body parts elsewhere.
Kegel did not know the type of animal or how the paw was severed. He says coyotes roam the area.

Let's ALL keep an eye on our small pets. These Cerritos "coyotes" have been lurking around here for generations and they are looking for food since the recent wild fires have burned much of their food source up the river.

Randy Economy