Dames Takes Swipe at School District

La Mirada~Established in 1960, the Youth In Government program partners with the La Mirada Ebell Service Club and La Mirada High School to give students an opportunity to work with city officials and learn about municipal government. These students are given the assignment of reviewing community issues or existing programs and services, developing alternatives and providing recommendations for enhancing services and programs.

As part of the Youth In Government program, the Student City Council and staff are paired with their city counterparts at a special La Mirada City Council meeting where they conduct business just as a regular city council meeting would be conducted. The Youth In Government program has actively contributed to the development of the La Mirada Community Gymnasium and the installation of left-turn signals at busy intersections.

In 2009, the Youth In Government group proposed that the city create and implement a Go Green Action Plan to assess current energy usage, identify new energy efficient practices, establish partnerships and promote a green and environmentally conscious city. The group also recommended that staff pursue grant funding to develop a community bike trail along Coyote Creek. These proposals were well received, and city staff is working on a Go Green Action Plan to be implemented in 2009–10 and pursuing grant funding to develop the bike trail.

Norwalk~Cerritos College's annual Career Expo and Job Fair will be held Tuesday, March 23, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Wilford Michael Library/Falcon Square sidewalk at Cerritos College, 11110 Alondra Blvd., Norwalk, CA 90650.

The event, which attracts more than 500 attendees each year, is free and open to Cerritos College students and the general public. It is recommended that attendees dress in business attire and bring copies of resumes with them.

During the expo, attendees will have opportunity to speak to recruiters, learn about the companies, explore job opportunities, network with recruiters, and receive suggestions from employers on resumes and interviewing skills. Employers representing business, finance, technology, healthcare, retail and other industries will participate in the expo. Resume writing and job fair strategies workshops will be offered prior to the event. Current list of participating employers includes Caltrans, Home Depot, L.A. Restaurant Management, L.A. County Fire Department, LAFD, LAPD, Project Apple/Bellflower USD, Southern California Edison, Target, the University of Phoenix and more.

La Mirada~The La Mirada Chamber of Commerce presented a ribbon cutting ceremony today to welcome its newest member, WOW! Workout World, located at 12805 Valley View Avenue in La Mirada.

A light lunch and a tour of the facility was provided for about 75 guests. For more information email info@lm chamber.org.

Above, La Mirada Chamber President Pastor Jack Miranda welcomes WOW! owners, B. Brian Miller and his brother Darren to the La Mirada  community. 

La Mirada~The "4 La Mirada Kids" Carnival is fast approaching. Individuals and groups interested in raising funds for non-profit organizations can register to host a booth at this year's Carnival. 

A mandatory registration meeting will be held Thursday, February 25 at 7 p.m. at the La Mirada Resource Center, 13710 La Mirada Boulevard. A representative from interested groups is required to attend. 

The Carnival will be held at Benton Middle School on Friday, April 23 from 5 to 11 p.m., Saturday, April 24 from noon to 11 p.m., and Sunday, April 25 from 1 to 9 p.m.   Guidelines and information packets will be available at the Resource Center prior to the meeting

Play Adaption of Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye to Coincide With Black History Month Celebrations at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts-2010 Marks the 40th Anniversary of the Bool's Publication

La Mirada~How does an 11 year old African-American girl define beauty when she hates the color of her skin and has only blonde-hair, blue-eyed dolls to play with? Set against the backdrop of 1940s Ohio, The Bluest Eye explores the toll that a legacy of racism has taken on a community, a family, and Pecola Breedlove, the central character in this play adaptation based on the novel by Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winning author Toni Morrison. The production, directed by 2009 Lucille Lortel Award Nominee Janet Miller (Off-Broadway, Marvlelous Wonderettes) will be presented by Phantom Projects Theatre Group on February 25, 2010 at 10AM and 7PM at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. Phantom Projects is a proud member of the LA Stage Alliance.

Residents/Businesses Urged to Sign Up For Emergency Alerts

With the renewed threat of rainstorms, Los Angeles County officials today urged residents and businesses to sign up for emergency alerts by registering their cell phone numbers and e-mail addresses on the Alert.lacounty.gov website.

The County’s emergency mass notification system, called Alert LA County, has the capability to use phone, text and e-mail messages to alert residents and businesses when there is an emergency situation in their area and advises of needed actions, like evacuations.

The system was activated 25 times between Jan. 18 – Jan. 22 due to rain, flooding and mudslides, with some warnings going to as few as 34 people and some to as many as 513. All landlines are already included in the system, but people must register their cell phone numbers, Voice over IP phone numbers, and e-mail addresses. This information can be added
on the Alert.lacounty.gov website.

La Mirada~Morgan Hurley, daughter of the late Dick Hurley who was the La Mirada Lamplighter Editor for many years will guest on "The La Mirada Blog Radio Show" Monday, February 22nd at 7:00 p.m. on www.adviceradio.com.

The webcast will also be available on podcast after the live program.

The La Mirada Lamplighter-to this day-holds a very special place  in many peoples hearts. It ran from the late fifties until 1979 when it was forced out of business by Knight-Ridder Newspapers.

Morgan Hurley grew up with the paper and also served as a reporter for the paper. Dick Hurley and his wife, Gwenn, had a lot of influence in the shaping of La Mirada that continues today.

La Mirada~Purchase your pre-sale tickets to the annual "4 La Mirada Kids" Carnival for $10 at the La Mirada Resource Center. A percentage of the proceeds are returned to local schools and organizations that sell the pre-sale tickets.

The carnival will be open April 23 through 25 at Benton Middle School and feature rides, food and entertainment for the entire family.

Sponsored by the La Mirada Community Services Foundation, the event raises funds for youth groups and community organizations in La Mirada. Volunteers donate thousands of hours each year to make the carnival a success. Schools and organizations throughout La Mirada use carnival funds to support many educational and extracurricular opportunities.

Individuals and organizations interested in volunteering at the Community Carnival or becoming event or booth sponsors should call Community Services at (562) 943-7277.