Community
Dunkel Bros. Continues Christmas Tradition at New Location
Some of what you need to know about the Dunkel Bros. 2018 Christmas Display
La Mirada~Dunkel Bros. Orange County Machinery Moving has been in business since 1975 and has been based in La Mirada for the last 16 years.
The company relocated last year from their South Firestone Boulevard location along the freeway, to their new beautiful location located at the northeast corner of Alondra Boulevard and Phoebe Avenue, just east of Valley View Avenue. The change was necessitated by the construction involved with the current Interstate 5 Widening Project.
Although moving heavy machinery may be what the company is known for, over the years they have also created elaborate and unique Christmas light displays at its headquarters during the holidays for the public to enjoy.
This year is no exception; perhaps the best ever.
The display at the beautiful new Dunkel location features over two million lights all wired together and synced with holiday music, which can also be heard on 88.7 FM from your car.
The planter boxes within the display were designed and built by Dunkel Bros. exclusively for this display with each box containing 10,000 lights!
Peter Dunkel and Larry Dunkel are the owners of Dunkel Bros/La Mirada. Peter told us his Christmas spirit was instilled by his wonderful parents, Otto & Herbie who were married for 65 years. He told us every Christmas season they would load up their family of 12 kids and venture out to see the different holiday lights and displays.
The design of the new La Mirada headquarters for Dunkel Bros. includes wide, meandering sidewalks ensuring the safety of the community while offering a close up look at the detail of the free exhibit. A stage has also been built for Christmas-themed shows and carolers.
SCHEDULE: Santa will appear nightly 6-9- p.m. Saturday December 1st through December 23rd. The jolly old elf will be handing out gifts for the kids.
Santa’s reindeer arrive nightly 5-10 p.m. for eight days beginning Saturday December 15th.
Look for our live broadcast on Facebook Sunday December 4th at approximately 5:00 p.m.
OTHER XMAS DISPLAYS: The “Christmas Vacation” display at 15912 Golva is back this year bigger and better than ever. The display is set to be ready Saturday December 1st.
A really cool display is located at 14774 Hardaway Drive, go by and check it out.
See a really cool Christmas display in La Mirada? Send us an email or DM us on social media.
La Mirada News Ticker #14
>The City of La Mirada and the Los Angeles Department of Public Health will be offering all community members free flu vaccinations on Wednesday, October 31 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the La Mirada Activity Center.
>La Mirada's annual Salute to Veterans event is scheduled for Monday, November 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts. Join us in honoring our local veterans who have served or are currently serving in our nation's military. The Salute to Veterans event will include military memorabilia displays, veterans' resources, guest speakers, and a military banner retirement ceremony. For additional information, contact the Community Services Department at (562) 943-7277.
>The Arts Colony of La Mirada will present its “Mirrors of Your Mind” Art Show. The art exhibit will be open to the public on Monday, November 5 through Friday, November 16 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the La Mirada Activity Center. An award reception will conclude the art show on Saturday, November 17 from 3 to 5 p.m. Artists interested in getting involved in the Arts Colony of La Mirada are encouraged to visit their website at acolm.org or by calling (562) 941-4116 for additional information.
INFO: Annual Youth Fishing Derby at Regional Park
La Mirada~The annual Hahn Catch Youth Fishing Derby will take place Saturday, September 22nd at the La Mirada Regional Park lake from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
The event is open to children ages 5-15 years of age and no fishing license is required. Bring your own pole as their is a limited supply available for loan.
La Mirada Kiwanis will once again be providing a pancake breakfast at 7:00 a.m. sharp.
For more information call (562) 902-5645 or (626) 333-1369.
New La Mirada History Book Now Available for Purchase
La Mirada residents can now own a piece of La Mirada history by purchasing La Mirada: Three Decades of Change and Challenge, Stability and Achievement, History Book today! The 60-page hardcover book chronicles the City’s rich history from 1986 through 2016. The history book details historical events, project initiatives, and challenges though images that tell the story of La Mirada.
The new history book was written by author Allen Carden, who arrived in La Mirada in 1965 and is a graduate of La Mirada High School and Biola University.
Residents can purchase La Mirada: Three Decades of Change and Challenge, Stability and Achievement for $24.95 plus tax. However, for a limited time only, residents have the option of purchasing a Book Bundle, which includes The City of La Mirada: A Silver Anniversary History, 1960-1985 and La Mirada: Three Decades of Change and Challenge, Stability and Achievement, 1986-2016 for $39.95 plus tax.
“These history books truly capture the rich heritage of the La Mirada community,” says Community Services Director Lori Thompson.
History books are available for purchase at the La Mirada Resource Center and Activity Center. For additional information or questions, call (562) 902-3160.
Easter Egg Hunt and Duck Derby this Saturday
La Mirada~Hop in for another fun-filled Easter egg Hunt on Saturday, March 31 from 9 to 11 a.m. at La Mirada Regional Park.
This free event is perfect for the whole family to enjoy and features crafts, games, music, and photos with the Easter Bunny.The egg hunts promptly begin at 10:15 a.m. and continues throughout the morning for children ages 10 and under.
La Mirada Historical Advisory Council members will be on hand to take pre-orders for the soon to be released new city-sanctioned history book, “La Mirada 1986-2016, Three Decades of Change and Challenge, Stability and Achievement.”
The La Mirada Kiwanis Club will be serving a pancake breakfast throughout the event, as well as hosting the annual Duck Derby at Splash!, which raises funds to support community causes.
For additional information, contact the Community Services Department at (562) 943-7277.
11th Annual Duck Derby Follows Easter Egg Hunt
The 11th Annual Going Quackers for Kids Derby Duck Race is this Saturday, March 31 immediately following the Easter Egg Hunt. This fun–for-all-ages event will take place at Splash! Enter the back gate of Splash! by following the duck prints! Bring a blanket, and enjoy some family time. All kids’ games and activities are FREE!
The Duck Race is sponsored by La Mirada Kiwanis and benefits multiple La Mirada community groups. Fifty percent of duck sales go directly to the selling groups. With $3,500 in cash prizes, and many other prizes, your odds are better than the lottery, and more fun!
There is a sponsor race and the main race with 5,000 ducks. Individual ducks for main race are $5.00 or 6 for $25.00, visit the Duck Race web site for more information including how to purchase a duck corporate sponsorship.
We’ll see you and your family this Saturday at Splash! after the Easter Egg Hunt!
Recent Neighborhood Watch Meetings in La Mirada
By Brooklynn Ackerman
La Mirada~On Thursday, March 15th, City of La Mirada Public Safety officer Mary Cipres and the principal of Foster Road Elementary, Sal Villagomez, hosted a Neighborhood Watch meeting to give the community a chance to express some of their concerns.
Around 30 members of the community gathered at Foster Road Elementary to ask questions directly to the deputies that are assigned to the La Mirada area. The deputies were happy to answer any questions and shared a few positive updates.
Recently there have been a few troubling incidents in the area and the officers confirmed they have discovered the cause of the issues and have a firm handle on it. They reiterated that gang activity will not be tolerated and they are taking action to suppress it.
Cipres and the officers encourage the members of the community to call the La Mirada Sheriff's station at (562) 902-2960 if they witness anything suspicious, no matter how big or small.
She also shared a few other ways to stay informed and involved in the community. E-Watch is a weekly email that is sent out to provide updates about criminal activity in the city. You can access it on the city's website under "Reference Links".
In addition, you can download the app My La Mirada which is an easy way to bring attention to things that need to be addressed, such as broken city equipment, tagging, etc. You simply take a photo of what you are observing and send it through the app. You can also follow La Mirada Public Safety on Facebook (@LaMiradaPublicSafety) and on Twitter (@LaMiradaPS) to stay connected.
Additional meetings were hosted at Gardenhill Elementary on March 22nd and at a home in the Foster Park area on March 23rd.
Itâs the âEnd of an Eraâ in La Mirada
By Brooklynn Ackerman and Tony Aiello
La Mirada~April has a different feel in town this year as it appears that the “4 La Mirada Kids Carnival” at Benton Middle School will not take place after a 23-year run.
The three-day event has been held since 1994, when it was started by a core group consisting of Howard Haas (La Mirada High School Principal), Pete Dames (La Mirada City Council), Gary Sloan (La Mirada City Manager) and visionary Ray Haugh (Kiwanis Club of La Mirada).
Haugh originally pitched the idea about hosting a carnival in 1983, but it was shelved until 1994 when Haas approached the group saying that La Mirada High School was falling short by $10,000 for extracurricular activities. These funds were jeopardized by education budget cuts at the time.
So, the group started the event to help raise funds for local educational programs and activities such as field trips, sports and band equipment. In 1996, the carnival raised $33,500 for this purpose.
The carnival would go on to raise over $30,000 annually and consistently, for many years, with 100% of the proceeds going back into the community.
The Kiwanis Club was the major underwriter of the event until the La Mirada Community Foundation took over about 15 years ago. The Foundation has stated they would not be the signing authority (insurance) in 2018, putting the carnival in jeopardy.
Foundation member and former City Councilman Hal Malkin, an early-year organizer and contributor for many seasons said, “There have been some disasters over the past few years. Rain two years ago and last year the county shut down the rides,” he said in a phone interview, “It’s just dwindled over the years and it’s the end of an era, it’s seen its life.”
Also in question this year is where the carnival would be hosted as Benton is currently undergoing major athletic field renovations.
Current organizers are hopeful and said the event could possibly be held at an alternate location this year and perhaps return to Benton next year if a new sponsor could be found.
Community Remembers Don Gauthier; La Mirada Ticker #10
Godfather of La Mirada Football Passes
Longtime active community member, the man who many consider the Godfather of La Mirada Football, has died.
Don Gauthier passed away early Monday morning after suffering a stroke sources tell us.
He was the President of La Mirada Pop Warner Football for over 25 years and was also the La Mirada High School Freshman Football head coach for over 35 years, coming over from Neff High in the mid 70’s.
In the early 90’s, Gauthier’s freshmen teams went undefeated for a span of ten years.
Longtime assistant Kenny Meyer said the kids loved him, “He was an old fashioned, no-nonsense coach.”
Gauthier was also very active in La Mirada Little League and was a well-respected, dedicated La Mirada man.
TICKER: Ryan Vargas, 17, of La Mirada has temporarily moved to North Carolina after he signed a deal with Rev Racing. He will compete in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. The La Mirada High junior plans on finishing schooling online to devote more time to furthering his career. Go get ém Ryan!
Recently, Judge Rafael Ongkeko ruled in favor of La Mirada Lamplighter Publisher Brian Hews in a defamation case filed by Central Basin Director Leticia Vazquez by dismissing the case and ordering Vasquez to pay attorney’s fees. At last report, Vasquez planned on filing an appeal.
Beginning this fall (2018-19 school year), Artesia, Cerritos and John Glenn High Schools will leave the Suburban League in athletics competition in major sports and will join Oxford Academy, Pioneer and Whitney to form the new 605 League. At this time, that will leave just four teams in the Suburban League-Norwalk, Mayfair, Bellflower and La Mirada.
La Mirada Pack 815 Will Allow Girls to Become Cub Scouts Beginning January 1st
La Mirada~Many of you may have heard the news announced this past October; Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is moving to a Family Scouting Program allowing girls to now become Cub Scouts.
Although this topic may still be considered a “hot button,” Cub Scout Pack 815 of La Mirada has stayed informed. Together, its leaders have made the decision to move to a Family Scouting Program as of January 1st, 2018.
“Family units are not the same as they were fifty or even twenty years ago,” Cubmaster Sandra Green shared. “When my oldest son started Cub Scouts about seven years ago, I noticed many of the leaders were women. His den leader was a busy working mom, the committee chair was a full time working mom and so many of the key roles to keep the pack going were filled by women.”
She continued, “Years ago, Cub Scouts was geared more towards a father-son program but now, it’s the norm to have moms, aunts, and grandmothers leading dens and packs.”
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