3rd of July cancellation finalized, City to offer many other summer events and activities

La Mirada- The city council decided reluctantly to cancel its annual 3rd of July Independence Celebration for the second year in a row Tuesday night, after hearing a report from city staff that obstacles presented by the pandemic would not allow an uncontrolled event on a large scale to occur. 

County and state health guidelines require attendance at public events to by ticketed reservation only and social distancing practices are to be strictly observed which is not possible at an unfenced and uncontrolled location such as Regional Park according to the report.

Other obstacles include a lack of lead time to allow for planning a security plan by sheriff officials or the recruitment of 50 to 60 personnel that are needed to be deployed or the permits for use of both the county-owned park or golf course, the launching point for the fireworks display.

The city is moving forward with most of its other recreation and community activities it offers.

Courtesy City of La Mirada

Buccaneer Bay at Splash! premieres its new six-lane slide on May 29th during Memorial Day weekend and will be open daily through August 8th and on weekends through September 26th. 

Park capacity will be restricted and food service will be offered under the guidelines set by health authorities.

Use of the waterpark requires ticketed reservations only and must be made online at 
http://www.splashlamirada.com/buccaneer-bay/ 

Splash! will begin taking reservations on Monday, May 17th. For further information follow the link provided or call (562)  902-3191.  

Free swimming will also be offered beginning June 7th daily through August 15th with sessions Monday through Friday Noon to 3 p.m. and offered from Noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

The city has announced its Concerts in the Park including the Stroll in the Park series will begin June 7th for eight weeks. The concerts will be held again at Regional Park pending approval from the county. Neff park will be the alternate venue if necessary. The Stroll in the Park will be held at Creek Park.

Also on June 7th, a modified five-week day camp program returns to the Activity Center as well as free drop-in recreation programs at Windemere, Frontier, and Gardenhill Park on Monday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m.

The city will also be offering several summer sports leagues with play conducted on grass due to work on the gymnasium floor and more than 30 recreational classes will be offered to residents.

Anthony Viele 1943-2021

La Mirada-   A local businessman known for his involvement in the community and in his local parish, Beatitudes of our Lord passed away at his home on April, 25th in La Mirada. Anthony Viele was 77.

Viele was probably best known for his part in building with his father Anthony Sr. what would become the regional foodservice supplier giant known as Viele and Sons.

Viele and Sons operated for many years from a 43,000 square foot warehouse on Industry Circle until their landlord refused a request to add space that would the company to continue growing, sending the Viele family to Fullerton where they currently are based.

Viele was born in Chicago in 1943, arriving in Southern California as a child, was the first in a family of five brothers and one sister.  Anthony Jr. worked with his dad from the start when they first began selling groceries stored in their garage in 1958. 

Later in life, he along with his wife Kathy have developed a portfolio of property investments in the area that include a number of apartment buildings located in La Mirada. 

Viele had three sons, one daughter, and eight grandchildren.

Services were held on May7th at Beatitudes of our Lord in La Mirada.

3rd of July Celebration on verge of cancellation

La Mirada- It appears likely that the city will have to cancel its annual 3rd of July Independence Celebration for the second year in a row due to a number of obstacles that seem impossible to overcome in time to allow plans to go forward according to a city report.

The city council will discuss the report regarding the July 3rd event as well as other summer recreation offerings on Tuesday during its monthly study session at 5:30 p.m.

The report states health guidelines still require attendance reservations and social distancing which is not possible at an unfenced and uncontrolled location such as Regional Park.

Other obstacles include a lack of lead time to allow for planning a security plan by sheriff officials or the recruitment for the personnel that will need to be deployed and permits have not been issued for use of the county-owned park or golf course.  The fireworks are launched from a location inside the county golf course.

Commentary: Who is George Gascon' and what is all the fuss about?

 

La Mirada-  At least three cities will be discussing the merits tonight of a series of directives that District Attorney George Gascon' has issued to his Deputy DA's directing them to alter the course of justice in Los Angeles County exciting reform-minded progresses and angering advocates of law and order.

The La Mirada city council fearing such initiatives are a major threat to public safety along with councils in Whittier and Lancaster could join Santa Clarita, Pico Rivera, and Beverly Hills tonight by approving a resolution that is tantamount to a vote of no confidence in Gascon'

But who is George Gascon' and what are these directives that have proved so controversial that Gascon' could join Governor newsom on the ballot in a recall effort.

George Gascon', 65, was born in Havanna, Cuba moving to Bell in 1967. After a stint in the U.S. Army, he became a career cop at LAPD rising through the ranks to the level of Assistant Police Chief before departing to Mesa, Arizona then to San Francisco where he was chief of police of both departments.

Gascon', a co-author of Proposition 47 that reduced many felonies to misdemeanors became District Attorney in San Francisco after Governor Newsom then its mayor appointed him to fill the vacancy left by Kamala Harris who had become the state attorney general in 2011. 

It was there in San Francisco heading the D.A.'s office that Gascon' embarked on a series of directives that discouraged officers from making low-level arrests in favor of diversion. Crime rose 37% during his tenure that ended in 2019 when he resigned in order to run in the election for his current post.

The Directives

Deputy DA's were instructed to not request cash bail for any misdemeanor, non-serious or non-violent felony offense. 

Bail is to only be requested in cases of felony sexual assault, threats of great bodily injury and cases where felony acts of violence had been committed IF there was clear and convincing evidence that release would result in great bodily violence to another or a flight from justice.

Gascon' has instructed that his deputies not file charges in misdemeanor cases including those for trespassing, disturbing the peace, driving while suspended or unlicensed, criminal threats of violence, possession of drug paraphernalia as well as possession of controlled substances including meth, heroin, and fentanyl.  

Charges are also to be rejected in cases involving resisting arrest, drinking in public, being intoxicated in public or under the influence of a controlled substance, or loiter in public for the purpose of prostitution.

Exceptions can be made for repeated accusations in a 24 month period in cases of trespass, disturbing the peace, driving suspended or unlicensed or criminal threats or force was iused against a law enforcenet in a resisting arrest incident. 

In the case where an exception will be made instead of an outright D.A. reject is not handed down, the case will still be dismissed after  completion of a diversion program.

In more serious felong cases Deputy D.A. are not to enfore the voter-approved three strikes law or seek the death penalty.

Gascon' has banned charging juveniles accused of serious crimes as adults and shall not be charged with misdemeanor crimes.  When apprpriate juveniles accused of a misdemeanor or less serious felony can be referred to a diversion program. A juvenile age 16-17 is also not to be charged that a crime that carries a strike. A juvenile that commits an armed robbery will only be charged with grand theft person. An exceptions exists to allow a chjarge of rape and murder.

The sentence sought by the people will be probation of the charge allows with except in extraordinary circumstances with the approval of a Bureau Director.

It's clear that when the new guy makes it a point to meet and confer behind closed doors with the shots callers at Black Lives Matter after being sworn-in before even sitting down to meet the people who work for his office and long serious look is called for.

Tonight will be that night in La Mirada.