Crime in La Mirada falls 37% in November from previous year

Crimes reported in La Mirada continue to show a dramatic decrease, falling 37% in the month of November compared to the same month in 2018.

65 Part One crimes were recorded last month in the city, down from the 103 reported to sheriff's deputies in November 2018.

Data made available today by the Sheriff's Department is also showing crime for the first 11 months of the year off 15% compared to the same period in 2018 dropping from 854 to 726.

La Mirada is on course to record its third-lowest rate of crime in the past three decades if the current trend extends through December.

That trend is showing the number of incidents being reported to sheriff's officials is falling more as each month passes through most of 2019. At the end of October, the crime rate was down 12% widening to 15% as of November 30.

Part One crime data is collected by the FBI from police agencies across the nation and consists of violent and theft of property crimes. The data is commonly used to compare year-to-year trends as well as city-to-city.

Professor who accused Virginia Lt. Gov of sex assault seeks local Assembly seat

Vanessa Tyson (from APNews)

A Whittier college professor who accused Virginia's lieutenant governor of sexual assault in February has publicly announced that she is one of the nine candidates seeking the open 57th District Assembly seat in March 2020. 

Vanessa Tyson, 42, a Democrat, made news headlines across the nation during the height of the #metoo controversy after she accused Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of forcing her to engage in oral sex during the Democratic National Convention in Boston in 2004. 

Tyson claimed cited a repressed memory of the event as the reason she reported it close to 15 years later. Fairfax has denied the accusation.

Tyson, who teaches political science champions women's rights, the environment and affordable housing on her platform.

Also on the March 3, 2020 ballot for the 57th Assembly District are:

Democrats:

Josue Alvarado-  A Whittier city councilmember

Dora D. Sandoval- A Little Lake School District board member

Oscar Valladares-  Rio Hondo College Dist, trustee

Gary Mendez- Also a Rio Hondo College Dist. trustee

Lisa Calderon- A businesswoman

Sylvia Rubio- A businesswoman

Primo Castro- A cancer patient advocate

Jessica Martinez, an educator is the sole Republican on the ballot.

The 57th District seat became an open one after Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon announced last month he was not going to seek re-election in order to spend more time with family. 

The 57th District covers an area that extends from La Puente and into Hacienda Heights and over the hill to include La Mirada, Whittier, and Norwalk.

Larry Mowles not seeking third term in upcoming election that starts off controversial

Dec. 30  Editor's Note:  La Mirada News reported in error that 5th District candidate Anthony Otero had completed a course of study to the level of a Master's Degree when in fact he has earned a Doctorate.


Seven candidates including two incumbents have filed nomination papers to fill three council district seats up for election in March and a familiar name to many La Mirada residents will not be among those on local ballots.

After two decades of service to the city including two terms on the city council, Larry Mowles will not be seeking a third term when voters in three of the five council districts cast ballots next March.

Mowles, a founding member of the La Mirada Community Foundation in 1999, and from 2000 until 2007 was the foundation's president while at the same time serving as an appointed member of the La Mirada Community Services Commission.

Councilmember Mowles was appointed to the Public Safety Commission in May 2007 followed by an appointment to the La Mirada Planning Commission in May 2009 where he served until winning election to his first city council term in March 2011.

Expect a standing-room-only crowd the night of Larry Mowles last meeting as well as a long list of well-wishers. No city does this better than La Mirada does.

District 3

In District 3, real estate agent and tax preparer John Accornero is challenging incumbent Ed Eng for the east side council seat.

Accornero is an agent with Keller Williams Realty in East Whittier has not released a platform to this date, states he is in the process of putting one together that will debut soon.

Ed Eng

Eng is the Executive Director of the Los Angeles County Economy and Efficiency Commission which acts as an independent advisory group to the Board of Supervisors. The commission reviews the many facets of how the largest county in the United States functions internally including its policies, management, and operations of its varied departments and commissions.   

Eng is running on a platform that places public safety and fiscal prudence as his top priorities and emphasizes his years of service to the community. 

District 5

District 5, which winds south from Leffingwell Rd. through the center of La Mirada and then west to include a neighborhood just south of Biola University has three candidates competing for the only open seat in the March city election.

Matthew Morse appointed to the Planning Commission in February is running on a platform that focuses on housing density, city infrastructure, attracting more local businesses and is critical of the state of La Mirada youth sports. Morse has a Master's Degree in Intercultural Studies from Biola and is volunteers his time to youth soccer.

Anthony Otero

Anthony Otero, a police lieutenant with 23 years of law enforcement experience and former marine. possesses a Master's Degree in Executive Leadership from USC and has now completed studies that have earned him a Doctorate.

Otero's platform promotes maintaining a safe community with a strong public safety program, fiscal responsibility, pro-business environment, and strong youth development programs. 

Noel Jaimes is also seeking the 5th district seat, is a current La Mirada Chamber of Commerce board member and has been involved in area politics and community organizations for several decades. 

La Mirada News has not seen a platform for Jaimes who states a website should launch shortly and will include one.

District 4

A newcomer to local politics will take on incumbent Mayor Steve De Ruse in the 4th district which covers neighborhoods in the southwest part of La Mirada.

Mayor De Ruse spent more than a decade leading a La Mirada church congregation before assuming the same role at Artesia Baptist Church where he is a senior pastor. In addition to his duties as a pastor, he represents the city on nine regional agencies and is actively involved in many local organizations and attends most local events.

Steve De Ruse

Mayor De Ruse was first elected to the council in 2011 and is seeking a third term citing his record of proven leadership and commitment to ethical government. Prior to becoming a council member, he served on the Community Services Commission and the La Mirada Clergy Panel from 2001 to 2010.

Looking to unseat the incumbent is Jackie Fowler, the owner of a local preschool. 

Fowler has provided very little information about herself, however, her candidacy and that of Matthew Morse in the 5th district have combined to create a stir partly due to the similar design and positions staked within each candidate's platform and how closely they mirror the opinions of Councilmember Andrew Sarega.

Several sources that have chosen to remain anonymous state the Fowler and Morse candidacies appear to be in retaliation in response to years of tension on the council that has pitted Sarega against Mayor De Ruse and council member Ed Eng.  

The same unnamed sources also point out the platforms contain a number of key statements that are not rooted in fact including claims by both Matthew Morse and Jackie Fowler that the city voted to kick the La Mirada Soccer Association off from city fields with only a week before the beginning of the season last August.

La Mirada News has verified that it was the La Mirada Athletic Council, a self-governing board comprised of delegates from each sports league using city fields including LMSA that was responsible for making the untimely vote to remove LMSA after years of rule violations and not City Hall.

LMSA went before an appeals board that was comprised of Mayor De Ruse, Mayor Pro-Tem John Lewis, and LMAC President Scott Anderson who voted unanimously to overturn the decision restoring the soccer season for LMSA players. 

In early January La Mirada News will look further into the claims being made in all of the candidates' platforms while giving all interested parties a chance to clarify their positions on these or any other relevant issues.

Gardenhill School named a California Distinguished School

Gardenhill Elementary Schoool was named as one of California's distinguished schools for  2020 by the California Department of Education on Wednesday in recognition of its outstanding programs and practices 

Gardenhill is one of 323 elementary schools to receive the annual honor that is awarded for closing the achievement gap and exceptional student performance.

Gardenhill Principal Sarah Gilbert notes in a message on the school's webpage that students are immersed in STEM education and are using up-to-date technology in everyday classroom instruction. 

Other nearby schools receiving the honor include Emery Elementary School in the Los Coyotes area of northern Buena Park, Mulberry Elementary in South Whittier, and Julia B. Morrison Elementary in Norwalk.

Community News Dec 5 Chili Holiday this Saturday and La Mirada Theatre a sale on Threatre tickets

The community is invited to attend the City of La Mirada annual Chili Holiday on Saturday, December 7th from 5pm to 8pm at Splash! La Mirada Regional Aquatics Center behind City Hall.




(Video of an earlier Chili Holiday from City of La Mirada YouTube)

There will be live entertainment featuring local school children singing, snow sledding, rides aboard a holiday train, holiday crafts complimentary hot dogs, warm beverages and chili and culminating in a tree-lighting ceremony.

Attendees are urged to bring an unwrapped toy for a needy boy or girl in the community. 

Wreaths that have been donated by local businesses and non-profit organizations will be auctioned off to raise funds for the La Mirada Community Foundation. The Foundation now entering its 21st year raises money to benefit a number of local services including Meals on Wheels, sports, and senior groups, provides funding for college scholarships and more.

For further information about this event please contact La Mirada Community Services at (562) 943-7277

La Mirada Theater online ticket sale

This week only through Friday, the La Mirada Theatre of the Performing Arts is getting in the holiday spirit by holding an online ticket Cyber Sale and is offering tickets at 35% off for a large number of shows appearing at the theatre though June. 

The offer includes a number of shows in the upcoming three Broadway Series performances from McCoy/Rigsby Entertainment.

The sale which ends on Friday, December 6th offers a discount on a good selection of show dates. Premiere seating has been excluded from the sale and the discount cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts. The offer code 2019CYBER should be entered before selecting any seats for purchase.

Dates and shows that have discounted seats as well as where online purchases can be made and show information can be seen at this special highlighted link. Click here.

You must act quickly. The sale ends tomorrow