By Randy Economy

Vista Verde Park in Nor-walk will soon be receiving new improvements to its aged building and restrooms as the result of a decision by the city council on Tuesday night.

A new construction con-tract was awarded by the Nor-walk City Council to Alpha 1 Construction in the amount of $483,993 to a new building and patio at the park facility that is located at Ratliffe Street and Vista Verde Drive in Norwalk.

The project will include the replacement of the men’s and women’s restrooms and for a new 1,000 square foot office building that will feature new decorative blocks with a stand-ing seam metal roof and new columns that will give the facil-ity more space.

Dave Verhaff, Director of Recreation Services for the City of Norwalk, told the Norwalk

City Council that the project is “on time and on budget” and will be a “tremendous asset” to many residents and children that use the popular facility.

Verhaff reported that 31 different local companies were invited to participate in bid-ding for the contract and Alpha 1 Construction submitted the “lowest responsible bid” in the amount of $4483, 993. Alpha 1 has also done work in the past with the City of Norwalk including projects at the Nor-walk Arts and Sports Complex and at the Norwalk Social Services Department. The city also received additional fund-ing from the California Roberti Z’Berg Harris State Grant, $259,000 from the Norwalk General Fund and an additional $150,000 from previously ap-proved Proposition A funds.

In other items, Vice Mayor Cheri Kelley appointed Phyllis Barth to the Personnel Appeals

Board. Mayor Mike Mendez, and Council Members Marcel Rodarte, Leonard Shryock and Luigi Vernola will submit their suggestions at a future meeting.

City Council also voted to amend the business license with Fiesta Taxi that will now allow five local taxi cabs under to operate under the banner of “1-800-TAXICAB.”

Marcus Soto, from Fiesta Taxicab Cooperative Inc. said the change will help a hand-ful of current cab operations in Norwalk who want to be under the “brand name” of “1-800-TAXICAB.”

Vice Mayor Kelley said that she had reservations about the name change and wanted to make sure that “Norwalk residents didn’t get confused on who is the legally authorized cab operator is in the commu-nity.” Kelley said that many seniors want to make sure that

By Jerry Bernstein, Larry Caballero and Randy Economy

Communities throughout the country honored their vet-erans Nov. 11. Supervisor Don Knabe described the meaning of Veterans Day when he told those gathered in Artesia at the unveiling of the city’s Veterans Memorial, “Those of you who don the uniform never ask the question why there is war, and I thank you, especially the men and women who are currently in harm’s way overseas.” He said, “We honor you and those veterans

who have made the ulti-mate sacrifice. Because of you, we are here and have this Me-morial.”

Hundreds of Artesia resi-dents and guests attended the City’s Veteran Day Celebration Nov. 10 at Artesia Park where the city’s Veterans Memorial

was unveiled.Mayor Victor Manalo

praised former Mayor Larry Nelson “who dedicated much of his public life to see that vet-erans are remembered, and the Memorial is due in large part to his generous donation left after his death.” Other contribu-tors to the construction of the Memorial included Supervisor

Knabe, Consolidated Disposal Services and Artesia residents.

Guest Speaker Master Ser-geant Marty Schafer thanked the veterans “for their unwaver-ing service to America through the best and worst of times.”

Keynote Speaker Congress-woman Linda Sanchez, who was instrumental in the plan-ning the City’s first Veteran

Day celebration nine years ago, said “I take great privilege in honoring the service of our men and women who are in the armed services and for the sac-rifices our veterans make to our country.”

Each Veterans Day Sanchez returns to Artesia to present medals to veterans who have lost their medals or who have

never received them. “Some veterans do not seek them out,” said Sanchez, “but these vet-erans are deserving of military awards.” Last week she recog-nized Vietnam War Veteran and Cerritos resident Tom Tislow as the 39th Congressional Dis-trict’s “Veteran of the Month” for November.

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By Jerry Bernstein

The Cerritos City Council, meeting in special session on Nov.14, approved an agree-ment with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works for the realignment and construction of a new bicycle trail tunnel under 183rd Street. The proposed project is along the San Gabriel River within the Los Angeles County Flood Control District.

Cerritos Assistant Engineer Kanna Vancheswaran said the construction is part of a four-part improvement of the San Gabriel River Bicycle Trail. He said the county has completed the project’s first three phases and is ready to begin the last phase next year,

Phase one included the re-alignment and reconstruction of 350 ft. of the trail at Del Amo Boulevard in Cerritos. Phase Two included the realignment

Cerritos Council Approves New Bicycle Underpass at 183rd Street

Veterans Remembered in Artesia, Cerritos , Hawaiian Gardens and Norwalk

and reconstruction of another 460 feet of path immediately south of Del Amo. Phase Three incorporated the reconstruc-tion and widening of approxi-mately one mile of trail from Del Amo Boulevard to Carson Street. Councilman Bruce Bar-rows asked how the old un-derpass would be blocked off. Vancheswaran said it would be blocked by cement walls at both ends of the tunnel.

Councilman Jim Edwards asked if the city would have to pay for any of the work. He was told no.

In other business the coun-cil approved a conditional used permit for the operation of a massage establishment in the Cerritos Center. Applicant was Jie Jiang of Njoy Spa.

Cerritos Senior Planner Sandy Cisnero said all mas-sage therapists on staff at the proposed Njoy Spa will be

[See UNDERPASS page 10]

[See VETERAN'S DAY page 8]

Norwalk City Council awards contract for Vista Verde Park upgrade

Navy Corpsman Victor Urena, Congresswoman Linda Sanchez, As-semblyman Tony Mendoza, Cerritos Mayor pro tem Jim Edwards, and Councilman Mark Pulido place wreath by Cerritos Veteran Memorial.

Hawaiian Gardens members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Chapter 7243 salute flag during opening ceremony at the city’s Veterans Day program.

[See UPGRADE page 10]

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