[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6519248,"mediaKeyId","5362566-bae85d44ca7e27c06ea92bd73e78e820","parentId",5362566,"title","Residents ask Cerritos to press Southern California Edison over weeds, pests and fire risk at Studebaker lot","audioSeconds",810,"startMs",2790000,"endMs",3600000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5362566-bae85d44ca7e27c06ea92bd73e78e820&start=2790&end=3600","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5362566-bae85d44ca7e27c06ea92bd73e78e820/thumbnail_2790000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6519248/California/Residents-ask-Cerritos-to-press-Southern-California-Edison-over-weeds-pests-and-fire-risk-at-Studebaker-lot","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6519248-c1f3239f80b064f688e255b96dcb7631/orig.mp4?Expires=1770982465&Signature=YrOO4kHlNmagIIBb3jIkUnwRkmKldqkZnHma4Bixl7ZNJAEccSLSvLDHHQlkYNknSUaJ8tCUXTkFtQMV2p5dVDp8J~1VawxJWB8hPEk6IciBZfHVaOT7~onSlPDMQkAeM2iSExRuTujhUOEHi92mQvRn9KBiTw9LEZDWGDn3UKItT7rmZNSoYUAIIJ8SJBdsoigqAkhrQRPCkAGlYYLFb40jXK1WkjCqFmbFJeBRUg~I1WnKv03MTMpFtet2OLaohjGaEOEOMbamdp2jn3Vvm7v2fwwqE65MeFbPzInhAXKmr1tKBxn3Nn2tMxY4APIO74~s7qKnJAqNjCv6gZeGVg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Cerritos","date","2025-07-11T04:54:39.37Z","article","Residents on July 10 urged the city to hold Southern California Edison (SCE) accountable for maintenance of a vacant Edison property on Studebaker, saying overgrown weeds and seed pods were causing insect infestations, clogged pool filters and an appearance of neglect.

Elaine McGee described repeated pest problems that she said cost her hundreds of dollars for pool-filter cleaning and pest control. She told the council a local Edison representative, \"Ephraim,\" had said crews were on site and found no pests, but McGee and other neighbors disputed that assertion and said the problem persisted.

\"The weeds on their land are growing back rapidly, and they are now again releasing white, fluffy seeds that are... causing real damage, clogging pool filters and impacting the upkeep of neighboring properties,\" McGee said.

City Manager Robert Lopez said he contacted the city’s government affairs representative at SCE the day after a previous council meeting to report resident concerns; he said Edison scheduled an inspection and contracted pest control to spray the area.

\"They immediately scheduled someone to inspect the property and verify the concerns. They did have a pest control person come to spray the area,\" Lopez said. He added that while pest activity had subsided after spraying, the city would treat ongoing property-maintenance concerns seriously and have code enforcement reach out to Edison.

Other speakers — including neighborhood-watch volunteers who inspected the lot — described photos of trash, dry vegetation and debris on parts of the Edison site and said the site had been poorly maintained since a nursery tenant left earlier in the year. They raised concerns about rodent and roach activity, potential sparks and the nearby substation’s exposure to fire risk.

Lopez said he would personally follow up with Edison and ask the city’s code-enforcement division to contact the utility. Captain Drew Strong of the sheriff’s station was asked to help with complaint follow-up where appropriate.

No formal enforcement action against Edison was adopted at the meeting; staff said they would report back to the council on the status of Edison’s maintenance and pest-control measures.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting: July 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Neighbors blamed an overgrown Southern California Edison lot on Studebaker for pest infestations, clogged pool filters and fire risk; the city manager said Edison inspected the site and had pest control spray the area, and staff will have code enforcement follow up.","taxTitle","Cerritos City, Orange County, California","taxId",79642,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6519253,"Cerritos homeowners press city over tree-root damage to driveways and sidewalks, ask for coordinated repairs",1336,2594000,3930000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5362566-bae85d44ca7e27c06ea92bd73e78e820&start=2594&end=3930","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5362566-bae85d44ca7e27c06ea92bd73e78e820/thumbnail_2594000.jpg","/articles/6519253/California/Cerritos-homeowners-press-city-over-tree-root-damage-to-driveways-and-sidewalks-ask-for-coordinated-repairs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6519253-b33497fa2cd4b59deff6bf3c26252d0c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770982465&Signature=MKJ7sDv2K~xFEj~GXMRQBcPVkoPSWY1XZRUuTZTP6imLscBWtqfPuVKf5y3~FCQbrafISBznGWC1H8khv~rT26X6KLtRrH2F5optd6iiCik76tUZWBfD5cwP5iS-x9AYFLDhcpEd5LVnSH0H0KhriJ1cPck3griPwCNSXAL7NDX2b2MaDh6LBfxJG4pG~6Jiz2vMbP5~7iNASdGMBt00wJvq0UzexpNwjFL4dtI3SKmzKbG2pQul793stfzGkfVy0DTYStAUVJbWRwiy7msRotI40PTNHdTQ6Ha-Vh-yD6BhZFsBd7~ylSFm4k6v8DCdj7BqXfHSis9AU21mBz~Pyg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several Cerritos residents addressed the City Council on July 10 to report long-standing damage to private driveways, block walls and sidewalks caused by tree roots and said the city’s responses have been inconsistent and slow.

Stephanie Wu, a Cerritos resident and high-school student, described widespread cracking and lifting of private driveways and adjacent public sidewalks that she said present safety hazards and legal liability. \"The costs have been staggering,\" she said, noting that residents had submitted photos and repair estimates and followed the city’s claim process but were being told to \"just live with it.\" She said city inspections confirmed root-related sidewalk damage in some locations but that private-property claims remained unresolved.

A group of Kensington Circle residents — including Fernando Sandoval, Sona Bach and Fox Louie — said their street has chronic root damage that has required multiple sidewalk replacements over the last decade. They said sidewalk repairs sometimes left roots in place, producing repeated future damage and higher cumulative costs. Sandoval described efforts to document roots and to seek an on-site meeting and said he was told by engineering staff to \"live with it.\" Sandoval told the council he is a long-term resident and that repeated requests for a site meeting had not been scheduled.

The residents said they followed the city’s claim protocols, hired contractors to expose roots for documentation and filed claims with supporting photos and estimates. They asked the city to prioritize removing or addressing roots in the public right-of-way before approving private property repairs, arguing that sidewalk root removal first would avoid repeated costs.

Speakers named the city’s claims processor and risk-management vendor (Carl Warren and company) and asked that staff provide clearer, timely communications about claim status and next steps. One resident asked for an on-site staff meeting so that all affected neighbors could be briefed together.

City staff did not take formal action during the meeting but the repeated public comments prompted council and staff to note the need for follow-up. Residents said they want stronger guidance about the sequencing of sidewalk remediation and private repairs; they emphasized safety concerns, ADA considerations for sidewalks and a desire for a single point of staff contact who would coordinate claims, engineering and code-enforcement review.

No formal motions were made; residents asked staff to arrange an on-site meeting and provide updates on claims status.","Residents from Kensington Circle and other neighborhoods told the council their private driveways and sidewalks have been repeatedly damaged by tree roots. They say they followed the city's claims process but have faced delays and uneven repairs; residents asked the city to address sidewalk roots first to prevent recurring private damage.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6519257,"Cerritos business owners cite robberies and street takeovers; city pushes ALPR installations and sheriff coordination",3251,2335000,5586000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5362566-bae85d44ca7e27c06ea92bd73e78e820&start=2335&end=5586","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5362566-bae85d44ca7e27c06ea92bd73e78e820/thumbnail_2335000.jpg","/articles/6519257/California/Cerritos-business-owners-cite-robberies-and-street-takeovers-city-pushes-ALPR-installations-and-sheriff-coordination","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6519257-19b538d4c8ba974acb1588a2cb25bca8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770982465&Signature=I5m9ClXP4P9BJBfkVp~aZjCy~J0yuF44YDqOJv4~R1h4RxkpKUAl-jAssjrO65IqbaH9vKvYQb64dpU46KN~P6k0uQgTv0appm8vCd~CHVJ2zMyf290-T7OK3qchGavX6b0nhIT4VVphfUR4GEoRmYpGSN5v7GVCI8XM-eqxw8XPDHi-wdSBEoHKwCAoqZV0twvl8qQG7VI~rLfJ7pKwieign-arzdlcpX7Pla0mEu6aM9YpaR0bwy4XryjqVcMGdGt49SI9qA0J46-KlJEGFxdCTXRy8no~9ThDgT0qHn8jZU128a6llklvxo~qzplqrjH5m5mNuyR1kI521Ki4Gw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Business owners and residents told the Cerritos City Council on July 10 that repeated street takeovers and robberies near Studebaker and Artesia are harming local businesses and prompted calls for additional law-enforcement resources and camera enforcement.

Richard Vandenberg, owner of Off Street Cafe on Artesia Boulevard, described multiple break-ins and attempted burglaries at his business over the last three and a half years and said the sheriff’s response times have not matched his needs.

\"A couple weeks ago, we were robbed for the fourth time in three and a half years... I’ve spent money on security, on cameras, over $60,000,\" Vandenberg said. \"Every time they break in, it costs me another $34,000. It’s onerous, and it really concerns me that the sheriff isn’t taking crime seriously in the city of Cerritos.\"

Captain Drew Strong of the Cerritos sheriff’s station said deputies were aware of the problem and that station leadership had reached out to the business. \"We will do. And, I think we've, we've reached out to the gentleman, and we're working on, trying to help him,\" Strong said.

City Manager Robert Lopez and staff updated the council on automatic license plate reader (ALPR) camera installations intended to help deter and investigate crimes. Lopez said phase 2 of ALPR installation is complete and that phase 3 will begin now that the new fiscal-year budget has been adopted.

\"We just completed phase 2 of the installation of automatic license plate reader cameras. Phase 3... we are initiating phase 3. That'll be coming within the coming months,\" Lopez said.

Several speakers, including Mel Cortez, who presented a slide showing year-to-date reductions in reported home burglaries, thanked the sheriff's station and neighborhood-watch volunteers for improvements while urging continued investment in enforcement and camera coverage. Cortez suggested deploying trailers with live feed to deter recurring street-takeover events.

Staff described a technical delay in deploying an ALPR at a particular intersection (Shoemaker and Studebaker) because additional equipment was required; that site was moved to phase 3. The city committed to keep residents and businesses informed about ALPR deployment schedules.

Discussion points: residents asked for more deputies on the street and expedited ALPR installations; staff noted staffing constraints at the county sheriff’s office and supply/installation issues for some ALPR sites. Direction from the meeting includes continued coordination with the sheriff’s station and the initiation of phase 3 ALPR deployments under the adopted budget.

No formal council vote was required on the public-safety updates; the council recorded public comments and staff commitments to follow up with the business owner and the sheriff’s command.","Business owners and residents urged the city to address repeated robberies and street takeovers near Studebaker and Artesia. The council heard requests for more deputy presence and license-plate reader camera installations; staff said phase 2 of ALPR cameras is complete and phase 3 will begin in coming months.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6519262,"Cerritos Council approves $75,000 economic-impact study of Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts",1720,6330000,8050000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5362566-bae85d44ca7e27c06ea92bd73e78e820&start=6330&end=8050","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5362566-bae85d44ca7e27c06ea92bd73e78e820/thumbnail_6330000.jpg","/articles/6519262/California/Cerritos-Council-approves-75000-economic-impact-study-of-Cerritos-Center-for-the-Performing-Arts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6519262-679cc3f10289ddf9a86215c17b91ab4a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770982465&Signature=bSCsJiHFqA~Q2UdAS6wfGqeSLHwn-shXmuv2ZtRGB~LMwE-hhVXO5Eiiopx0BJ2krN6dyPDzmKn-HQOG9MV3X6ypYMSzzsyZfe9NY62qOajH6yi~KnqwEVWjQY3PgAUErogbBiG~gWodeU8wHZvRrRvT7H4LiZ90QxzBYWRlPKMxcHiamV6RjiNAU6fTX06mP5L~wfHuDiLYuaj5pr4~2zhR2Ttx1QxObqDGc3h8f0XzsB-Cimoiyg3ztrHx9raxlJjfPjgU2ruWtojNqHnv2AX4ERlPzXLUuxdGtWVoJFIvHupOf0Tsi-bwqeL0yFXnHpTKGf9jHiaCcy6FoG73yQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cerritos City Council voted to award a $75,000 contract to Keane Independent Research to conduct an economic impact study of the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (CCPA).

The study, which the council approved during its July 10 meeting, will quantify direct and indirect economic contributions from theater operations, including patron spending, sales and transient occupancy taxes, and employment impacts. The contract will be funded from the CCPA endowment fund, a restricted account used for theater-related purposes.

City staff said the consultant’s proposal includes a market analysis, an economic-impact assessment and stakeholder outreach — surveys, interviews and focus groups — and will provide a framework for ongoing analysis as new data becomes available. Keane representative Haley Adams told the council the firm would examine roughly the past five years of activity and include the current season in the analysis.

\"We would be looking at the past five years. And so I think depending on when we start that date range begins, we could include the current season,\" Haley Adams said.

City Manager Robert Lopez told the council the $75,000 would come from the CCPA endowment fund and not from the city’s general fund reserves. \"To be clear, this would not be spent from general fund monies,\" Lopez said, adding the study could recommend programming or event changes that would help increase future revenues.

Councilmember Gloria Perlas Pulido moved to award the contract and to authorize a $75,000 budget amendment to the CCPA endowment fund; Councilmember Sofia seconded. Councilmember Say offered a friendly amendment to remove language in the staff recommendation that would have allowed increases \"whichever is greater,\" leaving the proposal to permit contract amendments only up to 15% of the original contract value. Pulido accepted the amendment. The motion passed on a 3–1 vote.

Councilmembers asked staff for background materials, including any prior economic-impact analyses; staff said they would search the archives for an older study carried out about 25 years ago and would provide available reports to the council. Staff estimated the consultant’s work would take about six to eight months after the contract start.

The contract award is framed by staff as an investment in data to help council decisions about theater programming and budget planning; the city manager said the timeline should allow findings to inform the next budget cycle.

Votes at a glance:
- Award professional services contract to Keane Independent Research for economic impact study of the CCPA: Approved 3–1. Motion by Councilmember Gloria Perlas Pulido; second by Councilmember Sofia. Friendly amendment accepted to cap cumulative contract amendments at 15% of the original contract value. Funding source: CCPA endowment fund (one-time budget amendment of $75,000).

No other formal budget or program changes were adopted as part of the motion.

What’s next: Staff will execute the contract, begin stakeholder outreach, and return with any material contract amendments if those exceed the 15% cap. The council asked staff to provide any prior studies or council memos related to earlier economic analyses of the CCPA.","The City Council voted 3-1 to award a $75,000 contract to Keane Independent Research to study the economic impact of the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. The study will be funded from the CCPA endowment fund and is expected to take about 6–8 months.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents ask Cerritos to press Southern California Edison over weeds, pests and fire risk at Studebaker lot

Cerritos homeowners press city over tree-root damage to driveways and sidewalks, ask for coordinated repairs

Cerritos business owners cite robberies and street takeovers; city pushes ALPR installations and sheriff coordination

Cerritos Council approves $75,000 economic-impact study of Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts