Proposed medical complex seeks OK for off-site parking

DOWNEY – The new owner of a Downey strip mall is requesting city approval of an off-site parking agreement as part of a plan to convert the property into medical offices. 

Art Ashai submitted the application on behalf of the property owner at 10441 Lakewood Blvd. The building currently houses a children’s daycare and offices. 

Public records show the property sold in February to Mmn Capital LLC.

According to a Planning Commission staff report, the new owner plans to convert the building into medical suites. Doing so, however, would require 107 on-site parking spaces, and the property currently only has 57. 

To solve this issue, the new owner reached an agreement to lease 50 parking spaces from Temple Ner Tamid, which is about 1,150 feet south of the proposed medical offices. 

Employees of the new medical building would park at Temple Ner Tamid, according to terms of the parking agreement. 

The Planning Commission will consider the parking proposal at its meeting Wednesday night.

The parking lot at Temple Ner Tamid. Photo by Alex Dominguez

Why I won't be attending Comic-Con this year

SAN DIEGO -- Cosplayers, comic readers, toy collectors, and general nerd and geek fandom consumers will descend upon the San Diego Convention Center this weekend for the annual San Diego Comic Con event. 

The yearly spectacle is quite the scene to behold, as the event consumes the entire downtown San Diego area if not a bit more, filling the streets with color, activity, excitement, and overweight men squeezed into spandex that they ought not to be wearing.

The impact on the region alone is eye-opening; as much as $150 million, according to a CNBC article from 2016. I wouldn’t be surprised if that number hasn’t already increased in two years. 

I myself have attended the convention several times over the last eight years or so, and many of my friends and colleagues have become accustomed to me making the two-hour trek down the 5 Freeway south. Around this time of year, I always get the same question. 

“Are you going this year?”

The answer this year? No. 

Hell no. 

Let’s not get this twisted right from the beginning; I’m not bitter about not being able to secure a badge. If we’re being honest, I didn’t even try this time around. 

It’s not as though I’ve outgrown my love for comic books, action figures, movies and all other things nerdy; one look at my desk would prove otherwise (as my coworkers often lovingly tease me about).

So, you may ask what soured me to the whole ordeal. 

I won’t deny that Comic Con is fun on initial observation, but while attending last year’s convention I realized something: the con itself has just about outgrown the hassle it requires. 

Let’s start with the obvious: the crowds. 

Crowds at the 2012 Comic-Con. Photo by William Tung, Creative Commons license.

Comic Con is great for the fact that it surrounds you with a bunch of likeminded individuals. The problem is that you’re surrounded like a sardine packed in a can of sardines. Often times, it smells just like that too. 

While it’s nice to know that being a “nerd” or “geek” or what have you finally has some acceptability to it, fighting with the crowds to get to that panel or exclusive you want can easily suck the energy out of you, and put a damper on the fun. 

Speaking of panels and exclusives, lines are ridiculous; they make a summer-crowd day at Disneyland without a Fast Pass seem like a walk in the park. 

To be able to secure certain collectibles and exclusives or seats at popular panels, you better be in line early; way early. If you’re not in line before the sun comes up (or in some cases, in line the day before), you can forget getting to buy or see what you want. 

Photo courtesy San Diego Convention Center.

This wouldn’t be so bad if you hadn’t already probably spent at least $1000 on a hotel room for the duration of the convention (and that’s around low-end if you’re lucky). Before factoring in other necessities such as food and drink, travel, and convention tickets, it’s important to factor in that it’s not uncommon for a room that would cost you less than $100 on a normal day to cost you nearly $200 at the time of the convention; a fact not easily forgotten at 4 a.m. in the morning. 

I’ve stayed out on the lawn overnight before only to not be able to get an exclusive item I wanted, when I could’ve been in bed not wasting hundreds of dollars on a bed and room I wasn’t in. 

When I came home from Con last year, I didn’t feel like I had been on vacation. In fact, I almost felt like I had worked harder there than I do at actual work. 

It was an easy decision to skip out on SDCC this year, just because it seems like the convention is no longer worth the time, effort and energy to make it a “success,” especially with so many local cons like Wondercon and Long Beach Comic Con around and easily accessible. 

For those of you going to Comic-Con this year, I definitely encourage you to make the best of it. Buy cool stuff, see amazing panels, meet your heroes and celebrate all the things that you enjoy. Just be prepared for the gauntlet that you are about to throw yourself at. 

I’ll be back here at home, sleeping in my warm bed at the end of the day, and thinking about all the money I won’t be spending. 

Eustace P. Hetzel

September 19, 1917 - July 6, 2018

Eustace P. Hetzel, age 100, of Downey, passed peacefully on July 6, 2018. Born in Montana, raised in Missouri, he attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, where he graduated in 1939 with a Bachelor’s in Aeronautical Engineering, and where he met Marguerite (Peggy) Brown, who he would later marry in Lima, Peru. He received a Master’s of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from Caltech in 1940. A longtime resident of Downey, “Hetz” spent most of his career as a test pilot and chief flight test engineer for a variety of southern California companies, including, North American, Northrop, and Rockwell. His testing included the P61 Black Widow, the Northrop YB-35 Flying Wing, a deployable glider system for the Gemini capsule, and the F/A-18 Hornet. After retiring in 1978 he continued to be a private pilot late into his life. With his flying days finally behind him, he studied Russian and worked into his 90s translating Russian engineering periodicals into English. Hetz is survived by his daughter, Marguerite McClure, granddaughter Suzanne Pipkin and her husband, Mike, grandson Jef McClure and his wife, Lisa, great-granddaughters, Alison Pipkin and Katelyn Pipkin. He was a generous and considerate man, and his family and friends loved him dearly. The family requests that donations be made to KCET at kcet.org, as Hetz enjoyed their programming and was a consistent donor over the years.

Patricia Lee Molinaro

February 8, 1932 - July 2, 2018

 Patricia (Pat) Lee (Byrd) Molinaro entered into the gates of Heaven, at age 86 on July 2, 2018. She was born on February 8, 1932, in Chicago, Illinois to Lillian A. Anderson and Richard P. Byrd. She is preceded in death by her parents and husband of 44 years, Thomas Molinaro; her sisters, Irma Brundage, Alice McClure and Lucille Nelson as well as her two brothers, Richard Byrd and Kenneth Byrd. Patricia is survived by three sisters, Clara Treblehorn, Barbara Fanberg, and Eleanor Byers, along with five children, Cynthia Roberts, Antoinette Sampson, Thomas Molinaro (Theresa) Julie Grabow and Frank Molinaro (Elba); eight grandchildren, Jennifer Shramek, Christine Cosato, Monica Molinaro, Melissa Molinaro, Alyssa Grabow, Vance Grabow, Sean Murphy and Ashley Grant; four great grandchildren, Tianna Cosato, Tavian Cosato, Jaden Cosato and Gavin Cosato. Patricia cherished her family, loved life, and was always there to brighten the lives of others. She taught preschool for many years and had many hobbies such as playing the piano, painting ceramics, and coloring pictures to name a few.

Patricia was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Downey, California for 56 years. Her strong, always present faith and positive spirit encouraged both family and friends alike. She will be greatly missed by her family and all who knew her. Visitation on Thursday, July 19, 2018, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM at All Souls Mortuary, 4400 Cherry Ave, Long Beach, CA 90807. Funeral Service on Friday, July 20, 2018 at 11:00 AM at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 13200 Columbia Way, Downey, CA 90242 followed by burial at All Souls Cemetery, 4400 Cherry Ave, Long Beach CA.

Paging Dr. Frischer: Sunglasses

Summer is here, and with it, even more sun and its ultraviolet radiation.

We’ve gotten pretty good at using sunscreen to protect our bare skin from UV rays, right? What about our naked eyes? Here is what we all need to know about sunglasses.

In a recent survey, less than half of 10,000 Americans recognized the health benefits of sunglasses, and 27% reported never wearing them. Does it make sense to leave our eyes unprotected, when a host of conditions are caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation? Some of the eye problems that the sun can cause include:

* Cataracts, a clouding of the eye’s lens which makes what we see appear darker and blurry. Some 20% of cataracts are triggered by excessive exposure to UV rays, and the World Health Organization reports that approximately 900,000 people worldwide are blind due to cataracts.

*Macular degeneration, a result of damage to the retina that destroys central vision. It is the leading cause of blindness in the United States.

*Pterygium, also called surfer’s eye, is a growth of tissue over the white part of the eye’s surface. This can alter the curve of the eyeball, leading to astigmatism.

*Skin cancers, which can be found on the eyelid. In fact, they are surprisingly common there, representing about 10% of all skin cancers.

*Photokeratitis, essentially a sunburn of the eye. Fortunately, it is temporary, and typically heals within 48 hours. It can be painful, and cause blurred vision, sensitivity to light, and the sensation of having sand in the eye.

So, this is why it is so important to protect our eyes from the harmful affects of UV rays! Now let’s discuss sunglasses. They are not all the same. They can cost very little, or quite a bit. How do we choose the right pair?

The most important thing to consider is that brand and price matter far less than does selecting a pair that blocks out both UVA and UVB radiation (UVB is actually more harmful than UVA). A pair is acceptable if it offers UV protection of at least 95%. 

Avoid sunglasses that are not labeled at all. Recently I visited a sunglass kiosk where there were no such labels, and was told that they had been removed to make the sunglasses look more attractive. Perhaps that was the truth, but nevertheless, I took my business elsewhere!

Consider that the ideal sunglasses are wraparounds, which protect us from UV rays coming in from the sides. And, note that even if your contact lenses have UV protection, wearing sunglasses is still important. Pay special attention to wearing them at higher altitudes where the UV rays are even more intense, and when you are near water or snow. Some medications can cause even greater sensitivity to light, including certain antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and diuretics.

Please get into the habit of wearing your sunglasses year-round. Cloudy days do not stop UV rays!  Please remember that children’s eyes are even more susceptible to UV rays. While you’re at it, throw in a wide-brimmed hat for extra protection. It can’t hurt!

Dr. Alan Frischer is former chief of staff and former chief of medicine at Downey Regional Medical Center. Write to him in care of this newspaper at 8301 E. Florence Ave., Suite 100, Downey, CA 90240.

Edith Lehman passes away at 100

DOWNEY –  Edith May Debow was born in Neptune, New Jersey on July 7, 1917, the oldest of 7 children. She was raised by her grandparents from an early age.

When Edith was in the 9th grade, her grandfather died and she had to quit school to work at W. F. Woolworths. Soon after that she met Kenneth Lehman, who was a clerk in his father’s grocery store. They married in 1937, and a year later moved to Huntington Park, California. Ken was a carpenter (later a general contractor) and built several of the houses they lived in, including the house in Downey where she spent the last 63 years of her life.

She had two children, Karl born in 1942 and Christine born in 1947. Edith was very active in her church and enjoyed the time she spent as a Sunday School teacher and as a sponsor for the church Luther League, especially enjoying outings with the teenagers. She also liked to play bridge and pinochle with friends, sew clothes for her children and others, paint china (for which she had many Pomona Fair ribbons), work as a manager at an Anaheim yardage store, and cook meals for her family and friends. 

By the time Ken passed away in 1997, Edith had retired – twice. Because she drove well into her 90s, she remained active and continued with her hobbies and activities. In her last years Edith was an avid reader and also kept journals. 

At the end of this life, on June 21, Edith passed away at PIH Hospital in Whittier – less than three weeks before her 101st birthday. 

Edith is survived by her son, Karl Lehman (and wife Ann Meierdierks), a grandson, Jay Herman (and wife Leila), a granddaughter, Sheya Meierdierks-Lehman (and husband Mike Baker), and two great-grandchildren, Nadia Herman and Maia Baker. Two sisters and a brother (Agnes Keefe, Delia Stout, Arnold Debow), and many nieces and nephews also survive her.

Janice Hahn includes labor agreements as part of south Rancho redevelopment

DOWNEY -- Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn has insisted that a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) be included in plans to develop the south-side of the Rancho Los Amigos campus in Downey.  

Hahn has long advocated for PLAs as a means of investing in good jobs and guaranteeing fair treatment of workers.

“Not only do Project Labor Agreements help keep projects on schedule and on budget, they are a tool that helps us to protect workers and create a pipeline of good paying jobs,” said Supervisor Hahn.

At this week’s meeting of the Board of Supervisors, Hahn directed that the County include the projects proposed for the Rancho Los Amigos South Campus Development in upcoming project labor agreement negotiations with the LA/OC Building and Construction Trades Council. 

These four projects include the Sheriff’s Crime Lab, the new Probation Department Headquarters, the new Internal Services Department Headquarters, and other infrastructure projects.

“The Building Trades has had a long and fruitful partnership with the County and we are very proud to partner with Supervisor Hahn on the Rancho Los Amigos South Campus Project to put local people to work including veterans and the disadvantaged workforce that live in the County,” said LA/OC Building Trades Executive Secretary Ron Miller, who testified in favor of Hahn’s motion.

“Let’s not just think about building projects,” said Alex LaFarga of LiUNA, who testified at the meeting. “Let’s think about building careers.  That is what these PLAs do -- they provide us with opportunities to build careers.”

Hahn’s motion passed unanimously.

Shared Stories: I Saw the Inside of Hell

Anthony Caldwell is one of the thousands who worked at the fabled Bethlehem Steel plant in Vernon.  Anthony’s graphic description of the process of making steel highlights the powerful forces required for this product so necessary to our way of life.  Shared Stories is a weekly column featuring articles by participants in a writing class at the Norwalk Senior Center.  Bonnie Mansell is the instructor for this free class offered through the Cerritos College Adult Education Program. Curated by Carol Kearns.

By Anthony Caldwell
There has to be a heaven because I saw the inside of hell.  

In the 1970’s you could get a job doing anything. All you had to do was have the qualifications, or ‘lie’ about it. I got a job at ‘Big Beth’ – Bethlehem Steel in Vernon, California.

Bethlehem Steel recycled steel from scrap yards, junk yards, home products and the plant ran twenty-four hours a day.

On Vernon Avenue, cars waiting for trains or traffic lights to change had to roll up their windows to keep the heat out.  The plant sat right next to the street and the heat came from red-hot ingot cars coming out of the melt-ladle department.

My job with the maintenance department was to lube the equipment while it was working.  You had to be fast, unless all was locked-out (stopped).

We were on top of the red-hot heat ovens powered by natural gas and whose covers were made of bricks. If you had the bricks fail, well, goodbye! That didn’t scare me too bad.

But on top of the gantry crane, overlooking the electric, carbon-arc melting crucibles, the foreman called, “Hang on!  We have to make a dump into the melt. So stay put!”

The 50-ft. gantry crane started moving down the hundred-yard long dark, dirty building.  It picked up a dump container full of refrigerators, electric irons, pots, pans, and whatever junk steel was in it and went back to the electric melt-crucibles department.  

I looked over the side and my hand brushed the black, gritty slag – dust – over the side.  The top of the forty-foot wide lid raised up and moved with its hundreds of cables of copper wires and carbon arc electrodes swinging out of the way.

I looked down at the white-hot and red molten steel and slag.  The dump container opened its bottom and the contents poured into the molten brew.

Then all hell broke loose.  Explosions - red, green, purple, black, yellow - clouds like a storm enveloped us and the gantry crane!

Breathing the whirlwind of complete pollution was impossible!  You had to cover your face and your dust mask with anything handy. I did my best with paper towels and felt my skin react to many poisonous types of chemicals.

Finally the gantry crane moved away from the big pot and the lid swung back and closed. Then the cables started dancing, and the electric power returned.

The next day I asked for a transfer, and being denied, I quit on the spot.
 

Paramount teenagers hailed as heroes for helping crash victims

PARAMOUNT – Four Paramount High School students are being honored by the community for assisting injured students during a car accident in March.

Fernando Melgar, Gabriel Orozco, Juan Garza and Anthony Farias leaped into action on March 19 when they saw four fellow students hit by a pickup truck just off campus. 

The seniors-to-be ran toward the scene and lifted a fence that had fallen on top of one of the injured.

“It was a pretty chaotic scene but we knew we had to help our fellow students,” Farias said. “We stayed with them until an ambulance arrived. We know that other students at PHS would have done the same for us.”

The injured students were treated and released at a local hospital.

Since that day, the four heroes have received an outpouring of recognition from the Paramount community. Mayor Diane Martinez commended them with certificates of recognition during a City Council meeting in June.

The Paramount Unified Board of Education also recognized the students during a board meeting, while Paramount High School honored the four at a schoolwide assembly that celebrated their actions.

“I don’t really feel like we’re heroes, but it’s been nice to receive support from everyone,” Melgar said. “It was definitely a day that I will never forget, and I’m happy that we were able to help the victims to safety.”

Melgar, Orozco, Garza and Farias have maintained a friendship since childhood, and said that a willingness to help someone in need is a part of Paramount’s tightknit culture. As the PHS slogan says: “Once a Pirate, always a Pirate.”

“I’m so proud of our students for coming to the aid of one another in a time of need,” Paramount Superintendent Ruth Pérez said. “An unfortunate accident became an example of selflessness that has inspired our entire community.”

Paramount Board of Education President Vivian Hansen has spent more than 30 years at PUSD and said that what happened on March 19 was one of her proudest moments.

“The actions taken by these four students reflect the community spirit we have in Paramount,” Hansen said. “We will continue to lift each other up in times of need.”

Letter to the Editor: Magnolia tree

Dear Editor:

In Apollo Park is a Magnolia tree planted 67 years ago by the Old River School Mothers Club to commemorate the soldiers who gave their lives in the Korean War.

I’m not an arborist, but the tree (Magnolia grandiflora) is beginning to struggle for lack of adequate water. There are quite a few dead branches at the top of the canopy.

When they refurbished Apollo Park a few years ago, they added several rows of picnic tables in the vicinity of the tree and paved the entire area with crushed granite. The granite is practical, and looks nice in the picnic area, but they covered the entire area around the tree with seemingly no allowances for properly watering it.

The Magnolia tree is native to the wetter temperate forests of the southeastern United States. They withstand heat well but require regular watering in order to thrive in our dry climate.

Jack Russell
Downey

Letter to the Editor: Parochial schools

Dear Editor:

I read the article in the June 29 issue of the Downey Patriot talking about Downey history. My parents moved to Downey in 1946. I have resided in my home since 1967.

The article, written by Bobbie Bruce of the Downey Historical Society, mentioned that in 1948 there were two parochial schools in Downey. I was in the ninth grade in 1948 and lived in Downey and attended St. Matthias school in the ninth and tenth grades.

After consulting with a lady named Sade West (nee Kindness) and after asking her about the article, she thought as I do about no parochial schools in Downey that year. At the time, Downey and Bellflower were part of L.A. County. The cities were not incorporated at that time as I remember.

St. Raymond’s Church and school were not built until 1956. I think Pius X High School did not start until the 50’s sometime. St. John Bosco High was a boarding school; my parents could not afford to send me there.

I have not spoken with Larry Latimer or anyone about the article. I wonder if Bobby Bruce can enlighten me.

Robert Buckley
Downey

The Attack

The sun began to disappear, the evening air was cool and light. The wind blew the flowers lightly in the meadow which made everything so calm, so beautiful, so delicate. 

Yet I sat there and thought to myself: How can I take control? How do I stop this? How do I handle this? Will I just continue to gain pressure and allow my anxiety level to rise? How can I control my breathing? How do I allow this to happen without panicking? 

He put his arm around me as if to comfort me,  and suddenly my heart began to race. I felt the sweat begin to form at my hairline, the very thought of him getting closer made my breath increase.

With every breath, I felt my heart pound more and more; every inhale and exhale got faster and faster. My heart increased in speed; it felt as if it was going to beat right out of my chest. My mouth slowly dried up. With every breath, my eyes wandered somewhere else, yet they stayed glued to the floor.

I remembered the flowers, there were sunflowers that trapped over, multi-colored lilies, lupines, wildflowers, and foxtails. I could see the roots of each flower, how they are intertwined, causing there to be no path in the meadow, just flowers upon flowers. 

I took control of my breathing and my heartrate slowly decreased back to a normal speed. Suddenly I felt his eyes staring at me -- my stomach dropped to the floor, and my heart rate increased speed again. With my head still down, I slowly looked up at him.

He used his finger to lift my head, and stole a kiss; a deep, stern, yet refreshing kiss. His smooth lips brushed over mine, it felt like he had painted a picture with his lips, and mine were the canvas. It had instantly brought my heart rate to a normal speed. His touch of a kiss had calmed me.

After a while, he pulled away and stood up. He then gestured his hand toward me to help me up and walked me through the meadow, one hand wrapped around his, and the other traced the flowers as we walked. It was calm, cool and relaxed.

We walked through the meadow, through the forest, through our neighborhood, and to my front door. There at my door, he stood in front of me now he held both of my hands. He explained to me how he had a wonderful time with me.

With that in mind, I began to take shorter breaths once again. My heart rate increased. My ears began to ring. With everything around me, I started to see double. His excitement, the thought of him, he had a good time with me....with me, excited me too much. I closed my eyes to try and take over my anxiety attack. 

I thought to myself: Learn, learn how to take control. Breathe, decrease heart rate, take control: the ringing in my ears turns to muffled noises. It felt like so much time has passed by when I heard something past the noise in my ears. 

The noise was him. He began to rub my arm and softly said, "Breathe, slowly, with me, in 1, 2, 3 out, 1, 2, 3 again, in, out, there you go." 

As he helped me take control, I thought:  How… How does he do it? How does he control it so well? How are his attacks minimized? How does he know how to cope with it so well? How does he know how to help me?

I know he suffers from the same disease. Yet he handles it so much better than me. Still, I am comforted by his touch, his voice, it now calms me, it now has a new effect on me. But at times it's the cause of my anxiety; I wonder what triggers and what calms? 


I continued to think and wonder, as half of me listened to him. He instructed me, calmed me. Finally, I was back to a normal heart rate. We talked about him picking me up again the next day for another picnic in the meadow. I agreed, which gave me a small increase in heart rate that I quickly took control over, with a squeeze of his hand.

He said goodbye, with a small kiss that was placed on my forehead. As he walked away, he waited to let go of my hand until our arms couldn't stretch any further. 

I stepped inside the house, closed the door behind me, leaned against the door, and slowly sank to the floor with a smile on my face. I recapped the day. Every moment replayed in my mind, the emotions sent my body into shock. My brain started to scramble. Breaths got shorter and my chest-recoils increased.

My eyes began to float and became heavy as I saw my mom run to me in despair. Trying... trying... she's trying.. to get... to get to me before I black out, almost reaching me before my eyes dropped and my head hit the floor. Before everything went dark…

Jennifer Martinez is young, new writer attending Downey High School. She hopes that you enjoy reading her story just as much as she enjoyed writing it.

Police investigating fatal shooting as murder-suicide (UPDATED)

UPDATED: The victim has been identified as 63-year-old Salvador Rivera. Police believe the woman -- Rivera's wife -- was the shooter.

DOWNEY -- A fatal shooting that occurred in Downey on Tuesday afternoon is being treated as a murder-suicide, investigators said. 

The shooting was reported at about 1:56 p.m. on the 12700 block of Samoline Avenue. Responding officers found a man and woman each suffering from at least one gunshot wound 

The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Paramedics transported the woman to a local hospital where she is listed in critical condition. 

It's unclear who the shooter was but police said the incident appeared targeted. The shooting is being investigated as a murder-suicide.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Detective Ethan Roberts at (562) 904-2333.

Downey students find success at SkillsUSA Championships

DOWNEY -- Two career and technical students from Downey won one of the nation’s highest awards at the 2018 SkillsUSA Championships, held in Louisville, Ky., on June 27-28.

Cristina Fuentes from Warren High School and Damian Vasquez, a Downey resident attending Schurr High School, were awarded a Skill Point Certificate in Esthetics and the high school gold medal in Mobile Electronics, respectively.

More than 6,300 students competed at the national showcase of career and technical education.
Students were invited to the event to demonstrate their technical skills, workplace skills and personal skills in 102 hands-on occupational and leadership competitions including robotics, automotive technology, drafting, criminal justice, aviation maintenance and public speaking.

Industry leaders from 600 businesses, corporations, trade associations and unions planned and evaluated the contestants against their standards for entry-level workers. More than 1,700 industry judges and technical committee members participated this year.

The SkillsUSA Championships is the largest skill competition in the world and covers 1.4 million square feet, equivalent to 20 football fields or 25 acres.
 

Lawsuit alleges Downey nursing home recruited residents despite being understaffed

DOWNEY - A class action lawsuit is alleging that a Downey nursing facility violated patient rights and recruited potential residents despite being understaffed.

The lawsuit, filed by the law firm Garcia, Artigliere and Medby, claims that Downey Community Health Center and Morris Weiss and Stanley Diller Partnership – a skilled nursing management company – "actively and intentionally" concealed the fact that they did not devote sufficient financial resources to the proper operation of the facilities.

Instead, the suit alleges that money was diverted from the care of the residents to create profits for the defendants.

The suit also alleges that the facility concealed that it was understaffed from new and prospective residents.

The understaffing and underfunding resulted in substandard care to their residents, evidenced by 63 citations that the facility has received from the Department of Public Health within the last three years, the suit says.


The suit finishes by saying that the representations made by Morris Weiss and Stanley Diller Partnership and the Downey Community Health Center were made to lure elderly residents into agreeing to be admitted to the facilities despite knowledge that the facilities could not provide the level and quality and care that was promised.

The lawsuit is asking for several remedies, including that the facilities retroactively report any unreported incidents of actual or suspected abuse or neglect from the last three years and that they provide proof to the court of their increased compliance efforts.

When reached for comment, Downey Community Health Center said they were unaware of the lawsuit.
 

Claudia Frometa secures 3 early endorsements

DOWNEY -- City Council district 4 candidate Claudia Frometa has announced endorsements from a trio of community leaders. 

Mayor Pro Tem Rick Rodriguez, former mayor Mario Guerra, and school board member Martha Sodetani all have endorsed Frometa, who is seeking Councilman Fernando Vasquez's seat when he is termed out of office this November. 

Frometa is running on a platform of five pillars: public safety, integrity in public office, family values, strong community engagement, and a business-friendly and fiscally responsible city model.

Mayor Pro Tem Rick Rodriguez and Claudia Frometa.

Former mayor Mario Guerra and Claudia Frometa.

City Council to consider developer's request for 14 units on Downey Avenue (UPDATED)

UPDATE: The City Council voted 3-1 to support the project. Councilmember Blanca Pacheco dissented and Alex Saab was absent.

DOWNEY – A developer’s request to redevelop a pair of single-family homes into multi-unit housing now lies in the hands of the City Council. 

Council members on Tuesday will consider realtor Don Jervis’ application to rezone the properties located at 10221 Downey Avenue and 10303 Downey Avenue, located adjacent to each other just south of Florence Avenue. 

Up to 14 units would be built in their place if the zoning change is approved. Combined, the lots total 36,000 square feet. 

The properties need to be rezoned to R-2 (two-family residential) to facilitate the redevelopment. Downey’s Planning Commission already rejected the application, finding that the rezoning would not be consistent with the goals of Downey’s General Plan. 

Residents previously submitted letters to Downey planning officials in opposition to the proposed units. 

“The traffic on Downey Avenue has increased, perhaps with the construction of the new complexes on 2nd and 3rd as well as the huge complex on Paramount,” wrote resident Donna Carkeek. “I also frequently walk around the neighborhood and, on La Reina in particular, cars park up to the stops and on the corner blocking the sidewalks for crossing…

“The addition of 14 units on those lots will only add to the parking and traffic congestion.” 

George and Donna Boose also cited parking difficulties in their opposition to the rezoning. 

“We invite you to visit the neighborhood at various times during the day and you will witness cars double parked, intruding onto driveways and curbs painted red, in front of fire hydrants, etc.,” the couple wrote.  

The City Council will consider the application at its meeting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
 

Mayor's Corner: Summer fun

Hello Downey,

This summer there are several events happening in the city to take the family to and to take a break from the summer heat. 

The pool at Downey High School is open for recreational swim now until July 20. Family Fun Nights with a live DJ as well as swimming classes will be offered throughout the summer. 

The Twilight Summer Concert Series will feature bands every Wednesday at Furman Park. Come out and join your neighbors for evenings promised to be full of fun and with great live music. 

Also, save the date for the Havana Nights Rooftop Concert on August 30. This rooftop concert is a free event that celebrates live music and art in Downtown Downey. 

Last year, the event was a huge success with a record number in attendance. This year it’s expected to be even better!

On August 4, the Summer Music & Movie event will take place at Golden Park with jazz music from the Amanda Castro Band, and the movie “Ferdinand” will be displayed on an outdoor screen. 

The annual Gangs Out Of Downey (G.O.O.D) backpack giveaway will also take part at Golden Park on the same night. Bring the kiddos so that they may receive their backpacks and school supplies for the upcoming year. The first day of class for the Downey Unified School District is August 15.

Before school starts though, bring the family to the Civic Center for National Night Out. This event is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live. 

National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. There will be games, food and live demonstrations from the Downey Police Department. This is a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together.

The Columbia Memorial Space Center will be holding a community focused event called Rocket Fever on August 18. This will be the 8th year that the Space Center holds this event, the only one like it in the Los Angeles region. 

Rocket Fever allows the Space Center to present STEM programming to the community of Downey, engaging the diverse audiences in the city and its surrounding communities. This event celebrates the City of Downey’s rich historic association with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) as well as its investment in the future of STEM. 

At Rocket Fever, guests are invited to build their own Estes rockets and watch them launch. More hands-on STEM activities, booths from some of our fellow science organizations such as the Boeing, Orange County Rocket Society, Discount Rocketry, live music and food trucks will round out the day.

At last month’s City Council meeting, my council colleagues and I passed the city’s fiscal year 2018-19 budget. 

Determining the final budget begins in January at the annual council goal-setting session, then various budget meetings between department heads and executive leadership, numerous review meetings by the City Council’s Budget Subcommittee and a provision of public notice of a hearing to adopt the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.  

The total fiscal year 2018-19 budget is $262,021,127. This includes the cost of personnel, operations, materials, supplies, capital equipment, capital improvement projects, and transfers to other funds. 

The General Fund budget is $89,406,693 which covers the city’s basic services, including police, fire, public works, parks and recreation, library services, community development, and administrative services. 

I would like to thank City Manager Gilbert Livas and Finance Director Anil Gandhy for their hard work in managing our city’s finances to ensure we remain fiscally sound.  This is the sixth straight year we have had a balanced budget. 

As always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas. Thank you for allowing me to serve you.

Sean Ashton
Mayor

City Council Office: 562-904-7274
Email: sashton@downeyca.org
Twitter: @realseanashton
Instagram: realseanashton
Facebook: facebook.com/electsean4downey

Police search for cell phone thief

DOWNEY – Detectives are searching for a man accused of stealing several cell phones from a T-Mobile store in Downey. 

The suspect entered the store, located at 9400 Firestone Blvd., at about 6 p.m. on June 26. He selected several phones and fled without paying for the merchandise, police said. 

Authorities said the suspect may be responsible for similar thefts in South Gate and Huntington Park. 

Police did not provide a description of the suspect but security footage appears to show a black man in his early 20s. 

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Whinkler Zamora at (562) 904-2324. Tips can be made anonymously by texting the letters TIPLA, plus the tip, to 274637.