Cerritos Republican Club News
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August thru December 2014
CRC General Meeting
December 9, 2014
This was the annual Christmas dinner meeting in the Skyline Room of the Cerritos Library when the Club invites Marines and family from the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion from Camp Pendleton to share a festive dinner with us. Many CRC members attended this popular event with live entertainment. Pictures were taken by Candy Yee.
We wish you and yours a happy holiday and a prosperous new year!
CRC General Meeting
October 14, 2014
At the October General Meeting, Law Enforcement Officer Chuong Vo talked about various safety issues and fraud schemes directed especially towards seniors.
Chuong started with "Live Your Life." Don't become so paranoid about safety issues and fraud schemes that you start to live abnormally. Don't stress out.
Credit card skimming is a tactic where your credit card numbers and PIN numbers are recorded with a skimmer (click the picture at left) illegally installed in a gas pump or ATM machine. Some of these skimmers are extremely sophistocated, incorporating features such as the ability to send a text message to the thief's mobile phone whenever a new card is swiped. Practice street smarts. If you see something that doesn't look right---such as an odd protrusion or off-color component on an ATM---consider going to another machine. Always stay away from ATMs that are not located in publicly visible and well-lit areas.
Don't drop off any letter with a check in a drop-off box on a street corner or outside a post office. Thieves may pick up your mail from the drop-off box, and then use your check to print and cash additional checks. This is known as "mail fishing." They can also steal your identity. Take your mail inside the post office.
"Garbage picking" is the practice of sifting through commercial or residential waste to find items that may prove useful to the garbage picker. "Dumpster diving" is doing this in a dumpster. As may be imagined, personal information can be used to steal your identity. Be careful to not discard legible personal information into your trash. Shred it.
We have heard of many cases of database hacking. Thieves hack into the customer database of a large store or restaurant and use credit card information to duplicate credit cards or apply for credit cards in your name. Not much we can do about this, but the company should let you know as soon as it is discovered that their database has been hacked. Cancel your card and ask for a new one.
Check washing is the process of erasing details from a check to allow it to be re-written to someone else and for a greater amount. Solvents such as acetone, isopropanol, or toluene, can literally lift the ink off the paper check. This is another reason why you should mail your checks inside the post office.
Scammers may call you that you have won a prize, but you must pay for shipping with a credit card. If you give them the credit card info, you will probably not receive a prize but also you will find unauthorized charges to your card. So, never give out credit card or personal information unless you know whom you're dealing with.
Another popular scam is a phone call from a relative or friend who has an emergency and needs money sent right away. A possible excuse is a traffic ticket or a lost wallet. If you wire the money, it's gone and cannot be retrieved. A quick call to your relative or friend will reveal that there is no emergency situation.
Don't carry too many credit cards. Carry only what you need. Sign your credit cards.
Distraction burglary is when someone knocks on your door and tells you something which causes you to go away from the door. Meanwhile an accomplice goes into your home and burglarizes you. Or they make it easy for a later re-entry into your home.
Another real estate crime targets seniors who have paid off the mortgage on their home. So title is free and clear. A thief who knows this may forge a deed giving them title. This deed is notarized by an accomplice. The forged deed is filed with the County Clerk and a new title is issued. You won't know that you no longer own your home. The thief takes out a loan from an unsuspecting bank. This can lead to many anquishing days trying to correct this. Occasionally check with the County Recorder that title to your home hasn't changed. You can also take out a small loan on your home so that title isn't entirely free and clear.
CRC Board Meeting
September 22, 2014
At the September CRC Board meeting, the slate of Elected Officers and two appointed Members for 2015 was announced. If anyone else wants to run for election or one of the appointed positions, please contact any current Board Member. The election of Board Members will be held at the November General meeting on November 12. The slate consists of the following:
- President: Becky Lingad
- Vice President: Noel Jaimes
- Secretary: Joan Pylman
- Treasurer: Ben Campos
- Communications Chair: vacant
- Legislative Chair: vacant
- Membership Chair: vacant
- Programs Chair: vacant
- Ways and Means Chair: vacant
- At Large Member: John Strand
- At Large Member: Lew Gentiluomo
CRC General Meeting
September 9, 2014
At the September General Meeting, L.B. Strawn opened the meeting with a recital of his poem called "Rattlesnake." In it, he talked about knowing what a rattlesnake is and killing one if it was a danger. He doesn't give it a chance for any plea. He talked about terrorists who are dangerous. We give the terrorist a chance for a trial. We allow them to be around. We tolerate them. We should recognize them for what they are and exterminate them.
Phil Hawkins announced two water trips. One is a local trip for October 15. RSVP by October 1 to Sandi Linares-Plimpton at 323-201-5511 or Priscilla Segura at 323-201-5504. The second trip will be to the Colorado River Friday to Sunday in February 2015. Dates are TBD. On behalf of the Club, Noel Jaimes volunteered to take the responsibility for the latter to fill the bus with Club Members and/or friends.
Bob Arthur, Member of the Cerritos College Board of Trustees, Trustee Area 1, was the guest speaker. He spoke about the status of Cerritos College. Enrollment is at 23 thousand with 70.6% part time and 29.4% full time, resulting in 16,900 full time equivalent students. 85% of the students require remedial classes. The College's budget is $87,855,320 not including Bond Measure and grant moneys.
Bob was proud to say that Cerritos College was the first West Coast school to be certified for Automotive Fleet Manager courses.
A new Child Development Center has been built.
Cerritos College building construction is under Project Labor Agreement (PLA), which means that a certain percentage of all workers must be Union laborers. This has resulted in higher costs. It was recommended to not have a PLA in one's construction contract.
Dawn Dunton told us that she is a candidate for Trustee Area 3 of Cerritos Community College. She is running against incumbent John Paul Drayer.
Zurich Lewis said that he is a candidate for Trustee Area 7 of Cerritos Community College. He is running against another La Mirada resident.
Ben Campos talked again about his candidacy against Linda Sanchez for U.S. Representative of the 38th Congressional District.
Noel Jaimes is one of five candidates for the Board of Directors, Division 2, of the Central Basin Municipal Water District.
Benjamin Ao of the United Homeowners Alliance spoke about voting NO on ABC USD Bond Measure AA.
Jim Yee of ABC Citizens for Responsible School Spending also spoke about voting NO on ABC USD Bond Measure AA.
Shin Liu talked about her candidacy for re-election to Trustee Area 5 of Cerritos Community College. Armin Reyes, current ABC USD Board Member, is her opponent.
After the candidates left the room, CRC Members moved to and voted to endorse each candidate one by one. All motions were approved.
It was moved to endorse a NO vote on ABC USD Bond Measure AA. After some discussion, the motion was voted upon and approved.
All of these approved endorsements are shown on the Ballot Recommendations page.