🌱 Patch AM: Why the Cerritos council recall fizzled before ballots were ever printed

Good morning to you Cerritos! Catch up on our news and events right here. Keep reading to stay in the know. ☀️

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In today's newsletter:

• Why the Cerritos council recall fizzled before ballots were ever printed
• How Cerritos honored plane crash victims 40 years later
• Cerritos Center to host celebration of life for Larry Italia

Also on today's calendar: You Are Invited to a Free Reggae Concert!! and 6 more events.

Today's riddle: What is the 1 way to guarantee winning a small fortune at the casino? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high of 85 and low of 64 degrees.
• Wednesday: Mostly sunny, temps: high: 83, low: 65.
• Thursday: Plenty of sunshine, with a high of 84 and low of 66 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Cerritos Recall Campaign Falls Flat, Organizers Miss Signature Requirement by Wide Margin (loscerritosnews.net) — A months-long effort to recall Cerritos councilmembers Lynda Johnson and Frank Aurelio Yokoyama has ended after organizers fell more than 1,300 signatures short for each petition. Because the campaigns never reached the minimum 7,279 signatures, the City Clerk won't even verify them, meaning no recall election will be held and both councilmembers remain in office.
   

2. Cerritos plane crash victims remembered 40 years later (cbsnews.com) — Residents and officials in Cerritos gathered at the city's memorial garden to quietly mark 40 years since the 1986 midair collision that killed 82 people in the neighborhood and on the planes. Speakers shared deeply personal stories of loss and described how the tragedy spurred key aviation safety improvements like the TCAS collision-avoidance system.
   

3. Pro Audio Executive Larry Italia Passes at 70 (mixonline.com) — A celebration of life for longtime pro-audio executive Larry Italia will be held at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, September 20, 2026. Friends, colleagues, and local readers are invited to honor his decades of work with major audio companies and his lifelong passion for music at the afternoon gathering.
   

4. 5 DAYS TO 2026 KICKOFF: Miles Merchant (bringonthecats.com) — A Kansas State football preview spotlights defensive tackle Miles Merchant, who played at Cerritos College and starred at Gahr High School in Cerritos. Local fans can track his journey from Gladiator standout to Division I lineman, including his strong junior-college stats and remaining eligibility under the new "5-for-5" rule.
   

📸 Around Cerritos

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Cerritos

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★ Featured events ★

Friday September 4
• You Are Invited to a Free Reggae Concert!! →
  18177 Pioneer Blvd, Artesia, CA, 90701 (Parking lot behind Jack in the Box),
  7:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Wednesday September 2
• Family Band Night
  Haskell (Pliny Fisk) Middle Artesia High School
  5:30 pm
Thursday September 3
• HOME - Varsity Girls' Volleyball vs Fullerton HS
  John F. Kennedy High Kennedy Gym
  4:45 pm
• Miller Back to School Night
  G.B. Miller Elementary School La Palma, CA 90623
  5:30 pm
• Back to School Night
  Los Coyotes Elementary School La Palma, CA 90623
  5:30 pm
• Senior Luau
  John F. Kennedy High Kennedy First Court
  6:00 pm
• District Surplus Property Advisory "7-11" Committee
  ABC Unified District Office Board Room
  6:00 pm
Friday September 4
• Make up Picture Day
  Tetzlaff (Martin B.) Middle Cerritos, CA 90703
  8:00 am
• AWAY - Varsity Football vs Sunny Hills @ Buena Park HS
  John F. Kennedy High Buena Park High School, 8833 Academy Dr, Buena Park, CA 90621
  7:00 pm

📣 Cerritos Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

Tuesday September 1
• ASB Leadership Training (Envolve)
  Cypress High Cypress, CA 90630
  8:00 am
• Even Block
  Fedde (Pharis F.) Middle Hawaiian Gardens, CA 90716
  8:00 am
• LCSW Training
  Oxford Academy MPR
  8:00 am
• Envolve Leadership Day for ASB students
  Oxford Academy Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Foundation KPAC, 8331 Walk
  8:30 am

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Burlington posted a job opening for Retail Stocking Associate - Part Time in Cerritos. Apply here.
• DHD Consulting posted a job opening for Store Assistant Manager in Cerritos. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Cerritos here.

Ok Cerritos! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: By starting with a large fortune. (Thank you Kourtney Z. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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