Cudahy Ca

They have no money, no name recognition and no political experience. But that didn't stop Daniel Cota, an elementary school teacher, and Luis Garcia, a former city maintenance supervisor, from recently filing to run for the Cudahy City Council. That's news in this tiny Latino working-class suburb southeast of Los Angeles because there hasn't been a contested election here since 1999. "A lot of people want change," said Cota, who once worked on a city street crew.

A victim described only as a male Latino juvenile was shot to death Tuesday afternoon in Cudahy, authorities said. Homicide detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department were investigating the shooting, which occurred at 4:30 p.m. in the 5000 block of Santa Ana Street. Authorities said Fire Department paramedics took the victim to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A 14-year-old girl died early Sunday after being shot in the 5000 block of Cecelia Street. Details were sketchy, police said, and the girl's name was not released. The shooting occurred about 7:30 a.m. She was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Five area cities have agreed to pay almost $4 million to help clean up a 190-acre landfill in Monterey Park where they and other local governments dumped tons of toxic waste for decades. After nearly 10 years of litigation, Bell, the City of Commerce, Cudahy, Maywood and South Gate have agreed to give their share of the cleanup cost to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Eight other cities, the county and Caltrans are also part of the settlement.

A Cudahy councilman and his brother escaped serious injury and perhaps worse Monday night when a gunman sprayed their sport utility vehicle with bullets in an apparent ambush, authorities said. The shooting occurred at Atlantic Boulevard and Slauson Avenue in Maywood, as Councilman Osvaldo Conde, 48, and his brother, Erik Conde, 28, pursued a car carrying a group of taggers who had just vandalized Osvaldo Conde's business.

By any modern measure, what has gone on in the name of politics in southeast Los Angeles County has been extreme. In less than a decade, local officials and rivals in such cities as Bell, Bell Gardens, Cudahy, Huntington Park, Lynwood, Maywood and South Gate have been indicted, jailed, wire-tapped, bribed, recalled, threatened, firebombed and shot. In January, the recalled mayor of South Gate whacked a fellow council member in the face. Troubles continue farther south.

Oh, Cudahy, delightful spot, With weather neither cold or hot Where scenic mountains are in view, And ocean breezes fan us too Here golden sunsets close the day On those who live in Cudahy ... --From "Cudahy" by Hugh M. Smith, circa 1940 "I worked until Sunday and had the baby Thursday," she says.

Los Angeles County is pursuing an unlikely scofflaw that it says failed to pay a $65,000 bill: the city of Cudahy. For 14 years, the Sheriff's Department had a contract to police Cudahy, a small city southeast of downtown Los Angeles. But in September, Cudahy decided that it could save money by teaming with nearby Maywood's police force instead. Sheriff's officials contend that Cudahy has never paid its outstanding balance, so county Auditor-Controller J.

The borders marking city limits in Southeast Los Angeles County symbolize municipal pride, independence and a sense of friendly competition to residents. But those boundaries are beginning to blur as leaders of eight cities in the region increasingly cooperate to attack nagging social and economic problems.

While the dignitaries made their speeches and adults sat politely listening, the children of Cudahy skipped right to the good part. Before them stretched a beautiful green soccer field, with a bright orange goal net and tall blue light posts. It was new, the first in their city. And it was theirs. Oblivious to the official stuff, some of them grabbed balls -- big and small, pink and checked -- and took to the field.

A Cudahy councilman and his brother escaped serious injury and perhaps worse Monday night when a gunman sprayed their sport utility vehicle with bullets in an apparent ambush, authorities said. The shooting occurred at Atlantic Boulevard and Slauson Avenue in Maywood, as Councilman Osvaldo Conde, 48, and his brother, Erik Conde, 28, pursued a car carrying a group of taggers who had just vandalized Osvaldo Conde's business.

They have no money, no name recognition and no political experience. But that didn't stop Daniel Cota, an elementary school teacher, and Luis Garcia, a former city maintenance supervisor, from recently filing to run for the Cudahy City Council. That's news in this tiny Latino working-class suburb southeast of Los Angeles because there hasn't been a contested election here since 1999. "A lot of people want change," said Cota, who once worked on a city street crew.

A victim described only as a male Latino juvenile was shot to death Tuesday afternoon in Cudahy, authorities said. Homicide detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department were investigating the shooting, which occurred at 4:30 p.m. in the 5000 block of Santa Ana Street. Authorities said Fire Department paramedics took the victim to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A 14-year-old girl died early Sunday after being shot in the 5000 block of Cecelia Street. Details were sketchy, police said, and the girl's name was not released. The shooting occurred about 7:30 a.m. She was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

While the dignitaries made their speeches and adults sat politely listening, the children of Cudahy skipped right to the good part. Before them stretched a beautiful green soccer field, with a bright orange goal net and tall blue light posts. It was new, the first in their city. And it was theirs. Oblivious to the official stuff, some of them grabbed balls -- big and small, pink and checked -- and took to the field.

Los Angeles County is pursuing an unlikely scofflaw that it says failed to pay a $65,000 bill: the city of Cudahy. For 14 years, the Sheriff's Department had a contract to police Cudahy, a small city southeast of downtown Los Angeles. But in September, Cudahy decided that it could save money by teaming with nearby Maywood's police force instead. Sheriff's officials contend that Cudahy has never paid its outstanding balance, so county Auditor-Controller J.

By any modern measure, what has gone on in the name of politics in southeast Los Angeles County has been extreme. In less than a decade, local officials and rivals in such cities as Bell, Bell Gardens, Cudahy, Huntington Park, Lynwood, Maywood and South Gate have been indicted, jailed, wire-tapped, bribed, recalled, threatened, firebombed and shot. In January, the recalled mayor of South Gate whacked a fellow council member in the face. Troubles continue farther south.

Two of the region's poorest cities have spent millions of dollars in public funds to defend officials under investigation for political corruption, and are resisting public scrutiny of the bills. In South Gate, legal fees in criminal cases now approach $1.5 million, 10% of the annual budget. In Cudahy, the county's second-poorest city, attorney fees have cost nearly $800,000, about half of the city's emergency reserves.

A 29-year-old mother was killed in a predawn house fire Wednesday after she charged back into her Cudahy home thinking her three young children were still inside, authorities said. Myra Ramirez, a Compton gas station cashier, was found dead in the living room of the three-bedroom house, county fire officials said. The other nine residents--including the victim's two boys, 9 and 4, and a girl, 11,--were treated at two area hospitals for smoke inhalation and lacerations.

Detectives seized about 130 pounds of drugs, including methamphetamine, and arrested three suspects during raids in Long Beach and Cudahy, a police spokeswoman said Thursday. About 9 p.m. Wednesday, police arrested Adolfo Ortiz, 24, and Rudolfo Medina-Torres, 22, then served a search warrant at an apartment at 28 W. Market St., Karen Kerr said.