Downey, CA

Officials lifted a lockdown at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey on Saturday night, less than a day after 13 detainees assaulted guards, breached their units and attempted to escape by scaling the perimeter walls.

The 66-year-old Los Angeles County facility is now operating on a limited basis, allowing for the movement of youth for meals, schooling and recreational activities, according to Interim Probation Chief Guillermo Viera Rosa.

Visiting hours were canceled Saturday, after the disturbance began about 8 p.m. Friday.

Viera Rosa said he will ask the county to speed up hiring of safety and security specialists, a new job classification that will allow the probation department to hire off-duty or retired peace officers for external security purposes.

“The safe operations of Los Padrinos ultimately comes down to having the appropriate level of officers and staff on every shift, day in and day out,” Viera Rosa said in a statement. “This new classification will help us reach that level by using trained and experienced peace officers in support of our Probation staff. This will allow us to increase our overall staffing so that we can provide the programming that our youth deserve.”

The incident began when seven youths assaulted staff with pieces of broken furniture and opened an exterior door of their living unit on Friday. night, sources told The Times. Then they broke the window of an adjacent unit, allowing six others to join them on the grounds.

Officials managed to quell the disturbance several hours later with assistance from law enforcement officers — many of them in riot gear — and emergency responders from across the region. A sheriff’s helicopter provided aerial support.

One of the youths managed to climb over the wall during the disturbance, Viera Rosa said, but was apprehended in an adjacent golf course a short time later by the county probation department’s special enforcement operations team.

Because he is 18, officials said, authorities have asked the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department to book him as an adult, officials said.

The other 12 youths were placed in individual rooms at Los Padrinos under one-on-one supervision, officials said. No serious injuries to youth or staff were reported, and all 273 youths held at the facility were accounted for.

Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall had closed in 2019, two months after prosecutors charged six officers who worked there with assault for dousing teenage girls with pepper spray.

This month, the Probation Department moved about 270 juveniles held in Central Juvenile Hall in downtown Los Angeles and Barry J. Nidorf Hall in Sylmar to Los Padrinos, as the troubled agency tries to right itself after years of disarray.

Times staff writer James Queally contributed to this report.

Craving some sun, sand, and surf? If you're in Downey, California, you're in luck! There are plenty of stunning beaches nearby just waiting to be explored. In this article, we'll introduce you to the best beaches close to Downey, share their addresses, distances, and unique highlights. Get ready to pack your beach bag and set off on a coastal adventure!

Address: 1035 Ocean Ave, Seal Beach, CA 90740

Just a 13.3-mile drive from Downey, Seal Beach is the perfect spot for a relaxing day out. Known for its picturesque pier, charming small-town vibe, and clean, wide sandy shores, it's no wonder locals love this beach. Parking is available in a paid lot or on nearby streets. The beach is also wheelchair accessible, making it a great destination for everyone. Don't forget to explore the nearby Main Street for shops, restaurants, and the historic Red Car Museum!

Address: 1 S Granada Ave, Long Beach, CA 90803

At 15.7 miles from Downey, Long Beach City Beach offers 4 miles of sandy coastline perfect for sunbathing, swimming, or taking a leisurely stroll. Parking is available in paid lots or on the street, and the beach is wheelchair accessible. While you're there, don't miss the chance to visit the iconic Queen Mary, a historic ocean liner permanently docked nearby, or the Long Beach Museum of Art for some cultural exploration.

Address: 315 Pacific Coast Hwy, Huntington Beach, CA 92648

Drive 22.2 miles from Downey, and you'll find yourself at the famous Huntington Beach, aka "Surf City, USA." Renowned for its consistent surf and lively atmosphere, this beach is a must-visit for anyone seeking fun in the sun. Several parking lots and street parking options are available, with wheelchair accessibility provided. In addition to hitting the waves, be sure to check out the International Surfing Museum and the Huntington Beach Pier for some local history and stunning views.

Address: 18331 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Huntington Beach, CA 92649

A 24.2-mile journey from Downey brings you to Bolsa Chica State Beach, a popular spot for families and beachgoers seeking a more laid-back atmosphere. Known for its calm waters and abundant wildlife, Bolsa Chica is perfect for swimming, sunbathing, or birdwatching. Ample paid parking is available, and the beach is wheelchair accessible. Don't miss the nearby Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve for an educational and scenic experience!

Downey's proximity to some of Southern California's most beautiful and diverse beaches makes it a fantastic starting point for beach-hopping adventures. Whether you're looking for surfing, wildlife encounters, or simply a relaxing day under the sun, you'll find the perfect beach destination within a short drive. With so many fantastic options to choose from, all that's left to do is grab your sunscreen, towels, and swimsuits and head out to explore these breathtaking coastal gems.

“Growing up in South Gate and in Huntington Park, we're talking late 90s, there was definitely a perspective amongst the folks that I hung out with that Downey was where people from Southeast LA went to sell out,” says Carlos Arceo, who moved to this city of 111,000 people 11 years ago. “It was just like this idea that Downey was bougie. And if you came to live to Downey, you were bougie by extension.”

The late 90s is about when the term “Mexican Beverly Hills” first popped up. The name became more popular after a 2015 Los Angeles Times article referred to it, and that was followed by another piece about it in the New York Times in 2020. Now CBS has a comedy show called “Mexican Beverly Hills” in production. By now, many residents have heard this label at some point.

Ask former and current Downey community members what they think of the term, and you’ll hear everything from a wholesale rejection to a full-on embrace.

Mario Guerra lived in Huntington Park most of his childhood, and says he saw Downey as a “shining light” where he hoped to move one day. He bought a house in Downey in 1979 and eventually served as mayor twice.

Guerra remembers Downey changing from a community that was 78% white in 1980 to 74% Latino by 2021.

Today Downey residents come from many different cultures. “I think the people that were going to move out — moved out; and the people that were going to move in — moved in,” Guerra says.“The white flighters to Yorba Linda” were part of the shift, he says.

He explains that although Downey is majority Latino now, it isn’t majority Mexican. So Guerra – who emigrated from Cuba as a child – doesn't feel like “Mexican Beverly Hills” accurately describes this town.

At the end of the day, Guerra loves this city. No matter what people call it, the community shines in his eyes.

“Downey is a good place,” Guerra says. “Beverly Hills … they're the ‘White Downey.’”

When Downey native Aron Ramirez moved to Northern California to attend Stanford in 2015, he experienced a culture shock.

“Stanford is a primarily white institution,” he explains. “It has a lot less economic diversity, a lot of the students there really do come from some of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the country and in the world. And so it was the first time that I really reckoned with what it meant to be Mexican, because for the first time, not everybody around me was also a Mexican or any other Latino.”

Ramirez recalls Spanish being spoken outside of his home, and Latino businesses like paleterias, or Mexican ice cream shops, scattered throughout the city.

He first heard of the “Mexican Beverly Hills” in the LA Times article. Ramirez has mixed feelings about it and explains there are some criticisms to be made of the label. For example, the city is majority renter and the label could be erasing the experiences of residents who are not upper middle class and are not homeowners.

“People were thinking that ‘I'm also from Downey, but that's not me,’ and it's the same issue with the article that came out in the New York Times a couple years later,” he says.

Victor Salas doesn’t live in Downey, but he considers the community his home. He has driven a UPS truck in the southern part of the city for about 20 years.

“These folks that I deliver to become family to me,” he says. Some of those people jokingly call Salas “the mayor,” which is now laminated on his UPS scanner.

“It seems to be a town that gives the small guy the break … he needs or she needs. It's a town of opportunity,” Salas says. “Perhaps that's why it gets the reputation as the Mexican Beverly Hills, but I say Beverly Hills is Beverly Hills. This is Downey.”

DOWNEY — Is Ojos Locos still coming to Downey?

As construction on the former Denny’s site – located at 8350 Firestone Blvd. - progresses, city planning staff have said that Ojos Locos is still believed to be the future tenant.

No opening date has been publicly revealed.

However, Mayor Claudia M. Frometa has said that she hopes to coordinate a meeting between both parties in order to find a compromise.

“Regarding Ojos Locos, the site owner is still moving forward with the plans as approved,” said Frometa. “However, given the owner has other restaurants as part of his portfolio of eateries, I have directed staff to reach out and schedule a meeting between all of us.

“While I value businesses and business investments in our great city, I do not believe Ojos Locos belongs in Downey. There isn’t a week I don’t hear from concerned families and parents about their opposition to this restaurant opening in our city.

As the Mayor, I am advocating for my residents and hope to persuade the restaurateur to bring a different type of restaurant to our community, one that we can all embrace and welcome wholeheartedly.”

The restaurant’s initial announcement was met with fierce opposition by resident and council members alike, especially over the scantily-clad waitresses and apparent safety concerns.

At a city council meeting back in March last year, Mayor Pro Tem Mario Trujillo said that Ojos Locos “should take their tax dollars elsewhere.” He would later indicate that he planned to rally constituents to send the message that the restaurant was not welcome in Downey.

Ojos Locos would push back on many of residents’ concerns, claiming that the risqué lingerie seen across other locations’ social media pages were for “special events” only, and was not what was intended for the new Downey site.

Regardless, the city moved to take action against the attire, approving an ordinance establishing a dress code for food handler’s city wide.

However, it remains to be seen what more the city could legally do, as officials have insisted that they cannot pick and choose what businesses set up shop within city limits.

Ojos Locos Sports Cantina is a chain restaurant with 21 locations across Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.

California Governor Gavin Newsom visited Downey on Saturday and announced a partnership with a pharmaceutical company intended to provide insulin to Californians at a dramatically lower cost.

Newsom announced a partnership with Civica Rx to provide insulin to Californians for $30 for 10 milliliters -- which he said was as little as one-tenth of the current cost.

Newsom visited a Kaiser warehouse in Downey as part of his ongoing tour of the state discussing his administrative policies in lieu of a traditional State of the State address.

He praised the 10-year partnership as a way to lower the health-care burden for residents without "subsidizing costs or socializing costs" but to address the "underlying" costs.

The program, to be administered through CalRx, was characterized by the governor as "market disruption," which he hoped would prompt major drug companies to lower their prices for the drug.

Newsom said manufacturing is set to begin later this year, and added that he anticipates "favorable treatment" from the FDA, and hopes to see delivery begin next year.

Also announced Saturday was a deal that would allow California to manufacture its own lower-cost Naloxone, or Narcan, the drug that reverses the effect of an opioid overdose and is credited with saving hundreds of thousands of lives.

Newsom said "next up is meloxil."

The governor began his tour Thursday in Sacramento, where he discussed plans to build 1,200 small homes across the state to address homelessness, followed by an address Friday centered on a plan to overhaul San Quentin State Prison.

Newsom's tour will continue Sunday in San Diego with an event focusing on mental health care.

KCAL-News Staff

The KCAL News Staff is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on KCALNews.com and CBSLA.com.

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