QUESTIONABLE LEADERSHIP: Central Basin Directors Juan Garza, Nem Ochoa, Joanna Moreno, and Gary Mendez. By Brian Hews Publisher | Follow X September 12, 2025 Los Cerritos Community News has been sounding the alarm on Central Basin for years, and the rot just keeps spreading. What was once billed as an emerging regional water agency building reserves while serving millions has now sunk deeper into scandal, with four of its directors under clouds of illegitimacy, corruption, or both.

By Brian Hews Publisher | Follow X October 3, 2025 Rojas Timeline 2020 – Hiring at Central BasinAlex Rojas is hired as General Manager of the Central Basin Municipal Water District. On November 1, 2024, a four-member faction of the Central Basin board convened a special meeting, with three directors absent. Under district rules, only the board president can call such a meeting, and at the time, the president was Art Chacon, who did not.

October 7, 2025 By Brian Hews The California Attorney General has officially authorized the Whittier Union High School District (WUHSD) to move forward with a quo warranto lawsuit seeking the removal of Trustee Gary Mendez, confirming Los Cerritos Community News’ earlier reporting on his unlawful dual office-holding. Filed on September 15 in Los Angeles County Superior Court (Case No. 25STCV27197), the verified complaint, prepared by Strumwasser & Woocher LLP, alleges that Mendez violated Government Code Section 1099 by simultaneously serving as a WUHSD Trustee and as Vice President of the Central Basin Municipal Water District (CBMWD) Board of Directors.

By Brian Hews Publisher | Follow X November 11, 2025, 2025 The Central Basin Municipal Water District convened a special board meeting at 8:30 a.m. last Monday in Cerritos to discuss the agency’s general manager position in closed session but, according to three sources, failed to reach a quorum. Those same sources told Los Cerritos Community News that the board never announced the lack of a quorum.