Los Cerritos Community News’ ‘Dirty Water, Red Flags’ Investigation Earns Prestigious Statewide CNPA Journalism Honor

July 10, 2026

LCCN Staff Report

For nearly four decades, Los Cerritos Community News has embraced a philosophy that good journalism isn’t measured by how comfortable it makes those in power—it’s measured by whether it serves the public.

That commitment was recognized this month when the newspaper’s investigative series, “Dirty Water, Red Flags,”earned second place in Investigative Reporting at the California News Publishers Association’s annual California Journalism Awards, one of the state’s most prestigious journalism competitions.

The California Journalism Awards are open to newspapers and digital news organizations throughout the state. Investigative Reporting is one of only a handful of premier categories judged by an independent panel of experienced journalists from outside California. Judges evaluate the completeness of the investigation, initiative, documentation, organization of facts, fairness, and quality of writing.

The award recognized LCCN’s months-long investigation into Central Basin Municipal Water District Director Juan Garza and his simultaneous role as executive director of the California Cities for Self-Reliance Joint Powers Authority. The series examined Garza’s overlapping public responsibilities, procurement practices, legal expenditures, governance issues, and questions surrounding accountability at one of Southern California’s most important public water agencies.

The investigation relied on extensive public records requests, contracts, financial records, legal filings, government documents, and interviews to examine issues affecting ratepayers and taxpayers throughout Southeast Los Angeles County.

“I’ve been a member of the California News Publishers Association since the mid-1980s, but my education in journalism began even earlier. When my family owned the Wave Newspapers in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, our first editor gave me advice I’ve never forgotten,” LCCN Owner/Publisher Brian Hews said. “She told me, ‘If 50 percent of the people aren’t happy with you, and you don’t have four Public Records Act requests out, you’re not doing your job.”

Hews said that philosophy has guided his approach to community journalism throughout his career.

“Investigative journalism isn’t about making everyone happy,” Hews said. “It’s about asking difficult questions, following public records wherever they lead, and holding government accountable. If everyone is comfortable with your reporting, you’re probably not asking the right questions.”

The first-place investigative award went to Stocktonia, a respected nonprofit newsroom whose primary mission is accountability journalism.

“Stocktonia produces outstanding investigative work, and they deserved the recognition,” Hews said. “To finish immediately behind a newsroom dedicated almost exclusively to investigative reporting is something our entire staff can be proud of.”

Unlike many investigative organizations, Los Cerritos Community News operates as a full-service print community newspaper.

Every week, the newspaper publishes and home-delivers 40,000 printed newspapers throughout Southeast Los Angeles County while continuing a daily digital news operation covering Cerritos, Artesia, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Bellflower, Lakewood, Norwalk, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, Commerce, and surrounding communities.

In addition to investigative reporting, the newspaper covers city councils, school boards, elections, youth sports, local businesses, nonprofits, public safety, community events, and breaking news.

“Our readers may not always agree with all stories we publish, and that’s okay,” Hews said. “Investigative journalism isn’t supposed to be a popularity contest. If you’re asking difficult questions and holding public officials accountable, you’re going to make some people uncomfortable.”

The recognition also comes during a period when many local newspapers across the country have reduced staff or closed altogether.

“Community newspapers remain the first line of accountability for local government,” Hews said. “Large media organizations rarely attend a city council meeting in Cerritos or examine the finances of a local water district. That’s our responsibility, and we take it seriously.”

Hews said independent journalism often carries financial consequences. After Cerritos voters elected a Democratic majority to the City Council, ending eight years of Republican control, Hews said multiple City Hall sources told him the city was instructed to cease all advertising in Los Cerritos Community News in response to the newspaper’s well-documented investigative reporting on Councilmembers Chuong Vo, Bruce Barrows and Naresh Solanki. “We discovered we had effectively been blackballed,” Hews said. “When government uses taxpayer-funded advertising to reward favorable coverage or punish critical reporting, it only reinforces why independent community journalism matters.”

Hews said the award belongs to more than just the newsroom.

“It belongs to every reader who supports independent local journalism, every advertiser who believes strong community newspapers matter, and every public official who understands that transparency ultimately benefits everyone,” he said.

“As long as there are important stories to report, public records to pursue, and public officials to hold accountable, we’ll continue doing what we’ve done for nearly 40 years—asking tough questions, reporting the facts without fear or favor, and serving our communities with honest, fearless journalism.”