Everyone has childhood memories – some fond and others, well maybe not so much. One of mine is having Sunday lunches at my Aunt Jenny’s house in the projects where my cousins and I piled around the Formica-topped table and ate wide noodles with butter and lots of pot cheese with glasses of dried powdered milk that came in a package. Childhood coming-of-age memories informs “The Tender Bar”, a memoir written by J.R. Moehringer, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist. Perfectly adapted for the screen by William Monahan, George Clooney skillfully directed this non-linear film which quietly tells the story of Moehringer’s colorful childhood experiences and his challenging road to success.
A voice-over by our protagonist begins the film in the year 1973. A young mother, wonderfully played by Lily Rabe, and her son JR, incredibly portrayed by an adorable Daniel Ranieri, who makes his film debut, are driving in a car packed with personal belongings. This young actor will both make you laugh and sometimes tear your heart out as he experiences the challenges of growing up in what can only be described as chaotic living conditions.
Mom is broke and has to move back to her childhood home on Long Island and once again live with her crotchety old father, a man of zero concern about relieving himself of gas anywhere, anytime. Nicely played by Christopher Lloyd who presents us with a layered performance which goes beyond what we see on the surface. Despite his crudeness and protestations, he makes room for anyone in the family who needs a place to live. That includes uncle Charley, his sister Ruth (Danielle Ranieri) and now JR and his mom. Ben Affleck delivers one of the best performances of his career, of which there are many memorable ones.
He has crawled into the skin of his character and although his Oscar-worthy performance falls into the Supporting Actor category, it is the lynchpin on which most of the other characters revolve. His steady, unemotional advice to his nephew is direct and to the point.
Young JR hangs onto every word dispensed by his uncle. For example, he tells him quite bluntly that “You are not good in sports, so you’ll have to find another activity.” Regarding JR’s alcoholic dead-beat absentee father, Johnny Michaels, a radio broadcaster referred to as “The Voice,” nicely played by Max Martini, Charley tells him “Don’t look for your father – he’s an asshole.” Every so often his father calls and makes a date to pick him up, but almost never appears, leaving JR sitting on the front steps of his house for hours. Charley tries to mentor his nephew in the requirements of manhood.
He teaches him how to place his money on the bar, where to keep a stash (cash) in a secret pocket of his wallet, “Which you never spend,” and how to play 5-card stud. He also councils him that you never hit a woman “Even if she stabs you in the neck with a scissors.”
JR does his homework at The Dickens Bar – a blue-collar watering hole for locals not unlike the bar featured in the television hit comedy “Cheers.” Although not educated formally and a bartender, Charlie is a vociferous reader, keeps stacks of books behind the bar and can intelligently discuss just about any subject. During downtime, he does word puzzles with young JR often giving him the answers earning him the reputation of being a “protégé.” Mom is adamant that JR will grow up and attend Yale University and later law school.
Charley thinks his nephew should be a writer and tells him to read all the books stored in a closet, hence setting him on a course to his destiny. He also explains that in order to be a successful writer, you’ve got to have ‘IT.” Since Charley told him he’s not good at sports, there was a moment of holding one’s breath until he blurts out, “And you’ve got “IT.” There are several scenes that are particularly outstanding. Charley has a meeting with JR’s therapist who is quite concerned that JR won’t say what those initials stand for. Well, the uncle makes mincemeat out the shrink ending with: “You want to traumatize a little kid so you can hit on his mother?” A particularly poignant scene is in school where JR’s teacher tells the class to make invitations for a father/son breakfast.
All the children hand in their invitations and in a really touching moment, JR tells his teacher, “I don’t have a father.” Well, that crusty old grandpa steps up to the plate and dressed in his Sunday’s finest, he fills in for the absentee father and charms the principal with his stories. Now, what would a growing-up experience be without unrequited love and older JR, played really well and sympathetically by Tye Sheridan, has a full taste of that. While at Yale, he falls in love with Sidney, a beautiful, but rather mean young woman played by Briana Middleton, a rich girl from Connecticut who dangles sex over and over again, only to break his heart each time by declaring, “I’m seeing someone else.” We know, based on his memoir, that although he faced a rocky road, he eventually becomes successful and lives out his mother’s dreams for him.
The excellent production team consists of Martin Ruhe’s cinematography, Dan Hiland and Todd Beckett’s sound design, Kalina Ivanov, Bryan Felty and Melissa Levander’s production design, and pulling all together, Tanya M. Swerling editing.
THE TENDER BAR
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Release Date: Current
Where: In Select Theatres & Amazon Prime TV
Language: English
Genre: Family Dramady
Running Time: 106 Minutes
Rating: R
The tension apparently held over from a special meeting after Christmas erupted into somewhat of a scolding session Monday as the Cypress City Council met for the first time in 2022 amid acrimony and derision.
Much of the discussion centered around Council member Frances Marquez, who had apparently stirred up a hornet’s nest by questioning decisions being made by the city’s longtime leaders, suggesting residents believe they are “not being heard,” she asked for more financial transparency and she complained about the lack of civility from some of her colleagues.
For the past several meetings, Marquez has asked her colleagues to demonstrate equal respect, something she says is obviously lacking. Marquez offered several examples of how she has been treated differently and not been shown the same respect as other members of the council.
For instance, Marquez complained that, at a recent meeting, while she was speaking from the dais, city manager Peter Grant was “having a discussion with two people in the audience.”
Council member Frances Marquez. Courtesy photo
“I’m asking for cooperation from my colleagues,” said Marquez.
In addition, she demanded fellow council member Scott Minikus stop speaking to her in what she termed to be a “bullying” tone, and she asked Mayor Paulo Morales to step in and stop abusive behavior the next time it occurred.
“At the last meeting [Dec. 27], council member Minikus loudly raised his voice to me and asked me questions in a bullying and harassing manner,” said Marquez. “This is not okay,” she said.
Even the public suggested the city change its tone towards each other.
One citizen, Edwin Kraemer said during oral communication, that he wanted to show support for Marquez. “She’s really brought a voice for the residents to the Council,” said Kraemer. “I hear Mayor Morales sigh every time she says something and that is offensive to me.”
Marquez also asked why the city had not asked citizens how they preferred to spend more than $12 million in American Rescue Plan dollars, yet the city has scheduled three public meetings to educate citizens on various election options?
“I do not believe it is right not to ask the community what they want to do with this money,” she said.
Morales said Council members do speak to members of the public and that he and Peat have served for seven years so they have a good idea of what citizens want. The discussion came as Finance Director Matt Burton’s spending plan for the $12 million federal allocation was on Monday’s consent calendar for a vote at Monday’s meeting.
Mayor Pro-tem Anne Hertz-Mallori (formerly Anne Hertz) said she spoke to Burton and “I really like the distribution of the range of the projects that are in [the plan]. I feel like we had quite a bit of discussion,” she said.
“One of the things we do as Council members is go out and talk to community members to get insights,” said Hertz-Mallori.
Grant said the allocations in the spending plan are “broad” and the council will be “zooming in” on these programs in more detail later, suggesting there will be a later opportunity for citizens to weigh in.
For instance, said Grant, the $1 million for the “business support” part of the spending plan could be developed later into a specific plan.
(The ENE will have more about the Cypress American Rescue spending plan next week).
Council member Jon Peat suggested projects within the American Rescue plan “are consistent with our strategic plan objectives that we have put in place that we have agreed to over the past seven years and worked together as a council and staff to put our priorities together.”
Marquez nonetheless pulled the American Rescue Plan allocation from the consent calendar and following a discussion, abstained from voting as the Council finally voted 4-0 to approve the $12 million federal spending plan.
In the process, Marquez also suggested the Council should have more information on contracts being signed by the city. “I think it is critical that we see the whole process,” she said.
Cypress Mayor Paulo Morales
Morales said city staff is always available to provide such info. “If you would ask them ahead of time, they would be happy to provide you with all of the information and insight,” he said.
Regarding the redistricting process, the issue that perhaps has become the prickliest between Marquez and the ad-hoc redistricting committee of Morales and Peat.
Cypress is facing a lawsuit from the Southwest Voter Education Project for its election practices, having been served in September 2021 with a demand letter from a Malibu law firm that claims Cypress is in violation of the California Voting Rights Act (CRVA).
At the special meeting last week, Cypress contends they can find no such violation, even after hiring a demographer to study the city’s demographics.
In the original letter, attorney Kevin Shenkman suggested the Council’s insistence on appointing someone to fill a vacancy left by the departure of Stacy Berry, was evidence that the city’s large Asian population is not being well served by electing council members at-large.
Several in the community, including former candidates, then pleaded with the Council to appoint the top unelected vote getter in 2020, Carrie Hayashida, a candidate of Asian-American descent, to the post, after Berry’s resignation.
Instead, the Council voted to create a process that led to the appointment of Scott Minikus to the seat.
Since receiving the letter, the city has struggled to develop a response but has now hired a private communications firm, headed by an elected official from the City of Orange, to lead the local voter education project.
The city has announced a series of three public meetings, the first of which is via Zoom this Wednesday (Jan. 19). (See forum schedule in a related story).
Grant estimated the cost to the city for the seminars at $40,000, and he explained that the “framework” for the presentation was approved by the Council at a special meeting on Dec. 27 and it will now become a 20-30 min. ‘explainer’ video to be shown at the forums.
In addition, the city manager said the forums will present the “different forms of city council elections that are available to the council should it choose to move away from at large election format.”
Thus far, Shenkman has called Cypress’ response to the demand letter “nonsensical,” and said that if the city has not developed maps for single member districts by June of 2022, a lawsuit will be filed against the city.
Marquez suggested Monday that the entire process should have been more “deliberative” and that after several errors were pointed out in the firm’s proposed presentation at the Dec. 27 meeting, she wanted more input before going to the public.
“I really wish that after people gave their feedback that we could have seen the PowerPoints one more time,” she said.
Morales asked Marquez about which points were not clear, and the council member said she had forgotten her written notes but offered the points verbally as they slogged through the changes in the presentation.
“As a council,” said Marquez, “we could have easily done this without having to pay $37,000,” suggesting the funds could have been used better in other ways.
Hertz-Mallori disagreed.
“I feel like the issue certainly required the utilization of professionals.” And, as a council, she said, “we really were very clear that we wanted to make this an unbiased, fact-based presentation and people will be given enough information to draw their own conclusions.”
Marquez, who has a doctorate degree in a related field and said she has worked on redistricting issues while employed in Washington, D.C., has complained about the process since Peat, then mayor, refused to put her on the redistricting ad-hoc subcommittee.
Peat then suggested, since Marquez was likely to be a candidate for her own re-election, she might bias the committee and he refused to appoint her. Then, when Morales was elected Mayor, he awarded Marquez’ assignment to the Orange County Fire Authority to Hertz-Mallori, stoking additional tensions.
Last Monday, in a heated session, Marquez told Peat that she thought the entire ad-hoc subcommittee, including he and Peat, as well as the entire redistricting process, has been biased because Peat failed to mention that his wife, Bonnie, is considering a run for city Council.
Bonnie Peat is an elected official, having been elected to the Cypress School District’s Board of Trustees and who currently serves as its President. The ENE has reached out to Mrs. Peat for comment.
When the issue came up again Monday, near the end of the meeting during Council members’ comments, the wheels nearly came off as the fragile decorum deteriorated further.
In his closing comments, Morales was apparently addressing Marquez for her comments during the Dec. 27 meeting. “I pointed out to you that the comments you made to Councilman Peat and bringing up his wife, I thought were most inappropriate,” he began.
“Your response was that I am entitled to my opinion. Everyone is entitled to an opinion,” Morales told Marquez, “but I think the manner in which we do that, the professionalism and the empathy and certainly the reasonableness in which you cited that [matters], and again, I don’t want to have to go through all of this.”
“I would just hope that when you have an issue that we do not draw it out, and that we see each other face-to-face with those issues. So as a member of the public brought out, we do attend to the business of this city,” said Morales in his closing comments.
Marquez responded, “when I mentioned Mayor Peat’s wife, I was just stating a fact not an opinion. Thank you.”
“Excuse me,” said Peat, loudly, who was sitting off the dais looking directly at Marquez (so that the remaining members could be socially distanced at the dais).
“That is not a fact. You can’t make a statement about my wife and a fact about something that hasn’t happened. … You’ve never talked with her,” Peat said angrily.
“I don’t know how you assert that she’s running for city council. How do you make a statement about my wife doing something when you’ve never spoken with her? And how dare you bring my family into this,” shouted Peat.
Marquez responded she was just stating a fact about the bias. “On the ad hoc committee I was just stating it is biased. It is not my intention of making anybody upset,” she said.
“The problem is,” interjected Morales, “you did.”
Raising his voice, Peat said “she [Marquez] scolded us for the last several meetings. I am tired of being scolded by you in public. If you got something to say to me, say it.”
Peat continued, “let’s take care of our business in private and quit bringing it out here in the public. I’m tired of this.”
Council member Jon Peat. Courtesy photo
“We haven’t brought up all the stuff that we could about how we feel about how you’re conducting yourself,” Peat added. “What gives you the right to sit here and criticize all of us. None of us say anything about you,” he said.
“I’m tired of this,” Peat repeated, “this has to stop now.”
Marquez simply responded to Peat, “I do not agree with you raising your voice at me.”
Morales jumped in after Peat’s outburst.
“Council member Marquez, we don’t like to have to do that either. But again, I really don’t want to hear all these things out and I’ll go back to a word you use often, ‘optics,’” said Morales.
“The public, or whomever it is, is seeing, believing, understanding one side and not another,” the mayor said. How you handle your business and your relations with Council members Peat, Minikus and Mayor Pro-tem Hertz-Mallori is your decision, but we were all elected to do a job, to be the best professionals that we can at it and certainly this is not helping,” said Morales.
“I will close the meeting,” he said, and the meeting ended.
Editor’s Note: During the meeting, the Council also addressed Lexington Park and several other issues that will be covered next week.
The Los Alamitos Unified School District Board of Education has taken a public stance on California Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed Covid-19 vaccine mandate for students at K-12 schools.
In a 4-1 vote at its Jan. 11 meeting, the board approved a two-page resolution that “strongly urges” California’s elected officials to keep “medical, religious, and personal belief exemptions” in place if a proposed Covid-19 vaccine mandate for students and employees takes effect.
The resolution is largely symbolic as the school board does not have the authority to change State mandates.
Trustees voting in favor of the resolution said the goal is to send a message to state lawmakers that represents the perspectives of the community.
That means balancing the views of district parents who said they want to have a choice on whether to vaccinate their school-age children against Covid-19 with the views of parents supportive of the State’s measures.
The resolution refers to parents and employees who have “expressed a desire for exemptions to be in place” and also “acknowledges the view of parents and employees who have expressed support to adopt” Covid-19 vaccine requirements for eligible staff and students. (You can find the resolution on the Jan. 11 meeting agenda at Item 13.a. at losal.org.)
“We felt that, at this point with the data we have, parents should have choices if this becomes a mandate but we are not health experts and we are going to follow the guidance that is sent down by the CDPH and OCHCA,” Board President Diana Hill said in a phone interview on Saturday.
Hill requested that the resolution be created back in November after hearing from parents wanting the board to take action.
“The desire of this resolution is to make sure that we … have the strongest voice that we can go forward for all of our parents, and so we can influence our state officials,” Hill said at the Jan. 11 meeting.
This all comes in response to Gov. Newsom’s announcement last October of plans to require students to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to attend in-person classes at K-12 campuses.
The mandate would take effect only after the vaccine gains full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a student’s age group. Right now, only the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has full FDA approval for people 16 and older.
Unlike the shots California students are currently required to have to attend school, as it stands now, the Covid-19 vaccine mandate would allow for a personal belief exemption, which Gov. Newsom pointed out during an appearance on a national news show last month.
State lawmakers could pass legislation to eliminate the personal belief exemption and that is part of the motivation for issuing the resolution now, according to some board members.
Board members explain their positions
Scott Fayette was the only trustee to vote against adopting the resolution.
During the board’s discussion, Fayette said that the mandate was not yet official and the earliest it could impact students is next school year. “I think to act on this resolution is premature,” he said. He also said the resolution currently falls outside the “purview” of the board.
“I’m not a doctor, nor do I believe I am to make choices for parents on whether to vaccinate or not,” Vice President Chris Forehan said at the board meeting. “This resolution states very clearly … that as a board we believe in-person instruction is invaluable. We support vaccine exemptions, and that we will follow the rules set out through our legislature. The resolution is aligned with what the governor’s current stance is. He has not mandated anything.”
In an email to Spotlight Schools, trustee Megan Cutuli wrote: “I personally support vaccines but one of my core values as a board member is that parents know their children.” She encouraged parents to speak to a trusted health care professional about the vaccines.
Trustees Cutuli, Forehan and Marlys Davidson also expressed concerns that there is no plan for how to meet the educational needs of students who do not get vaccinated under a mandate.
“If we are going to remove unvaccinated students from our classrooms, then funds need to be provided for a district orchestrated online program in order to ensure the … best possible education for all of our students,” Davidson said.
“To me I feel that one of my main jobs is to make sure that I’m giving parents the choice that they asked for for their students,” President Hill said at the Jan. 11 meeting, speaking via Zoom from her home due to being on quarantine.
This was the second time the board discussed the resolution. At their Dec. 14, 2021 meeting, trustees asked for more time to gather input from the community.
There was one difference between the resolution discussed last month and the one adopted on Jan. 11, 2022.
In the adopted resolution, language specifying the district would adhere to public health guidance followed the portion urging support for exemptions.
Similar language about the district’s responsibility to cooperate with public health officers was in the Dec. 14 version, but it was in another part of the resolution.
Some parents upset that resolution states district will adhere to guidance
For weeks, a vocal group of parents has pushed back on the proposal to add the Covid-19 vaccine to the list of shots students are required to get to attend school.
Some of those parents were at the Jan. 11 meeting. Fifteen people addressed the board during public comment which was held prior to the vote. All of them spoke out against a Covid-19 vaccine mandate and in support of exemptions saying they want to have a choice.
“The state mandate, while promoting the greater good, does not have years of science behind the decision,” said one speaker who emphasized that she wants to be able to make medical decisions for her family.
Other parents urged the board to take a more defiant stance toward the state.
“Will you stand for choice supporting exemptions allowing families the opportunity to evaluate risk for their children? Or will you default to the state supporting immoral mandates?” said Kristina Bowden, a parent who said her son attends Lee Elementary in Rossmoor.
Bowden and others said they would pull their kids out of the school district if the vaccines were required.
Matthew Simmons, a parent of two students in the district, opposes the Covid-19 vaccine mandate and supports exemptions but was opposed to the resolution. In a recent phone interview, he said the language saying the district would adhere to public health guidance “weakened” its message.
“In a way, this resolution hurts us. The ask for the exemptions was a humble request. But the comply was a statement; it was the opposite of a request,” Simmons said.
In a phone interview, President Hill disagreed and said the language was included in the resolution “to make sure that we were once again clear that we are not the public health experts.”
She added, some parents “wanted us to stand up to the State; say if there’s a mandate we won’t follow it. And that was not what our board was going to do.”
“We are a State agency and we must follow State guidance and we will,” Cutuli wrote in an email.
At the meeting, and in interviews and emails, trustees said that they had heard from parents with a wide range of perspectives. President Hill said she heard feedback from more people in support of exemptions. Cutuli said more people in favor of the mandate reached out to her.
“Yes, at the Board meeting the voices heard were for providing parent choice for a vaccine, however prior to the meeting the voices of many others were heard via social media, emails, conversations and documents dropped off for me to read at my house that did not feel parents should have a choice,” Forehan wrote in an email to Spotlight Schools.
In a phone interview on Saturday, Fayette said he hopes the board can focus on other issues centered on students. “The resolution passed,” he said. “It’s done. We need to get back to the business of the Board.”
At the meeting, Hill said the resolution represents what the board is saying to lawmakers today based on what parents have expressed. She said that if “something dramatic happens in the future,” the resolution could be revisited.
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Following a presentation to the LAUSD Board this week, the Principal of the Francis Hopkinson Elementary School named Allison Isle as the school’s Hero of the Heart.
“We get to name a Hero of the Heart and this is something that we do not take lightly,” said Hopkinson Principal Evelyn Garcia, “because we have so many heroes of Hopkinson.”
“And so the dictionary defines a hero as a person of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his or her brave deeds and noble qualities,” she said. “This year’s Heroes of the Heart embraces all of that and I would love to welcome Mrs. Allison Isle to stand with me today.”
“Allison has shown tremendous courage, amazing ability and noble qualities for our Hopkinson Huskies for the last seven years since I’ve known her,” the principal said.
“Allison recognizes when something needs to be done and doesn’t question it, she just does it. Allison is a staple of the Hopkinson community. She works tirelessly to provide extraordinary experiences to all kids not just her own,” said Garcia.
Isle has served in multiple roles, said Isle, “and pours herself into both friends of Hopkinson and the Hopkinson PTA. It is an honor and a privilege to stand with you,” she added
Courtesy photo Hopkinson student speakers Lina Viado and Olivia Quick in between Vice President, Mr. Chris Forehan, Principal, Evelyn Garcia and Superintendent, Dr. Pulver.
“Her service is rooted in her deep love for her family. She is a wonderful wife and mother,” said Garcia, “and has been married to her husband Tim for 15 years. Together,” she said, “they share three daughters I’m Greta Molly and Charlotte.
She said Isle, a former teacher, runs her own business. “I was so surprised to know that she has a full time job,” said Garcia, noting “I thought her job was volunteering at Hopkinson.
She said Allison is currently the Friends of Hopkinson President and has served in every capacity that she can think of and is also the PTA room Rep coordinator.
“Let’s say you were such a role model for not only your three daughters, but for all the kids. I cannot thank you enough for the amount of hours and dedication that you’ve given to Hopkinson,” Garcia said.
“You are truly devoted and even when times are rough, you never stopped giving to us and please know that never goes unnoticed. You are a true hero and your contributions on our campus are just a light that we all appreciate,” she said.
“I wasn’t prepared to talk,” said Isle, “but I genuinely thank you. It is such an honor.”
“I genuinely love serving others and the school community, not just because it benefits my children but because I can see how it benefits all the children at our school,” said Isle.
“And when you have a staff and teachers like we do, it’s hard to not want to serve them and give them everything they want and desire so I’m happy that I get to be a part of that,” said Isle.
“I just want to say thank you for all the work that you you do on behalf of the Board of Education,” said Dr. Andrew Pulver, Superintendent of the LAUSD. “You are a spectacular volunteer and one of the best things that I always said I truly believe, and it’s something my parents taught me, is that the best thing we can give someone is the gift of our time and the gift of our presence,” he said.
“And the gift of your time and presence to Hopkinson and to this district is second to none. Thank you very much,” said Pulver.
“It’s an honor for you but more of an honor for us,” said LAUSD Board President Diana Hill. “Thank for for all that you do and all you provide for the students and staff at Hopkinson,” she said.
Board member Marlys Davidson said Isle deserved a “superhero cake” because of the way she gives so much to the school and the district while also being married, raising three daughters and running a business all at the same time.
“Everything you parents coordinate is phenomenal,” said Davidson, thanking Isle for her “hard work and dedication.” She said Isle’s example of volunteerism is “what makes our
The Rossmoor Community Services District has elected Director Jeffrey Rips, a nonprofit executive, to serve as Board President for 2022. Director Mark Nitikman was elected as First Vice President.
The elections occurred at the Board of Directors Jan. 11 meeting, which they had decided in an earlier special meeting to hold over Zoom rather than in person (see related story).
After a brief introductory statement citing some of the district’s accomplishments under his leadership, Board President Dr. Jeffrey Barke nominated Rips to become the board’s new president. Rips was the only nominee and was elected unanimously.
Immediately following his election, Barke said “So I will now turn over the ceremonial gavel over to our new President, Jeffrey Rips, I have no gavel to hand you but you can pretend you got one.”
“Well, thank you very much,” said Rips, I appreciate that very much.” Rips said he would continue to pursue the issues that the board has identified as priorities and he thanked Barke for his service.
As customary, Rips said to Barke, “I will virtually present the gavel to you that Mr. Mendoza has, and he will give it to you at some point in the future.”
Rips then nominated Nitikman for First Vice President and he was elected unanimously.
When it came to the election for 2nd Vice President, it was a different story. The same division that surfaced on previous issues resurfaced as the board had differing ideas on who should fill the post.
The board split 2-3 over Barke’s nomination of Tony DeMarco, with Barke and DeMarco voting for, and Rips, Nitikman and Director Searles voting against. Nitikman nominated Director Nathan Searles as 2nd Vice President, which then passed 3-2 with Rips, Nitikman and Searles voting yes, Barke and DeMarco voting against.
Before moving on, Rips took a moment to thank the board for their support and thanked outgoing President Barke for his leadership during the year.
“I just want to take a couple moments to thank you for your leadership and your guidance,” said Rips.
“Your partnership with General Manager Mendoza, your partnership with the rest of the board, and our community has led to some really, overwhelmingly positive changes for our district,” he said.
“You mentioned them [the accomplishments] in your state of the district (see related story), but really, the street sweeping is something that would not have happened with a lot of effort and energy under your guidance,” said Rips.
He also credited Barke for changes in the traffic committee and for the relationship with elected officials. “Your ability to create relationships has really helped our district,” he said.
“I think he did a great job this year,” said Director Tony DeMarco. “Thank you for all of the time. I know that it takes a lot of time and I know you’re a busy guy, so we got a lot accomplished,” he said.
“The district street sweeping by far will always be under your tenure, so keep up the good work and thank you very much for your leadership,” said DeMarco.
Director Nathan Searles said “I don’t think we could have had the relations needed to get street sweeping done with the county and local elected officials.”
“You opened those doors really well,” said Searles.
“Everybody said what I would have said so thank you for putting in a lot of work over the past year,” said Nitikman.
Following a contentious January special meeting to discuss adherence to new state health department orders in the wake of the Omicron surge, the Rossmoor Community Services District Board voted 3-2 to meet virtually until the state health department lifts its current order.
The discussion was requested by Director Nathan Searles, who asked for clarification of the district’s meeting policy in the special meeting.
RCSD President Dr. Jeffrey Barke said Searles posted an item on the Rossmoor Homeowners Association Facebook page seeking to move the board’s January 11th meeting to Zoom, because of the COVID variant Omicron’s spread and because he, Barke, had stated at their last meeting that he refused to comply with an order by the California Department of Public Health regarding the wearing of facemasks.
In the post, Searles noted RCSD President Barke had said at the last meeting that he would refuse to comply with orders requiring masks to be worn pursuant to the California Department of Public Health order, so he wanted the special meeting so that “I don’t want our [regular] meeting Tuesday to be an argument about masks.”
At the special meeting held on Zoom, Barke again made it clear he had no intention of wearing a mask if the RCSD met in-person as normal at the Rush Park Community Center.
Director Tony DeMarco asked legal counsel Tarquin Preziosi to explain the current board resolution regarding Zoom. Preziosi said, in summary, that the current resolution allows the board to meet in hybrid format, but clarifications would be required for the board to meet in Zoom only mode.
“Why are we having this special meeting again,” asked DeMarco?
Basically, said RCSD General Manager Joe Mendoza, “President Barke outlined Director Searles’ concerns, and basically we want to explore whether we go Zoom or we stay hybrid because of the issue of wearing a mask.”
“So I have rather a different perspective on this,” said Director Mark Nitikman. My view is I obviously I think COVID is, and has been, a serious threat. The Omicron variant is far more contagious, but apparently less dangerous in terms of actually putting people in the hospital.”
“That notwithstanding, we have a mask mandate in place. I personally have health issues with wearing a mask for long periods of time. Like more than 15 minutes and I find it extremely uncomfortable and borderline dangerous.”
“In my view, the current mask emergency order is illegal and unconstitutional,” said Nitikman, a lawyer. “However, I know that no court has agreed with me on that point. So, I find myself in a dilemma and I have no interest in attending a meeting for two hours wearing a mask, which I will find personally difficult,” he said.
Nevertheless, he added, “I also have no interest in flouting the law that has been, if not duly enacted, is currently the law. And I feel as a board member, that it is our duty to uphold the law.”
“As it stands now, I think that we ought to go to Zoom,” said Nitikman, saying the RCSD should not allow its critical business to be hijacked by a pandemic or mask mandate discussion.
“To Director Demarco’s question as to when will this end, well, I have a crystal ball in my office, but it’s not telling me any answers at the moment,” he said.
“It makes no sense to me,” said Barke. “It doesn’t make any sense to repeat what we did in early 2020. That didn’t work. So, for us to now say, we’re going to take the governor’s order and go one step further to mandate for the citizens of Rossmoor that they can’t attend an in person public meeting. Makes no sense to me, whatever,” said Barke.
As a physician, Barke said Omicron isn’t more contagious, but does carry a higher viral load so it has been able to out compete the Delta variant. If anybody is worried about a health hazard, said Barke, they can stay home and attend the hybrid session.
He also cited a number of medical journals that cited the ineffectiveness of masks and gave other medical justifications, but mostly said officials have a responsibility to stand up against what he termed “tyranny” of state regulations.
“I’m not a lawyer but at what point would there be a law that you think is illegal or unconstitutional, that you would be willing not to follow,” asked Barke. “Our governor is operating under emergency powers that are unconstitutional,” he said.
“I think it’s important that elected leaders in particular stand up against these types of illegal orders,” said Barke.
Nitikman asked Preziosi that if the RCSD were to have a meeting, and President Barke refused to wear a mask and someone was infected, could the district suffer any legal consequences. The legal counsel said, ‘yes’.
“I want to clarify what our attorney just told us,” said Nitikman. “Tarquin, just to clarify, are you saying that if one director refused to wear a mask at our meeting that that could subject the district to liability by the Department of Industrial Relations or other state agencies, he asked the district’s attorney?”
“Yes, it is,” said Preziosi. “It is theoretically possible.”
Director Searles, also an attorney, said it absurd to think the RCSD can follow only the laws they agree with.
“It’s important to me, and I think it should be important to each one of you, that when you pull papers to run for this office, and you took an oath when you were sworn in [to this office] it was under the state’s constitution,” said Searles.
“We don’t get to choose what laws to abide by, or not, in our service to this community,” he said.
He said that if any of the staff were to get sick because they came to a meeting and people were not wearing a mask, “that’s on us as Directors,” said Searles. “Because we are the ones who hold court for that meeting.”
“It is our duty to follow the laws as they are whether we like them or not,” said Searles. They are the laws of California and the ones we are sworn to have during our meeting. It’s not an option. That’s not local jurisdiction,” he said.
Searles suggested it was unfair to have a policy to ask someone “you follow the law and stay home versus someone who doesn’t want to follow the law and show up for the meeting. That is disrespectful and wrong,” he said.
He told Barke: “This has nothing to do with your scientific evidence or knowledge of the law.”
“If you don’t want to wear a mask Dr. Barke, you can do this at home. You said you’re not going to abide by it. And that is not giving us any reassurances that anyone who shows up is going to be asked to wear a mask,” said Searles.
“So you can’t speak for everyone because you aren’t everyone. We cannot control our guests. It’s a public forum. So if you want to control the public forum, the only way we can do so safely based on your comments is to do it on Zoom,” he said.
Preziosi advised RCSD that they only needed a motion to hold the meeting on Zoom, so Searles moved to have the Jan. 11 meeting only on Zoom as he and Barke debated the criteria to determine under what conditions they would again meet in person.
Searles, Directors Jeffrey Rips and Nitikman voted for the motion for Zoom while President Barke and Diretor Demarco voted against. It passed 3-2 and the RCSD held its Jan. 11 reorganizational meeting entirely on Zoom (see related story).
At this first meeting of the Rossmoor Community Services District in 2022, it is my pleasure to report on the State of the District for 2021.
I am very proud of our Board of Directors, staff, and community in displaying resiliency during this difficult time in our history as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. I acknowledge that this has been a stressful time and has challenged the District’s resources and operations. However, it has also provided the RCSD with an opportunity to evaluate how we can better serve the residents of this community. I am happy to report that I believe we have made significant progress in a number of areas.
First of all, the District’s financial outlook remains strong. Financial stability and transparency are a priority to the RCSD Board of Directors. We anticipate staying within the Fiscal Year 2021-2022 budget and adding approximately $100,000 to the District’s reserve account at the end of the fiscal year. The District received an unmodified audit report from our auditing firm Rogers, Anderson, Malody & Scott, with no management findings.
A major undertaking in 2021 was addressing the long-standing issue of the District’s street sweeping schedule. The RCSD Board and staff worked hard to secure community input about their complaints with the street sweeping schedule and parking restrictions that were negatively impacting many of them. As possible solutions were evaluated, the Board identified an odd/even street sweeping schedule that would alleviate the parking issues by offering alternative side of the street parking. This has not been an easy process and began with securing the support of outgoing Orange County Second District Supervisor Michelle Steel, as well as newly elected Second District Supervisor Katrina Foley. Supervisor Foley took us across the finish line to secure a resolution approved by the Orange County Board of Supervisors and Department of Public Works to change the street sweeping schedule to the first and third Mondays for odd addresses, and the first and third Tuesdays for even addresses. Funding was also provided to cover the additional cost of the new street sweeping schedule. I am proud to announce that at the December 2021 RCSD Board meeting, a contract services agreement was approved with Sunset Property Services to provide street sweeping services to Rossmoor beginning January 2022. While this is a major stride, staff continues to work with Orange County Sheriff’s, Public Works, and our vendor to focus on the day to day operations. We will make adjustments as needed. I encourage our residents to be patient and understand that there will be a learning curve with this significant change.
RCSD staff was successful in receiving a $180,000 per capita grant and has utilized portions of the grant allocation for the resurfacing of the Rush Park parking lot, upgrading the audio-visual equipment in the Rush Park Auditorium, and revitalizing the playgrounds at Rush and Rossmoor Parks, including repairs of the rubberized surfaces and play equipment. In addition, the flooring at Rossmoor Park and Montecito community centers were replaced with new luxury vinyl tile flooring. Other projects in progress include the addition of a picnic shelter at Rossmoor Park, HVAC replacement at the Rush Park administrative building, and upgrades to the Rossmoor Park ballfields. RCSD facilities and parks are heavily used by the Rossmoor community and we strive to keep them well-maintained and safe. Staff continues to work through the phases of the grant process to meet the appropriate deadlines for the funding.
Dr. Jeff Barke Courtesy photo
State of California COVID relief funds were designated to provide assistance to counties and cities. Because RCSD is a special district, we were not part of the funds being allocated from the state. However, working with the California Special District Association, RCSD staff was part of a major lobbying program that successfully directed millions of dollars towards special districts across California. Rossmoor experienced revenue losses, staffing shortages, and increased maintenance costs associated with sanitizing facilities in compliance with COVID safety guidelines. I am pleased to report that the District will receive fiscal relief funding in the amount of $48,578 from the California Department of Finance to offset the impact to our budget. Additionally, a separate grant funding application has been submitted to FEMA requesting COVID relief funding.
A major concern last year was the legislative redistricting that was underway throughout the State following the 2020 census. The Independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission was formed to use the new census data to redraw the Congressional, State Senate, State Assembly, and State Board of Equalization district boundaries. The Orange County Board of Supervisors Districts were also re-formed. The RCSD Board learned that some of the draft maps being considered would place the District with the City of Long Beach, which would place us with Los Angeles County representation. Therefore, a Special RCSD Board meeting was held on October 19, 2021 where a resolution was adopted that was used to formally express the District’s desire to remain in Assembly, State Senate, and Congressional Districts that are not shared with the City of Long Beach and instead remain in Orange County based Districts. The resolution was submitted for consideration to the Redistricting Commission. After extensive lobbying by our Board and constituents, I am pleased to announce that it appears we were successful in staying within Orange County boundaries with agencies that are connected geographically and with similar interests and/or concerns to Rossmoor.
RCSD takes pride in its urban forest. The District continues to manage over 5,000 park and parkway trees, and planted approximately 208 new trees while overseeing the trimming of over 2,000 trees. The RCSD has earned the “Tree City USA” title for the eleventh consecutive year and will be planning an Arbor Day celebration in 2022.
As President, it has been my goal to listen to constituents and facilitate excellent service to our residents. The RCSD Board has joined me in this effort. As a result of a couple of issues, RCSD Board meetings became quite well attended, especially for the public comment portion of the meetings. Although highly spirited, the Board was able to absorb the comments made and listened to what was being shared. Specifically, the local control/latent powers topic was discussed at community forums and is now being worked on by a specially formed committee of two RCSD Board members, two RHA Board members, and our General Manager to secure community input and make recommendations on how to move forward. It became apparent that the goal for all of us is to determine how to obtain the best services for Rossmoor residents and that a methodical, careful approach was warranted.
The RCSD Board and staff also collaborated with Orange County Waste and Recycling and CR&R Incorporated to roll out the new three-bin waste and recycling collection program that requires all agencies in California to provide organic waste collection services. This is another major change for the residents of the District and we are moving through the process of changing out containers with new lids to identify the proper disposal bins for items. Again, please have patience – our District staff is available to assist you with questions you may have.
The first ever bulky item clean-up event was also coordinated with CR&R and OCWR to provide residents with an avenue to rid their properties of large items. The event was held at Rush Park and was a major success. Over 250 vehicles brought approximately 17 tons of white goods, e-waste, and bulky items for collection. We look forward to the next event in Spring 2022.
Because there were very limited special events due to the pandemic in 2020, it was important to the RCSD Board to provide safe programs for our residents in 2021 as restrictions relaxed. The goal was to offer events to encourage the community to enjoy their friends and neighbors in an outdoor setting. While RCSD budgeted for smaller events, with the assistance of our generous sponsors, we were able to provide these expanded programs to the community. I would like to take a moment to thank our sponsors for being so generous to the District by offsetting the costs for these events. Second District Supervisor Foley provided a $10,000 grant, and numerous other businesses and non-profits contributed to the festivals. We appreciate their generosity.
I commend the RCSD staff for creating and providing much-needed relief to families and residents through the five Family Foodie Festivals and the Winter Festival. The programs were very successful and highly attended with approximately 3,000-4,000 participants at each event. These events featured food trucks, entertainment, games, vendor booths, and a kids zone with slides, a rock wall, and moon bounces. Each event also featured a band and dancing.
In closing, it has been a privilege to serve the Rossmoor community as President of this Board. I appreciate my colleagues on the RCSD Board and their dedication. RCSD staff continues to consistently serve and care for our residents. Our fiscal position is strong, and our community’s low crime rate and friendly, caring, residents make Rossmoor one of the best places to live in Southern California.
Marv Jempsa, the husband of the late Alice Jempsa, a former Councilwoman and Mayor of Los Alamitos, passed away this week one month short of his 96th birthday, according to former Council member Dean Grose.
Grose said “I’m sad to share this news with residents, but I was advised that, long-time resident and former World War II Veteran Marv Jempsa passed away at home, Jan. 11,” said Grose.
The late Marv Jempsa. Courtesy photo
He said Jempsa was 95 years old, about a month short of his birthday. He served in the US Navy, and was married to Alice Jempsa, long time councilwoman and Mayor, who passed away a few years earlier.
“May he be reunited with his beloved wife and have eternal rest,” said Grose.
Mr. Jempsa was a US Navy veteran involved with many programs and projects in Los Alamitos. He was also a long term-member of the Los Alamitos Rotary Club.
“Marv was a great man, and he will be missed,” said former Mayor Troy Edgar in a statement.
Shelley Hasselbrink, Mayor of Los Alamitos, said “our city lost a big part of history with the passing of Marv Jempsa. As a World War II Navy veteran and long-time resident, he embodied everything that Los Al strives to be. He was well-known in his neighborhood.”
“During his daily walks, Marv always made it a point to say, ‘Hi’ to everyone who crossed his path. His smile and sweet spirit will be missed,” she said.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has launched the historic Bridge Replacement, Rehabilitation, Preservation, Protection, and Construction Program (Bridge Formula Program), made possible by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, according to a press release issued this week.
The program, to be administered by the Federal Highway Administration, represents the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system – providing $26.5 billion to states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico over five years and $825 million for Tribal transportation facilities. The total amount that will be available to states, D.C. and Puerto Rico in Fiscal Year 2022 is $5.3 billion along with $165 million for tribes. The FHWA also published initial guidance on the new program.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is thrilled to launch this program to fix thousands of bridges across the country – the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Modernizing America’s bridges will help improve safety, support economic growth and make people’s lives better in every part of the country – in rural, suburban, city, and tribal communities.”
“This record amount of funding, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will allow states and tribal governments to fix the bridges most in need of repair,” Deputy Federal Highway Administrator Stephanie Pollack said. “It will also modernize bridges to withstand the effects of climate change and to make them safer for all users, including cyclists and pedestrians. Every state has bridges in poor condition and in need of repair, including bridges with weight restrictions that may force lengthy detours for travelers, school buses, first responders or trucks carrying freight,” she added.
California will receive $4.2 billion under the new program to address highway bridge needs. The funding will help improve the condition of about 1,536 bridges in poor condition and to preserve and improve more than 11,300 bridges in fair condition in the state.
Nationwide, the Bridge Formula Program is expected to help repair approximately 15,000 bridges. In addition to providing funds to states to replace, rehabilitate, preserve, protect, and construct highway bridges, the Bridge Formula Program has dedicated funding for Tribal transportation facility bridges as well as “off-system” bridges, locally owned facilities which are those not on the federal-aid highway system.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes an incentive for states to direct the new Bridge Formula Program funds to off-system bridges owned by a county, city, town or other local agency.?While states generally must match federal funding with up to 20 percent state or local funding, the guidance issued today notes that federal funds can be used for 100 percent of the cost of repairing or rehabilitating such locally owned off-system bridges.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a once-in-a-generation investment in infrastructure, which will grow the economy, enhance U.S. competitiveness in the world, create good jobs, and make our transportation system more sustainable and equitable. Specific to the FHWA, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides more than $350 billion over five fiscal years for surface transportation programs.
FHWA released the first tranche of Bridge Formula Program funding to states for Fiscal Year 2022 in addition to the program guidance. For a map of bridges, please see https://infobridge.fhwa.dot.gov/ and USDOT Bridge Formula Program Funding and Condition by State. Here is State-by-state BFP funding Fiscal Years 2022-2026.
Emily Hibard, a Los Alamitos resident and local businesswoman, has announced her candidacy for California State Assembly District 70. Many Californians have a hard time trusting their political leaders. Emily Hibard is a community activist on a mission to mend the relationship between citizens and politicians, so trust is restored, and power is returned to the people.
Hibard grew up in the East Los Angeles suburb of Downey, and her family has been manufacturing paper goods in Los Angeles for over seventy years. Her grandfather, a U.S. Marine, married her grandmother, a Mexican immigrant, and, together, started the family business in pursuit of the American dream.
As a member of the California Manufacturers and Technology Association (CMTA), Emily has first-hand experience dealing with the crippling regulations and outlandish high taxes associated with running a California-based business. Emily knows what is necessary for California companies to thrive and provide good jobs for everyone.
Emily has a master’s degree in Public Administration from California State University, Northridge, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Azusa Pacific University. In addition, she studied Modern Political Thought at the University of Oxford (St. Edmund Hall).
Nine years ago, Emily started a nonprofit recording studio, and teaches artists and musicians about the business side of the music industry. She is a member of the Recording Academy Los Angeles Chapter (Grammys), and participates in District Advocacy Day, the largest nationwide day of advocacy for music and its makers.
Emily is the author of three nonprofit books, she helps people start their own nonprofits, and consults with existing organizations to ensure their programs are efficient and effective.
When Emily was 23 years old, she witnessed human trafficking and sexual exploitation while backpacking in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. “I had barely graduated from college. What I saw in Southeast Asia seared my heart in a way I’ll never forget and never be able to fully explain,” she says. After returning to Los Angeles, she partnered with nonprofits, service providers and law enforcement to advocate for victims of sexual exploitation throughout Los Angeles, Orange County, and Las Vegas.
Emily has served on the Los Alamitos Cable Television Commission, the Studio City Neighborhood Council, and believes in the Constitution, freedom of opportunity, school choice, legal immigration, and parental rights. She opposes defunding the police, and the encroachment of an individual’s right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The newly drawn 70th Assembly District includes the north Orange County cities of Rossmoor, Los Alamitos, Stanton, Garden Grove, Westminster, Fountain Valley, and portions of Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Midway City, and Santa Ana.
To learn more about Emily Hibard and her campaign for Assembly, visit emilyserves.com.
Gloria Gaynor’s legendary career spans the past 50 years never losing momentum. She’s coming to the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, January 29th. Gloria will be with her ten-piece band, singing her well know hits, “Never Can Say Goodbye,” “I Am What I Am,” and her chart-topping song, “I Will Survive,” that has become a global anthem for survivors of all kinds. She’ll also be performing songs from her new GRAMMY® Award winning album, “Testimony.” For tickets and information: https://tickets.cerritoscenter.com/6711
Gloria has channeled her fame into support for several charities, donating her money, time, and talent. Never one to rest, Gloria just launched her, “I WILL SURVIVE by Gloria Gaynor,” Merch by Amazon at www.Amazon.com/GloriaGaynor featuring a wide range of inspirational and encouraging designs on t-shirts, sweatshirts and smartphone accessories. Gloria’s new line also features a series of designs specifically created to empower young women to achieve great things in their lives.
With the world facing immense tragedies and challenges in 2020 due to Covid19, Gloria helped usher in 2021 by singing her global anthem, “I Will Survive,” in New York City’s Times Square, honoring first responders and essential & frontline workers. Her performance was streamed around the world by the Times Square Alliance to a global audience of millions. As we embark upon 2022, Gloria is thrilled to be back to performing live concerts, bringing inspiration and encouragement to her audiences.
Gloria continues to write and record new music. Her recent work in Nashville with the GRAMMY Award® winning team of Christopher Stevens, Reid Shippen, Bryan Fowler, Shannon Sanders, and Drew Ramsey as well as Yolanda Adams, Bart Millard (MercyMe), Mike Farris, and Jason Crabb has delivered her new album, “TESTIMONY.” It debuted in the Top 5 of the BILLBOARD Top Gospel Albums Chart, the Top 3 on the iTunes Gospel Chart and the Top 20 on the Amazon Overall Album Chart. “TESTIMONY,” received rave reviews from Rolling Stone, Billboard, The Herald-Standard, CBS Sunday Morning, The TODAY Show and more! The album received two GRAMMY® nominations for Best Roots Gospel Album and Best Gospel Performance / Song for Gloria’s duet with Yolanda Adams on the song, “Talkin’ ‘Bout Jesus.” Gloria took home the Best Roots Gospel GRAMMY® at the 2020 Award Ceremony. Gloria also headlined the 2020 GRAMMY® Celebration.
Gloria is active on all the current social media such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok as @GloriaGaynor on all these platforms. She loves staying in touch with her fans around the world, as well as sharing music, encouragement, and inspiration. Gloria recently launched her YouTube channel that is a mix of fabulous vintage performances and new video content. The channel just reached a milestone of 150K subscribers. If you enjoy watching videos on YouTube, please be sure to visit Gloria’s official channel at bit.ly/YOUTUBEGG and click on the, “SUBSCRIBE,” button.
Don’t miss your opportunity to see this global music icon live in concert on Saturday, January 29th at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts.
The City of Cypress has announced a series of forums to discuss the potential of moving to single member districts and to “learn more about and discuss several important topics surrounding municipal elections.”
According to a message issued by Cypress Mayor Paulo Morales, “as the City Council prepares to deliberate any potential changes to the current election system, they want to hear community input and concerns to help with their decision making.”
The forums will be held in both virtual and in-person formats. We will provide an overview of current Voting Rights protections, at-large vs. district voting systems and a review of past city election results among other topics. In addition, materials will be made available online and in multiple languages to facilitate community participation.
To submit a question or comment you’d like addressed at a meeting, please email the city at cv*******@*******ca.org by 5 PM the day before the public forum for it to be included in the agenda.
For more info, visit cypressca.org/electionsystems
The Aquarium of the Pacific will again celebrate the talents and creativity of people with disabilities with a weekend of performances, art, and other programming at its 19th annual Festival of Human Abilities.
According to an AoP press release, the event celebrates the creative talents of people with disabilities. All attendees will be able to experience live performances by dancers, musicians, and artists who have learned unique adaptive skills to hone their craft.
The Aquarium will also present its Glenn McIntyre Heritage Award to a member of the community. This festival will include sign language interpreters, and the Aquarium will have visitor guides in braille and audio tours available for guests who are blind.
The event will be held Sat, Jan. 29 and Sun., Jan. 30 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Aquarium, which is located at 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach.
According to the aquarium, the cost to attend the festival is included with general admission: $36.95 per adult (ages 12+), $26.95 per child (ages 3-11), $33.95 per senior (ages 62+), and free for Aquarium members and children under age three.
The event is sponsored by MemorialCare Miller Children and Women’s Hospital and by the Long Beach downtown Courtyard by Marriott, they said.
For further info, call (562) 590-3100 or visit aquariumofpacific.org/events/info/festival_of_human_abilities/.
The nonprofit Aquarium of the Pacific is a community gathering place where diverse cultures and the arts are celebrated and where important challenges facing our planet are explored. The Aquarium is dedicated to conserving and building nature and nature’s services by building the interactions between and among peoples.
Home to more than 12,000 animals, Aquarium exhibits include Coral Reefs: Nature’s Underwater Cities, Pacific Visions, Shark Lagoon, and the June Keyes Penguin Habitat. Beyond its animal exhibits, the Aquarium offers educational programs for people of all ages, including First Wednesdays featuring guest speakers. The Aquarium offers memberships with unlimited FREE admission for 12 months and other special benefits. To make a donation to help support the Aquarium, please visit pacific.to/donate. To visit, advance reservations are required for everyone and can be made at aquariumofpacific.org or by calling (562) 590-3100. The Aquarium of the Pacific is located at 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802.
The Los Alamitos Education Foundation (LAEF) is proud to announce that the 2022 Royal Gala king honoree is Dave Appling! Last month, the LAEF Board of Directors officially selected Appling, who is a Board Member Emeritus and a Past President of LAEF. Mr. Appling will be crowned king at the LAEF Royal Gala on February 11 and will serve as the LAEF royal ambassador for the year.
LAEF’s signature fundraising event, The Royal Gala, will return this year after having to be replaced by “Fundraising February for Los Al Kids” last year due to Covid. This year, LAEF is excited to combine both events. The Royal Gala will become a celebratory component to the month-long campaign to raise money for important programs for Los Al kids. Along with the Gala, the campaign will feature an online auction where anyone in the community can participate.
Dave Appling is an important contributor to why LAEF is still in existence nearly 40 years after it was originally established. His ties to LAEF and the community are very strong and his support for Los Al kids dates back to the mid-eighties. Appling served as President of LAEF from 1995-2008 but began supporting LAEF fundraising efforts in the ’80s with a fundraising campaign to modernize and create the Performing Arts Center at Los Alamitos High School (LAHS).
He supported efforts to pass a school bond measure in 1990 to improve and maintain school facilities. In 1995, he helped launch a three-year fundraising campaign for technology improvements across the district. Under Dave’s leadership, which involved district administration and many community volunteers, the campaign raised $750,000 and was matched by the state to meet the $1.5 million goal. He took on an additional successful fundraising campaign in the mid-2000s, raising $300,000 to support technology across the LAHS campus. Appling worked with the district to keep LAEF’s 501(c)3 active until new leadership took over in 2008. He remains a LAEF Board Member Emeritus and he and his wife, Diane, are active LAEF supporters and donors.
Beyond LAEF, Appling has served as Founder and President of the LAHS Football Foundation, served on the Los Alamitos Youth Center Board and was a Director of the Rotary Interact Club at LAHS. Appling’s connection to the community runs deep as shown through being awarded the Los Alamitos Chamber’s Man of the Year in 1994 and the Cypress College Americana Award for Los Alamitos’ Citizen of the Year in 1999.
“LAEF would not be where it is today without the commitment and dedication of Dave Appling. His tireless efforts to fundraise for Los Al kids and stay engaged and connected with the community is something to celebrate. We are so excited to honor him,” said Carrie Logue, LAEF Executive Director.
All proceeds from Fundraising February for Los Al Kids and The Royal Gala will help LAEF fund the construction and interior design of a brand-new Wellness Center at Los Alamitos High School. As with the middle school Well Spaces, this area will provide a calm, comfortable space for students to reset and get support from counselors. Mark your calendars for Friday, February 11, 2022, and join LAEF as it honors Dave Appling and raises funds for Los Al Kids. For more information and to purchase tickets to the event, please visit www.LAEF4Kids.org/fundfeb.
LAEF is the non-profit partner of Los Alamitos Unified School District. LAEF enhances educational excellence by providing after-school and summer enrichment programs to children in grades Pre-K to 12. LAEF provides significant funding for mental health/wellness and STEAM teachers and instruction, as well as igniting new programs and providing valuable resources, to impact all students. For additional information on LAEF, please call (562) 799-4700 Extension 80424 or visit www.LAEF4Kids.org.
Public schools across Southern California are back open after winter break amid a surge in Covid-19 cases fueled by the latest coronavirus variant Omicron.
For some school districts, it’s been a bumpy start to 2022 due to staff being infected with Covid-19 or in quarantine due to an exposure.
Long Beach Unified started classes last week. This past Monday, nearly 500 teachers missed school, according to the Long Beach Post. A shortage of substitutes to fill in for sick staff has made things harder.
Despite the challenges, state and local leaders are committed to keeping schools open for in-person instruction.
“It is our goal to keep our students on campus learning in classrooms because we believe our campuses are safe, caring, learning environments for children,” Los Alamitos Unified School District board member Marlys Davidson wrote in a text message to Spotlight Schools.
This week, Los Al USD’s nine campuses across Los Alamitos, Seal Beach and Rossmoor are opening back up after winter break. Students at the district’s six elementary schools started back on Jan. 10. The two middle schools and Los Alamitos High School welcomed students back on Jan. 11.
In a phone interview on Monday, Los Al USD Superintendent Dr. Andrew Pulver said there were no major staffing issues with elementary campuses.
“Teacher absences for the first day back [from break] were relatively normal,” Dr. Pulver said. He said about 10 elementary school teachers were out and it wasn’t known if the absences were all related to Covid-19. As for student attendance, he said it was around 89% which is down from the regular daily average of around 95%.
Asked how the district is preparing for future potential staffing shortages, Dr. Pulver said: “It’s all hands on deck.”
“When there are shortages, administration, counselors and the Cabinet have and will continue to cover classes. I have volunteered to do so as well,” said board trustee Davidson, who taught middle school for years in the district.
Davidson noted that the board recently increased the daily pay for substitute teachers to between $155 and $185 to help attract more applicants.
It isn’t just teachers that may miss work. Dr. Pulver said he visited Los Alamitos Elementary yesterday because the principal was out and the Superintendent ended up helping with lunch duty.
There are currently 114 reported infections among staff and students districtwide, according to a Jan. 10 update on Los Al USD’s Covid-19 Dashboard. This only reflects current infections that are voluntarily reported to schools. Thirty-one of the reported infections are among staff.
District Distributed Roughly 4,000 test kits to families before school started
In addition to staffing challenges, families have struggled to find Covid-19 tests. Adding to the frustration was the delay of delivering rapid antigen home tests promised by Gov. Gavin Newsom for every public school student in the state. The goal was to test students before they returned to classrooms from the holidays to minimize on-campus transmission.
But the tests arrived last week after school had already started at many Orange County campuses. And the state’s first shipment of tests was less than half of what is needed to cover all public school students in the county.
A spokeswoman for the Governor’s office told the Los Angeles Times the delays were due to storms and supply chain shortages.
Another shipment of more than 256,000 rapid tests arrived Tuesday morning at the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE). That shipment represents the rest of what was promised by the state to cover all students in OC, according to Ian Hanigan, Chief Communications Officer for OCDE.
Some school districts provided their own tests to staff and students prior to the break and others, including Los Angeles Unified, are requiring a negative test to return to campus.
For the Los Alamitos USD, starting classes a week later than other districts meant more time to hand out the tests from the state.
During a drive-thru distribution on Friday, around 4,000 of the home antigen test kits were handed out to district families and leftovers were taken to school sites, Dr. Pulver said.
While there is no requirement for students to get tested, Dr. Pulver said he knew families were using the tests to screen students prior to school starting. “I know a lot of our parents took that seriously,” he said.
He said the rapid tests Los Al USD received from the state have an expiration date of Feb. 2022. The tests that arrived this week from the California Dept. of Public Health have a use-by date of June 2022, according to Hanigan from OCDE.
Dr. Pulver said the rapid tests will be prioritized for symptomatic students or staff, or people who need to test out of isolation or quarantine to return to campus per Orange County Health Care Agency guidelines.
Campus Safety Protocols
School officials continue to remind families how they can help reduce on-campus transmission. Students and staff are asked to wear well-fitting masks, vaccination and booster shots are encouraged, and anyone with symptoms is advised to stay home.
In an email to staff, LAHS Principal Christiana Kraus outlined some other safety measures on her campus including staggering student dismissal times from classes in the 700 Building to minimize hallway crowding; advising teachers to keep doors open for increased ventilation and reminding teachers to make sure students are wearing masks when they enter classrooms.
Concerns over safety protocols almost triggered a strike by Los Alamitos High School teachers during the start of the 2020-21 school year.
For families feeling uncomfortable sending students on campus, the options are limited as California no longer provides funding for remote learning.
“At this point, online programs will be orchestrated through the county should parents decide to have their children stay at home,” Davidson said. The district has partnered with the Orange County Dept. of Education for an independent study option.
Dr. Pulver said he saw a lot of happy students at L.A.E yesterday. “They were so joyful and excited to be back at school,” he said.
Davidson noted that the pandemic is constantly changing.
“This is an ever evolving, complex situation with no clear end in sight. We will continue to be as proactive as possible with each and every aspect because our children, families, staff, and community deserve the best we can provide for them,” she said.
For more local education news, subscribe to the Spotlight Schools weekly e-mail newsletter at SpotlightSchools.com.
After eight closed sessions, the Cypress City Council hastily called a public meeting two days after Christmas to hire a consultant and reveal their strategy to stave off a voting district lawsuit.
Although served with a demand letter months ago regarding a potential violation of the California Voting Rights Act (CRVA), the city waited until two days after Christmas to hastily call a public meeting to discuss a series of forums called to discuss the issue.
Council member Frances Marquez questioned the wisdom and legality of the meeting, saying the Facebook notification was posted just before the public meeting, held last Monday, Dec. 27.
Although city officials acknowledged posting a notice to Facebook only shortly before the public meeting began, city attorney Fred Galante said the meeting notice was properly placed on the website so the meeting was legal.
“There are no Brown Act violations with this meeting,” said Galante.
Further, Galante suggested that the city is not in violation of the California Voting Rights Act, at least as far as their investigation to date is concerned.
“The one thing I would clarify,” said Galante, is we have yet to find any evidence that the city of Cypress is violating the law. Any further discussion is a closed session issue,” he said.
City manager Peter Grant introduced Arianna Barrios, the CEO of the Communications Lab, who the city has selected to roll out an information campaign to the community. In addition, he acknowledged for the first time during this meeting that the city had hired a demographer to study the city’s makeup.
Grant said hard costs are currently estimated to be $40,000 out of pocket for a series of planned outreach meetings and presentations, which he says does not including the soft costs provided by city officials to facilitate three upcoming public meetings.
Council member Jon Peat.
The Communications Lab CEO will be paid $200 hour, according to a schedule of costs that also suggests interns on the project will be paid $75 per hr. as the city rolled out the redistricting outreach strategy for the upcoming series of meetings.
“That seems like a lot of money for an intern,” said Marquez.
The firm will prepare a detailed presentation to educate voters about the city’s election system so they can better understand both the current at-large system and potential single member districts, the council was told.
Moreover, the firm will prepare the presentations in three languages, including English, Spanish and Korean.
Grant asked the Council for continued input on the presentation and asked that all changes they suggested be sent to him by a specific date to be included in the Communications Lab final presentation.
According to the group’s schedule, the first redistricting public meeting is scheduled on Zoom for January 19.
The Council voted 4-1 to move forward with the Communications Lab, with Marquez voting against. Mayor Pro-tem Anne Hertz and council member Scott Minikus questioned Marquez’ opposition and Hertz asked why she voted no.
“Your ‘no’ vote caught me by surprise,” said Hertz, asking why Marquez did not speak out after the motion and a second.
“You know, I just want to say that this is what people despise about elected officials,” said Marquez, “making decisions when the community has not been made aware of a meeting. We have a fiduciary responsibility to spend the money of taxpayers in Cypress responsibly.”
Marquez complained about what she perceives as the city’s overall lack of transparency and meetings scheduled when few people can attend.
In addition, she and others expressed concern about multiple errors in a proposed Communications Lab presentation that Barrios said would be sent to Cypress citizens, even though Marquez said she assumed it would be cleaned up before being mailed to the public.
“We’re paying thousands of dollars for information and I’m hoping that it’ll be correct in the future,” she said.
Galante pointed out two potentially misleading legal assumptions in the presentation and suggested they be changed.
Barrios said the PowerPoint being shown was only a draft and of course would be fact-checked before being distributed or presented to citizens.
Barrios said her firm will educate Cypress residents on the advantages of both single member districting and at-large districts. “We want them to understand what is going on,” said Barrios.
Malibu attorney Kevin Shenkman notified the city in September of 2020 that their at-large voting system, as currently utilized, is a violation of state law. This means all five council seats are elected from a pool of “at-large” candidates, meaning anyone who lives within the city limits who qualifies for office can run, rather than having residents of regions of the city elect single officials to represent each specific region.
Shenkman has since said that if the city does not have single member maps ready by July 1, the city would be sued.
Barrios said opposing any redistricting lawsuit has been extremely expensive for other cities who have chosen to legally fight districting. Some have paid settlements near nearing $10 million.
Following Shenkman’s notification, the city has consistently met in closed session to discuss the issue, while Galante has been in direct communication with Shenkman, the Malibu attorney confirmed.
The after-Christmas meeting, which was recorded on audio tape, not video, and posted nearly a week later, was among the first public meetings to discuss the matter, although the Council has now set three forums, one in January and two in February at which Barrios will facilitate a discussion about the situation with residents.
Before the council reorganization in December, Mayor Paulo Morales was appointed by former Mayor Jon Peat to serve alongside him as the only other member of an an ad-hoc subcommittee on redistricting.
Peat then denied a request by Marquez to be appointed to the ad-hoc subcommittee despite the fact that Marquez said she has participated in redistricting work on Capitol Hill and has a related doctorate degree.
The former Mayor cited the fact that Marquez, serving her first term, might be a candidate for re-election in the next election, and thus bias her thinking, so he refused to appoint anyone but himself and Morales.
“Mayor Pete told me that I would not be able to serve on the committee since I would face another election. He said the collective experience of he and Mayor Morales would serve the committee well.”
Marquez, at this special Monday meeting, suggested it was perhaps Peat with a conflict of interest.
“However, Mayor Peat failed to mention that he had a foot in the game as his wife, Bonnie Peat, will run for city council this coming year,” said Marquez. “Therefore, the [redistricting] ad hoc committee has a bias and, in my eyes, this process is unfair.”
Bonnie Peat is currently the President of the Cypress School District Board of Trustees.
The ENE has reached out to Mrs. Peat for a comment.
In the meeting, Mr. Peat did not respond to Marquez’s assertion.
Marquez said she was not able to able to make the reorganization meeting in December because of a fall she sustained in her home. She was upset that at that meeting, the Council discussed redistricting and the newly elected Mayor removed her as the principal delegate to the city on the Orange County Fire Authority.
Even if Monday’s meeting was technically legal, said Marquez, sending out documents on Christmas Eve for this special meeting was questionable.
“This seems like an ambush,” said Minikus, who suggested Marquez should have “said something earlier.”
“I understand your concerns,” Morales told Marquez, “But I [also] understand we’re on a deadline.”
Morales then repeated Galante’s comments in saying “there is nothing here that says there is a [CRVA] violation. “It [the claim there is a violation] is something,” said the mayor, “that we are responding to in service to the city.”
Rick Foster, candidate for Orange County Assessor and long-time resident of Seal Beach, was appointed to the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) Government Affairs & Public Policy Committee.
With this appointment, Foster hopes to continue his advocacy for workers rights and to promote local film production. “I look forward to being a part of the committee to not only support safe working conditions on film sets, but to also promote more union film jobs in California and bring more to productions to Orange County,” said Foster.
SAG-AFTRA’s Government Affairs & Public Policy Department develops and manages strategies to inform and influence public policy at city, state, federal and international levels. SAG-AFTRA also works with the AFL-CIO, sister unions, and other organizations to protect and expand the rights of members under local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
“I couldn’t be prouder to be appointed to this position and I pledge to focus on keeping performers safe while at work and strengthening on-set workplace protections,” added Foster.
Foster supports fair contracts for performers and has been a member of SAG-AFTRA for the past 40 years.
First of all, I want to commend the Los Alamitos City Council for obtaining a much better trash services agreement by going out to bid compared to the deal the Cypress City Council negotiated with the current trash services provider, Valley Vista.
Unless 50% plus parcels in Cypress send in a written protest to the Cypress City Clerk by 5 PM on January 24, Cypress residents will experience a 32% increase in their rate paying $21.43 per month compared to Los Alamitos residents paying $13.90 per month. Cypress residents can also expect an additional increase in April based on the consumer price index.
With the new Los Alamitos agreement, residents will also get 4 bulky item pick-ups a year and they allow 4 items with each pick-up and a quarterly Household Hazardous pick up. This is compared to Cypress residents getting 2 bulky item pick-ups a year with one item equaling one pick-up.
George Pardon
If you don’t think Cypress residents are getting an optimal deal, the only option at this point is to send a protest letter to the Cypress City Clerk. At a minimum, the letter must include the following information: a) address or assessor parcel numbers of the property subject to the proposed rate increases, b) the name of the owner of the property (or tenant if applicable) and whether the protester is an owner or tenant of the property, c) a statement that the party is protesting the rate increases, and d) the protester’s signature. Only one protest per parcel will be counted. The letter needs to be addressed to City Clerk, Cypress City Hall, 5275 Orange Avenue, Cypress, California 90630.
If the proposed changes to the agreement with Valley Vista are approved, the agreement will be extended until 2037. To extend this contract from the original 10 year term to a 22 year term without another bid process seems far in excess of the original intent especially given the concessions that have already been given to Valley Vista in previous contract revisions.
Given the significant value the Los Alamitos City Council has recently achieved for their residents through a bid process, it seems that it would be in the best interest of Cypress residents to bid this contract allowing the current contract to end at its current term ending in 2027 which already includes the 2 year extension previously granted to Valley Vista.
Residents need to protest this increase to avoid the proposed changes to the agreement.
Emails were sent to the City Council and the City Manager on December 16 and 30 and again on January 4. The emails were sent asking if I was missing something in my read of the Los Alamitos agreement because I didn’t want to spread misinformation. I also stated that unless I hear something to the contrary, I will presume my assessment is correct when I distribute the information to the residents.
The response I received from the City Manager was that my assessment of the Cypress and Los Alamitos refuse franchises is so careless that it detracts from public discourse. The fact that I received a response from any of my emails to the city was a surprise although the response received didn’t provide clarity.
If anyone has reviewed the agreements and can justify why Cypress should commit to Valley Vista for another 15 years without going to bid, I would love to hear from you at ge**********@***il.com.
George Pardon
Citizens for Responsible Development
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach this week to meet with port and local leaders and to see the work that is underway to ease congestion and bottlenecks in our supply chain.
According to a U.S. Department of Transportation press release, the Biden-Harris Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force has been working hand in hand with both ports to address supply chain challenges, including proposing fines on ocean carriers, which has helped reduce long dwelling containers at the ports by 40 percent.
Recently Buttigieg announced USDOT grants totaling more than $241 million in discretionary grant funding for 25 projects to improve port facilities in 19 states and one territory through the Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP).
According to the release, the infrastructure grants demonstrate rapid action on commitments in the Biden-Harris Port Action Plan, which will strengthen our supply chains to meet demand resulting from the rapid economic recovery over the past year and help address inflationary pressures.
“U.S. maritime ports play a critical role in our supply chains,” said Buttigieg. “These investments in our nation’s ports will help support American jobs, efficient and resilient operations, and faster delivery of goods to the American people.”
The PIDP is in its third year and has already awarded $492 million for 32 projects of regional and national economic significance within its first two years. The program supports efforts by ports and industry stakeholders to improve facility and freight infrastructure to ensure the Nation’s freight transportation needs, present and future, are met. It provides planning and capital financing and project management assistance to improve ports’ capacity and efficiency.
The projects that were awarded grants include coastal seaports, Great Lakes ports, and inland river ports. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 PIDP includes priorities related to job creation, climate change, and environmental justice impacts.
“These investments will support the shift to cleaner transportation, which will create more economic activity and good paying jobs,” said the Acting Maritime Administrator Lucinda Lessley. “The Port Infrastructure Development Program is an important part of building back better for our ports, our communities, our economy, and our people.”
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will rebuild America’s roads, bridges, and rails; upgrade and expand public transit; modernize the Nation’s ports and airports; improve safety; tackle the climate crisis; advance environmental justice; and invest in communities that have too often been left behind. It will drive the creation of good-paying union jobs and grow the economy sustainably and equitably so that everyone gets ahead for decades to come.
Going forward, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will provide $450 million annually in funding for the PIDP program for fiscal years 2022 through 2026, or a total of $2.25 billion. This is roughly the same amount of federal funding provided to ports under DOT-administered grant programs since the DOT began providing funding to ports in 2009.
Ports provide high quality union jobs for Americans and are key to a nation that heavily relies on its maritime services. By providing the funding to support the improvement of this critical infrastructure, MARAD and the Department are ensuring these services will succeed during the Nation’s ongoing economic recovery.
All PIDP grant award recipients must apply, comply with, and implement all provisions of the Buy American Act, the USDOT said.
The Long Beach port grant includes America’s Green Gateway Phase 1: Pier B Early Rail Enhancements Project (awarded: $52,300,000).
The project includes a new locomotive facility, extension of the east rail yard, and extension of the west rail yard. The project will add a 10,000-foot support track within a critical supply chain corridor, construct a new support facility for 24 locomotives, add three new yard tracks, and extend five existing tracks to increase operational efficiency for port cargo and enhance safety for rail workers.
“The best times to show true love are when it isn’t easy and it requires personal sacrifice.” (Unknown)
“Love means that you care for another person’s happiness more than your own – no matter how painful the choices you face might be.”
(Nicholas Sparks)
I begin my review of SWAN SONG with quotations on love as Benjamin Cleary’s film is a sci-fi love story about a man’s ultimate sacrifice – that of turning over his body and soul to a brand new, healthier version of himself. The story begins with a flashback on a commuter train where Mahershala Ali’s character of Cameron Turner is sitting across from a very beautiful young woman named Poppy, played by Naomie Harris.
Photo Courtesy of Apple TV Mahershala Ali is dying patient Cameron Turner in Benjamin Cleary’s SWAN SONG – a futuristic love story.
There is a chocolate candy bar resting on the table between them, which Cameron thinks is his, and each of them takes turns breaking off a tiny piece at a time. Poppy disembarks at her stop and Cameron discovers his own candy bar and is embarrassed that he was nibbling at hers. Now married to Poppy, the action cuts to the interior of Cameron’s bathroom where he faints – one of many seizures that will eventually claim his life and ultimately sets him on a quest to spare his family from a tragic loss.
Our protagonist has heard about this facility called Arrah House set deep in the woods where patients live out their final days. Administered by Dr. Eve Scott, quietly, but effectively played by Glenn Close, she and her colleagues have devised a method of creating a perfect replicant or clone who will have complete conscious and unconscious memories transferred to its brain from the dying person.
His counterpart is named Jack and the only distinguishing difference is Cameron has a small dark spot on one of his palms. The caveat is the wife or family cannot know about the new, healthy version as that would negate the procedure. Cameron is conflicted but knows he cannot tell his wife that he is dying. To help him with his decision to proceed, Dr. Scott introduces him to Kate, nicely characterized by Awkwafina, who is in the final stages of her life.
They have long discussions overlooking the water in this wooded bucolic setting. His seizures continue and eventually, Cameron meets Jack and they talk, and through the magic of filmmaking, we see them together discussing “their” lives. His replicant knows everything about Cameron’s life with his wife including her depression for the last year over the motorcycle death of her twin brother Rafa (Lee Shorten). He knows that she is pregnant and that she speaks French and uses music to teach children with learning disabilities.
The two men continue to bond, sharing meals together but our dying character is not quite ready to say goodbye to his family and wants to visit them one more time to help him put closure on the inevitable. As he approaches his home, another seizure incapacitates him and he is quickly returned to the center by a waiting driverless car. Dr. Scott thinks he’s ready for the final transfer, but her technician Dalton (Adam Beach) disagrees so they compromise with a two-week trial period.
Jack goes to “his” home and there is no suspicion from either his son Cory (Dax Rey) or his wife that he is not Cameron. The only one who doesn’t accept him is their dog “Pig” who barks and runs away. In the meantime, Poppy was unhappy that he was away so much on “business trips” professing how much she loves him and that “I couldn’t live without you.” There is a tearful farewell and back at the clinic, in a symbolic gesture, Cameron gives Jack his wedding ring who will now officially take the dying man’s place with his family.
Of course, there are moral and ethical questions regarding such a procedure, but first-time film director Cleary leaves that judgment up to the audience. He skillfully walks the tight rope of avoiding the slippery slope of melodrama that could have morphed into an overly saccharine family drama. Instead, he presents us with a quintessential love story of sacrificing oneself for the good of the other.
Under his direction, he elicited a tour-de-force performance from Mahershala Ali who mined the subtleties of his character while Naomie Harris’ performance as Cameron’s wife is equally well executed. Close’s performance as the good doctor delivers an understated characterization and in an almost soft whisper, reminds the conflicted Cameron, “You are dying.”
Technically, director of photography Masanobu Takayanagi’s camera moves us slowly through the action with Nathan Nugent’s editing sharply focusing the story. Production Designer Annie Beauchamp is responsible for the overall look of the film, Visual Effects supervisor Ajoy Mani provides the fascinating futuristic components, with Jay Wadley’s music underscoring the ongoing action.
“SWAN SONG”
Distributor: Apple +
Release Date: Current
Where: In Select Theatres & Apple TV
Genre: Sci-Fi Family Drama
Running Time: 114 Minutes
Rating: R
