The City of Los Alamitos Recreation and Community Services Department offers a Fall Camp for ages 5 – 12! Fall Day Camp will occur November 25-27, and 29. Regular hours 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and extended hours 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. options are available! Participants will enjoy organized indoor and outdoor games, fall-themed crafts, and activities. Morning and afternoon snacks are provided.
Register your 5-12-year-old today at https://losalrecreation.myrec.com or at the Los Alamitos Community Center (10911 Oak Street, Los Alamitos). Join MyRec Rewards, sponsored by MemorialCare Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital Long Beach, for 5% off your registration. Scholarships are also available for eligible Los Alamitos residents. Please visit cityoflosalamitos.org/recreation to apply!
Quietly and without fanfare, Los Alamitos girls basketball coach Maya De Anda reached the 100-win career milestone in this year’s first league game, a 28-20 defensive victory over Corona del Mar on January 6, before the Griffins subsequently finished the season with a 20-8 overall record, an 11-1 league record, and a fourth consecutive Sunset Conference league title.
“Honestly, I didn’t know that I had 100 wins,” said De Anda. “During league, I try to stay focused on the next game, but it’s pretty cool to look back at what we accomplished.”
By the end of the season, De Anda’s seventh at Los Alamitos, her career record stood at 110-70. However, when she first arrived, victories were hard to come by.
“Los Al had a successful basketball program before I got here,” De Anda said, “but in my first year here, before I even started coaching, the team’s best players either graduated, transferred, or stopped playing. The girls played hard, but that first year we were only 5-20.”
The Griffins soon started winning, and in De Anda’s fourth season, 2022-23, Los Alamitos won the first of four league titles, which included three seasons of 20 or more victories and one season with 19 wins. Her overall record during that time is 83-33, a 72 percent winning ratio.
Her record for league games in that span is even better, 31-5, an 86 percent winning ratio.
Before coaching the Griffins, De Anda was an assistant coach for two years (2017-2019) at Vanguard University, her alma mater. She also was an assistant coach for one season at Pacifica Christian High School in Newport Beach.
After coaching the Griffins to a second straight league title in 2024, De Anda was chosen that spring to be the All-Star Coach for the North Team in the 57th annual North vs. South 12th-Grade-All-Star game.
De Anda says she was fortunate to play for outstanding coaches in high school and college and she says those experiences prepared her to be a head coach.
“As a point guard, I had to know all the plays for every position,” De Anda said, “so I learned a lot from two great coaches.” De Anda played at Huntington Beach High for veteran coach Russ McClurg, who has over 530 career wins, three Runner Up CIF finishes, a Division-4 CIF championship (in 1999, when he coached Calvary Chapel), and seven Sunset Conference league championships.
At Vanguard University, De Anda played for NAIA Hall-of-Fame coach Russ Davis, who has over 700 victories, five Final Four NAIA finishes, an NAIA National Championship, and 13 Golden State Athletic Conference championships.
As a player in high school, De Anda earned three first-team-all-league awards and two All-CIF awards. As a senior, she also won her school’s Marine Corp Distinguished Athlete Award for averaging 13.5 points per game and helping the Oilers (26-6) win the Sunset League championship and make it to the CIF Southern Section Division 1A championship game. Besides playing point guard, the 5’9” De Anda also played shooting guard and at times played at all five positions.
At Vanguard, she was a three-year starter and played point guard, shooting guard, and small forward while leading the team in three-point shooting each year. As a senior, she was the team’s second leading scorer, averaging about 10 points a game and hitting 66 threes as the Lions went 30-4, won the Golden State Athletic Conference championship, and made it to the Final Four at the NAIA National Tournament.
De Anda said, “I tell my players that if we can play together, play smart, and give our best effort, we can be happy with the results.”
The Los Alamitos High boys soccer team will play for a CIF State Championship on Saturday in Sacramento, after defeating Bishop Amat, 2-1, on Saturday in the CIF Division 3 semifinals.
The Griffins have been on a magical run since the end of the regular season. They reached the finals of the CIF-SS Division 3 and were awarded the championship on forfeit, after their opponent, Calabasas discovered they had used an ineligible player. The Griffins were awarded the section title and Runner Up was vacated.
Los Alamitos then received a first-round win on forfeit when Bonita Vista had also discovered they had used an ineligible player. But the Griffins had found their stride towards the end of the season and had been on a roll in the playoffs. They posted three straight shutouts in the playoffs, before holding off Godinez, 3-2, in the CIF-SS semifinals.
“We have some kids that listen, they follow instructions, and defensively, we’re pretty solid,” Head Coach Donovan Martinez said. In their two CIF State playoff games, the Griffins defeated Mt. Carmel, 2-0, and Bishop Amat, 2-1. The roller coaster ride actually started at the beginning of the season, when Head Coach Donovan Martinez learned that 13 of his expected top players had made MLSNext development teams. This made them ineligible for high school competition.
This meant that the younger players who would have been depth players, were moved up into starting roles. The young team struggled to find the right fit for the new lineups.
Junior Aiden Phan tries to control a deep clearing kick. Photo by Ted Apodaca
“So, it took us a long time to kind of sort it out and get some players used to the physicality, because they’re all new players to varsity, so it took us a while to really figure it out,” Head Coach Donovan Martinez said.
But down the stretch, they won two of their final three games to finish tied for fourth place in the Sunset League. They needed a play-in game for the final playoff spot and held off Huntington Beach, 3-2, just to get into the playoffs.
Senior Ethan Phung scored the game-winner in the playoff game and in five playoff games, he had scored five goals, including one in the semifinal win over Mt. Carmel. The Griffins will play Watsonville High for the State Championship at 3 p.m. at Natomas High in Sacramento.
If you’re a fan of the arts, musical theatre or symphonies, you already know the Segerstrom Center for the Arts is one of the premier artistic venues in Orange County and, in fact, in the Western United States.
But don’t be surprised if you see a television camera capturing scenes before or after performances or an artist performing a major hit outside among the ticket holders at some point in the future as the center keeps pace with trends of the street.
These are some of the innovations being considered by Casey Reitz, President and CEO of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, who has just announced a blockbuster Broadway season while tracking the industry’s hot topics.
The anniversary season for the Segerstrom will be legendary, he said, offering a bit of entertainment for everyone.
Casey Reitz, President and CEO of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Courtesy photo
“I am thrilled to share this sensational Broadway lineup with our community. This season is especially meaningful as we celebrate 40 years of presenting Broadway in Orange County, something we’ve proudly done since our very first season. The 2026–2027 lineup is a true celebration of Broadway at its very best, bringing remarkable productions directly from New York to our stage. These stories continue to uplift, inspire, and transform us, and I cannot wait to welcome both new and returning audiences to another unforgettable season at Segerstrom Center for the Arts,” he said.
Kicking off the season with a tale as old as time is Beauty and The Beast, Disney’s first North American touring production of the beloved musical in over 25 years, with members of the original creative team reuniting to bring this enchanting and timeless tale to life. Based on S.E. Hinton’s acclaimed novel, the rumble-ready Tony Award®-winning Best Musical, The Outsiders, brings the story of brotherhood and resilience to life in a powerful new way.
Grabbing the reins just before COVID, Reitz has been busy stabilizing the business as the county is finally managing escape velocity from those paralyzing years. And during an interview with ENE, Reitz made it clear that, going forward, he is keeping it fresh and innovative.
“We try to provide a variety of things that are new,” he said, “what’s fresh from Broadway, what’s right now hitting Broadway. And I think we’ve done that with shows like ‘The Outsiders,’ it’s going gangbusters, won ‘Best Musical,’ and then another like ‘Maybe Happy Ending.’”
“It’s a bit quirky about two robots who’ve fallen in love,” said Reitz, “but I think it’s just innovative and charming and sweet and funny as anything I’ve seen on Broadway in a long time.”
Also, said Reitz, the musical is a peek into the next wave of techno-infused musicals “and what they’re going to look like.”
Reitz knows for the Center to stay relevant, he faces the task of keeping multiple generations of theatre goers happy at the same time, so he’s bringing back timeless favorites like “Beauty and the Beast” while also booking the techno-infused hits.
“Beauty and the Beast hasn’t toured in 25 years so to get that back is really wonderful,” he said. “And you know, the shows that people kind of grew up with, they want to revisit, like Jersey Boys, Book of Mormon, etc.”
The old stuff mixed in with the new stuff is always a good, he said. And when you mix in musical premieres, that makes the next Broadway schedule awesome.
“This year, we have a lot of premieres, and in large part, it is a year of new stuff,” said Reitz. “I mean, this is the first time we’re getting “The Outsiders,” “Water for Elephants,” “Buena Vista [Social Club],” “Great Gatsby,” and others that will arrive at Segerstrom as they depart Broadway and tour the country.
“It tends to take a year or 18 months after a show has its premiere on Broadway to get onto the road,” he said, and in that time, you’ve had time to check out The Tony Awards to see “what you have and haven’t won.”
In addition, Reitz said another challenge is the cost of funding a touring Broadway show has roughly doubled since COVID, with an average production now costing approximately $25 million. Moreover, the expanding production costs causes casualties as well, he said, expressing disappointment that they were not able to schedule “Almost Famous” and “Queens of Versailles” because of their financial difficulties.
“We were hopeful for those two, but COVID certainly affected what was going to make it on the road. Some shows just came and went,” he said.
“It’s been a much more challenging economic time on Broadway,” said Reitz, but even so, he monitors Broadway, London’s West End and other entertainment hubs to keep SoCal audiences served with top entertainment.
Accordingly, Reitz said the Segerstrom has put together an outstanding Broadway lineup for the coming year and is also looking at “immersive” and other new age type productions for the future.
Reitz said he visited one such production in New York where producers reinvented an abandoned building and built out with modern technology a totally immersive production of “Phantom of the Opera.”
He said there is a similar building in London dedicated to an immersive “Guys and Dolls” production.
“We don’t have the room to do that here but there are things we can do,” he said. Already, he said digital technologies are, in some cases, replacing large, bulky set pieces in major musical theatre productions.
“And you know, that’s why you’re starting to see shows on Broadway, start to film people doing things outside. You know, what can you do that’s different from what people have seen? And we’ve done a little bit of that with the camera going backstage, the camera going outside, with a with a dance piece we did a couple years ago,” he said.
“So that’s the other thing is, you know, maybe you start to follow the artists away from the stage itself. I mean, in London, they just did an ‘Evita’ where [the title character actor] was performing, ‘Don’t cry for me, Argentina,’ to the people on the street, not the people in the theater. And that never had been done before, or really not in that scale,” he said.
“So, people are playing with form a lot more, and I think that’s what you’re going to start to see, is just those unique tweaks to things to make people feel, ‘Oh, this is a new experience for me than what I’ve had before,’” said Reitz.
The Segerstrom CEO said that’s why he’s so happy with the extremely variety of emotion and storytelling wrapped around next year’s Broadway lineup even as he looks for ways to enhance the “experiential” realm of the Segerstrom.
Reitz saved the best for last, then a laugh in the upcoming 40th season lineup.
“Maybe Happy Ending, the reigning Tony Award® Best Musical winner, tells the deeply human story of a chance encounter that sparks connection, adventure, and maybe even love. It’s the totally original new musical adventure that explores what it means to be human. Even if they are not,” said Reitz.
Then the pinnacle season ends with the outrageous humor, jaw-dropping visuals, and immortal ambition of the drop-dead entertaining musical comedy Death Becomes Her.
“You just never know,” said Reitz. “From rock and roll to water for elephants, we have an amazing Broadway lineup for next season that should touch the hearts of just about everyone along the way.”
Subscriptions for the 2026-2027 Broadway Season are available now. Packages are available in the full 10-show Mega Broadway Season, the 7-Show Broadway Season, or the 3-Show Curtain Call Season option. Tickets for individual performances will go on sale at a later date. Visit the Center’s website www.scfta.org for more information. For Group sales call (714) 755-0236.
And along with the Broadway talent inside the Segerstrom, don’t be surprised to see entertainment vignettes soon blossoming all across the complex, as Reitz keeps his eyes open, and his mind focused on what’s next in the rapidly evolving entertainment ecosystem.
###
Broadway on the Segerstrom stage for the 2026-27 season.
Apparently, even the Cypress Board of Trustees was among those caught off guard when Cypress School District Anne Silavs announced via email late on Friday that she will retire at the end of this school year.
“After 35 years in public education, including 11 years serving as Superintendent of the Cypress School District, Supt. Anne Silavs has announced her retirement, effective July 1, 2026,” said the Superintendent in a statement distributed by the district.
Suffice it to say that the District Administration and its Board of Trustees are having some animated discussions of late, prompted by the staff’s overspending of approximately $3.5 million in the current fiscal year.
Just last week, in a special meeting, the board demanded an accounting of the so-called “Fund 40,” a special ledger that apparently documents the district’s substantial income from non-traditional sources such as apartment income and private school leases.
Subtly, during one of the sharper discussions in their regular board meeting that preceded the special meeting, Silavs hinted at her thoughts during the debate over officials qualified to be placed on the list for layoffs, reductions, etc.
“You’re going to need a superintendent,” she told the board during one of the discussions, “whether it’s me or somebody else, you’re going to need one,” said Silavs, and left it at that.
Silavs will depart at the end of the school year. Courtesy photo
Two weeks later, she announced her resignation.
Even the board, apparently, the Trustee Board President was caught off guard by their Superintendent’s surprise announcement.
“While the Cypress School District Board of Trustees was aware of Superintendent Silavs’ plans to retire in the near future, the public announcement was made without our prior knowledge,” said Trustee Board President Lydia Sondhi, Ph.D.
“On behalf of the Board, we extend our best wishes to her and remain committed to collaboratively working together to manage the next steps effectively,” she said in a brief statement.
According to the District, Silavs joined the Cypress School District in 2015 with a commitment to strengthening educational opportunities for all students while building upon the district’s long tradition of strong schools and community support.
In the statement, the district claims that during Silavs’ tenure, “the district launched several new programs designed to expand opportunities for students, including the establishment of districtwide music and STEM programs and the creation of a new state preschool program to serve the community’s youngest learners.”
“These initiatives broadened learning opportunities for students while helping position the district to meet the evolving academic and developmental needs of its community,” the district statement said.
“Under her leadership, the district made sustained investments in high-quality professional development centered on evidence-based instructional practices. These efforts contributed to increased student achievement in mathematics and English/language arts,” said the district’s statement.
“These accomplishments are particularly noteworthy as the district’s student population evolved, with growing numbers of socioeconomically disadvantaged students, English learners, and foster youth. Throughout these changes, Cypress schools remained focused on maintaining high expectations and providing strong academic and social-emotional support for every student,” the district contends.
“The district’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic marked a defining period of Ms. Silavs’ leadership. Amid unprecedented public health challenges and rapidly changing requirements, the Cypress School District provided families with three instructional options—full-time in-person learning, hybrid instruction, and distance learning—allowing families to select the model that best meets their needs,” the district claimed in the statement.
Silavs received the Orange County School Boards Association’s Maureen DiMarco Award in 2020 for exemplary leadership during the pandemic and was later named Orange County Superintendent of the Year in 2021 by the Association of California School Administrators, Region 17.
For now, however, Silavs has a gaping budget hole to fill and, based on the last meeting, a lot of complicated financial questions to answer Reflecting on her career, Ms. Silavs shared, “It has been an honor to serve the children and families of the Cypress community. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work alongside dedicated administrators, educators, and classified staff, and I appreciate the support and collaboration I experienced from members of the Board of Trustees throughout my years of service. Together, we accomplished important work on behalf of students.”
After more than three decades in education, Ms. Silavs looks forward to spending more time with family, pursuing personal interests, and exploring new opportunities beyond her professional role. Reflecting on her years in Cypress, she expressed deep appreciation for the opportunity to serve the district’s students, staff, and families.
“I leave knowing the district stands on a strong foundation built by talented staff and supported by families and a community that values education. I wish the Cypress School District continued success in the years ahead.”
Silavs’ last day, ironically, comes two weeks after the Board of Trustees must make their final selections (May 15) of employees to be laid off, furloughed, reduced in pay or otherwise affected by the overspending of her administration of the district’s budget.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated since it first appeared, adding a reaction from the Trustee Board President.
The City of La Palma is saddened to announce the passing of former Mayor Alan I. Priest, who passed away on December 18, 2025, just days shy of his 87th birthday. Priest served on the City Council from 1976 to 1980, including one term as Mayor, leaving a lasting impact on the community through his leadership and dedication to public services.
During his time in La Palma, Priest balanced a distinguished career as a Detective Level III with the Los Angeles Police Department, while simultaneously serving on the La Palma City Council. A graduate of law school and a member of the California State Bar, he also operated a law practice in La Palma alongside his wife, Sandy.
Following his retirement in 1982, Priest moved to Oregon, where his commitment to civil service continued. He was eventually appointed by Oregon Gov. Neil Goldschmidt as the State Corrections Ombudsman.
In his private life, Priest was known for his vibrant hobbies and deep faith. He was an active member of the USC Trojans Club, a skilled sailor, and won awards at the Oregon State Fair for his specialty jams and home-brewed beers. Priest is survived by his children — Todd, Craig, and Kimberly — and his granddaughters, Erica and Savannah “Former Mayor Priest represented the very best of La Palma – a commitment to family, a passion for service, and a neighborly spirit,” said Mayor Nitesh P. Patel. “His contributions to our city helped shape the community we enjoy today.” The City of La Palma extends its deepest condolences to the Priest family and honors former Mayor Priest’s legacy of service to his community.
After receiving nearly one year of rehabilitation and medical care at the Aquarium of the Pacific, a rescued green sea turtle has made its way back into the wild. Aquarium staff released the sea turtle along the San Gabriel River because of the proximity to a resident green sea turtle population. When the turtle was initially rescued in March of 2025, it was in a life-threatening condition and transferred to the Aquarium of the Pacific for medical evaluation and care because of the Aquarium’s expertise in treating and releasing stranded and injured sea turtles.
Aquarium staff rescued the subadult green sea turtle in the San Gabriel River on March 5, 2025, thanks to a partnership and permit with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) West Coast Region.
This rescue occurred during the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Southern California Sea Turtle Monitoring community science program, where Aquarium volunteers gather weekly and monthly field data on the green sea turtles seen in the San Gabriel River. Volunteers observed that the turtle was stuck in the same location in the river because of a fishing line tangled in debris that was wrapped around its flipper that prevented it from swimming away. They continued to watch over the turtle to ensure a successful rescue by Aquarium staff.
Porkchop, a rescued green sea turtle is released into the San Gabriel River after nearly a year of rehabilitation and medical care at Aquarium of the Pacific on Friday, February 27, 2026 in Long Beach, California. Aquarium CEO Jeffrey Flocken joins in to assist. Photo by Robin Riggs.
The turtle arrived at the Aquarium with 90 percent of a front flipper dead from no blood circulation, which was caused by a severe monofilament fishing line constriction injury. X-rays showed that the turtle also had a fishing hook lodged in the back of its mouth. The Aquarium’s veterinary staff were able to successfully remove the hook from its throat and the dead part of the flipper through surgery.
Animal care staff then continued to tend to the turtle’s wounds and continually monitored its progress. “When this turtle first arrived, we did not know what the outcome would be because of its critical condition. We are thrilled that this turtle was able to heal and gain its strength, so much so that it was able to return home,” said Dr. Brittany Stevens, Aquarium of the Pacific veterinarian.
The Aquarium of the Pacific also opened its new sea turtle rehabilitation area on January 28, 2026. It received a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation with support from NOAA, as well as contributions from the Molina Family
Foundation and the KM Shimano Family Foundation to construct this new area near its Molina Animal Care Center. The new space includes an approximately 4,000-gallon rehabilitation pool to accommodate rescued sea turtles found in Los Angeles County and beyond and an audio-visual display where visitors can learn more about these efforts. The new space doubles the non-profit’s capacity for caring for future stranded, sick, or injured sea turtles, so they have a chance to heal and return to their natural habitats.
Porkchop was the first rescued sea turtle to use the new rehabilitation area at the Aquarium of the Pacific before being released. The public is invited to help the Aquarium answer the call of turtles in need with a donation to the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Program. One rescue is never the last. The Aquarium is raising $50,000 to help its response, expert medical care, and rehabilitation for injured turtles that come to its organization.
The Aquarium of the Pacific has rehabilitated and released rescued sea turtles since 2000. Some have been fitted with satellite tracking devices that allowed scientists to gather data about their migration patterns and habitats. The Aquarium recently rehabilitated and released a green sea turtle in September 2025 and is currently caring for an over 200-pound green sea turtle (rescued in January 2026) with the goal of release to the wild. All species of sea turtles found in waters of the United States are listed as either endangered or threatened and are protected by the Endangered Species Act. If you see a stranded sea turtle in the San Gabriel River or elsewhere, please call the West Coast Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Network’s 24/7 hotline at 562-506-4315.
The nonprofit Aquarium of the Pacific is a community gathering place dedicated to connecting people to and conserving nature. The Aquarium’s vision is to foster an inclusive community that works together to create our sustainable future. Home to more than 12,000 animals, Aquarium exhibits include Our Living Coastline, the Southern California Gallery, Pacific Visions, and Shark Lagoon.
The Aquarium offers memberships with unlimited FREE admission for twelve months and other special benefits. To make a donation to help support the Aquarium, please visit the donation webpage. To visit, reservations are required for everyone and can be made at aquariumofpacific.org or by calling (562) 590-3100.
Duncan shows his work in Seal Beach. Photo by Larry Duncan.
You can find Larry Duncan at the Seal Beach Reading Room on Main Street where he volunteers regularly, sharing information about faith and spiritual healing – and you can even see his inspired works displayed in rotating photo exhibits there. Drawing inspiration from the beauty of Seal Beach’s surroundings, Duncan uses his training under legendary photographer Ansel Adams who held photo workshops in Yosemite National Park during his storied life.
While Duncan retired from the aerospace industry desinging and manufacturing microelectronic parts, he’s always found time to take pictures and hone his skills studying under Ansel Adams in 1978, again in 1979 and into 1980 when he attended several of the photo workshops Adams offered. In 2015 Duncan participated in a National Geographic Magazine workshop with a handful of photographers taking pictures at three different sites, then having their works critiqued after the photo sessions. Early in his career Duncan was able to use his creative talent in the United States Navy as the Ships Photographer for The USS Pogy, doing event and Intelligence Photography. He’s currently a member of The Los Angeles/Pasadena United States Submarine Veterans Incorporated, an organization that maintains the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station Submarine Memorial.
“It’s always fun to see what Larry’s doing next,” said Joanne Fernbach, the clerk of The Reading Room in Seal Beach: “He has some great photos from his trips to national parks, but guests coming in especially love the local scenes of beaches, birds and wildlife.”
The Los Alamitos-Seal Beach National Junior Basketball 2nd Grade Division 4 boys team won the recent Southern California Championship, with a 34-28 win over Long Beach on Feb. 22, at the MAP Sports Facility in Garden Grove.
The Championship was game tight, but with chip on their shoulder from a loss in pool play, Los Alamitos banded together as a team playing tight ball and making good looks and shots throughout, learning from the game the prior day to secure victory.
From initial tipoff against Long Beach with Connor O’Dell winning the jump feeding the ball to Jack Proper who drove in with a fake shot and quick assist to Leon Chalmers in the corner for a jump shot to start, the team was off to the races. Whether it was skilled ball handling and playmaking from Nolan Cheung and Kareem Jabi, to shot blocking smack downs from Dean Stone and Ezra Ong and continual steals by Alex Medizadeh and Grant Nguyen, and leading team scorers Eli Skiles and Jack proper everyone played their part in the fight together.
“In just three weeks, these 10 strangers became a team. Watching them learn to trust and support each other to accomplish a goal was more rewarding than the final score—that’s what being an ‘All-Star’ is all about,” Head Coach Nate Cheung said.
In Pool Play, Los Al/Seal Beach rolled to a 40-7 win in their first game. Jack Proper and Eli Skiles each scored 15 points to lead the way. In a tight defensive battle, Los Al/SB lost their only game, 20-19 against Juropa Valley. Juropa Valley secured the win with two free throws with :47 left in the game.
Going into Bracket/Elimination Play, Los Al/SB battled in another tight game, holding off Whittier, 24-20. Major defensive steals late in game by Dean Stone helped secure victory. Whittier played tight defense, but Los Al persisted and was playing classic pacer style ball being completely unselfish to move ball away from tight attacks and double teams. Los Al/SB defeated Whittier again, 32-18, this time with relentless defense, led by seven blocks by from center Connor O’Dell, to reach the title game.
“Los Alamitos has built something truly special in youth basketball. From the 6th graders winning the National Junior Basketball title in Las Vegas last year to Los Alamitos High School capturing the CIF championship, it’s clear this success isn’t accidental, it’s cultural. With over 2,000 local players participating each year, the Los Alamitos NJB chapter, led by Chris Levaque, has created one of the strongest basketball communities in the country. For our kids to bring another title for Southern California back to Los Al and represent this legendary basketball town means everything,” Assistant Coach, Peter Chalmers, said.
Just as the Cypress Elementary School District’s Board of Trustees seeks financial answers and has request breakdowns of all of the district’s spending, Supt. Anne Silavs has suddenly announced her retirement from the system.
In an unexpected press release issued Fri., Feb. 27, at 2 p.m., Silavs said the retirement was simply a chance to spend more time with her family and with time now for “exploring more opportunities beyond her personal role” after a career of 35 years.
The ENE has reached out to Dr. Lydia Sondhi, President of the Board of Trustees for comment.
The development comes as the district struggles to remain solvent as the board grapples with a $3.3 million budget deficit they did not expect. Undoubtedly, having to search for a Superintendent will likely only complicate that task.
Here is the statement issued Silavs and released by the District.
“After 35 years in public education, including 11 years serving as Superintendent of the Cypress School District, Anne Silavs has announced her retirement, effective July 1, 2026.
Ms. Silavs joined the Cypress School District in 2015 with a commitment to strengthening educational opportunities for all students while building upon the district’s long tradition of strong schools and community support. During her tenure, the district launched several new programs designed to expand opportunities for students, including the establishment of districtwide music and STEM programs and the creation of a new state preschool program to serve the community’s youngest learners. These initiatives broadened learning opportunities for students while helping position the district to meet the evolving academic and developmental needs of its community.
Under her leadership, the district made sustained investments in high-quality professional development centered on evidence-based instructional practices. These efforts contributed to increased student achievement in mathematics and English/language arts. These accomplishments are particularly noteworthy as the district’s student population evolved over time, with growing numbers of socioeconomically disadvantaged students, English learners, and foster youth. Throughout these changes, Cypress schools remained focused on maintaining high expectations and providing strong academic and social-emotional support for every student.
The district’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic marked a defining period of Ms. Silavs’ leadership. Amid unprecedented public health challenges and rapidly changing requirements, Cypress School District provided families with three instructional options—full-time in-person learning, hybrid instruction, and distance learning—allowing families to select the model that best met their needs while ensuring continuity of learning for students. In recognition of this work,
Ms. Silavs received the Orange County School Boards Association’s Maureen DiMarco Award in 2020 for exemplary leadership during the pandemic and was later named Orange County Superintendent of the Year in 2021 by the Association of California School Administrators, Region 17.
Reflecting on her career, Ms. Silavs shared, “It has been an honor to serve the children and families of the Cypress community. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work alongside dedicated administrators, educators, and classified staff, and I appreciate the support and collaboration I experienced from members of the Board of Trustees throughout my years of service. Together, we accomplished important work on behalf of students.”
After more than three decades in education, Ms. Silavs looks forward to spending more time with family, pursuing personal interests, and exploring new opportunities beyond her professional role. Reflecting on her years in Cypress, she expressed deep appreciation for the opportunity to serve the district’s students, staff, and families.
“I leave knowing the district stands on a strong foundation built by talented staff and supported by families and a community that value education. I wish the Cypress School District continued success in the years ahead.”
The ENE will follow up with additional coverage next week in the print edition.
The multi-million-dollar deficit in the Cypress Elementary School District budget has blown open the district’s complicated funding mechanisms, prompting the board to ask for a complete accounting for all its commercial properties and income.
The Board is now grappling with a somewhat unexpected deficit of more than $3 million as they held another special meeting this past week to consider cuts or other means to balance the budget.
The board has until May 15 to choose whatever means it deems necessary to balance the budget, including furloughs, layoffs, or other reductions.
In another special meeting this past week, the board approved two resolutions listing dozens of employee positions within the district that will be considered eligible for layoff, furlough, or reduction.
In a dramatic meeting last week, the board rejected the two resolutions because, according to the board, the list did not include enough top administrative staff for layoffs.
After making some final adjustments to the two resolutions, the board unanimously approved them.
“As we move forward between now and May,” said Board President Lydia Sondhi, Ph.D., “when final decisions have to be made in terms of who has to be laid off, or not, be assured that we will be very strategic in terms of looking and working with our partners,” she said.
Sondhi said the board will include the opinions of all stakeholders before making any final decisions. “I know that the impact on anybody who’s going to be potentially laid off is not something any of us want,” said Sondhi.
Board President, Lydia Sondhi, Ph.D. dny photo
“We know that we’re going to have to make tough cuts and make tough decisions about certain things, and I am going to put my faith in all of you and all of our administrators to be working together with us to make the best decision we can make,” the board president said.
In addition, Sondhi, as well as other board members, repeatedly suggested that the staff was capable of bringing better solutions to the board for consideration.
Trustee Meghna Parikh, who at the last meeting said bluntly she had requested information four times and still did not have it, urged the staff to be more “helpful.”
“It would be helpful if you would work together to bring us some new ideas as far as how we can recoup funds, and about properties and things like that. I think that would be really helpful,” said Parikh.
In addition, the board demanded a full accounting of the district’s real estate and other commercial ventures.
Cypress, like other school districts, is experiencing falling enrollment. As people leave the state or find other options for their children’s education, there are fewer students in the system and thus, less reimbursement from the state.
While public school financing also includes a smattering of federal funds, special purpose funds, and local donations, the bulk of its funding comes from state reimbursement awarded on a per student basis.
Cypress School District operates on a budget of about $56 million annually, with slightly more than 3200 students. While the district finds itself embroiled in funding controversy, it’s not the first time.
George Pardon, a co-founder of Citizens for Responsible Development, questioned the district’s modernization bond program as early as 2008.
George Pardon, Courtesy photo
“I started raising concerns about financial actions being taken by the Cypress School District when they sold bonds to renovate the schools in 2008-9,” said Pardon, who attended the special meeting this week.
Ultimately, after its founding in 1895, the Cypress Elementary School District system eventually grew to 10 elementary schools but had only nine schools when the bonded indebtedness was undertaken in 2009.
From nine elementary schools, the system eventually closed three schools, selling the property around one of them outright and leasing the other two, which operate today under contract as private schools.
According to an Orange County Grand Jury Report issued in 2014, property taxpayers in Cypress are now on the hook for the bonding and will pay back seven dollars for every dollar in bonds, apparently because of the types of bonding instruments used.
The voters approved a bond measure authorizing the district to borrow up to $53, 600,000 for school renovations in Nov., 2008. The district issued $17 million in Series A bonds in May of 2009, the majority of which were CIBs (Current Interest Bonds).
The district also issued Bond Anticipation Notes in aggregate of approximately $7 million the same month (a bond anticipation note is essentially a promissory note for a term no longer than five years that promises to pay the proceeds of the note with a future bond issue that has already been approved by voters).
The district then issued Series B-1 and B-2 bonds in April 2011 in the aggregate amounts of $20.1 million and $4.53 million respectively. The Series B-2 bond was a qualified school construction bond (QSCB). The bonds were mostly CIB’s, but did include some CAB’s (Capital Appreciation bonds), according to the Grand Jury.
In 2012, the district found itself in a situation where matching funds were insufficient to complete the construction, so they issued $7.3 million in Certificates of Participation. A COP is not a bond, but similar, and is an instrument that allows the purchaser to a pro-rata share of a specific pledged revenue stream, so the district created the Cypress School District Public Financing Corp., and pledged it to the school and grounds connected to Juliet Morris Elementary School with the lease payments going to a financial trustee to redistribute payments to the COP owners.
The Grand Jury said there is “nothing unusual” about the transaction.
In fact, the Grand Jury said it “applauds” CSD for trying to fully utilize all available facilitites and said it was “very impressed” with the renovations that were completed with the bond money.
Regardless, that total indebtedness is now a tax on property owners, and while the district received the funds, they are not responsible for paying them back.
The Grand Jury report estimated that the $41 million in CSD bonded indebtedness will cost property owners $210 million by the time the bonds are paid off in 2050.
Pardon said “while I am saddened and disappointed by the budget crisis the district is currently dealing with, and especially the lives it is impacting, I am not surprised by what is happening,” he said.
“My only surprise is that it has taken so long,” he added.
In addition, the OC Grand Jury in 2013 suggested that Cypress merge with three other small, non-unified districts, Magnolia, Centralia, and Savannah, so that one Superintendent and administrative team could manage the elementary districts instead of each small system having its own financial burden of top-heavy administrative salaries.
If the smaller districts had been merged into one unified district, the Grand Jury report inferred as much as $80 million annually (in today’s dollars) could have utilized to provide instruction rather than have separate superintendents and top staff at each of of these small districts.
Capistrano Unified, by contrast, serves more than 54,000 students.
Apparently, as the Cypress School District closed schools, they system chose to acquire investment properties and lease properties over other options.
Accordingly, the district owns an apartment complex in Costa Mesa, an apartment complex in Redondo Beach, and two school sites that have been leased to private schools, among other assets.
In 2021, the Board of Trustees agreed to sell its acreage and office building on Moody Street and purchase a glitzy corporate office building on Corporate Blvd. in Cypress for $7.7 million, which has since lost value and for which tenants are now hard to find, according to district officials.
The district did receive $9 million for the Moody Street property and incentives up to an additional $1.2 million after houses were built on the property, a six-acre parcel they sold to Melia Homes.
In short, while the board passed the prospective employee layoff resolutions, they also made it clear to the administration in their most recent meeting that they wanted a complete accounting of all of the properties, funds, rents, etc. associated with Fund 40.
Trustee Meghna Parikh, Courtesy photo
Parikh continued to express frustration about a lack of information, asking Assistant Supt. of Business Services, Larry Ferchaw, to explain “the funds that come from our properties, the assets we have, like the apartments, would you speak to where those funds go and how they are redirected?”
He said the funds from the apartments, school sites, and other commercial ventures of the district all go into a special fund called “Fund 40.”
He said the value of the commercial structure has gone down and they are having problems finding long-term tenants for the building because of a “soft” market.
The District still has three tenants in its commercial building, he added.
“Those funds from the rental income are deposited into Fund 40, which is the district’s capital, a special reserve for capital outlay and that is something the district has been depositing those proceeds into since the asset management program began,” he said.
For one thing, Ferchaw told the board the district needed to dip into the fund this year to the tune of $750,000 to keep the district “solvent” in the current fiscal year.
“Since our first interim presentation in December, there has been an identification of that to ensure that we meet the minimum reserve for economic uncertainty in the current fiscal year,” he said, “that we would make a one-time allocation of $750,000 from Fund 40,” Ferchaw told the board.
“We’re continuing to evaluate for the current and future fiscal years,” he added.
While the $750,000 transfer has yet to be made from Fund 40, Ferchaw told Parikh that an additional $6 million from Fund 40 was used as a cash borrowing tool to handle any low cash periods that we have as a district.”
Sondhi then floated the idea of using a one-time allocation of $3 million from Fund 40 to balance the budget.
“I’m not necessarily suggesting this is what we do, but we could actually save the full $3 million or whatever we’re supposed to be cutting this year by doing an actual transfer from Fund 40 right now,” she said.
“And we wouldn’t have to change a damn thing,” she added, drawing a big hand from a packed meeting room. Officials estimated that Fund 40 is worth approximately $12 million now.
Trustee Troy Tanaka grew a bit frustrated when Supt. Anne Silavs suggested they would have to order appraisals and could not provide a ballpark estimate of value.
Trustee Troy Tanaka seems skeptical as he and board try to get straight answers from staff. dny photo
“Do we even know,” said Tanaka, “we don’t even have continuous appraisals of where our properties are and what they’re worth?”
“At least we know where we are with this office (Corporate Blvd.),” he said. “I know we bought it at probably the worst time to buy it, because commercial real estate is going down, but maybe it’s time for us to cut our losses and move on,” he suggested.
Tanaka threw out several options, including even putting “bungalows” on property owned by the district, then perhaps renting or selling the district office building.
While executives now have single offices within the existing corporate structure, Tanaka said “cubicles” would be enough for school officials to get their jobs done.
“We don’t need offices,” he said.
While it is apparently legal for school districts to own real estate, the two complexes purchased by the Cypress School District could have, and should have, grown in value. Unlike commercial buildings, experts say the residential market has exploded in value since the pandemic.
Sources say the two apartment complexes owned by the district could now be worth between $25-45 million.
Even so, Ferchaw said Fund 40 revenues are governed by complex state laws that restrict the use of funds from outside investments.
Nevertheless, the board has now demanded a complete accounting of the district’s “Fund 40” ecosystem and may know more soon.
Throughout the debate, Tanaka has continued to stress that the district’s funding priority should be focused on teachers and administrators with the closest proximity to and responsibility for educating students.
Trustee Jaime Needham asked for continued public support as the district works through what will surely be difficult choices in the days and months ahead.
“Three of the five of us up here have children who are directly impacted by our decisions,” she said, “and the five of us are up here because we all care about how our decisions impact all children,” said Needham.
“This has a direct impact on our families and on the children in our community, so please continue to reach out to us and continue to help us problem solve,” said Needham. “Please work with us and know that we are calling these meetings because we have questions to ask and we want to make the most informed decisions that we possibly can make,” she said.
The Rossmoor Community Services District this week welcomed the long-awaited completion of a shade canopy in Rossmoor Park, as the district’s General Manager and four of its five Directors gathered to dedicate the canopy and open it to the public.
It’s a bit ironic that the residential community of Rossmoor, whose own “Urban Forest” of more than 5,000 shade trees is the pride of its neighborhoods, needs a bit of shade, but the new structure will provide residents enjoying Rossmoor Park on a sunny day a place to gather in the shade.
“This canopy belongs to people of our community, and I can’t wait to see how Rossmoor enjoys it,” said Rossmoor CSD Board President Jo Shade.
“This has been long-awaited and arrived not soon enough,” said Shade during a brief ceremony at the facility this week. “It is a great addition to the park,” she said.
Already, the district has two shaded canopy areas in Rush Park, another of the district’s parks, but this is the first one in Rossmoor Park.
General Manager Sharon Landers said the district used the last of the Prop. 68 funds to complete the project, which includes a 22-foot by 32-foot concrete slab, covered with a sturdy shade mesh and fitted with metal picnic tables neatly across the underlying concrete.
Other Rossmoor Directors, including 2nd Vice President Tony DeMarco, and Directors Michael Maynard and Mary Ann Remnet, were present for the ribbon-cutting ceremony sponsored by the Rossmoor Homeowners Association.
In addition to the Directors, RHA President Art Remnet also welcomed the structure to the community park, commending Shade and the other directors for finally making it happen.
Zechariah Jauregui, a representative from State Sen. Tony Strickland’s office, brought congratulations from the Senator on the completion of the shade canopy project.
“This canopy is a great upgrade to the park, it’s an innovative way to bring shade in the summer at the picnic area. Thank you to the Rossmoor Community Services District for making our parks a welcoming place,” Oange County Supervisor Janet Nguyen said.
The open fields of Rossmoor Park demanded a shaded canopy, and after years of planning and funding, officials were delighted to cut the ribbon on the new facility. Landers said the project cost about $60,000 and was in the district’s capital improvement project.
Also, this past week, the Board voted unanimously to protect its parks by adopting an ordinance that will give the Special Services District and the police that protect it a bit more control over electric bikes.
The district has been working on an ordinance to protect its parks after suffering significant damage from e-bikes in various incidents over the past year.
Like other communities around the country, Rossmoor consulted with the public and with law enforcement authorities before determining that, although they had limited authority, they could at least protect the parks from additional damage. Landers told the board that while it will take 30 days for the new ordinance to become effective, “we will use that time to create some new signage,” she said.
In addition, Landers said the staff will be working on a general enforcement plan for the parks “since there are now several issues that we have to think about.”
“We’ve started thinking about what we might want to do, and I’m going to be interested in meeting with the parks and operations committee to start talking about ideas to bring back to the board,” said Landers.
“Hopefully that will be during the budget cycle, so we have a lot of meetings that are going to be happening soon,” she said.
###
Editor’s note: This post has been altered to add a comment submitted by First District Supervisor Janet Nguyen, which is now included in the post.
After a vote Monday by the Cypress City Council, what seems like a new era is finally underway.
The board has a majority of new city council members, a new logo, a new legal counsel, a new meeting day and now, the Council has voted unanimously to approve Shannon DeLong as its new city manager.
She replaces former city manager Peter Grant, who left Cypress after nearly a decade in the driver’s seat and who is now the City Manager in the City of Yorba Linda.
“Shannon distinguished herself throughout the recruitment process with her depth of experience, strategic insight and clear commitment to public service,” said Mayor Leo Medrano in a statement.
“Her leadership marks an exciting new chapter for our City and we look forward to the energy and vision she brings to Cypress.”
Before she was hired by the Cypress Council, DeLong was the Assistant City Manager in Whittier.
“The City Council engaged in an extensive and comprehensive competitive search for its new City Manager. Following the completion of that process, the City Council has selected Shannon DeLong as the candidate who is best qualified to serve as the City Manager for the City of Cypress,” the city said in announcing the selection.
Shannon DeLong named new Cypress City Manager. She leaves Whittier as Assistant City Manager and starts her new position in Cypress March 30.
“Ms. DeLong has extensive experience in city management. For the past eight years, she has served as the Assistant City Manager for the City of Whittier. Prior to Whittier, Ms. DeLong worked for the City of Downey as the Assistant to the City Manager and the Library Director. Ms. DeLong possesses a BA and MBA and is an alumni of UCLA and Cal State Dominguez Hills,” it said.
Under the agreement approved by the Council, here are the parameters of her employment.
Term: Three years (March 30, 2026, to March 29, 2029), with two, one-year extensions Salary: $315,000 per year COLAs: Same as department heads, beginning in July 2027 – Deferred Compensation: $15,000 per year Vacation Leave: 80 hours (initial deposit), 160 hours accrued per year Sick Leave: 40 hours (initial deposit), 96 hours accrued per year Severance: 6 – 12 months depending on longevity, in the event of termination without cause and conditioned upon general release.
DeLong starts March 30 while interim CM Sean Joyce will remain until then.
“I am honored by the City Council’s trust in appointing me as City Manager,” she said in a statement. “Cypress benefits from strong leadership, dedicated staff, and engaged residents, and I am excited to build strong relationships with our community members and business owners as we work together to serve this exceptional city,” said DeLong.
When heroes roam the distant lands trying to find the lost treasure of yore, but get caught in fights between flying cows, knights who say “Ni,” and the French, you are in Spamalot!
Playing at The Segerstrom Center for the Arts from Feb. 17 to Feb. 22, Monty Python’s Spamalot is a hilarious take on the classic Knights of the Round Table story from Arthurian mythology. Based on the 1975 cult classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail and created for the Broadway stage in 2005, this tour brings the hilarity to a whole new level.
As mentioned previously, the musical is based on the film created by legendary British comedy troupe Monty Python. Known for their dry English humor and fourth-wall breaking gags, the stage production balances both of these elements for new and old fans alike.
Throughout the production, the book— created by Eric Idle— invites the audience in, beginning with classic jokes that are well known from the original film. Then as the show progresses, the antics become far more meta, ultimately acknowledging that what they are doing right now is a Broadway musical— much like how the film knows it is a film. This is a thread that shows up time and time again throughout, in order to balance the original that made everything possible, with more modern sensibilities, so new fans can join in on the fun.
One of the biggest changes notable in the production is the inclusion of women as prominent pieces in the plot. Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a, well, more male venture. Many of the times women do appear in the movie, they are either played by men or are seen in lewd and (pretty much) demeaning ways.
But in this production, the character “The Lady of the Lake” gets her bright and shining moment, being the Broadway star she was born to be. This is helped by the fact that actress Amanda Robles is showstopping— literally, she stops the show to talk about how she has not been on stage for some time. Jokes aside, she is a tour de force, belting to the rafters, and being the central force of the show. Robles is a true theatre star.
The actors are not the only component of the show that harkens back to true Broadway. The entire production is a love letter to musicals of today and yesteryear. Jokes fly by making fun of or harkening to niche references in the Broadway community, from the iconic Wicked rift to understanding that a lot of famous actors in theater are Jewish. But in order to create sarcastic remarks and playful homages to musicals that everyone loves, one must have a level of compassion and care towards the item of “attack.” It is a thin line between love and hate, and man does Spamalot “hate” Broadway.
All elements of Spamalot come together in such a show-stopping way that brings the bright lights of Broadway all across America. This has to do with the combination of production design, choreography, and costume design. Every single one of these elements brings back the old Broadway glamor that feels like it has been left to a by-gone era. The hand-made set designs along with the Las Vegas showgirls-esque choreography and costumes give the fun edge that feels oddly refreshing. The balancing act between trying to make something that is classic a bit more modern, while still harkening back to what made musicals and Monty popular in the first place can be difficult, but Spamalot does it oh so well.
Spamalot is doing it like no one else. It is a fast-paced laughfest for everyone, young or old and whether you are a fan of Monty Python or have never even heard of them, you must see this silly, silly show.
Tickets for Spamalot at The Segerstrom Center for the Arts are on sale now. You can purchase them online at scfta.org, or at the Box Office. If you miss it at the Center, do not worry. The production will tour at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood from March 24 through April 12. Tickets are on sale there at broadwayinhollywood.com. Do not say “Ni!” Watch the hilarity of Spamalot now!
A rare rendezvous took place off the coast of Long Beach as the world’s only ocean liner reunited with Queen Mary during her 2026 World Voyage.
Luxury cruise line Cunard marked a rare and historic maritime moment this morning as the world’s only ocean liner, Queen Mary 2, anchored off the coast of Long Beach to reunite with her legendary namesake, the historic Queen Mary, for the first time in 20 years, according to information released by the company this week.
Renowned for her iconic transatlantic crossings between New York and Southampton, Queen Mary 2 has redefined ocean travel as the world’s only true ocean liner and remains a symbol of Cunard’s legacy as its flagship. Queen Mary 2 debuted over 35 years after her namesake, The Queen Mary, was retired in 1967. Currently celebrating her 90th anniversary, the Queen Mary remains one of the most recognizable ships in the world as an Art Deco icon after debuting in 1936. Today, she is a dynamic cultural destination in Long Beach with acclaimed dining, immersive tours and exhibits, signature festivals, and overnight accommodations.
Adding to the historical significance of the moment, Queen Mary 2’s starboard funnel still houses a fully refurbished whistle originally from the first Queen Mary, cementing an everlasting connection between generations of Cunard Queens. “This iconic rendezvous pays a powerful tribute to Cunard’s enduring legacy and the spirit of ocean travel,” said Katie McAlister, President of Cunard. “Queen Mary 2’s reunion with the original Queen Mary for the first time in 20 years reflects our past, present and future, reminding us of Cunard’s distinct connection to maritime history and the generations brought together through timeless elegance, innovation and one-of-a-kind journeys around the world.”
“Welcoming Queen Mary 2 to Long Beach during our 90th anniversary year is an extraordinary honor, and watching the rendezvous this morning was a once-in-a-generation sight,” said Steve Caloca, Managing Director of the Queen Mary. “This historic moment reflects the enduring bond between the Queen Mary’s past and present and continued role as a living symbol of ocean travel, innovation, and preservation.”
The Queens’ Long Beach reunion followed Queen Mary 2’s first-ever transit of the Panama Canal, another historic milestone in the ship’s storied career. After the rendezvous, Queen Mary 2 made her official return to the Port of Los Angeles after 17 years, where she is docked overnight as part of her 2026 World Voyage.
Her first in two years, Queen Mary 2’s 108-night World Voyage is guiding travelers to more than 30 ports of call across the Americas, Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe. The itinerary includes overnight stays in destinations such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore and Cape Town, allowing guests to fully immerse themselves in bucket list destinations across the globe. For more information about Cunard, World Voyages or to book a voyage, contact your Travel Advisor, call Cunard at1-800-728-6273 or visit www.cunard.com.
Now celebrating her 90th anniversary year, the Queen Mary continues to stand as one of the most recognizable and celebrated ships in the world. Once the most advanced ocean liner ever built, she redefined transatlantic travel when she debuted in 1936 with groundbreaking engineering, iconic Art Deco design, and unmatched elegance. Today, permanently docked in Long Beach, the Queen Mary is an active preservation site and vibrant cultural destination, offering award-winning dining, immersive tours and exhibits, signature festivals, and overnight stays aboard a true maritime legend.
A recipient of a 2025 Sunset Magazine Travel Award and multiple USA Today 10 Best honors, the Queen Mary remains a cornerstone of Southern California tourism and a living tribute to maritime history, welcoming guests from around the world to experience her legacy in new and memorable ways.
Cunard is a luxury British cruise line, renowned for creating unforgettable experiences around the world. Cunard has been a leading operator of passenger ships since 1840. Cunard is based at Carnival House in Southampton and has been owned since 1998 by Carnival Corporation & plc. www.cunard.com
Los Alamitos senior point guard Tamlyn Yoshida, last season’s co-MVP of the Sunset League, added another notable accomplishment to her already impressive list when she scored 15 points in a victory over Edison in the last regular season game and passed the 1,000-point milestone in her standout career.
A four-year starter known for clutch performances, Yoshida was honored for reaching 1,011 points by her coaches and teammates in a brief pregame ceremony on Thursday, February 12, before the first-round game of CIF playoffs at the Griffin Center.
Her list of other honors includes an All-Surf-League-First-Team award that she won as a sophomore in 2024 after she averaged 11.2 points and 2.3 assists per game, the co-MVP award that she won in 2025 after averaging 14.8 points, 3 assists, 3 steals, and hitting 62 threes, and her placement on the 2025 “All County Third Team” by the Orange County Register newspaper.
This season’s league and county awards have not been announced yet.
Yoshida undoubtedly would have passed the 1,000-point mark much earlier this year had she not severely sprained her ankle in preseason, which limited her to only 19 games and compromised her overall averages as she worked her way back into shape during the season.
Her average of 8.4 points per game this season is her lowest since her freshman year but is still the third highest on the team, and she also averaged 3 assists and 3 steals per game. Yoshida scored in double figures 7 times, including in two close and crucial late-season victories over league rivals Marina (11 points) and Fountain Valley (12 points).
Yoshida’s career has been distinguished by numerous clutch performances, including a dramatic three-pointer she made as a freshman with the Griffins clinging to a 1-point lead with only 47 seconds left in the championship game against Corona del Mar. Her all-net shot from the right wing pushed the Griffins’ tenuous lead to a two-possession, 4-point margin with time running out and helped secure the first of the Griffins’ four consecutive league titles.
In the Griffins’ surprising upset tournament championship at Sunny Hills in December of 2024, Yoshida was the team’s leading scorer, averaging 14 points per game as the Griffins defeated Desert Christian Academy and the highly ranked teams of Lakewood and El Dorado. In the championship game victory over El Dorado, Yoshida hit a three-pointer with only 18 seconds left in regulation to tie the game and force overtime, and then with only 9 seconds left in the overtime, she scored the winning point by driving into the paint, getting fouled, and sinking sinking one of two free throws to win the game. Late in the 2024-25 season, in the crucial victory over Marina that guaranteed a Sunset League co-championship, the Griffin’s third title in a row, Yoshida again led the way, scoring 21 points with 3 threes.
“It’s a team sport and everyone contributes,” said Coach Maya De Anda, “but Tam has been an outstanding player, a great teammate, and a unique leader for us, and obviously without her we wouldn’t have been nearly as successful. I’m happy that she passed the 1,000-point mark, but her game is more than just scoring. She’s an unselfish player who makes assists, gets steals, and plays great defense. We will definitely miss her both as a great player and as a great person.”
Hundreds of students from Los Alamitos High School walked across the city this week to send a message.
In an event students called the “Los Al Walkout,” students from Los Alamitos High School walked off campus at the start of the second period on Feb. 11, and proceeded down Los Al Boulevard toward the Los Al City Hall to protest the ongoing activities of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Meanwhile, Los Al city police were busy securing a route and working with residents and businesses near city hall to ensure the safety of the protesting students.
With drums beating, students chanted “ICE OUT” as the throng walked several blocks down Los Alamitos Boulevard. The march proceeded to Katella Ave. and eventually arrived at the parking lot of Los Alamitos City Hall.
Students carried homemade signs with messages like “Abolish Ice,” “Hate Won’t Make America Great,” “Ice Out,” and some, as you might expect, a bit more irreverent and graphic. Once there, the students gathered in a huge semi-circle in the vacated city hall parking lot and, using megaphones, began telling stories about personal disruption caused by ICE.
“It doesn’t matter who you support, Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, or Independent, everybody should know that ICE is violating human rights,” one student shouted into the megaphone. “It’s just common human decency to know that what ICE is doing is violating every single human right. Get them out,” she screamed as the students cheered.
Students gathered in a semi-circle outside of Los Alamitos City Hall this week against ICE. Courtesy photo
Some told personal stories of how ICE had disrupted, and in some cases, broken their families. More than one student broke down in tears as they tried to finish their personal stories about various entanglements with ICE. Others expressed concern that the Joint Forces Training Base, a military base in Los Alamitos, has been utilized by ICE in the ongoing effort.
One student, Isaias Alfaro, a freshman, said he attended the rally because his mother had protested in El Salvador, which inspired him to have his voice heard. He said when his father was alive, the government in El Salvador was using similar tactics, he said, when his parents taught him a lesson he wanted to pass on to his fellow students.
“Your voice is the one thing they cannot take away,” he said.
According to 2020 Census data, Orange County, CA, today has a highly diverse population of more than 3 million, characterized by major demographic shifts and a high proportion of foreign-born residents (nearly 30%). The population is comprised of 43.4% White, 34.1% Hispanic/Latino, 22.2% Asian, and 1.7% Black residents.
The students exchanged stories until about 12:30 p.m. and, following a moment of silence “for all of the ICE victims,” they organized along the sidewalk on Katella Ave. in front of City Hall and began their slow march back to the LAHS campus, several blocks away (about one-half mile).
Students cheered wildly as cars and trucks honked in solidarity.
In an email, LAHS Principal Christiana Kraus expressed the students’ right to protest.
“Los Alamitos High School, along with the Los Alamitos Unified School District, respects the rights of students to peacefully express their opinions and beliefs, while remaining focused on ensuring a safe, neutral, and supportive learning environment. If any such activity occurs, clear plans and procedures are in place to prioritize student safety,” she announced in an email.
Los Al students, some tearfully, told stories about disruptions in their own families caused by the ongoing deportation operation. Photo by DNY
Marlys Davidson, a member of the Los Alamitos Unified Board of Trustees, accompanied the group and spoke out as a citizen, not in her elected capacity.
“I was just so proud to see the high commitment, courage and confidence expressed by these students,” said Davidson. She lauded the students for their integrity while protesting in a “peaceful and respectful way.”
“We, as adults, could learn from these kids,” she suggested.
Moreover, many parents were supportive of the event; some even followed the mass of students, pulling wagons with water bottles and snacks for the students, like a wagon train of old.
Robert Acosta, Support Services Manager for Los Al Police, said the department had set up an incident command center and monitored the entire event.
“The recent school-originated march, including the anti-ICE demonstration with a scheduled stop at City Hall, was managed through a coordinated, department-wide response,” said Acosta.
This was an all-hands-on-deck operation, with personnel assigned across all levels of the organization — from the Chief of Police through command staff, supervisors, patrol officers, professional staff, and our Volunteer in Policing Services (VIPS) team.
To support the event, he said the department activated and staffed our tertiary Emergency Operations Center (EOC). “This marked the first operational deployment of our off-site mobile EOC, and it functioned as designed, providing redundancy, flexibility, and enhanced coordination capability,” he said.
Key assignments within the EOC included Captain Gallaugher serving as Operations Section Chief, Lorry Hempe overseeing the Logistics Section, an OCFA Captain Cain assigned as Medical Group Supervisor and Nicole Saiz serving as EOC Manager. “Fortunately, the event remained orderly throughout its duration. No escalation or ramp-up of resources was required. However, contingency plans, staging protocols, and staffing models were in place and ready to be implemented immediately if conditions had changed,” he said.
Acosta said the event validated both the department’s planning and investment in the tertiary Emergency Operations Center. “It demonstrated our ability to support lawful public assembly while maintaining citywide service levels,” noted Acosta.
“The students were peaceful, respectful and well-behaved,” he said. Acosta said there were no incidents and there were many participating parents who were helpful as well.
In dramatic fashion, the embattled Board of Trustees for the Cypress Elementary School District voted down two resolutions to consider layoffs until the top certificated and administrative staff put themselves on it as potential candidates for elimination or reduction.
Due to overspending by the administration, the board has been put in a precarious position of cutting $3.3 million from the budget just to balance the budget.
The board held a special meeting on Feb. 11 to discuss the situation and the tension carried over into its regular meeting on Thursday, Feb. 12.
Tracy Mouren-Laurens, Human Resources Director, said the board must pass a resolution before March 15, including the positions being considered for elimination, even if they are eventually not cut, to be able to eliminate them.
Therefore, it was under this pressure that Trustees met to ask questions in the special meeting Feb. 11, with final action expected to come during the regular meeting Feb. 12.
Instead, the board spent another hour asking questions and only then, to loud applause, voted each of the two resolutions down 5-0, prompting staff to go back to their attorneys and “cast a wide net” with new resolutions and instructions to add themselves to it.
Contracted employees and Supt. Anne Silavs cannot be added to the list, which include three district administrators. Silavs, whose overall annual expense to the district is now approximately $350,000, can be terminated, but has a clause in her agreement that guarantees her a full year of compensation if terminated under certain conditions.
“You’re going to need a superintendent,” she told the board during the discussion, “whether it’s me or somebody else, you’re going to need one.”
During open communications, Sandy Paul, who is 80 years old and a 50-year volunteer, said her research indicated the proposed cuts “primarily affect K-6 classrooms. Two categories were barely reduced in these proposed cuts,” she said.
“One is the bloated top administrative salaries that cost the district almost $2.5 million in 2024,” Paul said. “Mr. (William) Calton, who built this district, and over three decades safeguarded the finances and always made certain its financial reserves were healthy, is spinning in his grave,” she told the board.
“I’m happy to see the board asking hard questions,” she said.Many residents and even Cypress District employees testified in open session, also expressing concern that the cuts, as proposed, were concentrated in and around the classrooms and left the administration untouched.
Trustee Troy Tanaka repeatedly expressed their concern, saying that the list of potential cuts was “bottom-up built.” “I’ve been saying this,” he said, noting that the board should be able to consider “top down,” meaning top administrators.
Tanaka expressed extreme discomfort that all of the proposed cuts were centered around employees who work closely with the students. He also said that no studies have been done to see if eliminating any senior administrative staff could be handled by reorganization.
“We can’t make a decision if we don’t know,” he said.
Board Vice President Carrie Hayashida questioned Silavs about why some of the positions were paid “above the state average.”
“All positions in Orange County are among the highest paid because of our cost of living,” responded Silavs, “so we are more highly compensated than others.”
Hayashida, then, wanted to know, “Why are our lowest-paid teachers below the state average?”
Silavs said teacher compensation is largely controlled by the Association of Cypress Teachers, the local bargaining unit, and not a function of the administration.
Elizabeth Dunagan, chief ACT negotiator, said after the meeting that the ACT negotiating team “is happy to see our school board working so diligently to resolve the financial challenges the district is facing. We look forward to working with the board moving forward to ensure that the students of Cypress receive the most robust education possible with the most dedicated staff available.”
She said the recent raises of 9% given to teachers in 2022 played no part in the district’s spending problems and did not address the teacher salaries.
ACT President Candi Earley told Spotlight Schools that “regardless of the circumstances, many educators feel they are bearing the brunt of these reductions. It is our sincere hope that the revised budget will be more favorable than expected and that the district will prioritize reinstating programs and positions that most directly support student learning.
Trustee Meghna Parikh complained that she had requested furlough information four times and still had not received it, an issue that Silavs promised to quickly remedy. In addition, she grilled Silavs and other staff about the definitions of certificated and classified staff to ensure the board was aware of all top staff capable of being added to the resolution.
“Remember, this is casting a wide net,” said Board President Lydia Sondhi, Ph.D., “if services need to be reduced, or eliminated on both resolutions. It doesn’t mean that we are going to be cutting any positions specifically,” she noted. “We have two options,” she said, “either to go ahead and cast that wide net, put everybody on the list, or we decide to go an alternative route and find other ways of cutting money from the administration.”
Trustee Jaime Needham suggested the board just put them all in and vote.
“I don’t think we’re going to be able to make a decision…I know we’re not going to be able to make a well-informed decision tonight,” said Needham, “we need a lot of time.”
“Looking at everybody who we are speaking about, certificated and classified administration, and technically, we don’t have a legal requirement to have anybody under a specific heading…so if that’s the case, can’t we just, in the spirit of casting a wide net, put everybody on the list and vote on it?” she asked.
Sondhi called for a vote, and the board unanimously voted down each resolution, providing instruction to staff to meet with legal counsel to add everyone possible to the two enabling resolutions, including classified and certificated personnel.
Sondhi said it might take a special meeting to be held in order to meet the March 15 deadline to submit the resolutions. Submittal does not mean there will be any layoffs, but the resolutions, once passed, will give the board the power to eliminate, reduce, furlough, or take whatever action is allowed under law and union agreement.
The board still has time and will search for other ways to make up the shortfall, but if finances do not improve and budget revisions yield no additional funds, the board has to finalize a budget-balancing cut by May 15. The Cypress School District board has scheduled another meeting for this Thursday, Feb. 19.
On Thursday, January 22, 2026, Cypress High School had the honor of hosting the Jarren Duran Community Foundation Mental Health Master Class Launch Event, a powerful and inspiring experience centered on connection, wellness, and hope.
Jarren Duran returned to his alma mater not as a professional athlete alone, but as a mentor and advocate—openly sharing his own mental health journey and modeling what it looks like to ask for help, practice positive self-talk, and lean on trusted adults and peers. For our students, seeing a Cypress alumnus who has reached the highest levels of professional sports speak candidly about struggle, resilience, and growth was deeply meaningful and validating.
The event began in the Cypress High School Wellness Center with intentional conversations around coping strategies and emotional well-being, followed by lunch and a transition to the varsity baseball field. There, students rotated through hands-on activity stations designed to promote creativity, confidence, and joy—including skateboarding clinics with Beyond the Board, drone flying, DJ lessons, spray-painting skateboards, bats, and hats, and collaborative art projects.
Jarren Duran speaking to the varsity baseball team at Cypress High School, courtesy photo.
The day concluded with a group canvas project, music, photos, and personal moments for students to connect with Jarren through signings and conversations.
More than an event, this was an affirmation. Students felt seen, supported, and reminded that their school community—and its alumni—care deeply about their well-being. Jarren’s willingness to give back and be vulnerable created a safe space for healing, inspiration, and belonging, leaving a lasting impact on everyone involved. Courtesy Cypress High School
Cypress High’s boys basketball team battled to the final seconds, but they were unable to keep pace with a hot shooting Rancho Christian team, as the Centurions (19-11) saw their season come to an end in the second round of the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs. The Eagles (21-9) were able to hold off the Centurions, 94-82, at Cypress High, to advance to the quarterfinals of the CIF-SS Ford Championships on Friday.
The Eagles had taken a 17-point lead into the final quarter, but the Centurions would not go quietly. They cut the lead to 75-65 on a three pointer by senior forward Emmanuel Igbekoyi. Senior point guard Ryan Gov had an offensive rebound and score during the run.
Igbekoyi had a layup off a great pass and then at steal and break to cut the lead to 77-69. After a Rancho basket, Gov scored on a driving layup to get it back to 79-71, but that would be as close as the Centurions would get. Gov led the Centurions with 29 points and Igbekoyi finished with 20.
Senior guard Ethan Mai had 14 points, with four three-pointers, and junior guard Brennan DeLa Cruz added 13 points, including 3 three-points buckets. Senior forward Gavin Kroll rounded out the scoring with six points. Junior guard Jeremiah Profit led the Eagles with a game-high 32 points and junior James Wilson added 18 points.
After a fourth place league finish and missing the playoffs last year, the Centurions set their sights on getting back this season. Head Coach Derek Mitchell credited the core returning players for getting the team back on track.
“The guys who came back set the tone early, we had some young guys, we had them come in, and they saw the excitement, and that we can feel it if people play hard, and play together,” Cypress Head Coach Derek Mitchell said. The Centurions finished third in a competitive Crestview League this season and also added a tournament title when they won the San Diego Holiday Classic in January. Gov won the tournament MVP award at the event. Mitchell said the team’s bond was a big factor in its successes this season.
“You know, they’re friends on the court, and off the court, so that always helps,” Mitchell said. “Just a lot of heart … and you can tell they never give up.”
