Saxophonist Dan Kaneyuki, trumpeter Mike Rocha, and vocalist Natalie Mendoza will join the Los Alamitos High School Jazz Bands for their spring concert: Spotlight: The Next Generation of Jazz. The program features musical selections from the district’s youth and middle school jazz groups, followed by power-house performances by these accomplished guest artists, accompanied by Los Al’s award-winning jazz groups. The show takes place Saturday, March 14, at 7 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center on the Los Alamitos High School campus (3591 W. Cerritos Avenue, Los Alamitos). Tickets are $20, $30, or $40 at losaljazz.seatyourself.biz.
Since the moment it opened, the Casa Youth Shelter has been a place where troubled teens are welcome to walk through the doors, day or night, 365 days a year.
For a variety of reasons, these teenagers suddenly find themselves jettisoned into a personal or family crisis for which they are ill equipped to handle and woefully unprepared to navigate.
Casa Youth Shelter, a historic living miracle on Reagan Street in Los Alamitos.
Often estranged from family, these young souls starkly find themselves in trouble or alone, sometimes both.
Since the moment it opened 42 years ago, the Casa Youth Shelter has been a catcher of these young souls, with an eye to rebuilding their family unit from which they came.
“Our goal is to catch kids when they are struggling through a crisis of some kind,” says Executive Director Amy Lakin. She said Casa is “always open” to provide sheltered youth “kind words to navigate through the crisis” and to provide them the “tools to cope with what comes their way in the future.”
Still operating from the homestead of Casa’s founder, Myldred E. Jones (see related story), this quiet complex on Reagan Street could perhaps be considered an example of a living miracle.
Jones, one of the original Rossmoor homeowners, sold her home and, at 69, used the proceeds to buy the two lots in Los Alamitos On one she built a small home and in 1978, on the other lot, she founded and built the Casa de Bienvenidos Youth Shelter, which over the years has been shortened to Casa Youth Shelter.
Though Casa has since expanded but never, not for a moment, shut its doors since the day it opened.
Casa Youth Shelter has, over time, developed a wider community “where all adolescents in crisis have a safe place to stay in an environment that promotes healthy family relationships.”
Teens get exposed to music and music lessons while staying at Casa Youth Shelter.
Without aversion to cause, these troubled youths are accepted and actually welcomed into the Casa “family.” They are given a comfortable, gender segregated room and given full access to the Casa facility. It includes a kitchen and dining room where kids cook and eat (alongside staff), recreation facilities, games, outdoor recreation, reading rooms and truly, a home away from home while in crisis transition.
There are house rules, however, and kids must adhere to them. For instance, they must eat together, as a family, and kids must “ask” for second helpings before serving themselves.
No one is allowed to leave the table until everyone is finished. “For many troubled kids, this is the first ‘family’ meal they’ve ever eaten,” said a tour guide during their most recent open house.
In the past decade alone, Casa has sheltered 2,284 teenaged girls and boys.
During their stay, the well-trained staff nurtures them, strengthens their spirit and later arms them with the knowledge and understanding sufficient. in most cases, to renter the environments from which they left.
After their initial stay, Casa Youth Shelter also offers troubled youth follow-up counseling.
According to the shelter’s statistical analysis, they come for a variety of reasons., which, “unfortunately often includes child abuse.” Physical abuse is the top abuse reported, followed by sexual abuse, mental abuse and neglect.
Moreover, over that same decade, Casa Youth Shelter’s crisis hotline has handled 7,405 “crisis calls stemming from substance abuse, homelessness, gang involvement, human trafficking, running away to avoid a home crisis, issues related to sexual identity or issues related to families with active duty military.
Staff and teens enjoying boiled crawfish. Teens learn to cook, eat together and enjoy life as part of the ‘family’ while staying at Casa Youth Shelter.
Because of their long history of successful outcomes, Casa Youth Shelter receives referrals from community agencies, local schools and even police agencies.
According to Lakin, Casa Youth Shelter has developed referral relationships with key educational, clinical and other social service agencies. They refer troubled youth to the proper agencies, when necessary, but always with a tender hand of assistance, rather than an authoritative mandate of law.
“We know that crisis’ happen in life,” says Lakin, so while under the Casa roof, kids are taught skills, social tools and other useful techniques necessary with a goal of returning to normalcy and hopefully, a return to the family unit.
“We know that sometimes kids can’t resolve things on their own. Sometimes the issue is bigger than them. It can be generational or systematic,” says Lakin. “So we do anything we can to provide support for the whole family unit.” “That’s our goal.”
Federal law only permits sheltering teens for no more than 21 days at a time, so the staff at Casa is trained to provide immediate care as a temporary shelter for youth in crisis. Says Lakin, this enables them to “come through with increased personal strength and a sense of renewal while in a supportive environment.”
Courts now allow police discretion to allow teens to choose juvenile hall or Casa Youth. However, for those who choose Casa Youth Shelter, says Lakin, “it is mandatory to participate in all of our counseling programs and everything involved.”
Even local police officers, she said, “would rather” bring troubled youth to Casa rather than deliver them to “the juvenile halls, the justice department or some kind of foster care program.” In fact, Los Alamitos Police Chief Eric Nunez is a member of Casa’s Board.
“We want to give kids in crisis the tools to navigate through those issues that might come up and to help be a resource for the entire family,” says Lakin. Relationship building in many cases lasts a lifetime, she says.
One of the rooms available to teens in crisis at Casa Youth Shelter.
“They’re here (at Casa) for only a few weeks,” said Lakin, “but they are with us (Casa family) forever.”
Even once they leave Casa, she said the shelter continues to act as a resource for the kids or the family. “We want to be a resource for them throughout whatever that continuum of need,” says Lakin.
“Once kids are here, they are part of our family.” Lakin said teens are encouraged to call back if they need anything at all, including, food, school supplies, employment assistance, housing assistance, etc.
Casa Youth Shelter has attracted an active board of top tier donors and enjoys widespread community support.
“We are more than just a shelter. We provide individual, family and group counseling and case management,” she says. “Our work should be taken as broadly as humanly possible,” said Lakin.
Just last week, members of the Los Alamitos Chamber of Commerce voted Casa Youth Shelter as its outstanding nonprofit partner of the year.
Teens relax at Casa Youth Shelter and free to enjoy recreation as they figure things out.
Though the world has grown much more intricate and complicated since Jones founded Casa four decades ago, Lakin says “the model has not changed. “Myldred wanted to create a home-like atmosphere, so it’s not a shelter in terms of a giant room. Every youth has their own room. They do chores and eat meals together.”
So, while modifications and expansions have been made, and while the types of crisis’ and the way we provide assistance has changed, “the mission at its core has not. We have made it our own and it is absolutely okay.”
Defying all odds against it, Casa Youth Shelter has not only survived, but has thrived. The dedicated staff of Casa Youth Shelter, starting with Myldred, has intervened in the lives of more than 10,000 teenagers in crisis since her initial act of human generosity, servicing approximately 250 each year.
Therefore, this safe-haven built on a vacant lot in Los Alamitos has indeed become a living miracle on Reagan Street for troubled youth.
In her own way, Myldred E. Jones, the founder of Casa Youth Shelter, was every bit the female pioneer, as accomplished as any that have been enshrined in the lore and lure of the west, according to her Casa Youth bio.
When Myldred was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 5, 1909, women were still two decades away from getting enough states to ratify the 19th Amendment which would finally award women the full right to vote.
Yet, over the course of her lifetime Myldred became so accomplished that her efforts were praised by the likes of Pope John XXIII, General Colin Powell, the United Nations and five U.S. Presidents.
A strong woman of deep faith, contemporary accounts indicate she was, throughout her life, dedicated to making life easier for others while caring for many..
Myldred did graduate studies at UCLA in Sociology and Public Administration after graduating with a Bachelors of Administration degree from Wittenberg College in Springfield, Ohio.
Even the celebrated measure of her much accomplished life barely scratches the surface of her incredible string of inspirations. Beyond Casa, Jones established many early models for social justice and care that are still being used today.
She was teaching school at Frances de Paux School for Mexican Girls in 1942 when her teaching career gave way to the U.S. Navy and WWII. She served for 17 years and rose to the prestigious rank of Lt. Commander.
In the days when marriage and motherhood were not allowed for career military women, she served with distinction throughout WWII, the Korean War, and the peacetime that followed.
Myldred was the first female faculty in the Armed Forces Graduate School of Information, Assistant Director, Welfare Department, Navy Relief Society, and she served as the Naval Liaison to both the United Nations and the American Red Cross.
After her military discharge, she was active in the Civil Rights Movement, marching alongside Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr. from Selma to Montgomery.
She helped desegregate an Episcopal Church
near Selma, as well as a military officers’ club. She also joined with Cesar Chavez on his marches for the United Farm Workers, and then worked in Watts and East Los Angeles to continue this work with teenagers.
During an 18-month assignment as a Consultant for Youth Affairs in the office of then Governor Ronald Reagan, she conducted a study of issues affecting youth in crisis throughout California.
Because of that experience, she participated in the establishment of the first Adolescent Hotline at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles.
Subsequently, hotlines spread across the nation and are now operating internationally.
She also founded We Care, which offers aid to the homeless and near-homeless, and the Southern California Hot Line, which averages 1,000 calls a month from people in crisis situations. These non-profit organizations are all dedicated to youth in need. Through her work, she recognized the desperate need to shelter runaway and abandoned teens who faced danger on the streets.
She sold her Rossmoor home and used the proceeds to purchase two adjacent lots in Los Alamitos. This property became Casa Youth Shelter.
At the age of 69, when most people are settled into retirement, Myldred moved into a tiny house and built Casa Youth Shelter next door. On April 7, 1978, the shelter welcomed its first troubled youth through its doors. Myldred ran and supervised the three-bedroom house that would shelter up to six youngsters at a time. With few funds, she relied on a backyard garden, the goodness of neighbors and friends, and her unfaltering faith to feed and clothe the kids that came to her shelter. Her vision and lifelong dream of helping children in need became a reality, and the woman who sacrificed marriage and children for service to her country would begin 29 years of accepting, loving, and sheltering at-risk youth.
For many youngsters, Casa Youth Shelter was where they learned how typical families live – eating together, sharing the events of the day, and pitching in to do household chores. Not a week went by that a past resident didn’t check in to update her on their accomplishments, a new job, or a newborn child.
It was a big job for a 69-year-old to start and manage a youth shelter. But she often said she didn’t do it alone. Volunteers, donors, and friends seemed to appear from nowhere when mostneeded. Sometimes a miracle came in the form of an anonymous check. Other times it was a stranger knocking on the door with extra food, clothing, or a few dollars. Somehow, she managed, and with the help of an active board of directors, the little 6- bed shelter grew to 12 beds plus a two-story building with rooms for meetings, classes, and counseling.
Like Frieda Caplan who passed away last week, Myldred E. Jones was indeed a groundbreaking pioneer whose life carried her out west and by living her values, she founded not only Casa Youth Shelter, but was responsible for many ideas that became the founding social infrastructure being used even today to rescue teens in crisis all over the world.
With two area homeless shelters under construction in the area, the city of Los Alamitos at its Jan. 21 meeting authorized the reading of an anti-camping ordinance that they hope to approve as soon as one of the shelters is officially opened.
Mayor Pro-tem Mark Chirco asked Daudt if the city’s ordinance was the draft ordinance expected to be drawn up by the North County Special Planning area?
While the north county Special Planning area (SPa) is moving slowly and has not yet crafted a draft ordinance, Daudt said the city went ahead and drafted one. Nevertheless, Daudt said what is contained in the Los Al ordinance will “generally be seen” in all similar ordinances.
“Once one of the shelters actually opens, we can enforce that ordinance,” said Daudt. It is highly likely that the homeless shelter under construction in Buena Park could open in mid-March, he said, so in Daudt’s opinion, it was not too early to begin the process of passing the ordinance.
Daudt read the ordinance, tentatively entitled “2020-01 prohibiting the camping and storage of personal property on public areas.” Currently, he said, there is nothing on the books to prohibit camping or storage of personal belongings in parks or other public areas.
The ordinance, now introduced, still must undergo second readings, public hearings and a variety of other steps before it officially becomes part of the city’s code.
The city voted last year to contribute funds to the construction of the two shelters, one in Buena Park and the other in Fullerton, that will cover the 14 municipalities within the North County Special Planning Area.
Even so, council member Shelley Hasselbrink wants additional protection. She said both of the 150-bed shelters under construction could fill up quick, so she asked the staff about the “what if” scenario.
Chief of Police Eric Nunez said he would assist in providing the information, but added that the shelters were “not walk up,” meaning that anyone staying must remain overnight.
Also, said Nunez, it was his understanding that a nearby shelter in Anaheim was not always full so there will likely be room.
Nevertheless, Hasselbrink said she wanted to know “where we (Los Alamitos) are in the pecking order?”
In other action Tuesday, the council hear local “dentist to the stars” Dr. William Poe tell the council that he “honored and proud” to represent the city in receiving this year’s Americana Award.
Poe appeared at the meeting with Howard Kummerman, Executive Director of the Cypress College Foundation, who reminded city officials that they “have a big stake” in the college.
He said 288 Los Al students were currently enrolled in Cypress College, and another 66 will be incoming. Last year alone, Kummerman said the college’s foundation awarded more than $400,000 in grants and scholarships.
In fact, he said Dr. Poe had attended Cypress College before going on to USC and UCLA and eventually become a superstar dentist.
Poe and others will be honored Feb. 29 at the 45th Americana Awards. He encouraged city officials to attend. The American Awards will honor eight citizens, one from each of the cities served by Cypress College, said Kummerman.
The council on Tuesday also voted to rearrange the sequencing of district elections, given the recent resignation of council member Warren Kusumoto.
According to city clerk Windy Quintanar, districts one, two and three will be up for re-election in 2020, while the incumbents in districts 4 and 5 will face voters in 2022.
In a related matter, Chirco resigned from the Mosquito and vector control commission and Murphy gave up his alternate status to WestCom so that newly installed council member Tanya Doby could represent the city on those boards and commissions.
In other action, the board:
Expressed appreciation to Master Sergeant Bobby Chavez for being “a really good friend” of the city. Chavez was assigned to Joint Forces Training Base until recently when he was reassigned to state National Guard headquarters in Sacamento.
Appointed and welcomed Jose Orozco to the city’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Commission.
Heard outgoing interim city manager Les Johnson announce that the city had received a grant of $160,000 that will be used on the city’s Towne Center strategic plan.
Dedicated the meeting to the late Frieda Caplan, “perhaps our most famous citizen,” who passed away last week at the age of 96. Throughout her life, said Murphy, she could “walk in and light up a room. Council member Shelley Hasselbrink said Caplan was “one of the original Rossmoor homeowners” and was heavily vested “in the business of our city. She was definitely a trailblazer,” said Hasselbrink and surely “will be missed.”
Following an extensive and competitive recruitment, the City of Los Alamitos City Council has approved Chester “Chet” Simmons as the new city manager.
The council voted 5-0 following a closed session at its Jan. 21 to give Simmons the nod.
Simmons currently serves as Assistant City Manager of Westminster and, according to the city’s agreement, the new city manager will report for duty on February 3.
Simmons comes to the City of Los Alamitos by way of the City of Westminster. During his thirteen-year tenure with the City, Simmons served in numerous capacities, most recently as the City’s Assistant City Manager and Director of Community Development.
During this time, Simmons has been the point person for a number of high-profile initiatives in the city, including the city’s recently adopted General Plan, the public/private partnerships that brought Infiniti, Airstream, and a Costco Business Center to the Westminster, the planned redevelopment of its Civic Center property, and the city’s new community engagement initiatives.
Simmons has been also largely credited with initiating the city’s new Development strategy that has resulted in some of the city’s newest development successes. Chief among these are the approved Bolsa Row development, which will bring a five-star 150 room boutique hotel, luxury condo and retain development to the city’s cultural business district, and the newly approved mixed-use developments along Westminster Avenue and Beach Boulevard. Most recently, Simmons also served as the city’s negotiations with the owners of the Westminster Mall in order to allow for the redevelopment of the 104-acre site into a regional lifestyle/entertainment development.
“We are delighted to welcome Chet to the City of Los Alamitos and to have him lead our Executive team,” said Los Alamitos Mayor Richard Murphy. “Chet brings with him a wealth of experience and we look forward to working with him.”
“This is a great opportunity and I want to thank the Mayor and the City Council for the confidence and trust they have placed in me,” stated Simmons. “Los Alamitos is an outstanding community with great residents and an unequaled staff. I am truly excited to see what we are able to accomplish together.”
Simmons holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Gonzaga University, and is an active member of the Urban Land Institute, International City Management Association, and the California City Management Foundation.
According to city attorney Michael Daudt, the city has authorized a three-year contract with Simmons at a base salary of $189,600 per year, with an annual increase of 2 percent per year and a potential incentive bonus of 2 percent.
Further, Simmons will get 120 hours of vacation the first year, 136 hours in year two and 152 hours in the final year. In addition, the new city manager will be entitled to 80 hours of administrative leave, $1,400 per month insurance allowance, $700 per month car allowance, $78 per month cell phone allowance and a one-time allowance of $1,200 for the purchase of a laptop for use on city business.
Finally, Simmons will be entitled to a six-month severance allowance if terminated without cause.
The last day for Interim city manager Les Johnson was Friday, Jan. 24, so the Council has appointed Recreation Director Ron Noda as acting city manager until Simmons is able to assume the position.
The Los Alamitos Unified School District Board of Education voted for the Green 4 map as its pick for how to draw the boundaries for the school district’s five trustee voting areas. The vote took place on January 21 at a regularly scheduled Board meeting.
LAUSD has nine schools and encompasses Seal Beach, including the retirement community of Leisure World, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor and small portions of Cypress and Long Beach. The Green 4 map splits up Leisure World into four different trustee areas and spreads the nine campuses across four trustee areas.
“Will the map we choose make everybody happy? Absolutely not,” Board member Marlys Davidson said before the vote last Tuesday. But she emphasized how the months-long process to get to the final map was shaped by valuable feedback from community members at more than two dozen public meetings and six hearings.
“You guys are our heroes,” Davidson said of residents who participated.
In a press release, Board President Megan Cutuli said she and her fellow Board members were grateful to the community “for the valuable input throughout the process that was influential in how we made our final decision.”
The five to zero vote was the last step for the Board as the district changes how its five board members are elected. That process started last August when the school district began to transition from its at-large voting system, where voters select all board members, to a system of trustee voting areas. Starting with the November 2020 election, voters will select one representative from their trustee voting area to serve on the Board.
The change is a response to the California Voting Rights Act. The law favors district voting over at-large voting systems. Dozens of school districts and cities across the state have been sued or threatened with litigation alleging at-large voting systems violate the law. LAUSD decided to switch now to avoid potentially costly legal fees.
Last month, LAUSD Superintendent Dr. Andrew Pulver estimated the cost of the transition to be about $40,000 but cautioned that was a ballpark figure.
But the process is not over.
Up next, the Orange County Committee on School District Organization will hold a public hearing on the map and vote on it sometime in February or March. If it’s accepted, it will go to the State Board of Education for approval.
A Closer Look at the Green 4 Map
The Green 4 Map was one of two final maps considered during the vote at the Jan. 21 Board of Education meeting. The other map was Yellow 3. The final two maps emerged after a lengthy process of revisions that produced 11 draft maps created by professional demographers. The draft maps presented different options for how to divide up the district and were altered based on community feedback and public comments from Board members.
Federal and state laws require each trustee voting area to have an equal population of about 9,600 people with a deviation requirement of plus or minus 10%. The areas must also be contiguous and strive to keep “communities of interest,” areas, neighborhoods or groups that have common concerns, intact.
The Green 4 Map keeps the most ethnically diverse area of the district in one trustee area. That region, Trustee Area 1, covers the small portion of Cypress and Old Town Los Alamitos.
The Green 4 Map breaks up Leisure World into four different trustee areas. A concern was that because Leisure World is home to only voting-age residents and no school-age children, it could have outsized influence. The Yellow 3 map divided Leisure World into three trustee areas.
“The Green map dilutes that vote,” Board member Karen Russell said during the meeting but also noted that it doesn’t preclude a Leisure World resident from running for school board.
The district’s nine schools are also spread across four of the five trustee areas in the Green 4 map. Only Trustee Area 4, which is made up of part of Old Town Seal Beach and all of College Park East, does not have a school in it.
‘I’ve really struggled with this’
The vote on Jan. 21 was met with applause from people at the meeting. While Board members came to a consensus and their vote was unanimous, there was some disagreement. Most Board members liked the fact that both maps split up Leisure World and equitably distributed the district’s six elementary schools, two middle schools and Los Alamitos High School.
Davidson said the final two maps were very similar but she couldn’t justify voting for the Yellow 3 map after hearing concerns from residents from College Park East. The Yellow 3 map divided up College Park East partially based on school attendance areas.
“Please don’t split College Park East,” Seal Beach Mayor and College Park East resident Schelly Sustarsic told the Board. “We are also better together,” she said. (“Better Together” is LAUSD’s motto for the 2019-2020 school year.)
Board President Cutuli was also in favor of the Green 4 map. She likes how it divides up Leisure World and spreads out schools and school attendance areas so trustees would have more than one campus to represent. “The Green one is nuanced a little bit better for our school district,” she said.
But other Board members were not as sure.
“I’ve really struggled with this,” Board member Diana Hill said. She said that to her core she didn’t believe splitting up the district was best for students but recognized LAUSD had no choice. Hill said she was weighing the pros and cons of each map. She said in her gut she preferred the Yellow 3 map but said she was OK with the Green 4 Map.
“I think the Yellow map is easier,” Board member David Boyer said but noted, “No map is perfect.” Boyer said he was looking at it from a numbers perspective and liked the Yellow 3 map’s lower deviation of 3.3% compared with the Green 4 map’s 6.7%. Like all districts, the maps will need to be reassessed after the 2020 Census and may be adjusted in 2021.
After the vote Boyer said, “I always like the fact that we can agree to disagree,” and added that the Board always made the decision that’s best for the district. In an interview after the vote he said, “I can live with the Green map.”
But Boyer, who will not seek re-election, has other worries. He fears that splitting into trustee areas will possibly detract from a Board culture that focuses on all students in the district. “You need to have people that really have the district at heart,” Boyer said.
After the vote, Board President Cutuli stressed that the Board’s culture is strong. “We are committed to everybody in the district.”
Five months ago, upon the resignation of former City Manager Bret Plumlee, city officials in Los Alamitos had to do something quick to fill the position as they searched for a long-term replacement.
They reached out to Les Johnson, who was then the city’s Development Director, and asked him to become city manager until the city until they were able to fill the position.
At the time, city officials were preparing to embark on a citywide listening tour at which residents would be told that, through no fault of the current administration, the city was on track to be bankrupt by 2025.
Johnson, a community developer, assumed the role and has served five months until last Friday, which was his last day on the job.
“I’ve enjoyed my time as interim city manger,” said Johnson on Thursday, which was his last physical day in the office at city hall.
“Every city has its challenges,” he said, “and Los Alamitos is no exception. Johnson said while Los Al faces some acute budgetary problems, “most cities have a challenge of balancing the budget, wants versus needs, and outside of that, the situation (in Los Alamitos) is not totally out of character.”
Johnson said, in fact, that he was gratified to be able to serve in that position as city officials launched a road show, both to properly inform citizens of how much financial trouble the city is in and to probe citizen’s appetite for additional revenue (new taxes).
While some are complaining about the low number of citizens willing to take a contracted survey, Johnson said he thinks citizens of Los Al “provided input” to the city sufficient to understand a basic
“I enjoy solving problems, helping to make a difference,” said Johnson.
“Los Alamitos has a very strong identity,” according to Johnson, saying that during the open public hearings, he had a chance to speak with many residents, even those who did not necessarily offer public comments.
Of the residents who did offer an opinion, Johnson said he was struck by their frustration about being put in this situation, but “how really proud they are about being residents of Los Alamitos.” They are frustrated but do not want to see the situation change the city’s quality of life, he said, “and I heard that many times.”
People understand that it’s a “dark cloud,” he said, but residents “are very community oriented.”
Johnson also had praise for the Council, saying they offered him support and cooperation through his short tenure as interim city manager. “They were very supportive of me,” he said, adding that he believes “they all care about doing the right thing for the city.”
Regarding his colleagues on the staff, Johnson had high praise, calling them among “the most dedicated and committed” group of city employees he’s ever been associated with. “They are fiercely dedicated to the city of Los Alamitos,” he said, “and it shows in their work. They are not afraid to go the extra mile.”
He said staff’s support and impressive work ethic is what stood out the most about his short tenure at the helm.
One of the most effective ways to become a great entrepreneur is to learn from those who did it first. Everyone has their own ideas about achieving results, and even if you don’t follow the exact success stories before you, their stories are entertaining and hopefully inspiring.
I want to introduce you to Miles Rubin. He was born in Long Beach, California but along with his Mom, Dad and Sister, moved to Rossmoor when he was just 9 years old. He started school, first at Hopkinson Elementary, then Oak Middle School and finally his high school years at Los Alamitos High.
Miles started volunteering at the Youth Center in 2013. He did so well that he was offered his very first job as a camp counselor at the YC where he learned that anything is possible. I asked Miles if he would answer some questions so that we may find some insight as to what makes him successful.
What did you think you were going to be when you grew up? “I knew that no matter what I did, I would be working with people and helping them be the best versions of themselves. It wasn’t until pretty recently that I decided I wanted to be a coach.
Tell me how you got into your line of work. “Growing up, I had struggled with being overweight. I had lost weight before, but always seemed to put it back on. At 9 years old I was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome. It was at that time I realized how powerful the human mind is. Anything and Everything we experience starts and finishes with what happens in our mind. I was able to lose weight and once I discovered that I was able to eliminate all the tics/symptoms, I believed that this was something I could share with others.
What were some of the things/people that inspired you to do the work you do? “Tony Robbins is a huge inspiration of mine. Any and all “miracle” stories are very inspiring as well. Whether It’s beating cancer, or being told you would never walk again but ended up running a marathon two years later. Those kinds of stories motivate me to move forward in what I do.” Miles believes that the moment you overcome one obstacle in life, it opens up an infinite potential for other achievements yet to be experienced.
What lessons has your work life taught you? “That anything is possible. We decide what were capable of, whether it’s a conscious decision or not. Life isn’t about the conditions presented to us, but more about how we operate within the conditions that are in front of us. If we focus on the structure and process of our thoughts, we can begin to recognize that we can design our life the way it was intended.
If you could do anything now, what would you do? “I would bring awareness that everyone is capable of greatness. No one has to settle for what others tell them is right for them. My mission is to transform the world one person at a time using the lessons I’ve learned along the way.”
In recognition of Thyroid Awareness Month, Paloma Health, backed by $2.5M, reimagines hypothyroid care in California.
Paloma Health, the first telemedicine platform offering end-to-end care for hypothyroidism is now available in California, in addition to Texas, Colorado, Arizona, and Illinois. The company offers online consultations with specialized thyroid providers who can prescribe critical health treatment and medications, dramatically increasing access to high quality care. Paloma accepts major forms of insurance, including Aetna, BCBS, and UnitedHealthcare.
The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate virtually every system in the body. Not enough production of thyroid hormones, known as hypothyroidism, can cause fatigue, weight gain, depression and other metabolic and fertility problems.
Hypothyroidism affects over 20 million Americans 1 and is one of the most prevalent chronic
conditions in the US and the world. Many patients rely on a single form of treatment for
hypothyroidism, which has made the synthetic hormone levothyroxine (Synthroid and other brands) among the most prescribed medications in the country.
Despite their number, hypothyroid patients feel like they are left alone. Hypothyroidism treatments have one of the worst satisfaction scores in the healthcare industry. A national study of over 12,000 patients found that hypothyroid patients rate their current care at a 5/10.
Since there are only approximately 5.8k endocrinologists in the US, and the average wait for an initial non-urgent consultation with an adult endocrinologist is 37 days 3 , many hypothyroid patients are treated and followed up by their PCPs, receiving suboptimal care. Managing their condition is also a challenge for most hypothyroid patients. Patients have to travel to labs to test their thyroid levels several times a year and try to follow up with their doctors. Needless to say, this experience is not convenient and troublesome.
“Thyroid conditions are a much bigger problem than people realize,” said Marina Tarasova,
cofounder of Paloma Health, “particularly for women who may experience fatigue, unexplained
weight gain or other symptoms and not realize the relation. Technology helps us provide improved and personalized care to frustrated patients.”
Paloma Health is the first online medical practice providing improved care for hypothyroidism. The company offers high quality thyroid doctors, lab tests, nutritional guidance and prescriptions, all accessible from your home.
When two sisters, Caitlyne and Kimberly Evans of Cypress, received 200-yards of top-quality quilted fabric in various colors from their mother’s friend, they, and their mother, set about thinking of a way to make good use of the beautiful fabric.
Earlier this month, the family organized a small group at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ building on Valley View Street in Garden Grove, to see if they could possibly make some blankets and perhaps sleeping bags for shelters. “That first time, we made three blankets and three sleeping bags,” said the girl’s mother Shanda Evans.
“We will contact as many local shelters as we can, with the amount of fabric we have to make the blankets and sleeping bags,” said the sisters. “We wanted to see something good accomplished with the fabric.”
Sewing is pretty new for the sisters, admitting that even though one had tried sewing before, this project is, “A level higher than before.”
Then, they advertised on a website, “JustServe.org” asking for help in making additional sleeping bags and blankets for local youth and women’s shelters for their Young Women’s Project in the Church’s Cypress Stake area that takes in West Garden Grove, Stanton, Cypress and Buena Park and La Palma.
By the end of the afternoon – 22 people had shown up – with nine sewing machines and serger-machines in hand, which enabled the group to complete 12 blankets and 27 sleeping bags. They will meet one more time on an additional Saturday, but this time it’s going to be in a Cerritos building, to use up the rest of the fabric by making more sleeping bags and blankets.
The JustServe.org website is where anyone can look over the list of service projects available for young people and adults alike to select a project they find interesting and one for which they might want to get involved.
The website reads: “We believe that nothing should get in the way of organizations and volunteers coming together to do good things for the community, so we help make this happen for free.”
The girl’s post read: “Sewing machines and sergers are needed (especially sergers). Don’t have a sewing machine? Please still attend as we can use your help and can teach you how to sew.”
High School students are required to have 40 service-hours, approximately 10-hrs. each year of high school, in order to graduate and it’s a great opportunity for the youth to learn about community involvement and volunteering/giving their time without pay for a great cause.
It’s an opportunity for youth throughout the local areas to sign up and make a difference in their community and to meet other youth with like-minded interests.”This was a really fun event,” said Shanda Evans. “My girls loved it and it was so wonderful to let them see that service is fun.”
The Los Alamitos Race Track announced this week that Burgart’s, its newest internal venue, will host a viewing party for Super Bowl 54.
Football fans and horse racing fans can come early and watch daytime simulcast races from Santa Anita, Golden Gate and the east coast before watching the Super Bowl, according to a press release.
There is a prepay package is available for $20 and it includes carne asada nachos, assorted mini pizzas, beef sliders, buffalo style chicken, homestyle chili, among other items.
Drinks are not included but there will be a $5 bottle and draft beer special starting at 2 p.m.
With athletes from all over the world reacting to the untimely death of Laker’s legend Kobe Bryant, the Jacksonville Jaguars released a statement citing a number of their players who responded to this weekend’s events.
Bryant, along with his daughter Gigi (Gianna), and several other prominent Orange County athletic personalities, died early Saturday when Bryant’s private helicopter crashed into a fog-shrouded Calabasas hillside.
Tributes poured out from Orange County as the names of the other crash victims became known. They included Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Kerri and daughter Alyssa, Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton, coach Christina Mauser and pilot Ara Zobayan.
According to the “JagsWire,” “many former NFL players were shocked and saddened by the news. “There were a few current and former Jags who reacted to the tragedy, too, as Bryant was a hero in their eyes for many different reasons.”
“Former Jags tight end Mercedes Lewis, who is a California native and was born in Los Alamitos, paid tribute for the example he set as an athlete.
In a tweet posed by Lewis, the former tight end featured a wide shot of Bryant at the foul line during a Lakers’ game. There are no other players visible as Bryant holds the ball in his left hand.
His words were short but clear. “You set the precedent. A beautiful mirror for me.”
Commercial Real Estate expert Dan Garcia will be discussing the proposed changes to Prop 13 at the next Cypress Chamber of Commerce Networking Breakfast on Tuesday, February 11th at the Residence Inn by Marriott at 4931 Katella Avenue starting at 7:30 a.m.
Dan is based in Seal Beach and has been a real estate practitioner since 2000 concentrating on Retail, Commercial and Industrial property. He will explain what the impacts are to a proposed “split-roll” modification to Prop 13, originally passed in 1978. The ballot measure that would modify Prop 13 is planned for 2020 to will increase the tax rates to commercial property owners. Dan has researched how that change will impact rents, sales and product pricing for business owners and how that might affect consumers and the business climate in Southern California.
As a real estate expert, Dan has a broad knowledge of all asset classes, including Land, Office, Retail, Industrial, Multi-family and Business Opportunity, and has closed transactions in all of them.
Reservations are recommended for the monthly breakfasts and can be made directly on the Cypress Chamber website at cypresschamber.org. For more information call 714 484-6015. Cost of the breakfast is $20 in advance or $25 for nonmembers or those who do not register in advance.
Attendees are also encouraged to bring a door prize to promote their product or service. The programs include a meet and greet time, self-introductions, breakfast, speaker and a question and answer session if time permits.
The Chamber breakfasts, which are open to the public, are held on the second Tuesday of each month all year round.
You can count on it – the 2020 Census will begin in March. Everyone in the United States will be counted, and the results will determine funding to states, counties, and cities. The Woman’s Club of Cypress is hosting a presentation on Wednesday, February 5.
The guest speaker, Jennifer E. Lee, is a 2020 Census Partnership Specialist from the United States Centennial Bureau’s Community and Partnership Education Program for the decennial census. She works with community leaders to help Orange County shape the future through accurate funding and representation.
Passionate about the upcoming census process, Lee encourages interaction with the public on census topics. “I never knew how much the census data affected my daily life,” said Lee. She enjoys sharing all the ways we are each affected by the results of the census.
The 10 a.m.-noon meeting will begin with business of the club, with Lee speaking at approximately 11 a.m. Guests are welcome to attend at no charge. Questions may be directed to the club’s email at WCCypressCA@gmail.com.
The Woman’s Club of Cypress has a membership of 88 community-minded women whose motto is Friendship with a Purpose. Club members raise money throughout the year to fund college scholarships for Cypress residents and philanthropic donations to non-profit organizations.
The Cypress School District Board approved the most recent School Accountability Report Card (SARC), as the education code requires all public schools receiving state funding to prepare and distribute via the school system’s website.
The SARC is designed to “provide parents and the community with important information about each school.”
Printed copies of the most recent SARC may be obtained by email request (contactus@cypsd.org) or by calling (714) 220-6925.
In other action, the Cypress School District:
approved renewal of an agreement with School Services of California for assistance related to school finance, legislation, school budgeting, and general fiscal issues during the period February 1, 2020, through January 31, 2021, at a not-to-exceed cost of $4,000.
approved the 2019/20 SPSA for Clara J. King Elementary School, which can be found on the district’s website. The state’s Education Code requires that schools participating in programs funded through the state’s consolidated application process develop a Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) identifying goals for improving student achievement and addressing how funds will be used to improve academic performance. Strong Workforce Program K12 Pathway Improvement Grant.
approved the district’s participation in the state’s Strong Workforce Program K12 Pathway Improvement Grant to facilitate selection of learning opportunities leading to career paths for students starting as early as kindergarten. The district will receive up to $40,000 in grant funding through this program.
as part of ongoing efforts to provide the community with information regarding the district’s mission, vision, goals, and programs, the Board approved a retainer agreement with School Shine to produce six videos at a total cost of $24,000.
approved entering into a Purchase and Sale Agreement with Wolff Enterprises III, LLC for the district office property located at 9470 Moody Street in Cypress at a sale price of $13,750,000.
An Orange County Superior Court judge’s ruling siding with Huntington Beach in its lawsuit challenging the state’s so-called sanctuary state law was overturned Friday by a panel of appellate court justices, according to an account published by City News Service.
Though Huntington Beach officials argued the city did not have to abide by the state’s California Values Act because it is a charter city and the constitution gives charter cities more authority to impose laws, which supersede state laws, the three-justice panel of the state’s 4th District Court of Appeal disagreed.
The city of Los Alamitos is among the cities to declare that because it is a charter city, SB 54, otherwise known as the California Values Act, does not apply to them.
However, the appeals court rule that the state’s law was constitutional “as applied to charter cities because it addresses matters of statewide concern — including public safety and health, effective policing and protection of constitutional rights,” Associate Justice Richard F. Fybel wrote, with Justices Raymond J. Ikola and Thomas Goethals concurring.
The appellate panel also found that the American Civil Liberties Union, Los Alamitos Community United and four residents lacked legal standing to intervene in the case.
Fybel concluded that the state law “is reasonably related to resolution of those statewide concerns, and is narrowly tailored to avoid unnecessary interference in local government.”
Huntington Beach attorney Michael Gates told that he will recommend the City Council appeal to the state Supreme Court.
“I’m very disappointed in the ruling and will talk to the city council about the next steps, but I don’t believe, based on all of my extensive research of all of the case law, that this is a reasonable, final word on this,” Gates said in the published accounts.
The appellate justices’ opinion “not only makes the state’s case, they go beyond it and add additional analysis,” he added.
Gates said he believes the issue is destined to be settled by the state Supreme Court.
According to the published reports, the ACLU contended the “decision is a resounding victory for sanctuary in California. The appellate court decision affirms that all Californians — including the millions living in charter cities — are entitled to the California Value Act’s protections. We are especially thankful to the many Orange County residents and community organizations who stood up to defend sanctuary in their communities.”
The appellate panel cited cases going back to the 19th century in its recapping of the history of rulings regarding the authority of charter cities under state laws.
The city argued the state cannot apply its laws for charter cities when it pertains to strictly local issues such as the operation of a police force. But the justices noted that the state’s laws supersede charter city laws when an issue of “statewide concern” arises.
Although local communities face serious financial challenges, state Sen. Tom Umberg says he is working on policy changes that could improve future economic prospects for the state and communities like Los Alamitos.
Umberg was elected to Senate District 34 in 2018, following a career that included stints as both a civilian and military prosecutor and two earlier terms in the California Assembly. The district includes Seal Beach, Los Alamitos and other local communities.
Umberg, a retired Col. In the U.S. Army, said he has a soft spot for Los Alamitos, having served at the base at various times during his days in the military.
In fact, Umberg said he and his wife Robin, now a Brigadier General in the United States Army, were both in command of units at Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos during the dark day of 9/11.
All emotions aside, Umberg said in an interview this week that the base is critical to the state’s emergency management and must be protected.
Moreover, he said JFTB and the Naval Weapons Station in Seal Beach are the only military facilities remaining in a country once blessed with numerous military installations. With Marine bases in El Toro, Tustin and the Navy in Long Beach, the military ethic runs deep in Orange County and existing bases should be supported, he said.
“Now, he said, “it’s all gone except for this one jewel in Los Alamitos. JFTB serves a purpose for the whole region, said Umberg, in terms of providing emergency response, a military transportation hub and the base gives public service agencies an ability to respond to fires and other natural emergencies.
“Having this base in Los Alamitos provides an opportunity for greater interconnection between civilians and the military. It is home to “Race on the Base,” and so many good things for the community,” he said. Umberg praised the quasi military operation Sunburst Academy, saying after a recent visit that it is producing great results. Troubled youth who attend come out “motivated, back on their feet and it is really, really wonderful.”
Also, he said, “now that we have an all-volunteer force, fewer and fewer people from the civilian community interact with folks from the military and that’s not a good thing. Not good for the military, not a good thing governance and not a good thing for society in general.”
Overall, said Umberg, “we have a very vibrant military presence here and we were all the better for it.”
Regarding the economy, Umberg said he is working to improve conditions for communities like Los Alamitos, which is considered to be a transportation hub because of its convenient location. “At some point, we have to work on densities in attractive transportation hubs,” said Umberg. “I know there is resistance, but we simply have to be smarter.”
As the state Co-Chair of the upcoming 2020 Census, Umberg said it is critical for communities like Los Alamitos that every resident be counted. While the federal government, until now, has under resourced the upcoming Census, the state of California is reportedly considering providing up to $200 million in funding to ensure every citizen is counted.
For every person not counted, said Umberg, the state loses about $2,000 in federal highway, healthcare and education funding. “I love my job,” said Umberg, who has returned to public service after a meaningful absence. Now representing more than a million constituents in a wildly diverse state senate district that includes Los Alamitos, Seal Beach and other local communities, Umberg said there are “critically important issues that still need to be decided.”
Following a six- month listening tour and a survey of residents, the city council learned at a special meeting this week from its experts that the city of Los Alamitos, as an organization, with current revenues, is “unsustainable.”
Consultant David Cain reported on the city’s ongoing fiscal sustainability efforts at a special meeting this week. Bottom line, said Cain, “our ongoing revenues cannot meet our ongoing expenses,” given the massive pension debt that must be repaid.
Important to point out, however, that the city’s budget is balanced this year and, thanks to a surprising surplus of $600,000 in 2019, perhaps next year as well.
Longer term, however, the situation gets bleak as the city must begin to accelerate debt payments to the state’s retirement system, apparently $42 million in pension payments over the next 20 years.
From feedback obtained at the public hearings held across the city, officials say while the public is not happy about the situation, residents during the process expressed deep affection for the city and seem to be willing to work with officials alleviate the crisis.
Cain and Finance Director Erik Hendrickson laid out a series of findings to the council, including a prospective set of budget cuts that, even if implemented, would provide approximately $1.2 million in annual savings.
Moreover, Cain said they are attempting to put together a 20-year budget plan that not only meets the pension payment requirements, but hopefully be able to fund urgently needed list of capital improvements.
The team has identified capital improvement projects such as a community center, new city hall and others that will require approximately $60 million in capital over the next two decades, said Cain.
Nevertheless, he said the city knows they must act very soon. “Waiting for things to get better is not an option,” Cain emphasized.
During the public outreach, said Cain, citizens repeatedly expressed support for police services and public safety, as well as maintaining the current level of city services.
Of all the “revenue enhancement options” explored by the team, Cain said passing a new sales tax seemed to have the most chance of being approved by voters (see related story). Nevertheless, he said a parcel tax would be a non-starter, he said, noting significant resident opposition to a parcel tax.
Citizens also expressed strong support for an increase in the hotel/motel tax, but Cain said with the relatively few hotel rooms in the city, this option, if implemented, would only generate an additional $275,000 per year.
Hendrickson said the budget has been balanced for the past two years. Also, he said, the city is somewhat surprisingly projecting a fiscal year surplus of $595,000 for the current year.
Yet, said Hendrickson, it is likely that “we are going to need that money to balance next year’s budget.”
He said the city has reduced its workforce by 25 full time workers over the past decade and is cutting the budget wherever possible without reducing the current level of service. He called it “nitpicking,” adding that the current level of police service is off limits for cuts.
And, said Hendrickson, without revenue enhancements, the city’s pension payments will begin to bite hard into the budget in two years and will completely “exhaust” the city’s $8 million reserve fund by 2025.
“The budget is balanced now but can go downhill quickly,” he said. Citizens, for sure, want to make sure that any additional revenue provides for “local control. They want to keep the money here.”
While most of the discussions seeking a solution have revolved around a one-cent sales tax estimated to generate between $3 – 3.5 million per year in new revenue, council member Dean Grose asked staff to look into whether or not that amount will be enough a decade from now.
“How long is this $3.4 million (sales tax) going to hold us?,” asked Grose. He suggested asking voters to consider approving more, suggesting a one and one-half cent sales tax, if indeed the predictive models indicate more revenue would be required at some point in the future.
Grose also asked staff to investigate why a link on the city’s web site that once allowed citizens to drill down to city spending all the way into departments is no longer operable? “These are dollars the taxpayers are entrusting to us,” said Grose. “I’m not sold,” said Grose, adding that “I want taxpayers to have accurate information.”
It was a rip-roaring night as the Los Alamitos Area Chamber of Commerce on Thursday gathered for their annual fundraising gala at the clubhouse on the U.S. Navy Golf Course.
With two Ford Model-T’s in the driveway, the “Roaring 20’s” theme for this year prompted many in the group to adorn classic clothing for what has become the Los Al Chamber’s main yearly fundraiser and awards gala.
This is only the second year of the Chamber’s revival of what, until now, was a dormant event. Last year’s trial revival went so well the Chamber is now embracing the annual themed event.
“Thank all of you for supporting the Chamber,” said incoming Chairwoman Nesi Stewart, the owner of Printmasters of Los Alamitos. Stewart told the packed room about when she and her husband purchased a printing business twelve years ago and found that her business was located near her competitor.
“Competition is good,” she said, noting that all local businesses should work together to improve the overall share of business. Many times since, said Stewart, the two competing printing businesses have helped each other out at various times in the past twelve years.
Also, she promised that the Chamber would be active in coming year. “I just want to keep the momentum going,” she said, adding that “I just want to make sure that our members and board are proactive and reaching out to businesses to get more business into the city.” The success of the Chamber is dependent on one-to-one contact and effective community outreach, said Stewart.
She thanked outgoing Chairwoman Dawnette Palmore for her success in improving attendance at the Chamber’s monthly networking breakfast.
“It (improving attendance)was my goal and I think we succeeded,” said Palmore, who said the introduction of a Chamber sponsored “Heroes Luncheon” in the fall of 2019 was perhaps the highlight of her year as Chair. She credited local businesswoman Judy Klabouch with coming up with the idea.
Stewart will serve as Chairwoman, while LeAnna Farris, State Farm Insurance, is First Vice Chairwoman, Kathi McNally, McNally Lighting, is 2nd Vice Chairwoman, Dan Schwartz, Pacific Premier Bank, Vice Chairman of Budget and Finance while Palmore, Proverbs Financial Coaching, will serve on the board as immediate past chairwoman. The Directors will include Sabina Arace, Courtyard by Marriott, Manuel Gouveia, Republic Services, Judy Klabouch, Green Street Interiors, Tracy Leonard, Ameriprise Financial Services, Susan Morales, Los Al Medical Center, Dr. Andrew Pulver, Los Al Unified, Michelle Ratzlaff, Southland Credit Union, and Monica Salmon, Farmers Insurance.
In addition to swearing in the new officers, the Chamber presented a special award to Brigadier General Nick Ducich, the base commander of Joint Forces Training Base who has recently promoted to the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C.
Rossmoor Community Service District member Jeff Barke served as Master of Ceremonies for the event. Mark Chirco, an attorney and Mayor Pro-tem of the Los Alamitos Council, swore in the officials.
The Chamber presented awards to this year’s winners, including Southland Credit as the oustanding business of the year, Casa Youth Shelter as the outstanding nonprofit partner of the year, Judy Klabouch (Green Street Interiors) as outstanding citizen of the year and Ganahl Lumber as the outstanding economic impact partner of the year.
In addition to glass awards from the Chamber, a multitude of local agencies and elected officials also presented the winners with certificates of recognition.
Stewart also thanked sponsors and Tom Leroux of the Long Beach Model T Club for bringing the cars.
Dr. Frieda Rapoport Caplan, a popular business legend of Los Alamitos, has passed away at the age of 96.
She had been active in the business since its founding almost fifty years ago.
Her daughter, Jackie Caplan Wiggins, announced the news in a statement Jan. 18. “It is with a very heavy heart that we share that our Mom, Frieda Rapoport Caplan, passed away early this morning at her home. She was 96.”
According to interviews with CBS News, Caplan created “Frieda’s Specialty Produce” in the early 1960’s by renaming a remote New Zealand fruit the “Kiwi.” She told CBS she was okay with being called the “Kiwi Queen,” a term of endearment given to Caplan.
Called a “marketing genius” by the L.A. Times, throughout her lifetime, Caplan’s skills gained for her industry and global notoriety. By her own estimate, she introduced more than 200 exotic fruits and vegetables to the American market. The company operates from its headquarters in Los Alamitos.
In her statement, Wiggins said “as you know, she fell and broke her leg in June and had been recuperating at home since then. It was only in the last few weeks that she started declining rapidly. She was such a remarkable woman and was still very mentally sharp until the very end. As you can imagine, she continued to ask us daily ‘what good things happened at Frieda’s today’ since she couldn’t go to the office any longer.”
Tributes to her legacy and influence, both in the produce industry and the business world at large, were shared throughout the weekend. The Los Angeles Times remembered Caplan as “the marketing genius who galvanized the California farm industry and almost singlehandedly created fruit and vegetable trends.”
CBS’s Sunday Morning news magazine aired a segment on Frieda, filmed in November, on Jan. 19 in her honor. Over the years, Caplan had made hundreds of television appearances.
Caplan had also received many honors for her pioneering business, the most recent of which was the “Woman’s Catalyst Award” during the Woman’s Fresh Perspectives Summit Conference, held in Anaheim in October.
