La Palma continued its series of Flashback Summer Concerts in the Park on Saturday, July 6, with a tribute to ‘80s party music with the band Flogging Seagulls. It was the second of the six concerts that will take place in Central Park (7821 Walker St.) over the next consecutive Saturdays. An impressive crowd turned out to view in the amphitheater and spilled over into the field, filling most of it. There were food trucks, dancers, dogs and picnics, all which made for an idyllic summer night in La Palma. Next up will be a tribute to Stevie Nicks & Fleetwood Mac on July 13, followed by a tribute to the ‘50s, ’60s and ‘70s on July 20. All concerts begin at 6:30 p.m. The series wraps up on August 3.
Da’ Hawaii Seniors Club’s 21st Anniversary Celebration at Liberty Park
By Edna Ethington
One hundred and twenty-five members and guests gathered at Liberty Park in Cerritos to celebrate the 21st Anniversary of the founding of Da’ Hawaii Seniors Club at their Annual Potluck Picnic. The Decorations Committee, headed by Marion Tesoro, arrived at 10:00 a.m. to transform Liberty Park to a little sample of Hawaii. They decorated the stage and tables with ti leaves, leather ferns, plumerias, hibiscus, orchids, bird of paradise, and other flowers to add to the Hawaiian ambience.
By 11:00 a.m., members and guests entered Camp Liberty at Liberty Park to register themselves and receive their name tags and a ticket to possibly win a door prize later. They carried their donations of food for the potluck and many also donated door prizes. They filled three tables with main dishes, salads and side dishes, and desserts. Food Committee Co-Chairs Mary Jane Fujimura and Gladys Yoshii helped to decorate and prepare the tables of food. They made sure that there were enough paper plates, napkins and utensils for everyone. Some of the men of the club brought bottles of water, soft drinks, cups, coffee, ice and condiments and distributed cold or hot drinks under the direction of Stan Enomoto.
M.C. Danny Chang welcomed everyone to the Potluck Picnic, and Hedy Harrison Anduha said the opening prayer and grace before meals. Danny introduced the current Board members of Da’ Hawaii Seniors Club and thanked them for all the work they have been doing for the club and especially for the picnic. Danny then invited members and guests to come to the food tables as he called the number of their tables
After almost everyone had enjoyed their lunch, Amy Tong introduced a game where people passed gifts around their table while music was played. When the music stopped, the person who held it last did not win the gift, but had to pass it left, right or across the table as Amy directed. It was fun for all to play the game and hope to win the gifts.
M.C. Danny Chang then started the entertainment for the day with Frank Yoshii singing Lahaina Luna. Frank asked everyone to join in singing the song, and then announced that he was celebrating his birthday. Everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to him in English and Hawaiian. Danny, and his wife Winona, then sang “Welcome to my world,” and the song “Grandpa,” accompanied by the club’s musicians.
A variety of songs were then sung in English and Hawaiian by the A’Ala Park Serenaders, Puniwai’s Ohana, and Bruno and the Brunettes did a “lip sinc” and dance. There were also hulas danced by Worship Hula dancers, Na Kupuna Wahine and Na Kupuna Kane. Spontaneous hulas were also done by dancers who felt like dancing when they heard the songs played by the musicians.
Solos were performed by Al Shota, Ann Kho, and Harry Aipia, and duets were performed by Rocky Asistin and Howard Koga, Frank Yoshii and Larry Anduha, and David and Edna Ethington.
David also read the story of how the melody “TAPS” originated during the Civil War. It is the melody that is usually played by a bugler at funerals for veterans and there are actually three verses of the poem that was written for “TAPS.” Harry Aipia ended the entertainment by leading the singing of “Kokee” accompanied by the club’s musicians.
Door prizes that were donated by members were drawn throughout the day and members and guests were pleased to receive their prizes, however, members only could receive the top three door prizes. Amy Tong congratulated the three big winners of gift certificates. The winners were Marion Tesoro for a $25 gift certificate to Trader Joe’s, Carol Yamaguchi for a $50 gift certificate to Roy’s Restaurant, and Stan Enomoto for a $50 gift certificate to Wood BBQ in Cerritos.
M.C. Danny Chang thanked everyone for coming to celebrate the club’s 21st anniversary. He also thanked everyone who brought all the delicious food for the potluck picnic. There was so much food that there was enough for people to take home leftovers for dinner at the end of the day!
Homeless expert to speak at First Presbyterian Church
A housing and homeless adviser to Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia will speak at Grace First Presbyterian Church on Studebaker Road Sunday, July 14, in the Saul Ministry Center, according to spokesman Jonas Hayes.
Daniel Brezenoff, a licensed clinical social worker with 25 years of experience as an educator and 23 years in community mental health. He has been an adjunct faculty member of the Department of Human Services at Cal State Dominguez Hills since 2014, will be the featured speaker, he said.
Brezenoff is currently Senior Advisor to Mayor Robert Garcia of the City of Long Beach, California, Deputy for Housing and Homelessness, and the First District Council Office Administrator. His writings have been published in the Los Angeles Times, the Press-Telegram, and the Long Beach Post. He lives in Long Beach with his family, where he also maintains a part-time private practice as a therapist.
He said the event and parking are free to the public. The event begins at 12:15 p.m. and the church’s address is 3955 N. Studebaker Road.
LAUSD announces free or reduced lunch policy
Los Alamitos Unified School District has announced its policy to serve nutritious meals every school day under the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. Effective July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020, children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals if the household income is less than or equal to the federal guidelines.
Households do not need to turn in an application when the household receives a notification letter saying that all children automatically qualify for free meals when any household member receives benefits from CalFresh, CalWORKs, or FDPIR. Children who meet the definition of foster, homeless, migrant, or runaway, and children enrolled in their school’s Head Start program are eligible for free meals. Contact school officials if any child in the household is not on the notification letter. The household must let school officials know if they do not want to receive free or reduced-price meals.
Applications will be sent to the household with a letter about the free and reduced-price meal program. Households that want to apply for meal benefits, must fill out one application for all children in the household and give it to the Food Service department at 10652 Reagan St., Los Alamitos, CA 90720. For a simple and secure method to apply, use our online application at www.lunchapplication.com. Contact Celeste Calubaquib at (562) 799-4592 x 81118 or Cindy Guzman De La Rocha at (562) 799-4592 x 81115 for help filling out the application. The school will let you know if your application is approved or denied for free or reduced-price meals.
Households may turn in an application at any time during the school year. If you are not eligible now, but your household income goes down, household size goes up, or a household member starts receiving CalFresh, CalWORKs, or FDPIR, you may turn in an application at that time. Information given on the application will be used to determine eligibility and may be verified at any time during the school year by school officials. The last four digits of the Social Security number from any adult household or checking that you do not have a Social Security number is required if you include income on the application.
Households that receive Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits, may be eligible for free or reduced-price meals by filling out an application.
Foster children are eligible for free meals and may be included as a household member if the foster family chooses to also apply for the non-foster children on the same application. Including foster children as a household member may help the non-foster children qualify for free or reduced-price meals. If the non-foster children are not eligible, this does not keep foster children from receiving free meals.
Your child’s eligibility status from last school year will continue into the new school year for up to 30 school days or until the school processes your new application, or your child is otherwise certified for free or reduced-price meals. After the 30 school days, your child will have to pay full price for meals, unless the household receives a notification letter for free or reduced-price meals. School officials do not have to send reminder or expired eligibility notices.
If you do not agree with the decision or results of verification, you may discuss it with school officials. You also have the right to a fair hearing, which may be requested by calling or writing the hearing official: Dr. Nancy Nien, 10293 Bloomfield St., Los Alamitos, CA 90720, (562) 799-4700 x 80449.
Trista Moldovan, ‘Prima Donna’ Divalicious in Phantom of the Opera at the Segerstrom Center
Trista Moldovan, ‘Prima Donna’ Divalicious in Phantom of the Opera at the Segerstrom Center
By Lynda Lacayo
The Phantom brings the “Music of the Night” to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts with Cameron Mackintosh’s extravagant production “Phantom of the Opera July 10 -21, 2019.
For over 30 years audiences have been captivated by the man and the music that is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera.” The latest adaption of the timeless classic continues the magic with new scenic design by Paul Brown, new Choreography by Scott Ambler, new staging by Director Laurence Connor and brilliant lighting design by Paul Constable. The original costume design by Maria Bjornson still remains at the heart of this “Phantom” as does the magnificent music and dazzling spectacle, including the legendary chandelier. In Producer Mackintosh’s words this is “a new version of ‘Phantom’ which uses a more visceral dramatic approach to create a visual feast, giving audiences the chance to see their favorite musical all over again through new eyes.”
Among the cast of the “Phantom of the Opera” touring production is Trista Moldovan. Moldovan first appeared in “Phantom” during the 2011/12 season, staring as Christina in the 10,000th Broadway production. She’s joined the musical’s 4th national tour in 2016, this time as Prima Donna Carlotta Giudicelli, Christina’s volatile archrival.
Moldovan claims she had never really envisioned herself as Carlotta. She says “I secretly wanted to play Carlotta but never thought I’d be right for it so it was never on my radar. It seemed like such a fun role, kind of sassy. But I’d played Christine and thought this is where I fit in this world. When I finished Christine, I figured that’s it, my time with the Phantom is over. Then I happened to catch the show at the Kennedy Center and I remember thinking, OMG, I want to be Carlotta, that’s where I’m at right now in my life.”
Usually Christina is pictured as a sweet ingénue and Carlotta as an ego driven Diva. Moldovan has updated her role with a bit more humor. She says “It’s nice that the creatives let me bring a lot of myself to the role. When I started learning the part I didn’t realize that what I was doing was funny until my first performance when I started getting some laughs and I thought ‘oh, that was fun.”
Carlotta isn’t all fun and games through. Moldovan describes her as “having worked very, very hard to get where she’s at in a cut throat business. Then along comes Christine from the Corps de Ballet, who as far as she knows has never sung a note in her life. And Carlotta, justifiably so, is not happy about it. She sees Christine as someone who hasn’t paid her dues.”
Moldovan continues “Carlotta is an entertaining Character to play because she is the antithesis of who I am. My approach as an actress is to always keep everything truthful. So, I don’t see Carlotta as a self-centered maniac. It’s more important and effective not to approach her as a villain. She thinks she’s right and unfortunately she’s surrounded by people who don’t agree with her. When Carlotta says ‘These things do happen’ it’s because at this point she’s just completely had it. She’s incredulous when she realizes that everyone around her is an idiot.”
Being an onstage Diva can translate into offstage role playing. Moldovan says “when I walk offstage and fans are lined up at the stage door with playbills to autograph, I feel like I have to embody Carlotta. I carry myself like a leading lady as opposed to Christine where I could just be easy, breezy. It’s fun to explore that side of myself, but really it’s just a way to treat myself by buying nice clothes and getting my nails done.”
“Phantom” is an elaborate production with its cast, crew and orchestra of 130 making it the largest show touring. Audiences can anticipate seeing the show they have always known and loved with all the grandeur of Broadway. There’s a few changes that take “Phantom” aficionados in a slightly different direction. Moldovan explains, “It’s the same story, same music with new staging and sets. Our brilliant Director Laurence Connor looks at it with new eyes, broadening the story a bit more. Eyes for our generation but ‘Phantom’ enthusiasts’ familiar with the celebrated original will love it as well.”
When asked to describe “Phantom” in three words, Moldovan replied with “larger than life” and then added lavish and pyrotechnics to her brief description of a show that is filled with such memorial scenes as her favorite “Masquerade” which she descripts as a highlight of the show, saying “When ‘Masquerade’ opens the 2nd Act and almost the entire company sings, there’s a gorgeous wall of sound, I feel merged together with the entire wonderful company We literally feel the love through this black wall of the audience.”
“Phantom of the Opera” can only be described as monumental with its 230 costumes, 14 dressers 120 automated cues, 22 scene changes, 81 candles and use of 250 kg of dry ice and 10 fog and smoke machines. Then there’s the “Chandelier,” weighing in at one ton with 6000 beads and dropping at 6 miles per second. Here’s another ‘fun fact’ – the most sought after seats are under the Chandelier.
As to those 230 costumes per performance, Moldovan explains “The public doesn’t realize that each actor has their own set of costumes. Principles, ensemble members, we are all covered by two people. And we don’t share costumes so each person has their own. The 100’s of opulent costumes speaks to the scale of the production. The show has been running for 30 years so imagine the New York warehouse with racks & rows of fabulous costumes. It’s a sight to behold.”
Moldovan recommends “Phantom” to audiences because it can be enjoyed by all ages. She says “I’m moved by seeing new generation coming to the show. The young may appreciate the musical’s visual aspects and the older generation can relate to the emotional themes. It’s exciting to be a part of something that has inspired and entranced theater patrons for 30+ years.”
As the Phantom sings, “You alone can make my song take flight, help me make the music of the night. “ It’s a message to audiences to let the music soar at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. “Phantom of the Opera” runs July 10 -21, 2019. For tickets and information: online at SCFTA.org: phone, 714-556-2787; The Box Office, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Pinnacle Volleyball Club competes in boys Junior National Competitors
The volleyball club team, Pinnacle, competed in the Boys Junior National Championships in Dallas, Texas from July 1-7. Pinnacle is a boys volleyball team based out of Long Beach State and includes high school boys from Wilson, Los Alamitos and Millikan Boys Volleyball Teams. Pinnacle 15s Team: L-R, Coach Nick MacRae, Carson McKeown, Ryan Haynes, Ethan Choi, Leo Pravednikov, Joe Nunez, Riley Rosenkranz, Jack Hopkins, Noah Roberts, Hunter Garland, Aiden Schulten, Tommy Halligan, Hayden Smith and Coach Marc Moody.
Shortage of horses cancels racing at Los Alamitos Thursday
No change to Los Alamitos Derby
Due to a shortage of entries, there will be no daytime thoroughbred racing Thursday, July 11 at Los Alamitos Race Course, according to a track press release.
Track officials say gates will open that morning for simulcast racing – which includes opening day at Saratoga – at 10 a.m.
Live racing resumes Friday, July 12, kicking off the final three days of the Summer Thoroughbred Festival, which concludes Sunday, July 14.
The main event Saturday, July 13 is the $150,000 Los Alamitos Derby, a Grade III at 1 1/8 miles which could attract multiple Grade I winner and 2018 2-year-old champion Game Winner.
Despite the one-day shortage, track spokesman Orlando Gutierrez said the racing this past weekend went well.
“We had nice crowds throughout the four days, enjoying beautiful weather and great racing. We are looking forward to a nice closing weekend with good racing programs for racing fans. The Los Alamitos Derby could feature some outstanding 3-year-olds, just like it has done in previous years when champions like Shared Belief and Accelerate,” he said.
Photo courtesy of Los Alamitos Race Course
While a shortage of entries cancelled Thursday’s racing, track officials say the Los Alamitos Derby will run this weekend.
Youth Center grant from Run Seal Beach allows more kids to go to summer camp
By Laurie Hanson
The Youth Center in Los Alamitos recently received a Run Seal Beach grant for $4,040 earmarked specifically for scholarships to Camp S.H.A.R.K., their summer day camp out of Rossmoor Park.
Run Seal Beach is a non-profit organization whose charter is to raise funds and awareness for recreation or fitness programs or services to benefit the greater Seal Beach community including Rossmoor and Los Alamitos. The RSB event is was held this year in April and is held annually.
The Youth Center’s Camp S.H.A.R.K., is an electronics fre camp that focuses on keeping kids engaged and physically active. They award scholarships to children of families in need, allowing them to attend camp.
“The need for scholarships is big in our community,” said Youth Center Executive Director Lina Lumme. “Many local families go through difficult life situations and live paycheck to paycheck. It’s an incredible feeling of relief when you know that families can get help this year.”
“Getting funding to help our families with children is a true blessing,” Lumme explained. “I can’t thank Run Seal Beach enough for helping us make a difference for all our families.”
For more information about Run Seal Beach, please visit online at www.runsealbeach.com. For more information about The Youth Center’s Camp S.H.A.R.K., please visit online at www.theyouthcenter.org.
Yeager makes American history in Los Alamitos ceremony
Facing hundreds of troops assembled in formation on the airfield and surrounded by hundreds more who came to witness history, Major General Laura L. Yeager accepted the colors of the 40th Infantry Division in a chain of command ceremony that will now go down in the annals of American history.
“Today, we are able to install in command the most well-qualified candidate chosen from the first time in history from a pool of candidates that is no longer constrained by an anachronistic and discriminatory gender-biased policy,” said Major General David Baldwin.
“This is a great day,” said Baldwin, noting that on this day, “we are putting in command the first female as a divisional commander in the history of the United States Army.”
Baldwin, who is the Chief of the California National Guard, presided over Saturday’s ceremony that was full of pomp and circumstance at the Joint Forces Training base in Los Alamitos.
Before introducing Yeager, Baldwin thanked retiring Maj. Gen. Mark Malanka for this dedication and outstanding service as Commander. “Gen. Yeager, you have a tremendous task ahead of you.”
Throughout the installation ceremony, troops engaged in a variety of traditional drills and ceremonial traditions, including converging all of the flags denoting their major excursions since 1917. The 40th Infantry Division enjoys a storied history that has seen action in World War I, World War II, the Korean War and most recently Afghanistan.
While the 40th Infantry Division goes back to 1917, the U.S. Army is one of America’s oldest institutions, founded on June 14, 1775 with George Washington, of course, as its first commander. Ironically, many of the “dress colors” on display Saturday were actually selected by Washington in 1779 (though the Army has experimented, they went back to Washington’s original picks in 2010).
In military parlance, a division is made up of a wide variety of units composed of approximately 10,000 service members, specialists in everything from logistics to artillery and includes units with every major skill required to move, sustain and fight on a field of battle anywhere in the world.
The 40th Infantry Division is made up of units throughout the west coast, Hawaii and Guam and is code named the “Sunburst Division.” The division colors (flags) stand for unity, loyalty and responsibility to the organization.
Walking out into the troops, the actual change of command occurred as retiring Maj. General Mark Malanka handed the colors to Baldwin, who then passed them to Yeager. It was at that moment that Yeager became a historical figure and assumed command of the division.
Throughout the passing of the colors, artillery officers blasted ceremonial bursts from Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 143rd Field Artillery Regiment’s M119 Light Howitzers to pay homage to the men and women who have served and to welcome the historic installation of the division’s first female commander. Many in the crowd came to their feet as they applauded the Army’s first female division commander accepting of the colors.
Yeager, who was elevated to Brigadier General in 2016, received her second star in a short ceremony Saturday morning before the chain of command festivities, ranking her as a Major General. Therefore, the powerful two-star red flag waved throughout, denoting the presence of a a major general officer. The flag will now follow her throughout her mission.
In an interview two days before the ceremony, Yeager told the Event-News Enterprise that it was this moment (passing of the colors) that she thought about the most before it happened. “When the colors pass hand to hand,” she said, “that will be the moment it sinks in. Now it is my responsibility to live up to everything these colors stand for.”
Yeager, a Fountain Valley native, remembers traveling to JFTB in Los Alamitos when her dad served there and it is where she began her own service in the California National Guard.
Now, she stood in front of her troops in formation as the first female commander of the 40th Infantry Division in U.S. Military history.
“It’s an absolute honor to assume command of this great division,” said Yeager. “It’s had a glorious history of service and recently affirmed its excellence with back-to-back deployments to Afghanistan,” said Yeager.
She thanked her family and her role model, her father, Maj. Gen. Robert Brandt (ret). “Having been the daughter of a National Guard soldier, I know personally how drill weekend always seems to land on a birthday, wedding, anniversary, or how the water heater quits working or how the car won’t start,” Yeager said.
Yeager also thanked everyone for coming and told her troops she was ready to accept the awesome responsibilities of command.
Sitting on specially installed bleachers in front of a huge aircraft hangar filled with Blackhawks and UH-1 helicopters, the enthusiastic crowd erupted in patriotic applause as Yeager concluded her remarks.
Shortly before the conclusion of the ceremony, two Blackhawks and a Chinook helicopter buzzed the ceremony in formation to pay tribute to Yeager’s earlier service as a helicopter pilot and her command of a special air medivac unit during the war in Iraq.
There were citizens and media from across southern California on the base to witness the historic event.
The 40th ID award winning band, provided stirring music throughout the ceremony, giving those in the crowd a rare chance to witness such a historical military event.
Following the ceremony, Yeager eagerly jumped down from the dais to greet many who witnessed the ceremony, including a group of World War II veterans including Bill Spurrier of Seal Beach.
Los Alamitos Mayor Warren Kusumoto was among the first to congratulate Yeager after the ceremony. Kusumoto along with Council members Shelley Hasselbrink, Mark Chirco and Dean Grose attended the event.
Yeager then plunged into the troops, thanking them personally for their service and even getting a demonstration of the Howitzer cannons from Bravo Battery.
Mona Mapel said she traveled from Pasadena not only because their son served as a Armored Officer in the 40th, but “it was an honor to be at what was a historic event as Maj. Gen. Yeager is the first female commander of the 40th and it is a chance for Americans to once again appreciate the men and women in uniform who serve both the nation and the state.”
It’s been an amazing day, said an unidentified woman who told Yeager she had come with her group from Fountain Valley to witness the event. “Thank you,” said Yeager as she eagerly jumped in a photo with the group. “Yes it has,” she said.
The salute seen around the world
As our world transforms itself with exponential speed and tremendous danger, the country’s first female divisional commander must now keep a force of 10,000 service members ready to respond at a moment’s notice.
“We do not know the where or the when,” said Maj. Gen. Laura Yeager said in an interview this week, as she seriously pondered the future while being somewhat bemused about her own past and her military journey that delivered her destiny on Saturday.
The Fountain Valley native has returned to Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base to command the 40th Infantry Division of the California National Guard, the first woman ever to lead a major U.S. Army Division.
Yet with more than thirty years of service, Yeager seemed as curious as anyone to fully comprehend everything happening around her as media from around the world came calling, hoping to get a word with the new commander.
“I know, it’s kind of crazy,” she says, reflecting on the media circus that has surrounded her since the Army announced her promotion June 9. “I don’t find myself to be that interesting,” she said, “but I’m really excited about all the interest in the military.”
Though she tends to be modest, Yeager projects a quiet confidence that has become the hallmark of an eventful military career. Quietly, she has earned a reputation as an intellectual, yet pragmatic commander through multiple commands and assignments throughout the country and the world.
Before Saturday’s promotion to a two-star general, Yeager has risen through the ranks since May of 1986, when she first joined the Guard. She was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant after joining the Cal. State Long Beach Reserve Officers Training Corps, ostensibly to get financial help for college. Yeager graduated from CSULB with a bachelor’s degree in psychology before assuming her first assignment.
Although her dad, Maj. Gen. Robert Brandt (ret.), was a top ranked commander and flight instructor during his tour of duty, none of that had rubbed off on her, or so she at first thought. Even so, “my father always had high expectations, but always gave me the independence to choose my own path.”
Brandt recently told military journalists that “I could not be more proud of Laura for having chosen a professional career in which she has devoted her life to the service of our nation.”
When Yeager got her first ride in a military helicopter as an ROTC cadet, however, everything changed. “I wanted to fly. I was determined to go to flight school.” She did, and ironically, got her helicopter pilot’s wings in Fort Rucker, Ala. At the same flight school where her dad was once an instructor.
In fact, Yeager was born in Alabama during the time her dad, was a helicopter flight instructor there, but moved to Fountain Valley at the age of 2 when her dad was transferred to Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos.
Excited to be a helicopter pilot, Yeager soon graduated from Aeromedical Evacuation courses and began a series of missions and assignments that created a glide path to where she is today. She became an accomplished pilot, flying the military’s workhorse “Blackhawk helicopter” on a variety of missions.
She and her husband, Lt. Col. Curtis Yeager, (ret.) have both enjoyed military careers. At one point, however, when they were both serving on active-duty, Yeager said she decided to take a break shortly after their only son, Scott, was born.
“My husband and I were both serving on active duty and were finding maintaining two active duty careers put a huge strain on our family,” she said. They have four adult sons, three from Yeager’s first marriage and their son Scott. “A modern, blended family,” she says.
While in transition counseling after leaving active duty, someone suggested she resume her career in the Army reserves. She did and soon discovered it was a “perfect balance” for her career.
When her husband retired a few years later, she rejoined the California Guard full-time and in 2011, served two tours of duty in an Iraqi combat zone in her role as deputy commander of the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade, the same unit her father once commanded.
Once back from Iraq, the Guard named Yeager Commander of the unit, making her and her father likely the other father/daughter duo to lead the same military unit. “That is one of my proudest accomplishments,” she says, to be able to command the same unit as her father.
Yeager was now getting serious notice by the military. Along the way, Yeager had also earned two master’s degrees. One in psychology and the other in Strategic Studies at the U.S. Army War College.
In rapid career succession, she became the Chief of the Joint Staff for the Joint Forces Headquarters in Sacramento, then assistant to the Commander, then Brigadier General, then Commander of the Joint Task Force North in Fort Bliss, then, on Saturday, she became the first female officer in the history of the United States Army to command the entire 40th Infantry Division.
“What’s going on here,” Yeager said she thought to herself once all the media frenzy broke out. “To me, this is just my next job.” Though she is easy going, she in no way downplays the role and in fact, has obviously thought about her upcoming command.
With the increased media scrutiny, however, has come deep reflection.
“ I am honored to serve at this level and I know it comes with an enormous amount of responsibility,” said Yeager.
“I would not be here without a long-term commitment from the U.S. military and the California National Guard,” she said. “I am so proud to be a part of an organization that doesn’t just talk about diversity, inclusion and equality but delivers it.”
“If I wouldn’t have had all of those assignments, if I wasn’t able to attend all of those schools, I wouldn’t be here,” said a deeply thankful Yeager.
Moreover, in addition to her military role, she hopes to outreach to men and women, but especially to women. With a heart full of gratitude for the military, Yeager wants desperately for women to understand that given today’s corporate culture, the military offers great career prospects.
“I want to encourage women to do this work,” she said. “This has been a great profession for me, and I know it would be for other women.”
Also, she said, “I get paid the same amount as men, given the same level of service. There are few very corporations or entities where you can work where you know you will get the same responsibility and respect.”
“What I enjoy the most about the military,” said Yeager, “is the diversity of people.” Yeager said she often asks her service members ‘what do you do when you’re not in uniform?’ “I’m a librarian, says one, I’m a CEO says another, and I’m a plumber and I own my own small business” Yeager recalls the responses after speaking casually with her troops.
During her more than 30 years of military service, Yeager says she has met men and women of different ethnicities and religions from all over the country, describing her military career as “such a rich experience.”
Regarding being the first woman commander, Yeager said she was the first woman in her last role, and thinks this will be more complex, but no different because of gender.
Actually, she said being a woman or man makes no difference in today’s military. “Troops care about whether or not you’re good at your job and that you can do the work,” said Yeager, “that’s all they truly care about.”
Also, she believes the Army’s ecosystem is so populated with diversity and inclusion that “I may be the first woman to command the 40th I.D.,” said Yeager, but “there are many more behind me. I just got here first.”
With the pomp and ceremony over, Yeager now digs in for the long haul. Yeager knows that the 40th Infantry Division must always be prepared to deploy and stay ready to move. “We do not know the where or when,” she says more seriously of how the call from command could come at almost any moment.
“We live in a volatile world,” she said. Yeager now watches the news every night, watching world developments that could compel command for the division to deploy.
“It is my responsibility now to live up to everything we (40th Infantry Division) stand for,” said Yeager. “Obviously, the division has a great reputation. First and foremost, I want to retain that level of excellence, get the best people…you’ve got to be really good for your division to get the best people.”
“My sense is to get out there from bottom to top so that my vision and intent is understood throughout my entire chain of command,” said Yeager. She will create high maintenance standards and foster innovation.
During her last assignment in Fort Bliss, Texas, Yeager had an apartment so small that “I could vacuum the whole place and never unplug the vacuum cleaner,” she jokes. Now she has moved back to the family home in California.
So, in the meantime, she must still reach for the perfect balance between a major general and a comfortable home life. “If the cat throws up on the carpet or the toilet needs cleaning, being a Major General doesn’t relieve you of that duty.”
Yeager is very happy to be back in California, having memories of Joint Forces Training Base that go all the way back to her father’s service in addition to her own. “I’m happy to be back,” she said, “this feels like home.”
LAYB 12U All-Star team wins St. Hedwig Tourney Champs
The LAYB 12U All Star team won the St. Hedwig Baseball Tournament by outscoring its opponents 48-14 over 5 games. This was the 3rd consecutive tournament championship for the boys. The keys to victory were solid pitching, clutch hitting and excellent defense. The All Stars now head off to Districts this upcoming weekend in Santa Monica. Pictured, top row (left-right) Manager Chris Leveque, Luke Brennan, Manoah Faupusa, Matthew Leveque, Blake Waddle, Coach Bill Waddle, Ryan Soto and Coach Matt Hammond. Bottom row-Steel Kurtz, Andrew Hammond, Garrett Rodriguez, Shay Tipton, Dylan Lowenberg, Cameron Farmer and Nathan Mueller.
Cypress Chamber Reacts to Mitsubishi’s relocation announcement
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA), the fastest-growing Asian brand in the U.S. for the second consecutive year*, will relocate its headquarters from Cypress, California, to Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville, the company announced this week.
The announcement brought an immediate condemnation of state policies from the Cypress Chamber, though they wished Mitsubishi well.
According to the statement, “the Cypress Chamber of Commerce is sad to see a longtime member and supporter leave Cypress and the state, but we wish them well.”
Further, the Chamber said, “this is more evidence that the State of California is falling down on its responsibilities to support a healthy business climate and is instead actively chasing our best business citizens was with their policies and practices.”
Nevertheless, Mitsubishi said the move is part of an ongoing plan to reinvent every aspect of Mitsubishi Motors in the U.S., from corporate leadership to dealer partners to every touchpoint in a customer’s relationship with their vehicle and will sharpen the company’s focus on future growth and innovation.
Since 1988, MMNA has been rooted in California — now Cypress, and Fountain Valley prior to that. This move will begin in August and be completed by the end of 2019, the company said in a statement.
MMNA’s move highlights efforts taken across the entire global landscape of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance to bring the companies closer together in key areas including procurement, development and cost efficiencies. The company chose Franklin as its new home because it allows MMNA to focus its efforts on company-wide reinvention and take advantage of the area’s vibrant technology skillset, all while realizing cost savings through the business-friendly work environment and proximity to sister company, Nissan.
While MMNA has seen an ongoing strengthening of the business for multiple years – six straight years of annual sales gains, the last two years now over 100,000 sales, and retaining its “fastest-growing Asian brand” title for the second year – it is the past 12 months that have seen the greatest changes across MMNA.
“Mitsubishi Motors is changing the way we go to market in the United States, and it is leading to a rebirth of the company,” said Fred Diaz, MMNA’s president and chief executive officer. “This is an exciting time for us, with a refreshed leadership team, new-look dealerships and redesigned and all-new vehicles. As we drive toward the future, this is the perfect time for us to move to a new home. While we say farewell to the Golden State with a heavy heart, we’re excited to say hello to Music City.”
There are nearly 200 people working in MMNA’s Cypress office. All corporate departments will be relocating, including sales, marketing, IT, human resources, communications, parts and service, product planning, dealer operations, finance and legal.
MMNA’s west coast parts distribution center (PDC), currently located on the existing headquarters campus, also will be relocating. MMNA is working with Nissan North America to establish its PDC in a newly constructed shared facility in Riverside, California — further proof of the streamlining and cost savings the Alliance partnership brings to Mitsubishi’s business.
Additionally, 25 employees representing the company’s Western Region operations will move to new offices elsewhere in Orange County, California.
No other Mitsubishi Motors facilities in the U.S. are affected, including Mitsubishi Research and Development North America (MRDA)’s R&D operations in Ann Arbor, Michigan and MRDA government relations operations in Washington, D.C.
“The reputation of Tennessee’s business climate and skilled workforce has attracted countless world-class businesses to our state. Over the years, Tennessee has become the epicenter of the Southeast’s thriving automotive sector, and I’m proud Mitsubishi Motors will call Franklin its U.S. home and bring 200 high-quality jobs to Middle Tennessee,” said Bill Lee, governor of the State of Tennessee.
Initially, MMNA will be transferring operations to a temporary office in Franklin. Beyond that, MMNA officials are working with representatives from commercial real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle, to identify the company’s permanent offices.
For more information on Mitsubishi Motors North America, please visit media.mitsubishicars.com.
Navy says sea turtles are in no danger
The U.S. Navy has prepared a Final Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach Ammunition Pier and Turning Basin project. The Final EA includes the Navy’s evaluation of the potential environmental impacts of constructing a replacement ammunition pier, associated waterfront facilities, causeway, truck turnaround, and a new public navigation channel at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach in Seal Beach, California.
The Navy and NOAA were studying the sea turtles as part of a proposed $150 million naval project to relocate the base’s ammunition wharf. The reconfiguration would provide greater installation security and improve safety for private boaters and nearby communities. The 5,000-acre base is responsible for weapons storage, loading and maintenance for ships of the United States Pacific Fleet.
The threatened green turtles live and forage on eelgrass within the nearly 1,000-acre Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, the only such refuge on a military installation in the nation.
Based on data collected, the analysis presented in the EA, and coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, State Historic Preservation Office, California Coastal Commission (for coastal consistency determination), U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Board, and South Coast Air Quality Management District, the Navy has determined that implementation of the Proposed Action would have no significant impacts on the quality of the human, natural, or cultural environment, or generate significant controversy. As a result, an Environmental Impact Statement will not be prepared.
The Navy proposes to construct a 1,100-foot by 125-foot replacement ammunition pier, associated waterfront facilities, causeway, truck turnaround, and public navigation channel. The project would include dredging for the proposed pier and ship turning basin, as well as for a new public navigation channel that would separate Navy ships from civilian boats traveling to and from Huntington Harbour.
The Final EA and Finding of No Significant Impact documents are available on the project website at https://SealBeachEA.com and at the following public libraries:
- Seal Beach/Mary Wilson Library
- Bay Shore Neighborhood Library
- Los Alamitos-Rossmoor Library
- Westminster Branch Library
- Huntington Beach Central Library
The documents are also available upon request by contacting:
Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest
Attention: Code EV25.TB
937 N. Harbor Drive
Building 1, 3rd Floor (Environmental)
San Diego, CA 92132
For more information, please visit the project website at https://SealBeachEA.com or contact the Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach Public Affairs Office at 562-626-7215.
Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach is the primary munitions installation for the Navy’s Pacific Fleet surface ships. The base has an outstanding record of safety throughout its more than 70 years in operation and is a vital national asset. Its primary role is to store and maintain Navy and Marine Corps munitions and load and unload Navy ships and larger Coast Guard vessels with the munitions they need to conduct their missions.
Los Al Robotics team puts robot on display
Prior to the end of the school year, a few hours after the school day, the Los Alamitos High School Robotics Team (aka. the Meme Team) was unloading a U-Haul truck at Dooley Elementary School in North Long Beach. From the trailer, they pull out the pieces of their display: a 20 ft long carpet, two wooden towers around the height of a soccer goal post, and their main piece: a detailed 120-pound robot—the culmination of the team’s six weeks of engineering. Two of the team members work behind a control panel, preparing the robot for its performance later that afternoon.
As the sun retreats and the lights flicker on, the sparse campus slowly sparks to life. Parents and students flood through the breezeways. The Dooley Elementary Science Fair has begun! The purpose of this event is to showcase the magic of STEM to the Title 1 school and to inspire the young students to deepen their interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
Directed by a team member, the robot runs across the carpet, extends to twice its original height, and places a frisbee-like disk onto the top level of the wooden tower. The elementary students circle around and look on with awe. Some ask questions about the robot. Across the breezeway, another team member gives a controller to a Dooley student who has been patiently waiting in line. The older student quickly teaches the younger student how to drive a smaller-sized robot, and then gives full freedom to the young student to play with it. To the interested parents and students, the Meme Team explains the team’s activities and the purpose of their robot.
The Meme Team is a group of primarily self-taught Los Alamitos High School students who have acquired skills in computer programming, electrical and mechanical engineering, and CNC machining. Each year the team designs and builds a new robot to meet specific and challenging criteria established by FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a not-for-profit public charity founded in 1989 to motivate young people to pursue STEM education and careers.
Throughout the year, the team must work on creating a team brand, writing a professional business plan, networking through outreach events, and securing funding. Then in just six weeks, under the guidance of their mentors, headed by Tamas Vejsz, the Meme Team designs their robot from the ground up, machines and assembles the parts, test runs, troubleshoots, and reiterates steps in this process as necessary. Though the engineering process may be tiring at times, members return to the team year after year for the adrenaline rush of competition day, when their robot goes head-to-head in the FIRST Robotics Competition against teams from across the country, and sometimes the globe! Who knew science can be so much fun?
For further information on the Los Alamitos High School Robotics “Meme Team,” please contact losalfrc@gmail.com.
Leroy Mills to reveal details of secret military project at Cypress Chamber
Former Cypress Mayor and Retired Lt. Colonel Leroy Mills will be the guest speaker at the Cypress Chamber of Commerce Networking Breakfast Tuesday, July 9 at the Residence Inn by Marriott (4931 Katella Avenue, Los Alamitos) at 7:30 a.m. Leroy Mills will be sharing his unique, insider perspective in a now declassified government project that he describes as “Uncovering a Piece of Top-Secret U.S. History.” Attendees at the breakfast will learn the formerly untold story behind the classified, GAMBIT-3 (KH-8) photographic satellite that assisted our nation in winning the Cold War with Russia and mitigated the national consequences of Air Force pilot Francis Gary Powers’ CIA U-2 spy plane being shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960. Veteran Leroy Mills is a graduate of West Point (1964), was commissioned as an Air Force 2nd Lt. and spent the first 20 years of his career as Active Duty in the Air Force. The next 2 decades were spent serving with the Department of Defense as a photoscientist. Throughout his tenure at the D.O.D., nearly all his experience was working with top-secret satellite information. 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 door prizes 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 every month.
Supt. Pulver seeking culture of collaboration and inclusion
Second of two parts.
While there is little or no debate regarding the demonstrated excellence of the Los Alamitos Unified School District, newly installed Supt. Dr. Andrew Pulver hopes to use collaboration and inclusion to not only enhance the system’s performance but create a caring, connected culture to broaden and deepen it.
Pulver said he plans to keep the system on its current path, yet he envisions many new ways to connect, communicate and educate students to elevate all students and enhance their opportunities in later life.
“I’m not so sure that we need to turn, I think we’re really on the right path,” said Pulver. “We’ve had really stable leadership with (former superintendent) Sherry Kropp so I think I bring another sense of stability in that respect but perhaps with a different style.”
“I really believe that public education is the great equalizer of society,” said Pulver, “and our job is to set the foundations so that when they move from us after 12th grade that their trajectory is unlimited. So that they have the best solid footing possible,” he added.
“We need to find ways to build more collaboration to give people more of a voice. It doesn’t mean that we will always agree and, sometimes, decisions will have to be made, but if people have a voice or a forum to at least hear their input, whether it be with their teachers or site principals, that’s a skill and goal I bring to the office,” said Pulver.
Pulver looks ahead to his tenure as superintendent with a eye toward serving the “true customers of our district,” which he says are the school sites, students and their parents. “We are here to serve them,” he said, adding that none of the system’s excellent performance would be possible “without our exceptional people. We have dedicated, passionate and exceptional employees across the board.”
Nevertheless, while it is easy to see the system’s excellence in the four A’s (academics, athletics, art and activities), Pulver says it is also somewhat obvious to see that there is much work to do to expand this ability to excel at the highest levels to a broader range of students.
“Sometimes I think people misunderstand when we we talk about excellence, high test scores, or things of that sort and just assume we’ll always be at the top of the county,” says Pulver. “For me, there is nothing further from the truth.”
For many in the LAUSD system, said Pulver, “it’s just not about high test scores but about proficiency built upon proficiency. No parent wills for their kids to be below grade level or for their kids to struggle,” he says.
“I don’t know a single parent that wishes for their child to struggle in reading or math and so on. Our vision, even though it’s a goal…an aspiration, is to push our limits of what we think is possible to help all students, not just the top 80 or 90 percent,” he said.
In addition to expanding the culture of excellence, Pulver hopes to install new policies that will add a new layer to the system’s security, creating a safe haven for students. In recent years, he said, the system has invested in physical security. He hopes to expand those efforts to emotional security.
And while the district has also focused a great deal on “physical security” of students, such as installing fencing, security devices and mylar on the windows, etc., Pulver said perhaps the district should consider turning the focus to efforts creating an internal environment “where all kids can thrive.”
Pulver wants all campuses across the district to be “a safe place where all students feel accepted.”
“We will work to add social and emotional aspects to the curriculum,” said Pulver, quickly adding that he was proud of the work done thus far by the ongoing human relations task force.
“The goal is to create a multi-tiered safe place for kids where they can thrive, are not discriminated against, and feel totally accepted. It’s the little things that make students believe in themselves.”
Drawing on his own experience of growing up in a family of 15 children, Pulver strongly believes that all students should be connected to something, inside or outside the school system.
“We want them connected because I think the kids most at risk are those who come to school and leave” not connected to some organized activity.
Pulver said “the kids I worry about the most are those involved in nothing. Doesn’t have to be in school, could be in their church, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, AYSO but involved in something.”
“If we can’t find ways to connect them (inside the system),” said Pulver, “we should find ways to connect them in ways outside academics, particularly at the middle and high school levels. The more they can be involved in extracurricular activity, the more adults they have around them reaching out, kind of caring and watching over them,” the better off everyone will be.
Even with challenges ahead, Pulver said the system was “left in great hands. He said the system is populated with amazing students and dedicated teachers that truly creates a unique culture for LAUSD.
“And so I don’t know of another finer group of dedicated, passionate and professional employees,” said Pulver, adding that “they really have a culture, I think, of making teaching a vocation. I don’t think most of them are time clock watchers because they see the fruits of their labor is improving the lives of kids,” he said of the teachers, educators and administrators in the system.
“We are also so fortunate to have the kids we do. It doesn’t mean they won’t challenge us or that they don’t push boundaries or that they don’t come from different backgrounds and home lives at times, but we really have amazing kids and families to partner with.”
And Pulver also recognizes the support of the community in general, and from the business community, even though estimates conclude as many as 80 percent do not have students in the system. The community’s recent approval of $100 million for new physical facilities will soon lead to the construction of a state-of-the art- STEM building at Los Al.
In summary, Pulver says he plans to be a good steward of the amazing educational culture of Los Alamitos Unified School District. “Culture is bigger than all of us,” he said. Because it is a unified district including all schools within Rossmoor, Los Alamitos and Seal Beach (all of which feed a single high school), Pulver hopes to truly make it “an exciting field trip from kindergarten to 12th grade” for students within the system.
The new superintendent plans to draw deeply upon his own values of faith and family empowerment, saying it is always critical to “bring others along,” and to “see yourself walking in their shoes.” Also, he knows that not every policy; not every experiment will work perfectly, yet he’s not afraid to fail, saying much of success is driven by the wisdom of mistakes.
“We are never comfortable with the status quo,” said Pulver, as he embarks on his mission as the new LAUSD superintendent, adding that his vision is to empower a powerful culture that will grow to expand the ability of all students to excel and prepare themselves for greater opportunities in life.
One thing Pulver says he knows for sure is that “it is the right goal to pursue.”
Mitsubishi announces plans to leave Cypress
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA), the fastest-growing Asian brand in the U.S. for the second consecutive year*, will relocate its headquarters from Cypress, California, to Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville. The move is part of an ongoing plan to reinvent every aspect of Mitsubishi Motors in the U.S., from corporate leadership to dealer partners to every touchpoint in a customer’s relationship with their vehicle, and will sharpen the company’s focus on future growth and innovation.
Since 1988, MMNA has been rooted in California — now Cypress, and Fountain Valley prior to that. This move will begin in August, and be completed by the end of 2019.
MMNA’s move highlights efforts taken across the entire global landscape of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance to bring the companies closer together in key areas including procurement, development and cost efficiencies. The company chose Franklin as its new home because it allows MMNA to focus its efforts on company-wide reinvention and take advantage of the area’s vibrant technology skillset, all while realizing cost savings through the business-friendly work environment and proximity to sister company, Nissan.
While MMNA has seen an ongoing strengthening of the business for multiple years – six straight years of annual sales gains, the last two years now over 100,000 sales, and retaining its “fastest-growing Asian brand” title for the second year – it is the past 12 months that have seen the greatest changes across MMNA. Some include:
– 80 percent of the leadership team is new to the company or newly promoted to the role, bringing new experiences, backgrounds and a diversity of thought to the team
– 34 new dealer partners have been appointed across the country,
– MMNA’s regional network has been expanded from two offices to four (Cypress, Calif.; Irving, Texas; Swedesboro, NY; Lake Mary, Fla.)
– The company was the most-improved brand in the entire J.D. Power and Associates’ 2018 Customer Satisfaction Index
“Mitsubishi Motors is changing the way we go to market in the United States, and it is leading to a rebirth of the company,” said Fred Diaz, MMNA’s president and chief executive officer. “This is an exciting time for us, with a refreshed leadership team, new-look dealerships and redesigned and all-new vehicles. As we drive toward the future, this is the perfect time for us to move to a new home. While we say farewell to the Golden State with a heavy heart, we’re excited to say hello to Music City.”
There are nearly 200 people working in MMNA’s Cypress office. All corporate departments will be relocating, including sales, marketing, IT, human resources, communications, parts and service, product planning, dealer operations, finance and legal.
MMNA’s west coast parts distribution center (PDC), currently located on the existing headquarters campus, also will be relocating. MMNA is working with Nissan North America to establish its PDC in a newly constructed shared facility in Riverside, California — further proof of the streamlining and cost savings the Alliance partnership brings to Mitsubishi’s business.
Additionally, 25 employees representing the company’s Western Region operations will move to new offices elsewhere in Orange County, California.
No other Mitsubishi Motors facilities in the U.S. are affected, including Mitsubishi Research and Development North America (MRDA)’s R&D operations in Ann Arbor, Michigan and MRDA government relations operations in Washington, D.C.
“The reputation of Tennessee’s business climate and skilled workforce has attracted countless world-class businesses to our state. Over the years, Tennessee has become the epicenter of the Southeast’s thriving automotive sector, and I’m proud Mitsubishi Motors will call Franklin its U.S. home and bring 200 high-quality jobs to Middle Tennessee,” said Bill Lee, governor of the State of Tennessee.
Initially, MMNA will be transferring operations to a temporary office in Franklin. Beyond that, MMNA officials are working with representatives from commercial real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle, to identify the company’s permanent offices.
For more information on Mitsubishi Motors North America, please visit media.mitsubishicars.com.
UnitedHealthcare Helps Feed Families in Need
Palm trees, luxury convertibles and sprawling mansions are some of stereotypes and perceptions about Orange County – thanks in part to television shows and movies perpetuating a certain image. In reality, while this quintessential vision of wealth and prosperity does exist, it is in stark contrast to another side of Orange County, where there is a significant divide between those with means and those with very little.
For the last three decades, the income gap in Orange County has widened significantly, according to an analysis of U.S. census data. The top 90% of wage earners in Orange County earned roughly $203,000 a year in 2004 – 11 times more than the lowest 10% who only earned $18,000 a year.
This income disparity is reflected not just in lifestyle options, but also in the basic quality of life for many families on the lower end of the prosperity spectrum. Access to necessities such as safe housing, quality health care, reliable transportation and healthier food can become a struggle.
The reality is that millions of Americans live in households that are food insecure, which means they don’t have the resources to regularly acquire more nutritious food. Food insecurity and access to healthy food are the top social determinants of health that may contribute to issues like diabetes and obesity. More than 301,000 people in Orange County are at risk of hunger each month – including 1 out of 6 children.
Community food banks help fill this void by collecting donations and nonperishable food items and organizing volunteers to distribute critical food and meals to families in need.
Community partnerships are critical to building healthier communities and helping people live healthier lives. Employees from UnitedHealthcare recently volunteered at the Second Harvest Food Bank, whose mission is to end hunger in Orange County. In addition to monetary and food donations, donating time to end hunger in your community is also important, as food banks rely on volunteers to sort, package and distribute food. In just one afternoon, UnitedHealthcare volunteers delivered food to 174 families in Stanton – which totals 827 people. The volunteer team also helped load 6,360 pounds of food on the truck, which is roughly equivalent to 5,300 meals that were distributed to needy families across Orange County.
Food banks work with partners in the community, such as UnitedHealthcare, to create innovative, sustainable ways to end hunger in the region. The Second Harvest Food Bank feeds 250,000 men, women and children each month and last year Second Harvest distributed the equivalent of more than 21.6 million meals to the hungry in Orange County.
Courtesy photos
JFTB earns National Guard Environmental Award
For the third year running, Joint Forces Training Base (JFTB) has been honored by the National Guard Bureau (NGB) for its environmental security initiatives. This year’s award centered on two major restoration projects – remediation of a fuel plume located underneath and adjacent to the installation’s Military and Veterans Resource Center and infrastructure restoration of Los Alamitos Army Airfield’s storm water retention structures.
Remediation of the fuel plume site (formerly an automobile service station), embraced new, cutting-edge technology — a patented Vapor Energy Generation (VEG) system that combined an in-situ technique that allowed for remediation of contaminated soil to pristine condition while simultaneously treating the groundwater hazard associated with the fuel tank leaks. The project was cost effective and not only validated the technology, it eliminated the need for excavation — effectively working as a “closed system” to utilize soil contaminants as fuel to power the machinery removing those contaminants.
Of equal importance to the military personnel and veterans who utilize the installation’s resource facility, the entire project was conducted without interruption of building operations and services.
A restoration project to repair and upgrade multiple World War II- era storm water retention structures on Los Alamitos Army Airfield was jointly undertaken by the JFTB Training Site Detachment and the Cal Guard’s 315th Vertical Construction Company, resulting in an estimated cost savings of $750,000 to the California Army National Guard in design and construction costs.
“This marks the third year in a row that JFTB has received an environmental award and I want to personally congratulate all the personnel at Joint Forces Training Base who share in these outstanding accomplishments,” said Colonel (CA) John Oberg, Director of Environmental Programs for the California National Guard. “This award is the result of the hard work and collaborative efforts between environmental programs, department of public works and JFTB headquarters staffs and serves as a benchmark for all of the other training sites within the state of California and nationwide… Job well done!”
For additional information, please contact Col. (CA) Richard Lalor at (562) 795-2096 or via email at richard.w.lalor2.nfg@mail.mil, or SrA Crystal Housman at (805) 458-3825 or via email at crystal.c.housman.mil@mail.mil.
More than 200 sign up for Serve Los Al
Over 200 volunteers served both Friday, June 21 and Saturday, June 22 at the 2nd Annual Serve Los Al event beautifying the City, nonprofits, and senior resident homes in the community. A Health Clinic sponsored by Lestonnac Free Clinic served over nearly 80 participants with free dental extractions, medical care and acupuncture. Over 30 vendors were present for the MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach Health Expo. Additional Serve Los Al sponsors included Southland Credit Union and Cottonwood Church. Senator Tom Umberg was in attendance along with our City Council.
Courtesy photo