Looking for something fun for your child this summer? Mark your calendar for the City of Los Alamitos Recreation & Community Services Department’s Summer Day Camp program for ages 5-12 years and Counselors in Training for ages 13-16. Registration is going on now.
This camp is ideal for children looking to have a blast this summer while meeting new friends. Campers are in a safe environment at the Community Center and will participate in fun games and activities. Counselors in Training (CIT) will gain valuable work experience while assisting staff with the day to day operations of camp. There will also be fun trips to the park, arts & crafts, sports, games, swimming at McGaugh Pool and Seal Beach, plus excursions every Thursday to cool places like Knott’s Berry Farm, John’s Incredible Pizza, Medieval Times, OC Fair, Angels Baseball Game, Discovery Cube and Boomers.
Each week is a different themed camp and staff has a special event planned every Friday where campers get a chance to play carnival games, jump in a moon bounce, and win prizes. CIT will also receive customized training workshops to develop and strengthen their professional skills. Weekly and daily registration options are available for campers and two-week sessions are available for CIT. Camp will be offered Monday-Friday from June 3 to August 6; regular camp hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and extended hours are 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Snacks and beverages are provided; campers need to bring a sack lunch. Sign up online at cityoflosalamitos.org/recreation or at the Community Center, 10911 Oak Street. For more information, call 562-430-1073.
Is it possible that long suffering Long Beach is one of the most architecturally interesting cities in California? It seems that groups within the city are rediscovering their grand past and will stage Long Beach Architecture Week May 31 to June 9.
According to Dan O’Brien, a spokesman for Long Beach Home+Living, a series of pre-celebration events are already underway in advance of the celebration.
According to experts, at the turn of the 20th century, the city of Long Beach sported one of the state’s longest and most beautiful beaches. Moreover, the city was fortunate to house some of the great early Art-Deco architects, responsible for many unique period structures that are still in use today.
According to Communications Director Amanda Fruta, “there is something for everyone at the 1st annual Long Beach Architecture Week.”
In addition to O’Brien, a pre-event gathering featured John Thomas, a prominent Art Deco consultant for the Queen Mary, Dr. Brian Trimble, Founder of the Modern Architecture Tour of the CSULB University Art Museum, Cheryl Perry, president of the Long Beach Heritage, Joe Harding, East Village Association President and Dr. Norbert Schurer, Architectural Professor Cal State Long Beach.
Here is a summary of the upcoming events:
Opening Party – Roaring Metropolis at At the Top (FRI, May 31, 6:00pm – 9:00pm)
LB Heritage’s 18th Great Homes Tour all across Long Beach (SUN, June 2, 12:00pm – 5:00pm)
*NEW* Award-Winning Civic Center Hard Hat Tour with Clark Construction (MON, June 3, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm)
Cal State Long Beach Mid-Century Modern Architecture + Sculpture Collection Tour (TUES, June 4, 9:30am – 11:30am)
Art Deco Double Decker Bus Tour with John Thomas (FRI, June 7, 5:00 – 7:30 pm.
Nightlife alert! LBAW x InspiredLBC – ICON LBC + After Party at the ICE HOUSE: (FRI, June 7, 7:00pm – 12:00am)
Historic Downtown Tour with Long Beach Home + Living (SAT, June 8, 12:00pm – 4:00pm)
*NEW* Pacific Visions (Aquarium of the Pacific expansion) Tour – go behind the scenes tour with Fahria Qader, Visions and Architecture project manager (SAT, June 8, 5:00pm – 6:30pm)
Americana fun! Charles Phoenix – LongBeachland at the Art Theatre (SUN, June 9, 11:00am – 3:00pm).
Following a five-year planning and fundraising effort, local officials and corporate sponsors gathered on Friday to cut the ribbon on the new Bandai Teen Center, now open at the Boys and Girls Club of Cypress.
“Every child needs a champion,” said Executive Director Anne Hertz as she welcomed and thanked the large group of donors, supporters, employees and local officials gathered for the ribbon cutting.
The new 1600 square foot teen center offers several areas for education, practical learning, games and simply a safe place to hang out.
“This place changes lives,” said Cypress mayor Stacy Berry, who was not only the first speaker, but according to Hertz, is a volunteer at the BGCC. Hertz said Berry runs the BGCC “Smart Girls” program offered to young girls
Berry said her son received great benefit from participating while growing and that the long process of building the new teen center “was definitely worth the wait.” The new addition, she said, will provide a “safe, inspiring and comfortable place” for teens to gather.
Jon Peat, also a member of the Cypress council, serves as the BGCC board chairman. He said efforts to build the new Bandai Center began in 2015, when younger children were becoming teens, yet wanted to still gather at the popular center.
Back then, said Peat, “we only had a room with about 350 square feet” to offer the teens to gather. Even though the board knew they needed for space, they had “no budget” to add a new wing to the center.
Enter the Bandai America corporation, a popular Japanese based toy company that was, for many years,
based in Cypress before more recently moving closer to Los Angeles.
Peat said Bandai stepped up in 2015 with a donation of $150,000, which allowed the BGCC to begin their planning and development efforts for the teen center. Bandai’s contribution will have a “lasting impact” on the youth of Cypress, said Peat.
He also thanked Greg Gibson whom Peat said developed the plans which indicated the new wing would cost about $800k, which the club did not have, yet Peat named a long list of sponsors, donors and community members who, over time, stepped up to come up with the money.
He said construction began about eight months ago and the ribbon was cut on Friday. He thanked contractor Hoxsie Construction for finishing under budget “and then some.”
Shusuke Takahara, CEO of Bandai America, Inc., said the Cypress Boys & Girls Club Teen project fit perfectly into the profile of the Bandai Foundation, which originally made the donation. “It (Bandai Teen Center) was a natural fit,” he said.
Bandai is a major Japanese toy manufacturing company with a thriving American division.
Shusuke Takahara, the CEO of Bandai America, Inc.
Takahara said the company, which caters largely to children and their parents, is proud to support the “youth of tomorrow. We take great pleasure in welcoming you,” he said.
Cynthia Nishimoto, Senior Vice President of Bandai America, together with Takahara presented a bouquet of flowers to Hertz for her dedication and for her efforts shepherding the project to completion.
Hertz thanked all of the current and former board members, all of the donors, city officials, staff and everyone who helped make the project a reality.
David Overgon?, now a 9th grader at John F. Kennedy High School, said the BGCC Youth of the Year, is an example of why the new teen center is needed. In a brief address to the group, he recounted how the facility had “become my second family. When I’m here, I know every child, including myself, is in a safe environment, surrounded by support and staff who believes in every child and want us to achieve our best future.”
A safe and creative space for teens to hang out.
Overgon said the BGCC “made an impact” on his life, saying he had witnessed its impact on others. “It has helped me become the person I am today,” he said, “and I am excited to envision the man I wish and will be in the years to come.”
David has been a part of the BGCC for six years, and since growing into a teenager, he said local teens needed more space and they are very happy to now have it.
The new addition provides a full kitchen area, a lounge area, several gaming tables, wide-screen televisions and other spaces for hanging out and educational activities.
Donna Kastner, of the International Soroptimist Club of Cypress, said they will begin providing teaching and financial literacy classes to teens.
Other officials attending included Cypress council member Marilellen Yarc, Assembly member Sharon Quirk-Silva and representatives of Senator Ling Ling Chang, and Orange County Supervisor Michelle Steel. Supt. Anne Silavs, of the Cypress School District.
Going forward, said Overgon (who was selected to speak for all of the students at the BGCC), said “here we believe we can find solutions to any problem.”
The City of La Palma will be hosting its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 27, 2019. A musical interlude, performed by John F. Kennedy High School and Walker Junior High School bands, will begin at 9 a.m. with the Ceremony following in front of City Hall (7822 Walker Street) at the Eternal Flame. Due to the solemn and reflective nature of the event, Walker Street will be closed between Thelma Avenue and La Palma Avenue from 8:45 a.m. until approximately 11 a.m.
Each year, the City of La Palma honors those who have served in the military either at home or abroad, especially those who sacrificed their lives so that those who remain may continue to live in freedom. Please join the City of La Palma and the Community Activities and Beautification Committee in honoring their memory. If you are a resident of La Palma and military veteran, please contact the City to reserve special seating as we would like to recognize the contributions that you have personally made.
For more information about the Memorial Day Ceremony and how you can be involved, please visit www.cityoflapalma.org/MemorialDay or call the La Palma Community Services Department at 714-690-3350.
This event is made possible through the generous support of the City’s Sponsors: EDCO-Park Disposal and Rutan & Tucker.
Ranked by Money Magazine in 2015, 2013, 2011, and 2007 as one of America’s Best Places to Live, the City of La Palma is a 1.9 square mile general law city in northwest Orange County, consisting of over 15,568 residents and approximately 300 commercial and industrial businesses. The City was incorporated in 1955 under the name of Dairyland and has 53 full-time and 35 part-time employees.
A man apparently under the influence of narcotics waltzed in through an unlocked door in a Rossmoor home before proceeding to disrobe in the bedroom of a 14-year-old boy and threatening his mother before finally being chased away by the woman’s husband.
Rossmoor quickly flooded with police departments and support services as the bizarre incident unfolded on the evening of Wednesday, May 8. After leaving the home, the suspect climbed onto the roof of a nearby school before eventually surrendering to authorities.
According to Orange County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Carrie Braun, Keith Eric Newbury, 37, stands accused of multiple crimes following the incident. According to the OCSD website, Newbury was still being held in the county jail awaiting $1 million bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned on May 24.
Newbury faces charges of attempted premediated murder, assault with intent to commit sexual offense, first degree burglary, vandalism with more than $400, indecent exposure, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia and resisting a peace officer.
The “attempted premeditated murder” charge was added later and the Event News has asked for further clarification.
Here’s how the event went down, according to the OC Sheriff. On Wednesday evening, OCSD Dispatchers received several 9-1-1 calls reference an unknown man who had entered a residence in the unincorporated community of Rossmoor.
The suspect had walked into a bedroom where he woke up a 14 year old male, asked him a question, then undressed himself. The 14-year-old left his room to alert his parents and armed himself with a meat cleaver from the kitchen. The suspect followed him and at one point proceeded to put a USB cable around the mother’s shoulder. The suspect was chased out of the home by the father who had been outside the residence during the ordeal.
? As North Patrol Deputies responded, the suspect got into a white Dodge van and drove several streets in the area before driving onto the grass of Hopkinson Elementary.
The suspect climbed onto the roof of one of the school buildings where he attempted to hide but was unsuccessful thanks to the assistance of OCSD – Air Support Unit and Angel from the Anaheim Police Department. The building and the rest of the school was immediately surrounded with the help from the Los Alamitos Police Department, Seal Beach Police Department, OCSD – Stanton Police Services, K9 Chavo and K9 Iggy from the OCSD K-9 Unit.
? Multiple announcements were made both from the air and ground, for the suspect to surrender. After several hours of waiting and with nowhere to escape, the suspect surrendered without incident. It was discovered the suspect committed several acts of vandalism while on the roof. The suspect is believed to be under the influence of an unknown narcotic and was taken to the Emergency Room before being booked at the Orange County Jail.
?The OC Sheriff’s Department thanked all of the agencies who coordinated the apprehension of Newbury. This included the other responding agencies and the Orange County Fire Authority that brought the ladders used to bring the suspect down.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will talk about flood safety along the San Gabriel River at RHA town hall, according to Rossmoor Homeowners Association President Ralph Vartabedian.
If Rossmoor ever gets hit with the BIG ONE, it might not be the earthquake that you think about, Vartabedian said in a press release.
Scientists predict that in some year, some decade or some century, an epic downpour will flood most of the Los Angeles basin.
The probability is only 1 in 900, but the consequences will be more devastating than any earthquake.
And since Rossmoor sits adjacent to the mighty San Gabriel River and parts of our community are less than a dozen feet above sea level, we are more vulnerable than a lot of other places.
And the safety of our people depends, not only in an epic flood but in many heavy rain storms, on the integrity of earthen and concrete levees that rise higher than the streets of Rossmoor.
In its efforts to inform the community, the Rossmoor Homeowners Association is sponsoring a town hall on the San Gabriel River levee and flood control system.
We are lucky to have as our featured speaker Lillian Doherty, chief of the operations division at the Los Angeles offices of the Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps has been an essential part of the Southern California flood control system for decades.
Lillian has a special interest in Rossmoor, since she is one of our own community. She also knows a lot the risks of a flood. She had to evacuate from New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.
So come on out to the Rossmoor Park community center on May 21 at 7 p.m. You might want to get there early if you want a seat.
For more background, read this: https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-ln-mega-storm-dam-failure-20190218-story.html.
Fresh Cut Creative of Seal Beach is stepping up as a major sponsor of The Youth Center’s annual Golf Tournament which will be held July 15 at the Old Ranch Country Club in Seal Beach. Other sponsors, adult and youth golfers are wanted for this charity event that promises to be a great deal of fun.
Founded in 2011, Fresh Cut Creative is a local on-air marketing company.
“We’re so proud to have the opportunity to support The Youth Center,” said a spokesperson for the company. “The work they do is vital to the health of our community and youth. We only hope to be a small measure of support for an organization we admire.”
Held for the first time at Old Ranch Country Club, The Youth Center annual Golf Tournament is a full day of activity starting with registration at 10 a.m., which includes complimentary range balls, a putting contest at 10:30 a.m., lunch at 11:30 a.m. to 12:25 p.m., and shotgun tournament start by 12:30 p.m. Dinner begins at 6 p.m. with awards, raffle and auction announcements by 6:30 p.m.
“It’s a fantastic way to support kids while enjoying an active day full of recreation and good times,” said Youth Center Executive Director Lina Lumme. “We welcome the public’s participation and look forward to everyone enjoying the tournament.”
Other golf tournament sponsors include Konnect Resources, YH Advisors, Seal Beach Lion’s Club, Landon HR Consulting, Ganahl Lumber, Braithwaite Chiropractic, and Southland Credit Union. Additional sponsors are welcome.
Golf foursomes and youth golfers are especially wanted. Register by June 15, and fees are $165 for adults and $125 for kids (otherwise $20 more after the early registration date). Register online at www.theyouthcenter.org. If you are interested in volunteering for the tournament, please contact The Youth Center at 562-493-4043.
Over 100 local UnitedHealthcare employees participated in the Steppin’ Up for Kids (SUFK) walk in Cypress this week. Hosted by the UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation (UHCCF), SUFK is a national initiative that encourages people to engage in healthier lifestyles while raising funds for medical grants for kids.
One of five walks taking place nationally, the employees in Cypress raised over $10,000 to be donated to the Foundation, which provides grants to help families with children that have medical needs not covered or not fully covered by their commercial health insurance plan. Seven year old Tessa Adams, whose family has received a Foundation grant, was at the event in Cypress to cheer on the walkers and assist with the check presentation.
“Since 2017, Steppin’ Up for Kids has raised nearly $120,000 and participants have taken more than 4 million steps toward funding medical grants for children across the United States,” said Rob Falkenberg, CEO, UnitedHealthcare of California. “I am proud that our employees in California are part of this amazing movement.”
UHCCF is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that was founded in 1999. Since 2007, UHCCF has awarded 18,000 grants valued at $41 million to children and their families across the United States. UHCCF’s funding is provided by contributions from individuals, corporations and UnitedHealth Group employees. Families can receive up to $5,000 annually per child ($10,000 lifetime maximum per child), and do not need to have insurance through UnitedHealthcare to be eligible.
LAEF piloted a Sports Camp program this year during Spring Break that proved to be a win-win for everyone involved! Students thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to participate in either Volleyball, Tennis, Golf or Cheerleading during the week-long camp, while parents could take advantage of the before and after care, as well as a healthy lunch for all participants.
“It was inspiring to watch the students pick up new skill sets while enjoying their Spring Break outdoors with high quality instructors,” said LAEF’s Program Manager, Mike Kahn. Not only did the camp offer a choice of 4 different activities for the students, but the instructors incorporated STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, The Arts and Math) activities to promote the academic components of each sports.
With summer quickly approaching, be sure to check out LAEF’s website for the many ways LAEF will help students stay engaged throughout the summer months as well. LAEF is proud to offer its Summer Enrichment Institute, along with camps through its partnership with the LAHS Head Coaches and Art Directors. Registration remains open for LAEF’s Summer Enrichment Institute, Sports Camps and Camps in the Arts at www.LAEF4kids.org/programs and catalogs with all of the details are available at www.LAEF4kids.org/summer.
LAEF is the non-profit partner of Los Alamitos Unified School District. LAEF enhances educational excellence by providing after-school and summer enrichment programs to children in grades Pre-K to 12. LAEF provides significant funding for STEAM teachers and instruction, as well as igniting new programs and providing valuable resources, to impact all students. For more information, visit www.LAEF4kids.org or call (562) 799-4700 Extension 80424 today!
The Rossmoor Woman’s Club took three prizes in the annual awards competition of the California Federation of Women’s Clubs’ Orange District. Pictured are winners Del Clark, of Rossmoor, second place large clubs for Legislation (with our RWC Dean, Bev Rigney); Susan Denley of Los Alamitos, first place large clubs for Communications (with Bev), and Bobbi Palmer of Cypress, most creative centerpiece (center, flanked by Bev and Barb Murphy, who is holding the Dr. Seuss-themed centerpiece). The awards were announced by Orange District at its annual convention on April 27 and bestowed on the RWC winners at the club’s May meeting on May 8.
(A U.S. Marine Corps family from Camp Pendleton will have much to celebrate this weekend when they are presented with keys to a newly restored 2017 Toyota Highlander in recognition of May Military Appreciation Month and Mother’s Day from Caliber Collision and Allstate Insurance.
Reliable transportation is critical for Sgt. Steven Gilbraith and his wife Ilze. With three children ages 1 to 7, life is hectic. The car donation will help the family juggle transportation for Sgt. Gilbraith to get to and from Camp Pendleton, while Ilze manages school and extracurricular activities for the children, as well as special therapy and speech classes for a son who recently was diagnosed autistic.
The car donation from Caliber Collision and Allstate Insurance is part of a national program to repair and donate vehicles to individuals in need of reliable transportation. The Allstate-donated vehicle was restored by technicians at Caliber Collision-Huntington Beach who volunteered their time as a community service.
The Gilbraith Family was nominated for the car donation by Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen military families.
The car donation by Allstate Insurance and Caliber Collision is part of the National Auto Body Council’s Recycled Rides™ program that connects collision industry companies to repair and provide cars to individuals in need. Local Allstate agent Jason Feltman will be in attendance to hand keys to Sgt. Gilbraith and family. Allstate Insurance has been involved with the Recycled Rides program since 2010. In 2018 alone, Allstate donated 122 vehicles to military service members, veterans and others in need of transportation.
Over the past six years, Caliber Collision and its industry partners have donated nearly 300 cars valued at over $4 million.
The Los Alamitos Education Foundation (LAEF) celebrated its top donors on May 2 at the first Los Al Leadership Circle (LALC) Donor Appreciation Event. In December, LAEF announced the formation of the LALC, a major donor group consisting of distinguished individuals and families who significantly support educational excellence for all Los Al students, and this event gave LAEF the opportunity to celebrate the founding members.
LALC Founding Members were invited to an intimate gathering at the home of LAEF Vice President Brian Leibl and his wife Christine, who generously opened their home for the event. Donors were treated to scrumptious appetizers prepared by Chef Elizabeth Whitt, sipped on hand-selected cocktails, and enjoyed an exclusive Meet and Greet with Los Alamitos Unified School District’s new Superintendent Dr. Andrew Pulver. Several LAHS baseball players volunteered as servers for the event.
“It was a wonderful evening celebrating our donors who truly understand the importance of their commitment to LAEF and the kids of Los Al. To see the major donor program come to fruition this year has been very inspiring to LAEF,” said LAEF Executive Director Carrie Logue.
Donors were specifically thanked for their support of LAEF’s new free after-school world language classes. There are currently nine free classes for 2nd graders across the district, which reach over 150 kids. Due to LALC donor support, the program will be expanded to free classes for 2nd and 3rd graders for the 2019-20 school year.
LALC personal giving levels start at $1,000 annually, which is $84 per month. LAEF offers LALC members donor recognition as well as networking opportunities throughout the year. For more details, donation options and pledge forms visit www.LAEF4Kids.org/LALC.
LAEF is the non-profit partner of Los Alamitos Unified School District. LAEF enhances educational excellence by providing after-school and summer enrichment programs to children in grades Pre-K to 12. LAEF provides significant funding for STEAM teachers and instruction, as well as igniting new programs and providing valuable resources, to impact all students. For additional information on LAEF, please call 562-799-4700 Extension 80424 or visit www.LAEF4Kids.org.
A labor of love for U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Michael Aguirre of the California Army National Guard and his dedicated team of retired aviator volunteers came to fruition on Saturday, May 4, at Joint Forces Training Base (JFTB) when they rolled out a restored Vietnam-era, Bell UH-1M Iroquois Helicopter – more commonly known as a “Huey” — for permanent display on the installation.
The aircraft is displayed alongside a yet-to-be restored Vietnam era Bell Cobra AH-1 Attack Helicopter in front of the installation’s Fiddler’s Green Pub on Yorktown Avenue.
The Iroquois served in a variety of utility roles and was the U.S. Army’s first gunship. The Los Al “Huey” was built by Bell Aircraft in 1966 in Fort Worth, Texas, and saw extensive service in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War – surviving combat damage in May 1970.
Following the war, the aircraft was transferred to the California Army National Guard where it provided yeoman service from October 1972 through December 1975.
“We undertook this restoration project about six years ago, working weekends and dedicating any other available free time when we could bring together at least three people to work on the project,” recalled Aguirre. “Our volunteers included several former Army Aviators who had served in the Army Aviation Support Facility, plus members of the JFTB Department of Public Works. Time was limited and money was tight, but our goal was to have the helicopter on display before I retired from the Army at the end of August. We did it!
“It was also really cool to see the turnout of legacy Army Aviators on hand when we placed the helicopter on display,” Aguirre continued. “Some of them had retired out of Los Al, some of them had flown in Vietnam, and all of them had a connection to our ‘Huey’ in one way or another. For them that helicopter now serves as a living symbol of their military service to our country.”
For additional information, please contact Col. (CA) Richard Lalor at (562) 795-2096 or via email at richard.w.lalor2.nfg@mail.mil, or Senior Airman Crystal Housman at (805) 458-3825 or via email at crystal.c.housman.mil@mail.mil,
President Jane Close Conoley on Friday received and ratified a student-led vote on a new mascot for the university. With 53% of the vote, students selected “sharks” by a wide margin over “stingrays” and the option of having no mascot at all.
This final vote and ratification by Conoley conclude a months-long student-initiated process that first widely solicited ideas for a new mascot, sent semifinalist concepts to a broad community vote, and finally offered up three finalists for a student referendum that ended last week.
The choice of “sharks” aligns with the campus’ renowned Shark Lab and its proximity to the beach.
The university’s previous mascot, “Prospector Pete,” was retired in spring 2018. However, the term “‘49er” remains an informal nickname and identifier for anyone affiliated with the university as an alumnus/alumna, employee, student, or supporter. The term references the institution’s founding year and continues to hold significance as the university recognizes its 70th anniversary this year. Several organizations on campus also use the term, including the Daily ’49er student newspaper and the ’49er Foundation.
“We have benefited from a thoughtful, thorough, and inclusive process by our students,” Conoley said. “I am grateful to all the university’s stakeholders for their participation.”
Selection of the “sharks” now initiates a year-long development process to determine the visual look of the mascot, its personality characteristics, design of mascot uniforms and illustrations, and any associated wordmarks. This, again, will be informed by a multi-stakeholder, inclusive process now led by a university steering committee that will be appointed by Conoley.
The university’s intercollegiate athletics program will continue to use “Beach Athletics” during the coming planning year, and its teams the prefix moniker “Beach” — as in, “Beach Men’s Volleyball,” the team that won the NCAA national championship earlier this month.
California State University, Long Beach is the No. 3 top public university in the western United States, lauded nationally for affordability,?diversity and powering?upward social mobility. Founded in 1949, the 322-acre campus enrolls more than 37,000 students and boasts more than 325,000 alumni who positively impact the community, state and the nation.
Los Alamitos based Discovery Behavioral Health, Inc. today announced the appointment of Joe Tinervin as President of the Substance Abuse Division. Discovery Behavioral Health (DBH) is a national leader in evidence-based clinical treatment, with 77 treatment centers in 11 states.
Joe Tinervin, President of the Substance Abuse Division at Discovery Behavioral Health
“I have tremendous respect and appreciation for Joe’s accomplishments and leadership in the behavioral health space. Having closely worked with Joe for over a decade, Discovery leaped at the opportunity to add another highly sought-after talent in the industry, to its senior management team,” said James Bailey, COO at Discovery Behavioral Health.
With more than two decades of service and leadership in behavioral health and acute care, Tinervin has become an expert at every level of the health organization. After six years as the CEO of Bayside Marin, Tinervin managed operations for newly acquired facilities in Northern California before being promoted to Regional Vice President overseeing all California operations in the former ‘Recovery Division’ of Acadia Healthcare. He was then promoted to Division President of Acadia Healthcare to oversee behavioral health operations for 12 programs across five states including California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas and New Mexico representing a blend of service lines and levels of care including Acute Care Hospitals; Residential Treatment; Partial Hospitalization, and Intensive Outpatient for Mood Disorders, Substance Use Disorders, and Eating Disorders treating children, adolescents and adults.
Discovery Behavioral Health, a national leader in evidence-based clinical treatment, is committed to providing the ultimate inpatient access, through a strategic mix of geographic locations and tiered pricing that makes life changing care affordable and accessible for the largest possible client base. Discovery continues to expand its footprint nationwide with treatment centers specializing in behavioral health, eating disorders, substance abuse and dual diagnosis. For more information on Discovery Behavioral Health visit, www.discoverybh.com.
Members of Da’ Hawaii Seniors Club gathered at the Cerritos Senior Center on Tuesday, April 30, to enjoy a first ever, International Fashion Show planned by Program Co-Chairs Marion Tesoro and Ann Kho. Ann and the refreshment committee prepared a feast of international food with funds provided by the club and donations of food from members. The food that was served included Filipino pancit noodles with chicken and meatballs, sliced Korean pears, and Chinese li hing mui flavored prune and apricot mui, Hawaiian coconut haupia, and American favorites of mini cakes and ice cream.
Co-Program Chair Danny Chang served as Master of Ceremonies as he introduced each of the participants in the Fashion Show and had each person explain the ethnic clothes that he or she wore.
Twenty women wore clothing from the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, Mexico, Indonesia, and Portugal as they paraded across a miniature sized red carpet and showed and explained their outfits. A group of eight women, who called themselves, the manangs, wore black or white slacks with colorful short Filipino blouses called kimonas. They posed as a group.
Pictured at Da’ Hawaii Seniors Club’s International Fashion Show are Hedy Anduha, at left, with seven of her manangs (sisters) dressed in Filipino kimonas. (blouses).
Many of the other women wore beautiful formal gowns. Frances McCormick wore a striking white, body-hugging, formal Chinese dress with red-velvet flower applique, called cheongsam, in Cantonese, and Qipao in Mandarin.
Gilbert Aguirre was the only brave man who wore a Mexican outfit and stood with his wife Janie as she proudly explained what she wore.
Danny Chang also introduced all the members who provided entertainment for the evening, including Winston Goo and Hedy Anduha who explained words in Hawaiian pidgin and Frank Yoshii, who told some humorous stories, sang songs and accompanied singers with his guitar. Danny thanked everyone who participated in the fashion show, provided and helped serve the food, sang songs, danced hulas or played the ukulele or guitar.
It was a fantastic evening with international fashions to admire, ethnic food to sample, and opportunities to participate in singing songs and dancing hulas. With all the special food that was provided, no one went home hungry that evening!
The evening ended with everyone forming a circle, holding hands and singing the traditional closing songs of “Hawaii Aloha” and “Aloha O’e.”
Erin Lawrence, a longtime nurse for the Los Alamitos Unified School District, has been named the Orange County Coordinating School Nurse of the Year. The Orange County School Nurses Organization honored Lawrence, who has been with the district for 20 years, at their annual conference this week in Irvine. The award recognizes nurses who have advocated for children, helped families deal with serious health issues or served as a role model for colleagues and students.
“I can’t image anyone who is more deserving of this award,” said Dr. Heidi Olshan, director of Special Education and Mental health Services for the district. “Her dedication to health care is unsurpassed, her passion for lifelong learning is evident, and her ability to work with staff, students and parents is truly outstanding.”
Lawrence, who holds a master’s degree in management and leadership and is licensed as a registered and public health nurse, wears many hats in many places in the 10,000-student district. She oversees a staff of one other school nurse and a small group of health clerks and licensed vocational nurses. She provides direct health aid to students when needed, participates in district-wide vision and hearing screenings and makes home visits and welfare checks on students.
Concerned about a student with diabetes who was attending Outdoor Science School in the local mountains, Lawrence drove up to the facility on her own time to make sure the student was well taken care of and could participate in all the activities without health problems, Olshan said.
“I am surprised and humbled to receive this honor,” Lawrence said. “I work with an amazing team, and we have spent many years making our health services efforts work effectively for all of our students in the district.”
The Segerstrom Center for the Arts is thrilled to present El Gran Festival de Musica Cubana, a musical celebration of the best in traditional Cuban music and culture on Sunday, June 16, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.
The evening of irresistible Cuban rhythms and sound features an all-star line-up of some of today’s most celebrated Cuban artists including four former members of the Buena Vista Social Club: Juan De Marcos, Barbarito Torres, Jesus Aguaje Ramos and Eliades Ochoa, the celebrated musical group ¡Cubanismo!, beloved Cuban singers Ibrahim Ferrer Jr., Luis Frank and Pedrito Calvo as well as the band Los Soneros de Verdad. A project 22 years in the making, this collective of Cuban performers brings together legends and future stars for one spectacular night of music.
Tickets to El Gran Festival de Musica Cubana start at $69 and are available now online at SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling (714) 556-2787. For inquiries about groups of 10 or more, call the Group Services office at (714) 755-0236.
An excited schoolteacher in the Cypress Unified School District is packing her bags (and electronic equipment) and will depart fo the Antarctica June 2 after winning a prestigious teaching fellowship on an upcoming National Geographic program explorer program.
Melinda (Mindy) Steele, a teacher currently on special assignment supporting the STEM program, recently returned from a five-day orientation program in at the National Geographic Society’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. after it was announced that her essay won her a spot on the 2019 Lindblad Expeditions and NatGeo’s Grosvenor Teaching Fellowship.
“I’m beyond excited,” said Steele on Friday, “I’m super stoked.”
Steele is one of 45 highly respected educators from the United States and Canada who will embark on global expeditions to enhance their geographic knowledge. They will have an opportunity to utilize hands-on, field-based experiences that they can bring back to share with students.
“My goal is to increase student awareness of our impact on nature, even in the most remote areas of the world,” she said, “and that simple changes made locally can help preserve our planet for generations to come.”
“Ocean plastics are a hot topic,” she admitted, and Steele expressed excitement about working with undersea specialists in the Artic to detect plastics and microplastics while facilitating an ongoing discussion of their potential impacts with students.
Steele will join the Antarctica voyage in Norway and plans to use modern technology to make her trip a truly shared moment for students who want to accompany her online.
Moreover, now that she has been named to the expedition, she is conducting a “pre-lesson” by taking early questions from the students before the expedition begins.
National Geographic’s education fellowship is a prize for any educator.
“We are immensely proud to support Grosvenor Teacher Fellows – extraordinary individuals who share our passion and commitment to inspiring the next generation of planetary stewards,” said National Geographic Society Executive Vice President and Chief Education Officer Vicki Phillips. “At the Society, we’re dedicated to providing educators with unparalleled resources and transformative experiences so they can advance students’ understanding of the world and empower them to generate solutions for a more sustainable future.”
nature.
“I want them to feel that they can impact today’s world,” she said, adding that she will take questions from students before and throughout her voyage.
Steele will also shoot video that allows students to see what she is experiencing with a 360-degree view and she has ordered special maps so that interested students “can follow along with me.”
The Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship is named in honor of Gilbert M. Grosvenor, chairman emeritus of the National Geographic Society, in recognition of his decades-long work supporting teachers and promoting geography education. The expeditions were donated in perpetuity to the Society by Sven-Olof Lindblad and Lindblad Expeditions to honor his service to education.
According to the District, Steele has been a classroom teacher in the Cypress School District since 2005 and is currently serving as a Teacher on Special Assignment supporting the district’s STEM program.
During her 10-day expedition to Svalbard, Norway, she will observe polar bear activity, assess the presence of micro-plastics in the arctic, and learn first-hand about the impacts of tourism on nature.
Steele has pre-purchased a wi-fi signal strong enough to allow her to send dispatches back to a network of interested students.
In many ways, said Steele, students sometimes feel that the outside world “does not take them seriously.” She hopes to counter that perception by allowing them to participate in her voyage by viewing her research and suggesting things as her expedition moves along through Antarctica.
“I love the cold,” she said, adding that as part of her research, she plans to report to students the weather conditions and how they are impacting the voyage and the research.
Steele fully understands the impact and reach of the NatGeo Society and promises to make her upcoming voyage of discovery a profound “teachable moment.” Steele understands her trip has the potential to impact her students and accordingly, generations of students yet to come.
Dr. Dwight Stirling, of Rossmoor, was among the witnesses to testify before Congress in an April 30 hearing designed to focus on making the U.S. military more responsive to medical needs of active duty personnel.
Congresswoman Jackie Speier, a Democrat representing California’s 14th Representative District, has introduced legislation to amend the Feres Doctrine to allow victims of medical malpractice to hold their military doctors accountable for gross negligence.
Stirling is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Law and Military Policy in Huntington Beach, a nonprofit organization that seeks to “strengthen the legal protections of those serving our nation in uniform.”
For nearly seventy years, the nation’s top brass have been protected from civil liability because of a judicial policy called the “Feres Doctrine.”
Stirling, after serving as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) military prosecutor for two decades in the California National Guard, went back to college to become the nation’s only legal scholar focused primarily on this “Feres” policy.
Having defended a dissertation entitled “The Feres Doctrine: A Comprehensive Legal Analysis,” Stirling will graduate next week from Chapman University with a doctorate degree focused entirely on this military doctrine.
Stirling said amending the Feres Doctrine was one of the main driver’s to creating the Center for Law, adding the Feres Doctrine has had a “devastating impact” on the morale of active-duty service members.
Under Feres, active-duty soldiers have no access to civil courts if they have been harmed by military doctors or by other service members, such as if they have been sexually assaulted by their commanding officers or other active-duty personnel. “This has to change,” said Stirling.
Army Green Beret Sgt. 1st Class Richard Stayskal, a highly decorated combat victim, whose misdiagnosis by military doctors allowed his cancer to become terminal, said Feres has left him with little recourse.
“The hardest thing I have to do is explain to my children when they ask me, ‘This doesn’t make sense, how is this happening?’ And I have no good answer,” Stayskal said.
Stayskal, who is battling terminal Stage IV metastatic lung cancer continued. “That’s why I am coming up here to help convince these folks in Congress to change this. This doctrine has effectively barred hundreds of servicemembers and their families any chance to be made whole for receiving negligent medical care.”
Speier, who serves as Chairwoman of the Houses Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee, thanked Stirling for his diligent legal research of the Feres Doctrine.
“While policymakers readily send military personnel abroad to fight and die, they condone a policy where the troops cannot sue their doctors when they leave a towel marked “property of the U.S. Army” in their stomach during routine surgery,” he told the committee.
“The thought that allowing a suit between doctor and patient (in the military) would affect good order and discipline is ridiculous.” We must support Rep. Speier’s legislation to reform Feres Doctrine,” said Stirling.
Spier “this has been a very powerful hearing. This (Feres) has got to be fixed. On the books for 69 years because Supreme Court justices decided to legislate. It’s time for Congress to put on their britches and find a solution that brings justice to our service members.”
“It was a very humbling experience,” said Stirling, who said he was “honored to be called to testify” in an attempt to finally help “service members restore their legal rights to a civil solution.
