The Honor Project Documentary is a film about fatherhood, featuring twenty California Dads, the film explores personal and parenting experiences every father can relate to.
George Hibard (shown in red jacket) is a Los Alamitos resident, drove with his wife of 42 years, to the Arctic Ocean last summer. His adventure, which included kayaking in the Arctic Ocean with one of his three daughters, is prominently featured throughout the documentary. The Event-News Enterprise will feature the Los Al’s incredible driving adventure to the Arctic in next week’s Father’s Day edition. A kid-friendly red-carpet will be held at Desert Reign Church, 11610 Lakewood Blvd., Downey, CA 90241 on Sunday, June 16, 2019. The red-carpet event starts at 4 p.m. For info, contact em***@*********up.com or get tickets at https://honorprojectmovie.com/event/red-carpet-movie-premiere/.
Today’s international crime doesn’t always mean taking physical possession, but rather the theft of intellectual property. Few people understand this better than trial attorney and former state and federal prosecutor Craig Missakian. During Missakian’s 15 years in law enforcement, he earned national and international attention for successful prosecutions that included terrorism and environmental crimes, software piracy, organized crime and public corruption. The community is invited to hear Missakian speak on these topics at the Saturday, June 8, Long Beach Republican Women Federated breakfast meeting. Held at the conveniently located Long Beach Airport Marriott (4700 Airport Plaza Drive). Registration starts at 9 a.m. with breakfast served at 9:30 a.m. The cost is just $30 per member and $35 for non-members – includes free parking and a delicious plated breakfast.
Craig Missaskian’s cases have been featured in many leading publications including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and Times of London. He also taught at the U.S.C. Gould School of Law. Missakian left the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2010 to become the vice president and general counsel for Westland Real Estate Group, a closely held real estate investment, development, and holding company headquartered in Long Beach, California. In 2014, he was asked to serve as one of the lead lawyers on the House Select Committee on Benghazi where he helped direct the investigation into the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya that took the lives of four Americans. After working in Washington, D.C. on the Benghazi investigation for 2 ½ years he returned to his native Southern California where he now practices law.
“With many North American-based corporations reporting that Chinese companies have stolen their intellectual property, this is a must-attend for the greater Long Beach community,” said President Linda MacDonald.
In addition to Missaskian’s informative presentation, the breakfast meeting offers like-minded women and men an opportunity to learn more about Republican Women Federated and how they can be part of America’s largest grassroots organization. For information and reservations:
With the installation of a new base commander at Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, former staff and other military officials joined Brig. Gen. John Lathrop (retired) for a farewell luncheon Friday at Madera’s Steak and Ribs in Los Alamitos.
About 30 troops and civilians joined the General who is a former JFTB commander and Commander of the 40th Infantry Division of the California National Guard for his farewell luncheon.
“The (JFTB) has a great future,” said Lathrop, who swapped war stories with friends and staff members during the luncheon. As much as he has enjoyed his service to the nation and the military, Lathrop said it was “time to let younger people take the lead.”
Lathrop said incoming JFTB Commander Nick Ducich would provide “outstanding leadership” in the months and years ahead.
Lathrop’s wife Mary said they will be moving to the Washington, D.C. area to be near their daughter, who works for a major military association near the Pentagon.
Col. Rick Lalor, who worked with Gen. Lathrop, said “I think I speak for everyone who’s worked with you to say thank you for your friendship, leadership and dedication.”
Lalor also promised Lathrop, a huge Red Sox baseball fan, that he would uphold support for “Red Sox nation” in his absence.
Lathrop served for more than three decades in various capacities, has earned the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), the Bronze Star Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster) the Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Silver and 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Silver and 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters) and dozens of other awards, medals and accolades.
With the general manager of Golden State Water sitting in the room, the Los Alamitos city council lambasted the first phase of a water construction project, calling into question its own process of how the project was handled and questioning the standards by which the utility company measures the project.
“We didn’t hold the contractor to a standard,” said council member Dean Grose, and “it makes us look bad. We need a better standard, and someone needs to be accountable,” said Grose.
City officials said they have been inundated with complaints since Golden State began Phase I of a three phase project to move and replace new pipelines, fire hydrants and service lines from Howard to Green Avenues in Apartment Row.
Planning commissioner Art DeBolt excoriated the company’s contractor at the council’s last meeting and was back for more as this time, many city officials joined the chorus of complaints.
DeBolt questioned the quality of work, the questionable road patching and even the overall wisdom of the project at all.
Also, DeBolt warned the council to take a very close look at the company’s policy of making homeowners responsible for the new hookups between the new mains and residential hookups.
“We need a lot more information before awarding any new permits,” said DeBolt.
Council member Shelley Hasselbrink echoed the “abysmal” performance of the contractor, recalling contracting trucks parked “in front of private property” for full weekends without regard and said communications between the company and residents was convoluted or non-existent.
Listening to the debate, “we get the sense that we (city administration) did not know what (the project) was going to look like when it was done,” said Mayor Warren Kusumoto. He suggested a breakdown in oversight of the project and said “it doesn’t look real good right now. We need to figure out what happened and why,” he added.
For his part, Golden State Water General Manager Ken Vecchiarelli said the three phased project will “add elements” to the city’s water service that has not been present in its 60 years of service. Nevertheless, he acknowledged problems with the first phase and promised to cooperate fully with the city and its staff going forward.
In addition, he acknowledged the project had given the long-time city provider with a “black eye,” and Vecchiarelli said while the contractor on the project has worked with Golden State successfully on other projects, they will be “excused” from future phases of the project, once all requirements of phase one are complete.
Given the myriad of problems with Phase I, the council voted 5-0 on a motion by Hasselbrink to form an ad-hoc committee to study the overall project and no permits are likely to approved until the city fully understands what went so wrong on Phase I.
Further, the Council approved Hasselbrink and Grose to serve as the Council’s representatives on the committee and will work with the City Attorney to follow a process to nominate and fill the remaining seats on the committee.
In other action, the Council:
-honored and congratulated the graduating class of Sunburst Youth Academy, based at Joint Forces Training Base.
-recognized the service of the American Legion Auxiliary Post 716, proclaiming May as Poppy Month.
-recognized the Orange County Fire Authority, and its new chief, Ron Roberts, for being a “amazing group” of people during Emergency Services week.
-heard Hasselbrink, the city’s representative on the OC Fire Authority that OCFA had adopted their new budget of $482 million, 91 percent of which she said was for salaries and benefits. Certainly a “people oriented” organization, she said.
The American Legion Post 716 building in Los Alamitos was packed to capacity on Monday for a very special Memorial Day to honor the fallen and to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of its formation.
Commander Jim Eubanks welcomed a host of other Legion officials, including incoming Los Al Commander Woody Collins, Deborah Driscoll, President of the local Legion Auxiliary, and Mike Stevens, president of the local chapter of the Sons of American Legion for the festivities.
Officials guests included State Assemblyman Tyler Diep, who was joined by Los Alamitos city councilmember Dean Grose and Seal Beach American Legion Post Commander Beverly Bonner to welcome the packed group of veterans, family and well-wishers.
Precisely at 3 p.m., Commander Eubanks asked the crowd for a moment of silence to remember all of the service members who have “given all” in defense of freedom. The Legion is a fraternal group founded in 1919 after World War I in which only those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces are eligible for membership.
Over the years, the community of Legion supporters included the Legion Auxiliary, which affords membership to spouses of Legionnaires, the Sons of the Legion for family members and Legion Riders for adventurous souls who support a number of American Legion projects.
With its close proximity to the Joint Forces Training Base, the Los Alamitos American Legion Post has both a large pool of veterans to work with but a rich volume of troop related activities to support.
Quite ironically, Diep, who is serving his first term in Sacramento, said without the bravery of many of the Vietnam veterans present, he would not have been in this country at all.
“This is my first Memorial Day as your Assemblyman. I asked myself what I should say,” he acknowledged, “and one sentence kept coming back to me. Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction,” he told the group, noting it was a favorite quote of the late President Ronald Reagan.
Diep, of Vietnamese heritage, also said “as a first-generation immigrant, my being here today is is due to the brave Americans who fought for my country,” he said as many Vietnam veterans looked on.
“If not for these heroes, my family and I would not be here today,” he said.
The first term Assemblyman also announced to loud applause that the state assembly has passed legislation to purchase the former El Toro helicopter base to create a Veterans Cemetery for Orange County.
Also during the presentation, a Seal Beach veteran owned business presented a specially made surfboard painted with an American flag as a gift to the base in recognition of its 100th Anniversary. The veteran owned business is owned by Bill Wilburn and Jennifer Rotherham and the unique wood art is built by Bill, a former combat engineer.
Seal Beach Desert Storm Veteran Craftsman Bill Wilburn (right) and Jennifer Rotherham, of Anchors Away Décor, present a memorial gift to the post of an American flag surfboard.
While the Legion as an organization is now 100-years-old, the Los Al post building on Florista was constructed in the late 1940’s when Post 716 was chartered and has been home to the post ever since. While the American Legion as an organization is 100 years old, the Los Al Post is 71, said Eubanks. While interest in the Legion dipped for a few years, it “is back on upswing” he added.
Sadly, most of the World War II have passed, yet he said the post still has a few Korean War veteran members and he bulk of today’s members mostly made up of Vietnam and Iraq war vets. “We are seeing a different kind of vet,” says the Commander.
Eubanks said the needs of veterans and their families have changed a lot since the Legion was founded in 1919 and added, “we are trying to change with them.”
Incoming Commander Collins said the Legion offers programs directly for veterans, while the Auxiliary, Sons of the Legion and American Legion Riders of offers a myriad of programs for families and children of veterans.
Driscoll said the post enjoys its very close relationship with the Joint Forces Training Base and they support a variety of programs, including being on base to support all troops that are deployed and the Auxiliary members are also there to send them off and back at the base to greet them when they return from deployment.
“It is multi-generational recruiting,” said Driscoll, adding that the Ladies Auxiliary operates 13 programs, 11 of which benefit “charitable” causes.
Stevens said the Sons of the Legion work with needy families such as “Operation Santa Claus” each year, among other efforts with the sons and daughters of the Legion.
All of the Legion organizational representatives said they also work closely with the nearby Veterans Administration office in Long Beach on various programs.
They said the total members of all Legion organizations based in Los Alamitos is about 800, making it the 2nd highest ranking post in the District.
Photos by David N. Young
Caption: L-R American Legion Post 716 Commander Jim Eubanks, Sons of the Legion Commander Mike Stevens, State Assemblyman Tyler Diep, Auxiliary President Deborah Driscoll, Incoming Post Commander Woody Collins and Los Al Council member Dean Grose.
Caption: Seal Beach Desert Storm Veteran Craftsman Bill Wilburn (right) and Jennifer Rotherham, of Anchors Away Décor, present a memorial gift to the post of an American flag surfboard.
In observance of Memorial Day, UnitedHealthcare employees honored fallen soldiers and service members by placing more than 1,000 U.S. flags in front of its offices in Orange County. A donation was also made to the Cypress American Legion Post 295 to support veterans programs. Pictured is the Cypress office.
Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
It is a complete joy to see so many people graduating. Facebook and Instagram are lit up with smiling graduates flanked with family and friends. Some have overcome great odds and adversity, and that walk across the stage to receive their diploma is like a well- earned victory lap. Way to go graduates! Because though most everyone has the ability, not everyone is willing to muster up the grit to stay the course. You have achieved much and that achievement is worth the reward of a diploma and, of course, a bit of celebration. In a world where everyone gets a trophy or a ribbon just for showing up, it is refreshing that a there are standards for academic achievement. It makes the accomplishment mean something.
Unfortunately, this ‘everyone gets a trophy’ mentality has slipped into the academic world. According an article in The Columbus Dispatch a few years ago, one school district had 222 Valedictorians with 90 of them coming from one high school. A Valedictorian is supposed to be the highest-ranking student in the school. We as a society don’t like ranking and the competition it brings, as we feel it can damage self-esteem. Tim Elmore wrote about this in one of his recent email/posts (by the way if you have kids, grandkids, or work with students, I encourage you to subscribe to his newsletter). Elmore says a little competition is good, and it is okay to award top honors as it is a real-world experience. As well, we are more than our accomplishments and we should not tie our worth and value to what we can or can’t achieve.
The truth is our self-esteem comes from whom we are, and the truth is we are a wonderful, hand-crafted creation of God.
Psalms 139:14 I praise You (God), for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are Your works;My soul knows it very well.
We are not a mistake regardless of what we do or don’t do or what people say about us. We are more. I love the song You Are More by 10th Avenue North that explains we are more…”You are more than the choices that you’ve made, You are more than the sum of your past mistakes, You are more than the problems you create.” See, we are more! We are hand-crafted creations God knit together inside our mom. We are God’s masterpieces built to do good in this world.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Yes, we can get caught up in achievements and wealth, but as King Solomon said (who, by the way, is the wealthiest and wisest that has ever lived) in Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 that money, possessions, power, and privilege are all vanity or a waist of time. Actually, the Bible book of Ecclesiastes is all about Solomon seeking what’s important in life and where our value lies. He concludes the book with this…
Ecclesiastes 12:13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
To fear God is to recognize Him as Creator and to find our worth in Him. You are more!! So seek to know Him more and let who He has created you to be fill you with value, significance, and more.
Church can be a great place to learn more of God and our value in Him. Actually, this past Sunday we talked about experiencing God as our “Abba Father” from the Bible book of Romans 8:12-17. You can find that message at https://cypresschurch.net/sermons. If you don’t already have a church you regularly attend, we would like to invite you to Cypress Church or any of our branch churches.
Our website has more information: http://www.cypresschurch.net. You can even attend one of our live-streaming services on line (see http://live.cypresschurch.net/).
Seeking to be that “more” we were created to be along with you,
Cypress Boys Tennis Team Wins two before losing to Calabasas in CIF tourney
The Cypress High School boys tennis team had been busy in Division 2 of the CIF-SS tournament, first beating Temple City, then traveling to La Canada to beat St. Frances in the third round. But the Centurions did not fare so well against Calabasas, losing to them in a match played in Seal Beach.
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.
St. Irenaeus Health Ministry sponsored a fascinating workshop on elder abuse prevention on May 20th featuring speaker, Kelli Jean Morris, JD, LLM, Director, Senior Protection Program (SPP) and Coordinator of the Financial Abuse Specialist Team (FAST) from the Council on Aging, Southern California. Kelli began by explaining the other free services available through the Council on Aging to assist older and disabled adults and their families. These include the Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program (HICAP); Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program; Reconnect Early Intervention Services; Friendly Visitor Program; SmileMakers Guild; and Answers Guide.
Kelli gave some stunning statistics. Presently there are about 400,000 elders in Orange County, but the number of elders (age 65 and over) is predicted to double by 2050 and the number of people age 85 and over, the most vulnerable, will triple. With this growth of older adults, the risk of elder abuse is predicted to rise.
Kelli cited the legal definition of elder abuse and the forms of elder abuse: physical, emotional, neglect and financial abuse. Overmedicating a resident is one form of physical abuse. Self-neglect can occur due to physical or mental decline or from the senior’s fear of not being able to afford medications. It is estimated that 11% of all elder abuse cases in the United States occur in California. Approximately 1 out of 14 cases are known to authorities, but it may be as high as 1 in 25, according to a study in New York. Financial elder abuse is the fastest growing form of elder abuse in the country.
Elder abuse is the most unreported crime. The primary reasons that elder abuse is not reported are embarrassment to have been scammed; fear of the perpetrator; reliance on the perpetrator to take care of them and reluctance to report against a family member.
The most common types of financial abuse, in order of prevalence, are: #1The Romance Scam, #2 The Grandparent/family/friend Emergency, #3 Imposter Scams, such as the IRS scam, #4 Employment Scams and #5 Sweepstakes/lottery/prizes or unexpected winnings.
Kelli emphasized the need to report all forms of elder abuse. Physical elder abuse needs to be reported to Adult Protective Services (APS) or the local police department. If you report to APS, your report will be confidential. If you are a victim of financial scams or fraud, report to local law enforcement, APS or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You may be able to prevent others from being victimized. Sometimes you can get your money back, but it is difficult. The best way to avoid becoming a victim is prevention through education.
representative from the Council on Aging on the left, Ombudsman Vicki Martinez in the middle and Officer Julie Marquez from the Cypress Police Department on the right.
If you suspect abuse of someone at a long-term care facility, call the Ombudsman and they will investigate it. Your call can be made anonymously. Ombudsman, Vicki MacDonald, RN, spoke briefly about what she does. She encouraged those who were interested to take the training and become Ombudsmen.
Also present at this workshop with informational materials were Officer Julie Marquez from the Cypress Police Department and two representatives from programs at the Council of Aging, Southern California.
St. Irenaeus Health Ministry wants to thank Kelli Morris for her excellent presentation on elder abuse, a subject that is very important for the protection of seniors and their families, and appreciates the dedication of Vicki MacDonald, Ombudsman, and the presence of Cypress Police Department and members of the Council of Aging, Southern California.
On Thursday, April 25, the Cypress Council PTA and Boys & Girls Club of Cypress hosted a Family STEAM Night with a shark theme. Families enjoyed a free pizza dinner followed by seven hands-on, shark themed stations that parents and their children were able to participate in together. Over 275 people were in attendance for this family-friendly community event.
Scuba diver buoyancy experiments were a big hit at the Boys & Girls Club of Cypress’ Family Shark Night.
A few of the hands-on stations included making shark cages and floating shark models, engineering boats that can float, testing buoyancy and creating shark slime. All participants received tickets to enter a collection of prize drawings at the end of the night.
To find out how you can support programs at the Boys & Girls Club of Cypress, or for more information about Cypress Council PTA, contact Sue Osbon, Director of Operations, at 714-527-2697 x202 or so****@********ss.org.
On Saturday, May 18, 2019, former Head Baseball Coach Chris Pascal, invited members of La Palma’s John F. Kennedy High School team that won the school’s first CIF 3-A Championship in 1989 and the 1989 Garden Grove League Championship, to come to a barbeque to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of their historic championships. Coach Pascal invited the team’s parents, past coaches, former baseball team members, friends and family to come to the barbecue. Approximately 60 people came to reminisce and celebrate their CIF 3-A Championship and Garden Grove League Championship 30 years ago. It was noted that day that Kennedy’s 2019 baseball team was playing in a CIF Championship game and did win later that night. It was finally another Kennedy baseball championship after 30 years!
The barbeque was hosted by Craig and Melanie Roah at their beautiful home in Rossmoor that seemed to be built for entertaining large groups of people in the home, in the pool and in Craig’s custom-built backyard patio area. Craig said that he and his cousins built the patio area and fitted it with a bar area, comfortable sofas, tables, many extra seats, and multiple televisions.
Pictured is the bronze plaque created by Scott Wood and presented to Coach Chris Pascal to thank him and commemorated the 30th Anniversary to the JFK Baseball team’s CIF 3-A Championship and the Garden Grove League Championship in 1989.
When guests arrived, they immediately were shown to the patio area where videos were being shown of the team’s winning game against Saugus at Dodger Stadium on June 3, 1989. The game was a tough pitching duel with Greg Hansell against Roger Salkeld, Saugus’ pitcher. Kennedy finally won 1 to 0 against Saugus. A wild pitch by Salkeld enabled Hansell to score the winning run in the 9th inning.
Team members enjoyed talking to each other and catching up with what they and their families were currently doing. A few parents, who had attended and cheered for their sons at their baseball games for years, also came with their sons to enjoy the barbecue and renew old friendships. Parents, Kathy and Joe Roah, Jennifer and Don Wood, Kendel and Frank Montera, and Edna Ethington, recalled watching the exciting game at Dodger Stadium in 1989. They were able to see the video version of the game taken by Edna Ethington in 1989 that was shown in the Roah’s covered patio.
The event was catered by April Berg, of Berg Catering starting with delicious appetizers, chips and dips, that were followed by and wonderful barbeque dinner. There was an endless supply of barbecue ribs, chicken, beef, baked beans, macaroni and cheese, broccoli salad, coleslaw, and rolls. For those who still had room for dessert after feasting on everything, April Berg had pans of warm apple crisp and ice cream ready to serve everyone. There were also water and soft drinks provided by the host and wine was also available brought by guests. There was even a bartender preparing specialty drinks by request.
Pictured at the 30th Anniversary Reunion celebrating and remembering the CIF 3-A Championship and Garden Grove League Championship won in 1989 are, left to right, parent Edna Ethington, team members Greg Hansell and Scott Ethington, and Kendel and Frank Montera, parents of team member Peter Montera. The Ethingtons and Monteras still live in La Palma, but Greg Hansell now lives and works in Arizona.
The highlight of the evening occurred after everyone had enjoyed their barbecue dinner. Four
members of the 1989 Championship team took turns expressing their thanks to Coach Pacal. Host Craig Roah thanked everyone for coming to the barbecue and thanked Coach Pascal for all that he did to help the team become CIF champions. Steve Rath said that he was not able to say much at the end of the year banquet in 1989, but he felt free to speak and thank Coach Pascal profusely that night. Greg Hansell spoke on behalf of all team members and expressed their thanks. (Hansell was the team member who was drafted by the Red Sox, traded to the L.A. Dodgers and pitched in Japan.)
Scott Wood was the last team member who spoke. He praised Coach Pascal and presented him with a bronze plaque to commemorate and thank him. The plaque said: “THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO DO WHAT WE DID IN THAT SEASON 30 YEARS AGO.” Scott Wood works for Moncler Bronze Company. He designed the bronze plaque in the shape of a baseball home plate with two baseball bats printed with 1989 and 2019, a baseball, and all the names of the team members, the coaches, and even the statistician.
Pictured at the 30th Anniversary Reunion of the JFK 1989 Championship Baseball team in the home of Craig Roah in Rossmoor are, left to right, host Craig Roah, Coach Chris Pascal (holding the bronze plaque created by Scott Wood for Coach Pascal), Coach Scott Burns, and team members Scott Wood and Scott Ethington.
Coach Pascal thanked Scott Wood for the plaque and thanked all those who spoke that night for their complimentary words. He thanked Craig and Melanie Roah for generously hosting the barbecue, and Jason Denny for helping to plan the reunion. Finally, he thanked everyone for coming to the 30th Anniversary Reunion to celebrate with him and remember the achievements of the Kennedy’s 1989 CIF 3-A Champions and 1989 Garden Grove League Champions.
It might be a deathbed confession, or spying on backyard neighbors as a kid. Local storytellers step up with tales as varied as the colors in the rainbow, and as colorful. This Ninth Season of Long Beach Searches for Greatest Storyteller, has brought out the human-ness of our foibles and celebrates the peak moments too.
The first Monday of the month, from January to August, locals step up to tell a true, 6-minute tale. The audience votes, along with three L.B. authors, whose vote count for 5 points instead of one. The winner walks away with $100 cash and the runner-up receives a gift certificate for Malainey’s Grill, where the event takes place. Finals will be held Monday, Aug. 5th, because nothing can interfere with Monday Night Football, right? It is then that the monthly winners all tell their winning story to decide, Long Beach’s Greatest Storyteller.
“Stories are submitted by email. I only need about five lines or so, and that helps me keep the show balanced between the OMG upbeat and poignant stories,” says producer Mariana Williams. Williams is an author of the Veronica Bennett novels; romance, comedy and accidental crime she suggests, are made for beach-reading. She was also a finalist for the NPR Radio show, The Moth, before bringing storytelling to hometown, LB.
The last two shows will be held Monday, June 3, and Monday, July 1. Finals Aug. 5.
On Friday, April 26, the Molding Musicians program held its end of year performance in the auditorium of King Elementary School. In this free program, sponsored by Boys & Girls Club of Cypress, 4th, 5th and 6th grade students from both Clara J. King and Steve Luther Elementary Schools are taught to play instruments by volunteer high school instructors from Kennedy and Cypress High Schools. The program is offered to students free of charge and many families receive assistance with instrument rental. This year, 25 high school students taught 35 elementary students to play their choice of instrument and included the flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, tuba, guitar, piano, and violin. Each instrument group performed at least one piece in a concert for family members and friends. At the end of the concert, all Molding Musicians students received medals and the outstanding volunteer teachers received certificates.
The Molding Musicians program is supported and organized through the Boys & Girls Club of Cypress. This year’s program received financial support from the Jane Deming Fund grant program of the Orange County Community Foundation.
For more information about special programs from the Boys & Girls Club of Cypress, visit BGCCypress.org or call 714-527-2697.
Courtesy photos
Students and volunteer teachers of the Molding Musicians program pose with their medals and certificates after a successful concert.
Volunteer teacher Colin S. and student Brandon H. perform a trombone piece at the final concert.
Students Jennifer P. and Abigail J. perform on their clarinets during the final performance.
Free admission starting at 6 p.m., K9 Demonstrations, Fire Truck Rides, & More
Los Alamitos Race Course will host its inaugural Salute to First Responders on Saturday, June 8 from 6-9 p.m. during the evening’s Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred racing program. The inaugural event will also feature fun and interactive events and displays in a family-friendly setting.
First Responders will be recognized in the track’s winner’s circle throughout the night. The public is invited to attend the festivities to recognize the men and women who keep our communities safe and interact with the various agencies in an engaging way. Los Alamitos will feature free grandstand admission for all attendees starting at 6 p.m. on this night. The first 1,200 guests will also receive a free commemorative Salute to First Responders coffee mug. The giveaway will begin at 6 p.m. The first horse race of the night is scheduled for approximately 6:15 p.m.
“Every day there are brave men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our communities and keep us safe,” said Orlando Gutierrez, marketing director of Los Alamitos Race Couse. “We are pleased to create this event to salute their efforts and look forward to a festive event they can enjoy with their families along with the community they serve.”
The event will offer something for everyone. Among the participating agencies are the Cypress Police Department with their popular mini police car Donut, the California Fire Museum that will be providing rides in a restored fire truck, the Orange County Police Officer K9 Association that will be conducting live demonstration, the California Highway Patrol and AAA that will be bringing the classic 1961 Dodge Polaris and the 2016 Dodge Charger, plus the Orange County Sheriff’s Department that will display its Humvee.
Adding to the family fun free face painting and pony rides will also be offered. More participating agencies and events will be announced.
Los Alamitos Race Course has been a part of the community in Orange County since 1947. The racing oval located in Cypress, California now conducts year-round night racing in addition to eight weeks of daytime Thoroughbred racing throughout the year. Los Alamitos is considered the nation’s top Quarter Horse race track, but also gained national attention as the home of the 2014 Kentucky Derby winner and two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome. Follow Los Alamitos Race Course on Twitter and Instagram @losalracing and on Facebook @losalamitosracecourse. For more information on Salute to First Responders, please call 714-820-2800 or visit losalamitos.com.
The Rossmoor Community Services District held a Farewell Reception in honor of outgoing Director Bill Kahlert on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at Rush Park. Director Kahlert informed the Board of Directors of his resignation from the Board effective May 15, 2019 as he is moving out of state. Fellow RCSD Board Members, RCSD Staff (including formal General Managers Jim Ruth and Henry Taboada), friends, family and community members were all in attendance to bid Director Kahlert a fond farewell.
“It was with regret that the Board accepted Director Kahlert’s resignation,” RCSD Board President Ron Casey said. “We are all going to miss you, Bill. I don’t think I realized how much I appreciate you until now. I am happy for you, but saddened that you are leaving the Board”.
Left to right: RCSD General Manager Joe Mendoza, Henry Taboada, Mark Nitikman, Michael Maynard, Ron Casey, Bill Kahlert, Jim Ruth, and Tarquin Preziosi.
Director Kahlert served as both President and Vice President of the Board and was recently a Director. During his 2015 presidency, Bill Kahlert led a team of District staff and volunteers in pioneering the highly successful, Rossmoor Winter Festival event which attracts thousands of visitors to Rush Park each year. As a Director, Bill Kahlert devoted many hours to serving on various District committees including the Parks and Facilities Committee, Capital Improvements Committee, Audit Committee,
At its May 14, 2019 regular meeting, following the reception, President Casey presented Director Kahlert with a Proclamation of Appreciation and the RCSD Board voted to make an appointment to the position rather than call for a special election, which incurs considerable expense to the taxpayer of over $8,000. Once selected, the newly appointed candidate will serve until the November 2020 elections. A Notice of Vacancy will be posted for a minimum of 15 days in order to make Rossmoor residents who are registered voters aware of the vacancy and to consider submitting a request to be appointed to the Board.
Said Board President Ron Casey, “The contributions Director Bill Kahlert has made to the community are far too numerous to mention. His service has been a real benefit to the community for over eight years. If Rossmoor ever develops a calendar, as founder of the Rossmoor Winter Festival, Bill will definitely be known as ‘Mr. December’”. President Casey passed the gavel to Director Kahlert for his comments.
“This proclamation is great, this is awesome”, began Director Kahlert, “but I didn’t do it by myself. At the end of the day, it’s really about the relationships and the people you work with. That’s what makes the operation hum.” He went on to praise his fellow colleagues and staff. “I’ve been here for 20 years. My kids went to Hopkinson Elementary School and Los Alamitos High School here. I’ve participated in the Girl Scouts, soccer and high school activities. Rossmoor is a great community, and this is literally the hardest working Board out there. I know you will find a great replacement with great ideas. I’ve had a fantastic time.”
Four teachers and an administrator from the Los Alamitos Unified School District have been honored by a countywide arts advocacy organization for making a positive difference in the lives of students through arts education.
Teachers Allison Armstrong, Laura Frangiamore, Tom Plunkett and Leslie Obert, and former Superintendent Dr. Sherry Kropp were named Outstanding Arts Educators by the Orange County Music and Arts Administrators (OCMAA), a network of school district leaders, community arts educators, businesses, and parents dedicated to quality, equity and access to arts programs for all students.
Armstrong, director of theatre arts at McAuliffe Middle School; Frangiamore, a third-grade teacher at Hopkinson Elementary; Obert, a third-grade teacher at McGaugh Elementary; and Kropp all received the 2019 Orange County Music and Arts Award. Plunkett, Director of Bands at Los Alamitos High School, was named a 2019 Outstanding Arts Educator.
In addition, Obert received the arts organization’s Julianna McGrath Award, which recognizes a passionate elementary teacher who provides arts learning for their students and is looked to by the staff as an arts resource and leader. Obert is the director of the renowned McGaugh Pageant of the Arts, part of a schoolwide arts program in which student-created paintings are brought to life through original music, costumes and dance.
All five Los Alamitos Unified educators were honored in a ceremony earlier this month at the Samueli Theatre in the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa.
This year will be especially memorable for me as it will mark another milestone along my long journey since the tragic day of September 11, 2001.
Following the shocking attack on our nation, I uprooted my life and joined the Army National Guard. Unlike most who join right out of high school, I was a 32-year-old lawyer when I enlisted in the Armed Forces.
Seeing the nation under attack and its most iconic symbols on fire, I wanted to join the fight for good. And so I went through boot camp and officer candidate school, becoming a lieutenant in the combat arms.
As I progressed as a soldier, the Army asked me to utilize my legal skills. I then switched to Army JAG Corps to become California’s senior military prosecutor, rising to the rank of Major.
During the past 15 years, I have prosecuted more cases of military sexual assault than any other JAG Officer in the California Army National Guard.
It was in this role that I began to understand the destructive nature of a 70-year-old judicial policy called the Feres Doctrine. Created by the Supreme Court in 1950, this doctrine allows members of the chain of command to dismiss cases of sexual assault against the same troops they commanded.
As a result, perpetrators of heinous acts are allowed to mistreat their subordinates with impunity. For me, this is outrageous, something I saw happen time and time again.
Not only does this policy deny justice for victims of military sexual assault, Feres also prevents service members from seeking damages from military doctors when they are impacted by medical malpractice.
This policy so infuriated me that, just like my decision to join the Army after 9/11, I enrolled in a doctoral program at Pepperdine University to study this antiquated law, vowing to somehow make a difference.
One month ago, I was invited by U.S. Congresswoman Jackie Speier to testify before her subcommittee of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee to explain how the U.S. military leadership has taken full advantage of this policy, which many call “judicial legislation.”
I was happy to share with Congress what I have documented in my dissertation; that is, the willingness of the chain of command to deny civil justice to active duty service members and why the Feres Policy so desperately needs to change.
Several former service members also testified how they had been harmed, including a highly decorated Green Beret, Sgt. 1st Class Richard Stayskal. Sadly, his military doctors missed his medical diagnosis therefore effectively awarding his valor in battle with a death sentence back home.
Not only was Stayskal brave on the battlefield, but he told members of Congress that his cancer is terminal. “This does affect me but my children are definitely the true victims along with my wife.”
The astonishing reality is that even the inmates in our jails have the right to take their jailers to civil court when mistreated. How we can stand here and do nothing when the bravest among us, those who protect us, are denied this same legal right?
Last year I formed the Center for Law and Military Policy, a nonprofit think tank in Huntington Beach.
I’ve heard from many of you in our community and our military think tank has already received the support from many of our local elected officials. I am truly grateful for the community support and for the national military experts who have joined our effort on an advisory basis.
On Saturday, I graduated from Pepperdine with my doctorate degree, the only scholar in the nation to have studied the Feres Doctrine at the graduate school level. I and will now get on with the business of protecting the legal rights of those who serve our nation in uniform. We will work not just to overturn Feres, but to restore and protect rights across the military spectrum.
Technology and other innovations have changed our military in radical ways. This transformation requires rethinking and reimagining how to protect the legal rights of our active duty service members.
So during this special week, as we begin this new journey, I wanted to thank my family, friends and supporters in our community, and especially those at Joint Forces Training Base, where I worked for many years. Like all of you, we want to ensure that the American military remains the most efficient and well-motivated fighting forces on earth. We will work with the chain of command and the enlisted service members to fix problems and transform policies that time has simply made obsolete.
We can never fully thank those who gave the full measure of devotion to allow us to do our work and live our lives in freedom. They gave up their own right to a full life by fighting and losing their lives in the service of all.
The least we can do is protect the rights of those with the courage to continue to offer themselves to the service of a grateful nation.
Congressman Alan Lowenthal (CA-47) today issued the following statement on the passage in the House of the Equality Act, comprehensive legislation to ban discrimination against LGBTQ individuals in public accommodations, housing, employment, and other core areas of daily life:
“No American should be discriminated against, harassed, or denied service because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. If we are to hold true to the idea that core American values include equality, equity, and diversity, then equal rights must apply to, and be protected for, all Americans.
“Despite all the historic accomplishments on the road to equality over the past decade, LGBTQ Americans today still face systemic discrimination. Just as the 1960s civil rights legislation was desperately needed, passage of the Equality Act is a much-needed step forward today.
“I was proud to vote today for passage of the Equality Act. Today allows us to see the moral arc of the universe, as Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “…bend toward justice.”
“Most Americans know that this fight for equality is on the right side of history. We have come so far in the last few years in this struggle, but we have to keep fighting. It may be a long journey toward full equality, but passing the Equality Act will be one of the important milestones on that march forward.”
Congressman Alan Lowenthal represents the cities of Long Beach, Lakewood, Signal Hill, Avalon, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, Cypress, Westminster, Garden Grove, Buena Park, Anaheim, Midway City and Stanton in California’s 47th Congressional District. He can be followed on Facebook, Twitter, or his website.
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.
