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Caltrans abandons cleanup of weeds and trash on 605 and 405 Freeway interchanges and roadway

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Caltrans abandons cleanup of weeds and trash on 605 and 405 Freeway interchanges and roadway

The overgrown weeds and trash on the 605 Freeway from the Katella Avenue on and off ramps south to the 405 Freeway is being ignored by a Caltrans that has had increased funding from last years increased gas tax dollars. You can find mattresses, tires, chairs and furniture along all adjacent ramps and the main highway in all directions. The tumble weeds along the east side of 605 Freeway and the east and west roadways of 7th Street to the 405 Freeway resemble the wild prairies of Texas!

This disgraceful situation has been brought to the attention of OCTA and Caltrans at an local homeowners meeting three months ago, and in recent phone calls – but nothing has been done. The only reply from OCTA was that this area is under the jurisdiction of the construction contractor for the 405 Freeway project, and that Caltrans cannot trespass! Does this mean we have to wait to the completion of this project to 2023 or probably later?

But the real problem is that this dysfunctional California agency does not see the problem themselves. Why is it than when you leave the state freeways and enter either Seal Beach or Los Alamitos streets you find attractive medians, road shoulders and landscape constantly cared for? For example, when you exit at Katella Avenue and enter Los Alamitos, you find manicured medians with flowers, and the south side of Katella with mowed lawns and trimmed trees? All of the political signs in this area from election three weeks ago are long removed, but the ones on the Caltrans access ramps will maybe remain for the next election.

The adjacent areas to Caltrans right of ways are always abandoned landscaping, dead vegetation, trash of every description, broken fences and full-blown graffiti. If Caltrans is incompetent, then this State agency should surrender the proper funds to the adjacent cities to clean up this blight.

John Kouros

Rossmoor

 

H.O.P.E. lets Good Times Roll at Knott’s

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H.O.P.E. lets Good Times Roll at Knott’s

By Edna Ethington

H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Everyday) held its 29th Annual Dinner Dance Fundraiser at Knott’s Berry Farm Resort Hotel on November 17.

Guests came to enjoy cocktails and appetizers while placing their bids on 50 Silent Auction baskets donated by parishioners, community members and businesses. They also purchased raffle tickets for chances to win prizes, including 3 Big Raffle Prizes of 55” Samsung TV, a $500 Master Card Gift Card, and a $250 cash with a safe. Guests also enjoyed their dinner choices of Knott’s fried chicken, salmon, or vegetable lasagna and pies for dessert. They all “Let the Good Times Roll” as they listened and danced to the music of the Ohio Trio Plus Band.

Everyone seem to really enjoy dancing to the music of the Ohio Trio Plus because the floor was filled with dancers throughout the evening. The women, especially, were like Dancing Queens dancing enthusiastically till the last dance music was played. The Queen of the Dancing Queens was Sr. Kathleen Pritchard of the Presentation Sisters. Sr. Kathleen danced all night with different partners, including Fr. William, H.O.P.E.’s Board President David Gallagher and the Dancing Queens.

H.O.P.E. is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization that operates the area Food Bank on the grounds of St. Irenaeus Church in Cypress. It relies on their Annual Dinner Dance Fundraiser to provide additional funds to purchase items that government subsidies and donations do not provide for the 150 to 200 registered families and homeless people who live in the Food Bank area.

According to the fundraiser’s chairman, Bob Sgobba, the Dinner Dance Fundraiser successfully raised approximately $10,000 with the sale of 215 Dinner Dance tickets and the funds raised by the raffles and the Silent Auction of gift baskets. The item that brought the highest bid was Item #50, “An Evening of Culinary Delights,” which was the Dinner for Six hosted by the priests of St. Irenaeus. Fr. Binh Nguyen and Fr. William Goldin came and thanked people for supporting fundraiser and asked people to bid on their Dinner for Six. People responded generously so that the winner of the dinner was Winn Crowley with her bid of $1,600. The proceeds from the fundraiser will be used to purchase more food for the clients of the Food Bank.

Deacon Jerry Pine was the Master of Ceremonies who welcomed everyone and offered the opening prayer. He later saluted and recognized veterans and said prayers before dinner. At the end of the evening, he announced the bid winners of the Silent Auction, the winners of the small raffle prizes, the three Big Raffle prizes, and the winners of the centerpieces on the tables prepared by Classics Flowers.

Deacon Jerry also urged people to patronize the generous benefactors listed in the program booklet and thanked them for their donations for the Silent Auction baskets, the raffles and the centerpieces.

The H.O.P.E. Dinner Dance Committee thanked their members, friends, St. Irenaeus parishioners, community members, and other supporting angels for their generous donations and volunteering of their time to make the event a success.

There were many people who helped to make the H.O.P.E.’s 29th Dinner Dance Fundraiser so special. Dru Moschel and her committee prepared 50 beautiful baskets for the Silent Auction to entice people to place bids on them. Janette and Chuck Shepard prepared the raffle items, and Maria Duhansky oversaw the decorations. Chairperson Bob Sgobba thanked the entire H.O.P.E. Board for all their help.

There is no time for H.O.P.E. members to rest now because they are already preparing for their bi-monthly distribution of food on the first and third Saturdays of each month. They continue to provide help for the homeless, Monday through Friday, at their Christian Service Office at St. Irenaeus Rectory. They are in the process of collecting toys for the children of Food Bank clients and are asking for donations of turkeys for registered families for Christmas.

If anyone would like to donate food items for the H.O.P.E. Food Bank at St. Irenaeus, contact H.O.P.E. members Bob Sgobba at 714-994-0743 or Val Cordova at 714-826-7513.

Lee Elementary names Hero of the Heart 2019

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Lee Elementary names Hero of the Heart 2019

By Robert Ostman

Lee Elementary School has honored Jenny Platt, a long-time volunteer and school parent, as its 2018-19 Hero of the Heart in a presentation before the Los Alamitos Unified school board.

“The community of Lee Elementary School is affectionately known as the FamLEE,” said Principal Amy Laughlin, “and our Jenny Platt is the finest example of a FamLEE member— selfless, caring, empathetic, creative and kind.”

In her eight years of volunteering at Lee, Platt has been PTA Executive Secretary, PTA Auditor, Gently Used Book Sale Coordinator, Kinder Play Date Coordinator, Red Ribbon Week Coordinator, and Teacher Appreciation Chair. Currently, she is the Project LEAP President, PTA Membership Chair, PTA Volunteer Coordinator, PTA Room Parent Lead, room parent in two classrooms, and, Laughlin said, behind the scenes in literally every school function.

“Jenny’s endless energy and dedication to Lee is an inspiration. She puts her heart and soul into every event, simply to make it memorable for all families,” the principal said. “We are fortunate to have Jenny bring so much joy to so many lives.”

Laughlin said Platt is a community leader with deep roots in Los Alamitos. She and her husband, Darrenn, have lived in the community for 24 years. Their oldest son, Dylan, is a Los Alamitos High grad. Their daughter, Emma, is a sixth-grader at Oak, and their youngest children, Landon and Charlotte, attend Lee.

In accepting the award, Platt said she felt blessed and honored. “I am just a teeny tiny part of what makes Lee special. I get to be part of an amazing team of volunteers. I love being at Lee. From the moment I walk on campus every day I feel happy.”

School Board member Diana Hill congratulated Platt and said, “It’s really important to have people like you in our schools and in our community; it’s what makes it really special.”

 

 

Lee Elementary School has honored

 

Jenny Platt, Lee Elementary School volunteer, and school parent, is pictured with Principal Amy Laughlin, right, and School Board member Diana Hill, left.

Jenny Platt, pictured with her family.

 

Cypress Christmas Tree Lighting Dec. 4

David N. Young
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Get the family in the holiday spirit because Santa and his reindeers are coming to Cypress! Join us for the Cypress Holiday Sing and Tree Lighting on Tuesday, December 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Civic Center green, 5275 Orange Avenue.

This festive holiday evening will include performances from local schools, train rides, hot chocolate & cookies, letters to Santa, cards to Veterans, holiday craft, photo booth and a visit from Mr. & Mrs. Claus themselves. Don’t forget to bring your camera to capture some wonderful holiday memories!

Dinner will also be available for $6, includes tacos or quesadillas, chips, salsa, and a drink. Proceeds benefit the Youth Action Committee of Cypress and La Palma. The event is festival seating, chairs and blankets are highly recommended. Free parking is available in the Civic Center parking lot.

For more information, call Cypress Recreation and Community Services at 714-229-6780.

 

Walker Jr. High Tech Trekkers featured at AUHS District board meetin

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Walker Jr. High Tech Trekkers featured at AUHS District board meetin

By Edna Ethington

Shahan Chejin-Ozturk and Lilly Sierra, eighth grade students at Walker Jr. High School in La Palma, were guest speakers at the November 8, meeting of the Anaheim Union High School District Board of Trustees. Shahan and Lilly each received a $900 sponsorship from the La Palma-Cerritos Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) to attend a one-week STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Tech Trek Camp at Whittier College this past June.

Assistant Superintendent Jaron Fried introduced Edna Ethington as the Co-Coordinator of the La Palma-Cerritos AAAUW’s Tech Trek Committee that selected the Walker students. Mrs. Ethington thanked Superintendent Michael Matsuno, Board President Al Jabbar, Clerk Brian O’Neal and the Members of the Board of Trustees of AUHSD for allowing the students to come and speak about their experiences at the STEM Tech Trek Camp.

Mrs. Ethington then introduced Ms. Tobi Balma, a Charter member of the La Palma-Cerritos AAUW, and one who volunteered as a Dorm Mom for three years at the Whittier College STEM Tech Trek Camp. Balma had prepared a Power Point Presentation that highlighted Shahan and Lilly at the camp and moderated the presentation. She had a wealth of information to share about Tech Trek.

Balma explained that the girls had to have a B grade point average or higher after the first semester of the seventh grade, be nominated by a Math or Science teacher, complete and application which included a 500- word essay on how STEM could improve the world, and finally, be interviewed by the La Palma-Cerritos AAUW’s Tech Trek Committee. Both girls were highly recommended by their Math teach, Mrs. Suzane Duris, and were selected after they were interviewed by the committee.

Balma showed slides that listed the STEM subjects the girls studied at the Tech Trek Camp that included physics, engineering design, neuroscience, coding, food science and aerospace engineering. They also had workshops on cybersecurity, learned about college entrance requirements, took field trips to the Whittier Cadaver Lab and to Cal Poly Pomona for animal and food science. On Professional Women’s Night, the girls were able to meet a zookeeper, a physician and medical researcher, a business consultant, a CPA, a rocket design engineer, and an executive producer for Awestruck You Tube.

Lilly Sierra said that she enjoyed learning about the different careers that the professional women talked about, especially about the zookeeper. She said she took the coding class and now wants to be either a computer scientist or an Engineer.

Shahan said that she learned a lot at the Cadaver Lab and the class on neuroscience. She enjoyed meeting the physician who also did medical research at the Professional Women’s Night. She now says that she wants to study neuroscience more and become a doctor and medical researcher just like the woman who came to speak at Professional Women’s Night.

As the allotted time was ending, Tobi Balma answered questions posed and ended the presentation by thanking the Superintendent and Board of Trustees for listening to the girls and viewing their presentation.

This was the first time that the La Palma-Cerritos Branch of the AAUW sponsored two students from Walker Jr. High School and AUHSD to attend the STEM Tech Trek Camp at Whittier College. The La Palma-Cerritos AAUW has been raising funds so that they can send two more students from Walker Jr. High School to the next STEM Tech Trek Camp at Whittier College in June of 2019. AAUW members want to encourage young middle school girls to study STEM subjects and inspire them to prepare for careers in STEM fields by going to a STEM Tech Trek Camp.

For more information about the STEM Tech Trek Camp at Whittier College, contact Tobi Balma at 562-865-8675.

 

 

 

 

 

Rossmoor Woman’s Club honors Los Al Seniors

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Rossmoor Woman’s Club honors Los Al Seniors

At its November luncheon, the Rossmoor Woman’s Club honored Los Alamitos High School seniors Grace Lu, second from left, and Riley Deutsch, as students of the month for October and November. Grace’s mother, Xin Wang, left, and Riley’s dad, Paul Deutsch, attended the luncheon. Shown at right is Rossmoor Woman’s Club board member Sue Goldberg.

Better grades, literacy go together at Youth Center

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Better grades, literacy go together at Youth Center

By Laurie Hanson

While discovering a love for reading or by receiving tutoring, children at the Youth Center after school programs in Los Alamitos and Rossmoor are improving academically.

For 30 minutes a day kids broaden their horizons and improve literacy skills by reading books donated to the Youth Center. New reading materials are always needed as kids go through their mobile library rapidly.

“We’ve got kids who have fallen in love with books,” said After School Program Director Jay Martz. “They’re always looking for new, more challenging things read, and I believe our literacy program has helped them academically.” The R.A.S.C.A.L.S. Program in Rossmoor Park where the Youth Center’s Reading Program is out of remains affordable at $120 a month per child.

“The R.A.S.C.A.L.S. Program serves as an everyday facilitator to the world of reading,” added Martz. “With their reading program, R.A.S.C.A.L.S. initiates all the members to read to reach their goals and earn special rewards and prizes. As the kids focus in on achieving their goals and earning their prizes, subconsciously all of our members are refining their reading skills.”

According to the National Endowment of the Arts, reading for pleasure correlates with academic achievement and opportunity for future career growth. It is strongly correlated to academic achievement, increased employment opportunities and civic engagement (www.asccc.org/content/reading-may-be-key-unlocking-basic-skills-success).

Besides their literacy program, The Youth Center’s offers very affordable tutoring that is already helping children to improve their grades. Tutoring costs $10 per 30 minute session and can go as long as an hour in duration, and is usually done by high school or college students at either Rossmoor Park or Los Alamitos location.

“Since we have implemented the program we have helped over 18 kids improve their grades! “Martz said. “Our tutoring program facilitates that our members to focus on their homework with a one on one tutor the whole way through. As the sessions progress our members build confidence and self-esteem as they begin to become more proficient in the subject at hand.”

Martz continued, “Some families can’t afford the fee, so we’re reaching out to the community so more kids can benefit from the program. We’ve already got many families on a waiting list in need of financial assistance to be able to participate in the tutoring program. Any and all sponsorships are very much appreciated and welcomed.”

If you’d like to either donate books to the R.A.S.C.A.L.S. Reading Program or help fund students in the Youth Center’s Tutoring Program, please call the office at 562-493-4043. For more information on The Youth Center, visit their website at www.theyouthcenter.org.

Happy Thanksgiving Troops

David N. Young
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Happy Thanksgiving Troops

Troops at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos invited the community and family members onto the base Thursday to celebrate an early Thanksgiving. The soldiers lined up to enjoy turkey, dressing and all of trimmings as the nation salutes its service members to say thank you for your service.

Los Al dentist honors vets with annual free services day

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Los Al dentist honors vets with annual free services day

Los Alamitos dentist Dr Seza Barsamian and her staff hosted their 5th annual Veteran’s Day Event on Thursday Nov. 8 at their location 4022 Katella Ave., Suite 206 in the city of Los Alamitos.

The office of Dr. Seza Barsamian performed free comprehensive dental exam, X-rays and a regular dental cleaning to retired veterans from Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Cypress, and Long Beach area.

The entire office staff, including Dawn, Vanessa, Jovy and their hygienist Christine worked from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 8 to accommodate all veterans who made appointments. This year they were able to accommodate more than 25 veterans, many of whom had not had their teeth checked in years.

Some were returning veterans from previous years, while others were regular patients in the office.

“We had one WWII veteran and a few Vietnam war veteran,” she said, adding that “they are the best people you could ever meet, we feel very blessed to be able to do this and we hope we could continue to do it for years to come.”

Barsamian’s office has been doing this since 2014 and has been able to accommodate around 100 veterans.

Mayor Troy Edgar recently presented her a recognition Certificate for her continued support of Veterans and Dr. Barsamian has been recently recognized by Los Alamitos City Council members.

She also supports local public schools and foundations. She volunteers her time once or twice a year to serve local charities by performing free dentistry for kids and adults

Student overcomes barriers to achieve goals

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Student overcomes barriers to achieve goals

By Laurie Hanson

Imagine being a teen, not knowing anyone at your new high school, having come from another city and trying to make new friends. For Kaylie Matthews of Los Alamitos, this was her reality.

It was the summer before her freshman year when she transferred to Los Alamitos High School (LAHS) after having lived in Cypress. It was a challenge for her to meet others, but luckily she had volleyball, which helped her to make new friends and meet some “really nice people,” she said.

“Although I had a few friends at Los Al High School, I still felt like an outcast because mostly everyone else knew each other from elementary or middle school,” said Matthews, who is now 17 years old and a senior at LAHS. “I had to learn to put myself out there and meet new people.”

She went on to say how overcoming this challenge which taught her to be more open and optimistic about friendship. “I kept in mind that one never knows if others are going through the same experience as me,” said Matthews.

And, she went on to accomplish a few notable things while at LAHS. She was recognized with awards through Model United Nations (MUN) for having a GPA above 3.5 during her season on the volleyball team, had become captain of her club volleyball team, and was awarded “Artist of the Week” in photography her freshman year. She also served the community through the California Scholarship Federation (CSF), coached volleyball through the United States Youth Volleyball League, tutored and served as a volunteer at The Youth Center in Los Alamitos. She also serves as one of The Youth Center’s photographers.

Matthews shared about her experience this summer in The Youth Center’s Leadership Academy, which gave her confidence in her goals of attending college while becoming a successful, independent adult.

“The Leadership Academy helped me in a variety of ways, making me aware of things I’m going to have to start doing for myself,” she said. “This included handling her finances, learning about auto maintenance and acquiring basic cooking skills.”

She said her favorite workshop was about career skills where she actually prepared for a job interview. Matthews also learned and reaffirmed her plans for the future in the Academy’s workshop on goal setting. She also enjoyed learning how to cook nutritious meals on a budget in the cooking workshop.

“I learned how to make macaroni and cheese in a slow cooker, make edible cookie dough bites and prepare a handmade salad,” she said. “All of this will come in handy when I’m off to college.”

“I hope to attend a four-year university and possibly do a double-major in computer science and marketing,” said Matthews.

Though she’s unsure of her ultimate career, she’s leaning towards programming and design.

“My parents thought it was really helpful for me to attend the Academy since the workshops were very relevant to my future,” she added. “I also shared with them what I learned about budgeting, credit scores, savings accounts and car maintenance.”

With gratitude, Matthews expressed how The Youth Center Leadership Academy gave her greater confidence in growing up to be a productive and well-informed adult. No longer does she feel awkward in the world as she goes on to make new friends in the future wherever she lands.

“I recommend it to others to help them prepare for their futures,” she said.

The Youth Center Leadership Academy is held every summer and imparts real-world life lessons to young adults who want to prepare for life beyond high school. For those interested in participating, please send an email to info@theyouthcenter.org.

Three Los Alamitos High School seniors have been named National Merit Semifinalist

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Three Los Alamitos High School seniors have been named National Merit Semifinalist

By Robert Ostmann, Los Alamitos Unified School District

John Kim, Marley Hughes and Rachel Kunowski earned the distinction by scoring in the top one percent of the more than 1.5 million students who took the Preliminary SAT (PSAT) nationwide in fall 2017. Another 20 students were named as Commended Students for 2018-19 for scoring in the top five percent.

Semifinalists advance to Finalist standing in the competition by meeting high academic standards and all other National Merit Scholarship Competition requirements.

These requirements include: plans to enroll as a full-time college student in the fall of 2019, U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent resident status, endorsement by their high school principal, and a record of consistently high academic performance throughout high school. Although Commended Students will not continue in the 2019 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, these students are regarded as among the elite in their school, country, state, and nation.

The Los Alamitos High Commended Students are:

  • Anthony Chung
  • Riley Deutsch
  • Joshua Havstad
  • Anastasia Huddleston
  • Rachel Kim
  • Sianna Kim
  • Jackson Lawrence
  • Joshua Levy
  • Zoey Litt
  • Brian Loh
  • Morgan Lu
  • Allison Millar
  • Stephanie Nam
  • Elizabeth Nguyen
  • Nicole Park
  • Ashley Robinson
  • Melissa Rupert
  • Kailey Steenhausen
  • Chi-Yuan Wang
  • Stephanie Yeo

JFTB Guardsmen assist in northern California wildfire search

David N. Young
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JFTB Guardsmen assist in northern California wildfire search

National Guard troops from the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos are still working near Paradise, California near the site of the state’s worst ever and deadliest wildfire, according to a spokesperson for the base.

Public Affairs spokesman Col. Richard Lalor confirmed this week that two helicopters were dispatched to the incident commander last week, and he said on Thursday the choppers are assisting in the search for victims near the area of the so-called Camp Fire.

President Donald Trump flew to California Saturday and toured affected areas near Paradise and Malibu, accompanied by Gov. Jerry Brown, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsome and other officials.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea announced over the week that more than 12,000 structures had been destroyed by the blaze and more than 1,000 people were still missing. A total of 76 bodies had been recovered and searches were still going through the ash looking for more human remains.

While a count of the missing is still extraordinarily high, Honea said the number should be reported “in context.”

Lalor said two helicopters and their crews assigned to the search were new M-model UH-60 (Huey) helicopters. They were photographed this week performing rescue assistance near the scene of the deadliest wildfire in the state’s history.

According to reports, the CalFire incident commander ordered the choppers to Sacramento’s Mather Airport in Mather, CA, to assist in the rescue and search for victims in the Camp Fire in northern California. Before this year’s Camp Fire, the deadliest single fire on record in California was in 1933 and killed 29.

The spokesman said the JFTB California National Guard troops are being activated to follow behind fire crews and search for remains.

 

 

Military Families get “salute to military children” Nov. 17

David N. Young
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Military Families get “salute to military children” Nov. 17

An all-volunteer non-profit organization, Military Children’s Charity (MCC), will be hosting a special event Sat. Nov. 17 for military families across all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.

The “Salute to Our Military Children” event will be held in the parish hall of St. Hedwig’s Catholic Church in Los Alamitos from 9:00 a.m. until 4 p.m.

More than 15,000 brand new children’s clothing items will be available for distribution, including new baby shower items, according to the announcement. The clothing will be available for military dependents, sizes range from newborns to childrens’ size 12.

Military families wanting to participate must email Cherie@militarychildrenscharity.org to receive an appointment window and bring a valid military id to participate.

To date, St. Hedwig’s claims to have received an incredible number of RSVPs for the event, from members of the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, California National Guard, U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy.

The group’s founder and CEO, Isaiah Navarro, who started MCC at just 14 years old in 2010 will personally be on hand to visit with the military children Saturday.

Isaiah is now 23 years old, holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering and a second Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering

from the University of California Irvine. Also, Isaiah is currently completing his Masters Degree in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, with a concentration in Fluid Mechanics. (Isaiah is now a rocket scientist and credits this to the excellent education he received at both La Purisima Catholic School (in Orange) and Mater High School (in Santa Ana)). Isaiah works for a government contractor in Los Angeles part time.

Although Isaiah rarely makes public appearances or gives interviews, he is coming out tomorrow to increase support for the military children we serve.

Our nation is still in a state of war, and although the operational tempo is not highly visible in the media, our U.S. military children still need our appreciation and recognition for their repeated scarifies in order for their parent(s) to serve. Isaiah was quietly honored in 2016 with a private tour of the Pentagon

by the Commandant of the Marine Corps staff in recognition for his years of passionate dedication to increasing awareness of the challenges

that military children, like himself, face.

Playoff run ends for Griffin girls volleyball

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Playoff run ends for Griffin girls volleyball

The Los Alamitos High girls volleyball team’s run through the playoffs finally came to an end with a 25-17, 25-11, 25-18 to second-seeded Foothill in the regional semifinals of the State Championships on Saturday at Foothill High.

The Griffins captured the CIF-SS title, the program’s seventh overall, before advancing to the State tournament. They had advanced to regional semis with wins over Liberty of Bakersfield and then Scripps Ranch. The Griffins knocked off Scripps Ranch, 25-21, 25-22, 25-17 in the second round on the road. Scripps Ranch was the No. 3 seed in the bracket.

Starr Williams had 16 kills and Abby Karich added 11. Alexandria Livingston had 36 assists and also a team-leading four ace serves. Jacinda Ramirez had 18 digs and Abby Blasi contributed eight digs in the win over Scripps Ranch.

The Griffins had won CIF-SS titles in 1993, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2011 and 2013.

 

Not Just Your Regular Holiday Blues – Diabetes and Depression Often Seen Together

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Not Just Your Regular Holiday Blues – Diabetes and Depression Often Seen Together

By Dr. Steven Becker (Internal medicine specialist in Los Alamitos with Monarch HealthCare

As the holidays approach, and the season’s expectations and demands draw near, it is not uncommon for some, especially older adults, to catch a case of the “holiday blues.” But it’s important to know when it’s more than just the “blues” and how other conditions, like diabetes, can be linked with depression. November is National Diabetes Awareness month, an ideal opportunity for seniors and others to learn how diabetes and depression can go hand in hand.

Diabetes remains prevalent among seniors. According to the 2017 National Diabetes Statistics Report, the percentage of adults with diabetes increased with age, reaching a high of 25.2% among those aged 65 years or older. At the same time, seniors are also more susceptible to depression because of increased loneliness associated with the loss of loved ones. Unfortunately, when depression co-occurs with another illness, such as diabetes, it can often go unnoticed.

According to the Center for Disease Control, recent research has shown that depression is twice as common among people who have diabetes than it is among people who do not have the disease. In addition, the chances of becoming depressed increases as diabetes complications worsen. Research also shows that depressed adults have a 37 percent increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Depression symptoms often overlap with signs of poor diabetes control, which can make diagnosing depression in people with diabetes a challenge. These depression symptoms may affect how diabetes patients manage their condition. For example:

Low Motivation. Depressed people may lack the motivation to properly manage their diabetes.

Fatigue. Depression often leads to fatigue, which leads to lack of exercise – an important part of diabetes management.

Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness can lead to “giving up” on necessary diabetes treatment.

Changes in appetite. You eat more or less than you used to, which can lead to unstable glucose levels that can be either too high or too low.

Poor Stress Management. Ongoing anxiety or stress can increase cortisol levels, which complicate management of glucose levels.

Poor diabetes control can also prompt symptoms similar to those of depression. For example, if your blood sugar is too high or too low, you may experience increased feelings of anxiety, restlessness or low energy.

The holidays can be a stressful time. When that stress isn’t managed properly, it can have damaging consequences on our health. Talk to your doctor to find out more about the links between diabetes and depression, and take the necessary steps toward healthy living.

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Los Al Youth Center earns top Guidestar rating

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Los Al Youth Center earns top Guidestar rating

By Laurie Hanson

As the oldest and most established nonprofit in the Los Alamitos community, The Youth Center earns high levels of recognition by many including from the White House, Congress and beyond. This year alone they were awarded the highest level platinum award on GuideStar, who tracks nonprofits transparency. The GuideStar Platinum encourages nonprofits to share their progress and results to move beyond financial ratios and reflect changes organizations make in the world. For the 6th year in a row, they’ve been awarded Top-Rated Nonprofit by GreatNonprofits, who tracks more than 1.6 million charities and nonprofits online. Their award is based on ratings and reviews that The Youth Center has received from volunteers, donors and aid recipients. They consistently get four star ratings from many other online sources as well. The Youth Center serves about 3,000 children annually in the greater Los Alamitos, Cypress and Seal Beach areas in Orange County and in Los Angeles County with social, educational and recreational programs impacting about 3,000 youth annually. Since opening in 1952, they have served more than 103,000 local families. More than 300 students annually participate in The Youth Center’s After School Programs, and more than 350 students learn to play music in the only elementary music program in the area. Thousands of high school students are impacted by their bi-annual teen drunk driving determent event, “Every 15 Minutes,” which comes this spring. Their summer camps serve about 500 children with day and teen camps, and their Leadership Academy prepares students for real-world life after high school. Their mission is to transform children’s lives one family at a tim

The Youth Center recently was awarded three times with Best of Los Alamitos Reader’s Choice awards from the Event-News Enterprise and certificates of recognition from State Senator Janet Nguyen’s office. The nonprofit is highly recognized as the oldest nonprofit in Los Alamitos receiving numerous awards and recognition including from the White House and Congress.

e, and they have lived up to this commitment throughout the years. “We are proud of our accomplishments this year, including our award-winning after school programs, summer camps and elementary music program,” said Youth Center Executive Director Lina Lumme.

AYSO girls advance to soccer Final Four

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AYSO girls advance to soccer Final Four

By Rob Poetsch

With the fall youth competitive soccer season winding down, championship playoffs are front and center, pitting the best teams across Southern California against one another. Over the last weekend, competitive teams from across the Southland competed in the Coast Soccer League Cup, and one local team emerged as a contender: AYSO United Pacific Girls 2004.

The team–which progressed through AYSO’s development program from “AYSO Extra” or more competitive play to club soccer–advanced to the Final Four of League Cup after defeating two higher level teams. They will play next weekend against Southern California’s best for the championship titles in Irvine.

“No matter what level of play, AYSO 159 has something for every soccer player,” said Randall Ely, Regional Commissioner, Region 159. “We’re proud of United Pacific’s run to the top, and to be the largest and fastest growing youth soccer program serving Los Alamitos, Rossmoor and Seal Beach. Our volunteers are our key to our success, and we have some of the best trainers and coaches at the higher levels.”

AYSO United is the competitive arm of AYSO Region 159’s youth soccer program. AYSO Region 159 offers a complete soccer solutions, beginning with programs for players ages under 5 to the highest competitive level soccer. AYSO Region 159 is one of the largest youth soccer program in our community, and is opening up registration for its Spring season. For more information, including how to participate in the developmental academy, please visit www.ayso159.com.

Courtesy photo

St. Irenaeus Health Fair: A Promotion of Health & Wellness

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St. Irenaeus Health Fair: A Promotion of Health & Wellness

By Rosemary Lewallen

St. Irenaeus Health Ministry held a free Health Fair on Sunday, Nov. 4 at the St. Irenaeus Parish Hall that partnered with a large variety of community health and safety organizations. It provided a wealth of information about health and wellness resources for the whole family. Included were the Alzheimer’s Association, Orange County; The Orange County Office on Aging, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), Visiting Angels, Diocese Whole Person Care, One Legacy, Cypress Police Department, Cerritos Optometry, a registered Dietician, Ask a Pharmacist, blood pressure checks and blood pressure information; 211; Providence Speech & Hearing; volunteer opportunities in St. Irenaeus Health Ministry; Right At Home; Healing Touch and Inner Shakti Yoga. Cypress College Nursing students were there to help with the blood pressure checks.

Information available at this event was amazing! Did you know that the Office on Aging has a Senior Non-Emergency Medical Transportation number to help get people to their medical appointments (800-510-2020)? There was also information about the difference between palliative care and hospice; the hotline to report suspected human trafficking (1-888-3737-888); how to become an organ donor and how to get referrals on a long list of issues by dialing 211.

St. Irenaeus’ Faith Community Nurse, Jennifer Dagarag, RN, did an outstanding job organizing this event. Her position within our parish is multi-faceted as she serves as a personal health counselor, health educator, trainer of volunteers for home visitation, referral agent for health resources as well as a maintainer and developer of health support groups. Jennifer is able to assist families in care navigation, a very valuable role. She is partnering with nurses in our parish to expand services available.

If you have any questions about health and wellness resources, contact our Faith Community Nurse, Jennifer Dagarag, RN, at 714-826-0760, Extension 124.

Small Biz Saturday set for Nov. 24 in Los Alamitos

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Small Biz Saturday set for Nov. 24 in Los Alamitos

On Nov. 24, shop owners and communities across America will take notice to promote shopping at small local businesses. The City of Los Alamitos considers these businesses to be an important ingredient for a successful community.

Small Business Saturday is an annual holiday shopping tradition in which communities come together to shop at local small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and in 2018 that day is Nov. 24. In support of our local economy, Small Business Saturday encourages you to bring more holiday shopping to small businesses.

In 2017, an estimated 108 million consumers reported shopping or dining at local, independently-owned, businesses on Small Business Saturday — equating to roughly 43 percent of Americans, according to a survey commissioned by American Express. Let’s keep this momentum going by visiting our local businesses on Saturday, Nov. 24, for Small Business Saturday. Los Alamitos has an amazing variety of small businesses from gift stores, to hair salons, bakeries, to restaurants such as Brew Kitchen Alehouse that has served our residents through their exceptional hospitality for over four years now.

Founded in 2010 by American Express, Small Business Saturday is a nationwide movement helps bring attention to the importance of supporting small businesses in communities across America. Each year, Los Alamitos businesses and shoppers join over 100 million people participating on the Saturday between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This is the ninth year of Small Business Saturday and we can boost the 2018 holiday shopping season to help the folks who own these businesses. SmallBusinessSaturday.com offers owners, community supporters, and shoppers multiple ways to become a champion for the cause.

As a shopper, you are a key part of small businesses success, because when small businesses succeed, we all do. When you seek out small businesses, and recommend them to friends and family, you join forces with the small businesses in our community to make a great impact on the local economy.

 

 

Medical pioneer marvels at what LAMC has become

David N. Young
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Medical pioneer marvels at what LAMC has become

He was a medical pioneer and never quite realized how much of one until he marveled this week at what the Los Alamitos Medical Center had become.

Seymour Alban was a very young doctor in 1953 when he first came to Los Alamitos. After graduating from Loyola Medical School in Chicago, he assumed a residency at the veteran’s hospital in Los Angeles before joining his brother Harry in an orthopedic surgery practice in Long Beach.

Also an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Earl Feiwell, (for whom there is a plague now dedicated at LAMC) joined their practice. Together, they took on various roles in the development of a community hospital as Dr. Feiwell assumed the role of Chief of Staff until the facility was built and kept the role until it was ultimately sold, said Alban.

Although the local doctors were using the most advanced techniques of the time, they figured they could offer better service if they could organize a local hospital in Los Alamitos.

When another of the organizers, the late Dr. Leonard Lieberman, approached him, Dr. Alban agreed to take on a challenge to find property on which to build a community hospital in Los Alamitos.

Working together, these area physicians were determined to build a hospital. They pooled resources, raised money and went to work, he remembers.

Albans, now 94, was an initial investor in the project. He became a member on the steering committee to find a plot of land suitable to build the hospital.

Alban was then a practicing orthopedic surgeon. Even today, Alban, though not actively still practicing, performs orthopedic consultations two days per week.

One of the initial plots of land they found, and nearly purchased, said Alban, was located at the corner of Katella Ave. and Los Alamitos Boulevard (which is today home to the Fish Company and other commercial developments).

“We thought it was a great location,” said Albans, but in the end, the developer wanted more money than the investors could pay so they moved on to the current location, which the investors successfully purchased.

Not only is he amazed at the incredible technology that has revolutionized the world of orthopedics, but the dramatic advancements in medicine and healthcare overall still excites him.

In addition to the original community hospital, Albans said they constructed a nearby physician’s center, which stood pretty much empty for a long time.

“We were only hoping then that it could hold its own,” he said. Hospitals then were not as busy as they have become today.

Alban recalls when the original investors began looking for a hospital group to take over the facility. He says they became convinced, at some point that the community hospital could not survive, or thrive, as a stand-alone facility. He said the doctors eventually sold out to what is today Tenet Healthcare, a multinational healthcare provider based in Dallas, which operates the facility today.

Fifty years on, the community hospital has become the Los Alamitos Medical Center, leaving early medical pioneers like Alban to gasp at today’s modern, thriving hub of healthcare that began as a modest dream by area doctors.

“I still don’t believe it,” he repeated, sitting in the front row long after the ceremony had concluded, marveling at what has emerged around this large plot of land they had worked so hard to find, so many years ago. “This is a very proud day,” he said, remembering the early medical pioneers who found a way to make their dream come true.

 

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