The band Honey Country will be performing at the Cypress Festival on July 22. Honey Country is a female country trio with a unique country mix like nothing else. They’ve been featured by Rolling Stones as a new country band but have made time to be one of the headliners for the upcoming Cypress Festival. For more information regarding their performance and the rest of the festival visit www.cypressfestival.com.
This article appeared in the June 21, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
In an effort to raise awareness, California State Senator Janet Nguyen is informing the community of a new Medicare Card scam. According to the AARP’s Fraud Watch Network, the scam consists of Medicare beneficiaries receiving phone calls from individuals claiming to be from Medicare asking them for payment to receive a new Medicare Card or asking them to verify their Medicare number.
The personal information obtained is then utilized to commit identity theft.
“Scammers are taking advantage of a change in the law that requires Medicare to issue new cards,” said Nguyen. “It is important for our seniors to know that Medicare will be issuing new cards at no cost and that they never call to verify personal information.”
Due to an increase in identity theft caused by the inclusion of social security numbers on current Medicare Cards, in 2015, Congress passed a law to remove this critical piece of information. Starting April 2018, Medicare will be issuing new replacement cards with a random Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) instead of using the holder’s social security number.
“Throughout my years as a public servant, I have heard many stories from residents who were victimized by deceitful tactics. It is especially concerning when seniors are targets of such scams,” said Nguyen. “I ask all residents to be active by informing your loved ones, friends and neighbors of the changes in the Medicare Cards so that they are knowledgeable in the event they receive a call asking for personal information which should not be shared.”
Residents who receive these phone calls are encouraged to hang up immediately and call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE or the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP to report the call.
About Senator Janet Nguyen
The 34th State Senate District includes the cities of Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Westminster, the unincorporated communities of Midway City and Rossmoor, as well as portions of Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Long Beach, and Orange.
This article appeared in the June 21, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
Los Alamitos Medical Center recently announced that it collected 2,733 servings of cereal and $2,290 to provide children and adults struggling with hunger with a healthy breakfast during the summer. The “Healthy Over Hungry” Cereal Drive benefits the Summer Harvest Food Bank located in Los Alamitos. The drive ran June 3 – 10 of this year.
“I am so proud that our staff stepped up once again this year and donated so generously,” said Kent Clayton, chief executive officer of Los Alamitos Medical Center. “Helping others and serving our community is at the heart of what we do each day. We wanted to help in the fight against hunger in Los Alamitos and the surrounding communities and we wanted to make an impact for those in need.”
Summer can be a particularly tough time for many food-insecure families because children can no longer rely on the schools for nutritious meals.
The hospital staff are thrilled that so many will now be helped with the recent donations.
This article appeared in the June 21, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
Kennedy High School senior Eugene Lee and Los Alamitos High School senior Andrea Rice received scholarships during the Rossmoor-Los Alamitos Republican Women Federated’s California Gold Scholarship rootin’ tootin’ fun-raiser at Old Ranch Country Club on June 10.
Orange County Assessor Claude Parrish joined President Nancy Hathcock in making the presentations.
“Our RLA club is serious about supporting the community and Making California Gold Again, but we also have fun in the process,” said President Nancy Hathcock.
During the western-themed event, members and guests heard from:
• Congressman Dana Rohrabacher
• State Senator Janet Nguyen
• Orange County GOP Chairman Fred Whitaker
“Everyone had a fantastic time and the club raised money for future scholarships or to send students to Youth American Foundation Conferences at the Reagan Ranch,” exclaimed VP Ways & Means Katherine Gerdis, adding that the next fun-raiser would be a paint and sip on August 19.
Republican women and men from northwest Orange County and greater Long Beach are invited to get involved to Make America and California Great Again.
For more information, email RossLARepWomen@aol.com.
This article appeared in the June 14, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
Clarissa Byrd (right), lead singer of Neon Nation, performed 80s songs during the Summer Concert on the Green on June 10. Seven more concerts are planned through August. Check online at www.cypressrec.com for dates and bands. All concerts are held in the grass area behind Cypress City Hall.
This appeared in the June 14, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
Parents who have sent their children to summer day camps already know the benefits of doing so for their children’s growth and development. Camp does much more than keep a child occupied and safe. It enriches their lives for years to come.
According to the American Camp Association in an article by Andy Kimmelman, “Ninety six percent of campers say that ‘camp helped me make friends,’ and 92 percent say, ‘Camp helped me to feel good about myself.’ Seventy percent of camp parents say, ‘My child gained self-confidence at camp.’”
Today’s summer camp is geared towards a purposeful experience, which is frequently connected to a child’s education and life interests. Camp can be a precursor to their future when applying for an internship, college or job, according Dr. Paula A. Calabrese in her article, “Purposeful Summer Camps Make a Difference for Kids,” written for patch.com.
“Camp can be a very positive experience for youngsters because it promotes independence and autonomy in a safe, supervised experience,” said Dr. Calabrese. She said it also fosters the development of interpersonal social skills, and provides new varied learning experiences in alternative settings.
According to Dr. Michael Ungar, “Summer camps, we discovered, are perfect places to help children optimize their psychosocial development. After all, summer camps are places where children get the experiences they need to bolster their range of coping strategies. Kids learn how to get along with a new group of peers, learn how to ask for help from others, or take manageable amounts of risks without a parent following you around.” Ungar wrote the excerpt in his Psychology Today article, “Summer Camps Make Kids Resilient,” an article he wrote after speaking with 300 camp directors.
Since 1952, The Youth Center in Los Alamitos has clearly seen how these benefits translate into the lives of children through social, educational and recreational programs including summer day and teen camps. With their new Camp S.H.A.R.K. (Science, Hands On, Art, Recreation, Knowledge) for kids ages 5 to 12, and their Teen Camp for ages 12 to 17, kids reap the benefits of going to summer camp that research has shown will shape their lives now and in the future. Both camps run out Rossmoor Park through a partnership with the Rossmoor Community Services District (RCSD) with the Youth Center.
“An enriching, positive summer camp experience for kids is vital to their overall well-being,” Youth Center Camp Director John Manley said. “As a shark biologist, underwater filmmaker, camp director and science teacher I have realized success from blending sharks and the ocean with more mainstream camp programming. Camp S.H.A.R.K. does more than just occupy a child’s time or provide some form of day care for parents. It engages the whole child in science and technology, music, arts, crafts, contests, games, special events, field trips, and classes – all while uniquely integrating shark and ocean programming in a fun and enlightening way. Our goal is to deliver a diverse enriching experience that will shape children’s lives for years to come.”
A highlight of this year’s day camp is the opportunity to take a very unique Snorkeling Certification class, according to Manley, who brings his life experiences (shark biology, SCUBA diving, and a deep fascination with the ocean) to The Youth Center. In this all new add-on class, kids learn to snorkel in the ocean, explore ocean mysteries, learn marine biology and investigate the science of diving while on their way to being certified as a free-diver with the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI). They’ll first learn in a classroom and pool before being taken out to the ocean to complete their experience with Manley’s participation.
“This unique experience might very well shape their interests later in life,” Manley added. “As a child of the sea I was exposed to a world that captured my soul and led to a lifetime of adventures – shark diving, educating, and exploring the mysteries held in the depths of the ocean.”
For more information on The Youth Center’s Camp S.H.A.R.K. or Teen Camp and their 12 special add-on classes including the Snorkeling Certification class, please visit online at www.theyouthcenter.org or call 562-493-4043. Registration is going on now and space is filling up fast.
This article appeared in the June 14, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
How about a career that makes a difference in your community, instead of just a job? Excellent opportunities for employment are available for multiple positions at the Cypress Police Department. Hiring needs change frequently; check the website for up-to-date listings.
Filling the position of Police Officer Lateral/Academy Trained/Academy in Process is most desired by the department. These are officers who are already trained or currently in training.
“This is an honorable job,” said Sergeant Dean Pinvidic. “We want people who have a sense of service and want to give back to the community.”
“This is a great community,” continued Pinvidic. “When we drive on the streets, people wave. People respect the police department.”
“We are second to none with equipment; our vehicles, weapons, computers. Our new vehicles are Explorers. The number of employees means everyone knows everyone and it’s a fun place to work. Also, we have our own on-site shooting range, where we have to qualify every other month.”
Many agencies are large, and it can be hard to be noticed for promotions and special placements, often taking ten or more years to move into a choice assignment. Cypress Police Department has a different philosophy.
“Our special assignment rotation is three years,” said Pinvidic. “An extension is possible for two more years, but then you are back on patrol, bringing the skills you learned back to the field.”
Special assignments can include: detective, motor, regional task force, and administration. SWAT is a collateral duty, not a rotation, meaning it is in addition to a regular position. The exception to the rotation is officers who work with a K-9. That duty is for the life of the dog.
Another open position is for Police Officer Trainee. This is a temporary, non-sworn position while the trainee attends the California Police Officer Standards and Training (POST). This department sends officers to the POST offered at Goldenwest College Police Academy.
Pinvidic shared that a college degree in any major helps. Some suggested degrees could be: criminal justice, management, business, leadership, finance, and even science. All are applicable to police work.
Others can include psychology and degrees for which the skill can be helpful in working with people. Bilingual and multilingual candidates are welcomed at most police departments.
In addition to officers, many other personnel openings will occur over a year’s time. Potential candidates should check online at www.cypressca.org.
Volunteer Explorer positions are available for those ages 15-21. Most of the current Explorers are high school students, with a few college students, too.
“We recruit at job and career fairs,” said Pinvidic. “Also at college and special events.” Explorers help the police with traffic control at special events, Cypress Community Festival, Concert on the Green, open house and more.
Explorers participate in competitions, attend a mini-academy, and simulated trainings. The program is helpful for those considering a career in law enforcement who would like experience working with officers.
Police Aides are non-sworn employees, age 18 and over, and the department is always hiring. Aides work the front counter, traffic, DUI check points, accidents, administrative work, property and evidence, and in the crime lab.
Non-sworn Police Service Officers are recognizable in their green uniforms. They fill a full-time position, assisting with patrol, in the jail, responding to non-emergency calls, cold reports, accident and graffiti reports, crime and evidence lab, along with property and evidence.
Volunteers In Policing, also known as VIPs, are non-sworn volunteers who perform vacation checks, assist at the station, take cars to get washed and gassed, do lockdown drills at elementary schools, along with helping at events and with station tours.
Other non-sworn positions include the positions of Records Clerk and Office Assistant. Records Clerks keep track of all records and paperwork, while Office Assistants answer phones, type and perform other clerical tasks.
The Cypress Police Department offers opportunities for those wishing to help their community.
Check the website at www.cypressca.org for more information, or to apply.
This article appeared in the June 14, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
The FC Premier Los Alamitos Girls 2004 team won the Huntington Beach Sand Soccer tournament over the June 3 weekend and have now won the tournament 3 out of the past 4 years.
The Huntington Beach Sand Soccer tournament is the largest beach soccer tournament in the country. It is a bit of a change of pace for the girls, who play year round on grass fields and this year.
This year was especially meaningful because FC Premier lost the first match against a tough Costa Mesa Pateadores team and then rebounded with wins against AVSC Storm (4-1) and Tigres UANL (9-0). The loss would’ve prevented the team from advancing to the finals but the Pateadores team lost and the shut out FC Premier mounted against the Tigres squad gave the local team the top seed of the group.
It set up a championship match against Canyon FC, who were the winners in their group after going undefeated in pool play. It was tied 1-1 at half time but after the local team started hitting on all cylinders they scored five goals to finish with a final score of 6-1.
The FC Premier Los Alamitos also recently finished in first place in the Coast Soccer Spring League and made it to the quarterfinals of the Cerritos Memorial Cup tournament in spite of many serious injuries to standout players.
This article appeared in the June 14, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
The FC Premier Boys 2001 team won the Huntington Beach Sand Soccer tournament over the June 3 weekend.
The local team dominated from the start with impressive wins against HDYSL Rage 11-1, Valley United 8-2, and Hemet Juventus 8-0.
The final was a different story.
Leading scorer Nelson Cordova suffered an elbow to the eye that cut deeply into the brow and could not return to the match.
That happened early in the championship game and although they had a slight 3-1 lead at half time one could feel that the momentum had begun to shift. The second half began with a series of questionable calls that caused the score to be tied at 3-3. With only three seconds remaining a hand ball was called against the opposition and Tony Honorio had to take a shot from the center of the field. He sent a scorching shot that was saved by the goalie but the ball went slightly airborne. Andrew Salazar seized on the opportunity and came flying into the area to head the ball into the corner of the goal which gave them the 4-3 win.
It was a stunning finish and well deserved championship.
This article appeared in the June 14, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
People with a passion often have an “Ah-ha” moment that ignites a spark somewhere deep in their soul. For Greg Fellers, a Seal Beach resident and retired veterinarian, it came during a meeting about two years ago with then-Seal Beach Police Chief Joe Stilinovitch.
Residents were meeting with the chief and asking questions about law enforcement and issues in the beach community. Fellers, who moved here after retiring from Loomis, in Northern California, heard some comments he found disturbing.
“When the subject of the homeless came up, there were some people saying, ‘We want them gone.’ And those same people expected the Police Department to do it,” Fellers said. The chief explained to those present that the homeless issue wasn’t a police problem. Instead, he said, it is a community and society problem.
Those comments at a public meeting caused a stir in Fellers. “I wanted to find out what was going on.” He started with four churches in Old Town Seal Beach. He learned what his church, First Methodist, was doing and began going church-to-church, asking what services they offered to the homeless. After talking to people at St. Anne, Grace Community and the Center for Spiritual Living, Fellers gained some valuable insight into what was available to the homeless in the community.
From there, Fellers found himself heading an informal coalition to work on homelessness in his town.
A coalition was born
“As I started talking to people in the community, I learned things. I found out that Seal Beach had Homeless Liaison Officers – Mike Pistilli and Brian Gray,” Fellers said
Working with the police, along with the churches, Fellers was learning not only what the homeless need, but what was available. Many of the churches were already giving out fast food gift cards and toiletries. The police officers told Fellers that backpacks would be helpful, perhaps with toiletries and meal cards inside.
The citizen-founded Police Foundation stepped up and offered some money to buy the backpacks from its coffers. Now the officers have four backpacks with clothing and other essentials inside. Three are for men (small, medium and large) and one is for women.
Then LOTE (Ladies of the Night) heard what was happening and donated $200 to the Police Foundation to be used specifically for the homeless effort. Next the Lions Club came onboard, and suddenly Fellers’ project was a coalition of the four churches, police, LOTE, Lions Club and the Police Foundation.
“I was so encouraged to find there is a big group of people out there to help solve the problem,” Fellers said. He also learned that most cities in Orange County now have Homeless Liaison Officers and those officers have formed their own coalition.
Next steps
No one would argue that efforts to help the homeless is an important endeavor. But what about the real problem or deeper issue? Can it be solved?
“Solving homelessness is a one-on-one proposition,” Fellers said. He has learned that for every person who is homeless, there are different reasons for their plight.
“The answer is not giving money to the homeless. Maybe people should do a little adjustment in their minds about being willing to help and taking the time to help,” he added.
And Fellers does not want any credit for what he has accomplished. “I didn’t set out to ‘do’ anything – I just wanted to learn. It’s just kind of morphed into this loose coalition.”
City Council member gets involved
Seal Beach councilmember Tom Moore, who represents College Park West, has called a meeting on the homeless issue for city leaders to be held the last Wednesday in July.
“Let’s see where we are currently and what can be done. It’s a very complex issue,” Moore said. He said it was a big issue for his constituents because of all the homeless encampments along the river. Moore is hoping that after city leaders meet something can be done to involve the Seal Beach community at large. He is optimistic about the outcome.
“It is a subject that is tricky to deal with but worth a discussion,” Moore added.
Seal Beach has been proactive
Seal Beach Police Sgt. Mike Henderson became the department’s first Homeless Liaison Officer roughly five years ago. “After the Kelly Thomas incident there was a lot of focus on the police,” he said.
Henderson found out that Long Beach had an officer tasked with the homeless issue, so he began working with him and they started a working group to get ideas and case studies to better understand the issue.
“We needed to arrive at what would be best practices,” Henderson said. He added that the current Homeless Liaison Officers, Gray and Pistilli, are like social workers. “The role of a homeless liaison is to get to know the people and build trust,” Henderson said. “Those care packages help build trust and we try to get people to help themselves. We knit together a lot of resources.”
Success stories
While the whole issue may be discouraging, there are success stories too. There was a homeless man named Bobby who was visible in Seal Beach for about 10 years, and he was known to most of the churches because they had helped him over the years.
One day Bobby asked to meet with the pastor of the First Methodist Church, Rev. Tia Wildermuth. The minister knew to call the police, and reached out to Officer Mike Pistilli. They found out Bobby had a son who lived in West Virginia, but he had lost contact with him.
Officer Pistilli was able to find Bobby’s son and found he was open to having his father live with him.
The Police Foundation paid for a bus ticket, gave Bobby a backpack and put him on the bus. Officer Pistilli followed up later with the son to make sure everything had gone as planned. It had. Bobby made it to West Virginia and was living with his son and was OK. Those are the stories we seldom hear about.
Anyone wanting to get involved with Fellers can reach him at gregnkathy220@gmail.com.
If you or someone you know is involved in a similar cause in the Los Al or Cypress area, email the editor of the News Enterprise at editor@newsenterprise.net.
This article appeared in the June 14, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
UnitedHealthcare employees assembled and delivered 150 Grins to Go bags last week to patients at Children’s Hospital of Orange County and Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach.
The Grins to Go bags contained the fourth book of the award-winning Oliver & Hope series Good Deeds Day, toys, games and other fun activities for children ages four to 12. The community can purchase the books and bags on Amazon.com. Every purchase funds grants offered by UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation to help children gain access to medical-related services.
This appeared in the June 14, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
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Los Alamitos High School sophomore Joshua Fendi was recently awarded an Athlete Alumni Ambassador (3A) award by U.S. Figure Skating, the national governing body for figure skating in the United States.
The 15-year-old won $500 from the 3A scholarship program for achieving excellence in figure skating while actively volunteering.
“Joshua was really excited,” said Mia Fendi, his mother. “He felt honored to be rewarded for his contribution to the community. I thought it was nice that they recognize kids who contribute their time and help others.”
Winners were selected from a pool of applicants who competed at the novice or junior level at the 2017 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships or the 2017 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships. One winner was chosen overall by the Athletes Advisory Committee, as were five winners from each discipline- ladies’, mens’, pairs, ice dance, and synchronized. Fendi received the award for pairs skating.
Fendi and his skating partner, his twin sister Jasmine, were the 2014 U.S. juvenile pairs champions and 2016 U.S. intermediate pairs champions. The two finished sixth in the novice event at the 2017 U.S. Championships.
Fendi and his sister, who have been skating since they were six years old, founded the figure skating club at Los Alamitos High School, which was the first high school figure skating club on the West Coast.
This article appeared in the June 7, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
Recently, more than 125 fourth grade students, teachers and parent chaperones from McGaugh Elementary made the pilgrimage to both San Francisco and Sacramento as the highlight of what has been a year long curriculum into the history, culture, life, and government of our great state of California.
The 4:15 a.m. call time didn’t scare away these enthusiastic seekers of knowledge and fun. The groups flew into the bay area and were on a fast boat to Alcatraz Prison Island before lunch was even a thought. Students spent the morning on a self-guided audio tour through one of the countries most notorious prisons, learning about Al Capone, The Bird Man of Alcatraz, and the Great Escape.
Following a quick lunch, the group spent the afternoon at the San Francisco Exploratorium where they experienced a hands on exhibit of science and nature discoveries and innovations. The trip also included stops on Treasure Island, The Golden Gate Bridge and a Classic Trolley Car ride up historic California Street and through Chinatown. And that was just on day one.
A bus took the students to Sacramento where they stayed in a hotel just a few blocks from the State Capital and just across the river from Old Town Sacramento. Which worked out well since the first thing on the agenda for day two was a trip to the Capital Building where they were greeted by State Senator Janet Nguyen, who happens to represent Seal Beach as an elected official. The Senator stayed to take pictures with the students and to answer questions before she was called to the Senate floor. As a special treat, the Senator introduced and announced the students on the Senate Floor during session.
The afternoon was spent in the mountains about an hour out of town where they met the “Mountain Man” and learned about some of the early settlers of California. They also had an opportunity to pan for gold and learn how to properly throw a hatchet.
On the way back to the airport to head home, the entire group stopped in Old Town Sacramento and the Historic Train Museum for one last lesson and some souvenir shopping.
This article appeared in the June 7, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
Dylan McLoy, a junior at Cypress High School, is a Delegate of the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders in Lowell, Mass. on June 29 – July 1.
The Congress is an honors-only program for high school students who are passionate about science, technology, engineering or mathematics. The event is intended to honor, inspire, motivate, and direct the top students in the country who aspire to be scientists and technologists, to stay true to their dream and to provide a path, plan, and resources to help them reach their goal.
Dylan was nominated by Dr. John C. Mather, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics and Science Director of the National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists, to represent Cypress High School based on his academic achievement, leadership potential and passion for science and technology.
During the three-day Congress, Dylan will join students from across the country and hear Nobel Laureates and National Medal of Science recipients talk about leading scientific research, be given advice from deans of the world’s top tech universities, be inspired by fellow teen science prodigies, and learn about cutting-edge advances and future of science and technology.
“This is a crucial time in America when we need more nimble-minded and creative scientists and technologists who are even better prepared for a future that is changing exponentially,” said Richard Rossi, Executive Director of the National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists. “Focused, bright, and determined students like Dylan McLoy are our future, he deserves all mentoring and guidance we can give him.”
The Academy offers free service and programs to students who have desire to learn more about their future in science of technology. Some of the services and programs the Academy offers include: online social networks through which future scientists and technologists can communicate, opportunities for students to be guided and mentored by tech and science leaders, communications for parents and students on college acceptances and finances, skills acquisition, internships, careers guidance and much more.
The Academy has offices in Boston, is based out of Washington, DC, and is working to identify, encourage, and mentor students who wish to devote their lives to advances in society as scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians.
For more information visit www.scitechleaders.com or call 617-307-7425.
This article appeared in the June 7, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
Local students who rely on free or reduced lunches during the school year will get a helping hand this summer thanks to a charitable organization. Summer Harvest, a non-profit committed to eliminating food insecurity for school-aged children in affluent communities where children do not qualify for government or other help programs, is reaching out a helping hand to Los Al families.
In a newsletter sent out to the Los Alamitos School District community last week, Superintendent Sherry Kropp informed locals about the organization and its mission.
“We are fortunate to serve a generous community that supports young people. Over the summer months, some of our families struggle with having healthy meals,” said Kropp. “If you could benefit with assistance over the summer, please see below.”
Included in the newsletter was a message from Amy Payne, who’s Executive Director of Summer Harvest. In her message, Payne, a teacher at King Elementary who founded the non-profit, explained the program’s mission.
“For many families in the Los Alamitos Unified School District, summer brings space for bucket lists and vacation. Yet, for 13 percent of our district families or roughly 1,300 children who regularly receive free or reduced lunches during the school year, summer becomes a stressful season,” said Payne.
“Only 1 out of 8 children that receive free or reduced lunch during the school year receive government-assisted lunches over the summer months when school is not in session. What most of us do not realize is that the percentage of free or reduced lunch families in our district is not actually high enough to meet the government’s criteria for a summer food service program. These families are caught in a gap, which creates food insecurity.
“To meet this need head-on, Summer Harvest was developed with a clear vision to eliminate food insecurity for school-aged children in affluent communities where children do not qualify for government or other help programs. As a 100 percent volunteer-based 501C3, our mission is to provide healthy meals to families with children on the free and reduced lunch program, during the breaks from school. This summer we will distribute groceries including staples for meal making ensuring a solid foundation of fresh fruits and vegetables. You can get involved in this program by becoming a sponsor of a grocery bag. A gift of $75 provides a bag of groceries to a family for each of our five distributions this summer. We also encourage you to come out and pack food or help with the distribution. Donate or volunteer at http://www.summerharvest.us.”
If you are a family that falls in the gap and would benefit from groceries, please see the signup forms here and visit http://www.summerharvest.us/signup.
The program’s website an upcoming food distribution/volunteer opportunities, which are listed below.
• Youth Center in Los Alamitos – Saturday, July 8, 9:30 a.m. at 10909 Oak St. in Los Alamitos.
Sign up to volunteer at http://www.summerharvest.us.
This article appeared in the June 7, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
My two cents on LA Fitness
Dear Editor
Seal Beach council members voting for this project may feel more comfortable sleeping at night because they believe the EIR is minimizing the traffic impact, against the wishes of those opposed. If the EIR is true and LA Fitness doesn’t bring much traffic to the area, then does LA Fitness really bring more business into the area? If the EIR is incorrect, the surrounding residents have to deal with irreversible consequences.
You can’t have it both ways, thinking that there isn’t going to be a traffic impact while improving business in the area.
Robin Yan
Rossmoor
Dear Editor,
We have lived in Rossmoor since 1986 and we have seen this neighborhood change in the last few years. When we moved here, we had a very quiet and nice neighborhood with very little crime, beautiful trees, minimal traffic, etc. We have seen business development take over empty lots and cars pack what used to be empty streets, and crime increase. We don’t want to obstruct growth but there has to be a limit to corporate greed. We don’t need more cars, more people roaming our streets, more noise from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m.; enough is enough. What is worse is the fact that Rossmoor gets nothing in return for all this aggravation. All the economic benefit from tax revenues goes to Seal Beach. We get the traffic, the crime, the crowds and the decline of our neighborhood. Stop LA Fitness in Rossmoor.
Julio and Paloma Ibarra
Rossmoor
Dear Editor,
I have lived in Rossmoor since 1978. I oppose to having L.A Fitness build a gym in the back of the Montecito Apartments. There are various gyms all around. I go to one of them, no more than three miles from where L.A Fitness is thinking of building another 37,000 gym. In back of the condominiums on Montecito and Sprouts, the traffic will be a major problem along Seal Beach Boulevard, St. Cloud, Montecito, Rossmoor Way as well as Bradbury.
Safety is very important for all pedestrians crossing Montecito, children walking or riding there bikes, going and coming from the schools, library, and the parks in Rossmoor. We like to have children around and their safety should be very important to all of us.
Also, the traffic will impede emergency vehicles going to help the one in need.
Please say NO to the LA Fitness. No more unnecessary congested traffic.
Encarnacion Roehm
Rossmoor
A recent federally-mandated January survey of homelessness in Orange County shows that the numbers are increasing.
As reported last month in the OC Register, the County reports that there are some 4,800 homeless people in our county, an increase of 8 percent since the 2015 census.
The survey is called a Point-in-Time Count & Survey, and is required to help the federal government target millions of dollars in federal aid for the homeless.
Last month, the County opened its first 24-hour homeless facility, the multi-million dollar “Bridges at Kraemer” shelter and multi-service center in Anaheim near the 91 and Kraemer.
It initially will house and service 100 people, and will reach 200 people once the project is completed.
With thousands more OC homeless residents in desperate need of housing, the County is barely dealing with the problem, even on a temporary basis.
Some local church groups, such as Los Alamitos’ Community Congregational United Church of Christ, try to fill in the gaps. It hosts “Judy’s Kitchen,” a monthly warm meal for homeless residents.
The food provided at “Judy’s Kitchen” each 3rd Saturday of the month is prepared by various local church volunteers, then served by other community volunteers, including the Girl and Cub Scouts.
But, concerned homeless advocates all know these local noble efforts by churches and other volunteer organizations are not nearly enough.
One OC resident has been floating a novel immediate solution for OC homelessness: creating a County park [“Alfresco Gardens”] exclusively dedicated to the homeless. The resident, Nancy West, has created a website, alfrescogardens.org and a Facebook page, “Alfresco Gardens,” which describes her concept.
The essence of the proposal is extremely simple: create an outdoor space for the exclusive use of homeless people to camp.
The premise is also simple– OC homeless people are already coping with the reality of their lives by choosing to sleep and live in open spaces– parks, beach areas, freeway underpasses, river beds, storm channels, etc.
The Alfresco Gardens, concept would create a homeless park on suitable existing vacant County land.
The park would include tent spaces, bathrooms, showers, laundry facilities, storage space, and, most importantly, a service area where government and non-profit agencies could furnish a range of needed services.
This service area could include space for medical services, mental health/addiction outreach and referral, plus food (soup kitchen) services.
The Alfresco Gardens concept would be a low-cost temporary facility for the thousands of homeless in OC.
With the millions of dollars currently spent on expensive buildings to shelter just 100s of the homeless, it would be wise to immediately spend the necessary funds to establish exclusive parks for the thousands of homeless needing help now.
Homeless parks are not a solution, of course, but they fill the immediate temporary need to seriously address the problem in the short run.
Joel Block is a retired attorney and freelance writer who lives in Rossmoor.
This column appeared in the June 7, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
Los Alamitos Medical Center held its employee service awards event at the Old Ranch Country Club on May 24. This annual event recognizes staff with milestone years; from five to 35 years of service.
There were 140 people recognized overall but some of the highlights included nine people being honored for 20 years of service, followed by eight honored for 25 years of service and then the big awards of the afternoon. Kathy Peters and Dianne Yamada were both honored for 30 years of service. Peters has worked as a physical therapist at the hospital and at the hospital-managed Health Care Center in Seal Beach’s Leisure World community. Dianne works in the coding department and has seen numerous changes through the years – including a time when coding was done without the help of computer technology.
Among those recognized for 35 years of service was Colette Young, RN and Karan Hunt, RN. Colette started working at Los Alamitos Medical Center while she was still in high school. She has worked in the Same Day Surgery Department and is now one of the pre-op services nurses. Karan is an emergency room nurse who enjoys the fast paced environment. Karan enjoys caring for people and the challenging clinical work of Emergency Medicine.
Others who were recognized but were not in attendance include Fe Ortiz, RN and Cynthia Diaz, RN from the Health Care Center in Leisure World.
This article appeared in the June 7, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
A local soccer club played in extreme heat in San Bernardino in May against top youth club soccer teams from all over Southern California. In the end, the girls from Los Alamitos Pacific Soccer Club were victorious bringing home the Spring Cup to Los Al.
Coached by John Gee and Natalie Ohishi, PSC Los Al 2004 defeated Premier FC from Cypress in a shut out 2-0, cementing their championship in the Gold division, the highest competitive level in the Spring Cup. PSC has performed well throughout the season and were the underdogs going into this year’s Spring Cup final. The team made the leap from AYSO’s Extra program to more competitive club soccer and were competing with higher level teams.
Spring Cup final
The final match—under 90 degree plus heat—was held to 0–0 at the half. PSC striker Emma Ekblad beat Premier’s defense and goalkeeper to score the first goal in the second half as PSC continued to dominate the game in both possession and shots on goal. The second goal came late in the first half off a direct free kick from center midfielder Julia Muniz, which rebounded off the crossbar and was dumped into the open net by forward Camill Wilson. With ten minutes left to play, Premier FC was unable to answer back with any goals, resulting in a huge upset.
“We are extremely proud of how our girls came into this tournament. [They are] incredibly focused and achieved the unthinkable: shutting out the favorite,” said John Gee, Head Coach, Pacific Soccer Club Los Al Girls 2004. “Our possession-style play and desire to win were key elements in our success, and it’s exciting to see the girls’ hard work and training pay off as they continuously progress to the next level.”
Pacific Soccer Club is one of the fastest growing soccer clubs in our area and provides competitive youth teams, experienced licensed trainers and player development. For more information about PSC, please visit www.pacificsc.org. PSC is part of American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), which is the largest soccer organization in the US and in the communities of Los Alamitos, Rossmoor and Seal Beach. AYSO Region 159 Los Alamitos Fall Soccer late registration is open through June 16.
For more information, please visit www.ayso159.org.
This article appeared in the June 7, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
McAuliffe Middle School student Logan A. Manfro was selected to compete in a European soccer tournament.
The twelve-year-old, who plays center back for the Strikers FC – South Coast, participated in the 2017 Cordial Cup Junior Soccer League Tournament in Kitzbuhel, Austria from June 3-4. The Cordial Cup is one of the largest annual international junior soccer tournaments in the world. Logan represented his team and country as a player on the only U.S. team competing in a group of 50 top European Boys U-13 teams.
“It feels awesome,” said Joe Manfro, Logan’s father, describing being in Austria with his son. “Everyone is super excited to see him play. It’s amazing. The country is beautiful, the people are nice, and we’re off to a good start.”
Logan has been playing soccer since he was five years old, starting out in the local Los Alamitos AYSO Region 159. He played for the AYSO Extra Program before transferring to Strikers FC from U-9 through U-13. His team, led by head coach Marcos Canseco, has an overall record of 16-1-2.
The team of 15 players flew to Munich, Germany on May 28, where they scrimmaged local teams in preparation for the tournament. From there, they fly to Austria to compete against teams from Austria, Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland, Slovenia, and Hungary.
Logan and his team have been training 3 to 4 times a week in preparation for this tournament. He would like to thank all of his family, friends, and sponsors who have made this trip possible for him. Without all of their support, this trip would not be possible.
This article appeared in the June 7, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.
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