The recent production by Sa Dance Company of RISE: A Journey Through Resilience at the Chapman University’s Musco Center for the Arts used the art form of dance to speak to aspirations of future generations.
Founded by Payal Kadakia Pujji, Sa centers its work on the evolving landscape of Indian American identity—especially the themes of womanhood, community, and the multifaceted journey of the Indian American female, driven by a clear desire to inspire and shape future generations.
As an Indian American born and raised in the United States, Payal has long sought to bridge these two parts of her identity, finding in dance what she describes as the “perfect channel to not only explore but also to express this bridge—a perfect blend of dance forms of her Indian and American heritages to bring awareness to people why this is important.” This guiding intention forms the artistic and emotional foundation of RISE.
In RISE, this vision unfolded through the life journey of an Indian woman, conveyed through expressive Indian contemporary dance choreography. The company blended Indian classical dance forms with Western ballet (both classical and modern), jazz, and hip?hop, creating a movement language that felt fluid, textured, and deliberately layered.
Courtesy photo: Sa Dance Company On Saturday, January 24, 2026, I experienced Sa’s production of RISE – A Journey Through Resilience at the Chapman University’s Musco Center for the Arts. Founded by Payal Kadakia Pujji, Sa centers its work on the evolving landscape of Indian?American identity—especially the themes of womanhood, community, and the multifaceted journey of the Indian?American female, driven by a clear desire to inspire and shape future generations. As an Indian American born and raised in the United States, Payal has long sought to bridge these two parts of her identity, finding in dance what she describes as the “perfect channel to not only explore but also to express this bridge—a perfect blend of dance forms of her Indian and American heritages to bring awareness to people why this is important.” This guiding intention forms the artistic and emotional foundation of RISE.
The dancers shaped an experience that resonated on multiple levels—emotionally stirring, viscerally engaging, and visually evocative. The performance invited the audience not only to witness the story, but to feel its quiet strength, its questions, and its moments of transformation.
Sa Dance Company skillfully incorporated visual arts alongside voice-over narration to deepen the audience’s connection to the personal and powerful stories of its all-women ensemble. Through these multimedia elements, the dancers conveyed the inner strength and resilience present within each woman, highlighting the journey to becoming one’s authentic self.
The production was marked by expertly crafted choreography, executed with precision and emotion. The dances centered on the gender-based barriers that South Asian women face, shedding light on the persistent social structures that contribute to the silencing and suppression of women’s voices. While this theme has been addressed in previous dance anthologies, this was the first time the issue was experienced as being directly relevant to the Indian-American community.
Sa’s performance thoughtfully illustrated that South Asian patriarchy and its associated social structures are not only present but remain active within the Indian-American context. The production challenged its predominantly South Asian audience to reflect on their own beliefs and behaviors, as well as the words and non-verbal cues they use. It called attention to the ways these cultural signals can communicate to women—be they sisters, spouses, daughters, or mothers—that their role is to remain silent, serve quietly, sacrifice, disappear, and avoid taking up space.
Through its remarkable choreography, “RISE – A Journey Through Resilience” also powerfully conveyed how women overcome barriers in patriarchal societies, rising into their own strength and voice.
For more information on Sa Dance Company, please visit their website at: https://www.sadancecompany.com/
All are invited to treat yourself to an inexpensive dinner featuring delicious salmon and exclusive sit-down service, no waiting in long lines, and get the chance to win several luxurious days and nights at a popular Palm Desert resort, all part of the annual Lenten Fish Dinners served by the Knights of Columbus at St. Irenaeus Catholic Church in Cypress.
It’s all yours on six consecutive Friday evenings, beginning February 20 through March 27 between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the Parish community center on Grindlay Street, between Lincoln and Orange.
Avoid long lines, enjoy sit-down service at Knights of Columbus Lenten Fish Fry dinners at St Irenaeus Catholic Church in Cypress, Friday evenings from February 20th to March 27th.
Knight Jorge Rodriguez keeps the “Chips” (French Fries) coming at a fast pace at the K of C’s annual Lenten Fish Fry dinners at St. Irenaeus Catholic Church in Cypress. Sit-down service on Friday evenings from February 20th to March 27th. Courtesy photo
Highlighting this year’s menu: Baked Salmon Fillet accompanied with a savory rice and your choice of either coleslaw or green salad, all for just $14 per service. If you prefer classic Fish and Chips, there is a three-piece dinner for $12, and $10 for two pieces, each with coleslaw or green salad All include complimentary lemonade, water and coffee.
And there are other options: a cup of classic New England clam chowder, just $3; spaghetti with marinara sauce and green salad, $8; sides of tempura green beans or cauliflower for only $3 each; and child-size one-piece fish & chips dinners, $8.
Cash or credit cards accepted at the door.
Raffle tickets are just $5 each or five for $20 dollars for the three-night stay at Marriott’s Shadow Ridge Village in Palm Desert June 3rd-6th of this year. Winner need not be present to win.
Knights Louis Bloch(l) and Jorge Rodriguez put finishing touches at the skillets for Lenten Fish Fry dinners at St. Irenaeus Catholic Church in Cypress. beginning Friday evening February 20th and continuing for six consecutive Fridays. Courtesy photo
Knights of Columbus Grand Knight Paulo Morales says all are invited from neighboring communities, Leisure World, and area senior centers to dine in or order your meal to go. Morales added, “as always, proceeds of the dinners help the Knights support numerous local charities and community service projects”.
The Cypress School District is trying to figure out how to close a projected $3.3 million budget gap for the 2026-27 school year. Parents, teachers, staff, and school board members all say they want to balance the budget without eliminating positions or programs that directly impact students. But that may be out of reach since 83% of the district’s budget is devoted to personnel.
“No matter how we look at it, there is going to be a pinch of some sort,” Board President Lydia Sondhi, Ph.D., told attendees at the close of the January 20 meeting of the board after district staff presented a preliminary budget reduction plan. Dr. Sondhi also made it a point to assure the public that the board was still in “the middle of the process,” adding, “we’re still in a movement towards that decision-making [of] ultimately what is going to happen.”
The plan outlined at the Jan. 20 meeting by Assistant Superintendent Larry Ferchaw calls for eliminating 19 certificated positions, including several teaching jobs, for estimated savings of more than $1.6 million. The district is also proposing cutting more than a dozen classified positions, including three custodians and all of the health clerks and library clerks at the district’s six TK-6 campuses to save more than $1.2 million. The proposal also includes slashing $600,000 in spending on supplies and services.
“These are fairly deep reductions that we are talking about, and we want to be sensitive to the fact that … those have the potential to have a significant impact on the employees and the students of the district,” Ferchaw stated.
The district, which already spent $3 million in one-time funds to balance this year’s budget, cites declining enrollment as a main reason for its financial struggles. The district currently serves around 3,200 preschool through sixth grade students from Cypress, Buena Park, and La Palma. According to Ferchaw, that number is expected to decline by 125 students next school year. “With fewer students, the district’s projected funding does not keep pace with the rising cost of continued operations each year,” reads a statement from the district issued on Jan. 16.
CSD Board of Trustees President Lydia Sondhi, Ph.D.
Ferchaw shared a list of 22 potential budget reductions that were discussed and ranked by a budget advisory committee. The same list was also ranked by principals at the school sites. The committee ranked the “reduction of services contracts” as number one, while principals ranked “reductions to District Office clerical/support positions” as the top option to cut costs. Other options included in the list were implementing energy conservation measures and eliminating teacher on special assignment (T.O.S.A.) positions.
A vote on a resolution authorizing layoffs is expected at the board’s Feb. 12 meeting, with layoff notices required to be distributed by March 13. There will still be discussion of additional layoffs occurring throughout March and April, and resolutions will be finalized by May 14. Some layoffs may be rescinded “if more funding becomes available or costs decrease.” All employees who are affected by May 14 will be “placed on a 39-month rehire list,” with “bumping rights” to be rehired for their previous positions, or ones like it.
Ferchaw cautioned that the district’s budget is dynamic, characterizing the situation as “a constantly evolving process.” At the December 11, 2025 board meeting, trustees approved the 2025-26 First Interim Budget Report with a “qualified” status, indicating the district “may not be able to meet its financial obligations in the current or subsequent two fiscal years.” That is partly because the district predicted it would not have the legally required amount in reserves. That has triggered increased fiscal oversight from the Orange County Department of Education. More intervention at the county and state level could come if the budget situation is not improved.
“Keep the cuts away from our kids”
At the Jan. 20 meeting, several speakers voiced concerns about the proposal to slash jobs and programs. “The proposed layoffs by the district are irresponsible,” Barbara Fernandez, the health clerk at Luther Elementary, told the board during public comment. “What will happen to our students? Will there be a medical emergency missed, where it will be too late, resulting in a death? I ask the board to reconsider their decision and choose the safety and health of their students.”
Vessels Elementary sixth-grade teacher Andrea O’Gara pleaded with the board, “Please keep the cuts away from our kids.” She added, “Please be surgical. Look at each proposed cut carefully and ask one guiding question: how does this affect the children we serve?”
Later in the evening, parent Maria Calderon-Guzman asked why the cuts had to come from the school sites. “Why are we not examining salary reductions for district leadership, especially for those in the top 10% of earners?” she asked, drawing applause from attendees, many of whom were wearing Association of Cypress Teachers (ACT) apparel.
ACT President Candi Earley addressed the proposed job cuts during the union’s regularly scheduled agenda item. “There’s been considerable discussion and speculation regarding how the district arrived at its current financial situation, but regardless of the circumstances, many educators feel that they are bearing the brunt of these reductions,” Early said.
“It’s our sincere hope that the revised budget will be more favorable than expected and that the district will prioritize reinstating programs and positions that most directly support student learning and well-being.” In 2022, the board gave teachers a 9% pay raise at a cost of $19 million.
The representative for the classified staff union also spoke at the meeting. “Our classified employees are deeply committed to this district. They show up every day because they care about the students and families they serve,” California School Employees Association (CSEA) representative Alex Mehlbrech said. He added that CSEA remains committed to working with the district to “find solutions that protect students, preserve essential services and respect the people who make our schools run.”
Trustees seek reductions that do not impact staff or students
During the discussion portion of the proposed budget cuts, all five of the trustees and Superintendent Anne Silavs expressed a desire to minimize the impact to students.
Trustee Jaime Needham inquired about the number of secretaries at the district office. Ferchaw said that Cypress School District has fewer administrators than nearby districts and a lot of the staff has taken on multiple roles in the recent past. “I know from experience that we run a very lean district operation, and you know the people who work here wear many hats,” he said.
Needham also stressed the need to explore other options for cutting costs and generating more revenue, including incentivizing retirements, or creating new programs to increase enrollment. “I know we’ve talked a little bit about dual language, but has there been any talk around, like, a STEM magnet or a GATE magnet or anything like that, where we’d service the neighborhood kids, but also pull in kids that maybe go to surrounding districts?” Needham asked.
Supt. Silavs responded that those programs take resources to launch that are limited right now. “We could always look to that in the future as another way to increase enrollment,” Silavs said. “But I think right now, those programs would all take an investment that maybe we don’t have at the moment.”
Trustee Troy Tanaka asked if leadership had explored reducing executive compensation or bonuses. Silavs said that there are “no executive bonuses in Cypress School District.” She suggested, “if we need to find more money, there are opportunities to pursue furlough days … across our entire organization,” but noted that would require negotiations due to contracts.
Dr. Sondhi asked for a list of all of the funds in the budget to better understand where money could possibly be moved around to help close the budget gap. She also thanked all of the speakers for sharing their perspectives and invited them to send more suggestions.
“We hear you. We love you. We love our district. We love our kids,” Dr. Sondhi said. “Let’s make sure that we do what’s best [for] everybody.”
The Los Al Chamber filled the Epson America Conference Center again last week as members and guests gathered to see officers and board members sworn in for 2026.
Joint Forces Training Base Commander Lt. Col. Jubilee Satele was present to perform the swearing-in ceremonies. Satele, relatively new in the role as the Los Al Base Commander, thanked the Chamber for the invitation to administer the oaths.
After taking the oath as the new President of the Chamber, Richie Barnes, an outreach specialist for F&M Bank, said he was ready to move the organization forward, having spent a couple of years as a member of the Board of Directors and the Chamber’s Finance Committee.
“I’m ready to get started,” he told the Chamber, before laying out his vision for the next year.
Richie Barnes, Outreach Executive for F&M Bank, left, is sworn in as Chamber President by Lt. Col. Jubilee Satele, right. Satele is the commander of the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos. Photo by David N. Young
“I have a good idea of the financial structure,” said Barnes and “my strong suit is in the boardroom,” he said.
While the Chamber sponsors its “Heroes Appreciation Luncheon” each year, Barnes suggested meeting with other area Chambers to grow the network and get ideas.
“I want to really get connected with other Chambers,” said Barnes, “to broaden our network and move outside the ‘Heroes Appreciation Luncheon.’”
“So, I’m really looking forward to 2026,” he said.
In addition to Barnes, Satele also swore in the Chamber’s 15-member board of Directors.
Outgoing Co-Presidents Dr. Andrew Pulver and Susan Morales thanked the members for allowing them to serve, both acknowledging the changes they made were positive for the Chamber.
Pulver and Morales made several changes to the Chamber’s meeting, including a popular “Get Connected” segment wherein several members were grouped to solve challenges or exchange ideas.
“It’s been a fun way to keep us engaged and connected,” said Pulver.
Morales is a UCI Health Executive at the Los Alamitos Medical Center, and Pulver is Superintendent of the Los Alamitos Unified School District.
Pulver thanked the business community for strongly supporting its local institutions, noting that it was unique that the business community in Los Alamitos asked “two people who work for nonprofits to be co-presidents of the Chamber.”
Several representatives of local elected officials were on hand to honor the business officials and the board for their service to the community.
In other action, the Chamber;
Honored Mike Prencavage, Jr., from The Family Plumber, for sponsoring the meal at Epson.
Heard from Southland Credit Union executives after they were named “Member of the Month.”
Heard from Luke Saylor, of Saylor Cleaning. They offer janitorial services for large commercial spaces.
It’s easy to spot Dave Appling in a crowd—his friendly smile, steady presence, and hands always busy helping others. Whether volunteering at The Youth Center Christmas Tree Lot in his younger days—when carrying a full-sized pine over his shoulder looked effortless—or leading a service project abroad, Dave has always embodied what it means to give from the heart. The Rotary Club of Los Alamitos, Cypress, and Seal Beach is proud to honor that lifelong commitment by naming Dave the recipient of the Heart for Service Award, to be presented at the Hearts United Luncheon and Auction on February 10.
A Rotarian since 1982, Dave has built a legacy rooted in service, leadership, and generosity. As President and Owner of Appling Insurance Services, Inc., he has led with integrity both in business and in the community. His decades of volunteerism include serving as Past President of the Los Alamitos Education Foundation, Founder and President of the Los Alamitos High School Football Foundation—raising more than $155,000 in scholarships—and long-term Board Member and President of The Youth Center.
Courtesy photo Rotarian Chelsi Strohmyer-Wilson congratulates Dave Appling on his award.
Dave’s passion for helping others extends beyond local borders. He joined fellow Rotarians on a service trip to Mexico, where they worked together at an orphanage to provide care and support for children in need. And when he isn’t volunteering, you’ll likely find Dave fishing, a pastime that reflects his patient spirit and appreciation for life’s simple joys.
Over the years, Dave’s leadership and generosity have earned him widespread recognition, including Los Alamitos Chamber of Commerce “Man of the Year” (1994) and Cypress College Americana Awards “Citizen of the Year, Los Alamitos” (1999). “Dave’s heart for service shines in everything he does,” said Randy Hill, Rotary Club President. “He’s the kind of person who lifts others quietly but powerfully, through action, kindness, and consistency. He’s the heart of Rotary.”
The Hearts United Luncheon and Auction is an annual celebration of community service and generosity. Proceeds benefit the Rotary Club’s local and international projects supporting youth, families, and humanitarian causes. For event details or ticket information, please visit https://lacsbrotary.org/
The Rotary Club of Los Alamitos, Cypress, and Seal Beach is part of Rotary International, a global organization of leaders dedicated to fostering goodwill, promoting peace, fighting disease, and improving lives both locally and worldwide.
The Cypress Chamber of Commerce will welcome two members of the Olson Homes team as our guest speakers at our February Networking Breakfast. Brian Taylor and Karen Gorske, senior representatives from the Seal Beach based home builder, will share information on two NEW developments underway in Cypress.
The event will be held Tuesday, February 10th at the Residence Inn by Marriott at 4931 Katella Avenue, Cypress/Los Alamitos starting at 7:30 a.m. Two communities, Tierra Walk and Madera Walk, are currently under construction in Cypress and the representatives from Olson Homes plan to share the details for these projects. Olson Homes has already demonstrated a commitment to quality with other Cypress infill housing projects over the years.
Their customer-centric company culture is why homeowners have voted them the #1 Homebuilder in North America. They were also the recipient of “The Eliant” award for “Overall Home Purchase & Ownership Experience” ten times in the last twelve years.
Brian Taylor, Olson Homes, to speak to Cypress Chamber. Courtesy photo
Olson Homes, has been building walkable, thoughtfully-designed quality communities throughout Southern California since 1988 with the goal of fulfilling the dream of homeownership. Each of their two new communities is thoughtfully designed with the homeowners in mind complementing the Cypress area, architecture, and landscape. They build in established areas close to shopping, dining, and recreation to promote walkability which is why all their communities are named “walk.”
Brian Taylor is a Southern California native, who grew up in West Garden Grove.
At Cal Poly Pomona he received a degree in Chemical Engineering, but shortly after graduating decided to pursue a career in Real Estate. In 2010 he joined Olson, starting as a Home Advisor and now overseeing all the sales as the Sr. Director of Sales. Brian is married with two young daughters, loves cycling and spending time with the family. In fact, he spends many weekends at Arnold Cypress Park watching his daughter play softball.
Karen Gorske is a proud California native who grew up in Orange County. She graduated from Cypress High School, where she was an active member of both the Junior Varsity and Varsity Gymnastics squads. Karen worked her way through college at Disneyland in Anaheim while earning a double degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice from Cal State Fullerton, where she also served as President of her Criminal Justice class.
Karen Gorske, Olson Homes. Courtesy photo
She continued at the University of San Diego for graduate school before launching her real estate career with The Irvine Company. Karen later found her professional home at Olson Homes, where her passion for helping others find the perfect place to live truly shines. In her free time, she enjoys relaxing at the beach with her adorable husky puppy, and while she currently resides in an Olson Home, in Huntington Beach her family home remains in Cypress—keeping her close to the community she loves.
Each Chamber breakfast attendee will also have an opportunity to stand to introduce themselves and share a little about their business before the program begins.
Reservations are highly recommended and can be made online. Cost of the breakfast is $25.00. Attendees are encouraged to bring a door prize to help promote their product or service. The program will include time for live networking, self-introductions, a breakfast buffet, as well as our guest speakers. The Chamber networking breakfasts, which are open to the public, are held on the second Tuesday of every month. Space at these events is limited. To assure your seat, pre-register on the chamber website:
The musical theatre adaptation of one of the most memorable love stories of the current era, The Notebook, will celebrate its Costa Mesa premiere at Segerstrom Center for the Arts on Jan. 27 and run through Feb. 8.
“THE NOTEBOOK is ultimately a celebration of life, love, and the power of memory,” said producers Kevin McCollum and Kurt Deutsch.
“Audiences first fell in love with this timeless story as a novel, then as an iconic film, and now they can experience it anew as a moving musical event. With multi-platinum artist Ingrid Michaelson’s unforgettable score and Tony Award-nominated Bekah Brunstetter’s beautifully crafted book, THE NOTEBOOK comes to life on stage in a way that will resonate deeply with audiences across North America
Allie and Noah, two people from different worlds, share a lifetime of love despite the forces that threaten to pull them apart. “Full of butterfly-inducing highs and beautiful songs” (Entertainment Weekly), THE NOTEBOOK is a deeply moving portrait of the enduring power of love.
Allie and Noah are each played by three actors- Chloë Cheers as Younger Allie, Alysha Deslorieux as Middle Allie, Sharon Catherine Brown as Older Allie, Kyle Mangold as Younger Noah, Ken Wulf Clark as Middle Noah, and Beau Gravitte as Older Noah.
In an interview this week with ENE, Ken Wulf Clark (middle Noah) said he was “grateful” to learn he landed the role as Noah, though admitting that he purposely had not watched the movie before the audition.
“I’m glad I didn’t watch the movie, because by the time we were done, many people think of the book, but now, to me, “The Notebook” is only our play.”
“I think that this is one of the few remaining unabashedly romantic musicals out there,” said Clark, noting the play is so well written, “I think the true love magic truly happens (on stage as it did in the book and the movie).”
Clark said the message behind the powerful play “is to have faith,” as the musical tells the emotionally charged story of Allie and Noah’s encounters throughout their lives.
“The play is about the power of love” says Clark. “It’s about this man (Noah) who has this woman (Allie) that he’s completely devoted to and for three times throughout his life, he has to make the choice to fight for her.”
“When he’s (Noah) young, his parents take her away. When he is in the middle of life, he finds her again, but now she is engaged to this other man and he has to fight for her again. And then, at the end of his life, his last act of devotion is to fight for her while slowly losing her to dementia,” said Clark.
“I think there is a greater emphasis on that aspect of the story in the play as compared to the movie,” he added. That said, he believes his symbiotic, on stage chemistry with co-star Alysha Deslorieux (middle Allie), brings “makes the power and magic of love come alive on stage.”
“We trust each other and seem to agree on how to tell the story,” he said. “I don’t want to say it is easy, but I’m so grateful for my scene partner,” said Clark.
Musical theatre, says this accomplished acting veteran, is among the biggest challenges in today’s entertainment industry. “I like it because it is the hardest thing to do as an actor. If you can do this, you can do anything (in the field),” he said.
“It’s eight days a week, it’s on the road, you’re singing so you have to take care of your body, your voice. There’s the stress, physical, vocal, emotional and you know, it’s a lifestyle. It’s hard and you have to adapt to it but I like it and I get to do it with people who are good at it,” said Clark.
“And it’s gratifying every night when the curtain comes down with very little exception. I feel like I’ve accomplished something difficult and that’s why I love this job,” said Clark.
Clark, Deslorieux and company took the stage in “The Notebook” on Tuesday and the play will continue until Feb. 8.
The creative team for the tour includes scenic design by David Zinn and Brett J. Banakis , costume design by Paloma Young , lighting design by Ben Stanton , sound design by Nevin Steinberg , hair and wig design by Mia Neal , and projection design by Lucy Mackinnon . The production’s music supervisor is Carmel Dean , who also collaborated on arrangements with Ingrid Michaelson and on orchestrations with John Clancy , and the music director is Tina Faye . Casting by The Telsey Office , Patrick Goodwin , CSA.
The production was recently recognized with three 2024 Tony Award nominations (Best Book of a Musical, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical), Drama League Award nominations for Outstanding Production of a Musical, two Distinguished Performance Awards and the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing, Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, and an Outer Critics Circle Award.
Atlantic Records officially released the Grammy-nominated THE NOTEBOOK (Original Broadway Cast Recording), featuring a score that Vanity Fair calls “strikingly beautiful” by multiplatinum singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson.
Following its release, THE NOTEBOOK (Original Broadway Cast Recording) debuted at #1 on the Top Broadway chart in Music Connect, with breakout single “My Days ” now surpassing 9 million streams on Spotify alone.
Tickets for the Notebook start at $39 and are available at the SCFTA box office, 600 Towne Center Drive, Costa Mesa or visit scfta.org.
Charo is an American music and pop culture icon who has entertained millions during her stellar 50-year career returns to the area Jan. 31 with an appearance at the Carpenter Center for the Arts in Long Beach.
Charo has wowed over 17,000 in attendance at the legendary Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles with her show, featuring her infectious humor, her orchestra, dancers and her inimitable virtuoso guitar. Charo also entertains thousands of her gay fans Pride festivals all over the country and international fans at music venues around the world.
Charo is dubbed The Queen of Instagram for her fun, entertaining and informative content. Charo’s fans are from all ages and all walks of life and follow her homespun wisdom, imparting lifestyle advice on Fashion, Nutrition, Cooking, Exercise, how to maintain a Positive and Healthy Mental Outlook on her entertaining social media channels: Instagram: @OfficialCharo, Twitter @CharoCuchiCuchi and TikTok @TheRealCharo.
Charo is instantly recognizable by her trademark expression, “Cuchi Cuchi,” which has endeared her to audiences around the world and made her name synonymous with music, fun and excitement. She is a virtuoso guitarist, singer, composer, actress and comedienne who has been voted “Best Flamenco Guitarist” twice by Guitar Magazine. Most recently, Charo teamed up with top-name world-famous DJs to release Fantastico! The International Remixes, a series of dance tracks heard in gay clubs around the world.
Charo has also been featured in The New York Times’ “The Brilliance of Charo.” She also recently appeared on ABC’s “The View,” MTV Cribs, and TMZ. Charo has also appeared on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” and dazzled America with her rendition of Malagueña during the season finale. She has also starred in several episodes of the CW’s “Jane The Virgin” and appeared as the Queen of England in Syfy’s Sharknado 5. Charo and her family also appeared on an episode of ABC’s Celebrity Wife Swap, bringing to millions the antics and hilarious situations in her crazy Beverly Hills household. Her young fans know for voicing the character of Mama Toad in the animated film “Thumbelina.”
Charo is an icon in the LGBTQ community and has always advocated for gay rights throughout her career. She appears regularly at Pride events as well as guest-starred multiple times on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Charo is also a humanitarian and an activist for animal rights. Charo is a member of PETA and speaks out against animal cruelty. Charo was on Billboard charts with her single dance club hit – España Cañi!, the traditional bull fighting song, which she recorded in protest against bull fighting. Charo’s efforts eventually led to a ban on bull fighting in the Catalonia region of Spain. The experience led her to raise a bull in her Beverly Hills home. Watch Charo and her bull Manolo. Charo also supports Project Angel Food, a non-profit which delivers meals daily to home-bound patients in Southern California.
In addition to Charo, spokesman Franz Newman said the Carpenter Center has a variety of entertainment scheduled for January, the Miles Electric Band on Jan. 30 and the Charo experience on Jan. 30.
For ticket info, call (562) 985-7000, email epac@csulb.edu or visit carpenterarts.org.
Los Alamitos High’s boys basketball team had wins over Huntington Beach and Marina to improve its record to 6-2 in Sunset League play and maintain a slight edge for second place in the league. Corona del Mar has a solid hold on first place at 9-1, but the Griffins are looking to secure a playoff spot and make some noise.
The Griffins pulled away late in a game against Huntington Beach on Friday, winning 64-57. The Oilers rallied to tie the game at 51-51, but the Griffins clamped down. They outscored the Oilers 16-7 in the third quarter to regain control. Senior Tyler Lopez hit a three pointer and then assisted Ethan Lee on a layup for a 56-53 lead. Lopez had an offensive rebound and putback that stretched the lead to 58-53 and the Griffins held off the Oilers from there.
Lopez led the Oilers offense with 21 points. Senior Joseph Ojeda and sophomore Riley Bowers each had 15 points. Senior Ethan Lee had 8 points, including four in the fourth quarter. Juniors Ethan Huynh and Wyatt Unger each had 14 points to lead the Oilers. Senior Jonah Kim added nine points.
The Griffins dropped a non-league game against Servite on Saturday, but rebounded with an 86-69 league win over Marina High on Monday.
The Griffins will host Newport Harbor on Friday and then Edison on Monday. Both games are at 7 p.m. Edison is one game behind the Griffins at 5-3 heading into the final weekend of the regular season.
Huntington Beach High overcame a 5 point deficit with 4:21 left in the game to hand Los Alamitos its first Sunset League loss, 57-49, on Saturday at Huntington Beach High.
Senior guard Taylor Savage led the late charge with two three-pointers that gave the Oilers a 50-49 lead.
She also grabbed a missed free throw and scored to push the lead to 52-47. Los Alamitos was able to get some open shots, but the ball wasn’t falling for the Griffins. Nine different players scored for the Griffins, but only one, sophomore Maile Heng, reached double digits with 14 points. Sophomore forward Torri Yoshida had six points.
Savage led the Oilers with 16 points, including four three pointers. Junior forward Emily Hoang had 15 points, while Emma Miyai and Shelby Nguyen each had 13. Hoang hit five of six free throws in the closing minutes as the Griffins were forced to foul to extend the game.
The Griffins are still in control of the league race with a 7-1 record in league play. Huntington Beach and Marina are tied for second place with records of 5-3. The Griffins will host Fountain Valley on Thursday at 7 p.m. and they will play at Newport Harbor at 7 p.m. on Saturday. Huntington Beach will host Corona del Mar at 12:30 on Saturday and will host Marina at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
Kevin Ryan’s long odyssey from aerospace to inner space has been a remarkable journey to witness. He’s traveled from the lab precision of experimental aircraft to the brave frontier of acoustic guitar craftsmanship in a single lifetime.
Such is the fabled story of this Ohio native and his wife Barbara, who tumbled into Southern California forty or so years ago.
When the National Association of Music Manufacturers opens its show in Anaheim next week, Ryan’s company, Ryan Guitars, will be featured in one of the largest booths, with his hand-crafted guitars on sale for as much as $50,000 – and likely sold out.
Decades ago, Ryan was a cabinet maker and a home builder in Ohio when his dad found him a job in the engineering department of Northrop, the predecessor of the aerospace giant Northrop here in Southern California.
Ryan Guitar Booth at NAMM. Courtesy photo
Ryan, and his wife Barbara, left Ohio and settled in Westminster, California, not far from the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station. They found a home not far from Kevin’s parents and Kevin soon traded his outdoor tools to build model aircraft for wind-tunnel testing.
The son of a self-professed “nutty professor” dad (also an aerospace engineer) and a “zany” musical artist mom, Ryan says he’s happy to have inherited a bit from both.
Ryan said, at first, he was stunned by the “microscopic tolerances” used by the engineers in the development lab at Northrop.
“As a cabinetmaker, I was accustomed to working with tolerances of up to 1/16th of an inch,” he said. Working in aerospace, Ryan said he was suddenly faced with building complex engineering test aircraft “with tolerances of no more than 1/1000th of an inch.”
Ryan worked on the B-2 bomber, building scale models to withstand insane tolerances while being wind-tunnel tested. There was little room for error. “We worked on the B-2 and other aircraft,” said Ryan, “but some that are still classified that I’m not allowed to talk about.”
One of the model airplanes Ryan helped build for wind-tunnel testing. Courtesy of Ryan Guitars
Ryan could hardly have known then that his name would one day become well known for groundbreaking guitar craftsmanship
“I worked in aerospace for 10 years and I loved that job,” said Ryan in an interview at the recent NAMM show. “There’s a bunch that I learned that I could translate directly into the process of making guitars,” he said.
Although he loved his model-building work in aerospace, Ryan began to reveal a fascination for making guitars, according to his wife Barb.
Even back in Ohio, Barb said her husband was quite the guitar player. Nothing professional, but he loved to play. Fatefully, Barbara said in the mid-80s, she and Kevin went to a concert where she saw someone playing a guitar played by Jim Olsen that she liked.
“I fell in love with that guitar,” said Barb, so after the concert, she found an Olsen guitar that she wanted to purchase for her husband.
“I wanted to find out more about it so I called Jim Olsen to see if I could place an order,” said Barb. “This was 40 years ago, and Jim told me it cost $1200 and there was a three-year backlog on the guitar.
Andrew Ficke holds one of Ryan’s pristine guitars made with prehistoric wood that is thousands of years old. Courtesy photo
“We couldn’t afford it back then,” said Barb, saying the Olsen guitar was out of financial reach. However, it made Barb think that it may be time for her husband to perhaps build his own.
Barb said the next Christmas, she gifted her husband with the book, William Campano’s Guitar Making: Tradition and Technology.”
Ryan set up a small workshop in the garage of his parents and acquired the materials and tools to build a guitar.
“I started to build guitars, so I was working 100 hours a week,” said Ryan. “I would work all day in aerospace, then come home and work in the shop until midnight and then get up at 3:30 a.m. the morning,” he said.
“I did that for 10 years and it was the only way to start the company,” said Ryan. Through trial and error, Ryan quickly discovered new ways to craft the “inner space” of a guitar body to create a smoother sound.
While still at Northrop, Ryan finally managed to create his first “Mission” guitar, which he gave to his devoted mom. It didn’t take long, however, for Ryan, he says, to realize that he could not both work at Northrop and create a successful guitar company.
Ryan said he gave in to the “irrational insanity” to follow his dreams.
Ryan’s unique acoustic honeycomb bracing and framework. Courtesy photo
He soon resigned from Northrop and set up a manufacturing facility in Westminster. “Okay, if I’m ever going to do this,” Ryan said he told himself, “and that’s my dream career, you know, now’s the time.”
“That was just about the time we adopted our son, so we went from two incomes and no kids to one kid and no incomes,” said Ryan.
Though of concern to Ryan, his wife Barb said she never worried.
“The thing that is unique about Kevin is that he’s so driven. He must be learning something new every day. Once he’s decided, you couldn’t tear him away from it.”
Ryan left Northrop, but taking with him incredible insights from the model building and wind tunnel tests that would jumpstart his process.
“I knew from aerospace that weight was the enemy, even in a guitar,” said Ryan. With time, he debuted more instruments and more models, with industry-first design features like the Ryan bevel, acoustic floutes and using lasers for styling.
Ryan’s aerospace experience helped him develop innovations that showed up in his first series of guitars, including exciting new approaches to design. His long nights alone in the workshop led to breakthroughs in guitar making that included the Ryan bevel and acoustic flouts, an acoustic honeycomb framework and laser sculpting tolerance that produced precision sounds from the strings.
Ryan’s fascination with tools led him to increasingly high-tech approaches, and he credits Bob Taylor for helping him in his developments. Before long he acquired a CNC (computer numerical control) machine, a complex tool that allows Ryan to develop designs in a computer CAD program, which then directs the machine to perform precise cutting and routing operations. With the CNC machine, Ryan was able to introduce more precise and intricate details, including his MicroPearl inlay around the headstock and rosette, as well as blind fret slots where the binding is integrated
Players are stunned by the precision of the inlaid pearl and other elements in a Ryan Guitar. Courtesy photo
Ryan Guitars remains dedicated to crafting instruments of unparalleled beauty, comfort, innovation and performance, which honor the planet’s natural resources and delight the world’s finest players.
“Weight is the enemy,” Ryan says. “That has been a guiding principle to me.” As a former carpenter, he was familiar with wood, so he began testing all kinds of configurations and structures.
According to Ryan, seeking a “top” for the guitar was a challenge. He wanted it lighter, yet shaped with an ability to create and softly amplify sounds that resonated louder from the instrument.
When challenges like this cropped up, Ryan said he had an advantage. “I have a steel trap mind that works in my favor,” he said. “I’m dysfunctional in that while I’m working on something involved in the building process, it suddenly becomes the most important thing in my life,” said Ryan. “My brain knows this is not the case, but every other part of my brain thinks this is the most important thing I have ever done in my life,” he said.
“The more I did, the better I liked my guitars,” said Ryan.
Moreover, Ryan’s manufacturing plant in Westminster became an everyday Santa’s workshop for music, especially the sounds of acoustic guitars.
Ryan encouraged ideas from his team and even today, there are no bad ideas.
“I want our team to feel comfortable to push me, and others to do our best work,” he said.
“I love it when they have an idea, even if it doesn’t work,” said Ryan. “We always learn something and have fun doing it.” “We do things that nobody else in the world does. We invented things no one else can figure out and I wanted to create an environment where an incredibly talented team can flourish,” says Ryan.
Ryan’s “endless experimenting” and unique work environment paid off.
His guitar company, founded in 1987, today attracts national attention and has been adopted by some of the finest acoustic guitar players like Al Stewart, Laurence Juber (Paul McCartney’s “Wings” guitarist), Peter Finger, Tim Sparks, Woody Mann, Isato Nakagawa and others.
Acoustic Guitar Magazine crowned Kevin Ryan one of the most influential makers of the previous thirty years and his guitars “A blueprint for scores of other builders” and “a modern classic”.
The Nightingale, one of Ryan’s many brands, is sold at the NAMM show for $30,000. Ryan generally has a waitlist for his guitars. Courtesy photo
The Westminster guitar maker now offers several lines of guitars as its priceless instruments continue to attract attention and the dedication of an industry that has only grown over time. Ryan now purchases rare wood, like rare trees, some thousands of years old, to further refine his never-ending quest for a better sound.
“We build guitars, not because it is easy but because we thought it was going to be extremely difficult. We flourish not only as craftsmen, but I mean, we really love each other,” he said, “and I guess that is what really matters.”
Ryan said that until he launched his company, guitar building had changed little in the past 150 years. Perhaps 150 years from now, they will be studying Kevin Ryan. While his journey from aerospace to inner space is not yet complete, Ryan and his brand of guitars have indeed reached an orbit all their own.
After being dominated for decades by a ruling majority of conservative Council members, voters in Cypress have elected a new slate of voices who have already demonstrated their willingness to make change.
The new majority has already begun to make their voices heard, as the City Council on Monday changed the Council’s official meeting date and broke long-standing protocol with regards to Council appointments.
The Council voted in December to elect Mayor Pro-tem Leo Medrano as Mayor and voted for Kyle Chang as Mayor Pro-tem.
At Monday’s meeting, Council member Bonnie Peat used her voice to object to changing the Council’s meeting date from Monday to Tuesday, and she argued to no avail that it was against policy for former Mayor David Burke to retain top committee assignments, including the voting delegate at the California League of Cities Convention, even though he is no longer the Mayor.
“I believe that the mayor should represent us in that,” said Peat after Mayor Medrano revealed his list of Council member appointments to various outside Boards and Commissions.
“Mr. Burke can continue being on there if needed (as an alternate), but the primary person is the mayor of our city, who should represent us at these particular events.
Cypress Council member David Burke. Courtesy photo
Peat said she believed city guidelines dictate as such, though she could not cite specifics.
“I guess, personally, this just feels to me like you’re trying to take me off of committees,” said Burke. “The committees that you mentioned don’t request the mayor serve in that role,” he said, referring to the mayor serving as the voting delegate at the California League of Cities Convention.
Burke repeatedly offered to take himself off of that assignment if that was the Mayor’s request.
“Mayor Medrano, if you would like to serve on those committees instead of me, feel free to make a motion to do so. Failing that, I will make a motion to approve the committee assignments as recommended,” said Burke.
Medrano said he had no problem with Burke serving and was happy with his assisgnments.
Peat, however, made a motion to compel Medrano, as the City’s Mayor, to serve as the voting delegate at the California League of Cities; however, the motion died for the lack of a 2nd.
While the city assigns members to various county boards and commissions, Chang said the big three, the OC Fire Authority, Mosquito and Vector Control and OC Sanitation, are generally reserved for people seeking higher office. All three compensate members for meetings.
“They’re seen as a steppingstone to either higher office or greater political desires,” said Chang, “but I was really surprised to see Mayor Medrano not listed in any of these three and he didn’t list himself, as mentioned, to the League of Cities,” he said.
“The way I saw this is more of a commitment to service instead of a desire for prestige or higher office,” said Chang. Of the big three, Medrano split them between Burke, Chang and Peat.
The board approved the appointments, as proposed by Medrano, on a vote of 4-1, with Peat against.
Peat and Burke also clashed over changing the meeting date of the Council to Tuesdays, even though Peat has expressed a concern about being able to attend on Tuesdays and an admission earlier that long time city attorney representative Fred Galante has other commitments and cannot participate on Tuesdays.
“Tuesday is not a good day for me,” said Peat, “so I apologize in advance for those that I represent that I may or may not be able to be here at certain times. I will make every effort so I can attend as many meetings as I can,” she said.
“Shifting the meeting date from Monday to Tuesday should have a number of benefits,” said Burke. “It reduces the number of times meetings conflict with federal, state or school holidays. It gives residents, staff and council members one business day to review the agenda and prepare, and it makes it easier for residents to follow issues.”
“I’m not aware of any unbreakable commitment that would prevent any Council member from attending meetings on Tuesdays,” he added.
“I respect that, Mr. Burke, you have no idea what my schedule looks like during the week, so you are really unable to speak on my behalf about what happens on Tuesdays,” Peat retorted.
During oral communication, one resident, Marilyn Reames, passionately asked the Council not to change the meeting date.
“I implore you to reverse the decision that you have made about changing the Council date from Monday to Tuesday. It seems to be utterly retaliatory and without merit,” she said. “We are living in a day and time when the national dialogue is comprised of retribution and pay back. It is unbecoming and exhausting.”
Former Mayor and Council member Anne Hertz Mallari also spoke against the change. “I caution you against making this change. It is completely unnecessary,” she said, suggesting that it was being done “for political purposes.”
The Council voted 4-1 to change the meeting date, with Peat being the lone dissenting vote.
In a foreshadowing of a hot topic for next week’s meeting, Council member Rachel Strong asked to bring up a matter that would “protect community safety and civil rights with relation to ICE enforcement.”
“I think what I’m asking for,” she said, “if it could be considered at a future meeting, is a council resolution to affirm the protection of our constituents’ civil rights and to condemn the use of excessive force by federal and immigration authorities, if that’s possible.”
“It is our responsibility as a City Council to ensure that everyone in our community can safely attend school, go to work, worship, seek medical care and participate in civic life without fear of violence or abuse.”
“Residents across the country are reporting aggressive and militarized ICE enforcement, including a recent fatality. They are seeing use of force disproportionate to threats, lack of clear identification, detentions without judicial warrants, and operations that create widespread fear beyond the individuals targeted in this climate of fear,” said Strong/Carnahan.
“While we as a city cannot control federal agencies, we can control our policies, resources, and values,” she said. Chang seconded Strong/Carnahan’s request to place the item on the next agenda.
“I’ll support council member Rachel Strong’s suggestions, and I am actually in favor of us discussing this at a council meeting,” the Mayor Pro-tem said. “I feel like this is an immediate threat to public safety for a lot of our residents,” he said.
Further, he said the issue should be discussed at a public meeting and not wait for a strategic planning session.
The Rossmoor Community Services District Board of Directors elected Jo Shade and longtime community activist as its President for the coming year at its Jan. 12 board meeting.
The Board elected Shade as President, Nathan Searles as First Vice President and Director Tony DeMarco will serve as 2nd Vice President.
Shade becomes the sixth female to serve as President of the Board, according to GM Sharon Landers, Clair Weeks was the first in 1989, Margaret Kendrick served in 1993, Linda Goodrich after her, Dawn Coleman-Hyman, Shannon Hough and now Shade.
Rossmoor CSD Board President Jo Shade. Courtesy photo
Director Michael Maynard voted against the new slate of officers as they were ultimately approved 4-1. Before the elections, outgoing Board President Nathan Searles gave his “State of the District” report to the board and the district.
“I’m proud to present the 2025 State of the District address,” said Searles, noting that the report “highlights the strengths and resilience of the Rossmoor community and the dedication of its exceptional staff.”
“The Board and staff remain united in our mission to improve facilities, safeguard our neighborhoods and deliver programs that make Rossmoor one of the most desirable places to live. Your input continues to guide our priorities, and our staff works tirelessly to turn those priorities into reality,” he said.
He cited the accomplishment of hiring GM Sharon Landers to replace the retiring former General Manager Joe Mendoza. “Our administrative staff supported this transition with professionalism and efficiency, maintaining continuity in operations and service delivery,” Searles told the Board.
Financially, Searles said the district remains in good shape, with proven reserves of more than one year’s operating expenses.
In addition, he said the district’s financial outlook remains strong.
“Thanks to the diligence of our finance team, their commitment to new accuracy and transparency earned us a clean, unmodified audit report from Rogers Anderson, Maloney and Scott. Key financial highlights for 2024 -2025 (fiscal year) were that our reserves are now approximately one year’s operating expenses. Our net position increased 2.7%, property tax revenues increased 4.6%, and our total revenues increased by 7% while our total expenses only increased by 3.1%.”
“The increased expenses were primarily due to facility maintenance and capital projects managed by our operations staff,” the outgoing president said.
“This year, our staff oversaw the completion of a re-roofing of the Rossmoor Park Community Center, installation of a shade canopy at Rossmoor Park using our proposition 68 grant funds, we added upgraded spectator benches, shade awnings and noise abatement measures at tennis and pickleball courts,” he added.
Thanks to our dedicated arborist, Mary Kingman, and the tree care team in Rossmoor, Searles said the district earned the Tree City USA designation for the 15th consecutive year, while their educational outreach has nearly eliminated tree trimming violations. “We’re (RCSD) close to achieving a parkway tree for every resident. I know that pleases the board, as it’s something we’ve been striving for over the years,” he said.
The RCSD Board also heard from Joaquin Jimenez, Operations Manager for Street Sweeping Corporation of America, who addressed some of the residential concerns about the speed of the street sweepers and about piled-up trash affecting street sweeping.
Jimenez said while some residents have expressed concern about the speed of the street sweepers, the speed of each unit is monitored, and they generally run from 6-8 miles per hour. He also addressed concerns about the buildup of leaves during fall and winter in Rossmoor that sometimes requires extra sweepers to complete the Rossmoor street sweeping schedule.
“It’s hard for us to tell if it’s just leaves, and also if branches are in there, it clogs up our system,” Jimenez said. Perhaps, said Jimenez, if residents understood more of how they could make things easier for the sweepers, “I know it would help us more.”
“I know sometimes they feel like they’re helping us out by piling it up, but it makes it harder for us to pick up,” he told the board.
DeMarco said Jimenez to help the board and the staff learn what exactly should be communicated to residents. “It’s about education,” he said, asking Jimenez to have the drivers take photos of problem areas and communicate them to Landers and the staff so residents can be informed.
Landers told the board the staff has a cooperative working relationship with the company. “They have been very cooperative,” the general manager said.
Recreation Supt. Chris Argueta reported on recreational activities for the previous quarter and gave directors an update on things being planned for later in 2026.
In a statement released this week by the Cypress Elementary School District, they are looking for ways to shore up budget holes of as much as $3 million.
The statement said “as you may recall, in October the district provided an update on its finances after the end of the 2024/25 fiscal year. That update highlighted higher than expected spending in 2024/25. At that time, we committed to sharing more information as it became available.”
The information is now available, and the Cypress Board of Trustees have no choice but to look at cuts.
“On December 11, 2025, the Board of Trustees received a budget update – one of two that are required each fiscal year. That report estimated that this year’s budget will require the use of about $3 million in one-time funds in order to balance the budget. The December report also included a projection for the following two years. In that forecast, the district identified the need for $3.3 million in ongoing budget cuts for the 2026/27 year,” according to the statement.
“Even with these cuts, and some more reductions in 2027/28, the district was unable to certify it would be able to meet its obligations over the next three years. For that reason, the district certified its budget as “qualified.”
Cypress School District Anne Silavs. Courtesy photo
On Tuesday, Jan. 20, district staff was scheduled to present to the Board a proposed plan to address the budget gap. The district spends about 83 percent of its budget on staff salaries and benefits. Because of this, the proposed plan includes the reduction or elimination of positions. There are also plans to reduce outside services and materials and supplies budgets. A full list of the proposed reductions is expected to be included in the presentation to the Board.
The challenges the district faces related to declining enrollment are similar to what the most districts throughout California are facing. With fewer students, the district’s projected funding does not keep pace with the rising cost of continued operations each year.
State law requires the district to provide preliminary layoff notices to affected employees by March 13 if reductions are to take effect for the 2026/27 fiscal year. That requires action by the Board of Trustees at the February 12 meeting. Between March and May, the district will continue revising its budget projections. If more funding becomes available or costs decrease, some layoff notices may be rescinded. In May, the Board will be asked to approve a final list of layoffs. Affected employees will be placed on a 39-month rehire list and will have opportunities to be substitutes in the district, the board statement said.
Last week, Circuit launched an electric micro transit program in Los Alamitos, called Los Al Link, that provides free service for riders aged 50 and above.
According to a statement issued by the company, this program, similar to Circuit’s service in Chula Vista, CA aims to help the City ensure that its older residents maintain their independent mobility with ease.
City officials stated that more than 30% of Los Alamitos residents are above the age of 55, and that population is only growing. Additionally, 10% of the senior population noted transportation as an increasing problem demonstrating the demand for an age-conscious transit service.
Los Al Link was spearheaded by the City of Los Alamitos and funded in a joint effort between the City and the Measure M2 Project V grant administered by the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA).
“This is just the first step in the implementation of our senior master plan. This will be the first of its kind in Orange County” said City Manager Chet Simmons.
The program is not exclusive to older adults; riders under 50 can also ride for the small fare of $2.50 matching local public transit fares. The fleet consists of four vehicles: two sedans, one wheelchair van, and one ID Buzz, all of which are 100% electric.
The service will operate during the following days/hours:
Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Thursday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Between the Tuesday after Memorial Day and Labor Day, Los Al Link will operate on a seasonal summer schedule where the above hours will switch from 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM to 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM.
“We’re very excited about our partnership with the City of Los Alamitos,” said Circuit CEO and Co-Founder Alex Esposito. “We’ve seen senior-focused programs excel and be real assets to the community, like our service in Chula Vista. We look forward to the success that awaits this program.”
To read more about this program, please visit: https://www.ridecircuit.com/blog/los-al-link-launches.
Circuit is redefining transportation with all-electric, on-demand microtransit. Operating in 50+ U.S. markets, Circuit has provided millions of affordable rides that connect people to jobs, shops, healthcare, and entertainment by replacing short car trips. Circuit delivers a complete transportation service to its partners by owning its electric vehicle fleets, hiring drivers, creating route-optimizing software, handling operations, and more. Through partnerships with cities, local governments, and private properties, Circuit reduces congestion, cuts emissions, and strengthens local economies.
The Los Alamitos High girls soccer team is off to a 3-1 start in Sunset League play and the Griffins are looking to make a run as the second half of the season approaches. The Griffins had a 4-1 win over Fountain Valley on Friday.
The Griffins had been slowed by a few injuries during the pre-season, but they were able to get some playing time for some of their younger players and as they get back to full strength, Head Coach Pat Rossi said the team is starting to find some continuity.
The Griffins took a 4-0 lead in the first half, with goals from sophomores Kaylin Duffy and Addie Fennessey, and juniors Sydney Boik and Victoria ‘hana’ Kira. Duffy’s goal was her team-leading ninth of the season. The lead was enough for the Griffins to lean on defense to close out the game.
Head Coach Pat Rossi uses a system that uses ball control to move and attack defenses. He said the team has made improvements in the ball movement, as well as moving without the ball to create passing lanes and more effective attacks. “So we’re working on our four corner attacking players, they’re moving well off the ball, and then we’re finding them in good spots now,” Rossi said.
The Griffins had a game against Huntington Beach on Tuesday, past ENE press time. The Griffins will be at Edison High on Tuesday. The Chargers are looking like a threat to challenge for the league title.
The Los Alamitos High boys basketball team held off an Edison team that kept pace with the Griffins for 3 ½ quarters. But the Griffins secured a 71-63 Sunset League victory down the stretch, to improve to 5-1 and move a game ahead of the Chargers, who sit at 4-2.
Corona del Mar sits atop the standings at 6-0, after pulling out a last second 78-77 win over the Griffins on Jan. 5. The Griffins will try to even the score with a game at Corona del Mar on Wednesday.
Los Alamitos took a 49-38 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Chargers refused to give in and made a couple of runs to close the gap. After the Chargers cut the lead to 53-49 with 5:13 left in the game, the Griffins responded with two free throws by Tyler Lopez and then a baseline three-pointer by Joseph Ojeda that pushed the lead back to 58-49.
Edison kept pushing back, getting to within 62-58, after a driving layup by Teddy Goslow and two free throws by Devyn Blake. But the Griffins would pull away from there. Edison seemed to run out of steam trying to keep pace with the Griffins up tempo game. The Chargers missed several late game free throws to keep the score close.
Senior Tyler Lopez led the Griffins with 26 points and Isaiah Williamson followed with 14 points. Ojeda had 10 points and sophomore Riley Bowers chipped in nine. Edison senior guard Derick Johnson had a game-high 31 points and junior Jackson Oei had 15. Goslow added 12 points.
The Griffins are at Corona del Mar tonight at 7 p.m for a rematch with the Sea Kings. Los Al will host Huntington Beach on Friday at 7 p.m. and will host a non-league game against Servite on Saturday at 3 p.m.
The Los Al Police Department, the only municipal police department whose officers were heretofore not wearing body-worn video cameras, will join their law enforcement brethren in 2026 after the City Council approved a measure late in 2025 that will provide the financing for the project.
In one of the Los Alamitos City Council’s last meetings before the 2025 holiday break, they approved an agreement with Axon, a company police say is the nation’s leading law enforcement technology providers, for approximately $350,000 to support the provision of body worn cameras for the city’s police department for the next five years.
According to Los Al Police Chief Michael Claborn, the implementation of a body-worn camera program for the department has been long-awaited and will now provide a new era of transparency and accountability for police, and for citizens who engage with officers.
“We are the last remaining Police Department in Orange County that does not have body-worn cameras,” Clayborn told the Council at the meeting, “so I think the value of the cameras has been well established being that they’ve been in our industry for so many years now for the ability to protect us against complaints for civil liability reasoning should we be involved in a shooting or major use of force.”
Both Claborn and City Manager Chet Simmons say the delay in acquiring the body-worn technology was by design. Simmons said when he first arrived in Los Alamitos in 2020, and in his first conversations with Claborn in 2022, after he joined the city, “the chief was adamant that we were going to do body-worn cameras,” said Simmons.
Los Alamitos Police Chief Michael Claborn. File photo by Loreen Berlin
Since then, he said the city has been busy updating its internet technologies and other support systems to service the bandwidth required to facilitate adding the system.
In addition, Simmons said Claborn informed him about emerging technologies regarding seamless integration with the D.A.’s office regarding video evidence and the city did not yet have the information technology infrastructure to support the high-tech cameras. With the current renovations, apparently, now they do.
“We (Los Alamitos) now can tie into the O.C. District Attorney’s Office with evidence, time-stamped and have them easily found,” Simmons told the Council. “The evidence can be transmitted to the places we need to have them,” the city manager said, noting that staff and the Police Department have been working since then to implement Claborn’s plan.
“The Chief has provided a good system, and this (approval) is the final step in implementing that system,” said Simmons. Claborn confirmed that once fully implemented, the new system will be fully capable of “seamlessly” providing digital evidence to the D.A.
“The utilization of body-worn cameras has been in effect for so long that now juries expect to see video on trials,” said Claborn.
Los Al Police Capt. Kain Gallaugher said the $344,000 contract represents five years of service at $68,000 per year. Axon will provide more than enough cameras for the department, including extras in case problems emerge with any officer’s equipment.
He said officers will update to Taser 10, the newest standard that most agencies now employ, and that the entire package comes with training models that let police administrators observe training to see how officers react under various circumstances. He said Los Al has used tasers since 2007, allowing officers to use “less than lethal” force.
“Tasers have been incredibly useful nationwide and at our department,” said Gallaugher. He said the city updated the tasers in 2012 and the contract with Axon will include the Taser 10, the latest models available in the U.S.
Gallaugher said the virtual reality training modules that come with the police package will prove to be extremely valuable. “Actually, putting officers in those real-life situations instead of just talking about it is a much better way to train our officers,” said Gallaugher. All of the virtual training products come at no additional cost, he added.
In addition, Gallaugher said the contract allows the city to be updated with new equipment at no charge for the first two and one-half years if the company updates the cameras and associated technology.
“You know with technology, updates happen very frequently, and Axon will actually upgrade us with whatever the latest technology is making sure that we’re staying up to speed with the latest products,” Gallaugher told the Council.
Finally, Gallaugher explained to Mayor Tanya Doby how the cameras were insured, how they are activated, noting that the new body-worn cameras will automatically switch on in the event an officer gets into a scuffle before they have a chance to switch it on.
In addition, Gallaugher said once the entire system is in operation, officers will have the option to review their videos for extra details when writing their reports.
The police chief urged approval, saying the time is now or the cost will only go up. “Now is a good time to invest,” Claborn told the Council, “because with technology, the prices are just going to continue going up. This will get us locked in for five years with upgrades.”
In addition, Claborn insisted that the new technology will save officers time and bring the city’s police department up to industry standard.
Body worn cameras “are the industry standard, not just the form for obvious transparency reasons, but also to make sure that we’re filing good cases with the DA’s office,” said Claborn. He said the body-worn camera footage will not only be compatible with a new Axon portal to the D.A.’s office, but will also comply with an existing service currently being used by the department.
As an administrative issue, the Los Al police chief said city staff will have to develop a body-worn camera policy “that we do not have” that will ultimately require Council approval.
Given the fact that much of the city’s infrastructure is already behind the project, that shouldn’t turn out to be a problem, the city manager suggested.
Los Alamitos Police Public Information Officer Robert Acosta has told ENE that city police are working on the policy while officers go through virtual training and other measures while the system is being readied for implementation.
“Clearly,” said Gallaugher, when you look at these numbers (cost) versus the potential of a lawsuit, because we don’t have video backup, our officers observations as to why they use force seems like a wise investment,” he said. The Council voted unanimously to approve the expenditure on the body-worn camera ecosystem.
Nearly eight decades after it first opened, the Bay Theatre in Seal Beach will celebrate its first anniversary as a restored movie theatre and live event venue the weekend of January 23–25, 2026, capping off a successful year of films, live music, comedy, and community events.
The anniversary weekend kicks off Friday, January 23, with a screening of the award-winning documentary “Harbour Chronicles,” which tells the story of legendary board shaper Rich Harbour and how Harbour Surfboards, the oldest surf shop in the world, helped define surf culture. On Saturday, January 24, the Bay Theatre will welcome back Surfin’: The Beach Boys Tribute Band following their sold-out and highly energetic Christmas show. The celebration concludes Sunday, January 25, with classic cinema favorites “Cinema Paradiso” and “Singin’ in the Rain.”
Originally opened in 1945 as the Beach Theatre, the venue became the Bay Theatre in 1946 under Fox West Coast Theatres. In 1975, owner Richard Loderhose transformed it into a destination for independent, foreign, and classic films, installing a massive Wurlitzer pipe organ that was once considered the largest in any operating theatre in the world. The Bay Theatre also holds a unique place in film history, with an unauthorized biography of Steven Spielberg citing it as his favorite place to watch foreign films while he attended Cal State Long Beach in the 1960s.
After closing in 2012, the building was designated a Seal Beach Historical Landmark in 2016. That same year, current owner Paul Dunlap purchased the theatre and spent eight years researching, restoring, and redesigning it to reflect its original vintage aesthetic while incorporating state-of-the-art modern sound and lighting systems.
“When people walk in and see it for the first time, the reaction has been incredibly positive,” Dunlap said. “People love how it looks and feels… and they just have so much fun.”
Since reopening, the Bay Theatre has hosted a mix of films, concerts, and live performances, quickly establishing itself as a popular gathering place for the community and a favorite venue for artists. Audiences and performers alike have praised the theatre’s design and acoustics, with some musicians even requesting to record albums there.
Dunlap says the biggest challenge has been choosing engaging programming that motivates audiences to leave their homes in an era of streaming. “When you find the right fit, it really works,” he said. “Once people come and experience it, they’re overwhelmingly likely to return.”
That response has been especially clear with “Harbour Chronicles,” which sold out all nine screenings, as well as several live music events. “The applause at the end of a movie or a live show like that… that’s when you know it’s working,” Dunlap said.
Looking ahead, Dunlap hopes the Bay Theatre will continue to be known as a joyful, high-quality venue that brings people together. A favorite quote by Plato, often displayed on the Bay Theatre’s marquee, captures that spirit: “By caring about the happiness of others, we find our own.”
“That’s exactly what this place is about,” Dunlap said.
St. Irenaeus Health Ministry is turning the light on human trafficking. The Epstein files and Epstein’s coercion of young women have dominated the national news for years and continue to do so. Human trafficking such as this is not just occurring on the East Coast, but can be found in our community as well, if we are observant.
All are invited to attend the Solidarity Walk and Prayer Vigil on Tuesday, February 3rd, from 6:55 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at St. Irenaeus Church, 5201 Evergreen Ave., Cypress, CA 90630, to honor victims and survivors of human trafficking. This is a free event.
Please join us in our candlelit procession within the church as we discuss how the crime of human trafficking affects our daily lives, destroys innocence, creates online vulnerability for our youth, and intersects with child marriage.
Join the fight against human trafficking by participating in the Bridge of Light Ministry’s Solidarity Walk and Prayer Vigil. Uniting with others creates a symbol of our dedication to honor the victims and survivors of human trafficking and raises community awareness of this heinous crime. Cypress Mayor Medrano and Cypress Police Chief Lauderback will be in attendance and will offer a few brief remarks. If you have any questions, please get in touch with Monica Kovach, Chair of the Bridge of Light Ministry, at 310-490-6113.
