April 16 to April 22 is National Healthcare Decisions Week – A week set aside to encourage all of us to discuss and document important health care wishes before a stressful health crisis occurs.
These wishes can include decisions about what we value most should we become seriously ill or have a disease that is progressing.
Advance care planning allows for the documentation of treatment preferences so our wishes can be followed should we become ill.
It can be tough to get started.  It may even feel a bit awkward, but powerful conversations with family members today can ensure end-of-life care preferences are honored and reduce stress and uncertainty in the future.
Planning today means that you can take comfort tomorrow in knowing that your loved ones will receive the treatments they want, while protecting them from the care that they don’t want or value.
According to a national survey by The Conversation Project, more than 90 percent of the people think it’s important to talk about their loved ones’ and their own wishes for end-of-life care, but fewer than 30 percent of people have actually had these important conversations.
Many people simply haven’t gotten around to taking the necessary steps to make their health care wishes known.  Sometimes people don’t know how to start the conversation with their loved ones.
A great way to start is by thinking about what is most important to you if you or your loved ones were facing a life threatening or progressive illness and then you can move on to thoughtful and open conversations with those you love.
Here are some steps to help get the conversation started:
1. Think about what is most important to you. What things in life are so important that you can’t imagine living without them?  What are you worried about most should you become ill? Who would you prefer to make medical decisions on your behalf with your physicians if you could not?
2. Talk with your loved ones. Honest communication can help families avoid the stress of guessing what a family member would have wanted. Be open with each other and focus on really understanding the views of those you love. You may find that you and your loved ones may see some things differently. That’s okay. Talk through it, listen and keep an open mind.  Sometimes it is helpful to say “tell me more” when you’re stuck.
3.·Make it official. Once you’ve had the conversation, formalize your decisions by putting it in writing. There are several ways to do this. An advance directive can help describe your medical wishes when you no longer can. Special medical orders can be developed with your doctor. Finally, a health care proxy identifies your health care agent—the person you trust to act on your behalf if you are unable to make your own medical decisions.
4. Get help. You can find valuable resources to help you think through these issues and make decisions more manageable at www.optumcare.com/nhdd and www.theconversationproject.org.
Advance care planning is a process that happens over time and more often when someone is facing a serious illness.
Knowing what patients want and value helps ensure people get the care they want. I have seen firsthand improved quality of life and the sense of peace, calm and satisfaction families experience knowing their loved one’s health care wishes are followed.

–Deborah Pauer is a family     medicine physician with OptumCare Medical Group located in Los Alamitos.

Editor’s note: The following is part two of a series.

The issue of red-light camera tickets continues to be a controversial one across the United States and in California.
It is a big business, which is supported by vendors’ and politicians’ claims that safety is the object, not money.  Yet more and more questions arise as to the factual basis for the safety claims behind adoption of red-light camera systems.
Recently, Florida issued a statewide annual report dated Dec. 31, 2016, covering almost 60 jurisdictions and some 700 red-light cameras at over 400 intersections.  Over 1.2 million red-light camera tickets were issued, with over 750 thousand of them being paid.
The Florida report showed that installation of red-light cameras increased accidents and their severity.  Several other studies have similarly questioned the safety of red-light cameras.
Total crashes at the involved intersections in Florida increased by over 10 percent following installation of red-light cameras.  Injury crashes increased by over 9 percent; incapacitating injury crashes increased by over 25 percent.  Fatal crashes increased from 5 to 10, an increase of 100 percent.
It is no surprise, then, that the Florida House voted on March 23 to discontinue their red-light camera program.
[Six days later, on March 29, the Texas State Senate voted to ban the use of red-light cameras in that state as well.]
The Florida and Texas bills to end their state’s use of red-light cameras are just the most recent efforts nationwide.  After a five-year red-light camera pilot project ended in 2014, New Jersey’s legislature has not sought to restart the program.
In the Los Angeles, the city’s Police Commission in 2011 ended their Police Department’s use of red-light cameras to issue traffic tickets.
Although several other cities in LA County continue to use red-light cameras, the LA Superior Court is no longer taking enforcement action against drivers who ignore red-light camera tickets, such as issuing warrants for non-appearance or reporting to the DMV.
The Cities of Pasadena, San Bernardino and San Diego dropped their red-light camera programs in 2012 and 2013.
In 2015, the City of Santa Ana ended its red-light camera program, leaving just Garden Grove and Los Alamitos as the only remaining cities in Orange County continuing the use of red-light cameras.
That same year a bill was introduced in the California House to prevent the installation of new red-light cameras by cities.
The bill, AB 1160, also required cities to conduct studies concerning the safety impact of their existing red-light cameras to determine whether their continued use was justified. The bill died in committee in 2016 and apparently has not been revived in the current legislative session.
While the red-light camera issue won’t go away completely, it may be replaced by a new California controversy:  speeding tickets automatically issued by cities using photo camera radar devices.
In February, legislators in the Bay Area proposed AB 342, a bill authorizing the cities of San Francisco and San Jose to electronically issue speeding tickets using automated photo radar camera systems.
What’s next?  I can wait.
–Joel Block lives in Rossmoor and is a retired attorney

This article appeared in the April 12, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.

A few hundred friends, a dozen American Legion members, and many members and relatives of Jim and Frances Cazeras, attended Jim’s funeral on Saturday, March 11, 2017, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Cypress, California.
John Fay, married to Jim’s granddaughter, Shayleen, presented the finest eulogy I’ve ever heard.  I asked John for a copy so I could publish his excellent eulogy in this column.  I have tried to condense John’s finest words from his five pages.
Jim Cazeras was born on July 10, 1926, in East Los Angeles.  He was the youngest of 12 children. His five older brothers fought in World War 2, and all came home alive. The six sisters worked at Clifton’s Cafeteria in Los Angeles.  While Jim’s brothers were away at war, and his sisters were at work, Jim did the household chores.  He earned money on his newspaper route.
He attended Trinity Middle School, Audubon Jr. High, and Manual Arts High School.  After he finished the 11th grade, he proceeded to explore his technical skills in radio electronics.
World War II had started in 1939.  America declared war on the Axis enemies in 1941 after Pearl Harbor.  It was during this time that Jim began studying electronics at the Frank Wiggins Trade School.  One of his teachers, Mr. Warson, asked Jim what he really liked to do.  His immediate response was “Radio Electronics.”
Six months later, Jim became licensed as an officer on ship by taking the Radio Telegrapher Test.  At age 17, in 1943, Jim was awarded a Federal Operator License he used for the next fifty years.
When Jim went to the San Pedro shipyard, and being highly specialized in the electronics technology of that time, he was assigned to a ship and was told he would be sailing to a port overseas in a week.
Not yet 18, with his mother’s permission, Jim became a Merchant Marine cadet. He was bussed to Port Hueneme to work on the Angus McDonald Liberty Ship.  Jim felt intimidated being surrounded by US Navy seamen,. For his first 30 days at sea, he spent the biggest part of his day “hugging a bucket” and eating saltine crackers.
The ship sailed to Milne Bay in the South Pacific where Jim and his mates prepared to move into Japan, to support the war.  Jim’s job aboard the ship was to decode communication. He was nicknamed ‘Sparks’ due to his ability to make things work on the cue of his fingers.
After the US dropped the atomic bombs on Japan in 1945, all convoys were sent back to the States.   Shortly after arriving home, Jim, still in uniform, went “ship-hopping” with crewmates. They went to the Panama Canal on the O. B. Martin, and to Europe and Germany on other ships.
Jim experienced the testing of the atomic bomb while in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific.  A “city” was built on the island so they could gauge the amount of destruction one atomic bomb would make.
Again, back home with his family, Jim was drafted into the Army.  Before going to the Army base, he and his brother, George went to the Aragon Ballroom in Venice Beach.  They spotted a lovely, young lady across the dance floor.  Jim thought, “What a pretty girl. She looks shy, but happy.”  Jim introduced himself to Frances.  They danced almost endlessly.  Jim was glad he wore his ”elevator shoes” so he would appear a few centimeters taller.
His first date with Frances was to go to Lake Arrowhead for a day at the lake and enjoy a nice dinner.  But, as it so happened, Frances had an allergic reaction to the vodka they drank.  Soon after, they went home.   He thought, “Love is a crazy thing and I will do anything to keep mine going.”
At the time of the Korean War, Jim had to report for Army duty.  He was assigned to a base on the east coast of the United States. There were so many things he wanted to do back home, especially to be with Frances.  She wanted to be with Jim.  She thought up a “clever plan.“  The Army received a telegram stating, “Frances has a heart condition and needs Jim to return home immediately.”  Jim flew back to California to check on Frances.
From then on, Frances and Jim quickly became closely involved. “Sneaky” Frances knew what kind of man she had. The happy couple married on May 26, 1956,
For Jim to continue working in communications, he returned to the Merchant Marine and worked as a radio operator while sailing on the “California Bear.” He made the Pacific Ocean trips to Vietnam with the military for seventeen years.  There were some scary times.  While serving on another ship “The Green Springs” was docked while loaded with a full load of ammo.  Nearby was an “ammo dump” which was blown up.  This was also a “close-call.”
Meanwhile, Frances maintained their three boys while Jim was away.  He missed many birthdays and some holidays
Jim loved to dance so he and Frances danced often.  They enjoyed the music of the “Big Bands” like Harry James, Benny Goodwin, . Lawrence Welk, and others
Jim bowled weekly with old friends.  He was a member of the Westminster Senior Bowling League. He enjoyed cooking chorizo and eggs as a special delight for Frances.
When Jim was asked about the historical events in his lifetime, he said, “WWII was of peak interest to me and the time we spent in the South Pacific preparing to enter Japan.  It was also an extreme experience because of the people that were affected by the radiation exposure.”
Jim Cazeras retired at the age of 68, but he was a member of the Emergency Radio Group called RACES with the Seal Beach Police Department.  He was also a member of the Seal Beach American Legion Post 857, and the Long Beach Elks Club Lodge 888.
Jim became a grandpa with the birth of his granddaughters April and Shayleen, and grandson Cory.
He and Frances went to all of their activities including softball, baseball, soccer and basketball games, and attended numerous school functions. All the grandchildren were an integral part of his life.   Jim became a super-great grandpa to Stephanie, Carly, and Caiden.  For several years, he played “Santa Claus.”  Jim considered all of his grandchildren real treasures.
Jim’s advice for the next generation is, ”Take a patient and educated approach with gradual steps into the career of YOUR choice“
Frances and Jim celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary.  Jim also loved the surprise birthday party with many friends and family members as he celebrated his 90th birthday at the El Torito Restaurant.    Jim lived every day of his life to the fullest with honest enthusiasm and good humor.  He was dearly loved, and will be sorely missed.
Bill Thomas of Rossmoor is a Veteran of World War II,? and Past Commander of VFW Post 4048,?and American Legion Post 857.?Contact Bill at vvbthomasvets@gmail.com.

This article appeared in the April 5, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.

Los Al Neighborhood Open House

Dear Editor,
The City of Los Alamitos would like to welcome everyone to attend our Neighborhood Open House on Tuesday, April 25 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Los Alamitos Community Center at 10911 Oak Street, Los Alamitos.
We encourage everyone to come and learn about projects, events, and resources that the city has to offer.   We will have department representatives available with material to explain and answer questions: Police Department, Area Command, City Projects, Events, Classes, and all City Services.
On behalf of the City of Los Alamitos, I am pleased to invite you and your family to participate in this community event. I hope to see you there.

Shelley Hasselbrink
Los Alamitos Mayor

Response to “Why Red-light Camera Tickets?” guest column
Dear Editor,
Los Alamitos claims the red-light  cameras improve safety in the intersection, but do they include fender-bender crashes when drivers slam on the brakes to avoid a ticket when entering a traffic light turning yellow?  I doubt it.  The huge fine of $500 suggests something else.  A fine a tenth of that amount is still enough penalty to encourage safe driving through the intersections.  The high fine amount also encourages a good business for defense lawyers in the business of defending red-light offenses.  I now avoid driving through Los Alamitos and I do my shopping elsewhere.  Los Alamitos should either lower the unjust fine amount or eliminate the red-light cameras and the racket it creates.

William Maxey
Cypress

Resident opposes freeway sign at Village 605
Dear Editor,
I must protest without hesitation, but with great justification against a freeway pylon sign creating visual blight into my neighborhood and adding even more gridlock traffic onto Katella Ave and its environment.
The Village 605  Regional Shopping Center project documents project  3 million 824 thousand 835 additional car trips yearly onto Katella Ave due to this  REGIONAL retail project and its 2000 square foot freeway pylon sign rising up 15 feet taller than the Oak Middle School track field lights which are already easily seen from: the north end of our neighborhood, and Willow/Katella Ave, and the 605 freeway.
This increased traffic and presence of any freeway pylon sign are diametrically opposed to the statements of the planners and the public in the Los Alamitos Commercial Corridors Plan. This all adds to ( I hesitate to say contributes as this word does have some inkling of a positive connotation) even further degradation of all of our communities quality of life and will  allow me to easily address The City of Los Alamitos with the appellation  “GRIDLOCK CITY” and deservedly so.

Douglas Smith
Los Alamitos

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editor@newsenterprise.net

New California Attorney General and former Congressperson, Xavier Becerra, announced last Wednesday he will continue the death penalty case against Scott Dekraai.
Dekraai plead guilty to murdering eight people at the Seal Beach Meritage Salon in 2011.  One of the victims was Dekraai’s ex-wife. They were in the midst of a custody battle over their son.
District Attorney Tony Rackauckas had sought the death penalty and wanted to use the testimony of a jail informant for the purpose.
However, the Public Defender’s office discovered Rackauckas and the office of the Sheriff, Sandra Hutchens, had operated a clandestine informant program at the County Jail.
An Orange County judge, following repeated frustrated attempts to get documents about the program from the DA, ordered the Attorney General’s office to take over the death penalty phase of Dekraai’s prosecution.
In the meantime, investigations into the clandestine informant program were initiated by the OC Grand Jury, the Attorney General’s office and the U.S. Department of Justice.  Hundreds of prior prosecutions using jailhouse informants might be tainted by unconstitutional testimony.
California has the largest number of inmates on “death row,” with approximately 750 convicted defendants awaiting execution.  This is almost one quarter of the U.S. total.
California has not executed anyone since 2006.  A sizeable portion of the California electorate, 46.4 percent, voted last November to repeal the death penalty.
There are many issues posed by the death penalty today. First, there is the moral issue of the government deliberately killing a person. There is no further appeal once the death penalty has been executed, and several erroneous murder convictions have been uncovered.
Furthermore, there is no evidence that the murder rate in a state is impacted by the existence of the death penalty in that state.
The imposition of the death penalty has been repeatedly challenged as discriminatory against people of color and poor people in general.
Methods of death penalty executions have also been challenged as cruel and unusual punishment. The most common method today, lethal injection, is still under attack as unreliable.
The extended time for legal appeals of death sentences is another major problem. The average time for a death penalty case is now approaching 20 years.
Aside from the cost to the public in legal fees, the length of death penalty cases continually aggravates the ongoing emotional pain of the survivors of the victims.
This failure to achieve some kind of closure to the legal proceedings involved in a murder is the greatest weakness of the death penalty punishment.
In the last election, a slight majority of Californians voted on a ballot proposition to curtail some of the lengthy death penalty appeal procedures.
That ballot proposition itself has been challenged as unconstitutional and the case is still pending in the California Supreme Court.

–Joel Block is a retired attorney living in Rossmoor.

This article appeared in the April 5, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.