The American Civil War produced its veterans too. And whether one sees the conflict through the prism of a struggle to free the slaves and hold the Union together or a war of Northern aggression against sovereign Southern states, the valor and honor displayed on both sides is often recreated in so called Civil War reenactments that recreate the fields of battle as a tribute to both sides to an astonishing degree of historical accuracy. LATV cameras and producer John Underwood captured one such series of reenactments recently at Central Park in Huntington Beach. The “you are there” first person accounts of the soldiers in the field are revealing and thought provoking. See LATV schedule for program times and dates.
Los Al Youth Center to host Haunted House
Encounter scary movie characters at this year’s mini haunted house hosted by The Youth Center at the Seal Beach Centennial Celebration on Oct. 24 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Main Street in Seal Beach. With the theme “Movies Come Alive,” they offer this year’s event for free or for a donation of any amount.
“It’s going to be a tiny haunted house but we are going to make it cool,” said The Youth Center Executive Director Lina Lumme. “We are inviting all our traditional haunted house lovers to come to the Centennial Carnival and enjoy it with us. Those who are brave enough will meet scary movie characters from the Living Dead, Clownhouse, Chucky Child’s Play, Nightmare On Elm Street and Saw.”
Volunteers are still needed to scare guests, but it promises not to be too frightening. As in years past, a secret word is given out which can be used at any point of the adventure, and the notorious monsters will turn into the sweetest volunteers, according to Lumme. The booth is recommended for children 5 years old and up. Their traditional larger haunted house was cancelled this year due to not enough volunteers.
“We want to continue to bring this fun, spooky tradition to the community again,” said Lumme. “People should come to the haunted house, as it’s become a holiday tradition within the community. We want them to come and be a part of this year’s event.”
In past, The Youth Center brought their haunted house to the community for a nominal fee compared with local amusement park’s Halloween experiences. But this year, The Youth Center is offering the experience for free. Families are welcome to make donations of any amount to support local kids’ scholarships for their summer camps.
“Every penny counts and goes towards helping a child have a bright summer,” said Lumme. “Last year, we were able to send 34 children on scholarships to our summer camps. We are right here in the local community helping local children.”
If somebody doesn’t wish to go through the mini haunted house, but would still like to support local children going to camp on scholarship, they can contact The Youth Center to make donations in any amount online at www.theyouthcenter.org or call Program and Operations Manager Julie Rubin at 562-493-4043.
Cypress Boys & Girls Club gala fundraiser set for November
“Keeping Kids on Track” is the theme of the Nov. 6 Boys & Girls Club of Cypress fundraiser dinner and auction generously supported by the presenting sponsor, the Los Alamitos Race Course. The evening includes dinner, live and silent auctions, and a thrilling night of live-action horse racing.
The gala dinner and auction event will raise funds to provide $130,000 in scholarships for children from economically disadvantaged families to attend the Boys & Girls Club of Cypress. Funds will also be raised to provide scholarships to the children of active military personnel so they can attend the club at no cost.
Individual tickets to the event are $75 and available sponsorships range in price from $250 to $5,000. The event committee is being chaired by Cypress residents Shelly Bailey and Kim Erickson. The reigning Miss California, Bree Morse, will be attending the event. Last year more than 350 people attended and this year’s event is expected to sell out quickly.
The club is grateful to the following people and businesses who are helping to sponsor this year’s event:
$10,000 Presenting Sponsor: Los Alamitos Race Course
$5,000 Build the Future Sponsors: Andy Lachina, Southern California Edison, Barton Place
$2,500 Change A Life Sponsors: Joe and Dr. Terrisa Ha, Valley Vista Services of Orange County, United Health Care, In N Out, Charles and Karen Williams, Dr. Cecilia Chu,. David and Ginger Osman, ATT
$1500 Be A Mentor Sponsor: Sidepath,
$1000 Make a Difference Sponsors: La Palma Hospital, Union Bank, Hal Wood and Centerstone Communities, Jeff Peterson and Collectible Supplies, Randy and Juli Humphreys, Jon and Bonnie Peat, David and Deni Frias, Mabel’s Table, Doug and Shelly Bailey, Cypress Rotary Club, Mr. and Mrs. Paul and Lori Morrison and Morrison Tire Inc., and Ms. Anne Hertz
$500 Keep Kids on Track Sponsors: Guy and Sheri Whitney, Tom and Stacy Berry, Chief of Police Rod Cox, City Manager Peter Grant
$250 Open the Door Sponsors: Anna Piercy, CMB Lab, Rob and Nancy Johnson, Cablecom, Val Mallari and Air Technology Laboratory, Fit Therapy by Kristin Osbon, Eric Hertz and Elyse Bender, Slater Builders Inc., Supervisor Don Knabe, Fernando Mendoza, Cypress School District Superintendent Anne Silavs, Candi Kern, Caretech, Yamada Health and Rehabilitation.
Please contact the Executive Director, Anne Hertz at 714-527-2697 x201 or ah****@********ss.org if you would like join these community leaders as a sponsor or donor to make a difference in the lives of local children. Contributions of any amount are appreciated and can be mailed to Boys & Girls Club of Cypress at 10161 Moody Street, Cypress CA 90630.
About the Boys & Girls Club of Cypress
For nearly 40 years the Boys & Girls Club of Cypress has been at the forefront of youth development, working with people of all economic, ethnic, social and family circumstances, with special concern for those who are disadvantaged. The club provides children with a safe place to grow and learn, ongoing relationships with caring adult professionals, and life enhancing programs. Today, more than 1,100 youth between the ages of 5 and 17 participate in the programs provided by the Boys & Girls Club of Cypress. The Boys & Girls Club of Cypress is open from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily and accommodates early release schedules for the Cypress School District and other select districts. Transportation is provided from all schools in the Cypress School District, Lexington Junior High, Los Alamitos Elementary and McAuliffe Middle School. They provide daily homework help as well as high-quality enrichment and recreational programs to youth of all ages.The club also hosts a variety of family activity nights and partners with many youth and family organizations in the community.
This school year the club is serving 15 percent more children than it was this same time last year and transportation needs for local schools has increased by 25 percent. Many of these children are unable to pay the already low fee of $140 per month. The club is counting on a successful fundraising event and the support of individuals and businesses in the community so that no child is ever turned away for inability to pay.
If it was not for the club, many children would be home alone. Instead, they are able to attend the Club and participate in activities that help them to succeed in school, adopt healthy lifestyles and demonstrate good character and citizenship.
For more information or to register your child visit www.boysandgirlsclubofcypress.com, stop by the Club at 10161 Moody St, in Cypress or call at 714-527-2697.
Rotary’s September Student of the Month
Rotary Club of Los Alamitos/Seal Beach recognized September Student of the Month at its meeting on Sept. 15 at The Eagle’s Nest. Los Alamitos High School student Brooke Everett was nominated by her instructor David Thomlinson.
Dr. Sherry Kropp, Superintendent of LAUSD and Rotary member introduced Thomlinson, who spoke about the many reasons he nominated Brooke. Brooke attended the luncheon with her mother Nancy, brother Garrett, uncle Han and aunt Cherle. Club President Dr. Milt Houghton presented the certificate to Brooke.
Rotary Club of Los Alamitos/Seal Beach meets at The Eagle’s Nest on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at noon, varies locations on the fourth and fifth Tuesdays of the month. Visitors are welcome. For more information, visit online at losalsealbeachrotary.org.
Rotary International is an international service organization working to bring together business and professional leaders in order to provide humanitarian services, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. There are 34,282 clubs and more than1.2 million members worldwide.
Pacifica fights back to defeat Cypress
There were mistakes on both sides of the ball, but the Pacifica Mariners were able to recover from theirs a little better and eventually put away Cypress, 35-10, in an Empire League football game on Thursday at Bolsa Grande High. It was the league opener for both teams.
The Mariners (5-1, 1-0) were once again led by quarterback Nick Garcia, who threw for 200 yards and two touchdowns. Garcia also rushed for 81 yards. Matt Moslenko had 146 receiving yards, with two touchdowns, including a 55-yarder that capped the Mariner’s scoring and gave them a 35-7 lead with 3:12 left in the third quarter.
“We’re happy with the win, but we definitely have some things to clean up,” said Pacifica coach Vinnie Lopez.
Of concern for Lopez, was what he felt was a sloppy start to the game, particularly after his team looked so sharp in their win over Westminster the week before. The Mariners had jumped out to a 21-0 lead, but helped the Centurions (2-4, 0-1) gain some momentum just before the half. Cypress was able to drive for a touchdown with just 2 seconds left in the half, aided by two 15-yard penalties on Pacifica.
The drive ended with quarterback Alex Ashcroft connecting with Benny Morales for a 15-yard touchdown that cut the Mariner lead to 21-7 at halftime. But the Centurions were unable to capitalize on the momentum, as they received the second half kickoff but went three-and-out with punt.
Pacifica took control as a long pass completion from Garcia to Moslenko set the mariners up at the Cypress 1 yard line. Trent Hunter finished the drive with a one-yard touchdown run to push the lead to 28-7.
Isaiah Parra had 48 rushing yards for the Centurions and Ashcraft added 30 more yards, but the Cypress offense could not find a consistent rhythm. Cypress coach Rick Feldman said that the Centurions are too young and inexperienced to overcome the key mistakes they are making.
“We just can’t come out slow and make the mistakes that we made,” said Feldman.
One specific mistake was on the opening kickoff, Feldman noted. The Centurions made a good kick that Pacifica was unable to field cleanly. However, Pacifca senior receiver Mathew Estrada was able to pick the ball up off the ground, and find a gap in the coverage to return in 81 yards for a touchdown, that gave the Mariners a quick 7-0 lead.
Pacifica will try to improve to 2-0 in league play with a game against Kennedy on Friday at Western High. Cypress will also try to sharpen its play, with a road game at Tustin on Thursday.
“I think our effort is there, our guys play hard,” Feldman said.
Griffins lose defensive battle to Edison
Los Alamitos’ defense kept them in the game, but the Griffins would come up short, in a 17-14 loss to Edison in their Sunset League Football opener on Thursday at Huntington Beach High.
Los Alamitos struggled to move the ball through the air, but its ground game allowed them to keep pace with Edison, who answered the Griffins’ game-opening score with 17 unanswered points. Los Alamitos’ two touchdowns were both set up by fumble recoveries that gave them the ball in Edison territory.
The Griffins would finish with 113 rushing yards by Schuyler Whitehead and 56 from Gonzalez. Quarterback Jack Telenko rushed for the Griffins’ first touchdown that gave them a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. After Edison battled back to take a 17-7 lead, the Griffin defense forced another fumble that led to R.J. Gonzalez’s two-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Edison’s starting quarterback Grant Lowary left the game in the first quarter with an injury, but backup Griffin O’Connor filled in to throw for 197 yards and a touchdown. O’Connor also ran for another score.
The Griffins host a hot Fountain Valley team that is coming off a 51-20 win over Newport Harbor, on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Long Beach Veteran’s Stadium.
Kennedy holds off Pacifica in three
Three sets were battles most of the way, but it was Kennedy High that finished stronger in all three to grab the win from Pacifica, 25-21, 25-17, 25-21, in an Empire League girls volleyball match on Tuesday Oct. 6, at Kennedy High.
Like the first two sets, the third was close through the first half. The set was tied 11-11 when Kennedy went on a 10-3 run to take control of the set, 21-14. Junior middle blocker Alex Ennis had a kill off a back-row dig attempt, then followed that with an ace serve to give the Fighting Irish a 19-13 lead.
A long serve by Pacifica made gave Kennedy a 20-14 lead, and Angelica Rippee and Melanie Vazquez teamed up on a block to push the lead to 21-14. But Pacifica battled back. Junior opposite hitter Taylor Togia had a big kill off a block to start a 4-0 run by the Mariners.
“We battled, we just needed to finish and we couldn’t when we needed to,” said Pacifica assistant coach Paulina Akiona.
Later, Kennedy missed on a cross-court lob shot and cross-court kill attempt that both went wide to cut their lead to 22-21. But the fighting Irish regained control with a kill by junior middle blocker Breanna Robinson that gave Kennedy a 23-21 lead. Pacifica would misfire on its next two attempts to close out the match for Kennedy.
The first set was also tied at 17-17, before the Fighting Irish finished on an 8-0 run to close out the set. Pacifca had several miscues down the stretch that led to easy points for Kennedy. Pacifica was without two key seniors who were unavailable for the match. Despite the loss, Akiona said the players should be able to take the experience into what could be a very competitive league battle.
“I think the girls are really going to take that as a lesson … that they need to want it more than the other team does,” Akiona said.
Cypress won the league last year at 8-3, with Pacifica and Western one game behind the Centurions at 7-2. Kennedy was fourth, but with a few key returners and plenty of young talent. Kennedy coach Billie Bixby said this team is in a position to compete for the league title.
“We have tremendous potential, the talent is there, they work very hard, we’re expecting big things,” said Kennedy coach Billie Bixby.
Kennedy will host Tustin on Oct. 15, and then host Valencia on Oct. 20. Both matches are at 4:30 p.m.
Cypress College Swap Meet brings the city business
The Cypress College Swap Meet has been bringing the city of Cypress a wide array of business for decades now, and continues to be a traditional SoCal focal point for many of California’s top merchants and vendors. Various citizens from a wide array of backgrounds all converge on the Chargers’ campus to purchase, trade, and sell a plethora of consumer goods ranging from fresh produce, to clothing, to electronics.
The bustling of excited and enthusiastic costumers fill the marketplace as everyone is off to purchase antique furniture, shoes, or hunting equipment.
Pacifica overcomes mistakes to defeat Cypress
There were mistakes on both sides of the ball, but the Pacifica Mariners were able to recover from their mistakes a little better and eventually put away Cypress, 35-10, in an Empire League football game on Thursday at Bolsa Grande High. It was the league opener for both teams.
The Mariners (5-1, 1-0) were once again led by quarterback Nick Garcia, who threw for 200 yards and two touchdowns. Garcia also rushed for 81 yards. Matt Moslenko had 146 receiving yards, with two touchdowns, including a 55-yarder that capped the Mariner’s scoring and gave them a 35-7 lead with 3:12 left in the third quarter.
“We’re happy with the win, but we definitely have some things to clean up,” Pacifica coach Vinnie Lopez said. Of concern for Lopez, was what he felt was a sloppy start to the game, particularly after his team looked so sharp in their win over Westminster the week before. The Mariners had jumped out to a 21-0 lead, but helped the Centurions (2-4, 0-1) gain some momentum just before the half.
Cypress was able to drive for a touchdown with just 2 seconds left in the half, aided by two 15-yard penalties on Pacifica. The drive ended with quarterback Alex Ashcroft connecting with Benny Morales for a 15-yard touchdown that cut the Mariner lead to 21-7 at halftime. But the Centurions were unable to capitalize on the momentum, as they received the second half kickoff but went three-and-out with punt. Pacifica took control as a long pass completion from Garcia to Moslenko set the mariners up at the Cypress 1 yard line.
Trent Hunter finished the drive with a one-yard touchdown run to push the lead to 28-7. Isaiah Parra had 48 rushing yards for the Centurions and Ashcraft added 30 more yards, but the Cypress offense could not find a consistent rhythm. Cypress coach Rick Feldman said that the Centurions are too young and inexperienced to overcome the key mistakes they are making.
“We just can’t come out slow and make the mistakes that we made,” Feldman said. One specific mistake was on the opening kickoff, Feldman noted. The Centurions made a good kick that Pacifica was unable to field cleanly. However, Pacifcasenior receiver Mathew Estrada was able to pick the ball up off the ground, and find a gap in the coverage to return in 81 yards for a touchdown, that gave the Mariners a quick 7-0 lead.
Pacifica will try to improve to 2-0 in league play with a game against Kennedy on Friday at Western High. Cypress will also try to sharpen its play, with a road game at Tustin on Thursday. “I think our effort is there, our guys play hard,” Feldman said.
Cypress serves up wins against Valencia
Cypress Girls Volleyball chocked up three wins against Valencia High at Cypress’ 5th Annual Dig Pink Game on Thursday, Oct. 8. Valencia came into the match unbeaten in the Empire League. Cypress took the first set, dropped the second two sets, and won the last two in a hotly contested match. Cypress Varsity is now tied for first place in the Empire League, entering into the third week of season play.
The Cypress junior and freshman-sophomore teams also beat Valencia, 2-0, in straight sets. The Cypress girls junior varsity volleyball team is in first place in league play, with an unbeaten record. The Centurions’ frosh-soph squad is currently tied for first place in Empire League play as well.
The annual Dig Pink game is played to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research. The Dig Pink game was played at Cypress, and the girls wore their Dig Pink jerseys specially made for this occasion. There was an opportunity drawing for a variety of prizes, including a 40” TV and Microsoft Tablet. The money raised will be donated to a breast cancer awareness organization.
Griffins show potential during loss
Despite a loss at home last week, the Los Alamitos girls volleyball team is showing signs that they are heading into Sunset League play on track to make a run at the title and a strong CIF playoff spot.
The Griffins were edged out in four sets by Mater Dei, 25-17, 22-25, 25-23, 25-22, in a nonleague match on Sept. 29 at Los Alamitos High. The Griffins didn’t do themselves any favors in the first set as several passing and communication errors contributed to easy points for Mater Dei. The Griffins were sharper in set two and led most of the way in the early going. They took a 17-11 lead before the Monarchs rallied to close the gap to 17-14.
The Griffins (11-8) were able to hold the lead despite some runs by Mater Dei. Mackenzie Smith had an ace serve on the back line that pushed the Griffin lead to 20-16. Mater Dei (7-2) later closed the lead to 22-20 on a double block, but Griffin senior outside hitter Sarah Tuioti-Mariner responded with a kill off a dig attempt that hit the roof.
A net violation on Los Al and a kill attempt by the Monarchs that went long gave the Griffins a 24-21 lead and the set eventually ended on a net violation by Mater Dei. A pivotal third set stayed close early on, eventually settling at an 11-11 tie before the Griffins would make a run to take a 17-13 lead. But Mater Dei fought back to tie the set at 18-18.
Tuioti-Mariner ended the run with consecutive kills off blocks to give the Griffins a 20-18 lead. Tuioti-Mariner led the Griffins with 15 kills.
When senior setter Julia Patterson dropped an ace serve on the back line, the Griffins led 22-19, forcing a Mater Dei timeout. The break worked as the Monarchs cut the lead to 22-21 before Griffin senior Taylor Cochrane tapped a one-time shot to the open court off a Mater Dei overpass, which gave the Griffins a 23-21 lead. But Mater Dei would close the set with a 4-0 run to grab the game and a 2-1 lead in the match. The Monarchs were able to close out the match in the fourth game. Despite occasional struggles, Griffins coach Dave Huber said the Griffins are moving in the right direction.
“The girls have shown flashes of really good volleyball this year, but have struggled with consistency. We have a group that works hard each day and I am confident they will get things straightened out as we head into league play,” Huber said.
Los Alamitos opened Sunset League play on Tuesday (Oct. 6) and will play a key road match on Thursday, Oct. 8 at Newport Harbor at 5:45 p.m. They will host Huntington Beach on Monday Oct. 12.
Late Narbonne rally defeats Los Al
The Los Alamitos High football team enters Sunset League play this week on a three-game losing streak, but certainly not lacking the ability to turn things around and defend its league title.
Last week’s loss came at the hands of defending LA City Section Division 1 champion Narbonne, which rallied in the fourth quarter to hand the Griffins a 35-28 loss at Long Beach Veteran’s Stadium. The Griffins came out strong and kept the explosive Gauchos offense at bay through the first half and looked to have the game in their control.
“We played real good D tonight … we wanted to slow the game down a little tonight and we did,” Griffins Head Coach John Barnes said.
Los Alamitos (2-3) held the Gaucho offense scoreless in the first half, but Narbonne returned a punt 86 yards in the first quarter to keep from being shutout at halftime. While the Griffin defense was staunch in the first half, the offense contributed with two scores to take a 14-6 lead at halftime.
Quarterback Jack Telenko passed for 270 yards and ran for 38 more to lead the Griffin offense. He connected with Schuyler Whitehead for a 17-yard touchdown late in the first quarter that gave the Griffins a 7-6 lead. Late in the second Telenko capped a 69-yard touchdown drive with a five yard touchdown run that gave the Griffins a 14-6 halftime lead.
The two teams would trade touchdowns in the third (Narbonne adding a two-point conversion) to make it 21-14 Los Alamitos. But the fourth quarter would belong to Narbonne. A 96-yard scoring drive would tie the score at 21-21, aided by a questionable personal foul penalty on Los Alamitos.
On Los Alamitos’ ensuing possession, however, there was little question that Narbonne linebacker Lawson made a great interception to set the Gauchos up at the Griffin eight yard line. The Gauchos capitalized with a touchdown to take a 28-21 lead and would add another before the Griffins could regain their footing. They did manage to put together a late scoring drive, capped with a three-yard touchdown pass from Telenko to Holden Edmondson with :43 seconds remaining. The drive was aided by a big-play pass completion from Telenko to Jacob Gasser.
However, the Griffins’ onside kick attempt was grabbed by Narbonne to end the game. The Griffins open league play against Edison, on Thursday, Oct. 8, at Huntington Beach High. Despite their recent losses, Barnes is confident his team is ready.
“We’ll be fine,” Barnes said.
Hopkinson student walks for a cure
Harmony Householder, 11, and a 5th grader at Hopkinson Elementary, walked in the Susan G. Komen race for the cure in Newport Beach last Sunday, Sept. 27. She was part of team Healthy Hooters, who is led by Harmony’s Grandma Cindy Hinds, pink shirt in photo above, who is a breast cancer survivor. Also shown in the photo is Harmony’s mom, Tracy Hinds. Harmony walked in honor of her grandma, and great-grandma who are both breast cancer survivors. Over the years, team Healthy Hooters has raised just shy of $50,000 for the Susan G. Komen foundation.
Oct. 15 is named ‘Caplan Day’ by City
Los Alamitos proclaimed October 15, as “Frieda Rapoport Caplan Day.” Mayor Richard Murphy presented Caplan with the proclamation at the Sept. 21 city council meeting, noting Caplan’s “hard work and dedication to the produce industry and the city of Los Alamitos.”
The founder of Los Alamitos-based wholesale company Frieda’s Specialty Produce, Caplan has been a resident of Rossmoor since 1958, and still lives in the same home she shared with her daughters and late husband, Al Caplan.
“I am quite thrilled to be living and working in Los Alamitos,” said Caplan upon receiving the honor. “One of the nice things is that three of our very large clients have their stores in Los Alamitos – Ralphs, Sprouts, and Vons-Safeway. Do not forget to look for your exotic fruits and vegetables!”
To commemorate the occasion, the Los Alamitos City Council will host a free public screening of Fear No Fruit, the Frieda Caplan documentary, on Thursday, Oct. 15, at the Los Alamitos Community Center. Caplan, along with daughters Karen Caplan and Jackie Caplan Wiggins (CEO and COO of Frieda’s Specialty Produce Company), will be present for a post-screening meet-and-greet with the local community.
“[Caplan] is such a champion in her industry, you would not know the things she had done until you come and see the movie,” said Council Member Warren Kusumoto. “It will be a great time for the community to come and see what we have here in our city.” The city of Los Alamitos is also featured in the film.
For more information about the Los Alamitos screening, visit www.fearnofruit.com/screenings
About Frieda’s Inc.
With over 50 years of fresh produce innovation, Frieda’s Specialty Produce continues to change the way America eats fruits and vegetables. Founded in 1962 by Frieda Caplan, Frieda’s was the first wholesale produce company in the U.S. to be founded, owned, and operated by a woman, and is still a family- and women-owned business today. Frieda’s has introduced more than 200 specialty items to U.S. produce departments, including Kiwifruit, Spaghetti Squash, Habanero Peppers, Sunchokes®, Stokes Purple® Sweet Potatoes, Sangria and Fiore Viola Artichokes, and many more. Frieda’s featured program is “Eat One Fruit a Day That Scares You,” which encourages everyone to #FearNoFruit. Connect with Frieda’s on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and at Friedas.com.
Local girl gives back to the homeless
When Jaelyn (JJ) Sagen of Los Alamitos was just six years old she was so moved by the sight of a homeless man that she just had to do something to help.
After that, JJ’s lemonade stand was born. JJ is now 11 and every August she sells lemonade and cookies to her family, friends and neighbors from her family’s driveway in Los Alamitos.
Over the years JJ has raised more than $6,000 and she has donated every penny to We Care, a non-profit located in Los Alamitos.
We Care provides supportive services to local families including rent, mortgage and utility assistance as well as food and personal care items. On Aug. 25, JJ set up her fifth lemonade stand, setting a goal of $5,000. She achieved and exceeded her goal, earning a total of $8,100. In the photograph JJ is shown proudly presenting her donation to Rob Lowenberg, Executive Director of We Care.
JJ’s donation will allow We Care to continue providing needed assistance to local families needing temporary support.
Narbonne rallies late to take win away from Los Alamitos
The Los Alamitos High football team enters Sunset League play this week on a three-game losing streak, but certainly not lacking the ability to turn things around and defend its league title.
Last week’s loss came at the hands of defending LA City Section Division 1 champion Narbonne, which rallied in the fourth quarter to hand the Griffins a 35-28 loss at Long Beach Veteran’s Stadium. The Griffins came out strong and kept the explosive Gauchos offense at bay through the first half and looked to have the game in their control.
“We played real good D tonight … we wanted to slow the game down a little tonight and we did,” Griffins Head Coach John Barnes said. Los Alamitos (2-3) held the Gaucho offense scoreless in the first half, but Narbonne returned a punt 86 yards in the first quarter to keep from being shutout at halftime. While the Griffin defense was staunch in the first half, the offense contributed with two scores to take a 14-6 lead at halftime. Quarterback Jack Telenko passed for 270 yards and ran for 38 more to lead the Griffin offense.
He connected with Schuyler Whitehead for a 17-yard touchdown late in the first quarter that gave the Griffins a 7-6 lead. Late in the second Telenko capped a 69-yard touchdown drive with a five yard touchdown run that gave the Griffins a 14-6 halftime lead. The two teams would trade touchdowns in the third (Narbonne adding a two-point conversion) to make it 21-14 Los Alamitos. But the fourth quarter would belong to Narbonne. A 96-yard scoring drive would tie the score at 21-21, aided by a questionable personal foul penalty on Los Alamitos. On Los Alamitos’ ensuing possession, however, there was little question that Narbonne linebacker Lawson made a great interception to set the Gauchos up at the Griffin eight yard line.
The Gauchos capitalized with a touchdown to take a 28-21 lead and would add another before the Griffins could regain their footing. They did manage to put together a late scoring drive, capped with a three-yard touchdown pass from Telenko to Holden Edmondson with :43 seconds remaining. The drive was aided by a big-play pass completion from Telenko to Jacob Gasser. However, the Griffins’ onside kick attempt was grabbed by Narbonne to end the game. The Griffins open league play against Edison, on Thursday, Oct. 8, at Huntington Beach High. Despite their recent losses, Barnes is confident his team is ready. “We’ll be fine,” Barnes said.
Rossmoor run gives back to Los Al
School Ghoul Los Alamitos 10k, 5k, and Kids Festival of Races is a district-wide event that raises awareness of the importance physical fitness and helps to raise funds for the Los Alamitos Education Foundation.
Gus Quinonez, the founder and race director of School Ghoul, had a desire to create an event that emphasizes fitness and a sense of community. As a three-time American record holder in long distance road racing and former Olympic Trials qualifier he has a passion for running. His determination to design the perfect course and his experience in competing at the highest level has brought elite athletes from all over Southern California.
“School Ghoul Los Alamitos 5k Run was started with the desire to give back to our amazing community. After my son, Kai, was diagnosed with aplastic anemia in 2010, we had an outpouring of support from our community. I wanted to bring the run back to Rossmoor to say thank you to our wonderful friends and neighbors. Our committee is completely staffed by volunteers and 100 percent of the net proceeds goes directly to LAEF. The day after School Ghoul Kai’s Make A Wish to be an Anaheim Duck is being fulfilled. He will be skating with the Ducks on Opening Night!“
The run: Flat and fast, out and back, through the scenic tree-lined streets of Rossmoor. Cash prizes and Brooks merchandise will be awarded for top runners. Medal and event t-shirt will be given to each participant. This fun community event also includes a Kids Festival of Races and Costume Contest. Prizes and trophies will be awarded for various categories. Razor scooters for first place boys and girls in each category.
The event: Music, Community Expo, Ghoul Zone – where kids can participate in fun, Fall carnival games and also a pumpkin patch. The Boy Scouts will be flipping pancakes for a Ghoulishly Great Pancake Breakfast starting at 8:30 a.m.
Location: Rush Park, 3001 Blume Drive, Rossmoor, 90720
On-site registration for the event opens at 7:15 a.m. at Rush Park.
Packet Pickup Expo: Come to pre registration and packet pick up at Rush Park auditorium on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 3 – 6 p.m.
School Ghoul Los Alamitos on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SchoolGhoul5kRunForOurSchools
School Ghoul website: www.SchoolGhoulLosAlamitos.com.You can help. For sponsorship opportunities or Community Expo Vendor’s inquiries, please contact Laurie Beverage at 949-294-4238 or at in**@***la.org or visit online at www.SchoolGhoulLosAlamitos.com
Volunteer opportunities are available. Please visit online at www.SchoolGhoulLosAlamitos.com for sign up information.
‘We Care’ Executive Director to retire
An open house retirement party with the public, past and present board members will be held for longtime “We Care” Executive Director Marty Thompson on Sunday, Oct. 18 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church located at 11600 Los Alamitos Blvd. in Los Alamitos.
We Care, a non-profit agency located in Los Alamitos, provides supportive services for local families including rent, mortgage and utility assistance as well as distribution of food and personal care items.
During her 19 years at the helm of WE CARE, Marty has assisted hundreds of families who are at risk of becoming homeless. Marty is well known and respected by local church and community leaders for her tireless dedication to families and children in need.
Marty’s prior careers in banking and finance along with her life-long commitment to community volunteerism with the PTA, Boy’s and Girl’s Scouts and National Charity League, allowed her to successfully lead WE CARE into the 21st century.
Marty said she has loved every minute of her 19 years at WE CARE.
Her retirement time will be spent with family and friends, gardening and creating stained glass pieces.
Los Al students make National Merit semifinals
Three students from Los Alamitos High School qualified for the National Merit Semifinals. They are Danielle Beaudreau, Mark Kim, and Ashley Willingham. Semi-finalists are students who scored in the top 1 percent of students who took the Preliminary SAT (PSAT) nationwide in fall 2014.
According to information provided by the National Merit Scholarship organization, approximately 16,000 of the 1.5 million students who participated in the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the PSAT in October 2014 were recognized as National Merit Semifinalists. To become a Finalist, the student must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test (PSAT).
From the initial 16,000 Semifinalists, about 15,000 are expected to advance to the Finalist level, and will be notified in February 2016 of this designation. Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skill, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.
Test drive new vehicles at the OC International Car Show
Take the auto show experience to the road at the 2016-Model Orange County International Auto Show with more than 100 vehicles to test-drive. From hybrids to luxury sedans, 16 manufacturers will offer ride and drive opportunities at the Anaheim Convention Center Thursday, Oct.15 through Sunday, Oct. 18.
Licensed drivers are invited to get behind the wheel of the latest vehicles from Acura, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Ford, Honda, Jeep®, KIA, Lexus, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Ram, Toyota and Volkswagen.
Back by popular demand, Camp Jeep® Anaheim returns to the Orange County International Auto Show. Professional 4×4 drivers will take passengers on a thrilling adventure along an off-road test track in a collection of all-new Jeep® models including the Wrangler Unlimited, Wrangler Rubicon, Cherokee Trailhawk and Grand Cherokee. The rugged test track will thrill passengers with an 18 foot high, 35 degree hill climb up the iconic Jeep® Mountain, teetering, extreme three-wheeling across an 8 foot high, 50 foot long Trail Rated Pass, and adrenaline-inducing terrain that simulates fallen logs.
Additional test drives scheduled for the Orange County International Auto Show include:
Acura Test Drive
Chevrolet Test Drive
The Chrysler Drive – including Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Fiat vehicles
Ford Test Drive
Ford F-150 Test Drive – includes a demonstration of towing capabilities
Honda Test Drive
KIA Test Drive
The Lexus Driving Experience
Mazda Test Drive – including the all new Mazda Miata MX-5
Mercedes-Benz Street Drive – new this year.
Nissan Test Drive
Toyota Test Drive
Volkswagen Test Drive
Individual test drive times, may vary, please visit www.AutoShowOC.com for more details.
More than 500 of the newest vehicles, an Exotic Gallery, concept cars, crossovers, alternative fuel vehicles and more will transform the Anaheim Convention Center into an auto show mecca for this annual event. Car lovers and their families are invited to get up-close and check out all the latest rides in a non-selling environment, sit behind the wheels, inspect engines, kick tires and experience the latest automotive technology.
The Orange County International Auto Show will be open to the public Thursday, Oct. 15 through Sunday, Oct. 18, at the Anaheim Convention Center, located at 800 W. Katella Ave. in Anaheim. Show hours are Thursday, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday, from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Follow the signs for convention center parking, located on West Street, just south of Katella. Admission is $12 for adults and $10 for senior citizens (62 and older) and military (w/any DOD ID). Children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. All attendees will receive a free one-year subscription to Motor Trend magazine (a $12 value) with each online ticket order or box office purchase. For additional information, visit www.AutoShowOC.com or follow www.facebook.com/OCAutoShow, @OCAutoShow on Twitter and @OCAutoShow on Instagram. Hashtag: #OCAutoShow.