The Association of California Cities, Orange County, announced this week they have named Los Alamitos City Council member Tanya Doby to its Board of Directors.
In a press release, the ACC-OC said in addition, they were “proud to welcome two new affiliate Board Members, CalOptima and UC Irvine.
ACC-OC said in the release that it provides a collaborative voice for Orange County at the regional, state, and federal levels of government. With representatives of OC’s 34 cities as members, the ACC-OC said it presents a “robust partnership with our affiliate members is essential to the vitality of ACC-OC’s programming, communications and advocacy on behalf of OC.”
The ACC-OC said Doby was recently named to its board, noting that “the councilmember was recently named a 2023 Woman of Distinction by the State Senate and Assembly.
“She is a dedicated servant leader focused on advocating for the public safety of her community. ACC-OC is honored to collaborate with the City of Los Alamitos and Hon. Tanya Doby,” the organization said in the release.
The Los Alamitos Youth Baseball (LAYB) Mustang Division Los Al Diamondbacks went 16-1 and won the league championship, defeating the Brewers 16-7 in the final game. The team includes players Aksel Atwood, Aiden Chhe, Nathan Glatman, Casey Hall, Ian Perez, Carter Smith, Aiden Taylor, Luca Tricano, Ethan Wojtanowski, Hayden Young and Zenleigh Zenus. Over the past two seasons, Coach Sheldon Smith has a record of 33-1, and his teams won back-to-back championships at LAYB. Coach Smith said, “This team overcame a lot of adversity, including injuries and multiple sport athletes missing games. We developed our athletes to step up into any position and taught them plays to minimize baserunners. Kids today can learn the fundamentals and game strategies at a young age, and I’m so proud of them for executing everything they’ve learned.” Coach Smith is now leading the Alliance Baseball Club (ABC), representing Los Al.
Members of Da’ Hawaii Seniors Club were surprised again at their May 23, 2024, meeting at the Cerritos Senior Center when Program VP Rosaria “Loke” Minetta asked everyone to bring cuttings of plumeria plants for a raffle at the meeting.
President Carmelita Tiongson opened the meeting, and the meeting started, as all their meetings usually do, with the Pledge of Allegiance led by Larry Anduha and the singing of Hawai’I Pono’i. led by Edna Ethington and sung by all members. This was followed by Hedy Anduha leading the singing of Happy Birthday in Hawaiian and in English for six May birthday celebrants who were present. Celebrants included Remy Convento, Edna Ethington, Cesar E. Franco, Winston Goo, Calvin Kunimoto, and Albert Ujiie.
President Carmelita Tiongson conducted the business portion of the meeting and then turned the meeting over to Program VP Rosaria “Loke” Minetta. Loke then introduced the first of the entertainment groups for the day. Director Ann Kho and the Angklung Indonesian bamboo players performed two songs with their instruments, Amazing Grace, and America the Beautiful. Ann later performed a solo hula to the song, Come, Become Hawaii.
The second group that performed were the women of Na’ Kupunawahine O’ Cerritos led by Hedy Anduha as they danced to the music of Ka’ Uluwehi O’ Ke Kai and invited people to join in the dancing.
Courtesy Photo Da’ Hawaii Seniors Club members of Na’ Kupunawahine O’ Cerritos dancing a hula to Ka’ Uluwehi O’ KeKai.
The third group that performed were a duet, Irina Soleymani and Cesar E. Franco who sang, I Remember You, and a song in Spanish, El Progresso, that they both sang.
While the entertainment was happening, the refreshment committee led by Ann Ohara, Yolanda Andrade, and Bette Kurihara, brought grapes, tortilla rolls, and candies to each table. Members also shared other refreshments on their tables.
After the third group had performed, Loke, as she likes to be called, started drawing prizes for the unusual raffle that she had prepared. She was assisted by Lucio Fonte as she drew the red tickets with the winning members’ numbers. Loke surprised members by giving some items that she baked as prizes, such as round loaves of bread, and other items that she baked. Loke also gave many cuttings of plants that she and other members had brought for the raffle. She then started giving away all the plumeria cuttings that many members had donated for the raffle.
Members must have enjoyed the entertainment that was provided and the winning of the raffle prizes and plumeria cuttings because most members stayed until the end of the raffles. They gathered in a circle to sing their closing songs of Hawaii Aloha and Aloha O’e, which was led by Hedy Anduha.
Members are looking forward to what new experiences and surprises they might experience at their next club meeting when they are gathering for at Picnic a Liberty Park on June 8, 2024. Persons interested in learning more about cultural traditions and joining Da’ Hawaii Seniors Club can contact Membership VP Myrna Matsuno for more information at 310-538-2148.
Los Alamitos High School Track & Field traveled to Clovis, California to compete in the nation’s elite two-day California CIF State Meet on May 24-25, 2024. The traveling squad comprised Olivia Bettinger (Pole Vault), Devin Bragg (100 and 200), Michael Donvito (4 x 400), Carson Fox (Para 100, Shot Put), Gabriel Gandara (Pole Vault), Rosie Howard (Unified Shot Put), Issac Parhami (4 x 400), Taedon Rogers (4 x 400), Berlineda Wempe (Unified Shot Put), and Elijah West (4 x 400).
Devin Bragg, above center, was 6th in 100 and 8th in 200 at State Finals. Below, Carson Fox, right, was second in para shot put and 6th in para 100.
All athletes competed in preliminaries Friday evening. The most remarkable performances of the weekend were that of Rosemarie Howard and Berlineda Wempe, who are State Champions in Unified Shot Put throwing 57’4 ¼’’. Carson Fox clinched 2nd in Para Shot Put and 6th in Para 100. Another exciting performance was 11th ranked boys 4 x 400 team (Taedon Rogers, Issac Parhami, Elijah West, Michael Donvito) improving to 3:20.97 to grab the last advancing spot to run and medal 9th in finals.
Courtesy photos
The 4×400 was the first 4×400 team to ever medal in the California State Meet. Devin Bragg was the most notable team athlete, competing in the 100 and 200 for a challenging two-day (back-to-back) format. Devin placed 6th and 8th, respectively in the 100 and 200. Olivia Bettinger (Pole Vault) finished 13th overall after being side-lined most of April (quad). Gabriel Gandara cleared 15’ again on his third attempt to continue to his overall improvement.
The traveling team included Coach Jeff Tribole (4×400), Reggie Williams (sprints) Steve Tully (pole vault).
Head Coach Nathan Howard said, “I’m incredibly proud of all the athletes. Los Alamitos High School is leading the Para sports, and our athletes were competing in some of the most visible events of track and field. Everywhere you looked, there was a Los Alamitos High School jersey, flying in the air (vaulters), throwing metal balls (putters), sprinting (100, 200, Para 100), and then closing out the meet with the last race (boys 4×400). To top it off, my daughter is State Champion in the Unified Shot Put with one of our athletes. The overall experience had me speechless and extremely pleased. Congratulations to all the athletes and thank you to all the coaches especially Jim Keck (High Jump) who will be retiring, and parents for their support.”
All athletes except Carson Fox, Gabriel Gandara, Issac Parhami, will be returning next year, which provides younger athletes the opportunity to contribute to Los Alamitos Track & Field’s program for 2024-25 season.
It took a Los Alamitos single mother more than 15 years to write her first book, but she has indeed published her first novel, “Somewhere Between Dandelions.”
Trisha Larson Harmon, a talented new author, is set to release her debut Young Adult novel, “Somewhere Between Dandelions,” a captivating blend of genres in an emotional coming-of-age story.
According to Harmon, the novel follows high school senior Claire Goodnight, who discovers she can see the ghost of her almost-boyfriend, Finn. As Claire navigates the complexities of first love, loss, grief, alcoholism, forgiveness, and healing, she uncovers unexpected connections between her own family and Finn’s, says Harmon.
With a touch of the supernatural, Harmon weaves a tale that is both heart-wrenching and hopeful, she said.
In an interview with ENE, Harmon said writing was always her dream, even as real life slowed things down.
“After I graduated with my degrees. I worked at Barnes and Noble for nine years,” said Harmon, noting she was able to learn about bookstores, stocking, pricing, etc.
“Now, I currently work at an industrial supply company in Santa Fe Springs. So, it’s kind of a customer service type position. I’m a single mom and you know, I had to pay the bills and stuff,” said Harmon.
When COVID slowed the world to a stop, Harmon saw an opening.
So, ultimately, when COVID happened, they let us work from home. So I had extra time on my hands and I ended up hiring myself a writing coach to hold me accountable because I had already written the book, you know, for the most part, but I wanted to finish it up, and get edits cleaned up, said Harmon.
“It actually took me a total of 15 years, from start to finish, to get it out into the world,” the first-time novelist said.
“So that’s why I say it was kind of a long time coming,” she added.
Harmon said she finally self-published the novel after sending dozens of queries to agents. “I did try to query for agents for a while and I just kind of got over the process. I only sent out, like, about 40 emails and I said to myself, I want this out there in the world so I just did it myself.”
So far, readers seem to really like it.
Readers have praised Harmon’s ability to create realistic characters and a compelling narrative that resonates with emotions. The novel has received glowing reviews from Kirkus Reviews, as well as, several 5-Star Readers’ Favorite reviews, she said.
“Somewhere Between Dandelions” is now available in eBook, paperback, and audio formats on Amazon, as well as in paperback from other book retailers.
Harmon, originally from Redlands, CA, holds a BA from UC Riverside and a Master of Fine Arts from Cal State University, Long Beach in creative writing. She is the founder of Possibility Publishing and currently resides in Los Alamitos with her children.
Trisha is inviting readers for a book signing on June 8 at 2 p.m. at the Barnes & Noble in Huntington Beach. For more information, please contact Trisha at Hello@trishaharmon.com.
Courtesy photo
Relatives of submariners lost in World War II that are part of the Submarine Memorial at the U.S. Naval Weapons Station, Seal Beach, pay tribute to the fallen sailors who gave their lives in service to the nation. Navy spokesman Gregg Smith said more than 300 attended the 2024 Memorial Day remembrance ceremony. Memorial Day services were also held in Cypress, La Palma and Seal Beach as residents and family members gathered to pay tribute to service members who have given all for the freedom of this nation. Shown is the “Tolling the Boats” ceremony. Each plaque represents a US submarine lost during WWII. Someone stands beside each plaque, and they place a flag in front of the plaque as a bell is tolled and the fate of that particular submarine is explained.
The City of La Palma is pleased to announce that its Housing Element has been officially accepted by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). This approval signifies that La Palma’s Housing Element is in substantial compliance with State Housing Element Law (Government Code § 65580 et seq) and addresses all statutory requirements outlined in HCD’s February 20, 2024, review.
The Housing Element is a critical component of La Palma’s General Plan, detailing the City’s strategy to meet the diverse housing needs of the community, including provisions for affordable housing, special housing needs, and regional housing requirements.
Mayor Marshall Goodman stated, “This approval is a testament to La Palma’s commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive community. We are dedicated to implementing effective housing strategies that meet state requirements and serve our residents’ needs. I want to thank the City Manager Conal McNamara and Planning Manager Belinda Deines for their hard work getting us across the finish line.”
The City of La Palma is committed to the timely and effective implementation of these programs, working diligently to meet the housing needs of all its residents. The acceptance of the Housing Element by HCD marks a significant milestone in the City’s ongoing efforts to promote sustainable and inclusive housing development.
The adopted Housing Element can be viewed on the City’s website www.cityoflapalma.org/housingelement.
Ranked by Money Magazine in 2015, 2013, 2011, and 2007 as one of America’s Best Places to Live, the City of La Palma is a 1.9 square-mile general law city in northwest Orange County, consisting of over 15,581 residents and approximately 300 commercial and industrial businesses. The City was incorporated in 1955 under the name of Dairyland and has 53 full-time and 35 part-time employees.
The Aquarium of the Pacific promises a leaping experience for it’s First Wednesday lecture scheduled for June 5 at the Pacific Visions Center at the facility.
Join guest speakers and conservation biology experts Dr. Robert Fisher, US Geological Survey and Erin Lundy, Aquarium of the Pacific for a hopping talk on local frogs. Discover how habitat loss, climate change, disease, and wildlife trafficking have contributed to drastic frog population declines in recent years globally and locally.
Erin Lundy is the Manager of Conservation Initiatives at the Aquarium of the Pacific. She cares for marine mammals and amphibians and participates in conservation projects and partnerships with organizations that include Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Sea Otter Surrogacy Program and Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog Project. She also serves as liaison to the Oiled Wildlife Care Network to help coordinate efforts to rehabilitate animals affected by oil spills. Lundy holds a BS in biology for Northeastern University and a MS in environmental management from the University of Maryland.
Dr. Robert Fisher, conservation biologist and landscape ecologist, has been with the Western Ecological Research Center at the US Geological Survey for 26 years following a postdoc funded also by USGS at University of California San Diego, that followed his Ph.D. at University of California Davis. His research and work focuses on understanding the drivers of change within the South Coast Ecoregion with a filter on biodiversity conservation and ecological integrity. Much of his team’s work is focused on critically endangered species in this landscape and trying to avert their extinction.
Mountain Yellow-Legged Frogs, amphibians that are native to California and were once abundant in the local mountain regions, have nearly disappeared from their historic range. Learn about the Aquarium’s conservation efforts to aid in the recovery of these critically endangered animals and why it matters.
It’s funny when you think about it, but when actors sing during a Broadway musical production, the music itself becomes a character in that play.
And making sure the music is entertaining and yet fulfills its role in keeping the narrative alive sometimes falls to people like Elaine Davidson, one of the few female music conductors working in theater today.
Davidson will be in Costa Mesa this week as the Broadway hit “Funny Girl” opens at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
Davidson is a veteran of tours that include: Annie, Phantom of the Opera, Wizard of Oz, Catch Me If You Can, Mamma Mia!, Sound of Music (China), and more. She has worked with directors Cameron Mackintosh, Hal Prince, Billy Porter, Dan Knechtges, Jeffrey Seller, Baayork Lee, and Gabe Barre.
In an interview with ENE this week, Davidson said she grew up in a musical household where gender never figured into the discussion, nor has it been as she’s climbed the ranks over her musical career.
“It’s been sort of a slow climb up the stairs, you know, over the many years where I came from being a rehearsal pianist, and then moved into music directing, and eventually conducting and I haven’t felt any pushback,” said Davidson.
“As far as just being a different gender than the traditional conductor, I get a lot of people who will come down to the orchestra pit in you know, either at intermission or after the show, and chat with me,” she said.
“Inevitably, most of them say, is wonderful to see a female conducting. And we we did I never mean to distract, you know, when I’m doing my job because I’m just there to make music happen,” said Davidson.
But people do notice.
Courtesy photo The touring production cast of FUNNY GIRL features Grammy Award®-winning singer-songwriter Melissa Manchester as Mrs. Brice, rising star Katerina McCrimmon as Fanny Brice, above. The production opened Tuesday in Costa Mesa.
“But they say, we love watching you conduct and we love the job that you’re doing. People do notice,” she said, “and there are a few of us females that conduct, but many more than there used to be.
She said her biggest challenges are getting used to various orchestras that vary from city to city. Davidson said the shows generally open on Tuesday, so she gets four hours with the orchestra to go over the show, a break for lunch, then a soundcheck before the show opens in the evening.
‘It’s not a lot, but with all the advanced material that they’re given, they are very professional. Ninety percent of the time, musicians never get a chance to see the show,” said Davidson, because they sit in the orchestra pit below the stage.
“I try to explain to them what’s happening in the scene with the music we are playing, I give them a little history and things I’ve learned to let them know what’s going on stage so they can kind of get an idea of the character.”
This, she says, enhances the music and gives the actors a perfect mood to allow t heir songs to continue the narrative of the play.
Funny Girl, which has been remade for the current national tour, includes iconic music such as the song “People,” made super famous by Barabara Streisand.
Davidson said she has now worked on about 250 Broadway shows throughout her career in one way or another.
“I’ve been so fortunate to have been able to do so many shows and some with some really, really extraordinary people and talent. And I mean, when you see this show, you’ll see we have we have a stellar leading lady. All the shows that I have done, I have never seen anybody with well, I shouldn’t discount other people’s potential.”
Newcomer Katerina McCrimmon plays Fanny Brice in the current iteration of Funny Girl. McCrimmon was recently seen in the ensemble of The Light in the Piazza at New York City Center Encores! and was an understudy in Broadway’s The Rose Tattoo in 2019.
McCrimmon was also heavily featured in a recent edition of Playbill’s Songwriter Series.
Recording artist Melissa Manchester has a role in Funny Girl, and Davidson said she is honored to work with her and the entire cast.
“Fans have adored Melissa throughout her 50-year musical career, and Katerina is a star in the making who embodies the rising stardom of Fanny,” says production director Michael Mayer. “We could not be more thrilled to have this dynamic and talented duo lead the Funny Girl tour.”
Funny Girl, which premiered on Broadway in 1964, features a score by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill and a book by Isobel Lennart, newly adapted by Tony winner Harvey Fierstein for this revival.
The original production propelled a young Barbra Streisand to international fame; she would reprise her stage performance in the 1968 film adaptation, winning an Academy Award and a Golden Globe in the process.
The biomusical tracks real-life singer and comic Fanny Brice from her humble beginnings in Brooklyn, New York, to fame and fortune onstage in the Ziegfeld Follies and as a radio and screen performer, according to producers.
If you attend the show, you will find Davidson conducting and don’t be afraid to say hello after the show.
“I’ve found such joy in being able to share my experience with our young people because somebody was kind enough to do that to me when I was young. “I am definitely in theright place doing the right thing,” said Davidson
Tickets for Funny Girl start at $39 and are available for purchase online at scfta.org, in person at 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, and by phone at (714) 556-2787. For inquiries about group ticket discounts of 10 or more, call the Group Services offices at (714)755-0236.
Although I am sad that I missed the latest performance of “Ballet in Bloom” by the Los Alamitos Ballet Theater and School, I am grateful for the opportunity to get to interview David Kim, Artistic Director, and visit the studio.
Not only did I find the Los Alamitos Ballet (LAB) to be a beautiful dance space, I also found the vision of the organization to be admirable. At LAB, students of all ages (2years of age onwards) are nurtured to hold deep respect for the fine art of Ballet and Modern dance forms.
Learning dance at an early age at Premier Dance Arts. Courtwesy photo
According to Kim, over the past few decades, most dance studios focus their mission and teaching toward winning dance competitions. This has become the “bread and butter” for most dance studios. In doing so, the art of dance is lost over physical prowess. “It’s become a commercial endeavor” said Kim.
Whereas, at LAB, the students learn to: respect the human body and reach other; collaborate over compete; respect technique and creative expression. “Each dancer is unique and, at LAB, we nurture this uniqueness. We work with it rather than try to change it” commented Kim. Moreover, Kim noted that “LAB is founded “in service to the art form; to cultivate a lifelong love affair with this art form.” Indeed, the leadership of LAB, David and Renee Kim, is committed to teaching concert level dance rather than commercial level.
In fact, after a thirty (30) years hiatus from Ballet, I showed up to take a Ballet Class on Mother’s Day at LAB. Not only was I nervous and excited, I was also very body conscious. As soon as entered studio and my foot stepped on to the dance floor, I felt at home. For some reason I trusted the space and the feel. To my surprise the students ranged in age from possibly late high school age to 60s/70s.
Los Al Ballet Courtesy photo
I found the teaching to be deeply focused on meeting everyone where they are. The focus of technique to meet every students need for me was impressive. Every moment of the 90min class was pure “JOY.” I quickly let go of feeling uncomfortable about my body and how it takes up space. Instead, David’s instructions guided me to the creative kinetic space within myself. I began to experience by spine and the graceful flow that is unique to ballet. It was thrilling! I left the class wanting more!
David Tai Kim and Renee Kim established, the Premier Dance Arts of Los Alamitos, the Los Alamitos Ballet School and the Los Alamitos Ballet Theatre approximately two years ago with the mission to ignite and / or re-ignite a passion for dance & in particular Ballet in Los Alamitos and surrounding areas for dancers of all ages. David and Renee come from a very strong and diverse pedagogy in the dance. Renee Kim began her dance training at the age of four with the Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) School.
She trained under the direction of the late Arthur Mitchell, founder of DTH and joined DTH, where she danced lead roles in many ballets including Concerto Barocco by George Balanchine, New Bach and Return by Robert Garland, Contested Space by Donald Byrd, and Arthur Mitchell’s signature piece The Greatest, among many others. David Kim spent his formative years training to be an elite golfer and equestrian who was sponsored by Samsung Corporation. David has danced professionally with the Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) under the Artistic Directorship of Arthur Mitchell, Ballet Met under Gerard Charles, Ballet West under the leadership of Adam Sklute, and much more.
The Premier Dance Arts of Los Alamitos, Los Alamitos Ballet School and the Los Alamitos Ballet Theatre are perfect place to experience the art of ballet in its purest form. Void of sense of commerciality, this organization is a place where one experiences the strong roots of Ballet at every moment.
Los Alamitos Ballet, Premier Dance Arts of Los Alamitos is located at 4322 Katella Ave; 2nd Floor. Los Alamitos, CA 90720. Their contact information is as follows: (562)588-3002 www.pdalosalamitos.com ; instagram: premierdanceartslosal; instagram: losalamitosballet
The woman whose surprisingly strong first candidacy for Cypress City Council, yet that was rejected to fill a seat vacated shortly thereafter has landed a role in public office after all.
Carrie Hayashida has been appointed to the Cypress Elementary School District Board as a Trustee, filling the seat vacated by Brian Nakamura after he resigned for personal reasons.
In the 2020 City Council election, Hayashida finished just behind Anne Hertz (Mallari) and Frances Marquez, racking up more than 6,000 votes, barely missing a win of one of the two at-large seats.
Upon the resignation of Stacy Berry on July 5, 2021, there were calls from residents, officials, and even candidates who’d been beaten by Hayashida to appoint her to the post, given the public support she had earned in the previous year’s balloting.
The Council instead instituted a selection process and ultimately selected Scott Minikus, a retired Long Beach law enforcement officer to fill the seat. Since then, Minikus has won an election for a full term and is currently the mayor of the city.
According to the Cypress School District, following applicant interviews during a special meeting on May 6, 2024, the Cypress School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to appoint Hayashida to fill the Trustee Area A vacancy resulting from the resignation of Brian Nakamura in March.
There were four applicants for the position.
The district said Hayashida was administered the Oath of Office and will serve for the remainder of the term, which expires in 2024. To remain on the Board, she will be required to run for the next full four-year term in the November 5, 2024, election.
Under the California Education Code, the school district governing board shall, within 60 days of a board vacancy, either order an election or make a provisional appointment to fill the vacancy.
On April 5, 2024, the Board held a special meeting to review the options and reached a consensus to move forward with a provisional appointment. Ms. Hayashida was selected from a pool of four eligible applicants.
In a prepared statement, Hayashida said “it is my distinct honor to be appointed as the newest Cypress School Board Member, serving Trustee Area A (King & Luther). I look forward to connecting with students and parents, working with administrators and faculty, and shaping the future of elementary education with my fellow Trustees.”
In an interview with ENE this week, Hayashida said since things did not work out on the council, even her career had taken a turn that makes the education post perhaps more relevant.
“I joined an organization that is more education-based and in joining that, I’ve been doing some research recently,” she said. “So, when the opportunity to learn how the school board works at the elementary level, I thought it was in line with what I’m doing and decided to see if the door would open for me,” said Hayashida.
It did.
“I am excited to learn more about our schools and how I can make a difference, maybe by exposing kids to different careers at earlier ages to create smoother transitions to junior high school,” she said.
For now, however, said Hayashida, she’s just taking it all in and learning as much as she can.
In a prepared statement, Hayashida said “it is my distinct honor to be appointed as the newest Cypress School Board Member, serving Trustee Area A (King & Luther). I look forward to connecting with students and parents, working with administrators and faculty, and shaping the future of elementary education with my fellow Trustees.”
Hayashida has been a resident of Cypress for 28 years. Her three children attended Steve Luther Elementary School before moving on to Walker Jr. High School and Kennedy High School. She enjoyed serving as an active volunteer at all three schools. Currently, she is employed as the Chief Executive Officer of Vision Resourcing Group.
Courtesy photo Carrie Hayashida, Cypress School Board Trustee
Board of Trustee meetings are typically held on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the district’s administrative headquarters located at 5816 Corporate Avenue in Cypress. Agendas, minutes, and video recordings of regularly scheduled Board Meetings are posted on the district website at www.cypsd.org.
“I’m happy,” she said. “And so far, everybody’s been very welcoming, so it’s probably where I am supposed to be.”
The Los Alamitos Education Foundation (LAEF) hosted a special event at Old Ranch Country Club on May 1st to recognize and celebrate the Los Alamitos Unified School District’s top teachers of the year, according to a press release.
The event was attended by a wide range of guests, including teachers, their family and friends, principals, school board members, LAEF staff and board members, and district cabinet members.
A total of ten outstanding Los Al teachers were honored at the event, one from each of our district schools, along with a credentialed employee who supports multiple district schools. Honorees included two district music teachers, Suzanne McElderry (Lee Elementary) and Robert Harrell (Oak Middle School), a drama teacher, Stacy Castiglione (Los Alamitos High School), a special education teacher, Michelle Anderson (McGaugh Elementary) a teacher on special assignment, Evan Grandon (District Office), a math teacher, Brandi Amundson (McAuliffe Middle School) and four amazing elementary classroom teachers, Jennifer Holland (Weaver), Paula Pugh (Hopkinson), Morgan Cochrane (Rossmoor) and Tina Sudo (Los Alamitos).
Each teacher, nominated by their peers, was recognized for their dedication, creativity, and passion for their students. Principals from each of the honorees’ schools spoke about their exceptional contributions and the positive impact they have had on their students and school communities.
“We are thrilled to be able to recognize these exceptional teachers and celebrate their achievements,” said LAEF Executive Director, Carrie Logue. “These teachers have gone above and beyond to connect with their students, create magic inside their classrooms, and leave a lasting impact on our community.”
The event also provided an opportunity for guests from all district schools to connect with one another, strengthening the bonds between teachers, administrators, and LAEF. LAEF is committed to supporting the education and enrichment of students in the Los Alamitos Unified School District, and events like this help to foster a strong sense of community and collaboration within the district.
“We are incredibly proud of these teachers and grateful for the positive impact they have had on Los Al kids,” said LAEF Board President Felicia Gonzalez. “It was a true honor to celebrate their achievements and to recognize the hard work and dedication they consistently demonstrate in their profession.”
LAEF is proud to host an evening celebrating such wonderful teachers in our district. Congratulations to all the honorees!
LAEF is the non-profit partner of Los Alamitos Unified School District. LAEF enhances educational excellence by providing after-school and summer enrichment programs to children in grades Pre-K to 12. LAEF impacts all students by providing significant funding for student mental health/wellness and STEAM instruction, as well as igniting new programs and providing valuable resources. For more information, visit www.LAEF4kids.org or call (562) 799-4700 Extension 80424 today.
Soprano Sangeeta Kaur joined legendary Cal State University Long Beach alum Richard Carpenter Saturday as the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music presented both Grammy-winning artists with its awards during its annual “Celebrating Music” event.
Both Kaur and Carpenter were once students in the university’s music programs now administered at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at Cal State.
Kaur became the first Vietnamese American soprano to be honored with a Grammy Award in the category “Best Classical Solo Vocal,” joining Richard and Karen Carpenter along with Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers as the only artists from the BCCM to be honored with a Grammy ® Award.
“The award serves as a symbol of our deep appreciation for your unwavering dedication, exceptional talent, and profound impact on the world of music,” said Dr. Jermie Arnold, the Conservatory’s Director.
“Since 1991, the Celebrating Music Award has been bestowed upon distinguished alumni, faculty members, and music industry leaders who have left an indelible mark on the field of music,” said Arnold.
“This award serves as a symbol of our deep appreciation for your unwavering dedication, exceptional talent, and profound impact on the world of music,” he added.
Dr. Jermie Arnold, Director, Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, Soprano Sangee KAUR, Legendary Musician Dr. Richard Carpenter, and Arts Dean Dr. Royce Smith pose with this year’s “Celebrating MUSIC” Awardees.
Dr. Jonathan Talberg is the director of Choral Activities at the Bob Cole Conservatory, where he is the conductor of the international award-winning Bob Cole Conservatory Chamber Choir introduced Kaur.
“Sangeeta is a Grammy® Award-winning soprano, a world-class singer, multimedia artist, and producer, and she got her start right here where she completed her Bachelor of Music in Opera Performance,” said Talberg.
“Her list of credits since that time is incredible. She has produced five albums, performed on world tours, and has original works that range from contemporary songs in multiple
She was always a bright light, whether she was singing in the choir, performing in the opera, or giving a recital. She knew how to light up the stage,” said Talberg.
“It’s been a joy to watch her career blossom to see her transition from a driven hardworking, talented extremely kind, and very respectful college student to a performer of the first order with her own PBS special, collaborations with legendary musicians like Ian Anderson, Ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro and Steward Copeland of the Police,” said Talberg.
Photo by David Smithson Dr. Jonathn Talberg, who, among others, taught Sangeeta Kaur (Teresa Mai) when she was enrolled in Cal State Long Beach in the early 2000s, grabs a selfie with Kaur and her husband Hai on the way to the ceremony.
She and her husband Hai now own a world class recording studio in Austin and Sangeeta is now a governor on the board of the Grammy Awards, Talberg said in presenting her with the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music’s “Celebrating Music Award” for 2024.
Kaur now lives in Austin, where Sangeeta owns a world-class recording studio with her husband Hai, he said before presenting Kaur with the University’s “Celebrating Music Award” for 2024.
“It is quite surreal to be standing on the stage tonight,” said Kaur.
“I want to say thank you to the conservatory for this honor for recognizing this incredible journey, but I’ve been so blessed,” she said.
“The Bob Cole Conservatory of Music was not a conservatory when I was here. It was a music school. It was a place that showed me what gifts I was born with and when I was just out into the world, that I could do something,” the Grammy® Award singer said.
“This was a place that nurtured me and where my teachers like Dr. Talberg saw something in me. They were the ones who instilled in me what I needed to go out and do something great. So thank you so much for that,” said Kaur.
She also thanked her mom and dad, who were in the audience. “All these years and they’ve almost never missed a performance,” said Kaur. “I would not be standing here without my family, my friends, and my community,” she said.
“The journey of art and music is a powerful one.”
With Steppenwolf’s “Born to be Wild” blasting from the speakers, the Surf City GoGo Girls were kicking and twisting like flowers in the wind while the overflow crowd enjoyed every minute of it on this lazy, sunny Sunday afternoon.
Sunset Beach in many ways, at least for two days, partied like it was the 1960s all over again as thousands flocked to the green belt of this sometimes-eclectic community for the Las Damas 56th Annual Art Festival.
“We work very hard to make this festival a real part of the community,” said Natalie Vaughn, a board member and spokesperson for the group. “We are very careful about the bands, the food and we insist on our vendors selling only hand-made arts and crafts,” she said.
According to Vaughn, more than 15,000 people strolled peacefully along the green belt’s curved sidewalks, sometimes stopping along the way dotted with white tents containing artisan vendors of all types selling items they had made themselves.
For sure, Sunset Beach is a community that loves its rock and roll, and while it is perhaps an exaggeration to say it was a reboot of the Sixties generation, what is true is that the Las Damas annual event is a chance for free spirits and friends to gather and raise money for various schools and art programs.
“We’ve been coming here for the Mother’s Day festival for as long as I can remember,” said Italian-born Stephan Basi, a leather craftsman, as he sold yet another black leather wristband.
Basi, who travels to Sunset Beach once a year from Mission Viejo with his wife Mary, said by Sunday he had almost sold out of the leather bracelets and other items he made for the event.
According to his wife Mary, there is a strong bond between many of the vendors and the Sunset Beach community that goes back many years.
“We have regular customers from here(Sunset Beach), and so do the other vendors,” said Mary, She said the merry band of vendors all make the crafts and products that festivalgoers purchase as they walk by.
“We are all very passionate about the festival,” she said, “and about the cause.” “We all know it’s done to promote art.”
While vendors were busy selling reasonably priced handmade arts and crafts, nearby food trucks stood at the ready, selling a wide variety of dishes from brisket to fried chicken and almost anything tasty in between.
The red polished floor of the former fire station that is now the Sunset Beach Community Center, stands with dozens of paintings. The work of top local artists brought the building to life with oil, watercolor, and acrylic paintings for sale.
In addition, there was a stand that displayed a sample of the art generated by children in schools supported by grants from Las Damas.
Jill Mathis, a Long Beach resident, currently living in Huntington Beach (while her home is under renovation), walked away carrying a framed beach photo she had just purchased from this year’s gallery.
“I wanted something that reminds us of our beaches,” said Mathis, “and this captures it,” she said, holding close to her a beautiful mystical scene with three seagulls diving towards the sea.
Mathis said she’s been coming to the festival for the past 10 years and always appreciates the art on display at the Art Festival. “The art is what I appreciate the most,” she said as she walked out with her framed photo.
Moreover, Mathis said she was thrilled that part of her purchase would support artists.
A Las Damas Board member, Josey Dentzer, said since there’s little or no money being spent by school districts on art, Las Damas uses proceeds from its festival to fund art programs.
“We’re happy to give them any amount and our teachers are so appreciative,” said Dentzer.
“I think this year’s festival is another great success and a tribute to all of the hard work that our Las Damas women have put into making this a great family festival,” she said.
“Not every child is an academic or an athlete and we need to have some venue for all of the students. Art is such an important part of the creative process, and we must have an outlet for these kids,” said Dentzer.
The Surf City GoGo girls brought their special flower power to the event, making special appearances throughout the weekend. They kept the crowds rocking with special performances in between great bands like Phunkle, Roadkill Kings and Cat Reed.
The Sunset Beach Surf City GoGo Girls are a unique assemblage of ladies with idyllic stage names like Pinky, Boots, and Liberty Lane (the niece of Penny Lane).
According to Liberty Lane, “we use authentic go-go costumes and we love to dance and take people back to an innocent time when everyone could have so much fun.”
“We have so much fun,” she said, noting they also make appearances at surfing championships, the mayor’s ball, and the Fourth of July parade.
“We are very pleased with the turnout this year,” said Las Damas President Lisa Marie Moreo,
“With this festival’s tradition of more than half a century, it has become a Mother’s Day tradition for friends and fellowship,” she said.
Vaughn said Las Damas believes the festival “went exceptionally well,” with not a single incident throughout the weekend and plenty of fun indeed. Nevertheless, she said it would take a couple of weeks to sift through the administrative tas
For now, she said Las Damas members were thankful everything went well and plan to announce all results from the art show and funds raised very soon.
Courtesy photo
Pictured above from left back: Joan Larson – 2nd VP/Membership, Marilyn Reames – Programs, Megan Martinez-King – President. Front row: Mary Kamhi – Publicity, Laura Price – Parliamentarian, Ginger Osman – Correspondence, Dawne Reed – 2nd VP/Membership, Maria Sterk – Treasurer, Michele Pourtermour – 1st VP/Dean, Shirley Bradley – Recording Secretary and Roberta Voet – Financial Secretary.
Local officials joined with Los Alamitos Chamber officials this week to cut the ribbon on a new wellness center that uses natural and holistic approaches, including a “salt room.”
“We are the premier wellness center in Los Alamitos, CA for all your halotherapy needs. Our mission is to provide a natural and holistic approach to respiratory care through the use of salt room therapy, also known as salt cave therapy, said owner Lily Habel.
According to the company’s website, Halotherapy has been used for centuries as an alternative medicine to treat various respiratory conditions such as allergies, asthma, bronchitis, and more. “At Salt Me Halotherapy, we offer state-of-the-art salt rooms designed specifically for this therapeutic purpose. Our rooms are built with walls made entirely of Himalayan salt bricks and floors covered in pure Himalayan salt crystals. As you relax in our peaceful and tranquil environment, the microclimate in the room replicates that of a natural salt cave, providing you with all the benefits of being by the ocean without having to leave Los Alamitos,” she said.
“We believe that everyone can benefit from salt therapy, including children. That’s why we offer specialized sessions for children’s wellness,” said Habel.
The gentle treatment can help alleviate allergies and strengthen their immune system in a safe and drug-free way. Our experienced staff is dedicated to improving your overall well-being through our unique approach to respiratory care.
“We are committed to creating a welcoming atmosphere where you can unwind and rejuvenate both your mind and body. Don’t wait any longer to experience the incredible benefits of halotherapy with us. Visit us today and start breathing better tomorrow with our exceptional services,” she urged.
The business is located at 4296 Katella Ave.
In addition to the welcoming remarks, various elected officials presented the new business owners with certificates welcoming them to the area.
The Cypress Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the return of the Business Awards Dinner for 2024 to be held June 6th at the Old Ranch Country Club at 6:00 p.m. This year the Chamber will be recognizing the largest chair manufacturer in North America, Cypress based Exemplis as the Business of the Year. Exemplis has embraced Cypress by encouraging their team members to get involved in the community, most notably with the Boys and Girls Club of Cypress/Anaheim. The Orange County Business Journal recently recognized them for their team’s many philanthropic efforts and accomplishments. Exemplis® was founded in 1996 on one simple principle: when it comes to their customers, instant gratification is never overrated.
Joining Exemplis as an honoree will be Hyatt Die Cast & Engineering Corporation, an industry leading producer of high pressure die castings. Hyatt Die Cast has been in business since 1956 and in Cypress since 1966 and will be recognized with the Legacy Business award. In addition, Mach-5 Insurance founder, city commissioner and community volunteer Henry “Hank” Machal will be honored as Man of the Year. Cypress Elementary School District Board Member, former Cypress Mayor and community volunteer Lydia Sondhi will receive the Chamber’s Woman of the Year award.
This year the Chamber Board of Directors has also chosen to recognize the hard work of Doug Dancs, long time Public Works Director of the City of Cypress, with an Exemplary Service to Cypress award.
“We’re very excited to bring back our annual Business Award event because it allows the Cypress Chamber to acknowledge the hard work and efforts of some of the businesses and community members who quietly work behind the scenes throughout the year to help improve our city and business climate,” said Cypress Chamber Board Chairperson Mariellen Yarc.
Tickets for the business attire event are $95, with tables of eight for $700. The event also features a printed program where sponsors, business associates and friends can place ads to honor the evening’s award recipients. Contact the Chamber for details on sponsorship opportunities at (714) 484-6015 or register for the event online at www.cypresschamber.org.
Great article (May 8, 2024) on the women saved from a scam. Attached is a reply. If anything, please give this to the family of the saved victim.
Editor’s note: It is published unedited below;
Dear Family of the Scam victim:
It’s not over. Although I am thrilled the bank teller and local police forces were able to protect your family I would like to mention, it’s not over. The scammers are very persistent and now that they know your folks are vulnerable, they will come again, and again in ways only crooks can think about.
Some suggestions:
1. Set up 2 bank accounts. Let your folks have one checking with a limited amount of funds in it for their day to day living. Put your name on all the other accounts and make sure the bank calls you if there is any activity. Pay the on going big bills out of the larger account. Keep your folks involved as they will not want to lose total financial control.
2. Put a security freeze on all 3 of the major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and Transunion). Why? If the scammers try buy a car or put a loan on your folks house they can’t. Also, a freeze is easy to lift.
3. Notify your family’s money manager and banks to keep an eye out and leave them your phone number.
4. Either go through your folk’s mail or have their mail forwarded to your home. After picking out the scam mail, sit down with them and look at each piece to include them.
5. Change their cell phone number and notify their friends and family. Look for a note where your folks wrote down the scammers phone number. Destroy it.
6. Watch for flower deliveries with notes and asking for return phone calls
7. Be on the watch for other scams: refi of your folk’s home, loan against their car, investment scams and more. This is why you need the security freeze (#2).
The above are the basics. There are more. But for now, that is a good start.
Lastly, I would like to say, great job to the teller, the bank, the police, and the detectives.
All the best,
Bill Cohen
Los Alamitos
RCSD: YOU FAILED YOUR COMMUNITY!
Two years ago this month I walked the perimeter of Rossmoor Park to survey the homes about a little-known plan to insert pickleball on one of the tennis courts. My survey showed that 85% of homeowners wanted an environmental impact study before a noisy new sport called Pickleball was to be implemented. That survey was given to general manager Mendoza in a face-to-face meeting almost 2 years ago to the day.
Since then, Pickleball was implemented WITHOUT SOUND MITIGATION by a vote of three members of this board, Barke, Demarco and Maynard. These three ignored the input of then Directors Mark Nitikman and Jeff Ripps who pledged that “if we do it [pickleball] we must do it right.” They also ignored the input of two of our current board members, Jo Shade and Nathan Searles, who have tried to advance this pledge but are in the minority. Most egregiously, this threesome has ignored its own community’s input.
In the two years since my walk around the park, a sham trial was put in place that involved 3 courts – not 4 that they installed- that measured not one piece of objective data, such as, peak hours played, resident versus nonresident usage, walk-ons versus paid, noise levels at varying times of the day, parking/congestion issues. They made a mockery of two hired and paid acoustic consultants who advised noise mitigation recommendations that were completely ignored.
Most recently the 3 board members, Maynard, Demarco and Barke, ignored two signed petitions from the community, who had the gall to ask for effective sound mitigation, one with over 50 signatures and one with 13 from those who live on Baskerville.
There is apparently nothing that will get any attention, let alone empathy, from this threesome. In fact, their general manager Mendoza answered the petitions in writing with: “…the addition of mitigation blankets and gate panels has not been planned or scheduled.”
Why this arrogant posture to deny noise mitigation for this noisy sport of pickleball?
We see this threesome wasting our tax dollars with reckless spending. $65k to:
Pay for unnecessary premature court resurfacing of all four tennis courts and basketball courts (instead of simply painting lines for the one court converting to pickleball). Resurfacing was just done in 2019 and courts are still in good condition.
Spending money on permanent pickleball posts and nets— when using portable posts and nets they already purchased is working just fine, which is what many parks do.
In a recent board meeting, Director Maynard thought an RCSD LOGO in the middle of the basketball court would be a great idea for RCSD branding. Seriously? It was taken seriously enough to get an estimate on its cost. How did a $15,000 logo ever find its way into this trio’s dialogue – when noise mitigation has been summarily dismissed?
Oxford Academy’s softball team had been a team on a mission as they blasted their way to the CIF-SS Championship game. But the meteoric ride ended with a bit of a thud, as the hot-hitting Patriots went cold and had to settle for a Runner-Up plaque with and 11-2 loss to Eastside High in the Division 7 finals on Saturday at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine.
The Patriots entered the playoffs as the fourth-place team out of the 605 League, but were the No. 1 ranked team in the CIF-SS Division 7 poll to end the season. They started hot and stayed hot, scoring 19, 17 and 11 runs respectively in their first three playoff games. Their only close game was a 5-2 win over Riverside Prep in the semifinals.
They had also been steady defensively, holding opponents to a combined 11 runs over four games. Factor in four errors with the cold bats and it was too much to overcome. Head coach Bob Whitney was at a loss for any specific issues for the team, just saying it was just the wrong day for the team to play its worst game.
“We are a lot better than how we played today,” Whitney said.” We didn’t hit well, we didn’t make any adjustments, and that’s what happens.”
Despite the loss, the Patriots set a new standard for the program, as this was the first time the softball team had reached a CIF-SS Championship game. The Patriots were 25-1 in non-league games, but battled to 5-5 in a competitive league schedule. But Whitney knew they could compete in the playoffs.
“Our goal was to make CIF [playoffs], just get our foot in the door somehow, and uh we made a good run and we got to the finals,” Whitney said. “You know, thirty-some odd teams didn’t get here.”
The Patriots struggled from the start as Eastside used a two walks and an error to load the bases in the top of the first inning. Shortstop Bethanie Jiminez followed that with a double to the left-center gap to give the Lions a 3-0 lead.
The Patriots had a chance to respond in the bottom of the first, but missed the opportunity. After senior Monique Rojas reached on an error to lead off, senior Isabella Pace drove a ball to the wall to score Rojas. The Patriots would work two walks to lead the bases with just one out, but Lions pitcher Luz Navarro would get two strikeouts to end the threat.
The Patriots settled in somewhat, but the Lions would use a two-out rally to score four more in the top of the fourth inning to push the lead to 9-1. In the bottom of the seventh inning, freshman Shay Tiettmeyer had a pinch-hit double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Senior Monique Rojas would bring her in with a single for the Patriots’ second run.
As a section finalist, the Patriots await a berth in the CIF State playoffs, set to be released next weekend. The Patriots get one more shot at this season to potentially raise the bar for the program a bit higher. Oxford will lose three seniors, but has seven returning juniors who were impact players this year. The team also has several underclassmen, including two freshmen who were key contributors, so Whitney is highly optimistic for the future.
“We’ll be okay next year,” Whitney said.
Courtesy photo
The Oxford Academy baseball team captured the CIF-SS Division 7 Championship with a 5-4 win over South El Monte High on Friday at Lake Elsinore Diamond, home of the Lake Elsinore Storm minor league baseball team. Oxford Academy was the No. 2 team out of the 605 League and was not among the top 10 teams in the final division rankings at the end of the regular season. But the Patriots made the most of their opportunity, knocking off several ranked teams along the way. They opened the playoffs with a 7-1 win over No. 2 Western Christian. They rolled over No. 7 Jurupa Valley, 13-1 in the quarterfinals and Desert Christian, 15-5 in the semifinals.
