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.
By popular demand, the Rossmoor Community Services District and Elite Special Events will again be hosting the “Rossmoor Family Festival” Summer Series at Rush Park June 8, July 13, August 10 and September 14 from 3-8pm.
Courtesy photo The Emperors will return to the Rossmoor Festival on Sept. 14.
The events will all have Live music, Kids Zone Carnival, Top food trucks from OC and over 60 vendors selling crafts and unique items. The events will have a stage with local youth acts, local bands and one headline band each show.
Headline bands include Knyght Rider (June 8), Stone Soul (July 13), The Trip (Aug.10) and
The Emperors (Sept.14). Next to the Food Truck expo will be a festive beer and wine garden!
Parking and admission are free!
Come early to claim your picnic spot as spaces in front of the stage fill up quickly.
Rush Park Address – 3021 Blume Ave, Rossmoor, 90720. For show or vendor information call 310-560-9122. More info at instagram page @familyfoodiefestivals
Imagine an eleven (11) year old girl is abruptly uprooted from the only world she has known in the Himalayas and relocated to Orange County California. As she tries to acclimate to this new world, she feels anxious, scared, excited, and at the same time she is “wonder eyed” by seeing so many things that are new to her. At school she’s excited to join a dance club.
She shows up to audition with her dance “ghungroos” (dance bells) and recorded music. She enters the school’s cafeteria turned audition room and sits down against the wall with the rest of the kids waiting to be called on to perform their pieces. She ties her ghungroos around her ankles and feels strange. She looks up and sees everyone staring. Her heart beats faster and the palm of her hands start to feel sticky; she shrinks a little bit and withdraws into the floor.
One by one each student’s name is called by a panel of adults sitting behind a rectangular cafeteria table. She then hears her name and the is asked,
“Are you ready?”
“Ummm, y-e-s,” she says.
She hurries and pushes ‘play’ on the tape-recorder and runs to the middle of the room and starts to dance. It’s three minute choreography and when it’s over, there is no applause or smiles. Instead there is complete silence and blank stares. All of a sudden from the silence she hears,
“What is that?”
She responds, “Kathak” “It’s my dance.”
“Where are you from?” is the next question.
“Himachal, India.”
“Oh, so this is ethnic expression and not dance. Can you do tap or Ballet, or hip-hop?”
“No” she says, as she shrinks further into herself and into the cement floor
“Oh, okay, thank you so much from sharing”
The little girl walks out of the room shaking.
It wasn’t until this moment that she feels that she doesn’t belong that somehow she’s different. That her dance and the way she moves is not acceptable that she is not accepted. A week later she is informed that she’s not selected because she needs to learn hip-hop, Ballet, Jazz, or modern dances to be part of the dance club.
Now imagine a Music and Dance school whose vision is to create an inclusive space, where all music and dance forms are accepted, promoted, and cultivated. Where the organization’s leadership intentionally embeds respect for not only the history of all performing art forms, but strategically cultivates a safe space to create a future that consistently encourages music and dance synergy and innovation. Where people, regardless of their background, can be seen and be accepted.
Where all dance and music is not only perceived as equal, but rather is integrated into the fiber of the community. This is what Orange County Music and Dance (OCMD) strives to achieve. “There are three things that tie us together: food, music, and dance” says Douglas Freeman, CEO of Orange County Music and Dance (OCMD). Mr. Freeman’s vision is to create a global performing arts program, “A world music and dance space.”
According to the press release, at the moment, “Orange County Music & Dance (OCMD), a non-profit community music and dance school in Irvine, offers the highest quality artistic education, performing arts training and musical experiences for aspiring artists of all ages. Working with young disadvantaged children, under served adults and military veterans, OCMD inspires students to explore instrumental music, recording and sound engineering as well as singing and vocal expression. Its endowed scholarship program provides opportunities for all children regardless of financial circumstances.
OCMD is also a Steinway Select School, the only such designation for a nonprofit organization in Orange County, and a Lang Lang International Music Foundation partner, providing students grades 3-6 free piano lessons in Title One Schools. OCMD is part of The Collaborative, a partnership of three nonprofits: OCMD, Pretend City Children’s Museum and The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum. Doug Freeman helped bring the organizations together to create a pioneering project on a unified campus that maximizes sustainable building and landscapes.”
On May 8, 2024, OCMD and “the City of Irvine celebrated the groundbreaking and “Great Park Development Open House” at the Cultural Terrace at Irvine’s Great Park. According to the press release, “the location will be the new home to OCMD’s state-of-the-art 70,000 square foot campus and 15,000 square foot performing arts center, allowing OCMD to double its headcount to more than 500 K-12 students and veterans per week with arts education and performance programs.”
“Nurturing and inspiring our students is at the epicenter of our work. When students come to Orange County Music and Dance, we see their journey from reluctant and tentative beginner to a confident young artist and capable adult, positively impacting their brain development, life skills, and self-esteem,” said Douglas Freeman, Executive Chair and CEO of Orange County Music & Dance.
“The new building is a place where our students can feel safe, secure, and inspired and is accessible regardless of financial circumstances.”
“We founded OCMD to help encourage students to dream bigger and unlock their greatest potential,” continued Charlie Zhang, OCMD Founder and Chairman. “The new OCMD campus will help ensure the fulfillment of musical dreams and life goals for the next generations to come.”
Founded in 2017, OCMD offers the education, training and performance opportunities for K-12 students and veterans, with an endowed scholarship program that ensures that children who want to attend can do so, regardless of their financial circumstances. More notable, nearly 40% of OCMD students receive financial aid and, per the OCMD leadership, over the next few years, OCMD will increase its endowment from $3.6 million to $5 million, significantly increasing the number of students who will be able to participate.
Vivienne Follman-Otta, student of OCMD, says, “OCMD has forever changed my life. Ever since I had started taking classes and lessons in the voice program with my mom, I have found my voice. Now, I love to sing and perform; I love to work hard at it. And I am now going to achieve my dreams because of OCMD.”
It is well established that music and dance are critical to community connections and resilience. Under the climate of current world events, now more than ever, there is a deep need for a performing arts place that is dedicated to nurture, inspire, and empower the children of not only Orange County but beyond to achieve their dreams and provide a path for them to follow their passions. Orange County Music and Dance is perfectly positioned to be just such a space.
When a Los Alamitos senior citizen walked into a Cypress bank asking to withdraw a large amount of cash last week, an alert bank teller suspected something was amiss.
What followed is an example of cooperative police work that resulted in an arrest in College Park West of a suspected “mule,” attempting to pick up the brown paper bag filled with what he thought would be $20,000 in cash sitting on the porch belonging to the unsuspecting senior citizen.
Instead, it was filled with newspapers but by then, it was too late, as an ad-hoc task force of Cypress and Los Alamitos detectives and other officers descended on the suspect and arrested him.
Los Al Police Chief Michael Claborn recounted the sequence of events for the City Council at their recent meeting which he suggested reflects the effectiveness of his department.
Since becoming chief, Claborn has beefed up the city’s once depleted department, hiring a full contingent of officers.
According to Los Al Detective Sgt. John Kroc, the city’s police department has a good working relationship with the nearby department in Cypress, noting that they received a call from Cypress PD altering him to the situation.
“A Detective Sergeant called me and said, hey, you know, we’ve got, we’re out at one of our banks in our city with one of your residents from Los Alamitos, who’s trying to withdraw $20,000,” said Kroc.
“We think it is part of an internet and phone-based scam,” the Cypress police official told him, “so we took over the investigation from them,” said Kroc.
“One of our detectives, Steven Smith was the head of this investigation,” said.Kroc.
“He did a great job coordinating everything and everyone,” the detective sergeant said.
Cypress police told Kroc that earlier this month, a Cypress senior citizen had been bilked out of $30,000 in cash using the same scam. Therefore, he praised the bank official and Cypress Police Department for preventing it from happening again.
Police say the unidentified woman answered an e-mail claiming to be from PayPal saying she was going to get a refund. The woman called the number and got a man on the phone who said Kroc, eventually took control of her computer and convinced her to move $30,000 from one bank account to another, then instructed her to withdraw the money and leave the cash on her porch.
Once police identified the potential scam victim, Kroc said Det. Smith got permission to enter her home.
“He went and got permission from the residents to go into their home with them, in plainclothes, to kind of direct and guide the phone conversations and communications with the fraudster,” said Kroc.
When the suspect directed her to put all the money in a brown bag and put it on the porch, Smith suggested they load the brown paper bag with newspaper to appear as money so they kind of put some newspaper in the bag.
Smith put together a team of detectives and other officers in plain clothes and took their positions near the potential victim’ss home in College Park North.
Screetshot courtesy of KCal 2 A Los Al resident senior, left, speaks with Los Alamitos Police detective Steven Smith after Los Al PD collaborated with the Cypress PD to arrange a plainclothers setup that resulted in the arrest of a suspected cash mule.
Kroc said police learned the fraudster’s name was “Jack,” what he would be wearing, and learned the timeline of when the mule would be there to pick up the cash.
“Evan Flynn and another one of our detectives were running the surveillance aspect of this and he had a view of the front porch,” said Kroc. “He (Flynn) watched the guy, the money mule get out of the car and noticed that he’s wearing gloves and a mask,” said Kroc.
“He goes up and checks the bag, and then quickly tries to get back to his car and that’s when detectives took them down without having to use any force or without really any incident,” the detective sergeant said.
Kroc said the man “claimed to be an Uber driver but he was wearing Armani shoes and a Gucci belt.” He said the man also came up with a flimsy story about simply picking up a bag for a friend he just met.
“His statement was pretty fishy,” he said.
After gaining consent to search his car, they found evidence that he had been sending what they suspected was “hundreds of thousands” of dollars overseas to different locations.
Moreover, the man’s description closely matched the suspect in the earlier Cypress case where a senor had been ripped off for $30,000.
Kroc said overseas call centers are packed with scammers who apparently, convince seniors they were accidentally refunded $30,000 instead of $300 and ask them to return the money.
Fraudulent documents provided to seniors using Photoshop and other software that allows scammers to control the mark’s computers can be tricky,” he added.
City manager Chet Simmons said at the Council meeting, “given the prevalence of these types of crimes,” that the city will be developing an educational campaign to protect seniors against these types of crimes in the city.
“It’s work well done and kudos to your officers,” the city manager said to the Chief.
Ironically, the successful sting occurred in the same neighborhood that hosted their own police appreciation pot-luck event a year ago. Council member Trisha Murphy said “thank you very much,” adding that her neighbors were “excited and enthusiastic that you guys have worked so hard on this. I was just very proud.”
The suspect was not identified, said Kroc, because the investigation continues.
Chief Claborn said the matter has also been turned over to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
According to a recent FBI Report, scams cost senior citizens across America as much as $3.7 billion every year.
The City of Los Alamitos issued a proclamation at their regular meeting in April honoring public safety dispatchers and the Orange County Fire Authority in recognition of National Public Safety Telecommunications Week.
“Emergencies can occur at any time that may require police, fire or emergency medical services,” said Los Al Mayor Jordan Nefulda.
“The prompt response of police officers, firefighters, and paramedics is critical to the protection of life and preservation of property,” he added. “Public safety dispatchers are the first and most critical contact our citizens have with emergency services,” he said.
Orange County Division 1 Fire Chief Craig Covey was on hand to thank many of the dispatchers present for “their extra hard work” in keeping the community safe.”
Covey said OCFA works seamlessly with WestComm, a joint powers authority that provides coordinated dispatching for Los Alamitos, Cypress, Seal Beach and the Orange County Park Rangers.
When calls come in regarding fire or emergency medical services, said Covey, they are seamlessly routed to the OCFA emergency operations center, which Covey said handles hundreds of thousands of calls each year.
“Our center last year handled 911 calls128,000 times, dispatched authorities to 178,000 emergencies, so it’s an incredibly busy center,” said Covey. He said they get 500 calls a day, noting also that they handle them on an average of 4 seconds, while the national average is 7 seconds.
Covey played a recording of one call when a 911 dispatcher calmly talked a caller through a medical procedure that ultimately saved a life. He said his mother was a 911 dispatcher for 20 years and praised all dispatchers’ ability to “maintain their composure” during some trying circumstances.
A spokesperson for WestComm said their call center processes emergency calls for police in Cypress, Seal Beach and Los Alamitos, along with Orange County Park Rangers.
“We serve 90,000 residents over a service area of 23 square miles,” the spokesperson for WestComm said.
Last year, WestComm handled more than 125,000 emergency calls, including 28,000 911 calls, handling more than 74,000 incidents.
“We are the lifeline for police officers providing vital information and support to ensure they can respond quickly and effectively to emergencies,” the spokesperson said.
“Thank all of you for what you do,” said Nefulda.
Three schools in the Anaheim Union High School District have been recognized with the 2024 Civic Learning Awards including John F. Kennedy High School in La Palma, the state education department has announced in a press release.
Now in its 11th year, the awards program is sponsored by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, with the goal of celebrating schools that provide first-rate civic education and engagement opportunities.
Among the 21 campuses recognized on Wednesday, John F. Kennedy High School in La Palma was one of only three in the state to earn the Civic Learning Award of Excellence, which comes with a personal visit from Chief Justice Guerrero in the fall.
Anaheim High School and South Junior High, which are also part of the Anaheim Union High School District, were presented with Civic Learning Awards of Merit. Santiago Charter Middle School in the Orange Unified School District received an honorable mention for its civics efforts.
“We know that when young people activate their voices, they can be among the strongest change agents in our communities,” Thurmond said in a news release. “Education is the cornerstone of realizing our democratic ideals, and these schools have made extraordinary contributions to building the leaders of tomorrow.”
“I find these award applications inspiring; they all deserve our recognition,” added Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero. “They tell the important stories of dedicated educators who are, despite the challenges, creatively making room for students to fully understand and practice civics.”
For 2024, the Civic Learning Awards program recognized three schools in California with the Award of Excellence, three with the Award of Distinction, four with the Award of Merit, and 11 with Honorable Mention status. Since launching in 2013, the program has presented a total of 519 awards to traditional, charter, and magnet schools.
Applications for the awards are annually reviewed by a panel comprising representatives from the California courts and the California Department of Education. Schools get additional points if their Local Control and Accountability Plans emphasize civic learning if they participate in the Judges in the Classroom program, or if they establish criteria related to the State Seal of Civic Engagement.
Did you know that only once per year can you enjoy Orange County’s annual Health & Wellness Festival entitled “Be Your Best” Wellness Fest?
The event is co-sponsored by the Rossmoor Community Services District, Elite Special Events and hosted over by Los Al native, wellness guru, yoga/pilates teachers and event planner Jamie Holcomb, sometimes referred to as “The Holistic Hulk.”
The event is free and is scheduled for Rush Park Saturday, May 11, from 11 a.m. through 4 p.m. at Rush Park with a host of activates appropriately themed for mothers on Mother’s Day weekend.
Holcomb said they have partnered up with other wellness personalities to curate a well-rounded festival “BE YOUR BEST WELLNESS FEST.”
“It will be full of all things health and wellness for our community,” she said, which will include: donation-based yoga, zumba, pilates classes in the grass, a special Balance Tai QiQong class with celebrity guest creator and instructor Dr. Marissa Pei.
Pei is also known as the “Asian Oprah”, notable for her live stage entertainment.
Also, she said there will be a dance therapy SILENT DISCO party with Katie Neary Founder of So We Are Silent Disco, and participants can choose from healthy local food and beverage trucks & pop-ups.
In addition, there will be a fitness and fun zone that kids can enjoy at no cost, and professional family photographer Jessica Gomez will be available, a Mommy & Me Meet-Up with Melissa Arcos of FIT4MOMS, an optional immersive paid experience BEYOND BURNOUT event in the indoor auditorium (tickets on Eventbrite search Beyond Burnout: A Journey to Reset & Regulate at location Harriett M. Wieder Community Center).
Also, there will be a Tea Tent experience hosted by d?Ît?’s Spiritual Director Ashlee Shereen, and a Health Expert Vendor Fair full of local health & wellness businesses and practitioners waiting to connect with attendees at their booths where they plan to showcase their various services to benefit current and long-term health journeys.
Many of the vendor booths will have exclusive prizes, discounts, giveaways, demos, helpful information, experts to answer your questions, and MORE only for guests that attend the festival! Talk about a balanced day where you’ll feel energized, inspired, connected, and prepare attendees to “be their best.”
There is no cost to attend the overall event and there will be free street parking. There will wellness for the entire family available at the May 11 event, said Holcomb.
“We’ll have something to benefit the health and wellness for every age, so bring everyone,” she added.
She quoted Winston Churchill as once saying, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
“We have picked local charity Transitions in Motherhood lead by Tara Farrell Farajian as our festival’s Fundraiser to give back to our community! Please bring baby wipes for our Baby Wipes Drive to the festival or donate monetarily on their website. Their mission is to decrease isolation at any stage of motherhood and create a network in which expectant mothers, new mothers, and mothers in general can receive support during this multi-faceted phase of life while strengthening their family along the way,” said Holcomb.
Transitions In Motherhood specializes in women’s health focusing on prenatal and postpartum support services, attachment, infertility and the many transitions that motherhood can bring.
If residents have any questions regarding this event, please call Jamie Holcomb “The Holistic Hulk” at 562-704-2379 or email th*************@***il.com.
