Newly elected California Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal returned to his old high school thirty-five years after attending to be ceremoniously sworn in to his seat Saturday.

With his father, former Congressman Alan Lowenthal and his mother Bonnie, looking on, Lowenthal, who represents areas of Long Beach near Los Alamitos and Seal Beach, was introduced by his brother, Superior Court Judge Daniel Lowenthal.
Lowenthal won the seat in the Nov. 8 general election.

Many state and local elected officials attended the event, area Congressman Robert Garcia, Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, Sen. Lena Gonzales, and about 20 other area officials, including a dozen members of the California Assembly.

Judge Lowenthal said his younger brother showed leadership qualities as far back as grade school, taking an interest in debating issues and representing student interests. Lowenthal said his brother became student body President at Cornell University and studied Latin American studies in grad school at UC San Diego.

The younger Lowenthal became a teacher, then traveled to more than 100 countries after becoming an entrepreneur.

He is now uniquely qualified to represent the constituents in his Long Beach district.
“Josh is truly the political trailblazer in this family,” the Superior Court judge said. “He was always drawn to public service.”

In his address to the group, Josh Lowenthal pledged to use his experience to work for the district during what he called “transformative” times.

“We are in the midst of a revolution that requires us to hold on to those values across our great state,” he said.

“We are undergoing a once-in-a-century transformation in technology and artificial intelligence,” he said, “and automation that has upended social norms.” He said that combination makes the public “susceptible to disinformation and propaganda.”

Lowenthal said entire sectors of the economy are being uprooted, creating “well-founded concerns about the emotional development of our children.”

We’re in the midst of an environmental transformation, he said, “facing the painful process of migrating away from energy and systems that can threaten our very existence.” He also pledged adjustments in the criminal justice system and to work on other needed reforms, like creating more opportunities for women.

“We handicap our own achievement with our complete and total inability to provide equal opportunity for women,” said Lowenthal.

Lowenthal said he takes the constitutional oath seriously and would represent everyone equally, “not just those with the same experiences, the same perspective, the same political party, the same interests everywhere because we all need government to work for everyone.”

The Los Alamitos City Council awarded two police officers for saving a woman’s life Monday at the Council’s first meeting in 2023, as they also recognized a former school resource officer who is retiring and another with 39 years of service.

Mayor Tanya Doby invited Los Alamitos Police Chief Michael Claborn to recognize the officers who saved the life of a 92-year-old resident.
Regarding the lifesaving award, Chief Claborn gave the Council and the public a quick summary of what happened.

“On July 5 of 2022, at 4:48 a.m., representatives of the Los Alamitos Police Department, Corporal Nestor Rodriguez and Officer Augustin Delgado, were dispatched to assist a 92-year-old female (Beatrice Najera) who was choking.
“Upon arrival, officers met with another female, later identified as Helen Najera, her daughter,” said Claborn.

“The daughter, who is a part-time caretaker of Beatrice. Helen explained to officers that her mother was choking and could not breathe,” he said. The officers observed Beatrice on the floor of the residence, purple and unresponsive, the police chief said.
“Based on Helen’s statements and their observations, Officer Delgado picked Beatrice up from the ground and began administering the Heimlich maneuver,” he said.
Eventually, he said, Beatrice’s airway appeared to clear, and Corporal Rodriguez did a sweep of features.

“Beatrice regained her normal color and became cognizant and responsive,” said Claborn.
Medical units from the Orange County Fire Authority arrived shortly thereafter and transported Mrs. Najera to the hospital for observation.

“Corporal Rodriguez and Officer Delgado arrived in a chaotic scene, with a visibly shaken reporting party, and an unresponsive person. They maintained composure, quickly assessed the situation, and took direct life-saving measures,” the police chief said.
“For that, we would like to present them with this award,” said Claborn, presenting Rodriguez and Delgado with their life-saving awards.

Also on Monday, the Council issued a proclamation recognizing Officer David Dorran’s service to the department.

Chief Claborn and the Council also honored former school resource officer Dave Dorran for his 31 years of service to the city.

Dorran attended Long Beach City College and transferred to the University of Redlands where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Officer Dorran received his master’s degree from California State Long Beach in 1976. He taught and coached football in high school and coached at a community college in the San Gabriel Valley for 20 years. And in 1986, he became the Dean of Students at Los Alamitos High School, responsible for attendance and discipline. In 1992, assistant principal in charge of Student Services Officer Dorran graduated from Orange County Sheriff’s reserve Academy in May of 97.

He worked as a reserve officer in a small community in Kern County for two years. He then became the technical reserve for the Los Angeles, Los Alamitos Police Department in 1992. Eventually, Officer Dorran’s status with the Department changed when he became a sworn reserve officer. He fulfilled his obligation to the reserve program by working extra assignments and community events.

It’s a long standing relationship as a liaison between the police department and the educational community, which fosters direct communication and networking to solve problems.

As a direct result, Dave represented the police department during a board meeting with stakeholders from the police department, the Los Alamitos Unified School District and respect to students and their families.

He was selected as police Employees of the Year in 2003 and 2006. He has earned the respect of Police Department personnel and his consistent demonstration of professionalism, selfless attitude and his commitment to this department will be missed. David’s wife Bonnie love to travel. They have two children and two grandchildren. We wish them all the best as he embarks on the next chapter of being fully retired.

Josiah Doby, who attended school where Dorran was once posted, stepped up to call the retiring officer fierce, fair and friendly.
“He shaped my opinion on what police officers should be and what a man stands for,” said Doby. “I salute you as a friend.” Reserve Officer Harry Whited was also recognized for 39 years of service.

Casa Youth Shelter, one of the area’s longest serving nonprofits, has announced the appointment of Jessica Hubbard as its new Chief Executive Officer.

“We know you will join us in welcoming her to our House. Since her first day on January 23rd, Jessica has been connecting with staff, leading board and committee meetings, and connecting with the CYS community,” the organization’s board said in a statement.

According to the Casa statement, Jessica brings a unique set of skills, perspectives, and relationships to lead Casa Youth Shelter into the future. “Building on our rich history and previous accomplishments, under her leadership we will hone our strategic direction, grow and develop our programs, strengthen our partnerships, and build new long-lasting relationships,” the statement continued.

Before joining Casa, the group said Jessica was the Chief Program Officer at Girls Inc. of Orange County. In her time with Girls Inc., she helped establish and implement the programmatic vision for the agency and saw its annual provided services jump from 4,000 girls annually to over 7,000 annually and over 25 programs annually. She led the increase in corporate engagement and giving by growing and scaling the workforce readiness program by 500%. Jessica actively engaged with other agencies, service providers, colleagues and clients to help cultivate and steward strong professional relationships and partnerships.

She has an impressive record of attracting, developing, coaching, and retaining a high-performing team and empowering them to reach even greater heights.
Jessica holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Law, from the University of Florida, a Master of Science in Educational Leadership, from Nova Southeastern University, and a Juris Doctor, from Western State University College of Law. She has served as a dedicated volunteer for many years with Take Stock in Children Scholarship Program and Camp Brave Heart. She and her husband and 2 children live in Orange County and share a passion for family and service.

Casa Youth Shelter is looking forward to beginning this new phase under Jessica’s leadership and continuing to provide a safe space for our most vulnerable youth ages 12-17 here in the southern California region.

Los Alamitos Chamber of Commerce members were treated to an in-depth and informative presentation by Labor and Employment Attorney Wendy Sugg during their recent Chamber Breakfast at Maderas Steak and Ribs Restaurant, 3642 Katella Ave., in Los Alamitos.
Some of what she covered included recent changes in laws, trends in employment, litigation, tips for managing risk, transparency requirements, increased minimum wage, leave of absence and expense reimbursements; then she accepted questions from those in attendance.

Based in Laguna Beach, with the Sugg Law Group, she specializes in litigation and trial in State and Federal courts, where she represents clients in a wide range of labor and employment as well as business litigation matters, including complex class actions, breach of contract disputes, and disputes involving claims of retaliation, discrimination, and wrongful termination.

Sugg provides advice and counsel to California employers on a wide range of issues, from policies and wages to employee hiring and termination.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a J.D. (a Doctor of Jurisprudence) from the University of Southern California and has served as a law clerk to the Honorable Shirley Wohl Kram of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

What led Sugg to the field of law?

“I have always wanted to be an attorney since elementary school,” she shared during an interview. “I’m not sure what led me to that except arguing with my parents and younger sister,” she smiled.

Prior to becoming a lawyer, she was a teacher for a year after graduation from UCLA and was a journalist in college, writing for some of the local newspapers in Orange County, “Both of which prepared me for legal writing and to present my arguments in front of a judge and jury.”

Asked if the law field is more difficult for women to get into than men, Sugg said, “I don’t think so; actually, my law school class had more women than men and I think those numbers are still favorable today. There are a lot of opportunities right out of school.”
What she did say, however, is that it’s more difficult with regard to advancement and opportunities down the line, farther into a career for a woman, which at that point tends to discourage women from staying in the field.

“The long hours and all-consuming nature of being in trial doesn’t mesh very easily with having a family,” said Sugg.

What are her suggestions for young girls who find law interesting? “Read everything you can get your hands on – the newspaper, books, history/journals. The most important thing is to make sure you have a wide range of knowledge because it’s amazing how much that will help you spot issues when you’re trying to negotiate, to defend a case or to come up with a creative argument.”

Sugg is also married to a lawyer; someone who knows the law business and can be a sounding board to head off potentially risky situations.

Her advice to people is, “Don’t be afraid to call your lawyer for advice. I think a lot of business owners view calling a lawyer as a last resort when there’s a problem, but an early call to talk about options can end up saving you a lot of money and headaches. Develop a good relationship with your lawyer.”

Together, the Suggs share a 10-year-old son, and they recently adopted a wire fox terrier dog; a pet their son has been asking for.

Living near the beach, they love doing activities that includes being at the ocean. “I also play golf and tennis when I can,” she said.