Home Blog Page 71

Business expert plans scaling up workshop

For Event-News Enterprise
-
0
Business expert plans scaling up workshop

Bahaa Moukadam, a Scaling Up business expert who has written business stories for the ENE, is having a workshop to help struggling businesses learn how to grow.

He said the workshop is for businesses seeking “real results” in their business endeavors.

“The world-renowned Scaling Up Business Growth Workshop empowers you to accelerate profitable growth using a time-tested and results-driven methodology. Through this exclusive learning experience, Scaling Up Coaches have empowered more than 40,000 executives and their leadership teams with proven tools and strategies to scale up smarter,” he said.

For interested businesses, more information is available at  https://scalingupfeb162023.eventbrite.com/

 

 

Former Cypress Mayor Otto Lacayo dead at 88

David N. Young
-
0
Former Cypress Mayor Otto Lacayo dead at 88

Otto J. Lacayo, one of the longest-serving Mayors/Council members in the city of Cypress has passed away this week.

Lacayo served on the Cypress City Council from 1970 until 1986, several numerous terms as Mayor during his service to the city.

In addition, Lacayo served on a variety of appointed and elected posts, including as a trustee for the North Orange County Community College District.

In a Facebook post, his son Cary said “he was in the right place at the right time moving to Cypress when I was baby boy. He quickly got involved with the city of Cypress to make it thrive and become an awesome town to live in. He worked hard to bring business and commerce to the city. I now live near Cypress and drove down Katella the other day and saw the Yamaha building and others that he helped start in the 70s.”

“So many great stories to tell about him, which make me smile every time,” he said.

Cypress Mayor Anne Hertz issued a statement on behalf of the city.

“Cypress has lost a friend and a champion in former Mayor Otto Lacayo. His many years of service helped create this wonderful community for residents and local businesses. The impact Mayor Lacayo had on our community will be recognized for generations to come. The City of Cypress mourns his loss and sends condolences to the Lacayo family,” she said in the statement. The ENE will have additional information next week.

Rossmoor directors request 90-day pickleball pilot program

David N. Young
-
0
Rossmoor directors request 90-day pickleball pilot program

Four Rossmoor Directors have directed the General Manager of the Rossmoor Community Services District to create a 90-day pickleball “pilot” project, despite the fact that the results of studies on various impacts on Rossmoor are not yet known.
The issue was set to come up again this week at the RCSD’s January meeting, slated for Tuesday of this week.

Before the discussion, the RCSD installed former Director Michael Maynard and Director Jo Shade, both of whom won seats on the panel in the Nov. 8 election, as State Senator Janet Nguyen administered the oath of office.

Nathan Searles, the 2nd Vice President acted as President for the December meeting, as the RCSD was expected to pick new leaders this month. Searles was next in line after President Rips lost his bid for re-election and First VP Mark Nitikman did not run.
Searles and the other members welcomed Maynard and Shade to the dais.

For the past few months, Directors have gone back and forth on the issue of pickleball in Rossmoor. General Manager Joe Mendoza conducted a trial run (for a weekend) and has engaged various sound experts to do acoustic tests.

While none of the test results had been announced, Director Tony DeMarco said he thought eight months of study was a long time. “We’ve got to do all these studies,” he said, “but it is my belief that we should be also playing pickleball to gather more information.”

“Instead of bringing in consultants and having to pay money for them to tell us how loud it really is. why don’t we just go play it and see how loud it is,” said DeMarco. “I played it over at Rush Park and it’s not that loud,” he said.

“I’m going to get negative emails over this, but I never see all four (tennis) courts being used, never,” said DeMarco.

“So why don’t we just develop this and have the general manager develop a pilot program for 90 days to get that going,” he said, suggesting a 90-day actual trial will generate data that can also be used to make a final decision.

“I would like to have it at the same time as tennis, said DeMarco. “We have lighted facilities, but it’s like we’re gonna talk about this for another year,” questioned DeMarco.
DeMarco said after eight months of talking, it’s time to play pickleball.

“I can tell you there are tons of people that have, that are in support of this in Rossmoor that don’t even come to the meetings anymore. They’ve been to six meetings already and we’re not doing anything. Let’s just play pickleball for three days a week… and gather our own data,” he said.

Newly sworn-in Michael Maynard, a former Board President, jumped in.

“When I decided to run for office, I called a couple of people to ask for their support,” said Maynard. When he asked one of them what was the biggest issue facing Rossmoor, “he said pickleball. I literally laughed out loud I said that’s our biggest issue as a community?”

“I read this twice to make sure I did my math right, but it has been eight months since the whole concept has come into question,” said Maynard, noting he did not understand the cost of hiring consultants to “prepare.”

“I think what Tony (DeMarco) just proposed brings me back to my college days. I went to CalPoly and we learned by doing, that was the Polytechnic approach,” said Maynard, who agreed with the suggestion to do a 90-day trial before the acoustic studies were complete.

Searles, an attorney, is serving on a committee of he and former Director Mark Nitikman, who is also an attorney, to study the issue of bringing Pickleball to Rossmoor. Searles tried to convince the other directors to wait a little longer.

“Listen, I’m for Pickleball in our community,” said Searles, “but I want things to be done the right way.”

“Former Director Nitikman’s concern about litigation is also one I share,” said Searles, “because we don’t need to unnecessarily get ourselves into litigation over rushing through this.” He suggested there is a clear risk of litigation as evidenced by multiple suits against homeowners’ associations and others regarding Pickleball.

“We’re focusing on an activity in a park so much and now we’re worried about getting sued,” asked DeMarco. “Okay, but we’re not worried about getting sued when we have a winter festival, and we take the entire street and impact all those homes there.”

“I would say that that’s exactly the kind of situation that director Nitikman would bring up, as there’s a history of litigation about pickleball and nuisance and that’s the reason we should be concerned about it now how we decide to vote,” answered Searles.

“I think it’s important for us to make sure that we’re not doing anything hastily and costly,” said Director Jo Shade, “but also I also would like to see some sort of a timeline like get a schedule going on what and goals like timeframe wise as to what we want to have done by what date.”

Regarding pickleball, Shade said the RCSD needs to “try and get on a schedule where we’re not dragging this out forever. I am all about action,” she said.

“The (Pickleball ad-hoc) committees had eight months to do this and we’re no closer, said Director Dr. Jeff Barke. “We’re just continuing the study process, not that we shouldn’t continue the studying, but I think we should implement the pilot program and test it out now,” he said.

Mendoza gave the Directors an update from two consulting firms the RCSD has engaged for acoustic and other studies. He said the results could be in before the next meeting.
Despite Searles’ opposition, the Directors voted 4-1 in favor of DeMarco’s idea for a 90-day pilot pickleball project and ordered Mendoza to have a proposal ready for the district’s meeting on Jan. 10.

Following the vote, the Board heard from two residents who asked to speak on the issue.
Carol Churchill asked that if the board insists on doing a pilot project before the study is complete, a meeting should be called by the board and the general public be invited along with experts to present the data on the sound reports, the information on financial costs, and a lawyer who will discuss the litigation that has occurred across the country and the liability that the board may have if they proceed with the matter without considering the impact on the quiet enjoyment of people in their homes being impacted.

“I don’t even understand it, opinions instead of facts, just because you or someone thinks it doesn’t sound loud and yet, companies are hired across the country to do specifically acoustical studies because it is well known that pickleball is a unique type of sport,” said Michele Fieldson.

“You don’t hire engineers for a farmers market or a winter festival; we’re comparing apples to oranges here,” she suggested.

“You want to put something into place because you don’t want to wait for a study to come through, so you want a pilot program,” said Fieldson. She noted that the four-day trial of Pickleball yielded “no useful data,” so how would a 90-day pilot project be any different, she asked.

“It wasn’t actually data, it was opinion based, so what modifications are you going to put into place for this pickleball trial?” she wondered. “You already have studies that say pickleball should not be within the vicinity of 300 to 600 feet of homes,” said Fieldson, “and that’s being summarily ignored and a basis for many of the lawsuits we’re talking about.”

 

Snowy Owl mania continues in Cypress

David N. Young
-
0
Snowy Owl mania continues in Cypress

With memes popping up on Facebook and long lenses from around the world arriving every day, the Snowy Owl in Cypress has become a thing. Some say a celebrity.
The bird’s every move is now being tracked. Birdwatchers say it flies off to feed, at Joint Forces Training Base and Los Al Racecourse, but thus far, always returns to the neighborhoods in Cypress.

The Snowy owl spent a great deal of time on Pitcairn Street this past weekend, but just follow the cameras and you’ll find Snowy.

In fact, the bird has generated so much interest that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has reached deep into the hills of Montana to find Denver Holt, an owl expert, to make a presentation Jan. 19, at 7 p.m. in the Cypress Community Center.

“CDFW is partnering with Sea and Sage Audubon Society to host the event with Denver Holt, said Tim Daly, a public information officer with CDFW. “Denver is recognized as a top expert and researcher on owl issues,” said Daly.

The presentation, entitled “The Breeding Ecology of Snowy Owls,” will be presented at the community center, but “it is our intention to also offer a digital zoom link for people to tune in,” said Daly.

According to the information provided by CDFW, “Denver Holt of the Owl Research Institute, has been a leader in owl research education and conservation for over 31 years. As a field researcher, he has spent a lifetime in the field with wild owls observing, recording, measuring and enjoying the natural world.”

“The resulting body of work and its implications for conservation will have a lasting impact on these indicator species as they coexist with our changing world,” it said.
“The recent sighting of the snowy owl in Cypress has generated excitement and curiosity about this amazing raptor. The Sea and Sage Audubon Society, in partnership with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, is proud to sponsor this presentation by Denver Holt.”

Now that Snowy is a celebrity, other wildlife protective organizations have issued guidelines they hope the public will observe to protect the Snowy Owl.
• Do not bring your dog: canines are very disturbing to birds and your dog may trigger neighborhood dogs who may all bark.
• Keep your voice down, no loud noises near the owl, no screaming or jumping kids.
• Only stay a few minutes, no need to take photographs for hours.
• Stay at a distance, do you have a long lens? No need to be close (also respect the people living in the neighborhood, don’t use their driveways or block the street).
• DO NOT USE FLASHES, EVER.
Rules courtesy of Jeff Bray Wildlife and Nature Pics.

New Council member takes seat in Los Alamitos

David N. Young
-
0
New Council member takes seat in Los Alamitos

At their last meeting in December, the City of Los Alamitos swore in new council members, said goodbye to outgoing member Mark Chirco and got an earful from frustrated residents of College Park East who made the city aware they will be watching as the Lampson Project percolates through the system.

The city swore in Emily Hibard, who narrowly edged to victory on Nov. 8 for the seat vacated by Chirco. They also swore in Mayor Shelley Hasselbrink, who won the seat without opposition.

Also, the new council reorganized itself, electing Tanya Doby as mayor and Jordan Nefulda as Mayor Pro-tem as they also reassigned various members to external boards and commissions.

It didn’t take long for the new council to hear that they are in for some rough sailing over the next few months as a group of residents from Parkwood in Los Al and College Park East in Seal Beach put the council on notice that they do not want the Lampson Project approved, at least not as it remains with 246 residences.

The city’s planning commission recently encountered opponents of the Lampson project as they changed some zoning in the city to facilitate the state’s new regional housing needs assessment (RHNA) numbers. Many of the same residents appeared at the council meeting, despite the fact there was nothing on the agenda about the controversial project.

“It (The Lampson Project) may meet your RHNA numbers, but burden is being dumped on us,” said Patty S., a resident of College Park East.

She said crushing traffic from nearby Long Beach Airport, the Joint Forces Training Base, a proposed development at Old Ranch and many other factors will contribute to the loss of open spaces; “will bring benefits to your city and it impacts our city.”

“We can’t just look at numbers, we have to look at people’s lives and the safety of residents,” said John Lang, a resident of Parkwood in Los Alamitos.

Another Parkwood resident said government officials are blaming residents. “So it’s our fault,” she said. “This process is all one way; you listen, you say nothing, no transparency, no validation that you actually hear us.”

Larry Nutter, of West Garden Grove, suggested city officials improve the density of the Lampson project. “You don’t have to pack ‘em in so tight,” he said, noting that “one day, you may be sorry you did this to Los Al.”

Dan Brandt said opponents were tired but would never relax in opposition to the project as currently constituted. “We’re tired,” he said, “but we’re going to keep going.”
Most suggested the influx of residents and their automobiles attracted by the 246 residences of the Lampson project would create chaos, confusion, unsafe streets and dangerous traffic conditions.

The opponents promised to come back whenever any decision connected to the development was up for a vote.

While residents from College Park East, directly across from the proposed housing development are already up in arms, the project, per se, has not officially been presented as it will take months getting through the process of approvals at the city level.
In other action, the city approved a 2 percent bonus for City Manager Chet Simmons, for which he is eligible, but which has to be approved by the Council.

Hasselbrink and Chirco both sang the praises of Simmons, saying his pandemic leadership was flawless and his economic development expertise is showing results in the city. “We are extremely fortunate to have him,” said Chirco, who made the motion to approve the bonus.

Editor’s Note: Some names of public speakers may be incorrectly spelled or identified as some do not identify themselves and there is no written record of those who do.

Mission accomplished: Mark Chirco departs public service with honor

David N. Young
-
0
Mission accomplished: Mark Chirco departs public service with honor

Holding back tears, outgoing Los Alamitos city council member Mark Chirco said his final goodbyes to his colleagues on the dais as family and supporters looked on during the city’s final meeting of 2022 in December.

Chirco, an attorney, surprised many by his announcement last year that he would not be seeking a new term. He was appointed by the Council to a vacancy in 2017, then won a full term in the 2018 general election and was eligible for another term. Nevertheless, Chirco said in five years, he was able to work with the members and staff to achieve some major accomplishments.

“It’s been five years since I was first appointed to the city council,” said Chirco. “A lot has changed in our world since that time, and a lot has changed in our city.”
When Chirco came onto the Council, the City of Los Alamitos was in dire financial straits, having run up, like other cities, a huge pension debt. Without proper revenue, the city had been making cuts and at times, found staff members two jobs at the reduced pay of one to keep the city going.

Mark Chirco, Former Mayor of Los Alamitos
Courtesy photo

Chirco and Mayor Shelley Hasselbrink attached themselves to a budget standing committee to find a path to financial sustainability and made it their mission to reverse the trend. With the passage of Measure Y in 2020, the city has indeed turned its financial fortunes around.
“Despite all the challenges to local governments over the last few years, we were able to achieve an incredible number of successes,” he said, “in large part thanks to our city staff and the productive relationships that we can have on the council. Some of the things I’m most proud of included, obviously our pension pay-down plan (announced two months ago). That’s one that I was really focused on for a long time.”

“We’ve been able over the year to function amicably and productively, taking the business of governing seriously, while not taking ourselves too seriously,” he said.

Chirco thanked Hasselbrink, City Manager Chet Simmons and Finance Director Craig Koehler, along with staff and the whole council for achieving the pension solution.

“So we went from having dire financial straits that really being in a really positive future financial outlook. We had a balanced budget all five years, thanks in no small part to Mayor Hasselbrink’s work on the budget standing committee,” said Chirco.

“We’ve staffed our police department, we finally realized new contracts for city employees.

When I was mayor, we were able to approve a new trash hauler contract which saved our residents and businesses more than $12 million. We supported the creation of a veteran’s cemetery in Orange County. We implemented a Los Al Bucks program which is the envy of many other communities,” he added.

As a public servant, Chirco was all about town.
Courtesy photo

“We added license plate readers at various points in the cities to increase public safety. We contributed to helping hundreds of people experiencing homelessness move into transitional housing,” said. He also lauded Simmons for hiring Police Chief Michael Claborn, among many other accomplishments.

“Most importantly, we restored faith in our residents that local government can achieve incredible things if they act selflessly, rationally, and together in the best interest of the community. The community is wonderful in so many ways,” he said.

“But as far as our city goes, a lot has changed, mostly for the better in my opinion,” he said, noting that such accomplishment can only happen “as a result of the collaboration among the city staff who I always acknowledge, do the really hard work of the city,” he said.

“Although we (Council members) oftentimes get the glory for it,” said Chirco, the city’s elected officials benefit from the wonderful things done by staff behind the scenes.
“I want to say thank you to staff, and my colleagues on the city council. It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with all of you. We’ve had some disagreements, but we’ve gotten through it,” said Chirco, adding that “we’ve always been able to move forward in the best interests of the city.”

ayor Mark Chirco, left, Officer DeAngelo Gossett, center and Interim Chief of Police Eric R. Nunez.
File photo

“Sometimes we’re faced with really difficult decisions and it’s hard, especially for someone like me who’s a people pleaser. I want to make everybody happy. And in this position, you really can’t make everybody happy. You just try to do the best that you can,” said Chirco.
Hasselbrink said “working with you on budget and finance has just been amazing. We argue, and then we shake hands and we always do what’s best for the city. Despite her own personal preferences. So I’m looking forward to you being able to spend time with your wife and kids.”

“We’re going to miss you,” she said.

In addition, Hasselbrink and the Council presented numerous gifts to Chirco, and his family, including a Los Al Street sign entitled “Mark A. Chirco Way.”

Mayor Pro-Tem Tanya Doby said Chirco’s even-handedness was first visible to her when they both served together on the Parks and Recreation Commission. “You always made it easy,” said Doby. She said Chirco’s seamless ability to find compromise carried over to his work on the Council, saying the Los Al Council is something special.

“And then when you go to other cities, they do not have what we have,” said Doby. “We have excellent staff. We got some good people and you’re a significant part of that,” she said. Doby also presented a gift to Chirco’s wife Shana for her support for city events with her husband.

Council member Jordan Nefulda thanked Chirco for encouraging him to serve on a city commission and then encouraging him to apply when the district 3 seat opened. “You always seem to be in a good mood and sometimes we come in here, it’s tiring, and you just bring us up. Thank you for your service,” said Nefulda.
“Mark Chirco is exactly what you would hope for in an elected official. He is smart, inquisitive, and is always looking for a way to make the City better. More often than not, he would find a way to incorporate everyone’s ideas in the final product. He has always been committed to the idea that it does not matter where we land on the political spectrum. Los Al is stronger if we are working together,” said City Manager Chet Simmons.

Chirco said leaving was “painful” because “I genuinely like all of the people I’ve been working with the past few years.” The outgoing Council member said, “(former mayor) Richard Murphy cried when he left the city council so I’m tearing up but not yet at the crying part.”

Chirco said Los Alamitos is such a wonderful community that he sometimes had to pinch himself to remind himself that he had the honor of serving the community.

“Thank you to the residents and businesses for allowing me the honor of representing this fine city,” said Chirco. “Another favorite memory of mine is during my time on the council in July of 2021. I’m just walking around at the (JFTB) base, it’s a beautiful day, you know, patriotic music playing as I was walking around thinking, how did I get to live in this awesome area, this awesome community?”

“And only then I remember that I’m also the mayor,” he said. “That’s cool too. It’s been an absolute honor to serve our residents.”

Chirco issued a special thanks to his parents, in-laws, wife Shanna, and sons Anthony and Luca for being so supportive. Chirco said he promised his two young sons that he would tell no fewer than two “dad” jokes in his final public address, which he did.
All the same, Chirco said the boys “have told me they’re happy that I’ll have a bit of extra time for them.”

“You know, I remember when I first interviewed for the council, I said, I wasn’t born in Los Alamitos, but I got here as quickly as I could. Now, I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.”

La Palma awards employees of the Year

David N. Young
-
0
La Palma awards employees of the Year

At its January 10th, 2023, meeting, the La Palma City Council recognized Police Officer/School Resource Officer Gary Wilson as the 2022 Employee of the Year and Sergeant Josh Garcia as the 2022 Supervisor/Professional Employee of the Year.

Officer Wilson was hired in April 2018, as a Police Officer, and was assigned as La Palma’s School Resource Officer (SRO) in 2019. As a School Resource Officer, he supports and facilitates the educational process within all five schools here in La Palma by providing a safe and secure environment.

Now in his fourth year as SRO, he has created a collaborative support environment by building and establishing meaningful relationships with school staff, students, and parents. Officer Wilson played a large role in facilitating the two-day 2022 Every 15 Minutes program focusing on high school juniors and seniors by challenging them to think about drinking, driving, personal safety, the responsibility of making mature decisions and the impact their decisions have on family, friends and their community.

Officer Josh Garcia.
Courtesy photo

Sergeant Garcia joined the La Palma Police Department in 2012 through an internship opportunity. A couple months later, Garcia was hired as a Police Service Aide. He served in this role for a brief period and departed in 2013 to attend the police academy. Garcia returned to the Department as a sworn officer in July 2015.

Since, Officer Garcia has held many positions in the Police Department prior to his promotion to Sergeant in November 2021. As a Sergeant, Garcia supervises multiple employees, manages shift schedules, manages reports/investigations, coordinates events, and even handles calls for service.

The City of La Palma thanks and congratulates these dedicated public servants for their service.

The City of La Palma’s Employee of the Year program recognizes those who show outstanding job performance, make significant contributions to the work environment, and maintain high standards of personal conduct.

Rossmoor Directors take a pause on pickleball

David N. Young
-
0
Rossmoor Directors take a pause on pickleball

After directing the General Manager of the Rossmoor Community Services Director to come back with a 90-day trial pickleball program in December, the Board of Directors decided against acting on it, agreeing to wait at least until a new Park and Recreation subcommittee is formed.

Four directors voted in favor of developing the 90-day plan in December; GM Joe Mendoza delivered the 90-day plan as directed. It would basically utilize one of the four tennis courts at Rossmoor Park, transforming it into three pickleball courts, allowing residents only to play using the RCSD reservation system.
Mendoza, per the board, said play could begin as early as Jan. 28 and proceed until April to complete the 90 days.

Several residents complained that the board was trying to move ahead without gathering any “real” data, suggesting the district was inviting a lawsuit if they proceeded without developing a proper program using real data.

“I feel until our RCSD does its due diligence and that is offers transparency, respecting our major concerns about noise, traffic, congestion the impact on tennis, and the risk of confrontation, you must vote no on any pickleball trial” suggested Rossmoor resident Susan Kaplan.

She called the three-day pickleball trial in July of 2022 “a sham.” “It did nothing to provide data,” she said.”and was without the science the stewards of Rossmoor’s well-being need to vote.”

“I’ve been outlining several emails that the board commissioned two sound studies. I know for sure one was performed in November I’m not sure about the other,” said Michele Fieldson. “We’re two months out, and we still don’t have that information. We didn’t have that information as of the December meeting, and yet, four board members decided that going forward with the pilot pickleball program was a good idea.”

Resident Derek Chow said he loved the sport but does not believe it is good to be located in Rossmoor. As a former resident of College Park East, he said they heard the noise created by a similar court setup there. “This is a residential community, and I don’t think it should be in Rossmoor.”

Two residents strongly expressed support for the idea, however, including Chris Marshall, a 15-year-resident who said pickleball has given his 85-year-old mom in Arizona a new lease on life. “I’m in favor of a 90-day pilot project,” he said, because “I don’t want to have to depend on Seal Beach or Long Beach to provide these services,” said Marshall.

After learning to play, Marshall told the board that his mom was “giddy with happiness,” finding something “she could do rather than always having to watch.”

Maureen Waters said she too was in favor of a 90-day trial for pickleball. She said Mendoza had designed a good “compromise” between tennis players and pickleball players. “I can’t wait to ride my bike to play pickleball in a Rossmoor Park,” she told the board.

Not so fast, said resident Robert Kaplan, speaking for a friend who could not make the meeting. He said the city of Long Beach are already constructing 17 new pickleball courts in nearby El Dorado Park to open this spring “so you realize this need is not urgent,” he said.

“Make sure that you have very good clear information about the impacts,” Kaplan told the board, “and this has been mentioned by so many others.” Kaplan said the board needs to first clarify the sound impact, the traffic impact, the interaction with tennis players, etc.

“Do it right,” he pleaded.

“It’s January and we still haven’t seen it (sound study), yet one of the key issues with regard to whether you’re going to have this pilot program or pickleball permanently is not how the sound occurs on the court itself while they’re playing but how the homeowners around these courts are going to be negatively impacted,” said resident Carol Churchill.
She reminded the board of many homeowners and their associations that have filed lawsuits over pickleball.

“Those noise irritations that bring lawsuits against the elective bodies that put these programs into effect because they haven’t done their due diligence or because they didn’t notify the property owners that changes were going to be made in the community that would adversely affect their quiet enjoyment of their home,” she said.

Board President Tony DeMarco questioned Mendoza about the timing of receiving testing results and the formation of a new Parks and Recreation with RCSD.
Mendoza suggested the new Parks and Recreation could be constituted by the end of the month and some testing results should be available soon.

Without taking a formal vote, the board agreed to table the 90-day pilot, at least until the February meeting.

“I see that we can take no action tonight until we put the committee together,” said DeMarco, “so we should just table this pilot with your consensus until Joe (Mendoza) gets some clarity of this issue.”

Owl mania continues in Cypress as expert set to visit

David N. Young
-
0
Owl mania continues in Cypress as expert set to visit

Perhaps to demonstrate the impact a wayward owl has already had on this city in 2023, Mayor Anne Hertz-Mallari passed little tiny stuffed owls to members of the City Council before the start of the meeting Monday.

Following a rocky pollical season that brought a different kind of scrutiny to Cypress, a snowy owl more comfortable in the Arctic tundra has brought new headlines and attention to the city from literally all over the world.

And, if Mayor Hertz-Mallari’s words ring true, the owl, a symbol of wisdom, might be a harbinger of more cooperation among the council.

Hertz-Mallari not only apologized to previously ostracized council member Frances Marquez, but she also called the new council “a team of five” in her opening remarks.

“I realized that in my first video from the mayor, I welcomed our newly elected members and did not mention my colleague, Councilmember Marquez, and my apologies for that unintentional oversight because I truly look forward to working with you,” said Hertz-Mallari.

“It’s a team of five up here and we are raring to go,” she said.

On the previous council, Marquez said she felt isolated after being censured over new rules regarding council conduct.

Nevertheless, perhaps simultaneously, but with the Snowy Owl has come a new perspective. And, before getting the business underway for 2023, Hertz-Mallari asked the city to pause and reflect on the impact of the Snowy Owl.

“Bear with me for just one minute. One of the things that have united our city in the past few weeks is the appearance of our beautiful snowy owl. Right? We love this owl,” the mayor said.

Denver Holt with Snowy Owl chicks.
Photo by Melissa Groo

The owl was so dominant that Pastor Mike McKay referred to the Snowy Owl in his invocation. “She is so beautiful and thank you for praying for wisdom for us,” Hertz-Mallari said to McKay.

The mayor said “the snowy owl is considered a symbol of wisdom. And I think that’s a perfect analogy for the role of our city council. So I have a very small gift for my colleagues as we begin 2023 together and just asked that it really remind us all that we all work together, all five of us, to make the wisest decisions possible on behalf of the community,” said Hertz-Mallari before reaching into a bag and passing to each Council member a small, six-inch stuffed Snowy Owl.

“We’re going to make this fun,” she said.

For the past few weeks, news crews, birdwatchers, and long lenses of all kinds have arrived almost daily to get a glimpse of the female Snowy Owl that has mysteriously found a temporary home among the rooftops in the city.

So much so that the Sea and Sage Audubon Society (Orange County Chapter of the Audubon Society), in association with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is presenting “The Breeding Ecology of Snowy Owls,” a discussion led by Owl expert Denver Holt this Thursday, Jan. 19, at the Cypress Community Center on Orangewood Ave. The event begins at 7 p. m,

“In his presentation, Denver Holt will share insights from his more than 30 years of research on Snowy Owls, focusing on their breeding ecology,” said Lauren Smith in an email from the Owl Research Institute in Charlo, Montana.

“He will also share general information about Snowy Owls, including their behavior and movements, such as why they may travel down from their breeding grounds in the Arctic to more southern latitudes- even all the way to southern California! He will also discuss the Snowy Owl that has recently been spotted in Cyprus [sic], and what it is about owls (Snowy Owls especially) that makes them so fascinating,” she said.

Community members or the general public who want to perhaps learn how and why this owl ended up in Cypress are free to attend the presentation and Smith said there will be a Zoom link for those who want to attend the Snowy Owl presentation at home.

Seating will be allotted on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the organizers, but persons who want to attend by zoom can get the Zoom link at www.seaandsageaudubon.org or www.owlresearchinstitute.org.

Breakthrough program at Youth Center for 8th graders

For Event-News Enterprise
-
0
Breakthrough program at Youth Center for 8th graders

By Janae Roberts

“It’s more than what you see,” shared Sarah, a 12 year old participant at The Youth Center. “I might be smiling and you might mistake me for a happy teenager, but deep inside I struggle with insecurities, hurt, and fear.” For the last 2 years, The Youth Center has been working with licensed clinician, Tara Farajian, and Cal State Long Beach on developing a program that can help teens like Sarah. Starting in January of 2023 the program View U is coming to Los Alamitos, California. The program is open to all 8th graders that need extra support in overcoming emotional obstacles. Students, in small groups, will participate in group therapy, learn how to find their voice, overcome challenges, and put into practice what they learn.

In 2022, The Youth Center celebrated its 70th birthday and provided over one million service hours to the local community. The View U program is led by Tara Farajian, a licensed clinical social worker with over 30 years of experience. Mrs. Farajian and her team conducted extensive research, collected surveys and formulated the program based on the needs of today’s children. “There is something powerful in a group therapy program,” shared Lina Lumme, CEO “teens find out that they are not alone in their thoughts and feelings.”

To discover how this program can help your child, visit theyouthcenter.org/view-u. Registration is now open for 8th grade students, and will soon be available to all grades in the future. Most insurances are accepted with zero copay. Scholarships are available for families who choose to not use their insurance.

Former Cypress Mayor Otto Lacayo passes away

For Event-News Enterprise
-
0
Former Cypress Mayor Otto Lacayo passes away

Otto J. Lacayo, one of the longest-serving Mayors/Council members in the city of Cypress has passed away this week.

Lacayo served on the Cypress City Council from 1970 until 1986, several numerous terms as Mayor during his service to the city.

In addition, Lacayo served on a variety of appointed and elected posts, including as a trustee for the North Orange County Community College District.

In a Facebook post, his son Cary said “he was in the right place at the right time moving to Cypress when I was baby boy. He quickly got involved with the city of Cypress to make it thrive and become an awesome town to live in. He worked hard to bring business and commerce to the city. I now live near Cypress and drove down Katella the other day and saw the Yamaha building and others that he helped start in the 70s.”

“So many great stories to tell about him, which make me smile every time,” he said.
Cypress Mayor Anne Hertz issued a statement on behalf of the city.

“Cypress has lost a friend and a champion in former Mayor Otto Lacayo. His many years of service helped create this wonderful community for residents and local businesses. The impact Mayor Lacayo had on our community will be recognized for generations to come. The City of Cypress mourns his loss and sends condolences to the Lacayo family,” she said in the statement. The ENE will have additional information next week.

Director Tony DeMarco elected RCSD president

David N. Young
-
0

There was little agreement between the new Rossmoor Community Services District when it came to electing officers at their Jan. 10 meeting, as the new Board split 3-2 on top officers.

Nathan Searles, 2nd Vice President had been operating the meetings since President Rips was not re-elected and 1st Vice President Mark Nitikman did not run for re-election.
Before getting down to business in 2023, the Directors elected officers for the current year.

Director Dr. Jeffrey Barke nominated Tony DeMarco as President, as Michael Maynard seconded the nomination. Jo Shade, who also won a seat in 2022, nominated Nathan Searles. Searles seconded the nomination.
In the first vote, Directors voted for DeMarco, with Barke, Maynard, and DeMarco winning 3-2.

The same split occurred in the vote for First Vice President, Barke nominated Maynard, and Demarco seconded the motion, while Shade nominated Searles, who seconded the nomination.

The vote was again split 3-2, with Barke, DeMarco and Maynard voting for Maynard, who was elected.
Maynard then nominated Shade for 2nd Vice President, a nomination also seconded by DeMarco, which passed unanimously after there were no further nominations for the post.

Rossmoor resident to present “Bluegrass Gospel” concert

David N. Young
-
0
Rossmoor resident to present “Bluegrass Gospel” concert

Rossmoor is approximately 2,170 miles from the Indiana cornfields that produced local musician Terry Miller.

Miller, a pastor for the past 22 years, has also been a corporate executive and a working singer/songwriter since leaving the countryside that measured distance not by miles, but “how many cornfields away.”

In an interview this week, Miller said he hopes to combine all his skills to organize and perform a “Bluegrass Gospel” concert Feb. 4 at the Rush Park Community Center in Rossmoor.

“The music I write is about living a real life as a Christian,” said Miller.

Miller, orphaned as a youth, grew up in Indiana. He says he was fortunate that his adoptive parents allowed him to take music lessons back in Indiana, and Miller says he was truly blessed to learn from a music pro who just happened to be giving lessons.

“I learned to write and read music,” says Miller, who plays multiple instruments and has toured professionally. Miller said the Feb. 4 concert will feature his band and special guests, including a banjo player from deep in bluegrass country.

“We’re bringing people together to celebrate what they have in common,” said Miller. “I think it is much more effective than talking about why we’re divided.”

Musician Terry Miller Courtesy photo

Differences are biblical, said Miller, “but there are things we have in common. It’s about hope,” he said. Miller has frequently coordinated the National Day of Prayer in Rossmoor by organizing with other pastors.

Miller said while the upcoming event “will be fun,” that it has a serious side as well, noting that he and his wife Debra plan to introduce their new ministry, entitled “Calling all disciples,” to the public, a program of “teaching and training for both men and women.”

Miller said that during his ministerial career, he has focused on “personal discipleship.” He said discipleship is “not as prevalent in churches today, so this new ministry may be interesting to people with a calling and seeking personal growth.”

“The music is about the gospel,” said Miller, “and I’m not going to run away from that. We’re just going to put It out there,” he said.

“If you’ve been to one of our concerts, you know the music I love and write has its roots in timeless Americana-style Southern Gospel,” he said, including blues and bluegrass.
“Joining me will be some of the finest, and fastest, banjo, mandolin, fiddle and dobro pickers this side of Nashville,” said Miller. “We’ll get them singing and clapping to classics like ‘Won’t Be Going To Your Church No More,’” said Miller, pointing out one of his more famous gospel tunes. “There will also be lots of Gaither-style Gospel favorites like “Because He Lives” and “I’ll Fly Away.”

Miller said he was happy to be able to rent the Rush Park facility since it is close to their home in Rossmoor.

The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and tickets cost $22, he said. More information is available at www.callingalldisciples.com.

Los Al girls end soccer season on high note

Ted Apodaca
-
0
Los Al girls end soccer season on high note

Corona del Mar was able to draw a couple of penalty-kick fouls, both of which they converted, but otherwise Los Alamitos High controlled the game as the Griffins pulled away for a 5-2 win in a non-league game recently at Corona del Mar High.
The Griffins got two goals from senior Kaylee Noble, two from senior Sanaa Guyness and one from sophomore Victoria Bloch as the Griffins improved their record to 9-5-4 heading into league play

The Sea Kings got as close a 3-2 after a takedown in the goal box set them up for their second penalty kick just nine minutes into the second half. Their first penalty kick came about a minute into the second half, after the Griffins had taken a 2-0 lead into halftime. Los Alamitos had extended their lead to 3-1 on a penalty kick of their own, knocked in by Guyness.
After the Sea Kings cut the lead, Guyness struck again in the 17th minute off a pass from Noble. Guyness tapped the ball back slightly to create room to move around a defender and fired a quick shot from just inside the top of the goal box that beat the goalie to the low left side.

About seven minutes later, with the Griffins on an attack, Alina Perez got possession at the top of the goal box and tapped a short crossing pass to Bloch, who fired a shot that glanced off a defender and found the back of the net for the final goal.
Head coach Pat Rossi said that he’d hoped they would be a little more consistent at the end of preseason, he also said they played with better balance against Corona del Mar.
“When we had the ball, we were composed and off the ball, we put nice pressure on them,” Rossi said.

The Griffins are using a lot of freshman and sophomore players this year, but also have returned a few seniors that helped the team get to the CIF-SS Division 1 semifinals last year. Among the team leaders are Noble, Guyness and Katie Piper. One of their team captains, midfielder, Alexa Webber, has been out with an injury, but is expected back in a few weeks for the stretch run.

The Griffins opened Sunset Surf League play last week, going 1-1, with a win over Newport Harbor, before falling to Huntington Beach, 2-1. The Griffins were at Edison on Tuesday (past press time) and will host Laguna Beach on Thursday at 6 p.m.

Rips takes a bow in Rossmoor

David N. Young
-
0
Rips takes a bow in Rossmoor

In the community of Rossmoor, incumbent President Jeffrey Rips of the Community Service District’s Board of Directors gracefully took a bow at the Community Service District’s December meeting, having been edged out of office by a mere 34 votes in the Nov. 8 election

Nevertheless, at the board’s Dec. meeting, Rips was presented a proclamation honoring his service after former Board member Michael Maynard and first-time board member Jo Shade were administered their oaths of office and took their seats on the dais.

Rips was elected in 2020 and was the Board’s President until the December meeting. Though the district remains unincorporated, its civic affairs are largely governed by the five-member Board of Directors elected among qualified community members.

Second vice President Nathan Searles presented Rips with a proclamation honoring the service Rips had rendered during his two-year term. While terms of Board members are generally four years, Rips was elected in 2020 in a special election to fill the unexpired term of Bill Kahlert.

It was Rips second trip to the dais, having been earlier elected and resigning in 2013 to accept the position of Executive Director of the Albert Jewish Community Center in Long Beach.

Searles, in reading the proclamation, honored Rips for his “outstanding service” to the district, supporting “advancements in technology, new accounting systems, the implementation of cashless transactions and administrative efficiencies, including the integration of a new reservation system to serve Rossmoor residents more effectively.”

Also, Searles said Rips “helped guide the district through COVID-19 pandemic by establishing protocols to protect residents and employees, while also supporting the county of Orange senior meal GAP program for residents.”

“And whereas, as director, Jeffrey Rips was involved in coordinating many improvements to district parks and facilities that included the upgrade of the horseshoe amenity and sand volleyball court at Rossmoor Park and centralizing the irrigation system at all district facilities.”

“He was instrumental in bringing the farmers market to the community supported the annual Arbor Day celebrations and participate in annual family festivals, winter festivals, family fun nights in partnership with the Youth Center and the addition of a health fair,” said Searles.

Finally, Rips supported the district in resolving quality of life issues with regard to changing the district’s street sweeping schedule for enhanced service and whereas during his tenure as president, he conducted many meetings and public forums for the community to share their thoughts about pickleball, including a testing and evaluation process.

“The board would like to present to you this gavel. We do sincerely appreciate your service. Personally, I appreciate the joy, accomplishment, and satisfaction that you had in seeing what a great community we live in and how instrumental you were to that,” said Searles in presenting Rips with an honorary gavel.

The board also presented a bouquet of flowers to his wife, Lauren, “because all of us on this board know that we do not serve alone.”

“I just want to say thank you to all of the board members,” said Rips. “I really appreciated working with you and learning from you and your guidance and patience for when I made mistakes. I really appreciate it and anytime that people step forward and say I’m going to serve the community, I think it’s an amazing honor,” he added.

Rips also congratulated the winners on Nov. 8.

“Michael (Maynard) welcome back and Jo, congratulations to both of you and I look forward to seeing Rossmoor continue to flourish with all of you here leading the way, so thanks for saying yes,” said Rips.

Rips also thanked General Manager Joe Mendoza and legal counsel Tarquin and said he was happy to see a large crowd gathered for the meeting.

“Thank you everybody for coming out and supporting the community and everything that you do,” said Rips. “Rossmoor is an amazing, amazing place to live. And it’s because of all of our resident residents that make that happen. So thank you.”

 

Snowy owl descends on Cypress

David N. Young
-
0
Snowy owl descends on Cypress

Is it a New Year’s omen or simply a freak of nature? Perhaps only the Snowy Owl knows for sure.

Following what could be described as a mystery, freak of nature, or even an omen by some, in a once-in-a-century mystic event, a large, rare bird whose home is generally the Arctic tundra has found its way to Cypress this week, prompting a birdwatching frenzy and a global media sensation.

Not unlike the mysterious visit of the “Raven” that appears out of nowhere to the distraught lover in Edgar Allen Poe’s famous poem, a very large, rare, Arctic “Snowy Owl” somehow just showed up on a rooftop in Cypress this week, prompting a holiday vigil from birdwatchers and fueling speculation on social media.

Experts quoted in the media report have said there are as few as 30,000 such Snowy Owls remaining in the world today.

The darker markings on this elegant creature indicate the owl is female, the experts said. With its huge six-to eight-foot wingspan, has moved from rooftop to rooftop, yet the Snowy Owl remains in Cypress with no one being quite sure why.

Thus far, reports of the bird include sightings on homes on various streets including Saipan, Onyx, Pitcairn, Reefton Ave. and others.

The bird is thought to be feeding at the Joint Forces Training Base and the Los Alamitos Race Course.

Nevertheless, birdwatching has become all the rage around town.

“People [in Cypress] are excited to be visited by such a beautiful creature,” said Mayor Anne Hertz-Mallari, “and they’re watching the Snowy Owl and standing out there in the street and wondering, like the rest of us, why,” she said.

Hertz-Mallari said the city staff is aware of the Snowy Owl’s presence, but thus far, has not needed any specific support from the city or the police department.

She characterized residents, though mesmerized, as “quiet and respectful” of the bird and its watchers. “They shared their enthusiasm for spending time with the beautiful owl that has brought people together in such a positive way.”

News of the bird’s odd plight has become a global news story, even landing in The New York Times and the likes of “People Magazine,” among other media outlets. Hertz-Mallari said, “it is such a beautiful story, and people enjoy being positive at the beginning of a new year.”

The bird has been such a sensation that throngs of people, including professors, bird watchers, and regular people who are just curious have gathered in clumps, with long lenses and tripods seeking to record the bird’s every move.

The rare Arctic Snowy Owl has attracted a crowd and has been published all over the world.
Courtesy photo

“It’s been a bit crazy,” “said City Council member Frances Marquez, who has also followed the bird since it was first discovered in a neighborhood near her home. “It’s one of the coolest and most educational things to happen in Cypress since I was a kid,” the Council member posted on Facebook.

“The residents around Cypress have been very nice,” she said, sharing coffee and soft drinks with the throngs who gathered near the bird’s latest spots. She said the Snowy Owl leaves his perch on various rooftops and chimneys occasionally, but always comes back.

Other reports in a variety of local, regional, national, and international publications quoted local citizens and experts.

“I consider it an honor to be able to see the bird,” said Rob Young, who works with Santa Ana River Wildlife, just one of the many people who gathered in the Cypress neighborhood to admire the majestic bird. “Kinda put a feather in my cap so to speak, no pun intended.”

According to some familiar with the situation, the bird has been seen multiple times in recent days, flying from one rooftop to another.

Kasia Obrzut, a birder who made her way to the neighborhood early Wednesday, says anytime there’s a rare opportunity like this she has to take advantage.

Experts say that the bird’s appearance in Southern California is a mystery, especially due to the drastic difference from its traditional habitat. Yet, reports indicate the experts believe the Snowy Owl is healthy.

“The only thing it has to worry about here is there’s a lot more potential damage,” said local veterinarian Scott Weldy, who said he’s never heard of this specific bird flying so far south. “There are a lot more cars. We have power lines, the windmills. We have tons of things that traumatize flying birds here in Southern California.”

The ENE will monitor the Snowy Owl and present a more detailed report next week.

 

Elvis, the Police Dog, soon to patrol Los Al streets

David N. Young
-
0
Elvis, the Police Dog, soon to patrol Los Al streets

Ok, it finally happened.

Elvis Presley, the late and legendary entertainer, has a police dog named after him, and no, his lyric “You ain’t nothing but a hound dog” is not the reason.

Prowlers in the city of Los Alamitos soon better beware of Elvis, the city’s new police dog.

According to Police Chief Michael Claborn, the city honored local donor Kenny Brandyberry at the city council’s last meeting of 2022 (Dec. 19) to thank him for the financial contribution that helped the city obtain its newest member.

“Kenny did have a unique request as part of the donation,” said Claborn. He said, “Brandyberry is an avid Elvis enthusiast (as you can see from his photograph),” and “Kenny requested that the dog be named Elvis, in honor of the iconic musician.”

According to Claborn, during that meeting, a local resident, Kenny Brandyberry, donated to the Foundation to help the Los Alamitos Police Department start a K-9 Program. Kenny was quoted as saying, “I have been in Los Alamitos for 60 years. I love Los Alamitos.”

Brandyberry’s philanthropy has been felt in Los Alamitos for many years, as he is a long-time supporter of Casa Youth Shelter, a non-profit that serves and nurtures youth in crisis with shelter, counseling, and support services.

In part to recognize his community service, Brandyberry was also chosen as the 2017 Los Alamitos Citizen of the Year at the 42nd Annual Americana Awards.

“As the Chief of Police in the City of Los Alamitos, I can attest that it is only through the support and generosity of people like Kenny Brandyberry that we will be able to expand the services we provide to our community,” said Claborn.

“We have a few more steps in the process before Elvis will be able to patrol the streets of Los Alamitos, but we can’t thank Kenny enough,” he added.

The donation was made through the newly established Los Alamitos Community Foundation, he said.

“The City of Los Alamitos created the Los Alamitos Community Foundation, a non-profit, created to encourage, support, and facilitate philanthropy and events to improve and enrich the lives of people in Los Alamitos,” it said in a press release.

“The foundation designated three City projects that it will support through its fundraising efforts. Those projects include an Urban Forest Program (Development Services), an Adaptive Recreation Program (Recreation and Community Services), and a K-9 Program (Police Department).”

Breakthrough Program for 8th Graders at The Youth Center

For Event-News Enterprise
-
0
Breakthrough Program for 8th Graders at The Youth Center

By Janae Roberts

“It’s more than what you see,” shared Sarah, a 12 year old participant at The Youth Center. “I might be smiling and you might mistake me for a happy teenager, but deep inside I struggle with insecurities, hurt, and fear.” For the last 2 years, The Youth Center has been working with licensed clinician, Tara Farajian, and Cal State Long Beach on developing a program that can help teens like Sarah. Starting in January of 2023 the program View U is coming to Los Alamitos, California. The program is open to all 8th graders that need extra support in overcoming emotional obstacles. Students, in small groups, will participate in group therapy, learn how to find their voice, overcome challenges, and put into practice what they learn.

In 2022, The Youth Center celebrated its 70th birthday and provided over one million service hours to the local community. The View U program is led by Tara Farajian, a licensed clinical social worker with over 30 years of experience. Mrs. Farajian and her team conducted extensive research, collected surveys and formulated the program based on the needs of today’s children. “There is something powerful in a group therapy program,” shared Lina Lumme, CEO “teens find out that they are not alone in their thoughts and feelings.”

To discover how this program can help your child, visit theyouthcenter.org/view-u. Registration is now open for 8th grade students, and will soon be available to all grades in the future. Most insurances are accepted with zero copay. Scholarships are available for families who choose to not use their insurance.

 

Takacs Quartet returns to Samueli Theater Jan. 27

For Event-News Enterprise
-
0
Takacs Quartet returns to Samueli Theater Jan. 27

Segerstrom Center for the Arts presents returning artists Takács Quartet for one night only in the Samueli Theater on January 27, 2023 at 7:30pm.

Entering their 48th season of performing, longtime audience favorite Takács Quartet is returning to Samueli Theater as part of this season’s Chamber Music Series.

The program will include Britten: String Quartet No. 1, Bartok: String Quartet No. 6, Dvorak: String Quartet in G Major, Op. 106.

The quartet—Edward Dusinberre, violin; Harumi Rhodes, violin; Richard O’Neill, viola; and Andras Fejer, cello—is renowned for the vitality of its interpretations. This premier chamber music ensemble won their 4th Gramophone Classical Music Award for Chamber Music in 2021 and continues to produce incredible recordings of chamber music. Takács Quartet is the first-string quartet to be inducted into the Gramophone Hall of Fame and this one-night-only concert is not to be missed.

This performance includes a pre-show talk with musicologist Dr. Byron Adams and will make for a perfect night of classical music. The pre-show performance will begin at 6:45 p.m.

The title of the performance, Musical Voyages, comes from Edward Dusinberre’s new book Distant Melodies: Music in Search of Home. The pieces on the program were written by composers during periods of their lives shaped by departures and homecomings, themes explored in Dusinberre’s book.

About Edward Dusinberre

As first violinist of the Takács Quartet, Edward Dusinberre has won a Grammy and awards from Gramophone Magazine, the Japanese Recording Academy, Chamber Music America, and the Royal Philharmonic Society. Outside of the quartet he has made a recording of Beethoven’s violin sonatas nos. 9 (Kreutzer) and 10 on the Decca label. Dusinberre is also an author. His second book Distant Melodies: Music in Search of Home is published by Faber and University of Chicago Press in the Fall of 2022. The book explores the themes of displacement and return in the lives and specific chamber works of Dvorák, Elgar, Bartók and Britten. His first book Beethoven for a Later Age: The Journey of a String Quartet, takes the reader inside the life of a string quartet, melding music history and memoir as it explores the circumstances surrounding the composition of Beethoven’s quartets and the Takács Quartet’s experiences rehearsing and performing this music. The book won the Royal Philharmonic Society’s 2016 Creative Communication Award. Announcing the award, the RPS Committee said: “Few have told so well of the musician’s life or offered such illuminating insights to players and listeners alike.” Dusinberre lives in Boulder, where he is Artist-in-Residence and a Christoffersen Fellow at the University of Colorado. In 2017 he was appointed a member of the faculty at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara and is a Visiting Fellow at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

About Harumi Rhodes

Acclaimed by the New York Times as a “deeply expressive violinist,” Harumi Rhodes has gained broad recognition as a multifaceted musician with a distinctive and sincere musical voice. Her generosity of spirit on stage is contagious, making her one of the most sought-after violinists of her generation. Recent solo engagements include performances of Bernstein Serenade, Beethoven Violin Concerto, Mozart Violin Concerto No 5, and Vivaldi Four Seasons with the Vermont Mozart Festival Orchestra. In addition to being a founding member of the Naumburg Award winning ensemble, Trio Cavatina, she has performed regularly with Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Musicians from Marlboro. An avid supporter of contemporary music, she has been actively involved in commissioning and premiering new works as an artist member of the Boston Chamber Music Society, East Coast Chamber Orchestra(ECCO), and Music from Copland House. Recent discography includes Milton Babbitt’s String Quartet No. 6 (Tzadik); The Five Borough Songbook, including 20 different composers and commissions (GPR Records); Compadrazgo, a compilation of chamber works by Gabriela Lena Frank (Albany Records); Secret Alchemy, with ensemble works by Pierre Jalbert (Copland House Blend); and Clean Plates Don’t Lie, featuring new vocal chamber music works with texts from Chef Dan Barber and the sustainable food movement (Centaur). Rhodes has served as Head of Strings and Chamber Music at Syracuse University, Assistant Violin Faculty at the Juilliard School, and most recently as Assistant Professor of Violin at the University of Colorado-Boulder.

About Richard O’Neill

Newly appointed violist of the Takács Quartet, Richard O’Neill has distinguished himself as one of the great instrumentalists of his generation.

An EMMY Award winner, two-time GRAMMY nominee and Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient, he has appeared as soloist with the world’s top orchestras including the London, Los Angeles, Seoul Philharmonics, the BBC, Hiroshima, Korean Symphonies, the Kremerata Baltica, Moscow, Vienna and Wurtemburg Chamber Orchestras, Alte Musik Koln, and has worked with distinguished musicians and conductors including Andrew Davis, Vladimir Jurowski, Francois Xavier Roth, and Yannick Nezet-Seguin. An Artist of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Principal Violist of Camerata Pacifica, for thirteen seasons he served as Artistic Director of DITTO, his South Korean chamber music project, leading the ensemble on international tours to China and Japan and introducing tens of thousands to music.

A Universal Music/Deutsche Grammophon recording artist, he has made 10 solo albums and many other chamber music recordings, earning multiple platinum discs. Composers Lera Auerbach, Elliott Carter, Paul Chihara, John Harbison, and Huang Ruo have written works for him. He has appeared on major TV networks in South Korea and enjoyed huge success with his 2004 KBS documentary ‘Human Theater’ which was viewed by over 12 million people, and his 2013 series ‘Hello?! Orchestra’ which featured his work with a multicultural youth orchestra for MBC and led to an International Emmy in Arts Programming and a feature length film.

He serves as Goodwill Ambassador for the Korean Red Cross, The Special Olympics, UNICEF, and OXFAM and serves on the faculty of the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara.

About András Fejér

András Fejér(cello) was born in 1955 into a musical family. His father was a cellist and conductor, and his mother was a pianist. He began playing the cello at the age of seven, because as legend has it, his father was unwilling to listen to a violin-upstart practicing. Since an early age, his parents have held string quartet weekends, which, for the young cellist were the most memorable of occasions, if not for the music, then for the glorious desserts his mother used to prepare for those sessions.

After attending a music high school, Mr. Fejér was admitted to the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in 1975, where he was a pupil of Ede Banda, András Mihály, Ferenc Rados and György Kurtág. That same year he founded the Takács String Quartet with three fellow classmates. Although the quartet has been his sole professional focus since then, he does perform as a soloist occasionally as well.

Mr. Fejér is married to a literature teacher. They have three children and live in the Rocky Mountains where they enjoy year-round sunshine in beautiful Boulder, Colorado. When he is not on tour he enjoys reading, photography, tennis, and hiking.

Tickets start at $29 and are available at online at SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, or by calling (714) 556-2787. For inquiries about group ticket discounts for 10 or more, call the Group Services office at (714) 755-0236.

 

Segerstrom presents Pink Martini for one night only

For Event-News Enterprise
-
0
Segerstrom presents Pink Martini for one night only

The Segerstrom Center for the Arts presents for one night only, Pink Martini, on Thursday, January 12 at Segerstrom Hall. Tickets are now on sale at scfta.org. Featuring a dozen musicians, with songs in 25 languages, genre-defying Pink Martini performs its multilingual repertoire on concert stages on six continents since its founding almost 30 years ago.

A Continental favorite, the globe-trotting “little orchestra” from Portland, Oregon featuring lead singer China Forbes, comes to Segerstrom Hall.

In 1994 in his hometown of Portland, Oregon, Thomas Lauderdale was working in politics, with the intention of eventually running for office. Like other eager politicians-in-training, he went to every political fundraiser under the sun… but was dismayed to find the music at these events underwhelming, lackluster, loud and un-neighborly.

Drawing inspiration from music from all over the world – crossing genres of classical, jazz and old-fashioned pop – and hoping to appeal to conservatives and liberals alike, he founded the “little orchestra” Pink Martini in 1994 provide more beautiful and inclusive musical soundtracks for political fundraisers for causes such as civil rights, affordable housing, cleaning up the Willamette River, funding for libraries, public broadcasting, education and parks.

One year later, Lauderdale called China Forbes, a Harvard classmate who was living in New York City, and asked her to join Pink Martini. They began to write songs together. Their first song – “Sympathique” (Je ne veus pas travailler)- became an overnight sensation in France, was nominated for “Song of the Year” at France’s Victoires de la Musique Awards, and to this day remains a mantra (“Je ne veux pas travailler” or “I don’t want to work”) for striking French workers.

Says Lauderdale, “We’re very much an American band, but we spend a lot of time abroad and therefore have the incredible diplomatic opportunity to represent a broader, more inclusive America… the America which remains the most heterogeneously populated country in the world… composed of people of every country, every language, every religion. Except for Native Americans, all of us are immigrants from every country, of every language, of every religion.”

Featuring a dozen musicians with songs in 25 languages, Pink Martini performs its multilingual repertoire on concert stages and with symphony orchestras throughout Europe, Asia, Greece, Turkey, the Middle East, Northern Africa, Australia, New Zealand, South America and North America. Pink Martini made its European debut at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997 and its orchestral debut with the Oregon Symphony in 1998 under the direction of Norman Leyden.

Since then, the band has gone on to play with more than 70 orchestras around the world, including multiple engagements with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, the Boston Pops, the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center, the San Francisco Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Sydney Symphony at the Sydney Opera House, and the BBC Concert Orchestra at Royal Albert Hall in London.

Television appearances include The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Later, with Jools Holland, and a feature on CBS Sunday Morning. The band created a nationally broadcast 2015 NPR holiday concert special, Joy to the World: A Holiday Spectacular, and has been featured on multiple New Year’s Eve broadcasts on NPR’s Toast of the Nation.

Pink Martini has sold over 3 million albums worldwide on their own independent label Heinz Records (named after Lauderdale’s dog). The band’s debut album Sympathique was released in 1997, and quickly became an international phenomenon, garnering the group nominations for “Song of the Year” and “Best New Artist” in France’s Victoires de la Musique Awards in 2000. Pink Martini released Hang On Little Tomato in 2004, Hey Eugene! in 2007 and Splendor In The Grass in 2009.

In November 2010 the band released Joy To The World—a festive, multi-denominational holiday album featuring songs from around the globe. Joy To The World received glowing reviews and was carried in Starbucks stores during the 2010 and 2011 holiday seasons. All five albums have gone gold in France, Canada, Greece and Turkey.

In Fall 2011 the band released two albums – A Retrospective, a collection of the band’s most beloved songs spanning their 18-year career, which includes eight previously unreleased tracks, and 1969, an album of collaborations with legendary Japanese singer Saori Yuki. 1969 has been certified platinum in Japan, reaching #2 on the Japanese charts, with the Japan Times raving “the love and respect Saori Yuki and Pink Martini have for the pop tradition shines through on every track.”  The release of 1969 marked the first time a Japanese artist hit the American Billboard charts since Kyu Sakamoto released “Sukiyaki” in 1963.

The band has collaborated with numerous artists, including Phyllis Diller, Jimmy Scott, Carol Channing, Rita Moreno, Jane Powell, Rufus Wainwright, Japanese legends Saori Yuki and Hiroshi Wada, Henri Salvador, Chavela Vargas, New York performer Joey Arias, puppeteer Basil Twist, Georges Moustaki, Michael Feinstein, Charo, Doc Severinsen, filmmaker Gus Van Sant, Courtney Taylor Taylor of The Dandy Warhols, clarinetist and conductor Norman Leyden, Italian actress and songwriter Alba Clemente, DJ Johnny Dynell and Chi Chi Valenti, Faith Prince, Mamie Van Doren, the original cast of Sesame Street, the Portland Youth Philharmonic, Mariachi Aztlan of Pueblo High School in Tucson, Arizona; the Jefferson High School Gospel Choir; the Royal Blues of Grant High School; the Pacific Youth Choir of Portland, Oregon; and Karen Early (who played sleigh bells and crash cymbals on the band’s holiday album and the band’s collaborative album with Japanese singer Saori Yuki, respectively).

In January 2012 bandleader Thomas Lauderdale began work on Pink Martini’s seventh studio album when he recorded the Charlie Chaplin song “Smile” with the legendary Phyllis Diller. The album, titled Get Happy, was released in September 2013 and features 16 globe-spanning songs in nine languages. The band’s beloved vocalist China Forbes anchors the recording, and she was joined by her co-lead singer Storm Large, recording with Pink Martini for the first time, along with a cavalcade of special guests including Rufus Wainwright, Philippe Katerine, Meow Meow, The von Trapps & Ari Shapiro.

And while still in the studio for Get Happy, Lauderdale simultaneously began work on the band’s eighth studio album, Dream a Little Dream, featuring Sofia, Melanie, Amanda and August von Trapp, the actual great-grandchildren of Captain and Maria von Trapp, made famous by the movie The Sound of Music. These siblings have been singing together for over a dozen years and have toured all over the world in concert. Drawn into the magical orbit of Thomas Lauderdale, they now live together in a house in Portland, Oregon and have been frequent guest performers with Pink Martini for the past several years.

The album, released in March 2014, traverses the world, from Sweden to Rwanda to China to Bavaria, and features guest appearances by The Chieftains, Wayne Newton, “Jungle” Jack Hanna, and Charmian Carr (who played Liesl in the original Sound of Music).

In 2016, Pink Martini released its ninth studio album, Je dis oui!, which features vocals from China Forbes, Storm Large, Ari Shapiro, fashion guru Ikram Goldman, civil rights activist Kathleen Saadat, and Rufus Wainwright. The album’s 15 tracks span eight languages (French, Farsi, Armenian, Portuguese, Arabic, Turkish, Xhosa and English), and affirms the band’s 23-year history of global inclusivity and collaborative spirit. In 2018, Pink Martini released a special 20th Anniversary Edition of its first album Sympathique, featuring the band’s iconic arrangement of Ravel’s “Bolero”, now in the public domain and finally reinstated on the album after a 20-year absence. In 2019, Thomas Lauderdale and members of Pink Martini collaborated on a new release with the international singing sensation Meow Meow. This album, Hotel Amour, features guest appearances by Rufus Wainwright, The von Trapps, Barry Humphries (of Dame Edna fame), and the inimitable late French pianist and composer, Michel Legrand.

Also in 2019, Pink Martini released two 5-song EPs, each featuring a special guest singer who has been regularly touring with the band since late 2017. Bésame Mucho, with Edna Vazquez singing, features her original powerhouse “Sola Soy” alongside classic Spanish repertoire, like the title track, and “Quizás, quizás, quizás.” Tomorrow features vocalist Jimmie Herrod on a soaring version of the title track (famous from the musical Annie) alongside other repertoire, including the single “Exodus” which has been bringing audiences to their feet at Pink Martini concerts. Both albums feature Pink Martini musicians, and arrangements by bandleader Thomas Lauderdale. Both Edna Vazquez and Jimmie Herrod are currently touring with Pink Martini and will be performing at the Segerstrom.

Single tickets for Pink Martini at Segerstrom Center for the Arts start at $37 and are now available online at SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling (714) 556-2787. For inquiries about group ticket discounts for 10 or more, call the Group Services office at (714) 755-0236.

 

1...707172...317Page 71 of 317