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Toward better governance in Cypress

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Toward better governance in Cypress

By Steven Mauss

The greatest crisis facing the City of Cypress is not trash contracts or lawsuits, it is weak leadership.

As we watch the continuous in-fighting among Cypress City Council members, I am reminded of a story I heard years ago about parts of the body that were arguing about who did the most work, and the value of the work. There are several versions of this story floating around the internet and it seems especially apt.

“One day during a meeting, some members of the Body realized that they were doing all the work while all the Belly does is get all the food. They all agreed that the Belly was the laziest and most unproductive member of the body.

After their meeting, they all decided to hold another meeting to discuss how unfair it seems. At the end of the long meeting that night, all the members voted that they’ll go on strike until the Belly agrees to do a fair share of work.

The unhappy body parts remained idle for a few days, hoping to starve the Belly. After some time, they stopped walking, moving their hands, and finally gave up chewing altogether in an attempt to stop feeding the belly with food and water.

As a result of their strike, the entire Body eventually collapsed and died without understanding how important the role of the Belly was.”

Of course, for a body like the City Council to function properly, good leadership dictates that each member recognizes the strengths, contributions, and weaknesses of each other, and all parts work together to support the whole entity. All become healthier. All become stronger. There are no “hidden agendas.” They help each other.

The current arguments between members of the Cypress City Council, where accusations are being made and votes of censure are being considered, seem reminiscent of some body parts voting to “starve” others, not realizing the damage they are doing to the Council itself, or to the constituents they are supposed to serve. This, clearly, is not good leadership.

That is not to say that the problems facing the current Council are trivial; in fact the opposite is true. Instead, I appeal to the better instincts of all City leaders by offering the following: When you so often meet behind closed doors, it is difficult to demand transparency (and it invites lawsuits). When you fail (or even delay) to disclose public records when asked, you create mistrust (and it invites lawsuits). When you pursue your own agenda(s) while ignoring public input, you reap anger from those whom you serve because your service looks self-serving. When one or more Council members tries to use coercion instead of persuasion to accomplish their aims, it just looks petty and akin to bullying. And no one likes a bully. So how about a little humility, patience, compassion, and cooperation? After all, those are the hallmarks of strong leadership.

Clearly, not everyone elected to City Government is “born” to be a great leader. In fact, in my experience, great leaders don’t just happen, they are forged over many years, often enduring extraordinary trials. Leadership is never about the position you hold, but how you inspire and interact with people that make an impact on your community. I sincerely hope that our current City Council will work to find ways to build each other into the leaders we so desperately need right now. Our city is depending on you.

Hadestown, Tony Award winning musical, coming to Segerstrom

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Hadestown, Tony Award winning musical, coming to Segerstrom

Hadestown, the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best New Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album, will come to Segerstrom Hall at Segerstrom Center for the Arts August 9-21. Tickets are 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 offices at (714) 755-0236.

Hadestown is the most honored show of the 2018-2019 Broadway season. In addition to the show’s eight Tony Awards®, it has been honored with four Drama Desk Awards, six Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Outstanding New Broadway Musical, and the Drama League Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical.

The acclaimed new musical is by celebrated singer-songwriter and Tony Award® winner Anaïs Mitchell and developed with innovative director and Tony Award® winner Rachel Chavkin. Hadestown marks the first time in over a decade that a woman has been the solo author of a musical: writing the music, lyrics, and book, and is the fourth time in Broadway history a woman has accomplished this creative feat.

Producers Mara Isaacs, Dale Franzen, Hunter Arnold, and Tom Kirdahy said jointly, “Throughout its development, Hadestown has been deeply influenced by audiences around the world. We are thrilled and humbled to now share this beautiful story of hope, faith, and rebirth – written and directed by two amazingly talented women and brought to life by a diverse company of performers – with audiences across North America.”

The show originated as Mitchell’s indie theater project that toured Vermont which she then turned into an acclaimed album. With Chavkin, her artistic collaborator, Hadestown has been transformed into a genre-defying new musical that blends modern American folk music with New Orleans-inspired jazz to reimagine a sweeping ancient tale.

The show opened at the Walter Kerr Theatre on Broadway (219 West 48th Street, New York) on April 17, 2019, where it played sold out houses nightly before performances were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hadestown resumed performances September 2, 2021 as one of the first musicals to reopen on Broadway.

The North American touring production of Hadestown in Costa Mesa will star Morgan Siobhan Green as Eurydice, Chibueze Ihuoma as Orpheus, Tony Award® winner Levi Kreis as Hermes, Kimberly Marable as Persephone, and Olivier Award® nominee Kevyn Morrow as Hades.

The Fates are played by Belén Moyano, Bex Odorisio, and Shea Renne. The Workers Chorus features Jordan Bollwerk, Lindsey Hailes, Sydney Parra, Eddie Noel Rodríguez, Jamari Johnson Williams, and Marquis Wood. Swings for the tour include Tyla Collier, Ian Coulter-Buford, Alex Lugo, and J. Antonio Rodriguez.

Following two intertwining love stories — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — Hadestown invites audiences on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love.
Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers, and singers, Hadestown delivers a deeply resonant and defiantly hopeful theatrical experience.

Hadestown electrified audiences with its 2016 world premiere at New York Theatre Workshop, which makes it the longest-running show in that celebrated theater’s 40-year history.

GovX raises $28,000 for American vets of Iraqi and Afghan conflicts

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GovX raises $28,000 for American vets of Iraqi and Afghan conflicts

This summer, a fundraising effort organized by GovX.com—the online shopping site exclusively for current and former military, first responders, and federal employees—raised over $28,000 for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) the advocacy nonprofit serving post-9/11 military veterans.

The total raised amounted to a new monthly record for GovX Gives Back, the charitable arm of GovX.

GovX was able to donate to IAVA through a multi-pronged charitable effort combining individual orders from the catalog and a generous matching donation by Born Primitive, the veteran-owned athletic apparel brand and long-time GovX business partner. Born Primitive matched over 50% of the funds raised, bringing the total to $28,334.

“We are proud to partner with GovX to support our fellow veterans who have bravely served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11,” said Bear Handlon, co-founder and CEO of Born Primitive. “We are privileged to live in a country where every time our freedom or way of life is being threatened, an entire generation of patriots will step up the plate to defend it without hesitation. Our post 9/11 vets are no exception.”

Founded and led by veterans, IAVA is the modern-day veteran’s hall for the current generation with over 425,000 members worldwide. IAVA’s mission is to connect, unite and empower post-9/11 veterans through education, advocacy, and community. Its programs include non-partisan advocacy on Capitol Hill, data-driven research on post-9/11 veteran issues, and veteran transition assistance.

“IAVA is incredibly grateful to GovX for their continued leadership supporting our work and stepping up once again for the veteran community,” said Jeremy Butler, IAVA CEO. “We also thank our friends at Born Primitive for their partnership in the GovX Gives Back program and their generous matching donation to support our work on behalf of post-9/11 veterans.”

IAVA also offers the Quick Reaction Force (QRF) program, a free, confidential, 24/7 comprehensive care and peer support program for veterans and their family members who need immediate help. The QRF program has helped over 18,000 veterans and family members since its inception, and provides frontline support related to mental health, housing and homelessness, legal concerns, education benefits, employment services, disability claims and more. Services are free and confidential, and open to veterans of all eras and their families.

IAVA also has a significant and vocal advocacy arm performing work on behalf of veterans in Washington DC. Since 2004, IAVA has been a constant presence in the capitol, creating and driving the national conversation on issues ranging from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), suicide prevention, veteran unemployment, women veteran issues, and more. They work closely with the White House, Members of Congress, the Department of Defense, and lawmakers across all parties to achieve legislative agendas that benefit veterans from all eras, while constantly serving as a watchdog to hold political leaders accountable for failures to support the veteran community.

“Continuing to care for our nation’s veterans is of critical importance to the entire GovX community, no matter what uniform you wear,” said Alan Cole, GovX CEO. “I’d also like to extend my deepest thanks to the veteran community of Born Primitive, who are some of our closest allies in giving back to those who serve. I’m so grateful for their donation and for their participation in the GovX Gives Back program.”

Post-9/11 veterans interested in becoming a member of IAVA can join for free by visiting their website.

Learn more about IAVA’s advocacy work and policy priorities at the IAVA website..

Festival of the Arts celebrating 90th Anniversary

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Festival of the Arts celebrating 90th Anniversary

This summer the Festival of Arts is celebrating a major milestone: its 90th anniversary. On Saturday, August 13th,1932 the Festival of Arts opened its doors for the very first time as two dozen artists hung their paintings on fences, trees, and buildings along Laguna’s main street hoping to lure tourists to the first Festival of Arts, according to press release.

This summer, on Tuesday July 5th, 2022, the world-renowned Festival of Arts Fine Art Show will open its doors to celebrate 90 years of art, welcoming hundreds of patrons to relish in one of the nation’s top fine art festivals. The Festival of Arts is sponsored in part by Volvo, Fidelity Investments, Celebrity Cruises, KOST Radio 103.5, and The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel.

In celebration of its 90th anniversary, the Festival of Arts will host 120 award-winning artists from July 5th through September 2nd. This professionally juried fine art show features a diverse selection of artwork including paintings, sculpture, photography, ceramics, jewelry, and more from artists around Orange County. Since opening in 1932, thousands have shown and sold their artwork at the Festival and many have their work featured in the private collections of leading art collectors, celebrities, and museums around the world. For a full list of the 2021 participating artists, please visit www.foapom.com/exhibitor-gallery.

The Festival has been rated one of the top festivals in the nation and each year hosts over 100 of Orange County’s most talented artists. Recent accolades include Orange County Register’s Best Place to Buy Original Art, Art Fair Calendar’s Top Five Art Fairs in the West and Top 5 Art Festival in the nation voted by USA Today readers.

“Avid art collectors and festival-goers will have an outstanding variety of fine art to browse and purchase as they walk among the artists’ displays,” says Marketing and Public Relations Director Sharbie Higuchi.

In addition to the variety of artwork, the Festival of Arts offers a wide range of daily activities that the whole family can enjoy. The calendar includes nightly live music, guided art tours, art workshops and weekly series including Concerts on the Green, and Art, Jazz, Wine, and Chocolate (sponsored by Charles Schwab and Cambria Estate Winery). Several special one-day events will return this year, including the very popular Festival Runway Fashion Show and Family Art Day. On August 13, the Festival of Arts will celebrate it’s 90th anniversary with a Birthday Bash filled with fun activities including a concert with Stray Cat Lee Rocker in partnership with the City of Laguna Beach. The Festival’s Art Center, sponsored by Bank of America, will be a buzz with creative energy with art classes for all ages Friday – Sunday and free drop-in art workshops offered daily.

“Looking back at the original Festival of Arts in 1932, there was something for everyone to enjoy. That tradition continues today,” said Higuchi. “With beautiful art, nightly live music, workshops for all ages, and unique events, the Festival is truly a full arts experience.”

For a complete list visit LagunaFestivalofArts.org. Free with admission unless otherwise noted.

That Girl Can Sing! Music Series
Tuesdays, July 12 – Aug 30, 5:30pm
Laguna’s Finest Music Series
Wednesdays, July 13 – Aug 31, 5:30pm
Art, Jazz, Wine and Chocolate
Thursdays, July 7 – Sept 1, 5:30pm
$20 additional fee for tastings
Sponsored by Charles Schwab & Cambria Estate Winery
Tremendous Tributes Music Series
Fridays, July 8 – Aug 26, 5:30pm
Concerts on the Green
Saturdays, July 9 – Aug 21, 1pm
Spotlight on the Grand Piano Music Series
Sundays, July 10 – Aug 28, 5:30pm
90th Anniversary Birthday Bash
Saturday, Aug 13, 12pm
Family Art Day
Sunday, July 10, 12pm
Festival Runway Fashion Show
Sunday, Aug 21, 12pm
Special Fundraising Event
Saturday, August 27

ART WORKSHOPS FOR EVERYONE
For schedule and reservations visit LagunaFestivalofArts.org.
Creativity runs wild at the Festival’s Adult and Teen Art Classes where students will make their own masterpieces under the instruction of professional artists. ($65)
Uncork your creativity Friday nights at Wine and Painting Nights or Saturday nights at Pints, Pinots and Prints. Create a work of art with easy to follow instruction by Festival artists and enjoy complimentary wine or beverages. Must be 21 and up. ($80)
Friday through Sunday, the Festival hosts Youth Art Classes, art classes for children ages 5 to 12. Classes include sculpture, printmaking, painting, and much more. ($25)
The Festival Art Center, sponsored by Bank of America, will be open weekdays from 4pm to 8pm and weekends from 12noon to 8pm for hands-on artistic fun. Reservations not required, drop in anytime!
ART TOURS
Free art tours are held Monday through Thursday at 4:30pm and Friday through Sunday at 12noon and 4:30pm. Meet the artists and learn firsthand about their techniques through discussions and artist demos.

SPECIAL EXHIBITS
The Festival’s Junior Art Exhibition, sponsored in part by the FOA Foundation, California First Leasing Corporation and Mark Porterfield of Laguna Beach, will comprise almost 400 pieces of artwork from Orange County school children (grades PK to 12). The quality of art represented in the exhibit will astound art lovers of all ages.
Support the arts by purchasing artwork from the Art-to-Go Exhibit themed “What the World Needs Now” donated by Festival artists with proceeds benefiting The Artists Fund at the Festival of Arts.
DINING OPTIONS / GIFT SHOP
Terra Laguna Beach is the on-property dining destination and focuses on California cuisine with sustainable food practices and utilizes farm stand fresh ingredients and artfully crafted meals. For reservations, call (949) 494-9650.
Intermission by Terra is a grab-to-go concession stand where patrons can purchase food to enjoy on the Festival grounds.
The Festival of Arts boutique-style gift shop is the perfect place to find t-shirts, art books, posters, and many other items to remember your visit.

GENERAL FESTIVAL INFORMATION

DATES & TIMES
July 5 – September 2, 2022
Open Mon – Thurs: 4pm – 11:30pm
Fri – Sun: 10am – 11:30pm
Early closing August 27 at 1pm

TICKET INFORMATION
General Admission: Weekdays $10, Weekends $15
Students & Seniors: Weekdays $7, Weekends $11
Children 6 – 12: Daily $5
Free Admission for Children 5 and under, Military, and Laguna Beach Residents.

Passport to the Arts:
A special promotion: Passport to the Arts for only $29. Includes one-time admission to the Festival of Arts, the Sawdust Art Festival and Laguna Art-A-Fair. Enjoy works of art by more than 500 artists, hands-on workshops, dozens of special events, plus a one-time, all-day free parking pass with each Passport purchased. Order online at www.LagunaBeachPassport.com. Passports are also available for purchase on-site at each festival location during the summer. Offer excludes Pageant of the Masters. Valid June 24 – September 4, 2022.

SPONSORS
The Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters are sponsored in part by Volvo, Fidelity Investments, Celebrity Cruises, KOST Radio 103.5, and The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel.

LOCATION
Festival of Arts Grounds
650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

FOR INFORMATION & TICKETS
(800) 487-3378
www.LagunaFestivalofArts.org

Legendary nautical figure retiring, to sell items

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Legendary nautical figure retiring, to sell items

By Chris MacDonald

One of the biggest characters in Sunset Beach history is retiring & select items in his legendary nautical antique store are going on sale, starting Friday, July 1.
Certain ship lights, compasses, ship’s wheels, bells & lots more will be discounted 25% & active duty US military, as well as veterans, can get an additional 5% off (with proof of service), according to Eric Bakker.

Bakker, 86½, has been a purveyor of nautical wonders from around the world for more than 50 years, including 45 years at Antiques of the Sea, 16811 Pacific Coast Highway, across from Captain Jack’s Restaurant in Sunset Beach.
His incredible marine equipment has been seen in such well-known movies as “The Perfect Storm” (with George Clooney), “Greyhound” (starring Tom Hanks), “Waterworld” (featuring Kevin Costner), “Midway” (with Dennis Quaid & Woody Harrelson) as well as at Tokyo Disney Resort.

This love of the sea began when he grew up with his Dutch parents on the Indonesian Island of Celebes, before moving to a seaside town in Holland. He later came to the United States’ West Coast and became successful in sales, merchandising & owning restaurants, including the popular Sandcastle in Sunset Beach.

He has a new website, AntiquesoftheSea.com, that shows the variety of nautical antiques & collectibles found in his unique business. “Due to limited space & occupancy, we suggest making an appointment,” Bakker said. “We’re open from Noon to 4:30 pm, Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays and by appointment on weekdays (call 562-592-1752).”

“Eric is indeed a real unique character, who, along with his wife, Elaine, have helped make our coastal town thrive for over half a century,” said former Community Association President & current Huntington Harbour Commission Chairman Mike Van Voorhis. “Not only has their nautical antiques store helped bring Sunset Beach international fame but their Sandcastle business was one of the most popular restaurants around. I wish Eric, and his wife, Elaine, the best in retirement.”

OC School of the Arts Jazz Ambassadors place 3rd in NYC

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OC School of the Arts Jazz Ambassadors place 3rd in NYC

Orange County School of the Arts’ (OCSA) distinguished Ambassador Jazz Orchestra (AJO), led by music director and conductor John Reynolds, D.M.A., earned third place among the top-placing jazz bands from across the country at the prestigious 27th Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival at Frederick P. Rose Hall, also known as the “House of Swing,” in New York City. In addition to this high honor, OCSA students within AJO were recognized with several section and individual awards during the ceremony on May 8, 2022.

Essentially Ellington is hosted by the legendary Wynton Marsalis at the home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, and is known for maintaining the largest jazz education network internationally. OCSA’s AJO was invited to be one of only 15 finalists to compete for top honors at Essentially Ellington out of the hundreds of schools across the nation that applied. Earning this remarkable achievement on such a historically significant jazz stage, and among some of the most renowned jazz musicians, was significant to Reynolds’ guidance as their instructor, conductor and associate director of the Instrumental Music Conservatory.

“I am so incredibly proud of our students. The Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival represents the pinnacle of who we are as musicians. Through the spirit of collaboration, listening, investigation and empathy, we were successful in using our collective musical intelligence to achieve our unifying goal: to swing unabashedly. As Wynton describes it, swing is the art of constant compromise and a continuous act of humility. We are honored to have been part of such a historic event,” said Reynolds.

During the Essentially Ellington festival, students were immersed in a professional level of music through mentoring, jam sessions and educational workshops. Not only were students given the opportunity to share the stage with Marsalis and musicians from Jazz at Lincoln Center, but they were also able to embrace the talent of their fellow artists from the other participating schools, connect with notable musicians from around the world and be inspired by the level of artistry presented.

Individual awards received included:
• Outstanding Rhythm Section
• Outstanding Saxophone Section
• Outstanding Piano – Nathan Tatsuta
• Outstanding Bass – Ryder Mendelson
• Outstanding Drums – Christian St. Marseille
• Outstanding Soprano Saxophone – Luke Toner
• Outstanding Tenor Saxophone – Trent Horio
• Outstanding Baritone Saxophone – Samuel Chung
• Honorable Mention Trombone – Leo Sui

Students in AJO will return to their regular studies, but the monetary award earned at the Essentially Ellington competition will be put toward continuing to improve their already exceptional jazz education program.

About OCSA’s Ambassador Jazz Orchestra
OCSA’s Ambassador Jazz Orchestra (AJO) has won multiple top honors at jazz festivals, including the notable Reno Family Jazz Festival. The orchestra opened for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, consisting of 15 of the world’s finest jazz musicians and led by Wynton Marsalis, at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts at the end of 2021. AJO is part of The Garn Family Jazz Studies Program within OCSA’s Instrumental

Music Conservatory. Members of AJO include:
• Ada Bevacqua, Guitar, Long Beach
• Samuel Chung, Baritone Saxophone, San Juan Capistrano
• Mateo Cruz, Trumpet, Irvine
• James Dechary, Trombone, Aliso Viejo
• Megan Etzel, Piano, Irvine
• Auvin Hajian, Trombone, Irvine
• Trent Horio, Tenor Saxophone, Mission Viejo
• Miri Izenberg, Trumpet, Irvine
• Kiana Kaminski, Piano, Aliso Viejo
• Aidan Luu, Split Lead Alto Saxophone, Garden Grove
• Ryder Mendelson, Bass, Manhattan Beach
• Allison Molin, Trumpet, Mission Viejo
• Ryan Nicolov, Tenor Saxophone, Laguna Hills
• Ian Shin, Lead Trumpet, Irvine
• Christian St. Marseille, Drums, Orange
• Leo Sui, Lead Trombone, Laguna Hills
• Connor Taing, Guitar, Rossmoor
• Nathan Tatsuta, Piano, Irvine
• Luke Toner, Split Lead Alto Saxophone, Huntington Beach
About Orange County School of the Arts

The nationally recognized Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) provides an unparalleled arts and academic education in a creative, challenging and nurturing environment to a diverse student body passionate about the arts, preparing them to reach their highest potential. Founded in 1987 by visionary educator Ralph Opacic, Ed.D. and currently led by President and CEO Teren Shaffer, OCSA serves approximately 2,300 gifted students in grades seven through 12 from more than 100 cities throughout California.

In addition to a college-preparatory academic program, OCSA offers pre-professional arts training in 16 conservatories within the schools of applied arts, dance, fine & media arts, music and theatre. The nonprofit public charter school relies solely on private donations, totaling $13 million annually, to fund the pre-professional arts training programs. For additional information, visit www.ocsarts.net.

This is so bad I had to write about it – Man of God review

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This is so bad I had to write about it – Man of God review

By Lady Beverly Cohn

Once in a while, you see a play that is so bad you ask yourself if you should even review it. I decided “yes” as my readers need to be encouraged to spend their theatre dollars on another play.

What’s wrong with this production, you might ask? How about everything, beginning with Anna Ouyang Moench’s poorly written, sophomoric script and unimaginative, infantile direction by Maggie Burrows, who by the way, did a great job in “TRAYF” also recently presented at Geffen Playhouse’s intimate Audrey Skirball Kenis stage. Her list of impressive credits were not reflected in this production.

As a director, her job is to help the actors create a fully actualized, believable performance, which she failed to do. Most of the cast, with the exception of Erin Rae Li, (Mimi) who does have theatre credits, the rest of the ensemble are primarily cinematic actors who seriously overacted in this production. Not every actor can make the leap from film to stage and Burrows’ direction shaped performances that bordered on high school or middle school level with lots of yelling with some of the actors not getting past line readings at times. As for subtext, well, just forget about that.

So, what’s the story? Four young girls who are members of a Korean Christian Girls’ Youth Group are on a religious mission in Bangkok organized by their Pastor, played by Albert Park, who definitely deserves better. Mimi, discovers a hidden camera in their bathroom and realizing that it is the property of their church, concludes that the Pastor must be the one who planted it for his viewing pleasure. Angry and disappointed over this betrayal of their trust, the girls begin to devise a plan to punish him.

They fantasize several different ways of killing him, one of which is a sword fight between Samantha (Shirley Chen) and the Pastor, nicely choregraphed by Fight Director Thomas Isao Morinaka and enhanced by Lap Chi Chu candy-colored lighting design. Original music and sound design by Jonathan Snipes nicely augments the action taking place on Se Oh’s simple set design reflecting a pretty cheap hotel room, with the girls dressed in Denitsa Bliznakova’s colorful, age-appropriate teenage costumes. Another fantasy scene takes place in a bar with the pastor and Mimi (Erin Rae Li) seated at a table. As she leaves, she turns around and shoots him in the back of his head.

The time has come for the Pastor, who we assume is naked in the tub, to get his punishment. The girls, including Jen (Emma Galbraith) and Samantha (Kyung-Hwa) are dressed in medical uniforms, and we are to assume they have performed a radical circumcision, more than a little off the top, and have removed one kidney and are about to remove the second one.

Billed as a funny feminist play, let me assure you there is nothing funny about these proceedings nor feminist, unless you think frequently dropping the “F-Bomb” from these supposed nice Christian girls, some of whom would fit into a gang, is feminism. The only thing that is laughable is the woefully poor direction by Burrows, whose staging frequently has the girls jumping from bed to bed, sometimes shouting or alternatively swallowing their lines. Getting back to the script, I’m reminded of that old show biz axiom: “If it ain’t on the page, it ain’t on the stage.” This production reflects that trope, but on steroids.
Make no mistake. Sexual predators are a real and present danger to women of all ages and deserves to be treated seriously. That said, taking a serious subject and exploring it in a comedic manner is a familiar, interesting theatrical approach but it must begin with an excellent script and a director who can guide the production and elicit the best possible performances from his or her cast. In the case of MAN OF GOD, the attempts at comedy fell like lead balloons with only occasional snickering from the audience.

I should point out that MAN OF GOD had its World Premiere in 2019 at East West Players, the nation’s first professional Asian-American theater. In 2020, the production moved to the Geffen Playhouse but due to COVID, closed after only nine performances. In this case, Artistic Director Matt Shakman should have let sleeping dogs lie, which is derived from Geoffrey Chaucer’s “It is nought good a slepying hound to wake.”

Aquarium nurtures love of oceans, filmmaking with short film awards

David N. Young
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Aquarium nurtures love of oceans, filmmaking with short film awards

The Aquarium of the Pacific awarded several local high school filmmakers this past week for their visionary looks at several aspects of oceans as they wrapped up the “High Tide Student Film Contest.”

“We had submissions from 22 different schools, and we have at least 13 different high schools from Southern California represented here in the audience,” said Dr. Peter Kareiva, President and CEO of the Aquarium.

“The vision behind this festival is straightforward,” he said, is simple, undeniable, and that vision is science, data and graphs,” said Kareiva. “I’ve done that all of my life,” he said, “It’s necessary, but at some point it just gets you so far,” said Kareiva.

“To really take science to action, to take science to addressing our global problems, you need the art of storytelling,” he said, “because that is what inspires us and what catalyzes action.”

He said the High Tide Student Film Festival has appreciation “for what young minds bring to that challenge.”

Kareivia thanked Dr. Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg for underwriting the film festival and honored them with a plaque for supporting the Aquarium “in so many ways.”

“Charlotte and I are enchanted with the Aquarium of the Pacific,” said Ginsburg. “We need to really understand the oceans,” he said, “we understand Mars better than we do the mapping of our own oceans.” They support the festival, said Ginsburg, because he and Lady Charlotte believe it is inspiration “for the young people to get humanity where it needs to be and fix the planet.”

Students competed in three categories, including Local Treasures, Ocean Innovation and Coral Reefs. The staff also awarded films that it felt made a powerful statement.

Here are the winners;


 

 

 

 

Pictured: Luke Steinmann, Serrano High School student, Phelan, grade 12 – Silver winner in the Local Treasures category.

 

 

 

 

 

Pictured: Liam Wright, South Pasadena High School student, grade 11 – Bronze winner in the category Local Treasures

 

 

 

 

 

Pictured (L-R): Emcee Alie LeBeau, Aquarium of the Pacific, Emcee Callum Watson, Aquarium of the Pacific, and Luke Steinmann, Serrano High School student, Phelan, grade 12 – Silver winner in the Local Treasures category

 

 

 

 

 

Pictured (L-R): Emcee Callum Watson, Aquarium of the Pacific, Emcee Alie LeBeau, Aquarium of the Pacific, and Davey Schneider, Serrano High School student, Phelan, grade 10 – Silver winner in the category Ocean Innovation

 

 

 

 

 

Pictured (L-R): Steven Lau-Robles and Joanna Escobar from Sato Academy, Long Beach, grade 12 – Gold winners in the Ocean Innovation category.

 

 

 

 

(L-R) Rocco Leoncio, grade 10 Cerritos High School student; Ethan Louie, grade 10 Cerritos HighSchool student; and Erick Louie III, grade 12 Cerritos High School student–Bronze winners in the Ocean Innovation Category.

 

 

 

 

 

(L-R):Emcee Callum Watson, Aquarium of the Pacific, and Kylie La, Edison High School student, grade 12—Gold winner in the Local Treasures Category (collaborative project with Claire Dokko, Palos Verdes Peninsula High School student, grade 10.

 

 

 

 

 

(L-R) Emcee Callum Watson, Aquarium of the Pacific, Emcee Alie LeBeau, Aquarium of the Pacific, Kayla Deng-Martinez, Long Beach Polytechnic High School student, Long Beach, grade 10, Bronze winner in the Coral Reefs Category.

 

 

 

 

 

Emcee Alie LeBeau, Aquarium of the Pacific, and Kimberly Miller, St. Anthony High School student, Long Beach, grade 11–Gold winner in the category of Coral Reefs.

 

 

 

 

 

(L-R)Emcee Alie LeBeau, Aquarium of the Pacific, Emcee Callum Watson, Aquarium of the Pacific, and Cooper Olson, Providence High School student, Burbank, grade 11–Silver winner in the category of Coral Reefs.

Aquarium “High Tide” judges also named “Honorable Mention” filmmakers.
Penguin on the red carpet at the High Tide Student Film Festival. All photos courtesy of the High Tide Student Film Festival.

 

Cypress Council again seeks censure of Marquez after divisive special meeting

David N. Young
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Cypress Council again seeks censure of Marquez after divisive special meeting

In a hastily called meeting called on a Friday afternoon, the Cypress City Council met in special session to vote 4-1 to propose a censure resolution on Council member Frances Marquez for purportedly failing to provide information requested in a public records act filing.

After a two-hour, divisive meeting, the Council tried but failed to put the matter on this past Monday’s agenda but did vote to put the matter on its June 27 agenda.
With a regular Council meeting scheduled for the next business day, Marquez scolded the administration and council for scheduling the special meeting and “wasting taxpayer dollars.”

The meeting was held in chambers, yet inexplicably not videotaped. The meeting was recorded via “audio only,” and apparently, citizens must request it to be able to listen.
Currently, the city is being sued by Californians Aware, alleging Brown Act violations and a lack of transparency, and the city has also been served with another demand letter on redistricting that could lead to a lawsuit within the next 60 days (see related story).

The target of Friday’s special session was Marquez’ for her alleged failure to fulfill a document request from Fortis LLP Law Firm in Costa Mesa.
The PRA did not name the seeker of the information.

The PRA request cast a wide net to find out what Marquez has communicated about an extensive list of topics, many of which were decided before she won election to the council, according to document.

Mayor Paulo Morales said the meeting was called to propose a non-compliance censure on Marquez after he learned there was no signed affidavit from her acknowledging complete compliance with the PRA request.

“We were given a deadline at the request of the city manager to comply [with the request] which keeps the city itself out of a position of being sued or at least to where the city and the city clerk can respond to these records,” said Morales.

Morales was referring to a PRA request received by all of the Council members regarding the CalAware lawsuit. Marquez was the only member subject to the Fortis LLP request.
Morales said the goal of agenda item four “is to place a resolution on the June 13 agenda the upcoming meeting June 13 to the city council agenda censuring Councilmember Marquez for violating the laws, the state of California by failing to respond to Public Records Act requests.”

The mayor said Marquez had failed to respond timely to a PRA request, that she disclosed confidential info from closed sessions (previoussly) and violated the city’s new “civility” code, which he suggested was “a violation of the city charter.”

Further, he complained that “Cypress is really making the newspapers for all the wrong reasons. And that is bothersome to me.”

Marquez suggested the city’s actions on districting was the reason for all of the attention. ‘That’s the only reason any of this is happening,” she said.

“I want to point out that this meeting is a political stunt,” said Marquez. “It’s a form of harassment by everybody here on the dais. My attorneys and I have worked together with city attorney Fred Galante throughout this PRA process,” said Marquez.

And, said Marquez, she no longer felt comfortable with city manager Peter Grant, since she discovered documents that indicate “he had his hands all over” earlier PRA requests, prompting her to hire an attorney to ensure she complied.

“I hired an attorney with money out of my own pocket, from a major law firm, because I don’t trust the city administration. I had to use my own money because I don’t trust the system. I want to let you know that that is and so that’s the reason why.”

She also complained about Grant opening her mail after she was firsrt eleted.

She held up a letter from the former attorney general who wrote to congratulate her upon her election only to find it had already been opened by the city manager, an assertion he did not refute.

Marquez said she complained bitterly for months until the city manager stopped opening her mail. In addition, Marquez said she contacted several other cities and said she learned that In most of them, only the legal counsel and city clerk deal with PRA requests.
Morales, however, said it has long been customary for the city manager to open city council members’ official mail.

“So can I add to that because Council member Marquez brought up earlier that she had contacted a number of cities and none of them have a city manager that even quote, unquote, touches it,” said Morales.

“But here,” he continued, “the Public Records Act does not specify that the city manager is not involved in that process. In fact, city managers sponsored the day-to-day operations of the city as a part of that, as we have already seen, helps to facilitate making sure that we are in compliance,” said Morales.

Galante stepped in to say it is uncommon for city managers to be involved but since Grant manages the administration, and can set policy, if he wants to he can be involved.

“I will say that Councilmember Marquez’ statement is generally true,” said Galante. “I generally just deal with city clerks,” responded Galante. He said, however, since Grant has created a “directive” that all communications among the council “are to be provided through him, I can defer to him on that.”

Grant said “my role in this process so far has been to communicate requests for documents to you to support the city clerk’s office and reflect the fact that we have constrained council member Marquez.”

By constrained, Grant apparently meant a four-page letter he had hand-delivered to Marquez on January 26, 2022, forbidding her every conceivable interaction with city staff, and providing a detailed list of dos and don’ts that apply only to Marquez and not the other members.

Marquez said Friday’s meeting was out of order and an obvious attempt to discredit her. She said Grant had not even told her what the meeting was about.
Morales said he called Marquez, but she did not call back.

Marquez said the Grant and the Council knew most of the documents had been turned over and they were working with Galante to resolve questions over duplicative and ‘protected’ documents, so there is absolutely no lack of compliance.

Only because her attorney got COVID was there no signed affidavit, said Marquez.
Galante acknowledged he had been working with Marquez and her attorney, but said he also told them last Monday that he, alone, did not have the power to grant her an extension on document production.

“If I may, Councilmember Marquez is correct about the phone calls that we had the one clarification and her lawyer has emails for me is that I made it clear I don’t have discretion to extend the timeline,” said Galante.

Marquez said the whole process, dating back to the first “special” meeting during the holidays, after which she was “constrained” by Grant, is an effort to silence her or even try to oust her.

She said the Fortis LLP PRA request was overbearing, asking for detailed communications about items that happened even before she was elected, even asking for communications with friends of friends in a dragnet information swoop.

“Not all Council members were asked for this much information,” she protested. “There’s no due process here. This is like acting like a judge and a jury without a trial. And none of this is fair and none of this is right and none of it is also fair to the taxpaying residents today who are supposed to be able to see how their money is being spent,” cried Marquez.

“I have confronted all this pushback anytime I asked questions. I didn run for office to be best friends with my colleagues. I ran for office to represent my constituents to protect them, to inform them to help them. I did not run for office to spend my Friday being put on trial for something ridiculous,” said Marquez.

Several citizens spoke during oral communications, even some who said they disagreed with Marquez’ politics, said the treatment of her by her colleagues is harsh.

“The threat of censure by the city council. seems unusually harsh to me,” said local businessman Steve Mauss. ‘It could be easily misinterpreted as an overt attempt to remove her from her position on the council,” he said, “thereby allowing the remaining council members the opportunity to replace her with someone that is more closely aligned with their views.”

“She is elected by us,” said Dr. Malini Nagpal. “She represents us. Council woman Marquez, please keep doing what you’re doing and asking the questions that the remaining council members and Mayor over the last year seem to be afraid to ask or do not want us to know.”

“I’m in full support of Frances, even though our political views are completely different,” said longtime resident Tony Tanaka. “And this is not a political issue, you know, we need to stop bringing all the politics and all these issues. She has a voice. She’s speaking on the behalf of the people from Cypress.

“You guys need to be transparent,” he said.

Nevertheless, the Council voted 4-1 to approve both a “long” and “short” resolution of non-compliance against Marquez, rejecting her arguments of compliance. As of Friday, they had not decided which version to bring up for debate.

However, when they tried to place it on this past Monday’s agenda, it was ironically Marquez who had to explain to them that the new “civility” policies they passed to harness her had included a two- week waiting period for introduction of items to the agenda.

“I do not believe there’s a two-week waiting period,” said Galante. “I have to pull up the policy.”

After a brief recess to allow him to research the matter, Galante acknowledged that, indeed, there is a waiting period of 10 days.

Therefore, the group approved a motion by Jon Peat to schedule the resolution for a vote on the June 27 meeting. “We worked diligently to create a policy so we should follow it,” he said.

Going further, the mayor acknowledged public records requests were beginning to impact city operations.

“Processing a public records act request usually represents about 10% of the annual workload in the city clerk’s office,” said Morales, but “for the past few months, public records act requests have commanded almost half of the two-person City Clerk’s office time, the equivalent of nearly one full time position, plus countless hours of time from the city manager,” he said.

He also acknowledged that of late, the PRA requests have “unfortunately, become somewhat adversarial.”

“I think that there are certainly a firm out there or people out there that can also certainly represent the city and keep us from being exposed to litigation especially when it comes to this because I sadly I doubt that this is the last public records act request that we’re going to get,” said Morales.

On this item, the Council voted unanimously to hire a law firm or an attorney to take over what seems to be an increasing volume of requests for document in Cypress. They also agreed to develop a standard policy for responding to PRAs for both staff and elected officials.

Claborn sworn in amid huge contingent of law enforcement officers

David N. Young
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Claborn sworn in amid huge contingent of law enforcement officers

Los Alamitos Police Chief Michael Claborn shared a vision of community-based law enforcement Thursday to an overflow crowd of friends, supporters and fellow law enforcement officers.

Although he’s been on the job for a few weeks, the newly hired Los Al police chief was officially sworn in this week during a ceremony attended by fellow officers and police chiefs from throughout Southern California.

Los Al city manager Chet Simmons, acting as Master of Ceremonies for the event, welcomed the many public safety professionals.

“Thank you for your dedication to public safety,” said Simmons.

“I know the stresses and the dangers are real,” said Simmons in greeting the standing-room-only crowd.

Claborn, an Army veteran, chose to be sworn in at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos.

Included among the 250 guests were Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes, OC Fire Authority Chief Brian Hennessy, CFA Division Chief Ron Roberts, Police Chief Mark Lauderback of Cypress, Chief Darin Lenyi of Westminster, Chief Terry Kim of La Palma, and more than a dozen other key police and elected officials.

A very large contingent of officers came from the Santa Ana Police Department, Claborn’s most recent employer before being named Los Al Chief.

Los Alamitos Mayor Shelley Hasselbrink, who had the honor of administering the oath of office to Claborn, recounted that he is a U.S. Army veteran, having served in the storied 101st Airborne Division.

After serving in the Army, she said Claborn began his career in law enforcement with the Los Angeles Police Department, later transferring to the Santa Ana Police Department and before being selected to serve as the Chief of the Los Alamitos Police Department.

The Chief posed with well wishers for more than an hour.
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In Claborn, said Hasselbrink, the city believes it got exactly what it wanted in a police chief. She read a list of several qualifications the search committee hoped to find in candidates, including being active in the community and demonstrated leadership skills and said Claborn “checked all of the boxes.”

With his right hand held high and his family at his side, Claborn became the 14th Chief of Police in the city’s history to a roaring ovation as Mayor Hasselbrink issued the oath of office.

“Isn’t this [Los Al] a fantastic city to call home,” asked Claborn, as he began by thanking everyone who’d helped him along the way and those who worked to prepare the swearing-in event.

“As we grow older,” said Claborn, “we begin to see the world through our children’s eyes,” he said, suggesting that he was already thinking about the kind of community in which he wants his young children to grow up in.

“A place where people take care of each other. It’s a place where people not only know each other but where we wave at one another when they cross paths. A place where people strive to be kind and good citizens,” said Claborn, “a city that still has a small town feel where I have the honor of becoming its next Chief of Police.

Claborn then turned his attention to the men and women in the Los Al Police department, whom he said works everyday to retain public safety and its quality of life.

“All of us they get to live in this great town are kept safe because of the outstanding work by the men and women of the Los Alamitos Police Department,” he said.

“Thank you for doing your job every day,” Claborn said, “that requires you to say goodbye to your own families. And for some of you, to put your life at risk for the families that live and work in the city. Your dedication to protecting and serving the community inspires us all.”

“You are our heroes and I’m honored to serve as your chief,” said Claborn.
Claborn spoke emotionally about the exceptionally large contingent of officers from the Santa Ana Police Department.

“They helped me find my skills as a police officer. They taught me how to give a voice to victims of violent crimes. They taught me how to treat both community members and suspects with dignity and respect,” said Claborn.

“They taught me how to take care of my fellow officers supporting them and their families. They taught me how to handle critical incidents and collaborate on the county wide scale and they also taught me and represented something much bigger than myself every time,” he added.

“I will always be grateful to the men and women of the Santa Ana Police Department for making me the officer, the leader, and the man that I am today,” said Claborn.

Claborn struggled for composure as he spoke about his family. He introduced his wife Shelley, a corporate executive, and said “with no disrespect to anyone I’ve ever worked with throughout my 25 years in law enforcement, she’s the best partner I’ve ever had.”

Police Chief Michael Claborn and his wife Shelley at his swearing in ceremony.
dnyphoto

“Every time I needed help, she’s been there for me,” said Claborn, “you’ve been there for me throughout my career. You are an amazing mother to our children and an amazing executive, and I would not be standing her at this podium if it weren’t for you.

Claborn has two young sons, both enrolled in the Los Al Unified School District and a one-year-old daughter. The police chief is a FNL football coach and is active in other community affairs.

Santa Ana detective Mike McCloud, who worked with Claborn at the Los Angeles Police Department as they began their law enforcement careers together in the 1990’s, said he also transferred to Santa Ana about the time Claborn did as well.

With Claborn, said McCloud, “what you see is what you get.”

“I remember from our time together at LAPD and when worked in different units together and all the way transferring to Santa Ana PD, he’s always the person I can go to for advice but will also come to me in equal form for advice,” said McCloud.

“He’s a man of faith. He’s a man of belief, and he’s a leader. And I’ve always seen him that way,” the Santa Ana detective said. “And what you see is who he is.” Claborn, he said, “has never been too big for any moment …, but he’s [also] never been, if you will, too small to shy away from any challenge.”

“From my perspective,” said McCloud, “Michael is one of the most genuine, hardworking and most dedicated people I have ever met.”

City of Cypress served with 2nd districting demand letter

David N. Young
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City of Cypress served with 2nd districting demand letter

The Malibu law firm alleging Cypress is in violation of the state’s voting rights laws has served the city with a second demand letter, this time including two residents as plaintiffs and demanding a final response no later than July 21, 2022.

“I write on behalf of our clients, Malini Nagpal, Katie Shapiro and Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and its members residing within the City of Cypress (“Cypress” or “City”)… We wrote to you in September 2021 and write now in an abundance of caution to ensure that we have complied with the pre-filing requirements,” said attorney Kevin Shenkman in the letter.

“Cypress relies upon an at-large election system for electing candidates to its governing board. Moreover, voting within the city is racially polarized, resulting in minority vote dilution, and, therefore, the City’s at-large elections violate the California Voting Rights Act,” he claimed in a demand letter makes the same allegations made in the firm’s letter in September of 2021.

What’s different now is the addition of two local citizens as plaintiffs, Malini Nagpal, BC-DMT, Ph.D, and Katie Shapiro, as well as the Southwest Voter Education Project, said Shenkman.

In a statement, Nagpal said “I am doing it because it’s the right thing to do. Aside from the fact that Cypress should be in compliance with the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA), districting would allow the city governance to more intimately represent people from all socioeconomic statuses,” she said.

“Each council member would raise the concerns and needs of the district they represent,” said Nagpal, “thus ensuring equal/equitable representation, which has been missing from City of Cypress governance for quite a while,” she said. The city’s governance should be representing the people that make up the city. This includes diversity in socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and abilities.”

Shapiro, in a separate statement, said “I was both shocked and appalled when Cypress City Council voted on districting, in closed session, after very few voter-outreach attempts at offering a clear understanding of what districting would mean for our community.”

“We are asking for transparency and because this order appears too tall and too unmanageable for our city government, I am joining Mr. Shenkman in holding Cypress leadership accountable,” said Shapiro.

“The Brown Act is a measure created so that corruption and secrecy are kept at bay. Government only works when the public is informed, not the other way around,” said Shapiro.

Cypress is currently being sued by CalAware for meeting in closed session consistently since the first Shenkman demand letter was served on Cypress dated Sept. 21, 2021.
Finally, after several closed sessions, and three so-called forums, the city council voted 4-1 to reject district-based elections, with Council member Frances Marquez voting against the motion to reject.

In April, the city issued a response to Shenkman’s initial letter, written by Fred Galante, the city’s legal counsel.

Writing on behalf of the city of Cypress, city attorney Fred Galante called Shenkman’s assertion of violations were of the “cookie cutter” variety, noting also that his demand letter was “boiler-plate.”

“Certainly, these undeniable trends of Asian Americans succeeding in the City’s at-large elections confirm that Cypress is not the appropriate target for your cookie cutter CVRA letters,” said Galante in his response to Shenkman.

“I explained to you that the City’s demographer found no evidence of racially polarized voting. As such, it would not only be appropriate for SVREP to provide this basic information it purports to have in support of its letter,” said Galante.

Shenkman said Galante’s response to the Sept. 21 letter was “unnecessarily and inappropriately rude,” which Shenkman said is behavior “way beyond” the normal rules of civility that generally prevails between opposing attorneys in court.

“If Mr. Shenkman is offended about my letter explaining that many of the statements in his original letter are boilerplate allegations, that point is based on my review of various letters Mr. Shenkman has sent other jurisdictions with the exact same wording. It was not intended to insult, but instead to point out that Cypress does not fit within those boilerplate allegations,” said Galante in a statement this week.

Although the city claims to have performed a demographic study that supports the claims dismissing the need for district-based elections that are made in Galante’s response, yet the study has never been discussed at a city council meeting nor has it been released to the public, despite multiple PRA requests.

Moreover, the Malibu attorney said Cypress Council’s three so-called public “election forums” were a “sham,” and little more than events orchestrated “to score political points.” From the beginning, said Shenkman, the city’s response to the whole affair was “dishonest and disingenuous.”

Attendance records indicate total attendance for all three forums for which the city paid $40,000 to a contractor was less than two hundred citizens in a city with 50,000 citizens.
Shenkman called the city’s response to the CVRA allegations “almost laughable.”

If Cypress continues to defy the alleged CVRA violations, Shenkman predicted the city will lose in court. Given the size of the city compared to similar cities, Shenkman estimated the cost to Cypress taxpayers will ultimately be in the millions.
Santa Monica’s lawsuit, still ongoing, he said, could ultimately cost the city upwards of $20 million, said Shenkman.

Meanwhile, he said the City of La Palma, in contrast, has already passed a resolution for a good faith effort to comply. Should they formally create districts, he said, La Palma’s legal costs are limited to $30,000.

ENE pays tribute to the Los Al High School Class of 2022

Fun Art Classes at Los Alamitos
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ENE pays tribute to the Los Al High School Class of 2022

The Event News Enterprise sents heartfelt congratulations to every member of the Los Alamitos High School Class of 2022. Go Griffins and best of luck in the future.

Abacherli, Ryan
Abusham, Amelia
Acosta, Reyna
Aguilar, Nathan
Alarcon, Cailin
Albers, Kathleen
Alcantara, Gavynne
Aldegarie, Marissa
Allen, John
Allen, Summer
Amaya, Devin
Amaya Padilla, Rosa
Amer, Amal
Amescua, Alexandria
Anderson, Andrew
Anderson, Sophia
Andreozzi, Micah
Anson, Taylor
Arai, Alexander
Arellano, Caitlin
Arens, Brian
Arteaga, Isaac
Austin, Tyler
Averell, Andrew
Ayala, Jesus
Azcue, Angelina
Bacher, Ryan
Baik, Nathan
Bamberg, Avery
Bamberg, Grace
Banico, Aidan
Banos, Samantha
Barcinas Dixon, Meilani
Barham, Jerald
Barnhill, Miles
Barnum, Devon
Barretta, Isabella
Barron, Danielle
Bartlett, Heather
Bartlett, Matthew
Beach, Kimberly
Becerra, Alyssa
Becerril, Aliyah
Begley, Luke
Benavidez, Maranda
Benefield, Aaron
Bengs, Yuki
Bermudez, Christian
Bernal, Diana
Berry, Matthew
Berryman, Tyler
Bertrand, Isabella
Bettis, Kendall
Beyma, Peyton
Biddle, Matthew
Bienvenue, Lucas
Bignami, Kaitlyn
Bilek, Sean
Bindels, Denis
Bissell, Camille
Blackmun, Isaac
Bloom, Jonathan
Booth, Kayla
Bowler, Charles
Boyce, Melia
Boyd, Nathan
Bradt, Curtis
Brady, Adam
Brandenberger, William
BravoRuiz, Omar
Brett, Devon
Breveard, Kali
Briseno-Tapia, J
Brittain, Emily
Broderick, Lane
Brodie, Jake
Brok, David
Brown, Tate
BustamanteOwen, Makenna
Butler, Wyatt
Byle, Eden
Bystrom, Alexander
Camacho, Andrea
Camargo, Carter
Campos-Barrett, Achilles
Cannizzaro, Alexander
Capp, Anabelle
Carey, Lyndsay
Carr, Keondray
Carresi, Matthew
Casey, Jack
Cervantes, Jenna
Cha, Daniel
Chang, Jack
Chang, Kaylen Nicole
Chavan, Meera
Chavez, Daniel
Chavez, David
Chavez, Emily
Chavez, Marco
Chavez, Shane
Cheffer, Madelyn
Chen, Andrew
Chen, Dylan
Chen, Emmy
Chen, Jeffrey
Cheng, Aidan
Cheng, Nathan
Chheng, Ethan
Chheng, Yohann
Chiu, Ella
Cho, Grace
Chong, Marcus
Chov, David
Christidis, Ekaterini
Christidis, Ioanna
Chun, Rebekah
Chung, Christian
Cleve, Cameron
Clingan-Puhr, Alison
Cogan, Henry
Colby, Ella
Cook, Coryn
Correa, Santiago
Cotter, Patrick
Crammer, Zachary
Crawford, Chase
Crooks, Brandon
Crooks, Dylan
Cruz, Brandon
Cruz, Izel
Cruz, Jordyn
Cruz, Justine Rae
Cruz, Miranda
Cruz, Mitchell
Cruz-Aguilar, Erandy
Curiel, Joseph
Dagerman, Jack
Danner, Reef
Davidson, Shanna
Davis, Anton
Dean, Walker
DeBrabander, Vance
DeCrescenzo, Dana
DeHate, Ella
Deinert, Abigail
Delgado, Sophia
DelliSanti, Kortney
Delmonico, James
DeMarco, Brandon
Demos, Dylan
DePina, Abigail
Dessero, Taylor
Deutsch, Marin
DeYager, Mya
Diaz Serrano, Johan
Do Phan, Vanessa
Dockstader, Sophia
Dogherty, Alex
Drake, Summer
Dunlop, Hayley
Dutro, Nalani
Ea, Alexander
Earles, Elliot
Eaton, Miles
Edwards, Garrett
Eisel, Aiden
Enyart, Joseph
Espinoza, Izabella
Espinoza, Sabrina
Esquer, Jacob
Evans, Luke
Ewell, Luke
Fackrell, Hannah
Fadlalla, Mehraiel
Fair, Brendon
Fayette, James
Feldman, Bridget
Feliz, Kaela
Fellingham, Lucia
Ferguson, Sofia
Fernley, Jacob
Ferrier, Nathan
Fisk, Savannah
Fisler, Ian
Fitzer, Ari
Fitzer, Kai
Flaherty, John
Fletcher, Sydney
Flora, Kara
Flores, Joseph
Flores, Marcos
Flores, Osvaldo
Foley, Olivia
Ford, Courtney
Forster, Stephanie
Foster, Ryan
Fournier, Dominic
Fox, Jackson
Fox, Kyer
Fox, Zion
Francisco, Caleb
Franco, Jasmine
Fraser, Sydney
Frousakis, Elena
Fudal, Benjamin
Gallegos, Rikki
Garate, Zoe
Garber, Hazel
Garcia, Moses
Garcia, Tara
Garland, Hunter
Garton, Grant
Gavin, Emmilene
Gayed, Verena
Geddes, Ashton
Gee, Dalaney
Geller, Andrew
Georgakopoulos, Stefanos
Gibbs, Jed
Glowaki, Lukas
Goldade, Luke
Goldberg, Alexander
Gomez, Bailey
Gomez, Elijah
Gomoljak, Lily
Gonzalez Gutierrez, Areli
Goss, Jacob
Grace, Ryan
Graham, Rocky
Graham, Taylor
Granda, Nicholas
Green, Caylee
Green, Micah
Greene, Aiden
Greene, Connor
Greger, Madison
Gregory, Brooklyn
Gregory, Kylee
Griset, Nikolas
Guelpa, Elizabeth
Guerin, Nolan
Guerra, Jacob
GuerraLandin, Derrick
Guevara-Blanco, Amanda
Guggino, Joanna
Guntur, Phoebe
Gutierrez, Alyssa
Gutierrez, Andrew
Gutierrez, Jeremy
Haering, Maya
Haines, Ethan
Hale, Donald
Hall, Ryan
Hamilton, Harlow
Hamilton, Robert
Hanson, Jack
Harding, Camille
Harris, Lindsey
Haygood, Emma
Haynie, Catherine
Hazlewood, Deanna
Hedgpeth, Zoe
Heeren, Ashley
Hegstrom, Erin
Helsley, Jayden
Heng-Kham, Kingston
Hess, Samantha
Hill, Isabella
Hirsch, Alexandria
Hornung, Cassidy
Howard, Jacob
Howard, Wesley
Huber, Robert
Hug, Eli
Hunter, Seamus
Hurley, Kaylin
Hutchings, Samantha
Hutchings, Zachary
Hwang, Nikolas
Ibarra, Aaron
Ingalls, Carson
Iovine Vazquez, Lorena
Iriarte, Noah
Irving, Madison
Isaia, Stephanie
Ivanovich, Gianna
Ives, Zoe
Iwasaki, Kai
Jacobsen, Quinn
Jalandoni, Nathan
Jansen, Johanna
Jenkins, Dominic
Jenkins, Julian
Jeon, Annabelle
Jessie, Jordyn
Jiang, Jing
Jimenez, Javier
Johnson, Adeline
Johnson, Alana
Johnson, Mason
Johnson, Taylor
Johnson-Foshee, Mallory
Jone, Rome
Jones, Alexis
Jordan, Samuel
Jorge, Adam
Jorge, Michael
JoubertHonacki, Arielle
Jun, Joy
Jurado, Brian
Kaiser, Matthew
Kalish, Carly
Kang, Andrew
Kang, Nathan
Karmos, Miranda
Karolus, Aaron
Karolus, Jacob
Kees, Adam
Kehoe, Kaitlyn
Keller, Andrew
Keller, Jackson
Kellerman-Skaggs, Savannah
Kemppainen, Kyle
Kendler, Lindsay
Kennard, Grace
Kennedy, Gavin
Kennedy, Riley
Kent, Kaden
Kim, Ashley
Kim, Brandon
Kim, Eliana
Kim, Emily
Kim, Kasen
Kim, Lauren
Kim, Marcus
Kim, Natalie
Kim, Sally
Kim, Samuel
Kim, Sarah
Kim, Sela
King, Joshua
Kirk, Mackenzie
Klein, Brandon
Klump, Jackson
Koepke, Cash
Koford, Natalie
Kohler, Nathan
Kowalewski, Hugh
Kraft, Alexah
Kreal, Daisy
La Crosse, Ashley
Laisy, Payton
Lam, Katelynn
Lamb, Johnathan
LaPoint, Landon
Larios, Matthew
Larson, Connor
Lavilla, Jazeel
Lawrence, Jaden
Lear, Andrew
LeDoux, Elizabeth
Ledterman, Parker
Lee, Aidan
Lee, Andersen
Lee, Joshua
Lee, Kate
Leivas, Geana
Lent, Zachary
Lenton, Karina
Lestelle, Olivia
Lew, Brandon
Lim, Christopher
Limosnero, Carly
Linares, Evan
Linton, Chelsea
Linture, Ayumi
Little, Kelsey
Llamas, Logan
Locke, Megan
Logan, Esperanza
Loh, Katelyn
London, Matthew
Long, Olivia
Lopez, Ava
Lopez, Eduardo
Lopez, Jonathan
Lopez, Joshua
Lopez, Mia
Louiso, Dylan
Low, Evan
Luciano, Nicholas
Lucus, Jack
Lugenbuehl, Jake
Lugo, Emma
Luyben, James
Lyell, Stewart
Lyons, Jack
Mafi, Adam Joseph
Main, David
Malahay, David John
Maline, Sonya
Maloyo, Koston
Manfro, Logan
Maples, Liam
Marchese, Mason
Mariscal, Lluvia
Maritato, Ryan
Markey, Maxwell
Marks, Sadie
Marschall, Lincoln
Martinez, Aileen
Martinez, Nathan
Martini, Ashlyn
Masterenko, McKenna
Matautia, Joseph
Matthews, Max
Matthews, Tyler
Matus, Noah
McConnell, Bo
McDougall, Nicholas
McEvilly, Sean
McGrew, Reese
McLachlan, Tyler
McMahon, Rory
McQuillen, William
McWeeney, Jenna
Meas, Kevin
Medby, Kaia
Meehan, Patrick
Mellgoza, Daniel
Mendoza, Elisa
Meng, Tyler
Meredith, Kade
Merelle, Natalia
Meza, Isabella
Michalski, Zion
Michelotti, Cadence
Milton, Jake
Min, Kyle
Mintzer, Charlotte
Miranda, Jewelia
Misa, Zephaniah
Mitani, Rianna
Mitchell, Brayton
Mizutani, Paige
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Monroe, David
Monson, Maddox
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Moon, Emma
Morales, Xavier
Morlock, Samantha
Morrow, Daniel
Mucciaro, Lauren
Mucho, Robert
Muckey, Gavin
Muhlenbruch, Brynn
Muller, Justin
Munatones, Sofia
Munatones, Sydney
Muniz, Julia
Murguia, Nathan
Murillo, Andrea
Murphree, Tessa
Murphy, Gabriella
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Murray, Josiah
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Nash, Otto
Nash, Skylar
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Nelson, Devin
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Nguyen, Brooke
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Nunez, Noah
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Odom, Jonathan
Odrich, Siena
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Oliva, Diego
Olivas, Alyse
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Oshita, Matthew
Osorio, Evan
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Packard, Alisha
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Park, Jonathan
Parker, Cole
Parkin, Emily
Parra, Carol
Parra, Cassandra
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Paulos, Alexandra
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Perz, Alexis
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Incumbents lead in races for O.C. Education posts

Jeannette Andruss
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Incumbents lead in races for O.C. Education posts

Votes are still being tallied from California’s June 7 Primary Election but so far incumbents are dominating in races for posts related to education.

Of note, in the race for California’s Superintendent of Public Instruction the incumbent is leading but it’s not yet clear who he’ll face in a November runoff.

In Orange County, the current Superintendent of Schools and three incumbents on the Orange County Board of Education (OCBOE) are all leading their challengers. In these races there is no runoff.

As of June 13, there were around 120,000 ballots left to process by the Orange County Registrar of Voters. Counties must submit their election results to the Secretary of State by July 8 who will officially certify the election on July 15.

In the race for Orange County Board of Education Trustee Area 2, current Board President Mari Barke of Rossmoor is leading with 59% of the vote according to the latest update on June 13 from the O.C. Registrar of Voters.

Trustee Area 2 covers Rossmoor, Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, Cypress, Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, Costa Mesa and parts of Newport Beach and portions of Irvine.

In an email to Spotlight Schools, Barke said she felt “blessed” to be re-elected by her community.

“As a result of the significant victories over our opponents that my colleagues and I received during the recent election, as well as the feedback given to me while knocking on thousands of doors in my district, I feel as though we have been given a mandate to continue our important work with regard to school choice and parental rights,” Barke wrote.

Challenger Martha Fluor, a retired trustee on the Newport-Mesa Unified School District Board of Education, trails Barke with 31% of the vote.

“I am disappointed,” Fluor wrote in an email to Spotlight Schools. “It does indicate that elections can be bought,” Fluor added in reference to donations made by the Charter Schools Political Action Committee which, according to public campaign financing records, donated a total of $225,000 to the campaigns of the three OCBOE incumbents.

Fluor thanked those who voted for her and was grateful for “the many individuals, including school board members, PTA/PFO members, Girl Scout leaders, teachers, and trade and labor unions, WIL (Women in Leadership and WAVE) who support public education.” Fluor said it was important for her supporters to stay engaged and attend OCBOE meetings.

Architect Christopher R. Ganiere earned 9% of the vote. In a message on his Instagram page this week he thanked the voters who supported him, “Thank you for being concerned about children and schools and the future of Orange County.”

In the OCBOE Trustee Area 4, Tim Shaw is leading his challengers with 50% of the vote. The closest opponent is Paulette Chaffee who trails with 32% of the vote. In Trustee Area 5, incumbent Lisa Sparks had 65% of the vote while challenger Sherine Smith, a former superintendent of the Laguna Beach Unified School District, had 35%. The seat covers Laguna Beach, San Clemente, and Mission Viejo.

In the race for Orange County Superintendent of Public Instruction, incumbent Al Mijares, Ph.D., is leading with 55% of the vote. Challenger Stefan Bean, Ed.D, a former head of Aspire charter schools, trailed with 45% of the vote. Bean was backed by the current OCBOE majority, which is currently involved in litigation with Mijares.

When asked about the reaction to this race, Board President Barke wrote in an email: “My colleagues and I will work collaboratively with the County Superintendent in the best interests of the students and families of Orange County.”

For more local education news, sign up for the free weekly Spotlight Schools email newsletter at SpotlightSchools.com.

Chemistry students set LAHS record in ‘brutal’ exam competition

Jeannette Andruss
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Chemistry students set LAHS record in ‘brutal’ exam competition

If there is a possible equivalent in high school chemistry to running an Ironman race, The American Chemical Society’s exam competition could be it.

“It’s brutal,” said Timothy Jones, the Advanced Placement Chemistry teacher at Los Alamitos High School in a recent Zoom interview. Packed with 60 multiple choice questions covering a range of chemistry concepts, Jones said the average score for a student this year was 33.

This year four of his AP Chemistry students performed the best the school has ever done, earning 5th place in the local competition against teams from 26 other Orange County high schools. That’s better than a 6th-place finish earned by an LAHS team in 2019. 

Juan Carrion, Gabriel Mee, Zachary Zonni and Katelyn Ngo, who will be juniors at LAHS next school year, were honored for their achievement at the Orange County ACS High School Chemistry Awards Banquet in Irvine on May 17.

What’s remarkable is that the four students chose to pursue this challenge. Early in the school year, Jones tells students about the ACS exam. Interested kids are encouraged to study and participate in a test over a weekend. The students with the top four scores make the team.

Jones remarked that just showing an interest in taking the test reveals a lot about the type of student who is up for this challenge.

“Any kid that’s willing to show up on a Saturday morning to take a nasty chemistry exam is already pretty prepared,” Jones said.

And according to the students, they were excited about it.

In a Zoom interview last week, Gabriel, Zachary and Katelyn shared their thoughts on taking part in the exam and all of them said they enjoyed the experience.

“Chemistry is really fun to me and I wanted to challenge myself,” said Katelyn. “I find it thrilling.”

When asked about placing 5th in the competition, the students all said they were surprised.

“It was pretty shocking that we were the first ones to place this high,” Gabriel said.

Excelling on the exam earns students recognition and could help them stand out when applying to colleges like CalTech, UC Berkeley or MIT. “This is the kind of thing that really helps you look that much better” to universities, Jones said.

And there’s another benefit to taking the ACS exam. It’s given before the AP exam and, according to Jones, it makes the AP Chemistry test seem easier. “It totally changes their perspective.”

Jones wants the community to know that in addition to all the achievements among student athletes and student artists at LAHS, his students are also celebrating successes.

“If the kids do well, they should get some credit for that,” Jones said. “It shows a lot of dedication on their part.”

Zachary said he spent twenty hours alone taking practice tests.

“It’s a very rewarding experience,” said Zachary.

The students say their message to others is to challenge yourself when you can.

“I hope others would be motivated by it and push themselves,” Katelyn said.

Gabriel said he would want to do it again, but also encouraged others to try.

“I thought this was really fun but if someone else would want the opportunity, then I would encourage them.”

For more local education news, sign up for the weekly Spotlight Schools email newsletter at SpotlightSchools.com.

 

Orange County to change water consumption policies

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Orange County to change water consumption policies

California is in the midst of the most severe drought on record and historic water restrictions have been implemented in different areas across the state. January, February, and March were the driest months on record dating back over 100 years, with just six inches of precipitation observed across the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Earlier in the year, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced a mere 5% allocation of requested supplies from the State Water Project, water from northern California which on average provides 30% of southern California’s water supply. On May 1, DWR found no snow to measure at Phillips Station in the Sierra Mountains for the last survey of the 2022 water year. State officials use snowpack as a key component of its water supply forecast.

The latest restrictions to be announced are those from the State Water Resources Control Board, who on May 24, adopted emergency water conservation regulations focused on urban water use efficiency and conservation. These regulations require all local water suppliers to implement Level 2 of their Water Shortage Contingency Plans or take customized steps to ensure their communities are using water efficiently which could include limiting outdoor water use to two days a week or ban watering during the hottest parts of the day, for example. Cities and water agencies across the state will have to ensure these plans are in effect by June 10.

Over the years, our communities have been working hard to implement water-efficient practices in their homes and businesses and have taken advantage of the many resources and rebates available to them through their cities and retail water agencies. We encourage this continued lifestyle and to use every drop of water efficiently, especially as we enter the hot summer months ahead.

Recurring and more frequent drought cycles are the new normal in California. At the Orange County Water District (OCWD), we are fully committed to increasing and diversifying our local water supplies so that we can be prepared for inevitable future droughts and provide water for generations to come.

Since the previous drought from 2012-2016, OCWD has worked hard to substantially refill the Orange County Groundwater Basin (Basin), which provides 77% of the drinking water supply to 19 cities and retail water agencies, serving 2.5 million people in north and central Orange County. The District is also expanding water recycling at the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) which will produce 130 million gallons of drinking water a day – enough to serve the needs of 1 million people daily – and increasing stormwater capture at Prado Dam through an innovative Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) application which will add 7,000 acre-feet of water annually into the Basin through more precise weather forecasting, runoff modeling and watershed monitoring – creating a new water supply for approximately 60,000 people per year.

Conservation will continue to be a part of our everyday lives, but it is our responsibility as water leaders to evaluate all new water supply options given the instability in our climate and scarcity of imported supplies.

If you have questions about your community’s water supply or local ordinances, we encourage you to contact your water provider like the City of Westminster Water Division.
To learn more about how we’re increasing water supplies at OCWD, visit OCWD.com.

This Orange County Water District article is provided by Tri Ta, mayor of Westminster and OCWD director of Division 4, serving Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, and parts of Cypress, Fountain Valley, Westminster, and Buena Park. You can reach him at TT*@**wd.com.

La Palma-Cerritos AAUW installs new officers

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Members of the La Palma-Cerritos American Association of University Women (AAUW) gathered at Mimi’s Café in Lakewood, California, on Saturday, June 4, 2022, at a noon luncheon to thank the past board members for their service and to install new board members for 2022-2023.

Outgoing President Beverly Zwick welcomed everyone to the luncheon and thanked her executive and appointed board members for supporting and assisting her during her two terms as president. She served in the difficult years of 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, when the Covid 19 pandemic made it necessary to have virtual meetings and limited in-person meetings.

Installation Officer Tobi Balma arrived, as members were finishing their lunches, just in time to present Beverly Zwick with a President’s Pin, in appreciation of her service as President of the La Palma-Cerritos AAUW Branch.

Tobi Balma received an additional honor just before the luncheon. She was awarded the Connie Inskeep Award from the Long Beach Branch of the AAUW for her “exemplary leadership in AAUW.” Balma is a Founding member of the La Palma-Cerritos AAUW and has been an active member of AAUW National, AAUW CA, and the Long Beach Branch of the AAUW.

Balma selected as a Garden Theme for the Installation of Officers, “Nutrients and Growth.” She presented each of the elected officers with “gardening tools” as nutrients to help them grow “flowers” of new ideas and new members. The elected officers include President Celia Spitzer, Co- Program VP’s Faith Herschler and Cathy Niederman, Co-Membership VP’s

Saurabh Deedwania and Jackie Shahzadi, Co-AAUW Fund VP’s Tobi Balma and Sue Solomon, Secretary Christine Taxier, and Treasurer Marilyn Forsstrom. Balma hoped that the nutrients she provided would produce great growth in the branch in 2022-2023 as the Branch celebrates its 50th Anniversary of its founding.

Past Co-Membership VP Joan Flax presented two special 50 Year Life Membership Recognition Certificates to Beverly Zwick and Tobi Balma. Both have been members of the AAUW National for 50 years since 1972.

Newly installed President Celia Spitzer invited members of the La Palma-Cerritos AAUW Branch to come to the meeting on Saturday, June 25, 2022, at Heritage Park in Cerritos, to plan for programs and activities for the 2022-2023 505h Anniversary year. For more information about future programs and meetings for the La Palma-Cerritos AAUW Branch starting in September, contact Program Co-VP Faith Herschler at 714-821-4067.

Notre Dame of OC awards scholarship

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Notre Dame of OC awards scholarship

Cypress Catholic School St. Irenaeus 8th Grade graduate Benicio Totah has been awarded a Notre Dame Club of Orange County (NDCOC) Scholarship Award for Outstanding Community Service.

In making the presentation, NDCOC board officer Irv Cuevas said Totah was honored for exemplifying what it means to “give back” by volunteering and participating in a host of community service programs. Totah is one of 22 Orange County students so recognized by the NDCOC.

St. Irenaeus teachers and administrators who chose Totah, an altar server at Mass and a Boy Scout, said “he completed countless hours of community service; was selfless in giving to others; served as a class president; and always showed a positive and optimistic attitude that was contagious, refreshing, and uplifting”.

A $250 scholarship to offset tuition costs will be forwarded to St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower where Totah will attend in the Fall.

NDCOC Scholarship Coordinator Paul Irving said presentation of the Scholarship Awards recognizes graduating 8th graders at each of the 31 Orange County Catholic Diocesan K-through-8 schools participating. In addition, the NDCOC provides each school with plaques on which to list each year’s recipients.

South Coast Orchid Society to present Wind Orchid program

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South Coast Orchid Society to present Wind Orchid program

South Coast Orchid Society of Long Beach will host a program by Carol Beule on “A Nation of Gardeners, Perfectionists, and Tradition: The Essence of Japan and Fuukiran, the Wind Orchid”, on June 27, 2022, according to a press release.

It’s been well over two years since anyone could host an orchid travelogue! Carol managed to attend a major Fuukiran (Neofinetia) exhibition in Japan in May, renewing her longtime friendships with Japanese orchid growers, and now she is ready to show us what she found. Gardens and gardening are a huge part of Japan’s appreciation of nature.

Japan is the source for the most coveted garden tools, the most exquisite varieties, and home to the most dedicated farmers, gardeners, and craftsmen. Part of the craft tradition in Japan is to master every skill you undertake, and then always to strive to do it even better – a valuable lesson for orchid growers everywhere.

Join us for a fresh cross-cultural view of orchids and orchid growing. Carol is an EMMY award winning Costume Designer with a Master of Fine Arts in both Costume and Lighting Design. She was a professional Costume Designer from 1974 until her retirement in July of 2017.

She has grown orchids in Southern California for decades, and is now an accredited American Orchid Society judge. The event is free and open to the public. Orchids grown by our members will be on display.

The event will be held at Whaley Park Community Center, 5620 E. Atherton St., Long Beach, CA 90815 on Monday, June 27, from 7-9 p.m. For more information, contact so*********************@***il.com.

“Come from Away” flies back in Segerstrom Center for the Arts for new run

Lynda Lacayo
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“Come from Away” flies back in Segerstrom Center for the Arts for new run

They came from away; the pilots, passengers and crew of 38 international flights when the tragedy of 9/11 forced them to land in the small Canadian towns of Gander and Labrador, Newfoundland. “Come From Away” is the story, set to music of camaraderie and love being born out of terrifying circumstances.

Orange County audiences will be welcomed to The Rock (Newfoundland) when “Come From Away” lands at the Segerstrom Center For the Arts, June 21 – 26, 2022. From the opening number “Welcome to the Rock” audiences will realize that they are experiencing an exceptional theatrical experience.

The writers Irene Sankoff and David Hein pitched the idea of a 9/11 musical about the 5 days following the disastrous event to the Canadian Government and received a Grant to write about Ganders response to the arrival of 7000 strangers. “Come From Away” is the longest running Canadian Musical in Broadway History. It received seven Tony Award nods, winning Best Director for Christopher Ashley. The cast of twelve is now on the road in, what is truly distinctive about this show, an authentic ensemble piece.

Among the versatile ensemble is Julie Johnson, who like the entire cast takes on multiple roles become, well, there’s 7000 tales to tell. This show is a musical so naturally the characters sing and dance. Theater aficionados have praised these talented players, labeling them a ‘triple threat.’ Asked if she considered herself a ‘triple threat’ Johnson replied, “Let’s put it this way, I’m a singer and actor. Every now and then I threaten to dance.”

Joking aside, Johnson says “We have a wonderful chorographer, Kelly DeVine, who designed the Celtic, influenced dance moves to reflect Newfoundland’s cultural heritage. There’s a little Irish jig to the arrangements. The dance is also crafted on the individual characters because movement is as much a part of the story telling as word and song dialogue.”

As for being in an ensemble piece, Johnson says “I love singing and working in an ensemble like this. Everyone in this show is capable of being that star who delivers the big 11 O’clock number. Any of these actors has that kind of capability as they sing beautiful music in harmony. This musical is created using every word, every movement to follow the emotion of the stories.”

After seeing the show, Johnson says “I remember thinking it doesn’t matter where or how, I just want to be a part of this musical because it has such a strong message about the beauty and the caring and the love that came out of such a horrific tragedy on November 11, 2001. The travelers were refugees needing solace, food, just about everything when they landed on foreign soil.

They were greeted by the kindest of townsfolk who, without a personal agenda, provided for their comfort and wellbeing. The residents of Gander didn’t believe that their actions were extraordinary but they were! And I wanted to tell that story because it’s so powerful and so rooted in human kindness.”

All the musical’s characters are based on real people. When the book writers, Sankoff and Hein learned that many of the plane people would be returning to Gander for a 10th anniversary commemorative event, they not only attended the ceremony but remained for a month gathering stories and observing passengers and townspeople interacting. Hein says “Every person had a million stories about faith, about love, about food, about overcoming religious or racial or regional differences.”

Sankoff continued “We composited some characters and amalgamated some storylines to get to the essence of what happened. We took some license to make it more theatrical. But anything that happens in the show really happened.”

Johnson’s role is a fusion of two real women who spearheaded preparation of the food, clothing and bedding drive needed to accommodate the plane people. She says of her character “The writers interviewed Beulah Cooper and Diane Davis and compiled their histories into one narrative that became Beulah’s story.

In the musical she’s named Beulah Davis because she represents both women. In the show Beulah is principal of Gander Academy, a local elementary school that housed hundreds of stranded travelers and provided them with clothing and toiletries. Beulah also embodies the women of Gander who took charge and didn’t let anything faze them when those planes landed in their backyard.

They came in cars, with their kids, bringing toilet paper, baked beans, sandwiches and whatever was needed because the luggage wasn’t allowed off the planes. It’s just an unbelievable story about something that actually happened.”

Of playing multiple roles, Johnson says “we, the cast represent a lot of people. I have about five small roles. Of course, Beulah is my main character, but there are a couple of little moments where I’ll put on a scarf or pop out to say something as someone else. The show is so beautifully designed that audiences never seen to be confused about who is who or what is happening. It’s just a fun and emotional excursion for audiences.”

Changing characters with just a hat or accent is one thing but this cast and crew’s sleight of hand rolls over onto the set where they make magic using just a few props. Johnson describes it as “taking place on a single set with 12 chairs, three tables, and very few costume pieces, a sweater, a scarf, a hat to signify a character change. There’s also this amazing seven piece band playing Irish Folk music and intertwining themselves into several community scenes.”

The props or lack thereof, isn’t the point of this uplifting musical because as Johnson says “the people are the heart and soul of this story. It’s not about elaborate set and extravagant costumes. Instead, audiences are taken on a journey with little but their imaginations.

And its message is quite clearly be kind to others, don’t fear strangers or as the Newfoundlanders would say “just help others because you might need help someday.”
Take off to “Come From Away” at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, June 21 -26, 2022. For tickets and information: Online, SCFTA.org; The Box Office, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa; Phone, 714-556-2787.

Known the musical world over, jazz musician inspires generations of students

David Nicholas Somlo
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Known the musical world over, jazz musician inspires generations of students

With well over half a century spent providing musical inspiration to students K-12 in and around Orange County, Chuck Wackerman needs no introduction to Los Al Unified district residents.

His legendary musical education has, by now, touched thousands of lives by instilling in them a love for and strong work ethic around playing music.

That said, little is known about the experiences that inspired and shaped this educational pillar of the community who is a skilled musician in his own right.

Though anybody who knows the Wackerman family knows several of the Wackerman men including Chuck are highly skilled drummers, few know that Chuck’s first instrument was the trumpet.

‘Mr. Wackerman’ as he is known still by his students, regardless of how old they get, was one of two sons born to a piano-playing mother and a non-musician but avid music fan father in Pittsburgh, PA in 1930.

At the age of nine, Chuck and family moved to Alhambra, CA and a year later, he began learning how to play trumpet.

By the time he was set to graduate from Alhambra High, the young Wackerman had had the privilege of taking private lessons from a cornetist who had played with the king of the marching band arrangement John Philip Sousa, recording artist Charles “Del” Staigers.

Chuck met Del Staigers toward the end of Staigers’ life, so their time together was brief, yet invaluable.

“In about six months [with Staigers] I learned much more than I did from the other [my first] teacher in three years,” Wackerman said.

He began teaching himself drums freshman year of high school but continued playing trumpet in concert band mostly, joining the marching band for one year during high school as well.

A standout horn player, one of his teachers suggested he try out for union membership, which Chuck did, successfully, at the age of eighteen.

After high school, he took courses at Pasadena City College and Westlake College and worked at the Fitzsimmons market where his father was a buyer/supplier, before anticipation of being drafted into the Korean War found him, on the suggestion of his future brother-in-law, Brooks Coleman, enlisting with the Air National Guard.

Ironically, before the war, Chuck’s high school trumpet teacher had offered to get him into an Air Force band, which he declined. After all, the Nat’l Guard required less of a time commitment, but he was destined to become a trumpeter in the Air Force’s 562nd Band when the Air National Guard base he was stationed at was called to service.

“As soon as I joined, they activated the whole base,” Chuck said.

He spent approximately seventeen months in the military, mostly serving at George Air Force Base in Victorville, CA, and after the Korean War picked up his education first back at Pasadena City, then joining a few wartime friends at U.C. Santa Barbara and finally ended up at USC where he earned his bachelor and master’s degrees in music and education.

After being discharged, he decided that, as the big band era was ending, he would find a more stable career path ahead as a music teacher than solely as a gigging jazz musician.

It was only after his time in the service that Mr. Wackerman started taking drum lessons.

He studied under bebop drummer Roy Hart, West Coast jazz drummer Charles Flores and Academy Award-winning sound effects artist and drum legend Murray Spivack.

About Spivack, Wackerman said, “he had everything analyzed: the angle of your stick, and the height of the stick, the weight of the stick; he had everything figured out scientifically. The whole basis of his teaching was relaxing, so if you tense up, you’re doing it wrong.”

Also, around this time, Wackerman joined a quartet (on drums) led by guitar great Vic Garcia and joined by Garcia’s wife on vocals and tambourine and Larry Smethers on bass.

They recorded one album together at a studio on Sunset Blvd. under the name Vic Garcia & Germaine called “Up Up & Then Some.”

Almost immediately after graduating from USC, in 1957 Chuck was hired at McGaugh Elementary and has remained a resident and music teacher in the district ever since.

Eventually, he taught at Oak and McAuliffe Middle students, then at Los Alamitos High, and the Orange County (High) School of the Arts, until around 2019-20 when instruction moved to an online format that Chuck found unworkable.

When asked when he officially retired though, he wryly said, “Oh, I never retired.”

For about five years early in his teaching career, Chuck was a gigging lounge musician until the grueling schedule and four hours of sleep a weeknight began to take their toll, at which point he stopped playing except for summertime stints including in Las Vegas.

He has fond memories of playing with his quartet at Reuben E. Lee restaurant in Newport and Tustin, CA and at several venues in Vegas including lounges at Caesar’s Palace and the now-closed Thunderbird Hotel, though he regrets never finding the time to catch Frank Sinatra, who had a residency at the time.

Still, the Wackermans have witnessed and participated in performances by a laundry list of legends.

For example, about watching Frank Zappa rehearse with one of Chuck’s sons, Chuck said, “it took me about two seconds to realize this guy’s a genius. He was rehearsing the band, singing all the parts, and stopping them every second. It was very intense rehearsal.”

Chuck Wackerman with Stacy “Fergie” Ferguson, vocalist for the Grammy-winning Black-Eyed Peas and cousin to one of his daughters-in-law. Courtesy photo Courtesy photo

As for Barbra Streisand, Wackerman recalled his son “Chad played with her … You know, I’ve often heard that she can be very difficult, and Chad said, he told her, ‘You know I never do this but,’ he said, ‘I have to tell you you’re unbelievable’ … and she said, ‘you are too.’ She was super nice, so you can’t go by what people say about people.”

When it comes to enjoying official performances, one musician that sticks out in Chuck’s memory is Maynard Ferguson.

“He was a showman, the audience would just go crazy, he was like a rockstar,” said Wackerman.

It is around the time that he stopped gigging during the school year, circa 1961-62, that he brought jazz to McGaugh Elementary.

By some accounts, this was the first elementary school jazz program in California.
The very first festival competition McGaugh entered at Orange Coast College had no division for elementary school students, so they were lumped in with the junior high bands and still managed to win first place.

Chuck’s skills as an educator eventually led to a victory for the Los Al Big Band and OCHSA’s Jazz Combo at the most prestigious Reno Jazz competition and an individual Most Outstanding Musician award for the band’s drummer, the youngest (Brooks) Wackerman, in 1993.

About their victory stadium performance in Reno, Chuck said it was, “probably the most exciting performance that I ever had.”

Not only did the homegrown talent of his sons (who Chuck personally taught starting them as early as five years old) help keep his bands in lock step to place in festival after festival, Mr. Wackerman also decided already by McGaugh’s second festival appearance to commission some original music.

The first was from John Prince, who composed a piece called “Big Bad Chad” named for one of Wackerman’s sons.

This gave a stellar band with an outstanding teacher an even bigger advantage at competitions.

“Nobody had the music,” Chuck says of those early days.

“I was the only one that had it. So many festivals we’d go to, and they were playing stock arrangements; you’d have five or six bands all playing the same music, so I didn’t want to do that. I wanted things that were more original.”

In 1971, Wackerman innovated again by kicking off the renowned Class Notes concert series, an annual fundraising event showcasing LAUSD’s jazz bands and featuring guest performers (playing with their own bands and with Chuck’s students) from the roster of pros, including Louis Belson, Bill Watrous and Tom Kubis, that Chuck had come to know, some through the musician’s union he joined as a high school senior.

Justin Padilla, current LAHS jazz program director, who has carried this tradition forward under the name Spotlight concert series said “Chuck had the experience of twenty teachers [combined] … and the heart of a saint. One of his superpowers was the ability to make a band of middle school musicians perform as clean as a professional band. With a master like that … there are only two things you can do; try to copy his approach and avoid attending the same festivals he took his band to,” he said

“He had the support of the community and the respect of the world,” said Padilla.
Chuck has won several awards and honors for his achievements in music education including from the Orange County Board of Education in 2012.

“I miss it … Interacting with the students and seeing kids improve and become really good musicians and … even one’s that don’t stick with it … they derive something out of it, enjoyment, and they learn to appreciate music better.”

Former student and professional musician K.J. Ticehurst remembers, “He was so passionate about the school jazz programs and it resonated in the way he conducted us. I was lucky enough to work with Mr. Wackerman throughout my middle and high school years.”

Wackerman’s legacy is alive and well, carried forward by all those he has taught and played music with and through his kids and grandkids.

His late wife, Barbara, was also a pillar of the community and according to Chuck supported him “in a million ways over the years.”

From his relationship with countless amazing musicians and motivating generations of students, to seeing a son open for rock legends Metallica, whose current bassist is a family friend, and a granddaughter make it to the finals on “American Idol” season eighteen, Chuck Wackerman’s place in music history and legacy of work in service of the arts and his community is undeniable.

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