In 2019, the La Palma City Council asked City staff to plan a new signature event to reflect La Palma’s diversity, vision, and sense of community. The City had to postpone the event in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, but it is now back! Join us on April 30, 2022, for this one-day experience that will celebrate La Palma’s cultural heritage through dancing, performances, and exhibits.
A Hometown Parade featuring La Palma’s schools, organizations, neighborhoods, and local businesses will march down Walker Street (Houston Ave. to La Palma Ave.) starting at 10:30 a.m., followed by the Festival at 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Central Park. The Festival will feature fun attractions for all ages, kids-zone, Ferris wheel, petting zoo, carnival games, food trucks, a beer and wine garden, and more! In addition, musical performances, dances, and exhibitions will be held throughout the day at the Central Park Pavilion.
Jazz at Los Al will hold its annual fundraising concert “SPOTLIGHT” (a Class Notes Production) on Saturday, April 9 at the Los Alamitos High School Performing Arts Center under the direction of acclaimed conductor Justin Padilla, Director of Jazz and Orchestra and LAHS.
The concert begins at 7 p.m. and there is a “Meet and Greet” with the artists at 5:15 p.m., according to band boosters.
Class Notes fundraising concerts began more than forty years ago under legendary jazz instructor, Mr. Chuck Wackerman, who taught in our district for over fifty years. The Class Notes mission is to inspire young musicians through exposure to professional musicians, and this annual fundraising concert is an opportunity for our jazz students to perform on the same stage as local professional musicians.
This year’s concert will spotlight “The Next Generation of Jazz” with performances by all three Los Al High’s Jazz Bands, along with special guest artists and rising jazz stars: Ryan DeWeese on trumpet and Alex Hahn on saxophone.
These talented young musicians will collaborate with each of the district jazz bands during an evening that is sure to inspire both student musicians and the audience alike. The community will have the opportunity to enjoy the best of “The Next Generation of Jazz” and our students will get to connect with young professionals who have taken their classroom musical experience into the real world. Proceeds from this concert benefit the jazz programs at Oak Middle School, McAuliffe Middle School and Los Alamitos High School.
Accoreing to boosters, this funding allows students to participate in local and regional jazz festivals and to supplement their instruction with clinics led by local professional musicians. “We invite you to support our Spotlight fundraising concert by becoming a Jazz at Los Al Sponsor or by purchasing a program ad. Sponsorships and Program Ads are available at many levels,” said Alison Cotter, Secretary of the Jazz Boosters.
The deadline for sponsorships and ads is March 21. For more information, please contact Andrea Howe at******@*********ks.com. Here are the bios of the special guests:
Alex Hahn
Alumni of the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance and 1st Place Winner in the Michael Brecker International Saxophone Competition, Alex Hahn is a multi-award winning saxophonist, composer, and educator based in Los Angeles, California. He has performed and recorded with notable names such as Herbie Hancock, Esperanza Spalding, Peter Erskine, and recorded on Michael Bublé’s last two Grammy Nominated Albums. He is also a featured soloist on the Eddie Murphy movie Coming 2 America. Hahn currently serves as the Director of Jazz at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and is an endorsed artist with Eastman Winds, D’Addario Woodwinds, and Key Leaves.
Ryan DeWeese
A rising young talent in the Los Angeles jazz and commercial music scene, Ryan DeWeese’s powerful sound, musicality, and stylistic versatility make him a highly sought-after performer and recording artist. He has performed with groups such as Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, the Tom Kubis Big Band, and Joey Sellers’ Jazz Aggregation, and has shared the stage with Sean Jones, Candido Camero, John Clayton, Terell Stafford, Wycliffe Gordon, Donny McCaslin, to name a few. DeWeese has also recorded on Michael Bublé’s love album, Idina Menzel’s Christmas: A Season of Love, Beto Hale’s No Hay Marcha Atrás, and episodes of Will and Grace and Duck Tales. He currently serves as a member of the Disneyland Band, the Kyle Athayde Dance Party, the Jon Hatamiya Big Band and Nonet, the Craig Cammell Large Band, the Afro-Peruvian Jazz Orchestra, and the Clare Fischer Orchestra.
Aside from performing, DeWeese takes great pride in his work as a music educator. Along with his private lesson studio, he runs sectionals and clinics for various school groups and has served as a clinician/adjudicator at the Sitka Jazz Festival, Howlin’ Wolf Jazz Festival, and Aztec Jazz Festival. He is currently on faculty at the Lafayette Summer Music Jazz Workshop. DeWeese draws inspiration for education from his mother, who originally sparked his interest in music education through her drive and passion for her students. He has been fortunate to study from many great instructors including Laurie Frink, Justin DiCioccio, Tony Kadleck, Kye Palmer, Mark Gould, Brad Davis, Rita Watson, Chuck Tumlinson, and Jeff Jarvis, all of whom instilled in him a love of teaching music.
DeWeese received a full-tuition scholarship to attend Manhattan School of Music where he was awarded the prestigious William H. Borden Jazz Award. After his time in Manhattan, DeWeese returned to Southern California where he earned a Master’s degree at California State University, Long Beach. While there, he served as the jazz studies department graduate assistant and directed jazz combos and the Jazz Lab Band.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Anaheim-Cypress is hosting an exciting, STEM Spring Break Camp. This explosively fun weeklong program will run from March 21st through 25th at the Cypress Main Clubhouse and Bandai Teen Center located at 10161 Moody St. in Cypress. Our Manzanita Clubhouse will run their STEM Spring Break Camp from April 11th through 15th located at 1260 N Riviera Street in Anaheim. The Club is open Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 6:00pm and provides fun, affordable activities for kids 6 years old and up.
Spring Break attendees will enjoy a variety of fun, hands-on science explorations, STEM building challenges and messy experiments, as well as celebrate and learn about some of the most inspiring women in STEM. Each day will feature a different STEM theme- Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
Spring Break at the Club includes free daily snack and lunch for all members. For more information, call Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Anaheim-Cypress at 714-527-2697, visit the Club’s website at TheBoysandGirlsClub.org, or stop by our Cypress Main Clubhouse located at 10161 Moody Street. Spring Break is going to be bigger and greater than ever before-don’t miss out! Register today!
America’s favorite dance show is back on tour this winter to celebrate its 30th Season with “Dancing with the Stars – Dare to Be Different.” Launching January 7th in Richmond, VA, this year’s all-new production will feature fan-favorite professional dancers thrilling audiences with all of the breathtaking dance styles seen on ABC’s hit show Dancing with the Stars. The show continues its legacy of performing showstopping routines from the TV show alongside new numbers choreographed specifically for the live show, ranging from time-honored dances like the Quickstep and Foxtrot to sizzling Latin styles like the Cha Cha, Salsa, and Tango. In this year’s state-of-the-art production, audiences will have the opportunity to experience the excitement, glitz, and glamour they see in the ballroom every Monday night live in their hometowns.
The tour rolls into Segerstrom for one night only March 17, with two performances, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
The tour delivers a spectacular night of pulse-pounding dance performances from world-renowned dancers including Brandon Armstrong, Alan Bersten, Artem Chigvintsev, Sasha Farber, Koko Iwasaki, Daniella Karagach, Pasha Pashkov, Emma Slater, Britt Stewart, and Sofia Ghavami!
From our pros: “After being separated from our fans for almost two years, the Dancing with the Stars: Live! Tour is BACK, and we couldn’t be more excited to finally see you IN PERSON! While these past two years have thrown many obstacles our way, we’ve emerged from those challenges with a renewed sense of self: stronger, prouder, more resilient, and more courageous.
That’s why the theme of this year’s tour is Dare To Be Different. When presented with unprecedented times, we are called to break the mold. So why not embrace the qualities that make us who we are? Every one of us is bold, strong, vulnerable, passionate and iconic, and now it’s time to unleash our inner trailblazer by doing what we love most: dancing.
NOTHING beats getting to bring a smile to your face and celebrating this community of fans, the reason DWTS has been running for 30 SEASONS and why this experience is so special for us. That is why we tour and why we’re fired up to be bringing you this fully revamped live experience. We will never take it for granted. So, whether you’re a new fan or a DWTS OG, join us as we go big and find the magic in live connection once again.”
We are also THRILLED to announce that alongside previously-announced season 29 Mirrorball Champion Kaitlyn Bristowe and season 30 fan-favorites Amanda Kloots and Jimmie Allen, NBA superstar and Season 30 Mirrorball Champion Iman Shumpert will be joining for half of the tour.
World-renowned choreographers Marty Kudelka and Pam Chu will co-direct the all-new show.
Tickets for “Dancing with the Stars – Dare to Be Different” are on sale now. To purchase tickets and to get the full list of tour dates, please visit dwtstour.com. VIP packages giving fans the chance to purchase Premium Tickets, Pre-Show Cast Q&A passes, Exclusive Merchandise and Photo Opportunities will be available through dwtstour.com.
“Dancing with the Stars – Dare to Be Different” is produced by Faculty Productions in association with BBC Studios.
Tickets start at $59. Exclusive VIP packages for DWTS, ranging from the Hot Seat Package at $227 to the Front Row Package at $611, are available by calling one of Customer Service Specialists at 714-556-2787.
A rite of passage for elementary school students in the Los Alamitos Unified School District has become the subject of parent complaints, debates on social media, and cable news coverage.
Outdoor Science School (OSS) is a four-day trip most students take as fifth graders. At OSS, school staff aided by camp counselors take kids to explore nature, conduct science experiments and stay in cabins. The $375 cost-per-student for this year’s OSS was paid for by parents, school fundraisers and the district, including some Covid-19 relief funds. OSS has been a beloved district tradition for decades, according to Deputy Superintendent Ondrea Reed who said the district has used different camps over the years.
This year, around 600 fifth graders from the district’s six elementary schools participated during late January and early February. For the first time, the district used the Pali Institute in Running Springs which was established in 2003, according to its website. The camp is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the Association for Experiential Education, according to the district.
Screenshot of Pali Institute’s website showing outdoor classroom. Courtesy photo
Reed, who visited Pali before the district signed on with them, said part of the reason for choosing the institute was because it assured the district that it would not have to cancel due to any potential staffing issues from a possible Omicron-fueled spike in Covid-19 cases and because it had increased medical staffing and resources
What Sparked Complaints?
The first notable complaint became public during the Feb. 8 Board of Education meeting. That’s when Suzy Johnson, a district parent, said that her daughter had suffered “emotional abuse” at OSS due to how she was treated by a camp counselor.
“If she did not exit her bed first thing in the morning and at night [the counselor] would pull her down by her feet,” Johnson said and added that the counselor told her daughter to shut up when she was crying and missing her mother.
Johnson said the counselor was replaced after a few days because she had croup. (Efforts to interview Suzy Johnson were not successful).
In an interview with Reed on Feb. 14, the deputy superintendent said the district had received four complaints total and all pertained to one cabin’s experience. She said that Johnson had been in touch with the district about the specific counselor and Reed said it was being looked into and expressed concern about her daughter’s experience.
“We would hope it was a 100% positive experience,” Reed said stressing the district wants parents to feel comfortable sending their kids to camp.
In the days after that, it appeared concerns shifted. People said their children shared that some of the camp counselors used “they” and “them” pronouns. While some parents expressed discomfort with this being discussed with 10-and-11-year-olds; others said it sparked constructive conversations at home.
From Pali Institue website. Courtesy image
Some parents started to question how non-binary counselors were housed at OSS. That included Weaver parent Rachel Sandoval whose daughter took part in OSS in late January. In a Feb. 17 phone interview, Sandoval said she was not happy counselors were discussing gender pronouns with her daughter, saying it was not appropriate for her age. But Sandoval’s top concern was a fear that a biological male could have been allowed to stay in a cabin with girls.
She said after her daughter returned from camp, she reached out to the school and district and was told they would look into it. She also said she contacted Pali and got an email from an administrator there that said counselors were placed in cabins based on the gender they identify with per California law.
Sandoval interpreted that to suggest children could possibly be placed in cabins with counselors of the opposite biological sex.
“There is no knowledge [it happened] but there is also nothing stopping them,” Sandoval said on Feb. 17 and added, “If it did not happen this time it’s a crapshoot if it’s going to happen.”
Allegations Made in News Coverage
As the district looked into the issue, things got more complicated and confusing.
On Feb. 16, Sandoval emailed district leaders and staff upset that nothing had been sent out by the district about OSS to families.
Around Feb. 18, Sandoval and Johnson were interviewed in a KTLA news report and appeared on a cable news show. Both reports suggested that the parents said their kids told them biological males slept in cabins with fifth grade girls.
The KTLA report states: “The parents say their fifth-grade girls told them some of the biologically male counselors at Camp Pali in San Bernardino who use they/them pronouns spent three nights sleeping in cabins with the young girls.”
KTLA included a statement from the school district saying it took complaints seriously and was investigating. Its online story was updated on Feb. 19 with a statement from Pali Institute that stated the camp was not aware of any non-binary biological males being housed with girls.
Sometime after that, the parents appeared on Fox&Friends, where the show hosts kept saying biological males stayed with girls during OSS.
During the segment, Sandoval tried to clarify saying, “we have not actually confirmed that there was a biological male in the cabin.” But she did say Pali Institute told her it places counselors in cabins based on the gender staff identify with. The hosts continued to say biological males shared cabins with fifth grade girls and the graphic stating that remained on screen during the interview.
In the Fox News online version of the story, Pali Institute founder Andy Wexler denies the above claim. “Wexler also said with certainty that no girls were housed with biological males who identified as they/them, contradicting earlier stories claiming the non-binary counselors were biologically male, based on one parent’s account,” the Fox News story reported.
(The ENE reached out to Sandoval and Johnson after these media appearances and did not get a response.)
Pali Institute did not respond to specific questions from Spotlight Schools but on March 1, it emailed a statement from Relationship Director Bridgette Janes saying the media coverage was “based on unfounded assumptions by what we believe to be a concerned parent and their misunderstanding of the information we did provide.”
Janes wrote that most of the news media that ran the story or picked it up did not contact Pali to clarify the information. “That is not only irresponsible but detrimental to our
business and employees. It impacts the trust we have developed with our customers
and calls in to question our integrity as a business.”
“The safety and well-being for our guests and employees are of the upmost importance, always has been and always will be. Please know that we will not place children in cabins with staff members that are not the same sex assigned at birth,” the statement said.
School District’s Response
On. Feb. 22, the district sent an email to fifth grade families explaining what it knew about Pali’s camp policies stating they aligned with California’s non-discrimination laws but stressed all individuals supervising students were “appropriately vetted through background checks and that there have not been any allegations of sexual misconduct.”
The statement went on to say that due to state and federal laws, “the District does not know, nor will we, if an individual was in fact the opposite biological identity than the students they were supervising.”
The next day, the district sent out another email to inform fifth grade families that since Feb. 15 it had reached out to Pali “multiple times seeking information and clarity on the assignment of counselors to student cabins.” The district said communication had stopped so legal counsel was obtained to help in the effort.
The statement went on to say the district was “surprised” to see a statement released by
Wexler on Feb. 22, but not to the district, that said, “that no girls were housed with biological males who identified as they/them” and additionally stated “we can tell you for sure that did not happen.”
In a Feb. 23 email message to all district families, Los Al USD Supt. Dr. Andrew Pulver wrote this of the claims biological males were housed with girls: “The District has confirmed with certainty that these allegations are false.”
Dr. Pulver told families that the district would not be using Pali Institute next year.
District spokesperson Nichole Pichardo said the district would be looking to return to the C.O.D.E.S camp next year based on feedback from a teacher survey.
LGBTQ Community Frustrated by News Reports on OSS
While policies regarding non-binary camp counselors infuriated some, the news reports on those concerns upset others.
The coverage frustrated members of the LGBTQ community and their allies who said it “ramped up tension at a time when many increasingly feel targeted,” as reported by The Orange County Register. During public comment at the Feb. 8 Los Al USD Board of Education workshop, eleven speakers, including two teachers, discussed the challenges and safety concerns felt by LGBTQ students in the district.
District parent Meggan Berthold said her child had no problem with counselors sharing pronouns and suggested more acceptance is needed.
“If any parent sends their child to an accredited, trained, (district security cleared) adult camp counselor, then that parent needs to be OK with gender fluid people. They have existed all throughout time and in every country. It is appalling that we are still in a pandemic and allowing for such limited thinking,” she wrote in a message to Spotlight Schools.
For some parents, the biggest issue is wanting to be told about the camp’s policy prior to OSS.
“Parent complaints stemmed from not being told [pronouns] would be a conversation topic nor non-binary counselors sleeping arrangements. Two topics that should have been discussed [with] parents prior to OSS,” read a post on a Los Alamitos Parent Group Facebook page. “This is not about being anti-transgender or anti-pronouns. It’s about parental notification.”
The district appears responsive to those concerns.
“As we move forward with Outdoor Science School, we remain committed to reviewing and sharing all camp policies and procedures with families and ensuring that all students have a safe and healthy camp experience,” Dr. Pulver stated in a Feb. 23 email message to fifth grade families.
For more local education news, subscribe to the Spotlight Schools weekly email newsletter at SpotlightSchools.com.
After putting a vote to censure a fellow council member, the Cypress city council on Monday instead decided to scold the council member and refused to allow her to place another controversial item on the Feb. 14 agenda.
The City Council did manage to take care of routine business, setting rates for the soon to be opened Lexington Park, voting to make budget amendments, and learned that AT&T will be bringing fiber optics to several city neighborhoods.
Most of the meeting, however, was again engulfed by public comments and continued friction among council members, especially those upset with Council member Frances Marquez.
Council member Frances Marquez
Council member Jon Peat had placed an item on the agenda to discuss a censure of Marquez for disclosing information from an executive session to the public. The information, cited Peat, was merely the Council member complaining about why they met without her, but still, should not have been disclosed.
“Since making the request, three weeks ago, I have had a chance to speak with members of the community,” said Peat. “Given the input I’ve received, my goal is to use this as an opportunity to discuss the importance of maintaining confidential information discussed in closed session meetings. I do not wish to request the resolution of censure brought against councilmember Marquez at this time,” he added.
Marquez said confidential should be kept confidential at all levels, complaining the city manager Peter Grant used confidential information to hold a meeting about something she said, without her.
“What’s pretty difficult is, you know, having a confidential conversation with someone, and having the city manager run with my confidential conversation and you guys holding a special meeting, and not informing me,” Marquez said.
“The City Manager works on behalf of me as well. And that is very, very upsetting,” she said.
During the meeting, which at times sounded like a legal deposition, Peat asked Marquez if, before she made assertions about the way the city handled the new agreement with Valley Vista, she took the time to ask city attorney Fred Galante about it first.
“I have a question,” he continued, turning to Galante. “I’d like to ask our city attorney: Mr. City Attorney did councilmember Marquez bring any of the concerns that she expressed at the meeting referenced by the city manager to you, for your consideration, before making the allegation that we are violating our charter and how we were processing the adjustments to the wage franchise agreement?” asked Peat.
“Mr. Mayor and council members,” said Galante, “in response to Councilmember Peat? No, I did not receive any [communications] from councilmember Marquez before she made a statement about the charter violation.”
“It’s one thing to not have the information,” said Mayor Paulo Morales. “It’s another thing to not inquire about the information. But it is clearly … another thing to allege that people are in cahoots,” said Morales.
According to Marquez, however, the city manager had told her, in writing, not to speak to anyone but him, thereby preventing her from getting more details about the dealings with Valley Vista.
“Mayor Morales, I just want to say, two and a half weeks ago, I received a letter on my doorstep telling me that from the city manager that I could not communicate with any city staff or ask them any questions,” she said.
“And then, I’m only to go through the city manager,” said Marquez. “That is, that is silencing me; that is stopping me from being able to represent the people that voted for me. And that, that’s an issue,” said Marquez.
Marquez said the “effective immediately” letter was hand delivered to her home on January 25 and instructed her to act “exclusively” through the city manager.
Morales tacitly admitted he knew about that letter, advising Marquez “that was done because of allegations that you made against myself against another council member,” he said.
“Those are allegations that, when you comment to someone, and your response to that is, ‘well, I didn’t file an official complaint,’ that’s a problem for us. The laws are written in a particular way when it comes to certain issues, just mentioning somebody, that other person that received that information has a responsibility to report it,” said Morales.
“And we are trying to work through all of that,” he said. “We’re not here trying to silence you, ask all the questions you want, just do it properly…appropriately,” the mayor said. “I just don’t get some of the questions you’re asking,” said Morales.
“Again, it’s not an issue of covering up,” he stressed.
Morales also complained that earlier in the meeting, Marquez thought the Council was voting on a budget, but it was merely a budget calendar. “All of that information was provided to you.”
“In my own defense, I’d like to disagree with the facts as stated,” said Marquez. “I certainly disagree with the way those facts are interpreted in a way that leads to conclusions of law,” she said.
Marquez, who holds a Ph.D. said she is not a lawyer, but has consulted attorneys with the proper expertise and complained the council has no due process protections in place, no opportunity to appeal.
The outspoken council member said while she was thankful for not being censured, she will wear the process as a “badge of honor.”
“I will not let it stop me from my obligation and the oath I made when I was elected to serve the best interest of the residents in Cypress,” said Marquez.
“Whether that means objecting to large trash contracts that were not vetted in any way and resulted in a rate increase of 32% for Cypress residents or how we respond by a demand letter from a voting rights lawyer threatening to sue the city of Cypress if it continues to drag its feet,” she said.
On this night, Peat held his most pointed barbs not for Marquez but for a community activist.
George Pardon, the founder of the Citizens for the Responsible Development of Cypress, has called the Valley Vista no bid contract extension “unconscionable.” Pardon asked Peat and Mayor Pro-Tem Anne Hertz-Mallari to recuse themselves from voting on the Valley Vista proposal, citing a conflict of interest.
Hertz-Mallari is the CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Anaheim Cypress and Jon Peat is the Chairman of the Board. Pardon claims the free service provided to the Boys & Girls Club, and donations from Valley Vista executives to various programs, should compel them to remove themselves from the voting.
Hertz-Mallari, under protest, did recuse herself at the last meeting but Peat refused.
Peat read from a letter received by the Fair Political Practices Commission regarding a complaint filed by Pardon against Peat and Hertz-Mallari. It was dismissed by the Commission, according to a Feb. 2 letter from the FPPC.
“A public official has a disqualifying conflict of interest in a government decision if it is reasonably foreseeable that that decision will have a financial impact on their personal finances or other financial interests,” Peat read from the letter.
“The facts and information in your complaint failed to establish that either Hertz-Mallari or Peat had financial interests that would have been affected when they made or participated in making decisions,” he added.
Pardon had no such complaint when he presented a donation to the Boys and Girls Club from the Los Alamitos Racecourse. “Mr. Pardon made no mention of any concern or possible conflict of interest between the Los Alamitos Race Course, the city of Cypress, Mayor Pro Tem Hertz-Mallari, or Council member Peat. Nothing. Not a word,” said Peat.
“The City Council voted to approve a park development fee deferral agreement with the Los Alamitos Race Course valued at over $1 million at its meeting on April 26, 2020, when Pardon was a member of the Board. And Mr. Pardon never raised any concern about a possible conflict of interest,” said Peat.
“Rather than debate the merits of the proposed changes to the waste franchise agreement, Mr. Pardon preferred to attack the members of the City Council of false accusations of conflict of interest and meaningless comparisons of the waste collection rates for residents in Cypress,” said Peat.
Pardon, who did not attend the meeting, said the park deferral fee mentioned by Peat had no relevance to the waste contract.
Citizens were again lined up to speak to the council, including Bob Youngsma, who told the Council if they spoke to his wife the way they speak to Marquez, “God help you.” In addition, he said it was frustrating watching the council doing proverbial back flips to muzzle the outspoken council member.
“She has a right to ask questions,” said Youngsma.
“The common complaint is that you’re not listening,” Marie Krekos told the Council. “Now you’re promoting secrecy. The constant harassment of councilmember Marquez is escalating to a point that you now want to shut her up because she doesn’t align with your club. Do you at all realize how terrible this all looks on your behalf?” said Krekos.
Starting March 12, masks will be strongly recommended, but not required on California’s TK-12 campuses.
California Governor Gavin Newsom made the announcement on Feb. 28 in a joint press release with the Governors of Oregon and Washington.
“California continues to adjust our policies based on the latest data and science, applying what we’ve learned over the past two years to guide our response to the pandemic,” Newsom wrote. He said masks remain an “effective tool” to minimize spreading the virus when transmission rates are high.
“We cannot predict the future of the virus, but we are better prepared for it and will continue to take measures rooted in science to keep California moving forward,” Newsom wrote.
While schools must wait to drop mask mandates, on March 1, the state stopped requiring masks in most other public indoor settings regardless of vaccination status. Masks will still be required on public transit and in health-care settings.
The shift is attributed to a continuing decline in the number of Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations in the state.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Orange County is at a medium level, meaning based on metrics like hospitalization rates and new cases, vaccinations are encouraged and masks are recommended for people at high risk for severe illness.
While local jurisdictions can choose to continue requiring masks, the Los Alamitos Unified School District said starting March 12, it will no longer enforce the mask mandate at its nine schools in Rossmoor, Seal Beach Los Alamitos.
“I’m excited to see a clear timeline for our families to get the choice many have been advocating for,” Los Al USD Board of Education President Diana Hill wrote in a text message to Spotlight Schools.
Students across California have been required to wear masks since classes resumed for in-person instruction in the 2020-2021 school year. Masks have been part of a layered approach to prevent virus transmission on campuses that includes improved ventilation, increased cleaning, and vaccinations.
The mandate will end almost exactly two years since the day schools shut down when the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S.
For Los Al USD, that was on March 13, 2020.
“For the past 2 years, our entire community made tremendous sacrifices to keep everyone safe enabling us to open our schools and keep them open,” Board member Marlys Davidson wrote in a statement noting the district was one of the first in the state to offer in-person instruction in the fall of 2020. “Our students demonstrated such courage. However, it took a toll not only on learning but also on social-emotional well-being for many of them. Being able to see faces and read emotions is important. I am glad families will now have a choice about masks.”
Supporters and opponents have discussed the mask mandate at numerous school board meetings over the course of the pandemic.
In mid-February, some district parents started sending their kids to school without masks to protest the state’s mask rules. Students refusing to wear masks were placed in an alternative setting outside of their classroom and given independent work, according to the district.
Gina Anderson’s kids participated in the anti-mask mandate protests. While she’s glad to see an end date in sight, she questioned why it’s two weeks away.
“It is hard to understand why not do it now, since the rest of the state besides schools are allowed [to not wear masks],” Anderson wrote in a text message.
The two weeks matter because risk could be even lower by then, according to Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s Secretary of Health and Human Services, who held a press conference Monday afternoon.
“If we can cut transmission rates by 25 or even 50% more in the next 11 or so days, that creates an even lower risk of individuals, masked or unmasked, from getting infected in schools,” Ghaly said.
In a statement, E. Toby Boyd, president of the California Teachers Association expressed optimism that Covid-19 risks would ease as health officials predict but added “…while some students are ready to immediately remove their masks, others remain very afraid. We urge local school districts to continue to work with educators and families and to act cautiously while prioritizing the safety of students, educators, and their families.”
In a message issued to district families, Los Al USD Supt. Dr. Andrew Pulver reminded people to be kind and respectful of personal choices.
“I encourage each of us to avoid making assumptions regarding someone’s beliefs or health status based upon their choice to wear or not wear a mask,” he wrote.
For more local education news, subscribe to the Spotlight Schools newsletter at SpotlightSchools.com.
Three local area Chambers of Commerce met Thursday at the American Legion Post 716 in Los Alamitos, mixing a chance for local businesspeople to get to know each other a little better and listening to an international memory expert who delivered tips for better networking.
“Thank you for taking the time to be here,” said Kori De Leon, a past president of the Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce and mistress of ceremonies for the evening.
After an open networking period, where approximately 100 Chamber members from Seal Beach, Los Alamitos and Cypress Chambers had a chance to get to know each other, De Leon introduced the sponsors for the evening and thanked them for their support in bringing the three Chambers together.
A large crowd gathered at the American Legion post in Los Al for the Tri-City Chambers meeting. Courtesy photo
Nesi Stewart, Chairwoman of the Los Alamitos Chamber, said “this is a great opportunity for our members to get to know their business neighbors.” She said there will be more such events in the future.
Legion official Ernie Roriguez welcomed the group and led the pledge of allegiance.
De Leon introduced Chester Santos, who she said is “known around the world” as an international memory expert, citing his appearances on major national television networks and being named America’s memory champion.
Santos immediately noted that his presentation was going to seem a bit unconventional, but he promised if the audience paid attention, it would teach them how to utilize the mind’s “incredible” potential to remember.
“Some of what I asked you to do is going to seem a bit weird, perhaps silly, unusual, but please bear with me, because I promise you, these things that I asked you will dramatically improve your ability to remember just about anything at all,” Santos said.
For instance, before the presentation began, Santos quietly made his way around the room introducing himself and having the guests introduce themselves to him. Then, without hesitation, Santos pointed to various people in the audience, asking them to stand when he called their names.
Without fail, he named about 30 people by their first names as they stood up. Santos said he was a bit rusty because of the pandemic, noting that he has named as many as 100 people in a crowd after only meeting them once.
He started the presentation by asking the audience to undertake a “visualization exercise” in which he told a graphic story about political figures that everyone was familiar with doing things that most people would recognize as a bit absurd.
“What does that have to do with improving your ability, or remembering things like names,” asked Santos? information the audience that visualized word pictures in the mind can actually help anyone remember very complicated things.
“Reason number one why I had you exercise your visual ability is because your visual ability and your visual memory are incredibly powerful,” said Santos.
He demonstrated it by repeating a series of words that seemed to make no logical sense being tied together, then asking if anyone in the crowd could repeat them. No one could exactly do it.
Then, Santos did it again, this time, creating visual descriptions and word pictures for each word and then associating them by using the seemingly disconnected words to tell a story. Then, he repeated it and then successfully asked the crowd to repeat them.
“You were able to complete that little exercise because you have the ability to remember anything,” he said.
He then demonstrated how our senses play a role in memory by using an example of a story where two well known politicians smash a pie in each other’s faces. He asked the audience to shut their eyes, and just listen, allowing their senses to take over as he told the story.
As the pie smashes into each face and drips down their cheeks, Santos asked the audience to review the mental imagery and visualization the story created. “You could almost smell the pie,” he said. “It smelled like politician.”
“Brain scientists have confirmed these memory techniques I’ve mastered over the years,” said Santos, who noted what he was doing is showing everyone how to “recruit extra areas of the brain” with word association, visualization and using the senses.
While it is perhaps scientifically impossible to explain why some moments of our lives do live forever in our brain and others simply fade away, images and events with shock value tend to be remembered more, he said.
“If an elephant suddenly crashed through the doors, spraying everyone with water, you would probably remember that for the rest of your lives,” said Santos.
Yet, he said, “it is still not fully understood how the brain works,” why the brain allows some moments to “go into long memory” and other times, “we might spend weeks and months trying to drill something into our head very important information.”
He urged the business group to utilize the three main principles, simple visualization, using the senses and make what you’re experiencing in your mind weird or extraordinary in some way.
“When you put those things together, it instantly becomes easier to remember,” he said.
Antisemitic flyers left around the city of Cypress this week have apparently launched hate crime investigations by Cypress Police and other Orange County authorities, Cypress officials learned Monday.
A hate flyer, entitled “Every single aspect of the Covid Agenda is Jewish,” was circulated in Cypress and other areas of the county, Mayor Paulo Morales acknowledged Monday at the Cypress City Council meeting.
In addition, the flyer gave the names of key Jewish leaders actively involved in health care and other areas, which we will not print or distribute via this medium.
“We have to take this crime very seriously,” said Morales, who added that the flyer was not only distributed in Cypress but also in other cities in the County.
“Our police department’s investigation is being coordinated with the OC Intelligence Assessment center and the Joint Terrorism Task Force,” he said.
“I know I speak for all of my Council members when I say racism and hate has no place in this city,” the mayor said.
Don Hahn, Director of Operations for OC Human Relations Commission, also appeared at the meeting to discuss the hateful information being posted around the county.
“Unfortunately, Cypress is not the only city that has received that type of flyer in the last couple of weeks,” said Hahn. “We’re sorry that your city has been receiving some of these flyers over the past week or so,” he added.
“In the past two weeks, residents in multiple cities received flyers with antisemitic rhetoric,” said Hahn, noting that the OC Human Relations Commission and the Hate Crime Prevention network “remain united against hate,” he added.
Norma Lopez, Executive Director for the HCPN said “we know that this misguided targeting of our Jewish neighbors is a form of hate and bigotry that deeply de-humanizes members within our community. We will continue to call out antisemitism, and all hate, when and where we see it.”
The spokesperson said they were attempting to educate the community and others “about all the forms of bigotry, hate and oppression at a time in our country when such activity is on an unprecedented multi-year rise.”
Katie Shapiro, a Jewish resident of Cypress, appeared during the oral communications portion of the meeting to complain about the city’s reaction to the hate flyer.
“You completely dropped the ball,” she told city officials, saying that the city had failed to either reach out to a local synagogue or call a rabbi after learning of the flyers.
“What we (Jewish community) don’t need is some vague presentation,” said Shapiro, noting that city leaders, in her opinion, should have immediately and “viscerally called out racism in our community.”
The investigation into the incident continues, city officials were told Monday evening.
State Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – La Cañada Flintridge) joined Senator Tom Umberg to announce the introduction of Senate Bill 986, a measure that combats catalytic converter theft by requiring dealers to apply a vehicle identification number (VIN) to the catalytic converter of each vehicle listed for sale. Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón and LAPD Chief Michel Moore joined Senators Portantino and Umberg today during a press conference to announce the bill.
“Catalytic converter thefts are rising and serious. It is a crime that is affecting an increasing number of families in the 25th State Senate District and across the state,” stated Senator Portantino. “We must enact tougher law enforcement strategies and penalties to combat it. SB 986 offers a simple common sense solution to eliminating the legal challenges of prosecuting the theft of catalytic converters. The bill will also result in a reduction of thefts of used convertors, which is good news for both victims and law enforcement. I am proud to be a joint author of this measure with Senator Umberg and I look forward to working with him to curb the rise of catalytic thefts in our state.”
An imprinted serial number relating to the unique Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) identifies most major parts of vehicles sold in the United States. It is these identification markings that allow law enforcement to establish that parts are stolen, even if the stolen vehicle has already been fully broken down. However, this serial number identification process does not currently apply to catalytic converters. As a result, law enforcement may make arrests of individuals in possession of dozens or even hundreds of suspect catalytic converters — but be unable to prove a case in court because there is no way to identify the victims of crime to show that these parts are stolen. The application of a VIN to a catalytic converter is usually done by etching, in a process that is both easy and inexpensive.
“For whatever reason, car part thieves are perceived as emtpy-headed. The reality, however, is that catalytic converter theft can be quite lucrative. This bill is an important step forward in protecting California consumers, aiding our law enforcement agencies with enforcement, and continuing to crack down on illegal and environmentally-degrading car-part and vehicle disposal. We owe it to our communities to be more responsible, as a state, in regulating these illegal activities,” stated Senator Umberg.
Senate Bill 986 will require dealers to mark the catalytic converters of vehicles up for sale. The measure will also require core recyclers to record the unique identification number on each catalytic converter. Under SB 986, the core recycler’s obligation will only be relieved if the used catalytic converter, that was purchased or sold under a specified written agreement, is described with sufficient particularity. Upon request from local law enforcement, the burden will fall on the core recycler to prove that the catalytic converter was purchased under the specified written agreement.
“Catalytic converters have become a popular target of theft because they contain valuable metals and are untraceable and easy to sell,” District Attorney Gascón said. “This bill will give law enforcement important tools that will reduce property crime and save consumers the money and hassle of replacing the stolen parts.”
First and foremost, I would like to thank the LOS ALAMITOS TEACHERS for working so hard for the children. I would like to also thank the BOARD OF EDUCATION for their committed focus on excellence in education. Finally, I would like to thank the STAFF at all the Los Alamitos schools for continuing superb performance at every level.
I have been a member of this community for over 45 years. I am a grandmother of two girls attending Hopkinson Elementary, where I volunteer in the classroom each week. I am a mother to three children who went to Los Alamitos Elementary, McAuliffe Middle School, and Los Alamitos High School. I taught for 40 years, including Los Alamitos Elementary and Laurel Continuation High School. Unlike some of the previous letters to the editor, I see only excellence in what is being taught and what is being absorbed by students. I see students engaged, discussing, and thinking critically about information. The students are interested and happy.
As I saw my own children go on to prestigious universities and become excellent citizens and wonderful workers, I know that my grandchildren will follow in their footsteps. Los Alamitos is a great place for children to start the process toward higher education. For any parent questioning the quality of Los Alamitos, I can assure you that it continues to be the best.
For the Los Al, Seal Beach, Cypress communities, I ask that you keep politics out of the schools. Children should have a safe, nurturing environment, where the outside world can melt away, and they fold into the classroom spirit of learning and enjoyment. They have a whole lifetime ahead to worry about the state-of-affairs of the United States. When they get to high school, they can learn in a rich, rewarding setting about our history and government and evaluate what they hear and see on their own. We want our children to be critical thinkers and create their own opinions of the world around them.
Again, it should go without saying that anyone in our education system has had to go above and beyond these past few years. Educators have had to pivot, reinvent, and try to stay healthy while doing their jobs. Our teachers have kept our children working hard toward a bright future—at times, at the expense of their own families and friends. For that, they are owed so much gratitude. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Los Angeles/Long Beach (LA/LB) Seaport handles between 35%-40% of the nation’s inbound maritime cargo, with approximately 5.7 million containers arriving annually. Each year, more than 3,500 vessels and 1.2 million passengers and crew arrive at the seaport, and each day, CBP officers and agriculture specialists are tasked with ensuring that all maritime cargo passing through the LA/LB Seaport is safe and legal for use by American consumers under the SAFE Port Act.
CBP’s Office of Field Operations (OFO) has leveraged the use of immersive technology to address challenges associated with the massive volume of cargo, working with the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) to develop a command center designed to increase domain awareness within the LA/LB Seaport.
Led by CBP LA/LB Seaport Port Director Donald R. Kusser and Command Center Chief Victor Todorov, a Community of Interest (COI) was initiated to gain support for this project. The COI includes S&T, its National Labs, and the Awareness and Localization of Explosives-Related Threats (ALERT) Center of Excellence. S&T CBP Portfolio Manager David Taylor and Dr. Syed Mohammad, Director of S&T’s Modeling and Simulation Tech Center (MS-TC), worked rapidly to assess requirements and paths forward for the project. The S&T team focused on providing visualization to the LA/LB Command Center and delivered a 1:1 virtual scale model facility planner application to operators in just under two months.
During a demonstration of the facility planner, CBP employees were impressed by the user-friendly interface, adjustability, and the highly depicted virtual model. The model can work in two ways: a 1:1 replica that can be detailed down to the air ducts and wiring in the walls or built manually based on rough estimates provided by those on the ground—even exact blueprints in LA/LBCC’s case.
The mobility and ease of using the virtual reality (VR) headset assisted CBP OFO project managers in providing virtual demonstrations of the space for senior leadership to experience. This technology assists CBP employees in visualizing the floor within a three-dimensional space, leading to a more effective and ergonomic design of the new command center area. Upon its completion, the command center will help port management make faster and more effective decisions on where to focus and deploy resources.
In view of his enormous body of work in television, film, and stage, multi-award-winning actor Bryan Cranston should be declared a national treasure. Whether his character is a criminal in “Breaking Bad,” or a famous writer in “Trumbo,” or an FBI agent, who infiltrates the drug world in “The Infiltrator,” or a soldier in “The Last Flag Flying,” he delivers fully actualized, totally believable characters. His acting chops deliver yet another fascinating performance as Harvard professor Charles Nichols in “Power of the Sail,” currently on stage at the Geffen Playhouse.
Written by Paul Grellong and directed by Weyni Mengesha, the story revolves around the professor’s decision to bring in an extremely controversial speaker to participate in his annual symposium. 29-year-old Carver is a right-wing, white nationalist, Holocaust denier and his pending appearance has created a firestorm of protests from students as well as staff.
Despite these protests, Charles is unwavering in his decision to proceed, defending his decision by saying he would make mincemeat out of his white supremist beliefs. Adding to the unseen student protests, which we hear throughout much of the opening scenes thanks to Jonathan Snipes sound design and original music, is a scathing newspaper editorial decrying Charles’ decision. The first to present her case for cancellation is Dean Amy Katz, sympathetically played by Amy Brenneman. As colleagues, they have a close, friendly working relationship and despite her almost begging him to cancel the speaker, our professor is dug in, defending his decision in the name of free speech.
The next person to try to discourage the professor’s decision, is black historian Baxter Forrest, well played by Brandon Scott, who is in town for his father’s funeral. He is a former student of Charles’ and has become very successful both as a professor and a regular on MSNBC, including multiple appearances on the Rachel Maddow Show. His career has eclipsed his former professor’s, who may be feeling a decline in his own career. Again, he defends his decision declaring he is a “free speech absolutist,” and is closed to reversing his decision. The next people to try to make their case for cancellation, are two graduate students – Lucas Poole, wonderfully played by Seth Numrich, and Maggie Rosen, adequately played by Tedra Millan.
They explain that the students vehemently object to giving Carver a voice at one of the most prestigious schools in the country. No matter how much cajoling is presented to Charles, he is steadfast in his decision and is scheduled to have dinner with Carver at his Maine compound. He invites both of his students to join him but only Lucas consents to go along for the ride. In a seamless transition, Rachel Myers’ gorgeous set design, nicely enhanced by Lap Chi Chu’s lighting, takes us to Amtrak’s Dover station where the two of them are awaiting the arrival of a train. There is back and forth chit chat with Charles talking about his hobby of making model ships.
The subject of Baxter comes up and one could detect a bit of envy as his media presence seems to be growing, including being interviewed by Terri Gross. We also get a hint that he might be drinking a bit too much as he removes a bottle of booze from his attaché case and sits on a bench to try to relieve the pain in his foot. A subtle way of telegraphing that besides his career perhaps spiraling downward, he also has to deal with physical problems associated with the aging process, as well as his jealousy of the success of his former student.
Charles feels compelled to toot his own horn and talks about the fact that five generations of men in his family attended Harvard. Through this “innocent” two guys shooting the breeze, we begin to notice that Lucas might not be who he we think he is. He prides himself as a historian and is working on a rather obtuse subject – “The agrarian economy and practices of 17th Century Sweden” and deftly moves the conversation in the direction of white pride and we begin to get a glimpse of his closeted beliefs. Again, be warned, what you see from any of these characters is not necessarily the truth.
Now, because the action is not linear, we move back and forth in time and in one compelling scene, Maggie goes to Dean Amy to get her to stop Charles from proceeding with his plans. As it turns out, Maggie has the “goods” on Amy and forces her to comply, or else! Well, things don’t go well at Carver’s compound as the students got hold of the address and tried storming the gates, ending tragically for one of protesters.
Overwrought, Charles shows up uninvited at Baxter’s house and receives a cold greeting. His former student is angry at the decision to allow this cretin to speak and tells him that he is a very poor judge of character and wants him out of the house. Another smooth set change takes us back to the professor’s office where he is being interviewed by steely, no nonsense FBI agent Quinn Harris, played by Donna Simone Johnson, who is a master of subtext.
She wants a report of everything leading up to the tragic incident and Charles, wanting to impress her, reels off his accomplishments as well as the publishing of a book. It is about here, that our playwright begins to reveal the professor’s real motive for allowing Carver on campus and it is beyond self-serving and despicable.
Playwright Grellong has crafted an excellent script illuminating duplicity in the highest order couched in seemingly decent people. Oh yes. One more thing. Although the bartender scene, played by Hugh Armstrong, is quite short, kudos to him for bringing a bit of levity to this rather heavy, but fascinating material.
POWER OF THE SAIL
Gil Cates Theater at Geffen Playhouse
10886 Le Conte Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Run:
Tuesdays – Friday: 8:00pm
Saturday: 3:00 pm & 8:00 pm
Sunday: 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm
Closing: Sunday, March 13
Tickets: $30-$129
Running Time: 90 minutes – No Intermisison
Ticket Information:
Box Office: 310.208.2028 or
www.geffenplayhouse.org
(Proof of vaccination and masks are required)
The Youth Center announced Southland Credit Union President and CEO, Tom Lent, will lead their 25th Annual Community Support Campaign as Campaign Chair. The 2022 campaign theme is “All In For The Kids,“ and will run from March 1 through March 25, 2022. The fundraising campaign will culminate in an “All In For The Kids Casino Night” on March 25th at the Youth Center.
As Campaign Chair, Lent will build and lead a team of individuals and businesses charged with raising much needed funds for The Youth Center to provide scholarships to families in need and further the non-profit’s pursuit to nurture youth in mind, body and spirit by keeping them safe and active, providing tutoring, homework help, music instruction and more. The campaign fundraising goal is $200,000.
“As a father, I understand the importance of places like The Youth Center that provide enrichment opportunities and a safe place to go after school. I am honored and thrilled to help support the youth in our community and chair the campaign. I look forward to our team setting a new fundraising record in March,” said Lent.
Thomas Lent is the President/CEO of Southland Credit Union, a $1 billion credit union headquartered in Los Alamitos with more than 60,000 member-owners. Tom has been President/CEO since 2017, after serving nine years as the EVP/CFO. As President/CEO, Tom enjoys engaging in the many communities Southland serves, and he continually seeks new ways to give back and support those in need.
In Los Alamitos, Tom is the current Chair of the Los Alamitos Education Foundation (LAEF) Board of Directors and is a founding member of the LAEF Los Alamitos Leadership Circle. Tom was previously crowned the LAEF “King of Hearts” for helping to raise over $100,000 in funding to support education initiatives in the Los Alamitos School District.
Tom is also actively involved in the CSU Long Beach Athletic Fund, supporting student-athlete sponsorships, as well as the Long Beach YMCA and many other local non-profit organizations, including being named a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International. He has served as a volunteer board member and coach for local youth baseball and basketball organizations. Tom is a licensed CPA, holds a degree in business from CSU Long Beach and graduated from the Credit Union Executives Society CEO Institute.
Lina Lumme, Executive Director of The Youth Center stated, “We are thrilled to have Tom Lent as this year’s Campaign Chair. Tom, along with everyone at Southland Credit Union, has been kind and generous towards our cause. Because of their support, The Youth Center was able to provide more scholarships for children and offer free enrichment opportunities for local families.”
Asked about this year’s individual fundraising goals, Lumme replied, “Individual donation amounts don’t matter. We want to give everyone in our local community an opportunity to feel good about joining this worthy cause for children by giving what they can.”
The All In For The Kids Casino Night at the conclusion of the campaign will provide guests the fun and excitement of playing in a real casino, but instead of going to Las Vegas, Las Vegas will come to them! The fun begins on March 25, 2022 from 6pm to 10pm at The Youth Center in Los Alamitos, CA. Guests will enjoy a night of delicious food, drinks and entertainment, Vegas style. David Harlow, of New Zealand Wine Navigator will provide a free wine tasting of No.1 Family Estate Cuvée Methode (Bubbles), Darling Sauvignon Blanc (Cert. Organic/Biodynamic), Mondillo Pinot Noir (Central Otago) and Mills Reef Elspeth Cabernet Sauvignon (Gimblett Gravels). The Title Sponsor of the event is Southland Credit Union.
For more information about the 2022 Campaign, to donate to the campaign or to purchase tickets for the All In For The Kids Casino Night, please go to: www.TheYouthCenter.org.
The Los Alamitos Education Foundation (LAEF) crowned their 2022 King at the Royal Gala on February 11 at The Grand in Long Beach. The honor was bestowed upon LAEF Champion, Dave Appling. He was appointed to serve as the royal ambassador for the year due to his strong ties to the Los Al community and his ongoing support of LAEF and Los Al kids. Appling served as the LAEF Board President from 1995 to 2008 and is now a Board Member Emeritus.
The Royal Gala is the signature event of LAEF’s “Fundraising February for Los Al Kids” campaign. This year, the campaign will fund efforts to build and furnish a new “Well Space” at Los Alamitos High School. The total raised during the Gala was over $80,000! These funds were raised through live auction, opportunity drawing tickets and donations.
LAEF Executive Director Carrie Logue said, “We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from our community for this important cause. In October, a national emergency was declared because of the pandemic-related decline in child and adolescent mental health. We’ve seen so much use and success with our middle school Well Spaces and now is the time to provide a similar space at LAHS.” They are calm, comfortable places on campus where students can reset and receive counseling support.
One of the Well Spaces already installed within the LAUSD system. LAEF is currently in the process of raising $150 for a new Well Space at Los Al High. Courtesy photo
Fundraising February’s top sponsors – City National Bank, Clean Wave Express Carwash, Southland Credit Union, and Philip DeMatteo of First Team Real Estate – were on hand to celebrate LAEF’s 2022 King. Upon arrival at the Gala, guests were invited to experience calming elements of the Well Spaces with McAuliffe Middle School leadership students Kassidy Fox, Konnor Fox, and Emma Voigt. Guests experienced aromatherapy, moved tools through a small sand garden, created loose art and added a message to the Gratitude Wall. After enjoying dinner, the program began with Superintendent Dr. Andrew Pulver and Logue sharing the role of Master of Ceremonies.
Appling was crowned by last year’s King, former Los Alamitos High School principal, Dr. Gregg Stone. A video provided testimonials from five of Appling’s colleagues and friends to give attendees personal reflections on his tremendous impact. During Appling’s acceptance speech, he gave details of the two key fundraising campaigns that raised $1.5 million from 1995-2005 to create technology infrastructure across the school district. He thanked many people in the room who had worked with him to make these fundraising campaigns such a big success.
LAEF Board Chair Tom Lent remarked, “It was a fantastic event, and we are thrilled to have Dave Appling as our 2022 King. I am truly amazed by the support of the local community to ensure the ongoing success of the Royal Gala and Fundraising February campaigns. Our fundraising has totaled to more than $1.2 million over the past nine years.”
LAEF is the non-profit partner of Los Alamitos Unified School District. LAEF enhances educational excellence by providing after-school and summer enrichment programs to children in grades Pre-K to 12. LAEF provides significant funding for mental health/wellness and STEAM instruction, as well as igniting new programs and providing valuable resources, to impact all students. For additional information on LAEF, please call (562) 799-4700 Extension 80424 or visit www.LAEF4Kids.org.
Parents and students at various schools throughout the Los Alamitos Unified School District protested against the state’s indoor K-12 face mask mandate last week.
The protests, which first started on Feb. 15 and continued through the week, consisted mainly of students showing up to campuses refusing to wear face coverings in class. Some parents submitted mask exemption forms to their school site.
LAUSD officials estimated that between 150-200 students (of the approximately 9,000 enrolled students) across the district’s nine campuses participated.
According to the district, students who declined to wear a mask without a valid medical exemption were placed in an alternative setting under the supervision of school staff rather than being in classrooms with students who wore face coverings.
Parents said the students were placed outdoors, where masks are optional.
“The district and staff have communicated with families that while we continue to respect the views of all families in our school community, we are required to follow school guidance from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), including indoor masking requirements when students are present,” said LAUSD spokesperson Nichole Pichardo in a written statement.
On Feb. 16, California lifted its indoor mask mandate for vaccinated individuals in some public spaces, but that does not apply to K-12 schools. An update on rules for schools is expected by Feb. 28.
There were signs the protest was coming. Similar actions by students in other parts of California had been featured in the media and publicized by the San Diego-based group “Let Them Breathe.”
Earlier this month, an Instagram account entitled “Los Al Parents United” started posting, asking families in the district to allow students to go “mask less” on Feb. 15. The Instagram posts directed parents to meet at various campus locations before drop-off with their mask exemption forms.
More than 50 people gathered at Hopkinson Elementary in Rossmoor on Feb. 15, according to parent Gina Anderson who has a fifth grader who took part that day and did not wear a mask to school. She said campus officials were accommodating.
“We were met with a positive reception from our principal [and Deputy Superintendent] Ondrea Reed,” Anderson said in a phone interview last week.
Anderson said it made her feel more comfortable that the administration wasn’t fighting parents on this issue. “It was good to see that we weren’t getting pushback,” she said.
For Anderson, seeing an online petition signed by hundreds of people in opposition to the school masking rules in Los Al USD made her see she wasn’t alone in her feelings.
But the tipping point was seeing unmasked elected officials and celebrities at recent National Football League games at SoFi stadium in Inglewood while the mask mandate was still in place.
“It’s hard not to be angry on either side,” Anderson said, suggesting that mask mandate supporters should also be upset that many of the elected officials making mask rules didn’t abide by them.
At least two LAUSD board trustees, Board President Diana Hill and board member Marlys Davidson, have both openly expressed concern about the long-term masking of students indoors.
Based on ENE reporting, in addition to Hopkinson, students refused to wear masks at Oak and McAuliffe middle schools, Los Alamitos High School, as well as McGaugh Elementary school.
On Thursday, a group of roughly 25 parents met at McGaugh Elementary to support or participate, sending their kids to school without masks.
Two Seal Beach Police officers, who are on campus on a regular basis, were on hand.
Though the protests were peaceful, they did have an impact
Pichardo said in her statement the mask mandate protests had impacted campuses.
“There has certainly been a disruption to staffing,” she said. “The district has had to pull auxiliary staff members [such as intervention teachers and instructional aides] from their current assignments to cover students who needed an alternative location for learning. This means that a small number of our intervention programs are currently not running right now,” the district spokesperson said.
Moreover, she said the protest “has also created additional work for classroom teachers who are now lesson planning for two groups of students.”
Students are getting a break this week as school is out until Feb. 28. While it is uncertain what changes to COVID policy California will announce next week, Pichardo said the district currently provides options for students.
“Another option for families that do not wish to have their child wear a mask or have health concerns regarding COVID-19, may elect to enroll their child in independent study provided by the district through a partnership with the Orange County Department of Education,” said Pichardo in the statement.
“Participation in independent study is voluntary and provides an alternative education program for students who may have health concerns or may not want to wear masks. Unfortunately, these are the only two options outlined by the state at this time,” she noted.
“Our goal as a district is to respect the views of all families and to remain inclusive of all students regardless of their masking choices,” said Pichardo.
“We’ve [LAUSD] worked hard with our staff to make sure accommodations have been made for all students so there is minimal disruption to learning,” the statement concluded.
According to a new post on Instagram, the Los Al Parent United group is calling for a “Sit Out” on Feb. 28, the day LAUSD is scheduled to resume. The ENE has reached out to the group seeking additional information.
Editor’s note: Jeannette Andruss, of Spotlight Schools, contributed reporting. For more local education news, sign up for the weekly email newsletter at SpotlightSchools.com.
Three area Chambers of Commerce are meeting in person Thursday seeking to bring synergy to the community while listening to one of the world’s foremost authorities on memory.
Los Alamitos Chamber of Commerce President Nesi Stewart said the meeting will be held at the American Legion meeting room on Florista Street in Los Alamitos. She said the tri-city mixer will also include members of the Seal Beach Chamber and the Cypress Chamber of Commerce.
The three Chambers will meet this Thursday, Feb. 24, from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., at the American Legion Post 716 Hall on Florista Street in Los Alamitos.
In addition, the Chambers will present Chester Santos, who holds the title of America’s Memory Champion, and whose memory exploits have been featured on the TED stage, top American news networks, newspapers and magazines, and at guest speaker engagements for many corporations, including Google.
Stewart said the event is designed to allow the members from the three cities get to know and support each other. “We are stronger together, right,” she asks?
The Los Al Chamber president said even though the three chambers are geographically near each other, “each of us have our own personality,” suggesting it is a good idea to promote events that allow local business people, and neighbors, to better know one another.
According to Shelley Henderson, Chairperson of the Cypresss Chamber, “the small cities at the edge of Orange County often get overlooked. Northwest Orange County is a great place to live, work, play, and go to school. We must work together to promote strong ties among Seal Beach, Rossmoor, Los Alamitos, Cypress, and La Palma to support economic growth, maintain our living standards, and protect educational excellence,” she said. “Opportunities such as the Tri-Chamber Mixer help all these goals, allowing Chamber members and guests to mix and mingle, get to know one another, and get business done,” said Henderson.
According to his bio, Santos has been deemed the “International Man of Memory,” and has left an impression in “all corners of the earth.”
“Through his entertaining & educational television and movie appearances, professional seminars, and best-selling books, Chester has helped millions of people around the world to realize the benefits of an improved memory and sharper mind,” it said.
He has appeared in TIME magazine, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times, as well as on CNN, ABC, PBS, NBC, CBS, and more. He was featured in a December 2018 Special Edition of TIME entitled, “The Science of Memory.”
Santos is also a best-selling author, having published several books on memory and techniques to master it. In addition, he is the personal memory and mind coach to some notable celebrities, politicians, professional athletes, and high-powered executives.
Los Al Chamber event organizer Toni Hauger said community sponsors have stepped up so that neither of the three Chambers of Commerce are having to spend any of their funds to host the event.
She said Sir Speedy, American Legion Post 716, Alamitos EyeCare, OC Breeze, Southland Credit, Event News, Subway, Financial Partners, Watersafe Swim School, Westmont of Cypress, RTI Insurance and Forest Lawn are all co-sponsors of the event.
According to Hauger, there is no cost to attend but participants should RSVP to in**@**********er.org.
While the new year has brought challenges brought on by the Omicron variant of COVID, the superintendent of Cypress School District said in their monthly newsletter that the surge is now waning as “students and staff are back in school where they belong.”
“The district’s 14-day COVID case rate hit an all-time high since the start of the pandemic,” reported Supt. Ann Silavs, but she said, “we continue to be extremely proud of the resilience and perseverance of our students.”
“Undeterred by unforeseen obstacles,” she said, “our schools strive to inspire and empower all kids,” said Silavs.
In addition, she provided highlights of successful programs and activities going on at the district’s various schools.
Arnold Elementary School
Students Cracking the Code
Mrs. Whitten promotes student collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving through the use of breakout activities modeled after the escape room experience but designed to promote learning in the classroom. Students work together as a team to solve puzzles to crack open a locked box. Every time a puzzle is solved, it reveals the combination to a lock. Student teams must open six locks to open the box. Puzzles are aligned to grade-level standards and enhance learning by keeping students motivated and engaged. The most recent breakout activity was part of a math lesson on equivalent fractions. Students learn cooperation and teamwork while applying concepts and skills.
King Elementary School
Have You Devoured a Good Book Lately?
At the beginning of each trimester, Mrs. Dunagan and Mrs. Vo provide a “Book Tasting” event for their fifth graders to introduce them to new genres. Students have five minutes to “taste” a book and then write a reflection of what they thought about the genre. The goal is to get students to open books they typically wouldn’t be drawn to in the library. Students who think they do not enjoy reading may try a cookbook or a book about gardening and discover they do like to read, but they prefer books that explain things they like or want to do. During the second trimester, students “tasted” different kinds of nonfiction, including biographies, how-to books, and books about animals and states.
Landell Elementary School
Lights, Camera, Action!
Landell TV Productions is an elective class for sixth-grade students taught by Mr. Gary. Episodes are 5-10 minutes in length and are broadcast to the entire school community every Monday morning. School news, weather, and lunch menus are a staple on the program, but the show also features art contests, trivia, jokes, and even cooking demonstrations. Landell TV is produced in the school’s STEM lab using television production equipment and a green screen. In the words of one sixth-grade student, “Teamwork and creativity are what I see when I watch Landell TV.”
Luther Elementary School
Students Itching to Learn
Fourth graders have become mosquito experts following their participation in a virtual program sponsored by the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District. During daily presentations, students used Thinking Maps to organize information about mosquitos and other vectors. They then applied what they had learned to identify areas on campus that might attract these unwelcome pests. Finally, students drafted letters to Principal O’Leary to share the results of their investigations. Luther’s school custodian responded quickly to address the students’ concerns.
Morris Elementary School
Spinning a Good Tale
As third-grade classes wrapped up the eagerly awaited literature unit on Charlotte’s Web, students reflected on the theme of friendship that the book so beautifully represents between Wilbur the pig and Charlotte, a barn spider. While reading this classic novel, students studied a variety of literary elements including characterization, point of view, foreshadowing, and the use of sensory language. At the end of the novel, students demonstrated their learning through poems and art projects. They all agreed, Charlotte was a good friend and a clever writer. (Author E.B. White was a pretty good writer, too!)
Vessels Elementary School
Coding Made Easy
Coding and robotics lessons are highly engaging hands-on experiences that help develop students’ foundational understanding of computer science. Third graders at Vessels use Sphero robots to learn block coding and work through a trial and error approach to problem-solving while collaborating with their peers. The Sphero robots make coding fun and easy and help to promote student interest in computer-related fields.
State Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) introduced legislation today to establish an independent workforce corps that will focus on restoration and climate resiliency along the California Coast. SB 1036 will establish the California Ocean Corps through a four-year pilot program, based in Orange County that may serve as a model for replication and expansion throughout the state.
“Recent oil spills, as well as the growing threat posed by climate change, demand that California take steps to protect and preserve one of our most precious and irreplaceable resources—our coastline and beaches,” said Senator Newman. “There are few places where this is truer than in Orange County. Piloting this groundbreaking program in OC seems fitting, and I look forward to working with a broad and growing coalition of environmental and community advocates to make this happen.”
From raging wildfires to devastating droughts, the effects of climate change are apparent across California. The impacts of climate change are acute in California’s coastal communities, home to 75% of the state’s nearly 40 million residents. Over the past two decades, sea levels have been increasing at a rate of nearly double the past century, and are predicted to rise an additional two to seven feet by 2100. Rising temperatures and sea levels pose a serious and costly threat to the public infrastructure, housing, natural resources, and commerce located along California’s 840 miles of coastline.
“We need to be doing everything we can to protect our coast from sea level rise,” said Laura Walsh, Surfrider Foundation California, co-sponsor of SB 1036. “So many of us in the world of ocean conservation were motivated by early memories in the ocean and at the beach. We can’t think of a better way to prepare for the future than to engage young people in restoration and resiliency.”
On October 1, 2021, a broken pipeline operated by Beta Operating Co., a subsidiary of Amplify Energy, began to leak more than 25,000 barrels of oil off Orange County’s coast. This spill resulted in environmental catastrophe, harming wildlife and the ecosystem, prompting a massive cleanup that required more than 1,800 people and took upwards of three months. This disaster demonstrated the need to invest in a conservation-focused workforce that may be deployed for oil spills and climate change-induced disasters.
“The Orange County Conservation Corps is looking forward to expanding opportunities for young people to gain valuable job skills while mitigating climate change and conserving our precious coastline. Especially when we consider the impact of recent oil spills in Orange County, we’re so proud that Senator Newman asked us to be part of this effort,” said Katharyn Muniz, Orange County Conservation Corps CEO, co-sponsor of SB 1036.
Over a four-year term, SB 1036 will allocate $12 million to establish the California Ocean Corps, while authorizing the Orange County Conservation Corps (OCCC) to design, implement and manage the pilot program. Orange County’s coastal location, OCCC’s institutional capacity, and the community’s recent experience with large ocean conservation and recovery efforts make OCCC a strong organization to administer the pilot.
The Ocean Corps will focus on the restoration and protection of coastal habitats and waters, specifically on wetlands and marshes hardest hit by the Orange County Oil Spill. Through all of this essential environmental repair work, the Ocean Corps will serve in an invaluable capacity as environmental stewards in the community, and better educate the public about climate issues along the coast.
The City of La Palma awarded recognition for employee and supervisor/professional of the year at a regular meeting of the City Council earlier this month.
Kara Hart was named Employee of the Year. Ivan San Pedro was named Supervisor/Professional of the Year.
Awardees are nominated by their peers and selected by a committee of city officials and award winners from the previous year.
Council members presented Hart and San Pedro with certificates from the city and from Assembly Member Sharon Quirk-Silva’s office.
Employee of the Year
Kara Hart, civilian investigator in the city’s police department, was recognized as Employee of the Year.
Hart provides behind-the-scenes support to detectives in the field. She fulfills records requests from the district attorney’s office and keeps criminal registries up to date.
But perhaps her greatest task lies in maintaining the evidence room.
The police department updated records keeping practices in 2013 but the evidence room remained crowded. Hart likened the room to a stack of dishes that have been piling up in the sink.
“Maybe you can’t get to it right away. You pass by it. It bugs you.” Eventually, though, the dishes need to get done.
Hart applied for and received a grant to modernize the space. The police department used the funds to purchase a new walk-in freezer and rolling shelves.
Hart said the new shelving system freed up about 75 percent of the room.
And like emptying that sink full of dishes, “Once it’s done you feel a sense of accomplishment.”
Hart related that sense of accomplishment to the evidence room.
“It’s the satisfaction of knowing that everything’s cleaned up and easy to access, and that having done is so beneficial to the entire department.”
Now her task is to identify paper records and patrol videos to purge. This can only be done for cases that are fully adjudicated, meaning that the statute of limitations has run out and no appeals are pending.
Police Chief Terry Kim praised Hart for her outstanding work ethic and for always promoting a sense of teamwork.
“I’m proud that she as a member of the police department was selected as the city’s employee of the year,” the chief said.
Supervisor/Professional of the Year
Ivan San Pedro, recreation coordinator, received the award for Supervisor/Professional of the Year. He oversees community classes, allocates facilities, and plans special events, such as La Palma’s signature Halloween Carnival.
“That’s my baby,” he said.
San Pedro has now shepherded the event through two seasons of Covid-19.
To accommodate for social distancing requirements, in 2020, Halloween became a drive-thru.
But as Covid-19 restrictions eased last year, San Pedro saw the opportunity to relocate the annual fall festival. Thus, the Halloween Carnival in Central Park was born. The event included carnival-style games, treats and giveaways. He found the enthusiastic reaction from the community rewarding.
San Pedro is a member of a professional organization for parks and recreation leaders. Chad Clanton, parks and recreation director for the City of Tustin, is his mentor.
“I was impressed with Ivan from the get-go.”
Clanton said he was proud but not surprised that his mentee received recognition from the City of La Palma.
“He’s got the energy and enthusiasm that will serve him well in whatever direction he chooses to take.”
San Pedro calls himself a creative person who loves to collaborate with his colleagues but says he can be his harshest critic.
He said he’s humbled by the recognition he’s received from the city. He calls the award “confirming” and “a really great way to recognize for myself, too, that I’m doing a good job and that, being here, they value my work.”
Other business from the Feb. 1 meeting
The city council:
-Approved Janet Conklin, Noella Lew and Sally Alvis to serve on the beautification committee. Lew and Alvis were reappointments. The three terms expire Dec. 31, 2026. Two vacancies remain on the seven-member committee.
-Empowered the city to apply for a CalRecycle grant to begin compliance with SB 1383, legislation passed to curb greenhouse gas emissions arising from organic food waste.
Affirmed the city has funds available to qualify for a federal matching grant for transportation projects.
All items listed on the consent calendar were passed 4-0. Council member Mark Waldman was absent.
