Feb. 15 issue by Signal Tribune

COMMuNiTy

FebRuaRy 15, 2013

SigNal TRibuNe

Theater group hopes to rebuild act as expo arts Center undergoes major renovations Sean Belk

A mishap that caused significant water damage last month to the north section of the Expo Arts Center in Bixby Knolls, including in the Back Room Theatre, is now presenting new opportunities for renovating the entire portion of the facility. Although some parties are impacted financially by the water damage that city officials and community leaders say was caused by a roofing contractor not securely protecting the inside space from rainfall, some affected individuals are looking on the bright side of the situation. “It’s so silly, you just have to laugh about it,” said Aaron Morgan, director and co-founder of the small theater group Chrysalis Stage, which had planned to make its Long Beach debut at the Expo last month with Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest but had to cancel the production after rain flooded the facility. According to city officials, the north portion of the Expo, which is located on Atlantic Avenue in Bixby Knolls, has to be gutted and entirely rebuilt due to substantial water damage caused by rain that flooded the facility in late January. Douglas Orr, the building’s manager, has stated that Long Beach Roofing, Inc. was replacing the facility’s roof as part of a $200,000 overhaul but didn’t secure plastic over the top of the structure properly, allowing rain to deluge the upstairs and downstairs areas. City officials confirmed that the contractor’s insurance company is expected

to cover the total cost of all damages, and the City won’t have to pay for any renovations through its General Fund. Jonathan Kraus, chief of staff for 8th District Long Beach City Councilmember Al Austin, said via email on Feb. 13 that work and discussions between the City and the insurance company were still underway this week and no complete numbers of the assessed water damage were available yet. Orr, however, has stated that the rain soaked sound equipment, gallery art pieces, an electrical conduit, floors, walls, scenic materials and storage. As part of the overhaul paid for by funding through the former Long Beach Redevelopment Agency, new tiles on cement floors, a light-dimming system and a sprinkler system were to be installed, but now the entire portion of the building has to be renovated. Blair Cohn, executive director of the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association, also couldn’t confirm the entire damage, but he added that the portion of the building has to be taken down to the studs. “Ultimately, they’re going to have to put all the walls back up and replace the electrical,” he said, adding that, fortunately, a kids theater group was able to salvage some equipment. On the bright side, he said, the project will now provide major renovations to the building and added that the City’s public works department acted promptly to help clean up the situation. “It’s a drag… It’s a real bummer,” Cohn said. “The good news is the City acted immediately.”

Junior League of Long Beach (JLLB) will offer local families the chance to have fun while learning about healthy eating and exercise at the eighth annual Kids in the Kitchen. Co-sponsored by The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services Healthy Active Long Beach Project, the event is free and will take place on Saturday, March 9 from 10am to 2pm at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, 1950 Lemon Ave. This event will include childrenoriented health and nutrition activities such as fitness challenges,

kid-friendly snack recipes, health screenings, dance, martial arts, sports and youth club sign-ups, a bicycle rodeo, games, music, and hourly raffle prizes. There will be free health screenings from St. Mary Medical Center, free bike helmets from Miller Children’s Hospital and Kid Tribe will perform Hoop-apalooza. “Kids in the Kitchen is a community outreach program that teaches children and families to choose healthful foods and to make exercise a regular habit. Junior League of Long Beach recognizes that good nutrition plays a vital role in a child’s

Hughes Middle School and Longfellow Elementary School will team up with Goodwill, Serving the People of Southern Los Angeles County (Goodwill SOLAC) to host a used-clothing drive on Saturday, Feb. 23 at Hughes, 3846 California Ave. from 10am to 1pm. The schools will collect old clothing and household goods to be donated to Goodwill SOLAC during the event, which is open to the community and will take place on the Longfellow upper playground on California Avenue between

Bixby and Roosevelt roads. Items accepted include: clothing, accessories (pocketbooks, backpacks, hats, gloves, ties, scarves, belts, etc.), shoes, and household fabrics (bedding, curtains, towels, bath mats, etc.). Donated items will go to Goodwill SOLAC for resale to support education, skills training and jobplacement services for individuals with barriers to employment and other disabilities. Donors will receive a donation receipt for their taxes. For more information regarding

Staff Writer

added Morgan that the water damage also caused floors to buckle and become weak in spaces. “It seems like somebody was responsible, and there was a fair amount of damage,” he said. “It really was a mess.” The nonprofit theater group, which has been producing plays in Whittier since 2008, decided to move to Long Beach this year, planning to Courtesy Chrysalis Stage take up space in the Chrysalis Stage, a small theater group, was planning to use dozens of old seats from the historic Expo’s Back Room Atlantic Theater for productions in the Back Room Theatre at the Expo Arts Center on Atlantic Theatre that was pre- Avenue in Bixby Knolls. However, it’s unclear whether the seats can be recovered after sustaining viously used for pro- substantial water damage last month. ductions by the Long Beach Shakespeare cles trying to restart and move to a Company and Long Beach Opera. Morgan said the company was new location given this whole roofable to salvage dozens of old seats ing and flooding fiasco,” he said. from the historic Atlantic Theater, “We really wanted to start our Long which is being demolished to make Beach experience there at the Expo way for a new library. However, he and wanted to make that our new said, after the water damage, he’s home.” Morgan said the group is plannot sure if the seats are recoverable ning to now come back with a series at this point. “It’s certainly disappointing of free play readings for the First because the idea was to rescue this Fridays Art Walk in Bixby Knolls part of history in Long Beach,” Mor- starting in March, to take place in gan said. “We were hoping to just the main hall of the Expo Arts Cenclean them, and they still would be ter. He said he would be using the old and charming, but now I don’t down time as an opportunity for fundraising and to introduce the theknow … it doesn’t look good.” He said, however, that the group ater group to Long Beach. Morgan said it would be nice to founded by Morgan and his wife Andrea still plans to stay in the Expo eventually have a 70-seat to 99-seat center. “We felt that, given the cir- theatre venue. “Hopefully, we can cumstances of being a new move for recover some time, do some us, there would be too many obsta- fundraising and give the Expo building time to put itself back together to put on the type of production we wanted,” he said. well-being,” said Trinka Rowsell, JLLB president. “Now in the eighth year, the 2013 Kids in the Kitchen is set to be the largest yet with more than 1,300 children and families expected to attend.” For more details about the 8th Annual JLLB Kids in the Kitchen, Christ Jesus’ spiritual foundation of healing visit jllb.org or call (562) 989-6400. brings answers as you discover more about Local businesses and organizaGod’s power and presence in your daily life. tions who would like to participate through cash contributions and raffle D! S SOl items should contact Ashleigh Ruhl COPIE N IO l 9 MIl at (303) 229-6878 or kitk@jllb.org. OVER

Junior league to host 8th annual Kids in the Kitchen event

Seeking answers? NeW 5 PM SuNDay SuNSeT SeRViCe

Source: JLLB

Schools and goodwill SOlaC teaming up to host used-clothing drive

Portion of Ocean boulevard to close this Saturday

Ocean Boulevard between downtown Long Beach and the Gerald Desmond Bridge will be closed during the day on Saturday, Feb. 16 for restriping to complete a repaving project. Both directions will be closed, but at different times. The closures are scheduled as follows: • From 7am to noon, workers will close eastbound Ocean Boulevard and the on-ramp from Pico Avenue to the westbound Gerald Desmond Bridge. The connection from eastbound Desmond Bridge to the northbound

710 Freeway will remain open. • From noon to 5pm, workers will close westbound Ocean Boulevard. The connection from the southbound 710 Freeway to westbound Desmond Bridge will be closed. The project had been planned for the previous weekend, but rainfall prevented its completion. For updated traffic information, go to polb.com/traffic or follow @portoflongbeach on Twitter, hashtag #polbtraffic. Source: Port of LB

You are invited to learn more about God and His Beloved Son:

all are welcome!

this event, contact Hughes Green Team Adviser Cathy Procopio at (562) 989-0970.

Sunday morning service.......9:30 aM Sunday School..........................9:30 aM NeW Sunday Service..................5 PM

Source: Hughes Middle School

F O L BA

the reading room/Library is open to visitors:

Mon. - Fri...................................10 aM - 5 PM

E” K FOR LIF O O B E C N “A REFERE

Visit www.Spirituality.com, a website based on the ideas in this book.

Fourth Church of Christ, Scientist 3629 Atlantic Avenue, Long Beach (562) 424-5562

Pet of the Week:

Nemesis

Why someone would choose to name one of the “man’s best friends” species Nemesis is anyone’s guess, but there you go—a perfect reason for renaming him and taking him to a forever home. He’s an owner drop-off— which shows you who is whose best friend— is nearly 2 years old, and is a confident and balanced pet for an experienced owner. Companion Animal Village at 7700 East Spring St., (562) 570-PETS. Ask for ID#A453311.