VOL. 35 NO. 20 MAY 17, 2012
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Long Beach’s Favorite Community Newspaper Gazettes.com CRIME DETAILED
Embezzle Suspect Pleads Not Guilty BY JONATHAN VAN DYKE STAFF WRITER
A woman charged with multiple felony counts for allegedly embezzling more than $250,000 from the Long Beach Animal Care Services Bureau has pled not guilty. Jongluck Mutrais, 59, of Orange, was arrested and charged with nine felony counts: One count of misappropriations of public funds, one count of alter-
Long Beach Full Of Pride STAFF WRITER
From humble beginnings, the Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride Festival & Parade has risen to become one of the city’s premiere and largest events. “The first festival was nothing more than a few booths, some food and beer — just a little party,” said Pat Crosby, Pride co-president. “From there it has grown into what it is today. Now, we have more than 200 booths for selling, information and food. We have multiple stages with entertainment and dancing. And we
Parade, Page 19A Pink Party, Page 20A Businesses, Page 20A Fight Hate, Page 21A Youngsters, Page 22A On Stages, Page 23A have a fairly large parade. “Our mission is to provide a celebration, and I think we do that very, very well. We provide a safe place for people to be who they are.” The festival itself will take place from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sat-
(Continued on Page 35A)
Congressional Race Attracts Candidates
—Gazette file photo
CONSISTENT MESSAGE. Gay marriage was a topic at the 2011 Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade, and there’s little doubt it will be a central focus again this year.
BY JONATHAN VAN DYKE
ing or falsifying an account, one count of embezzlement by a public officer and six counts of filing false income tax returns. She pled not guilty to the charges on Monday, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Her bail is $500,000. “That is a lot of money (taken), and it is unfortunate that there were not checks and balances at the time,” said George Chapjian,
BY HARRY SALTZGAVER EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Judging from the mailers hitting many Long Beach mailboxes, one might be excused for thinking there are three candidates in the 47th Congressional District race — Republicans Gary DeLong and Steve Kuykendall and Democrat Alan Lowenthal. But that would be wrong. When voters go to the polls June 5 (or receive their mail-in ballots) there will be eight names under the instruction of “Vote for 1.” The top two vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, will move on to the November general election.
urday and Sunday, along Shoreline Drive between Alamitos Avenue and The Pike. There are more than 80,000 people expected to attend during the weekend, making it one of the largest Pride celebrations in the entire country. Organizers said the mood could be even more festive because of recent national strides in the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender) movement, specifically on the gay marriage front, with President Barack Obama’s recent announcement of personal support. (Continued on Page 34A)
The three top candidates all hold or have held elected public office, and all three have raised six-figure campaign war chests. But the five other candidates on the ballot are not willing to concede that the result is a foregone conclusion. “The top two get to move on,” said Jay Shah, a Democrat who also ran for the 46th Congressional seat in 2010. “So my wife and I aren’t running against each other now. We will be the top two.” Shah, a medical doctor who has served as a flight surgeon in the Air Force, is speaking of the unique situation where both he and his wife, Usha Shah, appear (Continued on Page 34A)
Penguins Ready For Star Turn In New Aquarium Home EDITOR
INSIDE Y O U R GRUNION
STORIES
Wobbling on the rocks, sleeping on their bellies and flapping their wings through the water, more than a dozen Magellanic penguins are quickly adjusting to their new home at the June Keyes Penguin Habitat at Aquarium of the Pacific. Distinguishable by the thick white lines around their eyes, the pudgy penguins are making their public debut in the aquarium’s new outdoor exhibit starting today, Thursday. The new, 3,000-square-foot habitat cost $1.5 million and is designed to give aquarium visitors a chance to get up close with
the animals and learn about what can be done to protect the 75% of penguin species that are endangered or threatened. There are 17 penguin species in the world, and while the Magellanic species is not endangered, populations are trending down. Typically found near the southernmost tip of South America, several of the flightless birds were among hundreds of Magellanics rescued from the beaches of Brazil, thousands of miles outside their usual habitat, said Dudley Wigdahl, the aquarium’s curator of marine mammals and birds. The other penguins in the habitat are from various aquariums or zoos.
“What we wanted to do with this habitat was provide a high quality exhibit that mimics what these birds would experience in the wild and be familiar to them in a captive situation,” Wigdahl said. “We took a photograph of Chile, where these birds are commonly found, and duplicated it as best we could.” The water in the exhibit is cooled to 60 degrees. The Magellanic penguins are more used to warmer temperatures than some other species. The aquarium’s newest residents, which are fed a diet of sardines, anchovies, herring and other small fish, could live to be (Continued on Page 35A)
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FIND US ONLINE AT: WWW.GAZETTES.COM
—Gazette photo by Ashleigh Oldland
HAPPY AT HOME. One of the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Magellanic penguins splashes in the new habitat, which opens today.
COLU M N S
BY ASHLEIGH OLDLAND
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A PINCH OF SALT ........................... Page 2A BUSINESS BEAT .............................. Page 29A MUSICAL NOTES ............................ Page 31A ON WITH THE SHOW ..................... Page 30A PROFILES IN DINING ....................... Page 20A
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PAGE 2A | GRUNION GAZETTE | May 17, 2012
GAZETTE COMMENTARY
Plenty To Celebrate Just Say No To Trutanich For DA For LGBT Community Editor’s Note: In honor of Gay Pride Week, the Gazette presents this guest editorial from Porter Gilberg, executive director of The Center in Long Beach. With President Obama’s recent announcement coming out in support of full marriage equality for same-sex couples, the LGBT community has been given a wonderful reason to be especially proud during Long Beach Pride month. Our community has made tremendous political and social progress in the many years following the Stonewall Riots in 1969, a historic moment many credit as the beginning of the modern LGBT rights movement. In the last decade alone, our community has made tremendous progress towards achieving full legal and social equality in the United States. As we look toward the future and all the progress still to be made, we seek inspiration and hope from our past, a past we are incredibly privileged to take part in honoring this month with the groundbreaking of Harvey Milk Promenade Park and Equality Plaza. While our work surely isn’t complete, and we may have a long road ahead to achieve full equality, we are so excited to pause for a moment to reflect on our community’s momentous accomplishments both nationally and locally. While most communities have numerous heroes and role models from which to gather inspiration and pride, for the LGBT community Harvey Milk stands alone as the most widely recognized and revered public figure associated with our community and our struggle for equality. Certainly there are many additional LGBT people who have moved mountains for our community and for other communities as well (Bayard Rustin, Marsha P. Johnson, Reed Erickson and Emi Koyama just to name a few), but with two films, a biography, and major push from our community to honor this leader, Milk has captured the hearts and imaginations of the LGBT community and people everywhere. Our community has put our faith in the legacy of this man who ran for a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors three times before being elected in 1977, became one of the first openly gay elected officials in the country, and demanded that LGBT people be afforded the
simple dignity and legitimacy given to everyone else. At the same time, he united the community in San Francisco, serving as an ally to communities of color, the poor, and the elderly. For these reasons, and many more, Harvey Milk will be honored by having a park dedicated in his name in downtown Long Beach. Long Beach has its own rich LGBT history. We have LGBT organizations like the International Imperial Court, which has served our community for more than 40 years. We have our own leaders who survived seemingly insurmountable odds to help create the vibrant and diverse LGBT community we have in Long Beach today. To honor the struggles, accomplishments, and legacy of our local leaders, a portion of Harvey Milk Promenade Park will be dedicated in their honor and named Equality Plaza. At the groundbreaking, the first nine names of these visionaries will be announced for inclusion in Equality Plaza. Every year thereafter, Long Beach will honor additional individuals who paved the way for the vibrant LGBT community in Long Beach. We have so much to be thankful for as LGBT people in 2012. Having served our community for more than 30 years, The Center and our community has witnessed increased legal protections, anti-discrimination laws and a monumental surge in public support and advocacy for LGBT people and lives. We know that we still have a long way to go to achieve full equality for many LGBT people still placed at a disadvantage in life simply by virtue of who they love or who they are. We’re hopeful that equality will come sooner rather than later. With the strength of our community, with all the progress we’ve made so far, with all we have to celebrate in the month of May, The Center will be out in full force celebrating the accomplishments and achievements of our community with the hope that some time very soon, there will be room enough for every one of us to be afforded a place in the world to exist and thrive. Harvey Milk Promenade Park’s groundbreaking will take place at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 22, at Promenade and Third Street. For more information, visit The Center on Facebook at facebook.com/centerlb.
Editor’s Note: The following endorsement reflects the collective opinion of the newspapers in the Los Angeles Newspaper Group, which includes Gazette Newspapers. Los Angeles County voters need only to remember three letters when they cast their ballot for district attorney on June 5: ABC. Anybody But Carmen. Carmen “Nuch” Trutanich, the Los Angeles city attorney, is the presumed frontrunner in the primary race, backed by cash and support from the county’s established political and labor power structure. But his status as the anointed candidate doesn’t make him the best person for the job — just the most political. Voters have two superior candidates in Jackie Lacey and Alan Jackson. Both are distinguished and veteran deputy district attorneys. Both are well-respected members of their agency with proven management skills. Both have smart ideas about modernizing the agency and adapting to the governor’s realignment plan. And either would be a much, much better DA than Trutanich. Trutanich likes to say he is not a politician. It’s kind of his public mantra. That it’s so patently untrue casts doubt on everything else he says. Trutanich is the ultimate politician, in fact, as he proved from the moment he promised not to seek higher office as part of his campaign for his current job. His short tenure running the city attorney’s office has been marked by political battles since day one — a huge disappointment for the people who supported his campaign. He engaged in questionable grandstanding and naked power grabs, such as his
attempt to be the first city attorney in history to have subpoena power. He lied to the public from the start when he said he would not run for district attorney. Even worse has been his pugilistic style in dealing with both city officials and the public. He has needlessly bullied the public on issues such as medical marijuana and the Occupy L.A. protests. He has tried to turn what is essentially a bureaucratic post (most cities do not elect a city attorney) into a vehicle for his personal aggrandizement. The job of district attorney, the county’s top prosecutor, is the last elective position that should be politicized. But that could very well happen in the primary election if Trutanich gets more than 50% of the vote. He has the big money behind him, and there’s a very real danger that he will prevail. That’s not good for L.A. County. Now a bit about the candidates the public should support: Voters may remember Alan Jackson as the man who brought down music producer Phil Spector on murder charges in 2009. That might be his biggest claim to fame, but it is not his only accomplishment. In his 17 years as a prosecutor, he has worked in every corner of the county and put away gang members and murderers. He has a solid understanding of what the DA’s office needs to be to keep the public safe. Jackson is a modern prosecutor who understands how technology
has changed criminal justice and can help the agency negotiate the future of criminal justice. That’s going to prove valuable as the agency deals with DNA evidence and other technological advances to come. As well, Jackson said he would bolster the DA’s public-integrity division and look for opportunities to expand alternative sentencing courts. Of himself, Jackson says he is fair and would rather have a guilty person on the street than have an unfair conviction. “No one can call me soft...” he said. “But I’m extraordinarily just.” Jackie Lacey has been a prosecutor and manager in the DA’s office for 26 years. Most recently, she has been the right hand to DA Steve Cooley, who is endorsing her to replace him. Lacey characterizes herself as “the adult at the table” who can serve well as both a supervisor of prosecutors and the public face of the office. We agree. It’s fair to say Lacey has already done this job. As Cooley’s top deputy, she understands how to lead a large department. She is articulate, intelligent and has a presence and confidence that marks a good leader. Her boss thinks so too. “Jackie has the proper temperament and sound judgment needed to lead the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office,” Cooley wrote in an endorsement letter. Lacey’s to-do list, if elected, includes opening an environmen(Continued on Page 3A)
New Guy Group Picks Man Of Year It’s a guy thing. But it’s a charity thing, too, so I’ve overcome my abiding fear of being politically incorrect (okay, I don’t have a problem being politically incorrect, but saying I do is the politically correct thing to do) in order to write about it. The it is a new charity group called The Stags. A little hokey, I’ll admit, but we had to call it something, and the Elks was taken. For the last year or so, a few of us have been meeting in dark corners, plotting. We had a plan, but in order to pull it off, it had to be a lightning-fast execution, a fait accompli before there could be a backlash. It was important, you see, because not only is it a guy thing, but we’re not letting the girls in the clubhouse. The hope, nay, the expectation, is that the good thing we’re doing and the good cause we’re doing it for will overcome any potential political backlash. After all, it’s not like we are dissing women. We just want a boys’ night out. So enough beating around the bush. Here’s the deal. We’re going to name a Man of the Year in Long Beach. Nobody else is doing that. There are multiple Woman of the Year, Business of the Year, Athlete of the
Year awards, but no Man of the Year. So we’re going to fix that. While we’re at it, we’re going to raise some money for the Stramski Center at Miller Children’s Hospital. This impressive clinic deals with children who suffer from behavioral and developmental disabilities from autism to cleft palate. Much of that care must be subsidized or outright donated, so there’s plenty of need. The Steel Magnolias, a women’s group (primarily), has been supporting the clinic for years. We plan to help them help the clinic. But we wanted to do something different. What could be more fitting than a stags’ night sponsored by The Stags? Don’t blame me. Blame Ryan Choura of Choura Events. Ryan has developed a reputation for staging unusual, often elegant parties (he did that bash on the dock for the Port of Long Beach’s 100th anniversary), and he’s part of The Stags’ executive commit-
tee, so here we go. The Man of the Year award will be serious business, as the quality of the five nominees attest. They are, in alphabetical order: Sam Breuklander, he of Century Club fame; Mike Donelon, Mr. Skate Park; Steve Goodling, the laughing CEO of the Convention & Visitors Bureau; Coach Dan Monson, who led the Long Beach State men’s basketball team to the NCAA tournament; and longtime Judge Roy Paul. While that part is serious, that’s about the only serious part of the Stags Night Out on May 31 at the Grand. There will be entertainment, there will be a roast of the award winner — and likely a few shots at a few other folks in the room — and a good dinner. Rumor has it a cigar or two might even be smoked. Cost for the evening is just $75 a person, make that a male, and all the proceeds will go to the Stramski Center. Email asmith@ choura.us today to make your reservation. You’ll be able to tell your spouse all about it the next day, promise. But leave them home, just this once. After all, boys just want to have fun.
May 17, 2012 | GRUNION GAZETTE | PAGE 3A
Another View (Continued from Page 2A
tal crimes unit, expanding the high-tech crimes unit — fighting such problems as identify theft — and seeking to expand alternative-sentencing courts to reduce prison overcrowding. She said the county is doing well at combating public corruption, but those prosecutors need more resources. Lacey said she supports the death penalty but would seek it in limited circumstances because of the expense involved in trying capital cases. Lacey and Jackson are the real candidates in the district attorney’s race. They are true prosecutors, not politicians, not liars and not bullies. That’s who we need to run one of the county’s most important law enforcement agencies.
Bathroom Misled To The Editor, The entire remodel of Basin 4, including a remodel of the bathroom serving Basin 4, has never been an issue for those of us who live across the street on Appian Way. I think that everyone can agree that the remodeling of the docks has been a great improvement. Even the replacement of the then existing bathroom was initially not in issue. It was in bad
shape and needed to be updated. However, during the several meetings the residents of Appian Way had with Mark Sandoval, we were consistently advised by him that the new bathroom was not going to be much larger on each side than the dimensions of the existing structure. He maintained this position until the new bathroom was built. The reality is that this new bathroom structure is 47% larger in length than the old bathroom. We were given various excuses for
Correction The date for the Long Beach City College Fashion Show, “Cirque de la Mode” was incorrectly printed last week as Thursday, May 10. The actual date for the show is tonight, Thursday, May 17. The show starts at 7 p.m. at the Liberal Arts Campus auditorium.
the increased size, including the need for bike storage and laundry facilities. The actual structure for the new bathroom was allegedly based upon a design submitted in 2007. It should be noted that this bathroom plan differs significantly in size, design, and layout with the new bathrooms that were built in Marine Stadium and Mother’s Beach, which were constructed to accommodate much more public use. There simply exists no justification for the size of this new bathroom in Basin 4.
Also, no mention was ever made about the size, color or placement of the large white electrical box that now sits by itself, in prominent view, in the parking lot. It simply appeared one day. We have since been told that the box could have been placed in another location, closer to the bathroom. The point of all of this is that several of us tried to participate in the process and were misled, or simply not advised, as to what was really going to happen. So much for a full exchange of information and encouraging public participation. William Davis Naples (Continued on Page 4A)
PAGE 4A | GRUNION GAZETTE | May 17, 2012
Our Mailbox (Continued from Page 3A)
Not In My Can
To The Editor, So Deborah Barton (May 10) thinks it’s fine to put her dog’s excrement in others’ trash cans? As she walks Belmont Heights and the Shore she states, “there are always trash cans in a reasonable distance so you don’t have to carry it for long.” Am I crazy or is this the height of egocentricity? I love dogs, but this is one reason I do not have one. Why should I have to gag every time I open my can because you own a dog? Stay away from my house on Loma or you’ll be diving into my trash to retrieve your thoughtless deposit. Francesca Gard Belmont Heights
Keep It Nice To The Editor, Many dog owners let their dog deposit feces on people’s lawns, sidewalks, parks etc. So if they are too lazy to pick up after them or can’t afford to buy dog waste
pick-up bag, they shouldn’t have a dog in the first place. No one likes to smell the dog feces and pick them up every day. Also, dog feces can carry diseases and toxics to our lawns. It’s the responsibility of the pet owner to control their animals and pick up after their dogs. We love our city. Please keep it clean and nice. Don’t mess it up. Mary Hermans Belmont Heights
Bike Enforcement To The Editor, I’m a cyclist and motorist in Long Beach and read with interest last week’s article on the possibility of a Bicycle Traffic School in our city. I applaud the City Council for considering this, as it’s a great way to educate errant cyclists while still maintaining Long Beach’s bike friendly status. Many cyclists don’t realize they have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists and endanger themselves and others by riding on sidewalks and through crosswalks frequently ignoring stop signs and red lights.
Better enforcement and education is needed and Traffic School for bicycle offenders, similar to what’s offered motorists, is a major step in the right direction. I encourage the City Council to implement this program. Tom Duval Long Beach
Education Needed To The Editor, I think the City Council’s decision to pursue creating a Traffic Safety School diversion program for bicyclists is a great answer to a real problem. The problem is that too many of the growing number of bicyclists on our streets cause aggravation to others and endanger themselves simply because they’ve never been introduced to a few basic rules of the road for bicycles. A diversion program into a Bicycle Traffic Safety class is a cost-effective, win-win solution. We already do this for motorists; since bicyclists are legal road users as well (CVC 21200), they should certainly have the same opportunity. Philip Lohman Long Beach
Orizaba Park Meeting A meeting to update residents on the improvements for Orizaba Park begins at 9 a.m. this Saturday, May 19, at the park, 1435 Orizaba Ave. The meeting will cover renovations for the park and a planned community center. The work on the park grounds was completed and reopened to the public earlier this year. “This place is more than just a park,” said Fourth District Councilman Patrick O’Donnell who is hosting the meeting. “I have worked for years to secure the funds and gain support from the community in order to make these improvements to Orizaba Park a reality.”
May 17, 2012 | GRUNION GAZETTE | PAGE 5A
Economists Say Long Beach, Region Recovering BY ASHLEIGH OLDLAND EDITOR
Long Beach’s economy is recovering, but although gains are being made in most sectors, growth remains well below the historical average, concluded economists last Thursday morning at California State University, Long Beach’s 18th Annual Regional Economic Forecast. Dr. Joseph Magaddino, CSULB professor emeritus, and Dr. Lisa Grobar, professor of economics and director of the economic forecast, interpreted data on trade, housing, employment and income to compile the forecast and estimate growth rates for Long Beach and five counties; Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura. According to their findings, 2011 was the first year since 2007 that the region had positive annual job growth. The 0.6% growth last year was modest, but the economists predict that there will be more job growth in the coming years. Orange County, which went into the recession first, is ahead of other counties in economic recovery. “The growth has not been robust,” Grobar said. “For 2012, we predict a 1.5% job growth gain… By 2014, we will be adding jobs at just below the 3% line.” Worst-hit industries, such as retail and construction, are starting to bounce back, Grobar said. Most new jobs are expected to be created in four service sectors: education and health services; professional and business services; retail trade; and leisure and hospitality services. “The bulk of job creation is in the private sector, and it is these four service sectors propelling growth this year,” Grobar explained. Long Beach is expected to follow similar job growth trends, but the city is lagging behind the state and nation when it comes to job growth. Based on the most recent data from the first quarter of 2011, Magaddino said the city is about 13,000 jobs short of prerecession levels. A good sign for job growth nationally, Magaddino said, is that productivity has increased to a point where employees are stretched as far as they can go and employers are going to be forced to hire more workers has demand and consumption continue to increase. The housing market remained stagnant in 2011, but economists said there are some indicators that conditions will begin showing improvement. “2011 was what we expected, but what we hoped wouldn’t happen, which is that we are bumping along the bottom without recovery,” Grobar said. “But at least we are not seeing further decline.” Foreclosures accounted for half of all sales in Los Angeles and Orange counties, and banks are holding on to more foreclosures. That economists said, makes predictions difficult. In Long Beach, the median home price in 2011 was $359,000, compared to the median in 2007 of $563,000. Still, Grobar said there are indicators that the housing market
is moving in a positive direction. There are fewer homes going into default across the region; also, because rental rates are increasing, more people may feel pushed to purchase homes. Additionally, the number of new family households typically declines during recessions, and sharply declined in 2008, which means that there may be a pent-up demand for homes. “More than 8 million households would have been formed if (economic) conditions had been normal,” Grobar said. “So those households have been missing.” According to the report, the
regional housing market should improve in 2013 and 2014 as increasing demand raises home values. Overall, the economists said
there was cause for optimism. “The region’s economic recovery began in 2011,” according to the report. “This year, the region will post gains in most sectors,
and a number of sectors will be job growth in excess of 2%.” For more information about the forecast, visit www.csulb.edu/ site/economicforecast.
PAGE 6A | GRUNION GAZETTE | May 17, 2012
Blacksmith Keeps Rancho’s Metal Authentic BY ASHLEIGH OLDLAND EDITOR
Standing beneath the twisted, intricate railings, blacksmith Steve Christensen points out the details in his work to restore a staircase in the secret garden at Rancho Los Alamitos. The staircase is just one of many projects Christensen has
volunteered to undertake at the rancho in the past seven years. He’s no stranger to working with fire — the Long Beach native and retired Los Angeles County Firefighter first learned to manipulate metal three decades ago while working as a shipwright for the Navy. Since then, blacksmithing has been his hobby and passion.
—Photo courtesy Rancho Los Alamitos
FIXED IT. Rancho Los Alamitos blacksmith Steve Christensen holds up the working weather vane he modeled after one of the rancho’s original designs.
“I first came here on a field trip when I was in the fourth grade,” Christensen said. “I never forgot this field trip… I came back seven years ago because I am a blacksmith and wanted to see the blacksmith shop, but while the shop was intact, it wasn’t working because there was no blacksmith here.” So Christensen dusted off the antique equipment and lit up the forge. Since then, he’s been volunteering at the rancho at least twice a week, helping to restore metal hinges, weather vanes, dilapidated wagons, hose dispensers and other projects around the rancho as well as performing
demonstrations in the circa-1933 blacksmith shop for the public and for fourth grade students. He also creates items that are sold in the rancho’s gift shop. “Kids in the fourth grade need to see this place — that’s why I’m here,” he said. “This is a huge part of Long Beach, but nobody knows about it.” Christensen, who plays music from the 1920s and 1930s while he pounds a hammer at the metal on the anvil, also has been involved in the work to create a new education center that is set to open in June. The new education center, which is an expansion and (Continued on Page 7A)
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May 17, 2012 | GRUNION GAZETTE | PAGE 7A
Coyote Attacks Two Pet Cats In Naples Residents in Naples have reported seeing a coyote on the islands, and that coyote is suspected as the culprit in the death of two pet cats. Long Beach’s Animal Care Services Acting Manager Ted Stevens said one cat was attacked last Wednesday, May 9, and another cat was attacked and killed around 4 a.m. on Tuesday, May 15. Also, residents have reported coyote sightings. “We’ve never had trouble with coyotes in Naples before, but we have had trouble with coyotes in surrounding areas,” Stevens said. “We need people to report sightings to Animal Care Services, and it is a good idea to take caution and keep pets inside at night.”
Blacksmith
(Continued from Page 6A)
adaptation of the rancho’s large red horse barn, matches the look of other buildings on the historic site, from the thick, metal door hinges to the working weather vane atop the roof. “When the Bixbys were here, they had two weather vanes made — one with a cow on top and one with a stallion,” Christensen said while pointing up to the top of the barn where the swinging arrow of the weather vane pointed into the wind. “They were decorative, but they didn’t work, so I used the same pattern and made a new one for the horse barn … a working weather vane with a horse made of copper.” Pamela Seager, executive director of the rancho, said Christensen is a treasure at Rancho Los Alamitos and his work as a craftsman with both metal and wood has been invaluable to the historic site. “He (Christensen) does really superb work and can replicate historic items in a style that suites the ranch and would be impossible to buy,” she said. “He does extraordinary custom work.” For Christensen, who knows every bit of metal at the rancho — from a temperamental sundial wire to an antique oven — it’s important that he doesn’t put his artist’s signature on what he creates. Although he is an artist who is inspired by every old steel gate he sees and stays awake at night sketching ideas for future projects, he said the metalwork he does at the rancho isn’t about
Residents also can minimize the risk of attracting wildlife, including coyotes, possums and raccoons, by covering garbage cans, picking up fallen fruit, clearing brush from around homes and keeping small pets from roaming freely without supervision. Animal Care Services keeps track of coyote sightings and sometimes removes the animals if the coyotes become a threat to people. All sightings, especially those where a coyote is seen during the day, should be reported to Animal Care Services. Coyotes are typically nervous around people and remain out of sight during the day. If multiple daytime sightings are reported, Animal Care Services could put
him as much as it is about keeping history alive. “You don’t see my signature, my touch mark, here — except maybe in the gift shop,” he explained. “This isn’t about me and what I can make, it is about restoring and preserving this place for the next 100 years.”
an area under a Wildlife Watch and host meetings to inform the public about coyote control. The coyote might be euthanized if it poses a threat to people. To report a sighting, call 570PETS.
—Ashleigh Oldland
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PAGE 8A | GRUNION GAZETTE | May 17, 2012
May 17, 2012 | GRUNION GAZETTE | PAGE 9A
DISTINGUISHED ALUM
Naples Businesses Present “Tin-Tin” On Mother’s Beach The Naples Island Business Association is presenting the movie “Adventures of Tin-Tin” at dusk on Mother’s Beach, located below the Second Street Bridge. The screening is a fundraiser
—Gazette photo by Harry Saltzgaver
Former Mayor Beverly O’Neill Friday accepted the California State University, Long Beach’s President’s Award from her alma mater last Friday at the Alumni Banquet.
605/405 Freeway Closure This Week The freeway connector from the southbound 605 Freeway to the northbound 405 Freeway will be closed this weekend from 10 p.m. Friday, May 18, to 5 a.m. Monday, May 21. The closure is part of the West County Connectors Project. Construction crews are realigning the connector to allow for the widening of the 605. The Orange Country Transit Authority, the lead agency on the project, says that signs will be posted to help drivers and recommends the following detour. From the southbound 605, exit at Willow Street and turn right.
Proceed west on Willow and then turn left onto Studebaker Road. Continue south on Studebaker to get on the northbound 405 freeway on-ramp. When it’s completed, the West County Connectors Project will directly connect carpool lanes on the 405, the 605 and the 22. In addition, a second carpool lane will be constructed on the 405 between the 22 and the 605. Currently, there are more than 300,000 daily vehicle trips through the area. For more details, go to www. octa.net/westcounty. —Kurt A. Eichsteadt
and a thank you from the association to residents. Organizers are encouraging restaurants to offer to-go meals for people to pick up before the screening. Sponsor Mom’s Café,
down the beach from the screen at 5839 E. Appian Way, will be open that night. The Naples Island Business Association website is at www. naplesidlandbusienss.com.
PAGE 10A | GRUNION GAZETTE | May 17, 2012
Resident Recalls Life In Peace Corps BY STEPHANIE MINASIAN STAFF WRITER
After serving four years as a rural health Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal, Nathaniel Miller, 28, is back in his hometown of Long Beach — but only temporarily, he said. Miller has lived with his family in Long Beach since he was 13 years old, and after graduating from Wilson High School, ventured to the College of Wooster
in Wooster, Ohio, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a minor in biology in 2007. Miller said he always had the itch to travel while in school, but never found the time with his demanding academic life. After college, the Peace Corps sounded like a great option to see the world, while helping others. “While I was in college, I heard about Peace Corps recruitment,”
Miller said. “I always wanted to travel world a little bit and get international experience in terms of work. Also, the appeal of actually serving the U.S. government in this way seemed like a most interesting way to serve.” Soon, Miller found himself in the region of Tambacounda in Afia Seno, a small village of 300 residents, which is about 25 miles from the regional capital, where he served for the first two years
—Photo courtesy of Peace Corps
HELPING OUT. Nathaniel Miller spent four years in Senegal, as part of the Peace Corps.
of his service. There was no running water or electricity where he stayed, but he learned to adapt. “They talk about hospitality there,” Miller said. “That is one of defining aspects of the country — they are hospitable — no matter who you are. I learned to be more generous and open with my things while I was over there.” Before he went overseas, Miller prepared for his upcoming medical work by taking Emergency Medical Technician courses and assisted a social services outreach program in Los Angeles that assisted those with drug addiction or HIV/AIDS patients. “Dealing with shocking problems and behavior gave me some
practice dealing with things I’ve never seen before,” he added. After two years in the Peace Corps, Miller extended his service to work in the capital of Dakar in the Senegalese health department. While working there, he helped to discover the Appropriate Technologies Initiative, which works to improve Peace Corps Senegal’s work with providing appropriate and helpful technology to residents. “Working with devices such as Erobon rope pumps, improved stoves, oil presses, and others, there is the real potential for local people to use these devices to improve their level of income and move out of poverty,” Miller said. “There is a view in the development community that one of the best ways to help the developing world is by giving impoverished peoples the means to achieve some level of economic growth.” His work in the medical field also allowed him to teach the local residents about health and how to administer preventive medical care. Miller also spent time helping to build a two-room elementary school for children in the village. While he’s back in Long Beach for the time being, Miller said he expects to head back overseas to Senegal, where he hopes to officially begin work for the Appropriate Technologies Initiative, he said.
Thank A Vet Guide Available With Memorial Day coming up on May 28, Fifth District Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske has created the “How to Thank a Veteran” guide. The guide is available in a printed version at libraries in the Fifth District or online at www. lbhometownheroes.com. It contains a number of activities residents can do to remember veterans, Schipske said. The brochure includes both location and national volunteer contact information. The guide also contains information on volunteer opportunities at the Veterans Administration Medical Hospital, U.S. Vets, Veterans of Foreign War post 8615 and the American Gold Star Manor.
May 17, 2012 | GRUNION GAZETTE | PAGE 11A
Council Will Debate Hotel Petition May 15 & 22, 2012 it could be added to the Nov. 6 presidential election. That would cost the city more than $400,000 according to the city clerk. Currently, there are no other items being contemplated for that ballot. In other business next Tuesday, the council is scheduled to: • Cancel the June 5 City Council meeting due to the state primary and city Fourth District general elections. • Accept an agreement with Los Angeles County for payment of $500,000 to assist in the cost of removing debris from beaches and marinas that comes from the Los Angeles River. • Amend the dredging contract with AIS Construction Co., for an additional $600,000 for maintenance dredging of Harborlight
PCH, Second Intersection Work Resumes Prepare for PCHandSecondageddon. Beginning Monday, work is scheduled to resume on the widening of southbound Pacific Coast Highway at Second Street to add a second left-turn lane, a dedicated right-turn lane and a sidewalk along the highway. There will be lane closures at the intersection for the next two weeks to allow workers to do the necessary daytime construction. The project has been in the works for more than a year, and took a declaration of eminent domain to take some property at the
Marina and Colorado Lagoon. This Week Last Tuesday night, the City Council: • Sent a proposal to require licenses and permits for doorto-door solicitors and handbill distributors to the Housing and Neighborhoods Committee. The plan includes a “No Soliciting” registry residents can join, and penalties for ignoring that registry. • Accepted $1.5 million from the State Coastal Conservancy for the DeForest Park Wetlands Restoration Project. • Agreed to buy five replacement police motorcycles from Long Beach BMW for no more than $136,400. • Extended contracts for animal control services with Cerritos, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach and Signal Hill.
corner to widen the turn pockets. Work already done includes moving underground utilities to accommodate a new storm drain, upgraded lighting and new landscaping. “The city will work diligently to minimize the impact to the community as much as possible,” Third District Councilman Gary DeLong said. Work on the project has been complicated because while Second Street is the city’s responsibility, PCH is actually a state highway. —Harry Saltzgaver
Willow
Katella
Los Alamitos
It will be decision time next Tuesday for the City Council in regards to a petition demanding a city law to force a $13 an hour minimum wage and other benefits for hotel workers, primarily in downtown Long Beach. Last week, a group calling itself the Long Beach Living Wage Coalition turned in petitions with more than 30,000 signatures of registered voters requiring hotels with more than 100 rooms to pay workers $13 or more an hour and give five paid days of sick leave a year. The initiative calls on the City Council to either adopt the ordinance directly or put the initiative on the next available citywide election. The May 22 agenda item offers the council a third option — to request a report about impacts. Once that report is given, the council would have 10 days to either adopt the ordinance or order the election. If the council opts for allowing the issue to go to the voters,
PAGE 12A | GRUNION GAZETTE | May 17, 2012
New Life Beginnings Sets Homeless, Pregnant Mothers On Track BY STEPHANIE MINASIAN STAFF WRITER
While their stories may be tragic and their hopes shattered, pregnant women and mothers who come to New Life Begin-
nings (NLB) can look forward to getting their lives in better order. Bonnie Beardslee co-founded NLB in 1983 as a place for women facing extreme difficulties to have a safe, loving home to reside
in long-term. It officially became a nonprofit organization in 1984, and runs completely on grants, donations and fundraisers. “We began taking in women who were pregnant in 1986,” Beardslee said. “They can stay here as long as they want, but this is not just a place for them to sleep all day. Our gals are hardworking.” After telephone and in-person interviews, expecting mothers and children will be allowed to stay in the NLB building, at 835 E. Sixth St. The property, which once was used as an old rectory, was purchased in 1999, and focuses on the baby’s birth, par-
enting skills, addiction recovery, school, work and self-esteem building, according to Beardslee. “We want them to be successful,” she added. “For most of them, they rebelled against their families or got caught up in drugs or alcohol and just numbed out their lives. They don’t grow or mature. We’re trying to get them ready for life.” Through discipline and some tough love, the women all have weekly chores and duties to accomplish, including making dinner once a week for the rest of the group. After a 6 a.m. wake-up call, the women venture to school, job training or classes at the shelter’s in-house learning center. Some of them help out at NLB’s Treasure Hunt Thrift Store, at 1178 E. Anaheim St., to get experience working with cash registers, organizing and helping customers. “For many of them, their men are no longer around,” Beardslee said. “We are getting them ready to support themselves.” While the majority of the young mothers are in their 20s, Beardslee said she has taken in teenagers who had nowhere else to turn, although, the center mostly assists those older than 18. At the moment, the shelter is
housing six women — some with children already in tow. All of the food and baby supplies are given to them free of charge, which NLB receives from generous donations. “We also teach them how to cook from what’s in the grocery store,” Beardslee said. “We want them to learn how to run a household, because hopefully, when they move on from here they will have their own households to take care of.” In addition to the shelter on Sixth Street, NLB also houses families and women in-need in two other shelters located on East 17th Street. “We want the mothers and children to be in a safe place,” Beardslee said. Right now, the women are busy preparing for NLB’s annual fundraiser, which will be hosted from 5:30 to 9 p.m., on Thursday, May 24, at the Westin Hotel, 333 E. Ocean Blvd. This year’s theme is “Aloha,” and will feature appetizers, dinner, live and silent auctions. Tickets are $75 each, and can be purchased by calling 590-1538 or emailing nlbmothers@aol.com. For more information about NLB, visit www.newlb.org.
Poets Present Works To Public A night of poetry featuring local writers is scheduled for 8 p.m. this Friday, May 18, at Gatsby Books, 5535 E. Spring St. The event will celebrate the launch of the website soto writes (http://sotowrites.com) which is described by creator Christopher Soto as literature for social change. Nicole Street (founder or HipPoetics) will be reading her poetry as well in celebration of her graduation from the MFA program at California State University Long Beach. The evening is hosted by Bank-Heavy Press. For more, visit http:// bankheavypres.tumblr.com.
May 17, 2012 | GRUNION GAZETTE | PAGE 13A
Three Schools Among Nation’s Best New Hope Honors U.S. News and World Report on the U.S. News list as No. 76 Its Points Of Light
Artful Walk
—Gazette photo by Geronimo Quitoriano
Linden Avenue became a catwalk for a fashion show at the second Saturday Art Walk on May 12, in the East Village Arts District.
recently declared three Long Beach Unified School District schools among the best high schools in the nation. The three Long Beach high schools include Renaissance High School for the Arts, Polytechnic High School and the California Academy of Mathematics and Science (CAMS). Renaissance and Poly High Schools were recognized with Silver medals, while CAMS received a Gold medal. Both Poly and CAMS made a repeat appearance on the list, and all three schools earned high rankings among 21,776 public high schools throughout the nation, according to officials. CAMS also was recognized
out of 600 of the nation’s best schools for its prestigious math and science programs. Renaissance took a state ranking of 202 and a national ranking of 1,038; Poly took a state ranking of 278 and a national ranking of 1,326; and CAMS took a state ranking of 18 and a national ranking of 111. U.S. News awarded more than 4,800 gold, silver and bronze medals to the top-performing schools, according to officials, and determined the rankings after schools were first analyzed on how well their students performed on state assessments, including the test scores of disadvantaged students. —Stephanie Minasian
The Points of Light fundraiser runs from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, May 20, at the Museum of Latin American Art, 628 Alamitos Ave. The money raised will be split between the proposed memorial for the Seal Beach shooting victims at Salon Meritage and New Hope Grief Support. Being honored at Points of Light are; Steve Williams, pastor of Grace Community Church in Seal Beach; Don Shoemaker, pastor emeritus at Grace Community; George Vogel, Seal Beach Police Senior Chaplain; and the VA Long Beach Healthcare System. Tickets are $50. Visit www.newhopegrief.org.
PAGE 14A | GRUNION GAZETTE | May 17, 2012
GOLDEN PILING
—Gazette photo by Jonathan Van Dyke
Port of Long Beach Executive Director Chris Lytle, at podium, turns to watch as the first piling is put in place, marking start of construction on the massive Middle Harbor Project.
Milk Groundbreaking Tuesday The groundbreaking ceremony for Harvey Milk Park is set for 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 22, (the anniversary of Milk’s birthday) at Third Street and the Promenade. Milk was the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. He was killed, along with San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, in a shooting in San Francisco’s City Hall in November 1978. The park also will include Equality Plaza, an area honoring these Long Beach LGBT leaders: Bob Crow, Ray Lowen, Patty Moore, Michael Noll, Frank Ru-
bio, Ellen Ward, Pastor Michael Cole, Ellen “Mary” Martinez and Jean Harris. The park is the first in Long Beach to be named after a LGBT person and the first park in the United States to be named after Milk. “Harvey Milk was a trailblazer for the LGBT community who battled against discrimination and unbelievable odds,” Mayor Bob Foster said in a release. First District Councilman Robert Garcia said, “I’m proud that we are honoring so many people who fought for equality. It’s a special day not only for Harvey’s legacy, but for Long Beach.”
May 17, 2012 | GRUNION GAZETTE | PAGE 15A
HOME IMPROVEMENT
Downtown YMCA Set To Close BY HARRY SALTZGAVER EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Long Beach’s YMCA is leaving downtown, closing its branch at 225 E. Sixth St. That closure is part of a larger consolidation, according to a release from Jason Hagensick, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Long Beach. The Los Cerritos YMCA at 15530 Woodruff in Bellflower will be turned into a dedicated childcare center (a service it already provides) and the staffs of the Los Altos and Fairfield Ys will be merged. The Weingart Lakewood Y, at 5835 E. Carson St., will continue operation as it is today. “We will continue to service the downtown area with our community development programs,” Hagensick said. “We just had to take the opportunity to strengthen our financial situation overall. We have been losing an average of $75,000 a year on the downtown facility since it opened in 1998.” In fact, Hagensick said, the Greater Long Beach Y has oper-
ated at a loss for more than 30 years downtown. In 1980, the YMCA opened a 44,000-squarefoot facility on Long Beach Boulevard between Sixth and Seventh streets that included a swimming pool, basketball courts and racquetball courts in addition to fitness and meeting rooms. That facility never broke even, and in 1998, the board decided to close and sell it. They purchased the Sixth Street property, with a building of less than 9,000 square feet, as a replacement. The current building includes a health and wellness center as well as meeting rooms. But membership has continued to decline, and the board decided it could continue to fulfill its mission of serving youth with the community outreach program. “We have every hope and intent to get back into the downtown area with a health and wellness component when we can,” Hagensick said. “We would like to partner with a development, residential or perhaps healthcare…
We are recognized nationally as having the single most successful Youth Institute in the country right here in downtown Long Beach. We are mission rich. But we have a small membership.” In north Long Beach, the Fairfield YMCA at Atlantic Avenue and Del Amo Boulevard will begin sharing management staff with the Los Altos Y at 1720 Bellflower Blvd. Both of those facilities have pools and wellness centers. The Fairfield Y property is leased from the city, and acts as a site for some city programs. It has a small outdoor pool as well as a fitness center. The Los Cerritos YMCA, at 15530 Woodruff Ave. in Bellflower, is similar to the Downtown Y in size and also does not have a pool. Turning it into a dedicated childcare center will continue to serve a need in the area, Hagensick said. “The reality is, these facilities were built for a YMCA model of the 1960s,” Hagensick said.
“Today, a small YMCA is 30,000 square feet. These facilities are less than 9,000 square feet.” The Downtown Y will close its doors on June 15, enabling it to complete the school year and its partnership with Renaissance High School to provide a physical
fitness facility. The building will go up for sale and could be available for a long-term lease, Hagensick said. Members of the Downtown Y will be able to transfer memberships to other YMCA facilities. For details, call 423-0491.
Water Commission Talks Rates
—Harry Saltzgaver
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boosting its reserves. The department also has seen continued success in its conservation programs, which have resulted in purchasing less expensive imported water. Under the City Charter, the Water Department is a separate Enterprise Fund, which means it creates its budget separately, with approval by the Water Commission. The City Council does have final oversight, but can only approve or deny the entire budget.
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Long Beach’s Water Department likely will have a bit of good economic news later today (Thursday) for its customers. The Water Commission will meet this morning for a first look at its fiscal 2013 budget, and for the third straight year, the staff is recommending that water rates remain the same. Even better, this year’s proposal will keep sewer rates at 2012 levels as well. Sewer rates saw a 9% increase in fiscal 2011 and a 5% increase in fiscal 2012 (the current budget year). That action would keep Long Beach’s title as the city with the lowest combined water and sewer rates in California, according to an independent survey of the country’s 50 largest cities. It the commission approves the budget later this summer with the recommendation of no increases, the estimated average monthly water and sewer bill for a singlefamily home will be $64.25 a month. That is part of the combined city utilities bill that also includes natural gas and trash. Last year, the department was able to sell surplus property outside the city for $10 million,
PAGE 16A | GRUNION GAZETTE | May 17, 2012
HOME IMPROVEMENT
Long Beach’s Wilsons Ready To Rock In Qingdao BY ASHLEIGH OLDLAND EDITOR
The Wilsons started with a few classically trained Wilson High School friends hosting jam sessions in their basements. Now they are going to China. Last week, the rock ‘n’ roll band was chosen to represent Long Beach in its Sister City, Qingdao, China, to headline the
Qingdao Sailing Week Music Fest this August. Like most high school garage bands do, the musicians broke up for more than a decade after high school and moved on to become husbands, fathers and working men. But The Wilsons couldn’t keep quiet, and the band started playing again. “We were all local band kids,”
said Ty Rogers (vocals and guitar). “At Wilson or Lakewood, we were in the high school jazz bands or marching bands and had classical training… After a decade passed, we decided to get the band back together. When we started playing again, it just felt good.” Rogers added that the band had an immediate fan base of family, friends and old fans from the boys’ high school days. Most of the band members have known each other since grade school. “Our following from 30 years ago came with us,” he said. “We have great support around the city. We are in this for the love of music. We make just enough money to buy new toys and put the money back into the band.” Many of the band members hadn’t picked up their musical instruments in years — Rogers said his wife didn’t even know he was serious about playing music,
and Ross Kuster (base and vocals), who the band members say is the “best bass guitarist in Long Beach,” hadn’t picked up his guitar in 10 years. The only one who made a fulltime career out of music was Billy Price (guitar and vocals). Embret Anderson (drums and vocals) said he hadn’t been serious about drumming for nearly a decade, but it was nice to pick up where the band had left off and get his chops back. “The cool thing was our history together,” Anderson said. Since regrouping, The Wilsons, now made up of five musicians from the Long Beach area (not all Wilson High School alums), have played at venues such as the Orange County Fair, Heritage Park in Dana Point and the 9/11 tribute concert at Alamitos Bay Landing, among others. Now, they are preparing to play for a crowd of more than 5,000 people in China on a
moving stage with pyrotechnics and a firework finale. The band was encouraged to apply for the opportunity by members of the Long Beach Sister City Association. Long Beach and Qingdao are Sister Cities, and the Chinese government is paying for the band’s trip to China, which will include television and radio interviews, dinner with the mayor of Qingdao and possibly one other music performance. A Long Beach Sister City representative, Liv Haugland, who speaks fluent Chinese, is accompanying the band during the nine-day trip. “This is too good a deal,” said John Fleishman (keyboard, percussion and vocals). “We applied for the opportunity, sent a video of us playing at Spaghettini’s (in Seal Beach), but thought that was the end of that. We were shocked to be chosen and it is a real honor for us to be able to represent Long Beach and the U.S.” In addition to the band’s typical mix of music, which Fleishman said is a mix of underplayed tunes by popular artists from Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin to Snow Patrol and Coldplay, The Wilsons plan to learn a couple of popular Chinese songs. The Wilsons play concerts locally, and they are planning to have a bon voyage concert at Forbidden City restaurant before their trip to China this August. For more information or a schedule of performances, go to the Facebook page for The Wilsons.
May 17, 2012 | GRUNION GAZETTE | PAGE 17A
PETS
Stinging Bugs May Harm Pets
BY DR. GREG PERRAULT, DVM Spring is wonderful for outdoor activities for you and your pet, but can result in exposure to bees, wasps, hornets, ants and other biting and stinging insects. Most of us know these bites and stings can cause an allergic reaction in people. Did you know these allergic reactions are just as common in our pets and can occur in dogs of any age, breed or sex? Reactions can vary from mild to severe. Mild. Pets that have a mild reaction will have minimal swelling or pain where they were stung. Your pet may or may not require treatment, but monitoring for worsening symptoms is strongly advised. Your pet may not develop allergic symptoms right away, so it’s a good idea to call your veterinarian. Moderate. This is the most common reaction in dogs. Pets with moderate allergic reactions often will have urticaria. Urticaria is a moderate vascular reaction of the skin marked by hives or wheals and rapid swelling and
redness of the lips, around the eyes, and in the neck region. It is usually extremely itchy. Urticaria may progress to anaphylaxis and is considered life threatening. Severe. The most severe reaction is anaphylaxis, a sudden, severe allergic response that produces breathing difficulties, collapse and possible death. Symptoms usually occur within minutes following an insect bite or sting and proceed rapidly. Symptoms usually include sudden onset of vomiting, diarrhea, staggering, rapid drop in blood pressure, swelling of the larynx leading to airway obstruction, seizures and cardiovascular collapse or death. This reaction is life threatening for your dog. Antibodies that the immune system has made to some portion of the insect venom trigger anaphylaxis and urticaria. It is important to note that in the most severe reactions I’ve seen, the owners never suspected a bug sting. They called our hospital because their dog was vomiting, lethargic or had diarrhea.
Sport ’Staches At Beach Cleanup This month’s 30-Minute Beach Cleanup includes a moustache contest and a Haute Dogs poetry contest, with everything starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 19, on the beach at Granada Avenue. The beach cleanup offers donuts as a bonus this month. The moustache contest is for real and fake moustaches in a variety of categories such as best natural, best styled, most creative
and most pathetic. Prize money of $250 will be awarded. There will be five cash winners in the poetry contest at 10:45 a.m. For a complete list of rules, go to www.beachcleanup.org. All the events are staged by the Community Action Team. Duthie Power Systems provides refreshments and Spider Energy donates energy drinks. Bags, gloves and free parking are provided.
There is no diagnostic test for anaphylaxis or urticaria. However there is a relationship between a liver enzyme called Alanine Transferase (ALT) and insect envenomation. In many cases, when this enzyme is elevated after an insect sting, prognosis goes down for the dog and more aggressive treatment is needed. Your veterinarian may want to check this enzyme if an insect sting is suspected. Treatment in mild cases can include oral diphenhydramine (Benadryl) however, call your veterinarian for proper dosing. Treatment for a moderate reac-
tion involves a trip to the hospital for evaluation and will usually include injections of cortisone and other medicine. Treatment for a severe reaction is critical and your pet should be taken to a hospital as soon as possible. Minutes count. Severe reaction treatments may include intravenous medication, such as epinephrine and fluids, as well as oxygen and other life supporting procedures. Note: Giving oral antihistamines, like Benadryl, in an acute,
severe reaction is usually ineffective and can be dangerous. These animals need to be transported to a veterinarian immediately. There is no way to prevent or predict these allergic reactions, so it is important to have a plan and be prepared. Put your veterinarian’s phone number on your cell phone, as well as the after-hours emergency clinic that your veterinarian recommends when they are closed. Dr. Greg Perrault owns Cats & Dogs Animal Hospital in Long Beach.
PAGE 18A | GRUNION GAZETTE | May 17, 2012
Merced’s Worth Finding On Broadway BY LARRY HILL RESTAURANT WRITER
Merced’s Restaurant, 1064 E. Broadway, 951-5755. • Hours: Merced’s is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. • Location: Merced’s is located near the corner of Cerritos and Broadway. Parking can be tough, but it is decidedly worth any aggravation, and there are some green curbs now for pickups. • Food/Drinks: Tacos include carne asada, carnitas, chicken, lengua, shrimp and fish. There are tortas and burritos with similar choices, including what some say is the best vegetarian mix in town. Nachos, sopes, tostadas, carne asada fries and
tamales round out the a la cart menu. Combination plates include asada, carnitas, fish, shrimp and carne asada, the triple combination with asada, shrimp and chicken. There are fajitas as well. For the gringos, there are choices like Philly cheese steak, ham and cheese, burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches. Breakfast is served all day with choices including Huevos Rancheros, machaca, omelets and breakfast burritos. • Atmosphere: Booths line a wall displaying a mural of downtown Long Beach. The dining room is small but funky and fun. • The Taste: Jennifer and I stopped early in the week for dinner. We were feeling a little at odds (end of terms and essays) and made some rather eclectic choices. Jennifer opted for a carne asada taco and a Jalapeno and cheese tamale. I chose a pair of shrimp tacos and a carnitas sope. We got a bucket of beans and a bucket of rice (you know to have some now and some later). The shrimp tacos were stuffed with grilled medium shrimp and topped with cabbage and lime cream sauce. The tacos aren’t huge, but they are inexpensive. Order a pair and you’ll be happy. I’ve also been on a sope kick lately. Something about that fried masa cake makes me hungry. Merced’s sope appears to be hand-formed with irregular surfaces to hold a surprise or two. Mine was topped with handcarved slices of roasted pork that was magnificent. The pork had some caramelization on a few pieces and a deep flavor of classic carnitas spices and citrus. Al-
most gilding the lily, the pork was topped with pico, lettuce, a little cheese and sour cream. Spectacular. Jennifer started with a single carne asada taco that was chock full of grilled asada. She topped hers with some of Merced’s smoky hot salsa. The salsas are blended and not chunky. The hot salsa looks like enchilada sauce, but be careful. And it is very addicting if you like spicy food. Jennifer would have ordered another taco just to ladle on the salsa, but she had a tamale sitting on her plate. Jennifer is fussy about her tamales; she will drive miles to get some if she picks up a rumor that they are good. She started in on her tamale and after a few minutes she said it was great. She felt that it was made onsite and very tasty, stuffed with spicy jalapenos and cheese. Ah, but what of the rice and beans. Well, they are fantastic, that’s why we got a bucket of each. The beans are proper, full of flavor, and topped with a dollop of melted cheese. The rice is the best in Long Beach. Peppers in Arcadia makes the best rice in California. Merced’s is a close second. I think it’s a hint of caraway seed, but no one will say. No matter, the rice alone is worth looking for parking. Everything else is a bonus. Merced’s is one of those hidden gems that people drive by, walk by, or ride by every day and never see, let alone wonder if it’s good. That’s too bad because they’re missing some great nosh at bargain prices. Super bueno! • Price: Breakfast, lunch, or dinner for two is $12 to $18.
May 17, 2012 | GRUNION GAZETTE | PAGE 19A
LESBIAN & GAY PRIDE
Parade Marches With Pride Through Long Beach BY JONATHAN VAN DYKE STAFF WRITER
There’s a fence around Long Beach’s Lesbian and Gay Pride Festival, but Sunday’s parade has no such limitation, and the LGBT community deliberately celebrates with the entire city. About 150 entries are expected for the parade, which will run along Ocean Boulevard from Redondo Avenue to Alamitos Avenue, where it disperses to the festival along Shoreline Drive. The main parade “hotspot” will be in front of Bixby Park near the intersection of Ocean Boulevard and Cherry Avenue. “We try to keep our parade more family-oriented,” said Pat Crosby, Pride co-president. “We try to have the least amount of nudity that we can. I think it is just a hometown parade and people have a lot of fun at. You get very proud of your community when you see just about every City Council member in the parade, and even officials from all over the state.” Josh Flagg and his boyfriend, Colton Thorn, will be the parade’s grand marshals. They appear on Bravo’s “Million Dollar Listing” television show. Crosby said to expect marchers and floats from all over the place and from all types of entities. There will be nonprofit agencies, LGBT-friendly businesses, bar establishments and a couple of bands. Organizers said some of the favorites in the past have been the West Hollywood Cheerleaders and the motorcycle troupe of Dykes on Bikes. “Dykes on Bikes will have hundreds of men and women,” said Justin Rudd, who will be one of the three commentators in front of Bixby Park. “They have all kinds of outfits, or lack thereof. “I think the thing is, with us in between Orange County and Los Angeles, we get everybody. It’s so easy to get here from the whole metropolitan area. It’s very pleasant with a gentle ocean breeze and the likelihood is that you’ll get a great sunny day.” The key to the parade is the acceptance of its participants — who can be gay or straight, organizers said. “Everyone in the parade is just there to enjoy the celebration,” Rudd said. “I like that it is super inclusive. You can be and wear
pretty much just what you want. It’s a very welcoming parade route pretty much throughout.” The parade is supposed to step off at 10:30 a.m., Sunday, May
20, and it is expected to finish between 1 and 2 p.m. Festivities will start a little earlier, at 9:30 a.m., in front of Bixby Park with DJ Zenway playing music and giving
away prizes. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will perform in front of Bixby Park at 9:45 a.m. and at 10 a.m. there will be a pep rally with Cheer LA.
Rudd, Sunshine Daye and John Edmond will announce the parade for Charter Communications. For more information, visit www.longbeachpride.com.
PAGE 20A | GRUNION GAZETTE | May 17, 2012
LESBIAN & GAY PRIDE
Kickoff Party Covers Village In Pink BY JONATHAN VAN DYKE STAFF WRITER
The Pink Party will serve as a welcome to Pride weekend Friday for a fifth straight year in downtown Long Beach. In its first year, the party was started as a smaller and more private function, said First District Councilman Robert Garcia — who was one of a small group of five to found the event. The relative success of the first year led to a partnership with the Downtown Long Beach Associates ever since, organizers said. “We’ve tried to take it a step further and make it a very public
event,” said Kraig Kojian, DLBA president and CEO. “There is a great redeeming quality to it with the donations to The Center Long Beach and it serves as a great kickoff to the weekend.” The Pink Party is an official event sanctioned by Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride. This year, it will be shifting its location to the East Village Arts District — specifically near the intersection of First Street and Linden Avenue. “We wanted to see how the event would work in different areas of downtown, and the (business) association and neighbor-
hood has been very supportive,” Kojian said. “This is a festive event, celebrating the cultural diversity of the city. It’s also a good way to promote the various venues and establishments in the area in hopes that those who come for some fun might also venture out and notice some of these businesses and patronize them later in the weekend.” Garcia said that beyond helping showcase downtown, the Pink Party also was great because of its philanthropic element. A portion of the proceeds will go to The Center — specifically the organization’s Mentoring Youth
Through Empowerment Program. “It’s a very important program,” he said. “We hear so much about what is going on with bullying and things like that at school. It is there to help provide free support and counseling.” The Pink Party will take place from 7 to 11 p.m. on Friday. There will be a $10 admission. As the name may imply — but it is not required — many people will be dressed head to toe in pink for the event, organizers said. There will be a special Big Pink Hair and Nail stations to help people accessorize. “We have a great lineup throughout the night,” said Gina Dartt, DLBA marketing and special events manager. “This it the
first year we are welcoming a DJ, Barry Weaver, who will be spinning all night.” Jewels Long Beach will host the Long Beach Drag Diva Show featuring Delta Work and Sonique, each from RuPaul’s Drag Race. Also this year, there will be two full outdoor bars hosted by Hamburger Mary’s and Bliss 525. “There’s dancing, craft stations, vendor booths, art stations, food and a few shops will have booths in the street as well,” Dartt said. “There will be tons of pink lighting and decorations. We’ll really be transforming the street into one big fun party.” For more information, visit www.downtownlongbeach.org.
Businesses Wave Flag For Pride Weekend BY ASHLEIGH OLDLAND EDITOR
Some businesses in Long Beach show their Pride yearround, and that commitment to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community comes back tenfold during Long Beach Pride weekend.
“It’s chaotic and crazy and fun — a nonstop party the whole weekend,” Michael Barber, owner of The Falcon and Paradise Piano Bar & Restaurant, said about how the two venues are impacted during Pride weekend. He has owned The Falcon since 1996 and Paradise since 2004, and both
venues are located on Broadway. Barber estimates that business at The Falcon and Paradise, which cater to the LGBT community and welcome all customers, doubles during Pride weekend. And, he said the crowd during Pride weekend, like any weekend, isn’t all homosexuals. “I hate the term ‘gay bar,’” he said. “Most of our crowd is gay, I’m a gay man myself, but it is a mixed bar and we have an atmosphere where everyone is welcome. We get area residents, people coming from Orange County and Los Angeles — this is a popular place to come because it’s a lot of fun.” Hamburger Mary’s, located downtown at 740 E. Broadway, is part of a franchise that got its start in San Francisco in 1972. The business is “a staple in the gay and lesbian community,” according to the business’s website, and offers restaurant fare as well (Continued on Page 21A)
May 17, 2012 | GRUNION GAZETTE | PAGE 21A
LESBIAN & GAY PRIDE
Hate Crimes Down In Long Beach, But Still Concern BY HARRY SALTZGAVER EXECUTIVE EDITOR
It has been 14 years since Long Beach formally adopted a Human Dignity policy. For at least that long, there has been a hate crime response team, ready to go out to help victims with a variety of services. There’s still a need for the team, members say, but that need appears to be decreasing. According to Long Beach Police Sgt. David Schillig, who heads up the violent crimes detail, no hate crimes have been reported so far in 2012. “I think it’s a testament to the community,” Schillig said. “As long as it isn’t threatening the fabric of society, people are being tolerant of others’ activities and beliefs.” In 2011, there were six hate crimes reported — three involving religion and three about sexual orientation. All of the religious hate crimes and one of the sexual orientation crimes involved graffiti. The two sexual orientation assaults both resulted in arrests
Businesses (Continued from Page 20A)
as entertainment such as karaoke nights and drag shows. Owner Dale Warner, who reopened the business four years ago after it had been closed, also owns a Hamburger Mary’s in West Hollywood. During Pride weekend, Long Beach’s Hamburger Mary’s hosts a block party in its parking lot. And although its location is more removed from Pride festivities, Club Ripples in Belmont Shore is another popular business during Pride weekend, said co-owners John Garcia and Larry Hebert, a couple who have run the business since 1972. “It is 10 times as busy during Pride — we do in one weekend what we sometimes do in a whole month,” Garcia said, adding that Club Ripples offers a shuttle service to and from Pride events happening downtown so that customers can travel free from Pride to Ripples and back.
and convictions, Schillig said. The first assault occurred in July 2011, when a teen-aged boy was accosted on Broadway, asked whether he was gay, then was punched in the mouth. The suspect was apprehended, convicted and sentenced to five years in prison, Schillig said. The second case, on Halloween last year, hit the news and galvanized the community. Two men were approached after they had left The Center on Fourth Street by two other men, who harassed, chased and eventually beat them. Both men were arrested and later pled guilty to assault, with a hate crime special circumstance. The incident galvanized the gay community, prompting vigils and a community meeting where Vice Mayor and Second District Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal promised renewed vigilance and awareness. That was a continuation of efforts begun long before. In the last 20 years, there have been Broadway Citizen Patrols, semiThe annual event is a chance for Ripples, and other businesses that target the GLBT community, to show their Pride, Garcia said. (Continued on Page 22A)
nars, workshops and more. The California Conference for Equality and Justice (CCEJ), previously the NCCJ, long has been a leader in that effort. “The CCEJ continues to respond to any hate crime,” said René Castro, CCEJ’s vice president of programs. “Any time we get a call, we just drop everything and go. “A hate crime is criminal activity motivated against protected categories. But every incident is different, and the law is a little fuzzy. We just respond to everything.” CCEJ still responds to two to three incidents a month involving discrimination against gays, Castro said. He added that he is attempting to revitalize the Hate Crime Response Team formed in the late 1990s. The city still maintains the office of Human Dignity, but has been forced to reduce the resources being spent on the effort in recent years. The office began in the city manager’s department
with its own budget, but has since moved to the Neighborhood Services Bureau. “The office still exists, and she’s still full time on human dignity,” said Angela Reynolds, deputy director of Development Services for the city. “She (Teresa Gomez) administers our GRIP gang prevention grants, responds to hate crime calls … and is working on our violence prevention policy. “I don’t know how much was saved when it moved (from the city manager’s office), but she used to be paid from the general fund and now it comes from the Cal Grip grant and the CDBG
(Community Development Block Grant) money.” Castro said he’s interested in getting the community more involved in the program. “What we’re proposing is a coalition of organizations to sustain the human dignity program,” Castro said. “We haven’t met yet, but we’d be looking at grants and other sources of funding to support the program. We’d include folks like The Center, the human relations community, perhaps some of the ethically-oriented organizations like the United Cambodians, 100 Black Men, etc.” Visit www.cacej.org.
PAGE 22A | GRUNION GAZETTE | May 17, 2012
Businesses (Continued from Page 21A)
Additionally, it’s a chance to attract new crowds and invite people — gay or straight — to have a good time in Long Beach. “I really open my doors to everybody, and Pride is a chance to showcase that,” Garcia said. “This is not just a gay club, straight people come here and enjoy themselves and a lot of neighbors are regulars. Girls come in here because they know they are not going to have problems (get hit on). It is a melting pot.”
LESBIAN & GAY PRIDE
City Outlets Help Counsel LGBT Youngsters BY STEPHANIE MINASIAN STAFF WRITER
For those who identify as Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Questioning youth, a solid foundation of support and love can make a huge impact on their lives. There are several resources in schools and the community that are reaching out to help. At The Center Long Beach, at 2017 E. Fourth St., LGBTQ teens from 13-17 can spend their afterschool hours in an accepting, nurturing place, said Youth Program
Manager Kyle Bullock. “Every day, there is something going on here,” Bullock said. “The Center is dedicated to being there for these youth. We’ve really been doing a lot of outreach in the community to make us more visible.” Through The Center’s Mentoring Youth Through Empowerment (M.Y.T.E.) program, there are activities and events planned during each day of the month for LGBTQ teens and their straightalliance friends to participate in. There are opportunities for teen chats on Tuesdays, voice lessons for those interested in learning how to sing, SAT preparation courses, photography lessons, sports days and even boxing lessons taught by amateur boxing champion Patricia Manuel, who is the first openly lesbian boxer. By providing these types of outlets for LGBTQ youth, Bullock said he’s seen significant changes in the attitudes and behaviors of many of the teens. For those who are experienc-
ing bullying in schools, whether it be slurs or physical intimidation, youth also can participate in The Center’s counseling services, which charge on a sliding scale for whatever they can give, “This program does save lives,” Bullock said. “Even if they can’t give anything, we don’t turn away any youth. This is a place for them to come and feel safe. We have seen youth really turn around their grades and self-esteem because they have found this network.” While the majority of youngsters who come to The Center are in high school, Bullock said he does see middle school students who are beginning to learn more about themselves and their sexual orientation, which can be a very difficult time in their lives. “Some kids come to me and tell me they are bullied, but are very hesitant to do anything about it,” he added. “But there are anonymous forms in the schools they can fill out to have it investigated. The school district also has adopted anti-bullying policies.” According to a 2009 school climate survey by GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network), 89.9% of students heard the word “gay” used in a negative way at school, with 86.5% reporting that they felt distressed by the language. A staggering 61.1%
of students said they felt unsafe while at school because of their sexual orientation. In Long Beach Unified School District schools, counseling staff are trained to assist students’ wide variety of issues, according to LBUSD Spokesman Chris Eftychiou. “As appropriate, our counselors refer students to community mental health agencies and The Center for students who need therapeutic support,” Eftychiou said, adding that many Long Beach high schools have established gay/straight alliance clubs on campus. “Gay/straight alliance clubs provide extra support for teens,” he continued. “The school district, through various school board policies, also takes a firm stand against harassment or bullying of students for any reason. We want all students to feel comfortable, safe and respected at school so that they can focus on learning and reaching their full potential.” This Friday, The Center is inviting youngsters to take part in the Youth Pride Parade, hosted from 4 to 9 p.m. at the Pride Festival grounds in the family fun zone. For additional information, call 434-4455 or visit www.centerlb. org.
May 17, 2012 | GRUNION GAZETTE | PAGE 23A
LESBIAN & GAY PRIDE
Pride Stage Schedules Show Diversity Main Stage Saturday MCs - Ongina and Carlease 1 p.m. - Transgiadivas panel Discussion 2 p.m. - Unity Fellowship of Christ Church 2:30 p.m. - Omar Perez 3 p.m. - Catrina Jones 3:30 p.m. - The David’s 4 p.m. - Robert Lopez, Jeff Dewitt 4:30 p.m. - Refiner’s Fire Fellowship Praise Team 5 p.m. - Amaridis Quintana, Tina Carson 6 p.m. - The LBians 6:45 p.m. - Adaawe 8 p.m. - Abraham McDonald 8:30 p.m. - Queen Latifah Sunday MCs - Julian Miranda, Carlease 1 p.m. - The David’s 1:30 p.m. - Transgiadivas Fashion Show 2 p.m. - Namaste Church Choir 2:30 p.m. - Robert Lopez, Jeff Dewitt 3 p.m. - Faith Rivera 3:30 p.m. - Refiner’s Fire Fellowship Praise Team 4 p.m. - Amaridis Quintana, Tina Carson 4:30 p.m. - SCC 5 p.m. - Catrina Jones 5:30 p.m. - Omar Perez 6 p.m. - Jeanie Tracy 6:40 p.m. - Blackbox 8 p.m. - Shannon 8:30 p.m. - Evelyn Champagne King 9 p.m. - Village People Country Stage Saturday 1 p.m. - Dudley Saunders 1:30 p.m. - Kicker’s Cloggers 2 p.m. - Tamara Marks 2:30 p.m. - Twisted Movement 3 p.m. - Landon Cider
Pride’s Annual Run/Walk Saturday The 20th annual Long Beach Pride 5K/10K Run/Walk begins at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 19, on the beach at Junipero Avenue. Entry fee is $30 and registration is available online at www. lbpriderun.com. On-site registration and bib pickup begins at 7 a.m. on race day. Money raised goes to support Long Beach and Orange County LGBT youth, education and health organizations. This year’s
run benefits the CARE Program at St. Mary Medical Center, the Center Long Beach, the AIDS Food Store of Long Beach, the California State University, Long Beach, LGBT Resource Center, the Center Orange County and the Cypress College LGBIT Support Club. The race is being staged by Shoreline Runners of Long Beach. The website is www. shorelinefrontrunners.org.
Dive With PRIDE! Gift Certificates Available
—Gazette file photo
KING OF POP? A Michael Jackson impersonator performs on the main stage at last year’s Pride Festival.
3:30 p.m. - Sisterzz Twisted DJs and Emcees 10 a.m.-5 p.m. - DJ Renee 5-10 p.m. - DJ Rosa 1-4 p.m. - MC - Victoria London Sunday 1 p.m. - Dudley Saunders 1:30 p.m. - Kicker’s Cloggers 2 p.m. - Sisterzz Twisted 2:30 p.m. - Tamara Marks 3 p.m. - Twisted Movement 3:30 p.m. - Landon Cider DJs and Emcees 10 a.m.-5 p.m. - DJ Renee 5-10 p.m. - DJ Rosa 1-4 p.m. - MC Victoria London Dance Stage Saturday Dancers - Jonathan and Shaina Noon - DJ Draper 3 p.m. - DJ Groove Section 6 p.m. - Claudette Sexy DJ 8 p.m. - Perry Twins
Sunday Dancers - Derek and Shaina Noon - DJ Boom 3 p.m. - DJ Justin Ryan 6 p.m. - DJ Pegasus 8 p.m. - DJ Alan Bentley Urban Soul Stage Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. - DJs 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. - JiJi Sweet 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. - JFP & CNOTE 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. - DJ ABC Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. - DJs 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. - Espionage Crew 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. - Drew Mason 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. - The Push Party
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PAGE 24A | GRUNION GAZETTE | May 17, 2012
May 17, 2012 | GRUNION GAZETTE | PAGE 25A
Alexander Named Top CSU President BY STEPHANIE MINASIAN STAFF WRITER
California State University, Long Beach, President F. King Alexander has been recognized for the second time in three years as the Robert C. Maxson President of the Year, awarded by the California State Student Association (CSSA). The official announcement was made last Wednesday (May 9) by the CSSA at the CSU Board of Trustees meeting at the CSU Chancellor’s office, in downtown Long Beach. Every year, CSSA hands out the award to one CSU president based on his or her leadership and dedication to the organization’s mission of protecting and serving the interests of the university system’s 425,000 students. CSSA was founded in 1959 and is recognized as a statewide student organization. This annual award is given to a president who assists CSSA in advocating for its statewide policy agenda. “I am both honored and humbled to receive this award from the CSU system’s student leader-
ship,” Alexander said in a statement. “I can’t imagine receiving any greater honor than to be recognized by all CSU students. The California State Student Association has worked with me on many very important state and federal issues over the past year, and it has made a difference for our students. I look forward to continue working with them as we tackle other important higher education issues both here and in Washington, D.C.” A representative at Sonoma State University nominated Alexander for the award, according to officials, and he was chosen from 10 other nominees. “President Alexander is a popular university president, evidenced by the support he garners among all stakeholders of the CSULB campus community,” said CSSA Executive Director Miles Nevin. “But popularity is not what informed CSSA’s decision to recognize him this year. The recognition comes after several years of President Alexander supporting CSSA’s efforts to par-
Renaissance Presents Film Festival The first film festival featuring works by students from the Long Beach Unified School Districts begins at 7 p.m. this Saturday, May 19, in the auditorium at the Renaissance High School for the Arts, 235 Eighth St. All the money raised will be donated to the Long Beach Education Foundation to help preserve the Renaissance High Video Production Program. Some of the films scheduled to be shown are “Haunted Home-
room,” “High School Relationships,” “Wheeled Justice,” “Stolen Curse” and “Get Over It.” Doors open at 6 p.m. Pre-film activities include live music from student and faculty rock bands, henna tattoo booths and opportunity drawings. Tickets are available at the door for $10 for adults and $8 for students. Discounted tickets may be purchased in advance at www. rhsaparts.org/rhsa-film-festival. html. —Kurt A. Eichsteadt
ticipate in federal advocacy. “From removing big banks from profiting off student loan defaults, to protecting the Pell grant program, CSSA has worked closely with President Alexander to effectively communicate with our Congress people and Department of Education leaders,” he continued. “At a time when local legislators are ignoring the needs of public college students, it is crucial that CSU students maintain a strong presence in Washington, DC. President Alexander has been pivotal in assisting us in maintaining such a presence.” Alexander became CSULB’s sixth president in 2005, after serving as the president of Murray State University in Kentucky from 2001 to 2005. He also has worked on and completed extensive research on university revenue patterns, and has advocated to improve federal higher education policy, officials added.
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Try Not To Squander Opportunity It’s final exam week on campus. There is palpable stress in the air as serious students cram for tests and slackers realize that D-Day draws nigh, as in “Holy #*&% I’m getting a D.” Or lower. It’s also silly season of a sort. Faculty, bleary-eyed and feeling numb in the frontal cortex from reading semester projects and bluebooks by the pound, offer up absurd nuggets sometimes found in those papers for the amusement of their colleagues. Things I learned last week: Monica Lewinsky was Attorney General of Florida during the Bush-Kerry election, and Isaac Newton invented gravity. We laugh, but there is also an understanding that each of those blunders represents a miscommunication, a lack of basic skills, or any number of other problems that all signify lost opportunities. My own contribution to the exchange of “What was — or wasn’t — this student thinking?” bon mots gets more winces than laughs. On the cover sheet of the student’s paper, I wrote, “F/Plagiarized. See me.” The assigned topic was the Alfred Dreyfus case that rocked France at the end of the 19th Century. After a sloppily
2nd St.
Westminster
N
ON THE WATER!
written opening, the paper’s narrative suddenly became an erudite discussion of Vincent Foster’s suicide. You remember Vincent Foster, Bill Clinton’s Deputy White House Counsel who killed himself. In 1993, roughly a century after l’Affaire Dreyfus. A weird non sequitur? Feeling suspicious and curious, I typed a pithy sentence from the paper into Google and up popped the article from which the student had lifted the body of her paper, “America’s Dreyfus Affair: The Case of the Death of Vincent Foster,” by David Martin. My student made no effort to link Dreyfus and Foster. She blithely lifted a page or two from the Martin article and dropped it like a bomb into her assignment. So, I asked her when she came to see me, had she bothered to read the article before she copied it into her paper. No, she hadn’t. I could go on here about the academic sin of plagiarism in the information age, but to me the
sad part of the story is, the student tossed aside an opportunity to develop critical thinking and writing skills, depriving herself of something valuable. While texting and telephone use are verboten in my classes, I allow students to use laptops to take class notes. While pretending to take notes, I know that this student instead is using her time to fly off through the ether. She is capable, but she is underperforming because she keeps herself so distracted. It breaks my heart. Let us not only pick on the kids for squandering opportunities. My peers, old fogies who should know better, seem as chained to their electronics while the world passes them by. And they are as annoying in their public use. The ultimate offense, IMHO, occurred a couple of weeks ago at the Symphony, of all places. The woman in front of us compulsively texted all evening, her telephone’s screen flashing and flickering in the eyes of everyone around her, much to their annoyance. I tapped her on the shoulder and asked her to please put her phone away. She put the thing into her purse, but, hands in purse, kept at it, throwing away an opportunity to enjoy a wonderful performance. Isn’t the music the reason we were all there? If this rant has a point, it is that people who are tied to their gadgets miss so much. For goodness sake, look up.
May 17, 2012 | GRUNION GAZETTE | PAGE 27A
UAM Offers Vibrance, Whimsy In “Insights 2012” BY JULIAN BERMUDEZ ARTS WRITER
It’s not often that an entire art show singlehandedly brings a smile to this writer’s face. On the rare occasion when one does, it’s usually due to the fact that said exhibit is the result of highly imaginative curatorial research and/or an artist’s decadeslong oeuvre. So, you can imagine the surprise — and sheer delight — upon experiencing the visually vibrant and whimsically narrated exhibit that is “Insights 2012.” On display through May 27 at the University Art Museum (UAM) at California State University, Long Beach, the exhibit presents works by both graduate and undergraduate students from the university’s Department of Art. Ceramics, drawings, fiber arts, graphic designs, illustrations and animation, mixed-media, paint-
ings, photography, printmaking and sculptures are brought together under one (very large) roof to celebrate the creativity and ingenuity of this year’s graduating class. Although organized by the Department of Art’s faculty and distinguished alumni, this year’s annual student exhibit received the Midas touch by the UAM’s newly-appointed curator of exhibitions, Kristina Newhouse. “Kristina is an ambitious curator who (brings) exciting new energy to the staff at UAM,” stated UAM director Chris Scoates in a press release. Newhouse’s impact throughout this exhibit can be summed up in one word: enchanting. “Insights 2012” is a veritable fairytale where each work of art can be as spellbinding as any magic potion. And, what Newhouse does so effectively is give each artwork its moment, while collectively
Turtle, Tortoise Expo Crawls To El Dorado Turtles and tortoises from around the world will be featured at the Turtle and Tortoise Expo from11 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Sunday, May 20, at the El Dorado Community Center, 2800 N. Studebaker Rd. There will be care and adop-
tion information available from experts in the field as well as some turtle face painting, turtle tattoos and turtle origami. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted. For more information, visit www.tortoise.org/ttcs.
creating a cohesive narrative. Many of the artists in this show can be seen breaking new ground — as is the case with Meesan Pae Yang’s “Untitled, 2012” featuring an organic, squid-like creature made up of vinyl tubing, connectors and ink — however, there are a few whose works exhibit a reductive quality, derivative of their artistic forebears. Nevertheless, the totality of the show encapsulates an air of adventure, as well as a shift from conceptualism towards surreal representation. Many of the works presented anthropomorphized creatures placed in dreamlike settings. Highlights from “Insights 2012” — not appearing in any order of preference — include Hiromi Iyoda’s “Music Box” featuring magical animals; Troy Aiken’s “Untitled 1” displaying two larger than life mixed-media sculptures covered in tar; Hannah Song’s beautifully rendered oth-
erworldly illustration, “Untitled;” and Aaron Giesel’s silver gelatin prints “Mirror/Moon/Mirror.” Other key artworks include Yevgenia Mikhailik’s watercolor, ink and color pencil of “The Monk;” Mike Schmidt’s “Lineage” paintings; and Michael Nannery’s “Real Love” lithograph. Two stand-out pieces couldn’t be any further apart in style and technique: Atsumi Okano’s largescale oil painting titled “Black Cherry Blossoms” features a deliciously dark color palette beck-
oning viewers to taste its fruits while Erynn Richardson’s “Pelt, State One” immobilizes visitors with its ethereal, gossamer-like etching of beeswax and handsewing on paper. UAM hours are noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and to 8 p.m. Thursday. Admission is $4; free for UAM members. For information call 985-5761 or visit www.csulb.edu/uam.
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May 17, 2012 | GRUNION GAZETTE | PAGE 29A
Shore Sidewalk Sale The Belmont Shore Business Association is encouraging area residents to shop local this weekend at the Belmont Shore Spring Sidewalk Sale from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 18-20. Participating businesses along Second Street in Belmont Shore will be offering discount merchandise and other specials on the sidewalk and inside stores throughout the event. For more details, visit www. BelmontShore.org or call 4343066. Retro Sidewalk Sale The semi-annual Spring Sidewalk Sale on Fourth Street’s Retro Row is a one-day event offering bargains on retail, art, entertainment, food and drink between Cherry and Junipero avenues. More than 40 businesses are expected to participate and offer discounts from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 19. The event is designed to coincide with Long Beach Pride, which also is taking place this weekend, and The Center Long Beach will be participating in the Sidewalk Sale. “The entire city is alive with energy and excitement during Long Beach Pride weekend,” Porter Gilberg, administrative director at The Center Long Beach, said in a release. “The Center’s storefront has been on Retro Row since 1986 and we are so excited for the Sidewalk Sale.” For more details about the Fourth Street Sidewalk Sale, visit www.4thstreetlongbeach.com.
FLO Relocates FLO Design Studio is a boutique, hospitality design firm and luxury lifestyle consultancy with an emphasis on restaurants, spas, boutique hotels and residences. The company, owned by Long Beach residents Megan Tagliaferri and Jeff Tagliaferri, has relocated into an office space above La Bella Clothing at 5280 E. Second St. The business was founded in 2005 and formerly was located at 6212 E. PCH. “We are expanding and adding new projects to our portfolio all of the time,” Jeff Tagliaferri said in a release. “We had outgrown our three-person home office.” For more information about FLO Design Studio, visit www. flodesignstudio.com. Facelift Open House Dr. Marcel Daniels, of Image Plastic Surgery and Image MD Medspa, is hosting an open house on from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday (today), May 17, to showcase Ultherapy. Ultherapy uses ultrasound and the body’s own natural healing process to lift, tone and tighten loose skin on the face, according to Daniels. Attendees can enter to win a free Ultherapy brow lift, worth $1,500 as well as other anti-aging prizes. The Medspa is located at the Community Hospital of Long Beach, 1720 Termino Ave. For more information about Ultherapy or to RSVP for the open house, call 597-4575 or go to www.imagemdmedspa.com.
Rogers Students Learn About Jobs Students at Rogers Middle School will take part in a career day starting at 9 a.m. today, Thursday, at Rogers, 365 Monrovia St. Sixty guest speakers have been invited to talk to students in grades six through eight. Information will be available in fields
including health, law enforcement, game design, journalism and more and more. Some of the businesses represented include Dr. Pepper/Snapple, Coldwell Banker Commercial, Boeing, KJAZZ Radio and the Marilyn McDowell Studio of Dance.
Vets All Aboard The Queen Mary is inviting military veterans and their immediate families to come aboard on Armed Forces Day (May 19) through Memorial Day. Veterans with military identification can receive a complimentary First Class Passport, which includes a choice of a World War II Tour or a Behind The Scenes
Tour, access to the Russian submarine, and Ghosts & Legends. Accompanying family and friends will receive discounted admission through Memorial Day. “The Queen Mary transported thousands of Allied troops during World War II. It is fitting that we host active and retired military personnel of today,” Andrew Mason, attractions manager, said in
a release. “During the war, she was called the ‘Gray Ghost’ because of a camouflaged gray exterior. Restored to her glory after the war, the Queen Mary of today offers visitors a journey back in time as an authentic and unique Long Beach hotel and attraction.” For more information or tickets, visit www.queenmary.com or call (800) 437-2934.
PAGE 30A | GRUNION GAZETTE | May 17, 2012
Studio Theatre Bares All With “The Little Dog Laughed” Even before you climb the steps to the Studio Theatre, signs are posted throughout the Long Beach Playhouse that read: “Mature content warning. ‘The Little
Dog Laughed’ contains nudity and sexual content.” There’s no doubt about it, Douglas Carter Beane has written an adult play for mature audi-
ences who are open to the societal pressures and sexual mores of contemporary life. Now that that’s out of the way, let me add a precaution: If you are
offended by two men kissing or male, full-frontal nudity, please join “the dish” and “run away with the spoon.” On the other hand, if you can handle an awardwinning satire about homosexuality and hypocrisy in Hollywood, I highly recommend this production. Written in 2006, “The Little Dog Laughed” received glowing reviews when it played OffBroadway; critics also loved it last year when it appeared in Los Angeles at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Now it’s on stage in Long Beach making waves in the Studio Theatre. In essence, Beane’s story revolves around three characters who are conflicted about who they are and what they want, and the single-minded agent (a TypeA, workaholic personality), who cleverly molds them to do her bidding. Jack Mills knows this territory well, as his cast attests when it breaks the fourth wall and talks directly to the audience. Under Mills’s fast-paced direction, Diane (Lori Kelley is sizzling dynamite!) works rings around Mitchell (Matt Landig), her indecisive, sexually confused client who wants to be a big movie star. Mitchell denies that he’s gay, even though he’s attracted to Alex (Alexander Shewchuk), the sweet, street-smart hustler who makes his way through life by being a “rent boy.” Alex too denies he’s homosexual because he has a long-time girl friend named Ellen. And surprise, surprise! Ellen (Christina Aimerito) supports herself by being a party girl (read prostitute) with rich, older clients. Diane is one smart hussy. She sees right through all the hypocritical denials, and she’ll have none of it. Hollywood would never tolerate a gay leading man. In fact, the film industry was intolerant of gay material until “Broke-
back Mountain.” So some how, some way, Diane had to break two handsome people apart — even though they both deny they are together. But first she has to get an awardwinning play and adapt it for the screen. Both things are necessary for her to become a big-shot Hollywood producer. Then wouldn’t you know it, “a few flies” appear in Diane’s ointment. Mitchell falls in love with Alex and finally admits his sexual preference; Ellen becomes pregnant and needs money for an abortion; and the balky playwright of Diane’s project detests her adaptation and threatens to sue her. It would be irresponsible to reveal how Diane’s clever mind solves so many problems. Let’s simply say that her solution is so outrageous, it’s downright brilliant. But take a hint. The dialogue is loaded with fast intellectual wit and double entendres; so you have to pay close attention or you’ll miss the deception, denial and blatant hypocrisy that is bandied about. “The Little Dog Laughed’ continues in the Long Beach Playhouse Studio Theatre, 5021 E. Anaheim St. Performances take place at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2 on Sunday through May 26. For ticket information, call 494-1014 or visit www.lbplayhouse.org.
May 17, 2012 | GRUNION GAZETTE | PAGE 31A
POPS! Showcases Garland Classics They don’t make ‘em like they used to. Singers, or songs. The late Judy Garland was a unique icon, and the popular songs of today pale in comparison, says the curmudgeonly critic, to the Great American Songbook as embodied in the works of Gershwin, Berlin and Arlen. Saturday night’s Long Beach Symphony POPS! Concert, a 50th anniversary tribute to Garland’s legendary 1961 Carnegie Hall with Karen Mason as guest artist, was a triumph. The musty old Long Beach Arena is no Carnegie Hall, but the show worked, thanks to those songs, Mason’s gifts, a crafty pro on the podium named Michael Berkowitz and some stellar arrangements. The POPS! Orchestra has never sounded better. That’s in part because the much-maligned (by me) amplification system has shaken off its past woes. Partly because the ranks on this occasion included stars such as Rusty Higgins on sax, Chris Eble on trumpet and Alan Kaplan on trombone. And partly because of those great arrangements, credited to folks like Nelson Riddle and Mort Lindsey (Garland’s musical director, who passed away recently and to whom the concert was dedicated). Mason is no Garland — who is? — but she is no slouch. A legitimate star of the Broadway stage, the statuesque blonde has some of Garland’s naturally engaging quality, and she can belt out a lyric. Garland’s “The Man That Got Away” could tear your heart out, but Mason’s was affecting in its own way. Michael Berkowitz, who has
been around the block more than a few times, contributed a solid podium presence and a command of the Broadway style. For once, the energy and interest didn’t lag in the purely instrumental numbers. He exhibited a nice sense of humor, in speech and song (the duet “A Couple of Swells” with Mason), and even handled the annual car drawing effortlessly. By the way, I didn’t win. There were highlights. The opening “When You’re Smiling” assured us from the outset that we were in good hands. “Any Place I Hang My Hat is Home” was particularly well done, and there was
the aforementioned “The Man That Got Away.” A Garland tribute to her vaudeville predecessors Nora Bayes, Sophie Tucker, Fanny Brice, etc. was moving, and there was plenty of razzle dazzle in “Get Happy.” The evening ended, of course, with “Over the Rainbow.” This was a thoroughly enjoyable POPS! Concert, one of the best I can remember. One final thought: this Berkowitz is the principal pops conductor in Santa Rosa. Our POPS! series could use a regular conductor, given the recent loss of Steven Reineke. Just saying.
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Wilson Dance Department Showcases Talent The Wilson High Dance Department presents at two performances of a Dance Concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 24, and Friday, May 25, at Wilson, 4400 E. 10th St.
Routines from all dance levels and styles will be performed including jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, tap, modern, contemporary and ballet. The concert features numbers by professional guest choreogra-
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phers as well as student pieces. Tickets are $8 and $12 and are available at the door. This is the last concert of the year for the dance department, which has grown to about 1,000 dancers.
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Residents of Long Beach help people all year through a variety of activities. Listed below are the results of some projects, as well as more opportunities to reach out. The Studio by Bridget has donated almost $2,000 to Precious Lamb Preschool. The money was raised at their workout event on May 6. Four individuals will receive the 2012 Humanitarian Award at the California Conference for Equality and Justice (CCEJ) banquet beginning at 6:30 p.m. tonight (Thursday, May 17), at the Renaissance Long Beach Hotel, 111 E. Ocean Blvd. At the banquet, the CCEJ will honor its recently retired president, Margaux Kohut, for her 25 years of service to the organization and the community. Tickets are $180. Call 435-8184 or send an email to amize@cacej.org. Money from the banquet supports the work of the CCEJ in reducing bias, bigotry and prejudice. The website is www.cacej.org. Bliss 525 hosts Pride Festival fundraiser starting at 7 p.m. tonight at 525 E. Broadway. Tickets are $25 and include free entry to the Pink Party on Friday, free appetizers, giveaway tickets and live music from Jennifer Corday. The money raised goes to the St. Mary Care Program of Long Beach, the LGBT Center and the East Village Association. Stanford Middle School is hosting its annual Electronic Waste and Shred Event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 19, at Stanford Middle School, 5871 E. Los Arcos St. As usual in e-waste drives, no batteries or fluorescent light bulbs. For more information, call 243-2171. Hooters Restaurants will honor the military on Saturday, May 19. Present a valid I.D. and they’ll get a free burger or chicken sandwich. Hooters in Long Beach as at 71 Aquarium Way in the Pike. The annual golf tournament
benefiting the R.O.A.D.S. Foundation tees off at noon on Saturday, May 19, at El Dorado Golf Course, 2400 Studebaker Rd. The foundation was created to support and assistance people with mental illnesses. It’s $125 per person. Call 355-8691. A Texas Hold’em and Bunco tournament will be part of the fun at a Long Beach Basket Brigade Fundrasier starting at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, May 19, at The Grand, 4101 E. Willow St. The evening also includes dinner, auctions and dancing. Tickets start at $40. Visit www.longbeachbasketbrigade.org. The Naples Island Business Association will host a fundraiser/community thank you screening of “The Adventures of Tintin” at dusk on Saturday, May 19, at Mother’s Beach below the second street bridge. Long Beach State the Steel Magnolias are hosting Game Day, a fundraiser at Long Beach State Dirtbags Baseball game against Pacific at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 20 at Blair Field, 4700 Deukmejian Dr. Tickets are $7 and the money goes to Stramski Children’s Development Center at Miller Children’s Hospital. To purchase tickets, go to longbeachstate.com and use the promo code “Stramski.” Points of Light, a fundraiser for New Hope Grief Support Community, runs from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, May 20, at the Museum of Latin American Art, 628 Alamitos Ave. Money raised will be spilt between New Hope, which offers grief support to the pubic free of charge, and the proposed memorial for the victims of the 2011 Seal Beach shooting. Tickets are $50. Visit www.newhopegrief.org. The deadline is here to win a five-bedroom, 4,800-square-foot home in the Dream House Raffle hosted by Special Olympics Southern California. The final deadline is May 18. Call (800) 816-6108, or visit www.sosc.org.
PAGE 34A | GRUNION GAZETTE | May 17, 2012
Congress (Continued from Page 1A)
on the ballot as candidates for the same position. Usha Shah is a EEG tech and medical office supervisor who is running primarily on women’s rights issues. She could not be reached for comment on the race. Another Republican, Steve Foley of Orange County, also could not be reached. The other two candidates both have experience running for public office. Republican Sanford Kahn ran against Glen Anderson twice in the 1980s for a Long Beach Congressional seat. Political science professor Peter Mathews has been running for Congress since the early 1990s, coming within a few points of success twice. Mathews was the last to join the race, filing after a ballot initiative he was spearheading to tax oil production to raise money for higher education failed to get the required signatures in the allotted amount of time. He said that the creation of the new Congressio-
nal district convinced him to give it another shot. “For the first time, the district includes Cypress College, where I’ve taught for 27 years,” Mathews said. “But mostly, I’m doing this because things have not gotten any better over the last decade. We simply have to bring in public funding … reduce the corporate tax rate while closing corporate tax loopholes. That way we can bring in revenue and at the same time create jobs.” Kahn, trained as an engineer and now an author and professional speaker, says he has claimed the other end of the political spectrum, with a campaign touting economic growth through individual businesses. “I would look to a pure flat rate income tax of 15% to 17%,” Kahn said. “I’d allow for a large standard deduction so people in poverty would not be hurt, but a flat rate would give people incentive to work hard and to save… We have to get a handle on the budget deficit, because there’s no way the market is going to continue to finance this debt, espe-
cially at these low rates… We’ve got to start to shrink the economy, because if we don’t do it, the markets will do it for you.” Shah said he is a social medicine activist who advocates small government. He said the budget deficit could be addressed through eliminating waste in government programs and increasing income taxes on those who make more than $250,000. “We have to stop supporting dictators around the world and the U.N.,” Shah said. “We’re giving back to big companies who are already making billions. We have to stop that.” Mathews said he wants to attract foreign capital to help energize the country’s economy, and
Pride Festival (Continued from Page 1A)
“We’re the only Pride anywhere on the ocean,” Crosby said. “The weather is fabulous every time and it’s never hot. I believe our location and the amount of space we have has a lot to do with (the event’s popularity).” Ties to the community also bring many volunteers and organizations into the fold, she said. “We always have had money to do what we want to do and money to give back into the community, which has allowed us to remain consistent,” she said. “It means a lot to the organizations in the city because they get funding through us. We pay all of our volunteers, but we don’t pay them in cash. Instead they can designate money to any nonprofit they want.” The festival will have a number of tents and music areas. There is a Country Stage with Dudley Saunders, Kicker’s Cloggers, Tamara Marks, Twisted Movement, Landon Cider and Sisterzz
raise taxes on people making $1 million or more. He said defense spending should be cut significantly. “We have to look carefully at what we really need for defense,” Mathews said. “What we really need to do is use soft power for defense, like China does. We can provide support and influence countries in that way. People still want to be like the United States, but our foreign policy has always been a weakness.” Kahn said public defense is the number one responsibility of the federal government, and that it was time for Congress to stop telling the military what it needs to defend the country. He said his personal top priority is the Boe-
ing C-17 program as the only military aircraft still being made on the West Coast. All of these candidates said that the fact there is no incumbent in this race combined with the new open primary gives them a chance. Kahn said being a career politician may actually work against the frontrunners, and noted that a quarter of the registered voters in the 47th District register as Independent. “We do think we have a shot at this,” Mathews said. “We’re going door-to-door… It’s the tortoise and hare approach. We’re doing our best to win, and to win for the right reasons.” Next week: Gary DeLong, Steve Kuykendall and Alan Lowenthal.
Twisted. There is a Dance Stage with DJ Draper, DJ Groove Section, Perry Twins, DJ Pegasus, DJ Alan Bentley and others. There is a Fiesta Stage with Andres Cuervo, Angel Garcia, Banda Rebeldes, Diego, Flava and Lucia Mendez. There is an Urban Soul Stage with JFP & CNOTE, DJ ABC, Espionage Crew, Drew Mason and The Push Party. The main stage will be bigger than ever, a move the Pride board pushed for this year, Crosby said. “For $20 you get a whole day of entertainment,” she said. “You get to see Queen Latifah not doing just 20 minutes at a festival, but the whole 90-minute concert — you won’t see that anywhere else. You can stay the whole day to see what we really offer.” Latifah headlines the main stage Saturday night and The Village People will headline the main stage on Sunday. The more than 200 booths will be open each day all day. They will include nonprofit organizations dealing with issues from
health to political. There will be many smaller entrepreneurs selling their wares. There will be many larger, LGBT-friendly businesses also. During the day, there will be a children’s area for families. It will have its own set of shows, games and entertainment. There will be face painting and other activities. The event becomes adult-oriented at 5:30 p.m. No children will be allowed in the event then. Adults pay $20 for admission, seniors 60-and-older get in free. Children younger than 12 receive free admission with an adult during the day. “We have people come from all over the country and out of the country — they make a vacation out of it because of our location,” Crosby said. “People get together and see other people they don’t see every year. For newer people in our community, they can find out about things and resources they didn’t previously know about.”
May 17, 2012 | GRUNION GAZETTE | PAGE 35A
Penguins
Embezzlement
(Continued from Page 1A)
(Continued from Page 1A)
25 to 30 years old. They are already beginning to mate, with one chick already hatched and another two eggs being cared for by the parents. Each female penguin can lay up to two eggs in underground nests each mating season. “We didn’t expect them to start mating so soon, but it must have been love,” Wigdahl said. “The babies, they will live in the habitat as well once they get to their fledgling phase we will introduce them. Right now, you can hear the chick squawking in the back (behind the scenes).” Each of the penguins — who look like identical twins — has a color-coded band attached to their wings so that visitors will be able to tell the birds apart. Many of the penguins were named by aquarium staff and others were named through public contests. The penguins each have unique personalities, and Wigdahl said some of the penguins are very friendly and will be great ambassadors for the aquarium since the penguins are small and easily transportable to special events. Honda is helping power the aquarium’s new exhibit, which is named after June Keyes, wife of the late writer William B. Keyes. Honda donated thin film solar panels to the aquarium, and the 10.5-kilowatt system is the first public demonstration of Honda’s solar panels in the United States. The new habitat also has an underwater viewing space. Additionally, the aquarium also is offering special bird encounter tours where, for a fee, people will be able to feed the penguins and spend time with the aquarium’s collection of puffins and other birds.
Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine director. “They are investigating, and I’m glad they arrested her and are filing charges.” Mutrais worked for the Animal Care Services Bureau for about 10 years. She is accused of embezzling $251,000 during an 11-month period between October 2009 and September 2010. Investigators said that it is estimated that she misappropriated hundreds of thousands of dollars more during her full time with the bureau. During the main period of embezzlement, the bureau was under the control of the Department of Health and Human Services. It was later shifted between 2010 and 2011 to the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine — where it remains today. The theft came to light in August 2010, after the bureau implemented a comprehensive computer system to track its money. Mutrais resigned in August 2010. John Keisler, who is the current Parks, Recreation and Marine business operations bureau manager, took over the animal services as manager in November 2008. “One of the things we did was review past audits and get a handle on the financials of the organization,” he said.
In 2009, he and staff identified and began to implement the information management system called Chameleon. “It does a number of things, including managing dispatch, licensing and the shelter and revenue systems,” Keisler said, noting that every transaction that occurred, whether it be in house or out in the field, began to go through the same system. As the system was implemented, and staff became more comfortable with it in 2010, they began to develop a report that didn’t look right. Keisler said he called in City Auditor Laura Doud and the Long Beach Police Department to begin investigating. Doud’s audit listed her key findings: An inadequate reconciliation process, lack of proper segregation of duties and the need for supervisory review. She targeted the time period between October 2009 and September 2010 — the audit released showed $253,150 of revenue was missing. “This misappropriation of public funds was able to occur because one employee had the ability to perform the reconciliation and deposit the money without any supervisory review, creating a high risk environment for fraud,” she said last week in a statement. “As the city continues with cuts to the budget and the possibility of eliminating staff, this instance heightens the importance of ensuring proper controls
Betty P. Calhoun 1922-2012
Betty Calhoun, 90, of Long Beach, passed away April 23. She was born in DePue, Illinois, and was a Registered Nurse, receiving her training at St. Luke’s Hospital in Chicago. Preceded in death GRANT, James P., 1950-201
James P. Grant, 62, of Yucaipa, passed away April 20. He was a native Californian and is survived by his brother, Thomas. There will be service on May 23 at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church in Yucaipa. Interment is private. The family was assisted by McKenzie Mortuary.
by her husband of 61 years, the Rev. Johnston H. Calhoun, she is survived by David Calhoun (Jill) of Garden Grove, Dr. Jeffrey Calhoun (Gloria) of Lompoc, Sharon Ryan (Ron) of Long Beach, granddaughters, Laurie Zebarth (Mark) of Fountain Valley, Sara Foss(Nathan) of Lompoc, Bonnie Calhoun of San Louis Obispo and great-granddaughters, Mackenzie, Kelly, Brooklyn and Madison. Memorial Service will be held at the Grace First Presbyterian Church, Long Beach, Saturday, May 19 at 10:00 AM. Family has requested donations be made to the Long Beach Municipal Band in lieu of flowers. SHAFER, Wilson, 1940-2012
Wilson Shafer, 71, of Oregon, Ohio, passed away April 27. He was born in Ohio and worked in industrial supply sales. He is survived by his wife, Virginia. Interment is at Lake Township Cemetery in Millbury, Ohio. The family was assisted by McKenzie Mortuary.
are in place to verify all monies are deposited into the city’s treasury.” With all agencies, department and bureaus working with the LBPD, charges were filed through the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office last week and Mutrais was arrested. Keisler said that the Animal Services Bureau — which is responsible for the city’s kennel operations, dog licensing, dog adoption and other general animal control duties —makes about $2 million annually. He believes that most of the discrepancies Mutrais took advantage of were through cash transactions — as the new system came into place there was a greater emphasis on credit card and check transactions. He noted that Mutrais had to have created a reporting system that eluded three audit processes during her time at the bureau. Her title was Clerk Typist III — responsibilities included accounting and reconciliation of deposits. “Her role was to take all those deposits and record them and prepare them,” he said. Getting the money back will be the next challenge, city officials said. Keisler said he is still researching the process, but that there is an employee crime and dishonesty policy to protect against embezzlement that may come into play for these types of incidents. Deputy District Attorney Dana
SKINNER, Virginia Olga, 1927-2012
Virginia Olga Skinner, 84, of Los Alamitos, passed away April 30. She was born in Illinois and was a mathematics professor. She is survived by her brother, Clay Haskell Skinner. Interment is at Oakland Cemetery in Princeton, Ill. The family was assisted by McKenzie Mortuary.
WILLARD, Faye L., 1921-2012
There will be a celebration of life for Faye L. Willard, owner of the Café Bistro from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 20, at the Bull Bar, 3316 E. Seventh St.
WHITTAKER, David Lyle 1956-2012
David Lyle Whittaker, 56, of Mishawaka, Ind., passed away March 20. He was born in Indiana. Interment is at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside. The family was assisted by McKenzie Mortuary.
JONES, J.D., 1926-2012
J.D. Jones, 85, of Long Beach, passed away April 28. He was born in Riverside, Tex., and worked in janitorial maintenance. He is survived by his daughter, Debby Jones. There was a service at St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Long Beach. Interment is at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside. The family was assisted by McKenzie Mortuary.
HOFFMAN, James Sillman 1932-2012
James Sillman Hoffman, 79, of Los Angeles, passed away April 20. He was born in Gastonia, N.C., and was a pilot in the Air Force. He is survived by his friend, Henry Fenenbock. Interment is at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside. The family was assisted by McKenzie Mortuary.
Aratani said he would be trying to get back the majority of the money through prosecuting Mutrais. “Even if a defendant is sent to state prison, restitution is always ordered,” he said. “What we did, in this particular case, is that we have received temporary restraining orders to hold onto three different financial institutions (of her’s).” He said they also applied holds to three different Mutrais’s residencies — one in California and two in Nevada. “The intent is to hold onto those properties as the case progresses,” he said. “Under the penal code, we’re allowed to avail ourselves to any potential restitution that could go back to the victim.” The District Attorney’s Office also will be working with further investigations into how much Mutrais may have embezzled for the time periods before what the auditor came up with. As for the Animal Care Services Bureau now — which has a staff of about 40 — and the Parks Department it serves under, Chapjian said he is confident in his staff. “I think we have a pretty good handle on the situation out there and I don’t think something like this will ever happen again,” he said. “I’m keeping a close eye on it. We take this kind of thing very seriously.”
Today’s Obituaries Calhoun, Betty P. Champion, Wayne M. Gordon-Hock, Veronica Grant, James P. Hoffman, James S. Jones, J.D.
Shafer, Wilson Skinner, Virgina Olga Webb, Howard M. Whittaker, David Lyle Willard, Faye L.
To submit material, call: Kurt Eichsteadt at 562-209-2094, e-mail to obits@gazettes.com, go online to www.gazettes.com or fax to 562-434-8826
WEBB, Howard M., 1925-2012
Howard M. Webb, 67, of Rancho Palos Verdes, passed away May 2. He was born in Bay City, Mich., and was an aerospace engineer. He is survived by his daughter, Eileen Webb Ozaniar. Interment is at Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes. The family was assisted by McKenzie Mortuary.
GORDON-HOCK, Veronica 1953-2012
Veronica Gordon-Hock, 58, of Lancaster, passed away April 29. She was born in New York and worked as a social worker. She is survived by her, mother, Evelyn Singura. Interment is at St. Michael’s Cemetery in Elmhurst, N.Y. The family was assisted by McKenzie Mortuary.
CHAMPION, Wayne Morley 1940-2012
Wayne Morley Champion, 71, of Orange, passed away April 18. He was born in Illinois. He is survived by his daughter, Cecilia. Interment is at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside. The family was assisted by McKenzie Mortuary.
PAGE 36A | GRUNION GAZETTE | May 17, 2012