JANUARY 2020
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THERESA SARDISCO'S PEDRO PET PALS CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF FINDING PETS 'FUREVER' HOMES
Dr. Souzan Ardalan & Associates
Comprehensive Dental Care & Implant Center Backed by 25 years of experience
WHEN YOU VISIT OUR DENTAL OFFICE IN WEYMOUTH CORNERS, YOU FEEL RIGHT AT HOME. Whether you require a cleaning, teeth whitening, invisible braces by Invisalign®, crowns, implants or any other General or Specialty dental procedure, our office will ensure that you are comfortable and have a pleasant experience. OLD-FASHIONED STYLE OF PATIENT CARE IS WHAT WE ARE ALL ABOUT!
Great Smiles Begin Here! Dr. Ardalan, D.D.S. Education: USC school of Dentistry Doctor of Dental Surgery Professional Association: American Dental Association, member California Dental Association, member Western Dental Society, member
ASSOCIATES Ian Woo, D.D.S., MD. Education: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Los Angeles County / University of Southern California Medical Center
Dr. Marvis Sorrel, D.M.D., M.D.S.
SERVICES & SPECIALTIES • General Cosmetic and Children’s Dentistry • Oral Surgery • Dental IMPLANTS • Permanent Implant Supported Dentures • Orthodontics (Traditional Braces & Invisalign) • Periodontics • Sleep Apnea
Located in Weymouth Corners 1411 W. 8th Street San Pedro, CA 90732
(310) 832-5559
Education: University of Pittsburgh, Master of Science in Dentistry, Doctor of Dental Medicine Advanced Education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Orthognatic Surgery Externship / Invisalign Certification
Dr. Rebekah Coriaty Education: University of Pacific Professional Association: American Dental Association California Dental Association
Dr. Miles Madison Education: UCLA School of Dentistry Professional Association: American Academy of Periodontology California Society of Periodontists American Dental Association California Dental Association American Association for Dental Research
Ready to Learn about Dental Implants? What is a Dental Implant?
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is surgically anchored into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge in place. The benefit of using implants is that they don’t rely on neighboring teeth for support and they are permanent and stable. Implants look and feel like natural teeth.
What is an Implant Support Denture?
While a regular denture rests on the gums and are not stable, An implant-supported denture is a type of overdenture that is supported by and attached to implants by special attachments for better fit and retention. There are two types of implant-supported dentures: bar-retained and ballretained. In both cases, the denture will be made of an acrylic base that will look like gums. Porcelain or acrylic teeth that look like natural teeth are attached to the base. Both types of dentures need at least two implants for support.
Your dentist can help you . . .
Can anyone receive dental implants?
Talk with your dentist about whether you are an implant candidate. You must have the proper bone structure for the implant to stay in place. People who are unable to wear dentures may also be good candidates.
What can I expect during this procedure?
The dentist must perform surgery to anchor the “artificial root� into or on your jaw bone. The procedure is done in the dental office with local anesthesia. The gum is then secured over the implant, which will remain covered until it fuses with the bone. The dentist then uncovers the implant and attaches an extension, or post, to the implant. Finally, the dentist makes an artificial tooth, or crown, or dentures that attach to the implant post.
What is the cost of implants?
Dental implants for replacement of a single tooth are affordable and most dental and medical insurance policies cover portion of the cost. Your dentist can help you with this process.
Dr. Souzan Ardalan & Associates
Please call to make an appointment for a complimentary consultation
Located in WEYMOUTH CORNERS 1409 W. 8th St., San Pedro
We accept all PPO insurances
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Each new year brings with it the promise of change, and 2020 looks to be a year where change is at the forefront. In the spirit of celebrating new beginnings (and taking a cue from Mike Lansing this month), here are three things I hope will happen here in San Pedro as we embark on another trip around the sun. I hope we, as a community, start to embrace change rather than fear it. It’s no secret that San Pedro is going through a pivotal cultural and economic shift, the likes of which we haven’t experienced since the canneries closed and the fishing fleets dwindled. Our waterfront is on the verge of becoming a worldwide tourist attraction in the next five years, and many still refuse to believe it. In the next decade, we may see a San Pedro with more transplants than “born and raised” living here, as local Millennials and Generations Y and Z are priced out of town and moving to more affordable cities. There will be growing pains, but the sooner we, as a community, can come to terms with the changes ahead, rather than stick our heads in the sand, the better chance we have of not being left behind. I hope our homeless crisis is curbed. The Beacon Street post office recently removed their curbside mailboxes, marking a significant change in how our main post office operates in light of the large homeless encampment that has surrounded the historic building for years. To most of you reading this, you probably aren’t as exposed to San Pedro’s homeless crisis as those of us who work and spend most of our
days (or nights) in the downtown district. It’s bad, and it seems to be getting worse. This year will see the implementation of our first A Bridge Home shelter on Beacon Street. The City is hoping this will be part of the solution in solving the homeless crisis. Only time will tell. I hope San Pedro becomes sexy again. Hear me out first before you email me. To most of us locals, our town has never lost its appeal. We love this place no matter what. When we hear someone disparage our town, we take it very personally. (No one can talk trash on San Pedro except San Pedrans, that’s the rule.) But as we know, our town’s reputation outside our borders needs some attention. My hope is that those on the outside start to take us seriously again and see us as a town with a prideful history, that’s culturally diverse, that’s a little bit punk rock and a little bit country, and ripe for a societal and economic renaissance. If I’m being really honest, my hope is that in the future, we’ll see those awful “Where the ghetto meets the sea” t-shirts as ironic, rather than realistic. I was going to add a fourth hope for the new year, a hope that our discourse on social media becomes more civil (especially as we enter another tumultuous political year), but I knew that was a longshot. But hey, a guy can dream, right? Finally, I want to wish everyone a wonderful and exciting 2020. I have a feeling good things are ahead. spt Joshua Stecker is publisher/editorin-chief of San Pedro Today. Letters to the Editor can be emailed to contact@sanpedrotoday.com.
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JANUARY 2020
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ADVERTISING:
ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION
Patricia Roberts (562) 964-8166 | patricia@sanpedrotoday.com
AT-LARGE CONTRIBUTORS
Shana Ghekiere (310) 753-5176 | shana@sanpedrotoday.com
Joshua J. Stecker
Joseph A. Castañeda
Lori Garrett, Mike Harper, Peter Hazdovac, Pastor Nathan Hoff, Mike Lansing, Ricky Magana, Steve Marconi, Jennifer Marquez, Angela Romero, Jamaal K. Street
PHOTOGRAPHER
John Mattera Photography
CONTACT INFO:
Phone: (424) 224-9063 Email: contact@sanpedrotoday.com San Pedro Today P.O. Box 1168 San Pedro, CA 90733
VOLUME 11 | NUMBER 12
General Inquiries: ads@sanpedrotoday.com
EMPIRE22 MEDIA LLC OWNER/PUBLISHER Joshua J. Stecker
San Pedro Today publishes the last Thursday of every month and is produced monthly by Empire22 Media LLC. No portion of this publication can be reproduced without written permission by Empire22 Media. 25,000 copies are delivered to San Pedro and portions of Rancho Palos Verdes. San Pedro Today is a product of Empire22 Media LLC. Empire22 Media LLC, their subsidiaries and affiliates are released from all liability that may involve the publication of San Pedro Today. Copyright 2009-2020, Empire22 Media LLC.
ON THE COVER: Theresa Sardisco, founder of Pedro Pet Pals. (photo: John Mattera Photography)
6 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JANUARY 2020
JANUARY 2020 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 7
JANUARY Every Wednesday – CREATIVE WRITING CLASS FOR KIDS at The Corner Store (1118 W. 37th St.), 4:305:45p. Taught by San Pedro Today columnist, Jennifer Marquez. $10 per class. For more info, email jennifermarquez@ yahoo.com. Every Friday – SAN PEDRO TEEN SUPPORT GROUP. 4p. A safe place to explore issues like making friends, dealing with bullies, peer pressure, managing stress, self-esteem, body image & much more. For more info, visit artemiscenter.net or call (310) 809-2011. 5 (Thurs) – FIRST THURSDAY ARTWALK in Downtown San Pedro, 6-9p. Live music, food trucks, art gallery displays, and food and drink specials from local bars and restaurants. Experience the most anticipated monthly event in San Pedro. 7 (Tues) – NORTHWEST SAN PEDRO NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL BOARD MEETING at San Pedro Municipal Building (638 S. Beacon Street, Room 452), 6p. For more info, visit nwsanpedro.org. 12 (Sun) – SOUNDBATH & BREATHWORK at Healing Octaves (771 W. 9th St.), 1-3p. You don't need to bring anything extra, just the desire to relax and let go for a little while. The best time for us to heal is when we are resting, and we clear the mind of all the daily static. $40/person. For more info or to RSVP, call (310) 433-4640 or visit healingoctaves.com.
12 (Sun) – SAN PEDRO BAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY SPEAKER SERIES – RICHARD FOSS at the Improved Order of Red Men Lodge (543 Shepard St.), 11a-1p. Richard Foss, acclaimed speaker, writer, and culinary historian, presents a sometimes-humorous look at “How Prohibition Changed America.” One hundred years after the 18th Amendment to the Constitution was enacted, calling for the banning of the manufacture, sale, or transportation of alcoholic beverages, there are many misunderstandings about Prohibition, including what America was like before, during, and afterward, and how that era still affects us today. FREE admission. For more info, call (310) 548-3208 or visit sanpedrobayhistoricalsociety.com.
Tickets $15 in advance and $20 at the door. For more info, visit pvplc.org. 14 (Tues) – CENTRAL SAN PEDRO NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL BOARD MEETING at Port of Los Angeles High School (250 W. 5th St.), 6:30p. For more info, visit centralsanpedronc.org.
19 (Sun) – DRUMMING CIRCLE at Healing Octaves (771 W. 9th St.), 1-3p. Drumming is a fun way to follow the rhythm of your heart and connect with others. No experience necessary! We have a few drums to share, but if you have a drum or percussion instrument bring it along. $20/person. Call (310) 433-4640 to RSVP. For more info, call (310) 433-4640 or visit healingoctaves. com.
16 thru Feb 9 – PICK OF THE VINE at Little Fish Theatre (777 S. Centre St.). Little Fish Theatre’s 2020 season starts with Pick of the Vine, nine short 21 (Tues) – COASTAL SAN PEDRO plays highlighting what happens when NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL BOARD options are weighed in the face of big MEETING at Cabrillo Marina Comdecisions such as: a new and potentially munity Building (2965 Via Cabrillodangerous way to pay off crushing Marina), 6:30p. For more info, visit college debt, choices being made inside cspnc.org. today’s classrooms, and whether to stay in a relationship when presented with 25 (Sat) SINGING BOWLS SOUND new astrological consequences. The MEDITATION WITH THE PALOS 12 (Sun) – SOUTH BAY DIXIELAND tastiest picks were plucked from over VERDES PENINSULA LAND CONJAZZ JAM at Alvas Showroom (1417 670 submissions proffered from around SERVANCY at White Point Nature W. 8th St.) 1-4p. Bring your instruments the world. Runs Thursday through Education Center & Preserve (1600 W. and join in the jazz jam session. Great Sunday at various times. Tickets $15-28. Paseo del Mar), 10:30a. Discover the music for dancers in a great venue. Jazz For more info, call (310) 512-6030 or power of sound as medicine with intermusicians, vocalists, dancers and spec- visit littlefishtheatre.org. national musician and teacher Jeralyn tators are most welcome. For more info, Glass. She will lead visitors through contact Judi Kanaster Haase at jhaa@ 18 (Sat) SCOTT HENDERSON TRIO at a sound meditation experience as she cox.net or (310) 831-9905. Alvas Showroom (1417 W. 8th St.), 8p. plays her Crystal Alchemy Singing Scott Henderson is the leading guitarist Bowls, made of pure quartz. Meditat12 (Sun) – WILD & SCENIC FILM and composer of modern jazz/blues. His ing with the energetic vibrations of the FESTIVAL ON TOUR at the Warner impressive work over the years as cobowls awakens a journey of healing and Grand Theatre (478 W. 6th St.), 4p. The leader of the group Tribal Tech, leader release, relieving stress, sleeplessness, Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conserof his groundbreaking trio, and sideman depression, and anxiety. Finish with vancy presents an exciting selection of to some of the best in jazz, including a self-guided walk through the native 15 movies in two hours of adventurous the great Joe Zawinul, has elevated plant gardens and the seaside trails. To and inspirational films about nature. him to the front ranks of jazz and sign up, visit pvplc.org. spt With beautiful cinematography and blues. Snacks, food, and non-alcoholic remarkable individuals, the passion is beverages are welcome to bring into the contagious. Raffle with outdoor gear venue. Tickets $30. For more info, visit from Patagonia and REI, photo booth, alvasshowroom.com. and handcrafted Brouwerij West Beer. Want to see your event here? Email events@sanpedrotoday.com to place a listing. Deadline for the February 2020 issue is Friday, January 17. Find more events at sanpedrotoday.com.
8 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JANUARY 2020
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FEEDBACK
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Mr. Stecker,
couldn’t sell any more. And that was the Vue, beautiful modern building I’m resident of San Pedro [for more with all the modern bells and whistles than] ten years, grew up in Wilmingand no one to buy. I wonder why? ton, born in Harbor City in 1960. I’m Could it be we are still a port town an avid reader of San Pedro Today and we’re industrial maybe? No matand love San Pedro (or ‘Peedro’). I ter how you dress up historic “beaujust felt compelled to write to you out tiful as it is” San Pedro, it is still an of disgust after reading the article industrial port! We don’t need more “To the 22nd Century & Beyond” (San industry, it’s coming out [of] our ears! Pedro Today, November 2019). Not What we do need in Pedro is to that it wasn’t an informative piece, thank those of the Historical SociAnn Carpenter and Jim Cooper seem ety and those who give tours of the to know their subject matter. The historical parts of our city. We don’t last thing San Pedro needs is big need people shutting down the oldindustry and technology. Just look est “open” mental institution here on over at Terminal island if you need Beacon Street. Those poor residents that. Cargo ships, cranes, semi-trucks, were distributed out like animals to sand and gravel pit, all there for the other facilities. And just look at how viewing. No matter how the “gentrithat added so nicely to the homeless ficationers” try to dress up Pedro, it problem. There is a huge homeless is still an extremely busy port. Maybe encampment set up right across the the cruise ships look romantic coming street from the Harbor View House and going, but I feel sorry for those now. Harbor View House was the only tourists who exit their ship, looking open-door facility for the mentally to see beautiful L.A. and are met with ill west of the Mississippi. Oh, but housing projects, forgotten churches now we can have more condos! And and semi-trucks [driving] by. Pedro is where do you think those people will a port town. park? On my street,10th, because The thing I do love most about there is very limited parking at Harbor Pedro is that it has a very colorful View House. history and beautiful historic houses So, with all that said, I say this out and businesses. Not to mention the of fear. Fear of losing a marvelous charming hometown feel it has. The historic city built around our beloved sweet old Craftsman-style houses and longshoremen, local neighborhood Queen Anne Victorian homes that I markets, local bars, family-owned love are here. The City Hall building businesses, and downhome comand the clock in front of it are like munity that still exists here. You know stepping back in time. And mom what’s cool? Beacon Street at one and pop businesses still exist here, time (1800s) was deemed the most and the owners of the restaurants dangerous street in the world! Why? come and ask patrons personally how Because it was a huge, tough town their meal was. I love all of that! The built around a busy working port. It reason a lot of this still exists is due had the roughest, toughest men in to the port still being here. Rents the world here, longshoremen! God were less because of the industrial bless you, longshoremen, for making port! No matter how you dress up the San Pedro what it is today. Thank you, “new Ports O’ Call” or put massive thank you, thank you! And God bless condo/apartment buildings in our Bukowski for coming here to write charming one-story streets, we've still about a city with real hard-working got all the industry one can manage. people. Let’s save Pedro, so Charles San Pedro is great the way it is. My Bukowski won’t have to turn over in stomach drops when someone tells his grave. Long live San Pedro! me, “Oh, they’re putting in a new eight-story apartment building on 7th Best Wishes, Street, right across from the one-story historical store fronts.” Really?... I Lesli Spivey remember when the Vue apartments were erected on Palos Verdes and 5th Street. They tried so hard to sell all Letters to the Editor can be emailed those as condos, and they couldn’t. to contact@sanpedrotoday.com. Upon going to the Vue not too long Letters may be edited for length, ago, I asked if they still sold units as grammar, and clarity. Letters must condos, and they said no, only 25 include your full name in order to be of [their] units are condos, and they considered for publication. 10 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JANUARY 2020
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VOICES
HERE’S SOME LOCAL NEWS YOU CAN WRAP YOUR FISH AROUND by Steve Marconi So many San Pedrans in the news, and no newspaper to report it. That’s the sad fact of life for San Pedro as we end 2019; a paper that touts to give us “local news” but in fact, despite the best efforts of reporter Donna Littlejohn, gives us little of either. Here are a few such stories that in days past would have made headlines in the venerable News-Pilot. Dave Gascon “Chief Dave” was named USA Diving’s Chair of the Board in September. The retired LAPD assistant chief was elected to the board of directors along with three other independent directors. Knowledge of diving was not a prereq-
uisite for the appointment, as Gascon himself noted, but if administrative know-how was important, they picked the right man. In retirement, Gascon, a native San Pedran, is president of the Harbor College Foundation and a member of the Harbor College Athletic Hall of Fame Committee. He is also on the board of the USA Team Handball Women’s National Team, which is captained by his daughter Sarah. Harkening back to one of his heroes, UCLA legend John Wooden, Gascon said, “I believe we need to be committed to our athletes, listen to them, and ensure they have a seat at the table as we collectively deal with their concerns. We need to do all we can to enhance their development in their quest to become the best of which they are capable. If that sounds John Wooden like, it’s because it is. That’s how we achieve competitive greatness. We want our
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athletes to be at their best when their best is needed. However, that philosophy also applies to each of us, especially coaches.” Gascon will serve through 2024, which puts him in the spotlight in the countdown toward the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. We should be hearing a lot more from Gascon in the months to come. Vivian Churness Another San Pedran making news on the international front, Churness gave the keynote address at the 45th Biennial Conference of the Christian Medical Association of India in Hyderabad in November. Churness earned that honor by writing or co-writing six textbooks for nurses in India. Her latest, Psychology for Nurses in India, just came out. A professor emeritus at USC’s nursing school, Churness first went to India in 1960 as a missionary nurse. She returned in 2007 after a 30-year absence and has been making regular trips to India ever since. A longtime member of San Pedro’s Trinity Lutheran Church, she also authored Missing: The Search for My Son, a memoir about her estranged husband abducting their 3-year-old son. The theme of her speech, and her life, was redemption. Bobby Ramirez & Tim Ursich Old coaches never die, they just go to Mary Star. Ramirez, the former San Pedro High baseball coach (2006-12) and Harbor College Hall-of-Famer, is the new head coach at Mary Star. One of his assistants will be Ursich, his former teammate at San Pedro High (1968) and Harbor College (1969), his assistant at San Pedro High, and the SPHS Hall of Fame softball coach. Ramirez has retired from the classroom, but remains eager to add to his total of 503 wins as a head coach. He was assistant coach to Rick Ibarra two years ago and spent last season assisting at Long Beach Poly. When Ibarra retired, he applied for the head job and asked Ursich to join him. Ursich has been running his highly successful Marina Sports Clinic for years, but the opportunity to get back on the field proved too hard to resist. The last time the two were together, in 2012, Ramirez was named South Bay
Coach of the Year. Two years earlier, the Pirates reached the City finals. Joining the two senior citizens on the new baseball staff at Mary Star are Ursich’s son Tim Jr., a member of Mary Star’s last team to reach a CIF final; Jonathan Mata, another San Pedro High grad; Jordan Espino; and Cesar Tomayo. The season starts in February. Jamaal K. Street Everyone knows Jamaal as a sportswriter, a regular in this magazine as well as the author of the quintessential history of San Pedro High softball, A Diamond Dynasty, but he’s equally skilled with video. He’s a San Pedro High grad, but he loves all San Pedro prep sports, as he amply demonstrates with his latest videos on the Pirates, Mary Star, and Port of Los Angeles. In three online videos, each just a little over a minute long, he covers nearly every sport at the three schools in rapid-fire fashion, backed by inspiring Hollywood soundtracks. Check them all out by searching for “Jamaal Street” on YouTube. And make sure to see the one-of-a-kind end credits. Steve Tedesco & Corey Miller San Pedro High’s current outstanding baseball and football coaches both had successful seasons ended by the same school. Tedesco’s baseball team and Miller’s football team each entered the 2019 City playoffs as the top seeds in the Open Division. Birmingham, now a charter school, proved to be their nemesis each time and went on to win both titles. The Patriots eliminated the Pirates, 5-3, in the quarterfinals in May en route to a third consecutive City championship; they defeated San Pedro in the football semifinals, 28-25. Of course, the Pirates were only seeded No. 1 in football after Narbonne was banned from the playoffs for using ineligible players. Still, the sting of losing in both sports to the same Valley school should provide Tedesco and Miller with plenty of motivation for the coming year. Let’s hope they make headlines again. spt Steve Marconi can be reached at spmarconi@yahoo.com.
JANUARY 2020 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 13
VOICES
WISHES FOR 2020 by Mike Lansing I gave up on New Year’s resolutions years ago – when I figured out I did not have the commitment to lose those “extra ten” (or probably more) pounds, nor the focus and time commitment to learn a new language. However, I never gave up on New Year’s wishes, and as we enter 2020, the following are some random and not-so-random wishes for San Pedro and beyond. Wish #1: that the Pentagon would have to hold “bake sales” to purchase paper for their copy machines and our public schools have all the resources and supplies necessary to provide our students all of the educational opportunities they need and deserve. Wish #2: that the Elks Lodge will reopen this year, the redevelopment of Rancho San Pedro will be complete in a few years, and the renovation of the former Ports ‘O Call Village will happen during my remaining lifetime. Wish #3: that the 91 units of affordable housing being built at 9th and Pacific Ave. will move forward quickly and will be replicated ten times over in the coming years, as the working poor in our community that number in the thousands need affordable housing, and without it, are one missed paycheck away from being homeless. My fear, of course, is that we would continue to solely fixate on temporary homeless housing and not this great(er) need. Wish #4: that our neighbors will take full advantage of the Harbor Community Clinic’s new pediatric center, which will open very soon (maybe this month) between 4th and 5th Streets on Pacific – with both extensive medical and dental services for our youth. Wish #5: that rather than eliminating hundreds of thousands of people from our nation’s food assistance program, we would increase opportunities for additional food support for the same working poor who do not meet the current eligibility threshold but nevertheless are often food deprived. Note: The President’s current and first of three 14 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JANUARY 2020
proposed food program cutbacks will save the nation $1 billion while we spent $16 billion this year subsidizing our farmers for food not purchased by China and other countries due to ill-advised tariffs. Does that make any sense? Wish #6: that people who can’t wait to pay $10 for their macchiato/gelato/ stunado drink from Starbucks on 9th Street will stop trying to make a lefthand turn into the drive-thru, unnecessarily holding up all kinds of traffic each morning on both 9th and Gaffey Streets. Wish #7: that rather than denouncing climate change as a “hoax,” the United States will once again commit to the conversation and actions necessary to assure future generations do not live in a world similar to the ones depicted in Book of Eli, Mad Max and Waterworld. Wish #8: that the amazing San Pedro of my youth – where we readily played every day and evening in the street and had so many additional opportunities (Pro Bowl, Hacienda Golf Course, slot cars at Weymouth Corners, 9th Street and Pacific bus lines to Cabrillo Beach, San Pedro Drive-In, Hilltop and Midtown Little Leagues, etc.) – no longer with us can somehow be replicated for the future youth of our community. Wish #9: that hate inflicted on humans both here and around the world due to race, religion, sexual or political orientation, or similar excuses will suddenly disappear and that each of us will be judged (if we must) on our actions rather than optics, perceptions and ignorance. Wish #10: that all of our amazing community-based organizations, like my Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor, will continue to receive the great support of our citizens and local companies so our important work and impact will be sustained and grow this year. Final Wish: that you and all yours have a most happy and healthy 2020. spt
Mike Lansing is the Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor.
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JANUARY 2020 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 15
VOICES
SAVING MONEY IN SAN PEDRO IN 2020 by Jennifer Marquez
Raising two kids coupled with the high cost of living in California, I am always on the lookout for a deal. My parents were frugal, not cheap, and knew how to make the most of their money. Because of that, I grew up with strong financial ethics. When I bought my first car, I made a down payment, and my dad loaned me the rest of the money. He had me sign a contract outlining my monthly payments to him, and I was able to pay him off. I didn’t always listen to my parents, especially as a teenager, but I ultimately ended up with similar standards, which I’m very thankful for. Here are some of my favorite local money-saving tips: CLOTHING – I buy the majority of my clothing from local thrift stores. My favorite is Ticktocker Thrift Shop on 6th Street. Purchasing used clothing is good for the environment and does not contribute to textile waste. Money spent at the thrift stores where I shop goes to charity. I have found new Dr. Martens
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boots for $12, a Lululemon jacket for $10, and other pieces averaging $5 each. Beacon House Thrift Store and Goodwill also have deals; you never know what you will find. I have a high-end wardrobe for work that cost me about ten percent of the original cost. FOOD – I live by the motto “go to food before it goes to you.” Basically, it means to plan ahead and you won’t make unhealthy and expensive food choices. A bag of beans in a slow cooker can make many meals for a few dollars. One night I can make burritos with the beans, and the next day I can use the leftovers for bean burgers. My children like the beans and rice from Guanajuato Meat Market on Pacific Avenue and the bolillo rolls from Acacia Bakery next door; all are reasonably priced and make multiple meals. There are several meal kit delivery companies that deliver locally, as well. I’ve tried Hello Fresh and used a coupon I found online. They deliver all the ingredients for a meal with the easy-to-read recipe instructions. It has been a hit in my family, even with picky eaters. It’s a great way for my
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kids to cook with their easy-to-follow photos, and it cost us the same amount as a meal at In-N-Out. I also have had groceries delivered from Whole Foods through Amazon Prime and Costco delivered through an app called Postmates. I was pleasantly surprised by the prices, especially Whole Foods. They sell their generic 365 products, which keeps the costs down. I spent less than when I shop at the grocery store myself because I was not tempted to pick up any extras that were not on my list. NUDA GARDEN SWAP – Every third Sunday of the month, people bring surplus fruits, vegetables, and flowers from their yards and swap it for other produce at NUDA Juice and Wellness Shop on 6th Street at no charge. ENTERTAINMENT – San Pedro Public Library offers many free services like movie streaming (which includes 28,000 movies), audible books, language learning apps, and admission to local attractions. For a fun, inexpensive outing, take the Silver Line to Downtown Los Angeles and visit the L.A. Central Library. They have a new technology room called the Octavia Lab that
includes a 3D printing machine, virtual reality gear, and a laser cutter that can be used at no cost. GREETING CARDS – I keep a package of birthday cards from Marshalls on hand and buy other greeting cards for $1 at Dollar Tree or Trader Joe’s. The Dollar Tree and 99 Cent Only Store are good places to find gift bags. While I am there, I grab the off-brand Swiffer pads that I use on my floors for $1. POINTS – I also use credit card points for free hotel and airline travel. When somebody needs a new cell phone in our family, I buy used iPhones on eBay for a fraction of the cost. Call me old fashioned, but my kids do not need to be carrying around thousanddollar phones. I know I probably get that from my dad, who worked hard and taught me about the importance of saving money. Thanks, Dad. spt Jennifer Marquez can be reached at jennifertmarquez@yahoo. com and @jenntmqz on Twitter and Instagram.
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JANUARY 2020 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 17
THERESA SARDISCO'S PEDRO PET PALS CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF FINDING PETS 'FUREVER' HOMES by Joshua Stecker It Takes a Village: Sardisco (center) is surrounded by Pedro Pet Pals volunteers, shelter and city employees: (l to r) Public Information Officer for L.A. Animal Services Agnes Sibal, Officer Kristi Navarro, ACT Supervisor Leslie Pizzati, Sardisco, Pedro Pet Pals board members Dave Varela and Carol Mizrahi, Harbor Animal Shelter volunteers David Taylor and Cindy Savitt. (photo: John Mattera Photography)
Why weren’t the cooling misters turning on? That’s what was racing through Theresa Sardisco’s mind as she helped wrangle a group of reporters and local dignitaries, including then L.A. City Councilwoman Janice Hahn, towards the entrance of the newly reopened and renovated Harbor Animal Shelter on N. Gaffey Street. It was an unusually hot day in the summer of 2009, and the cooling misters, which should’ve automatically turned on with the heat, were dormant, and some of the dogs in the kennel were showing signs of heat exhaustion. “All the animal shelters [are supposed to] have misters to keep the animals cool,” explains Sardisco, of family-owned Domenick’s Pasta & Pizza, which has been in San Pedro for 40 years. “When it’s 85 degrees, they’re supposed to kick on. Well, at Harbor Animal Shelter on the day of the reopening, it was incredibly hot. I'm like, ‘Why aren't the misters kicking on?’ Then someone tells me that since we were so close to the ocean, [the City] thought the shelter didn’t need them,
so they never installed them. I started having a bit of a panic attack.” Sardisco, who was only a volunteer at the time but was a strong and vocal proponent of the shelter, quickly took charge and gathered a group to cool down the dogs in the kennel with hoses while the media and politicos waited. It was then she realized that, while the renovated facility was a good start, the City could only supply the shelter with the bare minimum, making it nearly impossible to function properly (the mister snafu being a prime example). She knew that in order for the shelter animals to receive proper care, there needed to be a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds to supply the shelter with what the City can’t (or won’t) provide. “I figured the City wouldn’t solve the misting problem on their own, so I immediately started fundraising,” she says. “In about three weeks, we raised $10,000 for a misting system.” The successful fundraising turned out to be an even bigger blessing in disguise. The City quickly addressed the cooling issue and got approval to install
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a new misting system using $30,000 in bond funds, freeing up the $10,000 raised to go towards other important needs for the shelter. “We were still in negotiations to see if this bond money was going to pay for it,” remembers Sardisco. “I didn’t cash anybody’s checks. I told everybody to write me a check and just make it out to my name because I didn’t have [the nonprofit set up] yet. After they received the bond money, I called every single person who donated and told them I had great news and bad news. The great news is the bond money is going to pay for the misters. The bad news is the shelter still needed funds.” She continues, “The City’s idea of essentials is food, water, and someone to process the paperwork. That's it. They don’t purchase blankets or towels, they don’t purchase sheets or medication. The shelter didn’t have leashes, or harnesses, or any grooming supplies. They had nothing. Every single person said it was okay for me to cash their check.” And that’s how Pedro Pet Pals was born.
THE RESCUE LIFE “I don't think I chose it; I think it chose me,” Sardisco says, regarding her pet rescue endeavors. For more than a decade, Pedro Pet Pals has been supporting homeless animals across the South Bay. Run by Sardisco and a passionate group of volunteers, the funds donated to the nonprofit have been used to purchase blood and anesthesia machines, kennel beds, leashes and harnesses, toys, canine/feline health supplies, and other necessities for area shelters. Pedro Pet Pals volunteers visit the shelter on a regular basis to help walk dogs or donate needed supplies they’ve collected. The organization even helps subsidize adoptions, medical procedures, spay and neuter surgeries, vaccinations, and microchips for those with financial limitations. “I’ve known Theresa for 13 years; she’s an angel,” says Leslie Pizzati, kennel supervisor at Harbor Animal Shelter. “She gets us anything we need – collars, leashes, any kind of grooming supplies, even roofing for the shelters. She’s helped maintain our volunteer
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Top: Chico and Six, a bonded pair available for adoption at Harbor Animal Shelter; (center) Pedro Pet Pals' new mobile pet adoptions bus; (bottom) the tables of gift baskets up for auction are a staple at every Pedro Pet Pals fundraising event. (photos: John Mattera Photography, Pedro Pet Pals)
program. She’s done a lot for us. She advocates strongly for our department.” Forming a nonprofit to help save the lives of homeless animals seemed to be a natural progression for Sardisco. Ever since she was a child, the 52-yearold restauranteur has had a unique relationship with animals. Prior to founding Pedro Pet Pals, she did bulldog rescues for 20 years. In addition to dogs and cats, she’s had a pet possum “that wore t-shirts and walked on a harness,” ferrets, and turtles. She even has a 25-year-old female parrot named Quack-Quack that “loves men.” “She’s a hussy,” laughs Sardisco. “She loves men. She goes, ‘Hello, hello.’ I feed and clean her every day. She calls for me, we talk.” She adds, “My whole life, I don't know how, but animals have found me.” MORE STRAYS, LESS KILLS According to Sardisco, Pedro Pet Pals has found homes for thousands of shelter animals during the past decade. Unfortunately, even with their help, the number of homeless animals continues to rise in the Harbor Area. As of November 2019, Harbor Animal Shelter has taken in 4,779 cats and dogs, with another month to go – a number that’s significantly higher than 2018 (4,451) and 2017 (4,402). While 20 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JANUARY 2020
you can find many different breeds on any given day, the shelter consistently houses a large number of pit bulls (technically referred to as “mixedbreed”), a breed that has become harder to find homes for due to their less-thanstellar reputation. “Getting harder-to-adopt animals exposure is one of our biggest challenges,” says Pizzati. “We have a lot of pit bulls here, and we’re constantly trying to educate the public to look at the personality of the animal and not just the breed.” She also notes that many times, animals will act differently while they’re in the kennel due to fear and trauma than they would in a more loving, home environment. While the intake numbers have continued to rise (as of Dec. 20, there were 107 dogs, 58 cats, 31 rabbits, and five slider turtles at Harbor Animal Shelter), the euthanizing of shelter animals has continued to decline. “When I first started, they were euthanizing 20 to 40 dogs a day,” recalls Pizzati. “Today, maybe six, 10 at most. But realize, these are animals that have proven to be dangerous for a variety of reasons. It would be a liability if we adopted them out. We do not euthanize just for time and space anymore. While no one wants to euthanize animals, I would say it has gotten 75 percent better.”
DOLLAR IN, DOLLAR OUT Pedro Pet Pals spends anywhere between $3,000 to $5,000 a month on shelter animal needs, with funds coming directly from donations and fundraising events. “That was another thing that pushed me into founding Pedro Pet Pals, because the funds that come directly to us go straight to the shelter and the community. It’s not hoarded and used for wages or whatever. No one is making money off this; we’re all volunteers. My books are transparent. We donate 100 percent to our cause.” One interesting difference between Pedro Pet Pals and other traditional nonprofits is that they do not actively solicit donations from local businesses. As a small business owner, Sardisco knows what it’s like to constantly be asked to contribute to local charities. “I don’t just go asking people for money or donations,” she says, “because I know how it is.” Instead, she’s cultivated her fundraising through organizing large group events, like Bingo nights, that have gained a reputation for being fun and “boozy,” and auctioning off large, ornate gift baskets filled with everything from premium alcohol and sports memorabilia, to luxury items and experiences, all donated by Pedro Pet Pals supporters. “If it wasn't for the gift baskets, we couldn’t raise the money we do,” says Sardisco. “Nobody comes close to our baskets.”
The organization holds anywhere from six to eight events a year, with the help of some major sponsorships. “We are so lucky to have such strong support from our partners,” she says. “I’m not ashamed of any help. If you make toilet scrubbers and you want to donate some, I’ll make it work. We could make a cute gift basket out of that.” GOIN’ MOBILE About three years ago, Sardisco was gifted a 35-foot-long diesel engine bus that she wanted to convert into what would become the only bus used for L.A. City shelter animals for mobile pet adoptions. “The DeLucas (of J. DeLuca Fish Co.) gave it to us,” she says. “They used to use it to drive their employees from DeLuca Fish to Terminal Island. It didn’t have a lot of miles on it.” Unfortunately, after raising $100,000 to refurbish the bus (“My friends from Carson Trailer did it at cost for us,” she says), Sardisco was hit with a notice from the State of California stating that any diesel engine built in 2011 or before had to be replaced, which meant a replacement cost of $35,000. “We’re trying to get exempt since we’re local and drive less than 1,000 miles a year, but they're working on it,” she says. “We can’t register it right now.” Sardisco hopes to get the bus back on
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the road in 2020. LAW ENFORCEMENT These days, it’s tough for Sardisco to visit the shelter. She doesn’t spend as much time on site as she used to, knowing her time is limited between running the restaurant and figuring out who needs what and how to raise money or find suppliers. She admits, seeing the stray animals still takes a toll on her. “It’s no good for me [to be at the shelter],” she says. “I just have a weakness there because every dog I see, I want to clean them up and take them home. Like the dog I held [for the cover photo], he was so scared. It just gets to me.” (Editor’s note: The dog featured on the cover is named Chico and was surrendered to the shelter by his previous owner with another small dog named Six. They’re a bonded pair and currently available for adoption at Harbor Animal Shelter. And yes, they’re both adorable.) This year, Sardisco is turning her focus towards domestic violence and its correlation with animal abuse. “One of my goals has been to make sure that L.A. City and County start getting serious about enforcing animal cruelty laws. That's my next goal in 2020,” she says. “People are starting to see the relationship between domestic violence and animal cruelty. It's a whole other thing that needs to be addressed.”
For more info on Pedro Pet Pals, visit pedropetpals.com. Harbor Animal Shelter is located at 957 N. Gaffey St. For more info, call (888) 452-7381 or visit laanimalservices..com/shelters/harbor.
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Sardisco also sees herself taking on a more prominent position in the future, revealing she would love to be appointed as general manager of Los Angeles Animal Services after current GM Brenda F. Barnette retires. “Brenda has been great,” says Sardisco. “We have a really good relationship.” It’s an idea that’s been floating in her head for a while, and given her success with Pedro Pet Pals and her reputation within the industry of delivering on her promises and problem solving, it could be the natural next step in a life that’s been dedicated to the welfare of our furry companions. “It’s an everyday job, and it takes a village to make this all happen. I am by no means alone in this,” says Sardisco. “From our supporters, to volunteers, to people that come to our events, we all make this happen together.” She continues, “These animals wind up in shelters because nobody can take care of them. They’re loving and good animals who just need good homes. I mean, to me, pets are family. What are you going to do?” spt
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ROSSI'S ROCK 'N' ROLL CIRCUS FORMER TOUR MANAGER FOR FLEETWOOD MAC & OTHER LEGENDARY ROCK BANDS RECALLS HIS DECADES ON THE ROAD IN NEW MEMOIR by Joshua Stecker Leo Rossi still has plenty of stories to tell. The former rock ‘n’ roll tour manager, who’s worked with such legendary bands as The Who, The Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, ELO, Billy Idol, and most notably Fleetwood Mac (the band he worked with the longest for more than 20 years), recently finished his first memoir titled, When the Devil Smiles the Angels Frown: My Life and Times in Rock ‘n’ Roll. The book, self-published by Rossi, is chockfull of exclusive stories and photos from Rossi’s life on the road as he was living out his own rock ‘n’ roll fantasy. “It took me two years to actually write the book, which is a story in itself,” reveals Rossi. “When I first wrote it, it was all over the place. I had to find the right editors. I self-published, but I found a great person in Denver that helps manage my publishing.” For more than 40 years, Rossi has belonged to an exclusive club of unsung heroes that have brought some of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll acts to audiences all around the world. They were the invisible witnesses to rock history. A group compiled of stagehands, lighting and sound techs, stage designers and tour managers; people who worked tirelessly behind-the-scenes to bring music
Leo Rossi; (inset) the cover of his latest memoir, When the Devil Smiles the Angels Frown.
(photo: John Mattera Photography)
to the masses. Rossi dubbed this group the Knights of Rock. A couple of years ago, after years of hearing from family and friends that he should start sharing his stories of life on the road, Rossi developed an inspirational one-man show with his friend, former L.A. Harbor College professor Larry Heimgartner, called A Knight’s Tale. The show not only focused on the 61-year-old’s rock ‘n’ roll experiences, but also on the many life lessons he learned along the way. The stage show, which has seen various incarnations in the two years he’s been touring it, has most recently been running on Princess Cruise’s Royal Princess ship on various west coast voyages as part of their entertainment programming. “Repeatedly now, when I do these cruises or I go places, people come up and say, ‘You have this amazing power to help,’” he says. “I realize that now, and I say it in my shows. I've been blessed. Normal days for me on the road were days that people only dream about.” The memoir, which is the first in a
series, starts in San Pedro, where it all began for Rossi, and follows his life through his various rock tours, starting in the 1970s and ending at the dawn of the ‘90s. The book is available for purchase online in both color and black and white versions at leosbook.com. The cover features a photo by legendary rock photographer and friend of Rossi’s, Neal Preston. The website features extra digital content not included in the print edition, including rare audio tracks and videos, archival photography, and bonus interviews. “I'm hoping what people get out of this book is this feeling of being there with me as I tell my stories. That’s what I really want,” says Rossi. “I think if they do, they won’t give up on what their dreams are now. I still dream. I say it in the book. I say it everywhere. I dream every day because I know dreams come true.” Proceeds from the sales of the book go to the nonprofit 20K Watts, an Artist Eco Alliance charity started by Rossi, his eldest son Ryan, and musician J.R. Richards. Sadly, in December 2011,
Ryan passed away from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Rossi and his family continue to keep his eldest son’s legacy alive through their continued work on his charity, which is dedicated to “giving clean light, fresh water and medical assistance to any child in the world who needs it.” “The book is actually owned by 20K Watts, it’s not mine,” says Rossi. “I wrote it and paid the editors and the publishing, but the publisher is 20K Watts, which is Ryan’s charity. Nobody gets a dime out of 20K Watts, everything goes back to the kids.” spt Leo Rossi will be signing copies of When the Devil Smiles the Angels Frown on Saturday, January 18, at Parkhurst Galleries (439 W. 6th St.) starting at 7:30 p.m. For more info, call (310) 547-3158. Books will be available for purchase. To order Rossi's book, visit leosbook.com.
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HISTORY
INCREDIBLE FIRST YEAR FOR THE SAN PEDRO HERITAGE MUSEUM by Angela Romero
2019 was an amazing debut for the San Pedro Heritage Museum. The community has been overwhelmingly supportive of us and our mission to share and preserve San Pedro history and culture. We’ve partnered with local business leaders and fellow community organizations to make sure our history has a voice in the future of San Pedro. I am honored by the partnerships we have created in our first year, and I look forward to years of collaboration in the future. We launched some great and ambitious projects this year, like San Pedro Built and Bukowski in Bronze. San Pedro Built is such an important effort to crowdsource the developmental history of San Pedro. The pictures that we’ve collected, so far, provide invaluable insight into residential and commercial buildings around town. We will be ramping up our scanning and outreach efforts around this project in 2020. If you have any photos of San Pedro residential or commercial buildings, please consider lending them to the database for preservation.
Francisco Real inside La Grand Central Market, circa 1927. This photo was donated to the San Pedro Built database by Francisco's granddaughter, Melanie Real, at a photo scanning event in 2019. Photos like this one are important because there were no publicly held images of this business before now. (photo: San Pedro Heritage Museum)
If you don’t know who Charles Bukowski is by now, it will be our goal to make him a household name in San Pedro by his centennial celebration in August 2020. Launching Bukowski in Bronze, a campaign to honor worldrenowned poet and author, Charles Bukowski, with a statue in one year would have been an ambitious project for even the most seasoned organization, let alone a brand new one. It was a fit of inspiration, and the time was ripe to be bold. We will be celebrating Bukowski all year with a series of events that we will start announcing next month. Charles Bukowski has a global fan base, people who love the work he wrote here, at home, in San Pedro. That needs to be celebrated, and we intend to party all year long. We had some great beginnings in 2019, and there is so much more to look forward to in 2020, especially the groundbreaking for the San Pedro Public Market. As stewards of San Pedro history, we look forward to working with the developers to document the progress of the project and stand ready to supply any historical input needed to make it a great fit for the community. We’re anxious for the next chapter in waterfront history to get under way so we can all get back to making magical
memories on the main channel. Speaking of memories, I have mentioned the importance of collecting oral histories, and we will be making that a priority in coming months because I learned a very hard and painful lesson. Some of you may remember a story I wrote a couple of years ago about searching for an artist who signed his drawings with the name, “Yancy.” It took years of asking to figure out that Yancy was actually Pete Bentovoja. I even stalked him while having his daily coffee at San Pedro Café. I was glad to have met Mr. Bentovoja, but I never got around to interviewing him. When I tried to reach out to set up an interview a couple of months ago, I learned that he had passed away on his 92nd birthday in July. We can’t put off collecting oral histories because we’re losing great ones every day. We will be recruiting volunteers to help launch the program; keep an eye out for future announcements. Our first year proved that the San Pedro Heritage Museum is needed and welcomed. San Pedrans are hungry for their history, and we’ve got so much to serve up. But none of this could happen without the help and support of a very important group of people. I would like to thank our tenacious Bukowski
in Bronze committee for their hard work: Liz Schindler-Johnson, Sharyl Holtzman, Linda Grimes, Christian Lozada, Lorena Parker, Lee Williams, Monica Simpson, and Branimir Kvartuc. Thanks are also due to Linda Bukowski and Eugene and Anne Daub for their visions on the Bukowski statue; Findings Art Center, Sirens Java and Tea, Angels Gate Cultural Center, San Pedro BID, and Sacred Grounds for hosting our events and fundraisers; and Kelly McLeod-Hernandez and Amanda Silva for their unwavering support and making everything better. Finally, my sincerest gratitude goes to my dedicated board: Vice President Joshua Stecker, Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Sullivan, Annette Ciketic, Paul Di Carlo, Alan Johnson, and former board member Ednita Kelly. There would be no museum without you all. You all are such giants in this community, and standing on your shoulders gives me the courage to live my dream. Here’s to all the good things our second year has to offer. spt If you would like more info on any of the projects mentioned above or would like to get involved, please email angela@sanpedroheritage. org or visit sanpedroheritage.org.
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SPORTS
STARSTUDDED NIGHT FOR MSHS GIRLS HOOPS
STARS DEFEAT SAN PEDRO IN FIRST GIRLS BASKETBALL MEETING IN TWO DECADES story & photo by Jamaal K. Street Mary Star High girls basketball team pose for a celebratory team photo after winning 62-28 over neighbor San Pedro.
Talk about taking something by force. From the pregame shoot-around all the way to the singing of the alma mater, it was a night to remember for Mary Star of the Sea High School girls basketball. In the first crosstown meeting with in-city neighbor San Pedro High School since the 2001-2002 season, it was a star-studded performance from the opening tip, as Mary Star bolted to a commanding lead in the first quarter and never looked back before steamrolling their way to a convincing 62-28 victory over the Pirates on Saturday, December 14 at Mary Star High. Mary Star made a massive statement in a crosstown battle that proved to all in attendance that they are more than capable of making another huge run after last year's incredible run to the CIF-Southern Section Division 5-AA semifinals and CIF Southern California Division 5 Regional quarterfinals. The Pirates, meanwhile, have challenged themselves early with a demanding nonleague slate, looking to put together the right formula under first-year coach Kevin Simpson as they compete in the Marine League and in Division 2 of the CIF-Los Angeles City Section. To many in attendance, it was “just another game,” but the magnitude of the victory from a hometown perspective
still weighed heavily on the minds of the Stars, who took a team photo with the scoreboard still flashing the final score after the postgame handshake. "It was a great game, full of high intensity and an amazing team effort," Mary Star senior center Jenna Miloe said. "We worked hard to get to this moment. In the end, I believe the score speaks for itself." A relentless, in-your-face defense was the order of the day for seven-year head coach Victor Tuberosi and Mary Star, who one day earlier won the St. Monica Tournament championship. That ingredient was served up early and often, which frustrated San Pedro into numerous turnovers. The biggest catalysts were the junior guard tandem of Isabella Serrano, Kaitlyn Oasay and Cristina Camacho, who also turned it up offensively. On top of that, Mary Star's other two starters in Miloe and senior guard Sarah Leyba were also effective defensively in limiting San Pedro junior guard and leading scorer Courtney Marshall, who only scored 7 points. "It was extremely important for us to show [the Pirates] right at the beginning that we mean business," Leyba said. "Our whole mindset as a team was, we were going to win this. No matter who we face, we know if we use our collective talents at 100%, we
26 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JANUARY 2020
can't be stopped." Serrano scored 13 of her game-high 16 points in the first half, including combining with Camacho to nail back-to-back three-pointers, followed by an Oasay layup to put Mary Star up 20-6 at the end of the first quarter. The lead got even wider for Mary Star with a 22-5 second quarter blitz to go into their locker room at halftime with an insurmountable 42-11 advantage. In fact, freshman guard Paula Serrano, Isabella's sister, scored 7 points off the bench. The only low spot for the Stars came in the opening minute of the second quarter when Oasay went down with a slight twist of her right ankle when she came down on the left foot of San Pedro junior center Gianna Dileva after a missed running jump shot. Oasay walked off the court with help from teammates and played sparingly afterwards. “I wanted to keep playing because I knew it was a big game against our neighboring school,” said Oasay, who finished with 6 points, 5 steals, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. “I ended up cheering [on] our younger players that came off the bench, and they definitely brought the fire to [San Pedro]. I’m so proud of my sisters!” The second half saw San Pedro step up their level of play, and Dileva was
effective inside as she eventually led the Pirates with 9 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocked shots. Junior guard Annalisa Banuelos was San Pedro's third highest scorer with 5 points. Marshall was encouraged by the team's effort in the second half but also had concern for San Pedro's inability in the early stages to break down the opposition's defensive pressure. “I think we just had to stop doubting ourselves,” said Marshall, who also plays volleyball for San Pedro. “Other than that, we fought hard in the second half.” The top highlight of the night for San Pedro belonged to sophomore guard Gezelle Garcia. Even though she didn’t have the best of nights, Garcia opened off the fourth quarter by swishing a three-pointer from the left corner, which prompted Simpson to give her a high five as she hustled back on defense. “It felt good to put something on the board to help us start the final quarter strong,” Garcia recalls about her only basket of the game. “I’m proud of my team for doing better in the second half.” Isabella Serrano ended up with 3 assists and 5 steals to go along with her 16 points for Mary Star, while Paula Serrano scored 13 and Leyba scored 10. spt
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Yes, this is an obligatory New Year’s resolution column. But before I talk about “how to make 2020 your best year ever,” I’m curious, how did the last year go for you? Did you cross out all of the bucket list items you scribbled down in 2018? Are you measurably better today than you were 365 days ago? Or, are you disappointed with your results? If you’re less than thrilled about how the last year panned out, it doesn’t make sense to set new goals until we’ve identified why you didn’t succeed the first time around. So, before you put pen to paper, I want to give you a bit of advice that might help this next trip around the sun be more fruitful for you. I've found that most people who want to achieve a certain goal (like lose weight) but struggle, fall into two categories: those who lack knowledge and those who lack accountability. Those who lack knowledge have something they want to achieve but don’t know what the steps are to get there. These people tend to run in circles, going down lots of dead ends and rabbit holes that lead to nowhere. Or, paralyzed by their lack of knowing what to do, they just do nothing, so years go by without any progress at all. The second group, those who lack accountability, know what they need to do. Their problem is not the knowledge of what to do, it’s their inability to get themselves to do it. They can’t hold themselves accountable. Every goal you pursue, if you’re serious about achieving it, must be viewed through this lens. Will the achievement of your goal require you to gain knowledge you don’t have, or will it require the discipline to do what you know needs to be done? It might require both. For some goals, the path is linear and well-paved, so a person needs only to read a few articles on Google and get to work. You often see this when someone decides to do a marathon. I’ve known several people who just searched for “marathon training plans” online, followed it, and successfully completed the marathon a few months later.
Other goals might be more complex. They require knowledge that isn’t readily available on Amazon or a Google search. Or perhaps, the knowledge is so abundant and contradictory that there’s too much to go through and discern what applies to you. This is often the case with weight loss. And once you know exactly what to do, you must get yourself to do it week in and week out. I’ve found the more ambitious the goal, the more knowledge and personal accountability is required to get there. You will constantly need to learn and exercise self-discipline for long periods of time. This is not easy. Fortunately, there is an easier way. At various times in my life, I’ve hit dead ends. At certain points, I was stuck because I either didn’t know what to do next and/or felt too burned out to keep going. And unfortunately, I was hard-headed and stayed stuck for very long periods of time because I’ve always been someone who wants to figure things out for myself. But one day, I decided I was done reinventing the wheel. I hired a coach. I did this in both personal and professional endeavors. The result was that in every area I was coached, I achieved more in months than I had achieved in years. Every lofty goal requires knowledge and accountability. And yes, you can do this yourself, but when you hire a coach, you shortcut the process by leveraging their experience in real time. They remove all the research, trial and error, and guesswork, so you can focus on taking action. And when you’re slacking on the action, they’re there to snap you back in line. These days, I wouldn’t take on anything without an experienced pro to show the way. I mean, would you climb Everest without a guide? So as you plan out your 2020, ask yourself: Do you need knowledge or accountability? And if so, do you want to figure it out on your own or do you want to get there ten times faster? spt Heyday Elite Fitness offers a 2-minute scan that provides a full 1-page body fat analysis to help you tailor your fitness goals. For more info, email ricky@heydaytraining.com.
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I was recently watching a competition reality show where a contestant repeatedly talked about her belief in what some call the Law of Attraction. The Law of Attraction, similar to the power of intention, says that we attract what we focus on, that we shape our destiny by the thoughts we have. In other words, if we think negatively, we’ll attract negative outcomes; if we think positively, we attract good outcomes. This concept teaches that, whatever our desires — whether it’s success in relationships, health, or finances — if we visualize and dream it, we can manifest it into our reality. In the case of this contestant, she believed that she would win the competition because she dreamed and believed that she would. But when the competition didn’t go her way, her metaphysical beliefs took a troublesome turn. Every time something would go wrong, the contestant would break down and sulk, insisting that the universe must be “punishing” her and therefore, she “must not be a good person.” This really bothered me because she was essentially assigning a karmic value to her beliefs. While I believe there’s a lot of value in the Law of Attraction and power of intention, there’s also the danger of falling into “karmic” thinking. Karma and the power of intention are two different things, but it’s easy for people to get them confused. Karma is the concept that the universe will reward or punish us based on our actions — “good” people will be rewarded with good outcomes and “bad” people will be punished with bad outcomes. While karma is a lovely thought — because it implies there is some sort of automatic justice and fairness in the world — it’s simply not real. The unfortunate reality is sometimes bad things happen to good people (and vice versa). Yet karma implies that if a person suffers any kind of life tragedy or challenge — losing their job, becoming ill, being “unlucky in love” — they must have somehow “deserved” it. What if we applied these ideas to people living with cancer? Or any chronic illness, for that matter? What about those with disabilities? Or those
dealing with loss or grief? Did they bring on these situations by not wishing, praying, or thinking positively enough? Of course not. But assigning karmic value to the Law of Attraction implies this, and it’s a dangerous and flawed way of thinking. Don’t me wrong: I believe in taking personal responsibility for our actions, and there are definite consequences to many life choices. If you smoke a pack a day, fail to exercise, or eat fast food regularly, for example, it’s likely these behaviors will affect your health in a negative way. We obviously have to be accountable for our actions. But these choices usually have nothing to do with one’s character or how good a person one is. There’s a difference between a consequence and a karmic punishment. As someone who battles chronic illness, I can sometimes blame myself for my condition, and I know there are many others in similar situations who do the same. While I’m a supporter of practices that utilize the power of intention, like meditation and positive thinking, we need to recognize that these are tools to help manage health and wellbeing. We cannot simply wish away an incurable illness, disability, or any other unfortunate or tragic life event. And we certainly should never shame anyone (including ourselves) for being on the receiving end of any of those things. It took watching a trivial television personality to remind me of this. The bottom line is, if you are suffering from an illness, disability, pain, loss, tragedy, or the effects of any unfortunate life event, please remember: • You did not “manifest” your situation simply because you did not think positively enough or because you are a “bad” person. • Your character is not determined by your health, financial, or relationship status, or by the things that happen to you. • Your character is determined by who you are (your moral actions, how you treat others, etc.), not by whatever misfortune life may have bestowed on you. • No matter your challenges, you are worthy and valuable… and probably pretty darn strong, too. spt Follow Lori Garrett's wellness blog, at adventuresofasickchick.com.
OCTOBER 2019
PLUS: MACBETH AT THE GRAND ANNEX | SAN PEDRO'S HAPPY HOURS | 2019 PREP VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW
THE SPT Q&A
FINDING SOLUTIONS HOMELESS ADVOCATE AMBER SHEIKH GINSBERG DISCUSSES SAN PEDRO'S HOMELESS CRISIS, WHAT'S BEING DONE TO SOLVE IT, AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP
Happy New Year, San Pedro! Thank you for an amazing 2019. Here's to an even better 2020.
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JANUARY 2020 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 31
FAITH
THE TWENTIES by Pastor Nathan Hoff
Whatever happened to...
Sandra Pinkston? “I was living in Arizona and falling a lot. My daughter was very concerned and brought me to her house while she looked at retirement places. When she came back from Harbor Terrace, she said it was like walking into a fancy hotel. I was so reluctant to try it and agreed to only two weeks. That was three years ago. Now my daughter calls and I am too busy with everything going on here to answer the phone! I have gotten much stronger due to more walking and the daily exercise classes. I have so many good friends here. My life is fun again.” Sandra Pinkston, Resident of Harbor Terrace
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A century ago, the Twenties were called “roaring.” Decades don’t get names before they begin. They have to be lived in for a while before they get named. It might even be too early to name the decade that is just now coming to an end. What would you name the 20-teens? The 1920’s had post-war optimism, Art Deco, almost unrestrained prosperity, jazz, Mickey Mouse, and penicillin. No wonder they called it “roaring.” We see signs of that decade’s touch in the architecture of our town at the Arcade Building on 6th Street and Bandini Street Elementary. It was a proud decade. Humanity seemed like it was figuring it all out. Some consider it the climax of modernity. Frenchman Émile Coué famously said, “Tous les jours à tous points de vue je vais de mieux en mieux.” (“Every day in every way, I’m getting better and better.”) That could be the creed of modernity. Progress. Upward. Forward. Coué died in 1926, and the end of that roaring decade (1929) ended in a crash on Wall Street and a crash on the southern end of our town, creating Sunken City. Financial ruin, another World War, a string of assassinations, and seeing behind the curtain during the Watergate scandal all helped transition the Modern Project into what many call post-modernity, a far less proud era stretching to today. The new Twenties. There used to be some mystery about how the glitterati and political class lived. Now there is Twitter. Trinity, the church I serve, started in the Roaring Twenties. Lord willing, we will celebrate our centennial in 2021. When I arrived in 2005, many people asked me “What is your vision?” Honestly, I don’t think I had much vision. Oh, I had some dreams, but I had them long before I came to Trinity, and I didn’t know if they were Trinityspecific. Sometimes, I confess to making up some vision because I didn’t want to
disappoint those who were inquiring. Finally, I started telling the truth. “I don’t know where we are going, but I know how we are going to get there.” In the case of the church, we would get to the future with shared convictions, unity in the faith that we received from those before us, and a clarity in our mission to reach out to San Pedro with the good news of God’s grace. Since then, together, we have also begun seeing where we are going. San Pedro, I wonder if we could look at the upcoming decade similarly? Often, we don’t know where we are going, but we know how we will get there. May I suggest a few ways we can be San Pedrans in the 2020s? Costly citizenship. There are cheap ways of being citizens. Complaining about the mess, but never showing up to clean it up. Whining about our elected leaders but refraining from voting. Social media activism while sitting safely and comfortably on your sofa. Let's get to the Twenties by active citizenship. Sure, let's complain about the mess and show up to help clean it up. Unmask fear. Some fear is legitimate. Most is manipulation. I have begun asking, “What does this group gain by making me afraid?” The news cycle is more predicable than the tides, and it is scheduled to keep us hooked, outraged, and terrified. Read Psalm 23.4. Even in the “valley of the shadow of death,” there is a reason to not be afraid. Putting the “San” back in San Pedro. We have “saint” in our name and, I believe, in our destiny. You know people who are so heavenly-minded, they are no earthly good. What if we were so heavenly-minded, we were so earthly good? I’m going to start by not shortening our town’s name to "Pedro." I’m going to say “San Pedro.” And when I remember “San,” I'll say a little prayer for our destiny. Or, at least our next decade. spt Nathan Hoff is the Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in San Pedro. Follow his blog at trinitypastor.blogspot.com.
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JANUARY 2020 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 33
REAL ESTATE
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34 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JANUARY 2020
real estate markets. Leading into 2019, California was preparing for a “shifting” real estate market, which we discussed in last year’s review. The shift indicators, which became apparent during the second half of 2018, were increased days on market, more seller price reductions than in the past, and an uptick in available housing inventory. Concurrent to this shift was the gradual increase in mortgage rates from around 4% in 2017 to nearly 4.7% by the end of the third quarter in 2018. According to local MLS statistics (2018 v. 2017), there were 335 single-family residences sold in San Pedro (-15%) with an average sales price of $699,000 (+3%) and average days on market (DOM) of 30 days (-23%). In neighboring Rancho Palos Verdes, there were 370 SFR’s sold (-7%) with an average sales price of $1.532MM (+6%) and average DOM of 40 days (+2.5%). Overall, there were 4,032 SFR’s sold (-12%) in the South Bay with an average sales price of $1.166MM (+5%) and average DOM of 32 days (-9%). The trend across the South Bay was decreased sales volume, slightly higher prices, and mostly stable to fewer days on market. As reported last year, the 2019 Housing Market Forecast published by the California Association of Realtors projected that SFR home sales volume would be down 3.3%, with the median home price in California up 3.1%. Further, the average 30-year, fixed mortgage interest rates were projected to rise to 5.2% in 2019, up from 4.7% in 2018. How did this forecast play out in the South Bay during 2019? Through mid December of 2019, there were 295 SFR homes sold in San Pedro. This was down
9% from the 325 homes sold during the same period in 2018. However, the average sales price of $719,000 was up nearly 3% and the average DOM for homes sold went from 30 days to 35 days (+16%). In Rancho Palos Verdes, 353 SFR homes sold (-1%) with an average sales price of $1.497MM (-3%) and average DOM of 47 days (+15%). In the South Bay as a whole, there were 3,906 SFR homes sold (+1%) with an average sales price of $1.180MM (+2%) and average DOM of 36 days (+14%). Although the housing forecast was fairly accurate, the biggest difference was with the mortgage rate forecast. Through mid December, Freddie Mac reported the U.S. weekly average rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage at 3.73%. This was significantly lower than the 5.2% projection and certainly can be viewed as a significant reason for the continued stability of real estate on a local and state level. So, what’s the outlook for 2020? The California Association of Realtors projects that low mortgage rates will support California’s housing market in 2020, but economic uncertainty and affordability issues will mute sales growth, according to their housing and economic forecast released in late September. A small uptick is projected in existing single-family homes sales of 0.8% next year. The California median home price is forecasted to increase 2.5% to $607,900 in 2020. “With interest rates expected to remain near three-year lows, buyers have more purchasing power than in years past, but they may be reluctant to get off the sidelines because of economic and market uncertainties,” said C.A.R. President Jared Martin. We look forward to a great 2020 and all that the New Year may bring. spt
Mike Harper and Peter Hazdovac are both licensed Realtors® with Keller Williams Realty. For more info, visit harperhazdovac.com.
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ON THE TOWN
The 39th Annual Spirit of San Pedro Holiday Parade took over the streets of Downtown San Pedro on Sunday, December 1, 2019. Presented by the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce each year, this festive San Pedro tradition brings families, little leagues, scouts, students, high school bands, equestrian units, and volunteers to Downtown San Pedro to celebrate the holiday season and our community. More than 9,000 individuals lined the streets to view the parade, and, of course, wave to Santa Claus. (photos: Jose Amaral, Jr.)
36 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JANUARY 2020
JANUARY 2020 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 37
THE BACK PAGE
L.A. City Councilman John S. Gibson Jr. (center) gets sworn into office. He served San Pedro and the City of Los Angeles for 30 years. For his service, a street, park, and the San Pedro municipal building are named in his honor. (photo: San Pedro Bay Historical Society)
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