San Pedro Today - February 2020

FEBRUARY 2020

PLUS: CLEANING SP'S WATERWAYS BY KAYAK | STORIES FROM AN MMCC VOLUNTEER | AND MUCH MORE!

FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES IN THE MIDST OF A MAJOR BUDGET CRISIS, THE MARINE MAMMAL CARE CENTER SEEKS THE PUBLIC'S SUPPORT TO STAY OPEN

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

Dr. Ian Woo, Oral Maxillofacial surgeon, M.D.

310.832.5559

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

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This month, I’m very excited to announce the official launch of the all new sanpedrotoday. com. It only took us a little over a decade to have a proper online presence that’s worth writing about, but you know what they say, better late than never, right?

I’ll be the first to admit, our previous ventures online have been embarrassing, to say the least. Even though we’ve built a strong following on social media, building a proper website for this magazine has been the bane of my existence ever since we launched in February 2009. Last year, after years of building previous versions of the website by myself (poorly, I might add), we were finally able to work with a great professional web design company to produce a permanent home online that I’m finally proud of.

In addition to our monthly magazine content, the website has a robust events calendar, links to community resources, and exclusive online content, like photo galleries, videos, and more up-to-date news and features. You can also order print subscriptions online (a feature that’s been requested by readers for years). And coming soon, we’ll be launching an online store featuring

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exclusive San Pedro-inspired designs and merchandise.

I have a few more exciting announcements, but I’ll save those for next month. Please check out the new sanpedrotoday.com and let me know what you think (my contact info’s below). I’d love your feedback.

It’s rare in today’s divisive political climate that we can collectively celebrate a politician, but someone who deserves kudos this month is L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn.

Her office’s generous $100,000 donation to the Marine Mammal Care Center helped them hit the halfway mark of $500,000 in just six weeks. With four months to go, odds look good for them to hit their $1 million goal by June. She was also instrumental in getting the Board of Supervisors to fund $300,000 to open a temporary homeless shelter in the vacant L.A. County clinic at 8th and Beacon Streets, ground zero for our homeless crisis and a much-needed piece of relief for that area.

January was a busy month for the supervisor and her staff. Their work in making a positive difference in our community deserves to be commended. spt Joshua Stecker is publisher/editorin-chief of San Pedro Today. Letters to the Editor can be emailed to contact@sanpedrotoday.com.

FEBRUARY 2020 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 5

FEBRUARY 2020

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ADVERTISING:

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Patricia Roberts (562) 964-8166 | patricia@sanpedrotoday.com

ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION

Shana Ghekiere (310) 753-5176 | shana@sanpedrotoday.com

Joshua J. Stecker Lori Garrett

Joseph A. Castañeda

AT-LARGE CONTRIBUTORS

Pastor Nathan Hoff, Ricky Magana, Steve Marconi, Jennifer Marquez, Karen Moneymaker, Anthony Pirozzi, 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 12 | NUMBER 1

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: An injured seal lion pup being treated at the Marine Mammal Care Center. (photo: John Mattera Photography)

6 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I FEBRUARY 2020

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FEBRUARY Every Wednesday – CREATIVE WRITING CLASS FOR KIDS at The Corner Store (1118 W. 37th St.), 4:30-5:45p. 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.

Now 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 plays highlighting what happens when options are weighed in the face of big decisions such as: a new and potentially dangerous way to pay off crushing college debt, choices being made inside today’s classrooms, and whether to stay in a relationship when presented with new astrological consequences.

The tastiest picks were plucked from over 670 submissions proffered from around the world. Runs Thursday through Sunday at various times.

Tickets $15-28. For more info, call (310) 512-6030 or visit littlefishtheatre.org.

1 (Sat) – SAN PEDRO BAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY SPEAKER SERIES – JIM MACLELLAN at the John S. Gibson, Jr. Municipal Building (638 S. Beacon Street, Room 452), 11a-12:30p.

Jim MacLellan, Forum 21 director and past director of trade development for the Port of Los Angeles, will present “One Hundred Years of Trade through the San Pedro Bay.” The talk will focus

on main markets and products, then and now, to uncover some surprising facts and trends. The historic implications for local and regional economies in a few key trade products will also be explored. FREE admission. For more info, call (310) 548-3208 or visit sanpedrobayhistoricalsociety.com.

6 (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.

Auditorium (560 N. Western Ave.), 6p.

For more info, visit nwsanpedro.org.

11 (Tues) – CENTRAL SAN PEDRO NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL MONTHLY BOARD & STAKEHOLDER MEETING at Port of Los Angeles High School (250 W. 5th St.), 6:30p. For more info, visit centralsanpedronc.org.

15 (Sat) – PROVIDENCE LCM HEALTH CARE SCHOLARSHIP FUNDRAISER at Happy Diner #2 (1931 N. Gaffey St.), 7a-11p. Providence LCM San Pedro Hospital Auxiliary is sponsoring an all-day fundraiser for Health Career Scholarships. Join us at 6 (Thurs) – FOOD TASTING at AsHappy Diner #2 for breakfast, lunch, sistance League of San Pedro-South Bay or dinner. Please mention the Provi(1441 W. 8th St. at Weymouth Corners), dence LCM Auxiliary. A percentage 11a-2p. The Assistance League San Pe- of the meals will benefit the Annual dro-South Bay Gift Shop will be hosting Scholarships. Enjoy good food and good a free food tasting event, featuring great company while also helping students soup recipes for those cool days ahead. pursuing a career in the health field.

They will also be featuring dessert to complete a simple quick meal. For more 16 (Sun) 10,000TH DAY OPEN HOUSE info, call (310) 832-8355, ext. 221. & DONATION DRIVE at Marine Mammal Care Center (3601 South Gaffey 9 (Sun) – SPICE UP YOUR LIFE St.), 11a-3p. Visitors from all over Los WITH INDIAN INSPIRED FOOD at Angeles will celebrate our mission to Miraleste Library (29089 Palos Verdes provide medical care, food, and shelter Drive E, RPV), 2-4p. This month, for injured seals and sea lions rescued please come enjoy a tasty and inspirin Santa Monica Bay, Malibu, Long ing culinary demonstration featuring Beach and the ports. Guests can observe Indian cuisine by nationally recognized, feeding of recovering seals and sea award-winning, registered dietitian lions, browse exhibits in the visitors nutritionist and local resident Vandana center, learn from demonstrations and Sheth, RDN, CDE, FAND. FREE and presentations, meet local supporters, open to the public. For more info, call enjoy children’s activities, purchase (310) 377-9584 x452 or visit pvld.org. snazzy souvenirs in the gift shop, and much more. This is the perfect day 10 (Mon) – NORTHWEST SAN PEfor family and friends to bring vital DRO NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL “Wish List” hospital supplies to mark MONTHLY BOARD & STAKEHOLD- MMCC’s 10,000th day and kick start ER MEETING at Peck Park Community their next 10,000 days of helping pre-

cious marine mammals get home. For more info, visit marinemammalcarecenterlosangeles.com and to provide wish list items, visit marinemammalcarecenterlosangeles.com/wish-list/.

18 (Tues) – COASTAL SAN PEDRO NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL MONTHLY BOARD & STAKEHOLDER MEETING at Cabrillo Marina Community Building (2965 Via Cabrillo-Marina), 6:30p.

For more info, visit cspnc.org.

29 (Sat) – FRIENDS OF SAN PEDRO LIBRARY PRESENT: AN AFTERNOON WITH FOUR GUITARS at San Pedro Library Community Room (931 S. Gaffey St.), 2p. Featuring Justin Ezzi, Renauld Chaput, Tom Bellizia, and Richard Leach, all local soloists who have formed an artists' quartet. FREE. For more info, visit friendsspl.org or call (310) 832-6288.

29 (Sat) – KAYLENE PEOPLES’ ROMANTIC BOSSA-NOVA at Alvas Showroom (1417 W. 8th St.), 8p. This is a rare opportunity to see the stunning vocalist and flutist, Kaylene Peoples, perform her Romantic Bossa-Nova show. With a five-octave range and charming personality, she mesmerizes audiences with her deep, heartfelt interpretations of songs from the Great American Songbook — such as “Berimbau,” “Besame Mucho,” “Dindi,” and other favorites like “Corcovado,” “Waters of March,” “Agua de Beber,” and her flute playing on “One Note Samba” is unique and compelling. For tickets and info, visit alvasshowroom. com/event/kaylene-peoples. spt

Want to see your event here? Email events@sanpedrotoday.com to place a listing. Deadline for the March 2020 issue is Friday, February 14. Find more events at sanpedrotoday.com.

8 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I FEBRUARY 2020

FEBRUARY 2020 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 9

BOGDANOVICH REC CENTER FLAG FOOTBALL WINS CHAMPIONSHIP BOTH MAJOR & MINOR TEAMS COMPETE IN CITYWIDE TOURNAMENT

by SPT Staff

On December 21, 2019, both Bogdanovich Recreation Center's minor and major flag football teams made it to the L.A. Citywide Tournament, a first for both divisions. The minors played their hearts out but lost to Granada Hills Recreation Center. The majors, on the other hand, defeated Balboa Recreation Center and took home the Citywide championship, a first for Bogdanovich. San Pedro Today congratulates both divisions for a stellar season. spt

10 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I FEBRUARY 2020

Bogdanovich Recreation Center's major division flag football champs: (back row, l to r): Coach Victor Tuberosi, Elias Rose, Mason Storr, Caden Correll, Dylan Rubino, Coach George Tuberosi; (front row, l to r): Ky'jai Polk, Mateo Carresi, A.J. Harless, Michael Tuberosi, Tino Aliifua. (photo: Celina Daniels/Bogdanovich Recreation Center)

FEBRUARY 2020 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 11

VOICES

IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE, SAN PEDRO CLOSED FOR BUSINESS

by Steve Marconi Looking back to find some closure on 2019, it seemed to me it was a particularly rough year for San Pedro, if you take closure literally.

I’m referring to all of the businesses that closed their doors last year, most of them well established. The nation’s booming economy doesn’t appear to have extended to San Pedro, perhaps a reflection of the slowdown experienced by the ports. The restaurant business is especially difficult and affected by the vagaries of economics, and while a few new eateries have appeared, many more have left the scene.

Downtown, we lost Neil's Italian restaurant on Fifth, a building instantly taken over by an upscale Mexican restaurant, a dicey move at best consider-

ing all of the Mexican restaurants in the area. Earlier we’d lost Mishi’s Strudel shop and the wine shop on Seventh.

Buono’s closed its pizzeria on Gaffey and relocated downtown, just blocks from the recently closed Philie B’s pizza, which is just a few doors down from Niko’s pizza. How much Mexican food and pizza can San Pedrans eat?

Besides losing Buono’s, Gaffey also lost the Gaffey Street Diner, which was soon replaced by The Nook. I’m still amazed the diner survived as long as it did considering it was accessible from only one side of the street.

Western Avenue suffered the most, however. H. Salt Fish & Chips, which was on Western for decades and always seemed empty, finally closed. Park Plaza’s Tuesday Morning, an eclectic retail franchise offering name-brand close-out merchandise, shut its doors.

US Bank decided two locations within

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blocks of each other on North Western were one too many and closed the more convenient San Pedro site.

Two longstanding restaurants downsized considerably: Marie Callender’s left its original spot on Trudie and took over the much smaller location abandoned by Jacaranda; Taxco moved from the corner opposite Marie Callender’s to one of the many vacancies in Garden Village. Via Dolce coffeehouse gave up trying to compete with Starbucks, and the aged Western Plaza said goodbye to longtime tenants Niccolo’s and Baskin-Robbins.

The south end of Western also suffered: the Chicago for Ribs franchise pulled out, although the site is expected to reopen under a new name. And we have to mention the end of the Admiral Risty up the coast, a special occasion destination for many San Pedrans for a half-century. The sad trend continued into the new year with the closing of longtime occupant Top Wok on Western and the pizza parlor on Fifth and Gaffey.

Just as San Pedrans cast a wary eye in the direction of the former Ports O’ Call, commuters on Western Avenue pass Ponte Vista with ever-increasing trepidation, often while sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic. More closures, this time lanes: “Very Heavy Traffic,” “Use Alt Route.” Are you kidding me?

Looking ahead, all I can say is, fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

of impact on San Pedro that deserve statues, and nowhere on that list would be Charles Bukowski. Bukowski, an avant-garde poet and writer, died in San Pedro at age 73, having lived here the last 28 years of his life. Born in Germany, he grew up in Los Angeles and spent most of his life in the Hollywood area. I doubt many San Pedrans have read any of his works, and probably only a handful have seen the semi-autographical movie “Barfly,” based on the life of a man not only noted for his words but for his unsavory lifestyle. His home and gravesite in Green Hills attract tourists, mostly young Germans, who seem to be his biggest fans.

I respect the San Pedrans who want to honor Bukowski (including the publisher of this magazine), but for the life of me, I don’t know what they’re thinking. It might attract more tourists to downtown, but is that a reason to erect a statue? Statues are usually for hometown heroes or someone who’s made a significant contribution to the area. I don’t see how Bukowski fits either category.

Now I realize this might be one of those unbridgeable generation gap situations, but what it really reminds me of is one of those school tests: Cabrillo, White, Bridges, Olguin, Bogdanovich, Bukowski. Which one is different? If the money is raised for a Bukowski statue, then more power to them. But if we’re going to have statues, how about one for San Pedro icons like Tiger Reese, John Royal, John S. Gibson Jr., Vincent Thomas, Mary Let’s Talk Statues Nakahara (aka Yuri Kochiyama), Angie There are only two statues of real Papadakis, George Peck, Nick Trani, people that I know of in San Pedro: homegrown author Richard Armour, or the sculpture of the Portuguese exWillie Naulls? All worthy choices. plorer who discovered San Pedro, Juan San Pedro is pretty good at honoring Rodriguez Cabrillo, in the traffic circle at Cabrillo Beach and, not too far away, certain individuals by naming streets or places after them. But a statue is the bronze of Stephen M. White, the something very special and should be “Father of Los Angeles Harbor,” at the reserved for only very special people. entrance to the beach. There also are three large busts: one of Harry Bridges, I’ve offered a few names just off the top of my head; who do you think deserves founder of the ILWU, on Harbor memorializing in perpetuity with a Boulevard, another of John Olguin in front of the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, statue? And dead people only—there are which he established, and one of fishing plenty of living people we can honor industry pioneer Martin Bogdanovich at later. spt the Dalmatian-American Club. Five of Steve Marconi can be reached at San Pedro’s most important historical spmarconi@yahoo.com. figures.

I could think of another dozen or more people who have had the kind

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VOICES

STAND TALL

by Anthony Pirozzi, Jr. Back in 1983, my San Pedro Today columnist colleague, Steve Marconi, published “A Real San Pedran” in the former San Pedro News-Pilot. “A Real San Pedran” is a list of 91 characteristics of what he believed a “real” San Pedran was back then. I pulled out a few that seem to be relevant today: A real San Pedran keeps wondering what happened to San Pedro; A real San Pedran would never cross a picket line; A real San Pedro never says San “Paydro” and gets mad when others do; A real San Pedran is either a longshoreman or a fisherman, or related to one or both; A real San Pedran remembers the days when, if he answered “San Pedro” to the question, “Where do you live?” it was followed by, “Where?” A real San Pedran votes Democrat, but thinks Republican. I have always been intrigued by the last one.

As we head into a new decade, we also head into a big political year as we vote for president of the United States, congressional candidates, state and local officials, and propositions. It will be a year of political debate that has already begun to ramp up. So how will you vote? What stance or position will you take? Will you listen to someone’s political opinion or ideas even if they are of a different political party than yours? Will you only vote for the letter next to a candidate’s name rather that the character of the candidate? Will you shout-down someone from a different political party with stereotype names for that party? Will you vote for a proposition because of some sound bites fed to you by your political party affiliation or will you actually read the proposition?

As a kid, my mom always made it a point to say, “Make your own decisions and make up your own mind.” She would give us this sound advice at times when she believed we were being influenced by someone, especially when we would say things or express ourselves in a way that didn’t sound like things we would normally say. She was basically telling us to stand tall 14 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I FEBRUARY 2020

and stand up for what we believe in.

When it comes to politics these days, we have to begin to wake up to what is happening around us regardless of our political affiliation. We also need to stop regurgitating political talking points we read or hear on television to make a political point. We need to listen and learn from each other, work together to align our focus, and work together to make the changes we need to realize regardless of political affiliation.

As an example at the local level, I have heard from family, friends and community members with different political affiliations who are frustrated with what is going on in San Pedro with the homeless epidemic and the slow pace to address it. Most people don’t want to criminalize homelessness, but rather take the criminal element out of the homeless community so those who truly need help can receive it. Also, at the state level we have elected a supermajority party running California.

Many now feel that the people are being forgotten by the very people we have elected to represent us and that an agenda is being adopted that continues to raise costs across the state, making it difficult for families to make ends meet. Finally, many are beginning to raise their concerns with the upcoming proposition to change key elements of Proposition 13.

Like you, I love San Pedro, Los Angeles, and California, and I would not live anywhere else, but I feel we are being taken advantage of as a community of people. For those of you who are being criticized for having a different opinion or being labeled because of your political affiliation and feel it is better to remain quiet rather than express your opinion, I encourage you not to be silent. It is time for all of us to put our political affiliation aside, work together, listen to each other, rally for our community, our city, and our state, and take the great advice my mom gave me: make your own decisions and make up your own mind.

Most importantly, stand tall. spt Anthony Pirozzi, Jr. is a Los Angeles Harbor Commissioner. He can be contacted at apirozzi@yahoo.com.

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FEBRUARY 2020 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 15

VOICES

CLEANING SAN PEDRO’S WATERWAYS BY KAYAK

by Jennifer Marquez Trash floats along the Cabrillo Beach breakwater. (photo: Paddle Out Plastic)

On a brisk Sunday morning, I kayaked with a group called Paddle Out Plastic.

Five of us launched our kayaks from the Cabrillo Beach boat ramp. We headed to the inside of the break wall by the fishing pier and then went to the Cabrillo Marina jetty. In less than two hours, we collected more than 500 pieces of trash from the ocean including 136 food (chip bags) and product wrappers, 89 pieces of Styrofoam, 42 lids, 33 straws, 25 bags, 84 other plastic pieces, 34 hard plastic pieces, 11 bottles, 9 cups, 6 ropes, 5 closed rings, 3 foam fabric pieces, 1 bubble wrap, 1 bicycle inner tube, 1 hanger, 2

bows, 1 glove, 2 lighters, 1 toy, 1 pen, 2 plastic straps, 1 floss pick, 1 spoon, 1 stir stick, 1 mirror, 2 balloons, 3 earplug wrappers, and 2 strips of caution tape.

For years, Eva Cicoria has enjoyed kayaking on the Los Angeles Waterfront. She noticed a large amount of trash, the majority of it plastic, so she began pulling it out piece by piece. Over the years, she collected enough trash to fill a dumpster. She launched Paddle Out Plastic on World Oceans Day in 2019. Since that date, her group has picked up over 20,714 pieces of plastic weighing close to 500 pounds from the Los Angeles Harbor waterways.

On the day I went out with Paddle Out Plastic, the waters were rough. I consider myself a fairly experienced kayaker, but I steered clear of the rocks

16 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I FEBRUARY 2020

where most of the trash had accumulated. I watched as Eva expertly positioned her kayak alongside the breakwater as she grabbed trash from the turbulent ocean. Picking up trash from a kayak is a skill and has to be done just right or the kayak can tip over.

On New Year’s Day, Paddle Out Plastic collected 2,158 pieces of trash from San Pedro waters, which totaled 64 pounds, not counting the 17 glass, aluminum and waxed paper items. Eva and her husband Ken Swenson count and inventory every piece. Their results, along with photos of trash and local sea life, are posted on the Paddle Out Plastic Facebook page and Instagram.

Fish, seabirds, and marine mammals can become entangled in or ingest plastic debris, causing death. Los Angeles Harbor has a plastic pollution problem. Paddle Out Plastic is bringing awareness to the problem while pulling out plastic from the local waterways.

Eva is also committed to influencing local policy and has discovered the Port’s 2009 Water Resources Action Plan and litter control programs. These programs don’t appear to be active but are supposed to include the inspection of facilities, frequent litter collection, modern and effective litter removal, and an anti-litter removal campaign. Eva has spoken to the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners and hopes her findings will lead to the Port reinvigorating their plan.

I asked Eva how she reduces her

utilization of plastic. She recounted using only reusable containers when she packed lunches for her daughters and husband. While her daughters are now grown, she said she thinks about all the plastic bags she never used for all those years. Plastic is everywhere, and Eva suggests leaning into a life with less plastic. She uses bamboo toothbrushes and for trash bags, she reuses the same bag multiple times and dumps the contents into the trash. She stores foldable to-go containers in her glove compartment that she takes to restaurants for leftovers. Most coffee places like Starbucks will refill cups brought by the customer.

There is nothing like watching seals and birds in their natural ocean habitat near floating chip bags and plastic bottle caps. As discouraging as it looks, there are ways to help, like using a reusable bottle for water. The reality is that the majority of plastic is not being recycled, even if placed in the blue recycling bins. Most of these items are ending up in the dump. If you want to be part of the solution, contact Eva through Paddle Out Plastics on social media. Hopefully, one day San Pedro will have kayak and SUP rentals on the waterfront; that way, even more people will be able to volunteer to help clean up our ocean. spt Jennifer Marquez can be reached at jennifertmarquez@yahoo. com and @jenntmqz on Twitter and Instagram.

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FEBRUARY 2020 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 17

COVER STORY

FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES IN THE MIDST OF A MAJOR BUDGET CRISIS, THE MARINE MAMMAL CARE CENTER SEEKS THE PUBLIC'S SUPPORT TO STAY OPEN

by Joshua Stecker A young sea lion relaxes in a rehabilitation pool at the Marine Mammal Care Center.

(photo: John Mattera Photography)

“Oh, wow! Look!” a young girl screams as she watches a crane swoop into a rehabilitation pen, stealing a fish from a young sea lion pup and flying away.

“Did you see that?!” another child exclaims. “That was so cool!”

These children, students from President Avenue Elementary School in Harbor City, are giddy with excitement to see sea lions up close and personal, many for the first time. Their noses pressed against the chain-link fence that encompasses the enclosure, they stare intently as a volunteer tosses fish into the pools, hoping the sea lions will feed in as natural a state as possible, trying not to expose them to human interaction as best they can for their eventual release back into the wild.

“Look over there!” a young boy excitedly says, pointing towards a large sea lion, maybe the biggest one here, clapping its fins and barking towards the sky, its head shaking violently with every yelp.

“Sadly, that one is blind,” a center volunteer says. The children’s excitement quickly turns to concern.

They soon realize that this isn’t Sea World, and these sea lions aren’t there to perform. Instead, the sea lions they’re viewing are all sick or injured and in various stages of rehabilitation due to the commendable work by the small staff and volunteers that make up the Marine Mammal Care Center.

Unfortunately, as the sea lions they

care for struggle to survive, the center, which has been in operation for nearly 30 years, has found itself in a life or death situation of its own, as a massive budget crisis could force the facility to close if they fail to raise $1 million by June of this year.

animals, whereas an average year is 350. That put a major strain on the already limited resources that we had.”

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an unusual mortality event is defined under the Marine Mammal Protection Act as: a stranding event A PERFECT STORM OF PROBLEMS that is unexpected and involves a So how did the Marine Mammal Care significant die-off of any marine Center become so financially strapped? mammal population. The event In November of 2019, Jeff Cozad, the demands an immediate response. former board president and executive Becerra continues, “Secondly, we director of the center, resigned abruptly became a nonprofit. We’re basically and amid controversy, leaving the a spin-off of what was previously a organization without leadership and for-profit corporation. [Harcourt Brace in a very precarious financial position.

Jovanovich] decided that they didn’t Amber Becerra, an entertainment want to have this entity anymore. At attorney who was asked to join the all- some point, they realized they wanted volunteer board by Cozad, was asked to be done with this organization. to take over as board president and So, we were formed into a 501(c)(3) executive director soon after. nonprofit in 2016 as a result of that.”

According to Becerra, the problems The nonprofit changed its name started to mount in 2016, when to Marine Mammal Care Center Los Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, the book Angeles in the hopes that it would be publishing company that originally able to cast a wider net for donations. spent $3 million to open the center in Before it cut ties, Harcourt Brace 1992, abruptly pulled their endowment Jovanovich gave the center a three-year funds, forcing Cozad to convert the timeframe and some seed money to organization into a nonprofit. It was help bridge the gap that would be left something the center wasn’t prepared with their departure. The fundraising for. never gained enough traction, and the “It’s a two-fold explanation,” says mounting costs and lack of income were Becerra. “We had an ‘unusual mortality putting the center under water. event’ (UME) from 2013 to 2017, where “Unfortunately, it just wasn't enough we had a large number of animals money, and there wasn’t enough donor come in way beyond what we were support during those three years,” says anticipating. One year we had 700 Becerra.

18 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I FEBRUARY 2020

When she was presented with the financials after taking over the board, Becerra saw a center in turmoil and about to collapse.

“This isn’t the kind of entity where, for example, we’re selling artwork where we could just stop buying so much art because we don’t have the money. This is the kind of organization where the money has to go out because we have animals [that need to be saved]. Then we have this unusual mortality event. What are we going to do? We’re not going to let them die. So, we spend the money, even if we don’t necessarily have it, in order to keep operating and take care of the animals that we have.”

Prior to Becerra taking over, the center’s yearly budget was $1.6 million, which she says was already lean enough considering how many animals they were tending to during that time.

“Upon looking at the financials from 2017 and 2018, it became obvious that we were in crisis mode, and it was time to just slash everything,” she says. “We basically eliminated our entire development staff and kept one administrative position; the rest of the money is all going toward animal care.

Right now, we have 85% of every dollar that comes in going directly toward taking care of the animals.”

Currently, the center is operating with a tight $1 million budget, with 11 paid employees and a team of 150 trained volunteers. Becerra, for her part,

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Clockwise (l to r): A sea lion pup waits patiently in her pen; Volunteers prepare meals for the rehabilitating mammals; Every animal brought into the center is tagged and identified. (photos: John Mattera Photography)

is working for the center on a volunteer basis as board president and is receiving no salary as acting executive director.

“When Jeff resigned, there was really no one else on the board that had the capacity to step into a role like this, because we knew we wouldn’t have a budget for an executive director,” she says. “Right now, the president of the board, according to our bylaws, actually becomes the president of the entire organization.”

ocean waters, “the center has seen sea lion pups abandoned by their mothers because they’ve been forced to go out further into the ocean to find colder waters where the fish run.” The pups don’t know how to eat or fend for themselves, and had they not been saved by the center, where they’re tube fed until they can eat on their own, they would eventually starve to death.

After an animal is rescued and brought to the center, it’s examined and tested. A typical day starts in the REHAB & RELEASE early morning with the first feeding.

Located deep within Angels Gate Fish (mostly herring) is hand-fed to Park, the Marine Mammal Care Center those who can eat solid food. If the opened in 1992 and is the only animal animals can’t feed themselves, they’re hospital in Los Angeles County that treated to a liquid cocktail of protein cares for sick and injured pinnipeds supplements, vitamins, fish, Karo syrup (seals and sea lions). The center’s and electrolytes fed through a tube. mission is two-fold: operate as a After each feeding, the enclosures are rehabilitation facility and educate the thoroughly washed and spot cleaned public about stranded marine mammals. throughout the day.

Nearly 30 years after opening, a small When the animals are ready for staff and a devoted group of 150 trained release, they are usually transported volunteers continue the commitment to Royal Palms State Beach. (You to stranded California sea lions and may have watched one of their many northern elephant seals, as well as a few release videos on social media.) Once harbor and fur seals. they’re freed from their kennels, they Reasons for rescues can be anything instinctively head toward the ocean, from injuries to bacterial, viral and keenly aware of their natural habitat. respiratory ailments. Other natural causes include domoic acid poisoning, A COMMUNITY STEPS UP which can cause neurological damage News of the center’s financial resulting in disorientation, seizures troubles spread quickly throughout or paralysis. The cyclical weather Southern California. Features on phenomenon El Niño also correlates national and local news broadcasts with increased intakes. and recent articles in newspapers and Becerra notes that due to warmer magazines helped spread the word.

20 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I FEBRUARY 2020

Here in San Pedro, local residents have stepped up in big ways.

In January, L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn gave the center a muchneeded boost with a $100,000 donation from her office’s discretionary-use funds. Also in January, 10-year-old Mae Weston raised $2,000 for the center by opening a local lemonade stand.

In addition to financial donations, the center regularly accepts items like paper towels, Dawn dish soap, laundry detergent, distilled water, toilet paper, and numerous other necessary items.

A full wish list can be found on their website (marinemammalcarecenterlosa ngeles.com).

“The Marine Mammal Care Center saves hundreds of sick, hurt, and malnourished seals and sea lions every year that are found on L.A. County beaches,” Supervisor Hahn said in a statement. “It is also a vital community resource where kids and families can learn about our local marine life and the threats they face. It would be a tragedy to see this facility shut down, and I hope that this grant from my office will not only help keep the doors open but also encourage others to donate so we can keep the Marine Mammal Care Center open for years and decades to come.”

As of press time, the center has raised more than $500,000 towards their $1 million goal in just six weeks, an incredible amount in a very short period of time.

“Obviously, our goal is to ultimately

get to financial sustainability, but right now we’re starting from ground zero,” explains Becerra. “We need to raise $1 million in the next six months because February through June is our busy season. That’s when we see the most animals, and for our contract with NOAA, we have to let them know that we can take care of the animals through that busy season. If we get to the end of June and raise $1 million, I can guarantee to NOAA and the public that we can keep our doors open through the next busy season in 2021. That’s where that number comes from, and that figure makes sure that we are doing everything we possibly can to take care of the animals that we have in our care.”

In terms of long-term sustainability, Becerra is hoping the center starts receiving more guaranteed government allocated funding, like Supervisor Hahn’s donation – something the center never had to rely on in the past – that can be a recurring contribution every year.

“I'm hoping it’s going to be the beginning of this tidal wave of government support that’s going to come in,” she says. “I'm hoping that through myself and the board’s efforts, we can really ramp up that guaranteed money coming in every year, which is going to whittle down what we need to raise from private donors. We also have had very little corporate sponsorships.

So that’s another area that we’re working on to try to achieve financial sustainability.”

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A sick sea lion pup (the same one that graces our cover this month) is fed fish from a volunteer while recuperating at the Marine Mammal Care Center. (photo: John Mattera Photography)

WORST CASE SCENARIO Becerra paints a harrowing picture of what can happen to our Southern California coastline if the Marine Mammal Care Center should ever shut down.

“The worst case scenario is that come June, as we assess our situation and figure out how much money we’ve raised and how much time that buys us, if it can’t get us through the next busy season, then we have to transfer the animals that we have now to other facilities,” she explains. “But the biggest issue is that the other facilities in this area, which would be Malibu and Laguna Beach, don’t have the capacity to take on the animals that would continue to wash up on our beaches. Also, there’s an issue of transporting them to these other facilities. In transport, a lot of times these animals can get injured.”

There’s also a major concern for public health and safety. As more and more animals wash up on shore needing to be rescued, the shutting down of the center could end up causing a public health hazard on our local beaches.

“If there’s nowhere for them to go, or it’s risky to transport them, what happens is they end up washing up on our beaches,” explains Becerra. “They often have diseases and can be aggressive because they’re injured. For me, the worst thing imaginable would be these animals dying on our beaches, which is part of the reason we’re really pushing for this government funding. It’s a public health and safety issue.”

LIGHT ON THE HORIZON Worst case scenarios aside, with half their financial goal met in six weeks, and with five more months to go, the odds of the Marine Mammal Care Center meeting its $1 million goal look promising. The next goal will be reaching financial sustainability through consistent funding, proper fundraising and better management.

“You need that trio of corporate, city, and private donations, and we need to also build our donor base,” explains Becerra. “By getting the word out and getting all this amazing exposure through media coverage, we’re really allowing people to understand where we’re at and that we do need community support on an ongoing basis, not just right now.”

She adds, “The volunteers are the heart of this organization. I've been very inspired by the people that work and volunteer here. I’m a big environmentalist and animal lover, so to me this cause is really near and dear to my heart, even though I've only been involved for a couple of months. It’s just incredible what they’re doing here and how we’re helping these animals.” spt

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HISTORY

I WAS A MARINE MAMMAL CARE CENTER VOLUNTEER Sea lions at play at the Marine Mammal Care Center. (photo: John Mattera Photography)

by Angela Romero I can do a pretty good impression of an elephant seal call. It’s a highpitched hysterical sounding, WA-A-AA-AH. I perfected it in my early twenties when I volunteered at the Marine Mammal Care Center (MMCC). Ever since I had to man the pinniped room at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium as a junior docent, I’ve always had a soft spot for sea lions. I recall utilizing every bit of sea lion trivia I could remember in my volunteer interview: sea lions have ear flaps and use their back flippers to walk; seals don’t. I think they were just relieved that I didn’t call everything a seal.

Being in close proximity to the animals was the entire draw for me. I had dreams of carrying around a pail full of fish and just tossing them to hungry mouths that could catch. What I didn’t quite understand was that the Marine Mammal Care Center was a hospital and not the three o’clock show at Marineland. I did get to feed the animals, but what and how we fed them varied by the patient. Most often, the fish were thrown in the water to mimic where they might catch a fish in the wild. If it was elephant seal pup season, I might be blending up squid – after

debeaking them. The pups often have to be tube fed, but I was always too scared to do it.

Besides feeding, one of my main duties was cleaning the enclosures with a disinfectant and a brush, once at the beginning of a shift and again before I left. It’s a hospital, after all. Cleaning was 75% of the job. I’d reek of fishy bleach by the end of the day.

The one thing I hadn’t prepared for was the silence. You were not allowed to talk to the animals, not even if you mimicked their own sounds. The mission of the Marine Mammal Care Center was to heal sick and wounded animals and get them back to the wild as soon as possible. We used boards to direct animals nonverbally. We didn’t want them to get used to human contact or become dependent on us for food.

There were some cases where the animals couldn’t be returned to the wild; they were often sent to zoos or aquariums that could care for them long-term.

Not all of the animals come into the center because they are sick or injured.

Sometimes their visit is completely avoidable. The cutest patient I ever had the pleasure of meeting was a baby harbor seal. I came in for an early morning

shift and found him bobbing in the pool of a small pen. It was so adorable that it took every ounce of professionalism and restraint I had not to scream when I saw it. Its mother had left it on the beach while she went looking for food and a drunk man thought it had been abandoned. The lifeguards could see the mother swimming back and forth in the waves but wouldn’t come near because of the drunkard. Eventually she had to abandon her baby for her own safety. It broke my heart to hear the story.

The harbor seal is also one of my fondest memories. It was no secret how I felt about that little baby. This was pre-emojis, but I probably had hearts for eyes every time I looked at it. One day, the lead called me over and told me it was my lucky day. The baby seal needed to be weighed, and he was going to let me carry it to the scale. I was grinning from ear to ear as I carried that little gray sausage in my arms. The smile faded as soon as my little friend peed all over the front of me.

It’s been years since I scrubbed a pen, but I’ve never lost sight of the importance of the Marine Mammal Care Center to San Pedro. It’s always a must-see stop for my walking and bus

tour groups and any time I have guests visiting from out of town. I bring them for the same reason I volunteered in the first place – to be so close to the animals. But I also bring them to show off the strong community service culture we have in San Pedro.

The Marine Mammal Care Center has always fought hard for the lives of the animals it serves. Now it’s in a fight for its own survival. It gives me hope to hear that the center recently reached the halfway mark to its one million dollar goal, but we have to do all that we can to help them reach their target. San Pedro is a powerful community, and we can move mountains when we put our mind to it. We can do this. If you can’t give money, bring your friends and show them the good happening here in San Pedro. spt Angela Romero is the president of the San Pedro Heritage Museum. She can be reached at angela@sanpedroheritage.org.

For info on volunteering at the Marine Mammal Care Center, visit: marinemammalcarecenterlosangeles.com.

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SPORTS

2019-20 PREP HOOPS MIDSEASON RECAP

A LOOK AT HOW OUR LOCAL TEAMS WILL FARE THIS SEASON story & photos by Jamaal K. Street The 2019-2020 San Pedro prep basketball season been in full swing since late November, and all six combined boys and girls teams from San Pedro, Mary Star of the Sea and Port of Los Angeles high schools are looking to make potential runs in the postseason, while the boys and girls teams of Mary Star both have the most optimistic chances of winning a league championship. Who will make the biggest shot of them all?

BOYS MARY STAR – Mary Star's all-time leading scorer Joseph Octave is no longer around, but the Stars and fourthyear coach Mike Sestich aren’t void of talent.

Testing themselves early in tournament play against several talented teams has Mary Star off to a current 9-11 season, but the twotime defending Santa Fe League

have to defeat both defending Santa Fe League champion St. Genevieve and St. Pius X/St. Matthias Academy for those dreams to become reality.

Mary Star returns most of their players from last year’s history-making squad, including the likes of All-CIF selection junior guard Isabella Serrano, senior forward and two-sport athlete Sarah Leyba, and two more junior guards Kaitlyn Oasay and Cristina San Pedro senior Ian Hietala (left) and Mary Star senior Sarah Leyba. Camacho.

Senior forward Jenna Miloe and two talented freshmen in guards Bella co-champions still stand a good chance Boston Wimberly has been a key Marconi and Paula Serrano (Isabella's new addition, as has freshman guard of winning the league crown outright sister) are also critical to the Stars’ Anthony Hrboka. if they can thwart fellow two-time recipe for success.

POLA – Now in his third season as defending co-champion Salesian SAN PEDRO – Kevin Simpson takes coach, Spenser Schulte has high hopes and heavily improved St. Pius X/St. over the coaching spot for the Lady for the Polar Bears, who made another Matthias Academy.

The All-Santa Fe League senior guard appearance in the CIF-LACS Division 4 Pirates, who have been brutally tested facing top-notch teams in the early goplayoffs. tandem of Adrian Alvarez and Aaron With powerhouses Washington Prep ing. Yet, San Pedro will look to turn the Martinez leads the way, while senior corner in what looks like a more comforward Henner Joseph will play a more and King-Drew Medical now in the Coliseum League, chances of capturing petitive Marine League, which still has prominent role in the starting lineup Narbonne as the prohibitive favorite. an Imperial League title dramatically alongside them. An up-tempo style is Junior center Gianna Dileva, senior still what Sestich prefers for Mary Star, increased, but Jordan of Los Angeles appears to be the favorite, plus the Polar forward Stormy Carter, and junior even with 6’10” international transfer guard Courtney Marshall have carried from Sudan, center Yel Deng now in the Bears still must deal with rival Harbor most of the workload for the Lady Teacher Prep. mix. Another Star primed to break out Senior guard Devin DeLozier, junior Pirates. All-Marine League senior is senior G/F Chandler Blackwell. power forward Adri’yanna Edmonds SAN PEDRO – Longtime prep boys guard Victor Alvarado, senior forward Elijah Hardy and senior guard Delevar returned at the start of Marine League basketball head coach John Bobich, play on January 15 and has been an owner of seven CIF titles (five at Pacific Lorica are the key players for POLA, while senior forward Micah Wilkes has even more dangerous post presence.

Hills and two at San Pedro) is now in San Pedro reached the CIF-LACS been a great help. his 19th season for the Pirates, who Division 2 quarterfinals last season. placed third in the Marine League and POLA – The Polar Bears reached the GIRLS reached the CIF-Los Angeles City Section Division 1 quarterfinals last season. MARY STAR – Last year was very good CIF-LACS Division 4 playoffs last season and will be paced by senior point for the Stars and seventh-year coach All-Marine League senior guard guard Annie Le, along with the duo of Victor Tuberosi, as they made two disIan Hietala has shown the capability senior forward Kaylen Scott and freshtinctive postseason runs, reaching the of making the difficult shots more man guard Sasha Suggs; the latter two CIF-Southern Section Division 5-AA consistently for the Pirates, currently are familiar to everyone else at the San off to a 13-7 season. San Pedro inherits semifinals once again, and even reachPedro-based charter school campus. ing the quarterfinals of the CIF Southa young team that still has experience Scott and Suggs both played ern California Division 5 Regionals. with the likes of Hietala, junior And so far, the Stars are off to a 12-7 massive roles in pacing the POLA girls forward Robby DiStefano, senior guard start, reaching the finals of the Downey volleyball team to the 2019 CIF-LACS Jerad Braff and senior guard Jackson Division 4 championship in November.

Calvary Chapel Tournament and Wimberly, a 5’9” slasher with leaping In fact, Scott was the 2019 CIF-LACS ability. Wimberly dunked in the Pirates’ winning the St. Monica Tournament.

Division 4 Player of the Year, and Now the Stars have higher hopes of season opening 78-60 win at Bravo Suggs was also an All-City Division 4 trying to win a league championship Medical Magnet on November 25. selection. spt for the first time since 1984, but will Jackson’s brother, sophomore guard

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Back in 2003, I was a young pup, barely 16-yearsold, just starting out in the gym. I was completely lost among the rows of machines, treadmills, and weights. I wandered the gym floor trying to copy the pictures I had from my dog-eared bodybuilding magazines.

Over time, I failed my way to a basic level of competence in the gym. The good thing about working out is that if you’re starting from a completely sedentary couch-surfing lifestyle, you can do it mostly wrong and still get great results. But sooner or later, the plateau will come. It always does.

However, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized a “plateau” isn’t an accurate metaphor for what you’re actually experiencing when you go on a diet/ exercise plan and suddenly the rapid progress you’ve been experiencing stops. Rather, it’s more like a fork in the road on a very well-worn, highly populated trail that, up until this point, has been mostly flat and without obstacles.

Allow me to illustrate. Last year, I drove to Lake Tahoe for a snowboarding trip. Forecasts said there was a storm, so we planned to leave before 5 a.m. to beat the crowds.

Knowing there’d be a lot of snow and ice on the road, we brought chains for our tires. The next day we left and made great time, covering 80% of the distance in under four hours. The road was virtually empty, and the weather was great. The navigation said we had less than two hours to go. We were excited and thought maybe we got lucky and beat the storm before it arrived.

Then came the rain. Suddenly, as if we’d passed through a fold in space and time, we were surrounded by dark clouds, doused in pouring rain and hail with extremely limited visibility. “It’s okay,” we thought. “We’re practically at the mountain. We’ll be there in no time.” We powered through the thunderstorm and arrived in the town of Placerville. After five hours of driving and 400 miles, we had just under 60 miles to go. We should get there in under 90 minutes, or so we thought.

When we pulled over to put chains

on, we saw car after car stuck on the road without chains. We saw others who had chains but didn’t know how to put them on. We helped a few of them and got back on the road. Well, long story short, the next 60 miles didn’t take 90 minutes. It took 16 hours. Bad weather conditions, stuck and brokendown vehicles, and lots of stand-still traffic slowed us to a crawl.

This is a lot more analogous to what we experience on our fitness journeys.

In the beginning, it’s easy because progress is easier to come by. The road and conditions are predictable, and it fools us into thinking it will be like this the whole time. Then the storm comes.

When you reach a point where your progress appears to have stopped, the tendency is to think it stopped working.

It hasn’t. It just means you’ve arrived on the next leg of the journey, a much steeper, and treacherous climb that will require you to grow and get better.

If you’ve ever heard the quote, “What got you here, won’t get you there,” that’s what I mean. As your body progresses, it will require you to train more intelligently to keep progressing.

Once your body adapts, it needs a new stimulus to change again. You can’t keep doing the same cardio routine ad infinitum. This is the same for dieting.

Sure, in the beginning you can crash diet, but sooner or later you’re going to have to gain the skills to eat well outside of a six-week challenge.

When we were on the snowy, icy road, lots of cars turned back. Either because they didn’t want to wait, or because they were ill-equipped to even make it to the mountain in such conditions. This is why I see lots of people fail in their fitness. They don’t anticipate and prepare for the hard stuff, nor have the patience to keep going when it feels like they’re not moving.

As you carry on into the new year, remember there are no plateaus for those who prepare and adapt. As long as you don’t stop, neither will your progress.

Just remember to bring snacks. 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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FEBRUARY 2020 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 29

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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.”

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30 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I FEBRUARY 2020

FAITH

BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT

by Pastor Nathan Hoff Driving counterclockwise around Mount Kilimanjaro, we made it to Rombo.

We were in Tanzania, but had expansive views of the Kenyan plain.

The area is rich in tropical vegetation, but financially deprived. There are many ways to be wealthy and many ways to be poor. We drove up next to a corn field with the assistant to the bishop of the Lutheran Church in this area.

We were greeted by some locals who had cleared and leveled a space in the middle of the field for the people of God to gather, along with a small altar and a baptismal bowl. It was Saturday, the 4th of January in the year 2020, and a new congregation was about to begin. The little flock decided the best way to begin a new work would be to baptize their first new member right on that field. A single mother handed little Joanne to her godmother, and we gathered around the simple font. We joined them in rejecting sin, death, and the devil, and confessing faith in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Mama and the congregation promised to nurture Joanne in the Christian faith. We poured water over Joanne’s head, naming her as God’s own beloved daughter, and the same water splashed over, irrigating the corn field. Everything had just changed. The corn field became a church. The single mother is no longer alone in raising Joanne. Joanne has a Father. We have a way of paving paradise into parking lots (“Big Yellow Taxi,” Joni Mitchell).

God has a way of turning the forsaken places and people into a garden.

The nearby city of Moshi is a buzzing city with industry, business, tourism, and amusement. It is wealthy in contrast to this little place. Los Angeles is 29 hours away by flights and layovers and immeasurably more wealthy and busy. Anyone with a water heater here would be considered among the wealthiest strata of society. Pastor Saria said, “When I see the shame

in the sideways glance of that single mother who is brave to bring her child to baptism or the celebrative dancing and singing of these people, I can’t help but think of Jesus’ words from the side of the mount. ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God.’” (Matthew 5.3). He went on to explain that the city people, who are a little wealthier, have less perceived need for God. So the poor in spirit are blessed because they see their spiritual poverty more clearly. They greet the coming of the reign of God with dancing. They are very poor in one way and very wealthy in a more important way – the most important way. If Moshi is spiritually distracted, San Pedro seems spiritually asleep.

We have hot water on demand, indoor plumbing, high-speed internet, access to education and healthcare.

We have temperate weather, yet we control our indoor temperature. We have a Sleep Number bed. We have hobbies. We have Margarita Mondays, Taco Tuesdays, girls-night-outs, mancaves, and two-day weekends. We are unbelievably wealthy. Yet, in spiritual ways, we are very poor.

Those who track the spiritual practices of believers in America – Gallup, Barna, and Pew – all agree.

People who used to worship weekly now worship fortnightly. People who used to attend monthly now go occasionally. Those who used to go for special services now rarely, if ever, go. Many will say, “I can be spiritual without being religious.” Or, “I don’t need to go to church to be spiritual.”

Many others have left because they feel too sinful or feel the church is too sinful. There are many reasons, legitimate and otherwise, which are more complicated than I am able to cover in a magazine column. But the dancing of those sisters and brothers aware of their own spiritual poverty looked like a blessing most of us are missing. spt Nathan Hoff is the Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in San Pedro. Follow his blog at trinitypastor.blogspot.com.

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WEDDING

FAIRYTALE AT FLEET WEEK

LOGAN & ELENA VILLAREAL OCTOBER 19, 2019 story by Karen Moneymaker photo by Joey Ikemoto

Who would have guessed that a trip to L.A. Fleet Week would end in wedding bells? That’s exactly what happened for Elena and Logan Villareal, who met on Labor Day in 2016.

Logan Villareal was born and raised in Texas, but at the time he met Elena Daser, he was serving in the United States Marine Corps, stationed at Camp Pendleton, and was assigned to work L.A. Fleet Week.

“My mom had asked me if I would go with her to see the ships that came to the Port for Fleet Week,” remembers Elena, a San Pedro native. “We toured all around and our last stop was the tour of the USS America. I noticed one booth that had huge weapons on display. I wanted to take a picture and send it to my brother-in-law. So I walked over and asked one of the Marines if I could take a picture. That Marine was Logan.

He was giving a weapons and body armor demonstration. After we took our picture, we talked for a bit, and I continued the tour with my mom. As

we headed to the door to leave, Logan was standing at the exit waiting for me.

He said he had a great time talking to me and asked me for my phone number.

We started dating and have been inseparable ever since.”

In December of 2018, after two years of dating, Logan proposed. “I was sitting on the couch having a cup of coffee when our little dachshund, Pepe, came out from the other room wearing a tuxedo with an engagement ring tied to it,” recalls Elena. “Logan was on one knee and said, ‘I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?’ Of course, I said yes!”

The groom had been planning the proposal with Elena’s mom, Rosemarie, who owns Captain’s Treasure Chest Jewelry in San Pedro. “When Logan asked my mom for my hand in

marriage, he also asked my mom and sister for advice on creating the most beautiful ring for our engagement,” says Elena. “Including Pepe in the engagement was the perfect touch.”

Elena and Logan were married on October 19, 2019 at Mary Star of the Sea Church, with a reception that followed at Trump National Golf Club.

Close friends and family gathered to celebrate the couple, including all of Logan’s family, who traveled from Texas.

“They had such a great time being introduced to all our Italian traditions,” recalls Elena. The bride was attended by her sister, Erica Mendoza, who served as maid of honor, and bridesmaids Sarah Kreager, Lauren Mancini, Bianca Sementilli, Madelyn Villareal, and Kristina Robba. Logan's best man

was his brother Cody Villareal, and his groomsmen were Lucas Mendoza, James Rasmussen, David Hatter, Isai Sapien, and Johnny Chessher. Jacob Villareal and Sophia Aguilar served as ring bearer and flower girl, respectively.

After serving in the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines in the United States Marine Corps, Logan decided to stay in California and attend the Los Angeles Police Academy. He is now an officer with the Los Angeles Port Police. Elena is a 5th grade teacher at South Shores Magnet School for the Visual and Performing Arts. The newlyweds plan to travel (with their first stop in Hawaii for a well-deserved honeymoon). As avid Dodgers fans, the couple looks forward to going to many games, hopefully with children of their own in the not-so-distant future. spt

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THE BACK PAGE

The picture reads "Feb 22, 1928 – Cornerstone S.P. city hall." This is the cornerstone laying ceremony for the San Pedro Municipal building on Beacon and 7th Streets. The ceremony was hosted by the Native Sons of the Golden West. (photo: San Pedro Bay Historical Society)

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