San Pedro Today - March 2018

MARCH 2018

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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.

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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

MARCH ISSUE

MARITIME DENTISTRY NEWSLETTER Comprehensive Dental Care & Implant Center

Despite Activated Charcoal Trend, No Evidence It Is Safe, Effective For Teeth

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usiness Insider (1/16, Glassman) reports that activated charcoal, which hospital emergency rooms often use “to treat drug overdoses and poisoning,” is “becoming a hot new wellness trend” with touted benefits ranging from whiter teeth to clearer skin. Still, not all of the claims are true. The article notes that concerning charcoal use to whiten teeth, a literature review published in The Journal of the American Dental Association stated, “Dental clinicians should advise their patients to be cautious when using charcoal and charcoal-based ‘Dental clinicians should advise dentifrices with their patients to be cautious unproven claims of efficacy and safety.” when using charcoal and

charcoal-based dentifrices ...’

Severe Gum Disease May Increase Risk For Cancer, Likelihood Of Dying From The Disease, Studies Suggest

Oral Health Tips Provided For Women With Morning Sickness

edscape (1/23, Davenport) reports that two studies suggest “severe gum disease not only may increase the risk for cancer, including lung and colorectal cancer but also may increase the likelihood of dying of the disease, particularly pancreatic cancer.” In one study, published online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, investigators found “that severe periodontitis was associated with a 24% increased risk for cancer, with the highest risks seen for lung cancer and colorectal cancer.” The other study, published in the International Journal of Cancer, indicated that periodontitis was linked to “a 33% increased risk for overall cancer mortality.” The data indicated that “the mortality risk associated with gum disease among” patients “with pancreatic cancer was far higher, with a more than twofold increased risk.”

aby Center (1/23, McGinnis) states that although women experiencing morning sickness may be inclined to brush their teeth immediately after vomiting, it’s best to rinse the mouth out first and wait to brush teeth. The article explains that “when the acid passes through your mouth as you vomit it erodes tooth enamel,” and “brushing that softened enamel erodes it, making it thinner and leaving your teeth more vulnerable to damage than before.” The article suggests women use plain water or a mixture of water and baking soda to rinse their mouths after vomiting and then brush their teeth at a later time. The article also encourages women who are pregnant to drink water, avoid acidic beverages, use a softbristled toothbrush, floss daily, and visit the dentist regularly.

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MouthHealthy.org offers additional information on above topics.

This patient educational material is provided by Maritime Dentistry.

Please call us at (310) 832-5559 if we may be of further assistance.

Regards, Dr. Ardalan and Associates

Located in Weymouth Corners • 1411 W. 8th St., San Pedro

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

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Monday- Friday 7:30am - 8pm Sat. 7:30 - 4:30

During the holidays, I had a conversation with a few of the homeless campers that have staked their claim along the streets outside the Beacon St. Post Office.

You see, I visit this post office nearly every day. And every day, I never know what to expect. Some days I can’t park on 8th St. because of the various encampments stretched down the block.

Other days, which are few and far between, the streets are empty after law enforcement clears everyone out (which only lasts a day or so, as they usually return en masse).

On this particular day though, I was in a mood. The streets along the post office were cluttered with trash and debris, and there was a full mattress just lying on the corner of 8th and Beacon.

The mattress was my tipping point. As I left my car, I looked at the mattress and raised my hands in disgust. That caught the attention of a group of homeless people a few yards away.

“You got a problem?” shouted the only female in the group of four.

Normally, I would’ve ignored it, but my emotions got the best of me, and I shouted back, “Yeah, I do, actually. Why is this mattress just lying out here in the middle of the sidewalk? Why don’t you folks pick up after yourselves? I come here every day, and every day it’s the same thing. No one seems to be doing anything to get out of this situation.”

My comments were not anything new. What I said has been voiced by others in various local circles, online groups and email chains. But I wasn’t expecting what happened next.

I walked over to the group, one female maybe in her mid-30s named Brandy, an older man in his 50s or 60s who was openly smoking pot, a man probably in his late 30s, and a younger guy who never said a word. After my initial comments, we embarked on a 20-minute conversation. I wanted to know all their stories. I needed to know why they were here, and more importantly, why they haven’t found help.

Brandy claimed she was kicked out of her apartment after losing her job, so

she ended up on the streets. The man in his 30s didn’t say how he ended up on the streets but showed me a fresh surgical wound just below his bellybutton that he claimed was from a gunshot by another homeless lady who accused him of stealing. The older man, whose face was gaunt and looked like he barely weighed more than 100 lbs., said he was suffering from bone cancer (the pot, he said, helped him with the pain). The youngest man stayed silent.

When I asked if any city services or local organizations have approached them with help, they said yes, but claimed those services only look out for women with children and seniors.

When I challenged that claim, having done stories on Harbor Interfaith and the homeless crisis in these pages, they wouldn’t argue back. Instead, they just shrugged.

The whole episode was disheartening. Especially when I’m talking to able-bodied individuals who can try and find work, yet do nothing but sit on the sidewalk, ask for handouts and eat donated junk food. Meanwhile, on the other side of town in front of Home Depot, undocumented immigrants, who are often vilified in this political climate, wake up at the crack of dawn to wait outside, hoping someone will hire them for an honest day’s work.

Our homeless problem has hit many tipping points the past few years, with little action so far. Some city ordinances have been passed, but nothing seems to be enforced. Plaza Park, across the street from the post office, which was refurbished in 2013 at a cost of $5 million, is now a shell of what it was when the community came to celebrate its reopening.

What’s it going to take to make positive change? More affordable housing?

More aggressive law enforcement? A more committed effort from the city and private organizations to offer services and help? Whatever the answer is, we need to figure it out soon. San Pedro's quality of life depends on it. spt Joshua Stecker is publisher/editorin-chief of San Pedro Today. Letters to the Editor can be emailed to contact@sanpedrotoday.com.

MARCH 2018 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 5

MARCH 2018

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ADVERTISING:

ASSOCIATE EDITOR/ SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

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

ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION

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

AT-LARGE CONTRIBUTORS

EMPIRE22 MEDIA LLC OWNER/PUBLISHER

Joshua J. Stecker

Caitlyn Trudnich

Joseph A. Castañeda

Nathan Hoff, Mike Lansing, Ricky Magana, Jennifer Marquez, Angela Romero, Daniella Segura, Jamaal K. Street

PHOTOGRAPHER

John Mattera Photography

CONTACT INFO:

Dr Kardovich and Team on the L.A. Waterfront.

Braces for Children and Adults San Pedro • Torrance

6 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I MARCH 2018

Phone: (424) 224-9063 EMAIL: contact@sanpedrotoday.com San Pedro Today P.O. Box 1168, San Pedro, CA 90733

VOLUME 10 | NUMBER 2

General Inquiries: ads@sanpedrotoday.com

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 2009-2018, Empire22 Media LLC.

ON THE COVER: Giuseppe Guastella, the L.A. Galaxy's first-ever eSports player (photo: John Mattera Photography)

MARCH 2018 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 7

MARCH 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 jennifertmarquez@yahoo.com.

Every Friday and Saturday night – LIVE JAZZ at the Whale and Ale (327 W. 7th St.), Various times. Enjoy a pint, a delicious meal, and the sounds of live jazz music. For reservations and more info, call (310) 832-0363.

1 (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!

3 (Sat) – COMMUNITY BIKE RIDE at San Pedro Library (931 S. Gaffey St.), 10a – Noon. Take a leisurely bike ride around San Pedro and along the LA Waterfront. Pedal with the LAPL Book Bike, meet LAPD Harbor Division Senior Lead Officers, and make some new friends. Ride begins and ends at the San Pedro Library. Participants under 15 must be accompanied by a guardian.

3 (Sat) – SAN PEDRO BAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY ARCHIVES OPEN HOUSE at City Hall (638 S. Beacon St., Room 626), 11a – 2p.

Celebrate San Pedro’s 130th Birthday!

View exciting San Pedro artifacts, learn about local history, enjoy light refreshments, and more! Free! For more info, visit sanpedrobayhistoricalsociety. org, call (310) 548-3208, or email sanpedrohistory@gmail.com.

9 (Fri) – 11 (Sun) – 2018 PORT OF LA HARBOR CUP at the Los Angeles Yacht Club (285 Whalers Walk).

Three days of elite collegiate offshore racing on Catalina 37s! Spectator boats available each day to watch your favorite team race for the coveted trophy. For tickets and more info, visit layc.org.

10 (Sat) – APPLICATION DAY at Holy Trinity School & Preschool (1226 W. Santa Cruz St.), Preschool: 9 – 11a; K – 7th Grade: 9:30 – 11:30a. Applications accepted at school office. For more info, call (310) 833-0703.

15 (Thurs) – Sun (18) – 15th ANNUAL L.A. HARBOR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL at the Warner Grand Theatre (478 W. 6th St.), Various showtimes. For 15 years, the LAHIFF has proudly created a cinematic bridge between the people of the region and the people of the world. Celebrating the art of film and filmmaking, this year’s programming includes 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), Bye Bye Birdie (1962), HBO Documentary, 15: A Quinceañera Story (2017), among other intriguing and entertaining films, documentaries, and Q&As. For tickets and more info, visit laharborfilmfest.com.

18 (Sun) – ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATION at the San Pedro Library, Phil Scott Meeting Room (931 S. Gaffey St.), 2p. Join the Friends of San Pedro Library for their celebration of St. Patrick's Day! The Innisfree Irish Band will bring a bit of Ireland to San Pedro for an afternoon of Irish songs, ballads, sea shanties, and sing-a-longs.

The seven-man band, joined by singer Julie Delaney, has been performing for over 25 years in concert halls, churches, casinos, hospitals, homes, military bases, and even a prison. For more info, call (310) 832-6288.

20 (Mon) – L.A. WATERFRONT TOWN HALL at the Warner Grand 17 (Sat) – THE IRISH IN SAN PEDRO Theatre (478 W. 6th St.), 6 – 7:30p. San TOUR, 10a. Join local historian and Pedro and Wilmington residents, stay San Pedro Today columnist, Angela in the know about redevelopment along "Romee" Romero, for a very special the LA Waterfront! Join the Port of Los St. Patrick's Day tour, honoring the Angeles for a community town hall to Irish influence throughout San Pedro get the latest information about current history, from the well-known Gaffey's and planned projects in development to a lesser-known builder who helped on the LA Waterfront, including the shape the town. Don't forget to wear San Pedro Public Market, AltaSea, and your green! Tickets are $15 and space is Wilmington Waterfront Promenade. limited. Call (310) 808-7800 to reserve.

For more info, visit lawaterfront.org.

18 (Sun) – FREE COMMUNITY 24 (Sat) – GATHERING FOR THE ROCK PAINTING PARTY at Crafted GRAND at the Palos Verdes Golf Club (112 W. 22nd St., Warehouse No. 10), (3301 Via Campesina), 5p. The 10th 1 – 4p. Help kick off a community annual Gathering for the Grand Gala kindness project! Join MeaningFundraiser brings together members of 10 (Sat) – VISTA DEL ORO WALKING Full Art in getting crafty, painting the San Pedro community to celebrating TOUR, 10a. Back by popular demand! positive and uplifting messages on art, inspiration, and education. The Vista del Oro is one of San Pedro's most rocks to hide throughout San Pedro event will honor Andrew and Adela beautiful districts. Join local historian for others to find. With music by DJ Silbur of The Whale & Ale for their and San Pedro Today columnist, Angela Don D, food trucks, face painting, and many years of support for The Grand "Romee" Romero, as she tells the story more! For more info, contact Patty Vision Foundation. For tickets and more of the neighborhood's beginnings and Middlebrooks at (303) 903-3491 or info, call (310) 833-4813. shares some anecdotes about some of its patty@meaning-fullart.com. more notable residents. Tickets are $15 and space is limited. Call (310) 808-7800 Want to see your event here? Email events@sanpedrotoday.com to place a listing. Deadline for the April issue is Friday, March 16. to reserve.

Find more events at facebook.com/sanpedrotoday.

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3 (Sat) – OSCAR NOMINATED ANIMATED SHORT FILMS at SPIFF (464 W. 6th St.), 7 – 10p. Screen all five of the 2018 Oscar Nominated Animated Short Films, presented by the San Pedro International Film Festival. For tickets and more info, visit spiffest.org.

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3 (Sat) – SECOND ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION at Brouwerij West (11 E. 22nd St., Warehouse No. 9), 6 – 10:30p. Celebrate two years of craft beers, featuring live performances by X, Mike Watt + the Missingmen, and L.A. Witch. Food trucks, special beer releases, and more. For tickets and more info, visit brouwerijwest.com.

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8 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I MARCH 2018

CROSSING THE CINEMATIC BRIDGE L.A. Harbor International Film Festival turns 15

stone anniversary, LAHIFF opening night is privileged to present 15: A Quinceañera Story. The four documentary films debuted on HBO in December 2017. We’re honored that HBO has granted us the rights for this theatrical premiere in the Port of Los Angeles.

The stories about the right of passage of Latina girls depict unique aspects of this contemporary cultural experience.

With the immense Hispanic population locally, we invite all Quinceanera Families to be our guests if they bring a photo of their event for a collage to be created and on display in the Warner Grand Theatre lobby.

2. You’re incredibly passionate about the festival’s “Read the Book, See the Movie” (RBSM) program. screen, thus for the LAHIFF to ofWhy is RBSM so important for the fer that option is a valued, if not rare students who participate each year? opportunity. This year we have invited members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Since 2004, more than 14,000 free San Pedro and Wilmington to attend as books have been distributed to promote guests and meet the filmmakers to learn literacy and a more thoughtful way to As we gear up for this year’s 15th and be inspired. view film. It’s a program of enrichment, annual L.A. Harbor International motivating students to learn and study Film Festival (LAHIFF), we asked 4. This year’s Hollywood Nostalgia festival founder and director, Stephanie exciting and exotic topics, consider Tribute film is the popular musical, career interests, life beyond their neigh- Bye, Bye Birdie. Why should people Mardesich, five questions on what we borhoods and local boundaries. The can expect from this year’s lineup and come check it out on the Warner excitement and wonder the participants Grand’s big screen? its milestone anniversary. exude is inspiring for a positive future.

‘With a book in hand, one also has a 1. It’s been 15 years since you The Warner Grand is one of the few friend for life.’ launched the LAHIFF. Looking venues in the L.A. area with the capaback, how has the festival evolved bility to project 35mm film – the way a 3. You’ve partnered with New through the years? movie was meant to be seen – and in a Filmmakers L.A. for seven years.

true movie palace. The story has great How important is it for LAHIFF to The LAHIFF mission to promote all youthful, popular appeal, hence the highlight emerging filmmakers as the harbor embraces, literacy, respect San Pedro High School award-winning part of the festival? for history and preservation, with a band "jazz ensemble" is playing a few

vision to the future, has been consistent numbers before the movie. All band Having Generations X, Y, and Z, the members, including those from Dana and become stronger. Diverse programhip, cool, 20-30-something crowd has ming that appeals to a multi-faceted Middle School, are invited as our guests. audience, including countless ‘premiers,’ been fabulous to increase visibility for LAHIFF and San Pedro. It remains to has been commended and appreciated, 5. Every LAHIFF closes with be determined whether the filmmakers with filmmakers contacting us to be DocSunday, which features a showcased will continue on to future considered, that’s a great compliment number of relevant documentaries. success, however it’s exciting for any since there is no call for entries.

What went in to picking the two filmmaker to see their work on the big Corresponding to our 15-year miledocumentaries featured this year?

by SPT Staff

CASA AYURVEDA & YOGA

Both feature documentaries have numerous awards and accolades and are Port of Los Angeles premieres. The social justice theme has been of consideration for some time. After researching, we found The Armor of Light (opening program) that played at Grace Cathedral Film Festival. The acclaimed film is the directorial debut of Abigail Disney and follows the journey of evangelical minister Reverend Rob Schenck, an anti-abortion activist and fixture on the political far right, who breaks with orthodoxy by questioning whether being pro-gun is consistent with being pro-life, juxtaposed with the story of Lucy McBath, mother of Jordan Davis, an unarmed teenager who was murdered in Florida whose story has cast a spotlight on Stand Your Ground laws.

We are reaching out to all faithbased communities, philanthropic organizations, and people of conscience to attend complimentary to consider the sensitive issues and participate in the conversation and Q&A after the screening.

Finding Kukan (closing program) came highly acclaimed and recommended by academic and author Dr. Betsy A. McLane, Ph.D. Filmmaker Robin Lung, winging in from her home base in Honolulu, Hawaii, spent eight years pursuing the intriguing story of Chinese Hawaii-born Li Ling-Ai, uncredited female producer of the 1941 Academy Award-winning documentary Kukan, about World War II China, lost for decades, and the mystery surrounding the film’s fate. It’s an aesthetic masterpiece that appeals to those of Chinese descent, history buffs, and fans of the genre. spt The L.A. Harbor International Film Festival runs Thursday, March 15 thru Sunday, March 18 at the Warner Grand Theatre (478 W. 6th St.). For tickets and more info, visit laharborfilmfest.com.

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MARCH 2018 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 9

VOICES

PETS LATEST VICTIMS OF GOVERNMENT GONE WILD

by Steve Marconi First off, I need to apologize.

To all of those people who have lost pets to coyotes in the past few years, I’m sorry that it’s taken that heartbreak hitting my household twice this winter to make me realize just how serious a problem we have.

I live on the canyon between Santa Cruz and First streets, and two years ago we had coyotes running rampant in my neighborhood. Pet cats began to disappear; I saw a coyote at my fence line in broad daylight. There were reports there was a den in the canyon.

As the owner of two small dogs, we were on the alert; I placed lights around the perimeter of our 4-foot chain link fence, which was installed years ago to keep our pets in, not to keep predators out. I felt confident the threat was over when the coyote sightings in our area ended. I heard of no reports through last summer; the coyotes apparently had moved on.

I was either wrong or they moved back, and I was unaware. Sadly unaware. Last Dec. 15, with my wife and I both at work, our little Boston terrier, Betty, 13 and blind, disappeared from our yard. I hoped against hope she had somehow just escaped the yard, and posted a picture on Facebook’s

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“San Pedro Lost and Found” and put up posters, but as days passed, I had to accept the likelihood that a coyote had gotten her.

Rocco was 12 and had certainly been with Betty when she was taken; they were inseparable. He also was a Boston terrier, but was twice as big.

My confidence that he was safe was misplaced, however. What I didn’t know then, and do now, is that the coyotes have come back bigger and totally fearless.

We kept our eyes on Rocco, locking him in the house when we were gone, but early on Jan. 27, he was let out to do his morning business, and in a flash he was gone. My wife’s frantic screams must have had some effect, because somehow he escaped the jaws of death. As I was heading down the steep canyon waving my flashlight, I saw movement in the thick underbrush.

Despite fearful injuries, Rocco had managed to crawl to a place where I could reach him.

It was a miracle to find him alive, but we couldn’t save him, even after rushing him to the vet. We did have the opportunity to say our goodbyes to a beloved friend, which we were unable to do with Betty, the situation faced by countless others whose pets have disappeared.

I posted on the Nextdoor app to alert the neighborhood about killer coyotes, and was stunned by the response. More than 100 people, the vast majority total strangers, wrote back with expressions of sorrow and concern. Let me publicly thank them all now; they have been a great source of comfort as we deal with the painful hole in our hearts.

Adding to that pain is the guilt that, especially in the wake of losing Betty, we didn’t do enough to protect Rocco.

Then, just days after Rocco was taken, a dog in a neighboring community was snatched from its yard right in front of its owner.

You can’t let your guard down for a moment because the sad truth is that

there is little we can do to end the coyote scourge. In the crazy state we live in, it is against the law to relocate coyotes. In the crazy city I live in, it is against the law to trap coyotes. We are essentially a “sanctuary state” for predators, not for their prey.

I don’t blame the coyotes. They are just doing what comes naturally to a wild animal looking for a food in an urban environment. But that’s the point: They don’t belong here. Animals that can kill pets and threaten people should not be allowed to run loose in a densely populated city – and, in fact, they’re not. As Dennis Letvin of Rancho Palos Verdes pointed out on Nextdoor: If the coyotes were pit bulls, animal control authorities would be doing whatever it took to round them up.

I can’t even consider getting another dog in this current climate. Councilman Joe Buscaino’s aide Branimir Kvartuc unknowingly gave me a chilling response when I asked him what could be done about the coyote problem. He said that to his knowledge, “The best mechanism for getting rid of coyotes is to hide the food.” But the food has become our pets.

We shouldn’t have to fortify our property just to keep out fearsome predators that have only recently been reintroduced to our ecosystem. Do pet owners with jobs need to keep their animals in the house all day?

Our pets die from all sorts of causes, in the city mostly from sickness or old age. No one should ever have to worry about their dog or cat being killed in their own yard by a wild animal, let alone suffer the kind of trauma our family has gone through.

That the law allows these smart, vicious beasts to roam free to kill again is as unnatural as the very fact they are here at all. spt Steve Marconi can be reached at spmarconi@yahoo.com.

PUBLIC NOTICE TOWN HALL MEETING

Tuesday, March 20, 2018, 6:00pm Warner Grand Theatre 478 W 6th St., San Pedro

San Pedro Public Market and the Port of Los Angeles are pleased to reveal the evolution of their vision for developing the LA Waterfront into a world class destination. The public is invited to view our new updated plans, renderings, and construction timeline. The evening’s program will include updates on other LA Waterfront projects and initiatives. Your input and comments will be most welcome.

We are committed to creating a world class destination in San Pedro and have assembled an exceptional team that includes James Corner Field Operations, renowned for design and construction of the New York City High Line, and Rapt Studio architects, whose work includes Dropbox, HBO, LinkedIn, Adobe Systems, and The North Face Showroom.

With the delivery of San Pedro Public Market, the community will finally have the extraordinary waterfront experience this historic port deserves.

www.portoflosangeles.org

www.lawaterfront.org

MARCH 2018 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 11

VOICES

WHY NOT?

by Mike Lansing

When considering today’s challenges and/or what could be, two words come to mind: Why Not? California’s bullet train is a boondoggle – drop the notion and spend the proposed and over-budgeted remaining billions of dollars on other more important infrastructure projects and social needs, such as public education, healthcare, affordable housing, and career and technical training. Why Not? Instead of the middle-class tax cut prioritizing our corporations and our wealthiest, what if the numbers were altered slightly to actually provide the middle class with much lower tax rates, deductions for “rent” (which many middle-class families pay), and ensure that which we are “entitled to” after paying into it for decades (Social Security) is finally off the political chopping block. Why Not? Before his passing, City Councilman Bill Rosendahl would play Christmas music all year long. His logic – Christmas music was far too positive and brought back too many good memories to only play in December.

We could all use a lot more “Peace on Earth” and “Goodwill to all” during the other 11 months of the year. Why Not? President Trump repeatedly states that he has not colluded in Russia’s campaign meddling, nor obstructed in any way the subsequent investigation of the same. He also states that he believes Russia did not interfere because every time he sees Putin the Russian leader states, “We didn’t do it.” When I was 12, my mom caught me with an empty cake platter and chocolate frosting on my lip after telling me not to eat the last piece. I emphatically stated, “I didn’t eat it.” Let’s agree that all three of us lied. Why Not? Uber & Elon Musk are both championing having “flying urban transportation” available in the next 20 years. I don’t know about you, but I always thought that George Jetson had the coolest flying car. Why Not? I always thought that those who proposed that California should be 12 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I MARCH 2018

its own country were crazy. But after seeing the multiple Presidential orders and supportive legislation that directly attacks and truly hurts our State and its inhabitants (taxes, healthcare, Dreamers, disaster support, cutting federal infrastructure and policing funding, etc.) – and given our economy is the sixth largest or so of any “country” in the world – maybe these folks aren’t so crazy after all.

Have the discussion? Why Not? We are in a sudden era of less regulation. But given the realities of global warming, foster care system, home schooling limitations (remember the Turpin kids), potential Charter School fiscal abuse (and I support Charter Schools), limited natural resources, the banking and mortgage meltdown fiascos of decades past, just to name a few – regulation is needed to protect us all. Bring on or return the regulations we had in place, because in its basic form, deregulation is just an excuse for abuse. Why Not? In 2010 California voters passed Proposition 25, which required legislators to forfeit their pay if they failed to meet the budget deadline.

We need similar for our federal government. However, since so many like the President, Feinstein, Pelosi, and Issa are multi-millionaires, if not billionaires, they forfeit the pay of all of their staff members as a motivator to get a real budget passed and not a temporary fix. California has passed its budget on time every year since our budget timeline legislation. Why Not? I grew up in a tremendous community called San Pedro. Sure, it is not the same today, but still has so many great attributes and is a wonderful place to live. Improvements are needed, but talk and complaining are cheap and solutions involving group effort are needed rather than waiting for the other guy to solve them for us. Included in that effort are making sure we do not become “exclusionary,” but have compassion for all with reasonable expectations of each of us. Why Not? spt Mike Lansing is the Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor.

MARCH 2018 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 13

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It has been eight years since the Port of Los Angeles transformed an unsightly tank farm into a wide open park with trails and native plants. It is truly a miracle that this park was ever created.

This project had obstacles from the beginning, including neighbors who did not want the park and the Coastal Neighborhood Council, who were voting consistently to keep open spaces free of ball fields and playgrounds.

San Pedro is in a different place now and needs have changed in the community. A passive park that is not used much attracts encampments, littering, and crime. Nobody knows this better than community activist Cathy Beauregard, who worked tirelessly championing for the creation of 22nd Street Park. Once it was built, she has spent years reporting encampments and organizing clean-ups at this park.

“If more people used our parks and kids got outside off their video screens, it would be less attractive to those wanting to set up camp and live there,” states Beauregard.

She makes a great point and it is worth exploring the goals of this space with that in mind. This passive, open park has it benefits, like walking trails, native plants, a migratory bird path, a wetland, bocce ball courts, and areas for children to run. There are also restrictions like The Californian Tidelands Trust Act, a marsh to preserve and native plants with nesting birds. The needs of families with young children, senior citizens and everybody else in between should also be considered.

Without changing or eliminating any walking trails, there is plenty of space to add a basketball court. I know firsthand as a mother of boys that there is a lack of courts in town. The court nearest our house is the Korean Bell, which is windy on most days, has no fence to stop the ball, and gravel that makes it easy to slip. If courts are added to the 22nd Street Park, they can be located away from the homes

with lights that turn off by 8pm. If the park does not have space for a court, they could be built near Crafted.

To connect the park to Crafted, a gate in the fence should be created to bring the two spaces together.

Near the gate is a good area to add a nautical playground and a few picnic tables. Parents can enjoy time at Brouwerij West and Crafted, and the kids can play on the playground just inside the park. The picnic tables can be used for the food trucks parked near by or for chess games.

To draw more people into the park, it should be easy for residents to hold community events. Whether it is a nature bird walk, a Frisbee golf competition, an Easter egg hunt, or sunset yoga, there are many activities that could happen in the park.

One of the bocce courts could easily be transformed into a horseshoe pit, giving more variety to the activities.

Also, additional exercise stations added throughout would make a nice workout for all ages. The entrance of the park from the 22nd Street parking lot usually involves walking through a weed-filled ditch, a couple of new, small walkover bridges could eliminate that problem.

I love the parks in San Francisco and have seen many cement slides there build into hills. Some of the hills around 22nd Street Park would be perfect for a built in cement slide. Another park in the Bay Area had an artificial turf soccer field that was gated inside a park. My kids and husband played a pick-up game with locals there, they still talk about it years later. If a soccer field like this could be added to 22nd Street Park, the turf would eliminate the need to care for the grass in that area.

Whether you agree or not with some of my ideas, one thing is for sure, Cathy Beauregard has the right idea. Now is the time to try to reactivate our parks and take them back from people who have started to destroy them. Thank you to the Port of Los Angeles for the space at 22nd Street Park, and to Cathy Beauregard and her many volunteers who keep this park clean. spt Jennifer Marquez can be reached at jennifertmarquez@yahoo.com.

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Guastella stands on the pitch at the StubHub Center

(photo: John Mattera Photography)

GIUSEPPE GUASTELLA TEAMS UP WITH THE L.A. GALAXY, COMPETING AS THEIR FIRST-EVER ESPORTS PLAYER.

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16 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I MARCH 2018

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"It's funny how mental a simulation soccer game can be. It’s all about knowing the tactics of the game, the formations and what players to use."

G

iuseppe Guastella is one of the world’s top EA Sports FIFA competitive players. When first learning of Guastella, who recently signed with the L.A. Galaxy as the club’s first-ever eSports player, you may envision his life as a succession of video games and carpal tunnel. However, this is not the case.

“I play about ten hours per week, which is usually on the weekend. That’s pretty much it,” says Guastella. “I don’t play as much as people think. I have a full-time job. I also have a fiancé, so I have to make sure she’s happy,” Guastella laughs. Between working 40 hours a week as a sales representative for Fred’s Carpet Plus in Torrance, planning an upcoming wedding on February 24, and trying to maintain a social life, practice time for Guastella is limited. Nonetheless, he manages to maintain his reputation as one of the world’s top FIFA players.

“When I play, it feels natural. It feels good. I just like to compete,” Guastella says. “It’s funny how mental a simulation soccer game can be. It’s all about knowing the tactics of the game,

the formations and what players to use.”

Fiancé Vanessa Romo acknowledges being with a professional gamer isn’t necessarily idyllic by conventional standards, nevertheless, she supports him wholeheartedly.

“His playing doesn’t bother me,” says Romo. “He really knows how to manage his time where he can still have a social life and be this professional video gamer.”

She commends her husband to be, and is proud of his competitive accomplishments, saying, “While he isn’t a 24/7 gamer, like some of these younger gamers, he still manages to compete at that level, which I really applaud him for.”

A perk of the job is traveling to many tournaments, many around the world.

“We get to travel to all of these awesome places around the world we probably wouldn’t see otherwise, and we always turn that into a little getaway after the tournament,” says Romo.

Guastella, the 32-year-old, San Pedro native, first started playing FIFA against his brother on Sega Genesis when he

18 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I MARCH 2018

was eight-years-old. Guastella says it is his competitiveness that has inspired him to continue playing all these years.

“I just wanted to keep playing to be the number one FIFA player in the world,” Guastella says.

He didn’t start playing competitively until 2009 when he became the North American Champion for the FIFA Interactive World Cup. Since then, the now five-time FIFA Interactive World Championship finalist has traveled the world, winning a gamut of championships, including the 2009 FIFA Interactive World North American Championship in New York and a top four finish at the 2012 FIWC in Dubai. Last year, he was crowned FIFA Ultimate Team Champion in Vancouver, a win that earned him $30,000 and a qualifying spot at the world championships in Berlin.

His most recent accomplishment occurred in January, when Guastella was signed as L.A. Galaxy’s first eSports FIFA player. “We are thrilled to sign a player of Giuseppe’s caliber,” L.A. Galaxy President Chris Klein said in a release. “He has proven himself to

be a top eSports player and his success makes him an excellent choice to be the first-ever eSports athlete to represent the L.A. Galaxy. We are extremely excited to have Giuseppe join our team and look forward to [him] playing for our club.”

Though unexpected, being signed by a Major League Soccer team marks an exciting chapter in Guastella’s career.

“Honestly, it feels weird to be the first eSports athlete for the Galaxy, because I could have never dreamed this,” Guastella says. “But really, it’s such an honor because that’s my team here in L.A.” Guastella will have his first chance to represent the L.A. Galaxy in April at Major League Soccer’s recently launched eMLS, a competitive league for EA Sports FIFA 18. Nineteen of the 23 MLS teams, including the L.A. Galaxy, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia Union, and Houston Dynamo, will participate. Each team will select a FIFA player, like Guastella, to represent them in the competition, which will take place at PAX East in Boston. The winner will be entered into

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"My number one thing is that I try to be as calm as possible and just enjoy the atmosphere, because who knows when you’re going to be there again."

Clockwise: Guastella peers out at the StubHub Center pitch; at the 2017 Vancouver FIFA Ultimate Team Americas Final Champion hosting up the trophy and winning $30,000; the 2016 MLS All Star Game North America FIFA Tournament Champion with Susannah Collins (right) and Peter Moore, where he won $10,000 (photos: John Mattera Photography; courtesy Giuseppe Guastella)

the EA Sports FIFA 19 Global Series Playoff and have a chance to become the FIFA 18 World Champion at the FIFA eWorld Cup 18 in August.

Unlike other tournaments Guastella’s participated in, he does not need to qualify to play in the eMLS Cup. In the past to qualify for a FIFA championship, Guastella pit himself against players from around the world.

To qualify for the FUT Champions cup, Guastella played FIFA’s weekend play mode, known as Weekend League. The FUT Champions qualification process takes place over two separate onemonth-long periods.

“During those months, you have to play 40 games, each lasts about 15 to 20 minutes, within a weekend and you get ranked on a leaderboard with other players from all over the world,”

Guastella says. “You get ranked through these leaderboards and the higher you are, the better chance you have of participating in the world tournaments that they have.”

To be able to play 40 games, Guastella usually starts playing on Friday. Then, he practices on Saturday and Sunday mornings or afternoons, and spends the rest of his time with his fiancé. However, even when Guastella is playing, Romo spends time with him.

“It can be really entertaining.

Sometimes, when it’s a Saturday or Friday night, and we want to make fun out of the games, we’ll turn it into a little mini-drinking game,” Romo laughs. “If the other team scores, Giuseppe takes a couple sips of his beer, or chugs half his beer. If he scores, then I take a couple sips of my wine or

20 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I MARCH 2018

whatever I’m drinking that night.”

At the end of the qualifying month, the top eligible players on the Global FUT Champions leaderboard receive an invitation to the FUT Champions Cup, like the championships Guastella attended in Vancouver last year.

During FIFA tournaments, Guastella says he tries to stay calm and focus on the game instead of all the chaos around. “My number one thing is that I try to be as calm as possible and just enjoy the atmosphere, because who knows when you’re going to be there again. I try to embrace the tournament,” Guastella says. “And just have fun.

There’s so many of these kids who take it way too serious. I just try to be calm and have fun with it.”

Compared to many of the players who take part in these championships,

Guastella is on the older end of the spectrum. He’s even earned the nickname, “Godfather.”

“I’m known as the ‘Godfather of FIFA,’ because I’m pretty much one of the oldest players in the FIFA tournaments,” Guastella explains.

Hence, his gamertag: xGGGodfatherx.

As the “Godfather” of FIFA, Guastella’s advice to other players is to envision the game like a game of chess. “With the other players, you have to be able to know and anticipate their moves. It’s all tactical. You have to make sure you know the strategies of the game, the formations and what players to use,” Guastella says. “Even if you’re not doing well when you first start playing, you just have to practice and focus. The number one thing is practice and practice.” spt

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GETTIN’ JIGGY WITH IT

LYONS ACADEMY OF IRISH DANCE EDUCATES ASPIRING DANCERS ON ONE OF IRELAND’S MOST IMPRESSIVE TRADITIONS

by Caitlyn Trudnich

Lyons Academy of Irish Dance founder, Meredith Lyons (center), surrounded by dancer siblings Molly (left), Colin (front), and Reagan Keane (photo: John Mattera Photography)

In a community that is heavily made up of Croatian, Italian, and Hispanic ancestry, when you think of Irish culture, San Pedro doesn’t typically come to mind. However, within the town that prides itself on the preservation of diverse, cultural traditions, is a community centered around the dazzling and beautiful performance of Irish dance.

Well before Irish dance hit the mainstream with spectacle stage productions such as Riverdance, as with any traditional art form, dance in Irish history is deep-rooted in tradition, and passed on for generations. Dating back to the eighteenth century, the task to carry the helm and teach traditional Irish dances was appointed to an individual known as the dance master. This unique person would often travel from town to town, teaching Irish dances to locals of the area. Dancers would then meet for informal competitions and gatherings, sharing what they had learned, and showing off their skills.

Today, San Pedro has its very own dance master, and her name is Meredith Lyons. “I think Irish dance has an infectious quality to it,” says Lyons.

“It’s so versatile. The movements are quick and bouncy in soft shoe, and loud and rhythmic in hard. It is really high energy and just makes you want to tap your toes.”

Growing up, Lyons, a Long Beach native, was involved in a variety of activities, including guitar lessons,

gymnastics, and jazz, however, her love of Irish dance officially began at age 11, in a kitchen, of all places. “Right before Riverdance came out to the world, my best friend started taking lessons,” Lyons recalls fondly. “She first taught me in my kitchen when we would have sleepovers. I seriously fell in love with it – the music, the challenging moves, and the artistry, all of it! After that, I begged my mom and dad to enroll me.”

With tutelage under the direction of Doireann Maoileidigh at Celtic Gold Academy, Lyons flourished, and enjoyed many years of performing and participating in competitions.

As Lyons grew up, with her future in dance on the horizon, Lyons had big dreams. “Once I was heavily into my dance career, I realized that I wanted to someday open my own school,” says Lyons. Maoileidigh invited Lyons to assist in teaching classes, and took her under her wing to eventually carry on her legacy. Lyons appreciatively describes, “My dance teacher was very supportive of my goals, allowing me to co-teach with her for many years, all while training me to get to the world championships and showing me the inner workings of her dance school.”

At the young age of 19, while still in college, Lyons was given the opportunity to take over the San Pedro school that helped cultivate her passion for so many years. While the task initially seemed daunting, Lyons jumped at the

22 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I MARCH 2018

chance to make her dreams a reality. “I couldn't pass up the opportunity, so I took it on, and never looked back.”

Lyons graduated from California State University Long Beach in 2006, danced in her last competition at the World Championships in 2007, and took ample time to prepare for the intensive TCRG exam (which is basically like the LSATs for certified Irish dance teachers) in 2008. With the help of her father, whom she calls her “biggest fan and supporter,” Lyons began designing her own logo and costumes, and in 2010, Lyons Academy of Irish Dance was officially born.

Currently, Lyons, along with fellow teacher Anna Johnson, instruct at three locations, San Pedro, Lakewood, and Huntington Beach/Westminster area.

The Academy provides beginner and intermediate/advanced classes for ages four and up, as well as beginner classes for adults. And no, Irish heritage is not a pre-requisite. Lyons describes that she has students from all origins, some coming from Irish families, looking to learn more about their culture, and others simply interested in this lively art form, and just want to dance.

The Irish dance community truly is one big family. Many students from Lyons’ early days of teaching still compete with the Academy, as well as familiar faces always meeting through the competition circuit. Students and parents alike also become friends

through this bonding experience. “I've made some of my longest standing friends from dance,” says Lyons. “You feel a part of something unique, and you know it's not something that you can learn just anywhere. There are a limited amount of schools and certified teachers that can offer this.” Also, in addition to friends that turn into family, there are quite literally families dancing together at Lyons Academy, including siblings Molly (12), Reagan (10), and Colin Keane (6).

With her dreams of sharing her passion for dance with others realized, Lyons looks forward to continuing to mentor young students, and hopes to one day bring them to the World Irish Dancing Championships. “I hope that we continue to grow and get to share our love of Irish dance with more and more people,” shares Lyons. The future of Irish dance remains as steady as it was centuries ago, with dancers of all ages carrying, or better yet, dancing on for generations to come. spt For more information on Lyons Academy of Irish Dance, visit lyonsirishdance.com, or email mlirishdance@yahoo.com.

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SEVEN FLOORS OF HEAVEN

By Angela “Romee” Romero

On Saturday, March 3, the San Pedro Bay Historical Society will be holding an open house at their archive, giving the public a rare opportunity to not only see their vast collection of San Pedro historical photos and records, but also the inside of the John S. Gibson Jr. Municipal Building on its day off. How much do San Pedrans really know about their local “city hall?” Is it a city hall?

What do you call it? Can you remember the last time you went inside? Allow me reacquaint you.

First thing’s first, what do we call it?

The problem is that the building’s name has been a point of contention from the very beginning. At the cornerstone laying on February 22, 1928, the front of the program calls it the San Pedro City Hall. Several months later, at the official dedication on November 10, the program reads, “Los Angeles Harbor District Municipal Building at San Pedro, California.” Maybe the latter is its given name and the former is the more familiar, like Charles and Chuck. For years, even still today, San Pedro City Hall and San Pedro Municipal Building were interchangeable – tomato, tomahto. Luckily, Mayor Tom Bradley cleared the confusion in 1987, by giving the building a brand new name in honor of a very faithful civil servant who held an office inside for more than 30 years. So, officially, the building is called the John S. Gibson Jr. Municipal Building.

The John S. Gibson Jr. Municipal Building

The building stands on the site of the former San Pedro City Hall that was built in 1907, two years before the consolidation that joined San Pedro and Los Angeles in a marriage of convenience. In 1928, it was the new Beaux-Arts on the block that housed all of the city departments, including building and safety, fire, the police station, courthouse, and the jail. Its proximity to the rough and tumble bars on Beacon Street kept it open round the clock, with the drunk tank seeing the most action.

It was a very convenient little civic universe for nearly 30 years before the departments started to outgrow their offices.

The exodus out of the municipal building started in 1961, with the LAPD moving to the new Harbor Division headquarters, taking the jail with them.

The Harbor Department moved into their new building in 1965, the judges moved to the new courthouse on Centre in 1968, and LAFD Station 36 was shuttered due to budget cuts not long after.

As the city grew and budgets shrank over the years, the building directory showed a revolving door of city offices,

24 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I MARCH 2018

with the one mainstay being the council office. Each one of the ten city council people to represent the 15th District have held offices within the branch city hall. Currently, Councilman Joe Buscaino has a fabulous view of the main channel from his office on the fourth floor.

Currently, the building also houses the Department of Building & Safety, Engineering Permits, the Harbor Fire Prevention Office, and the LAFD South Bureau.

The building’s interior, aesthetically, is stunning. It was retrofitted and refurbished in 1999 under the care of Councilman Rudy Svorinich. It was a massive undertaking that will make sure the building is around for generations to come. As you walk up the front steps from Beacon Street, the decorative plaster moulding catches your eye immediately. As you walk in, even the weight of the door transports you back to the time when things were made to last. As you’re checking in with security at the front desk, there’s an old-timey mail chute drop, and above it on the ceiling is a red glass globe with ‘EXIT’

painted in white.

On the upper floors, all the offices are a warm brown wood, most with frosted glass windows just waiting for a gold leaf sign to be painted on it. If you wander down the back steps, you almost expect Jack Nicholson’s Jake Gitte from Chinatown to speed past you on his way down from talking to a city source of his. In fact, Jack Nicholson actually has been down those steps, playing Frank Chambers in The Postman Always Rings Twice. He also spent some time in the jail for the same film.

Many famous actors have had their time in “seventh heaven,” its tongue-incheek nickname, as the jail has one of the best views in town.

2018 marks the municipal building’s 90th year of service to the San Pedro community. To learn more about the building, as well as see the jail, visit the Historical Society’s Open House on March 3. If you can’t make it, do yourself a favor and give your city hall a visit one day, you’ll be glad you did. spt

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SPORTS

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SPHS’S ANGELINA CAMELLO HOPES TO CAPTURE FIRST PLACE IN HER SENIOR YEAR IN TRACK & FIELD

by Jamaal K. Street San Pedro High senior Angelina Camello has been living quite the life at such a young age. One of the better definitions of what a student athlete should be, Camello has all the tools: a 3.8 G.P.A., an awesome community work resume, and several league titles in multiple sports, even broke a few school records as well. Camello looks to make a few more heads turn during the upcoming 2018 track and field season as she has established herself as one of the top sprinters in the CIF-Los Angeles City Section.

Also sporting two Marine League championships in her time on the girls’ soccer team, Camello will be solely focusing on track for her senior year, and she currently holds school records in the 100, 200, and 4 x 100 meter dash/ relay races.

What truly helps Camello along the way? A phenomenal support system. “I want to thank my parents for their love and support and a special thank you to the best coach and trainer, Ron Carter,” Camello says.

Even all her athletic exploits aren’t as impressive as what she has done outside of school.

Angelina Camello (photo: John Mattera Photography)

Camello has been a proud Girl Scout for 11 years, giving back to the community in many ways, including by helping with different animal and women shelters, building a book case for children with disabilities and reading to them, bedside boxes for children with cancer, while also helping other younger Scouts to learn how to camp and to grow as a person. Camello is also a Girl Scout Gold Award recipient, which is equivalent Eagle Scouts for the Boy Scouts.

“Girl Scouts has taught me so much in having great communication skills, a helping heart, the importance of the community, building self-esteem, and being a great leader,” says Camello, who has also been on a few Girl Scout panels

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to educate other Scouts who want to work on their Gold Award and the rules and dedication it takes.

In other notables, Camello has volunteered at Fort MacArthur Chapel as an altar server the past seven years, Good Samaritan Hospital, and as a coach to girls from ages 8-10 at Harbor Youth Soccer League.

Camello was also featured on KNX Radio in Los Angeles as a Hero of the Week for K-Bear Fitness Soccer Camp, which included her visiting elementary schools, the Boys & Girls Club, and at Fort MacArthur Church to educate everyone about the importance of staying in shape and nutrition, getting children to play outside more, eat healthy, try a new sport, and learn to play soccer the proper way.

The camp was named after Camello’s best friend, Kelsey Faith Potts, a youth soccer player who had the nickname of ‘K-Bear’ before she passed away at 13 due to illness.

“Conducting K-Bear camp meant a lot to me because she was my best friend,” she says. “At the age of five, Kelsey introduced soccer to me and we shared a love and bond through the sport like no other. When she passed, I decided I wanted to share the bond with the community and love for the sport like she showed me.”

Camello does have one special moment in soccer where Kelsey was smiling down on her from above.

In a 2016 Marine League game at Narbonne with the league title up for grabs, Camello got a perfect pass for a breakaway, which she tapped past the goalie into the net for the game’s first goal early in the second half, and the Pirates eventually won, 2-0 over the Gauchos.

“It was an amazing moment to be able to go back up top after playing a whole session of defense,” Camello says of that breakthrough moment. “It was awesome to have that memory of cheering with my team.”

The sport of soccer, which Camello has played for a dozen years, has migrated over to track, which helped build her endurance and speed and led her to receiving six athletic scholarships, and 26 offers for track.

In a Marine League home meet against Carson in April 2017, Camello set the school record with her fastest time in the 100-meter dash at 12.14.

A very impressive feat considering Carson’s girls team went on to win both the Marine League & CIF-LACS championships.

Camello’s goals for her final year at San Pedro are pretty straightforward.

“I’m hoping to place in L.A. City and attend state to prepare me for college competition.”

With the incredible resume she’s already built, don’t be surprised if Camello runs all the way to the 2026 Summer Olympics if her heart desires. spt

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WEDDING

MEET CUTE TO MARRIED BILL & CHRISTINE NIX JUNE 24, 2017

story by Caitlyn Trudnich photo by John Mattera Photography If you’re a film buff, then you’ve probably heard of the term, “meet cute.” A staple in romantic comedies, this scene happens when a couple unexpectedly meet, often in some coincidental and “meant to be” sort of way, and end up falling in love. Though this concept is usually saved for the big screen, Bill and Christine (Weber) Nix were lucky enough to have their relationship begin with a very cute, moment.

“We first me in the elevator of our apartment building in the Spring of 2015,” Bill fondly remembers. “We turned out to be neighbors and lived two doors down from each other. Being the gentleman that I am, I gave her my number, just in case she needed anything, like some milk. A few weeks later, she ended up needing a drill to put together her new island in her kitchen.

Luckily I had a drill, and she had my number.”

But wait, there’s more. While the two neighbors began to hang out and get to know one another, Bill asked San Pedro native Christine if she knew of Upland Avenue, the street his father had grown up on. Bill’s parents, Tom and Pamela Nix, both attended San Pedro High School and were high school sweethearts. After what seemed like a fairly innocuous question, Bill recalls, “She about fell off her chair, and asked me ‘What do you mean? Have you been stalking me? How did you know that?’” Christine was shocked because in addition to her parents also being

high school sweethearts from San Pedro High, she grew up on –you guessed it – Upland Avenue. “We just ended up having so many things in common,” says Bill. “It was really a sign.” Take that, Sleepless in Seattle.

Sometimes when you know, you know. Four months after meeting, the couple traveled to Santa Barbara on vacation with friends, where they both declared their love for one another.

Two months after that, they moved in together. And if meeting each other and falling in love wasn’t a surprise enough, a month later, the couple became not only roommates, but they also discovered they would soon become parents. Although Christine had initially thought she could not have children, they both discussed that one day they would love to have a baby, and possibly explore options of adoptions and surrogacy, if necessary. After the happy surprise, Bill says, “We knew at that point this was meant to be, and were overjoyed at starting this great adventure together.” On July 15, 2016, they welcomed a son, their “miracle baby,” Jonathan.

After two years of dating, Bill decided it was time to pop the question.

Knowing that Christine disliked public attention, on April 29, 2016, he chose to make the special moment intimate and private. “I proposed in our walk-in closet, with roses and a video camera on the ledge behind me. I called her in to ask what she thought about my out-

28 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I MARCH 2018

fit. She walked into the closet and didn’t really know what was going on, until I was on a knee. Her face was priceless.

She fell to the ground, said ‘Yes!’ and started crying. We both did.”

The special day was filled with unique and memorable touches. Officiating the ceremony was Matt Markofski, who not only is a dear friend, but also happened to be in the elevator that one, fateful day when this story began.

Being a big fan of the band Journey, Christine walked down the aisle to an instrumental version of “Don’t Stop Believin’,” while Bill made his entrance holding their son, Johnny. (A crowd favorite.) At the reception, the newlyweds first dance was accompanied

by Adam Sandler’s “Grow Old With You,” from The Wedding Singer. “It was lighthearted and fun, but also romantic,” Christine describes. “Our goal was to have fun and we did!”

And for dessert? Christine’s mom, Renee Weber, a former professional cake decorator, created the couple’s wedding cake. Along with her husband Doug, the bride’s parents also designed the centerpieces at every table, which guests were allowed to take home and enjoy. With colors of navy and blush within the décor, the celebration was beautiful in every aspect. “Not to be biased, but it was the most beautiful wedding we’ve ever seen,” Bill says.

After the wedding, Mr. and Mrs. Nix went on a quick trip to Catalina, spending three days eating, touring, and

swimming in the ocean. “Bill actually lost his wedding ring while swimming off Descanso Beach,” Christine vividly recalls. “He was determined to find it, so he rented some snorkeling gear and headed back out to find it. After some time, he came back to the beach, and no joke – he found the ring on the bottom of the ocean floor. It was absolutely unbelievable!”

On October 27, 2017 the Nix family once again celebrated yet another special event, the birth of their daughter, Samantha.

With so much to be thankful for, Christine lists some of the many reasons why she loves her husband. “I really scored!” she says. “For me, it’s the little things in life that make me happy and Bill pays attention to that. He picks up on things, and before I know it, he’s walking through the door with my favorite ice cream, just because. Bill makes me feel more confident than I’ve ever felt. He lets me be me and loves me for it. He’s also a fantastic father and a huge help with our kids.”

The couple looks forward to their future together as husband and wife, and hope to one day take a long, official honeymoon. As it goes with any romantic comedy, there’s always hope for a sequel.

Bill and Christine currently reside in Huntington Beach. Bill is the owner/ operator of Sunset Vapor in nearby Sunset Beach, while Christine works as a registered nurse. spt

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RELIGION

THE PARABLE OF THE WINE BOX

by Pastor Nathan Hoff You start to notice small changes when you walk the same neighborhood regularly. Also, you notice some things that don’t change much. The picture of the wine box from a gutter across the street from Averill Park was there for months.

Ruby and I walked past it daily, but my imagination started a backstory from the perspective of one grape: You should have seen the vineyard I came from. It wasn’t one of those fly-by-night places with a tasting room trailer, but had a legitimate Italian ‘villa’ feel. Beautiful stone work and gorgeous wooden features and even fire pits that made people want to stay, and talk, and, of course, drink.

The vineyard had varied elevation, with the tasting plaza situated on the top of the hill with a panoramic view. I had a beautiful view, too. My vine was situated right next to the well-maintained gravel road leading to the plaza. I saw people come and go. I heard the owner talking to the vine-dresser one day about the buzz that was taking place in various trade publications. They were exuberant about what others were saying about us. According to the judges, our future looked, “bright and clean.”

Then, there was an accident. Right in the middle of the drought, when all the chatter was about cautious water usage, the sun was going down, and the last guest drove away, and clipped a local irrigation pipe with their car. At first there was a small, undetectable leak, then what felt like an immersion that left us feeling inebriated. The vine-dresser walked by the next morning and ran for the emergency shut-off valve. He looked worried. At first, I thought his concern was for the water bill, but I realize in hindsight, he was concerned about us.

After our water ‘hang-over’ dissipated, I never quite felt the same.

Now instead of feeling “bright and clean,” I felt squishy and bloated.

Then harvest time came. Most of the other grapes were picked and placed gently in trucks with the vineyard 30 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I MARCH 2018

logo. Then I was picked and thrown into a truck that didn’t have a logo.

We were brought to a processing plant in the Central Valley. I overheard a worker yell over the machinery, “Put this in the chard blend.” Blend?

Next thing I remember were these words, “Its ready for the box!” Box? I was relocated to the distribution center, then the liquor store, then the young woman who hadn’t slept much bought me with her last five dollars. I felt cheap. She took me home, but was met by her mom at the door who said, “You were meant for more than this.”

I didn’t know if she was talking to her daughter or to me, but she ran us back to the car, drove erratically to her escape by the park. She opened my twist top (Twist top?), and drank most in short order, and fell asleep. An hour later, her dad, who knew where she liked to escape, was knocking on her window, then sitting in the passenger seat, then holding her shaky hand. He said, “Dear, you only see dark disappointment, but your mom and I see a future bright and clean. Let me drive you home.” So she traded seats, opened her window, and threw me in the gutter. Not the destiny I expected, but I’m satisfied. spt Need help with a drinking problem? Visit aa.org.

Nathan Hoff is the Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in San Pedro. Follow his blog at: trinitypastor.blogspot.com.

HEALTH & FITNESS

TAKING A REALITY BATH

by Ricky Magana If you ever decide one day to climb Mount Everest, you’ll discover the little known, but extremely disturbing landmarks that line the cold, unforgiving trails to the summit. Dead bodies.

Yes, the terrain and altitude are so harsh and dangerous on the journey to climb Everest that if you don’t make it, they leave you there. And thus you become a frozen relic to all climbers who come after you, that the journey to the top will not be an easy one.

Why in God’s name am I telling you this? Because, anyone who seriously considers the Everest climb knows about the “the bodies of Everest” and has no illusions of the difficulty of the journey. There is no infomercial or well-tanned guru that promises to make you “climb-ready in 10-minutes a day.”Anyone who embarks knows full well the challenges that lie ahead, and they’re willing to do it anyway.

If you are someone who has achieved anything meaningful, you know something many others don’t.

There’s a very real difference between how you picture things going, and how they actually play out. How it looks in the romantic comedy versus real life.

Any driven person who challenges themselves has experienced this.

It’s what I call a “Reality Bath.” The moment you surrender the fairy tale version of life and accept the reality of what it’s actually going to take to get what you want.

Parenting, marriage, career, and fitness. All of these pursuits are often sold to us via ‘easy’ solutions that leaves those with unrealistic expectations constantly disappointed. You start your new year expecting boundless energy, plenty of time in your schedule to workout, your children happy to wait patiently as you meal prep. Or the miracle cleanse that allows you to skip all of that work completely so you can get the abs without inconvenience.

Then the reality bath washes over you. The kids are crying, you forgot to go to the grocery store, the gym is crowded, and the scale hasn’t moved for two weeks. You get the flu. It seems like the whole universe is conspiring against you.

32 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I MARCH 2018

If you’ve found yourself pursuing a goal only to shake your fists at the sky, after stumbling over and over again because it wasn’t supposed to be this hard, then you may find yourself in need of taking a reality bath.

It’s very important to go into a diet or program with the correct expectation about what it takes to work. People usually give up when the plan is working exactly how it should. Only we aren’t patient, or we expect it to be easier. So here are a few doses of reality about the journey to fitness that if you go into with open eyes, you’ll be much more equipped to stay the course: 1. Losing the first 10 pounds is easy. The next 10 are a bit more difficult, but the hardest weight to lose is after the 20-lb. mark. They are stubborn, come off slowly, eractically, and only for people willing to stick to the plan for 8-15 weeks.

2. Expect the journey to take 3 times longer than you thought. In a perfect world you won’t get sick or sidelined and all life events will cease till you’re done dieting. But in real life things get in the way, so plan on having a flat tire or two. This is no reason to give up.

3. Everyone can get results. Not everyone can keep them. When you hit your target weight, you’re not done. You’re just beginning. People burn themselves out to get to a certain weight that they binge themselves back to where they started. What people don’t realize is the real results are the ones you keep.

4. Nobody else is responsible for your fitness. Birthday parties, travel, taxes, business lunches and your loved ones will not stop or suddenly go gluten-free because you’re now on the diet wagon. Expect life to make it inconvenient and plan accordingly.

And finally, nobody climbs Everest alone. Your fitness is a personal journey but it is one you should do with the support and guidance of others. Expect a hard journey, but one that’s totally worth it. 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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