San Pedro Today - November 2015

NOVEMBER 2015

HAHN MEETS THE POPE | DAY STAR PRESCHOOL CLOSES | NO TOMATO LEFT BEHIND | SPHS CROSS COUNTRY STAR BRONWYN BUNNELL

THE HOMELESS THE PROBLEM WE CAN'T IGNORE With the South Bay’s homeless population rising 39% in two years, San Pedro has had to rely on nonprofits like Harbor Interfaith Services to help the less fortunate find their way again.

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

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I spent a week in Salt Lake City last month. I had never been before, and sticking to my plan I wrote about in January (to travel to places I've never been to), I decided to make it a work trip and visit a place that was also known for its handling of their homeless crisis. Since 2005, Salt Lake City has reduced its homeless population by a whopping 72 percent. That's not to say they still don't have a problem – they do, I saw it firsthand – but what I saw was vastly different to what it must have been like there 10 years ago.

Salt Lake City came onto my radar when The Daily Show ran a satirical segment on the city's "housing first" initiative back in January. (The segment is easily searchable online.) The segment drew national attention because, even just 11 months ago, the "housing first" mentality was considered backwards thinking. Logic at the time was dictating that drug intervention and mental health should be addressed first, and taking them off the streets came after. Salt Lake City flipped the switch and started giving homes to the homeless first, and then addressed their substance and mental health issues. And their method seems to be working.

I stayed in downtown, a few blocks away from Temple Square, the home of the massive Mormon Temple. I must say, even though Salt Lake's downtown was one of the most boring downtowns I've ever visited, the city certainly knows how to keep their streets clean. But even with the aesthetic of the city kept up, there were plenty of panhandlers stationed at popular spots like City Creek Center and Temple Square, areas that also get high tourist traffic.

In Salt Lake City, an overwhelming majority of residents (69% according to a poll by UtahPolicy.com) believe panhandling should be illegal. And while I'm sure many in San Pedro feel the same about the panhandlers in our town, don't expect the overall act to become illegal anywhere anytime soon. Broad laws banning panhandling have been deemed unconstitutional and in violation of the First Amendment. But that hasn't stopped cities from dealing with the issue.

Cities and counties around the country, including ones in Oregon, Utah and recently in Sacramento, have passed ordinances banning panhandling from traffic medians, and near businesses, gas stations and ATMs, among other areas. These ordinances do not ban panhandling overall, but they ban it from areas where the quality of life in the community is directly affected. Such ordinances are working by forcing some homeless people to seek help from legit organizations because they've lost their income from street begging.

In San Pedro, we see chronic panhandling everywhere. At our post offices, grocery stores, freeway exits, gas stations, and outside sit-down and fast food restaurants. Some are legitimately homeless, some are drug abusers, many are both. Currently, it's nearly impossible to run an errand without being asked for money by someone. This is a serious problem that is directly affecting our quality of life, and it needs to be addressed.

Since legislation will not make panhandling a crime, there is a concerted effort within Salt Lake City to curb residents from enabling the homeless and those with substance abuse problems to beg for money. Nearly every restaurant and shop I went into had a "Please Don't Support Panhandling" sticker on their storefront (pictured). There were also repurposed parking meters painted in red that said "Turn Spare Change Into Real Change" (pictured). Instead of changing laws, Salt Lake City started changing hearts and minds.

The stickers and parking meters are sponsored by SLChost.org, a proactive group that partners with the police and homeless service providers to "connect homeless individuals with social services and resources." According to their website, "100 percent of donations go to the Pamela J. Atkinson foundation and are dispersed to local homeless services providers that provide help for those that need it most."

This is what happens when people think differently to solve a problem. We need to think like this in San Pedro.

What if a nonprofit group, with help from the council office, took the old parking meters that were so ceremoniously removed and replaced with modern credit card taking ones, and repurposed them to collect spare change that could be donated to the various organizations around town? What if we, as residents, were reminded to not enable the problem of chronic panhandling by seeing our local business community come together as one voice against this practice?

There are people that that believe giving in to panhandlers is a charitable act. It's natural for someone to see someone in need to try and help. I'm as guilty as anyone for giving spare change to panhandlers in the past, but I've realized I'm just enabling the problem. The more we give to those who beg, the longer those people will stay in the situation they're in. We're not helping them, in fact, we're doing more harm than good. spt Joshua Stecker is publisher/editor-in-chief of San Pedro Today. He can be reached at contact@sanpedrotoday.com.

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NOVEMBER 2015

DEPARTMENTS LETTER FROM THE EDITOR EVENTS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR/HEADLINES

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VOICES MARCONI PIROZZI MARQUEZ ZIMMER COUNCILMAN BUSCAINO CONGRESSWOMAN HAHN HEALTH & WELLNESS HEYDAY FITNESS

10 12 14 16 18 20 36 37

FEATURES COVER STORY: THE HOMELESS: THE PROBLEM WE CAN'T IGNORE With the South Bay’s homeless population rising 39% in two years, San Pedro has had to rely on nonprofits like Harbor Interfaith Services to help the less fortunate find their way again.

ICONIC PRESCHOOL CLOSES ITS DOORS Day Star Early Learning Center leaves behind a legacy of educators.

PRIORITYONE PRINTING ★ COPYING ★ GRAPHICS Serving San Pedro’s business and education communities since 1979

6 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I NOVEMBER 2015

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NO TOMATO LEFT BEHIND 30 San Pedro is ripe with traditions that run generations deep. This is one of those stories.

SPORTS - KEEP ON RUNNING

32 San Pedro High Senior Bronwyn Bunnell overcame injury to break cross country and track records.

WEDDING WILL RETURN NEXT MONTH ON THE COVER: A homeless man waits with his belongings near the intersection of Palos Verdes and 7th St., photographed Wednesday, October 21, 2015. (photo: John Mattera Photography)

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Joshua J. Stecker

ADVERTISING: General Inquiries: ads@sanpedrotoday.com

ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION Joseph A. Castañeda

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

AT-LARGE CONTRIBUTORS Joe Buscaino, Lori Garrett, Janice Hahn, Roseanney Liu, Ricky Magana, Steve Marconi, Jennifer Marquez, Anthony Pirozzi, Angela Romero, Mary Scott, Jamaal K. Street, Herb Zimmer

Shana Ghekiere - San Pedro (and outer regions) (310) 753-5176 | shana@sanpedrotoday.com

PHOTOGRAPHER John Mattera Photography

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.

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San Pedro Today P.O. Box 1168, San Pedro, CA 90733

VOLUME 7 | NUMBER 10

Empire22 Media LLC OWNER/PUBLISHER Joshua J. Stecker

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NOVEMBER Tour the historic PT. FERMIN LIGHTHOUSE, built in 1874 to light the entrance to the Los Angeles Harbor, located in the Pt. Fermin Park (807 Paseo del Mar). Guided tours offered 1-3p Tues thru Sun. Closed Mon and major holidays.

Admission is free; donations accepted.

Every Mon – PENINSULA TOASTMASTERS at Coco’s Restaurant (28300 Western Ave, RPV) 7-9p. For those seeking to master public speaking and leadership skills. For info, contact Shelly Lipanovich lipanovichshelly@yahoo. com.

Every Wed – CHILDREN’S WRITING CLASSES at the Corner Store (1118 37th St). Seven Golden Secrets of Writing with Diana Chapman, Wed 4:30-5:45p. For info, call (310) 626-7906. Please call ahead to reserve space.

Every Thurs (except holidays) – ADULT WRITING GROUP in Library room of St. Peter's Episcopal Church (1648 W. 9th St.). 1-3p. All welcome! For more info, call (310) 831-2186.

Every Thurs - WEIGHT LOSS SUPPORT GROUP (TOPS TAKE OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY) at Peck Park Community Center, Classroom A (560 N. Western Ave.) 9:45-11a. Adults only. For more info, call (310) 547-1098.

Every Fri – SAN PEDRO FARMERS MARKET (6th St. between Pacific and Mesa Streets) 9a-2p.

Every Sat – LAFD HARBOR MUSEUM (639 Harbor Blvd) 10a-3p. Experience San Pedro and Wilmington's Fire Protection and Rescue service history with vintage fire apparatus and various displays. The museum is located in Old Fire Station 36 in the San Pedro City Hall. Admission is free, donations are accepted.

Canyon (27305 Palos Verdes Dr. E, Rolling Hills Estates). 11a-3p (Saturdays).

9a. Guided walks through the Canyon. Free and open to the public. All ages welcome. For more information, contact 12 (Thurs) – SAN PEDRO CLASS OF 1945 BREAKFAST at (310) 547-0862.

The Grinder (511 S. Harbor Blvd.) 9:30 a.m. RSVP to Alice Jacobson (310) 832-1807 or Grace Woodman (310) 833-8321.

7 (Sat) - ANGEL GATE’S ANNUAL OPEN STUDIO at Angels Gate Cultural Center (3601 S Gaffey St.) 11a-2p. 14 (Sat) – CORNER STORE FARMERS MARKET at The Festivities include a special anniversary exhibition's opening Corner Store (1118 W. 37th St.) 10a-12p. Open every second reception, workshops for all ages, live music and dance Saturday of the month. Grab some coffee and homegrown performances and much more! Visit www.angelsgateart.org produce and don’t forget to bring your reusable bags! for more info.

15 (Sun) – CONTRA PEDRO at People's Place (365 W. 6th 7 (Sat) - SOUL FEAST at First Presbyterian Church of San St.) 4-7p. Contra dance with live band, lesson at 3:30p. $10 Pedro (731 S. Averill Ave). A new Sunday evening worship per person, $7 for students; $1 if under 12. For more info, service for all ages, every Sunday starting at 5:30p. Dinner visit www.caldancecoop.org. is included. All are welcome!

16 (Mon) – COASTAL SAN PEDRO NEIGHBORHOOD 7 (Sat) - A GATHERING OF ANGELS: STUDIO ARTISTS COUNCIL MEETING at Cabrillo Marina Community FROM 1985-2015 EXHIBITION at Angels Gate Cultural Building (Cabrillo Plaza, Berth 28, Via Cabrillo Marina Center (3601 S Gaffey St.)12p-5p. This exhibition will Way). 6:30p. Info: www.cspnc.org include work from former and current Studio Artists in celebration of Angels Gate’s 30th anniversary. The 20 (Fri) -NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS FAIR at Norwegian exhibition will open in conjunction with Open Studios Day. Seaman’s Church (1035 S. Beacon St.) 11a-6p on the Visit www.angelsgateart.org for more info.

20th and 21st. 12p-4p on Nov 22nd. A fun fair filled with Norwegian/Scandinavian Christmas decorations, raffles, 8 (Sun) – PVPLC FIRST SUNDAY BEGINNERS BIRD prizes and a variety of homemade treats! Buy food in the WALK at George F. Canyon (27305 Palos Verdes Dr. E, store or eat lunch or dinner in the café! All are welcome!

Rolling Hills Estates). 8:30a. Binoculars provided. Slow, easy walk. Free and open to the public. For more information, 24 (Tues) - SAN PEDRO GARDEN CLUB EVENT at contact (310) 547-0862.

Peck Park (560 N Western Ave.) Starts at 9a. This unique event will feature “Wreaths: Using Natural Flora" by 9 (Mon) – NORTHWEST SAN PEDRO NEIGHBORHOOD Samantha from Friendship Park. Come early and shop at COUNCIL MEETING at Peck Park Community Building the opportunity table!

(560 N. Western Ave.). 6p. Info: www.nwsanpedro.org 28 (Sat) – PVPLC NATIVE PLANT SALE at White Point 10 (Tues) – CENTRAL SAN PEDRO NEIGHBORHOOD Nature Education Center (1600 W. Paseo del Mar). 12p– 2p.

COUNCIL MEETING at San Pedro Public Library (931 S. Every fourth Saturday. For more information, Gaffey St.). 6:30p. Info: www.sanpedrocity.org visit www.pvplc.org.

8 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I NOVEMBER 2015

Every Sun – Tour the MULLER HOUSE MUSEUM (1542 Beacon St.) 1-4p. Built in 1899, the Muller House is the headquarters of the San Pedro Bay Historical Society.

Admission is free, but a donation of $3 is encouraged.

11 (Wed) - ANNUAL HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE at Assistance League of San Pedro - South Bay Chapter House (1441 W. 5 (Thurs) – FIRST THURSDAY ARTWALK in Downtown 8th St.) Includes a selection of holiday food items, stocking San Pedro. 6-10p stuffers, as well as unique gift items. Shop early to avoid that dreaded holiday stress! All proceeds benefit local 7 (Sat) - FIRST SATURDAY FAMILY HIKE at George F. philanthropic programs. Sale Hours: 10a-5p (weekdays), and

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HEADLINES

Headlines you may have missed last month

Buscaino's Homelessness Task Force Meets Councilman Joe Buscaino's Homelessness Task Force, a citizens committee put together to seek solutions to the local homeless crisis, met for the first time last month. The task force is part of Buscaino's "8-Step Homelessness Action Plan" that was revealed during the Homeless Forum at the Warner Grand Theatre in September.

Speaking to the Daily Breeze, Ray Regalado, a co-chair of the task force, said of the initial closed-door meeting: “We weren’t trying to solve any problems today, but rather trying to get a framework for what it is we are trying to accomplish. I do believe that, in the early parts of this, being able to do this among ourselves is appropriate.”

The group will meet monthly for the next six months with their next closed-door meeting set for Nov. 19. (source: Daily Breeze)

Port of L.A. Fails to Reach Promised Pollution-Reduction Measures In a surprising environmental notice, the Port of Los Angeles revealed it failed to complete 11 of the 52 pollution-cutting measures it arranged to make after the China Shipping Terminal settlement was reached in March 2003. These measures were to include a reduction of air pollution, noise reduction and traffic congestion. Measures that were not imposed include the requirement of docked ships to shut down their diesel engines and to plug in to onshore electricity to reduce emissions, according to the Los Angeles Times.

In response to the L.A. Times story, Port of L.A. Executive Director Gene Seroka said that emission levels at the port are at or below levels agreed upon with the expansion of the China Shipping Terminal in 2008. Seroka told the Times that pollution has declined to "levels that were even better than what we attempted to produce." (source: Los Angeles Times)

SP Library Explores Naming Meeting Room to Honor Phil Scott Los Angeles city library officials are considering naming the meeting room at San Pedro Public Library after the late retired public school teacher and lifelong resident, Phil Scott.

Officials are seeking public comment on their proposal.

Scott ran the monthly book sales at the library with his wife, Doris, for more than 20 years. He passed away in July, just shy of his 84th birthday and a week after his 55th wedding anniversary. Scott taught health, math and P.E. at Dana Middle School for more than 30 years and coached the swim teams at the YMCA San Pedro.

The Board of Library Commissioners is accepting written public comments through Dec. 14. Comments can be sent to the Board of Library Commissioners, Los Angeles Public Library, 630 W. Fifth St., Los Angeles CA 90071 or emailed to rborden@lapl.org. (source: Daily Breeze) spt

Port of Los Angeles (photo: John Mattera)

Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, My name is Mario Galeano and on behalf of Long Beach Rescue Mission, we would like to provide some perspective and shed some light on a recent editorial published by your publication, San Pedro Today.

In the October 2015 issue, author Joanne Rallo wrote in her article, Saving San Pedro, that LAPD Sergeant Catherine Plows confirmed that we had been bussing our guests into San Pedro for a sack lunch and many “fail to return back to the bus.” This statement is, in fact, grossly inaccurate and incorrect. While Ms. Rallo did not directly target us in her article, we were disappointed that she would not reach out to us for clarification or comments regarding this issue.

The fact is that Long Beach Rescue Mission has worked diligently for many years to not only provide hope for the hopeless and hurting, but also work with our surrounding communities to educate them on the issue of homelessness and make our communities safer for all.

To provide clarification for your readers, we do not provide transportation to any guests and we certainly do not condone any organization “dumping” homeless individuals in the

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city of San Pedro or any city for that matter. Instead we provide more than 275,000 hot meals a year, shelter for hundreds of men, women and children, and offer transformational recovery programs that include life skills, career aid, educational classes (GED Prep), and financial literacy classes.

If any of your readers are willing, we would be more than happy to give tours of our facilities and explain how our transformational programs has one of the highest success rates of any recovery program in LA County. For more information or any questions or concerns, please email us at mgaleano@lbrm.org.

Thank you for your time and we sincerely hope that in the future, we can continue to partner with the city of San Pedro to help provide hope for those that are hurting and homeless.

VOICES

Time for San Pedro to Honor All of Its War Dead

by Steve Marconi

10 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I NOVEMBER 2015

With the long-awaited waterfront redevelopment finally underway, San Pedro has a perfect opportunity to do something it should have done a long time ago – build a memorial to its war dead.

Yes, we have a WWII memorial, but it’s tucked away in a remote corner of Green Hills Memorial Park, and that’s not even in San Pedro. This town has a long list of men who have died in other wars who deserve to be remembered just as much as their WWII brethren.

San Pedro’s history is inextricably linked to the armed services. Its sons have answered the call to arms time and again, and failing to honor the fallen, many of whom still have family and friends living in the area, is beyond negligent, it’s inexcusable.

There are a lot of ideas floating around for repurposing the space around the Maritime Museum, the linchpin in redevelopment plans, and no one can argue there isn’t room for a memorial of some kind. Depending on how much money developers want to spend, it could even be a centerpiece along the lines of the nearby Merchant Marine Memorial.

Either way, that location took on even more significance when the USS Iowa arrived.

Could there be anything more synergistic than a memorial to war dead within view of a ship that fought in WWII, Korea and Vietnam? The perfect spot would probably be right

in front of the vaunted battleship, but the logistics involving the non-profit battleship museum might be prohibitive.

The important thing is that the memorial be accessible to the public and in a place where the greatest number of people would see it. After all, isn’t that the point of memorials, to make sure that the dead are remembered? In San Pedro, there is no better site than the waterfront, and the time is right.

Everyone likes to believe “we will never forget” the sacrifices of previous generations, but aside from family and friends, who remembers these men: Korean War (1950-52) – Robert Rodriquez Barajas, William Eugene Cottom, Charles Albert Falk, Pivo Fallorina, Manuel H. Flores Jr., Roger Gonzales, Victor E. Johnson, Alan McGlashan, Edwin "Eddie" Medina, Charles Clinton Schwartz, Floyd Shepard.

Vietnam War (1965-75) – John Anthony Burich Jr., Steve Butorovic, Freddie Joe Cigar, David Patrick Dolan, Roberto Cervantes Duenas, Henry Kenneth Frye, Gregory I. Hankamer, William Arthur Heep, Robert Michael Kelly, Paul Joseph Marquez, Frank John Joe Mattera, Alan Lee Matthews, Donald Stephen Newton, Douglas Ellsworth Nichols, Frank Dennis Ortega, Lawrence Pinales, David Stirling Reid, Victor Thomas Rikkal, Craig Alan Sysak, Molimau Asomaliu Tela, Ralph Paul Villegas.

The inclusion of Frye and Rikkal on a San Pedro memorial would right the wrong that they, as two of 74 American sailors killed in the collision of the destroyer USS Frank E. Evans with an Australian aircraft carrier during maneuvers in the Pacific, have been left off the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Then there are the 160-plus men from WWII and another 22 from WWI. Harbor Commission, the ball’s in your court.

Calling All Pirates The second annual San Pedro High School Athletic Hall of Fame banquet is Nov. 7, and if last year’s inaugural event was any indication, it should be quite an evening.

In anticipation of another large crowd, the ceremony has been moved to the Crafted warehouse on S. Harbor Blvd., which will provide the space both inside for Pirate fans and outside for parking. And although there will be seating for more than 1,000 people, tickets are being handled with an eye to eliminating long waits to get inside.

That's where the Pirates will be trotting out some of the most famous names in the school's sports history, baseball greats such as former major leaguers Garry Maddox, Alan Ashby, Brian Harper and Eddie Jurak; Pat Yelovich and John Christensen, legends, respectively, in swimming and gymnastics; along with Zlatko Josic (basketball); Raul Haro (soccer); Valerie Flores (cross country); and softball’s Ashley Esparza and Kim Parker.

Brian Harper is being joined by his brother, Glenn, in the sibling category, which also includes another legendary pair, court stars Novian and Damon Whitsitt. When it comes to siblings, however, nothing will come close to the nine – count 'em, nine –Gravett brothers being inducted.

Three families, the Stevenses, Whitts and Charlie Castanedas, are being honored for their multigenerational contributions to Pirate sports. Tim Ursich and famed gymnastics coach John Balen round out the lifetime achievement honorees. Four undefeated City title teams, 1987 boys soccer, 1972 and 1973 girls basketball and 1999 girls cross-country, will be inducted.

Posthumous inductees are Morris Cigar, Bill Seixas, Mickey Panovich, Wynn Ryder, Randy Hoxie, John Gligo, Jack Bloomingdale, Herb Johnson, Jim Trani, Ray Martinez, Nick Trani, Ante Perkov, Sam Domancich and Vincent Thomas.

Come to think of it, the Crafted may not be big enough after all. To ensure a seat, go to www.sanpedropirateboosters.com or send a check to Boosters president Leonard Miller at 1589 Plymouth Lane, San Pedro, CA 90732. Tickets are $50, with all proceeds going directly to Hall of Fame projects. spt Steve Marconi can be reached at spmarconi@yahoo.com.

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H O LY T R I N I T Y S C H O O L EDUCATING THE MINDS AND SPIRITS OF OUR CHILDREN

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When you take a step back and look at the core of San Pedro, it's easy to identify that we are a tightknit community with families that go back generations. There are so many connections in town that we could all be related in some way or another.

There is nothing that connects us more as a community than sports. Whether at the youth or high school level, home or away, San Pedro comes out in numbers to support its athletes of all ages.

I have always felt that the very word SPORTS, when broken down, represents this connection, SP for San Pedro and PORTS which is our community's life blood. Put the two together and the word sports embodies the hard working and competitive spirit that is San Pedro.

This connection was also made evident in last month’s San Pedro Today cover story of ESPN sportscaster and San Pedro local Shelley Smith and her battle with breast cancer and next month’s spotlight on San Pedro’s own Dustin Garneau and his arrival this summer to Major League Baseball as catcher for the Colorado Rockies. These stories not only inspire us when faced with adversity to overcome life’s challenges but also demonstrate our dedication and commitment to achieve a lifelong dream. Our connection is also evident when we wear San Pedro t-shirts or interlock SP hats displaying that the pride for our town is alive and well today.

The establishment of the San Pedro High School Pirate Hall of Fame documenting the history of the Pirate athletic program is just one more example of our passion for sports.

The vision for the hall of fame is that of Pirate Alumni Lefty Olguin, which will include establishing a hall of fame memorial at the flag pole quad area on the SPHS campus. At last year’s inaugural inductee dinner, more than 400 guests attended at the DalmatianAmerican Club. The size of the event this year is expected to exceed last year’s so the event will be held at Crafted at the Port of Los Angeles on 22nd and Harbor Blvd. on November 7. The following are this year’s Hall of Fame inductees: Team inductees: The year was 1972 when Title IX gave girls sports equal treatment with boys sports. That year the first girls Pirate basketball team was formed and would go on to win back-to-back championships in 1972 and 1973. The 1987 Pirate soccer team went undefeated with a 4.7 goals per game average that season and would win the programs first L.A. City Championship. Finally, the 1999 Pirate girls cross country team would win the programs first L.A. City Title and would be the first of nine city titles for the program.

Individual athlete inductees for accomplishments in their sport; John Christensen (gymnastics), Ashley Esparza (softball), Valerie Flores (cross country and track), Raul Haro (soccer), Zlatko Josic (basketball), Eddie Jurak (baseball), Kim Parker (softball), and Pat Yelovich (swimming).

Lifetime achievement inductees are Alan Ashby, 1969 Marine League Player of the Year who played 17 years in Major League Baseball, 10 of which were with the Houston Astros; Gary Maddox, Pirate varsity baseball, All-Marine League in basketball, and played with the Philadelphia Phillies through five division titles, two pennants and became a World Series Champion in 1980; John Balen, 1949 to 1965 gymnastics coach capturing 13 Marine League titles; and Tim Ursich, 1967 All L.A. City baseball and captured two L.A. City titles as the SPHS girls softball coach.

The Castaneda, Stevens and Whitt families and sibling inductees Brian and Glenn Harper, Novian and Damon Whitsitt and the eleven Gravett siblings (nine brothers and two sisters), Clarence, Philip, Leon, Willie, Alice, Charles, Peter, Harry, Darnell, Gloria and Melvin for their athletic accomplishments.

Finally, those athletic stars going in posthumous are Bob Bell, Jack Bloomingdale, Morris Cigar, Sam Domancich, Joe Garnichard, John Gligo, Randall Hoxie, Herb Johnson, Ray Martinez, Mickey Panovich, Ante Perkov, Wynn Ryder, Bill Seixas, Vincent Thomas, Jim Trani, Nick Trani and Vern Williams.

The second annual SPHS Pirate Athletic Hall of Fame inductee dinner will be a great event. If interested in attending or sponsoring the event, visit www. sanpedropirateboosters.com. spt Anthony Pirozzi is a Los Angeles Harbor Commissioner. He can be contacted at apirozzi@yahoo.com.

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San Pedro is a close-knit community; it is not uncommon to know people by two degrees of separation. That is why when tragedy happens to one person, it touches so many.

When beautiful 17-year-old San Pedro resident Sarah Banuelos was killed by a woman driving the wrong way on the 91 freeway, devastation was widespread in town. There are so many questions, who could kill a vibrant girl on her way home from an evening at Disneyland? At the time of this writing, the police investigation was on going and factors still remain unknown.

Sarah was a senior at Port of Los Angeles High School; her favorite class was AP Environmental Engineering. She was known to radiate happiness from across the classroom and campus even to those who did not know her. She was interested in cinema and wanted to attend film school. Her many friends remember her as a kind and positive person who laughed often.

Sarah lived with her mother and father and her three younger brothers in San Pedro.

Their house was on the same cul-de-sac as her grandparent’s home, which provided close ties not only with them, but also with the many aunts, uncles, and cousins that would be constants in her life. Sarah was best friends with her cousins and took trips together to Hawaii, Mexico and many other places. A coin jar in Sarah’s room was marked with a label that said “for when I get out of here one day.” She had dreams and plans and always loved exploring the world with her many cousins and friends.

Her family compares her kind attributes to those of her mother combined with the carefree attitude of her father. Brooke, her mother, really focuses on all of her kids in a way that is remarkable in this fast-paced world.

She seems to listen intently without being rushed or distracted, laughing at their jokes and being 100 percent present with them. Sarah’s loving father Hector had a close relationship with his daughter and was balancing guiding a young girl and letting go as she was becoming an adult.

Sarah’s mother recalls how Sarah Banuelos incredibly creative her daughter was in every way. “It was like our house was always in concert, Sarah taught herself to play the ukulele and would sing often, filling our home with her music,” she stated.

A family video shows Sarah playing her ukulele and singing the song “La Vie En Bronwyn Bunnell Rose” to her youngest brother Diego as he took a bath. Her angelic voice can be heard throughout the house as she sang this French song that means life is best seen through rose-colored glasses, like everything around you is a source of joy. Not foolish optimism but seeing the best in people and situations. This was the way Sarah lived her life, seeing the best in everything.

A large family filled Sarah’s life with love on so many levels and the result was a girl who was liked by many and will hold a special place in the heart of this community. So much can be learned by the way she lived with such a positive spirit. What a difference the world would be if people were kind and smiled often like Sarah. As she sings in the video, “when you press me to your heart/I’m a world apart/a world where roses bloom,” it is easy to imagine that she is forever “La Vie En Rose,” a true source of joy forever embedded in the hearts of San Pedro and beyond.

Live like Sarah – be positive, sing to your heart’s content and smile often. spt Jennifer Marquez can be reached at jennifertmarquez@yahoo.com.

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NOVEMBER 2015 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 15

ENDS NOVEMBER 17

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A Great Way To Support Our Kids (& Their Exceptional Teachers)

16 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I NOVEMBER 2015

by Herb Zimmer For years, local school budgets have been so strained that many teachers have not been able to obtain all the learning materials they really want for their students, nor acquire many of the classroom amenities that make for a great learning environment.

We’ve all heard lots of reasons why this is the case: California ranks 36th out of 50 states in K-12 per-pupil spending, the school system has become too bureaucratic, curriculums are too regimented, the melting pot that is California presents many unique challenges due to its diversity of languages and cultures, there’s a lack of local control, etc. Problems appear endless and intractable.

So, you ask, “What can one individual do to make a difference?” Well, I’ve discovered one way. You can visit the website www.DonorsChoose.org and, in the appropriate box, input zip code 90731 or 90732. There you will find descriptions of projects designed by enterprising local teachers who are taking the initiative to go above and beyond what school budgets allow, and are looking to crowdfund materials and/or amenities that will benefit their individual classrooms. (DonorsChoose.org has earned the top rating, four stars, from charity rating organization, Charity Navigator.) As of this writing, there are eighteen projects described for San Pedro classrooms, with price tags from $128 to $2756.

The following are three examples: Mr. Nelson, music teacher at Dana Middle School, wants new electronic keyboards for his classroom to replace old, damaged instruments. He teaches six piano classes a day to 185 students. The students perform two recitals a year and preparation is done by students practicing their music reading skills using headphones at the keyboards in the music room.

Most families cannot afford to purchase a piano or keyboard for home practice. With new keyboards at school, all students will have an equal opportunity to play piano. Total project cost is $3,681. As of this writing, two individuals have donated a total of $925. An additional $2756 is needed.

Ms. Lowdermilk, 5th grade teacher at Park Western Place Elementary School, would like to purchase two Chromebooks for her students. Using the Chromebooks, she says, will enable her students to prepare and present their own creations; explore and master the Common Core standards in reading, science, history and writing; and begin to see the possibilities of the digital age. The computers will be shared among 68 students. Total project cost is $338. One donor has contributed $194. An additional $144 is needed.

Mrs. Albright, 3rd-5th grade teacher at Taper Avenue Elementary School, would like to buy 30 copies of the book Wonder for her classes. Reading the book “book club” style with her diverse classes, she says, “will spark many discussions around tolerance and empathy,” and will allow students to “learn the wonder and joy of reading stories with diversity, differences and human struggle.” Total project cost is $364. Four donors have contributed a total of $125. An additional $239 is needed.

These are just three examples, and they may, or may not, be fully funded by the time this column is published. However, DonorsChoose.org currently describes 15 additional projects for Barton Hill, Cabrillo Avenue, Bandini Street, Taper Avenue, Park Western Place, 15th Street and Leland Street schools, in addition to San Pedro High School and Willenberg Special Education Center. Items needed include computers, iPads, printers, classroom furnishings, athletic equipment, books, projectors, headsets and more.

As individuals, it may be difficult for us to have much effect on the systemic problems plaguing the state’s K-12 education system. But, we can directly affect the quality of education in individual classrooms in San Pedro while connecting with teachers who are taking the initiative to go above and beyond for their students. I would encourage everyone to visit DonorsChoose.org. You CAN make a difference. spt Herb Zimmer owns PriorityOne Printing in downtown San Pedro

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Giving Thanks

18 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I NOVEMBER 2015

by Councilman Joe Buscaino Because it is the month of Thanksgiving, I feel it is appropriate to express my thankfulness to those members of our community who are doing everything in their power to ensure that San Pedro maintains its hard-earned community standard, which allows families here to live in peace and prosperity.

There is no doubt that the ecosystem in town has been invaded by those who lack the community standards many of us have grown up with.

I am thankful to our Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Emergency Response Team who has been responsible for housing 78 homeless people since the beginning of the year.

Beyond the issue of homelessness, San Pedro is seeing an infestation of substance abusers that are scaring residents, committing property crimes, and making a mess everywhere they go.

I am doing as much as possible in the City to combat illegal activities, including promoting a new ordinance which restricts the amount of personal property that may be left in public areas. My office is also supplementing the services provided by the Bureau of Sanitation with nonprofit partners including Beacon House, GAP and Clean San Pedro.

But we can’t do it alone. That’s why I am extremely thankful to those friends, neighbors and residents who are stepping up to protect our community standard from being stolen.

Thank you to George Palaziol for not only serving on my new Homelessness Task Force, but who alerted my office and the community to a giant hazardous trash pile on the Gaffey Street bridge. We responded with our nonprofit partners GAP, who cleaned the mess in less than 24 hours.

Thank you to Clean San Pedro for quickly and aggressively cleaning up trashed alleys and graffitied buildings in downtown.

Thank you to Joanne Rallo for recruiting friends and residents to collect abandoned shopping carts around town.

Thank you, James Baeza and James Dimon, for promoting the idea of a mural to curb graffiti at Pt. Fermin.

Thank you to Joe Bogdanovich for standing up to illegal panhandling at Peck Park.

Thank you to the students from Dana Middle School Leadership class, led by Cathy Beauregard, who cleaned up 22nd Street Park. Beauregard has been quietly cleaning encampments regularly for a long time.

Thank you to all of the residents who are reporting illegal dumping by using the 311 app on their phones or calling my office.

Thank you to our LAPD quality of life patrol and Harbor Area officers for making key arrests and partnering with our stakeholders. We see many of you communicating with your Senior Lead Officers and reporting illegal activity.

I know that everyone mentioned here does so much more for our community, but I wanted to illustrate some of their specific contributions to maintaining our community standard.

The power of our community and our standard is much stronger than of those who are creating disruptions in town. Like in any personal or family crisis, we can overcome this recent obstacle if we all work together as a community.

On November 3, as an active LAPD Reserve Officer, I will be participating in the Gaffey Street and downtown foot patrol, which was recently established by LAPD Harbor Division. I will be happy to return to my roots as a police officer to literally have my boots on the ground.

I pledge to promote all of the resources and services the city offers to combat blight, trash and crime. Using the efforts and capabilities of the city, coupled with the resourcefulness and determination of our community, I know that we can win this battle of community standards and maintain our peaceful and prosperous place to raise our families.

I am extremely thankful to everyone in town willing to participate and make a difference. I am ultimately thankful that San Pedro is my hometown. Happy Thanksgiving! spt

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My Brief Moment with the Pope

by Congresswoman Janice Hahn (CA-44)

20 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I NOVEMBER 2015

Last month, I had the incredible honor of witnessing Pope Francis address a joint session of the U.S. Congress. It was actually the first time in history that a Pope had addressed a joint session of Congress and I know that his trip to the United States meant so much to so many Americans, especially the nearly 70 million Catholics in this country.

Visits from world leaders are not unusual for Congress. Just this year, we have had the honor of visits from Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. But the visit from Pope Francis seemed different. On the morning of his address, I actually got to the House Floor hours ahead of time so that I could get a seat on the aisle and be close to him when he walked in. And this is where I had my brief moment with the Pope.

We were all told not to speak to him or try to shake hands with him as he came down the center aisle. Some of my colleagues were even given the task of “Congressional Blockers” to keep us in line!

But I felt that because this was a new experience for him, he might feel unsure of how this body would receive him. So when he walked by me I quickly said, “Welcome to Congress, your Holiness.” He stopped briefly and smiled at me. I then said, “We are glad you are here.”

His address was simple and honest. He challenged us as members of Congress to be better and to do the work the American people elected us to do – to enable this country to grow as a nation and to defend and preserve the dignity of our fellow citizens.

Congress has not lived up to this simple mission. Partisan gamesmanship and the unwritten truth that your enemy’s loss is your gain have made it impossible to make any progress on the issues that really matter to Americans. All signs point to this only getting worse – from the once optimistic plans for comprehensive immigration reform to the almost annual ritual of threatening a government shutdown.

Pope Francis, in his wisdom, gave us a simple solution for these ills. The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. He explained it this way: “This Rule points us in a clear direction. Let us treat others with the same passion and compassion with which we want to be treated. Let us seek for others the same possibilities which we seek for ourselves. Let us help others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves. In a word, if we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities.”

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Hahn greets Pope Francis as he enters Congress on Sept. 24, 2015

This is a rule that I believe members of Congress, and all of us in whichever walk of life we come from, should learn to live by. We should learn to treat each other with respect, regardless of what party we belong to. If we want others to listen to us, we should listen to others.

It is a simple rule – one most people learn in kindergarten – but something we are still going to have to work on in Congress.

Pope Francis also invoked one of my heroes, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and challenged us to live up to his legacy. He said that when he thinks of the challenges facing us, he thinks of Dr. King’s march from Selma to Montgomery. Communities, whether they be black, Hispanic, Asian, Muslim, Jewish, gay, they all face struggles to finding their part of the American Dream.

The Pope said that he continues to be inspired by Dr. King’s dream, as we all are.

Despite the many challenges we face, “America continues to be, for many, a land of dreams.”

A particularly touching moment for me during his visit was when Sofia Cruz – a 5-year-old girl from my district in South Gate – crossed the police barricades during the Pope’s DC parade. Instead of pushing her back, she was lifted into the Pope’s arms on live TV. Sofia’s parents are undocumented and she took that chance to give him a letter asking for his support for DAPA – a program that would prevent the deportation of undocumented parents of American children.

This is just one example of many stories that have made Pope Francis beloved. He is humble. He is kind. He is accepting.

Of course, nobody is perfect. Are there problems existing in the Catholic Church? Yes. Was his decision to canonize Junipero Serra controversial? Certainly. But Pope Francis is only human and the impact he has had on people around the world varies from person to person.

I cannot speak for anyone else, but I know that his visit and his message were important to me. It was a message that I already knew but I think I needed to hear again. spt Janice Hahn is the U.S. Representative from California's 44th congressional district and a member of the Democratic Party.

A homeless man sits under a tree in Plaza Park in Downtown San Pedro (photo: Roseanney Liu)

With the South Bay’s homeless population rising 39% in two years, San Pedro has had to rely on nonprofits like Harbor Interfaith Services to help the less fortunate find their way again.

by Roseanney Liu

NOVEMBER 2015 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 21

t’s 89-degrees on this October afternoon and a shoeless man in his late 60s finds a shady respite sitting under a eucalyptus tree on the corner of 9th and Beacon Street in Downtown San Pedro. He’s mending a blanket with some rough threads and a rusty needle with his belongings in two shopping carts in front of him, which includes many neatly folded blankets and a bicycle leaning against the carts. The man’s weary blue-grayish eyes gaze patiently at his handiwork.

Less than a mile away, I find my own respite out of this heat and into Cheryl Gutierrez’s cool one-bedroom corner apartment in a 27-unit building that has freshly painted doors and worn out sea green carpets in the hallway.

“Hi! Come on in! You’re early. Please excuse the chicken smell,” exclaims Gutierrez as she ushers me in with smiling eyes. “It was my grandkid’s birthday party last weekend and I fried 80 pieces of chicken for it.”

Gutierrez, 48, is happy to call her apartment home, with its tiny kitchen wherein one has to walk sideways to shimmy between the fridge and the stove, a good-sized living room with sparse white walls and a slightly larger bedroom with dark hardwood floors less than a year old. Before July 2015, she was bouncing from shelter to shelter or from

one friend’s place to another shortly after her mother passed away in 2012.

“I never stayed at any one place for long when I was staying with friends, because, you know, I wouldn’t have wanted to wear out my welcome, even with friends. It was hard,” Gutierrez shares as tears well up in her eyes. “My mother was ill and we lived in a 4-bedroom unit with her and several other family members. And when she passed, her social security income was gone too and she had the biggest contribution toward rent. So with her passing, we all became homeless.”

Dealing with the loss of her mother to whom she was very close, and now with her housing displaced, Gutierrez also faced colleagues’ discrimination at her warehouse jobs where she made minimum wage in the surrounding harbor communities. Some household members were on food stamps and with the occasional dropped-off food from other family members, she and those in the household were barely able to make the rations stretch before they lost their home.

The food pantry from Harbor Interfaith Services (HIS) helped Gutierrez for some time, but its outreach housing coordinators like Alex Devin (a former employee at Harbor Interfaith) advocating for her that really fills her with tremendous gratitude.

“There were like eight applicants on this unit I’m in now; some of them earned more income than I do, and Alex really fought for me to get this apartment,” says Gutierrez, who is fortunate in having had Devin’s support in her corner despite scarce availability of studio and one-bedroom apartments.

Since Devin’s departure from HIS, she has maintained contact with David Bradford, outreach housing navigator, and Shari Weaver, regional coordinator for the entry system at Harbor Interfaith Services. Weaver knows what it means to build a connection with the homeless population.

The food pantry at Harbor Interfaith Services

22 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I NOVEMBER 2015

(photo: John Mattera)

“Much of it is about getting to believe that they can be off the homeless cycle, helping them realize the track of having a permanent home and a job are realistic and obtainable,” says Weaver. “Sometimes, you build such a rapport with someone and they might disclose something personal to you at their new permanent home that they did not upon entering the program.”

Weaver notes cases where certain clients disclosed their experience with domestic or substance abuse that led to their being out on the streets. “They come in knowing right away that there’s a professional [at Harbor Interfaith] they are tethered to, someone to make sure they get into a much better situation by understanding what their employment goals are, what their housing needs are, what factors exist that have contributed to their displacement.”

According to a report by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority released in May 2015, Los Angeles County has more than 44,000 homeless individuals, a 12% increase from 2013, with the South Bay (known as Service Planning Area 8) accounting for more than 3,000 of them, a 39% increase from two years ago.

The visibility of and concern for the homeless is tangible. One of the many challenges in finding a solution is that of supply vs. demand and the lack of resources. Wages do not keep up with cost of living, and a lack of housing supply exists with no more than a 2% vacancy rate at any one time. According to Bradford, with only 16,000 beds available in the county to service emergency shelters – yet having nearly three times that number of people who need shelter on any given day – the challenge is tremendous.

“On top of that, you have property owners who are not receptive to accepting subsidy vouchers for low-income tenants,” says Bradford. He notes that property owners need to

go through more paperwork and an inspection from either the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) or the Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles (HACoLA), despite the advantage of their being able to collect 70% of the rent from the government like clockwork and a built-in case management team that makes sure the tenant with a voucher remains a good one.

Adding to the complexity of the supply and demand issue is the cost of living. Bradford breaks it down: “Many of the homeless are retired seniors living off of their social security income which is around $900 (per person), and most studios and one-bedroom units command a high market rent at $900-$1,000… So even with Section 8 subsidy, [they are] not left with much to spend on necessities like groceries and prescription meds.”

Starting out as a food panty and now thriving in its 40th year, Harbor Interfaith Services, a nonprofit organization, provides several programs to help the homeless population in the South Bay get back into the workforce and into permanent housing.

Seventy percent of its funding comes from governmental agencies (e.g. United Way Home for Goods Collaborative and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority) for coordinated entry and the remaining funds are sourced from private donations. HIS offers emergency shelter for families for up to 90 days while helping them with interview techniques and job leads, a transitional housing program for 12-18 months for those seeking to obtain higher education in order to boost their employability, a mandated savings program for case clients, as well as several support resources such as substance abuse rehabilitation.

Los Angeles Councilmember Joe Buscaino, as well the San Pedro community at large, support what Harbor Interfaith has been doing for the homeless population in its

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backyard: giving them a hand-up to re-assimilate back into society. To join forces in that effort, the councilmember mentioned in his 8-Step Homelessness Action Plan that Los Angeles County has committed $600,000 in the Harbor and South Bay areas.

“Permanent supportive housing works and it’s cheaper than leaving our homeless population on the street,” said Councilman Buscaino after the September 3 meeting of homeless services professionals in the 15th District.

Getting people housing first, and then providing them with all the wrap-around services they might need, is Harbor Interfaith’s first priority, Weaver explains. That, as well as uncovering more available housing to meet the large homeless population is one of the continuing goals, according to Harbor Interfaith’s executive director, Tahia Hayslet.

24 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I NOVEMBER 2015

What many in San Pedro are not fans of are the “tiny houses” (that some have likened to “human doghouses”) that popped up over the summer. Some say that these tiny houses that were built by a few impassioned individuals to give immediate shelter to the homeless are not only unsightly but also provide unnecessary opportunities for drug-related transactions and violence to take place. The L.A. City Attorney’s office has deemed the “tiny houses” illegal.

“At the September 3 meeting, the panel was clear about us as individuals giving tents, money, etc. to the person on the street, that it keeps them on the street and tents attract criminal elements which take horrible advantage of the homeless,” wrote Suzie Richmond on the Central San Pedro Neighborhood Watch Facebook page. “Whereas Shari (Weaver) at [Harbor] Interfaith has systems in place to keep approaching the homeless to try to get them to accept help.”

While commending the work of HIS employees like Weaver in continuing their work with the homeless entry system into housing, John Napolitano, a resident of San Pedro who is seeking permanent housing himself, sees the benefits of having a tiny houses

David Bradford, the outreach/housing navigator for Harbor Interfaith Services, consults one of the nonprofit’s clients (photo: John Mattera)

community that could be built on a large vacant property.

“You could easily put 200 ‘tiny houses’ on properties like Warehouse One, which has been vacant for 25-plus years,” says Napolitano, who believes that opponents are missing the point that despite the fact the tiny houses would be given free to the homeless, they could be held accountable. “If someone is given a tiny house and they don’t have a high school diploma, then they have to work toward getting their GED; if they never worked before, they need to get enrolled in training for some vocational job.”

Napolitano also believes in the “housing first” concept (that housing needs to be given

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Tahia Hayslet is the executive director of Harbor Interfaith Services (photo: John Mattera)

to the homeless immediately to take them off the streets of San Pedro) and that the idea of tiny houses on vacant commercial properties constitutes a workable solution, something they say opponents he calls “NIMBYs” (Not In My Backyard) are not providing.

However, those opposed to the tiny houses idea, which seems to be an overwhelming majority of San Pedro residents, would rather see the money that would be spent on tiny houses be donated to places like Harbor Interfaith Services, Beacon House and Fred Brown Recovery Services in order to help the systems already in place to work with the homeless.

While HIS is a highly visible champion to give a hand-up for the homeless population within San Pedro, there are some who are not ready or willing to receive the help.

Substance addiction to methamphetamine, heroin, and/or alcohol is often a deterrent for the homeless to receiving help that’s around the corner.

“Some [of the homeless] spend what little money they earn, from odd jobs or panhandling, on drugs. Some are not used to paying rent in real housing. Some just flat out refuse to pay rent because they never have had to. They might be only used to getting what’s right in front of them on the streets,” shares Gutierrez.

There is always hope that things will become better, at least for some. In 2014, HIS stated that it “assisted more than 31,000 homeless and working poor people by providing the comprehensive services they need to lift themselves out of poverty and onto the road of self-sufficiency.”

For 67-year-old Tommy who was a Vietnam veteran, a millionaire with two kids and an MBA under his belt by age 30, one could not envision him having lived on the streets as a homeless man from 1993 to 2013 after being crushed by the banking collapse, a divorce and becoming blind in one eye.

“He [Tommy] became so down and disconnected that he stopped collecting benefits from his veterans disability and SSDI. He went from one whisky bottle to another and lived on the streets for 20 years. But he’s been in permanent housing now for 2.5 years,” says Weaver.

And then there is Howard, whom Weaver and Bradford affectionately term The Mayor, for his leadership in commanding order within his community of transients. After living for some years in a tent at Anderson Park, having a host of medical problems and being almost beaten to death at one point by another transient, The Mayor is still trying to get used to having his permanent apartment in downtown Los Angeles.

“Every so often I’d visit and find him behind the building, or he’d tell me that most nights he still sleeps on the floor inside his [apartment] unit. When I asked him why he does that, he said, ‘Well, that’s normal for me. This box with the four walls… that’s not my normal (yet)’,” explains Weaver.

A college grad with an AA degree in human services from L.A. Harbor College, Gutierrez aims to save enough money to return to school for her bachelors and help teens and minorities gain work experience in the workforce.

When asked what advice she’d give to the current homeless population, Gutierrez says, “You can do whatever you want to do, but you are the only one who can mess up your life.

Just take the help and get a roof over your head first.” spt

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Iconic Preschool Closes Its Doors

by Mary Scott

28 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I NOVEMBER 2015

Day Star Early Learning Center was more than a preschool, more than a place to prepare the youngest minds for the coming rigors of primary and secondary education.

For 35 years, the iconic center was home to generations of local children.

“It was a homey, cozy place where friendships start,” said Jenna Meadows, a former student and the parent of a former student. She attended Day Star when her mother, Margie (Barich) Meadows, taught there, and she, in turn, sent her daughter Camryn there.

“When I dropped my daughter off, I felt like I was dropping her off at my mom’s.”

Day Star recently closed its doors following the retirement of its founder, Deena (Deeter) Franco.

“It was a sad day,” the younger Meadows recalled.

With the announcement of the preschool’s closure, many former teachers, including Amy DiStefano, gathered on Sept. 2 to surprise Franco with a reunion of sorts.

“I don’t think she realizes how much we love her and Day Star,” DiStefano said. “She has always been there for anyone and everyone.”

Franco opened Day Star on Sixth Street at Gaffey on Feb. 4, 1981, with five children, one teacher (Meadows), and one aide. She neither advertised the opening of the preschool nor did she tell anyone about her new center. Her first preschoolers came from families who lived in the neighborhood.

“Everybody was just close and needed day care,” Franco said.

Day Star grew fast, and within six years she expanded into the property next door and from that time was always full.

“I just really lucked out,” Franco said, “and it was kind of meant to be.”

Franco began teaching preschool straight out of college, much to her parents “chagrin.”

She had been preparing for a career in elementary education but fell in love with teaching younger children.

“I thought, ‘I could be so happy doing this,’ ” she said.

Some time at a parent co-op preschool in Torrance gave Franco the opportunity to interact with parents. She soon realized that she enjoyed working with both children and their parents, and the idea of opening her own preschool blossomed.

Franco opened her center with the support and help from her father, a well-known San Pedro businessman who ran a tire store for many years.

Early on Franco knew she wanted her preschool to be different from others. It was important for her to offer a place where children not only felt safe away from their parents but also one where they received an education. She added a full curriculum.

“We tried to teach them as much as we could,” she said, further explaining that a child prepared for kindergarten will have a more positive experience with school.

Day Star Alumni: Margie Meadows, Deena Franco, Jenna Meadows and Camryn Lusic (photo: courtesy Jenna Meadows)

Franco gives a lot of credit for the success of Day Star to those who helped her teach the children.

“I appreciate all my teachers and what they contributed,” she said.

The teachers said they were well prepared because of Franco. “[Deena] helped me develop who I am,” DiStefano said of her mentor.

Currently a teacher at Taper Avenue Elementary School, DiStefano started working at Day Star in 1987, when she was just 15 years old, helping however she could after school.

When she was old enough, Franco helped DiStefano, like many of the teachers at Day Star, get the credits in early childhood development that were required to teach preschoolaged children.

“She paid for most of us to go through early childhood classes,” added Melissa Parker, who taught on and off at Day Star for 14 years.

For three and half decades, Franco put in 12-hour days running Day Star. It was hard, yet rewarding work.

“I have been happy every day to go and to work there,” she said.

When her husband, Jesse Franco, retired seven years ago, he asked her to join him so the two could travel and spend more time with their grandchildren. But she couldn’t walk away.

“I’m emotionally attached,” she said. “I still haven’t sold the building!”

She closed Day Star gradually, eliminating one class every year – telling herself and her husband each year that she’d stay just “one more year.”

“Finally, I decided it was just time,” she said.

Franco put her heart and soul into the center, DiStefano said, adding that she is saddened by the closure of Day Star.

“It doesn’t register,” she said, “how special things are.” spt

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No Tomato Left Behind San Pedro is ripe with family traditions that run generations deep. This is one of those stories.

by Angela “Romee” Romero

30 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I NOVEMBER 2015

I’m not a morning person. But there was a good reason why I was standing on a curb in an Eastview neighborhood before dawn on Labor Day weekend. It was Tomato Day. Tomato Day stems back to Labor Day weekends back in the 1970s when the Ciaramitaros would travel out to the valley with famed local restaurateur Domenick Sardisco and his family to pick tomatoes for sauce. The practice survived in different iterations (and family garages) through to the early 90s when it eventually stopped.

Three years ago, Shelley Ciaramitaro’s adult children asked her to resurrect the long gone family tradition.

“My kids remembered the tradition of it. A lot of the younger kids knew nothing about it and we thought we needed to keep the tradition alive.”

So, in 2012, a new tradition was born. Tomato Day became Tomato Weekend with tomatoes being picked on Saturday and canned on Monday. That first tomato-picking trip back consisted of only three people, but the party has grown exponentially each year since.

Picking Day As I stood there in front of the Ciaramitaro home at 5 a.m. on a Saturday, we waited for this year’s cast of family and friends to show up. It got “Pedro” real quick – Rosalie (Ciaramitaro) Carswell showed up with two big pink boxes full of Joseph’s Bakery pastries (the only other reason to be up before sunrise in San Pedro) and of course, I recognized some faces among the crowd, including Theresa Sardisco, whose grandfather helped start it all.

The caravan out to Underwood Family Farms in Moorpark was at least six cars deep, it included an empty panel van and carried about 22 people (give or take an Italian).

We arrived at the farm just as the sun was starting to break over the valley. The group quickly armed themselves with wheelbarrows, buckets and boxes before finding their spot among the long rows of tomato plants. The rallying cry for the day was, “No tomato left behind!”

Since this was my first time on the farm, Theresa gave me some quick instruction on how to properly pick tomatoes.

“The best way to pick a tomato is, you gotta lift the skirt and reach down there and get the nice firm ones, nothing squishy - firm and red.”

I found myself shadowing Antoinette Ciaramitaro, the family matriarch (and Tomato Day original), who added, “You gotta get the ripe ones. Too ripe and they will make your sauce sour.”

I quickly fell in love with Antoinette, a native of Italy who grew up 15 minutes away from where famous director Dino de Laurentiis lived. She was really in her element on the farm, so much so that she was down right giddy.

“I love the dirt. I love the greenery. I love the scenery and to breathe the air.”

After a while, the group found their rhythm and the pile of 25 lb. boxes really started to stack up. In a short couple of hours, they had picked more than 2,000 lbs. of roma tomatoes. No tomato left behind, indeed.

Chanelle and Crystal Ciaramitaro fill mason jars with tomato sauce made from over 2,000 pounds of tomatoes. Tomato Weekend was reborn to connect the younger generation to its Italian heritage. (photo: That’s So Pedro)

Canning Day I arrived back at the Ciaramitaro compound on Labor Day for canning day – an event that I could only describe as the best sweatshop party that you will ever go to in your life.

I don’t think I have ever seen people have so much fun while putting the labor in Labor Day. The only thing to do was grab an apron and jump right in.

There were several workstations that took the tomatoes from box to jar. First, the tomatoes got a nice cool bath in an antique claw foot bathtub that Shelley has in her backyard for just this occasion. It’s here that the real quality control happens. Any blemishes are cut off and the rotten tomatoes get tossed out with the bathwater.

From there, the rosy bunch gets stewed by the pot-full on a set of outdoor boilers.

When the tomatoes are good and cooked, the soft flesh gets passed through the machine –a tomato press that Antoinette’s late husband rigged up to a washing machine motor to speed the process. A couple of steamy passes through the machine separates all the skin and seeds from the sauce. Before the sauce can go into the mason jars, it has to be good and hot, so it may need some more time on the fire. Each jar gets a sprig of basil before the sauce is strained into it and sealed.

As the first jars were being filled, Antoinette started making fresh pasta and pizza so we could taste the fruits of our labor. When I got a taste of the fresh pasta with the fresh sauce that I just watched get made, it all made sense. For many of the people who were there, that bowl of pasta made it all worth it; and I’m sure the promise of a bounty of jars of homemade sauce helped them get through all those tomato boxes.

But no one just comes for the food. I asked Alexandria Antolos, one of the younger members of the team, what she liked most about the laborious weekend.

“I really enjoy it, I like being with all my cousins and family. We’re all so close and this keeps us even closer.”

Shelley is proud that the younger generation wants to spend the weekend together carrying on a family tradition.

“These kids, on Labor Day weekend, could’ve gone anywhere. They all give up everything to be with us as a family and do tomatoes.”

After only spending a few hours with the Ciaramitaros, Sardiscos, Carswells, Manzellas and friends, I completely understand why these kids are turning down Labor Day weekend offers so quickly. This is a fun bunch of people.

I asked Shelley if she thought her children would keep Tomato Weekend going now that she had successfully brought it back.

“I think the kids will keep it alive because they feel it’s important. They’ve learned the process and kept track of it, so we think they will.” spt To see more photos from Tomato Weekend, visit www.thatssopedro.com.

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Keep On Running San Pedro High Senior Bronwyn Bunnell overcame injury to break cross country and track records story & photo by Jamaal K. Street

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San Pedro High School girls cross country has a great lineage of runners that have propelled them to seemingly countless Marine League titles and nine CIF-Los Angeles City Section championships. One of their current runners, senior Bronwyn Bunnell, has had a pretty interesting journey on the way to her own success with the Pirates.

Her freshman year ended with a CIF-Los Angeles City Section championship in 2012.

Unfortunately, her sophomore year ended with a painful ankle injury in the CIF-LACS preliminary race. She returned her junior year and won a third straight Marine League title and set a new school record in the CIF-Los Angeles City Section Track & Field Finals.

Bunnell plans on joining the elite fraternity of Pirate girls cross country runners who have gone on to run in the NCAA, such as Valerie Flores-Chavez, Julia Gray, Heather Rosas, Ashley Carrera, Laura Delgado, Maddy Post, Erica Hovind, Evelyn Gonzalez, Lorena Garcia and Danielle Nunez, among others.

“I am proud to be part of this amazing program that our coaches have created,” Bunnell says. “I love to see the Marine League podium filled with yellow jerseys year after year.”

Last season, San Pedro finished second in the CIF-Los Angeles City Section finals, just narrowly missing a tenth championship in 2014, and Bunnell was a big part of that running alongside Nunez, Dana Camero, Isabel Hegge and Violet Tipich who have all graduated. Bunnell and fellow senior Cynthia Kelso lead the way for this year’s team, which also features another talented runner in junior Sarena Chavez.

“Cynthia has really been working hard this season, which pushes me to do my best as well,” Bunnell says of Kelso. “We’re both co-captains and have been friends since Dana (Middle School).”

Starting off her high school journey with a championship was one that Bunnell will never forget.

“I was thrilled when we won my freshman year,” said Bunnell, who still holds the CIFLACS track and field record with a 2:21:52 finish her freshman year in the 800m race.

Her sophomore year in 2013 was another successful season and San Pedro was poised to repeat as City champions, but Bunnell would unfortunately suffer a fractured ankle in the preliminary race and the girls finished third the next week in the finals without her.

After rehabbing the ankle, Bunnell came back stronger than ever and qualified for the CIF State Track Championships.

“I was devastated,” Bunnell said of her injury. “It was a long road to recovery from a cast, to an ankle brace, to physical therapy. I was thankful to be able to race in the second

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half of the track season.”

Bronwyn would parlay her successful recovery into her junior season last year, which ended in a gigantic way in the CIF-LACS Track Finals at Birmingham High of Lake Balboa when she broke a near three-decade San Pedro High track record finishing with a time of 2:17:26 in the 800m race.

Bunnell once again plans to have another marvelous run in her final year of running under one of San Pedro’s greatest sports coaches of all time, Bruce Thomson.

“Coach Thomson is a once-in-a-lifetime coach,” Bunnell said. “He has created this dynasty where runners can grow and achieve at both high school and in college. He doesn’t run his athletes into the ground and has taught us to focus on things we can control, which is a valuable lesson that we call can carry off the course and into the real world.”

Bunnell is also an excellent student, finishing her junior year with a 4.0 GPA and has some ultimate goals for her final year at San Pedro High.

“I would love for our cross country team to make CIF State Championships again this year. It’s always a thrill to compete with California’s top runners,” she said. “And as for track, I’m really hoping to further improve my time in the 800m. My dream would be to run under 2:13 and to qualify for the second night of the CIF State Championships in June.”

As far as her college interests go, Bunnell is currently looking into some UC schools and wants to stay in California.

“I will miss the long runs to the golf course and the trips to Mammoth for high altitude training, but most of all I’m going to miss the camaraderie between my teammates,” Bunnell said. “I know it sounds cliché, but San Pedro cross country is my family. I am honored to be a part of what I believe to be San Pedro High School’s greatest program.” spt

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Torrance Memorial Physician Network

Welcomes Dr. Michelle Barhaghi OB/GYN

Dr. Barhaghi is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and is a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is also a diplomate of the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine. Dr. Barhaghi’s new office is located at:

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

Finding Gratitude

by Lori Garrett The first course I ever took as an undergraduate at UC Santa Barbara was a Black Studies Special Topics course. I sat in the classroom on my first day, anxiously waiting for the professor to arrive. I imagined he or she would be larger than life, a tweedclad collegiate caricature, perhaps: inspirational, captivating, and dynamic, for sure.

And then the professor entered. He slowly made his way into the room propped up by a walking cane, dragging one leg behind the other. With slurred speech, he immediately explained to us that he had suffered a stroke that had left him paralyzed on one side of his body.

Turns out, this wasn’t his only hardship in life. Years prior, he had been exiled from his native country of Ghana for speaking up against the government. He eventually sought residence in the U.S. and became a college professor, where he would teach courses about various economic and political systems. Among his rather leftist ideologies, he often preached about the “evils” of capitalism, and although I didn’t agree with everything he had to say, he certainly opened my mind to understanding different worldviews.

Because of our professor’s disability, he asked that a student assist him to his car after each class. We took turns escorting him, and it was my turn the day before we left for Thanksgiving break. As I saw him off, I wished him a “Happy Thanksgiving,” expecting to receive a similar salutation in return. Instead, he slowly turned to me and said, “Look at me. What do I have to be thankful for?”

I was stunned. I had no words as I watched him make his way into his car. I walked away wishing I had said something, but I was too caught off guard. The truth was, I saw it differently. Here was a man who’d survived a major stroke. Yes, it had left him disabled, but even with that setback, he still managed to work as a college professor at a major California university. Although he had been banished by his native country, he had also been welcomed into a new country – one which would not only allow him the freedom to loudly voice all of his political beliefs (ironically, even those which might be considered largely “un-American”), but also be paid for teaching those beliefs. How could he not see that?

Years later, I would gain empathy as I faced my own life-questioning demons: illness that would leave me with my own (albeit, different) disabilities and lead me to question my life's purpose. There was a time when I felt like I had lost almost everything, and when going through such dark times, it’s easy to become immersed in self-pity and forget to be grateful. It would take years of suffering, but eventually, I would learn to see things very differently. It was adversity that forced me to make positive changes in my life and reminded me to appreciate the simple things I perhaps once took for granted: the support of family and friends, a comfortable home, access to necessary medical care, and access to the foods that would become my “medicine.” No, life would never be the same, and life would never be easy. But if it wasn’t for the hardship, I might not see each day as a gift.

If I could go back in time to that moment with my former professor, I would have a clear response this time. No doubt, this man had faced undeniable tribulation, but consequently, he had also received some remarkable blessings. I wish he could have acknowledged that he did have something to be thankful for on that November day, and if there was one more blessing I could wish for him today, it would be the ability to see that.

Whenever I find myself giving in to feelings of self-pity, I try to remember this and the fact that gratitude is a choice. Sometimes life is brutal. Sometimes, life kicks us when we’re down. But sometimes, it all comes down to how you look at it.

Wishing everyone many grateful reflections this Thanksgiving holiday… and everyday. spt

HEALTH & FITNESS

Frustrated Dieter's Dilemma

by Ricky Magana

Whatever happened to...

Carly LaMont?

“I needed more care and it was getting too difficult to live alone. Harbor Terrace was the answer. I now have something to look forward to every morning at 7:30 when I have coffee with the gals in our coffee shop. My daughters no longer worry about me as they can see that I am much happier. I never get bored with all the fun and interesting programs to attend. Helpful and kind staff, along with friendly neighbors, makes my home here just about perfect!”

Carly LaMont Resident of Harbor Terrace • A Full-Service Retirement Community • Independent Apartments • Assisted Living Services • Delicious Chef-Prepared Meals • Housekeeping & Linen Services • Daily Recreation & Social Programs

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OCTOBER 2015 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 37

Sex sells. So does NEW and EASY and FAST. If I want to lure the average person in with a pitch, all I have to do is post a nearly naked picture of a lean, ripped physique and tell you all about the…“Weird New Diet Trick that promises rock hard abs effortlessly in 30 days!”

Hyperbole is the name of the game for the undiscerning diet industry. Dress the same old tired methods in new clothes and call it revolutionary. I’ll tell you what doesn’t get the fitness magazines flying off the shelves: Tradeoffs.

I would love to find a diet that was both easy and fast. I would love a diet that worked instantly and permanently. I would love a slew of meals that were super convenient to prepare, always delicious, and always different so you know, I didn’t get tired of the same old thing. Oh, and if it could be served at every restaurant I might ever go to, that’d be great, too. But the tragedy is that isn’t how it works.

You really can have it all. You just can’t have it all at the same time. You have to choose what matters most now. Tradeoffs.

This is why when someone asks, “How do I lose weight?” I ask, how much weight you want to lose and what in your life are you willing to trade for it? Do you want to look like that physique model with the six-pack? Then are you willing to track all your food, spend hours in the gym, two hours a week meal prepping, and eating the same meals over and over again? Do you want a no-brainer diet that you can just follow and not think about? Do you want a new dish every night? Unless you have a personal chef, you can’t have both.

Convenience and variety are nearly mutually exclusive. A diet that works fast will rarely be sustainable. An easy diet won’t be a fast one. These are all considerations that should be addressed before starting any diet. This is the dieter’s dilemma: deciding what tradeoffs you’re willing to make to get the results you want.

Here are a few more important ones to consider: Time & Effort – How much time and energy do you realistically have to dedicate getting fit? If you’re crazy busy, always on the go, and hardly have a moment to yourself then you need to be realistic about what you’re able to juggle. A diet that requires routine, prepping, cooking, and lots of gym time is not realistic.

Your plan needs to rely heavily on convenience. Easy to prep foods and snacks, healthy fast-food choices, shakes, and short, quick workouts you can do in your garage.

Your tradeoff is dealing with the monotony of eating the same foods. Typically, preprepared foods and eating out is more expensive. The upside is once you’re in a rhythm, weight-loss will be hardly any effort at all.

If, however, time is more abundant for you than most, you can afford to spend more time in the gym and kitchen. You’ll get to incorporate lots of variety into your recipes. and although more time consuming, will afford you quicker and more dramatic results.

Speed & Ease – Do you want results now or for the long haul? If you’re prepping for a vacation and don’t really care about keeping the weight off, there’s no shortage of diets that can deliver dramatic weight-loss rapidly. The trade off is that these diets call for extremes. You usually have to undergo severe calorie restriction and exercise. Their severity will likely sap your energy and willpower and, studies show, most of the weight you do lose weight will come back.

But if you’re not concerned with dropping jaws at the wedding next month and just want something that’s doable, something that doesn’t “feel” like you’re turning your life upside down to fit into smaller clothes, then you’re better off making small changes that you can sustain. Starting with a few workouts at the gym, being okay not losing five pounds a week.

Know Thyself – The diet that most aligns with who you are, whether it be type A, or scattered and spontaneous, is the one that will set you up to get the results you want.

Just know what it's going to cost you. spt

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