Lakewood
News
Community
30,000 delivered to every home in Lakewood - and portions of Long Beach Official publication of the Greater Lakewood Chamber of Commerce
Volume 33 Number 6
www.lakewoodnews.org / www.lakewoodchamber.com
Lakewood, get ready to party like it’s 2016!
The MVPs play at the Civic Center Block Party from 5pm to 9pm, then fireworks following. Family fun, a rockin’ good time and a big, professional fireworks show return to Clark Avenue and the Lakewood Civic Center on Saturday, June 25. The Lakewood Civic Center Block Party begins at 4pm with the Family Fun Zone activity area for kids and families and the always popular “Taste of Lakewood.” Live entertainment from The MVPs pop band starts at 5pm. Family Fun Zone 4pm to 9pm. Located in the parking lot south of the Angelo M. Iacoboni Library, the Family Fun Zone will feature carnival games and amusements for kids and families,
including a mechanical bull, giant slide, adrenaline obstacle course, rock climbing wall and laser arena. No tickets for the Family Fun Zone will be sold after 8pm, and all activities will stop at 9pm. Taste of Lakewood 4pm to 8pm. Lakewood restaurants and specialty food purveyors will be offering great food at affordable prices. The Taste of Lakewood is sponsored by the Friends of Lakewood Libraries and helps support the purchase of books and materials for the Iacoboni and Nye libraries. Taste of Lakewood presale tickets—always a good idea for
avoiding lines—are available at Lakewood libraries in packs of 10 for $10. Single tickets are not available for presale. Payment can be made with cash or checks made payable to the Friends of the Lakewood Libraries. Sorry, credit cards are not accepted. On the day of the event from 4pm to 8pm, the same multi-ticket packs as well as single tickets for $1.50 each will be available. No tickets will be sold after 8pm, and food will not be served after 9pm. Adult Beverage Garden 4pm to 9pm. For event participants age 21 and over, a cash bar offering beer, wine and specialty drinks will
be sold at the Beverage Garden located on the Maple Room patio of The Centre at Sycamore Plaza. An array of finger foods will also be sold. A live video feed of the main concert stage will be viewable on screens throughout the Beverage Garden. Live entertainment 5pm to 9pm. The MVPs will rock Clark Avenue and the Civic Center starting at 5pm with a variety of pop and patriotic music. Concert seating will be on Clark Avenue in front of city hall. Pre-show activities begin at 4pm featuring DJ Ted. It’s festival seating, so bring your low-back chair or blanket. Fireworks show 9:15pm. See a really spectacular, safe and legal display of professional fireworks capping off a wonderful day and evening at the Block Party. Driving & Parking. The Block Party will stretch from the Civic Center parking lot (at Hardwick Street) southbound along Clark Avenue to Del Amo Boulevard. Clark Avenue will be closed from Candlewood Street to Del Amo Boulevard before the start of the Block Party. Use Civic Center Way to access free parking behind city hall and The Centre at Sycamore Plaza. Plan ahead as parking for RVs and recreational trailers will not be available at Lakewood City Hall or Lakewood Center mall. u
June 2016
Know someone making a difference in Lakewood? “Lakewood is fortunate to have lots of residents and business community members who make a positive difference, day-in and day-out in our town,” said Mayor Ron Piazza. “My Lakewood City Council colleagues and I would like to express a big thank-you to as many of these community members as we can.” “If you know of someone who has contributed to the betterment of our community, in a big or small way, let us know,” said Mayor Piazza. “It could be someone who helps around their block or neighborhood, volunteers a lot to keep an organization going, or just brings a smile and good cheer consistently to people with whom they come in contact.” Honorees will be sent a special “I Made A Difference” Lakewood lapel pin, and the stories of select honorees will be featured on the city’s website. To nominate someone, go to www.lakewoodcity.org/ IMadeADifference. Or call 562-866-9771, extension 2140 to request a form be mailed to you. u
If you play with illegal fireworks you might get burned!
Lakewood Community News #24 Lakewood Center Mall Lakewood, CA 90712 (562) 531-9733
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Santa Fe Spgs, CA PERMIT NO. 29
The Lakewood Sheriff’s Station reminds residents to celebrate the Fourth of July safely by not using illegal fireworks--and not tolerating those who do. To support the Sheriff’s efforts in suppressing the use of illegal fireworks, you can report problem locations now. If you know of a person/residence with a history of unruly/unsafe celebrations that are not in compliance with the law, please report it now by calling the July 4th Tip Hotline at 562-866-9771, extension SAFE (7233). Please provide as much information as possible about the person, location and violation. You can also
report the information online at www. lakewoodcity.org/safe4th. Your name will remain confidential and the sooner you report this information, the better! If you observe the sale or use of illegal fireworks, call the Lakewood Sheriff’s Station at 562-623-3500 immediately. The only fireworks that are legal in Lakewood are those that are rated “Safe and Sane.” Safe and Sane fireworks can be purchased from any authorized firework stand including those in Lakewood. Be sure to look for the fireworks sale permit and State of California Fire Marshal’s seal that all stands are required to display. Fireworks bought in other states, over the Internet, or from any other source are illegal. Legal fireworks may be only discharged on July 4th between 10am and 11pm. Lakewood will continue to target violators this year by deploying extra deputies on July 4. The “zero tolerance” policy means everyone they catch violating the law will be cited. Most violations carry a fine of $1,000. As a reminder, homeowners or tenants can and will be held responsible for what occurs on their property. u
SCHEDULE FOR ‘CONCERTS IN THE PARK’
DATE:
BAND / TRIBUTE
June 23
The Answer (Classic Rock Tribute)
June 30
Stone Soul (Motown Tribute)
July 7
Hot August Night (Neil Diamond Tribute)
July 14
Escape (Journey Tribute)
July 21
Hollywood U2 (U2 Tribute)
July 28
Wanted (Bon Jovi Tribute)
August 4
Knyght Ryder (80’s Tribute)
August 11 Hard Day’s Night (Beatles Tribute (Concert article on page 9.)
LakewoodToday
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Stay connected to your community By Mayor Ron Piazza
We’re all fortunate to live in a community like Lakewood that’s strong, caring and fun. But you can’t fully enjoy all those features if you’re not connected to your community and getting information about what’s happening, what’s new, etc. Fortunately, there are a lot of ways to do that. You have one of the best methods in your hands right now…reading the Lakewood Community News! You’ll always find plenty of good information here every month about events and topics relating to Lakewood. But I strongly recommend that you also subscribe to the City of Lakewood’s free Lakewood Connect eMagazine. It will get
delivered to your email inbox once a week, every Wednesday. Over 21,000 Lakewood residents already subscribe—growing by about 1,000 a year—giving Lakewood one of the largest e-subscription rates of any city in our area. People clearly find it useful. The Lakewood eMagazine will give you time-sensitive alerts to fun and helpful events around town, recreation classes and programs, holiday scheduling changing for trash and street sweeping (always important), and news on road construction that can affect your commute. Read a sample edition at www. lakewoodcity.org/emagazines. Click the “Subscribe” button to give it a try and you’ll get a weekly email from the city. If you later decide it’s not for you, just reply with “unsubscribe” and city staff will quickly remove you from the distribution list. The city’s award-winning website at www.lakewoodcity. org is another great tool to stay connected and access city services and news about Lakewood. Sign up for recreation programs online, and learn about the rules for trash and recycling, street sweeping and parking. Prefer to speak to a live person
www.lakewoodnews.org for information? Even in this computer age, most residents call to ask for service…and that’s just fine with us. Lakewood prides itself on having a dedicated team of customer service staff ready to listen to your comments and act on your requests for service. Give them a call at 562-8669771, extension 2140. If you can’t call during regular business hours, just leave a message anytime, and it will be acted on the next business day. Or e-mail our customer service team at service1@lakewoodcity.org. If you see an after-hours emergency like a street signal outage or water main break, you can select a special feature at the city hall number above that will forward your message to our 24hour, on-call staff. Remember, if it’s a police or fire emergency, always call 911. And if you ever need to contact my city council colleagues or me, you can do so by calling 562-8669771, extension 2103, emailing us at citycouncil@lakewoodcity. org, or sending us a letter to city hall at 5050 Clark Avenue, Lakewood, CA 90712. Lastly, I hope you will get a chance to read the article in this newspaper about the city’s new “I Made A Difference” recognition campaign. It’s designed to thank residents and business community members who take actions—big and small—to make life good in Lakewood. Maybe you know someone who deserves recognition for what they do to make Lakewood a strong, caring and fun community. Let us know. Thanks. u
June 2016
C i t y Spotlight Senior Health and Information Fair Health-related information and screenings will be available at the fair on Friday, June 17 from 10am to noon at the Weingart Senior Center at 5220 Oliva Avenue (just south of Candlewood Street and west of Lakewood Boulevard). The event is free and open to the public. For information, call the Senior Center Office at 562630-6141 after June 13. Lunch is available for those 60+ provided by the Human Services Association at the usual donation of $2.25. Those under the age of 60 are welcome to eat at a cost of $4.50. To make a reservation for lunch, call 562630-6210 after June 13. The Professor’s Declaration of Fun Lakewood’s new summer recreation catalog is available and registration is going on now. “Professor Fun” is back – this time backing a “Declaration of Fun” by suggesting great ways to stay active, create memories, and make this YOUR most fun summer yet! Aside from being the catalog model, the Professor will once again be dusting off his typing paws to fire up his weekly blog. Check in at www.lakewoodcity. org/professorfun for news on upcoming events and recaps on all of the fun he’s been having across the city. Don’t delay registering for a summer of fun! Many popular courses fill early. Online and
NEW PATIENT SPECIALS
• Cleaning, x-rays and exam $75 (reg. $203, over 60% off) • Teeth Whitening $25 (reg. $195) with Cleaning, X-Rays & Exam • Now using Digital X-Rays!
mail-in registration is going on now. Phone-in and walk-in registration begins Monday, June 6. Call 562-866-9771, extension 2408 to have a copy mailed or e-mailed to you or go to www. lakewoodcity.org/Catalog. Summer Camps Lakewood’s popular Summer Day Camp at Monte Verde Park is available once again, as well as other special topic camps, such as: flag football, tennis, Lego camps, video game design, creative arts, science and Broadway camps. Find these camps and many more in the Lakewood recreation catalog. Pick one up at a Lakewood library, city hall or any Lakewood park, or online at www.lakewoodcity. org/catalog or call 562-8669771 extension 2408 for dates and details. Finally It’s Friday Lakewood’s long-standing commitment to fun and affordable events for families continues this summer with the “Finally it’s Friday” event series. Programs run Friday evenings. Many are free. They begin June 24 and run through August 26. Activities include family swim, game night, theatre and a “FUN-Tastic Family Night” event which pairs live entertainment with dinner. Go to w w w. l a k e w o o d c i t y. o r g / FinallyitsFriday for a listing of events planned for July and August. Teen Summer Adventure Series
Teens ages 12-17 can get a breath of fresh air and get heart rates up by participating in the six-part Summer Adventure Series. Trips vary from hikes, to archery and rock climbing. Most are free and many include transportation. The complete schedule is locate on the Teen Scene pages of the Summer Catalog, which can be picked up at any Lakewood park or library, or visit w w w. l a k e w o o d c i t y. o r g / recreation for a printable version. Registration is required. Call the Lakewood Youth Center at 562-429-7472 for more information. Hollywood Bowl Trip The Hollywood Bowl is one of L.A.’s most beloved traditions and is a great way to start celebrating Independence Day, on Thursday, July 3rd, with the legendary rock ‘n’ roll band with horns: Chicago! Please arrive at 5pm; the bus leaves promptly from Burns Community Center at 5:30pm. Children are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult. The cost of the trip is $55 and you can register at www. lakewoodcity.org/eCatalog by Monday, June 20 or until filled, using class #42303. For information, visit w w w. l a k e w o o d c i t y. o r g / travelprograms or call 562866-9771, extension 2408. (Cont’d. on Pg. 14)
June 2016
Lakewood teacher surprised with random act of helpfulness
Lakewood teacher surprised with $5,000 worth of school supplies from the Helpful Honda Guys in Blue. Ms. Sid Shapiro, an elementary school teacher for the deaf and hard of hearing at Cleveland Elementary in Lakewood, was recently surprised by the Helpful Honda Guys in Blue with a random act of helpfulness to close out Teacher Appreciation Week. As a seasoned teacher, Ms. Shapiro uses her knowledge of the Deaf community to encourage her students, their parents, and the community, to help the students achieve their academic and communication goals by being comfortable and able to communicate through sign language. All instruction in Ms. Shapiro’s class is through use of American Sign Language (ASL) and oral communication, simultaneously. In addition, for the last ten years, Ms. Shapiro has volunteered to teach ASL to anyone in the community willing to learn, and she does this voluntarily, on her free time, and without any compensation. She has even partnered with BARK, a volunteer organization that brings therapy dogs and their owners, to help and encourage students to read and communicate through ASL.
Your
Minding
Her mission is to ensure every one of her students can communicate easily with the speaking world, through
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encouragement, positive reinforcement and interactions, practice, and helping the community in which they live in, also learn how to communicate with them. The Guys in Blue surprised Ms. Shapiro and her students with $5000 worth of school supplies, which includes a reading nook complete with American Sign Language dictionaries, bean bags, and a sitting carpet; a closedcaption high-definition flat-screen TV and Blu-Ray/DVD player; a new computer, printer and much more. u
“Life is not about warming yourself by the fire, life is about building the fire. And generosity is the match...If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap, but if you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.” ~ Larry Lucchino
Business Page 3
Lakewood entrepreneuers joined together to map out a road to success
The Greater Lakewood Chamber of Commerce recently held their Speaker Series event presented by Emilio Sosa, Senior Executive Director for the Lakewood Family YMCA. Emilio spoke about building a strong leadership team. He also shared his personal road map to success. Lakewood leaders are showing a genuine interest in coming together to make a meaningful difference in the community where they live, work and raise a family. If you’re interested in attending the next Speaker Series event to be held on June 21st, visit www.lakewoodchamber.com for more information. u
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Lakewood shines a light on the value of energy efficiency
LED lights (left) compared to traditional lights (right). Energy-efficient LED streetlights will be installed along most Lakewood streets over the next six months. The overhead streetlights will have the same brightness as current models, but will have a clearer, more natural light to them that is less yellow
than the current lights. The fixtures will also be more modern looking. Another good result for Lakewood residents is that the new lights will use 50% less energy than current models. That means significant cost savings.
www.lakewoodnews.org Installation costs will be fully paid in about six years, and after that the city will save about $160,000 a year over current energy costs. The new lights will also reduce green house gas emissions associated with energy production. The installation will start in mid-June as work crews move through the city, street by street, swapping out 5,400 streetlights over a six-month period. Each light fixture takes about 15 minutes to swap out. The work trucks will say MSL Electric, which is a company that has worked in Lakewood before on lighting projects. City Light & Power, Lakewood’s street lighting contractor, has hired MSL to perform the LED conversion. The city owns about 75% of the streetlights in Lakewood. These are the lights currently being modernized. Southern California Edison owns the other 25% of streetlights (mainly in the Mayfair Tract area), and the city has been in discussions to encourage Edison to also modernize its share of streetlights. u
June 2016
Lakewood foodies swarm the new Farmers Market for healthy options!
Every Saturday from 8am to noon, the new Lakewood Farmers’ Market attracts hundreds of shoppers looking for farmfresh produce, bread, fish, meat, beverages (including hot coffee on site), and other wholesome foods. Over 20 vendors were selling products on opening day on April 30, and more vendors have been added since. As of mid-May, there
are now 31. The Farmers’ Market is located in the Lakewood Center parking lot to the west of Target, near the corner of Lakewood Boulevard and Candlewood Street. Target opens at 8am and other mall stores open at 10am, making for a convenient onestop shopping trip for a Saturday morning. For photos of opening day of the Lakewood Farmers’ Market, go to www.lakewoodcity.org/ communitygallery. The Farmers’ Market is a collaboration between Lakewood Center and So Cal Farmers’ Markets. For news on the latest vendors, visit www.shoplakewoodcenter.com/ Events. u
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Community
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June 2016
Page 5
Miller Children’s becomes first to receive CSULB awarded record Disease Specific Certification number of degrees
Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach became the first free-standing children’s hospital in California, and only the 11th children’s hospital in the nation, to receive the Disease Specific Certification in Pediatric Asthma from The Joint Commission. This achievement denotes the highest honor for quality and excellence in patient care for children with asthma. “Asthma accounts for about half of the admissions to Miller Children’s,” says Steven Jensen, M.D., medical director, general pediatrics, Miller Children’s. “Knowing it affects such a large patient population, an analysis involving multiple disciplines, including physicians, nurses and respiratory care practitioners, was completed in 2013 to identify key areas of improvement. Out of the analysis, a project was launched aimed at creating an asthma care model of excellence.” Evidence-based guidelines, including an asthma progression
flow chart, were developed from an analysis of findings from the National Heart and Lung Institute and the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). Based on the patient’s condition, clinicians use the flow chart to determine which treatments to administer and the frequency of treatment. The chart also identifies when care should be escalated, such as an admission from the emergency
department to an inpatient unit. “Our goal was to reduce the variation in clinical processes and the risk of error,” says Eliezer Nussbaum, M.D., chief of staff and medical director, Pediatric Pulmonary Center, Miller Children’s. “To achieve that, we standardized the way asthma care is provided throughout Miller Children’s, including the emergency department, general pediatric units, including a dedicated pediatric pulmonary wing, pediatric intensive care unit, outpatient specialty centers and even in the child’s home.” Mirroring the flow chart, families are given a “roadmap to health” explaining what they might experience in the different medical areas. Research has shown that educating families on their child’s condition reduces readmissions to the hospital. u
More than 10,000 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees — a record number — were conferred for California State University, Long Beach’s 2015-2016 commencement. Many of those earning degrees walked across the stage at Commencement 2016, a collection of 10 graduation ceremonies at the Long Beach campus. In addition to participating students, upwards of 70,000 family members and friends visited the university over the fourday period to hear their graduate’s name and watch them walk across the dais. During each of the ceremonies, President Jane Close Conoley spoke, as did each of the college’s respective deans. In addition, each college’s distinguished alumni were recognized. u
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Community Page 6
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Local gold medalist kicks off YMCA opening ceremonies The Lakewood Family YMCA is hosting the 2016 YMCA National Gymnastics Championships in Long Beach from June 30th – July 3rd. Over 1500 YMCA gymnasts and over 5,000 spectators nationwide will visit Long Beach to compete for National Gymnastics Championships. Be sure not to miss three time Olympic gold medalist, Misty May-Treanor as she kicks off the opening ceremonies. We invite you to join us for the event as a spectator
or volunteer. For more event information please visit http:// ymcagymnationals.org or email ynationalsvolunteers16@gmail. com for volunteer opportunities!
June 2016
Don’t miss out on this year’s Summer Stampede Car Show! Call or email to request a: • Sponsorship Package • Vendor Booth • Car Registration (562) 531-9733 info@lakewoodchamber.com
There’s a new Farmers Insurance agent in town!
Veronica Ramirez recently joined the Farmers Insurance team. She celebrated a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 5536 South Street in Lakewood. Give Veronica a call for all your insurance needs at (562) 531-4980.
Seahawk Cocktail Lounge Happy Hour Weekdays
4-7:00PM $2 Domestic Bottles and $2 Well Drinks!
Full Bar Pool & Darts Internet Juke Free Wi-Fi
OPEN DAILY 8AM - 2AM 4103 Candlewood St. Lakewood, 90712
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Green
June 2016
Fun Run is going to be a wacky time for all!
Sponsored by the ABC Education Foundation, this year’s Fun Run will be held at the Los Cerritos Center shopping mall on June 18, 2016 and features a 5K run/walk starting at 7:45am; a 2K run/walk at 9am and a Kid’s Dash starting at 9:30am. Everyone who participates will receive medals. Trophies for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place finishers by age/gender categories and Best Team Perpetual trophies will be awarded. School and community teams are encouraged to come up with clever names and costumes. To register, visit the website abcsummerfunrun.com and select Register. You will be directed to the Active registration site. Creating a team is easy; just follow the online steps in the registration process. Registration prices go up on June 15, 2016.
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Living
Positive update on water rules in Lakewood Thanks to heavy winter storms in Northern California and lots of conservation across California, the state water board in mid-May reduced the amount of conservation that communities need to achieve in the months ahead. Because of Lakewood’s past conservation success and because Lakewood’s water supplies are in good shape with at least a three-year supply on hand, the Lakewood water department has recommended that specific limits be lifted on the days and amount of time that customers can water. The city council approved that recommendation at its meeting on May 24. The new rules go into effect June 1. This means Lakewood customers are now allowed to water any day of the week and for
any length of time, providing there is not significant water run-off from the property on to hardscape. State prohibitions continue against hosing down driveways, sidewalks and hardscape, or hand washing a car except with a bucket or hose with a shut-off nozzle. State rules also continue to prohibit irrigating within 48 hours after measurable rain. Customers are still encouraged to be water-wise by using high-efficiency rotor sprinklers, drip irrigation and a
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hose with a shut-off nozzle. “I want to thank Lakewood’s water customers for being such good conservers the past couple of years,” said Mayor Ron Piazza. “We surpassed the goals the state set for us, and it’s now put us in a position where we can relax a bit and help our landscaping and trees recover.” “But it’s not an invitation to be wasteful,” said Piazza. “We don’t want to use more water than necessary, and we should all look for ways to continue to be waterwise and water-efficient.” Details on the new water conservation rules are available at www.lakewoodcity.org/water or customers can call 562-866-9771 extension 2140. The City of Lakewood serves as the water utility for the portion of the city west of the San Gabriel River. The Golden State Water Co. serves as the water utility for the portion of the city east of the San Gabriel River. The new rules apply just to the City of Lakewood’s water service. Golden State is expected to update its rules for watering in the next few weeks and communicate them to customers. To learn about Golden State’s current and future rules, go to www.gswater.com or call 800-999-4033. u
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June 2016
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The spirit of Lakewood captured on video and photos Over 450 Lakewood residents and business community members helped their neighbors in need on Volunteer Day on April 16. Photos of many of the volunteers at work can be seen at www.lakewoodcity.org/ communitygallery. Lakewood’s award-winning CityTV crew also produced a video segment about the event, including interviews with participants and a 97-year-old original Lakewood resident who was assisted by the volunteers. Watch the video at www.lakewoodcity.org/ VolunteerDayVideo. “On behalf of my city council colleagues and the residents of Lakewood, I want to thank everyone who helped out this year,” said Mayor Ron Piazza. “I was really impressed with what I saw at so many volunteer sites around the city. Your generous, can-do spirit is a big part of what makes Lakewood a strong, caring community.” u
Lakewood kicks the summer off with fun and games
Two classic and free Lakewood events return on Saturday, June 18 at Mayfair Park. Lakewood Youth Sports (LYS) kicks off its 60th year with opening day ceremonies at 10am at the park’s Lisa Fernandez Field. At 10:30am, LYS players and all youth are free to enjoy a range of carnival games and
activities including bouncers and a rock-climbing wall. The annual Lakewood Public Safety and Bike Expo starts at the park at 10:30am with the return of the famous BMX stunt bike team who will demonstrate trick moves and high-flying maneuvers with shows at 11:15am and 1pm. Sheriff’s and Fire Department will be on site with displays and hands-on exhibits, along with Lakewood’s new Robinson-44 Sky Knight helicopter. Parents can talk with representatives from Neighborhood Watch and other crime prevention teams to learn about home and auto security, disaster preparedness and volunteer opportunities in crime prevention. u
“Just remember, you can’t climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets.” ~ Arnold Schwarzenegger
June 2016
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Put your dancin’ shoes on at Lakewood’s Report any trash scavenging you see Concerts in the Park
Scavenging through trash and recycling cans may lead to identify theft and is a violation of the Lakewood municipal code, subject to a citation and fine from the Sheriff’s Department. If you see scavenging occurring in progress, please call the Lakewood Sheriff’s Station at 562-623-3500. If you have seen people going through your trash in the past, report it by calling city staff at 562-866-9771, extension 2140 or using the online form at: www.lakewoodcity.org/services/forms/scavenger.asp. u For eight Thursday nights in a row starting June 23, Del Valle Park will come alive with popular and diverse musical acts. Each concert starts at 6:30pm. Dinner and refreshments will be sold, or attendees may bring their own picnic basket. Lawn chairs and blankets are encouraged. Pets, barbeques and alcoholic beverages are prohibited. For a schedule and details, go to www.lakewoodcity.org/ concerts or call 562-866-9771, extension 2408. Concerts in the Park are solely supported by generous area businesses and concert patrons. Platinum sponsors are: Glory Days Sports Grill, Kenny’s Auto Body-Towing, Marisa Perez— Cerritos College Trustee, Pan American Association, VCA Lakewood Animal Hospital Gold sponsors are: Rotary Club of Lakewood and The Rinks Lakewood ICE Silver sponsors are: Allen Tire Company, EDCO, Mr. B’s Kettle Corn and Piazza Family McDonald’s Restaurants Bronze sponsors are: In Memory of Mrs. Linda G. Plooster and TGIS Catering. u
“Welcome to Lakewood”
Flyers due June 22nd for JULY Mailing
Want to know a great way you can reach “new” Lakewood residents to introduce your business? Supply us with 250 flyers/ coupons, and we include it in the “Welcome” packet we send out. (Cost is $100) Call 562-531-9733 for more information
ShopLakewood Page 10
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June 2016
Shop Lakewood...
Suttons Barber Shop is back open for business!
Jeff Sutton, owner of Lakewood’s Suttons Barber Shop, is thrilled to be reopened for business after being closed for repairs for three long months. Unfortunately back in February, the barbershop sustained severe damage when an SUV crashed through the front windows of the business. Suttons two barbers, Michael Murphy and Dick McClanahan, sustained significant injuries after being struck. Michael Murphy is still on the mend, however, Dick McClanahan is doing better and has joined Jeff back in the shop. So if you need a hair cut, or just want to stop by and wish them well…Suttons door is open! u
Taste of Lakewood... supporting our local libraries
The Friends of the Lakewood Libraries will once again host the Taste of Lakewood on June 25, 2016 from 4 – 8:30pm. The Taste of Lakewood is part of the annual Lakewood Civic Center Block Party, and proceeds are used to support and enhance materials and programs for the Iacoboni and Nye Libraries. The Block Party includes a kids’ fun zone and live entertainment. This year, twenty Lakewood businesses will participate by selling food and drinks to hungry partygoers. Thank you to our Platinum sponsor, Foggia Italian Market, and our community partners who donate their proceeds from the Taste of Lakewood back to our local libraries. They are: - Albertson’s - Black Angus Steakhouse - Captain Jack’s Coffee & Ice Cream - Carmella’s Kitchen - Cassidy’s Corner Café - Costco - Gourmet Churros - Heritage Family Restaurant - Hometown Buffet - Piazza Family McDonald’s - Mr. B’s Kettle Corn
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- Outback Steakhouse - Pick Up Stix - Round Table Pizza - South Bay Italian Ices - StoneFire Grill - Sugar from the Heart - The Loft - Wingstop - Yogurtland Please help thank these Lakewood businesses by visiting their restaurants throughout the year. We appreciate their participation in the Taste of Lakewood! If you are available to volunteer at this fun event, please contact Autumn Lederfine (Alexysmom@yahoo. com) with the Friends of the Lakewood Libraries. We look forward to seeing you on June 25! u
June 2016
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Hey, pets get hungry too!
Bloomfield Animal Hospital isn’t shy about letting the community know that they donate 100 pounds of pet food a week to Meals on Wheels (MOW). On the surface, that may sound like a silly thing to do…people eat people food, not pet food. Right? As we all know, the Lakewood community loves their pets, even those residents who are going through tough times and need a little help from MOW. Melissa Garcia from Bloomfield Animal Hospital tells it like it is, “Meals on Wheels delivers two meals a day, a sack lunch and a hot meal… and the residents would end up giving one of the meals to their pet.” Melissa wanted to help the community, and saw a need for pet food to be delivered, along with the regular meals delivered by MOW. Bloomfield took the lead, and over the past 5 years, they’ve donated over 2,000 pounds of pet food to MOW. Lakewood MOW serves about 70 people per day, and half of those residents own pets. Rosemarie Shepperson, Volunteer for Lakewood MOW says, “The dogs get so excited when they see us coming, it’s like they know what time it is.” She added, “When you love people, you love people’s pets!”
Bloomfield divvies out the pet food in baggies so there’s enough food to go around for all the hungry cuties. However, they’re always looking for donations of both dry and canned food for cats and dogs. You can drop it of at 20927 Norwalk Blvd in Lakewood. If you would like to support MOW, contributions are tax deductible. MOW is a non-profit, community agency sponsored by many private contributors, as well as Soroptimist International of Lakewood/Long Beach,
Project Shepherd and the City of Lakewood. To learn more about donating, volunteering, or becoming a client, call Lakewood Meals on Wheels at 562-925-8747. u
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Pathways: Help for a father in need
Enrique didn’t know what to do…his wife had just died and he had three kids to take care of. He immediately went to his children’s school counselor and asked for help, he could not do this on his own. She referred him to Pathways. For 45-year-old Enrique Urrea, Pathways was a lifeline after the mother of his children died of cancer. He contacted Alan Saum, MSW at Pathways, and was enrolled in CHANGES, a seven-week grief support group for children and their
www.lakewoodnews.org families. CHANGES is a large component of the bereavement services that Pathways offers free of charge to the community One of the most valuable things Enrique realized from the CHANGES program was how much it benefited his children. He said his oldest son was very private and holds his emotions close. But after meeting with the group, he seemed to be able to share more openly how he was feeling, and that the whole family seemed to communicate better after the sessions. For more information on bereavement services, please call 562-531-3031 or visit pathwayshospice.org. u
Stoppages Garbage Disposal Slab Leaks Copper Re-pipes Gas Lines 15 Years Serving Lakewood
June 2016
Airplane playground thrills kids!
Two Lakewood children enjoy their free balsa airplane at the opening of the Del Valle Park playground. Lakewood’s newest playground Water Heaters License #: 971888 opened on Saturday, May 21 at Del Valle Park with over 500 Sewers & Drains residents in attendance. Wall Furnace When Mayor Ron Piazza Floor Furnace officially opened the airplanethemed play area, hundreds Remodels of children swarmed over the Video Inspections playground with loud laughter www.DBplumber.com and tons of smiles. Free Estimates Kids climbed on the replica airplane and control tower, and played on the runway, blue slides, climbers and other fun objects. “Lakewood kids for generations to come are going to enjoy this new playground,” said Piazza. “It was custom-designed for Lakewood. There’s no other one exactly like it anywhere.” Lakewood is known for its beautiful parks and playgrounds, including some with iconic histories and custom-designed features, like pumpkin playground at San Martin Park. The new airplane playground is located adjacent to Veterans Memorial Plaza and the Douglas jet fighter that has had a home in Lakewood since 1959 and has led to Del Valle Park being known affectionately for decades as “Airplane Park.” Attendees at the playground opening received a balsa-wood airplane with the Del Valle playground logo printed on the wing. Children also were treated to a variety of other activities, including face painting and a photo booth with a pilot. Photos of the event can be seen at www.lakewoodcity.org/ communitygallery. u
(562) 881-5557
Join the Women in Business Council and SPRUCE up your Networking Techniques! WHEN: Wed, June 8th 11:30am - 2:00pm WHERE: Frantone’s 10808 Alondra Blvd. Cerritos, CA COST: $20 - Cash Only (inc. lunch, tip, tax)
Must RSVP: Vivian Hansen at ceo@norwalkchamber.com
OR Jodee Kilroy at info@lakewoodchamber.com
News
Community June 2016
www.lakewoodnews.org
Stop being a hostage to your past!
Dear Earthtalk: I’ve been hearing a lot the dangers of sunscreens. What is the latest on efforts to make them safer and more There is a situation that cannot absolutely no power to change be reversed or changed in any anything. effective?
Greater awareness about what’s in everyday products and increased interest in healthy living means there has never been a better time to re-evaluate which sunscreens you use. The ingredients in some common chemical-based sunscreens are known to cause allergic reactions for some people and have been linked to reproductive and behavioral problems in animal studies. But luckily for the sun-safe and health conscious among us, there are lots of widely available all-natural, mineralbased sunscreen formulations that won’t cause any health problems on store shelves these days. Some all-natural, mineral-based sunscreens may be chalky going on but could be safer than their chemical counterparts. The most common non-chemical sunscreen ingredients are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which offer all-natural broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection that will not sting your eyes or cause a reaction in people with rosacea or dermatitis like chemical sunscreens can. Current mineral sunscreen formulations on the market do have their downsides, though. Powdered mineral sunscreens can be messy to apply, and their transparency can make it hard to tell if you have enough on to protect yourself. Liquid versions can feel thick and greasy compared to chemical varieties, and may also leave a white cast on skin and streaks on clothing or bathing suits. To eliminate the white cast issue, tinted moisturizers and cosmetic foundations with mineral sunscreens are now available in a wide variety of shades. “Many sunscreens offer inadequate protection from the sun and can contain toxic ingredients to boot,” says Sonya Lunder, senior research analyst at EWG. “[The EWG Guide to Sunscreens] offers users much-needed, well-sourced information so they can make the right choices to protect themselves and their families.” u
way—the PAST. Many people dwell on days gone by, mistakes, “the one that got away,” regrets, etc. What’s the point? The disturbance you’re feeling is not with the PAST, it’s with yourself. Imagine being on a Merry Go ‘round; never being able to get off. That would be quite terrible, wouldn’t it? And what if, while on the ride, you wish you’d gotten on the horse instead of the giraffe? Would you be able to do anything about it? No! You just have to continue the ride. You can’t look back at what happened, or didn’t happen. All you can do is make the best of it, and ride the horse next time the opportunity comes up. When you hold onto, and continue to review your past, you waste time and energy. You have
Concentrate on what you can do. Stop being a hostage to a past about which you can do nothing. Instead, FOCUS on the present over which you do have more control. Release yourself and feel the freedom that release brings. u Submitted by Rossana Snee, MFT. Follow her on Twitter @askjoshsmom, Periscope.com, and https://www. facebook.com/askjoshsmom. She is available in a therapeutic capacity, and also for speaking engagements.
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Make this summer a magical one for your budding performer!
Polaris Performing Arts Academy is making their debut in Lakewood with a Grand Opening celebration on June 18th from 10am to 4pm. They are currently enrolling for their Summer Camp. Ages 4+ will have a great summer learning vocals, dance, music and theater all in preparation for the end of Summer Musical Theater Production of “Through The Magical Kingdoms.” Camp is $45 weekly with a one time $45 registration fee. Camp will run from June 20th thru September 2nd and the hours are Monday-Friday 7am-5pm. For more information please visit www.polarisarts.net or call 562-316-5451. u
www.lakewoodnews.org
June 2016
“City Spotlight” (Cont’d. from Pg. 2)
Family Camp Parents and children, ages 3-11, can enjoy an outdoor experience together and spend a night out under the stars at Monte Verde Park July 16-17. The cost of this fun family outing is $17 per couple, $8 for each additional person. A $16 per couple materials fee for meals is due to the instructor at camp ($8 for each additional person). Camp begins on Saturday, July 16 at 1pm and ends at 12noon on Sunday, July 17. A “what to bring” list will be mailed to each family before camp. Register at www.lakewoodcity.org/eCatalog using class #42308 or call 562866-9771 extension 2408 for more information. u
Pick up your pencil and lets play Sudoku! Congratulations to Mark McHugh, Robert Urkofsky and Nancy Fett! They are the lucky winners of the May Sudoku contest. To be eligible, print your name, address and phone number on
“We Serve You In Your Car!"
a letter size (8½ x 11) piece of paper, and then tape the puzzle onto the paper. Mail entries to: Lakewood Community News, P.O. Box 160, Lakewood, CA 90714. Or drop it by the Chamber office at #24 Lakewood Center Mall (right next to See’s Candies). The winners are drawn by random. One entry per household; the answers must be postmarked no later than Wednesday, June 22, 2016. The winners will be drawn on Thursday, June 23, 2016, and the call to the winners will be made the same day. If a message is left, the prize must be claimed by return phone call within 48 hours (two business days) or a new winner will be chosen. The name of the winners will be published in the July issue, along with a new Sudoku Puzzle. u
THANK YOU to our Sudoku sponsors!
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News
Community June 2016
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A simple path to health right in our own backyard probably don’t get a full eight hours of sleep each night. Napping for even just 20 minutes can help you feel more rested throughout the day. And few experiences are more relaxing and restorative than a nap in the shade on a summer afternoon. Laugh it up! It’s summer! Enjoy it with family, friends and lots of laughter. Laughing benefits your physical and mental
Summer’s arrival means more time outdoors and partaking in warm weather fun with family and friends. If your health goals have fallen by the wayside, summer can be a great time to reinvigorate your efforts. Here are a few simple things you and your family can do to have a healthier summer: Spend time with Mother Nature. Take advantage of the warmer temperatures and reap the physical and mental health benefits of spending time with nature. You don’t have to travel far to a hiking trail or the distant woods (although go for it if that’s your thing); nature is right here in our own backyard. Take a walk in a nearby Lakewood park or spend an hour in your backyard garden, it can deliver the health benefits of communing with nature. Make healthful meals at home. Eating out too much isn’t good for your health and it’s a lot more fun to have a backyard barbeque or pack a picnic lunch in the summer anyway. It’s easier to control your nutritional choices because you’re selecting what you’re preparing. Put dinner out on the back burner for a special occasion. Learn to love water. Hydration is essential to a healthier life and summer heat can make it hard to stay hydrated, especially if you’re not a fan of water. Rather than opting for sugary drinks or caffeinated soda,
flavor your water with a classic lemon or lime wedge, or a unique mixture of strawberry and basil. Hang out at the farmer’s market. Lakewood has its very own farmers market, held every Saturday at Lakewood Center. Now there’s no excuses for not eating fresh, organic,
seasonal produce this summer. A trip to the farmer’s market also means some extra exercise as you walk the openair aisles. There’s plenty of variety, and your backyard barbeque will be a hit with all the tasty selections. Make time to nap. If you’re like most people, you
health, increasing the oxygen intake and endorphins in your brain. It’s also a great stress reliever, so learn a new joke, find a funny meme, or attend a comedy show. u
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www.lakewoodnews.org
June 2016