San Pedro Today - March 2020

MARCH 2020

PLUS: WHY BUKOWSKI MATTERS TO SAN PEDRO | SP PREP BASEBALL & SOFTBALL PREVIEW | AND MUCH MORE!

Punk PAradise THE SARDINE, A NEW LIVE MUSIC VENUE ON PACIFIC AVENUE, OPENS ITS DOORS, BUT IS SAN PEDRO READY?

Dr. Souzan Ardalan & Associates

Comprehensive Dental Care & Implant Center Backed by 25 years of experience

WHEN YOU VISIT OUR DENTAL OFFICE IN WEYMOUTH CORNERS, YOU FEEL RIGHT AT HOME. Whether you require a cleaning, teeth whitening, invisible braces by Invisalign®, crowns, implants or any other General or Specialty dental procedure, our office will ensure that you are comfortable and have a pleasant experience. OLD-FASHIONED STYLE OF PATIENT CARE IS WHAT WE ARE ALL ABOUT!

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Dr. Ardalan, D.D.S. Education: USC school of Dentistry Doctor of Dental Surgery Professional Association: American Dental Association, member California Dental Association, member Western Dental Society, member

ASSOCIATES Ian Woo, D.D.S., MD. Education: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Los Angeles County / University of Southern California Medical Center

Dr. Marvis Sorrel, D.M.D., M.D.S.

SERVICES & SPECIALTIES • General Cosmetic and Children’s Dentistry • Oral Surgery • Dental IMPLANTS • Permanent Implant Supported Dentures • Orthodontics (Traditional Braces & Invisalign) • Periodontics • Sleep Apnea

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Education: University of Pittsburgh, Master of Science in Dentistry, Doctor of Dental Medicine Advanced Education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Orthognatic Surgery Externship / Invisalign Certification

Dr. Rebekah Coriaty Education: University of Pacific Professional Association: American Dental Association California Dental Association

Dr. Miles Madison Education: UCLA School of Dentistry Professional Association: American Academy of Periodontology California Society of Periodontists American Dental Association California Dental Association American Association for Dental Research

Ready to Learn about Dental Implants?

What is a Dental Implant?

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is surgically anchored into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge in place. The benefit of using implants is that they don’t rely on neighboring teeth for support and they are permanent and stable. Implants look and feel like natural teeth.

What is an Implant Support Denture?

While a regular denture rests on the gums and are not stable, An implant-supported denture is a type of overdenture that is supported by and attached to implants by special attachments for better fit and retention. There are two types of implant-supported dentures: bar-retained and ballretained. In both cases, the denture will be made of an acrylic base that will look like gums. Porcelain or acrylic teeth that look like natural teeth are attached to the base. Both types of dentures need at least two implants for support.

Your dentist can help you . . .

Can anyone receive dental implants?

Talk with your dentist about whether you are an implant candidate. You must have the proper bone structure for the implant to stay in place.

People who are unable to wear dentures may also be good candidates.

What can I expect during this procedure?

The dentist must perform surgery to anchor the “artificial root� into or on your jaw bone. The procedure is done in the dental office with local anesthesia. The gum is then secured over the implant, which will remain covered until it fuses with the bone. The dentist then uncovers the implant and attaches an extension, or post, to the implant. Finally, the dentist makes an artificial tooth, or crown, or dentures that attach to the implant post.

What is the cost of implants?

Dental implants for replacement of a single tooth are affordable and most dental and medical insurance policies cover portion of the cost. Your dentist can help you with this process.

Dr. Souzan Ardalan & Associates

Please call to make an appointment for a complimentary consultation

Located in WEYMOUTH CORNERS 1409 W. 8th St., San Pedro

We accept all PPO insurances

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

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

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Don’t let the name fool you, The Sardine is a breath of fresh air.

After catching Mike Watt and Secondmen at San Pedro’s new music venue last month, it reminded me of why so many from our older generations have such fond memories of their teenage and college years growing up in San Pedro.

All my life, I would constantly hear about how great it was growing up here in the 1960s and ‘70s. Boomers especially love to wax nostalgic about the “good ol’ days” cruising Pacific Avenue, driving around the point, and hanging out at the various clubhouses.

This nostalgia is so engrained in our culture that we’ve practically created a local economy around it. It’s no surprise that the town’s most popular Facebook groups are heavily focused on old photographs and stories that begin with, “Remember when…”

As San Pedrans, we tend to look back more than we look forward.

As the boomer generation grew up, got married, and had kids of their own (a generation to which I’m a part of), and the cruising and clubhouses disappeared, one can make the case that San Pedro’s cultural evolution was stunted, as well. By the time Watt’s legendary band Minutemen started

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making waves in the 1980s punk rock scene, there wasn’t a single decent music venue for them to play in town.

Unfortunately, for the college-age kids growing up in San Pedro today, the port town of the 1960s and ‘70s simply does not exist. And without any places geared towards our younger residents, we’re forcing an entire generation to dismiss San Pedro as another sleepy, bedroom town. That’s why a place like The Sardine is so important.

While it may seem like just a live music bar, through The Sardine, Todd Congelliere and Isaac Thotz are grooming a new generation to look at San Pedro as being cool again. That’s something that’s been lost during this redevelopment blitz, the idea of making this town not only economically vibrant, but also just plain cool.

As Congelliere notes in our cover story, San Pedro has this mythical reputation amongst those who follow the punk rock scene. We are the birthplace of Minutemen, and home to Mike Watt. We are also where writer Charles Bukowski lived and wrote some of his most prolific work. These things may not matter to everyday San Pedrans, but to those just discovering our town through our artists, it means everything. spt Joshua Stecker is publisher/editorin-chief of San Pedro Today. Letters to the Editor can be emailed to contact@sanpedrotoday.com.

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329 W. 6th Street | San Pedro | (310) 832-9364 MARCH 2020 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 5

MARCH 2020

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ADVERTISING:

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

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

ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION

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

Joshua J. Stecker Lori Garrett

Joseph A. Castañeda

AT-LARGE CONTRIBUTORS

General Inquiries: ads@sanpedrotoday.com

Mike Harper, Peter Hazdovac, Mike Lansing, Ricky Magana, Steve Marconi, Jennifer Marquez, Angela Romero, Jamaal K. Street

EMPIRE22 MEDIA LLC OWNER/PUBLISHER

PHOTOGRAPHER

San Pedro Today publishes the last Thursday of every month and is produced monthly

by Empire22 Media LLC. No portion of this publication can be reproduced without written permission by Empire22 Media. 25,000 copies are delivered to San Pedro and portions of Rancho Palos Verdes. San Pedro Today is a product of Empire22 Media LLC. Empire22 Media LLC, their subsidiaries and affiliates are released from all liability that may involve the publication of San Pedro Today. Copyright 2009-2020, Empire22 Media LLC.

John Mattera Photography

CONTACT INFO:

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

VOLUME 12 | NUMBER 2

Joshua J. Stecker

ON THE COVER: Isaac Thotz and Todd Congelliere, co-owners of The Sardine. (photo: John Mattera Photography)

6 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I MARCH 2020

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MARCH Every Thursday – CREATIVE WRITING CLASS FOR KIDS at The Corner Store (1118 W. 37th St.), 4:30-5:45p. Taught by San Pedro Today columnist, Jennifer Marquez. $10 per class. For more info, email jennifermarquez@yahoo.com. (Note day change for March and April.)

Every Friday – SAN PEDRO TEEN SUPPORT GROUP. 4p. A safe place to explore issues like making friends, dealing with bullies, peer pressure, managing stress, selfesteem, body image & much more.

For more info, visit artemiscenter. net or call (310) 809-2011.

Wednesdays in March – MASTER GARDENER CLASS at the Point Fermin Lighthouse (807 W. Paseo Del Mar), 9:30a-12p. Master Gardener classes Wednesdays in March (11, 18, 25, and April 1). Organized by the UC Regents, classes will cover topics that are a part of the "Grow L.A. Victory Garden Initiative." Sign up for one class or all four. $15 per class or $55 for the series. For more info, please call (310) 241-0684.

1 (Sun) – HAPPY 132nd BIRTHDAY, SAN PEDRO! at the Muller House Museum & Gift Shop (1542 S. Beacon St.), 1-4p. Enjoy fun and games, a house tour and birthday cake celebrating San Pedro’s 132nd birthday! Patrons are welcome to bring their own San Pedro memorabilia to share with other guests. For more info, visit sanpedrobayhistoricalsociety.org.

8 (Sun) – HEAL TO GROW: SHARING SURVIVOR STORIES at The Garden Church (429 W. 6th St.), 7-9p. Rainbow Services, a nonprofit domestic violence agency, and award-winning mental health advocate Rudy Caseres will host an event to raise awareness of domestic violence. The public is welcome to attend this free evening of awareness. Information, resources, an art activity, and refreshments will be provided. A free community meal will be offered from 5-6p provided

by Feed and be Fed. For more info, visit rainbowservicesdv.org or email Tatiana Dorman at Tatiana.

Dorman@RainbowServicesDV.org.

INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL at the Warner Grand Theatre, various showtimes. For more info, visit laharborfilmfest.com. (See page 10.)

8 (Sun) – GARDENING WORKSHOP at Miraleste Library (29089 Palos Verdes Drive E, RPV), 2-4p. This month come explore the world of composting!

Together we’ll learn about the benefits of composting, how to get started, and how to use compost to make your home garden thrive all winter long. Garden educator Dana Swarth will make a brief presentation followed by a Q&A session and a garden-themed craft. FREE and open to the public. For more info, call (310) 377-9584 x452 or visit pvld.org.

19 (Thurs) – WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH RECEPTION at The Grand Annex (434 W. 6th St.), 5:30p-7:30p.

The San Pedro Chamber of Commerce will be honoring women who have made a difference in the areas of business, government, the arts, health, or community. For tickets and more info, visit sanpedrochamber.com.

9 (Mon) – NORTHWEST SAN PEDRO NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL MONTHLY BOARD & STAKEHOLDER MEETING at Peck Park Community Auditorium (560 N. Western Ave.), 6p. For more info, visit nwsanpedro.org.

10 (Tues) – CENTRAL SAN PEDRO NEIGHBORHOOD 5 (Thurs) – FIRST THURSDAY COUNCIL MONTHLY BOARD ARTWALK in Downtown San Pedro, & STAKEHOLDER MEETING at 6-9p. Live music, food trucks, art Port of Los Angeles High School gallery displays, and food and drink (250 W. 5th St.), 6:30p. For more specials from local bars and restaurants. info, visit centralsanpedronc.org.

Experience the most anticipated monthly event in San Pedro.

12-15 (Thurs – Sun) – L.A. HARBOR

13 (Fri) – SAN PEDRO HIGH SCHOOL’S SENIOR CITIZEN PROM at San Pedro High School cafeteria (1001 W. 15th St.), 5:30p-8:30p. Join this fun community event for San Pedro’s senior citizen residents, presented by SPHS’s ASB Leadership.

Free admission, food, drinks, raffles and live music! Join us for a night full of fun and festivities. For more info, contact leadership advisor Alisa Patapoff at alisa.patapoff@lausd.net.

22 (Sun) – AN AFTERNOON WITH AUTHOR LISA SEE at the Grand Annex (424 West 6th St.), 2p. Friends of the San Pedro Library present bestselling author Lisa See, who will discuss her latest novel, The Island of Sea Women. $25 admission, which includes a copy of her book. Reservation forms are available at the San Pedro Library and online at friendsspl.org.

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

For more info, visit cspnc.org.

29 (Sun) – AFTERNOON WITH AUTHOR GERALDINE KNATZ at

Improved Order of Red Men Lodge (543 Shepard St.), 1-3p. Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D., former executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, will speak about her latest book, Port of Los Angeles: Conflict, Commerce and the Fight for Control. FREE admission. For more info, visit sanpedrobayhistoricalsociety.org.

26-28 (Thurs-Sat) – OLIVER! at the Warner Grand Theatre (478 W. 6th St.), 7p. Rolling Hills Prep & Renaissance Schools present the Tony Award winning Oliver! Based on Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, this beloved musical is filled with classic tunes, including Food, Glorious Food, As Long As He Needs Me, and of course, the title song itself, Oliver! Advance tickets: Students $10, Adults $17. At the door: Students $15, Adults $23. Tickets available at rhp-oliver.eventbrite.com.

APRIL 3-4 (Fri-Sat) – SEE IT END IT FILM FESTIVAL at the Warner Grand Theatre (478 W. 6th St.) and Grand Annex (434 W. 6th St.), Friday: 6 – 10p, Saturday: 10a – 10p. Heightening awareness of human trafficking and the survivors of human trafficking, this film festival will present feature films, documentaries, shorts, and performances. For tickets and more info, visit seeitendit.com.

18 (Sat) – PATHWAYS TO EMPLOYMENT at the Boys & Girls Club (1200 S. Cabrillo Ave.), 8:30a – 3:30p. Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council and the Boys & Girls Club of the L.A. Harbor present a day of employment preparation, career guidance, workshops, and opportunities for ages 16 – 24 years. Register online at nwsanpedro.org/pathways. spt

Want to see your event here? Email events@sanpedrotoday.com to place a listing. Deadline for the April 2020 issue is Friday, March 13. Find more events at sanpedrotoday.com.

8 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I MARCH 2020

MARCH 2020 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 9

'CINEMA PARADISO' AND 'GREASE' LEAD THIS YEAR'S LAHIFF FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS MARCH 12-15

by SPT Staff An Italian celebration for the love of cinema and a visit back to Rydell High highlight this year’s 17th annual L.A. Harbor International Film Festival, which runs March 12-15, at the Warner Grand Theatre.

The festival begins Thursday, March 12, with the popular “Read the Book, See the Movie” (RBSM) educational program, which aims to promote literacy and an appreciation for film.

This year’s RBSM book/film is Frances Hodgson Burnett’s 1911 novel, The Secret Garden.

“The Secret Garden has been on our list because of its enduring respect with its significant place in world literature,” says festival founder, Stephanie Mardesich. “Thanks to the generosity of Random House Penguin Young Readers sponsorship, students receive the books as gifts, and for many, it’s the first time they have owned a book.” According to Mardesich, 16,000 books have been distributed to students and community members since the program began in 2004. Prior to the film, there will be a brief presentation by the South Coast Botanic Garden about their unique space in the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Friday night’s Opening Night film is 1988’s classic Academy Award-winning Italian drama, Cinema Paradiso. The film, directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, is considered one of the great love letters to the movies. Mardesich specifically

LAHIFF founder Stephanie Mardesich and current Honorary Mayor of San Pedro Pam Costa present this year's festival poster, entitled The Secret Cinematic Garden Bridge. (photo: courtesy LAHIFF)

chose this film in celebration of San Pedro’s new Little Italy district in downtown.

“With the designation of Little Italy in historic downtown San Pedro last year, it turned our attention once again to Italian cinema,” says Mardesich. “San Pedro is home to an immense population of Italian heritage who arrived mostly during the great immigration influx of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many from the islands of Ischia and Sicily who were part of the venerable tuna canning industry, my family heritage. We are delighted to bring the film back to the Warner Grand screen and celebrate our new downtown destination.”

Saturday includes a full day of film programming, starting with the NewFilmmakers LA On Location: The Los Angeles Video Project at noon. The showcase includes 26 short films (1-5 min. long) from finalists of the annual community engagement program.

Saturday evening culminates with

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variety of environmental approaches to waterfront development in the District of Columbia. The short is followed by the documentary feature, Artifishal (2019), a film about people, rivers, and the fight for the future of wild fish and the environment that supports them.

The festival closes at 4 p.m. with the gospel music documentary, Say Amen, Somebody, directed by George T. Nierenberg. The film explores the history of the faith-rooted musical style.

“This exuberant concert movie is a truly uplifting experience that will bring smiles, cheers, and some tears,” says Mardesich. “We expect a huge turnout from the greater Los Angeles region to enjoy the music, the movie and all San Pedro has to offer.” spt The L.A. Harbor International Film Festival runs March 12-15.

For complete schedule, tickets, and more information, visit laharborfilmfest.com.

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the annual Hollywood Nostalgia Tribute Night featuring the iconic 1978 film musical, Grease, at 7 p.m. Directed

by Randall Kleiser, the film stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John as teenagers in the 1950s experiencing love and life, backed up by one of the most popular soundtracks of the 20th century. While this isn’t the sing-along version, Mardesich encourages everyone who comes to have a good time and sing all you want.

“We anticipate Grease to be a fun ‘ageless,’ date night, family-friendly time for all,” says Mardesich. “When the audience exits the theatre exclaiming, ‘That was terrific, why don’t they make movies like that anymore?’ It reaffirms our mission to promote and preserve the best of classic Hollywood filmmaking.”

The festival ends as it always does with the annual DocSunday, a day of documentary programming. The day begins at 1 p.m. with the short film, On the Waterfront, which focuses on a

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The world’s ocean needs you….And we need it…..It supports an ecosystem that sustains the earth’s climate, energy needs, food chain and overall health.

PROJECT BLUE

Project Blue at AltaSea invites students to amplify their voices for L.A.’s Blue Economy, where supporting our ocean can also be a career.

Are you in?

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Project Blue Student Contests

Bookmark Art Contests for Elementary and Middle School Students Blog and Poetry Submission Contests for High School and College Students Video Contest for High School and College Students Logo Contest for High School and College Students to create Project Blue logo

Contest Dates & Prizes Contests run from Feb. 20, 2020 to Aug. 20, 2020

All student contest winners will receive gift cards, college scholarship funds, and letters and certificates to include in their college application packages.

AltaSea Project Blue Student Festival

Sept. 19, 2020 | 10am to 12pm The contests culminate with the Student Festival Open House.

Winners are announced and much of the work is displayed for public viewing.

Please visit altasea.org for contest themes, how to enter, and deadlines.

Educators, please contact Robin Aube at raube@altasea.org for info on getting your students involved.

VOICES

IF YOU THINK TRAFFIC IS BAD NOW, JUST WAIT

by Steve Marconi It’s an analogy appropriate for the town that was once the nation’s fishing capital, but apparently housing developers want San Pedrans packed in like sardines.

To get a clear picture of the horror descending on our once sleepy little town, check out urbanize.la online and click on San Pedro (warning: graphic visuals). For those who don’t do computers, here’s a rundown on underconstruction or planned housing for the near future: • 111 N. Harbor Blvd., 120 units, seven stories • 407 N. Harbor Blvd., 63 units, six stories • 511 N. Harbor Blvd., 137 units,

eight stories (The Grinder location) • 222 W. 6th St., 228 units (replacing commercial in the Topaz building) • 1300 block of Pacific Ave., 102 units, four stories • 337 W. 7th St., 32 units, five stories • 444 W. 5th St., 99 units, eight stories • 420 W. 9th St., 56 units • 500 block of S. Palos Verdes St., 375 units, seven stories • 2100 block of Pacific Ave., 101 units, four stories • 200 block of 8th St., 24 townhomes, three stories • 1801 Mesa, 22 townhomes, three stories That’s 12 — count `em, 12 — new housing developments. And it’s noteworthy that none of them are in what some real estate agents would call a desirable area. Even those

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with harbor views are bordered by arguably some of San Pedro’s more questionable neighborhoods. And I doubt that “homeless encampment views” is included in the sales brochure for the townhomes on 8th Street, which reportedly are starting at nearly $800,000. Good luck with that.

Here’s the bottom line: 1,313 apartments and 46 townhomes.

Figuring a minimum of three people for each townhome and two per apartment (some units are studios), that’s an increase in population of 2,764.

Figuring two cars for each townhome and just one for each tenant, which you know is low, that’s an additional 1,405 cars, and if you’re paying attention, all those new units are between Pacific and Harbor Boulevard. You can picture for yourself the parking nightmare, even with the planned garages.

Can you say urban disaster? I used to think San Pedro had a density limit, but apparently not, and as for zoning, I guess some of those developments are getting around it by having retail on the bottom floor. Adding retail to lower San Pedro, where it seems every other storefront is vacant now, sounds like a bad joke.

I’m sure local business is excited by the prospects of all these new customers, but what about the rest of us, the vast majority of San Pedrans who live here and already face gridlock on a daily basis? We all know there is a housing shortage in Southern California and rents, especially in San Pedro, are through the roof, but there is no doubt all these new developments will negatively impact our quality of life. Some will say this is just a NIMBY attitude. It is, because San Pedro’s backyards are full and have been for some time.

The road diet on south Pacific already makes life miserable for Point Fermin residents. Gaffey at rush hour is almost impossible now with cars going on and coming off the 110. What will Gaffey be like when all those new residents on the Pacific corridor want to get on the freeway? Or Harbor Boulevard, already a traffic jam for special events on the waterfront and without the Public Market.

Our infrastructure can’t handle

the current population. Just look at northwest San Pedro.

I thought maybe I was done ranting about Western Avenue after last month’s column, but like Western Avenue itself, I’m far from done.

I almost choked on my morning coffee when I read “the worst is over” in our “local” paper after Western Avenue was down to one lane for most of January for work on medians.

Only someone who doesn’t live in the area, like most of our developers, would say something that dumb. The worst is far from over, folks. What’s it going to be like when those 800 units open at Ponte Vista? We’re talking a minimum of 1,600 cars (two per household) added to Western Avenue traffic, which can’t handle the current load. And adding a new light at Peninsula Verde Drive?

How’s that going to improve traffic flow from Ponte Vista to Palos Verdes Drive North? I’m sure that light is being put in just for the handful of people who live on Peninsula Verde, because without it, how would they ever get out once Ponte Vista is done?

The best we can hope for is that residents of Ponte Vista will resist the urge to drive their children the few blocks to Dodson and Taper Avenue schools and let them walk or ride bicycles (do kids do that anymore?).

And the “genius” traffic engineers who have created this mess have decided that the solution to the congestion at Taper Avenue and Westmont when Mary Star lets out is to close the Taper gate and funnel all of the Mary Star cars onto Western. Of course, that doesn’t solve the problem, it just moves it from one street to another.

Is it any wonder more and more San Pedrans are moving away or thinking of leaving? This beautiful town that we love so much is disappearing. Those hilarious tsunami warnings along the waterfront no longer seem so funny: A tidal wave of people and vehicles will soon make this town unlivable. spt Steve Marconi can be reached at spmarconi@yahoo.com.

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Visit lamaritimemuseum.org/event/legos2020/ or call (310) 548-7618 for details!

MARCH 2020 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 13

VOICES

A TALE OF TWO CITIES

by Mike Lansing TCM recently screened A Tale of Two Cities depicting the realities of the how the poor and starving masses of France finally had enough of the aristocracy, who placed more importance in feeding the royal dogs than the thousands of citizens dying in the streets. While the story compares the differences between London and Paris, I have always thought the title really depicts the differences between the rich and the poor and how the inability of the former finally resulted in their overthrow and demise by the latter. When we see every day the huge gap between the 1% and the growing number of poor, cold and starving of our nation, we truly have an opportunity to start prioritizing the tens of thousands who really don’t need a handout, just a better helping hand.

So rather than sustaining the tax break that provided even more for those who need it the least and at the same time added $1 trillion annually to our national debt, we should seriously consider going back to the previous tax rates and spending that $1 trillion on our growing percentage of working poor by expanding these four important support systems.

PUBLIC EDUCATION: Of the four areas of support listed here, this is the one area than can truly change lives the most. Public education provides our poorest youth a true opportunity to end the cycle of poverty through higher education and/or pathways to better careers. No one should believe that we are spending enough on public education. And while the majority of education funding comes from the state, additional federal funding could truly boost opportunities for all youth to have a future quality of life.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING: Additional federal funding for affordable housing is a must if we are going to assure that our working poor and aging populations have a sustainable place to live rather than a 14 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I MARCH 2020

garage, their car or the streets. The lack of affordable housing continues to grow with each passing year; we need to get serious about this lack of affordability/ availability or we will see our homeless population explode. Once again, the majority of homeless and potentially homeless individuals and families are not the poor souls you see by the post office. They are the invisible majority who are one paycheck or lack of a large enough paycheck away from having a place for their family to live decently.

FOOD ASSISTANCE: This is the one public support program that minimally needs to stay the same if we cannot find it in our hearts and budget to increase our food support spending.

The current administration has already cut one of three areas of food assistance at a time when hundreds of thousands, if not millions, are food deprived. Do we really need to cut food assistance at this time? Is it better to have a tax cut for those who need it the least rather than allow existing food support programs to continue for our poorest citizens?

HEALTH CARE: Access to regular health care for the masses can truly improve the quality of life for millions.

In reality, we can provide health care for the vast majority of our citizenry without breaking the bank. We just need to commit to this public health aspiration and find the best way to make it work. With the coronavirus and related health issues on the horizon, it would seem reasonable to make this commitment as soon as possible.

At the end of the movie, as Sydney Carton makes the ultimate sacrifice of his own life to save the lives of three others, he ends the story with this famous quote: “It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest I go to than I have ever known.” May we all be able to make the same statement when we meet our maker. spt Mike Lansing is the Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor.

MARCH 2020 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 15

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SPHS BAND: NO EXCUSES, JUST RESULTS

by Jennifer Marquez Did you know that if you want to see the Rose Parade in person, you can leave San Pedro at 8:15 a.m. that morning and be there with time to spare? I only know this because I went with a San Pedro High School band mom this year whose son was performing with the All-City Band. We even found free parking in a bank parking lot towards the end of the parade route.

My friend and I tried to run alongside the band to give her son water at the end, but we could barely keep up. It reiterated the dedication of these students marching at a fast pace while being watched by over 50 million viewers from around the world, holding their arms up the entire time while playing their instruments and not missing a beat or a step. This gave me a glimpse into the stamina and dedication of the San Pedro Golden Pirate Regiment.

For the last five years, San Pedro High School has had more students in the All-City Band than any other school in the district. This year, there were 22 students from the San Pedro High School band who were selected to march in the Rose Parade, which is an additional commitment to their regular regimen.

San Pedro High School band members practice all year long, perform on the weekends and count on their families to volunteer. It is a huge operation, one that includes parents who can sew and tailor uniforms and transport props in trailers to parades and competitions.

But it is all worth it. Kiok McCarthy, a parent who has had two sons in the band has been the San Pedro Golden Pirate Regiment Booster President for the last three years. She volunteers her time recruiting parents to help at football games, parades, competitions, and fundraisers.

“It is a tough, rigorous program.

Yes, these kids keep coming back for more,” states McCarthy. “The students learn what hard work and perseverance are all about, and their motto is, ‘No excuses, just results,’” she adds.

Darnella Davidson, the band director, has been with the regiment since 2015. With the help of the band staff, students and volunteers, she has

brought San Pedro High School to the forefront of the Southern California band world and beyond.

“People do not realize the amount of work it takes to build a championship program,” states Davidson. “Bands deserve the same recognition as sports.

We are not seasonal but a year-round activity that changes responsibilities from field to parade to indoor concerts to small and larger ensemble works,” she adds.

Andrew Soto, a 12th grade drum major, says the marching band has completely transformed him as a student, leader, community organizer, and person. “I learned how to speak in front of a crowd and energize a room.

I am excited to implement the many skills I have built from the band and apply them to the real world,” states Soto.

In addition to a rigorous band schedule, the hardworking students have to maintain their grade point average and become experts in time management in order to juggle academics with band activities. It takes hours to prepare for a performance.

Regiment members receive authentic experiences as professionals in front of TV cameras and large crowds.

Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragan nominated San Pedro Band to represent the state of California in the 2020 National Memorial Day Parade in Washington D.C. For some regiment members who have never been on a plane or to D.C, the money raised is the only way they can attend the parade.

Part of the money will cover the cost of transporting their equipment in a trailer driven by a parent to D.C. “Memorial Day is a time for us to not only celebrate our loved ones and heroes that we have lost for their bravery and dedication to this county, but also a moment for us to pause and rediscover our fortune,” concludes Luca St. Pierre, 9th grade trumpet player.

To help the fundraising efforts, donations can be sent to: San Pedro Golden Pirates Regiment Boosters, 1536 W. 25th Street, #419, San Pedro, CA 90732. For more info, call (310) 2415800 spt Jennifer Marquez can be reached at jennifertmarquez@yahoo. com and @jenntmqz on Twitter and Instagram.

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MARCH 2020 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 17

COVER STORY

Punk

Paradise THE SARDINE, A NEW LIVE MUSIC VENUE ON PACIFIC AVENUE, OPENS ITS DOORS, BUT IS SAN PEDRO READY?

by Joshua Stecker Fun: A mural by UK artist Jamie Morrison graces the 11th Street facade of The Sardine. (photo: John Mattera Photography)

Mike Watt is about to go off.

It’s 10 p.m. on a brisk Friday night at the end of February, and the 62-yearold punk rock legend, wearing his trademark yellow windbreaker, is about to blow the doors off of San Pedro’s newest live music venue, The Sardine.

Watt and his Secondmen, which includes San Pedrans Pete Mazich on keyboard and Jerry Trebotic on drums, take the stage to thunderous applause from the standing-room-only crowd, a generational mix of college kids, millennials, Gen Xers, and baby boomers.

After a quick introduction, Watt wails “PEEEDROOO!” and the trio launches into a blistering set of punk rock that can be heard down Pacific Avenue.

Smiling at the side of the stage are Todd Congelliere and Isaac Thotz, musicians and co-owners of The Sardine. Two years ago, the idea of opening a new live music spot in San Pedro seemed like an impossible feat.

Now, as the two watch 160-plus people crowd into the back of the former Ramona Bakery building on 11th and Pacific to watch Mike Watt and the Secondmen do their thing, they’re thinking maybe this can actually work.

FROM PASTRIES TO PUNK ROCK The painted sign on the wall of the 11th Street side of the building has a big blue arrow pointing towards the

entrance with the word “FUN” in large, white letters. The sign, a mural by UK artist Jamie Morrison, stands out, mainly for the positivity it exudes on an avenue that has seen better days.

Inside the front of the bar, which was once the retail space of San Pedro’s iconic Ramona Bakery, blue walls are complimented by mustard curtains that are drawn to keep the glare out during the day. The venue’s name, a random suggestion from their musician friend Barry Johnson, is painted across the large bay windows. On one wall, a few dozen soundtrack album covers from 1980s films are hung in uniform, while skateboard decks featuring a variety of different artwork line another above the entryway. Beneath it all sit three large booths that surround the star of the bar: a foosball table, placed perfectly in the middle.

In the front window display, a group of Warholesque cardboard boxes featuring The Sardine logo are stacked together, created by friends at Calimucho Screen Printing. Near the entrance to the performance space (called Recess Ops), a rack full of vinyl albums and CDs, mostly from Congelliere’s independent music label, hang for sale next to a jukebox and an old school photobooth. The front counter-turned-bar top, which once served pastries and cookies, now serves more than 30 craft beers, a fair selection of wines, tamales, and yes… sardines

18 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I MARCH 2020

and crackers.

Past the bar, the Recess Ops performance space, which was the former bakery kitchen, is decked out with blue walls and various pieces of street and punk art. A disco ball hangs from the high ceiling. Near the small stage platform, Pee-wee Herman and Steve Urkel dolls hang, while the face of Minutemen’s D. Boon is stenciled in white on a floor speaker. The space is the epitome of San Pedro’s do-ityourself ethos.

“We wanted to strictly play music, and we wanted a business that allowed us to do that,” says Congelliere, the 47-year-old musician (his bands include Toys That Kill and F.Y.P., among others) and founder of Recess Records, an indie record label that he started in 1988. “To me, this was the best way to promote bands and actually sustain it, because you can sell drinks. People don’t buy as many records as they do beer. But to me, it’s an actual extension of having a record label, but at a higher level because there are so many people coming in here that have no idea of the kind of music we’re doing, and they’re getting turned on to it already, so that was kind of the goal, and it’s kind of working faster than I thought.”

Congelliere was running Recess Records from a warehouse on Centre Street in San Pedro for years. In 2016, Thotz, a 41-year-old musician with bands on the label (The Arrivals,

Treasure Fleet), partnered up with him on the business side to help with distribution. On occasion, they’d host concerts on the bottom floor of the warehouse, and each time they would do it, Congelliere would have the same thought: They needed to open their own venue.

“We started having shows on the bottom floor of the warehouse, and one day Isaac is in his office with his back turned, and I’m like, ‘We should just open up our own venue,’” remembers Congelliere. “And he turns around and says, ‘Okay!’ I don’t know if it was hypothetical at the time, but it was a crazy thought. And then during the build-out, it was like, ‘What did we get ourselves into?’”

REVIVING A RELIC The pair started their search for a space in San Pedro in late 2017. It wasn’t until they stumbled upon the old Ramona Bakery building that they thought they could make something work.

“We looked at a lot of spaces, and this was my favorite from the second we walked in,” says Congelliere, “but I have a bias because I used to come in here [when it was Ramona Bakery] and get coffee. It was the only place to get coffee around my house.”

They signed a lease in March 2018 and moved Recess Records and their distribution business to the back of the

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Clockwise (l to r): Isaac Thotz (standing) and Todd Congelliere, co-owners of The Sardine; Mike Watt playing to a capacity crowd in February; The venue's cement bar top; Aside from the music, the foosball table has surprisingly become the bar's most popular attraction. (photos: John Mattera Photography, Joshua Stecker)

former bakery, while work began on the build-out for the live music space.

“It was very overwhelming, just a lot of crazy hoops to jump through with the City of L.A., which made it really hard for us, to say the least,” says Congelliere. “It just got to a point where we couldn’t give up. We had to get another loan. We had to see this to the end. We didn’t want to do any crowdfunding or anything like that. We wanted to do it ourselves, and we’re stubborn. We have a lot of pride, I guess.”

The build-out took nearly two years of intense labor and financing. Two new ADA bathrooms, new plumbing, and a new sewer had to be installed. A cement bar top was built and mounted.

The huge ovens and hardware from the bakery days had to be removed.

The application for the beer and wine license had to be approved. At one point, they even had their building permit revoked. It seemed like a neverending rollercoaster of wins and losses.

“A year and a half ago, I was saying, ‘Two weeks, we’re going to open in two weeks,’” Congelliere laughs. “Then a wise man told me, ‘Just tell everyone it’s going to be open on the first. The first chance we get.’”

That chance happened in midDecember 2019, when The Sardine finally opened its doors, with Congelliere’s band, Toys That Kill, headlining its opening night to a capacity crowd.

because they hear about it, either from us or from Mike Watt. They know San Pedro, it’s like this mystical place. It has nothing to do with money or them having a super big sold out show; they just want to play, and they want to come see the town.”

With the help of San Pedro punk rock historian and author Craig Ibarra, who helps with graphic design and promotion, The Sardine has already garnered a strong social media following that stretches far outside San Pedro’s borders.

“We recently had a band from Osaka, Japan called Paranoid Void play,” recalls Thotz. “We had an open Tuesday night, and they came in and jumped on a show, which was cool. They sounded

THAT PEDRO TOWN Even before they opened, news of The Sardine was spreading, and bands started reaching out, asking when they could play. Dates were filling up fast with bands, many on the Recess Records label, and by the time they opened their doors, The Sardine had bands booked nearly every night of the week.

“San Pedro has always been a town that never had a place like this,” says Congelliere. “We’ve always done shows at Harold’s or the Brew Co., and they’ve been great, but they weren’t built to do music, they were built for other reasons, and we wanted to build a place that was just for music. Touring bands always ask us [about playing San Pedro]

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Ramona Bakery owner, Paul Bodnar.

Unfortunately, the pastries didn’t fly off the shelves quickly enough, and they started to lose money. “For us, this was a blast from the past, but it just wasn’t working out,” says Congelliere. (He didn’t rule out bringing them back if demand increases as word spreads that they’re open during the day.)

“We’d like to do some sort of food beyond what we’re doing now,” adds Thotz. “Right now, we have tamales, and sardines and crackers. We’d like to get a food cart permit where we can have tacos or hot dogs. Some better hot food.” While the partners work on The Recess Records store inside The Sardine. (photo: John Mattera Photography) expanding their menu, it’s worth noting that on many performance nights, a great; the crowd was great. It felt good taco truck is located just across the SWIMMING UPSTREAM to see the audience appreciating the Like any business in its infancy, The street. music being presented.”

When asked where they see The Sardine is still working out the kinks.

Congelliere adds, “Keep in mind, Trying to figure out what works best for Sardine heading in the future, both this was booked eleven hours before them, as well as for the community, is a partners are quick to say they would they played, we didn’t know it was task any local small business owner can like to host some form of music festival. going to happen. They just needed a “I'd like to try do something like the understand. show because they had an open date.

San Pedro Shred [skateboard and music Because the bar is open daily, in But seeing their reaction to the crowd’s order to better service the surrounding festival],” says Thotz. “Maybe even try reaction, it gave me goosebumps, to bring that back, though I’d like to do neighborhood, Thotz and Congelliere because Pedro people, the community something bigger. I don’t know, maybe went door-to-door before they opened, here, are super supportive of almost the City will let us use a parking lot. A asking what their neighbors would anything, any new business. But to see enjoy. Many expressed interest in coffee parking lot event would be great.” them embrace a band that they’ve never and pastries, so when they opened their Since opening in December, their heard before… You can’t get that in performance calendar has been booked doors, that was the first thing on the other cities.” with bands excited to play San Pedro menu. They began serving their own

for the first time in a legit location. roast, called Recess Roast Coffee, and Nearly every night of the week, one can brought in pastries made by former

walk in and (for a small cover charge) experience some sort of live music performance. Congelliere was a bit surprised with how quickly people took to the space. While he was confident they could pull it off, he was still worried that San Pedro wasn’t ready for this kind of venue. Fortunately, those fears were eased as soon as the doors opened. “[San Pedro] is more ready than we’d ever thought,” says Congelliere. “We thought when we were first coming up with this idea that it was just going to be the same thirty people who go to our shows all the time when we play local bars. Before we even opened, it turned into something way bigger than we thought. I was talking to people that I’ve never met before. I can’t go five minutes without people saying, ‘Pedro needed this so bad.’ We didn't even know how much Pedro needed it until we got close to opening. And then after we opened, it was just a spillage of that, and we’re grateful, because we could’ve gone through all that hell, opened, and had nobody show up.” spt The Sardine/Recess Ops is located at 1101 S. Pacific Ave. For their calendar and to purchase tickets, visit sardinepedro.com. For more information on Recess Records, visit recessrecords.com.

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HISTORY

WHY BUKOWSKI MATTERS TO SAN PEDRO

THE FAMOUS WRITER BROUGHT OUR PORT TOWN TO THE WORLD, A BRONZE STATUE IS WELL-DESERVED

by Angela Romero

Charles Bukowski's grave marker at Green Hills Memorial Park. (photo: Joshua Stecker)

Growing up, I always wondered how a lot of adults could be so clueless about celebrities that I couldn’t know enough information about. Would I ever be that clueless? Yes. It’s happening right now.

I don’t know who anyone is.

It’s okay that I don’t know who the hottest TikTok or YouTube stars are. But if any of them were from San Pedro, you better believe I would make it my business to know who they were and what they did. It is literally my job to know it. Part of the mission of the San Pedro Heritage Museum is to celebrate the contributions that San Pedro residents have made to local, national, and global history.

Our first major attempt to fulfill this part of our mission is to dedicate a bronze statue to Charles Bukowski, the world-famous writer who has an impressive body of work that includes novels, short stories, screenplays, and thousands of poems. It was an extremely ambitious first step out of the gate for a fledgling organization, but Bukowski’s cult icon status made the effort seem less daunting. Bukowski’s work elicits strong feelings among its readers and so many fans feel it speaks to them in a very personal way.

Bukowski’s worthiness for a statue was not an issue any of the committee members thought we would have to address. We’re not making a statue for German tourists. We’re marking

the spot where inspiration and genius met to create prose and poetry that will resonate with laughing hearts long after all of us are gone. Bukowski’s contribution to San Pedro might not be something tangible beyond the seekers who come here to feel close to him, but he has inserted San Pedro into millions of imaginations around the world simply by writing about his life here.

In his poem “Fear and Madness,” Bukowski proclaims his intention to get to the heart of his new adopted hometown: San Pedro I will wring you out like a wet rag San Pedro I will break you like a wild stallion I will write about your bridge and your ships I will skin your people down to the bone I will make my stand here as I have made my stand elsewhere I will learn these walls Charles Bukowski brought San Pedro to the world through his poetry. All we want to do is honor that gift of art with a fitting work of our own that we can share with the world.

We don’t have to erect a statue to get Bukowski fans to come to San Pedro; they already come here looking for some sign of their hero. The statue is for San Pedrans to start seeing their

ASH BLONDE

worth. There is so much to celebrate about San Pedro, things that we take for granted or shrug our shoulders about until someone from out of town tells us it’s worthy of celebration. The museum is absolutely set on changing that. Going forward, it’s totally fine if Bukowski isn’t your cup of tea, but it will be the museum’s job to educate San Pedrans about him, his work, and ultimate contribution to the community.

The statue is just the beginning.

Famous San Pedrans like Charles Bukowski, Misty Copeland, Robert Towne and Mike Watt make my job as a historian easy. Their work and fame won’t let them be forgotten any time soon, and San Pedro will always have its place in their legend. I’m more concerned about the great San Pedrans who are being forgotten as we lose the older generations who knew them best and felt their impact on the community the most. If the San Pedro Heritage Museum has the chance to be successful, no one will ever forget local icons like The Sepulveda family, Martin J. Bogdanovich, and John Olguin.

Big changes are on the horizon.

Long-time Pedro families are capitalizing on the housing market and leaving town for more affordable communities, while home buyers from out of town are flocking to San Pedro because their money goes further here than anywhere else in L.A. Meanwhile, we’re losing that cohesive generation

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that connects us to this land and the memory of those great San Pedrans who made this town such a wonderful place to live. If we don’t start getting our history out there to younger generations and new San Pedrans, it will continue to die with those people.

I’m not afraid of all the new faces coming to town. Every one of them represents an opportunity for me to share our history and to invite them to adopt it as their own. When people feel connected to their community, they get involved. Luckily, there are enough great stories here for them to connect to. Will it be telling them about Martin J. Bogdanovich and StarKist, so they feel the history in every bite the next time they have a tuna sandwich? We’ve got military history, labor history, famous musicians, athletes and artists.

Who knows, maybe it’ll be a poem at the Charles Bukowski statue.

The San Pedro Heritage Museum exists because there is a need to actively get our history out into the public. We can’t afford to be passive collectors anymore. If you believe in our mission, then please donate to the cause or volunteer. Don’t get hung up on one of our projects. Help us realize that big picture. spt

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Division 1 championship in outfielder Sofia Gomez and the All-City battery duo of pitcher Briana Velazquez and catcher Brianna Talamantes, all return for their senior season and will be the unquestioned team leaders. Having the three of them all back for one final run together solidifies the center of the softball diamond.

San Pedro also returns five more All-Marine League selections in junior infielder Jo Jo Krause, sophomore infielder Briana Ventura, sophomore P/ OF Vanessa Reed, junior P/OF Kirstin Sanchez and talented sophomore C/SS Miah Owens who clubbed five home runs in 2019.

MARY STAR (19-5 in 2019) – With all but two players back from their back-to-back Camino Real League championship season, the Stars will story & photos by Jamaal K. Street look to continue their league dominance and test themselves even more as, like their baseball brethren, they’re also in Play ball (clockwise l to r): SPHS baseball senior Travis Connelly; SPHS softball senior trio (l to CIF-SS Division 3 after a short stay in San Pedro prep baseball and the Division 4 playoffs with a 3-2 first softball for 2020 will be at a fever pitch r) Briana Velazquez, Sofia Gomez & Brianna Talamantes; MSHS softball senior Ashley Rico; POLA High baseball senior Anthony D'Anna. round loss to Culver City. with tons of potential all around San Loyola Marymount-bound senior Pedro with no greater potential than OF Aaron Hernandez, senior P/1B/ Three All-City Open Division pitcher Alessandra Samperio and San that of San Pedro High baseball. With OF Calix Armijo and senior INF/C/P Jose State-bound senior shortstop all but three players back from last year returnees in junior OF Jake Harper Carlos Vega lurking around. and the Marine League Co-MVP duo Ashley Rico return as the two most and the addition of an impact transfer, PORT OF LOS ANGELES (24-3 in of seniors P/INF Travis Connelly and heralded players in town, and the Stars the Pirates are loaded again to make a 2019) – Last year was a record-setting look to be a good bet to win a third run at the CIF-Los Angeles City Section second baseman Josh Duarte are back year of victories for co-coaches Brian along with five other starters.

Senior straight Camino Real League title.

Open Division championship. and Dennis Emerson, as the Polar Bears catcher Waldier Perez, junior infielder Mary Star also brings back There are a couple of crosstown won more games than the 2014 CIFDylan Kordic, junior outfielder Dom senior outfielders Sarah Leyba and matchups to look forward to when Port LACS Division 3 champion actually Porter and junior shortstop Cain Lusic Sky Marquez, senior catcher Sofia of Los Angeles High baseball visits played (23), reaching the semifinals are all dangerous.

Amalfitano and sophomore INF/P Fromhold Field to face Mary Star on before losing to eventual champion Four transfers look to bolster San Anissa Vital.

March 19, and in softball, a rare battle Vaughn of San Fernando.

Pedro even more by the start of Marine PORT OF LOS ANGELES (8-4 in between San Pedro and Mary Star will Senior catcher Anthony D’Anna League play, and the biggest acquisition 2019) – The Polar Bears now compete take place in the regular season finale is senior OF Hasan Standifer, a Jackson has verbally committed to Marymount in Division 2 in the CIF-LACS after on May 1 at Mary Star High.

California University and is a definite State signee who helped Narbonne being a Division 1 school the previous Here’s all you need to know around leader, but watch out for other notable capture the CIF-LACS Division 1 title at six years. the bases in baseball and softball. players like junior P/OF Rudy Rios, Dodger Stadium in 2019.

Senior outfielder Briana Vigil, a senior 3B/OF/SS Ryan Arambula, senior MARY STAR (23-8 in 2019) – The Westcliff University (Irvine) signee, will BASEBALL Stars bring in Tim Ursich Jr. and former infielder Ian Renn and senior 3B/SS/P be the player of focus, but you can’t SAN PEDRO (27-5 overall in Jeremy Juarez. Senior P/INF/OF Tim San Pedro coach Bobby Ramirez in to forget about the likes of the Mercado 2019) – Going 10-0 in the Marine Stevenson will likely be the Polar Bears’ sisters, junior catcher Larissa Mercado coach this year’s unit, who finished League is no easy feat in baseball, go-to No.1 pitcher in Imperial League second in the Camino Real League and senior infielder Angelina Mercado. but the 2019 Pirates accomplished play, in which the Polar Bears won the to St. Paul a season ago but reached Another set of sisters also returns: that in spades thanks to some crucial league title in 2019. the CIF-Southern Section Division the Torstensen twins, juniors pitcher victories down the stretch against their 5 quarterfinals. Now Mary Star is in Faith & outfielder Gracie Torstensen. main adversaries Banning, Carson SOFTBALL Division 3, but still has high aspirations Sophomore Nalani Cervantes and and Narbonne. Head coach Steve SAN PEDRO (14-8 in 2019) – An in bringing back a league title for the incoming freshman infielder Destiny Tedesco brings in an experienced entire squad returns for the 17-time first time in five years.

Contreras are also expected to make and determined group of young men Senior P/OF/INF Alex Howard is the CIF-LACS champions, who lost 2-0 some noise. eager to erase the disappointment of in the Open Division quarterfinals to most improved player, but Mary Star POLA finished second in Imperial last year’s CIF-LACS Open Division Chatsworth. Three remaining holdovers League last season. spt quarterfinal loss to eventual three-time still has top notch all-league talent in from the Pirates’ 2017 CIF-LACS senior utility star Marco Ibarra, senior champion Birmingham.

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by Ricky Magana You would think that by the time a star basketball player arrived at UCLA to play for one of the most legendary teams in NCAA history, they’d already know how to put on their socks. And yet, each season John Wooden gathered all his new players and showed them exactly that: how to put on their socks and shoes and properly tie them.

If you ask anyone how to get in shape/lose weight/transform your body, they might tell you about the latest documentary espousing the celebrity diet-of-the-month, or tell you to get a Peloton bike or some magic supplement that promises to melt fat. But ask someone like John Wooden, and he’d teach you how to put on your socks.

You might be scratching your head wondering how in the world putting on your socks is relevant to winning championships (or transforming your body). But Wooden knew if players didn’t put on their socks properly, sooner or later they’d get blisters, and eventually they’d be benched with a completely avoidable injury. And an injured star isn’t going to win a championship. Wooden, and other greats like him, understood tiny hinges swing big doors, and if his players didn’t get these small things right, they’d lead to bigger problems and greatly affect the grand outcome.

In the quest for getting in shape, no single habit will give you a six-pack, a round perky butt, or get you off cholesterol medication. Rather, it’s the set of habits you have in a specific area of your life that creates your outcomes.

This set of habits and behaviors is known as a system. And it’s the system around your health, created either consciously or unconsciously, that is producing your current results. And in every system, there are the things people pay all the attention to (namely, diet/exercise) and other seemingly less important things that few pay attention to.

Imagine looking at your life from 10,000 feet above and seeing all the components working together, like popping the hood on your car with the engine running. You see all the gears turning, all humming along. Your life operates in much the same way. It’s this

view from which you will see what’s working and what’s in need of repair.

For example, you might be scratching your head wondering why all your dieting the past couple months hasn’t yielded the results you’d hoped for.

You’re dieting, training, and working hard, but it seems like something’s amiss. You almost write it off as your age, because that’s what everyone else does. But instead, you decide to take a look at your habits from an elevated perspective, to view the entire system.

You find that from Monday to Friday afternoon you’re absolutely on point with your diet and exercise plan, working out each day and staying low carb. But once the sun begins to set on the work week, so does your resolve to stick to your fitness plan. So for two and a half days each weekend (which is about 35% of the entire week), you loosen the reins, drink (sometimes heavily) and eat to your heart’s content because you’ve “earned it.” And furthermore, every couple of weeks, you push it a little further than you should and find yourself hungover for two days, which throws off your sleep, diet adherence, and workouts. You realize this pattern has been happening quite consistently (for years) and explains why you seem to lose the same five to ten pounds over and over again. You discover this is why your long stint of exercise and dieting hasn’t really gotten you anywhere. This has also led you to recognize how being chronically unprepared for the workweek causes you undue stress and anxiety, which explains why you’re so eager for a release every weekend.

In this scenario simply trying a new diet wouldn’t have any meaningful effect. It doesn’t address the root cause in the system: only adhering to your diet about 65% percent of the time and neglecting to make some adjustments to your work/life balance.

So if you’re struggling, you have to ask yourself: Am I looking at the system as a whole? Am I neglecting the small details that are holding me back?

If so, remember: Start with your socks. spt Heyday Elite Fitness offers a 2-minute scan that provides a full 1-page body fat analysis to help you tailor your fitness goals. For more info, email ricky@heydaytraining.com.

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REAL ESTATE

YOU’RE IN ESCROW AND HEADED TOWARDS THE FINISH LINE! WHAT'S NEXT?

by Mike Harper & Peter Hazdovac

prior to the close of escrow.

Step 4: Appraisal, which is generber column, we ally ordered by your lender. After escrow detailed the first opened, your lender would have required three steps of the that all borrower financial documents be escrow process updated (i.e. tax returns, recent pay stubs, once your offer has been accepted. bank statements, credit report, etc.) if time had gone by since being prequalified These steps include: 1.) completing a physical inspection for the loan. It is necessary to update your and any additional inspections (i.e. waste file as it may be possible that, from the line scope, geological, foundation, etc.), 2.) time your initial loan pre-approval was obtaining a preliminary title report on the issued, various aspects of your financial situation changed, and this could have property, and 3.) negotiating any repairs or credits between buyer and seller. With an impact on your loan. The normal cost of a residential appraisal varies between those items now behind us, we will pro$450-$550 approximately and is paid upvide you with the following items to be front. The appraiser will be assigned and completed as part of the transaction and

In our Novem-

32 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I MARCH 2020

then contact the listing agent to schedule a time to evaluate the property. Though the major factor in determining a home’s value is comparable neighborhood sales, the appraiser will also take into consideration other aspects including condition, floor plan desirability, view, and location. Once this has been completed, the appraisal report should be returned to the lender within 3-5 business days. If the value is determined to be at the purchase price, then no additional negotiating is necessary. If the value comes in below the purchase price, this may require negotiation on price with the seller. If the appraised value is not acceptable to the borrower, they have a few options. The buyer may accept the value and bring in additional funds if required or the seller can help bridge the gap and meet somewhere in the middle. Lastly, the buyer may decide that they are not willing to move forward due to the lower value and cancel the transaction. As per the Residential Purchase Agreement, the standard time frame for the appraisal contingency is 17 days from offer acceptance.

Step 5: Once the appraisal contingency has been removed in writing by the buyer, the lender is now prepared to issue final loan approval. A lender will take into account various considerations, such as the appraisal and the borrower’s financial status. It is very important that a borrower not make any large purchases or substantial financial commitments during the escrow process. Hold off on charging credit cards to buy appliances, furniture, cars, etc., as this can negatively affect your credit and loan status. (Oh yeah, don’t lose your job either.) Once escrow is closed, shop away but don’t lose your job if you can avoid it. The standard time frame for a buyer to remove the loan contingency is 21 days from offer acceptance.

Step 6: Verification of property condition and final walk through. Our recommendation is that the buyer visit the home to verify property condition prior to signing loan documents.

Verifying property condition is the last opportunity for the buyer to ensure that the condition of the home is unchanged

from when their offer was accepted and to verify completion of any repairs that were negotiated as part of the sale. At this point, the current owners or tenants will have most likely vacated the property to allow for full access.

Step 7: The final and last steps of the escrow process is signing of loan documents, funding the loan and closing escrow. By this time, escrow has received loan documents from the lender and has scheduled a time for you to sign with a licensed notary. The notary will review the documents and ensure they are signed correctly. These documents are sent back to the lender who responds by wiring the funds for the loan amount to escrow. It is the buyer’s responsibility to wire the remaining down payment to escrow in order to satisfy the full purchase price amount. Once escrow has received funds, they will schedule the file for recording with the title company. The normal time frame for this process is as follows: sign loan documents, loan funds within 24-72 hours, and the transaction is recorded the following day with the County Recorders office by the title company. As soon as escrow has received confirmation from title that the property has recorded, the transaction has been completed.

Congrats, you are now officially a homeowner. Please feel free to let us know if you have any questions or need further information on any of the steps summarized in these past two articles.

This process can vary depending on the transaction, and our description is only a generalization intended to help our readers understand the process. spt

Mike Harper and Peter Hazdovac are both licensed realtors with Keller Williams Realty. For more info, visit harperhazdovac.com.

Read part one in their November 2019 column at sanpedrotoday.com.

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An LAPD Harbor Division officer stands guard in the newly reopened and renovated Harbor Division jail. The Type 1 Jail Facility, which reopened February 16, can hold 45 male and 20 female inmates. The jail originally opened in 2009, but was shuttered in 2010 due to City budget constraints. (photo: John Mattera Photography)

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