San Pedro Today - July 2018

JULY 2018

PLUS: ANGEL GOWNS | SP PREP SPORTS YEAR-IN-REVIEW | IN MEMORIAM: MEL BOBICH | DWELL SAN PEDRO

IT'S ONLY ROCK 'N ROLL

CHUCK ALVAREZ AND LEO ROSSI CHRONICLE THEIR MUSICAL LIVES ON & OFF STAGE IN NEW ONE-MAN SHOWS

MARITIME DENTISTRY

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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

MARITIME DENTISTRY NEWSLETTER Comprehensive Dental Care & Implant Center

Midlife Tooth Loss Associated With Higher Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease, Research Suggests

M

edical News Today (3/23, Paddock) reported that preliminary research found “tooth loss in middle age is tied to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, independent of traditional risk factors such as high blood pressure, poor diet, and diabetes.” Study co-author Lu Qi, who is a professor of epidemiology at Tulane University, said, “Our findings suggest that middle-aged adults who have lost two or more teeth in [the] recent past could be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease.” The study is not yet published but the abstract is available in the journal Circulation. “This pattern is concerning, given that

HPV Causing “Epidemic Of Oral Cancer” In Men

T

he Philadelphia Inquirer (3/6, McCullough) reports

that HPV is “unleashing an epidemic of oral cancer among men.” The article reports that “men are four times more likely than women to be diagnosed with oral cancer,” which has “overtaken cervical cancer as the most common HPV-related malignancy in the United States.” The article states that this trend is due in part to men’s immune response, explaining that “compared with women, men are more likely to get infected with HPV – including ‘high-risk’ cancercausing strains,” and “they also are less able to wipe out infection on their own, and more likely to get reinfected.” The authors of one study examining HPV in men, said, “HPV vaccination is the only reliable method to ensure immune protection against new HPV infections and subsequent disease in males.”

timely dental care is essential for good oral health, especially in individuals with diabetes.” - Dr. Huabin Luo, a researcher at East Carolina University

People With Diabetes Visit Dentist Less Often, Study Finds

I

n a news release on its website, New York University (4/2) states that a new study led by researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing and East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine found “adults with diabetes are less likely to visit the dentist than people with prediabetes or without diabetes.” The study “showed an overall decline in dental visits among adults with and without diabetes, but people with diabetes were consistently the least likely to obtain oral healthcare.” The findings were published in The Journal of the American Dental Association.

MouthHealthy.org offers additional information on above topics.

This patient educational material is provided by Maritime Dentistry.

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

Regards, Dr. Ardalan and Associates

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

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

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I’ve been trying to tell Leo Rossi’s story in this magazine for years, and each time I would ask, he’d always say no. But when he told me about these inspirational oneman shows both he and Chuck Alvarez were working on, I knew I finally had an in to get him to tell his story in these pages.

As you’ll read in this issue, Rossi has lived an extraordinary life, touring with some of the most revered rock bands of the 20th century. From The Who to The Beach Boys to Fleetwood Mac, the list goes on and on; Rossi’s life has constantly been “on tour.” He’s experienced things most of us could only dream of, but the road hasn’t always been smooth.

His one-man show, A Knight’s Tale, aims to inspire others using his own experiences of balancing life at home and on the road, and the trials and tribulations he’s endured.

Through Rossi, I met Alvarez. I’d been a fan of his for a while, though I had never met the man until Rossi introduced me to him earlier this year.

His name has always been synonymous with music in San Pedro, so getting to know him and finally being able to tell some of his story in these pages was a privilege.

Both Rossi and Alvarez will be per-

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forming their one-man shows on July 11, at the Warner Grand Theatre, as part of the Knights of Rock: Fleetwood Mac show. It should be an interesting night hearing from the people behind the tours of one of rock’s most revered bands, and also listening to Rossi’s and Alvarez’s inspirational stories. Information for the event is on pg. 8.

GOOD OL’ MEL I was heartbroken to hear of the passing of Mel Bobich last month. San Pedro owes him a debt of gratitude for all the hard work he put in to helping cultivate our town’s youth sports facilities, as well as co-founding the San Pedro Youth Coalition, among other tremendous accomplishments.

Bobich wasn’t a good man, he was a great one. And each time we chatted, he would always bring up baseball. We both shared a deep love for America’s favorite pastime. And each time baseball would come up, he’d remind me that he was at Sandy Koufax’s perfect game at Dodger Stadium on September 9, 1965. I was always jealous of that.

While nobody’s life is perfect, the outpouring of love for Bobich and his family during this difficult moment is evidence that his came pretty close. spt Joshua Stecker is publisher/editorin-chief of San Pedro Today. Letters to the Editor can be emailed to contact@sanpedrotoday.com.

JULY 2018 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 5

JULY 2018

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Joseph A. Castañeda

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CONTACT INFO:

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

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Joshua J. Stecker

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

by Empire22 Media LLC. No portion of this publication can be reproduced without written permission by Empire22 Media. 25,000 copies are delivered to San Pedro and portions of Rancho Palos Verdes. San Pedro Today is a product of Empire22 Media LLC. Empire22 Media LLC, their subsidiaries and affiliates are released from all liability that may involve the publication of San Pedro Today. Copyright 2009-2018, Empire22 Media LLC.

VOLUME 10 | NUMBER 6 ON THE COVER: Chuck Alvarez (left) and Leo Rossi (photo: John Mattera Photography)

JULY 2018 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 7

JULY Every Wednesday – CREATIVE WRITING CLASS FOR KIDS at The Corner Store (1118 W. 37th St.), 4:30 – 5:45p. Taught by San Pedro Today columnist, Jennifer Marquez. $10 per class. For more info, email jennifertmarquez@yahoo.com.

Every Sunday – MUSIC BY THE SEA at Point Fermin Park (807 W. Paseo Del Mar), Noon – 5p. A highlyanticipated celebration of local bands, food, and shops since 1995. For a full music lineup and more info, visit spmusicbythesea.com.

This Summer – SHAKESPEARE BY THE SEA at Point Fermin Park (807 W. Paseo Del Mar), 8 – 10p. Several presentations of “The Merry Wives of Windsor” and “The Winter’s Tale.”

Free admission. Donations accepted.

For dates and more info, visit shakespearebythesea.org.

This Summer – GYMNASTICS, MUSIC, & DANCE SUMMER CAMPS at Flipside Gymnastics (1417 W. 8th St.). Lessons for children and adults. A safe place to grow healthy minds and bodies from the inside out and upside down through the arts. Summer Camps (ages 5-12 yrs.). Hollywood Gymnastics Camp: July 9 – 13, 9a – 2p; Gymnastics, Jazz, and Hip Hop Camp: July 16 – 20, 9a – 2p. For more info, call (310) 9714463, email fsgsanpedro@gmail.com, or visit fsgsanpedro.com.

ing a classic car show with more than 100 cars built before 1971, an exotic car display, motorcycles, live bands, food trucks, a beer garden, and grand fireworks finale at 9:15p.

4 (Wed) – 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION AND WATERFRONT PARTY at DoubleTree by Hilton (2800 Via Cabrillo Marina), 5p. BBQ featuring live music, games, craft beers and cocktails, and marina views of fireworks. Tickets are $35 adults/$15 children (12 and under). Email dtsanpedroevents@gmail. com for tickets and more info.

5 (Thurs) – FIRST THURSDAY ARTWALK in Downtown San Pedro, 6 – 9p.

Live music, food trucks, art gallery displays, and food and drink specials from local bars and restaurants.

7 (Sat) – LIGHT AT THE LIGHTHOUSE SKATE FESTIVAL at Peck Park (29698 N. Western Ave.), 11a – 4p.

Join Celebrity Grand Marshall, former World Champion Christian Hosoi, for a day of skate. Featuring three divisions of competition, pro judges, and Big Nick’s Pizza. Free admission. For more info, visit lightatthelighthouse.org.

8 (Sun) – SUNDAYS WITH ROMEE HISTORY TALK at Inner Harmony Yoga (579 W. 9th St.), 2p. Local historian and San Pedro Today columnist, Angela Romero, presents a summer series of San Pedro history talks on the second Sunday of the month. This month’s talk: “San Pedro Landmarks on Film.” Admission is $10 and space is limited. Call (310) 808-7800 for more info.

20 (Fri) – 22 (Sun) – 71ST ANNUAL MARY STAR OF THE SEA PARISH FIESTA at Mary Star of the Sea Parish (870 W. 8th St.), Fri: 5p – 12a, Sat: 12p – 12a, and Sunday: 12p – 10p. Rides, games, food, bingo, raffles, and more.

The 2018 Fiesta Queen will be crowned Sunday at 7:30p. For more info, visit marystar.org/fiesta-2018.

21 (Sat) – SAN PEDRO PIRATE BOOSTERS ANNUAL CAR SHOW at 14th St. and Alma St., 9a – 3p. Come out and enjoy a day of fun with the family and help support Pirate Athletics! Live music and free spectator admission. Looking to show your car or have a booth? $25 (cars) and $50 (booth) pre-registration donation, deadline is July 14. For more info, contact Leonard Miller at (310) 701-9357, sppirateboostersclub@gmail.com, or visit sanpedropirateboosters.com.

including raffle prizes and live music.

Tickets are $25. For more info, call (310) 832-2424.

THIS FALL AUGUST 23 (Thurs) – AUGUST 25 (Sat) – HOT PEDRO NITES. Enjoy a fun-filled weekend! Thursday: Benefit Concert at the Warner Grand Theatre (478 W. 6th St.), featuring performances

by The Kingsmen and Surfin’: The Beach Boys Tribute. Tickets $40/general and VIP available. Friday: Cruise Nite on Pacific Avenue; Saturday: Rockin’ Pedro Reunion. For tickets and more info, visit cleansanpedro.tix.com.

AUGUST 25 (Sat) – 14TH ANNUAL LIGHT AT THE LIGHTHOUSE MUSIC FESTIVAL at Point Fermin Park (807 W. Paseo Del Mar), 10a – 6p.

This annual event features live music, 21 (Sat) – 17TH PARKHURST ARTentertainment, and a day full of famISTS’ EXHIBIT at Parkhurst Galleries ily fun and fellowship. Four stages of (489 W. 6th St.), 5 – 8p. Opening Recep- some of the best in Christian music and tion of a collection from over 30 local worship, food trucks, local vendors, and artists, with live music, hors d’oeuvres, more. Free admission. For more info, and wine bar. Collection will be shown visit lightatthelighthouse.org. through August 17. Free admission. For more info, visit parkhurstgalleries.com. SEPTEMBER 8 (Sat) – THE AUXILIARY OF THE LITTLE SISTERS OF THE 27 (Wed) – 29 (Fri) – SHREK THE MU- POOR “MAKE IT A HABIT” GALA at SICAL at the Warner Grand Theatre Rolling Hills Country Club (1 Chandler (478 W. 6th St.), Various showtimes.

Ranch Road). Celebrating the 150th Based on the animated film, Shrek the Anniversary of the Little Sisters arrival Musical is this year’s must-see show for in the United States. For more info, call the whole family. Tickets begin at $46.

(310) 548-0625, ext. 212.

To purchase tickets and for more info, visit encoresouthbay.org.

SEPTEMBER 14 (Fri) – SAN PEDRO PIRATE BOOSTERS CLUB 60TH AN28 (Sat) – ANNUAL WINE TASTE at NIVERSARY DINNER at San Pedro The Muller House (1542 S. Beacon St.), Fist Market (1190 Nagoya Way), 6p.

3 – 6p. The San Pedro Bay Historical Are you a past president of the San PeSociety presents an afternoon on the dro Pirate Boosters Club? Contact them scenic Muller House patio, including today! This special event will be honorhors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. ing past presidents with an evening cel$25/person suggested donation. Space ebrating their legacy and impact to San is limited. For reservation info, visit Pedro High School Athletics. Tickets: sanpedrobayhistoricalsociety.org or call Past presidents +1 guest, admission is (310) 365-8873. complimentary; $25/family and friends; $250/full table of 10. For more info, 28 (Sat) – BEER AND WINE TASTING contact Leonard Miller at (310) 701FUNDRAISER at The Corner Store 9357, sppirateboostersclub@gmail.com, (1118 W. 37th St.), 1 – 4p. Help raise or visit sanpedropirateboosters.com. funds for the 25th Street Mosaic Project,

11 (Wed) – KNIGHTS OF ROCK at the Warner Grand Theatre (478 W. 6th St.), This Summer – ID TECH CAMPS. Your 7p. Live on stage, the boys behind the student can learn to code a mobile app, band of Fleetwood Mac! Featuring performances by Chuck Alvarez and Leo design their own video game, produce Rossi. Advance tickets are $20 ($25 at a viral video, or discover the secrets of A.I.. iD Tech Camps offer weeklong ses- door), available for purchase at knightsions in an expansive lineup of courses sofrock.tix.com. to kick start your student’s future in 14 (Sat) – POINT FERMIN PALISADES tech. Day (9a – 5p) and overnight opWALKING TOUR, 10a. Local historian tions. Now – August 24 at Marymount California University, Long Beach State, and San Pedro Today columnist, Angela UCLA, and more. Visit iDTech.com, or Romero, will teach you all about everyone's favorite coastal neighborhood and call (888) 709-8324 to register. how a single vote changed the course of JUNE 29 (Fri) – 10TH ANNUAL CARS its history. Tickets $15, space is limited. Want to see your event here? Email events@sanpedrotoday.com to A second tour will be offered Sunday place a listing. Deadline for the August issue is Friday, July 13. & STRIPES FOREVER at the Port of July 29. Call (310) 808-7800 to reserve.

Find more events at facebook.com/sanpedrotoday.

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RIDING WITH PURPOSE LOCAL BIKER CLUB TO DONATE BACKPACKS TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS

by Jacob A. Ybarra When you think of a motorcycle club, charity is probably not one of the first things to cross your mind.

The members of the San Pedro Harbor Area Pirates Motorcycle Club would like to change that as giving back to our community is one of their founding principles.

Since 2015, the Harley Davidson riding SPHA Pirates have been serving the community in various ways, from food and toy donations during the holiday season, to giving out school supplies to students before the start of the school year.

On Saturday, July 14, the SPHA Pirates will be holding their third annual backpack giveaway at Barton Hill Elementary School (423 N. Pacific Ave). The event will take place from Noon to 3 p.m. and will host local families in need, as the SPHA Pirates plan on giving over 250 backpacks and school supplies to students from across

10 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JULY 2018

the San Pedro area. Also, students and families at the event will be treated to food provided by Big Nick’s Pizza, along with various activities, such as face painting, for kids of all ages to enjoy.

“We just want the whole San Pedro community to come together… and the more kids we can help, the better,” says Marcos Villela of Barton Hill Pride, the school-oriented community group. And with the support of the SPHA Pirates, that help is more available today than ever before. By donating these supplies to students that are in need, the members of the SPHA Pirates not only leave a lasting impact on the children, but also provide much appreciated relief to families that are struggling financially.

It is this community relief that is the fundamental goal of the SPHA Pirates, as the members of the club all fully understand the goodness that can come

Members of the SPHA Pirates joined by Barton Hill Elementary School Principal Michael A. Pile (seated on motorcycle) during their second backpack giveaway (photo courtesy SPHA Pirates)

from the gift of charity.

“We want to help the city that gave us the opportunity to be where we are at now,” Chris Valencia, president of the SPHA Pirates says, “the main goal has always been to give back to our hometown.”

Consisting primarily of family and friends, some of which were past students of Barton Hill Elementary themselves, the SPHA Pirates’ main philosophy has always been to embrace the sense of family and togetherness that comes with the community of San

Pedro, and with more than 20 members, there impact on the community can only continue to grow.

Whether it’s helping students obtain the supplies they need in order to have a proper education or giving aid to local community organizations, it’s clear that the SPHA Pirates ride their motorcycles with a purpose: charity through unity. spt

For more information on the SPHA Pirates, follow them on Instagram @spha_pirates.

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VOICES

BOOK ADDS ANOTHER CHAPTER TO GLORY OF PIRATES SOFTBALL

by Steve Marconi Just a few months ago, San Pedro High sports historian Steve Schiazzano suggested to sports writer Jamaal K. Street that he write a book about Pirates softball, the most decorated program in the school’s long history and probably in L.A. City sports history.

Street went home, sat in front of his computer and, in just a few days, produced A Diamond Dynasty.

The rather lengthy subtitle – “Four Decades of History of the 17-Time CIFLos Angeles City Section Champion San Pedro High School Softball Program” – pretty much says it all.

Street writes about every team from the program’s inception in 1974 through 2017, when the Pirates won their 17th City championship, with pithy section titles. Each year in review includes notable games, key plays, notable players and statistics. They’re all there, a who’s-who of all-stars beginning with the legendary Louise Figlewicz in 1979 and ending with Andrea Cline in 2017.

The appendices include listings of San Pedro High’s All-League, All-City and All-State players, league MVPs and City Players of the Year – too many to mention – and complete playoff results.

The end of the book is reserved for 32 pages of black-and-white and color photos of individual players and teams.

The 148-page comb-bound booklet was published by the Haley Way

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Foundation, a special education organization founded by Street’s mother, Lydia Haley. The book can be purchased for $20 from the website haleywayfoundation. org, or sending an email to diamonddynasty2018@yahoo.com.

Haley is justifiably proud. As Street says himself in the foreword, “It only took me 35 hours to write about all 43 seasons. Not bad for someone who was born diagnosed with autism and didn’t learn how to tie his own shoes until the age of 10.”

Street, a 1997 graduate, actually covered the Pirates over the past 20 seasons both in print and as a game announcer. The dynasty had already been launched with the first City championship in 1979, but starting in 1998, San Pedro High went to 13 title games and won 11. In fact, Street’s book was almost outdated by the time it was published when Tony Dobra, who had coached the Pirates to 13 titles, came out of retirement in midseason 2018 and got San Pedro High into yet another championship game.

Considering how many girls have been a part of the softball program over the past 43 years, and the number of family and friends connected to those girls, I’m thinking interested readers would include a large part of San Pedro.

A dynasty indeed.

In Memoriam Mel Bobich and Tom Politeo were a generation apart, and while they both had deep roots in San Pedro’s Croatian community, what they most shared was a desire to improve the lives of those around them.

Tom, one of my contemporaries, died tragically at age 65 in May from complications of brain surgery. Bobich died in June at the age of 91.

When not working, Tom was involved in environmental issues, particularly those related to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. I didn't get to know Tom until after he married Mary Forgione, who I worked with for many years at the Daily Breeze before we both ended up at the Los Angeles

Times. Port pollution has been a hotbutton issue for decades now, especially since the advent of container cargo ships, and the often-heated debate that pits jobs against health will miss Tom’s calming influence.

Mel’s fingerprints are all over the San Pedro youth sports scene, with his volunteer involvement in creating playing fields and gymnasiums.

Those good works have been welldocumented, but Mel was involved in many other projects, and it was his role in the 100th anniversary celebration of San Pedro in 1988 that first brought us together.

Mel was part of the centennial committee that put together a list of San Pedrans killed in World War II. As far as I know, it was the first such comprehensive list of its kind, and I relied on it heavily earlier this century while doing the work that resulted in the San Pedro WWII Memorial at Green Hills Memorial Park.

That same centennial celebration included the naming of the top 100 athletes in San Pedro history, a list that has been a great resource for the San Pedro High Athletic Hall of Fame committee, of which I’m a member.

Mel, a sports writer himself in his youth, was part of that committee as well.

With all of that, one of the achievements Mel was most proud of is one of his least known. Back in the 1960s, when the Harbor Freeway was first completed, Mel saw a potential safety problem at the junction of the Channel Street off-ramp. There was nothing to protect drivers who missed their turn from driving off the freeway; when he brought that to the attention of the proper authorities, those yellow barrels that are there to this day appeared. As oldest son Tom said, “Like he did in so many other things, he saw the need and pointed it out.”

And that’s how Mel Bobich and Tom Politeo made life better for San Pedrans. spt Steve Marconi can be reached at spmarconi@yahoo.com.

VOICES

SUMMER’S HERE

MAKING CABRILLO BEACH EVEN BETTER Shop ACE for All Your Grilling Needs!

by Jennifer Marquez For years, I have wondered who is responsible for patrolling Cabrillo Beach. I wrote an article about it a while back and researched every option, including LAPD, Port Police, Air Force Police, and Sherriff. Both Air Force Police and Sherriff said it was not them. LAPD and Port Police pointed fingers at each other at the time. They both said they answer calls, but the patrol was not their responsibility at outer Cabrillo Beach.

Time passed, and one day at Venice Beach, I saw LAPD patrolling on the sand. If LAPD is on the sand on a cityowned beach in Los Angeles, then why aren't they at Cabrillo Beach, which is also in Los Angeles? The Cabrillo Beach area is not as straightforward as Venice.

At Cabrillo Beach, there are wiggly boundary lines, County lifeguards on the city-side and areas on the port-side leased out to Los Angeles Recreation and Parks. There are also two beaches there with one name. When the news reports an ‘F’ water rating for Cabrillo Beach, they often leave the “inner” part off. The outer beach consistently earns an A, so the inner beach pollutes the name of the outer beach. Renaming one of the beaches seems like a great idea. Two beaches, two ratings with one name is not working and too confusing.

After obtaining a map of the area from the port recently, I verified that outer Cabrillo Beach is not in the boundaries of the Port of Los Angeles and part of the City of Los Angeles, meaning that outer Cabrillo Beach patrol falls on LAPD. Port Police cover the inner beach, parking area, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, and all of the area including the Marsh and Boy Scout Camp. While Port Police and LAPD work together to answer calls, Port Police are the first responders at all of the areas there, including outer Cabrillo Beach.

Park Rangers also patrol outer Cabrillo Beach, but there are only two of them, working Wednesday – Saturday from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. They clock in at Griffith Park, go to Cabrillo

Beach, and then head to Harbor Regional Park before clocking out at Griffith Park. There is coverage by the Park Rangers, but it is limited. The LAPD Security Services close Cabrillo Beach on some days, but do not patrol.

The gap in patrol is an issue, and the answer is for LAPD to add outer Cabrillo Beach to their patrol area. The lack of patrol creates problems at the beach and for the community, including loud all-night parties with people leaving drunk in their cars.

In Venice Beach, which is very different than Cabrillo Beach, LAPD has a beach unit with officers on the sand on foot and ATVs. Also, they have a bike unit that patrols the area. The Port of Los Angeles Police and LAPD should create a joint beach unit as well; it does not have to be as big as Venice, but it would be a great start.

What would San Pedro be without our beaches and ocean views? The beach belongs to the whole town, which is why we must demand it be taken care of and protected. A fire pit outside the fire ring does not sound like a big deal until a child steps on a hot coal the next day buried in the sand. Stepping on broken glass from beer bottles left behind the night before is reason enough to patrol these parties.

We all can do our part to do cleanups at the beach and report tagging and other issues on the Parks and Recreation online form and app. A group of proactive neighbors has recently formed a closed group on Facebook called the Cabrillo Beach Neighborhood Crime Watch page.

In addition to looking out for the beach and surrounding area, members are contacting the city with various concerns and requests. In addition to a safer, cleaner Cabrillo Beach, getting new food vendors and kayak and stand up paddle rentals are also goals for many. A clean and safe beach, with a taco and a smoothie, after a morning kayaking with the seals, should be an option for anybody at Cabrillo Beach. spt Jennifer Marquez can be reached at jennifertmarquez@yahoo.com or @iroamjen on Instagram.

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VOICES

WARNER GRAND TO RECEIVE EXTENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS

by Liz Schindler Johnson Many of you know that Grand Vision Foundation (GVF) runs the Grand Annex, Sixth Street’s cabaret concert venue. You might also know that GVF provides music education in eight local schools to more than 1,600 schoolchildren. You may have attended open mic night on First Thursday at the Annex, or maybe you’ve seen the acts we book each year at San Pedro’s Dia de Los Muertos street festival. But did you know that we were founded to save the Warner Grand Theatre and bring it back as a cultural and economic anchor for San Pedro?

That’s how many people got to know Grand Vision in the ‘90s and early 2000s. We actually did “save the theatre” and accomplish a major restoration in 2003-07 with the help of the City of Los Angeles and an outpouring of community love and support. The City of Los Angeles owns and operates the theatre and we are its official Friend’s Group.

We restored the seats, the stage rigging, added carpeting, expanded the stage, and significantly improved the theatre’s technical abilities. There still was so much more to do, but once the great recession of 2007 struck, we could no longer raise funds for such projects.

And, even though the City owned and ran the building, it was never high enough on the bureaucrats’ list of priorities to receive the infrastructure improvements it so desperately needed, until now. I have two pieces of phenomenal news to share.

Thanks to Councilman Joe Buscaino’s vision, the City has recently taken important steps to advance the rehabilitation efforts for our community’s precious Warner Grand.

After several years of assessments, the Mayor and City Council endorsed the expenditure of at least $5 million for the City to address extensive deferred maintenance. Both the Councilman and Grand Vision have listened to L.A.’s top concert promoters who have spoken in one voice to essentially say, “We love your theatre, but it does not have the functionality we need to produce shows here on a regular basis.” That’s going to 14 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JULY 2018

change.

Now that the City has the means to address much needed upgrades and repairs, we are launching a drive to complement the City’s infrastructure project, called “Love the Lobby.” This campaign will restore the stunning, original painted art deco designs on the main lobby walls and ceiling. Our campaign will need to raise $350,000, which is outside of the City’s $5 million initiative. Fortunately, the Councilman has already set up a partner challenge for us. When we raise $50,000, he will donate a match.

Grand Vision recently worked with a paint restoration specialist to do some exploratory work in the lobby.

We discovered some exquisite art deco designs under the beige paint on the ceiling. When you are in the theatre lobby, make sure to look up and you will see several “windows” revealing the designs throughout the lobby.

Meanwhile, the City’s $5 million of authorized funding will be dedicated to addressing ADA access requirements and fire-life-safety systems, building infrastructure upgrades (plumbing, electrical, HVAC system), and improvements to theatrical systems (lighting and sound). The City team, which includes the Departments of Engineering and Cultural Affairs, have already come up with some essential improvements, like an elevator, a professional sound booth, and an exciting initial idea, that is by no means definite, to build a small café above the storefronts off the balcony.

The City team has assured us that they will continue to rely on Grand Vision’s expertise to assist with restoration activities. We hope to be involved in the selection of an architect and be able to provide regular updates and a kick off presentation at the theatre before the work begins. The team will have a final scope of work for the project defined before the end of the summer and will likely contract with a specialized contractor to carry out the work. It looks like the community’s beloved theatre may be looking better than ever when she turns 90 in a few years. spt For photos, and to support the Campaign, visit grandvision.org/restoration.

JULY 2018 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 15

VOICES

A TRULY ‘WONDERFUL LIFE’

by Mike Lansing In It’s a Wonderful Life, George Bailey is determined to leave his small town and “travel the world.” But as fate has it, he never leaves Bedford Falls. In the process, he builds a home and family with his wife Mary, and transforms the lives of hundreds of people and the town he grew up in through a life of quiet giving and caring for his neighbors. He doesn’t realize the great impact he has had on so many until he almost ends his life in an act of momentary desperation.

Milenko “Mel” Bobich grew up in San Pedro, where, except for a few displaced years due to World War II and his job with the Santa Fe Railroad, he lived almost his entire 91 years before passing last month. He and his lovely life Katie made a home and raised their brood of seven children and 18 grandchildren over the decades.

Like the fictional George, Mel, too, had a passion for improving the lives of his extended neighbors and hometown.

Many of you reading this column might not have known Mel, but his lifelong efforts are a tremendous legacy of impact and opportunity for our children and our children’s children.

Mel had a passion for sports, especially baseball, but more importantly, a passion to help children by providing them the facilities and support they needed. My first acknowledgement of Mel’s altruistic nature was when I was in college.

He led the building of McKenzie baseball field at Bogdanovich Park, and almost single-handedly led the charge to get a full gymnasium built there. I didn’t realize how amazing and difficult getting that gym built really was until I became a longtime coach desperately searching for facilities for my youth teams, and later as the Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club. Like George Bailey, Mel quietly improved the lives of so many youth with those selfless efforts and he did all this and so much more solely as a most determined and successful community activist/volunteer.

In time, Mel’s success in advocating for youth and community needs would snowball. In the mid-80’s when a group of us were tired of seeing a lack of recreation facilities and opportunities for the children, we started the San Pedro Youth Coalition and Mel was our “voice of reason and controlled 16 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JULY 2018

passion,” as he mentored us younger advocates who had less brains and too much mouth. We started an afterschool tutoring program at the San Pedro Library, annual poetry and short story competitions, an annual track meet, and produced a monthly newsletter called Youth Times. Mel came up with the idea for the Youth Coalition’s most successful “Future Leaders of San Pedro” event, which recognizes the great potential of our youth and spurs them on to reach and exceed our expectations of that potential. In nearly 30 years of Future Leaders, hundreds of our youth have been publicly recognized and some have become real leaders in our community.

Mel and Katie toiled selflessly to organize that event for so many years.

But Mel’s greatest impact was his ability to quietly and respectfully fight through the bureaucracy and red tape to establish much needed athletic and recreational facilities in our town.

Besides what he originally established at Bogdanovich Park, Mel was either the lead or part of the leadership team that pushed through the following important facilities for our community: Peck Park Gym, Field of Dreams, San Pedro High School Sports Stadium, San Pedro High School Gym, soccer & third ball field at Bogdanovich Park, and the vast open space at 22nd Street.

Mel leaves a legacy that is unmatched because of the lives he has, and will, eventually improve over time. These will number in the tens of thousands due to his selfless efforts and love for our community and our children.

I have been blessed to be able to call Mel Bobich my friend and invaluable mentor. And while so many of us witnessed and marveled at this unselfish volunteer for our youth, he always refused any public recognition such as Citizen of the Year and other awards. Therefore, since he can’t abstain now, no one is more deserving of a Sportswalk plaque, as his statistics will far exceed all others already enshrined on Sixth Street.

This column is my nomination – time for the Sportswalk committee to take it under sincere consideration.

Like George Bailey, Mel Bobich led a truly wonderful life. Goodbye, my friend. If friendships and impact are the mark of achievement, you truly left this world “the richest man in town.” spt Mike Lansing is the Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor.

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JULY 2018 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 17

Talk About the Passion

by Joshua Stecker

SAN PEDRAN NAMED USCG’S ENLISTED FROM PERSONAL STRUGGLES TO PERSON OF THE YEAR CAREER SUCCESS, CHUCK ALVAREZ TURNS HIS LIFE STORY INTO AN

by SPT Staff INSPIRING ONE-MAN SHOW

(photo: John Mattera Photography)

Two minutes into our conversation at Sirens Java & Tea, Chuck Alvarez stops talking, points up towards the ceiling and smiles. “That's great stuff,” he says, referencing the jazz coming out of the speakers. It was barely audible in the bustling coffee shop, but Alvarez picked up on it quickly. “I'm not a huge jazz guy,” he says, “but I like that era. That 60s kind of jazz, Coltrane and Miles.”

The 63-year-old bears the scars of a journeyman musician. Dressed in ragged jeans and a button-down shirt, his scalp that once bore brown hair past his shoulders is now a tanned, clean slate. His voice deep, with a soft, unidentifiable twang that hides any hint of his Costa Rican heritage. From playing to a couple dozen people at the old Sacred Grounds in downtown San Pedro (where Niko’s Pizzeria now sits) to performing for thousands of people in venues all over the world, Alvarez has ridden the highs and lows of life as a singer/songwriter and has lived to tell the tale.

That tale is the reason we’re chatting.

A few years ago, Alvarez turned his life’s story into an inspirational oneman show that mixes music with heartfelt, spoken word stories about choices, purpose, failure and success. Co-written by his old Los Angeles Harbor College theatre professor, Larry Heimgartner, Alvarez, a graduate of San Pedro High School (class of ‘73), has been touring the show, which has gone by the working titles Our World 33 or Music & Courage at various times, in between his regular concert schedule.

“It was cathartic,” Alvarez says about co-writing the one-man show, which was recently performed earlier this 18 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JULY 2018

year at Alvas Showroom. “There were some moments where I just had some big realizations about my dad and our relationship. There's something therapeutic about it.”

and didn't like it,” remembers Alvarez.

“He wound up working for an import/ export company his whole life.” Unable to achieve his own professional dream, Alvarez’s father didn’t want the same fate to fall upon his son.

SINCE DAY ONE “My dad came to the United States He started taking guitar lessons at for freedom's sake, because he wanted 10-years-old, his father teaching him to be free to make his own choices,” his first few chords; by 14, he was start- says Alvarez. “He never followed his ing to get serious. “My friends in school dream, but he provided a good life. Had were asking, ‘What am I going to do a good, supportive family. But all my with my life?’ I never had that question. life, he kept telling me, ‘Do what you From day one, I knew I wanted to be a want, do what you love,’ because he musician,” he says. didn't want to see what happened to By 18, he was teaching music to kids. him happen to me.”

The rebellious spirit of a rock ‘n’ roll kid growing up in the 1970s was taking ROCK ‘N’ ROLL FANTASY over, though. It wasn’t until he was It wasn’t long before Alvarez’s music older that Alvarez realized the apple career began to take off. By the time he didn’t fall too far from the tree, recogwas 19, he was playing in local bands. nizing that he shared the same defiant “While I was studying music at Harbor attitude as his father.

College for a few years, I started play“I grew up in a culturally different ing the L.A. clubs, like the Troubadour background from most of my friends in and the Whiskey. Then I went to WyoSan Pedro,” explains Alvarez. “My dad ming for a year with a country band, came here in his 30s from Costa Rica, traveling around the Midwest. I would he already had three daughters. I’m play anywhere anyone would let me. I the first generation of my family born was fearless.” in the states. The reason he got out of He returned to Southern California there was because his family always and joined The Twisters, a popular told him what to do.”

Beach Cities rock band that achieved a Rebelling against the family trade in short bit of success in the late 70s. Even the import/export business, Alvarez’s though he was enjoying the limelight, father dreamed of becoming a mechani- he was hungry to do more serious work. cal engineer and moved his family to “There was a lot of partying, and I was Los Angeles. Alvarez would be born 12 particularly out of control,” remembers years later, followed by another sister.

Alvarez. “I wanted something a little Ironically, due to his poor English more serious. I wanted to be an artist, skills and needing a good paying job but I lost focus.” to support his family, Alvarez’s father Unfortunately, the partying began to relented and ended up going into the take its toll and soon Alvarez was batimport/export business anyway. tling the demons of drugs and alcohol.

“He got a job on the docks at first “I've done really well,” he says. “I've

done a lot of things most musicians dream of doing. But I didn't really focus in my 20s because I was partying. 1975 to 1985 were some pretty gnarly years.”

During that period, the guitarist hit a low point. He was living in a small, basement apartment in San Francisco, busking on the streets for money, when he got a call from a friend looking for a stage tech. Alvarez took him up on the offer, figuring it was a way to get his foot in the door with bigger musical acts. He teched for the likes of Paul Butterfield, Rick Danko (from The Band), Blondie Chaplin (of The Flames and The Beach Boys), Michael McDonald, David Benoit, and even San Pedro’s own Ambrosia. “I knew those guys because I used to open up for them at high school dances,” laughs Alvarez.

He eventually got hired to be the tour manager for rock/jazz fusion pioneer, Tim Weisberg. He was sick of being thought of as a crew guy though and wanted a shot to get back onstage as a musician. Alvarez got his chance when a position in Weisberg’s band opened up. He booked the gig, which ended up changing his life. “My first gig with Tim was at Caesars Palace, our second gig was at Universal Amphitheater. All of a sudden, I'm in this thing, scared to death. I realized that I was barely good enough. I got real serious at that point.

Those first two years, I swore I'd never let my issues get in the way. Couple years went by, I started getting a little more relaxed and I showed up at a rehearsal pretty messed up. That's when I knew I had to quit [the substance abuse]. Two years into the gig, when I was 33-years-old, I quit all of it.”

Alvarez has been sober now for more than 30 years.

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After touring with Weisberg for a decade (1985-96), Alvarez wanted to start making a name for himself as a blues man. “One of best things Weisberg told me was to be the Chuck Alvarez Band,” he says. “Don't pick some other name, because then it's not you. Bass players and drummers can come and go, but I couldn’t. So, I took the advice and became the Chuck Alvarez Band.”

OUR WORLD There’s a lot more of Alvarez’s story that can’t be unpacked in one article.

There were other side bands and projects; other relationships that came and went. Tours that took him around the world. The recording of his first few albums starting in the early 90s. The deaths of former bandmates, some to addiction. The death of his father. His eventual move back to San Pedro. And maybe most importantly, his marriage to his third wife, Stacy, and the birth of their son, Koa. Always seeking to improve his craft, Alvarez would dabble in various musical disciplines. He studied with jazz greats Mike Sunjka and Ron Echete.

In the 90s, he went back to college and studied film scoring at UCLA and wrote musicals at Harbor College with his professor-turned-collaborator, Larry Heimgartner. Their partnership resulted in Alvarez’s participation in Heimgartner’s Our World Project, where Alvarez’s one-man show was born.

The Our World Project is a collection of thirty-minute plays focusing on social problems facing today’s youth with performances all over the world.

Through the years, Alvarez would help write music for various Our World shows, enjoying the process and watching it grow internationally. “It was a big success,” says Alvarez. “We had just toured around the UK with it when Larry said to me, ‘I want to do another inspirational piece, and I want it to be about music. And I want it to be about you.’”

“I’ve known Chuck since he was 18,” says Heimgartner. “He’s amazingly talented, but he’s also gone though some struggles in his life. Chuck’s story is one about sticking with your dreams, dealing with recovery issues, the struggles he had with drugs and alcohol abuse, and the epiphany he had at age 33 when he decided to clean up. He’s a

very giving person and I’m proud to call him my friend.”

Alvarez didn’t know what to think, but Heimgartner knew Alvarez’s life story was the perfect source material for a show about pursuing your passion, the father and son dynamic, overcoming dangerous vices, and finding one’s focus in life. Alvarez wrote some songs for it while Heimgartner interviewed him, taking the most important chapters of his life and turning it into a script for a new one-man show, this time with Alvarez front and center, not only as the topic, but also as the performer.

“Larry latched on to the important themes in my life,” says Alvarez. “My musical journey, my father’s impact, my success in overcoming drugs and alcohol, and my life as a father and family man, and turned it into this inspirational piece of work.”

They toured the show in the UK and in various spots in the states, including a few performances in San Pedro, where it was well-received.

On July 11, Alvarez will be performing the show, currently titled Music & Courage, as part of the Knights of Rock: Fleetwood Mac show at the Warner Grand Theatre, produced by his good friend, Leo Rossi, who will also be performing his own one-man show, another collaboration with Heimgartner, called A Knight’s Tale.

Today, Alvarez is back in San Pedro.

He and his wife Stacy have opened a side business, Flipside Gymnastics, as an outlet for kids to “develop healthy minds and bodies from the inside out... and upside down through the arts,” as described on its Facebook page. He’s also working on his fifth and sixth albums concurrently.

“Now that I’m not touring as much, I have a lot of fun playing with my lifelong San Pedro friends, Jim Tardio and John Balesteri,” he says. “Joined by Roni Iacono and Paul Cirillo, we make up the band Mid Life Crisis. I’m also involved with a blues band called Satellite Voodoo, with Adam Idell, Ed Callen and Jerry Vilicich.”

He continues, “I feel like all this stuff that's happened in the past has just fueled what was to come in the future. I just feel really lucky.” spt For more info on Chuck Alvarez and to purchase his music, visit chuckalvarez.com.

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KNIGHT OF ROCK FROM SPHS STAGE CLASS TO TOURING WITH FLEETWOOD MAC, LEO ROSSI RECOUNTS HIS ROCK ’N ROLL LIFE IN AN INSPIRATIONAL NEW ONE-MAN SHOW

by Joshua Stecker

(photo: John Mattera Photography)

Dig if you will this picture: It’s March 11, 1975. Led Zeppelin has just taken the stage in front of a sold-out crowd at Long Beach Arena. Standing backstage, ten-feet away from the band, is 17-year-old Leo Rossi, a San Pedro High School senior recently hired as a rookie stagehand.

During the middle of their set, the lights in the arena go dark, save for a single beam focused on the band’s legendary lead singer, Robert Plant, illuminating the self-proclaimed “Golden God” in all his rock glory. Rossi recognizes that light right away. He should, he’s the one that set it. “I was just a kid.

I look at pictures from that concert and I see that light thinking, I touched that light. I made that moment.”

Rossi has been making these moments for some of rock ‘n’ roll’s most iconic bands for more than 40 years.

He’s part of an exclusive community of unsung heroes that have brought some of the greatest musical acts to audiences all around the world. It’s a group compiled of stagehands, lighting and sound techs, stage designers and tour managers; people who worked tirelessly behind-the-scenes to bring music to the masses. Rossi has dubbed this group the Knights of Rock.

“We were just a bunch of guys that went out and really wanted to make a difference, and we weren't arrogant about it,” says Rossi. “It's a great American success story.”

That story is where the 60-year-old Rossi is pointing the spotlight on these days. In recent years, he has focused his energy on telling the stories of the guys on the front line of rock history. Stories 22 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JULY 2018

about the drama, struggles, successes, failures, and once-in-a-lifetime moments from the backstage crews that worked for some of the biggest names in music, like The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Beach Boys, Deep Purple, ELO, and Fleetwood Mac, the band Rossi would work with the longest for more than 20 years.

“I wanted to tell the stories of the guys doing the heavy lifting,” he says.

As the Knights of Rock project was coming together, focus soon turned to Rossi’s own life. “I didn’t want to tell my story,” says Rossi. “That was between me and the bands.” But he soon discovered that his story, while unique, also carried with it universal themes of pursuing your passion, hard work, overcoming grief, and the importance of charity. When presented in that context, Rossi relented and decided his story was finally worth telling.

BREAKING THE RULES “This whole journey started because I snuck backstage once,” laughs Rossi.

Like most stories about success, it’s usually a single moment that changes the trajectory of one’s life. For Rossi, it was sneaking backstage during a high school field trip to see the musical Cabaret at Long Beach Civic Light Opera. “I was a 15-year-old freshman taking a stage class that I signed up for because it had no homework,” recalls Rossi. “It was intermission and I was bored. I saw the backstage door. I can't tell you why, but something drew me to it. I walked through the door, the lights went out and I was sitting in a corner watching the lights, the scenery mov-

ing. It was magic.”

When the performance ended, Rossi bolted towards the door he came in from but was caught red-handed.

Ironically, after pleading his case, his punishment was having to go back to the theater and work as a stagehand for three days a week. (Of note, also in that stage class was future musician, Chuck Alvarez.) “I think they realized I was really into it and wanted to turn a negative into a positive,” he says. The punishment turned into a lifelong career.

Rossi was always fond of music.

Living in San Francisco as a kid, he experienced the Summer of Love firsthand in 1967 as a 10-year-old. The fourth of five kids in an Italian family, he was always taking things apart to see how they worked, a trait that helped him tremendously as a stagehand.

When the punishment ran its course, Rossi proved his worth and was offered a gig working at Long Beach Arena while still in high school. “It was a Saturday,” recalls Rossi. “I showed up in the morning, and all of the sudden I saw trucks and guys with long hair, and I realized this wasn’t the opera. It was the band Humble Pie. All I got was a t-shirt as pay. Soon after, it turned into an apprenticeship and I made 25-cents an hour.”

From that day forward, Rossi never stopped working. When word spread around San Pedro High that he was working these big rock concerts, he started to get a lot of attention, but the work caused him to miss a lot of teenage rites of passage.

“I didn't go to football games. I didn't go to the proms. I didn't go to dances.

I was constantly working,” he says.

“But the guys I was working with were teaching me so much about lighting and sound. But more than anything, I was learning how to deal with people.”

EARLY LESSONS Stories come tumbling out of Rossi’s mouth so quickly that it’s impossible to squeeze them all into a single profile.

His work experience surpassed anything he learned in school. When things would break, he could fix it. He was studying the old stagehands and proving himself invaluable. While still in high school, Rossi was offered tours to work on, but kept saying no so he could graduate.

The same road guys would come through town and would remember him. Looking older than his age, most of the guys didn’t realize he was still in high school. “I remember during a Lynyrd Skynyrd show, this guy Scottie Parsons, who owned Continental Lighting, was in town,” he says. “He was a great guy and respected me and made me feel like I was somebody. Well, he calls me over to help out with a dimmer rack that kept blowing the breaker. At the end of the show, looking older than I really was, he pulls me over, clears off a road case and starts pouring this white powder on it and says, ‘Here man, thanks for helping me out.’ Another guy that was on the tour, Bobby O'Neal, threw the stuff on the ground and said, ‘This guy's only fifteen! What the heck are you doing?”

A couple months later, the Continental Lighting trucks were back in town, and Rossi was hoping to see his buddy

Whatever happened to...

Regina Schiano

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“I was living by myself. I was very lonely and depressed and I had fallen several times. My granddaughter found Harbor Terrace. We visited and liked what we saw, so I decided to give it a try. Once here, I met other people that were so kind and welcoming. I have really enjoyed the old movies, interesting speakers, opera, live music and bingo. Being busy and enjoying the company of others has definitely helped me. I feel that I have found myself again.

I am happy and very glad I made Harbor Terrace my new home.”

Regina Schiano Resident of Harbor Terrace

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Scottie again. “I’m thinking, great! It’s going to be fun. I see Bobby and ask where Scottie is. And Bobby says, ‘He’s not here, he overdosed.’ That was a big moment in my life. I still remember to this day how I felt. That left a huge impression on me.”

But like Rossi said, these stories are between him and the artists. Who knows?

Maybe he’ll tell them someday.

THE HOMEFRONT While Rossi had several rock ‘n’ roll families that he traveled the world with, he was also starting a family of his own ON THE ROAD back in San Pedro.

After graduation in 1975, the tours beHe and Lisa, whom he knew since gan. Rossi’s very first tour was with The high school, had five children – Ryan, Who for four weeks in the states. A few Tristan, Shain, Channing, and Khiara. short gigs came that summer, but in the For a guy whose career took him away fall of ’75, he received a life changing from home a lot, raising a family was a phone call. “Someone called and said challenge.

Fleetwood Mac is going to start a new “Our children are my proudest record and they want to play the music achievement,” he says. “I was gone a live before they record it,” he says. lot, leaving Lisa with the kids. I had “They asked if I wanted in. They said nannies, and I had my family and there's no money because they're a new everything, but that's still not a normal band. I said, I've got nothing else going family upbringing. I take a lot of reon. So, I did it.” sponsibility for the things that she went The decision led to more than 20 through. I'm blessed that it worked, and years of touring the world with one of I'm lucky that I had a wonderful woman rock’s most popular bands. “I rememthat fought so hard to keep her stuff ber listening to them play for the first together. It's been an amazing journey.” time, I got chills and my hair stood Sadly, in December 2011, their eldest up,” remembers Rossi. “The energy in son, Ryan, passed away from nonthe room was crazy. I can't explain it.

Hodgkin’s lymphoma at the age of 27.

Lindsey [Buckingham] comes in with His legacy is kept alive through 20k this little touchy guitar feel. And Stevie Watts, an Artist Eco Alliance, started [Nicks] is dancing around the microby Ryan, Rossi, and fellow musician phone. And I'm sitting there thinking, J.R. Richards. The nonprofit was foundI’m not going anywhere. I'm riding ed after a trip to El Salvador where the this one out. All of us, the crew and the sight of the conditions people lived in band, we really became a family.” struck a chord so deep it couldn’t be When Fleetwood Mac were off ignored. 20k Watts’ mission is to give the road, Rossi would jump on tours clean light, fresh water, and medical with other bands, like The Beach Boys assistance to any child in the world who (working their 20th and 50th anniverneeds it. sary tours), Black Sabbath, The RollRyan’s death rocked the Rossi family ing Stones, Grateful Dead, Al Jarreau, to its core. His “Just Love It” mantra Rickie Lee Jones, Bob Marley, Santana, that he shared shortly before his passing Tom Jones, Cheap Trick, Billy Idol, and (which you can read at justloveit.org), ELO, among dozens of others. He even also turned into a mission statement toured with Bette Midler. All in all, it’s for Rossi. After a conversation with been a 40-year journey of life in the fast his daughter Khiara, Rossi decided he lane. needed to find a bigger purpose for his In the early 1980s, the rock ‘n’ roll life. “She says to me, ‘I think you need lifestyle was catching up to him. Money to tell your story, because it could really was rolling in, but Rossi was also start- help people. Everything from Ryan to ing to indulge in drugs and alcohol. rock ‘n’ roll,” he says. “She goes, ‘You “During the party days, when you're take for granted what people would tear thinking that it's okay to be doing drugs their arms off to experience, and I don't and alcohol, you realize that maybe it's think it's fair that you don't share it.’” not for you. I was never an addict. I was It was the sign he was looking for. able to stop.”

He started to realize that a normal day Rossi has enough memorable stories for him was something amazing to most from the road to fill multiple Bible-sized others. And maybe he could tell his books. There are too many (and many story with the hope that it may inspire too personal) to include in this profile. others to achieve great things. “I started

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(Top l to r): Rossi working the light board at San Pedro High School in 1974; working in Long Beach, 1975; (center) with David Marks, Brian Wilson, and Al Jardine of the Beach Boys; (bottom l to r) with Billy Idol in 2016; with Stevie Nicks in 1988; and on a charity trip in El Salvador for 20k Watts (photos courtesy Leo Rossi)

thinking, why am I out there busting my ass for millionaires and not taking the same energy and doing what Ryan taught me to do?” says Rossi. “Being charitable, helping humanity, helping kids, helping anybody that needs help using this gift that I was given.”

KNIGHTS ASSEMBLE A Knight’s Tale, Rossi’s inspirational one-man show, is a spinoff of his Knights of Rock project, and is the brainchild of Larry Heimgartner, the former L.A. Harbor College professor who also co-wrote Chuck Alvarez’s one-man show.

“Larry’s a genius,” says Rossi. “I asked him about writing a live show around Knights of Rock. He came and saw it, then told me about his Our World Project and said he’d like to do one on my life.” The Our World Project, founded by Heimgartner, is a collection of thirty-minute plays focusing on social problems facing today’s youth with performances all over the world.

“I was always in awe with Leo’s expertise, and he always did things in a positive way,” says Heimgartner. “I told Leo to write his story. A play emerged that fit the Our World formula. It talked about not being afraid to leap and trusting the net would appear, and at the same time told of the struggles between his rock ‘n’ roll family and his family at home. We talk about the wisdom his son Ryan left us, and as he tells his story, we get to see the history of rock ‘n’ roll.”

A backstage guy his entire career, performing his life story in front of an audience was something he had to get used to. He performed A Knight’s Tale for the first time in front of students at Port of Los Angeles High School in February. The questions he received from the teens during a Q&A made him realize he tapped into something special.

“It felt like I was meant to be there,” says Rossi. “I don't tell people what to do. I tell people what happened to me, so they can apply it to what they're going through. No one knew Fleetwood Mac was going to be Fleetwood Mac. Nobody knew that these moments were going to be magical. No, there were a lot of pitfalls, some bleak moments.”

Rossi has performed his show a few more times since, including taking it on the open sea and performing it on a cruise ship. On July 11, he’ll be bringing a triple bill to the Warner Grand Theatre, with the Knights of Rock: Fleetwood Mac, A Knight’s Tale, and Chuck Alvarez’s one-man show, Music & Courage.

“For anybody that has a dream, there are guys out there like me that could help you,” says Rossi. “My focus right now is to leave the world better than I found it.” spt For more information on the Knights of Rock, visit knightsofrock. com. To learn more about 20k Watts, visit 20kwatts.org.

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GARMENTS TO COMFORT ANGEL GOWNS OF SOUTH BAY HELPS GRIEVING PARENTS BY TRANSFORMING USED BRIDAL GOWNS

by Valerie Electra Smith-Griffin Angel Gowns of South Bay volunteers (l to r) Marlene Bauman, Heidi Strohm, Gayle Fleury, and Kathy Creighton (photo Valerie Electra Smith Griffin)

When shopping for a bridal gown, shows like TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress” highlight this important experience, where euphoric emotions are de rigueur. Ultimately, after a memorable wedding day and idyllic honeymoon, reality greets newlyweds. Normalcy and married life begins, and that once longed-for and obsessed over gown meets its final destination, stashed away in a closet, where it remains intermingled with countless impulsively purchased, “might-wear-it-someday” garments.

Thanks to Angel Gowns of South Bay, women can donate their oncetreasured dresses to families grieving the loss of a child.

It’s a bitter reality as, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 23,000 infants died in 2015, and the need to assist with parental healing is inarguable. The feelings of anguish that accompany infant loss are the antithesis to the euphoric months of careful planning for

the new arrival, crushed feelings that can easily translate to depths of despair.

It’s then that Angel Gowns of the South Bay becomes the messenger of comfort and healing and allows the parents to respectfully honor their cherished creation.

Clothing, jewelry designer, and artist, Gayle Fleury, experienced a friend dealing with the loss of their infant. It was precisely their grief that inspired her to turn her San Pedro studio into a sewing and design center, where members meet and transform donated wedding gowns into stunning burial gowns. Other members include Kathy Creighton, a former custom drapery designer, and long-time seamstresses Heidi Strohm and Kelly Smart, each weaving their special skills into each creation.

“People in pain who’ve lost a child receive healing,” says artist Marlene Bauman. “Like the story of the Phoenix, a gown that’s in tatters or has been ignored for years, rises.”

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Those that donate are strongly encouraged to leave all aspects of the bridal gown intact and are welcome to drop them off on Saturdays at Fleury’s San Pedro studio (525 N. Harbor Blvd.). Gowns are hand-washed, never machine or dry-cleaned, as it’s entirely possible to remove even wine or other difficult stains.

Following an evaluation session, members discuss how best to utilize, create, and apply the delicate finishing touches. Designs are inspired by the uniqueness of each wedding gown and, at no charge to the families, the Angel Gowns are sent to hospital chaplains within area hospitals that include the Providence Little Company of Mary Hospitals in San Pedro and Torrance, Kaiser South Bay, Harbor General, and Torrance Memorial.

Angel Gowns of the South Bay represents immeasurably more than creating beautiful burial attire. To grieving parents, they represent all the stages of life that their child would have experienced. Monica “Mony” Brandelli, with her husband, Randy, were moved to become active in the organization after their own their life-altering experience. Monica recalls her experience, saying, “After many miscarriages, I finally became pregnant.

It was truly one of the happiest days of my life. My dream came true. I’m going to be a mother with twins, a double blessing! I counted the days as my babies were growing. I started having pains at seven months and suspected they’d be premature, but hopeful they would survive. My babies were born alive, but soon after, my

husband told me otherwise. I felt I was in a horror movie. All the excitement of the anticipation of having twins just instantly disappeared.”

While in their hospital room, the couple were introduced to Angel Gowns for their sons, Brandon Joseph and Brent Albert. “What struck me the most was the amazing kindness of strangers that cared enough to create [the gowns]. It brought much happiness to me at a very bleak time. These gowns make a major difference for a woman in deep emotional pain, and I encourage women to please donate their wedding dresses to greatly assist in easing a parent’s grief.”

Debbie LaMont Scanlon, a San Pedro local, was married in 1990 and was energized to donate her gown as soon as she realized the group needed them.

“I don’t sew but felt my gown could serve a worthwhile cause. It hangs in the back of my closet but has plenty of lace and usefulness. I plan on notifying the San Pedro Wednesday Club, that’s comprised of more than 400 women, plus my Facebook friends, of this vital cause.”

Interested in volunteering? No experience or wizardry in sewing is required. Donated wedding gowns, notions, de-constructing the gowns, cutting patterns or seams are greatly needed and all necessary tools are supplied. Like all of us, your wedding gown isn’t getting younger. Donating it gives untold meaning and new beginnings after loss. spt For more info on Angel Gowns of South Bay, find them on Facebook.

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WHAT WOULD ANTE DO? HOW ANTE PERKOV’S GENEROUS LEGACY CONTINUES TO INSPIRE IN TODAY’S CURRENT LANDSCAPE

by Angela Romero

As a local historian, one of my guilty pleasures is seeing the varying levels of shock when I tell people I never did something or went somewhere that is considered quintessentially San Pedran.

Recently, I shocked my neighbor by confessing of never having the pleasure of eating at Ante’s Restaurant. Her reaction was funny, although this admission is the one truth that cuts me the deepest. I only ever set foot in Ante’s once, and it was to drop something off. Since then, Ante Perkov has become one of my favorite San Pedrans.

Ante Perkov was born in 1924 in the village of Tribunj, within former Yugoslavia. At 15, he went to work in the galley of a merchant marine vessel. His wages were $10 a month, and he’d send $7 home, keeping the rest for himself. On April 26, 1941, Ante jumped ship in Charleston, South Carolina, with $102 in his pocket.

Having family in San Pedro, he paid $52 for a train ticket, and arrived here a week later on May 2, 1941. For the next 60 years, Ante made a name for himself through hard work, love for family, and dedication to his adopted country and community of San Pedro.

I learned these Ante Perkov basics from an oral history interview, recorded

20 years ago this month. I’ve read articles that tell me similar stories, but this particular recording is the basis for my admiration for Ante because he shares some anecdotes that I’ve thought about a lot in recent years.

A couple of years ago, when the town erupted into a heated debate over the homeless and tiny houses, I remember reading a comment, probably on Facebook, about this person being glad that Ante wasn't alive to see how the street that bore his name had become a local skid row. It made me think about this interview.

When Ante made the cross-country trip to San Pedro from South Carolina, he didn’t eat or drink for the first two to three days. When the train made a stop in San Antonio, Texas, a Mexican woman spotted him and tried to ask him questions in English and Spanish but he couldn’t understand her. She must’ve sensed he was hungry, so she bought him a t-bone steak and potatoes.

Ante put his last $50 on the table. The woman put him back on the train with some sandwiches and that same $50 in his pocket. Because of that kindness in Texas, and because he knew what it felt like to be hungry, Ante never turned anyone away because they had no money. He spent the rest of his

to our shores, tenacious enough to endure the struggle, decent enough to recognize himself in the struggle of his neighbor, and generous enough to pass on the kindness shown to him.

I think a lot about what Ante would be doing in San Pedro today. He worked right off of Beacon Street, in the rough and tumble days that a lot of people romanticize, and he got along with everyone. How would he fare in the troll-infested waters of Pedro social Ante Perkov and his wife, Minnie media? There’s an anecdote for that, as (photo courtesy San Pedro Bay Historical Society) well.

First of all, I think Ante would be too busy for Facebook. He championed a lot life trying to find that woman, or her of organizations in town, like the Lion’s family, to pay her back.

One night, Ante found a man digging Club, the Boys and Girls Club, and Toberman, to name a few. But he had around in the dumpster outside of his some words of wisdom to share in this restaurant. Ante says, “What the heck interview about what he loved the most you doing?” and the man answered, about his adopted homeland. Ante was “I’m hungry.” Ante says, “Then a very proud American, and what he you come inside and I’ll give you a loved about this country was our ability sandwich.” to forgive and forget. He made Croatian Because of that story, I’d like to grudge-holding sound like an Olympic think that Ante would’ve been feeding sport. So I’m going to remind myself any hungry mouths adjacent to his to not hold any grudges the next time restaurant.

I really disagree with someone online.

To me, Ante is the poster child for what made San Pedro such a wonderful It’s what Ante would do. I’m also going to try and be too busy making this town and strong community. An immigrant a better place, in my own way, so I who wanted a better life for himself in don’t have time to be on Facebook. spt America. Brave enough to risk getting

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SPORTS

SAN PEDRO PREP SPORTS 2017-2018 YEAR IN REVIEW

(L to r) SPHS softball coach, Tony Dobra, who will be inducted to the San Pedro Sportswalk of Fame in October; Mary Star High girls basketball celebrating their 48-38 victory over Arrowhead Christian in the CIF-Southern Section Division 5-AA quarterfinals on February 22.

Thousand Oaks. In the CIF-LACS Open playoffs, the Pirates suffered back-toback losses to Palisades and Carson, before defeating Narbonne on the road story & photos by Jamaal K. Street in five sets for the final seventh place match on November 9.

Also, in girls’ volleyball, Mary Star captured a fourth-straight Santa Fe The 2017-2018 school year has officially ended, as the recent San Pedro League championship, even with three league losses, overcoming a huge prep sports season closed out strong, graduation defection from the 2016 with both San Pedro High School and team to once again reign supreme Mary Star of the Sea High School under first-year coach Lauren Orebo. softball reaching CIF championship WINTER 2017-2018 – San Pedro games. boys soccer, as reported in the April A highlight of the year was SPHS 2018 issue of San Pedro Today, captured boys soccer capturing the CIF-Los the CIF-LACS Division 4 title on Angeles City Section Division 4 March 3, with a penalty kick shootout championship in March. But how did victory over University of Los Angeles, everyone else fare? Let’s recap this after the game ended in a 1-1 draw exciting year in local sports. at Los Angeles Valley College. The FALL 2017 – SPHS football would Pirates ended up with a 2-0 loss to finish 5-6 overall and compete in the Indian Springs of San Bernardino in inaugural CIF-LACS Open Division the opening round of the CIF Southern playoffs, falling to eventual Marine California Regional on March 6.

League, CIF-LACS, and CIF State Not to be outdone was the San Pedro Division I-A champion, Narbonne. girls’ soccer team, as they captured Mary Star football would again miss their thirteenth straight Marine League the CIF-Southern Section Division championship and advanced to the 13 playoffs after going 6-4, but would CIF-LACS Division 1 semifinals, where finally defeat Bishop Montgomery for they fell in overtime 2-1 to eventual the first time since 1981, with a 28-27 champion, El Camino Real. Talented road victory on September 22. junior forward, Samantha Martinez, The best storyline, however, goes to scored 28 goals for the Pirates. Over SPHS girls’ volleyball, as their berth in at Port of Los Angeles High School, the CIF-LACS Open Division playoffs automatically qualified them for the CIF seniors Briana Mancilla and Britney Delgado each scored 22 goals for the Southern California Regional playoffs, Polar Bears and proved to be a deadly where they ended up in Division 3, and subsequently swept by La Reina of combination.

Mancilla scored her 100th career goal in mid-January, finishing with totals of 110 goals and 74 assists, as she ended her illustrious prep career with three Crosstown League titles and a 2017 CIF-LACS Division 2 title to boot.

This past year’s basketball season was successful for Mary Star, especially the girls, as they posted three straight CIF-SS Division 5-AA playoff wins before falling in the semifinals to eventual champion, Grace Brethren.

Coach Victor Tuberosi guided the Stars to a 19-9 record. As for the boys, highly touted junior guard, Joseph Octave, posted a 27 points-per-game average, while a solid team effort powered the Mary Star boys to 24 wins, a share of the Santa Fe League title, and a CIF-SS Division 4-A quarterfinals berth.

SPRING 2018 – Once again, the sport of softball dominated, as SPHS made it back to a CIF-LACS championship game for the second straight season. Unfortunately, the team was unable to repeat as champions, falling 4-1 to Chatsworth in the inaugural Open Division final on May 19. However, a shocking return to coaching by the legendary Tony Dobra in April gave the Pirates the spark they needed. The team started off May with a bang, when sophomore Briana Velazquez crushed a walk-off grand slam home run to down Banning 10-7 in the season finale on May 2, before knocking off top-seed Carson and fourth-seeded Polytechnic of Sun Valley in the Open Division playoffs.

Mary Star softball captured the Camino Real League title and made the biggest statement of the year in upsetting top-seeded Carnegie Schools of Riverside 5-2 in the CIF-SS Division 6 semifinals on May 29. A clutch threerun double by junior, Rose Amalfitano, in a five-run fifth inning was what the Stars needed to oust a Wolverines team that set the California record with 470 total runs and was 27-0 at the time.

The Cinderella run ended on June 1, with a 13-2 loss to Highland in the CIFSS Division 6 final.

SPHS baseball fought their way through a tough season to capture a three-way share of their second straight Marine League title, and POLA baseball reached the quarterfinals of the CIF-LACS Division 3 playoffs. POLA softball also overcame a tough season to capture their eighth straight Coliseum League championship.

SPHS star track runner, Angelina Camello, won the CIF-LACS 100-meter dash championship in 12.19 at El Camino College on May 24, and a week later, helped set the school record in the 4x400 relay in the State Meet alongside Abigail Paez, Chloe DeLeon, and Maya Richardson, in a time of 406.92.

Finally, in the first year of competitive cheerleading, POLA captured the inaugural CIF-LACS Division 4 championship on May 12 at Birmingham High of Lake Balboa, and SPHS placed fourth in Division 3, finishing just a mere six points out of first place. spt

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IN MEMORIAM

REMEMBERING MILENKO “MEL” BOBICH

MARCH 15, 1927 - JUNE 5, 2018 submitted by the Bobich Family

Eight-Oh-Eight. The digital clock on the old VCR displayed 8:08 as he breathed his last. After completing a final prayer, his loyal wife of 60 years held his hand tightly and bravely nodded to her children to acknowledge that that was it.

A lifetime of memories flooded the San Pedro home of Milenko “Mel” Bobich, who peacefully made his transition to his heavenly destination on Tuesday, June 5, 2018, after humbly leaving his mark on his hometown and an impact on people throughout the world.

The youngest of Tom and Ivanica (Annie) Bobich’s five children, Mel was born Tuesday, March 15, 1927, in his parents’ San Pedro home on 16th Street, just below Centre Street, and a few houses away from where he would later meet his future wife, Katie Reskusich.

Mel claimed that he would walk five miles in the snow, uphill both ways to school. Not true. He attended 15th Street School, Dana Junior High, and graduated from San Pedro High School in 1945.

Mel was drafted during World War II and served in the Army Air Corps.

After his discharge as a Staff Sergeant, he attended UCLA on the G.I. Bill, was a staff writer for The Daily Bruin newspaper, and graduated with a degree in journalism and political science. He admired legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, and as a lifelong Bruin fan, taught his children and grandchildren the UCLA eight-clap cheer.

In 1958, Mel took “the best advice I’ve ever received” and married his neighbor, Katie. They were blessed with seven children and, even into his 90s, when asked about how many children he had, he would joke, “Seven…so far.”

His philosophy of life can be found 32 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JULY 2018

in Chapter 6 in the book of Matthew, which teaches how to contribute and do good deeds without recognition, how to pray, how to live each day. It is evident that Mel did so much for so many, but he did so in a way not to attract attention to himself or take credit.

His typewriter and 1987 ARC computer should have a place in the San Pedro Hall of Fame. He wrote countless letters, emails, guest columns, and epic letters to the editor, sometimes using pen names “Bob Miles” or “Lem Michaels” in order to get things done.

His persistence paid off.

Mel was the unofficial public relations man for the San Pedro community and was always willing to join forces on community committees. He was active in numerous roles in Mary Star of the Sea parish, where each of his seven children attended 12 years of Catholic school and where he helped secure a new high school campus, which opened in 2007.

Emphasizing teamwork, Mel was an advocate for sports facilities and opportunities for youth and had a tremendous impact on generations of San Pedro youngsters, their children, and grandchildren. He was instrumental in the building of gymnasiums at Bogdanovich Park, Peck Park, and San Pedro High School, and also facilitated the development of the Field of Dreams, Pirate Stadium, and various other recreation sites. Mel was also a co-founder of the San Pedro Youth Coalition, serving in the group’s leadership for more than 25 years, and for years helped chair the organization’s annual Future Leaders of San Pedro recognition program.

Last month was filled with tributes recognizing Mel for what he did for the community and the family received

personal messages from people who felt his positive impact. Family and friends crowded the chapel at McNerney’s Mortuary on Thursday, June 14, to pray the Rosary and hear stories from Fr. Nicholas Tacito, rector of Mary Star of the Sea High School; Mike Lansing, executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor; and Scott Lane, a fellow leader of the San Pedro Youth Coalition. Mel was remembered as a gentle man with high ideals, unmatched integrity, a quick wit, and a deep love of San Pedro. Lansing called Mel the “Marathon Man” for his determination to patiently make things improve over the long haul. Lane described Mel as a Jefferson Smith character in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, describing his life as Mr. Bobich Goes to City Hall. It was like a scene from It’s a Wonderful Life, or the old television program This is Your Life, with so many familiar faces coming back from the past.

Nearly every pew was filled at the funeral Mass held at Mary Star of the Sea on Friday, June 15, presided by family friend Mary Star High School alumnus Monsignor Stephen Doktorczyk and Fr. Maurice Harrigan, pastor.

As they walked up the church’s long center aisle, Mel’s grandchildren carried items, including the American flag, the

children’s book The Little Engine That Could, a UCLA Bruin teddy bear, a baseball, and an old California Angels baseball cap with a halo on its crown.

Doktorczyk recalled his days growing up with the Bobich family and Mel’s impact on the community. He compared Mel’s humble religious life to that of the athlete who spends years of practice, sacrifice and dedication to sometimes fail, but eventually reach the ultimate victory and receive the crown and recognition by his peers and the Lord.

Mel Bobich is survived by his wife of 60 years, Katie, his sister Ruby Pecarich, his children Tom (Kitte) Bobich, Anne Bobich Asher, John (Anne) Bobich, Mary (Mike) McLachlan, Jim (Diane) Bobich, Chrissy Bobich Paley, Robert (Jeana) Bobich, and 18 grandchildren: Michael (Molly), Ellen (Sean), Laura, Aaron, Rachel, Ryan, AJ, Kayla, Bryan, Mark, Sarah, Adam, Matthew, Luke, Alyssa, Brenna, Cameron, and Ella. spt In lieu of flowers, the family requests that friends consider donations to The San Pedro Youth Coalition Mel Bobich Memorial Scholarship Fund, The Mary Star of the Sea High School Building Fund, and The American Cancer Society via the Mel Bobich Memorial Relay for Life Team.

JULY 2018 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 33

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HEALTH & FITNESS

IF YOU’VE LOST WEIGHT BEFORE (BUT GAINED IT ALL BACK)

by Ricky Magana If you’ve dieted in the past, or have watched someone who has, you know the frustration of getting amazing results, only to eventually slide back into bad habits and gain it all back. Nothing is more defeating than working so hard for something then feeling like you’ve lost it all. Why is that? Why is it that the quest for weight loss is such a struggle for so many people?

I tell people that the secret for lifelong weight loss and fitness can be summed up in the following formula: MATH + PSYCHOLOGY = FITNESS. The MATH part is easy. All it really comes down to is consuming less energy than you expend, or put another way, expend more than you consume.

Simple, right? Just tweak the consume part of the equation by eating less or the expend part by doing more. And there’s hundreds of ways to do that.

Count calories, go on a fast, do cardio, exercise, eat low-carb, etc.

The problem is, most people completely ignore the PSYCHOLOGY of weight loss. We think we can out run, and out diet, our deeply held beliefs and habit-patterns that created the weight gain in the first place. They fool themselves into thinking that if they can just get the weight off fast enough, all the life pieces will suddenly click into place and they’ll know how to maintain their results once they get them. So they fall down many rabbit holes; five day cleanses, 30 day diets, six week challenges. And those things have their place. However, for many with no plan in place, people will revert to their old selves.

And that’s exactly the point. What got you here, will not get you there. In order to get the body and health you want, you have to become someone different, someone more. You have to grow, evolve, and change. And if you ignore that fact, you will spin your wheels into eternity.

I’ve been training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu the past several months and my Sensei, Pedro Soriano, has a wise saying: “If you can’t do it slow, you definitely can’t do it fast.”

Like most profound wisdom, the

insight has far reaching implications beyond the mat, especially for dieting. By nature, we are impatient. We want things now, so we sloppily pursue things that aren’t meant to be gotten quickly.

Lifelong fitness can’t be bought. It is a lifelong skill that must be developed and honed. It looks a little different for everyone, so while most of it can be learned from others, part of it can only come from your own continued practice. If you aren’t willing to take your time to do it the right way, and surrender that express lane, you might be continually chasing fad diets that will get you results that you’re never able to keep. But there’s a silver lining.

Here’s another bit of wisdom from Sensei Pedro: “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.”

The paradox of deliberately going slow, taking your time to consciously practice, to consciously address the root of the problem and work to correct them, actually speeds up your progress.

It’s the hockey-stick trajectory. A bit of upfront work in the beginning to prep and plan, but suddenly, when you address the bad habits, the limiting beliefs, and adopt correct behaviors that create lasting results, you’re no longer vulnerable to the constant self-sabotage and wheel-spinning other people experience. Then you catapult.

It’s like suddenly the traffic and gridlock has cleared and you can step on the gas. You suddenly get amazing results, but it doesn’t feel like you’re trying so damn hard obsessing over food and exercise. In fact, it feels easy.

In psychology, this is called Unconscious Competence. It’s the point where you’ve mastered a skill so completely, that you no longer have to think about it. You effortlessly execute.

This all starts with the decision to do it right. You must resolve that if you really want the results, you have to be willing to go slow, to surrender the bright shiny objects, and do whatever it takes. And if you need someone to point you in the right direction, you know who to call. 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.

JULY 2018 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 35

RELIGION

JUST A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE

by Pastor Nathan Hoff The leadership representatives of the two largest religious bodies in America had their respective gatherings on June 12-14. The Southern Baptist Convention, a fellowship of 46,500 congregations comprising around 15 million members, met in Dallas. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which gives oversight to the 70 million Roman Catholics, met in Ft. Lauderdale. They elected leaders, heard sermons and speeches, and voted on resolutions binding and non-binding.

Some matters were newsworthy. Vice President Mike Pence addressed the Baptists to the delight of some, and embarrassment of others. Both the Baptists and the Catholics agreed that family separation at the border is “immoral” according to the Bishops, and the Baptists voted in favor of a resolution that encouraged “maintaining the priority of family unity.” Hey, it is worth noting when Baptists and Bishops agree.

I’m a brother to both the Baptists and the Bishops, but I am not a member of either group, so I will resist my own commentary on their business.

I wonder if many people care what their religious leaders think or vote or resolve. America, the Jesuit magazine, reported in September 2016 that nearly 90% of American Catholics are not aligned with their Church’s teaching on contraception. I don’t have similar statistics, but I can hardly imagine your typical Baptist church member receiving news about their convention’s vote on immigrant family unity and changing their mind about that issue.

As a teenager, I was once a delegate to a Lutheran Synod Assembly.

I remember an anti-land mine resolution that passed with a few dissenting votes. Really? There was even a slim minority of people who are pro-land mine? Or, that percentage couldn’t tell the difference between the green and the red voting button? The question that caused more existential angst was, “Who really cares what Lutherans think about land mines?”

36 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JULY 2018

So, how are we influenced in areas of faith, morality, religion, and ethics? According to studies and my own experience, relationships have the greatest influence in shaping our ideas about faith and the practice of it, especially relationships with people whose walk aligns with their talk.

I met Marty at Averill Park. She was a dog person and I was a person with a dog. Her Jaxin was well-loved and my Ruby was lucky to get a walk. Ruby started to perk up whenever she saw Marty, because that meant treats. Over the weeks, I started to hear some of Marty’s story. She didn’t know I was a pastor (I don’t wear my dog collar when I walk my dog) until she saw this column one month. I got busy and got inconsistent with my walking at about the same time Marty got sick and couldn’t walk anymore. She called me a few weeks ago and left a message: “Nathan, I’m on hospice and they don’t give me long. I haven’t had a spiritual advisor in years. Could you come?” She whispered some things in my ear that went right to the heart of God. God spoke some things through me that went right to her heart. She and I prayed, “Our Father.” I spoke God’s blessing and marked her with the sign of the cross.

I rode over on a Lime Bike for my last visit with Marty. I was out of shape and tired, but Marty was resting peacefully.

She directed her family to leave some dog treats for Ruby. I still have the baggie. It says, “Dog treats for the pastor.”

It still gives me a little laugh. Then cancer took Marty from life and Jesus took Marty from death. We expected 80 people to come to her service, but 240 showed up. Relatives, neighbors, and fellow graduates from the San Pedro High School Summer class of 1956.

Maybe we expect too much out of national conferences and conventions that happen a long way away with important leaders. Life-changing ordinary people are a Lime Bike’s ride away. Faith and its practice might just be a closer walk than you think. spt Nathan Hoff is the Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in San Pedro. Follow his blog at: trinitypastor.blogspot.com.

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HOW TO OBTAIN THE HIGHEST VALUE FOR YOUR HOME

by Mike Harper & Peter Hazdovac Most homeowners must be sitting back in disbelief as they’ve watched home values rise in our area. The last time we saw prices this high was nearly 12 years ago. The normal reaction of a homeowner is to compare their home with others selling in their neighborhood and assume they could sell at a certain price. Not so fast! Even with this elevated market, overpricing your home can lead to an array of issues, including properties sitting on the market for an extended amount of time, having to later reduce the price, or even removing the property from the market when realizing the number they assumed their home would sell for is simply unattainable. Not preparing for the sale of your home, or overestimating the value, can lead to disappointment and stress.

Here are some helpful tips that can help you achieve your goals as you prepare to sell in this ever-changing market.

1. Don’t believe everything you read on Zillow or Trulia. These sites take average sales prices from a radius of properties in an area. They don’t always compare specific factors such as overall condition, location, view, and other surrounding factors. Be sure to do your due diligence by obtaining your own information on sales activ-

ity in the neighborhood. Homes on the market get the most activity in the first 30 days. Therefore, pricing a home correctly from the start is important and can prevent the need for a possible price reduction in the future.

2. Landscaping and curb appeal make a significant first impression with buyers. Take the time to complete any unfinished landscaping or general maintenance projects, as this will make your home more marketable and may help get it sold faster and at a higher price. Many landscaping or general maintenance items are relatively inexpensive and can be completed by a simple “do it yourself” trip to the local home improvement store but will have a huge impact when it comes to selling your home.

3. When was the last time you had your home professionally cleaned or painted? When living in a home over time, it’s easy to dismiss grim accumulation and scuffs on walls.

Hiring someone for deep cleaning or painters to apply a fresh coat of neutral color paint can go a long way.

This gives a potential buyer the feeling that the home has been well maintained and cared for, but most of all, it improves the presentation of the home.

4. Decluttering your home and garage isn’t fun, but it works! If you feel it’s the most daunting task, you are not alone. Come up with new

Attention New Homebuyers: 10 Tips to Save You Time and Money Southbay and San Pedro - Although most homes for sale are resales, one out of four homebuyers purchases a new home. Which is better: existing or new? The right answer, of course, is up to you.

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This report is courtesy of BRE# 01467680. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. Copyright © 2018

38 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JULY 2018

storage solutions by getting creative.

Visit a store that sells containers, ask for advice from friends/family, or try following @thehomeedit on Instagram. Letting go of personal belongings can be scary but think of it as a jump-start to packing for your next move. Buyers need to have access to all spaces to see what the home looks and feels like. This helps a buyer to see all the potential a home has to offer.

5. Stage your home to show how rooms were intended to be used.

Just because you’re using a room as an office or recreation room does not mean that space isn’t best suited as a bedroom. Try to get different opinions from friends and family on what they think is the best use for the space. Remember, when staging, it’s best to remove personal effects (i.e. pictures, religious items, etc.) from walls to give buyers a clear mind and allow them to envision how they would decorate the space.

6. Consider spending the money for a pre-inspection on your home.

In only three to four hours, a professional home inspector can give a

detailed, written report that identifies any issues or problems that you may have been unaware of. Whether they are large or small, knowing of potential issues can give you the opportunity to correct them or allow you to take into consideration when pricing your home.

7. Plan your marketing approach.

We recommend taking professional photographs (the more the better), publishing your home on all major online portals, including the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS), and marketing to social media outlets. Your goal as a homeowner should be to maximize your home’s exposure and visibility to as many potential buyers as possible.

The more people who see it, the greater the chance you have of obtaining the highest value for your home. spt Mike Harper is a Broker Associate at Keller Williams PV Realty and Peter Hazdovac is a Realtor® at Keller Williams L.A. Harbor. For more info, visit www.harperhazdovac.com.

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Q&A WITH REBECCA CHAMBLISS FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT SAN PEDRO?

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW SAN PEDRO?

WHAT’S GOING ON WITH THE LOCAL REAL ESTATE MARKET?

WHAT DO YOU DO OUTIDE OF SELLING REAL ESTATE?

Hands down, the people.

I have the best neighbors in the world. Although we’re part of a big city, it feels like small town living.

There isn’t another part of L.A. that comes close to the community we have here. I also love the character, architecture, our coastline and the fact that when someone is honking, it’s usually just to say hello.

I grew up here. My grandparents moved here from Croatia so I’m third generation. My first job while at SPHS was working at the Grinder on Harbor Blvd. I’ve had the opportunity to live in other places but there’s nothing like San Pedro and there is a reason many who move away come back.

There continues to be a strong influx of buyers coming from out of the area. People are hearing a buzz and discovering what San Pedro offers and finding how affordable SP is compared to other beach towns. Sale prices continue to rise as demand outpaces supply.

It’s a great time to sell.

I’ve been involved with dog rescue since college.

I love to hike locally, practice yoga, hang out with my dogs and enjoy our gorgeous little town.

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THE BACK PAGE

THIS MONTH IN SAN PEDRO HISTORY compiled by Julia Swanson July 4, 1858 – Phineas Banning landed in Wilmington with the first merchandise cargo. This was a landmark for the harbor community.

He invited 100 guests from near and far to meet him in San Pedro and share in this memorable trip up the estuary and enjoy the new sights as the very first bale of cargo was unloaded on the docks of the new Wilmington port, five miles from San Pedro. He named the settlement Wilmington in honor

of his hometown in Delaware.

July 14, 1769 – Explorer Gaspar de Portolá left San Diego and sailed up the California coast with Father Serra and made the world conscious of California.

His expedition reached San Pedro in August. They discovered San Francisco Bay by accident when searching for the famed Monterey Bay but missed it by 100 miles. Many historians believe that had Sir Francis Drake discovered San Francisco Bay during his pirating voyage in 1579, world history would have been different.

July 22, 1982 – Two longtime San Pedro octogenarian notables were honored. The road rounding the Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo statue in front of the Cabrillo Beach Bath House was named after the Harbor Area’s “official historian,” Oliver Vickery.

Signal Street on Pier One south of 22nd Street was named for Coast Guard Rear Admiral Franke Higbee.

July 24, 1774 – Spanish galleon San Carlos lands in San Pedro harbor.

July 16, 1769 – San Diego was founded as the Mission San Diego de Alcala by Father Junipero Serra.

Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo statue

July 18, 1918 – Nelson Mandela was born, son of a Tembu tribal chieftain in South Africa. He became July 4, 1776 – The Declaration a lawyer, then became deputy of Independence was approved national President in 1952. In 1964, by the Continental Congress. he was convicted of sabotage for his participation in the struggle July 4, 1826 – Songwriter Stephen against apartheid and spent the next Foster was born in Lawrencetown, 24 years in prison but remained a Pennsylvania. Among his 200 songs were "Oh! Susanna," "Camptown Races," symbol of hope for South Africa’s "Swansee River," "Jeanie with the Light non-white majority. Released in 1990, he was elected President of Brown Hair," and "Beautiful Dreamer."

He died at the young age of 38 in 1864, South Africa in 1994. Mandela passed away on December 5, 2013. spt but his songs have lasted forever.

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July 16, 1999 – A small plane piloted

by John F. Kennedy, Jr. with his wife and her sister as passengers took off from Fairfield, New Jersey, heading for Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. The plane disappeared off the radar and the bodies were recovered five days later in the water just seven miles from their destination.

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