AUGUST 2019
PLUS: NEW HONORARY MAYOR PAM COSTA | SPBXB TURNS 10 | REMEMBERING KUZMA 'MATTY' DOMANCICH
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Shakespearean Summer FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES, SHAKESPEARE BY THE SEA HAS BEEN ENTERTAINING AUDIENCES EVERY SUMMER AT POINT FERMIN PARK
Dr. Souzan Ardalan & Associates
Comprehensive Dental Care & Implant Center Backed by 25 years of experience
WHEN YOU VISIT OUR DENTAL OFFICE IN WEYMOUTH CORNERS, YOU FEEL RIGHT AT HOME. Whether you require a cleaning, teeth whitening, invisible braces by Invisalign®, crowns, implants or any other General or Specialty dental procedure, our office will ensure that you are comfortable and have a pleasant experience. OLD-FASHIONED STYLE OF PATIENT CARE IS WHAT WE ARE ALL ABOUT!
Great Smiles Begin Here! Dr. Ardalan, D.D.S. Education: USC school of Dentistry Doctor of Dental Surgery Professional Association: American Dental Association, member California Dental Association, member Western Dental Society, member
ASSOCIATES Ian Woo, D.D.S., MD. Education: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Los Angeles County / University of Southern California Medical Center
Dr. Marvis Sorrel, D.M.D., M.D.S.
SERVICES & SPECIALTIES • General Cosmetic and Children’s Dentistry • Oral Surgery • Dental IMPLANTS • Permanent Implant Supported Dentures • Orthodontics (Traditional Braces & Invisalign) • Periodontics • Sleep Apnea
Located in Weymouth Corners 1411 W. 8th Street San Pedro, CA 90732
(310) 832-5559
Education: University of Pittsburgh, Master of Science in Dentistry, Doctor of Dental Medicine Advanced Education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Orthognatic Surgery Externship / Invisalign Certification
Dr. Rebekah Coriaty Education: University of Pacific Professional Association: American Dental Association California Dental Association
Dr. Miles Madison Education: UCLA School of Dentistry Professional Association: American Academy of Periodontology California Society of Periodontists American Dental Association California Dental Association American Association for Dental Research
Ready to Learn about Dental Implants? What is a Dental Implant?
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is surgically anchored into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge in place. The benefit of using implants is that they don’t rely on neighboring teeth for support and they are permanent and stable. Implants look and feel like natural teeth.
What is an Implant Support Denture?
While a regular denture rests on the gums and are not stable, An implant-supported denture is a type of overdenture that is supported by and attached to implants by special attachments for better fit and retention. There are two types of implant-supported dentures: bar-retained and ballretained. In both cases, the denture will be made of an acrylic base that will look like gums. Porcelain or acrylic teeth that look like natural teeth are attached to the base. Both types of dentures need at least two implants for support.
Your dentist can help you . . .
Can anyone receive dental implants?
Talk with your dentist about whether you are an implant candidate. You must have the proper bone structure for the implant to stay in place. People who are unable to wear dentures may also be good candidates.
What can I expect during this procedure?
The dentist must perform surgery to anchor the “artificial root� into or on your jaw bone. The procedure is done in the dental office with local anesthesia. The gum is then secured over the implant, which will remain covered until it fuses with the bone. The dentist then uncovers the implant and attaches an extension, or post, to the implant. Finally, the dentist makes an artificial tooth, or crown, or dentures that attach to the implant post.
What is the cost of implants?
Dental implants for replacement of a single tooth are affordable and most dental and medical insurance policies cover portion of the cost. Your dentist can help you with this process.
Dr. Souzan Ardalan & Associates
Please call to make an appointment for a complimentary consultation
Located in WEYMOUTH CORNERS 1409 W. 8th St., San Pedro
We accept all PPO insurances
Dr. Ian Woo, Oral Maxillofacial surgeon, M.D.
310.832.5559
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
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I first met Angela Romero while working on a cover photo shoot for the original San Pedro Magazine in September 2008. Long before she was our local historian and San Pedro Today columnist, she was volunteering behind-the-scenes on a musical we were featuring that was going up at the Warner Grand Theatre. It wasn’t long after meeting her when I saw a post she made on social media about her wanting to walk every block in San Pedro, and start a blog to chronicle her adventures. I immediately messaged her saying that it was a great idea. Not long after that, she asked if we could meet for coffee to discuss this “crazy” idea of walking every block in town. Now, I was used to crazy San Pedro ideas. Even though I was only a few years into publishing the magazine (which would become San Pedro Today in 2009), I was used to people contacting me with ideas that most would consider crazy, if not downright insane. The only thing crazy about Angela’s idea of walking every block in San Pedro, photographing it, and writing about it, was that no one had done it before. To me, it was a no-brainer. What better way to experience and understand your community on a real, authentic level than by walking the streets and talking to your fellow neighbors? There are lifelong San Pedrans who haven’t ventured into entire areas of town. Even local politicians don’t do this much actual legwork (though maybe they should). Angela’s idea was unique, timely and something I felt most people in the community would be interested in. I reinforced my earlier response, telling her that it was a great idea and to “just start doing it.” So, she did. In late August 2009, Angela launched San Pedro: Block by Block (SPBXB) (spbxb.wordpress.com). The blog was an instant hit. Social media helped spread the word, and soon Angela was getting feedback and a loyal
following. It took her nine months, but she eventually got through them all by mid-2010. She started walking solo, but eventually brought on guest walkers to help give context to whatever area they were walking in. (You can read about my guest walking experience in SPBXB's May 10, 2010 blog entry.) The success of the blog ignited Angela’s passion to preserve San Pedro’s historical heritage and set her on a path to become a professional historian, eventually forming the San Pedro Heritage Museum earlier this year. (Full disclosure: I’m on the museum’s board of directors.) This month, San Pedro: Block by Block celebrates its tenth anniversary. It’s still amazing to think about such an accomplishment. The organization of it alone would give me heart palpitations. I mean, could you do it? Maybe the better question is, would you do it? Since that fateful meeting at the Warner Grand, Angela has become one of my best friends and confidantes. Whenever I have a question about something historical or a recent development, nine times out of ten Angela has the info I need. Her journey from local blogger, to historian, to museum founder has been a privilege to watch and be a part of. Please read her story recapping the tenth anniversary of SPBXB on page 28. Angela’s passion for San Pedro only rivals that of the late, great, “Mr. San Pedro” himself, John Olguin. If you’re a regular reader of this magazine, odds are your “San Pedro acumen” has been vastly improved by her columns through the years. Her tireless work continues to enrich this town we love (and love to complain about). Is San Pedro ready for another round of San Pedro: Block by Block? I have a feeling Angela will get a lot more guest walkers this time. spt Joshua Stecker is publisher/editorin-chief of San Pedro Today. Letters to the Editor can be emailed to contact@sanpedrotoday.com.
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329 W. 6th Street | San Pedro | (310) 832-9364 AUGUST 2019 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 5
AUGUST 2019
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ADVERTISING:
ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION
Patricia Roberts (562) 964-8166 | patricia@sanpedrotoday.com
AT-LARGE CONTRIBUTORS
Shana Ghekiere (310) 753-5176 | shana@sanpedrotoday.com
Joshua J. Stecker
Joseph A. Castañeda
Johnny Brunac, Aiden Garcia-Sheffield, Pastor Nathan Hoff, Ricky Magana, Steve Marconi, Jennifer Marquez, Anthony Pirozzi, Angela Romero, Jamaal K. Street
OPEN ALL SUMMER!!
Los Angeles Maritime Museum Discover the History of the Harbor! Tuesday - Sunday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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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
VOLUME 11 | NUMBER 7
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6 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I AUGUST 2019
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EMPIRE22 MEDIA LLC OWNER/PUBLISHER 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 2009-2019, Empire22 Media LLC.
ON THE COVER: Members of Shakespeare by the Sea's cast of The Comedy of Errors (l to r): Jonathan Fisher, Andy Kallok, Brendan Kane, Jane Hink, Alex ElliottFunk, and Melissa Green (photo: John Mattera Photography)
AUGUST 2019 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 7
AUGUST Every Wednesday – CREATIVE 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 jennifermarquez@yahoo.com.
this guided location tour of scenes filmed right here in downtown San Pedro. You’ll be surprised just how many blockbusters and hit TV shows have made their mark here! Tickets are $15. Additional tours August 9, 16, 23 & 30. Call (310) 808-7800 to reserve.
Every Friday – SAN PEDRO TEEN SUPPORT GROUP. 4p. A safe place to explore issues like making friends, dealing with bullies, peer pressure, managing stress, self-esteem, body image & much more. For more info, visit artemiscenter.net or call (310) 809-2011.
3 (Sat) – THE OLD CITY WALKING TOUR. 10a. Trace the development of old San Pedro from a sleepy rancho to a bustling metropolis on this tour of all the key historic sites in the old city, including the historic old post office, Vinegar Hill, the Julia Morgan YWCA, the Warner Grand Theatre and more. Tickets are $15. Call (310) 808-7800 to reserve.
1 (Thurs) – FIRST THURSDAY ARTWALK in Downtown San Pedro, 6 – 9p. Live music, food trucks, art gallery displays, and food and drink specials from local bars and restaurants. Experience the most anticipated monthly event in San Pedro. 1 (Thurs) - DOWNTOWN NOW & THEN WALKING TOUR. 10a. Go behind historic downtown San Pedro’s vintage store fronts and explore the area’s various lives as a rough and tumble waterfront, a bustling business district and a burgeoning arts district. Historian Angela Romero will guide you through the history while introducing you to everything making downtown’s future bright. Tickets are $15. Additional tours August 8, 15, 22 & 29. Call (310) 808-7800 to reserve. 2 (Fri) – HOLLYWOOD IN SAN PEDRO WALKING TOUR. 10:30a. San Pedro has been one of the busiest filming locations in Los Angeles since Hollywood began. Trace the steps of your favorite TV and movie stars on
10 (Sat) – BEER & WINE TASTING FUNDRAISER at the Point Fermin Lighthouse (807 W. Paseo del Mar), 1 – 4p. Join the Point Fermin Lighthouse Society for their annual fundraiser to support the lighthouse. Sample a wide variety of beer, wine and sodas at the Victorian lighthouse while enjoying the view, appetizers and music. Tickets are $35 for members and $40 for non-members through July 31, $45 thereafter. Admission is limited to adults 21 years and older and reservations are required as space is limited. For more info, email events@ pflhs.org or text (310) 293-8000. 12 (Mon) – NORTHWEST SAN PEDRO NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL BOARD MEETING at Peck Park Community Building (560 N. Western Ave.), 6p. 13 (Tues) – CENTRAL SAN PEDRO NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL BOARD MEETING at Port of Los Angeles High
8 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I AUGUST 2019
School (250 W. 5th St.), 6:30p. 16 & 17 (Fri & Sat) – SHAKESPEARE BY THE SEA'S THE COMEDY OF ERRORS & HENRY V GRAND FINALES at Point Fermin Park (807 W. Paseo del Mar), 8p. Henry V performs Friday, Aug. 16. The Comedy of Errors performs Saturday, Aug. 17. (See cover story page 22.) 17 (Sat) – THE SLICE WALKING TOUR. 11a. Last Call for the Original Slice walking tour. With Buono’s moving into downtown, this will be your last chance to experience the original pizza tasting tour that offers a heaping side of San Pedro history with three very different styles of Pedro pizza. Don’t miss out! Tickets are $20. Call (310) 808-7800 to reserve.
must be in their second semester of their health field. For more information, call Marilyn (310) 833-0916 or (310) 241-4079. 24 (Sat) – SAN PEDRO BLOCK BY BLOCK REVISITED at Angels Gate Cultural Center (3601 S. Gaffey St.) 2 – 4p. Celebrate the 10th Anniversary of SPBXB with a look back at one woman’s quest to walk every street in San Pedro and her vision for the future of San Pedro’s history and culture through the San Pedro Heritage Museum. For more info, call (310) 808-7800 or email Angela@sanpedroheritage.org.
19 (Mon) – COASTAL SAN PEDRO NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL BOARD MEETING at Cabrillo Marina Community Building (2965 Via Cabrillo-Marina), 6:30p.
30 (Fri) – Sept. 2 (Mon) – L.A. FLEET WEEK 2019 at Port of L.A. World Cruise Center (250 S. Harbor Blvd.) 8:30a – 10p. L.A. Fleet Week features family-friendly exhibits, aircraft flyovers, guided ship tours, military equipment demos, live entertainment, food trucks and more. For more info on ship tours, visit lafleetweek.com.
19 (Mon) – HEALTH CAREER SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE at Providence LCM Hospital (1300 W. 7th St.). Providence LCM Hospital Auxiliary is offering Health Career scholarship applications from August 19 to October 18, 2019. Applications are available at the Information Desk, Volunteer Office or online at providence. orgsanpedrovolunteers. Applicants
Sept. 9 (Mon) – ADULT DOCENT TRAINING at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium (3720 Stephen M. White Dr.). The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is looking for adult volunteers to become docents and educate school-age children about Southern California’s marine environment. Prior ocean knowledge not required. Please contact Floyd Anderson at (310) 548-7562 ext. 229 or floyd.anderson@lacity.org. spt
Want to see your event here? Email events@sanpedrotoday.com to place a listing. Deadline for the September 2019 issue is Friday, August 16. Find more events at facebook.com/sanpedrotoday.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor,
live music at The Corner Store.
Good column in the new San Pedro Today about the [different] types of people (Letter from the Editor, July 2019). I always thought it was funny that people who had lived here for forty-plus years could sometimes be viewed as newcomers! I guess that could be the fifth type: Newcomers who have lived in San Pedro only forty years! Great town and great magazine!
7.) Arrive early to get a seat at the ever-popular Rex's Cafe and order the Mediterranean Omelette (with extra salsa) and their wonderful freshly baked muffins. (My absolute favorite breakfast.)
Elizabeth Hoffman
8.) Check out the fun and beautiful antiques from the past at House 1002 (which is housed in a historic building that I think used to be a market in old San Pedro) on 10th and Pacific Ave.
Dear Editor,
9.) Take a haunted San Pedro ghost tour.
I love your Things To Do in San Pedro issues. We read your recent 131 Things to Do in San Pedro (July 2019) and between my husband, who has lived in San Pedro for many years, and I (I've only lived here around seven years), we've done 64 of those items. I wanted to suggest a few personal favorites to consider adding to any future San Pedro favorite “To Do" Lists: 1.) Take a community art class at Angels Gate Cultural Center. 2.) Go for a walk to look for peacocks in the Palisades. 3) Take a picture with the iconic three-eyed Harbor Fish near Point Fermin. (It started off as graffiti and became a San Pedro landmark.) 4.) Have dinner from the daily fresh fish menu at a "locals only" table at the Lighthouse Café.
10.) Seek out the Hidden Hairpin for amazing hair color. Just a few suggestions for the next list. Keep up the wonderful work!
V
ilicich
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Best Wishes, Susan Jizba Dear Editor, Since #93 and #104 were duplicates (131 Things To Do in San Pedro, July 2019), you owe us one more! I suggest: Catch a concert at Alvas. (No affiliation and I've only seen one show there, but it's a fabulous semi-unknown venue that seems to draw some great acts.) And while I'm at it, the best sandwich in town (besides Busy Bee) is the Monster at Big Nick's! Just sayin'. Much respect to you all, Haywood Nighttrain
5.) Take a chance that the wonderful Point Gallery (next to The Corner Store) will be open and browse the local handmade art. It reminds me of a whimsical and uniquely juried art show. If it isn't open, The Corner Store is always worth the trip.
Letters to the Editor can be emailed to contact@sanpedrotoday.com. Letters may be edited for length, grammar and clarity. Letters must include your full name in order to be considered for publication.
6.) Catch the rockin' Rumbles and AUGUST 2019 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 9
VOICES
SAN PEDRO OVER THE YEARS, ONE WEDDING AT A TIME by Steve Marconi The current San Pedro Bay Historical Society exhibition at the Muller House on San Pedro weddings got me digging deep into my own family archives and in the process, uncovered a little-known piece of local history. I’ve been going through a lot of papers and photographs since my mother died last March, but I realized one thing I hadn’t found was a picture of my paternal grandparents’ wedding. I found the marriage certificate for Ettore Marconi and Annie Lazzaro, from March 6, 1923, stating they were married at St. Peter’s. But where was St. Peter’s Catholic Church in 1923? Today’s St. Peter’s is on O’Farrell Street, but that church was Holy Trinity beginning in 1924 (see below), before
that parish moved up to where it is now on Santa Cruz. It took quite a lot of hunting before the good folks at the historical society found a history of Holy Trinity explaining that the church was initially named St. Peter’s but was renamed to avoid confusion with St. Peter’s Episcopal. One mystery solved, but I still thought there had to be a wedding picture somewhere. Then I had a “duh” moment: My grandparents divorced when my dad was still in elementary school. It wasn’t likely that my grandmother, who remarried, would have kept any old wedding photos around. I do have one of those classic blackand-white wedding photos of my parents, Eddie Marconi and Rosemary Inskeep, taken June 17, 1950, at the same church where his parents had wed, only now known as Holy Trinity. (It was June, so Mary Star was booked
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solid.) Dad is wearing the traditional white tux and Mom is in a wedding dress she sewed herself. The wedding party, the men also in white tuxes and the women in white, is made up mostly of second-generation Italian-Americans (cue The Godfather theme). The wedding picture of me and Deborah O’Connor is typical 1970s. It’s April 13, 1974, but outside of some long hair, it isn’t too crazy: the guys are still in white tuxes (no pastel for me, thank you), with the in vogue ruffled shirts and cummerbunds. Deb is striking in a satin white gown, but her girls are all in flowered dresses with straw hats and flowers baskets. The backdrop for the wedding party picture at The Neighborhood Church (we had no home church at the time) is a sweeping view of the entire South Bay. Finally, there’s the picture of my son, Matthew, and his bride, Elizabeth Sanchez, at the altar of Trinity Lutheran Church in San Pedro on April 5, 2007. In retrospect, what’s interesting about all these weddings is that my family experience is not unique: I suspect there are multitudes of San Pedrans who have wedding photos taken here over four and even five generations. How many homes contain one of those early 20th century photos of two young immigrants (never smiling) starting their lives together in a picturesque seaside town with nothing but the promise of a brighter future ahead of them? Deep roots are part of the San Pedro mystique. I have two granddaughters, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to a fifth generation of Marconis getting married here. No pressure – they’re both students at Dodson Middle School (where I graduated in 1966) – but this is a town steeped in family traditions. It’s the glue that keeps us together. KEEPING IT CLEAN Back in May, it was discovered that the small bronze plaque next to the main post office, placed there decades ago to honor San Pedro’s WWI dead, had been defaced. It was the subject of much discussion on the “San Pedro Born and Raised” Facebook page, with plenty of wellplaced outrage over the vandalism. But even while the postings accumulated,
two San Pedrans decided to do more than just curse the darkness. George Matthews and Bob Milling grabbed solvents, brushes and rags and, before the day was over, had posted video on the thread of them cleaning the memorial. And lighting this candle wasn’t an easy job. Doing the dirty work is standard for the all-volunteer San Pedro CPR (caring proactive residents) Cleanup Crew, of which Matthews and Milling are members. Steve Kleinjan’s Clean San Pedro has received appropriate recognition for its work, and, Lord knows, San Pedro could use all the cleanup help it can get. For a town disparagingly called “the ghetto by the sea,” it’s hard to imagine what it would look like without San Pedro CPR’s regular sweeps of our streets, beaches and lots, combined with Clean San Pedro’s major undertakings. Kudos to Matthews and Milling for quick thinking and even quicker action. San Pedro is a better place with people like them. CALLING ALL CLASSICS It’s official now. San Pedro High’s W`69 class (my class) will be having its 50th reunion from 6 p.m. to midnight Sept. 21 at the Dalmatian-American Club. We were a small class, so a good turnout is crucial for this event to be a success. The reunion committee needs to get the invitations out soon, which means class members need to respond right away. To get on the mailing list, contact Priscilla DeSalvo Robinson via text at (562) 400-9650, Messenger on Facebook or email at penguinrobinson@ca.rr.com, Carmela Lauro at (310) 365-0335; or Mateo Toribio at mateo_toribio@hotmail.com. The committee also needs contact info you may have on class members who have not heard about the reunion, or, sadly, to update the list of deceased classmates. Priscilla had already listed 18 dead classmates, and I added two more. Twenty lost from a class of fewer than 200 is reason enough to get together one last time because, as a friend always says, we may never pass this way again. spt Steve Marconi can be reached at spmarconi@yahoo.com.
AUGUST 2019 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 11
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Today, each of us is faced with issues that impact our day-to-day lives in positive or negative ways. Depending on the issue that lands on our doorstep, we face each one differently depending on its impact. Issues that are further away from our personal lives are looked upon differently than issues that affect us directly. For example, years ago I had a friend who was questioning me on my opinion on a particular topic. He did so in a manner that made me feel as if he was trying to get an emotional or negative reaction out of me. When I realized what he was doing, I reversed the question back to him and asked how it would make him feel or how he would approach the situation. He could not answer the question. In fact, he paused for some time before finally giving me a half-baked answer. It made me realize that he was only thinking of the question in the context of its impact to someone else and not himself directly or his family. It became apparent to me that we tend to look at issues in a different way when it affects someone else versus when it impacts us personally. Implementing new technology is no different. Remember Dick Tracy? Dick Tracy was the tough and intelligent police detective that made his comic debut back in 1931. In 1946, the comic strip writers had a bold vision when they introduced the readers to a radio wristwatch that Tracy used to communicate. This vision may have inspired today’s smartphone and smartwatch technology. As kids, we could only dream that one day this technology would be real, and we would have everything we needed to communicate on our wrist. Today, that technology is here. In fact, we have just about every communication tool we need on our smartphones and smartwatches. Who knows, maybe the personal computer is becoming obsolete in light of how fast cellphone
technology is moving. Technology, like time, does not stop, it only evolves into something new. The most recent example of a technology that is expanding at a rapid pace across multiple industries is artificial intelligence, better known as AI. AI is beginning to make inroads into our personal lives each and every day in various forms. The use of AI can have both positive and negative effects on our lives, our communities, and traditional industries. The question that we are facing today is: at what expense to humans? Many believe technology must create a positive condition for humans to live, grow and thrive in. This concern has landed on San Pedro’s doorstep in recent months, and the impacts of such new technology to local jobs and the ripple effect on the lives of our families, friends, and community are in question. This is not a trivial issue. Now that this technology is upon us, what do we do about it? If it doesn’t impact you directly, do you even care? Why or why not? How do we approach it? Are we out of time or just in time? Is technology the real issue or is it the manner in which it’s being implemented? Or is it both? What is the impact to local jobs? If there are new jobs created, are we ready to perform those jobs? If not, how do we get ready? Will the jobs shift among the players? If so, in the end will we see a net sum gain or loss in total jobs? What will the true impacts be to the local economy? Having this discussion and knowing the answers or projections will provide us a better grasp on the future. It will require us to not only prepare ourselves, but also prepare the next generation to obtain the skills, training, and education needed to support these new advancements in technology. This is what is at stake, not only locally, but at the national level as well. We owe it to ourselves to secure the pathway to our future. There is much to do. spt Anthony Pirozzi is a Los Angeles Harbor Commissioner. He can be contacted at apirozzi@yahoo.com.
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AUGUST 2019 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 13
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STORIES FROM THE MOSAIC:
VOLUNTEERS MADE IT HAPPEN by Jennifer Marquez The mosaic mural on 25th Street, created under the creative guidance of artist Julie Bender, is complete. It displays a history of San Pedro connecting landmarks and historical monuments. Many people came together to create this masterpiece. Each hand that touched the wall has a story to tell.
They had no idea that their name was part of the legacy of the mosaic. Fortner showed them a photo of their tile. The mural has connected people together in the community in many ways, even in a restaurant while eating lunch.
HEALING AT THE MOSAIC Susan Bought has been an artist for over 20 years painting murals in Hollywood and beyond. After a serious car accident, her foot was completely cut off and held on by a two-inch flap of skin. She spent weeks in the hospital A HOBBY AFTER RETIREMENT and in rehabilitation. After Shelia Fortner retired, she She heard about the mosaic mural wanted to learn how to create mosaic and Julie Bender and knew she wanted art. She signed up for a class at Harbor to help. Since she did not know Bender, College taught by artist Julie Bender. it took her weeks to find her. One day The class met at Sirens Java and Tea she spotted a woman who she thought located in San Pedro. Fortner didn’t was Bender and excitedly asked her if know anything about tile, but was soon she was the artist creating the mosaic. developing many new skills involving When she discovered that she finally clay thanks to Bender’s enthusiastic and found Bender, she asked how she could hands-on approach. sign up to help. Bender said in her open Fortner learned about the mosaic and welcoming manner to just show up. mural during the class and soon after Since her foot was in a boot due to began volunteering. She wrote her the injury, she was usable to paint. friends’ and family members’ names That led to Bought learning how to on tiles and cut them out. She created a mosaic from Bender. Bought felt like special tile with the sign for “I love you” working on the mosaic for two years for a friend who is hearing impaired. was therapy for her. She is starting to Fortner followed along with Julie’s walk now and is almost recovered from vast ideas and often visited the places her accident because of her time spent she was working on. When Bender volunteering. wanted more flowers on the Point It was such an honor for her to be Fermin Lighthouse, Fortner drove over part of the process of creating the to the park to get a better idea of how it mosaic mural. She is starting to paint looked. again and living in the moment since Fortner spent a year and a half the accident. One of the highlights working on the mosaic and is proud of volunteering was meeting all the that the people whose names she curious people who came to visit the put up on the wall, like her deceased mosaic. She enjoyed talking to locals father, will be there indefinitely. She and visitors from other countries met many people during her time and showing them the San Pedro volunteering and was touched by community through the colorful tiles on the great comradery. Her time was the mural on 25th Street. spt primarily spent working on a large ship and the chef. The chef has many of the Jennifer Marquez can be reached restaurants in San Pedro placed inside at jennifertmarquez@yahoo.com of it. One day when Fortner was eating and @jenntmqz on Twitter at Pina’s she told the restaurant their and Instagram. name was on the mural in the chef. 14 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I AUGUST 2019
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THANK YOU, SAN PEDRO by Aiden Garcia-Sheffield The June issue of San Pedro Today helped us set the scene for the first ever LGBT+ Pride in San Pedro on the L.A. Waterfront. That cover story told the tales of four San Pedrans: myself, my husband Daniel GarciaSheffield, and very good friends Mona Sutton and Tim McOsker. It was a very proud moment for all of us, to be able to share our life experiences with the readers of this magazine. Have you ever been to Starbucks and had your name spelled wrong on the cup? Of course, I’m being facetious. Sometimes they actually spell the name correctly. I’m not saying I expect them to, but when they do spell it right it puts a smile on my face because they took a shot and succeeded. This, my friends, is the analogy I’ve been using to explain exactly how Pride on the Port of Los Angeles (#POPLA) went. The LGBT+ movement is centered on equal rights, nothing special, just the universal truth that all people are created equal and deserve the same inalienable rights. Everyone gets their name written on the cup when they order their coffee, they’re all treated the same. The spelling of the name, of course, can be wrong, but when someone tries, the name is usually correct on that cup. When they get it right, it brings a smile to your face (don’t deny it). When San Pedro wrote the name of the LGBT+ community on our cup this past June, they didn’t just spell it right, they sprinkled it with glitter, added some sea salt, and a dash of uniqueness that was so San Pedro. It was amazing to behold and brought a smile to the 3,048 faces that joined us on the L.A. Waterfront for our inaugural #POPLA event. In one day, San Pedro set some unprecedented firsts. The first Pride to be (partially) celebrated on a U.S. battleship? Check. The first Pride to start on one waterfront (Long Beach) and move to another (L.A.)? Check. (Thank you, Dan Salas of Harbor Breeze Cruises, for the use of the Sir Winston, which we delightfully called The Fairy 16 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I AUGUST 2019
Ferry). The first Pride celebration held at the Port of Los Angeles? Check. San Pedro did its usual thing, and that was doing it our own way. We had no way of knowing how things would turn out, but at some point, I just said, “We just gotta roll with it.” For me, one of the biggest (and most pleasant) surprises was the fact that the majority of our volunteers were not of the LGBT+ variety, they were straight. These were people who cared enough to come out, help set up, take tickets, offer people hugs, pick up trash, even create t-shirts that hilariously said, “I’m straight but I don’t hate.” I am here to tell you no other Pride sees such a mix of volunteers. Everyone’s desire for an awesome event was in high gear on June 15. I saw the same type of passion I’ve seen in the many clean-ups, community boards and acts of activism I’ve been a part of since moving here. We often say, “You can be LGBT+ and be tall, short, skinny, not skinny, Italian, Croatian, Mexican, African-American, or pretty much anything else. Simply put, the LGBT+ community is part of the human race. And these humans came out that day and celebrated our community, our diversity, and our accomplishments for equal rights. I know I speak for everyone involved when I say thank you. Mark those calendars for June 20, 2020 for next year’s #POPLA. The plan for the upcoming year is to host socials, fundraisers and moments when we can come together on a smaller scale to give back to this community. Pride isn’t just one day or month – it’s everyday – and with the grit and determination of San Pedro, I know we can continue to work towards an even better event for everyone. Pride did more than make me a proud gay man, it made me a prouder San Pedran. Thank you to everyone who was a part of it, from volunteers to sponsors to our board of directors, you’ve made the world a better place by showing us your San Pedro Pride. spt Aiden Garcia-Sheffield is the founder and president of Bridge Cities Alliance. For more info, visit bridgecitiesla.com
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by SPT Staff It was a cold night in the winter of 1839, when Jeanne Jugan first opened her doors to a blind and paralyzed elderly woman who had nobody else to care for her. From that evening forth, St. Jeanne Jugan gave her life to God, as well as all of the elderly who were in need across the world. Subsequently, as the amount of people in need grew, many caring volunteers offered to join Jugan in her efforts, and eventually, the small group of women grew into a religious community, thus becoming what we know today as the Little Sisters of the Poor. On September 13, 1868, seven Little Sisters arrived in Brooklyn, New York, and established the community’s first home in America. Since then, the Little Sisters presence in the U.S. has grown to 27 homes, making their way to the Los Angeles area on January 18, 1905, and relocating within the community of San Pedro on August 7, 1979. The Little Sisters of the Poor work diligently, putting the needs of others before their own, ensuring that those most in need are cared for, and pro-
mote an overall spirit of gratitude and sharing within both their home and the community. While the Little Sisters assist and care for the elderly residing at the home, the Auxiliary of the Little Sisters of the Poor group works hard to support their cause, planning and organizing charitable events year-round. The Little Sisters of the Poor Auxiliary will be hosting their annual “Make It a Habit” Gala on Saturday, September 6, at Trump National Golf Course. The evening will feature a cocktail hour and dinner, live music, and a live auction and raffle. This annual gala event is the highlight of the Auxiliary’s fundraising efforts. All proceeds from the event will go towards the Little Sisters of the Poor Jeanne Jugan Residence in San Pedro. spt The Little Sisters of the Poor Jeanne Jugan Residence is located at 2100 S. Western Ave. in San Pedro. For tickets and more info on the Make It A Habit Gala and Little Sisters of the Poor, visit their website at littlesistersofthepoorsanpedro.org
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SOFTBALL SENSATIONS SAN PEDRO SOFTBALL’S UNDEFEATED 10U ALL-STAR TEAM HEADS TO NATIONALS by Joshua Stecker
San Pedro softball is back on the map. Last month, their 10U all-star team made San Pedro history by going undefeated in tournament play (10-0 in tournament, 27-3 overall), winning both district and state championships, and is now heading to the Western National Championship tournament at the end of July. No San Pedro softball team has ever advanced this far. “It’s an awesome feeling,” says Teri Sardisco, president of San Pedro Girls Softball Association. “I don't think it has really hit the girls yet because they are just having fun.” With three all-star teams this season, 2019 is turning out to be the year San Pedro reestablishes itself as a softball force to be reckoned with. In addition to the 10U all-star team’s suc-
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cess, their 8U and 14U all-star teams competed in district (with 8U winning first place) and also qualified for state. Heading into the national tournament in Moorpark, Calif., San Pedro will be facing teams from Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Nevada, and Texas. The tournament begins July 22, with the championship game Sunday, July 28. “San Pedro recreational teams were the teams to fear back in the days of Bobby Sox,” recalls Sardisco. “San Pedro High was the team to beat under Coach Tony Dobra, now under Sammi Gyerman. In more recent years, San Pedro recreational teams have not been feared at all. Now, San Pedro’s name is back out there and hopefully to stay.” According to Sardisco, The Bobby Sox league started at the Harbor Pistol Range in 1971, with old San
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San Pedro Softball's 10U all-star team (photo: Diana Malahni)
Pedro names like Barich, Machacho, Deeter, Bodnar, and Zuliani all involved. In 2001, the league became affiliated with USA/ASA (Amateur Softball Association), which is part of the Junior Olympics. “I was involved in Bobby Sox from 1987-96 when my daughter played, and I do not recall a [10U] team like this one,” says Sardisco. “This team is a special group of girls. The manager, coaches, and team mom are a great group of adults that work together to bring out the talent of each girl.” Managed by Nunzio Boccanfuso, the 10U all-star team features Caroline Baker, Danielle Boccanfuso, Mariah
Candela, Nike Druskovich, Elsa Houck, Kelsey Kordic, Hailey Lang, Lexi Lopez, Maya Malahni, Jenna Ortega, Valerie Spanjol, and Rochelle Watkins, along with coaches Gjoe Lopez, Matt Malahni, and Bobby Ortega. “These girls work as a team and all of them have contributed [this season],” says Sardisco. “You may have a couple players stand out in one game, but there isn’t one girl who carries this team. These are twelve great girls – with great coaching – that are carrying this team to its highest potential.” spt For more info, visit sanpedrosoftball.org
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Shakespearean Summer
FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES, SHAKESPEARE BY THE SEA HAS BEEN ENTERTAINING AUDIENCES EVERY SUMMER AT POINT FERMIN PARK Members of Shakespeare by the Sea's cast of The Comedy of Errors (l to r): Jonathan Fisher, Andy Kallok, Brendan Kane, Jane Hink, Alex Elliott-Funk, and Melissa Green (photo: John Mattera Photography)
by Joshua Stecker
It’s an hour before showtime on a brisk July evening at Point Fermin Park, and the benches are already full. Theatre-goers of every age and variety are spread out amongst the seats and grass, most enjoying a meal and beverage as they watch the actors build the set on the band shell stage that will eventually become the backdrop for this evening’s performance of The Comedy of Errors. (Henry V would be performed the following night.) The actors get into it as well, playing around in costume and in character as they put together set pieces in front of the audience. They’re halfway through this year’s run, so they’ve got the build out down to a science. They’ll eventually put up and tear down the set more than a hundred times before the run is over, since they need to do it every night they perform. The audience eats it up, clapping and cheering the cast on as they set the stage for what's to come. This year’s productions of The Comedy of Errors, directed by James Rice, and Henry V, directed by Stephanie Coltrin, marks Shakespeare by
the Sea’s 22nd season. For more than two decades, the company has been entertaining capacity crowds across Southern California with free performances of the Bard’s work. It’s the only Shakespeare company that travels to more than 20 communities on the west coast with its programming. It’s also the only annual free theatrical experience that serves the entire South Bay, Los Angeles, and parts of Orange and Ventura Counties. “The size of the organization has really grown from having just me, a director, a theater designer, a few staff members, and some actors that show up and do the show,” says Lisa Coffi, founder and producing artistic director of Shakespeare by the Sea. “Now I have staff members that are with me all year-round. There's a lot more people involved. This season, we have [up to] 16 actors, seven volunteers, and four staff members every night, just for Shakespeare.” FROM THESIS TO THEATRE The San Pedro summer tradition
22 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I AUGUST 2019
launched in 1998 as Coffi’s college thesis project, which would earn her an MSA in theater management from Cal State Long Beach. Their first show, The Comedy of Errors (the first of three times they’ve mounted the play), saw more than 3,000 people attend the nine performances during a three-week run at Point Fermin Park. That year, they were able to pull it off on a meager budget of $20,000. Today, Shakespeare by the Sea performs two plays every summer in repertory on a 10-week schedule – 42 performances in 23 locations – with a budget topping $317,000. “It's an uncommonly long schedule for plays,” says Coffi. “Most theaters don't [run productions] that long, unless you’re on Broadway. So, a 10-week run in Los Angeles is unheard of.” In addition to that, Coffi also cofounded Little Fish Theatre in January 2002 in downtown San Pedro. The company, which produces contemporary plays year-round, is also in production concurrently with SBTS. “We also have Little Fish, which needs its volunteers and staff. So right
now, we have three shows running, the two Shakespeare shows and The Nerd at Little Fish.” (The Nerd closes July 28; Lonesome West opens August 22.) Shakespeare by the Sea’s current schedule has them crisscrossing all over Southern California, starting and ending at their home base at Point Fermin Park. By the time the 10-week run is over, the cast and crew (with set, sound and lights) will have traveled as far north as Encino and as far south as Aliso Viejo, with stops in Manhattan Beach, Cerritos, Beverly Hills, and more than a dozen other cities in between. SUMMER YEAR-ROUND What started off as a thesis project turned into a year-round nonprofit organization very quickly. “I originally I wanted to do a show at Point Fermin Park where I could put up a fence and charge tickets, but the City of Los Angeles and our city councilman at the time, wanted me to do it for free,” recalls Coffi. “So, they helped shepherd me through the Department of Cultural Affairs and put some cash together to
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Scenes from Shakespeare by the Sea's current production of Henry V (photos: Nenad Bozin)
help get it off the ground.” Planning for the next season starts before the current season is over. According to Coffi, next season’s plays are usually announced towards the end of the current run. “So people get excited for next year,” she says. Even venues for the following year are booked in September and October. “I have a 2020 calendar that I carry around with me because a lot of the tour cities, if I see my contact there, they just go, ‘Same time, same place, next year?’ I say, ‘Yep.’ You just pencil it in, and you're done.” With the directors hired in December, production officially starts in January with work on scenic designs and the editing of the scripts. An uncut Shakespeare play can run as long as four hours, so every year, the company must cut down the text in order to keep the runtime reasonable. “Shakespeare's plays were meant for an audience who had a lot more time on their hands,” says Coltrin, who’s also the associate festival producer. “We’re under a severe time limit of two hours, including intermission. So, for me, the biggest challenge is cutting it down to our time limit, but we stay true to [Shakespeare’s] intent and still give the audience the full experience of the play. It hurts me to say that because I wouldn’t like to cut any of it, but we have to.” Auditions for the chosen plays happen in the spring, with the rehearsal process starting by late March. “We get anywhere from 500 to 700 actors submit for roles. Of that, we call in about 300,” explains Coffi. “We call
back about 50 and then out of that we pick our final casts.” It’s a daunting task for any actor to undertake. Not only do they have to learn their blocking and lines, but the actors are also required to set up and take down the set every night, which doesn’t necessarily happen in today’s modern theatre. “It’s incredibly challenging,” says Jonathan Fisher, who plays Henry V in Henry V and Antipholus of Ephesus in The Comedy of Errors. “The time and effort that goes into these productions is amazing. [SBTS] is upfront with how much of a commitment these shows require. The traveling aspect adds a different dimension to it.” IT TAKES A VILLAGE While the performances are free to the public, free theatre is not free to produce. Fundraising is a huge aspect of running a nonprofit theatre company, and Coffi and the rest of her staff are constantly thinking of ways to raise more funds. “I'm always writing letters, trying to come up with the next thing,” says Coffi. “What items can I sell? What events can we do? Those types of things.” In addition to donating money, during each performance patrons can purchase raffle tickets for unique prizes and purchase SBTS merchandise. Patrons can also purchase a Golden Ticket ($150), which guarantees reserved seating for a party up to six for a performance. They can also purchase a Bard’s Box ($65/person) for opening and closing nights, which includes reserved seating with blankets, a seat cushion,
24 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I AUGUST 2019
choice of meal, and bottomless beverages. There are also employer matching donation programs and corporate partnership opportunities available. “By being free to the public, one of the only ways that we can expand and improve is by having more money,” explains Coffi.
think it’s the element of the outdoors, this old language that travels through time, and the fact that you are seeing something that is so old that has had 300 years’ worth of generations watching it. So, somehow it ties you back to the beginnings of the theatre. It's just something that's really unique and exciting.” POINT FERMIN MAGIC For Coltrin, the beauty of ShakeIt’s not unusual to see large crowds speare by the Sea’s home at Point forming as early as two hours before Fermin Park just adds to the charm. a Shakespeare by the Sea performance “Point Fermin is magic,” she says. at Point Fermin Park. For many, these “There was one year during King John shows have become a summer family where one of the characters has a big tradition. speech about how the world is turned When asked what’s the most reward- upside down and there are these mystiing aspect of putting on these shows cal things scaring everyone, but they year after year, Coffi is quick to reply. can’t figure out what’s happening. “It’s the people, hearing their stories.” Exactly at the moment that he started she says. “Seeing these people that saying that, the fog rolled in off the I only see once a year, maybe twice ocean and completely engulfed the park if they come out to both shows. I get to the point where you couldn't see anyto follow along with them and their one onstage. And just as he finished the stories. How it's affecting them. That's speech, the fog went away. It was like what really gets my goat.” something weird happened in the uni“There’s a big family aspect to all of verse, and this fog just needed to help this, and our family extends to our audi- that show right now. It rolled in on cue ence,” adds Coltrin. “It takes a specific and rolled out on cue. It was amazing. It kind of artist to commit to something was magical.” spt like this. We just get the best people who are committed and passionate, and Don’t miss the Grand Finale perforthey become family. My best friends all mances of Henry V on Friday, Aucame from Shakespeare by the Sea.” gust 16, and The Comedy of Errors The crowds continue to grow year on Saturday, August 17, both at 8 after year, which is a testament to the p.m. at Point Fermin Park. For more quality of work they produce onstage. information on Shakespeare by the Coffi also attributes the company’s Sea, visit shakespearebythesea.org. longevity to the words of the playwright himself that they celebrate each For more information on Little Fish summer. Theatre, visit littlefishtheatre.org. “It’s something magical,” she says. “I
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MEET THE MAYOR
PAM COSTA, SAN PEDRO’S NEW HONORARY MAYOR, REVEALS HER WINNING WAYS interview by Joshua Stecker Pam Costa is having a moment. The mastermind behind two winning Honorary Mayor of San Pedro campaigns, Costa decided 2019 was her year to step out of the background and into the spotlight. The leadership director at Port of Los Angeles High School, Costa raised nearly $47,774 for three local charities (Maria's Closet, Pedro Pet Pals and Port of Los Angeles High School), which guaranteed her a victory over five other candidates: Ryan Blaney, Rudy Caseres, Manuel Jimenez, George Palaziol, and Humberto Raygoza. To top it off, she’s taking over honorary mayor duties from her husband, Domenic Costa, who just finished his two-year term. San Pedro Today caught up with the new Honorary Mayor to discuss her winning method, why she decided to run herself, and what she’s looking forward to as Honorary Mayor of San Pedro.
I am truly blessed. Then there is my school, POLAHS. I love this school and love all my kids. Raising money for them is an honor because it will help fund even more amazing programs that they deserve. Being that the honorary mayor’s race is one big fundraising drive, what types of fundraising events did you put together? Which type of event(s) worked best? Which type of event(s) didn’t do so well?
San Pedro is such a generous city! People came to events and had fun! I told my family if I was going to do this, it had to be fun. People wanted to support me and my charities, so they participated in the events that we held. I did many restaurant fundraisers and am so grateful to the owners that hosted them: Dominick's Pizza House, You’ve been the behind the scenes Big Nick's Pizza, Sorrento's, Buono's mastermind on two successful hon- Pizza, Sebastian's, The Whale and Ale, NUDA, and Pappy's Seafood. orary mayor campaigns (Domenic We did a sing-a-long to Mama Mia Costa and Dave Martinez), why did at [the San Pedro Brewing Company]. you decide to step into the spotSan Pedro Fish Market hosted a dinner light this time and run yourself? and silent auction. Captain's Treasure Chest gave me a percentage of sales I decided to run because I absolutely for a week. We did a pub crawl on the love my charities. Two years ago, trolley and went to three local bars for Ronna Luna (president of Maria's St. Patrick's Day. Off the Vine gave us Closet, a charity that supplies prom a percentage night. We put on a 5K and dresses to girls in need), approached had more than 100 runners and also had me and asked me to be on their board vendors selling. of directors. I would be running the The Wingtips played at the Dalmaevents and fundraisers associated with tian-American Club. I baked hundreds the charity. When you meet Ronna, you of cakes and had bake sales anywhere are automatically drawn to her passion they would allow me. I had Bunco put for this charity. I knew immediately on by Ann Esposito. I had a boutique that I wanted to be a part of it. I knew hosted at Theresa Lauro's home where running for honorary mayor would be we also had a swordfish barbecue a perfect way to raise money for her. donated by Dino Lauro. Tom Scotti, my Then there is Pedro Pet Pals, and the former principal, cooked a five-course founder, Theresa Sardisco, is an angel meal in my home for 40 people. We on earth. Her passion for animals is had 53 people on a bus to Pechanga and contagious, and helping her was a nohad quite a few big winners! We had a brainer. Running for honorary mayor Super Bowl pool and a March Madness brought her into my life, and for that 26 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I AUGUST 2019
Pam Costa (center) with former Honorary Mayors of San Pedro, her husband Domenic Costa (left) and John Bagakis (photo: John Mattera Photography)
pool. These events were so much fun, and I was blessed with all the support.
What’s the biggest challenge in running for honorary mayor?
How many hours did you put into it? How many volunteers did you have?
The biggest challenge is not burning out the community. There were six of us running and the events were constant. We flooded social media, and I am sure people were tired of the words “honorary mayor.”
I truly worked everyday. I wrote more than 200 letters asking people to donate to my campaign, made phone calls and planned events constantly. I was blessed If there was one thing you’d want with an amazing committee of eight to improve about the honorary fabulous women and the best campaign mayor campaign, what would it be? manager, my husband, Domenic. I would really emphasize that if you are Given your experience, did you going to run, [I think you should] really have a strategy going in, or was a put your all into it. Your charities benlot of it planned on the fly? efit not only from the money they will receive but they get the publicity also. I definitely had a strategy. My letters were printed and stuffed, ready to mail What are you most looking forthe day the chamber gave us the goward to doing as honorary mayor ahead. I had all my restaurants booked (holiday parade, ribbon cuttings, ahead of time. I had five amazing men I chamber ambassador)? was running against and knew I had to work extremely hard. I can't wait to just get involved in the community. My husband loved riding in Aside from the charities, what’s the parade, and now I get to. I told Elise, another rewarding aspect about I am here for anything and everything! running for honorary mayor? Do you have any advice for future I wanted to do it for myself this time. I candidates about running a suchad been the campaign manager twice cessful campaign? and wanted to see if I could do it. I want to help people learn how to fundraise They have to be willing to work. They and take the fear out of asking. Being have to be organized, and they cannot told “no” should make you try harder. be afraid to be told no! I have told Elise Swanson [of the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce] that I Do you plan on working (or runwant to do speaking engagements and ning) another campaign in future? really build up this event. I would like to create more fundraising events for We will see. This one really tired me the chamber. out. I love helping people, so the answer is probably yes! spt
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Scenes from SPBXB; (inset) Romero (center) celebrating at the End of the Road Weenie Roast
TEN YEARS OF WALKING THE WALK
call a “gut feeling.” Every walk was an exercise in building that connection. Since there wasn’t a manual on how to walk every street in your hometown, I would just look around and walk in the direction I was drawn to. It became a guiding force once I was brave enough to start including guest walkers. A regular reader with a boat, now my friend Skipper Jeff, offered to give me a harbor tour on his sail boat. Much to my mother’s chagrin, I met him and story & photos by Angela Romero felt safe enough to get on a boat with a stranger. Maybe I was lucky, but I’ve in 2009, so sometimes when I posted This month marks the tenth anniverfollowed my gut through the streets sary of when I started paying attention about something, it was the first time of San Pedro into becoming a walking it appeared on the web. After a while, to San Pedro. August 28, 2009 was tour guide, starting a podcast, and now quite literally the first day of the rest of people started to find me and follow creating a museum from scratch. along. my life, although I wouldn’t realize its Recently, I browsed some of the San Pedro: Block by Block took me significance until years later. thousands of photos I took in that nine months to complete, which is exOfficially, it was the day I took my nine-month period, and it’s wild to see tremely appropriate because I definitely how much San Pedro has changed in first walk for a project I called San felt like a completely different person Pedro: Block by Block (SPBXB). For ten years. My gut is telling me that it when all was said and done. Sometimes will change exponentially more in the those of you unfamiliar with SPBXB, the goal was simple – I wanted to walk I describe the project as my hyperlocal next decade. That doesn’t mean that Eat, Pray, Love or something akin to every street in San Pedro and learn as we should be worried or resistant to much as I could along the way. I walked an Aboriginal walkabout; a voyage of all that is coming, it only means that an hour a day, Monday through Friday, self-discovery. some action will be required. Action is I discovered a lot about myself while at the heart of my decision to establish taking pictures of anything that piqued walking through town. I learned that I my interest, whether I liked it, thought the San Pedro Heritage Museum. San had a knack for remembering trivia and Pedro’s history and culture needs to be it was funny, or wanted to know more about it. If I had a question, I researched was in possession of a mild photograph- sought out, identified, preserved, and, ic memory (both would’ve been handy it. I knew there had to be other people ultimately, shared. We’ve already actiwho had the same questions I did. Then in grade school). The most important vated “San Pedro Built,” our first comthing that came out of SPBXB was reI would post my pictures and musings munity project aimed at crowd-sourcing on my blog (spbxb.wordpress.com). The connecting with myself and that extra- personal photos to create a database sensory invisible thing that some people that shows San Pedro’s developmental internet was a much different place
ANGELA ROMERO REFLECTS ON THE DECADE SINCE SHE WALKED & BLOGGED ABOUT EVERY BLOCK IN SAN PEDRO
28 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I AUGUST 2019
history. Now it’s time to start reaching out to local community organizations to see how we can best identify and preserve our shared histories. If preserving San Pedro’s history appeals to you, please consider joining the San Pedro Heritage Museum as a volunteer. The first organization we’ll be tackling is the United Methodist Church (UMC) near downtown. UMC is one of the oldest churches in San Pedro and counts many of the town’s most prominent historical leaders among their congregants. This makes UMC a perfect first community partner for museum volunteers to cut their teeth on. I’m excited for all the discoveries we’ll make and the good we’ll be doing for San Pedro’s heritage. For those who are interested in volunteering or just curious about my vision for the museum, please join me for a 10th anniversary presentation and reception on August 24 at Angels Gate Cultural Center from 2-4 p.m. I’ll be sharing photos and musings from San Pedro: Block by Block, as well as my big plans for the San Pedro Heritage Museum in 2020. If you’d like more information on the event or the San Pedro Heritage Museum, please call (310) 808-7800 or email me at angela@sanpedroheritage.org. spt Angela Romero is the founder of the San Pedro Heritage Museum.
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SPORTS
L.A. CITY SECTION ALL-STARS BEAT CHICAGO FOR TITLE
THE TEAM, WHICH INCLUDES THREE SAN PEDRO PLAYERS, COMPLETED THE TOURNAMENT GOING 4-0 EN ROUTE TO THE INAUGURAL GEICO CITY SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP by Jamaal K. Street
The CIF-Los Angeles City Section, a section that has produced a myriad of past, current and future Major League Baseball stars, got a chance to show everyone in Chicago what those in Los Angeles already know: They can play some baseball. The Los Angeles team, comprised of 24 selected stars from various CIF-Los Angeles City Section high schools, showed up in the four-day inaugural GEICO Baseball City Series, winning all four games in four days, culminating with a 6-2 victory over Chicago in the championship game at Les Miller Field (Curtis Granderson Stadium) on the campus of the University Of Illinois at Chicago on Thursday, July 11. San Pedro High School was well represented with incoming seniors, catcher Waldier Perez, shortstop Joshua Duarte and pitcher/first baseman Travis Connelly, all contributing throughout the tournament. The entire team played great and had the right coach to guide the ship in Matt Mowry, of three-time CIF-LACS Open Division champion Birmingham of Lake Balboa, who continues his title-winning success. Los Angeles was able to strut their stuff on the grand stage against the host city with ESPNU televising the game. Throughout the week, the City Section stars got to eat at all the top restaurants in Chicago, and even got to tour Guaranteed Rate Field, home to
the Chicago White Sox. Championship day got started with a tour of legendary Wrigley Field, the home of the Chicago Cubs. When the championship game started, Mowry handed the ball to talented junior-to-be, left-handed pitcher Anthony Joya from Banning, and the highly touted pitcher went to work, striking out eight batters in four strong innings, only allowing two earned runs on two hits. At one point, Joya fanned five in a row. Duarte, who made ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays with a diving catch from shortstop in a 10-0 pool play win over New York on July 9, would trigger the game's first run in the bottom of the third inning, on a ground ball to his shortstop counterpart, who threw the ball away. Duarte was awarded second base, then would score on the next pitch that David Felix (Maywood CES) blasted to right-center field for a double and a 1-0 Los Angeles lead. Chicago tied it in the fourth, but Perez would drive in Hasan Standifer (Narbonne) with a sharp single in the bottom of the fourth inning to put L.A. back on top. A second run in the inning came in when a fielder's choice on a double play attempt from Erik Rivas (Birmingham) would force in another run. Enrique Espinoza (Sylmar) would
30 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I AUGUST 2019
San Pedro All-Stars (l to r): Waldier Perez, Joshua Duarte, and Travis Connelly (photo: Lorena Duarte)
enter the fray on the mound after Joya surrendered a walk, hit by pitch and a single to load the bases with no outs in the fifth inning. Chicago managed just one run, but Espinoza calmly induced a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. The bottom of the fifth inning was all about the legs of Standifer, who helped guide Narbonne to the CIF-LACS Division 1 championship. The AllMarine League outfielder reached first base with one out on a fielder's choice, stole second on a strikeout, then stole third. On that second steal, the throw by Chicago's catcher was errant enough for Standifer to score an insurance run, a 4-2 L.A. lead. Los Angeles was far from done. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Duarte hit a two-out double and would remain on second when Nathaniel Flores from San Fernando High was hit by the 0-1 pitch. Daniel Martinez, the tournament MVP who had the biggest hit for L.A.
with a bases-clearing double in the sixth inning against New York, tore into the first pitch he saw for a big two-run double to plate Duarte and pinchrunner Josh Hernandez (Marshall) for the final two runs of the contest. Espinoza would finish the nine-out save retiring three of four batters faced in the seventh inning, striking out three. Once the last ground ball went to Felix, he simply tossed to Duarte at shortstop for the game-ending 4-6 fielder's choice out, setting off a raucous celebration for the victorious Los Angeles team. Duarte raised his stock tremendously in the GEICO City Series, going 4-for11 (.363) with 3 RBIs and 5 runs scored. Connelly, although he didn't play against Chicago in the championship game, went 2-for-2 (both doubles) with an RBI in L.A.'s 8-2 win over Chicago in pool play. Perez caught a batter stealing in the first pool play game, an 8-3 victory over Miami, and drove in three runs for the tournament. spt
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ABS ARE MADE ON THE CALENDAR by Ricky Magana One of the most common struggles I hear among people is that, despite their desire to get in shape or lose weight, the older they get, the harder it becomes to “fit it all in.” With a career, marriage, kids, the running around, who has the time, right? When I was a broke college student, I spent money as quickly as I got it. My spending was mindless. I had no idea where my money was going, but I had it, so I spent it. It didn’t take long before I got tired of it and started to listen to my parents and read up on simple money management. There are a ton of books on budgeting and personal finance out there, but the core principles can be boiled down to two directives: 1.) Pay yourself first, and 2.) Give every dollar a job. “Pay yourself first” is the idea that you take a certain percentage of every dollar you make before you spend a dime and stock it away for your future. This goes in a separate account that you don’t touch, and it goes towards investing and/or retirement. The second principle means every cent you make should be assigned to certain “buckets” determined before you even earn it. Every dollar is deployed to cover expenses/savings you’ve budgeted out beforehand. If you always follow those two principles, you’ll manage your money well. Anyone that’s budgeted realizes you have to make certain sacrifices today in the name of what’s most important to your future. If you stick with it though, you discover that you usually have plenty of money for the things you truly value and realize other things were just needlessly bleeding your bank account. But money isn’t the only currency in your life that can benefit from the same principles. The most important currency we have is the one we most often waste: time. However, unlike money, you don’t get more of it, so it’s infinitely more important that you gain control of it. And yet, most people go into every
week winging it. They have good intentions but let countless interruptions and distractions kill those intentions. If you have a lofty goal but you don’t have a schedule where you “pay yourself first” by carving out time blocks to do what’s most important to you (like workout, meditate, prep food) and give every hour of your day a specific job to handle all the other priorities, then you are setting yourself up for failure. I once took a productivity course that advised, before implementing anything productive, do a one-day log of every minute of your day. See where you really, truly spend your time. Is every moment deliberate and maximized? That exercise showed me how easy it is to waste the day and miss the opportunity to move closer to our goals. This is the most common reason why I see people fail in their fitness journey. People set a goal but fail to make a plan to make it happen. They lack focus because they don’t have a plan and let all the distractions of that day steal their aspirations. But contrary to popular belief, we don’t find the time to do what’s important. We make the time. Rarely do people factor in the logistics of getting in shape, but it requires a significant chunk of time each week. If you don’t lay out how it’s all going to happen each day, it’s definitely not going to happen by improvising. You’ll need 5-10 hours per week for at least 6-24 weeks for grocery shopping, prepping, working out, etc. And, I’m not going to sugar coat it, this is not an easy task. It will require time and patience to find a rhythm and routine that works. But if you honestly want the results, a weekly routine is what’s required to get them. You’ve often heard that abs are made in the kitchen, but I’d venture to say that advice is incomplete. Abs are made by getting out your calendar and planning your days in the kitchen (and the gym) and following that plan till you succeed. So, pencil it in. spt Heyday Elite Fitness offers a 2-minute scan that provides a full 1-page body fat analysis to help you tailor your fitness goals. For more info, email ricky@heydaytraining.com.
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by Pastor Nathan Hoff Every square inch of our less-thantwo-acre campus will be covered with kids this week. The local office stores must rejoice at all the hot glue, blue tape, bright colored paper, and Styrofoam sold to make all the decor needed for an average church Vacation Bible School (VBS) week. When all the kids come, they displace our regular guests. AA and ACA (Adult Children of Alcoholics), Toastmasters Club #111, a few small groups from some local church plants, and our own Bible study groups all make way for VBS. It takes the better part of a day for our secretary to contact everyone impacted by their inability to meet during these summer weeks. The South Bay was once host to famous Bible teacher, Hal Lindsey. Lindsey pastored a congregation in Torrance and wrote an influential book called The Late Great Planet Earth. It was on the New York Times bestseller list for 20 weeks in 1970. Central to that book and his books that followed was the understanding of the secret return of Jesus Christ and the rapture of the true church into the heavens. He suggested that the apocalypse would probably happen in the 1980s. You may remember bumper stickers around that time: “In case of rapture, this car will be unmanned.” As a high school student, I met Lindsey when he came to Seattle on a book tour. I was given the task to get his coffee order. “Pastor Lindsey, what kind of coffee would you like?” He responded, “A quadruple espresso.” Strong, straight, and fully awake! Just like his end-times teaching. There are a few different historical ways to interpret the Bible’s teaching on the end-times. They are probably all represented among the churches in San Pedro. For what it’s worth, I agree with Lindsey on espresso, but we part ways on how the church is called to be involved in the world. He is waiting for rapture. I am waiting for renewal. Lindsey’s focus on the church leaving Earth probably finds strong agreement with
the church’s strongest critics. There isn’t much difference between, “Can’t wait to leave” and “I wish they would just leave.” But what if the church did up and leave or was raptured away? During Lent, I gave up mainstream news consumption – happiest Lent in recent memory. I did sneak a peek at the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) since my oldest son has been living near Edmonton. In May, they reported the expected closure of 9,000 Canadian churches and religious spaces over the next ten years. There was mixed reaction. Some called it a crisis. Others saw it as evidence of growing secularism in modern society. I believe our culture is growing more religious, not more secular, but that is a subject for another article. Those who are concerned about the church’s absence note that churches and religious spaces are places for the community to gather, like Weight Watchers at Temple Beth El or Toastmasters at Trinity. They are staging places for outreach like Meals on Wheels from First Presbyterian or feeding the homeless at Mary Star or First Baptist, or food delivery from Calvary Chapel. These are just some of the gathering places of worship on 7th and 8th Streets in San Pedro, and they are only partial lists of the groups they host and the ways they serve. Many would miss those buildings if they were no longer religious gathering spaces, with all the attending benefits they provide San Pedro. They are places where, like medical buildings and gyms, bodies are fed and strengthened. But the uniqueness of their charters involves a commitment to the soul. Do we need communities that are committed to the soul? Does the soul matter? Every year at VBS time, we witness what we sing about at Christmas in “O’ Holy Night”: “The soul felt its worth.” It is glorious to behold when a kid knows they are precious in His sight. Souls matter. spt Nathan Hoff is the Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in San Pedro. Follow his blog at: trinitypastor.blogspot.com.
AUGUST 2019 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 35
IN MEMORIAM
KUZMA ‘MATTY’ DOMANCICH JULY 5, 1922 - MAY 18, 2019 by Johnny Brunac, grandson Kuzma ‘Matty’ Domancich was one of San Pedro’s favorite sons. The lifelong San Pedro resident passed away May 18, leaving behind a legacy that included founding the San Pedro High School Boosters Club (1957), opening The Bike Palace on Pacific Ave. (1973), and serving as Honorary Mayor of San Pedro (1989), among other accomplishments. The official greeter at the former San Pedro Elks Lodge, Domancich was famous for welcoming members with a huge smile and salutation. He even appeared on the cover of San Pedro Today in September 2013 for a story celebrating The Bike Palace’s 40th anniversary. This month, Domancich is remembered by his grandson, Johnny Brunac.
The following story that my grandfather shared many times with our family left a lasting impression on how much he simply loved meeting people. SAILOR DAYS As a young U.S. Navy sailor, Matty was stationed on an air base in College Station, Texas, in the middle of a hot, dry summer. Matty, along with some fellow sailors, wanted to escape the heat, so they headed in town to a local bar. After a round of cold beers, Matty excused himself to go to the restroom. On his way, he noticed a sign on a door that read "Colored Only." He didn't understand what that meant. He carefully opened the door and saw nothing but fellow African-American sailors inside. So, he walked in, introduced himself, and invited them to his table in the other room for a round of drinks. The men were shocked, but declined and told Matty, "Thank you, but no thanks." Matty insisted on the men to join him and his buddies, where they were sitting in the other room. They soon followed Matty where the bartender began to yell at him, asking, "Just what the hell are you doing, Sailor?” Matty replied, "I'm buying a round for these fellow sailors." The bartender quipped, "You can't do that." To which Matty responded, "Yes, I can, and you will [serve us] if you want our business. If you don't get these sailors a drink, I'll be sure that everyone will leave your establishment. We’ll go elsewhere.” The bartender finally gave in and served the fellow sailors a round of drinks courtesy of Matty. This was the
first time Matty witnessed racism and segregation. It bothered him, as he never experienced anything quite like that growing up in San Pedro. He saw no color in those fellow servicemen. To him, they were young, fellow sailors serving their country just like he was. THE BIKE PALACE YEARS After coming home from the war, Matty began his career in the automotive industry, where he served as a mechanic and salesman, but ended up owning two service stations here in San Pedro. As 1972 passed, the executives at Shell Oil Co. demanded that Matty would end full service at his station, which was on the corner of 17th and Pacific Ave. Not happy at the decision they made and feeling that his customers deserved better, Matty decided that he was done with the station. The executives asked what he was going to do next. Matty replied, "I'm going to open up a bicycle shop." In the summer of 1973, The Bike Palace was born. Matty's expertise as a mechanic made him enjoy the bicycle business immediately. His enthusiasm and genuine interest in every customer that walked in each day made him friends from all over the world. There are many stories on how Matty would help underprivileged kids in the community. On one occasion, I witnessed a young boy walk through the door with half his bike missing after it was stolen. Matty said, "Don't worry, buddy, let's get your bike working. You can pay me next
36 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I AUGUST 2019
time." He replaced all the missing parts free of charge. Three years later, the same kid walked in with money to pay him. Matty declined the offer, shook the kid's hand, and walked away with tears in his eyes. Our grandfather had a soft spot for the underprivileged youth and tried to help out when he could. This explains why he started the San Pedro High School Boosters Club, loving and helping people were one of his passions. THE SO-CALLED RETIREMENT YEARS Matty retired from the bicycle business and passed it down to his godson, Anthony Jabuka, Jr., the shop’s current owner. His next move was to open the Celebrate San Pedro store at Ports O' Call Village, just in time to celebrate San Pedro’s centennial in 1988. The store's profits went to various local charities and scholarships, another way he was able to give back to our community. After the store closed, Matty kept busy selling historical photos of San Pedro. He loved this town and was proud to be a San Pedran. He would take morning walks with his sister-inlaw, Jackie, and carry a sample book of all the old pictures of San Pedro. He would share these photos with random
strangers on his walks or with people he knew. Today, many San Pedro businesses have his photos hanging on their walls. THE LAST YEARS I once asked my grandfather, long before the Alzheimer's and dementia were present, what his hobby was. I always knew he loved sports (SPHS football, baseball, and college football), but aside from that, I never knew his hobbies until I asked him that day. “People are my hobbies,” he told me. That made perfect sense. He loved people and people loved him back. It did not matter who you were, if he knew you, you would feel the love he gave. His favorite quotes to the ladies were, "I crazy for you," in his Croatian accent, or, "Service is my business," if he was helping you. He had a special gift for meeting people and making you feel as if you knew him right away. He loved San Pedro and San Pedro loved him. We’ve lost a local icon. This town will never be the same without him. I do know that he is reunited with his wife Mary (our Nona), his brother Sam, and most importantly, his daughter Donna (our mom). Until we meet again, Bata, we love you. spt
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An early look at Cabrillo Beach before the sand was laid on the outer beach in 1928. Many of these squatters had to be forced to leave their beachfront property. You can see two prominent buildings on the hill above that are still standing today. (photo: San Pedro Bay Historical Society)
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28358 S. Western Ave., RPV 90275 NEW PATIENT SPECIAL
$1200-$5500 OFF
Your Dental Implant Procedure
Not combinable with any other offer or discount. Exp. 8/31/19
NEW PATIENT SPECIAL
FREE
CT Scan
with an Implant Consultation
Not combinable with any other offer or discount. Exp. 8/31/19