AUGUST 2021
BACK-TO-SCHOOL CHECKLIST FOR PARENTS | A TASTE OF EL SALVADOR | BUKOWSKI MEDALLIONS
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AUGUST 2021 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 3
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR “Why doesn’t San Pedro have a Croatian restaurant?” This question was recently posed to me by someone who called the office looking for information about the town. It happens a couple of times a month. People seem to think we have the answers to all-thingsSan Pedro. Newsflash: We don’t. (But we try to help the best we can.) The caller recently moved here from Silver Lake and had heard of our town’s notable Croatian and Italian heritage. She then pointed out the abundance of Italian restaurants versus the lack of Croatian ones, which is something like 2,131 to 0. My math may be off, but you get the idea. Like me, she’s not Croatian, but had traveled there and loved the food and was disappointed San Pedro lacked something so obvious. I didn’t have a good answer. I’ve been asked this question numerous times and have come up with nothing. Since Ante’s closed in 2012, to my knowledge, no one has attempted to open a legit Croatian-style restaurant that serves Dalmatian dishes, which, you must admit, is strange in a community known for its sizeable Croatian population. A population that likes to cook. A lot. Even with the lack of Croatian
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representation, I’d argue we have more variety when it comes to restaurants than we’ve had in years. The addition of Sebastian’s Mediterranean Cuisine (currently relocating to another downtown location), Compagnon Wine Bistro, and Ko Ryu Ramen have added some fresh choices to a downtown area ripe with Mexican and Italian restaurants. There’s a new menu at The Whale & Ale, which is now an Irish pub rather than an English one. Babouch Moroccan Restaurant recently reopened, too. We have several Thai, Chinese, and Japanese restaurants, as well as one of my personal favorite spots, Nazelie’s Lebanese Cafe. A number of Latin American cuisines are also represented. This month, our food writer, Sanam Lamborn, writes about a few Salvadoran spots that look delicious. I write all of this to say, maybe it’s time someone invests in a Croatianstyle restaurant in town again. There's certainly room for one. Or if not Croatian, what other types of eateries would you like to see come to San Pedro? If you have an idea, send an email to contact@sanpedrotoday.com and let us know what types of restaurants (or retail businesses) you’d like to see come to town and I’ll run them in a future issue. Who knows, with the economy opening up and lots of investment dollars coming in, maybe someone will listen. 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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AUGUST 2021 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 5
AUGUST 2021
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ADVERTISING:
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Patricia Roberts (562) 964-8166 | patricia@sanpedrotoday.com
ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION
Melissa Hay (310) 707-3872 | melissa@sanpedrotoday.com
Joshua J. Stecker Lori Garrett
Joseph A. Castañeda
AT-LARGE CONTRIBUTORS
Sanam Lamborn, Mike Lansing, Ricky Magana, Steve Marconi, Anthony Pirozzi, Jr., Angela Romero, Sophie Schoenfeld, Jamaal K. Street, Lee Williams
PHOTOGRAPHER
John Mattera Photography
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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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 2009-2021, Empire22 Media LLC.
VOLUME 13 | NUMBER 7 ON THE COVER: PIRATE PRIDE: San Pedro High School baseball wins its first CIFLACS Open Division championship. (photo: John Mattera Photography)
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AUGUST 2021 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 7
EVENTS
AUGUST 2021 August 5 (Thurs) – FIRST THURSDAY in Downtown San Pedro, 6p. – The popular First Thursday ArtWalk returns this month in the historic core of Downtown San Pedro. The redesigned First Thursday will feature guided ArtWalk tours, open galleries, outdoor dining, and live music on the corner of 6th and Mesa St. This month’s features include: ArtWalk guided tour leaving at 6p from Sirens Java & Tea (402 W. 7th St.), Live Music at 6th & Mesa: U.S. 99 Band starts at 6p, and curated food trucks on Mesa St. close to 5th and 8th streets. August 7 (Sat) – POINT FERMIN LIGHTHOUSE SOCIETY ‘WELCOME BACK’ APPRECIATION EVENT at Point Fermin Lighthouse (807 Paseo del Mar), 11a-1p. – An appreciation event for Society members and volunteers who supported the lighthouse throughout the COVID shutdown. We will gather on National Lighthouse Day, Aug. 7, to recognize and honor the role that the men and women of the U.S. Lighthouse Service performed in the saving of lives and cargo. A boxed lunch, inside look at the lighthouse, music, lighthouse-related activities, and four lucky drawings will be provided for attendees. Not a member? Join the Point Fermin Lighthouse Society and join the fun while picnicking in a spectacular setting! To attend, call the lighthouse at (310) 241-0684 or text (310) 293-8000. Attendance confirmation is required by Friday, July 30. August 13-15, 20-22 (Fri-Sun) – SHAKESPEARE BY THE SEA at Point Fermin Park (807 W. Paseo Del Mar), Fridays: 8p, Saturdays: 8p, Sundays: 7p. – Set against a breathtaking ocean backdrop, San Pedro’s beloved annual tradition returns this summer with live, in-person, outdoor performances. This month's production will be Love’s Labour Lost (Friday, Saturday, Sunday — Aug 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, and 22), with
Friday and Saturday performances starting at 8p and Sunday performances starting at 7p. Admission is FREE, and tickets are not required. Grab a blanket and some snacks (and perhaps a sweatshirt for those cool ocean breezes) and enjoy the scenic views while taking in a show with family and friends. To follow along with the June 15th L.A. County Health Department guidelines, SBTS is asking unvaccinated individuals to wear masks while on the premises. For more info, visit shakespearebythesea.org. August 21 (Sat) – SUMMER NIGHT MARKET IN THE PIAZZA at Little Italy of L.A. Piazza (638 S. Beacon St.), 4-8p. – Enjoy a summer evening of fun and shopping with live music, artisan vendors, food, beer and wine, and much more! FREE Admission. All ages welcome. August 28 (Sat) – FERMIN & FRIENDS ANNUAL PICNIC, WALK, RUN, FOOD & FELLOWSHIP at the San Pedro Athletic Complex (3181 N. Gaffey St., softball park), 9a. – This is the 40th “something” annual event in support of Father Thompson’s work in Mexicali, as well as several worthwhile projects throughout our local and surrounding communities. For more info or applications forms, please contact Jesse (Chuy) Ibarra (310) 347-7508 or Richard (Dickie) Soto (310) 547-4509.
EVENTS ARE BACK!
1231 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro info@vivelayoga.com 8 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I AUGUST 2021
Hi Joshua, I wanted to write thanking you for the interesting and informative article by Angela Romero, "A Company Town". My husband and I met her on a tour of the old city hall and the museum. I admire her knowledge and research of San Pedro. Thank you from a family who has lived here a long time yet knows so little about what has made our town what it is today... special! God bless your efforts having many varied and relative topics. Nancy & Mike Hazelwood Dear Joshua, My wife and I enjoy your magazine and appreciate all your coverage of local news and events. I want to share my perspective on the cover of the current issue, July 2021. It is great news that the Mary Star team won the state championship – definitely worth a cover! However, I think the photo should have featured some of the players in the foreground, rather than the coach. No doubt the coach was instrumental in the season and the state victory, but the “CHAMPS!” were primarily the girls. Thanks for considering, Terry Andrews We received a couple of emails regarding July’s cover, so I figured I’d address it here. As I wrote in my column last month, the idea to feature the MSHS girls basketball team was a last-minute decision due to their surprising championship run. (We had an entirely different cover story ready to go.) Unfortunately, because this story snuck up on us, I had a limited number of photos to choose from that would work as a possible cover. From that small pool, I ended up choosing the photo of head coach Victor Tuberosi raising the CIF championship plaque with team members cheering behind him simply because it was the one photo that stood out of the limited choices I had. It’s a great photo by John Mattera that captured the emotion of that moment. If I had a group shot of the whole team that would’ve worked as the cover, I would’ve used it without hesitation. I just didn’t have one. It’s as simple as that. This month, to avoid anymore cover criticism, I probably overcompensated with the SPHS baseball team, which I'll probably get some flack for, too. If there's one thing I’ve learned in the 16 years I’ve been doing this, it's that you can’t please everyone. – JS
In-person events have returned! We're accepting FREE event listings now through Sept. 30, 2021. (After that, there's a small listing fee.) Email event info to events@sanpedrotoday.com to place a listing. Deadline for the September 2021 issue is Friday, August 13. Find more events at sanpedrotoday.com. 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.
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VOICES
ITALIA – CAMPIONI D’ EUROPA! by Anthony Pirozzi, Jr.
The World Cup is the most popular tournament in the world, and the European Cup is a close second. Italy won its one and only European Cup 13 tournaments ago back in 1968, but all of that changed this summer. After the embarrassment of not qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the team found themselves in a place they hadn’t been in 60 years, watching the World Cup from home. The memories of not qualifying were fresh in the minds of the team heading into this year’s European Cup and put them on a mission to not only win the tournament but make a statement that Italian soccer was back. In 2018, the Italian Soccer Federation hired former Italian player and coach Roberto Mancini to revolutionize Italian soccer. He changed the traditional defensive/ counter-attack philosophy into a successful strategic attacking style reflected in Italy’s 33-game unbeaten streak entering the Euro Cup Final against England. Gli Azzurri became the European Cup champions once again. For many of us, our first experience with Italian soccer was the 1982 World Cup in Spain. It was the first time Italy would win the World Cup since 1938 and was their third win in the team’s history. Two years prior to the 1982
Pirozzi (center) and his family celebrate Italy's recent Euro Cup win outside the Italian American Club. (photo: John Mattera Photography)
World Cup, Italian league soccer players were suspended due to a betting scandal for influencing the outcomes of games. So when the World Cup started, the only way to prove to the world that Italian soccer was bigger than the scandal was to win. After beating Argentina, Brazil, and Poland in the knockout stages, Italy would beat West Germany in the Finals. Back then, my father announced on his Sunday Italian radio program that when — not if, but when — Italy won the World Cup, fans should meet across from his shop, Tony’s TV and Soccer Supplies, on 12th and Gaffey in the Safeway parking lot (now Vons) to celebrate, and celebrate we did. He went so far as putting up two handwritten posters in his shop window before the game that read, “Italy #1” and the other, “We salute Italy World Champions 1982.” Two thousand people showed up waving Italian flags. We then paraded all across San Pedro, hanging out of cars, waving Italian flags, and chanting, “Italia, Italia, Italia!” Many around town knew we had won and cheered with us as we passed by. We ended up at Peck Park for an impromptu picnic. It was an incredible experience. This celebration set the tone
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for my generation to truly understand the deep connection to our roots back in Italy and the sacrifices our grandparents and parents made to come to this country, overcoming adversity through hard work to make a better life for us. In 2006, scandal once again hovered over Italian soccer, this time between owners and referees being paid to determine the outcomes of games. This time, players were not involved in the scandal and entered the 2006 World Cup in Germany determined to prove that to the world by once again winning on the field. They would win their fourth World Cup by beating France in the finals. A watch party and celebration took place at the Italian American Club on 19th and Gaffey with over 1,000 people in attendance. This World Cup, just like in 1982, was the first real experience for my generation’s kids to experience with their grandparents and us a World Cup victory. It strengthened our ties to our Italian heritage even more. After experiencing Italy overcoming the scandals and winning the 1982 and 2006 World Cup titles with my father, I had a strong sense that Italy was motivated by the disappointment of 2018 and could make the Euro Cup finals,
let alone win it all. This time, though, it would be without my father, who passed away a year ago this month. It was difficult, to say the least, watching each game without him. Through it all, I always felt his presence. I could see him smiling and laughing while saying, “What are you worried about? They’re going to win.” In honor of his Italian radio program, I used my “Pirozzi Live” YouTube channel to discuss upcoming games and filmed the last one with my boys. The backdrop was my father’s San Pedro Italian soccer club flag from the ‘70s. The flag was waved at Daniels Field while cheering on his team, waved in the Safeway parking lot in 1982, and waved at the Italian American Club in 2006. My dream was to wave it in front of the Italian American Club to celebrate a Euro 2020 Championship in his honor, which I did. Soccer is like no other game and a gift from my father. It reminds me, as he used to tell me, “Don’t forget where you come from.” I never will. Forza Italia! spt Anthony Pirozzi, Jr. is a Los Angeles Harbor Commissioner. He can be reached at apirozzi@yahoo.com.
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AUGUST 2021 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 11
VOICES finding opportunities to support their academic achievement is arguably the number one responsibility of parents in terms of their child’s education. Unlike then, most parents today have an online portal on which they can monitor their child’s progress even daily. However, you should assume your child is “behind” and be sure to stay in direct contact with their teachers whenever by Mike Lansing possible. Direct contact means connecting early this school year with teachers Approximately 30 tion for “questionable” reasons. Today, I via emails and/or phone messages (and am hoping as many children as possible hopefully return communications from years ago, when will return to in-person instruction I was still teaching those instructors) at least once a month with their teachers starting this month. (until unnecessary). Also, check in daily and also president It is most obvious that virtual instrucof the San Pedro with your child — Who cares if it bothers them? Comprehensive monitoring is tion, while a necessity, resulted in the Youth Coalition, your number one academic responsibilvast majority of students today being I wrote an article anywhere from behind to far behind in ity, which then requires the next step for the Coalition’s their academic progress. Therefore, stu- of taking advantage of the following Youth Times newschecklist priority whenever possible. letter with this same title. Given the re- dents need to be in the classroom with THEN: Be sure to secure academality that many of today’s K-12 students their teachers for best results. Please be sure to enroll your child and have them ic support for your child whenever have not been “in school” since March needed/possible. in their desk when schools reopen this 2020, I submit these recommendations TODAY: Start off the year believmonth. (Note: Praying hesitant folks get and comparison of then and now. ing your child will need additional vaccinated, case numbers lessen, and THEN: Make sure your child schools open as planned on August 16.) academic support and secure those attends school as many days as resources starting now. THEN: Be sure to monitor your possible. Do not wait until the first progress child’s progress regularly with their TODAY: Make sure your child atreport to identify and secure academic tends school when LAUSD reopens teacher(s). support for your child. Given the fact TODAY: Be sure to monitor your August 16. they are probably already behind, that child’s progress regularly with their Then, I was lamenting the reality will be too late. Most schools have teacher(s). of far too many students missing too received tens of thousands of additional many days of school and direct instrucMonitoring your child’s progress and dollars for expanded learning opportunities for students. I suggest connecting with your principal/teachers and seeing if supplemental academic support is available daily either before or after school. Also, many community-based organizations like the Boys & Girls Club provide daily academic support for students while also providing other Pizza • Appetizers extended learning day opportunities. Research these organizations ASAP Salads • Sandwiches and secure these limited community Calzones • Pasta Dishes resources/spots before they fill up. THEN: When contacted due to Dinner Entrees & Desserts your child’s behavior, do not start from the position that “Johnny/ Jamie” is innocent and the school is picking on him/her.
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TODAY: Given the extended absence from school campuses, many students will have some real challenges returning to the school environment. Tens of thousands of children have not had to interact in person with their teachers and/or classmates for an unprecedented amount of time. Expect some challenges. We have observed this behavioral challenge with a number of youth who did not attend our club this past year while we were open but then attended our Summer Camp program. Many had a hard time following rules and interacting appropriately with so many others in their space; they haven’t had to follow rules or engage appropriately with their peers for far too long. If you get “the call,” work with your school personnel to help your child understand the behavioral expectations and have some patience, while at the same time working diligently with the school to develop acceptable behavior. THEN: Children need more than just the “three Rs.” TODAY: Children need enrichment. Your child’s optimum development should include more than just “readin’, ‘ritin’, and ‘rithmetic.” It is a proven fact that children that participate in the arts and other positive enrichment opportunities on average are higher academic achievers than their peers. They are also on average much more developmentally balanced than those who only focus on their schoolwork. Find enrichment opportunities for your child, whether at school or at community-based organizations like the Boys & Girls Club and many others. Fine arts, music, dance, sports, STEM, drama, and other enrichment opportunities are available in our community for your child. Sit down with them and discuss which one(s) will be best and be sure to sign them up right away. spt Mike Lansing is the executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor.
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VOICES
WINNING IN SAN PEDRO, IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR by Steve Marconi a City basketball title in 2010. Anthony, today, is the school’s athletic director. Two more cousins, Joe Deguchi and Robert Villela, were teammates on San Pedro High’s 2008 City football co-championship team. Villela is yet another grandson of Joe and June, the son of daughter Kim and her husband, Robert, who played baseball for San Peonship teams. dro High. Deguchi is the son of June’s In fact, the family connections behind the Mary Star girls basketball team brother Mike. Deguchi and Villela were featured in and San Pedro High’s baseball team are a 2008 Daily Breeze story about seven almost biblical in nature. members of the football team that called Let’s start with the Brucelas clan, themselves the O’Farrell Street Boys bewhere the next family gathering will cause that is the block in west San Peinclude players from both the Stars’ dro near Peck Park where they grew up. CIF title team and the Pirates’ City It’s where Joe and June Brucelas raised title team. Joe and June Brucelas own bragging their family; the Harpers live next door and the Marconis one block west. rights: Granddaughter Bella Marconi By my count, that’s nine CIF and was a starting guard for Mary Star, and City titles in one large, extended family. grandson Jake Harper was a star centerfielder for San Pedro. A third cousin, Outsiders would need a program to keep track of all the Brucelas relations. Mikey Brucelas, the Pirates’ all-star There’s more. Other ballplayers on catcher, is the stepson of A.J. Brucelas and grandson of Joe’s late brother Ron. the 2021 Pirates team with generational The 2021 titles just add to the Bruce- notoriety are shortstop Cain Lusic, the grandson of San Pedro High pitching las family’s cache of athletic trophies. Joe and June’s daughter Carrie married legend George Lusic; Dylan Kordic, Rino Marconi III, and her sister Melissa the grandson of former Fermin Lasuen married Tim Harper. Rino and Tim are ballplayer Ricky Gonzalez; and Dominic Porter, whose father, Dexter, played not only brothers-in-law; they were for San Pedro. Two other teammates, teammates on San Pedro High’s last brothers Massimo and Gio Crow, also (and first) City championship baseball connect the 1992 and 2021 Pirate teams. team in 1992. That also makes the Harpers the only father-son Pirate ath- Their uncle, Councilman Joe Buscaino, was a teammate of Marconi and Harper. letes to win City titles. The talent displayed by the 2021 Bella’s basketball ability shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Her older Mary Star and San Pedro High title half brothers, twins Anthony and Tyler teams just proves once again the imporRogosic, helped lead San Pedro High to tance of good genes… and marriage to San Pedro is proud of its “tightknit community” reputation, and nothing exemplifies it like its two most recent high school champi-
a Brucelas. For those wondering: Rino and I are not related. My dad and his grandfather were longtime friends and colleagues on the docks. I lived on West O’Farrell for 15 years and was there when Carrie, then a widow with three toddlers, moved in next door. My son and the “O’Farrell Street Gang” (see below) of the ‘80s and early ‘90s didn’t produce any great San Pedro athletes, but all would agree, it was a great street to grow up on.
O’Farrell. They were “salt and pepper”: the blonde, blue-eyed Hunter and the brown-haired, brown-eyed Matthew. Hunter graduated from Bishop Montgomery and went on to the California Maritime Academy, where he eventually earned his degree in engineering. Matthew, meanwhile, attended CSU Chico, graduating with a history degree. One day, Hunter invited Matthew over to Vallejo and said there was a girl he’d like him to meet, an underclassman he had befriended. Matthew met Liz on September 26, 2003, four years later to the day our first granddaughter was born. Sadly, cancer took Joan from us in 2010 at the age of 61. Joan had asked my wife to look after Hunter, a bequest easily accepted for someone who had been like a second mother for most of his life. A much-in-demand engineer, most of Hunter’s adult life was spent in the Bay Area, but he remained a faithful “son” and friend. He had two sayings that best summed up his life: “Do the next right thing” and “Create the life you love,” which he was able to do even before dying so young. Hunter’s ashes will be scattered by his longtime companion, Janelle, in the waters off San Pedro, where he used to surf. He didn’t have a lot of close blood relations, but he leaves our family and many friends and a hole in all of our hearts. spt
IN MEMORIAM As an inveterate reader of obituaries, there are three words I hate to see: tragic, untimely, unexpected. All almost always imply what we most dread — the person died young. Even worse is having to write those words, especially when they apply to a beloved family member or friend. Hunter Chappell was both to my family. He was our son’s lifelong friend and also an integral part of our family for more than 40 years before dying June 17 at age 43. He was childless, but our granddaughters will forever be a part of his legacy because of his friendship with our son. The story begins in the early ‘80s when Joan Chappell, a hard-working single mom, asked my wife to babysit her son. The two boys became joined at the hip, playing together day after day. Hunter and his mom were part of our household for years — birthdays, Christmas, baptisms, Halloween, picnics, the Steve Marconi can be reached at beach, and, of course, the now legendspmarconi@yahoo.com. ary Fourth of July celebrations on West
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LA FLEET WEEK RETURNS by Lee Williams This Labor Day weekend marks the return of San Pedro’s biggest annual event, LA Fleet Week. The LA Fleet Week organizers have taken great steps to make this a safe and responsible event with 95 percent of all activity taking place outdoors. Additional adjustments could be made according to guidelines from health officials closer to the date, so I am hopeful all the work we have done as a community to get vaccinated and take COVID seriously will result in an even more open event for all of us to enjoy. The first event to look forward to is the Welcome Party on Thursday, Sept. 2. It starts at 6 p.m. and doubles the amount of fun, entertainment, and people we have on a normal First Thursday event. There will be art tours, music, beer, food, and activities for the kids to enjoy. The entertainment is always top-notch, and it’s a good idea to wear comfortable shoes to get around town or to dance on 6th and Mesa. LA Fleet Week (Sept. 3 – 6) is a FREE EVENT and will take on more of a festival atmosphere this year along the waterfront. The gates open each day at 10 a.m., with folks being able to see the unique U.S. Sea Service ships from the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. Again, depending on how well we stop the spread, ship tours may include topside as well as below deck tours. As always, people will be able to meet service members to ask questions, take photos, and thank them for their service. Tours run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Check out LAFleetWeek.com for additional details. The main stage will have a DJ or live performances starting around noon and will feature a different genre of music to enjoy each day. Friday is going to be country with performances by Sean Oliu & the Coastline Cowboys at 2:30 p.m. and Mr. Red, White and Blue himself, Coffey Anderson, at 4 p.m. Saturday is all about rock ‘n’ roll with popular San Pedro locals and U2 tribute band, L.A.vation coming on at 2 p.m. and then high energy performances from Def Leppard’s Rick Allen and DJ Ravidrums at 4:30 p.m. You are in for a real treat. Sunday brings back Galley Wars at noon. This is where the chefs from the U.S. Sea Services battle it out in a
timed competition to impress celebrity judges, chefs, and high-ranking officials. The teams include active-duty members from the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marines. Then at 4 p.m., American Idols Taylor Hicks and Ruben Studdard will perform a Tribute to American Heroes. Monday (Labor Day) will be a favorite with the always fun ‘80s cover band and San Pedro locals, Identity Theft, who go on stage at 2 p.m., followed by “The Titans of Soft Rock,” Yachtley Crew at 4 p.m. Both of these performances are not to be missed and will include yours truly, dancing and loudly singing along to songs I know about 80 percent of the words to. Every day will include a schedule of flyovers and aerial demonstrations. These feature all sorts of aircraft, including the usual LAPD and LASD choppers we see in high-speed chases, as well as the city and county fire copters that drop large amounts of water on hillside fires. The Leap Frogs Navy Parachute Team will perform several jumps where they land just a few feet from spectators, and the U.S. Coast Guard will do some amazing water rescue demonstrations that always impress. All performances are subject to schedule changes, so be sure to check out LAFleetWeek.com for updates or ask one of the many volunteers for a schedule. Speaking of volunteers, the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce does an amazing job of training and providing volunteers for these events. To find out how you can participate, visit SanPedroChamber.com. There will be a larger Family Fun Zone this year for younger kids to enjoy, along with more food trucks and pop-up vendors. My insider tip to locals is to park at 22nd and Miner, visit nearby Crafted for a quick shop of local and interesting items, have a local brew at Brouwerij West, and then jump on the FREE trolley to take you on a quick tour of San Pedro on your way to Fleet Week. You will avoid parking fees, skip the crowds, and travel in style as you see some of the exciting changes that are happening around the town we love. See you there! spt Lee Williams is board chair of the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce and leads The Williams Group at Keller Williams PV Realty. He can be reached at leewilliams@kw.com.
AUGUST 2021 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 17
Senior Dylan Kordic (center) raises the CIF-LACS Open Division championship plaque after San Pedro High School's 7-6 win over visiting El Camino Real. (photo: John Mattera Photography)
PIRATE PRIDE
A LATE HOME RUN SENDS SAN PEDRO HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL TO ITS FIRST CIF-LACS OPEN DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP by Jamaal K. Street
1992 still feels like a long time ago. That was when San Pedro High baseball won their first CIF-Los Angeles City Section championship when it outlasted Polytechnic of Sun Valley at Dodger Stadium under the leadership of longtime coach Jerry Lovarov. Reaching a championship game since then was rare for the Pirates. They only managed two more appearances in 2004 when they lost to eventual national champion Chatsworth and again in 2010, where they were one strike away from a dogpile at Chavez Ravine, before falling on the last two pitches to El Camino Real. The 2021 edition of the Pirates made the most of their shortened season, and it was made even more special on Saturday when, in front of a large-capacity crowd on their own home field, they staged a comeback for the ages and won
7-6 over the visiting Conquistadors to win the first CIF-LACS Open Division championship in school history. “It feels unreal,” San Pedro senior center fielder Jake Harper says. “It’s always something me and the boys have talked about. We have imagined this moment since we were 10 years old, and now it happened. All the hard work has finally paid off, and I am so grateful for this team. This is the best moment of my life, and I will never forget it.” San Pedro (17-8 overall), the fourth seed of the playoffs, was battle-tested all the way through, taking on several top teams, including the entire West Valley League, winning a fourth straight Marine League title, while they had several nonbelievers outside of their hometown along the way. And yes, they even battled with themselves during the game. Fighting their way through six early
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errors and with a 5-1 deficit staring them in the face, San Pedro struck back with two runs in the bottom of the third inning thanks to senior catcher Mikey Brucelas, blasting an RBI-double, then scoring on a balk, slicing their deficit down to 5-3. “We were making mistakes that we usually never make,” San Pedro senior shortstop Cain Lusic says. “But we knew we had to keep battling and stay positive in order to make this happen.” El Camino Real (15-17) added another run in the top of the fourth for a 6-3 advantage, but sophomore pitcher Casey Molina never allowed the Conquistadors to further increase their edge. “I was a little rattled,” says Molina, who only allowed one earned run in 2.1 innings of relief to earn the win. “But when stepping on that mound, taking a slow deep breath, and knowing that
I have a great defense behind me, they put me in that position to help out the team. I was confident enough to know that my teammates will have my back the whole way.” After Molina and the defense forced a 1-2-3 top of the fifth, the Pirates went to work in the bottom half. San Pedro’s top of the order started the comeback train, as Lusic and Harper both reached base on errors to start the inning, then both were driven home on Brucelas’s second double and third hit of the game. Suddenly, the deficit was now only 6-5. “All I was thinking was ‘team first,’” Brucelas says of his critical third plate appearance. “I need to get the job done and hit my guys over, but the pitcher threw a mistake. I took advantage of it and ended up hitting them in.” Senior cleanup hitter Dylan Kordic was retired, but three pitches later came
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(L to R) Senior Dominic Porter (right) celebrates his go-ahead home run in the bottom of the 5th inning; the team celebrates after winning the CIF-LACS Open Division championship; coach Steve Tedesco gets a celebration shower. (photos: John Mattera Photography)
senior left fielder Dominic Porter. With the count two balls and no strikes, Porter was ready whenever that third pitch of the at-bat came his way. “It was just instinct,” Porter says. “I knew they were going to throw a fastball in that situation since they threw two off-speed pitches in a row, and I was ready for it.” Was he ever. Porter connected on the 2-and-0 fastball, depositing it over the left field fence for a go-ahead two-run home run, and the San Pedro home crowd went completely bonkers because it gave the Pirates the 7-6 lead. With one out in the top of the sixth and El Camino Real mounting a threat,
Kordic then left the third base position to the mound and got the final four outs to secure the title, ending the game with a strikeout that sent the entire Pirate faithful in attendance into a sea of black and gold pandemonium. The finish was an emotional one for Kordic, who passed up football season in the spring after two straight cancellations to focus solely on baseball for his senior season. Earlier in May, Kordic was awarded one of six CIF-LACS Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards, and now he adds his second championship ring to his collection to join his 2018 CIF-LACS Division 1 football title. “Winning the championship was everything I could have hoped for,” Kordic
20 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I AUGUST 2021
says. “Being the guy to close it out was like the cherry on top.” Brucelas went 3-for-4 on the day with four RBIs and two runs scored, while Porter went 2-for-3 for San Pedro, who ended a seemingly never-ending string of 29 straight CIF-LACS major division baseball titles won by a San Fernando Valley school. This win was especially gratifying for the senior class, who had to go through two straight Open Division quarterfinal exits in 2018 and a painful 2019 loss to Birmingham, who went on to win a third straight championship. San Pedro ended the Patriots’ reign with a 7-0 semifinal victory earlier in the week while also run ruling Harbor Area
neighbor Banning of Wilmington, 14-0 in five innings in the quarterfinals. It was also a perfect way to go out on top for eight-year head coach Steve Tedesco, who announced he is stepping down at the conclusion of the season. Another historical fact about this latest championship is that this is the first time a father-son duo in the history of San Pedro High School won a CIF-LACS title in any sport, as Harper’s father Tim was a vital member of the 1992 championship team. Asked if winning the title in 2021 was the perfect Father’s Day gift, Jake exclaimed, “100 percent.” spt
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FEATURE
BASEBALL BROTHERS IN ARMS by Joshua Stecker
THE BOYS (l to r): Jake Harper, Dominic Porter, Dylan Kordic, Mikey Brucelas, and Cain Lusic. Inset: The early years. (photos: John Mattera Photography / Melissa Harper)
They grew up together as kids on the ballfield and are entering adulthood as champions. For five San Pedro High School baseball players — Mikey Brucelas, Jake Harper, Dylan Kordic, Cain Lusic, and Dominic Porter — winning this year’s CIF-LACS Open Division championship was the culmination of years of hard work, perseverance, and a strong friendship that began more than a decade ago when all five joined the San Pedro Junior Pirates travel baseball club in February 2010. They were just seven or eight years old at the time. “They were really committed kids with a real passion for the game,” remembers Christopher Lusic, the Junior Pirate’s head coach and Cain’s uncle. “The travel ball club was a way to keep them playing all year round, training them so that when they got to high school, they had a legit chance to win a championship and move on to the next level.” Between 2010 and 2016, the Junior Pirates averaged 20 tournaments a year, playing nine months with a threemonth break. The team would collect 25
championships during that six-year run, which ended when the five boys entered junior high school. “They were little kids, and they had the mentality that this was something they wanted to do, and they went all in and never slowed down,” says Coach Lusic. All that time playing, traveling, and going to high school together created a near impenetrable bond between the five best friends, who’ve seen each other practically every day for more than a decade. They’ve experienced many highs, and a few lows, but nothing could prepare them for the fairytale ending of their high school baseball careers by winning the CIFLACS Open Division championship. “I see them as my brothers,” says Dominic Porter, who hit the go-ahead home run that put SPHS on top to win the championship. “We’re never going to forget winning the whole thing and playing together since we were kids. No matter if I move away, they will always be my family.” “I know I wouldn’t have achieved anything if it wasn’t for these guys,”
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adds Dylan Kordic, who was one of the winners of the L.A. City Section 2020-21 Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. “We just won the biggest goal of our lives on our home field. Now we’re leaving each other for college. It just blows my mind how fast it’s all happened.” With diplomas from SPHS in hand, all are college bound. Porter, Kordic, and Brucelas will attend Golden West College next year, while Harper heads to El Camino Community College and Lusic attends Orange Coast College. All plan on continuing to play baseball while pursuing other studies. “We had the same goal all our lives, and we finally did it,” says Cain Lusic, who plans on studying business. “Now it’s time to grow up and be on our own. It’s exciting. Hopefully, we just keep working and end up playing with or against each other.” (Full disclosure: Christopher and Cain Lusic are my cousins.) “It’s crazy knowing we’re not going to be together like we’ve always been,” adds Brucelas, who plans to major in sports medicine. “It’s going to be a lot
different. It hasn’t really hit me yet, to be honest.” For all of them, this rite of passage from high school to college is bittersweet. While embarking on their new collegiate life is exciting, the adjustment to not having each other around as much anymore is still sinking in. “It’s kind of sad now that we’ll have different schedules,” admits Porter. “I know we’ll hang out, but we won’t see each other as much as we used to. We won’t have what we had in high school.” He adds, “I can see myself playing with any of them again along the way. We all know we’re good enough to play at the next level. So, there’s excitement, too.” “I know all these guys are going to be in my wedding,” laughs Harper, who has an eye on sports management in the future. “We know that even if we fight, at the end of the day, we all have each other’s backs.” spt
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FOOD
A TASTE OF EL SALVADOR by Sanam Lamborn
Mexican restaurants dominate the Latin American food choices in San Pedro. Besides two Salvadoran restaurants in town, other Central and South American cuisines remain painfully unrepresented. Just like me, you have probably driven past these establishments regularly. Sadly, or fortunately, it took the pandemic for me to explore these restaurants. My introduction to Salvadoran food was through their national dish, pupusas. These are handmade round thick tortillas stuffed with cheese and other optional ingredients, then cooked on a hot griddle. They are traditionally served with red salsa and curtido, a tangy slaw made with shredded cabbage, carrots, onions, and oregano. When visiting San Antonio Restaurant (234 N. Pacific Avenue), you will experience quick and friendly service. Although the menu offers some Mexican food options, the Salvadoran choices are the highlight of the menu. Upon sitting down, you are promptly greeted with chips and a flavorful yet spicy salsa. A visit is not complete for me without ordering the cheese and loroco pupusa. A plant native to Central America, loroco means “edible herb,”
The yuca con chicharrón from San Antonio Restaurant; (right) Pupusas from Papusa Yeni. (photos: Sanam Lamborn)
and its closed flower buds, which have a delicate taste, are predominantly used in Salvadoran cuisine. The pupusas here are mostly protein-based and reliably good. These may be the greasiest in town, but all of that is pleasingly counterbalanced with the refreshing and well-seasoned curtido and salsa. The yuca con chicharrón is undoubtedly my go-to because it’s something that I would not replicate at home due to the amount of frying it involves. This dish features fried chunky yuca fries and cubes of pork served with slices of tomatoes and cucumbers on a bed of curtido. Both the yuca and pork are crunchy on the outside and still soft on the inside. Another fantastic option is the bistec encebollado, a flawlessly seasoned and seared thin steak topped with an abundance of grilled sweet onions. It is usually served with rice and beans, but I like it with rice and salad. All plates are served with warm corn or flour tortillas. Additionally, a must-try beverage is ensalada de fruta, a refreshing sangria-like — sans alcohol — drink made by finely dicing apples, pineapples, mango, and other less-known-
to-us tropical Central American fruit, such as marañon — cashew fruit— and nance, sometimes referred to as golden or yellow cherry. At La Cocina De Paquita (441 S. Gaffey Street), you will find a welcoming but different Salvadoran experience. The pupusas include tasty vegetable options, such as squash, spinach, chili pepper, beans, and even rice — making it ideal for non-meat eaters. I have found that they consistently have the most amount of loroco in their pupusas compared to other establishments. Here, the well-seared steak in the bistec encebollado is topped with onions and green bell peppers in a tomato sauce. The sides are rice and a salad made with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and a creamy dressing. The impressive dish for me here is the mojarra frita. Mojarra, a small saltwater fish, is stuffed with onions and aromatic herbs, then fried whole and served on a bed of rice with their side salad. What is unique to this restaurant are the homemade tortillas, served with the main dishes, which are the same size and consistency as a pupusa, minus the cheese. Traditional
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Salvadoran drinks on the menu include ensalada de fruta and atol de elote, a creamy corn-based drink served hot. Both restaurants offer indoor and limited outdoor dining. At the latter, food is served in take-out containers for outdoor dining. If you find yourself at our San Pedro Farmers Market (639 S. Beacon Street) on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., pay Pupusa Yeni a visit to try their different flavors. Besides loroco, I particularly like their cheese and jalapeño, as well as the loca, which is made with pork, beans, cheese, and jalapeños. Additionally, their agua fresca drinks are refreshing. The pupusas are packaged so that they can be enjoyed at one of the tables in the plaza or taken home.
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HISTORY
YOU DESERVE A MEDAL by Angela Romero When we first announced our campaign to honor Charles Bukowski with a statue, the community support was overwhelming. Two years later, we’re still dedicated to making our dream of “Bukowski in Bronze” a reality. So much so that we’ve created a little something to tide us over while helping us reach our goal. During quarantine, with the Bukowski celebrations canceled, famed sculptor Eugene Daub was sitting in his San Pedro studio thinking of another way to honor the local poet’s centennial. After staring at some of his preliminary sketches for the statue, Daub was inspired to create a bronze medallion that featured a relief sculpture of Charles Bukowski smoking a cigarette. On the medallion’s reverse, Daub carved one of his favorite quotes, “What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.” The words carrying much deeper meaning during a lockdown when so many were suffering. Eugene Daub knew that what he had created was special because it was most likely the first time the writer had ever been immortalized on a medal. Daub, who serves as the vice president of the American Medallic Sculpture Association (AMSA), submitted his Bukowski medal to the group’s American Medal
Bronze medallion of Charles Bukowski by artist, Eugene Daub. (photo: Eugene Daub)
of the Year competition, where it was chosen as the runner-up for 2021. Eugene Daub has generously offered to make a limited casting of his awardwinning bronze medallion available as a fundraiser for the Bukowski in Bronze project. Less than 100 bronze medallions are available for a donation of $195 (plus shipping costs). Each unique medallion was cast from a clay mold and hand finished. The medallions measure four inches in diameter and weigh about a pound each. If bronze is too much of a heavy metal for you, there is also a porcelain casting of the design available with your choice of two different Bukowski quotes on the back, “What matters most is how you walk through the fire” and “Find what you love and let it kill you.” The porcelain medallions are avail-
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able for a donation of $75 (plus shipping costs). I’m sure we all deserve a medal for one reason or another. These Bukowski medallions are not only award-winning collector’s items, but all proceeds will go to support the Bukowski in Bronze project. Until we can get our full-sized Bukowski statue, we can all hold our bronze medals close knowing that we helped bring it even closer to a reality. If you are interested in a Bukowski medallion, please email: angela@sanpedroheritage.org. Orders will only be taken via email; donations made via GoFundMe are not eligible for this fundraiser. About the Artist: Eugene Daub is highly recognized for his expressive portraits and figures. His heroic figure of Rosa Parks was unveiled in the Stat-
uary Hall of the U.S. Capitol in 2013. Daub has completed over 40 major public art commissions. He has heroic bronze figures in three U.S. capitals and work in the collections of the British Museum and the Smithsonian Institution. Daub is the recipient of the highest national awards for sculpture and relief sculpture. spt Angela Romero is the president of the San Pedro Heritage Museum. She can be reached at angela@sanpedroheritage.org. For more info, visit sanpedroheritage.org.
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FITNESS
FITNESS IS AN INFINITE GAME by Ricky Magana Before you embark on any journey, whether fitness or otherwise, it’s important to understand one thing: Your mindset going into that endeavor is everything. It is the lens through which you will perceive everything that is thrown at you. And one of the keys to having the right mindset is knowing exactly what game you’re playing. You can’t go into chess playing checkers. Recently, I was reading a book by Simon Sinek called The Infinite Game in which he explained a concept in game theory. He explained that in life, nearly every human pursuit can be relegated to one of two types of games we play: finite games and infinite games. A finite game has known players and opponents, clearly defined rules, and a mutually agreed upon objective. It also has clear winners and losers. Football, Scrabble, and chess are all finite games. Infinite games, on the other hand, have known and unknown players and fluidity of rules, and the object of the game is not to win, but to keep playing the game. Many of life’s undertakings are finite, like getting a college degree or running a marathon. They emphasize competition and “beating” the other players. There’s a clearly defined finish line, and you know exactly when you’ve crossed it and where you rank among other opponents. But many more human endeavors are unending. A marriage, career, a small business you start — these are all infinite games. And while these pursuits may have milestones, there isn’t an end-all-be-all finish line, and they won’t end until you exit the game. A huge reason people struggle is because they’re playing an infinite game like it’s one they can “win.” Simon Sinek says, “Several areas of life are undermined by a win/lose mindset. We don’t ‘win’ relationships, like marriage, for example, and there’s definitely no such thing as winning business.” Sure, you can land a job, (a finite game). But living out a successful career is a game you will not win per se, but rather one you will build, develop, and hopefully play as long as possible. The same goes with health and fitness. Let’s say one day, after several years of couch surfing and weight gain, 28 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I AUGUST 2021
you decide to lose 20 pounds. Over the course of weeks and months, you exercise, diet, and eventually hit your goal. This is a day of victory for you, but you did not win fitness. You just started playing. Only now the game changes from losing weight to maintaining your new healthy lifestyle. You will be introduced to new variables and challenges that you didn’t have before. And as you age, the game perhaps gets more challenging. But if your health is important to you, you keep playing. Contrast this with how many people approach fitness. They think once they hit a certain weight, they will be happy (win), and they can go back to their normal lives. They compare themselves to others and get discouraged when their efforts, and results, don’t measure up to someone else’s (usually some Instagram influencer). So having felt like they “lost,” they give up, gain the weight back, and stop playing the game. Someone like this has to apply the infinite mindset and understand that first and foremost, in fitness, you are only competing with yourself. The only person to beat is the man or woman you were yesterday. The most important metric when playing the game is knowing that today you are better than yesterday. Framing it this way, you can start to ask better questions. Like, what skills can you develop to help you get better results tomorrow? You begin to understand that a weight loss plan that doesn’t look beyond six weeks isn’t going to allow you to keep playing the game. So you focus on better, more sustainable solutions. You start to better understand your triggers, eating habits, and look for a training program that you can do long-term. You can no longer run your body into the ground for short sprints because you understand that you’ll have to keep playing. You’ll begin to optimize for long-term results versus short-term vanity “wins.” You also understand that you have as much time as you need to get it right, and if something doesn’t work like you hoped, you adapt the methods and keep going. So with that said, stop trying to win, and start playing the long game. spt Ricky Magana is co-owner of Heyday Elite Fitness. For more info, visit heydaytraining.com.
MENTAL HEALTH
HAPPILY SINGLE by Sophie Schoenfeld, MFT As a species, we are conditioned both biologically and socially to partner up. We are told in many ways that to be complete, we must be with another. Romance stories tell beautiful tales of happily-ever-afters. And indeed, some do find this. Though rarely. Claps and fireworks to those who have found that special one and only to share a life with. Claps and fireworks to those who worked hard to create a fulfilling life with a partner. It does indeed require work, self-reflection, patience, empathy, compromise, and collaboration to create lasting and rewarding relationships. However, the reality of modern life is a little more complicated. Approaching equal pay for women, financial independence, social tolerance, speed of life, travel, and complicated career paths expose us to multiple deep and meaningful experiences with others. We connect with many people, live in a variety of places, transition jobs and change careers, and travel the world. Our modern lives are saturated with new opportunities and experiences, and as a result, our connections to things become more transient. Gone are the days of living and dying in the same town you were born. In between our multiple loves, partnerships, and friendships, in between our jobs and reloca-
(photo: cottonbro / pexels.com)
tions, the one and only permanent partner in crime we all have to contend with is ourself. In truth, living in this saturated and expansive world, we are alone a lot of the time. Hence, it’s important that we learn how to have satisfying and fulfilling relationships with ourselves. Often, we look outside of ourselves to find entertainment, distractions, and purpose. When working with clients, especially female clients, I frequently hear, “I’m not good with taking care of myself,” “It’s hard for me to make time for me and justify doing things that I want,” or “I feel guilty when I’m not working.” The outcome of life dedicated to meeting other people’s expectations of who we are supposed to be is a crisis every time we find ourselves single and alone. We frantically begin to look for someone to pour our anxieties into. We find relationships that don’t truly serve us and become distracted away from ourselves in the drama of managing dysfunctions in others. When all is said and done, we are still alone, and often our escape becomes an addiction. If we do not create a meaningful relationship with ourselves, no matter how many partners we find, or even if we are with
that one and only, we are alone. A cure for loneliness is not another person; a cure for loneliness is a gratifying relationship with the self. Being happily single is not a statement that undermines love relationships or family units. It is a statement about our existential health. We are conditioned to feel bad about being single. We are told we are not enough, that if we are not in a committed relationship with another, we are broken. Yet, most of us are alone during big portions of our lives. Hence, we owe it to ourselves to reprogram this narrative and find joy in being alone. Being alone does not have to mean being lonely. It can mean being free, being inspired, being engaged. Only if we could attempt to track our thoughts and take control of the internal processes we commit to. When watching a beautiful sunset, do you notice your mind drifting to a thought about how much better it would be if someone else was sharing this moment with you? Stop! Recognize that you just took yourself out of the moment; you just robbed yourself of enjoying the beauty and magic unfolding in front of you. Dare to ask yourself why? Did your unconscious conditioning kick in?
Is it telling you that you can’t possibly enjoy life alone? Or that you are not worthy? That you must have another to validate your existence for you? Isn’t it also true that you could be watching the same sunset with someone you love and be annoyed? Let’s say they are droning on about their work problems to you, and you are secretly wishing you were alone. Take a deep breath, silence the chatter, and make friends with your eyes that see the colors. Try and notice how many gradients of pink you can discern on the horizon. Make friends with your skin that feels the breeze, with your nose that smells the ocean. Isn’t it wonderful that we have a body that can feel the world in this way? Smile, not only with your mouth; smile with all of you. Let your cells, your heart, your liver smile, because you are happily single at any given moment if you so choose. spt Sophie Schoenfeld, MFT is a local marriage and family therapist. For more info, visit sophiemft.com.
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