Signal
ST3421 - October 26_Layout 1 10/26/12 9:27 AM Page 1
"Silent Scream" by Cory Bilicko
Acrylic on canvas (Part of the Twilight of the Supernatural exhibit at Gallery Ex;po, 4321 Atlantic Ave.) For
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Halloween Happenings, see pages 10 and 11
Vol. 34 No. 21
october 26, 2012
SERVING BIXBY KNOLLS, CALIFORNIA HEIGHTS, LOS CERRITOS, WRIGLEY AND THE CITY OF SIGNAL HILL
signal Hill tank farm spills 42,000 gallons of crude oil and water onto local streets
Your Weekly Community Newspaper
Cory Bilicko/Signal Tribune
An alarm system malfunction caused a tank to overflow in the 2700 block of North Olive Street in Signal Hill, spilling 42,000 gallons of crude oil and water onto a parking lot and nearby streets. Although some oil entered the storm drain, the spill was contained shortly after 7:59am on Oct. 23. Sean Belk Staff Writer
An above-ground tank farm at the 2700 block of North Olive Street in Signal Hill spilled 42,000
gallons of crude oil and water onto streets near Long Beach Memorial Medical Center on Tuesday, causing authorities to block off a section of Atlantic Avenue between
Willow and Spring streets for nearly two days as crews cleaned up the area.
schroeder Hall plans for police substation and mentally-ill homeless facility inching forward
see OIL SPILL page 18
Sean Belk Staff Writer
Plans to reutilize the US Army’s surplus property known as Schroeder Hall as a new eastside Long Beach Police substation have gained traction in recent months, despite the proposal still calling for a mentally-ill homeless treatment center to be placed near the site, which residents have fervently fought for years. City management provided a status report Tuesday night to the Long Beach City Council on what has transpired over the last six years, leading up to recent developments, regarding the City’s ongoing bid to acquire the vacant property. see SCHROEDER page 19
Cory Bilicko/Signal Tribune
Despite a proposal calling for a mentally-ill homeless treatment center to be placed near Schroeder Hall, plans to reutilize the US Army surplus property as a new Long Beach Police substation seem to be moving forward.
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Weekly Weather Forecast
Living Legends, Unsung Heroes
Long Beach resident changed ham radio history
Courtesy Nate Brightman
Nate Brightman successfully set up an amateur radio room at the Queen Mary that was named after him on his 90th birthday.
Rachael Rifkin
Contributing Writer
Curious people have an intrinsic interest in the world around them. This is especially true of 95-year-old Nate Brightman, whose many accomplishments have left an indelible mark on Long Beach. In addition to his longtime service with the Red Cross, he is best known for creating the Queen Mary’s popular radio room. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, one of Brightman’s earliest passions was photography. At the age of 10, he became fascinated with the film development process. “At that time, it was quite a complicated process. There were no developing tanks then. It was quite a hobby for a 10-year-old,” said Brightman. He and his wife Evelyn and two kids, Lynne and Howard, moved to California in 1944. Lynne had been having ear infection problems, so her doctor suggested they move somewhere with a drier climate. When they arrived in Long Beach, Brightman started The
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October 26 through October 30, 2012
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Brightman Studio. He sold his store when a recession hit in 1950. He went on to work at Lou’s Stationers, a stationery and bookstore, for 39 years. Brightman took up ham radio when his son was 12. Brightman already had an interest in earning an amateur radio license, but he didn’t think he could pass the Morse code test that was required then. “I never figured I could learn Morse code, but once I got started with Howard I went right ahead. I really wanted to be involved myself, and it gave me a chance to be with my son. I’ve had such a close relationship with my children, my daughter and my son,” said Brightman. Every Wednesday, Howard, Brightman and one of Brightman’s friends gathered for class. “I stayed a little ahead of them in the book so I could teach them,” Brightman said. “The three of us passed at the same time, a little less than a year after we started.” A few years later, Brightman’s wife Evelyn wanted to join a ham radio club for
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