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Your Weekly Community Newspaper April 27, 2012 Dalai Lama returns to Long Beach to The solution may be found in the problem discuss ‘Peace of Mind in Troubled Times’ To address issues of racial tension, low morale and violence, Jordan High School conducts its first-ever student-led youth summit Vol. 33 No. 47

Cory Bilicko Managing Editor

Photo by Diana Lejins

The Dalai Lama during his press event in Long Beach on April 20

International peace icon Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, returned to Long Beach to deliver a public address at the Long Beach Arena on April 21. Titled “Peace of Mind in Troubled Times,” the speech covered how to cultivate generosity, humility, and equanimity– universal themes that have made him one of the world’s most beloved spiritual teachers.

An advocate of social justice and nonviolence, the Dalai Lama continues to travel widely to promote a more open, just, and democratic world. The Tibetan leader officially devolved his political leadership last year but remains the head of Tibetan Buddhism.

In a press preview talk the day prior, he touched on his main goals in life, of promoting human compassion and tolerance, encouraging religious harmony and understanding, and addressing the Tibetan struggle for justice. When asked about the recent self-immolations of Tibetan monks, he commented that it was a very political issue but said it was very sad and

that people need to investigate for themselves why it is happening.

Although the Dalai Lama was in the Southland last May, travel delays caused the cancellation of several engagements, including a public talk at the Long Beach Terrace Theatre.

Local organizers were able to reschedule the event, this time at the larger, neighboring Long Beach Arena.

The event was sponsored by Gaden Shartse Thubten Dhargye Ling, a local center for the study of Buddhism and Tibetan Culture, which is located at 3500 E. 4th St., in Long Beach.

“It is with extraordinary pleasure that we welcome His Holiness back to Long Beach on one of his rare visits,” said Dan Spellens, director of Theaters & Entertainment for the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center. “We thank Gaden Shartse Thubten Dhargye Ling for working with us on this one-of-a-kind event.”

Sources: Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Diana Lejins

It’s likely that, when one thinks of after-school programs, visions of art projects created at cafeteria tables and playground kickball games come to mind. But, when that post-schoolday program is located on a campus affected by racial tension, student-created segregation, and the occasional riot between groups of students of different races, activity directors have much more on their minds than facilitating arts-andcrafts lessons.

Candace Meehan runs Jordan High School’s WRAP, an after-school program funded by a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant given to Long Beach Unified School District and a grant called ASSETS (After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens), which is a federal grant that resulted from the No Child Left Behind initiative. The purpose of the program, according to the school’s WRAP information packet that is distributed to parents, is to help youth improve academically and provide them with a safe place to be after school, participating in fun and enriching activities.

Faced with the racism and violence issues that have plagued Jordan’s students for years, Meehan is using her seven, grant-funded years in her position to do more than offer students there activities to do while their parents are working.

Cory Bilicko/Signal Tribune

During their school’s first-ever youth summit, Jordan High student leaders Victor Barragan (left) and Susana Soto conduct a workshop with 10th graders to address their school’s litter problem.

Meehan, who has a master’s degree in school counseling, believes the key to improving student relations and reducing, or altogether eliminating, school violence lies in the hands (and minds) of the kids themselves. She uses her programs to give students opportunities to take control of and responsibility for the social and environmental climate of Jordan. Rather than telling the students what the problems are and what they should do to address them, she allows them to determine and express what those issues are and how they should be

see JORdan page 12

New Signal Hill Oversight Board begins its process of dissolving redevelopment CJ Dablo Staff Writer

CJ Dablo/Signal Tribune

Construction site of the Signal Hill Police Station in February 2012. The police station is one of many projects that the City’s redevelopment agency had managed before the state dissolved redevelopment earlier this year.

Weekly Weather Forecast April 27 - May 1, 2012 Friday

resolved, and her approach seems to be working.

According to the school’s page on the district’s website, during the 20092010 academic year, Jordan’s suspension rate was 4.36 and its expulsion rate was .05. Last school year, those numbers were .08 and .0003, respectively.

Meehan says the race-driven riots that characterized Jordan are now a thing of the past.

Last Monday, Meehan conducted

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

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The Oversight Board for Signal Hill kicked off its first meeting Wednesday by initially approving a key payment schedule that outlines more than $30 million in financial obligations from the Signal Hill Redevelopment Agency (SHRDA) from January to June 2012.

Now that the State of California has dissolved redevelopment as of Feb. 1, Signal Hill has begun the process of winding down the agency that was formerly responsible for affordable housing and eliminating blight. see OVERSIGHT page 14

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NEWS

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APRiL 27, 2012 Doud releases audit of Parks, Rec & Marine revenue collection, suggests improvements for handling of cash Long Beach City Auditor Laura Doud released an audit Monday of revenue collection at several Parks, Recreation & Marine Department (Department) locations. The Department processes $6.6 million annually in revenue throughout 34 sites.

The audit shows that while the Department has been successful at providing recreational services to the community, the administrative structure that calculates, collects and safeguards these revenues was not thoroughly developed. As a result, the City has lost funds due to misappropriation and inconsistency in the collection of fees, according to a press release issued by Doud’s office.

Over the past year, the Department’s new management has recognized the need to address the internal control issues surrounding revenue collection and have begun efforts to make corrections and/or changes at individual sites, according to Doud.

“We must act now and invest in making these recommended improvements to ensure we have the funding necessary to continue

the quality of services and youth programs our Parks and Recreation Department is known to provide,” Doud said.

The audit recommends that City management develop a Departmentwide plan to ensure the design of a strong and secure revenue-collection system that will meet the growing demands for Department services. In addition, the audit suggests the plan focus on centralizing the revenue-collection process, increase the use of technology and develop detailed cash-handling training.

“It is imperative the City do all it can to safeguard the $6.6 million in revenue it currently collects and work diligently to further increase collection efforts,” Doud said.

The audit has been agendized for the May 1 Long Beach City Council meeting.

The full report with detailed explanations of the City Auditor’s recommendations can be viewed on the City Auditor’s website, CityAuditorLauraDoud.com .

Source: LB City Auditor’s office

Suspect succumbs in officerinvolved shooting after firing at man and police officer

Join Signal Tribune Newspaper and The Undershirt, Inc. Friday April 27th from 4-7pm for their

Spring Fling Shopping Thing!

Stroll through over a dozen booths featuring local artisans and craftspeople, enjoying a FREE evening of food, wine, music & friends!

Located in the parking lot at 931-939 E. 27th St. in Signal Hill (Just North of Willow St. and West of California Ave.)

*Do bring a non-perishable food item for a donation to Food Finders.* Artisans include: Dynamic Glass – Dichroic Glass jewelry and art objects • Nairobi Tony – Ceramics Designs by Robin – Succulent Gardens • Baby Can 2 – Embroidered Baby outfits Uniquely Folded– Oragami Gift Boxes • Whimsical Charms – Necklaces, charms and custom scrabble tile jewelry Antica – Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar • Lemon in a Cup – Fresh Made Lemonade Sterling Opus – Handmade sterling jewelry and gems • O’Healy Photography – Photographic notecards The Undershirt – Women’s apparel, blankets, totes • The Wine Country – Wine gift baskets Four Paws Up – Doggy Treats • Linda Ivers – Notecards, calendars and local photo art • Cory Bilicko – Paintings Ellen Cline – Ceramics • Beadazzled – Beaded Jewelry • Urban Cottage – A home store for your soul

See you there!

Photo provided by the Long Beach Police Department showing bullet hole in windshield of police vehicle after an April 19 officer-involved shooting On Thursday, April 19, 2012, at approximately 12:02am, officers from the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) responded to a shooting in the area of Pacific Coast Highway and Pacific Avenue that resulted in a murder and an officer-involved shooting, according to a press release issued by the LBPD. The preliminary investigation revealed that the victim, a black male in his 30s, was on the sidewalk of Pacific Avenue when the suspect, who was standing nearby, opened fire on him, striking him in the upper body. A patrol officer in the area heard the shots and drove to the scene, where the suspect was walking away. As the officer was preparing to stop his vehicle to contact the suspect, a white male in his 60s, the suspect fired at least two rounds at the officer. One round hit the windshield of the car, and another round hit the hood, narrowly missing the officer who was still in the car.

Moments later, an officer-involved shooting occurred, and the suspect was hit.

The suspect and the victim were both transported to a local hospital in critical condition, but the victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased several hours later.

The motive for the shooting is unknown, and the investigation is ongoing.

The identity of the victim and the suspect are being withheld due to the ongoing investigation and pending notification of the victim’s death to his next of kin.

As with all “hit” officer-involved shootings, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office will be conducting an independent investigation of the incident, in addition to the LBPD’s investigation.

Anyone who may have information regarding this case is urged to contact LBPD Homicide Detectives Terri Hubert or Mark Bigel at (562) 5707244. Anonymous tips may be submitted via text or web by visiting tipsoft.com.

Source: LBPD

NEWS

APRiL 27, 2012

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State measure that would repeal death penalty to be added to November ballot California Secretary of State Debra Bowen on Monday certified a fifth measure for the November 6, 2012 General Election ballot. The measure would repeal the death penalty and joins four other measures already on the November ballot: • a water bond measure, which was placed on the ballot by the Legislature • a political contribution measure, which qualified through the initiative process • an auto insurance measure, which also qualified through the initiative process • a measure to repeal the State Senate District maps, which qualified through the referendum process In order to qualify for the ballot, the death penalty repeal initiative needed 504,760 valid petition signatures, which is equal to five percent of the total votes cast for governor in the November 2010 gubernatorial election.

A measure can qualify via random sampling of petition signatures if the sampling projects a number of valid signatures greater than 110 percent of the required number. The death penalty repeal initiative needed at least 555,236

projected valid signatures to qualify by random sampling, and it exceeded that threshold Monday.

County elections officials have 30 working days to verify the validity of the signatures filed with their offices using a random sampling method. The state Elections Code requires county elections officials to verify 500 signatures or three percent of the number of signatures filed in the county, whichever is greater.

Counties receiving fewer than 500 petition signatures are required to verify all the signatures filed in their elections offices.

The Attorney General’s official title and summary of the initiative is as follows: DEATH PENALTY REPEAL. INITIATIVE STATUTE. Repeals death penalty as maximum punishment for persons found guilty of murder and replaces it with life imprisonment without possibility of parole. Applies retroactively to persons already sentenced to death. Requires persons found guilty of murder to work while in prison, with their wages to be applied to any victim restitution fines or orders against them. Creates $100

million fund to be distributed to lawenforcement agencies to help solve more homicide and rape cases. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Net savings to the state and counties that could amount to the high tens of millions of dollars annually on a statewide basis due to the elimination of the death penalty. One-time state costs totaling $100 million from 201213 through 2015-16 to provide funding to local law-enforcement agencies. (110035.)

For more information about the initiative process and history in California, go to sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/initiative-guide.htm .

Keep up with the latest California election news and trivia by following @CASOSvote on Twitter. To sign up for ballot measure updates via email, RSS feed or Twitter, go to sos.ca.gov/multimedia .

MORE INFORMATION sos.ca.gov/admin/news-releases.htm Source: Secretary of State’s office

LBPD officer arrested for possession of child pornography An officer with the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) has been arrested for possessing child pornography, according to a press release issed by the department on April 19. “It is with great regret that the [LBPD] must announce the arrest of Long Beach Police Officer Noe Yanez for possession of child pornography, following an investigation conducted by the [LBPD],” reads the news release.

Yanez, a nine-year employee with the department, was found to be in possession of what the LBPD is referring to as “inappropriate photographs” of a minor with whom Yanez first came into contact during the course of his employment. According to the LBPD, Yanez had begun contacting the minor via text messages and subsequently solicited the photographs.

“In April 2012, the victim reported the incident to a school resource officer, and Long Beach Police launched an immediate and thorough investigation,” reads the press release. “Significant resources were devoted to determine the extent of the contact between Yanez and the victim, including the execution of multiple search warrants.”

Yanez is being held at the Los Angeles County Men’s Central Jail, and his bail amount has not yet been determined.

“Not only are the actions of this officer a violation of the law, they are a violation of the community’s trust, and a violation of the principles of this Department,” said Police Chief Jim McDonnell. “The men and women of this department take great pride in the

good work they do every day with the community, and we will not allow the actions of this one officer to compromise that relationship.”

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office Justice System Integrity Division will be presented with this case and will handle the prosecution. Yanez has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the continuing criminal and Internal Affairs investigations.

Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the Long Beach Police Department Sex Crimes Detail Tip Line at (562) 570-7878.

Anonymous tips may be submitted via text or email by visiting tipsoft.com.

Source: LBPD

Statewide, voter registration is higher than four years ago, but fewer are designating their party preference Secretary of State Debra Bowen has published the latest statewide voter-registration report, which shows a higher percentage of eligible Californians are registered to vote since this time four years ago while fewer than ever are indicating a political party preference.

The 60-day Report of Registration shows more than 17 million Californians are registered to vote, 21.3 percent of whom chose no party preference– a new all-time high. The previous record high of unaffiliated voters was 21.2 percent, reported in Bowen’s last Report of Registration three months ago.

The complete report, which includes voter registration data for a variety of political subdivisions, is available at sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/ ror-pages/60day-presprim-12 . The report reflects data gathered 60 days before the June 5 Presidential Primary Election, with updates to voter registration rolls in California’s 58 counties including the removal of registrants who have passed away, moved out of state, or have been determined to be ineligible to vote, as well as the addition of new registrants.

“By registering to vote, more than 17 million Californians have taken the first step in deciding the fate of ballot propositions and choosing which candidates for president, U.S. Congress, state legislature and more will square off in November,” said Bowen, the state’s chief elections officer. “Registering to vote is easier than ever with the fillable form offered on my website, and I expect to see these voter-registration numbers go even higher by the May 21 deadline to register.”

The voter registration form at

sos.ca.gov/nvrc/fedform can be filled in online then printed, signed and mailed. (The form is even preaddressed to the registrant’s county elections office.) Californians can also pick up a voter-registration form at any U.S. post office, public library or county elections office.

Voters can check their registration

status through a portal at sos.ca.gov/elections/registration-status .

The last day to register to vote in the June 5 primary election is May 21. The last day to request a voteby-mail ballot is May 29.

Source: Secretary of State’s office

You can’t choose how you get here… but you can choose how you leave.

Choose simple, dignified cremation.

Choose the Neptune Society.

Gina S. Livengood, Pre-Arrangement Counselor Neptune Society Cremation glivengood@neptune-plan.com • 562-896-6557 neptunesociety.com • nmreef.com

A TROPICAL VARIETY FEST What Aloha community fest Who Hosted by St. Cyprian Church and Parish Where 4714 Clark Ave., LB When April 27 through 29 More info The fest will include carnival rides, live entertainment, food and other activities.

Free parking courtesy of St. Anthony’s High School Athletics. Thirty-percent-off discount ride tickets will be on sale until 2pm Friday, April 27. Call (562) 421-9487 or visit st.cypriancommunityfest.org .

CELEBRATING MOTHER EARTH AND ITS KIDS What 18th annual Children’s Day and Earth Day celebration Who Sponsored by Children’s Day USA Where El Dorado Park, 2400 Studebaker Rd., LB When Saturday, April 28 from 11am to 4pm More info The free celebration will include music, dances, multi-cultural shows, gymnastics, a children’s parade inside the park and several other activities. Call (562) 424-0656 or visit childrensdayusa.org .

PET CARE ON A DIME What Low-cost pet clinic Who Presented by the Long Beach Animal Care Services Where Rosa Park at 8th Street and Orizaba Avenue, LB When Saturday, April 28 from 12:30pm to 2pm More info A state-licensed veterinarian from the Southern California Veterinary Vaccine Clinic will be onsite to provide shots. Residents can process their license renewal onsite. No reservation is necessary. Cash only is accepted for vaccinations. Visit scvvc.webs.com for a full listing of prices and services.

TOASTING TO THE SURVIVORS What Lakewood Relay for Life survivors lunch Who Hosted by the American Cancer Society, Lakewood Relay for Life Where Lakewood Village Community Church, 4515 Sunfield Ave., LB When Saturday, April 28 from noon to 1:30pm More info Cancer survivors and caregivers are invited to attend a free lunch sponsored by BJ’s Restaurant and Brewery.

EGGS WITH THE ELKS What Monthly breakfast Who Bellflower/Long Beach Elks Lodge 888 Where 16426 Bellflower Blvd., Bellflower When Sunday April 29, from 8am to noon More info Breakfast will be open to the public, and $6.50 per person.

The meal includes eggs as you like them, bacon, sausage, hash browns, biscuits with gravy, orange juice, assorted fruit, Belgian Waffles and coffee.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE RED CARS? What Community program Who Long Beach Sierra Club group Where Environmental Services Bureau, 2929 E. Willow St., LB When Wednesday, May 2 at 7:30pm More info Author and historian David Coscia will tell the story of the Pacific Electric Railway and the development boom in the San Fernando Valley and how it spurred the expansion of the rail system. The free program is open to public.

KEEPING DISPOSAL GREEN AND SAFE What Annual e-waste drive and shred fest Who Hosted by the office of 8th District Councilmember Rae Gabelich Where Scherer Park, corner of Atlantic Avenue and Del Amo Boulevard When Saturday, May 5 from 9am to noon More info Donations are tax-deductible. Attendees will have the opportunity to properly dispose of old computer monitors, TVs, plasma screens, DVD players, cell phones and other electronics. The first five boxes will be shredded for free. Any additional boxes will be $5 per box. Proceeds go directly to Goodwill’s skill-development and employment programs for individuals dealing with barriers to employment. All cell phones will be donated to Su Casa-Ending Domestic Violence to help battered woman successfully transition out of abusive homes. Call (562) 570-6685.

MAY THE DAY BE FULL OF DANCE What May Day Festival Who Hosted by the Wilmore City Historic District Where Drake Park, 951 Maine Ave., LB When Saturday, May 5 from 1pm to 4pm More info The festival will include Maypole dancing led by the Dalmation-American Club and Narodni Folk Dancers. Free activities for children include a bounce house and games led by Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine. Friend’s House at Drake Park will host a free book giveaway. A health fair will also provide attendees with information and screening services. Call (562) 773-9726.

CRAFTING A GIFT FOR MOM What Creation station for kids Who Hosted by Rancho Los Cerritos Where 4600 Virginia Rd., LB When Saturday, May 5 from 1pm to 5pm More info The free, drop-in program is open to families with children ages 6 to 11. Saturday’s theme is “Fun with Nature” and will have participants decorate a keepsake box with shells and other natural materials as Mother’s Day gifts. Kids will also be able to create oldfashioned dolls with cornhusks. Call (562) 570-1755.

SHARING A JOURNEY OF COURAGE What An afternoon with author Oni Vitandham Who Presented by Portfolio Coffeehouse Where 2300 E. 4th St., LB When Saturday, May 5 from 2pm to 5pm More info The author of On the Wings of a White Horse: A Camobodian Princess’s Story of Surviving the Khmer Rouge Genocide will share her story of survival in the face of a genocide and personal hardships. Call (562) 434-2486.

REVISITING A SILENCED ERA What 3rd annual silent film fundraiser Who Presented by the Rising TIDE at Marguerite Kieffer Education Center Where The sanctuary of Covenant Presbyterian Church, 607 E. Third St., LB When Saturday, May 5 at 7:30pm More info The screening of the 1928 comedy Steamboat Bill Jr. will be accompanied by live organ music provided by Robert Salisbury at the console of the Lough Memorial Organ. Tickets for the event are available for a donation of $10 per person in advance or $15 per person at the door. Call the church office at (562) 437-0958 for ticket inquiries.

Free parking will be available.

PATRIOTIC GRILLING What Red, white and blue western barbecue Who Presented by the Long Beach Area Republican Party Where El Dorado Big White Tent, 2800 N. Studebaker Rd., LB When Wednesday, May 9 from 6pm to 8:30pm More info Attendees will have the opportunity to meet a few of the local candidates and precinct leaders. Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, will be the event’s featured speaker. Cost is $50 per person. RSVP at (562) 424-1246 or by emailing michele@longbeachrepublicans.org .

CAPTIONS THAT CAPTURE AN AUDIENCE What Speaker spotlight Who Presented by the Long Beach/Lakewood Chapter of Hearing Loss Where Weingart Center, 5220 Oliva Ave., Lakewood When Thursday, May 10 at 7pm More info Noreen Warren, formerly of Sony Pictures Entertainment, will speak about captioned movies and where they can be found. No reservations are necessary, and admission is free. Light refreshments will be served. Call (562) 438-0597 or visit hlalongbeachlakewood.org .

OPiNiON

4 SigNAL TRiBuNE Thoughts from the

Publisher

by Neena Strichart Having been in the newspaper business since 1994, I have a lot of fun stories that I often share with my coworkers. Wednesday morning I was telling Stephanie, one of our ad-sales gals, about a creative ad campaign that I ran back in the ‘90s for the owner of a tax/bookkeeper service company.

In telling her about the campaign, I mentioned how great it would be to have another advertiser who would want to run a series of ads that would be just as big an attention-getter and also make us laugh. Continuing on with my

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story, I gave Stephanie several examples of the ad copy, for example: Frankenstein’s Monster – Income Taxes, We Take Care of the Scarier of the Two; Brain Surgery–Income Taxes, We Can Help With the More Delicate of the Two; Tuna Cupcakes–Income Taxes, We’ll Assist You With the More Distasteful of the Two; etc.

Further along in my tale, I explained that part of the fun of that particular ad campaign was the contest the client and I held for a free dinner at George’s ‘50s Diner for the reader who came up with the best new ad for that series. Believe it or not, I still remember the entry and the winner’s name. A woman by the name of Shirley Murtaugh won the contest with the following entry: Teenagers–Income Taxes, We’ll Help Take Care of the More Frustrating of the Two! I recall making that telephone call to Mrs. Murtaugh and telling her that she was the big

winner. She was so tickled! A week or so later, Mrs. Murtaugh and I joined the owner of the income-tax company at the restaurant for a lovely dinner. I will never forget what a great time we had.

Now, to take the story a bit further, I shared with Stephanie that Mrs. Murtaugh now lives at Bixby Knolls Towers (the same place my mother resides), and I run into her nearly every time I visit Mom. The two gals are great pals and are enjoying one another’s company even if they are both busy– Mom with her various errands and hobbies and Shirley with her duties as president of the residents association.

Finished with my story, I told Stephanie that I thought I’d write about that long-ago fun ad campaign for my column this week. She declared that she thought our readers would enjoy it. At that point Stephanie went on to work on her projects while I went on about my

L E T T E R

“Spokes” persons

T O

On Saturday, May 5, Long Beach will be hosting one of the premiere bicycle events in the state when we welcome the annual Bike Fest and Tour of Long Beach. The day consists of fun for the whole family and a great way to promote America’s most bike-friendly city as well as our “Let's Move, Long Beach” healthy-city initiatives. All proceeds from the ride support the pediatric cancer research center at Miller Children’s Hospital of Long Beach.

We have formed an official “Let’s Move, Long Beach” team for the 31-mile bike tour race. Our team includes City Prosecutor Doug Haubert, City Auditor Laura Doud, City Councilmember Gary DeLong, City Councilmember Dee Andrews, City Councilmember Steve Neal and Councilmember-Elect Al Austin.

We want to thank Long Beach Yellow Cab, who is sponsoring our team for $1,000. They have been a great community partner, and we are thankful for their support for Miller Children’s Hospital and our citywide “Let’s Move” campaign.

In addition, members of our families, staff, and community leaders will also be joining our team. We encourage you to participate in the ride and join our team. The ride ends at a bike festival with live entertainment, a vendor fair, and much more cycling-focused fun.

Anyone interested in riding with our “Let’s Move, Long Beach” team can contact Lena Gonzalez in my office at (562) 570-6919, or email her at Lena.Gonzalez@longbeach.gov .

For more information, you can also visit bikefestlb.com .

Signal Tribune

Robert garcia First District Councilmember Long Beach

939 E. 27th Street Signal Hill, CA 90755

APRiL 27, 2012

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T H E

business for the day.

A couple of hours later I received a phone call from Randy Kemner at The Wine Country over on Redondo Avenue in Signal Hill. He told me that he had just emailed me an ad campaign that he had put together that would run weekly for several months. He seemed quite anxious for me to read his ideas and let him know what I thought. Well, as soon as I opened the email, I hollered out for Stephanie to come into my office. I’m sure she thought something was wrong. Nope, I just wanted to show her Randy’s ad ideas– darn near the identical concept to the one I had told her about that morning. Once we both got over the shock, we had the time to actually read the content. I won’t give any of them away, but they are darn funny. You’ll just have to read them every week for yourself.

They start running in today’s issue. I just know Shirley Murtaugh will love them!

E D I T O R

(From left) Blair Cohn, executive director of the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association, Long Beach Bicycle Ambassador Tony Cruz, Gisele LeCouDeckner from Miller Children’s Hospital, and Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster during Tuesday’s “Bike to Work” event, which was a precursor to the upcoming Bike Fest and Tour of Long Beach

Mea Culpa In the review of Musical Theatre West’s production of Forbidden Broadway 2, the actor who portrayed Mandy Patinkin should have been identified as Larry Raben.

The caption for the front-page photo with the story “SH Council paves way to sell major portion of former redevelopment property to Signal Hill Petroleum” should have identified the individual to the far right as Richard Rodriguez, who is the son-in-law of Al Sirignano.

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The Signal Tribune welcomes letters to the editor, which should be signed, dated and include a phone number to verify authenticity. The Signal Tribune reserves the right to edit letters for grammar, language and space requirements. The Signal Tribune does not print letters that refer substantially to articles in other publications and might not print those that have recently been printed in other

publications or otherwise presented in a public forum. Letters to the editor and commentaries are the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Signal Tribune or its staff.

Although the editorial staff will attempt to verify and/or correct information when possible, letters to the editor and commentaries are opinions, and readers should not assume that they are statements of fact. Letter-writers will be identified by their professional titles or affiliations when, and only when, the editorial staff deems it relevant and/or to provide context to the letter.

The Signal Tribune is published each Friday with a circulation of 25,000. Yearly subscriptions are available for $45. 939 E. 27th St., Signal Hill, CA 90755

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COMMuNiTY

APRiL 27, 2012

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Senator Lowenthal recognizes ‘Women of Distinction’ for leadership and community service Sen. Alan Lowenthal has recognized 17 of his constituents as “Women of Distinction” for their leadership and community service throughout the 27th Senate District over the past year.

Lowenthal celebrated each of the honorees and presented them with framed certificates of recognition at a reception on April 19 at Sababa Restaurant in Long Beach.

This year’s honorees, representing many cities across the 27th District, were nominated in March by representatives of local government agencies throughout the 27th District.

“Representing the 27th Senate District has provided me with wonderful opportunities to meet and get to know so many community members who contribute and dedicate their time, talent and leadership to community service,” Lowenthal said. “It is my honor to recognize and celebrate this year’s ‘Women of Distinction’ recipients for doing just that on a daily basis.

Each of them has made a significant and positive difference in their respective communities.”

Held throughout the state by members of the Legislature, the annual event was started in 1987

by Assemblymember Bev Hansen and Assemblymember Sally Tanner, as a way of honoring women during the month of March, which is Women’s History Month.

This year’s honorees are: • Maria Alvarado, nominated by Lynwood Mayor Jim Morton • Lucy Avalos, nominated by Lynwood Mayor Jim Morton • Paulette Bradley, nominated by Lynwood Mayor Jim Morton • Doris Cooper-Robinson, nominated by LBUSD Board of Education President Felton Williams • Michele Diaz, nominated by Artesia Councilmember Victor Manalo • Cindy Galindo, nominated by Maribel Balderas, City of Downey • Linda Manis, nominated by Peggy Beam, City of Lakewood • Valerie Mason, nominated by Hawaiian Gardens Mayor Mike Gomez • Stacey Morrison, nominated by Long Beach Councilmember James Johnson

• Lorene Reed, nominated by Lynwood Jim Mayor Morton • Terry Rogers, nominated by past Signal Hill Mayor and current Councilmember Larry Forester Martina • Rodriguez, nominated by Lynwood Mayor Jim Morton • Claudia Schou, nominated by Long Beach Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal • Dr. Mary Sieu, nominated by Ann Griffo, ABC Unified School District • Cynde Soto, nominated by Long Beach Coun-

cilmember Robert Garcia • Dianne Stone, nominated by Avalon Councilmember Tim Winslow • Virgie Wade, nominated by Long Beach Councilmember Dee Andrews

‘A grand Sousa gala’ to benefit Long Beach Municipal Band To celebrate the Long Beach Municipal Band’s (LBMB) 103rd year and raise funds to support its summer concert season, the LBMB Foundation, Partners of Parks and the Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine will present a “Grand Sousa Gala” on Friday, April 27 at 6 pm at the Grand Ballroom of the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center, 200 S. Pine Ave. “The Grand Sousa Gala will not only be a great evening for all, but it will also help a Long Beach institution that has been entertaining our residents for generations,” said Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster.

The evening will feature a concert by the municipal band with conductor Larry Curtis and soprano Renee Sousa, great-grandniece of John Phillip Sousa.

Audiences will also enjoy dancing to the Studio Jazz Band with vocalists Barbara Morrison and Nicole Kubis.

There will be an international buffet,

Courtesy LBMB

The Long Beach Municipal Band, now in its 103rd year, is the oldest, municipally funded, professional concert band in the United States.

casino-style gaming and a silent auction.

“We play for so many people who eagerly anticipate and look forward to the concerts each summer,” said Curtis.

“With community support of this timehonored tradition, I know we can make it through this period of austerity and preserve this great, living Long Beach treasure. I’m confident that our concert fans will continue to be involved, and I encourage everyone to become a donating member of the Municipal Band Foundation. Through these efforts we will be able to present great concerts in the future, as the band has so eloquently done for more than a century.”

Ticket prices are $100 per person or $175 per couple, and tables of 10 are $825. A portion of each ticket is taxdeductible. Phone reservations are available at (562) 252-5626. The Port of Long Beach continues to support the Long Beach Municipal Band through a sponsorship that will match Gala pro-

As weather warms up, Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California issues warnings about West Nile virus have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or holes.

• Contact your local mosquito and vector control agency if there is a significant mosquito problem or potential mosquito breeding source where you live or work.

According to CDPH, 158 human cases of West Nile virus were reported in 2011. Of the reported cases, there were nine fatalities. CDPH and the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predict West Nile virus will again pose a public health threat in California in 2012. Adequately funded mosquito and vector control, disease surveillance, and public awareness programs are the best way to prevent outbreaks of West Nile virus and other diseases borne by mos-

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For information regarding local mosquito control, disease surveillance and public education activities, contact the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District’s public information officer, Crystal Brown, at (562) 9449656 ext. 511 or cbrown@glacvcd.org.

Visit glacvcd.org for new media materials and the latest information about West Nile virus.

Source: Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District

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from mosquito bites and prevent mosquito breeding in their neighborhoods.”

The following safety precautions are recommended by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH): • Eliminate or manage all sources of standing water to discourage mosquito breeding.

• Avoid spending time outside when mosquitoes are most active, especially at dawn and the first two hours after sunset.

• If you are outdoors when mosquitoes are biting, wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts.

• Apply insect repellent containing EPA-registered active ingredients such as DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, and oil of lemon eucalyptus (PMD). Always apply according to label instructions.

• Make sure doors and windows

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Mosquitoes and warm weather go hand in hand. Coinciding with the arrival of mosquito season, the Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California (MVCAC) is recognizing this week as West Nile Virus and Mosquito & Vector Control Awareness Week in California. West Nile virus is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes that can result in debilitating cases of meningitis and encephalitis, and lead to death in humans, horses, some bird species and other wildlife.

“West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne illnesses continue to threaten public health in California,” said Kenneth Bayless, president of MVCAC. “Since these diseases are transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes, it is important that residents take extra precautions to protect themselves and their families

ceeds and donations up to $50,000.

The Long Beach Municipal Band is the oldest, municipally funded, professional concert band in the United States.

In its 103-year history, the band has performed more than 57,000 concerts and over 1 million pieces of music.

The Long Beach Municipal Band Foundation is a newly formed support organization dedicated to raising funds for the LBMB.

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APRiL 27, 2012

LBPD’s relay team places 3rd in their Townhall meeting brings residents together to discuss category in ‘Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup’ property-based improvements for sixth District The Long Beach Police Department’s (LBPD) relay team placed third in their category and 15th overall during the 28th Annual Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay on April 21 and 22. Their time was 15 hours, 7 minutes, 9 seconds– 41 minutes faster than in 2011. LBPD has participated since 1988.

In 2011, the LBPD team finished third in their category and 33rd overall.

This 120-mile relay race spans from Baker, California to Las Vegas, Nevada. This year there was an alltime high of 5,400 relay runners and 270 teams from nearly 1,000 lawenforcement and military agencies from throughout the U.S. The temperature in Baker was 108 degrees at 5pm last Saturday when the LBPD team left Baker. On the third leg of the relay, the temperature was 111 degrees and the asphalt was a steamy 145 degrees. The 2013 event is set

for April 13 and 14.

“The Long Beach Police Foundation (LBPF) is proud to have LBPD’s Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay team as one of its community outreach programs,” reads a press release issued

by Kathy Berry, LBPF executive director. “The LBPF will continue the longestablished tradition of sponsoring a team of sworn LBPD personnel to participate in the annual Baker to Vegas relay and will act as the 501(c)(3) nonprofit for the group.” A percentage of the proceeds will also be donated to the Long Beach Police Officers Association Widow and Orphans Fund.

The Long Beach Police Foundation (LBPF) is an independent, communitybased, nonprofit organization that encourages public-private partnerships to support public safety and help build a safer community.

Source: LBPF

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A REMINDER FROM THE SIGNAL TRIBUNE

Stephanie Raygoza Staff Writer

Sixth District Councilmember Dee Andrews’s latest townhall meeting introduced his constituents to the idea of developing a Property-Based Improvement District (PBID) in the central area of Long Beach. Residents attentively listened to community leaders as they shared their successes in establishing property- and businessbased improvement districts, and now the 6th district staff is hoping that the community can rise to the occasion to help fuel positive changes for their own district.

The April 24, one-hour discussion was led by Andrews’s chief of staff, John Edmond, and started off with an explanation of a PBID given by Kraig Kojian, the director of Downtown Long Beach Associates. “With redevelopment going away [and] with city services being depleted for the last four years, some of the things that residents have discussed are infrastructure maintenance, improvements for public safety,” Edmond said. “This is one of the vehicles to allow that to happen.”

Kojian explained how the city currently has two PBIDs, one in downtown and the other in the Magnolia Industrial Group. In comparison to other cities, Kojian revealed that the city of Los Angeles has 35 while New York City has about 90. “It starts with the investment that you’re making into this community,” Kojian said. “How can we protect that investment?”

According to a definition breakdown found on the Downtown Long Beach Associates website, a PBID is a special benefit district where property is assessed to fund district improvements and services in addition to those provided by the City of Long Beach.

The concept was established in 1994 by the State of California as a resource to place a special assessment on real property and has since been dedicated to helping fund programs to make districts clean, safe and vital.

“We know how much the City can do, and the community understands how much it wants to do above and beyond what the City can do,” said Kojian. “It’s going to be up to the nonprofit organizations that are responsible for managing the funding and the programs to really do the work that the community wants done.”

For the Sixth District, Kojian explained that the process would take about 12 to 15 months, starts off by building a consensus, and then ultimately creates a management plan.

“You want to be able to understand the levels of service and frequency that

Stephanie Raygoza/Signal Tribune

Long Beach Police Department West Division Commander Josef Levy provides attendees at Sixth District Councilmember Dee Andrews’s April 24 townhall meeting with an update on crime and safety.

these programs will provide,” he said.

Numerous attendees asked further questions regarding the establishment of a PBID in their community, even after the meeting ended. The solid turnout on Tuesday would likely help garner resident participation as the necessary 50-percent-plus weighted vote of those people paying into the district, which is needed to give the district its jumpstart. Once signatures have been collected, they can be presented to the city council that will then declare resolution of intent to create the district.

“Sixty-five percent of the downtown Long Beach budget goes to the ‘clean and safe’ program,” added Kojian. “The greater the demand, the greater the services and the higher the assessment.”

Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) West Division Commander Josef Levy provided attendees with a crime and safety update along with the division’s focuses as summer approaches. Levy anticipates a busy summer for the police department with gang activity and residential burglaries increasing around that time.

“Crooks are opportunists. You have to remove the opportunity,” Levy said.

Chain-snatch robberies were also

reported as a growing concern as the price of gold continues to go up. Levy also announced that the Summer Night Lights program would be continuing this year. The program, which partners with the Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine Department, the LBPD and other nonprofit, community-based organizations, is a violence-prevention strategy and youth-development project offered at Martin Luther King, Drake and Admiral Kidd parks from July 5 through Sept 2.

Rod Wilson, president and CEO of Pacific Research and Strategies, and Blair Cohn, executive director of the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association (BKBIA), shared their journeys, obstacles and tips for establishing a successful business-based improvement district. “It’s a way to get to know your neighborhoods,” said Wilson. “It gives the community finally a voice– a strong voice.”

Although the meeting emphasized more of a property-based aspect of district improvement, to close out the meeting, Cohn used his experiences on one common factor found in both concepts and repeatedly mentioned throughout the meeting– you cannot wait for the City to do it all.

Off-duty battalion chief saves woman from burning home At approximately 5:28pm on April 18, 2012, Long Beach Fire Department (LBFD) units were dispatched to the 6000 block of Shire Way for reports of a house fire, according to a press release issued by the LBFD. An update later revealed the correct address would be on the next street over on the 800 block of Rancho Drive.

At the same time, an off-duty LBFD Battalion Chief (BC) noticed large amounts of black smoke coming from his neighbor’s home. He

ran around to the back of the home, where he found the kitchen on fire.

Another neighbor used a garden hose to try and douse the flames from outside while the off-duty BC went into the fire- and smoke-filled home through the sliding glass door.

He then heard the faint voice of an elderly woman and began heading in that direction. He found the victim slumped over in a chair and pulled her outside to safety. He checked to make sure she was conscious and breathing before reenter-

ing the home to conduct a primary search for any other victims. By then, Engine 22 had arrived on scene and put out the fire. No one else was home at the time of the incident.

Rescue 14 evaluated and transported the female patient, who is in her 70s, to the hospital for smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by LBFD fire investigators.

Source: LBFD

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APRiL 27, 2012

SigNAL TRiBuNE

7

Local brunch gives Long Beach constituents opportunity to meet candidates in casual setting The Long Beach Dairy and Creamery Historic Landmark in north Long Beach, along with several neighborhood associations, hosted a candidate brunch on April 21 to give constituents the opportunity to meet face to face with candidates seeking office on the state and federal levels and whose names will appear on the ballot in the June election.

In attendance were Congressional candidates seeking the newly formed 47th Congressional District seat: Gary DeLong, Steve Kuykendall and Sanford Kahn. Rep. Laura Richardson, who currently represents California’s 37th Congressional district, as well as State Assembly incumbent Bonnie Lowenthal and challenger Martha Flores-Gibson, were also present.

All those candidates participated in video-recorded interviews with LBReport.com’s Bill Pearl. Below are excerpts from the interviews with Flores-Gibson, Lowenthal and Richardson. Next week, the Signal Tribune will share portions of the discussions with DeLong, Kuykendall and Kahn.

Martha Flores-gibson “I believe that I can grow the economy,” said Flores-Gibson. “I believe in community. I believe in grassroots. I really believe that, as we come together as a community, we can do great things.”

Pearl asked her to name three votes by the incumbent with which she disagrees. “Well, I disagree with how they killed– she killed– the redevelopment funds. I disagree with the other bills that she has gotten, to where she voted for the largest tax increase in the California history, and I also know that she voted on every bill to kill jobs,” she said. “And we don’t need to kill jobs; we need to create jobs.”

Flores-Gibson stressed the importance of keeping businesses in California. “If we have them stay in California, then of course we’re going to have jobs for our communities,” she said.

Pearl then indicated that he would “play Devil’s advocate for a second” and told Flores-Gibson that the redevelopment agency phaseout was a budget-balancing measure that helped to continue providing funds for schools. “Well, let’s not be deceived,” Flores-Gibson said.

“Look at the record. It’s not going directly into classroom[s] for the teachers. It’s not going to the resources. It’s going in to pay past bills, and, if you look at the current legislation, it’s very deceptive how it’s written.”

Pearl asked the Assembly candidate how she would have balanced the budget and kept money flowing into schools, if that is indeed what she wanted to do. “The biggest thing that we can do is decentralize those funds. Anytime it goes into the general budget, it’s gone. It’s ciphered. So if we vote to keep those local monies, or those funds, in the district, in the schools, in government, we’re better off because local governments and local schools, they know what to do with the money.”

Pearl asked Flores-Gibson what commitments she would make in introducing legislation during her first 90 days in office, if elected.

“Well, I would immediately start lobbying for those funds,” she said.

“Let’s look at the Lotto money– it’s gone into the central fund. I would start lobbying, or I would start working on amendments, to get those funds back to the local government, back to the local schools.

That’s my first order of business.”

Bonnie Lowenthal Pearl asked Lowenthal why voters should re-elect her. “Well, I haven’t gotten everything I’ve wanted over these last few years, with the recession,” she said.

“Haven’t gotten enough cops, haven’t gotten enough money for schools. We’re all wanting in a lot of areas, but I have accomplished a lot for Long Beach. I rescued the courthouse construction that actually is bringing in thousands of jobs on that one project. I am the chair of Transportation (Committee), and of course I worked very hard on getting that big Gerald Desmond Bridge built and passed by the Transportation Commission. I rescued the... Regional Interoperational System, which was about to die if I didn’t run a last-minute bill to make sure that L.A. County has a system that will be operational in a crisis– a telecommunication system.

So, there is a lot accomplished.

There is a lot more to do.”

Lowenthal mentioned that she is also chair of the Joint Committee on Emergency Management for the Senate and the Assembly, as well as the vice chair of the Women’s Caucus, of which she says she is due to be the chair next year.

Pearl told Lowenthal that her opponent, Flores-Gibson, says the economy is a mess and that Sacramento is part of the problem. After she paused, nodded then smiled, Lowenthal responded by saying, “That’s what she says.”

Pearl asked the incumbent what she hopes to accomplish in the next two years to “help turn things around.” Lowenthal indicated that her primary interests are still in transportation and mental health.

“So, I’ve been working hard to make sure that, in the state prisons and now in the county jails, because of realignment, that people with severe mental illness have appropriate treatment, which will be protective of everyone and indeed it will save a great deal of money in the long run. That’s one of my big interests. The problems in the state hospitals, as you probably read in the L.A. Times infuriated me. I have many appointments set up to see how we can address that terrible mess. And, of course, in the transportation arena, it’s all about jobs, jobs, jobs. That’s why I love it. The more infrastructure we can develop, the better the economy will be.”

Laura Richardson “You’re in a tough battle against a Congressional incumbent because they redrew the district on you,” Pearl told Richardson. “She (Hahn) was formerly in the South Bay, your district’s been moved over a little bit. Why should people vote for you instead of her?”

“Well, because I actually am the Congresswoman of this area,” Richardson said in response. “I’ve been the member of Congress for almost five years, and actually about 58 percent of my current district is in the new district. So, north Long Beach is not new to me. Serving Long Beach isn’t new. You know, I was on the Council back in 2000. So, people would support me because I am not a new person coming here, I know the issues, I’m a part of the community, I’ve lived here myself, and I get it. So, that’s why I’m here.”

Pearl then asked Richardson what distinguishes her from Hahn, considering they are both Democrats. “Well, as I said, I’ve actually lived in Long Beach,” she said.

“I’ve actually served in Long Beach. My opponent has not. Other things are issues, you know, things that I know about...I’ve supported...making a reconfiguration of

the breakwater. I’ve supported PAC development. I mean, all these kinds of things that are important to Long Beach people. I’ve helped with Long Beach housing, affordable housing. So, these are the kinds of things, they’re not something I’m coming in and saying...I’m going to do because I get elected to Congress; they’re things I’ve been doing now for 12 years. So, I think, now, more than ever, the tough times people are having, we need people who have been doing the job, have been doing a good job, and who are prepared to keep it going.”

Pearl asked Richardson if there see BRuncH page 13

Neena Strichart/Signal Tribune

(From left) Community organizer Laurie Angel; Linda Ivers, staff member from 8th District Councilmember Rae Gabelich’s office; John Taeleifi, chair of the Community Development Advisory Commission for the City of Long Beach; Congressmember Laura Richardson; Anthony Kim, president/CEO of the Cambodian American Business Association (CABA); and Rithy Sieng, executive vice president of west coast region of CABA, in the back yard during host Dan Pressburg’s candidate brunch last Saturday

8 SigNAL TRiBuNE

FOR THOSE THAT MEOW, BARK AND HISS

APRiL 27, 2012

LB Council votes to give restaurants option of permitting pet dogs on patios

Found Kitten

This little guy was rescued from a Cal Heights neighbor’s engine! His kind rescuers say he’s box-trained, eating wet food and seems very accustomed to people, so it’s likely that he is someone’s lost pet.

If this is your pet, or you know where he belongs, please respond to Lani Quaglino Niell’s post on the Cal Heights Facebook page.

City of

Signal Hill Community Foundation presents...

In a unanimous 8-0 vote, the Long Beach City Council has voted to give restaurants the authority to allow pet dogs to accompany their owners dining on restaurant outdoor patios.

The motion was authored by 1st District Councilmember Robert Garcia and cosponsored by Vice-Mayor Suja Lowenthal and 3rd District Councilmember Gary DeLong.

Currently, dogs other than service animals are legally prohibited from entering eating establishments in Long Beach, including outdoor restaurant patios. The new legislation leaves the decision up to individual businesses to allow dogs on their outdoor patios as long as certain conditions are met to ensure the health and safety of the public.

“Allowing pet dogs on outdoor restaurant patios creates community and a dining experience for all members of the family, including the fourlegged ones,” said Garcia, whose district includes parts of the downtown

many dining establishments.

“This is a common-sense way to increase quality of life and economic activity,” Lowenthal said. “And it falls in line with our efforts to promote an active, outdoor lifestyle in Long Beach by enabling residents and their dogs to be together.”

“Many residents, particularly in Belmont Shore, have requested the ability to bring their dogs onto outdoor patios,” added DeLong. “I look forward to trying out this concept and receiving feedback from local residents after it’s implemented.”

The Council motion directs the city manager to “work with the Health Department to craft a policy that gives restaurant owners the flexibility to allow pet dogs on outdoor restaurant patios and return back to Council in 90 days with the proposed new policy.”

Restaurants will still be able to prohibit pets if they choose to.

dining and entertainment area. “This new policy encourages healthy living, promotes business and builds community.”

In December 2011, Los Angeles County approved a policy to allow pet dogs to dine with their owners on restaurant patios. The County of Los Angeles Environmental Health Department assessed the risk factors involved in the allowance of pet dogs in outdoor dining areas and, after an extensive review of supporting data, they made changes to allow pet dogs on outdoor patios. LA County restaurants now have the option to allow pet dogs on their outdoor patios.

Long Beach has its own health department and must adopt any health policy changes independently.

Lowenthal’s Second District shares the downtown dining district, and Councilmember Gary DeLong’s district, which includes the Belmont Shore neighborhood, is home to

Source: Councilmember Garcia’s office

Community Yard Sale Saturday, May 5, 2012 Signal Hill Park • 2175 Cherry Ave. 8am to 12pm “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure” Come browse, explore, and buy!

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File photo

Long Beach restaurants with patios, such as Georgie’s Place in Bixby Knolls, will now have the authority to allow pet dogs to accompany their owners dining on those patios, thanks to a recent vote by the Long Beach City Council.

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Mango and Stewie are two lucky little kittens. They were rescued from a hoarding situation in not too great condition.

But the shelter staff nursed them back to health, and you can see how cute and lovely they are! They’re ready for a real home now. Visit them at the Companion Animal Village at 7700 East Spring St., (562) 570-PETS. Ask for IDs A461447 and A461445.

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Animal-advocacy group Stayin' Alive Long Beach has asked Long Beach Animal Care Services to sign on with a national effort aimed at ending the killing of healthy, adoptable animals in shelters across the country.

“Just One Day,” slated for June 11, 2012, is a day on which animal shelters across the country will pledge to go a day without euthanizing a single healthy, adoptable animal.

“We have met with Long Beach Animal Care Services, and they were receptive to the idea,” said Jane Mattson, the group’s spokesperson, who also indicated that, at press time, Animal Care Services hadn’t yet signed the online petition to participate. “Just One Day is another way that people who care about animals can begin to learn about better ways of dealing with the issue of homeless animals.”

Mattson said that animal shelters need money and volunteers but that people are wary of animal shelters.

“We can all agree that the situation needs to get better, and by signing the pledge and putting the issue up front and center, the shelter would be reaching out to the animal-loving community. We envision a citywide effort amongst all those involved: potential adopters, vets, educators and anyone else willing to help make a difference in the lives of shelter animals.”

She also said there is now a strong

“no kill” movement in L.A. and that Long Beach could also be in the vanguard. “We need to realize that there are alternatives to putting animals down just because they are homeless, such as more proactive adoption policies, better education about spay/neutering, awareness of what wonderful companions shelter animals can be, and encouraging public volunteerism and foster care,” Mattson said. “And, in the meantime, we need to make conditions better for the animals who are still in the shelter.”

“At this time, Long Beach Animal Care Services has not officially signed on to this event,” said Ted Stevens, acting manager of Animal Care Services. “We have made an operational decision to support the event, Just One Day, in spirit and not euthanize any healthy, adoptable animal on that day.

Our facility has made great strides in lowering the euthanasia rate of healthy, adoptable animals and will continue to do so. We accept all animals from our jurisdiction and work very hard to adopt them to loving, responsible homes or return them to their owners.”

For more information on Just One Day, go to justoneday.ws . For more information on Stayin' Alive Long Beach, check out their Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/ Stayin-AliveLong-Beach/215406345228207 .

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FOR THOSE THAT MEOW, BARK AND HISS

L.A. Zoo now hosts amphibians and invertebrates and reptiles...oh, my!

SigNAL TRiBuNE

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The Los Angeles Zoo’s new LAIR houses more than 60 species of amphibians, invertebrates and reptiles from around the world.

The Los Angeles Zoo introduced its newest exhibit to its guests on March 8. Encompassing six diversely themed exhibits, The LAIR (Living Amphibian, Invertebrates, and Reptiles) houses more than 60 species from around the globe. Additionally, this new structure will provide a vital establishment for the Zoo’s reptileand amphibian-focused conservation initiatives.

The six exhibit areas in The LAIR include habitats for various unique and endangered amphibian, invertebrate and reptilian species.

The world’s largest amphibian, the Chinese giant salamander, inhabits a “mountainside” stream with underwater viewing for visitors. Several species of tiny brightly colored poison-dart frogs live in lush vivariums.

Lizards are represented by scaly and spiny giant horned lizards, neon green Fiji island banded iguanas and the only species of venomous lizards: gila monster and beaded lizard.

Adaptations to its aquatic existence will be easily noticed on the Fly River turtles that have a snoutlike nose and flippers for feet. Visitors may view scorpions and centipedes or walk past “Crocodile Swamp,” which houses false gharials– an endangered species of crocodile found in Southeast Asia.

Finally, an array of snakes include: the Mang Shan viper from the mountains of China; the green mamba, a fast slender arboreal snake from Africa; and the Bushmaster, the largest venomous snake of the Americas. The “Care and Conservation Room” is dedicated to the reptiles and amphibians part of the zoo’s conservation programs. Here, zoo guests can also look “Behind the Glass,” where many behind-thescenes activities (reptile egg storage, nursery, food prep, etc.) take place.

MORE INFORMATION lazoo.org

9

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10 SigNAL TRiBuNE

Long Beach Water Department receives 2012 LA County green Leadership Award for Lawn-to-garden program The L.A. County Board of Supervisors recognized the winners of its Fourth Annual Green Leadership Awards on Tuesday. Taking home this year’s Public Agency Green Leadership Award was the Long Beach Water Department, which received the award for its Lawn-toGarden program.

“These committed individuals and entities inspire others to follow their leadership,” said L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. “The County is proud to honor them with its Green Leadership Award.”

The Water Department created the Lawn-to-Garden incentive program two years ago. Since that time, nearly 600 landscape transformations have been completed throughout the city.

The program provides financial incentives to customers who tear out their grass lawns and replace them with drought-tolerant, environmentally friendly landscapes. Since roughly half of all residential water use occurs outdoors, the program aims to permanently reduce citywide

water consumption by providing residents with an effective means to switch over to plants and landscapes that require less water and result in less energy use and urban runoff.

“On behalf of my fellow Commissioners and the Water Department, I want to express my sincere appreciation to L.A. County and the Board of Supervisors for recognizing our program,” said Frank Clarke, president of the Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners.

“Water conservation will always play a key role in ensuring a more reliable water supply in our region, which makes it vital that programs of this nature continue to be supported and encouraged in the future.”

There are approximately 60,000 single-family homes in Long Beach, which means that even with 600 Lawn-to-Garden projects now complete, only one percent of Long Beach homes have gone through the program.

“We believe there is still so much that can be achieved through this

program,” said Kevin Wattier, the Water Department’s general manager. “Water conservation remains by far the cheapest source of water, and it just makes sense that these kinds of cost-effective solutions for addressing our water supply situation are sought out and implemented.”

The Lawn-to-Garden Program remains open to new applicants.

Funding for the program is made available by the Water Department and through a partnership with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Current applicants and other interested customers can find out more about the incentive program and drought-tolerant landscaping in general, by visiting lblawntogarden.com . The Water Department will also be hosting its first annual citywide Lawn-to-Garden Tour on May 19, from 10am to 2pm. The free, selfguided tour will feature 30 homes that have successfully gone through the program. To sign up for the tour, visit lblawntogarden.com/tour .

APRiL 27, 2012

Mayor Foster participates in ‘Bike to Work’ Day with city’s bike ambassador In celebration of the upcoming 2012 Tour of Long Beach and BikeFest, Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster and Long Beach Bicycle Ambassador Tony Cruz participated in a “Bike to Work” Day on Tuesday, pedaling from Belmont Shore to City Hall.

The Tour of Long Beach, which is scheduled for Saturday, May 5, invites amateur cyclists and bicycle enthusiasts of all skill levels to ride on a 31-

mile or 62-mile open course along bike paths throughout the city, the four-mile Family Fun Ride, or the newly added 100-mile Cruz Gran Fondo Ride.

Proceeds from the Tour of Long Beach will benefit Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach. Registration is still open for this year’s Tour of Long Beach. For more information on the Tour of Long Beach, visit bikefestlb.com.

Shop, Buy, & Dine Locally A REMINDER FROM THE SIGNAL TRIBUNE

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Courtesy City of LB

Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, Ben Alvarado from Wells Fargo and Long Beach Bicycle Ambassador Tony Cruz during Tuesday’s “Bike to Work” Day

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APRiL 27, 2012

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SigNAL TRiBuNE

11

Longfellow Elementary named among first-ever u.S. Department of Education green Ribbon Schools U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, together with White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson, announced Tuesday that Longfellow Elementary in Bixby Knolls is among 78 schools named U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools during a visit to Stoddert Elementary School, one of D.C.’s two honorees. California is among 29 states and D.C. with schools receiving the first-ever awards.

“Science and environmental education play a central role in providing children with a wellrounded education that prepares them for the jobs of the future,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “Green Ribbon Schools demonstrate compelling examples of the ways schools can expand their coursework while also helping children build real world skill sets, cut school costs, and provide healthy learning environments.”

Over the past two years, through its lunchtime and classroom recycling programs and other efforts, Longfellow has diverted over 100,000 pounds of would-be trash from the landfill, according to a press release issued by the school last month. Long Beach’s Environmental Services Bureau has been instrumental in the achievement of Longfellow’s high waste-diversion rate.

In addition to recycling, Longfellow Green Team volunteers deliver unused cold foods and milk to Food Finders, a local food bank distributor, on a daily basis. Students also participate in a “Walk to School Wednesday”

program. Volunteers conduct a monthly uniform swap. Additionally, the school has a new Junior Green Team of 4th and 5th graders.

“Longfellow is a large, diverse, urban school, housed on a campus built in the 1930s,” said Heather Morrison, Longfellow’s Green Team coordinator. “We have old buildings and limited resources.

Our environmental efforts are far from fancy, complicated or high tech: we recycle, we take leftover food to a food bank, we turn off lights and computers when not in use and we make sure kids are getting outside to play and exercise, as well as learn about the outdoors. Our recycling efforts do go above and beyond what is happening on most school campuses, but with some effort, they are replicable just about anywhere. I think the takeaway message from a school like Longfellow being awarded the Green Ribbon Schools Award is that being ‘green’ is doable even if you are an ordinary school on an old and ordinary campus. Sure, it would be great to be off the grid, have solar panels and low-flush toilets, but even without those things, there is something that everyone can do to take care of our environment and our planet.”

U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) is a federal recognition program that opened in September 2011.

Honored schools exercise a comprehensive approach to creating “green” environments through reducing environmental impact, promoting health, and ensuring a high-quality environmental and outdoor education to prepare students with the 21st century skills

Courtesy Longfellow

Longfellow Elementary School’s lunchtime recycling station, which has examples attached to each container to show students which items to place into which containers.

and sustainability concepts needed in the growing global economy.

“Schools that take a green approach cut costs on their utility bills, foster healthy and productive classrooms, and prepare students to thrive in the 21st century economy,” said Nancy Sutley, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. “These Green Ribbon School award winners are taking outstanding steps to educate tomorrow’s environmental leaders, and demonstrating how sustainability and environmental awareness make sense for the health of our students and our country.”

The 78 awarded schools were named winners from among nearly 100 nominees submitted by

30 state education agencies, the District of Columbia and the Bureau of Indian Education. More than 350 schools completed applications to their state education agencies. Among the list of winners are 66 public schools including 8 charters, and 12 private schools composed of 43 elementary, 31 middle and 26 high schools with around 50 percent representing high poverty schools.

“These Green Ribbon Schools are giving students and educators what they need to maximize learning and minimize risks like asthma and other respiratory illnesses, ensuring that no child is burdened by pollution in or around their school,” said EPA

Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.

“Today's winners are protecting our children’s health and opening up environmental education opportunities for students. The EPA is proud to help recognize the Green Ribbon award winners and will continue working to improve the environment of our nation’s schools and helping prepare students to succeed in the emerging green economy.”

The U.S. Department of Education’s “Green Ribbons” are oneyear recognition awards. Next year’s competition will open in summer 2012. State agencies are encouraged to send their intents to submit nominees by June 15, 2012 via email to green.ribbon.schools@ed.gov .

NEWS

12 SigNAL TRiBuNE Jordan continued from page 1 the school’s inaugural Youth Summit at Long Beach City College’s Liberal Arts campus. The goals of the summit, according to the press release that the students themselves wrote, are to change the narrative of Jordan, create a safe school environment, gain knowledge of contributing factors, establish mentorship, and develop leadership skills.

Meehan and four other staff members took 93 sophomores, along with 11 older male students for “security,” on a bus for an entire school day to participate in the summit, which included a tour of the college campus from 9:30am to 11am, then two break-out sessions, each of which was divided into four workshops that addressed one of the eight key problems identified by the students.Those eight “core issues,” which became the titles of the workshops were: Racial Group Segregation, Stereotyped Violence, Defacing and Littering on Campus, Bullying and Harassment, A Need to Build Student-Teacher Relationships, Rivalry Among Social Clubs and Sports, Remaining Silent About Issues (Contributing to the Status Quo), and Trying to Fit in Too Hard (Not Having a Self-Identity).

Meehan explained that the youth summit was partially the brainchild of Jordan’s head counselor, Debbie Hughes, who this school year had transferred from Poly High School to Jordan, along with principals Shawn Ashley and Jay Camerino.

“They’ve been doing huge things at Poly, and Jordan has been struggling for a long time, academically, with race riots, and all kinds of stuff,” Meehan said. “So they came over to Jordan to help change the climate, to help bring up the academics, bring up the sports, all these things.”

Hughes approached Meehan to conduct a youth summit with 10th graders, to help improve the climate of the school by instilling them with school pride.

These younger students were chosen with the hope that there will be a lasting change that will affect Jordan’s future generations, and Meehan is utilizing her brand of youth-generated problem-solving to change the school’s climate. She charged the school’s older students to become leaders to facilitate the workshops with the sophomores, who in turn were expected to devise resolutions to the campus’s problems.

“I actually train other high-school after-school programs, and the reason my program is so successful is because I’m not the one up there all the time saying, ‘Hey, don’t litter.’ Those are kids [saying it],” Meehan said. “So, every single workshop [at the summit]– they’re all our youth in our program who are facilitating the workshops because [the 10th graders] are going to

listen to them more than they’ll listen to us. So, we’re building our leaders. We’re building their capacity, not just for job skills.” Meehan then pointed to a student leader who was confidently addressing a group of about 25 students about how they can contribute to their high school’s cleanliness. “That one girl right there, she looks like a teacher... she’s a 12th grader,” Meehan said, adding that that particular student, before entering the program, had been having a rough time.

“She struggled, physically and emotionally. I believe that this program changes their lives, and we’re doing it by engaging our own youth to take charge of their own campus. So, all the subjects you’re hearing about today, there are eight of them, the students chose those. All our programs are youth-led.”

Meehan suggested that part of the challenge with reaching the student body is that Jordan operates from two different sites. The 9th graders are on a separate campus that is about a mile away from the main campus. “So, what’s happened is, when these 9th graders get to [the main] campus as 10th graders, it’s a mess,” Meehan said.

“They’re not transitioned in.”

Meehan explained that next year, the 9th graders will be taught on Jordan’s main campus. “I’m targeting 10th graders now because, what will happen is, those 9th graders that come over next year we’re going to target for a camp called Jordan North,” she said. “So what we’re doing is targeting these kids right here (attending the summit) to then lead this camp next year. So, it’s kind of trickling.”

As an example of her student-leader approach, Meehan explained that “security” is provided by students, in the form of 11 members of the Omega Brothers mock fraternity and the Male Academy, which is another leadership organization that consists of male students. The Male Academy was initiated in response to the race-fueled riots that were occurring on campus. A female organization is The Xi Sisterhood. Meehan said Jordan’s administrators discourage staff from calling the organizations “fraternities” and “sororities” because of the possible negative connotations that can come with those labels, so they’re usually referred to as “mock fraternities and sororities” or simply “service organizations.”

“Only Xi and Omega are directly funded by WRAP and were created by me,” Meehan said. “Male Academy is sponsored by WRAP, meaning we pour additional funding from what they already have to help enhance their program. The Male Academy is a program at the district level that I helped start here at Jordan, not WRAP. So I work with the counselor, Lionel Gonzalez, who is in charge of all of the Male Academy programs at each site.”

Patricia Chambers, who oversees all the after-school programs at Jordan, Cabrillo and Renaissance high schools, was one of the adults “behind the scenes”

APRiL 27, 2012

Cory Bilicko/Signal Tribune

Student leaders Courtney Smith and Caleb Murillo facilitate a workshop on the problem of bullying during Jordan High School’s youth summit last Monday. at Monday’s summit, and she said she has seen a difference overall in the relations among various demographics at Jordan because of their program. “I think, for one, it breaks down a lot of racial tensions that can exist, especially between the African-American and Latino community,” she said. “This is my third year working with the program, and, just to see young men and young ladies who might not otherwise come together realize what they have in common and realize that, ‘You know what?

We’re a lot more in common than we are different,’ and that sort of permeates itself throughout the campus.”

Chambers mentioned that, as opposed to the numerous racially

“I have a better attitude.

I have a better future. I understand why I should go to college and why I should be a better leader.”

–Dany Wang, Jordan High after-school program participant charged fights that had occurred, now many of the Latino male students have started attending football games to support the African-American male students on the team. “So, it’s just really decreased violence,” she said. “It’s increased brotherhood and sisterhood, and [promoted] coming together and feeling like a family.”

At the summit, the grown-ups weren’t the only ones singing the praises of Jordan’s intervention programs. Jose Salas, a 12th-grader who is president of the Omega Brothers, not only credited the programs for helping him, he seems

to take great pride in helping other students who need guidance. “We help people go to the right step, and the right step is college,” he said. “We get people that...not people that are doing bad, but that need that little push. Everybody needs that push so that they can get a step above. We bring them in, we help them out with school, we have tutoring sessions.”

Salas said he joined the organization last year but wishes he would have gotten involved sooner. “It helps you with a lot of things. It really, really helps you,” he said. “It keeps you away from trouble that you could be [gettin involved with] out in the street.”

Another student, Dany Wang, has been involved in Meehan’s program since last year. “It brings me, like, to a second home,” she said. “You feel so safe here, like you can do anything and you can accomplish something that you want. It guides you on the right path.”

Wang said that, if the program didn’t exist, she thinks she would have no direction. “I would be doing nothing– just staying home,” she said. “I might not even go to college.”

She said that she has changed a lot as a result of the program. “I have a better attitude. I have a better future,” she said.

“I understand why I should go to college and why I should be a better leader.”

When asked what specific characteristics of the program have transformed her, Wang cited the support of the Xi Sisters and Omega Brothers, and especially Meehan and “Fonzie,” whose real name is Alfonso Raya, a 2008 Jordan graduate who has been working with Meehan the last two years.

Raya said that, while a student at Jordan, he wasn’t very involved in school until he entered the program. “When I was a freshman, my family suffered a big loss, so I was just kind of trying to not even be at school. It wasn’t until my junior year that I started getting involved. One of my friends–” Raya then chuckled. “One of my friends actually invited me to go to a jewelry-making class that Long Beach WRAP had,”

he said, smiling. “Now we laugh about it because it’s funny that that was my first program. From there, I joined [Meehan’s] board.”

Raya explained that the activities instilled in him a sense of responsibility.

Until then, he had only known his life at home, caring for his younger brother while his father worked, but the WRAP program made him feel a part of “something bigger.” He said that Meehan provided him, not only with academic support, but also moral guidance.

Now, he serves as Meehan’s assistant director and also facilitates the Omega Brothers program.

Another key adult figure facilitating the program is Chris Covington, a volunteer with the California Conference for Equality and Justice (CCEJ) and Long Beach’s Building Healthy Communities, whom Meehan hired to help facilitate the programs and organize the summit. Covington, who is currently the vice chair for the Building Healthy Communities initiative in Long Beach, said he was recruited by Meehan because of the work he does with community youth. He said she approached him to organize a program that would encompass human relations and contribute to Jordan’s becoming a safe and inclusive school site.

“We met, and we came up with [the idea of] getting youth leaders to come together and talk about those issues,” Covington said. “The issues that they came up... are racial segregation [by students themselves], bullying, it’s studentteacher partnerships...littering, defacing on campus. Those issues came up from the youth. They were like, ‘These are the issues at our school, and this is how we want to tackle it.” Covington said the youth leaders would meet each Tuesday, sometimes for up to four hours, and they would discuss how to engage others.

After recruiting students, the youth leaders would have sessions in which the participants would openly talk about those issues and share their feelings.

Then, the students themselves would generate solutions to the problems on campus.

The youth leaders used those previous rap sessions to decide on the workshops’ topics, and they developed their own “lessons.”

“So for littering, they threw trash everywhere, and the component of their presentation was to partner up and pick up the trash and throw it away,” Covington said. “For the racial segregation group, they talked about prejudice and how it plays into segregation and how it plays into the school environment, so they made a ‘Wall of Segregation,’ and they broke it down. They ripped up the paper. Other groups showed videos, other groups did one-on-one communication. So, it’s very creative, and it was pretty much all their ideas. I wasn’t the person to put it all together.”

Covington mentioned the negative reputation that the school has had and how he, the other advisors and the students hope to change that perspective.

“Everybody says, ‘Oh, Jordan is whack, Jordan is an unsafe school, it’s nothing but gangsters, their test scores are low,’” he said. “But these are passionate students from the WRAP program who really want to change that, to be like, we are a school of professionals, we are a school of people who want to go to college, we are a school of youth who really want to make a change– not only in our school, but in our community as well.”

APRiL 27, 2012

Brunch continued from page 7

are any issues on which she disagrees with President Obama.

Richardson said she would have preferred removing troops from Afghanistan sooner. “I think, given our financial crisis that we had, had we not been spending billions and billions of dollars, we could have been able to recover a lot quicker,� she said. “And so what happened was we really came out short in terms of our domestic priorities, and I think you always have to take care of home first.�

Pearl said that some people point to Congress as being responsible for the banking implosion that led to the recession and asked Richardson

COMMuNiTY what she makes of it. “Well, actually what happened with the financial crisis was, back long before I got to Congress, we had deregulation, and so, anytime you assume that people are going to do the right thing, [it] is really a false assumption,� she said. “And, so, to think that the banks and financial industries and hedge fund and all these other areas were going to discipline themselves, I think, was really a misconception, and, so, we got way out of balance. There were exotic products, there were things that really weren’t helpful to a lot of people, and so we paid a very high price for it. But, since I’ve been in Congress, we’ve actually passed quite a few legislation to get us back on track and to make sure that the

consumers have advocates. You know, I had my own personal financial situation, and I started talking about it to help other people. I went through a modification myself, and the thing I urge people is don’t hide it, don’t try to, you know, ignore it.

Deal with it. There’s now a new program that the President has passed, and people need to take advantage of that so that they can be able to save their homes.�

When Pearl asked if she’d like to comment on the ethics investigations surrounding her, the Congressmember said “no� but that people should stay tuned to see how the process plays out. She also said that she has been able to use the “troubles� that she has been through personally to help others.

SigNAL TRiBuNE

13

New Female Leadership Academy to host fundraiser focusing on women’s health The new Female Leadership Academy of Long Beach Unified School District will conduct a fundraising event to support their upcoming Revlon Run/Walk community-service project. The event will feature free women’s health information, music, live performances, food, children’s activities and dance exercise demonstrations.

Exhibit booths related to women’s health concerns are still available, and sponsors are being

sought for in-kind donations and other support.

The Female Leadership Academy is a high-school academic and leadership development program whose mission is to empower young women and increase their graduation rates and their entrance into institutions of higher learning.

The event will take place Saturday, May 5 from 11am to 3pm at the LBUSD Teacher Resource Center, 1299 E. 32nd St., in Signal Hill.

Local rancho joins program that links So Cal’s historic venues Rancho Los Cerritos, 4600 Virginia Rd., has joined the “Passport 2 History� program launched by Leonis Adobe Museum. Located in Calabasas, Leonis Adobe Museum, Los Angeles Cultural Monument #1 has invited more than 50 historic venues to participate in this new program, the goal of which is to link together all the historic venues in Southern California and introduce visitors to the wealth of cultural landmarks, artifacts and legends in the southland. It will also encourage families, students and members of the community to visit and experience the rich heritage of the region.

More than 50 historic venues are participating in “Passport 2 History,�

with locations in Los Angeles, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties. They include historic homes and ranchos, as well as children’s, fine art, native cultural centers, automobile, aviation, agriculture, maritime and railroad museums. The “Passport 2 History� book contains a page for each historic venue, with a description, directions, and visitor information. Maps of all the historic sites, arranged by county, help visitors arrange travel plans. Some venues offer discounted entry rates or other discounts for passport holders.

MORE INFORMATION passport2history.com rancholoscerritos.org

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Neena Strichart/Signal Tribune

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NEWS

14 SigNAL TRiBuNE Oversight continued from page 1

City Attorney David Aleshire acknowledged that the process is new to everyone involved with redevelopment, including the attorneys.

“It’s totally new for the practitioners in the area,” Aleshire told the Oversight Board Wednesday night. “We’re all trying to learn together.”

A few bureaucratic layers were established over the past few months to oversee the process of redevelopment’s shutdown, which includes a responsibility to sell the former redevelopment property and handle numerous financial obligations that were left behind by the agency. The Signal Hill City Council acts as the Successor

Agency to manage the former agency’s administrative matters.

The Successor Agency’s actions are subject to the approval of a newly created Oversight Board, and the Oversight Board’s actions are subject to the California Department of Finance’s approval.

The Oversight Board, a sevenmember group, is composed of representatives from Signal Hill, Long Beach City College, the Los Angeles County Office of Education, the Signal Hill Employees Association, and appointments by Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe. There were earlier delays for the Oversight Board to start their meetings earlier this year.

The members are Douglas Haubert, Tim Williamson, AnnMarie Gabel, Alex Cherniss,

Michael Noll and Pearl Yu. Albert Warot, who is also on the board, was not present for Wednesday night’s meeting.

Four members of the Oversight Board passed a draft of the payment schedule of the SHRDA’s financial obligations from the first half of the year, while both Board Members Gabel and Cherniss abstained.

“I don’t completely understand the structure yet,” Cherniss said, as he explained his abstaining vote. “So I’ll be asking staff some questions between now and the next meeting. But I’m not comfortable approving this yet.”

The estimated amount of obligations for the first half of 2012 includes over $8.7 million in bond payments and debt obligations for a number of redevelopment proj-

CJ Dablo/Signal Tribune

Board Member Ted Williamson (left) speaks to Board Vice Chair Michael Noll (right) during the Signal Hill Oversight Board meeting on April 25 in the City’s Council Chambers.

APRiL 27, 2012 ects, including construction of the new library and the new police station. Before the Board made its decision, however, Board Chair Haubert spent a significant amount of time attempting to address one major item on the list– a debt to CarMax, who had paid $6 million for property. According to the city attorney, CarMax had forged an agreement with the SHRDA and purchased property in Signal Hill with the intention of eventually building a car dealership. However, at this time, the company has not yet decided to move forward with the development project and in the meantime has asked for the $6 million back.

Aleshire acknowledged that there may potential legal issues involved.

According to the payment schedule, CarMax’s debt obligation was scheduled to be paid in June. At the suggestion of Haubert, the Board kept the obligation on the schedule but removed the item from being paid in June.

At the beginning of the meeting and well in advance of the board’s decision, a few members from the community spoke out against voting to approve the payment schedule. Carol Churchill, a Signal Hill resident and former councilmember, asked for more documentation, including copies of financial reports and contracts. She requested that the Oversight Board obtain independent resources for a number of services, including auditing and legal counseling. She recommended that the Board not use the city attorney, indicating that Aleshire faces a conflict of interest since he represents the City. She listed a number of documents that the Board needs before it should approve the payment schedule and

argued for the need for a third party to audit the financial activities.

“As you can see,” Churchill said, “the Board will also require an independent auditing firm to review financial reports and ensure the accuracy of the ROPS [the recognized obligation payment schedule] since the ROPS [was] prepared with the intention of maximizing the transfer of tax increment to the City and away from individuals and entities that the Board represents.”

Before the Board voted on the payment schedule, Aleshire acknowledged there is a learning curve for the Oversight Board to understand the complexity of the numerous obligations involving several properties.

“Really, the number of items is a lot to be grasped,” Aleshire said, “so I think from staff’s standpoint, we have no problem coming back as many times as you want to talk this over. We have no problem with adopting, amending, doing whatever we need to do to… get it in a state where you’re comfortable with it.”

The Oversight Board has put on the next agenda to deal with payment schedule again in May. At that time, they will be also discussing the priority list of the SHRDA’s properties. Board Member Gabel also requested that the Board review the pros and cons of obtaining its own legal counsel and to look at administrative costs issues. She also requested a budget from the staff to determine the amount currently in the redevelopment fund.

The Oversight Board agreed that it will usually meet on the fourth Wednesday of the month in the Council Chambers. The next meeting is scheduled for May 23.

Need a reason to get up on Sunday?

Brunch will be served 10am to 3pm Join us for a mimosa!

COMMuNiTY

APRiL 27, 2012

Garden Variety

it’s time for tomatoes!

Jennifer E. Beaver Columnist

Around the beginning of April, people greet me not with “Hey, Jenny!” but with “What kind of tomato should I plant?” We’ll get to that in just a minute.

First, though, let’s address the issue of plant selection. All of us gravitate to the plant brimming with little yellow blossoms. After all, that would be the one that would deliver the goods quickly, right? In the short term, maybe.

But if you want tomatoes all season, look for a sturdy, stocky plant without flowers. That plant is thinking. “Wow, I need to develop a healthy root system so I can produce tons of tomatoes!” Our little flower floozy, on the other hand, is living only for the moment.

Second, there’s the issue of planting conditions. Tomatoes love sun and heat. Low temperatures during spring and early summer may halt production.

That means you may get blossoms, but no tomatoes until the weather warms up consistently. Last year, my tomato crop didn’t really kick in until August, when our days were reliably sunny and warm.

Remember to water at the base; no overhead watering, no sprinklers. Wet foliage can lead to disease–

and tomatoes are subject to many.

Put some clean straw or mulch beneath your plants to keep unhealthy spores from splashing up and assaulting the lower leaves.

Okay, now for the fun part– what tomato should you choose?

It all depends on what you like to eat and how much patience you have. For a quick, abundant fix, you can’t beat cherry tomatoes. I plant at least one Sungold every year because the flavor is outstanding and it sports tremendous vigor and reliability. If you can’t make up your mind about what type of cherry tomato to grow, OSH has a three-pack featuring Black Pearl, Napa Grape and Sungold. Remember that the only thing small about these tomatoes are the fruits themselves– the vines are long and rangy.

For larger slicers, consider Momotaro, a Japanese

hybrid with excellent flavor. You can find these at H&H Nursery in Lakewood. Many friends recommend Better Boy, a prolific producer that grows up to an inch a day. And it’s always fun to throw in at least one heirloom. Last year I tried Paul Robeson; he was interesting but won’t be a repeat date.

(Sometimes the most intriguing things about heirlooms are the names!)

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PuBLiC NOTiCES TST4047 NOTICE OF TRUSTEE'S SALE TS No. 10-0041228 Doc ID #0001068584232005N Title Order No. 10-8-160620 Investor/Insurer No. 106858423 APN No. 7217-006-038 YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED 01/12/2006. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. Notice is hereby given that RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A., as duly appointed trustee pursuant to the Deed of Trust executed by ROBERT MILLS AND J.C. MILLS, HUSBAND AND WIFE, AS JOINT TENANTS, dated 01/12/2006 and recorded 1/23/2006, as Instrument No. 06 0153246, in Book , Page , of Official Records in the office of the County Recorder of Los Angeles County, State of California, will sell on 05/14/2012 at 11:00AM, By the fountain located at 400 Civic Center Plaza, Pomona, CA 91766 at public auction, to the highest bidder for cash or check as described below, payable in full at time of sale, all right, title, and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust, in the property situated in said County and State and as more fully described in the above referenced Deed of Trust. The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 1949 ORIZABA AVENUE, SIGNAL HILL, CA, 90755. The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. The total amount of the unpaid balance with interest thereon of the obligation secured by the property to be sold plus reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is $1,043,683.37. It is possible that at the time of sale the opening bid may be less than the total indebtedness due. In addition to cash, the Trustee will accept cashier's checks drawn on a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association, or savings bank specified in Section 5102 of the Financial Code and authorized to do business in this state. Said sale will be made, in an ''AS IS'' condition, but without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regarding title, possession or encumbrances, to satisfy the indebtedness secured by said Deed of Trust, advances thereunder, with interest as provided, and the unpaid principal of the Note secured by said Deed of Trust with interest thereon as provided in said Note, plus fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust. If required by the provisions of section 2923.5 of the California Civil Code, the declaration from the mortgagee, beneficiary or authorized agent is attached to the duly recorded with the appropriate County Recorder's Office. NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on a property itself. Placing the highest bid at a trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property. You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder's office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the lender may hold more than one mortgage or deed of trust on the property. NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call 1-800-281-8219 or visit this Internet Web site www.recontrustco.com, using the file number assigned to this case NOTICE OF TRUSTEE'S SALE TS No. 10-0041228. Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the Internet Web site. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale.

RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. 1800 Tapo Canyon Rd., CA6-914-01-94 SIMI VALLEY, CA 93063 Phone: (800) 281 8219, Sale Information (626) 927-4399 By: -Trustee's Sale Officer RECONTRUST COMPANY, N.A. is a debt collector attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used for that purpose.A-4229384 04/20/2012, 04/27/2012, 05/04/2012 TST4048 NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE T.S. No.: 99803974 TSG Order No.: 83624 A.P.N.: 7216-020-116 YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED 07/19/2006. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. NBS Default Services, LLC, as the duly appointed Trustee, under and pursuant to the power of sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust Recorded 07/26/2006 as Document No.: 061652734, of Official Records in the office of the Recorder of Los Angeles County, California, executed by: Wayne W. Thornton And Beverly J. Thornton, husband and wife as community property with right of survivorship, as Trustor, WILL SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH (payable in full at time of sale by cash, a cashier’s check drawn by a state or national bank, a check drawn by a state or federal credit union, or a check drawn by a state or federal savings and loan association, savings association, or savings bank

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specified in section 5102 of the Financial Code and authorized to do business in this state). All right, title and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust in the property situated in said County and state, and as more fully described in the above referenced Deed of Trust. Sale Date & Time: 05/10/2012 at 01:00 PM Sale Location: At the Pomona Valley Masonic Temple Building, located at 395 South Thomas Street, Pomona, California. The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 2604 East 20th Street #301, Signal Hill, CA 90755 The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. Said sale will be made in an “AS IS” condition, but without covenant or warranty, expressed or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the remaining principal sum of the note(s) secured by said Deed of Trust, with interest thereon, as provided in said note(s), advances, if any, under the terms of the Deed of Trust, estimated fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust, to-wit: $510,428.47 (Estimated). Accrued interest and additional advances, if any, will increase this figure prior to sale. It is possible that at the time of sale the opening bid may be less than the total indebtedness due. NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS: If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on the property itself. Placing the highest bid at a trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property. You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder’s office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same lender may hold more than one mortgage or deed of trust on the property. NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call (877) 7787237 for information regarding the trustee’s sale or visit this Internet Web site, www.rsvpforeclosures.com, for information regarding the sale of this property, using the file number assigned to this case, T.S.# 9980-3974. Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the Internet Web site. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale. If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bidder’s sole and exclusive remedy shall be the return of monies paid to the Trustee and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse. The Declaration pursuant to California Civil Code, Section 2923.5(a) was fulfilled when the Notice of Default was recorded on 01/13/2012 NBS Default Services, LLC 301 E. Ocean Blvd. Suite 1720 Long Beach, CA 90802 800-766-7751 For Trustee Sale Information Log On To: www.rsvpforeclosures.com or call (877) 7787237 NBS Default Services, LLC, Mandi Harvey 4/11/2012 “We are attempting to collect a debt, and any information we obtain will be used for that purpose.” (RSVP# 286733, 04/20/12, 04/27/12, 05/04/12) TST4045 NOTICE OF TRUSTEE'S SALE TSG No.: 4731102 TS No.: CA1000218749 FHA/VA/PMI No.: APN:7214‑015‑126 Property Address: 2350 VISTA RIDGE LANE SIGNAL HILL, CA 90755 YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATED 04/08/05. UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. On May 3, 2012 at 11:00 AM, First American Trustee Servicing Solutions, LLC, as duly appointed Trustee under and pursuant to Deed of Trust recorded 04/20/05, as Instrument No. 05 0912015, in book , page , of Official Records in the Office of the County Recorder of LOS ANGELES County, State of California. Executed by: MARGARETA COLLIN, A MARRIED WOMAN AS HER SOLE AND SEPARATE PROPERTY,. WILL SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH, CASHIER'S CHECK/CASH EQUIVALENT or other form of payment authorized by 2924h(b), (Payable at time of sale in lawful money of the United States) Inside the lobby of the building located at 628 North Diamond Bar Blvd., Suite B, Diamond Bar, CA. All right, title and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust in the property situated in said County and State described as: AS MORE FULLY DESCRIBED IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED DEED OF TRUST APN# 7214‑015‑126. The street address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 2350 VISTA RIDGE LANE, SIGNAL HILL, CA 90755. The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street address and other common

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designation, if any, shown herein. Said sale will be made, but without covenant or warranty, expressed or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the remaining principal sum of the note(s) secured by said Deed of Trust, with interest thereon, as provided in said note(s), advances, under the terms of said Deed of Trust, fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust. The total amount of the unpaid balance of the obligation secured by the property to be sold and reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is $858,863.93. The beneficiary under said Deed of Trust heretofore executed and delivered to the undersigned a written Declaration of Default and Demand for Sale, and a written Notice of Default and Election to Sell. The undersigned caused said Notice of Default and Election to Sell to be recorded in the County where the real property is located. NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS: If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not on the property itself. Placing the highest bid at a trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear ownership of the property.

You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the county recorder's office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge you a fee for this information. If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same lender may hold more than one mortgage or deed of trust on the property. NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code. The law requires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, and, if applicable, the rescheduled time and date for the sale of this property, you may call (916) 939‑0772 or visit this Internet Web http://search.nationwideposting.com/propertySearchTerms.aspx using the file number assigned to this case CA1000218749. Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not immediately be reflected in the telephone information or on the Internet Web site. The best way to verify postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee's Trustee. The beneficiary or servicing agent declares that it has obtained from the Commissioner of Corporations a final or temporary order of exemption pursuant to California Civil Code Section 2923.53 that is current and valid on the date the Notice of Sale is filed and/or The timeframe for giving Notice of Sale specified in subdivision (s) of California Civil Code Section 2923.52 applies and has been provided or the loan is exempt from the requirements. Date: 04/11/12, First American Title Insurance Company First American Trustee Servicing Solutions, LLC 3 First American Way, Santa Ana, CA 92707 Original document signed by Authorized Agent, Chet Sconyers -- FOR TRUSTEE'S SALE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL (916) 939-0772. First American Trustee Servicing Solutions, LLC May be Acting as a Debt Collector Attempting to Collect a Debt. Any Information obtained may be used for that purpose. NPP0199412 04/13/12, 04/20/12, 04/27/12 TST4038 / 2012 055082 FiCTiTioUS BUSiNESS NAME STATEMENT The following persons are doing business as: DODOTRUCK1, 1386 Park Ave., Long Beach, CA 90804. Registrants: 1. ANNE PARKS, 2. JESSE PARKS, 3. LAURA PARKS, 4. JEFFREY PARKS, 1386 Park Ave., Long Beach, CA 90804. This business is conducted by: a General Partnership. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.

Signed: Jeffrey Parks. The registrants have not begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. This statement was filed with the county clerk of Los Angeles County on March 30, 2012. NOTICE: This fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed prior to that date.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code). Pub. The Signal Tribune: April 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012.

TST4041 / 2012 044508 FiCTiTioUS BUSiNESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as: ANGELA VENDING SERVICES, 5259 Deeboyar Ave., Lakewood, CA 90712. Registrant: NICOLE LOCKHART, 5259 Deeboyar Ave., Lakewood, CA 90712. This business is conducted by: an Individual. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.

Signed: Nicole Lockhart. The registrant has not begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. This statement was filed with the county clerk of Los Angeles County on March 15, 2012. NOTICE: This fictitious business name

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statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed prior to that date.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code). Pub. The Signal Tribune: April 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012.

Angeles County on April 12, 2012. NOTICE: This fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed prior to that date. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code). Pub. The Signal Tribune: April 20, 27, & May 4, 11, 2012.

TST4043 / 2012 058133 FiCTiTioUS BUSiNESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as: EUROPEAN PIZZA, 4336 South St., Lakewood, CA 90712. Registrant: KRYSTIAN WLODARCZYK, 4029 E. 4th St. #B, Long Beach, CA 90814. This business is conducted by: an Individual. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. Signed: Krystian Wlodarczyk.

The registrant has not begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. This statement was filed with the county clerk of Los Angeles County on April 4, 2012. NOTICE: This fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed prior to that date. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code). Pub. The Signal Tribune: April 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012.

TST4042 / 2012 055879 FiCTiTioUS BUSiNESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as: SCANNING SOLUTIONS, 7803 Salt Lake Ave., Huntington Park, CA 90255. Registrant: MARCO SOTELO, 7803 Salt Lake Ave., Huntington Park, CA 90255. This business is conducted by: an Individual. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. Signed: Marco Sotelo.

The registrant has not begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. This statement was filed with the county clerk of Los Angeles County on April 2, 2012. NOTICE: This fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed prior to that date. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code). Pub. The Signal Tribune: April 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012.

TST4044 / 2012 059867 FiCTiTioUS BUSiNESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as: 1.

WOMEN OF DESTINY WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT, 2. WOMEN OF DESTINY CHRISTIAN WOMEN'S NETWORK, 2450 Old Zaferia Way, Long Beach, CA 90804. Registrant: VICKY L. BROX, 2450 Old Zaferia Way, Long Beach, CA 90804. This business is conducted by: an Individual. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. Signed: Vicky L. Brox. The registrant has not begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. This statement was filed with the county clerk of Los Angeles County on April 6, 2012. NOTICE: This fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed prior to that date. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code). Pub. The Signal Tribune: April 13, 20, 27, & May 4, 2012.

TST4049 / 2012 064464 FiCTiTioUS BUSiNESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as: COMMUNITY RESTORATION AND REVITALIZATION COALITION, 1900 Atlantic Ave., 2nd Floor, Long Beach, CA 90806. Registrant: LYDIA ANN HOLLIE, 176 E. Barclay St., Long Beach, CA 90805.

This business is conducted by: an Individual. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. Signed: Lydia Ann Hollie. The registrant has begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. The registrant began using this fictitious business name on April 9, 2012. This statement was filed with the county clerk of Los Angeles County on April 11, 2012. NOTICE: This fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed prior to that date. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code). Pub. The Signal Tribune: April 20, 27, & May 4, 11, 2012.

TST4050 / 2012 065105 FiCTiTioUS BUSiNESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as: LOUIES CUSTOM APPAREL, 17019 Walnut Ct., Bellflower, CA 90706. Registrant: MARLA A. GONZALES, 17019 Walnut Ct., Bellflower, CA 90706. This business is conducted by: an Individual. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. Signed: Marla A. Gonzales.

The registrant has begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. The registrant began using this fictitious business name on January 1, 2012. This statement was filed with the county clerk of Los

TST4051 / 2012 065548 FiCTiTioUS BUSiNESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as: XPERTFINANCE MANAGEMENT, 1458 W. 240th St., Harbor City, CA 90710. Registrant: TRACIE TRAN HO, 1015 Newport Ave. #301, Long Beach, CA 90804. This business is conducted by: an Individual. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. Signed: Tracie Tran Ho. The registrant has not begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. This statement was filed with the county clerk of Los Angeles County on April 12, 2012. NOTICE: This fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed prior to that date. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code). Pub. The Signal Tribune: April 20, 27, & May 4, 11, 2012.

TST4054 / 2012 069834 FiCTiTioUS BUSiNESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as: EHELPDESK NOW, 3841 Brayton Ave., Long Beach, CA 90807. Registrant: WILLIAM URANGA, 3841 Brayton Ave., Long Beach, CA 90807. This business is conducted by: an Individual. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. Signed: William Uranga. The registrant has not begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein.

This statement was filed with the county clerk of Los Angeles County on April 17, 2012. NOTICE: This fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed prior to that date.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code).

Pub. The Signal Tribune: April 20, 27, & May 4, 11, 2012.

TST4063 / 2012 077158 FiCTiTioUS BUSiNESS NAME STATEMENT The following person is doing business as: 1.

REASONABLY RHETORICAL RACHAEL, 2. LIFE STORIES TODAY, 1270 E. 37th St., Long Beach, CA 90807. Registrant: RACHAEL RIFKIN, 1270 E. 37th St., Long Beach, CA 90807. This business is conducted by: an Individual. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.

Signed: Rachael Rifkin. The registrant has not begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. This statement was filed with the county clerk of Los Angeles County on April 26, 2012. NOTICE: This fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed prior to that date. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code). Pub. The Signal Tribune: April 27, & May 4, 11, 18, 2012.

TST4064 / 2012 077159 FiCTiTioUS BUSiNESS NAME STATEMENT The following persons are doing business as: CALIFORNIA APPLIANCE TECH, 4425 Atlantic Ave., Suite B-11, Long Beach, CA 90807. Registrants: 1. JIMMY L. PHILLIPS, 2. MARGARET A. PHILLIPS, 1607 E. Hardwick St., Long Beach, CA 90807. This business is conducted by: a Husband and Wife. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. Signed: Jimmy L. Phillips. The registrants have not begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. This statement was filed with the county clerk of Los Angeles County on April 26, 2012. NOTICE: This fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed prior to that date. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code). Pub. The Signal Tribune: April 27, & May 4, 11, 18, 2012.

TST4065 / 2012 077160 FiCTiTioUS BUSiNESS NAME STATEMENT The following persons are doing business as: MIRROR MOTEL, 1904 E. 113th St., Los Angeles, CA 90059. Registrants: 1. KIM WEST, 5710 Lime Ave., Long Beach, CA 90805, 2. KEVIN KUYKENDALL, 11312 S. Wilmington Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90059. This business is conducted by: a General Partnership. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. Signed: Kim West. The registrants have not begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. This statement was filed with the county clerk of Los Angeles County on April

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1431 28th St, Signal Hill (562) 988-9150 26, 2012. NOTICE: This fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed prior to that date. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code). Pub. The Signal Tribune: April 27, & May 4, 11, 18, 2012.

TST4056 CiTATioN- FREEDoM FRoM PARENTAl CUSToDY AND CoNTRol (ABANDoNMENT RE: ADoPTioN) CASE No. ADoVS1100007 TiTlE oF CASE: NATHAN JoSHUA RoMERo NOTICE TO: DANIEL ANGEL ROMERO, and to all persons claiming to be the father or mother of said minor person(s) named above. You are hereby cited and advised that you may appear before the Judge Presiding in Department V12 of the below-entitled court on June 15, 2012 at 2:00 P.M. of that day, then and there to show cause, if any you have, why said person should not be declared free from the control of (his) (their) parents according to the petition on file herein.

The purpose of this action to free the minor(s) from custody of (his) (their) parent(s) is to permit the adoption of said minor(s) to suitable adopting parent.

The name and address of the court is: SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, 14455 Civic Drive, Victorville, CA 92392.

The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff is ERIC MICHAEL BLOUNT, 1555 Orange Ave. #1003, Redlands, CA 92373, (909) 7823540.

Date: April 13, 2012. Clerk of the Superior Court

by Tara Hallmark, Deputy.

Published in the Signal Tribune Newspaper on April 27, & May 4, 11, 18, 2012.

TST4055 / Case No. NS025360 oRDER To SHoW CAUSE FoR CHANGE oF NAME SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, 415 West Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90802, SOUTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT. PETITION OF Linda Nelson For Change of Name.

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS:

• residential • Commercial • interiors • exteriors • Woodworking Ward • Faux Finishes Rich CALIC 864357

562.528.6258 1. Petitioner LINDA NELSON, filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present Name: LINDA NELSON to Proposed Name: BELLONDA BIXBY. 2. THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, shy the petition for change of name should not be granted.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: May 312012; Time: 1:30 P.M.; Dept. H, Room 53. The address of the court is the same as above. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county, THE SIGNAL TRIBUNE, 939 E. 27th. Street, Signal Hill, CA 90755: April 27, & May 4, 11, 18, 2012. ___//ss//___ Joseph E. Di Loreto, Judge of the Superior Court Dated: April 20, 2012 TST4060 / 2012 061364 FiCTiTioUS BUSiNESS NAME STATEMENT The following persons are doing business as: ERNEST'S COUTURE, 11432 South St. #108, Cerritos, CA 90703. Registrant: 1. MANASHA ALVARADO, 2. FELIPE ALVARADO, 19136 Jacob Ave., Cerritos, CA 90703. This business is conducted by: a Husband and Wife. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct.

Signed: Manasha Alvarado. The registrants have begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. The registrant began using this fictitious business name on April 9, 2012. This statement was filed with the county clerk of Los Angeles County on April 9, 2012. NOTICE: This fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed prior to that date. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code). Pub. The Signal Tribune: April 27, & May 4, 11, 18, 2012.

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TST4061 / 2012 073918 FiCTiTioUS BUSiNESS NAME STATEMENT The following persons are doing business as: AUNTY EMILY'S FURRY FAMILY, 1818 E. 5th St., Apt. 2, Long Beach, CA 90802. Registrant: 1.

MARTIN MOLINA, 2. EMILY HADEN, 1818 E. 5th St., Apt. 2, Long Beach, CA 90802. This business is conducted by: a General Partnership. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. Signed: Martin Molina. The registrants have not begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein.

This statement was filed with the county clerk of Los Angeles County on April 23, 2012. NOTICE: This fictitious business name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed prior to that date.

The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions Code).

Pub. The Signal Tribune: April 27, & May 4, 11, 18, 2012.

ADverTiSe WiTh TheSe PrOFeSSiONALS FOr AS LOW AS $20 Per Week CALL The SigNAL TriBuNe AT 562-595-7900 Dog found, parrot lost This female dog was found by a California Heights resident running north on Walnut Avenue at 37th Street. Please respond to the post by MJ Romain on the Cal Heights Facebook page if you know this dog.

Cal Heights resident Jessi Guerra’s African Grey Parrot, Bitie, was lost while being fed. Guerra lives at Gaviota Avenue and 36th Street.

Bitie makes sounds like a cell phone, whistles, and says “Gaby.” If found, please call (562) 212-5113.

TST4058 NEED HUD-SECTION 3 SUBCONTRACTORS/WORKERS for Long Beach Project # 6898.

Bid Due Wednesday, May 2nd , 2012 @ 10:00am.

The work to be Done Consists Primarily of: Concrete Improvements, Concrete Paving, Landscaping, Irrigation System Installation, & Street Light Installation.

Please Contact: EBS GENERAL ENG (951) 279-6869 For a copy of the Bid Items FAX (951) 279-9112.

Published in the Signal Tribune on April 27, 2012

TST4059

Need HUD Section 3 SUBCONTRACTORS/WORKERS for Long Beach Project # 6906.

Bid Due Wednesday May 9th, 2012 @ 10:00am The Work to be done consists Primarily of: Constructing Concrete Curbs, Gutters, Sidewalks, Stairway and Ramp, Replacing Overlaying Asphalt Concrete Pavement, Storm Drain, Catch Basins, Manhole and Lines, Furnishing and Installing Striping Markers, Street Lighting Traffic Signals, And Traffic Signal Interconnect.

Please Contact EBS GENERAL ENG (951) 279-6869 For a copy of the Bid Items Fax (951) 279-9112.

Published in the Signal Tribune on April 27, 2012

18 SigNAL TRiBuNE TST4046

NEWS

APRiL 27, 2012

LBPD to conduct Dui/drivers license checkpoint this weekend The Long Beach Police Department’s (LBPD) Traffic Unit will conduct a DUI/drivers license checkpoint on Saturday, April 28 in the South Patrol Division area between the hours of 8pm and 4pm. According to a press release issued by the LBPD, DUI checkpoints are a proven enforcement tool effective in reducing the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol-involved crashes. Research shows that crashes involving alcohol drop by an average of 20 percent when well publicized checkpoints are conducted often enough.

Officers will be contacting drivers passing through the checkpoint and looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment.

Officers will also check for proper licensing and will strive to limit the delay to motorists. Drivers caught driving impaired can

expect jail, license suspension, insurance increases, as well as fines, fees, DUI classes, and other expenses that can exceed $10,000.

“Over the course of the past three years, DUI collisions have claimed 14 lives and resulted in 306 injury crashes harming 437 of our friends and neighbors,” said Long Beach Police Traffic Section Sergeant Douglas Bender.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while also yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent.

Checkpoints are placed in locations that have the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence and provide the greatest safety for officers and the public.

“Deaths from drunk and drugimpaired driving are going down in California,” said Christopher J. Murphy, director of the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS).

“But that still means that hundreds of our friends, family and coworkers are killed each year, along with tens of thousands who are seriously injured. We must all continue to work together to bring an end to these tragedies. If you see a drunk driver, call 9-1-1.”

Funding for this checkpoint is provided to the LBPD by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, targeting those who still don’t heed the message to designate a sober driver. For more information, contact Long Beach Police Sergeant Douglas Bender at (562) 570-7484 or via email at douglas.bender@longbeach.gov.

Long Beach Health Department issues safety advisory following recent rainstorm Long Beach Interim City Health Officer Dr. Mauro Torno has issued an advisory for the beaches in the City of Long Beach following this week’s rain. After any significant rainfall (0.10 inches or more), high levels of bacteria from storm drains, rivers, and polluted runoff enter into our ocean. It is recommended to avoid all ocean water contact for at least

72 hours after rainfall, especially at storm drain outlets, river mouths, streams, and lagoons.

People should always pay particular attention to any warning signs posted at the beach for their safety, according to the Health Department.

Water quality monitoring will continue to be conducted by the City of Long Beach Department

of Health and Human Services Water Quality Program. Additional advisories will be issued as necessary.

Additional information about the water quality in Long Beach may be obtained from the Department of Health and Human Services Water Quality Information Line at (562) 570-4199, or from longbeach.gov/health .

CiTY OF SigNAL HiLL TST4062 Notice Inviting Bids A-1 Sealed bids will be received at the office of the City Clerk, City of Signal Hill, California, until 10:00 AM on May 15, 2012 and on the same day shortly thereafter, they will be publicly opened and read for construction of ELECTRONIC SIGN AT CIVIC CENTER PROJECT, NO. 676 in accordance with the Specifications and Construction Drawings therefore.

Bids must be made on the forms provided for this purpose, addressed to the City Clerk, City of Signal Hill, marked "Bid for," followed by the title of the project and the date and hour for submitting bids. Bids are required for the entire work as shown on the Construction Drawings and as described in the Bid Schedule and the Specifications. The work to be accomplished under this contract includes the procurement and installation of an electronic message center monument sign at the Civic Center (2175 Cherry Avenue) including the removal of the existing monument sign, concrete base and footing, construction of a new concrete base and footing, all necessary electrical and communication conduit and wiring necessary to energize the sign and electronic video display. Specific requirements and activities are described in the bid item description for each element of construction. The Contract duration is sixty (60) working days.

A-2 The contract documents, which include the Specifications and Construction Drawings, may be obtained at the City of Signal Hill Finance Department for $20.00 or $25.00 by mail. The documents are entitled “ELECTRONIC SIGN AT CIVIC CENTER PROJECT, NO. 676” A-3 Bids will not be received unless they are made on a proposal form furnished in the Contract Documents by the City of Signal Hill. Each bid must be accompanied by cash, certified check, cashier's check or bidder's bond, made payable to the City of Signal Hill for an amount equal to at least ten percent (10%) of the amount bid, such guarantee to be forfeited should the bidder to whom the contract is awarded fail to enter into the Contract.

A-4 All bids are to be compared on the basis of the estimate of quantities shown in the Bid Schedule(s) and as stipulated herein. Bids will not be accepted from the contractors who are not licensed in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 9, Division III of the Business and Professions Code of the State of California.

A-5 Attention is directed to the provision in Section 1777.5 of the Labor Code concerning the employment of apprentices by the Contractor or any subcontractor under the Contractor.

A-6 Before a Contract is entered into with the successful bidder, the bidder shall present evidence in writing to the City Clerk, City of Signal Hill, that he/she has a current combined single limit liability policy with aggregate limits for Bodily Injury and Property Damage in the amount of two million dollars ($2,000,000).

A-7 Pursuant to the provisions of Section 1773.2 of the Labor Code of the State of California, the minimum prevailing rate of per diem wages for each craft, classification or type of workman needed to execute the contract shall be determined by the Director of Industrial Relations of the State of California which are on file with the City Clerk of Signal Hill and copies will be made available to any interested party on request. These rates shall be the minimum wage rates for this project. A copy of the Contractor's certified payroll, as well as those of all subcontractors, will be required to be submitted with each invoice.

A-8 Attention is directed to Public Contract Code Section 22300 permitting the substitution of specified and approved securities for contract retention of funds. All such securities shall be subject to the review and approval of the City Attorney of the City of Signal Hill.

A-9 The successful bidder will be required to furnish a payment bond in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the contract price and a faithful performance bond in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the contract price, and said bonds shall be secured from a surety company satisfactory to the City Attorney of the City of Signal Hill.

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A-10 The City of Signal Hill reserves the right to reject any and all bids, or delete portions of any and all bids or waive any informality or irregularity in the bid or the bid procedures and shall be the sole judge of the bids received.

A-11 It is estimated that this contract will be awarded on June 5, 2012 by the City Council. It is desired that work begin the week of July 2, 2012.

BY ORDER of the City of Signal Hill.

Posted at Signal Hill City Hall on: April 27, 2012 Published in the Signal Tribune on: April 27 and May 4, 2012

SigNAL TRiBuNE

APRiL 27, 2012

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