SIGNAL
“Rick Nelson” oil on canvas by Edward Huerta See page 8
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SERVING BIXBY KNOLLS, CALIFORNIA HEIGHTS, LOS CERRITOS, WRIGLEY AND THE CITY OF SIGNAL HILL
Vol. 35 No. 39
February 28, 2014
Your Weekly Community Newspaper
6-year-old boy battling cancer gets ‘dream come true’ to serve as police officer and firefighter for a day
CJ Dablo/Signal Tribune
Long Beach city councilmembers are scheduled to vote on March 4 on a second reading of a controversial electronic-cigarette ordinance. If the ordinance passes, e-cigarettes will be regulated similarly to tobacco cigarettes.
Passage of LB’s e-cigarette ordinance may simply depend on attendance CJ Dablo Staff Writer
Photos by Sean Belk/Signal Tribune
Six-year-old Alan Nguyen with his partner, Officer Brian Johnson, recovers three Power Ranger action figures “stolen” from a Target store in Signal Hill. The incident on Feb. 22 was coordinated by the Signal Hill Police Department, the Los Angeles County Fire Department and Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles to grant the boy, who is battling a rare form of cancer, his wish of serving as a police officer and a firefighter for the day.
Sean Belk
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Staff Writer
oments after being sworn in last Saturday, Feb. 22 as the first honorary junior officer of the Signal Hill Police Department, 6-year-old Alan Nguyen was given a set of handcuffs, a belt and a small-size shoulder microphone. His badge: No. 1. The boy peered up at his partner, Officer Brian Johnson, who said, “Okay, you ready?” And they were both off on their first call. The day, which included riding in a police vehicle to catch an alleged “thief” and also riding in a fire truck before putting out a mock fire, was a dream come true for Nguyen, who has been battling a form of cancer known as childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) since age 3 1/2. After receiving his final chemotherapy treatment on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, the Bellflower boy’s only request was to serve as a police officer and a firefighter for a day, a wish granted by Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles, the police department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department in Signal Hill. The police and fire departments both orchestrated the day’s activities. During the morning hours at the police station at 2745 Walnut Ave., the boy donned a dark-blue uniform, made by the police department specifically for him. Raising his right hand and reciting an oath, Nguyen was sworn in by Police Chief Michael Langston. “Alan’s dream is going to be realized today,” said Chief Langston, who added that maybe one day the boy Alan Nguyen (second from right), 6, of Bellflower arrives at a Tarcould become an arson investigator, a position that he said get store in Signal Hill with his partner, Officer Brian Johnson, in merges duties of both police and fire departments. response to a call of stolen items. The boy’s family is seen in the background following behind. see MAKE-A-WISH page 15
Weekly Weather Forecast Friday
64°
Saturday
Sunday
60°
64°
It was a dramatic moment for the Long Beach city officials who remained in the Council Chamber towards the close of the Feb. 18 Council meeting. That night, Michael Shaknovich, owner of E-Cig City in Long Beach, defiantly faced the Council as he protested a proposed electroniccigarette (or e-cigarette) ordinance. “As of right now, I’m going to try to make you all Instagram-famous,” Shaknovich told the Council. He panned his cell phone in a quick sweeping motion in the direction of the city officials on the dais. He announced he would publish their picture on the Web. Then the Long Beach businessman went a step further from his spot at the podium. Shaknovich pulled an e-cigarette from his pocket, took a quick drag on the device and exhaled. A big vapor cloud puffed up and hovered over his head before it eventually vanished. “Still legal,” someone muttered. Shaknovich argued against the ordinance that would regulate e-cigarette You’re telling me that I use (also known as vaping) can’t vape in my own in the same manner as tobacco-cigarette use. Long shop? You want to put me Beach already has an ordi- out of business? I’m a small nance that, among other restrictions, prohibits smok- business. How dare you? ing in a number of public –Michael Shoknovich, areas throughout the city. Shaknovich urged the CounE-Cig City owner cil to consider classifying the e-cigarettes separately from tobacco. “You’re telling me that I can’t vape in my own shop?” Shaknovich asked. “You want to put me out of business? I’m a small business. How dare you?” During the public-comment period, a few people sided with Shaknovich. They argued that no studies have conclusively shown that e-cigarettes are harmful, but others disagreed and spoke out in favor of the new regulations. These advocates who liked the ordinance emphasized concerns that, without new rules in place, kids currently have easy access to e-cigarettes. One man noted that youth aren’t only smoking the e-cigarettes with the bubble-gum flavors. He described how kids could get hooked on devices which could contain nicotine. “We don’t need to give any more [chances] for junior-high-school students to become addicted,” he said, “so let’s regulate these as we do other products containing nicotine. That’s all that’s necessary.” Melinda Cotton of the Coalition for a Smoke-Free Long Beach also supported the ordinance.
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see E-CIGARETTES page 14
February 28 through March 4, 2014
Monday
Tuesday
68°
Rain heavy at times, windy
A couple of thunderstorms
Showers possible
Clouds and sun
Sunshine & patchy clouds
Lo 53°
Lo 53°
Lo 50°
Lo 49°
Lo 49°
63°
This week’s Weekly Weather Forecast sponsored by:
LOS ALTOS MARKET CTR. 5506 BRITTON DR. LONG BEACH (562) 594-8771 www.fishtaleseafood.com
Strickland for Council 2014, FPPC #1361964, P.O. Box 17025, Long Beach, CA 90807, Email: teer@teerstrickland.com