“Sun,” digital drawing by Mackenzie Woolvett See page 10
Vol. 36 No. 6
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SERVING BIXBY KNOLLS, CALIFORNIA HEIGHTS, LOS CERRITOS, WRIGLEY AND THE CITY OF SIGNAL HILL
July 11, 2014
Your Weekly Community Newspaper
Outgoing Mayor Foster reflects on his past eight years leading ‘city by the sea’ CJ Dablo
Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster (pictured during his farewell event Tuesday) will conclude eight years in office on July 14.
Staff Writer
Photo by Justin Rudd
Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster is counting down the days before he makes his final exit from the office on the top floor of City Hall. His last day will be July 14. In an interview with the Signal Tribune, the outgoing mayor offered his thoughts on the eight years of his time in office. Dressed in a long-sleeved shirt unbuttoned at the neck and without his usual tie and blazer, Foster seemed a tiny bit more casual in his interview last week compared to the usual business-like demeanor he assumes while heading up the Council meetings. It was going to be another busy day in the office for him since a Council meeting was scheduled later that afternoon, but as he often did in his meetings, he still had to crack a few jokes and tease at least one person in the room. Towards the end of the interview, his conversation with the reporter drifted to weddings. He gently teased a staff member in the room because she didn’t ask him to officiate her wedFile photo ding more than a year ago. At a “Bike to Work” Day in August, 2012, Long Conducting those civil cereBeach Mayor Bob Foster (far left) cycled alongside monies is one of the duties of a Ben Alvarado from Wells Fargo and Long Beach mayor. He’s officiated about a Bicycle Ambassador Tony Cruz on a trip from Bel- dozen weddings, he said, and mont Shore to City Hall. see FOSTER page 7
From Korean orphanage to U.S. naturalization Special-needs children discover ‘home’ with Signal Hill couple
Ashley Fowler Staff Writer
For one Signal Hill family, the “American dream” has finally come true. Ann and Tariq Ali have what some would consider an unconventional family. The couple has adopted five children over the last 12 years, all from South Korea. This would be an incredible undertaking for any couple, but the Ali family is even more complicated– all the children, who range in age from 12 to 8 years old, have special needs. “I’m sure for the average person looking in, they must think, ‘How can you do it?’” Ann said. “It’s not Ashley Fowler/Signal Tribune easy, but I wouldn’t have it (From left) Hae, 8, Ann, “Wookie,” 12, Ethan, 8, Jae Jin, 11, and Jae Sang Ali, 9, may be an any other way.” Last month, four of the unconventional family, but as of last month Ann’s adopted children are officially U.S. citizens. Alis’ children were natu“I didn’t really want to have need a family?” ralized as citizens of the United The Alis have faced plenty of States, completing their journey kids of my own,” Ann said. “Plus, I challenges along the way. Most was having trouble, and I didn’t from South Korean orphanages. notably, Ann said, is others’ miswant to go in vitro fertilization– it Every year thousands of U.S. citizens adopt children from overseas, was pointless. My husband asked conception of their finances. “People assume if you adopt but not many choose children with me, why want something that doesn’t exist when there are chilspecial needs. see NEIGHBORS page 9 dren out there that do exist and
Weekly Weather Forecast Friday
80°
Saturday
82°
Sunday
85°
Monday
Site preparation continues for new high school proposed near Signal Hill City officials plan meeting with LBUSD superintendent to address concerns
Sean Belk Staff Writer
In about two years, a small high school will become Signal Hill’s new neighbor. The first phase of a $65-million project to build a “thematic” high school on a vacant 10.3-acre site in Long Beach’s 4th Council District near Signal Hill began last month, with site preparation expected to continue through summer, according to school officials. The project, which is being funded by Measure K bond money, will be completed in roughly two years, with plans for construction crews to start erecting buildings by October and the school to open by September 2016. Lately, however, plans for the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) to build the new school, which is being called Browning High School, have drawn criticism from some adjacent neighbors and Signal Hill city officials. At the Signal Hill City Council meeting on July 1, Vice Mayor Larry Forester and Signal Hill Police Chief Michael Langston said the City is working to schedule a meeting with LBUSD Superintendent Christopher Steinhauser to address concerns about the project. However, it appears a date for the meeting has yet to be confirmed. At a community meeting organized by LBUSD last April, Forester and local residents raised a number of issues, including the potential for traffic impacts at a four-way intersection at Hill Street and Obispo Avenue, close to where students and faculty would be able to park and be picked up and/or dropped off. Student drop-off is expected to be separate from parking. Another matter addressed during the meeting is a claim that the high school may negatively affect homes near the site. Particularly see BROWNING page 12
July 11 through July 15, 2014
82°
Tuesday
82°
Low clouds, then sunshine
Low clouds, then sunshine
Clouds breaking for sun
Sunny to partly cloudy
Sunny to partly cloudy
Lo 66°
Lo 64°
Lo 65°
Lo 63°
Lo 64°
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