June 2009 Archives

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum plans to mark the 25th anniversary of the 1984 Olympic Games in Long Beach with a celebration, LA Observed reports.

Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, sent an electronic letter to constituents regarding the fiscal crisis in Sacramento. Save for the days of the week in brackets, the words below are hers.

If you are paying attention to the news, you are probably frustrated about the state budget deficit.

I'm extremely frustrated, too.

We've met and voted on a number of cost-cutting bills to keep the state from running out of cash. We met late last week. And we met over the weekend. We met and voted again [Monday].

If we can't get the budget back in order - through spending reductions, cost shifts or revenue increases - the state could very well run out of cash.

That would mean Californiawould have to pay its bills with IOUs, something we've done only one other time since theGreat Depression. That would be terrible for our credit rating, and it would create real hardship for companies and individuals who do business with the state.

These are real people and real companies. They sell supplies or services to the state. They do their jobs and expect to be paid. These are companies with workers and payrolls, and the money they earn turns into money for rent, and groceries, and mortgages.

And they can't pay those things with IOUs.

So we're working. [Sunday], we stayed in session until midnight. And let me tell you, I'm ready to stay in session for however many hours it takes.

The clock is ticking.

I'll keep you posted.

Bonnie

A measure that would have rewritten the bylaws for the Belmont Shore Residents Association failed today, according to LBReport.com. The proposal would have banned Second Street business owners from board positions in the BSRA. Bill Pearl explains it all at www.lbreport.com/

I drove my family to the Long Beach Towne Center today. As we were getting off the San Gabriel River (605) Freeway at Carson Street, a man was holding a sign: "Laid off dad - ice cold water $1." Next to his feet was a pack of Arrowhead water bottles.  

County Supervisor Don Knabe has proposed naming the new Los Angeles County Courthouse proposed for downtown Long Beach after former Gov. George Deukmejian, who lives just outside Belmont Shore. Read the story at http://www.lbpost.com/ryan/5902

Stroll & Savor the Shore, always a popular event, was packed tonight. Lines in front of some of the restaurants and bars selling items for as low as $1 in script snaked along Second Street. My family and I, as well as some Press-Telegram friends, managed to gobble our way down the block. We paid in cash, as script at the Bay Shore branch library was sold out by the time we got there.

A Vans Store is coming to the site of the old Teacher Supply Store location at 5232 E. Second St., according to a sign out front. The store is to open in August. Perhaps more important, Vans is doing something increasingly rare: hiring. Interested applicants can visit http://www.vans.com/vans/careers/Belmont.html

Today's Grunion Gazette explains why the area in front of Washington Mutual Bank on Second Street in Belmont Shore is no longer a regular meeting place for events. Management of the bank has changed over to Chase from Wamu. Read the story at http://www.gazettes.com/articles/2009/06/25/community_news/doc4a428addf1b6f319516463.txt

The mother of an 11-year-old boy at Oak Middle School in Los Alamitos tells the Orange County Register that her son has been badly beaten twice and has been repeatedly bullied. Here's the first paragraph from the story:

The mother of a boy who attends Oak Middle School said Los Alamitos Unified School District ignored her pleas to discipline bullies who she says beat up her son at least twice, leaving the sixth-grader with a concussion, bruises and scratches.

Read the rest at http://www.ocregister.com/articles/school-son-fard-2473193-bernard-district

The Capitol Weekly, which covers state politics in Sacramento, names Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, as a long-shot candidate (but a candidate, nonetheless) for the Assembly speakership. She placed 10th on a list of 10 possible choices to replace Karen Bass. Here's what the Capitol Weekly has to say about the former Long Beach councilwoman: 

10. Bonnie Lowenthal, D-Long Beach
So, if you want to keep the speakership in southern California, and you want a first-termer, and you want to keep the gavel in the hands of a woman, who you gonna call? Why not Bonnie Lowenthal? Again, it may be early for Lowenthal, but she merits mention on this list as one of the lawmakers we'll be watching the next time this list is assembled.
Odds: 20-1

I missed this when it published a couple of days ago, but it's still online: Surfing legend and Orange County Register columnist Corky Carroll reflecting on the Seal Beach surf scene in the 1960s. It's worth a read at http://www.ocregister.com/articles/time-surf-one-2470998-surfing-talent

I had to work today so I finally caught up with a taped-delayed version of the U.S. beating Spain in the FIFA Confederations Cup. I played soccer from childhood to 11th grade and love watching international play. Soccer fans understand the significance of what happened in South Africa today, but for those who do not watch "the beautiful game," the idea of the U.S., not even the top-ranked team in North America, beating the best team in the world is just unheard of. For soccer fans, this is as big as the 1980 Miracle On Ice. The New York Times has a great piece on what this moment means at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/25/sports/soccer/25vecsey1.html?_r=1&hp

Without attempting to present the final word, but simply initiate a discussion, I propose we honor San Francisco's first openly gay Supervisor, Harvey Milk. As one of the most chronicled faces within the LGBT movement, Milk remains a relevant icon even today.

Belmont Shore community activist Justin Rudd sent along this nice write-up about the eighth anniversary of the Long Beach dog beach. I wrote about this issue when Rudd first got the OK. Hard to believe it has been eight years. The words below are from Rudd:

Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Lakewood, recently attended the annual Congressional baseball game between Republicans and Democrats. She noticed that there were not any women on the field. Sanchez, who recently gave birth to a son, had played in past games. Sanchez ties the piece into the 37th anniversary of Title IX, which sought an equal playing field for female student athletes. Read her piece in the Huffington Post at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-linda-sanchez/a-field-without-women_b_219523.html

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Com-

missioners on Monday named Nick Sramek board president. The one-year term is effective immediately.

It was the final meeting for Commissioner James C. Hankla, who decided not to seek a second term on the board after six years on the board a long career in municipal service. He previously was Long Beach city manager.

Sramek, a Senior Project Leader in system engineering for the Aerospace Corp., was appointed to the Harbor Commission by Mayor Bob Foster in 2007. Before joining the Port, Sramek served for seven years on the city Planning Commission.

The board president presides over the Harbor Commission's weekly meetings, makes committee appointments and acts as chief spokesperson for the Port of Long Beach.

Commissioners selected Mario Cordero as vice president of the Port of Long Beach's governing board. Mike Walter was re-selected as secretary. Susan E. Anderson Wise was named assistant secretary.

 

 

Former Press-Telegram News Editor Craig Howie is now up at the L.A. Times. He's a car guy and recently wrote a great piece on how automakers are using Twitter to get the word out on new models. Check it out at htttp://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-auto-twitter19-2009jun19,0,249609.story

Readers may recall author Ray Bradbury getting involved in the fight to save the Main Library in Long Beach last year. Now he's fighting to help other libraries statewide. The New York Times has the story at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/20/us/20ventura.html?hp

Facing $3 billion million in bond debt, the Long Beach Museum of Art is considering selling off some of its most valuable work, the Los Angeles Times reports today. Read the story at http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-long-beach-museum19-2009jun19,0,5961566.story

Rep. Laura Richardson, D-Long Beach, has signed onto a letter urging President Obama to continue his efforts to "win the release and safe return of two jailed American journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee." The reporters are in custody in North Korea.

"When the exploitation of justice occurs at the behest of political considerations, what results is a denial of inherent rights fundamental to all persons, transcending nation states and delving to very core of our shared humanity," the letter states.

 

The LBPost reports this morning that Rep. Laura Richardson disagrees with an assessment by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma, that using stimulus funds for 14th Street Skate Park repairs is wasteful. Read the story at http://www.lbpost.com/ryan/5810

The city auditor's office released a statement last night regarding the audit of the Queen Mary's required capital improvements. Save the Queen appears to have failed to complete about $800,000 in required work. 

The P-T will have a story on its Website later this morning, but for now here's the press release from Auditor Laura Doud:

Long Beach City Auditor Laura Doud has released the Queen Mary Capital Improvements Audit.  The purpose of the audit was to ensure that operators of the City-owned ship complete certain capital improvements required under its agreement with the City.  The audit found that Save the Queen (STQ) completed $2,039,000 of $2,800,000 in capital improvements required through December 31, 2008. 

"This audit serves as a warning that Save the Queen has fallen behind on its obligation to improve the ship," said City Auditor Laura Doud. "However, they have represented that they will expedite improvements to this important City asset so as to meet the next deadline of December 31, 2009." 

In November 2007 the City of Long Beach signed an agreement with STQ in which they agreed to make $5,300,000 of capital improvements through December 31, 2010 in exchange for the City's waiver of the percentage portion of their rent.   The agreement required STQ to perform a minimum of $2,800,000 of these approved capital expenditures by December 31, 2008, and $4,300,000 by December 31, 2009.   

The Queen Mary Capital Improvements Audit is available at www.CityAuditorLauraDoud.com and has been agendized for the City Council meeting on June 23^rd.

Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, sent me a link to her online newsletter. Lowenthal's attendance at Justin Rudd's 10th annual beach cleanup and the Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade are among the items. Check it out at http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a54/News_Room/E-Newsletters/Neighborhood_June2009.aspx?utm_source=enewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=LowenthalNeighborhoodJune09

Tom Modica, Long Beach's government affairs manager, issued a statement in response to Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., calling the 14th Street Skate Park project an inappropriate use of stimulus funding.

The city's press release appears in full below. The Press-Telegram story on the issue is on our home page. LBReport, which broke the news, and LBPost also have stories.

The City of Long Beach today defended the multiple community benefits of a proposed skate park expansion and rejected a Senator's assertion that the project is an inappropriate use of Stimulus dollars.

Today, Senator Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma) released a list of 100 projects that he believes are not appropriate uses of Stimulus dollars passed by Congress.  Long Beach's 14th Street Skate Park Expansion project was listed as number 96 on the list.

It is absurd that the merits of the 14th Street Park Expansion are being called into question," said First District Councilmember Robert Garcia.  "This project meets so many of the Stimulus package goals passed by Congress.  It creates jobs, is shovel ready, meets the guidance published by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and has the added benefit of making a true impact in the lives of youth who have very little to look forward to."

The Long Beach City Council unanimously approved the 14th Street Park expansion on June 2, 2009 after passionate testimony from the community about the need for this park expansion.  The project utilizes Community Development Block Grant funds to expand a 3,000 square foot Skate Park in one of the lowest-income and historically high-crime areas in Long Beach into an 8,000 square foot park at a cost of $620,000.  The project is shovel ready, creates 10 full-time construction jobs, and can be awarded within 120 days from the date the funds are made available.

"The Long Beach 14th Street Skate Park is an essential recreational facility for young people in one of the most vulnerable and densely populated areas in the country," Mr. Garcia said.  "It will bring jobs and an improved quality of life to Long Beach, and I would like to personally invite the Senator to visit our community and to tell the kids who want and need this park why he wants to take it away from them."

The City of Long Beach is extremely proud of its efforts in securing Stimulus funding.  The City and our government partners have accepted $22,843,204 in funds thus far for the Long Beach area.  We expect to receive a total of $53 million in Stimulus dollars through formulas, and are competing for $552 million in additional funds.  

While Stimulus dollars cannot be used for casinos, aquariums, golf courses, swimming pools, and zoos, there is no prohibition on using this funding for skate parks.  The Department of Housing and Urban Development has issued guidance that the funds may not be used for "recreational facilities that serve a predominantly higher income clientele."  Over 85 percent of the population served by the 14th Street Skate Park are low/moderate income residents, and 44.5 percent of the youth in the neighborhood live in poverty.  In addition, Long Beach has not received any official notification from HUD that this is not an allowable project under the Stimulus guidelines.

Improvements to the 14th Street Skate Park include fabrication and installation of new skate park equipment as well as associated site work, grading, concrete, fencing, shade structures, and benches.  This area is located in one of the most impoverished areas in Long Beach, and the park currently has given hundreds of kids in the neighborhood an alternative to drugs, gangs and the many negatives they face each day.  The City's application shows that the project meets the goals of Job Creation, Benefiting Low Income Communities, Blight Reduction and Economic Development and Smart Growth. 

Facts about 14th Street Park:

• Poverty Rate - Within ¼ mile of the park, 47.5% of the residents live in poverty, and 44.5% of the youth in the area live in poverty.
• Number of Youth - 3,739 youth live within a ¼ mile of the park
• Reduction in Crime since the Skate Park was installed: From 2003 to 2008, crime has dropped in the immediate area around the park, which has historically been a very high crime area of the city.  Since 2003, drug related incidents have dropped 60.9%, violent crime has dropped 29.3% and overall incidents have dropped 22.8%.  Further, calls for service have dropped 23.0%.
• Current Use of the Site - While the 3,000 sq ft. skate park has been in operation for several years, the area identified for the expansion is currently occupied by homeless.  This project will activate the park and provide a place for kids and young adults to skate, rather than the current use as a homeless gathering place.
• Design of the Park - Youth from the neighborhood have been actively involved in the design of the park, and this has been a project that has been based in community involvement. 

LONG BEACH - Caltrans expects to reopen the site of a fiery truck crash at the interchange of the Artesia (91) and Long Beach (710) freeways by Thursday morning, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation said.

Did you know that Long Beach outbid New York for the Queen Mary? I came across a 1967 New York Times article today that stated Long Beach dashed NYC's hopes of making the old ship a floating school. Oldtimers may remember this. Those who don't can check out the New York Times article - for $3.95 - at http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40C10FD3F5B107B93C5AB178CD85F438685F9&scp=2&sq=Long%20Beach,%20Calif.&st=cse

The next 30-Minute Beach Cleanup in Belmont Shore is at 10 a.m. Saturday. Parking is at 1 Granada Ave. Organizer Justin Rudd is celebrating his 10th year of removing litter from the shoreline. This weekend, he plans to cover more ground with his army of volunteers and give out Father's Day prizes.

Rudd sent this message along:

In honor of Father's Day weekend, dads who volunteer at this cleanup will be eligible for some extra prizes.  Mother Nature loves dads who help clean beaches.  

Also, the cleanup is beginning a new effort this Sat. with hopes to cover a greater area with its debris removal. Volunteers who are joggers will have the opportunity to jog as a group at 10 a.m. from the start location at 1 Granada about 1/2 to 3/4 miles down the bike path for a cleanup and return at 10:30 for door prizes and refreshments.  This effort will be led by Thom Lacie of Runner's High.

 

This month's cleanup will take place from 10-10:30 and the door prizes and refreshments from Duthie Power Services will be given immediately following on the beach at the end of Granada Ave. in Belmont Shore.  The event will be ended at approx. 10:50.

A new Website dedicated to local goings-on, such as PTA and non-profit updates, is now online. This is how Everything Long Beach describes itself:View the site at http://Everythinglongbeach.com

Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma, has called the use of federal stimulus funding to upgrade the 14th Street Skatepark in Long Beach wasteful. The senator puts the dilapidated, inner-city park on a list of projects he says should not be funded by the stimulus package. LBReport has the story at http://www.lbreport.com/news/jun09/14th.htm

Should Los Angeles taxpayers hold the bag for the Lakers' victory parade? Many in L.A. are questioning why the city is committed to spending $1 million on the celebration. L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa says he is looking for donations to cover most of the costs. The police union and others are furious. The Los Angeles Times has the story at http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/06/criticism-heightened-over-taxpayer-funds-being-used-for-lakers-parade.html

The Red Car Museum in Seal Beach reopened today, the Seal Beach Daily reports. U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach, Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach and Seal Beach Mayor Pro-Tem David Sloan attended the opening. Read the story at http://sealbeachdaily.com/2009/06/15/red-car-re-opens-with-ribbon-cutting/

The Aquarium of the Pacific is hosting a 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. June 23 event for families who have a member suffering from autism. The L.A. Examiner has a nice story on the program at http://www.examiner.com/x-10067-LA-Special-Education-Examiner~y2009m6d15-Autism-families-night-at-Aquarium-of-the-Pacific-in-Long-Beach

Tensions over trade issues involving the Canadian government and the Port of Long Beach were overstated in the press. Bill Cunningham has the story at http://www.cunninghamreport.com/news_item.php?id=892

Twelve current and past Press-Telegram staff members, as well as one
contributor, were recognized with Los Angeles Press Club
awards tonight at the Sheraton Universal Hotel.

P-T videographer Robert Meeks, Online Editor Chris Berry, former
content manager Joseph Dickson and graphic artist Paul Penzella of
the Daily Breeze won first place in Online Presentation for "Kids
and Crime: Inside Juvenile Justice," which examined the tenuous relationship children have with the legal system.

Bob Keisser took first place in Sports Writing for "A Century of
Dominance" on the long tradition of winning at Poly High School.

St. Mary Medical Center Dr. Mauricio Heilbron Jr. won first place
in Opinion Writing for "A Heart That Can't Be Mended," an op-ed piece
he wrote for the P-T after trying to save an 11-year-old gunshot
victim's life. 

Staff Writer Greg Mellen took second place in the News Feature
category for "Davik's Heart," a series of stories about a girl who
traveled from a hut in Cambodia to a Los Angeles hospital for heart.

Tim Grobaty received an honorable mention in the Column category for
four pieces he submitted from 2008.

Mellen and staff writer Tracy Manzer and former staff writer
Wendy Thomas Russell received an honorable mention in the
Investigative/Series category for the print version of the "Kids and
Crime" series.

Staff Writer Karen Robes Meeks won honorable mention in Business
Writing for her series, "Pain on Pine," which looked at the economic
problems in Long Beach's downtown.

Staff photographer Jeff Gritchen was a finalist in the Photo Essay
category for images he took of Davik.

A much-talked about Sunday Los Angeles Times story looking at the conflicts surrounding Belmont Shore's bar scene and its conflicts with residents is online tonight. Check it out at http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-belmont-shore14-2009jun14,0,2101875.story

The front page of today's Los Angeles Times says that Rep. Laura Richardson's home in Sacramento has become an "eyesore." Richardson, D-Long Beach, apparently does not take care of the grounds, and neighbors have been watering and mowing the lawn since she won't hire anyone to do it. Rats have been breeding in the backyard.

The remains of Lance Cpl. Joshua Whittle are scheduled to arrive at 11 a.m. Friday at Los Alamitos Air Base. 

The flag-draped coffin will be off-loaded onto the tarmac by military personnel and placed in a hearse. All uniformed personnel will be required to stand at attention. 

There will be a procession from the base to the mortuary.

The viewing is from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday at First Baptist Church, 8348 Third St., Downey. The funeral is 10 a.m. Monday at the same location. Following the funeral, there will be a 57-mile procession to Riverside National Ceremony. Internment is scheduled for 1:15 p.m.

Downey Mayor Mario Guerra issued a statement today on Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua R. Whittle, who was killed Saturday in Afghanistan. Whittle was 20. 

The details of his death in the Helmand province were not available, according to the Associated Press. Whittle was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Regiment, 3rd Division III in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

Here's Guerra's statement:

Last Saturday in Helmand province, Afghanistan, 20 year old Lance Cpl. Joshua R. Whittle fromDowney, was killed. Joshua was a 2007 graduate of Warren High School in Downey and was assigned to the 2^nd Battalion,, 3^rd Marine Regiment.

 

Our city is saddened by the passing of one of our own hometown heroes. Heroes give of themselves and Joshua contributed the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of his country. We are extremely proud inDowney of this young man but suffer from broken hearts and ache for his family and friends.....As a parent I shed tears with his parents, as an American I salute his bravery and say thank you. As Mayor I say God Bless you....

 

On behalf of the citizens of Downey, I want the Whittle family to know that our prayers, thoughts and hearts are with them during this time...We know Joshua loved this community and we want them to know that our community loves him and will never forget.

 

Our city will fly our flags at half mast and we will be honoring his return home....God Bless.

 

 

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants school textbooks to go digital. The cost is lower, he says, and  it's easier for students to carry laptops than heavy tomes. Yahoo! has the story http://tech.yahoo.com/news/afp/20090609/tc_afp/useducationinternetcalifornia_20090609155456

Rep. Linda Sánchez and Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee discussed healthcare with President Barack Obama today at the White House. 

"We had a very productive meeting with President Obama which underscored that we share a commitment to fixing our broken health care system," Sánchez said in a statement.  "I told President Obama that health care reform should include as many people as possible, and a better safety net for those who will still have problems affording health insurance after the reforms are in place.  These policies make sense for the economy, because they'll reduce emergency room use--the most expensive kind of care--and put the emphasis on cheaper preventive care, which will keep people healthy and working."

Tough times call for coupons. Today at the El Dorado Park Branch Library my wife and I noticed a sign that read, "Coupons to share." Boxes were filled with coupons for food and household goods. Neat idea, especially for people who don't take their Sunday paper in print.

The Los Angeles Times reports an apparent hate crime at an Islamic Center in Cypress at http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-mosque-vandals5-2009jun05,0,688876.story

The chess camp for kids and teens I wrote about in Bixby Knolls last summer is returning to Atlantic Avenue. The classes are taught by competitive players, but those of all skill levels are welcome. The courses are sponsored by Project Oasis and take place at Elise's Tea Room on Atlantic Avenue. For details, visit http://www.project-oasis.org/kids/chess-camp/.

Council members Robert Garcia and Suja Lowenthal plan to propose a smoking ban at bus stops and public farmers' markets at Tuesday's council meeting. The P-T is working on a new story about the proposal, but in the meantime here's the verbatim press release from Garcia and Lowenthal:

Long Beach City Council Member Robert Garcia, representing the First District, has introduced his first two pieces of legislation, with colleague Suja Lowenthal of the Second District, to ban smoking at city bus stops as well as public farmers' markets. The proposed ordinances, scheduled to be on the Council agenda June 9, would also prohibit smoking within 20 feet of bus stops and within 20 feet of entrances and exits to farmers' markets. 

"These are important, common sense measures to protect the health and quality of life for all residents, particularly those who have no other means of transportation," Councilman Garcia stated. "It is unacceptable that our children are often subjected to cancer-causing smoke while waiting for a school bus." 

Councilmember Lowenthal noted that, "Bus stops and outdoor markets are fixed locations, limiting one's choice to move away from a nuisance," and added, "Residents should have the right to gather in public places without compromising their health and well-being".   

Second-hand smoke is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths in the United States every year, and particularly affects young children and older adults, whose lungs and hearts are more sensitive to the dangerous chemicals present in tobacco smoke. 

Officials at Long Beach Transit have expressed support for the measure.  Other California cities, including Los Angeles, Glendale, Oakland and Pasadena, have enacted similar ordinances. 

"I am not anti-smoker," Councilman Garcia emphasized. "People have a right to smoke, as long as their smoke is not endangering the health of others. Long Beach residents have the right to breathe the cleanest air possible." 

###

Writing in Reason magazine, Matt Welch discusses how Long Beach coped with the loss of the Navy and downsizing at McDonnell Douglas and then Boeing. He praises the city for not asking for the handouts going to U.S. automakers. He writes:

Government policy, and lack thereof, played an important role in the speedy recovery and economic transformation of my hometown. Though the Naval Shipyard closure was widely seen as a grievous blow, federal rules forbade the expenditure of municipal funds to keep the base on life support, and so the city set about selling off (and even donating) all the property to private interests who have made more efficient use of the land and equipment. Meanwhile, McDonnell Douglas (which Boeing bought in 1997) was allowed to suffer for its many missteps in the commercial airline market rather than receive a series of bailouts. Although the defense contracting side of Boeing is still the city's largest employer, and thus subject to unreliable political appetites for C-17 cargo planes, the municipal economy is now almost unrecognizably diversified.

Whether or not you agree with Los Angeles-based Reason's Libertarian positions, Welch makes some excellent points in an article that provides strong historical perspective on what happened here and how it relates to what's going on now in Detroit. He grew up in Long Beach about a mile from Douglas.

Say what you will about Democrat Peter Mathews, but the man is persistent. After losing several bids for Congress and local office, the Cypress College professor and Long Beach resident plans to announce another bid to challenge Rep. Laura Richardson, D-Long Beach, in midterm elections next year.

The Democratic Primary is a year away: June 10, 2010. The 37th Congressional District includes Long Beach, Signal Hill, Carson and Compton.

IIn last year's election, Mathews came in second to Richardson, but the incumbent won a strong majority.

Mathews plans to announce that he is running at 6 p.m. Monday at the Garden Café, 1431 E. Broadway. 

Los Alamitos High School is turning 40. The high school is revered for academics, the arts and sports. It also boasts tremendous test scores and one of the lowest drop-out rates in California. Read about it in the O.C. Register at http://www.ocregister.com/articles/school-students-high-2430829-alamitos-teachers

You may not know this but wine corks are not biodegradable. The Surfrider Foundation is asking Seal Beach-area residents to bring in their corks for recycling -- just like they do with old wine bottles. The Seal Beach Daily has the story at http://sealbeachdaily.com/2009/06/01/sb-surfrider-group-collecting-bottle-corks/

Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske will hold a 6 p.m. June 10 meeting at DeMille Middle School, 7025 E. Parkcrest St., to discuss plans to convert the campus into a vocational high school. Several residents have expressed concerns about the plans. The fate of the school is in the hands of the Long Beach Unified School District. The 5th District councilwoman has invited LBUSD Superintendent Chris Steinhauser and City Traffic Engineer David Roseman to answer questions.