Long Beach Seen

LONG BEACH, CAILF., USA -- Vanessa Franco with her French Bulldog Holly during the 8th Annual Bulldog Beauty Contest & Haute Dog Pageants in Long Beach, Calif. on February 11, 2012. See more pictures>>

LONG BEACH, CAILF., USA -- Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk checks out the McBride Skatepark in Long Beach, Calif. on February 11, 2012. The skatepark, which was given a sizable grant from the 2010 Stand Up for Skateparks Tony Hawk Foundation event, is on Martin Luther King, Jr., Ave. south of Pacific Coast Highway.
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LONG BEACH, CAILF., USA -- David Arana, right, hugs his son, Justin Arana, as they watch firefighters battle a blaze at their family home in the 3000 block of Arlotte Ave. in Long Beach, Calif. on February 10, 2012. Firefighters from Long Beach, Los Angeles County and Orange County responded to the fire that destroyed the garage and upstairs bedroom shortly after 7 p.m.. No one was home when the fire started.
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LONG BEACH, CAILF., USA -- Jeff Andrews of the Cal State Long Beach snowboard team rides the center rail in front of the Walter Pyramid on February 9, 2012. Fifteen tons of snow was sprayed on to the steps and surrounding area for the Long Beach State Pyramid Rail Jam, a rail-riding competition sponsored by the club. Forty riders competed in half-hour heats in front of three volunteer judges. See more pictures>>

LONG BEACH, CAILF., USA -- Wilson's Samantha Moreno (1) dives for the ball against Poly during their Moore League game in Long Beach, Calif. on February 2, 2012. The Jackrabbits defeated the Bruins, 2-0. See more pictures>>

BELLFLOWER, CAILF., USA -- St. John Bosco football player Bryce Treggs hugs his grandmother, Kathy Treggs, after the schools National Signing Day ceremony in Bellflower, Calif. on February 1, 2012. Treggs did not commit to a school, telling the crowd gathered in the gym that he'll announce where he is going at 4:30 on Fox Sports West. He then added, "So tune in!" See pics>> St. John Bosco | Poly

LONG BEACH, CAILF., USA -- Blues guitarist Bernie Pearl at hie Long Beach, Calif., home on January 26, 2012. Pearl played with all the greats, including BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Etta James.

LONG BEACH, CAILF., USA -- Brothers Brandan Soltes, left, Ryan Soltes, right, and Robert Soltes, center, listen to stories about their father, Charles Robert Soltes, Jr., during a ceremony marking the dedication of Project 402 at the VA Long Beach on January 25, 2012. Project 402 is a 30-month, seven-building project that includes a blind rehabilitation center named for Maj. Charles Robert Soltes, Jr. Soltes was an Army optometrist, who was killed in Iraq in 2004. See more pictures>>

CERRITOS, CAILF., USA -- Water Superintendent Charles Emig heads towards solar membranes atop one of the two six-million gallon water tanks at the Cerritos, Calif. corporate yard on January 10, 2012. Cerritos has installed two solar panel systems on top of the water reservoirs over the past two years. The systems generate more than 150,000 kws per year. See more pictures>>

WILMINGTON, CALIF. USA -- Firefighters work to put out a blaze in the administration building of the ConocoPhillips refinery in Wilmington, Calif. on January 16, 2012. See more pictures>>

LONG BEACH, CAILF., USA -- Long Beach councilman Robert Garcia gives fellow councilperson Suja Lowenthal a ride before a a ceremony for new banners along the length of Broadway and Third Street from the Long Beach (710) Freeway to Alamitos Avenue in Long Beach, Calif. on January 12, 2012. The banners celebrate the dedicated bike lanes along Broadway and Third Street. See more pictures>>

LONG BEACH, CAILF., USA -- Millikan's Steven Barrera (1) fails to stop a shot from Cabrillo's Jose Vaca (10) during their Moore League game in Long Beach, Calif. on January 11, 2012. Millikan and Cabrillo tied, 2-2. See more pictures>>

LONG BEACH, CAILF., USA -- Charlie Josephbeck, front, and Christian Johnson walk through a maze of dried Mustard plant during a class about bugs and fungus at the El Dorado Nature Center in Long Beach, Calif. on January 5, 2011. The nature center offers classes for children in Kindergarten through 4th grader throughout Winter and Spring break. See more pictures>>

NORWALK, CAILF., USA -- The northwest corner of Front Street and Clarkdale Ave. in Norwalk, Calif. on in 1948. Norwalk was founded in the late 19th century but not incorporated as a city unitll 1957.

By 1873, railroads were being built in the area and the Sprouls deeded 23 acres (93,000 m²) stipulating a "passenger stop" clause in the deed. Three days after the Anaheim Branch Railroad crossed the "North-walk" for the first time, Gilbert Sproul surveyed a town site. In 1874, the name was recorded officially as Norwalk. While a majority of the Norwalk countryside remained undeveloped during the 1880s, the Norwalk Station allowed potential residents the opportunity to visit the "country" from across the nation.

At the turn of the 19th century, Norwalk had become established as a dairy center. Of the 50 local families reported in the 1900 census, most were associated with farming or with the dairy industry. Norwalk was also the home of some of the largest sugar beet farms in all of Southern California during this era. Many of the dairy farmers who settled in Norwalk during the early part of the 20th century were Dutch. See more Then and Nows>>

LONG BEACH, CAILF., USA -- A worker welds steel at the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse in Long Beach, Calif. on January 5, 2011. Construction on the $490 million, 31-courtroom courthouse in Downtown began this spring and to be finished by 2013.
The courthouse is being built in the city's West Gateway area on six acres bounded by West Broadway, Maine Avenue, West Third Street and Magnolia Avenue. It will replace the more than 50-year-old building at 415 W. Ocean Blvd., which the state has identified as one of the worst courthouses in California in terms of security, overcrowding and physical condition. See more pictures>>

LENNOX, CALIF. USA -- Lennox Little League President Roberto Aguirre hangs his head as he listens to Jerry Flory, administrator for Little League District 37, talk about new fees imposed by the Lennox School District for use of their fields during a coaches meeting in Lennox, an unincorporated area of Los angeles County, on January 7, 2011. The school district is double the fees for the league's use of three fields and charging them for security and storage. See more pictures>>

IRVINE, CAILF., USA -- Long Beach State's Michael Caffey (5) controls the ball against UC Irvine's Derick Flowers (0) during their Big West game in Irvine, Calif. on January 2, 2012. See more pictures>>

See the pictures: click here

LONG BEACH, CAILF., USA -- Stella Morones comforts her niece, Katrina Romo, after she and fellow Avalon High soccer players were involved in an accident at the corner of Magnolia Ave. and Broadway in Long Beach, Calif. on December 27, 2011.
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LONG BEACH, CAILF., USA -- Poly's Jordan Bell (2) takes a shot against Compton's Roman Priutt (33) during their Moore League game in Long Beach, Calif., on December 23, 2011. See more pictures>>

LONG BEACH, CAILF., USA -- Millikan's Oscar Preciado is held down by Poly's AJ McKee in the 113 pound class during their meet in Long Beach, Calif. on December 22, 2011. See more photos>>

Yesterday the Long Beach city council nixed a plan to build a shopping and community destination at the site of the dilapidated SeaPort Marina Hotel. The $320 million project, called Second+PCH, was to be centered around a 12-story residential building and include a boutique hotel and retail space. Click here to see more aerial pictures of the area.

Yep, I'm on the bandwagon. Please follow me @longbeachseen. Thanks

LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA -- Jordan's Andre Sppinger (10) tries to get past Wilson's Billy Kazane (24) and Moe Jones (12) during their Moore League game in Long Beach, Calif. on December 21, 2011. See more pictures>>

DOWNEY, CALIF. USA -- Cabrillo's Oscar Ochoa (9) and St. John Bosco's Angel Covarrubias (7) battle for the ball during the North OC Tournament at Warren High School in Downey, Calif. on December 19, 2011.

Sometimes everyday assignments surprise you, sometimes they don't. This one didn't, then it did.

On a July morning reporter Greg Mellen and I hiked through Downtown Long Beach, Calif., with volunteers counting the Homeless population. During an uneventful meeting, Elissa Finch, a volunteer, stopped to talk to Kevin Evans, a homeless man wondering the streets before sunrise. Finch asked Evans questions about being homeless like how often he slept inside and how long he'd been on the streets.

The picture itself is not anything special and it wasn't published in the newspaper. But, as with most stories, I built a photo gallery with pictures I shot that day. It was this gallery that allowed Brian Evans, Kevin's estranged brother of 10 years, to find his older brother.

Read the story: click here

See the photo gallery from the July homeless count: click here

LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA -- Georgie Cortese gets a taste of the rain outside the Alpert Jewish Community Center in Long Beach, Calif. on December 12, 2011.

ROLLINGS HILLS ESTATES, CALIF. USA -- Peninsula High's Jack Hensley (4) goes up against Cabrillo's Laron Barns (34) during their non-league game in Rolling Hills Estates, Calif., on December 12, 2011. See more pictures>>

BELLFLOWER, CALIF. USA -- St. John Bosco's Braiten Madrigal (3) goes up for a shot against Millikan's Josh Streeter (4) during their pre-season game in Bellflower, Calif., on December 9, 2011. See more pictures>>

LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA -- Mike Adams snuggles under a new blanket on a cot during the first day of operation for the Winter Emergency Homeless Shelter in Long Beach. The shelter has 150 beds with the capability to hold 200. Shuttles pick up clients beginning at 5 p.m. in Downtown Long Beach. See more pictures>>

CARSON, CALIF. USA -- Carson HIgh's Roger Jones on Monday, November 28, 2011, in Carson, Calif. Jones transferred from Compton High this year and has been a huge addition for Carson. See more pictures>>

LOS ALAMITOS, CALIF. USA -- Los Alamitos' Jordyn Schnabl (13) joins her teammates as they wipe tears from their eyes after their loss to Marymount during the SoCal Regional Division I finals in Los Alamitos, Calif. on November 29, 2011. The Griffins lost to the Sailors, 3-1. See more pictures/Buy Reprints>>

In 2008, Press-Telegram writer Greg Mellen and I traveled to Cambodia with the Long Beach-based nonprofit Hearts Without Boundaries to chronicle in pictures, video and words the journey of Davik Teng, the nonprofit's first patient, from her rural home to the U.S. for life-extending open-heart surgery. Since then, several other children have also made similar journeys.

Earlier this year, Mellen and I returned to Cambodia to check on the children and their new lives.

Above is a multimedia piece about Davik Teng three years after she returned to Camobida.

To see pictures of Davik click here

To see pictures of other children helped by Hearts Without Boundaries click here

To see Davik's journey from 2008, click here

To read the story, click here

CERRITOS, CALIF. -- The 55-member Cerritos High School Wind Symphony will play at the London 2012 Summer Olympics... if they can raise the money need to send the band to the U.K.

BELLFLOWER, CALIF. USA -- Mayfair's \Marcus Harden (26) is consoled by Coach Darrel Turner after their loss to La Serna during their first round of the CIF Southeast Division playoff game at Ron Yary Stadium in Bellflower, Calif., on November 18, 2011. See more pictures>>

LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA -- Larry Allison, Jr., son of long-time Press-Telegram editor Larry Allison, reacts as his father is memorialized during a service at the Long Beach (Calif.) Convention Center on November 17, 2011. Allison, who had worked at the paper since 1957, died October 30 from complications after battling with pneumonia for two weeks.

Fellow staff photographer Stephen Carr and I photographed the memorial service - click here to see our pictures>>

LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA -- Hundreds of Long Beach Memorial and Miller Children's Hospital registered nurses protest in front of the Long Beach, Calif. hospital on November 16, 2011. Since July, the hospitals and the California Nurses Association representing 1,979 registered nurses have been negotiating a new contract. Their contract expired Sept. 30. See more pictures>>

TORRANCE, CALIF. USA -- South High's Erika Eastley (3) after their 3-0 lose to La Salle in the CIF-SS Division 2A semifinals in Torrance, Calif., on November 15, 2011. See more pictures>>

PARAMOUNT, CALIF. USA -- Tennis fans watch Paramount High battle Wilson HIgh during their CIF Division III playoff match in Paramount, Calif. on November 14, 2011. See more pictures>>

LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA -- First Grader Maile Quinn, center, joins her classmates as they sing the National Anthem during the Mark Twain Elementary School Veteran's Day Celebration in Long Beach, Calif. on November 10, 2011.
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LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA -- Wilson HIgh's Maxwell Irving (12) looks to take a shot past Murrieta Valley's Ben Schleunige (9) during their CIF playoff game in Long Beach, Calif. on November 10, 2011. See more pictures>>

IRVINE, CALIF. USA -- Long Beach State's Jazz Strozier (15), right, celebrates their win over U.C. Irvine with teammates Nicole Hubbard (22), Taylor Nelson (5) and Sierra Mack (7), right after the championship game of the
Big West Conference Tournament on November 6, 2011, in Irvine, Calif. Strozier scored the only goal in the game that guaranteed LBSU a spot in the NCAA Tournament bid.
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LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA -- Long Beach Councilman Dee Andrews, center, celebrates with Christopher Steinhauser, Long Beach Unified School District Superintendent, left, and Felton Williams, the President of the
Long Beach Board of Education, as a new traffic signal is unveiled at Atlantic Ave. and 15th. Street on November 2, 2011. According to the councilman, over 5000 students attend the two schools, Poly High and Roosevelt elementary, near the intersection.

LAKEWOOD, CALIF. USA -- Investigators examine a car in the 20700 block of Studebaker Rd. where an off-duty Santa Ana police officer shot a man he suspected of burglarizing his Lakewood, Calif. neighborhood on October 31, 2011, in Lakewood, Calif. The officer shot the man in the officer's personal car.

LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA -- Kathleen Schaaf. owner of Meow Vintage, puts some of her Halloween clothing in front of her 4th. Street store in Long Beach, Calif. on October 26, 2011.

LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA -- A dog occupies a blanket at the sparsely populated Occupy Long Beach camp at Lincoln Park in Long Beach, Calif. on October 25, 2011. See more pictures>>

LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA -- Fourth grader Ashley Hernandez learns how to hold a violin on the first day of music class at Longfellow Elementary School in Long Beach, Calif. on October 24, 2011. The Long Beach Unified School District is in desperate need of music instruments since state law now prohibits schools from charging students most educational fees, including fees for musical instruments. Nearly 1,000 violins are needed and 275 trumpets for fourth and fifth graders. See more pictures>>

LONG BEACH, CALIF. USA -- Joe Shumener, left, and Joe Clawson feed bird on the sand in the Belmont Shore neighborhood of Long Beach, Calif. onOctober 24, 2011.