Leviathans are visiting…have you said “Hello?”

I am of the opinion that whales are people …with a different vocabulary.  Perhaps I do them an injustice because they are such gentle giants if they could…they’d probably choose a planet that better suits their placid nature.

Nevertheless….this year we are seeing them in numbers that most of us don’t remember.

Marine mammal enthusiasts are having rare chances at seeing unusually large number of blue whales dining off our coast.

WUSB asked fellow whale enthusiast, Jerry Rootlieb, if he would keep his eyes (and camera lens) open during his almost daily Pacific peregrinations and lo and behold Matey…look what he brought us!

He caught  a colossally  huge whale just as it broke  the surface  and shot a 15 foot high water spout before dropping down for another bite of the krill….of which a whale eats about four tons a day !

Jerry flies the local waters several times a week. Blue whales often pass through the San Pedro Channel but this big a group has not been seen in recent years. They can weigh up to 150 tons  and grow to over 100 feet in length.

They were nearly extinct in the late 1950’s because of hunting but blue whale hunting was outlawed internationally in 1965 and now there are over 10,000 world wide. 2,000 of them consider the water of our coast as their playground.

They are following  huge schools (also called clouds) of krill into the shallow water four or five miles offshore.

We thank the krill and Rootlieb for bringing us this story.

For more info on whales go to: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/blue-whale.html

Rest Easy – City has taken the risk out of being a city?

The City of Seal Beach is a proud member of the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (California JPIA); the California JPIA handles the City’s risk management program.

In May of this year, the City Manager asked the California JPIA to perform a comprehensive risk management audit of city operations and on September 30th met with California JPIA representatives and City Department Directors to review the findings and recommendations of the audit.  Bob May, California JPIA’s Senior Risk Consultant, presented a thorough report.

The main principles are to manage risk by transferring the risk to another party, avoiding the risk, reducing the negative effect of the risk, and accepting some or all of the consequences of a particular risk.  “By having such an audit done prospectively, pre-incident or claim, and by implementing the findings, the city can do a better job of making careful choices and help keep risk management a priority”, said City Manager David Carmany.  Follow-up action items will be recommended for funding in next year’s municipal budget.

The California JPIA, as authorized by its joint powers agreement, operates as a membership organization.  More than 120 public agencies with good loss experience and risk management efforts help make California JPIA a success.

A long ago look into space – or is it a future look?

When I was in high school we were told that the Griffith Observatory had a 20 inch telescope.  (I think it was 20″)  but they were building one at Palomar..and had already been working on it for years…that would be 100 inches.

As best I remember astronomers at that time spoke of other galaxies beyond our own Milky Way….but it was still somewhat hypothetical and certainly no one would ever have guessed more than 10,000 galaxies in a very tiny area of the heavens.

Some learned men and women estimated the age of the universe at 500 million years.  Some learned theologists disagreed. Some astronomers believed there were a few other galaxies; other than our Milky Way.

It was all cutting edge stuff in 1950-52 and my parents told me to take it with a grain of salt…

My guess is that in 2060 some teenager is going to go to his/her teacher and ask “How in the world could anyone learn much about the heavens with something as antique as the Hubble  telescope.”

Take a couple of minutes and look at this amazing video.  It makes one humble.

Go to: http://www.flixxy.com/hubble-ultra-deep-field-3d.htm

Take the Founder’s Day Challenge- – Today – -Don’t Wait!

Click on:  http://wp.me/pKe8y-00

THAT’S ALL YOU HAVE TO DO.

Take a look at everything this group has been working on for nearly a year!

This is going to be a wonderful month for our town and bring a lot of money to a wide range of services to help maintain our parks and facilities.  With the state budget getting tighter, we need your generosity more than ever.  Help us make Seal Beach of today just as sweet and as interesting a place to remember as the historic Seal Beach we’ve been celebrating in this blog.

Not only will you be getting a gourmet meal…you’ll have a great dance floor, a great band, and a great group of friends.  A WONDERFUL auction that will include:

-One week stay in a home in Hanalei Bay

-One week stay in an apartment in Hanalei Bay (Rates can be as high as $800 a night!)

http://www.gohawaii.com/kauai/regions-neighborhoods/north-shore/hanalei-town

-Two 3^rd row tickets to South Pacific on October 12 at the Orange County Performing Arts        Center-

(Rated best cast of play in 50 years!)

-Tickets to a Mighty Ducks game

-Mammoth Ski weekend getaway (sleeps 10, usually rents for $400)

-Classic Ukelele

-New golf clubs

-4 rounds of golf at Old Ranch Country Club

-Lessons with Golf Pros at Old Ranch and Navy Base courses

-Dinners and /lunches at local restaurants

-Hand quilted Hawaiian pillows

-Beautifully framed print of Seal Beach Pier by local artist Karen Mikkelson

-Dinner at Old Ranch Country Club

-Surfing lessons with MM Surfing

-Language lessons for travelers

-20 Baskets including with Taste of Seal Beach cards and gift certificates

Once again – – Click on:  http://wp.me/pKe8y-00

If your Dad criticizes your hair…look at how he looked in ’52!

From Michael Dobkins  and Seal Beach Founder’s Day

go to: http://wp.me/pKe8y-lV

Main Street in Seal Beach  has been a favorite subject for photographers throughout its 95 years of history.

Every Monday between now and the end of the Seal Beach Founders Celebration they will  be posting a different image of Main Street.  This week’s Main Street image comes to us from Alan Harbour.

A “Clean” Arrest for Local Cops

by Jan Sledge

Seal Beach police officers should be credited with this year’s “cleanest arrest” last Thursday morning, September 2nd.

Motorists reported a ‘road rage’ incident during the morning rush hour on Pacific Coast Highway wherein the offending driver was alleged to have tried to run down a pedestrian, a violent felony.  Seal Beach officers spotted the suspected driver and car and tried to stop it on Seal Beach Boulevard at PCH.

The driver refused to yield and the chase was on.  The low to moderate paced pursuit traveled through Seal Beach to the freeways, up into Long Beach and several of its neighborhoods; and, back down the I-405 to the freeway adjacent to the SBNWS.  The driver became boxed into the stopped traffic and surrendered peacefully after bringing his car to a stop in the middle of the freeway.  After exiting his car, Seal Beach officers ordered him to raise his arms and expose his waistband (a precaution against readily available firearms).

The driver went us one better!  He stood in the middle of the freeway and stripped naked.  The officers arrested him on a multitude of charges and transported him to the SBPD Detention Center without further incident.  The city is awaiting his lab tests to determine what drugs he may have used to cause his behavior.

Kudos to Corporal Mike Henderson and Officers Eric Tittle and Al Cabrera for a pursuit without injuries or property damage.

Jan Sledge, Executive Assistant to City Manager
City of Seal Beach – 211 Eighth Street, Seal Beach, CA 90740
(562) 431-2527 Ext. 1303

CENTRO C.H.A.’S 14TH ANNUAL NUESTRA IMAGEN AWARDS

Centro CHA stands for Long Beach Community  Hispanic Association.

When: Thursday, September 16 from 6pm-9pm
Where: The Grand Hotel, 4101 E. Willow St., in Long Beach
What: This year’s Nuestra Imagen Awards theme is “Getting Involved: Our Families, Our Community, Our City.”

Extraordinary community leaders will be recognized for their service and excellence in corporate community giving, higher education service, public safety service, community leadership and public service, and public health and youth development services. There  is also a special humanitarian award and presentation for Lifetime Dedication to Fighting Indifference, Intolerance, & Injustice in Long Beach.

Why: At  $75 per person, guests will enjoy an evening filled with cultural music traditional food, and the opportunity to celebrate Hispanic Heritage and network with community  leaders, businesses, and government leaders throughout Long Beach. A special auction will also take place where individuals and businesses can help fund an internship for underprivileged high school students and/or college undergraduates to gain occupational work- readiness skills and receive a meaningful paid work experience.

ABOUT INTERVAL HOUSE
Interval House is a nationally recognized nonprofit domestic violence program offering shelter and comprehensive supportive services to Greater Long Beach and Orange County communities since 1979. Over the last 30 years, Interval House has worked tirelessly to develop innovative programs that have been recognized with over 400 local, regional and national awards, including three Presidential Awards, two Governor’s Awards, and the U.S. Department of Justice Award citing Interval House as a “model” program to the nation. Interval House is unique in the nation for providing comprehensive services in 67 different languages, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including: 24-hour crisis hotlines; emergency shelters and transitional housing; community service centers; counseling; legal, health, children’s and youth programs; leadership development; economic self-sufficiency; and community education.

To learn more about Centro C H A go to:  http://www.centrocha.org/

L.B.’s Interval House Receives Excellence Award!

by Thyda Duong
INTERVAL HOUSE RECEIVES PUBLIC HEALTH EXCELLENCE AWARD
To be Honored At Centro CHA’s 14th Annual Nuestra Imagen Awards

LONG BEACH, Calif – Interval House Crisis Shelters and Centers for Victims of Domestic Violence will be honored with Centro C.H.A.’s 2010 Health Communities Public Health Excellence Award during it’s 14th Annual Nuestra Imagen Awards Dinner on September 16. The “Image Awards” celebrates extraordinary community  leaders who have made outstanding  contributions to improve the public health, safety and quality of life for diverse youth and families in the City of Long Beach.

“We are extremely honored to receive the Nuestra Imagen Award from Centro C.H.A., an outstanding organization that has, itself, demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to improving our community,” said Interval House Executive Director Carol Williams, a Long Beach native and nationally recognized domestic violence pioneer.

“We have long admired Centro C.H.A. for its success and dedication to enriching the lives of underserved Latino youth and families through both social and economic empowerment,” Williams added. “It is a mission that we, at Interval House, hold close to our hearts, as we have always been guided by a philosophy of inclusion and empowerment. This unique approach has helped our clients blossom into our community and our nation’s foremost cultural leaders.”

Founded in 1979, Interval House is the largest comprehensive domestic violence program serving the City of Long Beach and Orange County. Interval House’s history is characterized by a tireless commitment to pioneering innovative programs and services on behalf of culturally and ethnically diverse communities, serving as a critical lifeline to underserved victims in crisis. Interval House started the nation’s first and largest comprehensive Latino, Asian, Middle Eastern, Slavic, and African American Interfaith programs for victims of domestic violence. In 1988, Interval House received the U.S. Department of Justice Award for its groundbreaking Interval House Amnesty program, which legalized nearly 2,000 individuals who were dual victims of domestic violence and financial fraud. Another tribute to Interval House’s commitment to culturally underserved communities is its overwhelming success as an early pioneer with political asylum and Violence Against Women’s Act citizenship petitions.

Interval House’s specialization in serving culturally diverse victims will culminate in this, its 30th year of award-winning service, by founding the International Institute Against Violence, which will serve as a premier forum for dialogue about violence against women. Scheduled to launch in 2011, the Institute will convene world renowned experts to provide leadership on issues of violence against women through multicultural seminars, speaker’s forums, and conferences throughout the year.

For more information about Interval House or to make a donation, please call (562) 594-9492 or visit www.intervalhouse.org http://www.intervalhouse.org .

Coming Events for September and October

Mark Your Calendar:

• City Council Meetings:  September 13th and October 11th.
  

SEPTEMBER

• League of California Cities Annual Conference:  Wednesday, September 15  – Friday, September 17, San Diego Convention Center
  

• Planning Commission Meeting:  Wednesday, September 15th – 7:30 p.m., Council Chambers
  

• Bob Eagle Memorial Plaque Dedication:  Saturday, September 18th –        1:00 p.m., Eisenhower Park
  

• 13th-17th Street Neighborhood Follow-up Meeting:  Monday,          September 20th, 7:00 p.m., City Council Chambers
  

• Mayors Consortium Meeting:  Wednesday, September 22nd, 1:30 p.m., JFTB – Office of Brigadier General Jones
  

• Recreation & Parks Commission Meeting:  Wednesday, September 22nd, 6:00 p.m., Council Chambers
  

• SBTV3 Candidates’ Forum:  Thursday, September 23rd, 7:30 p.m. (live broadcast)
  

OCTOBER

• Founders Day Dinner Dance:  Saturday, October 2nd, 6:00 p.m., Old Ranch Country Club
  

• Founders Day Tennis Mixer:  Wednesday, October 6th, 6:30 p.m., Seal Beach Tennis Center
  

• Founders Day Golf Tournament & Dinner:  Thursday, October 7th, 1:00 p.m., Bixby Village Golf Course
  

• Founders Day Concert by the Pier (sponsored by the Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce):  Saturday, October 9th, 4:00-6:00 p.m.
  

• Founders Day Main Street Sidewalk Sale:  Saturday, October 9th and Sunday, October 10th
  

• Founders Day Greenbelt Festival & Parade:  Sunday, October 10th, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  

• Free Electronic-Waste Recycling Event:  Saturday, October 23rd, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., End of Adolfo Lopez Drive
  

• Seal Beach Historical Slide Show:  Wednesday, October 27th, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Marina Community Center
  

Jan Sledge, Executive Assistant to City Manager 562-431-2527 Ext 1303

Special Security Unit, 300 strong, coming to Seal Beach

Navy to Commission New Security Unit at Seal Beach on September 11, 2010

SEAL BEACH, Calif. – The Navy will commission the newest Maritime Expeditionary Squadron, MSRON-11, during a ceremony 1 p.m. on Sept. 11 at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach.

Capt. Gary R. Buchanan is the commanding officer of MSRON-11.  The squadron consists of approximately 300 officers, chief petty officers and enlisted Sailors.

MSRON-11 will be home ported at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach as a member of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

MSRON-11 is a specialized security unit that provides anti-terrorism and force protection from local harbors to foreign ports.  They operate in high-density, multi-threat environments utilizing advanced communications, boats, sensors and security measures to protect and defend seaward approaches, waterways and high-value assets.

MSRONs, formerly known as Mobile Security Squadrons (MSS), were established in the wake of terrorist attacks abroad, in particular the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole (DDG 67). MSRONs provide rapidly deployable point defense personnel and assets for force protection and anti-terrorism operations in support of fleet commanders.

Guest Speaker for the commissioning will be  Vice Commander of Naval Surface Forces, Rear Adm. Michael Shatynski.

The event is not open to the public.

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