What July 4th means to this little American

Madeline Rose Rootlieb didn’t need to be told by anyone.

On her Daddy John’s shoulders he couldn’t even see her little hand was held over her heart. Of course it brought a tear to his eye when he saw the picture.

Madeline – 3 1/2 years young –  was participating in the Pledge of Allegiance during the Brook Street 4th of July celebration in Laguna Beach.

A proud little American girl and maybe a future leader?

Happy Fourth to us all.

A Massachusetts Birthday Greeting to the U.S.

we loved this and think you will too!

Happy (belated) Independence Day!!!
http://youtu.be/X5lbNXNn3CI
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Today’s the Day – California Pizza Kitchen Donates to Los Al High Tennis

Hello family and friends of Los Alamitos High School Tennis . Go to California Pizza Kitchen for the BEST Pizza you’ve ever tasted and CPK donates to us!

Today ONLY (no specific time, just any time today) is the day to head out to California Pizza Kitchen in Rossmoor at 12171 Seal Beach Blvd – Rossmoor Center Drive  – present the attached flyer(shown below)  and 20% of the proceeds from your meal with be donated back to the Los Alamitos High School Girls Tennis team.  Unfortunately, the sports programs at the high school have had cuts due to the California budget crisis, so we  have to raise funds to offset the things needed to run the program and keep the girls playing in their sport.  We hope to see you there and the girls would be so very appreciative of your support.

(Pleaase Copy invitation below – 8×11 if possible and take it with you)

Philanthropizza

Please join us at California Pizza Kitchen for a

flavorsome fundraising event.  All you need to do is bring

in this flyer on our scheduled date and present it to your

server when ordering. 20% of your check will benefit our

organization.  So come out and enjoy something

delicious from the CPK menu.

Your taste buds will thank you, and so will we

Los Alamitos HS Girls Tennis

California Pizza Kitchen

Seal Beach

12171 Seal Beach Blvd.

562.430.2695

Monday June 27, 2011

Thanks for the support. We can’t wait to see you.

Donation amount excludes proceeds from tax & gratuity.

Manager, please attach this flyer to the guest check.

Valid for dine-in and take-out only.

Event proceeds void if flyers are distributed in or near the restaurant.

Local Audabon Warns of EIR Omissions on DWP Project

6-16-11

El Dorado Audubon                                                                                                California Chapter of The National Audubon  Society Long Beach, Seal Beach and surrounding  communities

June 13, 2011- City of Seal Beach-211 8th Street
Seal Beach, CA 90740

Att: Mark Persico, AICP, Director of Development  Services (562)431-2527
RE: Dept. of Water and Power Specific Plan  Amendment, Initial Study, June 2011

(Ed Note- This article is longer than we usually run…but Mary Parcell lists many potential environmental problems.)

Project Location: The project site is generally bounded by Marina Drive to the  north, 1st Street to the east, the Rivers End Cafe/beach  parking lot to the south, and the San Gabriel River to the  west.

We (local Audubon) are concerned  with open space (7O% in current plan), impact on wetlands per California  Coastal Act and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, impact on migratory  wildlife corridors, and impacts on species Department of Fish and Game and US Fish and Wildlife Service (see  below).

Open Space
“The proposed project includes approximately 6.4  acres of open space/parkland, in addition to the residential uses discussed above. The DWP Specific Plan Amendment would revise  (Read ‘reduce’) the open space area from 70 percent to 60 percent within the  Specific Plan. Proposed park uses would include, but not be limited to: natural areas with trails, passive turf areas, and neighborhood-serving play areas (e.g., “tot-lots).”

Due to the value and sensitivity of our coastal  Resources:  We do not support the change from 70% to 60% of open space  (requires Specific Plan Amendment).  Also, questions have been raised that this is really a change from 70% to  50%!

California Coastal Commission: Coastal  Development Permit required

We support open space (30% and visitor serving use, hotel, (70%) as specified in existing plan.  Preference given to .100% open space due to location next to the San Gabriel River  and the ocean. “Coordination with other agencies and adjacent jurisdictions  referenced in this document may also be required, including, but not limited to: City of Long  Beach; Los Angeles County  Flood Control District; and California Department of  Transportation.”

There is no documentation from California Dept. of Fish and Game, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US  Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies with jurisdiction over  biological resources.

Potentially Significant Impacts have not been studied as follows:

-Create a new source of substantial light or glare which would adversely affect day or nighttime views in the area?- Potentially Significant Impact. There are two primary sources of  light: light emanating from building interiors  that pass through windows and light from exterior  sources (i.e., street lighting, parking lot lighting, building illumination, security lighting, and  landscape lighting). Light introduction can be a nuisance to adjacent uses, diminish the view of the clear night  sky and, if uncontrolled, can disturb wildlife in natural habitat areas. Lighting associated with  non-residential uses may cause spillover impacts to nearby sensitive receptors. No light sources currently exist at the project site (other than the residential unit located at the northwestern corner of the  project site).

Short-term light and glare impacts associated with construction  activities would likely be limited to nighttime lighting (for security purposes) in the evening hours.  In accordance with Title 7 of the Municipal Code, Public Peace, Morals and Welfare, the  project’s  construction activities would be limited to the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekdays and between  8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Construction activities are also prohibited on Sundays. Further  review is necessary to confirm whether potential construction-related lighting would create a new  source of substantial light or glare in the project area.

The project would result in the future development of residential uses and park/open space uses. The future uses would include street lighting, security lighting, and lighting associated with the interior of structures. These new light sources would create nighttime  lighting and glare in the project area. Thus, further review is necessary.

4.4 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES

a) Have a substantial adverse effect, either directly or through  habitat modifications, on any species identified as a candidate, sensitive, or special status  species in local or regional plans, policies, or regulations, or by the California Department of  Fish and Game or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service?

Potentially Significant Impact. The project site consists primarily of vacant land. The potential exists for candidate, sensitive, or special status species to be  located within the boundaries of the project site. Further review is necessary to confirm the project’s potential  impacts to candidate, sensitive, and special status species.

b) Have a substantial adverse effect on any riparian habitat or  other sensitive natural community identified in local or regional plans, policies, regulations or  by the California Department of Fish and Game or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service?

Potentially Significant Impact. While no known riparian habitat is present on-site, based on the property’s proximity to the San Gabriel River and coastline,  there is a  potential for sensitive natural communities to occur on-site. Further review is necessary to confirm  the project’s potential impacts in this regard.

c) Have a substantial adverse effect on federally protected wetlands as defined by Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (including, but not limited to, marsh,  vernal pool, coastal, etc.) through direct removal, filling, hydrological interruption, or other  means?

Potentially Significant Impact. Currently, the site is undeveloped  (with the exception of one residential structure), and may have the potential to contain wetlands, as defined by the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) and California Coastal Commission (CCC).  Further review is necessary to confirm the project’s potential impacts to Federally protected  wetlands.

d) Interfere substantially with the movement of any native resident or migratory fish or wildlife species or with established native resident or migratory  wildlife corridors, or impede the use of native wildlife nursery sites?

Potentially Significant Impact. The potential for the project to  interfere with movement of species or to affect migratory wildlife corridors requires further  review.

Sincerely,

Mary Parsell – 1st VP & Conservation Chair, El Dorado Audubon SocietyCelebration 43 years of Conservation, Education and Citizen  Science

(Readers are encouraged to go to Monday’s Council Meeting June 20 at 7 p.m.

Council Gets an Ear-full from Angry Citizens

Well, they had a full house to hear the Advocates for the planned Ocean Park for the first time be allowed to question our City Council on why they approved the Bay City development without allowing public input.

First to speak, however, was City Planner Marc Persico who after a lengthy monologue that really said not very much finished with the benefits to the city.  It boiled down to what a wonderful deal it was for the city – “The city now has access to the city sewer system” (Honest – – that was pretty much it.) Does anyone really think Bay City Partners (BCP) wanted the sewer job….or that they could have denied the city access to the municipal sewer?  One thing it did prove is that when the City Council told BCP that “they would insure the  staff would do everything they could to get this development through” …the staff was doing what they were told to do.

First speaker was Geraldine West, a 44 year resident of Seal Beach.  She cited the law (Brwon Act) as she saw it against closed session decisions by City Councils and promoted legislative remedies against such decisions.

Next, Jim Caviola asked: Why the 1982 70/30 split in the city’s favor had been abandoned.   Why there was a new map that showed the city giving what amounted to $7 million  in additional lots to Bay City. Why the city is giving BCP $900,000 back of the $4 million they paid for the property?   Why won’t we require Bay City to pay the normal development fees?  Why are  ALL the city staff being required to testify FOR the BCP development?  – – does that include testifying in front of the Coastal Commission? Why is the city going to pay to remove a fence…that most believe was put up by BCP just to punish nearby residents who originally complained about the proposed development.

Next Robert Goldberg introduced a map that contradicted acceptance and also contradicted 2009 plot map..which showed 14 lots…and ½ of each of those lots was on land destined as open space parkland. Council was looking at that map as if they’d never seen it before and WUSB believes most of them hadn’t.

Goldberg also quoted from emails between BCP personel and former City Mgr Whittenberg when BCP wanted to move the original line of demarcation between what had been established for development vs open space….and Wittenberg responded favorably after only 27 minutes? Not much time for in-depth analysis.

Next Mike Bulbe asked to see the original plans of the DWP plant in order to see if it had been “cleaned” up to standards acceptable today …or even to standards of the time it was closed down.  He said “we don’t want another ARCO station debacle like we had with British Petroleum?”

Former councilman Paul Yost wanted to know why we hadn’t gotten permanent access to the beach via first street.  (WUSB would like to know why we had to pay for it – – seems doubtful the Coastal Commission would have allowed such access to be restricted?)

Looks like the Council is going to drag this out as long as they can.  At the next Council Meeting, Monday, June 20, we’ll be able to discuss the EIR report.  Was it done correctly?  Has a full EIR even been done for the DWP land? (Remember how the resurfacing of the pier was delayed almost 2 years because no EIR was done?)

The Advocates who are fighting this worthy battle for what is really a “Legacy Property” need you to be present to let this City Council that has turned into such a disappointment for us must review what they’ve done and allow the city to vote on this issue.

This Legacy Property, the portion was to be an open space park for ALL, is perhaps the most valuable ocean front left in Southern California.  IT SHOULD BE SAVED FOR EVERYONE!

SHOW UP MONDAY NIGHT AND BE HEARD!

Calif Pizza Kitchen Scores an Ace with Los Al Girls Tennis!

CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN is offering to donate 20%  on all checks on Monday June 27,2011.   All you have to do is take in  a copy of their flyer (shown below)  The 20% will be donated to the Los Alamitos High School Girls Tennis Program and the girls thank you in advance.

Here’s an open letter from the Girls.

“Please join us at California Pizza Kitchen for a flavorsome fundraising event.  All you need to do is bring in this flyer on our scheduled date and present it to your server when ordering. 20% of your check will benefit our organization.  So come out and enjoy something delicious from the CPK menu. Your taste buds will thank you, and so will we.”

This is a great opportunity for those who have not yet tasted CPK’s unique and outstanding pizzas and help Los Al HS Girls Tennis at same time at: California Pizza Kitchen-Seal Beach-12171 S B Blvd.Tel-562.430.2695 Mon 6/ 27/11

Print the flyer shown below and use it when you pay your bill.

Los Alamitos HS Girls Tennis/California Pizza Kitchen Seal Beach/12171 Seal Beach Blvd.

Seal Beach, Ca 90740/562.430.2695 Monday June 27, 2011

Thanks for the support.

=============              ================         ==============

PHILANTHROPIZZA

Please join us at California Pizza Kitchen for a flavorsome fundraising event.

All you need to do is bring in this flyer on our scheduled date and present it to your server when                                                        ordering. 20% of your check will benefit our organization.                                                                                              So come out and enjoy something delicious from the CPK menu.                                                                                                    Your taste buds will thank you, and so will we.                                                                                                                                                  We can’t wait to see you.

Donation amount excludes proceeds from tax & gratuity.                                                                                                            Manager, please attach this flyer to the guest check.                                                                                                                         Valid for dine-in and take-out only.                                                                                                   Event proceeds void if flyers are distributed in or near the restaurant.

Mike Bulbe invites EVERYONE…to the Monday Night Council Meeting

by Mike Bulbe

Dear Seal Beach Residents

If you are as confused and mystified about the DWP property (the 10 acres on First Street in Old Town) and how the city came to pay the developers $1,000,000 (yep, that’s a million dollars) for land that the developers cannot use, then come to the Seal Beach City Council meeting this Monday, June 13.  The city staff will explain this…. perhaps.

As it stands, the one million dollars the city spent bought approximately seven acres of land that has a history of contamination, the part where the power plant used to be. How this contamination has been handled is questionable, and it is not clear to me what level of cleanup has been achieved.  If the DWP property is anything like contaminated sites around the country and in other parts of Seal Beach, there is no telling how much liability the city is taking on, nor how much it will cost to resolve.

The developers originally planned 39 lots for houses on the DWP property, mostly on the part of the property that is away from the contamination.  Then the original 39 lots inflated to 48 lots on a bigger footprint of land.  The city actually GAVE the developers some additional land to account for some of the increase in the number of lots!

The City Council decided not to press the developers for money to create park or open space on the city’s purchased property. (This could have been done using existing state laws that allow cities to assess developers routinely.)

I could go on, but I think you understand what I’m driving at.  The developers bought ten acres of waterfront property for less than 5 million dollars, sold a portion of this to the city for a million dollars, and now plan 48 lots on the part that is left over.  It looks to me like the citizens of Seal Beach could be left holding the bag, a noxious bag, and so could the city council members.

Bring your questions to the Seal Beach City Council meeting.  That is this Monday, June 13, at 7 PM, at City Hall on Eighth Street in Old Town.

If you cannot attend, the meeting will be broadcast to Time Warner subscribers on channel 3.

DWP Overlay Boundaries Map 6-11[2]

This is an opportunity to create a legacy worthy of the future of Seal Beach.

World War II Submariners Remembered

To say that  the 34^th “Tolling the Boats” was an emotional experience – – – doesn’t do justice to the Service  held at the World War II National Submarine Memorial – West , at the Naval Weapons Station in Seal Beach.

World War II Veterans of the sub-service were there as were the widows of some who were lost during the war and those that had passed on since.

This was the 34^th Memorial Service at the base and considering that the first boat lost was a few days after Pearl Harbor, (the Sea Lion on December 10^th, 1941)….there was a surprisingly large group present.  Almost 400 people by our estimate.

The Memorial has been upgraded recently by donations from many groups and one of the upgrades has made it much more friendly to wheelchair visitors.  In addition there is a reflecting pool and a surprisingly peaceful ambience considering it is next to a busy highway. (This reporter has visited it many times over the years…and I’ve always been the only visitor there.)

Following a wonderful talk about the Submarine Service by the Commander Brien Dickson of the Fast Attack Sub….the Jefferson City, (SSN-769) ex-submariners, widows, family members and those with ties to the men on the 52 ‘boats’ lost in WW II went to stand at each memorial for each boat.  In all over 3,500 US Navy men lost their lives.

As Joe Koch read off the name of each submarine lost..the date and the number of men lost or survived,  Kay Staggs ‘tolled the bell’  and a volunteer who knew someone on the boat walked slowly and placed a flower next to the Memorial for that sub.  There was someone there for each of the 52 subs lost!

There were not many dry eyes in the crowd and that included many future submariners  in Sea Cadets and Boy Scouts.

The first U.S. submarine was bought by the U.S. Navy and commissioned in 1900 and on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese failed to attack the sub-pens at Pearl Harbor, they left a tiny fleet of subs that reeked havoc on them in the Pacific. Today the U.S. has a fleet that is without equal.  The new nuclear submarines played a major role in winning the Cold War and continue to protect U.S. interests worldwide.

In a future issue What’s Up In Seal Beach intends to do a more in depth article on the submarine fleet and the Naval Weapon’s Station.

Today, however, we honor “..Those still on patrol”

Memorial Day Services at WW II Submarine Memorial

MEMORIAL DAY SERVICES TO BE HELD AT WWII SUBMARINE MEMORIAL   . . . ABOARD NAVAL WEAPONS STATION SEAL BEACH

SEAL BEACH, CALIF. The United States National Submarine Memorial West, located at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, will be the site of annual public Memorial Day services Monday, May 30.

The 11:00 am observance will include the emotional “tolling the boats” ceremony, during which the name of each of the 52 U.S. submarines lost during World War Two is read aloud, along with the fate of each crew, as a bell is tolled.

The guest speaker will be Commander Brien W. Dickson, the Commanding Officer of the attack submarine USS Jefferson City (SSN 759).

The free event will be open to the public and is hosted by the Los Angeles Area “Diesel Boaters” Chapter of the U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II, and the Los Angeles-Pasadena Base of the United States Submarine Veterans, Inc.

The submarine memorial is located aboard the Naval Weapons Station at 800 Seal Beach Boulevard, between Westminster Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway, in the City of Seal Beach.

(Editor’s note: We’ve gone to the submarine memorial on Seal Beach Blvd. on several occasions.  It is a very emotional monument when one looks at the losses these brave men had during the early years of the war.  One can only imagine what a moving experience this will be for all those present next Monday.)

For more information contact the Naval Weapons Station Public Affairs Officer, Mr. Gregg Smith, at (562) 626-7215.  More information about the National Submarine Memorial site is also available online at http://www.cnic.navy.mil/SealBeach/index.htm.

Seal Beach Run nominated for Governor’s Award

( A note from Marc and Elisabeth Loopesko)

Dear Neighbors,

The April 2nd RUN SEAL BEACH event has been nominated for the CA Governors Award (we are honored Tim !) (see attached).  Will you take a few moments and post a comment of support on the race and the fund raising aspect which supports city & school fitness and recreation programs, teams (just under $700,000.00 in past 10 years and another large amount to be given out this coming June 13th !)

Thank you,

Marc & Elizabeth Loopesko

—

Dear Tim,

Thank you for submitting a Spotlight Award nomination for Run Seal Beach in our Event of the Year category.

You can now view your nomination on our website by clicking on this link: http://calgovcouncil.org/spotlight/events/4273/?nomination=1.We encourage you to share the link above with family, friends, associates and colleagues so that they may write comments of encouragement for your nomination.

Note: The deadline for nominations and comments is June 30th at midnight.
Good Luck!
Kimberly Selman
Program Associate
Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
www.CalGovCouncil.org <http://www.calgovcouncil.org/

Run Seal Beach is an annual 5K, 10K and Kids Fun Run 1K that serves over 5,000 runners annually. The event is coordinated by a very committed volunteer committee that is dedicated to producing a high quality event that has become a source of pride for the city and its residents.

The event consists of a 5K and 10K run that features divisions ranging from 10 and under to 80 and older. For youth participants the committee offers a 1K Fun Run and Kid’s Fun Zone. The fun zone offers crafts and games for kids to participate in while the other races take place. Each child that enters the fun zone is issued a wrist band and they can only be released from the fun zone when a parent with a matching wrist band arrives to release them. This allows parents and guardians to participate in the other running events without having to worry about the safety of their children. All events are held along Seal Beach’s beautiful coastline and provide runners a unique opportunity to enjoy ocean views while participating in a first class event.

In addition to creating a great event for all participants the Run Seal Beach Committee gives all proceed back to the local community to support recreation, physical fitness and wellness purposes. This year’s event raised over 110,000 dollars for the Seal Beach Community.

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Comments:Feel Free to add your own comment to those below

Seth Eaker: It is an incredible event which engages a tremendous number of participants, volunteers and sponsors. Perhaps the best event which takes place in Seal Beach because of the amount it gives back. All volunteer produced! A true highlight is the kid’s fun run, fun zone and special t-shirts to encourage youth engagement and whole family participation.

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Carla Watson: Not only is this a great active sports event that attracts participation from folks of all ages with different running/walking ability, it is the # 1 philanthropic event
where at least $100,000, is given back to the community every year.

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Philip Gonshak: Easily the most sincere and genuine form of volunteering in Seal Beach history! Volunteers, children, families, and competitors come out in the thousands to support, run, and get involved. As a citizen and employee of the city, hands down this event deserves this award.

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