First Ever! Clean up at Navy Beach

Kim Masoner <kim@saveourbeacgh.org> is calling All Hands On Deck For 1st Ever Public Navy Beach Cleanup this Saturday – February 12th ~ 8:30 to Noon – Please rsvp to kim@saveourbeach.org or (562) 884-6764

The Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station has kindly invited us to assist with their 1st ever public beach cleanup. This cleanup will be different from any other cleanup we’ve done because we will be using rakes to pile debris and then use shovels to put debris into trash cans and the Navy’s amphibious vehicle “the gator” will take trash cans to the dumpster to empty.

There is tons of trash on the beach and we will be picking up everything (unlike our normal cleanups where we leave natural debris). And if you happen to come across clear plastic bottles or aluminum cans, we will keep those separate so I can recycle them. If you find Capri Sun juice pouches, old cigarette lighters, any kind of balls, sand toys, baby bottles, sippy cups or other items I call “treasures” (something someone else might be able to use), please keep them separate and I’ll collect them at the end of the day. (You can put them into one of our reusable bags).

Join us any time between 8:30 a.m. and Noon to help restore this beautiful isolated beach habitat that has become choked with litter and debris from winter storms. This area is a national wildlife protectorate and provides crucial foraging habitat for a large number of migratory and resident waterfowl and shorebirds.

North Gate Road – Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

The City of Seal Beach is pleased to announce the completion of the North Gate Road Rehabilitation project.

North Gate Road was officially reopened to the public on January 21, 2011.  A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 at 3:00 p.m.  The Ceremony will be held at the Fire Station Community Center located at 3131 North Gate Road.

Members from the Seal Beach City Council will be present to celebrate completion of this project.

ELLERY IN A LANDSLIDE !

What’s Up In Seal Beach is happy to tell all of Seal Beach that Ellery Deaton has been elected to the vacant council seat for Old Town.  Below is her announcement.

Dear Friends,

Thank you for all your help and support!  Thanks to you we won by 62% to 38%.

February 28th I will be installed as the new Councilwoman for District 1.  Without you it would never have happened.

Thank you again.
Yours,
Ellery

Eisenhower’s Warning Still Challenges A Nation

This was a lead story on NPR , Monday morning, jan 17,2011; Ike’s farewell address to the country.

You can click  on the address below and listen to a speech that is surprisingly timely today.

Listen and let us hear your comments.

http://www.npr.org/2011/01/16/132935716/eisenhowers-warning-still-challenges-the-nation?sc=emaf

$1,876 parking ticket…wow – It can happen to you!

HUGE California Traffic Tickets Fines for 2011

No Insurance…as much as $796 – Pass a school bus with flashing signals $616 – Park in a bus zone $976 – Park in a disabled parking zone $976 to $1,876

Be prepared for these increases.  The fines became effective last year but because of the state’s fiscal problems look for the rules to be more strictly enforced in 2011.  State of California is broke and is trying hard to  collect money wherever it can.

If you do not stop at the red light, be ready to pay $436 in fines or if you pass a school bus with flashing red signals, you will be charged $616.  The state of California is going for blood, so be extra careful in driving, You cannot afford messing with them.  I have been hearing that Highway Patrols are under pressure to issue a lot more tickets than last year with at least 30% increase in fines over 2009, so beware of radar guns, highway and traffic cameras installed everywhere and the tougher enforcement of parking rules.

Just for your info, the next time you park in the handicapped zone, even for a minute, you will be looking at almost $1000 in parking tickets, so it’d better be worth it.

California needs money, so pay close attention and save yourself from these fines!

Traffic Ticket Fines (Effective 01/06/2010)

VC 12814.6    $214            Failure to obey license provisions.

VC 14600(A)    $214         Failure to notify DMV of address change within 10 days

Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction.

VC 16028(A)    $796         Failure to provide evidence of financial responsibility (insurance)

Note: This fine may be reduced with proof of insurance on or after the violation date.

VC 21453(A)    $436         Failure to stop at a red signal.

VC 22349          $214        Unsafe speed,  1 to 15 miles over the limit.

VC 22350          $328        Unsafe speed, 16 to 25 miles over the limit.

VC 22450          $214        Failure to stop at a stop sign.

VC 22454(A)      $616      Passing a school bus with flashing red signals.

VC 23123(A)      $148      Driving while using a wireless phone not hands free, first offense .

I know someone who got this and it ending up being $274

VC 23123(B)      $256     2nd offense for above violation.

VC 23123.5        $148      Driving while using a wireless device to send, read or write text.

VC 23124            $148     Minor driving while using a wireless phone.

VC 22500            $976     Parking in a bus loading area.

VC 22507(A)      $976     Violation of disabled parking provisions, first offense.

VC 22507(B)    $1876      Violation of disabled parking provisions, second offense.

VC 26708            $178      Unlawful material on vehicle windows.

VC 27150            $178      Adequate muffler required.

VC 27315            $148      Mandatory use of seat belts.

VC 27360            $436      Mandatory use of passenger child restraints.

Note: This fine may be reduced by completing a court authorized child seat diversion               program.

VC 27400            $178        Headsets or Earplugs covering both ears.

VC 27803            $178        Violation of motorcycle safety helmet requirements.

VC 34506            $616        Commercial Driver – Log book violation.

VC 4000              $256        No evidence of current registration.

Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction.

VC 4159              $178        Notify DMV of change of address within 10 days.

Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction.

VC 5200            $178         Proper display of license plates.

Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction.

VC 9400            $178         Commercial weight fees due.

Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction.

California needs money and will collect wherever it can.

Don’t  blame the cops. They don’t set the fines or collect them!

“It is better to prepare and prevent than to repair and repent”

WHY WE LOVE CHILDREN..in case you’ve forgotten!

A Christmas smile or two for you….and hopefully they’ll be with you all next year.  Happy Holidays from What’s Up in Seal Beach!

1) NUDITY
I was driving with my three young children one warm summer evening when a woman in the convertible ahead of us stood up and waved. She was stark naked! As I was reeling from the shock, I heard my 5-year-old shout from the back seat, ‘Mom, that lady isn’t wearing a seat belt!’

2) OPINIONS
On the first day of school, a first-grader handed his teacher a note from his mother. The note read, ‘The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents.’

3) KETCHUP
A woman was trying hard to get the ketchup out of the jar. During her struggle the phone rang so she asked her 4-year-old daughter to answer the phone. ‘Mommy can’t come to the phone to talk to you right now. She’s hitting the bottle.’

4) MORE NUDITY
A little boy got lost at the YMCA and found himself in the women’s locker room. When he was spotted, the room burst into shrieks, with ladies grabbing towels and running for cover. The little boy watched in amazement and then asked, ‘What’s the matter, haven’t you ever seen a little boy before?’

5) POLICE # 1
While taking a routine vandalism report at an elementary school, I was interrupted by a little girl about 6 years old. Looking up and down at my uniform, she asked, ‘Are you a cop? Yes,’ I answered and continued writing the report. My mother said if I ever needed help I should ask the police. Is that right?’ ‘Yes, that’s right,’ I told her. ‘Well, then,’ she said as she extended her foot toward me, ‘would you please tie my shoe?’

6) POLICE # 2
It was the end of the day when I parked my police van in front of the station.. As I gathered my equipment, my K-9 partner, Jake, was barking, and I saw a little boy staring in at me. ‘Is that a dog you got back there?’ he asked.
‘It sure is,’ I replied.
Puzzled, the boy looked at me and then towards the back of the van. Finally he said, ‘What’d he do?’

7) ELDERLY
While working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins, I used to take my 4-year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. She was unfailingly intrigued by the various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheelchairs. One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, ‘The tooth fairy will never believe this!’

8) DRESS-UP
A little girl was watching her parents dress for a party. When she saw her dad donning his tuxedo, she warned, ‘Daddy, you shouldn’t wear that suit.’
‘And why not, darling?’
‘You know that it always gives you a headache the next morning.’

9) DEATH
While walking along the sidewalk in front of his church, our minister heard the intoning of a prayer that nearly made his collar wilt. Apparently, his 5-year-old son and his playmates had found a dead robin. Feeling that proper burial should be performed, they had secured a small box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made ready for the disposal of the deceased.
The minister’s son was chosen to say the appropriate prayers and with sonorous dignity intoned his version of what he thought his father always said: ‘Glory be unto the Faaather, and unto the Sonnn, and into the hole he goooes.’ (I want this line used at my funeral!)

10) SCHOOL
A little girl had just finished her first week of school. ‘I’m just wasting my time,’ she said to her mother. ‘I can’t read, I can’t write, and they won’t let me talk!’

11) BIBLE
A little boy opened the big family Bible. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages.
‘Mama, look what I found,’ the boy called out.
‘What have you got there, dear?’
With astonishment in the young boy’s voice, he answered, ‘I think it’s Adam ‘s underwear!’

“Here kitty, kitty..you have a new house!”

A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR OUR FURRY PALS.

I’m sure you all know that there are about 15 million more cat owners than dog owners in the U.S.  So naturally there are more kittens and cats that are looking for a place to stay.

Seal Beach Residents are trying to help and the groundbreaking ceremony for the start of construction of the Helen Sanders Cat Facility is scheduled for this Saturday, December 18th, 2010 at 12:00 noon at the Care Center, located at 1700 Adolfo Lopez Drive, Seal Beach…behind the Police Station.

The  Seal Beach Animal Care Center is privately supported by the citizens of Seal Beach. No public funds are used.

The shelter  is a pro-humane, no-kill animal shelter, housing both dogs and cats. It has seen its feline population increase markedly over the past several years. This project will provide safe, comfortable housing for its many felines in a facility that protects them from the elements and minimizes the spread of disease.

The late Helen Sanders was a visionary feline advocate, and promoted what is now called “Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR)” before anybody knew what that meant. She single handedly left a legacy through her teachings about humane treatment of homeless animals and responsible pet ownership in the community around Seal Beach.

After years of struggling to make this dream come true, the SBACC is finally able to build this facility in her honor.

The public is invited to join us for this joyous occasion to celebrate the life and vision of Helen Sanders. We also need help in raising much needed funding for construction of the project. The SBACC is a 501 c 3 non-profit organization.

Refreshments will be served. Event will go – rain or shine.

City Service Calendar for November and December

• Seal Beach City Council Meetings:  December 13th & January 10th.
  

November

• Thanksgiving Day Holiday – City Hall Closed:  Thursday, November 25th & Friday, November 26th
  

• Annual Holiday Tree Lighting:  Saturday, November 27th, 4:00 p.m., Eisenhower Park
  

December

• 30th Annual Holiday Parade:  Friday, December 3rd, 7:00 p.m., Main Street
  

• Breakfast With Santa:  Saturday, December 11th,  8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., Eisenhower Park
  

• West County Connectors Project Open House:  Tuesday, December 14th, 6:00-8:00 p.m., Council Chambers
  

• City Hall Closed:  Friday, December 24th – Friday, December 31st
  

Thanksgiving Holiday
Wishing you and your families a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!!  Just a reminder that City Hall will be closed in recognition of the holiday next Thursday, November 25th and Friday, November 26th.

Holiday Closure
Just a reminder that City Hall and the Maintenance Yard will be officially closed from Friday, December 24th, through December 31st, and reopen for regular business on Monday, January 3rd.  Public safety operations will continue as normal with police, fire, and marine safety personnel.

Something for a Rainy Day

BEACH CLEANUP is rain or shine in Seal Beach tomorrow November 20. From 8 a.m. to Noon at 15 First Street, Seal Beach. We will have FREE Yoga 9 to 10 a.m. under a canopy or two if necessary due to rain and its taught by Karen Kazanci, owner of Leaping Lotus Yoga http://leapinglotusyoga.com/ And please bring canned food for “New Life Beginnings” www.newlifebeginnings.wordpress.com – if it is raining and you just want to drop off cans of food, please drive into the parking lot, pull by the blue canopies on the left of the parking lot on the grass and we will gladly take them from your car for New Life Beginnings – they need our help.

Kim Masoner Save Our Beach

SEE THE USA….IN A DIFFERENT WAY…AND THEN YOU’LL SAY….HOORAY!

This phenomenal group of photos was sent to me by a young pilot who likes the way flying was done in his Great Grandfather’s Day….flying “Low and slow!”  Low and slow pilots have learned to take the time to enjoy the trip.  Not unlike old car enthusiasts enjoy getting off the freeway and taking the small country roads.

If you haven’t done it…  you haven’t experienced the pure joy and pleasure of flying low and slow with the side window or door open
in a Piper Cub.

Look at these pictures of a trip from Corona, California to the Mississippi River…small farms in the heartland… New England,  New Jersey, the Statue of Liberty.   A trip where you land every hour or so and take time to talk to the locals…some of whom might wonder who this traveler was that dropped into their back acreage to say hello. to If you have, it will stir up a lot of pleasant memories.

Where you look up and bridges and statues instead of down and usually the autos below you are going faster than you are.

Enjoy the view!

http://www.vintageflying.com/page24.html

Trip Statistics:
Number of days on the adventure:   32 days
Number of statute miles flown:   6,906 miles (the GPS kept track)
Number of legs:  75 legs
Longest leg: 1 hour, 58 min.
Shortest leg: I’m pretty sure it’s my left leg
Flight time:  104 hours, 14 minutes (the GPS kept track)
Gallons of fuel:  445.49 gallons
Engine mechanical problems: NONE
Airframe mechanical problems: NONE
Total number of photos taken: a bunch!

« Previous Page — Next Page »