Huntington Beach Events

CITY ADMINISTRATOR- Charter Review Commission- The Charter Review Commission will review and finalize all of their recommendations at the March 16 meeting.  Unless substantive changes are necessary, a final vote on recommended amendments to the Charter as a whole will take place at the April 6 meeting.  The final recommendations of the commission will be forwarded to the City Council for their review.

CITY TREASURER –  Tip of the Week – Feeling Sleepy?Get up and take a brisk walk around the block, or even just down the hall.  Being upright and active will speed oxygen to your brain and give your energy levels a much-needed boost.

COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT- Beach Maintenance – The beach, pier, and parking lots were closed for several hours on Saturday due to a Tsunami warning. On Sunday, waves reaching 16 feet and high tide of 6.3 flooded the beach service road in the morning causing temporary closure for several hours.  Beach Maintenance Crews were able to get sand berms up in front of the beach condos and Lifeguard Headquarters before flooding occurred.  Clean up from the recent storms continued with the beach crew removing over 3,400 cubic yards of debris from the beach over the last two weeks.

Junior Lifeguard Preparation Class – The 2010 Junior Lifeguard Program is just around the corner.  Experienced instructors will help your child improve their swimming skills and teach them tricks to improve their time during the scheduled tryouts in May.  This preparation class begins on March 8 and will be held twice a week on either Monday and Wednesday, or Tuesday and Thursday for $205. Additionally, your child may attend all four days for $355.  Classes are conducted at the Marina High School Pool on Springdale and Edinger from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.  Please log onto hbsands.org for registration information.

Upcoming HB Reads Author Event- Huntington Beach Reads One Book brings the authors of “They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky” to Huntington Beach on Thursday, March 11, 2010. Sudanese refugees now living in Southern California, the authors’ compelling story and their gentle, positive spirit is a moving experience.  After fleeing their villages in southern Sudan, Benson Deng, Alephonsion Deng and Benjamin Ajak—all under the age of seven—survived on their own for five years before reaching a northern Kenya refugee camp.  They became known to the world as the “Lost Boys of Sudan.”

A rare visit to Long Beach by “Liberty Belle

The fully restored World War II Boeing B-17 Bomber is doing her final flight check before taking flight over Long Beach and Los Angeles in March

The Liberty Foundation’s Salute to Veterans Tour, which began in Atlanta, has been making it’s way across the United States. The Liberty Belle will land at Long Beach Airport this weekend.

Public flights will be available March 6-7 at the Long Beach Airport and next weekend, March 13-14, at the Burbank Airport. The Liberty Belle usually flies from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day with ground tours after the flights.

The B-17 “Liberty Belle” takes passengers on a flight back-in-time that inspires respect for the men and women who gave so much to protect America’s freedoms. The flight begins with an historical briefing about the significance of the B-17, then takes to the air for a scenic tour over the local area.

Curious residents that prefer to keep both feet on the ground can visit the air field to watch the Liberty Belle fly and take a ground tour.

A total of 12,732 B-17’s were produced from 1935–1945. Today, fewer than 100 exist and fewer still are in airworthy condition.

The Liberty Foundation’s B-17 “Liberty Belle” is one of only 14 B-17’s that still fly today. “Liberty Belle” was built towards the end of the war and never saw any combat. It is painted in the colors and nose art of the original “Liberty Belle” B-17 that flew countless missions with the 390th bomb group of the 8th Airforce.

Flights are $430 for non Liberty Foundation members and $390 for foundation members. Call 918-340-0243 to schedule your flight.

The Liberty Foundation relies solely on donations and contributions to help defray the B-17’s high operational expense and maintenance costs.

Watch the slideshow below for photos of the Liberty Belle B-17 Bomber flights go to: http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/liberty-belle-restored-b17-bomber-to-fly-over-long-beach-and-la/

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Buffet calls out Financial Leaders

Berkshire Hathaway chairman suggests Wall Street execs have gotten off lightly

Buffett used his update on subsidiary Clayton Homes, the largest producer of modular and manufactured homes, to touch off a discussion of the U.S. housing market.

Warren Buffett sees a housing-market turnaround coming. In addressing oversupply, Buffett said the economy reduced new housing starts to a number well below the rate of household formations.

“[This] means that within a year or so residential housing problems should largely be behind us.

To read the entire article go to : http://www.marketwatch.com/story/buffett-calls-out-financial-leaders-2010-02-27?pagenumber=2Buff

Seal Beach Firm Searches for Maritime Executive for Port of Tacoma

The Port of Tacoma Commission on Tuesday selected Shey-Harding, a Seal Beach, Calif.-based executive search firm, to help the port find a new executive director.

The commissioners heard from three finalists and chose Shey-Harding oof Seal Beach because of its flexibility, industry involvement and available resources, said Tara Mattina, the port’s spokeswoman.

The board has said it is looking for a company that has experience recruiting maritime industry executives, planning and conducting outreach and communications related to the search, and helping negotiate an agreement with a final candidate.

The port received nine proposals from firms vying for the contract. Only one of the companies – Seattle-based Waldron & Co. – was from Washington state.

Port staff members plan to check the winning company’s references and negotiate a contract to bring to the commission, perhaps as early as March 4, for approval, Mattina said.

The contract amount hasn’t been decided. But Shey-Harding’s proposal stated that the company charges 25 percent of the hired director’s first-year base salary. The former director made about $220,000 a year.

Tim Farrell left the port at the end of last year. Deputy director John Wolfe is working as the port’s interim director until a new leader is found.

OC’s most Delicious Dining event returns February 28th – March 6th

More than 100 restaurants across Orange County’s vast dining landscape are ready to dish up amazing food at fantastic prices during Orange County’s most anticipated culinary event.

From all corners of the county this foodie celebration provides OC locals the opportunity to indulge in a selection of specially priced prix fixe menus from over 100 of Orange County’s best Restaurants. These menus showcase some of the region’s most talented chefs who have personalized each menu to reflect their culinary style. The prix fixe menus are priced at $10, $15 and $20 per person for lunch, and $20, $30 or $40 per person for dinner. The only thing to make for dinner during Restaurant Week is reservations!

This is the time for food lovers to try new places, get groups of friend and dine out and just really enjoy a week of fabulous dining. Start planning your week of dining out.

For more information visit OrangeCountyRestaurantWeek.com.

Navy’s Newest Destroyer Do To Arrive in Seal Beach

By Surface Forces Public Affairs

The Navy’s newest Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer, USS Dewey (DDG 105), will arrive at Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station, Friday, Feb. 26.  The ship’s crew will be taking part in community relations projects over the coming week prior to its formal commissioning ceremony, to be held at the base on March 6.

The new destroyer honors Adm. George Dewey (1837-1917) who commanded the Asiatic Station from the cruiser Olympia. Shortly after the onset of the Spanish-American War, Dewey led his squadron of warships into Manila Bay on April 30, 1898. The next morning, his squadron destroyed the Spanish fleet in only two hours without a single American loss.

A widely popular hero of his day, Dewey was commissioned admiral of the Navy, a rank created for him in March 1903.

Two previous ships have proudly carried his name.  The first was a destroyer (DD 349) that survived the attack on Pearl Harbor and went on to receive 13 battle stars for World War II service.  The second was a destroyer commissioned as a guided-missile frigate (DLG 14) before being reclassified as a guided-missile destroyer (DDG 45).

This will be the very first Naval vessel to be commissioned in Orange County.

Robbery at Gun Point in Old Town

It would seem that  pleasant old town atmosphere is changing in recent months.  Two local men were taking a leisurely walk on Center St. when they were robbed by two other men, both of whom had hand guns.

It happened Saturday night, Feb 2o. The robbers were not intimidated  by the  three or four empty police cars parked near the pier.

The robbery occurred shortly before midnight and the thieves ran before the police could get there.

Police ask that anyone with information please  call Det. Gary Krogman at (562) 799-4100, ext. 1108.

Heidi Klum and Seal head to Catalina

Heidi, Seal and the kids head to one of the few places in So. Cal where they can have family fun and avoid the darned spotlight.

We all want to become famous…until we do become famous and find out what its like to lose your anonymity.   Well when it happens to you …just get a jacket with a hood, do your best to get under the radar…and fly to a nearby island.

Of course when you’ve got a brood of beautiful kids you may find that people are more interested in your kids than they are with you and they won’t notice you at all.  Ah, the best of all worlds.

For more info go to Celebrity Gossip at :http://www.celebrity-gossip.net/celebrities/hollywood/heidi-klum-catalina-island-family-fun-215698/

U.S.S. Bunker Hill and U.S.S. Higgins en route to help Haiti mission

 

 

 

 

 

 By Gidget Fuentes – Staff writer Navy Times

Posted : Sunday Jan 17, 2010 10:08:00 EST

 (“whatsupinsealbeach” Ed.Note – The U.S.S. Higgins  stopped  in Seal Beach twice in 2009) 

SAN DIEGO — The guided missile cruiser Bunker Hill was making full speed Saturday from the coast of Panama to reach Haiti and join U.S. military efforts in the Caribbean island devastated by Tuesday’s massive earthquake.

Bunker Hill will join other San Diego-based ships, including destroyer Higgins and aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, already off the coast of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital city. Officials fear that the death toll, currently estimated at about 50,000, will rise above 100,000 as searches and assessments continue.

 The ships are part of the Navy’s expanding sea base, which will include four ships with Norfolk, Va.-based Bataan Amphibious Ready Group as well as the hospital ship Comfort, which was leaving its home in Baltimore for the humanitarian and disaster relief mission led by U.S. Southern Command. The Bataan group is carrying landing craft and Marines, vehicles and helicopters with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit from Camp Lejeune, N.C.

With Port-au-Prince’s seaport nearly destroyed by the powerful quake, and a limited tarmac and support at the city’s international airport, military and U.S. Coast Guard helicopters are filling a central role in assisting evacuations of the wounded, transporting military and medical personnel and delivering supplies to areas made even more remote and inaccessible by vehicles.

“The big action going on here are helicopters flying of the Carl Vinson,” Higgins’ commanding officer, Cmdr. Carl Meuser, said in a telephone interview Saturday from the ship, which was operating 16 miles from the capital. “There are heavy lift helicopters and carrier-onboard delivery aircraft flying” between Haiti, Vinson and the naval base at Guantanamo Bay.

Higgins, carrying a crew of about 270 sailors, arrived Thursday off the coast. Meuser said Navy officials were concerned that the quake might have altered the seabed and potentially put underwater obstacles in the way that could damage ships’ hulls, so the ship guided Vinson through the channels and into the port.

Bunker Hill had left San Diego on Jan. 10 to load weapons at Seal Beach Naval Station, Calif., and was headed to Panama for a scheduled port visit when orders came to join the Haiti mission.

“By Wednesday, we were making full speed toward Panama to accelerate our arrival,” said Capt. Dominic DeScisciolo, Bunker Hill’s skipper, in the joint teleconference call with Higgins’ commander as his ship sailed off the Pacific side of Panama. The ship’s sailors “really want to try to make a difference to ease the suffering on the ground.”

The ship is expected to reach Haiti and by early Monday and join Vinson and Carrier Strike Group 1, which is led by Rear Adm. Ted Branch aboard Vinson.

Like Higgins, Bunker Hill does not have its own complement of helicopters but is “a very capable ship,” De Scisciolo said, noting the ship’s advanced radars, sensors and air control capabilities that “will allow us to provide these services for all of the helicopters navigating back and forth from Guantanamo to Port-au-Prince.”

 “Our full goal is to try to stem the human suffering,” he said.

 Higgins can support the Navy’s H-60 Seahawk helicopters, while Bunker Hill, with a larger flight deck, can accommodate an array of Coast Guard, Air Force and Marine Corps helicopters, including the CH-46E Sea Knight medium lift transport that will arrive in the region with the Bataan ready group.

That air support, along with fixed-wing aircraft that are operating out of the capital’s airport, will be critical in delivering much-needed water, food and medical supplies to help the affected Haitians because the quake knocked out the capital’s seaport. “The port facility itself was wrecked,” Meuser said, noting that a large crane used to move containers from the pier “just fell into the water. The port itself is just unusable.”

As they join in with delivering supplies and aid and helping transport the wounded, both skippers also have their attention on the security situation, particularly off the coast as fears surface of a mass migration of Haitian refugees if help doesn’t come quick enough. Haiti’s recent past is dotted with the tidal wave of refugees escaping civil war and severe poverty and taking to the high seas in small boats, inflatable tubes and even 50-gallon drums in efforts to reach Florida, Cuba or other islands.

“That is something that is getting a fair amount of attention at levels above me,” Meuser said. “At this point, we haven’t seen that big migration or signs of that.” If the situation gets dire, he said, “we could very well have something of a mass migration.”

Such flow of refugees “has been done before,” he added.

That could lead to “the worst case scenario,” said DeScisciolo. “If the poor, destitute Haitians decided … they would rather take their chances and take to their boats … that will pose quite a vexing problem for us. We certainly would keep our ship secure.”

Ships would render aid to any imperiled on the seas as needed under existing international laws of the sea, the skippers said. Higgins’ equipment includes two rigid-hull boats and boat teams that could help pluck Haitians out of the water, and the ship could provide food and aid, “but then we have to take them some place,” Meuser said.

Meuser said the mission, coming near the end of Higgins’ round-the-world deployment, shows the Navy is “the global force for good” hailed in the service’s latest recruiting slogan. “We are going to stay here as long as we are told to stay,” he added.

 For more information and current video interviews with above personnel go to:

   www.navytimes.com/news/2010/01/navy_bunkerhill_011610/

Here comes the flood, there goes the flood, here comes another one?

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