Mar
8
LAUSD District Choral Festival 3/8-3/9/10
Filed Under Community News, Education & Schools, Inspiration, Local events | 1 Comment
[Ed Note: JM still, Dave will be back posting tomorrow]
On Monday and Tuesday night at 7PM all the choirs from all the programs at the LAUSD will be joining together for the yearly festival at the LAHS Gym. Doors open at 6:30PM, and this always sells out for both nights (a very packed house).
Feb
21
Race On The Base – 2010-02-27
Filed Under Community News, Local events, News you can use, The Base | 3 Comments
[Ed note: Dave is out of town and I have been asked to cover for him while he is gone. This is STILL Dave's space, but I know that he would have put something up on this event, so I will do so in his place. - JM Ivler]
For 29 years the City of Los Alamitos has, along with the Joint Forces Training Base and The Cancer Support Foundation have been having the Race On The Base. All proceeds will benefit the USA Water Polo National Training Center at the Joint Forces Training Base. The 5K Walk is co-hosted by the Cancer Support Foundation and a portion of the proceeds, generated from the 5K Walk and through race registration, is donated to the organization.
Jan
20
Updated sand & sand bag availability for Los Al, Seal Beach, Rossmoor
Filed Under Community News, News you can use | 3 Comments
5:45 p.m. Wednesday: This just in: Los Al Fire Station now has sand bags, just stop by the front entrance before 9:30 p.m. or after 7 a.m. The sand at the north of the Los Al City Hall parking lot is supposed to be accessible 24/7, but you may need to bring your own shovel.
Sand and sand bags are also available at the downtown Seal Beach Fire Station (behind Walt’s Warf). The worst downpour is expected mid morning Thursday.
1:30 p.m. update: Latest weather reports make it sound like we’ll have some pretty intense rain and winds around 3:30 – 4:30 today, followed by “the big one” mid morning tomorrow, Thursday. More info below.
11:30 a. m. update: Fire station & city hall out of sand bags, city hall still has sand. Other options might include heavy duty trash bags, pillow cases, or waiting & hoping Ganahl’s shipment finally comes in (details below)
(01/20/2010, Los Alamitos) Many Los Alamitos City residents are being auto-called by the Los Al Police Department with a warning of extremely heavy rains and possible flooding this afternoon.
The message warns that Read more
Jan
19
Los Al drains overwhelmed? Rain’s over, water’s rising!
Filed Under 2010 Issues, Community News, News you can use | 6 Comments
(1:50 p.m., 1/19/2010, Los Alamitos) Reporting from just west of Little Cottonwood Park: After one of the most intense downpours I’ve witnessed, it wasn’t surprising to see local streets filled above the curbs with water about a half hour ago.
Nor was it a surprise when the water began receding after the rain stopped.
What was a surprise was that Read more
Oct
1
(10/2/2009, Los Alamitos) Los Alamitos’ varsity football team passed their first major test Thursday night with a solid victory over La Habra in a game in which Los Al never trailed. Another big test looms ahead this coming Thursday, October 8.
While the Griffin’s defense was not able to achieve their forth consecutive shut-out, they were able to hold La Habra’s up and coming program to less than a third Read more
Sep
3
D.A. files charges against former Los Al Man of the Year
Filed Under Community News, Decency | 18 Comments
(9/3/09) The Orange County District Attorney today filed charges of grand theft and money laundering against Los Alamitos C.P.A. Patrick David Dugan.
Dugan, who served as Treasurer of the Los Alamitos Rotary Club for ten years until discrepancies were discovered in May, 2008 by Club President and City Council Member Dean Grose.
According to the D.A.’s Press Release, Dugan is accused of stealing Read more
Sep
3
Heather Hagan leaves Community Relations position at The Base
Filed Under Community News, The Base | 1 Comment
(9/3/2009, Los Alamitos, by Dave Emerson) After three years of service as the Community Relations Specialist at the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base, Heather J. Hagan today announced that, “effective immediately, due to increased responsibilities in my schedule, I will be resigning from my position on the [Regional Military Affairs] Committee.”
The news came in an e-mail sent at noon today, Thursday, under the heading, “RMAC COMMUNITY RELATIONS CHAIR RESIGNATION EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.”
At first I thought perhaps the always helpful Heather was merely stepping down from a voluntary RMAC position, but according to Read more
Jul
23
Major General John S. Harrel
(7/23/2009) Your opportunities to meet the incoming Base Commander, to tour the Base, to tour a Guided Missile Destroyer, to enjoy community drama, or to participate in a fund raiser for Cancer relief or for Crime Victims were all included in today’s Joint Forces Training Base Announcement of upcoming events.
Interested citizens and business people will have a chance to meet and welcome incoming Base Commander Major General John S. Harrel this coming Tuesday afternoon at the regular monthly meeting of the Regional Military Affairs Committee (RMAC).
Major General Harrel previously commanded the 40th Infantry Division of the California National Guard for the past two years and previously served as the as the Chief of Staff of the Multi-National Brigade East Kosovo Force while Read more
Jun
30
Schedule for JFTB’s Big 2009 July 4th bash
Filed Under Community News, News you can use, The Base | Leave a Comment
(6/30/09, Los Alamitos) Sounds like this year’s 4th Celebration at the Joint Forces Training Base may be the biggest and best ever. Bands, speeches, and two big flyovers are just part of what’s planned. And, once again, admitance is free!
Activities begin at 2 p.m. and continue until the fireworks at 9. This year marks General James Combs retirement, not to mention the birth of our nation.
Here’s the latest, straight from Read more
Jun
18
Chuck Wackerman & McAulliffe’s amazing Jazz Band featured on this week’s “Backstory”
Filed Under Community News, Education & Schools, LosAl TV | 1 Comment
Mr. Wackerman leading practice. Photo by Jennifer Kolkin, from SealBeachDaily.com
(5/18/09, Los Alamitos, by Dave Emerson) If you want to catch a glimpse of two of Los Alamitos’ civic treasures, set your DVR to record John Underwood’s Backstory on Los Al TV 3 this week.
This week’s show features one of the more amazing people you’ll ever meet: A 78 year old musician who’s still teaching in a middle school! (To give some perspective, Read more
Jun
18
Like to write? Interested in Los Al issues? Your name here!
Filed Under Community News, Neighboring Communities, Teamwork | Leave a Comment
(6/18/09, Los Alamitos, by Dave Emerson) I’ve finally figured out that I don’t have nearly enough time to report on even a third of all that’s going on in Los Alamitos, let alone our neighboring towns.
Even if I had the time, you deserve to hear more than Read more
May
13
Anybody know a good local bank, S & L, or credit union?
Filed Under Community News, News you can use | 31 Comments
Time travel: Only possible in ABC's Lost (season finale 9 tonight!) and at Wachovia.
(5/13/09, Los Alamitos, by Dave Emerson) The front page of today’s News Enterprise reports that our local Wachovia branch was robbed last week by a 60-something Caucasian male who left on his bicycle heading north.
You’ve got to think that if the Towne Center was part of Los Alamitos, rather than Seal Beach, that our Los Al Police would have responded quicker than a balding 60-year-old could get away on his bicycle! Guess it takes longer when the police are responding from Seal Beach.
Regardless of police response time, I have another theory about this bank robbery. My guess is it was just a frustrated long-term customer who couldn’t figure out any other way to get anything done at that bank.
Pretty much like me. I can’t even find a way to deposit money into Wachovia’s Old Ranch Towne Center branch. Or get it out, for that matter. Yesterday I struck out on both counts. Now I’m looking for a new local bank.
The problems began when Wachovia bought out World Savings. Things seemed to get even worse when when the failing Wachovia was acquired by Wells Fargo with bailout money supplied by you and me.
As rates and service plummeted I’ve been wanting to change for months, but I hate the hassle of opening a new account. Last week I almost pulled the trigger (figuratively) after getting the third, fourth, and fifth degree for Read more
Mar
4
Kudos to Los Alamitos’ City Employees & Police
Filed Under City Council Meetings, Community News | 1 Comment
Staff and police prepare for last Monday's Los Alamitos City Council meeting
(3/4/09 by Dave Emerson) One apparent bright spot in the events of the past week is how professionally Los Alamitos staff and police handled the sudden, unexpected crisis. I haven’t lived here as long as Marilyn Poe, but I’m pretty sure the global interest in former Mayor Dean Grose’s e-mail created the biggest challenge our staff have faced in a long time.
According to Marilyn’s Council comments on Monday, city staff was overwhelmed with calls and e-mails to the extent they couldn’t get anything else done. Nevertheless, throughout the week as I dealt with city staff and police every one of them was as courteous, helpful, and professional as ever.
On Monday I exchanged half a dozen e-mails with City Clerk Susan Vanderpool in an effort to Read more
Feb
24
Local businesswoman “appalled” by Mayor Grose’s e-mail
Filed Under Community News, Decency | 43 Comments
The image in the Mayor's e-mail, courtesy of Keyanus Price
Correction (3/15/08) Dave here: In several posts and comments reference has been made by myself and others to Troy Edgar nominating Dean Grose to serve as Mayor. It has been called to my attention that, according to the Council minutes, Troy neither nominated nor seconded Dean to serve as Mayor last December, but he did vote for him.
I was given the information by a reputable source, and it matched my memory of that meeting, so I put it up without verifying it in the minutes. I was wrong, and deeply regret passing on that misinformation.
I don’t think that really changes anything, as the entire process seemed as well choreographed as the recent election of Troy as Mayor. Troy had worked very closely with Dean both during their two years as a two-member alliance and during the past campaign when their alliance gained a majority control of the Council after extensive walking and knocking by both Troy and Dean.
Still, I strive to pass on accurate information on this site, and regret it took this long for the misinformation to be called to my attention. I just wish someone had called it to my attention earlier. That’s one reason we have open posting–but it’s not an excuse. Sorry! Now back to our original post on the watermelon e-mail of Los Alamitos’ former Mayor Dean Grose:
(by Dave Emerson) “No Easter Egg hunt this year.” That was the heading that accompanied the above image of a watermelon field in front of the White House that Los Alamitos Mayor Dean Grose e-mailed to Los Alamitos businesswoman Keyanus Price, among others.
Price took that to mean that, “since there’s a black president, there will be no need to hunt for eggs since they’re growing watermelons in the front yard this year.”
Ms. Price, who is responsible for corporate functions and community service at Trend Offset Printing also serves on the Board of Directors of the Los Alamitos Youth Center . Interestingly enough, other Directors include Los Alamitos Council Member Marilyn Poe and Mayor Dean Grose himself.
So Price was more than surprised when she opened Grose’s e-mail: “I was horrified when I read that e-mail. What I’m concerned about is how can this person send an e-mail out like this and think it is OK?”
The e-mail, sent from the Mayor’s private business e-mail, prompted the following e-mailed response from Ms. Price (photo below): Read more
Feb
13
Collision on Katella
Filed Under Community News, Traffic | 21 Comments
OC Register photo.
Update: Click here for the Press Telegram’s photos of the crash.
5:25 p.m., 2/13/09 Just got a call from my son who was “in a long line of cars off-roading to get to the signal by the Costco gas station” because Katella was closed in both directions between Siboney (the Race Track exit) and Lexington.
The closure was caused by a potentially fatal accident. Police were present and are attempting to direct traffic, but Cerritos, Ball, or Lampson are all recommended alternate routes for at least the next several hours.
(9 p.m. update) According to an on-line OC Register article, the crash occurred at 4:05 p.m. when an eastbound Porsche convertible lost control, hopped the center media, downing a tree in the process. It then ran head-0n into a silver Honda CRV traveling westbound. A third car, apparently a truck, was also involved. Read more
