OC Sheriff’s does a good job
OCSD Capt. Mark Billings received the following letter from Rossmoor residents Jane and Jim Hur: This letter is written to send kudos to the many members of the OC Sheriff’s Department that answered our calls.
My husband and I recently called on the OCSD several times to handle an ongoing civil dispute with an unruly lodger, which has finally been resolved.
We are extremely thankful for the high level of professional service we received. Each Deputy was well prompted and briefed on the background of our situation. It was a relief for us not to have to repeat our story each time as if we were a number.
In addition, our friend who is an LAPD officer was with us on multiple occasions as a witness to our situation. He commented that the response time was outstanding and that the follow-through and mannerisms of the deputies was excellent.
Each officer handled our calls with the utmost care and empathy while remaining objective and unbiased. The level of service was local, having a strong community feel.
We felt we were visited by the neighborhood deputy that cared for the local citizens. Again, we are truly thankful to the many deputies that helped us. The “perp” in this case ruined our Thanksgiving, but the OCSD contributed to saving our Christmas.”
The following Deputies have responded to the Hur residence in the past two months reference this incident:
Deputy Catherine Geary Deputy Ryan Pierce
Deputy Bill McKeague Deputy Scott Steinle
Deputy Randy Taylor Deputy Aaron Brady
Deputy Tim Kozma Deputy Ali Pahlavan
New Seal Beach fire station leave much to be desired
I too believe that the architectural design for Seal Beach’s new fire station should have been put out to bid—especially given the result.
The City of Seal Beach had an opportunity in this matter to create a “signature” building to set itself aside from run-of-the-mill civic edifices—to create something both highly functional and also highly original.
What it got was a hodgepodge of the worst architectural trendiness of the past three decades—a too-busy-looking, awkward, fussy, undistinguished, and ill-balanced building that resembles a blend of contemporary subdivision homes, strip mall facades, and unattractive quirkiness. Architecture is art, and it is an art form that remains very public and in place for a very long time.
This building is not art.
It is artifice. This need never have been. There are any number of highly innovative architectural firms in the richness of Southern California that could have created a world-class piece of art in this fire station—and have done so for the same cost. De gustibus non est disputandum: you can’t argue about taste.
Indeed, but this building comes as close as it gets to extremely arguable.
Gary Kinzer
Seal Beach, California
Breast Cancer Angels
In 2002, I was diagnosed with stage-4 breast cancer. Luckily, I had great doctors and they were able to keep my cancer at bay. But due to unforeseen circumstances, I found myself looking for a place to live while in treatment and with no money to pay for a place.
That’s when I met Faye Dietiker and found out about Breast Cancer Angels (BCA).
Faye founded BCA in 2000 with the goal of raising money for women in treatment to pay for essentials, such as food, medicine and housing.
Faye, a survivor herself, was alarmed at how many women going through treatment were forced, due to low income or means, to make untenable choices, such as deciding between paying for food for their children or medicine for themselves. Her goal was to create an organization that operated entirely on volunteers that would give away 100% of the money raised to in-need women in treatment and their families.
A corporate sponsor pays their overhead, which enables them to assist more than 400 clients and their families in Southern California, while every year the need grows.
Breast Cancer Angels paid my rent for eighteen months. I have been a supporter ever since, and that is why I am organizing Taste at the Point on May 1.
On May 1 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., Grace First Presbyterian Church (at the corner of Los Coyotes Diagonal and Studebaker Road – the “point”) will become the site of a fundraising event that will showcase cuisine from some of the finest eateries in Long Beach.
There will also be an Artisan’s Bazaar with over 20 booths and live music.
I hope those who read this will come for the event and they can enjoy some fabulous food and music, do some shopping for Mother’s Day, and support local restaurants and artists. But you will also be helping some woman in treatment or her family with the essentials. They might even help save a life. I know, because I was that woman. For more information, call (562) 453-8650.
Lynda Green
Long Beach
