Fourth of July and political fireworks
Fourth of July came though the Southland with its usual bravado show in the various fireworks shows and celebrations in backyards all around the Sun Region. Patriotism is still alive and well in our area.
As the summer of 2012 began to heat up, so did the negotiations surrounding the Bay City Partners Project on the site of the defunct and former Los Angeles Department of Water and Power plant. The company offered the city of Seal Beach 6.4 acres of open space at no chare to the city. The donation was in exchange for permission to build the Ocean Place 32-resiential home development project.
District 1 Councilwoman Ellery Deaton and District 3 Councilman Gordon Shanks both said they would not vote for the project unless the property owners agreed to give the open land to the city. The project is located in Deaton’s district.
The council last year set aside $1.1 million in redevelopment agency funds for the purchase, which was conditioned on the Bay City Partners receiving a development permit from the California Coastal Commission.
However, since that time the state legislature had abolished city and county redevelopment agencies. Successor agencies, as they are called, are only allowed to pay the debts of the previous RDAs—subject to approval from an oversight committee.
The issue still had a few months of red tape before anything became concrete.
Youth shelter director retires
Casa Youth Shelter was facing the retirement of long time Executive Director Luciann Maulhardt as the mid-year dawned. They named a new executive director in early July.
Robin Sinclair took over the reigns of one of the most respected charities in the Sun Region. Sinclair brought more than 15 years of experience working in the field of human services, specifically with youth education.
Casa Youth Shelter’s Board of Directors was unanimous in choosing Sinclair for the position. It noted her wisdom rooted in direct experience working with disadvantaged youth.
“She also brings compassion and a deep understanding of the importance of providing a safe, nurturing environment.
Not only does she bring wisdom rooted in direct experience working with disadvantaged youth, she also brings compassion and a deep understanding of the importance of providing a safe, nurturing environment for our kids,” said Michael McCrary, former Los Alamitos Police Chief and President of Casa Youth Shelter’s Board of Directors.
Sinclair officially assumed her post on July 1, as Maulhardt welcomed her new role in the organization as a member of the Board of Directors.
Maulhardt is also Director Emeritus and would continue to liaison with Casa Youth Shelter’s donor community, including overseeing the 34th Anniversary Commander’s Ball, the shelter’s annual black-tie dinner and auction fundraiser on September 29, 2012. “It has been my great privilege to lead Casa Youth Shelter for over two decades and my sincere honor to embrace Robin Sinclair as our new Executive Director. Myldred Jones would have been so happy to see how much we’ve accomplished and she’ll be prouder still with Robin at the helm” Maulhardt said.
Casa Youth Shelter is a Los Alamitos institution, founded in 1978 by the late Myldred E. Jones, a retired Lt. Commander in the U.S. Navy.
Penny Lane out of Wiener Nationals
As the summer got under full speed, owners of Penny Lane, the intrepid dachshund that won the previous two Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals, would not run this year at the Los Alamitos Race Track for the event that raises funds for the Seal Beach Animal Care Center.
The beloved Penny Lane, who is owned by Trish Ausilio of Buena Park, is not expected to defend her title and try for a three-peat. She’s the only dog to win back-to-back crowns. She also went on to capture the national title in San Diego and ride in the Holiday Bowl parade. Fans were still able to see the popular pooch as she was scheduled to lead a post parade before one of the races.
The 17th annual Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals was held at Los Alamitos Race Course on Saturday, July 14, last year, with proceeds to benefit the center that shelters and then finds homes for stray animals in the Orange County area.
The Run Seal Beach organization along with the recipients of the grants came together in the Seal Beach Council Chambers in mid-July as the funds from the event were distributed.
This year $156,750 in grants and awards were presented to many organizations at the Seal Beach City Council meeting Monday night, July 9. Seal Beach now has one of the single largest all volunteer annual fundraising events in Orange County. With a total award size since 2003 of over $825,650, Run Seal Beach has helped hundreds of organizations make a difference.
Council OKs Ocean Place project
The Seal Beach City Council unanimously approved the Ocean Place project Monday night, July 9. If the California Coastal Commission issues a Coastal Development permit, Bay City Partners will donate 6.5 acres of the land that is the former site of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power plant in Seal Beach.
At a previous council meeting, two council members said they would not vote in favor of the project unless the property owners gave the land to the city. Seal Beach had previously agreed to purchase the land for $1.1 million in an out of court settlement. However, the state had recently denied the city’s authority to spend $1.1 million in redevelopment funds on the potential park site.
Reserving park space prohibited
Following a number of complaints, plus some vandalism on people’s property left behind, the Seal Beach City Council on Monday, July 9, unanimously directed City Manager Jill Ingram to implement a new policy that will prohibit placing personal property in the public park to reserve space before 4 p.m., on concert days.
In 2011, Old Town area residents covered the park with chairs, blankets, ice chests, etc., for as much as 12 hours prior to performances of the free Seal Beach Summer Concert series. The practice left the park inaccessible for an entire day.
Once last year, someone piled the chairs into a stack in apparent protest against the stake outs.
According to District 1 Councilwoman Ellery Deaton, the vandals stacked the chairs while others cheered them on and would have set the property on fire if the police had not arrived.
Deaton and Mayor Michael Levitt asked to have the matter put on the council agenda. The concerts take place in Deaton’s District 1.
Seal Beach Music goes silent
Seal Beach Music would soon write its last note in mid July as Eddie Montana, who had owned and managed the small mom and pop store since it opened on April 1, 2000, said it was time to pack it in..
The sounds of local music enthusiasts, from children to adults, taking their music lessons would go silent. For many, it was the day the music died in Seal Beach. The store had offered a wide assortment of musical instruments, lessons and repairs. Meanwhile, the store has been an instrument museum of sorts, with a bevy of exotic instruments hanging form the walls and ceiling that Montana has collected over many years.
