What A Finale For Our Summer Concerts

by George Banker

Thanks to our Concert Series Sponsors – Alan Brawer at Verizon FIOS and Jim & Shana Klisanin at Baytown Realty.  Special thanks to O’Malley’s Brian Kyle for sponsoring The Elm Street Band last night.

As usual the blankets and chairs had filled Eisenhower Park by 7 a.m.  Needless to say the chairs weren’t filled until 5 p.m.  Some Seal Beacher’s brought their dinners and sandwiches and many others took care of their appetites at our local bistros.

As usual the event was packed happy people.  The 50/50 Opportunity Drawing sent one lucky attendee out to shop local with $700 cash.  The Chamber appreciates your support and those of us at What’s Up In Seal Beach thank the Chamber for all they do to keep our city the town that it is.

Lots of “downtown” areas  across our great country have unfortunately  turned into deserts since the rise of suburbs and the “big-box” stores; but because of our very active Chamber of Commerce and our very loyal citizens we’ve managed to not only save our downtown area but it has prospered. The summer band series, the Car Show, Christmas Parade and similar venues have allowed Seal Beach to maintain that way of life that some of us remember from our childhood and now our children and grandchildren can experience it themselves.  That doesn’t exist in many places in the U. S.

The Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce sponsors and promotes a ton of great events in the Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, Long Beach and Rossmoor areas.  Check them out at sealbeachchamber.org. If you or any of  your business contacts want to get involved in our great community, please let me know.

Hope you enjoy the attached photos!  Please forward to others who may enjoy the pictures.  If you want to see yourself or your friends in future pictures contact George Banker at the address at the bottom of this page.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=720937599803%3A1807470427&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee

George Banker
Seal Beach Chamber – Director of Membership
562-842-6690
Pearce Consulting, Inc.

Walk For the Beach and Yourself !

September 18, 2010 a day for all of us. Starting location: 15 1st Street, Seal Beach. $25 Entry Fee-tax deductible.

Entry fee Includes Pink or Black “Keep It Clean” T-shirt, Water, Free Parking

EASY Route-  Jetty to Jetty 2.25 miles

For really ambitious participants, we will be conducting a beach cleanup on
this day and you are welcome to take a bag and pick up trash along the route.

Register online at www.saveourbeach.org

Your participation helps support Save Our Beach in our efforts to keep our beach beautiful and educate others how they can help.

(If you’re not registered by 9/4, cost is only $20 but will not include t-shirt
and children 12 & under are only $15)

Here’s what is up for grabs…in addition to how good you’ll feel after helping our town and our beach!

====================

8 a.m. FREE Yoga for first 50 entries
(Yoga provided by Karen Kazanci)

9 a.m. start of walk

10 a.m. FREE Boot Camp for first 25 entries
(Boot Camp provided by www.fitnessworkx.com <http://www.fitnessworkx.com> )

FREE Kids Zone
(bounce house – temporary tattoos – face painting – buried treasures game – coloring contest)

FREE Mini Massage & Back Alignment 9 to 11
(Massage & Back Alignment provided by Champion Chiropractic)

Save Our Beach is a 501c3 non profit organization ID #35-2176382

Seal Beach’s own “Ole” Receives Surfing Hall of Fame Award

Last Saturday was the 17th annual “Ole Long-board Classic”  in Maui. The guy it was named after is Bob ‘Ole’ Olson who started shaping boards in Seal Beach in 1956 and he was inducted into the Surfboard Builders Hall of Fame this month.

Ole was a wood shop teacher at Rancho Los Alamitos High School and he’d shape boards at night and on weekends.  He likes to reminisce …. in a low key way…”Aw you know…surfing was just becoming popular and you could sell a two by four as a surfboard.”

Ole is the 5th Hawaii builder to be inducted into the Surfboard Builder’s Hall of Fame…joining such as Duke Kahanamoku and Rabbit Kekai. He’s the oldest living board builder that’s still making boards.

Ole was one of  Hobie’s first shapers (if  not the first?) He still surfs the Maui reef almost everyday.  Not for too many waves ….. but every day. This writer is proud to say the Ole is his friend!

For the complete story see the August 13 issue of the Maui News

Grand Marshals Chosen for Seal Beach’s 95th Birthday

A parade that will march down Electric Ave. on Sunday, October 10

It will be celebrating the 95th Anniversary of Seal Beach and  Kim and Steve Masoner and Lynne Pranter Phipps will be co-Grand Marshalls.

They will represent two different times in our town’s history. Kim and Steve, the present and the Lynne Pranter Phipps family …the historic times of our town.

Kim Masoner and her husband, Steve founded ‘Save Our Beach’ and the effort has grown from a handful of local volunteers to a nonprofit organization with a mailing list of more than 12,000 people across Southern California. Kim explains, “We started “Save Our Beach” because we live along the ocean. It’s literally our backyard and we took  long walks and picked up trash along the way. We were often asked if we had any extra bags. People just wanted to help. So we started carrying extra trash bags on our walks. And then we decided if there is that much interest …we’ll just make it easier for them by conducting a beach cleanup on a monthly basis.

Kim said, “Then we added ‘California Coastal Day,’ where we have 3 locations AND we also added a monthly “Riverbed/Wetlands Cleanup.”  Masoner schedules beach cleanups normally on the third Saturday of every month, and also organizes impromptu cleanups after major storms.

Once a week, she hosts field trips for elementary school children from San Diego to Santa Monica. Students help clean up a local beach and also learn how to prevent trash from ending up on the sand. Save Our Beach’s work doesn’t stop at the shore. After each event, Masoner donates old tennis balls to the local animal shelter and washes clothing found on the beach to donate to the homeless.The Masoners have received more awards than we can print here for their efforts in cleaning up the coast for over 10 years.

Regarding our other Grand Marshall, well her family has played an important part in “old” Seal Beach and “new” Seal Beach. Pretty much been on the scene for most of its 95 years.

Lynne Pranter Phipps’ great grandmother, Clara E. Boling Watts, lived in Tent City; grandmother; Jessie Reed was first woman mayor in Orange County when she became our Mayor.  She fought the legal gambling ordinance all her life. Founder of the Woman’s Club of Seal Beach in 1923 and proprietor of Tent City. Lynne’s mother, Norma Pranter, also lived in Tent City.  Tent City also had some wooden cottages and it was a resort for “summer people.” It was  between 12th and 14th streets and was popular between 1918 and 1938 .  Norma was president of the Woman’s Club of Seal Beach 1951 -52.

Lynne has a son and granddaughter living in the same building she lived in and it was , remodeled by her Great Grandmother and Grandfather.  It was a hone that  that was brought over from the Seal Beach Airport in 1944 when the navy moved in and now still sits on the property at 316 & 316 1/2 10th St. Her son, Lee, wife and Granddaughter, Haley, live there. 11 year old Haley is the sixth generation Seal Beacher.

How lucky we are to have a “ForeMother” and two outstanding young whippersnappers bringing all these kudos to our town’s 95th birthday.

Congratulations, Kim, Steve and Lynne!

HELP POLICE FIND THIS HIT AND RUN DRIVER!

On Saturday, August 14, 2010 between approximately 2:50 am and 3:01 a.m., Seal Beach Police Officers responded to the area of Seal Beach Blvd and Bradbury on the report of an injury traffic collision in which a bicyclist had been struck and severely injured by a Hit & Run driver.

The victim, described as a male in his mid-twenties, was found at the scene by people walking home.  At the time of this press release the victim was in surgery at Long Beach Memorial Hospital with severe head trauma.

The ensuing traffic collision investigation uncovered information indicating that the suspect vehicle may have been a mid-80’s Toyota.  The severity of the collision  indicates that the vehicle undoubtedly sustained considerable front-end damage as a result of the collision.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the Seal Beach Police Department and ask for:

• Officer Craig Jones, Traffic Investigator:                        (562) 799-4100 x-1632
• Officer Joseph Garcia, Traffic Investigator:            (562) 799-4100 x-1649
• On-Duty Watch Commander:                                     (562) 799-4100 x-1115

Our police need your help in solving this accident!

BP has to clean up Seal Beach gas station NOW. . . says Orange County Health agency

BP, nee British Petroleum, has been given the ultimatum we all hoped for.  “Clean up the dirt that’s been affected by underground leaking of gas tanks at the ARCO station at 490 Pacific Coast Highway.”

This has been a long battle against BP…but on  Thursday August 10 the Orange County Health Care Agency directed BP to get the process started….and its great news for the residents in the area who have been suffering from the leakage.

For the full story go to: http://www.oc180news.com/article/West_Orange_County_Features/Current_Interest/County_Issues_Seal_Beach_Gas_Station_Clean_Up_Directive_To_BPARCO_City_Manager_Calls_letter_Perfect/19003

Rancho Los Alamitos- – our nearby treasure calls

If you haven’t visited this delightful remnant of a once giant 18th century land grant you are missing an enjoyable afternoon.  The tour of the adobe home is wonderful and the grounds are spectacular.

Its behind CSULB but the only access is at the end of Palo Verde Rd.   Get off the 405 at Palo Verde and go south to the end.  There is a gated community and you just tell the guard you are going to the Rancho. Its about 10 minutes from Seal Beach.

Its a hidden treasure of Long Beach that I just found a few months ago. No entry fee and dedicated docents to tell you tall tales .

When you go there you can just take a tour of the gardens or you can visit the Rancho or do both.  The grounds are in spectacular conditions. Be sure and tell them that you want to see their box bamboo trees. If there is a little wind they will play you a soothing melody.

If you have a 1/2 hour it is a delightful garden to walk through.  Mostly cacti but some very interesting trees.  The two humungous trees in front of the home are ‘only’ 75/80 years old…..I’d have guessed several centuries.

For the complete story go to:
http://www.latimes.com/features/home/la-hm-rancho-alamitos-20100807,0,2914747.story

Seal Beach “ain’t Bell!”

Not that any of us thought our town leaders were overcharging but this little snippet was sent to us by Jan Sledge, the Executive Assistant to City Manager Dave Carmany.   Always nice to have the information right out in front of the citizens before they even ask for it.

Per Jan: “Given the recent local and national coverage of the City of Bell, several cities are experiencing a significant increase in Public Records Act (PRA) requests for city council and executive management salary information.  In that regard, attached is an executive management salary table that was prepared for release by the City Clerk’s office in response to PRA requests of this nature.  In addition, the executive management salary table and all current MOUs were also uploaded to the City’s website under Human Resources with a link to “Labor Agreements.”  These documents are available online on the City’s website at the following link:

http://www.ci.seal-beach.ca.us/humanres/employopp.html.

Jan Sledge – Executive Assistant to City Manager

Another Blast on the Beach by “Nobody Cares”

Great time out on the beach last night. (Wed. July 28)   Tons of people turned out for another excellent show.  It certainly appeared that everyone there…including the band “Nobody Cares” … had a great time.  By the way they should change their name…the audience cared FOR THEM!

Don’t forget there will be 6 more concerts.  All on Wednesday evenings.

Thanks to our Concert Series Sponsors – Alan Brawer at Verizon FIOS and Jim & Shana Klisanin at Baytown Realty. Thanks to Alice Billman from Wellsprings Massage & Bodywork and Georgia Hollis the Appliance Diva for sponsoring the Nobody Cares concert.

The 50/50 Opportunity Drawing sent one lucky attendee home with $370 cash.  The Chamber appreciates your support.  Get your future tickets at the Seal Beach Chamber Booth as you walk in to your seats.

The Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce sponsors and promotes a ton of great events in the Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, Long Beach and Rossmoor areas.  Check us out at sealbeachchamber.org.  If you, your business or any of your contacts want to get involved in our great community, please let me know.

Hope you enjoy the attached photos!  Please forward to others who may enjoy the pictures.  If you want to see yourself or your friends in future pictures, just let me know at future chamber events.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=709853088803%3A1819696866&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee

Good to see you all last night and remember to call with any questions about the Chamber or email me, George Banker, at gbanker3@gmail.com

The Chamber would like to say THANK YOU for coming to the concerts, supporting our Summer Concert Series and making our community such a great place to live and work.  See you all around Seal Beach…… SHOP LOCAL!

Weapon’s Station Now on Facebook

The page is open to the public and will include information about wildlife refuge tours and other public events, special drills, exercises and tests of base siren and loudspeaker systems, and other non-sensitive command information of interest to the local community.

“Our goal is to provide timely updates on installation activities, and to give our community neighbors a better sense of some of the things that go on inside the fence line,” said base spokesman Gregg Smith.  “It is also intended as a way for community members to ask questions and provide feedback about base operations from their perspective.”

The command Facebook page can be found by searching Facebook under “Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach.”

Editor’s Note: Seal Beach and nearby communities are GREATLY REWARDED by the environmental efforts that are made by the base.  It may be the most “GREEN” military facility in the continental U.S. !

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