Bits 'n' Pieces

College students who are active sorority members are invited to apply for a $1,000 scholarship award from the Greater Long Beach Alumnae Panhellenic. The application deadline is March 1.

 

The outstanding young women who receive GLBAP scholarships must demonstrate excellence in academics, sorority activities, community involvement and other extracurricular pursuits. The awards program is open to students affiliated with one of the 26 National Panhellenic Conference sororities; applicants must attend California State University Long Beach or be from the Long Beach area and attend a university in another city.

 

Since 1971, GLBAP has presented almost $100,000 in scholarships to deserving students. The 2020 awards will be presented at the organization’s scholarship banquet to be held April 30 in Lakewood. 

 

GLBAP, founded in 1913, also works to promote sorority sisterhood, spotlight the accomplishments of sororities and their members, foster collaboration among sororities, partner with local institutions to solve problems facing students, and support community service projects.

 

For a scholarship application, go to www.greaterlongbeachalumnaepanhellenic.com/scholarships 

 

 

German Gastro Management is scheduling a summer 2020 opening of the restaurant group’s fourth Los Angeles area eatery, “Wood & Salt Tavern,” in the Bixby Knolls. The full-service restaurant and bar will join the group’s existing German eatery in Long Beach, Rasselbock Kitchen & Beer Garden (www.rasselbockLB.com).

 

The restaurant space, located at 4262 Atlantic Avenue, will be undergoing major changes prior to the summer 2020 opening date, TBA. More details and plans for the new restaurant concept, will be announced in the coming months.

 

 

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around”, said Leo Buscaglia, teacher, author, motivational speaker and fondly known as “Dr. Love.” While Leo died in 1998, the legacy of his foundation lives on through their mission of building community spirit by helping people to help others.

 

Pathways, a community-based organization in the Greater Lakewood/Long Beach area, embraces the spirit of Leo Buscaglia, each and every day, through the loving hands of their patient and client volunteers. With love and compassion, caring and commitment, Pathways volunteers work tirelessly throughout the local community providing companionship to the lonely, home supportive services to the frail-elderly, hospice care to the terminally and grief counseling and support to the bereaved. They are the trusted friend people turn to in their time of need.

 

Join Pathways volunteers in giving back to others during the agency’s Have A Heart campaign throughout the month of February. Step up and be the one who makes a random (or not so random) act of kindness that will make a difference in the life of someone in need.

 

If you would like to know more about Pathways, where to donate or how to become a Pathways Volunteer, please visit their website at www.pathwayshospice.org or contact Tina Hernandez (562) 531-3031 for further inquiry. 

 

 

Long Beach Airport (LGB) was named one of the Top 10 small airports in the country by USA Today readers. LGB continues to be recognized nationally as a unique airport, providing a first-class experience for all travelers.

 

After a month-long voting period, LGB scored enough votes from its large fanbase to capture the #10 position in the 2020 USA Today/10Best.com Readers’ Choice poll. This is the latest recognition for the award-winning airport. In recent years, LGB has been awarded Best Airport for Dining in the USA Today/10Best.com Readers’ Choice Poll, Best Food and Beverage Award by Airports Council International – North America and, in 2019, the Art Deco Society of California’s Preservation Award for the historic terminal. 

 

Among the amenities appreciated by LGB travelers are the 100% local dining options, an open atrium with palm trees and sunshine, a relaxing atmosphere with a garden and fire pit and the congestion-free trip from the curb to the gate.

 

The list of the Top 10 Best Small Airports in the U.S. may be found here: https://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-small-airport/. 

 

 

The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services released its 2018 Annual STD/HIV Surveillance Report, the most recent analysis of annual data available. The report shows that in Long Beach new Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections have continued to decline year-over-year and have seen a decrease of 28% since 2015. The report also notes that after substantial increases in all STDs over the past five years, rates have generally stabilized or decreased. Mayor Robert Garcia identified funds in the FY2020 budget to address the overall high rates of STDs and to continue to decrease rates of HIV in Long Beach. 

 

The recently released report showed a 7.6% reduction from the previous year in the rate of new Chlamydia cases and 10.3% reduction in new HIV infections, new rates of Syphilis were stable after experiencing a 118% increase while Gonorrhea rates increased by only 4.8% after experiencing a 270% increase from 2013-2017. Increasing rates of Congenital Syphilis continue to be a concern in the City and nationally. 

 

High rates of STDs in Long Beach have mirrored a larger nationwide issue, with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that combined cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia reached an all-time high in the United States in 2018. Most STD diagnoses in Long Beach were concentrated among people ages 15-34 years and most new HIV diagnoses are among men who have sex with men. 

 

While antibiotics can cure syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, if left untreated, STDs can be transmitted to others and produce adverse health outcomes such as infertility, ectopic pregnancy and increased risk of HIV.

 

The Health Department has implemented an STD hotline and online resource to answer questions for community members and medical providers (562) 570-4321, provides STD and HIV testing on its mobile van, and has educated over 1,000 high school students across the city about sexual health.

 

To view the annual report, visit http://bit.ly/STDReport.

 

 

Renowned cardiovascular surgeons Marc Sakwa, M.D. and Jeffrey Altshuler, M.D. are bringing their leadership, surgical advancements and world-class expertise in minimally invasive heart surgery for complex heart procedures to MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute, continuing the expansion and development of cardiovascular care services and the legacy of MemorialCare clinical pioneers and innovators at Long Beach Medical Center.

 

MemorialCare named Dr. Sakwa its System Chief of Cardiovascular Surgery for MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute and Medical Director of Adult Cardiovascular Surgery at Long Beach Medical Center. Dr. Altshuler, who joins Dr. Sakwa in performing surgeries at Long Beach Medical Center, will also lead MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute as Medical Director of Cardiovascular Surgery at Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills. 

 

MemorialCare also includes Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital, Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley MemorialCare Medical Group, Greater Newport Physicians and over 200 community-based healthcare locations from the South Bay to Long Beach and throughout Orange County, including medical imaging, ambulatory surgery, urgent care, breast health, kidney dialysis and other community-based health centers.

 

Dr. Sakwa and Dr. Altshuler are globally recognized for performing thousands of minimally invasive open-heart valve surgeries--among the largest number of these advanced procedures available only at a limited number of hospitals. With the addition of Dr. Sakwa and Dr. Altshuler, MemorialCare is now offering aortic and mitral valve heart surgery with two- to three-inch incisions in the chest instead of the six- to eight-inch wider incisions through the breastbone required with traditional open-heart surgery. 

 

Significant advantages of this minimally invasive surgery includes quicker recoveries, reduced hospital stays, less post-operative pain, smaller scars, better cosmetic results and earlier return to normal activities.

 

MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute facilities are among the most comprehensive centers for diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of cardiac disease, providing groundbreaking care for complex heart conditions, including myocardial infarction, heart failure, arrhythmias and peripheral vascular disease.

 

Two recent local DeVry University graduates, David Palmer and Janio Moreno, were honored with the People’s Choice Award at the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC). Palmer and Moreno received the award for their Solar Energy Tracking System, which is designed to collect, store and use clean renewable energy from the sun. 

 

The Solar Energy Tracking System operates by orienting a group of solar cells or solar panels into an optimal location to collect energy from the sun, then stored in lithium ion batteries to be used at a later time.

 

The system can be used in residential, commercial and personal applications to power home appliances, cars, irrigation systems, etc., or to generate energy for lighting, cooking and heat when living or traveling off the grid. 

 

The concept was created by Palmer and Moreno, along with other fellow students, in a product development class at DeVry’s Long Beach campus, where they built the energy system as their senior project, a final course required for graduation. 

 

 

Long Beach Pride today revealed a new name, logo, mission statement and website as it prepares to relaunch its annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. Formally known as the Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride, the non-profit organization works “to produce and support activities that educate, encourage and celebrate PRIDE, inclusion and respect for humanity.” A redesigned LongBeachPride.com offers a limited number of early bird tickets, priced at $20 for single-day tickets, for a limited time only, or while supplies last.

 

The 37th Annual Long Beach Pride Festival & Parade is a three-day event, starting with a free Teen Pride celebration on May 15, with a DJ, dancing and performances in a safe, chaperoned youth-only environment. A two-day waterfront festival will span May 16 and 17, offering live music, community programming, and food and drinks from local eateries, with the annual parade happening May 17. 

 

 

As the Long Beach Youth Chorus hits the halfway point of its third season, the organization’s successes are mounting: appearances with the Long Beach Symphony, Camerata Singers of Long Beach and the Long Beach Chorale; successful financial and administrative growth on the road to being a sustainable non-profit by 2021; their first successful partnership with Long Beach Unified School District to create an after-school choir at Bancroft Middle School. 

 

One of the long-term goals of the Long Beach Youth Chorus is to establish regular tours to destinations that eventually will include overseas venues. That will begin this spring as the choir takes it first weekend tour to San Diego, where the chorus will present a couple of concerts and partake of a clinic with San Diego Children’s Chorus’ Artistic Director, Ruthie Milgard. Through all of this, the organization remains committed to making the chorus open to every child regardless of financial situation. The tuition for singers remains $100, and scholarship help is available. 

 

To make all of this a reality, the chorus needs a substantial influx of new singers. Registration for the 2019-20 season continues, and now is the time to sign up to take part in these great spring events. To register for the Long Beach Youth Chorus, visit <https://www.longbeachyouthchorus.org a>nd click on “Registration.” 

 

Placement auditions for new singers (required) will be on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 3:30 p.m. with the first rehearsal immediately following from 4-5:30.

 

For more information, contact Executive Director Stan DeWitt at (562) 972-3324 or stan@longbeachyouthchorus.org.

 

 

On Sunday, April 5, racing fans and runners of all skill levels and ages will have the opportunity to “run the course” at the 3rd Annual Grand Prix 5K, which will benefit local charities through the Grand Prix Foundation of Long Beach. 

 

Registration for the Grand Prix 5K is open at thegrandprix5k.com.

 

Participants will run a two-lap tour of the world-famous Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach race course including Pine Avenue and Seaside Way, with the finish at the official Grand Prix start/finish line on Shoreline Drive. New-for-2020, kids 12 and under can get in on the action with the Kids’ Turbo 1K, which will take place after the main races on a portion of the regular race course. The other two races will be the Elite/Pro 5K (those who can finish the race in under 25 minutes) which will start at 7:30 a.m. and the run for the general public, beginning at 8 a.m. 

 

Entry fee for the Grand Prix 5K will be $35 per person from now until March 15, with each paid person being entered in a drawing to win one of four rides in an Acura NSX pace car around the Acura Grand Prix track! The drawing will take place on Monday, March 18.

 

The Grand Prix Foundation of Long Beach is a publicly supported organization whose purpose is to raise funds through a series of charitable events held in conjunction with the Acura Grand Prix. For more information and to register for the event, visit thegrandprix5k.com.

 

 

Nancy Valencia, candidate for the Board of Education of the Long Beach Unified School District for Area 4, received the endorsement of the California School Employees Association (CSEA) Long Beach Local Chapter 2 and Dr. Juan Benitez, Ph.D, Long Beach Unified School District Board Member.

 

Born and raised in Long Beach, Nancy Valencia attended Long Beach Unified schools and graduated from California State University, Long Beach. Her husband and three adult children also proudly graduated from Long Beach Unified schools. Nancy is a former teacher for Long Beach Unified School District and Norwalk-La Miranda School District and currently substitutes in LBUSD schools.

 

She has served the community as PTA president for both Horace Mann and Signal Hill Elementary schools, LBUSD site supervisor for AmeriCorps, and board member and leader for many local community service organizations including Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition and Rick Rackers, an auxiliary of the Assistance League of Long Beach. As Executive Director of DAYS Long Beach, a local nonprofit, Nancy provides supplemental educational opportunities throughout the year to hundreds of Long Beach families.

 

 

Rancho Los Alamitos Foundation announced that Katie Lowe has joined the staff as manager of education and public engagement at its historic ranch and gardens. As a member of the rancho’s senior management team, Lowe will provide leadership and vision for the development of innovative educational programs that will enhance the experience of visitors to the site.

 

She comes to the rancho with seven years of experience in museum education and interpretation. She worked most recently at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County as the interpretive training coordinator where she developed training programs for volunteers, docents, and staff. 

 

Prior to her tenure at the Natural History Museum, she led inquiry-based programs on American history for K-12th grade students as a museum teacher at the Autry Museum of the American West. 

 

 

ALDI, a leader in the grocery industry, will open its first store in Bellflower as part of its aggressive national expansion plan to become the third-largest U.S. grocery retailer by store count by the end of 2022.

 

ALDI has set the standard for quality and affordability. Now, Bellflower residents can join the millions of shoppers who come to ALDI for premium food at great prices. To celebrate the store opening, ALDI will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 8 a.m., followed by its popular Golden Ticket giveaway offering gift cards to the first 100 customers. Shoppers can also sample ALDI-exclusive foods and enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win a year’s supply of ALDI produce.

 

ALDI stores provide a consistent, streamlined and efficient shopping experience. Every store is easy to navigate while still offering ample refrigeration to accommodate the recently expanded fresh, healthy and convenient food selection. The intentional store design features five aisles filled with the most popular products in the most commonly purchased sizes. ALDI stores also have open ceilings and natural lighting and are built with environmentally friendly building materials. 

 

The new store at 16123 Bellflower Blvd. will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.