Absolutely tragic news in our community with the sudden loss of Mary Beth Gustafson, who passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, November 29. Gustafson, the daughter of Alice Gustafson, was renowned in Huntington Beach for the cinnamon rolls she used to make from scratch at the family restaurant, Alice’s in the Park. Mary Beth, just 58, leaves behind three children and a loving family that represents a cornerstone here in the city.

This was a piece I wrote on the family back in 2010 when a group of us were trying to help save the restaurant in the park. Once Alice’s closed, the main question on everyone’s lips was, “Where will we be able to find Mary Beth’s cinnamon rolls?” And she continued baking. That was her heart and soul. Her life and love. And what a master she was. The photo above was one I took at the restaurant just before it closed.That’s Mary Beth’s daughter Kerstin along with she and Alice; three generations of Gustafson women, strong, proud and beautiful.

I spoke with Alice this morning and of course there is no making sense of a loss like this. For those of us that knew and admired Mary Beth, we are numb this morning with this news. But we are all here I know, collectively, to do whatever we can for the Gustafsons. Arrangements have not been set but please keep this fine family in your thoughts and prayers. For decades they have represented the best of Huntington Beach and a loss this profound will no doubt resonate through many corners.

As well, add comments here as you see fit and I’ll make sure that Alice and the family get to see them.

Rest in Peace, Mary Beth. And may God watch over you and your family in this hour of need.

Kobe Bryant’s announcement of retirement at the end of this season has prompted many memories of the Laker superstar. On Facebook, I offered the following anecdote:

My one Kobe moment: His rookie year, we went to see the Bulls play the Clippers at the Sports Arena. We sat next to the Bulls bench. Before the game, Kobe and his sister take seats right next to my wife and I. Almost at once a line of kids forms to my right, on the aisle, all wanting Kobe’s autograph. A security guy says “Kobe, want me to clear them out?” Kobe says to us, “Is it bothering you guys?” We say not at all, it was cool seeing the kids all buzzing around the new kid. So pretty much the entire game he signs autographs, while Jordan has one of THOSE games. Just crazy, and after each spectacular dunk, he’d look at Kobe with his eyebrows raised and Kobe would just crack up. Just an unforgettable night. Near the end of the game Kobe says to us, “I hope all these kids weren’t too big a distraction. Do you have a little one at home? Can I sign something for him?” I think Charlie was about 2, and so Kobe signed the halftime stat sheet for him. I loved him that night, I love him now. I hate the Lakers, but as fans, we’ve all been blessed by this guy. He made the game better. And man I will miss him.

Enter  Kelly Newman, who commented with a TERRIFIC Kobe tale that placed him right on Beach Boulevard. Of course, the fact that he started dating his longtime wife Vanessa while she was a student at Marina High School no doubt brought him to HB many times (around the same era I’d often see Cherokee Parks dropping his kid off at Harbour View). But Kelly had more than a close encounter with #8. She got to bring him his lunch:

When I used to work for Philly Grille, Kobe came in & ordered some cheesesteaks…I remember it vividly as it was in ’07 after the Lakers lost in the playoffs (which I had no idea b/c at the time, I didn’t really care about basketball….or the Lakers) I see him all 6ft tall at the window & as I took his order, I looked at him & asked him his name, & he says “Kobe,”. I go, “Kobe, as in Kobe Bryant? No way!! Get outta here!!” & he tells me that he is….I still didn’t believe it’s him, my first thought was that I was being Punk’d. “Okay Ashton!! Come out wherever you are, this isn’t funny!!”…so I put in his order, & I take the next guy’s order, to which I ask him: “Did I really just take Kobe Bryant’s order??” & the guy looks at me & goes, “You sure did!” My jaw drops several feet & I am freaking out!! My cooks are looking at me like “What happened?” so I giddily them: “GUYS, I JUST TOOK KOBE BRYANT’S ORDER!! HOLY SHIT!!” so my cooks are just as excited as I was & I tell them, “Take good care of his order!!”. So as Kobe waits around for his order, I go out & talk to him, he asks me how long Philly Grille has been around, as I know Kobe is from Philly & he seems genuinely interested; so I ask him about how the Lakers are doing this season, & he tells me “Ahhh we just lost in the playoffs last night,”. I tell him, “Ahhhh man that sucks!! Well hopefully next season will be better!!”. I didn’t get the whole assholey, arrogance from him at all as some people would speak about him, & he seemed really cool.. I guess word got around that Kobe was at Philly Grille so he had a little swarm of people buzzing around him, including Robert from Hilltop Liquor, which he asked me to take a picture with him & Kobe in front of Philly Grille, which I was more than happy to do as I know that Robert is a HUGE Lakers fan. My cooks were bugging me to go out & take a picture with him, which I was like, “Nah, I’m good,” I was a bit shy about doing that, but I asked him I could at least get his autograph which he was more than happy to do & he autographed his order ticket. To me that was a cool moment. Cut to a year & a half later, I come into work & I see pictures of him with boss’s son Ian (who also worked for Philly Grille too yrs ago) & one of our cooks, along with another autograph….I was mad b/c I lived like 2 blocks away & the guys could have told me he came back, & that time he brought his kids in for lunch, but I was glad that he came back to dine at Philly Grille. So there is my moment meeting Kobe. I am not a fan of the Lakers & that team hasn’t had any luck these past few yrs, but for Kobe to retire after 20yrs, he accomplished a lot being with the Lakers, as the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end. I wish him nothing but the best.

Kelly lives in Arizona right now but whenever she comes back to HB to visit her folks, she still puts in a few hours at the Grille (best cheesesteak in HB, if you ask me). And no doubt, whenever she does, she’ll probably still think about Kobe. Thanks for the story, Kelly (and the original receipt!)

http://www.phillygrille.com/home.html

I first met Jacque Balbas-Ruddy when I wrote about her in September.  She had recently been diagnosed with a recurrence of breast cancer and as the courageous, vibrant fighter told me then, “In a way, getting breast cancer the first time was one of the most amazing things that ever happened to me,” she said as we drove. “Without it, I’d never have met the most incredible people or would be in a position to help others like this.”

She’s the mother of four and is a single parent. She is going to school to get a degree in psychology. And she will not let the next year of treatments prevent that, or keep her from being a team mom, or from anything else in her life.

But she did know the chemotherapy treatments would take their physical toll and so today she brought together a group of family and friends to a Fountain Valley hair salon to ceremonially shave her head in advance of the side effects. Inspiring as always, Jacque led the group in a prayer circle, then sat in front of a mirror and, with both her son’s help, did what she wanted to do.

She was bright-eyed as ever, positive and upbeat, and she held everyone together. This remarkable woman is juggling a myriad of issues as she goes through this, but she soldiers on each day with endless smiles and warmth.There is never any self-pity from Jacque, just selfless strength for those around her, especially her young boys.

As we enter the holiday season, I will be posting ways here that we can help she and her kids, but in the meantime, please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Interesting message from a Surf City Chronicles reader this week: “Here’s a point I haven’t seen anyone bring up: why hasn’t the Huntington Beach Unified School District, or the administration at Ocean View High School, gotten involved in this Rainbow issue? They are right down the street from Rainbow. I believe that all high school age children living in the Oak View neighborhood attend that high school. If Rainbow is such a “threat” to these children, then why is only the administration of their elementary & secondary schools, involved?”

Good question, especially since both Trustee Briscoe and President Clayton-Tarvin now claim the scent extends beyond Goldenwest (Briscoe, incredibly, has said it even wafts as far away as HUNTINGTON HARBOUR). But given the Golden West accusation – where is Ocean View High School n all this? Nowhere. Not a peep. What about HBUHSD? Nowhere. Not a peep. Liberty Christian? Same.

Why?

If this was a TRUE health issue, would not these schools join forces?

To this point, why is Clayton-Tarvin driving this issue, essentially, alone? As she shared with a resident recently (while first seeming to excuse the public behavior of Trustee John Briscoe–behavior they later both publicly apologized for):

Why would other schools ignore such an issue? Or at least not support her on principle? Yet at the AQMD hearing held last Saturday, not one other school, or school district showed up to testify.

Not one to be dissuaded by his lack of concern from other schools in close proximity to Rainbow, Clayton-Tarvin seems to accuse Huntington Beach High School officials of being “in denial” over this issue. Another note to a resident:

“Gina Clayton-Tarvin: …This is not just an Oak View problem. Apparently the admin of HBUHSD are in denial on the conditions there. We need to highlight the nuisance there as well.”

While there is not yet any support on this issue from HBHS, there is a blizzard of taunts, tweets and organizing from Clayton-Tarvin that seem to paint her not so much as a school official, but rather a community organizing firebrand. Pretty much, by herself. But is it appropriate? Is it over the top? Is she going too far?

Several months ago, as a private citizen, she launched an anti-Rainbow petition.

“Third world like horrific living conditions”? She also mentions: “One block from the trash dump are the Ocean View High School and Liberty Christian Schools.” Again, schools that have ignored this issue publicly.

But then, curiously, she posted her petition on Facebook – imploring Marina High School to support it. But she didn’t sign the plea as a private citizen–she signed it using the muscle of her OVSD board president title. Why? And what does that tell us?

A number of times on line she has denied helping to promote Oak View rallys–except at the same time was busy appearing to support Oak View Rallys–in Spanish where needed.

While then speaking at those rallys (with out of town school officials) and tweeting about it.

In a public Facebook post several months ago, she said this:

What purpose did it have to say “The Oak View community has a lack of trust of government because of many with undocumented status.” I would love to see data backing that up before committing so many taxpayer hours/dollars to her efforts?

Also, “the community has very limited access to the Internet and few have telephones.” It would also be nice of the public could be provided data backing that up. But as she says, she is “advocating for the community,” not the school–the community.

Just as she addressed “The Community” here in giving direction about how to complain to various agencies:

Note that she is telling people to complain, even if they simply hear a truck. And Rainbow is in fact located in an area zoned for industrial. 

Clearly Clayton-Tarvin’s ties within the community go beyond any school-related activities. and according to an OC Weekly piece she has recruited acolytes to assist in her fight. If this were a city council member, as some have pointed out, it might not seem as if professional duty lines were being blurred. But again, a school board head? Are there no professional limits on activism or becoming a nearly full-time community crusader? Do other communities in her district get  attention even approaching this? Do any parents take issue with this? What exactly is she elected to do?

In terms of that last post, which was written not by, but about her, why is the Ocean View School District a “voice of the community” as opposed to “a voice of the school”?

And though she freely attacks other elected officials for not engaging as she would like them to (in this case Assemblyman Matthew Harper):

–she also picks and chooses who she engages with. Since last May, I have not had one message returned from her. Other citizens have been ignored as well.

As well, several months ago, she began tagging @BillGates in her tweets and posts, due to his role as a shareholder in Rainbow/Republic.This no doubt has led to neighborhood activists calling out Gates as (evidenced by) signs portrayed at last Saturday’s meeting:

But how does she justify this tweet of hers right before that same meeting?

Gates does not “own” the “dump” and it certainly does not, by any measure appear to be “50ft from kids” at any point. More over-the-top language. More personal, extreme tactics to seemingly go after someone’s integrity.

What is driving this relentless, single-focused campaign of hers? Is it, as she insists, all about “the children?” Or is something more going on that we are not privy to? New “tactics and strategies” she has referred to at other times.

And, getting back to the original question – why are all of the other schools, which by her measure should certainly be affected, not joining in? There are high school kids in the Oak View neighborhood that no doubt attend OVHS. So where is that school in this fight?

On the heels of tomorrow’s hearing conclusion, I think many people would like to know exactly what is driving Miss Clayton-Tarvin. And why there is so little support behind her from other schools and officials beyond just the Oak View neighborhood.

And if tomorrow the AQMD and Rainbow/Republic come to terms on abatement–do the lawsuits all go away?

(signs presented by both sides at Saturday’s hearing)

This week a guest blog courtesy of Daniel Sharp, whose riveting presentation at Saturday’s (Nov. 7) AQMD-Rainbow/Republic hearing to determine next steps in the enclosure process is being presented here on Surf City Chronicles with additional context from the author. Methodically and factually, Sharp gathered and processed information and complaints by the OVSD Board and some of the residents in HB and built the models to see if they made sense, or if they were exaggerated. The AQMD panel seemed impressed and requested copies of everything presented. You be the judge.

(The hearing continues this Thursday and updates will be posted here)

Rainbow Environmental Area Impact Overview

Mr. Daniel Sharp

November 7, 2015

Huntington Beach, California, my name is Dan Sharp. I’m a home owner and resident of HB. Recently, I retired Navy Reserves after almost 21 years of service. There I was a Gunner’s Mate in the Navy. It was a great job that was never boring, especially as I became familiar with ballistics, blast patterns, Chemical, Biological, Radiation (CBR) fallout, was a Weapons Instructor, Armorer, Missile Technician, Tactics Instructor, Police Officer, Safety Officer.

After active services, I joined the reserves and also was picked up as a government analyst and have over 10 years’ experience. I’m a Subject Matter Expert on explosives mishaps procedures, familiar with first responder procedures for weapons mishaps/incidents and have become familiar with data gathering, mining and architecture.

I’ve been a volunteer for over 15 years, giving over 250 hours for the City of Huntington Beach each year. Many may know me as your sound engineer and “social media guru” for nearly every Summer Series in the Park concert on Sunday evenings in the summer.

I grew up in this area. My (late) brother and I used to see the trash men come by and pick up the trash cans, tossing the contents into the bucket, and then hop on the bucket and proceed to the next set of cans… we used to think it was so cool to ride the bucket, that initial, I wanted to be a trashman!

OVSD vs Rainbow Disposal

Figure 1- Rainbow Environmental and Oak View areas within city limits

Today, November 7, 2015, we gathered to ensure that the mitigation efforts will be suitable for Rainbows expansion, as the population has definitely increased again, economy is booming, and new construction and projects are increasing. As a result of the expansion, Rainbow will need to expand to meet the demands, and the citizens and school next to it, needs to be protected, from, at the least, the stench.

SO what is the stench? If you listen to the OVSD Board of Trustees, you’d learn the stench, is this 24/7, each day, for 30+ year nightmare for the students, faculty, and local community that has been said to contain toxins, and other nasty stuff that causes students to vomit, noses to bleed, scratchy throats, etc on a DAILY basis at Oak View, Liberty Christian and Ocean View High schools. Some say because of some of the open air operations, that the seagulls literally drop their feces on students daily, and many times, the dust contains carcinogens from all the “concrete crushing”.

Who was there first?

Figure 2- Locations of the impacted stakeholders and approximate dates

So, let’s talk about the area in question. Figure 2- Locations of the impacted stakeholders and approximate dates, is a Google map screen shot of the area. In the blue is Rainbow. In the Gray are OVSD properties (Oak View across from Rainbow and Lake View on the right side).

Gina Clayton-Tarvin, President of the OVSD Board of Trustees said, in April 20, 2015, “Oak View was built in the early 1960s, well before Rainbow opened on Nichols Lane in the early 1980s”. That statement, got me interested in what was happening, because in the early 1980’s, when Warner Ave had a stop sign at Nichols, I used to walk across the street to Rainbow because I wanted to be a trash man so I could ride on those bucket (a thing of the past).

History of the Area

Back to this chart. Rainbow was started with one truck in 1950’s. It eventually had a half a dozen trucks in the mid 1950’s, staged on the Northwest corner of Goldenwest and Warner (Wintersburg). It moved to a small site in 1960, 3 years after the annexation of Wintersburg to the city. A large truck yard and maintenance shop near the McIntosh (Alpha Beta) slaughterhouse and an ice house. The immediate areas around there was all industrial with machine and mechanic shops, and other dirty, blue collard type of jobs, up to Nichols street, which is where Wintersburg mission and farms houses are still to this day. There also were many farms fields throughout that area.

In 1967, OVSD Board built/opened Oak View elementary school at the Nichols Park, across from the industrial zoned area. In the late 1970’s Rainbow took over the public transfer station off of Gothard from the county of Orange, and saved the taxpayers close to 70% of the operating costs. In the early 1980’s, the county wanted to close most of the transfer stations, so Rainbow, (which acquired bad land around them that needed environmental cleanup), moved the transfer station to the present location, and the “dump” opened in 1984.

In 1991, the Oak View Preschool opened up by the OVSD Board. In 2004, the board added portables to the Oak View Title 1 school. In 2008, Rainbow looked at expanding operating, and presented a plan they never executed for various reasons (failed attempts to expand to other areas nationwide and the economy stalled the plan.)

OVSD looked at revitalizing their aging buildings and abate lead, asbestos and mold in 2010/2011, and they decided to ask the taxpayers to fund the project. As a result, Measure P was placed on the ballot, only to fail at the polls. OVSD still had to come up with funding for the projects.

OVSD filed the first of their nuisance suits against Rainbow in December of 2013. After nearly 30 years, they finally decided to do something to protect their employees and students… and all they were asking for at that time is for Rainbow to build them a “covered Lunch area and HEPA filters on their ventilation systems, along with “compensation”.

At that time, Rainbow was trying to recover, and needed help from this employee owned company, and ended up selling to Republic in 2014. Last year, Oak View, Lake View, and Hope View were shut down for asbestos, a very distracting issue that was mismanaged by the board… especially because it should have been addressed way earlier. Now the school had a shortfall of about $13M which varies depending on your source.

Building of a Nuisance

Many times, the open air transfer facility often has a very unpleasant smell… a stench. It varies between time of day, dampness of the air, and the direction and strength of the wind with regards to who and how large of an area is affected.

Here are some models that will help to put things into perspective regarding the odor, based on my personal experience along with knowledge and understanding of fallout and gaseous cloud movements.

Figure 3- Normal/Average Day, a light breeze from west (ocean) to the east

Figure 4 – Stronger breezes means more narrow but increased length of odor

Figure 5 – When winds shift, Santa Ana winds takes over and moves odor away from Oak View

Figure 6 – Wind direction shift to the north

Embellished complaints – “Circle of Stench”

Many OVSD Board trustees have been embellishing complaints from Rainbow since 2013. Many of the older photos have been used, many “sensational” terms and slogans have been used. Are these truly accurate? The following are some that have been recently heard by me:

Figure 7 – “Circle of Stench”

The “brown cloud” covers the area he is talking about. In May 2015, he is even saying the dump is blowing “biolous dust construction concrete dust clouds”, even though Rainbow had stopped doing that in 2011 at the request of Oak View Elementary School board. Any piles they had, were mitigated and taken care of outside of school semesters by 2013. Much of the dust is actually lighter than what blows from the farm land at the Weapons Station across Bolsa Chica, when the farmers are plowing the fields and the source has not been positively identified as coming from Rainbow, other industrial businesses nor dust/dirt from lack of watering of vegetation due to the drought.

Figure 8 – OVSD Trustee John Briscoe posts his description of the stench on Facebook

Figure 9 – OVSD Trustee John Briscoe posts about dust to Huntington Harbour

This is one of John Briscoe’s many rants/posts about the dust reaching all the way to Huntington Harbor. In one of the city council meetings he had said similar including that the “Edison folks are probably ok”… I think he was talking about “Laaaaaazy Riiiviers” that day, talking about all the toxic water coming in and staying stagnate, allowing for mosquitos and other hazards. He made the same claims under oath during the recent AQMD hearing on November 8, 2015. Regarding the “Lazy Rivers”, they are actually, Rainbow’s bioswale that is Surfrider Certified. These Ocean Friendly Gardens help mitigate any hazardous run-off, and in Rainbow’s case, uses 90 large barrels to protect water run-off to our ocean.

Because of the new process, there has not been any “permits” aside from Coastwatcher approval and Surfrider certified, from what I understand. This is Rainbow taking the lead in environmental responsibility.

Violation Claims

OVSD Board has claimed many times on all platforms about Rainbow’s “Violations” and their supporters have posted the AQMD violations, commenting on how an ethical company wouldn’t have all these violations. What they aren’t telling the public is that the NOV’s from AQMD that have been issued, has been issued because multiple people call in the complaint, triggering the violation. OVSD has actually created and distributed letters on how to complain, to whom complaints were sent to, and even requested notification of when the complaints were sent in! There are spikes from their workshop and flyer distribution, showing the increased calls. AQMD site warns of people and organizations (such as the OVSD Board and Oak View ComUNIDAD) from filing such complaints, going into their database to collect the NOV information and then using that to coerce action from or file a lawsuit against a business.

Complaint Guides and Workshops by OVSD:

Figure 10 – Various forms given out to residents of Oak View community

Here are photos of various documents distributed throughout Oak View residential neighborhood… also, there were tables set up at the entrance to the school regarding these issues and the November 7th hearings. There were workshops that OVSD Board had set up to tell folks how to complain.

On a Facebook site, a social media user had published these call logs from the AQMD for Rainbow Environmental from 2011-July 2015.

Figure 11 – Call Log for AQMD from 2011 – July 2015

Looking at the call log for Rainbow Environmental that was posted in a Facebook forum, we can correlate the spike in complaint calls to the workshops and times when the material was distributed.

Figure 12 – Timeline of events in relations to AQMD Notice of Violations filed to Rainbow

In the above timeline, Figure 12 – Timeline of events in relations to AQMD Notice of Violations filed to Rainbow, I question that if the OVSD Board had the safety and security of the students and teachers in mind, then why build the preschool closer to the dump in 1991, 7 years after the dump opened? Why increase the student population at Oak View and add portables to house more Title 1 students at Oak View, along the fence line, instead of opening the planned overflow at Park View elementary near Murdy Park? Why continue to subject the student population, when the schools had to close because of the mismanaged asbestos debacle in 2014, doubling the portables on the west side of the property?

Maintenance Yard Claims

Some of the claims from the community and the OVSD Board has been about traffic and loud diesel noises from the trash trucks. Some have voice their concerns about solvents, engine dust and other HAZMAT type hazards associated with engine/maintenance shops, but looking at the map, their bus depot at the old Rancho Wintersburg Elementary (which they shutdown decades ago) is literary next to residents.

Figure 13 – Garbage truck yard environmental impact vs School Bus yard impact

Admittedly, I haven’t not had the chance to learn which specific building are their maintenance bays, so I chose the furthest building with bays, and tried to show the contrast between the school bus yard/shop and Rainbow’s yard/shop. As you can see, the bus yard is up against the residence fence line. Rainbow’s has quite a distance before the residences.

Figure 14 – Google view of the facility

Many of the board has talked about Rainbows Maintenance yard and truck noises, meanwhile, their own bus yard is actually up against residences that are also much closer to the “brake dust”, “solvents”, “noises”, “Beepers”, etc….

Figure 15 – Another Google view of the school bus facility

“Health Claims”

Often letters being read from residents by Oak View residents and teachers, staff personnel/Spokespersons and/or that which is being spoken about on news, City Council, and District Board meetings often used to speak of such things as scratchy throats, asthma attacks, respiratory illness, nauseous stomachs, 24/7. When looking at research in similar high density low income housing, one learns the same symptoms and issues exists here in the county, state, nation and world. It’s a common problem and one that the World Health Organization has done a report on. (Krieger & Higgins, 2002)

Now, the complaints are even more severe, “daily nose bleeds”, “daily vomiting”, etc… Just WHY would a school board keep these schools open? The board and others say “well, the kids have to live there anyways”… but I think of Lake View, Park View or Westmont would be more of a break. Perhaps a chance to breathe better for a portion of each day during those hours.

“History of Mismanagement”

The history of the OVSD board is certainly not pretty. There are many allegations that most trustees use this as a political launching board, that they or their friends receive contracts, or land, etc…. The board has a history of bullying, just like in 2005, when they wanted to put the Boys and Girls club at Westmont… the district found some residents that were able to make a “grass roots” effort to not put a boys and girls club there, so they wouldn’t have “Thousands of cars in the small neighborhood”… John Briscoe sums up their attitude about their authority: “We are the school board, we can do whatever we want”…

Rainbow Disposal

Rainbow Disposal has been an asset for this city. They have picked up the slack where many of our own residents, for whatever the reason, have been careless in the disposal of their garbage, by (for decades) cleaning up alleyways and our streets. They consistently provide refuse containers for various events, large and small, and will gladly help anyone needing services. They do donate money for various causes throughout the city as well as various candidates, many people and businesses do. They do host and partake in various clean up days, including the Oak View neighborhood.

Every company has issues at various times. Rainbow is no exception, and there were poor decisions made in the late 2000’s through the beginning of the 2010’s, which I believe got them into some financial difficulties. They had to sell the employee owned company and many high level personnel were fired, let go, or retired. After they sold to Republic at the end of 2014, they had some restructuring, and refocused on the community. By then, the OVSD Board had enough, and helped to “empower” the resident of Oak View in protest for living in the odorous smell area for 30 years.

Analysis

Rainbow Disposal has been instrumental in this city, as Ocean View School district. I’ve seen complaints from the school district and citizens. I’ve seen many complaints about OVSD Board in addition to Rainbow. I lived the Rainbow expansions, I’ve understood them, and still smell the odor at times. It’s been something that one gets used to growing up in the area.

It’s hard to understand though, exactly what is permitted at the dump. It’s hard to envision what happens at the dump, which is why setting up a tour is really the proper way to understand more of the problem one is looking at.

One thing is for certain, I go back to my questions: why now, why is the school board taking action over the past almost 2 years? Why are they saying it’s a health issue, and why now are people increasing their symptoms to include bleeding of noses on a daily basis and/or vomiting daily?

Why does the board continue to promote calling up the AQMD to get more violations, for them to turn around and use against Rainbow? Why did the board wait 30 years? Yes, the OVSD Board of Trustees are elected, and there were several Trustees that were not brought back during the last election, but the decisions made the last year, seems more of the same type of decisions that have been made over the past several decades. Perhaps, it would have been better, if there truly was/is a health issue, to move all the portables to Lake View until Rainbow fully enclose, and when it comes to kids, there’s not supposed to be a monetary issue, right? Or is that rule for everyone else and not the school board?

Conclusion

I’ve always known it has been just odor, and after the inspector stated he took air samples on the OVSD Oak View Preschool playground, and reported there was not toxins nor anything different or hazardous then the rest of the district area air, I’m quite comforted this truly is a nuisance issue, which will help to diminish once Rainbow gets the enclosures built.

After the first day of the AQMD hearing and listening to the AQMD hearing board along with Rainbow under oath discussing the project to be completed by the end of 2017, it does appear that Rainbow is enclosing all operations, and only one operation , the self haulers that we residents would use, will be, at the least, 85% enclosed, which should be suitable and meet the needs of both OVSD board, Oak View schools and the Oak View community.

I’ve written and photographed a number of Then & Now books, including one dedicated to Huntington Beach. But I think this is my favorite set of comparative HB images. it’s about 1971, looking toward the pier from Golden West. What we know as a bike path today was still just a service road back then, you could drive right up to the sand and oil wells still pumped right along PCH.

For many, this is the HB of their youth; real, raw and unspoiled.

Thank you so much to the Huntington Beach City Council for approving, by a vote of 7-0, to proceed with the creation of a marker to honor the Silva and Barrego families, who each lost two children on a tragic afternoon when a P-38 fighter plane, abandoned by its pilot, exploded in a ball of flame on the beach near Newland and Pacific Coast Highway. The Silva family and I brought this matter to council just one month ago to request a marker and we appreciate their swift reaction to this. As well, we’d like the marker to honor the first-responder HB lifeguards, led by Bud Higgins, who assisted in this tragedy – a day in which the war was brought home for many locals.

This was what the pilot wrote in the official accident report:

And the report went on to make a clear case of pilot error for the accident.

Additionally, a page from the report indicates that the children, before being rushed to the Orange County Hospital in Orange, were tended to at the office of a Doctor Lawrence F. Whittaker at 302 Third Street, where a dose of morphine was administered to each of the children.

A visit to the site reveals that the doctor’s home/office building is still there today. It’s hard to imagine the horror that was the scene here that late summer afternoon. But if you ever happen to be walking by, perhaps pause for a moment to take in the memory of those children, the doctor and all others that were helping on a haunting day that lives as perhaps the worst accident in Huntington Beach history.

(Post script–my friend Duane Wentworth added: “He (Dr. Whittaker) actually treated me in 1958 when I broke my arm in 4 places. He couldn’t set my arm in his office and personally drove me to to Hoag Hospital. Good doctor.”)

“It started as a three-week class, December 5 1999, with over 50 kids.” Soft-spoken, thoughtful, 52-year old Jim Bullock is recalling the birth of the chess club held Friday afternoons at the Oak View Library in Huntington Beach. In the next several weeks Bullock, the club’s director, will be moving to South America to live with his new bride. Amidst the din of kids laughing, chattering and clearly loving the game of chess, Bullock reflected on his time at Oak View.

“I was teaching English back then here the school, to adults, as a literacy volunteer. Amy Crepeau, who had the idea for the program, knew I played chess. I worked as an engineer at Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach, we had a chess club there and so she asked me for help. I borrowed some sets from work and brought them here to Oak View. And here we are, all these years later, with all these kids that just love playing chess.”

Bullock’s love of the game goes back to high school.

“In high school I was president of the chess club, i went to U.S. Chess Federation tournaments and I’m in the top 15% of tournament players. But I’m not a ‘master.'” (a player of such skill that they can beat essentially any amateur).

He also explained why he thinks the Oak View club has been so successful. “It such a great outlet for kids. Parents see chess as something that makes their kids smarter. And they’re right. But it’s fun. It’s a game; a game of intelligence. But I didn’t start playing to get smart. I started because it was fun.”

The club actually does boast a master player, 13-year old Gabriel Sam, an 8th grader at St. Bonaventure. When we met, Sam was preparing to head off to Greece to play in the invitation-only World Youth Championships. “I taught him how to play chess,” said Bullock. “He wasn’t very good at first. And now he’s much better than me,” he laughed.

Two coaches Paul Mangone and Annmarie Boyer who have been coaching here for years will be continuing the program, and Bullock said it’s in very good hands.

And as he makes his big move to be with his “mate,” we bid a fond farewell to a dedicated, inspiring teacher that has helped hundreds of kids over the years to have fun while using their brain. Thank you, Jim Bullock. Huntington Beach will miss you.