Local resident wins prestigious national championship

La Palma resident Kim Bushong with PWCOFFSHORE takes first place at the 2010 LB2CAT Offshore National Championship Race.

By Loreen Berlin

La Palma resident Kim Bushong, with Personal Water Craft Off Shore Racing (PWCOFFSHORE), is the winner of the 2010 Long Beach to Catalina and Back (LB2CAT) Offshore National Championship Race.
Bushong, who said he is generally in the middle of the top 10 PWC competitors, thought that this time he might be in the top three but had no idea he'd end up placing first. "It was shocking," Bushong said of his win, in a personal interview for the La Palma Community Newspaper. "I'm just a steady eddy – and two of my good friends, Mark Gerner and Pat Roque, were in front of me in the second half of the race, but their PWC's broke down," he said. "My boat wasn't highly modified, so I was able to come through on the race; I'm very consistent, have a high pain threshold, and have a lot of endurance."
Bushong has been riding PWC in the ocean since 1998. "Riding fast in the ocean is more difficult – it's a totally different story than other waters," he said. "It's always been a Southern California person who has won the LB2CAT since it began in 1994, because they know how to ride the ocean," Bushong said.
Bushong is no stranger to the ocean or to the ride to Catalina, as he said he enjoys the ride and used to make the trip many times on his own before he entered the race. "I must have ridden that 150 times before I entered the contest," he said.
Then, in 2002, all of that changed when he read about the race in the PWC Magazine. There were 50 riders that year. "I had the slowest machine and came in fourth place," Bushong said. "This is the best I've done; I've placed 4th a couple times and 6th place twice along with 7th and 8th place also," he said. This time, in 2010, there were 42 PWC riders; that number is down from the late 80s, and in 1994 where there were more than 100 people participating in the race. "It was big then, but now it's holding steady," he said, noting that the economy has affected the race.
"In recent years a new 'sportsman' class has been offered at a reduced entry fee, to encourage first-time racers," Bushong said. "I encourage anyone interested in the sport to come down and give it a try; you don't necessarily have to be fast, and it's a whole lot of fun, and a first-timer finished 3rd place-overall this year."
One of the race's sponsors PWCOFFSHORE.com , who is also Bushong's personal sponsor, is a place where riders can find lots of information about the race along with safety tips, which Bushong said, "It's his expert opinion that should be mandatory for all who are thinking of making the trip to Catalina and back." The offshore sport is much larger internationally, where 400 people can be expected to race in Europe Bushong said, but LB2CAT remains one of the most famous and prestigious races in the world. Bushong plans to compete in the LB2CAT race again next year and will also compete in the Dana Point to Oceanside and Back Race, but his focus is now on Paddling in the Long Beach Harbor by Naples where he is one of the 20-members of the "Space Dragons" dragonboat team. "It's a team sport that I've been doing for the past three years and I'm going to the World Dragonboat Championships shortly in Hungary for the USA Master's Team, and a few weeks later I'll be competing in Shanghai, representing a Long Beach composite team," he said. Bushong said that the Dragonboat and outrigger paddling has helped to strengthen him for the PWC Race. More of his background is that in the 80s he competed as a Triathlon Athlete in the first Iron Man Triathlon in Kona , Hawaii , and also led that race in 1982 back when it was on ABC's Wide World of Sports. "It's a tough sport - the Triathlon" - but obviously good training for the PWC race. For information about PWC, visit PWCOFFSHORE.com Loreen Berlin can be reached at loreenberlin@verizon.net.

New Community Development Director guest speaker at La Palma Chamber Breakfast

By Larry Caballero

Although Douglas Dumhart has only been La Palma’s Community Development Director for just eight weeks, it was long enough for him to get to know the community and its leaders including La Palma Chamber’s Executive Director Esther DeLeon Hernandez who invited him to be the Chamber’s guest speaker at its Jul. 21 Quarterly Networking Breakfast at the La Palma Community Hospital.
Dumhart listed numerous “confidence busters” that can impede any city’s economic development, including La Palma’s. He began with consumer confidence that is the lowest point in a year, the volatile stock market, European debt crisis, double-digit unemployment, poor wage gains and a stalled housing market.
Recently passed Congressional health care and financial services reform, as well as unresolved Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, only add to business concerns. “It’s the fear of the unknown,” said Dumhart.
“Businesses also worry about a federal deficit in the trillions and a state deficit in the billions,” said Dumhart. Nevertheless, he feels that the potential for economic growth is possible for La Palma, a two-square-mile city of 16,000 residents with a median household income of $68,438.
“It is possible, but it will take a concerted effort from residents, local businesses and the Chamber in order for outside commercial interests to recognize the advantages of moving their businesses into La Palma.”

Relay For Life supporters plan bigger event for 2011

Cats team chair Ulla Herman (left) presented flowers and a certificate to Cancer survivor Barbara Mast who raised more than $10,000 for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.

By Larry Caballero

La Palma/Buena Park’s American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life teams are not prepared to rest on their laurels. This year may have been the most successful ever with 36 teams participating, that included 107 Cancer survivors, and they raised almost $150,000. Nevertheless, they met Aug. 2 at the Buena Park Senior Center to make plans for 2011. Chairperson Christine Payette, a La Palma resident, hopes next year will be even better.
Barbara Mast, who is also a La Palma resident and a Cancer survivor, raised more than $10,000 on her own, with the help of her friends and local businesses that include Starbucks that donated the coffee.
Cats team chair Ulla Herman congratulated Mast on a job well done and presented her with flowers and a certificate. Mast promised to try even harder next year.

City adopts ‘User Fee Schedule’ during council meeting

By Loreen Berlin

La Palma City Council adopted the “User fee Schedule” during its regularly scheduled meeting Monday, Aug. 3. The User Fee Schedule passed by five yes votes.
Finance Director Keith Neves reported that after two study sessions held Jan. 19 and June 1, Council gave direction to maintain the fees at the existing levels, except for those that are found to be higher than the actual cost.
“Some fees have been combined, renamed, and added, to conform to existing practices,” Neves said in his report. “Staff will look into resident and non-resident usage fees at a later date.”
Passing the User Fee Schedule as is, will result in a decrease in General Fund revenue of approximately $6,500, Neves said, and the Schedule will be reviewed annually with the budget.
Neves said that La Palma’s fees continue to be lower than surrounding community’s fees.
The last La Palma fee study was in 2003 and the last increases were in the fiscal year 2006-2007.
“The consultant recommends annual updating of the Fee Schedule based on city labor costs.”
La Palma currently uses $1.6 million in taxes to support fee or potential-fee services and roughly $150,600 could be recovered by requiring certain services to either “pay their own way” or at least pay more of their own way, Neves said
For La Palma City information, call 714-690-3333.
Loreen Berlin can be reached at loreenberlin@verizon.net

La Palma debates zone changes and revitalization efforts

By Larry Caballero

La Palma Councilmembers at the Jul. 20 meeting considered adopting a Resolution approving a General Plan Amendment and amendments to Chapter 26 of the City Code adding provisions for the creation of a new Zoning District entitled “Planned Neighborhood Development (PND)” and changing the Land Use Designation for certain properties.
La Palma’s Economic Development Program adopted by the City Council in early 2009 included an action item to change the zoning on six key corner sites that are suitable for redevelopment. The six sites are small, generally one-half acre corner parcels located at arterial intersections.
Some are vacant while others may not represent the highest and best use of the property. Their proximity to residential parcels, their size, and the current development standards had hindered redevelopment opportunities.

The six study sites are:

• Southeast corner of Moody Street and Orangethorpe Avenue
• Northeast corner of Walker Street and Orangethorpe Avenue
• Northeast corner of Moody Street and La Palma Avenue
• Southeast corner of La Palma Avenue and Walker Street
• Southwest corner of La Palma Avenue and Valley View Street
• Northwest corner of Crescent Avenue and Walker Street

The objective of the new zoning designation is to limit undesirable uses and encourage those uses that foster quality development and optimize the City’s tax base. Further, the new zoning is proposed to provide for more flexibility in the City’s development standards that allow modern design concepts that will be an incentive for private capital investment in the community.
Civic Solutions, Inc., a land-planning firm, has been retained by the Community Development Commission to prepare the proposed zoning district designation and accompanying development design guidelines to foster redevelopment opportunities.
The addition of the new zoning designation is anticipated to preclude underproductive development and limit non-sales tax generating uses while establishing the conditions under which retail and dining uses can be encouraged.
The standards and guidelines will limit the uses to those that will fulfill the economic objectives of the General Plan. The objectives, standards and guidelines are to identify land uses desired by the community, prioritize desired uses that increase the City’s tax base, and provide incentives to encourage responsible development with desired uses.
Community outreach meetings were held earlier to solicit input and ideas from property owners, adjacent residents, and interested parties regarding the subject properties. Participants identified preferred uses that included fabric stores, pet grooming, entertainment, pizza and jewelry stores. Non-preferred uses included a car wash, liquor store, tattoo or massage parlor, palm reader and gas stations.
Alternate actions to be considered include applying PND zoning to all six of the study parcels that would ensure equitable treatment of the land owners or to apply the PND zoning to all six study parcels, but specifically grandfather multi-tenant commercial buildings until the properties redevelop or subsequently remodel. The thought process behind the latter approach is that multi-tenant commercial buildings (especially 2-stories) are not suited for retail businesses.
Community Development Director Douglas Dumhart said this approach “would merely kick the can down the street, and taking no action is also an alternative, but it would be the action of the lowest denominator, and it does nothing to foster economic development and revitalization efforts.”
Councilmembers Waldman and Charoen agreed that the latter alternatives give no incentive for businesses to remodel, but Mayor Pro-Tem Rodriguez, Councilmember Herman and Mayor Shanahan were willing to give the businesses a certain amount of time to conform.
In order to prevent development that would be inconsistent with the City’s goals before the new zoning could be written and adopted, the City Council adopted an urgency Ordinance temporarily prohibiting certain types of land uses on the six corner sites (banks or financial institutions, check cashing services, pawn shops, car washes or liquor stores). The moratorium is due to expire Oct. 15.
After much discussion at the Jul. 20 meeting, the Council agreed that the first alternative action should apply to vacant properties and asked staff to go back and bring language to the body that would consider the needs of current business owners.

Councilmember Henry Charoen holds kick-off party for re-election campaign

Councilmember Henry Charoen speaks to supporters at his kick-off party held at La Palma's Panda Inn in July.

Steve Hwangbo holds kick-off party for La Palma City Council race

La Palma City Council candidate Steve Hwangbo announces his candidacy in front of his supporters who showed up at the Community Center Aug. 1.

City welcomes new SEAACA officer

Simone Robinson with SEAACA (Southeast Area Control Authority) is welcomed to the city of La Palma by La Palma City Council during its Tuesday, Aug. 3 meeting. For SEAACA information, call 562-803-3301 or visit seaaca.org


Story and photo by Loreen Berlin

City of La Palma announces new SEAACA Officer Robinson Animal Control Officer Simone Robinson, 26, with SEAACA was introduced during La Palma City Council meeting Monday, Aug. 3. Robinson was born in Whittier and attended Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, later attending Santa Monica College. "I started volunteer work at a shelter and later applied for a job with SPCALA as a kennel attendant," Robinson said. "I worked for SPCA for three years and was apart of their disaster response team." Robinson said she was put through disaster response training and also attended a number of animal behavior classes offered at SPCA. "I was fortunate enough to participate in the relief effort after Hurricane Katrina and during the San Diego fires," she said. "After three years with SPCA I signed up for Balu Dog Trainers Academy in Athol, Idaho, where I spent three months studying K-9 behavior and training shelter dogs in basic obedience." Robinson said that her experience was rewarding because the training made the shelter dogs more adoptable and two of the three dogs were adopted while she was there. "After leaving Idaho I applied for an Animal Control Officer position offered by SEAACA, which is the South East Area Animal Control Authority. "SEAACA is one of the most professional animal control agencies around today, which is one of the reasons I decided to work for the agency." Robinson was hired exactly one year ago and said she has experienced a variety of cases during that time. "I remember the first time I made the paper - I was called out to rescue a rooster that had flown into a swimming pool - the rooster had trouble making it out and so I went into the pool and saved the little guy, who we ended up naming 'Splash." Robinson said that you could probably say that she is willing to go great lengths to help out our furry and feathered friends. "After being with the agency for a year, an opportunity came up to apply for a dedicated position with the City of La Palma. I was selected out of three other officers to interview and was chosen by the city to be the new dedicated officer," Robinson said. "I don't receive the normal amount of traffic I used to when servicing our other cities, so I spend most of my time patrolling parks and giving presentations to schools, camps and clubs," she said. "It's very important to educate the new generation on animal welfare and the responsibility it takes to own a pet." Robinson said that most of the animals that end up at in shelters are not strays; they are animals people decided not to care for anymore. " I'm hoping to educate enough people so that we can prevent this ongoing problem. I am very thankful to have a city that allows me to help make a change." For SEAACA information, call 562-803-3301. For La Palma City information, call 714-690-333. Loreen Berlin can be reached at loreenberlin@verizon.net