BHCA Summer 2016 Newsletter - Belmont Heights Community

summer 2016
www.mybelmontheights.org
engaged • informed • empowered
Euclid Colonial had an Ocean View
New
Masthead and Logo
Y
es, our front page has
changed. We have a new
masthead for the newsletter
that incorporates our new logo
– with some added color. We’re
excited to bring these changes
to you and welcome your feedback by email at president@
mybelmontheights.org. For
more on the logo, see page 3.
Mark
Your
Calendars
BHCA
Meetings:
No meeting in August.
Meetings on September
14 and October 12. See
the Calendar on page 16
for more information
and upcoming special
events. Looking for Tom
Gallo’s cartoon? Never
fear, it’s on page 9.
Please visit our website
(www.mybelmontheights.
org)
for updates.
By: Sherry and Joe Cragg (historical background by Maureen Neeley)
N
estled
among
Craftsman and
Spanish architecture under
gigantic ficus
trees, a white
Colonial with
an expansive
veranda, doric
columns and
old
world
charm, 239 Euclid speaks to a
time when Belmont Heights was sparsely dotted with houses and the vast majority of acreage was scrub brush, suitable for Bixby sheep and cattle.
In 1903 Charles Weingart, a German-American carpenter from Lake County,
invested in an Ocean Villa Tract lot offered by the Alamitos Land Company. In
1905, he built the first house on the block, originally addressed as 61 Euclid, for
Charles A. Iunker whose father owned the Empire Quartz Mine in Yreka.
Iunker and his bride, Nettie Anna Hutz, moved here from San Francisco in
1907, but when Europe became embroiled in the Great War, they left their glorious Colonial home. New owners rented it to a number of locals, including a dairy
worker and a traveling salesman.
At the end of the war, Deborah Culton, a Kentucky widow with two children,
purchased the house. She launched the Newport Café on the Pike. Though married and divorced several times, she always stayed affiliated with dining establishments, including the popular Mission Cafeteria on Ocean Boulevard.
Four more families occupied the home before the current owners, Sherry and
Joe Cragg. Their sensibility and sensitivity make them the perfect stewards of this
Belmont Heights jewel.
Sherry tells their story:
“During the early 1980s, we rented a 1906 home in the neighborhood. We admired the Euclid house, but never imagined one day we might own it. We purchased
it in 1991 and began our journey restoring it. We had a lot to learn!
“During our first California cold spell, we discovered the heater blew only cold
air. Then, we found the shower pan in the upstairs bath had a leak. The small half
bath downstairs was just big enough for a shower. So, in 1992, we remodeled it as
an old-style bathroom.
“For the next few years we cleaned, scraped, and painted. Joe learned to repair
continued on page 7
Steve Nader
Real Estate Professional
(562) 673-7831
[email protected]
stevenaderRE.com
CalBRE Lic # 01982651
Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Living and Working in Belmont Heights
News from the Neighborhood
News From the Neighborhood is distributed quarterly
[February/May/August/November]. It is hand-delivered to over
3,300 single/duplex households and to local establishments in
Belmont Heights.
Managing Editor Bill Davis
Design & Layout Carolyn Yamaoka
Copy Editors Norbert Schürer
Doug Forasté
Linda Pemberton
Advertising Chair Christine Beaur-Mortezaie
Distribution Chair John Shisko
Printer
Meridian Graphics
Article submissions
We welcome articles, ideas, and photos pertaining to our
neighborhood. We reserve the right to revise submissions.
Interested in advertising?
Business card sized ad (2” x 3-1/2”) is $45 for a single issue.
One year prepaid is $160. Double ad = double price.
Advertisers must live or work in Belmont Heights. No free
advertising in exchange for articles.
Belmont Heights Community Association
The Belmont Heights Community Association is a nonprofit organization made up of residents who volunteer
their time and energy to improve the quality of life in
the neighborhood. The Association works closely with
residents, historic districts, local businesses, schools,
community organizations within Belmont Heights, the 3rd
District Council office, City staff, and other neighborhood
organizations.
2016 BHCA Board
Maureen Neeley, President
Linda Pemberton, Vice President
Sydney Simon, Treasurer
Dianne Sundstrom, Secretary
Doug Forasté
Neal Vincent
Bill Davis
 www.mybelmontheights.org
 www.facebook.com/mybelmontheights
 375 Redondo Avenue, #332, Long Beach, CA 90814
 (562) 285-3860  [email protected]
Page 2
Association News
The BHCA has set up four quality of life committees made
up of board members and other association members to address
crime, noise, parking and traffic. Below you will find articles
from the committee facilitators that talk about crime, noise and
parking. The work of these committees is ongoing. If you’d like
to participate or if you’d like to make comments or suggestions,
email [email protected].
Long Beach Community Watch
By: Doug Foresté,
Crime Committee Advisor
Crime is up throughout Long Beach.
Whatever the explanation, the trend is
worrisome. In Belmont Heights we are
fortunately more likely to be the victims
of property crime than violence. What can we do? Obvious,
responsible, and commonsense measures like removing
valuables from your parked car, locking doors, and closing
garages certainly help. Cameras and alarms are also effective. Additionally, one action improves our safety and also
builds our community. Form a Community Watch group on
your block. One person contacting neighbors to organize a
home meeting with police representatives is all it takes. The
LBPD provides wonderful resources to help you organize.
Community Watch improves the quality of life for us all.
Check out these links and start by calling the LBPD East
Division, (562) 570-5812, or email [email protected],
and telling the Community Resource Specialist that you’re
interested in starting a Community Watch.
http://www.longbeach.gov/police/crime-info/
community-watch/
http://www.longbeach.gov/police/media-library/
documents/crime-info/community-watch/
how-to-start-a-community-watch-group/
Friends, Neighbors, Long Beachians –
Lend Us Your Ears
By: Ken Konrad, Noise Committee
Is low f lying helicopter noise an unwelcome intrusion on your life? Then
let’s band together and make some
noise of our own.
Help us regularly report abusive helicopters to the FAA. We’ll petition helicopter pilot groups, local politicians
and federal regulators to do something
about it.
If you want to help, let us know by
sending an email to [email protected] and put helicopters in
the subject line.
Credit: Roxanna
Velandria, www.
prospectpark
quietskies.org
continued on page 3
Association News, continued from page 2
From the President
Please talk to your neighbors about doing the same.
Download the HeliTracker App on your phone and report
low f lying helicopters – its Free and Easy! (Go to http://lahelicopternoise.org/complaints/ for more information.)
We will host a get-together to assist anyone who wants help
downloading and using the App. Together we might be able to
get them to f ly higher.
By: Maureen Neeley
Parking in the Heights
By: Bill Marshall, Parking Committee Facilitator
It would be great if we could fold up our f lying car into a
briefcase like George Jetson when he got to work. But, back to
reality. Our desire to park closer to where we need to be is a
more here and now problem, especially in the Heights.
The new Parking Team has been meeting and discussing a
few approaches that may help. A need for data that encompasses zoning and density in our neighborhood and actual
use of the paved areas has been requested. The new General
Plan probably drew on that data or generated it. We have asked
Councilwoman Suzie Price if we can use this for a more scientific method to create solutions.
In the meantime, projects include promoting garage sales
that will result in using the garage for the car, and composing
a f lyer or list of ways to alleviate the parking problem. This
would be published on the BHCA website for printing.
We plan to meet on a monthly basis. If you’d like to join our
group, email the BHCA at [email protected].
A f lying car in a briefcase is, of course, our ultimate goal.
It’s Official –
We Have a New Logo!
By: Dianne Sundstrom
Several years ago we started working on a new design for our logo and
have finally completed the process.
Many thanks to all those who submitted ideas, including Tom Gallo,
Bill Miller, Ryan Keiser, Andriana
Garcia, Sheryl Sopot Reade, and
Doug Walker.
Doug Walker’s graphic design was
favored by the majority of the task engaged ● informed ● empowered
force. And Bill Miller’s descriptors of
“engaged, informed, empowered” was felt to be a “spot on” representation of the Association’s mission.
You’ll see the logo in various iterations in the newsletter, on stationery and business cards, and on the website. Special thanks to
Carolyn Yamaoka for her expertise in the color selection and final
drawing of the design and to Al Holden for his assistance in adapting the logo for the website.
Meet Doug Forasté
I
n the last newsletter, I thanked long-time
boardmember, John Shisko, for his excellent
service. Now let’s meet Douglas Domingo-Forasté, who has stepped into this Member-at-Large
position. Doug was born in Los Angeles, living in
Irvine for twelve years before moving to Belmont
Heights in 1998. He has also lived and/or worked
in Rome, Florence and Athens, perfecting his vocation in Classics, which he has taught at Cal
State Long Beach since 1988. With two married
daughters residing in Portland and New York,
Doug now enjoys the grandfather role.
Arriving in Belmont Heights from Irvine was
a breath of fresh air for Doug. “There is a real
feeling of community here, unlike the alienating design and culture of Irvine at the time I
lived there,” he noted. He also loves the eclectic mix of architecture, especially since he lives
in a 1925 Craftsman bungalow. Joining him in
the bungalow are his appropriately named cats,
Toussaint (a black stray formerly called Rebel)
and L’Orange. Both are FIV+ rescues (feline immunodeficiency virus). Rescuing high-needs cats
is a simple example of Doug’s social justice bent,
reflective of his Catholic faith. He is president
of the San Pedro Regional Advisory Board for
Catholic Charities of LA, and president of the LB
chapter of the California Faculty Association.
Doug was instrumental on several BHCA committees over the years, most notably the study
and ultimate moratorium restricting crematoriums to industrial areas (and not in Belmont
Heights).
Please join us in welcoming Doug to the BHCA
Board! S
continued on page 15
Page 3
From our Council Member
Dear Belmont Heights Residents
By: Suzie Price, Third District Councilwoman
A
s you know, on June 7th Long Beach
residents voted to pass Measure A, a 1% sales tax increase
to pay for needed public safety and infrastructure improvements. The sales tax will start on January 1, 2017, however
this summer the City Manager will propose a budget that
includes a partial year of projected Measure A funds. I am
happy to share that one of the first priorities will be to restore Fire Engine 8 in Belmont Shore. This engine is critical
in serving the east side of the Third District and with achieving standard response times, which we are currently not
meeting. This is extremely concerning to me. Also high on
my priority list is improving our residential street conditions. The City has created a citywide street repaving plan
based on the data collected through a scientific pavement
management index. This plan sets forth the highest priority street repair projects in the City of Long Beach. Over the
next ten years we will be investing millions of dollars into
our streets, parks, senior centers, libraries, and public safety departments.
In early July, I continued my commitment to improving
safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists by reducing
the speed of vehicles on Broadway in Belmont Heights. A
new painted median was installed on Broadway between
Mira Mar Avenue and Park Avenue. The painted median is
designed to narrow the roadway to reduce traffic speeds
and provide drivers with more time to react to other drivers,
pedestrians, and road hazards, which in turn leads to a
decrease in accidents. This project is an extension of the
physical medians that were installed on Broadway between
Park Avenue and Nieto Avenue. Additionally, the new painted median will have turn pockets for drivers to make safe
left turns, and the project will include new signage and
crosswalk treatments.
Finally, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the City of
Long Beach offers hundreds of free or low cost cultural
programs, sports activities, and special events throughout
the City under our 100 Days of Summer program. I encourage
all residents to enjoy the wonderful activities, which include
movies on the beach, concerts in our parks, sports, aquatics
and cultural programs. Our 100 Days of Summer program is
a great way to enjoy all of the public amenities our City has
to offer. To find out more about this program, please visit
www.100daysofsummer.org.
As always, please email my office at district3@longbeach.
gov if you have any questions or concerns about issues affecting your community. S
michaelbarber
Main Street Realtors
Lic # 01332558
562.659.3057
760.285.9899
[email protected]
244 Redondo Ave
Long Beach, CA 90803
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Page 4
Plastic Pollution in Long Beach
By: Katie Allen, Executive Director, Algalita Marine
Research and Education
B
y now, many people know the ocean is filling up with
plastic. It’s an issue our organization, Algalita, has
been studying for over 20-years. Our founder and Belmont
Shore native, Charles Moore, sparked the “Great Plastics
Awakening” in 1997 after he made an alarming discovery
in the North Pacific Ocean. He found that our plastic trash
travels to accumulation zones in the deep ocean, where it
absorbs toxicants, breaks apart into small bits, and mixes
into very intricate marine food webs.
After Algalita worked to spread the news of Moore’s discovery, we suddenly found ourselves at the forefront of an
environmental movement like no other. After 20 years, we
have accomplished our mission of exposing the truth behind ocean plastic pollution, and although we’ll continue
to build a case for change by studying the problem, we
know it’s our time to embark on a journey to uncover the
true solutions.
We have an intimate relationship with plastic pollution
here in Long Beach. It literally ends up in our own backyards. Our beloved beaches are covered with single-use
“disposable” items like bottle caps, foam, wrappers, and
straws. And although we know much of the pollution is
coming from upstream, we know our community has the
ability to create a cultural shift in which individuals change
their habits and subsequently force the plastics industry to
re-examine how products can be designed in a more sustainable manner.
Algalita is preparing to launch culturally specific campaigns focused on single-use plastic reduction, partnering
with local influencers such as businesses, schools, churches
and community leaders throughout Long Beach in an effort to encourage individuals to change their habits. Here’s
what we have in the works for 2016 1.Councilwoman, Suzie Price, has generously agreed
to sponsor Algalita plastic pollution teaching kits
for all science teachers within District 3. Kits will be
distributed November 2016.
Captain Charles Moore – with crew in training
Photo Credit: Algalita Archive
2.We’re partnering with Whole Foods to design
workshops and classes aimed at helping the community
build healthy habits.
3. As part of our Ship-2-Shore Program, Long Beach high
schools are conducting plastics pollution research
aboard our vessel in the San Pedro Bay in order to
determine which plastics are most pervasive in our
local environment.
4. We’ve recently opened a community retail store at our
office that carries alternatives to single-use plastics.
We’re also doing a collection drive of hard-to-recycle
plastic waste like writing utensils, personal care
products, tape dispensers, and water filters.
Our team is fully committed to serving our local community, but we cannot do it alone. As a non-profit organization, what keeps us going is support from those who
believe in our work. As the need for our services grow,
please consider investing in our programs by visiting our
website (www.algalita.org), or stop by our office located at
148 North Marina Drive, Long Beach CA 90803. S
Page 5
Coach Jody Wynn’s Long Beach State
Basketball Team
By: Angie Avery
Your Belmont Heights
Neighborhood Contractor
new kitchen turned out
“Our
to be a masterpiece …
Bob’s our contractor.”
Coach Wynn
2015-16 team
Photos credit: CSULB archives
O
ver the last few years, coach Jody
Wynn—who will be visiting our BHCA
meeting on October 12th—has led the
women’s basketball team at California
State University, Long Beach from success to success.
In the 2014/15 season, the Long Beach State team had
one of their best campaigns in recent history as they recorded their first 20-win season in 15 years (22-10). (The
university is called California State University, Long Beach,
but the sports teams also use the alternative name Long
Beach State University.) Wynn’s team proved the previous
season wasn’t a fluke when they continued to build on their
success in 2015/16 and went 24-9 overall. LBSU’s 24 victories were their most since 1990-91 (24-8), and they are now
a mere two victories away from the program’s 900th win.
The 49ers swept six of their eight conference opponents,
tying for second in the Big West conference regular-season standings, their best finish in 10 years. In the process,
Wynn took the team to their second straight (and overall
fourth) appearance at the Women’s National Invitational
Tournament, an independent national championship.
Wynn has transformed LBSU’s game with outstanding
shooting, running, and passing. The team plays a fastpaced full-court pressure defense that is exciting to watch,
and on offense they launch three-pointers like the Golden
State Warriors. The 49ers play their games at the Pyramid,
only 10 minutes from our neighborhood. This arena boasts
the famous 49er band, the dance team, cheerleaders, and
the largest video board in collegiate basketball.
Coach Wynn will attend our October 12th meeting to
invite Belmont Heights residents and their families to the
Pyramid to upcoming games. Wynn will be raffling some
items, including free tickets for games during the upcoming season, which starts in early November. After the improvements in 2014/15 and 2015/16, the 2016/17 season
will surely be an even greater success. As they say at Cal
State Long Beach, “Go Beach!” S
Page 6
—Craig & Alicia Collins,
Belmont Heights
Quality, Craftsmanship & Experience
Work recognized by This Old House, OC Home and the Long
Beach Historical Society. Serving Long Beach since 1991.
Phone: (562) 495-0483
Email: [email protected]
CA License #632506
Euclid Colonial, continued from page 1
Signal Box Art
the wood siding, painting the whole house by hand - truly
a labor of love.
“When I retired in 2004, we began major projects. First,
that upstairs bathroom. We remodeled it with a pedestal
sink and claw foot tub. The kitchen was next. Completely
gutted, it was disturbing to see what was underneath those
walls! Six months later, we had a beautiful, period style
kitchen. After some cosmetic repairs to the other downstairs
rooms and restoring all the windows to double-hung wood
sash, we had oak floors installed throughout the lower
level.*
“The upstairs floors still need to be redone, along with
plaster repairs, but that will have to wait for another day.”
During the Christmas season, neighbors hang huge ornaments from the ficus trees outside. One can imagine the
Iunkers, and Deborah from Kentucky, approving.
* Surprisingly, the Assessor’s original description indicates
the floors were never hardwood. S
By: Sydney Simon
Sydney Simon; Jennifer Tejada-Hall, the Reno Room’s
manager; Doug Walker, artist. Photo Credit: Bill Davis
B
elmont Heights has two new pieces of public art to
celebrate. Doug Walker has once again enriched our
neighborhood with newly painted signal boxes on 7th and
Park, in front of Starbucks Coffee, and on the corner of
Broadway and Redondo, in front of the Reno Room. The
Reno Room owner’s generous donation enabled us to
commission this gorgeous signal box, designed from Bob
Winberry’s photograph of Spanish dancers and executed
by Doug Walker. The signal box harmonizes with the
Reno Room by duplicating its tile façade.
Belmont Heights’ tree-lined, classic neighborhoods are
ideal for strolling. So I invite everyone to take a public art
walk around Belmont Heights and visit all our uniquely painted signal boxes. Find our painted signal boxes
here:
• Park and 4th, our squawking Long Beach parrots.
• Ximeno and 4th, a whimsical trompe-l’oeil of Egg
Heaven with an homage to the Grunion Gazette.
• Termino and 4th, a classic tribute to California
flora.
• Ximeno & Livingston, a floral fantasia.
• 7th and Park, a euclalyptus grove extending
Recreation Park’s greenery.
Sheila Pope
Realtor ®
m: 562.577.5097
o: 562.774.4119
The "S" Team
[email protected]
www.ClassicLongBeachHomes.com
• 6th and Redondo, an homage to the bygone Pacific
Electric street cars.
• Redondo and Broadway, dancing Spanish ladies at
the Reno Room.
We’ve made a great start on our signal box art but still
have over ten boxes to go. If an artist out there would like
to leave his or her mark on a Belmont Heights signal box,
please let us know and we will be happy to obtain the city
permits. S
Page 7
Heart & Home
Color and Design
By: Bungalow Kev
One of the most beneficial home improvements
for dollars spent is an exterior paint job, as long as
the color scheme is well
conceived and the work is
skillfully done.
Every home has a unique
set of factors that must be
considered in choosing an
appropriate palette of colOriginal oil painting from
ors and using those colors
1907 by Lawrence C. Earle
to bring out the best in the
titled “Dutch Boy Painter”
home’s architectural details
used for Dutch Boy Paint
and overall presentation.
Company advertising.
Whenever I design colors
for a home, I take into account a client’s preferences but
also the era of the home, its architectural assets, lighting,
landscape, placement on the lot and its positioning within
the streetscape. This is no easy task given all the color
choices available and the confluence of factors above.
Homes of any given era have distinct color palettes used
by the original architects/designers. Those original colors are generally perfectly suited to the spirit, materials
and lines of the building. Start by researching homes like
yours in both historic and contemporary architectural
books and magazines. Here you will discover how colors
were conceived and applied back in the day in contrast to
current interpretations. Drive through the historic neighborhoods in Pasadena or our local historic neighborhoods
to see good color design. Try to analyze how and why the
colors work together to achieve a pleasing effect.
If you feel that you do not possess the skill to choose
a well-conceived ensemble of colors, take the stress out
of the equation and hire a color consultant. If you want
to choose the colors yourself, be patient. Avoid copying
colors seen in pictures or existing homes in your neighborhood. Every home is different and requires a unique
color design. Entertain several combinations at first, then
settle on one you like best. Hire restoration savvy painters
to first paint large swaths as samples, and once colors are
finalized buy the highest quality paint from companies
offering authentic historic palettes.
When your home is painted you should be very happy
with the transformation. Your new color scheme will add
the perfect touch to your house and brighten up your
neighborhood. S
Page 8
St. Contractor’s Lic. 636189
Old Picture Hunt
By: Diane Paull
John Baccarella has
owned Vans since 1988
Photo Credit:
Diane Paull
Lights and Fixtures
Photo Credit: Bill Davis
And the winner is Marilyn Shenker, M.F.T. Chelsea
(didn’t get her last name) also answered correctly. The
ultimate trivia, however, comes from BHCA President
Maureen Neeley, who provided me with information
from the Long Beach Library along with a 1922 City
Directory page. Vans has been a hardware store since
1922, and the space that now houses EJ Malloy’s started as a restaurant in 1925. No liquor was sold at the
location until after 1933, the end of Prohibition. The
present EJ’s was established in 1990.
I have been going to Vans Hardware for over 25 years,
and everyone at this store has always been very patient
with me. When I walk down to Vans, I try to take whatever is broken or needs replacing with me because with
my level of expertise, it’s easier to show than to tell.
Whatever the problem, it seems I always get charged
about twenty-five cents. Clearly, my purchases do not
keep this business thriving.
Vans is the epitome of a neighborhood business.
They take the time to “hand-hold” customers through
their home projects. I don’t know the names of all the
Vans staff who’ve helped me through the years, but the
current owner, John Baccarella, is the go-to person. It
is businesses such as Vans that make our neighborhood
so special.
A little more on John: he makes and sells amazing
lamps and light fixtures that have a unique “hardware” feel. They’re displayed in the front window of
the store.
Editor’s Note: Diane Paull has been writing the Picture Hunt feature since Winter 2014. She’s decided it’s
time for a change. Starting in the next issue, she will be
writing about people, places and things that capture her
interest. We look forward to her special perspective on the
neighborhood. S
Page 9
The Fremont Falcon Feed
By: Molly Montgomery
Hello,
neighbor!
New Student Orientation – August 30th at 12
p.m.
First Day of School! – August 31st
LBUSD has an early start date this year! If you are
new to Fremont, there will be a New Student Orientation on August 30th at 12 p.m. Keep up to date on
what’s happening at Fremont and view the entire school
year calendar on our website: www.Fremont-pta.org
Jog-a-Thon – October 28th
If you happen by Fremont on October 28, you’ll see
a playground full of sweaty, smiling kids eagerly running laps to raise money for their school. This high
energy school-wide event is the single largest fundraiser for Fremont PTA. 100% of donations go directly to
school programs. Fremont encourages students to focus their efforts on this healthy, active fundraiser rather
than seeking funds through cookie dough, magazine or
wrapping paper sales. Jogger on your doorstep? Please
consider a donation,
Fremont Business Partners
Let us help promote your business. For a donation to
our school, we’ll endorse your business with a personalized banner on the corner of 4th and Termino in addition to other marketing opportunities, such as email
blasts. There are many options for sponsorship! For
more info, please contact Business Partners Chair Adriana Manfredi at [email protected]
PTA Special Memberships for Neighbors
Support your neighborhood school by signing up
for a Special PTA Membership for only $5! Membership does not require your involvement or committing
to attend any meetings but it does entitle you to some
great discounts with companies such as Hertz, AARP
and Staples, all offered through the National PTA. Sign
up is easy on Fremont PTA’s website. S
REsiDEntiAL &
invEstMEnt PRoPERty
David & Molly Montgomery
David (310) 266-2164 Molly (562) 682-8692
244 Redondo Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90803 • BRE #01836006 #01359855
Page 10
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Thinking About Solar Panels?
By: Bill Davis – With Alan Brawer, President Solar Wholesale Group
I
f you look around your neighborhood, you may have noticed a substantial uptick in solar installations, especially over the last 2 years as costs for installation have come
down approximately 20%. Another reason is upcoming
changes to how our electric utility provider handles initial
installation and ongoing use of solar panels. Many homeowners are installing now to avoid the consequences of
those coming changes.
Under new rules adopted by the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC), a new net metering program (the
process whereby customers sell back the electricity they
don’t need to the utility company) would establish an additional fee on electricity from the grid, regardless how much
electricity solar panels generate. The PUC estimates this fee
will add about $6 more per month for the average solar user.
This new fee will go into effect no later than July 2017 and
perhaps earlier if the percent of power generated from solar
sources reaches 5% (it’s currently 2.7% for the entire state).
In addition, new solar customers will face a one-time charge
from the utility of $75 to $150 to tie into the grid. By acting
soon, customers can avoid the tie in charge and avoid the
new metering charge for 20 years.
Under the current SCE rate structure, customers pay an
average of 24 cents per kilowatt hour. A customer who purchases a solar system can pay as little as 6 to 8 cents per
kilowatt hour. If you lease the system, you pay as little as
15-18 cents per kilowatt hour.
The question of purchase versus lease is an individual
decision. Customers should research the options and discuss them with a financial advisor or trusted disinterested
person. Purchasing a system is a fairly expensive capital
improvement project. However, you would be eligible for
a one-time 30% federal tax credit. So, for example, paying $18,000 for a system would yield a tax credit of $5,400.
The 30% federal tax credit was recently extended through
2019.
Before you install, it is important to have a viable roof
surface and fairly updated electric main panel to handle
Solar panels
on a house in
the heights
Credit: Alan
Brawer
Alan Brawer
with newly
delivered
panels ready
for installation
in the
neighborhood
a new solar system. You will need building permits. Solar
on your historical Long Beach home is also an option as
long as you obtain a certificate of appropriateness from the
city. Your solar installer will handle permits. As with all
construction work, perform due diligence on prospective
installers. Check out local references.
There are many reasons to consider installing solar panels on your home. For some, it’s just dollars and cents. For
others, there’s an element of thumbing your nose at the
utility company. For many, there is the desire to increase
your green foot print by generating electricity from a renewable source (sun light) rather than buying it all from power
plants that burn carbon fuel. One solar installation won’t
reverse global warming, but a comprehensive switch to renewable power sources might. S
Your neighborhood lender
in Belmont Heights
Polly Adams | Branch Manager
562.742.2040
NMLS 474310 | [email protected]
Co. NMLS 3116 | Branch NMLS 1066067
3643 East 4th Street, Suite A | Long Beach, CA 90814
Page 11
Belmont Heights Book Club
By: Britton Weber
I
f you enjoy reading and getting together with friends
for fun, food and lively discussion, then join our Belmont Heights Book Club!
We meet September-June on the 3rd Sunday of each
month from 3-5 pm. The location and book selection varies monthly.
We’ve selected books for the coming three months:
September 18th: “The Physician” by Noah Gordon;
October 16th: “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell; November
20th: “A Moveable Feast” by Ernest Hemingway.
Book selections and dates will be posted online in the
BHCA newsletter. Go to: mybelmontheights.org. Please
email me if you are interested in joining the book club:
[email protected] S
Book club members posing with Max Evans, author of book
club selection, “Where’s Pops?”
B E L M O N T H E IG H T S O P T O M E T R Y
D r . S in a v y S a o , O . D
D r . S o c h e t S a o , O .D
4 2 0 3 E 4 t h S t , L on g B ea c h, C A 9 0 8 1 4
b h o pt o me t r y . c o m
5 6 2 -4 3 3 -1 7 0 0
_____________________________________________________________
Serving Long Beach and the Belmont Heights community since 2000.
Expertise in eye care, quality e yewear and personal service.
jeannette
architects
209 temple avenue
long beach ca 90803
562.987.9139
Page 12
Belmont Heights Business Beat
By: Leslie Petronella
Mareni and Jackson Khem, owners. Photo Credit: Bill Davis
T
here’s a buzz humming in the neighborhood, all thanks
to HoneyBee’s, a new family-run one-stop shop for
groceries, coffee, sandwiches, craft beer, and more.
Located at the former site of Henry Market on the corner
of Third and Loma, HoneyBee’s is the brainchild of husband
and wife team Jackson and Mareni Khem.
“The idea behind HoneyBee’s stemmed from being at the
corner store, and seeing customers come in and walking
right out,” said Jackson. One day, the couple started surveying the customers that came in to see what they would
want offered in the neighborhood. Everyone wanted a coffee shop that served sandwiches. So you can say HoneyBee’s
was the neighborhood’s idea. The couple just brought it to
life.
The interior of HoneyBee’s underwent a facelift, with
Jackson and Mareni doing most of the physical labor themselves. Their hard work seems to have paid off because since
the store’s opening in May, the neighborhood reception has
been very supportive. In fact, customers have played an integral role in helping to shape the growing menu found at
HoneyBee’s.
“If a customer asks for something and it’s not on our
menu, we will try our best to make it, be a sandwich or
drink,” said Jackson. “One thing we’ve learned since opening HoneyBee’s is to keep being innovative.”
HoneyBee’s is located at 301 Loma. It is open seven days a
week: Monday-Friday 7:30am to 7:30pm, Saturdays 8:00am7:00pm, and Sundays 8:00am to 6:00pm. S
Page 13
Support Our On Broadway Advertisers
ards
ifts
C
G
3405 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90803
(562) 438-6388
a unique food and wine experience
562.433.0153
3441 East Broadway
Long Beach, CA 90803
3506 E. Broadway
Long Beach, Ca 90803
ph: (562)-433-1000
fax (562) 439-7751
www.taste-wbk.com
[email protected]
$5.00 Off
First Visit*
Grooming
Food
Supplies
Belmont Heights • 3429 E. Broadway • Long Beach • 562-433-3605
Seal Beach • 318 Main Street • Seal Beach • 562-430-7196
Bixby Knolls • 4102 Orange Ave. #113 • Long Beach • 562-427-2551
Products & services vary by location – call for info. *Grooming – new customers only – $25 min.
Law Offices of Johnson Richey
Jennifer Johnson Richey
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Wills, Trusts, Estate Plans, Probate
Advising Belmont Heights families
for over 20 years
Tel: (562) 433-4499
Email: [email protected]
4105 E. Broadway, Suite 202, Long Beach CA 90803
Page 14
Association News, continued from page 3
Resources - Some Rx for Older Homes
Much of the Belmont Heights housing stock is easily
sixty years or older. Lathe and plaster walls, hardwood
f looring, Douglas fir windows, knob and tube wiring
and coved ceilings can be beautiful, but also challenging to restore. Who can you call? Some of our best local
craftsmen and women come recommended via word of
mouth. Did you know the BHCA maintains a Resource
Guide of tradespeople personally recommended by local Belmont Heights’
customers? Check it out on our website at www.mybelmontheights.org.
Also, if you have had success with a
specialty trades business and wish
to add them to our online list, please
let us know.
-
BHAA Gallery Show for 2016
By: Sydney Simon
MAR K YOUR CALENDAR! We have begun organizing the 3rd Belmont
Heights Artists’ Association
(BH A A) Galler y Show for
2016. The opening reception
will be Saturday, October 1,
2016, at Viento y Agua, 4007
E. 4th Street. The show will
run through the end of October.
Last year, the 2015 BHAA show featured 23 artists,
all residing in Belmont Heights. Over 100 residents attended our dazzling opening reception. The evening was
warm and the room was alive with conversation and art,
and, in the background, the mellow sounds of our local
Belmont Heights band, Second Wind. The band’s blend
of jazz, folk, country and standards complemented the
eclectic art. Elizabeth Thomas from the Grunion Gazette’s
“Eye on Art” positively reviewed the show and, thanks to
John Montich, an art curator, Viento y Agua had never
looked better. Owner Bela Mongyorody, has enthusiastically invited us back for the 3rd BHAA 2016 show.
We are always looking to expand our artist mailing
list. So if you are an artist or know an artist in our neighborhood not on our email list who would like to participate in the next October 2016 BHAA show, please email
[email protected] or [email protected] .
Remember, save the date, Saturday, October 1, 2016,
for the opening reception of the 3rd BHAA Gallery Show
at Viento y Agua from 7pm – 9pm, with art by our talented neighbors, music by Second Wind and appetizers
and wine by BHCA.
Make a Difference Day
(MADD) - Save the Date
By: Marc Davidson
T he t h ird a n nu a l
Make a Difference Day
(MADD) will be held on
Sunday, March 26, 2017.
A happy team from Make a
Temple Israel, Belmont
Difference Day, 2016
Heights United Methodist Church, Belmont
Heights Community Association, and the Third District
Council Office will co-sponsor the event, and seek to
build on the success of the last two years’ day of community service.
Mark your calendar now. Plan on giving a few hours
of your time that Sunday, and be involved in any number
of community service projects. Projects this past year
included collecting food for the needy, packing hygiene
kits for the homeless and school supplies for homeless
kids, clean-up activities of local wetland areas, art and
craft projects for children groups, and visits to local senior facilities to interact with residents.
MADD will kick-off in the morning of Sunday, March
26th, at Temple Israel, with celebration, key thoughts
from local community leaders, and music from Belmont
Heights’ Second Wind.
More details will come. Plan to be a part.
Please feel free to contact me by email [[email protected]] with questions, project suggestions,
sponsorship interest, or simply a welcome desire to be
involved.
BHCA Looking For A Website Curator
Are you interested in Social Media? Do you have a
passion for local events?
Do you want to not only
be ‘In The Know,’ but help
shape ‘The Know?’ Then
the BHCA has a job for
you! We are looking for
that special someone who can keep our website updated
with the latest events, City studies, links, images and
crucial local news. You may even send out e-blasts, connecting with residents who cannot attend meetings.
This is the perfect part-time position for someone who
wants to give back to the community, but has limited
face time. We cannot pay you in dollars, Euros, or even
bit coin, but know you will be a crucial part of the BHCA
team by keeping our neighborhood informed, empowered and engaged! For more information, call Maureen
at 285-3860, or email [email protected].
S
Page 15
Show
Pride
in your Neighborhood!
To order merchandise, join or renew your BHCA membership,
please return this form with your check payable to:
Belmont Heights Community Association
375 Redondo Ave. #332, Long Beach, CA 90814
 New member $30
T
S
H
I
R
T
S

T
O
T
E
S

 Renewal $30
Are you interested in helping with BHCA activities?
 YES! contact me!
 Sorry, not right now
Belmont Heights
Community Association
all memberships are for one year from date of application
and are now tax deductible.
Name Address Phone E-mail It's easy to use PayPal to pay for
your BHCA membership!
Go to www.MyBelmontHeights.org and click on "Join"
FREE DELIVERY!
Color
Size
Quantity
Olive green
Black
S
S
_____ x $15
_____ x $15
M
M
L XL
L XL
Canvas tote bag, 15" x 12"

Color
Size
Quantity
Black Red
S
S
_____
_____
S
I
G
N
S
Women’s T-Shirts 100% Organic
Color
Size
Quantity
Black Grass Green
S
S
_____ x $15
_____ x $15
M
M
L XL
L XL
Tote Bag
_____ x $8
Unisex Pullover Hoodie Sweatshirt
M
M
L
L
XL
XL
XXL
XXL
BHCA Meetings
Meetings are the second Wednesday of
each month at 7 p.m. Location: Belmont
Heights United Methodist Church downstairs
meeting room, 317 Termino.
August: No meeting
September 14: “In the Land of the
Bungalows.” Special multimedia presentation about
bungalow architecture by Kevin
Doherty, known to our readers as
“Bungalow Kev”
October 12: League of Women Voters
presents the pros and cons of
November ballot measures. Also,
meet Jody Wynn, coach of the
CSULB women’s basketball team
November 9: “The Historic Geography
of Long Beach.” Larry Rich, the
City’s Officer of Sustainability,
will demonstrate the changing
face of Long Beach’s topography
through maps and historic
photographs
Topics are subject to change. Please visit
our website (www.mybelmontheights.org)
for updates.
Men’s T-Shirts 100% Organic
H
O
O
D
I
E
S
Calendar
x $20
x $20
Unisex Zip-up Hoodie Sweatshirt
Color
Size
Quantity
Black S
M
L
XL
XXL
_____
x $25
Red
S
M
L
XL
XXL
_____
x $25
Yard Sign
This House is 100 Years Old
BHCA Yard Sign on Corrugated
Plastic with Wire Stake____ _x $10
See it at mybelmontheights.org
Other Neighborhood Events
Ongoing: Belmont Heights Book
Club. Meetings on September 18 and
October 16. See page 12 for more
information.
August 31: First day of school for LBUSD
October 1: Belmont Heights Artists’
Association Opening at Viento y Agua
(runs through the month of October).
See story on page 15.
Do you have a local event for our calendar?
Let us know!