HUNTINGTON BEACH...Cars and SUVs waited at the main gate to be admitted to Ride the Next Wave, the first annual community open house for AES Huntington Beach power plant at Newland and Pacific Coast Highway on Saturday morning, August 28, 2010. Once inside the huge complex, visitors could sign up for tours of the plant that produces the electricity to power your homes and businesses. A long waiting line quickly formed for this tour. Each tour could only handle approximately ten people. Each tour visitor were handed a hard hat and safety glasses to wear on the tour.
TK Burger's catering truck
Another long waiting line formed by the blue catering truck for free hamburgers from TK Burgers of Huntington Beach as the smell of hamburgers grilling sent a wisp of tantalizing smoke over to the visitors. Children loved the bounce houses that AES employees had brought in for the open house.
Bounce Houses for the kids
While waiting for the next tour to begin, visitors could relax and listen to the OGees, a live band that performed the latest music. Visitors were given an opportunity to donate to the YMCA of Orange County and those who did received a free raffle ticket for a chance to win fun prizes such as boogie boards, a beach cruiser, and a surf board.
The OGees band
Several plant employees acted as docents (tour guides) Saturday included Mike Adams, who drives to Huntington Beach from his home in the North Palm Springs area. The first thing visitors saw on Adams' tour were the four huge pumps that circulate water to cool the mighty generators. Each pump can pump 47,000 gallons of water per minute. Adams told his tour that fresh water and sea water never touch each other. Adams said that he has scuba dived near the outlet water pipe and there is plenty of sea creatures around it.
Large pumps circulate water throughout the plant
Next Adams took his tour into the main control room to meet Vincent, one of three people who man the control panel 24/7. The tour learned that the generators can be shut off quickly, but it takes approximately 18-hours to bring a generator back on line. With all four generators running, the plant can produce 800+ Megawatts of power to light more than 76,000 California homes and businesses.
Vincent at his station in the control room
During the tour only two generators were in use and powered with clean-burning natural gas. The plant no longer uses oil to fire up the steam generators.
The mighty generators and steam turbines
HUNTINGTON BEACH...The third annual Huntington Beach Green Expo will be held on September 18th from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at Pier Plaza. This great event is open to the public and is an excellent opportunity to see new products and ideas that help us all “Green” our community and be more aware of how to create a sustainable environment.
The Green Expo has been held at the Central Library in the past, but because of the growth of the event – it was decided to move it down to Pier Plaza. There will be more than 70 vendors and displays along with live music to enjoy while learning how to “Be Green.”
Shirley Knopf, from the Tree Society, and Friend at last year's Green Expo
For more information – log onto www.huntingtonbeachgoesgreen.com On the website, you will find vendor information, details on the bands playing and how to become a sponsor of the event. The Green Expo is co-sponsored by the City of Huntington Beach and the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce.
SACRAMENTO...The State Legislature gathered Tuesday, August 31, 2010, to perform a budget drill on the 62-days late budget.
As expected, the process did not garner enough votes to see a budget passed.
“This drill was a show to make it look as though the Legislature is approaching the budget with some sense of urgency,” said Assemblyman Jim Silva, R-Huntington Beach. “But after two months, the majority party still insists upon excessive tax increases and refuses to significantly cut spending.”
Both parties have budget proposals circulating in the Capitol. The heavily-criticized Democrat plan involves multi-billion dollar tax and fee increases, specifically raising income taxes on the middle-class, oil production, job creation and a tripled vehicle license fee. The proposal has Republicans concerned that the policies will further damage California’s frail economy.
“We have a $19.1 billion deficit, 12 percent unemployment and a business climate that is suffocating from high taxes and overregulation,” said Silva. “The Democrats’ plan to increase taxing and spending will only aggravate these issues. Republicans have offered a plan that balances the budget without raising taxes. This plan should be the starting point.”
The Republican plan emphasizes spending cuts to balance the budget. It is a slightly modified version of Governor Schwarzenegger’s May Revise, merely eliminating the fire tax, water fees, speeding enforcement cameras and state inmate shift to counties without county approval.
“We won’t raise taxes, but we are willing to negotiate where spending reductions occur,” said Silva. “We are waiting for Democrats to come to the table.”
HUNTINGTON BEACH...Support the Marina High School Marching Band and get your car washed as enthusiastic students hand-wash your car and enjoy home-baked goods from the bake table while you wait. The carwash is happening at Redeemer Lutheran Church at 16351 Springdale Street, Huntington Beach on Saturday, September 4th from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Marina High School Marching Band
HUNTINGTON BEACH...It's a no go for two cellular towers in Huntington Beach, at least for now. The Huntington Beach City council voted 6-1 at its Monday night regular to rescind the two contracts with T-Mobile for construction of towers at Harbour View and Bolsa View Parks after listening to members of the public during the meeting.
The City was sued by T-Mobile in U.S. District Court, alleging the city broke their contract. In the original permit T-Mobile stated the Harbour View tower would cost approximately $60,000 to build, well under the Measure C cap of $100,000. T-Mobile later told city staff that the tower would cost $200,000. Under Measure C that would require a vote by the people. Bolsa View's tower would cost approximately $80,000 to build and would not trigger a Measure C voter approval. A judge concurred that T-Mobile did mislead the city in underestimating costs. The permits could be reinstated by a judge at a later time.
HUNTINGTON BEACH...It now appears that the two swimmers that were missing on Saturday afternoon, August 28th are dead. Police and lifeguard crews searched the waters in a wide area where the swimmers were last seen. A group from the inland empire were having an outing Saturday near Huntington City Beach's Tower No. 3 when they lost sight of two of its members.
Huntington Beach officials believe the two were swept away by a rip current. The group were from the Banning and Beaumont area who had come down here to attend a wedding.
News reports listed the two missing men as John Shua Lee, 24, and Shao Moua, 20, from the Laotian Evangelical Church, but this could not be confirmed at this time. Search parties will continue their search Tuesday.
HUNTINGTON BEACH...The following people were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of an intoxicant. They have only been arrested on suspicion of a crime and, as with all crimes, are considered innocent until proven guilty.
- Tony Trinh, 33, Orange
- James L. Irvin, 21, Huntington Beach
- Adam C. Miles, 21, Pleasanton
- Brett Anderson, 46, Costa Mesa
- David K. Foss, 57, Newport Beach
- Santas B. O'Dell, 32, Huntington Beach
- Thomas B. Crivaro, 37, Huntington Beach
- Douglas R. Moffat, 49, Huntington Beach
- Raymond M. Andrade, 19, Riverside
- Juan C. Perez, 41, Los Angeles
- Robby Morales, 21, Garden Grove
- Mohamad I. Chahine, 42, Huntington Beach
- Arturo Mendez, 37, Santa Fe Springs
- Wendy A. Jennings, 44, Huntington Beach
- Michele L. Blair, 51, Huntington Beach
- Roberto Espinoza, 53, Garden Grove
- Fanesia V. Gorelick, 32, Laguna Woods
- Anthony L. Perry, 20, Huntington Beach
- Robert L. Silvey, 30, Huntington Beach
- Anthony A. Hoar, 24, Corona
- Melissa E. Vosper, 32, Huntington Beach
- Steve E. Kunde, 29, Corona
- Mark Fasano, 28, Los Angeles
HUNTINGTON BEACH...On Saturday, August 28th., the Huntington Beach Firefighters’ Association held a fundraising Pancake Breakfast in Lake Park to help raise needed funds to restore Huntington Beach's first motorized fire truck. In 1923 the city purchased a 1923 Seagrave fire engine to help with the oil well fires that accompanied the oil boom of the 1920s. The engine served the community from 1923 to the 1950s.
The Seagrave Committee organized a pancake breakfast that was well attended in the morning. Some of those eager to try the pancakes, sausages and beverages were City Councilmen Joe Carchio, Gil Coerper, Devin Dwyer, City Historian Jerry Person and City Attorney Jennifer McGrath.
Several of the city's fire engines were brought to the park to give both the parents and the kid a chance to see firsthand the equipment that the firefighters use in an emergency. The Seagrave Committee had games for the kids including a bounce house, carnival games, face painting and a chance to have your picture taken as this man is above.
A section of the old fire truck was brought over for people to see how much has been done to restore it to its original beauty. Along with this piece of city history were old photos of the people who fought those early fires using this fire engine or they are standing with this historic engine in front of the original fire station on Main Street. Anyone wishing to donate to this worthy project can contact the Huntington Beach Firefighters’ Association's Seagrave Committee at 714-442-9826.
HUNTINGTON BEACH...The Huntington Beach Elks Lodge 1959 sponsored a charity car and motorcycle show at the Lodge on Talbert Avenue. The event, which was organized by the Lodge’s Surf Club, raised $3005. This money will be donated to the support group “They Will Surf Again” to be used to promote the organization’s efforts to provide surfing experience for physically challenged individuals. In the past similar donations were used to purchase special wheelchairs that can be used on sand to transport participants to the waters edge.
Officers of the Huntington Beach Elks Lodge 1959 and Surf Club Officers stand in front of a 1941 Delivery Sedan at the charity car show benefiting “The Will Surf Again” Left to right: Sue Herron, Secretary Surf Club, Tammy Butler, Lecturing Knight, David Seeley, Leading Knight, Dave York, Exalted Ruler, Jason Heath, Car Organizer, Shirley Davis, Co-Captain Surf Club and Marie Colacchio, Treasurer Surf Club
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