Day 2 of Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach promises competitive races, raucous tunes

• April 15, 2023

Long Beach’s motorsports party is into Day 2 — and now it’s really going to rev up.

The second day of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach got underway early Saturday morning, April 15, with visitors getting to enjoy a full day of competitive action, the continuing delights of the Lifestyle Expo, Family Fun Center and countless culinary creations.

And for the second straight day, an evening concert will cap off the fun.

RELATED: For Day 1 coverage, click here. For all of SCNG’s Grand Prix coverage, click here.

Keith Napp was geared up with his Grand Prix cap and T-shirt ready to start his early morning on Saturday.

Napp arrived from Venice right as the gates opened. He has been attending the Grand Prix for about 20 years, only missing a couple in the early 2000s, he said.

“I’m looking forward to a good race and the Formula 1 cars,” he said. “They’re old and don’t want to rack up but it’s cool to still get to see them.”

Napp said he would definitely recommend people make the trip out to Long Beach, even just for the other attractions and the experience.

“I always enjoy coming,” Napp said. “It’s great partying with everyone ever year.”

Things got off to a relatively slow start during Day 1, which is normal, given the street circuit mostly hosts practice and qualifying runs and that Friday is a workday for many.

But that doesn’t mean folks didn’t have a blast.

“It’s great — my favorite part is the Super Trucks,” Desirae Hepp, a Long Beach native attending the Grand Prix for the first time, said on Friday. “They remind me of (Hutch’s) cars in ‘Grand Theft Auto.’”

Still, with organizers expecting more than 180,000 people to attend over the Grand Prix’s three-day run, the downtown Long Beach concourse will likely be more crowded on Saturday.

And there’s plenty for folks to enjoy.

The Stadium Super Trucks and the Porsche Carrera Cup with each have their first races of the weekend, with the Super Drift Challenge No. 2 also scheduled for Saturday.

And for those of a certain-generation — or at least with a love of all things vintage — the first Historic F1 Challenge Race is also on tap.

That’s a moment that Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, said will be special.

“For those who are old enough to reminisce about (seeing) those cars blur down Shoreline Drive, it’s going to be a great chance to go back into your memory bank,” Michaelian said in a previous interview. “But more importantly, I think the vast majority of the people will not have had a chance to see or hear those cars — and by the end of the weekend, you’ll get a small taste of what it was like to run when we ran Formula 1 year in the old days.

“That’s going to be a special moment.”

The headliner of the day, though, will be the IMSA SportsCar Grand Prix — a 100-minute affair.

The evening’s headliner, meanwhile, is also poised to amp folks up.

All-star band Kings of Chaos will rock the Grand Prix during the Saturday night concert at the Terrace Theater plaza, a day after DJ Boombox Cartel welcomed back Fiest Friday by getting people moving to electronic dance music.

Kings of Chaos is made up of a rotating roster of well-known musicians. The roster for Saturday includes vocalists Corey Taylor of Slipknot, Corey Glover and Vernon Reid from Living Colour, Lzzy Hale, lead vocalist-guitarist of rock band Halestorm, plus Rome Ramirez of Long Beach’s Sublime with Rome.

Related links

The party gets started at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach
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Two-time LBGP winner Alexander Rossi offers insight into keys to victory
From King of the Beach to personal struggles, racing icon Al Unser Jr. strives to rise anew
All-star band Kings of Chaos will rock the Grand Prix of Long Beach

Based on that lineup, it seems as if the Saturday night concert is poised to provide an eclectic array of musical energy.

So whether you love roaring engines or ear-splitting rock, there will be no shortage of fun for those who attend Day 2 of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

If you can’t make it but would still like to know what’s going on in downtown Long Beach, don’t fret: Come back here for updates on the day at the races.

​ Orange County Register 

What to do when something weird is growing on tree bark

• April 15, 2023

Q. My 20-something-old redbud tree has developed lichens on the trunk, which is a first. Do I have a problem and is there anything I should do?  I have another one in the yard which doesn’t have this problem.

When we see something weird growing on tree bark, it is usually algae, lichens, moss, or fungi (or a combination of these). These can be gray, white, green, or even orange. Most of these organisms can be classified as epiphytes, or simply put, things that live on other things.

Algae, moss, and lichens (a combination of algae and fungi) are more likely to appear on older trees due to their slower growth. Younger trees’ trunk diameter increases quickly during periods of rapid growth, so the epiphytes are still present but spread out and less obvious. In most cases, epiphytes are harmless. They live off material already present on bark or simply condensation and dust particles in the air. “Air plants” are epiphytes.

Sometimes their presence can indicate an adverse growing condition that should be corrected. Algae and moss grow where there is excessive moisture and inadequate light. Irrigation malfunctions or poor drainage can spell doom for a tree, so make sure these conditions are not present. Poor air circulation can cause increased humidity.  Inadequate light might be a result of excessive shade cast by nearby plants that have grown too large or blocked sunlight from a wall or fence. Lichens, moss, and algae are frequently seen on trees in a mature landscape that might need to be thinned out.

Fungi is frequently harmless, but its presence can be a cause for concern. One of the most common fungi found on trees is Armillaria mellea. This fungus grows on a wide range of hosts, both dead and alive. Its fruiting bodies (the visible part of a mushroom) appear as off-white shell-shaped growths, usually found at the base of the trunk. It frequently shows up on mature, drought-adapted trees that suddenly become waterlogged. Look for it after heavy rains that follow a dry summer. Your photo looks more like armillaria than lichens.

Armillaria accompanied by other symptoms of distress indicates a tree in trouble. Look for cracked or peeling bark, sap leakage or dried amber. Is the root collar covered with soil? If so, gently excavate using hand tools to uncover the collar and some of the root flare. Remove any nearby plants that require extra water, such as thirsty annuals.

Armillaria is slow-growing and is subject to attack by other soil fungi, particularly Trichoderma. If drainage conditions are corrected promptly, armillaria can, in many cases, be defeated. Obviously, it can’t be eradicated from the soil, but you can knock it down.

Fungicides are not effective against armillaria, so you can skip that expense.

Los Angeles County

mglosangeleshelpline@ucdavis.edu; 626-586-1988; http://celosangeles.ucanr.edu/UC_Master_Gardener_Program/

Orange County

ucceocmghotline@ucanr.edu; 949-809-9760; http://mgorange.ucanr.edu/

Riverside County

anrmgriverside@ucanr.edu; 951-683-6491 ext. 231; https://ucanr.edu/sites/RiversideMG/

San Bernardino County

mgsanbern@ucanr.edu; 909-387-2182; http://mgsb.ucanr.edu

​ Orange County Register 

Here’s what is being done to improve training, function of Marines’s new amphibious vehicle

• April 15, 2023

A team of amphibious warfare experts is at Camp Pendleton redoing a training program for the instructors and Marines who are operating and maintaining a new troop carrier, following multiple accidents that occurred while crews practiced with the 36-ton vehicles.

The Amphibious Combat Vehicle is replacing the vehicle the Marines have used for decades to transport troops between ships and shore, the Amphibious Assault Vehicle. But since the ACV’s introduction in 2019, there have been four instances when the new vehicles have flipped over while training in surf – there have been no major injuries reported.

Now, the Marine Corps is taking a second look at training for the vehicle, with the recognition that the ACVs are vastly more sophisticated than their predecessor and require a different level of training expertise. Additionally, officials say a new technology being developed will provide a more accurate read on the surf zone and wave conditions. But despite concerns raised and delays to the inclusion of the ACVs on overseas deployments, Marines say the vehicle will be the backbone of amphibious warfare.

The latest training accident was in October when Marines from Camp Pendleton’s Assault Amphibian School and instructors were trapped briefly in an ACV that fell sideways and then flipped in 2- to 3-foot high surf. No one was injured, but it took several days to tow the vehicle ashore.

At least three of the $5.9 million vehicles have been damaged beyond repair in training accidents.

It is in the surf zone – the area near shore where waves build and break – where the Marines seem to be having trouble with maneuvering the ACVs.

The vehicles were first put through their operational paces by a team of Camp Pendleton Marines at the Marine Corps Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms and the testing has continued on training ranges at Camp Pendleton and off its beaches. The vehicles got good reviews for their performance on land, and Marines who tested them reported finding the vehicles superior to their predecessor.

“What we’re focused on right now is building experience and expertise with the platform while our testing branch gets important data on how the ACV reacts in certain surf zone conditions,” said Capt. Ryan Bruce, a Marine spokesman.  “Right now, the Amphibious Vehicle Testing Branch is experimenting to best understand the upper limits of the platform in the surf zone and develop standard operating procedures that take into account the impact of other variables on surf zone transit.”

Senate testimony

In recent testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Marine Commandant Gen. David Berger addressed some of the vehicles’ shortfalls and reported what the military and the manufacturer, BAE Systems, are doing to address the problems. Berger emphasized the ACVs’ importance to amphibious warfare by having the potential “to greatly enhance” the Marine’s ability to maneuver near shore and its “expeditionary reach.”

The ACVs, which ride on eight wheels and have a shape designed to better survive a bomb blast, are replacing the Marine’s fleet of 800 tracked AAVs, which given their age are now requiring hours of maintenance to keep operational. The ACVs have been designed to have a swim capability similar to their predecessors and have equal or greater mobility compared to the M1 Abrams tank – also on its way out.

“As with all new systems and technologies, there have been a few notable challenges,” Berger told the senators. “We are currently working with BAE Systems to address two major component issues — one with the struts/shock absorbers and the other with the central tire inflation system. Both issues have caused part failures, resulting in a decrease in reliability and a corresponding decrease in readiness.”

And, he noted that the vehicles have had “possible water incursion into the power train.”

The commandant also discussed the vehicle’s lack of agility in the surf, recounting the incidents when the vehicles rolled over.

Leaders first temporarily limited their water use and then, after the latest training accident, it was ordered that the vehicles not be used in the surf zone, but instead train in protected waters. ACVs have been allowed to continue training in the open ocean near ships.

Berger told senators that Marine safety investigators along with officials from BAE found that the ACV rollovers were caused when the vehicles got turned parallel to the surf line and were struck by large waves.

“These events were, in large part, the product of training shortfalls,” Berger said.

“We are actively working with BAE Systems to rectify all mechanical concerns and are enhancing the training regimen for our vehicle operators on this new and more sophisticated amphibious vehicle,” he added.

Lt. Col. Kent Ralston, a former executive officer for the Assault Amphibian School at Camp Pendleton who is now retired, argues there may not have been enough testing done on the vehicle before it went out to the fleet. When the testing was done, he said, the Marines realized that the training was “inadequate to help mitigate the issue of the vehicle flipping over in the surf zone.”

“I’m all for more training, but training is not going to fix the inherent design flaws that the ACV has,” Ralston said. A former AAV battalion commander, he was previously part of a team that reviewed future amphibious tactical vehicles including the ACV. “There will always be some kind of mechanical failure, and the vehicle will get caught sideways. They’re never going to be able to say, ‘That vehicle is not going to flip over in the surf zone.’ They’ll get it down to some acceptable level of loss and move on.”

Col. Walt Yates, a former program manager for training systems at Marine Corps Systems Command, who is also retired, said he believes many of the present issues could have been avoided if training simulators were used to prepare the Marines before they got onto the vehicles.

In contrast, the U.S. military has never fielded any manned aircraft without a pilot simulator, he said. “The ACV is the most expensive ground weapons system program in the history of the Marine Corps.”

Immersive simulators would also give the Marine Corps “a very cost-effective way to train ACV crews” for various weather and beach conditions that can’t be replicated at the bases in California or North Carolina, Yates said.

Doubling down

The special trainers now at Camp Pendleton are working on evaluation and certification programs to ensure drivers, vehicle commanders and maintenance crews have the technical knowledge to operate the ACVs safely. Then with new standard operating procedures in place, the new training will be rolled out across the fleet.

To also help get the vehicles through the surf,  Berger said in a recent interview that an effort is also underway to “rapidly field a system to give a better read on the surf zone” and provide a more accurate report on ocean conditions.

The Marine Corps Warfighting Lab is looking at autonomous drones that would provide real-time information on currents, wave height, the number of waves and how they are breaking.  The technology is expected to be ready sometime later in 2023.

The Corps has received between 139 and 200 ACVs to date – there is discrepancy between the number reported by the Marines and the manufacturer – and is expected to ultimately have 632 in its fleet. The initial $198 million deal was signed in 2018.

In addition, to the troop transport vehicles the Marines already delivered, BAE has another $256.8 million in contracts for more vehicles, including more of the transports, a model that will function as a command vehicle – with more sophisticated communications – and one that will act as a recovery vehicle for ACVs that have broken down.

While BAE officials would not comment on how they are working with the Marines to address some of the mechanical issues experienced or how long it will take, they emphasized that “readiness and safety of Marines are always top priority.”

“We will continue partnering closely with the Marine Corps to deliver the safest, most capable platform for our nation’s Marines,” a BAE spokesman said.

Marine Corps officials say they are convinced the ACV is the best vehicle for their future operations and that it is more lethal, is better designed for troops to survive attacks, and is reliable.

The ACV is considered “the future” of the Marines’ operations, especially now as Berger sees the service working even more closely with the Navy. He envisions the potential for island-hopping campaigns and other amphibious operations in the Indo-Pacific, an area military leaders expect will be particularly contested in the coming years.

“We are taking a deliberate approach as we field the ACV,” Bruce, the Marine spokesman, said, “instituting appropriate safety measures to ensure we can train safely and effectively and incorporate lessons learned into future training evolutions.”

​ Orange County Register 

All about Alzheimer’s: Free conference coming to Irvine

• April 15, 2023

Her mom was an attorney — a “brilliant, brilliant, bright star.” They used to talk every single day. “She was my cornerstone — she always had the best advice,” said Jil Wexler.

But now, “She’s disappeared.”

Alzheimer’s disease is a slow death, a long goodbye, a soul-crusher as the people we know and love fade before our eyes. It’s one of the leading causes of death in California, and the Alzheimer’s death rate here is among the highest in the nation — eclipsed only by Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and Utah, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As people live longer, the number of folks with Alzheimer’s is expected to grow exponentially — and, disturbingly, more young people are being diagnosed with early-onset dementia and Alzheimer’s, according to a sobering 2020 study by Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Though the numbers were small, diagnoses among insured folks aged 30 to 64 increased 200% over just five years, with women more heavily impacted than men, the study found.

Luckily — for those of us who are not getting any younger — Southern California is a hotbed of Alzheimer’s research, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is hosting a free Educational Conference for Southern California from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 19 at Hilton Irvine, 18800 MacArthur Blvd.

Folks can learn about the latest science from experts at UC Irvine, how to mobilize local support for the sometimes-overwhelming job of caregiving from folks at Alzheimer’s Orange County, explore how young folks can get involved and get tips on keeping the brain in tip-top shape. Advance registration is highly recommended at www.alzfdn.org/tour.

Over the next 20 years, the impact of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias on the state of California will increase dramatically, said a recent study from the California Department of Public Health.

Learn, connect

Sessions will include “Looking Forward to a Future Without Alzheimer’s,” where Frank M. LaFerla, director of the UCI Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at the university’s Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, will talk about the latest research underway. UCI was recently awarded a $47 million grant from the National Institute on Aging to develop next-generation mouse models for studying late-onset Alzheimer’s, and Hoag Hospital is the site of clinical trials that hope to uncover treatment and even cures.

Alzheimer’s is a leading cause of death in California and the U.S. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

There’s also “It Takes a Village,” where Jim McAleer, president and CEO of Alzheimer’s Orange County, will walk people through how to access support groups, educational workshops, adult daycare facilities and the like. The group has two adult day centers — Healthy Aging Center Acacia and Healthy Aging Center Laguna Woods — and he’ll stress the importance of engaging with the community.

In “Youth, Care, and Alzheimer’s,”  Giovanna Manson-Hing, a  public health gerontologist,  will explore the role younger folks play in caring for people with Alzheimer’s, and what they can do now to mitigate their own risks.

Free, confidential memory screenings will be conducted throughout the day as well.

From the front lines

Dee Ransom has been married to her husband John for 51 years. He was an FBI agent, diagnosed in 2017 after having trouble communicating and understanding. They started taking classes together at Alzheimer’s Orange County, and she cared for him at their Huntington Beach home “happily and wonderfully” as long as she could.

But the disease progressed. He escaped one night. “I could no longer keep him safe,” the former school administrator said. She sold their home to keep him in a quality memory-care facility, and moved to a less-expensive place in rural San Diego County. That, she said, is an economic eventuality that caregivers should prepare for.

“I just moved three weeks ago,” she said. “It’s an adjustment. I’ve never lived without John.”

(Illustration by thinkstock.com)

Her advice to others is to “connect, connect, connect” through the Alzheimer’s groups. Events are not just informative, but social. “We built a community,” she said. “The caregiver needs to take care of him or herself as well as the person they’re tending. It can be exhausting. You’re not alone. Just ask.”

Meantime, Wexler’s mom is being heroically cared for at home by her stepdad. “It has been heartbreaking to watch the brilliant woman who raised me become a shell of herself,” she said. “Luckily, she is still a kind, caring and loving person. Some of her antics are funny, but most are sad.  At times she does not recognize her husband, my dear step-father Paul, and asks him how long they have been married. It has been well over 40 years.”

Wexler will be teaching a group Pilates class at Club Pilates in Newport Beach in June to benefit the Alzheimer’s Foundation. Details to come.

“Knowledge is a useful and powerful tool that can help make any situation easier to navigate, especially something as challenging as caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA president and CEO, in a prepared statement. “Connecting families with useful, practical information and support that can help them now and be better prepared for the future is what this conference is all about.”

Questions about Alzheimer’s? AFA’s helpline is 866-232-8484, or web chat at www.alzfdn.org. Alzheimer’s Orange County’s helpline is 844-373-4400, or check out www.alzoc.org.

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Jil Wexler and her mom, who was her cornerstone. Her mom has Alzheimer’s disease. (Photo courtesy Wexler)

​ Orange County Register 

Weeks after severe storm, residents in San Bernardino Mountains embark on arduous recovery

• April 15, 2023

Weeks after a record-breaking storm pummeled the San Bernardino Mountains, dirty snow still lines the streets, piled atop cars and blocking driveways — slowly melting remnants of the extreme weather that radically changed people’s lives and a stark reminder of the arduous recovery ahead.

The storm dumped more than 100 inches of snow in the region over several days, isolating many for days, forcing some to go without food or needed medicine and endangering lives, while clogging local roads and damaging property and businesses.

Amid criticism of a slow response, local officials admitted they were unprepared for the extraordinary storm. A resident-led volunteer effort dubbed “Operation Mountain Strong” cropped up to dig neighbors out of homes and deliver food and medical supplies, at one point clashing with the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department over landing helicopters.

While many of the storm’s immediate effects have subsided — most roads are clear and people are able to get out of their homes — residents say the memories of the harrowing weeks won’t let go.

Inside the lower offices of the local movie theater, Blue Jay Cinema, Operation Mountain Strong still gives out boxes of food to residents that trickle in.

Organizers Patrice Mock, a 57-year-old Lake Arrowhead resident of 26 years, and her daughter, 26-year-old Crestline resident Faith Mattioli, said that the donation outpost sometimes feels like a place for survivors to reconnect, especially as many have been unable to return to work.

“Honestly, sitting here, I’m ready to cry,” Mock said. “It was all about residents helping each other in the beginning. We did not have any help. Even when people got up here, we felt like we were forgotten.”

Mock and Mattioli recalled the early days of the storm, when residents would climb to the top of enormous snow berms outside their homes to take photos and try to connect with neighbors. Facebook groups were filled with dozens upon dozens of posts from people asking for help digging out their cars, or for someone to get groceries to them.

“During the beginning phase, no one could come up here, so you couldn’t get the help that you needed,” Mattioli said. “A lot of us, we’re just volunteers — we’re not licensed EMTs or anything.”

At Goodwin’s Market, the beloved Crestline grocery store and community pillar that saw its roof collapse during the storm, crews are in the midst of rebuilding of most of the store. Kaleb Goodwin, whose family owns the store, walked around what used to be its floor — it’s now an enormous swath of empty, rain-soaked concrete — and detailed the recovery process.

Blue Jay Cinema, a center for resident relief food donations is still active on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)

“We calculated that about 2.55 million pounds of snow were on our roof, and then it collapsed,” Goodwin said. “I’m very optimistic that we’re going to build a better store that will be good for the community and good for our family.”

RELATED COVERAGE: Beloved Crestline grocery store begins long rebuilding process after roof collapsed during snowstorm

The Goodwins plan to add new dining areas and a new food preparation area to the store, in addition to replacing the roof and the parts of the building’s infrastructure that were damaged.

“I think the community is devastated,” Goodwin said. “A lot of them want to move off the mountain. A lot of people are very supportive. We’ve had very positive feedback.”

Eryk Staubel, 40-year-old Lake Arrowhead resident, is part of the family that owns the local Lake Arrowhead Brewing Company. The brewery was about celebrate its third anniversary when the storm hit.

“Everything deteriorated really quickly,” Staubel said. “It got really scary. The idea of being trapped in your home for a fun snow day turned into a type of “Groundhog Day” event.”

Lake Arrowhead Brewery Co. employees Richard Shaltz and Hunter Goneia keep busy on Thursday, April 13, 2023, as production has not slowed down due to storms. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)

Even for residents who were left relatively unscathed by the weather itself, there is a resentment among some towards local officials and an anger at how their response unfolded.

“I was able to keep my house safe from any damage,”  Brent Coates, 61, a retiree who has lived in Lake Arrowhead for five years. “I don’t feel traumatized, I was prepared enough … I’m disappointed, because our real estate prices are going to plummet. People are going to leave in droves.”

Coates, too, acknowledged the way neighbors came together, even if they had never spoken before.

“It’s amazing how many people are thanking their neighbors and community for helping out,” Coates said. “The county really dropped the ball.”

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has responded to criticisms, saying that they were able to respond quickly to most emergencies, but they did not do a good enough job of informing the public about their efforts through social media.

RELATED COVERAGE: San Bernardino mountain residents still under siege are outraged highways were reopened to visitors

For Mock and Mattioli, the lasting emotions have changed over time. Even all these weeks after the storm, as sun peeks through the clouds some days and the snow slowly melts, buildings are still red-tagged and many businesses still have not re-opened.

“I’m really sad,” Mock said. “People have lost their lives. That’s a big deal … the homes that collapsed, the people that were displaced.”

“I think it’s all emotions,” Mattioli said with a sigh.

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​ Orange County Register 

Senior Moments: Ready to feel the joy of a musical

• April 15, 2023

“Feeling blue? Here’s what to do.” That’s how Cantor Judy Sofer described the upcoming performance of the musical comedy “The Drowsy Chaperone” she is directing for the Jewish Federation’s JFed Players.

Not unlike this year’s Academy Awards, where many of the nominees were over 50, the production showcases older actors. A cast of predominantly senior, seasoned actors bewitches the audience with a cosmically comedic, toe-tapping musical performance.

Juxtaposed with talented ingenues singing and dancing their hearts out, the multi-generational cast ensures no one will be feeling blue when they leave the theater.

The Drowsy Chaperone character, played by veteran Altadena actress and artist Karen Brown, has a gift for entrances that always makes me laugh. Her interactions with the young bride-to-be, portrayed by Wendy Otto, the sweet-voiced actress from Tujunga, provide one of the show’s many unexpected delights.

The overlying story is about a man who is a fan of vintage musicals and who suffers from non-specific sadness. He decides to cheer himself up by playing a record of the 1928 Broadway musical, “The Drowsy Chaperone.” As soon as the needle on his record player hits the recording, the show explodes into fun-filled chaos as he imagines the entire cast parading into his apartment.

My later husband, George, a founding member of the JFed Players, was a man who never felt blue in a theater. Especially this one.

“I feel more at home on stage than anywhere else,” he used to say.

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Whenever I see a JFed Players production, I imagine the roles he might have played. The stage always seems a little empty without him. But for this show, he will be back on stage with the theater ensemble he loved.

When George passed away, The JFed Players honored his memory with the dedication of a director’s chair with the inscription “George Roegler, Always on Stage.” His chair is part of the production and is on stage for all performances.

Performances are Saturdays, April 15, 22 and 29 at 8 PM; Sundays, April 16 and 23 at 3 PM and Thursdays, April 20 and 27 at 7:30 PM at Porticos Art Space, 2033 E. Washington Blvd, Pasadena

Tickets www.jewishsgpv.org or 626-445-0810

Email patriciabunin@sbcglobal.net. Follow her on Twitter @patriciabunin.

​ Orange County Register 

Should I stay or should I go? Real estate advice I’m giving to tenants, owners

• April 15, 2023

As I penned this column, it was Good Friday and Passover.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter and Zissen Pesach!

Most of you have folks from whom you solicit advice. Those of you who own a business most likely get counsel from a banker, attorney or CPA. Others may seek wise words from priests, clergy or a sage family member. And finally, maybe you take direction from TikTok, Facebook or Instagram.

Regardless, you rely on a trusted adviser of some kind. I am such a source for many of my clients. Today, I’d like to review some of the advice I’ve given this week and the situation that preceded the request for counsel.

Lease renewal on preset terms

We originated a lease in 2017. We represented the owner. Included in the transaction was a five-year term with an option to renew for an additional five years. As we’ve discussed here before, options are “personal” to the tenant and must be exercised within a specific time window.

If you fail to give your owner the proper notice, you lose out on options. In this case, the tenant wanted to remain in the building but missed his option window. He also wanted the owner to contribute to some construction expenses and wanted the right to buy the building.

So what advice did I give?

I recommended the owner renew the tenant at the preset option terms and contribute a small amount of the construction expense. Additionally, I suggested not granting a right to purchase.

So, why? The family that owns the building relies on the rent for their livelihood. The tenant wants to remain and keep paying. An interruption of this stream through a costly vacancy, plus the expense of originating a new lease, would not be offset by a small bump in rent that could be achieved with a new occupant.

As to buying rights. These come in several flavors — option to purchase, right of first offer and right of first refusal. Most favor the occupant. Instead of limiting flexibility through a purchase right grant, I offered the owner: “approach the tenant first if you desire to sell.” There’s no commitment to the resident but they’re the most likely buyer anyway.

Lease term remaining

I was introduced to a light manufacturing company several years ago. They’ve not had a need for my services but we’ve kept in touch.

Recently, the owner made a decision to exit the business she worked hard to build. Trouble was, time remained on her lease and the business buyer only wanted to occupy the premises for a short while, just enough time to relocate the business out of state.

This is typical of a strategic buyer who purchases a competitor but has an adequate physical plant to consume the operation. Consequently, some time would remain once the new owner of the enterprise vacated.

So what advice did I give?

Fortunately, the lease rate she pays is dramatically below market, so she has a few paths forward.

The easiest is to approach the owner and request a buyout of the remaining obligation. Sometimes a landlord will see the benefits if a new tenant will pay more.

The buyout is based on the cost once downtime, broker fees, free rent and improvements are calculated. If that approach isn’t palpable, the tenant can sublease — in this case at more money than currently being paid.

Some leases will ding you with a sharing of this profit, so beware.

Allen Buchanan is a principal and commercial real estate broker at Lee & Associates, Orange. He can be reached at 714.564.7104 or abuchanan@lee-associates.com. 

​ Orange County Register 

What you need to know about creating a living garden wall

• April 15, 2023

Walls with plants growing on them are turning up everywhere. And I am not just talking about vines that cling such as Boston ivy and creeping fig. It is now possible to cover any wall, exterior or interior, with vegetation in a variety of colors, textures, and forms. Such living walls are becoming an increasingly familiar sight at airports, commercial buildings and private residences as well, where both exterior and interior walls are candidates for vertical gardens.

David Brenner is the founder of Habitat Horticulture, a company that designs, installs, and maintains what he refers to as living walls. Brenner has installed more than 30 living walls in the Los Angeles area – at the Westfield Century City Mall, Del Amo Fashion Center, and Century Plaza Hotel among many others.

Exterior and interior walls of several Los Angeles homes have also served as canvases for Brenner’s horticultural works of art. There is nothing predictable about Brenner’s plant selections, which depend upon the whims of the client. These melanges of botanical species include ferns, geraniums, heucheras, coleus, orchids, parlor palms, bromeliads, and succulents, although this last category, Brenner confided, tend to become leggy when grown on walls.

It is now possible to procure a self-contained “mini living wall system” for your home or office. The unit – which goes by the name of Gromeo – arrives complete with plants and ready for hanging. The six-sided vertical planters, framed in birch wood, come in two sizes: approximately two feet by two feet and 18 inches by 18 inches.

Assorted plant combinations, depending on the amount of your available light, are available, but no electrical or plumbing work is needed to set up your unit. You simply fill the one-gallon reservoir at the base of the unit every two to three weeks. The plants are embedded in Growtex fabric – made from recycled plastic bottles – that wicks up the water in the reservoir below through capillary action. You can also order the wall system without plants and insert your own selections in the pockets provided.

To learn more about Gromeo, visit habitathorticulture.com. When you get there, click “shop” in the upper right-hand corner of the home page to access Gromeo wall planters.

Anyone with a wall planting experience is invited to send their story to me at the email address given below.

I asked readers to send me their orchid experiences. One of the responses included a photo of a brilliant, cherry red clutch of flowers from an Epidendrum orchid courtesy of Dee van Dam, who writes about it as follows: “I am not a fan of the foliage, but this plant redeems itself by blooming year around. I am in Ontario and my plant gets morning sun and afternoon shade.”

Jerry Kaufman, who gardens in Westminster, sent an impressive photo of a three-foot-long cymbidium orchid flower spike, festooned its entire length with perfect yellow blooms.

Kathleen Byrnes, who gardens in Pasadena, is seeking suitable perennials that “tolerate the blistering overhead sun of summer and continuous shade of winter” when planted along the north-facing wall of a garage or other building.

The first plant that comes to mind for the exposure you describe is star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), which could be trained into a hedge or secured to a trellis if you want it to reach the height of the wall. Japanese privet (Ligustrum japonicum) or glossy leaf privet (Ligustrum lucidum) would also be suitable for growing as a hedge in the location you described. They could be kept trimmed to any height you wish, from three feet to eight feet or more.

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Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) could also work for you. It is tougher than the conventional hydrangea and can take more sun. Natal plum (Carissa grandiflora) has cultivars in various sizes and does well in both sun and shade. Finally, heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica), an evergreen, is also blessed with many cultivars of various sizes, all of them bearing foliage that changes color with the seasons and suitable for a bright northern exposure.

I still prefer the old standby Nandina domestica that grows to a height of six feet and, due to its rhizomes, is virtually indestructible. It also makes an excellent container plant should you wish to make a row of containers in the area you mention.

California native of the week: The shrubby monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus) may be the most endearing California native. Some say there is no rhyme or reason to their common name although others see a monkey’s face upon close inspection of a flower. They are evergreen or briefly deciduous woody plants of low stature, reaching three feet tall and four feet wide. Flowers are generally orange or apricot in color, but hybrids may bloom in red, pink, purple, or white. The plants are sometimes called sticky monkeyflowers as their leaves and flowers have a glutinous texture. They should be blooming now and, if you cut them back once flowering subsides, they may flower again in mid-summer. Due to our heavy rains this winter, however, they may flower continuously and heavily until August. Monkeyflowers can grow in either sun or partial shade.

Please send questions, comments, and photos to joshua@perfectplants.com.

​ Orange County Register