Even surprising to me, the transition from city councilmember to “ordinary“ life has been a lot easier than I would have thought. I have always felt though that some type of service to my city would never leave me. So the energy and time I chose to spend working with the education side of our city was a great place to start. First many of you have been so helpful in working to re-establish the high school band at my old alma mater St. Anthony High School and I’m proud to say that they participated for the first time in a very long time in our recent Belmont Shore Christmas Parade. I only wished I could have been there to watch the “Saints”, but my mom is seriously ill, and unlikely to recover.
Another proud moment for me was to have helped along with many others in having the best state college in our great State establish their first ever off campus college store in the Shore. Long Beach State 49er Shops is now off campus. It’s called “The Beach on 2nd Street” and off to a roaring start. When I first met our college’s new president, Dr. King Alexander we both shared the positive impact a 49er Shop student store off campus would have on the students, the alumni and the community.
Athletic Director Vic Cegles and his great assistant David Benedict, along with 49er Shops CEO Don Penrod all worked to make the impossible happen. Putting together a spirit store on 2nd Street in less than 3 weeks was a dream come true. Just in time for the Christmas season and with my business located right across the street, I testify to the resounding success the store is experiencing in just a short period of time. You’ve got to go in and get a Dirtbag shirt, or Beach sweatshirt. You can even find a Seiko college collector’s watch which will make a great present for a special someone on Christmas.
What is so great about this new college adventure is that it’s long overdue. Our city now can experience the presence of our wonderful university off campus. I’m especially excited because of the great possibilities this store will present to the parents, faculty, students, and the general public. Now with the excitement on and off campus as well, can you imagine the reality of seeing some of our best and most talented students and student athletes from our great high schools feeling a sense of calling and chose to go to our university right here in Long Beach instead of going off elsewhere to college? I always thought that Belmont Shore should be to Long Beach State like what Westwood is to UCLA.
These accomplishments, a high school band and a new off-campus college store, might be small steps to some but for those of us who see the excitement and possibilities of our city moving forward, they are big steps in the right direction.