CHRIS MACDONALD NEWS FEB.22, 2021

2021 Newsletters

More 2021 Huntington Beach Happenings

Hello Friends,

Hello Friends,

Happy Birthday to Huntington Beach Realty Broker/Surfboard Shaper Bob "The Greek" Bolen.

It's beginning to feel like Spring is in the air…

AT our next City Council meeting on March 1, 2021 we are having a Joint Study Session of the Planning Commission and City Council to receive an overview of the 6th Cycle Housing Element process and public reach plan.

Mayor Kim Carr will proclaim the month of March 2021 as Women's History Month and in addition, present a proclamation for California Arbor Day to our Huntington Beach Tree Society.

City Council/Public Financing Authority AGENDA March 1, 2021:

PUBLIC COMMENTS (3 Minute Time Limit) - At approximately 6:00 PM, individuals wishing to provide a comment on agendized or non-agendized items may join Zoom Webinar ID 971 54130528 via computer device, or by calling (669) 900-6833 (agenda cover sheet contains request to speak instructions). Once the Mayor opens Public Comments, speakers will be provided a 15-minute window to raise their hands, and will be prompted to speak when the Clerk announces their name or the last three digits of their phone number. Public comments will only be heard during this portion of the agenda. Speakers are encouraged, but not required to identify themselves by name. Each speaker may have up to 3 minutes to speak; however, the time allowance may be reduced if warranted by the volume of speakers.

City Manager, Oliver Chi, will give a presentation of E-Bike Enforcement Practices on the Beach Pedestrian Path. Also, Representatives from Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) to present the a status on the I-405 widening project.

Adopt Resolution No. 2021-20 (Carr Park Renovation) approving the application for Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization program Grant Funds to the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation for Carr Park.

Monday night's meeting will also have a Public Hearing Sober Living Homes please see instructions below should you want to comment on this item.

Administrative items: Item #19. 21-177

Adopt Resolution No. 2021-12 authorizing the refinance of the City's Unfunded Accrued Liability Account Balance through the Sale of Taxable Pension Obligation Bonds to Refund All or a Portion of the City's Obligation to the California Public Employees' Retirement System, and authorizing the Execution and Delivery of a Bond Purchase Contract and a Continuing Disclosure Certificate and the Preparation of an Official Statement and Other Matters Related Thereto; and, authorize and approve Certain Actions with Respect Thereto; and, Adopt Resolution No. 2021-19 Adopting the City's Unfunded Accrued Pension Liability Policy …

Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 3, 2021, Kiwanis Family Fun Day & Easter Candy Hunt, DRIVE-THRU ONLY from 8am-3pm at the Sports Complex Parking Lot. There will be over 50 vendors giving out candy/toys touch free to the drive-through cars. The event is open to the public and tickets are $10 for pre-registered. Police & Fire Departments will have displays as well as our Public Works and Parks and Recreation Departments.

HBTV Online. Simply visit HBTV Online to tune in today.
HBTV Smart TV. Download the "Cablecast Screenweave" app, which gives you access to municipal cable channels throughout the nation. Use the search function to find the City of Huntington Beach's channel to play  programs live or on demand! 

Be well and stay safe, Barbara

From Patrick Brenden, Bolsa Chica Conservancy CEO...

Many visitors to the Bolsa Chica wetlands stop at the Interpretive Center located on Warner near PCH. As a courtesy to our visitors, the Conservancy offers a free trail map along with as much advice as they would like. We believe that the wetlands are a public treasure, owned on paper by the California State Lands Commission, but truly belonging to the People of the State of California. That's you and me! It is our backyard and it should be enjoyed. No matter when you visit, every visit is unique. Consider that the tides come and go each day along with the sun and moon and stars which change their position in the sky depending on the season. The skies are blue and then they are grey or filled with puffy clouds or wispy clouds. The vegetation grows and recedes, flowers and wilts, and provides a welcome refuge to migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway. Breeding season is an auditory smorgasbord that adds another layer to the symphony of nature at the Bolsa Chica. I hope you'll stop by soon to hear and see and smell all that makes this special place a public treasure, your treasure.

Huntington Beach City Historian Jerry Person Presents Remembering When: Remembering Former Police Chief Don Blossom
For this week lets remember former Chief of Police of Huntington Beach Don Blossom who as chief had to cope with the military occupation and its military police in our city during World War II.

Blossom was not a native Californian, but was born within sight of the Atlantic Ocean in Boothbay Harbor, in Maine on a cold December 6th in 1899.

It was there that Blossom received his early education and as an 18-year-old lad Blossom would use his gift of public speaking during the first world war as he toured Maine on behalf of the Country's War Fund.

Now we are not going to say that Maine is downright cold country, but Blossom would seek a warmer climate and so moved west to Mesa, Arizona in 1920 to work at a local newspaper as its circulating manager. It was there that he would meet his future wife, Ina Barkley and the two were married in 1922.

The Blossoms moved to Huntington Beach in 1923 were Ina went to work as a school teacher. Don went to work for Turner's Department Store and later with the aid of a friend, H.C. Reid, opened the Blossom & Reid furniture shore.

Don would later work for Willis Warner at his hardware store on Main Street before joining our police force as a patrolman in 1934.

Being a hard working Yankee, Blossom worked his way up to become assistant police chief and when Chief Les Grant died in 1941, the city council appointed Blossom police chief on May 15, 1941.

During World War II Blossom served as the assistant civil defense director for Orange County.

The June 1942 murder of Cora Smith helped his image as a crime solver. For not only solving the murder, he wrote the story of the investigation and sent it out for publication. It was published in two national pulp magazines_ Timely Detective (Dec.'42)) and Human Detective (Nov.'42), which brought high praise to our police department.

In 1949, he was chief when Huntington Beach saw its first beach riot. Blossom would serve three terms as chief until April 1950. After he lost out to Ben Dulaney as chief in 1950, he continued in several local service groups including the Shriners, the Toastmasters Club, the Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce.

Blossom was also a member of the Huntington Beach Masonic Lodge and served as its secretary for 14 years. He was active in our little theater group and served as its vice president.

In the early 1960s Blossom would sometime take up spatula in hand and flip burgers on the park's grill during cook-outs in Lake Park.

For eight years Don and Ina operated the old Salt Water Plunge on the beach.

Don and Ina made their home at 731 Main Street and it was there that Don Blossom died on February 18, 1975 at the young age of 75.

 

Many Thanks for reading this Newsletter, Chris MacDonald

Website: calcoasthomes.com

E-Mail: justlisted@yahoo.com