Los Altos Neighbor

City of Hope is sponsoring a blood drive at Gant Elementary on June 7th from 1:30- 6:30.   They need 50 committed donors and it’s a simple way to make a HUGE difference in someone’s life.  Contact the school if you would like to participate or walk over next Thursday. Thanks Los Altos!

Facts about blood donation:

1. 4.5 million Americans would die each year without life saving blood transfusions.
2. Approximately 32,000 pints of blood are used each day in the United States.
3. Every three seconds someone needs blood
4. One out of every 10 people entering a hospital needs blood.
5. Just one pint of donated blood can help save as many as three people’s lives.
6. The average adult has 10 pints of blood in his or her body.
7. One unit of blood is roughly the equivalent of one pint.
8. Blood makes up about 7% of your body’s weight.
9. A newborn baby has about one cup of blood in his or her body.
10. The average red blood cell transfusion is 3.4 pints.
11. Blood fights against infection and helps heal wounds, keeping you healthy.
12. There are four main blood types: A, B, AB and O. AB is the universal recipient and O negative is the universal donor.
13. Blood centers often run short of type O and B blood.
14. Shortages of all types of blood occur during the summer and winter holidays.
15. If all blood donors gave 2 to 4 times a year, it would help prevent blood shortages.
16. If you began donating blood at age 17 and donated every 56 days until you reached 76, you would have donated 48 gallons of blood.
17. About three gallons of blood supports the entire nation’s blood needs for one minute.
18. Blood donation takes four steps: medical history, quick physical, donation, and snacks.
19. The actual blood donation usually takes less than 10 minutes. The entire process, from when you sign in to the time you leave, takes about 45 minutes.
20. Giving blood will not decrease your strength.
21. You cannot get AIDS or any other infectious disease by donating blood.
22. Fourteen tests, 11 of which are for infectious diseases, are performed on each unit of donated blood.
23. Any company, community organization, place of worship or individual may contact their local community blood center to host a blood drive.
24. People donate blood out of a sense of duty and community spirit, not to make money. They are not paid for their donation.
25. Much of today’s medical care depends on a steady supply of blood from healthy donors.
26. One unit of blood can be separated into several components (red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, platelets and cryoprecipitate).
27. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body’s organs and tissue.
28. There are about one billion red blood cells in two to three drops of blood.
29. Red blood cells live about 120 days in the circulatory system.
30. Platelets help blood to clot and give those with leukemia and other cancers a chance to live.
31. Apheresis (ay-fur-ee-sis) is a special kind of blood donation that allows a donor to give specific blood components, such as platelets.
32. Donated red blood cells must be used within 42 days of collection.
33. Donated platelets must be used within five days of collection.
34. Plasma can be frozen and used for up to a year.
35. Plasma is a pale yellow mixture of water, proteins and salts.
36. Plasma, which is 90% water, constitutes 55% of blood volume.
37. Healthy bone marrow makes a constant supply of red cells, plasma and platelets.
38. People who have been in car accidents and suffered massive blood loss can need transfusions of 50 pints or more of red blood cells.
39. The average bone marrow transplant requires 120 units of platelets and about 20 units of red blood cells. Patients undergoing bone marrow transplants need platelets donations from about 120 people and red blood cells from about 20 people.
40. Severe burn victims can need 20 units of platelets during their treatment.
41. Children being treated for cancer, premature infants, and children having heart surgery need blood and platelets from donors of all types.
42. Anemic patients need blood transfusions to increase their iron levels.
43. Cancer, transplant and trauma patients and patients undergoing open-heart surgery require platelet transfusions to survive.
44. Sickle cell disease is an inherited disease that affects more than 80,000 people in the United States, 98% of whom are of African descent. Some patients with complications from severe sickle cell disease receive blood transfusions every month – up to 4 pints at a time.
45. In the days following the September 11 attacks, a half a million people donated blood.
46. Females receive 53% of blood transfused; males receive 47%.
47. 94% of all blood donors are registered voters.
48. 60% of the US population is eligible to donate – only 5% do on a yearly basis.
49. 17% of non-donors cite “never thought about it” as the main reason for not giving, while 15% say they’re “too busy.” The #1 reason donors say they give is because they “want to help others.”
50. After donating blood, you replace these red blood cells within 3 to 4 weeks. It takes eight weeks to restore the iron lost after donating.
51. Granulocytes, a type of white blood cell, roll along blood vessel walls in search of bacteria to eat.
52. White cells are the body’s primary defense against infection.
53. There is no substitute for human blood.
54. It’s about Life.
55. Since a pint is pound, you lose a pound every time you donate blood.
56. Anyone who is in good health, is at least 17 years old, and weighs at least 110 pounds may donate blood every 56 days.

Enjoy the outdoors and celebrate 98 years of music with the Long Beach Municipal Band!

June

Whaley Park- 26th

Los Cerritos Park-27th

Marine Stadium-28th

El Dorado Park-29th

July

Whaley Park- 3rd

Bluff Park- 17th, 24th, 31st 

Los Cerritos Park- 4th, 11th, 18th & 25th

Marine Stadium- 5th, 12th, 19th & 26th

El Dorado Park- 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th

August

Bluff Park - 7th & 14th

Los Cerritos - 1st, 8th & 15th

Marine Stadium - 2nd, 9th & 16th

El Dorado Park - 3rd, 10th & 17th

Be sure to check out all the other great bands playing throughout the city all summer long!

On Tuesday evening, April 24, 2007, the City Council voted on a new size for the Airport Terminal. The vote was 5 to 3. Patrick O’Donnell, Rae Gabelich and Tonya Uranga voted against 89,000 sq. ft. and advocated for a smaller size of 79,000 sq. ft. The majority of Council Members was more concerned about passenger comfort than neighborhood discomfort. The 89,000 sq. ft. passed. Of course, residents in attendance and I were for the smaller terminal size. This could be viewed as another defeat for the neighborhoods, but a second look is in order at this time!

Four years ago no one was paying attention to a minor upgrading of the Long Beach Airport Terminal. In fact, the upgrading was considered so insignificant the City was prepared to declare a Negative Declaration for the improvement. (A negative declaration is for projects that have no negative impact on the environment.) Someone, maybe Rae Gabelich, took a second look at the project and began to question the extent of the improvements. Gabelich was not a Councilperson at the time. The insignificant project was an expansion of the Terminal up to 133,000 sq. ft. Rae held meetings, invited concerned citizens, and educated us. We put the word out to the neighborhoods, organized LBHUSH2, Long Beach Under Stress and Hazard (2 - for the second time the organization was used to protect neighborhoods) and began to resist a project that was on a “fast track” for approval.

Since that time we have all learned more than we ever wanted to know about airports, the environment, how citizens are treated by city staff, politicians and newspapers that have their own agenda. Together we forced the city to provide an Environmental Impact Report on the project, include new environmental safeguards into the project and reduce the overall square footage of the terminal from 133,000 sq. to 89,950 sq. No one should feel defeated!!!

We will need to be ready for the next round. Financing! Who will finance the Airport Expansion Project? The city will propose an Insured Municipal Bond. They will state that taxpayers will be financially protected. (They said that about the Aquarium too!) Remember the benefits the Long Beach Aquarium was to bring to our city? Also, it was to pay for itself from ticket sales. That did not happen. Money that should go to our General Fund to pay for Police, Fire, Libraries, curbs, sidewalks, tree trimming, etc. is used to pay for the Aquarium deficit. Even the name of the Aquarium was changed in an effort to attract more business, “Aquarium of the Pacific.”

JetBlue and other air carriers prospering from the use of our Airport should pay for improvements/expansion of our Airport. The City can repay them through rent credits. This method of financing was used with the temporary hold rooms. Two things will be accomplished this way: One, JetBlue will stay in Long Beach, remember they are on a month to month agreement. Two, if JetBlue pays up front, the expansion will not be as great. Proponents of expansion know this and will do everything they can to use taxpayer’s money. The cost of this project with its current square footage could be amazing. We do not want to use taxpayer’s dollars and we do not want taxpayers guaranteeing the debt of this project!

Councilmember Patrick O’Donnell and Assemblymember Betty Karnette will be at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf located at 1996 Ximeno Avenue this Saturday, May 12th, from 9:00- 10:30 A.M.. Everyone is invited to come and share ideas and concerns.

Councilmember O’Donnell is also available the first Wednesday of each month from 4:30-5:30 at the Los Altos library located at 5614 Britton Drive.

Los Altos would not be the great neighborhood that it is without all of you so don’t miss these opportunities to stay informed, get involved in your community, voice your concerns and share your ideas. 

You can contact Patrick O’Donnell’s office at (562) 570-6918.

It was a beautiful weekend in Long Beach and a great way to start this week.  The parks and beaches were noticeably busier…filled with kids and grown-ups playing and taking advantage this summery weather.

While watching my children play in the sand, I was inspired to help improve the quality of our local beaches. I remembered a friend telling me about a child’s birthday party on the beach and how it began with the guests participating in the 30-minute beach clean-up. What a great idea and a fun way to contribute to your community.

Individuals, families or entire neighborhoods can show-up at 1 Granada in Belmont Shore every third Saturday of the month.  Bags, gloves and refreshments are provided and students can earn volunteer hour credits.

The next scheduled clean-up is May 19th. You can check out this site for more info and schedules for other local clean-ups. Hope to see you there!

http://www.beachcleanup.org/