Page 10 August 16, 2018 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Roaring 90s Club from page 3
Homeless Plan from front page
annually in sales tax dollars for services to
the homeless. City of Los Angeles voters
overwhelmingly approved a $1.2 billion bond
to build housing for the chronically homeless.
New state funding is also on the way, Arnold
confirmed.
Yet while it’s fairly clear to notice who is
homeless when seeing people wrapped up in
blankets on a street corner, another less obvious
group is just as critical on the local radar:
Those who are one or two paychecks away from
homelessness. As examples, Arnold spoke of
families with children that have had a difficult
time and face imminent eviction – as opposed
to those who are chronic substance abusers
or who have serious mental health problems.
Sorting out otherwise stable individuals who
are ready to get into housing will “cut the
problem in half,” she said.
Elaborating on El Segundo’s homeless plan,
which is similar in design to 45 of the 88 cities
in LA County, the strategy is to identify what
the City can do, what resources are available
and what resources will still be needed. A
major part of the campaign will include input
from surrounding communities (Hawthorne,
Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach) that
work with the same consulting group as a
way to adopt an organized regional approach.
With this collaboration, El Segundo will lean
heavily on its relationship with the South Bay
Cities Council of Governments (COG), which
in turn provides access to the regional homeless
agency PATH (People Assisting The Homeless).
Among the key goals spelled out in El
Segundo’s plan is to ensure resident safety
and wellbeing by supporting ESPD and other
departments in responding appropriately and
effectively. Arnold strongly recommended that
the City advocate for mental health clinician
time. For instance, the cities of Hermosa Beach
and Redondo Beach share a clinician from the
LA County Department of Mental Health who
goes out with police to help diagnose homeless
individuals who may need to be hospitalized.
Arnold also advised training for City staff so
they can learn how to best react in dealing with
a homeless person who might, say, spend the
day at the library or use the pool facility as a
place to shower. Also deemed vital is involving
the faith community to connect the homeless
to services available through the County or
non-profit organizations. “The faith community
is often able to make a personal connection
and get close to them [homeless people] so
they can make a choice” Arnold explained.
With that in mind, one goal of the plan is
to hold an annual cross-training event to put
faith groups in town together with PATH, the
County, police and other organizations.
Other components of the plan include working
out a deal in advance with nearby cities
such as Inglewood and San Pedro to set up a
shelter bed in those communities (El Segundo
has none) at a minimal cost -- or ideally free
if Measure H funding is available; providing
information to businesses on how to handle
homelessness and developing a comprehensive
community education program; and involving
senior centers, schools, sports teams and other
groups to keep an eye on those who may be
that paycheck or two away from homelessness.
Arnold provided possible scenarios, such as a
senior citizen on Social Security who “realizes
that Social Security isn’t what they thought it was
when it comes to paying rent;” or a mom who
“wants to keep kids locally, but has no place to
live” and thus ends up couch-surfing or sleeping
in a car. The SRO (Single Room Occupancy)
subsidy program will be available through the
school system, Police Chief Bill Whalen noted.
Meanwhile, a new portal, La-hop.org, recently
went live to allow those who see a homeless
person on the street to report the sighting –
which in turn goes to County dispatch.
Arnold also expressed the importance of
tracking the amount of City resources/staff
time dollars that go towards homelessness. “It
becomes leverage when we go to the County
and ask them to fund something,” she said.
She added that it will also be important in the
County’s eyes for El Segundo to comply with
state housing mandates.
While ESPD currently has “ownership of the
plan,” according to Whalen, the effort going
forward will involve a “holistic city response”
that will involve all department heads as well as
the various factions of the community. “This is a
blueprint,” he said of the plan that will evolve
over time. “We will figure it out as we go…” •
DMV from front page
faster clip, the department announced last
week. The State Legislature released $16.6
million in late July for hiring more DMV
employees statewide to ease the burden on
the driving public.
The DMV said it’s using employees from
its headquarters to staff the busiest district
offices. The department also relaxed the
rules against food and drink inside DMV
buildings. To head off problems caused by
missing documentation and paperwork, DMV
employees will be stationed outside to assist
customers and answer questions before they
reach the check-in counter.
No longer will DMV customers need to
stick around inside the building and risk losing
their place in line if they step outside.
The DMV announced a text message service
that alerts customers before their number is
called. Another technology being added at
local DMV offices are handheld devices for
people to fill out a license application if they
don’t have a smartphone.
What’s driving this innovation and attention
to customer service at one of the
state’s busiest departments? It’s the REAL
ID driver’s license and identification card that
can be used at airports and federal buildings
to pass through checkpoints more quickly.
California initially resisted issuing the REAL
ID licenses and cards, as did several states
that wanted more time to comply.
Under the REAL ID Act, the California
DMV must meet requirements set by the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security for
its driver’s licenses and identification cards to
be accepted for federal purposes. California
began issuing the Real IDs on Jan. 22. Current
driving licenses and identification cards
will be accepted at TSA airport checkpoints
until Oct. 1, 2020, according to the DMV.
Even after that date, TSA agents will allow
passengers to board domestic flights if they
produce photo identification other than a
driver’s license, the DMV explained ahead
of the Jan. 22 implementation of REAL ID.
California had postponed implementing the
federal REAL ID after Congress passed a
2005 law requiring all states to comply with
post-9/11 security requirements for driver’s
licenses and ID cards. California was one
of 21 states that received an extension from
the Department of Homeland Security. The
extension expired in June.
The consequence for not meeting the federal
deadline of Jan. 1, 2018 was that passengers
from California would have been required
immediately to show an alternative form of
acceptable identification at TSA checkpoints,
according the Department of Homeland
Security’s website. Other acceptable forms
of federal identification for anyone without
a REAL ID include a valid U.S. or foreign
government-issued passport or U.S. passport
card, or a military ID, according to authorities.
A permanent resident or border-crossing
card, and a Department of Homeland Security
Trusted Traveler card also are valid.
Children under 18 aren’t required to get
the new identification cards. TSA does not
require minors to provide identification
when traveling with a companion within the
United States. Drivers can wait for their
renewal notices to arrive before applying for
the federally compliant licenses. Applications
for REAL ID must be made in person and
cannot be processed by mail. Applicants
are advised to save time by scheduling
an appointment.
Residents do not need a REAL ID to drive
-- just to fly or enter a secure federal building
or military base. U.S. citizens and all legal
residents are eligible to apply for one. The
cost of a federally compliant license vs. a
traditional California one is the same: $35.
A DMV-issued identification card is $30 for
either type.
The DMV reminds customers that many
transactions can be completed without visiting
a field office, including vehicle registration
and driver’s license renewals. People can
save time by booking an appointment and
filling out the driver’s license application
online before they visit a field office. The
DMV website at http://www.dmv.ca.gov lists
online services and office hours. •
who made famous songs such as Under the
Boardwalk, This Magic Moment, Save The
Last Dance For Me, Up On The Roof, On
Broadway and many others. Clarence formally
retired from the group in 1991 and then began
performing as a solo artist, recording seven
albums and making special appearances in
movies, television shows and commercials.
Clarence arrived at the event and began setting
up his equipment on stage with the grace of a
dancer. I watched Clarence set everything just
so. You could tell this professional performer
had the discipline you only see in the best.
“For the last 20 years, he has been entertaining
seniors,” said Lynn. “He said he was on the
road for 16 years and his wife was working
in Senior Housing and she said, ‘Why don’t
you entertain for my people?’ -- and he said,
‘Well, who are ‘my’ people? I’ve been around
the world.’ She said, ‘My seniors…’ So when
he came back, she had lined up four different
places. So he started that and he has not stopped.
He is an honorary member of the Roaring
90s.” Clarence Ulrich has received an award
for entertaining seniors for over 20 years!
Clarence had the members of the Roaring
90s singing, dancing, laughing and having a
wonderful time. His professional expertise
filled the room with familiar tunes from the
‘40s on up. He opened the show singing As
Time Goes By -- and as I watched the room
filled with our precious seniors singing and
swaying with the music, I thought of how
much they had done and seen in their lives.
The music touched me along with these
vivacious, amazing seniors. And yes, there
was one lady who was 100 at the luncheon.
The next song by Clarence was Don’t Fence
Me In, followed by other classic music such
as Heart of My Heart, That’s Amore, Red
Sails in the Sunset, It’s Only a Paper Moon,
Spanish Eyes and more. Clarence Ulrich, the
consummate professional, entertained this
group of seniors with an act that could play
Vegas. He engaged the audience and gave a
beautiful performance. Visit his website at
www.clarenceulrich.com.
Lynn Brennan told me the Roaring 90s
Club is growing and growing. If you are
85 or older, or know of someone who is,
please pass on the word about this fantastic
group that meets quarterly for fun, lunch,
camaraderie and live music. I can tell you,
this is an amazing group of people who in
the South Bay truly deserve the title, “The
Greatest Generation.” •
(L-R) Roaring 90s members Sandra Cramer, Patti Joy Neal, Sherry Van and Mary McGaffin. (L-R) Pat Ramsey Don Sturges and Sally Ann Macaluso.