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El Camino holds new-student orientation

Torrance. All new full-time students at El Camino College are invited to attend the fifth annual New Student Welcome Day, an orientation designed to welcome students and ease them into college life.

The free orientation is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday and will offer students a chance to tour the campus, get a photo ID, meet counselors and professors, and buy textbooks at the El Camino College Bookstore. To register, students should go to www.

elcamino.edu/studentservices/co/welcome.asp

All-female class climbs utility pole of success

When Rita Romero showed up Friday for graduation at Los Angeles Trade Technical College, the other women in her class barely recognized her in a dress.

For four months of daily classes, they wore hard hats, boots and heavy work belts to clamber up poles and muscle their way into the profession of utility linemen, becoming the first all-female class at the school to earn their certificates in the trade.

“We’re not used to seeing each other dolled up,” said the former jewelry designer. “We’re out in the pole yard drenched in sweat.”

When the certificate ceremony was over, the women changed out of their dresses and summer suits to demonstrate the skills they hope will earn them well-paying jobs with local utilities.

“I truly enjoy climbing the poles. It’s an adrenaline rush, and I’ve earned my way to the top, literally,” Romero said.

The 22 women snapped photos and proudly introduced their families to their instructor, Ken Bushman, then scaled the utility poles in the trade school’s training yard.

Olga Legostayeva, who earned the instructors’ “best climber” award, perched 30 feet up with her feet angled against a wobbly utility pole to reach across to a classmate who clung to a nearby pole.

Linemen have traditionally been men and the work is physically demanding. Women hold only 2 percent of the utility transmission and distribution positions, said school administrator Leticia Barajas.

The class met every morning at 7 for physical conditioning and practice on the poles. In the afternoons the students studied electrical distribution and safety procedures until 5 p.m.

The long days were worth it, the women said, because utility companies are hiring and entry-level apprenticeships start at around $30 per hour in Southern California.

Miami Herald 2013 Watch List

Here is a look at the top 2013 prospects to keep an eye on as these sophomores have the opportunity to turn some heads this season in and around Miami-Dade and Broward Counties.

The Miami Herald will continue to add to this quality list during the season.

If there are players to add or correct, just send all information on to Larry Blustein at LBlustein.com. You can also check out the Herald recruiting page on Facebook (Herald Recruiting) or follow recruiting on www.twitter.com/larryblustein.

QUARTERBACKS Kevin Bush, 6-4, 165, Deerfield Beach Mike Butler, 5-11, 160, Coral Springs Charter Wally Doerschuck, 5-8, 165, Westminster Christian Akeem Jones, 6-2, 180, Carol City Jarante Lewis, 5-10, 165, Cypress Bay

RUNNING BACKS Alfred Battle III, 5-7, 155, North Broward Prep Daryl Chestnutt, 5-8, 160, Gulliver Prep Fred Coppett, Jr., 5-9, 155, St. Thomas Aquinas Matthew Dayes, 5-9, 180, Cypress Bay Kevin Fudge, 5-11, 175, Homestead (FB) – Dante Johnson, 5-11, 215, Champagnat Catholic Jeffrey Leavine, 5-10, 165, Hollywood Hills Eldrick Rhodes, 5-11, 155, Dillard Bramond Snell, 5-9, 175, Carol City Detron Wallace, 5-9, 160, Northeast Keith Wilson, 5-8 180, Homestead Lorenzo Woodley, 6-0, 185, Christopher Columbus

RECEIVERS Dion Collier, 6-1, 160, St. Thomas Aquinas Jordan Cunningham, 6-1, 160, University Alex Montgomery, 6-0, 180, Cypress Bay Adam M’Sahal, 5-11, 160, Monarch Frankie Richardson, 6-0, 170, St.Thomas Aquinas Jesus Wilson, 5-9. 150, Christopher Columbus

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN Nathaniel Alzate, 6-2, 320, Hialeah Austin Bland, 6-2, 255, St. Thomas Aquinas Sandy Jean-Felix, 6-5, 240, Boyd Anderson Kevin Jacques, 6-0, 220, South Broward Eden Jilot, 5-11, 270, North Miami Denver Kirkland, 6-4, 275, Booker T. Washington Jerrol Mobley, 6-3, 330, Hialeah Zach Provin, 6-3, 230, St. Thomas Aquinas Amari Ragan, 6-1, 250, Monsignor Pace Steve Rosinski, 6-1, 215, St. Thomas Aquinas

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN Maquadious Bain, 6-5, 265, Monsignor Pace (DE) – Alvonte Bell, 6-5, 215, Everglades Khairi Clark, 6-2, 250, Hialeah Daerius Holiday, 6-4, 230, American Heritage Plantation Joe Jones, Jr., 6-3, 240, Jackson Monty Nelson, 6-2, 320, Northeast Jason Rae, 5-11, 270, Cypress Bay Jomel Ribalta, 6-3, 340, Hialeah Rodrick Stephens, 6-0, 295, Miami Edison Aaron Thomas, 5-10, 270, Hialeah-Miami Lakes (DE) – William Townsend, 6-0, 205, Norland (DE) – Nick Wethy, 6-2, 190, Christopher Columbus (DE) – Torrin Young, 6-2, 225, Dillard

LINEBACKERS Robert Alexander, 5-11, 200, Hallandale Marquise Blanchard, 6-2, 190, Jackson Tremaine Brock, 6-0, 210, South Dade Griffin Goins, 6-1, 205, Hollywood Hills Oakley Malcolm, 5-11, 175, Dr. Krop George Williams, 5-11, 210, Hialeah Josh Williams, 6-1, 210, Dillard Joel Wimberly, 6-1, 210, Flanagan

DEFENSIVE BACKS Isaac Brutton, 5-9, 160, St. Thomas Aquinas (S) – Jamal Carter, 6-1, 175, Southridge (S) – Damonte Dent, 5-11, 175, Killian (S) – Wendell Dunn, 6-0, 180, Palmetto Terry Gaitor, 5-8, 150, Southridge Kenja James, 5-9, 150, Fort Lauderdale Marky Joyner, 5-9, 155, Edison Kenyatta Marion, 5-9, 165, Carol City Cody Ray, 5-8, 165, North Miami Beach Jeremy Strainge, 6-0, 175, North Broward Prep (S) – Nate Taylor, 6-1, 175, Jackson Anthony Walker, 6-0, 180, Monsignor Pace

Boynton weighs doing 12th study on high school, at $52,000 price

The old Boynton High School has been at the center of political debates through the years.

It has been on the verge of being demolished several times in the past decade, and it also has been the subject of 12 studies since 1993, costing the city nearly $300,000 .

Despite all of the reports, discussions and spending, the old high school remains standing, empty, just as it has been since the day its doors closed in 1949.

Now the city has put out a request for another study regarding possible plans and financing sources for the old high school, and the Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency has set aside $52,000 for this purpose.

But things will be different this time around, according to the city commissioners. For the first time in recent years, the entire commission supports saving the old high school.

At a team-building retreat in May, the commissioners agreed to make preserving the old high school a priority, and set a target date of Dec. 10 for putting together a design/construction schedule and budget.

When the idea of putting out a request for another study first came up at the Aug. 3 commission meeting, Commissioner Bill Orlove questioned whether that would be a smart move.

“We’re going through budget hearings, and we talk about how we’re trying to cut and save and scrimp,” he said. “We’ve studied this over and over again, and I just think it’s ridiculous to spend $52,000 on another study.”

Mayor José Rodriguez was quick to defend the study, saying it would be the first one to look at possible money sources, such as historic preservation and new market tax credits, grants and bonds.

“I’m not one of those mayors that’s going to do a study and have it sit on the shelf,” he said.

He also said it’s possible that the money spent on the study would be reimbursable through some of these programs.

Vice Mayor Marlene Ross said she’s wary of another study.

“No more studies,” she said. “It’s time to move forward and do something.”

She said that time is running out for the 83-year-old building.

“It’s in terrible condition,” she said.

Commissioner Woodrow Hay said he’s glad to see this next study moving forward.

“It’s about time,” he said. “I’m really hopeful that we’ll the get funding sources to move ahead with it. That’s going to be the difficult part. If we get that piece of the puzzle, the other pieces should fall into place.”

Although the commissioners all agree that the old high school should be preserved, they haven’t come to an agreement on a particular use. But that’s part of the reason why the newest study is being done, according to Commissioner Steven Holzman.

He said that past studies identified particular uses without first taking into account what’s financially feasible.

“Instead of putting the cart before the horse, let’s just see what the horse is,” he said.

Kitten Rescued at Dining Hall Porch

An unbearably cute four week old white kitten with blue eyes was recently discovered outside the Dining Hall.  The cat, stuck in a crawl space, must have been dropped by its mother, who was then unable to retrieve to kitten.  A staff member heard the pathetic little mews, almost mistaking them for bird chirps.  She quickly sent word to the Buildings and Grounds Department that there was an emergency.  Alan and James came to the rescue, having to actually chip away some concrete to reach the terrified and malnourished kitten.

A dining hall staff member has adopted the kitten and is considering naming him ‘JC” or “Campbell.”  He promises to make regular visits to the office so we can keep track of this lucky kitten!