Neighbors

* NEIGHBORS is news about movers and shakers in your community. To submit

information to this feature, please send it the Independent Attn:

Neighbors, 18682 Beach Blvd. Suite 160, Huntington Beach, 92648, fax to

965-7174, or e-mail at: hbindy@latimes.com.

Byron Schweigert of Fountain Valley has been named chief executive

officer of Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, the second-largest

nonprofit community hospital in the state. Schweigert had been senior

vice president of administrative services at the hospital ... Shannon

Pearce and Jennifer Garcia, both of Huntington Beach, and John Stauber of

Fountain Valley, members of Orange Coast College’s defending state

champion speech and debate team, won medals at Pasadena City College’s

Watson-Lancer Invitational ... Thomas E. Lutz, mayor pro tem of Santa

Ana, was recently sworn in as the newest board member for the Orange

County Water District ... The Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce

honored the following people at its 28th annual Public Safety Awards

Luncheon: Senior Pilot Officer Paul Lane and Observer Officer Jack

Paholski received the Good Samaritan Award. The two helped rescue a

severely injured bicyclist in El Moro Canyon State Park; Officer Jim

Moore received the Award for Merit. During a 10-month period, Moore

functioned both as the manager of the Budget/Research Unit and the

Information Systems Group for the Police Department; Officer/Pilot Dan

Catalano of the Police Aero Bureau received the Award for Merit. Catalano

assumed the responsibility of primary instructor during a time of major

personnel change in the Aero Unit. In the past two years, Catalano has

instructed three new pilots ... The following people have been named to

Golden West College’s 1999-2000 homecoming court: Michelle Elizabeth

Pitts, a resident of Huntington Beach and 1999 graduate of Calvary Chapel

High School; Huntington Beach resident Jennifer Reed, a biology major who

graduated from Valley Vista High School in 1997; and Renee De Ann Araujo,

a Huntington Beach resident and 1999 graduate of Huntington Beach High

School ... Shari Halldorson Freidenrich, Huntington Beach city treasurer,

presided at the Washington State University Alumni Assn. directors’

meeting in September ... Rodney L. Washington of Huntington Beach has

been named financial services representative II of the Huntington Beach

branch of First Bank and Trust ... David Bardin of Huntington Beach,

recently served as an emergency response vehicle driver for the American

Red Cross in New Jersey, helping in hurricane relief efforts ...

Huntington Beach High School graduate Devin S. Murtos recently graduated

from basic military training at the Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio,

Texas. Murtos is the son of Debra R. Murtos of Huntington Beach ...

Robert Beardsley, Huntington Beach public works director, was appointed

to the Orange County City Engineers’ Flood Control Advisory Committee

last month as a representative for the county supervisory District 2 ...

Stefanie R. Noffsinger of Huntington Beach graduated in April from

Michigan State University with a bachelor’s degree in advertising and

another in supply chain management ... the Rev. Harold O. Clinehens Jr.

is the newest arrival to St. Wilfrid of York Episcopal Church. The

Arkansas-born Clinehens is known for his ability to diversify

congregations and enhance ministries of education and music. St. Wilfrid,

whose vision is “To restore all people to God and each other through

Christ,” is at 18631 Chapel Lane, Huntington Beach. ... Navy Seaman

Benjamin G. Dugas, a 1996 graduate of Edison High School, is currently

aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk on deployment to Yokosuka,

Japan. Dugas joined the Navy in April 1997 ... Ron Davis, who writes the

“Through My Eyes” column for the Huntington Beach Independent, was named

“guilty pleasure” No. 879 on the OC Weekly’s 1999 List of 2,000 Guilty

Pleasures ... Curt Carlson, James W. Lauro and William F. Pollak III,

CLU, ChFC, Huntington Beach area agents with the Robert J. Waltos general

agency in Orange, were invited to the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance

Co. Forum. Of the company’s almost 7,500 agents, only 272 were eligible

to attend this event ... Marine Lance Cpl. William C. James, a 1998

graduate of Huntington Beach Union High School, is currently on a

six-month deployment to Okinawa with the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines,

based at Camp Lejuene, N.C. James, son of Catherine and William James of

Huntington Beach, joined the Marine Corps in July 1998 ... Marine Cpl.

Jason C. Moeckel, a 1994 graduate of Edison High School, is currently on

a six-month deployment to Okinawa with the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines,

based at Camp Lejuene, N.C. Moeckel, son of Ronald S. Moeckel of

Huntington Beach, joined the Marine Corps in January 1996 ... Marine Pfc.

Gary A. Hirsch, a 1998 graduate of Ocean View High School, recently

reported for duty with Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Training Squadron 204,

Marine Aircraft Group 26, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Forces,

Jacksonville, N.C. Hirsch joined the Marine Corps in July 1998 ... Chip

Clitheroe of Fountain Valley won the “Best Overall Award” from the Many

Faces of the Fair photography contest, for his “Fair + Family + Food =

Fun” photograph. The contest highlights moments from the 1999 Orange

County Fair. Clitheroe also won an honorable mention for his “Painted

Ladies” shot, showing four teenage girls with their faces painted ...

Glen Ballard, president of Ballard and Ballard, Fountain Valley, received

first prize honors in a jewelry design contest at the Independent

Jewelers Organization’s semiannual International Buying Show recently

held at The Regal Cincinnati Hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio ... Katherine M.

Yoshinari, daughter of Jacqueline and Roger Yoshinari of Fountain Valley,

has graduated from the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps Advanced Camp

at Fort Lewis, Tacoma, Wash. Yoshinari, a 1996 graduate of Fountain

Valley High School, is currently a student at the University of Southern

California ... Marine Cpl. Manuel B. Engel was recently deployed to a

combined arms exercise at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center,

Twentynine Palms. Engel, son of Martina and Michael Engel of Huntington

Beach, is a 1997 graduate of Marina High School. He joined the Marine

Corps in June 1997 ... Rebecca L. Andrews, a 1995 graduate of Edison High

School, has been named to the dean’s list of distinguished students at

Knox College, Galesburg, Ill., for the third term of the 1998-1999

academic year ... Marine Lance Cpl. Conrad B. Griego recently reported

for duty with the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Division, Marine

Corps Base at Camp Lejeune, N.C. Griego is the son of Angela K. Clitherow

of Huntington Beach. He joined the Marine Corps in January 1999 ... Mary

Schober of Huntington Beach finished second in the Bakers Square Sweet

Potato & Pumpkin Pie Contest held during the 77th Los Angeles County

Fair. The winning pie, called “Granddmom’s Lemony Pumpkin Pie,” included

lemon flavoring and lemon rind ... Faith Fuata of Huntington Beach

received a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and wellness from Ball

State University, Muncie, Ind. ... Ann Richards-Steinfeld PT, OCS, of

Huntington Beach, has recently earned board certification from the

American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties in orthopedics ... Navy

Ensign Peter V. Brahan, son of Judith and Thomas Brahan of Fountain

Valley, recently returned from a six-month deployment to the

Mediterranean Sea and Arabian Gulf aboard the submarine USS Albuquerque.

During the deployment, Brahan’s ship helped conduct the NATO bombing and

airstrike missions against military and strategic installations in the

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. A 1993 graduate of Fountain Valley High

School, Brahan joined the Navy in May 1997. Brahan graduated with a

bachelor of science degree from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.,

in 1997 ... The Huntington Beach 2000 Fourth of July Executive Board has

been announced. The seven-member volunteer team includes: Patricia Stier,

chair; Maureen Rivers, vice chair; and Margie Bunten, Diane Heyden, Karen

Pedersen, Kelly Rivers and Bridget Sirkegian-Kaub ... Norberto N. Chavez

has recently enlisted in the United States Army, and will receive an

$8,000 enlistment bonus. He will report to Fort Jackson, S.C., on Jan.

13, for basic and advanced individual training. He has chosen light wheel

vehicle mechanic for his military occupation, and has volunteered to

serve a four-year enlistment. Chavez is the son of Gasper and Lucia

Chavez of Fountain Valley ... Navy fireman Robert D. Shaft recently

completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great

Lakes, Ill. Shaft, son of Denise and Robert Shaft of Huntington Beach, is

a 1996 graduate of Huntington Beach High School ... Sandi and Ed Laird of

Huntington Beach were recently honored for their contributions to the

community. The couple, devoted to humanitarian efforts, was among five

honorees at the National Conference for Community and Justice’s 23rd

annual Humanitarian Awards Gala held at the Hyatt Regency Irvine ...

Adrian S. Griggs, CPA, of Fountain Valley, was promoted to vice

president, financial, in the annuities division at Pacific Life. Griggs,

who holds a bachelor of science degree in business economics from the

University of California at Santa Barbara, had previously held the

position of assistant vice president, financial, in the institutional

products division ... Rabbi Stephen J. Einstein of Congregation B’nai

Tzedek in Fountain Valley has recently been named co-chair of the

National Commission on Reform Jewish Outreach; Rabbi Stephen J. Einstein

of the same congregation has been invited by the president of the Union

of American Hebrew Congregations, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, to speak on “Jewish

Identity and Faith Development” at the Union’s Biennial Convention in

Orlando, Fla.; Einstein also has been named second vice president of the

Pacific Assn. of Reform Rabbis.