From the Fullerton Public Information office –

Fullerton City Manager Joe Felz today (Feb.3) announced that Michael F. Sellers has informed the city that he will retire from his position as chief of the Fullerton Police Department.

The retirement will be effective Feb. 18.

Felz, who wished Sellers well, said the retirement will help the department and the city in the process of moving forward.   He added no decision has been made as to a permanent replacement.

“We will be reviewing our options with the Council in the coming months and will determine the best course for the city in finding a replacement,” Felz said.

Police Capt. Dan Hughes, a 28-year veteran of the department, will serve as acting chief until a decision is made on a permanent replacement.

Sellers, who became Fullerton’s chief in May 2009, has been on medical leave since Aug. 9, 2011.  The announcement of his retirement coincides with resolution of Sellers’ workers’ compensation claim.

That resolution involves a payment of $127,500 to Sellers, plus $22,500 in legal fees.  In addition, it relieves the city from any future responsibility for medical costs related to the claim.

William McCormick, the attorney who represented the City of Fullerton in the workers compensation claim, said he is pleased with the outcome of the case.  “Chief Sellers’ treating doctor and an independent doctor both said he was unable to return to work at his job, and the settlement ended any potential liability for future medical treatment costs, which could be significant,” McCormick said.

Sellers will be eligible for an industrial disability retirement based on findings from his doctor, as well as from the city’s doctor, who determined Sellers is disabled from performing his job as Fullerton’s police chief.

Sellers began his career in law enforcement in 1976 when he joined the La Palma Police Department.  He left La Palma in 1995 for a captain’s position with the Los Alamitos Police Department.  In 1997, he was made chief of the Seal Beach Police Department.  He accepted the post of Laguna Beach chief of police in 2005.

He left Laguna Beach to become Fullerton’s chief of police.

* FullertonStories.com will follow and update the story as more information becomes available.

The pressure was on. Would Cal State Fullerton’s Welebaethan be proclaimed the best student history journal in the nation for the 25th year in a row? Absolutely, the journal judges for the National History Honor Society, Phi Alpha Theta, decided.

The journal’s writers and editors and their faculty advisers recently received the good news about their 281-page journal published in 2011.

“We’re really excited about this,” said Matthew M. Payan, a history major who served as the journal’s co-editor with history major Terri L. Stevens. “We had some diverse high-quality papers to choose from.”

Welebaethan’s faculty advisers are Wendy Elliott-Scheinberg, lecturer of history; Gordon Morris Bakken, professor of history; and Jochen Burgtorf, chair and professor of history.

More than 80 research papers, submitted by graduate and undergraduate students, were narrowed down to 21 in a triple-blind selection process, Payan said. Because of the journal’s prestige as the country’s best, highly-motivated students aspire to be published in it, resulting in stiff competition, he said, adding that an advisory board made up of history students, alumni and professors help select the papers.

“It’s a lot of pressure to be No. 1,” Payan said, “but very rewarding and a lot of fun.”

Featured in the latest journal are 21 articles ranging in topics from jazz history and Japanese kimonos to female Nazis, as well as the story of the Titanic and political activism. Nine of the papers received special distinction as Cal State Fullerton History Department award winners. They are:

• “Religious Images and Popular Iconoclasm: John Calvin’s Attitude and Response,” by Peter J. Roberts (M.A. history ‘10), winner of the Lawrence B. de Graaf Prize for Best Overall Paper.
• “The Unsinkable Ship: Symbolism of the RMS Titanic in the Transatlantic Steamship Competition,” by Raymond Ortiz (B.A. history ‘11), winner of the Ric Miller Prize for Best European History.
• “Jazz Out West: Dance Hallls, Musical Migrations and the Cultural Landscape of Los Angeles,” by history major John Carlos Marquez, winner of the William Langsdorf Prize for Best Western/Local History.
• “Victorious Heroics: The Unknown Defender of Stamford Bridge, 1066, in Mythopoetic Discourse,” by Charles W. Joseph Eggleston (B.A. history, American studies ‘11), winner of the Best of New Approaches to History Award.
• “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon: Nazi Formation of Female Identity in Propaganda of the Third Reich, 1933-1945,” by Ryan Russell Hunt (B.A. history ‘07, M.A. history ‘11), winner of the Women’s History Award.
• “The Washington Conference and Naval Disarmament: A Historiographical Examination,” by history major Michael M. Matini, winner of the Intellectual History Award.
• “From Kimonos to Ball Gowns: The Transformation of Los Angeles’ Japanese-American Community Through Pageantry,” by Christina Barbieri (B.A. communications-public relations ‘07, M.A. American studies ‘11), winner of the Asian American History Award.
• “Remembering and Representing Femicide in the Borderlands of Ciudad Juarez,” by Jessica Ordaz (M.A. American studies ‘11), winner of the Latin American History Award.
• “Berkeley in the 1960s,” by history graduate student John Belleci (B.A. history ‘11), winner of the Oral History Award.

In addition, the university’s history honor society, Theta-Pi, has won best chapter honors again. The organization now has been named best chapter by Phi Alpha Theta for 31 consecutive years. Many of Theta-Pi’s members work on the Welebaethan. Students now are working on the 2012 issue.

“This is an extremely successful program,” Bakken said. “Being named best in the nation demonstrates again that Cal State Fullerton produces a journal of excellence and an excellent chapter, better than UCLA, UC Berkeley and a whole lot of other institutions of higher learning across the United States.”

For John and Janice Lee, “It’s all about community.”

That’s why they opened My Giggle Place, a play and Tae Kwon Do center for kids one to eight years old. The center on Imperial Highway just celebrated their first year in Fullerton.

John says, “The idea for My Giggle Place came to me after I moved for an out of state job.  Just months before the move my wife and I had out first child. And, as for any first time parent, it was difficult not knowing the simplest things… I thought how great it would be if there was a place where I could meet other parents just like me to share ideas and learn from each other… I thought there should be a place where my child can meet new friends and I can have a ‘grown-up’ conversation with other adults.”

Thursday, My Giggle Place held an anniversary Red RIbbon Cutting with the Fullerton Chamber of Commerce.  My Giggle Place is located at 160 E. Imperial Hwy. 714-525-7529.

Story and photo by Madilyn Hood/FullertonStories.com

New business licenses, January 23 through January 27, 2012:

Paris Baguette USA Inc.
Corporation
1659 W. Orangethorpe Ave.
Bakery and Café

Joe Cabilla Photography
Sole proprietor
611 N. Drake Ave
Photographer

Carr Specialties Inc.
Corporation
1100 E. Valencia Dr.
Fullerton CA 92831
Contractor-Specialty

Force Measurement Systems Inc.
Corporation
2418 Cypress Way
Fullerton CA 92831
Corporation

Eskay Auto Inc.
Corporation
2742 W. Orangethorpe Ave.
Fullerton CA 93833
Auto Dealer

Create Clothing Company
Partnership- Jonathan Koong and Joel Wiesner
Fullerton CA 92831
Online Clothing Sales

Orange Star Food Service
1116 N. Anaheim Blvd.
Anaheim CA 92801
Food truck

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Hongyuan Li, 72, was reported missing on Tuesday morning. Her family reported that she had left their home on the 600 block of W. Valencia Mesa Drive between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Li, who had been in the United States for about a month and only spoke Mandarin Chinese, was suffering from a recent bout of depression and was taking medication, according to family.

Li’s body was discovered in an overgrown area behind the Fullerton Medical Arts Center on the corner of W. Valley View Drive and N. Harbor Blvd. Gardeners attending to the area found her body and immediately notified the police.

Officers arrived at the scene around 2:45 p.m. and cordoned off the area until Li’s family was notified.

Brief by Brian Park/FullertonStories.com

Fullerton Police Sgt. Andrew Goodrich said that Hongyuan Li resides in the 600 block of W. Valencia Mesa Dr. with her family and was last seen there yesterday morning. It is thought she left between 10am and 12:30pm. Li has been in the United States for about a month, and only speaks Mandarin Chinese. She has been depressed lately, and takes medication for depression.

She is a female Asian, 5-2, 110 lbs., with black hair, and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a grey jacket, purple turtleneck, and black pants.

Anyone with information about Li or her whereabouts is asked to call Sergeant Mike Chlebowski at (714) 738-6776, or the front desk at (714) 738-6716.

Craigslist Scam Dupes Prospective Renter, Jan. 27, 2012
A woman found a Fullerton home for rent listed on Craigslist, and called the phone number listed in the ad.  She spoke with a man who said he lived in Texas. He gave her the address on the 1700 block of Sumemrwood Drive, and told her to go and take a look at the home. The doors were locked, but based on what she could view front he street, she called the man back and told him she wanted it. The man told her to wire $700 to him by Western Union as a deposit, Sgt. Andrew Goodrich said.  She later wired him additional money for the rent. She then checked online and found the house had already been leased.  She contacted the real-estate agent listed for the property and discovered she had been defrauded. She called police Jan. 27^th to report the scam. 

Copper Thieves Discover City Lights (Copper Thieves Plunder City Lights?)
Unidentified thieves stole copper wires from a number of street lights Jan. 25^th near N. Placentia Avenue and E. Rolling Hills Drive. A 41-year-old city crew worker reported the theft at 3 p.m. The city estimates the theft will cost $3,000 to repair the damage.

Church Boots Homeless from Property
A caller from the Eden Presbyterian Church told police homeless people had camped out behind the facility at 2200 W. Orangethorpe Avenue at 11:37 p.m. The caller wanted  them to leave and called police. By the time officers arrived, the campers had left the scene.

Estranged Wife Drains Man’s Financial Aid
 A man who says he is separated from his wife says she took money from a debit card given to him as Financial Aid to go to Fullerton Community College. He says she transferred more than $4,576 to herself. Sgt. Andrew Goodrich said police are investigating the incident. January 26.

300 Pound Man Swipes Woman’s Wallet,  Doesn’t Get Far
A woman saw a suspicious man walking away from her desk Jan. 27th after she returned to her office in the University Plaza at about 12:35 p.m. according to police reports. She discovered her wallet had been taken from her desk, so she confronted the man, described as white and weighing some 300 pounds, according to police reports. She and her co-workers called 911. Police arrived at the office at 680 Langsdorf Drive and arrested 45-year-old George Vernon Gerringer for burglary. Police have no idea why Mr. Gerringer was in the office.

1/22 Dead Body -  Fullerton Residential Manor. 77-year-old male.

1/22 Transient Problem -  A subject is on the floor in the bathroom at the McDonalds on 1341 S. Brookhurst Road. The caller has tried knocking on the door but gets no response at 9:21 p.m. Police arrived and ended up taking the subject to the Armory.

1/22 Transient Problem – An employee at In N Out says a homeless man in his 50s or 60s is sitting in a booth at the entrance and refuses to leave at 9:37 p.m.

1/22 Transient Problem – A man keeps urinating on the wall outside of blockbuster Video. 8:03 p.m.

1/22 Transient Problem – A man is sleeping inside a yellow van outside the McDonalds on 1341 S. Brookhurst Road. The caller wants him moved along at 8:59 p.m.

1/22 Fraud – 4100 block W. Valencia Drive.

1/23 Department Assist – A man has possibly died at the Willowtree Lodge at 10:12 a.m. Police say 58-year-old John Hollister died from natural causes related to ongoing medical problems.
1/23 Burglary – A storage facility at Future Foam was broken into on the 300 S. St. College Blvd. 5:35 a.m.

1/23 Area Check – A caller who says she is deaf has fallen and broken her teeth. She thinks she’s between N. Highland Avenue and W. Wilshire Avenue at 6:59 p.m.

1/23 Indecent Exposure -  A man with gray hair is exposing and touching himself by the corner of the Plaza Bakery near W. Valencia Drive and S. Harbor Boulevard at 6:53 p.m. The caller says he’s wearing a brown coat.

1/23 Burglary -  Thieves stole the third-row seat out of a silver 2007 Cadillac Escalade parked outside of the Target at 1893 W. Malvern Avenue. The caller says the radio navigation system and front panel were also ripped out at 6:06 p.m.

1/23 Burglary – The stereo was stolen out of a victim’s black Chevy Camaro on the 2200 block of Loma Verde Drive at 5:53 p.m.

1/23 Grand Theft  The catalytic converter was stolen out of tan Toyota 4-Runner parked in the south side of the parking lot at Burlington Coat factory at 4:48 p.m.

1/23 Suspicious Person  The manager of Taco Bell says a transient is inside stating someone is following him at 10:48 p.m. The manager says he has asked the man, who he describes at tall and skinny, to leave, but he won’t.

1/23 Vandalism  – A property owner says an evicted tenant has vandalized a residence on the 2000 block of Victoria Drive.

1/23 Vandalism - The boys bathroom was vandalized at Richman Elementary School. 7 a.m.

1/23 Vandalism - The Ladera Vista Jr. High custodian found graffiti on the back wall of the gym at 6:53 a.m.

1/23 Transient Problem – A white homeless man is bothering customers at The Night Owl at 200 N. Harbor Blvd. and refusing to leave at 12:29 a.m.

1/24 Grand Theft – A woman’s home on the 200 block of Cedar Avenue was burgled, she reported at 6:55 p.m. A number of items were taken, including a sterling silver utensil set and a ring. The victim is 41-years-old.

1/24 Fraud – Bourbon St. Bar and Grill. 4:17 p.m. A 23-year-old man’s credit card was taken and used to make fraudulent charges. He’s not sure how the thief got his card, but he

1/24 Petty Theft -  A student tried to steal his books from the Fullerton College Bookstore, but a security guard noticed and called police at 4:20 p.m.  . Cops arrived and arrested 28-year-old Steve Lee for theft.

1/24 Grand Theft -  A 74-year-old woman’s jewelry was stolen from her home on the 700 block of W. Knepp Avenue. She reported the crime at 3:42 p.m. There are no suspects in the theft.

1/24 Grand Theft – A 21-year-old woman’s camera was taken from her vehicle on the 900 block of E. Walnut Avenue at 2:32 p.m.

1/24 Transient Problem – A caller says a black woman in a hat carrying 10 bags is out front of the Santa Fe Express at 136 E. Santa Fe Avenue refuses to leave at 2:59 p.m.

1/24 Burglary  – A white Lexus parked in the visitor parking at the Fullerton Hills Apartments on the 1200 block of N. Gilbert Street was broken into. 7:37 a.m.

1/24 Grand Theft -  An unknown thief took electrical cords out of the storage closet of the Senior Center at 340 W. Commonwealth Avenue at 2:10 p.m. The crime was reported by a 62-year-old man.

1/25 Burglary  – Craig Park. A woman with dark skin who walked through the entrance of Craig Park is attempting to break into vehicles. 9:04 p.m. The person who called “tackled” the woman, thinking she was breaking in. A number of police were called to the scene. It turns out, she was simply writing an address down on the hood of the caller’s car.

1/25 Auto Theft  Bushala Brothers, Inc. 100 block E. Walnut Avenue. 12:27 p.m.

1/25 Auto Theft  Bushala Brothers, Inc. 100 block E. Walnut Avenue. 12:16 p.m.

1/25 Fraud – 2101 Weatherly Place.  10:59 a.m.

1/25 Fraud – The credit card of a 55-year-old woman who lives on the 2100 block of Weatherly Place was used to make fraudulent charges of more than $150. -10:59 a.m.

1/25 Grand Theft -  Coco Palms Apartments – 1700 block E. Commonwealth Avenue. 7:04 a.m.

1/25 Grand Theft - Coco Palms Apartments – A catalytic converter was taken off of a 51-year-old woman’s car on the 1700 block of E. Commonwealth Avenue. 7:04 a.m.

1/25 Vandalism – North Court. A 38-year-old man’s vehicle was keyed in the parking lot at 10:35 a.m.

1/25 Transient Problem – A caller says a white man with a backpack is bothering McDonalds customers and refusing to leave the restaurant at 1341 S. Brookhurst Road at 7:35 p.m.

1/25 Transient Problem – A caller says there’s a white man with no shirt on behind Sandras Energy at 216 N. Harbor Blvd. at 7:02 p.m. The caller thinks he may need help.

1/25 Transient Problem – A white man in the parking lot of Kookoo Chinese Food at 1113 N. Harbor Blvd. refuses to leave.

1/25 Transient Problem – A caller says a number of transients are smoking drugs on a bus bench at the Bus Depot at 2:50 p.m. The caller wants police to ask them to leave. Robert and friends were counseled, according to police records.

1/25 Transient Problem  A caller says two transients are arguing at the north side of the Fullerton Museum at 12:17 p.m.

1/25 Transient Problem  A caller says three white male transients are asking people for money outside of Target, and wants them moved along.

1/25 Transient Problem  A caller says transients are bothering employees in the garden area of the Chapman Building at 110 E. Wilshire Avenue.

1/26 Fraud  Ambassador Inn. 9:20 p.m.

1/26 Grand Theft First EV Free Church. 9:43 p.m. 1801 Brea Blvd.

1/26 Transient Problem  Homeless people have camped out near the onramp on the 1000 block of W. Houston Avenue. They were moved from the area a week ago from the same location.

1/26 Transient Problem  Several transients have a fire going at Woodcrest Park at 9:18 p.m. The caller says they have been urinating by the bathrooms, and two others have camped out.

1/26 Transient Problem  A man is asking people for money at Okazya at 1811 W. Commonwealth Avenue and refusing to leave.

1/26 Transient Problem – Several transients have set up camp by the railroad tracks off of the 200 block of Martha Place.

1/26 Fraud -  400 block Valencia Drive. 3:10 p.m.

1/26 Transient Problem - A caller says three or four transients are smoking drugs and dealing on the 100 block of E. Commonwealth Avenue at 3:10 p.m.

1/26 Transient Problem  A caller says a bunch of homeless people are setting up camp by the railroad tracks near Hughes Drive and West Bastanchury Road. The caller sounds angry, and says he calls police all the time with the issue.

1/26 Burglary – A vandal smashed the driver’s side window on a Toyota Echo on the street by the Haverhill Apartments.

1/26 Transient Problem -  A man is setting things on fire at the Kelly Thomas Memorial at the Bus Depot at 3:36 a.m.

1/27 Disturbance of the Peace  Ralph’s Grocery Store  -A caller says 8 subjects are out front of the grocery store at 1131 N. Harbor Blvd. asking for money at 8:29 p.m. the caller thinks they’re from the Occupy Fullerton movement.

1/27 Fraud  3600 block Randee Way. 5:20 p.m.

1/27 Found Child  A caller found a 4-year-old Hispanic boy at the corner of Garnet Lane and N. Placentia Avenue who crossed Placentia and is saying he doesn’t want to go home at 2:40 p.m.

1/27 Other  FedEx Home Delivery. 458 E. Lambert Road. Employee there stole a computer. The caller wants him arrested at 1:37 p.m.

1/27 Grand Theft  Fullerton Police Department 8:29 p.m.

 1/27 Suspicious Person  A callers daughter saw two men in ski masks on the Valley View side of Hillcrest Park. She said they were carrying guns at 6:23 p.m.

1/27 Fraud - 600 Oak Tree Street.

1/27 Transient Problem – Ralph’s, 1121 N. Harbor Blvd. A caller says a tall man is getting aggressive with customers in the store at 10:58 a.m.

1/27 Transient Problem – Ralph’s, 1121 N. Harbor Blvd. A caller says a tall man is getting aggressive with customers in the store at 11:35 a.m. Mr. Sanchez was counseled by police.

1/27 Assault with a Deadly Weapon  A 20-year-old man in bed 9 of the emergency room was hit in the face with a brick on the corner of E. Commonwealth Avenue and N. Lemon Street. He may have a skull fracture. 2:54 a.m.

1/28 ID Theft  A woman’s car was broken into at 5223 E. Begelow St, in Lakewood, California and her wallet and credit cards were stolen. A number of fraudulent transactions were made on the cards in Fullerton.

1/28 Suicide Threats -  A woman who lives in the City Lights Apartments has taken a lot of pills. She told the caller she took them because she wants to stay asleep and not wake up. She is home alone at 9:07 p.m. The woman was transported to UCI.

1/28 Felony Hit and Run – A suspect in a hit and run of a bicyclist called and said he left to look for the victim at the corner of S. Harbor Boulevard and Orangefair Avenue but was unable to find the person. He’s now at Blockbuster Video in a black Chevy.

1/28 Robbery  Two hooded black men have robbed Kragen Auto Parts using a handgun at 8:53 p.m. The left the scene headed eastbound.

1/28 Auto Theft  A black GMC was stolen out of the parking lot of Ladera Vista Junior High at 6:17 p.m.

1/28 Burglary -A blue Ford F 150 was broken into in the Ladera Vista Junior High parking lot. 5:37 p.m.

1/28 Welfare Check  A caller’s 17-year-old son was in his room, saying he wanted to kills himself at his residence on the 200 block of N. Roosevelt Avenue. He was last seen wearing a baseball uniform. He has no weapons. The caller believes he crawled out his bedroom window at 3:22 p.m.

1/28 Transient Problem – A Hispanic man is asking customers for money at the Albertson’s at 1930 N. Placentia Avenue at 11:55 a.m.

1/28 Transient Problem –“Eddie” is bothering customers for money at the Golden Ox at 1801 W. Commonwealth Avenue. The caller says he’s taking food off of customer’s plates, and won’t leave at 10:27 a.m.

1/28 Transient Problem  A homeless man with a shopping cart is standing in the middle of traffic and not moving in front of the Shell station at 1625 S. Harbor Blvd.

1/28 Suicide Threats  A white man with a beard was in the middle of traffic lanes at S. Harbor Boulevard and W. Houston Avenue saying he wanted to kill himself at 5:49 a.m. now a caller has him detained near a Ford Focus on Houston Avenue.

Occupiers from Occupy O.C. who brought their movement from Irvine on January 11^th moved from their tent village at the Brea Dam to Lion’s Field on Brea Blvd. for their third week of camping in Fullerton.  The Occupy O.C. website states that the entire movement is going on its 108^th day and the group has no intention of leaving until their grievances are addressed by the City of Fullerton. “We’ll be here as long as it takes,” says Occupy O.C. facilitator Synthian Sharp.

As of now their permit for Lion’s Field will extend to the end of this week, at which point city officials will discuss an additional extension.

“They have been very professional and handled themselves, as one would expect, very lawfully,” Fullerton City Manager Joe Felz said. “City Council has met with them on numerous occasions and we’ve had no problems to speak of.”

During their stay in Fullerton, the General Assembly of Occupy O.C. passed two resolutions regarding specific grievances that they believe already align with the Occupy O.C. Fullerton agenda.  The first one calls for a city resolution against Citizens United and corporate personhood. The second resolution: a move to shift city money from big banks to local credit unions that support local businesses.

“We already have a practice of doing this with some community funds,” stated Felz, “but we need to investigate more into what they want regarding shifting investments.”

There is a third grievance that is still in committee and will target the inordinate student debt within local colleges and universities.

The immediate goal of Occupy O.C. Fullerton is to decide on the details and verbiage of these three issues in order to present them at the Council meeting on the 21st of February.

When asked whether the Fullerton Occupiers’ strategy of peace and adherence to city regulations has increased their bargaining power, Felz answered shortly, “Yes.”

According to Felz the City Council has held regular meetings with Occupiers during which they remained very focused on their issues. “Being so well versed on their topics makes them very productive,” said Felz.

Until the City Council meeting in February, Occupy O.C. will be working hard to research and pass resolutions writen into proposals. The Lion’s Field location affords them a more obvious presence and according to Sharp, their numbers have doubled during the last three days.  So far there are only tents on the ground, but once protesting commences Sharp expects that these numbers will continue to increase.

Story by Megan Alyse Hanson/FullertonStories.com

By Corky Nepomuceno –

As heart-wrenching and harried as it can be, theatre life still possesses a certain magic that attracts hundreds of talented thespians every year, if merely for the gratification of artistic expression.

Testament to this is Stages Theatre‘s impressive 20th Anniversary season as an independently run and non-profit organization. And from these roots comes its strength, because in community theatre, there’s not much production budget for lighting, music, makeup and costumes; these actors must instead emote convincingly and with precise timing.

Inside Stage’s lobby their growing gallery of framed stills from past productions beams proudly from every square inch of wall space, halls and even the restrooms. Dedicated supporters from the community (local and otherwise) donate their time and efforts to make it the cornerstone that it is today.

The theatre kicked off 2012 with the critically-acclaimed “American Buffalo“, shown above, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet’s intense comedy-drama about three two-bit grifters trying to attain the American dream through the eye of a needle. Or a nickel, as the case may be. Although the piece debuted in 1975, the casts’ superb acting make it as fresh and raw as ever. With its universal storyline, you can’t but help draw parallelisms to today’s economic crisis.

The stage takes place in a second-hand junk shop in Chicago that is stacked with scattered items; some that may have been pilfered or fenced. Since it remains the backdrop for the play in its entirety, designer Fred Kinney had to create a visually enticing and detail-oriented set (right down to the peeling, cracked linoleum tiles), bringing some to jest that “every prop room in the OC stands empty now”. 

Katie Chidester’s deft direction effectively captures the poetic cadence and flow of “Mamet Speak”: dialogue that is rife with trailing, unfinished utterances; manipulative and deceptive language; and a hefty helping of expletives. The peppered exchanges are not meant to shock or offend the audience, but solely to depict the local color of the inner-city. Still, it is strongly advised to leave one’s feeble nana or underage children at home for this one.

Mike Martin (briefly tossing his artistic director chapeau aside) plays protagonist Don Dubrow, the thoughtful, mathematically-challenged proprietor of “Don’s Resale Junk”. Don’s demeanor can be described as even-keeled, until he is pushed too far. Adam Evans (choosing this role as his once-a-year theatrical undertaking) plays Bobby, Don’s hanger-on lackey who is eager to please, but is seemingly missing a few spaghetti noodles. Sometime before the second act, one begins to second guess whether he’s more astute than he lets on. Bob Tully (local theatre director and character actor) plays antagonist Walter “Teach” Cole, an outspoken, malediction-spewing braggart who reels like a powder keg on the verge of implosion. Each of the players weaves through the complexity of their characters with ease, compassion and benign humor.

The story unfolds with Don offering Bobby some paternal advice about taking care of himself through proper nutrition and doing “good business”. In the parlance of con men, words like “business”, “job” and “thing” signify a robbery or particular hustle. Unexpectedly, Teach bursts into the junk shop and explodes into a tirade about being slighted by a mutual friend; the meaning of true friendship; and again, the emphasis on “good business”.

A series of discussions result in a plot to rob a man of his coin collection that includes a valuable American Buffalo nickel. What ensues is a study in human nature with devious use of sabotage and bouts of heightened paranoia. When their scheme begins to unravel, things go violently awry for the trio. The resolution concludes with vague clarifications that mitigate the toxic situation. Somehow, what looms large at the end of a very long Friday is loyalty — a virtue that is paramount in friendship and possibly even in “business”.

Showings for “American Buffalo” are at 8pm Fridays and Saturdays and at 2pm on Sundays until Feburary 19, 2012. Of course, no visit to the theatre is complete without a restaurant promotion. In celebration of Stages’ 20th Anniversary season, Mulberry Street Ristorante has partnered with them in their presentation of “American Buffalo” and future productions. With a paid theater ticket, a voucher is included for a special 20% discount off dinner at the ristorante.

Stages is located at 400 E. Commonwealth Avenue, Suite 4. 714.525.4484

The sale will be held in the Osborne Auditorium of the Fullerton Main Library, 353 W. Commonwealth Ave., adjacent to Fullerton City Hall.

The Friends’ Used Book Sale will offer a wide variety of authors and literary genres, as well as used CDs, DVDs, video tapes and vinyl records.

On March 9, sale hours will be from 10 a.m.-noon for members of the Friends of the Fullerton Public Library only, and from noon-4 p.m. for the general public. On March 10, sale hours will be from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Sunday, March 11, will be half-price day, and the doors will be open from 1-3 p.m. From 3:15-4 p.m., items will be offered at a “2 Bucks a Bag” sale.

A special pre-sale will be held from 6-7 p.m. Thursday, March 8, for special needs shoppers only. Proceeds from the book sales will be used to support library programs. Further information may be obtained by calling the Fullerton Public Library at (714) 738-6326.

The street will be closed from 8:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. each night from the 29th through Wednesday, Feb. 1. Harbor will be reopened to traffic at 5:30 a.m. each day.

The closure will be to allow installation of a new traffic signal at the Harbor and Santa Fe Avenue intersection, and installation of a pedestrian path on the Burlington-Northwestern-Santa Fe Railroad bridge over Harbor, south of Santa Fe.

The work is being done in conjunction with construction of the new 814-space parking structure for the Fullerton Transportation Center. The new structure is located at the southwest corner of the Harbor/Santa Fe intersection, on the site of the former World Citrus plant.

Further information about the Harbor closure may be obtained by calling the City of Fullerton Engineering Department at (714) 738-6845.