Page 4 February 20, 2020 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Entertainment
Ben Schwartz and Billy Crystal
Shine in Standing Up, Falling Down
By Ryan Rojas for cinemacy.com
Picture if Dustin Hoffman’s Ben Braddock
of The Graduate had a wise-cracking mentor
to help guide him through the anxieties
of post-grad adulthood – and if that mentor
was the peerless Billy Crystal – and you’d
get something similar to Standing Up, Falling
Down, a feel-good buddy comedy about the
unlikely friendship between an unsuccessful
young comedian and his sagely, spirited
dermatologist.
While Standing Up, Falling Down prefers to
operate on the softer side of things, it still takes
a look life’s tougher times, made entertaining
Standing Up, Falling Down
by a pair of wonderfully charismatic performers.
Stand-up comic Scott (Ben Schwartz) isn’t
so much down on his luck as he is failing to
realize he keeps playing the same bad band.
With his comedy career going nowhere fast, he
leaves L.A. to move back in with his parents
in Eastern Long Island – which, at thirty-four,
hits on a certain anxiety that this millennial
generation has.
Now home, Scott is forced to confront the
life – as well as the people – he left behind,
including sister (Grace Gummer) and exgirlfriend
(Eloise Mumford). In his grief state
which warrants a medical check-up, he meets
a karaoke-loving dermatologist, Marty (Billy
Crystal). It’s not long until Marty and his
natural cheer mix with Scott and his cynical
self, and the two find themselves having drinks,
hanging out, and finding that each is helping
the other move on from one of life’s ruts.
Standing Up, Falling Down probably won’t
find its way into the pantheon of all-time great
buddy comedies, but this earnest little flick
wears its heart on its sleeve and will delight
those looking for a lighthearted, enjoyable
film that digs into substantial themes when
it wishes to.
What intrigued me most about the film
before I saw it was the anticipation of
seeing the comedic pairing of two comic
talents that I personally acknowledge as being
part of my love of comedy. Schwartz, perhaps
most widely recognized as Jean Ralphio in
Parks and Rec and who’s seeing his own
star rising as of recently (voicing the blue
speedster in Sonic the Hedgehog), carries the
film from start to finish with his affable and
casual charm. But it’s Crystal that proves his
legendary status, taking this lovable character
and making him all his own. Crystal’s warmhearted
wit and heart of gold will make you
laugh, which makes the moments of true loss
that much more emotionally weighted.
The pairing of two truly amazing comedians
with natural comic chemistry make Standing
Up, Falling Down a film that looks at the hardships
of life while having a fun time doing it. •
Ryan Rojas
Student Athletes Sign
Letters of Intent
By Steve Shevlin,
Athletic Director for ESHS
To be an athlete at a high level takes a
lot of commitment. To be a student-athlete
takes that obligation to another level. The
fact is less than two percent of high school
student-athletes go on to play their favorite
sport while getting an education on a scholarship.
Four very special El Segundo high
school seniors will continue their education
in the fall and play a sport they’ve had a
passion for playing. These last four years
are a culmination of hard work in both the
classroom and on the field of play and it has
paid off in the form of a scholarship.
The future looks bright for these gifted
students who happen to be athletes as well.
They will pursue degrees in Criminology
and Psychology, International Business and
Finance, Biological Science and Pre-Med, as
well as Chemistry and Environmental Studies.
Casey Lund, Middlebury College;
Men’s Soccer
Casey has been an outstanding two sport
star who excelled in soccer. He was named
to numerous All-Ocean League teams and
selected to the All-CIF team as a sophomore
and junior. He helped the Eagles to backto
back CIF championships and Southern
California Regional Championships. In the
classroom Casey excelled with a better than
4.0 GPA.
Casey is grateful and appreciative for all
the support throughout the years from so
many people including his mother, father and
brother. He says his mother was his anchor
throughout the recruiting process, his father
gave him the freedom to choose his path as
well as support and encouragement and his
brother who helped guide him on what a sport
can do for you. Casey will study Chemistry
and Environmental Studies.
Denis Vezina, San Francisco State
University; Men’s Soccer
Denis played four years with the ESHS
soccer team and helped them to a two Ocean
League titles, two CIF Championships and
back to back Southern California Regional
Championships. Denis earned recognition
awards from his team and was named to the
All-Ocean League team.
Denis has been a model student with a
high GPA and will study Criminology and
Psychology at San Francisco State. He says
none of his successes would have been
possible without the support of his family
and friends.
“I would like to thank my mom, Charlotte,
my dad Kevin and all my immediate family
for their support throughout the years. Their
support is what allowed me to follow my
dreams.” He added that that his coaches
from AYSO teams, club teams and the high
school all pushed him to be better.
Logan Sharp, University of
Hawaii; Men’s Volleyball
Logan is one of those unique studentathletes.
He is a multitalented athlete who
could have succeeded in any sport but excelled
on the volleyball court. His leadership helped
guide the Eagles to two Ocean League title
and four consecutive playoff appearances
he also helped his club team, SCVC, win
the National Championship during his high
school years.
Logan will be living the dream in paradise
by playing volleyball while studying International
Business and Finance. He says a
big part of his success can be traced to his
parents who were his biggest supporters,
teammates who pushed him to excel and his
coaches for their guidance.
Gerardo Blanco, Occidental
College; Football
Gerardo was a two-sport athlete before
settling on football as his favorite sport.
Gerardo is relatively new to playing football
since he began playing as a freshman. The
life-changing event that changed his future
was the first day in pads. “I had no idea
what pads went where but that was the day
I fell in love with football.”
Gerardo is a two-year starter for the Eagles
as an offensive lineman and will play that
position at Occidental College. He is thankful
for all the support of his parents and
brothers who never missed a game. “They
are my backbone and I love them so much
for supporting me.”
Gerardo has excelled in the classroom with
a GPA over 4.0 and credits his teachers for
his success. His high I.Q. will benefit him
while studying Biological Sciences and Pre-
Med at one of Southern California’s most
prestigious colleges. On the football field he
points to Coach Steve Shevlin, the assistant
coaches and teammates that challenged him
to be a better player and lead by example.
Gerardo is also thankful for the training staff
that helped him through numerous injuries
and his friendship circle that has made the
last four years an unforgettable experience.
Our future is in good hands thanks to these
four student-athletes. •
City Council from front page
return on its investment in safe-haven bonds
and bank CDs was 2.22 percent, she told the
council. The city’s portfolio grew last year,
nearly $1.8 million.
El Segundo also has $7.5 million in cash,
enough to cover six months of the city’s
expenses and liabilities. That cushion is a
best-management practice used by professionals
in the treasury business and an example
of the professionalism and ethics that she
brought to the job more than six years ago.
The city was earning $219,000 per year
from the securities it held back in 2013.
Compare that to the fourth quarter of 2019
when El Segundo’s money held in reserve
earned more than 2 percent. The highest
yield was 3 percent in December.The city
held $23.9 million in bank certificates of
deposit, and $19.4 million in government
securities at year’s end, according to the
treasurer’s office.
Corporate bonds ($10.5 million) and local
agency investment funds ($10.8 million)
are part of El Segundo’s investment mix of
reserves and funds that can be converted to
cash quickly, according to Binder. The city
treasury takes a conservative approach to
investing, which she calls a “buy and hold”
strategy. California cities by law are limited
to fixed-income investments of no more
than five years maturity - less risk with a
steady income.
El Segundo holds $5.4 million in A-rated
municipal bonds issued by other cities and
government agencies, the latest report details.
The bond issuers include the state of
Connecticut, New York, Houston and Las
Vegas. La Quinta Redevelopment Agency
is the lone California-based issuer in El
Segundo’s portfolio.
The city also is an investor in mediumterm
debt notes issued by companies such
as Amazon, Walmart, the Walt Disney Co.
and the lending divisions of carmakers Honda
and Toyota. The city holds $10.6 million in
A-rated corporate securities and $1 million
each in three companies: Wells Fargo Bank,
Oracle and Cisco Systems.
Binder, who worked as a deputy treasurer
for the city of Los Angeles before taking the
part-time treasurer’s position with El Segundo,
credits policy and banking changes she’s
enacted while in office for the city’s robust
investment performance. She pushed the City
Council to place local Measure T on the
March primary ballot for El Segundo voters.
Measure T asks a yes-or-no question: Should
the city treasurer be appointed rather than
elected to start in 2024? The argument for the
change is that two-thirds of California cities
have gone away from an elected treasurer in
recent years. Proponents, including Binder
say that having the treasurer be directly
responsible to the city manager protects a
city’s investments with more oversight of
investment decisions. Professional treasurers
come to the job with the education, training
and expertise needed to manage a portfolio
as extensive as El Segundo’s, says Binder.
She and four City Council members are
endorsing Measure T and placed a pro argument
in the Sample Ballot. Former Councilman
Don Brann, who resigned his council seat to
comply with a state law forbidding him from
serving the city and Wiseburn School District,
abstained from casting a vote. Sample ballots
were mailed to El Segundo voters and began
arriving in mailboxes last week. That didn’t
go according to plan, however.
City Manager Scott Mitnick said the plan
was for the Sample Ballots to arrive as El
Segundo voters - including those that cast
their ballots by mail starting on February
3 - began making up their minds about the
city-backed referendum. Mail-in balloting
ends February 25.
Measure T would take effect after Matt
Robinson’s four-year term expires or sooner
if the city treasury position becomes vacant
before 2024. Approval by the voters would
allow El Segundo to hire a professional
treasurer with expertise in the field.
Some cities that have switched to an
appointed treasurer have given the finance
director the additional responsibility of
managing the long- and short-term reserves.
Binder says the goal is to have ready access
to cash while earning the highest yields possible
from the safe-haven bonds and bank
CDs available to a city. •