August 19, 2021 Page 9
Seniors from page 5
Huber’s Hiccups from page 3
Avery Smith from front page
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on our coaching philosophy and backgrounds.
We both just wanted to make sure all the kids
had a blast…Winning was important, but not
the ‘utmost’ important,” citing their shared
philosophy that if the youngsters had a positive
experience, they would be much more apt to,
when they became parents, sign their children
up for youth sports competitions.”
Alcala said of Smith: “His heart is in the
right place. He is doing everything for the
greater good. He wants the community to be
better, which makes everybody better.”
So, with all his work-related and volunteering
duties, what other endeavors pique Mr.
Smith’s interests? Well, about five years ago,
he said, he began writing weather forecasts on
a popular El Segundo social media platform.
A self-proclaimed “weather geek,” Smith’s
knack for correctly predicting local weather
patterns, coupled with his “detailed descriptions
of weather patterns and climatology,”
quickly gained Smith in-town popularity, with
his followers branding him as “El Segundo’s
unofficial weatherman.”
Here is a blurb from a recent post on the
El Segundo Weather Facebook page: “We
registered a few drops/sprinkles this morning
and expecting that activity to push out to sea
soon with clearing skies and humidity. Temps
will go up through the weekend with a big
cool down coming next week.”
Good to know, right? Time to find that
umbrella?
How did Smith cultivate his interest in
weather and weather patterns, you thoughtfully
ask? His father is from Louisiana, and his
mother is from West Africa. Family opportunities
and obligations had Smith spending time in London.
At age seven, after his plane was diverted
from a London landing strip to Edinburgh,
Scotland, Smith said he “saw my first snowflake,
and I was hooked. It was the most amazing
thing that I had ever seen.” He said that, as he
got older, he became interested in climate and
climatology and their effects on weather. He
started delving into the science of weather, and
soon was posting on the El Segundo Parents
Network social media page, and before you
can say “climate change,” the popularity of his
prognostications, so help me retired meteorologist
Fritz Coleman, “literally just took off.”
“It has been very rewarding,” Smith said of
his posting climate prognostications, noting that
he receives outreach from locals who may be
partying in Mammoth or Palm Springs and seek
his advice on weather patterns and possibilities.
Smith said that when he arises each morning,
he will quickly check “about a half-dozen”
weather and sports websites.
An alum of the University of California,
Irvine, a proud Anteater, who majored in
History, Smith moved to El Segundo in 2002.
He grew up in the Los Angeles/Baldwin Hills
area, attending Palisades High School before
continuing his education at UC Irvine. While
Smith travels extensively for business, he said
he has not strayed too far from his So Cal
roots. Smith said that he was “tremendously
inspired” by his eighth-grade History teacher,
“I was fascinated by the way (he) told stories
that could capture the class. The entire class
was mesmerized by his teaching.” He said that
his teacher was able to bring historical occasions
to life, challenging the students to try
and get into the minds and thought processes
of historical icons like George Washington as
they faced their biggest challenges.
Post-graduation from UC Irvine, Smith was
not sure about his next move, so he leaned on
his Mom, who had a background in the insurance
industry, and began his career in that field,
a career that has spanned more than 20 years.
As for landing in El Segundo, Smith said
that he had started a “new relationship,” and
his now wife, who pitched him on settling
in El Segundo. Although Smith grew up a
dozen-or-so miles from our town, he was not
particularly familiar with the city’s offerings.
Once he settled into town and started having
kids, Smith, who played high school baseball
and basketball, as well as “every sport I could
when I was a kid,” began to volunteer to coach
Little League baseball, trying to help develop
his son and other youths into “the next George
Brett,” a not-so-easy task that El Segundoians
have been fervently attempting for decades.
His years of coaching yielded long-term
friendships with local families, as well as shaped
the baseball talents of many of his players, who
have gone on to continue their pursuits up the
youth baseball ladder. “I take credit for that,”
Smith said with a smile. “That was a very cool
introduction,” he said, of meeting community
families through sports. “It is such a rewarding
experience to volunteer. I felt that I always ‘got
back’ so much, too,” noting the excitement of
guiding the young athletes, while also mentioning
the all-too-prevalent “drama” with some of the
parents, looking to parent “the next George
Brett.” Said Smith about being involved in youth
sports programs: “It was a really wonderful
way to become involved in the community.”
For recreation, Smith said he was initially
on the path to garnering a pilot’s license, but
that stalled out. He now does his “piloting”
virtually, but does have aspirations, at some
point, to “finish up” acquiring his actual pilot’s
license. It seems a good fit, with his interest
in the machinations of weather patterns and
how they might affect airborne travel.
He also anticipates continuing being an unpaid
Uber driver, ferrying around his children
as the new school and sports year commence.
Smith cherishes the uniqueness of El Segundo.
“Small town community aspect,” he said,
ensconced in an isolated corner of the sprawl that
is the county of Los Angeles. He even (somewhat)
embraces the Hyperion sewage debacle,
which has brought the community together to
have to deal with a widespread problem.
As for inclusion in the DEI Committee,
Smith said that he embraces the opportunities
now available. “We have a very accepting
city. Obviously, there are always people who
are not, but overall, we have a wonderful,
wonderful place. But I think the image of
the city, unfortunately, has been tarnished by
events in the past.”
He is hoping to help guide El Segundo in
the process of becoming a model city, which
could be emulated across the country, embracing
diversity and inclusion, all the while
listening to differing viewpoints, and not just
to the echo-chambers available on both the
right and left sides of the political spectrum.
“I think we have a great town, but gosh, it
could be even better,” he said.
With the polarizing political climate currently
out there, it is comforting to know that you
can always get info on today’s less-contentious
weather climate by checking in online with
Mr. Smith.
Remember that eighty-plus-year-old Jimmy
Stewart film, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington?
Well, El Segundo has its 21st Century version
of Mr. Smith, right here in our own backyard. •
demonstrated that taking a specific combination
of antioxidants and zinc could help
reduce the risk of progression of AMD. Most
recently in May 2021, results of the 10-year
follow-up on the AREDS2 study show that a
specific nutrient mix and dosage, known as
the AREDS 2 formula, continues to reduce the
risk of AMD progression and further clarify
the importance of an AREDS 2 supplement
as part of a patient’s action plan.
The exact combination of vitamins and
minerals in the AREDS 2 formula - vitamin C
(500mg), vitamin E (400 IU), lutein (10mg)/
zeaxanthin (2mg), zinc (80mg zinc oxide)
and copper (2mg cupric oxide) - is difficult
to achieve from diet alone, and standard
multivitamins or other eye vitamins generally
do not contain the same level of nutrients.
Today, Wires continues to take her eye
vitamins as part of her overall plan to help
manage her condition and visits her eye doctor
every six weeks for a check-up.
“I’m involved in a group that helps sew
masks for the community and without taking
steps to help reduce the risk of progression of
my AMD, I may not have been able to help
sew more than 1,000 masks at the height of
the pandemic,” Wires said. “I’m glad that by
working with my eye doctor and following
my plan, I’m still able to quilt and enjoy
time with my family.”
Reducing Your Risk of AMD
As people age, their risk of eye-related
diseases like AMD increases dramatically,
according to U.S. Census data. Smokers,
women and those with a family history of
AMD are at higher risk of developing AMD.
Over 50? The following lifestyle changes
recommended by NEI can help protect your
eye health.
1. Quit smoking. Smokers are at higher
risk. If you smoke, preserving your vision
is a good reason to quit.
2. Stay active. Regular exercise may lower
your risk or slow progression of the disease.
3. Safeguard against UV light. Especially
if you work outdoors, protect your eyes with
sunglasses.
4. Boost your diet. Maintain a healthy diet
and take vitamins that contribute to eye health
and ask your eye doctor what eye vitamin
is appropriate for you.
5. Get regular eye exams. See your eye
care provider regularly to help detect minor
changes that may otherwise go unnoticed.
Eye doctors can check for AMD as part of
a comprehensive dilated eye exam. During
this painless exam, your doctor will give you
some eye drops to dilate (widen) your pupil
and then check your eyes for AMD and other
eye problems.
To learn more about AMD, visit SightMatters.
com. PreserVision is a trademark of
Bausch & Lomb Incorporated or its affiliates.
AREDS2 is a registered trademark of
the United States Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS). ©2021 Bausch &
Lomb Incorporated or its affiliates. •
Marriages are made in heaven. God selected
my bride for me, it was a prearranged pairing.
Marriages might be made in heaven,
but they are lived out here on earth. There
will be challenges, disagreements, even drag
out fights over a lot of little things here on
earth. The difference in a Christian marriage
is the “forgiveness factor”. Because God has
forgiven us, we can forgive one another, even
our spouses. Isn’t it grand how God works
in our lives? He knows what is best for us.
He knows who that “special one” is for us
to meet, hang around, and make a life time
vow to stick with forever. The officiating
pastor at this outdoor wedding said it like
this, “When the intoxicating beer of blind
love runs out, that’s when marriage really
begins.” When the real stuff happens, like
misunderstandings and arguments, that’s
when a cold one comes in handy to get us
thru. We love our spouses, it’s the living with
them that becomes a challenge. God help us!
Oh, by the way, our flight back to Sacramento
was delayed six hours due to a
protruding gasket on the airplane’s wing.
Getting home at 3:20 a.m. the next morning
makes for a long day. My dear friends, relax,
rejoice, love your spouse like you are still
love intoxicated.
You can file divorce papers to separate from
my column at any time. It’s simple, send me
an email at norbhuber@gmail.com. There
will be a nominal fee of $100 to process
your documents. I don’t do bitcoins. •
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