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Lawndale 11_29_12

AND lAwNDAle News The Weekly Newspaper of Lawndale Herald Publications - Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, Torrance & Manhattan Beach Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 - November 29, 2012 Inside Annual Angel Tree Lighting EventCommunity Gathers to Celebrate This Issue Calendar...............................2 Classifieds ...........................2 Community Briefs ..............3 Food ......................................5 The cold weather is not the only thing signaling the upcoming holiday season as many came out Monday night to witness Lawndale’s Angel Tree Lighting at the Civic Center Plaza. Activities available included Legals ...............................6-9 hundreds of event attendees at the city’s annual Angel Tree Lighting.  The students are taught by Orange County Dance Production instructor Ms. Keverlie Herron. Photo courtesy of the City of Lawndale.le’s Princess Ballet students, ages 3 to 6 years old, putting on a show forarts & crafts, games, snow sled run, train rides, visits with Santa, food vendors and live entertainment. Seen here are Lawnda Lawndale Football Player Grateful Pets.....................................11 to Return After Back Injury Courtesy of the locally on cable. He ended up at the bottom walk-on kicker, Kyle Negrete, told him he had Police Reports....................3 Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles of a pile up -- underneath four 200 lbs.-plus injured his back in high school and was able players – and his back was crushed. He didn’t to resume playing. “It helps us keep things know it at the time, but two vertebrae were in perspective,” says Negrete, who had back broken and back ligaments were torn. surgery himself in 2009, though he says his Sports ...................................4 Initially immobile, he somehow managed to injury wasn’t as serious as Kyle’s. “We stay hobble off the field, but couldn’t stand and fell in touch.” to the ground. His dad was on the sideline and Adds Barkley: “My dad hurt his back like that he rushed Andrew to a nearby hospital where but he later became an All-American swimmer. Ramirez was treated and then transferred to I told Andrew, no matter what happens with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, where they football, your athletic career is not over.” confirmed the breaks in the L-1 and L-2 The operation was a success and Skaggs says vertebrae, and torn ligaments. Ramirez can resume football activities in six His surgeon, Skaggs, recommended a spinal months. Ramirez has a lot going for him. He’s fusion. Ramirez was in surgery a week later an honors student taking three AP classes, and Weekend the USC football team, including Matt Barkley, work out,” his dad, Sergio, says of his only“He is walking and jumping and starting tohe returned to school two weeks ago.on Oct. 19. He was nervous leading up to thesurgery but the day before, three members of Forecast Andrew Ramirez, 2012 Season. Photo courtesy of Sergio Pintado. Ramirez’s room to give him a pep talk. Barkley to play again but I am taking a wait and seeson (Andrew has three sisters). “Andrew wantsa regular visitor to the hospital, stopped by A young football player at Lawndale High told him, ‘You’ll get better. Be strong.” attitude until I see him get better and how he has a lot to be thankful for this holiday season. Ramirez said he felt better after USC’s works out with a trainer.” • Friday In October, varsity safety Andrew Ramirez, 15, Mostly Lawndale football team, broke his back making Pet of The Weekof Gardena, one of the smallest players on the Cloudy a tackle during a game, and narrowly missed being paralyzed. A week later, he underwent 61˚/56˚ a spinal fusion at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles by orthopaedic surgeon David Skaggs, Georgie who surgically implanted six screws and two SS# 13-00295 rods in Andrew’s lower back. Domestic Short Haired Saturday “He certainly could have been paralyzed,” 8 months says Skaggs, chief of othopaedic surgery and Male Partly a nationally recognized expert in orthopaedic  Cloudy trauma and spinal deformity at Children’s South Bay Pet Adoption Center Hospital Los Angeles. “His spine was damaged 12910 Yukon Avenue 62˚/59˚ 360 degrees around the cord, but the cord Hawthorne, CA 90250 remained intact. 310-676-1149 Ramirez plays starting safety for the varsity and measures only 5-2, 120 lbs., the second My owner had such a busy schedule Sunday smallest player on his team, but he’s the kid there was no time for me, so now Partly His nickname is “hedge hog,” and he tackles I am a mellow guy, so I get alongI am here looking for a new home.with the biggest heart - and a lot of backbone. Cloudy like a “little torpedo,” says his dad, Sergio great with anyone! Cuddling is my 62˚/56˚ Pintado, who also serves the school’s JV coach. catnip toy and I will play, play, play.favorite activity, but bring out aOn October 12, Andrew was making a tackle in a game vs. North Torrance High when he slipped on a wet field (the game was televised


Lawndale 11_29_12
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