We have been crazy busy this week at the Signal Tribune. Not only did we create this, our regularly scheduled edition, we also put out a special issue commemorating the City of Signal Hill’s 90th anniversary. With those two deadlines only a day apart, we brought in extra assistance to help us process photos and keep track of what went into which issue.
For the 85th anniversary, we created a 12-page special section. This time we doubled those efforts for a 24-page publication celebrating Signal Hill’s 90th birthday.
I am so proud of the finished product, and I look forward to hearing what our readers think of our efforts. A big thank-you goes out to my dedicated staff who worked their tails off. Several days of coming to work early, staying late, and even working some on the weekends was necessary for many of us, and we/they did so without too much grumbling.
Most all Signal Hill residents and businesses will receive the 24-page special section as an insert in this issue. For those who don’t, or those who live in Long Beach who would like a copy, there will be extras available at Signal Hill City Hall and the Signal Hill Library. The Historical Society of Long Beach, 4260 Atlantic Ave., will also have copies to share. If you want one and can’t find an issue, just give us a call, and we’ll get you one.
Although this week we published what equals out to more than a double issue, I think we all enjoyed the madness— madness with a purpose. This is what I will forevermore refer to as the “2014 Labor of Love.” We enjoyed assembling all the vintage photos, images and memorabilia scans. I think my favorite part was spending a good part of a Saturday with our editor Cory Bilicko. I drove, and he took the “after” photos to match the ones from our collection (billed in the section as “That was Then, This is Now” ). After the pictures were taken we were both pretty worn out. Besides doing the driving, I was also in charge of standing in the street with Cory while I held the before photos so he could assess the correct angle to point his camera lens for the “after” shots. With doing our best to avoid traffic on busy Pacific Coast Highway, Orange Avenue and Cherry Avenue and facing a few close calls with annoyed drivers, I think we are both eligible for combat pay.
Also a big part of this endeavor was our graphic-artist genius Leighanna Nierle. That lovely young lady created the ads single-handedly and worked diligently with Cory to do a spectacular job of lay-out for the issue. Big thanks to CJ, Sean, Ashley and Cory for the articles and photos they contributed, and I offer my gratitude to my assistant Tanya for helping us keep track of the whole thing.
With all that said, I want to say that I also appreciate and love my hometown of Signal Hill; as Vice-Mayor Larry Forester calls it, “the little city that could, and did.” I have to say— I agree with him. Happy 90th birthday, Signal Hill— like my mother Marjorie Grommé, you just get better with age.
