(August 8, 2008) -- 7:30 a.m. came awfully early on Tuesday (Aug. 5) when a bus arrived at NLB's Houghton Park to pick up activists involved in "The Miracle on Andy Street" and Andy Street Youth Ambassadors as well as team members from Neighborhoods USA's national champion "Back To The Future, The North Long Beach History Project."

(Full disclosure: I was part of the NLB History Project...so I was along for the ride and the day's activities.)

The Knabe "Uptown Express" brought all of us to downtown L.A. to receive honors from Fourth District Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe for contributions to North Long Beach and for the NLB History Project winning "Neighborhood of the Year" honors from Neighborhoods USA.

Neighborhoods USA, a nationwide group represented in all fifty states, drew over 1,000 attendees to its recent national conference in Hampton, Virginia...where North Long Beach neighborhoods received national attention.

A conference panel discussion focused on the Miracle on Andy Street...which took place in an area where it had been unsafe to walk your children in the afternoon. As recently as 1998, mail carriers refused to deliver to residents and multiple units in a 28 unit apartment complex were considered blighted.

Thanks to the vision of Lavern Duncan, the cooperation of PSA Marlene Arona and the tenacity of then-newly elected Councilmember Val Lerch, the dreams of residents for an improved neighborhood became a reality by focusing on public safety and community pride.

The Andy Street Management Improvement District (MID) program was hailed at NUSA's conference as a model to be followed throughout the country for neighborhood enhancement, community empowerment and neighborhood pride. Today, Andy Street Youth Ambassadors -- teens active in the community -- maintain the strides made by the MID.

And winning awards the Neighborhoods USA conference was "Back to The Future, The North Long Beach History Project." Five team members collected and surveyed North Long Beach, preserving its history where no recorded history had been documented. A grant enabled the collection of works in an archive that won Neighborhoods USA honors in the "Social Revitalization" category...and the project went on to win the "National Grand Prize" of "Neighborhood of The Year." We were told at the time that winning in both categories was believed to be a first for a neighborhood group or project in NUSA's thirty-three year history.

Now after winning in Virginia and recognition by our LB City Council, we were being honored by L.A. County.

The bus brought us to L.A. where we were served rolls, coffee and juice. We met Supervisor Knabe's staff and at about 9:00 a.m. received Proclamations.

Three Proclamations were given for the MID Program, awarded to Lavern Duncan, Vice-Mayor Val Lerch, and the Andy Street Ambassadors.

Individual Proclamations were also given to Laurie Angel, Dan Pressburg (yes, me), Linda Ivers, Kaye Briegel, and T. Beth Hall for the "Back to The Future, the North Long Beach History Project."

Ms. Connie Sziebl, District Representative for the 4th Supervisorial Area that includes North Long Beach, was our downtown L.A. guide.

Photo via Dan Pressburg

We were escorted to the Supervisor's office and invited onto the Board of Supervisors legislative floor where we were officially recognized.

Photo via Dan Pressburg

We then got a whirlwind tour of downtown L.A., visiting the Kodak Theater, MTA and Metro Redline, concluding our visit with lunch on L.A.'s Olvera Street before heading back to Houghton Park in NLB.

Home sweet home.