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Doug Krikorian / Viewpoint

Did Long Beach City Manager Tom Modica Make The Right Call In Shutting Down the Long Beach Sprint Nationals After A Tragic Boating Accident?

Mr. Krikorian, an award winning journalist and author of two books, earned multiple awards in his 22 years of writing for the Long Beach Press-Telegram and 22 years for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. He is happily retired.



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(Aug 9, 2021, 8:45 p.m.) -- I was doing over the weekend what I often do in the late winter of my days---lolling on my recliner immersed in a book---when I heard thunderous noise that once had been an annual part of the Long Beach scene.

The power boats were once again zooming around Marine Stadium after a one-year Pandemic hiatus.

I recalled what a gentleman named Craig Vestermark who has spent a lifetime swimming and skiing at Marine Stadium---he once held the world barefoot water ski record---once said about it, ``It's among the most famous boat racing venues in the world. Everyone in the powerboat community knows about Marine Stadium. There was a time when three powerboat competitions were held there annually.''

I spoke to Mr. Vestermark Monday in the aftermath of what occurred Sunday afternoon when a 37-year-old veteran speed boat racer from Lake Havasu, Ariz., Jay Hart, was killed in a boating mishap at the Long Beach Sprint Nationals.

``So very sad,'' said Mr. Vestermark, a retired Long Beach fireman and one-time Wilson High quarterback star whose home is a block from Marine Stadium. ``I just hope this isn't the end of boat racing in Long Beach. It's awful what happened. Boat racing is a great sport, but it also can be a dangerous sport. I don't think Long Beach should shut the power boats down for good because of what happened. What if someone dies in the Long Beach Grand Prix, would the Long Beach politicians dare shut it down?''

I also spoke to the promoter of the event, Mr. Ross Wallach, who echoed Mr. Vestermark's feelings on the subject.

``Of course, it's terrible what happened, no doubt about it,'' he said. ``Jay Hart was a good friend of mine from a great boat racing family. His father and brother also drove speed boats. I've known these fine people for years.

``But this wasn't a homicide. Accidents happen occasionally in boat racing. There was no reason to close down the final half of the race. We were able to get the boat out of the water within 30 minutes. The accident happened in the middle of the stadium---and the public was in no danger whatsoever. The boats never came close to the perimeter of the course.''

The Long Beach City Manager, Tom Modica, thought otherwise.

``I was talking with a Long Beach Fire Department official, and was told that the city manager had just called and wanted the race shut down,'' related Mr. Wallach. ``So, that's what we wound up doing. At the time, we didn't know the status of Jay Hart. We found out about two hours later that he had passed.''

Ross Wallach is wary that Long Beach won't allow his race to return.

``I definitely have that feeling, and it's just not right,'' he said. ``Long Beach made me jump through hoops just to put on this race. The city forced me to buy a $10 million insurance policy, which is twice as much as the one I had in 2019. And not once in 26 years of putting on this race in Long Beach have we had a lawsuit lodged against us. It was a total overreach, as was them forcing us to hire what they called a `Safety Racing Compliance Manager,' even though such a position doesn't exist in the real world. I have my own person in my organization who oversees risk matters. It totally was nonsensical.

``I put on boat races in other venues, Bakersfield, Parker, Arizona, Burley, Idaho, and never face the roadblocks that I have in Long Beach.

``Look, it's terrible what happened Sunday. Everything was going so smoothly. People were thoroughly enjoying themselves. We had the biggest crowd we've ever had in Long Beach. And then the accident happened.

``As bad as it was, the competition should have continued. Like I said, the crowd was in no danger whatsoever. But it's not too surprising they did what they did. I'm not sure they wanted us here in the first place...''

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  • Is the Long Beach School Board good for anything other than handing an undeservedly fat contract to the LBUSD superintendent, the $345,000-a-year Gal, Jill Baker? The photos of these incomparable individuals routinely appear in this publication---frankly, I'm surprised they're not wearing masks---but their names never will be used in this column because I'm a kind and gentle soul determined to spare them eternal embarrassment. . .

  • Will someone please explain to me what Tom Modica has achieved during his lame tenure other than meekly rubberstamping Robert Garcia's policies, heroically shutting down a Long Beach speed boat competition and earning himself almost a $20,000 raise from the spendthrifts who pollute the Long Beach City Council.

    I find it ironic that Tom Modica Sunday made to me the most definitive decision of his career when he closed down the Long Beach Sprint Nationals halfway through the show after a tragic accident, sending thousands of folks prematurely home.

    Clearly, Mr. Modica was overcome with emotion, and felt he was doing the right thing, which, of course, is quite arguable.

    I get it, but what I don't get is this same lifetime bureaucrat hasn't done a damned thing as the most powerful officeholder in Long Beach to stem the rising thievery and assaults and shootings and even murders that have ominously been plaguing Long Beach in recent times.

    Too bad he hasn't shown the same forcefulness in regard to these daily events that too often also turn tragic as he did in the tragic one at Marine Stadium Sunday. .


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    Previously by Mr. Krikorian:

    Long Beach Leaders Robert Garcia, Tom Modica, Mary Zendejas, Cindy Allen, Suzie Price, Daryl Supernaw, Stacy Mungo, Suely Saro, Al Austin, Rex Richardson And Roberto Uranga: These People Have No Shame Or Guilt For The Role They've Collectively Played In Daily Shootings And Soaring Crime Rates

    Of Course, That Darling Lady Out Of Smith College & Duke University, Long Beach Health Czar Kelly Colopy, Goes Right Along With The Idiotic L.A. County Indoor Mask-Wearing Edict Even Though She Could Have Spared LB Such Anguish


    Krikorian Notes: From Ol' Blood And Guts Robert Garcia To Give Give `Em Hell Harry Truman To The Daily One Mile Alamitos Bay Swim Of Dr. Mark Hoffer, 86, To The Daily 15-Mile, Five-Hour Walk Of Earth Man Jeff Yount To Connor McGregor's Latest Con Job To Former Long Beach State and NFL player Russ Bollinger Relating Hilarious Bill Belichick Tale To The Belmont Shore Bridge Eyesore
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    From Ann Cantrell Voicing Disapproval Of Long Beach's Most Popular Summer Event---The Big Bang On The Bay---To John Morris Taking Strong Exception To Ms. Cantrell's Stance To Bad Stu Ledsam's TWO Life-Saving Rescues To Bill (Bozo) Caplan's Zany Antics To The Phoenix Suns' Blessed Fortune To LB's Scary Rising Crime Rate To Those Two Laughable City Hall Figures Tom Modica And Robert Garcia
    The Many Memorable Characters I've Befriended Across The Decades, Including The Appropriately Named Preposterous One In Long Beach Known Far And Wide As Bad Stu Ledsam
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