Young actress and high school senior is a rising star

It is easy to tune into your favorite sports team and watch your favorite players. However, there are those, such as Beto Duran, who would much rather broadcast games.

Beto Duran was not always aware that he would be covering major sports teams. Before graduation in 1996, Beto enjoyed his time as sports editor of The Trailblazer newspaper at Carson High School, but he had not considered pursuing a career as a sports journalist. Instead, he covered his school's athletics in order to get free admission to games.

“It got me into the football games for free,” Beto says. “I would write the stories of this football team and basketball team. But it was just cool to do and it was easy.”

Following high school, Beto, like many students entering college, still had no notion of what career he wanted to pursue. Deciding to follow in the footsteps of his siblings, some of whom attended El Camino College, Beto decided that it was a wise move to also attend El Camino.

“I came to El Camino because it was cool because my siblings came here. I’m number five of seven. And all of us went to [junior college] because it was a smart financial choice,” Beto says. "I didn’t want to come here. I wanted to go to a university, but when I graduated, my brother asked me what I wanted to major in and I said ‘I don’t know.’"

However, Beto knew for a long time that his intention was to be a part of the sporting world. It is because of this fact that Beto explored many avenues when it came to searching for a career path. Going from sports medicine classes to law classes ultimately landed Beto in a journalism class. "El Camino was a fun time in my life. I, like a lot of other students, came here not knowing what I wanted to major in. I thought I wanted to be a doctor,”

Beto says as he leaned over the concrete parking lot wall, overseeing the El Camino baseball game,

“I thought I wanted to be a lawyer. I thought I wanted to be a politician. I had no clue what I wanted to do. All I knew is I wanted to work in sports.”

With no idea of a career path in mind at the time, Beto gained motivation from former ECC journalism professor Lori Medigovich. "There was no example for me showing me I could do this,” Beto says. “This was the late 90s, so there were no Latinos on TV on English TV. It wasn’t that I needed it. But how am I going to go about being a reporter? That’s a job and it’s like how do you find that job? I don’t know anybody that does those jobs.”

In his early years, Beto saw many of his curiosities become interests. However, he saw those interests come and go. But it was one particular course that grasped his attention.

A Friday morning class with Lori, an adviser for The Union, saw Beto’s interest. The only problem was that Beto says he was a “terrible student” who showed up to class yet never completed the work.

“I loved the class so much that I never missed a class. But I also didn’t do the work so I’m pretty sure I failed the class,” Beto says.

Beto did not always shine in many aspects of his academic years, however, one thing remained true. Journalism had grasped his attention.

“I took chemistry and failed it. I took a biology class and failed it.... ...I was a terrible student because I wasn’t interested in them. I was smart and I was curious, but I lost interest quickly. It wasn’t until I took a journalism class that the light bulb went on and I thought it was cool,” Beto says.

Due to having a natural attraction to sports, sports journalism ultimately captured Beto's undivided attention.

“I could not write a term paper. I could not write you a 20-page research paper, but if you need me to write you a game story in 15 minutes, I’ve got you,” Beto says.

With regular appearances on major athletic networks including SportsCenter, ESPNews, and First Take, Beto, 44, has earned a reputation as the expert on all things Los Angeles sports. He covers top sports teams, including the L.A. Lakers and L.A. Chargers.

Despite frequently appearing on major networks and podcasts, Beto has made an effort to reach out to community college students and offer them the opportunity to learn from his experiences.

Beto Duran overlooks a baseball game between the El Camino College Warriors and the Harbor College Seahawks at El Camino's Warrior Field on March 22. Beto played baseball and ran cross country in high school.

“El Camino was a fun time in my life,” Beto says reminiscing of his time at El Camino College.

Inviting Beto to speak to multiple classes in hopes of motivating the students in the same way Lori motivated Beto, Gary Metzker, a journalism professor at Long Beach State University, had nothing but high praises for him.

“I asked him [Beto] if he would come and speak to my sports journalism at Long Beach State,” Gary says. “And from there he embarrassed the shit out of all of the students because they weren’t doing anything.”

Daniel H. Birman, a professor of Professional Practice at the University of Southern California who specializes in teaching students documentary as a journalistic pursuit, sees the complexities of students interested in pursuing a career in journalism.

“What we look for in a journalism student is someone who is a critical thinker. Someone who is curious, someone who is fair," Daniel says.

It's difficult enough to break into journalism. Beto, on the other hand, takes it upon himself to offer guidance to those who are prepared to listen.

Beto Duran at a baseball game between El Camino and Harbor College at El Camino's Warrior Field on March 22. Beto was sports editor at Carson High School.

"I want to inspire the next generation of journalists," Beto says. "I go to these conventions to give the real talk about the stuff you are not going to learn in class. The classroom information is very, very important, but I give the real-world talk of what I’ve dealt with in my 20 years in business."

Individuals in sports broadcasting must be able to venture outside of their comfort zones. Beto hopes to share his experience with students who want to follow in his footsteps in this class. In this profession, curiosity is indeed important, he says.

Beto does a lot of things behind the scenes, in addition to visiting conventions and giving advice. Beto wishes for many of his peers to achieve success in the same way that he did.

Rahshaun Haylock, a KTLA 5 sports reporter who has worked with Beto since spring 2007 and covers the L.A. Sparks as a play-by-play announcer, recounts occasions in their working relationship when Beto reminded Rahshaun of himself striving toward the same goal.

“The first time I met him I just thought he was someone like me, just trying to come up in the business. It wasn’t until after

"He doesn’t sugarcoat anything. He’s going to give it to you raw and tell you exactly what it is that you’re getting yourself into,” Rahshaun says.

that I first met him that I realized that he was doing some work for ESPN Radio and I realized there were more similarities between us,” Rahshaun says.

Even when working with Beto for the first time, it seemed normal for him to offer assistance to his fellow reporters. So much so, that when one of his peers struggled to form coherent sentences in front of the camera, Beto would do what he always does and offer assistance.

“He was working at ESPN and I was at CBS KCAL as a production assistant. And we were at a Clipper game and after the game, we attempted to shoot a stand-up,” Rahshaun says. “It was inside of Staples Center and I was trying to shoot this stand up and the words would not come out. I was so nervous. Beto was there and after about maybe three or four takes he came from behind and pulled me to the side and tried to calm me down and gave me words of encouragement.”

Rahshaun says Beto is passionate about the next generation of journalism students, especially those where Beto grew up.

“He’s taken me along with him to a couple of different high schools. However, he doesn’t sugarcoat anything. He’s going to give it to you raw and tell you exactly what it is that you’re getting yourself into,” Rahshaun says.

After years of hard effort, Beto says he is now able to enjoy the moment, which is something Rahshaun cherishes with his friend.

“Both of us coming up and we’re able to attend and work a lot of Laker games and so, just our post-game festivities after those games, whether back at one of our houses or at the JW on New Year's Eve night after a Lakers game,” Rahshaun says.

While Beto may now reflect fondly on a 20-year career in sports broadcasting, he is now focused on not just continuing his stellar profession, but also inspiring the next generation of journalists in the same manner that many have done for him.

“I’ve been blessed to do this business for 20 years and I’ve gotten so many great opportunities to make great experiences ‘cause I’ve had great mentors to show me the way. If I inspire you to chase your dream, whether it be a doctor or lawyer or whatever you want to be you know, that’s great. That way people who come from Carson or who come from a junior college can also say they chased their dream and they got to experience that,” Beto says.

Work History

Internship at CNN 2000 Democratic National Convention.

Internship Los Angeles Clippers 2001- 2002 season.

Appeareances on SportsCenter, ESPNews, and First Take.

Senior Reporter 710 ESPN Radio Los Angeles.

Top 5 skateparks

Head for some temporary sanctuary toward one of these top five skateparks in the South Bay

Written by Jose Tobar Photos by Jose Tobar, Elsa Rosales and Gary Kohatsu

While not an exhaustive list, and in no way offer the infinite possibilities of the beloved concrete jungle, these skateparks can at least provide for some temporary respite within their controlled environments in which tricks can be improved and perfected by all stages and ages without the nuisance of the daily battle outside for the public space. But always remember folks, “Skateboarding is Not a Crime.”

Silhouetted stencils of skateboarders adorn the walls at Alondra Skatepark in Gardena, Calif., on Nov. 30, 2021. (Elsa Rosales | Warrior Life)

1. Alondra Skatepark

Located inside of Alondra Community Regional Park and within skating distance from El Camino College, Alondra Skatepark is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. It features two concrete bowls for vert skating (pool ridin’) and a street arena with manual pads, handrails, a fun box, ledges and stairs. And when you finally tire of all of that, you can take a break by feeding the ducks and squirrels while taking a stroll around the lake in the park with your friends or that loved one.

Address: 3353 Redondo Beach Blvd., Gardena Phone: 310-532-5303 Hours: Open daily: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Local skater Damian Turcios, 19, Kickflips up the Euro-Gap at the Marc Johnson Skate Plaza in Gardena, Calif., on Nov. 27, 2021. (Jose Tobar | Warrior Life)

2. Marc Johnson Skate Plaza

Tucked within Arthur Lee Johnson Memorial Park at 170th Street and South Park Lane is the Marc Johnson Skate Plaza, located next to the basketball courts in Gardena. Built in 2012, you will find yourself launching off a five-step Hubba reminiscent of the Embarcadero’s legendary skate spot before it met its demise at the hands of San Francisco city leaders who had it demolished in an effort to get rid of those pesky skateboarders of yore. The plaza’s 7,000 square feet boasts of gaps, banks and stairs, that according to Spohn Ranch, the park’s builder, is a favorite amongst pros “as a warm-up spot before hitting the streets.”

Address: 1235 W. 170th St., Gardena Phone: 310-217-9563 Hours: Open daily: Sunrise to sunset

Skateboarders and scooter riders are entertained with plenty of handrails, launchers, a staircase and a bowl at Harbor City Skatepark in Harbor City, Calif., on May 25, 2022. (Gary Kohatsu | Warrior Life) Tired of coming up against that nasty, hostile architecture designed to thwart skateboarders from gliding through life from spot to spot with tiled, studded sidewalks and clamps attached to what can otherwise be some pretty waxable and grindable ledges? Head to Harbor City Skatepark. Its 11,000 square feet skate terrain welcomes you with open arms.

Address: 24901 Frampton Ave., Harbor City

Anthony Bailey, 15, busts a 360 Kickflip off a set of stairs at the Rowley Park Skate Plaza in Gardena, Calif., on Nov. 27, 2021. (Jose Tobar | Warrior Life)

Inglewood resident and skateboarder Abraham Hernandez, 24, skates “the Dirty” at Eucalyptus Skatepark in Hawthorne, Calif., on Nov. 30, 2021. (Elsa Rosales | Warrior Life)

4. Rowley Park Skate Plaza

Although the last SUS Sundays skate jam event hosted by the If Skate Company happened here in March 2021, the spirit and the vibe of the movement created to inspire skateboarders of all ages, sizes and biological makeup to simply skate and have fun is still fresh in the air. The obstacles and terrain offers enough ledges to get your grind on for days without losing your bearings.

Address: 13220 Van Ness Ave., Gardena Phone: 310-217-9562 Hours: Open daily: Dawn to dusk

5. Eucalyptus Skatepark

Within Eucalyptus Park is the skatepark known to locals as “the dirty.” It hosts both a big bowl and a little bowl and ample room for all. This park usually has a mix of bikers, roller skaters and skateboarders all existing as one big happy family enjoying its various skate amenities like banks, platforms, volcanoes and rails.

Address: 12022 S. Inglewood Ave., Hawthorne Hours: Open daily: 24 hours

El Camino College Library and Learning Resources Specialist Laurie Pelayo shares a photo of her children (L-R) Alyse Pelayo, Alec Pelayo and Lessa Pelayo-Lozada on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, in ECC Schauerman Library. Laurie, her father, mother, brother and all three children attended ECC.

A meticulously catalogued ECC family history

A love of books, history and geneaolgy inspires a career in the library

Story and photos by Elsa Rosales

In 1984, she was a 21-year-old student in her third year at El Camino College and working part time as an assistant in the ECC library.

She married in 1985 and had her first child that same year. She had planned on getting her associate degree,but her focus at that point was her family and making a living.

Laurie Pelayo, 58, is a library and learning resources specialist, now in her 40th year of employment at ECC. She has dedicated her career to the ECC library, meticulously cataloging and processing new material, which includes entering computer records, barcoding and labeling books.

And 17 years ago, in 2005, she got her degree in history.

“Everything kind of happened in 2005,” Laurie says. “The cool thing is (my) kids were pretty understanding and I think I set a good example for them.”

Her hazel eyes gleam behind cat eye-framed glasses, accompanying a friendly and energetic demeanor. Dark brown, wavy shoulder-length hair frames her fair complexion. She spends her days surrounded by books and wears the school name with pride.

Laurie has been married for 37 years to husband Alden Pelayo. She has three grown children and all attended ECC. Her eldest daughter, Lessa Pelayo-Lozada, 36, followed in Laurie’s footsteps, and what’s even more unique, is that Laurie got to graduate together with Lessa.

“We both graduated in 2005. So we marched together, except she was (on) the honor roll and I was not,” Laurie says.

Lessa went on to graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is an adult services assistant manager for the Palos Verdes Library District and was recently elected president of the American Library Association. Her term starts in June.

Son Alec Pelayo, 31, has a culinary degree from The Art Institute of California, Santa Monica, but changed careers and was in the paralegal program at ECC in fall 2021.

Her youngest daughter Alyse Pelayo, 22, studied anthropology at ECC, then transferred to UCLA in spring 2020. She graduated in June 2021 and is working part time at ECC as an assistant library and learning resources specialist in the ECC Music Commons.

Laurie’s children aren’t her only family members to attend ECC. It started with her father Robert Pooler, who was in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. When he got out of the service, he took community college classes in New York, then relocated to California.

“He wanted to continue (his education) here and El Camino was brand new, so he started taking classes in probably 1949 or ‘50,” Laurie says.

Robert appeared in two of ECC’s early theater productions on campus. He starred in the lead role in the Shakespearan play “King John” after being recruited for his strong skills in speech class. He also appeared in “Finian’s Rainbow” in a supporting role as a leprechaun, but ultimately graduated from ECC with a degree in chemistry in 1952.

Her mother Ruth Pooler saw the opportunity to take classes at ECC and would accompany Robert.

“She would ride with my dad. While he was in class, she’d take sewing classes,” Laurie says.

Laurie’s brother Michael Pooler, who is 17 years her senior, was in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. Michael

studied Russian at ECC and did intelligence work for the Air Force.

“When he got into the service, they found out he had taken Russian and they were like, ‘Hey, what would you like to do? We have a plan for you,’” Laurie says.

When he got out of the service, like his dad, he studied chemistry at ECC, then transferred to California State University, Dominguez Hills, where he graduated in 1972.

Laurie has been researching her family tree since she was a student at Torrance High School and has traced it back to the 1600s. She even travels once or twice a year to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, and through her research she discovered she had ancestors that were on trial for witchcraft.

“There was an article on some students back in Salem, Massachusetts that were trying to clear this particular woman that was accused of witchcraft,” Laurie says.

Laurie is a direct descendant of the woman’s sister and mother,

“‘Do you ever not go to a library?’ and I’d say, ‘Well, no, not really,’”

- Laurie Pelayo

(Above) El Camino College Library and Learning Resources Specialist Laurie Pelayo (L) and daughter Alyse Pelayo meet up in the library on Thursday, April 7, 2022. Alyse, who attended ECC in 2019, works part time as a library and learning resources assistant in the ECC Music Commons,

(Below El Camino College Library and Learning Resources Specialist Laurie Pelayo (R) and daughter Lessa Pelayo-Lozada graduate from ECC in 2005. Lessa was recently elected president of the American Library Association. Her term starts in June. (Photo courtesy of Pelayo family) El Camino College Library and Learning Resources Specialist Laurie Pelayo catalogs a book at her desk on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, in ECC Schauerman Library. Laurie is in her 40th year of employment at ECC.

who were also accused, but cleared. The woman was one of the few that weren’t cleared.

“When you think about the fact that genealogy can take you to something so historical that you wouldn’t expect, genealogy is fascinating,” Laurie says.

But not all family members agreed. Some were willing to talk about family history, while others were not. "My grandpa would tell you anything. It didn’t bother him in the least, but my grandmother was like a closed book," Laurie says.

Genealogy was also a topic that came up with her in-laws. "My in-laws are (Native) Hawaiian and my father-in-law was a genealogist, so he and I kind of bonded," Laurie says.

Laurie’s love of history and passion for genealogy led her to volunteer some time to the South Bay Cities Genealogical Society, where she was a librarian, secretary and former president.

And, if her dedication to the library wasn’t enough, Laurie has authored “The Lydia Proctor Mystery” series, a series of five genealogical mystery books.

“Laurie has a very specialized job. She, as a cataloger, probably has the highest technical skill set of probably anybody in the whole building, and without Laurie we couldn’t have, as successfully, migrated from one library system to another, which we did just before COVID,” Crystle Martin, dean of library and learning resources, says.

Lorna Rice, associate director of the Torrance Family History Center says she is a big fan of Laurie's.

Throughout her time at ECC, the Genealogical Society and writing her books, libraries have been a constant. Friends would grow weary of learning where she was going on vacation.

“‘Oh, I’m going on vacation.’ ‘Oh, where?’ ‘The library at Salt Lake City.’ ‘Do you ever not go to a library?’ and I’d say, ‘Well, no, not really,’” Laurie says. “I can’t escape my rich history.”

El Camino College Dean of Library and Learning Resources Crystle Martin smiles in her office on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. Crystle is in her fourth year as dean at ECC.

El Camino College Library and Learning Resources Specialist Laurie Pelayo has authored “The Lydia Proctor Mystery” series, a series of five genealogical mystery books. Three of five shown.

(Un)welcome to Lake Havasu City

The disappointing aspect of my family vacation trip last summer still casts a shadow over the best moments I spent in Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Story and photo by Jesus Cortez

This was to be the best summer in recent memory, but a look at our skin color from the locals made our trip take a turn for the worse.

What started off as a promising getaway from Los Angeles fulfilled its purpose as the first day saw us soak in the pool of the Airbnb we rented. It was like a home full of entertainment for people of any age and it was just what our family needed.

The next day, after getting ourselves ready for the lake, we headed to a nearby gas station to fuel up the boat. I entered to pay for the fuel and was second in line. There were no other customers in the store except for me and the man first in line.

The man in front of me thanked the cashier and was about to walk out until he saw me. He then took a few steps back to the cashier and threw a bag of chips on the counter to buy. While they scanned his item, he called his kids out of his truck and told them to get anything they wanted from the store.

“Take your time,” he said as they looked around the mart. He then proceeded to give me a dirty stare and spoke for a few minutes with the cashier, not bothering to move out of the way for me to pay for the gas. It was then that I realized this man had something against me.

I walked up to the cashier as the two spoke and slammed the cash on the counter, telling him what fuel pump it was for, then I headed back to the truck without saying a word.

We had already gotten dirty looks from a few people when we first arrived in this predominantly white city, but we thought nothing of it since we were visiting for a good time. After the situation at the gas station, however, I concluded that we were in for racist treatment from the locals.

My theory was put to the test, and it was confirmed when we found a nice two-sided beach area on the lake to settle down. While my dad went to launch the boat into the lake, we set up a canopy for shade in the sand and then jumped into the water a few feet away.

Just moments later, however, the white family that had set up right next to us asked us in a rude tone to move farther away from them. We were not close enough to them to be bothersome, however, we decided to move out of their range because we did not need to be around problematic people like them.

About half an hour later, we started to hear the word “boo” in unison from the crowd and wondered what was going on. None of the boats that had passed received a negative reception from the crowd, but I knew immediately that the boat being taunted was being driven by my dad.

He finally reached us, and as he aided us in getting into the boat while wearing his straw hat, he smiled. “They do not like us,” he said. I looked around and we were surrounded by white faces of people who did not appreciate our visit, the only colored family around.

We had never been racially targeted to this extent, so it came as a shock to all of us. There was no way the color of our skin could garner this much negative attention. It must have been the culmination of hatred from a town seemingly devoid of diversity.

As we rode on in the boat, my fists were clenched with anger and never in my life did I want to give anyone a piece of my mind more than at that moment. I gave it a rest and thought for a second. I knew that giving in to anger would be just how they wanted us to react.

We headed back the way my dad came, and on both sides there were people sticking the middle fingers up with both hands. None of the other boats received this treatment, so we were all angered and even annoyed. My dad, however, kept his cool and did the most prideful thing I had seen in a situation like this.

He handed my brother the steering wheel, turned up the hip-hop music that was playing and started dancing in the face of hatred. The number of fingers we received increased, but that did not stop him.

As we rode on, I could not grasp the reason for racism or discrimination in the world. It lowered my morale for the rest of the trip, and I realized how small my world was back home.