SERVING CATALINA & ITS MAINLAND FRIENDS
every week since 1914
one
Cll'l‘lllrlllll
Alyssa Carson, 20, seen on the right, was certified to go into space before
she got her learner's permit to drive a car.
Inspiring “a
astronaiii,
: trainee
Alyssa Carson, to
visit Catalina Island
FOR THE CATALINA lSLANDER
Astronaut trainee Alyssa
Carson has always looked to the
sky.
Now 20, Alyssa knew she want—
Led to go to Mars the» age of 3".
She attended her first space camp
when she was five and never
looked back, only up.
After a handful of years attend-
ing every space training for kids
that she could find, NASA invit-
ed her at lZ-years—old to discuss
future missions to Mars as part
of the MER (Mars Exploration
Rovers). A year later, she was giv-
ing a TEDx talk in Greece.
Not long after that, Carson
became the:
'i‘imgest person '
to be accer to; the
gious Advanced .PoSSUM space;
Academy (the small “0” is part of
its name), where she received the
certification in applied astronau-
tics, officially making her certi—
fied to do a sub-orbital research
flight and venture into the cos-
mos.
This has been the life of Alyssa
Carson. She was certified to go
into space before she had her
FRIDAY August 06,
VOLUME 107 ISSUE 32
WWW.THECATALINAISLANDER.COM
Courtesy photo
driving learner’spermit- She had
a private pilot’s license before she
was licensed to drive a car.
Nearly two decades on, Carson
is one of the best-known young
space enthusiasts in the world.
She has a massive social media
following focused on the next
American phase of space explo-
ration.
Carson knows what she wants
and remains steely focused on
Mars, Page
Bierman Brothers make it to the big stage on Catalina
After a decade of
busking, the twins to
play Wrigley Stage
FOR THE CATALINA lSLANDER
After a decade of Visiting
and busking on Catalina Island,
the Bierman Brothers return to
Catalina Island Aug. 19, this time
on the big Wrigley Stage, and they
are excited.
The identical twins, now 18,
remember their jaunts on Catalina
beginning at age 8.
“Chad and I started going to
Catalina around eight years old,”
said Sean Bierman. Since then,
the Bierman Brothers have Visited
about four times a year with their
family.
The Long Beach natives say
their family “loves Catalina” and
accordingly, they have V'i d the
x
‘K
"
island regularly while growing up.
The Bierman Brothers began
learning to play guitars in grade
school and as they learned, they
began to play music on the island
as boys. They remember playing in
small groups and to anyone willing
to listen.
Over the years, as their musical
abilities grew, so did their audienc-
es on Catalina Island. What began
as busking by the beach and on
street comers, quickly transformed
into impromptu gigs at places like
Pete’s Café or entertaining from
the back of their parents’ boat
(“The 6-pack O’Bier”).
Earlier this summer, the Bierman
boys caused a commotion when
they gave a one-hour concert from
the back of their parents’ new boat
parked in Avalon Bay.
“We had big crowds surround-
ing us on paddleboards, kayaks
and dinghies for a one-hour show
Courtesy photo
Brothers, page 5 Bierman Brothers will return to Catalina Island on Aug.
19.
City Finance
director
cautiously
optimistic
Short term rental
tax, visitor driven
revenues expected to
be higher than June
2019
‘ BY CHARLES M. KELLY
Avalon Finance Director
Matthew Baker told the council he
was cautiously optimistic about‘the
city’s revenues on Tuesday, Aug. 3.
Baker said information about
June 2021 transient occupancy
taxes (TOT) and visitor-driven
revenues were still coming in.
“So far, it looks like June is going
to be a really strong month, fol-
lowing up a record-setting month
in May,” Baker said.
“Cross channel wharfage is
going to be up compared to pre-
COVID June 2019 by about 10%
and I expect TOT’s going to be
up more than that,” Baker said.
Revenues, Page 5
Avalon Harbor
officer gets
Medal of Valor
This is first time
honor has been
given to someone
from outside agency
BY CHARLES M. KELLY
Retired Harbor Patrol Officer
William Flickinger awarded the
Lifeguard Medal of Valor last
weekend.
This was the first time some-
one from an outside agen-
cy received the LA County
Lifeguard Medal of Valor,
according to Avalon Harbor
Master Orne Carstarphen.
City officials attended the
awards banquet at the King
Harbor Yacht Club in Redondo
Beach last weekend. Harbor
Master Carstarphen and
Harbor Patrol Officer Curt
Cameron accepted the award on
Flickinger’s behalf.
Flickinger was honored for
saving Cameron’s life last year.
Valor, Page 5
