Pioneering Police Pilot Has Hovered Above Huntington Beach for Decades

Huntington Beach Police Lt. Robert Morrison, 58, who founded the city’s Aero Bureau and has logged more than 2,700 hours as a pilot in a police patrol helicopter, will retire today after more than 30 years of police work.

Morrison, who has served with Huntington Beach since 1966, was one of the first two pilots to fly helicopters for the city in 1968. Huntington Beach was the first city in Orange County and fifth city in the United States to initiate a helicopter patrol program.

“Looking back, law enforcement has been very rewarding. There has not been a day that I got out of bed and didn’t look forward to going to work,” said Morrison, who lives in Huntington Beach.

San Clemente resident Mo Tidemanis, a development firm executive, has been appointed to the board of directors of the Boys and Girls Club of the South Coast Area.

“Mo’s dedication to the youth in this area and to the San Clemente community enhances the high level of our current board members,” said Kent Campbell, executive director of the club.

Cheryl Bingham, 20, and Christine Bingham, 43, of Yorba Linda were named winners of the recent California Mother-Daughter Pageant in Hollywood, sharing the $3,000 first prize. Each also received a new dress.

It was the first time either of the Binghams had entered a beauty pageant. “I thought it sounded like a new and exciting experience and it was,” said the mother, a tax accountant and part-time model. Her daughter, a student at Cal State Fullerton, is also a model.

Anaheim Hills resident Craig Miller, owner of the Anaheim-based American National Watermattress Corp., was inducted into the Waterbed Retailers Assn.’s Hall of Fame at its convention in Memphis.

The 1,500-member association, based in Chicago, cited Miller for 24 years of work for the group as well as his charitable work and enterprise. It was only the seventh time that a Hall of Fame induction has been made by the water-bed association.

“Craig built a successful manufacturing business from a two-bit garage operation,” the citation states.

Supervisor Thomas F. Riley will be presented with an Open Space Award from the Landscape Architectural Foundation/Class Fund at its fourth annual award banquet Oct. 12 at the Irvine Hilton and Towers.

Banquet chairman Francis Sullivan said the award is being presented to Riley for his outstanding contributions to the preservation and development of public open space.

Capistrano Beach residents Betty and George Wakeling, founders of Concept 7, a family service for abused and neglected children, were honored for their years of work at a champagne reception aboard the yacht Dulcinea.

Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) presented the Wakelings with a congressional award and a letter from President Bush and his wife, who cited the couple for their “years of service to your fellow man. . . . “

The Wakelings have been with Concept 7 for 17 years.

Garden Grove schoolteachers Barbara Barker, Jack Sorter, Ed Peterson, Margaret Duhamel, Jan Burwell, Carol Schnitger and Lynne Saito will be honored with I Make a Difference awards from the Garden Grove Education Assn. at a recognition banquet Thursday. The seven recipients were selected for their volunteer work and community involvement.

Wes Bannister, mayor of Huntington Beach, will be presented the Exploring Community Service award by the Orange County Council, Boy Scouts of America, in recognition of his service to youth. The presentation will take place at a dinner Oct. 11 at the Seacliff Country Club in Huntington Beach.

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