Post #322859 by pappythesailor on Thu, Aug 2, 2007 8:05 PM

and maybe one you were scared by Melvin J Freitas' work as a youngster. Who's in Long Beach? Is his tiki face still there?

(from the Long Beach Independent 13 November 1961)

A frowning Polynesian Goddess
of Happiness appeared
Sunday upon the trunk of a
60-foot palm tree, to the delight
of the property owner
and chagrin of the Long Beach
police.
The Tiki, as all proper Polynesian
gods and goddesses are
named, was carved into the
stately palm by Melvin Jerry
Frietas who learned the Tiki
carving trade in his native
Hawaii.
Frietas, 29, who now makes
his home at 1824 California
Ave., is a professional wood
sculptor and his work graces
many of the finer restaurants
of the Long Beach area.
HE CARVED the 36-inch
high Tiki for his friend, Al
Taylor, a Long Beach contractor,
on one of two palm
trees spanning a driveway at
270 Nevada St.
Frietas, a goateed, husky
man of Portuguese, French
and Spanish descent, was halfway
through his carving when
he was interrupted by arrival
of two uniformed policemen
who escorted him to police
headquarters.
Although Taylor owns the
property, the officers said,
the city of Long Beach owns
everything between the side-
walk and the curb. And city
fathers are likely to frown as
deeply as the Tiki if a wood-
man doesn't spare their trees.
BUT, AFTER about 30 minutes,
Frietas was returned by
police to his carving.
"The tree is good as ever."
said Frietas. I covered the
Tiki with a tree sealer to
keep out the bugs. It's like,
putting back the bark."...