Music and Mayors Mark the Parade

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa made good on his pledge a year ago to ride in Tuesday’s Palisades parade–the largest Fourth of July parade in Los Angeles. The high-energy mayor started out by sitting in an open convertible along Via de la Paz and Sunset until he reached the grandstand at Ralphs, whereupon he began walking the remainder of the route down to Drummond and then back along Toyopa to the park, shaking hands with spectators all along the way. The mayor was followed by singing icon Patti Page, who drove up from Solana Beach to ride as parade grand marshal; parade marshals Don and Carolyn Haselkorn; Honorary Mayor Gavin MacLeod; County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky; City Councilman Bill Rosendahl; Assemblywoman Fran Pavley; Los Angeles school board president Marlene Canter and board member David Tokofsky; and various other community leaders and honorees. The festivities also included a record 20 bands and other musical groups. Longtime resident Cheryel Kanan (business manager of the Palisadian-Post) rode as president of the PAPA, the parade organizing committee, and Hoppy Mehterian rode as leader of PAPA People, the volunteer group that handles various duties the day of the parade and at the fireworks show. At 2 p.m., all eyes were in the sky above town looking for the Carey Peck skydiving team that usually swoops down to land at Swarthmore and Sunset, marking the start of the parade. Many spectators were disappointed when they failed to appear. “We’re very sorry,” Peck told the Palisadian-Post yesterday. “We discovered technical problems with the plane the evening before the parade.” After calling all over Southern California, Peck was unable to find a plane that supports a skydiving operation. “There are not a lot of planes that sky divers can use,” he said. “We need a specific type of plane in order for the insurance to support diving, and those at the Santa Monica Airport aren’t the right type.” Peck’s plane usually comes from Riverside. “The skydivers are a popular feature of our parade and we apologize for their absence this year,” Kanan said. A group listed as the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps, which defines itself as “a citizens’ Neighborhood Watch observing and reporting on illegal activities at our borders,” brought controversy–and a group of chanting protestors–to the festivities. (See Editorial, page 2.) American Legion Post 283 won the Float Sweepstakes award as Most Outstanding Float, the Norwalk All City Youth Band garnered the Musical Sweepstakes trophy, and the Lighthouse Church and School of Santa Monica won the Patriotic Award for Best Local Entry with a float titled “The Light as the Message.” The Santa Monica Mounted Police received the Bud Emerson Memorial Award for best equestrian entry. Other awards included: Civic Float: Palisades Garden Club (first), Theatre Palisades (second), Community United Methodist Church (third). Youth Float: Pali Kids Protect the Earth (see story, page 4), Palisades-Malibu YMCA, Palisades Pony Baseball Association. Service Float: Riviera Masonic Lodge 780 (first). Marching Unit: Fancy Feet Dance Studio, Palisades Lutheran Church, Brownie Troop 835 (based at Seven Arrows Elementary School). Novelty: Patriotic Pups, Kids on Bikes, Gerry Blanck’s School of Karate. Antique Auto: Palisades Volleyball Club, Calvary Church of Pacific Palisades, Aldersgate Retreat. Clowns: Willyum the Clown (Bill Prachar).