WEEK 3 RESULTS Winner: Doris Gustafson (+10) +9 Stephen Messer +8 Carla Galias, Brett Elder, Brady Engel +7 Sam Schwartz, Vaugh Berglund, Tucker Steil, Hathan Paul, James Ryan, Richard Olsen, Sally Jacobsmeyer +6 Justin Joseffy, Robert Scheiperpeter, Daniel Roth +5 Rick Steil, Andrew Rhames, Bill Elder, Mike Mininsky, Charles Ryan, Adam Stryer, Seth Wexler +4 Romi Messer, Nicole Steil, Tyler Steil, Aaron Heisen, Christopher Elder, Don Galias +2 Julie Elder Sports Editor Steve Galluzzo: +9 Managing Editor Bill Bruns: +4
Vikings Keep Bragging Rights
Santa Monica Wins Rivalry Game for Seventh Straight Year
If there was a silver lining to Palisades High’s varsity football game last Thursday night, it would be that the Dolphins played on even terms with archrival Santa Monica throughout the second half. Palisades gave the visiting Vikings a 21-point head start, however, and that proved to be too large a deficit to overcome. Despite his team’s 42-20 loss, Coach Perry Jones found plenty of positives to build on–not the least of which was the progress of his three quarterbacks. “They’re still learning the reads in the triple option–when to cut it back, when to pitch it, things like that, but I thought they did pretty well with it,” Jones said. “They’ll keep getting better.” Senior Branden Sanett and junior Nathan Dodson took turns piloting Pali’s offense for the first three quarters before the elusive Ke’monte Reed provided a spark in the fourth quarter, rushing for over 100 yards and two touchdowns. “Ke’monte came in and did a great job for us,” Jones added. “It’s nice to have different guys to go to depending on what the situation is.” By opening kickoff a mist had slowly enveloped the Stadium by the Sea field, yet it was Palisades’ defense that seemed to be in a fog. The Vikings drove 66 yards in five plays on their opening possession, capped by Kori Garcia’s touchdown run just 2:49 into the game. After Palisades punted on its first possession, Santa Monica (2-0) got the ball back and drove 68 yards in five plays, ending with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Brock Miller to Kris Comas. Following a three-and-out by the Dolphins’ offense, Santa Monica again drove 66 yards in five plays, this time scoring on Miller’s two-yard pass to Comas that gave the Vikings a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter. Palisades (0-2) responded with a nine-play, 62-yard march, with Malcolm Creer scampering the final seven yards to pull the home team within 14 points. The Vikings needed two plays to answer, as Miller threw a 67-yard strike to Comas up the left sideline, and Santa Monica led, 28-7, at halftime. “We gave up some long kick returns early, which gave them good starting field position, and we committed some ridiculous false start and procedure penalties,” said Jones, whose team was flagged seven times for 40 yards in the first half alone. “That team has a lot of speed and is very well-balanced. They have a good scheme and they execute very well.” Ben Ingram’s 20-yard interception return gave Palisades momentum early in the third quarter, but the Dolphins’ ensuing drive ended with an interception in the end zone for a touchback. However, Elmer Garcia recovered a fumble at the Vikings’ 20-yard line two plays later, but once again Palisades failed to capitalize. On the first play of Santa Monica’s next drive, Comas caught a pass behind the line of scrimmage and broke loose for an 80-yard score that increased the visitors’ lead to 35-7. Reed raced 42 yards on a quarterback keeper early in the fourth quarter, but on the Dolphins’ next drive a fumbled pitch was returned 43 yards for a score by defensive end Taylor Lane that gave the Vikings an insurmountable 42-14 lead with 3:51 left. Palisades made it interesting when Reed scored on a 12-yard draw up the middle with six seconds left, then the Dolphins recovered the onside kick, giving them time for one last play near midfield. Dodson launched a desperate pass to Kevin Mann, who leaped in the air, caught the ball and fell to the turf inside the Vikings’ 5-yard line as time expired. Afterwards, Santa Monica’s second-year head coach Travis Clark was not exactly doing cartwheels over his team’s 22-point victory. “I’m happy with the first half but not the second half,” he said. “We didn’t finish the game strong. They were taking it to us at the end and it’s a good thing the game wasn’t five minutes longer or we would be in trouble.” Jones got to experience the intensity of the intersectional beach rivalry firsthand last fall when he was Palisades’ defensive coordinator. As head coach this year, he learned just how much the game means to players on both teams. “All week, you could definitely feel how big a game this was,” he said. “I’m sure the guys on the other sideline felt the same way.” Clark, a Santa Monica High graduate and standout defensive back at Utah State, is all too familiar with Palisades, having played the Dolphins three times in the mid 1980s when the annual showdown was referred to as the “Rotary Bowl.” “I played from 1984-86 and I’m proud to say I never lost to them, but man, they always had strong teams,” Clark said. “We all knew each other. In fact, my best friend [Troy Banks] was an All-City receiver [at Pali] in 1982 and he’s been sending me text messages all week.” Clark praised his counterpart and looked forward to future contests: “I’ve gotta’ give it up for Coach Jones. His team doesn’t quit. I really respect what he and his staff are doing here and I’m glad this game is over so I can start rooting for them.” Santa Monica has won seven in a row against the Dolphins–bettering its six-game streak from 1984-89–and leads 17-6-2 in a rivalry that began in 1979. What’s more, the Vikings have neighborhood bragging rights, at least until next year. Palisades plays its first road game of the season Friday when it takes on Lynwood (1-1) at Lynwood Middle School. Frosh/soph plays at 4 p.m., followed by the varsity at 7. Frosh/Soph Quarterback Elijah Thomas threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score as Palisades blanked Santa Monica’s junior varsity squad for the second straight season, 33-0. Setting the tone for the varsity game later that evening, the teams played hard and physical, but the Vikings were no match for Palisades’ speed. On the second play of the game, Chris Wilkins cleared a path for fellow tailback Justin Sinclair, who raced 51 yards for a touchchdown. Chris Groel had a 40-yard touchdown catch, Jack Jordan had a 38-yard scoring reception, and freshman cornerback Kellen Ware intercepted a pass as the Dolphins built a 20-0 halftime lead. Tight end Tyler Hildreth caught a 35-yard touchdown in the third quarter, Thomas scored on a 30-yard run and sophomore defensive tackle Ernesto Ruiz caused a fumble after sacking the quarterback. “We spread the ball around very well and the defense only allowed one pass completion,” Palisades Coach Ray Marsden said. “I’d be surprised if they crossed the 50-yard line more than once and that’s because of our penalties.” Palisades defeated Santa Monica’s JV squad 36-0 last season.
Runners lmpress at Woodbridge
Palisades High’s boys and girls cross country teams continue to perform well in pre-league meets. The Dolphins participated in the annual Woodbridge Invitational last Saturday, which was relocated to Estancia High in Costa Mesa this year because of construction at the Woodbridge course. Once again leading the way for the boys was Grant Stromberg, who finished third in the junior race in 15:43. Matt Hammer was 14th in 16:14 as the Dolphins took sixth place overall out of over 40 teams in that division with a score of 151, behind only Cathedral, Godinez, Corona del mar, Segerstrom and Rubidoux. Sophomore Drake Johnston was fifth in his race with a time of 16:16 and brothers Liam and Jack Palladino also had strong results. Eric Lopez was the only senior and he ran 18:47 in his first race of the season. Sophomore Jacklyn Bamberger, who won the City 3200 race last spring, led Palisades’ girls with a ninth-place finish in her race with a time of 18:41. The Dolphins open Western League competition with a dual meet against Westchester on September 30 at Pierce College in Woodland Hills. * * * * * Palisadian Cami Chapus put her speed and endurance on display once again at the Woodbridge Invitational, finishing third overall among girls sweepstakes race with a time of 16:59. Only Catrina McAlister of Arcadia (16:43) and Mariel Mendoza of J.W. North (16:55), finished with faster times than the Harvard-Westlake High junior who won the Seaside Invitational cross country meet two weeks ago with a time of 18:01.76. Chapus’ Harvard-Westlake teammate Amy Weissenbach was eighth overall in 17:06. Chapus became the school’s first state cross country champion last fall in Fresno, leading the Wolverines to the state Division IV championship in a team-record time of 95:63. In the spring, she was Mission League champion in the 3200 meters and ran on Harvard-Westlake’s 1600 relay at the state prelims.
Coaching Teaches Life Lessons
By JAYANT SUBRAHMANYAM Palisadian-Post Intern Growing up in Pacific Palisades allowed me to participate in a variety of youth sports leagues, from the Palisades Pony Baseball Association and AYSO Region 69 soccer to basketball and flag football at the Palisades Recreation Center. Most of these experiences took place in my adolescent years, when questioning authority is the norm, not the exception. I was no different. Whether because of teenage arrogance or simple overconfidence, I always thought I knew more than my coach and that I could do a better job. This summer I had an opportunity to test my own coaching acumen. My friend Edwin Pouldar (a fellow senior at Palisades High) and I coached the Huskies, a junior basketball team (ages 14-16) at Cheviot Hills Recreation Center in West LA. We met the team at the first practice in late June. Several players immediately stood out: Solomon, the heady point guard whose mini-Afro bounced every time he jumped for a rebound; Kevin, who could always be counted on to play defense; and Anthony, whose cocky attitude we would need to rectify in the coming weeks. Several problems emerged as the season started and we won only one of our first three games. First, because we lacked significant size and hustle we got out-rebounded almost every game. Second, we were stagnant on offense, with little ball movement, penetration or cutting. I told my team that size is merely a luxury, not a necessity. The team that boxes out, grabs loose balls and tries hardest will always win. I repeated this at practice and games. We also installed a basic offense to counter a 2-3 zone defense and designed several plays to free up Daniel, who had developed into our best shooter over the course of the season. As our season progressed, the team and the entire coaching experience increasingly confounded me. Once we lost by allowing an offensive rebound off a free throw with four seconds left, despite our emphasis on boxing out and rebounding. In many instances we were still lost on offense, no matter how many times Edwin and I screamed, “screen,” “cut,” or “penetrate to the basket!” Our plays and offense were so simple that I couldn’t see how anyone with any experience playing organized basketball could not understand them. My frustrations hit their peak when we called timeout with seven seconds left in the first half of our sixth game and drew up a play to get Daniel an open three-pointer in the corner. Instead, Anthony caught the inbounds pass, took two dribbles, and hoisted up a jumper. Airball. I wasn’t mad because of the shot itself or Anthony’s initiative to create his own offense. Rather, it was his disregard for the team and the disrespect to Edwin and myself in ignoring our instructions that bothered me. I intimated this to the team in the post-game huddle and later in private to Anthony. I explained that when I played basketball, I hated a structured offense, but eventually I realized it benefited my team. By explaining that I was once in his shoes I was able to communicate my message much more effectively. In previous cases I thought my age hindered my ability to establish authority, but here my experience lent my words credibility. Our season was not a success in the traditional sense. We finished 2-6 in the regular season, hampered by our lack of size and the reduction of our roster to five or six players for practices and games. In my eyes, however, the season was meaningful. Rather than wins and losses, I focused on our effort level. I was never mad if we played hard and lost by 20 points, but I was angry if we lost by 30 and quit in the last 10 minutes. That is what I stressed to the players and what I hope they take away from the season. Coaching a team gave me new perspective on how I view authority figures. Staying positive while attempting to get my players to listen and follow directions has given me a new appreciation for coaches and leaders. Not only will I feel my own coach’s frustrations when we play poorly, but I will understand even more the elated feeling when we play better and beyond our abilities. I still believe I am a good coach simply because my players learned from me. I showed them that the journey is ultimately more important than the destination, and that as long as they gave the effort and played hard, I would proud of them. This idea will certainly help me this year at PaliHi where I’ll be playing soccer and volleyball. So the next time I am inconsolable after a loss and my coach begins his speech, I’ll believe him when he delivers my least-favorite line: “Keep your heads up and be proud. There’s always the next game.” (Editor’s note: Jayant Subrahmanyam is a senior outside hitter and middle blocker on the Palisades High boys’ volleyball team.)
Riley Named Rookie of the Year
Ali Riley has done it all in her debut season in Women’s Professional Soccer and on Sunday her magical 2010 campaign could culminate with a league championship. Last week, Riley was one of three Bay Area players to receive a year-end honor when she was named WPS Rookie of the Year. FC Golf Pride’s left defender started 23 games and tallied three assists for the regular season champions, who will host either the Boston Breakers or Philadelphia Independence in the championship game on Sunday. Riley’s solid defensive play helped Bay Area top the league in team defense with only 19 goals allowed, and her consistently aggressive runs up the left flank and dangerous crosses created opportunities for teammates all season. The Pacific Palisades resident and former Pali Blues and Stanford University star was picked 10th in the first-round of the 2010 WPS Draft by FC Gold Pride, the league’s Bay Area franchise. “Ali is one of the best outside backs in this league,” FC Gold Pride coach Albertin Montoya said. Riley, 22, led her hometown Blues’ march to a second consecutive W-League crown last August, then captained Stanford University to its first-ever NCAA College Cup finals berth. Riley played for New Zealand in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and in the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup in China. She led Harvard-Westlake High to the 2006 Southern Section Division I title and was named the Mission League Offensive Most Valuable Player twice. She also starred for the Westside Breakers and SoCal United club teams.
Palisades Bowl Residents Win Vital Ruling
Palisades Bowl owners have won a major court decision that will allow them to keep the current rental situation in their 176-unit mobile-home park north of Temescal Canyon Road along the Pacific Ocean coastline in Pacific Palisades. On August 31, the Court of Appeals for the Second Appellate District Court unanimously overturned a May 2009 Superior Court judgment that ruled in favor of park owner Eddie Biggs, who wanted to change from renting land that homes are on to allow tenants to buy the land in a condominium-style ownership. ‘We won!’ Bowl residents Florence Cotton and Bea Prentice wrote in a September 4 newsletter. ‘The Court of Appeals has handed a big victory to every Palisades Bowl resident who wants to keep LA Rent Control, who is afraid of losing his home or his equity, who doesn’t want to PAY AGAIN for the home he already bought.”’ In 2006, Bowl residents, many of whom are seniors or living on a low or moderate income, learned that Biggs planned a conversion, under California statute 66427.5, which required him to send out a notice to residents and also receive approval from the proper authority’in this case the City of Los Angeles. Residents who wanted to purchase the land beneath their mobile homes could do so, while those defined as low-income would continue to pay the same rent. After a conversion, moderate-income residents who did not buy would have their rents raised to fair market value over a four-year period. Although some residents liked the idea of owning their land, others felt the conversion was merely an attempt to circumvent rent control. The City of Los Angeles did not process the application and Biggs’ attorney sued. L.A. Superior Court Judge James Chalfant ruled in favor of Biggs and required the City to proceed with the conversion. Residents and the City of L.A. appealed the decision, which was reversed. The Appellate Court decision by judges Thomas Lyle Willhite, Jr. (author of the ruling), Norman Epstein and Nora Manella, noted that the Mello Act, which was enacted in 1981 ‘to preserve residential housing units occupied by low- or moderate-income persons or families in the coastal zone,’ was not being upheld because the statute (66427.5) applied only to current residents and did not offer continued availability of affordable housing. Willhite wrote, ‘Once such residents [low-income] depart, the units may be sold or rented to anyone, regardless of income. They are thus lost as affordable housing units, with no requirement that they be replaced, resulting in a decrease over time of units available to low-income persons or families.’ The judges also noted that a developer has to go through the City first for the coastal development permit because local agencies have the option of giving the permit before the developer goes to the Coastal Commission. ‘The act gives local governments a substantial role in land-use decisions,’ they wrote. The August 31 ruling may also have implications for Tahitian Terrace, a mobile-home park south of the Bowl, whose owner Desmond McDonald started the conversion process last summer. ‘[It is] too soon to determine what the most practical course is at this time,’ McDonald wrote in an e-mail to the Palisadian-Post last Friday. Robin Holland, former president of the Tahitian Terrace Residents Association, told the Post, ‘The Court’s decisive finding against forced subdivision is a step in leveling the playing field for’everyone in California.’This decision recognizes the responsibilities of all parties, allowing landowners to make a fair living from rents and homeowners to pay their mortgages and maintain some control over their own’homes without fear of losing everything overnight.’ Bowl residents Cotton and Prentice concluded, ‘In two months we will be celebrating Thanksgiving and thanks to the Court of Appeals of the State of California, Deputy City Attorney Amy Brothers, and the other staff of the City Attorney’s office who won this case for us, we will be able to count another blessing that has come our way. The ruling is a gift in our present economy.’Some of our residents have lost their jobs and some can no longer collect’unemployment benefits. Others have lost their investments. Thanks to this ruling, many residents do not have to fear losing their homes.’ ‘
Four Palisades Schools Raise API Scores
Four of the five public schools in Pacific Palisades improved their Academic Performance Index (API) scores, and Marquez Charter Elementary School made the most significant gains, according to results released on Monday by the California Department of Education. For the second year in a row, Marquez Elementary led the way among Palisades schools. In 2009, Marquez increased its score by 31 points to 906, and this year, the school improved its mark by 14 points to 920. API is a state standard that measures every public school’s progress from year to year, and it is based on test results from the Standardized Testing and Reporting program (STAR) and the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE). Students in second through 11th grade take a series of tests in math, English, history and science as part of the STAR program. The CAHSEE is first administered in the 10th grade, and students who do not pass can retake the test in the 11th and 12th grades. API scores range from 200 to 1,000, with the goal that all schools statewide reach 800. ‘I’m thrilled,’ Principal Phillip Hollis told the Palisadian-Post. ‘It shows the hard work we are doing despite the budget cuts.’ After the Los Angeles Unified School District cut the school’s funding for general and special education, Marquez parents raised enough money to pay for two teachers, which allowed the school to keep class sizes averaging 25 students. Hollis also credited his teachers, saying they do an excellent job of providing struggling students with additional help. He pointed to the success of the CATCH (Caring Adults Teaching Children How) program, where adult volunteers from the Palisades community mentor at-risk third, fourth and fifth graders in reading or math. About 35 students and 25 volunteers participated in the program. This school year, the CATCH program will be expanded to include the second grade, and teachers will continue to focus on technology by having their students use laptops and iPods in the classroom. Hollis hopes these efforts will improve the school’s API score even more.
CANYON ELEMENTARY
Canyon Charter Elementary scored the highest API score of all the Palisades schools with 956, which is four points higher than last year, and the school is among the top scorers in the state. ’I’m very proud of all the Canyon students and teachers,’ Principal Joyce Dara said. ‘Their hard work is reflected in the four-point gain.’ Dara attributes the school’s success to the fact that the teachers customize their teaching methods to meet every child’s needs. ‘The teachers also do a lot of project-based learning to give students authentic, real-life connections to what they’re learning,’ Dara said. The school also offers a learning lab, where teachers work one-on-one or in small groups with students, whom they have identified as needing additional assistance with their reading. ’It’s a way to catch our students, so they don’t slip through the cracks,’ Dara said, noting that the teachers continually assess their students on their progress. Dara also credits the parents for the high score. ‘It’s been proven that those children who have parental support do better than children without it,’ she said. This school year, the goal is to integrate more technology into the classroom. Nearly every classroom has Smart boards (interactive white boards), and the computer lab was recently updated with 36 new Mac computers. Teachers will also start using computer-based programs, Fastt Math and Scholastic Reading Inventory. ’They love it,’ Dara said of the students’ reaction to the technology. ‘And it keeps them engaged. It’s especially great for tactile learners.’
PALISADES ELEMENTARY
Palisades Charter Elementary improved its API score by two points to 930. ’I am so happy that we did well,’ Principal Joan Ingle said. ‘I am so proud of my teachers.’ The teachers not only challenge their students academically, but they provide emotional and social support, Ingle said. They teach the children critical-thinking skills and how to work together. She also attributed the school’s continued success to the parents, who raised enough money for three full-time teachers last year and two full-time teachers this school year.
PAUL REVERE
Paul Revere Charter Middle School made gains in its API score, improving by six points to 852. ’Our scores continue to improve each year,’ Principal Fern Somoza said. ‘We are always striving to improve teaching and instructional strategies in every classroom, contribute to the academic successes of all our students, and keep learning and achievement as our ultimate goals.’ On the Standardized Testing and Reporting program (STAR), 71 percent of students were proficient or advanced in English in 2009 and 2010. Sixty-four percent of students were proficient or advanced in math in 2010, compared to 60 percent in 2009. Somoza said she is especially pleased with Hispanic/Latino students, who increased their API score by 15 points to 769, and the students with disabilities, who increased their score by 18 points to 595. However, she was disappointed that the African-American students’ score fell by 14 points to 724 and English-language learners declined by 23 points to 702. Somoza plans to meet with her teaching staff to examine the data more closely and develop strategies for increasing those scores. ’I think we can always do better,’ Somoza said. Revere performed better than Emerson Middle School in Westwood, Palms Middle School in Los Angeles and John Adams Middle School in Santa Monica, but fell below Lincoln Middle School in Santa Monica, which posted 893.
PALISADES HIGH
Palisades Charter High School’s API score dropped one point to 819. ’When a school hits the magic target of 800, which very few comprehensive high schools do ‘ there’s Granada Hills and PaliHi ‘ it’s easy to plateau,’ Principal Marcia Haskin said. Granada Hills Charter High, which is larger than PaliHi but has similar demographics, improved its score by 31 points to 874. Nearby University High, Santa Monica High and Venice High posted lower than 800. PaliHi’s students with disabilities realized the most significant decrease, dropping 61 points to 534. The English Language Learners declined by 32 points to 692; Hispanic/Latino students fell by six points to 760; and the socio-economically disadvantaged students dropped by 11 points to 754. On STAR, 68 percent of students were proficient or advanced in English in 2010 compared to 69 percent in 2009, while 44 percent of students were proficient or advanced in math compared to 48 percent in 2009. ’We will be focusing on the areas where we dropped,’ Haskin said, noting school leaders will also continue to strive to close the achievement gap between ethnic groups, which has widened. African-American students made academic strides, improving by seven points to 709. White students increased their score by eight points to 889 and Asian students by 14 points to 905. ’We are going to dig deeper and use our data to really inform our instruction,’ Haskin said. Her motto for the teachers this school year will be ‘intensity’ and ‘depth.’ ’This will be a turning point year for us,’ Haskin said.
Swimmers Await Debut in PaliHi’s New Pool
The two Maggie Gilbert Aquatic Center pools are glistening with water, but swimmers will have to wait until at least October 1 to take the plunge. Last week, the 12-lane competition pool was filled with 487,716 gallons of water and the two-lane instructional pool with 45,501 gallons, according to Palisades Charter High School’s Interim Executive Director Michael Smith. An average home swimming pool contains around 20,000 gallons. The aquatic center, located on PaliHi’s campus at the corner of Temescal Canyon Road and Bowdoin Street, still needs to pass the Division of the State Architect’s inspection before opening. The aquatic center will be open to the public for recreation and lap swimming, plus water polo, during non-school hours during the week and weekends. School hours are 7:50 a.m. to 3:20 p.m., Monday through Friday. The schedule will be posted in the next couple weeks on the school’s Web site, www.palihigh.org. The fee for swimming will be $5 for adults and $4 for children under 18. PaliHi officials are tentatively planning a grand-opening celebration for Sunday, October 10. English teacher Rose Gilbert, the impetus behind the aquatic center, will be honored at the celebration. The Pacific Palisades resident donated more than $2 million and provided the school with a $750,000 loan for the construction of the $4.9-million facility. On Monday, Gilbert, 92, began her 49th year of teaching at PaliHi, having started the year the campus opened in 1961. She is teaching three advanced placement English classes. The school is continuing to seek donations for the center. For information about donating, contact Jeanne Goldsmith at (310) 454-9033.
Pepperdine Names Its Athletics Complex in Honor of Runnels
Pepperdine University Chancellor Emeritus Charles Runnels was honored in a ceremony on Monday when the school’s athletics complex was dedicated as the Charles B. Runnels Sports and Recreation Village. Longtime Pacific Palisades residents, Charles and his wife Amy Jo have been avid Waves fans for decades and can regularly be found sitting in the first row behind the scorer’s table for athletic events at Firestone Fieldhouse. ‘ Runnels’ career at Pepperdine began in 1967 when he served on a committee to establish the present Malibu campus in 1971. He then served as vice chancellor from 1971-84, at which time he became chancellor. He gained emeritus status in 2006. At Monday’s dedication, a large brown stone wall and plaque were unveiled at the corner of John Tyler Drive and Banowsky Boulevard naming all of the West Coast Conference school’s athletic facilities’Firestone Fieldhouse, Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool, Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center, Eddy D. Field Stadium, Tari Frahm Rokus Field and Stotsenberg Track in Runnels’ honor. ‘ Over 200 guests attended the ceremony, which included a majority of the Waves’ active coaches and athletics staff. It began with Keith Hinkle, senior vice president for Advancement & Public Relations, recognizing Runnels for his many fundraising efforts and love of the athletics program. University President Andy Benton spoke eloquently about Runnels’ career at Pepperdine, saying that ‘his fingerprints are all over this campus and now his thumbprint will be at the corner of John Tyler Drive and Banowsky Boulevard.’ Benton described Runnels as Pepperdine’s chief ‘friend-raiser.’ He then called up Pepperdine regent Virginia Braun, one of the benefactors behind the ceremony and a longtime friend of the Runnels.’ The stone monument bearing Runnels’ name is 20 feet wide and five feet tall and was unveiled as Runnels’ grandchildren removed its cover, revealing in large words ‘Charles B. Runnels Sports and Recreation Village.’ A small bronze plaque is positioned near the monument signage and a copy of the plaque was given to the chancellor emeritus. Runnels thanked many of the people in attendance as well as his friends and family. He recalled all of his past friends who have athletic facilities named after them and he acknowledged their efforts in building the Pepperdine athletic program.’He closed with the following statement: ‘My prayer for our athletes and coaches and each of you is that your lives would be filled with the joy of sports, the thrill of victory, and the spirit of teamwork in all that you do. Thank you all, and especially my dear friend Jenny Braun, for the vision and dream to make this village come true for Pepperdine students and for all of you who come to enjoy our sports.’
Burglary Suspect Arrested on Via
While patrolling in Pacific Palisades at 1:30 a.m. September 2, Palisades Patrol officers Rick Garcia and Ryan Esparza observed a series of vehicles with doors ajar in the 700 block of Via de la Paz. They also noticed an Hispanic male leaning towards the glove compartment in the front seat of a car parked on Via. The two officers spoke to the man and learned that he did not own the car, nor did he live on the block. After alerting their dispatcher, who called the Los Angeles Police Department, the officers continued to question the suspect until LAPD officers arrived and arrested the man for theft from a motor vehicle.’ Earlier that evening, a resident in the Alphabet streets had flagged down Garcia and Esparza and told them that three Hispanic males in a Honda Insight were attempting to burglarize a neighbor’s car, but that they fled when she walked near them. The Honda was found across Sunset on Via and an additional charge of grand theft auto was added to the arrest charge.’Subsequent investigation resulted in additional charges of identity theft and drug possession violations after dozens of pieces of evidence were secured from the stolen car. ‘This was a great arrest, primarily based on observations from officers Esparza and Garcia,’ said Scott Wagenseller, CEO of Palisades Patrol. ‘The suspect had stolen a car in West L.A. and was driving the Palisades late at night, burglarizing cars parked on the street and in driveways. These officers’ keen observation skills and professional patrol tactics eliminated a criminal from further victimizing the Palisades.” ‘ Captain Evangelyn Nathan, commanding officer for the LAPD’s West Los Angeles area, added her praise in an e-mail to the community on September 2: ‘Early this morning, Palisades Patrol officers observed a suspicious individual inside a car on Via de la Paz.’They conducted a detention and, after further investigation, notified West Los Angeles police officers. The individual was arrested for driving a stolen car, and more than 80 items of potentially stolen property were recovered. West Los Angeles detectives are working diligently to identify and locate the owners of this property, and to return it to its rightful owners.” Nathan reminded Palisadians to continue practicing safety habits by remaining watchful, and remembering to ‘Lock it. Hide it. Keep it.’
