Home Blog Page 1981

Desmond McDonald, Motorcycle Adventurer

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Desmond Bonaventure Peter McDonald, co-owner of the Tahitian Terrace Mobile Home Park in Pacific Palisades, died of a suspected massive coronary on December 4, while riding his motorcycle in the Tecate Enduro race in Baja, Mexico. He was 51.   Born in 1959 in Santa Monica and raised in Brentwood, McDonald attended Brentwood Military Academy, St. Martin of Tours and Orme College Prepatory School in Arizona.   Throughout his life he loved riding motorcycles, and he had a thirst for knowledge and what made people and things tick. He traveled the world, including all of the Far East, Asia, Europe, Africa, Mexico and much of South America.   The Mandeville Canyon resident participated in many international off-road rallies, including the Dakar, the Baja 500’s and 1000’s, and countless others as a rider, team member and manager.   After his death, friends posted their remembrances of McDonald at www.advrider.com/forums/showthread. One wrote: ‘I’ll never forget the day that Des agreed to come down to Brazil and support our team. Des’ presence in Brazil was invaluable. He selflessly drove the Kombi, and kept our team prepped so that all we had to do was race. All with his great sense of humor.’ McDonald became president of his family’s business, Azul Pacifico Inc., which oversaw the mobile home park (built in 1960) that abuts PCH and the Pacific Ocean, just north of Temescal Canyon Road. He took over management of the park in 1998. Services were held at St. Monica’s Catholic Church in Santa Monica on December 14, and a reception was held immediately afterwards at Tahitian Terrace, where McDonald had many friends.

Thursday, December 30 – Thursday, January 7

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MONDAY, JANUARY 3

   Longtime Pacific Palisades resident Michael O’Hara signs ‘Volleyball: Fastest Growing Sport in the World,’ a basic guide to ‘the sport challenging soccer,’ 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore Avenue. This handbook includes the history, rules and highlights of the game.   Gene Radcliff, horticulture instructor and nurserywoman, will speak to Palisades Garden Club members and guests about using California native plants in home landscapes, 7:30 p.m. at the Woman’s Club, 901 Haverford. (See story, page 11.)

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5

  Storytime for babies and toddlers under the age of 3, featuring a lap-sit of songs, finger plays, stories and flannelboards, 10:15 a.m. in the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. (One child, one lap, please). at 10:15 a.m. Don’t be late!

THURSDAY, JANUARY 6

  Storytime for children ages 3 and up, 4 p.m. at the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. Stories, fingerplays, rhymes: building reading skills while having fun!   Joan Lachkar discusses and signs ‘How to Talk to a Borderline,’ 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore. The author introduces Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and outlines the challenges and difficulties it presents to clinicians. She expands current understanding of BPD by outlining eight kinds of borderline personality disorders and how each of these requires specific communication techniques and methods. Case examples are offered throughout the text and in some cases describe the kinds of partners ‘borderlines’ attract.

CLASSIFIED ADS FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 30, 2010

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FURNISHED HOMES 2

TO DIE FOR HOME FOR LEASE! * Amazing ocean, cyn & sunset views. 4+3.5 home. 3,400 sf. High ceiling, custom paint, 3 FP, beautiful floors. $6,950/mo. unfurnished, $9,000/mo. furn. Haleh, (310) 463-3030

UNFURNISHED HOMES 2a

GUEST HOUSE. 3 rooms, garden setting, French doors, hardwood floors, laundry, very quiet. Available Dec. 1st. $2,100/mo. Utilities included, cat okay. (310) 454-8150

3 BDRM, 1 BA. $3,100/mo. 2 car parking, close to Village, schools, shops & beach. Pets OK. Appliances, washer/dryer, dishwasher & refrigerator. Min. 1 year lease. By appt. only. Eric, (310) 428-3364

FULLY RENOVATED!!! 4 BD, 5.5 BA. * Built in 1927 by J. Paul Getty for his mistress. Original California tiles, great yard, patio, decks w/ all whitewater views. Whitewater ocean view from every room. Fully renovated to 4 bdrm, 1 billiard/recreation room, wine cellar, living & dining room, 3 door/car garage w/ loft. 3 story home w/ elevator. Big beams, romantic outdoor whitewater view spa, steam sauna, 3 indoor jacuzzi spa tubs, great storage & plenty of amenities. New lighting & closets. Live in a place of history & charm. $10,000/mo. 17809 Porto Marina Way, Pacific Palisades. (213) 494-0059

PANORAMIC OCEAN VIEW GUESTHOUSE near old Getty. 1 bedroom + office, 2 full baths, wood floors, patio/gardens, private/creative space, laundry, 1/2 kitchen, no pets, no smoke. For 1 person only please. Ready now. $2,150/mo. (310) 459-1983

SPLIT LEVEL 3 bd, 3 ba, large studio. Nice canyon view, very clean, fireplace, new flooring, rugs, patio, garage, laundry room. Shown by appt. $4,800/mo. (661) 270-9231

UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c

BEAUTIFULLY REMODELED 1 BDRM APARTMENT. Best ocean views in town. Stainless steel appliances, wood floors, fireplace, pool, laundry onsite & parking. Small pets ok. Please call (310) 227-9612. Equal housing opportunity.

PET FRIENDLY! 1 BDRM IN PAC PAL! ‘ 1/2 block from Gelson’s & the Village. Parquet floors, ocean view, laundry room, quiet building, on site manager, swimming pool & parking space. Ready to move in! $1,745/mo. * Move in special with 3rd month free! * Call Michael at (310) 883-8049

2 BED APT. IN VINTAGE BUILDING. 2 bed, 1 bath apt. available now. Sunset x Baylor. New paint/wood floors, $1,850/mo. Doug, (424) 242-4570

NEUTRA BUILDING! ARCHITECTURAL WONDER. 2 bed + 2 bath on Sunset Blvd. Huge wood deck w/ jacuzzi white water ocean view, private yard, and garden facing the ocean water and dolphins @ 17050 Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 for $3,475/mo. Spacious living room, wood floors, beautiful fireplace, high vaulted wood ceilings w/ gigantic window, building courtyard, outdoor fireplace. Kitchen: gas stove, dishwasher, and white tile countertops. Bedrms: wood floors, lots of closet/storage space. Bathrm: tile floors, granite countertop. 1 car garage parking w/ washer and dryer hookups. Vintage architect property built on Pacific Palisades Hills simulating a sinking ship into the ocean has 4 units on our newly remodeled 4 leveled building. For more information contact (213) 494-0059 or fidel@benleedsproperties.com or go to http://leeds.postlets.com

CONDOS, TOWNHOMES FOR RENT 2d

GEM IN THE PALISADES, Sunset & Almar. 2 bdrm, 2 1/2 ba townhouse. Hardwood, tile, carpet, w/d, dishwasher, roof deck, parking. $3,350/mo. (310) 395-1073

ROOMS FOR RENT 3

PALISADES HOME PRIVATE BEDROOM & BATHROOM, PRIVATE ENTRANCE, YARD, PEACEFUL, GREAT LOCATION, KITCHEN, UTILITIES, MAID, INTERNET, CABLE, W/D. WILL CONSIDER SHARING ENTIRE HOUSE. NO PETS. (310) 709-7383, COQUISROCKS@GMAIL.COM

WANTED TO RENT 3b

FURNISHED HOME NEEDED. German family of 5 needs furnished home. July-Aug 2011. Local references available. Mitch, (310) 454-1844

OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c

OFFICE SUITE in the Atrium Building on Via de la Paz. 2 offices, reception area and restroom. Attractive space approx. 900 sq. ft. One year plus sub-lease. Rent negotiable. Great space. (310) 459-5353

OFFICE FOR LEASE. Professional building in Pacific Palisades Village for lease. Lovely and spacious suite available. Reasonable rent price. Excellent tenant improvements. 850 square feet. Please call Tracy Rasmussen at (310) 459-8700 for more details.

230 SQ. FT. OFFICE SPACE for lease in the heart of the Village. Close to shops & restaurants. Monthly parking on premises. 1 year lease. (310) 227-9612

BOOKKEEPING/ACCOUNTING 7b

ACCOUNTANT/CONTROLLER. Quickbooks/Quicken setup. Outsource the hassle’all bookkeeping needs including tax prep for home or office. Get organized now! (310) 562-0635

COMPUTER SERVICES 7c

MARIE’S MAC & PC OUTCALL. I CAN HELP YOU IN YOUR HOME OR OFFICE WITH: ‘ Consultation on best hard/software for your needs ‘ Setting up & configuring your system & applications ‘ Teaching you how to use your Mac or PC ‘ Upgrades: Mac OS & Windows ‘ Internet: DSL, Wireless, E-mail, Remote Access ‘ Key Applications: MS Office, Filemaker, Quicken ‘ Contact Managers, Networking, File Sharing, Data backup ‘ Palm, Visor, Digital Camera, Scanner, CD Burning. FRIENDLY & PROFESSIONAL ‘ BEST RATES. (310) 262-5652

YOUR OWN TECH GURU * EXPERT SET-UP, OPTIMIZATION, REPAIR. Problem-Free Computing Since 1992. Work Smarter, Faster, More Reliably. If I Can’t Help, NO CHARGE! ALAN PERLA, (310) 455-2000

THE DETECHTIVES’. PROFESSIONAL ON-SITE MAC SPECIALISTS. PATIENT, FRIENDLY AND AFFORDABLE. WE COVER ALL THINGS MAC ‘ Consulting ‘ Installation ‘ Training and Repair for Beginners to Advanced Users ‘ Data recovery ‘ Networks ‘ Wireless Internet & more. (310) 838-2254, William Moorefield, www.thedetechtives.com

USER FRIENDLY’MAC CONSULTANT. User friendly. Certified Apple help desk technician and proud member of the Apple consultant network. An easy approach to understanding all of your computer needs. Offering computer support in wide variety of repairs, set-ups, installs, troubleshooting, upgrades, networking, and tutoring in the application of choice. Computer consulting at fair rates. Ryan Ross: (310) 721-2827. email: ryanaross@mac.com ‘ For a full list of services visit: http://userfriendlyrr.com/

EXPERT COMPUTER HELP ‘ On-site service’no travel charge ‘ Help design, buy and install your system ‘ One-on-one training, hard & software ‘ Troubleshooting, Mac & Windows, organizing ‘ Installations & upgrades ‘ Wireless networking ‘ Digital phones, photo, music ‘ Internet. Serving the Palisades, Santa Monica & Brentwood. DEVIN FRANK, (310) 499-7000

GARAGE, ESTATE SALE SERVICES 7f

PLANNING A GARAGE SALE? an estate sale? a moving sale? a yard sale? Call it what you like. But call us to do it for you. We do the work. Start to finish. ‘ BARBARA DAWSON ‘ Estate/Garage Sale Specialist ‘ (310) 454-0359, barbdawson@roadrunner.com ‘ www.bmdawson.com ‘ Furniture ‘ Antiques ‘ Collectibles ‘ Junque ‘ Reliable professionals ‘ Local References

HOUSEKEEPERS 9a

PROFESSIONAL MAID SERVICES. In Malibu! We make your home our business. Star sparkling cleaning services. In the community over 15 years. The best in housekeeping for the best price. Good references. Licensed. Call Bertha, (323) 754-6873 & cell (213) 393-1419. professionalmaidinmalibu@google.com

BETSY IS LOOKING FOR A HOUSEKEEPING JOB. Good references & experienced. Monday through Friday. Please call (323) 393-7123 or (323) 935-3240. Own transportation & can communicate in English.

SISTERS HOUSECLEANING. Would you like your home and business so clean they shine? Call us, we have good references. Serving the community for over 20 years. We offer final cleaning. For free estimate, call Flora at (310) 720-7751. Bond #6743361. www.sistershousecleaning.com, cleaning411@gmail.com

MIRIAM’S HOUSEKEEPING. Available Monday through Friday. Has own car & CA DL. Local references. 14 years experience. Tel: (213) 746-4216 or cell: (310) 346-0360

HOUSEKEEPER, 11 years experience. Good local references, good with children & pets. Speaks English & Spanish. Call anytime. (310) 313-5158, (310) 703-7642 or (310) 804-3248. Ask for Irma or Sylvia.

ELDER CARE/COMPANIONS 10a

PRIVATE CAREGIVER ‘ Available day & night. Experienced, excellent references, mature, CPR & first aid certified, fluent English, own transportation. Please leave a message at (310) 745-7021

CAREGIVER * 10 yrs experience, 3 star chef, life saving techs. Perfect driving records & references. Resident of Pacific View Estates. P/T or F/T. Low rates. Wendy, (310) 454-1956

GARDENING/LANDSCAPING 11

PALISADES GARDENING ‘ Full Gardening Service ‘ Sprinkler Install ‘ Tree Trim ‘ Sodding ‘ Sprays, non-toxic ‘ FREE AZALEA PLANT ‘ Cell,(310) 701-1613, (310) 568-0989

POOL & SPA SERVICES 13e

PALISADES POOL SUPPLY. SWIMMING POOL SERVICE & REPAIR. 15415 Sunset Blvd., P.P. 90272 (310) 459-4357. www.PalisadesPool.com

STEREO, TV, VCR SERVICES 13g

1 REMOTE CONTROL THAT WORKS! Is your entertainment system not entertaining you? We can tune up your system, bring it up to date, hide wires, mount TVs, install speakers, etc. We can even reprogram or replace your remote control so it is easy to use. Call us, we can help! Lic. #515929. Stanford Connect, (310) 829-0872

WINDOW WASHING 13h

THE WINDOWS OF OZ. Detailed interior/exterior glass & screen cleaning. High ladder work. Solar panels/power washing also avail. Owner operated. Lic., bonded & insured. Free estimates. (310) 926-7626

MR. CRYSTAL WINDOW CLEANING. Please call Gary: (310) 828-1218 Free estimate, friendly service, discounts. Licensed & Insured.

HOUSESITTING 14b

HOUSESITTING/PETSITTING ‘ Available for short or long term. Sharp, reliable, recently retired professional. References. Susi, (310) 454-1457, susi824@aol.com

PET SERVICES/PET SITTING 14g

PRIVATE DOG WALKER/housesitter, Palisades & Santa Monica. S.M. Canyon resident. Please call or email Sherry, (310) 383-7852, www.palisadesdogwalker.com

MISCELLANEOUS 14k

FINE ART INSTALLATION. Confused about where or how to hang your art collectibles? Rick Strauss has been installing fine art for years in homes and offices throughout the Westside. Reasonable rates. (310) 459-8212

SCHOOLS, INSTRUCTION 15d

PIANO INSTRUCTION. Give the life-long gift of music! Very patient, creative teacher. Music degree, USC. Qualified, experienced, local. Lisa Donovan Lukas, (310) 454-0859. www.palisadesmusicstudio.com

TUTORS 15e

INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION. Children & adults. 20+ years teaching/tutoring exper. MATH, GRAMMAR, ESSAY WRITING & STUDY SKILLS. Formerly Sp. Ed. teacher. Call Gail, (310) 313-2530

MS. SCIENCE TUTOR. Ph.D., Experienced, Palisades resident. Tutor All Ages In Your Home. Marie, (310) 888-7145

PROFESSIONAL TUTOR. Stanford graduate (BA and MA, Class of 2000). Available for all subjects and test prep (SAT & ISEE). In-home tutoring at great rates. Call Jonathan, (310) 560-9134

MATH & CREATIVE WRITING SKILLS: COLLEGE ESSAYS, SAT/SAT II/ACT/ISEE/HSPT MATH PREP. All math subjects thru calculus. Jr. high thru college level writing skills. Fun, caring, creative, individualized tutoring. Local office in Palisades Village. Call Jamie, (888) 459-6430

EXPERIENCED SPANISH TUTOR ‘ All grade levels ‘ Grammar ‘ Conversational ‘ SAT/AP ‘ Children, adults ‘ Great references. Noelle, (310) 273-3593, (310) 980-6071

SCIENCE & MATH TUTOR. All levels (elementary to college). Ph.D., MIT graduate, 30 years experience. Ed Kanegsberg, (310) 459-3614

GROZA LEARNING CENTER. Tutoring K-12, all subjects & reading. SAT, ISEE, HSPT, ACT, ERB, STAR. Caring, meticulous service. GrozaLearningCenter.com ‘ (310) 454-3731

EDUCATIONAL THERAPY. All ages and abilities. Academic, Cognitive and Behavioral Support. Palisades Tutoring & ET Services’Local 10+ years. Arlana J. Morley, MS. (310) 459-4125, (310) 738-5099

MATH & SCIENCE TUTOR. Middle school-college level. BS LAUSD credentialed high school teacher. Test prep. Flexible hours. AVAILABLE to help NOW! Seth Freedman, (310) 909-3049

READING & WRITING TUTOR. Credentials in general ed. & special ed. 30 years of teaching / tutoring experience. Offering individual / small group sessions. Elaine, (310) 454-6070

ENGLISH TUTOR. Oxford University (M.A.) and Eton College Graduate. Former teacher at top London Prep school. All ages. References available. Call Mark, (310) 254-6177

MODERN GREEK TUTOR WANTED. Wanted: Modern Greek tutor in the Palisades. Have survival skills, but want to become fluent. Also looking for speakers to practice w/ at any level. (310) 428-7589

MATH/SCIENCE/SAT TUTOR. Widely used by Palisades residents. Excellent references. Dozens of satisfied clients at top schools. Call Will at (510) 378-7138

MUSIC LESSONS & INSTRUCTION 15h

GIVE THE GIFT OF MUSIC! 5-10 lesson package for someone you love. Guitar instructor. From hard rock to blues, funk. Any age or level, music theory & ear training. BA Music degree, great with kids & adults. excellent local references. Danny Day, (310) 745-2792, (310) 454-6962

CONCRETE, MASONRY, POOLS 16c

MASONRY, CONCRETE & POOL CONTRACTOR. 40 YEARS IN PACIFIC PALISADES. New Construction & Remodels. Hardscapes, landscapes, custom stone, stamped concrete, brick, driveways, retaining walls, BBQs, outdr kitchens, fireplaces, foundations, drainage, pool & spas, water features. Exlnt local refs. Lic #309844. Bonded, ins, work comp. MIKE HORUSICKY CONSTRUCTION, INC. (310) 454-4385 ‘ WWW.HORUSICKY.COM

CONSTRUCTION 16d

SEME TILE. License #920238, insured. All phases of tile work. Kitchens, bathrooms, walkways, etc. No job too small! Call Steve, (310) 663-7256. FREE estimates! Email: semetile@gmail.com & website: www.semetile.com

ALAN PINE, GENERAL CONTRACTOR ‘ New homes ‘ Remodeling ‘ Additions ‘ Kitchen & bath ‘ Planning/architectural services ‘ Insured ‘ Local refs. Lic. #469435. (800) 800-0744 or (818) 203-8881

ELECTRICAL 16h

PALISADES ELECTRIC. ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR. All phases of electrical, new construction to service work. (310) 454-6994. Lic. #468437 Insured Professional Service

LICHWA ELECTRIC. Remodeling, rewiring, troubleshooting. Lighting: low voltage, energy safe, indoor, outdoor, landscape. Low voltage: telephone, Internet, CCTV, home theatre, audio/video. Non-lic. Refs. LichwaElectric@gmail.com, (310) 270-8596

FENCES, DECKS 16j

THE FENCE MAN ‘ 18 years quality work ‘ Wood fences ‘ Decks ‘ Gates ‘ Chainlink & patio ‘ Wrought iron ‘ Lic. #663238, bonded. (818) 706-1996

FLOOR CARE 16m

GREG GARBER’S HARDWOOD FLOORS SINCE 1979. Install, refinish. Fully insured. Local references (310) 230-4597 Lic. #455608

CENTURY HARDWOOD FLOOR. Refinishing, Installation, Repairs. Lic. #813778. www.centurycustomhardwoodfloorinc.com, centuryfloor@sbcglobal.net. (800) 608-6007 ‘ (310) 276-6407

JEFF HRONEK, 40 YRS. RESIDENT. HARDWOOD FLOORS INC. ‘ Sanding & Refinishing ‘ Installations ‘ Pre-finished ‘ Unfinished ‘ Lic. #608606. Bonded, Insured, Workers Comp. www.hronekhardwoodfloors.com (310) 475-1414

K&Z HARDWOOD FLOOR EXPERTS. Refinishing, installation, recoat, water & fire restoration. Free est. Lic. #804641. (800) 500-1146, (818) 905-0428

HANDYMAN 16o

HANDYMAN ‘ HOOSHMAN ‘ Most known name in the Palisades. Since 1975. Member Chamber of Commerce. Non-Lic., but experience will do it. Call for your free est. Local refs available. Hooshman, (310) 459-8009, cell (310) 433-4720, 24 hr.

LABOR OF LOVE carpentry, plumbing, tile, plaster, doors, windows, fencing & those special challenges. Work guaranteed. License #B767950. Ken at (310) 487-6464

LOCAL RESIDENT, LOCAL CLIENTELE. Make a list, call me. I specialize in repairing, replacing all those little nuisances. Not licensed; fully insured; always on time. 1 Call, 1 Guy: Marty, (310) 459-2692

DJ PRO SERVICES ‘ Carpentry, Handyman, Repairs. ALL PROJECTS CONSIDERED. See my work at: www.djproservices.com. Non-lic. (c) (310) 907-6169, (h) (310) 454-4121

PALI HANDYMAN & CONST. SERVICES. LOW COST HOME IMPROVEMENT. All jobs welcome such as all painting exterior-interior-walls-moldings etc., un-sticking of doors & windows, concrete, tile, brick/block, carpentry, woodwork, patios, decks, all fencing, gates, doors, cabinetry, drywall repair, roofing, additions, flooring, bathrooms, kitchens, water damage, electrical, plumbing, pressure washing, picture hanging, lighting, stucco, repair, sanding, clean up and trash removal and all other projects or fix it problems needed. Call now for a FREE ESTIMATE! Kevin, Brian Nunneley, (310) 488-1153 (always working in Palisades). Licensed, bonded and insured. 24 hr/7 days service available also!

HANDYMAN. Skilled labor/Jack-of-all-trades. $30/hr. or will bid job. Non-lic. Bill Clark, (310) 435-9754

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING 16p

SANTA MONICA HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING. INSTALLATION: New and old service and repairs. Lic. #324942 (310) 393-5686

PAINTING, PAPERHANGING 16r

PAUL HORST ‘ Interior & Exterior ‘ PAINTING ‘ 56 YEARS OF SERVICE. Our reputation is your safeguard. License No. 186825 ‘ (310) 454-4630 ‘ Bonded & Insured

TILO MARTIN PAINTING. For A Professional Job Call (310) 230-0202. Refs. Lic. #715099

J W C PAINTING. Residential & commercial. Years of experience. Affordable & reliable. Local references. Lic. #914882. Free estimates. jwcpnc@yahoo.com. Call Jason Childs (Charlie), (310) 428-4432

ALL SEASONS PAINTING ‘ ‘Start the year off with a fresh coat of paint!’ ‘ Winter painting specials include: ‘ Kitchen Cabinet Refinishing ‘ Garage Doors ‘ Fences ‘ Deck Staining ‘ Stucco/Drywall Repair ‘ Interior/Exterior Color Specialist ‘ Excellent references! ‘ Great rates! ‘ FREE ESTIMATES! ‘ Over 30 years experience in Palisades area ‘ All work guaranteed! ‘ Licensed & bonded. Lic. #105761. Randy, (310) 678-7913

REMODELING 16v

KANAN CONSTRUCTION. References. BONDED ‘ INSURED ‘ St. Lic. #554451. DANIEL J. KANAN, CONTRACTOR, (310) 451-3540 / (800) 585-4-DAN

COMPLETE CUSTOM CONSTRUCTION ‘ Kitchen+bath ‘ Additions ‘ Tile, carpentry, plumbing. Quality work at reasonable rates guaranteed. Large & small projects welcomed. Lic. #751137. Call Michael Hoff Construction, (310) 774-9159

HELP WANTED 17

THE YOGURT SHOPPE is seeking full & part time help and a full time Store Manager. Please send resume to clive@aplacetomix.com. (310) 459-0088. We are ‘the place to mix’ in Pac. Pal.’Come join our family!

P/T or F/T RECEPTIONIST POSITION open in a pediatric office in Santa Monica. Also position available for PA, MA, CPNP. Please call (310) 508-6631

P/T Dog Hiker/Social Director. Dog lovers only join our growing team-clubhappydog.com. Email interest with credentials, no phone calls. (310) 359-3433

SPORTS EDITOR. Westside weekly seeks F/T Sports Editor, responsible for writing, editing & layout. Photo skills desirable, car essential. Salary + benefits. Resume to editor@palipost.com

AUTOS 18b

1964 PLYMOUTH VALIANT ‘ Slant 6 Offenhauser motor. Replaced brakes, starter and radiator. Interior needs work. $2,499 OBO. Call Phil at (310) 254-0783

PETS, LIVESTOCK 18e

BEAUTIFUL BLACK AND WHITE Biewer Yorkie puppies. AKC. Photos available online. Ready for Christmas. Emmy, (310) 454-6891, emybeeme@yahoo.com

Athletes of the Year in 2010

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Camille Chapus and Steven Irvin Are Palisades’ Ultimate Winners

Camille Chapus did it all for Harvard-Westlake this year, winning CIF titles in track, cross country and soccer and her second straight state cross country title. Photo: John Danhakl
Camille Chapus did it all for Harvard-Westlake this year, winning CIF titles in track, cross country and soccer and her second straight state cross country title. Photo: John Danhakl

The goal in every sport is to win and no two Pacific Palisades athletes did more of that over the last 12 months than Cami Chapus and Steven Irvin. Chapus, a junior at Harvard-Westlake High, enjoyed remarkable success in track, cross country and soccer. She won her second straight state Division IV cross country championship in Fresno, running the second-fastest time in division history and was the top California girl at the Nike Cross Nationals. In the winter Chapus led the Wolverines’ soccer team to the Southern Section Division Division II championship, beating Beckman, 2-1, in the finals for the program’s first CIF title since 2002. Last spring Chapus was the Mission League champion in the 3200 meters and ran on Harvard-Westlake’s 4×400 relay at the state preliminary meet. When the chips were down at the USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships, Manhattan Beach Surf Coach John Beckwith turned to Irvin to lead the squad to the 18 Open Division championship in Austin, Texas. Irvin was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament to go along with the Player of the Year honor he earned for spiking Loyola High to its second consecutive CIF Southern Section Division I championship with a four-set finals victory over Manhattan Beach Mira Costa. The 6′ 5″ outside hitter was at his best when his teams needed him most and he has since taken his multi-faceted skills north to Stanford. Roscoe Bellamy accomplished something almost unheard of in junior tennis–attaining the No. 1 ranking in both singles and doubles in the boys 10s age division. He won his first USTA singles event at the Santa Barbara Summer Junior Tournament, winning all four of his matches in straight sets. His brothers Robbie and Lincoln weren’t too shabby either. Robbie’s biggest win was the National 16s doubles title with partner Gage Brymer. Lucas not only excelled on the tennis court but also in the outfield where his shoestring catches helped the Bronco Dodgers win the PPBA World Series in June. Palisades High freshman, Kendall Gustafson enjoyed quite a debut at the City Section track and field finals. First she piled up points in the long jump, finishing second in 17 feet, 2.5 inches. She cleared 5 feet, three inches to win the high jump and won the 300 hurdles in 45.16. Finally, she anchored the Dolphins’ 4 x 400 relay, which finished fifth. Palisades High sophomore Jacklyn Bamberger won the 3200 meters at the City Section track & field finals in the spring and topped that by winning the City cross country championship at Pierce College in 18:46 in the fall. Grant Stromberg was fourth in the City 3200 in the spring, runner-up at the City cross country finals and 37th in the boys’ Division I state cross country race. Palisades High volleyball player Kene Izuchukwu was voted City Player of the Year after the Dolphins reached the finals against Taft last the spring. He also won the Post Cup Award as the school’s outstanding senior athlete, amazing crowds and his teammates with his array of thunderous spikes. Sophomore Jamie Greenberg set the tone for the Palisades High girls’ track and field team at the City finals in Lake Balboa by winning the pole vault with a height of 9 feet, six inches–six inches higher than her frosh/soph record the year before. She topped out at a personal-best 10 feet, six inches and qualified for the state meet at Buchanan High in Clovis. Erika Martin blazed to victory in her favorite event, the 100-meter hurdles, winning the City championship in 14.74 seconds. She also won the Post Cup Award as outstanding senior athlete at Palisades High and earned a track scholarship to Wake Forest. He’s only eight years old, but Miller Moss is already making his mark in sports all over town. Whether it’s soccer, football or basketball, this Palisadian proved in that he can play with the best in his age group–and older. So far in his young career, Moss has been all about winning. As a third-grader at Willows Community School he played AAU basketball on a Westside basketball club team called Certified Shooters. He also won the 8-9 division of the NFL’s Punt, Pass & Kick qualifying competition at Palisades High with a combined distance of 203 feet, 10 inches. Sophie Bendetti won eight of her 10 matches, including all five of her doubles matches, at the 12s Pacific Zonal Team Tennis Championships July 29-August 2 in Tucson, Arizona. From there she went straight Sacramento for the Girls’ 12s West Coast Championships, where she reached the doubles final with partner Marianna Alevra of Santa Barbara. For an athlete who never stays in one place for long, coming home to Southern California was like a vacation to international volleyball player Curt Toppel. He and partner Jesse Rambis finished 13th out of 64 teams at the Manhattan Beach Open. He spent the 2010 indoor season with Lamia, pacing the Division A1 club in Greece to the Final Four. Is there a higher level out there for Ali Riley? If so, send her. The Palisades resident continues to demonstrate she is one of the best female soccer players in the world, in both international and professional play. She was named Rookie of the Year in the WPS after leading FC Gold Pride to its first league championship. As if that wasn’t enough, Ali was named MVP of the New Zealand national team. Riley is the ultimate winner in the ultimate team sport. Former Palisades Pony Baseball Association star Brennan Boesch enjoyed a solid rookie season at the plate for the Detroit Tigers. He played in 133 games and totaled 119 hits, 14 home runs, 49 runs scored and 67 RBI. His first major league homer was a grand slam on April 30 off of the Angels’ Joel Piniero. Danielle Greenberg was named Female Scholar Athlete of the Year at Windward School after an outstanding junior year in which she played libero and defensive specialist in volleyball and midfield and stopper on the soccer team, earning All-League honors. Palisades High senior captain John Cullen won the City championship in the 100 backstroke title in 55.90 seconds–the first Dolphins swimmer to win an individual event since 2006. He also swam the first leg of Palisades’ first-place medley relay. She’s been there and done that many times but this year’s Fourth of July run through Will Rogers State Historic Park was a historic one for Kara Barnard, who won her hometown race for a record ninth time. Leaving the field behind by the halfway point of the 6.2-mile course, she coasted to her fourth 10K victory in 36:56. Huntington Palisades resident Lauren Aspell won her first 5K in 20:42. Palisades High senior Malcolm Creer was one of six running backs voted to the 2010 Media All-City First-Team in football after averaging over 10.5 yards per carry and scoring 19 touchdowns in 13 games. Junior Kathryn Gaskin pumped in a school-record 27 goals for the Palisades High soccer team, which won the Western League and reached the City Section quarterfinals. Sophomore outside hitter Molly Kornfeind was chosen Division II Player of the Year in the City Section and was named First-Team All-Western League for the second year in a row after leading Palisades High to the Division II championship. Blake Anthony captured two titles at the Junior Open in La Canada in July–the boys’ 16s singles and the 18s doubles crown. Years never slow down ageless wonder Lee Calvert, who continues to pile up medal after medal at global competitions. Now well into her 80s, she teamed with Imre Bereknyei to win the gold medal at the Senior International combined 130+ age mixed doubles division at the U.S. Open Badminton Championships. She and Mary Jo Randall of Canada for the silver medal in ladies doubles. Walker Kehrer and Stanford teammate Greg Hirshman won the Pac-10 Invitational Doubles title in Ojai in April. UCLA senior Kai Forbath had another great season for the Bruins. Last year’s Lou Groza Award winner was named Pac-10 Special Teams Player of the Week in November after booting a 51-yard field goal as time expired to beat Oregon State, 17-14, at the Rose Bowl–his 10th career field goal from 50 or more yards. Former Marymount High and Sports Shack club standout Madison Wojciechowski, a senior libero on the Penn women’s volleyball team, enjoyed the finest season of her collegiate career. On Senior Night she broke the Ivy League record for digs in the Quakers? 25-20, 25-10, 25-17 victory over Cornell. Chalk up another winning campaign for kickboxer Baxter Humby, who beat Atlanta’s Harris Norwood by unanimous decision in May at the Hollywood Park Casino. It was the 69th professional victory for the “One-Armed Bandit.” She’s no longer filling the nets in high school, but the winning beat kicks on for Amanda Lisberger, who guided her Camarillo Eagles’ U23 team to a 2-1 victory over the Arizona Rush Nike in the finals of the U.S. National Soccer championships in July. Lisberger also played for the Texas women’s team and the Santa Clarita Blue Heat of the USL W-League. Pitchers Julian Achez and Nick Poulos were outstanding on the mound for the Palisades High varsity baseball team. Achez was the staff ace, logging the most innings, while Poulos pitched three shutouts and beat Bell in the first round of the City Division I playoffs.

Season’s Greetings from the Palisadian-Post Staff

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Editorial (clockwise from left): Libby Motika, Steve Galluzzo, Danielle Gillespie, Rich Schmitt, Bill Bruns and Sue Pascoe. Photo: Tom Hofer Administration (left to right): Sharon Reynolds, Julie Antle, Jolene Knight, Cheryel Kanan. Seated: Roberta Donohue. Graphics (left to right) Manfred Hofer, Tom Hofer and Ed Lowe. Advertising (left to right): Grace Hiney, Kendy Veazie and Jeff Ridgway. Production (clockwise from left): Jonathan Merwitzer, Gregory Morataya, Angel Rosas, Keith McDaniel, Jim Reynolds and Manuel Tavarez.
Editorial (clockwise from left): Libby Motika, Steve Galluzzo, Danielle Gillespie, Rich Schmitt, Bill Bruns and Sue Pascoe. Photo: Tom Hofer Administration (left to right): Sharon Reynolds, Julie Antle, Jolene Knight, Cheryel Kanan. Seated: Roberta Donohue. Graphics (left to right) Manfred Hofer, Tom Hofer and Ed Lowe. Advertising (left to right): Grace Hiney, Kendy Veazie and Jeff Ridgway. Production (clockwise from left): Jonathan Merwitzer, Gregory Morataya, Angel Rosas, Keith McDaniel, Jim Reynolds and Manuel Tavarez.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Administration   Publisher Roberta Donohue was born and raised in Pacific Palisades, where her father, Rocco Ross, owned the Mobil station. In 1972, she was hired by the Palisadian-Post as a typesetter in the Graphics Department. She was promoted to various positions in the business department, eventually becoming publisher in 1987. Married for 37 years, Roberta and husband Rich have a daughter, Jenny, a Loyola Marymount junior studying graphic design and art history. An active member of the Chamber of Commerce for more than 20 years, Roberta served as its president in 2000 and received its 2005 Mort Farberow Businessperson of the Year Award. Business manager Cheryel Kanan has been with the Post for 26 years. A 47-year resident of the Palisades, she is proud of her five children and eight grandchildren. Cheryel has been active with the Chamber of Commerce since 1983, served as president in 1993, and received its 2006 Mort Farberow Businessperson of the Year Award. She serves on various boards, including the Fourth of July parade committee and Santa Monica Family YMCA. Office manager Sharon Reynolds has been in charge of circulation since 1989. She moved to California from Missouri when she was a high school junior and met husband Jim, the Post’s production manager. They have been married for 47 years and have two daughters, a son, five grandchildren, and a great-grandson. Office assistant Jolene Knight works four days a week in three departments. A Westside and Palisades native, she attended local schools and UCLA. Jolene has a son and a grandson, and she bakes a mean banana bread! Receptionist Julie Antle began working at the Post in August 2009. She moved from Maryland to Los Angeles in 1987 and attended Santa Monica High. Julie enjoys concerts and movies. For 21 years, she’s been a proud collector of all things Snoopy. She lives in West L.A. with her daughter, Dej’. Editorial Managing editor Bill Bruns worked for Life magazine and TV Guide and co-authored a dozen books before joining the Post in 1993. He and his wife Pam have been Palisades residents for 38 years, and their children, Alan and Allison (Mininsky), both graduated from PaliHi. Bill is especially proud of his first grandchild, Sean Perry Mininsky, age 2. Alan and wife Kara are expecting their first child (a daughter) in February. Senior editor Libby Motika heads the Lifestyle section. She grew up in Brentwood and worked for several publications before coming to the Post in 1993. Her enthusiasms run from poetry and art to early-morning bicycle rides and gardening. Libby enjoys spending time with her two children, one on each coast, and her sweetheart Tom.  When he’s not scrambling around the Los Angeles area covering games, sports editor Steve Galluzzo is watching or playing them (especially tennis and soccer). He graduated from Cal State Northridge with a degree in journalism and has been with the Post for 12 years. This eligible bachelor is an active member of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International. Sue Pascoe has been a staff writer at the Post for the past five years and has lived in the Palisades since 1994. Her husband, John, works for American Airlines, daughter Shelby is a freshman at Ithaca College, Sawyer is a junior at PaliHi and Reece is an eighth grader at Paul Revere. Staff writer Danielle Gillespie joined the Post in January 2008. A native of Hermiston, Oregon, she graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in journalism and communication. She worked as a reporter at the News-Review in Roseburg, Oregon, before moving to Los Angeles with husband Peter, a video editor and videographer for Juris Productions. Staff photographer Rich Schmitt received a graduate degree from New York University. Nearly nine years at the Post, the Long Island native has won National Newspaper Association and CNPA awards. He also tackles numerous freelance assignments that take him coast to coast.   Palisades resident Nancy Bryan has volunteered as the Post’s copy editor since 2002. Married for 41 years to husband Ed, she has two children, Wendy and Greg, as well as a grandson, Bix, and a granddaughter, Silver. Previously, Nancy was an editor for The Rand Corporation and The J. Paul Getty Trust. Graphics     Celebrating his 26th year at the Post, Palisadian Ed Lowe is the Graphics Department manager. He is an avid muscle-car enthusiast and a certified advanced Nordic walking instructor. Ed enjoys sport fishing in La Paz and hiking in Temescal Canyon. He has volunteered his time throughout the years for the Chamber of Commerce. Manfred Hofer has worked as a graphic artist at the Post since 1982. A bebop fan, he digs Miles, Mingus, Mobley, Monk and Morgan. He’s an intermittent traveler, having roamed the United States in search of the oldest minor league baseball park still in use, and flew to London last year for a reunion of ’70s glam-rock superstars Mott the Hoople.   Tom Hofer has worked in the Graphics Department for 21 years. A proud UCLA graduate, he spends his time away from paginating the Post creating art, solving crosswords and Sudoku, writing and playing music, and developing his photographic skills. Production Since 1978, production manager Jim Reynolds has had the responsibility of making sure commercial printing jobs and the newspaper get out on time. Jim has a collection of NASCAR toys. During football season, he follows the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cincinnati Bengals. He still flirts with his wife of 47 years, Sharon Reynolds, the Post’s circulation director.   A 17-year veteran of the Post, Manuel Tavarez operates the Heidelberg two-color press. He is a native of Zapotlanejo, which is in the heart of Mexico’s tequila industry. His daughter Silvia, 21, will graduate from UC Irvine this year; son David, 19, will graduate from Santa Monica College, hoping to go to USC; Erica is 13, and Daniel is 7. Keith McDaniel joined the Post in 2000 as a press operator. He lives in Pico Rivera with wife Carol, who works for Bank of America, and daughters Kayla and Katie. Katie plays piano and swims, Kayla plays soccer and likes to sing. Keith enjoys biking, running, and playing acoustic guitar. Pressman’s assistant Gregory Morataya is a four-year employee. Raised in Silver Lake, he attended John Marshall High School, then spent two years in Florida working in construction and painting. He is a big fan of UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships) and the Lakers. He enjoys traveling and going to Vegas for fun. Born in Mexico City, the Post’s Lead Man Angel Rosas moved to Los Angeles 37 years ago. He has been married for 33 years and has two grown children. Angel spends Saturdays golfing and reserves Sundays for church, family and an occasional movie. Lifelong Pacific Palisades resident Jonathan Merwitzer has been the Post’s circulation assistant for six years. He enjoys martial arts, the Dodgers and the Lakers. Advertising   An English major in college, Grace Hiney first applied to the Post’s Advertising Department in 1971. When asked if she could write a restaurant review, she replied, ‘I guess so.’ She has been the restaurant editor and account executive ever since. An avid home cook and 45-year resident of the Palisades, Grace has two children and five grandchildren.   Longtime Palisades resident Jeff Ridgway has been at the Post for nearly six years and enjoys starting every morning with a nice cup of espresso. He grew up in Sacramento and attended UC Davis, where he majored in English. He is still obsessed with Sudoku on the New York Times Web site.   A native of Tennessee, Kendy Veazie lives in the Palisades and has worked for the Post for eight years. She volunteers for various charities and enjoys traveling, yoga and independent cinema.

Presbyterian Pastor Hagmaier Settles In

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Reverend Dan Hagmaier has moved from Florida to become the new pastor at Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church.
Reverend Dan Hagmaier has moved from Florida to become the new pastor at Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

When newly appointed Palisades Presbyterian Church Pastor Dan Hagmaier took up his duties in late November, he had a pretty good idea of what the church wanted in its spiritual leader.   Celebrating its 60th year, Palisades Presbyterian is a well-established parish with an active and involved community, religious education program and preschool. In the last decade, the church rebuilt the sanctuary and expanded the classroom facilities in a building campaign that demonstrated the congregation’s serious commitment to their church and to leadership. But, stable, long-term leadership has been lacking ever since Rev. John Todd, who served as pastor for 18 years retired in 2004.   After interim pastor Charles Svendsen took over the pulpit, Rev. Ed Brandt was hired as permanent pastor in 2006. But Brandt, active in the National Guard, was called to active duty in Iraq in October 2008, leaving the church without a pastor, and upon his return he announced his departure in October 2009.   With this history, the congregation had certain ideas about the kind of pastor they were looking for, Hagmaier told the Palisadian-Post.   ’I think that what was most important to the congregation was to have a pastor who cares, who would build relationships with the members and who would be a leader.’   Hagmaier also learned that the members of the Presbyterian nominating committee insisted on visiting him in the church he had been serving for past two years.   The parish in question, located in Fort Myers, a beach resort on Florida’s southwest coast, was in turmoil, with the threat of splitting apart. Hagmaier had originally been called to facilitate the split, but soon learned that the original parish that at one time counted 900 members, 38 staff and three ministers, was in danger of falling apart following the split.   ’I said that if it meant putting my name in the hat to save the parish, I would,’ Hagmaier says. He served as ‘designated pastor,’ a minister who is contracted by the congregation for a limited two-year term to provide the kind of leadership needed to assist the church in charting a new direction, experiencing a major trauma or bridging a difficult transition.   Hagmaier did bring stability to the church, tripled the attendance in the two years he served, and was invited to stay on as the parish’s senior pastor.   But he and his wife Jaye J., who is originally from Orange County, were ready for a change and interviewed with several churches, including a church in Orange County and Palisades Presbyterian.   God works in mysterious ways, says Hagmaier, who believes that somehow it was destined that he would find a fit in Pacific Palisades. After his interview at the Orange County church and an invitation to accept the pastor’s position, Hagmaier asked for five days to think it over. The night before he was to give his answer, Palisades Presbyterian called and offered the job as designated pastor. An outgoing, youthful man, who loves to dance and finds a joyful partner in his wife, Hagmaier feels his strengths match the Palisades needs.   ’I have a passion for preaching,’ he says, adding that with his solid background in both scripture and ancient languages’Greek and Hebrew’he is able to bring the original intent of the Bible to bear.   He is also strong on relationships, intent on reaching out to all sectors of the church. He revealed, almost in amazement, his afternoon at the Palisades Presbyterian women’s annual cookie exchange. ‘It was the first time a pastor had ever attended the party,’ he says, savoring how the women exchange with one another homemade cookies of all flavors and shapes, which are then placed in baskets and delivered to homebound parishioners.   Hagmaier intends to set a new tone, provide leadership from the top and a positive attitude. He is quick to praise the his parish associates, Rev. Eric Schaefer, who oversees the youth ministry, Rev. Grace Park, who works with pastoral care and officiates at Sunday services, the men and women who serve as deacons and elders, and myriad other positions at the parish.   Hagmaier, 51, sees himself getting to know each member of the parish and providing a welcoming, comfortable environment. With membership having declined (currently at 352) over the last six to seven years, he has already begun contacting former parishioners, to introduce himself and let them know of his presence.   ’My office door is normally open 99 percent of the time, so anytime you wish to stop by and say hello, simply walk in,’ he wrote in his weekly e-mail newsletter.   Hagmaier and his wife will celebrate Christmas with his 18-year-old son Shane, who is flying in from Florida to join them at their rented house in the Highlands (the church house is rented until next summer). Hagmaier also has a 23-year-old daughter, Shawna, who lives in Florida.

PaliHi Strives to Improve Scores, Bolster Teaching

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Palisades Charter High School administrators are taking measures to improve the school’s Academic Performance Index (API) and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) scores.   API is a state standard that measures every public school’s progress from year to year and is based on test results from the Standardized Testing and Reporting program (STAR), the California High School Exit Examination and the California Alternate Performance Assessment.   In the past three years, PaliHi has improved its API score schoolwide by 22 points from 797 to 819. Granada Hills Charter High School, which is larger than PaliHi but has similar demographics, scored 874. Nearby University High, Santa Monica High and Venice High posted lower than 800.   ’Our goal is to gain 20 points in the next five years,’ Director of Instruction Richard Thomas told the PaliHi board at its December 14 meeting.   The school must also meet AYP, a federal No Child Left Behind mandate that looks at the same standardized tests as API but requires that a certain percentage of students in each subgroup score proficient or above in math and English. The subgroups include: every ethnic group, students with disabilities, English learners and socio-economically disadvantaged students.   The threshold rises every year, and in 2010, high schools were required to have 54.8 percent of students in each subgroup score proficient or above in math and 55.6 percent in English.   PaliHi’s students with disabilities, English learners and African Americans did not meet the standards in both math and English. Socio-economically disadvantaged students also did not fulfill the requirements in English; therefore, PaliHi did not meet Adequate Yearly Progress.   ’It is critical to address these scores since we are in the first year of Program Improvement,’ Thomas said, explaining that Program Improvement (PI) means the school did not make AYP two consecutive years and must implement changes to improve scores.   If a school remains in PI for four years, the school is required to set up an alternative governance plan, which can include replacing all or most of the teachers and administrators or contracting with an outside entity to manage the school.   Principal Marcia Haskin told the board that she and four other PaliHi administrators have visited 80 classes since the beginning of the school year to evaluate teachers. A peer assistance review team is being created to assist under-performing teachers.   ’I don’t want the teacher doing a dog and pony show,’ Haskin said. ‘I ask them ‘What are you doing to engage the learner?”   She and the other administrators give the teachers tips on how to involve the entire class in the lesson. Haskin is also asking teachers to analyze the testing data, so they can better target their instruction.   ’I can’t tell you how proud I am of the work that has been done this semester,’ she said.   Starting next semester, specific students will be required to receive tutoring. The students will be assigned to a study hall period with a student tutor and a teacher. The school now has a tutoring center, where students can voluntarily obtain help.    Once a month, Haskin will host parent support groups using the Ojai Foundation’s council program’s methods, which she describes as ‘a process of communication where people sit in a circle, listening and speaking from the heart.’ Parents will be encouraged to talk about their concerns and how they perceive their roles in helping their child academically.   In addition, administrators plan to closely monitor English learners. Haskin plans to ensure that all teachers are effectively using an approach called SDAIE (Specially Designed Instruction in English), which is designed to give students skills in both the subject matter and the English language.   At the December 14 meeting, Thomas also pointed to the low math scores as an area that needs improvement. Fifty-five percent of all students were not proficient in algebra 1, and 73 percent were not proficient in geometry, according to the 2010 California Standards Test (CST) results.   Seventy-five percent of African Americans and 65 percent of Hispanics/Latinos were not proficient in algebra 1, while 86 percent of African Americans and 75 percent of Hispanics/Latinos were not proficient in geometry. Sixty-two percent of white students were not proficient in geometry and 48 percent in algebra 2.   Furthermore, there was a significant decrease by the freshmen on their CST scores from 2009 to 2010 in algebra 1 and geometry. The students dropped from 81 percent scoring proficient or above to 70 percent and 72 percent to 46 percent, respectively.   In response, Haskin said she intends to visit every math classroom to evaluate the teachers starting in January.   In addition, Thomas said that the academic achievement gap between whites and Asians and African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos has widened in the past three years.   In 2010, African Americans were the lowest performing group on campus with an API score of 709 and Hispanics/Latinos were the second lowest with a score of 760. Asians secured 905 and whites 889.   Despite scoring the lowest, African Americans have made progress, increasing their API score by 25 points since 2008. Haskin attributes the success to the Village Nation program, where African-American students attend assemblies to discuss cultural and academics issues, participate in community service projects and work with an adult mentor.   ’It is giving them extra attention and understanding of their ethnicities,’ Haskin said.   The Village Nation program will be expanded next semester to include Hispanics/Latinos with the goal of improving their test scores.   Overall, Haskin believes that students will perform better academically if teachers expect more from them. She would like to see students enrolled in ‘regular’ classes assigned the same work as those in ‘honors’ and ‘advanced placement’ classes.   She told the board that she will provide updates monthly on the progress made.   ’Hopefully, we will see a bump up this year,’ Haskin said.

Storms Drop 7.99 Inches

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During a respite from the storms battering Pacific Palisades, local photographer Jim Kinney hiked about a mile up Temescal Canyon on Monday morning to capture this scene along the creek. A day earlier, the creek was described as
During a respite from the storms battering Pacific Palisades, local photographer Jim Kinney hiked about a mile up Temescal Canyon on Monday morning to capture this scene along the creek. A day earlier, the creek was described as

A shopper at Gelson’s in Pacific Palisades on Tuesday groused, ‘When is this rain going to stop?’   He was understandably miffed, after the town received 7.99 inches of rain from last Friday through Tuesday at 10:43 a.m. This brought the season total to 11.70 inches, versus 6.26 inches a year ago, and the normal of 3.22 inches.   ’We still have a long ways to go to break the record of 42.60 inches in 1997-98,’ said Carol Leacock, the town’s official rainmeister, who lives on Bienveneda Avenue. ‘But we’ve nearly tripled the driest year on record’4.11 inches in 2006-07.’

Residents and Conservancy Discuss Reopening of Temescal Canyon Pool

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Since unveiling its business plan in September 2009 for reopening the swimming pool in Temescal Gateway Park, Friends of the Temescal Pool has been negotiating with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.   ’We have had three substantive meetings with the Conservancy to explore concrete solutions to reopen the pool for the benefit of all involved: The Conservancy, the park and the people,’ said Jane Albrecht, president of Friends of the Temescal Pool, a nonprofit organization that formed in August 2008.   The Palisades-Malibu YMCA operated the pool until February 2008, at which time the facility was closed for repairs estimated to cost $400,000. In the following months, the Y and Conservancy were unable to reach a lease agreement.   In December 2008, the Conservancy board decided to develop a long-term plan for Temescal Gateway Park before possibly offering a new pool lease to the Y or another entity. Declaring liability concerns, the board also chose to temporarily fill in the empty pool with gravel and dirt and cover it with grass.   In an effort to resurrect the pool, Friends presented a business plan to about 70 community members at the Aldersgate Retreat Center in September 2009. The business plan can be viewed on the group’s Web site: friendstemescalpool.org. Palisades resident Steve Bellamy, owner of the Palisades Tennis Center, is interested in serving as the pool’s operator.   At the meeting, Albrecht gave copies of the business plan to various elected officials. Since then, ‘We have enjoyed and are grateful for the support of L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, State Senator Fran Pavley and State Assemblywoman Julia Brownley,’ Albrecht said.   Conservancy Executive Director Joe Edmiston declined to attend the Aldersgate meeting. He later began discussing the plan with Friends because ‘We were requested by various elected officials to open a dialogue,’ Edmiston told the Palisadian-Post.   Albrecht and Edmiston agreed that they are not at a point in their conversations to discuss specifics with the Post.   ’Right now, our board decision is still the same,’ Edmiston said in reference to the vote taken at the December 2008 meeting.   Edmiston continued that many groups want to use Temescal Gateway Park on a short-term and long-term basis; therefore, it’s important to have a plan outlining what will be permitted in the 141-acre open parkland, which contains miles of hiking trails connecting to Topanga State Park and Will Rogers State Historic Park. The state’s budget crisis has halted the planning process. In addition to the negotiations, Friends is also moving forward with its lawsuit. In January 2009, the organization filed a lawsuit against the Conservancy and its partner, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, demanding the pool be reopened and that the Conservancy pay the costs.   The Conservancy filed a motion to dismiss the case, and L.A. Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Allen White ruled in the Conservancy’s favor in June 2009. Friends immediately appealed the ruling to the California Court of Appeals. Since then, the Conservancy has filed a reply and Friends has submitted a rebuttal. The parties are now waiting for a court date.   Despite the fact that Palisades Charter High School recently opened a 12-lane competition and two-lane teaching pool in October, Albrecht said she believes that the Pacific Palisades community still needs a second pool.    ‘We are thrilled with the opening of the PaliHi pool and continue to support the school’s efforts to make it a resounding success,’ she said. ‘However, while the PaliHi pool will meet some of the needs for aquatic services in the community, it cannot meet all the community’s needs.’   Albrecht acknowledged that PaliHi officials have made a significant effort to make the pool available to the public. Mondays through Fridays, the pool is open to the community for lap swimming from 5:30 to 7:30 a.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. The pool is also available Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.   However, the aquatic center cannot be open in the late mornings and early afternoons while school is in session. The Temescal pool could provide all-day lap swimming and recreational swim to the general public year-round.   Friends members researched the demand for swimming facilities as part of its business plan. They counted the number of pools within a 20- to 30-minute drive and spoke to the heads of those pools about their usage.   ’We discovered that there is far more demand than there are facilities available,’ Albrecht said.

Victoria Schammel, Highlands Realtor

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Victoria Schammel, a longtime resident of Pacific Palisades, lost her swift but courageous battle with cancer on November 15 at the age of 63.   The middle child of three sisters, Victoria was born on September 29, 1947, at Santa Monica Hospital and grew up in Pacific Palisades, Westwood and Bel-Air. She graduated magna cum laude from Marymount High School and worked for a number of years in the entertainment industry.   Always one to enjoy people and family, Victoria started her real estate career in 1987 with the Jon Douglas Company. Before her passing, she was in the well-known real estate partnership of Sharon & John & Victoria for over 10 years, specializing in the Palisades Highlands.   Victoria had a life filled with joyful events, friendship and career success. Her fun-loving spirit, her sweetness, her love of friends, family and horses, her enjoyment of the game of golf and good red wine, and her beautiful smile will forever remain in the memories of all those who knew and loved her.   She is survived by her loving family, including her father William Schammel, sisters Sharon Schammel and Roxanne Denoyer, brother-in-law Michael Denoyer, nephew Craig Natvig, niece Katie Denoyer and her life partner, Craig Bradley. Her mother, Marijune Schammel, passed away just one week after Victoria.   In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the USC Norris Cancer Center, Los Angeles.

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