Jane Arthur, a former resident of Pacific Palisades, passed away in Missoula, Montana, on February 8, after a short illness. She was 91 years old. Jane had lived in the Palisades from 1948 to 2000, and was greatly attached to her home on Embury Street, as well as to the Palisades community. With some reluctance, she left the Palisades to be near her son Jim and his wife Kristi. While residing here, Jane worked for 20 years as an administrator for UCLA Extension. After her retirement, she became an active member of St. Matthew’s Church, where she served on the Altar Guild, and with the Assistance League of Santa Monica. Most importantly, she enjoyed the companionship and company of her family, as well as the many friends she had in the area. Predeceased by her husband, James Arthur, in 1972, Jane is survived by her son, James, Jr. (wife Kristi) of Missoula; daughter Susan Watson of Sausalito, California; granddaughter Cindy Welch of Escondido; granddaughter Beth Arthur of Phoenix; and great-granddaughter Lauren Welch and great-grandson Alec Welch. A private ceremony will be held later this year at St. Matthew’s Church, where Jane’s ashes will be interred.
Kathleen Barienbrock, 104-Year-Old Canyon Resident, World Traveler
Kathleen Scott Barienbrock, a 68-year resident of Santa Monica Canyon, died on February 2. She was 104 years old. Born in Germiston, South Africa, in 1905, Kathleen immigrated to Santa Monica, via Ellis Island, along with her family in 1923 and began working for what has now become Wells Fargo Bank. While on a cruise in British Columbia, she met fellow traveler Fred Barienbrock, a young architect from the Santa Monica area. They married in 1930 and settled in Santa Monica, where their son Gordon was born. In 1942, the Barienbrocks moved into the home Fred designed and built on San Lorenzo Street in S. M. Canyon. Active in many civic associations, especially related to the canyon, Kathleen remained in the home until her death. ’Kathleen wrote me on her dues envelope about eight years ago, relating that she had to be a member because the association was formed in her living room, about 1964,’ recalled George Wolfberg, current president of the Santa Monica Canyon Civic Association. ‘I used to see her all the time working on the landscape in her yard. She lived a long block from Entrada and used to walk down and take the bus to the Palisades to shop.’ From 1952 until 1970, Kathleen worked as an executive assistant for a number of local businesses, including the Santa Monica Land & Water Company. Following her retirement, she and Fred spent a year traveling through Europe in a VW camper. They brought the camper to California and a few years later traveled down the newly completed Baja Highway. Kathleen was often seen in the Pacific Palisades/Santa Monica area along with her sister, Sheila Thompson. The two never lived more than five miles apart until Sheila’s death in 2001 at age 92. Both sisters enjoyed traveling and visited Ireland together after they were widowed. Kathleen’s most recent trip was in 2002, when she rode the train from Calgary across the Canadian Rockies to Vancouver. Her family will gather in May on what would have been her 105th birthday to celebrate her life. Since 1925, Kathleen had been a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica. She is survived by her son Gordon of Newport Beach, and granddaughters Nadia and Vanessa.
Richard Ver Steeg, 85; Former American Legion Commander
Richard William ‘Dick’ Ver Steeg, a resident of Pacific Palisades since 1982, passed away peacefully on January 25. He was 85 years old. Born on July 30, 1924 in Des Moines, Iowa, Dick moved to California with his mother Ruth and father Clarence in 1928, traveling in a Model T touring car along Route 66 to Los Angeles. After graduating from Gardena High School in 1942, Dick enlisted in the Navy and served as an aerographer’s mate in the Pacific until 1946. Following his honorable discharge in 1946, Dick attended Whittier College (class of 1948). It was there that Dick first met his future wife, Donna Lorraine Frank (class of 1951), while performing in school theatrical productions. In 1949, Dick began teaching at a junior high school in Victorville. Assigned to teach a ninth grade ‘dumbbell math’ class, he recognized that the students weren’t dumb ‘ they simply had different needs. He divided the class into smaller groups and provided curriculum targeted to each group’s needs. The keen observations, patience, and teaching skills that Dick demonstrated with that math class proved to be hallmarks of his career. Dick and Donna continued to see each other despite her enrollment at the Stanford University School of Nursing, many miles from Victorville. They became engaged in 1950 and, that summer, Dick moved to San Francisco, where he continued teaching at a junior high school. He and Donna were married November 23, 1950 at St. John’s Presbyterian Church in San Francisco. In 1951, Dick was offered a management training position at Prudential Insurance. Their first child, Juliana Marie, was born in 1953; in 1954, Prudential Insurance and the family moved down the peninsula to Menlo Park. In 1958, their second child, Anne Lorraine, was born and Dick was offered a job at Systems Development Corporation (SDC) in Santa Monica. At SDC, Dick found an opportunity to exercise his talent for teaching by developing training materials and curriculum for complex systems. Dick remained with SDC until his retirement. From 1959 to 1967, Dick and his family were on the move with SDC: Newburgh, New York; Tacoma, Washington; Grand Forks, North Dakota; San Rafael (where their third child, Richard Bruce, was born); and finally back to Santa Monica. The family settled in, with all three children graduating from Santa Monica High School’but SDC still kept Dick on the move, sending him at various times on extended business trips to Illinois, Boston and Turkey. Dick earned his master’s degree and a letter of commendation from the University of Southern California’s Institute of Safety and Systems Management in 1970. After their youngest child moved out in 1982, Dick and Donna looked for a new home and found what they were looking for in Pacific Palisades just a few blocks from the village. Dick retired from SDC/Unisys in 1989 and set to work enjoying his new community. He joined American Legion Post 283 and served as Post Commander in 1997-98. He and Donna became regular patrons of village restaurants and businesses, and attending the Fourth of July parade became a tradition for them and their extended family. In 1971, Dick started drawing stick-figure cartoons for his own amusement and for the family Christmas cards. For 29 years he illuminated the key moments of his family’s life with pithy, humorous drawings. He drew from his experience of spending much time working and playing with his family. He taught his children how to fix and build things, and to share work equally. A celebration of Dick’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 20, at Legion Post 283 on La Cruz. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the West Los Angeles Fisher House Foundation (www.westlafisherhouse.org) or the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org or (800) 272-3900).
Retiring Rabbi Sheryl Lewart Will Be Honored on Sunday
When Rabbi Sheryl Lewart joined the Kehillat Israel congregation a dozen years ago, she was excited although not quite certain how she would fit in with two strong, charismatic men’Rabbi Steven Carr Reuben and Cantor Chayim Frenkel’let alone the Jewish patriarchal foundation. ‘Right from the beginning,’ Lewart recalls, ‘Steven was open and generous of heart and even though I was the associate, he was eager to have it be more of partnership, and to keep it from being hierarchical.’ Lewart did carve out a vital role in service to the KI community for which she will be honored with a tribute featuring keynote speaker Gloria Steinem on February 21 at the Skirball Cultural Center. One of the first female Reconstructionist rabbis to be ordained, Lewart plans to retire in May to pursue more study and teaching. KI was the first full-time position for Lewart, who came to the rabbinate in mid-life, following a traditional path, with marriage, raising two children and operating an antique store. She returned to school in 1988 to study at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Philadelphia. She was ordained in 1994. The Reconstructionist movement, primarily an American form of Judaism, emphasizes a more modern approach to Jewish custom, aiming toward communal decision-making through a process of education and distillation of values from traditional Jewish sources. The Reconstructionist movement is the newest movement in Judaism, and the school, founded in 1967, has always admitted women. ‘Thank goodness for that,’ Lewart says. ‘It was hard enough in every other area.’ Lewart did encounter skeptics within her adopted congregation, especially among some of the older members. ‘They wanted the father figure, especially around issues of death and dying,’ Lewart recalls. ‘They were not willing to know me. Older gentlemen would come up to me and say ‘Honey, so nice to see you,’ not having a clue. It was always surprising where patriarchy would rise up. But I was always respectful, and over time one’s reputation becomes the best way to be seen as a caring human being.’ For Lewart, it was the call to spirituality that not only led her to study Jewish theology, but also motivated her ministry. ‘My focus was bringing a sense of increased spirituality to the congregation.’ One of the first things she did when she arrived in California in the summer of 1998 to join KI staff was to get involved with the Institute of Jewish Spirituality, a national gathering of rabbis who look at esoteric, meditative and Eastern traditions. Lewart pursued her studies further with the Sisters of Mercy’s Mercy Center Burlingame, known worldwide for its pioneering work in spiritual direction. Over the two-year program, Lewart would fly to the Bay Area once a month for two days of study and prayer. For the KI community, Lewart taught the growth of spirituality through social responsibility. ‘People who are affluent have a responsibility not only to give back, but also to train and expose our children to walk in that path,’ she says. ‘The challenge is to find a place of humility and gratitude and from there comes generosity.’ Lewart also felt it important for Jews to deepen their knowledge of their religion through a course of adult education. ‘We are always learning to realize our lives, to grow our souls, our hearts and friendship community. That comes out of study and learning and leads to action.’ In the years since she started the Jewish primer, participation has been steadily growing, she says. ‘Over the years, it has been gratifying to see the numbers reach more than a couple of hundred for this course,’ she says. A typical week for Rabbi Lewart is awe-inspiring. It begins with preparatory work on the Torah portion that will be read and discussed at the Friday evening and Saturday morning Shabbat services. There are baby namings, marriages, funerals and new-home blessings. There are visits to the hospital, counseling and even meeting with young women who are working for their Gold Level in Girl Scouts. Lewart’s respect for and engagement with women has certainly been another keystone of her ministry at KI. ’The focus comes back to expanding and deepening the Jewish practice by considering different voices, not just male voices, but women’s stories, as well as other traditions perhaps more subtle, mystical traditions, contemplative traditions both in Judaism and Christianity and finding God’s presence and holiness in nature, silence, a baby’s cry.’ Last year, Lewart published her first book, ‘Change Happens: Owning the Jewish Holidays in a Reconstructionist Tradition,’ which offers understanding Judaism in a Reconstructionist context. She is currently working on a second book in which she is taking the weekly blessings from the Bible and the book of Psalms and organizing them around people’s lives as an aid in times of loss, celebration and gratitude. As she looks over the past 12 years, Lewart points to several high points. ‘What is still vivid in my memory is the way the community came together after 9/11 and this remains a moving part of my life. It is very intensely spiritual to heal together as a community.’ She is also proud of the success of the Jewish Learning Initiative at KI, the adult education programs that provides an umbrella for a living, breathing entity. When Lewart arrived at KI, the congregation numbered 550; now it is over 1,000. ‘Often people approach me who want to learn and ask questions. I don’t know if they are Jewish or not,’ she says. ‘These new members are singles who are looking to understand this really ancient tradition, people in mixed marriages, and empty nesters who now have time to approach their own spirituality. They want to figure out questions like ‘Why am I here? What is life all about?” ’This is the most open and welcoming community,’ Lewart says. ‘What I hold in my heart is getting to be a part of families’ lives and offering support.’ Lewart and her husband of 10 years, Bob Auerbach (‘the gift of my life’), live in the Sunset Mesa neighborhood (near the Getty Villa), so she will not be going away. She will spend time on her studies and teaching, and also with her son Mark Shulewitz and his wife Sarah in the Bay Area, as well as her daughter Judy Amidor and son-in-law Boaz and their two children, Ohr and Eitan, who live in Israel. ‘I am so grateful for this amazing, wonderful ride,’ Lewart says. ‘It has been a great part of my life.’
Ignacio Romero, Friendly Blue Bus Driver
If you depend on the Big Blue Bus line No. 9 to travel between Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades weekday mornings, you know Ignacio Romero”even if you don’t know him by name. The mustached bus driver cuts a distinctive presence with his sunglasses, his uniform, the number 7 on the silver pendant pinned to his black vest”all topped with a dark beret that may suggest a hint of military commando. However, front and center are the warm greetings and the avuncular smile Romero offers his riders as they board and depart his bus. ‘Working for the Big Blue Bus is a privilege,’ Romero told the Palisadian-Post last week. Likewise, Santa Monica’s bus company thinks highly of him. On February 2, the City of Santa Monica honored Romero” alongside other municipal service people, such as dedicated employees of the police and fire departments”at a service awards ceremony. The City singled out Romero from among some 300 employees of Big Blue Bus, presenting the veteran driver (or motor coach operator, as he is officially classified by his employer) with a certificate, a ring and a gold watch, to honor his 30 years of service. ‘Everyone is excellent,’ Romero said. ‘I have a good relationship with all of the drivers and with the public.’ Just like the days of the week, no two trips are alike. ‘Every trip is a new adventure, even if it’s a small one,’ said the 60-year-old Palmdale resident, who has been married to wife Ruthie (whom he met at a Venice High School party) for nearly 40 years. The couple has three daughters: Elizabeth, a teacher in Antelope Valley; Serena, who lives in Valencia and gave birth to their first grandchild, Jadon, two years ago; and Gina, a registered nurse in Massachusetts. When he’s not working, Romero sometimes operates a bus of his own”a Winnebago”that he likes to drive up to Lake Elizabeth or Lake Hughes to go fishing. The City of Santa Monica’s bus system, however, is his daily domain. ‘The people on board, we call them ‘precious cargo,” said Romero, whose driving record, after three decades, remains impeccable: not one accident. Ignatio Romero, Jr. (his friends call him ‘Nacho’) was born in Tepatitlan, Mexico, to Ignatio, a construction worker, and Juanita, a homemaker. In a family of five brothers and three sisters, Romero was the baby boy. In the same year the Beatles invaded America, Romero’s family moved to America in 1964. Romero was 14 when they settled in Santa Monica, where he attended John Adams Junior High and Santa Monica High. ‘It was very hard going to school and not knowing the language,’ he said, adding with a laugh, ‘I’m still picking it up!’ After graduating, Romero worked for a few years as a truck driver for the now-defunct Bush Moving and Storage before segueing into the bus-driving profession. Romero originally worked the No. 2 line (Venice/UCLA) and drove various other routes before settling into No. 9 about six years ago. Beginning at Olympic Boulevard and Avenida Mazatlan every weekday at 5:40 a.m., he makes seven round trips daily from downtown Santa Monica to western Marquez Avenue (at Sunset Boulevard) in the Palisades. Each trip takes about an hour to complete. ‘What I like about the 9, it’s the same people,’ Romero said. Citizens such as the 84-year-old doctor who boarded the bus last week in downtown Santa Monica wearing a vintage purplish suit and fedora. Or the 45-year-old woman who talks about her relationship problems. Or the senior citizen at the Mesa Road stop who rides up the hill to go shopping in the Palisades. Or the eccentric property owner who gets on in Santa Monica and blows Romero kisses after exiting the bus at San Vicente and Seventh Street. Years ago, Romero recalled, he used to drive members of the Marquez family into Santa Monica Canyon. One relative even invited him to San Lorenzo Street to visit the Marquez family’s private cemetery (Romero never took her up on it). Romero realizes how crucial his service is. A healthy portion of the domestic workforce coming to the Palisades every day depends on his bus. Often, people who work in the village are recognizable on the 9, such as the employees in their black Caf’ Vida t-shirts and caps. ‘A lot of people in Pacific Palisades come here to work,’ Romero said. ‘It’s a very important line.’ The fact that the friendly, gregarious Romero also speaks Spanish fluently makes his rapport with many daily riders that much smoother and homier. As the Mexican and Central American housekeepers and babysitters get off the bus along Chautauqua and on Sunset, they shower Romero with a bevy of small talk and ‘Gr’cias!’ as they would a friend. Riding the 9 up Chautauqua Boulevard in the morning”with the loud, cheerful bursts of Spanish in the air”can often resemble a moving party. The lively atmosphere suits the friendly driver just fine. ‘They talk about their life, their experiences, the people they work for, their problems,’ Romero said of the Spanish-language workers. ‘They also talk about the world and the economy.’ By now, Romero’s trained ear can often discern four or five conversations at a time without ever looking back. So what’s with the beret, Nacho? Did you once serve a tour in Vietnam? ‘This is part of the uniform,’ Romero said. ‘So is the vest! I love it!’ As it turns out, while some other bus drivers forego the beret, Romero wears his with pride. Of course, the driver has seen the area change across three decades. ‘There’s more traffic, more people than when I started,’ he said. ‘[Santa Monica] was like Pacific Palisades before. Now, it’s a big city. ‘Always show compassion to people,’ he continued. ‘And give the kids respect and they give you respect in return. The kids are not animals. They’re very smart. They know more than I do with the computers and everything. They grow up faster today.’ One woman, a panhandler who picked up the bus on Fourth Street, interrupts a conversation to give Romero an unsolicited endorsement to a reporter. ‘He’s a good guy,’ she said, before departing to occupy a spot on PCH and Chautauqua, where she begs for change. Indeed, the homeless who sometimes congregate along that corner, such as a man regularly seen sweeping outside the restaurants, throw waves at Romero, even though most of them never ride his bus. They’re evidently happy to see his friendly, familiar face. Rich or poor, whatever their background, ‘I treat everyone just the same,’ Romero said. ‘I’m just doing my work.’ After his decades-long connection to the area, Romero is still enchanted by the beautiful scenery along his route and the ocean view at PCH. ‘It’s so nice,’ Romero said. ‘In the summer, you can feel the breeze coming in. I see the beach all the time. It’s very relaxing. That’s why I’m always smiling!’ On a recent afternoon after his shift, Romero was recognized by some of his regulars as he sat to discuss his career over coffee with the Post. A customer named Theresa, on her way into the coffeehouse, came over to the affable driver and asked him, ‘You want me to buy you a cookie?’ She wasn’t making chit-chat; she was serious. Romero politely declined, but he did offer her some warm words and a smile. As he will the next time Theresa boards line No. 9.
LAUSD Proposes Ending PaliHi Buses
Budget Move Would Impact Some 1,180 Students at Racially Diverse School
Faced with a $640-million budget deficit, the Los Angeles Unified School District has proposed eliminating bus transportation this fall for about 1,180 Palisades Charter High School students who travel from more than 100 Los Angeles zip codes.   ’When I found out, I was shocked,’ said PaliHi freshman Maria Morfin. ‘I thought my future is gone.’   Morfin, whose bus trip from Sun Valley takes her an hour and a half, told the Palisadian-Post that her parents would be unable to drive her. Meanwhile, the public high school in her gang-infested neighborhood does not provide the same high quality of education or a safe environment to study, she said.   ’Here, possibilities come true,’ said the 14-year-old, who hopes to become a physician’s assistant.   Last Thursday, 200 parents and students, who travel from communities such as East Los Angeles, South Los Angeles and Inglewood, attended a meeting in Mercer Hall at PaliHi to find out more about the proposal and talk about solutions.   ’This is your school; we want you here,’ PaliHi Executive Director Amy Dresser-Held told the group, adding that the traveling students comprise 42 percent of the student population. ‘Diversity is a key part of our success at this school.’   She explained that PaliHi recently submitted its charter application to the district for renewal, which gives the district an opportunity to renegotiate terms. As a result, the district has proposed cutting transportation (25 buses a day) for a savings of about $2 million.   '[We] cannot continue to transport students to an independent charter school at district expense when we are facing larger class sizes, layoffs and substantial cuts to district programs,’ Estelle Luckett, director of LAUSD’s Student Integration Services, told the Post.   PaliHi, which opened in 1961, separated from LAUSD in 2003 as an independent charter school, by which it receives funding directly from the state and operates under its own governing board. LAUSD, however, continues to oversee the charter to make sure the school is being governed properly.   Since the late 1970s, LAUSD has also paid to transport students to the school through the Permits with Transportation (PWT) program, which provides transportation for Hispanic, black, Asian and other non-Anglo-Saxon students to predominantly white schools and vice versa. LAUSD also transports students to PaliHi’s magnet program, which is one of 173 programs within the district that provide students of different ethnicities the opportunity to focus on a specific subject. Pali’s magnet is geared toward math, science and computer technology.   The district is required to offer these integration programs under a 1963 lawsuit, Crawford v. Board of Education of Los Angeles, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in 1982. PaliHi has educated about 10,000 students in the PWT and magnet programs since their inception in 1977, according to Dresser-Held.   Students are also bused to PaliHi through Public School Choice, a No Child Left Behind mandate that requires the district to provide transportation from low-performing schools to higher-performing schools and through the Capacity Adjustment Placement program, which is intended to alleviate overcrowded schools.   Luckett argues that PaliHi should pay for the busing if the school wants to continue to educate these students. Racial diversity has been a key provision of the school’s charter since 1993, when the school initially gained charter status.   ’Palisades Charter High School receives the full state allocation (based on average daily attendance) for each of those students and the district does not,’ Luckett said.   Schools are paid a certain amount per student annually based on their attendance rate. This year, the state is giving PaliHi $5,831 per student, or about $6.9 million for the 1,180 traveling students. If those students attended other LAUSD schools that are not fiscally independent charters, the district would receive that money from the state instead. Dresser-Held responded that the school cannot afford to bus the students. The $2- million cost is nearly 10 percent of PaliHi’s $22-million operating budget. Eighty percent of the budget is dedicated to teachers’ salaries and benefits, while the remaining 20 percent covers the costs of utilities, food service, textbooks, custodial services and more.   She argues that LAUSD has the money to pay for the transportation from a Targeted Instructional Improvement Grant, which the district receives from the state to support court-ordered integration programs. PaliHi is not eligible for this grant.   ’We are trying to negotiate with the district on the best way to proceed,’ Dresser-Held said, adding that she and PaliHi’s Operations Manager Maisha-Cole Perri met with LAUSD’s Director of Transportation Enrique Boull’t to discuss options.   They analyzed the number of riders per bus traveling to and from PaliHi and Paul Revere Middle School, which also educates students from all over Los Angeles. They discovered that the 45 buses are not filled to capacity, and by aligning PaliHi’s and Paul Revere’s drop-off and pick-up times, the district would save $1.2 million. PaliHi has also proposed reducing the number of 5:45 p.m. pick-up buses from five to three for a savings of $500,000. The buses pick up students in the afternoon at 2:15 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5:45 p.m. The evening buses are for athletes and students participating in after-school sports and clubs. Luckett told the Post that the district is verifying the accuracy of PaliHi’s proposal. ‘No final decision has been made,’ she said. ‘We continue to hope that Palisades will reimburse the district for transportation, so there is no disruption. If that doesn’t happen, we will work closely with parents to find other options for these students.’ However, Dresser-Held believes that PaliHi’s program is the best option. ‘We’re serving the traveling students better than their home schools,’ she said. PaliHi’s African American and Latino students are performing better than their respective racial groups at their neighborhood schools such as Crenshaw, Dorsey, Manual Arts, Los Angeles High and Jefferson. Last school year at PaliHi, African Americans received an Academic Performance Index (API) score of 704 and Latinos a score of 762. At their neighborhood schools, the African Americans and Hispanics are generally scoring in the 500s and 400s. API is based on test results from the Standardized Testing and Reporting program (STAR) and the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE). Dresser-Held continued that the cuts will disrupt education because Paul Revere and PaliHi teachers collaborate, and the district would continue to bus students to Paul Revere. ‘We would still give preference to Paul Revere students, but they would have to figure out how to get here on their own,’ she said. PaliHi officials are considering other alternatives if LAUSD does not accept the proposal, Dresser-Held said. These include working with Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Santa Monica Big Blue Bus to provide reduced-cost bus tickets. Parents could also pitch in to fund bus transportation or arrange carpools. PaliHi mother Cherry Goff, who lives near the intersection of Crenshaw and Hyde Park, said she would be willing to work overtime at her job at Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk to help pay for busing. She doesn’t want her son, Christian Allende, to ride the MTA bus because she believes he would be more susceptible to gang activity, and she can’t drive him. ‘I have always had a good experience with these schools,’ Goff said, adding that Allende, a freshman at PaliHi, attended Brentwood Elementary Magnet School and Paul Revere. ‘Plus, I don’t have to worry while I am at work. I don’t get calls that ‘We’re going to have to close down the school [because of a shooting].” She fears he would have to attend his neighborhood school, Crenshaw. Luckett said if LAUSD stops providing transportation to PaliHi, these traveling students would still have alternatives. ‘The district could accommodate the magnet students by relocating [PaliHi’s] math/science magnet program to another campus,’ Luckett said. ‘The Permits with Transportation students could be accommodated at other successful LAUSD high schools.’ In addition, the district would identify another school that is considered high achieving under No Child Left Behind. Dresser-Held is rallying parents and students to help save the buses. At last Thursday’s meeting, she asked them to sign a petition that will be sent to LAUSD. ‘United is the only way to confront this,’ Dresser-Held told the group. ‘There is power in community.’ PaliHi will post up-to-the-date information regarding this issue on its Web site, www.palihigh.org.
Sraberg Prevails at SCTA Satellite
Juniors from the Palisades Tennis Center continue to impress at USTA events across the country, further proof that the public facility off Alma Real is home to many of the top players in California. Adam Sraberg joined the PTC’s long list of tournament winners last week when he prevailed in the boys’ 10-and-under age division at the year-end SCTA Satellite Masters at Home Depot Center in Carson. Sraberg was nothing short of flawless throughout the tournament, winning all five of his matches in straight sets and volleying like a young Pete Sampras. He began his remarkable run by beating Eric Han of Fullerton, 6-1, 6-4, in his first match. In the second round he beat Ivan Smith of Tulare, 6-2, 6-0 before making short work of Allen Sokolov of Woodland Hills, 6-0, 6-4, in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Sraberg beat Gavin Spencer of San Juan Capistrano, 6-2, 6-3, and in the finals he ousted David Howren of San Clemente, 6-0, 6-4. On his way to the title he won three sets at love-an almost unheard-of feat at the Masters because the competition is so tough. Sraberg trains regularly at the PTC and is one of the most popular kids there. “It was a great feeling to play on a court that many pros have played on as well as having my own chair umpire in the finals,” said Sraberg, a fifth-grade honors student at Carlthorp School in Santa Monica. In addition to tennis, Sraberg plays basketball year-round on two teams and is an all-star baseball player for the West Los Angeles Little League. Meanwhile, Cristobal Rivera has advanced to the finals of the Gene Jung Tournament in Orange County, one of the largest junior events of the season. Rivera survived six matches and will play Gage Brymer for the championship. Although he is only 15, Rivera is among the PTC’s most gifted young players. Rivera first outlasted Xavier Saavedra, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, in the first round, then beat fellow PTC junior Blake Anthony, 6-3, 6-2, in the second round. In the third round he beat Adam Bagdy, 6-0, 6-2 and in the round of 16 he eliminated James Boyd, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. In the quarterfinals, Rivera defeated Stefan Menichella and in the semifinals he made short work of Daymon Johnson, 6-1, 6-4. The final was rained out and will be made up at a later date. sports@palipost.com
Palisadians Kick to Perfect Season
Four Palisadians were key contributors to a perfect 9-0-0 season for the Harvard-Westlake middle school girls’ black soccer team, which won the Delphic League A Division championship. Defenders Mikaela Hong (8th grade) and Maddie Oswald (7th grade) were rock solid on the back line all season long while 7th grade strikers Courtney O’Brien and Quinn Frankel led a nearly unstoppable offensive attack that scored 49 goals in 9 games. Last Tuesday, the Wolverines beat St. Matthew’s 4-1 in the semifinals. Two days later they outscored Oaks Christian 6-3 in the championship game. Frankel had a hat trick in the finals and O’Brien also scored. Harvard-Westlake ran the table in a league which also included Marlborough, Viewpoint, Chaminade, Brentwood, Immaculate Heart and Sierra Canyon.
Falcons Fly to Hoops Final
The St. Matthew’s 6th & 7th-grade boys’ basketball team reached the championship game of the Pacific Basin League B-Division playoffs last week, coached by John Gould and John Caravella. In the quarterfinals, the Falcons clipped Wildwood 37-36 and in the semifinals they defeated Crossroads 36-26 to improve their season record to 10-0. In the championship game against Westchester Lutheran, Nick Moreno scored 12 points, Matt Kaufman had 8, Matt Douglas had 6 and Dylan Cotter and Chase Aldridge each added 2. St. Matthew’s led 11-9 after the first quarter but was outscored 32-8 in the second and third quarters and could not recover. Rounding out the St. Matthew’s squad were Nicky Baron, Colin Enzer, Caleb Garbuio, James Mann, Pablo Mendez, A.J. Peyrot, Kia Torab and Marko Trapani. Boys’ Soccer The 6th-8th grade boys’ soccer squad, coached by Rob Risely and Gerardo Martinez, has advanced to the Pacific Basin League finals, where it will play Windward next Monday. In the quarterfinals, St. Matthew’s outscored Wildwood 11-1 as Matthew Koh netted six first-half goals. Other scorers were Jeffrey Elhers, Brandon Kupfer, Jack Newman, Quinn McGinley and Kieran Sheridan and goalie Cameron Schiffer made four saves in the win. In the semifinals St. Matthew’s beat Brentwood 7-2. Koh again led the way with 4 first-half goals as the Falcons scored two minutes into the contest and never looked back. Kupfer, McGinley and Tyler Newman provided the rest of the scoring while Schiffer had 3 saves in goal and was aided by the defense of Hunter Price and Eric Roosendahl. Rounding out the team were Ryan Bostick, Alec Graham, Andrew Radbel, Peter St. John, Hank Algert, Lachlan Montgomery, Henry Prentice and Brendan Sanderson.
Blues Announce Contest Finalists
After a healthy response from the community, the Pali Blues Soccer Club, back-to-back national champions of the USL W-League, and the Palisadian-Post have chosen three finalists for the name of the Blues’ mascot. The finalists are: “GIGI THE GAZELLE” from Pacific Palisades resident Joannie Burstein Besser, “LIGHTNING THE BLUE DRAGON” from Pali Blues summer camper Emily Citron and “POLLY THE PORPOISE” from Post staff writer Michael Aushenker. Check the Palisadian-Post over the next several weeks for the latest developments in the Blues’ search for a new mascot, including your chance to design the mascot’s costume! In other news… next Sunday, February 28, the Pali Blues, along with Hollywood United of the local men’s Professional Development League, will be hosting free soccer clinics for both girls and boys from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Palisades High’s Stadium by the Sea to celebrate their upcoming 2010 seasons. Co-hosted by Mountain Meadow Ranch Summer Camp, the clinics will feature Blues and Hollywood staff and players offering sessions on dribbling skills, shooting for power and placement and beginner sessions for first time players. The clinics will also include popular goalkeeper training sessions from Pali Blues General Manager Jason Lemire. For a complete schedule of the day and information on girls’ and boys’ soccer summer camps, visit www.bluessoccerclub.com. Lemire can be reached at (310)264-4649 or by e-mail at jason@bluessoccerclub.com.