The California Coastal Commission denied Verizon Wireless’ request to install a 39-foot wood utility pool with 6-foot double extension arms along Pacific Coast Highway at its December 9 meeting. The Commission’s staff had recommended denying the cell tower, which would have been located just south of Coastline Drive on the seaward side, because it was inconsistent with the Coastal Act, which strives to protect the scenic and visual qualities of areas along the coast. ‘An additional pole will increase the visual mass of poles along the seaward side of the highway and detract from the visual resources found in the area,’ according to the staff report. ‘The visual character of the area is already somewhat degraded by the presence of several existing utility poles and overhead lines. The proposed facility would be more visually obstructive than the existing poles because of the antennas and other bulky equipment that would be attached.’ According to the report, the staff concluded that Verizon could use an existing utility pole or existing signal light standards to accomplish its goal of increasing cell coverage. The cell company could also locate the pole on the inland side of the highway or on the top of an existing building. Before the December 9 meeting, the Pacific Palisades Residents Association sent a letter to the Commission opposing the cell tower. Chris Spitz, a member of PPRA, said the association is pleased with the decision. ‘It’s a victory in terms of protecting scenic areas in the coastal zone,’ Spitz said, noting that the City of Los Angeles still needs to adopt better regulations for cell-tower installations within the city’s residential neighborhoods.
PaliHi Students Donate a Ton to Westside Food Bank
Eleven Palisades High students with developmental disabilities helped organize a food drive that netted 2,000 pounds of food. They presented the 1,950 cans of food to Bruce Rankin, executive director of the Westside Food Bank during lunch last Thursday. ‘We were able to do a really good thing for other people,’ PaliHi student Pales Gensler, 17, told Rankin. ‘We shared your goal of feeding other people, and we thank you for all the hard work you do in our community for people who are having trouble.’ Rankin responded, ‘It means a great deal to those who need this food. You’ve made a profound difference.’ Classroom instructor Dan Kelly said his students have many disabilities such as cerebral parsley, autism and Down’s syndrome. They range in age from 16 through 21, and can stay on campus until they are 22. Four students have been mainstreamed into regular classes. The class took the food donation project in steps. YMCA Director Carol Pfannkuche donated a Christmas tree that the students decorated with handmade ornaments. The students thanked her, saying that it inspired them as they worked on the food drive. Gensler and Dominic Halsey went into each classroom and made a plea for canned goods. Gensler, a natural actress, demonstrated what she told students: ‘If you don’t donate a can, someone will starve,’ she said, pretending to sob. ‘How can you look at yourself in the mirror knowing that you allowed someone to starve?’ Halsey,18, who had never spoken above a whisper or done public speaking, accompanied her. With some prompting, he spoke louder and when asked how it felt to talk to 64 classes, he said, ‘It was good.’ Other members of the class, Isaac Ramsey, Dylan Frick, Brent Arnold, Arturo Ortiz and Charlie Weng, made ornaments, decorated the tree, collected cans from classes and helped box the food. Also at the presentation were members of the Pali Buddies Club, a group of students who ‘adopt’ Kelly’s students. Club president Jenna Burt, a senior, explained that she and others come to Kelly’s classroom during lunchtime and nutrition. ‘I needed a club, and I fell in love with it,’ said Burt, who joined as a freshman and started spending time with Frick. ‘We hang out and take walks together. Recently we’ve started talking about how I’m going to college next year. He tells me, ‘Jenna, don’t go to college, stay here.” ‘The goal of the class is to integrate the students in the broader community and help them achieve independence to the greatest level they can achieve,’ said Kelly, who came to PaliHi three years ago. ‘They’re taught budgeting, shopping, laundry and how to maintain an apartment.’ His pride about his students was apparent. ‘They’ve done a stunning job,’ said Kelly, who was selected Teacher of the Month for December. ‘I want to raise awareness among the community that these students are no less capable than anyone else.’ Kelly, who is married and has five grown children, lives in Mission Viejo. He rents a room in this community and recently turned down a job offer close to home (to help transition special needs adults) because he likes the kids and the school. The next major event for his class is a field trip to the Long Beach Aquarium, with money they raised last year through a car wash. ‘It’s wonderful to have these kids acknowledged,’ Kelly said, pointing out that three of his students work part-time at Blue Cross Pet Hospital on La Cruz.
Temescal ‘Pool’ Area Open for Picnics
Temescal Pool, which was filled in with dirt and covered with sod in January, will be open to the public as a picnic and recreation area starting next week.   The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, which owns the former YMCA-operated pool in Temescal Gateway Park, recently dismantled the chain link fence between the pool deck and parking lot and removed the gate, which had been locked since the fill job.   ’Right now, there are no plans to rehabilitate the pool, so we wanted the public to be able to use that area of the park,’ said Dash Stolarz, Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) director of public affairs. The MRCA is a partner of the Conservancy.   The Palisades-Malibu YMCA had operated the pool until February 2008, at which time the facility was closed for plumbing repairs estimated to cost $400,000. Last December, the Conservancy board voted to develop a long-term plan for Temescal Gateway Park before considering a new pool lease. Declaring liability concerns, the board elected to fill in the empty pool and directed that the work be done so the pool could be rehabilitated in the future.   Residents who used the pool regularly were angered by the closure and believed the pool could have been repaired and opened in the immediate future. The Friends of Temescal Pool, a nonprofit organization formed in August 2008 to support rehabilitating the pool, filed a lawsuit against the Conservancy and MRCA, asking the court to order the Conservancy to negotiate a pool lease, pay for the pool repairs, and make the park fully accessible to the disabled.   This spring, the Conservancy filed a motion to dismiss the case, and L.A. Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Allen White ruled in the Conservancy’s favor on June 30. Friends has appealed the ruling to the California Court of Appeals.   Since the lawsuit is still in progress, pool advocates contacted the Palisadian-Post last week, concerned that work being done at the site could be damaging the pool.   Stolarz told the Post that when the workers removed the chain link fence, the pipes to the main water line were exposed. The Conservancy buried the pipes and repaired some of the electrical connections to make the area accessible to the public.   ’It was a minor job,’ Stolarz said, noting that it would not affect the possibility of reopening the pool in the future.   The Conservancy will continue to use the main water line to irrigate the grass. When the workers filled in the pool, they also installed underground irrigation pipes.   In addition, the Conservancy has put up a 3-foot wooden fence where the chain link fence was located. The Conservancy had to remove some of the asphalt from the parking lot to install the fence. Stolarz said the purpose of the fence is to separate the grassy area from the parking lot.   There are no immediate plans to provide picnic tables and, for the moment, the locker rooms will remain locked.   ’At some point, we will open the locker rooms up [to provide a second set of restrooms in the park],’ Stolarz said.   Stolarz said that the Conservancy does not plan to make any significant changes to the area until after completing the master plan.   In July 2008, the state agency hired Dudek, an environmental and engineering consulting firm, to conduct a master plan for the park. However, in December 2008, the Pooled Money Investment Board (PMIB) decided to freeze all disbursements authorizing any new grants or obligations for bond projects and to suspend all projects, including the master plan.   This spring, some bonds were sold and certain state projects were approved to move forward, but the master plan for Temescal Park did not qualify, Stolarz said. She could not say when funding would be available.   In September, Friends drafted a business plan for the pool and presented it to the Conservancy, which has not responded, Friends President Jane Albrecht told the Post.
Florence M. Johnston, 90; Former Resident and Real Estate Veteran
Florence Mary Johnston, a former longtime resident of Pacific Palisades, died peacefully in her sleep at home on December 3. She was 90 years old. Born on March 8, 1919, in Newark, New Jersey, Flo attended Rutgers University. She married her first husband, Emil Robert (Phillip) Oswald in 1939, and had three children. When the couple divorced, Flo moved with her children back with her parents. She worked at several jobs and put herself through night school to support the children. She met her second husband, John Johnston, when she worked at RCA in Harrison, New Jersey. John was an engineer and Flo worked for one of the executives and arranged company parties at such venues as The Cotton Club in New York City. Flo came West when John enlisted in the Navy; the two lived on Coronado Island in San Diego. She later relocated to the Santa Monica area and took classes at Santa Monica College in real estate and ceramics. She kept the latter as a hobby but got bitten by the real estate bug and sold residential real estate in Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Brentwood for 40+ years. Flo worked for the Margaret Lightfoot and George Elkins real estate companies before opening Ina & Flo Realty with Ina Archambault and eventually the Flo Johnston Real Estate firm, all in Pacific Palisades. Never forgetting her roots in ward politics in New Jersey, Flo was active in the Pacific Palisades Democratic Club and the Human Relations Council. One Fourth of July, in the early 1970s, Flo and her family helped build a float for the town parade out of giant photographs of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. Flo was never one to back down from expressing and living her belief in the liberal philosophy she supported. In the early 1960s she helped a biracial couple buy her home in the Palisades and was criticized for it. Long before mainstream thought accepted ‘equality’ as a right, she had acted on principle and was later admired for her courage. Many celebrities became real estate clients. Among them were singer-songwriter, Paul Simon, Al Jardine from the Beach Boys, and Ryan O’Neal, then of ‘Peyton Place’ fame. Some of her club members who also became clients included a Nobel Laureate and a Pulitzer Prize novelist as well as the head of The Rand Corporation and the Chancellor of UCLA. Flo was a voracious reader of anything by Agatha Christie or P.D. James. She loved animals, especially her cats, Max, No No and Cinnamon, and was active as a longtime member of the International Geranium Society, the Altrusa service organization, and the Just Us service club in Santa Monica. Flo renovated each of the homes her family lived-in (on Fiske, Via De La Paz and Monument), and built her last home on Erskine Drive, overlooking Temescal Canyon. She is survived by her beloved younger brother, William McGarry of Fairport, New York; her children, Kathy Tapley (husband Lee) of Roseburg, Oregon, Michael Johnston (wife Marie) of Lakewood, California, Sheila Smith of Camarillo and Ken Johnston (wife Cecelia) of Colorado Springs; 14 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Hazel (Wicks) and Bernard McGarry; her sister Bernice Owles; her first husband Emil Robert Oswald, and her grandchild Martin Crepeau Johnston. For the last 10 years, Flo lived in Lakewood with her son, Michael, and his family (including Marie’s mother, Dorica Ates Jumawan’all of whom joined together and selflessly cared for Flo. Any correspondence can be sent care of Ken Johnston, P.O. Box 1492, Monument, Colorado 80132.
George Hickman, 66; A Palisades Native
George Matthew Hickman passed away on December 6 in Lancaster at the age of 66. Born on September 21, 1943, to Minnie Jean Clausen and George Pendleton Hickman, George grew up in Pacific Palisades and attended Paul Revere Junior High and University High School. Joining the Army in 1961, George served three tours of duty in Vietnam and was awarded the Bronze Star. He returned to Southern California and graduated from Cal State Dominguez Hills. George worked as a cost accountant for the Ampex Corporation and Gillette for many years. He loved spoiling his pets and his grandchildren, and he enjoyed traveling; this past summer he went on his third cruise to Alaska and visited his grandchildren in Kentucky. His favorite destination was the June Lake area in the Eastern Sierras, where he enjoyed fishing and photographing nature. George lived in Lancaster for the past eight years and was an active member of the Lutheran Church of the Master. He is survived by his loving wife, Beverly Ann Hickman; five children: Larry Laurent of Aptos, Heidi Hickman Tien of Dry Ridge, Kentucky, Ken Laurent of Santa Cruz, Tim Grey of Seattle, Washington, and Amy Hickman of Independence, Kentucky; eight grandchildren; his brother, Greg Runyon; and his stepsister, Sandy Lough of Torrance. He was predeceased by his mother, Jean, and his stepfather, Myron Runyon. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, December 29, at the Lutheran Church of the Master, 725 E. Avenue J in Lancaster. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lutheran Church of the Master or the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
Ralf Siegemund, Longtime Palisadian, Patent Attorney
Longtime Pacific Palisades resident Ralf Hermann Siegemund, a veteran patent attorney who late in life acquired a Ph.D. in art history, died on December 13. He was 81. Born in Berlin on February 29, 1928, Ralf grew up in Germany during the nightmares of World War II, surviving Allied bombings, the Soviet invasion, and an arrest by Soviet soldiers before returning to complete high school at the Wald Oberschule. He was selected for Humboldt University’s first postwar class and studied mathematics, physics and meteorology, often having to climb over rubble to get to his classes. After he graduated with a degree in physics, Ralf’s characteristic drive to be on the leading edge of every kind of technology led him to the field of patent law. He seized an opportunity to pursue patent opportunities in the United States, and earned a degree in patent law at George Washington University Law School in 1961. While at GW, he met and married Joan Lee Winston of Boston, Massachusetts, and they had two children, Karen and Stephan. In 1964, the family moved to Pacific Palisades. During his 40-year career as a patent attorney, Ralf’s frequent travel to Germany to visit clients and his mother gave him the opportunity to share his heritage with his family, bringing them with him on these annual trips. As Ralf neared retirement, he and Joan took a number of Mediterranean cruises that fostered a profound interest in ancient Near Eastern archaeology. They pursued studies at UCLA, and after many years of impassioned study and several more trips to the Middle East, Ralf completed his Ph.D. in 1999 at the age of 71. After the passing of his wife in 2002, Ralf continued to pursue as many wonders of the world as possible, traveling to Yellowstone, the Pacific Northwest, South America, Tahiti and China. He also fulfilled a decades-long dream of flying on the Concorde, and was a passenger on one of its final flights. Ralf enjoyed natural and man-made beauty, music and literature, food and drink, and philosophical discussion. He had an insatiable appetite for all these and for knowledge in general, and pursued them all with boundless zeal. He is survived by his daughter, Karen of Jamestown, Rhode Island; son Stephan (wife Barbara) of Manhattan Beach; and his grandchildren Jacqueline, Anthea, Austin and Isaac. Funeral services were held on December 20 at Gates Kingsley & Gates Moeller Murphy in Santa Monica.
Laxer Wins MRCA Ticket Fight
After almost a year fighting the stop-sign camera ticket issued to him in Temescal Gateway Park in November 2008, Jack Laxer reached a settlement with the Mountains Recreation Conservancy Agency (MRCA) on November 10. ‘We didn’t dismiss the citation, we suspended the penalty,’ said MRCA spokesperson Dash Stolarz. ‘In this particular case, we felt that this was an appropriate way to compromise and come to a conclusion.’   ’In my view,’ said Pacific Palisades attorney Steve Boyers, who represented Laxer, ‘Jack’s position was clearly vindicated by virtue of the MRCA’s refunding not only the fine it had levied, but further agreeing to pay the cost of the appeal and the cost of filing the motion to continue the trial date. Of perhaps greater importance, we were informed by MRCA counsel that the traffic signs that Mr. Laxer found confusing, and which contributed to his citation being issued, have been changed by the MRCA to prevent future occurrences of this problem. Counsel for the MRCA attributed this change directly to Mr. Laxer’s appeal.’ Stolarz told the Palisadian-Post said that Boyers was incorrect about Laxer being the reason for changes to the signs in Temescal. ‘The signage in question was never part of the legal requirement,’ Stolarz said. ‘It is there to make sure park users are informed. If we are not communicating clearly, we want to change it.’   Originally, two adjoining signs warned driver about the upcoming stop sign and ‘photo enforcement area’ 100 yards ahead. The MRCA has removed the bottom sign that consisted of an arrow and a stop symbol (see photo).   Laxer, a 43-year Pacific Palisades resident and a architectural and travel photographer, was originally observed by a ranger making several stops before the stop sign on the park’s only road. The enforcement cameras had been installed in July 2007: one at the exit to the front parking lot and a second at the stop sign shortly before reaching the country store. According to Laxer, the ranger told him he didn’t have to keep stopping, but only had to stop once, and even if the stop didn’t trigger the sensors in the road, it would still be captured on film.   Although Laxer subsequently stopped only once before the sign, he still received a $100 citation in the mail. He sent the payment, which he was required to do, then requested a hearing to protest the ticket.   On February 28, Laxer appeared before a hearing officer in Franklin Canyon, armed with papers and photographs to prove his innocence. A little more than halfway through his presentation, hearing officer Anne Calvo, who had viewed the Redflex video of the alleged infraction, asked whether Laxer had anything else to say. He told her that the rest of his presentation was in the submitted information that he would leave with her.   ’I don’t need it, I don’t want it,’ she said, according to Laxer. ‘By the time you have put your foot on the other side of the door, I will have made up my mind.’   Immediately after the hearing, Laxer sought MRCA Public Safety Project Manager Diana Harman to protest. ‘It denies my basic civil rights,’ he said he told her. ‘In any hearing, all evidence should be heard.’   Laxer appealed to the Van Nuys Superior Court, and also went to the Pacific Palisades Community Council to explain his situation. After hearing his story, former Community Council chair Boyers agreed to represent Laxer pro bono.   Laxer’s first hearing, scheduled for May 15, was postponed and rescheduled to August. Fourteen people attended this hearing, including a lawyer and eight witnesses from the MRCA. After a full morning in court, the judge transferred the case to another court, delaying the hearing to October, and then to November. At that time, the case was finally settled without a hearing.   Laxer told the Post that he felt vindicated. ‘They changed the sign, which should minimize some of the confusion, if not all of it.’ Boyers believes that Laxer is unique because most people don’t contest the ticket since the amount, although not inconsequential, is such that they don’t want to spend the time fighting the ticket and/or pay a lawyer. Boyers said that if he had billed Laxer or had been compensated for his time, the cost would have been about $10,000.   ’Both Mr. Laxer and I would have like to have accomplished more,’ said Boyers, whose law office is on Sunset. ‘But within the constraints of the facts and financial circumstances of Mr. Laxer’s representation, we did win, and the community has won. Other cases, based on the validity of whether MRCA’s ordinance pre-empts state law will, perhaps, build on our success and bring even greater satisfaction to the community.’
CLASSIFIED ADS FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 17, 2009
The offices of the Palisadian-Post will be closed Friday, December 25, 2009, and Friday, January 1, 2010, for the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays.
The classified ad deadlines will be Thursday, December 24, and Thursday, December 31, at 11 a.m.
FURNISHED HOMES 2
EXECUTIVE RENTAL. Immaculate, fully furnished, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath. Pool, gym, spa, near trailheads, mountain view. (310) 459-9111
UNFURNISHED HOMES 2a
CHARMING 3 BEDROOM, 2 BATH. Spanish. Close to the village with hardwood floors, fireplace, and canyon view. $4,975/mo. Contact Dolly Niemann, (310) 230-3706
UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c
CUTE & COZY SINGLE mediterranean triplex near village & bluffs. Full kitchen, bath, hardwd flrs, laundry, garden, and carport. 1 year lease. Non-smoking building. No pets. $1,500/mo. (310) 804-3142
BRIGHT, LARGE, 3 BD+2 BA ,1,500 sq. ft., top floor, 1 garage+1 tandem, new carpets. Great closet space. 1 yr. lease. N/S. $2,500/mo. (310) 498-0149
DECEMBER SPECIAL, one month free. One bdrm. $1,285/mo., or large studio $1,125/mo. refrigerator, gas stove, laundry, covered parking, storage. No pets, non-smoker. (310) 477-6767
CHARMING, SUNNY UPPER UNIT. 1 bdrm. + office/den. Hardwood floors, 2 fireplaces, 2 bthrms., 1 car garage, on-site laundry, small pet considered. $2,300/mo. (310) 459-5576
UNUSUAL, HOME-LIKE, SPACIOUS 1 bed, 1 bath, 800 sq. ft. in triplex near bluffs and village. Fireplace, bay window, hardwood, garage, laundry, garden. NS, NP. 1 yr. lease. $2,350 (310) 804-3142
PRIVATE OCEAN VIEW GUESTHOUSE, partially furnished; small but cool; gated, tropical gardens, patio. Near old Getty villa. No pets, no smoking. $1,200/mo. Ready now. (310) 459-1983
2 2BD, 1BA UNIT AVAILABLE. $1,850/mo. upper unit available now. Vintage 6 unit building. Includes water. Approx. 800 sq. ft., Hardwood, tile floors. Lite & brite. Shared laundry. Pet o.k. with approval. 1 year lease. (424) 228-4570
SANTA MONICA ‘Like a Country Cottage’. $1,950/mo. Unique and charming 1 bedroom lower in 4 unit complex, Yale and Montana. Hardwood floors, fireplace, beam ceiling. Kitchen w/ stainless appliances, marble counter, washer, dryer. French doors and windows open to 2 large garden patios. Security and privacy. Fenced and gated entry with intercom. Enclosed garage and unlimited street parking. No pets, one year lease. Call: (310) 826-7960
BRENTWOOD ‘Best Country Club Location’. $1,750/mo. Across from golf course. Spacious, delightful and charming 1 bedroom. Woodburning fireplace, hardwood floors, French doors, and shutters to cute garden patio. Lovely setting in beautiful ‘Italian Villa’ style building on Montana Ave. Stainless appliances. Enc. garage, no pets, one yr. lease. (310) 826-7960
BRENTWOOD ‘Top Floor Jewel’. $2,350/mo. 2 Bedroom, 2 bath. Best location!!! Across from golf course on Montana Avenue. HAS IT ALL: Large living room with woodburning fireplace, French doors open to large garden terrace with retractable awning. Shutters throughout. Lovely bright kitchen with stainless appliances. Beautiful ‘Italian Paladin Style’ building. Manicured gardens in courtyard setting. Enc. garage, no pets, one year lease. Call (310) 826-7960
CONDOS/TOWNHOMES FOR RENT 2d
SPACIOUS 3 BDRM, 3 BA TOWNHOME in Pacific Palisades. Tennis court & swimming pool. $3,500/mo. Call Judy, (310) 454-0696
MTN.-CYN. VIEWS * $3,200/mo. Beautiful ‘Villa-style’ Townhome! 2 Bd, 2.5 ba, over 2,000 s.f. High ceilings, patio, fireplace, fam rm, skylight and more! Large master suite w/ balcony, FP and W.I.C. Private 2-car garage + pool, spa, saunas. * SHARON & JOHN & VICTORIA * (310) 573-7737 ‘ www.PALISADESHOMES.com ‘ Coldwell Banker Company ‘
RENTALS TO SHARE 3a
LOOKING FOR FURNISHED BEDROOM in house or large condo/apartment. Middle aged, professional, single man. Quiet, neat, non-smoker, responsible. (240) 461-3643
OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c
THE SKI CHANNEL in the 881 Alma Real building has 2 offices and 2 cubes for sub-lease featuring shared use of many amenities. (310) 230-2050
OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT in Pacific Palisades Village. $750-$1,250/mo. Call (310) 230-8335
SUBLET OFFICE(S) WITHIN EXISTING LAW FIRM. Two adjacent offices (14×14 & 11×11) available within confines of existing estate and trust law practice in the Atrium Building on Via de la Paz. Excellent opportunity for a synergistic relationship with the right practitioner. Month to month rate negotiable depending on needs. Internet available. Call (310) 459-5353 to arrange to see.
OFFICES FOR RENT in First Federal building on Sunset, in the village. Will install new carpeting. Call Ev Maguire at (310) 600-3603
VACATION RENTALS 3e
MAMMOTH SKI CHATEAU RENTAL. Blocks from Canyon Lodge, brand new 2400 sq. ft. premium luxury townhome with limestone and hardwood floors throughout. Sleeps up to 14 people. Call: (310) 454-7313
FOUR FULLY SELF-CONTAINED trailers for rent across from Will Rogers State Beach & about 2 miles from Santa Monica Pier. $1,095/mo. & $895/mo. (310) 454-2515
ATTORNEYS 7a
ATTORNEY WILL TRAVEL TO YOU. Dorothy Vinsky, Esq. dorothy@dorothyvinsky.com ‘ LOCAL RESIDENT, (310) 454-9239
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
QUICKBOOKS. Approved accounting principles. Personal or business record keeping by local Palisadian. (310) 570-6085, www.bigsisterworkshop.com
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
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
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/
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 ‘ bmdawson@verizon.net ‘ www.bmdawson.com ‘ Furniture ‘ Antiques ‘ Collectibles ‘ Junque ‘ Reliable professionals ‘ Local References
NOTARY PUBLIC 7g
NOTARY SERVICES. Will travel. Rachel Schwartz, (310) 699-1464
ORGANIZING SERVICES 7h
CONFUSING MEDICAL BILLS? Let personal organizer put your insurance paperwork and medical records in order. Save money by letting me deal with insurance company. Perfect for year end accounting. Call Nicole, (310) 428-6037
ORGANIZER HOME AND OFFICE. There’s no place like home for the holidays’unless it’s a mess. Let me help you get organized. Call Char @ (310) 562-3372 or cbcoaching@gmail.com
MESSENGER/COURIER SERVICES 7n
MESSENGER & COURIER SERVICES (S. Cal.). Direct, same day or overnight, PU & Del. 24/7 guaranteed, on-time service. All major credit cards accepted. Santa Monica Express Inc. ‘ Since 1984 ‘ Tel: (310) 458-6000 www.smexpress.com
NANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a
NANNY EXTRAORDINAIRE. Smart, kind and capable 46-year-old woman with a lifetime of experience taking care of families seeks full time, live-out employment. Can drive, organize schedules and household, and is a gifted cook. Great with kids. Call Mary at (310) 230-0672
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 house-keeping for the best price. Good references. Licensed. Call Bertha, (323) 754-6873 & cell (213) 393-1419. professionalmaidinmalibu@google.com
HOUSEKEEPER: References, many years experience, own car. Days available Monday-Friday. Please call Martha, (213) 675-4113 or (909) 232-0623
HOUSECLEANING/HOUSEKEEPING: Experienced, own transportation, local references. Please call Delmy, (323) 363-9492
PALISADES HOUSEKEEPER, 15 yrs experience. Excellent references, honest, dependable. Legal resident. Child & pet care. Available every Tues., Fri., Sat. & Sun. Carmen, (323) 460-6473, (213) 618-9671
ELDER CARE/COMPANIONS 10a
GOOD COMPANY Senior Care. A premiere private duty home care agency. Provides in-home care and companionship to help people remain independent and happy at home. If you are a caring individual who would like to join our team, please call (323) 932-8700, joni@goodcopros.com
FANTASTIC CAREGIVER. Kind, gentle and highly capable woman with 20 years of experience caring for elderly woman seeks full time employment. Can drive, cook, and nurse. Smart, fun. Call (713) 478-5624
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
MOVING & HAULING 11b
HAULING. Local students will haul your stuff. References. (310) 922-8475
HONEST MAN SERVICES. All jobs, big or small. Moves & hauls it all. 14 foot truck. 20th year Westside. Delivery to 48 states. (310) 285-8688
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
CATERING 14
HOLIDAY CHEF & EVENT MANAGER! Cordon Bleu Chef and 15 year veteran event manager wants to help you plan your holiday event! $60 per hour. Please call or email Danielle . . . (310) 691-0578 or daniellesamendez@gmail.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
FITNESS INSTRUCTION 15a
HAVE FUN! GET FIT! NORDIC WALKING CLASSES. Certified Advanced Nordic walking instructor, Palisades resident teaches private/group classes in the Palisades. Weekends. (310) 266-4651
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
TUTORING FOR GRADES 1-8 by a California credentialed teacher and the author of 14 educational books. Affordable prices. Call Linda, (310) 820-7580
GROZA LEARNING CENTER. Tutoring K-12, all subjects & reading. SAT, ISEE, HSPT, ACT, ERB, STAR. Caring, meticulous service. GrozaLearningCenter.com ‘ (310) 454-3731
ENGLISH TUTOR. College, HS, MS. Writing, reading comprehension, study skills, test preparation. Experienced private school teacher, MA UCLA. Reasonable rate. Arthur, (310) 459-9100
CONCRETE, MASONRY, POOLS 16c
MASONRY, CONCRETE & POOL CONTRACTOR. 39 YEARS IN PACIFIC PALISADES. New Construction & Remodels. Hardscapes, custom stone, stamped concrete, brick, driveways, retaining walls, BBQs, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, foundations, drainage, pool & spas, water features. Excellent local refs. Lic #309844. Bonded, ins, work comp. MIKE HORUSICKY CONSTRUCTION, INC. (310) 454-4385 ‘ WWW.HORUSICKY.COM
CONSTRUCTION 16d
ALAN PINE, GENERAL CONTRACTOR ‘ New homes ‘ Remodeling ‘ Additions ‘ Kitchen & bath ‘ Planning/architectural services ‘ Insured ‘ Local refs. Lic. #469435. (310) 457-5655 or (818) 203-8881
CASALE CONSTRUCTION CO. LLC ‘ General Contractor Lic. #512443 ‘ Residential ‘ Commercial ‘ New Construction ‘ Additions ‘ Remodeling ‘ (866) 362-2573 (o), (323) 503-3049 (c) ‘ www.reemodeling.com
HGTV Design Team (former). HGTV Design Team. We are a full service construction/design team ready to remodel a room for you! Formally on the hit HGTV show, Rate My Space. We revive any room or outdoor space for you. With our inspired, affordable, licensed construction and design staff, we can bring your ideas to life. From simple affordable alterations to extensive overhauls and additions we are the right company for you!! Lic. #858904. Call (310) 877-5577 & (310) 877-5979. http://debonairrenovations.com/Home/Home.html
ELECTRICAL 16h
PALISADES ELECTRIC, ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR. All phases of electrical, new construction to service work. (310) 454-6994. Lic. #468437 Insured Professional Service
ELECTRICIAN HANDYMAN. Local service only. Non-lic. Please call (310) 454-6849 or (818) 317-8286
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
BEST ELECTRICAL * Over 25 yrs experience, All phases of electrical. 24 hrs, 7 day service. (310) 621-3905. Lic. #695411
FENCES, DECKS 16j
THE FENCE MAN ‘ 18 years quality work ‘ Wood fences ‘ Decks ‘ Gates ‘ Chainlink & patio ‘ Wrought iron ‘ Lic. #663238, bonded. (818) 706-1996
INDEPENDENT SERVICE CARLOS FENCE: Wood & Picket Fences ‘ Chain Link ‘ Iron & Gates ‘ Deck & Patio Covers. Ask for Carlos, (310) 677-2737 or fax (310) 677-8650. Non-lic.
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
HANDYMAN 16o
HANDYMAN ‘ HOOSHMAN ‘ Most known name in the Palisades. Since 1975. Member Chamber of Commerce. Non-Lic. Call for your free est. Local refs available. Hooshman, (310) 459-8009, 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
ALL AMERICAN HANDYMAN! Quick home/office repairs. Furniture assembly, plumbing, appliances, electric & fixtures. Emergency service available 24 hours. Local refs. Non-lic. Thomas, (310) 985-2928
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 ‘ 55 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
SQUIRE PAINTING CO. Interior and Exterior. License #405049. 30 years. Local Service. (310) 454-8266, www.squirepainting.com
ZARKO PRTINA PAINTING. Interior/Exterior. Serving Palisades/Malibu over 35 years. Lic. #637882. Call (310) 454-6604
ALL SEASONS PAINTING. Holiday specials ‘ Kitchen cabinets, garage doors, deck & fences. Interior/exterior painting specialist. ‘Green’ environmentally friendly paint upon request. Excellent referrals. Free estimate. Lic. #571061. Randy, (310) 678-7913
Owen George Cruickshank Wallpaper. Installation, removal, painting. Also, handyman services avail. Free est. Lic. #576445. (310) 459-5485
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 SKI CHANNEL & THE SURF CHANNEL located in the Palisades village have immediate openings for interns in programming, production & marketing. (310) 230-2050
MYSTERY SHOPPERS earn up to $150 per day. Undercover shoppers needed to judge retail and dine-in establishments. No experience required. Call (877) 648-1571
15 PEOPLE WANTED to lose 30 lbs. in 30 days! 100% guaranteed! Dr. recommended! Call (888) 213-6863
BEAUTY SALON * Hair stylist station for rent in a friendly established salon. Call for information, (310) 454-3521
CAREGIVER WANTED for active 92 year old male. Men only. Part time, live-in. Salary commensurate with experience. (310) 454-1956
MISCELLANEOUS 18g
YAMAHA BABY GRAND with player for sale, made in Japan in 2000. GH1 model. 19 discs of all types of music. $10,500 OBO. Call (310) 454-7665
50% OFF STOREWIDE!* American Cancer Society Discovery Shop’s semi-annual storewide sale. Fri. Dec. 18 and Sat. Dec. 19. 920 Wilshire SM and 844 S. Robertson Bev. Hills. *(some restrictions)
Revere Students Donate To Marines’ Toys 4 Tots
Paul Revere Student Council members (left to right) Amir Mesbahi, David Handler, Summer Harris-Jones, Mackenzie Tobin-Jones, Lynley Yamaguchi, advisor Darren Bates, Natalie Abber and Callen Gordon bought $5,160 in gifts for the Marines’ Toys 4 Tots campaign.
Fire Damages House on Sunset Boulevard
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
A house fire on Friday night destroyed the family room, laundry room and kitchen at 14800 Sunset Blvd. (near Chautauqua), but the occupants were uninjured. Although firefighters were able to stop the fire from spreading to the rest of the U-shaped house, it still suffered heavy smoke damage. As they waited for an insurance adjuster to arrive Monday morning, Alice and Robert Scheiperpeter, 52-year residents of Pacific Palisades, sorted through the melted and ashen remains of sofas, computers, a television set and other memorabilia that had been dragged out to their driveway. Alice pointed to a melted piece of metal. ‘This was my reader. It has a magnifier, so I can read.’ The fire may have been caused by an electrical malfunction involving a space heater located in the family room that had been converted from a garage. ‘I think it was defective,’ said Alice, adding that she had smelled something odd the past three days and that, in retrospect, the smell may have been the wiring. On the night of the fire, Robert was in bed reading when the lights flickered. ‘He went to check the fuse box, which was located in the family room, and saw the fire,’ Alice said. Nearby Station 69 received the 911 call at 8:05 p.m. ‘When we arrived, there was fire coming out of the sliding glass doors,’ firefighter Billy Barrera said. ‘There was heavy smoke puffing around the windows. We put out the fire and there were no injuries.’ Station 23 also sent an engine as a backup. ‘Fortunately, it wasn’t a brownout night,’ Station 69 Captain Joe Tijera said. ‘Instead of responding with six people, we had the full crew of 10 and two trucks.’ ‘Everything is black [from smoke],’ Alice said. ‘We were storing my granddaughter’s furniture. Now look at it.’ The microwave, stove, washer, dryer and television in adjoining rooms had started to melt. ‘You can’t believe how fast the fire spread.’ ‘Not much you can do,’ Robert said, adding, ‘We want to see how quickly we can get the house fixed.’ The Scheiperpeters, who have been married for 61 years, are hopeful that if they can get the gas and electricity turned on they can move back into the portion of the house that wasn’t destroyed by fire. In the meantime, they are staying with a daughter in Mar Vista while looking for a short-term rental in the Palisades. ‘You find out how wonderful your neighbors are,’ Alice said. ‘People are stopping by and saying how sorry they are, they’re leaving notes and a neighbor even brought by dinner one night.’ The couple raised four children in the house (Diane, Nancy, Steve and Carl), all of whom graduated from Palisades High School. Robert is a faithful participant in the Palisadian-Post’s weekly football pool, and has won it several times. Captain Tijera said that heater fires are not uncommon this time of year. ‘People should be aware of that and make sure that appliances are working correctly,’ he said, adding that they had put out a house fire on Napoli Drive the previous week that destroyed a carport and two cars. ‘Refinishing rags and cleaning solvents were to blame for that fire,’ Tijera said. ‘Spontaneous combustion does happen with those rags.’ He also reminds people to keep their Christmas trees watered and to extinguish candles when leaving the room.
