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Lisa Isomura, Matthew Plume Celebrate Wedded Bliss

Lisa Isomura and Matthew Plume
Lisa Isomura and Matthew Plume

Lisa Leilani Isomura and Matthew Spence Plume were married on March 13 at the top of Aspen Mountain.   Lisa is the daughter of Palisadians Larry and Lily Niles and Leonard and Michele Isomura (former Palisadian) of Glendora. Matt is the son of Russ Plume and Judy and Alan Welch of Carson City, Nevada.   After the ceremony, Matt skied while Lisa snowboarded down Ajax Mountain while photographer Gregg Adams took action shots of the couple. A breakfast was held at The Little Nell’s Montagna Restaurant. A reception will be held at Incline Village, Nevada, in April.   Matt and Lisa are both physical therapists living in the San Francisco Bay area. The couple will move to Hawaii after their honeymoon in Europe.

CLASSIFIED ADS FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 23, 2009

PLEASE NOTE: DUE TO NEW POSTAL REQUIREMENTS, THE CLASSIFIED DEADLINE IS NOW FRIDAY AT 11 A.M.

HOMES FOR SALE 1

EXCLUSIVE PRIVATE HOME, Poipu, Kauai, end of cul-de-sac. 1 blk from beach. Pool, separate ‘ohana, view of mtns over backyard pool. $2.35 million. (808) 634-7189

BEAUTIFUL KAUAI HOME in desirable Kalaheo. $559,000. Near Poipu Beach, 1,846 sq. ft. Gorgeous views, 3 bdrm, 2 ba. Huge kitchen, 2-car garage. Jodi Elizabeth Matsumoto, Realtor, (ofc) (808) 245-6205 or (cell) (808) 652-7034

FURNISHED HOMES 2

PICTURE PERFECT LEASE, Huntington Palisades. Beautifully decorated 3 bd, 3 ba, LR w/ FP, FR w/ FP, FDR, den, lovely garden, pool. Furn or unfurn at $14,000/mo. Contact Dolly Neimann, (310) 230-3706

SOPHISTICATED AND ROMANTIC beautifully furnished 3 bd, 3 ba in the heart of Pac Pal. $5,200/mo. Available June 1 or sooner. Dolly, (310) 230-3706

UNFURNISHED HOMES 2a

RUSTIC CANYON CRAFTSMAN CHARMER with 3 bd, 3.5 ba, great room with river rock FP, & cathedral ceilings. Huge porch & large yard. $7,000/mo. Call Dolly at (310) 230-3706

$4,800/MO. 3900 CASTLEROCK, two blocks to beach & Getty Villa. 2,136 sq.ft. 4+3+dine. Totally remodeled. All wood floors, new kitchen, private yard. (310) 309-7714

SPECTACULAR OCEAN VIEW near Pali schools. 4 BDRM, 3 BA, LR & master BDRM w/ frpls. W/D, 2 car garage. Jacuzzi bath. Gardener incl. 1 yr lease min. $6,400/mo. (310) 908-8390

$4,950/MO. UPDATED 4 BD, 2 BA RANCH TRADITIONAL. Open LR/DR, w/ peekaboo ocean view. Kit/FR w/ direct access to pvt brick patio, 2 car gar, sec. sys. AC. Call Katy Kreitler, (310) 230-3708

16904 DONNA YNEZ LANE. Located on a cul-de-sac street this light & bright 4 BD, 2.5 BA house features a living rm & dining area w/ an open fireplace. Updated kitchen. Large master w/ bath. Pvt fenced in yard. $5,300/mo. Jody Fine, (310) 230-3770

$4,500/MO. 3 BDRM, 2 BA. Very bright, fantastic ocean view, nice back yard, very private. Sunset Mesa. Stove & refrigerator included. 2-car garage. Available now. (310) 339-8829

2 BED, 1 BATH. Remodeled bathroom. Refrigerator, microwave. Covered parking for 2 cars. Community pool & laundry facilities. Private patio. 900 sq ft. No pets. $1,695/mo.+utilities. Last month free w/ 1 year lease. Avail NOW. (310) 450-8070

FURNISHED APARTMENTS 2b

BEAUTIFUL FULLY FURNISHED CORPORATE apt, Pacific Palisades. 1 bd, 1 ba. Cable TV, Internet. All you need is your toothbrush & clothes! Avail now! $2,750/mo. 3 mo. min. (310) 713-1303

UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c

TOP FLOOR CORNER, 1 bdrm, ocean/hillside views. Best location. Half block to beach. Off Sunset. Totally redecorated. New wood floors & granite. Pool, sec. gated parking. $1,795/mo. (310) 459-6369

RARE, CHARMING FIND in lovely neighborhood. Large, upper unit, 2 bd + bonus room, 1 bath. Plantation shutters, fireplace, ceiling fan, balcony, garden, garage, light & airy. 1 year lease. No pets. N/S. $3,500/mo. (310) 804-3142

1 BDRM, PATIO, walk in closet. Dining area, full kitchen, quiet area. Senior over 55. Available May 1st. Very clean & neat. Call (310) 454-3506

PANORAMIC OCEAN VIEW GUESTHOUSE. 1 BR+LR, 2 bath. Private. Wood floors, laundry, nice patio, some furnishings available. Near old Getty. Listen to the surf. For 1 person only. No pets. $2,000/mo. (310) 459-1983

CONDOS, TOWNHOMES FOR RENT 2d

3 BED, 3 BATH corner unit. Ocean & mountain views, pools, tennis court, parking, gated. Pac Pal, Sunset/PCH. $3,950/mo. Includes utilities. Westside Leasing, (800) 551-1586

BEAUTIFUL MTN, CYN & some ocean view Townhome in Palisades Highlands. 2 bd, 2.5 ba, updated kitchen & baths, end unit. Tennis & pool. $3,475/mo. Dolly Neimann, (310) 230-3706

EXQUISITE OCEAN VIEW 2+2. ALL NEW interior. Just steps to beach. 5 minutes to Santa Monica. All new cabinets, appliances, granite, marble, hardwood floors. High ceilings. W/D in condo. Ocean view patio. Garage. 1,200 sq ft. Reduced to $3,500/mo. (310) 801-0265 ‘ www.MalibuCoastline.com

LOVELY 3 BDRM, 2′ BA, HIGHLANDS ‘WOODIES’ townhouse. Upgraded, light, spacious, patio, W/D, 2 car garage, pool, tennis & gym. Available April 1st. $3,850/mo. (310) 459-3264

GEM IN THE PALISADES, 2 bdrm, 2′ ba, townhouse, hdwd, tile, new carpet, W/D, dishwasher. Parking. $3,350/mo. (310) 392-1757

$3,500/mo. 3 BDRM, 2.5 BATH, over 1,700 sq.ft. Newer appliances, tile floors, view of mountains, living, dining, W/D in unit, open patio, community tennis, gym, pool. John Portman, agent, (818) 645-3681

ROOMS FOR RENT 3

ROOMMATE WANTED TO SHARE spacious, clean 2-story, 2 br, 2 bath condo in Brentwood near Bundy and Wilshire. $1,000/mo on lease. Bedroom & bath located on private top floor. AC, washer/dryer in unit; 2-space gated parking. 2 cats on premises. Call Wendy at (310) 980-0016

WANTED TO RENT 3b

LOCAL EMPLOYED male seeks guesthouse. Quiet, local references. Non-smoker, no pets. Call Palisadian-Post, (310) 454-1321

PAID VACATION FOR YOU! Family looking for 3 bdrm, 2 ba, home for month of Aug. Walking distance to village, if possible. Local refs. (310) 393-1171

OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c

PROFESSIONAL BUILDING in Pacific Palisades village for lease. Lovely and spacious suite available. Lease hold improvement allowance. 850 square feet conveniently located in the village. Please call Ness, (310) 230-6712 x105, for more details.

OFFICE SUBLEASE W/ OCEAN VIEW. Four offices available in Pacific Palisades, at the corner of Sunset & PCH, fabulous ocean views. Includes telephone system, internet access & utilities. Lease terms negotiable. Call Angela at (310) 566-1888

PALISADES OFFICE SUITES AVAILABLE in the heart of the Village: Single room offices & office suites ranging in size up to 3,235 sf, all with large windows with great natural light. Amazing views of the Santa Monica mountains, private balconies and restrooms. Building amenities include high speed T1 internet access, elevator and secured, underground parking. CALL BRETT AT (310) 591-8789 or email brett@hp-cap.com

VACATION RENTALS 3e

FOUR FULLY SELF-CONTAINED trailers for rent across from Will Rogers State Beach & about 2 miles from Santa Monica Pier. Two for $1,095/mo. and two for $995/mo. (310) 454-2515

ARCHITECTS 7

LIC. ARCHITECT & GEN. CONTRACTOR. Residential & commercial. Additions & new construction. Green design/build. LEED AP. Lic. #885511 ‘ (310) 373-3999 ‘ www.gillilandpartners.com

BOOKKEEPING/ACCOUNTING 7b

Quickbooks Invoicing & Accts Payable for personal or business bank & investment account reconciliations, financial reports, staff management & scheduling are available in the Palisades. Call Shirley, (310) 570-6085

QUICKBOOKS FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS. Set-up, Data Entry, Reporting, Tax Preparation. 10 Years of Experience and Flexible Hours. Palisades Resident. Doris, (310) 913-2753

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 * SET-UP, TUTORING, REPAIR, INTERNET. Problem-Free Computing, Guaranteed. Satisfying Clients Since 1992 ‘ If I Can’t Help, NO CHARGE! COMPUTER WORKS! 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 ‘ Garage Sale Specialist ‘ (310) 454-0359 ‘ bmdawson@verizon.net ‘ www.bmdawson.com ‘ Furniture ‘ Antiques ‘ Collectibles ‘ Junque ‘ Reliable professionals ‘ Local References

ORGANIZING SERVICES 7h

PERSONAL ASSISTANCE, ORGANIZATION & BOOKKEEPING. Superior services provided w/ discretion & understanding. Pali resident, local refs. Extensive experience. Call Sarah, (310) 573-9263

FENG SHUI YOUR LIFE. Clear the clutter. Imagine how much better you’ll feel when it’s done! Local references available. Elizabeth, (310) 721-5933 / lizaamina@roadrunner.com

SOLAR/WIND ENERGY 7l

SOLAR ENERGY with ALTERNATIVE ENGINEERING SOLAR. Go green, save 40% to 50%! Huge rebates and tax incentives! Call for free estimate or questions. Local Palisades contractor. Lic. #912279. (877) 898-1948. e-mail: sales@alternativeengineering.net

NANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a

SUPER NANNY AVAILABLE. 14 yrs experience’5 yrs in Palisades. Infants, twins, all ages. CDL. Loving care for child and pets. Peace of mind for working mom. Responsible, reliable, flexible. Top references. Please call Phyllis, (818) 340-7183

BABYSITTERS AGENCY OF WLA: on call temporary babysitters. Has your babysitter ever canceled? We can help. Bonded, licensed, CPR, background checks. Residents, hotels, churches. (310) 306-KIDS

EUROPEAN EXPERIENCED NANNY looking for full or part time position. Legal to work. Excellent refs. Available any time. Call Vera, (951) 454-4079

MY WONDERFUL EUROPEAN NANNY is now available mornings. Call Ann Marie, (818) 943-4364, or Daria for reference, (310) 230-3125

HOUSEKEEPERS 9a

‘PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.’ 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. Call Bertha, (323) 754-6873 & cell (213) 393-1419

HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER/ELDER CARE, day or night, available Monday-Sunday. Own transportation, excellent references. Call Maria Patricia, (310) 948-9637

HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER/ELDERCARE ** Day or night. Avail. Mon.-Sun. Responsible, experienced, good refs. Spanish & English speaking. Live-in or live-out. Silvia, (323) 252-0112

EXCELLENT HOUSEKEEPER. GOOD REFERENCES. Live-out. Available full time. Babysitting also. Drives and speaks English. Call Ruth, (cell) (323) 215-7983 and (home) (323) 521-1626

HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE TWO DAYS a week. Own car, excellent Palisades references. Good English and Spanish. Please call Daisy, (c) (323) 793-8287 or (h) (213) 200-3335

HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE TO WORK Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday. Speaks English. Own car. Excellent local references. Please call Francis, (818) 472-8119

MY NAME IS ALICIA. I’m looking for a job as a housekeeper or babysitter. Experience, drivers license. Good references. Please call (323) 662-8102

HOUSEKEEPER LOOKING FOR WORK. 19 yrs experience. Excellent worker, dependable, trustworthy, local references. Own car. Call Teresa, (323) 754-8058

HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER ‘ looking for work Mon. to Fri. Own car, experience & good refs. Speaks Spanish & English. Call Carmen at (323) 810-6324 or Nila at (323) 735-0935, (323) 268-7917

HOUSECLEANING, BABYSITTING, EXPERIENCED, F/T or P/T. Refs. Own transportation. Speaks English. Avail Monday thru Friday. Please call Mildred, (323) 274-6109 cell, (323) 750-4441 home, (323) 274-5384

NANNY/HOUSEKEEPER available any day. Live-in or live-out. Has experience & excellent Palisades references. Call Sara, (562) 804-5071 or (323) 664-4419

HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE TO work 4 days a week: Tues., Wed., Thurs. & Sat. Own car, Palisades exper., English & Spanish speaking. Good refs. Call Yolanda, (323) 820-7163, (213) 880-4637, (323) 573-5309

MY NAME IS LENNY. I’m an excellent employee looking for a great opportunity cleaning houses & apartments. Available Mon.-Sat., own car, great refs, good English. Please call (323) 849-9649

ELDER CARE/COMPANIONS 10a

LOOKING FOR CAREGIVER? Extraordinary caregiver available in this area! She worked for our family’s Dad and was loving, giving, thoughtful and skilled. She is an LVN, and trained in CPR and emergency medicine. She speaks Filipino, Spanish and excellent English. She has her own car and can transport patients to doctor’s appointments. Please call Joselyn Hughes at (323) 353-0340 or (323) 353-1547

ELDER CARE/NANNY. Excellent references, flexible, experienced. Monday to Sunday. Full time, speaks English. Call Dolores, (310) 780-4038

NURSING CARE 10b

YOUR EXTRA SPECIAL PALISADES-BASED STAFFING AGENCY. Registered nurses, LVNs, CNAs & caregivers. Best rates! Free smiles!! Call Jim, (310) 573-9436 (ofc), (310) 795-5023 (c). yourextraspecial.com

GARDENING/LANDSCAPING 11

GARCIA GARDENING * Landscape, planting, maintenance, sprinkler systems, cleanup, low voltage lights. Everything your garden needs! Many yrs exp. Free estimates. Call Efren, (310) 733-7414

INDEPENDENT LANDSCAPE GARDENER. Expertise in: Planting ‘ Plumbing & irrigation drip systems ‘ Sprinklers ‘ Timers & repairs on existing systems. Landscape lighting, fencing, arbors & trellises ‘ Pruning & trimming ‘ Sod removal or installation ‘ Soil preparation ‘ Right plants for given conditions ‘ Regular maintenance. Client references upon request ‘ Bulmaro, (310) 442-6426 or cell, (310) 709-3738

MEDICAL BILL HELP 12e

BE PREPARED AND IN CONTROL OF YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS. Have your complete medical history compiled and at your fingertips either electronically and/or as a hard copy. RN/MSN will implement this secured project for you. Call (310) 710-9244

WINDOW WASHING 13h

THE WINDOWS OF OZ. Detailed interior/exterior glass & screen cleaning. High ladder work. 10% new customer discount. Next day service available. Free estimates. Lic. & bonded. Insured. (310) 926-7626

EXPERT WINDOW CLEANER ‘ Experienced 21 yrs Westside, 15 yrs Palisades. Clean & detailed. Can clean screens, mirrors, skylights & scrape paint off glass. Free estimates. Brian, (310) 289-5279

HAVING A PARTY? SELLING some real estate, or just want to do some spring cleaning? Get those WINDOWS SHINING by calling No Streak Window cleaning, where we offer fast friendly quality service you can count on! For a free estimate, call Marcus, (323) 632-7207. Lic. #122194-49, insured.

CATERING 14

HOLIDAY EVENT PLANNER & CULINARY STUDENT. Le Cordon Bleu student and event planner to help with your holiday prep, cooking, serving, menus & all event details. 10+ years experience. $50/hr. Please call Danielle, (310) 691-0578. daniellesamendez@gmail.com

PERSONAL SERVICES 14f

GREAT ORGANIZER! Declutter your home, office, closet, etc. Errands, bill paying, etc. No project too large or too small. Local references! Please call ‘T’, (310) 488-9575

PET SERVICES/PET SITTING 14g

PRIVATE DOG WALKER/runner/housesitter, Palisades & Santa Monica. S.M. Canyon resident. Please call or email Sherry, (310) 383-7852, email: Sherry230@verizon.net

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

CLEARLY MATH & MORE! Specializing in math & now offering chemistry & physics! Elementary thru college level. Test prep, algebra, trig, geom, calculus. Fun, caring, creative, individualized tutoring. Math anxiety. 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

SPANISH TUTOR, CERTIFIED TEACHER for all levels. Has finest education, qualifications, 21 yrs exper. Palisades resident, great references, amazing system, Colombian native speaker. Marietta, (310) 459-8180

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

MATH TUTORING – K-12. Experienced, credentialed math teacher seeks new clients for test preparation, basic skills and self concept. (Special Ed and gifted included). Rick, (310) 704-6284

CARPENTRY 16a

FINE WOODWORKING: Carpentry of any kind. Bathrooms, kitchens, doors, cabinets, decks & gates. State lic. #822541. No project too small. References available. Reasonable prices. Contact: Ed Winterhalter at (310) 213-3101

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

CASTLE CONSTRUCTION. New homes, remodeling, additions, fine finish carpentry. Serving the Westside for 25 yrs. Lic. #649995. Call James, (310) 245-0078

ELECTRICAL 16h

ELECTRICIAN HANDYMAN. Local service only. Non-lic. Please call (310) 454-6849 or (818) 317-8286

ELECTRICIAN: remodeling, rewiring, troubleshooting. Lighting: low voltage, energy safe, indoor, outdoor, landscape. Low voltage: telephone, Internet, CCTV, Home Theatre, Audio/Video. Non-lic. Refs. LichwaConstruction@gmail.com (310) 270-8596

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

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.

DECK REPAIR, SEALING & STAINING. Local resident, local clientele. 1 day service. (See ad under handyman.) Marty, (310) 459-2692

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. Lic. #560299. 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

HANDYMAN SERVING PALISADIANS for 14 years. Polite & on time. No job too small. Refs available. Non-lic. Ready for winter? (310) 454-4121 or cell, (310) 907-6169. djproservices@yahoo.com

MASTER HANDYMAN. JAMES, (213) 268-4446. Kitchen, bath, drywall, painting, plumbing, tile, windows, etc. Non-lic. Always on time. No job too small.

ROCK BOTTOM PRICES! Dave The Handyman. You won’t be disappointed! Lic. #629651. (310) 739-6253

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. 25 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

JAN MASLER PAINTING CO. Interior/exterior, custom finishes, 20 yrs experience. Lic. #826711. Bonded. Insured. (818) 269-7744. ‘Taking pride in our work.’

ALL SEASONS PAINTING: Spring clean-up specials. Kitchen cabinets ‘ Decks ‘ Garage doors ‘ No job too small. Interior/exterior painting. Free estimates. Call Randy, (310) 678-7913. Lic. #106150

ECO FRIENDLY HOUSE PAINTING. Safe & natural paint solutions for your home & family. NO ODOR. NO TOXIC FUMES. THE GREEN HOUSE PAINTERS. (310) 486-2930. Lic. #843099

REMODELING 16v

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

LABOR OF LOVE HOME REPAIR & REMODEL. Kitchens, bathrooms, cabinetry, tile, doors, windows, decks, etc. Work guar. Ken Bass, General Contractor. Lic. #B767950. (310) 487-6464

COMPLETE CUSTOM CONSTRUCTION ‘ New/Spec Homes ‘ Kit+bath remodeling ‘ Additions ‘ Quality work at reasonable rates guaranteed. Large & small projects welcomed. Lic. #751137. Call Michael Hoff Construction, (310) 710-3199

HELP WANTED 17

GROUP EX INSTRUCTORS WANTED. Palisades-Malibu YMCA is looking for group exercise instructors in all areas. This position requires a friendly, enthusiastic & conscientious leader w/ excellent knowledge & skill in the areas of health & fitness. Must possess a professional image & ability to provide excellent leadership, up-to-date instruction & high-energy motivation. Contact Anne Ullstrom, (310) 454-5591, for more info.

LIVE-IN CAREGIVER WANTED for active 91-year-old. Please call between the hours 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. only. Pay is commensurate w/ experience. (310) 454-1956, ask for Wendy.

ACCT. REP NEEDED to work on behalf of our company. 18 yrs or above needed. Must have computer skills. Job exp needed. For more info: mclarkemployment111@gmail.com

HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER, good references. Excellent housecleaning, babysitting. Full time, some Saturdays. Must speak English & have CA drivers license. Please call Debbie, (310) 459-9270

AUTOS 18b

2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300, gray exterior with gray interior. Only 9,500 miles. Looking for someone to take over my lease! Payments are $589 a month. This car is loaded. Contract started 10/20/07. Maturity date is 1/20/2011. Contact (310) 459-2927

1999 DODGE DURANGO. Orig. owner. Very low miles. All service records. Good condition. $5,999. 4GNT356. (310) 291-9659

FURNITURE 18c

JAPANESE 7 STEP TANSU. Museum quality, by Iwayado. 4 section piece. 80 W x 71 H x 18 D. $15,000. Must pick-up. (310) 301-6506

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

PALISADES LUTHERAN CHURCH’Garage Sale! 15905 Sunset Blvd. Saturday, April 25th, 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Plus free car wash, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the same location!

MULTIPLE FAMILY ESTATE SALE, Saturday, April 25th, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Furniture, household goods, DVDs, Hollywood memorabilia. 326 Swarthmore, Pacific Palisades. You’ll be sorry if you miss this one.

MOVING SALE! Furniture, appliances, baby stuff, clothes, fridge. Whole house full goes because we’re moving to London. Friday, April 24, Saturday, April 25 & Sunday if anything is left. 500 Via de la Paz. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. NO EARLY BIRDS!

PACIFIC PALISADES: Two full sized arcade games: Space Invaders & Asteroids. Silver/Crystal/collectibles. Vintage clothes/jewelry. Lots of really good stuff. FRI.-SAT., April 24-25, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. 16624 Merivale Ln (off Lachman). Photos:www.bmdawson.com

MISCELLANEOUS 18g

POOL TABLE FOR SALE! $259/obo. Like new, 7 ft, mahogany base & legs. Sticks, balls, cover incl. Tom, (310) 458-3531

YWCA to Honor Amelia Saltsman

Rustic Canyon resident Amelia Saltsman assembles fresh vegetables from the Santa Monica Farmers Market for the family
Rustic Canyon resident Amelia Saltsman assembles fresh vegetables from the Santa Monica Farmers Market for the family
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

  Pacific Palisades resident Amelia Saltsman, author of the award-winning ‘Santa Monica Farmer’s Market Cookbook,’ is one of three women to be honored by the Santa Monica YWCA on Saturday, May 2 at the Skirball Cultural Center. Saltsman, Kim Michel (founder of Michel Financial Group) and Abby Sher (founder of the Santa Monica Museum of Art) will receive the Y’s Focus Award for their work on behalf of women and girls. The evening will feature an honoree reception, auction, dinner, recognitions and entertainment. Saltsman is a Los Angeles native with an avid interest in culinary history, who, first and foremost, considers herself a chef. She has managed a cooking school, catered, taught cooking classes, wrote dozens of articles, worked as a food stylist for TV shows, and she is currently host-producer of the Santa Monica City TV show, ‘Fresh From The Farmers’ Market.’ Her articles have appeared in publications such as Bon Appetit, National Geographic Traveler, Los Angeles Times and Chicago Sun Times. Event tickets: $225. Proceeds will support a housing and education program for young women leaving the foster care system; Encore, a free exercise and peer support program for women with cancer; and Girls In Action, a leadership, empowerment and technology programs for girls in middle school. For tickets, contact: 310-452-3881

Chamber Music Palisades Ends with Mozart, Villa Lobos

  Chamber Music Palisades concludes its 12th Season with music by Mozart, Villa-Lobos, Hindemith and Franck on Tuesday, April 28 at 8 p.m., at St. Matthew’s Church, 1031 Bienveneda.   Series co-founders and co-artistic directors Delores Stevens, piano, and Susan Greenberg, flute, are joined by violinists Roger Wilkie and Nina Evtuhov as well as Carrie Dennis, principal viola with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and John Walz, principal cello with LA Opera.   The program features Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s (1756-1791) Quartet in D Major for flute, violin, viola and cello, as well as the more contemporary ‘Jet Whistle,’ an elegant and intriguing piece for flute and cello by Brazilian composer Villa Lobos (1887-1959), which was written in 1950 and boasts three perfectly balanced short movements. The concert continues with Paul Hindemith’s (1895-1963) highly regarded Sonata for Viola and Piano. A renowned violist himself, Hindemith wrote sonatas for every major instrument in the orchestra, but his Sonata for Viola and Piano is the noted Quintet for Piano and Strings by late Romantic composer C’sar Franck (1822-1890), known for his graceful musical modulations and reverential compositions.   Carrie Dennis joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic this fall. In addition to her orchestra career, Dennis is an avid chamber musician and has toured with Musicians from Marlboro.   Violinist Nina Evtohov left her life as a busy New York City freelance musician to return to her native Pacific Palisades in 2006. While in New York, Nina was a member of the Bordeaux String Quartet and performed regularly with many orchestras. Since moving to Los Angeles, she has performed with various orchestras and film soundtracks.   Cellist John Walz was born in Southern California and began his studies with Eleonore Schoenfeld. In 1967, he heard the great French cellist, Pierre Fournier, play the Dvorak Concerto with Zubin Mehta and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, an event that he says, ‘changed my life.’ In 1973, he traveled to Switzerland to study with Fournier. Equally at home in chamber music and orchestral playing, he is currently the principal cellist with the Los Angeles Music Center Opera, and teaches at the Idyllwild Arts Academy.   Robert Wilkie is the concertmaster of the Long Beach Symphony and has also served in that capacity with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Los Angeles Music Center Opera Orchestra, and the Real Filharmonia de Galicia in Spain.   For tickets ($25; students with ID are free), call 310-459-2070 or visit www.cmpalisades.org.

CLASSIFIED ADS FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 16, 2009

PLEASE NOTE: DUE TO NEW POSTAL REQUIREMENTS, THE CLASSIFIED DEADLINE IS NOW FRIDAY AT 11 A.M.

HOMES FOR SALE 1

EXCLUSIVE PRIVATE HOME, Poipu, Kauai, end of cul-de-sac. 1 blk from beach. Pool, separate ‘ohana, view of mtns over backyard pool. $2.35 million. (808) 634-7189

BEAUTIFUL KAUAI HOME in desirable Kalaheo. $559,000. Near Poipu Beach, 1,846 sq. ft. Gorgeous views, 3 bdrm, 2 ba. Huge kitchen, 2-car garage. Jodi Elizabeth Matsumoto, Realtor, (ofc) (808) 245-6205 or (cell) (808) 652-7034

FURNISHED HOMES 2

PICTURE PERFECT LEASE, Huntington Palisades. Beautifully decorated 3 bd, 3 ba, LR w/ FP, FR w/ FP, FDR, den, lovely garden, pool. Furn or unfurn at $14,000/mo. Contact Dolly Neimann, (310) 230-3706

SOPHISTICATED AND ROMANTIC beautifully furnished 3 bd, 3 ba in the heart of Pac Pal. $5,200/mo. Available June 1 or sooner. Dolly, (310) 230-3706

UNFURNISHED HOMES 2a

RUSTIC CANYON CRAFTSMAN CHARMER with 3 bd, 3.5 ba, great room with river rock FP, & cathedral ceilings. Huge porch & large yard. $7,000/mo. Call Dolly at (310) 230-3706

$4,800/MO. 3900 CASTLEROCK, two blocks to beach & Getty Villa. 2,136 sq.ft. 4+3+dine. Totally remodeled. All wood floors, new kitchen, private yard. (310) 309-7714

SPECTACULAR OCEAN VIEW near Pali schools. 4 BDRM, 3 BA, LR & master BDRM w/ frpls. W/D, 2 car garage. Gardener incl. 1 yr lease min. $6,400/mo. Contact Debra, (310) 908-8390

$4,950/MO. UPDATED 4 BD, 2 BA RANCH TRADITIONAL. Open LR/DR, w/peekaboo ocean view. Kit/FR w/ direct access to pvt brick patio, 2 car gar, sec. sys. AC. Call Katy Kreitler, (310) 230-3708

ATTRACTIVE 3 BDRM, 1.75 BA, plus bonus room. El Medio bluffs area. Lg, mstr bdrm, frplc, all appliances, prvt fenced backyard. Corner home with mtn view. Gardener incl. Avail. May 1st. $4,000/mo. Call (310) 454-1669

16904 DONNA YNEZ LANE. Located on a cul-de-sac street this light & bright 4 BD, 2.5 BA house features a living rm & dining area w/ an open fireplace. Updated kitchen. Large master w/ bath. Pvt fenced in yard. $5,300/mo. Jody Fine, (310) 230-3770

$4,500/MO. 3 BDRM, 2 BA. Very bright, fantastic ocean view, nice back yard, very private. Sunset Mesa. Stove & refrigerator included. 2-car garage. Available now. (310) 339-8829

FURNISHED APARTMENTS 2b

BEAUTIFUL FULLY FURNISHED CORPORATE apt, Pacific Palisades. 1 bd, 1 ba. Cable TV, Internet. All you need is your toothbrush & clothes! Avail now! $2,750/mo. 3 mo. min. (310) 713-1303

UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c

TOP FLOOR CORNER, 1 bdrm, ocean/hillside views. Best location. Half block to beach. Off Sunset. Totally redecorated. New wood floors & granite. Pool, sec. gated parking. $1,795/mo. (310) 459-6369

$3,500/MO. RARE, CHARMING FIND in Mediterranean triplex. Large upper unit, 2 bd + bonus room, 1 bath. Plantation shutters, fireplace, ceiling fans, balcony, garden, garage, light & airy. 1 yr lease. No pets, N/S. (310) 804-3142

1 BDRM, PATIO, walk in closet. Dining area, full kitchen, quiet area. Senior over 55. Available May 1st. Very clean & neat. Call (310) 454-3506

CONDOS, TOWNHOMES FOR RENT 2d

3 BED, 3 BATH corner unit. Ocean & mountain views, pools, tennis court, parking, gated. Pac Pal, Sunset/PCH. $3,950/mo. Includes utilities. Westside Leasing, (800) 551-1586

BEAUTIFUL MTN, CYN & some ocean view Townhome in Palisades Highlands. 2 bd, 2.5 ba, updated kitchen & baths, end unit. Tennis & pool. $3,475/mo. Dolly Neimann, (310) 230-3706

EXQUISITE OCEAN VIEW 2+2. ALL NEW interior. Just steps to beach. 5 minutes to Santa Monica. All new cabinets, appliances, granite, marble, hardwood floors. High ceilings. W/D in condo. Ocean view patio. Garage. 1,200 sq ft. Reduced to $3,660/mo. (310) 702-1154 • www.MalibuCoastline.com

LOVELY 3 BDRM, 2½ BA, HIGHLANDS “WOODIES” townhouse. Upgraded, light, spacious, patio, W/D, 2 car garage, pool, tennis & gym. Available April 1st. $3,850/mo. (310) 459-3264

WANTED TO RENT 3b

LOCAL EMPLOYED male seeks guesthouse. Quiet, local references. Non-smoker, no pets. Call Palisadian-Post, (310) 454-1321

PAID VACATION FOR YOU! Family looking for 3 bdrm, 2 ba, home for month of Aug. Walking distance to village, if possible. Local refs. (310) 393-1171

OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c

PROFESSIONAL BUILDING in Pacific Palisades village for lease. Lovely and spacious suite available. Lease hold improvement allowance. 850 square feet conveniently located in the village. Please call Ness, (310) 230-6712 x105, for more details.

OFFICE SUBLEASE W/ OCEAN VIEW. Four offices available in Pacific Palisades, at the corner of Sunset & PCH, fabulous ocean views. Includes telephone system, internet access & utilities. Lease terms negotiable. Call Angela at (310) 566-1888

PALISADES OFFICE SUITES AVAILABLE in the heart of the Village: Single room offices & office suites ranging in size up to 3,235 sf, all with large windows with great natural light. Amazing views of the Santa Monica mountains, private balconies and restrooms. Building amenities include high speed T1 internet access, elevator and secured, underground parking. CALL BRETT AT (310) 591-8789 or email brett@hp-cap.com

VACATION RENTALS 3e

FOUR FULLY SELF-CONTAINED trailers for rent across from Will Rogers State Beach & about 2 miles from Santa Monica Pier. Two for $1,095/mo. and two for $995/mo. (310) 454-2515

ARCHITECTS 7

LIC. ARCHITECT & GEN. CONTRACTOR. Residential & commercial. Additions & new construction. Green design/build. LEED AP. Lic. #885511 • (310) 373-3999 • www.gillilandpartners.com

BOOKKEEPING/ACCOUNTING 7b

Quickbooks Invoicing & Accts Payable for personal or business bank & investment account reconciliations, financial reports, staff management & scheduling are available in the Palisades. Call Shirley, (310) 570-6085

QUICKBOOKS FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS. Set-up, Data Entry, Reporting, Tax Preparation. 10 Years of Experience and Flexible Hours. Palisades Resident. Doris, (310) 913-2753

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 * SET-UP, TUTORING, REPAIR, INTERNET. Problem-Free Computing, Guaranteed. Satisfying Clients Since 1992. If I Can’t Help, NO CHARGE! COMPUTER WORKS! 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/

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 • Garage Sale Specialist • (310) 454-0359 • bmdawson@verizon.net • www.bmdawson.com • Furniture • Antiques • Collectibles • Junque • Reliable professionals • Local References

ORGANIZING SERVICES 7h

PERSONAL ASSISTANCE, ORGANIZATION & BOOKKEEPING. Superior services provided w/ discretion & understanding. Pali resident, local refs. Extensive experience. Call Sarah, (310) 573-9263

SOLAR/WIND ENERGY 7l

SOLAR ENERGY with ALTERNATIVE ENGINEERING SOLAR. Go green, save 40% to 50%! Huge rebates and tax incentives! Call for free estimate or questions. Local Palisades contractor. Lic. #912279. (877) 898-1948. e-mail: sales@alternativeengineering.net

NANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a

SUPER NANNY AVAILABLE. 14 yrs experience—5 yrs in Palisades. Infants, twins, all ages. CDL. Loving care for child and pets. Peace of mind for working mom. Responsible, reliable, flexible. Top references. Please call Phyllis, (818) 340-7183

BABYSITTERS AGENCY OF WLA: on call temporary babysitters. Has your babysitter ever canceled? We can help. Bonded, licensed, CPR, background checks. Residents, hotels, churches. (310) 306-KIDS

EUROPEAN EXPERIENCED NANNY looking for full or part time position. Legal to work. Excellent refs. Available any time. Call Vera, (951) 454-4079

HOUSEKEEPERS 9a

“PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.” 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. Call Bertha, (323) 754-6873 & cell (213) 393-1419

HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER/ELDER CARE, day or night, available Monday-Sunday. Own transportation, excellent references. Call Maria Patricia, (310) 948-9637

HOUSEKEEPER OR BABYSITTER AVAILABLE Monday-Friday. 5 years experience. Reliable. Excellent references. Frances, (323) 251-0258 or (310) 764-4781

HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER/ELDERCARE ** Day or night. Avail. Mon.-Sun. Responsible, experienced, good refs. Spanish & English speaking. Live-in or live-out. Silvia, (323) 252-0112

EXCELLENT HOUSEKEEPER. GOOD REFERENCES. Live-out. Available full time. Babysitting also. Drives and speaks English. Call Ruth, (cell) (323) 215-7983 and (home) (323) 521-1626

HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE TWO DAYS a week. Own car, excellent Palisades references. Good English and Spanish. Please call Daisy, (c) (323) 793-8287 or (h) (213) 200-3335

HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE TO WORK Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday. Speaks English. Own car. Excellent local references. Please call Francis, (818) 472-8119

MY NAME IS ALICIA. I’m looking for a job as a housekeeper or babysitter. Experience, drivers license. Good references. Please call (323) 662-8102

HOUSEKEEPER LOOKING FOR WORK. 19 yrs experience. Excellent worker, dependable, trustworthy, local references. Own car. Call Teresa, (323) 754-8058

HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER • looking for work Mon. to Fri. Own car, experience & good refs. Speaks Spanish & English. Call Carmen at (323) 810-6324 or Nila at (323) 735-0935, (323) 268-7917

HOUSECLEANING, BABYSITTING, EXPERIENCED, F/T or P/T. Refs. Own transportation. Speaks English. Avail Monday thru Friday. Please call Mildred, (323) 274-6109 cell, (323) 750-4441 home, (323) 274-5384

NANNY/HOUSEKEEPER available any day. Live-in or live-out. Has experience & excellent Palisades references. Call Sara, (562) 804-5071 or (323) 664-4419

HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE TO work 4 days a week: Tues., Wed., Thurs. & Sat. Own car, Palisades exper., English & Spanish speaking. Good refs. Call Yolanda, (323) 820-7163, (213) 880-4637, (323) 573-5309

ELDER CARE/COMPANIONS 10a

LOOKING FOR CAREGIVER? Extraordinary caregiver available in this area! She worked for our family’s Dad and was loving, giving, thoughtful and skilled. She is an LVN, and trained in CPR and emergency medicine. She speaks Filipino, Spanish and excellent English. She has her own car and can transport patients to doctor’s appointments. Please call Joselyn Hughes at (323) 353-0340 or (323) 353-1547

NURSING CARE 10b

YOUR EXTRA SPECIAL PALISADES-BASED STAFFING AGENCY. Registered nurses, LVNs, CNAs & caregivers. Best rates! Free smiles!! Call Jim, (310) 573-9436 (ofc), (310) 795-5023 (c). yourextraspecial.com

GARDENING/LANDSCAPING 11

SALOMON’S GARDENING * Maintenance & cleanup. Clean hillsides, cut grass, landscape, trim trees, sprinklers, plant. 1st mo. 10% off. Free est. Good refs. Many years exp. (323) 252-0112

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

GARCIA GARDENING * Landscape, planting, maintenance, sprinkler systems, cleanup, low voltage lights. Everything your garden needs! Many yrs exp. Free estimates. Call Efren, (310) 733-7414

INDEPENDENT LANDSCAPE GARDENER. Expertise in: Planting • Plumbing & irrigation drip systems • Sprinklers • Timers & repairs on existing systems. Landscape lighting, fencing, arbors & trellises • Pruning & trimming • Sod removal or installation • Soil preparation • Right plants for given conditions • Regular maintenance. Client references upon request • Bulmaro, (310) 442-6426 or cell, (310) 709-3738

MEDICAL BILL HELP 12e

BE PREPARED AND IN CONTROL OF YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS. Have your complete medical history compiled and at your fingertips either electronically and/or as a hard copy. RN/MSN will implement this secured project for you. Call (310) 710-9244

WINDOW WASHING 13h

THE WINDOWS OF OZ. Detailed interior/exterior glass & screen cleaning. High ladder work. 10% new customer discount. Next day service available. Free estimates. Lic. & bonded. Insured. (310) 926-7626

EXPERT WINDOW CLEANER • Experienced 21 yrs Westside, 15 yrs Palisades. Clean & detailed. Can clean screens, mirrors, skylights & scrape paint off glass. Free estimates. Brian, (310) 289-5279

HAVING A PARTY? SELLING some real estate, or just want to do some spring cleaning? Get those WINDOWS SHINING by calling No Streak Window cleaning, where we offer fast friendly quality service you can count on! For a free estimate, call Marcus, (323) 632-7207. Lic. #122194-49, insured.

CATERING 14

HOLIDAY EVENT PLANNER & CULINARY STUDENT. Le Cordon Bleu student and event planner to help with your holiday prep, cooking, serving, menus & all event details. 10+ years experience. $50/hr. Please call Danielle, (310) 691-0578 • daniellesamendez@gmail.com

PERSONAL SERVICES 14f

PRIVATE DRIVER for your business and personal needs. Westside native. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call Scott in Malibu at (310) 456-1840

GREAT ORGANIZER! Declutter your home, office, closet, etc. Errands, bill paying, etc. No project too large or too small. Local references! Please call “T”, (310) 488-9575

PERSONAL ASSISTANT AVAIL. NOW! Motivated, efficient, precise and reliable assistant ready to work now! Errands, admin., cooking, housekeeping, shopping, organizing. Great references! Call Ruut DeMeo, (410) 935-1093, email: ruutmusic@gmail.com

PET SERVICES/PET SITTING 14g

PRIVATE DOG WALKER/runner/housesitter, Palisades & Santa Monica. S.M. Canyon resident. Please call or email Sherry, (310) 383-7852, email: Sherry230@verizon.net

MISCELLANEOUS 14k

EXPERT ALTERATIONS BY FILEMON (of Emerson LaMay). Custom made dresses: weddings, proms, costumes. Men’s & women’s clothing. Free pick-up & delivery. Dry clean also. (818) 419-8986

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

CLEARLY MATH & MORE! Specializing in math & now offering chemistry & physics! Elementary thru college level. Test prep, algebra, trig, geom, calculus. Fun, caring, creative, individualized tutoring. Math anxiety. 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

SPANISH TUTOR, CERTIFIED TEACHER for all levels. Has finest education, qualifications, 21 yrs exper. Palisades resident, great references, amazing system, Colombian native speaker. Marietta, (310) 459-8180

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

MATH TUTORING – K-12. Experienced, credentialed math teacher seeks new clients for test preparation, basic skills and self concept. (Special Ed and gifted included). Rick, (310) 704-6284

CARPENTRY 16a

FINE WOODWORKING: Carpentry of any kind. Bathrooms, kitchens, doors, cabinets, decks & gates. State lic. #822541. No project too small. References available. Reasonable prices. Contact: Ed Winterhalter at (310) 213-3101

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

CASTLE CONSTRUCTION. New homes, remodeling, additions, fine finish carpentry. Serving the Westside for 25 yrs. Lic. #649995. Call James, (310) 245-0078

ELECTRICAL 16h

ELECTRICIAN HANDYMAN. Local service only. Non-lic. Please call (310) 454-6849 or (818) 317-8286

ELECTRICIAN: remodeling, rewiring, troubleshooting. Lighting: low voltage, energy safe, indoor, outdoor, landscape. Low voltage: telephone, Internet, CCTV, Home Theatre, Audio/Video. Non-lic. Refs. LichwaConstruction@gmail.com (310) 270-8596

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

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.

DECK REPAIR, SEALING & STAINING. Local resident, local clientele. 1 day service. (See ad under handyman.) Marty, (310) 459-2692

FINISH CARPENTRY 16k

CUSTOM FINISH CARPENTRY * Cabinets * Doors * Columns * Crown * Base * Wainscoting * Windows * Mantles & more . . . New construction & remodels. Contractors & homeowners welcome. Call John @ (818) 312-3716. Licensed (#886995) and bonded.

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. Lic. #560299. 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

HANDYMAN SERVING PALISADIANS for 14 years. Polite & on time. No job too small. Refs available. Non-lic. Ready for winter? (310) 454-4121 or cell, (310) 907-6169. djproservices@yahoo.com

MASTER HANDYMAN. JAMES, (213) 268-4446. Kitchen, bath, drywall, painting, plumbing, tile, windows, etc. Non-lic. Always on time. No job too small.

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. 25 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

JAN MASLER PAINTING CO. Interior/exterior, custom finishes, 20 yrs experience. Lic. #826711. Bonded. Insured. (818) 269-7744. “Taking pride in our work.”

ALL SEASONS PAINTING: Spring clean-up specials. Kitchen cabinets • Decks • Garage doors • No job too small. Interior/exterior painting. Free estimates. Call Randy, (310) 678-7913. Lic. #106150

ECO FRIENDLY HOUSE PAINTING. Safe & natural paint solutions for your home & family. NO ODOR. NO TOXIC FUMES. THE GREEN HOUSE PAINTERS. (310) 486-2930. Lic. #843099

REMODELING 16v

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

LABOR OF LOVE HOME REPAIR & REMODEL. Kitchens, bathrooms, cabinetry, tile, doors, windows, decks, etc. Work guar. Ken Bass, General Contractor. Lic. #B767950. (310) 487-6464

COMPLETE CUSTOM CONSTRUCTION • New/Spec Homes • Kit+bath remodeling • Additions • Quality work at reasonable rates guaranteed. Large & small projects welcomed. Lic. #751137. Call Michael Hoff Construction, (310) 710-3199

HELP WANTED 17

GROUP EX INSTRUCTORS WANTED. Palisades-Malibu YMCA is looking for group exercise instructors in all areas. This position requires a friendly, enthusiastic & conscientious leader w/ excellent knowledge & skill in the areas of health & fitness. Must possess a professional image & ability to provide excellent leadership, up-to-date instruction & high-energy motivation. Contact Anne Ullstrom, (310) 454-5591, for more info.

LIVE-IN CAREGIVER WANTED for active 91-year-old. Please call between the hours 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. only. Pay is commensurate w/ experience. (310) 454-1956, ask for Wendy.

ACCT. REP NEEDED to work on behalf of our company. 18 yrs or above needed. Must have computer skills. Job exp needed. For more info: mclarkemployment111@gmail.com

HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER, good references. Excellent housecleaning, babysitting. Full time, some Saturdays. Must speak English & have CA drivers license. Please call Debbie, (310) 459-9270

SITUATIONS WANTED 17a

SEEKING POSITION ON HORSE FACILITY to EXERCISE, RIDE, or REHAB, GROUND WORK . . . European rider experienced in English & Western, Natural Horsemanship skills. I am looking for position on a ranch to EXERCISE, TURN OUT horses. Willing to help horses in REHAB or non ridable to get back in shape. Contact: (714) 328-9347, www.horsestraininginharmony.com

AUTOS 18b

http://1992toyotacressida.shutterfly.com. 67 K miles. Great condition. All maintenance records available. $3,600. Bob Harter, (310) 569-7668

FURNITURE 18c

JAPANESE 7 STEP TANSU. Museum quality, by Iwayado. 4 section piece. 80 W x 71 H x 18 D. $15,000. Must pick-up. (310) 301-6506

JAPANESE 4 DRAWER TANSU by Iwayado. Excellent condition. 34 W x 29 H x 18 D. $4,000. Must pick-up. (310) 301-6506

CURIO CABINET FOR CORNERS. 4 shelves. Excellent condition. 74.5 H x 21 D. $500. Must pick-up. (310) 301-6506

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

CHARITY ESTATE SALE to benefit St. John’s Health Center. FABULOUS ITEMS FOR SALE. April 18 & 19. Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 11870 Santa Monica Blvd.

ULTIMATE CHIC TO SHABBY CHIC garage sale. Designer clothes, purses, shoes, furniture, jewelry, linens, & even a dog crate. 4/18 & 4/19, Sat. & Sun., 9 a.m.-2 p.m. 779 El Medio, Pacific Palisades

ESTATE SALE: PACIFIC Palisades. Fri., 4/17, Sat., 4/18 & Sun., 4/19. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 625 Swarthmore Ave, 90272. Rooms of lovely designer furniture & accessories. Check website. www.pacificestatesales.com

MOVING SALE! Furniture, lamps, tables, pots, clothing, toys, instruments, electronics, & jewelry! Friday, April 17 & Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 607 Via de la Paz.

PETS, LIVESTOCK 18e

BOXER MIX. Ronin, a four year old male Boxer mix looking for his forever home. (310) 374-6546

MISCELLANEOUS 18g

POOL TABLE FOR SALE! $259/obo. Like new, 7 ft, mahogany base & legs. Sticks, balls, cover incl. Tom, (310) 458-3531

Marie Steckmest: A Citizen For a ‘Greener’ Palisades

Marie Steckmest enjoys tending her flowers and vegetables in her Highlands back yard overlooking Santa Ynez Canyon.
Marie Steckmest enjoys tending her flowers and vegetables in her Highlands back yard overlooking Santa Ynez Canyon.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Marie Steckmest is loaded with ideas. When she was teaching reading to second graders, she constructed a snug little Volkswagen for two out of cardboard for individualized instruction. When her own children were at Marquez Elementary, she developed the career week program that is still going strong. And now Marie has been named Citizen of the Year for an idea, more accurately a movement’Greening the Palisades.   She will be honored at the annual banquet, sponsored by the Palisadian-Post, on April 23 at the American Legion Hall.   ’I like to start programs, and I think I am good at organizing and getting people to join,’ Steckmest says, with the caveat that if the idea doesn’t draw enthusiasm, she moves on. ‘I get an idea, bounce it off a few people, but if the idea doesn’t sound good, I just don’t pursue it.’   Steckmest is the ideal right brain-left brain type, who not only can unleash an idea, but also possesses the discipline necessary to implement it by encouraging participation from others: ‘I think people like helping people, and I can make it easy to help and learn.’   A community builder while living for more than 25 years in the Palisades, Steckmest has amassed a network of men and women whom she has worked with through her various associations’Palisades Presbyterian Church, the Junior Women’s Club, Marquez Elementary and Santa Monica-based OPCC, which provides comprehensive services for low-income and homeless people.   Although Marie grew up in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, Southern California was part of her childhood itinerary as a consequence of her father’s sabbaticals. A math professor at the University of Minnesota, he was seduced by the weather of Southern California and thought nothing was better than playing golf at Rancho Park. In their first foray to California, the family lived on Iliff Street, while Marie, an only child, attended Palisades Elementary. Returning five years later, the family settled in Santa Monica, and Marie completed fifth grade at Roosevelt Elementary.   Marie enjoyed the fruits of a Midwestern upbringing and family life. Her mother taught her the love of cooking, and the value of a loyal, loving partnership’she typed the text for all her husband’s math textbooks.   ’My father was the driving force in the family,’ Marie says. ‘He was friendly; he liked people, enjoyed dancing and gardening and sports. He didn’t have a boy, and I was an only child, so even though I didn’t enjoy gym at school, I played softball in a vacant lot, played golf, swam and began my love of tennis.’   Tennis has played a big part in Marie’s life, introducing her to many people, including her attorney husband Larry, whom she met in 1982 at the Westside Racket Club on Motor Avenue.   The couple married and moved to the Palisades in 1984 when their son Jeff was born, followed two years later by their daughter Lisa. Jeff now works in finance in Washington, D.C.; Lisa works for a consulting firm in downtown Los Angeles.   If tennis teaches tenacity, focus and strategy and encourages sociability, Marie has mastered the game. These traits, combined with her educational background’a B.A. in psychology in 1971 and an MBA in marketing from UCLA in 1986’have proved useful in her community involvement.   Marie divides her adult life into stages, moving from fulltime employment, to volunteering in her children’s schools to her current focus on the community of Pacific Palisades.   She taught elementary school for seven years, then took an abrupt turn and sold business computers for Sperry Univac. Later, after completing her MBA she was a marketing consultant for a year.   Through the Presbyterian church, Marie met Kimberly Giancola, who introduced her to the Junior Women. The association was wonderful for Marie, who stayed in the group for 10 years, serving in a number of leadership positions, including president. She also met women, including Carol Sanborn and Suzanne Baraff, who years later have joined her on several Palisades Cares programs. And each new idea draws more volunteers, including Sid Greenwald and Chamber of Commerce President Toni Balfour, who work with Marie on the recycling efforts in town and at all the local schools.   ’I enjoyed the service aspects of the Juniors, and I loved volunteering at Marquez School,’ Marie says, but six years ago, after her children were out of high school, she turned her attention to helping those outside the Palisades who were struggling. ‘I wanted to do something and involve our church in more outreach activities,’ she says.   Intrigued by the work the late Cathie Wishnick was doing at Kehillat Israel with Turning Point (a women’s transitional housing shelter), Marie sought out Cathie, ‘who told me how to do it, the ways to volunteer and help.’   By applying her skills, seeking advice from experts, laying out a plan and developing a cadre of helpers, Marie expanded her Palisades Cares franchise from a ‘Palisades Volunteer Days’ week of service opportunities to promoting her green message: reduce, reuse and recycle, which culminated last year with the distribution of 36 recycling bins throughout the Village. The $20,000 project was accomplished with a $10,000 city grant, matched by the generosity of the community.   And now in 2009, Marie continues her greening message with updates on news and events in her Palisadian-Post Save Our Earth column and by working with her coalition of parents, students and teachers in all the schools.   Moving along with another idea, Marie surprised herself with the breadth of discussion and community participation in the first Community Reads book, ‘The Soloist,’ which focuses on the challenge of mental illness and homelessness in our city.   ’I had attended a talk on the subject by Steve Lopez (author of ‘The Soloist’) and OPCC’s Renee Buchanan (a former bank executive, who suffered from depression and spent time on the streets),’ Marie recalls. ‘Then I talked to Katie O’Laughlin at Village Books, who liked the idea.   ’Talking to friends, seeking advice from experts and listening are key for successful programs,’ Steckmest says. ‘It’s fun to work with people towards a common goal. It’s all synergy.’

Marquez Fourth Grader Abducted

Tomas Betsis-Dunstan, a fourth grade student at Marquez Charter Elementary School, was abducted by a non-custodial parent, George Betsis, on the morning of April 3. ‘We did have a custody issue,’ Principal Phillip Hollis told the Palisadian-Post. ‘It is now in the hands of the LAPD.’ According to a police report, the child was dropped off at 8:50 a.m. and the father was seen taking him away from the school a few minutes later. Police speculate that the father was waiting for the boy to be dropped off and then grabbed him. Betsis, an Australian national, is in a custody battle with his ex-wife over guardianship of the child. He asked Australian courts to grant him guardianship, but was denied. A U.S. court ordered Betsis to return his son to the West Los Angeles police station. Betsis called the station and acknowledged the order, but told an officer he would not comply. ‘He fully understands the court order,’ said West Los Angeles Detective Francene Mounger. Police are now seeking the public’s help in locating the 10-year-old boy and his 49-year-old father. Tomas is white, weighs 110 pounds, has a medium build and has dark hair, police said.   His father is described as 5’8′ tall, 200 pounds, with brown hair and eyes, a medium build and dark complexion. Betsis is believed to be driving a 2009 gray Kia Sorrento with the California license plate 6ELL191. ‘We’re eager to follow up on any information anyone might have,’ Mounger said. ‘We believe he’s still in Southern California.’ Mounger acknowledged that Betsis is considered a flight risk. ‘We’ve taken precautions so that he won’t leave the country, and Australian officials have been notified,’ she said. Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Betsis or Tomas is asked to call Mounger at (310) 444-1533. After-hours and on weekends, calls may be directed to the West Los Angeles watch commander at (310) 444-0701 or to a 24-hour, toll-free number at 1-877-527-3247. Callers may also text ‘Crimes’ with a cell phone or log on to www.lapdonline.org and click on Web tips. When using a cell phone, all messages should begin with ‘LAPD.’ Tipsters may remain anonymous.

Coastal Vote Supports Pool Fill Job

The California Coastal Commission board voted unanimously at its April 8 meeting in Oxnard to allow the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to keep the Temescal Pool permanently filled in with dirt and covered with sod. The Commission issued the Conservancy an emergency permit in January to fill in the empty pool, located in Temescal Gateway Park, because the pool posed a threat to overall stability of the site and the surrounding area if rain should occur, according to the emergency permit. Last Wednesday’s decision allows the work that was done to remain as long as the Conservancy wants, said Gary Timm, the Commission’s coastal program manager. From the time the emergency permit was issued on January 9, the Conservancy had 60 days to file for a regular permit to have the work be considered permanent, according to Timm. If the Coastal Commission had not received such an application, the Conservancy would have had to reverse the work within 150 days. The Conservancy can still apply for a permit in the future to reopen the pool, Timm said. The Palisades-Malibu YMCA had operated the pool until February 2008, at which time the facility was closed for repairs estimated to cost $400,000. In December, the Conservancy board decided to develop a long-term plan for the park before possibly offering a new pool lease. When the crews were filling in the pool in January, MRCA chief ranger Ken Nelson told the Palisadian-Post that the work was being done in such a manner that the pool could be reopened. For now, the area will be used for public picnicking, while the pool deck, pool house, maintenance/equipment building, and paved parking lot remain until long-term plans for the site are developed and the necessary permits obtained. The Conservancy hired Dudek, an environmental and engineering consulting firm, to conduct a master plan for the park. Executive Director Joe Edmiston told the Palisadian-Post on April 9 that the planning process has been halted because the state has frozen bond spending in the midst of its budget shortfall. Edmiston could not say when the planning process would resume. Before the April 8 Coastal Commission meeting, Friends of the Temescal Pool president Jane Albrecht submitted a letter to the Commission asking for a postponement to ‘give a reasonable amount of time for the Friends and the regional community to provide comments on the matter, and to ensure that the Commission has a full and accurate understanding.’ Albrecht added that she was notified of the meeting late because the notice had been sent to the wrong address. She said that a few days’ notice was not sufficient for Friends or the community to respond or for the Commissioners to read the submissions and properly consider them. When the Commission gave permission in January to fill in the pool, ‘neither the local government nor interested parties had any notice,’ Albright wrote, adding that the Commission gave oral permission to fill in the pool on January 7 and work began the next day. The actual emergency permit was issued on January 9. ‘Especially in light of how the emergency permit was handled, the Coastal Commission should afford the community a full, fair and meaningful opportunity to brief the commission,’ Albrecht wrote. At the April 8 meeting, Friends also submitted a 26-page report to the Coastal Commission stating its position. In January, Friends filed a lawsuit against the Conservancy and its partner, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, asking the court to order the Conservancy to negotiate a pool lease, pay to repair the pool, and make the park fully accessible to the disabled. Friends contends that the land was purchased with Proposition A funding, which is partly intended to create recreational facilities for senior citizens. According to the lawsuit, ‘The pool was the only part of Temescal Gateway Park that was open and accessible for recreation use by many handicapped and senior citizens of the community.’ The pool was handicapped-accessible and the YMCA offered rehabilitation programs. Friends also argues that by filling in the pool, the Conservancy violated its contract agreement with the Presbyterian Synod, from which the land was purchased in 1994. The Conservancy has since filed a demurrer and Friends has until late May to reply, said Laurie Collins, Conservancy’s chief staff counsel. A demurrer is a pleading in effect that even if the facts are as alleged by the opposite party, they do not sustain the contention based on them. If the judge denies the demurrer, the Conservancy has to file an answer to the Friends’ complaint. If the judge honors the demurrer, the case is either dismissed or Friends may have the option of amending its complaint to move the case forward. In the meantime, Friends of the Temescal Pool is continuing to work on a viable business plan for an aquatics program at the pool. ‘[Edmiston] indicated that he would consider such a plan in the future, as the [Conservancy] develops its comprehensive plan for Temescal Gateway Park,’ said Jean Rosenfeld, a Friends member. ‘We believe that the pool can and will be repaired and that an aquatics program will be resumed,’ Rosenfeld added. ‘Friends continues to work in a positive and collaborative relationship with any public agency that will facilitate our purpose.’

Temescal Continuation School Faces Possible Closure

Allan Tamshen is the principal of Temescal High School.
Allan Tamshen is the principal of Temescal High School.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

As continuation students ran around the Temescal Canyon High School campus looking for hidden Easter eggs on April 3, Principal Allan Tamshen was sober about the school’s future. ‘We are the best drop-out prevention program in the district [LAUSD],’ Tamshen said. ‘But the district has already shut down three continuation schools for next year.’ Whitney Young at Crenshaw High, Del Rey at Westchester High and Indian Springs at University High have been closed, and given the current LAUSD budget crisis, Temescal Canyon may be next. Continuation schools serve students who are at the highest risk of dropping out by helping and encouraging them to complete their high school education. ‘We’re not profitable because our class size is 25 to 1,’ said Tamshen, who noted that it costs the state $60,000 to house a prisoner for a year, compared to about $5,750 allocated to a high school student’s education at LAUSD (which could be higher with additional allocations). Palisades Charter High School, which is fiscally independent, spent $8,270 per pupil this year. High school dropouts are far more likely to spend their lives periodically unemployed, on government assistance, or cycling in and out of the prison system, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics. A 2008 California Department of Education study showed that one in three LAUSD high school students failed to graduate. ‘This school represents giving kids a second chance, keeping dropouts off the street,’ Tamshen said. ‘More programs like this might stop incarcerations.’ Temescal Canyon, located just below PaliHi, has 92 students from 13 high schools. The faculty consists of teachers Lorene Sosa (social studies), Justin Kirby (English) and Bryan Ko (math) teacher. Patricia Dunn is the school’s administrative assistant. At the April 3 assembly (a gathering that recognizes the most improved student every month), plastic eggs were filled with candy, and $5 was hidden in one. The reason for the hunt was simple: ‘These kids come from tough neighborhoods,’ Tamshen said. ‘They can let their guard down here.’ ‘It was pretty funny,’ said junior Xavier Martinez, who found the egg with the money. He lives in downtown L.A. near Koreatown and started at PaliHi before switching to Temescal as a sophomore. ‘This is way better,’ he said. ‘I do more work here.’ Tamshen explained that students need 230 credits to receive a high school diploma and Temescal High finds ways to help those students who have fallen behind or who are failing to meet the standard requirements. At Temescal, about 50 percent of the students who were failing in a traditional high school are able to catch up and eventually earn their diplomas by taking classes with more individualized instruction. In order to reach more of his students, Tamshen has also developed a special program that offers 10 classes and GED (general educational development) test preparation that helps them them attain their high school diploma equivalent. ‘I started that five years ago because a lot of the students were ‘lost,” said Tamshen, who also offers a Tuesday program from 4 to 8 p.m. that works like a study hall, but with individualized help.

Charter School Awards to Rose Gilbert, Weir

Legendary Palisades Charter High School teacher Rose Gilbert received the Legacy Award at the 16th Annual California Charter Schools Conference in Long Beach on March 12. Before an audience of 2,000 teachers, principals and educational leaders, Gilbert, 90, was praised for a 53-year career in which she has inspired and mentored countless students and colleagues. ‘Generations of students experienced her passion for great literature and her dynamic teaching style,’ wrote the judges in selecting Gilbert for the award. ‘As a teacher of advanced placement and honors courses, [she] prepared thousands of students for the rigors of college, carefully guiding them through the process of critical literary analysis and impelling them to write with discipline and commitment.’ Gilbert, whose late husband Sam was a millionaire, was also recognized for her philanthropy, which includes scholarships every June to the PaliHi valedictorian, salutatorian, most improved senior, and highest-achieving female athlete in multiple sports, plus winners of the Mama G award and the AcaDec Spirit of Enthusiasm award. In addition, Gilbert also funds numerous scholarships at UCLA (where she graduated in 1940), and has contributed $2 million to build the Maggie Gilbert Aquatic Center on the PaliHi campus, with construction now underway. In 2006, after she had coached the school’s Academic Decathlon Team for 25 years, Gilbert said: ‘To me, education is power. I want to marry effort and education so students will understand the complexities of life and understand the need to contribute positively to the world.’ On March 12, the California Charter Schools Association also awarded Dr. Sharon Weir the annual Hart Vision Award as Charter School Principal of the Year, out of 750 California charter principals. Weir, principal of New West Charter Middle School in West Los Angeles, accepted her award by sharing her formula: ‘Teamwork divides the task and doubles the success.’ New West was founded in 2003 by Palisades residents Judith Bronowski, David Eagle and Gene Albrecht, with support from about 200 local families. Unable to locate in the Palisades, the school transformed an existing building on Pico Boulevard (a half-block east of Barrington) and has become one of the highest-performing public middle schools in Los Angeles. ‘Sharon is a shining example of what is possible in public schools when the right person is in the position to lead,’ said Jed Wallace, president and CEO of the California Charter Schools Association. ‘She is a model leader, a fierce advocate for charter school equity and an inspiration for educators nationwide.’ Weir was recruited to New West by Bronowski, current chair of New West’s governing board, after a difficult opening year. ‘We were so fortunate to find a leader with charter experience, educational expertise and fiscal management skills,’ Bronowski said. ‘Being super smart didn’t hurt either.’ During Weir’s four years of leadership, New West has raised its Academic Performance Index (API) score from 752 to 867, and has eliminated 82 percent of its debt. Weir is also a champion of charter school facilities rights. In 2008, she led New West to win a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Unified School District that orders the District to provide space for 285 students in conformity with Proposition 39. New West is currently in the penalty phase of the suit. New West is a state-authorized charter school, having been denied a charter twice by LAUSD. The State Board of Education deemed LAUSD’s denial prejudiced and hostile, and in 2007 unanimously approved a second five-year charter. New West is open to allcomers and the selection of 315 students (current representing 52 zip codes) is by open lottery. Established in 1995, the Hart Vision Awards were created in honor of retired California Senator and former California Secretary of Education Gary Hart. During his tenure as legislator, Hart authored California’s charter school legislation, which led to charter status for Palisades High and Marquez, Palisades and Canyon elementary schools in 1993.