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Council Seeks Controls on Cell Towers

Earlier this year, Pacific Palisades Community Council member Chris Spitz joined her neighbors in opposing the installation of a T-Mobile cell tower near her home on Friends Street. ‘We wrote letters, and we really fought,’ said Spitz, who spent weeks researching the regulations regarding cell tower installations. She and her neighbors were concerned that the T-Mobile pole would create aesthetic blight since it would be located next to Potrero Canyon (a public park) and in a coastal zone. The residents also thought there was adequate cell coverage in the area, and they argued that T-Mobile’s own Web site even indicated that was the case. Shortly thereafter, T-Mobile withdrew its application. After the situation on Friends Street arose, Spitz discovered that T-Mobile had also applied for cell towers on upper and lower El Medio Avenue and actually installed one on De Pauw Street. She then learned that communities across the city, state and nation are fighting the proliferation of cell towers. Last Thursday, Spitz asked the Community Council to pass a motion that would endorse the repeal or modification of Section 704 of the Telecommun-ications Act of 1996 in order to give local government authority over cell-tower regulations. The Federal Communications Commission is seeking public comment by June 8 on the National Broadband Plan that will be implemented in 2010. Spitz told the Council that the Telecommunications Act ‘takes away control from local governments and communities to regulate.’ The Council voted 14 in favor and two against (with two abstentions) to endorse Spitz’s motion and agreed to send the FCC a comment that reads: ‘We, the undersigned, call for the U.S. Congress to repeal limitations on state and local authority imposed by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and permit state and local governments to regulate the placement, construction and modification of telecommunications towers and other personal wireless services facilities.’ In addition, the Council is asking L.A. City Councilman Bill Rosendahl to take the same position and encourage the City Council and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to follow suit. The Pacific Palisades Residents Association, of which Spitz is a member, sent a similar letter to Rosendahl and the FCC. Rosendahl told the Palisadian-Post on Tuesday, ‘I totally agree with them. I have strongly taken issue with the federal law. The cell companies went to Washington, and as a result, took away our power and authority.’ He said he will write to the FCC and added that he is concerned about the health risks of radio frequency emissions from cell towers, which has been highly debated. The Telecommunications Act does not allow state or local governments to deny cell towers ‘on the basis of environmental effects on radio frequency emissions to the extent that such facilities comply with the Commission’s regulations.’ After the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld San Diego’s limits on the placement, size and design of towers and poles in the Sprint v. County of San Diego case in September 2008, Rosendahl introduced a motion in City Council to ask the L.A. City Attorney to review the city’s Above Ground Facility (AGF) Ordinance (which regulates cell towers on public right of ways), in hopes the city could exercise greater control over the aesthetics and placement of cell towers. The motion was deferred to the City Council’s Public Works Committee, which will discuss the matter on June 17.   ’This is the beginning of a movement,’ Spitz told the Palisadian-Post. L.A. County Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsy and Michael Antonovich presented a motion to their five-member board on Tuesday ‘to actively seek and support federal legislation to repeal limitations on state and local authority imposed by the Telecommunications Act of 1996.’ The board’s vote was not available at press time. In Los Angeles, there are three ways cell companies can erect towers. 1) To install a new pole on the public right of way, cell companies must apply through the AGF Ordinance, said Jeff La Dou, a management analysis administrator of L.A. Bureau of Engineering, which oversees the AGF application. In that process, the cell companies must notify nearby residents, who can appeal to a single commissioner on the Board of Public Works. The commissioner will submit his or her decision to the entire board for final approval. 2) If cell companies want to install a pole on private property, they have to receive a conditional-use permit through the City Planning Department, La Dou said. Residents are notified and there is a hearing process. 3) Cell companies can also make arrangements to use an existing utility pole, and in that case, they are exempt from the permitting process. On upper El Medio (above Sunset), T-Mobile filed an AGF application for permission to erect a pole and obtained approval. Residents appealed the decision and T-Mobile cancelled its application. On lower El Medio (below Sunset), T-Mobile filed an AGF application and has received approval. On DePauw, T-Mobile replaced an existing support utility pole with a much taller pole and added its cell equipment. La Dou said this often upsets residents because the new, taller pole is considered an existing pole; therefore, the cell company does not have to receive a permit or notify the neighbors. The pole is defined as existing because an additional pole was not added to the street. Until the law can be changed, Spitz and other members of Community Council plan to meet with T-Mobile to discuss its plans for Pacific Palisades. ‘Hopefully, we can work with them,’ Spitz said.

Station 69 to Lose Staff This Summer

Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Captain Steve Ruda confirmed on Tuesday that several fire stations, including Station 69 in Pacific Palisades, will lose firefighters sometime this summer. ‘We have been asked to trim $56.6 million from our budget,’ Ruda said. ‘The only way to address that is to cut personnel because the highest percentage of our budget is salary.’ The date these cuts go into effect is not yet known. The plan is to keep all LAFD stations open, but reduce the number of firefighters working. If a firefighter is sick or on vacation in one part of the city, another one will be sent to replace him (or her), which could leave an engine unmanned at Station 69, located on Sunset at Carey. ‘Will Pacific Palisades be understaffed?’ Ruda asked, and then responded, ‘Yes, it’s kind of like Russian roulette. You just hope that when Pacific Palisades residents are calling 911, that the ‘rolling brownouts’ won’t affect the community.’ Ruda recalled that in the 1990s, fire stations were closed in order to balance the budget. ‘Once lives were lost because of the closures, the City Council changed the policy,’ he said. At Station 69, there are three different shifts, with 12 men and two captains. They provide 24-hour, seven-day a week coverage. The station has a ‘task force,’ which means it has an engine (four firefighters), a ladder truck and a pumping engine (six firefighters). It also has a paramedic unit (two firefighters). If there are not enough people to man the engine, the pumping engine will have to go on a rescue run with paramedics. Since the pumping engine always accompanies the hook and ladder truck, the ladder truck, which carries the ‘Jaws of Life’ and other heavy equipment, will not have the manpower to operate. ‘From the ocean to the 405 freeway this is the only ladder truck available,’ said Captain Kevin Kearns at Station 69. Neither Station 23 nor Station 19 (Bundy and Sunset) has one. ‘A ladder truck would have to come from Venice or Westwood. So this will impact Pacific Palisades.’ Ruda was sympathetic when asked about the lack of a ladder truck for Pacific Palisades because of its geographical isolation, but said the department has no choice because of the mandated cuts. ‘We’ve been asked to cut the fat,’ he said. ‘But we have no fat to cut, we’re cutting into the muscles now.   ’Services will come from a longer distance,’ Ruda continued. ‘As firefighters we pride ourselves on fast response. It hurts us as well.’ He explained that if Station 69’s ladder truck is engaged in a long-time emergency, trucks from other areas will ‘move up’ to this area.

PaliHi Grad Michelle Mahanian To Receive First Gilbert Award

Palisades High graduate Michelle Mahanian will receive the inaugural Gilbert Award at the Pali Spirit Award dinner this Sunday in recognition of her community service and academic achievements.
Palisades High graduate Michelle Mahanian will receive the inaugural Gilbert Award at the Pali Spirit Award dinner this Sunday in recognition of her community service and academic achievements.

Shortly after Michelle Mahanian began volunteering at the UCLA Medical Center in 2002, she noticed that patients tended to become depressed as a result of long-term hospitalization. ‘There is basically nothing for them to do except watch TV reruns,’ said Mahanian, who graduated from Palisades Charter High School in 2005. Since patients have a better chance of healing if they have a positive disposition, she started a program called Music to Heal in 2004. Mahanian, who plays the flute and piano, recruited fellow students from PaliHi to perform for chronically ill patients. When she started college at UCLA in fall 2005, Mahanian kept the program going by bringing aboard UCLA students and other musicians from around L.A. Her organization now has more than 100 volunteers serving UCLA Medical Center. On Sunday, June 7, Mahanian will receive the first Gilbert Award at the inaugural Pali Spirit Award dinner at the Sheraton Delfina hotel in Santa Monica. PaliHi English teacher Rose Gilbert has established the annual award to acknowledge outstanding alumni who have demonstrated humanitarian values. Gilbert, 90 and still teaching, will also be recognized on Sunday with the Pali Spirit Award for donating $2 million toward the construction of the Maggie Gilbert Aquatic Center, which should be complete by early 2010. This new award will be given annually to those who have made a positive contribution to PaliHi. Mahanian took two advanced placement English classes from Gilbert, who recalls that ‘Michelle was always enthusiastic and full of spirit; she was spunky.’ A native of Brentwood, Mahanian took a total of 10 advanced placement classes at PaliHi. In the summer before college, she wrote a study guidebook, ‘The Smarty Pants Guide to the AP Environmental Science Exam.’ She has since sold 3,000 copies nationwide through Amazon and various bookstores. This month, Mahanian will graduate summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from UCLA. Her entire schooling was paid for through UCLA’s Regent Scholarship and Alumni Association Scholarship programs. Mahanian, 21, majored in neuroscience and conducted research on Alzheimer’s disease, co-authoring five research papers for various scientific journals on the subject. She belongs to a team that is developing a diagnostic blood test for detecting early signs of Alzheimer’s. Last year, she received a $10,000 scholarship from the Donald A. Strauss Foundation and the UCLA Medical Center for her volunteer work with Music to Heal. ‘Instead of using it for myself, I dedicated the entire scholarship to establishing the Music Enrichment Program at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital,’ Mahanian said. With the money, she purchased a wide array of musical instruments for the children’s playrooms and installed a recording studio. ‘They can record CDs and make their own music,’ Mahanian said, adding that Music to Heal volunteers give music lessons to the children. Mahanian wanted to start the program so that children who are often unable to attend school can develop and heal through music. ‘They gain musical skills while they are there, which they can use for the rest of their lives,’ said Mahanian, whose parents Jacqueline and Albert work in real estate. Her brother, Robert, owns a marketing firm and her sister, Nicole, is a freshman at UCLA. Although Mahanian was admitted to four other medical schools, she plans to stay at UCLA, where she received a four-year, full-tuition merit scholarship. She hasn’t chosen her medical specialty yet, but is passionate about the field given that it combines all of her interests: writing, researching and helping people. Mahanian is grateful that Gilbert selected her for the award. ‘She is really my role model,’ Mahanian said. ‘She has contributed so much to her students, UCLA [also Gilbert’s alma mater] and the community. It means so much to me. I love her.’ To attend Sunday’s dinner, contact Jeanne Goldsmith at (310) 454-9033. Tickets are $150. Donations on behalf of the pool can be sent to PaliHi’s Chief Business Officer Greg Wood at P.O. Box 1011, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272.

Thursday, June 4 – Thursday, June 11

THURSDAY, JUNE 4

Sensei Anthony Martin Von Sager discusses and signs ‘Power from Within Bushido,’ written to inspire anyone who wants to find a new approach to life through the wisdom of martial arts, 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore.   Los Angeles Times columnist Michael Hiltzik offers insights from his 20 years at the Times, working as a financial and political writer, foreign correspondent and technology writer, 6:30 p.m. at the Palisades Branch Library, 861 Alma Real. Admission is free.

FRIDAY, JUNE 5

Former Palisadian June Louks discusses and signs ‘Rawumptious Recipes: A Family’s Adventure to Happy, Healthy, Harmonious Living,’ 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore. Music at St. Matthew’s presents British composer Tarik O’Regan’s ‘The Eyes of the Stars’ premiere, with Rose Beattie, mezzo-soprano, 8 p.m. at the church, 1031 Bienveneda Ave. Tickets: $25.

SUNDAY, JUNE 7

Art show on the Village Green, sponsored by the Pacific Palisades Art Association, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sunset and Swarthmore. Contact: Annette Alexakis at 310-459-8370.   Actor and activist Mike Farrell (‘M*A*S*H,’ ‘Providence’) discusses and signs ‘Of Mule and Man,’ about driving himself across the country on a 2008 tour to promote his first book, ‘Just Call Me Mike,’ 5 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore.   Palisades Symphony, under the direction of conductor Joel Lish, will present the winners of the orchestra’s Young Artist Competition in concert, 7:30 p.m. at Palisades High School’s Mercer Hall.

MONDAY, JUNE 8

Sunrise Senior Living hosts a free Alzheimer’s support group on the second Monday and fourth Wednesday of each month, 6:30 p.m. at 15441 Sunset. RSVP: Bruce Edziak at (310) 573-9545. Moonday, a monthly Westside poetry reading, featuring poets Michael J. Walker and Roger Aplon, 7:30 p.m. at Village Books.

TUESDAY, JUNE 9

Palisades Woman’s Club hosts chef Guiseppe Barravecchia of the town’s Pinocchio in Cucina for a hands-on lecture and lunch, 11 a.m. at the clubhouse, 901 Haverford. The cost is $15. RSVP: (310) 230-2792””” Summer Reading Club kick-off with Whirlie the Clown, for children of all ages, 4 p.m. at the Palisades Branch Library community room. Sign-ups following the program. The Temescal Canyon Association’s weekly evening hike offers a climb from Mandeville Canyon up to the 1950’s missile site on San Vicente Peak. Meet for carpooling at 6 p.m. in the Temescal Gateway parking lot. Return between 8 and 9 p.m.  Malibu’s remarkable Micky Moore, whose career as an actor and second-unit movie director spanned from 1916 to 2000, discusses and signs ‘My Magic Carpet of Films: A Personal Journey in the Motion Picture Industry,’ 7:30 p.m. at Village Books.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10

Baby and toddler storytime, a lap-sit mix of songs, finger plays, stories and flannelboards for children under the age of 3 and their grown-ups, 10:15 a.m. at the Palisades Branch Library.   For the first time in chapter history, the monthly Palisades AARP meeting will feature an afternoon of bingo, starting earlier than usual, at 1:30 p.m., in the Woman’s Club, 901 Haverford. The public is invited. Refreshments will be served.

THURSDAY, JUNE 11

Pacific Palisades Community Council meeting, 7 p.m. in the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. Barbara Isenberg discusses and signs ‘Conversations With Frank Gehry,’ 7:30 p.m. at Village Books.

Eight Educators Praised at Petrick Awards

Left to right, eight teachers received the Lori Petrick Excellence in Education Award Sunday: Karyn Newbill, Julie Paiva, Bella McGowan, Lisa Timmerman, Steve Engelmann, Yosuke Miyoshi, Vanessa Ling Dokko and Lara Jacques.
Left to right, eight teachers received the Lori Petrick Excellence in Education Award Sunday: Karyn Newbill, Julie Paiva, Bella McGowan, Lisa Timmerman, Steve Engelmann, Yosuke Miyoshi, Vanessa Ling Dokko and Lara Jacques.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

In an upbeat performance, a group of Paul Revere Middle School students provided musical entertainment Sunday afternoon at the Oak Room, singing Dion & The Belmonts’ ‘Teenager in Love’ as part of the annual Lori Petrick Excellence in Education Award ceremony. The seventh and eighth graders are in Vanessa Ling Dokko’s advanced choir class, and they served as an example of how she fosters musical talent and why she was one of eight educators to receive a crystal trophy and a $2,000 grant from the Palisades Charter Schools Foundation. Since 2003, the foundation has given the award in honor of the late Lori Petrick, a popular third- and fourth-grade teacher at Marquez and Palisades Elementary schools, respectively. The winners also received certificates from State Senator Fran Pavley and State Assemblywoman Julia Brownley, who were unable to attend. Foundation members Eileen Savage and Susie Newman co-emceed the event, which had about 35 attendees. Paul Revere Middle School Principal Fern Somoza presented Dokko and her music department colleagues, Yosuke Miyoshi and Lara Jacques, with their awards. This is Somoza’s first year at Paul Revere, and ‘I could not believe my ears when I first heard the music coming from a classroom. I then found out they were just warming up,’ she said. Somoza, who believes that music gives students a sense of belonging, said she is ‘thrilled to see music as an essential part of our curriculum at Revere.’ Miyoshi’s students Casey Dye, Joey Galasso and Mia Yu also performed at the ceremony as part of a windwood trio. Palisades Charter High School Executive Director Amy Dresser-Held congratulated teachers Karyn Newbill, Steve Engelmann and counselor Bella McGowan for their work. She noted that Engelmann teaches students how to become leaders in his Environmental and Spatial Technology (EAST) elective class, in which students complete a community service project with the help of technology. ‘He brings a passion and expertise to his teaching,’ Dresser-Held said. Newbill, who teaches marine biology and serves as the science department chair, is a veteran teacher who is constantly looking for new, innovative ways to improve her practice, Dresser-Held said. ‘She’s an amazing teacher who exudes boundless energy for what she does.’ Dresser-Held then thanked McGowan for comforting students and helping them cope with their grief whenever the school has lost a member of the student body to tragedy.   Kenter Canyon Principal Terry Moren acknowledged first-grade teacher Julie Paiva, saying that one day he peeked into her classroom and became so engrossed with the lesson that he stayed for 45 minutes without realizing it. He emphasized that she spends countless hours developing lesson plans and tailoring the homework to each child. ‘It makes me proud to have her on our staff,’ he said. Ana Silka, a junior at PaliHi, talked about her experiences as a student in Marquez Elementary first-grade teacher Lisa Timmerman’s class. Silka, who also had Timmerman in third grade, said she would often cry when she arrived at school in the morning. Timmerman would walk out to her parents’ car, ‘grab my hand and say ‘Let’s go, Ana Banana,’ and then she would walk me to class.’ Silka thanked Timmerman for teaching her multiplication, cursive writing and how to spell. ‘I really look up to her,’ Silka said, adding that she and other PaliHi students in Timmerman’s class often reminisce about the fun they had. To conclude the afternoon festivities, Newman read comments about Timmerman from Marquez Elementary Principal Phil Hollis, who was unable to attend. ‘Timmerman is creative, intuitive, ambitious and is serious about her profession,’ Hollis wrote. ‘Her undaunted determination to ensure that every child succeeds is evident as soon as you walk into her classroom.’

Charles B. Brown, 93; Former Post Publisher and Co-Owner

Charles Bernard (Charley) Brown at the Palisadian-Post's 80th birthday party last October.
Charles Bernard (Charley) Brown at the Palisadian-Post’s 80th birthday party last October.

Charles Bernard (Charley) Brown, former co-publisher and co-owner of the Palisadian-Post and father of street lighting in the Pacific Palisades business district, passed away on May 28, at his daughter’s home in Irvine. He was 93. With brother Bill Brown, Charley purchased the fledgling Pacific Palisades Post, then in competition with the pioneer Palisadian, in January 1954. Both newspapers were printed in Santa Monica at the time. But five years later when the Post broke ground for its own printing plant on Via de la Paz and gained authority to publish legal notices, Telford Work, founding publisher of the Palisadian, negotiated the newspaper’s sale for owner Zola Clearwater and the two publications emerged as the Palisadian-Post. Brother Bill took over supervision of the front office, advertising and job printing departments, while Charley managed the editorial department as well as handling the business chores. At one point, Charley solicited signatures of property owners along Via de la Paz for a special tax assessment district and the installation of modern lighting in the area. As a member of the Chamber of Commerce board of directors, Charley was then named chairman of a special committee to procure similar lighting for the balance of the business center. He proceeded to secure the necessary agreement of property owners for the creation of a second special tax assessment district. Barney Bailey, operator of an electric shop in the community at the time and fellow Chamber member, counseled the board that Charley Brown should be named Citizen of the Year for his contribution to the community. During the Browns’ 28-year ownership, the Post garnered 169 major awards in both state and national competition. The walls of the business office were covered with plaques; the crown jewel in their collection was the last Gold Medal for Newspapers awarded by the 1966 California State Fair in competition with metropolitan and small-town dailies as well as weeklies. In 1972, Charley and Bill Brown each received Outstanding Journalism Alumnus Awards from the University of Minnesota School of Journalism ‘for achievements exemplifying the highest traditions of the school.’ The Brown twins were born into newspapering. Their grandfather, Charlie Brown, was on the editorial staff of the Duluth, Minnesota, daily and their father Walter Brown served on newspapers in Chicago and Minneapolis before taking over publication of the Chisholm Tribune-Herald community newspaper in Chisholm, Minnesota, six months after the twins’ birth in 1915. They grew up in their father’s business peddling papers, becoming janitors, taking over as news editors after graduation from the University of Minnesota with degrees in journalism, finally becoming publishers with the sudden death of their father in 1940. In 1947, the Browns were awarded National First Place in the Weekly Division of the Better Newspaper Contest of the National Editorial Association for their special edition in conjunction with Chisholm’s homecoming celebration for servicemen returning from World War II. Earlier, when the war broke out, Charley and Bill tried to enlist in the Navy’s V-7 program. Bill was accepted, but Charley was denied owing to an old eye injury and later was deferred in the draft for the same reason. He continued operation of the family newspaper alone, but when deferees became eligible for limited service in late 1942, he enlisted in the Army and was sent to Camp Callan near San Diego for anti-aircraft training. Upon completion of basic training, Charley was requisitioned for duty in the public relations office at Camp Callan, where he served for over a year. He transferred to the same position at Stockton Ordnance Depot, then volunteered for service with the Army Air Force Crash Boat branch. Enroute to his new assignment at Biloxi, Mississippi, he furloughed in Chisholm, where on his 29th birthday in June 1944, he married Genevieve Adamic, his one and only sweetheart. When the Crash Boat pool was dissolved, Charley was reassigned to PR duty at Freeman Field, Indiana, where he was joined by his wife. After yet another transfer to the Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, Charley was accepted into Officer Candidate School. Genevieve left for home in Chisholm for the birth of their first child as Charley took off for Air Force OCS in San Antonio. He graduated near the top of his class and was commissioned a second lieutenant, whereupon he was assigned to the PR office at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. He was in charge of the base newspaper there, and helped stage an anniversary celebration of the Wright Brothers’ first flight. He enjoyed meeting Orville Wright, the only surviving member of the famous duo. After receiving his discharge in February 1946, Charley remained in the Air Force Reserve and re-entered the service during the Korean crisis. He resigned his commission following his release from duty because of family dependency, and returned to Chisholm to head the family newspaper alone. Charley sold the family newspaper for his mother in 1954 and moved with his brother Bill to California. The Browns retired in 1982 after the sale of their newspaper, real estate and commercial printing business to the Small Newspaper Group headquartered in Kankakee, Illinois. Charley and Genevieve moved to Leisure World in Laguna Hills, where they enjoyed traveling, bowling, dancing and spending time with their children and grandchildren. The brothers were reunited at Freedom Village after the death of Bill’s wife, Marie, in 1995. Charley, a lifelong athlete, got into bowling for the first time in retirement and, at age 80, recorded a near-perfect 297 game in league competition. Back in high school, he and Bill were regulars on the undefeated 1932 Chisholm High School football team. Charley was also a member of the boys’ swimming team that won state and northwest titles in 1933. At Hibbing Junior College, the Browns both made the conference all-star team in 1934’Bill as an end, Charley at center. On a full football scholarship at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, Charley played nine full football games of 60 minutes without substitution.   Charley worked and raised his family in Pacific Palisades and maintained a deep sense of community and belonging, lastly returning to celebrate the paper’s 80th anniversary in October 2008.   He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 59 years, Genevieve, in December 2003, and four children: Duane, Bruce, Bonnie and Teresa; two brothers: Walter and twin William; and one granddaughter: Crystal Lynn Brown, 18, who died in a tragic car accident in August 2004. He is survived by his daughter, Charlene Allen of Irvine; two sons, Richard (wife Rebecca) and Robert (wife Patricia), both of Rancho Santa Fe; five grandchildren, Bonnie Lee Allen and Luke Jonathan Allen, Charles Arthur Brown, and twins Ericka Catherine and William Wallace Brown; and two great-grandchildren, Daniel Perry Allen and Nicholas Cruz Luna. Funeral services are scheduled for Monday, June 8 at 9 a.m. at St. Nicholas Catholic church in Lake Forest. He will be laid to rest following the Mass of Christian Burial at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City. He will receive military honors with U.S. Army color guard at his interment. Memorials should be addressed to: The Chisholm Community Foundation, 104 SW Third Ave., Chisholm, Minnesota 55719.

Barbara Martin: Astrologer, Painter

Barbara T. (Terhune) Martin, a longtime resident of Pacific Palisades, died in Santa Monica on May 6. She was 90 years old. Born in New York City on May 28, 1919, Barbara moved with her family to Santa Monica in 1924, where she graduated from Santa Monica High School. In 1957, she later moved to one of the original houses built in the Marquez Knolls area and joined the Newcomers Club, which had been founded in 1949 to offer a neighborly welcome to new arrivals in Pacific Palisades. Raising her two daughters, Kathy and Darlene, Martin loved the Fourth of July in the Palisades. In addition to the traditional picnic, the family enjoyed watching the parade pass by the fire station at Carey and Sunset. In 1962, Martin convinced Kathy to join the Youth House (now the YMCA), which meant that she was on one of the floats as a ‘waver’ to spectators, including her proud mom. Another favorite events was the family’s annual trip to Catalina Island. When Martin was in her 50s, she started modeling clothes at various locations on the Westside. In addition, as an amateur artist, she loved to paint landscapes and scenic views that she enjoyed exhibiting in local art shows. After taking her first astrology lesson in 1963 with the New Age Group in Santa Monica, Martin remained a member throughout the years. She created a special astrology chart for each of her daughters, their spouses, her five grandchildren and all but one of her eight great-grandchildren. ‘We don’t know what the charts mean,’ said Kathy, ‘but we know they took a lot of work.’ In addition to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Martin leaves behind her daughters, Kathy Thomas Perez (husband Mandy) of Mar Vista, and Darlene Thomas Mason (husband John) of San Diego. A private family service was held at the Woodlawn Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society.

Pearl R. Segel, 72; 42-Year Palisadian

Pearl Ruth Segel, a longtime Pacific Palisades resident, passed away peacefully February 16 after a courageous two-year battle with liver cancer. She was 72. Pearl had been married to Don Segel, treasurer of the Pacific Palisades Residents Association, since 1957, and they lived in Marquez Knolls.   Pearl was the administrator of the UCLA Geography Department for 29 years, contributing to its growth, finding housing for new faculty members, counseling graduate students and hosting large parties for them in her home. The answer to many inquiries from staff and students was ‘Ask Pearl.’   Upon retiring, Pearl spent five years as a Getty docent and supported many health and public interest organizations. She then found a volunteer niche in the Los Angeles Alzheimer’s Association as assistant director of volunteers and served two to three days a week for 19 years at the office across from the Art Museum. She wrote and published the quarterly newsletter, distributed helpful literature for caregivers and manned the help line. She received many awards for her Alzheimer’s activities, which included coordination of fundraising events and memory walks. She also found time to be on the board of the Jewish Home for the Aged in Reseda.   A well-loved person by all who knew her, Pearl rose each day to be a positive presence for others. She smiled in a way that touched people’s hearts and was a joy and love to all around her.   She was the loving daughter of Burt and Sylvia (Sheinbein) Bierman, who both preceded her in death. Survivors include her husband, Don, and her sister Shirley Sue Berko (husband Stanley). She was also a loving ‘Auntie Pearl’ to eight nieces and nephews, their spouses and their children.   Donations in Pearl’s memory can be made to the Jewish Home for the Aging and the Alzheimer’s Association.

Micky Moore’s ‘Magic Carpet’ Ride

The Actor and Director, 95, Will Talk About His Remarkable Hollywood Career at Village Books

Micky Moore, 95, at his Malibu residence
Micky Moore, 95, at his Malibu residence
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Director, actor, assistant director, second-unit director, master property man. And now add ‘author’ to the long list of Micky Moore’s entertainment-industry endeavors. Moore, 95, and best known for his second-unit directing work on such films as ‘Patton,’ ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and ‘The Man Who Would Be King,’ will sign copies of his memoir, ‘My Magic Carpet of Films: A Personal Journey in the Motion Picture Industry, 1916’2000’ (BearManor Media) on Tuesday, June 9 at Village Books on Swarthmore. ‘What’s amazing is that people all over the world know Micky’s name and what he worked on,’ said Judi Devin, Moore’s personal assistant of 10 years. ‘Today, we got an e-mail from a man in Uzbekistan asking for an autographed picture from the book. How remarkable is that.’ Drawing on a Hollywood career that spanned nearly nine decades, Moore’s life has intersected with some of the greatest film actors, directors and producers in the history of cinema. Born Dennis Michael Sheffield in 1914 in Victoria, British Columbia, Moore began working as an actor at 18 months of age. With his late brother, Pat Moore, Moore played in four films (no longer in existence) for the American Film Manufacturing Company’s Santa Barbara-based The Flying A Studios in 1916; the same year he moved with his family to Los Angeles at the dawn of Hollywood’s golden age. Joining the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation in 1916, he played in nearly 50 films through 1929 and worked with Mary Pickford several times. ‘He was a good actor,’ Devin says. ‘He went on to star in ‘Pollyanna’ in 1920, which was a very successful film for Mary. She was already a big star.’ In his early years, Moore often turned to director Cecil B. DeMille, who became his mentor and father figure and played a pivotal role at key turning points throughout his life. In 1933, after some lean acting years, he returned to the legendary ‘The Ten Commandments’ director, for whom he had worked steadily as a young actor, with an interest to start a new career. ‘He’s the one I went to in Paramount,’ Moore recalls. ‘I said, ‘Mr. DeMille, I’d like to get back into the business.’ He said, ‘You mean you want to be an actor?’ I said, ‘No, I want to be a prop man.” And so, beginning with DeMille’s ‘Cleopatra’ (1934), Moore worked as a prop master for such directors as King Vidor (‘So Red the Rose’) and Preston Sturges (‘The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek’). Essentially, the former child star had embarked on a journey which, from 1933 until 2000, saw him graduating from property master to assistant director to second-unit director. With ‘Rope of Sand,’ a 1949 movie starring Burt Lancaster and Claude Rains, Moore took the reins of a new role”second assistant director”capturing establishing shots, horses, vehicle chases”you name it! Moore’s book is brimming with anecdotes from his time working with such illustrious names as Gary Cooper, Katharine Hepburn, George Cukor and John Huston. He also worked with Elvis Presley on ‘King Creole.’ Moore writes: ‘There are stories from many people that put Elvis in a bad light. It’s hard for me to say anything but good things about him. The Elvis I worked with was always a hard worker, never too tired to put out his best…He was always polite, even a bit formal. From the start, when working as a first assistant on a picture with Elvis, he always called me ‘Mr. Moore.’ I would say, ‘Elvis, it’s Micky.’ To the last day I directed him in ‘Paradise, Hawaiian Style,’ it was still ‘Mr. Moore.” No less than Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, the most commercially successful directors of all time, wrote the foreword to ‘Magic Carpet’ because Moore did second-unit work on the original three ‘Indiana Jones’ movies, including the classic truck chase scene from ‘Raiders.’ Using visuals culled from the movie and its storyboards, Moore’s book sheds light on filming the sequence, which was shot in Tunisia. ‘The whole opening of the script was the main shot when they’re coming down a mountain and jumping into the German truck,’ Moore says. ‘I had a wonderful crew and it seemed to work out.’ However, staging that truck chase nearly cost Moore his life. He writes, ‘The driver made too sharp a turn and the car went out of control’into a sand bank. It came to an all-too-sudden stop. My groin smashed against a rear spare tire.’ Moore was taken to London for an operation, but he came out of the ordeal intact, later working on the next two ‘Indiana Jones’ sequels. Moore considers Spielberg a generous director. In his book, he recalls Spielberg asking his advice on an area where he wanted to shoot the truck chase, and Moore advising against the poor terrain. ‘There was a short pause before Steven turned to Norman Reynolds, the production designer, and said, ‘Norman, you and Micky see if there are better locations to make the chase more exciting.’ This showed me that I was working with a director who was not afraid to delegate.’ Of all his Hollywood m’tiers, Moore preferred working as a second-unit director. ‘Going over the storyboards with the director, planning everything,’ Moore says. ‘It’s the best aspect of the job.’ Moore remembers working as a second-unit director on ‘Sometimes a Great Notion’ (1971) and urging star Paul Newman to take over as the film’s director at a time when actors were not encouraged to do so. ‘Micky is a little bit of a ‘Forrest Gump,” Devin says. ‘He was there at the right place at the right time and he gave Paul a little push.’ A resident of Malibu since 1950, Moore worked on Frank Tashlin’s goofball Bob Hope/Jane Russell western, ‘Son of Paleface.’ It was one of his first gigs as a first assistant director after working as a property master on the original ‘Paleface’ comedy. Moore speaks very highly of Hal Wallis, the Paramount-based producer behind many Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis films which Moore had worked on. He reserves a particular fondness for the nutty Lewis. ‘Jerry was a lot of fun to work with,’ Moore says of the legendary comedian and one-time honorary mayor of Pacific Palisades. ‘He was always up to some stupid thing. On one of the pictures, Jerry got my watch and he broke it. I said, ‘Jesus, Jerry that was a gift from my mother, who is not here anymore.’ He felt bad about it. He went out and bought me a watch that cost three times more than the one I had.’ Moore is particularly proud of his work on ‘Patton’ (1970), which won seven Academy Awards. His second-unit credits also include ‘Mame,’ ‘Airport ’77,’ ‘National Lampoon’s European Vacation,’ and even the notorious bomb ‘Ishtar.’ In the 1990s, Moore, who had worked on both versions of DeMille’s ‘Ten Commandments’ (including the famous 1956 remake starring Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner), was invited with his brother to the archeological site where they discovered the half-buried sets of DeMille’s original 1923 version buried in the sand dunes of California’s central coast. Moore’s last professional credit before retiring was 2000’s live-action sequel ‘102 Dalmatians’ (he had also worked on the 1996 original). Now retired from the movie business, Moore keeps active around his Malibu neighborhood. ‘He is more athletic than most of my friends,’ says Devin, 62, of Moore today. ‘He hikes in the hills here in Malibu. He swims at Pepperdine. I’m not that physically fit!’ He currently lives with wife Laurie and his children from his first wife, Esther, the mother of daughters Tricia and Sandy. Esther passed away in 1992. Moore has five grandsons and four great-grandchildren. Moore worked closely with Devin over a six-year period to produce his memoir. And he is looking forward to his Pacific Palisades book signing, where, Devin says, cinema lovers will be delighted to meet Moore and learn about his charmed career. ‘He’s one of those unsung heroes of the field who make the famous people look good,’ Devin says. Visit www.MickyMoore.com.

PaliHi School Psychologist McGowan Wins Petrick Award

School psychologist Bella McGowan and her dog, Murphy, at McGowan
School psychologist Bella McGowan and her dog, Murphy, at McGowan
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

At 98, Murphy is the oldest member of the faculty at Palisades Charter High School, according to his colleague, school psychologist Bella McGowan. Well, not in human years, actually. You see, Murphy is McGowan’s dog, a Wheaten terrier, and the 14-year-old canine comes to work with her every single morning. ‘He started coming eight years ago,’ McGowan tells the Palisadian-Post. ‘I had him trained as a therapy dog. He has a policy written with his name, which allows him to be on campus all day. Right now, he’s lying at my feet, stretched out. ‘He’s provides comfort and unconditional love every single day,’ McGowan continues. ‘The kids love him. He has a wonderful personality.’ McGowan credits Murphy as an integral part of why she won a Lori Petrick Excellence in Education Award in May. ‘He’s probably more recognized at this school than I am,’ McGowan says. ‘Kids come just to cry in his fur.’ In order to apply for the Petrick Award, McGowan had to submit either a 10-minute videotape or a 2,000-word essay describing her teaching methods and missions. Of course, McGowan opted for writing the essay. ‘Most of what I do is confidential, and you can’t shoot a video of me working with a group,’ she explains. McGowan received her B.A. from UCLA and her M.Ed. from Harvard University. Before arriving at PaliHi, she worked as a school psychologist at various Westside schools, including a brief stint at Paul Revere Middle School. The West Los Angeles resident took a break only to raise her kids, now grown: her daughter Sarah Kate, 23, is taking up her mom’s line of work, studying clinical psychology at the University of Illinois; her son, Sammy, 20, is a history major at Brown University. ‘But the longest time I’ve worked at a school has been Pali for 13 years,’ McGowan says. ‘I love the community, the school, the staff. There’s nothing better than the adolescent.’ McGowan is the only psychologist on campus, and the number of students that she sees every day ‘range dramatically depending upon the situation.’ She estimates that she sees anywhere from a dozen students to 50 to 100 students if there’s a crisis on campus. Despite the town’s affluent reputation, ‘PaliHi is probably one of the most integrated schools you can walk through,’ she says. ‘That’s the misnomer, that because we’re situated in a wealthy neighborhood, most of the students are affluent. They’re not. We’re very diverse here. ‘Teenagers are the same anywhere that you go,’ McGowan says. ‘At Pali, we have a huge cross-section of students from over 100 zip codes, which makes for an energetic, diverse student body.’ Of course, over the past 13 years, the nature of teenage socialization has mutated dramatically. Thank technology for that. ‘Technology is the good news and the bad news,’ McGowan says. ‘Certainly, as a parent, I think that one of the greatest inventions was the cell phone. First, there was penicillin, then the cell phone. It provided immediacy, access to your child.’ Then came the down side: ‘Cyberharm, cyber-bullying, sexting, kids giving out too much information. Kids don’t seem to understand that anything you do on Facebook or on the Internet, you might as well be doing on a billboard. ‘Depression is a large problem,’ McGowan continues. ‘Two students passed away last year, the year before that a student, and two students who had just graduated, had passed away. The summer of 2007 was very difficult. ‘Typically, if there’s a crisis, I’ve come back to assist during the summer,’ such as when PaliHi student Dillon Henry died in a car crash on Sunset in July 2007. McGowan has also seen the economic meltdown adversely affect her students, ‘whose families are losing work. There’s a lot more distress and unhappiness in the last year. There’s a lot more stress. The best thing students can do is take care of themselves. If they’re doing what they need to do, they’re helping their parents ultimately.’ The PaliHi staff is about to go through a rough patch. Six teachers, four administrators (including the principal), and seven classified staff members, may be leaving this summer. Will it add to teen angst on campus? ‘For the students, no,’ McGowan says. ‘I think we have a highly compassionate staff. That’s remained constant all the years that I’ve been here. Overall, we have a very strong core of teachers and faculty to support the students. She notes that graduate students working toward their M.A degrees in psychology from Antioch University in Culver City will be working at the school on a weekly basis to counsel high schoolers. ‘Every single year I look to expand my group,’ McGowan says. ‘We’re going to work on our ability to intervene quickly.’ Back in 2004, McGowan told the Post, ‘This year, I’m starting a peer mentoring program to help ninth grade students feel more comfortable. I want kids to benefit from an upper-classmate’s experiences. I want them to feel safe and to learn how to talk to one another; these are important life skills.’ Five years later, her appetite to constantly improve her craft has not diminished. Last fall, McGowan reports: ‘Under the generous sponsorship of the Dillon Henry Foundation, 26 students and five staff members participated in a weekend retreat at the Ojai Foundation, and learned the meaning of ‘council.’ In the coming school year, I’m hoping that this council will be formally integrated into the ninth grade freshman transition program. Student mentoring will emerge from this and in partnership with another new program, Link Crew.’ She plans to spend the summer thinking of strategies for the year ahead. ‘I’m also going to a bullying conference in June to work on girl issues and bullying overall,’ McGowan says. ‘Every year, I try to hone my craft and learn new skills. Summer is a time to be reflective on how to improve next year.’ McGowan credits her family for keeping her grounded and supporting her as she applied for the Petrick Award, including her husband, Mark McGowan, a physician in Santa Monica. ‘Our 25th wedding anniversary is June 30,’ she says, beaming. As for the $2,000 grant that comes with her award, McGowan says, ‘I will give some of it back toward school beautification, toward a garden on campus.’ And just how will McGowan reward her loyal associate, that faithful canine colleague lying at her feet? ‘Murphy is rewarded every single day that he comes to work,’ McGowan says. ‘This is what keeps him young!’