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The Bay of Yesterday

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Sixty Years Ago, the Community’s Only Movie Palace Opened

The Bay Theatre's marquee in 1949 features the Frank Tashlin-scripted comedy
The Bay Theatre’s marquee in 1949 features the Frank Tashlin-scripted comedy “The Paleface,” starring Bob Hope and Jane Russell, which was released in late 1948.

by Michael Aushenker

Once upon a time, Pacific Palisades had a movie palace. Palisadian Sam Lagana still has vivid memories of frequenting the Bay Theatre’and with good reason”as a teen, he worked there during its final days in 1978, before it became Norris Hardware.   Lagana still has some mementos given to him on that fateful night 30 years ago. They include posters of ‘Saturday Night Fever,’ ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind,’ and ‘Freaky Friday”’among the last films to play there.   Today, Lagana, 46, is associate vice chancellor of Pepperdine University, but as a 15-year-old Palisades High School student he worked for the Bay as an usher, working his way up to assistant manager.   ’My job was to lock the doors at the end of the evening,’ he said.   Growing up in Pacific Palisades, Lagana remembers the Bay’s evolution from community focal point to community footnote. The Bay opened in July of 1949 as ‘a gorgeous Art Deco single-screen theater,’ Lagana said, ‘but when we got it, it was $1.50 for adults and 99 cents for kids.’   As a youngster, Lagana saw myriad films there: ”Heaven Can Wait,’ all the Disney films, ‘Smokey and the Bandit.’ They were there for three weeks. There was usually a double header in each theater. It was fun.   ’I’d ride my bike to the theater,’ Lagana continued. ‘Everybody was there on the weekends. The parents would drop the kids off.’   ’It was a nice looking theatre,’ agreed Ann Thompson, 82, who has lived near Will Rogers Park since the Bay’s heyday. She recalls taking her son and daughter to see movies. ‘Birthday parties took place there, and the Hot Dog Show was right across the street.’   Lagana was among those kids frequenting the popular frankfurter joint, ‘while parents went to a Mexican restaurant called The Hacienda,’ he said.   ’Originally, the Bay was one large theater,’ Lagana continued. ‘By the time I worked there, it was a twin. The California Cinema Corporation bought it and they split it [in the mid-1970s]. I was a kid when that sort of happened. Their goal was to have films for mature audiences on one screen and a family screen.’   Lagana, who worked under manager Dennis Addy, made many friends at the Bay, including Erin O’Neill and Johnny and Ash Adams. ‘Guys that I went to school and church with worked at the Bay,’ Lagana said. ‘I see them once in a while, they still live in town.’   One of those PaliHi students landed in the Palisadian-Post in dramatic fashion.   ’Bob Bigelow’s claim to fame was that he lived in Santa Monica Canyon,’ Lagana said. ‘One day, he was driving in his brown Camaro when the whole hillside between Temescal and Chautauqua landed on top of his car. It delivered him all the way down to the sand. The Post got a picture of it.’   Lagana and his Bay cronies once engaged in some good ol’-fashioned boosterism.   ’This local guy, Channing Clarkson, who grew up in the Huntington Palisades, he had a small role in a film [1978’s ‘Coach’ starring Cathy Lee Crosby and Keenan Wynn]. I remember we put up ‘Channing Clarkson starring in’ [above the title of the film], like he was the star.’   Other hi-jinks included swinging on the cables of the original screen’s curtains, which remained hidden behind the twin screens when the theater split its facilities.   ’You could ride the mechanism up, it was beautiful,’ he said. ‘The old stage was gorgeous. If you go upstairs in the hardware store, the stairwell is still there and you can almost tell where the balcony and the projection room still is.’   Long before Lagana was born, the Bay Theatre was a prominent part of the Palisades’ cultural life. Designed in an Art Moderne style by famed architect S. Charles Lee (the man behind the Los Angeles, Tower, and Bruin Theatres), the Bay opened in July 1949, and seated 1,100 people (including 80 loge seats on the mezzanine level). The independent movie house’s projection booth was decked out with Simplex E-7 35 millimeter projector heads, SH1000 Soundheads, and Peerless MagNarc lamps. The proscenium was located behind the screen, which was flanked by massive curtains.   At the inaugural Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce meeting on March 29, 1949, J. U. Chaffin, the Bay Theatre’s manager, served as vice-president of the Board of Directors under president Arthur Loomis.   Hollywood’s swimming screen siren Esther Williams ripped tickets at the theater’s 1949 grand opening.   ’Leland Ford, Sr., the ex-U.S. congressman who lived in town, owned the whole block where the Catholic Church and Ralphs is now,’ recalled local historian Randy Young, who has warm memories of the Bay as de facto community hub; a ‘Norman Rockwell-meets-Hollywood’ experience that virtually every young Palisadian growing up in that era.   ’It’s where all the kids would congregate,’ said Young, recalling that stars such as Duncan ‘Cisco Kid’ Renaldo and Leo ‘Pancho’ Carrillo came to plug their 1950s TV series. ‘At age 5, I’m sitting in the theater, and the Cisco Kid pulls out his big shiny gun and shoots it off. The place was packed with kids and it scared the heck out of us.’   According to Young, after the mid-1960s, the Bay began to decline. Originally a first-run theatre, the Bay was twinned and turned into a second-run venue that ran four films at a time following a first run in Westwood.   ’When it closed [in Fall 1978], it was the end of the era,’ Young said. ‘It was a turning point when the town became something else, from a Norman Rockwell existence to a real estate listing.’   Based in the Palisades since 1925, the owners of Norris Hardware overhauled the Bay complex in 1979 and they have been serving Palisadians ever since. Visit Norris today, and you can make out the bones of the old theater. By the shelf liners is where the ticket booth person once collected admission. Over by the greeting cards is where the snack bar used to stand. Where the Bay’s entrance existed, you can now find Corning ware. Upstairs, the restroom area now contains Norris’s seasonal back stock, and a private office used by the store’s owners once housed the projection booth, while along the staircase wall, a dumbwaiter once circulated the film reels dropped off and picked up by the movie companies. On the Sunset Boulevard pavement out front, you can still see the remnants of the entrance terrazzo.   Ultimately, some longtime locals wish that a cinema spot such as the Bay still existed in town.   ’It was so handy,’ Ann Thompson said. ‘Now we have to drive down to Santa Monica to go to the movies.’   ’As a parent now raising my family in town,’ Lagana said, ‘it’s too bad, not only for me, but for my kids. They don’t have the opportunity to have the Bay Theatre to go to. It was a great social place to see people in the community.’

House of Lee’s Heyday

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Warm Memories of the Restaurant and its Famed Wing Ding Room

Ah Wing and Kay Young hobnob with then-honorary mayor Jerry Lewis and his wife, Pattie, circa 1953.
Ah Wing and Kay Young hobnob with then-honorary mayor Jerry Lewis and his wife, Pattie, circa 1953.

Today, only its legend survives, but the House of Lee once gave this town some color and ethnic flavor, while its adjoining Wing Ding Room bar gave local celebrities a low-key gathering place to unwind.   Awash in velvet paintings and red vinyl booths, Ah Wing Young’s Chinese restaurant had character, and many actors made his bar their ‘House of Libations.’ James Arness, Richard Widmark and Anthony Quinn passed through the strung beads designating the Wing Ding Room a family-free forbidden zone. You could have called this joint the ‘House of Lee Marvin’ given the amount of time the ‘Dirty Dozen’ star spent there.   Palisades historian Randy Young (no relation) remembers spotting several other stars: Patrick McGoohan, Anthony Hopkins, Richard Harris, Peter O’Toole, Richard ‘Paladin’ Boone, even Steve McQueen.   ’I always remember that the Wing Ding Room was separated from where the families were,’ Young said of the enigmatic area that became a ‘rite of passage’ once a Palisadian turned 21. ‘James Whitmore would stumble through the beads,’ and inebriated celebrities would slip out the back door, Young recalled.   Another famous face frequenting the Wing Ding was ‘Mission: Impossible’ star Peter Graves, a longtime Palisadian.   ’We always went with friends in the Palisades,’ his wife, Joan Graves, told the Palisadian-Post, including friends from the early Palisades Players theater group.   Inexpensive and far from chichi, House of Lee indulged in some old-school Chinese kitsch.   ’The food was so-so but it wasn’t white bread in an extremely white-bread community,’ Randy Young said. ‘It was exotic. The rumaki was pretty deadly, but the deep-fried shrimp was pretty darned good. The portions were large.’   Palisadians frequented the House of Lee because ‘they were always open,’ Graves said. ‘Ah Wing and [his wife] Kay were just delightful. We loved it. Quite often, we would go and take an order and bring it home.’   And while anyone who spent a tad too much time in the Wing Ding will probably not remember what they drank, everyone remembers the hamburgers.   ’After you finished, you had to go to the dry cleaners, because they’ve just dripped all over you,’ the Chamber of Commerce’s Arnie Wishnick told the Post in February 2000, the year the restaurant became what is now the Pearl Dragon.   The road to House of Lee began in turn-of-the-20th-century China. Born in 1907, Ah Wing Young came to America in 1922 from Canton, after his American-born father died young. Raised by his uncles in Philadelphia, Young entered the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and married Kay, a California-bred Chinese-American he met in New York.   In 1947, the Youngs came to L.A.’s Chinatown district to start a new life together. Contractor Bob Wilson, an old friend from Kay’s school days, helped Ah Wing obtain Palisades land for his grand business plan.   House of Lee became the first business on the north side of Sunset Boulevard between Swarthmore and Monument. And when it opened in 1950, Young did it with a bang worthy of a Chinese New Year fireworks display. The town’s conservative Methodist contingent initially made a fuss over Young’s pursuit of a hard-liquor license. He won, landing the only such license in the business district.   In 1957, the Youngs moved into their residence at 857 Castiac Pl., where they raised their daughter. She went on to marry Lieutenant Alan Eggleston, a U.S. Navy pilot stationed at Barber’s Point in Hawaii, and had two children, Christopher and Kevin.   The Youngs were ‘a very important couple in the community,’ Randy Young said. ‘He was head of the Chamber of Commerce, and a major player with the American Legion.’   ’Ah Wing was the most genial host. His wife, Kay, was super. What a lovely lady,’ said Graves, who recalled that the latter worked with kids making costumes for dance recitals at the Ebsen School of Dance.   Ah Wing Young won Citizen of the Year honors in 1958 for his efforts to get the Legion building established on La Cruz Drive, and he promptly donated the $100 prize to the Palisades Youth House.   ’I am in love with this community, and I want to make the community a better place to live in for our children,’ Young said at the time.   In 1973, Young sold his restaurant to his cousin, Jimmy Fong.   ’I would see Ah Wing from time to time at Mort’s,’ Graves said. ‘He always remembered who everybody was. He was a dear, dear soul.’   Young passed away in 1994.   ’I’m going to take it easy,’ Fong told the Post in February 2000, after announcing that House of Lee was up for sale. ‘Twenty-six years is a long time.’ Alas, Fong died of cancer on April 21 that year.   House of Lee served its last Mai Tai on June 1, 2000, after which a group of investors, including lifelong Palisadian Tommy Stoilkovich, bought the establishment, converted it into Pearl Dragon restaurant (after a brief flirtation with the name Little Buddha). While it still echoes remnants of the original restaurant and bar, the new Pan-Asian enterprise bears only a faint echo of House of Lee, having been remodeled and redecorated into a more contemporary environ. In an April 13, 2000 Post article, Stoilkovich revealed that he wanted a ‘more upscale’ restaurant in the tradition of Nobu and Mr. Chow’s with ‘real Asian flair.’ And yet, by popular demand, House of Lee’s famous Wing Ding Burger survived the transition onto Pearl Dragon’s menu.   Today, Pearl Dragon continues to flourish, but like the Village Pantry to Mort’s Deli, the upscale destination stands in the shadow of its predecessor in the minds of many longtime Palisadians.   ’One time I was at House of Lee with Joan Graves and other members of the community council,’ Randy Young recalled. ‘And Mort of Mort’s Deli came to pick up Chinese food for his family. We kind of wondered why he wasn’t eating at his own restaurant. He said, ‘Hey! Where else can you buy a meal for twenty bucks?”

CLASSIFIED ADS FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 31, 2008

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HOMES FOR SALE 1

HAWAII EXISTS IN LA! NEW INVENTORY. 11 HOMES AVAIL. Terrific Opportunity! PCH/Sunset Up to 1,600 Sq. Ft. $179,000-1.1 million. Some completely remodeled, many upgrades. Ocean views, wood floors, new kitchens, sun deck, rec center w/ pool/spa/gym. Steps from the sand. Condo alternative. Agent, Michelle Bolotin, (310) 230-2438

HOMES WANTED 1b

WE BUY HOUSES, APTS & LAND! ALL CASH, AS-IS, FAST CLOSE. David, (310) 308-7887

UNFURNISHED HOMES 2a

EL MEDIO BLUFFS 3 bdrm, 2 ba, Cape Cod. Corner lot, charming. 1/2 blk walk to bluffs. $6,000/mo. Call Elizabeth, (310) 293-8999
HIGHLANDS 3+2 HOME: Beautiful panoramic mtn w/ ocean views. Bright, airy, high ceilings, 2 decks, new paint, F/P, tile, ss appls, included. Lrg pvt clubhouse, olympic pool, tennis, gym, gardener incl. Available 8/1. $4,200/mo. Marty, (310) 459-2692
3 BDRM, 1 BA. $3,600/mo., utils incl. 2 car pking, close to village, schools, shops & beach. Pets OK. Appliances, W/D, D/W, refridg. By appt. only. Eric, (310) 428-3364
PASEO MIRAMAR. Spectacular views! 3 BD, 2′ BA, 2 car garage, charming white-washed ranch house. Deck, pool, gardener, fruit trees. $6,800/mo. Available now. (310) 459-7819
ATTRACTIVE 3 bdrm, 1.75 ba plus bonus room. El Medio bluffs area. Lrg mstr bdrm, fireplace, all appliances. Corner home with mountain view. Gardener included. Available approximately 8/20/08. $4,500/mo. Call (310) 454-1669
FAMILY COMING INTO TOWN and you want them close to you without the hassle of a hotel? Rent this Great house in the Palisades, walking distance to village. 3 bedroom plus loft $250 a night from 8/19/08 to 9/1/08 Please call (310) 592-6289

UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c

HOLYOKE BLUFFS Newly redone large studio. Top-of-line full kitchen w/ granite & stainless appls. Full bath. Design d’cor. Charming patio, separate entrance. Tranquil location. Laundry facilities, utilities, HD cable included. Unique setting for right person. Ref’s. 6 mo. Lease. $1,890/mo. w/ dep. (310) 454-3806
PALISADES 1 BDRM apt, remodeled, quiet, clean, gas stove, fridge, near village, one year lease, covered parking with storage, laundry, No Pets, Non-Smoker. $1320/mo. (310) 477-6767
STUDIO GUEST HOUSE Pacific Palisades. Bathroom, kitchenette, new carpet, walk to village and bus stop. N/S, no pets. $1500/mo + deposit, utilities included. Quiet. (818) 754-2892.
SANTA MONICA DESIGNER’S ‘Showplace.’ Charming Penthouse entire top floor, 4 unit building. One bedroom and Den, one bath and powder room. Glassed in Lanai, Living Room and High Beam Ceilings, Wood burning Fireplace, shutters. Marble Kitchen, ‘Waterworks’ bath. Private garden patio, Washer/Dryer, Air cond. & Forced Air, Garage, Prime location near Country Club, no pets, avail Sept. $3500. (310) 826-7960.

WANTED TO RENT 3b

LOCAL EMPLOYED male seeks guesthouse. Quiet, local references. Non-smoker, no pets. Call Palisadian-Post, (310) 454-1321
LOOKING FOR HOUSE/guesthouse, December 18th-December 26th. In/near Village. 2 bds, King pref, kitchen, ref’s, 2 adults, n/s. Please contact Hermine, (808) 875-4209 or herminehaha@yahoo.com

OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c

PALISADES OFFICE suites available in the heart of the VILLAGE including: 1) Last remaining single office suite at $1,650 per month and 2) Office suites ranging in size from 700 sf to 2,400 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
BEAUTIFUL, SINGLE OFFICE available for an individual. Located in the heart of Pacific Palisades. Includes free internet. Ready to move in at $1,250/mo. Call Liz, (310) 230-8335
2 FURNISHED OFFICES on Sunset Blvd. In Spectrum Bldg. Across from beach. $1,100/mo. Each includes 2 desks; parking; utilities (except phone); shared conference room and kitchenette. High speed internet available. Please contact Pam or Rob @ (310) 230-6866
MEDICAL/DENTAL SPACE AVAILABLE in Palisades Village! Great location! 1,200 sq. ft. Newly renovated boutique building. 6 offices and reception area. Available Sept. 1st. 910 Via de la Paz. Please call Vicki, (310) 475-6400

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES 5

REALISTICALLY earn more money in the next year than the past 5 years combined. (800) 687-2735

BOOKKEEPING/ACCOUNTING 7b

BOOKKEEPER BY THE HOUR ‘ Need help with getting your books in order? Help is near! Call Joanie, (310) 486-1055
BOOKKEEPING/ACCOUNTING SERVICES for small to medium businesses. Excellent problem solver. Reasonable rates. Please call (310) 924-0323 or e-mail accurateacount@gmail.com
BUSINESS BOOKKEEPING AVAILABLE in the Palisades including financial reports, payroll & sales tax reports. Highly experienced, fast, discreet w/ excellent local references. Call Shirley, (310) 570-6085

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
WEB SITES AND GRAPHIC DESIGN. Development for business. Photo editing, holiday cards. Contact Maggie, (310) 985-0959 or Maggie@maggiesweb.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

SOLAR/WIND ENERGY 7l

ALTERNATIVE ENGINEERING SOLAR GO SOLAR ‘ TAX INCENTIVES! Design & engineering solar/wind systems. Huge rebates ‘ Financing available. Local Palisades contractor ‘ Lic. #912279 Call for free consultation: (877) 898-1948

NANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a

VIP NANNY AGENCY ‘Providing very important people with the very best nanny.’ ‘ Baby Nurses ‘ Birthing Coaches ‘ Housekeepers. (818) 907-1017, (310) 614-3646

DOMESTIC AGENCIES 9

NEVERLAND NANNIES & DOMESTICS We assist local families in finding domestic professionals for their household needs. Caring nannies, doulas, nurses; attentive assistants, housekeepers, chefs & more. Please call at any time. (818) 888-9894, (818) 653-6999. www.NeverlandNannies.com

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. Available Monday-Friday. Good experience, honest, reliable. Excellent references. Call Rosalba, (323) 873-3255 anytime
HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER Monday thru Friday. References, own car, CDL, light English, friendly, hard working. Please call Luz, (818) 523-6142 or (818) 270-5401
OUR FABULOUS HOUSEKEEPER available Wednesdays. Immaculate cleaner, great with kids. References available. Please call Barbara. (310) 454-4030.

GARDENING, LANDSCAPING 11

PALISADES GARDENING ‘ Full Gardening Service ‘ Sprinkler Install ‘ Tree Trim ‘ Sodding/Seeding ‘ Sprays, non-toxic ‘ FREE 10’ Flats, Pansies, Snap, Impatiens. (310) 568-0989
WATERFALLS & POND CONSTRUCTION: Water gardening. Japanese Koi fish. Filtration pond service, repair & maintenance. Free estimates. (310) 435-3843, cell (310) 390-1276. www.TheKingKoi.com
PACIFIC TREE and LANDSCAPE. All your tree trimming and landscape design needs, brush clearing, removals, replanting. 25 years serving the Westside areas. Call (310) 866-3376

MOVING & HAULING 11b

HONEST MAN SERVICES. All jobs, big or small. Hauls it all. 14 foot truck. 20th year Westside. Delivery to 48 states. (310) 285-8688

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES 12c

NEIGHBORHOOD THERAPIST: Caring, patient & local Palisades Psychotherapist available for help and insight into issues relating to your personal and interpersonal life. To make an appointment with Dr. Aunene Finger, Board Certified MFT, please call (310) 454-0855. www.neighborhoodtherapist.com. Lic. #37780

CARPET CLEANING 13b

MARIO’S CARPET CLEANING. Commercial, residents and apartments. 7 day service! Free estimate! Call (323) 939-9295 or (323) 839-7018

WINDOW WASHING 13h

EXPERT WINDOW CLEANER ‘ Experienced 21 yrs on Westside. Clean & detailed. Can also clean screens, mirrors, skylights & scrape paint off glass. Free estimates. Brian, (310) 289-5279
THE WINDOWS OF OZ. Got view? Extremely detailed interior/exterior glass and screen cleaning. Specializing in high ladder work. 10% new customer discount & next day service available. Owner operated. Free estimates. (310) 926-7626

AUTO DETAILING 13i

MARIO’S AUTO DETAILING. All hand wash and detail service. At your home or office. 897 S. Crenshaw Blvd. #11, L.A. Call (323) 939-9295 or (323) 839-7018

PARTY ENTERTAINMENT 14e

AT HOME HAIR & MAKEUP PARTIES* Unique runway top model parties for kids, makeup lesson and consultation parties for adults. www.barbara-elizabeth.com

PET SERVICES/PET SITTING 14g

HAPPY PET Dog Walking ‘ Park Outings ‘ Socialization Insured. Connie, (310) 230-3829
DOG & CAT CARE Walking, feeding, play and personal attention ‘ Reiki and holistic healing for animals ‘ Please call Rachel, (310) 968-6504 ‘ References available.
PACK LEADER DOG WALKING Let me tire your dog out with fun walks! Training included in pack leader style, like ‘The Dog Whisperer.’ Over 10 yrs. Exp. W/dogs; Over 1 yr. W/Palisades clients; Liability insured; Refs. & pet sitting also available. Bea (310) 467-9399.

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

KEEP STUDENTS INVOLVED in learning. Relaxed summer reading, writing, grammar & math, reinforcement & review. 30+ years teaching/tutoring experience. Call Gail, (310) 313-2530
SCIENCE & MATH TUTOR All levels (elementary to college) Ph.D., MIT graduate, 30 years experience. Ed Kanegsberg, (310) 459-3614
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 & Spanish! Elementary thru college level. Test prep, algebra, trig, geom, calculus. Fun, caring, creative, individualized tutoring. Math anxiety. Call Jamie, (310) 459-4722
EXPERIENCED SPANISH TUTOR All grade levels ‘ Grammar ‘ Conversational ‘ SAT/AP ‘ Children, adults ‘ Great references. Noelle, (310) 273-3593, (310) 980-6071
SAT/ACT/MATH TUTOR. UCLA Bachelors + USC Masters; 9 yrs of teaching standardized test prep; proven success in increasing students scores; private or small group lessons at your home; (310) 600-3027.

SUMMER CAMPS 15f

CAMP PLAYBALL Sports Coaching for Kids Ages 3-6. August 25 ‘ August 29. SIGN UP TODAY! Coach Roxana: (310) 995-3988

CARPENTRY 16a

FINE WOODWORKING/HANDYMAN Porches, doors, kitchens, cabinets, etc. No project too small, references available. Reasonable prices. General contractor. Lic. #822541. Contact Ed at (310) 213-3101

CONCRETE, MASONRY, POOLS 16c

MASONRY, CONCRETE & POOL CONTRACTOR 36 YEARS IN PACIFIC PALISADES Custom masonry & concrete, stamped, driveways, pools, decks, patios, foundations, fireplace, drainage control, custom stone, block & brick, tile. Excellent local references. Lic. #309844. Bonded/insured/ workmen’s comp. Family owned & operated. MIKE HORUSICKY CONSTRUCTION, INC. (310) 454-4385 ‘ www.horusicky.com

CONSTRUCTION 16d

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

DOORS 16f

‘DOOR WORKS’ ‘ Residential and commercial, door repairs, replacements. Handicap services, weatherstripping. Free est. Premium service. Lic. #917844. (310) 598-0467, (818) 346-7900

ELECTRICAL 16h

PALISADES ELECTRIC ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR. All phases of electrical, new construction to service work. (310) 454-6994. Lic. #468437 Insured Professional Service
ELECTRICIAN HANDYMAN Local service only. Lic. #775688 Please call (310) 454-6849 or (818) 317-8286
ELECTRICAL WORK Call Dennis! 26 yrs experience, 24 hours, 7 day service. Lic. #728200. (310) 821-4248

FENCES, DECKS 16j

THE FENCE MAN 14 years quality workmanship. Wood fences ‘ Decks ‘ Gates ‘ Chainlink & overhang 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. 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
GOLDEN HARDWOOD FLOORS Professional Installation and refinishing. National Wood Flooring Association member. License #732286. Plenty of local references. (877) 622-2200 ‘ www.goldenhardwoodfloors.com
JEFF HRONEK, 39 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
GREENHOUSE Handyman & Home Maintenance. Major & Minor Home Repairs/Installations. Green Home Improvements & Retrofits. Termite/Moisture Damage Specialist. (800) 804-8810
HANDYMAN. Painting exterior/interior, baseboard, water damage repair, drywall repair, tile. 18 yrs. Excellent service & experience. Free estimates. Non-lic. Call Fortino Matias, (310) 502-1168

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 ‘ 54 ‘ 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. 35 years in service. License #637882. Call (310) 454-6604
PACIFIC PAINTING SINCE 1979. Interior/Exterior Residential/Commercial Custom painting ‘ Wallpaper removal ‘ Drywall repair. Bonded & Ins. Lic. #908913. (310) 954-7170

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. Michael Hoff Construction today, (424) 202-8619

MISCELLANEOUS 16z

INDEPENDENT SERVICES. Wood fences, iron gates, patio cover. Finish carpenter, door installation, casing, base, crown molding, drywall and paint. Call Emilio Cruz, (310) 672’2055 or (310) 709-4124

HELP WANTED 17

DRIVERS: TEAMS EARN TOP DOLLAR plus great benefits. Solo drivers also needed for Western Regional. Werner Enterprises, (800) 346-2818 x123
NANNY NEEDED for 2 children, F/T Live-in/out $$$, flex days. Required: English, CDL and transportation, light housekeeping. Must have experience and references! (310) 344-1740
PART-TIME live-out housekeeper. Must speak English, references, drive, CDL, car. Call (310) 230-0330
ELECTRICIAN. Immediate F/T. Pacific Palisades solar company. C10 or C46 license and project management experience required. Submit resume to info@sunkingsolarpv.com
PART TIME BOOKKEEPER. Flexible hours, must have experience with QuickBooks Pro. Call Pam or Rob, (310) 230-6866
WANTED: GREAT HOUSEKEEPER! Must be experienced with great refs, own car, good English. Hours: Tues.-Fri., 7 a.m.-4 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. (Saturday will sometimes be babysitting.) Vacation: Two weeks paid. Salary: $600/wk (raise after one year). Send letter or resume by email to bird@odysseyla.com or fax (310) 230-1604
BUSY MEDICAL OFFICE looking to hire front office position. Must multi-task, ideally with experience in electronic medical records. For details call Dr. Garb/Dr. Smith, (310) 459-4321
HOUSEKEEPER WANTED: Full-time, live-out. Must speak English and have own car, CDL, local references. (310) 694-4674
IF YOU HAVE years of business experience, a real estate license, want to work at home and are considering a second career, consider becoming a business broker. We sell people’s businesses for them. We offer great training and support. Email your resume to info@sunbeltwla.com or call (310) 442-3696
ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITY ‘ Create a realistic 5 figure income/mo. Opportunity and products with no rival. (800) 439-1193.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT. Immediate F/T. Pacific Palisades solar company. Excellent communications & computer skills. Submit resume to info@sunkingsolarpv.com.
NANNY NEEDED. 20-30 hours per week. 2 and 4 year old girls. $13-15/hr. Starting Aug 28th. Call Lindsay (310) 854-2511.

AUTOS 18b

1999 FORD F250 Super Duty V10 Supercab Longbed, black w/ lumber rack & Weatherguard tool box. 265K miles. Great work truck! $7,500 OBO. Call John, (818) 621-0061
2005 BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT. A show stopper with grey customized paint. 12k miles and smells like new! Asking $119k obo. Contact Warren at (323) 581-5200.

FURNITURE 18c

FRENCH FARM TABLE, 6 ft, $2,000 (obo). Vintage oak library table, 4 ft, $800 (obo). (310) 454-8705
MODERN DESIGNER FURNITURE. Entertainment center/shelves (Elodie by Visu). Great condition. Bought $1200 selling for $400. www.visu.ca/english/enter_units/elodie.php 69’h X 66’w X 22’d (TV 29′ w) Annie Biggs (323) 459-7800

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

GARAGE SALE: Pacific Palisades. Friday, August 1 8:30 a.m. ‘ 12:30 p.m. 946 Hartzell Street. Miscellaneous household items, books, classical music CDs.
YARD SALE 574 Almar Ave. Saturday 8/2/08 8:30 a.m. ‘ 2 p.m. Furniture, clothes, misc. household items.
GARAGE SALE: Saturday, August 2nd at 9 a.m. 18325 Clifftop Way, Sunset Mesa.
MOVING TO NY!! Furn/furnishgs/collectibles/linens/books/cds/tapes/hsehold/kitch goods/silv. plate/ china/ceramics. Clothes/Hi-end & costume jewelry. So much more! 1910 Parnell Ave. Westwd. FRI-SAT, Aug 1-2; 8-4pm. Photos/info: www.bmdawson.com.
GIGANTIC GARAGE SALE: Sat only, Aug 2nd, 8:30-2 pm, 1000 Hartzell St. Designer clothes, shaggy chic bedding/ lamp shades, stuffed animals, exercise equip, books, collectibles galore, etc.
BIG TIME ‘ 2 Storage containers filled with: armoir, women’s clothes, stereo, kitchen stuff, dishes, bedding & linens and more! Sat/Sun 8/2 & 8/3. 9am-4pm. 619 Erskine Dr.

WANTED TO BUY 19

WANTED: Old tube guitar amplifiers, working or not. ’50s, ’60s, etc. Tommy, (310) 895-5057 ‘ profeti2001@yahoo.com

THURSDAY, JULY 31 – THURSDAY, AUGUST 7

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THURSDAY, JULY 31 Family Fun Night, 7 p.m. at the new Rubell Meadow in Temescal Gateway Park (follow the signs inside park). The free program includes nature stories, songs and a campfire (weather permitting) with marshmallows. Open to all.   Cartoonist Jose Cabrera discusses and signs ‘You So Loco,’ his second collection of ‘Crying Macho Man’ comic strips, 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore. Cabrera posts weekly Web strips at cryingmachoman.com. FRIDAY, AUGUST 1   Family Olympics Night, 6 to 8 p.m., hosted free of charge by the Palisades-Malibu YMCA at Simon Meadow, corner of Temescal and Sunset. Parking: $5.   Opening night of ‘Dainty Mabel & the Spiteful Child from Saskatoon,’ the Theatre Palisades Youth summer production, 7:30 p.m. at Pierson Playhouse on Haverford. Ticket reservations: (310) 454-1970. Additional performances are Saturday (7:30 p.m.) and Sunday (2 p.m.), plus August 7, 8, 9 and 10. The show is appropriate for children from about age 4 to 14. (See story, page 1.)   An easy night hike in Temescal Gateway Park, hosted by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority. Meet at 7:30 p.m. in the front parking lot just north of Sunset. The two-hour program is free; parking is $5. MONDAY, AUGUST 4   Pajama Storytime, for children of all ages (parents and teddy bears welcome, too), 7 p.m., Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. TUESDAY, AUGUST 5   Story-Craft Time, suggested for ages 4 and up, 4 p.m., Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real.   The Temescal Canyon Association hiking group will seek out the secret stairways of Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica Canyon. Meet for carpooling at 6 p.m. in the Temescal Gateway parking lot just north of Sunset. No dogs. Expect to be back close to 9 p.m. Contacts: visit temcanyon.org or call (310) 459-5931. THURSDAY, AUGUST 7   Pacific Palisades resident Gene Harrison Starbuck discusses and signs ‘Cutler’s Gate,’ his Colorado-based novel about the 1918 flu epidemic that killed more Americans than all the wars of the 20th century combined, 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore. (See story, page 12.)

Wild Parrot’s Sunflower Feast

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This black-hooded parakeet recently discovered a bounty in Grant Loucks’ backyard in the Marquez neighborhood, joined by his fellow ‘screechers,’ who enjoy sunflower seeds above all other foods, although they also feast on fruits, berries and nuts. Several bands of these colorful green birds with the distinctive black head and yellow eye-ring have made their home in the residential areas from Brentwood to Pacific Palisades for several decades. Loucks’ first attempt to photograph a feasting wild parrot failed when the ‘scout’ bird flew away. ‘I then prepped the area for his return,’ he explained in an e-mail. ‘The next morning around 7 a.m., I heard the familiar screeching sound of the parrots. I dressed in black and took up a position in a lounge chair. Armed with my trusty Nikon D 40 with a 200-mm lens, I started the wait. Soon the parrots landed high in our 40-ft. eucalyptus tree. At first, there were four or five of them, joined by more, for a total of 10 parrots. They were screeching (talking) to each other, more than likely making plans to attack the sunflowers. They all left the tree and circled Marquez Canyon and then returned to the tree. They did this three times. Each time they came down a little lower in the tree. This all took place over a period of 45 minutes. Next, one parrot landed on the rail of our deck. He gave the OK screech and they all made a move on the flowers. The parrots did a good job on the sunflowers and never returned.’

Remembering Our History Through Words and Photographs

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The corner of Antioch and Via de la Paz, circa 1949
The corner of Antioch and Via de la Paz, circa 1949

The Palisadian-Post celebrates its 80th anniversary with a 32-page special section featuring the history of the newspaper since 1928 and other historical events, places and popular hangouts that shaped the town’s character and our memories. This special section is available in the Palisadian-Post newsboxes and at the office on Via de la Paz.

Beautified Temescal Corner Presents a Welcoming Sight

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A Palisades Rotary Club project to beautify the corner of Temescal Canyon Road and Pacific Coast Highway has been completed, and a ceremony to honor those involved was held last Thursday. ‘These are the moments I enjoy the most,’ said City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, ‘when we get something done through a partnership between the community and the city. Now, as we drive up Temescal, on our way to the beautiful Palisades, we can see something really nice.’ More than two years ago, fellow Rotarians John Gundershaug and Perry Akins, who viewed the corner as a gateway to the Palisades, were disgusted at the site: a parcel with overgrown brush, trash, graffiti and a dumpster in front of the chain-link fence that surrounded the DWP low-flow diversion pump station (which was also filled with litter). ‘We do plan to outlive the project,’ Akins told the Palisadian-Post when he and Gundershaug began their work. They sought the help of a third Rotarian, David Card, a landscape architect, and contacted Rosendahl’s field deputy, Andrea Epstein. She waded through jurisdiction issues to find which parties were responsible for the corner, as well as having the Pacific Palisades sign fixed. In addition, Senior Park Maintenance Supervisor Brad Haynes had a crew trim the trees and clear the dead brush. Card drew up a landscape plan that utilized native and drought-resistant vegetation. During the construction improvements at Will Rogers State Beach, resident Stuart Muller noticed the large rocks that were being dug up in the parking lot and suggested that they be used for landscaping. Card contacted the Gonzalez Construction Company, which not only donated the rocks, but carted them to the site and placed them where Card requested. ‘We were lucky to get them so easily,’ Card said. ‘Just moving them takes three or four men and a truck.’ The Rotarians applied for and received a $2,000 grant from the Palisades Junior Women’s Club in order to install a solar controller for the irrigation system to be used for the new vegetation. The Rotary Club funded purchase of the plants, as well as two three-foot wide clay pots made by Nava Skolnick, which are placed next to the chain-link fence. The urns are planted with cat-claw vines that will eventually cover the fence. ‘Once I heard about the project, I was immediately excited about this task as my Eagle Scout project,’ said Palisadian Jamie Hubbs, a Palisades High student. ‘I drive by the pump station nearly every day as I make my way to my PE surfing class, and I see so many people stranded in traffic at that everlasting light.’ He felt that motorists needed something better to look at than trash and dead brush. He organized community, high school and Boy Scout volunteers for the physical portion of the project, which included pulling weeds, mulching and planting. Earlier this year, Card received a Sparkplug Award from the Palisades Community Council for his overall leadership efforts at the corner. At last Thursday’s ceremony, he thanked everyone who participated, including the Bureau of Sanitation’s Terry Dickinson, who will be responsible for supplying the water for the vegetation. As far as who will maintain the finished project, Card said that the Rotary Club is planning to have work parties four to six times a year. When asked if Recreation and Parks would also help, Haynes said, ‘Whatever it takes.’

Goldwater, Jr. Discusses His Book Based on Father

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Barry Goldwater, Jr. spoke at Village Books last Wednesday about his new book with co-author John Dean titled
Barry Goldwater, Jr. spoke at Village Books last Wednesday about his new book with co-author John Dean titled
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

By JEFF GOODMAN Palisadian-Post Intern Despite the mainstream media’s around-the-clock coverage of the presidential campaign, we risk digesting news regarding Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain in a vacuum. But understanding the upcoming election is difficult without historical context. That was the overriding message imparted by Barry Goldwater, Jr. when he spoke last Wednesday afternoon at Village Books before signing copies of ‘Pure Goldwater,’ a book containing the previously unpublished diaries of his father, the longtime Arizona senator Barry Goldwater. Though it has been more than 40 years since Goldwater ran for president, his race against Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 provides an appropriate reference point for today’s presidential politics. In particular, his thoughts on campaign finance, energy policy, and international relations seem especially relevant. ‘[The book] gives a perspective on where we are today based on what happened in the past,’ said Goldwater, Jr., who co-authored the collection with former White House counsel John Dean, during an interview following the presentation. ‘It’s difficult to pass judgment if you don’t know how [this election] fits into the overall history of the country.’ The elder Goldwater carved out a large chunk of that history during his career, serving as a senator in Arizona from 1953 to 1965 and from 1969 to 1987, when he retired and was succeeded by McCain. Nicknamed ‘Mr. Conservative,’ Goldwater advocated limited government, a doctrine from which the GOP has strayed, his son asserted. ‘[Republicans] became what they campaigned against,’ Goldwater, Jr. said. ‘Under Republicans, we’ve got more government. My father would turn over in the grave.’ Goldwater also supported low taxes, a strong defense and, above all, individual liberty. Goldwater, Jr. said he remembers putting up posters during his father’s senatorial campaigns, and taking a year off from work to help his father run for president. And while his bid for the White House was not successful, Goldwater eventually inspired his son to run for office in the House of Representatives. The feeling of responsibility, he said, was overwhelming. ‘I was in Congress with my hand up swearing to uphold the Constitution,’ said Goldwater, Jr. to a small but attentive audience at Village Books. ‘Talk about feeling inadequate. My dad talks about [the same feeling] in ‘Pure Goldwater.” ??The diaries were discovered at the Arizona Historical Foundation by Dean, who was in the process of writing a book with Goldwater when the senator became ill and died soon thereafter. Dean told Goldwater, Jr. (his high school roommate at Staunton Military Academy) that previous biographers had missed out on a plethora of insightful first-hand accounts. For Goldwater, reading the journals reinforced two central facets of his father’s political career: his philosophy of pure conservatism, which the book jacket says ‘has lost its way’ in recent years, and the steadfast nature in which he held those beliefs. An appreciation for unwavering principles led Goldwater, Jr. to endorse Ron Paul in the 2008 presidential primaries, and he believes the American people crave that kind of sincerity. ‘A politician ought to stand for something. His constituents ought to know what he stands for,’ said Goldwater, who is 70. ‘[My father] was dogmatic about his views. People would say, ‘I don’t agree with your dad, but I sure like him.’ ‘ During a Q&A session after his presentation, Goldwater contextualized the partisan gridlock in Congress, calling the stalemate ‘unacceptable.’ When the Democrats controlled Congress, they welcomed bills and amendments by Goldwater, Jr. and other Republicans. But when the political tides turned in 1994, Republicans didn’t give Democrats the same privileges. Since 2006, Goldwater said, liberals have exacted justifiable revenge. What about 2008? ‘It’s a Democratic year,’ said Goldwater, whose prediction came with a twist. ‘Republicans deserve the beating they’re gonna get. Democrats will take both houses, but McCain is gonna win the presidency. After a while, people are going to start looking for substance.’ He noted that although Obama excites people much like John F. Kennedy did, he lacks foreign policy experience. But neither candidate lacks monetary resources, said Goldwater, who estimated that nearly $1 billion would be spent on the upcoming election. Goldwater agrees with his father that the best solution to curbing the exponential increase in campaign finances is a time limit on the campaign itself. ‘You’d think we could learn about these politicians in maybe six months,’ he said. Through the memoirs, Goldwater learned about his father’s insecurities, doubts and personal relationships with several influential political figures. ‘He was a lot more involved in government than I thought,’ his son said. Goldwater, Jr. admitted that he never planned on running for office. But one night at a bar, after a few beers and some encouragement from friends who said they would manage his campaign, Goldwater agreed to follow in his father’s footsteps. After representing areas of Ventura County and northern Los Angeles County (including Woodland Hills, Oxnard, Camarillo, Valencia, Simi Valley, and Thousand Oaks) from 1969 to 1983 and losing his bid for a U.S. Senate seat in 1982, Goldwater returned to the financial sector. He is currently chairman of MyStudio, which allows people to showcase their talents by making videos in high-tech mall kiosks. Starting in mid-September, customers can pay $20 for DVDs of their performances as well as a link to the Web site (MyStudio.net), where their singing, dancing, acting and modeling clips can become part of an online profile. ‘It’s got lots of sizzle from an investment point of view,’ said Goldwater, who lives in Phoenix with his wife, Sylvia. Their son, Barry Goldwater III, also lives in Arizona, and works in the entertainment business.

Auction for Two Potrero Lots

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The first hurdle to resuming work on the 20-year Potrero Canyon project was cleared when the California Coastal Commission agreed to the sale of residential properties at 615 and 623 Alma Real Drive during a June meeting. The proceeds from the two sales (estimated at close to $5 million) will be placed in a special Potrero Canyon Trust Fund to be used only for the completion of all remaining phases of the protracted canyon infill and beautification project. Originally, the Coastal Commission specified that no city-owned properties on the rim of Potrero could be sold until the proposed riparian habitat and park construction had been completed. In addition to the two properties on Alma Real, the city owns 20 residential properties across the canyon on Friends and DePauw Streets, which it acquired through litigation because of drainage problems, landslides and slope instability. The Department of Recreation and Parks purchased Potrero Canyon in 1964, and over the ensuring years there have been ongoing attempts to stabilize the canyon. The current plan is to complete Phase II and go to Phase III, the creation of a passive recreation park with hiking trails down to Pacific Coast Highway. Phase I, which took place from the late 1980s into the 1990s, consisted of adding a storm drain, a subdrain system and 25 feet of compacted fill. Phase II was intended to add 75 feet of additional fill (plus grading) and residential backyards. That phase came to a standstill in 2004 because of lack of funding, and the canyon is currently in a partially graded state. During a recent review of the historical stabilization work, the City of Los Angeles Geotechnical Engineering Division (GED) uncovered several areas that were deficient or lacked documentation including missing compaction reports, in-grading geologic mapping documents and no records of the number, location and as-built design of the installed hyudraugers. Phase II is now being described as 65 percent completed. No city funds are available to complete the park, so the City asked the Coastal Commission for a special permit amendment to allow the sale of the Alma Real properties. The commission agreed, but added four special conditions: that all other conditions imposed under original permit (1991) remain in effect, that a prior condition to sell the two houses be modified, that a new geotechnical report be generated, and a revised conceptual grading plan be submitted. The procedure to sell the houses is underway, with plans ‘to place the properties for auction in mid-October,’ said L.A. City Senior Real Estate Officer Gemma Lopez. In order for that to happen, an ordinance must be drafted and given to the city attorney for approval. It then goes to the City Council and, once approved, the auction will be posted and advertised for 40 days. The two families renting 615 and 623 Alma Real will be notified, so that open houses can be held. The Gil Hubbs family, which has resided at 615 for about five years, has already been notified by Lopez. ‘We always knew it would eventually happen,’ said Hubbs, a cinematographer (whose son Jamie happens to be featured in the article on the bottom of page 1). ‘The lots are wide and there are nice views.’ Hubbs and his wife, costume designer Ann Major, are planning to rent another City- owned home on DePauw. ‘There were six people who wanted the DePauw house,’ said Lopez, ‘but the Hubbs have been given priority because they are being relocated.’ Palisades realtor Michael Edlen thinks that each of the Alma Real lots could sell for about $2 million. Even though the lots are a good size, the backyards slope down. ‘We’re not in a market like we were,’ Edlen said. ‘There are a lot of developers who are less enthusiastic now than they would’ve been in previous years. ‘You have two adjacent properties and a developer could either build a major home, or two side-by-side, which could be done at the same time,’ Edlen added. ‘That could be appealing because costs go down. How effectively they’re marketed could make a difference.’ The City, which estimates the sale of the lots at $5,400,000, plans to use the money for geologic investigations, creation of final grading plans and final park plans. ‘Probably the first thing is completing the geologic inquest into the existing grading,’ said Potrero Committee chair George Wolfberg. ‘They cannot do anything until they determine the quality of this work. After that they will know what remediation, if any, and what final rough grading work is necessary.’

Principal Art Copper Retires From Revere Middle School

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Paul Revere Principal Art Copper was a musician before he entered the education field.
Paul Revere Principal Art Copper was a musician before he entered the education field.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Principal Art Copper, who had spent the last 16 years of his 35-year education career at Paul Revere Charter Middle School, retired on June 27. ‘I can’t just walk out,’ he said. ‘I will be coming back to sit and talk with the new principal and I’ll be available to answer questions.’ Once a replacement is hired, Copper plans to invite the new principal to lunch and tell him/her about the Palisades community as well as giving the new principal a history of the California Distinguished School. Significant changes occurred at the school after Copper became principal five years ago, including an after-school program that was nonexistent before 2003. With Copper’s cooperation, parents were able bring in programs that ranged from sports to foreign languages and drama. ‘I think one of my strengths has been my ability to facilitate all stakeholders in the educational process,’ Copper said. In addition to new programs, the school’s academic index (API), which measures the academic performance and growth of schools, rose. It was 753 in Copper’s first year and rose to 817 in 2007’one of the highest middle-school scores in the state. Copper supported and backed his teachers, while still holding them accountable. ‘I tried to allow them to do their job and not breathe down their necks,’ he said. He also started investigating the pros and cons of having Revere become fiscally independent like Palisades Charter High School. ‘We’re renewing the charter in two years, and I want everyone to be informed and educated,’ Copper said. Revere’s principal was also a proponent of the arts, music, drama and shop electives. ‘Students don’t live for academics alone,’ he said. ‘If it hadn’t been for music, I would’ve never become a teacher.’ He started playing the saxophone in junior high school and by the age of 15 he was playing professionally at major venues (including the Coliseum and Universal Amphitheatre) and touring with James Brown and Blood, Sweat and Tears as an opening act in a band. He started taking the ‘easy’ courses in high school because he had no plans to go to college’until his general science teacher did a section on acoustics. This kindled an interest because of music. ‘One unit, one class, made me rethink college,’ said Copper, who signed up the following year for college-prep classes. If one thing could convince Copper to come out of retirement and go back into education it would be to restructure middle and high schools to bring back industrial arts, auto mechanics and other hands-on classes. ‘I think it’s why we see such a huge dropout rate,’ he said. ‘Many students who are going through school can’t explore their interests. We’re instructing everyone like they’re going to a four-year college. ‘Once educators started using the word ‘tracking,’ it came to have a negative connotation,’ Copper continued. ‘We need to find out a student’s interest and see how that relates to academics. We can’t cram academics down every child’s throat.’ When he retires from education, Copper plans to try real estate because a good friend invited him to try it. He hopes to have his broker’s license by the end of the summer. ‘It’s lending, sales, staging properties and helping people,’ he said, admitting that he’s looking forward to a new career because he’s not the kind of person who actually retires. ‘I get antsy after a couple of weeks, even when I’m on vacation.’ Copper does admit it will be hard to leave Revere. ‘After eighth-grade graduation, as I was walking off the stage, I thought of a way we could improve it next year,’ he said. ‘Then I realized there wouldn’t be a next time.’ His advice for the incoming principal is simple: ‘Listen to all stakeholders, be flexible and learn how to work within the district guidelines whiloe still giving the community what it needs.’ Copper and his wife, Kandee, live in Baldwin Hills with their son James, who attends Westview School. His daughter Leilani and husband Terron Brooks had their first child, Andrew, last August.

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