Nate Shargo, a colorful, athletic person who lived in Pacific Palisades for more than 50 years, passed away in his home of natural causes on August 20. He was 97. Born August 2, 1910, in Pittsburgh, Nate decided to go west to a warmer climate and live near the beach. After searching many areas, he decided Pacific Palisades would be his dream place. He built a home on Iliff Street and lived there until his death. Nate retired from the Los Angeles Lifeguard Service after 30 years. His love of nature, the sea, waves, and colorful sunsets were his inspirations for more than 500 pictures he painted and displayed in the Palisades as well as at the old Sea Lion restaurant (now Duke’s) on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. During World War II, Nate served with the Coast Guard Dog Training Division stationed at Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. He served with distinction for four years. Upon returning to civilian life, Nate and his brother Sam played volleyball at Will Rogers State Beach, where they had been legends on the beach volleyball circuit prior to the war. Nate is survived by his wife of 56 years, Edna Shargo; his sister-in-law and caregiver, Jean Shargo; his nephew, Dr. Eric Shargo and family of Moorpark; as well as many retired lifeguards and younger recruits who had heard of his efforts to make the beach he guarded safe for the public. A memorial service is planned for January, followed by the spreading of his ashes at sea. The L.A. County Lifeguards will honor him in an emotional but serene ceremony as they sit on their surfboards in a circle and, with their voices united, bid farewell to one of their own. This ceremony is popular with lifeguards, families and friends because it allows closure in a familiar place and can be revisited at any time in memory.
PaliHi Winter Sports Previews
Dolphins’ Basketball & Soccer Squads Start Seasons with Well-Defined Goals
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
Girls Basketball New coach Torino Johnson said his goal is to raise expectations for a program that reached its pinnacle in 1999 when it advanced to the state championship game in Sacramento. His first objective is to win the league championship, which would automatically take care of his second objective’qualifying for the City’s upper division playoffs. To return the Dolphins to their glory years of the late ’90s, Johnson has beefed up the schedule, starting with Palisades’ own Beach Invitational this week. He also has the team slated to play in the Nike and Best of the West tournaments prior to the start of league play. Johnson said the Dolphins are an older group but not necessarily experienced. Key returners include senior point guard Mariah Lyons, senior forward Tuekeha Huntley, junior guard Utopia Kates and junior forward Cinthia Hernandez. Center Dominique Scott will be a factor around the basket under Torino’s system, which stresses being disciplined and physical in the paint. The Dolphins’ varsity roster does not include a single underclassman, but includes three six-footers in Scott (6′ 2′), Huntley (6′ 0′) and junior post player Katie Bell (6′ 1′). The Palisades Beach Invitational has expanded from eight to 16 teams this year and Torino changed the format from pool play to bracket play, meaning teams must keep winning to advance to the finals. The Dolphins opened against Panorama on Wednesday (result unavailable at press time) and play either L.A. Jordan or Crossroads tonight at 7 p.m. Boys Basketball If any team in the City Section seems capable of challenging the ‘Big Three’ of Taft, Westchester and Fairfax, it is the Dolphins, who have 10 seniors and will look to improve upon last season’s 19-10 mark which saw Palisades fall one win short of a berth in the state playoffs. Point guard Taylor Shipley, a three-year starter, and guard Aaron Hawk-Harris, who made All-City last year despite missing half the season, will lead a Dolphins’ attack that also features hustling guard Brandon Greer and slick-shooting forward Irvin Kintaudi. As always, the Dolphins face a daunting schedule, beginning with four tough tournaments’Campbell Hall, Beverly Hills, San Fernando and Santa Barbara’and a nonleague game against Washington thrown in for good measure. Coach James Paleno, who began his 17th season one victory shy of 300, said the strength of his team is its work ethic and chemistry. His players have been in the program him for three or four years and know what to expect. Palisades is ranked No. 25 in Southern California in at least one poll and Paleno said that because of that other teams will be looking to knock them off. The Dolphins must win by out-executing and out-smarting their opponents. Over the summer, Palisades played and beat perennial powers Fremont and Loyola and lost by only two points to Westchester. The Dolphins played Hoover in the first round of the Campbell Hall Tournament on Wednesday (result unavailable at press time) and play West Adams Prep tonight at 6 p.m. and Arleta on Monday at 7:30 p.m. Girls Soccer The Dolphins won the City Invitational title at East L.A. College last season and are gunning for a repeat of sorts’except this time it is the City Championship they are after. Returning to lead Palisades’ attack are forwards Kelly Mickel, Rachel Furhman and Kate Rosenbaum’all of whom scored clutch goals in the playoffs. Though the squad loses three key players to graduation’defender Sarah McNees and forwards Sara Newman and Lauren Pugatch’it returns sophomore Erika Martin and junior Laura Goldsmith. Coach Kim Smith, who guided the Dolphins to the City finals three years ago, has been holding rigorous practices on the new field at Stadium by the Sea, preparing her girls for a run at the Western League title that eluded them in 2006. A stat the Dolphins will look to improve upon is turning ties into victories. Palisades lost only one league game a year ago yet finished third in the standings because of five ties. Once again keeping opposing strikers at bay will be goalie Allison Kappeyne, who posted eight shutouts last year, aided by defenders Brittany Johnson and Jazmyn Anderson. Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies was added to the Western League last season, joining Palisades, Westchester, Venice, L.A. Hamilton, L.A. University and Fairfax. Nonleague games looming early on Palisades’ schedule are Marymount and Notre Dame Academy, who play in the Southern Section’s Sunshine League. Boys Soccer The challenge facing Palisades will be finding a way to replace last year’s leading scorer Osbaldo Garcia, who netted 16 goals and added nine assists. Coach Dave Williams said the Dolphins may not quite have a player of Garcia’s unique ability, but may have four or five that are just a notch below. Senior striker David Linares and sophomore Alex Smith could emerge as potent scorers in the Dolphins’ offense, which could hinge on the continuing progress of center midfielder Sebastian Diaz and outside midfielder Michael Rey. Anchoring the defense will be senior sweeper and team captain Eric Rosen and goalie Charlie Bailey. The Dolphins also hope to reverse a disturbing trend: they have lost in the first round of the City playoffs 12 times in the previous 14 seasons, including a 3-2 overtime loss to Washington last year. Williams sees no reason his squad cannot win 10 league games, which would likely be enough to finish first and secure a high postseason seed. The team he is most concerned about is Fairfax, which has most of its players returning. With 46 players between varsity and JV, the question for Palisades will be whether increased numbers equate to a higher retention rate come grade time. Palisades opens the season today at Stadium by the Sea against San Pedro (varsity kickoff at 2:30 p.m.) and also hosts a intersectional game against Santa Monica December 7.
Pirates Gobble Up Valley Squads
The Palisades Pirates, a local U-11 baseball team, won five games over Thanksgiving weekend to capture first place at the Mid-Valley Gobbler Tournament. Under the guidance of coaches Pat Vastano and Rick McGeagh, the Pirates gobbled up the opposition, finishing undefeated with 37 runs scored to just 11 allowed. In Friday morning’s opening round, the Pirates defeated the Toluca Titans, 6-4, thanks to the pitching of Matt Kassowitz and Ezra Steinberg, accurate throws to the plate by Cade Hulse and Cameron Kao and aggressive baserunning by Hulse, Kassowitz, Jack McGeagh and Bryant Falconello that led to several runs. On Saturday, the Pirates routed the San Fernando Blackhawks, 13-1, in the morning game and, in the second game of their doubleheader, ousted the Conejo Crush, 6-2. Pitchers Jed Moscot and Tony Rogari combined for the win over San Fernando, with clean-up hitter Steinberg getting several clutch hits and Hulse clearing the outfield fence for a home run. Zack Dufour, Matt McGeagh and Rogari combined to pitch the Pirates to victory over the Crush. Jed Moscot, Falconello and the McGeagh brothers led the offense with multiple hits and RBIs. The Pirates opened the playoffs Sunday morning with a 8-1 victory over the San Fernando Valley Cats. Steinberg had three hits while pitchers Kao, Blumenfeld and Kassowitz made the Pirates’ early lead stand up. Sunday afternoon’s final was a mere formality for the Palisades squad, which triumphed, 14-3, over the Valley Wolves. Solid pitching performances by Kassowitz and Steinberg, coupled with three hits each by Steinberg and Matt McGeagh and two apiece by Michael Vastano (two RBIs), Kassowitz (3 RBIs) and Dalton Blumenfeld (RBI) put the Wolves away early. “We had four outfield assists on strong throws to the plate to cut down a runner, with Bryant Falconello puting on a fielding clinic at third base and Ezra Steinberg with a circus catch in center,” Pat Vastano said. “We made very few errors all weekend. I couldn’t be happier with the way this team played in the tournament. We went 5-0 and won the championship. Can’t ask for more than that.”
Gymnasts Win State Titles
Taylor Slutzker, Shelby Slutzker and Rachel Weston of Calvary Christian School and Hayley McCormack of Corpus Christi combined to win 11 state gymnastic titles at the California State Championships held in San Diego, Glendora and Santa Barbara. Taylor Slutzker won the state title for the balance beam, floor exercise and all-around at Level 5 while Weston placed first in the floor exercise and was second in the all-around competition. Both girls helped Broadway Gymnastics win the Level 5 team championship, finishing first out of more than 90 programs statewide. McCormack won the uneven bars and placed second all-around at Level 4. Earlier this year, Shelby Slutzker took first place in the balance beam, floor exercise, vault and all-around at Level 7. The Level 5 title was Broadway’s second team title ever. Its first championship came two years ago in Level 4. Weston has been a member of both state championship teams. This upcoming season McCormack will compete at Level 5, Taylor Slutzker will move up to Level 6, Weston will move up to Level 7 and Rachel to level 7 and Shelby Slutzker will move up to to Level 8.
Bellamy Heads PTC Juniors
Nine top junior boys from the Palisades Tennis Center spent their Thanksgiving breaks in hotel rooms and on tennis courts, grinding out points against the nation’s best players. The USTA Junior Nationals took place in four locations across the country: Florida, Georgia, New York and Dana Point, California. Regions consisted of 64 players (each having qualified by virtue of their national ranking). The California region included a field of players from New York, Florida, Texas, Utah, Illinois, Nevada, Arizona, Washington and Pennsylvania. PTC players excelled in the double elimination event, compiling a 28-18 record against a field full of opponents ranked in the top 200 in the nation in their age groups. Leading the way in the boys 12s was Robbie Bellamy, who beat three fellow Californians as well as players from Texas and Nevada. His biggest win came against Yannik Mahlangu of Henderson, Nevada, who is ranked No. 32 in the nation. Bellamy won a third-set tiebreaker, 11-9. His match against Alejandro Llamas of El Paso, Texas, was even closer. Bellamy squandered seven match points then staved off two himself before prevailing, 15-13, in a third-set tiebreaker. PTC players Eduardo Nava and Alex Giannini each won two matches. Nava took out the nation’s No. 68-ranked player Hayden Sabatka of Littleton, Colorado, 7-5, in another third-set tiebreaker. Meanwhile, Giannini eliminated the No. 4 seed in straight sets. In the boys 18s, PTC players dominated the draw, as five players won at least two matches. Walker Kehrer won five matches, beating two players from Florida, two from California and one from Pennsylvania. Daniel Moss and Clay Thompson each won four sets. Moss, who has accepted a spot on the Pepperdine men’s team next year, beat the 31st-ranked player in the nation in straight sets while Thompson rolled over Davis Mangham of Seattle Washington, ranked No. 59 in the nation, 6-2, 6-1. Thompson, who just turned 15, typically plays opponents three years older than him. Also in the boys 18s, PTC product Alex Sohaili had wins over players from Utah, Florida and California and Reece Milner had two wins over players from Northern California. Milner will play at the University of Virginia next year. ‘I am just stunned at the results of these kids who play everyday at a little public park,’ PTC Head Pro Chris Harradine said. ‘These nine are shining today but we have 50 more kids who are hard on their heels. It’s a blast being a part of all of this.’
Locals Impact Volleyball Programs
Five girls from Pacific Palisades left home this summer hoping to find playing time as freshmen in major college volleyball programs and all managed to succeed. Audrey Eichler, a middle blocker out of Harvard-Westlake High, stepped right into the starting lineup at Boston College, playing every match for the Eagles and finishing second on the team in kills (285) and hitting percentage (.258). Her agility also led to 90 blocks, 61 digs and 22 service aces for BC in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Kelly Irvin of Marymount High, a club teammate of Eichler’s on Gene’s Team, committed to the University of Virginia and won the starting setter position, leading the squad with 1,061 assists, 76 kills, 282 digs, 27 aces and 31 blocks while also playing in the tough ACC. Defensive specialist Ali Hoffman had 194 digs and 11 aces in 49 games for Washington University in St. Louis, helping her team win the NCAA Division III Championship. Hoffman played for Marymount High and for Sports Shack?s 18-1s club team. Kaitlin Segal attended Bucknell, which competes in the Patriot League. She played in 97 games as an outside hitter and was credited with 194 kills with a .182 hitting percentage. She also had 33 aces, 33 blocks, 34 assists and 184 digs. She, too, played for Sports Shack?s 18-1?s team. Libero Madison Wojciechowski played more games than any other player at the University of Pennsylvania, breaking the Quakers? all-time single-season record with 457 digs. She had 34 digs in a match (second most ever at Penn) and 32 digs in another match (fourth most) to go along with 21 aces and 32 assists. Penn finished runner-up to Princeton in the Ivy League. Wojciechowski also played on Sports Shack?s 18-1’s team.
WINTER SPORTS SCHEDULES
(Varsity times only)
BOYS BASKETBALL Nov. 28 — Hoover, 7 p.m. (Campbell Hall Tour) Nov. 29 — West Adams Prep, 6 p.m. (Campbell Hall Tour) Nov. 30 — Arleta, 7:30 p.m. (Campbell Hall Tour) Dec. 1 — TBD (Campbell Hall Tour) Dec. 3 — Antelope Valley, 3 p.m. (Beverly Hills Tour) Dec. 5 — TBD (Beverly Hills Tour) Dec. 7 — TBD (Beverly Hills Tour) Dec. 8 — TBD (Beverly Hills Tour) Dec. 17 — TBD St. Bonaventure (San Fernando Tour) Dec. 26 — TBD (Santa Barbara Tour) Jan. 4 — Washington, 7 p.m. Jan. 9 — @ Hamilton, 4 p.m. Jan. 11 — Fairfax, 7 p.m. Jan. 14 — @ Venice, 4 p.m. Jan. 16 — University, 4 p.m. Jan. 18 — @ LACES, 7 p.m. Jan. 23 — Westchester, 4 p.m. Jan. 28 — Hamilton, 4 p.m. Jan. 29 — @ Fairfax, 4 p.m. Feb. 1 — Venice, 7 p.m. Feb. 4 — @ University, 4 p.m. Feb. 6 — LACES, 4 p.m. Feb. 8 — @ Westchester, 7 p.m. ___________________________________________ GIRLS BASKETBALL Nov. 28 — Panorama, 7 p.m. (Palisades Tour) Nov. 29 — TBD, 7 p.m. (Palisades Tour) Nov. 30 — TBD (Palisades Tour) Dec. 1 — TBD (Palisades Tour) Dec. 10 — @ Crenshaw, 4 p.m. Dec. 19 — TBD (Nike Tour) Dec. 20 — TBD (Nike Tour) Dec. 21 — TBD (Nike Tour) Dec. 22 — TBD (Nike Tour) Dec. 26 — TBD (Ayala Tour) Dec. 27 — TBD (Ayala Tour) Dec. 28 — TBD (Ayala Tour) Dec. 29 — TBD (Ayala Tour) Dec. 31 — TBD (Ayala Tour) Jan. 9 — Hamilton, 4 p.m. Jan. 11 — @ Farifax, 4 p.m. Jan. 14 — Venice, 4 p.m. Jan. 16 — @ University, 4 p.m. Jan. 18 — LACES, 4 p.m. Jan. 23 — @ Westchester, 4 p.m. Jan. 28 — @ Hamilton, 4 p.m. Jan. 30 — Fairfax, 4 p.m. Feb. 1 — @ Venice, 4 p.m. Feb. 4 — University, 4 p.m. Feb. 6 — @ LACES, 4 p.m. Feb. 8 — Westchester, 4 p.m. ___________________________________________ BOYS SOCCER Nov. 29 — San Pedro, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 5 — @ Farifax, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 7 — Santa Monica, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 12 — @ Venice, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 14 — Hamilton, 2:30 p.m. Jan. 9 — @ University, 2:30 p.m. Jan. 11 — LACES, 2:30 p.m. Jan. 16 — Westchester, 2:30 p.m. Jan. 18 — Fairfax, 2:30 p.m. Jan. 30 — @ Hamilton, 2:30 p.m. Feb. 1 — University, 2:30 p.m. Feb. 6 — @ LACES, 2:30 p.m. Feb. 8 — @ Westchester, 2:30 p.m. ___________________________________________ GIRLS SOCCER Dec. 5 — Farifax, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 6 — @ Marymount, 3:15 p.m. Dec. 12 — Venice, 2:30 p.m. Dec. 14 — @ Hamilton, 2:30 p.m. Jan. 9 — University, 2:30 p.m. Jan. 10 — Notre Dame Academy, 7 p.m. Jan. 11 — @ LACES, 2:30 p.m. Jan. 16 — Westchester, 2:30 p.m. Jan. 18 — @ Fairfax, 2:30 p.m. Jan. 25 — @ Venice, 2:30 p.m. Jan. 30 — Hamilton, 2:30 p.m. Feb. 1 — @ University, 2:30 p.m. Feb. 6 — LACES, 2:30 p.m. Feb. 8 — @ Westchester, 2:30 p.m.
Writers Picket Eddie Murphy Movie
Photo by Sue Pascoe, Staff Writer
A picket line at the Palisades Recreation Center started with about 10 writers last Thursday morning, but steadily grew to almost 75 as members of the Writers Guild began marching in a circle on the perimeter of the ‘Nowhereland’ movie set. The Eddie Murphy film was shooting at the park and television and movie writers had come to seek support from actors and other production staff. Shortly after the picketing started, Murphy walked off the set and the writers chanted, ‘Thank you Eddie! Thank you Eddie!’ ‘We are inviting everyone on the crew to walk with us in solidarity,’ said Alfredo Barnos, one of the strike captains. ‘The other unions need to know that if we fall, they’re next.’ Although Barnos was from Glendale, the majority of the writers at the park were from Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica. Typical was Michelle King, a writer/producer of ‘In Justice’ and ‘Judy’s Got a Gun,’ who attended Palisades High School, where her father taught. ‘I consider myself a writer first and I think this is a just cause,’ King said. ‘If networks are making money on Internet downloads, then writers should be, too.’ The picketing writers urged crewmembers to learn more about the strike. ‘We’re not here to upset your day,’ Barnos said. ‘If you get a break, we welcome you on the line.’ ‘If they stop writing night scenes, we’ll support them,’ joked ‘Nowhereland’ camera operator Lawrence Karmen. On a more serious note he added, ‘I support the spirit of what they’re trying to accomplish. The Internet is going to be a big market for our product and they should get their share.’ The major stumbling block in contract negotiations has been residuals paid on movies and television shows that can now be downloaded onto cell phones and computers. There are two methods of downloading. One is a digital download, which means the entire movie file or TV show is stored in your computer before it can be viewed. For that process writers currently receive one cent for every three dollars received. The second type of download is streaming videos, which means the show is sent to the user in a constant stream, and the user watches it as it arrives. A viewer can log onto the Internet and view complete episodes of popular shows like ‘Desperate Housewives’ and ’30 Rock,’ making a television set unnecessary. The writers receive no residuals for streaming videos. At the ‘Nowhereland’ set, the Teamsters were asked to park three trucks to obstruct the view of strikers. Some strikers were asked to move, but didn’t. The lead driver got out, and refused to move his truck further. ‘I’m not going to hit anyone,’ he said. Ironically, instead of blocking the strikers from view of the set, the trucks remained bumper to bumper, which resulted in lengthening the strikers’ picket line. The ‘Nowhereland’ extras and crew broke for lunch at 11:20. Murphy did not come back to the set and filming was shut down for the day. Palisades writer David Odell told the Palisadian-Post, ‘Producers are saying ‘Let’s settle this and get on with it.’ We had producers and directors with us as we walked the picket line at Sony.’ Odell won an Emmy for ‘The Muppet Show,’ and his screenplay for ‘The Power of the Dark Crystal,’ an animated film, is in production. Other writers said that the support they received from actors, directors and the Hollywood community was a major factor in reopening negotiations next Monday. ‘Tom Hanks said he wouldn’t start filming ‘Angels and Demons’ since the script wasn’t ready,’ Palisades resident and film writer Juliet Giglio wrote in an e-mail to the Post on Tuesday. ‘I think that helped us a lot.’ Writer/producer and Palisadian Lew Schneider, who was also on the Rec Center picket line, thinks bottom-line fears are on the writers’ side. ‘Advertisers paid for primetime spots on new shows and new episodes aren’t happening,’ he said. When advertisers ask for their money back, the media giants lose money and their stock prices can suffer. Schneider, who won two Emmys for ‘Everybody Loves Raymond,’ said there are two major differences from the writers’ strike in 1988 that lasted for five months. This time television and movie writers, as well as writers on both coasts, are unified. In addition, some show runners (the people who are responsible for the day-to-day operation of a television series) have refused to cross the picket lines.
L.A.’s Gorillas Come Home
$19-Million Campo Gorilla Reserve Is Final Phase of Zoo’s Great Ape Project
Photo by Steve Galluzzo, Sports Editor
A thick mist wafted up from the ground, shrouding the space around me in a milky-white cloud. Peering through the fog, I suddenly saw it–a black shape moving silently through the gloom. As if on cue, the creature cupped its hands and beat its chest, creating a hollow sound that reverberated through the trees. The scene was reminiscent of an African rainforest, but actually it was in the heart of the urban jungle we call Los Angeles. I was among the privileged few media members invited to attend the November 8 unveiling of the $19-million Campo Gorilla Reserve at the Los Angeles Zoo in Griffith Park–and welcome our fellow primates back after spending four-and-a-half years at the Denver Zoo while their home was being remodeled. “Right now is an extremely critical time for gorillas in the wild as they face the challenge of habitat destruction and being hunted in the bushmeat trade,” Zoo Director John Lewis said. “It is our hope that this reserve will educate our visitors as to why gorillas are endangered and what we can do to help them.” After walking along a path hidden on either side by shrubs and trees, intended to help “muffle” outside noises, I soon encountered what we had all come to see. First to greet guests to his new real estate was Kelly, a 20-year-old silverback in charge of the family group. Holding a branch in his mouth, he knuckle-walked to the front of the habitat and surveyed his surroundings. Rubbing his brow, he seemed satisfied. Moments later, a 23-year-old female named Rapunzel strolled into view, her and Kelly’s two-year-old daughter Glenda clinging to her back. Mother and baby plopped down under a tree near a pool of water and watched as “Auntie” Evelyn, the true superstar of the group, plucked a handful of leaves from a bush an arm’s length away. Evelyn, 31, was the second gorilla ever born at the L.A. Zoo since it opened its gates in 1966. Charismatic and intelligent, she took up painting during her stay at the Denver Zoo and has since created several works of art. Joining Lewis at the ribbon-cutting ceremony were L.A. City Councilman Tom LaBonge, Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association President Connie Morgan and actress Betty White, ambassador to animals for the City of Los Angeles and longtime zoo supporter, who monitored the gorilla family’s progress during their relocation. “I want to thank all of the folks in Denver who took such good care of our kids while we were building their new home,” she said. “We were hoping Kelly and Rapunzel would have a baby here but they never did. I don’t know if it was the music, the altitude or what, but within a few weeks of moving to Denver Rapunzel got pregnant.” The 1 1/2-acre exhibit was designed to closely resemble the great ape’s native environment in West Central Africa. Full of trees, brush, flowers, thistles, waterfalls, pools, rocky ledges for climbing, a sunny grass area and a dark shady retreat, it features a mist machine (on a timer set to go off at specified times of the day) that also serves as a cooling system in the summer. There are three viewing stations to this main “common” area–two open-air and another behind a glass wall, at eye-level with the apes. As impressive as the state-of-the-art habitat looked, however, its wonder paled in comparison to that of its inhabitants, who “hammed it up” for their first public appearance. In particularly good spirits was Glenda, who playfully clapped her hands at the sound of clicking cameras and made her audience laugh by tickling her mother’s toes with a slender reed, and then scampering away. Walking further up the path, I happened upon what Ashley Fragomeni of the zoo’s education department humorously described as the “bachelor pad,” a separate enclosure that houses 13-year-old Hasani and his 10-year-old brother Jabari, both of whom previously resided at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida. Hasani means “handsome” in Swahili and one look at him is enough to know he will soon mature into a magnificent silverback. He chose to spend the morning at Campo’s built-in salad bar, gobbling down celery-like bamboo stalks, juicy pomegranates and succulant ficus plants. Also befitting his name, Jabari (meaning fearless”) is an outgoing and curious teen who is not above an act of mischief at his brother’s expense. There are no immediate plans to find mates for the bachelors, who are kept apart from the family group so they can’t challenge Kelly’s dominance. Like the adjacent family room, the bachelor pad has an abundance of eats and treats for its inhabitants, who can be seen from two vantage points: behind glass at ground level or across a ravine from above. Lining the top of the exhibit are low-voltage electrical wires, partially disguised as foliage, to deter escapes like the one that occurred at the Dallas Zoo’s “Wilds of Africa” exhibit in 2004, when a 340-pound male gorilla (also named Jabari) injured four people before being shot and killed by police. The Dallas exhibit was equipped with electric wiring (giving a mild shock when touched) but after a three-month investigation zoo officials determined the gorilla had used a running start to jump across a 12-foot wide trench, clearing a wall and the wire atop it. The exhibit was rebuilt with higher walls and boulders were strategically placed to prevent “running jumps.” Campo Gorilla Reserve is the final phase of the L.A. Zoo’s Great Ape Forest, joining the “Chimpanzees of Mahale Mountains” exhibit (opened in 1998) and the orangutans’ “Red Ape Rain Forest” (opened in 2000), both located nearby. Like all zoo gorillas, the six here are western lowlands, a critically endangered species that lives in lowlands and swamp forests of subtropical and tropical Africa in the countries of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon and Angola (Cabinda). Recently, an increase in illegal poaching and diseases such as ebola are estimated to have caused a 60 percent decline in the lowland gorilla’s population over the last 20 to 25 years. Awareness of the gorillas’ plight is the first step towards protecting them in the wild. “I’m passionate about animal conservation and exhibits like this because it shows in a nutshell what’s going on the wild,” said L.A. Zoo Marketing Manager Kim Spence, a Pacific Palisades resident. “What makes gorillas so intriguing is that they’re so much like us.”
Back Where They Belong
Dolphins Sweep Rival Venice to Regain City Section’s Volleyball Championship
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
Saturday night’s City Section girls volleyball final seemed almost anticlimactic–and that’s just the way Palisades wanted it. The top-seeded Dolphins dispatched Venice the same way they had their four previous playoff opponents–quickly and decisively. Palisades needed just 75 minutes to punctuate its perfect postseason with a 25-21, 25-15, 25-21 sweep at Occidental College in Eagle Rock that netted the program’s 24th City title and first since 2003. Venice (18-4-1), playing in its third final in seven seasons, jumped out to an early lead before the Dolphins settled into their game. “Coach warned us there might be pre-game nervousness and when we started off slow he said ‘Okay, we got the jitters out, now let’s play,'” junior outside hitter Laura Goldsmith said. “After that, we started putting the ball down and got more and more confident.” Sure, the scores were a little closer, but by the middle of the first game the outcome was never in doubt. It was clear who had brought the heavier weapons. “We’ve been on a roll and we just continued it today,” said Pali Coach Chris Forrest, whose team needed the minimum 15 games to win the City tournament. “Alex [Lunder] had another great match. I don’t think she made one error.” Lunder had 15 kills and two blocks, Teal Johnson added six kills and sophomore Tait Johnson had 22 digs. Venice dealt the Dolphins their only loss to a City team all season, prevailing in five games in their first Western League meeting–a loss Palisades avenged in a sweep two weeks later. The second-seeded Gondoliers had rallied from a two-game deficit to beat Woodland Hills Taft in the semifinals, but this time there would be no comeback. “I’m really proud of my girls, they did everything I asked them to,” Venice Coach Allen Hunt said. “You have to give Pali credit. They go seven, eight, nine deep and all of them can play. They’re a very good team but we’ll be back.” Setter Jenna McCallister was on her game, serving expertly and dishing out assists to Lunder, Goldsmith, Johnson, Bonnie Wirth and Kelsey Kiel. Defensive specialist Rachel Ehrlich passed superbly and guarded the back line against Gondos’ sophomore hitter Katie McCabe, who finished with a team-best nine kills. When the final point was won, Palisades’ bench erupted and players on the floor hugged each other and raised their fingers in the air to signify who’s No. 1. This year, at least, there can be no argument. “This is an amazing feeling,” senior outside hitter Jennifer Donohue said. “I can’t put it into words. This is something we’ve worked for all season and it feels great.” As City champions, the Dolphins earned a berth in the state tournament, where they hosted Southern Section Division I-AA semifinalist Lakewood (25-7) in the quarterfinals Tuesday (see story below). * * * * Spikers Bounced in State Tourney Still basking in the glow of Saturday’s City title victory, the Palisades High girls volleyball team faced a new challenge in the quarterfinals of the Division I state playoffs. For the first time this season, the Dolphins went into Tuesday’s match against Lakewood as decided underdogs. Senior setter Jenna McCallister told her teammates to play as if they had nothing to lose. “I saw it as a chance to host another match in our gym, in front of our fans and to see the banners hanging up there one last time,” McCallister said. “Win or lose, we were going to leave it all on the court and that’s what we did.” Palisades (25-9) was riding a nine-match winning streak in which it had reeled off 27 consecutive games, including a sweep of archrival Venice three nights before. But first the streak, then the Dolphins’ season, ended abruptly in a 25-20, 25-21, 25-16 loss to the fourth-seeded Lancers (27-7), Southern Section Division I-AA semifinalists. “When you play a Section champion’whether it’s San Diego, Central, Southern or L.A. City, you’re getting the best they have,” Lakewood Coach Mike Wadley said. “They used a lot of float serves and things we’re not used to seeing. They did well with what they had.” Trailing 15-14 in the second game, Lakewood used a 8-0 run to seize control of the match. Laura Goldsmith led Pali with nine kills, Alex Lunder had eight and Teal Johnson had six. McCallister finished with 28 assists and Tait Johnson had 12 digs. “I’m super proud of the girls,” Pali Coach Chris Forrest said. “Even when they were down they fought hard. That team was just too tough tonight.”
