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String Time is Back

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Junior Katy Nikolova returns at No. 1 singles for the Dolphins.
Junior Katy Nikolova returns at No. 1 singles for the Dolphins.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Coming off a season in which it went undefeated and won the City Section title for the first time in seven years, the question is what the Palisades High girls tennis team can do for an encore. Despite being defending champions, the Dolphins lose eight players from last year’s varsity team and Head Coach Bud Kling believes his team will have to play extremely well to repeat. ‘We don’t have the depth that we did last year,’ he says. ‘If I had to rank the top teams right now, I’d rate Granada Hills, Taft and Carson ahead of us based on who they have coming back. We’re not even a lock to win our own league.’ Granada Hills and Taft play in the West Valley League while Carson, which lost to Pali in the finals last year, is favored to win the Marine League. Venice should challenge the Dolphins in the newly realigned Western League, which now includes Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies. ‘Adding a team means we have 12 league matches instead of 10 but it also means that we lose one of our nonleague matches,’ Kling says. ‘That’s why I have us playing two tournaments.’ The Dolphins travel to Fresno for the Peachtree Classic this weekend, where they will compete in Division I’the highest level. Pali opens against Saratoga Friday morning in the opening round at Sierra Racket Club and will then play either Rio Americano or Foothill, depending on the result of their first match. Kling also organized his own tournament, which starts this season, called the Bay Area Classic. In that, Palisades will host Beverly Hills, then travel to Mira Costa and Malibu. The Dolphins open nonleague play against Marymount Monday at the PTC. ‘It’s always good to get in some tough matches before league starts,’ Kling says. ‘I scheduled traditionally strong Southern Section teams so hopefully we won’t be in over our heads.’ Palisades lost six players to graduation, including captains Krista Slocum, the 2005-06 Palisadian-Post Cup winner, and top doubles player Brittany O’Neil. Sarah Yankelevitz, who played No. 3 doubles last season, has transferred to a boarding school in Ojai and Andrea Walton did not complete the spring program. ‘What this does is it gives new players an opportunity to compete for a starting spot,’ Kling says. There are one or two girls on the wait list who may contend for varsity but we’ll have to see.’ Palisades does return its top singles player, junior Katy Nikolova, who did not lose a set in team competition last season after joining the Dolphins just before the second round of league play. Though Palisades might have won the City without her, Kling admits acquiring Nikolova was the final piece to the puzzle. ‘Katy was a key factor last year and she’s been practicing with her coach and playing tournaments since then so she’ll be even better,’ he says. ‘She’ll be one of the best players in the City.’ Nikolova is ranked No. 32 in Southern California in the Girls’ 16s. Freshman Krystal Hansard, who trains locally at the Palisades Tennis Center and is ranked in the Girls 14s, will start at No. 2 singles while Kathryn Cullen, who played No. 4 singles last season, will move up to No. 3. ‘The fourth singles position is a question mark right now,’ Kling says. Lauren Pugatch, one of only two seniors in the Dolphins’ lineup, will partner with sophomore Audrey Ashraf at No. 1 doubles. The other two doubles positions will be contested for by five players’Alex Kling (Pali’s only other senior), junior Erika Lee and sophomores Rose Schlaff, Yasamin Ghiasi and Marina Sterngold.

Calendar for the Week of September 7, 2006

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 Akuvoe Graham signs ‘The Little Book of Transformation: 7 Days to a Brand New You,’ 7:30 p.m., Village Books on Swarthmore. Graham was born in Ghana, West Africa, and has been nationally touring her acclaimed one-woman show, ‘Spirit Awakening.’ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 ‘Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story,’ a Theatre Palisades production directed by Paula LaBrot and starring Joshua Brandenburg, 8 p.m. at Pierson Playhouse, corner of Haverford and Temescal Canyon Rd. Plays every Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., through October 8. Ticket reservations: 454-1970. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 The Palisades-Malibu YMCA campaign to collect gently used children’s books for Access Books ends today at the Y headquarters, 821 Via de la Paz. Volunteers are invited to join a work party on the Village Green from 9 to 11 a.m. ‘We will be getting the Village Green ready for our 34th birthday celebration on Sunday,’ said spokeswoman Marge Gold. ‘Today, just bring shears and gloves. Tomorrow, be ready to party.’ Contact: 459-5167. Seth Faison, a former Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for the New York Times, discusses his first book, ‘South of the Clouds,’ a memoir containing many of his experiences in China and Tibet, 2 p.m., Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 Ariana Huffington discusses her new book, ‘On Becoming Fearless…In Love, Work and Life,’ 2 p.m., Palisades Woman’s Club, 901 Haverford. Sponsored by the Friends of the Palisades Branch Library. Public invited. (See story, page 13.) MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 Moonday, a monthly poetry reading evening, 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 Troubadour Ken Frawley presents ‘King Arthur’s Court,’ the culmination program for the Summer Reading Club, 4 p.m. at the Palisades Branch Library, 861 Alma Real. Admission is free. Santa Monica Canyon Civic Association board meeting, 7 p.m., Rustic Canyon Recreation Center. Public invited. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 Baby and Toddler Storytime, a mix of stories, songs and finger-plays, 10:15 a.m. at the Palisades Branch Library, 861 Alma Real. The new program, geared for babies and toddlers (35 months and under) and their parents or caregivers, will continue October 11, November 8 and December 6. Contact: 459-2754. Monthly Pacific Palisades AARP meeting, featuring young dancers from the Fancy Feet Dance Studio, 2 p.m., Palisades Woman’s Club, 901 Haverford. Public invited. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 Tanyo Ravicz signs ‘A Man of His Village,’ an epic novel that ranges from the borderlands of California to the strawberry fields of Oregon, from urban Seattle to rural Mexico, from the crowded slums of Tijuana to the isolation of the Alaskan bush, 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore.

CLASSIFIED ADS FROM THE SEPTEMBER 7, 2006 ISSUE OF THE PALISADIAN-POST

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HOMES WANTED 1b

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

CONDOS & TOWNHOMES FOR SALE 1e

PACIFIC PALISADES BY OWNER. Fabulous remodeled townhome, 2+2+den. Mt. view, hdwd flrs, high ceilings, pool, tennis, principals only. $760,000. (310) 260-7764. Bkr.

FURNISHED HOMES 2

FURNISHED CHARMING COTTAGE close to village and bluffs. 1+1, F/P garden, quiet. Available short term. $3,000/mo.+security. (310) 459-3493

UNFURNISHED HOMES 2a

PACIFIC PALISADES HOME. 3 bdrm, 3 ba, large studio w/ deck & canyon view, private yard, living room w/ fireplace, 2 car garage, very clean. Gardener. $4,200/mo. Call (661) 270-9231 1 BDRM, 1 BA GUESTHOUSE. El Medio bluffs, walk-in closet, mountain views, separate entrance, util. inc., new carpet and paint. Perfect for student. $1,200/mo. (310) 230-1921 STYLISH CLASSICAL HOME rests in one of the most prestigious & desirable areas in the Pacific Palisades w/ 5 bedrooms & 5 baths. This lovely home has a grand living room w/ open beam ceiling & adjoining den overlooking a well-manicured yard w/ a very large pool. There is a formal dining room, modern fully equipped kitchen w/ a bright & cheery breakfast/family area. The home includes 2 master suites w/ bath plus 2 additional ensuite bedrooms. Private maids quarters w/ bath located over the garage. This charming home is located on 1 of the larger lots on the rim w/ canyon & mountain views. Lease for 6 mos. $20,000/mo. Avail 9/1 or sooner. Call Lisa, (310) 570-0518 EUROPEAN CHARM. Gated traditional surrounded by lush landscaping, 4 bdrm, 3 ba, light & open, large mstr w/ treetop and peek-a-boo views. $7,400/mo. Agent, (310) 230-7317 PACIFIC PALISADES WONDERFULLY UPDATED ’60s style house on the Castellammare bluffs. 3 bdrms, 2 ba, newly refinished hdwd floors, all white modern kitchen w/ all appliances, central heating and a/c. 2 car garage, pvt yd with lap pool and bonus rooftop jacuzzi with sunset views of the Pacific. $6,900/mo. 17929 Castellammare Pacific Palisades, 90272. Call Gary C. at the Beaumont Co., (323) 466-9761, (M-F, 8:30-5:00), (323) 314-7143, evenings and weekends WONDERFUL 2 BD, 2 BA LEASE near village. Updated kitchen, cherry wood floors, large lot. Large art studio approx. 600 square feet. Pool and spa, patio. Offered at $5,200/mo. Call Dolly Niemann at Prudential, (310) 230-3706

UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c

EDGEWATER TOWERS 1 BDRM, large patio, ocean view. Pools, gated security, covered parking, tennis, gym & more. Available Sep. $2,300/mo. Utils incl. Telephone and fax: (310) 454-5652 TEMESCAL VIEW APARTMENTS. Walk to village, canyon view. Large 1 bdrm. Gated parking, laundry. Walk-in closet, private balcony. 1 year lease. $2,000/mo. (310) 454-7743 1 BEDROOM APARTMENT in Santa Monica on Euclid near Wilshire. $1,350/mo. (310) 459-6759

WANTED TO RENT 3b

ROOM OR GUESTHOUSE WANTED: Mature professional newsman desires local accommodation to be close to daughter who lives in Palisades. (310) 827-1922

OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c

MEDICAL SPACE: UPSCALE BUSY Medical Bldg. 300 sq. ft. Three-office suite. Available 9/1/06. Call (310) 273-8700 PROFESSIONAL OFFICE SPACE for sublet in Pacific Palisades. Consulting office available evenings, weekends and flexible mid-morning schedule throughout the week. In village. (310) 230-2233

CONDOS & TOWNHOMES FOR RENT 3f

VIEW FOR RENT. 2 BDRM, 21/2 BA townhouse. Laundry, den, pool, view. 3 minutes to Burbank Studios. Stop the commute. Available September. For info go to townhousewithaview.com or call (310) 498-2471

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES 5

SERIOUS ENTREPENEUR? Looking for massive profits and low overhead? Absolutely the most profitable home business. NO MLM. www.create-prosperity.com

LOST & FOUND 6a

LOST: FEMALE RUDDY ABYSSINIAN cat at Sunset and Palisades Drive. Reward. (310) 454-6508

PERSONALS 6b

GREAT CRUISEMATES WANTED for CYC 2006 Commodore’s Cruise in San Juan Islands, Sep. 24-30. Two avid CYC boaters seek congenial cruisemate(s) w/ 40’+ powerboat experience to share bareboat charter (est. $6,500) & join great 20+ boat adventure. (310) 890-6687 YOUNG HAPPILY MARRIED Arizona couple seeking to adopt drug-free, caucasian male infant. Unable to have children of our own, we promise a life filled with love, laughter and security. Lots of loving family living nearby. Financially secure, legally state certified, willing to travel. Legal expenses paid as permitted. Information and inquiries please e-mail AdoptArizona7880@yahoo.com

COMPUTER SERVICES 7c

COMPUTER SOLUTIONS & SUPPORT -HOME & BUSINESS – 20 Years Microsoft Experience -HELPING WITH: Windows XP – Windows Media Center FRANKEL CONSULTING 310.454.3886 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. End Run-around. Pop-up Expert! Satisfying Clients since 1992. If I Can’t Help, NO CHARGE! COMPUTER WORKS! Alan Perla, (310) 455-2000 COMPUTER CONSULTANT, MAC SPECIALIST. Very Patient, Friendly and Affordable. Tutoring Beginners to Advanced Users. Wireless internet – Sono. MAC/PC SET UP – Repair – Upgrade – OS X. Remote phone support. Home/Office. William Moorefield, (310) 838-2254. macitwork.com

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 7f

PLANNING A GARAGE SALE? a moving sale? a yard sale? a rummage sale? an estate 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 – Furniture – Antiques – Collectibles – Junque – Reliable professionals Local References

DAYCARE CENTERS 8

PALISADES LEARN AND PLAY. Creative & nurturing Pre-K program. Crafts, music & educational curriculum. All staff CPR cert. Openings for fall. (310) 459-0920

NANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a

NANNY/CAREGIVER, 10 years exp. Loves kids, energetic, responsible. Excellent Refs. DMV, clean record. Bilingual Spanish/English. Avail Monday-Friday. Live out. Call Mirna, (323) 937-2323 BABYSITTER AVAILABLE Mon.-Fri. Own transportation, CDL, Babysitting lic. References. Call Rosibel, (213) 675-2092 GREAT PRE-SCREENED Nannies available. Let us help you with your nanny search. We are a dedicated, professional agency and we will find the right match for you. Whether you are looking for full time or p/time, L/I or L/O help, we can help you. Call Sunshine Nannies at (310) 614-5065 or (310) 801-8309 VIP NANNY AGENCY. “Providing very important people with the very best nanny.” (818) 907-1017, (310) 614-3646 CHILD CARE SPECIALIST/NANNY. Many years experience. Specializing in kids with special needs. CNA, home healthcare, CPR. Excellent references. Own transportation. Available Tues., Thurs., Fri. (310) 459-2907 and (818) 445-1182 PALI NANNY: Creative, fun, responsible, experienced nanny. CDL, CPR, reliable car. Available full time and weekends. Glowing references. Call Kelly, (720) 273-8880

DOMESTIC AGENCIES 9

BEACH BABIES NANNY AGENCY. Accepting familes & nannies. Best rates in town! Free to Nannies. (310) 892-8836

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, MANY YEARS experience. Italian cooking and/or take care of pets in exchange for room. Excellent referrals. Call Margaret, (310) 403-1845 HOUSEKEEPER/COMPANION Live-in available. 25 years experience, speak English, own transportation. Good referrals. Contact Daisy, (323) 292-7430 or (310) 666-7681 SEEKING WORK AS HOUSEKEEPERS Mon to Fri. 15 years experience. References available. Contact Paula Reyes & Carmen, (310) 703-3011 HOUSEKEEPING SERVICE 9 years experience. Fair prices, good references. Available Mon.-Thurs. Daily rates. Call Maria, (310) 977-0142 HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE, flexible 3 days. Own transportation, local references, 20 years experience. Honest, reliable. Please call Marina, (323) 463-0589 or (213) 925-5278, cell EXCELLENT HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE 1 to 5 days. Experienced, good English, own transportation, references available. Call Anna, (213) 500-4631 HOUSEKEEPER EXPERIENCED IN LARGE HOMES looking for part time work. Available Tues., Thurs. and weekends. Will do errands, light cooking and housesit. Pet friendly. References available. Call (310) 736-0455 HOUSECLEANING: AVAILABLE Tues., Wed., Fri. Live-out, local references, reliable, honest, years of experience. Please call Paula, (818) 922-4062 HOUSEKEEPING/BABYSITTING available Monday and Wednesday. Experience, excellent references, has own transportation. Call (323) 844-1877 or (323) 253-4274, afternoons HOUSEKEEPER: OVER TEN YEARS. Excellent experience in cleaning houses. References available. Reliable and pleasant. Available Mon. thru Fri. Please call Maria, (213) 210-4534

ELDER CARE/COMPANIONS 10a

CAREGIVERS/COMPANIONS Live in/out. Minimum 2 years experience. 3 work related references required. CNA’S/CHH’S welcomed. Bondable. Call (323) 692-3692

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 POND CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN: Water gardening. Japanese Koi fish. Filtration pond service, repair & maintence. Free estimates. Cell, (310) 498-5380, (310) 390-1276. Visit us at www.TheKingKoi.com GARCIA GARDENING SERVICE – Maintenance – Sprinkler Systems – Planting – Clean-up – Landscape – (310) 733-7414

MOVING & HAULING 11b

HONEST MAN SERVICES. 14″ van & dollies. Small jobs to 2 bedrooms. Hauls it all. California/Nevada. Over 12 years. Westside experience. (310) 285-8688

MASSAGE THERAPY 12b

AWARD-WINNING MASSAGE by Natalie. Deep tissue specialist. Call (310) 993-8899. www.massagebynatalie.faithweb.com

POOL & SPA SERVICES 13e

SWIMMING POOL SERVICE/REPAIR/REMODEL. Over 20 years experience. Licensed. Call (310) 230-POOL

WINDOW WASHING 13h

HAVING A PARTY? SELLING some real estate or just want to do some spring cleaning? Get those WINDOWS SHINING by calling No Streak Window Cleaning, where we offer fast friendly quality service you can count on! For a free estimate call Marcus, (323) 632-7207. Lic. #122194-49. Bonded EXPERT WINDOW CLEANER 20 years Westside. Clean and detailed. Free estimates, sills and screens included. Up to two stories only. Brian, (310) 289-5279

PET SERVICES/PET SITTING 14g

BE HAPPY TO COME HOME! Trusted house/pet care in & around Palisades since 1986. Educated, responsible. (310) 454-8081 PET HEAVEN – TOTAL PET CARE. Training. Walking. Playgroups and hikes. 30 years Pali resident. References. Call (310) 454-0058 for a happy dog. HAPPY PET – Dog Walking – Park Outings – Socialization. Connie, (310) 230-3829

SCHOOLS, INSTRUCTION 15d

PIANO INSTRUCTION. Give the life-long gift of music! Very patient, creative teacher. Music degree, USC. Qualified, experienced, local. Lisa Lukas, (310) 454-0859. www.palisadesmusicstudio.com MUSICAL TRAINING IN YOUR HOME. Piano – Voice – Guitar – Drums – Percussion. “Genius Without Education Is Like Silver In The Mine” -Franklin. Call Cathleen, (310) 390-1969

TUTORS 15e

INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION. EXPERIENCED TUTOR 20+ YEARS. Children & adults, 20+ yrs teaching/tutoring exper. MATH, GRAMMAR, WRITING & STUDY SKILLS. Formerly special ed teacher. Call (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 EXPERIENCED SPANISH TUTOR – All ages – All levels – Local refs – Flexible hrs. Noelle, (310) 273-3593 READING SPECIALIST – Master of Education-Reading and Learning Disabilities – Special Education Teaching Certificate: K-12 – Regular Education Teaching Certificate: K-9 – Elementary Education Teaching experience: 12 yrs – Services provided for special & regular education students of all levels – Academic areas taught include reading (phonics and reading comprehension) writing and spelling – Private tutoring includes accessing the student’s needs, developing an individualized education program and implementation of that program. Palisades resident. Call Brandi, (310) 230-9890 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 TUTORING. Specializing in math! Elementary thru college level. Test prep, algebra, trig, geom, calculus. Fun, caring, creative, individualized tutoring. Math anxiety. Call Jamie, (310) 459-4722 STANFORD-EDUCATED Math & Science Tutor-Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1 & 2, Geometry, Trig, PreCalc/ Analysis, Calculus, Physics, Chemistry. Young(ish) and personable. Experienced. Get along great with all ages. In-home convenience. References. Chris, (323) 309-6687 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TUTOR AVAILABLE. Specialized support from full-time classroom teacher in math and English Language Arts for your 2nd-5th grader. Can reinforce skills and teach new ones while building confidence. Emily at (516) 984-4250 WRITER/TUTOR/EDITOR: Middle school college. Excellent time to complete college application essays. FARE FEES References available. Call Karen, (310) 230-7856 THE WRITING COACH: Parent Consultation for families tackling private-school applications and guiding a child through personal essays. $275 per session (2 hours). Former prep-school teacher with extensive Westside/Palisades/Malibu experiences, first-choice acceptances, outstanding references. (310) 528-6437

CABINET MAKING 16

CUSTOM WOODWORK AND CABINETS. Craftsmanship quality, 20 years experience, local resident. Local references available. General Contractor Calif. License #402923. Ron Dillaway, (310) 455-4462. rondillaway@yahoo.com

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

CASTLE CONSTRUCTION. New homes, remodeling, additions, fine finish carpentry. Serving the Westside for 20 yrs. Lic. #649995. Call James, (310) 450-6237

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 (Not lic.). Please Call (310) 454-6849 or (818) 317-8286

FENCES 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.

FLOOR CARE 16l

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 HART HARDWOOD FLOORING. Best pricing. Senior discounts, quality workmanship. Bamboo, maple, oak and laminate. Installation & refinishing. Call for free quote. Lic. #763767. Ron, (310) 308-4988 GOLDEN HARDWOOD FLOORS. Professional installation & refinishing. National Wood Flooring Association member. Lic. #732286 Plenty of local references. (877) 622-2200. www.goldenhardwoodfloors.com

HANDYMAN 16n

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) 455-0803 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 THE HANDY GUY. Any job, big or small. Over 16 years experience. Lic #B-858574. We’re proud to donate our services to Habitat for Humanity. (310) 216-9034 PETERPAN – Quality home repair. Serving entire Westside. (Not lic.) Ask for Peter, (310) 663-3633 AVALON ESTATE MAINTENANCE. Specializing in all aspects of home repair. Reasonable rates. Refs available. Prompt service. Non-lic. Call Dustin, (310) 924-2711 LOCAL ENGLISH HANDYMAN serving the Palisades 10 years. You can trust me to do the job right. Hourly rates/bids. Not lic. (310) 454-3838 – (310) 367-6383

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING 16o

SANTA MONICA HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING. INSTALLATION: New and old service and repairs. Lic. #324942 (310) 393-5686

PAINTING, PAPERHANGING 16q

PAUL HORST – Interior & Exterior – PAINTING – 52 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. Ref’s. Lic. #715099 SQUIRE PAINTING CO. Interior and Exterior. License #405049. 25 years. Local Service. (310) 454-8266. www.squirepainting.com SPIROS PAINTING, INTERIOR/EXTERIOR. Painting on the Westside since 1980. Lic. #821009. Fax and phone: (310) 826-6097. NO JOB is too small or too big for Spiro the Greek ZARKO PRTINA PAINTING. Interior/Exterior. 35 years in service. License #637882. Call (310) 454-6604 “WE SEAL LEAKS” +, carpentry, painting, roofing, masonry, tile, patios, gutters, windows, skylights, landscaping, retaining walls, drainage, stucco, plaster, concrete asphalt, remodels. (310) 457-4652

PLUMBING 16s

BOTHAM PLUMBING AND HEATING. Lic. #839118. (310) 827-4040 JLK PLUMBING. Re-pipe and sewer specialist & all plumbing repairs. Mention this ad & receive 10% off. Lic. #722414. Call (310) 678-6634

REMODELING 16u

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) 455-0803 COMPLETE CUSTOM CONSTRUCTION. New homes, kitchen+bath remodeling, additions. Quality work at reasonable rates guaranteed. Large and small projects welcomed. Lic. #751137. Call Michael Hoff Construction today, (310) 230-2930

HELP WANTED 17

DRIVERS: EARN MORE AT WERNER ENTERPRISES. Western region runs. Also seeking inexperienced and seasonal drivers. (800) 346-2818 ext 123 LADY WANTED FOR LIVE-IN position. Light housekeeping. Help with handicapped daughter. (310) 457-3393 PERSONAL ASSISTANT/CHILDCARE helper needed for afternoons. Monday-Friday. 15 hours per week usually after 3 p.m. $15/hr. Rebeccalobl@earthlink.net F/T RESERVATIONS AGENT/ADMIN ASSIST needed for small travel reservation office specializing in scuba diving. Travel industry experience required. No air ticketing involved. Knowledge of scuba a plus but not necessary. Good phone & computer skills. Office in Topanga Canyon. Call Leslie, M-F, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., (310) 857-6942, or email resume ask@solmarv.com HOUSEKEEPER WANTED: To clean, market & prep dinner 2 times a week. Hours 12 p.m.-8 p.m. $90 per day. Excellent local references required. Ask for Rebecca, (310) 454-7490 FULL-TIME RECEPTIONIST/OFFICE ASSIST for growing Palisades office. Excellent community organization & clerical skills required. Opportunity for growth. Please email resume & salary requirements to admin@interventionplanner.com. PLAYGROUND AIDE wanted to assist After School Care supervisor at local elementary school. M-F, 3 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Send resume to B. Williams at (310) 459-3285 COLLEGE STUDENT/HOMEWORK HELPER needed. Wed. & Thurs., 3 to 8 p.m. CA DL, own transportation. Tutor 2 bright 11- & 13-year-olds. (310) 387-7722 PART-TIME ADMINISTRATIVE assistant wanted weekday mornings, flexible hours. Organized, computer-oriented, self motivated, personable. Located near Gelson’s. (800) 556-2226 MALE DRIVER/CHILD CARE Palisades area. Energetic person for two boys ages 11 & 15. References and good DMV. 20 hrs per week, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Holly, (310) 459-0176 MOTHER’S HELPER wanted for 3-month-old boy. About 10 hours/week, flexible times. Ideal for high school/college student. Call Nicole, (310) 573-1695 LOVE AND MONEY? MARQUEZ ELEMENTARY is looking for a teachers aide, 8:30-1 (can be flexible as to hours & days of week); $10/hr, but lots of love provided from a great bunch of kids. Any former teachers, teachers-to-be out there? Call (310) 454-4019 PALISADES FAMILY LOOKING for experienced nanny or babysitter. Must drive. Morning 7 a.m.-9 a.m. Serve breakfast, make school lunches, prep for school. Afternoon 3 p.m.-7 p.m. Bath, serve dinner, light cleaning and tidying up. 4-5 days weekly. Two girls 3 & 5. (310) 795-7830 HAIR STYLIST STATION for rent in friendly work environment. Back bar shampoo, laundry included, parking available. In heart of Palisades Village. (310) 454-3521 PERSONAL ASSISTANT WANTED for local residence. Must have dependable car; basic computer skills, i.e. Word, Quicken, Internet; detail-oriented important; part time to full time (hours flexible). Fax resumes to (310) 550-3301 PR/ADMIN: PRESTIGIOUS ORTHODONTIC Office in Pacific Palisades. Great position. Full time or part time. Will train and reward. (310) 454-0317 ADMIN: PRESTIGIOUS ORTHODONTIC Office in Pacific Palisades. Great position. Full time or part time. Will train and reward. (310) 454-0317 COMPANION/HOMEWORK HELP WANTED for 7-year-old boy. 9 hrs. per/wk. $15 per hr. Pac. Pal. Call Karen, (310) 849-2699 GENERAL DENTAL PRACTICE in Pacific Palisades seeking a front office/patient coordinator. Special opportunity for energetic, optimistic, detail oriented individual with great people skills. Help us pamper our patients in a warm and caring environment. Send resumes via fax (310) 454-3168 or e-mail dremmakim@sbcglobal.net. LOOKING FOR PLEASANT FEMALE CAREGIVER with experience and references to help care for senior male individual, Palisades resident. Live-in. Call Manuel, (562) 644-0919 (cell)

AUTOS 18b

1989 CADILLAC EL DORADO super clean, 112K, new alt., new battery, new radiator, new front brakes. $3,000 obo. Ask for Roger, mention ad: (310) 450-5644 ’97 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER. Tip top condition. Power steering, H/AC, Power seats, new tires. $4,000. (310) 459-8357 1999 MERCEDES BENZ E430 59,000 miles, excellent shape. Original owners moved to India. $16,000 OBO. Call John, (310) 390-5144

FURNITURE 18c

CHILDRENS CUSTOM HANDPAINTED BEDROOM set, twin bed with storage/trundle, desh chair side table & armoire. Sacrifice for $1,500 OBO. (310) 387-7722

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

THREE FAMILY GARAGE SALE. Great prices, great things from A to Z. Sat, Sept. 9th, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please come to 1050 Embury Street, P.P.

PETS, LIVESTOCK 18e

BUNNY ADOPTIONS. Beautiful S/N Box trained. Every Saturday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Centinela Feed, 3860 Centinela Ave., WLA. (310) 836-5949. www.larabbits.org, 501(c) (3)

WATERCRAFT 18f

SAILPLANE. I-35 SN15 w/ trailer, retractable, water, oxygen, ready to fly. Sierra Waves, $15,000. (310) 454-5367 / 633-3740 or atg4jsg@aol.com

WANTED TO BUY 19

WANTED: Old tube guitar amplifiers, ’50s, ’60s, etc. Tommy, (310) 306-7746 – profeti2001@yahoo.com

Robert Bruce Scott II (1957-2006)

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Bob Scott was born on January 23, 1957, to Lorle and Robert Scott. He was their only child. Bob was raised in Pacific Palisades, where he attended St. Matthew’s Episcopal School. Throughout his childhood Bob was involved in many activities. He was a Little League slugger for the (Mighty) Palisades Park Bruins. He was a dedicated member of Boy Scout Troop 85. He played hockey before most even knew there were ice rinks in Southern California. Bob also loved the outdoors and all the activities associated with it. Bob’s high school years were spent at the prestigious Harvard School in North Hollywood, where he excelled at academics, sports and art. He was a leader to the class of 1975 and made many lifelong friends during his high school years. Though Bob traveled far from home to attend high school, his Palisades roots remained strong. Weekend activities found him with neighborhood locals building and racing off-road motorcycles, windsurfing, or simply enjoying the sunset from the ‘Lookout’. Bob blended his high school friends and his neighborhood friends well. He was a person everyone enjoyed being around. After high school Bob dedicated a couple of years to his community. He worked odd jobs, did construction, attended community college classes and lent a hand wherever possible. His selfless contributions helped shape the Palisades we know and love today. In the late 1970’s Bob enrolled in Loyola Marymount University, where he earned his undergraduate degrees in business administration and accounting. During this time at Loyola Marymount, Bob caught the attention of the CEO of National Medical Enterprises. He saw in Bob the intelligence, compassion and loyalty necessary to mentor a Fortune 500 executive and offered Bob a starting position at NME. Bob attended law school fulltime at Loyola Law School while simultaneously working his way up the corporate ladder at NME, a task even the most seasoned business executives found daunting. After several years of nose-to-the-grindstone commitments to NME and Loyola Law School, Bob came up for air. In 1987 he graduated at the top of his class. He passed the California bar exam on his first try. At NME he had risen through the ranks to become a seasoned corporate officer. By the age of 30 Bob had accomplished what it would take other Fortune 500 executives to the age of 45 to do, if ever. There was just one other major accomplishment Bob had to master. He had his eye on a shy, pretty, administrative assistant named Mary Devine. They took to one another right away, and their relationship soon blossomed into a beautiful union. In 1989 Bob and Mary made it official with a church wedding in Westwood, followed by a regal reception at the Riviera Country Club. The young couple initially made their home in Bob’s Santa Monica apartment. By 1991 Bob had climbed as high as anyone could at NME. He was vice president of real estate as well as chief counsel to the CEO. Bob and Mary welcomed their first child, Catherine, to the world in March 1991. With a growing family they needed to relocate to larger accommodations. Within a year they found the perfect family nest perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Malibu. Shortly thereafter, Bob and Mary had their second child, Christina, in March 1993. After a board of directors’ upheaval at NME, Bob went into private practice, which grew into a reputable firm in the San Fernando Valley. In recent years Bob was a partner and chief architect of the reconstruction and eventual sale of the Hotel Twin Dolphin in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. He was also founder and president of the Malibu Performing Arts Center, a project he cared deeply about. Bob was at the high point of his career when he met his untimely death on August 29 while snorkeling on a family vacation on Maui. All who knew Bob are shocked and saddened by his tragic passing. He is survived by his wife Mary; his daughters Catherine and Christina; his mother Lorle; and his father, Cmndr. Robert B. Scott USNR (ret.). He is also survived by his extended family Christina, Elizebeth, Dorothy, Anastasia, Charlie, Paul, Jim and Catherine Devine, and all his many friends. Church services will be held for our beloved Bob Scott at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 9, at 23825 Stuart Ranch Rd. in Malibu.

Health-Care Rally Here on Sept. 12

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Rarely do we see political hoopla for a legislative bill that is a long way from becoming law. But on Tuesday, September 12, a mini rally on the Village Green at 4:30 p.m., with music and short speeches, will focus attention on the universal health care insurance bill passed by the state legislature last week but vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger. The rally, including a march along Sunset from 5:15 to 6 p.m., will conclude at the Woman’s Club on Haverford with a screening of ‘The Health Care Solution CaliforniaOne Care,’ which explains the benefits of the system proposed by SB840. ‘This has to be a grassroots effort,’ says Palisadian George Savage, state chairman of the OneCareNow campaign committee. ‘It has to bubble up from down below, or people just glaze over.’ A retired advertising executive and partner at Kalis and Savage, George stumbled onto the 10-year-old organization three years ago. ‘I had not really been an activist,’ Savage says. ‘Eileen and I are both interested in a lot of stuff [wife Eileen is a well-known advocate for Palisades public schools], but when I saw that this health plan provides the most efficient, most effective, real full coverage forever, I thought: Is this real? It has became my mitzvah.’ The OneCareNow campaign of community awareness and education calls for staging ‘activism’ events, one each day, in a different city for 365 days in a row. The first event was in Morro Bay on August 12, and the last will be in Los Angeles on August 12, 2007. The Palisades event is one of 20 city events leading up to next August’s events. On a largely party line 43-30 vote, the Assembly approved Sheila Kuehl’s SB840, which would eliminate private medical insurance plans and establish a statewide health insurance system to provide comprehensive health and dental insurance for all Californians. Sen. Kuehl has been pushing for a one-payer system for a number of years as a response to inadequate and costly health-care insurance in the state. The legislature estimated that 6.5 million Californians lacked health-care coverage at some time in 2004, including one in every five nonelderly Californians. Health-care spending continues to grow much faster than the economy, and efforts to control health-care costs and the growth of health- care spending have been unsuccessful. Consumers can no longer rely on traditional health care coverage owing to a continuous decline of employer-offered coverage, unstable employment trends, and uncontrolled increases in the amount of premiums and cost-sharing, and increases in benefit gaps, legislative analysts argued. Although the state Senate has already approved the plan once and is expected this week to approve changes that the Assembly made to the bill, Schwarzenegger vetoed the bill Tuesday, emphasizing ‘that government should not be getting in there and running a health- care system.’ Savage is realistic about what he calls the obstacles ahead’the insurance and drug companies. But he notes adds that ‘the unions have now decided not to stand in the way of this, and leaders of the Chamber of Commerce in California and large corporations have said we cannot go on with the current situation. It’s economics. It’s money. This is a nonpartisan thing, a common-sense issue.’

Family of Autistic Scout Sues Troop 223, Council

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At the end of August 2005, 12-year-old Casey Reilly didn’t go with Palisades Boy Scout Troop 223 to Emerald Bay for a weeklong, much-anticipated funfest in Catalina. In fact, he didn’t go this August either. But it wasn’t because of his lack of interest. Understanding why is the subject of a new and potentially precedent-setting lawsuit against Troop 223 and the Boy Scouts of America. After four years of involvement as a Cub, a Webelos and a Boy Scout, Casey’s participation in the Scouts ended with an e-mail. In the four years since he joined the Scouts, Casey’s autism has posed obstacles: He hiked slower and spoke louder than the average Scout, and interpreting orders didn’t always come easily. His specific form of autism, known as Asperger’s Syndrome, is often associated with impaired communication skills, repetitive patterns of thought and behavior and often entails weak motor skills, according to the National Institute of Health. People with Asperger’s frequently have difficulty interpreting emotions and understanding linguistic subtleties like idioms, irony and humor. Doctors recommend that patients with Asperger’s participate in activities that build on their interests in a structured and social environment. For Casey, that meant being a Boy Scout. Casey’s parents searched for ways to reconcile his illness to the social and physical demands of being a Scout. Jane Dubovy, his mother and a Palisades-based disability lawyer, hired a children’s development specialist to attend Scout meetings and suggest ways of accommodating the Scout curriculum to his individual needs. Casey’s father, Mike Reilly, volunteered as an assistant Scoutmaster and attended meetings and hikes. And their efforts often produced results. ‘When his dad was present, his behavior changed very noticeably,’ said Troop 223 Scoutmaster Mike Lanning. Upon turning 10 years old, Casey graduated from the Cub Scouts to the Boy Scouts, and the demands on him increased. Hikes became longer. Backpacks became heavier. And Boy Scout camp outs became larger. The success of Reilly’s transition to the Boy Scouts is now a subject of debate. Given these new challenges, the Scout leadership of the Troop requested that Casey’s father attend all Scout events as a condition of his son’s participation. But when Casey’s father could not attend the week-long Emerald Bay campout because of previous obligations and leaders of Troop 223 refused to allow someone else to chaperone Casey, his future in the Scouts seemed uncertain. Historically, attending Emerald Bay has been a prerequisite for advancing from the first to second year of the Boy Scouts. Days after the Emerald Bay campout in August 2005, Casey’s parents received an e-mail from Dr. Paul Kazimiroff, an assistant Scoutmaster in the troop and a pediatric neurologist. Kazimiroff wrote that ‘due to his disorder Casey is not mature enough to interact with the Scouts as well as the adult leadership appropriately on an individual basis.’ Kazimiroff cited Casey’s use of profanity and physical weakness as obstacles to his participation in the Scouts. And he concluded that Casey could return the following February as a Boy Scout but would have to begin again as a first-year Scout. (Kazimiroff would not return phone calls from the Palisadian-Post.) Reentering the Scouts as a ‘rookie’ was not an option that Casey’s parents accepted. They said that Casey would lose the friends that he had known in the Scouts since he was 6 years old. And they feared that Casey’s return to the Scouts would not mean increased sensitivity or preparation for his needs. After their son’s temporary dismissal from the Scouts, Mike Reilly and Jane Dubovy searched for solutions from other Scout leaders throughout Southern California. Those Scout leaders suggested that Casey join a more ‘disability-friendly’ troop. But for Mike Reilly that would mean abandoning a troop in which he had invested 10 years of his time as an assistant Scoutmaster. Their older son, Tyler, was an Eagle Scout in that same troop. Last July, Casey’s parents sent the Western Los Angeles County Council of Boy Scouts of America a letter that detailed their grievances and threatened legal action. They argued that leaders of Troop 223 were unwilling to make accommodations for their son and unfairly excluded him from Scout activities because of his disability. When the Council did not reply to their letter, they filed a lawsuit on August 16, 2006. Their lawsuit charges Local Troop 223 and the Western Los Angeles County Council with violation of the state and Federal law, namely the Americans With Disabilities Act, or the ADA. Although the Scouts accepts all boys with special needs, troop leaders’ training to deal with special-needs children varies widely. According to the Western Los Angeles County Council, troop leaders receive no specific training for boys with disabilities. And Casey’s parents hope to change that. ‘The Boy Scout motto is one of inclusion,’ Mike Reilly said. ‘But this Troop doesn’t espouse those particular values.’ Casey’s parents point to the Troop’s unpreparedness and unwillingness to deal with students with special needs. And they claim that Lanning’s leadership made little room for students with disabilities. When Casey would use profanity, or students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder would not follow orders, Scout leaders responded by yelling and threatening them with punishment, Reilly said. ‘They have no idea how to work with kids with special needs,’ he told the Post. ‘And when they were offered education and training for students with special needs, they declined.’ Lanning redesigned the Boy Scout program in Palisades to focus on earning merit badges relatively earlier than most Scout troops. And his efforts have paid off: in the past 50 years with Lanning as leader, the Troop has produced more Eagle Scouts than any other troop in the country. But Casey’s parents argue that Lanning has turned the Troop 223 into an ‘Eagle Scout mill’ that has little room for boys with special needs. In a conversation with the Post last week, Lanning defended his leadership of the troop and his decision to dismiss Casey. He said that the physical demands of his troop were high and that Casey was not strong enough to participate. Lanning said that he acted on ‘behalf of the child’s safety. ‘We assist every Scout that joins us to succeed,’ Lanning said. ‘Our record is incredible in that regard. We only have one or two boys per year that leave the troop.’ Ross Harrop, the executive of the Western Los Angeles County Council, oversees 27,000 Scouts in LA County, and he supported Lanning’s decision in an interview by telephone on Tuesday. ‘The needs of special-needs boys are best met with the involvement of parents. That is why the father of the boy was asked to be involved,’ he said. Lawyers for Casey said that the success of their case will likely depend on whether the Boy Scouts of America, a private organization, is required to follow the ADA. No court date has been set. In a landmark ruling in 2000, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Boy Scouts. The decision allowed the Boy Scouts to dismiss troop leaders for being homosexual. Jane Dubovy successfully sued the Los Angeles Unified School District in 2002 over Casey’s right to speech therapy at Marquez Elementary. In the year since Casey was dismissed from the Troop, he has not returned to the Scouts. In place of going to Emerald Bay this August, Casey attended volleyball camp. He began the seventh grade this week at New West Charter School in West Los Angeles.

Five Cars Damaged in Sunset Rollover Crash; Driver Survives

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A 38-year-old female driver somehow escaped major injuries last Wednesday evening when her eastbound black Mercedes convertible flipped over on Sunset, just before the entrance to Gelson’s. Four parked cars, all belonging to Gelson’s employees, were also damaged in the accident. According to police and fire station reports, the driver’s convertible hit a parked Corolla 2001 and continued uphill, striking a second parked car, a 1992 Honda. That impact caused the Mercedes to flip over and pushed the Honda into two other parked cars, a 2003 Kia Rio and a 1991 Toyota 4Runner. Palisades resident Norman Klaparda was sitting on the patio of his ground-floor condominium adjacent to Gelson’s enjoying a glass of wine when the accident happened outside his building. ‘It sounded like an explosion or a bomb,’ he said. ‘I looked up to see if the building was coming down. The noise, I’ve never heard anything like it.’ Klaparda realized it was an accident and ran outside where he saw a woman pinned under her Mercedes. Four men at the scene lifted the car enough so that a fifth man was able to pull her out. Firemen from Station 69 arrived on the scene minutes later, and paramedics found a laceration around the woman’s temple. She was wearing a white shirt with red tie-dye that was originally mistaken for blood. She was taken to UCLA Trauma Center and appeared to have no serious injuries. Palisadian-Post contributor Brook Dougherty reported that she and her teenage daughter (who was driving) were traveling west at that location shortly after the accident and pulled over. ‘The woman appeared to be covered in blood,’ Dougherty said. ‘My daughter is working on getting her 50 driving hours in order to get her license, and the firemen were just putting the woman on the stretcher, so it was very sobering. The woman is so lucky she is not dead.’ ‘She had to be driving very fast and must have missed the turn,’ Klaparda said, noting how Sunset bends just before the Gelson’s entrance. The Honda’s owner, Eduardo Valencia, who works in Gelson’s bakery, seemed to be in shock as he stared at the destruction of his car. ‘Someone came to the bakery and said if we parked our cars out on Sunset, we should come and look,’ said the Kia’s owner, Pam Dennis. ‘But they said it was a Honda that was damaged.’ Dennis shook her head in disbelief as she surveyed her vehicle, which she later learned was totaled. According to detectives in L.A.’s West Traffic Division, the Corolla suffered moderate damage, while the Honda, Kia and 4Runner suffered major damage. The Mercedes also suffered major damage. ‘It’s the workers I feel sorry for,’ Klaparda said. ‘Even if they get the Blue Book value for their cars from the woman’s insurance company, it won’t be enough to buy new ones.’

API Scores Surge at Revere, Elementaries

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Marquez fourth graders Ava Giglio (center) and Hanna Ghadessi (left) headed to class with their friend, as other students poured in behind them.
Marquez fourth graders Ava Giglio (center) and Hanna Ghadessi (left) headed to class with their friend, as other students poured in behind them.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Performance at Paul Revere Charter Middle School and the three Palisades elementary schools surged last school year, according to state education data released August 31. The schools defied districtwide trends and exceeded state requirements. Canyon Charter Elementary, Marquez Charter Elementary and Paul Revere had double-digit increases in their respective Academic Performance Indexes, or API. And Palisades Charter Elementary became the second local school after Canyon to reach an API greater than 900. All California public schools are ranked using the API, which ranges from 200 to 1,000. The state Board of Education has set 800 as a target for all public schools. With Paul Revere’s recent climb above 800, all non-secondary schools in Palisades now exceed the statewide target. (Palisades Charter High School had an API of 775, up from 766 a year ago. This compares to 737 at El Camino High, 767 at Santa Monica High, and 809 at Grenada Hills, a fiscally independent charter like PaliHi.) The API for elementary and middle schools is based on the results of the California Standards Test, or CST. Students are tested for proficiency in math and English beginning in the second grade. And fifth-grade students are tested for proficiency in science. According to the results of CST, proficiency in math, English and science increased at all local non-secondary schools. Proficiency levels in math and English were roughly equal (unlike PaliHi, where proficiency in math and science significantly trailed English proficiency). Canyon Elementary showed the highest growth rate last school year, with an API score that jumped 19 points to 926. Principal Carol Henderson attributed her school’s performance to extensive teacher collaboration across grades and subjects. She also said that teacher development has helped teachers learn newer and better ways of teaching. Three days of staff meetings concluded last week at Canyon, and teachers met to discuss recent test scores and strategies for improvement. Math was identified as an area of relative weakness at the school, and teachers will work this year to raise performance. Marquez Elementary’s API grew by 11 points to 891. New principal Phillip Hollis said that the testing data will allow him to personally identify students who perform below basic levels. He said he will work with those students’ parents and teachers to raise their proficiency. ‘We’re on the right track,’ Hollis said. ‘We’re far and above what the state expects. But we’re looking for approaches that will continue to improve performance.’ Despite high scores in all subjects at Marquez, Hollis said that writing skills are in need of the most improvement. In order to increase literacy and writing abilities, Marquez has enlisted the help of the UCLA Writing Project, a development workshop that provides teachers with skills to increase writing proficiency. The API score at Palisades Charter Elementary increased by eight points to 902. Principal Tami Weiser credited low class sizes with raising performance. California state law mandates that student-teacher ratios for kindergarden through third grade not exceed 20. Student-teacher ratios for the fourth and fifth grades can be as high as 36, but parent fundraising allowed Palisades to lower the teacher-student ratio to 24 in these grades, Weiser said. She also attributed the school’s performance to teachers’ ability to tailor school curriculum to individual students’ strengths and weaknesses. ‘It’s very easy when you’re a high-performing school to get complacent,’ Weiser said. ‘The challenge is to get the school to continue excelling.’ Palisades Charter was the only local elementary school with a numerically significant nonwhite subgroup. While Hispanic students trailed white students at that school, they showed the most dramatic proficiency gains. Their subgroup score rose 28 points to 833. Paul Revere’s API increased by 13 points to 810, the first time it has exceeded the statewide API target of 800. Principal Art Copper said that the school’s excellent teaching staff and strong parental support helped account for this gain. Paul Revere draws students from a large area within Los Angeles and has much greater socioeconomic diversity than the three local elementary schools. Virtually all subgroups at Paul Revere showed gains, including socioeconomically disadvantaged students, English learners and students with disabilities. African American students were the only subgroup not to show performance growth, reflecting a statewide trend. Copper said that weakness in math accounted for that subgroup’s decline. In order to continue raising achivement at Revere, Copper said that he wants to continue to build parents’ involvement in their children’s education.

Tanyo Ravicz

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A Mixtec Indian from southern Mexico is the hero of Tanyo Ravicz’s new novel, ‘A Man of His Village.’ Florentino Cruz left his village at the age of 15, a migrant farm worker dreaming of love, honor, and riches, but his dreams are nearly crushed at the time the novel begins on a farm in Washington. After years of toil in the United States, Florentino takes one last, promising job in Alaska before heading home to Mexico. But the expedition collapses in mutiny and murder, leaving Florentino lost and fleeing for his life through a fire-ravaged wilderness. Ravicz’s epic novel occupies the terrain of the West, from the borderlands of California to the strawberry fields of Oregon, from urban Seattle to rural Mexico, from the crowded slums of Tijuana to the isolation of the Alaskan bush. The author, a 1979 Palisades High School graduate, will speak about his book on Thursday, September 14, at 7:30 p.m. at Village Books, 1049 Swarthmore. Ravicz, the son of anthropologists, was born in Mexico City in 1961 and grew up in Pacific Palisades. After attending Harvard University, he lived in Alaska for 15 years, working as a firefighter, a day laborer, a cannery hand and a schoolteacher, and he homesteaded land on Kodiak Island. ‘A Man of His Village’ was inspired by an actual event that happened while Ravicz was living in Alaska. In an e-mail to the Palisadian-Post, he wrote: ‘In 1992, four Guatemalans staggered into Fairbanks, Alaska, hungry, thirsty, suffering from exposure and covered with mosquito bites. They were illegal immigrants and didn’t speak English. Their employer, a Seattle restaurant owner, had brought them north to pick valuable wild mushrooms, but then ditched them in the backcountry when the mushrooms didn’t turn up. The four felt they had been treated like garbage, and they were treated like garbage.’ Ravicz wrote a novella based on the event and made his hero a Mixtec. The Mixtecs, or Cloud People, are the native people of Oaxaca, Puebla and Guerrero. ‘Mainly, I wanted to give a voice to one of these campesinos, to show him as a human being,’ Ravicz said. ‘I’d picked mushrooms myself, and had worked in low-end jobs where you’re not seen as a person at all; you’re simply two arms and a back. ‘Then, as now, anti-immigrant fever was running high in this country. I knew the Mixtec Indians were struggling against poverty in Mexico and were coming north in increasing numbers. In 1993, my father received a letter from an old Mixtec friend in Oaxaca, and this letter had a powerful effect on me. I decided I would expand my novella into a full novel, but it was some years before I got around to it. I plan to read this letter at Village Books on the 14th.’ Ravicz, who currently lives in Palm Springs, was in Oaxaca many times in his youth and recently spent time in Tijuana to reacquaint himself with the border. He also has talked with farm workers and ex-farm workers in the Coachella Valley. ‘In Oxnard, I once pulled off the road and naively engaged some strawberry pickers in conversation’and was run off by a man I assume was their foreman,’ he said. But as a writer of fiction, he added, ‘What affects me, when I talk to a father-son team of seasonal grape pickers, is to watch their faces for flickers of emotion, to hear the spirit in their voices’these are the things that make them human for me, and that make me care.’ ‘A Man of His Village’ is Ravicz’s second published book, after ‘Ring of Fire and Other Stories’ (2004), an Alaskan adventure novella and short stories set in the northernmost state. His award-winning fiction and essays are widely published. For more information, visit www.tanyo.net.

Arianna Huffington to Speak About Fears at Woman’s Club

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Arianna Huffington, nationally syndicated columnist, author of 11 books and the cofounder and editor of the Huffington Post, will speak about her new book ‘On Becoming Fearless…in Love, Work, and Life,’ on Sunday, September 10, 2 p.m. at the Woman’s Club, 901 Haverford. In the book, Huffington faces the fears and insecurities that plague women, often keeping them from living their most complete, successful, fulfilling lives. Huffington acknowledges the problem areas for many women: body image, relationships, parenthood, work, money, aging and leadership. In the book, she has assembled stories and insights from women, both famous and unknown. She uses examples from popular culture, politics, science, and the arts to examine the multitude of ways that women can be affected by their innermost worries. Each chapter offers clear-cut advice on how to overcome the most pervasive and persistent fears. The advice includes: Stop comparing ourselves to the wrong object. Instead of comparing ourselves to Angelina Jolie, how about comparing ourselves to a victim of Hurricane Katrina, a woman diagnosed with breast cancer? They’re out there, too. Be good to your body. It’s clear that taking care of the temple in which the soul resides is a legitimate priority. Getting past the fear of being assertive in love is to recognize that conflict is not only normal in our intimate relationships but can actually strengthen them. Our problems are always put in perspective when we are engaged in our community and in something larger than ourselves. Silence is definitely not an option when it comes to righting wrongs. Sponsored by the Friends of Palisades Branch Library, the talk is free.

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