It doesn’t take a genius but it might take an inspiring teacher to turn a student’s world around for the better. This is the premise behind a new book, “It Doesn’t Take a Genius: Five Truths to Inspire Success in Every Student,” written by award-winning educators Randall McCutcheon and Tommie Lindsey. McCutcheon, who has also written a series of prep guides for the SAT and ACT exams, will speak at Village Books on Thursday, April 20, at 7:30 p.m. He will talk about how parents can help their children improve their writing, reading and speaking skills’to score better on tests but also to become more articulate. Both McCutcheon and Lindsey believe that all children are talented and all are at risk. The challenge, for parents and teachers, is finding out what those special talents are and motivating the child to develop them. In “It Doesn’t Take a Genius,” the authors explain the innovative strategies they used to inspire all types of students’those from underprivileged backgrounds and those who were apathetic about learning or going to college. They have organized their ideas into five “truths” or principles for transforming students into successful adults, based on their decades of experience teaching in public and private schools. “Most books [on the subject] will have sort of a generalization about how you should believe in students, but they don’t give any examples,” McCutcheon said in a recent interview with the Palisadian-Post. “This book is about filling in the gaps.” The idea for the book was actually inspired by a comment from one of Lindsey’s students, Pierre Clark, who, in the award-winning PBS documentary “Accidental Hero: Room 408,” was asked why he quit the football team to join the forensics team. “Pierre replied, ‘I saw how many forensics kids were going to college, which was about 100 percent, and I saw how many football players were going to college, which was about 15 percent. You don’t have to be a genius to figure that out.'” Lindsey and McCutcheon don’t pretend to be geniuses either, but they believe that teachers can change the lives of children” one child at a time.” They met in the early 1990s and found that they shared a passion for coaching high school speech and debate teams and had similar approaches to engaging students. When Lindsey won the MacArthur Foundation’s Genius Grant in 2004 for his creativity, he and McCutcheon had the financial means to write their book. “When we wrote down our philosophies and what we believed in, it was almost exactly the same,” said McCutcheon who taught high school English, speech, debate and journalism for 27 years. He retired from teaching four years ago. McCutcheon believes that what might be missing from some classrooms today is the joy in learning. “I don’t know why learning can’t be fun,” he said, referring to the way poetry is often taught in a dull, uninspiring way. He said teachers can “trick students into liking poetry” by allowing them to work with poems that appeal to them and giving them stimulating assignments that help them understand the connections between two works. While the forensics team was, in many cases, the vehicle the authors used to engage their students, McCutcheon said that extracurricular activities like forensics, Model UN and science club do not receive adequate funding in many schools or may not be available to students. “Too much of learning is about breadth, not depth,” he said. “Students don’t have much emphasis on speaking, but without learning how to speak effectively, you’re not able to do a lot of things in your life.” He believes that parents often have to help their children develop reading, writing and speaking skills in other ways. That’s why the authors have incorporated practical, concrete examples of activities parents can suggest or use to help motivate and challenge their children. In addition to the authors’ individual humorous and moving accounts about how they inspired certain students, they asked their former students to write about what got them excited about learning. These segments, appropriately called “When They Get It,” clearly reflect the authors’ five “truths” and offer an inside-look into the perspectives of high school students’what they fear and what makes them tick. “It all started with an e-mail I got from a former student and [2004] National Book Award [in Fiction] finalist,” said McCutcheon, who had e-mailed Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum to congratulate her on being a finalist for “Madeleine Is Sleeping.” “She sent me back an e-mail telling me how I had changed her life.” In “It Doesn’t Take a Genius,” Bynum writes that McCutcheon “taught Shakespeare and Dickinson and Eliot with the same urgency and passion with which I loved Jim Carroll and Lester Bangs’so that I learned to love all of these writers in the same breath.” McCutcheon cannot emphasize how important and yet challenging the teacher’s role is today, with students relying more than ever on the Internet as a research tool and being tempted to watch a reality television show instead of reading a book. “The innocent eye has become jaded,” he said, referring to the social pressures and self-esteem issues that children face. “Many teachers are not able to relate to students too well because they didn’t grow up with those problems. “If you’re walking into a school as a young teacher, you want to find out in a subtle way who’s the best teacher at the school, and that teacher becomes your friend,” he said. “Then you find the teachers who are most effective and sit in on their classes. You become a student of being a teacher.” McCutcheon, who is “semi-retired,” currently resides in New Mexico. He writes books and works for the Department of Defense, giving speeches internationally.
Iliff Neighbors Fight Cell Tower
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
As mobile phone companies compete for increased market share by enticing consumers with more feature-rich communication options, the pressure for more cell phone antenna sites is ever increasing. But the search for cell sites, particularly in residential areas, often pits the companies against residents who object to the equipment being placed in their neighborhood. Last June, Mount Holyoke neighbors fought Cingular Wireless’s cell tower installation in the 300 block. Cingular has yet to make the facility operational, and pledged to look for other sites. Two weeks ago, when Mary Lou Piccard, who lives at 701 Iliff, looked out her window she noticed that T-Mobile was in the midst of installing an antenna on a telephone pole on the parkway approximately 30 feet from her children’s bedroom. The apparatus, consisting of various transformers, fuse and electrical equipment boxes, saddles the pole terminating with three vertical antennae hung on an outrigger high above. “There was no notice whatsoever, they just started the installation,” Piccard told the Palisadian-Post. “I called T-Mobile and asked them to please stop until we could have a conversation.” The company field representative Tracy Zubke and the engineer met with Piccard and her across-the-street neighbor Youry Kornec to explain the rationale for siting the equipment at that location. “They talked about topography, line of sight, and offered some fine theoretical performance issues about uninterrupted service,” Kornec said, adding that the antennae were meant to fill in “some dead spots on Sunset.” “I suggested that instead of 30 feet from someone’s bedroom, it could have been 100 feet from someone’s house and they probably wouldn’t have noticed it [being there].” Citing the health risks, aesthetics and potential impact on property values, Piccard was adamant that it be removed. The T-Mobile representatives (who have not returned phone calls to the Palisadian-Post) told Piccard they’d look into it, but there were no promises. ” I said that’s not good enough,” Piccard told Zubke. “You can’t come and erect this stuff without talking to the homeowner. What’s going to stop the next company from adding more lines?” Although the antennae and the boxes have been attached, a diesel generator located in the street is providing power awaiting the permanent meter to be installed by the Department of Water and Power. This machine has aggravated both Piccard and Kornec and his family, who live at 709 Iliff. “We haven’t been able to open our kitchen windows for a week, because of the noise and fumes,” Kornec told the Post. T-Mobile is exercising its right to install cellular equipment on an existing telephone pole under a Joint Pole Agreement among utilities. Any signatory can use any other signatory’s poles, and is exempt from the City of Los Angeles AGF ordinance passed in 2003, which regulates above-ground facilities operated and maintained in the public right-of-way. “Because of the exemption, all the notice requirements, public input provisions, and aesthetic restraints of the AGF ordinance are not applicable to any signatory to the JPA,” said Norman Kulla, deputy director for Councilman Bill Rosendahl. Mount Holyoke residents hired attorney Cris Armenta to assist in their opposition, and she negotiated a standstill agreement with Cingular. “Cingular has been a good corporate citizen in not only agreeing to look for an alternative,” Armenta said, “but they also understand the need for a community resolution to the problem.” Iliff resident Kornec said ” I was hoping there would have been some dialogue, that there would have been a process such as there is when a building goes in or when dogs are pooping in the park.”
Meet the ‘Other’ Michael Moore
Pacific Palisades residents might have noticed a new face in town’that of LAPD Senior Lead Officer Michael Moore, who took over Chris Ragsdale’s duties early last month. A Los Angeles native, Moore brings with him a passion for community policing and a range of experience dealing with everything from residential burglaries to the homeless population. He moved over from the Westwood/Bel Air District, where he decided he wanted to be a Senior Lead Officer while he was working on foot patrol in Westwood Village. He enjoyed being able to follow up with shop owners who would stop him on the street with their concerns. “If you take the time to communicate, you avoid getting complaints,” says Moore, 42, who became a Senior Lead about two-and-a-half years ago. He is familiar with the Palisades, having worked the 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. shift here briefly as a patrol officer in the early 1990s. “It was fascinating back then,” he says. “Palisades Drive was not as developed. I would see deer standing on people’s lawns.” He started coming here again recently, before the official change, to reacquaint himself with the area. “I forgot how beautiful it is,” he says, adding that “although there are crime problems, they are fewer than in Westwood/Bel Air,” where the population in the hills is more dense than it is here. “The bottom line is that Chris [Ragsdale] got the raw end of the deal,” Moore says, in good humor. His job as Senior Lead Officer is “to communicate with the public and let them know what’s happening, to enlist their help in stopping crime and to find out what, in their area, they need help with.” Since Moore has been on duty here, locals have brought to his attention several issues of concern, from vehicular vandalism to the homeless camps between PCH and the Via de las Olas bluffs. He is also aware of speeding on Palisades Drive as well as a more unusual violation on the street’a strawberry vendor who stops on the way up to put up signs and parks his vehicle in areas that concern residents. “It seems that the No. 1 crime [in the Palisades] is burglary from vehicles, and stolen vehicles,” Moore says. The good news is that burglary from vehicles is easy to fix. “Don’t leave anything in your car,” Moore advises residents. “If you leave a penny on your dashboard, that’s an invitation [for criminals].” Moore is currently working with five Basic Car officers who help patrol the Palisades area. Some of the officers “have been working the [area] longer than I’ve been a Senior Lead Officer,” he says. “Right now, they know the problems better than I do.” Moore, who grew up in Westchester, began his police training as a young 25-year-old working for the Los Angeles Airports Police Department in 1988. Though he does not admit knowing he wanted to join the police force, he says, “I’ve been told that I knew.” Moore’s father was superintendent of operations at the Hollywood Bowl and knew a lot of police officers, who Moore says “left an impression on me.” After graduating from high school in 1981, Moore joined the Army Reserves for six years and worked as a chemical equipment repair person, training other reservists on how to protect and fix their equipment. He admits that there was a part of him interested in going into the movie production field, having studied drama in high school. “It must be something in the name,” he jokes, referring to the left-wing documentarian Michael Moore who wrote and directed “Fahrenheit 9/11.” “Every once in a while, I get the acting bug.” The basic training he received in the Reserves helped prepare him for the two years of law enforcement training he had to complete before becoming a police officer at LAX. He says that working as a young officer at the airport was frustrating because, at the time, “the airport was more concerned with traffic regulations than airport security. There were not as many criminals to get there.” Yet, the airport was “a good working environment to learn how to communicate and deal with people.” Public relations was ingrained as an important aspect of the job’an attitude that Moore says “was not reflected” by the officers who trained him when he joined the LAPD in 1990. That changed, he says, after the Rodney King beating in 1991. At the time of the beating, Moore was working the front desk at the Central Division downtown. “People were calling up and threatening my life,” he says. “I think the way the city handled the whole situation was what led to the riots. They [city officials] denounced the actions of the officers without investigating it first.” During his year and three months working as a probationer (a new police officer under the supervision of a training officer), Moore dealt with “just about any crime imaginable.” Mainly, the criminal activity involved homeless people who he says “one day, are victimized, and the next day, are the predators.” He adds that “It’s hard to turn a corner in downtown L.A. without coming across a drug deal.” Moore moved to the West L.A. Division in 1992 and started as a patrol officer, working the shoplifting detail in Westwood. He then became a training officer, teaching new officers how to do police work’everything from how to inspect a car to how to write a rape report. Now, as a Senior Lead Officer, he says that an important part of his job is attending community meetings. He tries to go to “as many as I can,” including at least one Palisades Community Council meeting a month. He plans to attend the Santa Monica Canyon Civic Association meeting on April 25. Though Moore can’t be sure how long he will serve the Palisades community, he says, “In theory, I’ll be here for the rest of my career.” Realistically, he says, he’ll probably serve 10 to 13 more years as a Senior Lead. Moore does not intend to move up the ladder because that would mean spending more time away from his family, which he says is his main priority. Moore currently lives in El Segundo with his wife of 17 years and their two children, ages 13 and 9. He coaches his daughter’s AYSO team, and says proudly, “My daughter wants to play as long as I’m her coach.” Moore encourages residents to call him at 444-0737 or contact him by e-mail at 27995@lapd.lacity.org. “It doesn’t matter how big or small [the problem] or whether it’s a police problem or not,” he says.
City to Crack Down on Newsrack Blight
At a meeting in February, general counsel to Public Works, Chris Westoff, announced that within three years the entire system of the estimated 25,000 newsracks located within the city will be regulated. A newsrack is the container that holds newspapers and other periodicals. Throughout Pacific Palisades and Los Angeles, they’re randomly arranged on city street sidewalks and offer everything from the Palisadian-Post to the L.A. Times to free papers like the Learning Annex and L.A. Weekly. Currently, they’re all different colors and shapes and are considered an eyesore by some and a safety hazard by others. In many areas the boxes are so close to the curb that they endanger not only pedestrians but car passengers who have trouble getting out of the vehicles. “The citizens have a right to get in and out of their cars safely,” Westoff said. Newspapers which would like to keep their boxes have already paid a permit fee of $21.69. City workers will study each business block and determine whether newsracks should stay where they are and how many will be allowed in that existing space. “It will be done in an orderly, aesthetically pleasing manner,” Westoff said. The number of boxes will be limited on some sites. Newspapers will no longer be allowed to randomly install a newsrack; new boxes will need permits. All of the newsracks in an area will be required to be the same color. In Westwood all of the boxes will be blue. The rest of Los Angeles, including the Palisades, will have ivy green-colored newsracks. Noncomplying boxes will be removed. So as not to pose an economic hardship to publishers, the city is allowing up to seven years to purchase or replace them so they conform. “The newsracks cannot go against a building wall, if there’s room on the curb,” said Tom Carabello, who is in the enforcement branch of Public Works. There is a six-foot minimum sidewalk space rule that needs to be complied with to satisfy the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Papers can petition for variances. In addition, newsracks will also not be allowed in front of historical buildings. In previous years, many newspapers have had problems with rogue newspaper owners who have displace an existing box in order to install their own box. That will no longer happen because enforcement officers will use hand-held, computer-compatible Global Positioning System units that will tell not only if a box is at the wrong site, but if someone’s newsrack has been moved. If there are limited spaces, which newspapers will have priority? Those that have been there the longest will be able to maintain their spot. If there are still too many newsracks for that site, then those that are daily or weekly will be given preference over others. The replacement process started in the San Fernando Valley along Ventura and Woodlake boulevards in late February, and should reach the Palisades in about six months.
CLASSIFIED ADS FROM THE APRIL 13, 2006 ISSUE OF THE PALISADIAN-POST
HOMES FOR SALE 1
INCREDIBLE WATERFRONT HOME, Kitsap County, WA. 2,300 sq ft custom 4 bdrm, 2.5 ba. 96 ft. low bank. Only $599,500! Owner/agent, (360) 265-3652. Janellis16@hotmail.comHOMES WANTED 1b
WE BUY HOUSES, APTS & LAND! ALL CASH, AS-IS, FAST CLOSE. David, (310) 308-7887HOME EXCHANGE 1c
CHARMING GARDEN APT. IN HAMPSTEAD, LONDON. Offer to swap for August to visit our Palisades based family. Would consider also offering one week in our large villa with pool in Italy. London apt. is big enough for family of 4 or 5. 1 master bdrm, kids room w/ bunk bed and one more small single bdrm. 2 ba and lg fenced garden. Contact by email: kwolman@blueyonder.co.ukFURNISHED HOMES 2
FURNISHED CHARMING HOUSE near bluffs. 2+ den. Fireplace, garden, hardwood floors. Available short term. $5,000/mo.+security. Call (310) 459-0765 FURNISHED CHARMING COTTAGE close to village and bluffs. 1+1, fplc, garden, quiet. Available short term. $2,700/mo.+security. (310) 459-0765UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c
PRIVATE OCEAN VIEW GUESTHOUSE, partially furnished; small, but cool gated, tropical gardens, patio, near old Getty Villa. No pets, no smoking. Ready now. $1,250/mo. (310) 459-1983 BEAUTIFUL GUESTHOUSE IN PALISADES. Partially furnished, spacious LR, queen bed, loft, smaller bdrm, private entrance, bath, kitchen, large pool. Woodburning f/p laundry, cable TV, utils incl. N/S. $1,650/mo. Avail 4/15/06. Call (310) 459-1227 2 BDRM, 1 BA UPPER. Hdwd floors, wood beamed ceilings, tile in kitchen, bath. Light and bright. Laundry in building. Pets ok. $1,695/mo. 1 yr lease. (702) 262-9226WANTED TO RENT 3b
SEEKING A LONG TERM housesitting arrangement. 53-yr-old widow. SMC RN student without children/ pets. Desires a quiet environment. N/S. Call anytime. C.R., (310) 548-0626, (310) 621-7781 RECENT LAW SCHOOL GRADUATE looking in Palisades area for an apartment or guest house to rent. Clean, responsible, friendly with excellent employment. Non-smoker. Loves pets, children, life. Handy with tools. Able to house/ pet/babysit. Call Michael, (312) 375-5622 LOOKING FOR A GUESTHOUSE in the Palisades or Santa Monica Canyon. I am a waiter at Caff’ Delfini for 6 years. Very clean, reliable, discreet. Call Marco, (310) 435-3242OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c
LARGE CORNER OFFICE 320 sq. ft. in Palisades village. 15135 Sunset. Second floor, $1,370/mo. (310) 454-0840 or (310) 600-3603 FOR RENT: QUIET FURNISHED 16’x10′ office overlooking Sunset Blvd. in heart of village. Ideal for writer. $600/mo. Call (310) 459-2757VACATION RENTALS 3e
PRIVATE FURN APARTMENT IN PARIS. Services available. 24-hour hotline. Starting at $75 a night for 2 persons (studios to 4 bedrooms). Privacy, economy, convenience as you live like a Parisian. 5 day minimum. Established in 1985. PSR 90, Ave Champs-Elysees. PSR, Inc. (312) 587-7707. Fax (800) 582-7274. Web address: www.psrparis.com. Email: Reservations@psrparis.comCOMPUTER SERVICES 7c
PUT YOUR COMPUTER TO WORK – HOME & BUSINESS SURVEILLANCE-Featuring: PC Based Solutions to View your Property Remotely – Live Viewing from Internet & Wireless Handhelds! – 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 DSL internet. MAC/PC SET UP – Repair – Upgrade – OS X. Senior discounts! Home/Office. William Moorefield, (310) 838-2254. macitwork.com QUICKBOOKS-GET ORGANIZED – Set-up, Data Entry, Reporting, Tax Preparation. Palisades Resident. Doris, (310) 913-2753GARAGE, 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 ReferencesORGANIZING SERVICES 7h
PUTTING IT TOGETHER 25+ years organizing. Organize: home office, file system setup, finances, kitchen, bedroom, closet, garage, etc. Clear the path to enjoy life. (323) 580-4556NANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a
HOME HELP! I would love to help you organize kids, errands, pets, cook, office help. 20 years experience. Excellent local references. Call Ruth, (310) 429-2459 NANNY/HOUSEKEEPER EXPERIENCED, good references, speaks English available 5 days and weekends. Please call cell, (323) 490-5750, or home anytime, (323) 750-3874 HIGHLY EXPERIENCED NANNY seeks full time employment. Excellent references. Drives own car. Ready to start. A.S.A.P. (323) 730-0217, K. Yurizza NANNY EXPERIENCED WITH CHILDREN, good references, looking for a full time position 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Light housekeeping. No driver license. Fluent Spanish/understand English. Mimi, (323) 877-7470HOUSEKEEPERS 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 OR BABYSITTER available now Monday-Friday. Experienced. Local references. Own car. Please call Imelda or Carolina, (323) 752-5244 HOUSEKEEPER, EXPERIENCE, good references. Available 7 days a week. Has own transportation. Speaks English & Spanish. Call anytime, (323) 564-8928 HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Excellent references. Has car, English, U.S. citizen. Call Silvia, (323) 422-9017 HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE Local references, own transportation. Available Thursday & Saturday. Call Marty, (213) 365-6609, or leave message, PLEASE. HOUSEKEEPER LOOKING FOR WORK. 25 years experience. Excellent references. Available Monday-Saturday. Can do babysitting at night and on weekends. Call Julia, (310) 828-8842 HOUSEKEEPING EXPERIENCED, good references. Available Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Will babysit. Call (323) 571-8299 anytime. Leave message. MY WONDERFUL HOUSEKEEPER is available Mon., Thurs., Sat. Best housekeeper ever! Completely reliable, professional, efficient, very thorough, hardworking & pleasant. Sweet w/ children. Own car. Call Tracy, (818) 704-7627, or Lorena, (213) 365-6445 THE HOME ORGANIZER! Are you too busy to organize your home? Personal service and a magic wand will come to your rescue. Closets, kitchens, bathrooms, garages. Packing/moving. Will stage homes for sale and much more. Call (310) 735-3377ELDER 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 EXPERIENCED COMPANION/CAREGIVER Live-in 24/7. Capable of light housework, meal preparation and drive. References available. Call Precious at (323) 404-5043. Email preciosazgarcia@yahoo.com CAREGIVER FOR YOUR ADULT at home. Daily and will provide driving to their appointments. Call Sheila, (310) 270-6761GARDENING, 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 TREE AND LANDSCAPE EXPERT. Horticulturist, arborist, landscape manager/designer. Tree diagnosis, trimming, removal, appraisal/donation for tax deduction. Lawn diagnosis, repair. Sprinklers, drip systems. Expert maintenance. Greenhouse/veggie/herb gardens Comprehensive plant & landscape consulting. Darren Butler, (818) 271-0963 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.comMOVING & HAULING 11b
HONEST MAN SERVICES. 14″ van & dollies. Small jobs to 2 bedrooms. Hauls it all. California/Nevada. Over 12 years. Westside experience. (310) 285-8688HEALING ARTS 12
HEAL YOUR LIFE at the DNA Cellular Level. Transform yourself with caring, compassionate spiritual counseling. Gain clarity about root causes of your painful issues, with help from an experienced intuitive who knows how to walk you through the shadows and into the Light. Begin changing your life NOW. Contact: Selacia, (310) 915-2884, Selacia@Selacia.com, www.Selacia.comMISCELLANEOUS 12e
DO YOU HAVE MEDICARE? I can find the best and least expensive Medicare Part D prescription plan for you. Private and confidential. (Save $$-join by 5/15). Paula, (310) 454-8694WINDOW WASHING 13h
NO STREAK WINDOW cleaning service. Fast & friendly. Quality service you can count on. Free estimates. Lic. # 122194-49. Pressure washing available. Please call (323) 632-7207 EXPERT WINDOW CLEANER 20 years Westside. Clean and detailed. Free estimates, sills and screens included. Up to two stories only. Brian, (310) 289-5279MISCELLANEOUS 13i
PRESSURE WASHING. Superior cleaning, driveways, walkways, patios. Craig, (310) 459-9000PET 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. Play groups. Does your dog need manners? Call (310) 454-0058 for a happy dog.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.pianoteachers.com/ldlukas STUDY SAX, CLARINET OR FLUTE WITH A PRO, your home or my studio. All levels, 9 yrs old and up. 12 years on the Westside. Jim Thompson, (310) 581-1916TUTORS 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 grade levels, conversational & all ages. Local refs, flexible hours. Please call Noelle at (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 & AP). In-home tutoring at great rates. Call Jonathan, (310) 560-9134 SPANISH TUTOR, CERTIFIED TEACHER for all levels. Has finest education, qualifications and experience. Palisades resident. Many good references. Amazing system. Affordable rates. Marietta, (310) 459-8180 PIANO TEACHER IN PACIFIC PALISADES! 20 years experience. I teach in your home. Great with children and adults returning to the piano. Call Karen Rae, (310) 383-0200 MATH & SCIENCE TUTOR Middle school-college level. BS LAUSD credentialed high school teacher. Test Prep. Flexible hours. AVAILABLE to help NOW! Seth Freedman, (310) 909-3049 CLEARLY MATH TUTORING. Specializing in math! Elementary thru college level. Test prep, algebra, trig, geom, calculus. Fun, caring, creative, indivdualized tutoring. Math anxiety. Call Jamie, (310) 459-4722CABINET MAKING 16
CUSTOM CARPENTRY – Entertainment Units – Cabinets – Libraries – Bars – Wall Units – Custom Kitchens – Remodeling – Designed to your Specifications – Free Estimates – CA Lic. #564263 – (310) 823-8523 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.comCARPENTRY 16a
QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP! Doors, windows, skylights, decks, drywall, kitchen, baths, etc. Non-lic. (310) 428-3822CONCRETE, MASONRY 16c
MASONRY & CONCRETE CONTRACTOR. 36 YEARS IN PACIFIC PALISADES. Custom masonry & concrete, stamped, driveways, pool, 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.comCONSTRUCTION 16d
CASTLE CONSTRUCTION. New homes, remodeling, additions, fine finish carpentry. Serving the Westside for 20 yrs. Lic. #649995. Call James, (310) 450-6237ELECTRICAL 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) 317-8286FENCES 16j
THE FENCE MAN. 14 years quality workmanship. Wood fences – Decks – Gates – Chainlink & overhang. Lic. #663238, bonded. (818) 706-1996FLOOR 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.comHANDYMAN 16n
HANDYMAN, Since 1975. Call for your free est. Local ref. Lic. #560299. Member, Chamber of Commerce. 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 HANDYMAN SERVICES. No job too small. 10 years experience in the Palisades. Please call (310) 454-3838 for prompt, friendly service. Not licensed. 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) 924-2711HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING 16o
SANTA MONICA HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING. INSTALLATION: New and old service and repairs. Lic. #324942 (310) 393-5686PAINTING, 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) 454-6604PLUMBING 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) 678-6634REMODELING 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 BASIX DESIGNS & REMODELING, INC. WE DO IT ALL – Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling Specialist – Room Additions – Interior/Exterior Paint – Windows/Doors – Custom Carpentry – Plumbing – Electrical – Call For Free Estimate – Toll Free: (877) 422-2749 – Lic. #769443HELP WANTED 17
DRIVERS, ARE YOU GETTING GREAT PAY? Are you living the lifestyle you deserve? If not, call WERNER today! (800) 346-2818, ext 123 PATROL OFFICER, ARMED, P/T or F/T. Great benefits, high pay. CA BSIS permit and CA POST cert. required. Call today, (310) 454-7741 or email patrol@gatessecurity.com AAA HOME INCOME. 23 people needed NOW. Earn PT/FT income. Apply online to get started: www.wahusa.com FULL-TIME BOOKKEEPER FOR the Malibu Times newspaper. Become part of our account team. Experienced. Proficent in Quickbooks, Word, Excel. Detail oriented, organized with excellent people skills. Fax resume with salary history to Janice, (310) 456-8986 PERSONAL ASSISTANT/CHILDCARE provider needed for 7 year old girl, 10 year old boy, afternoons. Additional hours as necessary. Rebeccalobl@earthlink.net. YMCA/SUMMER DAY CAMP OPPORTUNITIES! We need Camp Directors, Counselors, an Art Director, Hiking and Nature Director to closely supervise and educate the children in the summer camp program, by maintaining a safe and stimulating environment. Each employee is responsible for planning programs for their group of campers and coordinating their programs within the camp. QUALIFICATIONS: High school diploma, GED, or further education. Experience working with children is preferred but not required. CPR and First Aid Certification. Flexibility and ability to adjust to varying situations. Creativeness, patience, understanding, co-operation, and common sense. www.YMCALA.org/PM. Jason Forman, (310) 454-5591 OFFICE MANAGER, GOOD CUSTOMER service skills. Computer literate for new physical rehabilitation clinic. Fax resume: (310) 454-5049 LEAD GUITAR PLAYER WANTED: Looking for mature and accomplished lead guitar player (40+ yr old) to play with local Palisades band (The Garden Weasels) specializing in ’60s and ’70s music. We play occasional gigs, parties, clubs, etc about one gig every two or three months. Together 15 years. Mainly to have fun, money is not major factor. Practice locally in Palisades at homes of band members. Beatles, Eagles, Clapton, Doobies. We do lots of vocals, but we need a lead player. Ours just moved to Phoenix under suspicious circumstances. Call Len, (310) 459-5243, or Don, (310) 459-3170 SUBTLETONES LOOKING FOR PART TIME and FULL TIME employees in all of our locations, Santa Monica, Palm Desert, Newport Beach. Please contact Janna at Santa Monica store, (310) 576-0504, or email janna@subtletones.com DRIVERS: $1,000 BONUS! Just for hauling your FIRST flatbed load. Call WERNER ENTERPRISES for this and more! (800) 346-2818 ext. 136 NEEDED: WOMAN OR COUPLE for help with partially handicapped young lady, housework. 8 hours per day in Malibu/Pt. Dume area. Live-in or out. English-speaking. Drive car w/ license. Prefer no children, no pets. Call (310) 457-3393 and ask for Madora. NANNY NEEDED. PALISADES family with two children needs 20 hours a week; after school 2:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. or later nightly. Must drive and speak pretty good English. Need a lot of errands run. Please call (310) 874-1084 AFTER SCHOOL HELP WANTED. Two days/week, pick-up children from school, help with homework and dinner, approx 12 hrs/wk. Great driving record required. Ruthanne, (310) 230-4035 LIVE-IN HOUSEKEEPER, must be legal and pay taxes. Some childcare. English speaking. Light cooking. Driving a plus. In the Highlands. Call (310) 694-4979 PALISADES PROFESSIONAL FIRM seeks Director of First Impressions/receptionist. Detail oriented; prior accounts receivable detail experience helpful; some seasonal overtime. Good salary plus health insurance; 401k; flex-time. Please fax your resume to (310) 313-0242AUTOS 18b
CASH FOR CARS $$ Foreign or domestic. Running or not. Friendly professional buyer. We come to you & handle all paperwork. Local references. Please call (310) 995-5898 1994 FORD EXPLORER SPORT 4×4, 2 door hunter green. Alloy wheels w/ BFGAT’s. Brand new master cylinder and brakes. 125,000 miles good condition. $3,200 obo. GREAT CAR! (310) 576-0622 1998 VOLVO CROSS COUNTRY V70, AWD, Black, Sportswagon pkg, loaded, blk lthr htd seats, 3rd seat, 85K mi. Clean. $9,500 obo. (310) 892-6707FURNITURE 18c
2 TWIN BDS, SLEIGH style w/ wood & iron, mattresses incl, good cond, med brown, $995. 2 matching bedside tables, grt cond, $250/pair. Matching bunk beds, desk w/ hutch, 2 side tables, light wood, grt cond, mattresses incl, $1,500. Pine hutch, grt cond, $750. (310) 230-9947 3 PIECE BEDROOM SET painted for Disney TV decorating show in “Toy Story” theme. Our little Buzz Lightyear has grown up! Twin trundle bed with mattress, computer ready desk with large hutch and 3-drawer dresser. A few knobs are missing (easily replaced at Norris) but otherwise in great condition. $400 for set, you arrange pick-up. (310) 459-8506 INCREDIBLE DOWN-FILLED Kreiss sectional. Mint condition. No room in new house. $1,500. Call (310) 459-6146GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d
CLOTHES, CLOTHES, CLOTHES! Woman’s smaller sizes. Shoes, belts, bags, Many NEVER worn. GOOD THINGS. Thursday-Friday, April 13 & 14, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. 317 Las Casas, South of Sunset. EASTER GARAGE SALE! Kids playground, fitness equip, computer, printer, fax, clothes for kids/women and much, much more. 607 Via de la Paz. Fri.-Sat., April 14-15, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Come and join us.PETS, LIVESTOCK 18e
LOOKING FOR A LOVING home for 2 year old cats. Litter trained, fixed, short hair, beautiful grey. Call (310) 456-9810MISCELLANEOUS 18g
SINGER SEWING MACHINE & other items. Hardly used. Like new. $295. (310) 454-4887WANTED TO BUY 19
WANTED: Old tube guitar amplifiers, ’50s, ’60s, etc. Tommy, (310) 306-7746 – profeti2001@yahoo.comAune Ester Lehto, 93; Proud Finn-American
Aune Ester Lehto passed away on Tuesday, December 6’Finnish Independence Day’at her home in Pacific Palisades. She was 93. Aune was born in Finland on January 21, 1912, yet she always said that this was the best country. She was proud to be an American and especially loved the Palisades. She was the beloved wife of the late Kauko Johannes Lehto for 51 years. She is survived by her daughters Inari Schultz (husband Edward) of Clyde Hill, Washington, and Helena Fiksdal of Pacific Palisades; grandchildren Eric (wife Bonnie) and Helene Schultz and Alisa, Erika and Krystal Fiksdal. Aune was a lady of tremendous style and elegance. “We have all gained strength, sisu (‘doing something well’) and love from our dear Aiti and Mummu, and will continue to live by her example,” said her grandchildren.
Patti Flynn, 89; Watercolorist, Nature Lover
Pacific Palisades resident Ruth Flynn, known for her enchanting watercolor paintings and called “Patti” because she was born on St. Patrick’s Day in 1916, passed away February 7 after a month-long struggle with pneumonia. She was 89. Born in New York City, young Ruth Mau began to draw and paint when she was confined to bed with scarlet fever for a time. She eventually enjoyed a successful career as an illustrator in Manhattan. She married Bernard Flynn, also an artist, in 1947, and they moved with their three daughters to the Palisades in 1965. Patti is survived by her sister, Evelyn Morse of Meadville, Pennsylvania; daughters Karen Campbell of West Los Angeles, Kathe Flynn of Deephaven, Minnesota, and Veronica Flynn of Mar Vista; and granddaughter Julia Campbell of Berkeley. A public memorial will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 15 at Los Liones Gateway Park, at the Los Liones amphitheater. Donations can be made to the Temescal Canyon Association, P.O. Box 1101, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 or to the American Red Cross.
Mary E. Gall, 94, Global Traveler
Mary Elizabeth Gall, a psychiatric social worker and a 46-year resident of Pacific Palisades, died on March 20. She was 94 years old. Gall was active in the League of Women Voters, the American Association of University Women and several study groups in the Palisades. She was born Mary Elizabeth Wagner in 1912 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where her father, Charles Philip Wagner, was a leading Spanish scholar at the University of Michigan. She attended Michigan and obtained both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She practiced in the Detroit area until she moved to Santa Monica with her husband, William N. Gall, a tax partner at Ernst & Ernst. The couple moved to the Palisades in 1960, when Mary resumed her social work practice, this time in Inglewood. William died in 1980. Gall was a fan of classical music and local drama productions. She was an avid global traveler, visiting Paris as a child, Moscow in the 1970s, and Spain where she lived for a year with her husband. In Asia she traveled to Nepal, and at age 85 she traveled to Singapore and Thailand. She was active in the Unitarian Universalist Church in Santa Monica. She is survived by her two sons, Pirie of Bethesda, Maryland, and Peter of Leonia, New Jersey; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Also surviving are two nieces, Susan Wagner of Washington, D.C., and Joan Freeman of Pacific Palisades. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Unitarian Church in Santa Monica or to the Pacific Palisades Library Association would be appreciated.
Cynthia Lee Fine, 47; Multimedia Professional
Pacific Palisades resident Cynthia Lee Fine, a beloved daughter, sister, mother and wife, succumbed after a lengthy but noble battle against breast cancer on March 28. She was 47. A deeply faithful woman of unending grace and love, Cynthia inspired all who knew her. She was at peace at the time of her death. Born on December 7, 1958 in Vermillion, South Dakota, Cynthia grew up in San Diego. She majored in political science at UC Santa Barbara, and completed her senior year in the UC Abroad program at the University of Grenoble in France. After college, she worked at Harcourt Brace Jovanovich/Holt in educational publishing, developing interactive teaching books that used floppy discs and video. Her husband-to-be Mark Fine, who was then a senior record executive at Polygram, hired her as a producer to build multimedia CDs for Philips Interactive Media. “She was a competent producer, technologically savvy and very impressive,” Mark says. The couple were married on September 7, 1991. When Mark moved to New York to head up special markets for the Polygram Group, Cynthia was hired by Ogilvy & Mather to develop interactive TV. After several years, the couple returned to Los Angeles and bought a house in Pacific Palisades in 1992. She worked for Musictonic, Inc. from 2000 until her passing. A devoted mother, Cynthia found that her greatest joy was raising her boys, Nicholas (12) and Derek (8), both of whom attend Berkeley Hall School. Cynthia was on the school’s board of trustees until her health declined. Married for 15 years, Cynthia created with Mark a quiet and loving home centered on their family. Outside, in nature, Cynthia was fearless and indomitable, excelling at skiing and rollerblading. In addition to her boys and husband, Cynthia is survived by her loving parents, Walter and Shirlee Mizer, and her sister Sheri Miller. Her memorial service was held April 2. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Cynthia’s name to Berkeley Hall School, 16000 Mulholland Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90049.
Board Approves Pool Designers
On March 21, the Palisades High board of directors unanimously approved the hire of Aquatic Design Group to design the school’s on-campus aquatic facility, a $2.4-million project expected to take four years. After weeks of research and consulting, PaliHi swim coach Maggie Nance, along with pool committee member Jim Bailey, recommended ADG to the Board for its reputation in building state-of-the-art pools throughout the country. “We could not find a record of any place that registered a complaint about a pool that ADG designed,” Bailey said. “Their track record speaks for itself.” ADG has already started drawing up plans and is expected to have initial sketches done next week. In the meantime, Nance is in the process of looking for a grant writer for the proposed project–an outdoor pool consisting of between eight to 10 lanes located near the PaliHi gymnasium. Nance, PaliHi’s head swim coach for three years, flew to USA Swimming headquarters in Colorado Springs on Wednesday to attend a pool-building conference. Nance said that choosing a construction company is still a year to a year and a half away.
