Hales and Owens Marry in Alpine Meadow Ceremony Katherine Washington Hales, daughter of Alfred and Virginia Hales, formerly of Pacific Palisades, was married to J. Spencer Owens, son of John and Virginia Owens of Lincoln, Nebraska on August 17. The wedding ceremony took place in an alpine meadow in Tahoe Pines, California, with John Owens officiating. Lisa Hales (Lewis), the bride’s sister, and Casey Owens, the bridegroom’s brother, each read poems. Nieces of the bride and bridegroom, Charlotte Lewis, 6, Cordelia Hales, 4, Evelyn Lewis, 3, and Ophelia Owens, 2, were flower girls. The bridegroom’s nephew, Tennessee Owens, 6, was the ring bearer. The bride’s nephew, Jefferson Hales, 10, took part in the unity blessing. Also present were several close friends and family members, including the bride’s brother, Andrew, and his wife, Catherine, of Poitiers, France, and the bridegroom’s grandmother, Esther Owens, of Plainview, Texas. The reception was held at Caf’ de la Paz restaurant in Berkeley, California, on August 20. Several close friends from Pacific Palisades attended the reception: Carrie Kandasamy, Cecilia Pan, Ann Kerr, Pam and Bill Bruns, and Kirby and Glenda Baker. Out-of-town guests included Susie Kerr van de Ven and her son, Willem van de Ven of Meldreth, England. The bride grew up in the Palisades and attended Palisades Elementary School and the Village School. She graduated from Marlborough School in 1992, and earned a B.A. in anthropology at UC Santa Cruz. After receiving a master’s degree in museum studies from John F. Kennedy University in 2001, she went on to become a creative manager at Antenna Audio in Sausalito, where she continues to design audio tours for museums and historic sites. Spencer was born in Lubbock, Texas and raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in history in 1996 and is now a merchandising manager at Travelocity in San Francisco. The couple honeymooned in New Mexico and now live in Oakland. Ann Chernow, J.D. Moitra Exchange Wedding Vows Ann Chernow, daughter of Mel and Elaine Chernow, longtime Palisadians, was married to J.D. Moitra, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.N. Moitra of Lynchburg,Virginia, on July 23 at the Hotel Bel-Air. The matron of honor was Nicole Chernow Jay, sister of the bride. Amy Patterson Parnell, Michelle Stutsman, Amy Porter, Sarah Venge and Alicia Schroeder were bridesmaids. Anastasia Beers, cousin of the bride, was the flower girl. The best man was Ian Cohen. Groomsmen were Dirk Frank, cousin of the bridegroom, Justin Morris, Brandon de la Houssaye and Keith Blechman. Brad Jay, brother-in-law of the bride, was an usher, and Kevin Jay, nephew of the bride, was the ring bearer. The bride graduated from UC Davis and the bridegroom from Brown University. The couple met in Manhattan while working in finance. The bride, a bond trader, and the bridegroom, an MBA candidate at Kellogg School of Management, are currently residing in Evanston, Illinois, after their honeymoon in Hawaii. Elizabeth Lynch and Gary Koenig Marry Courtney Elizabeth Lynch, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Terence Lynch of Pacific Palisades, was married to Gary Austin Koenig on October 8. The bridegroom is the son of Pamela George Koenig of Brookline, Massachusetts, and the late Gary Evan Koenig. The Rev. Peter G. Kreitler officiated at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills. A reception and dinner followed at the Los Angeles Country Club. The bride was previously associated with Benchmark Capital in Menlo Park. She graduated from the University of Arizona. The bridegroom is a vice president in the Institutional Equity Sales Group of J.P. Morgan Chase in Boston. He graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. Following a honeymoon in Tahiti, the couple will live in Boston.

Movie Review

Peter Jackson’s latest project is proof of the adage: We never forget our first love. Ever since he saw the original “King Kong” at the age of nine, the Oscar-winning director knew he wanted to be a filmmaker and vowed to one day bring his own version of his favorite movie to the screen. Audiences this winter will be glad Jackson did not abandon that childhood dream. For while his “King Kong” is not without its flaws, it does succeed in dusting off one of Hollywood’s oldest themes’that of beauty and the beast’to create the most realistic and lovable silver screen silverback yet. Jackson did not rely solely on modern-day special effects and computer animation to make Kong look and sound believable. He spent weeks in the rain forests of Rwanda tracking real gorillas, paying particular attention to their behavior in the presence of humans. That knowledge, along with the acting talent of Andy Serkis (who played Smeagol and Gollum in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy and now, with digital assistance, tackles the title role), make this Kong far more convincing than the tiny model brought to life by stop-motion photography 72 years ago. One place Jackson’s “Kong” surpasses the original is in the bond formed between Kong and the object of his affection, Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts), this time an unemployed vaudeville actress. Unlike Kong’s first leading lady, Fay Wray, who spent most of the time screaming, Watts’ heroine overcomes her initial fear to develop a trusting relationship with her captor, realizing he will fight to the death to protect her. The roles are reversed once the setting shifts to the concrete jungle of New York City, where Ann vainly attempts to save the 25-foot tall ape from his pursuers. While fans of the original will recognize many lines repeated verbatim from the first film (e.g. “We’re millionaires boys, I’ll share it with all of you!”) and Jackson’s lighthearted jabs at RKO Pictures (the studio that made the first Kong), Merian C. Cooper (who directed the original), as well as portions of Max Steiner’s powerful score, they might object to the liberties Jackson takes in regard to the plot. Still, like in the timeless epic that remains one of the most popular movies of all time, Jackson’s “Kong” is set in New York City in the early 1930s, during the Great Depression. Jack Black is curiously miscast in the role of ambitious moviemaker Carl Denham, who will stop at nothing to make his next picture. Though likely to cause a chuckle at times, Black’s attempt at humor seems out of place. Jack Driscoll, the first mate in the original script, is instead a brilliant playwright (Adrien Brody) who finds himself trapped onboard the tramp steamer S.S. Venture, which is headed for what Denham describes as a mysterious place no one has ever seen. At three hours and seven minutes, Jackson’s “Kong” is nearly twice as long as its black-and-white predecessor, allowing ample time for deeper plot and character development. Inexplicably, however, while characters like Jimmy, a wide-eyed stowaway, and Lumpy the cook (portrayed convincingly by Serkis) are thought to be important in the first hour, they ultimately add nothing to the story. What’s more, despite its running time, the picture fails to correct the most glaring omission from the original: How do Denham and his crew go about transporting Kong from his island back to New York? Though Kong is clearly “King” of Skull Island, Jackson gives us plenty of other dinosaurs, giant insects and creepy-crawlies to challenge the giant ape’s supremacy in a primeval world which rivals that of “Jurassic Park.” Many of the action sequences drag on much too long, particularly one in which Denham and his crew are nearly trampled to death by a herd of brontosaurs. Kong’s battle with three V-Rexes is memorable but other scenes are downright ridiculous, like when Jimmy uses a machine gun to shoot giant centipedes off Driscoll’s back. Once Kong, whom the ruthless Denham calls the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” hits Broadway, Jackson’s movie switches into yet another gear. Kong breaks his chains, smashes a few buses and chases Driscoll halfway across Manhattan to reunite with Ann, setting the stage for a spectacular climax atop the Empire State Building. The look in Kong’s eyes moments before he meets his fate is heart-wrenching’a scene that is hard to watch but one you don’t want to miss. Black does not deliver Denham’s last line with quite the same conviction as Robert Armstrong did long ago, but it remains one of the most famous in movie history: “It wasn’t the airplanes. It was beauty killed the beast.” Without stealing any of the 1933 film’s charm, this new version has a personality all its own. It is a director’s labor of love a few years in the making that beats its chest at the critics who claim you can never top an original. Jackson’s “Kong” will hold you in the palm of his hand. And rather than make the big fella’ angry, you best sit back and enjoy the ride.

George Balanchine liked tall dancers with big feet, and he could make them move as if they were 5 feet tall. Not only is he regarded as the foremost contemporary choreographer in ballet, but the Balanchine style, with its internal speed, sense of movement and attack, and sensitivity, has made dance the star of the show. While Palisadian Annakate Chappell is tall at 5-ft. 9 in., she doesn’t have big feet, but a certain intelligence, sensitivity and extraordinary stage presence, according to Westside School of Ballet teacher Colleen Neary. A former Balanchine ballerina, Neary is now guardian of his style and choreography, and Ballet Mistress at Westside Ballet, the pre-professional training company associated with the ballet school. At 16, Chappell is one of the top dancers at Westside Ballet, which speaks to her talent, hard work, passion, and imminent decision. Does she want to dance professionally or, now a junior at Crossroads, leave dance and pursue a college degree? “Between 18 and 30 is the dancer’s prime,” Chappell reasons. “If you don’t join a company at 18, the likelihood is very slim that you’ll reach any significant place in the company. And there is no way you can physically endure dance after a certain age.” But Chappell, an excellent student, also thinks about college, and goes back and forth weighing the decision. “You know, next year, I don’t think that I’ll have any clearer answer, and whatever decision I make, I’ll probably still wonder how it would have been the other way. “It’s 50-50 those who make it a career,” she says. “Society suggests the ‘right’ path to success, and if you go on your own tangent, it’s scary. So, you go with your instincts, you can’t think in terms of regrets.” Chappell began ballet at 7, but unlike many little girls enchanted with ballerinas, she says her mom “forced me into going into the Westside Ballet summer program.” Her mother also was a dancer, who stopped in 11th grade, Annakate says, because “she didn’t love performing.” No sooner had Annakate joined Westside than she met Kate Collins, now her best friend, and very shortly felt more and more comfortable in the ballet world. As she grew older, Chappell says that she recognized her talent and decided to concentrate on that, and began to see that her ballet world was quite separate from everything else in her life. “Here [at Westside] we all have a passion for ballet,” she says. “People at my school didn’t know or care about ballet.” Chappell’s days are stretched from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., divided between school and practice. Right after school, she reports to Westside, which is conveniently located just a few blocks down Olympic Boulevard from Crossroads. While she waits for class to begin, she changes into her pink tights, leotard and toe shoes which, in their short life of about a week, have to be broken in and then, when they become too flexible, must be replaced. She stretches, follows up with 45 minutes of barre work, adagios, turns and combinations, and her big jumps, which Neary says are particularly astonishing. After a 10-minute break, Chappell is back for pointe work, with emphasis on footwork and articulation. She then practices various repertories from different ballets. Life at Westside Ballet is rarefied and ingeniously contained in another era. The company was founded in 1967 by Yvonne Mounsey, who joined New York City Ballet as a principal dancer for George Balanchine after performing with Massine’s Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and de Basil’s original Ballet Russe. “We are expected to be very polite, show respect for our elders,” says Chappell, emphasizing that they do not tolerate differences of opinion, and in fact “are quite rigid and stiff.” There is an expected decorum, coupled with the exigencies of practice and lifestyle’particularly on maintaining an almost mythical weight. “This is a feeding ground for anorexia and eating disorders,” Chappell says, noting that she was once ordered to eat nothing but “steak and grapefruit.” “You have to be extremely strong, which is especially hard at our age,” she says. “But it reassures me that this is the place I should be. In surviving all of that, I am sure of my love for ballet. After all the blood, sweat and tears, it’s worth it to be on stage.” Chappell loves performing, and feels at home on stage, which Neary confirms. “She comes alive when she hits the stage. Her beauty and vibrancy are exciting to watch.” Recently Chappell completed dancing various roles, including the technically challenging Dew Drop, in Westside Ballet’s 30th annual “Nutcracker,” performed both at Pepperdine’s Smothers Theatre and the Wadsworth Theatre. As young women and men progress in the ballet world, they may audition for summer programs with companies around the world. The routine will begin again in January for Annakate, who studied for two summers with the Miami City Ballet School, established in the manner and style of Edward Villella, who trained at the School of American Ballet in New York. A full day consisted of breakfast (inedible) and classes in technique, pointe, repertoire, jazz and gyrotonics, a sort of circular Pilates. It is important for dancers to do some sort of cross-training to keep muscle groups balanced. While the food was questionable and the days rigorous, Chappell loved the people she met from all over the world. “There were dancers with backgrounds and family experiences that were so interesting to me. I could relate to people on a different level because we were so close, so immersed in what we were doing for five weeks.” At home, Chappell lives with her parents Catherine Kanner, a graphic designer and illustrator, and Winston Chappell, an architect, and her 13-year-old sister Rebecca, a student at the Frostig School in Pasadena. Next month, Chappell will audition with other Balanchine companies, including San Francisco, Pacific Northwest and Miami. In the meantime, she will continue to juggle her two worlds, balancing physics and pre-calculus with grand jet’ and petite `echappe. Next fall, she hopes to decide: either college or a professional career.

Palisadian Sajia Kamrany describes her weekly satellite TV program, “Afghanistan TV,” as a Larry King-type show. But the chatter is far from light and airy’it recently turned to the plight of a 9-year-old Afghan girl who was being forced by her mother to get married. As writer, producer and director, Kamrany sits in front of a camera every Saturday morning at a studio in the San Fernando Valley and talks live to people in Afghanistan, her native country, as well as to fellow Afghans living in India, Pakistan, Iran and everywhere else in the world. She funds the hour-long program herself, paying $2,000 for airtime each month, an expense she says she can bear for only a few more months. Her goal is nothing short of heroic: to empower women and promote women’s rights in a place notoriously repressive in the treatment of its female population. From forced child marriages entailing physical and sexual abuse to the public execution by stoning last April of a woman accused of adultery, violence against women in Afghanistan persists, despite the ousting of the Taliban regime by U.S.-led forces four years ago. “When you marry in Afghanistan, you’re a maid, a homemaker, a nobody,” says Kamrany, who came to the U.S. from Afghanistan as a college student in 1977 and never returned. “You have to just cook, bear children and be a sex machine. Women in Afghanistan are miserable, absolutely miserable.” While women ostensibly have more opportunities since the fall of the Taliban’they can go to school, receive health care and gain employment’the reality is that few can take advantage of these new freedoms. Most women, through fear of attack and social pressure, still wear the all-enveloping burqa, a third of the women in Kabul do not leave the house, forbidden to do so by the male members of the family, and it is still almost impossible for women to get a divorce. One of the most egregious acts is the widespread practice of forcing girls, sometimes as young as 8, to marry. “It’s all over Afghanistan,” Kamrany says. “They even sell their daughters.” In October, Kamrany opened her e-mail and found this message: “Salaam, I am Jan Mohammad from Mazar-Sharif [a city northwest of Kabul]. My mother is going to have my sister get married. But my sister is 9 years old. Please tell my mother not to do this deed. Otherwise, my sister will commit suicide. My mother watches your TV program. Thank you.” A distraught Kamrany announced the news on her show, admonishing the mother while also trying to persuade her to cancel the wedding and let the “little girl go to school and learn about life.” “My God, my daughter is 16, and I don’t even want her to date,” says Kamrany, who is a divorced mother of two. Her daughter, Michelle, attends Palisades High and her son, Tony, is a graduate of USC. “I was so mad,” says Kamrany, who devoted two one-hour shows to the topic. Two weeks after receiving the brother’s e-mail, another e-mail arrived from Farida, the elder sister of Shyma, the 9-year-old: “Everyone in our city is watching your TV show every Saturday and just yesterday my mom told everyone that she will not give her dokhtar (daughter) for marry, as Sajia insisted.” She went on to say that her mother told the prospective groom “now the whole world knows about this arranged marriage and how it is not good.” An elated Kamrany hopes this saga will be the beginning of a social change in Afghanistan through modern technology (her show also can be seen via the Internet at www.afghanistantv.org). She is especially intent on getting Afghans to disband the custom of forced and arranged marriage. But people reach out to her with many desperate needs. A 20-year-old from Parwan, a remote northern village, sent an e-mail to Kamrany just two weeks ago. He is the oldest of five children, his parents were killed by the Taliban, and he and his siblings are literally freezing to death, with no warm clothes or electricity. “I get all these e-mails and it breaks my heart,” Kamrany says. “There’s only so much I can do.” Kamrany’s first Afghanistan TV program ran from 1993 to 1996 on KSCI, Channel 18. It was a variety show featuring popular entertainers, interviews and a news segment. When Kamrany was persuaded to relaunch her program last May, she envisioned a similar format. “I thought I was simply going to entertain these poor people in Afghanistan,” says Kamrany, whose own background as a singer includes producing two CDs. A call from Moscow six months ago changed her focus. The Afghan man told Kamrany how he had been imprisoned during the Russian invasion and when he was released, his wife and kids had vanished. He has spent years trying to find them. Kamrany promptly announced the name of the family and conducted a search on her show, urging anyone with information to call a number posted on the screen. “He called me yelling and screaming and crying,” recalls Kamrany. “He found his kids, who were living in Virginia with a relative. Unfortunately, his wife had died.” She says that changed everything for her, describing her current broadcast as the “ultimate reality show.” Future shows will focus on female hygiene, birth control, education and artistic expression. Kamrany’s grant proposal to create a 24-hour satellite show devoted to education was turned down by the U.S. Agency for International Development. “I had a huge list of young Afghan-American girls and women willing to contribute,” she says. Nonetheless, she hopes to create a nonprofit organization to aid Afghanistan and eventually wants to travel back to her native land for the first time to make a documentary. In the meantime, she continues to use the power of technology to improve the lives of Afghans. “If I help one person, it makes a big difference.” Sajia Kamrany can be reached at sajiakam5@hotmail.com or visit afghanistantv.org for more information.

ADMINISTRATION Roberta Donohue, publisher since 1987, was born and raised in the Palisades. Her 31 years at the Post include working in virtually every area of the paper, from reception to commercial printing. Married for 32 years, Roberta and her husband Rich have one daughter who is a sophomore at Palisades High and plays the violin in the orchestra as well as being a member of the high school volleyball team. Roberta has been active in the Chamber of Commerce for over 20 years, and served as president in 2000. Cheryel Kanan has been with the Post since 1984, and has been business manager for the past 16 years. She is a 42-year resident of the Palisades. She and her husband Dan have raised five children and now enjoy spending time with their seven grandchildren. She is a past president of the Chamber, and has worn many hats at the Post. Post subscriptions falls into the able hands of Sharon Reynolds, administrative assistant in charge of circulation since 1989. Reynolds moved to California from Missouri when she was a high school junior, at which time she met her husband, Jim, who is the production manager. They’ve been married for 42 years. The couple has two daughters, a son and five grandchildren. Jolene Knight, office assistant, does clerical work at the Post. She began nine years ago working one day a week and now works four days. A native of West L.A., she attended University High, Santa Monica City College and UCLA. Jolene has one son and a grandson. The newest addition to the Post is Laura Sarkin, who graces the front desk as well as handling the classifieds. Originally from Michigan, she actually is a citizen of London. An interest in meditation drew her to India, where she lived from 1975-1991. Laura has a degree in special education and is a longtime child advocate. As a special education teacher, she’s taught in London as well as California. Before coming to the Post, she worked in a law office in Santa Monica. She has one daughter who lives in London and works for Disney. ADVERTISING For 32 years, Grace Hiney has been the Post’s restaurant writer and account executive. An avid home cook, Grace names veal piccata as her all-time best dish. A 39-year resident of the Palisades, she was the entire advertising department when she began at the Post and her children were in nursery school; she now is the grandmother of five little ones, 7 and under. Don Oswald, account executive, has been with the Post since 1983. He grew up in Connecticut and is an active volunteer at the Palisades-Malibu YMCA. A Pasadena resident, he enjoys his power boat excursions to Catalina Island for relaxation and fishing. His 15 year-old Bichot, Georgie, occasionally comes to work with him and has become the company mascot. Kendy Veazie is a native of Tennessee. She has a degree is in criminal justice. Two years ago she moved to Santa Monica and started working for the Palisadian-Post. Jeff Ridgway is the newest account executive at the Post. He’s a longtime resident who enjoys starting every morning with espresso and an apricot-blueberry muffin. He grew up in Sacramento and attended UC Davis, where he majored in English. EDITORIAL Managing Editor Bill Bruns grew up in Cardiff, north of San Diego, and later worked for Life magazine and TV Guide. He and his wife, Pam, have been Palisades residents for 33 years. Bill is a familiar face around town; often he’s seen walking to work and back from his home in the Alphabet streets. With the Post since 1993, Bill is especially proud of his staff’s comprehensive coverage of a wide range of stories. ‘ Libby Motika, senior editor, grew up in Brentwood and has been hovering around Pacific Palisades most of her life. She has been heading the Post’s award-winning Lifestyle section for 11 years. Her enthusiasms run from poetry to art and architecture, with time reserved for her early morning bicycle rides. When he’s not scrambling around town covering games, Steve Galluzzo, sports editor, is playing them’his favorites are soccer and tennis. He was born in New York but has lived most of his life in Southern California, graduating from Cal State Northridge with a degree in journalism. He enjoys what he does because it combines his passions: writing and sports. In addition to sports, he has a deep affection for gorillas having visited them in Rwanda. Linda Renaud, news editor, joined the Post in September 2003. A Santa Monica Canyon resident, Linda also writes a real estate column for the Post and edits the monthly “Real Estate News & Views” section. In July, she won first place, Local Spot News, in the California Newspaper Publishers Association Better Newspaper Contest. Alyson Sena, associate editor, grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from Marlborough School. Her family moved to the Palisades in 1996. She started as an intern at the Post in September 2001 after earning her B.A. in English from Brown University. Alyson also completed the print journalism certificate program at UCLA. Among her many passions are traveling, writing short stories and practicing yoga. Nancy Smith, staff writer, joined the paper in March 2001. A transplanted Midwesterner and former programming director at The Art Institute of Chicago, she moved to the Palisades with her husband and daughter seven years ago. When away from the Post, Nancy leads art tours as a LACMA docent. She has a degree in art history from the University of Michigan. Having lived in the Palisades since 1993, Sue Pascoe started working for the Post in May. She graduated from the University of South Dakota with a degree in sociology. She’s married and has three children, a dog, a cat, a parakeet and a guppy. A native New Yorker, Rich Schmitt has been the Post’s staff photographer for over four years. He earned his undergraduate degree at Hofstra University and a graduate degree at NYU. He and his wife reside in Los Angeles. He freelances for UCLA, Pepperdine and the AFP wire service. His photos have won National Newspaper association and CNPA awards. Copy editor Nancy Bryan started her career as an editor at The Rand Corporation, then took a break to raise her two children. In 1986, Bryan went back to work at a consulting firm in Century City. In 1991, she took a position at the J. Paul Getty Museum as an editor and technical writer and retired 10 years later. For the past four years, whenever she’s in town, she faithfully reads and edits almost every story that goes into the newspaper. GRAPHICS Graphics director Ed Lowe, a Palisadian since 1969, has been working at the Post for 21 years. Ed has volunteered his time throughout the years for the Chamber of Commerce and is an avid muscle car enthusiast. His car of choice is a ’68 Camaro streetrod. In addition to cars, Ed is a longtime fan of the L.A. Kings. He also loves the beach, surfing and is a Certified Basic Nordic Walking Instructor. Manfred Hofer, graphic artist at the Post for 23 years, grew up in Pacific Palisades and attended Santa Monica College. Active in theater, he will be appearing in Theatre Palisades’ upcoming production of “The Bad Seed” and won TP’s “Best Featured Actor” award this summer for his role in “Inspecting Carol.” He plays the electric guitar when he can find the time. Tom Hofer, Manfred’s brother, has been a graphic artist with the Post for 16 years. A UCLA graduate, Tom is a musician, hockey enthusiast and tiki culture aficionado. His Oscar Wilde-like wit keeps the office entertained. His solo CD, entitled “Clearinghouse,” is available at www.pungentrecords.com. PRODUCTION Jim Reynolds has been at the Post since 1978, and as production manager he’s the one who makes sure all the printing jobs and the newspaper get out on time. Jim is a NASCAR nut, and has a collection of more than 800 NASCAR toys parked in his den. He and his wife Sharon make the 84-mile round trip to work each day. Shop Foreman Joe Hernandez loves the outdoors and he can think of no better vacation than hiking in the high country. A 27-year veteran at the Post, Joe not only runs the two-color Heidelberg press, but makes sure that all the machinery is working properly. He has two children. Joe is excited by the arrival of his second grandchild, born on December 13. ‘ Manuel Tavarez has put in 11 years at the Post and operates the Heidelberg one-color press. A native of Zapotlanejo, a little town just outside Guadalajara, Mexico, Manuel is a spirited supporter of Mexico’s soccer team. He has four children, his youngest is two; his oldest is 16 and a goalie for Culver City’s AYSO all-star soccer team. Keith McDaniel joined the Post three years ago as press operator and is responsible for coaxing the venerable Palisadian-Post press into printing the finest color it can. He lives in Pico Rivera with his wife Carol and daughters, Katie and Kayla. Both girls play softball and when Keith isn’t watching them, he’s biking or running. He also plays guitar. Tommy Aguilar, pressroom assistant, celebrated his third year at the Post in September. He and his wife, Cynthia, live in Venice and have four children; the oldest is in college in San Diego. Aguilar comes from a musical family and has played guitar since he was seven. He’s well known in the musical community for not only building amplifiers, but restoring vintage ones. “I like to see the musicians happy with their equipment,” he said. Press assistant Luis Hernandez is coming up on his first anniversary with the Post in January. He went to L.A. High School where he swam on the swim team. After graduation, he attended Santa Monica College. He has a twin brother who works as an electrician. On weekends, if his brother needs an assistant, Luis is there to help out. About his first year at the Post, Luis said, “It’s been a good year. I like it here, it’s like a family.” Jonathan Merwitzer works as the circulation assistant. He grew up in the Palisades and attended Palisades Elementary. He graduated from PaliHi and went to Sonoma State University, where he got his degree in communication studies. He’s a martial arts fan and works out at Max Impact. He also does kick boxing at the Y and Gerry Blancks. A fan of both the Dodgers and Lakers, Jonathan also volunteers as a Jewish Big Brother.