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Canter Addresses School Bond, Parent Concerns at Paul Revere

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Marlene Canter, president of the L.A. school board, explains to an audience of about 50 parents at a recent PRIDE meeting at Paul Revere why they should back Measure Y in the November election.
Marlene Canter, president of the L.A. school board, explains to an audience of about 50 parents at a recent PRIDE meeting at Paul Revere why they should back Measure Y in the November election.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

The audience was noisy and at times contentious as LAUSD School Board President Marlene Canter addressed the monthly PRIDE and PTSA meeting at Paul Revere Charter Middle School last Wednesday morning. The meeting began calmly as Canter urged parents to vote for the $3.985-billion Measure Y in the November 8 election. Part of the money would be used to build new schools and part for renovation of old schools. ‘This area has the least amount of schools being built, but this is the area where the highest concentration of people vote,’ Canter said about her campaign stop. Canter explained that the BB bond (which passed in 1997 and provided $2.4 billion in bonds), didn’t cover all proposed building and maintenance projects because the amount needed wasn’t estimated correctly. ‘They had the wrong people building them and they had to reallocate,’ she said. ‘They really screwed it up.’ According to Canter, the District has hired a new chief facilities executive, Jim O’Connell, who is making sure things are being done right. The tone of the meeting became more confrontational when Canter said that Paul Revere had benefited from BB. The parents wanted to know how, because it wasn’t apparent. She told them that since it was a middle school and they were there only three years they wouldn’t have seen the improvements. Many parents disputed that, saying they had more than one child and had been at the school during the BB expenditures. Canter promised to get a list of the projects that had been completed at Revere. She also noted that parents at all LAUSD schools say ‘It’s not enough and we’re not satisfied.’ ‘By 2015, the District would like all children who want to be able to go to neighborhood schools to do so,’ Canter said. ‘We hope to bring kids back to public schools. By building more schools the District could accomplish that.’ A parent asked, ‘What would Paul Revere get from measure Y?’ ‘It’s unclear exactly what they would get because the District has to look out for all of its schools,’ Canter said. Although the Revere campus is beautifully landscaped, a slide show of maintenance problems was played for Canter and Diane Elander, co-chair for PRIDE, explained: ‘When constituents walk into a school and see all the construction and maintenance that needs to be done and hasn’t, then it’s hard to get people to vote for more money for another bond issue.’ Two years ago, when leaks were discovered in the breezeway overhangs, the plaster was stripped to investigate further. The moisture in the wood had caused dry rot. A year later it was discovered that other overhangs had the same problem. Currently, there are three large overhangs with exposed wood and wires waiting for repair. From LAUSD maintenance records it appears that the last time any of the buildings were painted was six years ago. ‘We would paint it ourselves, but we can’t because the District won’t let us,’ one parent pointed out. ‘We frequently find, in dealing with the District, that there’s incompetence,’ said Jill Frank, who has an eighth grader at the school. ‘It’s a bureaucracy with people who write us memos and tell us why things can’t get done.’ Elander added, ‘There’s been garbage and old classroom equipment just thrown in a pile in the middle of the campus, and after four years, it’s still sitting there. There are holes in buildings, falling ceiling tiles and windows that haven’t been repaired. It’s embarrassing to take people on a tour and ask them to come here when the property looks like that.’ Canter listened and responded: ‘Bruce Kendall, deputy chief facility executive for existing facilities at LAUSD, will come here and walk with you. We’ll see what you’ve got and what you need and how we can get it done. If the District can’t pay for it, we’ll see where we can get the funds to get it done.’ Principal Art Copper added a plea to Canter: ‘We’re a California Distinguished School. We have excellent teachers. Our students are some of the brightest in the state. We’d like to have a school that’s a visible showcase as well.’ Last year, PRIDE hired a seventh grade English teacher, which reduced class sizes to under 27 in seventh grade. The state already mandates a class size of under 26 for eighth grade English. This year, with enrollment down by 136 students, the District said Revere would have to let three teachers go. In response, Copper was able to get a waiver to retain one teacher, and parents raised money to help pay salaries for the other two teachers in order to keep smaller academic classes. Revere is considered a desegregated/receiver school, and those schools are told they should have an average of 37.5 students for each teacher for an academic class. Canter was asked why the District pays for a lower student/teacher ratio in schools designated PBHAO (predominately black, Hispanic, Asian and others, which is 76 percent of the District). That average class size is 32. Canter said that PBHAO was started by a federal mandate to stop racial isolation. Another parent pointed out that if kids live in a community that is all Korean, for example, and the District wants them to go to their community school, then by definition it’s racially isolated and the District still pays for a lower class size. Canter said that class-size reduction is a high priority for the school board. Other parents said it seemed as if Revere parents were discriminated against, and they wondered why the minorities at Paul Revere don’t receive the same treatment as the minorities at schools labeled PBHAO. Amy Dresser Held, Canter’s director of policy, pointed out that Paul Revere has a block grant that they can use to fund additional teachers’ salaries. The state funds charter schools through a general-purpose block grant and a categorical block grant. Fiscally independent charter schools like Palisades High receive both funds directly from the state. Dependent charters like Revere and the three Palisades elementary schools basically get the money the District decides to allocate. Parents battled hard four years ago to make the District give the school the categorical block grant directly, although the District still takes an administrative fee. The problem with funding teachers out of the categorical block grant is that the amount given to a school changes every year. Currently, the block grant and donations from parent groups help fund part of the school nurse and psychologist, plus a mandated attendance clerk, technical support for computers, substitute days, seven auxiliary periods (which helps to reduce class size), a dean of discipline and now part of the salaries for two teachers. At the meeting with Canter, parents responded by pointing out that many of the PBHAO schools also receive Title I funds, which Paul Revere does not receive. At that point the room was so noisy that Canter complained, ‘The way you are all communicating is not going to get anything accomplished.’ Eileen Savage, a parent, once again raised the question about how different schools are allowed to have different class sizes depending on their demographics. As Canter’s time was limited, she promised to talk about that issue with parents at a later time.

Palisadian Gregory Joins U.S. Marines In Afghanistan

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Palisadian Collier Gregory poses with a group of Afghan villagers during combat patrol with his Marine unit. Through an interpreter, villagers bring Gregory intelligence on suspected enemy locations.
Palisadian Collier Gregory poses with a group of Afghan villagers during combat patrol with his Marine unit. Through an interpreter, villagers bring Gregory intelligence on suspected enemy locations.

By ALEX BOONE Palisadian-Post Intern War has become a juxtaposition of in-your-face action combined with incredible detachment. While the newsreels are filled with images and footage of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq, it is sometimes difficult to imagine that those figures on the television are real Americans fighting for their country. When we have the opportunity to put a human face on events that happen across the globe, it reminds us of the intrepid Americans fighting for our freedom. Collier Gregory, 26, is one such individual. Collier is the son of Carol and Carl Gregory and older brother to Kate Gregory. The family lives near Will Rogers State Historic Park. As a youth, Collier attended St Matthew’s School, played baseball at the local level and was an Eagle Scout in Mike Lanning’s Troop 223. After attending Palisades High School for a year, he left and attended a boarding school north of San Diego. He was a scholarship student at Villanova University, graduating in May 2002, and is now a first lieutenant in the Marine Corps and second in command of a Marine infantry company currently fighting Al Qaeda and Taliban forces in the mountains of Afghanistan. Thanks to Internet communication, I was able to interview Collier Gregory in an attempt to put his thoughts and feelings to print. He took much of his precious free time to help this story come to conclusion, and would enjoy hearing feedback from readers via e-mail (ccg0302@yahoo.com). Alex: Share your experiences growing up in Pacific Palisades and how you got into the military. Collier: Well, I loved it! The Palisades is such a great community with so many nice people. I attended St. Matthew’s where I was more inclined to swing a bat than I was to do any of my homework. As a result, I found myself at Palisades High School where I still struggled with academics but excelled in athletics. Knowing I had more potential than what I was currently demonstrating, I found the Army and Navy Academy in Carlsbad, which specializes in helping kids like me develop their academic mindset. I graduated from the academy with a scholarship to Villanova University in Philadelphia. I really was enjoying my time at Villanova and was beginning to seriously consider my options after college when on September 11, 2001, Al Qaeda operatives crashed four planes, leveled two buildings and killed over 3,000 Americans. As I saw this unfold, it was very clear to me that I wanted to spend the next several years of my life seeking revenge on the people who did this. Alex: So, what made you choose the Marines over the other branches of service? Collier: Well, I thought we were going to war right away. I went down to the recruiter’s office near my school and told him I wanted to fight and in my ignorance asked him to give me a rifle. The guy kind of laughed at me and told me to relax. He said I would best serve the military if I finished college and then went in as an officer. I reluctantly took his advice and graduated from Villanova in May 2002. In the meantime, I did my homework and concluded that the Marines were the branch of service for me. I had an uncle who was a Marine and he had talked to me about the trust and fidelity our country had in the Marines. ‘When America is in trouble,’ he said, ‘they call the Marines.’ Now America was in trouble, and I knew I wanted to answer the call, as a Marine. Alex: What was basic training like? Where did you go and for how long? Collier: The training was unlike anything I was prepared for! My training lasted one year and it all took place in Quantico, Virginia. The first phase was Officer Candidate School, an eight-week boot camp that dropped nearly 40 percent of the candidates. Upon graduating from OCS, I began the basic school, which was a six-month course focusing more on doctrinal forms of combat and maneuver warfare. At the end of this school, I was selected for my Military Occupational Specialty (MOS). In a popular misconception, most people think all Marines are specifically infantry. This is not true. There are over 26 jobs for Marine officers to concentrate on, including supply, logistics, communications, artillery, tanks, law and infantry. Only a select 35 percent of the Marines are specialized infantry. So for me, as I was still seeking the job that would afford me the most revenge on the people responsible for 9/11, I requested to be an infantry officer. Just to be accepted to the Infantry Officer Course requires you to take a combat endurance test, which is a secret only to those who have taken it. I will just say that it tests the human limits. Somehow I passed this test and began the last phase of my training at the Infantry Officers Course (IOC). This was a 10-week course that tested me in ways that I never thought were possible. The intent of the course is to prepare each officer to lead a platoon of Marines in combat. I finished my training and took command of my own platoon on April 1, 2003. I was deployed to Afghanistan in February 2005. Alex: Tell us a little bit about being in Afghanistan. Collier: Afghanistan is a country that has been crippled by nations and various insurgent groups trying to conquer it for centuries. It has been tossed around and flipped upside down so many times that it struggles to find an identity amongst the many different tribes. The best way for me to describe what it’s like being here is like flipping through pages in the Bible. It’s truly amazing to see just how technologically far behind these people are from us. Just as an example, most people in the sparse villages we operate in still use fire for their means of light as there is no electricity. Alex: What can you tell us about the fighting in Afghanistan? Collier: Well, it’s no picnic. This is a counterinsurgency war, on an asymmetrical battlefield. There are no lines on the ground marking friendly positions from enemy positions. Our enemy combatants, despite their affection for Birkenstocks, are very tough and determined. They are mountain fighters and in order to combat them, my Marines and I have had to become mountain fighters ourselves. Often times, with the gear we carry, the elevation we have to climb to and the heat we endure, getting to the fight is substantially harder than the fight itself. Alex: How is our presence in Afghanistan helping Afghanistan? Collier: On September 18, Afghanistan had its first-ever parliamentary election to compliment the presidential elections that democratically elected Hamid Karzai last year. The parliamentary elections allowed every voting-aged Afghan (including females) to cast his or her vote for 5,800 candidates from 34 provinces to win 249 parliamentary seats. The election went very well and, as a result, every citizen will have local representation in their capital city of Kabul. We are also heavily incorporating the Afghan National Army (ANA) and Afghan National Police (ANP) into all of our patrols and missions. Both organizations must be shown the right way to defend a nation and protect its citizens. Furthermore, coalition forces have built more than 355 new community-based schools and trained over 117,000 teachers who are now educating 4,170,000 Afghan students. Educating the youth in the ways of peace and democratic prosperity is the key to making Afghanistan a terrorist-free and thriving country. These are obviously just a few brief highlights as to what American and coalition forces are doing to better Afghanistan. I’m confident that Afghanistan will be far better as a result of our fighting and building. Alex: How do you feel when people question what you are doing and why you are doing it? Collier: If done in the right forum, it makes me feel good. It’s democracy in progress. Ultimately, that’s what my Marines and I are fighting for. What upsets me is when I hear, ‘Well, you’re just over there to pick a fight’ or ‘We don’t need this war.’ I am not a fighter and I never imagined this way of life for myself. If I had it my way, like most people I would hope, 9/11 would have never happened and I would be working in Westwood carrying a briefcase instead of a gun and wearing a suit instead of camouflage. But 9/11 did happen, and luckily we live in a country that values freedom and doesn’t back down from bullies. America is a beautiful place made by brave men who have done brave things. In order to keep this way of life, we need people willing to continue making sacrifices for the greater good. I believe America will always be worth fighting for. It saddens me to think that people would disagree. We can never forget what happened on 9/11 and we must always remain vigilant in our efforts to counter terrorism, as it will be an ongoing threat. Alex: How is morale amongst your Marines? Collier: Despite what some will have you believe, it is very high. Obviously, I can’t speak for the entire military, but amongst my Marines, since we have been in Afghanistan, I have demanded from them an operational tempo that far exceeds that of any other unit within our area of operation. They consistently deliver top-notch performances with every mission, which is a direct result of the successes we have had. With their steadfast resolve, we have a solid momentum that has kept the enemy on his heels and always looking over his shoulder for the Marines. I am so proud of my unit and I wish everyone in America could spend a day with me so they could see the quality of the people fighting for them. They are America’s warriors and are doing an excellent job! Alex: Is there anything you would like to add? Collier: I would like to thank my family for all their support. With the deployments and all the time away, my service in the Marines has been just as hard on them as it has been on me. Military families rarely get the credit they deserve.

CLASSIFIED ADS FROM THE OCTOBER 13, 2005 ISSUE OF THE PALISADIAN-POST

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HOMES FOR SALE 1

PALISADES BEACH HOME. 2 bed+1 bath manufactured home. Ocean view, stove, fridge, micro incl. Very clean & tidy. Decks, landscape. Priced to sell. Best value on the coast. $159K. (310) 614- 9095 RUSTIC CANYON. Rare opportunity. 5 bed+3 bath Ranch home, corner lot. Move-in now or remodel & rebuild later. Asking $2,495,000. Principals only please. Agent, (310) 564-4499

UNFURNISHED HOMES 2a

VIEW OF QUEEN’S NECKLACE. 4 bedroom, 2 bath, family room. Remodeled kitchen, new carpet. 1 year lease. $5,750/mo. Call Dave, (310) 497-2403 PALISADES INVITING 2 BED+2 bath w/ gorgeous canyon vus, hardwd. & slate floors. Lrg bedrooms w/ spacious closets. Located at the base of a fantastic trailhead. Heated comm pool w/ BBQ area. Great for active lifestyles. $3,500/mo. Susan, (310) 589-2477, Coldwell Banker. susanmonus@aol.com STUNNING OCEAN VIEWS from this 2-story 2 bed+2.5 bath country English cottage located in desirable Corral Canyon. $3,350/mo. Susan, (310) 589-2477. Coldwell Banker. susanmonus@aol.com PALISADES HIGHLANDS MTN view home. 3 bed+ 2.5 bath. Updated 2-story charm on Avenida de la Herradura. Hi wood-beam ceil in both liv rm & lge master bed. Fam room with lots of light opens to grass yard & great views. Formal din rm. Two fireplaces, 2-car garage. Rec center steps from front door. $5,250/mo. Avail 12/1/05. Call for details, (310) 573-3841 CHARMING TRADITIONAL on a quiet street north of Sunset w/ ocean & some city views in prime Riviera. Spacious entry, large living w/ fireplace & formal dining rooms. Paneled family room w/ fireplace. 3 bdrms, 3.5 bas+maid’s rm & ba. Expansive lawn w/ swimmers pool at rear of yard. $14,000/mo. Please contact Lisa, (310) 570-0518.

FURNISHED APARTMENTS 2b

OCEAN-VIEW CONDO. 1 bedroom+1 bath, chef’s kitchen, includes utilities and cleaning service. Edgewater Towers. $2,950/mo. Agent, Doreen, (310) 255-3458

UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c

CARMEL in THE PALISADES. 2 bedroom, beautiful lot. Walk to village. $3,495/mo. Agent. Call Nancy, (310) 230-7305 SANTA MONICA CONDO. 2 bedroom, 2 bath. 2nd Street, north of Wilshire. Hardwood floors. Security building. $2,750/mo. Call Susie, (310) 266-6033 PALISADES 1 BED, 1 BATH, upper, sunny, views, carpet, stove, refrigerator, laundry, covered parking with storage, NO pets, NON-smoker, 1 year lease. Quiet, clean, $1,220/mo. (310) 477-6767 LUXURY CONDO. Sunny, unfurn 2 bed+2 bath, sunken living rm & master ste, dining room, breakfast nook/office, stove, dishwasher, built-in microwave, garbage disposal, lg balcony, sec access & parking. W/D in unit. Carpets, tile, central A/C & heating, ceiling fans, fireplace, Jacuzzi. Lg private storage, elevator, open-air courtyard/entrance, 18 units, non-smoker pref. Close to markets & park. 6-mo. min. lease. $2,700/mo. Call (310) 930-0030 LARGE 2 BED+2 BATH. New carpet, w/d, dishwasher, balcony, walk-in closet & patio. Fireplace and jacuzzi. Village close. Controlled-access bldg. Avail now. Call (310) 230-4110 CHARMING PAL DUPLEX. 2 bed+1 bath. Large private yard. Stove, fridge, microwave, W/D, d/w, Jacuzzi, tub. Walk to village. 853 Haverford Ave. $3,000/mo. (310) 454-4599

ROOMS FOR RENT 3

SUNNY PALISADES ROOM available. En suite bath, cable, laundry, kitchen use. References required. $740/mo. Call (310) 454-8520 FURNISHED SINGLE ROOM, Pacific Palisades Highlands. N/S, drugs, alcohol. Use of kitchen, pool, jacuzzi. Quiet, beautiful. Nearby hiking, biking. $850/mo. (310) 459-7329.

WANTED TO RENT 3b

GARAGE STORAGE SPACE wanted in the Palisades for a car. The owner lives on Chautauqua & drives it twice per month. Please call (818) 557-0135

OFFICE, STORE RENTALS 3c

LARGE CORNER OFFICE in Palisades village on Sunset. Second floor, $1,370/mo. (310) 454-0840 or (310) 600-3603.

VACATION 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.com

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES 5

I’M THE CEO of my life. Are You? Executive Pay Without Executive Stress! (800) 841-8702 FreedomMyWay.com

LOST & FOUND 6a

FOUND: RX GLASSES, found on Mon. 10/3/05 in the 800 block of Galloway street. Call (310) 230-7750 to ID.

PERSONALS 6b

SEMPER FI. HONORABLE Disabled Marine Vietnam combat vet seeks other honorable men & women to create an honorable community. CPL. Ray E. Nasser, hm: (310) 454-7432, or Cedars-Sinai Med Ctr, (310) 423-6812

COMPUTER SERVICES 7c

COMPUTER SUPPORT – Home – Business – Desktop & Network Support – Low Rates – One Or One Hundred PCs, We Can Help. WWW.FRANKELCONSULTING.COM. Providing Solutions for 18 Years – (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

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 – Furniture – Antiques – Collectibles – Junque – Reliable professionals Local References

ORGANIZING SERVICES 7h

Never seem to be enough time or enough you? Call I NEED ANOTHER ME! We offer temporary project coordinating & assistance, both business & personal, relocation management, jobs big & small, too numerous to say here. When asked, “What all do you do?” I say, “What is it you need done?” Call for a free consultation: (310) 459-0418 DO YOU NEED an able, versatile p/t office person? Paperwork, accounts, computer expertise, eBay sales, internet, research, organizing, other. Business/ personal. Call (310) 218-6653 or (310) 459-2066.

MISCELLANEOUS 7j

MESSENGER SERVICE/AIR COURIERS. Santa Monica Express, Inc. Since 1984. Guaranteed On-Time! Trucking & Freight Forwarding. Air Courier Door-to-Door Anywhere in the USA. Direct, Non-Stop Service Anywhere in CA. Same-Day Court Filings. Fully Licensed, Bonded & Insured. 24 hours/day, 7 days per week. (310) 458-6000. www.SMEXPRESS.com. PALISADIAN OWNED & MANAGED

NANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a

EUROPEAN live-in AU PAIRS. US government approved and regulated. Cultural exchange. English speaking. Call Mrs. Fox, (310) 230-2646

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 P/T HOUSEKEEPER. Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun. I have car, can drive, have Palisades references. Call Carol, (323) 299-1797 F/T HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE Monday through Friday. I speak English well, have good experience, transportation and references. Please call Adelina, (323) 737-7158 or (323) 527-4538 LIVE-IN/LIVE-OUT HOUSEKEEPER. I am available Monday thru Friday, speaks some English. I am very experienced, am pleasant, neat and have references. Please call Gloria, (323) 571-8299 F/T HOUSEKEEPER AVAIL Monday-Friday. I have good references & my own transportation. Call me anytime. Ivania, (818) 891-2814 HOUSEKEEPING 3 DAYS/WEEK. I have over 10 years of experience, references and speak & understand English. Please call Sofia during afternoons, (323) 735-7603. Leave msg.

ELDER CARE/COMPANIONS 10a

HOUSEKEEPING/CHILD & Elderly CARE. Experienced, CPR & first aid certified with medical backgrounds. Live-in or live-out. Fluent English. References avail. Call (888) 897-5888 HOUSEKEEPER/CAREGIVER/COMPANION required for elderly gentleman. Assistance with errands & day-to-day chores. Good driving record necessary. Must be kind, intelligent & fluent in English. F/T position. Mon-Fri., 11-7. (310) 633-3504

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 MARTINEZ GARDEN SERVICES. Landscape, tree-trimming, sprinkler systems, planting, yard clean-up. Good workers. 19 yrs experience. Call Fortino, cell: (323) 397-6255, or hm: (323) 935-0841 FULL SERVICE YARD & sprinkler systems. 15 years of experience. References available. Call Javier anytime, cell: (310) 634-5059 or pager: (310) 495-0533

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

MISCELLANEOUS 13i

PRESSURE WASHING. Driveways, patios, walk-ways, garages, dirt, oil, rust, paint and moss removal. Concrete, brick, natural stone. Clear and colored-stain sealer. Craig, (310) 459-9000

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. Play groups. Does your dog need manners? Call (310) 454-0058 for a happy dog.

FITNESS INSTRUCTION 15a

NORDIC WALKING. Nordic Walking burns up to 46% more calories than regular walking and is excellent for weight loss. Perfect for all ages. Makes a great gift and get the 1st instructional DVD in the U.S. for only $29.50! Personal Training walking classes and Nordic walking poles avail. Check at www.nordicwalkingonline.com or call (310) 573-9000 IS YOUR CHILD OVERWEIGHT & out of shape? Celebrity fitness trainer Lisa G. is currently accepting applications for a dynamic new 6 week cardio-fitness workout to help your child develop their body and mind. Safe and easy follow exercises that build strength, flexibility and coordination, focus and confidence that will help your child in sports and at school. Space is limited. Contact Lisa immediately at (310) 991-0801 (cell).

SCHOOLS, INSTRUCTION 15d

VIOLIN INSTRUCTION. Expert friendly guidance at all levels by highly qualified teacher. Home or studio. Teaching in Palisades 20 years. Laurence Homolka, (310) 459-0500

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 grade levels, conversational & all ages. Local refs, flexible hours. Please call Noelle at (310) 273-3593 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 THE WRITING COACH: Summertime Application Prep Intensives for next year’s graduating high school/middle school students. Private school application essays. College application essays. SAT/ISEE ESSAYS. 5 individual sessions (flexible scheduling/ your home). Extensive experience, success stories, acceptances. MA, Johns Hopkins; former LA private school teacher and Hopkins CTY instructor; writer/ consultant. Outstanding Palisades/Malibu references. (310) 528-6437 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 assessing the student’s needs, developing an individualized education program and implementation of that program. Palisades resident. Call Brandi, (310) 230-9890 STANFORD-EDUCATED TUTOR. Physics and Calculus (incl. AP), Precalc, Geometry, Algebra, SAT (all sections). Engineering degree. Experience making abstract concepts tangible. Young (-ish) and personable. In-home convenience. References. Chris, (323) 309-6687 SPANISH TEACHER, CERTIFIED TUTOR. 15 years experience. Conversational & writing skills, all levels. Local refs. Palisades resident. Affordable rates. Call Marietta, (310) 459-8180 PHYSICS & MATH. Experienced UCLA Teaching Fellow, MIT degree, tutors all levels of physics and math as well as AP, SAT I & II and GRE. If interested, contact Dimov, (310) 980-8173 TUTOR TO YOU. Improve your skills in English! Former Pali High English teacher specializing in reading, writing, study skills, 10 years in the classroom (elementary through high-school). M.S., Ed/B.A., English. California credentials in regular and special education. Speech and language services for children with hearing loss. I drive to you! Call Shea Thompson, (310) 446-6190 HIGH-SCHOOL students needed as p/t TUTORS for Palisades 9th grader. Proficient in most subjects. Energetic, well-organized and available 2 afternoons per wk. $10-15/hr. E-mail PacPalTutors@aol.com, describing strengths, any prior experience, availability and refs. 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 EXPERIENCED MASTER TEACHER. Private & public schools. Elementary school K-5, Reading specialist, language development specialist. Tutoring all subjects. Your home. Local refs. (310) 450-2657 SPANISH TUTOR AVAILABLE. Please call Jill Liberman, (310) 828-5087 (H) or (310) 617-1115 (cell)

CABINET 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.com

CONCRETE, 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.com EMR – MASONRY & CONCRETE – (310) 456-0534 – Specializing in Fine Masonry work – Custom Stone, Concrete & Brickwork – Hand-built Fireplaces/tilework – Local References/20 years Experience – CA. State Lic.#451844/Bonded & Insured – Call Eric, cell: (310) 486-1103

CONSTRUCTION 16d

PARADISE CONSTRUCTION Building Contractor – All Trades – Lic. #808600. Call (310) 383-1659 CASTLE CONSTRUCTION. New homes, remodeling, additions, fine finish carpentry. Serving the Westside for 20 yrs. Lic. #649995. Call James, (310) 450-6237 PALISADES CONSTRUCTION SERVICES. KEVIN B. NUNNELEY. (310) 454-5029. Local References Avail. Lic. #375858 HOWESWORKS, General Contractor. Improve – Build – Install – Repair. Professional Reliable Service. Happiness Guaranteed. Lic. #858904. Daniel Howe, (310) 877-5577

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. All Phases and General Repairs. 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

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 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 WILSON HARDWOOD FLOORS. Complete installation, refinish and re-coat. Fully insured. License #380380. Ask for Kevin Wilson, (310) 478-7988

HANDYMAN 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 PETERPAN – Quality Home Repair -Serving Entire Westside. (Not lic.) Ask for Peter, (310) 663-3633 THE HANDY GUY. Any job, big or small. Over 15 years experience. Lic. #B-858574. Call (310) 216-9034

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 – 51 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 MASTERPIECE PAINTING & DECOR – Stenciling/Faux/Plaster effects – License #543487 MFA ’84 – Bill Lundby, (310) 459-7362 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 ROBERT OVERBY PAINTING. 25 years experience. Interior/exterior. Small jobs. Low rates. Local free estimates. Call (310) 968-4113

PLUMBING 16s

ROBERT RAMOS, Plumbing Contractor – Copper repipes – Remodels – New Construction – Service & Repair – Water Heaters – Licensed – Bonded – Insured – St. lic. #605556 – Cell, (310) 704-5353 BOTHAM PLUMBING AND HEATING. Lic. #839118. (310) 827-4040

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 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. #769443 JLK PLUMBING. Re-pipe and sewer specialist & all plumbing repairs. Mention this ad & receive 10% off. Lic. #722414. Call (310) 678-6634

ROOFING 16v

WE SEAL LEAKS. “Don’t wait for the rains.” Roofing, gutters, windows, carpentry, painting, slope retention, drainage systems, drywall, plaster, concrete, Carmel-style waterfalls. Call (310) 457-4652

HELP WANTED 17

P/T WOMEN’S RETAIL SALES in Santa Monica. Weathervane, an upscale women’s specialty store, is looking for an energetic, motivated, professional sales associate to work 3-4 days/wk. E-mail resume to weathervaneii@aol.com or fax (310) 393-2077 P/T CHILD-CARE NEEDED for 10 year old boy & 6 year old girl. Flexible hours. Must have and drive own car. Please call Rebecca, (310) 454-7490 NANNY/HOUSEKEEPER for Brentwood family NEEDED. 12 p.m.-6:30 p.m. M-F (mornings free); boy & girl twins, age 11 (girl has Down Syndrome); drive to activities; general cleaning/laundry; typically $325 plus $40 car expense; paid time off, starting year 2. Call Cheryl, (310) 780-8115 AFTER-SCHOOL NANNY needed for 2 boys. Mon-Fri, 3-6 p.m. Pick-up from school, oversee homework & drive to sports practices. Must speak fluent English, have own car. Exlnt refs. Call Lisa, (213) 680-7939 TRUSTWORTHY, SMART HOUSEKEEPER needed. Mon, Wed, Fri. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. $12/hr. Must be efficient, have own car and speak English. Please call Tami, (310) 907-6359 HOUSEKEEPER NEEDED. EITHER Thursday or Friday. Local references, good English and own transportation. Non-smoking. Call (310) 573-7656, leave message Seeking LIVE-IN WEEKEND NANNY for infant childcare. Friday through Sunday. Light housekeeping. Must speak English and have excellent refs. Call Lisa, (213) 680-7939 GELSON’S the SUPER MARKET. Immediate So Cal openings: Chef/Cook/Prep-Cook/Service Deli Clerk/ Courtesy Clerks. Kitch ops: must have solid skills, customer service & 1+ year of food industry exp. Comp wages, vac/holiday/sick-pay, positive environ. Open interviews: Tues., 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 16400 Ventura Blvd., 2nd floor, Encino. For more info, call our recruiting hotline: (800) 700-0912 EOE ORGANIZED & EFFICIENT ASSISTANT needed for growing Pacific Palisades company. Phones, fax, internet. $28K+benefits. Call (310) 230-1295

AUTOS 18b

CASH FOR YOUR CARS. Foreign or domestic. Running or not. We come to you. We handle all paperwork. Friendly, professional buyer. Please call (310) 995-5898 1997 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. 100K miles. New brakes, new tires, new battery. $5,000 obo. Call (310) 457-3393 2005 VOLVO XC70. Mileage less than 3K miles. Take over lease. $400/month. Call (310) 230-3803

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

MOV’G, REDECORATING SALE! Upscale sofas, “Bird Cage” armoire & custom pine armoire, DR set, lots of fine furn, furnishings, 36″ TV, kitch, hsehold appliances, equip, utensils, flatware, glassware, dishes, etc. Lots of good browsing! 847 Chautauqua (N of Sunset) FRI, Oct 14-15, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. GARAGE/DEMOL SALE, SUN. 10/16, 9-5. No early birds, ’50s house, tools, kids’ bikes, toys, jogger, appliances & more. 910 Embury off Sunset at Carey. PALISADES GARAGE SALE. SAT. October 15, 8 A.M. to 3 P.M. 15309 Friends Street

MISCELLANEOUS 18g

ELECTRIC Golf KADDY KART. Excellent condition with two batteries & remote charger. Orig cost $1,200. Will sell for $700. Call Zimmerman, between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (310) 454-9453 METHODIST COUNTRY BAZAAR. 801 Via de la Paz. Shop early. Thurs. 10/20, 7 to 9 p.m. $5 incl dessert. Fri. 10/21, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free adm/Lunch $10. Reserv. (310) 454-5529. Handcrafted gifts, quilts, collectibles, food.

WANTED TO BUY 19

WANTED: Old tube guitar amplifiers, ’50s, ’60s, etc. Tommy, (310) 306-7746 – profeti2001@yahoo.com LOOKING for BMW 325i (mid-1990’s) with low mileage. Call (310) 428-9339

Y Pool Deemed Too Small, Meet Moved to Commerce

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For the first time in 35 years, the popular Palisades-Malibu YMCA fall swim meet won’t be held in Temescal Canyon. ”After last year’s meet, Bette Williams, executive director of the Southern California YMCA Swim League, informed Paly Aquatics Director Picky Stull that Paly could no longer hold the meet at the Temescal pool due to safety issues. For some reason that directive was never relayed to the new Y staff. ”Paly head swim coach Kameron Kennedy said the change of venue was news to him. “Bette came up to me on the last day of the Junior Olympics Meet in August and asked if we had found a pool yet for our meet,” Kennedy said. “At first, I didn’t know what she was talking about.” ”After that Kennedy attempted to rent pools at Santa Monica College, Culver Plunge, Southwest L.A. College and Loyola Marymount University, but by that time they were already booked. Finally he found space at the Natatorium in the City of Commerce. ”Kennedy was optimistic. “I’m happy with the facility at Commerce,” Kennedy said. “It’s indoor with 10 lanes, including three additional lanes for warm-up and cool-down. It’s a fast pool, and I have some swimmers who work so hard’they get up for 5:30 a.m. workouts’they deserve a place with good racing conditions.” ”The downside to hosting the meet at another site is its distance (25 miles south through downtown L.A.) and the $4,200 rental fee that Paly must pay. Also, the Commerce pool will not permit use of its kitchen, so Paly will lose the $2,000 it usually raises from snack-bar sales. ”Williams made her decision after running last year’s meet, which attracted 670 swimmers from various YMCA teams throughout Southern California. The six-lane, 25-yard pool was too small to accommodate the number of swimmers competing. She had to stop warmups because there were too many kids in the pool at one time making it unsafe and she had to delay the start of the meet because of traffic. The narrow, steep road up to the pool made it nearly impossible for parents to drop off their swimmers and gear before parking in Temescal Gateway Park. ”Another problem Williams noted was that the pool was not deep enough. The National YMCA Swimming Board regulations stipulate that swimmers are not allowed to dive into less than five feet of water. The depth at the shallow end of the Paly pool is three feet, meaning that swimmers have to start in the water in certain events rather than from a diving block. ”Williams said it is mandatory for swim teams in the Y national program to participate in local Y meets. Last year, the largest team in the league had only senior and pre-senior groups swim for one day at the Paly meet. “The facility is not one that lends itself to top-notch or elite swimmers having their best swims,” Williams said. “They get nothing out of the meet. The Paly pool is inadequate.” ”Because of its pool, Paly hasn’t been represented at Y Nationals the past two years. “It’s a shame because Paly Y swimmers have always participated and have been national champions in the past,” Williams said. ””I’m very disappointed,” Carol Pfannkuche, executive director of the Palisades-Malibu said. “I know our swim parents would love to have the meet here, but I can understand why Bette made her decision.”

Notre Dame Twins Win at Riviera

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Texas Christian University sophomore Nicole Leimbach captured the singles title and Notre Dame twins Catrina and Christian Thompson won the doubles title Sunday at the Women’s All-American Tennis Championships Sunday at the Riviera Tennis Club.’The event was the first of three national championship tournaments for the 2005-06 women’s collegiate season. Leimbach, the No. 3 seed, beat Duke’s eighth-seeded Daniela Bercek’6-3, 6-4’in the singles final. Notre Dame’s Thompson twins beat Fresno State’s Lucia Sainz and Kathrin Winterhalter 9-8 (9-7) in the doubles final. The Thompsons became only the second set of twins to win a national collegiate women’s doubles title, joining Stanford’s Tami and Teri Whitlinger, who won the 1989 ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor title. Last spring Bercek and Leimbach were starring for UCLA and USC, respectively, but both transferred from the Southern California schools over the summer. Leimbach, who did not lose a single set’in five matches this week,’is the first TCU women’s player to win a national singles title.’A native of Colorado Springs, Leimbach actually’lost to Bercek in all three of their’meetings last season while at USC. Notre Dame’s Thompsons were playing in their second straight All-American final and fought off match point twice during the title match.’The juniors from’Las Vegas’have now reached at least the semifinals in three of the last four national tournaments dating back to the beginning of last season. Fresno State’s Winterhalter and Sainz are the first Bulldogs to reach a national doubles final.’They won three matches in the qualifying tournament earlier this week and upset three top 10 teams en route to the final.

Spikers Lose to Venice

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The Palisades High girls volleyball team found itself in a familiar position Monday afternoon: facing archrival Venice with first place in the Western League on the line. After not losing a game in their first four league matches, the Dolphins fell behind 2-0 to Venice and were unable to rally back, losing 25-17, 25-18, 18-25, 25-16. The Gondoliers (5-3 overall, 5-0 in league) lost all three of their nonleague matches’to San Pedro, Narbonne and Verdugo Hills’but head coach Alan Hunt felt those losses prepared his team well for Palisades. “You never like to lose, but those are three of the best teams in the City this year,” he said. “Palisades is good too, we just managed to get ahead of them early and we were able to close it out.” Sophomore middle blocker Alex Lunder led the Dolphins (7-1, 4-1) with seven kills and two blocks while Rachel Ehrlich had eight digs. “Our defense wasn’t very good,” Lunder said. “They made us work a lot harder for our points than most of the teams we’ve been playing. We had trouble hitting around their blocks.” Palisades broke an 11-11 tie with five consecutive points to seize control of the third game and it appeared the Dolphins might rally for another two-game deficit on their home floor as they had two weeks earlier against Santa Monica. However, a 10-3 Gondos run in the middle of game four ended any chance of a Pali comeback. “They played well today,” Lunder said. “The good thing is we get to play them one more time.” The teams meet again October 26 at Venice. ‘STEVE GALLUZZO

Dolphins Blank St. Monica, 21-0

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Pali Football Wins Third Straight Game; Opens League Against Venice on Friday

Palisades' Marquise Coleman breaks into the secondary on his way to a 32-yard gain against St. Monica last Friday night at Stadium by the Sea.
Palisades’ Marquise Coleman breaks into the secondary on his way to a 32-yard gain against St. Monica last Friday night at Stadium by the Sea.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

It didn’t look pretty, but the Palisades High varsity football team did put 21 points on the scoreboard Friday night at Stadium by the Sea. The more telling number, however, was the “0” on the opposite side, under the word “visitor.” Not to be confused with Santa Monica, which beat Palisades 24-14 in week two, St. Monica, a Southern Section Division XI school with about 650 students, was limited to 85 offensive yards. It was Palisades’ first shutout since a 49-0 victory over Hamilton in 2002 in the first of former coach Jason Blatt’s two seasons. “Three touchdowns is pretty good but we could’ve easily scored 40 on them,” said Dolphins’ senior defensive end Alphanso Gray. “We’ve been practicing a new defense with different blitzes and things and it worked pretty well tonight.” Last Friday’s win marked the 35th time in school history Palisades held its opposition scoreless. What makes the latest shutout so remarkable is that it was achieved despite 14 penalties for 128 yards–only 33 yards less than the Dolphins gained from scrimmage. Pali coaches were understandably beside themselves. “I’m pretending I’m not here tonight,” Pali line coach George Burns said, only half-joking, as he trotted off the field at halftime. By then, the Dolphins had already had three touchdowns negated by silly infractions. “We got away with a lot of stupid mistakes against [St. Monica], but we won’t be able to make them against better teams,” wide receiver Ryan Henry said. “One positive we can take from this game, though, is that we were able to establish the run.” On Pali’s second possession, Henry took a pitch around right end for a 16-yard touchdown but the play was called back on a hold. Early in the second quarter, Henry fielded a punt and weaved his way for a highlight-reel 58-yard touchdown, but the Dolphins were flagged for clipping. Adding insult to injury, running back Marquise Coleman had a 28-yard scoring run nullified by holding just before halftime. “It was a nightmare,” Pali head coach Leo Castro admitted. “The only thing that made it tolerable was that we were winning. Obviously the penalties are an area we have to clean up in a hurry. If we do that against Venice, it’s going to get ugly.” Against a tougher opponent a 21-0 victory would be reason to celebrate, but players and coaches alike know there is still much the Dolphins (3-2 need to work on before Friday night’s Western League opener versus Venice. “We wanted to come out and control the line of scrimmage and we did,” Gray said. “I think we’re ready for league because we’re getting better every week. Venice only beat Santa Monica by three points and we’re much better than we were when we played Santa Monica, so I think we can beat Venice.” Pali’s sloppy play overshadowed a fine effort by Coleman, who rushed 14 times for 63 yards, most it on straight hand-offs in between the tackles. His 1-yard run gave Pali a 14-0 lead with 4:24 left in the first quarter and it appeared the Dolphins were on their way to a rout. Then the flags started flying. “I’m somewhat satisfied with where we are,” said Henry, who scored the Dolphins’ first touchdown on a 14-yard reception. “We’re definitely ahead of where we were last year, but now we start league and it’s like a whole new season.” Quarterback Raymond Elie attempted only nine passes, completing four for 85 yards, and he threw one interception. Rather than scrambling out of the pocket, Elie reverted to drop-back passing and was sacked four times for -19 yards. He scored Pali’s final touchdown on a quarterback sneak early in the third quarter. The Mariners (1-4) used four different quarterbacks, who combined to connect on 7 of 22 passes for 47 yards. Henry and Robert Gillett each had an interception while Christian Clark and Evan Lambkins each had three solo sacks for Palisades. Lambkins also recovered a fumble. Palisades has not beaten Venice since a 55-32 victory in 2000, the last year of the Ron Price era. In the last four meetings, the Dolphins have been outscored 163-21. Like last year, Venice is led by running back Ken Ashley. “He’s a good runner,” Henry said. “We’re pretty good at defending the pass so if we can stop him and force their quarterback to throw, I like our chances.” Last year, Pali held Ashley in check for most of the first half and trailed only 14-0 at halftime. But he returned the second half kick for a touchdown and later scored on a punt return as Venice pulled away to a 35-0 win. “I’d rate Ashley even higher than C.J. Gable [of Sylmar],” Castro said of the Gondos’ leading rusher. “He’s got a lot of speed and he’s really tough to tackle in the open field.” Friday’s varsity game kicks off at 7 p.m. at Stadium by the Sea, preceded by the frosh/soph game at 4 p.m. Pali’s frosh/soph also beat St. Monica, 26-6, for its third win in a row. The home game will be the Dolphins’ fifth in its first six games. “Hopefully, the home field advantage will work in our favor,” Castro said. “I scheduled so many home games because I want our student body and the community to support the football program. Our goal is to win and to be an exciting team that people want to come watch.” Pali’s three-game winning streak has come against teams with a combined record of 3-11-1, but for the first time in his tenure Castro’s team is above .500. “I expected us to be 4-1 at this point,” Castro said candidly. “I knew Sylmar was going to be tough. But I thought we could’ve won the Santa Monica game and we’ve struggled to beat three weak teams since then, so league is where we have to prove ourselves. From here on, there are no pushovers.”

‘Annie’ Revival is a New Deal

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Theater Review

All it takes is the orchestra’s overture to remind us why “Annie” holds a distinguished place in international musical history. The classic, catchy melodies of “It’s the Hard-Knock Life” and “Tomorrow” help transport children and adults to the lonesome but hopeful world of America’s favorite orphan and her determined, foot-stomping, mop-swishing friends. But the musical “Annie” is significantly different from the memorable 1982 movie starring Albert Finney as Daddy Warbucks and Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan. And the current show revived by the original Broadway director and lyricist, Martin Charnin, takes a decidedly new approach to the familiar characters and moving story. The original Broadway production of “Annie” won seven 1977 Tony Awards, including best musical, book and score. It ran for 2,377 performances and is ranked as one of the 20 longest running shows in Broadway history. Now playing a limited-run at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood through October 16, “Annie” stars Conrad John Schuck, who originally played Daddy Warbucks on Broadway and reprised the role for a recent Broadway revival. Miss Hannigan is played by Alene Robertson, who made her Broadway debut in “Annie.” Set in 1933 New York, during the Great Depression, the show highlights America’s struggle for stability, and the desperation of politicians and the streetwalkers alike. In this world, Annie’s optimism is not only unusual but also a bit extreme, as is the luxury of billionaire bachelor Oliver Warbucks’ estate in which the plucky red-haired orphan lands herself a’well, a new deal. Annie, played by Marissa O’Donnell, dreams that her biological parents who left her 11 years ago still love and will rescue her from the strict and dreary orphanage run by the wicked drunkard Miss Hannigan. An opportunity to spend a week with Warbucks is the key Annie needs to search for her parents, impress the outside world, and find a loving family. O’Donnell portrays the lovable, endearing Annie with her signature “ah-gee”s and “betcha”s. While maintaining a childlike ring, her singing voice is mature and solid, symbolic of her character’s inner strength. The young actresses who play Annie’s fellow orphan friends are a stellar crew, especially Lindsay Ryan who adds spunk to her role as the youngest child, Molly. Their version of “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” best reveals their musical and dance talents, and when Miss Hannigan staggers in with “Did I hear happiness in here?” it feels like she’s referring to the audience’s applause. In the role of Hannigan, Robertson is less of a floozy Cruella de Ville and more like the villainous Ursula in “The Little Mermaid.” She struts and sways across the stage, letting it all out in numbers like “Easy Street,” accompanied by Scott Willis and Julie Cardia as the scheming duo Rooster and Lily St. Regis (played in the movie by the unforgettable Tim Curry and Bernadette Peters). A seemingly older Daddy Warbucks, Schuck is a natural musical talent, his experience revealed in the ease of his solo number, “Why Should I Change a Thing?” the new song by Martin Charnin and Charles Strouse incorporated into the production for the first time. One of the best scenes is undoubtedly Act II’s NBC radio show at Rockefeller Center, with Bert Healy, The Boylan Sisters and the Hour of Smiles Family. Annie and her Daddy Warbucks appear on the show to announce a reward for Annie’s parents, and an awkward Warbucks, unrehearsed and inexperienced, inadvertently performs a commercial. The drama of the live radio broadcast, with Healy’s deep show voice and the accompanying sound effects, as well as the visible goings-on behind the mic’with the playful dummy and flirtatious Boylan Sisters, is a show in itself. Actor Christopher Vettel captures the Bert Healy character, representative of radio personalities of the time. It was interesting to hear the children in the audience laugh not only at the orphans’ aggressive personalities and “Miss Hannigan” jokes but also at the political commentary’for example, when F.D.R. and his Cabinet members tease Warbucks about being a Republican. Perhaps kids are more aware of political jive than one would think, which might be reflective of today’s polarized political society. When Annie delivers her message that a better tomorrow “is always a day away” in the President’s Oval Office, Harold Ickes (played by Harry Turpin) sings the theme song with exaggeratedly funny hand gestures. Her message is inspiring, despite the unbelievable idea that with it she reaches the president and unites the two political parties; most people are more like the other orphans who still have to shout from the bottom. Annie’s canine companion Sandy, played by Lola, makes too few appearances in the production, and I missed the interaction between the two. Miss Hannigan’s underlying protective care for Annie, revealed at the end of the 1982 movie, is also absent in the musical. At times, the show feels more like a rags-to-riches story than the powerful tale of love I remember. The show runs through October 16. Tickets are $25 to $68, and are available online at www.BroadwayLA.org, by calling Ticketmaster at (213) 365-3500, or at the Pantages Theatre Box Office, 6233 Hollywood Blvd.

Jeff Lantos Finds ‘Indiana Jones’ in Jamestown’s Capt. John Smith

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By EVELYN BARGE Palisadian-Post Intern The walls of Jeff Lantos’ fifth-grade classroom at Marquez Elementary are plastered with memorabilia from nearly 20 years of teaching’collages, drawings, poems and thank-you notes. Most prominent are the hundreds of photos and playbills from student theater productions, which Lantos directs three times a year as a way for his students to learn more about history by becoming immersed in it as actors and singers. Lantos not only writes and produces all the fifth-grade musicals, but has also recently expanded his literary repertoire to include a historical children’s novel about the life and adventures of John Smith that was published by AuthorHouse last spring. Village Books will host a signing of “My Adventures with John Smith,” next Thursday at 7:30 p.m. during which two of Lantos’ former students will act out excerpts of the novel. Another former student, Kristen Sorensen, drew the cover illustration. “This book grew out of the fact that I teach John Smith as part of my history lessons,” Lantos said. “I thought this would make a great story.” During his research, Lantos said he discovered that most people know very little about Smith’s life outside his relationship with the Native American princess Pocahontas. “Pocahontas was really the last chapter of his life. Before that, he led an adventurous life similar to Indiana Jones.” The book chronicles many of Smith’s lesser-known adventures, from his stint as a hero in the Turkish-Hungarian war to his sale into slavery in Constantinople. Smith escaped from slavery and went on to become a cartographer, a pirate and, eventually, the president of the Jamestown Colony in the New World. Lantos said the children’s book was four years in the making. He devoted his summers to working on the novel but had to stop the writing process each fall to return his focus to teaching at Marquez. “You get into a kind of trance,” he said of the writing process. “You may be talking to someone, but you can’t hear them, because your mind is always on the book.” Lantos said he struggled to find a balance between the historical facts and the fictional elements that make a strong narrative. “I wanted to be true to the facts, but with a narrative thrust and dramatic build.” To aid the narrative flow of his story, Lantos introduced a fictional narrator, Mel the parrot who gives a first-hand account of Smith’s adventures. Mel acts as the adventurer’s wisecracking sidekick and therapist. Lantos often turned to the experts, his own fifth-grade students, for feedback on drafts of “My Adventures with John Smith.” He said he recognized their boredom or unresponsiveness to sections of the book as a sign that those passages needed more work. Now, Lantos is incorporating the published version of the novel into his history lessons. Many of his students have responded with praise for the new book. “It makes history fun,” said fifth-grader Emma Jackson. “It’s really funny, too. The parrot tells you all about his adventures with John Smith.” Other students said reading from the novel is helpful because it parallels the content of their history textbook and class. “It’s the same thing we’re learning in history class,” said Jake Weston. “It helps you understand it better.” Lantos hopes they keep turning the pages. “I want them to understand that when you’re studying history the key is to get past the timelines and dates and boldface type. If you can do that, it’s going to be as exciting as any movie or TV show.” “My Adventures with John Smith” is just the most recent of Lantos’ endeavors to get students fired up about history. The teacher has devoted much of his professional career to finding creative ways of transforming basic classroom subjects like history, math and literature through the arts. “Ask any fifth grader who’s not in my class what they think of history,” he said. “They’ll tell you it’s boring. But there is a palpable change in the mood of the class when you don’t just tell them you’re going to learn history, but you tell them we’re going to sing a song or we’re going to put on a play. Then they get excited about learning.” Using this teaching philosophy, Lantos leads his fifth graders in three musical productions each year. Lantos wrote all of the musicals with scores by composer Bill Augustine. In December, the students perform “Miracle in Philadelphia,” about the Constitutional Convention of 1787. In March, the students put on “Hello Louisiana” about the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark expedition. In June, they perform “Water and Power,” which focuses on the Industrial Revolution and the struggle for workers’ rights. Lantos also compiled a guide for teachers incorporating drawing and art into American history lessons. The guide, “Read, Draw, Remember: American History Activities,” was published by Scholastic in 2003 and features many of his students’ drawings as examples. “Anytime you combine the arts with other subjects, the kids will buy into it and enjoy it and retain it longer, which is the key,” Lantos said. The extra effort to help students uncover a love of history is all in a day’s work for the fifth-grade teacher who has been at Marquez Elementary since 1987. “Bringing joy into a student’s life on the stage or by putting up their piece of art makes a lifelong learner,” he said.

Chapman Previews Chamber Music Season

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When Alan Chapman greets the Chamber Music Palisades audience to deliver his pre-concert notes, it’s more fireside chat than dense analysis. Known by many classical music lovers for his mellifluous voice as host of KUSC’s afternoon show, Chapman also provides pithy insight on the content of the local chamber series, co-founded by pianist Delores Stevens and flutist Susan Greenberg, Now embarking on its 9th season, Chamber Music Palisades has managed to explore an expansive set of musical resources built around a given group of instruments, piano and flute. “Part of what dictates the program is personnel, which is the wonder of Chamber Music Palisades,” Chapman says. “If you have an established quartet, it becomes the core of what they do, but here the only constants are Dee and Susan. If it suits their purposes for a singer or string quartet, they’ll do it.” Chapman has provided commentary on the programs from the outset. “I knew Susan through the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra,” says Chapman, who produced the L.A. Chamber’s concerts and hosted that group’s pre-concert comments for 13 years. Different from the format of the Pacific Symphony and the Los Angeles Master Chorale, for which Chapman previews the entire program at the outset, with CMP, he comments on each composition before it is played. He stands casually in front of the audience with a hand-held microphone and provides a context for the piece, a way of approaching the music that will make listening to it a better experience. “I’m tipping you off, opening the door on this piece for you. I’m the connector between you and the piece. “From time to time, I am approached by people who are offering no money or not enough, and think I talk off the top of my head,” Chapman says. “I could do that, but I don’t want to do that.” Indeed, his comments, anecdotes and insights belie a thorough and scholarly preparation. Although Chapman has been involved in music since his childhood in Poughkeepsie, New York’he played piano, bass and guitar and joined the union at 16’he was more interested in math and science in high school. He went off to MIT, but rapidly changed his intentions, ultimately majoring in music with a minor in German literature and behavioral science. The next stop was Yale, where he earned his doctorate in music theory and moved to California with a lead on two job positions listed for a Ph.D. in music theory. He took the Occidental job, although years later he would be teaching at the other school, UCLA, where he currently teaches the art of listening. In preparing his commentary for the Chamber Music Palisades season, Chapman factors in an audience with a lot of experience as concert-goers and listeners. “The wonderful thing about this series is that it’s almost guaranteed that you will hear really good music that you’ve never heard before, apart from the commissioned works. When I’m out in the patio during intermission, people are talking about the music and there is a lot of enthusiasm, a great connection between the music and the audience. The audience is really there with it.” Chapman credits Stevens and Greenberg with putting together an incredible spectrum of chamber music. “They look at the cast of characters and figure out how they are going to be grouped. How are the colors going to be put together?” In preparing his comments, Chapman says that he tries to penetrate the soul of the music by asking “Why do a bunch of notes do something for you?” He offers two examples from the first concert on October 18, which features Haydn’s Divertissement III in C Major for flute, violin and cello; C.P.E. Bach’s Quartet in G Major for flute, viola, cello and piano; Gernot Wolfgang’s world premiers of “Thin Air” for violin, viola and cello and Dvorak’s Quartet in Eb Major, Op 87 for piano and strings. “C.P.E. was the second of the elder Bach’s 20 children, four of whom became noted composers. Had you been in Germany in the latter 18th century, people would have assumed you were talking about C.P.E. not J.S. He sits in an interesting position, spanning the baroque to classical period. He lives through it and is really part of a new school with new values on how music should function, and in terms of mood swings he’s all over the place. “Dvorak is one of my favorites,” Chapman continues. “His chamber music is supreme. This piece was written when he was no longer a young man, yet there is so much variety and energy, at times it gets orchestral.” Chapman sings high praise for great chamber music. “When you listen to great chamber music well performed, I marvel at how much is possible with so few people. Chamber Music Palisades maximizes the resources available. How could you get more content?” Chamber Music Palisades opens its 9th season on Tuesday, October 18, 8 p.m. at St. Matthew’s parish, 1031 Bienveneda. Subscriptions are $80; single admission is $25, and students with current ID are admitted free. For information, contact: 454-4024 or 459-2070.

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