A recent L.A. Times editorial offered several suggestions to Patric Verrone, the newly-elected president of the Writers Guild of America, West, on keeping professional screenwriters in line: “Get a big dog; have lots of Friskies treats on hand; keep a powerful squirt gun close by to spray stragglers with. Oops, our mistake. Those are suggestions for herding cats.” On the surface, The Times’ implication that the job Verrone won in an election on September 20 is a nearly impossible task might seem accurate. However, the tone of the editorial might have been different if the writer had actually talked to Verrone. This savvy resident of Pacific Palisades is clear on the issues facing the WGA and the action that needs to be taken to ensure that writers get a fair shake. During his two-year term, Verrone will seek four major goals. The first is to rebuild the union and expand into the areas that don’t recognize guild members, animation and reality TV shows. The second step is to reconnect guild members with one another. Third, organize the union so that all of its members are on the same page before the next agreement is negotiated with the studios in 2007. And fourth, band together with other show business unions such as SAG, DGA and AFTRA because they share many of the same problems the Writers Guild is facing. For writers as well as other creative people in the television/ motion picture industry, a union is important because their jobs and employers constantly change. A union provides its members with health insurance and pension plans. Inherent in show business are two other issues that unions help protect: assigning credit and receiving residuals. “Residuals are important to writers because they are the bridge between jobs,” Verrone noted. In 1998, Verrone was hired to work on “Futurama,” the first television show that Matt Groening did after creating “The Simpsons.” Verrone was dismayed to discover that the Writers Guild didn’t cover animated series. He also learned that “The Simpsons,” “King of the Hill,” and “Family Guy” were not guild signatories. After some negotiation, Twentieth Century Fox Television agreed to a union agreement, recognizing the writers for those shows under the Guild. Historically, animated series were created by a cartoonist on a story board, after which a gag man would write the words. Generally, there was no script. People working on the show were covered by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). For the most part writers have since replaced gag men, but the IATSE still claims those writers under its union. Writers for animated shows on cable networks such as Nickelodeon and The Cartoon Network are not paid residuals, nor do they receive health benefits. For instance, Disney and Pixar writers for the animated features “Shrek” and “Shrek II” didn’t receive royalties. On television, 70 percent of the network shows are guild signatories, but only 12 percent of the cable shows are, according to Verrone. Generally, the areas in which writers don’t receive benefits, residuals or royalties are: animation, cable non-fiction, cable comedy and variety, and also a large percentage of independent films, including documentaries. Verrone cited “March of the Penguins” as a recent example in which a writer was successfully covered under the WGA. How did television writers get into their current predicament? Verrone explained that in the early 1980s, when cable channels were just starting, they had a tiny portion of the viewing audience, so unions gave them low-entry collective bargain deals. Over time, most of the cable channels were acquired by one of six media conglomerates: Time Warner, Viacom, Disney, Sony, NBC-Universal and Fox. The exception is the Discovery channel which remains independent. So far, the six conglomerates have made a conscious effort to make cable a non-union entity. When Verrone began writing for “The Late Show with Joan Rivers” in 1986, the entry-level position in television was talk shows. Now the entry level shows are on cable. Part of Verrone’s headache is the lack of bargaining power caused by the number of writers who don’t belong to the union. The other part is getting the six conglomerates to give basic work benefits to their employees. The rise in reality shows on television has further undermined the status of writers. “Of course there are writers on these shows,” Verrone said. “But they are called segment producers, story assistants or some other euphemism for writers.” Those so called “non-writers” are working long, hard weeks at relatively low wages, and receive neither health insurance nor pension plans. Arguing they should be paid for their overtime work, these writers’backed by the WGA’have brought a class-action lawsuit against their independent producers and the media conglomerates. Verrone is also irritated that Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central is a non-union show. “This is a show that is supposed to tell the truth about the power structure’the conglomerates,” Verrone said. “Yet Comedy Central is non-union, and Stewart’s writing staff is also non-union.” Born in Queens, New York, Verrone moved with his family to Fort Meyers, Florida, where he attended high school. While earning his undergraduate degree at Harvard, he was editor of the National Lampoon Magazine. He graduated from Boston College law school in 1984 and moved back to Florida. While practicing law, Verrone got a call from Maiya Williams, a woman he had dated in college, who told him that many of his former Lampoon colleagues had moved to California and were working in television. He decided to take a three-month sabbatical and move to Los Angeles. The sabbatical turned into 19 years, and Verrone’s list of writing credits is extensive. He wrote for “The Tonight Show” from 1987 to 1990 until Johnny Carson retired, and then worked on the “Larry Saunders Show,” “The Critic” and the “Muppets Tonight,” for which he won his first Emmy in 1998. In 2001 he received his second Emmy for “Futurama.” Meanwhile, Verrone married Williams and they have three children, Patric,10, Marianne, 8, and Teddy, 5, all of whom attend Corpus Christi School. In addition to taking over leadership of the 7,500-member WGA (west), Verrone is the co-producer and head writer for an untitled animated project on Cartoon Network scheduled to air in 2006, featuring Andr’ Benjamin from the musical group Outkast, which by the way in a non-union shop. As a hobby, Verrone creates and sells individually hand-casted and painted historical figurines on eBay.

As part of Palisades PRIDE’s ongoing makeover of the commercial block of Marquez Avenue, five mature golden medallion trees were planted in front of the shops last Thursday morning. Landscape contractor William Ranselaar and his crew sunk the 36-inch boxes into 4-foot-square holes cut into the cement. “The basins will soon be covered over by wrought-iron tree grates like those on Swarthmore,” said PRIDE’s project leader Bob Jeffers. “So far we’ve removed three rooftop signs, installed the stop sign at Bollinger, and landscaped the hillside across the street,” Jeffers said. “These trees are part of the final push to complete the job.” In the next few months, PRIDE will be installing five benches, four trash cans, and four antique lampposts, along with landscaping the median triangle where Marquez meets Sunset. A “Marquez Knolls Shops” sign at the corner is also planned. “Our goal is to do for Marquez what PRIDE did for the 1000 block of Swarthmore in 1996 when they repaired the sidewalks and planted new trees,” Jeffers said. He noted that “throughout the project, the merchants have been very patient and supportive, and Ronny Naidoo (owner of Ronny’s Market) has given away a lot of free snacks to me and the crews.” PRIDE anticipates that everything should be completed by mid-January. The total cost of the project is $100,000, with $89,000 coming from City of L.A. discretionary funds through former City Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski, and $9,000 donated thus far by Marquez homeowners. “We always need money for our projects and maintenance,” Jeffers said. Donations can be sent to PRIDE c/o the Chamber of Commerce, 15330 Antioch St. Founded in 1992 by a small group of concerned Palisadians, PRIDE stands for Protect and Renew our Identity & Environment, and has been actively planning and completing various beautification projects ever since.

Pacific Palisades Community Council members voted unanimously last Thursday night to write letters to city authorities stating their position on a local, residential land-use issue. The subject of the dispute is 15204 Friends St. in the bluffs neighborhood near Via de las Olas, south of Sunset, where neighbors argue the homeowners are constructing a front-yard fence that violates Los Angeles Municipal Code height requirements. The property is owned by “Buddy Love Trust,” and lawyers who represent the owners were invited to present their side of the dispute at the council meeting. When the attorneys did not show up, Chris Spitz, who lives next door at 15210 Friends and opposes the construction, announced that she and her husband, Jeff, had learned that day that the home was listed for sale. However, Spitz added that Zoning Administrator Lourdes Green of the L.A. Department of City Planning is set to hear the case at a public hearing on October 27 because the owners of 15204 Friends St. applied for a zoning administrator’s determination on the fence construction in June. “As far as I’m concerned it’s still going forward,” Spitz told the council, and she reiterated her and her husband’s request that the council write a letter to the zoning administrator stating its opposition to the proposed project. The council voted to do so. The Spitzes had presented their opposition to the project and the failure of the city to enforce existing codes, regulations and rulings, at the September 22 council meeting. Among legal violations, they argue that the proposed construction is inconsistent with existing fence/hedge structures on the street and in the surrounding neighborhood; that, if allowed, it would set a dangerous precedent with the risk of affecting the character of the street and neighborhood; and that it would destroy their front-yard ocean view. The notice of public hearing states that the applicant’s request is a zoning administrator’s determination “to permit the construction, use and maintenance of wooden fences and gates with a maximum height of 6 feet 8 inches within the front-yard setback area.” The Municipal Code permits a maximum height of 3 feet 6 inches within the front yard. According to the Code, “the terms ‘fence’ and ‘wall’ include “latticework, ornamental fences, screen walls, hedges or thick growths of shrubs or trees.” The Spitzes also argue that the property owners began construction before obtaining the necessary building permits and that they are in violation of a “stop work order” issued by Building and Safety in March. A visit to the Building and Safety Web site reveals that 15204 Friends St. is in violation of unapproved construction, which is “under investigation,” and an over-height fence in the required front yard. “I want there to be some action or enforcement,” Chris Spitz told the Palisadian-Post Tuesday. Margaret Richardson, the City Planning Department investigator assigned to this case, said Wednesday morning that she had received a message on her voice mail from an attorney representing the Friends St. property owners, saying that they were “intending to withdraw their application.” Richardson said she had not yet spoken with the attorney but that a letter in writing would have to be filed with the Office of Zoning Administration. The Friends St. property, a 4-bedroom home built in 2002, is listed for $3,595,000. An open house scheduled for Tuesday was canceled.

Elizabeth Virginia Haddad, a 56-year resident of Pacific Palisades, passed away early Sunday morning, October 2, from complications of a stroke. She was 86. “Bess,” as she was fondly known, lived a model life of hard work, devotion to family, service to others, and commitment to spiritual development. She knew how to have fun, bring a great deal of joy to others, and loved to travel all over the world. She had just returned from a two-week vacation in West Virginia and Florida, and only a few months earlier went on an Alaska cruise with her family. If you were looking for a good time at a moment’s notice, Bess was the one to call. The energizer bunny was no match for her when it came to going out to dinner or a movie and she delighted in hosting parties. She played bridge as often as she could find a foursome and regularly organized bridge groups. Born on June 10, 1919 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Bess came to California with her family when she was 13. She graduated from University High in 1937 and attended Santa Monica College. She worked as a waitress at The Broken Drum in Santa Monica and as a seamstress at Kate Danzig’s dress shop in the Palisades. In 1939 she married Wendell Loraine Womble. Unfortunately, he died soon after they bought their home in 1949 on Edgar Street in the Palisades. In 1952 Bess remarried Michael Joseph Haddad and remained in the home until his death in 1985. She continued to live on Edgar Street until her passing. In 1965, Bess joined the Pacific Palisades Woman’s Club (founded in 1925) and served two terms as its president in 1975 and 1986. For 14 years she chaired the rentals committee that handled the many and varied groups who frequently used the club’s facility on Haverford. A devoted member of the Church of Religious Science, Bess helped start the first chapter in Pacific Palisades with Rev. Frank Richelieu and his wife Anita, who was also her spiritual mentor. Bess later studied to become a certified practitioner within the organization although the church itself ultimately moved to Redondo Beach. Also inspired by Rev. Robert Schuller’s positive approach to life, Bess contributed to the Crystal Cathedral church in Garden Grove. Although she did not attend church regularly in her later years, her commitment to spirituality never wavered. She had just been appointed chair of spiritual values at the Woman’s Club, a job she no doubt has already begun to tackle with zest. Fittingly, her memorial service on October 6 was held at the Woman’s Club. Bess is survived by her son Dennis Womble, his wife Margaret, their children Virginia, Alex and Addie; stepson Michael Jones, his wife Carol, their children Kimberly and Christopher; and her niece Gayle Ahrens. Donations in her honor can be made to Pet Orphans in Van Nuys, 7720 Gloria Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91406.

By DIVYA SUBRAHMANYAM Palisadian-Post Intern ” The fourth “4 Paws for a Cure” walk will be held this Sunday, October 9, at 10 a.m. along Temescal Canyon Road. All proceeds will benefit CureSearch, The National Childhood Cancer Foundation. ”Event registration begins at 9 a.m. and is open to all walkers, for $25, with or without a dog. Participants will gather in the playground area of Temescal Canyon Park, just north of PCH on the East side of Temescal. ”A dog agility demonstration will begin at 9:15, and contests with prizes and free treats for all dogs entered will follow at about 9:30. People can also register on the Web at www.pawswalk.org for $20, and receive pledges for their efforts. ”The two-mile hike, along the sidewalk from PCH to Sunset and back, was started by Palisades residents Steve Gordon and Jaime Wolffe in honor of their daughter, Carlye, who gained complete recovery from cancer diagnosed when she was four years old. She is now 13, and attends St. Matthew’s School. ”Gordon developed this walk as one of the many activities he consults for in his capacity as Senior Advisor for CureSearch, which is part of the National Childhood Cancer Foundation, based in Bethesda, Maryland. In 2004, the organization raised about 65 million dollars, and only 6 percent of the money goes to fundraising expenses, among the lowest of all cancer charities, according to Gordon. ”Once Executive Vice President of Creative Affairs at Viacom Productions, Gordon left the television business last September to pursue this track. In an interview Monday, Gordon told the Palisadian-Post that his “passion to help find a cure for childhood cancer had been a part of my life since Carlye recovered and, as time went on, I realized this was the cause that I wanted to devote my energy to.” ”He recently traveled to Washington, D.C., as he does four to six times a year, to lobby senators and congressmen (such as Henry Waxman, Diane Feinstein, and Barbara Boxer) for more federal funding to support the fight against childhood cancer. These petitions are also supported by Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, and Congresswoman Deborah Price of Ohio, who lost a daughter to cancer. ”During his visit, Gordon says, “I tell our legislators our story and the story of others less fortunate, and I tell them about the incredible collaborative research effort that CureSearch is undertaking in more than 240 member hospitals in North America.” ”In addition to special trips (such as this visit to the nation’s capital), Gordon plans fundraising and marketing activities for CureSearch in order to support important research projects. He visits CureSearch’s west coast headquarters in Arcadia, California, at least once a week. Also, since CureSearch is an official charity of both the National Hockey League (as well as Major League Baseball), Gordon hopes to attend a hockey game on a “CureSearch Night,” in an official role. ”The inspiration for “4 Paws for a Cure” was born when Carlye was fighting her cancer and received a rescued pound puppy named Lucky. A terrier mix, Lucky has since “provided a great deal of love and comfort to her,” according to Gordon, and Carlye agrees: “I thought everyone with cancer should have a dog, since I could understand what my dog Lucky did for me.” Carlye’s extracurricular activities include dance, soccer, and volleyball, and she participates in as many events as she can that support childhood cancer research, but especially in the upcoming dogwalk. ””4 Paws for a Cure is an amazing event,” she says. “I was a victim of cancer once and I know how it feels. It is very hard to know that you have something that could cause your life to end. I’m proud to be a part of [the walk], knowing that I’m giving others a hope that life will go on.” ”Carlye has an older sister, Evanne, age 15, who attends Palisades High School, and a younger brother Eli, 7, who attends Marquez Elementary. ””With the war in Iraq and, now, [Hurricane] Katrina, both Federal dollars and public donations are becoming harder and harder to obtain,” Gordon says. “That is why events such as ‘4 Paws’ are so important.” ” (Editor’s note: The author recently took part in an L.A. Times high school journalism competition with other members of the Tideline staff at Palisades High. She placed third in news writing.)

In response to complaints from several citizens that Paul Revere Middle School students were riding in unsafe conditions due to overcrowding on city buses, I received an interesting assignment last Tuesday afternoon: take my notebook and ride the bus home from Revere. ”Three Metro buses line up in front of Revere, on Allenford Avenue, after school. Upon leaving the parking lot, one bus goes east on Sunset towards Brentwood while the other two head west on Sunset towards the Palisades. Now there are three westbound buses and, based on my personal experience, I am grateful. ”I arrived on campus shortly before the final bell. As school let out, a long line of students stood in front of the first “Palisades” bus. An assistant principal kept order as the bus filled to over capacity. I counted close to 80 students boarding. By the time the doors were closed, not only was every seat occupied but the aisles were jam-packed with standing children. ”I walked over to the second bus and got in line, then paid $1.25 for the one-way ride. Although parked in front of the school, these MTA buses welcome any paying passengers, including adults. They will also stop for passengers along Sunset. ”After boarding the bus I noticed that all of the seats were taken. Some of them had three or four kids squeezed together. As I pressed my way down the aisle, I stumbled over several large backpacks that had been placed on the floor, and bumped against others still attached to kids. I stopped counting passengers at 80 when I reached the rear of the bus, next to the exit door. I couldn’t find anything to hold on to. ”I noticed two kids standing on the steps by the rear door because of the crowded conditions. Although it was hard to make an accurate count of the people standing in the aisle because I couldn’t move, there were easily 30 within my obstructed view. ”It was also hot and extremely uncomfortable because the bus wasn’t running and there was no air circulating until some students managed to open several windows. Although I boarded the bus at 3:05, it didn’t pull away from the curb until 3:19. ”The bus had difficulty merging into traffic along Allenford due to double parking by carpooling parents and LAUSD buses. ”Once the bus turned onto Sunset, the breeze through the windows helped make the ride tolerable. But as we rounded corners, I started to worry about the students standing in the stairwell. If the door had suddenly flown open, they would have fallen into the street. ”At 3:23 the bus reached the corner of Sunset and Almalfi, at which point it stopped and the motor went off. The bus driver, a short young woman, stood up and shouted something. In the rear seats, we couldn’t hear what she was saying, but word filtered back that the bus was broken and we were supposed to get off. ”Outside, I asked the driver what happened. “I can’t start the bus,” she said. “I think it’s the transmission.” ”The students all milled around the corner of Almalfi and Sunset. Several pulled out cell phones and called for a parent or friend to come get them. Others ran across Sunset. Still others started walking on the north side of Sunset towards the Palisades. They hadn’t gotten very far before realizing there are no sidewalks along that side of the street’just a steep hillside right next to a sharp, blind curve. ”Cars going west on Sunset started piling up behind the bus, unable to get around it. Then a police car pulled up. Officer Ward stepped out and talked with the bus driver. As he started to get back in his car, I asked him what he was going to do. “Nothing I can do,” he said. “The driver is getting another bus and a tow.” He drove off. ”Before long, cars began arriving from the Palisades, making the left turn onto Almalfi. Each driver took as many kids as safely possible. ”At 3:45, another bus regularly assigned to this route stopped to pick up the 30 or so students left. I got on the bus with them. ””I take this bus every day and it’s already had two problems this year,” student Lache Pelle said. Eighth-grader Jonathon Dobson, who also rides it every day, added: “Friday’s the worst. That’s usually the day it’s the most crowded.” ”I contacted the MTA the next day, September 28, to inquire about the situation. ” “On a regular bus, no one should be standing beyond the yellow limit lines,” said David Armijo, general manager for the Westside Central Service Factor. “Buses should also have a working intercom system.” ””Now that I’m aware of the problem,” he continued, “I’ll take a look at all the options.” ”Two days later, on Friday, Armijo had a third westbound bus added at Revere. He said that since school had just started, MTA had kept everything the same as it had been last year. This year, service demand and ridership were suddenly higher (though the school’s enrollment is down by nearly 100 students). “It seemed prudent to add another bus,” Armijo said. “Whether it will be become permanent, we will have to monitor.” ”Armijo also said he would communicate to the school that a third bus had been added so that students will know it exists and not try to squeeze into one of the first two buses. ”Yesterday morning, I contacted Ken Haker, assistant principal in charge of transportation at Paul Revere, about the additional bus. “I’m happy there’s a third bus coming,” he said. “But I haven’t been informed of it yet.”

First Federal Bank of California, located at Sunset and PCH, was robbed last Thursday when a lone suspect, known as the “Armed Old Man” bandit, entered the building at about 3:30 p.m. with a handgun. ”The suspect, described as a white male with sandy blonde hair, 6 ft. tall, 180 lbs., and 50-60 years of age, demanded currency from the victim teller and “everyone complied with his order,” according to FBI Detective Daniel Jaranillo. The amount of money stolen was not revealed. ”A police report stated that one shot was fired after a dye pack exploded while the bandit was still inside the bank. The shot did not hit anyone. (A dye pack, which is used by banks as an anti-robbery device, explodes within the stolen money and renders it worthless.) ”According to FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller, the bandit fired a round from his 45-caliber semi-automatic handgun. “We’re very concerned that the violence has the potential to escalate further,” Eimiller said. ”The “Armed Old Man” bandit has been connected to four prior bank robberies this year: Bank of the West in Sherman Oaks (March 17), Manufacturer’s Bank in Encino (May 13), Bank of Orange County in Glendale (August 17), and Washington Mutual in Pacific Palisades (August 22). ”At Washington Mutual, the bandit entered the bank with a handgun at about 5:35 p.m. He “victimized multiple tellers and asked for large bills,” Eimiller told the Palisadian-Post at the time. He also threatened to detonate what appeared to be an explosive device in the shape of a pipe bomb. The employees were evacuated, the area was sealed off for public safety, and the LAPD bomb squad responded with a remote-controlled robot used to handle and move suspicious devices. The device was subsequently detonated with a secondary device in a protected zone, said Officer Chris Ragsdale, who was on the scene. He said he believed the bandit’s device was not a charged device.