When Dylan Cohen steps into the batter’s box, opposing pitchers take notice. They know where to pitch him and what kind of pitches to throw. Getting him out, however, is something few are able to do. Going into Wednesday’s game at Hamilton, Cohen led the City Section with a .628 batting average and ranked second in on base percentage at .667. In 43 at-bats, he had amassed 27 hits, 16 RBIs, two home runs, a whopping .953 slugging percentage and only four strikeouts. Such eye-popping numbers are why college and pro scouts have had the Palisades High senior on their radar ever since he came within two feet of hitting a home run down the left field line at Dodger Stadium as a sophomore in the 2003 City Invitational championship game. And though he received scholarship offers from dozens of schools, Cohen has committed to the University of San Diego, where he hopes to break into the starting lineup as a freshman next spring. ‘One of the reasons I chose them is because they were really interested in me,’ says Cohen, who also considered Loyola Marymount, Fresno State, UC Davis and UCLA, among others. ‘And when I drove down to visit the campus and meet the coaches and players, it just felt like it would be a good fit for me.’ As capable as he is at the plate, Cohen is equally skilled on the diamond’even while playing one of the most demanding positions. He has a rocket arm, cat-like reflexes and a venus fly trap for a glove. Those attributes have earned him All-League and All-City honors at short stop, as well as an invitation to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ junior elite team’an all-star squad consisting of the top high school players in Southern California. ‘I take as much pride in my defense as I do my hitting,’ Cohen says. ‘It’s fun playing where I do because I get to make a lot of plays. I want the ball hit to me.’ Another reason Cohen chose San Diego was the assurance from Toreros head coach Rich Hill that he would compete for a spot at second or third base right away. ‘I definitely wanted to go to a Division I school, which San Diego is, and I wanted to have an opportunity to play as a freshman,’ Cohen says. ‘That doesn’t mean it’s going to happen’but I’ll have a chance to prove myself and that’s all you can ask.’ If anyone is convinced Cohen has the ability to succeed at the next level it is Pali co-coach Kelly Loftus. ‘Absolutely he does. I mean, Dylan’s swinging the stick better than .600 right now and he’s hitting the ball hard eight out of 10 times. I’m talking about line drives no more than 15 feet above the ground. He’s just smoking them. And he can hit to every field, too. He has a chance to make an impact at San Diego his first year and that’s pretty special.’ A gifted athlete, Cohen is also a two-year starting quarterback and All City punter/kicker for the Dolphins’ football team, but admits he’ll stick to baseball in college. ‘San Diego recruited me for baseball so that’s what I’m going there for,’ Cohen says. ‘I’ve enjoyed playing football at Palisades, but right now I’m focused on baseball.’ San Diego has a 22-17-1 record this season and is 8-7 in West Coast Conference games. Despite playing the nation’s 12th toughest schedule, the Toreros won 35 games in 2004, third most in school history, including 15 of their last 17. ‘I’m excited to be part of that program,’ Cohen says. ‘I’m looking forward to it. But this is my senior year and there’s still a lot I want to do here.’ Like playing another game in Dodger Stadium, for instance.
Pali Tennis Keeps on Rolling
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
When the season began, Palisades High tennis coach Bud Kling was worried that losing its top two singles players might hinder his team’s chances of defending its league championship and making a run at its first City Section title since 1999. But halfway through the Western League schedule, the Dolphins find themselves in their customary spot atop the standings and have yet to be seriously challenged. After 7-0 shutouts of both Venice and Fairfax, Palisades ousted host Westchester, 5-2, with Ariel Oleynik winning, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 2 singles. Palisades blanked host Hamilton, 7-0, last Tuesday with Stephen Surjue and Seth Mandelkern winning, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 1 doubles. The Dolphins (9-3, 5-0) then beat University last Thursday at Palisades Recreation Center to wrap the first round of league undefeated. Baseball Tested for the first time since their Western League opener, the Dolphins passed with flying colors. After blowout victories in its previous three games, Palisades needed clutch pitching and steady defense to edge Hamilton, 3-1, Monday at George Robert Field. Filling in for injured starter Tim Sunderland, freshman catcher Garrett Champion coralled a strike from center fielder Turhan Folse, blocked the plate, and tagged out a Hamilton runner to complete a game-ending double play. Senior right-hander David Bromberg (5-1) allowed just two hits in six innings with six strikeouts and hit a towering two-run home run into the second lane of traffic on Sunset Boulevard to break a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning. Short stop Dylan Cohen continued his hot hitting, going two for three and driving in the Dolphins’ first run with a double off the center field fence. Cohen also teamed with second baseman Matt Skolnik to turn two double plays. Skolnik pitched the seventh inning to earn his third save for the Dolphins (9-4, 5-0), who are one third of the way to their goal of an undefeated league season. Last Wednesday, Palisades needed only five innings to mercy visiting Fairfax, 11-1, with Austin Jones scoring the 10th run on a fielder’s choice and Skolnik scoring the winning run on an error. Turhan Folse had five strikeouts in four iunnings and tripled to open the bottom of the fourth inning. Cohen doubled to deep center and scored on a single by David Bromberg in the first inning, then doubled off the center field fence to drive in a run in the second inning. Cohen hit an RBI double again in the third inning and scored on Bromberg’s bloop single to right field. Swimming The Dolphin varsity squads remained undefeated in the Marine League with dominating victories over archrival Venice last Friday night at the Gondos’ indoor pool. Palisades’ boys won, 128-57, with Peter Fishler winning the 200 Freestyle in 1:54.15 and the 100 Freestyle in 51.52. For the girls, freshman Kristen Fujii won the 200 Freestyle in 2:03.18 and the 100 Backstroke in 1:04.87 as the Dolphins posted a 109-70 victory. Softball Palisades lost to Hamilton, 11-10, on Monday to remain winless in Western League play. Palisades led 9-8 with two outs in the sixth inning before Pamela Flores singled with the bases loaded for the host Yankees. Crystal Mitchell went two for four with a double and three for the Dolphins (3-10, 0-4), who also lost to Fairfax last Tuesday and defending league champion Westchester last Thursday.
Dorothy Perry, 76, School Psychologist
Born to Helen and La Rey Minium on October 23, 1928 in Los Angeles, Dorothy Perry died on April 8. She was 76. She was a school psychologist with LAUSD, where she established one of the first peer counseling programs at the elementary level. Most of her life was lived in the Los Angeles area, with the last 48 years in Pacific Palisades. Her greatest living moments were with her husband Bus (deceased), her son Ted (wife Margaret), daughter Dana Marie, grandson Ben, her friends, and at the beach. Her serious dislikes were bigotry, prejudice, cruelty, paperwork and cooked carrots. In addition to her children and grandchildren, she leaves one brother Bobby (wife Judy), sister-in-law Evelyn (brother Rodney deceased), Jay Cox, former brother in-law (sister Marjorie deceased), brother-in-law Bud Perry (wife Nancy), and many nieces and nephews. Donations may be made to: Palisadians for Peace, 934 Las Pulgas, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272.
Elizabeth Solar, 83; Devoted Gardener
Elizabeth Ann Solar, a 55-year resident, passed away on April 1. She was 83. ”One of five daughters, Solar was born on a farm in Bismarck, North Dakota, on February 18, 1922. In 1947, she came out to California to be with her sister, but returned home to help on the family farm at harvest time. ”She met her future husband, Joseph, who was also from North Dakota, although the two hadn’t known one another back home. After they married, the couple built their home in 1950, choosing their lot in the Alphabet streets and supervising construction. ”In the early years, Solar would take the trolley to Beverly Hills to help watch people’s children, and later worked for a time at the Palisadian-Post in the late 1960s. ”She attended daily Mass at Corpus Christi Church, but also volunteered at Palisades Elementary. She loved to garden and was unstinting in her daily walk to the bluffs. ”She is survived by her daughter Joan Almieri (husband Raymond) of Orange County and sons Glen (Christina) of Moorpark and Alan (Madaline) of Orange County. ”In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent in her name to the school fund at Corpus Christi Church, corner of Carey and Sunset, or to the Lymphoma Society, 8800 Venice Blvd.
Former PaliHi Librarian Pat Hillis
Pat Hillis, a former Palisades High School librarian and computer lab teacher, passed away on March 31. She was 74. ”Born in Chicago on June 30, 1930, Hillis grew up on the South Side of Chicago in a predominantly Irish neighborhood and developed a love for all things Irish. ”She taught English in Chicago until she moved with her family to California, where she began teaching for the Los Angeles city schools, first at Airport Junior High and then at Palisades High School. ”In 1978, she married Miles Hillis, and around the same time earned a second master’s degree in library science from USC and became the librarian at Palisades High School. ”She remained at Pali for 26 years until her retirement. After retiring, she worked part-time as a medical librarian, cared for her aunt Vicky and took frequent trips, often to Europe. She and Miles especially enjoyed cruises, where they loved the hours of relaxed reading time and evenings spent dancing. ”She is survived by her husband.
Olive Hewitt Thomas, 97; Wife, Mother, Volunteer
After a long and rich life, Olive Hewitt Thomas died peacefully on April 4, comforted by her family. She was 97. Born on April 20, 1907, she was raised in Richmond, Virginia, and attended the University of Richmond. She married John W. Thomas, a graduate of the Naval Academy and Caltech. The newlyweds departed for California in 1940. Olive earned her secondary teaching credential at UCLA, but she soon sacrificed her passion as an educator to raise three children. A longtime resident, she took a keen interest in the community and devoted much of her time to the Children’s Recreation Service (where she served as chairman and president), Palisades Woman’s Club, the United Way, Community Chest (receiving the Distinguished Leadership award) and various election boards. She was also an avid bridge player. When her husband passed away in 1995, she became the matriarch of the family, greatly enriching the lives of her children, grandchildren and great-grand children. She is survived by her children Sandy (husband Eugene) of Lancaster, Suzanne of La Jolla and Nick (wife Kako) of Pacific Palisades; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A radiant beacon of life, beauty and positive energy, she lived her life by one abiding principle’never say an unkind word about anyone. She will be sorely missed. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 23, 2 p.m. at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park, 1218 Glendon Ave. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the charity of one’s choice.
Renaissance Readies for Exit from Alma Real
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
As the school year winds down, Renaissance Academy remains engaged in a legal battle with the Los Angeles Unified School District in an attempt to secure a new campus. Meanwhile, parents and students have to weigh their options for the fall semester. School is scheduled to end on June 24. ‘We have not yet finalized our location for next year,’ Scott Adler, Renaissance board member and parent, said in an e-mail to the Palisadian-Post last Friday. ‘However, we continue to move forward on a couple of prospects and hopefully will be in mediation with LAUSD next month regarding a possible settlement. I am hopeful that we will obtain at least one Letter of Intent from a landlord next week.’ Renaissance filed a lawsuit against LAUSD last June when the District refused the charter’s request for space on an existing campus. Six months later, after moving into the 881 Alma Real building, the school filed suit against Village Real Estate (owner of the building) in an attempt to gain more use of its renovated 13,600 sq. ft. space. The battle between the school and building owners began last September, after Renaissance had been in session for only three days. Greg Schem, managing partner of the building, gave Renaissance a notice of termination of the lease effective June 2005. The two parties reached a settlement in February and dropped their lawsuits against each other, agreeing that Renaissance could remain in the building until the end of June. As part of the agreement, Renaissance, which has an enrollment of 320 students in grades 9 through 12, had the option to give back about half of its space on the first [ground-level] floor and to complete the build-out of about 1,000 sq. ft. on the terrace level (suite T-9), which was originally part of its premises. The school currently uses the completed T-9 space, which it divided into two rooms (production studios A and B), in addition to another terrace-level space (T-24). Renaissance also subleases certain blocks of time from the adjoining Kumon School. ‘With these four spaces we have been able to give back about half our space on the street [ground] level and no longer sublease rooms from Aldersgate [on Haverford],’ Adler said. According to Adler, Renaissance has at least three options for the fall. It has offers pending on two properties, including Glabman’s furniture building on Barrington, between Pico and Olympic, and another space on Bundy with about 20,000 square feet available. ‘Both locations are subject to conditional use permits so we’d have to get permission from the City,’ Adler said. ‘The third location has to remain confidential at this time.’ In an interview with the Post last Saturday, Renaissance parent Linzi Glass-Katz reflected on her daughter Jordan’s first year at the new school. ‘It’s been chaotic, a true test of strength for parents, teachers and [executive director] Paul [McGlothlin],’ she said. ‘The curve ball that we were thrown with the building threw us in the wrong direction, but there’s been a remarkable boomerang.’ Glass-Katz is referring to the turnaround in the last four months, during which a security guard was installed outside the Alma Real building, the school enforced the dress code and created enough space at the building so that students no longer have to attend classes off campus. ‘They’ve created somewhat of a sense of calm out of the chaos,’ said Glass-Katz, whose daughter is a sophomore. ‘I think the chaos got to some of the kids and parents’some students have left, parents have taken their kids out’but now it feels much more settled.’ She cited the ‘incredibly dedicated group of teachers’ as one of the reasons Jordan will be returning to Renaissance in the fall, and said she’s not worried that the school has not yet announced a location for next year since she believes that ‘the core of the school isn’t made up by the walls that hold it but the people inside it.’ Jordan added that the school feels ‘way more stable and way more comfortable’ since the students stopped attending classes at Aldersgate and have more set schedules. Tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday she will be performing in Renaissance’s first theatrical production, Neil Simon’s ‘The Odd Couple,’ at the Santa Monica Playhouse. She said she’s ‘not nervous really’ about where classes will be held in September ‘because we have such a dedicated staff. They trust us and give us freedom. They treat us like adults.’ However, Jordan did lose three teachers this year who her mother says have been replaced by ‘a younger group of talented teachers.’ Jordan explained that the students attend weekly Friday meetings with their advisors to discuss current events and what’s going on with the school. ‘The school’s really come a long way since the beginning,’ she said. ‘I had faith and confidence.’
New West Middle School Plans for Santa Ynez Inn Site Collapse
New West Charter School’s year-long effort to convert the former Santa Ynez Inn into a second campus came to a halt on Monday night when chairman David Eagle was informed by the Self-Realization Fellowship, which owns the property, that they are proceeding with another school to develop the 1.5-acre site. ‘We waited as long as we could before deciding that we would proceed with this other school,’ church spokesman Hank Shaeffer told the Palisadian-Post. While Shaeffer, a real estate attorney, would not name the school involved, he did confirm that it is a private elementary school and that ‘we did not go to them. They came to us.’ Eagle told the Post on Tuesday that New West’s agreement with the landlord began to unravel early in the new year when the charter school could not formally extend its Letter of Intent to lease because it had not been able to raise the estimated $750,000 needed to renovate the dilapidated property at 17310 Sunset. After Eagle informed SRF of the school’s financial predicament, the landlord ‘agreed to continue to work with us, even though we both knew there was a possibility they would lease to someone else,’ Eagle said. ‘The sad thing is, in the last month we were able to come up with more than the funds needed, but they said it was too late.’ While New West has received dozens of small donations in the past year from individuals, adding up to some $20,000, it wasn’t until three weeks ago that the school received its first serious financial commitment’from the William C. Bannerman Foundation, a small, family-owned trust. A week after that, Renaissance Academy, the new charter high school which is moving out of the 881 Alma Real business building at the end of June (see story below), agreed to commit $650,000 to improve the coveted Santa Ynez site, in a joint venture with New West. ‘Now we have $1 million and no site, ‘Eagle said. It was exactly a year ago that Eagle announced the school’s coup in securing a potential 10-year lease on the property, contingent on being able to come up with the improvement funds needed to bring the 14,000 sq. ft. structure up to code. The former Santa Ynez Inn was built in 1946 as a motel with 24 guest rooms. It had a swimming pool, a dining room (‘Fireside Grill’), and one of the two liquor licenses in town. Its simple ranch-style design is reflected in the dated beamed ceilings, brick floors and motel rooms which all open out to a central courtyard. After 30 years in operation, the inn was sold in 1976 to the World Plan Executive Council, better known as TM (Transcendental Meditation), which used the facility for meetings and retreats. In 1989 it was sold to its current owners, SRF, which owns a total of 15 acres on Sunset, including the nearby Lake Shrine. With the inn vacant for over a decade, the church has received many offers to develop the site, mainly for commercial use, ‘but we always told people we weren’t interested,’ Shaeffer told the Post in an interview last year. ‘While we have occasionally used the building for gathering purposes, we knew it was underutilized and in need of repair.’ Shaeffer said that while Self-Realization was not interested in selling the property, nor actively looking for a tenant, ‘when the opportunity came to lease to New West we felt their use was compatible with ours,’ which included SRF using the classrooms for Sunday school. New West’s plans for the new campus called for a full-size basketball court, a dozen classrooms, a science laboratory, and parking for 60 cars. Today, a wobbly chain-link fence surrounds the property. Eagle, a Highlands resident, said he underestimated how difficult it would be to raise funds for the Santa Ynez site. He proceeded based on his experience raising the $500,000 that was needed to renovate New West’s main campus on Pico, where a former furniture warehouse was converted into a modern, urban middle school in a record 3-1/2 months to meet its September 2003 opening deadline. New West’s Pico location currently has 280 students in grades 6 to 8. According to Eagle, about 20 percent are from the Palisades. The Sunset campus was expected to enroll 300 students and would either be an expansion of the middle school or a high school that could accommodate New West graduates. While Eagle was banking on private funds to pay for the Santa Ynez renovations, he was confident that the per-student allocation the public charter school would receive from the state would be sufficient to keep the proposed Sunset campus going after the startup. While Eagle would not discuss the details of New West’s proposed joint venture with Renaissance, RA’s executive director Paul McGlothlin told the Post on Tuesday that even with the loss of the Santa Ynez site, ‘we still have several possibilities for next year. We will be meeting with parents and students next Wednesday to discuss exactly what our options are at this point.’ Eagle, who has been working with a group of parents on developing New West for almost six years now, is ‘saddened’ by the turn of events and hopes the landlord, SRF, ‘will come back to us should the other offer fall through. Yes, I am hoping for a miracle here.’ (Editor’s note: Anyone who would like to contribute to New West’s ongoing fundraising campaign or who would like a refund for donations they made to the proposed Sunset campus can contact David Eagle at NewWestCharter@aol.com, or at 454-4348.)
About Joe Napolitano, 105
Letter to the Editor
By JOE NAPOLITANO Special to the Palisadian-Post I’m now feeling fine. I can still pass the DMV tests for driving. No glasses needed. Late last year, however, a tumor developed near my appendix and colon. It grew to the size of a tennis ball. The question was whether I should leave it to chance or undertake a dangerous operation. My general practice doctor, Roberta Smith, called in surgeon Dr. William Hutchinson, who lives here in the Palisades. He sent me to St. John’s Hospital for several tests. The three of us consulted and I personally opted for the expected major operation. The Christmas holiday interfered, so on January 5, my belly was opened with the doctor’s promise that he would cut only the parts with cancer. Both the tumor and my appendix were taken out. I’ve been convalescing and collecting the numerous bills. You’d be surprised how many! Thank goodness for Medicare and my savings. I am writing this by hand because I don’t know how to use the wonderful equipment available now. Since the surgery my appetite has been great. I even tend to overeat sometimes. My favorite foods are lamb chops, fresh frozen vegetables and pastas of all shapes. I love pork but don’t use it because it’s loaded with water so that the flavor is gone. No beef, no chicken. Incidentally, I’ve had an ill-fitted lower set of teeth that was making my mouth sore. Should I have a new set made at $1,000 or more or could I have the bad set fixed for less? I went to see a good friend, Ronald Wormser (a dentist of long experience) and he said, ‘Give it to me.’ In no time at all he fixed the whole set and it works fine. A couple of dollars? ‘No,’ he said. ‘You owe me nothing.’ Now I’ll put down my pipe and look over my Iliff neighborhood and friends. I’ve been surprised at how many friends I have with great appreciation. My friends the Bartons are back next door by an unusual coincidence. They were scheduled to stay in Marin County until this June. However, the company Roger was working for moved its operation to Los Angeles six months early, so the Bartons were stranded. No job, and their house here had been leased out for six more months to a very nice couple, Mark and Zeita Jones, who were looking to buy a home in the Palisades. Well, the Jones family found a house on Embury ready to be occupied. But they had six months remaining on their lease of the Bartons’ home. What a dilemma for them, too. They turned to the Bartons, who were hoping for just such a solution. So the Jones family moved into their new home on Embury while the Bartons came happily home where they are now, next door to me. Everyone is happy, especially me.
Cleanup Volunteers Needed at Rain-Ravaged Beach Sites
Heal the Bay is leading April’s Earth Month festivities with cleanups and family activities this weekend at Venice Beach, the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, Malibu Creek and Compton Creek. ‘With the recent heavy rains in Southern California, this year’s Earth Day events are even more important than normal,’ said Heal the Bay Executive Director Dr. Mark Gold. ‘The intense downpours have left massive amounts of pollution and debris and we’re seeking community volunteers to help clean inland and beach waterways.’ Santa Monica-based Heal the Bay will kick off its Earth Month agenda with a cleanup at Venice Beach from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 16. Just a few miles north, Heal the Bay will present a special family-oriented Earth Month program at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium from 12:30 to 6 p.m. on April 16, 17, 23 and 24. Also on Saturday, April 23, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Heal the Bay’s volunteers at Malibu Creek State Park will help restore the native plant life that keeps creek beds from being destroyed by rain and erosion. The final Earth Month event is an inland cleanup at Compton Creek on Saturday, April 30, from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Located behind the Crystal Park Casino in Compton, the notoriously polluted Compton Creek flows alongside the 110 and 105 freeways and pours into the L.A. River. Cleaning up the creek is part of a $13 million Compton restoration project. The cleanup site is located behind the casino at 123 E. Artesia Blvd. (near the 91 freeway). For details on volunteering for the Compton Creek Cleanup or any of Heal the Bay’s Earth Month activities, call (800) HEAL-BAY, ext. 122.
