My mother Lois Claire Neuman Adams died at the age of 90 on August 14. My mom was born on December 25, 1934, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to her parents, Jack and Rose Neuman, and she had a younger brother, Sol Neuman … all who predeceased my mother.
She met my dad, Chuck Adams Jr., at the University of Pennsylvania. My parents married when she was 22.
My mother was an actress. Her biggest role was starring in the film “The Embracers,” directed by Gary Graver who was the cinematographer for Orson Welles.
My mother adored her grandchildren, Cissy and Charlie, and her daughter-in-law, Ashley. In the photo is my brother, Chuckie Adams, and my dad, Chuck Adams Jr., and me, Angela Adams.
My mom was the pillar of our family, and a piece of us has died with her and will never be the same without her.
If you would like to contact our family, please email ajadamskeefer@gmail.com.
In loving memory of Brian William Shea. Devoted husband, beloved father, grandfather and loyal friend.
Brian is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Pam Shea, and his four children, Kelly, Stacy, Ryan and Katie. He was also a cherished father-in-law to Bill, Nick and Hugo and a devoted Papa to his treasured grandchildren, Shea, Declan and Luca. His family was his foundation and his greatest source of pride.
Born and raised in Pacific Palisades, Brian’s roots in the community ran deep. He was one of the founding members of the Will Rogers 5K/10K and Kids Run, an event that just celebrated its 47th year and is a cherished tradition of the Palisades Fourth of July festivities. His vision and dedication helped grow this beloved community event into an annual celebration that brings neighbors together in the spirit of health, unity and local pride.
Professionally, Brian spent his career in the financial sector serving as an executive at both Santa Monica Bank and later at East West Bank. He was admired for his ability to blend his business knowledge and personal connection to help many customers throughout the community.
Brian’s commitment to service went beyond his career. He was a member of the Optimist Club, Palisades Pride Committee, Marymount High School Board of Trustees, Will Rogers Park Foundation, St. John’s Foundation Board and the Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce.
Brian Shea will be remembered not only for his many accomplishments, but for his character: generous, grounded, humorous and kind. He was the neighbor you could count on, the friend who made you laugh and the family man whose love ran deep.
His legacy lives on in his family, friends, the community he loved and the lives he touched along the way. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered with love.
Funeral mass will be held on September 4 at 10 a.m. at St. Monica’s Catholic Church in Santa Monica.
CVS in Pacific Palisades—located at 864 Swarthmore Avenue—reopened on Friday, August 15, following its closure since the Palisades fire.
“They have a new look inside and are fully staffed, including the pharmacy,” Eileen Carry told the Palisadian-Post. “Kirsten Giannelli, the district performance coordinator for CVS, is on hand to assist in the reopening process for the community. And, the community is coming. I saw several people coming into the store to shop and talk with the staff. The pharmacy team is at the ready and looking forward to serving the community again.”
A representative said the store has “soft opened”: “A grand opening and ribbon-cutting will be held on September 19 at 11 a.m.”
“The Swarthmore Avenue store is your go-to shop for vitamins, groceries, first aid supplies and cosmetics,” read the CVS website. “Its convenient location has made this Pacific Palisades pharmacy a neighborhood staple.”
In-store services include COVID-19 vaccines and testing, flu shots, immunizations, prescription delivery, an ATM, photo (including passport photos), UPS access point, OTC Health Solutions, in-store pickup, pharmacy, and Beauty IRL.
The store’s current hours, according to its website, are daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The pharmacy hours are Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The pharmacy closes for lunch from 1:30 to 2 p.m.
“We are recognized as a useful place to go for everyday products that local residents can pick up and purchase at their convenience,” read the CVS website. “The Pacific Palisades CVS Pharmacy is here to help our Pacific Palisades neighbors stay healthy by refilling prescriptions and offering low prices on over-the-counter supplements.”
“Join us for our [third] visioning charrette for the resilient rebuilding of Pacific Palisades,” PRC wrote. “Run by RAND and AIA volunteers, focused this month on the unique topography of the Castellammare/Paseo Miramar neighborhood.”
Previous visioning charrettes have focused on the Alphabet Streets and Marquez Knolls/Las Casas. The events are designed to bring “neighbors together, neighborhood by neighborhood, to conceptualize what rebuilding can look like when rooted in resilience, foresight and collective strength.”
“This area is unique in that it has delicate topography, is characterized by narrow and winding hillside streets, bullheads, unstable slopes, high water table, and an important neighbor in the Getty Villa,” read information about the forthcoming meeting
The visioning charrette will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 14224 Sunset Boulevard.
“The Palisades Recovery Coalition is the central hub of our community’s recovery effort after the devastating Palisades fire,” read its website. “We are a community-built, community-led organization—not a startup, not a temporary task force, but a dedicated coalition with the long-term expertise and trusted relationships to lead this complex recovery effort effectively.”
Photos by Rich Schmitt/Courtesy of Theatre Palisades
By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
Tickets are on sale now for a three-weekend run of “The Wisdom of Eve,” which will be presented by Theatre Palisades at The Blue Door theater in Culver City.
“After the loss of their Pierson Playhouse in this January’s firestorm, Theatre Palisades is pleased to announce its second production of 2025, ‘The Wisdom of Eve’ by Mary Orr, the timeless tale of deception and desire that inspired the classic film ‘All About Eve,’” read information from Theatre Palisades.
Performances will take place on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., as well as Sundays at 2 p.m., September 5 through 21.
“‘The Wisdom of Eve’ pulls back the curtain on the cutthroat world of Broadway, centered around the seemingly innocent Eve Harrington,” read a synopsis. “She arrives as a devoted fan of the legendary actress Margo Crane and is hired as her personal assistant. But as Eve sets her sights on the spotlight, her relentless ambition unleashes a chain of manipulation and betrayal that threatens to destroy careers and friendships.”
The play is directed by Sherman Wayne and produced by Martha Hunter. Its cast includes Philip Bartolf, Isabella DiBernardino, Steve Frankenfield, Manfred Hofer, Hunter, Richard Johnson, Sara Kaner, Maria O’Connor, Eric Trigg and Amy Witkowski.
“This masterful play explores themes of envy, manipulation and the ruthless pursuit of success, mirroring the intense drama of its cinematic inspiration,” the synopsis concluded.
The Blue Door is located at 9617 Venice Boulevard. General admission tickets are $25, and $22 for students and seniors. A $5 early bird discount can be received with promo code WISDOM5 at checkout.
“Praised for its sharp wit and clever humor, ‘The Wisdom of Eve’ is a behind-the-scenes theatrical experience you won’t want to miss, especially those who work in the entertainment industry or ever wanted to find their way onto the stage or silver screen,” according to Theatre Palisades.
For tickets or additional information, visit theatrepalisades.org or call 310-454-1970.
“The reopening has been incredibly heartfelt,” General Manager of Brentwood and Pacific Palisades Allegra Griffin said to the Palisadian-Post. “Many of our members live in the Palisades and were directly impacted by the fire, so being able to return to the studio has provided a sense of normalcy and healing. We’ve felt overwhelming support from both long-time members and new faces, all wanting to be part of rebuilding the community together.”
As of August 18, the class schedule included Mondays and Wednesdays at 8:30, 9:30 and 10:30 a.m., as well as Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9, 10 and 11 a.m.
“We will continue to expand the schedule to include afternoon and weekend classes as more clients return to the area,” Griffin explained.
Club Pilates Pacific Palisades’ current offerings include Group Reformer-based Pilates classes for all levels, and private and semi-private training sessions. A special welcome for new clients, according to Griffin, is their first class is free (a “50-minute, full-body Pilates workout”).
“I went to one of the first classes this past Monday and can say, the members are showing up,” Eileen Carry told the Post. “And the class was fantastic … My experience in the class was positive and not affected by the outside environment. I hope the other members experienced and will experience it the way I did. A very positive experience in all of this still-being-sorted chaos.”
The studio is located at 15230 Sunset Boulevard in the back side of the building, directly above the rear entrance of Wells Fargo.
Paliskates has partnered with It’s Bigger Than Us for the sixth annual Back 2 School: Skate Classic, which will take place on Saturday, August 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Venice Beach.
“We feel grateful to be a part of this event,” Paliskates Founder and Owner Erica Simpson said. “Not having a physical store in the Palisades, our team really misses the daily interaction with our community and customers. This live event gives us a chance to connect with the Westside community in a meaningful way.”
Paliskates, which lost its Swarthmore Avenue storefront in the Palisades fire, has a 25-plus-year history in the community.
“This event is set to bring together a large number of attendees for a day of giving back and community connection,” according to a statement. “The free festival will feature school supply giveaways, youth sports, live entertainment, a vital beach clean-up effort and access to important community resources.”
The list of items that will be available include more than 1,500 backpacks, resource items and diapers. Some of the brands that will be featured are Supreme, lululemon, Pac Sun and more.
There will be skate and yoga activations, as well as games, art activities, raffles, vendors, health and dental resources, and more. Prizes include $1,000 cash, Tony Hawk-signed skateboards and posters, and a pack of four tickets to an LA Chargers game.
“This is more than just a skate comp—it’s about culture, legacy and rebuilding together,” read information about the event. “Paliskates has been holding it down for over 25 years, and we’re proud to keep that spirit alive for the next generation.”
Additional partners for the event include Councilmember Traci Park, Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, Athens Services, Metro and LA Care Health Plan. It will feature a guest performance by Grammy Award-nominated artist D Smoke.
“This year’s theme was A City United,” It’s Bigger Than Us Founder and CEO Tyrone Nance said. “Fall 2025 won’t be like any other. We’re still healing—from fires, displacement and uncertainty—but we’re showing up for one another with love, freedom and community.”
The event will take place at 1800 Ocean Front Walk in Venice. It is free to attend, but participants must RSVP in advance to secure their spot. When registering, only one ticket is needed per household.
Los Angeles Unified School District Director of Community Relations Lorena Padilla-Melendez moderated a series of design update community meetings on Zoom for Marquez Charter Elementary School on July 23, Palisades Charter Elementary School on July 24 and Palisades Charter High School on August 11, at which progress reports regarding rebuild efforts following the Palisades fire were provided.
Regarding Marquez, Carlos Torres of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety first gave an update, confirming that U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Household Hazardous Waste Removal (Phase 1) and Debris Removal (Phase 2), which includes site assessment and removal of asbestos, concrete, metal, ash surface soils (top three to six inches), have been completed. Third-party contractors for debris removal and environmental assessment of soils have also concluded their work.
“As far as the last thing—pre-occupancy testing and inspection—we’re close to saying we’re done, but not quite,” Torres said. “We didn’t find any contamination at all and we did wipe samplings in buildings that weren’t even there in the fires. Enhanced air quality monitoring will be installed in August.”
Next, Timothy Spaeth, senior design manager for Planning and Development, gave update on the interim campus (Phase 1), which is going on now, and later Phase 2. The total project budget is $202.6 million.
The project scope includes 22 new classrooms (general, TK, K, specialty, administrative spaces, multi-purpose room, library, food services and maintenance facilities); infrastructure updates, including utilities, landscape and parking improvements; and interim classrooms during the design and construction of the permanent campus. The new building construction is scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2027 and be completed in the fourth quarter of 2028.
As for the interim campus, 22 portable buildings for classrooms, administration, kitchen and library and three portable restrooms have been installed; mosaic restoration work is ongoing; and there will be communication from the district to discuss the return to campus after the start of the school year. Total interim play space is 43,000 square feet.
Regarding the permanent campus, Spaeth said plans are for 15 new general classrooms (first through fifth grade), four kinder/TK classrooms, two flexible learning/maker space classrooms, and a parent center.
The library will be 2,000 square feet and hold 6,000 books. The multi-purpose room stage with theatrical lighting and built-in projector and a motorized screen will be used for indoor dining or for PE during inclement weather.
“We’re looking at three years, six months and we’re pushing toward building occupancy by the end of 2028,” he said. “There’ll be at least as many parking spaces as before and the new infrastructure will be all new water pipes.”
Saif Vagh, associate principal at NAC Architecture, went over planning and design principles.
“We’re in the final schematic design phase right now,” Vagh said. “The multi-purpose room is more than twice as big and will be in the front of campus for better access … Of the three concepts we proposed—Secret Garden, Front Porch and Village Green—the Secret Garden was the most popular.”
The Secret Garden concept is designed to be “a nurturing, inspiring and subtly enchanting learning environment that fosters curiosity, discovery and a deep connection to nature,” according to the slides. It includes facets like an enclosed communal space, learning and play integrated, and every classroom to have a green view.
For Pali Elementary, the project scope entails restoring and repairing intact buildings with upgrades for re-occupancy; 16 new classrooms; and infrastructure renewal, including utilities, landscape and parking improvements. The timetable for Pali Elementary is the same as Marquez, with a total project budget of $134.9 million.
“Fire caused significant damage but it’s all hands on deck at LAUSD,” Spaeth added. “We’re working around the clock.”
Design Principal Greg Kochanowski of Practice firm said the new design will push the multi-purpose room out closer to the street and there will be the same number of parking spaces. The permanent campus overview calls for nine new general classrooms (first through fifth grade), five kindergarten/TK classrooms and two flexible learning/maker space rooms; two resource specialist rooms; a lunch shelter; outdoor play areas; and a 3,000-square-foot multi-purpose room.
“We’re in the final schematic design phase,” Kochanowski said. “The guiding principles are to establish a framework plan promoting unity and identity for students; create an environment that supports healing and collective memory; utilize holistic design practices to create a resilient campus environment; and harmonize the new structures with the existing building.”
Community Commons, Interwoven Landscapes and Garden Courts were the three design concepts proposed, and the consensus was toward the latter two, with emphasis on the kinder yard existing location being maintained but also separate from the main yard and respect for the historic building fabric.
Samples of “collision moments” planned as part of the design at Pali High.
Regarding Pali High, Scott Singletary, deputy director of LAUSD Facilities Planning and Development, introduced the campus reconstruction project, explaining that the $266 million project would funded by bond funds, while the district pursues insurance and FEMA claims.
The scope includes to replace facilities that were destroyed in the fire, which includes 21 general classrooms and six specialty classrooms/workrooms, collaboration spaces, administrative spaces, and restrooms for students and staff. In addition, portable buildings that remained post fire will now be removed and replaced in the new construction, due to “extensive mitigation requirements.”
It also includes infrastructure, landscape, track and field, and other impacted areas. For Palisades Academy, it includes three general classrooms and three faculty/staff offices. In the athletic field areas, it includes track and field, two athletic support spaces, a ticket booth, and baseball field.
Pali High is projected to follow the same construction timeline as Marquez and Pali Elementary, with design and the bid process before construction is slated to begin in the first quarter of 2027 and building occupancy in the fourth quarter of 2028.
Education Leader Principal K-12 Jesse Miller and Project Manager Jeffrey Zolan of DLR Group presented on the project goals and guiding principles, which include belonging, resilience and sustainability. The design concept includes “interlace,” “connect” and “thrive.”
Zolan broke the project down into three main facets: the new classroom building development zone, track and field restoration, and new baseball field, which is currently where portable buildings are being placed to temporarily serve as classrooms when students return and construction is underway.
Since the previous meeting, the buildable area has expanded to the east, with the planned removal of the portable buildings that were damaged. The design is meant to be “greener, safer and smarter,” with a fire defense zone along Sunset Boulevard and sun reaching the classrooms throughout the year, due to proposed building orientation. It also works to connect existing courtyards, as well as take inspiration from existing buildings, including “brick elements.”
Miller described seven different items across the site where they are trying to create “collision moments,” “collaboration spaces,” and “opportunities for students to really learn from each other.” These include interactive stairs, an innovation courtyard, learning stairs, indoor and outdoor collaboration, an outdoor amphitheater, and landscape buffer and benches at tennis courts.
Pali High—which began the 2025-26 school year at the Sears building campus location on August 13—has a target to return to portable spaces on the Palisades campus by the spring 2026 semester.
The last design community meetings for the three schools are anticipated to be scheduled for fall 2025, where presentations of the final designs will be given, including visual representations.
The playground and small gym have reopened at Palisades Recreation Center following a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, July 31.
The small gym has reopened with several programs, Senior Facility Director Jasmine Dowlatshahi explained, including Coffee & Community on Thursdays at 11:30 a.m., Tai Chi with Guy Horton on Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m., Pickleball on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 11:30 a.m., Open Play Basketball on Tuesdays and Fridays at 4 p.m., and a Summer Ballet Camp.
Select programming is slated to continue at Palisades Recreation Center until December, with groundbreaking currently planned for January 2026 on rebuilding the property—an effort led by Steadfast LA and LA Strong Sports. Other programming, including basketball, will continue to take place at alternate locations, like Oakwood Recreation Center.
Following the Palisades fire, the tennis center and large gym were reported on the CAL FIRE Damage Inspection Map as “destroyed,” meaning they were at least 50% damaged. Debris removal work has been completed.
The recently completed new playground was funded by Los Angeles Parks Foundation, through “monetary and in-kind contributions” from FireAid, GameTime and Banc of California. It was “designed to be universally accessible and inclusive, and to offer safe and joyful spaces for children ages 2 to 12,” according to LAPF.
More than 450 attendees tuned into a special meeting co-hosted by Pacific Palisades Community Council and Councilmember Traci Park on Thursday evening, August 7, to review a “recovery vision” for what lies ahead and a presentation by AECOM.
Park addressed the “pivotal moment” for the community as it reached seven months after the Palisades fire, transitioning from “mop up and debris removal” into the “long-term construction phase” in what will be “the largest construction effort in our city’s history.” She said she took information from “hundreds of meetings,” time spent in areas that experienced disasters, like Lahaina and Paradise, and meetings with contractors, builders and beyond into a “vision document.”
“As your councilmember, I am adamant that your voices and your needs and priorities and that your decisions are at the core of every decision we make and every step that we take going forward,” Park said. “My office and I are going to be here to help provide the coordination and the policy tools and support that you need, as well as the help that you’re going to need to continue your journey through this recovery.”
Park then shared her “recovery vision,” detailing that it would be “community-led” and “government-supported,” while rebuilding “the Palisades for the victims” and preserving the character. She also addressed improving emergency preparedness and modernizing infrastructure.
She detailed recovery surveys that were administered with the help of Maryam Zar and Palisades Recovery Coalition on a “wide range of issues,” spanning “insurance challenges; rebuilding priorities, plans and timelines; and infrastructure and public amenities upgrades and changes.”
“Most respondents lived in the Palisades for over 20 years and nearly 40% had children living under the age of 18 living with them at the time of the fire,” Park said of the just-under 1,000 responses.
About 37% said they planned to live outside of the Palisades for more than two years, while 32.5% said they would be back in less than two years and 30.5% were unsure. For those who were unsure, less than 35% reported “being adequately insured for the losses or damages” suffered.
The recovery vision included land use and preservation of community character, protecting and assisting property owners and renters, supporting small business recovery, infrastructure to support fire safety and emergency preparedness, protecting and restoring the natural environment, coordinated operations and logistics for the rebuild, restoring public spaces and amenities, and governance and funding strategy for the long-term rebuilding effort.
“The Pacific Palisades is a very unique coastal community with extremely limited ingress and egress, many sub-standard, old, narrow roads … ” Park described. “It is imperative that we continue to treat the Palisades with the due care that is necessary in all of our planning as we move through the rebuilding phase. I also think that it is really important that we respect the character of the Palisades, its natural beauty, the low-density hillside neighborhoods, your walkable village center.”
When it comes to coordinated operations and logistics for the rebuild, Park said she was “very, very grateful” to have AECOM on board to take on the load of the “very heavy lift.” Mayor Karen Bass announced on June 6 that the global infrastructure firm had been selected to “support a number of long-term components in the city’s recovery effort.”
AECOM Program Manager Matt Talley, who is also a disaster survivor, presented during the PPCC meeting after Park concluded, reporting in an activity update that they had “integrated with all relevant city department working groups” in the three weeks they have been involved, having attended more than 15 meetings at the time of the meeting.
Talley detailed three main areas of focus: infrastructure, including water and power; fire protection; and logistics and traffic management, mainly during the construction phase. Within the next 120 days, Talley said, the community can expect to see “three concrete plans,” which will be “data-driven” with “community input.”
“This is going to be a roadmap,” according to AECOM. “It lays out what the next steps are to your focus on concrete, action-oriented activities, so it really is intended to be a roadmap to continue the progress moving forward.”
The infrastructure restoration plan includes an “assessment of existing damage and current status, baseline infrastructure data, restoration tiers and strategic framework for rebuild,” according to the slideshow.
The fire protection plan “outlines phased strategies for fire protection and prevention mitigation measures, firefighting water supply alternatives, emergency access, evacuation planning and community protection priorities.” This involves coordinating with agencies like Los Angeles Fire Department and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
Logistics and traffic management will include “access assessment, staging strategies, traffic control plans, protocols to support safe and efficient recovery operations.”
The meeting included after an hour Q&A session with members of the board and community.
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