The Palisades business district has sparkled for a whole year now, thanks to the sidewalk and street cleaning program launched last February by the Palisades Chamber of Commerce. In recent years, the Village area has become a lively hub, attracting shoppers and diners morning till evening. But the byproduct of all this activity has been a need for more diligent street sweeping, trash and graffiti removal, and steam cleaning of sidewalks-an effort that cannot be met exclusively by the city’s financially-strapped Bureau of Sanitation. In order to finally address the problem, after many failed volunteer efforts, the Chamber a year ago contracted with Chrysalis Street Works cleaning service, the professional cleaning business operated by the nonprofit to help homeless men get work. Each Monday, two workers fan out into the Village with brooms, graffiti remover, gum scrapers and trash receptacles. For many of these workers, this job not only garners $7 to $7.25 an hour, but is also the first step back towards employment. With seed money of $5,000, the Chamber negotiated for a twice-weekly cleanup at $13,000 a year, and in June followed up with a letter to all 450 business members explaining the program and requesting support. “While we received about $2,500 from this effort, some with $300 donations, some $50, we soon realized that we were running out of money and decided that we’d go to the residents with our request,” said Arnie Wishnick, the Chamber’s executive director. In the meantime, Michael Edlen, a Coldwell Banker realtor and longtime Palisades resident, discovered that the program was in trouble and wrote a personal check for $6,500. “It started with my being very surprised that the street maintenance program was not being supported very substantially and the whole program was at risk after 2003,” Edlen said. “We’re in the middle of the village (Coldwell Banker has two offices on Sunset) and we’re one of the main beneficiaries of having clean streets and sidewalks. I proposed to Scott Gibson [president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage for Greater Los Angeles County] that he contribute with me, through Coldwell Banker. So with this $13,000 and the donations from other merchants and residents, we’re covered for 2004.” Gibson, who is also a Palisades resident, hopes that his company’s $6,500 contribution will set an example for other businesses. “Most store managers [for the chains] have funds they can contribute for a project like this,” he said. “We want our donation to be a goad for other merchants to step forward and contribute to the fund for 2005.” Last October, the Chamber sent a letter to all 10,000 households in 90272, requesting support for the program, and the good luck kept coming. “The very first day we received 95 responses for about $2,600,” Wishnick said, “and we’re now up to $30,000,” minus about $3,000 for the mailing. “This should carry us for a year and allow us to steam clean the sidewalks twice a month,” Wishnick said. “We are also looking to expand the program to Marquez and the area around the branch library on Alma Real.” It’s a win-win situation for everyone. For the Chrysalis workers who are going through a transition in their lives, Street Works gives them a break. “Our goal is to get these men work so they have something to put on their resume,” said Michael White, director for business development for both Street Works and Chrysalis’ Labor Connection, a full-service staffing company. For the time being, the Chamber will continue the one-a-week cleaning and twice-monthly steam cleaning, Wishnick said. “We will need more funds, so this will be an annual request to both merchants and residents. We are thankful to everyone’s generosity. Over 900 residents have contributed and the money keeps coming.”
Genevieve Brown; Wife of Former Post Publisher
Genevieve E. Brown, the wife of former Palisadian-Post publisher Charles B. Brown, passed away quietly December 28 in the company of her family in her home at Freedom Village in Lake Forest. She was 81. In attendance at the funeral service from Pacific Palisades were Roberta Donohue, Palisadian-Post publisher; Grace Hiney, restaurant editor; and Ed Lowe of the production department. Mrs. Brown, daughter of the late Eda and Joseph Adamic, was born April 17, 1922 in Gilbert, Minnesota, after which the family returned to make their permanent home in Chisholm on the famous Mesabi Iron Range. She was valedictorian of the class of 1940, largest in the history of the Chisholm schools with an enrollment of 220. At a time when plastics were unheard of, her valedictory address, which had to be approved by the superintendent of schools, spoke to “The Future of Plastics.” She achieved the highest rank of Golden Eaglet in the Girl Scouts of America and served as a summer counselor at Camp Joseph Austin on Long Lake. She mastered the violin and held the position of first violin in the high school orchestra as well as performing with the Chisholm city orchestra. She was married at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Chisholm on June 26, 1944 while her husband was on furlough from the Army. She left her position as office manager of the El Queeno Distributing Company, largest on the iron ranges of northern Minnesota, to serve in headquarters at Freeman Field in Seymour, Indiana, and Maxwell Air Force Base at Montgomery, Alabama, where her husband was stationed. She returned to Chisholm for the birth of their first child in August 1945. The family moved to California in January 1954 after selling the family newspaper in Chisholm and purchasing the Pacific Palisades Post. In 1960, they bought The Palisadian, and merged the two papers into the Palisadian-Post. The Browns were Palisades residents and lived next door to current publisher Roberta Donohue when she was a young girl. “Growing up next door to Gen and Charley Brown was always such fun,” said Donohue. “When I was 3 (I had two brothers), going next door meant four more kids to play with. As I grew up, so did their family, and three more children came along. Our families did everything together. We shared birthdays and holidays as one big family. Gen was a second mom, and I felt right at home. She was a wonderful and loving mother and wife, and will continue to be in my heart forever.” The Browns sold the Palisadian-Post to the Small Newspaper Group in August 1981. In addition to her husband, Genevieve Brown is survived by her daughter, Charlene Allen of Irvine; three sons, Bruce, Richard and Robert, all residing in the San Diego area; five grandchildren and one great grandson. She was preceded in death by three children: Duane, Bonnie and Teresa, all of whom succumbed as young adults. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated January 5 at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Laguna Hills, with close friend Monsignor John Urell, vicar general to the bishop of the Diocese of Orange and pastor of St. Norbert’s Church in Orange, officiating. Burial was in the family plot at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City with the Reverend Eamon O’Gorman, pastor of St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Laguna Beach, officiating.
Authors Provide First Aid for Broken Hearts
After going through breakups with their boyfriends, both Marni Kamins and Janice MacLeod felt a mixture of feelings, from devastation to emptiness. They filled the void in a variety of creative ways, which led to their writing “The Breakup Repair Kit.” The first-time authors will speak about their book, published by Conari Press, at Village Books, 1049 Swarthmore, on Thursday, January 29 at 7:30 p.m. Kamins, a Palisades native, and MacLeod, a Canadian, both live in Santa Monica. They met two and a half years ago at a reading of “Transformation Soup” by the author SARK. They felt an instant connection, and later bonded over their shared grieving. Weaving together their personal stories and research about loss, they have written a fun, light-hearted book they call “first aid for the heart.” The small-sized paperback, laid out like a first aid manual and printed in pink ink with whimsical illustrations, is divided into three parts, each made up of short paragraphs and tips: “The Mourning After,” “Rebuild Your Life,” and “Back in the Saddle.” “People going through breakups have a short attention span,” says MacLeod, who initially came up with the book idea in a yoga class. “I had an idea of a girl sitting in a nest.” In the book, this translates into a nurture nest-creating a space to feel one’s feelings, sort of a grown-up version of the childhood blanket fort. The authors also debunk fears, delusional thinking and black-and-white thoughts such as “I have no one left in the whole wide world who loves me.” “It’s ‘Healing 101.’ For a lot of people in their 20s, it’s their first big loss,” says MacLeod. They would get together a few times a week at one another’s homes or at coffee shops, writing down and drawing all their ideas. They later submitted these illustrated pages to publishers. They originally envisioned a kit which, along with the book, would contain candles, facial masks and tea. Kamins, 27, who has a master’s degree in spiritual psychology from University of Santa Monica, is a freelance writer and tutor. She attended Marquez, graduated from Santa Monica High School, and is active at Kehillat Israel. Even though Kamins initiated the breakup with her boyfriend, she still had feelings of loss. MacLeod, 29, a freelance advertising copywriter, had met her boyfriend in Toronto and moved with him to Los Angeles. “The breakup was mutual, but I knew he wanted out-it was very painful,” she says. Encouraging women to be as supportive of themselves as possible, the authors also suggest women focus on something greater than themselves to help them through the pain. The book discusses everything from post-breakup sex to reconnecting with one’s spirituality. In fact, MacLeod cites meditation as the most helpful for her after her breakup. Kamins says for her, it was prayer: “Talking to God out loud or writing a Dear God letter.” Her prayers ranged from “I believe you have a plan for me” to “What are you doing this for?” “Prayer made me feel maybe I really am taken care of, that maybe someone does have a plan,” Kamins says. Offering comfort and understanding, the authors say, “Try not to beat yourself up about feeling bad.” They offer lots of ideas about how to help yourself feel better, everything from “take yourself out to dinner,” to advice on what to do with the “couple” stuff you’re not quite ready to get rid of (photos, letters, mementos). The authors also advocate ceasing all communication with the ex at some point, to focus on yourself and your own healing. MacLeod eventually did that with her ex, and today the two have a friendship. “Guys have been buying the book,” says MacLeod. “Men are inherent problem solvers. They give it as a gift to a female friend.” Readers are encouraged to fill the void in healthy ways. “I felt I had no idea what to do with my time,” said Kamins, whose motive was not to fill the void with food. “It’s about filling the void with creative stuff,” says MacLeod. The book also talks about sadness versus depression, and when a support group or therapist might be helpful. “I’ve gone through a breakup where it feels like you can’t get through the day,” Kamins says. “That’s when you may want to see a professional.” The authors found each other’s company provided a nice support group, which they want to share with other newly unattached women. The last part of the book gives advice about when you’re ready for a new relationship and steps to continue taking care of yourself. Both women are now in new relationships, both having learned from their breakups and subsequent healing. “What I learned from writing the book is that men will take care of themselves first,” Kamins says. “I need to learn to take care of myself first. I’ve gotten better at it.” For more information or for breakup counseling, go to www.breakuprepairkit.com.
Girl Scouts Design Service Projects
By LONNIE RESSER Special to the Palisadian-Post Seven senior Girl Scouts in the Palisades have been approved by Angeles Girl Scout Council to proceed with their Gold Award projects. The Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout can achieve and is the equivalent of the Eagle Award in the Boy Scouts. It is earned by completing a self-designed community service project that must be subsequently approved by the Gold Committee at the Angeles Girl Scout Council. Many of the projects involve donations of supplies, as the girls are not permitted to seek donations of money. The Gold Award project can be submitted for consideration only after the girls have completed four other extensive requirements as senior scouts, involving at least 75 hours of effort, including Leadership and Career Exploration programs. Six girls from Troop 477 in the Palisades are currently working on their projects. Olivia Mell, a junior at Wildwood, is planning charity dance performances with Emily Kay of Fancy Feet Dance Studio. The performances will be held at children’s hospitals and a senior home. She is also collecting toys and items for the sick children at the hospital where the performance will take place. Toys, such as Barbie dolls or video games (but no used stuffed animals, please), may be dropped off at Fancy Feet Dance Studio, 881 Alma Real Dr., Ste T-27.Lonnie Resser, a junior at Palisades Charter High School, is conducting a book drive to collect books for Coeur d’Alene Elementary School in Venice. Three new teachers need classroom libraries. She will also organize the books in a way that will make them easily accessible by the students. These teachers teach kindergarten, second and fourth grade. Books for this project may be e-mailed to Lonnie at Lresser@yahoo.com. Jackie Kallberg, a junior at PaliHi, is quilting blankets for children at Mattel Children’s Hospital. Lydia Farzin-Nia, a PaliHi junior, is developing a garden educational center at Coeur d’Alene Elementary School in Venice and teaching the students about gardening, a good classroom resource. She will also be doing arts and crafts projects with the students. Her project requires donations of seeds, flowers, soil, fertilizer, wood, watering cans, garden tools, pine cones, peanut butter and bird seeds. Alex Michael, a PaliHi junior, is collecting arts and crafts supplies for children at the Mattel Children’s Hospital. She will be making baskets with these supplies that will allow the children to pass their time spent in the hospital in a constructive and creative way that will also allow them to express themselves. Kelley Costello, a junior at The Archer School for Girls, has completed construction of indoor and outdoor library facilities for the Palisades Presbyterian nursery school, including bookcases, a table, and two benches. She will also be refinishing its outdoor covered reading pavilion. Alice Hernandez from Troop 729 is a junior at PaliHi, where she has started the “Hope Club” for cancer patients. Alice is collecting CDs, DVDs, tapes and video games for cancer patients. She will be painting a mural on canvas for the patients as well. If you would like to donate items, please contact her at 454-6255. The girls would welcome support from the community for these projects with the in-kind donations indicated. Donations can be submitted at Palisades Presbyterian Church’s Janes Hall, or e-mail Lonnie at Lresser@yahoo.com for pickup.
Dreaming of India
When Palisadian Anjini Desai married and moved to Los Angeles from Bombay in 1996, she vowed to keep the language, customs and traditions of her native land alive, a pledge made all the more meaningful when she became a mother. Desai is exuberantly fulfilling her mission as an ambassador of Indian culture, both with her own children and many other kids in the Palisades. In December, Desai introduced students at Seven Arrows Elementary to Diwali, India’s spectacular festival of lights. Celebrated in India in the fall in accordance with the lunar calendar, Diwali commemorates the arrival of the Hindu Lord Rama, who is said to have returned from exile to reclaim his kingdom. “It’s the biggest festival in India,” says Neil Desai, Anjini’s husband, who is vice president of a biotechnology firm in Santa Monica.”Even though it’s based in religion and represents the Hindu New Year, it’s more of a cultural thing that everyone celebrates.” During the five-day festival, Indians light thousands of earthen “diya,” small oil lamps to illuminate the path of Lord Rama and to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, into their homes. Fireworks explode in the sky many nights in a row, and amid this joyous atmosphere families gather, dressed in new clothes, to exchange gifts and enjoy sweets. As Diwali signifies the renewal of life and heralds the beginning of a new season, the festival also calls for a freshly cleaned and vibrantly decorated home. “It’s really an excuse to have fun,” Anjini told the Palisadian-Post from her parents’ home in Bombay, where she and daughters Ayeshna, 5, and Ayaana, 3, are now on holiday. “India is alive with so many different festivals. It’s a coming together and closeness of people that’s an integral part of who we are.” Children at Seven Arrows got a real taste of this communal spirit when Desai recruited the entire student body to help her fashion the school’s own version of Diwali. They assisted her in making “diya,” created traditional “rangoli” designs composed of colored sand and fresh flowers to adorn the floors and constructed garlands of marigolds and carnations to grace the walls. This set the stage for an event that featured storytelling, traditional Indian music and an elaborate folk dance performance. Both children and adults donned authentic Indian clothing supplied by Desai, some coming from her own wardrobe, other pieces purchased and brought back from India. “Its a different body awareness if you wear costumes,” Desai explains. “I teach little children. They can feel the movement and better understand the culture with the right clothing and costumes.” An unabashed use of bold color was among the most striking elements of the festival. “Color is part and parcel of everyday life in India,” explains Anjini. “It’s part of the vibrancy of the whole culture.” The students not only became active celebrants of Dewali, but also gave thought to the holiday’s underlying purpose as a time of purification, forgiveness and strengthening of friends and family ties. Anjini, who has a degree in business management from Oxford and is a black belt in Goju Karate, regularly teaches traditional and classical Indian dance to children ages 4 to 10. Her “Ghungroo” dance classes are offered through Seven Arrows’ Roots and Wings program in Temescal Gateway Park. The children chant “Dha-ge-na-ki, na-ka-dhin-na,” while “ghungroos,” bands of bells tied to their ankles, rattle and chime to their movements. The dance classes are also infused with stories and poems about the children of India, along with small art projects based on the meaning of a song or instrument. “My daughter is having such a good time, and the dancing is so contagious that I end up dancing with her in class every time,” says Lorena Kiralla, whose daughter Grace, 6, attends Desai’s Ghungroo class. “It is so much fun, the moms have been begging for an adult class of their own.” This is precisely what Desai is planning next, with an adult Ghungroo class scheduled to begin in February. In the meantime, Desai and her husband, who has played the sitar since a child in India, continue to share their cultural heritage around town, including at Little Dolphins, the preschool where both their daughters are enrolled.
Reibel Ready To Row at Yale
Lifelong Palisadian Catherine Reibel, one of the most highly-recruited high school rowers in the nation, has accepted admission to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Reibel, a senior honors student at Marlborough High, turned down offers from Notre Dame, UCLA, Cal, Pennsylvania, Cornell and Virginia, among others. Reibel was a standout basketball player in the Palisades Recreation Center league before winning an Amateur Athletic Union bronze medal and being selected a Youth Basketball of America National Championship All-Tournament selection. She led Marlborough to the CIF Southern Section Division IV championship and was an Academic-Athlete Award winner as both a freshman and a sophomore before a series of knee injuries ended her promising career prematurely. Reibel then switched her focus to rowing and, after less than a full year of competition, earned a seat on the U.S. Junior National Rowing team, which placed fourth out of 36 teams at the famed Royal Canadian Henley Regatta in the summer. Reibel trains with fellow Palisadians Nicole Eisenberg and Ariadne Reynolds under the tutelage of club coach Zohar Abramovitz at Marina Aquatic Club in Marina Del Rey. While part of the same team, the girls row on different boats. The size of a crew depends largely on the size, physique, strength and endurance of the individual rowers. Reibel sits in the fourth seat of her boat, smack dab in the middle, because of her long, powerful strokes. Reibel’s boat placed fifth at a regatta in Lake Natoma in Sacramento last fall. Reibel competes in regattas year round.
Filmmaker Makes Feature Debut
Palisadian Kenny Golde said his daily conversation changed when he moved from producing to writing and directing. “As a producer, it was ‘How much is it going to cost and when is it due?’As a director it is ‘What do you think this character is feeling right now?’ Now it’s talking about feelings and imagination. It just turns me on.” His first feature film, “The Job,” a graphically violent thriller, was released on DVD January 13. The film also had a one-week theatrical release in December. The film focuses on CJ, a female hired killer, played by Daryl Hannah. She is told by her boss to kill a pregnant woman whose husband is dealing stolen drugs. But she has difficulty doing the deed when she finds out she herself is pregnant. Also in the mix are a former priest, an attempted abortion, childhood flashbacks and a drug deal gone wrong. Golde’s previous directing experience was with his short film, “Food for Thought,” which won awards at the 2001 Worldfest Houston International Film Festival and the 2000 Brooklyn Film Festival. That film, starring David Ogden Stiers, was one of a dozen shorts acquired in 2001 by HBO and was shown on that channel and Cinemax more than 100 times. “The Job” was shot in a little over three weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve 2002, at 22 locations around Los Angeles. Golde, 36, found that the holiday season was a time when crew and equipment were available. The entire crew worked for free, while the cast was paid minimal union salaries. The budget was less than $500,000. He, producer Dan Levin, a friend from Taft High School, and executive producer Larry Gabriel cast the film just after Daryl Hannah finished with “Kill Bill, Vol. 1.” Other cast members then came on board, including Brad Renfro, Dominique Swain, and Alex Rocco (Moe Greene in “The Godfather”). “Sixty people showed up every day for no money,” Golde said. “My job as a director was not just making a movie, but creating an environment where people wanted to come back. There was a bonding among the crew.” The film was made independently by Platform Entertainment and sold to distributor Lions Gate Entertainment, which released the movie on DVD. “They do a calculation process of their expenses. I’m thrilled we made an independent film that sold for distribution. Most independent films are not.” The film, which is rated R, will eventually be shown on pay-per-view and cable. Golde, who grew up in Woodland Hills, initially wanted to be a novelist and has written a science fiction novel “Apollo Main.” After graduating from UC Berkeley, he began his career in the film industry, working for an agency, production companies and then as a producer in film and television. He has also written and directed more than 30 “Intimate Portraits” for Lifetime Television. “I’m lucky. A lot of people out there, between feature films, turn to other types of work,” Golde said. “I get to write and produce these.” He cites model Christie Brinkley and novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford as his favorites whom he has profiled in the hour-long biographical show. Golde has lived in the Palisades for 11 years. His next project is directing “Haunted Hearts,” which he describes as a dramatic comedy, written by Ted Henning.
Newman’s Birthday Goal Keys Pali Win
Freshman forward Sara Newman scored her first high school goal on her birthday Monday as the Palisades High women’s soccer team showed little rust in beating Westchester 6-0. Newman one-timed an accurate cross from winger Nicole Angrisani into the lower left corner of the net to highlight a dominating second half by the Dolphins, who improved to 5-1-1 overall and 2-0 in Western League play. The host Comets crossed midfield only five times in the final 40 minutes and were outshot 14-3 in the game. “I was really hoping to score today,” said Newman, who celebrated her 15th birthday in style. “Nicole [Angrisani] really set me up well. We’ve played better but overall this was a good game for us.” Newman, who lives in the Highlands, joined the Palisades team after a successful season on her 16-and-under Santa Monica United club team. “Club soccer is a lot different because the teams are more equally balanced. Here the players are all different levels. But I like high school, it’s fun.” Palisades led 2-0 at halftime but scored two quick goals at the start of the second half to end any hope of a Westchester comeback. Alex Michael manuevered through a crowded penalty area to scored on an outside-of-the-foot shot midway through the half. Sophomore forward Lucy Miller, the Dolphins’ leading scorer last season, provided the exclamation point on Pali’s victory with a well-placed turnaround shot from 20 yards away just before the final whistle. Pali moved into first-place in league with its victory and Fairfax’s 3-2 win over Hamilton
Friendship Keeps Them Kicking
Karate Kids Shigematsu and Rogers Earn Blackbelts Together
Even the best of childhood friends are bound to have fights every now and then. Palisadians Stephen Shigematsu and Nick Rogers certainly have their share. But for them, each and every confrontation is born of discipline and ends with a respectful bow. Their art is Yoshukai Karate and each of them earned his blackbelt in August after more than four years of dedicated training at Gerry Blanck’s Martial Arts Center. Perhaps just as important as receiving their certificates, which finally arrived from Japan three weeks ago, the two have become even stronger friends as they have trained side by side. “Nick started doing it first and he told me how much he liked it, so I started a few weeks later and we’ve done it together ever since,” said Shigematsu, who turned 12 in November. “I’m glad I’ve learned karate in case I ever need to it. But they really stress using it as self-defense only.” Rogers was still 10 when he passed his test in August but has since turned 11: “I started in first grade when I was six. My mom thought it was a good idea and I was into Ninja Turtles then so I liked it. The best thing it has taught us is discipline. You shouldn’t do your moves to show off or bully people if you’re in a fight.” Testing for their blackbelts consisted of a written test (in which they had to memorize and recite words in Japanese), sparring, breaking boards (both admitted they were scared to try at first), weapons proficiency and performing as many as 20 different “katas”–routines used to demonstrate various moves and stances. Gerry Blanck, who has been teaching Yoshukai Karate in the Palisades for 20 years and served as the pair’s sensei for their blackbelt training, is not surprised his two prized pupils passed with flying colors. “Stephen and Nick are both great kids and very fast learners,” Blanck said. “They are two of the most dedicated students we have at the studio. I think they’ve tested for every belt together. I try to discourage people from testing before they are ready but there was never any doubt with those two. I knew they would pass no problem. What makes it even more cool is that they are best friends.” Not surprisingly, both boys enjoy weapons training most, though each has his preferred choice. “I like the sai swords,” said Shigematsu, who lives on Sunset. “They are pretty sharp so you have to be careful.” Rogers, on the other hand, favors nunchuks: “They are fun to look at. It was hard to use them at at first, but you get the hang of it.” In between sleepovers at each other’s houses, playing ball, doing homework and studying for tests (the two share all but an elective class together at Calvary Christian School), Shigematsu and Rogers spar with each other at least once a week. “We’re pretty equal,” Shigematsu says. “We know each other’s moves pretty well, but we’ll pull some tricky stuff on each other.” A tornado kick is each boy’s favorite move. Shigematsu described the maneuver as a “round kick with a spin” and Rogers admitted his friend “can do higher kicks because he’s more flexible than me.” Rogers, who lives in the Highlands, is currently taking a break from karate to concentrate on basketball and soccer. His AYSO U-12 team, the Red Devils, won the Region 69 championship and Rogers will now play center midfield on the regional All-Star team. When not at the dojo, Shigematsu plays pitcher, shortstop and first base in the Palisades Pony Baseball Association (his Bronco Phillies team reached the second round of the playoffs last season). He also golfs every weekend with his dad (his low score is 46 for nine holes), and snowboards in Mammoth. Training at the Martial Arts Center two days a week requires a level of commitment and dedication unique among boys their age. “It’s mostly fun, but there have been times when one of us has wanted to quit and the other one kept us going,” Rogers said. “It’s been fun training with Stephen.” Shigematsu’s goal is to achieve his second degree, called nidan, by the time he gets to high school. Rogers, too, wants to achieve nidan and also wants to teach other kids. He said, “It’s always more fun when you have someone there to do things with.”
LAPD Captain Faces Irate Crowd; Offers A ‘Dedicated’ Car
“Why can’t this town, with a population of 25,000, have at least one dedicated police car?” That question, posed by one frustrated resident, was asked over and over again at last Thursday night’s Community Council meeting, which drew nearly 100 concerned citizens. “Where are the police when we need them?” asked another resident. “The LAPD is supposed to be there to serve and protect. But they aren’t doing that here in the Palisades.” The comment drew applause. After a heated two-hour exchange, which included testimonials from several victims of local crime, the council passed a motion to do whatever it takes to provide a police presence “24/7” in the Palisades, from pressuring the L.A. City Council to hire more police officers to paying for a private patrol car. The motion was put forward by Norm Kulla, the council’s Highlands representative, after Captain Mike Chambers of the LAPD’s West L.A. Division told the crowd that the best he could do was to insure a “dedicated” patrol car for Pacific Palisades, but only up to “four days a week” to start. While Chambers’ offer is an improvement over the amount of police protection Palisadians have now (one patrol car, on a daily basis, which is regularly called out of the area, often leaving the Palisades with no police presence at all) it did not satisfy resident Kevin Bird, a recent victim of an attempted robbery. “I was walking with my son on my shoulders near where I live [in the El Medio bluffs area] when I was held up by these two guys, one of whom held a semi-automatic gun at my stomach,” Bird said. “Why did it take the police 45 minutes to respond? That is just not good enough. In fact, it’s ridiculous for a town of this size.” Bird’s remarks were met with applause, as were Peter Carr’s. “We’re just kind of naked here,” said Carr, a recent burglary victim. “We’re sitting ducks is what it comes to. The fact is, I was burglarized in mid-November and I’m still waiting for a call from the LAPD to find out what’s happening to my case. ” Carr recounted how he came home one evening to discover his house in the Alphabet streets was being burglarized. “I saw my son’s piggy bank on the front porch and the burglar, who had broken into the side door, was busy stealing my wife’s bike while I waited outside for the police to come. About 25 minutes later a patrol car arrived, and somehow the burglar got away. I don’t blame the LAPD, which is so understaffed, but something has got to be done. We don’t feel safe here anymore.” Chambers assured Carr he would personally look into his case and explained the LAPD’s dilemma to the crowd. “The issue is deployment. There are currently only 9,300 police officers in the whole force. Do we need more cops? Absolutely. The West L.A. area is 64 square miles, the largest jurisdiction in Los Angeles County. And we only have seven cars, which can be called out at any time to deal with crime in other areas. Is that fair? No. But I do believe that West L.A. is getting its fair share, compared to other areas. The good news is that the Palisades is the safest place in the whole West L.A. division. In December there were a total of 37 crimes committed here. Compare that to areas where there are that many committed in a day.” Chambers said while statistically the Palisades does not warrant a full-time dedicated patrol, he would do what he could to improve the situation, given the “isolated nature” of the Palisades, and the perceived notion that crime here is on the rise. “This is a terrible frustration,” said the council’s Area 4 representative Larry Jacobs just before Kulla’s motion was passed. “The police just can’t do what we are asking them to do. The fact is, we have a homeland security problem right here in the Palisades and there’s no way for the police to solve it.” Talk then shifted to the possibility of hiring private patrols, which council advisor Paul Glasgall pointed out has been done very successfully in the Highlands (as well as in the Huntington Palisades). Another proposed solution was for Palisades residents to pay the city to hire off-duty and retired policemen to provide additional protection, as is done by Hollywood studios for movie and television production sites. “You can’t pay for your own cop,” noted one resident. “That would be considered unfair to all the other communities that can’t afford one.” Another option discussed briefly at the meeting was the proposed-and controversial- Asilomar gate. The electronically controlled gate, which would be installed across Asilomar at El Medio, would block vehicle access to the cul-de-sac on the bluffs. Discussion on the proposal, spearheaded by Asilomar resident Dr. Mark Kelly, resulted in a heated exchange between Kelly and El Medio resident Diana Mack, who is among those opposed to the gate. “I don’t think its right for anyone to try and privatize a public space,” said Mack, whose sentiment was shared by others in the crowd, including one man who yelled out “Go home” to Kelly, which prompted council chairman George Wolfberg to call the room to order. This also brought an end to the discussion. Later asked his reaction to Capt. Chambers’ commitment to increase patrols in the Palisades, Wolfberg called it “a stunning development. It’s better than what we have now.” On Monday night, Chambers returned to speak at an El Medio neighborhood meeting at Palisades High, organized by crime victim Kevin Bird. Chambers reiterated his commitment to increase patrol-car presence in the community. “Even though the Palisades is the safest place to live in West L.A., one crime is one crime too many, as far as I am concerned,” said Chambers, who expects a dedicated car to be in service by early February.
