Beauty Bus—founded by Palisadian Wendy Marantz Levine—hosted its ninth annual fundraiser event, “All in For Beauty Poker Tournament,” at Tiato Kitchen & Garden in Santa Monica.
“It was truly a fantastic night,” fellow Palisadian and Beauty Bus Executive Director Ruth Laurent-Kocher said. “We hosted 250 people and raised over $200,000 to deliver personal grooming services to seriously ill patients and their caregivers in hospitals across Los Angeles.”
This year’s event was chaired by three Beauty Bus volunteers: Jill Berman, Stephanie Carson and Beth Schore, who worked alongside Laurent-Kocher and Levine to build a 30-member committee.
Led by Auction Chair Jaclyn Clifford, Laurie Haller and Dina Barry, over 80 items were solicited for a silent auction, including four nights at the Mauna Lani,Hawaii, XIV Karat of Beverly Hills jewelry, sports memorabilia and tickets.
“A special thank you also goes out to all our donors and who support Beauty Bus—Beauty Bus turns 15 this summer,” Levine said. “Partnering with over 20 hospitals throughout Los Angeles, we have delivered over 30,000 free beauty and grooming treatments to patients and caregivers. My family started Beauty Bus in memory of my younger sister Melissa. We are grateful to pay forward the lift and gift of beauty for people going through cancer treatments, struggling with serious diseases and caring for family members. It’s a simple service with a huge impact.”
Photos courtesy of Beauty Bus
Chrysalis hosted its 40th anniversary “Homecoming” event at the Pacific Palisades home of Mary Ellen and Chris Kanoff, raising more than $75,000 to benefit the nonprofit, which is “dedicated to changing lives through jobs.”
“Four decades ago, Chrysalis Founder John Dillon opened a social service agency in Skid Row to serve the area’s homeless population,” read a synopsis. “It wasn’t long before he realized that the individuals we served needed a different kind of support in order to make the transition out of poverty and onto a pathway to self-sufficiency. Since then, Chrysalis has served over 85,000 individuals facing housing instability, poverty or prior justice system involvement by providing people with the resources and support they need to secure and maintain meaningful employment.”
Dillon spoke at the event, as well as Chrysalis CEO Mark Loranger. The evening included “hearty hors d’oeuvres, inspiring speeches and beautiful ocean views.”
Pictured, from left: Chrysalis CEO Mark Loranger, Chrysalis Board Member and Palisadian Mary Ellen Kanoff, Chrysalis Founder John Dillon, and Chrysalis Board Member and Palisadian Jill Baldauf Photo courtesy of Chrysalis
Methodist Preschool hosted its inaugural whole school exhibition, “Cultivating Connections: Developing Relationships,” highlighting the work of its 2.5- to 5-year-old children. The end-of-school-year exhibition was designed to showcase the “many ways the children form relationships at the school,” according to a synopsis, which included relationships with themselves, each other, materials and the community.
“The exhibition documented a year’s worth of work and exploration through the eyes of a child at the school, which takes inspiration from the schools of Reggio-Emilia in Italy, where children engage in deeper learning experiences and long-term projects explored through a multitude of artistic mediums,” the synopsis continued. “Among some of the highlights of the exhibition were an exploration into tempera paint and mark-making by the school’s youngest Blue Room children, an investigation into the concept of beauty by the school’s Green Room children, and a Rainbow Investigation, inspired by the Chumash Legend, The Rainbow Bridge, by the school’s oldest Yellow Room children.”
The gallery also featured the work that took place in the Methodist Preschool garden, where students engaged in a garden-to-table experience.
Summer Interns Allie Yang and Mickey Friedberg Will Help With Editorial Tasks From Interviews to Writing, Editing and More
Allie Yang
Photo courtesy Allie Yang
Hello! My name is Allie, and this will be my first year working at the Pali-Post.
I am a fairly new resident of the Palisades, having lived here for just over a year. However, I have quickly grown to love the small-town feel that sets this community apart from the rest of the city. Seeing spontaneous conversations among neighbors in coffee shops and communitywide events every weekend brightens my day and has inspired me to want to write for the Post.
Currently, I am a rising senior at the Archer School for Girls, and throughout my high school career, I have developed a deep interest in all things journalism and creative writing. I started as a staff reporter on Archer’s yearbook, Hestia’s Flame, to develop my photography and design skills in addition to my budding familiarity with AP Style.
During my sophomore year, I became a senior reporter for The Oracle, Archer’s award-winning digital newspaper. I wrote for the News, Features, Culture, Sports and Voices sections, with my work in opinion journalism being my favorite.
This broad experience led me to hone my craft by creating a column surrounding technology. Specifically, I write about social media, artificial intelligence, and the intersection of technology and current affairs.
I am most looking forward to expanding my versatility as a journalist by writing for the News and Pali Life sections while on the Post. I also hope to learn more about the members of the Palisadian community by interviewing them about their unique experiences and stories, because I believe the heart of journalism lies at the individual level.
Please feel free to reach out any time via the Post.
Mickey Friedberg
Hello readers! My name is Mickey Friedberg, and I am a new intern with the Palisadian-Post.
I am a rising senior attending Palisades Charter High School and have attended there for all of high school. I was on the Pali baseball team for the majority of my high school career, as well as playing the sport for most of my childhood growing up.
Some of my other interests include surfing, basketball and playing music, now mainly guitar. I have always loved writing and storytelling, and I am thrilled to learn more about journalism and hone my skills through this internship.
I am looking to pursue sports broadcasting and media in college, and potentially as a career, so I am hoping that this internship gives me the opportunity to write about topics revolving sports while also providing an introduction into the world of media, reporting and journalism.
In the latter part of my summer, I will be interning for the LA Rams during their summer training camp. That opportunity, paired with working at the Post, I hope will help me to grow my knowledge, confidence and comfort in the world of sports, media, communication and journalism.
That is an introduction to me and my life—look out for more stories and coverage to come!
Street Food Cinema has invited Angelenos to partake in meals, films and music—from Arcadia to Manhattan Beach, Glendale and Pacific Palisades—since 2012.
Palisadians can join the festivities Saturday evening, June 29, with an outdoor movie screening of “The Goonies” at Will Rogers State Historic Park.
“When a band of local childhood friends calling themselves ‘the Goonies’ stumble upon an old map, secret clues leading to the fabled treasure of notorious pirate One-Eyed Willy set in motion a wild mission to save their homes,” according to a summary on IMDb. “With the criminal Fratelli family hot on their trail, a frantic race against time begins … Will the Goonies prove their mettle?”
The 1985 classic film, directed by Richard Donner, and written by Palisadian Steven Spielberg and Chris Columbus, stars Sean Astin as Mikey, Josh Brolin as Brand and Jeff Cohen as Chunk.
Street Food Cinema presents movies outdoors, street food, audience games, live music and more.
“Founded in 2012, SFC has grown into a citywide community of entertainment and food enthusiasts reaching every corner of LA,” according to its website. “As a recognized and beloved event series, SFC has become a preferred partner for movie studios and entertainment platforms to engage fans.”
A number of food trucks will be available at the event, including Lupita’s Tacos, Locke BBQ, MexiBachi, Mariscos Arenita and District Burger.
The event will be emceed by Jenna Nickerson with music from Chester Copper Pot—a Los Angeles-based band that takes “inspiration from every style of music to generate a new retro funky sound,” according to the group’s website.
Guests can purchase general admission tickets in advance for $22, and tickets for children ages 6 to 12 for $10. At the door, guests can purchase general admission tickets for $27, and tickets for children ages 6 to 12 for $15. Children 5 and younger are free, and leashed dogs are welcome.
Doors open at 6 p.m., with the live band at 7 p.m. and the film at 8:30 p.m.
To buy tickets and see a complete schedule of screenings this season, visit streetfoodcinema.com.
Post facade at Grand Opening Photos courtesy of American Legion Palisades Post 283
The American Legion: Four Years to Build a Community Beacon in the Palisades
By American Legion Palisades Post 283
Post Commander Jim Cragg
Following the vision of Post Commander Jim Cragg, the American Legion Post in Pacific Palisades embarked on a four-year mission to become a cornerstone of one of the most influential communities in the United States with a mission to improve the standing of veterans in American society.
The recently renamed Ronald Reagan-Palisades Post 283, named after one of its former members, has been a solid but relatively quiet pillar of the Palisades since 1927. Upon his election to Post Commander in 2020, Cragg laid out an ambitious three-phase plan.
First his team would undertake a multi-million-dollar remodel to the Post headquarters. Next, he would restructure the Post’s operating processes, promoting equity and transparency, and establishing a separate grant-making foundation to regulate its financial gifting.
And finally, they invested in developing programs and events to bond veteran families, support veteran career enhancement, and provide Post members with opportunities to continue to serve the community and their nation.
All of this was done while conducting a community outreach campaign that has resulted in establishing this American Legion Post as a family-friendly community center, drawing in all citizens with its programs.
The original Post facility was sufficient, but the joke about town was that it resembled the Post Office next door and that people frequently walked in to drop off their mail. Cragg and his team set off to create the look and feel of an exclusive club worthy of Pacific Palisades.
A wooden exterior resembling old Navy sailing ships with military brass lettering greets visitors as they approach a lobby adorned with a mural dedicated to the diversity of American veterans. Visitors are also greeted by a modern painting of Ronald Reagan—or “Comrade Reagan” in Legion terminology—set as an inspiration that any veteran can achieve great heights.
The decor of the main hall resembles a military museum with a subtle effort to show that veterans of all generations served and sacrificed similarly, no matter their role or standing. This decor enhances a setting for fun and camaraderie, best seen at the Post’s legendary dances, comedy events and lounge nights.
A relaxed dining and lounge area are supported by a modern bar and kitchen facility. All of this created the setting for the community-engaging events envisioned by Cragg, and was epitomized in the Grand Opening Ceremony in January 2023.
Shutting down the street, the community came together for a ceremony emceed by actor Joe Mantegna, attended by local politicians and dignitaries, and with music provided by the USC marching band. The opening fulfilled the vision of its coordinators, Cragg, Jay McCann and Kevin Niles.
First and foremost, Cragg saw the Legion as a place of leadership for the community, and immediately interfaced with local emergency services and government. Cragg created a postcard with a phone directory titled “Who to Call for Help in the Palisades,” which the Post mailed to every address in town.
Cragg invited the community to come in and listen to briefings by the Los Angeles Police Department West LA Division, LA Sheriff’s Department Homeless Task Force, Los Angeles Fire Department Station 69 and an LASD briefing on active shooter response. These town hall meetings were free to the public in an effort to inform and promote dialogue with these agencies.
During the COVID shutdowns, Cragg and Post members Kurt Heite and Peng Vang distributed face masks in the community and to hospitals sewn by Cragg’s company, S.O.Tech Inc. And taking it a step further, Cragg organized classes for members and local educators in first aid, stop the bleed, CPR and even Tactical Emergency Casualty Care, taught by himself and other veterans medics.
The Post already had a robust HAM radio program dedicated to supporting community emergencies. The philosophy behind this was to provide the veterans with an opportunity to feel like they were continuing to serve after they had left the military. They even organized efforts to send chaplains, funding and personnel to assist the homeless veteran issues developing at the West LA Veterans Administration.
In parallel, the Post’s Chapter of the American Legion Auxiliary launched a women’s self-defense class, and are planning a young people’s etiquette and leadership class based on the West Point model.
As a successful businessman and retiring Army Reserve Officer finishing a 30-year career in Special Operations, Cragg wanted to institute projects to enhance the careers of veterans. He saw the leadership, teamwork, organizational skills and performance-under-pressure skills ingrained in veterans, and sought to bring these out through speakers, trainers and networking opportunities.
The highpoint of this effort was a business leadership discussion led by Medal of Honor recipients Gary Littrell and Jim McCloughan, attended by veterans and public servants from across Southern California.
The Post has also supported events with Toastmasters, the Heroes Linked Veterans professional networking site, the Polk Institute’s Veterans Shark Tank, the West Point Society, the Association of the U.S. Army, and a number of speaking presentations and networking events with the Post’s chapter of the Sons of the American Legion.
Near to his heart as the father to a 9-year-old daughter are family programs in the American Legion.
“Veterans aren’t just struggling to improve their jobs, they are struggling to get quality time with their families too,” Cragg said.
As a flagship yearly event, Cragg established the Veteran Family Weekend at Emerald Bay, taking over 100 veteran families to Catalina Island each year and renting out the Scout Camp. They replace many of the scout events with military skills, like night vision goggles, emergency radio, survival field craft and a drone class, where the veteran parent teaches their kids while bonding with them. In 2024 they added SCUBA diving and listened to guest speaker Littrell talk with the kids about values.
Another event hosted at the Post included five Medal of Honor recipients on stage talking to young people about the principals and values of the Medal.
“Watching my daughter stand up and say what freedom meant to her in answer to a question from a man who received the Medal of Honor was one of my highpoints as a Legionnaire and as a parent,” Cragg said tearfully.
Post 283 has multiple kids’ programs, including leadership classes, picnics and camping. In an effort to become more cutting edge, Cragg suggested drone classes, SCUBA classes and HAM radio classes for kids interested in communications. And for those of faith, Cragg asked Chaplain Joe Ramirez to establish a non-denominational spiritual support program that has evolved into Sunday services at the Post.
Cragg said his hope is that this all comes together to form a place in the Palisades that attracts veterans and non-veterans alike to share in camaraderie, enhance their families’ lives and engage their skills to support their community. If there is any metric for success, they can point to the influx of new members to say they have hit the right note.
And to open their doors even further, they’ve established a new status at the Post called “Friends of Post 283.” For those people who didn’t serve and don’t have an immediate family member that served (these are standard requirements for Legion membership and Legion family membership requirements, respectively), they created the “Friends” status so veteran-friendly members of the community can apply and get on their mailing list to attend Post events. Notably, “Friends of Post 283” can attend events but do not have a vote in membership meetings.
And what does the future hold for Cragg now that he is stepping down as Post Commander? Since they’ve established Post 283 as a pillar of Pacific Palisades, providing a fulsome image of the successful veteran family in the community, he’s identified an opportunity change the way society perceives and treats its veterans.
McCann and Cragg crafted a resolution with Jason Mayo to “Restore Respect for the Military and Veterans,” which has been approved by the Post and is on its way to Department and hopefully Legion National. This is a resolution to compel Legionnaires to go out to schools and all those who influence opinions and provide a positive role model to change the way young people are being influenced to regard veterans.
And locally, he intends to approach the media to discuss improving the way veterans and active duty are portrayed to diminish the stigma that has been put on those who have worn the uniform.
This 4th of July, you will see Post 283 making great efforts to show the community and media the strength of the military and veterans—they will have the West Point Superintendent, a Medal of Honor recipient, a team of Green Berets, and groups of active military and Team RWB taking part in the events of the day: “We will make an impression.”
Cragg will be speaking on the subject at the Pentagon in July to provide awareness of the efforts Post 283 is taking to change the way American society has stigmatized its military and veterans.
Cragg is now passing leadership to Ramirez, a longtime member who is invested in Post programs and its future. His thoughts are melded with Cragg’s, and the future is bright for the Post, its members, its family and the Palisades community.
Both Cragg and Ramirez hope every member of the community will find something at Post 283 that draws them in!
*** click on any photo below to view slideshow ***
Grand Re-opening ribbon cutting
Post Leaders sail on an active aircraft carrier.
Post facade
Memorial Day ceremonial recitation of the Gettysburg Address
Veteran family weekend at Emerald Bay
Ranee Rubio leads Women Veterans Event,
Veteran families learning map reading.
Legion SCUBA Club
Legendary Post dances and parties
Post Officer Todd Hickman dropping supplies for homeless vets.
Palisades 4th of July Parade riding an armored car.
Families listen to Medal of Honor recipients.
Post 283’s magnificent kitchen staff
Navy SEAL medic teaches first aid.
Veteran cameraderie in the Memorial Day Parade
Vietnam pilot learns about video gaming
An evening of honor discussions with recipients Gary Littrell and Jim McCloughan.
Auxiliary stuffing teddy bears for veteran families.
Presentation of awards to LAPD officers
Post Commander Santa meets Legion National Commander.
Spirit Hike led by Legion Chaplain with POW Jessica Lynch.
Legion museum visit at Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Post 283 Leaders addressing Legion National Convention.
Legionnaires bonding at the shooting range.
Drone class taught by Legionnaire Matt Louie
Reviewing Predator movie with actor and veteran Richard Chavez
Contributing Writer David Grinsfelder Reports on the ‘10-Second Romance’ in New York City
By DAVID GRINSFELDER | Contributing Writer
I caught her eye as soon as I crested the stairs of the Christopher Street subway station in the heart of the West Village. Flowing down 6th Avenue with an ethereal stride, she wore a dazzling sundress that fluttered in the light afternoon breeze.
Despite my best efforts to feign nonchalance, her crystal blue eyes nearly stopped me in my tracks (and every good New Yorker knows stopping on the sidewalk is a cardinal sin in this city).
As we passed, forced to squeeze by one another to avoid a pile of trash, I hoped we’d both stop and strike up a conversation. A moment later, I couldn’t help but laugh at my own naivete.
With a flock of young people frolicking in the springtime of their youths, the West Village is a neighborhood full of brief romances.
Some of these Gen-Zers (and occasional Millennials) prefer a late-night rendezvous. Others hope to meet a casual stranger at the bar. Still others seem unable to extricate themselves from the confusing on-again, off-again relationship that leaves them feeling morally confused and emotionally unfulfilled.
All of these encounters are par for the course in the New York dating scene. At least they have been in mine since moving to New York City last year.
But there is an even more ephemeral encounter that has caught my attention. I’ve dubbed it the “10-Second Romance.”
Since the West Village is only 0.57 square miles in size, your next romantic encounter could quite literally be within a few hundred feet of you at any given moment.
Of course, when you account for variables, like gender preference, age range and being in the right place at the right time, it is slightly less likely that your soulmate will simply stumble into your arms. Still, the odds of a sidewalk romance in the West Village are pretty good, given the armada of neighborhood foot traffic passing by.
There is something about the transience of these brief flings that make them unforgettable yet unremarkable. It would be an exaggeration to say each flirtatious eye contact leaves an indelible mark on my memory. But it’s true that the sum of these moments gives me a little extra motivation to pop out of bed each morning and ride the subway from my Upper West Side neighborhood down to the Christopher Street station.
The streets are imbued with that certain je ne sais quoi that confers a hopeless romanticism on inhabitants and visitors alike. So much so, in fact, that I recently imposed a strict limit on my daily flirtations.
Now I only let myself fall in love three times per day, but it has been a challenge to stick to this spartan diet of romantic restriction. After long winter months that subdue the city’s energy, New York springs to life in the summer in a way I never experienced on the West Coast.
It is easy to understand why incorrigible optimism overruns the Big Apple in the last weeks of May. And the epicenter of this epidemic, as best I can tell, is somewhere between Hudson Street and 6th Avenue in the West Village.
With the proliferation of social media and dating apps, I sometimes wonder if people are becoming more reluctant to strike up conversation with an interesting stranger in public.
If you can retreat to the safety of your smartphone, where every word of every text is meticulously crafted, then real-time dialogue suddenly becomes a risky business.
You might say the wrong thing. You might have food stuck in your teeth. Even worse, you might make such a complete fool of yourself that it haunts your dreams for weeks afterward. Not that that’s ever happened to me.
Regardless, I still love the idea of a serendipitous meet-cute story. And in a neighborhood like the West Village, I’m perpetually wondering if my 10-second romance might lead to something more.
David Grinsfelder is a graduate of Palisades Charter High School (2015) and UC Berkeley (2019). He currently lives in New York and is writing a series of travel stories for the Palisadian-Post. The Grinsfelders have been Highlands residents since 1989.
My favorite place I have traveled to has to be Australia. Over winter break I went to Australia with my parents. The trip was incredible. On our trip, we explored Sydney and Melbourne, and also spent time on both the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast. This trip was one of the best trips I have ever been on and I have been on many, as my family loves to travel!
Australia is a very beautiful place. Our winter is their summer so the weather was incredible. In addition to the weather, the locals in Australia were very friendly and every meal we had was delicious. In fact, I had some of the best Thai food of my life in Australia!
In Sydney, our adventures included the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb, which had breathtaking views. The city’s beaches, Manly, Bronte, and Bondi, were a major highlight too as the water was crystal clear. We also explored Melbourne which had a different feel, more of cities like London or New York, while Sydney reminded me of a blend between San Francisco and San Diego.
Our next stop was the Sunshine Coast, where we stayed in Noosa. Noosa is a walkable town filled with great shops and restaurants. In Noosa, we spent a lot of time at the beach, walked a lot, and I learned how to hydrofoil surf in the Noosa River. We also visited the late Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo. The Australia Zoo was by far the best zoo I’ve ever been to. While there, I held a koala named Burt and also got to feed kangaroos.
We made a quick stop along the Gold Coast. Surfer’s Paradise, located in the Gold Coast, felt a bit like Miami Beach. I was able to see a friend of mine from Los Angeles and we spent the day exploring the city.
After the Gold Coast, we flew back to Sydney where we stayed in Bondi Beach for a few days. We completed the scenic Bondi to Coogee walk which was filled with stunning beaches and even better views.
The New Year’s Eve fireworks in Sydney were a grand finale to our trip, with the midnight display being something I’ll never forget. Having grown up watching the NYE fireworks in Sydney on TV it was really amazing to experience them in person. They were unlike any fireworks I’ve seen before.
In short, Australia was incredible and I can’t wait to return. It’s a place I’d highly recommend to anyone looking for a mix of adventure, natural beauty, and city exploration. The entire trip was a perfect blend of action-packed activities and relaxation.
Carolynn Lorraine Kinner passed away peacefully on June 9 at 90 years young. “Grammy” was a beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and a dear friend to all.
Carolynn was born on April 8, 1934, and raised by her parents, Theodore and Maebelle Heeney. Growing up, she loved spending time with her aunts and uncles, riding Southern Pacific trains with her father, roller skating, and fishing.
She graduated from University High School in 1952 and immediately joined the workforce. Carolynn held all different jobs throughout her lifetime, including working in insurance, hand modeling and designing custom homes with her then husband, Ray Kinner. She even dabbled in the hospitality business, when they decided to build and operate the Sea Lodge Hotel in Marina del Rey.
Carolynn later retired in La Quinta, California, where she enjoyed getting to know her neighbors and “tootling about,” always exploring new places on her daily drives.
Family was everything to Grammy. She adored her two daughters, Debra Hanrahan and Kelly Daigle, and she was also very close to her four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
She was the life of every party and made friends everywhere she went. She enjoyed every minute of her nine lives before finally succumbing to dementia later in life.
The family will be having a private Celebration of Life on Friday, June 28—for anyone that is interested in attending, please reach out to one of her immediate family members. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Best Friends Animal Society (bestfriends.org) or Alzheimer’s & Dementia Research (alz.org).
Longtime Palisadian Florence “Flo” Elfant (91) passed away peacefully on Wednesday, June 12.
Flo was born and raised in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Borough Park, New York. It was here that she met her late husband, Allan, at the age of 14.
Their love story began when they worked at a resort in the Catskills Mountains, with Flo as a summer bookkeeper and Allan as a waiter. Their shared passion for the arts led them to perform in a staff show every Tuesday night.
They married in 1953, and Flo supported her husband through Brooklyn College and then the New York College of Podiatry. The Elfants moved west in 1956.
Two years later they moved to Pacific Palisades. They raised their three children, Debbie, Noel and Jeanne, on Jacon Way, where their two daughters were married in the backyard.
Flo impacted the real estate industry, managing several offices in the Palisades, while Allan practiced podiatry at 910 Via De La Paz. Flo was active in the Parent Teacher and Student Association as Marquez PTA president in the 1970s.
She was recognized for her dedication and expertise when she was honored as a Golden Spark Plug in 1985. In 1989, she was named Citizen of the Year, sharing the honor with her co-mother-in-law Kit Festa. Flo also served as the Parade Marshal at the Palisades 4th of July Parade, a role she fulfilled with pride in 1989 and 2011.
Flo and Allan were active members of the Palisades-Malibu YMCA and the Pacific Palisades Optimists Club. She was a founding member of Pacific Palisades Community Council and chairman of the Disaster Preparedness Committee.
Even after losing her beloved husband in 1992, Flo’s dedication to service and her vibrant spirit continued to shine, inspiring all who knew her. She volunteered at Palisades Branch Library, reading to children for over five years.
Flo could always be found with friends and family around town at restaurants, the theater and all community events. Her dedication to the Palisades and those who call it home helped shape her life in almost everything she did.
Flo’s spirit lives on in her children, Debra (Bob) Feinberg, Noel (Susan) Elfant and Jeanne (Rich) Festa, and her grandchildren, their spouses and great-grandchildren: Alana and Sam, Molly, Jordan, and Dylan Levitt, Jonathan and Sara Abarbanel, Joanna, and Isaac Feinberg, Daniela and Jonathan Pollare, Rachel Elfant and Ariel Campagne, Tony Festa, Nathaniel Elfant, and Griffin Elfant.
Donations in Flo’s memory may be made to the City of Hope and Kehillat Israel. A Celebration of Life will be held at Kehillat Israel on June 30. Please reach out to the family for more information.
Pali High football coach Dylen Smith goes over formations with the offense during Monday’s practice at Stadium by the Sea. Photos by Steve Galluzzo
Summer Practice Begins at Stadium by the Sea for Palisades High Football Program
By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
Palisades High summer football practice began Monday afternpoon and head coach Dylen Smith was anxious to see how his players would handle extremely hot weather at Stadium by the Sea. The answer: just fine.
In his first season at the helm, Smith led the Dolphins to a 7-3 record, a Western League title and an Open Division playoff berth. He begins his sophomore campaign with optimism but knows the road ahead is long and full of bumps.
“I didn’t expect the year we had,” Smith admitted. “There was a lot of pressure on me given that Pali made the [Division I] finals the previous season. I personally was surprisedhow well we did considering all the players we lost. The primary goal this year is to defend our league title and along the way we have to avenge the losses to Granada Hills and Brentwood.”
More than 20 freshmen joined the program and Smith said everyposition is a competition, including quarterback, where returner Brett Federman and Loyola transfer Jack Thomas will vie for the first string position following the graduation of two-year starter Roman La Scala.
Last season’s JV starter Mattias Hernandez, whom Smith expected to compete for the varsity job this year, transferred to Long Beach Millikan
Harrison Carter catches a pass on the first day of Pali High summer football practice.
“I don’t recruit, so I didn’t knowJack was transferring until someone told me he enrolled at Pali,” Smith said. “Jack and Brett are the same type of QB, so he’ll fit intom our system. It’ll be a good competition.”
Last year’s varsity MVP Teralle Watson, who racked up over 1,000 all-purpose yards, transferred to Warren, linebacker Dezmen Howard transferred to Roosevelt in San Bernardino and cornerback/safety Isaiah Sensabaugh transferred to Notre Dame. Palisades’ key returners are junior all-purpose back LeHenry Solomon, junior running back Harrison Carter, sophomore tailback Sholo Beavers, senior offensive tackle Cole Ward, senior defensive end Joseph Bucher-Leighton, senior linebacker Cash Allen (who will replace sacks leader Evan Nehrenberg) and senior linebacker Jake Treibatch, who led the squad with 60 tackles last fall.
Smith has entered the Dolphins in two seven-on-seven passing tournaments: Saturday at Los Altos andthe Westside Classic at Culver CityHigh on July 13.
“The main focus right now is our conditioning… hitting the weights, power lifting and getting stronger,” Smith said. “We have to be in better shape than our opponents to run the up-tempo style we want.”
Quarterback Brett Federman does his set of push-ups at Monday’s football practice.
Smith started Monday’s spirited workout by addressing the varsity and junior varsity teams together, introducingthe new coaches and then sending the various position groups to different stations for stretching, sprints and drills.
Former head coach and longtime JV assistant Kelly Loftus will be called on to coach the linebackersand Brandon Forrest (the team MVP and the Palisadian-Post Cup Award winner in 2021) will return to his alma mater to coach the running backs.
“[Athletic Director] Rocky Montz and [former JV coach] Ray Marsden] thought of him and he’s a perfect fit,” Smith said of Forrest.
Jack Beck will be the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach, Devon Shay will handle the lifting program and the offensive line until Moosa McLean returns at the end of summer and Dwight Hamilton is back to head the JV program for a second season.
Smith wanted to schedule tough opponents to prepare the Dolphins for a postseason run. In addition to their annual rivalry games (the Charter Bowl with Granada Hills and the Sunset Showdown versus Brentwood), Smith added Dymallyfor the season opener and a Southern Section opponent, Harvard-Westlake, to fill out the nonleague slate.
“We didn’t have full participation in the spring so I don’t know if we’ll be an Open level team this year—it’s too early to tell,” Smith added.
Last year we played a little too fast and it took us three or four games to get on track offensively, so this year we’ll take things a little slower. Last year we started with 136 players and were down to 112 by the end of the season. Right now we have about 115, which is fine. You don’t really want too many kids because then it’s harder to get everyone a decent amount of playing time.”
Smith belives the no-huddle attack is what allowed the Dolphins to tire out Venice and win the league title and he plans to use the same basicprinciple this fall.
“Pali has never won a football titleand I want to be the first coach to do do it,” Smith said. “I’m not sayingit’ll happen this year, but that’s definitely the long-term goal. We lost our three best lineman so we’ll have to replace them. The way we have our practices set up I want the kids to learn four or five new things each day.”
Treibatch was fired up from thefirst whistle and wants to be a vocal leader on the defense side. He was in the weight room four times a week during the offseason and recently attended camps at Sacramento State, San Diego State and the University of San Diego.
“I’m up to 210 [pounds] now,” he said. “I was 185 last year. “I know how to use the added weight to my advantage. I’m moving well and my footwork is good. I’ll be doing both [rushing the passer and dropping back into coverage] but most of the teams we play are run-first, so at least 60 percent of the time I’ll be playing the run. We’ve got a lot of new guys on defenss but we have to stay true to our base defense. There are a lot of ways to execute that. We have the same blitz packages and our new defensive coordinator hasadapted real fast. It’s going to be fun but we have to put our heads down and go to work. Two years ago when we went to the finals we had three extra games and four full practices each of those weeks, which is great. The more games we play the better.”
Tight end Augie Evans, who is back at Palisades after playing his sophomore season at Notre Dame, stayed after practice to run routes and catch passes from Thomas. The friends and Palisadians are glad to be on the same team.
“This is home and I’m embracing the opportunity to be back in Pali blue,” the 6-foot-5, 200-pound Evans said. “I’m so excited. I’ll have a lot of balls thrown my way at my position and I’ve worked a lot to improve my speed and hands.”
Thomas embraces the quarterback competition and believes it will only make both he and Federman better.
“I’m a fast learner,” Thomas said. “To be a good quarterback you have to do everything—run, throw, make good decisions and be a leader. Today’s my first day whereas Brett is embedded in this program, but I’m bonding with the upperclassmen. There are some similarities and a few differences in the two programs[Loyola and Palisades] but I learned a lot my first two years and I’m real excited to be here. I can tell you that we’ve got it going really good here at Pali.”
Sam Schiff hits a double for Palisades’ Pinto 8U All-Stars, who have won District and Section tournaments back-to-back. Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Local Pinto 8U, Mustang 9U and Bronco 11U Squads Advance to Pony Baseball Regional Playoffs
By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
The Pacific Palisades Baseball Association’s Pinto 8U All-Stars are on quite a roll this summer. One week after capturing the Pony SoCal North Region District 1 championship at Freedom park in Camarillo, the local team added the Section 2 championship to its resume following a 14-8 triumph over host Hart White on Sunday in Santa Clarita.
“We went 4-0 in the tournament with a couple of amazing endings,” head coach Kambiz Kamdar said. “In our first game Friday against Simi Youth White we were a run down in the bottom of the sixth inning but won it 10-9 by stealing home on a wild pitch. We ended our second game against Lancaster Blue with a triple play. In the semifinals against Hart Red we came back in the top of the fifth, scoring eight runs with two outs, including six doubles in a row! In the championship game, it went back and forth until we broke it open with five runs in the bottom of the fifth. Then we closed it out in the sixth with Henry Janneck on the mound.”
Kamdar and assistant coaches Brad Hill and Steve Bergman guided the 8Us to finals in Cheviot Hills and the semifinalsin Agoura and Simi Valley to prepare their squad for sanctioned playoffs and the extra games paid dividends. Battery power propelled Palisades to a 10-0 shutout of host Camarillo White in the District finale, as pitcher Parker Atwood and catcher Ford Hill kept the opposing team off the scoreboard in a four-inning victory.
Everyone on the roster except Luca House was there for the sectional round: Hill, Atwood, Janneck, James Kamdar, Grey Schiff, Alex Pollack, Sam Schiff, Gavin Morrow, Noah Mehring, Spencer Bergman, Theo Johnson and Graham Aris.
Winning the section earned the 8Us a spot in this weekend’s 10-team regional bracket at the East Valley Complex in North Hollywood. Palisades opens pool play today versus Hart White and faces Camarillo Blue on Saturday morning. Semifinals are Sunday and the championship game is Monday at 5 p..m.
Two other PPBA squads also won section titles the next day in Simi Valley. Palisades’ Mustang 9Us defeatedNewbury Park 12-4 in the championship game Monday after having won their pool with blowout victories over Santa Ynez and Simi Youth White, then defeating Simi Youth White again, 6-3, in the semifinals.
“Carter Bergman, Nate Underwood and Will Feil pitched phenomenally [in the finals],” head coach Taylor Talt said.
“Tristan Kawasaki and Will [Feil] each hit a triple—the first time we’ve had two triples in a game—and all of the boysplayed great to contribute to the win. Fun day!
Rounding out the 8U roster were Axl Moody, Bennett Underwood, Dylan Morrow, Jack Hetherington, Maddox Martin, Cabe Talt, Owen Tyler and Anthony Layton.
The 9Us advanced to the region playoffs at Kildee Park in Camarillo. They begin pool play today against Simi Youth Red and have two games Saturday: Hart and Camarillo Blue.
While the 9Us were wrapping up their Section 3 title, Palisades’ Bronco 11Us were applying the finishing touch to their dominant run through the Section 3 tournament. Playing at the same facility in Simi Valley but on the larger Pony-size diamond, the 11Us beat Toluca Navy 12-2 in the championship game Monday.
“The player of the game was pitcher Tyler Racanelli, who took a perfect game into the fifth before giving up a walk and finishing one out shy of a complete game,” assistant coachEric Foster said. “He allowed one hit and two walks with eight strikeouts in fiour and two-thirds innings. At the plate he went two-for-three with a double. Henry Wyman and Will Hill also stood out. Both went two-for-three with a double and a triple.”
Hill relieved Racanelli to get the final out. He and Ethan Montminy each had two RBIs for head coach David Hoffman’s squad, which also got contributions from Sam Foster, Perrish McGinn, Remy Moore, Jackson Moore, Blake Milinovich, Max Yost, Hudson Tucker, Wil Hoffman, Dylan Hartunian, Isaac Ungerleider and Cy Murphy.
In Sunday’s 15-5 semifinal win against Simi Youth Red, Palisades took the lead when Wyman belted a two-RBI double to highlight a fourrun fourth inning. In the sixth, Yost and Hill each hit two-RBI doubles and Foster’s single to the left-center field gap ended the game.
Palisades advanced to the eight-team regional round, also at Kildee Park, and takes on Camarillo Blue today at 5. On Saturday, the PPBA11Us play back-to-back games versus Westhills and Westlake Blue. The semifinals are Sunday morning and the final is at 1:30 that afternoon. Five teams will advance to either the Zone or Super Region playoffs.
Palisades’ Mustang 10U and Bronco 12U All-Star squads host sectional tournaments this weekend at the Field of Dreams. The 12U final is Sunday at 2 p.m. while the 10U final is Monday at 5 p.m.
*** Click on any photo below to view slideshow ***
Sam Foster tags out a Simi Youth Red runner at third in the semifinals of the Bronco 11U All-Star Section 2 tournament.
Carter Bergman pitches for the PPBA Mustang 9U All-Stars during the Section 3 playoffs last Saturday in Simi Valley.
PPBA Mustang 9U All-Star Dylan Morrow is congratulated by coach Taylor Talt.
Henry Wyman pitches for the PPBA Bronco 11U All-Stars in Sunday’s semifinal game.
Carter Bergman (left) high-fives Palisades teammate Nate Underwood after scoring against Simi Youth White during pool play action in the Mustang 9U All-Star section tournament Saturday.
Shortstop James Kamdar doubles for the Palisades Pinto 8U All-Stars, who beat Harty White to win the Section championship Sunday at the William S. Hart Baseball Complex in Santa Clarita.
Maddox Martin sprints home from third to score a run for the PPBA’s Mustang 9U All-Stars.
11U All-Star Sam Foster is greeted at home plate.
Parker Atwood delivers a strike for the Palisades Pinto 8U All-Stars, who won the section title.
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