By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
Entries are now open for the Palisadian-Post’s 11th annual Deck Your Halls holiday home decorating contest.
Prizes will be awarded in three categories: Best Decked Out Hall, Best Theme and Greenest Decor, which was launched in 2023 to honor a home with environmentally sustainable decorations.
This year’s sponsors include McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams, Alfred, Theatre Palisades, Porta Via Palisades, Palisades Gas & Wash, and Roku Sushi.
By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
Palisades Village will host its annual Holiday Stroll and Tree Lighting on Saturday, December 7, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“Shop, stroll and be merry this holiday season with our festive community gathering featuring a special farmers market, strolling entertainment, Champagne Chalet and more,” read information on the Palisades Village website.
There will also be live entertainment, complimentary kids’ activities, and “delicious festive” bites and drinks from retailers at the holiday market, including Jemma Pizzeria, McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams and more. Other participating brands with “special promotions and holiday treats” are Saint Laurent, Favorite Daughter, A.L.C., Cult Gaia and AERIN.
Santa will be available for photos in The Park from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and then again from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. There will be two Story Times with Santa, in partnership with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m.
“Festive deals and offers” will be available at “favorite boutiques and eateries” from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Champagne Chalet will be open for Caruso Signature Members between 2 and 7 p.m.
The evening will conclude with a “magical tree lighting ceremony” and the first snowfall of the season at Palisades Village beginning at 5:30 p.m. The white fir tree is 50 feet tall, with 3,000 lights and more than 1,500 ornaments.
“The Holiday Stroll is a non-ticketed event open to the public,” the event description read. “Bring the whole family and make memories that will last a lifetime.”
By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
David Card—a local landscape designer and president of Palisades Forestry Committee—will lead a guided tour in George Wolfberg Park at Potrero Canyon on Saturday, December 7, beginning at 10 a.m.
Participants will meet at Veterans Gardens at Palisades Recreation Center, where Card will begin with explaining how the canyon became a city park, according to Palisades Branch Library, who is hosting the event.
“He will then lead a walk the one-mile length of the park and back, and talk about the park and answer your questions,” the description continued. “Set your own pace and feel free to turn around whenever you need to. Wear comfortable walking or hiking shoes, and bring a water bottle and sun protection.”
The program is designed for teens, adults and seniors.
George Wolfberg Park at Potrero Canyon officially opened on Saturday, December 10, 2022, with a celebration attended by local officials, community members and the Wolfberg family. The 46-acre passive park features riparian landscaping and ocean views.
By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor
Nonprofit Sages & Seekers is seeking sages—adults ages 60 and older—and seekers—students between 15 and 24 years old—to participate in its upcoming winter program, beginning in January 2025.
The seven- to eight-week intergenerational program, which is offered both online and in-person, is described as an opportunity to build meaningful relationships.
With a mission to combat social isolation and “dissolve age-related segregation,” the program has been implemented across the country, in private and public schools, universities, senior centers, and beyond.
“Sages & Seekers has launched many long-lasting friendships that have transcended age and geographic boundaries,” according to the program. “We provide both students and seniors an alternative to isolation: a sense of purpose and a connection to the larger picture of society and the world.”
Sages & Seekers will be hosting a program at Palisades Charter High School on Wednesdays from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. beginning Wednesday, January 29. Subsequent meeting dates are February 5, 12, 19 and 26, and March 5, 12 and 19.
The deadline to enroll for Sages & Seekers’ winter program is Thursday, January 9. An informational Zoom session will take place on Thursday, December 19, at 10 a.m.
For additional information, contact loriann@sagesandseekers.org.
By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor
Palisadians looking for a way to give back this year have the chance: The West Los Angeles Community Police Station is hosting a Holiday Toy Drive and accepting donations.
The Toy Drive will run through Tuesday, December 17. Donations can be dropped off at 1663 Butler Avenue in the front lobby.
LAPD is requesting “unwrapped and new toys for kids 8 [to] 12 [years old],” according to a flyer. The toys will be given away on December 18.
For more information, contact Officer Lakeisha Thompson at 38501@lapd.online or Officer Thanh Nguyen at 43182@lapd.online.
By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
The Palisades Charter High School football team enjoyed a storybook season—only the final chapter was not what the Dolphins envisioned.
King/Drew scored the first 21 points and went on to a 56-35 victory in the City Division I championship game Saturday night, November 30, at Birmingham High in Lake Balboa in a prime-time matchup between two programs seeking their first section title.
The Dolphins were making their second appearance in the Division I final in three years, and as was the case in 2022 when they were unable to stop running back Dijon Stanley—who rushed for 367 yards and five touchdowns in Granada Hills’ 44-7 win—this time they had no answer for Jahmir Torres, who rushed for three touchdowns, had two touchdown catches and returned a kickoff for another score, amassing 431 all-purpose yards.
Torres was living in Maryland with his mom but decided to come to California to play for his dad, Golden Eagles head coach Joe Torres, for his senior season. He had to sit out the first four games due to transfer rules but once he became eligible King/Drew’s offense had another dimension.
“I was balling in Maryland but I wasn’t getting the looks I needed so I wanted to show that I can ball on both sides of the country,” Torres said. “My dad’s been trying to convince me to come here since my freshman year. In this game, it was important not to underestimate Palisades at all. We knew they have a good offense, and we had to go out and match that.”
King/Drew marched down the field on its first drive but came away with no points when a 27-yard field goal attempt hit the upright. After Palisades failed to pick up a first down on its opening series, the Golden Eagles got the ball back and proceeded to drive 51 yards in five plays, scoring on Torres’ nine-yard reception from Keenan Jackson to make it 7-0 with 2:55 left in the first quarter.
The Dolphins punted again and this time Jackson found receiver Damico Martin in stride along the sideline for a 61-yard touchdown that increased King/Drew’s lead to 14-0 early in the second quarter. Palisades went three-and-out on its third possession, and Jackson threw to Jayden Mitchell for a 32-yard touchdown to end the Golden Eagles’ ensuing drive.
Harrison Carter returned the kickoff 57 yards to the King/Drew 43, and four plays later, the Dolphins got on the scoreboard when Jack Thomas found Max Hejazi in the end zone from 21 yards out to pull Palisades with 21-7 with 4:47 left in the second quarter.
Palisades’ defense almost held the Golden Eagles on their next possession, but on fourth-and-13 from the Dolphins’ 26, Jackson lofted a pass to the back of the end zone and Torres made a leaping catch that gave King/Drew a 28-7 lead with 35 seconds left in the first half.
Thomas completed three passes and back-to-back personal foul penalties put Palisades in position to score at the Golden Eagles’ seven-yard line with a second left, but Thomas’ toss into the end zone was incomplete and the margin was 21 points at intermission.
Palisades got the ball first in the second half and was determined to cut into King/Drew’s lead, but Thomas was hurried into throwing from his own end zone and Roberto Salazar intercepted for the Golden Eagles at the Dolphins’ 42. Eight plays later, Torres scored from one yard out to put the sixth-seeded Golden Eagles ahead 35-7 midway through the third quarter.
The Dolphins’ offense found its rhythm and Deveron Kearney capped their next drive with a two-yard run. However, Torres returned the ensuing kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown to make it 42-14.
Carter caught a 29-yard touchdown pass from Thomas to pull the Dolphins back within three scores but Torres capped the Golden Eagles’ next drive with a 35-yard touchdown run up the gut and Palisades found itself trailing 49-21 entering the fourth quarter.
Palisades—seeded fifth in the 16-team draw—would not go down without a fight, marching 73 yards in 17 plays and scoring on Thomas’ one-yard sneak with 7:46 left. On the second play of King/Drew’s next drive, though, Torres lined up in the Wildcat formation, took a direct snap and sprinted 45 yards up the middle for his last touchdown with 6:38 left.
Showing the determination and pride that defined their season the Dolphins moved 77 yards in 13 plays, scoring on Thomas’ 14-yard strike to Hejazi with 1:24 left to create the final margin. Three kneel downs later the Golden Eagles celebrated their first City crown in only their third year.
Thomas, a junior transfer from Loyola, completed 17 of 46 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns, and added 30 yards rushing to bring his season totals to 3,369 yards passing with 46 touchdowns and 570 yards rushing with 12 more touchdowns.
Shilo Beavers had 51 yards rushing in seven carries and caught two passes for 54 yards. Hejazi caught six passes for 80 yards, Carter had three receptions for 65 yards, LeHenry Solomon had three catches for 36 yards and King Demethris had three grabs for 53 yards.
Nico Townsley had 11 tackles in the game. Fellow linebacker Jake Treibatch added 10 and finished the season with a team-high 146 tackles.
King/Drew, which improved to 11-3, advanced to the Friday, December 6, Southern California Regional Division 6-AA bowl game against Portola at Harbor College. Palisades finished 11-3, but under second-year coach Dylen Smith the future of the program is bright.
“I’m proud of every single one of you guys,” Smith said after the trophy presentation. “We demand a lot from you guys. Remember this feeling because we’ll be back next year.”
Four Palisadians Will Be Honored During the Annual Holiday Dinner & Awards Gala on December 12
By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
Pacific Palisades Community Council has announced its four award winners for 2024 during the Thursday, November 14, board meeting.
Cindi Young has been named Citizen of the Year, while Leslie Campbell and Carlos Rodriguez are this year’s Golden Sparkplugs. Pride of the Palisades—a discretionary distinction that is bestowed in “exceptional circumstances,” determined by the Awards Selection Committee—is Thomas Hathaway.
“We salute Cindi, Leslie, Carlos and Thomas for their amazing contributions to the Palisades community,” PPCC wrote in a statement.
Citizen of the Year honors “long-term, steady, reliable and continuing outstanding” volunteer service, as well as a recent “extraordinary” accomplishment by an individual that resulted in a “substantial” benefit to the Palisades community.
Young has been given the award for “selflessly volunteering to continue the mission of the Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness,” according to PPCC.
“She stepped up to take on the extensive duties required of the co-president as of January 1 when no one else was willing to volunteer,” the statement continued, “thus rescuing this esteemed organization, which has been so critical to ensuring the safety of the Palisades community and which would have otherwise ceased to exist.”
Young has dedicated “countless hours” to area volunteer efforts, including as a former president of the Castellammare Mesa HOA, PPCC Area 1 1st alternate and representative of PPCC on the Westside Regional Alliance of Council Homelessness Committee.
Her team includes current PPTFH Co-President Carmen Kallberg (her nominator), as well as past Co-Presidents Sharon Browning and Sharon Kilbride, fundraising director Carol Sanborn, and volunteer director Kim Clary.
“Cindi is truly a community hero for saving PPTFH and for all her volunteer efforts,” read the statement. “She well deserves Citizen of the Year honors.”
Golden Sparkplug awards honor citizens who have ignited original ideas and projects that have benefited Palisadians. The project must have been initiated, in progress or completed during the current or prior calendar year.
Campbell has earned her Golden Sparkplug honors for her “tireless, sustained advocacy and leadership” working to “create and secure a much-needed dog park in Pacific Palisades.”
“She devoted many hours of work over the course of 10 years toward realizing this worthy goal, starting with efforts to explore obtaining a dog park in 2014, when she learned that a prior effort in the Palisades had failed,” according to PPCC. “Undeterred, she continued relentlessly lobbying government officials and agencies, eventually obtaining the support of Councilwoman Traci Park.”
Now a member of the Pacific Palisades Dog Park Working Group—alongside Lynn Miller and Carol Ross—the park has secured Measure A funding and is now in the midst of community meetings ahead of its completion on Temescal Canyon Road.
“The Palisades community is now assured that the dog park will move forward toward completion in the required city process,” the statement read. “We are indebted to Leslie for her relentless and successful volunteer efforts to realize the long-wished-for Palisades dog park.”
Fellow Golden Sparkplug Rodriguez has been honored for his “extensive volunteer work” with PPTFH, including clearing “hundreds of abandoned encampments and safeguarding the bluff and canyon areas.” He has been volunteering with PPTFH since 2017, including working closely with Bruce Schwartz, Sue Pascoe and Kilbride.
“This year, Carlos was called on to clear a large, abandoned campsite in the El Medio hillside, hauling away all the rubbish to prevent fires and making sure no other unhoused individuals would set up camps in the wilderness near homes and Temescal Gateway Park,” according to PPCC. “He also cleaned up several campsites in the Via de las Olas bluffs, where previous fires had been set, using his own personal truck to haul away debris.”
Rodriguez also replaced broken and damaged “high fire severity” signs in the hillside areas on his own initiative this year.
“Carlos’ volunteer efforts have kept the community safe from fires and our environment pristine,” PPCC wrote. “This recognition is long overdue for his tremendous work as a true community steward of our hillsides.”
Hathaway is being recognized as Pride of the Palisades for his “extraordinary work” for over 10 years as CFO and director of the Palisades Will Rogers 5 & 10K Run Foundation and principal organizer of the Fourth of July race.
“Thomas has devoted countless volunteer hours over the past 13 years to the success of the run, in which 3,000 runners/walkers participate annually,” PPCC described.
Starting on July 5, Hathaway—assisted over the years by Jimmy Klein and Mike Solum—spends five to 10 hours per week closing that year’s event, preparing for the next year, which includes securing sponsorships, completing financial arrangements, paying bills, obtaining city permissions and more over the course of several months. Then, beginning in March, Hathaway dedicates 15 to 25 hours each week finalizing plans and permits for each race.
“Thomas is an unsung hero of the Palisades community for his amazing volunteer efforts to produce the successful Will Rogers 5K/10K Run, year after year, on the Fourth of July,” PPCC wrote. “Pride of the Palisades honors are not awarded every year. It takes a special person like Thomas to earn this special recognition.”
The Awards Selection Committee—with Committee Chair Quentin Fleming, Kilbride, Karen Ridgley, JoAnna Rodriguez and Chris Spitz—considered “the many nominations received” to finalize the list.
All of the winners will be honored during the annual PPCC Holiday Dinner & Awards Gala, which will take place at Casa Nostra Ristorante in The Highlands on Thursday, December 12, beginning at 6 p.m.
The evening will begin with “a glass of bubbly and short meet and greet,” followed by a four-course dinner with a choice of entree and complimentary wine. There will be silent and live auctions, with “wonderful items” donated by area businesses, organizations and officials.
Tickets are now on sale for $125 per person. They will be available until December 6 or until sold out—whichever comes first.
For more information, including a link to purchase tickets, visit pacpalicc.org.
By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor
A beloved community tradition for over 70 years, this year’s holiday Ho!Ho!Ho! will return to Simon Meadow on Saturday, December 7, from 1 to 4 p.m.
Santa Claus and his team have visited Pacific Palisades each holiday season during Ho!Ho!Ho! since December 1949.
“This year, we’re celebrating a landmark 75 years of free holiday Ho!Ho!Ho! merriment,” according to a statement. “This event has been a treasured part of the Palisades community since 1949. Each holiday season, little kids and grown-ups look forward to the Pacific Palisades Ho!Ho!Ho!”
This year’s event will kick off with Santa and Mrs. Claus riding down the streets of town aboard Los Angeles Fire Department Station 69’s fire truck—culminating at Palisades-Malibu YMCA Tree Lot.
“Once the very approachable Claus couple takes their seats at Simon Meadow, you can take a photo with them—no charge,” the statement continued. “So make sure to bring your phone or camera.”
Their arrival will be followed by a lineup of entertainment and performances, activities, local food offerings, and more. This year includes hot chocolate and toppings from Palisades Garden Cafe, performances by Fancy Feet and Palisades Studio, singers from Bluecat Music Voice Studio and Palisades Charter High School, New Vibe Gymnastics, a demonstration by Gerry Blanck’s Martial Arts, and more.
According to Ho!Ho!Ho! organizers, this year’s event needs “a little financial help.”
“In the past, sales of raffle tickets for a firetruck ride with Santa helped fund the event,” the statement read. “Unfortunately, that raffle and the income it produced are no longer available. While the local YMCA generously provides the space and sponsorship, we need additional donations to cover costs for craft supplies, face painting, food and decorations. Every contribution makes a difference.”
Individuals can make a tax-deductible donation directly to Palisades-Malibu YMCA.
“We’re grateful for the many local organizations and volunteers taking part in this year’s community event, including Friends of the Palisades Library, LAFD Station 69, Pacific Palisades Historical Society, Pali High Ambassadors, Palisades-Malibu YMCA and Resilient Palisades,” the statement read.
For more information, visit instagram.com/palihohoho.
By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor
As the holiday season approaches, so does a variety of fresh trees at the Palisades-Malibu YMCA annual Tree Lot at Simon Meadow, which opens Friday, November 29 at 3 p.m.—a tradition that dates back decades.
“Generations of kids, parents, neighbors and friends have come to buy a tree and celebrate the season,” according to a previous poster.
The sale of trees—just like the YMCA’s Pumpkin Patch each October—acts as a fundraising event for YMCA, helping provide programs and financial assistance to families in need, and beyond.
“The YMCA Tree Lot is a YMCA fundraiser that helps supplement programs, our financial assistance program and many other impactful programs,” Palisadian Lou Kamer said to the Palisadian-Post.
The 2024 selection includes a variety of trees, like nobles, Nordmann and Fraser firs, ranging from table-top size to 14 feet tall. Special decorative items will also be available for sale, including wreaths, wooden reindeer and snowmen, and garland by the foot.
The Tree Lot will also offer tree disposal bags and a “keep it green” preservative to extend the life of the tree.
“Light up your home with a beautiful premium tree from the Y and help youth learn, grow and thrive,” according to the Y.
The lot—located at 15551 Sunset Boulevard—will be open Monday through Friday from 3 to 7 p.m., as well as Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Local delivery will be available.
Entries for the Palisadian-Post’s 11th annual Deck Your Halls holiday home decorating contest will open on Sunday, December 1.
Those who participate will have a chance to win one of three prizes: Best Decked Out Hall, Best Theme and Greenest Decor, which was introduced in 2023 to honor a home that uses environmentally friendly decorations.
Sponsors for this year’s contest include McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams, Alfred, Theatre Palisades, Porta Via Palisades, Palisades Gas & Wash and Roku Sushi. For more information or to sign up, visit palipost.com.
