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ON THE COVER: Vincent Spina’s lifelong passion for motorcycles led him to create a successful company that provides a variety of bike-related services. Photo by Luis Chavez. Design by Arman Olivares

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Corona by the Numbers & Local Updates Compiled by Kamala Kirk Cases and Deaths by Neighborhood as of Tuesday, Dec. 8: Culver City: 726 (Deaths 35); Del Rey: 741 (Deaths 9); El Segundo: 228 (Deaths 1); Marina del Rey: 146 (Deaths 0); Mar Vista: 633 (Deaths 8); Playa Vista: 220 (Deaths 0); Playa del Rey: 50 (Deaths 0); Santa Monica: 1,694 (Deaths 50); Venice: 609 (Deaths 4); Westchester: 816 (Deaths 21) Total Westside Cases: 5,863 Total

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The Argonaut is distributed every Thursday in Del Rey, Marina del Rey, Mar Vista, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, Santa Monica, Venice, and Westchester. The Argonaut is available free of charge, limited to one per reader. The Argonaut may be distributed only by authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of The Argonaut, take more than one copy of any issue. The Argonaut is copyrighted 2020 by Times Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any form or by any means without prior express written permission by the publisher. An adjudicated Newspaper of General Circulation with a distribution of 30,000.

Staff Photographer: Luis Chavez

Westside Deaths: 128 Total Confirmed Cases in LA County: 457,880 Total Deaths in LA County: 7,936 Total New Cases as of Dec. 8: 8,086 Total New Deaths: 27 Hospitalizations: 2,988 Postivity Rate (7-day average): 10.2% Total Number of People Tested: 3,928,459

(Continued on page 8)

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(Source: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health)

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Serving the Community Calvary Baptist Church and GUARDaHEART offer free COVID-19 antibody testing IMAGES COURTESY SHERI DETERMAN FOR SHERI DETERMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

By Kamala Kirk For the past 100 years, Calvary Baptist Church of Santa Monica has continued to serve an ever-evolving community and beyond. Recently, the church united with GUARDaHEART Foundation to host a three-day event that offered free COVID-19 antibody testing to the local community and surrounding area. The antibody test informed people whether or not they’d had the infection at some point in the past. “This event was inspired by an ongoing desire to assist the fight against COVID-19 and the opportunity to provide a needed service in the community,” says Pastor Mack Mossett of Calvary Baptist Church of Santa Monica. “For our church, ‘community’ is not bound by demographics but is inclusive of all persons. As such, this event brought people from the

From L to R: Pastor Mack Mossett of Calvary Baptist Church; Dr. Douglas Harrington, CEO of GUARDaHEART Foundation

Santa Monica community as well as various SoCal cities.” GUARDaHEART Foundation is a nonprofit that provides education to the community, corporations, Native American organizations, unions and individuals to promote heart disease awareness detection and prevention. “Our mission is to learn, detect and prevent,” says Dr. Douglas S. Harrington, chairman of GUARDaHEART Foundation, who was at the event to educate people on various topics related to COVID-19 and heart disease. “With the ongoing pandemic, we immediately felt called to act and we discovered that many people were having difficulty getting tested. We found that almost all communities needed additional testing resources, so we decided to reach out to the communities to partner with their leaders and

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community organizers to bring no-cost COVID-19 antibody testing to these areas.” The COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 serology antibody tests were covered under the CARES Act and were available to anyone in the community whether or not they had insurance, as long as they did not display any symptoms of COVID-19. The antibody tests provided were one of the most reliable antibody tests available with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 99.6% performance evaluations. They can be used to detect the presence of an IgM and IgG antibody response. A positive result indicates that an individual has been infected with the COVID-19 pathogen and has developed some level of immunity. This test could be a critical next step in the battle against COVID-19, continuing to flatten the curve and ensure a safe reopening of the community. According to Dr. Harrington, more than 500 people were tested at the event. Since GUARDaHEART Foundation’s

first event at Crenshaw Baldwin Hills Mall, they’ve tested nearly 4,000 people and are planning to host similar events in the future. “People have been very appreciative and complimentary of our events, and they have all been good sports about patiently waiting their turn and respecting social distancing guidelines,” Dr. Harrington says. “We’ve formed some great relationships with the communities we’ve been to so far and some of them have asked us to return for additional events though the first part of 2021.” Due to the success of the event, Calvary Baptist Church of Santa Monica plans to hold another event from January 19 to 21 in the same location. “Because the response was so great and the event ran so smoothly, we are looking forward to holding another event next month,” Pastor Mossett adds. For more information, visit calvarysantamonica.org and guardaheart.org

Free COVID antibody testing was provided to members of the community at the event.

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DECEMBER 10, 2020 THE ARGONAUT PAGE 5

O P I N I O N :

P O W E R

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The Case for Karen Bass The congresswoman is the right choice for the US Senate IMAGES COURTESY BLACK WOMEN’S DEMOCRATIC CLUB

By Rachel Brashier, President, Black Women’s Democratic Club Congresswoman Karen Bass is what American leadership should look like—a changemaker, a bridge-builder, an effective legislator—Bass comes to this moment as chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus with nine years of experience representing the people of the 33rd and currently the 37th Congressional District, in addition to decades of community organizing. Bass can confidently traverse the uneven political terrain left by the Trump presidency, and the pandemic’s economic and social labyrinth. And she understands the Californian electorate at its northern and southern ends, its ethnic contrasts, environmental, immigration and education concerns. She has a firm grasp of the backbone industries of entertainment and tourism. Bass, if chosen, would be the first Senator from Southern California. Gavin Newsom has a decision to

Congresswoman Karen Bass. make and the Black Women’s Democratic Club would like to make a case for Congresswoman Bass. Black women have a long history of effecting change that benefits almost every segment of society, yet once Vice Presidentelect Kamala Harris is sworn in officially, the Senate will not have a single Black woman senator. We have an opportunity to continue a legacy of transformation with Bass. Whether through inclusive grassroots organizing and coalition building as a founder of South LA’s Commu-

nity Coalition, which has flourished in its 30 years of operation because of her leadership and governing principles: to listen to the people most affected by a problem and implement solutions that dismantle the problem at its root led by the community. In the State Assembly, Bass made history as the first African American woman to become 67th speaker, filling in her political gravitas working across political lines to champion legislation that supported Californians through an economic crisis, improved foster

Give yourself a gift this season.

care and provided quality health care. She brings the same energy to the House Foreign Affairs Committee as Chair on the Subcommittee On Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations. We need that vigor at the Senate level to continue Harris’ agenda. Black women show up for the Democratic party when the party hasn’t shown up for us and supported policies that have operated to the detriment of our children, families and communities. We gave the Democratic party President-elect Joe Biden, Vice President-elect Harris and the state of Georgia. Essentially pulling America from the brink of losing its slender grasp on Democracy. Let’s make sure that Governor Newsom makes the best choice for California and for this country right now. Visit letskeeptheseat. com to make your voice heard. We hope Governor Newsom comes to this historical moment with the awareness and acknowl-

edgement it requires. The Black Women’s Democratic Club knows that Bass would be the right choice. The Black Women’s Democratic Club is the first and only statewide Black women’s Democratic Club in the State of California. Our mission is simple: To build the leadership and power of progressive Black women Democrats throughout California. Power to Speak is The Argonaut’s guest opinion column for community members to voice their views on local matters and does not represent an editorial position or endorsement by The Argonaut. The opinions, experiences, research and data analysis expressed in this article are the author’s own. Have a unique point of view on a neighborhood matter or a national issue with a local twist? Email kkirk@timespublications.com.

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C O M M U N I T Y

Bartering for Backyard Produce Galora is a new website that connects communities through homegrown food CREDIT GALORA

Galora is a new website where people can trade, sell or give away homegrown and homemade products. By Stepan Sarkisian Before founding Galora, Ryan Xavier was just trying to give away or trade some extra fruit in his garden. Stuck at home due to lockdown restrictions and frustrated with virtual marketplaces like Craigslist and Facebook that weren’t built to handle perishable goods, Xavier saw an opportunity to create a specific marketplace for other home gardeners like himself that were looking to connect and share. Along with cofounder Christopher Chin, Xavier created a forum to gauge the viability of their idea. Within a month they had received more than 800 enthusiastic responses from people offering suggestions and supporting their idea. Two months later, they launched Galora. Focused on cultivating a sharing-based marketplace, Galora allows users to create posts for their homegrown or homemade products and list them for free, to trade or sell. Geolocation is utilized to allow

users to search a map of nearby postings and connect with people throughout Los Angeles. Since its launch, Galora has been experiencing steady growth and currently has more than 8,000 users. While most of them are still predominantly located in LA, Galora’s popularity is beginning to spread across the county. Homegrown crops continue to be the most frequent type of listing, but almost any type of homemade good or service is allowed. “We’re still very much in our experimental phase and with any project you shouldn’t try to answer the problem the way you want it,” Xavier says. “You have to let your users define it. We started the website on the presumption that there were people like me that had extra fruit, but what’s happened is that we’ve seen the site evolve in new and surprising ways.” Homemade bread, face masks, soap, yoga and language lessons represent just a portion of what can be found on the site. Bartering is also actively

PAGE 8 THE ARGONAUT DECEMBER 10, 2020

encouraged and has led to unique user interactions. Thuy, a user in Glendale, harvests hundreds of passion fruit annually in her backyard. She lacked the ability to give away or sell such a high volume of fruit, but through Galora she was able to establish a connection with Kevin, a gourmet pastry chef in downtown LA who had been on the hunt for affordable passion fruit for 10 years. It turned out to be a match made in heaven: Thuy was able to give away her crops in exchange for passion fruit crème brûlée. “Even giving it away for free is a form of compensation for the people on Galora, but sometimes they get offered things that make them very satisfied,” Xavier says. “We had a user who reached out to a neighbor to pick grapes at their house because she wanted to experiment with wine making. So she took the grapes and gave them nothing in exchange, but two weeks later after fermenting the grapes, she was so

happy with her batch of homemade merlot that she brought her neighbors a bottle and enjoyed it with them.” Targeting food waste is another one of Galora’s goals. A study on garden food waste by nonprofit AmpleHarvest.org indicates that there are nearly 42 million gardeners in America with excess produce, totaling up to 11.4 billion pounds of crops that could be donated. Galora offers an alternative to traditional food pantries by allowing home gardeners to form direct connections with those facing food insecurity (nearly 35% of the population annually). Xavier hopes to expand on this focus. “If we connect everybody in this new way of sharing, the good that can be done is potentially limitless,” Xavier says. “I can only speak to a few hundred people a day, but if everybody’s speaking to everyone, we can really connect the city and try to undo some of the isolation that has been worsening for decades and has

become painfully obvious during COVID-19.” Next month, the Galora team will interview with Y Combinator, the start-up incubator whose impressive resume includes Airbnb, DoorDash and Dropbox. With their support, Xavier hopes to take Galora mainstream. “If you extrapolate the good that’s happened in LA, with the acceleration of virality that we hope to get from working with the Y Combinator team, it’s inconceivable the kind of waste that can be prevented,” Xavier says. “This is an incredible moment for Galora, which started only in May of this year. Within a month from now, it’s quite possible that Galora will have an opportunity to expand globally, which is larger than anything I could have ever imagined when I was filling bags full of lemons at my grandma’s house in Cypress Park.” For more information, visit gogalora.com

A R T S

E V E N T S

The World of Fashion Westside fashion designer publishes children’s picture book COURTESY OF STACY JOHNSON

By Kamala Kirk Back when Stacy Johnson had her first e-commerce website in 1999, she used a vintage dress form named Mabel, which ended up inspiring a children’s book she wrote 20 years later. “As in the book, Mabel was found in an East Village apartment with one broken wheel, and that’s exactly how I came to own the used dress form when I was at Parsons School of Design,” Johnson says. “She was the company’s trademark and graced the front of my Brooklyn boutique, on my shopping bags, hangtags and labels, and she was also the virtual shopping assistant on my website. I drew a few cartoon strips of her on various fashion adventures and thought it would be fun to have her be the vehicle to teach kids about fashion in a picture book someday.” “Mabel the Fashion Muse” offers a fun, behind-the-scenes

“Mabel the Fashion Muse” is a children’s book that will inspire future designers. look into the real world of fashion and what it takes to become a fashion designer. The book highlights the adventures of Mabel, the chatty dress form of a budding fashion designer, and her furry companion, a Yorkie dog named Brooklyn, as they make their way through New York City. “Most books or story lines about fashion depicted petty social drama or were an unrealistic view on how the fashion industry actually

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worked,” Johnson explains. “I wanted to create this book to inspire future designers, and give girls the tools and power to be their own fashion entrepreneur someday. I think a whimsical dress form like Mabel is the perfect relatable character to tell my entrepreneurial story.” The book features colorful watercolor depictions of NYC life including the Brooklyn Manhattan Bridge and Seventh Avenue (also known as Fashion Avenue), along with resources such as a fabric 101 page, silhouette library and an activity to dress Mabel. It is geared towards kids between the ages of four and eight, and is available on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble. “The book is sort of a love story to NYC and the center of the fashion industry,” Johnson says. “I wanted to give kids tools and resources after reading the book so they could try their own hand at designing. My

website also supports the book so kids have a safe place to explore more design activities on their own.” When creating the book, Johnson scoured through old photos of her shop, atelier and memories of the New York fashion industry to create her illustration plates. Some of the plot lines were inspired by her own fashion experiences working for designers like Calvin Klein and Cynthia Rowley. Johnson later started her own fashion brand, Stacia, and opened a boutique with an atelier in Brooklyn. In 2004, she and her husband relocated to Santa Monica, where Johnson wholesaled her Stacia knitwear line to other stores, had a design studio and later opened a boutique. These days, Johnson operates an online store where she carries a more scaled back collection of beach essentials and small batch

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designs for the quintessential beach lifestyle. She also teaches virtual Mabel the Fashion Muse fashion design classes on Outschool for kids and teens. In the future, Johnson would love to write more books. “I hope to do a children’s book series with Mabel,” she says. “Either explore other fashion capitals with Mabel to show other fashion careers or designer experiences. I can also see myself doing a fashion activity book around Mabel for older kids, basically a book version of my online fashion portal. My dream would be to license the Mabel the dress form brand and have a line of sewing and design supplies geared towards kids. I would also love to explore the backstory of Brooklyn, the shop dog. I already have the storyline thought out, I just need to start drawing!” For more information, visit mabelthefashionmuse.com

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A R T S

E V E N T S

Hebrew Hillbilly Actress brings down-home humor to Santa Monica Playhouse benefit PHOTO BY RICHARD CASSEL

By Bridgette M. Redman Shelley Fisher was able to take a childhood insult and turn it into a long-running show that has been delighting audiences in Santa Monica since 2013. This December, she livestreamed it as part of a benefit series for the Santa Monica Playhouse. “The Hebrew Hillbilly - Fifty Shades of Oy Vey!” will livestream online at 6 p.m. on December 17 with a ticket price of $30 per family viewing. It will remain on the website until January 30. The benefit series features actors who donate their time to participate in shows where all the benefits go to the Santa Monica Playhouse. When Fisher was in the first grade in Memphis, TN, her teacher called her a “Hebrew Hillbilly,” a moniker she now uses for her one-woman show that tells her life story in a way that captures both the ups and downs of her autobiography while delivering them with humor and 17 original songs. “I announce (in the show) that I’m a Jew who grew up in Memphis,” Fisher says. “Growing up Jewish in Memphis, you are about as welcome as a third boob in an already too-tight bra.” She stresses that her story is one of diversity, dreams and determination. It addresses difficult issues such as racism, anti-Semitism and sexism, and finding humor in all those things. “We’re all much more alike than we are different,” Fisher says. “I never stay down. That’s my secret in this show. I conduct my father’s funeral right there on stage. It’s sad—it’s supposed to be sad—but I move on to something more cheerful. I try to make jokes whenever possible.” Fisher’s mother was an entertainer who moved down South to marry her father, a Jewish immigrant who became a lawyer and a concert violinist. Her mother, who was cousin to the late jazz singer Al Jolson, had her own radio program in Pittsburgh when she was 15. Fisher says she moved down South in part because of the promise of luxury. “She heard she’d have a front yacht and a back yacht if she went down South,” Fisher jokes. “We did have a lot of good help. That’s the way it was down

Shelley Fisher’s “The Hebrew Hillbilly - Fifty Shades of Oy Vey!” is a musical one-woman play that chronicles her Hollywood odyssey that begins in her hometown of Memphis, TN. South. It was a much easier life if you were white and had any kind of money at all. To this very day this haunts me.” Fisher was cared for by a Black woman named Ora Mae Jackson, whom she says was a valuable part of her life. She viewed her as a member of the family. When Fisher was five or six, Jackson took her on the bus to go see her father. They got on the bus and Jackson put Fisher in the front seat and told her to stay there while she continued to the back. Fisher didn’t understand at her age what segregation was. “I thought, she doesn’t love me anymore,” Fisher says. “I ran to the back of the bus. There was nobody (in the front half of the bus) but me and the whole Black section of the bus is full. People didn’t speak to me because they were scared, but I didn’t know that. I pushed my way next to her and she said, ‘You can’t sit here.’” The bus driver, Fisher recalls, stopped the bus in the middle of the road, and dragged her up front while she was crying the whole time. She had a similar experience in a store where they went to a counter to get something to eat. “That was a terrible era,” Fisher says. “I never saw anything terrible, but you get to know things as you live and then Martin Luther King’s death was horrible. The cause that he died for…it was so stupid that people

PAGE 10 THE ARGONAUT DECEMBER 10, 2020

resisted going to school with Black people.” Show lights final candle of Hanukkah The show will livestream on the final day of Hanukkah. Fisher plans to do a short video at the start of the show at approximately 6 p.m. to light the candles and wish special blessings and miracles to her viewers. She does point out that while she shares her experiences as a Jew, the show is for everyone and not just other Jews. The show is the Hanukkah version, but it isn’t about Hanukkah. “It’s about me and my life,” Fisher says. “Many of our Jewish occasions are part of my life and in Memphis, like in many places still today, Hanukkah is not acknowledged. I came into life when it was 100% Christian culture.” Fisher turns poison into medicine Fisher first performed the show for the Santa Monica Playhouse in 2013 and has been performing it ever since, taking it around the country. They’ve sold out almost every show, and she’s performed live and on national television on a variety of stations such as Playboy TV and the Jewish Broadcasting System. This year, of course, has changed things. The shows are no longer live, and in September they recorded a livestream

benefit, which they are now redoing for Hanukkah. “Obviously there’s no audience, however, using my imagination I picture a full house,” Fisher says. “I can go and be anything I want to be in the land of imagination. I feel artists are fortunate. I can turn anything into joy. The Buddhists call it turning poison into medicine.” It’s what she has done with her childhood. While there were some challenging times in Memphis, the show also recounts her love for it. It was a city of music and it is where she became a singer-songwriter. “Rehearsing still moves me and brings back my childhood memories, the joys and sorrows,” Fisher says. “I had the opportunity to walk up and down Beale Street, the home of the Blues, as a little girl. Some of the Blues men even invited me to sing with them as they had set up their bands on the street.” She even had a chance to meet Elvis and sit with him on a plane trip. Those influences are with her today and Blues remain her favorite kind of music. Entertainment and encouragement goals of the show “My major goal is to entertain and encourage,” Fisher says. “Encouraging others encourages me as well. These are challenging and difficult times for most people.” When the show was live, Fisher

was able to witness the effect she had on audiences and her success at entertaining and encouraging. “The beautiful thing about my show is that when people come to see it, they seem to go through a conversion,” Fisher adds. “They leave with a big smile on their face. They’re glowing. They feel encouraged. I have accomplished my goal if I’ve entertained and encouraged you.” These are also challenging and difficult times for the theater Fisher loves and lives down the street from. She praises the co-artistic directors, Evelyn Rudie and Chris DeCarlo, who have led the Santa Monica Playhouse since 1973, creating more than 600 productions. “Evelyn and Chris are pretty incredible people who have run the theater by themselves for 50 years,” Fisher says. “It’s an iconic theater that has an old Victorian feeling. Thousands of people have performed there. They’re very sincere. They’re excellent actors and writers. They rent out the theater to make ends meet. They’ve called upon me to do this livestreaming. It helps them put some money in their pockets and gives me an opportunity to keep my craft alive. I know it is easy to lose your discipline and to become distracted. Now I know I have to rehearse.” Fisher is now directed by her daughter, Melissa Pekin, who majored in theater and has created a children’s show that her mother is also a part of. “I truly appreciate Evelyn Rudie and Chris DeCarlo and think they’re the best folks in the business,” Fisher says. “They have given me an opportunity to develop and perform my show for the past eight years. I welcome the opportunity to give back!” What: The Hebrew Hillbilly - Fifty Shades of Oy Vey! When: 6 p.m., December 17 Who: Shelley Fisher with the Santa Monica Playhouse Where: Livestreamed online at santamonicaplayhouse.com/hebrewhillbilly.html Tickets: $30

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STOVER ESTATES LUXURY COLLECTION DECEMBER 10, 2020 THE ARGONAUT PAGE 11

C O V E R

S T O R Y

Born to

Ride

Vincent Spina founded Motorcycle Mover in 2015, which offers bike transportation services and more. PAGE 12 THE ARGONAUT DECEMBER 10, 2020

Vincent Spina’s passion for motorcycles led to a successful business Story by Kamala Kirk Growing up on a dairy farm in Delaware, Vincent Spina spent all his time around bikes and competed in motocross. As a kid, he was mesmerized by the motorcycles depicted in films like “Easy Rider” and “On Any Sunday,” and wanted to move to California one day to become a professional motorcycle racer. “Back in the 1970s, I was the youngest person riding and I also worked on bikes,” Spina says. “I eventually completed a formal apprenticeship program and became a machinist, working for companies like DuPont and General Motors. General Motors was going to send me to engineering school, but at a certain point I decided that I’d rather have my own business so I left when I was 24. Everyone thought I was crazy to quit that job, but I needed to do something more interesting.” In 2015, Spina founded Motorcycle Mover, which offers a variety of services including transportation, storage and detailing of motorcycles, in addition to support and logistics for special events and road trips. They offer VIP services to clients that require the highest level of service and discretion, along with an emergency assistance program. While Motorcycle Mover doesn’t perform maintenance services, they work with different specialists in the industry and can refer clients depending on what they need. Spina has also helped clients with tasks such as motorcycle acquisition and sales. “We’re a very unique California-based business and a large concentration of our clients are on the Westside,” Spina points out. “There aren’t any companies like ours in other parts of the country. We’re located in the epicenter of motorcycle culture and we cater to avid motorcycle enthusiasts by providing them with the utmost convenience.” Prior to founding Motorcycle Mover, Spina worked in the tradeshow and convention

industry and lived in Las Vegas, where he spent years running a successful company that he later sold. After going into an early retirement, he spent the next few years traveling the world, practicing yoga and riding motorcycles. “I toured on my bike and went solo riding throughout Europe,” Spina says. “I did this for about three or four years, then one day I woke up and realized it was time to do something else. Over the years, I had been coming out to California to train with yoga teachers in Santa Monica. I always knew that one day I was going to live out here.” After relocating to California in 2013, Spina spent several years working as a yoga instructor before deciding to pursue a business idea that involved his lifelong passion for motorcycles. “Working with bikes and living in California was a dream that I’d had as a kid and it never completely went away,” Spina shares. “So I thought why not now? I started to investigate different areas of the motorcycle industry and realized there weren’t any companies that specialized in the transportation of bikes, so I started my own business.” Motorcycle Mover has worked with a long list of high-profile clientele that includes George Clooney, Harry Styles and Steven Tyler, in addition to ARCH Motorcycles, a high-end custom motorcycle manufacturer founded by Keanu Reeves and Gard Hollinger. They also offer services to the film and television industry, doing everything from supplying picture and prop motorcycles for red carpet premieres to providing handlers and precision riders on sets of shows like “Sons of Anarchy” and “The Mayans.” Spina also has a line of merchandise that features Motorcycle Movers’ logo on bandanas and T-shirts, which represents the bike that motorcycle racer Roland “Rollie” Free rode when he broke the Ameri-

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Spina grew up riding motorcycles and spent years working as a machinist for major companies. can motorcycle land speed record in 1948. Considered the most famous picture in motorcycling, the image depicts Free riding the bike in a flat position. “Roland was close to breaking the record but couldn’t quite do it, so he got undressed, put on a swim cap and laid down on the bike to decrease wind resistance, ultimately breaking the world record,” Spina explains. Back when Spina started his company, he was in the process of expanding and hiring additional employees to service clients in Orange County, San Gabriel Valley, Inland Empire, San Diego and San Francisco. But not long into his new endeavor, he was unexpectedly diagnosed with head and neck cancer in September 2018. “At the time, I was really pushing the business forward, working a lot and enjoying it,” Spina says. “But after I received my diagnosis, I ended up spending just about every day in the hospital for the next few months. I lost 40 pounds and was a bit beat up, so I had to scale the business back.” After completing chemotherapy and radiation, it took Spina some time to regain his strength. He couldn’t ride a motorcycle for six months, which was the longest he’d ever gone without riding. “The chemo and radiation were centered around my neck and did a lot of damage to my muscles, I still have some random joint inflammation but I’ve become stronger over

time,” he says. “I was riding down the 10 freeway the other day and it felt so great just to be healthy enough to do that. The only thing I’m missing right now is being able to go back to the hospital to see the incredible doctors and nurses at UCLA who helped me through everything. I was really humbled by their dedication. I can’t visit my doctors, nurses and the patients currently undergoing treatment because of COVID-19. It’s been especially important for me to visit the patients. The support of someone who has been there is really helpful and it keeps me in a gratitude state of mind.” Giving back and supporting the community via motorcyclerelated charity events is also important to Spina, and over the years Motorcycle Mover has sponsored and been part of charitable events like the Love Ride and Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride to raise funds and awareness for men’s health. In the future, Spina hopes to create some type of Motorcycle Mover charity event that will benefit organizations like Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. “I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to do something I’ve wanted to do all my life, be innovative and have fun, while making a contribution to the motorcycle industry,” he says. “I’ve been riding for a long time, but I still get so excited that I can barely sleep the night before I go for a ride with friends. Riding is like meditation for me, it’s therapeutic and

it feels really good. Some people ask if I’ll ride until the day I die, which unfortunately isn’t possible. Eventually we get to a certain age where it’s not practical and we can’t do it anymore, so I’m just trying to ride as much as I possibly can now.” For more information, visit motorcyclemover.us

Spina and his team also provide a variety of services for the film and television industry.

Motorcycle Mover is passionate about giving back and supports the community through various charity events. DECEMBER 10, 2020 THE ARGONAUT PAGE 13

O P I N I O N :

P O W E R

T O

S P E A K

Gentrification in Culver City: Is It a Problem? A policy idea for community sustainability By Belinda Reiss and Celeste Covarrubias-Macias What is gentrification? Gentrification is an issue that has affected the US for many years. In an article written in the Georgetown Journal of Poverty Law and Policy, author Emily Chong states the effects of gentrification include, “Forced displacement, a fostering of discriminatory behavior by people in power, and a focus on spaces that exclude low-income individuals and people of color.” According to urbandisplacement.org, the US Census reported, “In Los Angeles County, the number of gentrified neighborhoods increased by 16% between 1990 and 2015.” Just like any other urban area within LA, Culver City is experiencing gentrification. Culver City is a unique community with a rich history. The community has done well in preserving historical landmarks such as the Kirk Douglas Theatre, the Wende Museum, Ballona Creek, etc. Until recently, this city was described as family-oriented. Neighbors knew neighbors, children played in the street and community members felt a sense of cohesion. In an interview regarding the gentrification of Culver City, Linda Shahinian, a community member of over 20 years and retired social worker,

says, “People really knew each other and there was a sense of cohesion. Relationships between community members are deteriorating and there is also an increase in elected officials implementing their own agendas for the community rather than listening to the voices of its inhabitants.” Shahinian also states that the lack of cohesion is attributed to the community’s low amount of affordable housing and the community’s lack of policies that promote community sustainability contribute to the displacement of Culver City’s members who are not a part of the upper class. “It didn’t need to be low income housing,” she says. “Just housing for the people who work here like teachers and other people that are not extremely wealthy.” Loretta Lees and Martin Phillips in their “Handbook of Gentrification Studies” explain that people begin to be displaced from their communities when government subsidized housing is depleted and policies protecting tenants begin to fade. Protection against gentrification means policy that supports tenants and community. Culver City should implement a “Community Investment Policy.” This overarching policy will assist with preventing

PAGE 14 THE ARGONAUT DECEMBER 10, 2020

gentrification by community building, affordable housing and community land trusts. An example of community building is mentioned in an article by The New York Times, “Community Investment Rescues a Bookstore.” This article describes how a Menlo Park bookstore, impacted by the changes brought by the technology development in Silicon Valley, was brought back into business by the neighborhood individuals who came together to protect an important part of their community. Using the power of community solidarity and strong community relationships, communities can preserve themselves through unity and advocacy. Another important step to community sustainability is affordable housing development. “Subsidized government housing allows for longtime residents to remain in the community,” says former California Housing President Cesar Covarrubias. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, the median cost of housing in California is steadily rising and subsidies are a large component in keeping tenants housed in their original neighborhoods. Rehousing those who have been displaced from their homes is also an important community

resource as gentrification is rapidly displacing folks. City leaders and community members must consider community land trusts. The Journal of Urban Affairs article, “W(h)ither the Community in Community Land Trusts?” tells us that community land trusts have been an effective method since the 1960s for communities to take land off the market and use it to benefit disadvantaged communities. Community land trusts are centered around unity and community building. This approach would not only be cost effective but also contribute to the cohesiveness and interaction of the community. These strategies can be enacted by collaborating with city council officials regarding the “Community Investment Policy.” With the support of City Council, Culver City can build community through beautifying public spaces and communityled initiatives such as community gardens. Through collaboration with the City Council, we can identify viable locations for affordable housing and land trusts that designate community space for developments that protect community members from displacement and strengthen the community. Additionally, collaboration with the City Council can encourage partnership with

developers and would help to build resources into housing development. Housing developments with a health clinic, childcare agency or computer labs that are accessible to community members would help those in need of these services. Through the community initiatives enacted by the “Community Investment Policy,” Culver City’s members can build a sustainable community that supports community cohesion and community strength that protects the community from gentrification. Los Angeles County residents Belinda Reiss and Celeste Covarrubias-Macias are Masters of Social Work students at the University of Southern California. Power to Speak is The Argonaut’s guest opinion column for community members to voice their views on local matters and does not represent an editorial position or endorsement by The Argonaut. The opinions, experiences, research and data analysis expressed in this article are the author’s own. Have a unique point of view on a neighborhood matter or a national issue with a local twist? Email kkirk@timespublications.com.

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Men’s Virility Restored in Clinical Trial; 275% More Blood Flow in 5 Minutes A newly improved version of America’s best-selling male performance enhancer gives 70-year-old men the ability and stamina they enjoyed in their 30’s. America’s best-selling sexual performance enhancer just got a lot better. It’s the latest breakthrough for nitric oxide – the molecule that makes E.D. woes fade and restores virility when it counts the most. Nitric oxide won the Nobel Prize in 1998. It’s why “the little blue pill” works. More than 200,000 studies confirm it’s the key to superior sexual performance. And this new discovery increases nitric oxide availability resulting in even quicker, stronger and longer-lasting performance. One double-blind, placebo-controlled study (the “gold-standard” of research) involved a group of 70-year-old-men. They didn’t exercise. They didn’t eat healthy. And researchers reported their “nitric oxide availability was almost totally compromised,” resulting in blood flow less than HALF of a man in peak sexual health. But only five minutes after the first dose their blood flow increased 275%, back to levels of a perfectly healthy 31-year-old man! “It’s amazing,” remarks nitric oxide expert Dr. Al Sears. “That’s like giving 70-year-old men the sexual power of 30-year-olds.”

WHY SO MUCH EXCITEMENT? Despite the billions men spend annually on older nitric oxide therapies, there’s one wellknown problem with them. They don’t always work. A very distinguished and awarded doctor practicing at a prestigious Massachusetts hospital who has studied Nitric Oxide for over 43 years states a “deficiency of bioactive nitric oxide… leads to impaired endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation.” In plain English, these older products may increase levels of nitric oxide. But that’s only half the battle. If it’s not bioactively available then your body can’t absorb it to produce an erection. Experts simply call it the nitric oxide “glitch.” And until now, there’s never been a solution.

NEXT GENERATION NITRIC OXIDE FORMULA FLYING OFF SHELVES Upon further research, America’s No. 1 men’s health expert Dr. Al Sears discovered certain nutrients fix this “glitch” resulting in 275% better blood flow.

He’s combined those nutrients with proven nitric oxide boosters in a new formula called Primal Max Red. In clinical trials, 5,000 mg is required for satisfying sexual performance. Primal Max Red contains a bigger, 9,000 mg per serving dose. It’s become so popular, he’s having trouble keeping it in stock. Dr. Sears is the author of more than 500 scientific papers. Thousands of people listened to him speak at the recent Palm Beach Health & Wellness Festival featuring Dr. Oz. NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath recently visited his clinic, the Sears Institute for Anti-Aging Medicine. Primal Max Red has only been available for a few months — but everyone who takes it reports a big difference. “I have the energy to have sex three times in one day, WOW! That has not happened in years. Oh, by the way I am 62,” says Jonathan K. from Birmingham, AL.

A new discovery that increases nitric oxide availability was recently proven in a clinical trial to boost blood flow 275%

“I measured my nitric oxide levels, you can buy a test kit from Amazon,” reports 48-year-old Jeff O. “Monday night I showed depleted.” Then he used ingredients in Primal Max Red and, “The results were off the charts. I first woke around 3 a.m. on Tuesday very excited. My nitric oxide levels measured at the top end of the range.”

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The problem is various factors THICKEN your blood vessels as you age. This blocks availability causing the nitric oxide “glitch.” The result is difficulty in getting and sustaining a healthy erection. How bad is the problem? Researcher shows the typical 40-year-old man absorbs 50% less nitric oxide. At 50, that drops to 25%. And once you pass 60 just a measly 15% gets through. To make matters worse, nitric oxide levels start declining in your 30’s. And by 70, nitric oxide production is down an alarming 75%. Primal Max Red is the first formula to tackle both problems. Combining powerful nitric oxide boosters and a proven delivery mechanism that defeats the nitric oxide “glitch” resulting in 275% better blood flow. There’s not enough space here to fully explain how it works, so Dr. Sears will send anyone who orders Primal Max Red a free special report that explains everything.

MORE CLINICAL RESULTS Nutrients in Primal Max Red have logged impressive results. In a Journal of Applied Physiology study, one resulted in a 30 times MORE nitric oxide. And these increased levels lasted up to 12 hours.

“If you want passionate ‘rip your clothes off’ sex you had in your younger days, you need nitric oxide to get your erection going. And testosterone for energy and drive,” says Dr. Sears. “You get both with Primal Max Red and Primal Max Black.”

HOW TO GET PRIMAL MAX To secure free bottles of Primal Max Black and get the hot, new Primal Max Red formula, buyers should contact the Sears Health Hotline at 1-800-369-8970 within the next 48 hours. “It’s not available in drug stores yet,” says Dr. Sears. “The Hotline allows us to ship directly to the customer.” Dr. Sears feels so strongly about Primal Max, all orders are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee. “Just send me back the bottle and any unused product within 90 days from purchase date, and I’ll send you all your money back,” he says. The Hotline will be open for the next 48 hours. After that, the phone number will be shut down to allow them to restock. Call 1-800-369-8970 to secure your limited supply of Primal Max Red and free bottles of Primal Max Black. You don’t need a prescription, and those who call in the first 24 hours qualify for a significant discount. Use Promo Code NP1120PMAX524 when you call in. Lines are frequently busy, but all calls will be answered.

THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE. RESULTS MAY VARY DECEMBER 10, 2020 THE ARGONAUT PAGE 15

A R T S

E V E N T S

Holiday Happenings Different communities across the Westside are ringing in the holidays safely PHOTO BY MATHEW TUCCIARONE

By Holly Jenvey Even though COVID-19 has canceled many holiday plans, you can still safely experience the festivities on the Westside through in-person and virtual activations. From pretty lights displays to socially distanced events and more, here are some of the different ways that local communities are bringing on the holiday cheer. Culver City • Virtual Holiday Tree Lighting (December 10, 6 p.m.) Ring in the season with virtual festivities leading up to the Culver City tree lighting. Enjoy a special guest appearance by Academy Award-winning actor Tim Robbins and enjoy performances from Culver City High School’s Academy of Visual and Performing Arts and more. The Culver City Council Members and Santa Claus will also make an appearance. Get the chance to count down with Mayor Goran Eriksson as he flips the switch on the 22-foot Rocky Mountain pine tree. The event will be hosted by Darrel Menthe. Stream the event by visiting downtownculvercity.com Marina del Rey • Festival Lights at Fisherman’s Village (throughout December) Throughout the month of December, you can take a walk through the winter wonderland and see the village shops and trees light up with vibrant colors. • Holiday Boat Lights Display (December 5-19) Even though the annual parade was canceled this year, you can still watch boats sailing through the marina glimmering with holiday flair. You can also vote for your favorite boat by taking a picture and posting on Instagram using the hashtag #mdrholidays. The contest ends on December 20 at midnight so be sure to cast your vote soon. Three boaters will be awarded cash prizes and three voters will win gift certificates to Marina

Holiday decor at Santa Monica Place will include a 50-foot tree in the Center Plaza with a 14-foot snow globe. restaurants and attractions. For more information, check out visitmarinadelrey.com Playa del Rey/ Westchester • Westchester Mental Health Guild’s Holiday Lights Tour (December 13-19) The Westchester Mental Health Guild is hosting a drive-by house tour presenting the holiday lights in the community. This is in place of touring five special homes every year. 21 homes and one church will be beautifully decorated for the holidays; enjoy a self-driving tour of the displays after dark. $10 registration includes home list, map and voting ballot. To register, visit westchester mhg.org/events

PAGE 16 THE ARGONAUT DECEMBER 10, 2020

Santa Monica • Winterlit (November 27January 3) Winterlit makes its comeback in Santa Monica as it illuminates Third Street Promenade with holiday art installations and festivities. Thanks to Downtown Santa Monica, Inc., you can enjoy the holiday shopping experience or just drive by and see tens of thousands of lights shine over your favorite stores along with activities that the whole family can enjoy safely. Attendees can experience a new augmented reality app that allows them to explore the open air entertainment district through the palm of their hand. You can also see

installations from the Art of Recovery initiative at the Santa Monica Pier. Children can put together their wish lists this year thanks to special mailboxes on the Promenade. If letters provide a return address, Santa will write back! • Holiday Shopping at Santa Monica Place (through December 24) See the 50-foot tree in the Center Plaza along with a giant 14-foot snow globe, amongst other decorations. Children two and up can also experience a safe virtual visit with Santa Claus as well! You can shop safely with curbside pickup, virtual queuing, in-store pick-up, and takeout dining options. Concierge is available

to answer questions, simply text (310) 499-2928 to get in contact. Santa Monica Place is also holding the Gift It Forward Sweepstakes, where you can nominate someone who went above and beyond for you, your family or community this year. If you nominate someone, you can win $500. For more information, visit santamonicaplace.com • The Wishing Tree from the Pico Improvement Organization (through December 23) Make a wish this holiday season with the sparkly Wishing Tree at the Pico Pop Up located at 2802 Pico Blvd. Visitors of all ages are encouraged to make a wish with a hope or dream and then attach

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the slip to the tree. There will also be graffiti art by Pico Artists, photography of Pico merchants, a Pico Mural Walking Tour Map and surprise free gifts. The Pico Pop Up is open daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wish slips can be found at Virginia Ave Park Library (10 a.m-4 p.m.) and the Pico Farmers Market on Saturdays. • Miracle on Main Street (throughout December) See iconic holiday displays this season thanks to Miracle on Main Street, including a 40-foot shopping cart tree. The tree will be lit up for the 26th year in a row in the Edgemar building. You can also see the beloved 13-foot Noble fir tree that stands over Main Street on the Heritage Museum lawn. For more information, visit mainstreetsm.com

PHOTO BY MATHEW TUCCIARONE

Venice • Venice Chamber of Commerce Virtual Happy HourCocktails and Furry Companions (December 16, 5-6 p.m.) Enjoy a happy hour with fellow members of the community from the safety of your own home. Introduce your furry friends on Zoom while savoring tasty cocktails. Registration is free of charge, however a $10 donation is encouraged to support Chamber programs. Those who aren’t members of the Chamber of Commerce can attend two events prior to joining the organization. A Zoom link will be provided upon registration. For more information, please visit business.venicechamber. net/events • 2020 Santa Monica-Venice Christmas Run (December 1-30) The Santa Monica-Venice Christmas Run, LA’s largest holiday running event, looks forward to another great year in 2020. This year it has gone virtual! Join for all the holiday fun you love, from the comfort of your home or your favorite local route. Whether you’re running the 5K, 10K or Kids Fun Run, celebrate the 12 days of Christmas through fun holiday challenges and activities. Your virtual run registration will include the annual Christmas Run shirt and finisher medal. For more information, visit christmasrun.com

Santa Monica Place will offer holiday decor, shopping, takeout options and more.

Through January 7, the Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s festive window displays can be seen at the Santa Monica Pier. DECEMBER 10, 2020 THE ARGONAUT PAGE 17

SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

■ RESIDENTS IN 4 STATES CASH IN: The phone lines will be ringing off the hook. That’s because for the next 48 hours, packages containing actual Gold Vault Bricks still loaded with four

5-ounce Jumbo State Bars layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold minted by the Federated Mint are being shipped to residents in 4 states. These are the only Gold Vault Bricks known to exist and everyone wants them. That’s because they’re still loaded with Jumbo Gold Bars bearing the name of The First Bank of the United States of America and the state they were once destined for. And here’s the best part. If you live in one of the 4 states listed in today’s publication you cover only the minimum gold fee set for state residents of just $49 per ounce. That’s a real steal because residents living outside of the designated 4 states must pay $124 per ounce if any remain.

Residents snap up Gold Bars issued in 4 States

Heavy Gold Vault Bricks loaded with valuable Jumbo State Bars layered in 24 Karat Gold are up for grabs as thousands stand to miss the deadline to claim the gold bars; now residents in 4 states can claim the Gold Vault Bricks for themselves and keep all the valuable bars found inside just by covering the minimum gold fee set for state residents within the next 48 hours “It’s like a modern day gold rush,” said Mary Ellen Withrow, emeritus 40th Treasurer of the United States of America. That’s because actual Gold Vault Bricks™ still loaded with four 5-ounce Jumbo State Bars layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold bearing the name of the First Bank of the United States of America™ and the state they were once destined for are up for grabs as thousands of U.S. residents stand to miss the deadline to claim the gold. Now any resident of those states can claim the Gold Vault Bricks for themselves and keep all the valuable gold found inside. That’s four massive bars weighing a full 20 ounces of high demand bullion copper layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold in all. And here’s the best part. If you live in one of the 4 states listed in today’s publication you cover only the minimum gold fee set for state residents of just $49 per (Continued on next page) PAGE 18 THE ARGONAUT DECEMBER 10, 2020

Who gets the Jumbo Gold Bars: Listed below in bold are the states that get the gold. If you live in one of these states immediately call the State Distribution Hotline at: 1-800-749-6917 GB1737

AK AL AR Arizona California CO CT DE FL GA

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(Continued from previous page)

ounce which totals $980 for the full 20 ounces locked away inside these gold vault bricks. That’s a real steal because residents living outside of the designated 4 states must pay $124 per ounce which totals $2,480 if any remain. “As special counsel to Federated Mint I earn my pay delivering breaking news. And today’s announcement confirming the release of Gold Vault Bricks to the general public is as big as it gets. Believe me, I know how valuable these Gold Vault Bricks are to resellers, collectors, dealers and anyone else who gets their hands on them,” Withrow said. “So my advice is this, anyone who gets an opportunity to get their hands on one of these Gold Vault Bricks better jump at the chance before they’re all gone,” Withrow said. “These Gold Vault Bricks loaded with massive 5-ounce Jumbo State Bars layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold make the most impressive gifts for Christmas, birthdays, graduations, weddings, and any other occasion, especially for that hard-to-buy-for person,” Withrow said. According to Ms. Withrow, since thousands of U.S. residents stand to miss the deadline to claim the gold, today and tomorrow are intended as a “special 48 hour release” for the benefit of persons living in; CA, AZ, NV and OR. This gives residents of those states a fair chance to claim the Gold Vault Bricks and all the valuable gold loaded inside for themselves. But, Ms. Withrow added, “The Gold Vault Bricks are only available as inventory permits during the special 48 hour release and once they’re gone, they’re gone.” The emeritus Treasurer added, “Remember this, these Gold Vault Bricks contain a full 20 ounces of high demand bullion copper layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold and we have no power to stop dealers, resellers, collectors and the like from buying up all the Gold Vault Bricks they can get their hands on and reselling them for a big profit,” Withrow said. Anyone who fails to obtain them during this special 48 hour release may be forced to buy them later in the secondary market from a dealer, reseller or collector at a hefty premium. ”We already know the phones will be ringing off the hook. That’s why hundreds of agents are standing by to answer the phones beginning at 8:30am this morning. We’re going to do our best, but with just 48 hours to answer all the calls it won’t be easy. So make sure to tell everyone to keep calling if all lines are busy. We’ll do our best to answer them all,” Withrow said. “That’s why Federated Mint set up the State Distribution Hotlines in order to make sure residents in the 4 designated states listed in today’s newspaper publication can get them now,” Withrow said. The only thing readers of today’s newspaper publication need to do is make sure they live in one of the 4 states listed in today’s newspaper and call the State Distribution Hotlines before the special 48 hour release ends midnight tomorrow. ■

NEVER BEFORE SEEN: THESE FIRST BANK OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA JUMBO GOLD BARS ARE THE ONLY ONES KNOWN TO EXIST

VALUABLE: THESE ARE THE FOUR 5-OUNCE JUMBO GOLD BARS SEALED AWAY IN EACH GOLD VAULT BRICK BEARING THE STATE DESTINATION

How much are the Gold Vault Bricks worth: The answer is, it’s impossible to say. But, it would be foolish for anyone to try and determine the value of these Gold Vault Bricks based on today’s price of gold. Here’s why. Gold, silver and all precious metal values always fluctuate and there are never any guarantees. But what we do know is that these are the only Gold Vault Bricks still loaded with four 5-ounce Jumbo State Bars known to exist. In fact, the value of the pure 24 Karat Gold layered content is just a bonus for anyone lucky enough to get one of these Gold Vault Bricks because there’s no telling how much the actual collector value could be worth. That makes the minimum gold fee set for state residents of just $ 49 per ounce which totals $ 980 for the full 20 ounces locked away inside these Gold Vault Bricks a real steal since residents living outside of the designated 4 states must pay $124 per ounce, which totals $ 2,480, if any remain. Why the vault fee is so low: Since thousands of U.S. residents stand to miss the deadline to claim the gold, Federated Mint has re-allocated Gold Vault Bricks to be sent out in the next 48 hours. That means the gold is up for grabs and now residents in 4 states can claim the Gold Vault Bricks for themselves and keep all the valuable bars found inside. These are the only Gold Vault Bricks known to exist and everyone wants them. That’s because they’re still loaded with four 5-ounce Jumbo State Bars layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold bearing the name of The First Bank of the United States of America and the state they were once destined for. That’s four massive bars weighing a full 20 ounces of 24 Karat Gold and valuable bullion copper in all. And here’s the best part. If you live in one of the 4 states listed in today’s publication you cover only the minimum gold fee set for state residents of just $ 49 per ounce. That’s a real steal because residents living outside of the designated 4 states must pay $124 per ounce if any remain.

■ FIRST LOOK INSIDE THE GOLD VAULT BRICKS: Pictured above are the Gold Vault Bricks containing the only Jumbo State Gold Bars known to exist bearing the name of the First Bank of the United States of America and the state they were once destined for. State residents are rushing to get them because the Gold Vault Bricks are still loaded with four 5-ounce Jumbo State Bars layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold. To claim you Vault Brick, just call 1-800-749-6917 GB1737 before the deadline ends. Everyone lucky enough to get them better hold on to them because there’s no telling just how much they could be worth.

R1007E

FEDERATED MINT, LLC IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. MINT, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, A BANK OR ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY. IF FOR ANY REASON WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM SHIPMENT YOU ARE DISSATISFIED, RETURN THE PRODUCT FOR A REFUND LESS SHIPPING AND RETURN POSTAGE. THIS SAME OFFER MAY BE MADE AVAILABLE AT A LATER DATE OR IN A DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION. OH RESIDENTS ADD 6.5% SALES TAX. FEDERATED MINT, PO BOX 1200, MASSILLON, OH 44648 ©2020 FEDERATED MINT DECEMBER 10, 2020 THE ARGONAUT PAGE 19

L E T T E R S nothing” system currently in existence. Further, this new system would integrate the desire for a popular vote for president with the need for the individual states to determine who actually gets elected. For 2020 multiplying the percentage of votes each candidate received (in each state) times the number of electoral votes (in each state) results in the following: Biden 267.23 and Trump 252.33. Multiplying the percentage of popular votes each candidate received (nationwide) times the total number of electoral votes (538) results in the following: Biden 274.92 and Trump 253.40. Joe Bialek Cleveland, Ohio To the Editor: LA Mayor Eric Garcetti was recently quoted as saying, “It’s time to cancel everything…” and, by implication, one assumes

“cancel everyone.” The LA County Board of Supervisors and Dept of Public Health have been effective at destroying the jobs of restaurant servers, cooks, busboys and managers by disallowing outdoor dining— even when there is no evidence that this contributes to the spread of COVID 19. I’d suggest we cancel Mayor Garcetti, the LA City Council, the LA County Board of Supervisors….and let’s not forget Barbara Ferrer—the LA County Director of Public Health, who does not hold a doctorate in either medicine or public health. Harry V Vinters, M.D.,F.R.C.P.C.,F.C.A.P. Venice, CA Open streets would make outdoor dining safer “You gotta be pretty stupid not to understand what happens when people without face masks spend time together,” my old college

CREDIT: TIM TUNKS

To the Editor: The debate has started again as to whether the US Constitution should be amended in order to change the presidential election process. Some promote eliminating the Electoral College in favor of a direct popular vote for president while others believe the Electoral College should remain unchanged. Just as compromise solved the initial problems of the framers so it is that compromise can solve this problem. The solution is to change the electoral votes to electoral points and reward each candidate a percentage of points based on the percentage of popular votes received in each state. This would eliminate the “winner take all” system thus allowing for all the votes to count. A voter is more apt to believe their vote counted when a percentage of popular votes are taken into account rather than the “all or

buddy said. The science is now clear that the source of nearly half of COVID-19 virus transmission comes from the mouths and noses of asymptomatic people who have no idea at the time that they’re dangerous carriers. The more time people spend together, the more dangerous it gets. A third of those carriers will never get sick, but YOU can certainly get sick and many old

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people like me never recover—so I take this issue personally. The Santa Monica Main Street outdoor dining areas that attracted enough customers to make back some of the money invested in their parklet improvements were infection stations when they were busy and overflowing with happy eaters and drinkers. I say everyone has a right to be happy and our Constitutional acceptance of all men guarantees our right to be stupid, but it does place limits on what harm we can do to others. When we understand all that and then think how we might improve community transmission mitigation when the Main Street restaurants reopen for outdoor dining (those who manage to financially survive this latest closure), we have to see that we can and should do better. The restaurant business associations are fighting for their lives with the argument that there’s no data that shows outdoor dining is any worse than a number of other activities. This is a false equivalency argument that papers over what is potentially a very risky activity. Imagine if they chose instead to focus on making it less risky. One obvious risk reduction would be to spread out the spaces where outdoor dining happens to reduce concentration of virus carrying aerosols so fresh air can better dilute them—something that could happen if we open the street by closing the wide thru traffic corridor, to make room for effective social distancing. It’s hard to understand why open street configurations don’t get the consideration they deserve. Tim Tunks Santa Monica, CA

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insights about local issues to kkirk@timespublications.com

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H A P P E N I N G S

Compiled by Caden Sullivan Endowment for the Arts, the City of Culver City and its Cultural Affairs Commission with support from Sony Pictures Entertainment and Culver City Arts Foundation. More information at theactorsgang.com

Sunday, Dec. 13

LA Louver’s virtual conversation on Dec. 16 will explore the unique, collaborative process that took place when architect Frederick Fisher designed the Venice gallery. concert featuring Latin jazz by award-winning trumpeter Arturo Sandoval! Tickets are $10 unless you’re a member of The Broad, and the concert streams in high-quality 1080p. More information and ticketing available at thebroadstage.org Art of Transformation Celebrates Small World Books, 6 to 7 p.m. A nostalgic reading featuring contributors of short fiction in “Made in LA Vol. 3: Art of Transformation.” In the midst of change, Angelenos celebrate those landmarks of the past that persist. Small World Books has a front porch view of Venice Beach and the swirl of characters that saunter by. This reading and discussion features “Made in LA” contributing authors as they look back on a changing city and their inspirations. Free event via Zoom webinar and YouTube Live. eventbrite.com/e/art-of-transformation-celebrates-smallworld-books-tickets-130888937335 COURTESY LA LOUVER

On Dec. 16, LA Louver will host a virtual conversation with founding director Peter Goulds and architect Frederick Fisher.

Friday, Dec. 11 Manual Cinema’s “Christmas Carol,” 5 & 7 p.m. with more dates available. Join Emmy award-winning performance collective Manual Cinema for their original take on a Christmas classic. The story is adapted to a real-world context, and the show itself is adapted to take full advantage of online screening. This live performance, streamed from Chicago, features acting, music and artwork in a way that live theater can’t always provide, so don’t miss it! Tickets start at $20 and the show runs all weekend. More information and ticketing available at thesoraya.org

Saturday, Dec. 12 Discussion with writer-director Steve McQueen by American Cinematheque, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. If you’re a fan of filmmaking or the Oscar-winning film “12 Years a Slave,” this is a free, remote opportunity to hear from a top-notch writer and director. There’s even a Q&A, so don’t miss this rare chance to ask him a question! More information at: eventbrite.com/e/small-axe-virtualqa-with-director-steve-mcqueen-tickets-131134056493 Hot Chocolate Holiday Club, 2 p.m. Join the Hot Chocolate Holiday Club for their first virtual shows developed by the Actors’ Gang Ensemble. Written by Rynn Vogel and directed by Adam J. Jefferis. This performance is made possible in part by the National

Chanukah Parade, 4 p.m. Since there can’t be a Chanukah Parade with crowds, floats and parties this year, organizers are asking you to join their sociallydistanced celebration instead. The parade of cars will start at the Jewish Community Center and make its way through the Beach Cities to Greenwood Park. Enjoy giant menorahs, children’s gifts and more at JCC’s local celebration! More information available at jccmb.com

Peter Goulds and Frederick Fisher, 2 p.m. LA Louver cordially invites you to a live virtual conversation with LA Louver founding director Peter Goulds and architect Frederick Fisher on the origins of LA Louver’s gallery space. This conversation will reveal the unique and collaborative relationships between gallerist and architect, to realize a building from the ground up. Following the conversation, the panelists will be available to answer questions during a live Q&A. More information at lalouver. com

Friday, Dec. 18

Nochebuena en Casa, 5 p.m. This ballet performance hosted by The Soraya is available for free to the public. It’s a great remote event for ballet lovers and prospective fans alike. If Monday, Dec. 14 Mindful Monday: Cultivating you’re bored or have family over, give it a watch to support Empathy and Connectedness @ Home: by LACMA, 4 p.m. the theater and performers! More information and event to 5 p.m. This free, interactive virtual art experience by the LA signup are available at www.thesoraya.org County Museum of Art is available to everyone! Led by educators Elizabeth Gerber and Alicia Vogl Saenz, this art Send event show includes time/opportunity for reflection and guided information at least meditation. 10 days in advance More information and RSVP are available at lacma.org to kkirk@

Wednesday, Dec. 16

timespublications.com

Virtual Conversation with PHOTO BY JEREMY LOCK

Marina del Rey Pharmacy Food Drive, through December 18, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Marina del Rey Pharmacy is hosting a food drive to collect non-perishable items for Westside Food Bank this holiday season. The need for basic food items is always greater this time of year, but even more due to COVID-19. This need prompted the pharmacy staff to put together a food drive to help their local community. People are encouraged to drop off non-perishable food items anytime at the pharmacy. Items needed most are dried pasta, pasta sauce (unbreakable packaging), juice and breakfast cereal. 4558 S. Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey. Visit marina delreypharmacy.com for more info. 2020 Spark of Love Toy Drive, through Dec. 24. The LA County Fire Department hosts the Spark of Love Toy Drive every year and the 2020 donations will be remote. Whether you choose to donate online or schedule a toy drop-off, try to give back this holiday season. For more information, visit fire.lacounty.gov/spark-of-love The People Concern Holiday Drive, through Dec. 31. For the month of December, donate cold weather items via the contactless drive-through at Platform Drive-Through. Donation receipts available upon request. 3920 Landmark Ave, Culver City. Visit platformdrivethrough.com Arturo Sandoval Live from The Broad Stage, through December 13. If you’re a fan of live music, hang tight! Venues may still be closed, but The Broad Stage in Santa Monica is hosting a live on-demand

IMAGE COURTESY LA LOUVER

Thursday Dec. 10

On Dec. 13, award-winning trumpeter Arturo Sandoval will perform a livestreamed on-demand concert on The Broad Stage in Santa Monica. DECEMBER 10, 2020 THE ARGONAUT PAGE 21

TUSCAN RETREAT

“This stunning escape is located at the heart of Brentwood, only moments from shops, restaurants, and top-rated schools,” says agent Stephanie Younger. “Chefs will enjoy preparing meals in the gourmet kitchen with a large eat-in island, stainless steel Viking appliances, breakfast nook, glass doors, and service windows for accessible indoor and outdoor entertaining. Upstairs, a spacious and serene master suite with a wood-burning fireplace, walk-in closet, decadent bath with dual vanity sink, and glass doors to the balcony offer the luxury and first-class living you deserve. In the backyard, multi-level outdoor spaces are an entertainer’s dream featuring an outdoor kitchen, endless pool and spa, firepit, and romantic canyon views. Additional property features include a formal dining room ideal for family gatherings, multiple well-appointed guest suites, and a detached bonus studio. Prepared to cater to all lifestyles, this Italian estate is the perfect blend of sumptuous design and top-of-the-line technology.” PAGE 22 AT HOME – THE ARGONAUT’S REAL ESTATE SECTION DECEMBER 10, 2020

Offered at $3,995,000 I N F O R M AT I O N :

STEPHANIE YOUNGER COMPASS 310.499.2020 stephanieyounger.com DRE#01365696

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7808 W 81st St, Playa Del Rey 4 bed | 4.5 bath | $2,595,000 Chic Beach Luxury Home

6011 S Dawn Creek #6, Playa Vista 4 bed | 4 bath | $1,789,000 Pristine Townhome

837 Flower Ave, Venice 5 bed | 5 bath | $3,550,000 Modern Shangri-la

1191 North Bundy Dr, Brentwood 5 bed | 6 bath | $3,995,000 Tuscan Villa

3412 Palm Ave, Manhattan Beach 6 bed | 6.5 bath | $5,995,000 Cutting-Edge Contemporary

129 Via Colusa, Redondo Beach 2 bed | 1 bath | $1,099,000 Investment Opportunity

8000 Westlawn Ave, Westchester 3 bed | 2 bath | $1,849,000 Coming Soon

7533 Denrock Ave, Westchester 3 bed | 2 bath | $1,399,000 Coming Soon

13221 Admiral Ave #D, Marina Del Rey

3 bed | 2.5 bath | $1,099,000 Coming Soon

In Escrow 4136 Sunnyside Ave, Mar Vista 4 bed | 4.5 bath | $2,749,000 State-of-the-Art Home

125 Vía Calousa, Redondo Beach 3 bed | 2 bath | $1,299,000 Prime Riviera Home

2707 Vanderbilt Ln #3, Redondo Beach

3 bed | 2 bath | $799,000 Sunny & Spacious Townhouse

In Escrow 3238 Glendon Ave, Palms 4 bed | 4.5 bath | $2,595,000 Quiet SoCal Paradise

In Escrow

7811 Nardian Way, Westchester 4 bed | 2 bath | $1,649,000 Panoramic Views

In Escrow 2844 Overland Ave, Cheviot Hills 4 bed | 3 bath | $1,699,000 Mid-Century Farmhouse

In Escrow 6430 Nancy St, Westchester 5 bed | 4 bath | $2,095,000 Charming North Kentwood Home

FIND YOUR PLACE The Stephanie Younger Group 310.499.2020 | DRE 01365696 stephanieyounger.com | @stephanieyoungergroup

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WESTSIDE 2020

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01991628. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate. If your property is currently listed for sale this is not a solicitation.

DECEMBER 10, 2020 AT HOME – THE ARGONAUT’S REAL ESTATE SECTION PAGE 23

Enjoy the Real Estate Experience You Deserve!

Era Matilla rEalty 225 CulvEr Blvd. Playa dEl rEy

Manager BrE#1323411

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THE ARGONAUT PRESS RELEASES BRENTWOOD TOWNHOME

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STUNNING OCEAN VIEWS

“Spectacular and spacious townhome that features a separate entrance that feels more like a private home. Luscious greenery surrounds this two-story townhome,” says agent Michelle Martino. “From the front door you enter into a great, open living area with a mantel fireplace. French Doors lead to private patios and let in an abundance of light.And a full bath is reserved for the two bedrooms. Upstairs is the master suite retreat complete with a fireplace, walk-in closet and ensuite spa bath with separate shower and sunken tub.” Offered at $1,249,000 Michelle Martino Keller Williams Silicon Beach 310-880-0789

“This modern four-bedroom home with detached ADU and office sits like a modern Shangri-la,” says agent Stephanie Younger. “Enter through the gated front yard with large sun deck and veggie garden to find smooth wood floors, black-framed windows, high ceilings, and a clean, modern aesthetic. Upstairs master and second bedrooms include en suite baths and private decks. Income producing detached ADU completes this all in one custom property. A shared alleyway-turned-private-playground complements the relaxed experience.” Offered at $3,550,000 Stephanie Younger Compass 310-499-2020

“This home exudes opulence,” says agent Jesse Weinberg. “Features include 24x24 white polished porcelain tile floors, skim coated walls, motorized window treatments, chefs kitchen with Thermador appliances, Silestone counters, custom ice grey Ultra Craft cabinets, milk glass backsplash and designer finishes throughout. Both bedrooms offer picturesque views, custom built closets and luxurious spa-like baths. Also includes custom lighting, smart thermostat, washer/dryer, two-car parking with private EV charger and so much more! HOA fee include cable/internet/water/trash & resort-style amenities.” Offered at $2,195,000 Jesse Weinberg Jesse Weinberg & Associates 800-804-9132

“This home features four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, and two family rooms with stunning views from Palos Verdes Peninsula to the Malibu Coastline,” says agent Jane St. John. “The first level has an entertainment suite with big screen TV, fireplace, custom wet bar, wine refrigerator, and space for a pool table. On the main level you find the living room, kitchen, dining area, wet bar, and family room that opens out to an ocean-facing balcony as well as the master suite, and a guest suite.” Offered at $3,500,000 Jane St. John RE/MAX Estate Properties 310-567-5971

THE ARGONAUT REAL ESTATE Q&A

Homes are flying off the market, despite recession Our last recession was characterized by a depressed housing market. However, the opposite appears to be true as we make our way through the 2020 recession. Low home inventory has led desperate homebuyers to snatch up homes the moment they arrive on the market. Nationally, the average days on market is just 16 days before selling, as of September 2020. This figure has declined fairly consistently since its most recent peak in January 2020, when the average home sat for 42 days. For a more seasonal reference, one year earlier in September 2019, the average home was listed for 29 days before selling compared to today’s 16. Days on market is typically lower for lowtier homes, where inventory is often tight, with high-tier homes spending the longest on market before selling. Further, inventory swings are more varied based on individual metropolitan areas and neighborhoods. The rapid sales occurring across the state reflect California’s inventory crunch. Seller uncertainty and the foreclosure moratorium are both acting to keep listings off the market in 2020. As of the first week of November, multiple listing service (MLS) inventory is down compared to a year earlier:

The only metro to buck this trend is San Francisco, which has 52% more inventory available than a year earlier as of November 2020. This city’s housing market is already volatile in a typical year. In 2020, the remote work trend is growing and the area’s high cost of living has seen fewer interested homebuyers now that remote workers may search further away from the expensive city center. An inventory shift is approaching A word of advice to today’s real estate professionals: don’t get used to it. The reason for today’s low inventory situation is multi-faceted, and most of these factors are set to change in the coming months. For example, 5.5% of mortgaged homeowners are in a mortgage forbearance plan in November 2020, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), and roughly one-third of these homeowners do not have a high level of confidence that they will be able to pay next month’s mortgage payment. While an increase in households unable to make payments usually leads to foreclosures and an influx in inventory, 2020’s eviction and foreclosure

PAGE 24 AT HOME – THE ARGONAUT’S REAL ESTATE SECTION DECEMBER 10, 2020

moratoriums have put this inventory on (temporary) hold. When the federal foreclosure moratorium ends — currently scheduled to happen on December 31, 2020 — lenders will begin the foreclosure process for those behind on their mortgage payments and today’s shadow inventory will jump. Another factor contributing to today’s low inventory is the pandemic, which caused homebuyers to pause their plans this spring. In turn, homebuyers who desired to purchase earlier in the year are buying in the fall. Thus, home sales have been unseasonably high in summer and fall 2020, somewhat making up for the losses experienced earlier this year. Further, since residential construction has slowed significantly during the pandemic response, MLS inventory has relied more on the willingness of sellers and less on builders. However, these three factors are fleeting: • the foreclosure moratorium will lift and distressed sales will begin to flood the market in 2021; • the unseasonably high homebuyer demand seen in fall 2020 will subside, as

it is merely holdover from earlier in the year; and • construction will pick up with the relaxation of social distancing measures following deployment of a COVID-19 vaccine in 2021, helped along by legislation encouraging more building. Once these market forces are muted, expect the housing market to feel the real impacts of the 2020 recession. An inventory spike will lead to longer days on market, price cuts and lower home values in the second half of 2021 and through 2022. Once prices begin to fall consistently, homebuyers will quickly exit, unwilling to purchase until prices have bottomed. At that point — likely around 2023 — speculators will return, competing with homebuyers for inventory and injecting momentum into the next price bump. THIS WEEK’S QUESTION WAS ANSWERED BY

Carrie B. Reyes is Market Watch editor and project editor of the Real Estate Economics and Economic Trends in California Real Estate books. first tuesday Journal P.O. Box 5707 Riverside, CA 92517

Thank You!

Three SUVs full of toys and $5035 in checks/gift cards were delivered to Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles Sunday morning, Dec 6th. Two trucks of items were delivered to Carson Animal Shelter Saturday, Dec 5th! A special thanks to RE/MAX Estate Properties Broker/ agents for their boost of $1050 and 3 big boxes of toys before the collection was held Saturday morning December 5th in Playa del Rey! Jane St. John

DRE #00998927

RE/MAX Estate Properties

310-567-5971

Felicia St. Dennis Flowers by Felicia

310-305-1200

DECEMBER 10, 2020 AT HOME – THE ARGONAUT’S REAL ESTATE SECTION PAGE 25

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DEADLINE: Monday at 11am for Thursdays CALL ANN: 626-584-8747 or EMAIL: ann@argonautnews.com

Name Change ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No. 20SMCP00406 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES. Petition of CASSIDY BROOKE CLEMENS, for Change of Name. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.) Petitioner: Cassidy Brooke Clemens filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.) Cassidy Brooke Clemens to Cassidy Brooke Stocker 2.) THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 02/05/2021. Time: 8:30 AM. Dept.: K. The address of the court is 1725 Main Street Santa Monica, CA 90401Santa Monica Courthouse. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Los Angeles. Original filed: November 18, 2020. Lawrence Cho, Judge of the Superior Court. PUBLISH: The Argonaut Newspaper 12/3/20, 12/10/20, 12/17/20, 12/24/20

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No. 20SMCP00398 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES. Petition of JONATHAN MITCHELL TAVSS, for Change of Name. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.) Petitioner: JONATHAN MITCHELL TAVSS filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.) Jonathan Mitchell Tavss to Jonathan Mitchell Tavssberger b.) Elise Marie Bamesberger to Elise Marie Tavssberger c.) Jensen Olivia Tavss to Jensen Olivia Tavssberger d.) Emory Walker Tavss to Emory Walker Tavssberger 2.) THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 02/05/2021. Time: 8:30 AM. Dept.: K. The address of the court is 1725 Main Street Santa Monica, CA 90401Santa Monica Courthouse. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: Los Angeles. Original filed: November 13, 2020. Hon. Lawrence Cho, Judge of the Superior Court. PUBLISH: The Argonaut Newspaper 11/19/20, 11/26/20, 12/3/20, 12/10/20

Fic. Business Name

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2020181095 Type of Filing: Original. The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: SHORELINE SPEECH THERAPY & LANGUAGE CENTER, INC., SHORELINE SPEECH & LANGUAGE CENTER, SHORELINE, SHORELINE SPEECH. 2200 Pacific Coast Highway Suite 210 Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. COUNTY: Los Angeles. Articles of Incorporation or Organization Number: 3736596. REGISTERED OWNER(S) Shoreline Speech Therapy & Language Centers, Inc., 2200 Pacific Coast Highway Suite 210 Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. State of Incorporation or LLC: California. THIS BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED BY a Limited Liability Deadline: Company. The registrant commenced to transact busiMonday at 11am ness under the fictitious busifor Thursday ness name or names listed above on: 01/2015. I declare Contact: that all information in this statement is true and correct. Ann Turrietta /s/ Maureen Jennings. TITLE: (626) 584-8747 CEO, Corp or LLC Name: Shoreline Speech Therapy & Email Your Ad: Language Centers, Inc. This ann@argonautnews.com statement was filed with the LA County Clerk on: November 5, 2020. NOTICE – in accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name statement generally expires at the end of five argonautnews.com years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the PAGE 26 THE ARGONAUTcounty DECEMBER 2020as clerk, 10, except, provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it ex-

CLASSIFIEDS and LEGALS

cordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. a new Fictitious Business Name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions code). Publish: The Argonaut Newspaper. Dates: 11/19/20, 11/26/20, 12/3/20, 12/10/20 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2020189895 Type of Filing: Original. The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: AFTER SUNSET. 8020 W. Manchester Ave. Playa del Rey, CA 90254. COUNTY: Los Angeles. Articles of Incorporation or Organization Number: 202022010654. REGISTERED OWNER(S) Serein Dreams LLC, 3400 Cottage Way Ste. G2 #3156 S a c r a m e n t o , C A 9 5 8 2 5. State of Incorporation or LLC: California. THIS BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED BY a Limited Liability Company. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: 08/2020. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. /s/ Jana Montalbano. TITLE: CEO, Corp or LLC Name: Serein Dreams LLC. This statement was filed with the LA County Clerk on: November 17, 2020. NOTICE – in accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. a new Fictitious Business Name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions code). Publish: The Argonaut Newspaper. Dates: 12/03/20, 12/10/20, 12/17/20, 12/24/20 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2020182708 Type of Filing: Original. The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: JUST MASSAGE STUDIO. 8329 Lincoln Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045. COUNTY: Los Angeles. Articles of Incorporation or Organization Number: 3540149. REGISTERED OWNER(S) Magna Facility Management, Inc, 8329 Lincoln Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045. State of Incorporation or LLC: California. THIS BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED BY a Corporation. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: 10/2020. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. /s/ Cesar Escobar. TITLE: President, Corp or LLC Name: Magna Facility Management, Inc.

menced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: 10/2020. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. /s/ Cesar Escobar. TITLE: President, Corp or LLC Name: Magna Facility Management, Inc. This statement was filed with the LA County Clerk on: November 9, 2020. NOTICE – in accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. a new Fictitious Business Name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., Business and Professions code). Publish: The Argonaut Newspaper. Dates: 11/26/20, 12/3/20, 12/10/20, 12/17/20 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2020184692 Type of Filing: Original The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: DOM SALES REPRESENTATIVE; 13810 Northwest Passage Unit #302 Marina del Rey, CA 90292. COUNTY: Los Angeles. REGISTERED OWNER(S) Anna P. Caldeira, 13810 Northwest Passage Unit #302 Marina del Rey, CA 90292. THIS BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED BY an Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the Fictitious Business Name or names listed above on: N/A. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. /s/: Anna P. Caldeira. TITLE: Owner. This statement was filed with the LA County Clerk on: November 10, 2020. NOTICE – in accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. a new Fictitious Business Name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., business and professions code). Publish: The Argonaut Newspaper. Dates: 11/26/20, 12/3/20, 12/10/20, 12/17/20 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2020190109 Type of Filing: Original The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: HRH MORTGAGE; 1990 Westwood Blvd., Suite 100 Los Angeles, CA 90025. COUNTY: Los Angeles. REGISTERED OWNER(S) Hillary Heyl, 4227 Tivoli Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90066. THIS BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED BY an Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the Fictitious Business Name or names listed above on: N/A. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. /s/: Hillary Heyl.

THIS BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED BY an Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the Fictitious Business Name or names listed above on: N/A. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. /s/: Hillary Heyl. TITLE: Owner. This statement was filed with the LA County Clerk on: November 17, 2020. NOTICE – in accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. a new Fictitious Business Name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., business and professions code). Publish: The Argonaut Newspaper. Dates: 12/3/20, 12/10/20, 12/17/20, 12/24/20 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2020198552 Type of Filing: Original The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: VERYNICE; 530 S. Hewitt St., Unit 434 Los Angeles, CA 90013. COUNTY: Los Angeles. REGISTERED OWNER(S) Matthew Manos, 530 S. Hewitt St., Unit 434 Los Angeles, CA 90013. THIS BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED BY an Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the Fictitious Business Name or names listed above on: N/A. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. /s/: Matthew Manos. TITLE: Owner. This statement was filed with the LA County Clerk on: November 25, 2020. NOTICE – in accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 17920, a Fictitious Name Statement generally expires at the end of five years from the date on which it was filed in the office of the county clerk, except, as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17920, where it expires 40 days after any change in the facts set forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other than a change in the residence address of a registered owner. a new Fictitious Business Name statement must be filed before the expiration. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a Fictitious Business Name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et seq., business and professions code). Publish: The Argonaut Newspaper. Dates: 12/3/20, 12/10/20, 12/17/20, 12/24/20

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LOS ANGELES TIMES SUNDAY CROSSWORD PUZZLE “CAREER COUNSELING” By TRENT H. EVANS Across 1 Movers, but hopefully not shakers 5 Hawkeye’s title workplace 9 Global warming word 13 Stumbling block 17 “Are you hurt?” response 18 Soprano showpiece 19 Far from clueless 21 It’s not a bear 22 Advice to an aspiring preacher? 25 Gives the boot 26 Give a lift 27 Finger-wagging word 28 It’s nothing to Caesar 30 Star sometimes eclipsing Venus? 32 Esteem to the extreme 35 Support for wind energy? 39 Advice to an aspiring organizer? 44 NFL’s Falcons 47 Vatican farewell 48 Messy place 49 Fictitious 50 Dalai Lama’s former home 53 China’s Zhou __ 56 “Watch me do this!” 57 Advice to an aspiring journalist? 62 Head of MI6? 63 2020, for many 64 “I know! I know!” 65 Philly Ivy 66 Middle schooler, probably 70 Prairie howlers 73 Collars, as a perp 76 Zoom lens? 78 Seyfried of “Big Love”

82 “We __ Farmer’s, bum ba dum bum bum bum bum” 83 Advice to an aspiring ballet dancer? 88 Salts, say 90 Govt. security 91 Unexpected mug shot feature 92 Bring into harmony 93 Exec concerned with hacking 96 “__ girl!” 98 First name in supervillains 99 Advice to an aspiring history professor? 105 Simple meteorological tool 106 Treater’s adamant words 107 Rap caps, perhaps 111 Breaks down 113 Cosmic comeuppance 117 Devoid of any pleasure 118 Aim high 121 Advice to an aspiring stationer? 125 Speed skater Ohno 126 Some fitness ctrs. 127 Hawaiian seafood salad 128 Tolkien trilogy, initially 129 Radio piece 130 Kindle display 131 Ruth’s sultanate? 132 Greens in regulation, e.g. Down 1 Tools with jaws 2 Quite big enough 3 Musical deficiency 4 Got by on one’s reputation alone, perhaps 5 Red Warhol subject?

6 Canine chorus 7 Evil sci-fi order 8 LOL, verbalized 9 Used what was available 10 Sheep related to you? 11 Head of MI6? 12 Holy threesome 13 The one 14 “Old Town Road” rapper Lil __ X 15 PC shortcut key 16 Teslas don’t need it 20 “My Fair Lady” lady 21 Japanese garden fish 23 Lotto cousin 24 Gulf States bigwig 29 Ram’s protection 31 Mandela’s org. 33 Painful sequence 34 Illuminated 36 For a bit 37 Vietnam War hot spot 38 Mogul 40 Cake level 41 Drink mix made famous by NASA 42 Tiger’s target 43 Harp relative 44 Big name in footwear 45 Son of Odin 46 Touch down 51 Dance moves 52 Nowhere close 54 Right this minute 55 Olympic skating medalist Midori 56 Kermit’s greeting 58 Praise for a torero 59 “You can’t be serious” 60 Seek the affections of 61 Rob __ 65 One of a biblical 150 67 Jefferson bills 68 “OMG, a mouse!” 69 Ease up 71 Eastern “way”

72 Birds that boom and grunt 73 Channel that provided coverage of the New Horizons Pluto flyby 74 Respectful singer? 75 Taken down 77 Back on the boat 79 Scientist __ deGrasse Tyson 80 View from a hill 81 Top of a hill 83 Like the Texas flag’s star 84 Baby’s outfit 85 Crowd eruption 86 Rock ending? 87 Mountain legend 89 “You betcha!” 93 Take over or take in 94 Hypotheticals 95 Yes, to Yves 97 “Your point is?” 100 Chilly 101 Finger-wagging sound 102 Four Corners state 103 Skye of “Say Anything...” 104 Fishes, in a way 108 On, as Sherlock’s game 109 Sanjay of CNN 110 Hägar’s dog 112 Film director’s challenge 114 Gym set 115 “May I have some tuna, please?” 116 “My Way” lyricist 118 Wander (about) 119 Big name in nail polish 120 Slithery squeezer 122 Bio or chem 123 Frenemy of Lando 124 Lab coat checker?

FLEE BITES I broke up with my boyfriend because he didn’t prioritize our relationship and wouldn’t commit. He now wants to get back together and has been sending me cards and letters for weeks. Is it foolish to give him another shot? --Red Flag?

ment entails. Evolutionary psychologists David Buss and David Schmitt observe that having sex can ultimately cost women vastly more than it costs men: nine months of pregnancy plus a squalling kid to feed versus a teaspoon of sperm plus a wave goodbye. So, for men, “a shortterm sexual strategy”–casual sex with a variety of women–has “reproductive A man who’s all, “Forget the Tinder benefits,” allowing them to leave more randos! I need you!” is a man whose sexual freedom means less to him than descendants carrying their genes (in contrast with a “long-term sexual being with you. It’s basically like a lion knocking on the door of the zoo: “Got a strategy” commitment). However, which strategy is optimal for an individual cage for me?” man or woman is context-dependent. Still, it’s natural you’re giving his pleas Contexts that motivate a man to to get back together the side-eye: “Hmmph. So...I wasn’t good enough for commit include wanting a family, a meaningful partnership and/or a you before, but I’m suddenly good “highly desirable woman” who can enough for you now?!” However, his unwillingness to commit may have had afford to put her foot down: “Relationship or bust, Bob.” little to do with you. Chances are the “foot” scenario is There’s this myth that you just need to behind your previously blasé Bob’s find “the right person” and then you transformation (probably along with and Señor Perfecto ride off into the sunset together to Happily Ever After. In how we don’t always realize what we have until we’ve lost it). Tell him somefact, clinical psychologist Judith Sills thing soon–either that you’ll hear him explains that you need to find not just the right person, but the right person at out or that it’s over. If it’s the latter, knowing now will allow him to go out the right time: when both you and he with dignity–before he scrapes bottom are ready to commit. “Readiness” on chick flick lines to poach for his doesn’t strike lightning bolt-style; it letters and decides begging for love develops. It’s a psychological shift that acts as a “catalyst for commitment:” for can be genderfluid: “I’m also just a girl, the intimacy, vulnerability and responsi- standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.” bility for another person that commit-

ALL NIGHT YAWN I’m a 32-year-old woman with a pattern of getting into relationships and then not wanting to have sex. I’m really into sex when the relationship’s new. But about a year in, I stop wanting to have sex, even when the emotional part of the relationship is good. Why does this happen and is it preventable? --Dismayed

But many women in long-term romantic partnerships stop having the physical craving to get it on–the urge for sexual “release.” However, they might still be motivated to have sex for other reasons, like to feel close to their partner. Unfortunately, like you, they and their partners often assume their sexual desire is dead and gone. But Basson explains that a woman’s desire is probably arousable, meaning triggerable. (It just needs waking up.) Over time, everything gets old. Even In practical terms, if a woman men and women who are into the who wants to want sex starts making freakiest sex eventually look over at out with her partner, she’s likely to get their partner all, “Ugh. Not another night of the same old-same old in the turned on. This becomes the springboard to her feeling that physical sex dungeon.” Where men and women tend to differ urge to have sex. However...this assumes she was seriously attracted is in their motivation for having sex to him to begin with and didn’t just once they’re in a relationship. There’s succumb to advice to be “open-mindan assumption that, in relationships, ed” about a great guy she found women’s sexual desire will work just sexually meh. Initially, excitement over like men’s–that is, rise up out of nowhere (like teenage boys’ inappro- what’s new (new guy!) is often mistaken for the excitement of finding priate erections). Sexual medicine specialist Rosemary Basson, M.D., finds somebody hot. However, if actual attraction wasn’t there at the start, that this “spontaneous hunger” to there’ll be nothing to revive once the have sex is a thing for women in the early sexual disbelief– “How do you initial dating stage and for some even do that? Are you double-jointwomen in relationships, especially if they and their partner are apart for a ed? In Cirque du Soleil?”–erodes into “Cirque du So Tired Of This.” few weeks.

GOT A PROBLEM? Write to Amy Alkon at 171 Pier Ave, Ste. 280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or email her at AdviceAmy@aol.com. ©2020, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved. Alkon’s latest book is “Unf*ckology: A Field Guide to Living with Guts and Confidence.” Follow @amyalkon on Twitter or visit blogtalkradio.com/amyalkon.

DECEMBER 10, 2020 THE ARGONAUT PAGE 27

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We are removing equipment out of the wetlands. In support of the Ballona Wetlands Restoration Project, SoCalGas is planning the removal of 17 wells from service in the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve area. Rest assured, we are not expanding our infrastructure. Removing equipment and access roads will accommodate a larger restoration area. SoCalGas’ environmental stewardship goals fully support the Ballona Wetlands and we stand by the restoration method of the wetlands according to the experts in the field.