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Ways to give back this holiday season...page 16 Pacific Area Police Officers collect toys for their Winter Wonderland toy giveaway program that will be held Saturday, December 12 at the Pacific Area Station.
School District outlines plans for growing enrollment at PVES, new middle school Parents and community members packed the Wright STEAM Magnet auditorium on November 16 to hear from Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) representatives about a facilities plan to address the growing student enrollment needs at Playa Vista Elementary School (PVES).
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Al Grazioli, Director of LAUSD’s Facilities Asset Development, explained that the Playa Vista community is one of only three areas in all of LAUSD where enrollment has exceeded capacity, leaving the massive district struggling to find a solution to accommodate an estimated 400
extra students by 2020. The problem is space because those students will require an estimated 10-14 additional classrooms. A multi-track calendar may have helped ease the overcrowding, but that has been eliminated due to the district’s building program. Grazioli said the district is trying to accommodate
the growth without resorting to draconian measures. “We needed to try and identity a solution that would accommodate somewhere in the neighborhood of 400 new students coming to this area and we wanted to maintain the goals that we had previously, which was (continued on page 4)
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Community readies for the holidays with Santa tours, snow days and fireworks If you’re looking for a fun, festive event to help usher in the holiday season, you’ve come to the right place. This month there is no shortage of Santa sightings, tree lightings, sing-alongs, snow days and fireworks to help celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. Here is our list of some of the best holiday and Christmas events the whole family can enjoy in the HomeTown News area: • Santa Tours. The Annual LAPD Santa Tour will roll into Westchester and Playa del Rey on Monday, December 7. This year’s schedules times and stops include: • 4:30 p.m. at 5962 W. 75th Street • 5 p.m. at 8880 Earhart Ave. • 5:45 p.m. at Croydon between 83rd Street and 85th Street (mid-block) • 6:45 p.m. at 8327 Reading Ave. • 7:45 p.m. at 63rd Ave. and S. Fairfax Ave (northwest corner) Stops can vary by 15 to 30 minutes, so listen for sirens, music and flashing lights. The sled will not be out in case of rain. The Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club will hosts its 11th annual Santa Tour on Tuesday, December 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. Once again, the club will be teaming up with the LAFD and the LAPD sleigh to help spread holiday cheer to the community. Stops will be marked with “Santa Stop” signs posted at each location. In case of rain, Santa will be at Fire Station #5, located at 8900 Emerson Ave. in Westchester, between 5 and 7 p.m. to pass out candy canes and collect Christmas lists. Santa’s route and approximate times include: • 5:15 p.m. at 79th Street and Berger (Playa del Rey) • 5:45 p.m. at 6600 block of W. 87th Place (Emerson Manor Area) • 6:15 p.m. at 8000 block of El Manor Ave. (Kentwood) • 6:45 p.m. at 8800 block of DeHaviland Ave. (Nielson Field area)
Page 2 • December 2015
Regents Terrace and guests can enjoy hot cocoa, cider, decorating cookies, holiday music, snow and arts and crafts. Since this is an event popular with both students and the Westchester/Playa community, it’s recommended that you show up early if you want to get your hands on the coveted holiday mugs that the Community Relations Department hands out and to not miss out on the cookies and cider. LMU is located at 1 LMU Drive in Westchester. For more info, please visit aslmu.org. • Westchester Lutheran Church Tree Lighting. The Westchester Lutheran Church and School is inviting the community to its annual Tree Lighting and Carol Sing on Friday, December 4 at 7 p.m. The event will kick-off WLCS’s Christmas Festival, which will also include a presentation of Handel’s Messiah at 4 p.m. on Sunday, December 6. Tickets for the concert can be purchased at wlcs.org for $15 and are also available at the door for $20. WLCS is located at 7831 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Westchester.
Show up early to the LMU tree lighting ceremony for a chance to snag a coveted holiday mug from the community relations’ table and to decorate gingerbread men. PHOTO COURTESY LMU.
• 7:15 p.m. at 7500 block of Midfield Ave. (East Westchester) For more info on the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Santa Tour, please call (310) 306-8525.
• LMU Tree Lighting. Bring the family down to LMU for the university’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony on Friday, December 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. The festivities take place on the campus’
• Holiday Artisan Fair at Playa Vista Farmers’ Market. The Playa Vista Farmers’ Market with get a special visit from Santa on Saturday, December 5 at its Holiday Artisan Fair. More than 50 local vendors will be selling their wares at the event, providing for some great holiday gift shopping from local, small businesses. Santa will be available from 10 a.m. to noon for pictures and guests can also enjoy face painting, free raffles, live holiday Irish music and more! Admission is free and there is plenty of free parking surrounding the market, located at 6400 Seabluff Drive in Playa Vista. The event runs 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more info, visit farmermark.com. (continued on page 15)
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
This Month Brings You A look inside your HTN Holiday events and activities Business and Nonprofit News Leaders help make a community great Local Education Op-Eds
02 06 22 24-25
HOMETOWN STAFF/CONTRIBUTORS Stephanie Davis, Publisher, Editor Jeff Blair, Contributing Writer Fay Craton, Contributing Writer
Spencer Kelly, Contributing Writer David “Duke” Dukesherer Sr., Looking Back
Advertisers’ Directory Airport Marina Counseling Covenant Presbyterian Church Custom Design & Construction Drollinger Properties Food Pantry, LAX Kevin and Kaz Gallaher Gateway to GO! Gateway to LA GNC Westchester Inn at Playa del Rey Jane St. John LA Arts Collective LAX Coworking Loyola Marymount Marina del Rey Boat Parade Marina del Rey Hospital
11 11 24 09 11 20 26 09 07 22 20 08 02 04 23 28
Neighborhood Council 14 Otterstrom and Orenstein 18 Playa Vista Medical Plaza 27 Rotary Arts Scholarship 22 Silver Seminar Series 05 Socal Sports and Fitness 26 St. Margaret’s Center 17 Jordan Tanner Realty 07 Vistamar School 15 Visitation School 13 Westchester Lutheran 10, 23 Westchester/Playa Village 08 Westchester Town Center BID 03 Westside Neighborhood School 15 Zacha Homes 21
About The HomeTown News (HTN) The HomeTown News is a monthly community newspaper dedicated to providing information about the people, events and happenings of Westchester, Playa del Rey, Marina del Rey and Playa Vista. Look for the HomeTown News the first Thursday of the month at your home or at one of our drop-off locations.
Connect with the HTN:
Mailing Address: 8939 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 110 #745 Westchester, CA 90045 Email: westchesterhometown@yahoo.com • Phone: (310) 641-1016 Website: thehtn.com • Facebook: facebook.com/thehtn
The deadline for submissions is the 22nd of each month.
Advertise with us! Let us help you promote your business, organization or event to our readers! Contact us for rates and to reserve space at: westchesterhometown@yahoo.com or (310) 641-1016
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December 2015 • Page 3
District outlines plans for schools (continued) (continued from page 1) to keep this from a situation where people would be capped, bussed and put on the year-round calendar,” he told the crowd. The increase in enrollment at Playa Vista Elementary School, which opened in 2012, forced LAUSD to take a closer look at other issues facing the local education community, including the startling statistic that an estimated 50% of students who attend local elementary schools do not go on to their local middle school. “This challenge of capacity actually brought forward other ideas and ways to address these challenges,” said Grazioli at the meeting. “The families in this neighborhood and this community made it very clear that they were looking for some sort of education path beyond elementary school. They wanted to see how their children would matriculate from elementary through middle school and into the high school community. We needed to maintain and support the existing successful district programs, not only at Playa Vista, but at the surrounding schools and here at Wright, where the magnet program has been very successful. We needed
Page 4 • December 2015
to maintain those existing successful programs and look for ways to enhance them and that also includes the relationship that a number of schools in this community have with LMU.” The multi-faceted plan presented by the district would involve shuffling some Playa Vista Elementary students to other campuses and relocating both Emerson Adult School and WISH’s existing elementary school, which is currently co-located on the Wright Steam campus, to other LAUSD campuses. The proposed facilities plan outlined at the meeting includes the following: For Playa Vista Elementary School: • Relocating Playa Vista Elementary School’s Transitional Kindergarten (TK) students to other area schools • Moving Playa Vista Elementary School’s fourth-, fifth- and sixgrade students to the Wright Middle School Campus starting with the 2016-2017 school year • Adding four classrooms to the PVES site For Wright STEAM Magnet: • Retaining the existing Magnet
program • Creating a new 6-8 grade middle school pathway for the 2017-2018 school year • Making physical improvements to some classrooms, particularly the school’s science labs For Emerson Adult School: • Studying the viability of relocating WISH Charter’s kindergarten through fifth-grade students to the Emerson Adult School campus • If the WISH relocation proves viable, relocating the existing adult education program to another LAUSD campus, perhaps the Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnets campus • Modifying the existing adult school campus to support an elementary school Grazioli stressed that the plan was not “set in stone” and that it represents the district’s overarching goals without fleshing out a lot of the project details. He touted the advantages of the plan, which included not changing attendance boundaries, reestablishing a middle school for Westchester/ Playa families, maintaining the relationship LMU has with area schools and maintaining the existing
STEAM program at Wright Middle School. Speakers at the meeting were largely unhappy with the proposed plan, citing a number of concerns ranging from the apparent lack of outreach done to effected schools and parents and the lack of a firm home for WISH Charter School. Parents were also upset because the plan would require splitting up Playa Vista Elementary School students between two campuses and would place two “competing” middle schools on a single campus. The LAUSD bond oversight committee approved the proposed plan at its November 19 meeting. The full Board of Education is expected to vote on the plan at its Tuesday, December 8 meeting at 333 South Beaudry Ave. in Downtown Los Angeles. If approved by the board, Grazioli said the process for implementing the plan would begin immediately. Editor’s Note: We gave representatives from Playa Vista Elementary School, WISH Charter School and Wright STEAM Magnet the opportunity to submit Op-Eds for this edition to express their views on this complex local education issue. The Op-Eds are located on page 24-25.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
December 2015 • Page 5
Business & Nonprofit News
TheHTN.com
From left to right: Ken Lew, Badge of Heart; Joan Anderson, EmpowerTech; Laurie Hughes, Gateway to LA; Diane Barretti, Pacific Area Boosters; Eden Garcia-Balis, Airport Marina Counseling Service; John Loussararian, Westchester Family YMCA and Michael D’Amodio, Gateway to LA, celebrate the donations raised at Gateway to LA’s holiday concert. PHOTO BY VENICE PAPARAZZI.
Concert raises money for local nonprofits. Gateway to LA, a business improvement district made up of the hotels and businesses along Century Blvd., held its 12th annual Holiday Concert featuring the Azusa Pacific Choir and Orchestra on Tuesday, November 24. More than 450 people attended this year’s event at the LAX Marriott and guests were treated to a variety of classic Christmas songs to help kick-off the holiday season. This year, Gateway to LA raised more than $22,000 through ticket sales, which was then divided between 5 local charities: Airport Marina Counseling Service (mental health), EmpowerTech (assistive technology for people with disabilities), Westchester Family YMCA (youth and government program), Pacific Area Boosters (homeless outreach) and Badge of Heart (families with financial hardships). At the event, hundreds of toys donated by concert-goers were collected to benefit the LAPD Pacific Division’s Winter Wonderland toy drive. Urban Plates offers upscale food at casual prices. Playa Vista’s newest restaurant, Urban Plates, opened on October 26. The restaurant, located in the Runway shopping center, celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting and by holding a fundraiser event Page 6 • December 2015
Urban Plates is Playa Vista’s newest restaurant and offers a wide-variety of options for diners, including those with Vegetarian, Vegan and gluten-free diets.
benefiting the Venice Boys and Girls Club. Almost $4,500 was raised for the nonprofit. The Playa Vista location marks the chain’s first Los Angeles area eatery with a mission to “change the way the world eats.” The restaurant’s Chef Kelsey explains that all of the menu items are made from scratch daily using highquality natural (and organic when possible) ingredients. When entering the restaurant, guests can grab a tray and navigate their way down the line, ordering what they want from each station including: salads, plates and sides, sandwiches, pizzettes and
desserts. Chefs then create your plate in front of you. Menu standouts include the Grilled Steak Plate with roasted brussel sprouts and turkey bacon; the Moroccan Chicken Braise; and the Grilled Portobello Mushroom Sandwich. Entrées average between $11 and $12. Those with a sweet tooth, should try the decadently delicious Hummingbird Cake, Chocolate Chunk Cookie, Flourless Chocolate Cake or the beautifully arranged Mango Tart. Urban Plates is located at 12476-3 W. Jefferson Blvd. in Playa Vista. LMU makes list for top
undergraduate entrepreneurship programs. The Princeton Review recently announced that Loyola Marymount University (LMU) ranks among the nation’s top 25 schools for undergraduate entrepreneurship studies. LMU ranked 14 on the company’s 2016 list of the best schools for students aspiring to launch their own businesses. The rankings are based on a 60-question survey of more than 300 institutions across the country and consider such factors as the schools’ commitment to entrepreneurship education inside and outside the classroom, the percentage of faculty, students and alumni successfully involved in entrepreneurial endeavors, mentorship programs, scholarship funding and more. “It is wonderful to be recognized by The Princeton Review again. I am thrilled for our faculty, staff, students, and alumni,” said David Choi, Ph.D., director of the College of Business Administration’s entrepreneurship program at LMU. “This was the first time The Princeton Review took into consideration the track records of graduates. We are being recognized because our students and graduates have been successful in their entrepreneurial endeavors.” The Princeton Review’s acknowledgment of LMU’s entrepreneurship program comes (continued on next page)
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
11 Critical home inspection traps to be aware of weeks before listing your Westchester/Playa Del Rey home for sale
Urban Plates desserts include gluten-free options like the rich Flourless Chocolate Cake (left). Other signature desserts include the Hummingbird Cake, a banana cake with layers soaked with rum syrup and covered in cream cheese frosting and walnuts (right).
on the heels of the university’s rank in September as third among U.S. News & World Report’s best regional universities in the west. Additionally, LMU’s undergraduate entrepreneurship program took the 7th spot nationwide; marketing was ranked 14th; and the university’s accounting program, 19th. Holidays stressing you out? The holidays can be a stressful time, even if you enjoy this time of year, so the Airport Marina Counseling Service is offering a support group to help you navigate the next month. The “Happy
Holidays: Support for Stressful times” group is open to those 18 and older who are interested in gaining support by working with others and learning to cope with holiday stress. The group will run Saturdays through January 9, 2016 from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Attendees must RSVP to attend by calling (310) 670-1410 ext. 262. There is no cost to participate. AMCS is located at 7891 La Tijera Blvd. in Westchester. We want to hear about your business or nonprofit! Email us at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com for a chance to be featured.
Westchester/Playa Del ReyAccording to industry experts, there are over 33 physical problems that will come under scrutiny during a home inspection when your home is for sale. A new report has been prepared which identifies the eleven most common of these problems, and what you should know about them before you list your home for sale. Whether you own an old home or a brand new one, there are a number of things that can fall short of requirements during a home inspection. If not identified and dealt with, any of these 11 items could cost you dearly in terms of repair. That's why it's critical that you read this report before you list your home. If you wait until the building inspector flags these issues for you, you will almost certainly experience costly delays in the close of your home sale or, worse, turn prospective buyers away altogether. In
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
most cases, you can make a reasonable pre-inspection yourself if you know what you're looking for, and knowing what you're looking for can help you prevent little problems from growing into costly and unmanageable ones. To help homesellers deal with this issue before their homes are listed, a free report entitled "11 Things You Need to Know to Pass Your Home Inspection" has been compiled which explains the issues involved. To hear a brief recorded message about how to order your FREE copy of this report call toll-free 1-800-368-1988 and enter 4003. You can call any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Get your free special report NOW to learn how to ensure a home inspection doesn't cost you the sale of your home. This report is courtesy of Jordan Tanner-Realty Executives
CalBRE 01954359. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. Copyright © 2015
December 2015 • Page 7
A Look Back at Westchester/Playa By David J. “Duke” Dukesherer, Sr.
Looking back at how the community has changed... In 1970 I became a box boy at a grocery store in Culver City called Royal Market. I sold Christmas Trees in the parking lot the previous year. I was hired at the princely sum of $1.91 an hour, and I loved every minute of it. The California minimum wage in 1970 was about $1.10 an hour. The market was part of a chain of stores that my father ran, although he was better known in the area for opening the Shoppers Market at Lincoln and Manchester Boulevards (later Lucky’s, now called Ralph’s Market), some years before. My father believed that the world was essentially a damned mess, and along with my six brothers, I was put to work at young age, as he believed that hard work was the only way you could change things. To get to the location on Washington Boulevard, you needed to head north down Lincoln Boulevard (I often did this on foot), past the Howard Hughes airport and through the Ballona Wetlands, over the bridge at Ballona Creek, past Dewey Weber’s new surf shop where I bought my first
Page 8 • December 2015
new surfboard, past the new town of Marina del Rey and towards what some locals still called Barnes City, and right into the heart of the former Rancho la Ballona. Dewey was at the shop most days. He would do yo-yo tricks for you and tell great stories about the old days of surfing and how it all began. Besides being an excellent surfer, Dewey was a national yo-yo champion. Along the Ballona Creek runs Jefferson and Culver Boulevard, which take you directly to the beaches of Playa del Rey. When I was older and could drive an automobile, I would cherish the three to midnight or four to eight p.m. shifts at Royal Market, as you could surf all day, take a cold shower at The Gillis Beach Oasis, change in your car to your trousers, dress shirt and tie and head straight up those roads to Lincoln and on up to Washington Boulevard. You still got off work in plenty of times to go to a party, play poker, see friends or stay up and watch a movie on television. There was another reason that Washington Boulevard was so popular. When you headed west from the market, it dead-ended at the Pacific Ocean, and there you turned right and north to Venice Beach and through to Santa Monica. Up until the mid-sixties,
if you turned left and south, the road met the Ballona Creek causeway and Ballona Bridge over the Creek, which was Speedway Boulevard now called Pacific Avenue. This road then met with Vista Del Mar, traveling along the base of the Playa del Rey Bluffs, which then met Century Boulevard. Century traveled all the way from LAX to the ocean before the airport expansion. Before the development of the San Diego Freeway and the widening of Sepulveda and Lincoln Boulevards, travelers used this “back way,” to go to and from LAX. Although much of these routes had changed by the 1970s, and the causeway and bridge were now closed to automobiles, many locals still used parts of this now circuitous route when going to and from the region. Old ways die-hard, so they say. Looking back, it seems unbelievable that at age thirteen I would be donning one of my fathers starched collar shirts and given an apron and tasked with selling the Christmas trees in the parking lot of the store. The following year, when I turned fourteen, my Dad told a fib to the union telling them that I was sixteen and legal age to work, and there I was a box boy and certified member of the Retail Clerks Union, Local 1442.
TheHTN.com Dad’s shirts were laundered next to the Galley Café on Sepulveda Boulevard. I didn’t own a tie, so I had to wear my Dad’s ties and tuck the long part into my shirt. The shirts had so much starch in them you would get a neck rash. Harry the owner of the Galley was a nice man and you could get a bowl of beef fried rice brimming with fresh carrots, peas, green onions and bok choy for .35 cents. There was a produce manager at the store who was Japanese. His first name was Ben. He was in charge of the Christmas trees and he was always excited when the annual truckloads arrived. Every year he would hand me a hammer and a bag of nails, and it was my job to put the stands on the trees. His family had owned a farm in nearby Del Rey, and when the War came, they lost everything and were sent to Manzanar Internment Camp. Manzanar is most widely known as the site of one of ten camps where over 110,000 Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II. He seldom spoke about it. However, when his family returned, their land had been taken over by another family, and his father mowed lawns into an early grave and Ben had gone into the grocery business, working at (continued on next page)
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Looking Back (continued)
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banks of Ballona Creek. On Jefferson Boulevard, up from where now sits the Home Depot, the last family farm on the Westside of Los Angeles, Lopez Ranch, sold the sweetest corn in the county, along with the freshest vegetables and fruit available anywhere. The corn was delivered daily, and trucked down from the Malibu foothills from the Tapia Brothers and Giacopuzzi Ranch’s. It was also home to several holiday attractions, including a Christmas tree village and an annual pumpkin patch. For a time, they also held hayrides through the farm for kids and families. I look back on those days and I am sure I took it all for granted and never thought it would change. The wetlands and the farms served as buffer between the ocean and town, and it was, and still remains a very beautiful place, but change it did. First, Marina del Rey was opened in 1965. It is the world’s largest man-made small craft harbor with 19 marinas with a capacity for 5,300 boats. And, then of course, Playa Vista was built. The present changes the past... looking back you sometimes do not find what you left behind.
Please email comments to dukepdr@gmail.com.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Drollinger Properties wishes you and your families a happy and healthy holiday season filled with peacefulness, love and laughter. Get your body healthy for the holidays at the new GNC store in Ralphs Westchester Village (next to Robeks Juice). Live well! – Karen Dial, President
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(continued from previous page) the Royal Market, just a few miles from where he was born. He was one of the nicest and proudest men I ever met. It was during those four of five years that I worked at Royal Market, that I began to understand the history of the region, and in particular, the relationship the area had with the motion picture business. Many of the streets surrounding the market had been filming sites for Mack Sennett’s Keystone Cop, Thomas Ince’s westerns and even W.C. Fields’ pictures. Several film stars, old and new, shopped at the market, as well as film directors and producers. Just a few miles away, Gone with the Wind (1939) was filmed at MGM Studios. On the way back up the hill to Westchester, I would often sit and watch the test aircraft and helicopters at Hughes Aircraft, as they performed amazing stunts and power dives at what was the largest private runway in the world. Across the road, the Ballona Wetlands would in some years still become a seasonal lake. Nearly the entire area surrounding the runway, and across Lincoln and Jefferson Boulevard’s, was set aside for farming. Lima beans were at one time the principal crop, and summer strawberries were grown everywhere. Winter crops, such as celery and cabbage grew like weeds along the
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Random Notes/Opinion
TheHTN.com
Remember you are a valuable gift By Fay Craton Opinion: The music of the holiday season is here. One of the songs, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, tells the story of how Santa almost did not make his trek around the earth because he could not find his way in the fog. When almost all was lost, Santa discovered a reindeer whose nose shined bright as a beacon to guide his sleigh. But the story, originally written by Bob May, does not start with Rudolph being a hero. If you have ever felt bad about yourself and the actions of others made you feel lonely, this story could be important to you. In his reindeer community, Rudolph, being small for a reindeer and having a weird shinny nose, was considered strange. He was different! Because he was different, the other reindeers teased and laughed at him. They were mean to him, sneered and called him names! When Rudolph had all he could tolerate, he went off by himself. The reindeer crowd gave each other high-fives when he left. After all, they didn’t have bright noses and so something must have
Page 10 • December 2015
been wrong with Rudolph. There was no sense in listening or giving him the time of day. In their eyes, “different” reindeers had no value. Rudolph had something to offer which those around him did not understand. Everyone has special, unique gifts found within themselves. Sometimes some aspect of you is very much needed, but people around you may not see it as being worthwhile, or they may resent the fact that you have it and they don’t. The fact others close to you do not appreciate your value does not mean you are worthless. Sometimes it takes an emergency and/or someone outside the group of folks with whom you normally hang around with to appreciate and recognize your gift. Santa, who we all know is not a part of the reindeer group, needed to make his Christmas Eve journey around the world, but Santa and his usual crew of North Pole Reindeer were not able to find their way. Being completely lost, they kept circling and circling until Santa finally realized they needed help. From a distance, he spotted a bright light. Steering his sleigh
toward the light he found Rudolf. He immediately saw what Rudolf had to offer and asked him to be the lead reindeer for his sleigh. All of a sudden, the other reindeer finally understood Rudolf was not something to be scorned. Rudolf was needed! You can be like Santa. By showing the world through what you say and do, you can help another person feel good about his or her contribution. Helping another person understand his or her value is a very special gift, indeed. Gifts come from a very deep well of goodness and light. When a gift is blocked, it is easy to become lost. If you are like Rudolph, but a “Santa” does not find you to help the world see your strength, it is important to remember you have priceless talents and skills inside of you. Even if people closest to you do not see what you have to offer, it does not mean your gift is not real. Sometimes it may be necessary to seek out someone to talk with to help you understand your value. Gifts do not need to be material offerings. Giving of yourself, sharing
from a place of compassion and love are the best kinds of presents. If you believe you do not experience compassion and love, it may be time to show others how it is done. Sometimes it takes a leader to model a behavior for others to follow. Rudolf shared the gift of light and Santa not only acknowledged it, but found a way to put Rudolph’s strength to a very special purpose. My wish is for you to discover, embrace and freely share your gifts. Often, what makes you valuable is as plain as the nose on your face. However, it may take some effort to shift your perspective in order to understand what you already have within you to offer to the world. Or maybe, you know somebody who is just waiting to hear you celebrate his or her gift. I wish you a wonderful and lightfilled holiday season! Fay Craton, M.A. is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (mfc40011). She has an office in Westchester. Contact her at visitcommunicationtriangle.com or call (310) 645-6762.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
The 12 Days of Fitness By Jeff Blair Opinion: While popular belief is that most people gain 5-10 pounds over the holidays, the reality is the average person gains about one pound. People who are already overweight, however, may gain up to five pounds on average. The real problem with holiday weight gain is that most people do not lose the weight they gain over the holidays during the rest of the year. My advice is: don’t be a statistic! Like any other area, you can take matters into your own hands and beat the odds. I tell my clients to set a realistic goal of losing one pound over the holiday season. Here is my “12 Days of Fitness” program to help you achieve this one-pound loss. • Twelve resistance exercises. Rows, pushups, squats, lunges, deadlifts, planks, chest presses, step-ups, shoulder raises, medicine ball chops, bicep curls and calf raises provide a full body workout, burn calories and keep your metabolism at an ideal level. Perform 3 sets of each exercise three times per week. Each workout should be done in about an hour. • Eleven stretches. By stretching your glutes, hips, hamstrings, quadriceps, chest, shoulders, calves, upper back, mid-back, neck and triceps for ten minutes at the end of each workout, you will help your body recover body and increase range of motion for your muscles. • Ten minutes of warm-up. By performing ten minutes of warmup before your actual workout, you will reduce the risk of injury and increase the quality of your workout. Muscles need time to “get ready” before a workout and ten minutes is about the perfect amount of time to do that. • Nine prepared meals. Take two hours each Sunday and prepare enough protein and vegetables for nine meals to get you through the week. Nine meals is enough for two meals per day from MondayThursday (plus one). If you eat nine meals from home during each week, I can almost guarantee you will lose at least one pound over the holiday season. On the weekends, you can be a little more flexible. • Eight hours of sleep. Lack of sleep has been connected to being overweight in many studies. When we sleep, our bodies and minds recover from life stress. • Seven friends. Social support is crucial to maintaining healthy lifestyle choices so try to connect with one person per day who supports your exercise and nutrition choices. This might be as simple as
connecting with a work friend for a walk at lunch or meeting a workout partner at the gym. • Six days of activity. Try to perform moderate to strenuous exercise six days per week and take an easy (or rest) day once per week. On your easy day, it is always fine to go for a walk or an easy bike ride. In addition to your three resistance sessions per week, perform two 30 minute cardio sessions per week for the next four weeks. For some people, this might not seem like much, but if your nutrition is on point, this should be enough to help you drop a pound over the holidays. • Five minutes of reflection. Schedule at least five minutes of meditation or reflection per day to relax, unwind and de-stress. I like to do this first thing in the morning and plan out my day. It can also be used to reflect on the good things in your life (we tend to fixate on what could be better) and can start your day on the right foot. • Four weeks of extra focus. At this time of year, focusing on fitness can be challenging. Parties and family gatherings distract us from our normal routine. You are going to need to try extra hard to stay focused this month, but it will be completely worth it. • Three meals per day. Avoid the trap of skipping meals that will leave you hungry and prone to overeat at big holiday meals. By eating a reasonable breakfast, lunch and dinner, you can maintain nutritional consistency and structure,, which will help you avoid holiday eating disasters. • Two small snacks. Reach for an apple, orange or a handful of almonds between meals. This will help keep your hunger in check this month. Remember that snacks should be small rather than a full meal. • One pound. If you can stick with the “12 Days of Fitness” for the next four weeks, you are practically guaranteed to lose one pound during this time. Make no mistake: it will not be easy, but you will be feeling great on January 1 when everyone else is talking about the added pounds from the holidays. Before you start this or any fitness routine, consult your doctor. JEFF BLAIR (M.S.) owns a personal training studio located in Westchester. He was voted “Best Of” Personal Trainer in the Hometown News’ 2015 Readers’ Poll. Jeff has been featured in “Men’s Fitness” magazine and as a “Fitness Expert” on ABC’s “Everyday Health” TV show. Email jeffblair@ jeffblairfitness.com for fitness story ideas or comments.
Come Join your Friends at
COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Worship Service 10:30 am Canines@Covenant 5:00 pm Sunday Covenant is on the corner of 80th and Sepulveda Blvd. Church School for Young People during Service. We have an Orchestra and Adult, Youth and Children’s Choirs. Email: cpoffis@pacbell.net Childcare is provided-For more information, Call (310) 670-5750.
YOU CAN HELP! FOOD PANTRY, LAX
Emergency Food Distribution to those in need. Sponsored by the Westchester Clergy Association
Open Tuesday & Friday, 10am-12pm 355 Beach St., Inglewood
Bring donations of non-perishable food to Covenant Presbyterian Chuch. Volunteers and money donations also welcomed and encouraged!
For more information, please call (310) 677-5597
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Ad donated by the Covenant Presbyterian Church
December 2015 • Page 11
School News
TheHTN.com
Westchester Lutheran School’s 53 member cross country team celebrates their Pacific Basin League Final wins at Kenneth Hahn State Park.
WLCS cross country team celebrates wins. Westchester Lutheran School (WLCS) is celebrating the success of its 2015 cross country team. With a team of 53 runners, both the boys and girls teams came in first at the Pacific Basin League (PBL) finals in November at Kenneth Hahn State Park. With a total of 26 points, runners on the girls’ team came in 1st, 2nd, 6th, 8th and 9th, while the boys had a total of 33 points and runners came in 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th and 9th. Westchester Lutheran School’s cross country team has been competing for more than 20 years, under the same coaches, Elaine Lillie and John Susich. During this time, the program has won 12 championships (8 boys and 4 girls) and 9 runnerup finishes (6 boys and 3 girls). In just the last 5 years, the program has celebrated 5 championships and 3 runner-up finishes. The athletic program at WLCS had 84 students participate for the fall season, which comprises 81% of the 6th through 8th grades. Of those 84 student athletes, 83% are honor students with a GPA of 3.50 and above. St. Bernard High launches robotics team. Playa del Rey’s St. Bernard High School (SBHS) recently launched its first Robotics Team. The forty student team will build a robot to participate in the “FIRST RES-Q” competition in January of next year. The robots must complete a series of tasks, including moving wiffle balls into a goal area and climbing a “mountain” for extra points. Page 12 • December 2015
trophy. The 32-0 victory over The Panthers gave, WISH a season record of 8-1 overall. The win was a sweet victory for The Owls who lost last year’s championship game. Under the guidance of Coach Orlando and Coach Steve, the two year old football program looks forward to more successes next season
The inaugural St. Bernard High robotics team will compete in its first competition in January.
The team got started with a generous donation from Danielle Cosgrove, class of 1980, currently a Senior Manager with Ernst & Young’s Global Cybersecurity Program. The team’s moderators are retired aerospace engineer Jim Swenson and Dr. Tony Slayton, a mathematics and Physics teacher. “It is hoped that as our Robotics program progresses, students become conscious of the importance of robotics engineering as well as other areas of engineering and technology in our lives,” said Slayton. “As engineers around the world strive to develop technologies to meet needs of societies, some of the brightest minds will be required to meet the expectations of users of those technologies. Our Robotics program
at St. Bernard may be the beginning of developing some of those ‘brightest minds’ as we strive to be leaders in the preparation of highly competitive college-bound students in science, technology, engineering and math fields.” St. Bernard is the only co-ed L.A. Archdiocesan school to offer singlegender academic math and science classes. SBHS aims to create a pipeline for competitive college-bound students in STEM. WISH flag football team wins FIYA league championship. The WISH D1 flag football team, The Owls, recently took home the FIYA league championship trophy after beating Culver City’s Park Century School. This is the team’s first championship
WSCS welcomes community to holiday concerts. Westchester Secondary Charter School will present its winter production, Season of Light by Steph deFerie, on Friday, December 11 and Saturday, December 12 at 7 p.m. The 7th and 8th grade play production class will present the winter play, a folktale about a young girl who is exiled from her village when she makes a mistake, and then finds friendship and a new life with outcasts in her village’s forest. The play is suitable for families and tickets are $5 at the door. The school’s music department is holding its Holiday Guitar and Choir Concert on Wednesday, December 16 at 6 p.m. At the concert, the WSCS choir and guitar classes will present holiday music, giving guests the opportunity to see what the music department at WSCS is all about. The event is free and open to the public. WSCS is an 6-12 grade charter school located at 8540 La Tijera Blvd. in Westchester. Have something to share about your school? Please email us at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
December 2015 • Page 13
NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL OF WESTCHESTER / PLAYA Working together to improve our communities!
Neighborhood Councils exist to: • give neighborhoods greater influence on decisions made by local government • make government more responsive to local communities • unite the local community to improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods
NCWP Opposes Short-Term Rental Ordinance, Saying It Doesn’t Go Far Enough to Protect Neighborhoods In the past few years, technology and innovation have expanded and fundamentally changed the way people travel and vacation. Visitors to Los Angeles and cities around the world routinely use “short-term rentals” in lieu of hotels to stay in and experience a community. The impacts of the short-term rental industry have been dramatic - in both positive and negative ways. Los Angeles City Councilmembers Mike Bonin and Herb Wesson recently introduced an ordinance to regulate short-term rentals (less than 30 days). Many local residents have decried the unfavorable consequences of such rentals, including the impact on some residential neighborhoods, which are changed by a revolving cast of visitors and their impacts. Significantly, in some popular tourist communities such as Venice, speculators have subverted the “sharing economy” business model, converting regular rental housing into short-term rentals, significantly reducing rental stock and contributing to increased rents and decreased affordable housing. In some cases, large numbers of units in the same building, or entire buildings, have been converted to short-term rentals, operated by off-site management companies. The City’s current zoning regulations do not anticipate or effectively govern short-term rentals, and need to be revised so that the City can effectively preserve rental housing, protect the character of residential neighborhoods, and collect transient occupancy tax that pays for crucial City services. The Bonin/Wesson motion would direct the City Planning Department, with the assistance of the City Attorney, in consultation with the Office of Finance and other relevant City departments, to prepare and present an ordinance governing short-term rentals in Los Angeles that authorizes a host to rent all or part of their primary residence to shortterm visitors, permitting someone to rent a spare room, a back house, or even their own home while they are out of town; prohibits hosts from renting units or buildings that are not their primary residence or are units covered by the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO), forbidding speculators from creating a syndicate of short-term rental properties, and prohibiting the loss of valuable rental housing stock; and captures transient occupancy tax (TOT) from all hosts. The Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa does not believe the motion goes far enough in regulating such rentals and does not create an effective method of enforcing any restrictions the Council may put in place. In response to the proposed motion, the Neighborhood Council recently sent the following letter:
Dear Council Members: The Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa Board of Directors is writing to convey the opposition of the Council and the Westchester/Playa stakeholders to the motion of Councilmembers Herb J. Wesson, Jr. and Mike Bonin pertaining to short term rentals (“STR”). The Council and stakeholders are concerned that the Bonin/Wesson motion contains insufficient enforcement mechanisms to protect the interests of the community. It is presently illegal to operate STR’s in R-1 districts; property owners purchasing in these areas have relied on the illegality of STR’s when assessing property value. In the absence of appropriate definitions, enforcement mechanisms, and consequences for violation, proposed ordinances fail to adequately address the concerns of community pertaining to maintenance of the quality and integrity of their neighborhoods. As proposed there are insufficient enforcement mechanisms in the Bonin/Wesson motion. To the extent that the city adopts STR legislation, the Neighborhood Council and its stakeholders support granting the public a private right of action against homeowners who are found to be in violation of the terms of the ordinance. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Cyndi Hench – President
Santa will be coming to Westchester on
Monday December 7, 2015 (14A67)
Santa Stops 4:30 5:00 5:45 6:45 7:45
5962 W 75th Street 8880 Earhart Ave Croydon Btwn 83rd St & 85th St Mid-block (Westchester) 8327 Reading Ave 63rd Ave and S. Fairfax Ave (North West Corner) These Stop Times can vary 15 to 30 minutes.
Join NCWP for A Potluck on January 5 You are invited to share, to eat and meet your neighbors at the next regularly scheduled Neighborhood Council meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 5, in the community room at 7166 Manchester Avenue. Drinks and utensils will be provided. If your last name begins with A through H, please bring an entrée or side dish. If your last name begins with I through P, please bring a salad to share with everybody. If your last name begins with Q through Z, please bring a dessert, sweet as can be! Start the New Year off right getting to know your neighbors and Council Board members.
PMPMPMPMPM-
Please listen for sirens, music and flashing police lights. We are loud! Tell your neighbors so no one is alarmed.
What will appear? Santa on an LAPD Sleigh!
Santa will stop for pictures. Bring your camera.
(The Sleigh will not be out if it is raining!)
www.ncwpdr.org • 213.473.7023 Additional information call your Senior Lead Officer or Pacific Community Relations Office at (310) 202-4524
Page 14 • December 2015
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Holiday events (cont’d) (continued from page 2) • Snow Wonder and the Marina del Rey Boat Parade. Marina del Rey has the holiday spirit and is sharing it with the community with a variety of free events. On Saturday, December 12 from 1 to 5 p.m., the county will hold its inaugural Snow Wonder event. Kids of all ages can enjoy a synthetic ice rink, real snow, snacks, arts & crafts, sledding, face painting and more at Burton Chase Park, located at 13650 Mindanao Way in Marina del Rey. For more information, please contact (310) 305-9595 or visit marinadelrey.lacounty.gov. After Snow Wonder, stay in the park to watch the 53rd Annual Marina del Rey Boat Parade with the theme, “Adventures on the Sea,” starting at 5:55 p.m. with a five-minute firework show. The boat parade runs from 6 to 8 p.m. and this year’s Grand Marshal is actress Florence Henderson. For more information on the Boat Parade, please visit mdrboatparade.org. • Holiday sing-a-long in the garden. Brings the kids to the Emerson Avenue Community Garden on Saturday, December 12 at noon for a holiday sing-a-long led by Musical Beginnings. This event is free and guests can collectively sing their hearts out while enjoying cookies and community. Emerson Avenue Community Garden is located on the Wright STEAM Campus on Emerson Ave. between 80th Pl. and 80th St.
• Inaugural Snow Day at Playa Provisions. Snow in Playa del Rey may be unheard of, but thanks to the culinary geniuses at Playa Provisions, community members will have a chance to enjoy an afternoon of sledding and snowball fights in a winter wonderland setting. A special menu of pretzels and poutine and frankfurters, along with dessert “snowballs” and snow cones will be available for purchase. Playa Provisions’ Snow Day will take place on Saturday, December 19 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adults are $5 and kids are free. Playa Provisions is located at 119 Culver Blvd. in Playa del Rey. For more info, visit playaprovisions.com. • New Year’s Eve Fireworks Celebration. The Marina will host an inaugural New Year’s Eve Celebration on Thursday, December 31 starting at 7 p.m. in Burton Chace Park, located at 13650 Mindanao Way in Marina del Rey. Guests are invited to head to the park to watch a live outdoor broadcast of CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live in Times Square. At 8:50 p.m., those in the park can join in a 60-second countdown to the Times Square ball drop. The event will culminate with a ten minute fireworks show at 9 p.m., which will be shot from the Marina’s south jetty.
Have a holiday event you want to share? Email us at westchesterhometown@yahoo. com to be added to our holiday event list!
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brighter days. bolder futures. Visit Westside Neighborhood School, the top choice of families who won’t settle for less.
academic excellence character diversity community
Upcoming Admission Presentations & Tours Thursday, Dec. 10 Thursday, Jan. 7 Presentations 9:30am-12pm. Reservations required. Please RSVP to the admission office at 310.574.8650 or admissions@wnsk8.com. (Parents only, please.)
5401 Beethoven St., Los Angeles, CA 90066 310.574.8650 www.wnsk8.com CAIS and WASC Accredited
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Member of NAIS
DK-8 Independent Day School
December 2015 • Page 15
The holidays are a time to reflect on our year and give thanks for what we have. They also often bring a desire to give back or “pay it forward” to the less fortunate, a favorite cause or simply participate in little acts of kindness. This December, please consider giving back to the community with your time, talent or treasure. There are numerous local groups helping to give back by holding collection drives, toy giveaways and fundraisers. While there are numerous worthy causes to donate to, here is a list of some of the local groups holding collection drives this month: • LAPD Toy Giveaway. The LAPD Pacific Division, which serves the Westchester, Playa del Rey and Playa Vista areas, is now collecting toys for its annual Winter Wonderland Toy Giveaway. The event takes place on Saturday, December 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the LAPD Pacific Station, located at 12312 Culver Blvd.(90066). Hundreds of children line up early at the event to get a turn to pick a toy. Attendees can also get their picture taken with Santa Claus and receive a free lunch while supplies last. Donations can be dropped at the Pacific Division Station or toy pick-ups can be arranged by calling Officer Darell Matthews at (310) 202-2890. For more info, please visit pacificboosters.org/winterwonderland. • Annual Playa del Rey Toy and Animal Shelter Drive. For the community’s most neighborly toy drive, head on down to Playa del Rey’s Triangle Park, located at Waterview and Trask on Saturday, December 5 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For the last twelve years, neighbors have gathered in the park to collect toys to benefit Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and pet products to benefit SPCALA. Organizers are looking for new, unwrapped toys or gift cards for grocery stores and Target to give to the neediest families with a
Page 16 • December 2015
LAPD Pacific Division gives away thousands of toys every year to needy children at its holiday program at the Pacific Station, thanks to the generosity of donors. Here, toys are collected at the Gateway to LA Holiday Concert. PHOTO VENICE PAPARAZZI.
child in Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. A list of items that are needed by the SPCALA can be found at spcala.com/donate/ needed-items. After you donate, you can stick around for coffee and treats, pizza, and raffle prizes. For more information, please call Jane St. John or Julie Porter at (310) 577-5300 x 303. • Winter Shelter Donation Drive. Councilman Mike Bonin is helping collect items for the Westside Winter Shelter Program, which offers hundreds of homeless people a safe, warm place to sleep. Due to the anticipation of El Nino rainstorms, the shelter will remain open for a longer period of time this season, and additional items will be needed. Requested items being collected include toiletries, clothing, personal items, cleaning supplies, magazines, coffee and first aid kits. Items are being collected until Friday, December 18 at any CD11 office. Locally, those interested in donating can visit Bonin’s Westchester Office, located at 7166
Manchester Ave. in Westchester. For a complete list of needed items, please visit 11thdistrict.com. • Young Professional Toy Crawl. The LAX Young Professionals will hold their inaugural Toy Crawl on Wednesday, December 9 from 4 to 7 p.m. The group is a division of the LAX Coastal Chamber and is made up of young at heart professionals who are interested in networking, having a good time and giving back to the community. Toy Crawl participants are asked to bring a toy that is valued at approximately $15 to the first stop at Melody Pizza, located at 9146 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Westchester. Each person who donates a toy will receive a free slice of pizza and a drink ticket for stop 2, the Melody Bar and Grill, located a few doors down. Guests can redeem their drink ticket at the Melody, while mixing and mingling with fellow professionals. For more info, please call (310) 645-5151. • St. Margaret’s Center 23rd
Annual Christmas Program. The HomeTown News is helping collect toys to benefit St. Margaret’s Center in Lennox. Every year, the center, which helps families that live at or below the poverty levels in the communities surrounding the airport, gives away thousands of toys to underprivileged children, at its annual Christmas Program. Those interested in donating can drop toys off at the LAX Coastal Chamber office, located at 9100 S. Sepulveda Blvd. Suite 210 in Westchester, Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Toy donations are requested to be valued between $20-$30. The toys will be distributed at the nonprofit’s Christmas Program, taking place on Saturday, December 19 at Morningside High School in Inglewood. Toys can also be shipped directly to the center by visiting amazon.com, choosing “Wish List,” and selecting “St. Margaret’s Center.” The last day for donations is Monday, December 14. For more info on the toy drive, please contact Terry O’Connor at (310) 994-9904 or email terry_ oconnor2012@yahoo.com.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
December 2015 • Page 17
Calendar Ongoing monthly events: Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club Join the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club at its Wednesday morning meeting at 7:15 a.m. The club is now meeting at Whiskey Red’s, located at 13813 Fiji Way in Marina del Rey. The cost of the meeting is $25, which includes breakfast. Guests are welcome and reservations are not required. For more info, visit playasunrise.org or call (310) 429-3808.
Rotary Club of Westchester The Rotary Club of Westchester meets every Wednesday at 12 noon for lunch at the Crowne Plaza LAX Hotel, located at 5985 W. Century Blvd. in Westchester. The cost of lunch is $20 and validated self parking is free. Guests are most welcome! Reservations are not required. For information regarding the upcoming luncheon programs, visit rotary-westchester.com.
LAX Kiwanis Club The LAX Kiwanis Club is looking for new members. The club meets every Thursday at 12:30 p.m. at the Renaissance Hotel, located at 9620 Airport Blvd. in Westchester. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world, one child and one community at a time. The LAX Kiwanis raise money every year for such causes as providing scholarships, holiday baskets for needy families and back to school shopping sprees. For more information about the club or to RSVP to attend one of their meetings, please email laxkiwanisclub@gmail.com.
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TheHTN.com boundary map, which includes the areas of Westchester, Playa del Rey and Playa Vista. There is a $25 discount for those that sign-up before December 31. For more information, please email registration@wdrll.com or call (424) 259-3772. You can also visit wdrll.com to sign-up.
Y Offers Homemade Holiday Decorations for Sale The Westchester Family YMCA’s Service Club is now selling holiday handcrafted wreaths, table center pieces and mini trees to benefit the Y’s youth programs. The decorations are for sale at the Westchester YMCA’s main entrance, located at 8015 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Westchester through December 19 (except Sundays). For more info, please call (310) 4178993.
Kentwood Players present Somethings Afoot Join the Kentwood Players for the musical murder mystery spoof Somethings Afoot through Saturday, December 19. Somethings Afoot is a musical murder mystery that spoofs detective stories, most particularly Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. The play involves a group of standard British mystery characters–the Cockney servants, the brash retired military man, the imperious dowager, the snoopy spinster, the ne’er-do-well nephew, the ingénue couple– who are invited to the lake estate of Lord Dudley Rancour. When the wealthy lord is found dead, it’s a comical race against the clock and some outrageous booby traps to find out “whodunit.” Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Ave. in Westchester. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by calling (310) 645-5156 or online at kentwoodplayers.org.
Flight Path Hosts “Spy in the Sky” lecture The 2015 Flight Path Speaker Series will conclude on Saturday, December 5, with project engineer Phil Pressel’s lecture, “The Hexagon KH-9 Reconnaissance Satellite,” covering development and design of the satellite for the CIA. The program will begin at 10 a.m. at the Flight Path Museum in the LAX Imperial Terminal, located at 6661 W. Imperial Highway in Los Angeles (on the southside of LAX). Admission and parking are free. The Hexagon CH-9 was the last orbiting reconnaissance camera (spy in the sky) that used film for photography. It played an important chapter in U. S. intelligence and aerospace history. This orbiting spy camera turned out to become a huge success. Pressel’s talk features interesting anecdotes, personal stories and some technical details about this complex camera system that was capable of distinguishing objects two to three feet in size from an altitude of 100 miles above the earth.
Ceramic Sale at LMU LMU’s Art Department will hold its annual ceramics holiday sale on Friday, December 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 pm. and Saturday, December 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A variety of ceramics, from dishes, vases, plates and sculptures, will be available for purchase. The sale will take place in the Thomas P, Kelly Student Art Gallery in the Fritz Burns Fine Art Center on the university’s campus, located at 1 LMU Drive in Westchester. For more information, please call (310) 338-3053.
Village Elementary School. The event is free and open to the public. The church is located at 7300 West Manchester Ave. in Westchester. For more info, call (310) 670-2242. Loyola Marymount University’s Concert Choir, Consort Singers and Women’s Chorus will hold Christmas concerts on December 10 and 12 in LMU’s Sacred Heart Chapel. The concerts, part of a more than 50-year-old holiday tradition, include seasonal favorites as well as some more contemporary choices. Tickets are available for $15 for the Thursday, December 10 concert and $15-$20 for the Saturday, December 12 performance. Discounted rates are available to faculty, seniors, children and LMU students, who can purchase a $5 ticket at the door with a student I.D. For more information, call the LMU Choral Office at (310) 338-5154. Tickets can also be ordered online at lmucfa.com. The Worship, Art and Music Commission of Westchester Lutheran Church will hold its 46th Annual Messiah Concert on Sunday, December 6 at 4 p.m. Westchester Lutheran Church is located at 7831 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Westchester. The concert is directed by Marshall Ramirez and features professional solo artists, a large chorus of singers from local area choirs and a 20-piece orchestra. For more information, contact the church office at (310) 670-5422 or order tickets through wlcs.org. Tickets are $20 at the door, $15 pre-sale and $10 for children. The Westside Voices will present its holiday concert “Gotta Whisper, Gotta Shout!” on Sunday, December 13 at 3:30 p.m. at Westchester United Methodist Church, located at 9065 Emerson Ave. in Westchester. The group will sing a variety of a cappella favorites including religious and secular holiday songs. For more info, please contact Harris Levey at (310) 822-9067.
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December events: WDRLL Sign-Ups
Early registration is now open for the Westchester Del Rey Little League’s 2016 season. The league includes girls’ softball and boys and girls tee ball. To be eligible to play, a participant must live within the WDRLL boundary map or attend a school within the
ST LEASED
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Holiday Concerts
Enjoy a little music to get into the holiday spirit? The Congregational Church of the Messiah will present “Songs and Carols of Christmas” featuring Soprano Melinda Goodall, on Thursday, December 10 at 11 a.m. in the church sanctuary. Goodall is the former music director of Messiah and is the recently retired principal of Loyola
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Whether you are an owner with a space to sell or lease or a buyer or tenant with space needs we can help.
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Whether you are an owner with a spacePlaya to sell or leasedelorRey a •buyer or Orenstein, 01907467 Page 18 • December 2015 Westchester •Dave del Rey • MarinaBRE# Playa Vista HomeTown News VISTASIR.COM Richard Otterstrom, BRE# 01865671 tenant with space needs we VISTASIR.COM can help. | dave.orenstein@vistasir.com (213) 400-8541 | richard.otterstrom@vistasir.com Dave Orenstein, BRE# 01907467| richard.otterstrom@vistasir.com (310) 528-7187 VISTASIR.COM Each office is Independently Owned and Operated (213) 400-8541 | dave.orenstein@vistasir.com Each office is Independently Owned and Operated
COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS
Monday
Sunday
Tuesday
December
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
NCWP Meeting @ Westchester Community Room
Tree Lighting @ WLCS Tree Lighting @ LMU
Wreath Sales @ Westchester YMCA
Happy Hanukkah!
LAPD Santa Tour
Somethings Afoot @ Westchester Playhouse
1 Gateway to Go! @ Crowne Plaza
Handel’s Messiah @ Westchester Lutheran Church
2 Westchester Farmers’ Market @ Westchester Park Speakers by the Sea @ Playa del Rey YP Toy Crawl @ Melody Bar and Grill
6 Somethings Afoot @ Westchester Playhouse
7 Last Day of Hanukkah
Westside Voices @ Westchester United Methodist Church
Saturday
8
3 Senior Holiday Dance @ Senior Center Songs and Carols of Christmas Concert @ Congregational Church of the Messiah
Westchester Farmers’ Market @ Westchester Park
Gateway to Go! @ Crowne Plaza
Speakers by the Sea @ Playa del Rey
Somethings Afoot @ Westchester Playhouse Ceramic Sale @ LMU
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11 Somethings Afoot @ Westchester Playhouse
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Toy and Animal Shelter Drive @ Triangle Park
5
Marina del Rey Boat Parade @ Marina Holiday Sing-A-Long @ Emerson Avenue Community Garden
Christmas Concert @ LMU
12
Farmers’ Market @ Playa Vista
Snow Day @ Playa Provisions
16 Westchester Farmers’ Market @ Westchester Park
Spy in the Sky lecture @ Flight Path
Somethings Afoot @ Westchester Playhouse (Closing Night)
Holiday Concert @ WSCS
13
Somethings Afoot @ Westchester Playhouse
Snow Wonder @ Burton Chace Park
Christmas Concert @ LMU
9
Playa Venice Sunrise Santa Tour
4
Farmers’ Market Holiday Artisan Fair @ Playa Vista
17 Christmas Eve
18 19 Merry Christmas!
Farmers’ Market @ Playa Vista
Speakers by the Sea @ Playa del Rey Life story writing class @ YMCA Annex
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23 Westchester Farmers’ Market @ Westchester Park Speakers by the Sea @ Playa del Rey
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New Year’s Eve New Year’s Eve Celebration and Fireworks @ Burton Chace Park
Life story writing class @ YMCA Annex
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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
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December 2015 • Page 19
Page 20 • December 2015
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
December 2015 • Page 21
Leaders help make a community great By Spencer Kelly Twelve years ago I started my business here in Westchester. I was 26 years old, new to Los Angeles, new to Westchester and new to my career. I didn’t know anyone, but I was ready to meet people and get involved; this community responded and welcomed me with open arms! Four gentlemen in particular went out of their way: Howard Drollinger, Alan Cassman, Morrey Plotkin and Lloyd Hild. These men are Westchester legends. I cannot begin to list their awards and accolades. By the time I met each of them, they were all well into their 80’s, yet, I have never met four men so involved, so energetic and so full of life. Howard, Alan, Morrey and Lloyd were the epitome of community leaders. They were not only successful businessmen, but they were hard working, honest, caring and involved citizens. They have since passed away and with Lloyd passing away most recently this past August, I couldn’t help but reflect on the affect they had on me personally, and more importantly, on this whole community. I opened my first office at 8939
Sepulveda Blvd. in 2004 (across the street from The Parking Spot), in one of Howard Drollinger’s buildings. He immediately took me under his wing and brought me to the Westchester Rotary Club, proudly introducing his newest tenant to his friends and local business leaders. Anyone who has lived in Westchester any length of time has seen the Drollinger name and I can tell you first-hand that we should be very proud of the effect he (and now his family) have had in literally shaping this community. Alan “Bud” Cassman had the office across the courtyard from me. He was an estate planning attorney. Actively involved with the Westchester YMCA, Airport Marina Counseling Service and the Lions Club, he introduced me to the sport of paddle tennis, taught me how to network and motivated me with his infectious positive energy. I met Morrey Plotkin when I joined the Westchester YMCA board. Morey spoke up and made his voice heard; he was full of opinions and passionate about making the Y even better. He taught me that to just sit on the board wasn’t enough, but rather to really care was to be prepared and get involved. He
HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST IN THE HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST IN THE
Spencer Kelly.
was also active in the chamber of commerce, Westchester Playa Village and the Flight Path Learning Center. Lloyd Hild was a financial advisor, like myself, but with a 50-year head start on me. He taught me about what it means to be nice, to be genuine, and to care about your clients and your community. Lloyd had perfect attendance (along with Howard) at the Rotary Club; he sang in the choir at the Westchester Methodist Church, was on the
YMCA board and active in the chamber. Howard, Alan, Morrey and Lloyd were pillars in our community. If you live or work in Westchester, I believe you need to know their names and know how much they cared about this community. So I ask you, are you one of today’s leaders? If so, I commend you! And who will be tomorrow’s leaders and community pillars? I believe we all need to surround ourselves with positive people who give us strength and help us grow. I encourage you to find your mentors and to be a mentor. It’s about being involved: volunteering, sharing what we’ve learned and helping the next person succeed. In doing this we can build great communities, make a life-long difference in others, leave a legacy, strengthen our neighborhoods and help the next “up-and-comer” find their way. So to Howard, Alan, Morrey and Lloyd, although you are missed, please know that your legacies live on! Spencer Kelly is a financial advisor and is active in the Westchester community through his membership in the Westchester Rotary Club and as a member of the Westchester YMCA Board of Managers.
8 Winners: 2 From Each Area
8Deadline Winners: 2 application From isEach Area to submit an January 15, 2016. Deadline to submit an application is February 15, 2015 LOCAL COMPETITION
DISTRICT COMPETITION
LOCAL COMPETITION DISTRICT COMPETITION Saturday, March 28, 2015 Sunday, March 1, 2015 Cash Prize: $1,000, $500, and $250! Prize:31, $125 Sunday,Cash January 2016 Saturday, March 5, 2016 to submit an application is February 15, 2015 Cash Deadline Prize: $125 Cash Prize: $1,000, $500, and $250! La Arts Collective Loyola Marymount University DISTRICT COMPETITION LOCAL COMPETITION March 28, 2015 8939 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 105 1Saturday, LMU Drive Sunday, March 1, 2015 Cash Prize: $1,000, $500, and $250! Cash Prize: $125 Los Angeles, CA 90045 Los Angeles, CA 90045
Please visit our website for questions: more information: If you would like to participate or have any Call Gwen Vuchsas at (310)306-8525 or email at gvuchsas@secoteam.com www.playavenicesunrise.org or www.rotary-westchester.com If you would like to participate or have any questions:
IfCall youSharma would like to participate or have any questions: Henderson at 310-649-1016 or at shenderson@co-opla.org Call Gwen Vuchsas at (310)306-8525 or email at gvuchsas@secoteam.com
Page 22 • December 2015
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
St. Anastasia Church mourns loss of pastor Monsignor Gabriel Gonzales, the pastor at Saint Anastasia Catholic Church died peacefully in his sleep on November 9. Born in 1958, Gonzales was the first child of Jimmie and Consuelo Gonzales and named after his grandfather. He grew up at St. Gerard Majella Parish in Culver City where he attended elementary school, excelling in the classroom, and growing in his spirituality leading him to choose to attend the high school seminary in Mission Hills. Upon his commencement, Gonzales was accepted to prestigious universities including Georgia Tech, Yale and M.I.T., but his calling to the priesthood was very strong and he enrolled at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo. It was there that he met his life-long best friend and confidant, Bishop Alex Salazar. Following his ordination to the priesthood in June 1964, Father Gonzales was appointed as an associate pastor at Our Lady of Grace in Encino. Assignments followed at St. Joseph in La Puente, and his family’s home parish, St. Mark’s in Venice. He was then appointed pastor of Sacred Heart parish in Lincoln Heights, becoming the first in his ordination class to serve as a pastor. In 2003, Father Gabe as he was known, became Monsignor Gonzales and he served the role of Vicar for Clergy, assigning all of the priests of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to their posts. After serving as Vicar, Father Gabe returned to parish ministry as the pastor of
Monsignor Gonzales was remembered at a service on November 16 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
Westchester’s St. Anastasia Church where he served from 2010-2015. Parishioners and students of Saint Anastasia have been deeply saddened by the loss of their spiritual leader, a man known for being an insightful and engaging preacher and a downto-earth-friend to all. Monsignor Gonzales served in his ministry right up to the end, celebrating a final Mass with the Saint Anastasia community the evening before his passing. The Archbishop of Los Angeles, Jose Gomez, was the main celebrant at Monsignor’s Gonzales’s funeral on November 16 held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Gonzales is survived by his father Jimmie, brother Bill, sister Caroline and his brother priests.
Come, letlooking us Freedom! adore Him -Start theCelebrate New Year Year looking in the the right right direction...Up! direction...Up! Start the New in together!
Celebra Start the the New New Year Year lo lo Start It’s easy to get lost in the pre-holiday rush and forget where you’re headed.
Star theNewYearlo kingintherightdirection. Up! Freedom from doubt. Freedom from fear.
Be refreshed, not stressed, by the approach of Christmas. Join atjourney Westchester Lutheran Church, Join us us in the to the manger. Let the Scripture and and embrace theliftfreedom found inyour a soul. the songs of the season your heart and renew
loving, forgiving relationship with the
In addition to Sunday worship, we you to our annual Lord. Join new friends ininvite a celebration of Christmas Tree Lighting Carol Sing on Friday, everything that is and possible when you live December 4 at 7 p.m., song and celebration, and in harmony withfor the Word. the opening of our Christmas Festival. Our annual presentation of Handel’s Messiah follows at 4 p.m. on Sunday, December 6.
All are welcome.
Christmas Eve services are at 4:30 p.m. (“family” service) and 11:00 p.m. (candlelight service).with us! Come celebrate
Come look look up up with with us. us. Come
Come,all ye faithful. All are welcome. Weekly Worship
Sundays at 10 a.m.
atMidweek 9 a.m. Bible Study, Weekly Summer Worship Choir Rehearsal ConfirmationSundays and Vacation Bible School 29-August 2 and Sunday School, Adult SundayJuly School, Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Sundays at 10 a.m. Sundays at 8:45 a.m.
7831 S. Sepulveda Blvd. Westchester, CA 90045 310.670.5422 www.wlcs.org
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
December 2015 • Page 23
Op-Ed: Plan will ultimately benefit the needs of all students By Rebecca Cunningham, Westchester Resident and PVES Parent and Alexander Stein, Playa Vista Resident and PVES Parent
FREE EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR
Opinion: Something unexpected is happening in the Playa Vista community. The little public elementary school, tucked between the soccer field and the Ballona Creek Discovery Park, is exceeding enrollment projections. this informative seminar will help you learn: At the time of inception, the Los Angeles Unified School District • How to select a remodeling company • Insights on what to expect (LAUSD) conservatively estimated • The latest trends in the South Bay • How long should your project take how many residents would enroll in the Playa Vista Elementary School • The advantage of a true design/build firm • And so much more! (PVES). Can we really blame them? • Financing options for your project When was the last time a non-charter elementary school on the Westside of Los Angeles over enrolled solely with At Custom Design & Construction’s residents? Design and Inspiration Center But something happened... The residents of Playa Vista decided 2001 E. Mariposa Ave. not only to live, work, and play El Segundo together as a community– but also to learn together as a community. To extend the community network, PVES developed a partnership with Loyola Marymount University (LMU), space is limited, RsVP today — 310.815.4815 making it an LMU Demonstration Or online — Visitcustomdesign.com/Remodeling-seminars school featuring science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) th th at1110:00 am am Saturday, April 11 at 10:00 Saturday, April education. A progressive and cutting edge curriculum was accomplished Complimentary Remodeling Seminar Complimentary Remodeling Seminar through an alliance with the The Secrets to Remodeling The Secrets to Remodeling university, LAUSD, community a Kitchen or Bath a Kitchen or Bath partners and a committed parent body. VisitCustomDesign.com to RSVP. VisitCustomDesign.com to RSVP. At the center of this universityschool partnership is a teacher professional development program supporting teaching strategies that produce highly STEM-literate students. Through this collaboration, the PVES school teachers become License #524561 extensions of the university experience, an ecosystem that design / build | kitchens / baths requires a fundamental agreement between classroom teachers and ReMOdeling | additiOns | neW cOnstRuctiOn EnjoyEnjoy The Remodeling Process From StartStart to Finish The Remodeling Process From to Finish the university on how to teach. This reciprocal partnership entails Get inspired at ourat state-of-the-art Design CenterCenter in Get inspired our state-of-the-art Design in additional work given the emphasis on Get inspired at our state-of-the-art Design Center in El Segundo. It’s theIt’s perfect place place to explore the possibilities El Segundo. the perfect to explore the possibilities innovation, community engagement, El Segundo. It’s the perfect place to explore the possibilities License #524561 License #524561 when when it comes to updating your home. it comes to updating your home. research and professional when it comes to updating your home. development. Seminars are held our at our Seminars areatheld Classroom teachers committed Design CenterCenter Design to extending their development 2001 2001 E. Mariposa Ave., El Segundo E. Mariposa Ave., El Segundo and continuously changing their teaching styles and content thrive in a To RSVP Learn More About Our Seminars: To or RSVP or Learn More About Our Seminars: demonstration school model. Hiring schoolteachers who welcome this VisitCustomDesign.com • 310.815.4815 VisitCustomDesign.com • 310.815.4815 type of university-school alliance is central to the demonstration school philosophy. When PVES hires new teachers, each stakeholder group is represented on the selection committees, including the PVES teachers, principal, parent body and LMU representatives. See ourSee customer feedback at www.guildquality.com/visitcustomdesign our customer feedback at www.guildquality.com/visitcustomdesign In addition to these uniquely License #524561 License #524561 qualified school teachers, we have a cohort of teachers who joined LMU’s DESIGN /DESIGN BUILD /| BUILD KITCHENS / BATHS / |BATHS REMODELING | ADDITIONS | NEW CONSTRUCTION | KITCHENS | REMODELING | ADDITIONS | NEW CONSTRUCTION
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Page 24 • December 2015
faculty to help train LAUSD’s next generation of teachers. Additionally, many school teachers are extending their education by taking classes at the university to authentically bridge the gap between the theory and practicum of teaching. The university-school partnership also opened up the opportunity to welcome a STEM Curriculum Developer position, not funded by LAUSD, but rather through external funding identified in partnership with stakeholders. This position supports school teachers in development and implementation of an integrated “Bellto-Bell” STEM curriculum– meaning each subject is taught with a STEM integrated focus. So, even when children are in “art class,” they are still incorporating science, technology, engineering and math into the art lessons. Concurrently, our integrated STEM curriculum is being shared with other LAUSD schools (i.e., Westport Heights Elementary School and Short Avenue Elementary School). As a result of this collaboration with schoolteachers, principal, university partner and parents, our school has rapidly outgrown the capacity of our campus. The district is now faced with a sensitive situation that requires a thoughtful choice: invest further in the PVES instructional program, increasing our enrollment capabilities to meet the demand of incoming residents, by moving our fourth and fifth grades offsite; extend the PVES scope to include a new middle school instructional program serving the Playa Vista, Playa del Rey and Westchester communities; or limit residents enrolling in their neighborhood school, forcing severe measures such as a year-round calendar and a restrictive boundary. The latter option would essentially undermine the PVES instructional program, which would result in negatively impacting the community’s current and projected population of K-6 students. With this context in mind, LAUSD is considering how to address the PVES enrollment impact as well as the LAUSD trend of declining residential enrollment. The proposed plan is a great way to retain neighborhood residents, including our neighbors in Westchester and Playa del Rey, through middle and possibly high school. To date, the university stands ready to continue the partnership and the district is recognizing the need. This is an educational opportunity that will ultimately benefit the educational needs of all students in our communities where families in Westchester and Playa del Rey are excited to join their friends in Playa Vista.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Op-Ed: WISH would be grateful for permanent home in Westchester By Daphne Bishop, WISH President of the Board of Directors Opinion: As the debate over the role of public charter schools in the Los Angeles Unified Schools District intensifies, the District has announced a $10 million plan to relocate two Westchester schools from their current homes in Westchester, as a result of developers’ and city officials’ failure to account for how the vast Playa Vista expansion would impact schools in the surrounding areas. As the President of the Board of Directors and parent of two students who attend WISH Charter, one of the impacted schools, I am writing to provide context for the current turmoil over school facilities in Westchester. The story of how my family ended up at WISH is emblematic of the WISH mission. When my husband and I decided to start a family, we hit the metaphoric jackpot: boy/ girl twins! However, we did not anticipate just how different they would be. From birth, our son had medical complications that resulted in significant developmental delays, while our daughter was healthy and developmentally advanced. When it was time to enroll the twins in school, we considered all of our options, including our assigned traditional public school, Cowan Elementary School, as well as other public, private and parochial schools. Of all the schools we considered,
WISH was, by far, the most inclusive of students with different learning abilities, had the most rigorous and meaningful instructional experiences and echoed our social justice values in classroom management and school culture. WISH’s Whole Scholar approach to education was exactly what our family needed, and the twins, now in 4th and 5th grades, are both thriving. WISH is an independent public charter school that was founded by parents looking for inclusive educational options on the Westside of Los Angeles. They wanted a socially just model where children could be raised in classroom communities that reflect society. A place where students with various strengths and needs, including gifted children (like my daughter) and children with special needs (like my son), could be educated together in natural proportions to what would typically be found in society. A school where siblings and neighbors could learn together and be raised to value differences. A learning environment where kids would in turn grow up to build businesses and communities that include and value all people. Nearly 12% of WISH students have disabilities and 18% of WISH students are identified as gifted. Approximately 80% of WISH’s students come from the Westchester area. WISH Elementary School and WISH Middle School have always been located in Westchester and are
currently co-located on campuses in Westchester. WISH Elementary School has been co-located with the Wright Middle School STEAM Magnet on the Orville Wright Middle School campus for a total of three years, and WISH Middle School has been co-located on the Cowan Elementary School campus since the fall. In October, the District informed WISH that the school would be relocated from its space at Orville Wright Middle School to accommodate the massive growth of Playa Vista. The District also announced that it intends to use space at Orville Wright Middle School for a second neighborhood middle school, designed to attract Playa Vista and local residents and increase District enrollment. To accomplish its plan, the District intends to spend more than $10 million on upgrades to Playa Vista Elementary School and the Orville Wright Middle School campus. WISH is happy to continue its co-location with the Wright Middle School STEAM Magnet. The WISH community would also be grateful to have a permanent home in Westchester. We are thankful for the Emerson school site opportunity, yet question whether it is suitable as an elementary school site, given its proximity to the LAX runway and we are concerned about where the Emerson Adult Learning Center students will be relocated. The WISH community is eager to hear
WISH Board of Directors’ President, Daphne Bishop.
the district’s plan for WISH in the event that the Emerson Adult Learning Center site is deemed unsuitable for elementary school students. WISH is invested in the Westchester community and shares questions posed by the Emerson Adult Learning Center community and other stakeholders about whether the District’s plan provides short- and long-term stability for all students and families in the area. WISH will gratefully accept a reasonable solution that allows WISH to continue to serve public school students and the Westchester community.
Op-ED: Plan fails to address needs of entire community By Peter Mikhail, Wright STEAM PTO President Opinion: It has been hard to understand and quantify the changes proposed and an appearance of an already decided plan for a new middle school in the Westchester area. Our collective views, as a group of schools in Westchester without a voice, are similar and underrepresented. The proposed plan to split Wright STEAM into 2 campuses, the proposed school with renovations over 7.5 million, places a priority on the needs of the Playa Vista residents, while failing to adequately address the needs of the entire community of schools and students. • WISH Charter School is a successful and sought-after school in the community; it would be irresponsible to evict them from the Wright campus without a suitable alternative location. • The Emerson Adult School is a longestablished adult program that continues to service the community; there is no reason to disrupt their program to convert a building that has hosted adults for many years into a suitable elementary school for WISH. • Parents from the other schools identified as feeders (Cowan, Loyola Village, Westport Heights, Kentwood and Paseo Del Rey) were not consulted
in the development of this plan and were only made aware at the informational meeting on November 16, 2015. • Wright STEAM Magnet parents were not included in any planning effort prior to the informational meeting on November 16, 2015. • Numerous students are permitted into the feeder schools from other parts of LAUSD and other districts. There is no mention of permits in this plan. There is no explanation for their pathway to middle school and no plan to allow them to continue to middle school with their established friends. All of these groups are valued members of the extended Wright Middle School STEAM Magnet community. The proposed implementation of the PVES overflow on the Orville Wright campus may create a hostile situation. Westchester has a long history of hosting students from various other neighborhoods. The Wright PTO supports the families of permitted students, as well as those from Baldwin Hills and Windsor Hills. We welcome and celebrate the diversity of class, race and all types of families represented in our Wright STEAM Magnet. Our understanding is that Playa Vista Elementary (PVES) is closed to permits, as would a PVES overflow. In
my opinion, this plan appears to divide parents by creating a competing noncharter middle school on the Wright campus with different demographics in side-by-side schools, the campus would be primed for conflict and negative psychological impacts to all students. There has been no evaluation of secondary impacts, particularly traffic, in the region. The plan disrupts the Kentwood neighborhood traffic and safety. Our neighbors are already severely impacted by the number of schools and associated traffic in and out of Westchester that hampers the morning commute and endangers pedestrians. We believe that there should be an EIR evaluating traffic issues prior to a vote of the Board of Education. The members of the Wright PTO are overwhelmed by the potential negative impacts to our children and their learning experience from this Proposed Educational Facilities Plan. Parents are frustrated that the current gains and successes at Wright STEAM Magnet are not being recognized and disheartened that our school will not receive any investment for an aging facility. The District is missing a great opportunity to demonstrate its own success in the outcomes and transformation that is nearly complete of the Wright Middle School STEAM Magnet.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
After all this, the seeming problem lies with LAUSD’s tendency to take acrossthe-board action without considering options, as in the case with Wright Middle School. Of all its past mistakes, this is the most shocking and almost unreal. It potentially can overshadow the mistakes of the iPad debacle and the college-prep mandated courses. Contrary to the popular myth that traditional public schools are failing, students in affluent districts nationally do very well. What works are schools that are well resourced, have strong family support and hold their teachers in high esteem. That is what Los Angeles should be trying to replicate in all of its schools, making sure the neediest students get the human and financial resources to succeed. Instead of doing this they have taken the more affluent PVES, which they have highly funded, creating a perception that they have turned their backs on the neediest schools in the local area. The American dream of a great public education is alive and well and it is still worth fighting for. We cannot afford to write off the guarantee of a good public education for ALL. To conclude, we are talking about the perception of public funds being used by elected officials without following the proper channels of doing so within a democratic system. December 2015 • Page 25
In Pictures
TheHTN.com
Local boys reach rank of Eagle Scout. This fall, numerous local Boy Scouts received Eagle Scout honors, the highest rank in scouting. In order to qualify for this honor, the scouts need to complete a series of requirements including a community service project. The community’s newest Eagle Scouts include two sets of twin brothers from Westchester. Adam Mayeda’s project included recruiting volunteers from Troop 927 of Westchester, as well as family and friends, to help pull ice plant and build an informative sign for the Los Angeles International Airport Dunes Reserve. The ice plant removal will help make space for native buckwheat to grow, the only plant that the blue butterfly survives on in Southern California. The newly installed sign will help inform volunteers of the work needed in the area and describe how it helps the environment. Pictured left: Volunteers help pull ice
plant on the dunes. His brother, Noah Mayeda, led his fellow Boy Scouts and friends in completing a project to help modernize five plant beds at the main entrance of Westchester Lutheran Church. The scouts were able to prepare and plant $1,100 worth of plants, 40 bags of decorative bark and 7,500 pounds of decorative gravel. Dona Rawson from Botanica Landscape helped the project by lending her ideas and knowledge. Both scouts would like to thank LAFD Fire Station 80 LAX, Robin Zacha Homes and family and friends for helping them to complete their projects. Pictured right: Twins Matthew Skidmore (left) and Kevin Skidmore (right) also recently sat for and passed their board of review for Eagle Scouts. Kevin and Matthew are juniors at Loyola High of Los Angeles and are members of Westchester Boy Scout Troop 716.
GATEWAY TO GO! Every Tuesday 11 am to 3 pm
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Page 26 • December 2015
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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
• Sciatica • Spinal Stenosis • Facet Disease • Bulging Disc • Pinched nerve • Degenerative Disc Disease
• No hospital stay • No lengthy recovery • No surgery, screws, plates or hardware • Better patient satisfaction success rate than big surgeries
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
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December 2015 • Page 27
Page 28 • December 2015
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News