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PHOTO BY DIANA HOFFMAN.
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Jet to Jetty Celebrates 30 Years of Raising Money for Mental Health...page 2 Runners participate in last year’s Jet to Jetty Race. This year’s event will take place Saturday, September 6 at Playa del Rey’s Dockweiler Beach.
Bacari PDR brings new small plates dining concept to Playa del Rey Restaurateurs Lior Hillel and brothers Robert and Daniel Kronfli are looking to put their newest restaurant, Bacari PDR, on the map for casual, neighborhood dining in Playa del Rey. This is the third restaurant for the Kronflis and Hillel, who also own Bacaro LA and Nature’s Brew in
Downtown Los Angeles. Bacari PDR (pronounced BACHCAR-E) officially opened its doors on Wednesday, September 3 and its owners are excited to bring their Mediterranean-inspired small plates dining concept to the community. The three opened up their first
PDR’s newest restaurant
A Look Inside Your
HomeTown
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restaurant six years ago after Daniel took an extended tour of Northern Italy and became inspired after visiting over 100 “bacaros”– small wine bars where people meet and socialize. The partners used that inspiration for their first restaurant, which they opened near the Kronflis’
USC. With the success of their first two restaurants and a line of natural sauces and dressing, the culinary trio set their sights on opening a beachside restaurant and searched for months before coming across a space for lease in Playa del Rey, at the former (continued on page 6)
New Mural in Westchester Celebrating our local schools
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Jet to Jetty celebrates 30 years of raising money for mental health This year the annual Jet to Jetty Race for Mental Health will celebrate 30 years of raising money for the Airport Marina Counseling Service (AMCS) and organizers are looking for the support of the community to make this their largest race yet. While the race is celebrating its thirtieth year, AMCS has been around for more than fifty years in Westchester. The idea to open up a mental health center was the brainchild of long-time Westchester resident Mary Ellen Cassman, who is being honored this year as the race’s Grand Marshal. Cassman become inspired to bring mental health services to the area after giving a young woman a ride home to Westchester from a conference. The young woman was troubled and in need of help, but didn’t know where she could go to seek counseling. Cassman, along with her husband Alan, who passed away last year, and other members of the Westchester Coordinating Council came together to found the pioneering AMCS in 1961. The clinic opened for counseling the following year. While today there is still a stigma around mental illness and seeking counseling, something that AMCS has fought hard to change over the years, in the 50s and 60s seeking help was severely frowned upon and according to Cassman “was only about being a crazy person.” When the clinic opened, Cassman recalls that there was a large group of community members who were completely against having a counseling center in their neighborhood. “People were really frightened,” said Cassman. “Our house was watched and people were keeping tabs on me ‘the champion of the crazies.’” Cassman was even accused of being a communist. The naysayers eventually started to come around, however, and began to accept the clinic after their fears of a spike in crime and the criminally insane wondering the streets never manifested. Despite the controversy of those early days, the clinic persevered and continued to grow its services with the help of dedicated staff and volunteers. Today AMCS is open seven days a week and serves more than 1,200 people a year. It also acts as a training facility for mental health professionals. At AMCS no one is turned away for economic reasons. The ability to pay system was an early hallmark of AMCS and continues to remain an important part of the clinic’s mission. “Everyone deserves quality mental health services regardless of socioeconomics,” says Eden Garcia-Balis Page 2 • September 2014
AMCS’ Executive Director. “That’s what we provide here. The person who pays fifteen dollars and the person who pays ninety gets the same services.” While the clinic helps clients that are dealing with mental health issues like depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, in addition to one-onone counseling, AMCS offers group classes and workshops with topics on parenting, relationships and learning how to deal with stress. Thanks to the Hannon Foundation’s Immediate Intervention Program, people looking for immediate help with a crisis can be seen expeditiously. “People come to AMCS for a variety of reasons including anxiety, depression and even self-awareness,” said Garcia-Balis. “Talking to another human being, specifically a trained mental health professional can be very powerful and can really help.” For the last few years, the clinic has been championing bringing mental health services to local schools. With the help of grants, AMCS is now at three neighborhood schools three to four days a week and according to Garcia-Balis the counselor’s schedules are “filled very quickly.” The non-profit, which is funded through grants and patient fees, relies on its two big yearly fundraisers— its Spring Gala and the Jet to Jetty
Everyone deserves quality mental health services regardless of socio-economics. That’s what we provide here. race—to help fill any funding gaps. AMCS also depends on the financial support of its auxiliary non-profit, the Westchester Mental Health Guild, which was founded in 1962 to raise money for the organization. The group runs the volunteer-led Guilded Cage Gift Shop and holds the annual local garden and home tours. While for the last few years the numbers of runners for the Jet to Jetty has hovered at 800, event chair Dan Cohen is hopeful that this year they can reach their goal of having more than 1,000 runners participate.
Above: Mary Ellen Cassman (left) is this year’s Jet to Jetty Grand Marshal. Here she poses at last year’s event with AMCS Executive Director, Eden Garcia-Balis and Jet to Jetty volunteer Raymond Eason. PHOTO BY DIANA HOFFMAN. Below: Jet to Jetty t-shirts from over the years that are owned by event chair Dan Cohen are displayed at AMCS.
Jet to Jetty organizers have been encouraging community groups to get involved and create teams with fun themes. “‘I’ve saved all my Jet to Jetty t-shirts and I now realized that I’ve run almost every one of them over the last 30 years. Running alongside the Playa del Rey beach makes it my favorite race of the year—a flat, fast course with the ocean air in your face,” said Cohen. “This year we’re encouraging teams and people to get creative with themes and costumes. You don’t have to be a runner to participate, just someone interested in having fun and supporting the community non-profit mental health clinic.” Garcia-Balis is confident that this year’s race will be one of the most successful to date thanks to the outpouring of support from the community. The event already has almost 100 volunteers ready to assist on race day. “Community clinics like AMCS are vital as they provide much needed support to families that would otherwise have little or no access to mental health services,” said GarciaBalis. “The Westchester community understands the importance of the
services we offer, as evidenced by their support and participation in our fundraisers like the Jet to Jetty.”
Want to get involved? The Jet to Jetty 5k/10k run and walk will take place on Saturday, September 6 at Dockweiler Beach. Packet pick-up and registration opens at 6:30 a.m. with the 5k starting at 8 a.m., the 10k at 8:30 a.m. and the Kid’s Fun Run at 9:30 a.m. Before and after the race, attendees can enjoy the expo featuring vendors offering healthy food and drinks. This year the event is also working on being more family-friendly and will have food trucks, face painting and music. The cost to participate is $35 ($40 starting on September 5) and participants can sign-up online at jettojetty.com. Interested in supporting the race but can’t attend? Sign-up to be a “virtual runner” on the website!
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
This Month Brings You A look inside your HTN Jet to Jetty celebrates 30 years of raising money Playa Vista’s Runway adds new tenants Mural hopes to bring beauty to Westchester Celebrating our local schools Calendar/To Do Playa del Rey’s stars of yesterday
02 04 08 13-20 22 26
HOMETOWN STAFF/CONTRIBUTORS Stephanie Davis, Publisher, Editor Fay Craton, Contributing Writer David “Duke” Dukesherer Sr., Looking Back
Jeff Blair, Contributing Writer Jack Younger, Contributing Cartoonist
Advertisers’ Directory
Business & Professional 25 Covenant Presbyterian Church 26 Custom Design & Construction 31 Daily Grill 06 Decron Properties 09 Drollinger Properties 07, 15, 21 El Segundo Car Wash 30 Food Pantry, LAX 26 Gateway to GO! 30 Kevin and Kaz Gallaher 29 Kumon Westchester 20 Jane St. John 28 LA Arts Collective 08 Loyola Marymount 04 LMU Family of Schools 20 Marina del Rey Hospital 05 McClintock Dental 06 Neighborhood Council 32
Otis College of Art and Design 11 Paseo Elementary School 16 Pigments of our Imagination 10 REAL Creative Space 11 Retro Prom 25 School Rocks Concert 14 Socal Sports and Fitness 24 South Bay Brokers 28 St. Jerome Catholic Church 08 Team Crockett 27 Vergari and Napolitano 24 Visitation School 12 Vistamar School 17 Westchester First Fridays 26 Westchester Lutheran 19, 21 Westchester Town Center BID 03 Westchester/Playa Village 21 Zacha Homes 29
t a t i d n u o f I ! r e t n e C n w o T r e t s e h c West – MARY ELLEN CASSMAN
“It was a day full of errands, but I never left Westchester Town Center ... I picked up a gift at The Guilded Cage,
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.
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September 2014 • Page 3
Community
TheHTN.com
Runway at Playa Vista adds eight new tenants The Runway at Playa Vista recently announced the addition of eight new tenants to the growing list of retailers that have signed leases to be part of the new mixed-use lifestyle center that is currently being constructed in the heart of Playa Vista. The new tenants that recently signed leases include: • The Studio MDR, an intense total-body workout studio melding elements of Pilates, cardio training and weight-bearing activity to create a one-of-a-kind exercise program. • N’ice Cream, an organic gelato and sorbet shop that makes its desserts fresh daily and serves them in a bright storefront with morning coffee drinks. • ROC Kitchen, a restaurant offering authentic family-style Chinese food in a relaxed, modern environment. • Varnish Lab, a premier nail salon destination showcasing the latest designs from over-the-top art and acrylics to basic manicures and pedicures. • 800 Degrees, a pizzeria honoring the heritage of “Old World Italian tradition” by offering Neapolitan pizza with many customization
Page 4 • September 2014
options in a contemporary setting. • Urban Plates, a chef-driven restaurant serving fresh, farm-to-plate dishes at affordable prices. • 18/8 Fine Men’s Salons, a reinvented barbershop, providing a wide range of services from haircuts, straight-razor shaves to waxing and facials. • Starbucks, a full-service coffee shop. The announcement of the new leases was made by Runway’s development team, which includes Lincoln Property, Phoenix Property Company and Paragon Commercial Group. These new tenants will join several other restaurants and retail locations that are already part of the Runway line-up, including Lyfe Kitchen, Panini Café, Hopdoddy Burger Bar and Sol Cocina. High-end grocery store Whole Foods is planning to open its new store early next year. Cinemark’s NextGen nine-screen multiplex with RealD 3D capability, self-serve concession stands and an open plaza with a cocktail lounge is expected to have its premiere in November of this year. Chase Bank,
The Runway at Playa Vista is set to be completed in 2015. Rendering courtesy Playa Vista/Brookfield Residential.
Wells Fargo Bank, and CVS Pharmacy will also be part of Runway. “We are tremendously excited to welcome the newest group of tenants to Runway at Playa Vista,” said David Binswanger, Executive Vice President of Lincoln Property Company. “Our residents, homeowners, and neighbors will now have access to even more premier shopping, dining and entertainment options.” Playa Vista is already home to 7,000
residents, a city library and a public elementary school. It is also home to technology and entertainment related businesses like Facebook, YouTube, Konami, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Fox Sports and Belkin. When the Runway at Playa Vista is completed it will add new residential, commercial, retail and open space to the area. (continued on page 21)
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
September 2014 • Page 5
Bacari PDR brings new dining option to Playa del Rey (cont’d)
(continued from page 1) location of Bistro du Soleil. The restaurant’s proximity to the coast, the area’s burgeoning culinary scene and the fact it already had a working kitchen, sealed the deal for the men who signed the lease in May. “We are not looking to compete with anyone here, but looking to compliment the area,” said Robert Kronfli. “We are excited to be part of the upswing of the community and a lot of people have told us they are excited to have a new vibe here.” The team worked to make the space warm and inviting by adding rustic décor, dark wood furniture and floor-to-ceiling chalkboards, which list the restaurant’s food and beverage menus. As for the food, Israeli-born chef Hillel says the goal is to elevate simple dishes by using fresh ingredients, spices and bright flavors like citrus. “The menu is simple, straightforward and not complicated. There are dishes that are very conservative to adventurous,” says Hillel. “It is very versatile that way.” With the small plates concept, diners generally purchase a few items apiece to share. Menu items are $8 each, save for a few specialty seafood dishes, but guests are given a small discount when they purchase three. “Everything on our menu is meant to be shared,” said Robert Kronfli. “Dishes come out as they are cooked; that’s the concept we are trying to bring to brunch and dinner.” Hillel enjoys sourcing ingredients from local farmers’ markets and utilizing grassfed beef for their dishes. Vegetarian and vegan options are also available for those with dietary restrictions.
PICTURED ABOVE: Bacari PDR owners are looking forward to serving the community their small plates style menu and curated wines. PICTURED BELOW: Dishes like the open-faced burger, clams in broth and the fresh beet salad are meant to be shared.
Enjoying a meal with a glass of wine or a beverage is a large part of the dining experience at Bacari PDR. A menu of specialty cocktails was created for the restaurant and all of the wines are hand selected by the team, which extensively researches and looks for wines made in small batches. According to Daniel Kronfli, there is always a rotation of six to seven lesser-known varietals on hand. Since at most only a crate of wine is purchased, once a particular variety is gone, guests will have to wait at least a year until they see it again on the menu. An interesting feature of the restaurant is its newly started wine ceiling. If you finish a bottle of wine at the restaurant, guests are invited to sign it and add it to the restaurant’s 1,100 square foot ceiling. The trio is hopeful that the neighborhood will embrace the wine bar and small plates menu and its casual, friendly atmosphere that has zerotolerance for pretention. “We wanted to move to a community that we can be part of. We want to be part of the positive energy that is going on here,” said Robert Kronfli. “We are really passionate about this space. We see a lot of positive things happening in this neighborhood in the next five to ten years.” To celebrate its opening, Bacari PDR will be offering guests happy hour prices through the month of September where all plates will be $6 each. The restaurant is open seven days a week from 5 p.m. to midnight and will open for brunch in October. Bacari PDR is located at 6805 Vista Del Mar Lane in Playa del Rey. For more information, visit bacaripdr.com.
DENTIST
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Dr. R. A. (Sandy) McClintock of Playa Vista
was selected as the best single dental practice on the Westside by The Argonaut readers.
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Page 6 • September 2014
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Congratulations
The Drollinger Family Charitable Foundation is proud to congratulate the winners of this year’s Howard Drollinger Achievement Award and this year’s Westchester Jewel Award to be presented at the Westchester Family YMCA’s Kids Need Heroes event on October 9. Both Mary Ellen and Sue epitomize the hard work, selflessness and community service that Jewel and Howard Drollinger gave to the Westchester community. Congratulations!
Mary Ellen Cassman 2014 Howard Drollinger Acheivement Award Honoree
Sue Piervin 2014 Westchester Jewel Award Honoree
D
The Drollinger Family Charitable Foundation
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
September 2014 • Page 7
Mural looks to bring beauty to Westchester A new mural entitled, “You are Beautiful” was just completed in Westchester and is meant to celebrate and commemorate the people of the area. The non-profit Do Art Foundation coordinated the project, adding to its fast-growing repertoire of murals throughout Los Angeles county. The Do Art Foundation is an arts organization focused on the promotion and creation of work visible in the public landscape. Recognizing the need for artistic productions to create important humanitarian cultural conversations, the Do Art Foundation facilitates projects that inspire creative expression within communities. Artist Aly Timbuctustate spent more than a week painting the southern-facing wall in the Westchester Village, which houses the CVS and Ralph’s Market and is located between South Sepulveda Blvd. and Sepulveda Westway. The artwork expands along the 100-foot wall bordering the parking lot facing inwards to the plaza. Born in Guinea, raised in Senegal West Africa and currently a Los Angeles resident, Timbuctustate is both an artist and a fashion designer whose work focuses on the “dialogue
The mural pays tribute to some of the people that have contributed to the Westchester community, including Howard Drollinger (pictured far left).
between the esthetic of the so-called primitive world and its modern urban counterpart and the possible emergence of a more universal truth.” The wall is owned by Drollinger Properties, which has a long and storied history in the community. Ella Drollinger built Westchester’s first commercial building in 1947, and her son, Howard, carried on the family’s tradition, earning the moniker “Mr. Westchester,” as he and his wife,
Jewel, revitalized and redeveloped Westchester’s Central Business District. According to Drollinger Properties, the mural was created to thank and honor the Westchester community. The main concept for the installation of the artwork is to inspire each passerby by imparting the positive sentiment, “You Are Beautiful,” which is displayed on the mural. The mural also pays respect to
some of the people who have helped make Westchester what it is today, as well as the artist’s rendering and reflection of some of the community’s current residents. “I was drawn to this project because of the property owner Karen Dial’s desire to pay tribute to her family and the people that founded this neighborhood by using the medium of public art,” said Timbuctustate. “Karen and Drollinger Properties realize the power of art as a tool to bring the different components of a community together. I think that is truly beautiful and it makes me excited about the project. I’m glad to be able to create something that will celebrate the cultural and ethnic diversity of the neighborhood, while also honoring the history of this growing area.” Dial said the mural is a perfect representation of the community in which she grew up. “We are part of the enormous city of Los Angeles, but Westchester is like a little village, an oasis in the sea of L.A.,” she said. “People know their neighbors. They come together to make our community better and they work hard to help each other. This mural is a great way to remind everyone that they are beautiful– inside and out.”
Yoga & Adult Fitness classes now available!
Page 8 • September 2014
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
September 2014 • Page 9
Random Notes/Opinion
TheHTN.com
The choice to flourish is yours By Fay Craton Opinion: It can be an enjoyable outing to walk around the park and museum at La Brea Tar Pits imagining life in this geographic area during prehistoric times. It is also sad to think about trapped dinosaurs that became fossils. I wonder about their frustration, rage and panic when they realized they were ensnared. I also imagine other animals observed and learned to do something other than become captured in muck that looked so much like water. Today’s existence has its own pits and hazards. Similar to dinosaurs being caught in tar, you can be ensnared by hanging on to beliefs which do not support a contented and meaningful life experience for you. Stop and think about symptoms you may be experiencing which indicate you may be caught. Here are some examples: • Spending large amounts of time thinking or speaking about what someone has taken away from or done to you. • When annoyed or hurt by what is happening, being determined to make sure many other people around you see and respond to life as you see. • Being stuck in patterns of not doing activities needing to be accomplished. • Frustration or anger is a familiar response.
• Holding onto irritation over a lack of recognition of your contributions or a title you hold. It is possible you are in a pit if any of the examples resonate with you. How do you get out of a pit? Look at your beliefs that do not result in you experiencing happiness and/or contentment. Getting out of a pit will require your willingness to examine and perhaps change some beliefs. If this seems like an impossible task, take a deep breath and do not panic. Not all beliefs should be shifted. Changing convictions that are part of your core value system could leave you off balance. Looking at and identifying core values can be beneficial, but decisions to adjust them should be done carefully. Types of beliefs I am suggesting you consider modifying today will not result in a change to your core values, but will alter how you perceive and respond to events happening in your life. Your responses flow out of conditioned, habitual thinking. Think about a recent event in your life. Your observation of this occasion was mentally processed or filtered through your memories of what you have experienced and learned so far in life. It is through the filtering process that you make sense of what you are observing. Sometimes mixed in with memories are faulty assumptions, unhelpful biases, past
unresolved hurts and other distorting conditioning. This material can include internal data leading you to believe your happiness depends on what happens in the world around you. Believing your joy comes from what another person (or group) does is misleading. This belief is an illusion, just as a belief about tar being water was an illusion to dinosaurs. An illusion can seem very real, but it is a deception. When facts are looked at, what is frequently discovered is that the other person(s) that you have relinquished your happiness to is completely unaware of how you are interpreting events. In the majority of instances, what other people are doing or saying is not intentionally projected at you in order to create harm. Because of a faulty belief, an illusion, you have given away your happiness. To remove yourself from the pit in which you are stuck, you must shift your thinking from personalizing what “others” are doing or saying. Events happening in your life or what “others” are doing have much less impact on your contentment and sense of value than your own beliefs and internal chatter. You can begin to make this shift by exploring if there could be other possibilities to what you are observing than what you concluded. To assist you, here are some questions to explore when
considering the event you imagined a few moments ago. • What are the facts? • What have you assumed? • Did you assume you have no personal choice in your response, words, or feelings? • What are alternative response choices? When you start to see there could be multiple possibilities and you have a choice, you start to climb out of the pit. Simply changing your responses and beginning the climb will make a difference in your ability to flourish. My wish for you is you climb all the way out of destructive illusions holding you back from thriving. It is worth the journey to shift away from the illusion that you are at the center of events around you and to instead claim your true worth and capabilities. Along the path, you also learn self-care, resilience, improve your communication skills and strengthen your understanding of a spiritual presence that is a part of you. Fay Craton, M.A. is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (mfc40011). She has an office in Westchester. Contact her at (310) 645-6762 or visit www. communicationtriangle.com
Reducing the risks of falls is important for seniors By Freddi Segal-Gidan Opinion: As we age, physical changes, medical conditions and sometimes medications used to treat those conditions, can make falls more likely. Falls threaten the health and independence of older adults and are a leading cause of injury and disability
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among the elderly. Fear of falling can lead to further disability and isolation. Reducing the risk of falling is easy and can go a long way to helping older adults remain independent and selfsufficient. Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries in those over age 65. Once someone has fallen,
they are much more likely to fall again. One out of three older adults falls every year. If you have a fall, or a near-fall, make an appointment with your health care provider to discuss what might have led, or contributed, to the fall and how to prevent another one. Certain medications (painkillers, anti-anxiety medicines, sleeping pills and anti-depressants) are known to increase the risks of falls with injury. These medications when used appropriately can improve the quality of life of older people, but their association with fall risk must be taken into account when they are prescribed and their ongoing use closely monitored and re-evaluated regularly. Here are a few simple things older adults can do to reduce the chances of falling: • Exercise regularly, especially exercise that improves leg strength and improves balance, like Tai Chi. • Have a pharmacist or health care provider regularly review medications, both prescribed and over the counter, and identify those that individually or in combination cause dizziness,
drowsiness or otherwise increase fall risk. • Have an eye examination at least once a year and update eyeglasses to maximize vision. • Reduce tripping hazards in the home by adding grab bars inside and outside the shower or tub and next to the toilet, remove rugs, add railings to stairways and make sure there is adequate lighting in entryways and halls. • Use a nightlight in the bedroom and bathroom. Westchester Playa Village (WPV) will be hosting its second annual Fall Awareness and Reduction Fair on Saturday, September 27 at the Westchester Senior Citizen Center from 9:30 a.m. to noon. There will be free assessments and screenings, including a balance/gait assessment. Come learn what you can do to stay healthy and reduce your fall risk. Contact WPV at (310) 695-7030 to register and for more information. Freddi Segal-Gidan, PA, PhD is a Physician Associate and Gerontologist. She also serves on the board of directors for WestchesterPlaya Village.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
19 ways to achieve your weight loss goals By Jeff Blair Opinion: Interested in losing weight this fall? Here are 19 tips to help achieve your weight loss goals: 1. Don’t eat after 7 p.m. You will eliminate a lot of comfort food eating that occurs curled up in front of the television if you don’t snack after dinner. 2. Interval train. Instead of doing the same pace, crank it up a notch for 30 seconds of every minute. “Interval” training has been proven to burn more fat than steady-state training. 3. Lift. Weight-training burns calories during and after the workout and helps to maintain and build fatburning lean muscle. 4. Elevate your heart rate every day. Whether you walk, cycle or run, break a sweat daily. 5. Vegetable up. Vegetables are high in nutrients and fiber but low in calories. If you consistently choose veggies over junk, you will feel and look better. 6. Hydrate. Our muscles are primarily water so hydration allows stronger workouts and can help fill you up as well. 7. Junk the junk. Most gain weight with a hundred little choices rather than one big one. Stay away from junk food and you eliminate hundreds of calories daily. 8. Sleep more. Poor sleeping habits have been correlated with obesity. 9. Don’t skip meals. Skipping meals leads to overeating so aim for three meals per day with two small snacks. 10. Address your emotions. If you are an emotional eater, find a healthier way to work through your emotions. Seek professional assistance if you need it. 11. Fruit is your friend. Similar to vegetables, fruit tends to be high in nutrients and low in calories compared to many other options. 12. Visualize success. Post a picture of what you want to look like where you will see it daily. This could be an old photo of yourself or a photo of someone else from a magazine. Be realistic, but doing this can keep your
fat loss goals a top priority. 13. Find healthy friends. We tend to emulate those around us, so find friends who work out and make healthy eating choices. 14. Establish consistency. Didn’t your mom teach you good things take time? Of course, you can go on a “cleanse” and lose weight fast, but you probably won’t keep it off. Making consistently better food and exercise choices is the only way to maintain a healthy weight. 15. Lose the magic wand. Magic pills, diets of the month and other gimmicks are a waste of your money. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. 16. Be a good example. Many people start a fitness program after seeing someone close to them make positive changes. Your winning choices may provide motivation for someone close to you. 17. Start small. Set a small goal and achieve it before you move on to bigger goals. This will help establish habits, build confidence and set you up for huge wins later. 18. Be (a little) flexible. Success requires the right balance between goal-setting, accountability and realistic expectations. If you commit to “never eating anything sweet again,” you probably cannot sustain that commitment. If you commit to limiting your sweet consumption to moderate amounts on the weekend, however, you will have a better chance to sustain that. 19. Dream success. Allow yourself to dream about how nice it would be to be at your ideal size. How would that feel? What problems would this resolve? If you can create a clear enough picture of success, you can help motivate yourself to succeed. Before you try this or any fitness routine, please 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’ 2014 Readers’ Poll. Email jeffblair@ jeffblairfitness.com for fitness story ideas or comments.
Campus Improvement plan
open House Please join us to learn more about the exciting new improvements we are making to our main campus, upcoming special events at Otis, and more. september 11, 2014 | 6:00–8:00 pm Meet the architects and project planners. 9045 lInColn blvd. los angeles, Ca 90045 JoIn us for refresHments | famIlIes WelCome vIsIt WWW.otIs.edu/Campus-Improvement for proJeCt detaIls.
open to tHe pubIC
ben maltz gallery exHIbItIon
Food–Water–Life: Lucy + Jorge Orta august 16–deCember 6, 2014
Conversation and Reception Saturday, October 25, 3–6pm free admIssIon vIsIt WWW.otIs.edu/Calendar for all publIC events
Otis is proud to serve the community as L.A.’s premier art and design college. Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
September 2014 • Page 11
Favorite Community Event 2012 - 2013 - 2014
SAVE THE DATE OCTOBER 24Th – 26Th
more information visitationschool.org or contact Ed Stokx : 310-480-6116
Every Day is Open House... W E L COF Opreview M EBEST” T days OFAVORITE VISITATIONSchool SCHOOLtours THANKS THE COMMUNITY FOR VOTING USAll-Grade A “BEST THE IN THE FOLLOWING FOUR and Junior Kindergarten and may be scheduled
Visitation School E v e r yA DCaayt h iosl i cO Spcehno oHl oFuosr eA.l.l. C h i l d r e n
R • PL Y TE A ER • PLA
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As our country continues to search for ways to improve our educational system to make it so that all learners have the opportunity to earn a high-quality education, LMU, through its School of Education and the Family of Schools, is showing that a university-community partnership approach is working well for the students and families in the Westchester/Playa area. I firmly believe it’s through dialogue, collaboration and shared responsibility for our schools that we can better work together to continue to transform our community into a place where equitable and inclusive learning environments are accessible to all children. The diversity of our shared community is essential to our success. It takes a diverse group of leaders from different perspectives to come together to solve issues that too often divide communities and slow down progress toward a better future for our children. Our diversity also underscores the need for differentiation in solving the problems that we face. There is no onesize-fits-all solution; rather, in working together we address the unique needs and context of each situation for the benefit of all students. Yet our differentiated approaches are all grounded in the university’s Jesuit and Marymount traditions that value the education of the whole person and a belief that all students deserve a quality education. In a companion article in this issue, Family of Schools’ Director Darin Earley writes about the value of working together and offers concrete examples of how LMU is
PHOTOS BY EVELYN G. ALEMAN.
Shane Martin, Ph.D.
leading and contributing to these efforts in our local schools. I want to underscore how the university acts as a hub, as a connector and convener, within our community, and how we have the opportunity to share our approach for the benefit of the greater educational landscape. Sitting at the heart of this community, LMU engages and collaborates with the schools, families and partners in Westchester/Playa on their schools grounds. We know the context and understand what’s needed– recognizing that it is constantly shifting and evolving– and pivot with the tools and the theories to make a difference. Through continued partnership we can make sure that all the children in our community have the opportunity to succeed. By sharing our successes with the wider Los Angeles community and those facing these issues across the country, we can serve as a model universitycommunity partnership with approaches that can truly change our nation’s education system for the better. Shane Martin is the Dean of Education for LMU.
Top photo: Students pose in front of part of Wright STEAM Magnet’s first entry in the community’s Fourth of July Parade. Bottom photos: Students put their STEAM learning to use with a variety of activities that encourage them to be hands-on and creative.
Wright STEAM Magnet starts year with education focused on sciences On the first day of school, Wright Middle School STEAM Magnet opened its doors to nearly 700 students and their families looking to get a quality education focused on the sciences. Last year, Wright launched a full Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) magnet offering students an interdisciplinary project-based curriculum where teachers work together to bring science to life for students through hands-on projects. The transition from community school to a full magnet came as a result of a three-year grant awarded at the beginning of 2013 by the Department of Education’s Magnet Schools Assistance Program to develop a STEAMthemed curriculum. Since then, the school has partnered with various community organizations and local businesses to create new and innovate theme-based instructional opportunities for students. For example, in June, the school held its second “Young Engineer’s Day” with several partners including Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and RocketDyne. The school also offered a summer bridge
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
“engineer academy,” which drew in students from neighboring communities interested in learning about rocket projection and engineering. “The transition for Wright from a community school to a full magnet school created a paradigm shift for our learning community,” said Christina Wantz, principal. “It meant going from an adult-focused campus to a student-centered campus, where students are involved in shaping the projects that they work on in their classrooms. For example, because we have ten-year-olds coming into sixth grade in our program, who are saying, ‘I want to be an engineer, and that’s why I’m coming to this school,’ we create environments where students who show similar interests can talk about these ideas and get excited about them.” But Wright isn’t all STEAM; the arts are a part of science, math, history and English. According to Principal Wantz, through the school’s music program students are often able to make a connection to academics. “Sometimes, we have students who show little academic interest, but when they participate in our music program and have a
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teacher who encourages them, they feel more confident,” said Wantz. “This builds self-esteem that carries over to the rest of the classes.” Today, Wright offers its 700 students in grades 6-8 a small school setting on a beautiful campus that boasts a 900-seat auditorium, dance studio, indoor sports gymnasium, two volleyball courts, eight full court basketball stations, fully equipped fitness gym, a multi-room library, two MAC computer labs and two Engineering PC labs with stateof-the-art Engineering stations, a community garden and much more. “Prior to becoming full magnet, Wright was very academicdriven, whereas now we are a more whole-child driven school focusing on making sure that our students are college and career ready academically, emotionally and mentally,” said Wantz. “It is a shift that we felt needed to happen to help students see the world, explore it, research it and connect to it.” For more information about Wright Middle School STEAM Magnet, visit the school’s website at wrightms.org.
September 2014 • Page 13
Author and political activist Helen Keller stated, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” This sentiment reflects a core value of the Loyola Marymount University Family of Schools. K-12 schools, from traditional, public charter or parochial, can accomplish so much more when they have supportive partners. Since the inception of the LMU Family of Schools, the aim has been to focus the efforts of the entire university in the direction of working together with our local schools and education partners to improve academic outcomes for the students we serve. Whether through coordinating teacher conferences (on topics such as a school co-location and closing the achievement gap for AfricanAmerican and Latino males), hosting student leadership symposia and award ceremonies, or bringing more than 800 students to campus for college readiness programs, LMU has committed a vast array of resources in support of local education. Working together with different partners, the
It’s Back to School season and we are proud to partner with the LMU Family of Schools for our Second Annual “Celebrating our Local Schools” section in the pages of the HomeTown News! For this special section, we invited all of our local Westchester/Playa schools to share information with us that they would like the community to know about their campuses, so we could share that information with our readers. There are great things going on at each of our local public, private and charter schools that the community can be proud of! The information provided in these pages is proof that the local schools are working hard to provide their
Page 14 • August 2014
LMU Family of Schools has effectively convened dialogues that address some of the most critical challenges faced in education. However, the greatest LMU asset is our human resources. Consequently, it is most rewarding when the Family of Schools team has the opportunity to engage LMU faculty, staff and students in the work being done in our partner schools. The Family of Schools and the School of Education work together with the divisions of Student Affairs and Administration, and the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts, College of Communication and Fine Arts, College of Business Administration and Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering to identify and take advantage of numerous opportunities to employ members of the LMU community in fulfilling our mission of promoting student success and educational equity for the schools in the Westchester/Playa community. These collaborative efforts have been focused on building student and faculty capacity in areas such
students with innovative programs, engaged teachers and robust arts, sports and science programs. The HomeTown News is a proud supporter of local education and we were honored to receive this year’s “Friends of Education Award” from the LAX Coastal Chamber’s Education Committee. We support education through our sponsorship of events like the Race for Success and the Teacher Eddy Awards; by donating to silent auctions; and of course, by inviting all of our schools to contact us with their achievements so we can share them with you, our readers! Here’s to a great 2014-2015 school year!
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as financial literacy, technology, college admissions, choice theory, English language arts, physics, athletic training, African-American history and instructional pedagogy. “Crash” won the Academy Award for Best Picture for 2005. The movie opens with the scene of a car accident and the following narrative: “In L.A., nobody touches you. We’re always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something.” In spite of living in America’s second-largest city, totaling almost 4 million people, too often racial conflict, social inequities, political differences and institutional agendas keep us separated. In the LMU Family of Schools, each day we work hard to change this narrative. We partner with some of the best schools, teachers, administrators and families, and our 13 schools are among the best that Los Angeles has to offer. In the LMU family, working together is a very intentional process. It is a process whereby we seek collaboration in order to
Darin Earley, MS.ed Director, LMU Family of Schools.
meet the needs of the students we are committed to serving. As we begin a new year, we are excited to have you on our TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More)! If you are interested in joining our work, I invite you to connect with us at fos.lmu.edu. Darin Earley, MS.ed is the Director of the LMU Family of Schools.
Paseo provides academic excellence and cultural diversity Located in Playa del Rey since 1962, Paseo del Rey Natural Science Magnet started as a small, neighborhood school. Over the past 50 years, it has grown into a Natural Science Magnet with a diverse student population from throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Teachers, parents, students and alumni, as well as the local residents and business community, enthusiastically support Paseo. This support has provided the school’s students with opportunities for greater academic excellence and cultural diversity, without losing the personal caring, nurturing, safety and intimacy of a neighborhood school. Some of the school’s highlights include: • Seven of its teachers are proudly part of the Cotsen Foundation for the Art of Teaching Fellowship. The mission of the program is to develop “artful” gifted teachers through mentoring. • It is a Common Core Lab School for LAUSD Educational Service Center West. Other schools come to learn from them! • Paseo is a natural science magnet with a science and computer Lab. • The school has a gifted and talented literature program. • They have a thriving school garden open to the community on designated
Students work in the community garden.
“Garden Days.” • They offer elementary art and dance and have a school orchestra. • Paseo offers STAR before and after school programs and a Beyond the Bell afterschool program. STAR enrichment and Mad Science afterschool classes are also offered. • Pre-K and kindergarten are available to residents who live within the school’s boundaries. Looking for a great local elementary school? Paseo del Rey is tried and true. Its caring staff, teachers and active Parent Teacher Organization all work together to support its students and make Paseo del Rey a wonderful place to attend elementary school! Join them for an upcoming tour on September 16, October 14 or November 18! For more information, please visit paseomagnet-lausd-ca.schoolloop.com.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Cowan Elementary emphasizes global humanities in curriculum
Kentwood celebrates second Distinguished School Award
Cowan is home to a Gifted/High Ability International Global Humanities Magnet Center for grades 1 though 6, while the non-magnet portion of the school serves grades kindergarten through 5. Cowan works to provide its students Fifth graders enjoy the sights while on a trip to Washington D.C. with an education that and projects that require higher-level meets their academic, social and emotional needs. To ensure thought processes and are asked to produce work that displays their that all children reach their maximum knowledge in new and unique ways. potential, Cowan provides an The center recently was awarded the articulated, Common Core standardsprestigious LAUSD Excelling Magnet based core curriculum, including School designation. an emphasis on international global Cowan and Cowan Magnet attribute humanities, which enhances critical their success to a number of curricular and creative thinking in a community programs and strategies including that fosters respect and responsibility. international global humanities Cowan is a shining example of what a instruction, intervention, Arabic school can accomplish when teachers, language and culture classes, teachers’ parents, students and community assistants, SmartBoards, laptops, iPads come together to create something and other advanced technology, an exceptional. interdisciplinary arts program and Cowan Magnet Center was day and overnight field trips. The created to provide an educational administration, faculty and staff hope environment that supports the to continue to be successful in their needs of Gifted and High Ability endeavor to be the best example of students within LAUSD. Its program what a school can accomplish when all is designed to challenge students to stakeholders come together to achieve work beyond the traditional gradea common goal. That goal is an level frameworks articulated by the exceptional education for every child. Common Core standards. Students in the program are engaged in lessons
Kentwood was recently selected as a California Distinguished School by the California Department of Education. This is their second consecutive term receiving this award. In August, Kentwood hosted a Safe Moves event in partnership with Safe Moves and the Los Angeles Police Department Pacific Division to welcome students back to school by teaching them traffic safety tips to keep them safe for the rest of the Westchester Officer Ruben Garcia helps Kentwood students at the school year. Safe Moves event. Kentwood is excited has a 28-station $100,000 workout to renew its pilot yoga facility, which was awarded after the program sponsored by the Drollinger school won the Governor’s Challenge Foundation of Westchester and this 2 years in a row. year has expanded the program to Its partnership with the LMU include students in the 3rd, 4th and Family of Schools, along with strong 5th grades. arts and afterschool programs Kentwood is a Common Core including fine art, dance, theater, Technology Project School featuring orchestra, GATE, robotics, STAR, integrated iPad technology and educational software in the classroom. College Bound for Kids and a newly developed school garden, Kentwood The school is continuing a successful physical education program to able to give its students an extremely well-rounded education. for all grade levels through a strong For more information, please visit strategic partnership with the kentwoodes.org. Westchester Family YMCA. To help facilitate the program, the school also
At Loyola, the arts are key
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Join us in supporting our local schools to create an environment where learning is exciting and fun. Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
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Loyola Village Elementary School is not your average elementary school...it is a Performing and Fine Arts Magnet School! The students attending the school are receiving not only a quality kindergarten through fifth grade education by highly qualified teachers, but are also receiving an extensive arts education from working professional performing and fine artists as well. The students engage in daily academic work, all while taking classes in all the various art forms. Teachers Nickie Burrell and Lisa Murray provide an extensive art curriculum teaching students how to work with clay, paint with pastels and how to use everyday items like recycled bottles to create works of art. The orchestra with Mr. Greiger provides third through fifth graders opportunities to learn not only how to play the various orchestra instruments, but also the protocols of being a part of an orchestra. Interested in dance? Instructor Michelle O’Quinn teaches modern Jazz and ballet, while Jan Blunt teaches African dance and new teacher Brittany Jones teaches tap and rhythmic step classes. The theater program is led by Anne Flannigan, who teaches students the art of acting, voice and movement for the stage, as
Let’s donate our time, money and talent to make our local schools strong, innovative and vibrant. Let’s help this next generation THRIVE! A sculpture made of recycled bottles is displayed at Loyola Village Elementary.
well as the production side of theater. In order to showcase the students’ artistic talents, the community will be invited to various upcoming art performances throughout the year through the school’s free “Saturday Arts” monthly showcases. The Saturday Arts showcases will incorporate both student and community performers. Fall school tours will take place on Tuesday, October 7 at 9 a.m. and November 5 at 9 a.m. To learn more about the school and to view its enrollment process, please visit loyolavillageschool.com or call (310) 670-0480.
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– Karen Dial, President
310.417.8048 www.drollingerproperties.com
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8929 S. Sepulveda Boulevard, #130 Westchester, CA 90045
PMS 581C
September 2014 • Page 15
St. Jerome celebrates success of its students
The 2013-2014 school year was a great one for Westchester’s St. Jerome. Its student were accepted to some of the top high schools in Los Angeles including: • Archer School for Girls • Bishop Montgomery High School • Cathedral Chapel High School • Immaculate Heart High School • Juniper Serra High School • Loyola High School • Notre Dame Academy • Notre Dame High School • Saint Bernard High School • Saint John Bosco High School • Saint Monica High School The K-8 campus has started its 2014 school year with new principal, Mrs. Priscilla Doorbar.
Page 16 • August 2014
Joy creates the essential ingredient at WLCS What is the essential ingredient in a Westchester Lutheran Church and School (WLCS) education? Is it a curriculum that blends classic and contemporary learning with cuttingedge technology? An administration that believes in the importance of the arts in addition to core subjects? A faculty dedicated to building character while opening minds? While according to Head of School Sandra Masted, WLCS provides all of these things, what sets it apart is joy. The joy of students discovering their strengths and talents in a setting where they are nurtured and celebrated. The joy of teachers sharing their passion for learning. The joy of parents working together to encourage and support their children as they grow and learn. WLCS educates children from preschool (beginning at age 2.5) through eighth grade. Throughout their journey, its students delve into an academically rigorous program with great results; on average, they score two and a half years above grade level on standardized testing. Over ninety percent of WLCS’ middle school graduates are accepted by their firstchoice high school. Every year, its students receive marvelous opportunities to explore beyond core studies, with docent-led enrichment programs to supplement art and science classes, multiple
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Westchester Lutheran School’s motto is “Believing and Achieving” and the school’s goal is to help all students achieve their full potential.
performing arts and public speaking programs during the year and field trips to a wide variety of cultural centers and historic sites. Its extracurricular activities also encourage exploration and selfexpression, from its nationally-ranked cheerleading squad to its awardwinning middle school sports teams to its choirs, bands and musicals. The school is invested in the community as well. Its middle school students devote hundreds of hours in community service each year. They sponsor troops for Boy and Girl Scouts and offer meeting space to a variety of other groups, such as AYSO. During
the Sepulveda Beautification Program, WLCS replaced the city sidewalk in front of its property and replanted the trees at its own expense. While the school is a mission of Westchester Lutheran Church, it welcomes students of all faiths. WLCS’ motto is “Believing and Achieving.” Its desire is that all students will be inspired and equipped to believe in themselves and to achieve their full potential. Visit them and learn more about the joy your child will find at Westchester Lutheran School. School tours are available by calling (310) 670-5422 or by visiting wlcs.org.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Westchester Secondary Charter starts second year of classes The first day back to school for Westchester Secondary Charter School (WSCS) was Monday, August 25, and this year the two-year-old school enrolled students in grades 6-10, with waiting lists for grades 7 and 8. The school also added 7 new faculty and staff, as well as 120 new students. The school celebrated its “Back to School Night” on August 26 and has several more events planned for this fall for current and prospective students and families, including its annual
middle school fall play, taking place December 6. The schools had amazing successes in the last year including: • For its second year, WSCS had a 92% retention rate for its student body. • WSCS’ Middle School boys basketball team won the Charter School District Championship in March of 2014 in the inaugural year of the program. • WSCS’ drama students attended the Drama Teacher’s Association of Southern California’s region-wide
Shakespeare competition in April of 2014. These students, having never competed before, placed first through fifth in 4 categories and racked up honorable mentions in several more. Several of WSCS students were asked to perform their Shakespeare scenes at the Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro in late April. • The Friends of WSCS hosted an incredible spring festival, the WSCS Fun Fest, in May of last year. Student leadership hosted carnival games. while parents served food and participated in a
Friends of WSCS and students have fun at the school’s spring carnival last year.
silent auction to raise money for the school. For more information on WSCS, including upcoming tours, please visit westchestercharter.org.
Local groups are looking for engaged community members who are interested in helping strengthen local schools: • The NCWP’s Education Committee meets the Fourth Wednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Westchester Community Room, located at 7166 Manchester Ave. More info can be found at ncwpdr. org. • The Westchester/Playa Education Foundation (WPEF) meets monthly and information can be found at facebook.com/ groups/wpef2014.
At Visitation Catholic School, patriotism and prayer are in the forefront Patriotism and community prayer have always been staples at Visitation Parish School in Westchester. Its history is filled with time honored community traditions that are both patriotic and prayer-based, as they celebrate our country and freedom as “One Nation, Under God.” Its Catholic faith has always been woven into all classes taught at Visitation School. Principal Christopher Watson ensures that the school offers a faith-based curriculum, that instills good citizenship, patriotism and a prayer-filled life. As they start this school year, Visitation is excited to announce the introduction of its “Chromebook Pilot Program” beginning with Visitation’s
5th grade. All of its 5th grade students will be provided Chromebooks to utilize in all classes. With a focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), Visitation is also very pleased to introduce its afterschool “Robotics Program” for grades 1-5. Visitation also takes great pride in sharing its Catholic and Christian identity with the local community. For the past four years, at its award-winning Food Truck Friday Nights, Visitation has conducted military recognition and prayer rallies for both world peace, and more close to home, prayers for the healing of the sick or injured. They are delighted that the entire community responds to the
invitation to participate, and comes together in support at these events. In the past fifty years, Visitation School has received countless awards for supporting our troops and other causes, including the 2002 Red Cross Recognition Award for generosity and support and the 2005 US Navy plaque and flag for Visitation’s support of “Operation Iraqi Freedom.” Visitation also supports all of its Visitation Parish WWII Veterans on Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day and in its Fourth of July Parade entry. At its all-school masses, at its Sunday Masses and at its community events, all of Visitation’s pastors, including new pastor Msgr. James
OUR STUDENTS ARE
A collage of Visitation events. PHOTOS BY ANNA CODY.
Forsen, continue the tradition of leading the Visitation faithful, and its community, in prayer for those who serve and for our country. For more information please visit, visitationschool.org.
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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
s c h o o l
Back to School
September 2014 • Page 17
WISH’s supportive community helps school thrive It’s been a fabulous year for WISH Charter, which is now entering its fifth year as a standout school, not only in our community, but in the nation. As WISH begins the 2014-2015 academic year, they are excited to officially launch WISH Middle School on the same campus as WISH Elementary. The middle school continues the WISH mission and vision, adhering to a whole scholar approach to education. Students are thrilled to have engineering and design as part of their core subjects using the Project Lead the Way curriculum. In addition, all students receive high quality technology instruction that includes computer science and coding. Horticulture, culinary arts and broadcast journalism are some of the students’ favorite
electives. Last year, WISH was Always key named a to the WISH SWIFT community is the involvement of Knowledge families, who Development Site by the came together University to beautify the of Kansas— campus for the launch of the one of only school year. Once 6 schools in again, the parents the nation selected for surprised the teachers with Students run on the school’s yard with kites they made. this auspicious their annual designation. SWIFT, an acronym for Schooltradition of filling the refrigerator and snack cabinet for the first week of wide Integrated Framework for Transformation, identified WISH as school to show their appreciation and love for the teachers’ service to children a knowledge development site for its exemplary parent partnerships, multiand families of Westchester.
A message from WESM’s new principal, Debra Bryant My name is Debra Bryant and I am excited to serve as the new principal of Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnets (WESM). I am fortunate to have inherited three magnet programs that provide students with individualized learning opportunities and allow them to create projects and conduct experiments with real world applications. Our students engage in hands-on learning as they experience instruction aligned to the themes of our three magnets: Aerospace and Aviation; Environmental and Natural Science and Health and Sports Medicine. In our Aviation and Aerospace Magnet, students have the opportunity to participate in flight simulation. They also take a shop class where they learn applied physics by working on the engine of a real Cessna airplane, which is located on campus. In our Environmental and Natural Science Magnet, students monitor renewable electricity generated by our oncampus photovoltaic facility. They also take courses focused on urban ecology and green construction. In our Health
tiered systems of support, academic achievement, strong teacher support systems and inclusionary practices. WISH Charter is grateful for being voted “Best Public School,” “Best Charter School,” and “Best Place to Volunteer” in the Westchester, Playa and Marina area by the readers of the Hometown News. The school owes this recognition to the commitment of WISH board members, families, faculty, staff and the Westchester community who unfailingly support the school’s efforts. WISH will be hosting four open house sessions for prospective families during the school year, beginning in December. To learn more about the school and consider becoming part of the WISH community, please visit wishcharter.org.
Open Magnet builds learning community
and Sports Medicine Magnet, students take athletic training classes using our state-of-the-art athletic training room. They also study nutrition in our culinary arts kitchen. Our teachers, counselors, administrators and support personnel are dedicated to academic excellence and take pride in providing students with a well-rounded and rigorous academic program that is designed to produce students that are college and career ready. I believe that educating youth is a communal effort and it involves all stakeholder groups to come together. Through collaboration, open lines of communication and working together, we can achieve a successful school year for our students. This year we will continue with our Linked Learning program, implementation of the Common Core Standards, and we will continue to makes strides with the implementation of Restorative Justice practices. For more info, please visit westchesterhs-lausd-ca.schoolloop. com.
Playa Vista Elementary creates vibrant learning environment Playa Vista Elementary School (PVES) is a growing, vibrant, learning community. The public neighborhood school serves TK through 5th grade students and through its strong partnership with LMU and the Friends of Ballona Wetlands, its vision is to have its students’ learning grounded in integrated STEM units bell to bell, according to new principal Rebecca Johnson. The school utilizes the Discovery Park, located next door to the school, as an outdoor classroom for its TK through second grade students. The school plans to extend this learning to the freshwater marsh for its 3rd grade students and to the wetlands for its 4th and 5th grade students. The parents of Playa Vista are committed to creating a dynamic
learning experience for all students. Through the donation of their time, talent and resources, PVES’ students enjoy an enriched educational experience. PVES is a true partnership school, not only with LMU and the Friends of Ballona Wetlands, but also with its parent community and local businesses. Principal Johnson boasts that the school’s stellar teaching and support staff have helped make the vision for the school a reality. Principal Johnson invites the community to “Come and learn with us, create with us and be part of making the dream of a stellar public education for the children of Playa Vista and beyond a reality!” For more information, please visit playavistaschool.com.
Page 18 • August 2014
Back to School
Open Magnet Charter is an affiliated-charter and magnet elementary school (K-5) located in Westchester. Like an oasis away from the busy city, Open students, parents and staff come together to build a true learning community where students learn through meaningful experiences. Teams of two teachers sharing the same “cluster” of multi-age students design the instructional program to create a thematic project-based curriculum. Enrichment programs covering visual arts, vocal arts, orchestra, physical
education and gardening are also integrated. With its constructivist approach to teaching and a dedicated and diverse school community, Open is one of the most unique schools in the district and is a California Distinguished School (awarded 3 times) and a National Magnet School of Merit. Upcoming events include: • A Fall Family Festival on October 25 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. • School tours on October 28 and November 4 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. For more info, please visit opencharter.org.
St. Bernard High School continues to grow enrollment St. Bernard High School opened its 20142015 school year to students on Wednesday, August 13. This year they welcomed 90 new students; 62 freshmen and 28 transfer students, including 3 international students and 18 students from the Westchester, Culver City or South Bay area. The transfer students have come from out of state and from all over Southern California from private, Catholic, charter and public schools. This summer the campus was buzzing with construction workers and painters. Thirteen classrooms were renovated complete with new lights, new paint, new shades, new bulletin boards, new white boards and a ceiling mounted projector. Teachers received new Chrome Books and with the WiFi installed last year, they are all now “chromecasting” in the classroom. The ability to walk around the room while teaching at the board
allows teachers to be more hands-on with students. Speaking of the classroom, St. Bernard launched its single-gender math and science program this fall. Freshmen are now enrolled in gender specific Algebra I and Biology. Math and science teachers spent the summer researching and preparing lesson plans geared towards boys and girls. St. Bernard invites the community to attend one of its seven home football games during the season, including homecoming on Friday, October 3, where they play Mary Star of the Sea. For more info, please visit stbernardhs.org.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Back to School
September 2014 • Page 19
. Saint Anastasia adds new enrichment classes to curriculum After school enrichment programs have been expanding at Saint Anastasia Catholic School, and this year several new opportunities will be unveiled. From science and math to the arts and athletics, students at Saint Anastasia will have a wide range of choices to extend their learning beyond the traditional school day. Last year, the school began a band program including brass, percussion and woodwind instruments. Under the direction of Paul “the trombonist” Nowell, the class met once per week, highlighted by a concert for the entire student body at the school’s annual Performance Showcase. The Junior High AV
club filmed the show. Athletics have long been an integral part of life at Saint A’s, with students participating in afterschool sports programs from third through the eighth grade, but options were very limited for its youngest students. Coach Derek changed all that last spring when he initiated sports clinics for students from junior kindergarten through the second grade. Students learned about sportsmanship and fair play, while learning the fundamental of baseball, softball and football. Last year also featured the debut of the Saint Anastasia Panthers’ Archery team. Students from the junior high
Archery is a new offering at St. A’s.
competed with both public and private schools from around Los Angeles in the FIYA league. Coach Nick Galvan was highly impressed by the focus and
concentration that archery promoted in his team and the etiquette that surrounded the sport. Nearly thirty fifth graders participated in a class to write computer code and learn the basics of programming this past spring. Under the guidance of a school parent and professional computer programmer, the students used the site code.org and explored the virtual world of code writing and created their own pages from the ground up. Enthusiasm for science and technology has blossomed and this year students will have the opportunity to participate in Lego-robotics and Lego
Mindstorm classes in a new program afterschool. To supplement current arts offerings like children’s choir and the musical, the school will be offering afterschool art classes taught by local artist Jake Tedesco. Jake has been affiliated with Gateway to Art for a number of years as a contributing artist. Gateway to Art is a parentdocent art curriculum used by many elementary schools in the Westchester area. Jake focuses on teaching children to draw by breaking images down to simple shapes and putting them back together again to create art. For more info about St. Anastasia, visit school.st-anastasia.org.
Kumon encourages students to excel in STEM majors National data suggests that females are significantly underrepresented within STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) college majors, as well as in STEM careers. Westchester Kumon’s Director, David Samuel, hopes to change this trend by building his students’ confidence and proficiency with mathematics. “While many girls are initially intimidated by advanced math, once they gain a strong mastery of the fundamental skills, the more complex work becomes much easier,” said David. This philosophy is exemplified by Westchester Kumon student Anna O’ Connor, who completed the entire Kumon math program earlier this year. Anna began Kumon as a first grader
David congratulates Anna at a recent awards ceremony.
with weak math skills and completed the final Kumon math level (advanced calculus) during tenth grade. Within the program’s 23 year history, Anna is the only math student who has achieved this feat. Said Anna, “While Kumon has certainly advanced my math skills, I think that the program has most importantly taught me the benefits of persevering, working hard, and learning new things.” Anna begins 11th grade this school year and will concurrently take classes at a local community college, including multi-variable calculus. Anna’s goals for the future include attending Harvard University, where she plans to study biochemistry and one day become a doctor.
For more information about Westchester Kumon’s math and reading programs, visit kumon.com/westchester or call (424)226-6284.
The Loyola Marymount University Family of Schools would like to welcome our partner schools and stakeholders to the 2014-2015 school year. • Cowan Avenue Elementary School • Kentwood Elementary School • Loyola Village Elementary School • Wright STEAM Magnet Middle School • Paseo Del Rey Natural Science Magnet • Playa Vista Elementary School • St. Anastasia Catholic School • St. Bernard High School • St. Jerome School • Visitation Catholic Elementary School • Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnets • Westport Heights Elementary School • WISH Charter Elementary and Middle School
Page 20 • August 2014
Back to School
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
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A rendering of the Runway at Playa Vista, which will include a Whole Foods. Rendering courtesy Playa Vista/Brookfield Residential.
Playa Vista (continued) (continued from page 4) “Runway at Playa Vista is one of the most exciting developments to ever come to West LA,” said Mark Harrigian, Principal of Paragon Commercial Group. “We couldn’t have asked for better tenants to fill our property and we look forward to welcoming more of the city’s creative, forward-thinking companies in the near future.” Construction is anticipated to be completed in early 2015, but many tenants are hoping to open their doors before the 2014 holiday shopping season. When complete, Runway at Playa Vista will include over 220,000 square feet of retail, 420 residential units and 30,000 square feet of office space spread across eleven acres. The retail complex, designed by Johnson Fain, will feature wide sidewalks
in harmony with the Word.
And starting September 14, our Sunday School for preschool through 6th grade will run concurrently with our Sunday service. Younger students will participate in All are welcome. fun-filled, Gospel-centered lessons while older students celebrate with us! and adults Come participate in joyous worship.
Come look be upmade with us. us. Come up with Join us look and new.All are welcome.
Worship at 10 a.m. Worship Weekly and Sunday School, SundaysSundays at 10 a.m. Summer Choir Rehearsal Sundays at 9 a.m. Confirmation, High School and Adult Classes, Sundays at 8:45 a.m. Vacation Bible School July 29-August 2 Midweek Bible Study, Wednesday at 7 p.m.
7831 S. Sepulveda Blvd. Westchester, CA 90045 310.670.5422 www.wlcs.org
Serving the community since 1943 Preschool to 8th Grade Enroll now - Call for a Tour
Whether you’re looking for a thoughtful gift, a greeting card or just something special for your home, The Guilded Cage has what you’re looking for. Best of all, all proceeds from the store support the Airport Marina Counseling Service in its efforts to provide low-cost mental health counseling to people in our community. So, stop by The Guilded Cage today at 8917-B S. Sepulveda Blvd. (access to store from the CVS parking lot). – Karen Dial, President
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for outdoor dining, soothing water features, communal seating areas, fire pits and a direct connection to Playa Vista’s Linear Park. A lanternshaped tower with a steel mesh exterior and dramatic lighting will house a central lanai lounge that anchors the center and serves as Runway’s central meeting place. “These eight new tenants will be a fantastic addition to Playa Vista and will help ensure that Runway becomes the true hub of our community,” said Randy Johnson, Executive Vice President at Brookfield Residential, the community developer of Playa Vista. “Runway is located at the heart of our growing Silicon Beach community and we could not be happier to see this groundbreaking development come to life.”
They’re waiting for yourelationship at Westchester Lutheran loving, forgiving with theChurch. Join us for worship, andinfellowship. We wantof to Lord. Join newservice, friends a celebration get to know youthat and to you know the Lord everything ishelp possible when youbetter. live
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WPV would like to thank L.A. Airport Marriott Hotel, First Citizen Bank and Brooklyn Bagels for their donations. Special thanks to Chico’s, Marina del Rey, for hosting WPV’s upcoming Fundraiser: “The Village Goes Shopping for a Cause” on Saturday, September 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call WPV for details.
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
September 2014 • Page 21
Calendar Ongoing monthly events: Rotary Club of Westchester The Rotary Club of Westchester meets every Wednesday at 12 noon for lunch at the Crowne Plaza LAX Hotel, 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 www.rotary-westchester.org. Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club Join the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club at its Wednesday morning meeting at 7:15 a.m. at the Marina Club Restaurant, located at 4333 Admiralty Way, Center Tower, 3rd Floor in Marina del Rey. The cost of the meeting is $25, which includes breakfast and a guest speaker. Guests are welcome and reservations are not required. For more information, visit playasunrise.org or call (310) 4293808. Life story writing class Thinking about your life story? Learn a simple method to recall and then write your memories. The Life Story Writing Group meets every Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. in the YMCA Annex, located at 8020 Alverstone Ave. in Westchester. The donation to the YMCA is $12 a year. For information, please call Mary Sage at (310) 397-3967. Speakers by the Sea Toastmasters Speakers By the Sea Toastmasters Club will help you improve your skills for public speaking. Meetings are held every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 12000 Vista del Mar; Conf. Room 230A in Playa del Rey. For more info, please call (424) 6253131. Harvest Westchester Looks for partners Holy Nativity, in partnership with Food Forward, is looking for local residents interested in donating to its fruit harvesting program. Harvest Westchester is designed to help ensure the extra fruit on your backyard trees does not go to waste while you donate to a good cause. While many with fruit trees or that grow vegetables often have a surplus that is given to family and friends or left unpicked and eventually rots, Harvest Westchester will help pick your excess fruit and deliver it to local food pantries to help feed those who do not have enough to eat. Harvest Westchester will send a team of volunteer pickers to your yard to harvest your fruit trees and 100% of the fruit will be delivered to the local Food Pantry LAX or, if there is more fruit than they can use, it will be delivered to other food
Page 22 • September 2014
TheHTN.com distribution centers nearby. If you have fruit trees and want to donate the excess, please call the church office at (310) 670-4777 or visit holynativityparish.org. September events: LMU Community Open House Join LMU for a fun-filled afternoon of music, student performances, food and kid-friendly activities at the university’s inaugural Community Open House on Saturday, September 6 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the school’s campus. Attendees will have the opportunity to visit with their neighbors while learning about the campus resources available to the community and events attendees may want to attend. RSVPs are appreciated, but not required and can be made at (310) 338-2759 or at community@lmu.edu. Greyhound Show and Tell Join Duncan, Dharma and Carson on Sunday, September 7 at the Westchester Greyhound Show and Tell at Petco, located at 8801 South Sepulveda Blvd. in Westchester from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. At the event you can meet the gentle, sensitive and intelligent retired racing dogs that are affectionately called “45-mile-an-hour couch potatoes” because they prefer to stay close to family members, often shadowing them around the house. Greyhounds are even-tempered and make great companions for kids, adults and even seniors. To learn more about Fast Friends organization or to view adoptable dogs, please visit the Fastfriends.org website. Cooking Class at Holy Nativity Join Fresh Food in a Flash September’s “La Cucina Italiana” cooking class scheduled for Thursday, September 11 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Holy Nativity Community Hall. The class will be lead by Patricia K. Rose. Attendees will learn to make authentic recipes from the pages of La Cucina Italiana magazine. September’s menu includes pumpkin salad with fresh mozzarella and pistachio pesto; silk handkerchief pasta with Genovese basil pesto; chicken picatta; marinated roasted peppers with anchovy and basil; and for dessert, ricotta cheesecake with pear and grappa sauce. Class members will be able to enjoy the meal they made after the class. The cooking class fee is $40 when you reserve by September 8 and $45 at the door. To reserve your spot, email Patricia@FreshFoodinaFlash.com. Holy Nativity Episcopal Church is located at 6700 W. 83rd Street in Westchester.
18. The play will run for six-weeks on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. with Sunday matinées at 2 p.m. at the Westchester Playhouse. “Orphans” centers on two abandoned grown-up boys who live in a dilapidated North Philly row house. Treat, the oldest and a violent, predatory thief, has assumed the role of head of the household, while Phillip, a reclusive and sensitive man-child, would never survive without his brother. In their horrifying way, these two brothers are a family, until one night when Treat kidnaps a drunken wealthy businessman named Harold. Harold turns the table on the two brothers in a strange, hilarious and moving way, becoming a force that will forever change their lives. Featured in the cast are Raul Bencomo as Phillip; Jeff Cheezum as Treat and Karl Schott as Harold. Tickets are $20 with a discount for seniors, students and servicemen. To purchase tickets by phone, please call (310) 645-5156 or visit kentwoodplayers.org. The Westchester Playhouse is located at 8301 Hindry Ave. in Westchester. Elks Lodge Chili Cook-Off The Westchester Elks Lodge is holding its 15th Annual Car Show and Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, September 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with chili tastings starting at noon. Attendance is free and open to the public. Children and pets are welcome. In addition to the car show and chili cook-off, there will be burgers and hot dogs for purchase, a beer garden, music and raffles. If you want to exhibit your vehicle, there is an entry fee of $20 per vehicle and $15 for each additional vehicle per exhibitor, which includes a dash plaque, burger, chips and soda. The entry fee for the chili contest is $5 with cooking starting at 8 a.m. To enter a car in the show, or sign up for the cook-off, contact the Lodge at (310) 821-3005. On Sunday, September 28 at 1 p.m. the Lodge is holding a fundraiser for 12-year-old Delaney Clements who was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma Cancer. A $20 donation includes live music by The Lads with Jimmy Larkin, a barbecue and a raffle ticket. There will be a silent auction as well. The Westchester Elks Lodge is located at 8025 W. Manchester Avenue in Playa del Rey. For more information on Elks Lodge events, please visit westchesterelks2050.com. Historical Society of Centinela Valley Annual Fiesta Join the Historical Society of Centinela Valley for its annual fiesta on Sunday, September 14 from noon to 4 p.m. Guests will be entertained with dances from Grupo Folklórico Mexcaltitán and music from Mariachi Alfaro. Food, including hand-made tortillas and Mexican sweet breads will
be available for purchase. Visitors will also have a chance to stroll through the Centinela Adobe built in 1834 and view artifacts. Entry is free and food is available for purchase. The Centinela Adobe is located at 7634 Midfield Avenue in Westchester between Florence and La Tijera. Republican Woman’s Meeting Join the Westchester-Del Rey Republican Women on Tuesday, September 16 at 11 a.m. for their Patriots’ Day luncheon meeting at KJ’s Diner. The cost of the luncheon is $17.50. Entertainment will be patriotic songs and dances performed by the Daughters of the Shepherd. For reservations or for more information, please contact Carol at (310) 641-9726. Fall Prevention Events for September September is Fall Prevention month and several programs will be offered in Westchester to help teach seniors about fall prevention and awareness. On National Fall Prevention Awareness Day, Tuesday, September 23 from 10 to 11 a.m. the Silver Seminar Series will be holding a workshop on “Preventing Falls One Step at a Time.” Carol Hahn, MSN, RN, from ALLPOINT Home Health will discuss facts about falls, safety in the home and community and what you can do to prevent falls. The program is free to the public and will be held at the YMCA Annex, located at 8018 Alverstone Ave. in Westchester. Balance and mobility specialist Linda Cantrill will also be starting up an 8-week session of fall prevention classes at United Methodist Church in Westchester in September. For more information, call (310) 428-2026 or visit spiritedbalance.com. On Saturday, September 27, Westchester Playa Village (WPV) will be hosting its Second Annual Fall Awareness and Reduction Fair from 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Westchester Senior Center, located at 8740 Lincoln Blvd. in Westchester. WPV is collaborating with the Department of Recreation and Parks and the Westchester Senior Citizen Center to bring this comprehensive program about reducing fall risks. Attendees can receive free screenings and assessments that include balance/gait assessment, vision screening, a bone density scan and a medication review. Free flu and pneumonia shots will be available to Medicare recipients. In addition, there will be resource tables, educational centers, community organization vendors and experts available for questions, all in an effort to provide access to information and resources to help reduce the risk of falling. For more information about these programs and to register, please call WPV at (310) 695-7030.
Kentwood Players Presents “Orphans” Kentwood Players presents “Orphans” by Lyle Kessler from Friday, September 12 to Saturday, October Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS
Sunday Monday Tuesday
September
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
NCWP board meeting @ Westchester Community Room
Saturday
First Friday @ 6200 87th Street
Jet to Jetty Race @ Dockweiler Beach LMU Community Open House @ LMU Farmers Market @ Playa Vista
1
Greyhound Show and Tell @ Petco
2 Gateway to Go! @ Crowne Plaza
Vibrance Women’s Health Event @ Ritz Carlton
“Orphan” @ Westchester Playhouse
8
9 Gateway to Go! @ Crowne Plaza
Annual Fiesta @ Centinela Adobe
4
Westchester Farmers’ Market @ Westchester Park
Story time in the garden @ Emerson Ave. Community Garden
7
3
Republican Woman’s Meeting @ KJ’s Diner
Open House @ Otis College Cooking Class @ Holy Nativity
Speakers by the Sea @ Playa del Rey Life story writing class @ YMCA Annex
5 Opening Night of “Orphan” @ Westchester Playhouse (through October 18)
Secrets of a Successful Remodel @ Custom Design & Construction
10
6 “Orphan” @ Westchester Playhouse Elks Chili Cook-Off and Car Show @ Elks Lodge Farmers Market @ Playa Vista
11 12 13
Westchester Farmers’ Market @ Westchester Park Speakers by the Sea @ Playa del Rey
Food Truck Friday Night @ Visitation “Orphan” @ Westchester Playhouse
“Orphan” @ Westchester Playhouse Farmers Market @ Playa Vista Lemonade Stand @ Westchester
Life story writing class @ YMCA Annex
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 “Orphan” @ Westchester Playhouse
Silver Seminar Series @ YMCA Annex Gateway to Go! @ Crowne Plaza
Westchester Farmers’ Market @ Westchester Park
WPV Second Annual “Orphan” @ Fall Awareness Westchester Playhouse Fair @ Westchester Senior Center
Speakers by the Sea @ Playa del Rey
“Orphan” @ Westchester Playhouse
Life story writing class @ YMCA Annex
21 22 23 24 25 “Orphan” @ Westchester Playhouse
Painting event @ REAL Creative Space
26
27
Gateway to Go! @ Crowne Plaza
Fundraiser @ Elks Lodge
28 29 30 Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
September 2014 • Page 23
TheHTN.com State of the Community Address. Westchester/Playa councilman, Mike Bonin, was the featured speaker at the LAX Coastal Chamber’s annual membership meeting on Thursday, August 21 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Marina del Rey. Councilman Bonin spoke about the emerging tech sector in the community; his work in helping update technology for fire fighters and his work to help bring the green line to LAX. Annual Flight Path Gala. The Flight Path Museum will hold its annual Gala on Wednesday, October 1. This year’s event will be a tribute to the 1960s. The event will take place in the Grand Ballroom of the Proud Bird Restaurant, located at 11022 Aviation Boulevard in Westchester. At the event, Ethel Pattison will be given the Guided Light Award for her dedication to Flight Path and aviation education. The non-profit will also present scholarships to three students interested in aviation. Dinner, a Beatles Tribute band and silent auction will round out the evening. Tickets are $100 and can be obtained by visiting flightpathmuseum.com. LAX Customer Appreciation Day. LAX celebrated customer appreciation day on August 27. The theme of this year’s event was “Seeing Stars” and celebrity look-alikes roamed the
Mike Bonin (center) addresses the crowd at the LAX Coastal Chamber’s annual Membership Meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn.
terminals to greet people at their boarding gates to thank them for flying out of LAX. The volunteers of Pets Unstressing Passengers (PUPS) and their therapy dogs were also on hand to spread goodwill through the Tom Bradley International Terminal and hand out giveaways. Free Women’s Health Event. On Tuesday, September 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the Marina Del Rey Hospital will be hosting a seminar called “Vibrance” in collaboration with the women’s organization Red Hot Mamas and Novo Nordisk. The seminar, which will be held at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Marina
del Rey, will address the real-life challenges associated with menopause and other women’s health topics. The Red Hot Mamas organization aims to bring awareness and information to women experiencing menopause symptoms within a supportive and empowering forum. Health education, a Q&A session and engaging activities will be woven throughout the event to emphasize awareness of symptoms and treatment options for menopausal-related concerns. To register, visit marinahospital. com or call 844-MISI-4-YOU. REAL Creative Space. Westchester’s
REAL Creative Space will be holding a Paint-A-Long Skylines event on Saturday, September 27. Attendees will have the opportunity to paint and meet new friends while enjoying hors d’oeuvres. A percentage of the proceeds will be donated to local schools. Advance tickets are $30 per person or $50 per couple. For more information, visit realcreativespace.com. We want to hear about your new business or your business’ recent success! If you have something to share about your business, email us at westchesterhometown@yahoo. com for a chance to be featured in our Business Section.
VERGARI & NAPOLITANO attorneys at law
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Kimberly Napolitano, Esq.
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Page 24 • September 2014
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
September 2014 • Page 25
A Look Back at Westchester/Playa By David J. “Duke” Dukesherer, Sr.
Playa del Rey’s Stars of Yesterday
Fay Wray was one of the biggest box office stars in 1930’s Hollywood and was best remembered for her role as Ann Darrow in King Kong (1933). In the film, set on the remote Skull Island, Wray is rescued by King Kong from the native islanders who are planning on having her for dinner (literally) and carried safely back to his gorilla mountain cave. And like so many stars of the Silver Screen, Fay Wray lived in Playa del Rey and at least once worked, and nearly died, at what we today call Toes Beach. As is often the case in Hollywood, mysteries abound. In 1932, the same year King Kong was filmed, Fay Wray starred in a forgettable film, The Bowery, opposite Wallace Beery, George Raft and Jackie Cooper. According to some sources, the beach scenes were filmed at what was then the abandoned fishing pier at Playa del Rey. It must have been an easy commute for Wray, as she lived just a few doors from the pier, near to where another film diva, Mae Murray was living in her “castle.” Living next door to Fay Wray on
the sands at Playa del Rey, director George Hill had built a bungalow. Hill was best known for directing Min and Bill (1931), which paired Wallace Beery and Marie Dressler (who also lived in Playa Del Rey) as boozy tugboat owner-operators, with a script by his wife Frances Marion. This phenomenally popular film made both Beery and Dressler into MetroGoldwyn-Mayer’s two top stars for the next couple of years and formed the basis for many later stereotypical routines about hard-nosed seagoing men. Fay Wray was married to a Rhodes scholar, WWI pilot and Academy Award winning screenwriter John Monk Saunders at the time. Saunders screen writing credits included Wings (1927), which became the first film to ever win an Academy Award for Best Picture. He also won an Oscar for Best Story for the writing of The Dawn Patrol (1930). A few years earlier, at the Playa del Rey home of actor George Beban, Saunders was present when cowboy actor Tom Mix beat up vaudevillian Will Morrissey, after a rude comment was made about Mix’s horse. I couldn’t make this stuff up. On Tuesday June 20, 1933, Miss Wray was enjoying a rare day off. It was a warm day, so she decided to take a swim in the ocean, just a few
TheHTN.com
The photo is inscribed “For Tom Harrison, The unknown stranger who rescued me from the wild waves of Playa del Rey. Gratefully, Fay Wray.” News articles, however, cite director George W. Hill for saving her from “the dangerous currents of Playa del Rey.” Compliments The Day The Circus Came To Town, Mae Murray, Playa del Rey, CA, by the author.
steps from her door. She was quickly caught in a ferocious rip tide and was carried out to sea. This is where the story gets murky. According to newspaper articles, George Hill heard her cries, swam out to rescue her and carried her back to her home. At a recent Hollywood auction, however, a signed photograph of Wray was sold with a dedication to someone named Tom
Harrison, thanking him for saving her. Was there some sort of cover up? The world will probably never know. Incidentally, later that year, George Hill was severely injured in a car accident just when his career was beginning to peak, and it is rumored that his injuries were the root cause of his apparent suicide in 1934. His body was found in his Playa del Rey home with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. At the time of his death, Hill was preparing to direct, and had done some shooting in China for The Good Earth, which was produced at MGM by Irving Thalberg, and went on to become an Oscar-winning film released to great acclaim in 1937. Fay Wray divorced Saunders in 1939 and after battling poor health, he hanged himself at his Fort Myers, Florida home in March 1940. Of course, Fay Wray went on to become one of Hollywood’s bestknown actresses and lived until the age of 96. On August 10, 2004, two days after she passed peacefully in her sleep, the lights of the Empire State Building were extinguished for 15 minutes in her memory.
Please email comments to dukepdr@gmail.com.
FOOD PANTRY, LAX
WESTCHESTER
FIRST
Thank you for voting us Best Food Truck Event!
F R I D A Y S
Back to School Daze! Food Trucks & Fun!!!
Join us for L.A.’s Best Gourmet Food Trucks, Music, Lots of Tables and Chairs and a Special Fashion Show! Visit us at www.facebook.com/WestchesterFirstFridays or email wherethesidewalkeats@gmail.com
Emergency Food Distribution to those in need Sponsored by Westchester Clergy Association
Open Tuesdayand andFriday Friday •• 11:00 a.m.toto12 12:30 Open Tuesday 10 a.m. p.m.p.m. (noon) 355 Beach Street, Inglewood
If you have Food to donate, take to Covenant Presbyterian Church or bring to location from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Volunteers and money donations also welcomed and encouraged. For further information, please call (310) 677-5597
Ad donated by Covenant Presbyterian Church
Come Join Your Friends At
COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Worship Service 10:30 am Canines@Covenant 5:00 pm Sunday Covenant on the Corner 80th and Sepulveda Blvd.
Church School for Young People during Service
Friday, September 5
th
• 4-9 pm
Pastor: Rev. Cathy Chisholm
@6200 Block of W. 87th Street, Westchester
Page 26 • September 2014
We have an Orchestra and Adult, Youth and Children’s Choirs E-mail: cpoffis@pacbell.net Childcare is provided- For more information, Call (310) 670-5750
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
September 2014 • Page 27
R O F
“Professional Client Representation with a Personal Touch”
LE A S
5701 KIYOT WAY #12 PLAYA VISTA List Price: $849,000
L
ocated in the popular Tapestry Complex at Playa Vista, this designer unit has two bedrooms, two and a half baths in a convenient split level, townhouse floor plan with private, direct access garage and storage. Buyers will love the street location--convenient to the Concert Park restaurants and businesses, and the Centre Pointe Club!
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8505 GULANA #5208 PLAYA DEL REY List Price: $449,000
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12891 HAMMOCK LANE Trevion - Playa Vista, Represented Buyer List price: $1,950,000
If your property is already listed, this is not to be considered a solicitation. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
5975 W. 75TH STREET Sold in Multiple Offers List: $989,000
7934 STEWART Sold in Multiple Offers Off Market Sale
CONSIDERING
SELLING? WHY WAIT?
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Richard Otterstrom Page 28 • September 2014
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richard.otterstrom@southbaybrokers.com Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
September 2014 • Page 29
310.293.3043 • 6605 W. 80th Street • ZachaHomes.com
In Pictures
TheHTN.com Lemonade Stand for a good cause. After learning the concept of “giving back” this summer, Westchester residents Connor (6), Emma (6) and Max (4) will be holding a lemonade stand benefiting Alex’ Lemonade Stand Foundation in support of National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The children have chosen Benjamin Gillman as their hero, a five-year-old twin who is in remission from acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The lemonade stand will be held on Saturday, September 20 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 8001 Handley Ave. in Westchester. There will also be a bake sale, raffle, face painting, balloon animals and a live band. The goal is to raise $5,000 for the non-profit. Donations can also be made at alexslemonade.org/mypage/1117612. Alex’s Lemonade Foundation was founded by Alexandra “Alex” Scott on the simple concept of children holding lemonade stands to raise money for charity. In the year 2000, when Alex was just 4-yearsold and battling neuroblastoma, she told her parents that she wanted to have a lemonade stand in her front yard and surprised everyone by wanting to donate the money to her doctors to help fund the cure for childhood cancers. Alex continued to hold yearly lemonade stands as she battled cancer and her story inspired others to hold similar fundraisers of their own. In August of 2004, Alex passed away at the age of 8, knowing that with the help of others, she had raised more than $1 million to help find a cure. Since then, more than $80 million has been raised for childhood cancer research through the foundation.
GATEWAY TO GO! Every Tuesday 11 am to 3 pm
@ Crowne Plaza Los Angeles International Airport 5985 W. Century Blvd. (access and street parking on 98th Street)
FABULOUS FOOD ON FOUR WHEELS.
SEPTEMBER 16
SEPTEMBER 23
SEPTEMBER 30
ROUNDS BURGERS ANGIE’S WEINERS HANG 10 TACOS DON CHOW CARBS & NATION
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Page 30 • September 2014
* food truck participants subject to change
www.gatewaytola.org
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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. St. Bernard principal Cynthia Hoepner recently accepted the school’s co-athletic director Ashley Napper’s nomination to participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. The Ice Bucket Challenge is sweeping the nation and social media and so far has raised more than $100 million dollars for the ALS Foundation. Hoepner accepted the challenge along with the school’s head football coach, John “Bama” Bibb, and the football team, which participated in the challenge in front of the entire student body. Hoepner in turn nominated the principals of St. Monica High School, St. Anthony High School and Our Lady of Guadalupe to participate in the challenge. PHOTO BY GREG MITCHELL.
In Loving Memory...
Irene Englund
Irene Melvine Englund wife of retired L.A. County Fire Chief John Englund, and former resident of Westchester, died Friday, August 22, 2014. She was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She was retired from Los Angeles Unified School District where she was employed as a Financial Manager at Orville Wright Junior High School, Los Angeles, CA. Irene was a former member of the USO during WWII. Irene was preceded in death by her parents, Melvin and Mabel Engelstad: and her sister Joyce. She is survived by her husband of 62 years John W. Englund; daughter Bonnie O’Brien, two sons, Kurt M. Englund, and John W. Englund Jr., two grand children and three great grand children.
Funeral arrangements are by Affordable Cremation and Buriial Service Las Vegas, Nevada. She will be interred at Southern Nevada Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery, Boulder City, NV. Memorial Services are at Spirit Life Church, Bullhead City, AZ on September 6th at 11 a.m. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to Widows & Orphan’s Fund, Los Angeles County Fire Department, 1320 No. Eastern Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90063
FREE EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR
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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News
(1917-2014)
September 2014 • Page 31
NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL OF WESTCHESTER / PLAYA
Your Neighborhood Council Committees: What They Do & When They Meet Neighborhood Councils are designed to give all individuals: residents, business owners, property owners, renters, youth, non-profit providers and others a more effective way to improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods. Through Neighborhood Councils, all stakeholders will have a better way to understand the issues that divide them, and find common solutions through the bonds of friendship and community. The Neighborhood Council of Westchester/ Playa (NCWP) is governed by a board of directors elected by our community that meets monthly. NCWP’s goal is to increase public participation in government and advocate at City Hall and elsewhere for our community. Our Neighborhood Council has the ability to build our community and nourish the democratic spirit of individuals through shared values such as compassion, tolerance and equality. The meeting times can change, so please check the NCWP website for details and sign up to receive NCWP agendas at www.ncwpdr.org. AIRPORT RELATIONS • Committee Chairperson: John Loizeaux • Meeting date: 3rd Thursday of the month at 6:30pm, as needed • Mission: Proactively handles all issues relating to LAX and its impact on the communities served by the NCWP. BUDGET AND FINANCE • Committee Chairperson: Erin Hanson • Meeting date: 3rd Wednesday of the month, as needed • Mission: Chaired by the Treasurer, the Budget and Finance committee oversees the allocation of the NCWP funds and develops and monitors the annual budget of the NCWP. COMMUNITY SERVICE • Committee Chairperson: Garrett Smith • Meeting date: TBD • Mission: The mission of the Community Services Committee (CSC) is to link local volunteers with Neighborhood Council committees, non-profits and schools who need experience, enthusiasm and sweatequity to support their efforts. Oftentimes, people in our community want to help, but do not know how. The CSC will provide the link to volunteer opportunities in our local area, as well as ensure that region-wide events (e.g. Mayor’s Day of Service) have an active presence in Westchester/Playa. The CSC will promote the outreach efforts of the Neighborhood Council, while also supporting the invaluable work of local schools and organizations, which are making a difference in the quality-of-life in our community.
EDUCATION • Committee Chairperson: Dr. Michele CooleyStrickland • Meeting Date: 4th Wednesday of each month at 6:30pm in the Westchester Municipal Community Room, 7166 W. Manchester Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90045. • Mission: To represent the NCWP stakeholders in helping support and enhance: o elementary, middle, and high schools located in Westchester, Playa del Rey and Playa Vista; and o the relationship with local Westchester/Playa colleges and universities. • Goals: To engage the community in support of advancing the success of the local elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as that of the local colleges and universities.The NCWP Education Committee endeavors to represent the NCWP stakeholders in helping support local schools by: o Enhancing school resources; o Enhancing students’ educational experiences; o Enhancing parental involvement; and/or o Enhancing community partnerships. GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS • Committee Chairperson: Mark Redick • Meeting Date: 3rd Monday of the month at 6:30 pm • Mission: To serve as a practical and direct resource for stakeholders needing the services of government agencies and city services to resolve quality of life issues. • Goals: To identify issues of concern to the community, and then develop, in a timely manner, information and guidelines that will provide stakeholders with the resources that are needed to be proactive in resolving their concerns. This information will be collected by the committee, then distributed and continually updated in print and via the internet. OUTREACH • Committee Chairperson: Grace Yao • Meeting Date: As needed • Mission: To actively encourage Stakeholder involvement with the Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa. • Goals: o Identify opportunities/events in the community in which we can register stakeholders. o Produce collateral pieces to help educate our stakeholders on the basics—from what a neighborhood council is to the current issues being addressed by our committees. o Encourage stakeholders to attend board and committee meetings. o Encourage stakeholders’ participation by voting in the elections for board members.
PLANNING AND LAND USE • Committee Chairperson: Patricia Lyon • Meeting date : 3rd Tuesday of the month at 6:30pm in the Westchester Municipal Community Room, 7166 W. Manchester Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90045. • Mission: The role of the Planning and Land Use Committee is to advise NCWP and stakeholders about relevant planning, infrastructure, land use and/ or development projects within and immediately surrounding the NCWP district in order to analyze the impacts (if any) of these projects on the quality of life of residents, stakeholders and businesses in our community. PLUC holds public meetings to hear presentations from applicants and/or the public and after discussion and analysis, makes recommendations to the full board of NCWP. • Goals: The Goals and objectives of PLUC include the implementation of a transparent process of rendering decisions relative to planning and land use, measuring projects against local, city, state and federal guidelines and to provide a productive forum for all stakeholders to educate themselves about developments and land use issues and to enable them to contribute their comments, support and/or concerns to the process. PUBLIC SAFETY • Committee Chairpersons: Gregg Aniolek and Dave Oliver • Meeting Date: as needed • Mission: To increase community involvement to reduce opportunities for crime, to help prepare for the uncertainty of natural events and address other public safety issues throughout the community. • Goals: o Address issues regarding Public Safety and Crime Prevention. o Partner with local agencies (e.g., LAPD, LAFD and LA City Services) to stay informed about latest news about crime and conditions in our area. o Promote Neighborhood Watch and Business Watch Programs in order to improve community crime prevention efforts, increase community involvement and grow the general sense of community. o Organize public safety related events for the community.
www.ncwpdr.org • 213.473.7023 Page 32 • September 2014
Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News