Brentwood Rallies Against State Wildfire Rule Requiring Tree and Plant Removal
Critics Argue
Vegetation-Clearing Mandate Ignores Local Needs
Brentwood residents turned out in large numbers Thursday to oppose proposed state wildfire regulations they say would harm neighborhoods and the environment while doing little to prevent future disasters.
The meeting, held by the California Board of Forestry’s Zone Zero Committee, was the only one scheduled in the region and drew strong criticism from Westside communities. The proposed rules would require homeowners in high-risk areas to clear vegetation within five feet of their homes, creating what the state calls an “ember-resistant defensible zone.”
Speakers at the meeting argued that
“When
the regulations adopt a “one-size-fits-all” approach that fails to reflect the unique needs of individual communities. Many urged state officials to focus resources instead on home hardening, brush clearance, and landscape maintenance rather than widespread tree and plant removal.
Survivors of the recent Palisades Fire shared firsthand accounts, saying their homes, not nearby vegetation, provided the primary fuel for the blaze. Several emphasized that healthy trees, hedges, and landscaping actually helped slow the fire’s spread in their neighborhoods.
Opponents also warned that removing trees and plants would damage the region’s urban canopy, harm wildlife habitats, and increase hillside erosion. They argued that local governments should have the flexibility to craft fire-prevention strategies that balance safety with environmental preservation.
Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci
Park, through her legislative deputy Sarah Flaherty, read a letter supporting residents’ concerns. Similar letters were submitted by Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, voicing opposition to the state’s current plan.
The Brentwood Community Council, along with member groups such as the Brentwood Homeowners Association, Brentwood Park Property Owners Association, and Mandeville Canyon Association, has been vocal in calling for changes to the proposal.
Residents are encouraged to submit comments to the Board of Forestry Zone Zero Committee by emailing publiccomments@bof.ca.gov before the end of the year, when the regulations are expected to be finalized.
Additional resources and information about the Zone Zero proposal are available at www.zonezerofacts.org. The Brentwood Community Council said in their newsletter that yard signs opposing the regulation can be requested by contacting local neighborhood associations while supplies last.
You Can’t Do Anything, Do Something”: An Interview with Carla Liber on the SAMI Foundation
After the Sudden Loss of Her Daughter Sami, Carla Liber Launches the Sami Foundation to Bring Art, Music, and Hope to Kids Who Need It Most
In the wake of an unthinkable loss, Carla Liber has channeled grief into purpose with the SAMI Foundation, Supporting Art, Music & Imagination, created in memory of her daughter, Sami. The nonprofit moves quickly to put brushes, canvases, and instruments directly into kids’ hands through art kits inspired by their daughter, classroom supply grants, and partnerships
with schools and community programs. In this conversation with reporter Dolores Quintana, Liber reflects on Sammy’s quiet and natural artistic brilliance, why creativity is essential for young people, and how remembrance can live on as access and opportunity.
“This is just the beginning,” Rodney adds. “We want every child with a creative spark to feel seen, supported, and celebrated—just like Sami always made others feel. We’ll never stop missing her, but through this work, her spirit continues to make the world a more beautiful place.”
Dolores Quintana (DQ): For readers meeting you for the first time, could you introduce yourself?
Carla Liber (CL): I’m Carla Liber. My husband, Rod, and I are native Southern Californians—we’ve been married 20 years and have two daughters, Ava and Sami. I was a stay-at-home mom active in our schools and community; Rod worked in film and later in real estate so he could be present for the girls. We’re speaking from Miami, where we just dropped Ava at college.
DQ: Tell me about Sami, especially her
connection to art.
CL: From the time she could hold a pencil, she drew—flowers, faces, little scenes—completely absorbed. She took a few classes, but mostly she was selftaught: sketchbooks, YouTube clips, and hours with music on and a pen in hand. We’re still finding her work—beautiful ink studies tucked into grandparents’ houses and old notebooks. She also loved
photography, fashion, and makeup; she had a natural eye and shared it generously with friends.
DQ: Did that visual sense show up at school?
CL: Absolutely. She joined the yearbook in eighth grade and, by 10th grade, teachers asked her to apply for editor-in-chief, a role usually reserved for seniors. She had a real gift for layout and making a blank page sing.
Better is robot-assisted spinal surgery that gets you back in the saddle.
To us, helping you get better is everything. So while 2 in 3 spinal patients at Saint John’s can be treated without surgery, every patient gets comprehensive care that’s tailored to their specific needs. In equestrian Stacy Lilien’s case, that happened to be minimally invasive spinal surgery using the ExcelsiusGPS® Robotic Navigation Platform, which allowed her to get back to horseback riding in only 7 weeks. It’s just one of the many ways we treat you for the better.
Brentwood Beat: Walking Brentwood Village
Longtime Brentwood resident Cynthia Truhan lives very close to Brentwood Village. That’s the commercial area at Barrington Avenue, just south of Sunset.
Brentwood Village encompasses Barrington Place, which curves around Brentwood School, the two Barrington Courts (where Maria’s Pizza used to be on the west side of Barrington and where Belwood Bakery is now, on the east side). Brentwood Village extends south to the Post Office and the big parking lot just south of the Post Office (run by the VA).
Truhan thinks the Village is in slow but sure decline – and that it’s time someone paid attention. Recently, she asked Michael Amster, Traci Park’s field rep for Brentwood, to take a walk with her. She invited me to tag along.
This vehicle hasn’t moved since 2023. It’s on private property (the former gas station at the northwest corner of Barrington and Sunset), so the Parking Enforcement department can’t do anything about it, according to CD11 field rep Michael Amster (in the blue shirt). He is looking into having City Building and Safety do something.
I visit Brentwood Village fairly often, so I’m familiar with the territory. I’ve been going there for 35 years now. But in the hustle and bustle of daily life – running errands, going to a store or restaurant, standing in line at the Post Office – I haven’t really been all that focused on the aesthetic health of the Village.
Thanks to Cynthia Truhan, my eyes have been opened. During our walk, which lasted about an hour, we saw
overflowing trash cans, an old pay phone that likely hasn’t worked for over a decade, and an abandoned car that’s been parked at a former gas station since 2023.
We saw a cracked sidewalk, and it looked like Barrington Court hadn’t had a street cleaning in a while. “Market,” a former clothing store next to Peppone, is all boarded up. Several stores have gates installed in order to thwart offhour break-ins. There are quite a few stores and offices for rent.
Brentwood Village used to have a Business Improvement District, or BID. At one time, local businesses were assessed fees that went toward the maintenance of the Village. That effort died several years ago.
It’s hard to get merchants who might barely be making it to cough up money for something of questionable value. Even when the BID was in full force, there were complaints things could be better run, that merchants weren’t getting their money’s worth. There were questions, too, about where the money was even going.
Michael Amster talked to Truhan about people she could reach out to in order to pursue a renewed BID effort. He said he’d do his best to line up help from Traci Park’s office. But he also cautioned that many of the services required will need to come from city agencies that are understaffed, underbudgeted, and that have a long list of requests to work through.
It was sobering and frustrating to hear all this. If the city really can’t get around to cleanups and fixups, that’s a good argument for a resurrection of the Business Improvement District. The good news is, all the original paperwork still exists so it would be easy to revive the BID if there’s interest.
But who would take charge? I suggested to Cynthia Truhan that she take it on. I’m not sure she was very keen on this idea; Cynthia says she has often felt like a failure because she has been talking about this for years, and nobody seems to care.
Michael Amster obviously cared: As we walked through the Village, he stooped down several times to pick up trash. At one point, he needed two hands to carry it all, but there was no trash can handy.
I suggested the city could start by adding three or four additional trash
receptacles throughout the Village, but Amster said it would be smarter to not push too hard and that it would be more practical to ask for one new trash can to start.
After Amster left, Cynthia and I sat down inside Clark Street, a bakery and sandwich shop on Barrington Court. I told Cynthia she wasn’t a failure. In my view, I said, she’s a hero. At least she’s trying.
Let’s all open our eyes. See anything in Brentwood in obvious need of repair? Send me an email: jeffhall@ mirrormediagroupla.com.
Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles: Celebrating
60 Years of Excellence, Expansion, and Alumni Achievement
As Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles proudly celebrates its 60th anniversary, the school continues to build on its legacy of bilingual, bicultural education by expanding opportunities for the youngest learners. This milestone year is marked by the launch of a new Junior Preschool (Toute Petite Section) for 2-yearolds, reaffirming the school’s commitment to offering students a strong foundation in both French and American educational traditions from the very beginning.
Founded by Raymond and Esther Kabbaz, Le Lycée transformed California’s educational landscape when, on August 19, 1965, its initiative and efforts led to a change in the state’s Code of Education,
allowing core curriculum to be taught in languages other than English. For six decades, the school has embraced bilingualism, multiculturalism, rigorous academics, and enriching extracurriculars, while nurturing generations of students from 72 nationalities with more than 33 languages spoken.
The Junior Preschool program, now open at Campus 55 on Overland Avenue, honors the legacy of the school’s former Palisades campus — once home to a beloved Toute Petite Section — and marks a new chapter in Le Lycée’s growth. Licensed by the State of California, the program requires no prior knowledge of French or English and is designed for children of all language backgrounds.
“My mother used to tell prospective families, ‘Give me your child to educate, and I will give you back two children: one French and one American,’” reflects ClaraLisa Kabbaz (Le Lycée Class of 1979), Head of Le Lycée. “I am thrilled we can now begin this transformative journey even earlier, as we celebrate our 60th year.”
While the school looks to the future with this expansion, it also takes pride in its alumni whose accomplishments reflect the power of a Lycée education. Among them is Asher Cohen, Class of 2021, a true “Lycée Lifer” who entered our school as a preschooler. At only 20 years old, Asher was recently named Berkeley's University Medalist, the top student in UC Berkeley’s graduating class, a remarkable recognition of his intellectual talent, dedication, and humility. A Regent’s Award winner upon entering Berkeley — an honor reserved for the top 1-2% of applicants — Asher excelled across disciplines, from advanced sciences and mathematics to humanities, languages, philosophy, and literature. He is now headed to the prestigious Yale University Medical School, where
his brilliance will be matched by his compassion and kindness, qualities that have always defined him, the qualities emblematic of Lycée students.
“Asher embodies what makes our students extraordinary,” says Mme Kabbaz. “They become not only leaders in their fields but also gracious, thoughtful, and caring individuals who inspire those around them. The world needs more Asher
Cohens.”
From its founding vision to today’s expansion and the ongoing successes of its alumni, Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles remains “Your School for Life.”
For more information and to apply, visit www.lyceela.org.
Join us at an Open House: October 7, November 13, 2025, or January 13, 2026.
Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles Campus 55
JUNIOR PRESCHOOL
Bilingual - French/English
MUST BE 2 YEARS BY DEC 31ST TO ENROLL
POTTY-TRAINED NOT REQUIRED
8:00AM - 2:30PM
Extended care available until 4:45pm
OPTION A: 5 DAYS/WEEK
OPTION B: 3 DAYS/WEEK (M/W/F)
LUNCH & SNACK INCLUDED
3055 Overland Ave, Los Angeles 90034
admissions@lyceela.org
License #197404606
EZ Kitchen and Bath: 37 Years of Excellence in Los Angeles WESTSIDE HOME
Built on a foundation of trust, EZ Kitchen and Bath is celebrating its 37th year in business, providing homeowners, designers and builders access to the finest appliances and fixtures available.
What started as a small business in 1988 has grown into a trusted resource for premium home products, resounding the same message that founders Ezra and Aviva Sagi planted since day one.
Over the last three, almost four, decades, EZ Kitchen and Bath has provided a curated selection of high-quality kitchen, bath and outdoor appliances to homeowners, designers and builders, many of whom are return customers.
“We are a trusted name since 1988 with many repeat customers. Things change, families get bigger, and we are here to greet each customer and meet their needs. We are not far away from customers who need new appliances, are refurnishing or rebuilding their homes, and we take care of everything,” said Ezra.
While searching for new appliances
or fixtures, EZ Kitchen and Bath offers comprehensive support from consultation to installation, tailored for homeowners, designers or builders, for orders as small as one appliance or to many in multi-unit complexes, dorms or facilities.
Products include kitchen appliances, bathroom fixtures, outdoor appliances and hardware. Find refrigerators, ovens, faucets, bathtub and showers, outdoor grills and refrigeration, hardware and more in EZ Kitchen and Bath’s online catalog and in-person showroom, located at 8865 W. Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90035.
“Our company has grown over the years and so we have we, but we have continued to offer competitive prices, excellent service and selective products that meet your needs,” Ezra said.
EZ Kitchen and Bath is driven by core values that guide the business:
Quality
Curating only the finest products from trusted manufacturers, EZ Kitchen and Bath ensure all items meet the highest standard.
Trust
Building lasting relationships through honest advice, EZ Kitchen and Bath provides reliable service and transparent business practices.
Innovation
Staying ahead of trends and technology, EZ Kitchen and Bath brings you the latest and most efficient products available.
Service
EZ Kitchen and Bath provides personalized attention and expert guidance to help you make and deliver perfect choices for your home.
While searching for appliances and fixtures for your home, EZ Kitchen and Bath’s experienced team provides expert assistance throughout the entire process.
Product Consultation
EZ Kitchen and Bath’s expert team offers personalized recommendations, product comparison, budget planning and style coordination during consultation, specific to your needs and budget.
Design Support
Professional design assistance for architects, designers and homeowners is available through EZ Kitchen and Bath, complete with space planning, product specifications, design coordination and timeline planning.
Builder and Developer Services
For construction professionals looking
for specialized support, EZ Kitchen and Bath provides volume discounts, project coordination, delivery scheduling and specification sheets.
Delivery and Installation Guidance
To ensure your products arrive safely and are installed properly, EZ Kitchen and Bath offers white glove delivery, installation coordination, warranty support and follow-up service.
For nearly 40 years, EZ Kitchen and Bath has been Los Angeles’ trusted source for premium appliances and fixtures. With a focus on quality, service, and competitive pricing, the company provides tailored solutions for homeowners, designers, and builders alike. From consultation to installation, EZ Kitchen and Bath makes every project seamless.
Discover the difference experience makes by calling or visiting the Los Angeles showroom, or online at EZKitchenAndBath.net.
In the wake of the January 2025 fires, Goldbrecht is offering an incentive program to homeowners in Pacific Palisades who are rebuilding, due to fire loss.
As the exclusive U.S. manufacturer of the Vitrocsa Invisible Wall, Goldbrecht offers the Original frameless glass system, featuring the world’s slimmest sightlines and marine-grade durability, ideal for stunning coastal views.
Vitrocsa sliding, fixed, pivoting, outswing, vertical sliding, and turnable corner systems are available, in addition to HIRTkinetics retracting and ascending walls, as well as German-engineered
Goldbrecht is committed to help rebuilding the Pacific Palisades with confidence and beauty. Visit www. goldbrecht.com or contact info@ goldbrecht.com or +1 310-981-5115 to learn more about the exclusive program. Create a home that is even more magnificent than before.
Deadly Brentwood Collision Leaves Woman Dead, Man Fighting for Life
Two-Car Collision
Sepulveda Boulevard Under Investigation
An elderly woman was killed and an elderly man critically injured Tuesday afternoon following a two-car collision in Brentwood, according to fire officials
from page 1
DQ: You’ve spoken publicly about the accident. What can you share?
CL: Last summer, the girls and I took a trip that Sami planned to Jackson Hole. She wanted mountains and crystal-clear lakes after years of beach vacations. We were on a guided ATV tour when her vehicle overturned on a steep grade. She was wearing a helmet. It was sudden and devastating. There’s no way to explain the shock.
DQ: In the aftermath, you launched the SAMI Foundation. How did that decision take shape?
CL: Our community was shattered and wanted to help. Rod said, “When you can’t do anything, do something.” We created
announced in an LAFD fire alert.
The crash happened around 2:04 p.m. in the 2500 block of North Sepulveda Boulevard, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.
Paramedics pronounced an 84-year-old woman dead at the scene. An 86-year-old man was rushed to a nearby hospital in grave condition, authorities said.
Investigators are working to determine what led to the collision. The identities of the two victims have not been released.
the SAMI Foundation—Supporting Art, Music & Imagination—to give kids access to the creative outlets that grounded Sami. We formed the nonprofit quickly so people’s generosity could translate into real, on-the-ground support.
DQ: What does “on-the-ground” look like?
CL: Direct tools in kids’ hands. We built inspired by Sami art kits—canvas, paints, brushes—and distributed about 1,500 after regional wildfires to families who’d lost so much. We’re assembling 2,000 more now. We fund classroom supplies via teachers’ wish lists and move fast, sometimes within a day, because the need is immediate. We’ve begun partnerships with schools and community arts programs, including an arts magnet in
Altadena, OXY Arts, and KIPP campuses, and we support camp art stations so kids can create in safe, joyful spaces.
DQ: What are your longer-term goals?
CL: More kits, more classrooms, eventually scholarships for art and music. We want national reach while staying personal—small grants, quick turnarounds, impact you can see. Whenever we deliver supplies, we include a short note about Sami so the gift carries her spirit forward. The focus is always the kids, but remembrance matters.
DQ: You’ve mentioned Sami’s playlists. Why include them on her site?
CL: Music was how she organized her moods and found calm. We’ve shared her Apple Music and Spotify playlists so friends, and now strangers, can hear the
soundtracks she lived by. It’s another way she still connects with people.
DQ: How are you navigating grief while doing this work?
CL: We’re upright and active, but we’re also gutted. Productivity isn’t healing; it’s a purpose. This is our way to keep Sami present and to offer other kids the tools that soothed and inspired her.
DQ: What’s the best way for readers to help?
CL: Support a teacher’s supply list, sponsor kits, or connect us to schools that need arts resources. Gifts, large or small, turn into brushes, canvases, instruments, and time to create. And tell the people you love that you love them. Tomorrow isn’t promised.
Pacific Manufactured Homes: California’s Choice for ADUs, Granny Flats and Backyard Homes
Accessory Dwelling Units are on the rise in the Golden State.
With the seemingly unending rise in home prices, more and more California homeowners are turning toward accessory dwellings units (ADUs), granny flats and backyard homes, to add additional living space for their aging parents or adult children. Many, too, are adding rental units to their property to create an additional monthly income stream.
Savvy consumers are choosing manufactured ADUs, a construction choice that offers cost savings upwards of 40% over traditional “stick-built” homes. Plus, the process of building is about 75% faster, according to Pacific Manufactured Homes, California’s leader in manufactured homes.
With fast builds, quality construction, and affordable pricing, Pacific Manufactured Homes is California’s choice for your additional dwelling dreams, complete with customized features from basic to luxurious: hardwood cabinets, stainless steel appliances, luxury flooring, dual pane
windows, eco-friendly furnaces, real stone countertops, designer light fixtures, and more. They have hundreds of floorplans available – to suit every taste and budget.
Building a home can be a daunting process, but Pacific Manufactured Homes makes the process easy by handling everything for you from start to finish –permitting, financing, design, construction, delivery and set-up. “Since 1990, we have been providing an excellent product at an exceptional price. Our team of professionals are here every step of the way, ensuring the process of building your new property is as stress-free as possible.”
—said Sean Feeney, General Manager of Pacific Manufactured Homes.
These days, manufactured homes are indistinguishable in many ways from traditionally built homes. They come in all shapes, sizes and finishes. From “tiny homes” to literal mansions — all of these are built on multi-million dollar equipment, in a clean, dry factory, away from the elements, and later transported to their final destinations.
Pacific Manufactured Homes has grown to 7 locations, many of which feature model homes to tour. Their newest location in
East San Diego County — 11510 Woodside Ave., Santee 619-449-3800
Model Homes & Sales Offices
Corona, Riverside County — 299 N Smith Ave., Corona 951-339-1012
North San Diego — 145 S Bent Ave., San Marcos 760-471-1212
Hemet — 1475 N. State St., Hemet 951350-0110
Sales Offices
Inland Empire — 1415 E. 6th St., Beaumont 951-845-2671
South San Diego County — 730 H St., Chula Vista 619-422-2333
El Centro 888-777-6457
To learn more about Pacific Manufactured Homes and its various options for your new home building needs, visit www. pacifichomes.net or call 888-777-6457.
Corona even offers an educational factory tour twice a month (for ages 12 and up).
VISIT A LOCATION NEAR YOU
U.S. District Judge Orders
Trump Administration to Restore $500M in Frozen UCLA Grants
Federal Court Says Funding Cuts Over Antisemitism, Civil Rights Allegations
Violated Procedural Law
Federal funding to the University of California, Los Angeles, has been temporarily reinstated after a federal judge ruled the Trump administration improperly froze nearly $500 million in grants, as reported by NBC News.
U.S. District Judge Rita Lin in San Francisco issued a preliminary injunction Monday, finding that the administration likely violated the Administrative Procedure Act, which requires the government to provide clear reasoning and follow specific steps when halting federal funds. Instead, Lin said, UCLA received only vague, form-letter notifications stating that multiple grants from various agencies were suspended, without detailed explanations or due process.
The ruling comes after the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division accused UCLA in July of failing to adequately address complaints of antisemitic harassment and civil rights violations tied to both antisemitism and affirmative action policies. The DOJ alleged the university violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, citing reports from Jewish and Israeli students of harassment dating back to October 2023.
In August, UCLA announced that approximately $584 million in federal grants had been frozen due to the
allegations. A portion of that funding, about $81 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF), was restored later that month after Lin ruled that the initial NSF cuts violated an earlier court order protecting research grants at all 10 UC campuses.
Lin’s latest decision requires the Trump administration to release the remaining frozen funds while litigation continues.
UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk has previously stated that the suspension of federal grants threatened to disrupt vital research and student programs, calling the funding freeze “unprecedented and deeply damaging.”
UC President James B. Milliken said, about the freeze on funds, “Let me provide a little more context about what’s at stake.
The University of California receives more than $17 billion each year in federal support. That includes $9.9 billion in Medicare and Medicaid funding, $5.7 billion for research and program support, and $1.7 billion in student financial aid.
The funds at risk support the doctors and nurses who care for millions of Californians each year, the researchers working to find new cures and make important technological discoveries, and the financial aid that keeps UC accessible for students of all backgrounds.”
to Urban Jungle
Immerse yourself in a sanctuary where nature’s tranquility meets the vibrancy of city life. Urban Jungle is more than a plant store it’s a communitycentered oasis bringing a lush slice of paradise to your urban lifestyle. Here, we passionately believe in the power of plants to transform spaces and elevate well-being.
All-New ‘Funhouse at Pacific Park’ To Open At The Santa Monica Pier, Will Celebrate Eerie Historic Past
The ‘Toonerville Funhouse,’ originally located at Ocean Park Pier and Pacific Ocean Park amusement parks, is inspiration for the newest attraction inside Pacific Park
SANTA MONICA, Calif., (September 10, 2025) --- Guests to the all-new “Funhouse at Pacific Park” will explore a lost world of spooky, chilling, and haunting experiences.
The legendary “Toonerville Funhouse” appeared in two eras of Santa Monica amusement history – first at Ocean Park Pier in the 1920s and later at Pacific Ocean Park in 1958 – thrilling and unnerving guests for decades. Hidden away for years, its spirit has been resurrected inside Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier. Over time, storms and renovations buried its memory, until the entrance to the abandoned funhouse was mysteriously uncovered inside Pacific Park. With a little polishing, it has reopened for guests as a nod to local Santa Monica history and nostalgic fun.
In all the tinkering and perfecting of the 'Funhouse at Pacific Park,' the sinister magic of coin-operated fortunetellers and the eerie presence of a dessert-wielding clown have once again been unleashed. With a sidelong glance, an animatronic fortuneteller seated inside its dusty glass cabinet lures unsuspecting guests into a dizzying adventure—one that may land
them in the back of Sprinkles the Clown's ice cream truck freezer. Will guests make it out unscathed, or will they be lost in this labyrinth of curiosities for another 100 years?
The 2,800-square-foot “Funhouse at Pacific Park” includes nine mysterious rooms and attractions designed to disorient, amuse and entertain visitors with optical illusions, tricky layouts, and unexpected surprises. From giant ice cream cones to disorienting mazes, the Funhouse offers a buffet for the senses full of unexpected twists and turns.
"Pacific Park is excited to bring a fresh take on a classic idea to the millions of visitors who enjoy the Pier each year," said Nathan Smithson, Senior Director of Business Affairs at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier. "This is a unique opportunity to honor the legacy of the original Toonerville Funhouses while crafting a future filled with mystery and awe in the all-new Funhouse at Pacific Park."
The “Toonerville Funhouses” were whimsical, cartoon-themed attractions inspired by the popular "Toonerville Trolley" comic strip, which was widely recognized in the early 20th century. The first version opened at Ocean Park Pier in the 1920s, while a second debuted in 1958 at Pacific Ocean Park, which replaced Ocean Park Pier on the same site at the end of Ocean Park Boulevard, just about two nautical miles south of today’s Pacific Park, near the Santa Monica–Venice border. Both became icons of seaside amusement before disappearing in the 1970s.
SC Holdings, an investment firm with extensive experience in the consumer, entertainment, and hospitality sectors, acquired the operating group of Pacific
Park in 2024 and committed $10 million in capital investments over the next five years in Pacific Park’s food and entertainment programs, supporting park operations and keeping it a fun and friendly destination for tourists, families, and the community.
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier, LA’s only admission-free amusement park, offers 12 amusement rides, 14 midway games, Snackville with five fun food offerings and retail beach shops. Pacific Park’s signature rides include the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel, the Pacific Wheel, and the West Coaster, a steel roller coaster that races 55 feet above the Santa Monica Bay. For additional information and hours of operation, call
Swastika Found Near Beverly Hills Elementary School Ahead
of Rosh Hashanah
Police Launch Investigation After Disturbing Vandalism
Outside El Rodeo Elementary
Authorities are investigating after a swastika was discovered outside a Beverly Hills elementary school on Monday, according to My News LA.
The symbol was found just outside the
grounds of El Rodeo Elementary School, according to the Beverly Hills Unified School District. The district noted that the act of vandalism occurred as Jewish families were preparing to observe Rosh Hashanah, which begins Monday evening, making the incident especially disturbing.
District staff immediately removed the swastika and notified the Beverly Hills Police Department. Police have launched an active investigation to identify those responsible.
No additional details about potential suspects or motives have been released.
310-260-8744, visit pacpark.com, and go to Facebook.com/pacificpark, Instagram. com/pacpark or X.com/pacpark.
Better is helping our community breathe easier after a disaster.
The Disaster Relief Pulmonary Clinic at Saint John’s was founded to help restore the lung health of our community after the January fires.
The clinic offers specialized care to first responders and residents, focused on their long-term pulmonary health needs. Helping our neighbors heal is just one of the many ways we do everything for the better.
T:11.7"
SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
SANTA MONICA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Dr. Nancy Greenstein, Chair; Dr. Sion Roy, Vice Chair; Dr. Luis Barrera Castañón; Anastasia Foster; Dr. Margaret Quiñones-Perez; Dr. Tom Peters; Rob Rader; Sophia Manavi, Student Trustee; Kathryn E. Jeffery, Ph.D., Superintendent/President
Santa Monica College | 1900 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 | smc.edu
Photo by Ed Gandara