Santa Monica Mirror November 6, 2020

S A N TA M O N I C A

INSIDE OC MAN PLEADS NOT GUILTY

REFLECTING THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY

smmirror.com

PAGE 4

November 6 – November 12, 2020 Volume LXI, Issue 66

‘Change Slate’ Plus Incumbent Maintain Santa Monica City Council Lead

Photo: Sam Catanzaro

Santa Monica City Hall.

Following Thursday afternoon update Phil Brock, Gleam Davis, Christine Parra and Oscar De La Torre in top-4

By Sam Catanzaro After a Thursday update, three members of the ‘Change Slate’ plus an incumbent maintain their leads in the race for four seats on Santa Monica City Council.

As of 4:41 p.m. Thursday, challenger Phil Brock leads the field with 16,678 votes.

“I am gratified by the confidence expressed in me so far by our voters. Residents want to regain control of city hall and have common

sense be the rule, every day. That is clear. I look forward to fighting for our residents when the final vote tallies are released,” Brock said.

Incumbent Gleam Davis is in second with 16,297 votes, challenger Christine Parra is in third place with 15,603 votes and challenger Oscar De La Torre is in fourth place with 15,064 votes. The top four candidates—out of the field of more than 20 contesters—will win a seat on City Council.

“I am grateful to everyone who came out

to vote and supported me. I am encouraged by the preliminary returns but I want to be respectful of the process and wait for all the votes to be counted before I say anything further,” Davis said.

Parra, when reached for comment, opted to wait until the official results are announced to issue a statement.

According to Constance Farrell, Public Information Officer for the City of Santa

Council results, see page 6

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November 6 – November 12, 2020

Fundraiser to Help Ernie Johnson From Muscle Beach Longtime Muscle Beach staple diagnosed with dementia

By Sam Catanzaro

Ernie Thrash Johnson has been a staple among the Original Muscle Beach Santa Monica community since the ’70s, but now diagnosed with dementia and facing home-insecurity his family is asking for help.

Over the past 40 years, Ernie, a SAG/ AFTRA stuntman, acrobat, circus performer and instructor, has helped thousands of people from all over the world learn the art of acrobatics. He has taught people almost every Saturday and Sunday for the last 40 years, free of charge in an effort to pay it forward in honor of the greats–including Glen Sunby, Russ Sander, Paula Unger, Bob Yerkes and Gary Morgan–that taught him.

“I’ve known Ernie since he was a teenager. And then he started going to the beach and doing acrobatics and stuff and he keeps coming down and he trains new people. If you were willing to try something, he would take anyone off the beach and if they wanted to do acrobatics he would put them on your shoulders or he would teach them a little teeterboard,” said Gary Morgan, an actor and stuntman.

According to Ernie’s daughter Amber, Ernie helped lead the effort to stop the City of Santa Monica from eliminating the Original Muscle Beach and convinced them to remodel it instead and is a “major reason” that muscle beach still exists today.

“My dad took a lot of pride in Santa Monica Muscle Beach. He was always trying to think of ways to make it better. He also reminded everybody to pick up three pieces of trash before they left the beach so that the beach could remain beautiful,” Amber said.

Ernie, who is only 54, began showing signs of memory loss earlier this year that rapidly progressed to what the doctors are calling dementia and acute delirium. He is unable to care for himself, does not remember to eat or drink, has lost nearly 70lbs, has trouble remembering anything short term or holding a coherent conversation.

“As coronavirus has come and changed our whole lives, you know we can no longer go down to the beach,

but that is something that my dad just didn’t understand and could not grasp the concept of coronavirus because he would forget. And so one day he decided that he was just going to go down to the beach and he went by foot,” Amber said. “He claimed he was walking down to Santa Monica. He lives in South Central…it was really scary. Because that is when we realized how serious his problem was and how much help he really needed.”

Ernie has been the primary caretaker and has provided financial support for his elderly mother; known by many as Mama Rose, living in the home that Ernie’s father purchased in the early ’70s. According to Amber, Mama Rose fell victim to a predatory reverse mortgage loan back in 2008 during the housing crisis.

“One of my dad’s biggest goals was to purchase my grandmother’s home out of reverse mortgage and now that he is sick, that dream is becoming less of a reality and also presents the bigger issue that if my grandmother does pass away, which we hope she doesn’t anytime soon, but if she did it would leave my father homeless as the banks would take over the home,” Amber said.

“So now we are left trying to figure out how to cover the past bills, how we are going to cover the ongoing medical bills and also how to make sure has a

roof over his head and won’t lose that home.”

To help support her father, Amber has set up a GoFundME to help with medical expenses “It’s not in my dad’s character to ask for help as he is usually the one lending the helping hand but that is why

I am here today to ask you guys, the community that he has served for all these years, to return the favor and help my dad.”

As of Monday, the fundraiser has raised nearly $30,000 out of a $500,000 goal.

November 6 – November 12, 2020

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November 6 – November 12, 2020

OC Man Pleads Not Guilty to Arson of Santa Monica Police Car Nathan Wilson, 27, pleads “not guilty” Monday to federal charges

By Sam Catanzaro

An Orange County man pleaded not guilty Monday to federal charges of setting a Santa Monica police car on fire during the civil unrest of May 31.

On Monday, November 2, 27-year-old Nathan Wilson of Irvine, pleaded not guilty to charges of malicious damage to property owned by an institution or organization receiving federal financial assistance.

Wilson was linked to the May 31 fire that destroyed the unmarked Santa Monica Police car when a witness told law enforcement they had driven Wilson to Santa Monica on that day and they believed he had set fire to a police car.

Publicly available social media posts show that the person who set fire to the police car parked at the loading dock of the Santa Monic Civic Center was wearing certain clothing and accessories, had an

American flag bandana over his face, and had a distinctive tattoo of a rifle on his left arm, according to an affidavit filed with the complaint. The witness directed authorities to one of Wilson’s social media accounts – an Instagram account under the handle “yup_i_ eat_crayons” – where Wilson had posted a “selfie” taken in Santa Monica on May 31. In his Instagram selfie, Wilson appeared exactly like the person seen in other social media posts who stoked the fire that destroyed the police car, the affidavit alleges.

In early June, the FBI and the Santa Monica Police Department issued a wanted poster for the person later identified as Wilson. After receiving tips and conducting investigations, law enforcement was not able to identify the perpetrator who caused the fire that destroyed the police car.

That changed when Wilson became a suspect in a September 28 vehicle arson that occurred in Irvine, according to the affidavit. Following a domestic dispute that culminated with a fire in a vehicle owned by Wilson’s live-in partner, authorities obtained information that linked Wilson to the May 31 fire in Santa Monica.

Wilson was taken into custody on October 9 when Santa Monica Police officers, in conjunction with the Irvine Police

Photo: Tavares Franklin (Facebook)

An unmarked SMPD car burns on May 31.

Department and the FBI, executed a search warrant at the Irvine residence and found Wilson hiding in a mattress box spring in the bedroom. During that search, authorities recovered items of clothing that appear to be the same seen on Wilson in the various photos taken near the destroyed police car.

After Wilson was taken into custody by Santa Monica Police officers, the federal

criminal complaint was signed by a United States magistrate judge late on October 9.

If convicted of the malicious damage offense alleged in the complaint, Wilson would face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years.

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Rent Index for Santa Monica Down 13 Percent Since Start of Pandemic

Average rent in Santa Monica down more than most cities over the past year

By Sam Catanzaro

A recent report shows the average rent in Santa Monica has decreased 13 percent since the start of the pandemic in March, a steeper drop than experienced in any Southern California city.

According to a November report from Apartment List, Santa Monica rents have declined “decreased sharply” by 12.8 percent in comparison to the same time last year.

Currently, median rents in Santa Monica stand at $1,870 for a one-bedroom apartment and $2,352 for a two-bedroom, the report.

According to the report, Santa Monica rents have declined 3.4 percent over the past month.

“This is the eighth straight month that the city has seen rent decreases after an increase in February,” the report reads.

In addition, Santa Monica’s year-over-year rent growth lags the state average of -5.0 percent, as well as the national average of -1.4 percent.

According to Apartment List, Santa Monica’s annual 12.8 percent rent decline is the steepest decline of any city in Southern California included in the report. Only the Northern California cities of San Francisco (-23.4 percent), Mountain View (-21.1 percent) Sunnyvale (-17.9 percent), Redwood City (-15.4 percent) and San Mateo (-13.2 percent) experienced sharper declines than Santa Monica.

Other Southern California cities that experienced rent decreases this past year include Burbank (-9.7 percent), Los Angeles (-8 percent), Pasadena (-7.7 percent), West Hollywood (-7.3 percent) and Irvine (-4.8 percent). While the report did not include nearby cities of Beverly Hills and Culver City,

other estimates show respective -7 percent and -5 percent decreases experienced the past year in those cities.

Several cities in the region saw average rents

increase over the past year including Dana Point (4.6 percent), Santa Clarita (2.2. percent), Newport Beach (1.7 percent) Anaheim (1.5 percent) and Orange (1.2 percent).

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November 6 – November 12, 2020

The Other Cliff Hanger Election

This has been a historic election because once every 10 years an incumbent is upset in a Santa Monica City Council race: this year you may have upset three incumbents!

We also need recognize the other challengers for playing a part in this historic upset, Mario, Esther, jason, Steven, and Brian will be back to finish the work that you, the engaged SMart readers, started this week.

Finally, we want to thank you all for your tireless volunteering, encouragement, support and trust in our vision for our City Naturally none of this could have

happened without your dedicated effort: Thank You!

By SMart Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow Thane Roberts, Architect, Robert H. Taylor AIA, Ron Goldman FAIA, Architect, Dan Jansenson, Architect, Building and Fire-Life Safety Commission, Mario Fonda- Bonardi, Samuel Tolkin Architect, Marc Verville CPA (inactive) For previous articles see www.santamonicaarch.wordpress.com/ writing.

Oscar de la Torre

Christine Parra

Gleam Davis

Phil Brock

Monica, 65 percent of all registered voters have voted and their votes have been counted as of Wednesday evening. The City had 75 percent turnout in 2016 for reference, meaning there are still votes to be counted.

Incumbent Terry O’Day narrowly trails De La Torre by 387 votes, a gap that has

increased with each new update.

“Regardless of the final vote count, the residents of Santa Monica are the true winners. Residents want safety, reform, real transparency and accountability and a City Hall that puts resident needs first,” de la Torre said.

Incumbents Ted Winterer and Ana Jara trail De La Torre by 232 and 582 votes respectively. This gap has narrowed since the 2 a.m. update.

The ‘Change Slate’, eight candidates running for City Council, school board and Santa Monica College board, dubbed

themselves as an option for “new leadership for extraordinary times.” Candidates in elections other than City Council are not in positions to win as of 4:45 p.m. Thursday.

For complete Santa Monica election results, visit https://www.smvote.org/.

OPINION

the pain of Covid-19, out of the trauma of May 31st, out of the gridlock of over development, and out of the frustration of the interests of residents (whether tenants, owners, business owners, children or students) continuously being ignored.

And to a large extent we have been successful in this ambitious campaign. We have placed three candidates in contention for the four City Council seats with Phil, Christine and Oscar poised to take the dias when the final votes are counted. Till then, this cliff hanger election is still uncertain because the separation for the Council seats between the final four contending candidates could change when the last ballots are finally counted. Unfortunately, on the School Board and College Board elections the incumbents are so far ahead of the challengers that the still uncounted ballots will not permit then to catch up. So we want to wish the best outcome for: Oscar de la Torre Christine Parra and Phil Brock ...to take their well earned place at the head of our City when the final vote count is posted. We are sure that they are ready to repay the voters’ trust, even the ones who did not vote for them, and are ready to go to work to make this city a better City for all residents, visitors and commuters. You know what a big challenge this will be, but we have full confidence in their ability and leadership.

SMa.r.t.

Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow

Dear Faithful readers of the SMart Column.

For over seven years you have loaned us your attention about City planning , architecture, ecology, history and countless local urban issues. For this we are grateful. But I’m sure you also got tired of our articles that complained about countless mistakes, failed opportunities and fiscal disasters our City made during that time. And I’m sure you were also asking yourself when are all those SMart guys and gals going to finally do something about this? Now you have the answer.

This week you went farther and loaned us not only your attention, but also your time and equally important your votes to the ambitious project of electing a Slate of Eight to three City offices. These eight represented the possibility of a giant reset for our entire City by running for City Council (Phil Brock, Christine Parra, Oscar de la Torre and Mario Fonda-Bonardi), for School Board (Jason Feldman, Esther Hickman and Steven Johnson) and for College Board ( Brian O’Neil). By taking on the incumbents, these eight wanted to steer the City out of

Council results, from page 1

Photos: Courtesy

November 6 – November 12, 2020

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November 6 – November 12, 2020

Claes Bang and Guy Pierce Give Stirring Performances in “The Last Vermeer” Apparently the “go to guy” for art-related films seems to be the talented Danish actor Claes Bang. He starred in the The Square, The Burnt Orange Heresy and currently costars in The Last Vermeer, written by James McGee, Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, based on the book “The Man Who Made Vermeers”

by Jonathan Lopez. This whodunit mystery, inspired by a true story, is well directed by Dan Friedkin, who makes an excellent directorial debut. Each of Bangs’ characters is well developed especially in “The Burnt Orange Hersey” where it does a surprising 360.

What is most fascinating about co-star Guy Pierce’s work is that he allows his characters to completely take over, leaving no traces of himself. He is one of only a few transformative actors and delivered memorable performances in Memento, L.A. Confidential, and Lawless.

Pierce does it once again as the notorious Dutch painter Han Van Meegeren, an effete bon vivant artist who was famous for his decadent soirees during World War II where top Nazi officials enjoyed overflowing food, wine, and nights of debauchery at one of his over 500 properties in Amsterdam. He also sold Dutch treasures to top Nazi officials, including Hermann Göring. While Van Meegeren enjoyed his lifestyle, Bang’s Captain Joseph (Joe) Piller, a Dutch Jew and a former tailor who loved to play the piano, was fighting in the Resistance. His record was spotless and after the war was assigned to tracking down and identifying stolen works of art, mostly from Jewish people, with the goal of returning them to survivors or their families.

It is now May 29, 1945, three weeks after the fall of Hitler’s Third Reich. While Joe searches for stolen treasures, in the streets there are public executions by firing squads for people guilty of collaboration with the enemy. Joe is particularly interested in how Göring came into possession of Vermeer’s “Christ and the Adulteress,” and traces the sale to Han Van Meegeren, who he arrests.

In a stark jail cell, the arrogant artist requests paints, paintbrushes, and canvases. He is to be tried and if convicted, will face the firing squad. The stories that Han tells Joe begin to plant doubts that he is guilty. He insists that he painted the Vermeers and sold the fakes to the Nazis for exorbitant amounts of gilders, up to 1.6 million. In the meantime, the Dutch government wants him in their custody and sends some goons to snatch him from prison.

On hearing this, Joe races back to the prison and takes Han to a loft where he can paint while he continues his investigation. The artist reveals that despite having art critics spit on his work, he knew he was an excellent painter and decided he would pull off the hoax of the century by painting a number of pieces and then pawning them off as Vermeers.

Those transactions made he and his wife incredibly affluent, owning multiple homes and enjoying a lush lifestyle. However, the government agents ultimately track him down and throw him into their prison. Despite being incarcerated, Van Meegeren maintains his elitist demeanor and still insists he painted those Vermeers. Joe enlists his former army buddy Esper, well played by Roland Møller who discovers a treasure trove of photos and cash hidden under the floorboards of Han’s studio, which included pictures of Joe’s wife attending parties where Nazis were in attendance. He confronts her and she insists that although she worked for a German officer, she was able to funnel information that saved the lives of many people. They separate and an attraction begins to heat up between he and widowed Minna, played by Vicky Krieps who is also assisting him in the investigation.

Han is now on trial and all the Vermeers that he claims he painted are displayed in the packed courtroom. Unfortunately for him, the one person who could back up his claim is deceased. With dramatic flair, he testifies that the art world treated him with distain and he deliberately painted the forgeries that fooled some of the best authenticators in the art world, bragging that one of his counterfeits hangs in Washington’s National Gallery of Art. Experts are called to testify, all of who had authenticated the paintings as being genuine.

The accused explains in great detail how he painted the fakes – from the kind of brushes, paints, and canvases he used, as well as the chemicals applied for the aging process. Joe, who is acting as his co-attorney, begs the judges to let him perform an acid test to prove the paintings are fraudulent, but the judges refuse. They convene and in just minutes render a guilty verdict punishable by death.

The courtroom explodes in shock and what happens in the closing minutes will have you on the edge of your seat. Yes. It’s an intriguing but true cliffhanger.

Technically, the film is perfect from the settings to costumes to the music but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Remi Adefarasin cinematography, which beautifully captures the changing physical portrait of post-war Holland.

The Last Vermeer Director: Jonathan Lopez Screenplay: James McGee, a Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby Based on the book “The Man Who Made Vermeers” by Jonathan Lopez Executive Producer: Ridley Scott, Peter Heslop Producers: Ryan Friedkin, Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas, Vijay Waghmare Production Company: Imperative Entertainment, Mehra Entertainment Distributor: TriStar Pictures Cinematographer: Remi Adefarasin Edited By: Victoria Boydell Music: Johan Söderqvist

Photos: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures

L-R: Roland Møller as Esper, Guy Pierce as Han Van Meegeren, and Claes Bang as Captain Joseph (Joe) Piller in Dan Friedkin’s “The Last Vermeer.”

Han Van Meegeren (Guy Pierce) at work in his studio.

An attraction begins to grow between Joseph Piller (Claes Bang) and Minna (Vicky Krieps.)

Language: English Running Time: 117 minutes Release Date: December 4, 2020 (United States) Principals: Claes Bang, Guy Pierce, Vicky Krieps, Roland Møller

117 minute Rating: R Release date: November 20, 2020 Opening On-Screen Via TriStar Pictures

November 6 – November 12, 2020

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SMMUSD Among Top School Districts in California SMMUSD ranked #19 in California, according to recent report

Serving Area since 1996 Locally Owned Business

By Chad Winthrop

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) was ranked among the top-20 out of nearly 1,000 public school districts in California, according to a recent report.

Niche, a website that helps parents discover schools and neighborhoods that are right for them, has named SMMUSD the 19th best overall school district in California out of 977 total districts.

“Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is a top rated, public school district located in Santa Monica, CA. It has 10,625 students in grades K-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 21 to 1. According to state test scores, 61% of students are at least proficient in math and 74% in reading,” reads the report.

In addition, Niche ranked SMMUSD as the 10th best district in the state to teach in, having the 19th best teachers and the 72nd best district in the state for athletes.

Niche gave SMMUSD an A+ rating overall

Photo: Sam Catanzaro

Grant Avenue Elementary School, recently rated one of the best schools in SMMUSD.

and the following grades for specific areas: Academics A+, Diversity A Teachers A+, College Prep A+, Clubs & Activities B+, Health & Safety A, Administration A. Sports A-, Food B+, Resources & Facilities B+.

Among the best schools in the district, according to Niche, are Franklin and Grant Avenue elementary schools, both of which received A+ ratings. All schools in the district received a grade of A- or better.

Using a wide array of statistics, Niche’s 2021 rankings are based on rigorous analysis of demographic and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education along with millions of reviews from students and parents as well as state test scores, college readiness, graduation rates, SAT and ACT scores, teacher quality, public school district ratings and more.

SMC to Provide Free Thanksgiving Groceries to Food Insecure Families This Thanksgiving, Santa Monica families and Santa Monica College (SMC) students struggling with food insecurity will have one less thing to worry about.

SMC, the SMC Foundation, the City of Santa Monica through its “We are Santa Monica” initiative, Boys and Girls Club of Santa Monica, and Community Corporation of Santa Monica will be giving away free Thanksgiving groceries for a complete feast, to families and students in need.

The drive-thru GIVING THANKS(giving) holiday pantry will take place from 10 a.m.

– 6 p.m., Tuesday, November 24, 2020 on SMC’s main campus. This event is not open to the general public and families/individuals are required to make advanced reservations

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According to SMC, it is expected that up to 1,500 families and students will be served.

Groceries to be distributed include a fresh turkey apiece, fresh produce, dinner rolls, nonalcoholic beverages and a pumpkin pie.

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FILM REVIEW: THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT

November 6 – November 12, 2020

Rated TV-MA 7-Part Miniseries Released on Netflix October 23rd

BEHIND THE SCREEN

By Kathryn Whitney Boole The Queen’s Gambit is based on the novel of the same name by American author Walter Tevis (1928-1984.) Three of his novels have previously been made into major feature films – The Hustler, The Color of Money and The Man Who Fell to Earth. The Queen’s Gambit is derived from one of the oldest known chess “openings”, mentioned in a manuscript written in 1490.

The game of chess itself is probably an offshoot of an Indian game developed in the 7th Century. In modern times, the first World Chess Champion was given his title in 1886.

This is a superb mini-series. The characters are complex, unique and present realism on screen. The casting is brilliant. The whole ensemble create fascinating personalities who reflect the deeper aspects of human nature within a framework dominated by the intense machinations of elite chess games.

Chess becomes a character in its own right, seducing its players with a complicated labyrinth of puzzles. A young orphan survives a car crash in Kentucky that kills her mother, is sent to a local orphanage where unexpectedly she sees the janitor playing a chess game in the basement and is hooked. She becomes obsessed with the game to the point where she envisions chess pieces making moves as she lies in bed at night.

Novelist Tevis and actress Anya TaylorJoy, as the lead, “Beth Harmon,” are uniquely positioned to bring their personal backgrounds to this emphatically unique and creative story. Tevis was born in San Francisco. At the age of 11, his parents placed him in an institution for children for a year while they established a home in Kentucky.

He then rejoined his family in that state. After attending several universities, Tevis taught in Kentucky high schools and in colleges.

Taylor-Joy was born in Miami and grew SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No. 20TRCP00241 Superior Court of California, county of Los Angeles 825 Maple Ave | Torrance, CA 90503 Petition of: Anh Minh Nguyen, by and through Kien Trung Nguyen and Thao Thi Phuong Tran for change of name.

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME To all interested persons: Kien Trung Nguyen and Thao Thi Phuong Tran Petitioner: filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a. Anh Minh Nguyen to Bella Minh-Anh Nguyen The court orders that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING: Date: 12/11/2020 | Time: 8:30AM | Dept: M Room: A copy of this ORDER to SHOW CAUSE shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county: SANTA MONICA MIRROR | Dated: OCT 15, 2020 Judge DEIRDRE HILL Published: 10/23/2020, 10/30/2020, 11/06/2020, and 11/13/2020

up in Buenos Aires, speaking only Spanish until she moved to London with her family at age 6. A child who is uprooted from their environment has the advantage of absorbing different realms and forming a more cultivated view of the world. This increased understanding and sophistication comes at a price - the loss of social connections and a feeling of divergence from friends who don’t have the same background, resulting in a somewhat aloof, observational attitude, and fear of becoming too close. A pastime like chess might become a constant in their lives, something impersonal that never changes. Taylor-Joy explains that she feels close to Beth because she chose acting as her stability device, and is as intense about her craft as Beth is about chess.

Marielle Heller, who plays Beth’s adoptive Mom, “Alma Wheatley,” blew me away –

watching her was like seeing my own Mom as she was in the 1950’s, a deeply frustrated, highly intelligent and creative soul who was convinced by the social climatce of the times that she must abandon her artistic nature to assume the role of housewife.

Beth is not a real person. However Tevis probably based her at least partly on three Hungarian sisters who were just coming into prominence as chess champions at the time he was writing The Queen’s Gambit. A Hungarian specialist in the learning process, Laszlo Polgar, challenged that he could immerse his three toddler daughters the game as soon as they could hold the pieces, and they would become masters at early ages. All three did indeed become masters.

Susan Polgar won the Budapest GirlsUnder-11 Championship in 1981 at the age of four.

The skillful way that this series is painted creates a fascinating tableau using the game of chess as the thread to stitch together the often hidden darker pieces of the players’ personalities. Don’t worry if you’re not a chess player. You will be fascinated by the game because of the skill of the filmmakers who crafted this beautifully shot and edited story. As of October 28th, The Queen’s Gambit was the most-watched series on Netflix.

Kathryn Whitney Boole has spent most of her life in the entertainment industry, which has been the backdrop for remarkable adventures with extraordinary people. She is a Talent Manager with Studio Talent Group in Santa Monica. kboole@gmail.com.

Thanksgiving, from page 9

struggling with food insecurity. Behind those numbers are real people, members of our communities. This joint effort to positively impact students and families during a pandemic is just one way to help replace their stress and anxiety with some joy.”

The event’s sponsors include: · Associated Students of Santa Monica College, • Costco Culver City • Everytable • Santa Monica Travel & Tourism

• The Butter End Cakery • Verizon • Vicente Foods • Vintage Grocers • Westside Food Bank • Whole Foods Market To donate, go to santamonicacollegefoundation.org/ thanksgiving. For more information on the GIVING THANKS(giving) event, email Moore_Lizzy@smc.edu and via phone: 310-780-9279.

SMC Superintendent/President Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery noted that COVID-19 has deeply impacted households and college students who were already struggling with food insecurity.

“Even by the most conservative estimates, the number of households without dependable access to nutritious food has, at the very least, doubled,” Jeffery said “According to a Spring 2020 survey run by The Hope Center, 44 percent among two-year college students are

November 6 – November 12, 2020

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Santa Monica Scores Two Legal Victories in Effort to Close Airport Federal courts dismiss challenges to airport closure

By Sam Catanzaro

Santa Monica recently scored two legal victories in city officials’ efforts to close the Santa Monica Airport after December 31, 2028.

On October 9 in the case National Business Aviation Association, Inc., et al. v. Federal Aviation Administration, et al. a federal court granted a motion by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to dismiss an effort by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the Santa Monica Airport Association, Inc. challenging the validity of the FAA’s Consent Decree with the City.

The Consent Decree was entered by a federal district court in Los Angeles on February 1, 2017 to implement a settlement between the City and the FAA in litigation brought by the City. The Consent Decree requires the City to continue to operate the airport through December 31, 2028, but authorized the immediate shortening of the runway (which has been completed) and permits the City to close the airport permanently after December 31, 2028.

The district court said that because the plaintiffs had the opportunity to intervene to challenge the decree in the action in federal court in Los Angeles, they had no jurisdiction to grant the challenge.

The ruling was “disappointing, in that it shielded FAA action from judicial review,” said Alex Gertsen, NBAA director of airports and ground infrastructure. “Despite not successfully overturning the settlement agreement, NBAA remains committed

to supporting the Santa Monica Airport Association (SMAA) and engaging with city officials and community representatives to ensure a viable future for their local airport.”

Gertsen further noted that the airport not only serves as an important node in the national air transportation system; it is also a source for jobs and has a significant economic impact. The airfield plays an important role in aeromedical transport, and it stands ready to support disaster-relief efforts.

“It would be irresponsible governance for the Santa Monica City Council to exercise the option to close the airport, which greatly benefits the majority of Santa Monica’s population, based on pressure from a small but vocal cluster,” he added.

The D.C. district court’s decision follows an August 24 order by the United States Supreme Court denying a petition for review filed by Barry Rosen, a pilot and aircraft owner who used the Santa Monica airport.

In fall 2017, Rosen filed in federal court in Los Angeles an action against the FAA and the City seeking to invalidate the Consent Decree. In 2018, the district court dismissed the complaint for lack of standing because Rosen had failed to allege any concrete injury he had suffered flowing from the actions of the FAA and City.

In early 2019, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal. Rosen filed a petition seeking review by the Supreme Court, who denied that petition on August 24, 2020.

“These decisions reaffirm the continuing validity of the Consent Decree, which provides clear legal authority for Santa Monica to close the airport after December 31, 2028,” said Santa Monica Interim City Attorney George S. Cardona. “We are pleased with the courts’ rejections of these challenges to the Consent Decree, and we will continue to defend against any similar challenges.”

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SANTA MONICA COLLEGE

Get ahead this 2021 Complete a full-credit class in just 6 weeks.

Winter classes start Jan 4 smc.edu/winter

SANTA MONICA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES Dr. Nancy Greenstein, Chair; Dr. Susan Aminoff, Vice Chair; Dr. Louise Jaffe; Dr. Margaret Quiñones-Perez; Rob Rader; Dr. Sion Roy; Barry A. Snell; Joshua Elizondo, Student Trustee; Kathryn E. Jeffery, Ph.D., Superintendent/President Santa Monica College | 1900 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 | smc.edu