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S A N TA M O N I C A

REFLECTING THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY smmirror.com

INSIDE Syrian SMC Student Wins Nation’s Largest Private Scholarship PAGE 5

May 10– 16, 2019 Volume XXI, Issue 42

Bird Rolls Out $1,299 Private Scooter Bird One hits the streets as study released on dangers of e-scooters By S am C atanzaro With four major scooter companies on the Westside, it is easy to forget that before Jump, before Lyft and before Lime, Birds were the only e-scooter in S a n t a Monica. Now the transportation company, which some have valued as being worth over a billion dollars, is offering an e-scooter for private ownership to go alongside Bird's fleet of rental scooters. As the company is looking to expand, however, local lawmakers are exploring further regulation. Bird One, which was announced by the company on Wednesday, is priced at $1,299 and has a range of 30 miles per charge. Bird One will also be available for people to ride as part of Bird’s shared fleet of e-scooters starting May 8. In a statement announcing the scooter's arrival, Bird Founder and CEO Travis VanderZanden, touted Bird One as the company's most durable scooter “Nearly two years ago, we launched our sharing business with retail, consumer e-scooters that lasted about three months in the sharing environment,” VanderZanden said. “[Bird One] is forecasted to last in the sharing environment for well over a

Photo: Bird, Inc.

TAX

year. Given the excitement and demand for our next generation e-scooter, we are also making a limited supply of Bird Ones available to own. Bird One scooters will be available in three colors: black, white and rose. Devices will be delivered in the U.S. in the summer. People who purchase Bird Ones will be given $100 in credit to use on Bird rental devices. While it is unclear how many people will purchase these devices, the rollout of Bird Ones in the rental market will begin in Los Angeles, and therefore many are expected to be seen zipping in and around Santa Monica, but riders of these devices -- whether a rental or their own -should be wary of where they are riding. According to a recent study by the Austin Public Health Department, half of the injuries in a two-month period involving e-scooters in Austin, Texas were categorized as severe. These findings are similar to a January 2019 UCLA study that shed light on the dangers of e-scooter crashes, especially in Santa Monica. According to the researchers, people involved in e-scooter accidents are often injured seriously enough — from fractures, dislocated joints and head trauma — to require treatment in emergency rooms. “We’ve seen teeth knocked out, jaws broken in several places, noses crushed and head injuries including skull fractures. The most common injuries are wrist, ankle, collarbone and shoulder fractures,” said Dr. Wally Ghurabi, medical director of the Nethercutt Emergency Center at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica. The researchers examined data from 249 people who were treated at the emergency departments of UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, and Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center between Sept. 1, 2017, and Aug. 31, 2018. The study found that

BIRD, see page 4

Photos: Getty Images/City of Santa Monica.

The California Court of Appeal granted the City of Santa Monica’s request for an expedited briefing and argument schedule in the case Pico Neighborhood Association, et al. v. City of Santa Monica.

CVRA Decision in Time for 2020 Election California Court of Appeal grants the City of Santa Monica’s request for an expedited briefing and argument schedule By Sam Catanzaro On May 6, 2019, the California Court of Appeal granted the City of Santa Monica’s request for an expedited briefing and argument schedule in Pico Neighborhood Association, et al. v. City of Santa Monica. By granting this request, the Court of Appeal agreed to a briefing schedule to allow a decision in the case to be issued on or before July 10, 2020, giving the City time to plan for a November 2020 election. The Court of Appeal left it to the parties to determine a specific briefing schedule that would allow for a decision by July 10, 2020. “This schedule would make it more likely that the City will be able to hold its next Council election on the next regularly scheduled election date, in November 2020. Following the regular election schedule would increase voter engagement and turnout, provide voters with their expected opportunity to regularly select their Council members, and avoid the expenditure of public funds on a special election on a different date,” the City wrote in their motion to the California Court of Appeal.

According to Denise Anderson-Warren, City Clerk, California law requires between 113 to 127 days’ notice before holding an election. The four councilmembers elected in 2016, Terry O’Day, Ted Winterer, Mayor Gleam Davis and Ana Maria Jara (who is serving out the remainder of Tony Vazquez’s term), will be up for reelection in November 2020, regardless of the result of the City’s appeal. The case, Pico Neighborhood Association, et al. v. City of Santa Monica, filed by plaintiffs Pico Neighborhood Association, Maria Loya and Advocates for Malibu Public Schools alleges that Santa Monica’s at-large election system dilutes Latino voting power in violation of the CVRA and discriminates against Latino voters in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the California Constitution. In a ruling released February 15, Palazuelos ordered that all future elections for seats on the Santa Monica City Council be based on a seven-district map drawn by an expert for the plaintiffs and that the City hold a special election this summer for all seven seats on the Santa Monica City Council using this new district map. Judge Palazuelos’ ruling prohibited anybody not elected in a district election from serving on City Council beyond August 15, 2019, calling for a special election to be held over the summer. On March 27, the Court of Appeal issued a stay a special election when they said that current members of Santa Monica City Council can legally serve during the duration of the city’s appeal.

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Suspected SM Serial Killer’s Trial Begins Michael Thomas Gargiulo charged in stabbing deaths of two LA woman and attempted murder of Santa Monica woman.

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By Sam Catanzaro Opening statements began last week in the trial of a 43-year-old serial killer from Santa Monica charged in the stabbing deaths of two Los Angeles women in addition to an attempted murder of a woman in Santa Monica. On Thursday, May 5, prosecutors described Michael Thomas Gargiulo, the “Hollywood Ripper”, of Santa Monica as a methodical predator who stalked victims before breaking into their homes. Gargiulo is suspected of the murders of 22-year-old fashion designer Ashley Elleri in her Hollywood Hills home in 2005 and of 23-yearold Maria Bruno at her El Monte apartment. Elleri was the then-girlfriend of Ashton Kutcher. In addition, Gargiulo faces charges for the 2008 attempted murder of a neighbor in her Santa Monica home. Illinois prosecutors also charged him in 2011 for the August 14, 1993, murder of Tricia

Photo: Google.

In 2008, Gargiulo broke into the home of his neighbor’s on Euclid Avenue and stabbed her. The victim survived the attack.

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Michael Thomas Gargiulo is charged with the stabbing murder of two LA women and the attempted murder of a Santa Monica woman.

Pacaccio, an 18-year-old Glenview woman who was repeatedly stabbed outside her home. Murder charges against Gargiulo include special circumstance allegations of murder by means of lying in wait. “What you will hear is that Michael Gargiulo, for almost 15 years, was watching, always watching,” said prosecutor Daniel Akemon. “And his hobby was plotting the perfect opportunity to attack women with a knife in and around their homes.” In the Santa Monica case, Gargiulo’s DNA was found in the blood splatter at the scene of the crime. The victim, Michelle Murphy, was reportedly in bed in her Euclid Street home when she awoke with a knife plunged into her. Murphy fought off the attacker and survived the incident. Prosecutors described Gargiulo as a serial sexual-thrill killer and are seeking the death penalty. The trial is expected to last around six months and include testimony from approximately 250 witnesses, including possibly Kutcher. Gargiulo has pleaded not guilty. Gargiulo is expected to be extradited to Illinois after the Los Angeles trial wraps up

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BIRD,

from page 1 about one-third of them arrived by ambulance, an indication of the severity of their injuries. The Austin study, unlike the UCLA study, offers a further insight into scooter crashes as the researchers interviewed riders who were involved in crashes. One-third of riders were injured during their first ever ride on these devices. 38 percent said they would use a scooter again and one-third said they received zero training on how to operate the scooter before riding it. On March 15, Santa Monica experienced its first e-device death when Michael Ramljak was killed by a passing motorist after falling off his personal e-bike near the corner at Third Street and Hill Street. The suspect is still at large to the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD). And it is not just riders of these devices that are put at risk. Less than a month after Ramljak was killed, on April 13, a beloved pastor of a church in Pacific Palisades was seriously injured in a hitand-run accident recklessly caused by the user of a dockless electric scooter, who fled the scene, on the sidewalk outside of the church rectory, and could not be immediately apprehended at the time of the accident.

WWW.SMMIRROR.COM

May 10 – 16 2019

SMPD Citing E-Scooter and Pedestrian Violations This Week By Staff Writer

The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) will take part in a bicycle, pedestrian and e-scooter safety enforcement operation aimed at educating bicyclists, drivers, e-scooter riders and pedestrians on traffic laws, rules and responsibilities. On May 13 and 16, 2019, Santa Monica Police officers will be looking for violations made by bicyclists, e-scooter riders, drivers and pedestrians that put roadway users at risk. These violations include drivers speeding, making illegal turns, failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, failing to stop for signs and signals or any other dangerous violation,” the SMPD said in a statement. In addition, officers will also look for pedestrians who cross the street illegally or fail to yield to drivers who have the right of way. Bike riders will be stopped when riding on the wrong side of the road, not complying with stop signs and signals, or other violation of the same traffic laws that apply to them as drivers. E scooter riders will be stopped for riding on the sidewalk, not complying with stop signs and signals, or riding on the wrong side of the road and any other violation of traffic laws. The field enforcement operation is scheduled for Friday, May 10, from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. “People walking should only cross the street using crosswalks or intersections, preferably with

Photos: SMPD/Morgan Genser

a stop sign or signal. People on foot should also look for cars backing up and avoid darting between parked cars, make eye contact with drivers and wear bright clothing during the day and reflective materials or use a flashlight at night,” the SMPD wrote in a press release. “Drivers should wait for pedestrians to cross the street, avoid distractions like using a cell phone, and be courteous and patient. All bike riders are reminded to always wear a helmet; helmets are required by law for

those under 18. Bike riders should always go with the flow of traffic, let faster traffic pass and use hand signals when turning or stopping. E scooter riders should not ride on sidewalks, ride in designated bike lanes and obey all traffic signs and signals.” Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

May 10 – 16, 2019

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Column: Hearing From SM’s Homeless By Joe Fasbinder

The thing you notice about the homeless in the Santa Monica-Venice area is – in addition to their hundreds of makeshift shelters – nobody has a last name. “I’m Pickles,” says one guy. Why Pickles? “’Cause nobody don’t like pickles.” Pickles has a welder’s mask folded back over his head and a pair of gloves – though they aren’t welder’s gloves. They’re winter gloves. He has a short-sleeve shirt on, so he’s not a welder. “Are you a cop?” I assure him I’m not a cop. I have a business card that says I’m a reporter. Cops generally tell the homeless to move along, and Pickles has decided he likes it here, at in a grassy area at about Rose and Third, at the beach, maybe in Venice, maybe in Santa Monica. He doesn’t know and doesn’t care. How long you been out here? “Since I was eight,” he says. “Didn’t like foster homes and I didn’t like getting messed up.” He’s reasonably happy on the street, despite the rampant homeless-on-homeless thievery that he blames mostly on drug abusers. They abound. Their number isn’t known. They leave used syringes on the street, on the sidewalks. Tom Oler seems to be happy, too. Maybe he doesn’t know. He’s sitting a short distance away, on the sidewalk eating Oreo cookies. He can’t answer questions, though, because he speaks so softly and his answers never make sense when you listen closely. He has tracks on his arms. Thousands of homeless with severe mental problems live here and don’t even have makeshift shelters to sleep in. I ask where he got the cookies. He doesn’t know.

Buddy Love is a few blocks away, with his girlfriend Shelly. They both look reasonably healthy. Shelly is smoking part of a cigarette. I didn’t ask where she got it. “There’s 52,400 homeless in the Santa Monica-Venice area,” she says. “14,l95 don’t even have a temporary place to stay.” She doesn’t say where she got the numbers but she knows how long she’s been among them on the street. Buddy Love isn’t sure. She came to live on the street on or around her 14th birthday. “I was beaten at a home I shared with my uncle who raped me, and I was six months pregnant when I got kicked out. Nobody cared where I went. Nobody knows,” She doesn’t know what happened to her baby. Her daughter was taken away by the Department of Children and Family Services. “We’re family now,” says Buddy Love. They’re matched together with a couple of dogs. Shelly shares space with Celine, a pit bull with a very mellow attitude. “She’s a lover,” she says. Buddy Love has a dog, too. That’s part of the problem. many homeless people have dogs, and there aren’t a lot of temporary shelters which will accept pets. So Buddy Love and Shelly share a life outdoors with their dogs, all the time. Where does the food come from? “Churches, “she says. “Along with dumpster diving. “Most of the good stuff is at the bottom,” Steve says. He got kicked out when his mother died and the house he lived in was divided up in probate. He admits it makes a mess that other people have to clean up. “Fuck ‘em,” he says. A man who doesn’t want to give his name at all puts a hand on Buddy Love’s shoulder and tells him not to talk to me. Everybody

A homeless man in Venice Beach.

shuts up. In Santa Monica alone about 971 people were living on the streets or in makeshift shelters at the halfway point of 2019. That’s a slight decline from 2018, but comes up against 2017 figures that show that the homeless population in Santa Monica alone rose from about 700 to where it stands today. About half of those live in either downtown Venice and Santa Monica or all along the beach, into the most expensive parts of Venice. A county tally indicates about 47,000 homeless called the streets of Los Angeles County home in 2017. In contrast, an estimated 16 million people each year visit LA's Venice Beach and its boardwalk market as tourists . Thousands of people call expensive houses and apartments their home along the

Photo: Sam Catanzaro.

beach. Among those complaining about the influx of homeless people is Johnny Rotten, one-time punk icon with the Sex Pistols. Newsweek says the now 63-year-old is angry about the homeless vandalizing the multi-million dollar home he owns in Venice. He’s said to be “struggling to cope” with the countless “vagrants” in the area. Moving on, John has a cardboard and cast-off hovel nearby. John is putting a blanket over one side, because it looks like rain. He doesn’t like the rain. He has a few belongings and they always get ruined in the rain. A light drizzle starts to fall on the Westside of Los Angeles and Santa Monica, and the homeless take refuge where they can. Nobody wants to talk to me. .

Syrian SMC Student Wins Nation’s Largest Private Scholarship SMC’s Hesham Jarmakani wins Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship By S taff W riter

Photos: Andrew Boone

Hesham Jarmakani shakes hands with Dan Nannini after accepting the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.

Santa Monica College (SMC) student Hesham Jarmakani has won the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation (JKCF) Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The highly competitive scholarship will provide him with up to $40,000 annually for a maximum of three years to complete his bachelor’s degree. Jarmakani is one of 61 JKCF recipients this year, chosen from a pool of nearly 1,500 applicants. An Economics major with a minor in Political Science and part of the SMC Public Policy Institute, he is also cur-

rently vice president for SMC’s Associated Students. His goal is to become a lawyer and work for the United Nations Human Rights Commission, and he hopes to transfer to UC Berkeley, UCLA, or Columbia University. From 2014 onwards, Jarmakani worked as a grocery store cashier and manager in the United Arab Emirates for two years as his home country Syria was under siege. He volunteered for an internship with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent to provide basic medical service and ease the suffering of his fellow Syrians. Upon reaching the U.S. he worked as an usher at The Broad Stage at the SMC Performing Arts Center. At an April 23 SMC Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society meeting with roughly 80 fellow students and SMC faculty & staff in attendance, Jarmakani was informed that

SCHOLARSHIP, see page 15

May 10 – 16 2019

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OPINION

SB50? More Like Zombie 2.0 SMa.r.t. Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow

Once again Sacramento is trying to destroy our City and our State. The current Godzilla is Senate Bill 50 (SB50) introduced by the same real estate industry con artist Scott Weiner who tried to destroy our City last year with SB827. That previously defeated bill would have allowed four to eight story buildings anywhere in our City. The current bill, SB50, does the same thing, only this zombie is more cleverly disguised in a 20-page confusing patchwork of carve-outs for counties of less than 600,000 population and other special interests in a cynical attempt to get the political support sufficient for passage in spite of its

patently flawed core. The first flaw is the bill allows 45‘ (fourfive story) buildings within 1/2 mile of transit stops and 55’ (five-six stories) buildings within 1/4 mile of transit stops that meet specific 10 minute weekday rush hour bus times and 20 minute weekday (6 a.m.-10 p.m.) bus times. This impractical zoning by bus schedule is a foolish invitation to abuse in both directions. Cities who want to avoid the impact of this disastrous bill will simply reduce their bus times below the thresholds to preserve their current zoning to the detriment of their beleaguered transit riders and of their financially strapped bus systems. Conversely city’s under the thumb of real estate interests, who want to increase their property values and their property turnover, just need to tweak the bus schedules to reach the bus schedule thresholds, to

MYTHS OF REVERSE MORTGAGES

By Ron Wynn

Selecting a real estate advisory specialist is not as A reverse mortgage sells the home to the bank Lenders are not in the business of owning homes they wish to make loans and earn interest. The homeowner keeps the title to the home in their name. What the lender does is add a lien onto the title so that the lender can guarantee that it will eventually get paid back the mon y it lends. Heirs will not inherit the home The estate inherits the home as usual, but there will be a lien on the title for the amount of the reverse mortgage loan plus any accrued interest and mortgage insurance premium. For example, let’s assume someone takes out a reverse mortgage and owes $50,000 after 5 years. Then the homeowner passes away and the estate sells the house for $250,000. The lender gets $50,000 and the estate inherits $200,000. A reverse mortgage is a “non-recourse” loan which means that the HECM borrower (or his or her estate) will never owe more than the loan balance or value of the property, whichever is less; and no assets other than the home must be used to repay the debt. Non-recourse means simply that if the borrower (or estate) does not pay the balance when due, the mortgagee’s remedy is limited to foreclosure and the borrower will not be personally liable for any deficiency resulting from the foreclosure. The homeowner could get forced out of the home The HECM reverse mortgage was created specifically to allow seniors to live in their home for the rest of their lives. The homeowner will not be evicted or foreclosed on as long as the borrower meets the obligations of the loan. For example, the borrower must live in the home as their primary residence, continue to pay required property taxes, homeowners insurance and maintain the home according to Federal Housing Administration requirements. Someone can outlive a reverse mortgage The reverse mortgage becomes due when all homeowners have moved out of the property for 12 consecutive months or passed away. Social Security and Medicare will be affected Government entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare are usually not affected by a reverse mortgage. However, need-based programs such as Medicaid can be affected. It’s best to con-

unleash a monstrous development cycle on their residents. You can be certain that no resident who advocates for more frequent bus service will be thinking that they will be actually destroying their own community by being successful. In other words, bus service, which should be a benign community benefit, has been perversely repurposed by SB50 to destroy communities, local zoning and resident’s control. The second serious flaw is the global warming effects of this law. With current technology, we cannot build net-zero buildings taller than three stories. Net zero buildings are those that generate all

the power they need on their own site. New residential buildings are ambitiously mandated by current State law to reach net zero by 2020 with commercial buildings following by 2030 and the entire state to be effectively net zero by 2045. By mandating 45’ to 55’ buildings we are “baking in” global warming, with its attendant pollution and species extinction for the next 50 years or the life of these buildings. But it gets worse, not only will these buildings be obsolete, from an environmental point of view, the day they are built, their excep-

SMa.r.t., see page 7

Music Lessons! Piano, Voice, Violin, Guitar, Cello, All Ages, All Levels sult with a qualified financial advisor to learn how a reverse mortgage could impact eligibility of some government benefits. The homeowner pays taxes on a reverse mortgage The proceeds from a reverse mortgage are not considered income and are not taxable. Consult a tax advisor for more information. There are large out-of-pocket expenses Typically, the majority oflender closing costs and fees can be financed into the reverse mortgage loan. A reverse mortgage is similar to a home equity loan A reverse mortgage and a home equity loan both use the home’s equity as collateral; however, there are also some differences. For example, Any homeowner can apply for a home equity loan. A homeowner must be at least age 62 to be eligible for a reverse mortgage. A home equity loan typically must be repaid in monthly payments over 5 or 10 years. A reverse mortgage is typically not paid back until the homeowner moves out of the property for 12 consecutive months or passes away. A home equity loan that charges no closing costs may have a higher interest rate over the life of the loan. A reverse mortgage charges upfront closing costs but generally has lower interest over the course of the loan. Email me to get further insight to the pros and cons of relocating. Ron@RonWynn.com

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May 10 – 16, 2019

SMa.r.t.,

from page 6 tional height will shade their lower existing neighbors, preventing them from adding photovoltaic solar collectors. So for 30 pieces of silver for the real estate industry, we are all expected to give up our ability to retrofit existing buildings which is where the quickest and greatest savings in energy can be made. The third environmental flaw is that the bill has no provisions for the increased water demands (or police, fire and schools) of this additional housing that must be allowed by cities regardless of the local ability to provide those services. SB50 guarantees Santa Monica will never reach water neutrality as ambitiously set for 2023, therefore will never become a sustainable and resilient City. It will however accelerate other adjacent City’s draining of our aquifer, further increasing our water vulnerability. The fourth flaw is that cities will be forced to allow single-family districts (R1) to have 4 units wedged into existing single-family buildings with a small footprint increase. You can imagine the parking wars as R-1 districts, which are typically more remote from bus lines, try to deal with a four-fold increase in parking demand. The effective parking load of 4 units is somewhere between 6 to 8 cars. Even with 50’ wide lots only two cars can be parked in front of the house under the best of circumstances, so the other 4 to 6 cars will end up on the front yard or back yard or both. And don’t plan on a social life or a home business as guests, maids, clients and workers will not be able to park anywhere near your home. SB50 gleefully destroys R-1 districts and replaces them with the overcrowded slums of the future. The fifth flaw is that SB50 prevents the City from requiring more than half a parking space per unit for new buildings. In a City fully balkanized into parking districts, and with insufficient public transit, cars will not magically disappear just because the residents are crammed into smaller and smaller cages. In fact, the number of cars will exponentially increase because virtually all the new units will be top dollar units whose tenants need somewhere to drive and

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park their Mercedes and Teslas. The sixth SB50 flaw is its false claim that 17 to 25 % of the units will be affordable. That amount is only true for large projects above 200 units and if developers chose the LOW-income rent level for their affordable units. No developer will choose that rent level for their affordable units. instead, every developer will provide only their legally minimum required 6-11% units restricted to EXTREMELY LOW-income tenants. These units will only be available for 30 years instead of the typical affordability control of 55 years. That means that in 2049 we will have another affordability crisis when the rent restrictions are lifted for the buildings built if SB50 is implemented.

Finally the biggest flaw is the negative effect on overall housing affordability. As soon as you can double the height or density on any parcel, its owner’s land values will go up geometrically so only the wealthiest developers will be able to buy and speculate. Small developers and individual potential homeowners will be immediately priced out of the market. There will be an Ellising and demolition derby dislocating tenants and the remaining authentic local businesses. This will cascade as the forces of gentrification are totally unleashed further hollowing out Santa Monica’s endangered middle and lower economic classes. Santa Monica is already meeting the housing goals touted for SB50. In 2018 for

example, we approved over 500 units, of which 9% were affordable, and which met twice the regional population growth. Santa Monica does not need, want or benefit from SB50 which is a dangerous trojan horse tarted up with lipstick; tell your council people and state representatives to take a position against it. By Mario Fonda-Bonardi AIA for SMart For Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow Sam Tolkin, Architect; Dan Jansenson Building and Safety Commissioner, Architect; Mario Fonda-Bonardi, AIA, Planning Commissioner; Ron Goldman, FAIA; Thane Roberts,Architect; Bob. Taylor, AIA; Phil Brock, Arts Commissioner.

DBAs and LEGAL NOTICES FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NUMBER: 2019 086037 ORIGINAL FILING This statement was filed with the County Clerk of LOS ANGELES ON 04/01/2019 The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as 1. TOP RECRUITING PROS 4140 BEETHOVEN STREET LOS ANGELES, CA 90066. 2. 1924 RIDGE RD RALEIGH, NC 27607. The full name of registrant(s) is/are: TOP PR PROS LLC 4140 BEETHOVEN STREET LOS ANGELES, CA 90066. This business is conducted by a Limited Liability Company. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on Not Applicable. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime). Signed ALISON OLDS. This Statement was filed with the County Clerk of LOS ANGELES County on APRIL 01, 2019. NOTICE: IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920, WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE). SANTA MONICA MIRROR to publish 04/19/2019, 04/26/2019, 05/03/2019 and 05/10/2019. SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No. 19SMCP00164 Superior Court of California, county of Los Angeles 1725 Main Street | Santa Monica, CA 90401 Petition of: Kevin Toshiaki Kato for change of name. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME To all interested persons: Petitioner: Kevin Toshiaki Kato filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a Kevin Toshiaki Kato to Kevin Kato Jofili 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: 06/07/2019 | Time: 8:30AM | Dept: K Room: A-203 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: APR. 08, 2019 Judge Lawrence Cho Published: 04/26/2019, 05/03/2019, 05/10/2019, and 05/17/2019 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No. 19SMCP00174 Superior Court of California, county of Los Angeles 1725 Main Street | Santa Monica, CA 90401 Petition of: Emily Beth Van Halsema for change of name. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME To all interested persons: Petitioner: Emily Beth Van Halsema filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a Emily Beth Van Halsema to Amahl Beth Van Halsema 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: 06/21/2019 | Time: 8:30AM | Dept: K Room: A-203 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: APR. 16, 2019 Judge Lawrence Cho Published: 04/26/2019, 05/03/2019, 05/10/2019, and 05/17/2019 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No. 19SMCP00199 Superior Court of California, county of Los Angeles 1725 Main Street | Santa Monica, CA 90401 Petition of: Mehran Yaghoubnia for change of name. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME To all interested persons: Petitioner: Mehran Yaghoubnia filed a petition with

this court for a decree changing names as follows: a Mehran Yaghoubnia to Mehran Yaghoub Nia 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: 07/05/2019 | Time: 8:30AM | Dept: K Room: A-203 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: APR. 26, 2019 Judge Lawrence Cho Published: 05/03/2019, 05/10/2019, 05/17/2019, 5/24/2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NUMBER: 2019091251 ORIGINAL FILING This statement was filed with the County Clerk of LOS ANGELES ON 04/05/2019 The following person (persons) is (are) doing business as LA SPANISH SCHOOL 1525 EEUCLID STREET SANTA MONICA, CA 90404. The full name of registrant(s) is/are: DIANA ALBARRACIN 1557 BERKELEY STREET #B SANTA MONICA, CA 90404. This business is conducted by an Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 08/2012. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true information which he or she knows to be false is guilty of a crime). Signed DIANA ALBARRACIN. This Statement was filed with the County Clerk of LOS ANGELES County on APRIL 04, 2019. NOTICE: IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920, WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (SEE SECTION 14411 ET SEQ., BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE). SANTA MONICA MIRROR to publish 05/03/2019, 05/10/2019, 05/17/2019 and 05/24/2019.

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SANTA MONICA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES: Dr. Margaret Quiñones-Perez, Chair; Dr. Nancy Greenstein, Vice Chair; Dr. Susan Aminoff; Dr. Louise Jaffe; Rob Rader; Dr. Sion Roy; Barry A. Snell; Alexandria Boyd, Student Trustee; Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery, Superintendent/President

May 10 – 16, 2019

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SPORTS: Tennis, Swim

Crossroads Swimmers Achieve National Accolades By T ara S hima

Photo: Ted Catanzaro.

Oliver Catanzaro connects with a forehand versus Calabasas on May 3.

SAMO Tennis Falls in Second Round of Playoffs Vikings drop close match to Calabasas By C had W inthrop All good things must come to an end, including the Santa Monica High School Vikings boys tennis team’s 2019 season.

On May 3, the Vikings lost a close 11-7 match versus Calabasas High School in the 2nd round of the CIF Southern Section playoffs. Two days prior, the boys advanced in the playoffs after defeating Crescenta Valley High School in a 9-9 tie. The Vikings ended their season with a 7-6 record, including playoff games, as individual team members gear up for the individual playoffs.

Santa Monica’s Crossroads School competed in the Division 3 finals earlier this month where a number of local and not-solocal high schools competed to be named the best in the section. Crossroads came with 13 swimmers in tow and one diver. Freshman diver, Dash Glasberg, finished 12th in the region, earning himself a chance to compete in the regional championship where he vied for a spot in the state championship meet in Clovis next week. Sophomore sprinter Katrina Mortenson proved herself to be among the fastest high school student-athletes in the nation by earning an All-American Automatic qualifying time in the 100 free (50.16) and a strong All-American Consideration time in the 50 (23.30) missing autos by 7 one-hundredths of a second. Junior Georgia Young also earned national recognition with an All-American Consideration time in her 200 free (1:50.31). Both swimmers not only automatically qualified to compete in California’s state championship meet but they bolstered the 200 and 400 free relays, bringing home

Photo: Courtesy.

hardware along with teammates Indiana Guckert, Leah Golubchik and Nora Cazenave. Senior Mitch Mortenson finished the day with a solid State Championship consideration time in his 100 fly (50.65). He also helped boost the 200 and 400 free relays along with teammates Matthew Rhee, Andy Park and Cole Bardin. With a potential roster of four athletes in tow, the Roadrunners’ Swim and Dive Team is looking to make their presence known in one of the nation’s fastest state meets next week in Clovis where only the top 40 times in the entire state are invited to compete.

May 10 – 16 2019

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Heal the Bay’s SM Todd Gala Green Honorees Mitchell NEWS

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of Montana Avenue in order to investigate a report of a disturbance. The reporting party had stated that they had heard loud noises and the sound of ce objects being hurled around the residence. When officers the officers arrived at the location they knocked on of the apartment and the tenant answered. otted a the Bydoor S taff W riter nt code The officers learned from this tenant that his was inside the apartment and that his area of “friend” Environmental group Heal the Bay has “friend” had become intoxicated after consuming ers fol- announced its honorees for the Bring Back amounts of alcohol (that is typically what ce initi- copious the Beach Annual Awards Gala the eveThe tenant added that his on “friend” had ith the happens). ning of Thursday, May 23 at the Jonathan made quite a mess of the apartment and had his man Beach Club in Santa Monica, California. ition to refused to leave when requested. The officers Reflecting the eclectic nature of Southern y theft. entered the apartment and noticed that furniture California’s devoted lovers, had been strewn aroundocean the room andthe thatnonthe cle and profit will salute the eco-accomplishments tools, “friend” was indeed heavily intoxicated. The offiof Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila l under cers attempted to reason with this drunken man Kuehl “The Famous KROQ”. but to noand avail, and World as the officers continued to talk whom Now in its second decade, Heal the Bay’s with the man he suddenly punched one of the offiutilized Gala has grown into L.A.’s ultimate beach covered cers in the face with a closed fist. The officers party. tackled the man and after a brief mail had immediately The Gala willwas welcome 1,000 to struggle the man overpowered andguests arrested. he officelebrate on the sand, and under thecharged stars, 26-year-old Venice resident was later er, aged This in support thriving oceans healthy resistingof arrest and battery uponand a police offihe was with cer. Bail was set at $50,000. watersheds. The event consistently sells mphetay theft, out and brings together a lively group of A Glassless Window ation of artists, influencers, entertainment figures, On government Wednesday, February 1, atand 12:58 business a.m. offilocal officials cers of the Santa Monica Police Department were leaders. flagged by a citizen in the 2000 block Sheila of Pico Los down Angeles County Supervisor who that they heard glass Kuehl has a told longthem history of had collaboration m. offi- Boulevard spotted a man standing next as to with Healand thehad Bay, starting with her days nt were shattering the broken window of a parked car on the street. a California State Senator. 0 block “Under her fearless leadership in public office, she has made the L.A. region more environmentally healthy and sustainable. She protected the long-term health of the local coastline by co-authoring legislation that created the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission in 2002,” Heal the Bay said color, in a press release. s of any race, national and ethnic origin Last year, Kuehl championed rams, and activities generally accorded or Measure W, a ballot measure that will generate $330 e school. million annually to fund projects that capasis of race, turecolor, stormwater, treat runoff and replenish ministrationour of local its water supply. Measure W passed a 69% majority. policies, with scholarship “This crucial progress toward sustainand other able water would not have been possible without the leadership and vision of Supervisor Kuehl,” Heal the Bay said. KROQ has given a steady stream of support to Heal the Bay over nearly three decades. “As one of the region’s leading alterOne reliable source native rock music purveyor, KROQ has for all yourofinsurance needs. connected millions music listeners and The Ideal combination of waconcert-goers to the shoreline, to their coverage, service. tershed and to eachprice other.and Driven by an unrivaled dedication to the Los Angeles community and culture, KROQ has contributed $1,000,000 to Heal the Bay’s local science-based programs since 1992,” Heal the Bay said.

DISCRIMINATORY POLICY

At last year’s Gala, Bring Back the Beach partygoers celebrated Mayor Eric Garcetti, Gabriela Teissier, Zooey Deschanel and Jacob Pechenik. Attire is “beach chic.” Group tables and individual tickets are available at www.healthebay.org/bbb.

FEBRUARY 10 – 16, 2017

MIRROR ARCHIVES

The citizen added that this person had appeared to the apartment complex in which she resided. The have been picking items off the ground next to the victim had been able to supply a detailed descripvehicle before leaving the area. The citizen gave the tion of the suspect, which had also been conveyed to officers a detailed description of the suspect and the the officers, as they were en route to the location. officers went in search of this man. As the officers The officers arrived in the vicinity of the apartment were searching the area they spotted another vehi- complex and began to scour the area. The officers cle with a smashed window that was parked at the soon spotted the suspect lurking in the 1300 block side of the street. The officers then drove back to of Alley Number 10. The suspect was easy to recthe 2000 block of Pico Boulevard where they spot- ognize due to the fact that in addition to the ted a man who fit the description of the suspect. description given by the victim the suspect was ridsecondHeal one with his The officers detained this man and a few moments ing one bicycle whilst pushing a Photo: the Bay. Los Angeles Mayor Garcettithe at officers the 2018down Gala. free hand. The officers attempted to stop this suslater the citizen whoEric had flagged appeared and positively identified the suspect. pect but he tried to speed away and in doing so disShortly thereafter the owner of the first vandalized carded the second bicycle. The officers eventually vehicle appeared and stated that numerous items caught the man and he was arrested and taken off that had been recovered from the suspect had been to jail. A search of this 21-year-old Hemet, CaliforProfessional & Personalized Service Since 1936 Immediate Phone Quotes in the discovery of not only the stolen from his car. The owner of the vandalized nia resident resulted also a vehicle was desirous of a prosecution so the officers seemingly obligatory burglary tools but TM not just about It’s ofabout peace of This mind. methamphetamine. man was later arrested It’s this 19-year-old Santa Monicainsurance... resident and packet he was charged with vehicle burglary in addition to charged with possession of burglary tools, possession of methamphetamine, theft and resisting or possession of opiates. Bail was set at $20,000. delaying arrest. Bail was Needs set at $10,000. Let Us Be Your One-Stop Shop For All Your Insurance

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May 10 – 16 2019

Premies Day at UCLA Santa Monica By Staff Writer

More than 50 families with children born prematurely celebrated National Parents of Preemies day at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica. Parents shared their stories, and the kids enjoyed a bounce house, facepainting and a magic show. UCLA Health neonatologists who cared for many of the children at the event when they were tiny babies enjoyed reconnecting with the families. The event was sponsored by Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA and Graham’s Foundation.

Nearly 1 in 10 babies in the United States is born prematurely which is any time prior to 37 weeks’ gestation. Premature babies may have more health problems and stay in the hospital longer than babies who are born closer to their due date. They may also have long-term health problems that can affect their whole lives. Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA together with the Graham’s Foundation are hosting the event. While many of the families’ babies were born and cared for at UCLA, the event is open to any family with a preemie. Established in 2009, Graham’s Foundation offers resources, programs and support to parents of preemies.

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May 10 – 16 2019

“Crime and Punishment” at the Edgemar With Beverly Cohn, Editor-At-Large

Before I launch into a review of the staged version of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment,” a few words about this famous Russian novelist, short story writer, essayist, journalist, and philosopher who lived from 1821–1881. Considered one of the world’s greatest novelists, his seminal works include, “Crime and Punishment,” “The Idiot, Demons,” and “The Brothers Karamazov,” with his novella, “Notes from Underground,” considered to be one of the first works of existentialist literature. His works pierced deeply into the darkest recesses of the heart and soul of the human condition influencing 20th century fiction by such great writers as Franz Kafka, James Joyce, William Faulkner, Jean-Paul Sartre, Orhan Pamuk, and Ernest Hemingway. Adapted for the stage by Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus and directed by Peter Richards, the play is performed on a bare-bones stage with sound and video designer Mark Van Hare’s live video feed enlarging the onstage action. Sometimes doubling your pleasure is not the best call. That said, the story revolves around Raskolnikov, (Michael Trevino) a destitute former student struggling for his survival in St. Petersburg.

The action begins with crafty inspector Porfiry, (Brian Wallace) interrogating him about a double murder that has just been committed. The sequences are not linear and they move back and forth in time illustrating the story of Raskolnikov’s eventual rationale for killing the pawnbroker with whom he hocked whatever material goods he had left in the world, and accidentally whacked her sister as well who was simply guilty of being at the right place at the wrong time. It is here that we witness in part the existential moral psychology, which says ultimately that people of superior intelligence or power are above the law and are therefore granted the right to commit crimes, including deciding who should live or die. (Does this sound eerily current?) Rounding out the characters is Lola Kelly’s Sonia, the hooker with a heart who works the streets to support her family, including her drunken father also played by Wallace. But do not despair, as being a religious man, Dostoevsky made sure to allow his character to experience guilt and redemption. Raskolnikov eventually pays for his crime with a promise from Sonia that they will run away to Siberia after he completes his prison sentence. Now to Trevino’s performance: Being a television star, one could understand why he was attracted to this rich part and perhaps he decided to pull out all the stops and create a character that he never had the opportunity to portray. What he came up with was a

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Photos: Ed Krieger

Michael Trevino plays Raskolnikov in the stage version of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment on stage at the Edgemar Center for the Arts.

physical life akin to someone with Sydenham's Chorea known as St. Vitus Dance or as a person in the throes of an epileptic fit which manifests in frequent spastic movements of the face, neck, trunk, and extremities and is quite painful for the person experiencing such an attack, as well as those watching the suffering. This acting choice seemed quite arbitrary and used for “effect.” Pardon me for being so graphic, but this will give you a sense of Trevino’s physicalization - twitching and grimacing his way through the entire performance. One wonders why director Richards didn’t help the actor sculpt a more acceptable, believable physical life. I must also fault the director for having the actors play multiple roles. While Wallace was excellent as the inspector and the drunken father, differentiated by wearing a pair of glasses, holding an empty vodka bottle, and walking with a limp, Kelly, fairly successful as Sonia, was not believable in the other roles of the pawnbroker, the landlady, and Raskolnikov’s mother, which she characterized by wearing a shawl, glasses, and walking in a bent position, sometimes delivering what amounted to line readings. Costume designer Katherine O’Neill did a nice job clothing the actors in period costumes. But really, it looked like a high school produc-

L-R: Pawnbroker (Lola Kelly) gives Raskolnikov (Michael Trevino) a few rubles and kopeks for the last of his material possessions, his father’s watch.

tion and bordered on silliness. The Crime? The production. The Punishment? Sitting through 90-minutes without an intermission. Crime and Punishment Edgemar Center for the Arts 2437 Main Street Santa Monica, CA 90405 Fridays: 8:00 pm Saturdays: 8:00 pm Sunday: 4:00pm Closing: Sunday, March 26, 2019 Tickets $25 323.960.7822 or www.OnStage411.com/Crime

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May 10 – 16, 2019

SCHOLARSHIP,

Hesham Jarmakani addresses his fellow SMC students at a Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society meeting on April 23.

he had won the JKCF scholarship (he is a former leader of the SMC honor society). “After the first wave of speechlessness . . . I just feel blessed, honored, and I’m still at a loss for words,” said Jarmakani. “SMC helped develop my character to make me a more competitive person for the scholarship. The Associated Students government . . . provided me with a lot of leadership opportunities, and also provided me with that platform to be as vocal or as outspoken as I want to be on certain important issues that we do need to discuss.” Jarmakani has helped review public policies within the City of Santa Monica, and is the former president of the SMC Model United Nations Club and former Vice President of Leadership for the SMC Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society; he is also current Director of Public Relations for the Students in Justice Palestine Club. In addition to the monetary award, as a new Cooke Transfer Scholar, Jarmakani will receive comprehensive educational advising from the Foundation’s staff to guide him through the process of transitioning to a four-year school and preparing for his career. The JKCF will additionally provide opportunities for internships, study abroad, and graduate school funding, as well as connection to a thriving network of nearly 2,500 fellow Cooke Scholars and alumni.

mitted to enabling these transfer students to pursue their academic dreams at the nation’s top colleges and universities.”

from page 5

Mirror Media Group Publisher: T.J. Montemer tj@smmirror.com 310.310.2637 ext. 107

He had some words of wisdom for his fellow students. “Don’t focus on the end goal . . . just transferring and getting out,” said Jarmakani. “The path is a lot more important than the journey in my opinion. Focus on doing whatever you have today—do it for the sake of doing it, don’t do it for the sake of putting it on your resume or getting a GPA boost. Be true to yourself, be honest, and just work hard.” Nancy Grass, SMC’s Associate Dean of Student Life, was among two recommenders from the college for Jarmakani. “I was thrilled to learn that Hesham earned the JKC Scholarship! He has worked very hard as a student and a student leader,” said Grass. “He takes each of his roles very seriously, but always brightens a room with his smile and his encouragement. He is an exceptional young man that we can all be proud of.”

Mary FealkoFF 310.488.6502 fealkoff.com

Executive Editor: Sam Catanzaro editor@smmirror.com 310.310.2637 ext. 103 Production Manger: Amy Patton Editor-at-Large: Beverly Cohn Advertising VP of Sales: Judy Swartz judy@smmirror.com 310.310.2637, ext. 102

English professor Mario Padilla—who wrote the other letter of recommendation— remembered Hesham Jarmakani distinctly from his English 1 class. “He sat in the first row, was never late, was always the first student to raise his hand to participate in a discussion—and his critical thinking skills are off the charts,” said Padilla. “He is the paradigm of ‘scholar.’ And he’s a nice person—one of the nicest I’ve had the privilege to teach!” “Our recent ‘Persistence’ report highlights the vast potential, and achievements, of community college transfer students — who go on to outperform their non-transfer peers at selective four-year institutions” said Seppy Basili, executive director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. “In an era where many high-achieving students often begin their higher education journey in community college, the Foundation is com-

The Foundation evaluated the submissions based on academic ability, persistence, leadership, and service to others. The recipients selected represent 18 different states, have a median household adjusted gross income of $28,000 and an average GPA of 3.93. This year’s cohort of Cooke Transfer Scholars has applied to the nation’s most selective institutions. For more information, visit www.jkcf.org.

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Business Manager: Max Montemer Distribution: distribution@mirrormediagroupla.com Contributors: Tom Elias • Keldine Hull Morgan Genser • Barbara Bishop

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Mirror invites letters from readers on any subject. All letters must include the phone number and address of the writer. Letters are subject to editing from the Editor for reasons including length or questionable content. Views expressed in Letters to the Editor are not necessarily the views of The Santa Monica Mirror. Mail : 2116 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 260 Santa Monica, CA 90403 E-mail: editor@smmirror.com

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May 10 – 16 2019

OPINION

Bet On It: Californians Won’t Willingly Give Up Cars TOM ELIAS Mirror Columnist

Since the early 1970s time of ex-Gov. Jerry Brown’s first term in office, California officials from the top down have tried to coax Californians out of their cars. It began with Brown’s installing as his highway czarina the highly touted “transportation genius” Adriana Gianturco, a Harvard Graduate School product whose first step was to turn two existing lanes of the world’s busiest roadway – the I-10 Santa Monica Freeway in Los Angeles – over to carpools only. This won her the determined enmity of most local motorists, who soon hounded Gianturco

from office and away from California, while the lanes went back to general use and the “Giant Turkey” became a cautionary tale for bureaucrats who followed. This 44-year-old lesson appears all but forgotten today, as state and local governments obsess over the notion that mass transit and dense development can somehow lessen traffic gridlock. That’s one rationale behind all the bicycle lanes appearing in cities large and small today, often at the expense of traffic lanes and parking spaces. It’s also the reasoning that drives efforts to force dense housing near light rail stations and heavily used bus routes, on the presumption that new occupants will not add to traffic, using mass transit instead. The problem: Among California cities, only San Francisco has anything like the comprehensive public transportation system needed to accomplish this. As a result, gridlock is now worse

than ever in most cities, including San Francisco, where one recent study showed ride-sharing vehicles from outfits like Uber and Lyft make up 30 percent of all traffic. Which means some residents have indeed been driven from their cars – right into other cars. There is no reduction in smog from this; in fact, narrowed streets produce more greenhouse gases than before as cars idle far longer at stoplights because of slower traffic flow caused by transformed traffic lanes. The current profusion of sport utility vehicles doesn’t help, either, as they take up significantly more space than sedans and slow things even more. Even the presence of new rail lines doesn’t guarantee more mass transit riders. Last year, the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Southern California (MTA) found opening the new Expo Line from downtown Los Angeles to the beach increased train ridership – but bus occupancy on parallel routes was down by similar amounts. A net of virtually no cars were taken off the road by this huge investment, leaving the I-10 as congested as ever. But the anti-automobile campaign persists. In San Diego, city officials voted to eliminate parking requirements in new construction, even large apartment and condominium projects. Their theory is that residents will use buses, ride-sharing and bicycles if they don’t have their own parking spaces. This ignores the reality that in cities with parking shortages, a lucrative rental market already exists for what spaces there are. Meanwhile, state government, spurred by the same unproven theories, pushes cities to dedicate

more and more land for new housing, even where developers have expressed little or no interest in starting new projects. Local governments which know the preferences and needs of their residents best are taken to task for failing to report progress toward the state’s housing goals. One recent state report singled out 31 Southern California cities for failing to file such reports. The same study showed that 100 out of 539 cities statewide filed no such reports over the last five years. At the same time, MTA directors ordered their staff to write a regional analysis of so-called “congestion pricing.” That’s a concept used in a few cities worldwide – London among them – which sees drivers charged either a per-mile use tax or an entry fee for heading into the most congested areas. The study will also try to determine what might happen if for-hire ride-share vehicles had to pay fees for using city streets. The politicians pushing all these measures ought to heed some of California’s political history and see for themselves what happened to Gianturco, who pioneered in their mode of thinking. Along with her boss, then-Gov. Brown, she learned painfully that letting unproven theories or ones known to be false determine public policies and actions can prove personally and politically disastrous. Email Thomas Elias at tdelias@aol.com. His book, "The Burzynski Breakthrough, The Most Promising Cancer Treatment and the Government’s Campaign to Squelch It" is now available in a soft cover fourth edition. For more Elias columns, visit www.californiafocus.net

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Ready to Succeed By Melanie Williams-Galuten

Homeless, living in a car, taking care of two siblings, a young woman beats the odds and gets accepted at USC. A poor foster kid gets into Harvard and pulls himself out of poverty. A transgender youth overcomes overwhelming adversity in ‘the system’ to pursue big dreams of a career in law and public service and lands a gig at a big tech company. True stories. Not movie pitches. “If you are homeless in High School but get into USC…that’s an incredible story” says co-founder of Ready to Succeed, Pat McCabe. He and long time Palisades resident Romi Lassally co-founded the unique and extremely successful career and personal development program Ready to Succeed for foster youth only three years ago. They began with 5 kids and now they have 75 program participants attending or graduated from 12 colleges, including USC, Harvard, UCLA, Bryn Mawr, Wellesley and Columbia. Cue standing ovation. But wait. The story’s not over yet. What happens next? Did you know that only three percent of foster youth are likely to graduate college successfully into fulfilling careers? 50 percent will be unemployed or underemployed. 29 percent will be unable to pay rent. 42 percent will be convicted of a crime. Ready to Succeed founders Romi and Pat are on a mission to change those odds with the motto: “Opportunity Changes Everything.”

Photo: Courtesy HBO.

Cal Poly Pomona graduate and now assistant at HBO!

Romi, an entertainment industry veteran and serial entrepreneur notes, “They have no soft landing. These students age out of the system at 18 and are forced into the ‘adult world’. My daughter came home after college for over six months… growing up is gradual.” After aging out of the system foster youth can face devastating circumstances and without support could end up in a life of poverty. Romi Lassally and Pat McCabe are a formidable team. Throughout her successful career Romi was always deeply involved in mentorship programs and has made connecting underserved youth her life commitment. Pat, a Santa Monica resident, brings with him a wealth of experience in business and education as a one time big sports agent; former executive director of Covenant House and a founder of New Roads Elementary School. At New Roads he was involved with helping foster kids get into college, but he always wondered what the next step was for those students after they got into college. Pat felt concerned about what happened to them once they got there and how they were able to survive…with no money and no family, noting, “This is a rough ride for these kids…and the contrast with our kids is quite apparent.” He adds, “Graduation day is the greatest day of these kids lives, but it is also the worst day.” Why? Because it is the same day they lose their housing, their food, their mental health counseling and their social circle. The little support they might have had gets yanked out from underneath them. It is like stepping off of a cliff but Ready to Succeed (RTS) is there to catch them. RTS beautifully fills a niche that has been overlooked by other programs assisting underrepresented kids. Pat is matter of fact, “There is a tremendous amount of focus on college readiness…getting them into schools but there is not a lot of college ‘stayedness’ …to solve all the everyday problems that come with being in college and not having traditional family support.” Both Pat and Romi are devoted parents to kids who have been through college and they are very compassionate about affording some of the same support and opportunities to the RTS students as

Ready to Succeed founders: Pat McCabe and Romi Lassally.

they were able to provide to their own kids. Pat explains, “there are the simple logistics of that first week of school…no one is taking them to Bed, Bath and Beyond like I did for my kids.” He goes further, “my kids had us visiting on parents weekend. No one comes and takes these foster kids out for lunch.” Romi adds, “our own kids have access and opportunity.” But she observes that for the foster kids, “there is absolutely nothing preparing them for the 21st Century workforce.” Pat continues, “That is why we are a 6-year program and we are not just dropping them at graduation.” RTS has blossomed into an incredible career and development program that guides and empowers LA foster youth from Freshman year in High School to College and beyond, providing the resources, professional training development

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and mentorships. Astoundingly, every single one of their 75 kids has a mentor, a professional adult who can act as a model and help them along. All of this leads to social capital and professional networks affording the RTS kids to land top internships and jobs. Romi says, “One of our students pointed out that what we offer is the ‘hidden curriculum’ that’s absolutely essential for success. We are just trying to help them rise to their own potential.” And RTS has a star-studded roster of people lending a hand as mentors and supporters. Instead of their students going back to being homeless and or take a low paying job, RTS has set kids up for success at HBO, Snapchat and Google to name a few. Pat is filled with pride at the kids’ accomplishments, “We always talk about our Ready to Succeed kids as superheroes in plain clothes.” For more information, visit www.readytosucceedla.org

May 10 – 16 2019

WWW.SMMIRROR.COM

Rated PG-13 181 Minutes Released April 26

FILM REVIEW:

“Avengers” Jumps Off the Page BEHIND THE SCREEN By Kathryn Whitney Boole "Avengers: Endgame", to my surprise, lived up to the hype swirling around it, and not for the reasons I would have thought, such as marathon battle scenes, breathtaking action shots, ingenious

special effects – although there were those elements. No, the most striking artistry in this movie, that sets it apart from most comic book cinema, is its epic character development. Watching the film is like reading a great classic. The scenes are not distilled or edited into quick bursts to move the story forward. The camera stays on the players’ faces to see their reactions to each other and to the developing ramifications. This is done so well,

there is not a sense of time slowing down – rather a feeling of empathy with the characters that we know as superheroes, who then enter the realm of our friends, that of “real” people. The Russo brothers, Anthony and Joe, seem to be the perfect fit to helm the Marvel stories and have now directed four together. They did not have a long resume prior to their first directing gig with Marvel. Their only box office success was You, Me and Dupree in 2006 (an outstanding film.) They did bring to the table a boyhood love of comic books. The brothers were selected to helm Captain America: The Winter Soldier in 2014, and “the rest is history.” The film’s story speculates on the nature of time, how the past feeds the future and how our gift of life is one to be passed on through generations. It touches on the impact of memories, the weight of our existence, on grief and the will to carry on to make the world a better place. The superheroes show their human side, their flaws, especially Chris Hemsworth’s Thor. The Russo’s trusted great actors such as Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Paul Rudd to bring their own essence to each role. This movie has a “cast of thousands” – of A List actors, more than I’ve ever witnessed together in one movie, all bringing to life heroes we already know. The transi-

tions hinted at in final moments point towards a shifting of superhero incarnations to reflect a more modern cross-section of society. Naturally, there is creator Stan Lee in an unassuming role, laughing with glee, as always. Lee was born to immigrant Romanian Jewish parents in 1922. He co-created a library of colorful superheroes for Marvel Comics and led the expansion of that small publishing house division into a multimedia corporation. Lee passed away last November at 95, yet you will continue to see his cameos as he had completed many for inclusion in future films. When we used to read comic books decades ago, before the advent of constant TV streaming and video games, we would use our imagination to endow eccentric characters sketched on paper with vivid, complex and layered personalities and backstories. With that in mind, "Avengers: Endgame" brings us full circle to the original experience of reading a comic. The inhabitants of this movie “jump off the page” and become your intimate friends. 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

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NY TIMES CROSSWORD PUZZLE

RHYMES, SCHMYMES

BY WILL NEDIGER / EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ

ACROSS

1 Picnic annoyance 8 Cold quarters 13 Racetrack informant 20 Like okapis and giraffes 21 Sit pensively 22 Cry from a survivor 23 Conversation over a few whiskeys? 25 Wear 26 Pose 27 Mario Vargas Llosa’s country 28 Strummed instrument, for short 29 Where butter and cheese are produced 30 ____ buddies 31 Moreover 32 Org. for drivers 33 Return to base 36 2015 Verizon purchase 38 Filth covering pecans and such? 45 Borodin opera prince 46 Fasten, in a way, with “in” 48 Asian holiday 49 Tush 50 Venison spread? 53 Relics, to Brits 55 “You betcha!” 56 Very beginning? 58 Give a leg up … or a hand 59 Lose one’s coat 60 Casting need 61 Notwithstanding 63 Brings on 64 Sprayed in the face 67 Hardly a dolt? 68 Powerful scents 69 Made up 70 Virus fighters 71 Director Wenders 72 Unnamed character in Camus’s “The Stranger” 73 Ground cover? 74 Connections 75 Buds come in them 80 Office’s counterpart 83 Avoid a jerk? 85 Mozart’s Don Alfonso and Leporello 86 Shout with an accent 88 Gathered intelligence (on)

89 It has lots on the internet 90 Break up with an “unbreakable” Ellie Kemper character? 93 “Black-ish” network 94 Part of a kit 95 It may be found next to a spade 96 Sashimi option 98 Ready for battle 100 DNA building block 105 Restroom sign 106 “What’s Going On” singer, 1971 107 Tampa Bay N.F.L.’er 110 Beats in the race 111 Puts a stop to sentimentality? 114 Term for a word that isn’t the dictionary but maybe should be 115 Subject of una serenata 116 Subject of the 2006 documentary “When the Levees Broke” 117 Promenades 118 Rehab program 119 Plug DOWN

1 Cake with rum 2 Hovering craft 3 Understand 4 Industry, for short 5 Treat on a stick 6 Stuns, in a way 7 Intruded (on) 8 Watson’s company 9 Cavity filler 10 Be a witness 11 Exude 12 Loving verse? 13 Some pageant wear 14 Brought charges against 15 Daddy 16 Criticize severely 17 Part of a makeshift swing 18 ____ after 19 Depend 24 “Just pretend I’m right” 29 Singer of high notes 30 Scottish accents 33 Dusted off, say

56 60 65

74 82 87

91 96

104

93 97

A G E E

B A R B Q

M O R E A U

B O S S

A U N T

107

108

109

94 98

106 112

115

116

117

118

119

62 Uses Gchat, e.g. 63 Scornful sound 64 H. G. Wells villain 65 Four-time Australian Open winner 66 Picasso, e.g. 67 Recent arrival 68 Personalized music gift 69 Backyard shindig, informally 70 Perfect score, or half of a score 71 Smart remarks 73 Zooey of Fox’s “New Girl” 75 Long, narrow pieces of luggage 76 Modify 77 Where Hemingway wrote “The Old Man and the Sea” 78 Old Chrysler 79 ____ terrier 81 Parties 82 Pastor role in “There Will Be Blood”

Answers

T I D Y

114

T I A C R A A T S S E T A R T A I I T E M O S W S I C K S P I E A B C A R G A S S C E K X S

105

O D E

111

I G L O B R O O H M O O Z U U K E M T O O O L N U R E W T M E A R E V E E D E S P N O S C H E C H I E W I N S C E D U O L E S M I D T E A H I R M E N H A L T A M O R D E T O

110

G B I T E R I C A N O Z E S C K P E R B O S O G U P A O R S C E R S C H S S I R E R O D A C E D G U S T A B D E S I D E N S S O S I T S C H H O S E P A I T R U N S I G L E T R O L L S

95 103

75 83

102

101

49 53

This Week’s Sudoku Puzzle U F O S

13 22

34 James who won a posthumous Pulitzer 35 Says, informally 37 “When the Levees Broke” director 39 High ____ 40 Publisher in a robe, familiarly 41 Algonquian Indians 42 Open, as a bottle 43 Prince and others 44 Some drink garnishes 46 Fish whose name sounds like the past tense of 46-Across? 47 Greets silently 51 Begets 52 Take back 54 3-3, e.g. 57 Site of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World 61 Professional fixer, for short

B A B A

100

I M P E A C H E D M I X C D M Y H A T

P A P A

S L A M

T I R E

E V E R

R E L Y

H M U T E I N I F A C T M O L H I R E U S K S M P A C K H M U C E B A S N A R E D E B U M A L T T R I N O P P E

Z E S T S S K Y E C Z A R

113

84 Keeper of the books, for short 87 Japanese appetizer 91 Lifts 92 Everything 94 Appear that way 97 101 course 99 “… I’ll eat ____!” 100 Order (around) 101 May or Bee 102 Prevent from clumping, say 103 In conclusion 104 Sway 107 Random data point 108 ____ Reader 109 Powerful politico 111 & 112 Coupled 113 “Collage With Squares Arranged According to the Laws of Chance” artist

STAR GAZING

By Samuel Prince

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Aries today will experience attacks of jealousy. Paradoxically, it will not involve your marriage partner, but one of your new colleagues at work. You will be offended to see how this young man (or young lady) actively flirts with someone. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Taurus today will not have to find a suitable excuse to spend the evening outside the walls of their cozy home. Your household will leave, wherever, and each of you will spend Friday on your own personal plan. GEMINI (May 21-June 21) To Geminis, this day will deliver the most pleasant and joyful emotions. At work, you will be recognized for a recent project, and you will receive a pretty decent amount in hand. You decide to spend it on a present for your beloved one. CANCER (June 22-July 22) Cancers are recommended to spend this day away from the noisy city. After work, go to the gym, to your personal garden, or to visit relatives living in the countryside. The fresh air will refill the reserves of your strength, and indiscriminate labor in the earth will call you to prolonged philosophizing. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) This Friday will give Leos an inexpressible positive mood. In the evening, you will meet with a school friend (one of your college friends). The exchange of news will take place in a bar or cafe, and your lively couple attracts a lot of attention. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) A fateful meeting will take place today. They are waiting for you in a public place, where you will find yourself in the evening after work. You are unlikely to confuse this signal with anything, since it will have quite specific forms. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Libras today will not be left out of the planning of a family weekend. Relatives will not budge without you, saying right now you must go to the country together to spend the whole weekend there. “And what about my leisure time?” You try to object, but nobody will hear your objections. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21) Scorpios today are not recommended to give out smiles and compliments to everyone they meet. All your stock of femininity or chivalry should be intended only for them - the very person you dream of calling your husband or wife. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Sagittarians will tend to doubt themselves and their professionalism. These fears will prove to be unfounded, unless you do not competently execute your current project. It requires careful analysis and elaboration, which means you cannot spend precious time on doubts about your own abilities and other unnecessary things. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Capricorns today are threatened by a most unpleasant migraine. Talk about pain! Even after taking appropriate medications it is not eliminated. you can only get rid of this pain after you consult with a familiar medical specialist. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Aquarius find out the cause of their recent problems at work. This reason will have a specific name. Having found out that the person whom you sincerely trusted is guilty for your troubles, you will experience shock and great frustration. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) The mood of Pisces today will fluctuate from extreme to extreme. In the morning you will smile from the bottom of your heart, but then you will suddenly not be able to laugh or smile. You cannot explain why this dramatic emotional jump occurred.

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