FR EE
MONDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2004
Volume 4, Issue 38
Santa Monica Daily Press A newspaper with issues
City Hall keeps the light on Fridays
DAILY LOTTERY SUPER LOTTO 6 10 26 30 34 Meganumber: 26 Jackpot: $37 Million
It will stay open on ‘closed Fridays’ to better serve Santa Monica merchants, builders and residents
FANTASY 5 6 11 14 18 22
DAILY 3 Daytime: Evening:
350 542
DAILY DERBY 1st: 2nd: 3rd:
11 Money Bags 04 Big Ben 12 Lucky Charms
RACE TIME:
1:45.78
BY JOHN WOOD Daily Press Staff Writer
CITY HALL — Starting next year, Santa Monica City Hall will be open when the rest of the working world is. Part of City Hall, anyway.
NEWS OF THE WEIRD BY CHUCK SHEPARD
Controversial former chess champion Bobby Fischer, who fled to Japan to avoid U.S. visa-violation charges, and who is smarting from a recent Time magazine description of him as something less than a babe magnet, defended his virility to a Mainichi Daily News reporter in October by pointing out that he wears “size 14 wide shoes. Just keep that in mind when (they) say I’m not a dreamboat.” After recounting an episode at a hot spring nude bath in Japan in which two fellow customers seemed in awe of his “size,” Fischer then accused Americans of having persuaded Japanese authorities to lock him up in a facility close to a nuclear plant so that the U.S. government can “make me impotent.”
Responding to complaints from residents and merchants, and heeding the advice of a private consultant, city officials announced last week they will keep the beleaguered planning department open even when the rest of City Hall is closed. That means diverging from City Hall’s “9/80” schedule, when workers take every other Friday off, but work longer hours during the other nine working days. The schedule is touted as an environmental consideration because it
QUOTE OF THE DAY
and cleaning up the air, City Hall’s closure every other Friday has resulted in some inconvenience to those whose service needs don’t match our schedule,” Assistant City Manager Gordon Anderson said in a prepared statement. “This pilot program will help us serve them better and still maintain our commitment to clean air.” The suggestion to keep City Hall open five days every week was put forward in a 262-page report delivered this past summer See CITY HALL, page 5
Police capture armed robber after foot chase
The hot seat
By Daily Press staff
TODAY IN HISTORY In 1900, militant prohibitionist Carry A. Nation carried out her first public smashing of a bar, at the Carey Hotel in Wichita, Kan. In 1904, 100 years ago, James Barrie’s play “Peter Pan: The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up” opened at the Duke of York’s Theater in London. In 1927, the musical play “Show Boat,” with music by Jerome Kern and libretto by Oscar Hammerstein II, opened at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York.
reduces the amount of car trips made to and from City Hall. Under the new plan, a limited number of staff will provide building permit, plan check, public works and business license services. The city also will accept payment for parking tickets, and will issue permits for parking and filming. In separate offices on Fifth Street, City Hall will take payment for water bills. “While our 9/80 work schedule has been very beneficial in terms of reducing vehicles on the road
John Wood/Daily Press The first person to accurately describe where this photo was taken will win a prize. E-mail answers to sack@smdp.com.
While officers were
Police were busy last week looking for armed robbers who in two separate incidents held up a store on Montana Avenue and robbed a local resident of cash, Christmas presents and his car. Santa Monica police arrested Donald Harris, 46, on Dec. 23 after he allegedly robbed Jenny Bec’s boutique at 927 Montana Ave. shortly before 6:30 p.m. When officers arrived to the scene, they were met by a victim who said Harris was last seen on foot westbound on Montana Avenue. A preliminary investigation revealed that Harris allegedly entered the store, displayed a handgun and demanded money. Officers were told that Harris was seen boarding a bus at Lincoln Boulevard and Montana Avenue. Another officer began
struggling with Harris, he attempted to pull a handgun from his waistband ... Harris was recently paroled on Nov. 5. following the bus. At Fourth Street and Wilshire Boulevard, he pulled it over. Once the bus was stopped, Harris exited the bus and ran while being pursued by See ROBBERIES, page 5
“I’m not young enough to know everything.”
– SIR JAMES MATTHEW BARRIE
COMMUNITYPROFILES | COMMUNITY PROFILES IS A WEEKLY SERIES THAT APPEARS EACH MONDAY AND DELVES INTO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY IN SANTA MONICA.
SCOTTISH DRAMATIST-AUTHOR (1860-1937)
In her own birthright: Jew ready to make trek
INDEX Horoscopes Hook up with a friend, Taurus
2
Surf Report Water Temperature: 58°
Special to the Daily Press
3
Opinion Life on the horizon
4
State Cassini takes orbit
7
National Bush ready for next battle
8
International Suicide attack caught on tape
11
Comics Laugh it up
12
Classifieds Need a job?
BY PAM WIGHT
13-15
Jacquie Banks
Santa Monica resident Laney Kapgan finally gets to go to Israel and just before age disqualifies her from getting that trip for free. Founded and financed by several Jewish philanthropists, Taglitbirthright Israel is an organization that provides free 10-day trips to Israel for Jewish youth between the ages of 18 and 26 in order to acquaint young Jews with their heritage. Kapgan turns 26 in May.
Kapgan, a domestic violence educator, had tried for 10 years to go to Israel, beginning with the traditional 10th grade confirmation trip that many American Jewish youth take. But her 10th grade trip coincided with the Gulf War and had to be canceled due to security concerns. Since that time, financial obstacles and college prevented her from realizing her dream of experiencing Israel. “Growing up Jewish, your parents are always sending you to all
of these Jewish cultural activities all the time,” Kapgan said. “To this or that class through your temple, Sunday school and so on — and maybe you’re not always fond of it, but the culmination is this great trip to Israel you take in 10th grade. And mine got cancelled. So this is my last chance to go for free through this program.” Kapgan was born in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1979 — the city then known as Leningrad. One year later, her parents See PROFILES, page 6
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