The Canyon Chronicle -September 2, 2022 (Volume 3, No. 17) - www.thecanyonchronicle.com by The Canyon Chronicle

TOPANGA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE SINCE 1976 September 2, 2022 • Vol. 3, No. 17 PRESORTEDSTD USPOSTAGE PAI GARDENADCA PERMITNO.40 ECRWSSEDDM POSTALCUSTOMER

2 September 2 • Vol. 3 No. 17

A Storied Topanga Family is passing on stewardship of their retreat property! 38 pristine acres with free water from the mountain, a wide-open meadow filled with rich, alluvial soil for growing organic gardens, a mature 50-tree organic fruit orchard, a Douglas fir forest, a river with salmon and other wildlife, and the nearest large city 90 minutes away. This is a rare find in Humboldt County, hidden away on the banks of the wild Klamath River. Your blissful retreat includes a main house, cabins, log cabin, camp sites, yurts, a barn, and a bathhouse. Dreams do come true! Created as a sustainable retreat center, you traverse a mountain road through a redwood forest and over a mountain, down into the Klamath River valley. Sustainable living is your way of life here, with a fully off the grid life supported by a spring fed water system, solar power, propane, and wood stoves. There is room for a crowd, or space for solitude. The charming Main House with 2 bedrooms, and a huge screened dining hall greets you. The Barn has two-bedrooms with a balcony, above, and the ground floor is a workshop with tool storage. The nearby Blue and Pumpkin Cottages, with lofts, wood stoves, and kitchenettes, have a double Bath House tucked between them. Wander down to the five-acre Meadow to pick your breakfast from an organic, fifty-tree orchard bursting with apples, peaches, pears, cherries, plums, persimmons, apricots, and grapes. Your land extends across the river. Swim, fish, kayak, or just laze on the wide pebble beach, as the river sparkles in the sun. The winterized log cabin Lodge, with high ceilings, and wraparound wide covered porches sits in a garden overlooking the river, with a large workshop behind it. The soulful hideaway two-story, 30-foot Riverview Yurt perches above the river on a 50 x 50-foot deck, where the river lulls you to sleep at night. The shower and bathhouse on the deck offer a picture window view of the river. Down the spiral staircase there’s a large full kitchen with room for dining and living. You also have the option of continuing a thriving seasonal business, hosting Hip Camp and Air B&B visitors who come to see the redwoods, pick wild blackberries and swim in the river, earning over 6 figures annually. They can stay in one of your buildings, or camp in one of your five campsites. Maple and Grotto River camps overlook the river, while Morning Meadow, Deer Meadow and Orchard Meadow camps are close to the meadow, where black tail deer graze in the evenings. Each site has a picnic table and a fire pit. There’s also a Camp Shower and two Outhouses. A Boat and Tractor Shed, a large Wood Shed and a small Red Casita for storage, round out the amenities. The wild beauty will enchant. The water flows freely out of the mountain. The wild and beautiful Northern California coast is calling you! Partial Seller Financing available!

Adrian Wright DREadrian.wright@compass.com818.939.641500935559

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Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01991628. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description. #1 Topanga agents status based on total closed transaction sides. All measurements and square footage are approximate.

@thewrightwayteam

Get back to the land!

On what has become a celebration of Indigenous People’s Day as well as Labor Day, it seems appropriate timing to honor the passing of Henry Smith, Jr., who with his wife, Mimi, contributed so much to the Topanga community.

Of Life and Labor

Advertising inquiries: ads@thecanyonchronicle.comP.O.Box1101Topanga,CA90290(310)460-9786

Copy Editor / Distribution Ellie Carroll Copy Editor Jamie Clark-Mazur

Linda Ballou Joel KathiePabloBellmanCapraGibboneyPaulaLaBrotKaitLeonardAmyWeisbergKimZanti

Our cover and center pages honor the passing of Henry Smith, Jr., Beloved Elder of the Lac Court Oreilles Band of Ojibwe, born into the Bear Clan at dawn on June 10, 1932, and named “Waameaning “Bright Sky Man.” For those of us who knew Henry, he was indeed that and more, and as his stepdaughter, Wendy Skolfield, writes, “His gentle manner and delightful sense of humor made every room glow.” It is incidental, but seems appropriate that we celebrate Henry’s life during the Labor Day holiday when we also celebrate Indigenous People’s Day. (Pages 8-9)

say-gii-zhig,”

FLAVIA POTENZA With yellow jackets looking to freeload at our outdoor tea table, a friend of a friend passed on this tip to uninvite them. Put a scoop of coffee grounds (not brewed) in a heat-safe container and light it. The wasps caught a whiff of the smoke from the smouldering grounds and skedaddled forthwith. I wonder if sage works the same magic.

It’s always heartwarming to acknowledge someone who has served as generously as Norm Goodkin has for 43 years. Anyone in the area who has studied and tested to receive their HAM radio operator’s license, probably did so under Norm’s tutelage. Lost Hill’s Sheriffs Station Captain Jennifer Seetoo acknowledged him with the Volunteer in Policing of the Year award for his dedicated service since 1979. (Page 4). The 2022-2023 school year has begun and Topanga Elementary gives us a peek into what looks like a busy activity-filled year. (Page 5) Travel writer Linda Ballou pursues her adventures following the trail of Isabella Bird as the expert consultant for the BBC TV series reconstructing Bird’s journey scheduled to air this fall. (Page 6) Getting a jump start on the mid-term election coming up on November 8 is an introduction to the two candidates, one of whom will be replacing Supervisor Sheila Kuehl in our redistricted Board of Supervisor’s Third District. This is the year to put voting at the top of our To-Do list. It’s not only our civic duty but a hard-won privilege. (Page 7) Dog Days was extended to Part III to add an “In Memoriam” section for those dear companions we’ve lost, yet including a few still with us on the planet, who want to share their stories. (Page 10) Where were you in ’62? Joel Bellman delves into “the soundtrack for our lives.” (Page 12) “Farm to Table, Past & Present.” Look to some ancient grains to feed your flock and save the planet in theFinally,process.Veteran Fred Samia has an opinion on “The Double Standard of War.” (Page 14) Labor Day Weekend celebrates the dignity of work and heralds the end of summer, although not the heat. It’s a good time to relax and reflect on the year so far and make plans to reap the rewards of our labor. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity. I have come to believe that caring for myself is not self-indulgent.”

General inquiries: info@thecanyonchronicle.com

Flavia Potenza

3September 2 • Vol. 3 No. 17 Thinking Out Loud Publisher / Editor Flavia Potenza Creative Director Nira Lichten Senior Reporter Annemarie Donkin Advertising Manager Jenise Blanc-Chance Creative Consultant Eiffel Nazaryan Contributors

The Los Angeles County Disaster Communications Service (DCS-22) is a volunteer organization administered by the Sheriffs Department for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors operating as the Emergency Operations Board (EOB). Goodkin and his DCS team are also specialists in Volunteer Disaster Communications serving the Cities of Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Malibu, Westlake Village and Western Los Angeles County from Chatsworth to the Pacific Ocean. The current DCS-22 organization consists of more than 75 amateur radio operators, operating their personally owned radios and donating their time and equipment at no cost to the taxpayers. Working with Goodkin on the DCS Leadership team are District Communications Officer Tom Cagan (KB6NQW); Asst. District Communications Officer Howard Glober (KG6OFS); District Operations Officer Steve Lovejoy (KD6HC); District Records Officer Mark Winn (KK6 LYI); Station Liaison Reserve Team Leader Tom Fakehany (N6FDR); Asst. Station Liaison, Reserve Deputy Clark Bell; Asst. Station Liaison, Reserve Deputy Amin Ballout; LASD DCS Supervisor Sgt. Ray Armstrong and LASD DCS Asst. Supervisor Deputy Landin Sanchez.

By Annemarie Donkin (KK6 AJX)

4 September 2 • Vol. 3 No. 17 News Providing

A miracle has happened today!! The State Park brought in a crew to clear the 92 Trail from Entrada Road to Trippet Ranch. They are doing a really good job through a lot of thick brush. I believe most of the crew are volunteers, with the State Park Rangers there as well, to supervise. Ranger Jason Finley thanked me for my persistence in bringing this to the attention of the State Park. I am told they are going to do the Musch Trail next, from Trippet Ranch to the Campground. Hallelujah!! Not sure if that is today or going to be on a separate day. I am not sure if they have done any work on lower Entrada, above Dead Horse Trail, where the dead brush has been covering part of Entrada Road. I was told yesterday by State Parks that Caltrans is responsible for the roadside and they will only cut 10 feet from the center of the road. That is RIDICULOUS!! That area used to be cleared every year since we’ve lived here. Ten feet from the center of the road, is maybe two feet of brush?? As things progress, I’ll provide what information I can. —David Blattel david@davidblattel.com | 310-455-7113 office State Parks finally brought in a crew to clear brush in Topanga State Park thanks to David Blattel’s persistence.

BLATTELDAVIDBYPHOTO

From left: Lost Hills Sheriffs Station Captain Jennifer Seetoo, Tom Fakehany, Search and Rescue Member of the Year; Norm Goodkin, Volunteer in Policing of the Year; Daniel Farrell, Search and Rescue Member of the Year; and L.A. Sheriffs Department DCS Supervisor Sgt. Ray Armstrong.

As an active amateur radio operator since 1957, Norm Goodkin, MS, MBA, PMP, is the cheerful, friendly and most generous teacher, expert amateur radio instructor and examiner who has volunteered for the L.A. County Sheriffs Department sinceWith1979.abackground in Information Technology (IT), Norm is also currently working with the Las Virgenes Coalition of Governments to organize their participation in InterOp22.Yet,itwas his decades of work for the L.A. Sheriffs Department for which he was awarded Volunteer in Policing of the Year by the California Reserve Peace Officers Association. (The California Reserve Peace Officers Association was founded in 1974 for the purpose of raising the professional, educational and employment standards of reserve peace officers). “Norm received one of our top awards as volunteer,” said Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriffs Captain Jennifer Seetoo. “His dedication to the community is truly remarkable … his volunteer services were invaluable and we are indebted to him as we continue our partnership with the entire DCS team, they are part of the solution. We are trying to get funding or a donor to buy them a new DCS truck. They are the experts when the communications go down. It’s a well-deserved honor, Norm is an amazing resource.”

Local Accolades: “It was about 12 years since I got my first license with both Norm and Naomi,” said David Goldenberg of Woodland Hills. “He helps license about 150 a year. It’s a huge impact. He’s really good at engagement—he gives you a license to learn and how to use a “Norm’sradio.”my hero,” said Logan Brashear of Malibu. “He’s been the most helpful and given me all that I know about HAM radio.” For details and more netcontact Norm at hamclass@goodkin.information,oronlineat hamclass.goodkin.net.

Disaster Communications Service

PHOTO BY NAOMI GOODKIN

Norm and Naomi Goodkin “I’m currently active in the Amateur Radio community, teaching classes, participating in emergency drills, and helping in actual emergencies when needed,” Norm wrote. “My wife, Naomi, and I teach quarterly entry-level classes in Calabasas. We also teach electronics and radio classes for businesses, government agencies and communities.”

In fact, folks in the Santa Monica Mountains communities know that Norm Goodkin (K6YXH) and his wife, Naomi (WB6 OHW) are the experts who have guided more than 2,000 people to qualify for their HAM radio licenses over the past 12 Goodkinyears. said they have also been teaching emergency service groups how to use NBEMS, a radiobased messaging system. “Naomi and I are active in the LA County Disaster Communications Service (L.A. DCS) the Los Angeles Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES LAX), the Topanga Coalition for Emergency Preparedness Disaster Radio Team (TCEP DRT) and the Conejo Valley Amateur Radio Club (CVARC).” During his career, Goodkin has been involved with IT organization and“I’veworkflow.developed requirements, tested software and developed processes on very large projects in the US and UK,” he wrote. “As a Project Management Professional (PMP) I consulted in England for ten years, on the East Coast for ten years and in the Los Angeles area for six years, working for government and commercial clients.” He also served as the representative for the Lost Hills Station to the managing committee of L.A. County DCS and taught amateur radio classes for the public, sworn officers, the liaison sergeants and most of the Search and Rescue Team. Yet, it is the DCS radio team that Goodkin is most involved with, helping to keep radio communications up and running in the Santa Monica Mountains communities when the electricity goes out.

Radio Expert Norm Goodkin Honored as Volunteer of the Year

OfficerstheinonNorm(DCS-22)CommunicationsLosradiocommunicationsemergencyviaamateurasavolunteerfortheAngelesSheriffsDisasterServicefornearly43years,GoodkinwashonoredAugust12asVolunteerPolicingoftheYearbyCaliforniaReservePeaceAssociation.

Letters Brush Clearing Follow-up

PHOTOS BY MARTINA PARADISO Rylie Applegate leads the Pledge of Allegiance alongside Principle Kevin Kassebaum.

Students, staff, and parents have returned to Topanga Elementary Charter School (TECS) filled with excitement and optimism as they begin the new school year. The mood among the returning school community is calmer and more positive than a year ago, as Covid-19 fears continue to subside for mostTECSfamilies.Principle Kevin Kassebaum is encouraged by the outlook for the year ahead. “We are seeing an increase in student enrollment, parents are eager and willing to volunteer their time, while our teachers and staff work collaboratively to ensure we provide meaningful instruction to all students,” he said. The first sign of bouncing back could be seen at the “Prep and Polish” event, the annual curtainraiser where students and parents met their new teachers for the first time. Last year, this event was held on the sidewalk outside of the school gates. But this time, families were able to explore the TECS campus and visit their classrooms. The first assembly of the school year was another example of the community coming together again. All parents are welcome to join the weekly gathering that takes place in the school courtyard at 8 a.m. every Friday. Many were in attendance for the first of the year as second grader Rylie Applegate led the Pledge of Allegiance in front of her fellow students. “I’ve learned all the words from listening in assembly,” said Rylie, eight. “It’s kind of like a poem about the American flag.” Topanga Enrichment Programs (TEP), the school’s booster club, are continuing their important work funding instructors and initiatives that LAUSD funding doesn’t cover. Among the important resources paid for by TEP are the instructional aides for classrooms, and the specialist science, art, and physical education teachers who benefit every child in the school. These expert staff wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of TECS families who are asked to donate $1200 per child to the Giving Fund for the school year ahead. This is a return to the figure asked of parents before the Covid-19 lockdowns, to help TEP reach their $235,000 annual budget target. This is a guide, not a requirment, and families are asked to donate whatever they can afford.TEP also raises money from a series of fundraisers throughout the year. Among the first TEP events of this school year is an adultonly Casino Night, to be hosted at Froggy’s on September 24. Other events arranged by TEP focus on building community spirit and giving back, like the Back to School Picnic scheduled for September 15, and the annual Topanga Beach Cleanup, to be held on September 17, which is California Coastal Cleanup Day. This year’s new TEP president Bridget Cook, whose son Booker is in fifth grade, said: “We’re hoping this year will offer more opportunities to come together as a community to enjoy the wonderful canyon we’re lucky to call home, and to raise money to improve the opportunities of our children at our fantastic school.” Those wanting to donate to TEP can do so at topangaelementary.org, or learn more about TEP by visiting topangaelementary.org/tep; or tepboard@topangaelementary.org.

Kent and Alisa are now moving on, and everyone at TECS is incredibly grateful for their contributions over the years. Anyone with an interest in joining the Science Committee and building on their vital work should email tepboard@topangaelementary.com.

Kent and Alisa have been among the school’s most active parents in recent years, supporting the science curriculum and co-organizing events like the annual Science Fair, Raptor Day, and Butterfly Day. They have also been central to establishing native plant gardens, including butterfly microhabitats, on campus.

New science teacher Jeffrey Esparza works with a small group of TECS pupils, including third grade student Benicio Dibos seated next to Esparza.

5September 2 • Vol. 3 No. 17 SCHOOLHOUSE SCOOP

We are looking for TECS students to join our news team, and help us to cover school events for The Canyon Chronicle, whose editor and fellow journalists welcome students and offer guidance to those interested in submitting written reports and photography. Contact tepboard@ topangaelementary.com.

Join the TECS News Team

By TECS News Team

TECS Sets an Exciting Lineup for School Year

New Science Teacher Lands at TECS Jeffrey Esparza, a passionate biologist and ecologist, has joined TECS as a science teacher this school year. He has previously worked at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, and at the California Science Center, sharing his wisdom with guests via their education programs. He will be teaching specialist science lessons with every child in the school’s dedicated science classroom. He is also looking forward to utilizing the school’s unique setting surrounded by wildlife in the Santa Monica Mountains, which includes five acres of oak woodland and nature trails. “It’s a very special campus with great opportunities for learning from an ecological perspective,” said Jeffrey. “There’s just so much life here. I’ve already seen turkey vultures and red-tailed hawks, and there are lots of other cool animals around, which is so inspiring for Esparzame.” has a Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, as well as a Masters in Biology, from California State University, Northridge. Jeffrey’s hiring is being funded by TEP, with outgoing Science Committee chairs Kent Hill and Alisa Land Hill instrumental in his recruitment.

By Linda Ballou Isabella Lucy Bird was a Victorian Age adventurer who endured tremendous hardships in her explorations of the Rockies in 1873. She became the best-loved travel writer of her time, and was the first women inducted into the Scottish Royal Geographical Society. In my book, “Embrace of the Wild,” I share her most transformative journeys. Like Isabella, I am fully engaged in the state of exploration. I am soon to embark on a Majestic Mountain Tour tracing the path of Isabella through the Front Range of the Rockies. Fellow author Pat Jurgens, a 60-year resident of Colorado, is helping me plot my course. A fierce spirit trapped in a frail body, Isabella rode through raging waters on the Hamakua Coast, up the flank of a volcano, and into the Waipio Valley in Hawai’i. She lifted herself from the invalid’s bed at the age of 40 and threw off the shackles of her Evangelical upbringing, forging on to explore distant lands where no white woman had dared go before.

There are numerous books written about Isabella with three new ones released in 2021, two nonfiction and my historical novel “Embrace of the Wild.” I was in Estes Park in April for the filming of Trailblazers, a threepart BBC documentary about Isabella Bird, the plucky English woman who inspired my book and am thrilled that they chose to cast me as the Isabella Bird expert in the TV series to reconstruct her journey airing this fall. Filming of my interview took place at the Bird & Jim Restaurant. What’s more, Estes Park historian John Meissner is busy working on a celebration of Isabella, a woman with true grit who continues to challenge us to live our best life. “I thoroughly enjoyed submerging into Isabella Bird’s world through ‘Embrace the Wild,’” says Melissa Strong, owner of the Bird & Jim restaurant, Estes Park, Colorado. “Linda did an outstanding job expanding on Isabella Bird’s story, magnifying her character, and opening a window for readers to look deeper.”

Pat Jurgens is also appearing with me on the “Strong Women in the West” author panel at the Hearthfire Bookstore in Evergreen, Colorado, on Sept. 18th. I am honored to be speaking at the Conifer Historical Society on Sept. 19th, and at the Maude Jellison Library in Estes Park on September 22nd with a PowerPoint presentation that will be the finale of my tour. I am looking forward to intoxicating air and aspens spinning gold beneath brilliant blue bird skies.

LindaBallouAuthor.com

BBC chose Travel writer Linda Ballou as the Isabella Bird expert for a documentary on the Victorian Age adventurer to air this fall.

Tracing the Path of Isabella Bird

Linda Ballou with Isabella Bird statue in Estes Park Linda Ballou with actress Emily Atack from the new BBC TV series, Trailblazers, and Melissa Strong, owner of the Bird & Jim Geer.MiriambyPhoto

Jennifer deSpain, CPA, CFP® Business/Personal Tax & Financial Services Tel. 818.883.4800 CanyonOakFinancial .com BALLOULINDAOFCOURTESYPHOTOS

6 September 2 • Vol. 3 No. 17 LIFESTYLE 1 9 7 1 2 V A L L E Y V I E W D R , T O P A N G A , C A 9 0 2 9 0 E a c h o f f c e s i n d e p e n d e n t y o w n e d a n d o p e r a t e d D R E # 0 1 4 9 9 0 0 T A N Y A S T A R C E V I C H R e a l t o r ® | D R E # 0 1 8 6 4 2 5 9 R a n k e d T o p 1 0 % K e e r W i i a m s C : 3 1 0 7 3 9 4 2 1 6 I F : 3 1 0 7 7 4 3 8 0 1 w w w t a n y a s h o u s e s c o m $1,250,000LISTED FOR 3 B E D S | 2 B A T H S | 1 , 0 2 0 S Q F T

home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms This home is

This 1,020 family located 19712

square foot single

Valley Dr, Topanga, CA 90290

In total, 538 respondents within LA County Board District 3 were reached via cell phone, landline, or online, in both English and Spanish. Due to rounding, some percentages may not sum to 100%.

At age 26, Horvath was appointed to the West Hollywood City Council to fill a vacancy in 2009, but lost in her first election. In 2015, she returned to the Council and was sworn in as Mayor in April 2015 and again in May 2020. Horvath led the City’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, cutting red tape to help businesses expand outdoor operations; provided rental relief to prevent homelessness; and activated partnerships with community-based organizations like Project Angel Food to deliver medically-tailored meals to the homes of people affected by life-threatening illnesses. Simultaneously, she created safe spaces for protest and progress in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. Senate Majority Leader Emeritus Robert Hertzberg was first elected to the California State Assembly in 1996. He then served as the 64th Speaker of the California State Assembly, unanimously elected by both parties in 2000 and 2001. After his tenure as Speaker, Hertzberg set out to the private sector as a clean energy entrepreneur and in 2014, he returned to state government when he was again elected to represent nearly 1 million people in the San Fernando Valley in the California State Senate. Hertzberg terms out in December.

to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approx imate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage. Family Compound In The Heart of Old Canyon! JUST LISTED Lindsey

Endorsements In her endorsement of Horvath, Kuehl wrote, “Here’s the truth. Lindsey Horvath has been one of the most stalwart allies of our [LGBT] community through her life and electoral service.” Horvath’s endorsements are growing but can’t compare with the long list of those on Hertzberg’s website. His political roots go deep and his legislative achievements are many. According to his website, “For his final term in the California State Senate, he remained committed to reforming criminal justice, clean energy, water conservation, maintaining dignity and companionship for our homeless community” and a host of other legislation, some of which he could carry into the Board of Supervisors should he win. No doubt Hertzberg has the bigger platform and years of experience. It feels like a “David and Goliath” scenario, but that remains to be seen. Horvath may come from a smaller stage but this one poll, something we probably shouldn’t hang our hat on yet, “indicated that voters prefer Horvath’s background and experience as a ‘local mayor and city councilmember’ by almost three times compared to Hertzberg’s background as a ‘member of the State Legislature.’ After being presented with positive and negative information about both candidates, Horvath’s favorability significantly increases and Horvath took the lead.” During the June 7 primary, the L.A. Times wrote in their endorsement of Horvath that “she has helped make her small city a laboratory for ideas and programs that promote opportunity, equity and justice for its residents, and she could do the same for the 2 million people who live in the redrawn Third District, and the more than 10 million countywide. It’s noteworthy that county officials tasked with handling the enormous homelessness problem have looked to West Hollywood with Horvath’s leadership as a model, rather than the other way around.” How these candidates will respond to the needs of unincorporated areas like Topanga and the continued stewardship of the Santa Monica Mountains is yet to be determined.

7September 2 • Vol. 3 No. 17

By Flavia Potenza

For more information on Sen. Robert Hertzberg: https://sd18.senate.ca.gov. For more information on Lindsey Horvath: lindseyhorvath.com. compiled No statement is made as Horvath, left, and Bob Hertzberg vye for Supervisor’s seat.

With Third District Supervisor Sheila Kuehl opting out of a third term on the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, Topanga voters will decide who will be their next Supervisor between West Hollywood Councilwoman Lindsey Horvath and State Senator Robert Hertzberg (SD 18), who terms out this year. In the June primary, Horvath beat out State Sen. Henry Stern to face Hertzberg in the November 8 mid-term election.

*The poll was conducted by Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates from August 10-18, 2022.

Which Way District 3? Elections 1930 Topanga Skyline Drive TOPANGA | $2,300,000 OLGA CRAWFORD DRE compass.comOLGA.CRAWFORD@COMPASS.COM310.633.14692005209 Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the state of california and abides by equal housing opportunity laws. License number 2005209. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is

An early poll* showed the candidates tied at 23%. “Yet, as 54% of those surveyed remain undecided, this suggests the race is still in its early stages and both candidates must still establish profiles with a majority of voters in the District,” the poll said.

from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice.

8 September 2 • Vol. 3 No. 17

Mimi and Henry on their paint horses, Wobin and captures something timeless about their passion on Old Canyon as they were headed out for a bareback Henry in Blue ribbon shirt, blue bandana, bear claw choker: c. 1990. Henry was from the Ojibway Bear Clan. The ribbon shirt was made by Michele Stork. He was buried wearing it.

The Way of Henry Smith, Jr.,

SKOLFIELDWENDYOFCOURTESYPHOTOS

Henry Smith Jr., of Topanga, CA, age 90, beloved elder of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Ojibwe, passed away July 21, 2022, in Tarzana, CA. Henry was born into the Bear Clan at dawn on June 10, 1932, the son of Henry and Agnes (Barber) Smith. Henry weighed four pounds at birth. Agnes put him in a shoe box by a wood stove to keep warm. The Tribal Elders named him “Waa-saygii-zhig,” meaning “Bright Sky Man.” He grew up on the reservation in New Post, WI, and became a skilled hunting and fishing guide, and a vital part of his family’s maple syrup business. At a young age, Henry lived with his blind grandmother apart from his own family to help her on Little Round Lake. She taught him how to trap small animals. He caught his first rabbit at four years old. He loved boxing and baseball and played on several local teams. He joined the Navy in 1951. As a Navy airplane mechanic, he traveled throughout the United States. He frequently donated blood, earning him extra days off which he spent accompanying pilots into the skies. He received the National Defense Service Medal. After his honorable discharge in 1955, he returned to the reservation for a year. At that time, the Indian Relocation Program was actively recruiting on Indian Reservations for candidates with high-tech skills. Since opportunities were limited on the reservation, Henry took the offer of employment in the aerospace industry in California at the Rocketdyne Canoga Park facility. He rode a bike to work and shared an apartment until he answered an ad for a “country cottage” for rent. That’s how he met Mimi and her three children. It was love at first sight. He eventually married Mimi and was a devoted husband and stepfather to her children. His life with Mimi was an adventure every day. He learned to ride horses and they competed in the Tevis Cup endurance equestrian rides in the High Sierras. They rode almost daily, and trained along the (then wide open) firebreaks in Topanga to prepare for the equestrian endurance races. Many an afternoon or full moon would find them on the crest of Henry Ridge, laughing as they galloped along their beloved hills. They were passionate about Native American Justice issues and were actively involved in the American Indian Movement (AIM). During that time, they knew such dignitaries as Russell Means and Leonard Peltier, demonstrated at Wounded Knee and Alcatraz, and visited reservations throughout Indian Country promoting fishing rights, land restoration and justice. Under the stage name of Henry Medicine Hat, Henry was in two films, Publicity Shot: Henry was in two movies, Billy 2 Hats, with Desi Arnaz Jr. and Gregory Peck, and shot in Israel (1974); and Kid Blue, with Dennis Hopper, shot in Mexico (1973). Both movies rated poorly, but Henry had a blast doing them, traveling the world. His stage name was Henry Medicine Hat.

Henry was preceded in death by his parents Henry and Agnes Smith; his sisters, Selma, Doris and Myrtle; and his brothers, Teddy, Bobby, Eddie and Bill. He is survived by his brothers Donny, Lawrence, Tom, and John Smith, as well as three stepchildren, Catherine Grainger and Stephen Winterer of Spokane, WA; Wendy Skolfield of Topanga Canyon, CA; and Michele Stork of Miranda, CA, his informally adopted daughter; and numerous grandchildren.

of the Bear Jr., 1932-2022

9September 2 • Vol. 3 No. 17

Billy 2 Hats, shot in Israel (1974), starring Desi Arnaz Jr. and Gregory Peck; and Kid Blue, with Dennis Hopper, shot in Mexico (1973). Both movies rated poorly, but Henry had a blast doing them and traveling the world. Their hillside home in Topanga Canyon was a gathering place for artists, musicians, actors and activists. Henry and Mimi were legends in Topanga, serving as Grand Marshals of the Topanga Days Parade in 1980. When Mimi passed away twelve years ago (2010), the music died. Henry comforted himself by creating a wild animal sanctuary on his property. Wild foxes and birds of every kind appeared on his deck every morning and his countless photographs document a unique and fragile ecosystem. He joined the Canyon Sages, a social club for Topanga seniors, attending every monthly dinner and holiday celebrations His stepdaughter, Wendy Skolfield, and her husband John, live close by and Henry was a weekly visitor in their home, and in the final months of Henry’s life, Wendy and John were a vital and devoted part of his care. Henry was loved and respected by every single person he met. His gentle manner and delightful sense of humor made every room glow. Henry was deeply loved and respected by his children and numerous grandchildren. His stories of growing up on the reservation enthralled every generation.

Henry and Mimi as Grand Marshals in 1980 Topanga Days Parade.

Henry on his beloved paint horse, Kamaika, in the Old Canyon Meadows, c. 1968. Kamaika lived to be 38 years old and was a Medicine Hat Paint, considered sacred by the Sioux tribes. Henry competed in equestrian endurance races with this horse. and Kamaika. Wendy named this photo “Legends” as it for the life they lived. This photo was taken at their place bareback ride. Henry and Mimi at table holding hands: They LOVED to party! This was either in Las Vegas or their favorite restaurant in Woodland Hills, Yellow Fingers. (1990).

Visitation began at 5 p.m., Thursday, August 4th, and Tribal Funeral Rites were held at 10 a.m. Friday, August 5th, at New Post Community Center with Jerry Smith officiating. Those unable to attend will mourn deeply. Burial was in New PostHonoraryCemetery.casket bearers were Andy Bennet, James Gadicke, Gaiashkibos, Jim Smith Sr., Jim Smith Jr., Lawrence Smith, Robert Smith, Robert Trepania, and Steven Winterer. Casket bearers were Cyrus Farrell, Jim Garvey, Josh Kingfisher, Donald Morrow, Dusin Morrow, Mark Thayer & Tony Thayer. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Canyon Sages at Canyonsages.com. To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Henry Smith Jr., please visit: sympathyfloralstore.com.

PHOTO BY MIMI SMITH

—Gary Dannenbaum

A part of my heart belongs to New York City, but the rest is deeply rooted on this land, with these companions. There have been many over the years, as the various gravesites bear out. Each one was a unique friend, who taught me something about my own strengths and shortcomings. We recently brought a three-year-old rescue pup into the mix. Phoebe Roo is part shepherd/ part kangaroo. She leaps and bounds with such abandon, it is a thrill to witness. But her arrival has been a real challenge for dear old Miles.

Maggie of Topanga

10 September 2 • Vol. 3 No. 17 Dog Days

NOTE: Our ranch is “sacred burial ground” to dozens of four-legged friends we’ve shared this land with for almost 30 years. I wrote this piece a couple of years ago for my beloved Black Lab, who left this world in June. Sweetest dog I’ve ever known.

There was a summer, which still haunts me. Years ago, during a” Just Shoot Me” hiatus, when I was offered an episode of “Frasier” (‘The Man Who Came To Dinner”) with John Mahoney, to be directed by Jimmy Burroughs, with four weeks at Steppenwolf in Chicago, and four weeks in the West End, I passed. I passed because Richard and I had moved to a ranch, where we had a three-month-old puppy and a high-strung thoroughbred, and the thought of leaving them for nearly four months was unthinkable.Therehave been many times I have chosen my domestic life over my professional one. My dear friend and fellow actor, Dan Lauria, has been miffed by many of my choices, being utterly committed to his craft. But for me, it is not clear. Not clear at all. I am split in two on this one.

—Toni Colvin Dottie herhernewenjoyingTopanga.justandmix,GreatNine-month-oldPyreneesDottie,herfamilymovedtoShe’sallthesmellsonwalksandinbigbackyard, friendly neighbors, and potential playmates she’s meeting. When she’s not all bouncy and wagging her tail off, her job for now is keeping the adults fit and the kids entertained. We couldn’t be more happy to have her in our lives.—Amber Lincoln

Maggie of Topanga came to us in the summer of 2006. She was a Fathers Day gift to me from my family. It took me 10 years to get over the loss of our Daphne, an Olde English Sheepdog, who had been my companion and best friend so getting another dog was a huge deal but that’s another story. Thanks to the internet I fell in love with her before we ever met. A wonderful woman named Karen Keller in Buellton raises Miniature Australian Shepherds and offers a few a year to folks like us so I had my eye on the puppy that we would adopt. Maggie was bred for great disposition, health, intelligence, stamina and good looks. She never disappointed but most of all she and I shared a special bond. The next 16 years were filled with many outdoor adventures and the joy of having her with us as a cherished family member and travel companion from the Sierra Nevada to the Pacific. Maggie crossed over the Rainbow Bridge on May 31st, 2022.

Remembering those went before and were dearly loved. Malick-Erickson—2010-2022

IN MEMORIAM The new kid in town

Miles

DEVOTED

He sleeps outside my door. He is in tune with my every move. When I put on my running shoes, he does a dance of such exuberance, such joy, it never ceases to take me aback…for this boy is all love. And that love, that devotion is 98% mine. I have often questioned whether this is healthy; for him to love me so exclusively. I mean, he is fond of others: my husband, my daughter, Ray, Gemma…but when I’m around, Miles only has eyes (and nose) for me. And if I’m completely honest, that both delights and terrifies me. How to handle that depth of devotion? I can make the sun rise in his eyes, but what if I don’t show up? Does he suffer? Can he transfer his joy and affection to the next in line when I’m not around.

Having been our only boy since we lost Zoe, he is unaccustomed to sharing my affection. At first, he growled whenever she came near, but became resigned to the fact she’s here to stay. When we went out for our first early morning hike together, I was shocked by how old he looked. Of course, it was relative. Here was my sweet 10-year old lab, trying to keep up with Phoebe, the picture of youth. Miles can still move, but now it’s more of a lope. His muzzle and brows have grayed, and his soulful eyes droop balefully…big paw on my heart.

I believe our dogs are here to show us the way…the way we were and the way we will be. They live their lives in compressed stages. We used to think it was like seven years for every one of our own. We now know that’s not exactly how it works, but it’s close enough. I have learned that at three, Phoebe Roo is 28. And Miles’ upcoming tenth birthday will make him 66. No wonder he and I connect even more deeply at this juncture. Each day he can still sniff, run and play is a gift. I look into that face and still see the funny puppy who looked like a black pollywog with a tiny body, and a huge head and paws. I have in my heart a thousand memories of the fast-forward life we’ve shared. And I know that when his time comes, I will have to release the purest embodiment of love I have ever known.

Suki

For the Love of Dogs, Part III

“I am Suki,” a princess but a very sweet princess. I never do anything wrong. I am always a pleasure to be around. When I meet anyone I like to hug their leg. Sometimes I like to hug their leg so long that they have to tell me to stop, please. I am a Cocker Spaniel and Poodle and I really am adorable. Everyone tells me that. About three years ago I came into the wonderful home where I live now. My first five years were spent in a mansion in Montecito so you can understand why I am a princess. My mom and dad love me so much. They are always telling me how beautiful, sweet and intelligent I am. I am very happy here in Topanga with them. I wake up happy every morning, wagging my tail, fetching my favorite old toy that is falling apart, and can’t wait to greet the day, my neighbors, and the other dogs on Waveview Drive.

Suki knows how to greet the day I was working at the Topanga Messenger in the Old Center in 2012 when our editor, Flavia Potenza, began fostering this sturdy little guy called Reemo. Word was he had been a stray, hiding behind grocery stores up in Santa Maria, CA. He was finally caught and placed in Papillon Rescue due to his Papillon/ King Charles Spaniel looks. Reemo needed a forever home and I seriously considered adoption while walking him around the office each day. By Thanksgiving, he was mine. After I took him home, my husband, Jim, and I pondered on his name. Jim said he would find his own name and one day it happened—his name was Remington, Remi for short, due to his royal lines and regal bearing. Remington is now a 20-pound dog in a 28-pound body, living in airconditioned comfort and not out on the streets. We know he’s at least 12 years old. Still, his greatest joy is acting big and yapping at coyotes in the Arroyo behind our house who gaze up at him hungrily. He also loves barking at Max, our neighbor’s German Shepherd. Alas, Remington is sleeping more these days; tomorrow we’ll go for another leisurely walk so he can check on his “P-mail.” —Annemarie Donkin Remi enjoys a life of comfort with cozy laps and lesiurely walks to check his P-mail.

Remington—The Little Prince

—Wendie Malick

By Miles Erickson

4.Call the elevator again, wait for it to come back up. Enter the elevator, it smells like wheat, oh my god, it smells like wheat.

This past month I was dog sitting for a friend. I’ve mentioned in the past that I’m not really an animal person and this experience pretty much solidified that for me. In the dog’s defense, I can’t imagine a studio apartment on Hollywood Blvd. was his ideal summer destination. The very first day I had him, he peed in the elevator! This was my panicked 1.Watchresponse,in horror as the dog liquifies 90% of his body weight and expels all retained water onto the very small surface area of the elevator floor.

• Airborne, Wussy • Punk Rocker, TeddyBears, Iggy Pop • The Only One, The Dolly Rocker Movement • A Tip From You To Me, Jack White • Lady of the Ark, Kyle Craft • Trouble (Bonus Track), Girl Ray • Lust for Life, Girls • The Ecstasy Once Told, The Dolly Rocker Movement • Foxes, Midnight Sister Punk Rocker, TeddyBears, Iggy Pop. This song is essentially the spiritual predecessor to Gorillaz “Some Kind of Nature,” which you may recall as being the first song ever featured on this playlist. The formula is as follows: writing a poppy, electronic, modern alt rock song and then hiring an old punk rock singer, whose style of singing is totally at odds with the instrumental, to sing the lyrics. It worked very well for the Gorillaz, and it works here to a lesser extent. I think in the case of Gorillaz, Damon Albarn knew how to utilize Lou Reed’s vocals to greater success. The production on “Some Kind of Nature” leans into Reed’s Robotic, slam poetry style of singing. Whereas in “Punk Rocker,” I wouldn’t be surprised if Teddy Bears had finalized the instrumental before Iggy Pop even saw the inside of a studio booth.

Miles Erickson is a recent graduate of CalArts, published author, and currently enrolled in a prestigious, four-year, student loan repayment program. Long Distance Listening Party’s vague intention is to discuss topics framed in the context of what I’m currently listening to.

2.Ride the elevator to your initial destination, apologize profusely to the people stepping into the elevator from the lobby as you ride it back up to your floor. Eye contact is recommended while apologizing, then face the floor like a shameful Samurai about to commit seppuku. Run into your apartment, drop the dog off, look for cleaning materials that you don’t have.

Lady of the Ark, Kyle Craft. My first impression of this album was that, judging by the cover, I genuinely thought it was a Final Fantasy soundtrack, because Kyle Craft has hair like an animé character, which I guess could be a compliment if you’re a fan of that kind of thing. The sleeveless jacket/vest doesn’t help, though I should specify this song is decidedly un-Japanese, despite the artist’s appearance. He’s definitely going for that Edward Sharp brand of Folk Americana. This week’s playlist is full of 2010s/2020s songs that sound like ’70s songs and “Lady of the Ark” is no exception. Although, where “Trouble” feels straight out of 1979-1983, I imagine “Lady of the Ark” would also feel at home on an early 2010’s alternative station with “Of Mice and Men” and Group Love.

10.Return to your floor, not sure if you’re crying because your eyes sting or because this is not how you imagined your life turning 11.Sleepout. on the couch for three hours in the middle of the afternoon. Return to the elevator later to realize someone else’s dog has peed on the floor and they didn’t bother cleaning it up. 12.Optional but not recommended: Whendie.I first took the dog, I had hoped maybe, at the very least, a cute girl might stop and ask to pet him while I was walking him. Instead he scanned the sidewalks of Hollywood Blvd. quadrant by quadrant, in grid-like formation looking for garbage to eat. In another life he would have made an impressive bomb-sniffing dog as he’s incredibly meticulous. If you’ve never known the joy of separating a feral dog from a discarded diaper on Hollywood Blvd., trust me, your time could be better spent. The one time a girl did stop and ask to pet him the interaction went as follows: Girl: “Aw, he’s so cute! Can I pet him?” Me: “Sure!” Girl reaches down to pet him, lightly placing the palm of her hand on his forehead Dog: Immediately begins gagging and expels a steady stream of actual garbage onto the floor. The sound resembles a combination of sneezing, coughing, soup bubbling over in the pan, and phlegm being caught in the back of your throat. Thankfully it is slightly muffled by the sounds of the girl screaming as her shoes are covered by wet balls of newspaper, a Carl’s Junior wrapper, a ketchup packet, and other, less identifiable trash. Girl: Oh My God! What’s wrong with your dog? This playlist is available on Spotify. Search “Long Distance Listening Party” or my user name, Mileserickson-354. Long Distance Listening Party Vol. 14

5.Wish you had committed ritualistic suicide as Step 2 6.Alternateimplies. between wiping up the floor and frantically jamming the “door open” button. Hopping between two, comically small, comically far-away spots that aren’t covered in pee.

Foxes, Midnight Sister. “Foxes” sounds like the kind of song that belongs as a B-Side on an Elton John record. It sounds so much like an Elton John song that I actually googled it to make sure it wasn’t a cover. It’s good. I like songs where you can tell just from listening to it that the piece was recorded somewhat ironically.

The Ecstasy Once Told, The Dolly Rocker Movement. While “The Only One” feels like a sort of jam band take on artists like Ween or David Bowie, “The Ecstasy Once Told” is an attempt to tackle Ennio Morricone’s classic theme for The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Using the theme’s melody as a sort of sample in this alt rock, GratefulDead-y reimagining, it’s not as good as “The Only One,” the standout of the album. I don’t think this song is trying to be anything more than the kind of gimmick songs popularized in the time period of the original movie’s release. The film Space Oddity comes to mind.

What Barfing Dogs Have To Do With a Playlist

7.Apparently, when you jam the “door open” button for too long the elevator enters “emergency mode.” In all fairness, the elevator’s assessment of the situation isn’t wrong, it’s just not 8.Ridehelping.theelevator back to the lobby, explaining to the fire marshal over the intercom that emergency intervention isn’t necessary at this exact moment, but that a crisis councilor may be required in the immediate 9.Ridefuture.the elevator for 20 minutes, spraying Windex on the floor. Experience the most unpleasant high of your life from Windex and ammonia inhalation.

3.Leave your apartment carrying a roll of paper towels, Windex, and dish soap because you’re 24 years old and that’s all you have.

11September 2 • Vol. 3 No. 17 TheCanyonChronicle.com LONG DISTANCE LISTENING PARTY

widowed friends and neighbors in the same retirement community. So, in a sense, Tom’s story is at least partly my story, despite some divergence: He was just a little too young to appreciate when the Beatles kicked off the British Invasion, while my best friend in elementary school had a teenage sister who was crazy over the four mop-tops. While we played in the front yard, “She Loves You” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand” blared out her bedroom window from a pink transistor radio, and I was instantly hooked. I read about them in my parents’ Life magazine, watched their debut on Ed Sullivan, and the following year saw the Beatles’ film, Help, at a Saturday matinee a few weeks after my 10th birthday. Poor Tom didn’t discover rock and roll until The Monkees TV show made its debut in the fall of 1966—after I’d spent a blissful summer building plastic car models and listening non-stop to KRLA.

By Joel Bellman

Rude Interruptions

There I thrilled to a seemingly endless rotation of Beatles, Stones, Kinks, Yardbirds, Hollies, Troggs, Lovin’ Spoonful, Supremes, Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs, Four Tops, Tommy James and the Shondells, Simon and Garfunkel, Donovan, Mamas and the Papas, Standells, and dozens of others who convinced me then—and even now—that pop music just couldn’t possibly get any better.Those cranky Millennials I mentioned earlier will never get it, because music today occupies nowhere the pride of place it did back in our day. They’re no longer buying recordings to stock a personal library, merely renting the opportunity to listen online. Culturally and politically, music is largely irrelevant, just another fungible commodity to consume before it’s quickly forgotten. For those of us lucky enough to have experienced ’60s pop in real time, it was genuinely transformative. And now, as we officially join the ranks of senior citizens and are tempted to gaze backward more often through the kaleidoscope of our lived experience, it’s really the perfect organizing principle to employ a few of the songs that excited, entertained, nurtured, and accompanied us on that long and eventful journey.

Where were you in ’62? And what were you listening to? It’s one of those Boomer clichés that set Millennial teeth on edge, but for anyone born before, say, 1960, pop, rock, and Top 40 AM and underground FM radio really were the soundtrack for our lives. Just a lame Tinseltown trope, you say, trivializing our lives into movie productions? Not at all. Lives, like movies, actually do have their own musical accompaniment, underscoring the action, triggering epiphanies of self-awareness, and plumbing the murky depths of our emotions. Many of us just don’t think of it in those terms. When the film American Graffiti came out in 1973, it was a revelation. Apart from commercially launching the career of filmmaker George Lucas, it built on the innovation of Easy Rider a few years earlier, and featured a soundtrack comprising only curated songs of the era instead of slathering a traditional symphonic score over the whole thing. In a nod to the mid-’50s’ classic Blackboard Jungle, it too opened with a blast of Bill Haley and His Comets’ “Rock Around the Clock,” and never let up, weaving in one great oldie after another to comment on, contrast with, or otherwise heighten a scene. So powerful was its impact on me that to this day, nearly 50 years later, whenever I hear Booker T. and the MGs’ “Green Onions,” I instantly flash on the scene with the fateful drag race at dawn. When I hear The Skyliners’ sublime “Since I Don’t Have You,” I see a forlorn Richard Dreyfuss, whose character pines after the gorgeous and unattainable Suzanne Somers cruising the streets in her cherry ’57 white T-Bird. So it was my longtime friend and fellow pop-music hound Tom Waldman’s idea to build his new coming-of-age and getting-ofwisdom memoir “Countdown: A Life in 20 Songs” around the notion of his own personal Top 20—not necessarily hits, or even his favorites, but songs he similarly associates not with a key scene or plot twist, but with a critical hinge moment in his life. Reading a myAndkinds.history,shareforandtogether,attendedpublicationseachanddonutandwaysamegraduatingmusicalexperience,popwiththeBothpositionsfoodworkedtimeourbothsimilarknockusassongsandunavoidablyfriendshipmemoir—especiallycontemporary’ssharingafor75%ofthatlifespan—promptsreflectionsfondmemoriesofmyown.Thehepicksdon’talwaysresonateprofoundlyforme,butmanyofBoomers,Isuspect,couldeasilyoutourownindividualTop20.Ourliveshavesharedremarkablytrajectories.Ourfathershadbeencollegeprofessors,andfamilieshadeachlivedforainmoreruralareasasourdadstheirwayuptheacademicchaintolandtheirtenuredinSouthernCalifornia.ourfatherstooksabbaticalsinUK,andouryouthfulencountersEnglishculture,history,andmusic,soalientoourAmericanpowerfullyshapedourtastesforeverafter.Afterayearapartfromthehighschool,weworkedourthroughourrespectivecollegesafterwithpart-timejobsatshops,movingfurniture,workinginrecordstores.Wefreelancedreviewsforlocal(hetheater,mefilms),journalismgraduateschoolworkedatdailynewspapers,werecommunicationsstaffersaseriesofelectedofficials.Weamadpassionforpolitics,andpopularcultureofallWeeachhavetwoadultsons.untilshepassedawayin2019,motherandTom’smotherwere

Countdown: A Life in 20 Songs by Tom Waldman, may be ordered directly through BookBaby a-life-in-20-songs).store.bookbaby.com/book/countdown-(https://

12 September 2 • Vol. 3 No. 17 Topanga’s Independent Voice Since 1976 ADVERTISE WITH US ! for Information, ads@thecanyonchronicleemailcom

The Beat Goes On 137 S. Topanga Canyon Blvd. DRE# 00528707 KIRSTEN BOHMAN (310) 403-4818 KirstenBohman@gmail.comIG:vacayeveryday4life Thinking About Buying or Selling a Home? EXPERIENCEDIFFERENTSOMETHING AttentionResponsiveness.toDetail.Results. The soundtrack of our lives, songs associated with critical hinge moments of life.

Sometimes, in order to secure the future, we have to retrieve parts of the past. As we head into the emerging global food shortage already affecting large swaths of the Middle East and Africa, it turns out some ancient plants may help solve some of the food supply problems ahead. According to the UN World Food Program, fifty million people around the world are on the “brink of a looming hunger catastrophe.” Drought is plaguing the globe and according to the Standardized PrecipitationEvapotranspiration Index (SPEI), no continent has been spared except for Antarctica. So, let’s take a look at crops that are nutrient rich, can grow in sorry soil, and are drought resistant.

them and

13September 2 • Vol. 3 No. 17

• Fonio and Cowpeas. In West Africa, farmers have cultivated a drought-resistant millet-type grain called Fonio, which can grow in poor soil conditions. Droughtresistant Cowpeas are another totally edible plant packed with nutrition. (The Guardian) Chris Smith of the Utopian Seed Project, a non-profit located in North Carolina, is trying to introduce the ancient Taro Root into the modern food culture. “These crops are foods that are embedded in cultures around the world in a way that they’re not embedded here,” Smith said. “It takes work to build that community and desire for that crop.”

Fonio is a cultivated drought-resistant millet-type grain that grows in poor soilconditions.Amaranthis as vegetable and a grain contains all nine essential amino acids, fiber, vitamins, and vitamin E, and seeds that are a complete protein.

a “total package” nutritionally

• Spelt. The cultivation of Spelt goes back to 7000 BC when it was practiced by ancient people of the Middle East and North Africa and Greece, and has been cultivated in Italy since the Bronze Age. A native species of Spelt still grows in Israel. It is high in protein, fiber and minerals like manganese, phosphorous and niacin.

your property

By Paula LaBrot

ALL THINGS CONNECTED

A Few Examples • Farro. In terms of grain, this is a type of wheat that was cultivated in Neolithic times. Three grains are collectively referred to as Farro— Emmer, Einkorn, and Spelt. Note that Emmer, Einkorn and Spelt have gluten and are not good for people with Celiac disease.

of calcium, zinc, and iron, making it a good choice for people who have difficulty keeping their levels up. There are 60 distinct species of Amaranth native to Central and South America, where they traditionally served as staple crops for the Incan, Mayan, and Aztec civilizations. The Aztec, in particular, considered the Amaranth plant sacred and made religious offerings not just of the seeds themselves, but also of sculptures of their deities made from honey and amaranth dough. For this reason, the Spanish conquistador Hernán Corttés banned the cultivation of this vital crop to the point of cutting off the hands of disobedient farmers.

A Little Background The major crops grown around the world today are rice, wheat, corn (maize) and soybeans. The Guardian reports that “reliance on a small number of crops has made agriculture vulnerable to pests, plant-borne diseases and soil erosion, which thrive on mono-culture, the practice of growing only one crop at a time.” Ancient crops are found to be more drought- and pest-resistant and micro-nutrient dense than modern crops. All of the ancient grains have higher protein content than modern wheat, but the yields are smaller. With modern knowledge of plant genetics and “smart farming” techniques, however, those forgotten crops may be just the ticket to feed a hungry planet through the climate change and drought facing us today.

that

• Emmer. According to gardeningknowhow.com, Emmer is rich in fiber, protein, magnesium, and other vitamins and is a complete protein source when combined with legumes, an excellent addition to a plant-based diet.

Farm to Table—Past to Present

• Einkorn is one of the oldest ancestors of wheat, a cereal that was widely distributed around Transcaucasia, the Middle East, southwestern Europe, the Balkans and the Mediterranean areas, dating back to 8000 BC. (einkorn. com) It survives and thrives in soils where most other forms of wheat do not flourish.

information,tips,GetTopangaYourTopangaHomesOnline.comMobile310.455.2540310.804.8607one-stopsourceforMalibu&arearealestateservices.realestatebuyingandsellingrelocationhelp,andmortgagetoo! Lisa Saver CalBre Lic.#01203202

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Future Crops Utilizing the best of the past and the present, modern researchers are dedicated to the crucial goal of feeding the planet. A $25.7 million project, led by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, is expanding the use of biodiversity held in the world’s gene banks to develop new climate-smart crop varieties for millions of small-scale farmers. Kernza. This new cereal grain has been developed in Kansas specifically to withstand climate change. A UK company called Phytoform has invested $5.7 million dollars to scale its artificial intelligence genome-editing technology aimed at improving crops. Microgreens are a relatively new class of vegetables. They are edible seedlings from various vegetables and herbs that are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants at a much higher concentration than in their mature plant form. They are easy and fast to grow. Hydroponics and Vertical Farming will save water, prevent agricultural runoff from polluting our water and produce year-round crops right in the middle of highly populated urban centers. Change. Change. Change. At such a furious pace. This is survival. Get ready to be adventurous and try new things. Vamos a ver!

International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks used with permission. Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc.

with a real estate broker,

our

the offerings of other real estate brokers.

• Amaranth is a “total package” nutritionally as a vegetable and a grain. Amaranth seeds are a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids and is also a great source of many other important nutrients including fiber, B vitamins, and vitamin E. It also appears to provide particularly bio-available forms

disregard.

dictum should perhaps be added “perspective.” What we believe in and put our energies into often depends on our perspective, and perspective is influenced by what we think we know. And in this digital world that “knowledge” flows from increasingly limited sources.

It’s not so much that we’re told what to think but rather the breadth of what we are given to think about flows from a tap controlled by fewer and fewer entities.

This article first appeared in VVAW’s “The Veteran,” Volume 52, #1, Spring 2022.

14 September 2 • Vol. 3 No. 17

Opinion

Several days into the invasion of Ukraine, widely circulated photographs of two high-rise buildings hit by rockets drew international condemnation for Russia’s seeming wanton attack on civilians. The photo, however, was of an Israeli airstrike in Gaza in May of last year, which passed then with little to no outrage expressed even though those targeted were also innocent. Russia, of course, should be condemned for its unprovoked and brutal attack on Ukraine. But in the rush to excoriate Putin and his supporters, no mention is made of the invasion and occupation by the United States (and its “Coalition of the Willing”) of Iraq and Afghanistan. No moral judgments invoked for the destruction and devastation those wars caused and continue to cause in those countries. No sanctions enforced. That same silence met Israel’s military assault on the sovereign nation of Lebanon in the early 1980s that resulted in 50,000 casualties and vast destruction to villages and cities, as well as much of the country’s infrastructure. Nor are Palestinians praised as freedom fighters when they strike back at those who have occupied their territory for the past 74 years. Millions of Ukrainian refugees are finding shelter and care in neighboring countries: this is the right thing to do, to care for our sisters and brothers less fortunate. Yet again we see here how perspective affects perception. Western commentators, pundits and politicians have referred to Ukrainian refugees as being so like them, which, frequently, is not a very veiled reference to their skin and eye color and their culture and lifestyle. Contrast that with how refugees from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East have been treated by these same countries.Afew years ago, Syrian refugees fleeing their war-devastated country were beaten and shot by Turkish border police, resulting in several deaths. And just last year thousands of asylum seekers from the Middle East, Africa and South Asia were stuck in a dense forest along the Polish-Belarussian border where news footage showed the Polish army beating them across the border into Belarus. Some refugees it would seem, depending on our perspective, are more deserving of our sympathy and assistance than others. Is it fair to compare these events? It depends on one’s perspective, especially one’s perspective of the truth—truth being a seemingly viscous and fungible commodity these days. The truth, they would have us believe, is whatever those at the podium declare it to be, whether a claim of a stolen election or the rightness of the “liberation” of a country from “neo-Nazis” or “religious fundamentalists.” When truth is no longer anchored to fact, one’s very existence is called into question. I think, therefore I am, can easily be modified to: You are not entitled to an opinion, therefore you don’tHere’sexist.a truth: no good whatsoever comes from any war. We know this, or should know it, by undeniable historical experience. War creates war; becomes a fire-breathing hydra spreading death and devastation. How, at this stage in our “evolution,” humankind has not learned that,— has not had it seared into its DNA— is unfathomable.Westernestimates put Russian casualties (killed and wounded) at around 70,000 to date. Ukraine has also suffered terribly. Our first reaction might be elation— as well as surprise that the vastly out-numbered and out-equipped Ukrainian forces are doing so well—to see the invaders get their comeuppance. But, as someone who was a “troop,” I can also feel for those who were manipulated into believing in the justness of the cause they were recruited to, just as I was. Though denied by military leaders, reports are that conscripts fill Putin’s ranks. Most enlistees are from rural, less developed areas and poorer towns of Russia. As in this country, the military is seen as a way out of poverty for young men, or at least as a means of attaining a better life because there are no living-wage jobs available. In essence, there as here, a de facto economic draft exists. If all our energies, resources, and will went to doing good, a near paradise could be engendered here on planet Earth. That won’t happen, though, until the double-standard of how we treat all our sisters and brothers is no longer.

Fred Samia is a freelance journalist who has worked in the Middle East, and is a Marine combat veteran.

In war, truth is the first casualty.—Aeschylus

The Double Standard of War

September Events n Ballona Wetlands Fundraiser, “Moonlight on the Marsh 2022,” Saturday, September 10, 5:30-9 p.m. Celebrate 44 years of advocacy, restoration, and environmental education at the Centerpointe Club in Playa Vista. The evening begins with a cocktail reception featuring raffle tickets and a silent auction of rare wines; sports, theater, museum and music tickets; fine dining; travel; wildlife art; and more. Prizes were generously donated by our Board Members. The Centerpointe Club in Playa Vista is ocated at 6200 Playa Vista Dr, Playa Vista, CA 90094. Contact Friends of Ballona Wetlands at (310) 306-5994, info@ballonafriends.org; ballonafriends.org.\ n

SAVE THE DATE! September 24-25, The Watsons—Topanga Actors Company (TAC) is coming back to the Topanga Library on September 24 and September 25 with a delightful new play called The Watsons. Playwright Laura Wade adapted the play from the unfinished novel of the same name by Jane Austen. Instead of an imitative 19th century sequel, the playwright Wade is free to take liberties and cleverly insert herself, in the character of Laura, to complete the remainder of the plot and Emma’s destiny.TAC’s last live production was in March 2021.

“We are excited to be back with this play and more to come this year and next,” says producer Judith Hendra.

By Fred Samia Aeschylus’

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