The Argonaut Newspaper — June 3, 2021

Dancing Forward Westside Ballet’s resilient dancers enchant with elegant and joyous performances

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CONTENTS LETTERS..................................... 3 COMMUNITY............................ 4 EDUCATION.............................. 5 HEALTH..................................... 6 FOOD & DRINK........................ 7 ENVIRONMENT.......................... 8 COVER STORY......................... 10 SPORTS.................................... 12 ARTS & EVENTS........................ 13 ADVICE GODDESS.................. 15 WESTSIDE HAPPENINGS......... 24

PAGE 2 THE ARGONAUT JUNE 3, 2021

ON THE COVER: Westside Ballet’s dancers have persevered during the pandemic and are back to enchant with elegant and joyous performances. Photo by Anne Slattery. Design by Arman Olivares.

Local News & Culture

The Westside’s News Source Since 1971 CONTACT US (310) 822-1629 Letters, News, Tips & Event Listings: kkirk@timespublications.com EDITORIAL Executive Editor: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski christina@timespublications.com Editor: Kamala Kirk (310) 574-7654 kkirk@timespublications.com Contributing Writers: Bridgette Redman, Jackson Walker Editorial Interns: Holly Jenvey, Katie Lulla, Haley Beyer ART Graphic Designers: Arman Olivares (310) 574-7656 Kate Doll (310) 574-7653 Staff Photographer: Luis Chavez

ADVERTISING Display Advertising: Rebecca Bermudez (310) 463-0633 Peter Lymbertos (818) 624-6254 Classified Advertising: Ann Turrieta (626) 584-8747 aturrietta@timespublications.com BUSINESS Associate Publisher: Rebecca Bermudez (310) 574-7655 rbermudez@timespublications.com NEWS & SALES OFFICE PO Box 1349 South Pasadena, CA 91031 The Argonaut is distributed every Thursday in Del Rey, Marina del Rey, Mar Vista, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, Santa Monica, Venice, and Westchester. The Argonaut is available free of charge, limited to one per reader. The Argonaut may be distributed only by authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of The Argonaut, take more than one copy of any issue. The Argonaut is copyrighted 2021 by Times Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any form or by any means without prior express written permission by the publisher. An adjudicated Newspaper of General Circulation with a distribution of 30,000.

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N E W S

L E T T E R S Marijuana smoke Editor: Now that marijuana is legal in Santa Monica, I smell it everywhere. Not only when walking outside, but even when I open my windows, I smell it wafting in from nearby apartments.

It seems many people have a mistaken attitude that, while secondhand tobacco smoke is deadly, secondhand “medical marijuana” smoke is neutral or even beneficial. But consider these facts, which I quote from the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation website: • Secondhand smoke from combusted marijuana contains fine particulate matter that can be breathed deeply into the lungs, which can cause lung irritation, asthma attacks, and makes respiratory infections more likely.

Exposure to fine particulate matter can exacerbate health problems, especially for people with respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis or COPD. • Significant amounts of mercury, cadmium, nickel, lead, hydrogen cyanide and chromium, as well as three times the amount of ammonia, are found in mainstream marijuana smoke than is in tobacco smoke.

• In 2009, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment added marijuana smoke to its Proposition 65 list of carcinogens and reproductive toxins, also known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. It reported that at least 33 individual constituents present in both marijuana smoke and tobacco smoke are Proposition 65 carcinogens.

• Secondhand smoke from marijuana has many of the same chemicals as smoke from tobacco, including those linked to lung cancer.

• Secondhand marijuana exposure impairs blood vessel function. Published studies on rats show that 30 minutes of exposure to secondhand marijuana smoke at levels comparable to those found in restaurants that allow cigarette smoking led to substantial impairment of blood vessel function. Marijuana smoke exposure had a greater and longer-lasting effect on blood vessel function than exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke.

• One minute of exposure to marijuana SHS substantially impairs endothelial function in rats for at least 90 minutes,

considerably longer than comparable impairment by tobacco SHS. The findings in rats suggest that SHS can exert similar adverse cardiovascular effects regardless of whether it is from tobacco or marijuana.

• Secondhand marijuana smoke and secondhand tobacco smoke are similar in many ways. More research is needed, but the current body of science shows that both tobacco and marijuana smoke have similar chemical composition and suggests that they may have harmful cardiovascular health effects such as atherosclerosis (partially blocked arteries), heart attack and stroke.

• These and other facts can be found at no-smoke.org/secondhandsmoke.org/secondhandmarijuana-smoke-fact-sheet Considering the above, perhaps Santa Monica should be as vigilant in regulating secondhand marijuana smoke as it is with tobacco.

Thomas Sipos Santa Monica We Want to Hear from You! Being in print is a lot more meaningful than grouching on Facebook.

Send compliments, complaints and insights about local issues to kkirk@timespublications.com

Corona by the numbers & local updates Compiled by Kamala Kirk Cases and deaths by neighborhood as of May 28: Culver City: 2,227 (deaths 110); Del Rey: 32 (deaths 1); El Segundo: 732 (deaths 6); Marina del Rey: 394 (deaths 4); Mar Vista: 2,079 (deaths 37); Palms: 2,618 (deaths 61); Playa del Rey: 115 (deaths 1); Playa Vista: 611 (deaths 9); Santa Monica: 4,830 (deaths 183); Venice: 1,727 (deaths 13); Westchester: 2,547 (deaths 49) Total Westside cases: 17,912 Total Westside deaths: 474

Total confirmed cases in LA County: 1,243,319 Total deaths in LA County: 24,321 Total new cases as of May 28: 217 Total new deaths: 9 Hospitalizations: 325 Positivity rate (seven-day daily average): .40% Total number of people tested: 6,730,447 (Source: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health)

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C O M M U N I T Y

The Practice of Stillness Still Life provides tools to reduce stress and increase happiness COURTESY OF STILL LIFE

CREDIT: KRIS DAHLIN

By Sofia Santana Founded two years ago by Henry Mitchell, Jim George and Spencer Atkins, Still Life is a company centered around the practice of stillness and prioritizing overall well-being.

“Our mission is to reduce suffering from anything like tension, stress, anxiety and sleep problems, and to increase well-being like creativity, problem-solving skills, and to allow people from all walks of life to build towards a life well-lived,” said Atkins, cofounder and CEO of Still Life.

Still Life’s facility on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice opened just three weeks before the pandemic hit. Atkins and his team were forced to get creative and explore other options for their services.

“Once COVID hit, we really had to accelerate the digitization process,” Atkins said. “We already knew we wanted to create an app, and this accelerated

Still Life is a Venice-based company centered around the practice of stillness and prioritizing overall well-being.

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process ended up being one of the best gifts we all collectively could have gotten because now we’re not constrained by the physical limitations of our space.

We can really reach more people and really democratize stillness.”

Their mission to democratize stillness was one of the driving forces in the creation of a free vaccination meditation to help ease any COVID vaccine-related anxiety.

“When the vaccine came out and was being discussed, we saw a lot of people having a lot of fear because it was such an accelerated process,” Atkins said. “We thought, let’s give something free of charge that’s designed to be played just before or after your vaccination, that can help them feel a little less anxious and help them back to their balanced state.”

Whether you’re eager to get the vaccine or are still hesitant, the 10-minute meditation was designed to help ease any type of

anxiety around the vaccine, and Still Life is committed to getting this resource out into the public.

“We just want people to have any kind of helpful resource available to help them through this time,” Atkins said. “That’s really what we’re all about here.”

The free vaccine meditation can be accessed on their Instagram (@still.life) or can be accessed by scanning a QR code.

For more information, visit still.life

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E D U C A T I O N

Teaching Kids How to Swim Local instructor helps children develop confidence and skills in the water PHOTO BY LUIS CHAVEZ

By Sofia Santana As summer approaches and many families will spend more time in the pool or at the beach, professional swim instructor Coach Jean-Paul Pinzón wants parents and students to feel at ease while being taught how to swim properly and at a young age.

“Swimming is an especially great outlet for children during this pandemic,” Pinzón said. “It’s crucial that children as young as 6 months old feel confident and safe in the water to help enhance their swimming skills.”

Pinzón always knew he had a passion to teach children the proper swimming methods as he grew up learning from his mother Kathleen Pinzón, a world renowned and trusted swim instructor in Los Angeles. Pinzón always knew exactly what it took to be a successful swim instructor and coach for the next generation of children that were eager to learn how to swim based on his personal experiences.

Coach Jean-Paul Pinzón is a world-class swim instructor who offers private swimming lessons for kids of all ages.

“Swimming has been a part of my life since I was born,” Pinzón said. “I’d been swimming competitively throughout my school years and professionally in college. Then I decided to jump right into the family business of professional swim instruction and coaching.”

Prior to the pandemic, Pinzón taught over 130 children per week. He has been able to

modify his coaching programs to comply with safety protocols set by the CDC by creating small pods for children in private pools each week to allow for a safer learning environment.

“I wouldn’t have been able to learn the skills needed to coach so many clients if it wasn’t due to the knowledge that my mother was able to extend to me,” Pinzón said. “Learning first-hand from a

professional swim instructor, specifically working with young children, allowed me to broaden my range of skills to suit the needs of my clients.”

One of the reasons Pinzón’s lessons are in such high demand is because of his techniques and patience he has for the children he instructs each week.

“All of our lessons have a structured yet sensitive approach that builds confidence, strength and the skills to be safe in the water, and I firmly believe learning to swim should be creative and fun,” Pinzón said.

Pinzón really believes in the importance of teaching children how to swim as early as possible so they can build the necessary motor skills needed to develop into confident swimmers later on.

“Teaching infants, toddlers and children to be water safe is all about instilling confidence and basic skills before fears and other troubles start to kick in,” Pinzón said. “Toddlers who’ve learned to swim early on develop better

overall coordination and balance, and begin the process of reaping the benefits outside the pool as well.”

Pinzón grew up in Culver City and teaches children of all ages across all of areas of the Westside including but not limited to Playa Vista, Marina del Rey, Westchester, Brentwood, Beverly Hills, Bel Air and Malibu.

“My goal is to teach children how to swim the correct way as early as possible so they can acquire the essential skills they need for the continuation of their lives so that eventually they no longer need me as their coach,” Pinzón said.

Entering this summer’s swim season, Pinzón’s hopes are to help even more children learn how to swim and get back to his busy pre-pandemic schedule with plans to eventually open his own professional swim school in the near future.

For more information, follow Coach Jean-Paul Pinzón on Instagram: @swimguru

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H E A L T H

Integrating Health Care DISC Sports & Spine Center opens in Marina Del Rey PHOTO CREDIT: DISC SPORTS & SPINE CENTER

By Katie Lulla From the polished concrete floors to the roll-up garage door, the new DISC Sports & Spine Center (DISC) in Marina del Rey looks nothing like your typical doctor’s office. Dr. Robert S. Bray, Jr., founder of DISC, intended for it to be a multi-disciplinary human performance center that provides both preventative and diagnostic care.

In 2006, Bray opened the revolutionary DISC outpatient spine surgery center in Marina del Rey, and later opened an additional office in Newport Beach. A few years after the Marina del Rey location was bought, Bray noticed that many of his referral patients were having a difficult time accessing his Newport location so he decided to reopen in the marina. “[Due to the pandemic], the outpatient world got pushed forward, very quickly,” Bray said. “We’ve had really unprecedented growth down in Newport to the point where we maxed out

DISC Sports & Spine Center recently opened a new office in Marina del Rey and specializes in spine, orthopedics and pain management. the facility at 700 or 800 cases a year. And so it was time to re-enter the market in Los Angeles.”

Alongside spine, surgery and orthopedic consultants, DISC has combined the expertise of several doctors for a more comprehensive view of patient health.

“We’re looking at, ‘How healthy are you? How do you perform?

PAGE 6 THE ARGONAUT JUNE 3, 2021

Where’s your advantage?’” Bray said. “It’s going to be a very, very comprehensive office.”

Dr. Lester Lee, from Lee Regenerative Medical in Huntington Beach, will be running the nutrition and blood profile screenings. Melissa Nagare, vice president and chief clinical officer of the Southern California University of Health Sciences,

will introduce soft tissue, acupuncture and other alternative medicines.

DISC will also have a strength and conditioning program that utilizes a 3D body avatar that will show measurements and balance, as well as a body DEXA scanner that will look at body composition.

“I think the new thing we’re bringing is really integration,” Bray said. “Alternative health, chiropractic acupuncture and Dr. Lee’s program all really add a tremendous amount to [...] a comprehensive look of the body’s balance. I think what I’ve learned over the years of being a surgeon is that my patients do much better if everything is balanced.”

Bray said that in order to get a good lasting outcome, doctors have to look at everything to discover both underlying disorders and current ailments.

Only by being thorough can a person be put on the correct path to health. “[Doctors] now really all want

to work together for the general health of the patient, and [we’re] opening up the door to have a collaborative center where they could all be together and talk,” Bray said. “Putting together a program for the patients that was dealt with and met with a very warm welcome from everybody.”

Despite opening only a few months ago, DISC is seeing 80 to 100 patients a week. Bray hopes the Marina del Rey location will grow and continue to meet the needs of all the referred patients.

“I’m really looking at this center as integrating all those things back together the way they should be. Instead of patients just having to hunt all over the place [...] We’re gonna look at everything,’ Bray said. “I think this comprehensive approach is going to really provide a much better outcome for patients.”

DISC Sports & Spine Center accepts most insurance plans.

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By DAVID P. WILLIAMS

The Westside is a top destination for people who love great food

pudu pudu recently opened a location in Venice and has reinvented traditional pudding.

By Haley Beyer Almost everyone has had pudding, but pudu pudu – a German-based company created

by Dr. August Oetker – has reinvented the traditional dessert and turned it into a form of artistic expression.

Oetker was a master pudding maker and his company has been producing pudding since 1894. He believed in bringing people together through their love of desserts to share memorable and tasty moments. pudu pudu serves edible art that was created to transform people’s perspective into a universal love for pudding. It satisfies your sweet tooth, is aesthetically pleasing, and is a refreshing and healthy dessert option.

Don Green, general manager of the first pudu pudu location, said, “Health-conscious consumers are growing. We wanted to make a health-conscious dessert option.”

The pudding is made with

locally sourced milk and health-boosting superfoods such as turmeric, spirulina and edible flowers. The menu also offers a vegan option.

There are seven staple flavors that are recommended, but customers can choose a base flavor and pick five toppings.

The staple flavors are recommended because they have specialized flavor profiles. They were carefully constructed so that the base flavors and toppings would all work together to create a unique and specific taste.

The most popular offering is Butterfly in the Sky, a bourbon vanilla pudding. Midnight Mischief is perfect for chocolate lovers with its milk chocolate and calamansi orange flavor profile. Other flavors include Wow in the Wild, a blueberry pudding; Suncatcher, a spiced turmeric pudding; Spring Fling, a sweet strawberry pudding; and Giggle in the Dark, a caramel popcorn

pudding. Cool Ocean is a refreshing coconut pineapple pudding that is also dairy-free and vegan.

The puddings also have a lower sugar content than ice cream or frozen yogurt, and are a creamier option compared to an acai bowl, for instance. “pudu pudu pudding is a new artistic perspective using a classic concept,” Green said. pudu pudu opened this past March on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice Beach.

There are plans to expand to two more locations in Century City and Silver Lake.

“My favorite part of being the manager here is being part of a new and fresh concept wrapped up in an exciting location here in Venice with a fun, vibrant and Instagrammable shop,” Green said. pudu pudu is located at 1432 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice.

For more information, visit pudupudu.com or call 310-310-3527.

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E N V I R O N M E N T

Building Bridges Wildlife crossings can protect wildlife, restore habitats and save lives

By Jackson Walker On December 3, 2016, a mountain lion named P-39 attempted to cross the 118 highway in Southern California’s Simi Valley in search of new territory for her newborn kittens.

P-39, as she was named by the researchers who are tracking the pumas of the Santa Monica Mountains, was killed by oncoming traffic. Two weeks later, two of her three kittens met the same fate in the same place, trying to find out what happened to their mother.

17 months later, Amber Stanley, her 4-year-old son, Jack, and her 2-year-old daughter, Autumn, were driving north on Interstate 95 in South Carolina when they struck an alligator trying to cross the road. They swerved, crashed into a tree and died in the resulting fire.

People and animals suffer from wildlife vehicle collisions (WVC) that are the inevitable results of roads that are built right through the heart of wildlife habitats. Humans created the problem, but we can fix it.

The solution? More government agencies are turning to wildlife crossing structures to save lives. Not only can wildlife crossings prevent fatal collisions, they can also reconnect severed habitats.

“We’ve screwed up so much on this planet. The way we’ve treated other life forms is morally indefensible,” said Beth Pratt, California Director for the National Wildlife Federation.

“We owe it to do whatever we can to coexist.”

But coexistence isn’t easy. The quest to save the Santa Monica mountain lions from extinction takes work. And money – a lot of it.

The Liberty Canyon wildlife bridge over the 101 freeway, when completed sometime in 2023, will be the biggest and most expensive wildlife crossing ever built at an estimated $87 million. According to Pratt, who is leading the fundraising for the project, “$87 million seems like a pretty small price tag so these mountain lions don’t die out forever.”

The Santa Monica mountain lions face extinction because they are trapped on a land island, boxed in by US Highway 101 to the north, the densely urbanized LA basin to the east, developed areas in Ventura County to the west, and the Pacific Ocean to the south. With nowhere to go, the mountain lions are forced to inbreed, which leads to low genetic diversity and reproductive failure.

Being cooped up is also making them kill each other. Mountain

PAGE 8 THE ARGONAUT JUNE 3, 2021

lions are fiercely territorial, requiring up to 200 square miles each. When another lion intrudes, the results are often deadly. Simply put, the mountain lions need this bridge to survive.

That’s why the National Wildlife Federation, the National Park Service, and California’s Department of Transportation are working overtime to get it done. It’s a race against time, and the consequences couldn’t be greater.

“We’re talking about wildlife species vanishing from the earth,” Pratt warned.

Putting up a wildlife bridge like Liberty Canyon is like building any other bridge, but with 1,000 extra steps. The first question is where to build it? Siting is paramount because fences help funnel animals towards the crossing.

If the fences are poorly placed, they can restrict wildlife movement, thereby contributing to the habitat connectivity issues they were put in place to solve.

For this reason, existing wildlife corridors (basically animal highways) that have been dissected by roads are good places to start.

Once corridors are identified, wildlife crossing experts then pick places that are going to have the most bang for the taxpayer buck. Julia Kintsch, one

of the world’s leading experts on wildlife crossing siting and design, always asks herself two questions before beginning construction: “Where is it going to reduce collisions by the greatest amount? And where is it going to have the greatest benefit for wildlife connectivity?” The happy medium between the two is the sweet spot for siting.

Kintsch is in charge of assessing the success of Colorado Highway 9’s wildlife crossings on reducing wildlife vehicle collisions. Kintsch and her research team discovered that the crossings reduced WVCs along Highway 9 by 90%. Now, deer, elk, sheep, bears and other fuzzy fauna cross the highway without fretting about being hit by a car, and drivers going over and under the crossings can breathe a sigh of relief. Knowing that Bambi and company can cross safely gives people peace of mind.

Once a site has been chosen, funding has to be established.

Wildlife crossing projects are collaborative efforts involving transportation and conservation agencies. Five years ago, those organizations barely spoke to each other. But recently, as the importance of wildlife crossings has gone mainstream, things are changing.

“They started having meetings

and realized that their missions overlapped,” said Anthony Clevenger, the “rockstar researcher of the wildlife crossing world” according to Pratt.

Transportation folks want to reduce the 1 to 2 million WVCs that occur every year in the U.S., and conservationists want to connect habitats. Wildlife crossings solve both of these problems.

As for the funding, it’s largely up to how much the local communities are willing to pay.

Public outreach efforts and public meetings are key. “If you don’t have that community support, it’s not happening,” Kintsch said.

It’s important to inform people that crossings actually save them money in the long run by preventing collisions in the first place. Nationwide, WVCs cost about $8,388,000,000 annually, according to the Federal Highway Administration. In the wildlife crossing world, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of the cure.

Some organizations are hesitant to help build crossings because they have an old-school approach to conservation that believes all you need is one big reserve for all the animals to live in and they’ll be fine. Recent conservation research suggests it isn’t the size of the reserve that

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matters the most, but how well it connects to other protected areas.

Nature must be connected to work, but even some conservation groups don’t see this.

As Clevenger put it, “They don’t realize that what they’re doing has continental-scale ramifications for habitat connectivity.”

Likewise, some communities, like the residents of Island Park in Idaho, just don’t want wildlife crossings in their area. After it was brought to the public’s attention that large numbers of elk, moose, pronghorn, and a handful of grizzlies migrating from Yellowstone National Park to Idaho’s Sand Creek desert were being decimated when crossing Highway 20, a small but vocal group from Island Park opposed the plan for a crossing.

They saw the overpass as an unnecessary, expensive cost and a blatant sign of government overreach. Decision-makers decided to nix the much-needed crossing. The community of Island Park chose a death sentence for migrating wildlife over the lifeline of a wildlife crossing.

Fortunately, for drivers and

wildlife, the example of Island Park is an exception. Wildlife crossings are gaining in popularity, and animals are using them every day to safely cross the road and explore new areas to call home.

Once the location is settled, the funding is secured and the crossing is built, it’s up to the animals to start using it. Most animals quickly learn where the crossings are and integrate them into their movement patterns.

Faster learners teach slower learners by showing them where the overpass is. Word gets out, and the animals come.

“There’s definitely a learning curve,” Clevenger said, but after a few years, even the most reclusive and skittish animals start using them regularly.

In some cases, animals take to the crossings immediately, as was the case for the Parleys Canyon wildlife bridge in Utah.

Save People Save Wildlife, a Park City nonprofit that campaigns for wildlife crossing projects, nicknamed I-80, a six-lane highway cutting through major wildlife habitats, “Slaughter Row” for its high concentration of WVCs. They pressured

Utah’s Department of Transportation to build an overpass, and in December 2018, it was completed.

Experts predicted that local wildlife would take years to get used to the new infrastructure, but within a matter of weeks, the bridge’s hidden camera captured a wide variety of animals, from squirrels to mountain lions, using the bridge.

“It was phenomenal,” said Erin Ferguson, a member of Save People Save Wildlife. “Weeks after it opened, all kinds of animals were using it. Wildlife are much smarter than people give them credit for.”

However, wildlife crossings are not the be-all-end-all panacea for wildlife conservation. They are a proven solution to connecting habitats that have already been fragmented. But the priority should be preventing habitat fragmentation from happening in the first place.

The old-school view of having big reserves is compatible with the new-school view of connectivity because, as Clevenger said, “If you don’t have the base preserve in place, the [crossing] structure is useless.”

What makes the Liberty Canyon wildlife bridge different is its sheer size, expensive price tag, and call-to-action purpose of being specifically designed to prevent the local extinction of an entire species, as opposed to reducing WVCs like most other crossings. Oddly enough, for the Santa Monica mountain lions, being run over by cars isn’t generally a problem because they rarely try crossing the 10-lane 101 highway — they just turn around.

The Liberty Canyon bridge is also an important public relations and educational project.

It has received an enormous amount of publicity, which has raised awareness across the country and around the world that wildlife crossings can help people and animals coexist.

“A lot of places and people don’t know about these techniques, and they’ll learn from Liberty Canyon. It has far-reaching implications with regards to wildlife conservation, not just in Southern California, but worldwide,” Clevenger said.

This publicity couldn’t come at a better time. Many developing nations are experiencing an

avalanche of transportation projects, some of which are slated to go through areas with some of the highest biodiversity in the world. Thanks to Liberty Canyon, these countries can learn from the U.S.’s mistakes and implement crossings into road design before there is a WVC or connectivity problem.

“Retrofitting is an engineering nightmare, it’s tough. Looking forward, you’ll just see these things become embedded in planning,” Pratt said.

Kintsch agreed. “Whenever new highway projects are being planned, measures to mitigate WVCs and increase connectivity should be taken into account.

‘Hey, we’re doing this highway project? How do we also make this better for wildlife?’”

Thanks to the countless hours of work people like Kintsch, Clevenger, Pratt and Ferguson put in to help get wildlife crossing structures built, we now know that what is best for wildlife is what is best for us.

Wildlife crossings have shown us that people and wildlife can get along. Now is the time to build bridges between us and the natural world.

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S T O R Y PHOTOS BY ANNE SLATTERY

Dancing Forward

Westside Ballet’s resilient dancers enchant with elegant and joyous performance

By Bridgette M. Redman During a year of many changes and hard-earned lessons, the word that artistic director Martine Harley uses to describe the dancers of Westside School of Ballet is “resilient.”

“The dancers have been incredibly resilient,” Harley said.

“They spent half of last year in quarantine training from home over Zoom with us, and despite that huge adjustment, as soon as we were able to open a studio with an open-air roll-up door, they hadn’t lost anything. In fact, they blossomed. It was as if their determination to keep dancing was enhanced.”

Harley compared them to caterpillars turning into butterflies once they were allowed back in the building.

“They emerged from their cocoons and were dancing better than ever,” Harley said. “We were so pleasantly surprised at how they had continued to improve despite having to train from home.”

Other dancers shared her perspective. Jesse Dean Peterson, 14, said it was very hard at first to keep up the same atmosphere he had when he was dancing in person, but he experienced a lot of growth.

“I strived a lot in my dancing and learned a lot of new things,” Peterson said. “I feel like I improved a lot this year.”

Samara Koseff, a graduating senior, described the year as “unexpected and simultaneously fabulous and horrible.”

“Westside Ballet came back and it was so important to me to be in a space where I could move,” Koseff said. “Doing a final ‘Nutcracker’ performance was

really important to me, but I missed out on other parts we would do, so there were a lot of bittersweet moments. On the whole, it has been a really good year, but it had a lot of bumps.”

Nadia Hofer, 12, found Zoom challenging because they were learning to dance pointe for the first time.

“It was pretty tough doing it online, but I learned I could do more than I thought,” Hofer said.

“It’s really hard with masks, but I learned through it.”

Creating safe spaces for vibrant performances

As a studio that emphasizes giving their dancers performance opportunities, Westside Ballet recently created a COVID-safe performance space — an enhanced black box called Theater Studio Six — to showcase their graduating seniors and other dancers in a spring show.

The artistic staff selects pieces for the spring performance designed to showcase the dancers and their skill levels. This past May, they continued that tradition with a workshop performance that featured choreographer George Balanchine and many other gifted classical musicians, choreographers and dancers.

“Each year, we do what we call a mixed repertoire for the spring performance,” Harley said. “I select ballets that are individual to the skills of the dancers because we have dancers from 8 to 18 years old. We create a program that has ballets that are appropriate to every skill level.”

The workshop limited the audience to friends and family, but it was filmed and will be

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Despite the pandemic, Westside School of Ballet in Santa Monica has persevered and announced its plans to dance forward, which included an intimate new workshop performance this past May. released for a public viewing at a date to be announced. This year’s workshop included pieces from “Sleeping Beauty,” “Swan Lake” and “Don Quixote,” among others.

There are also Westside Ballet premieres including a romantic “Sylvia Pas de Deux” and “Donizetti Variations” with music by Gaetano Donizetti and original choreography by Balanchine.

Casting a spotlight on all their dancers The private performance bestowed solo and featured work to Westside Ballet’s graduating seniors including Koseff, Maya Zeevi, Zane Tahvildaran Jesswein, Stella Grynberg, and Natalia Burns.

Koseff was asked if she had a piece she wanted to do as her goodbye solo and she didn’t hesitate. “‘Swan Lake’ has been my

favorite ballet since I was a child,” Koseff said. “I had a DVD and I’d watch it all the time. The black swan solo was the one I wanted to do. I love dancing tricksters and evil characters, characters I wouldn’t necessarily be. It’s a really challenging solo choreographyand technical-wise, and that was the way I wanted to go out.”

Koseff is going to college on a dance and academic scholarship next year, and hopes to dance

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The recent private performance for friends and family served as a final bow for seniors of Westside Ballet that are moving on to collegiate and professional careers. professionally and do social advocacy work.

The “Donizetti” pieces offered several technically challenging and thrilling parts for many dancers, in addition to featuring graduates Zeevi and Jesswein.

Peterson danced in the male trio and partnered with Koseff.

“It’s a very fun ballet,” Peterson said. “It’s the first time we’ve partnered in a while. When we started rehearsing it, we didn’t touch.”

Koseff said a lot of hand sanitizer was involved once they did start touching, and even though they did full partnering for the workshop performance, there still wasn’t a lot of close contact.

“The boys are a bit younger than most of the girls,” Koseff said. “It is the first time they’re really getting to partner on stage, so that was exciting. All of us have known them since they came to Westside, so it’s very

cool.”

She played Peterson’s mom in the first production of “The Nutcracker” that he did and she refers to him as a little brother.

“That was a big deal to end my dance career at Westside Ballet together,” Koseff said. “I’m very grateful to have that and it’s a really joyous ballet. It’s a great way to come out of COVID. We have gorgeous costumes that are so pretty.”

Hofer danced in “Les Petites Etoiles” (The Little Stars), which was a new piece created to Mozart’s piano composition of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” It featured Westside Ballet’s youngest dancers and was accompanied by live piano.

“It’s our first one on pointe, so I’m excited about that,” Hofer said. “I like our costumes and the music a lot.”

Support and family

While all the dancers are

A filmed version of the performance, which was held in Westside Ballet’s newly enhanced black box, Theater Studio Six, will be released in early summer.

committed to learning technique and achieving virtuosity, they also speak highly of the atmosphere and the community that they’ve found.

“It’s kind of like a big family and we support each other,” Hofer said.

For Peterson, the family connection is more literal than most. After dancing many years in New York, he and his mom, Kiva Dawson, moved to Santa Monica because she felt he really needed Westside Ballet.

It was an experience she was familiar with as she was a dancer there Westside when she was young.

Dawson had been taking tap lessons in 1980 as a 10-yearold when her teacher told her if she wanted to be a well-rounded dancer, she’d have to take ballet. She went to see Westside Ballet’s “Nutcracker” and that sealed the deal for her. She enrolled in Westside Ballet, where she would make lifelong friends and dance the role of Clara in two “Nutcrackers” before she moved back east.

Her first job out of school was working in a film directed by Julie Taymor. Dawson stayed in New York City for many years.

“Jesse and I were in New York and he gravitated toward dance,” she said. “A lot of my friends think it was my influence of being a dance mom, but it really is within him.”

Three years ago, Dawson moved back to California.

“I felt that Jesse needed Westside Ballet,” Dawson said.

“There is something about Westside Ballet and the nurturing component in the community. We needed that person who said you can stand a little taller. I saw that magic happen. If children have those type of mentors, it will help them in every facet of their life.”

Dawson’s son said that he has formed great friendships and relationships at Westside.

“There’s a very good community around Westside,” Peterson said. “My peers, we bounce off each other and there is a lot of community involved. There is great training and great relationships and friends I’ve made. When I’m going to think about Westside Ballet, those are going to be my highlights.”

A big fan of science, Peterson is planning to spend the next four years at a project-based learning school centered around science.

Surviving and thriving

Harley stressed that the opportunity for dancers to perform has always been a priority for Westside Ballet throughout their 54 years. It’s why they wanted to make sure the dancers could still have a performance even if it wasn’t on the Broad Stage where they usually dance.

She said she is grateful that the Santa Monica community continued to support them throughout this past year-plus.

“We had a crisis relief fund, which we established as quickly as we could,” Harley said. “We got donations from the community at large and it helped us keep our doors open. It has helped us develop our programs and performance opportunities this spring where we otherwise could not have. It’s really the support of the community that has made all of this possible and we are very grateful.”

This summer, they will offer several classes from intensives to three-week sessions. There will be one intensive for levels 3 to 4+ that will involve creating a dance project that will be performed on the final day. Three intensives will be offered for upper division students levels 5 to 7. The intensives will include lessons from professional guest dancers and each week will do a different ballet: “Sleeping Beauty,” “West Side Story,” and “Raymonda Variations.”

“It’s really touching that people still care about what we are doing and what the dancers are able to achieve,” Harley said. “We’ve seen how important the arts are. It’s easy to see in these dancers how important it is to them and to their lives and development, especially in this time of crises.” westsideballet.com

JUNE 3, 2021 THE ARGONAUT PAGE 11

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Off to the Races Westchester resident prepares for upcoming Mongol Derby PHOTO COURTESY OF BIANCA FARMAS-GRIFFITH

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MONGOL DERBY

Westchester resident Bianca Farmas-Griffith is preparing to compete in the Mongol Derby, an annual endurance race across the Mongolian wilderness.

By Alex Hutton If you think a short horse race like the Kentucky Derby is grueling, try racing horses for an additional 600 miles or so.

That’s what Westchester resident Bianca FarmasGriffith will be doing when she competes in the Mongol Derby, an annual endurance race across the Mongolian wilderness sometimes referred to as the most difficult horse race in the world. The trek is approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) and Farmas-Griffith is scheduled to participate in August 2021.

Fascinated by horses and equestrianism for most of her life, Farmas-Griffith began riding horses during a childhood vacation to Poland.

“When I came home, I didn’t want to stop,” she recalled.

“And the rest is history.”

Farmas-Griffith has been riding ever since. She has developed close relationships with the horses she owns, but the Mongol Derby is completely different. It’s run on wild

horses that the racers don’t know and thus requires a specific kind of training with horses that are conditioned for endurance. To prepare, FarmasGriffith works with a trainer who has run the Mongol Derby herself.

“She has these weekend boot camps where you pay a flat fee and you can go up there and go camping essentially, and they provide you with meals, horses and training,” Farmas-Griffith said. “It’s been my gateway into endurance.”

Farmas-Griffith was drawn to the Mongol Derby because it combined her passions of equestrianism and travel. She has taken a number of safari trips to Africa where the travel is done on horseback. It was there where she first learned about the race and became intrigued after meeting a woman who had participated twice. Farmas-Griffith began learning more about the competition through social media and eventually connected with race organizers.

PAGE 12 THE ARGONAUT JUNE 3, 2021

Farmas-Griffith at a rest stop during a safari across the Namib Desert.

At first she found it fascinating, but her conversations with the woman made her deeply uncertain about competing.

“The description of her experience just turned me off completely,” Farmas-Griffith said. “I didn’t understand why people wanted to be in pain voluntarily. So I had just kind of followed it.”

However, Farmas-Griffith became more adventurous as she got older, and she slowly but surely changed her mind.

As she approached her 30th birthday, she decided to go for it.

The application process is rigorous and selective — hundreds of people apply, but only 40 are selected each year. The steps to apply include an online questionnaire, video and photo submissions, and a face-to-face interview.

“I got in and, you know, you have second thoughts,” Farmas-Griffith explained.

“But I’m definitely going to do it.”

In addition to the training for

a difficult endurance race, Farmas-Griffith has also had to deal with a changing schedule.

She was originally slated to compete in the 2020 Mongol Derby, which was postponed due to the pandemic. This edition of the race was rescheduled to July 2021, which would be one of two Derbies that year, along with the regularly planned version held every year in August.

The July race was then canceled, with riders given the option to race in August or in 2022. Having been training since late 2018 and eager to participate, Farmas-Griffith chose the quicker route. That training has consisted of several stages. Early on, she worked out by herself before working with trainers. During the pandemic, she has returned to working out alone.

Farmas-Griffith has also worked to maintain her mental fortitude, which she thinks will be one of the biggest keys to a successful race. Her mental health took a hit when the 2020

Derby was delayed.

“We all had a pretty good idea that the inevitable news was coming, but I think just hearing it out loud really devastated me,” she said. “I do think I’m in a better place now.”

Farmas-Griffith is excited for the challenge ahead, a race where less than half of the participants even cross the finish line.

“To finish is to win,” FarmasGriffith said.

The Mongol Derby combines so many things that FarmasGriffith loves — horses, nature, adventure and adrenaline — and she is looking forward to all of it.

“Being able to do something like that will really prove to myself how much I can endure and what I am capable of, and it just allows you to grow and become more wise and in tune with your life,” FarmasGriffith said. “I’m ready for the adventure of a lifetime. I’m ready to be alone with horses, wind and sun.”

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Aspiring to New ‘Heights’ Emotional, upbeat film recalls old Hollywood COPYRIGHT: © 2019 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PHOTO CREDIT: MACALL POLAY

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski “In the Heights” stars Olga Merediz and Jimmy Smits say their musical masterpiece is the perfect anecdote to a rough 18 months.

“It’s balanced with emotional and deep moments, but there’s a lot of happiness and joy,” said Merediz, who plays the matriarch Abuela Claudia.

“The musical numbers are just right. The music cuts right through to you and Jon Chu has done an amazing, amazing job with his incredible visuals. I think people are really going to resonate with the characters and I think people are really going to enjoy it.”

With a wide smile, Smits said, “Ditto,” but took it a step further.

“We’ve also had to reckon with a lot of social issues in the past year and a half,” said Smits, who plays Kevin Rosario, a father who butts heads with his ambitious daughter. “We’re hoping that this film provides joy. Musicals tend to be uplifting and inspirational, but the universal themes resonate very strongly. I think this film is something all audiences will be able to grasp.”

Set to hit screens on Friday, June 11, “In the Heights” fuses Lin-Manuel Miranda’s music and lyrics with director Chu’s lively eye for storytelling. Chu also directed 2018’s “Crazy Rich Asians.”

The film takes viewers to the streets of Washington Heights, where the scent of Cafecito caliente hangs in the air outside of the 181st Street subway stop.

Led by bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos, “A Star is Born”), the tight-knit, multicultural community shares its dreams and wishes with each other — in the hopes of paving a way out, while maintaining its ties to Washington Heights.

“I hope people recognize themselves and see themselves and feel proud,” Merediz said.

Smith added that viewers mustn’t live in Washington Heights to feel for the characters.

“I’m sure you had your nanas, your grandmothers and that,” he said. “The city might be different, and the cultural specificity might be a little different, but the feelings of community and family, and how the generation who comes here from another

(Left center-right center) Anthony Ramos as Usnavi and Melissa Barrera as Vanessa in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “In the Heights,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. place has expectations for their (children and grandchildren) are all the same.

“Those are universal things.”

Merediz starred as Abuela Claudia in the stage version of “In the Heights.” She’s excited to spread her character’s word among the mass of movie lovers.

“I wanted to give Claudia the platform she deserves,” said Merediz, referring to her character’s age. “She’s a character who is overlooked in our society. It’s just such a youth-oriented society. It gives me such pleasure to give her that platform.”

Merediz explained that she enjoyed translating the stage version for film, although it was a little challenging.

“The difference is, on stage, you’re delivering to the last row and you’re doing things chronologically. In a film, everything is very internal, and you shoot out of sequence. That is a challenge for an actor to keep your place, to where you are to keep that

flow and that intensity of the moment in the song. It was definitely challenging, but I was up for the challenge. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

“In the Heights” will be available in cinemas and on HBO Max. Smits and Merediz say, although it’s available to watch at home, “In the Heights” is worthy of a trip to the movie theater.

“The film has to be seen in the cinema,” Merediz said. “These huge numbers are epic, and they need the biggest screen you have. I know in the past year we were in lockdown. We didn’t have a choice.

“I think it’s a good idea to have the option to see it in the movies and also at home, if you don’t have the ability to go to the cinema. I hope people see it in the theater.”

The singing and dancing numbers can translate to a cellphone or computer, but Smits agreed — go to the cinema.

“Jon’s chosen to give these

visual flourishes to old Hollywood,” he added. “It takes your breath away. He really did such a great job. I hope we bring richness, light and happiness to their (cinema-goers’) lives. After the horrible year that we’ve had,

people are ready for a film like this.”

“In the Heights” Opens Friday, June 11, in theaters and HBO Max

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Clay Therapy Pottery artists create a community dedicated to helping others

Finding their home in clay

Housen and Rosenblatt found each other and discovered their love for clay through Mechanic’s studio. For Rosenblatt, the new year had just dawned in 2008.

She was about to start her own private psychology practice, but had a lot of family issues that were distracting her. She needed something that would help her take care of herself and she had promised Mechanic that she would learn to throw pots from her.

“The minute I put my hands on the clay, I knew I was home,” Rosenblatt said. “I consider myself a clay psychologist as opposed to a play psychologist, but I play with the clay. I find that even sitting in individual sessions, if people have their hands on clay, they are able to be quiet. They are able to process

PHOTO COURTESY OF FULL CIRCLE POTTERY

By Bridgette M. Redman While therapists have long used play therapy to help their patients, the co-owners of Full Circle Pottery are turning to clay therapy to help their customers through dark days and loneliness.

Patty Housen and Liz Rosenblatt, the founders of the studio in Mar Vista, both have advanced degrees in helping people: Rosenblatt is a licensed therapist and Housen has a doctorate in gerontology. Both bring their skills to Full Circle Pottery so that others can experience the healing they did when first throwing pots and benefit from their expertise in people, as well as in clay.

Housen and Rosenblatt met and learned the ins and outs of pottery from Linda Mechanic, a woman whose studio brought people together until her death of ovarian cancer at the age of 50.

“Linda created a community and part of the reason it was so comfortable was because of who she was,” Rosenblatt said. “We were feeling really inspired to create a similar kind of space where people could just come and explore. We were focused on older adults and our peers to create a community where it wasn’t a production pottery place; it was a place where you could come and learn, you could come and express yourself, you could share.”

Full Circle Pottery is a clay studio in Mar Vista that is dedicated to people who want to make pots and ceramic art, and be a part of a community fascinated by all that clay offers. whatever is going on without necessarily having to think about it. They’re freer to talk and if talking is hard, they’re really good at expressing themselves through the clay.”

Housen was in the middle of her post-doctoral program in 2005, doing research and trying to finish her dissertation. Her husband told her that she needed something to help her relax and bought her four lessons at Mechanic’s studio.

“Once I started, like Liz, it just felt right,” Housen said. “I have a haiku that I wrote about this feeling of being at just the right place.” musty dug up earth, quiet morning, wheel turning, anticipation

Crafting a mission for their studio

While Mechanic’s studio was their model in terms of creating a community, Housen and Rosenblatt also drew upon their personal strengths and where they felt they could fulfill a need.

“When we first set out, I thought of older adults, recent retirees and baby boomers like us,” Housen said.

They wanted to put out the message that they could provide

PAGE 14 THE ARGONAUT JUNE 3, 2021

a creative adventure close to home. Each could offer their services in a non-traditional setting, whether with individuals or groups in what they call an “expression session.”

“It opens up room for expression,” Rosenblatt said. “People are not as held back because their focus is on their hands.

They’re touching the clay and clay is made of earth. You’re instantly grounded when you make contact with the clay.

People are freer to speak.”

Unlike talk therapy where the participants leave with only the memory of what they talked about, clay therapy gives them something to show for what they’ve done: a piece of pottery that can be a continual reminder of their healing.

“Clay has been proven to be really useful in reducing anxiety, helping with depression,” Rosenblatt said. “You have a sense of creativity and focus. It’s an incredibly healing, calming and soothing environment.”

While the therapy aspect is a large part of who they are and what makes them different, it isn’t the only thing that Full Circle Pottery does.

“People come to it with different aspirations,” Housen said. “Some people want to work with the clay and see what

happens, some people want to learn a new skill and they find that rewarding.”

Rosenblatt said that when they first dreamt about a studio, they spent a lot of time talking about the different revenue streams and ways that their business could stay healthy. They drove around Los Angeles getting to know each other and touring other pottery studios. Rosenblatt said they take everything seriously and they treat themselves “like we are the biggest little business in Mar Vista.”

Full Circle Pottery, in addition to the psychological aspect, also has classes, children’s activities and memberships.

“We were creating multiple ways to bring money in that would allow us to live,” Rosenblatt said. “We modeled our studio on the way Linda had taught us and run her studio.

Patty had become one of her right-hand people whom she was talking to a lot about how to run a studio, what you need to do to keep it open. Patty had that experience and I had a lot of chutzpah.”

Spinning the wheel to new activities under COVID-19

In March 2020, Housen and Rosenblatt were poised to have

their best year ever. They’d been open for nine years and business was booming. Clay was hot and they had as many members as they could handle.

Then, like everyone else, they had to close because of the pandemic. In one month, their income dropped by 75%. They put their heads together to figure out how they could survive and meet the needs of their members, especially the ones that were now alone.

They immediately focused attention on their outdoor space, somewhere that people could work while masked and distant from each other. They also brought Full Circle Pottery to people’s houses, helping them set up home studios whether on patios, in spare bedrooms or garages.

“We put a lot of energy into how we take care of our members who are at home and can’t come,” Rosenblatt said. “We ended up renting wheels and having pick-up and drop-off days. We were focused on maintaining the community. We had Zoom meetings once a week to say hello and (inquire how) people were doing.”

Through the Zoom calls, which they are no longer doing, people were able to share their wares, their struggles, their ideas, their

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NO MANCHILD LEFT BEHIND

During the pandemic, Full Circle Pottery held its annual benefit event safely outdoors, which brought their community back together. successes and failures. They helped each other set up home studios. They reached out to people who were working from home and to older adults who sheltered in place for the entire year. Now, members are making pottery and glazing it at home, then bringing it to Full Circle Pottery to fire.

When November came around, Housen and Rosenblatt wanted to be able to continue their annual Full Circle Festival, a benefit event that showcases and sells people’s art and gives the proceeds to Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance.

This year they held the event outside and created spaces so everyone could stay six feet apart, limiting customers to four at a time. A few vendors were present to clean and sanitize between guests. Masks and handwashing were required.

They described the event as incredibly successful and one that brought their community back together.

“Everyone said, ‘I’ve been locked up at home this whole time, I’m coming out just for this day, I’m so happy to see you.’” Housen said. “We did it and thankfully met our goal of zero cases of COVID-19. That has been our goal from day one. Everything we’ve done has been COVID conscious.”

They also plan to continue using their outdoor studio because it has given them twice as much room as they previously had and grants them the way to expand their community.

Creating adventure for their community

As they move forward, Housen and Rosenblatt hope to bring back the things they used to do while incorporating what they learned during the pandemic. One thing they want to do is resume field trips.

Past field trips took members to the factory that manufactures the clay and glaze they use, to places hosting collections of 20th-century pottery and to workshops held by others in the area.

They also look forward to resuming such things as hosting a fire pit on the beach and bringing out a horsehair kiln for people to use.

“We really want people to come check us out,” Rosenblatt said. “We have a unique way of working that is different from many studios in the area. If you’re looking for a place to learn about pottery or do pottery because you’re a potter from way back or you have an idea — come talk to us.” full-circlepottery.com

In addition to providing an outdoor space where members could work on projects, Housen and Rosenblatt also brought Full Circle Pottery to people’s houses, helping them set up home studios.

I’m a woman in my early 20s. I’m considered pretty and I’m in good shape. I started dating significantly older men (in their 40s and early 50s). I love that they’re adults and I don’t become a girlfriend-slash-nanny, motivational coach and resume editor like when I’m dating guys my age. But these older men and I are in different life stages with different goals. They want to get married way sooner than I do, or they’ve had kids and don’t want more. How can I trick my brain into wanting men my age who are less emotionally and otherwise mature?

— Elder Dater In my 20s, upon moving from Michigan to Manhattan, I was quite the grandpa chaser. I have a thing for the lived-in male face and a ripened mind. But back then, I felt personally and professionally adrift – unsure of who I was and what I wanted to do. Ultimately, I think I was drawn to much-older men in the way Kate Winslet’s character was drawn to the door she clung to when the Titanic went down.

These men had what might be called stability: established careers in impressive, high-status fields, and they lived in civilized apartments (in contrast with my grim walk-up, so tiny you could breathe or think; pick one).

But now, looking back through the lens of evolutionary psychology, the attributes that attracted me reflect the evolved female preference for men who can “invest”: provide for a woman and any children they had together.

This priority by women, found across cultures and even species, surely evolved because females (save for seahorses, pipefish and sea dragons) are the ones who get pregnant and left with babies to feed. Because the perils of single motherhood weren’t an issue for ancestral men, men evolved to prioritize physical attractiveness. This preference is sneered at as “superficial,” though it’s anything but. The features men are drawn to – smooth, unblemished skin, lustrous hair, full lips and youth – are cues to a woman’s health and fertility. Men who instead had the hots for wrinkly 70-year-old ladies wouldn’t have left any descendants to pass on their biddy-lusty genes.

Across cultures, other characteristics most widely sought in both male and female mates include kindness, intelligence and good health. Most of us can’t have it all; we have to settle to some degree. But evolutionary

psychologists David Buss and Todd Shackelford find that women who are very physically attractive and thus high in mate value wanted all four of a cluster of mate characteristics in a man – those indicating that: 1) He’ll invest. 2) He’ll be a good parent. 3) He’ll be a loving partner. 4) He has good genes to pass on (suggested by his physical health, masculinity and sexiness).

If you are high in mate value – physically attractive, with other qualities men want in a partner (kindness, intelligence, etc.) – you’ll probably feel less willing to settle. This makes for some challenges. Much-older men can be a bad bet for a number of reasons, including crushing alimony, sperm beyond their prime, and the possibility that you’ll be diapering both a baby and a husband in relatively short order.

Unfortunately, in many younger men, 30 seems to be the new 18. Financially, the trappings of an adult life (like a house and children) are out of reach for many younger people in a way they weren’t in the past. Also, because casual sex is widely available, younger dudes are in no rush to end the Tinder rando sex parade with an “I do.” Finally, many of this generation grew up helicopter-parented, without the “Be home by dark!” independence of we who grew up in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Many got trophies just for showing up and either weren’t asked to do chores or were allowed to shrug them off. Is it really a shock when a guy doesn’t pop up at 23 brimming with adult responsibility and instead wants to play World of, um, Warcrack all day while you write his resume and cover letters?

Your best bet is probably to look for guys just a bit older – in their late 20s or early 30s – who may not be totally together in their career and finances, but show potential. These are men who are ambitious, intelligent and hardworking, with reasonable goals (that is, goals that seem realizable without the services of a wizard). Look for signs they care about more than their own immediate comfort and ease – like by noticing when you’re cold and giving you their jacket.

To be fair, there are women with much-older male partners who have happy, satisfying and maybe even magical relationships. Still, a good general rule might be that a guy’s probably too old for you if, when he was your age, he could’ve called you “baby,” but “3-month-old fetus” would’ve been more medically accurate.

GOT A PROBLEM? Write to Amy Alkon at 171 Pier Ave, Ste. 280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or email her at AdviceAmy@aol.com. ©2021, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved. Alkon’s latest book is “Unf*ckology: A Field Guide to Living with Guts and Confidence.” Follow @amyalkon on Twitter or visit blogtalkradio.com/amyalkon.

JUNE 3, 2021 THE ARGONAUT PAGE 15

SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Last State Restricted Silver Walking Liberty Bank Rolls go to CA residents

California residents get first dibs on last remaining Bank Rolls loaded with U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberties dating back to the early 1900’s some worth up to 100 times their face value for just the $39 minimum set for state residents non state residents must pay $118 per coin if any remain after 2-day deadline

STATE DISTRIBUTION: A strict limit of 4 State Restricted Bank Rolls per CA resident has been imposed CALIFORNIA - “It’s a miracle these State Restricted Bank Rolls even exist. That’s why Hotline Operators are bracing for the flood of calls,” said Laura Lynne, U.S. Coin and Currency Director for the National Mint and Treasury.

For the next 2 days the last remaining State of California Restricted Bank Rolls loaded with rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberties are actually being handed over to California residents who call the State Toll-Free Hotlines listed in today’s newspaper publication.

And here’s the best part. If you are a resident of the state of California you cover only the $39 per coin state minimum set by the private National Mint and Treasury, that’s fifteen rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberties worth up to 100 times their face value for just $585 which is a real steal because non state residents must pay $118 per coin which totals $1,770 if any coins remain after the 2-day deadline.

“Recently National Mint and Treasury spoke with a retired Treasurer of the United States of America who said ‘In all my years as Treasurer I’ve only ever seen a handful of these rarely seen Silver Walking Liberties issued by the U.S. Gov’t back in the early 1900’s. But to actually find them sealed away in State Restricted Bank Rolls still in pristine condition is like finding buried treasure.

So anyone lucky enough to get their hands on these Bank Rolls had betPAGE 16 THE ARGONAUT JUNE 3, 2021

JACKPOT: Imagine finding the 1919-D Silver Walking Liberty shown above worth thousands of dollars in collector value in one of these unsearched Bank Rolls. There are never any guarantees, but California residents who get their hands on these State Restricted Bank Rolls will be the really lucky ones because even more common coins are still worth up to $115 - $825 in collector value.

ter hold on to them,’” Lynne said.

“Now that the State of California Restricted Bank Rolls are being offered up we won’t be surprised if thousands of California residents claim the maximum limit allowed of 4 Bank Rolls per resident before they’re all gone,” said Lynne.

“That’s because the dates and mint marks of the U.S. Gov’t issued Silver

VALUABLE: It’s like a treasure hunt - there’s no telling what you’ll find. That’s because the dates and mint marks of the fifteen U.S. Gov’t issued coins sealed away inside these State of California Restricted Bank Rolls have never been searched. All we know is some of the coins are worth up to 100 times their face value.

Walking Liberty Half Dollars sealed away inside the State of California Restricted Bank Rolls have never been searched. But, we do know that some of these coins date clear back to the early 1900’s and are worth up to 100 times their face value, so there is no telling what California residents will find until they sort through all the coins,” Lynne went

on to say.

The only thing California residents need to do is call the State Toll-Free Hotlines printed in today’s newspaper publication before the 2-day order deadline ends.

“Rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued silver coins like these are highly sought after, but we’ve never seen anything R1018R-2

(Continued on next page)

SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

(Continued from previous page)

like this before. According to The Official Red Book, a Guide Book of United States Coins many Silver Walking Liberty Half Dollars are now worth $115 - $825 each in collector value,” Lynne said.

“So just imagine how much these last remaining, unsearched State of California Restricted Bank Rolls could be worth someday. Remember, these are not ordinary coins – these rarely seen coins date clear back to the early 1900’s. In fact, these coins have been forever retired by the U.S. Gov’t, and you can only get them rolled this way d irectly from the National Mint and Treasury because these are the only State Restricted Bank Rolls known to exist,” said Lynne.

“We’re guessing thousands of California residents will be taking the maximum limit of 4 Bank Rolls because they make such amazing gifts for any occasion for children, parents, grandparents, friends and loved ones,” Lynne continued.

“We know the phones will be ringing off the hook. That’s why hun-

dreds of Hotline Operators are standing by to answer the phones beginning at 8:30am this morning. We’re going to do our best, but with just 2 days to answer all the calls it won’t be easy. So make sure to tell everyone to keep calling if all operators are busy. We’ll

do our best to answer them all,” Lynne said.

“That’s why the private National Mint and Treasury set up the State Toll-Free Hotlines in order to make sure California residents get the State Restricted Bank Rolls before they’re all gone,” she

said.

The only thing readers of today’s newspaper publication need to do is make sure they are a resident of the state of California and call the State Toll-Free Hotlines before the 2-day deadline ends midnight tomorrow. ■

IMPORTANT: The dates and mint marks of the U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Walking Liberties sealed away inside the State of California Restricted Bank Rolls have never been searched. Coin values always fluctuate and they are never any guarantees, but any of the scarce coins shown below, regardless of their value that residents may find inside the sealed Bank Rolls are theirs to keep.

1916-P Mint: Philadelphia Mintage: 608,000 Collector Value: $55 $265

1919-P Mint: Philadelphia Mintage: 962,000 Collector Value: $32 $515

1938-D Mint: Denver Mintage: 491,600 Collector Value: $60 $160

1921-S Mint: San Francisco Mintage: 548,000 Collector Value: $80 $800

CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS: COVER JUST $39 MINIMUM PER COIN BEGIN CALLING AT 8:30 AM: 1-800-929-4439 EXT. RWL2068 if you are a resident of the state of California call now to claim the state limit of 4 state of California restricted bank rolls. all California residents who beat the 2-day deadline are getting the only full fifteen coin bank rolls loaded with rarely seen u.s. gov’t issued silver walking liberty half dollars dating back to the early 1900’s some worth up to 100 times their face value known to exist. The only thing California residents cover is just the $39 per coin state minimum set by the private National Mint and Treasury, that’s fifteen rarely seen u.s. gov’t issued silver walking liberty half dollars some worth up to 100 times their face value for just $585 and that’s a real steal because non-California residents must pay $1,770 for each state of California restricted bank roll. just be sure to call the state toll free hotlines before the deadline ends two days from today’s publication date.

NON STATE RESIDENTS: MUST PAY $118 PER COIN - IF ANY REMAIN DO NOT CALL BEFORE 5:00 PM TOMORROW: 1-800-929-8898 RWL2068

if you are a resident living outside of the state of California you are required to pay $118 for each silver walking liberty for a total of $1,770 plus shipping and handling for each state of California restricted bank roll loaded with fifteen u.s. gov’t issued silver walking liberty half dollars.

NATIONAL MINT AND TREASURY, LLC IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. MINT, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, A BANK OR ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY. IF FOR ANY REASON WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM SHIPMENT YOU ARE DISSATISFIED, RETURN THE PRODUCT FOR A REFUND LESS SHIPPING AND RETURN POSTAGE. THIS SAME OFFER MAY BE MADE AVAILABLE AT A LATER DATE OR IN A DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION. OH RESIDENTS ADD 6.5% SALES TAX. NATIONAL MINT AND TREASURY, PO BOX 35609, CANTON, OH 44735 ©2021 NATIONAL MINT AND TREASURY. R1018R-2 JUNE 3, 2021 THE ARGONAUT PAGE 17

CHARMING SILCON BEACH HOME

“Picture-perfect three-bedroom home poised atop an eye-catching multi-tier brick pathway with lovely landscape and lighting,” says agent Stephanie Younger. “Follow these stylish steps to the large front sitting porch where a stylish frosted glass door welcomes you into a quaint foyer entrance. The large great room offers hardwood flooring, crown molding, recessed lighting, and large triple-pane picture windows while the spacious formal dining room shines with a halo of light from the French doors to the back patio and a peek-a-boo window to the remodeled kitchen.

Stainless steel appliances, custom cabinetry, and granite countertops grace this classic kitchen. Two bedrooms and a remodeled bath with decorative tile work, and granite vanity are situated down the hall from the private owner’s en suite bedroom with fireplace, walk-in closet, French doors, and spacious bath. There’s no better location with fine shops and dining mere steps away and popular beaches and bike path but a quick car ride away.”

PAGE 18 AT HOME – THE ARGONAUT’S REAL ESTATE SECTION JUNE 3, 2021

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In Escrow 8047 Altavan Ave, Westchester 2 bed | 1 bath | $959,000 Updated Ranch Style Home

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3 bed | 2 bath | $949,000 Stylish Second Floor Condo

7721 Agnew Ave, Westchester 4 bed | 3 bath | $1,599,000 Premiere Kentwood Neighborhood

In Escrow 7823 Bleriot Ave, Westchester 4 bed | 3 bath | $1,299,000 Traditional Ranch w/ Guest House

6201 W 74th St, Westchester 3 bed | 2 bath | $1,399,000 Remodeled Hidden Gem

In Escrow 5886 W 75th St, Westchester 4 bed | 2 bath | $1,399,000 Pristine Ranch-Style Home

In Escrow 7886 Truxton Ave, Westchester 4 bed | 5 bath | $2,298,000 Stunning Costal Farmhouse

FIND YOUR PLACE The Stephanie Younger Group 310.499.2020 | DRE 01365696 stephanieyounger.com | @stephanieyoungergroup 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 accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate. If your property is currently listed for sale this is not a solicitation.

JUNE 3, 2021 AT HOME – THE ARGONAUT’S REAL ESTATE SECTION PAGE 19

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“Enter the gated driveway of this 4BD/3BA home or amble across the fairy-tale stone walkway toward the romantically rustic wooden front door amidst lush drought-tolerant landscaping,” says agent Stephanie Younger. “Enter into an oasis of light, air, and luxury, gliding across bamboo flooring while basking in the endless walls of windows. The airy main living space and beautiful kitchen opens to the welcoming backyard while recessed lighting and a contemporary fireplace provide the perfect setting for gathering with the family or reading quietly late into the night.”

Offered at $1,599,000 Stephanie Younger Compass 310-499-2020

“This exquisite penthouse loft is the largest penthouse in the coveted Steel Lofts boutique building,” says agent Tara Klein. “Come home to a bright and spacious home with a large and functional floor plan including white wood floors, designer kitchen with custom cabinetry, a large dining area soaring 12 ½ foot ceilings that give this loft an open and airy feeling throughout. The custom bookshelves in the front sitting area and the oversized walls are perfect for displaying art. Step outside to the magnificent private deck with southern exposure that is perfect for indoor/outdoor living.”

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“Elegantly updated 3BD/2BA home in Culver City” says agent James Suarez. “Comfortable and convenient living w/ premium touches and an ideal location. Approaching the home, you immediately notice the white picket fence and tropical greenery.

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“This extensively renovated 3BD/BA home has designer finishes throughout,” says agent Jesse Weinberg. “Offering a bright open floorplan with hardwood floors throughout, soaring vaulted ceilings with skylights, and shiplap accent walls throughout. The sumptuous master suite offers direct access to the backyard, walk-in closet, and an en-suite spa inspired bathroom with soaking tub, dual vanity, and custom glass frame shower. Additionally, the home offers new doors/ windows, laundry room, new roof, and detached finished 2-car garage.”

Offered at $1,995,000 Jesse Weinberg Jesse Weinberg & Associates 800-804-9132

THE ARGONAUT REAL ESTATE BUSINESS NEWS

30-year mortgage rates may climb to 3.5% by year end Tight job market, signs of inflation will force Fed to change course on its loose monetary policies.

By Jeff Lazerson | jlazerson@mortgagegrader.com | MortgageGrader.com | May 23, 2021 The party is over for the lowest mortgage rates level since March 14, 2020, at 444,000, in U.S. history. according to this week’s Labor Department data dump.

After landing at an all-time low 2.65% the first week of January, the Freddie Mac 30-year fixed climbed to 3% this week. That is an enormous, 35 basis points pop.

Raymond Sfeir, research director at Chapman University’s Anderson Center for Economic Research, points to the Fed’s $120 billion monthly bond-buying-binge (of which, $40 billion are for mortgage bonds) as a major factor in lower borrowing costs.

“There was a 25% increase in money supply,” said Sfeir. “The deficit is shooting through the roof.”

My goodness. Even the Federal Reserve finally woke-up.

It acknowledged the footsteps to inflation are here in this week’s April Fed meeting minutes.

Meeting notes indicate if the economy continues to make rapid progress toward Fed goals, it might discuss adjustments to the pace of asset purchases. That’s code for putting a kibosh on the $120 billion bond buying binge.

The job market is front and center. Claims for unemployment insurance dropped to its lowest

Labor Department data shows an astounding 8.1 million U.S. job openings.

Fed meeting participants cited everything from expanded unemployment benefits to child-care constraints, health concerns and retirement as roadblocks to bringing workers back.

Wages will have to crank-up significantly to attract more people back to the workforce.

With the cost of everything from gasoline to groceries shooting skyward, the current workforce is none too happy either. Even McDonald’s workers are worried. When was the last time you remember McDonald’s employees going on strike for higher wages?

Sfeir sees the 30-year fixed climbing to 3.4% by year end. And he sees mortgages at 4.7% by the spring of 2023.

The monthly payment was $2,015 for a $500,000 mortgage in January, when rates for the 30-year fixed fell to an all-time low of 2.65%, according to Freddie. At today’s 3% rate, that payment rises about 5% to $2,108.

PAGE 20 AT HOME – THE ARGONAUT’S REAL ESTATE SECTION JUNE 3, 2021

Assuming Sfeir’s prediction of a year-end 3.4% rate, that payment would rise another 5% to $2,217. At 4.7% we see a whopper of an increase to $2,593, or about 15%.

Freddie Mac rate news: The 30-year fixed rate averaged 3%, 6 basis points higher than last week. The 15-year fixed rate averaged 2.29%, 3 basis points lower than last week.

From 2.65% in January to 4.7% just two short years later, we would see a 29% jump in the house payment for that same $500,000 mortgage.

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported a 1.2% increase in mortgage application volume from the previous week.

Bottom line: Assuming a borrower gets the average 30-year fixed-rate on a conforming Are we at the top of the home price mountain? $548,250 loan, last year’s payment was $72 more than this week’s payment of $2,294.

Will home prices flatten? Or will we see a bursting bubble?

What I see: Locally, well-qualified borrowers can get the following fixed-rate mortgages Jordan Levine, California Association of Realtors chief economist, sees mortgage rates with 1-point cost: A 30-year FHA at 2.25%, a 15-year conventional at 2%, a 30-year around 3.5% by year end. conventional at 2.69%, a 15-year conventional “I am not super worried about inflation,” said high-balance ($548,251 to $822,375) at Levine.

2.25%, a 30-year conventional high-balance at 2.875% and a 30-year fixed jumbo at 2.625%.

Levine points to CAR affordability index at 27% as the first quarter of this year, Eye catcher loan of the week: A 30-year compared with 11-12% affordability fixed at 3% without cost. during the 2006-2007 bubble.

Wages can’t keep pace.

Still, Levine provided some caution.

“Buyers currently overbidding by 20% means property values have to continue to go up by 20%,” he said.

THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTION CAME FROM:

Jeff Lazerson is a mortgage broker.

He can be reached at 949-334-2424 or jlazerson@mortgagegrader.com.

His website is www.mortgagegrader.com.

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CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Classifieds / Legals

DEADLINE: Monday at 11am for Thursdays CALL ANN: 626-584-8747 or EMAIL: ann@argonautnews.com

Fic. Business Name FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2021107309 Type of Filing: Original The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: ADONIS STYLE HOUSE; 117 West 9th Street Suite 1016-1017 Los Angeles, CA 90015, 9338 Roslyndale Ave., Arleta, CA 91331. COUNTY: Los Angeles. REGISTERED OWNER(S) Hamlet Adonis Arevalo, 9338 Roslyndale Ave., Arleta, CA 91331. THIS BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED BY an Individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the Fictitious Business Name or names listed above on: 04/2021. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. /s/: Hamlet Adonis Arevalo. TITLE: CEO. This statement was filed with the LA County Clerk on: May 10, 2021. 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). Publish: The Argonaut Newspaper. Dates: 05/20/21, 05/27/21, 06/03/21, 06/10/21

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). Publish: The Argonaut Newspaper. Dates: 05/20/21, 05/27/21, 06/03/21, 06/10/21

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2021097905 Type of Filing: Amended. The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: CHOOSE YOUR MUSE; 2238 Wellesley Ave., Los Angeles, CA Lien Sales 90064, PO Box 64885 Los Angeles, CA 90064.

COUNTY: Los Angeles. REGISTERED OWNER(S) StaNotice of Self Storage Sale cey Michelle Rasfeld, 2238 Please take notice US StorWellesley Ave., Los Angeles, age Centers - Marina Del CA 90064. THIS BUSINESS Rey located at 12700 BradIS CONDUCTED BY an Indidock Dr., Los Angeles, CA vidual. The registrant com90066 intends to hold an menced to transact business auction to sell the goods under the Fictitious Business stored by the following tenName or names listed above ants at the storage facility. on: 06/2016. I declare that all The sale will occur as an oninformation in this statement line auction via www.stortrue and correct. /s/: Stais agetreasures.com on cey Michelle Rasfeld. TITLE: 6/17/2021 at 10:00AM. UnOwner. This statement was less stated otherwise the defiled with the LA County Clerk scription of the contents are on: April 26, 2021. NOTICE – household goods and furin accordance with subdivinishings. Alan Justin Levine; sion (a) of Section 17920, a Lawrence Steven Rubinson; Fictitious Name Statement Sandra Marie Angeline; Jengenerally expires at the end nifer Marie Valko. All propof five years from the date on erty is being stored at the which it was filed in the ofabove self-storage facility. fice of the county clerk, exThis sale may be withdrawn cept, as provided in subdiviat any time without notice. sion (b) of Section 17920, Certain terms and conditions where it expires 40 days after apply. See manager for deany change in the facts set tails. forth in the statement pursuant to Section 17913 other PUBLISHED: The Argonaut than a change in the residNewspaper 05/27/21, ence address of a registered 06/03/21 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). Publish: The ArPhyllis Wey Garrett, a 75-year resident of Westchester, gonaut Newspaper. Dates: 05/20/21, 05/27/21, passed away Friday, May 7, 2021 at the age05/13/21, of 96 years.

06/03/21

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). Publish: The Argonaut Newspaper. Dates: 05/13/21, 05/20/21, 05/27/21, 06/03/21

Legal Notices

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY DRAFT PROGRAM ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE DATE: June 9, 2021 PROJECT TITLE: Los Angeles County Housing Element Update PROJECT LOCATION: Unincorporated Areas of Los Angeles County The County of Los Angeles (County), as the lead agency pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), completed a Draft Program Environmental Impact Report (Draft PEIR) for the Housing Element of the County of Los Angeles General Plan (General Plan) for the 2021–2029 planning period (Housing Element Update). The County has prepared this Notice of Availability (NOA) to consult with and request comments from responsible agencies, trustee agencies, and other interested parties regarding the environmental analyses presented in the Draft PEIR. The Draft PEIR is being circulated for review and comment by appropriate agencies, as well as organizations and individuals who have requested notification.

For more information on the project, please see: http://planning.lacounty.gov/h ousing. PROJECT LOCATION Unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County PROJECT SUMMARY The County is updating the Housing Element of the General Plan for the 2021-2029 planPhyllis was born September 4, 1924 in Terre Haute, ning period. The Housing Element is one of the seven Indiana to Richard A. and Betty (Powell) Wey. Phyllis required elements of the graduated from Indiana State University in 1946 with General Plan per the California Government Code, begina Bachelor of Art in Secondary Education. After their ning at Section 65583. GenJuly 1946 wedding, Phyllis and her husband, William A. erally, State law mandates updates to the Housing EleGarrett (1919-2011), moved to Westchester, California. ment every eight years. The Housing Element serves as a Phyllis enjoyed her role as a homemaker but was also policy guide to address the comprehensive housing an active volunteer in Boy and Girl Scouts, PTA organineeds of the unincorporated zations, as well as, a member of the Westchester/Playa areas of Los Angeles County (unincorporated areas). The del Rey Elks Lodge and the Shriner’s Daughters of the primary focus of the Housing Nile. Despite her partial loss of vision, Phyllis loved to Element is to ensure decent, safe, sanitary, and affordtravel and happily organized many road trips in order able housing for current and for her family to visit most of the United States. As future residents of the unincorporated areas, including years passed, Bill and Phyllis savored their many cruise those with special needs.

The County is required to enexperiences. Phyllis possessed an infectious laugh, a sure the availability of residready smile and a feisty wittiness, and these were some ential sites, at adequate densities and appropriate deof the qualities that helped her make numerous lifevelopment standards, in the long friends. Phyllis’ family and friends loved her dearly unincorporated areas to accommodate its fair share of and were fortunate to have enjoyed her company for the regional housing need, also known as the Regional so many years.

Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation. PUBLIC Phyllis is survived by her son, Mark of Westchester; REVIEW PERIOD In accorddaughter Sherri Jeremiah and son-in-law Jim of San ance with Section 15105 of the State CEQA Guidelines, Diego; granddaughter Renee (Mark) Newman of Temecula; grandson Chad (Tanya) the County has scheduled a Jeremiah of Temecula; grandson, Lance (Maddelena) Jeremiah of 45-day Kansas City; and public review period for the Draft PEIR. The formher six great-grandchildren, Micah, Peter, Addison, Landon, Ava and Violette. Her al public review period will start on June 9, 2021 and family is so very grateful to Phyllis’ dear friend and caregiver, Teresa Alpuche. end on July 26, 2021. PUBLIC COMMENTS Please In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Wounded Warriors submit all written comment organization. letters no later than 5:00 p.m. on July 26, 2021. Please send by mail to the following address: Tina Fung, SuperPAGE 22 THE ARGONAUT JUNE 3, 2021 vising Regional Planner; Housing Policy Section, County of Los Angeles De-

O B I T U A R Y

PHYLLIS WEY GARRETT September 4, 1924 - May 7, 2021

agencies, and other interested parties regarding the environmental analyses presented in the Draft PEIR. The Draft PEIR is being circulated for review and comment by appropriate agencies, as well as organizations and individuals who have requested notification.

For more information on the project, please see: http://planning.lacounty.gov/h ousing. PROJECT LOCATION Unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County PROJECT SUMMARY The County is updating the Housing Element of the General Plan for the 2021-2029 planning period. The Housing Element is one of the seven required elements of the General Plan per the California Government Code, beginning at Section 65583. Generally, State law mandates updates to the Housing Element every eight years. The Housing Element serves as a policy guide to address the comprehensive housing needs of the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County (unincorporated areas). The primary focus of the Housing Element is to ensure decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing for current and future residents of the unincorporated areas, including those with special needs.

The County is required to ensure the availability of residential sites, at adequate densities and appropriate development standards, in the unincorporated areas to accommodate its fair share of the regional housing need, also known as the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) allocation. PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD In accordance with Section 15105 of the State CEQA Guidelines, the County has scheduled a 45-day public review period for the Draft PEIR. The formal public review period will start on June 9, 2021 and end on July 26, 2021. PUBLIC COMMENTS Please submit all written comment letters no later than 5:00 p.m. on July 26, 2021. Please send by mail to the following address: Tina Fung, Supervising Regional Planner; Housing Policy Section, County of Los Angeles Department of Regional Planning; 320 W. Temple Street, 13th Floor; Los Angeles, CA 90012. For email submittal of your comment letter, send to: housing@planning.lacounty.g ov. AVAILABILITY OF MATERIALS Digital copies of the Draft PEIR are available on the project website at: https://planning.lacounty.gov/h ousing/eir.

6/3/21 CNS-3473793# THE ARGONAUT T-Mobile intends to collocate telecommunications equipment on the building located at 7726 W. Manchester Ave., Playa Del Rey, Los Angeles County, CA 90293 & Latitude: 33-57-34.0 N, Longitude: 118-25-55.2 W. The height of the structure will be approximately 14.9 meters above ground level (59.7 meters above mean sea level). The tower is anticipated to have no FAA lighting.

Specific information regarding the project is available by calling Madeline Sarcone (515) 473-6256 during normal business hours. Any interested party may file comments within thirty days of this notice with Impact7G, Inc. at 9550 Hickman Road, Suite 105, Clive, IA 50325 on the impact of the proposed action on any districts, sites, buildings, structures or objects significant in American history, archaeology, engineering or culture that are listed or determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under National Historic Preservation Act Section 106. Interested persons may review the application for this project

history, archaeology, engineering or culture that are listed or determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under National Historic Preservation Act Section 106. Interested persons may review the application for this project at www.fcc.gov/asr/applications by entering Antenna Structure Registration (Form 854) file no. (A1193571). Interested persons may raise environmental concerns about the project under the National Environmental Policy Act rules of the Federal Communications Commission, 47 CFR §1.1307, by notifying the FCC of the specific reasons that the action may have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. Requests for Environmental Review must be filed within 30 days of the date that notice of the project is published on the FCC’s website and may only raise environmental concerns. The FCC strongly encourages interested parties to file Requests for Environmental Review online at www.fcc.gov/asr/environmentalrequest, but they may be filed with a paper copy by mailing the Request to FCC Requests for Environmental Review, Attn: Ramon Williams, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554. A copy of the Request should be provided to Impact7G, Inc. at 9550 Hickman Road, Suite 105, Clive, IA 50325.

PUBLISHED: Argonaut Newspaper 06/03/21

Name Change ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No. 21SMCP00227 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES. Petition of MICHAEL MOSS, TARA HAGGIAG MOSS, for Change of Name. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.) Petitioner: MICHAEL MOSS, TARA HAGGIAG MOSS filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.)

Anya Ross Katharine Haggiag Moss to Isabella Katharine Haggiag Moss 2.) 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: July 23, 2021. Time: 8:30 AM. Dept.: K Room: A203. The address of the court is 1725 Main Street Santa Monica, CA 90401Santa Monica Courthouse. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each 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: Los Angeles. Original filed: May 20, 2021. Hon. Lawrence H. Cho, Judge of the Superior Court. PUBLISH: Argonaut Newspaper 05/27/21, 06/03/21, 06/10/21, 06/17/21

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ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME Case No. 21SMCP00178 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES. Petition of AUDRA HOWARD, for Change of Name. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: 1.) Petitioner: Audra Howard filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: a.) Audra June Howard to Audra June Howard Ferguson 2.) 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: July 2, 2021. Time: 8:30 AM. Dept.: K. The address of the court is 1725 Main Street Santa Monica, CA 90401-Santa Monica Courthouse. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each 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: Los Angeles. Original filed: April 20, 2021. Lawrence Cho, Judge of the Superior Court.

PUBLISH: The Argonaut Newspaper 05/20/21, 05/27/21, 06/03/21, 06/10/21

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LOS ANGELES TIMES SUNDAY CROSSWORD PUZZLE “AT THE ANGER MANAGEMENT SESSION ... ” By ED SESSA ACROSS 1 Where many a promise is made 6 Slugger’s stats 10 Lectric Shave competitor 14 CNN alternative 19 With 38-Across, Beethoven oeuvre with 35 works 20 Apiece 21 Seal site 22 Pong creator 23 IGTV company, briefly 24 On the safer side 25 Hebrides hill 26 Assigned a grade 27 ... Rudolph was __ 29 ... Elsie was __ 31 MLB blasts 32 Fat substitute 34 Type of type that shows stress 35 Gave a thumbsup 36 Hung over?

38 See 19-Across 42 ... Humpty Dumpty was __ 46 “Storm” seabird 47 Went by train 48 “Fresh Air” airer 49 “His Dark Materials” protagonist 52 “__ welcome” 53 Marx Brothers film setting 55 Beatles nonsense syllables 59 Gp. using caps and crowns 61 Touch of frost 62 Bayou music style 64 ... Herbie the “Love Bug” was __ 69 Mano a mano 71 “Words have consequences,” e.g.

72 Singer Anthony 73 ... Santa Claus was __ 78 Hardest to find

82 Jimmy Eat World genre 83 Korean car company 84 Movie physician with a two-letter name 85 Playground problem 86 Lou Grant portrayer 89 Oil filter brand 92 Walgreens rival 95 It has an apt number of letters in its name 96 Barely made a sound 98 ... Puff the Magic Dragon was __ 103 Clothes lines 105 __ Moore: canned stew brand 106 Lambs’ cries 107 Offerer of free drinks and chips 109 Put in danger 111 No. cruncher 114 ... Bugs Bunny was __ 117 ... Mr. Bubble was __ 119 Quiet lake transport 120 Highlands native 121 Emoji, for one 122 Birthplace of rapper Wyclef Jean 123 Modify 124 Strauss’ “__ Alpensinfonie” 125 Mineral removed from some baby powder 126 Kate’s TV mate 127 Economic upsurges 128 Supreme leader?

129 Big name in skin care 130 Upper body muscles, for short DOWN 1 Mighty silly 2 Frozen rope, in baseball

3 Zaps 4 Fighting 5 Virginia’s so-called “Lost Colony” 6 Rose on hind legs 7 Hayfield sights 8 Summer cooler 9 Sow or doe 10 Group honored at a Stockholm exhibit 11 With great enthusiasm 12 Feature 13 Gemini rockets 14 Blues singer played by Viola Davis 15 How dotted notes should be played 16 Brussels-based gp.

17 Cold one 18 El __ 28 Close in theaters 29 “__ Nagila”: Israeli folk song 30 Unappetizing stuff 33 Cold and damp 35 Shovel it in 37 Addition, maybe 39 Animal part that trumpets 40 Nest on a crest 41 Got some shuteye 42 TV physician with a two-letter name 43 Viscous 44 Fingered 45 “No __!”

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70 End-of-week cry 73 Quite a lot 74 “No more for me, thanks” 75 Printer supply 76 Pine __: dugout supply 77 Avenue __, Paris’ widest street 79 “The Time Machine” people 80 Musical score mark 81 Item in a Brit’s boot 87 “Divine Comedy,” e.g.

88 Changes the wall covering 90 Spare tires in trunks?

91 Hosp. procedure 93 Joie de vivre 94 Creeping creature 97 First name in ’50s TV comedy 99 Geraint’s wife 100 Bank convenience 101 Not surprising 102 Holy Grail seeker 104 One putting words to music 108 Marsh of detective fiction 110 First name in B-29 history 111 Jack Frost’s advice to his angry clients?

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JUNE 3, 2021 THE ARGONAUT PAGE 23

W E S T S I D E

H A P P E N I N G S

Compiled by Kamala Kirk OUTFRONTS, Through June 8 Outfest, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization dedicated to creating visibility for diverse LGBTQIA+ stories and empowering tomorrow’s artists and storytellers, will be hosting the OutFronts – a five-day digital festival from June 4 to 8. The inaugural event will kick off Pride Month and will bring together the very best in queer episodic television to connect fans with all things LGBTQIA on television and streaming. The festival will include free-to-view panel discssions and exclusive members-only premieres featuring the talent from some of the most exciting LGBTQIA+ programs available on television today.

For more information, visit theoutfronts.com Marina del Rey Farmers Market, 8 to 9 a.m. (seniors), 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (general public) This weekly outdoor event allows Westside residents to support local produce sellers and other vendors. Food from a wide variety of businesses is available for purchase. Masks are required and only 40 people are allowed to shop at any one time. Held in parking lot 11 at 14101 Panay Way. More information is available at beaches.lacounty.gov/ mdrfarmersmarket “Euphoria” by Lily King Ocean Park Branch Book Discussion, 11 a.m. to noon In 1930s New Guinea, anthropologist Andre Banson, frustrated by his research and depressed over the death of his

CREDIT: COURTESY OF LA ZOO

Saturday, June 5

On Saturday June 5 at 6 p.m., LA Zoo’s virtual Beastly Ball will honor actors and philanthropists Jackie Chan and Leila George. brothers, begins a tumultuous relationship with a married couple.

To register, email karen.reitz@ santamonica.gov Abbot Kinney Fantastic Film Festival, 7 p.m.

Fantastic films on the coolest street in America. Where the art of film merges with a boulevard famous for fashion, technology and culture. Venice, California was founded by Abbot Kinney and modeled after Venice, Italy.

It was designated as a place for artists to come and create. This still stands true today, and this year’s Abbot Kinney Fantastic Film Festival will take place on Aviator Yacht in Marina del Rey. For more information and tickets, visit filmfreeway.com/ abbotkinney Virtual Beastly Ball, 6 p.m.

The Beastly Ball is the Greater

Los Angeles Zoo Association’s largest and most important fundraiser of the year. Last year’s first-ever virtual gala was an incredible success and this year’s event promises to be even better. As they continue to rebound from a deficit following a series of unprecedented closures due to COVID-19 restrictions, your financial support of GLAZA has never been more vital to sustaining their work. RSVP to join the free event, which will celebrate and support GLAZA’s efforts to fund a myriad of programs including global wildlife conservation, innovative animal care and health, and inspiring education programs at the LA Zoo! To RSVP, visit lazoo.org

Sunday, June 6 Santa Monica Main Street CREDIT: COURTESY OF THE SANTA MONICA CONSERVANCY

On Wednesday June 9 at 5 p.m., the Santa Monica Conservancy will present a virtual lecture with Santa Monica College professor and Pico native Jaime Cruz that focuses on the Mexican American community in Santa Monica.

Farmers Market, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Shop for local fresh produce and prepared foods from local restaurants starting at 2640 Main Street. You can also enjoy musical entertainment from featured weekly bands, face painting, balloon designs, and if you catch it on the right week, a cooking demonstration featuring local produce.

Mar Vista Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This vibrant, year-round market offers local produce, prepared foods, kids crafts and live events. Located at 12198 Venice Blvd., Grand View at Venice Boulevard.

For more information, visit marvistafarmersmarket.org Venice Electric Light Parade, 6 p.m.

Marcus Gladney created the Venice Electric Light Parade to bring together bike enthusiasts who love to light up their bikes and set out into the night along the beautiful Venice Beach boardwalk. The group meets every Sunday at sunset, at Windward Plaza on the boardwalk, down from the worldfamous Venice sign. Must have safety lights and wheel lights (not required to ride) will be available for purchase. As many as 100 people show up each Sunday night for a chance to join the community for a few hours of fun. Everyone welcome, all ages, all bikes.

For more information, visit facebook.com/ veniceelectriclightparade

Monday, June 7 Introduction to Mindful

Meditation, 7 to 8 p.m.

Instructor Heather White-Laird discusses mindfulness, a secular form of meditation benefiting health and well-being. In the first of three monthly sessions, simple tools will be provided to allow you to continue practicing at home.

To register, email karen.reitz@ santamonica.gov Take & Make Kit: Ferris Wheel by the Santa Monica History Museum This kit teaches kids about the history and engineering of the Santa Monica Pier. Through play with paper straws, rubber bands and other items, children learn the basics of building structures.

Available at Main Library Youth Services, and at Montana Avenue and Pico Curbside, while supplies last. Available beginning June 7.

For more information, visit smpl.org

Wednesday, June 9 Santa Monica Mosaic: The Pico Neighborhood, 5 p.m.

The Santa Monica Conservancy is thrilled to announce its upcoming lecture focused on the Mexican American community in Santa Monica which will be held on Zoom. Join Santa Monica College professor and Pico native Jaime Cruz as he takes attendees through the various chapters of the district’s evolution, from the early 20th century to present day. Learn about the history of the area’s Mexican business districts and vibrant residential neighborhoods, as well as the challenges this community has faced, including policing and gentrification, urban redevelopment and disruption from the Santa Monica Freeway, which forced out thousands of families. The event is free for members and $10 for the general public.

Donations of $45 or more include a one-year membership and free admission to this and future Mosaic lectures.

To register online, visit smc.givecloud.co/2021mosaic3

Send event information at least 10 days in advance to kkirk@ timespublications.com