VIEWPOINT-Caltrans Lacks Safety Measures on PCH

Posted on January 2, 2024 by Sue Pascoe

(Editor’s note: Michel Shane, the producer of the documentary “21 Miles on Malibu,” sent CTN an email on December 25, 2023. Last night, another person was killed on PCH; I wrote this as an opinion piece. The man killed was in his 30s and died at the scene of the crash north of Decker Road around 6 p.m.)

Authorities investigated the crash which occurred on October 17 on PCH, which killed four people.

By MICHEL SHANE

On this Christmas Day, I write not with the usual festive cheer but with a profound sense of sorrow and a burning urge for change. As we gather with family, basking in the comfort of familiar company, the shadow of a grim reality looms over us. Last night, another life was claimed on the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), marking the 59th fatality recorded on the sign at Web Way.

Pause for a moment to reflect on the magnitude of this tragedy: 59 lives were abruptly extinguished, leaving behind a ripple effect of grief and loss that touches countless more. This grim statistic is more than just a number; it’s a testament to the irreversible damage caused by our collective negligence and inertia.

This past week, California’s Secretary of Transport announced a significant investment in PCH, a gesture greeted with rounds of applause and self-congratulation. But as I recall the seven long years it took to merely synchronize traffic lights, this fanfare rings hollow. In that time, an average of 35 people perished each year on what should be a safe passage.

It’s not as if PCH is a seldom-used backroad. With an influx of 15 million visitors to Malibu annually, the potential for disaster is ever-present. And yet, we accept this reality with a fatalistic shrug, assuming that the tragedy always befalls ‘someone else.’ But I can tell you from bitter experience it’s a different story when you become that ‘someone else.’

A recent article by Madeline Brozen, Deputy Director of UCLA’s Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, hit the nail on the head. She stressed the urgent need for curb extensions, lane narrowing, improved signal timing, and automated speed enforcement systems – measures glaringly absent from CalTrans’ proposed safety improvements for PCH.

CalTrans claims to prioritize safety, but these are empty words without decisive action. However, the responsibility doesn’t lie solely with them. We, the public, are complicit in this ongoing tragedy. We’ve become complacent, assuming it’s someone else’s problem to solve. But when it’s your loved one who’s been taken, you’d give anything for an extra minute, an extra hour, an extra day.

Promises of future reforms like speed cameras and legislative changes offer some hope. Yet, we need immediate, tangible solutions to prevent the death toll from rising further. A comprehensive redesign of PCH in Malibu is long overdue.

We must educate our youth, instilling in them the understanding that speeding is as lethal as drunk driving. It’s high time we shifted our mindset, making safety a shared responsibility rather than someone else’s burden.

As we step into the New Year, let our resolution be to transform PCH from a death trap into a safe, scenic route. Let’s allow the stunning beauty of Malibu to mirror the quality of our lives – safe, serene, and worth preserving.

Pacific Coast Highway is a beautiful drive, it is also deadly.

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Storms Provide High Surf/Rainfall

Posted on January 1, 2024 by Sue Pascoe

Pacific Palisades Park Advisory Board Member Janet Anderson was at the base of Temescal Canyon at Will Rogers Historic Beach on Sunday. She said, “I’ve never seen surfers here before.” Three surfers were taking advantage of the large waves at that location.

 

Pacific Palisades rainfall season starts on July 1 and runs through June 30. The annual average in Pacific Palisades is 13.78 inches of rain.

The area is well on its way to making its average after the December 22 storm dropped 3.6 tenths of rain in the gauge on Radcliffe. A Highlands neighbor, who was located in the Santa Monica Mountains received about an inch more (4.7) in that rain gauge.

The most recent rain, December 29-30, dropped about .9 inches of rain. More showers are predicted on Wednesday.

The storms in the Pacific have resulted in high surf and dangerous rip currents. This editor was driving on the 405 to Redondo, when an alert was sent out to watch for currents and high surf. This editor assumes the alerts were for the coast and not the freeway.

Earlier this year Hurricane Hilary, which was classified as a Category 4 hurricane on August 16, and downgraded to a tropical storm early August 20, provided steady rain. Then, rain gauge off Radcliffe Avenue, 3.5 inches of rain was captured. A rain gauge in the Highlands captured 4.5 inches of rain.

About three tenths of an inch of rain fell November 15 and about another two tenths fell Friday night into Saturday morning.

Total rainfall on Radcliffe Avenue through December 30 is 8.5 inches of rain.

Last year, Palisades had 32.1 inches of rain.

Waves were crashing high on the beach. One Beach and Harbor official at Will Rogers Beach at the base of Temescal said, “The big waves just keep coming.”

MORE HISTORICAL RAINFALL DATA:

The late Ted Mackie kept records of the rainfall. He had reported that the driest cycle was the five years between 1987 and 1991, when Pacific Palisades received less than 10 inches of rain each year.

The five wettest years were 1978, 1983, 1995, 1998 and 2006. The most rain recorded here was 42.60 inches in 1997-1998.

The five driest years on record were 1976, 1990, 2007, 2012 and 2014.

Since 1942, the driest season in the Palisades was 4.11 inches in 2006-2007. The 2013-2014 season ended with 6.13 inches.

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Kalberg/Young to Assume Co-President Role for Homeless Task Force

Posted on January 1, 2024 by Sue Pascoe

When this homeless woman, wearing only a blanket, was spotted, the Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness was called and someone responded immediately.

Whenever this editor sees a homeless individual in the Village or along Temescal Canyon Park, a photo is taken and instantly sent to the Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness (PPTFH).

When this homeless woman (pictured) was walking down to the beach on Sunday morning, wrapped only in a blanket – no clothes, the response from the task force was immediate. Later, the woman, who was now walking around the village, had on a hoodie, a top and shorts.

The PPTFH, a volunteer group which was formed in October 2014, announced that Carmen Kalberg and Cindi Young will serve as co-presidents, starting January 2024.

Carmen Kalberg

“We are excited about the opportunity to lead PPTFH into its 10th year,” said Kalberg who joined the PPTFH volunteer response team in 2018. “Being able to engage and offer compassionate assistance to people experiencing homelessness has been the most rewarding volunteer work I have done.”

In 2021, she was joined by neighbor Cindi Young who was curious about the PPTFH. “She accompanied me, along with Sharon Kilbride (current co-president), on my Wednesday beach rounds.”

The volunteer response team consists of individuals who visit different areas of the town, looking for those who might need services. “A wonderful friendship and partnership was born out of our common interest to help those who are experiencing homelessness,” Kalberg said.

Cindi Young

The two walk the beach areas pulling a little blue wagon filled with snacks, water and hygiene kits. Occasionally, Missy, Young’s friendly puppy rides along. “We call Missy our secret weapon, as few can resist her charms,” Kalberg said.

The PPTFH was formed in 2014, when the City of Los Angeles told Pacific Palisades, which was inundated with homeless people, that nothing could be done. The homeless could not be arrested, and legally they could live on the streets.

Compassion took over and money was raised to hire two social workers ($300k+) that could help those suffering on the streets. Aiding the paid workers was a task force of community volunteers.

A beach detail, started by the Los Angeles Police Department, allowed law enforcement to go into brush areas, in the very high fire severity zone and cite people who were illegally camping.

Since 2016, 183 of the individuals who were engaged by PPTFH are off the streets. There is a 71-percent reduction in the number of homeless individuals. More than 1,847 new and abandoned campsites have been removed and the brush returned to its native state. In 2023, about 533 abandoned campsites were cleaned. The fire department has extinguished at least seven homeless fires.

All of the money raised by this nonprofit goes directly to aid the homeless. The group lost its volunteer treasurer in 2020. No one wanted to take over the accounting duties for free, so the organization restructured and partnered with The People Concern, who became the fiscal sponsor.

Money is still needed to pay the social workers, who work strictly in the Palisades.  People can donate on the PPTFH website and know that the money will stay in this area click here.

Young spoke about taking over the leadership position. “Carmen and I are extremely fortunate that the leadership of dedicated members who created PPTFH have agreed to remain as advisors and mentors through our first year managing the organization.”

Kalberg said, “Cindi and I will focus on growing the PPTFH Volunteer Response Team. We are seeking to recruit community centric teams – volunteers 18 years and older who will cover the area in and near their own neighborhoods, searching for homeless individuals in need.”

Volunteers will be trained to evaluate, engage and inform individuals of services available to them, such as assistance with identification cards, lost drivers licenses and Social Security cards, clothing, medical and dental examinations, interim shelter and eventually permanent supportive housing.

“Community centric teams will make outreach more effective because, well, who knows their neighborhoods better than the neighbors who live there?” Young said.

There are many ways to support PPTFH.

Each Wednesday, a group of volunteers called the Brown Bag Brigade assemble fresh lunches which are collected by The People Concern service providers for distribution at the Wednesday morning Meet-Up held at Will Rogers Beach.

Volunteers are needed to assemble hygiene kits, which are offered to homeless individuals by the Volunteer Response Teams. Social workers use lunches and hygiene kits as a way of reaching out to and establishing trust with many who might be service resistant.

The new co-presidents said, “If you have technical, communications or fundraising skills, please email us at [email protected] and we will contact you.

“The bottom line is, the more volunteers we have to support PPTFH, the better job we can do addressing homelessness in Pacific Palisades,” the two said.

PPTFH’s first president was Maryam Zar in 2015. Doug McCormick served as president from 2016 to the first quarter of 2020. Sharon Browning and Sharon Kilbride have served as co-presidents from 2020-2023. Money was raised in 2022 to hire a clinical case manager to assist the two social workers, to help those homeless with mental issues.

The Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness was celebrated at the Community Council’s Jubilee in October. (Left to right: Chris Spitz, Maryam Zar, Sharon Kilbride, Carmen Kalberg and Cindi Young holding Missy.
Photo RICH SCHMITT

Posted in Community, Homelessness | 1 Comment

What Is It? #9

Posted on January 1, 2024 by Sue Pascoe

This is a prayer chair (in French: Prie Dieu). When walking on the Grand Place in Brussels in 1969 with Daniele and my friend Ken Weinstein, we spotted a pile of “wood junk” on the plaza in front of the principle Belgian Cathedral St. Michael and St Gudula.

On inquiry we learned that they were throwing out these old chairs and putting in new ones. Most of the pile were broken chairs but we dug up a couple of intact ones. Ken and I each took one.

I think the chairs are from around 1900 and are a fairly simple design. The congregants would sit on them. When it was time to pray and kneel, the chairs would be rotated. The Bible would be placed on the broad top of the back. You can see how low the seat is which is about the right level for kneeling.

This chair has cane seating and is harder than many cushioned ones made for royalty and the wealthy.

(Editor’s note: Palisades resident Howard Yonet has an interesting collection of curios from around the world and with his permission, Circling the News is publishing one a week. About the collector: Dr. Howard Yonet was born in Brooklyn in 1934 and attended Brooklyn College. He went to Baylor Medical School and then returned to do an internship at Bellevue Hospital. Yonet completed his residency at the Manhattan V.A. and the Montefiore Hospital. During this time he went skiing in Vermont and the Catskills, and while traveling found barns filled with early American pieces. This led to his interest in American Antiques.

In 1965, he married Daniele, who was originally from Nancy, France. During the Vietnam War, Yonet was drafted as a medical officer and stationed in Landstuhl, Germany (1966-1969). This was close to the French border, which meant he and Daniele and could visit her family.

While abroad, the Yonets took weekend trips through France and Italy, purchasing many interesting pieces at flea markets.

The family settled in Pacific Palisades in 1970 and Yonet practiced general radiology until 2006. He continued to acquire antiques and collectables at estate and garage sales and the Salvation Army Store. He also enjoyed looking for collectibles while traveling in Montana, Idaho, Colorado and Massachusetts. Daniele’s family helped add to his collection.)

 

 

 

Posted in What is it? | 1 Comment

News and People from 2023

Posted on December 31, 2023 by Sue Pascoe

Saying goodbye to 2023 and watching the sun rise on 2024.

The sun rises at Will Rogers Beach at the end of December

JANUARY:

Actor Joe Mantegna emceed the renaming of American Legion Post 283 to the Ronald Reagan Post. The large pool of water on PCH, resulting from rain was eventually fixed after the three lanes had been turned into one, resulting in traffic issues. Resident Sally Field received the SAG Life Achievement Award. A car roared into the Z Ultimate Self Defense studio in January narrowly avoiding a teacher and a student. There was major damage to the space with a grand reopening in April.

A car stopped when it hit the inside wall of the karate studio.

FEBRUARY:

February saw a homeless fire in the Huntington Bluffs, but because it was not politically correct to say it was started by transients behind the Caltrans wall, one has to assume it was spontaneous combustion.. Tiger Woods played in the Genesis Open – making the cut.  An illegal excavation on Paseo Miramar was done without permits. Pharmaca closed and the store space on Sunset is still empty.

Tiger Woods waited to putt on Hole 4

MARCH:

Blin Blin on Via de la Paz, which sold bilinis, and Denise Carolyn, a clothing store on Antioch across from the Village Green closed. Palisadian Jamie Lee Curtis won her first Oscar. The Palisadian-Post, which has been in business since 1928, announced they were going stop publishing weekly and go to twice a month. A 20,000-sq-ft. piece of the hillside, off Los Lomas Avenue, slid into a home below at 949 Los Lomas. Both were red-tagged. Photographer Rich Schmitt was told by the Palisadian-Post that after 21 years of working there, the paper was going to work without a photographer.

The backyard of the home on Los Lomas slid into the home at the base.

APRIL:

A homeless man, 59, was struck and killed on PCH and Sunset, after he wandered onto the roadway. Philip Springer, 96 was nominated (and won) a Weeby People’s Award for playing Moonlight Sonata on the piano. Illegal wood dumping continued on Temescal Canyon Road. Long-time Palisadian Joe Halper,93, retired from the Board of Commissioners for L.A. Rec and Park after serving five years. Prior to that he served seven years on the West L.A. Planning Commission.

Joe Halper

 

MAY:

Businessman Robert Flutie opened Flour in the Estate Coffee space. He offered pizza pies and slices and continued to offer coffee and breakfast items in the morning. The mortality rate among the homeless rose from 2,056 per 100,000 in 2019 to 3,183 per 100,000 in 2021, the most recent years of data analyzed.  A second task LAPD task force was held, and police and volunteers scoured the hillside for people illegally camping. Five abandoned campsites were cleared. L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath opened the newly constructed .6-mile path of the Marvin Braude Bike Trail to the public on May 24 at a ceremony held by Will Rogers Beach Lifeguard Headquarters.

L.A. County supervisor Lindsey Horvath spoke at Will Rogers Beach at opening of the bike lane.

JUNE:

The body of Harold Schwabe, 81, was found on Lachman Lane Fire Road. The manner and cause of death was not determined. Former Palisades Honorary Mayor Steve Guttenberg’s play, Tales from the Guttenberg Bible opened in New York to rave reviews. Two other honorary mayors also received acclaim: Billy Crystal was one of five entertainers to receive a Kennedy Center honor and Eugene Levy was among celebrities who will be honored with stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the television category. Palisades High School graduated 749 seniors. Winning the PPBA World Series were the Pinto Pirates, the Mustang Orioles and the Bronco Cardinals.

 

This was the first full-graduation at Palisades High School since the Covid pandemic shutdowns.

JULY:

Captain III Rich Gabaldon was appointed to the head the 65-square mile West L.A. LAPD at the beginning of July. He replaced Craig Heredia. The 4th of July parade theme was “Diamond Jubilee in 2023.” The parade organization was headed by volunteer, Matt Rodman, his fifth year. Sylvia Boyd was the Parade Marshall.

Vile and racist graffiti was sprayed on the Palisades Recreation Center large gym—ongoing issues with the Rec Center, which included fireworks, a kid being badly burned, cars racing in the parking lot were and are ongoing. Movies in the Park, which had been an ongoing tradition since 2004, quietly went away, when no one was willing to take it on that responsibility.

AUGUST:

A United States Postal carrier was robbed at gunpoint in the Huntington Palisades on August 21. The RVs were mostly gone from the strip of land along Jefferson Boulevard in Playa del Rey that bordered the Ballona Wetlands. Councilwoman Traci Park led the effort to restore this environmentally sensitive area that was neglected for several years under form Councilman Mike Bonin. Diesel Bookstore in Brentwood went up for sale—as of December no new owner had been named. Public schools started in Pacific Palisades. The first rain of the season fell thanks to Hurricane Hilary (about 3.5 inches). A semi-truck swerved to avoid a pedestrian at 4:30 a.m. on August 29, on PCH near Chautauqua. Diesel fuel leaked across the road, which necessitated a hazemat response and a road closure on PCH. The road reopened around 4 p.m. The Village Green, a private triangular park between Antioch, Swarthmore and Sunset Boulevard celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Garbage from illegal dwellers is finding its way into the enviromentally-sensitive Ballona Wetlands. Some of the RVs have now been cleared.

SEPTEMBER:

Jeff Ridgway, owner of Pacific Palisades only bookstore, Collections, Antiques, Accessories and Books closed at the end of the month after about two years in business. To remember 9/11, the American Legion auxiliary placed nearly 600 flags—one representing each five victims on the Village Green. A teen overdosed in the park and Station 69 paramedics responded. New landlords at 16458 Sunset Palisades resident Kevin Sabin and Santa Monica resident Lance Zuckerbraun took the washer and dryer out of  an apartment building, leaving tenants with no facilities. Palisades Resident and Santa Monica Landlord John Alle was beaten by a transient on September 19 and transported to Ronald Reagan/UCLA Medical Center.

The residents had their names on the wall, where they left their laundry soap. The washer and dryer were removed, by new landlords and not replaced.

OCTOBER:

Ciela, a high-end elder care facility located at 17310 West Vereda de la Montura in the Palisades Highlands was supposed to open but that date was pushed back until the end of November. Pacific Palisades Community Council held an emergency meeting to discuss a pedestrian bridge from George Wolfberg Park to Will Rogers State Beach. One result of the destructive fires in California are insurance companies are leaving. Seven of the top 12 insurance companies have either paused or restricted new business in the state. Pulling out of the market are AmGUARD and Falls Lake. Allstate said last November it would not issue new policies and State Farm said the same in May. Farmers and USAA are limiting new polices. AIG left in early 2022, Chubb Ltd. started its non-renewal policy in 2019. Four young Pepperdine students standing on the side of Pacific Coast Highway near parked vehicles were killed on October 17. It was initially announced that Gladstone’s, built in 1972, was going to close in October. Now it will remain open for at least two years, until renovation plans are complete, and permits pulled. The Pacific Palisades Community Council held its 50th Anniversary Jubilee in Simon Meadow–and all of the town’s organizations and volunteers were honored during the celebration.

Several diners appreciated the late afternoon view at Gladstone’s restaurant.

NOVEMBER:

Asilomar, between El Medio and Almar Avenues, is built on a hillside that has two landslides. One starts 90 feet below the surface, extends into the Pacific Ocean, and is considered inactive. The other, 35 feet down, is continually moving. Now the city is drilling on the street and filling the holes with cement to try and stabilize the hill. A fire was reported in moderate brush below Tahitian Terrace Mobile Home Park on October 31 around 11 p.m.. Located near the corner of Pacific Coast Highway on Temescal Canyon Road, a quick response and no wind helped firefighters. The cause was most likely fireworks. New development on the Tramonto landslide was approved by the City, even though land was altered with slides in 1958, 1982, 1998, 2001 and 2005. Carmen Kalberg and Cindi Young were named as new Pacific Palisades Homeless Task Force Presidents. Michael Latt, 33, who grew up here, was killed by a transient at his home in mid-city. A young girl was tasered at the Palisades Recreation Center by local youths. The crime was reported, but no arrests were made.

Firefighters on nearby Tahitian Terrace balconies, waiting for the water drops from helicopters.

DECEMBER:

It only took 15 years, but a town clock was placed at the heart of the Palisades commercial business district by P.R.I.D.E.  Temescal Canyon Road, which had been under repair for a year, narrowing the four-lane road to three, was finally repaired and reopened. The self-cleaning bathrooms at George Wolfberg Park, which closed at the beginning of July, were finally reopened.

Local male teens have been setting off fireworks, vandalizing signs and bathrooms at local parks. Packs of youth have been running into CVS and trying to steal items. A Huntington Palisades resident tried to stop teens from vandalizing the bathrooms by the tennis courts one night., and they shouted out “F U*igger” when he told them to stop.

The clock had just been put in place when CTN walked by at 8 a.m.

Finally, the Palisadian-Post, which was founded as The Palisadian in 1928 and remained a weekly institution for decades, has moved out of Pacific Palisades to an office suite on Victory Boulevard in Canoga Park. Owner of the community newspaper, Alan Smolininsky, who lives in the Palisades, has not revealed why he decided to move the newspaper’s office from the Palisades to the San Fernando Valley. He initially sold the Palisadian-Post building on Via de la Paz, shortly after he bought the paper in 2012. Smolinisky is a co-owner of the Dodgers, and with Phil Knight submitted a bid of more than $2 billion to buy the Portland Trail Blazers.

 

Posted in Community, Holidays | Leave a comment

Tom Hanks Offered the True Spirit of Giving

Posted on December 24, 2023 by Sue Pascoe

People lined up at Village Books to have Tom Hanks sign Polar Express.

 

BY BOB VICKREY

When my friend Katie owned Village Books in Pacific Palisades, local resident Tom Hanks was a regular customer and visited the store often.

One year during the Christmas holidays, Katie told him that the store was struggling to stay afloat. He asked what he could do to support the store, and they both came up with the idea of him reading The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg, at the store on Christmas Eve as a fundraiser. (He had also asked if he could make a large donation to help keep the store going, but Kate wouldn’t accept his generous offer, since she knew that it would be only a stop-gap measure and wouldn’t likely be the ultimate solution.)

The local paper covered the upcoming Hanks’ event the week before, and when Tom showed up at the back door for his reading, he asked, “What’s that long line down the street for? They couldn’t all be here for the reading; Right?”

Tom Hanks

Katie and her staff had been so busy getting ready for the event, they were completely unaware of what was happening on the street out front — other than noticing a few customers staring in through the front window. Tom walked us outside and we were stunned to see the long line of people lining Swarthmore Avenue, which almost reached all the way to Sunset Blvd. In Tom’s own inimitable way, he yelled out to the customers in line. “It’s cold out here, why don’t you all come inside where it’s warm. Besides, I hear there’s a famous movie star inside!”

That night he reluctantly signed Van Allsburg’s book upon request. He looked up at me at one point and said, “You’re in publishing; Is Chris going to sue me for signing his book?” I told him that Chris would most likely be honored. (And sure enough, when Chris got the news about Tom signing his book, he was absolutely thrilled.)

Hanks is such an entertaining and engaging guy that he charmed the crowd and told them he would sign just about anything if they’d spend some money in the store that night.

He made us all laugh throughout the evening, which reminded me that he had begun his career as a stand-up comic. He never once used the same line twice with customers as he sat for hours in his chair entertaining them. He was particularly good with children. He had something different to say to each one, which always drew laughs from them.

After all the customers were gone, he stayed and chatted with us while Kate finished her paperwork well after midnight, and until she finally closed the back door. As he was getting in his car, he yelled out “I had lots of fun tonight. I hope they did!”

After Village Books closed in 2011, we all agreed that Tom Hanks’ appearance that evening had been the highlight of the store’s 14-year history. Not surprisingly, his appearance set a one-day sales record for the store.

Everyone in attendance that evening was left with wonderful memories– some of which I eventually wrote about in later years.

Village Books fought for its survival on Swarthmore. Resident Tom Hanks supported owner Katie O’Laughlin, by signing autographs on items that people had purchased.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

Posted in Community, Vickrey | 3 Comments

‘The Polar Express’ Christmas Classic Nears 40

Posted on December 24, 2023 by Sue Pascoe

 

(Editor’s note: CTN received a December 22 email from Bob Vickrey, who wrote: “In keeping with the Holiday spirit, I’m sending along a story I wrote about the publication of the magical Christmas story The Polar Express which our company (Houghton Mifflin) published in 1985. The book by Chris Van Allsburg was so successful when it hit the bookstores in its first year of publication that it instantly replaced The Night Before Christmas as the favorite Christmas book for children– as well as for many adults. My good friend and writer Tony Castro reprinted the story on his Los Angeles Monthly website this week. Happy Holidays to you all.)

 

By BOB VICKREY

When I was a young boy growing up in the suburbs of southeast Houston, every Christmas Eve I would sneak out onto our screened front porch and stare into the night sky as I tried to spot Santa’s sleigh as it arrived from the North Pole.

In our community of Galena Park, the bright lights of the refineries that lined the banks of the Houston Ship Channel lit the sky each night, so it did not require much imagination for a restless boy to envision Santa’s sparkling red sleigh and reindeer moving swiftly across the horizon amid all those flickering lights.

Many years later as an adult, I worked in the book publishing business for the venerable Boston firm Houghton Mifflin, which published Chris Van Allsburg’s landmark Christmas classic, The Polar Express.

Almost four decades have now passed since the meeting at our Boston headquarters when our sales and marketing group first laid eyes on the early proofs of the book that would eventually overtake The Night before Christmas as America’s book of choice for the holiday season.

There were audible oohs and aahs heard around the meeting table as we first perused the pages of this vibrant and original Christmas story that would go on to win the Caldecott Medal, which is awarded annually to the best illustrated children’s book.

The story is about a young boy’s fantastical train ride to the North Pole, where he is chosen by Santa to receive the first gift of Christmas. The boy chooses a bell from the harness of the reindeer, only to become disheartened on the train trip home when he discovers it is missing after falling through a hole in the pocket of his pajamas.

However, on Christmas morning, the boy and his sister find a small package under the tree delivered by Santa Claus, who had left a note explaining that the bell was found on the seat of his sleigh. The children were both overjoyed as they listened to the beautiful ring of the bell, but sadly, their parents were unable to hear its sound, and concluded that it must have been broken.

Van Allsburg’s books often revealed a dream-like quality and offered a curious perspective from a child’s eye view. Children connected with his unique artwork and his mysterious stories. His earlier books had already made a formidable impact on the children’s book market, including The Garden of Abdul Gasazi and Jumanji, which was his first Caldecott Medal winner four years earlier.

The Mysteries of Harris Burdick featured a series of seemingly unrelated images, including only a title and one-line description that almost invited children to make up their own stories about the mystery behind each picture.

The Polar Express was indeed one of those special books that offered all the right ingredients of great storytelling that fired the imagination of children and inspired future generations of young readers.

I have fond memories of accompanying Chris during his many Southern California book tours, but I particularly remember his bookstore signings for The Polar Express that very first year the book was released. I watched the long lines of children as they excitedly approached the author who would be signing their copy of the book. Their impatience and eagerness at being given the chance to meet him was quite evident.

But what I also noticed during those signings were the children’s parents, many of whom demonstrated that same anticipation as they neared the author’s table. The last few lines in the story might well have offered an explanation.

“At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.”

For many of us whose hair has now turned grey, the faint sound of the bell is no longer detectable, but each Christmas season as I reread The Polar Express, I find myself listening closely in hopes of hearing its sweet ring just one more time.

(The Los Angeles Monthly editor wrote: Bob Vickrey’s Palisadian friend Don Burgess was the award-winning cinematographer for the 2004 hit movie The Polar Express. Another Palisadian, Tom Hanks, narrated the film. When the movie arrived in theaters across the country, the massive promotion launched by Warner Bros. Pictures and by Houghton Mifflin, vaulted the book to the top of best-seller lists once again during the holiday season and contributed to a record-breaking year for the company.)

Posted in Books, Holidays, Vickrey | 2 Comments

The Birth of a Child Is the Birth of Hope

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Sue Pascoe

Photo: Ryan Hutton 

Walking to the Maggie Gilbert Aquatics Center at 6 a.m. today to go swimming, a Christmas Carol popped into my head. As children we sang and presented a program of carols and bible passages for the Christmas Eve service at our church.

As elementary students, we also learned carols and other Christmas songs that we sang for an annual program, attended by parents and townspeople.

This means I know the first verse of many, many Christmas songs.  I was the lone voice singing today on Temescal Canyon as I walked to the pool.

Hark! The herald-angels sing
“Glory to the newborn king;
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled”
Joyful all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim
“Christ is born in Bethlehem”
Hark! The herald-angels sing
“Glory to the new-born king.”

Then I started thinking about atheists or other religions and even though not all religious celebrate the birth of a Christ child, I thought that almost everyone can agree there are angels.

There are angels that look over our shoulders and guide us if we listen.

There are angels, or some might call that intuition, that prevent you from leaving early and when you do leave, you realize you’ve avoided a big accident. Or angels that warn you to avoid a dark area or angels that tell you to say the right thing to someone in pain.

The angels are singing. We only need to listen to that inner voice, the angels, the intuition. . .. Hark the Herald Angels sing . . ..

Some might say the birth of the Christ child is strictly a Christian celebration. There’s no denying the religious significance, but more than that, it also represents the birth of a child.

There can be no greater hope for the future of the world than a baby and the life ahead of them.

One of my daughter’s friends, who is Jewish, is having a baby boy today, December 21. I think the angels are heralding his arrival. That couple has chosen to bring hope to the world with the birth of their child.

Although their lives will never be the same, there is nothing more magical than the beauty of a baby.

There is nothing more extraordinary or momentous than bringing a child into the world. CTN sends prayers, love and wishes to the new parents and to all new parents.

Christmas is about the birth of a baby—to Christians the birth of a savior, to others it is the birth of hope and what can be. Every baby born might be the person who in the future can guide or help the world in places it needs it most.

“One person can make a difference, and everyone should try,” is a quote attributed to John F. Kennedy.

Angels, babies and making peace with those you don’t agree could help bring light and happiness into the world this Christmas.

*****

This  editor wishes all readers a Merry Christmas, a joyful holiday and lots of love for the New Year. I am ever grateful to the readers who support me, not only financially, but with news tips and “scoops.”

I plan to take a break from reporting/writing to celebrate with my family through January 1. If there is news or something that needs to go the community, let me know ([email protected]) and I will post the news and updates.

 

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Friends Book Donations and Sales to Resume in 2024

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Sue Pascoe

The Friends of the Library parking lot book sales will return in 2024. Volunteers are needed to accept book donations in January.

One of the great benefits of living in Pacific Palisades has been the Friends of the Library donations and book sales. The volunteer-led organization had to stop that community service during Covid, but both are now slated to resume in January 2024.

January book donations and hours will be Wednesdays, January 10, 17, 24 and 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Saturdays, January 13, 20 and 27 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Volunteers will be in the library parking lot, 861 Alma Real, during those hours to accept donations.

Books must be in GOOD condition. They should not be written in or highlighted or show excessive wear and tear.

Volunteers will NOT accept magazines, textbooks, CDs, DVDs or encyclopedias. Do NOT leave donations at the library when volunteers are not present.

About 30 Palisades residents have volunteered to continue this long-standing Palisades tradition, and more are always needed. To join the Friends of the Library or to volunteer to accept donations or to work book sales, email [email protected].

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Agencies Brought Together for Hillside Task Force: Encampments Cleaned

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Sue Pascoe

On Monday, members of the LAPD Valley Off-Road motorcyclists rode into the Via de la Bluffs area to make sure there were no illegal campers.

Palisades Senior Lead Officer Brian Espin organized a Hillside Task Force, which met at Will Rogers State Beach by Lifeguard Headquarters at 7 a.m. on December 18.

Assembled were about 25 people who included rangers from L.A. City Park, California State Park and MRCA. The LAPD Valley Off-Road unit joined LAPD, and members of the Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness. Also, present were Councilwoman Traci Park’s Field Deputy Michael Amster, and members of the People Concern.

The Palisades was divided into seven areas and law enforcement personnel were paired with volunteers to scour areas where people might be illegally camping in the Very High Five Severity Zone.

The areas explored were behind the wall along PCH below the Huntington Palisades, Potrero, the Via de las Olas bluffs, Temescal Canyon Park, Temescal Canyon Gateway Park, Asilomar, Castellammare area, Sunset at PCH, Palisades Drive and Los Leones.

“If you find anyone interested in services bring them down to the People Concern,” Espin said. The nonprofit was at picnic tables at the base of Temescal waiting to offer services to anyone who might want them.

After the three-hour operation concluded, six abandoned campsites had been found. Four were found in Temescal Canyon Park, one was found behind the Caltrans wall below the Huntington Palisades and the last was found in the Los Liones Park area.

One individual was found and came to the parking lot – he was known by the outreach workers, but so far has resisted services.

Volunteers cleaned up the sites and the trash was bagged and taken out of the brush.

The off-road motorcycle officers can easily transverse the hills below Via de las Olas, where once there were about 60 campsites. They were all cleaned out and anyone trying to camp is cited for being in a very high fire severity zone.

The campsites are cleaned out, not only to restore the habitat and to prevent trash from flowing into the ocean, but also prevent other “campers” from trying to squat in the same area.

Long-time member of the Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness Sharon Kilbride accompanied police on the brush area below Corona del Mar and above PCH.

The first task force took place after several fires were set by an arsonist in the hills above the Highlands in May 2021, the jurisdictions included City (the Highlands), the County (Topanga) and State Parks (Will Rogers and Topanga).

After the fire was put out and a person arrested, LAPD Captain Jonathan Tom, who was then the commanding officer of the West Los Angeles Area, realized how valuable it would be for officials to work together.

He arranged for the first task force to take place a few weeks later and included LAFD Battalion 9 L.A. City Recreation and Parks Chief Ranger, California State Park Ranger, MRCA/Temescal Gateway Park Ranger, Sheriff’s Department Malibu/Lost Hills Station and the LAPD Valley Motor Off-Road officers.

The goal is to have four annually. This past year agencies were brought together in February and May.

Palisades Senior Lead Patrol Officer Brian Espin arranged a task force for local agencies to work together in identifying possible issues from illegal camping. The group met in Will Rogers State Beach parking lot to await assignments.

(Editor’s note: The December 20 Santa Monica Lookout Story (“Santa Monica to Boost Homeless Cleanup Efforts”) notes that a clean-up crew contracted by the City to remove waste and debris left behind could become permanent. The three-member team picked up 7.5 tons of trash in October and 30.7 tons of trash in November. Residents of Pacific Palisades, please thank the Homeless Task Force, which over the past seven years have picked up truckloads/tons of trash left behind by the homeless.)

 

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