LA County Leaders Visit N.E.L.A.-Tour L.A. River

Seek to Promote
Master Plan

A rare appearance in Northeast L.A. by both the Mayor and Supervisor Molina, as they survey the L.A. River. They were joined by Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, and other elected officials.

      Pushing to transform the city's 32-mile stretch of the L.A. River, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa joined Councilmember Ed Reyes, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard and other local elected leaders last month as they toured the Los Angeles River to promote the River Revitalization Master Plan.
It was a media-heavy and politician-heavy event, with County Supervisor Gloria Molina joining the four L.A. City Councilpersons and the mayor. The reporters were almost fighting each other for position along the river banks, at this rare appearance in Northeast L.A.
The event was located only a stone's throw from the original location

 

Above: Artist rendering of the L.A. River as is winds past the old Taylor Railroad Freight Yard and below, next to the Broadway Bridge. Officials are still accepting public comment on the River Master Plan, due March 19th.

of "El Pueblo," a location that was ironically, flooded out by the L.A. River, moved and rebuilt, then flooded out again, before being rebuilt again at its present location.
"For more than two centuries, this river has been the literal lifeblood of Los Angeles," said Mayor Villaraigosa. "We have the chance to create one of the world's richest public spaces along one of our city's most storied natural treasures. By reclaiming the L.A. River, we will create an emerald necklace of parks and walkways where children can play and communities can reconnect."
The Master Plan provides a blueprint for improving the environment, enhancing the river's flood control features, and providing greater public access to the river. It also aims to spur a renaissance of bold urban planning that will stimulate the city's economy and improve the quality of life for every hardworking family.
Of particular interest to Northeast L.A. residents were the artist renderings of how the river might look one day in the area of Taylor Yard, once a busy rail yard. The proposed improvements would be adjacent to the Taylor Yard state park, now nearing completion along San Fernando Road.
"For the last 18 months, there has been a buzz throughout the City that people are finally beginning to recognize that Los Angeles has a river," said Councilmember Reyes, who represents Cypress Park, Highland Park and Lincoln Heights. "This Master Plan is a direct result of their vision. The public comment period ends March 19, so we are calling on all Angelenos to give us their final thoughts on a plan we have created for them."
The input of L.A. residents has been a vital component in developing the Master Plan, and the Mayor called on the public to offer final comments and suggestions at three upcoming workshops throughout the city.

te intelligently.

Eagle Rock Resident to Head L.A. Neighborhoods Department

Carol Baker Tharp

Council Leaders Happy to see Sarno Go
Carol Baker Tharp, Spouse of Eagle Rock Association President Michael Tharp, Chosen by L.A. Mayor
After a nationwide search, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa last week announced his appointment of Carol Baker Tharp as the new General Manager of the City of Los Angeles' Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE).
"Throughout her professional career and years of community involvement, Carol Baker Tharp has remained committed to the belief that civic engagement is a vital element of democratic governance," said Mayor Villaraigosa. "She is a proven leader, scholar, and community servant. Carol's experience and expertise make her the most qualified person for this position. She will work to empower our neighborhood councils to serve residents across Los Angeles while providing necessary structure and oversight to the department."
Ms. Baker Tharp will begin work in her new position on March 12, 2007 and appear before the Los Angeles City Council for confirmation.
Ms. Baker Tharp has spent 20 years working in Southern California communities.
She is a recipient of the Trailblazer Award from the Los Angeles Women's Appointment Collaborative (LAWAC) in recognition of her efforts to assist women in advancing to positions of civic leadership. Currently, Tharp is the deputy director of the Civic Engagement Initiative at the University of Southern California School of Policy, Planning, and Development where she has helped create an academic center devoted to the study and research of neighborhood participation. She is also a principal in the consulting firm Michael Tharp & Associates, Inc., an organization that provides land planning, government relations, strategic planning, and management services.
She spent 12 years as the Southern California executive director of Coro, one of the oldest and most prestigious leadership education organizations in the United States, managing and directing Coro's public affairs fellowships that provide hands-on preparation for community service and civic leadership.
She was also general manager of the Los Angeles Theatre Center. Tharp has taught public affairs reporting for the University of Oregon School of Journalism and directed community relations for the City of Eugene, Oregon. She has also produced radio programming for in-class listening for the North Carolina public schools.
She also teaches a course on citizenship and public ethics to USC undergraduates and leads seminars on developing civic engagement in the university's leadership programs.
She was Community Relations Director for the City of Eugene, Oregon for four years, working with the City's neighborhood councils to increase civic voluntarism.
Ms. Baker Tharp received a Ph.D. in Political Science and Religion from Claremont Graduate University where she wrote her dissertation on Los Angeles' neighborhood councils. She received her bachelor's degree from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
As an Eagle Rock resident, she worked as a founding member of the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council, while writing her research paper on the subject.
Everett Sarabia, an ERNC board member and also one of the founding members said, "I wish she would have stayed involved- she had a real analytical way of looking at things and I think if she had been around, a lot of the nonsense on the part of some board members could have been avoided. I hope Carol will bring back some of the straight shooters who once were on staff at DONE."
Dalila Sotelo, another founding ERNC member, now L.A. Fire Commission President, said, "I'm so happy for her and so happy for DONE. I know she'll continue to build on the good work the department has done."
Indeed, there is almost a universal sense of relief among pundits, bloggers and other Neighborhood Council members as Lisa Sarno, interim department head of DONE, crosses over to L.A.'s million trees program and away from the Department of Neighborhoods. She was criticized by some for her heavy handed style and others for a perceived lack of due diligence, if not questionable motivations as department head.
Ms. Baker Tharp's permanent appointment is subject to Council confirmation, but is definitely a point of pride for all Eagle Rock and Northeast L.A. residents.
We all wish her the best of luck.

Vons Eagle Rock:
Dissing the Disabled?
Last month, shoppers needing to use handicap parking spaces at Vons supermarket in Eagle Rock were offended when they found all the handicapped parking spaces had been moved to the far corners of the parking lot, away from the entrance to the store. Instead of the spaces closest to the entrance being designated for the disabled, as required by law, the "accessible" spaces were moved to the outer edges of the parking lot.
I received a call from a local shopper who uses these spaces, who was inconvenienced at least, if not altogether prevented, from patronizing her neighborhood Vons store. I promised to go by there and give the revised spaces a quick inspection. I found that what she said was true.
After doing a story last year on what we referred to as "ADA scammers," (a group who worked to make money from sueing or threatening to sue local businesses over the Americans with Disabilities Act, and California civil rights law violations) I had carefully studied the requirements of the ADA law, and tried to inform local businesses of possible violations that they should correct to avoid getting sued. I also watched with horror as a local restaurant was fined the minimum $1000, for having their table legs too close to the edge of the table (limiting use of the tables by the wheelchair bound).
I did, however, come to appreciate the problem of "barriers" that disabled people are confronted with, while merely trying to get along in everyday life. I learned that any public accomodation, and that includes most all businesses that are open to the public, must be accessible to the disabled. Any "barriers" that may exist must be removed so that no person is prevented from using a public accomodation due to their disability (with few exceptions).
If any person is prevented from accessing a public accomodation for any reason, it is considered discrimination, and actionable in court under California law.
When I arrived at Vons, the lot looked to be freshly resealed and re-striped. Sign poles that used to identify disabled spaces were still in place, but the signs once held by the poles were removed, and the blue striping that previously identified the spaces on the asphalt lot had been covered up as well. Previously, the disabled spaces were the closest to the entrance to the store, as required. Those space had been converted back to non-disabled parking spaces.
I asked the manager on duty about it, and in a typical corporate manner, he delined comment and referred me to the facilities division of Vons, (The Vons Companies, Incorporated, [Michigan] 618 Michillinda Avenue, Arcadia, California 91007-6300, a wholly owned subsidiary of Safeway Inc. [Delaware], [NYSE symbol, SWY] telephone: (626) 821-7000, fax: (626) 821-7933)
I told him of the problems I saw with the new parking arrangement, but he again referred me to the corporate office and would not comment. I went out, took some photos and looked closely at the location of the new disabled parking spaces.
A row of 5 them were on the north side of the building, and another one approached the sidewalk along Neola place, on the south side of the Vons property.
The five along the north side of the building were on a nice, smooth, level area, clearly an improvement over their previous locations, which were on quite a slant. I decided to get a closer look, and found that although the spaces were improved, there was a problem with the route of travel. I traced the path that a person in a wheel chair would likely follow from his parking space to the front door of Vons.
At first, the path was great. A very slight grade with no curb led up to the walkway right next to the building. The pathway was plenty wide enough to allow any standard or powered wheelchair to pass. As the pathway followed the corner of the buiding, a guardrail was there to protect all who traversed it. Nice. Then I saw it. A barrier.
Right at the corner of the building, was the end of a long line of shopping carts. That's where they were kept, ready to be used as the shoppers came. The last in line jutted out into the pathway, just barely leaving enough room for pedestrians. A wheelchair would not be able to get by, but those few extra carts could be easily moved, so it wasn't too bad. And then it got worse.
Along the front of the building, directly in the pathway to the entrance door, were nothing but shopping carts. Two rows of them. Here, even pedestrians had a barrier to contend with. I my self had to step off the curb, and walk around through the driveway to get to the entrance door. A person in a wheelchair would not be so lucky. Such a person would have to turn around, go back to where they had parked, go down the ramp, and travel around the walkway while jockeying for position with the approaching automobiles as they made their way finally to the entrance.
It was clearly a violation.
The disabled space near Neola street was even worse. It was on a grade just as steep as the spaces at the previous location, and as far as I could tell was not improved by any means. In fact, it was considerably worse, being farther from the entrance, and right next to the driveway into the parking lot, where the traffic is usually the heaviest. A diabled person using this space would also have to both contend with a grade, as well as crossing the path of the autos entering and leaving the store parking lot.
I called the corporate offices twice. I talked to a person in charge of facilities management. She said she didn't know anything about it and would check it out and get back to me, but didn't as of press time. I left a message with the public relations office, but have not heard back from them either.
I was a bit disturbed that the Eagle Rock Vons managers would not even look to see if there was an easily corrected problem that might prevent disabled people from visiting their store. I must admit I could not understand their unwillingness to check it out. My impression was that they were following strict orders from above not to. I think that's a mistake. Maybe some businesses just need to be sued.
The parent company, Safeway Inc., had $40,000,000,000 in sales last year, with a net income of $870,000,000.

Congratulations to the Capri!

Jim and Jeff Theil pose with Chef Johnny to show off their Jacmar “Signature Dish Award”

Jim and Jeff Theil, the twin brothers and owner-operators of the Capri Italian restaurant, proudly received an award for their food making talents earlier this year. They won first place in the most creative category for their "Sausage Eggplant Zuccini" dish and their "Basil Pesto Dip."
The "Jacmar Signature Dish Competition" is put on by Jacmar foods, a supplier to Southern California Italian restaurants. Participants have to create their "Signature Dish" from a list of ingredients chosen ahead of time by the Jacmar Food Distributing company.
The competition and judging was held at Charlie's Trio, in El Sereno, where 12 restaurants brought their entries for judging.
Jim Theil said, "It was a lot of fun! It's good to meet the other restaurant owners." They now have a new plaque on the wall that greets customers as the come through the door, that says, "
Jim and Jeff have been working tirelessly to ever improve the offerings and service at the Capri restaurant, since taking it over full time from Dick and Caroline, their parents, who recently retired to Bakersfield, after running the restaurant for years after purchasing it from the previous owners.
They invite all to again try the Capri if they haven't been in for a while. The brothers also boast of their new specials every night, and also a greatly upgraded wine list.

Letter to the Editor
by Heinrich V. Keifer,
President, Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council
The letter is to correct any misperceptions that may exist relating to events surrounding my participation in the Highland Park 2006 Holiday Parade and the Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council spending process, due to an inaccurate, erroneous and irresponsible newsletter article distributed in January in the Northeast L.A. area.
Funding and Transparency of the Neighborhood Council:
As the first elected Treasurer on the Neighborhood Council (NC), I reached out to the local community. Anyone who has seen the "Programming Application," that I created in 2004, knows I have always encouraged an open process. Through the use of the "Programming Application," and subsequent (and open to the public) Budget & Finance Committee meetings, all funding applications were reviewed, and recommendations made, for the full council to consider. The full council made the final decisions. I believe in full transparency, and am prepared to set the tone for the future of the Neighborhood Council by continueing to support an impartial process that encourages the public to apply. (See our ad in this issue)
In a new three month outreach period, the NC will promote the funding process, hold meetings to learn how to apply, invite and send out information to groups and the general public on how to apply for an improvement of their choice. This new three-month "call for presentations" will help to widen field of applicants and allow the council to work through a process of reviewing the merits of all proposals. Once the proposals pass the first round of review they then may be presented to the full council (at public meetings) where each proposal will be considered and voted on.
Parade Financial Report:
As the 2005 Parade Chair, and 2006 Logistics Chair and a member of the Chamber of Commerce Board, I understand the importance of proper financial reporting. In fact, the previous year (when I chaired the parade), I was asked to provide income and expense statements for regular parade committee meetings and for the Chamber Board, which I did. This year, the parade chair told the committee and Chamber Board that the parade was in the black, but no documentation was offered or provided to verify it.
Parade Time Controversy:
In the prior year as Chairman, I attended the HP Ministerial Fellowship made up of over 40 churches and ministries. At that meeting we discussed the issue of Parade starting time. I was informed that the noontime start for the parade caused conflict for parishioners, due to street closures.
The issue of the starting time was a problem that could not be solved by a simple, one-call solution. As a result of that meeting, the 2005 Parade Committee agreed to begin the parade at 1:00 PM to accommodate church attendee's needs. In 2006 the new Chair changed the parade start time back to noon without even consulting the committee.
Committee members were only informed about this when the new Chair simply came to one of the meetings with revised parade applications, printed with the time of 12:00 noon. When questioned by the committee, the Chair said that the police requested the noontime start. Later, when Police officials were asked, they disputed this statement, saying they never asked for a noontime start.
In conclusion - I invite all Highland Park Stakeholders to participate in their community. They are welcome to attend the Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council meetings (held at 6:30PM on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays of each month at Franklin High School) to see how their council operates and how they can get involved in serving their community.
I also invite all to call or e-mail me on any subject regarding making Highland Park a better place to live, work and play, as well as questions regarding Christmas Parade or neighborhood council funding issues. (323-992-5175 - hkeifer101@sbcglobal.net)
Finally, I urge them to explore the NC website at www.historichighlandpark.org, and use the forums to discuss ways that we may work together for a better Highland Park. In order to improve our community and for the common good of all of our Highland Park community, we need to keep the lines of communication open, listen to each other and work together to resolve our differences in a peaceful, respectful manner.
Sincerely,
Heinrich V. Keifer

Students at Occidental College Fight Illiteracy
Students at Occidental College may have a busy schedule, juggling classes, internships, and a social life. But one thing some students are finding time for is volunteering. A group of twelve Occidental College students and one professor will begin volunteering at Toland Way Elementary School on Thursday, March 1.
The students, who have all committed to volunteering until the end of the semester, will walk the half mile distance to Toland Way to read to second graders during lunch. These meetings will take place once a week at lunchtime, with the goal of showing to children how much fun reading can be. The college students, part of an on-campus group Cancun Can Wait, were interested in finding an opportunity that worked with their busy schedule, but still had an impact on their community.
This marks the first College Power Lunch Program in Los Angeles, organized by EVERYBODY WINS! Los Angeles, a local non-profit organization. There are already four schools in Los Angeles County which host the Power Lunch Program and one Readers Are Leaders Program. The Power Lunch Program pairs corporate reading partners with local elementary schools for lunchtime reading sessions, while Readers Are Leaders pairs older students with younger students. For more information about EVERYBODY WINS! Los Angeles, the College Power Lunch Program, or how you can help fight illiteracy in Los Angeles, please contact EW!LA at 213.623.5335 or visit their website at www.everybodywinsla.org.

Join the Hermon Neighborhood Association
Friday March 2, 8:15 AM
We invite you to to celebrate Read Across America with our local Bushnell Way Elementary School students. At 8:15am Guest Readers will check into the office and will proceed to the teachers' lounge for a continental breakfast from 8:15-8:45. Reading will begin in classrooms at 9:00. Interested individuals can email Alyce Rodriguez, Bushnell Way Literacy Coach at aquinoze@lausd.k12.ca.us.
She will be scheduling the readers for the day and will need to know who will be participating no later than Feb. 23rd. Also, readers can bring a favorite book of their own or they can borrow a book from the school's collection.
There are 29 classrooms that will need readers. So, please come support the education of the eager young students in our community by donating just a couple of rewarding hours of your time!
Tuesday March 13th, 7PM
The Hermon Neighborhood Association is planning to hold a Community Meeting on Tuesday, March 13th at 7pm to start planning the Annual Hermon Picnic in the Park (Save the Date -- Saturday June 16th of Father's Day weekend), hear the details about the sale of the Pacific Christian High School site to new owners, and discuss any number of important topics to you. Please come by the Hermon Church Fellowship Center on Monterey Road that evening to catch up with neighbors and help move some of our collective goals ahead.

Fraternal Order of Eagles Welcomes Grand President

 

Grand Worthy President Bill Loffer of the Fraternal Order of Eagles accepts a custom made plaque (put together by members Charlie Skaggs and Tony King) from local Eagles President John Hole, and “Uncle” Max Norris

For the first time in the history of the Eagle Rock outpost of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Bill Loffer, the "Grand Worthy" President, who presides over the International Fraternal Order of Eagles Organization, was feted by the local Eagles club with a ceremony, presentation and Country Western dinner-dance.
The Fraternal Order of Eagles was founded in 1898 and since that time has given over a hundred million dollars to local and national charities ranging from buying schools supplies for homeless children to the over one million dollars that has been donated to the St. Jude Children's Research center. They support our armed forces, police and firefighters and others who protect and serve us. They fund research in areas such as Heart Disease, Kidney Disease, Diabetes and Cancer. They help raise money for neglected and abused children and for the aged. They also know how to have a good time.
In preparing for the visit of the "Grand," close to one hundred pounds of tri-tip, ribs and chicken was purchased for the barbecue dinner. The Ladies Auxiliary did a fine job of decorating, and two country western bands were lined up to complete the evening with music and dancing.
The evening started out with the initiation of five new members, who were treated to an initiation ceremony delivered completely from memory by Bill Metz, an award winning state Eagles officer. The social hour followed as the cooks got busily to work, running two barbecues and two ovens, all at once.
The community V.I.P.'s started to arrive, the with the Neighborhood Council, the Chamber of Commerce, the Historical Society, the Lions Club, the Collaborative Eagle Rock Beautiful, the Motel Owners Association, the Boulevard Sentinel and even the Community College District were all well represented.
After everyone had a chance to eat, the Grand President Bill Loffer, age 44, was introduced. He is a motivational speaker who lives in Ohio, and his talent at speaking clearly puts him in the class of Mayor Villaraigosa, if not Barak Obama; all bets are on his future as either a preacher or a politician. He complemented the local club, saying, "I could tell immediately that this was a club where the men and the Ladies Auxiliary work together."
For over 100 years the Fraternal Order of Eagles has continually worked to make the world a better place to live. They speak with pride of their past accomplishments and look forward to assisting those that cannot assist themselves.
The Eagle Rock Club has reached out to other community groups, sharing its hall for the Collaborative Beautification Awards and the TERA Home Tour and its biggest yearly event is the free community Thanksgiving dinner, where each year about 350 diners are served.
The Eagles Club is located at 1596 Yosemite Drive, and invites everyone to join them for their twice a month $5 Sunday morning breakfasts, on the first and third Sundays of the month. Call them at 323-257-8869 for more information.

Dryer Fire Leads to Five Firefighter Injuries
On Monday, February 5, 2007 at 6:17 AM, seven Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, three LAFD Rescue Ambulances, one EMS Battalion Captain and one Battalion Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 44 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel under the direction of Battalion Chief Gerry Malais responded to a Structure Fire that caused Firefighter Injuries at 509 Nolden Street in Highland Park.
Firefighters arrived quickly to discover fire and smoke showing from the first and second floors at the rear of a 1,755 square-foot single family home. Mounting an offense with handlines, Firefighters confined the fire within the structure of origin and extinguished the flames in just 32 minutes.
Though there were no civilian injuries, five Los Angeles Fire Department personnel were injured, including two who required hospital emergency room treatment. The remaining three LAFD personnel were treated and released at the scene.
The cause of this early morning blaze is categorized as electrical and attributed to a clothes dryer in the home.

Cruizin' with Mary

Welcome to March in Eagle Rock - my favorite month after October! The Eagle Rockin' Rodders had a nice selection of cars for our February cruise-in at Oinkster, with several previously unseen hot rods showing up. Maybe it's just me, but it seemed like there were more cars than people this time… I know that couldn't be true because the cars can't just drive themselves there-- can they? Maybe they have a secret life we don't know about.
I'd like to start off this month by mentioning something that has been on my mind and I'd like to unload on you. Blvd. Sentinel News editor Tom Topping has been quite liberal with my writing and has never (thus far) edited me. I appreciate the creative license he gives me. I already got in trouble for using the phrase "rat rod" which, sorry, I just like, and can't find a better replacement word. Recently I have been asked (not by Mr. Topping), not to use the word "charity" when describing our club's charitable holiday activities, and to try to use other descriptions such as "helping hands." My goal has been to report on what the Eagle Rockin' Rodders Car Club does, with a healthy dose of humor and my unique observations thrown in. I never meant to insult, demean or hurt any of the families or organizations we donate money or goods to. I truly believe, and hope, that all of our generous sponsors also do not have an issue with the word "charity."

Now for my pick of the month: pictured is Joanne Baray's 1989 blue Corvette. Joanne is one of our sponsors and owns Joanne's Hair Design on Eagle Rock Blvd. She is a familiar sight cruising around Eagle Rock in her baby-blue 'Vette and platinum blond shag hair cut.

That being said, our club will start a new charitable endeavor for 2007 starting with the March cruise-in. We will be collecting non-perishable items such as canned foods, diapers, and pet supplies to be donated to one of the local senior centers who does grocery give-aways to needy seniors. There will be boxes at the cruise-in and we will be sure to deliver the collected items every month. Please try to participate if possible, and thank you!
Now for my pick of the month: pictured is Joanne Baray's 1989 blue Corvette. Joanne is one of our sponsors and owns Joanne's Hair Design on Eagle Rock Blvd. She is a familiar sight cruising around Eagle Rock in her baby-blue 'Vette and platinum blond shag hair cut. She has only owned the car for about 4 years and tells me she has not done a lot of customizing to it, just basic maintenance. You know how women like lots of shoes and purses? This Corvette likes to have lots of different tops, 3 to be exact - it has a convertible top, a hard top and a moon roof. For all different moods. Joanne told me that owning a Corvette is like having a big extended family because every time she sees someone else in a Corvette, they wave.
Until next month, when I write about one of our local rock stars, keep on cruising!

Brand Library Art Galleries
Glendale Public Library
The Brand Library Art Galleries is pleased to present Signs + Symbols: Artwork by Shannon Fincke, C. Martino, and Stephanie Han Windham on disply from March 3 – April 20, 2007, with a reception: Saturday, March 3, 4-7 pm.
The three artists featured in this exhibition have in common a love of surface pattern and color. Each in their own way utilizes layers of media, creating surfaces representative of equally complex and layered meanings. They also concern themselves with signs and symbols; their symbolic iconography sometimes conveys a message from the artist's imagination, sometimes a message about the contemporary culture we all have in common, and sometimes a serendipitous message that is completely unique and the result of the interaction between viewer and art object.
Shannon Fincke earned her master of arts in painting and art education from New York University. She has exhibited her work throughout the United States and is currently an art educator with the Los Angeles Unified School District. In 2006 she had a prestigious solo show curated by Marshall Astor at the Angels Gate Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Fincke's work is expressive and painterly, articulating ideas in a two-dimensional visual language. Using a single symbol or icon throughout a series of paintings, she works and reworks the surface of her canvas with acrylic paints and paper collage until tension resonates between the dynamic background and the repetitive static symbols. Her two most recent bodies of work, the Chairs and Planes series, showcase paintings ranging in scale from intimate to all-encompassing multi-panel pieces.
C. Martino has been creating and exhibiting his artwork in Los Angeles and San Diego for the last decade, most recently showing at the Art Institute of California and Basile Gallery in San Diego. A self-taught artist, he has a master's degree from San Diego State University. Martino's recent work is characterized by layered imagery and a copius vocabulary of repetitive symbols and icons that express the psychological and spiritual turmoil of the urban environment. His colorful and highly graphic works draw upon the motifs of pop and graffiti culture to create a complex but cohesive whole. The array of media and techniques Martino employs—including copper, tin, stencil, masonite, acrylic paint, recycled vinyl, and paper—are reminiscent of the materials and textures of which the city itself is comprised.
Stephanie Han Windham earned a master's degree in fine arts from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Windham has exhibited widely in the Los Angeles area and is also a successful graphic artist whose illustrations have appeared in Communication Arts Illustration Annual and Step by Step Graphics. The lotus flower, the dahlia, the passionflower; all feature in Windham's current body of work. Many of the flowers Windham depicts have religious or folkloric symbolic significance. The lotus flower, for example, has a symbolic history over 5000 years old and its image is used around the world to communicate a variety of messages. At the same time flowers can be imbued with significance that is singular to the person viewing the image. Windham's striking canvases with their richly colored backgrounds and energetic calligraphic lines are instruments capable of conveying a wealth of meaning.
Brand Library Art Galleries is located at 1601 West Mountain Street Glendale, CA 91201 in northwest Glendale, easily accessed via the Golden State (5) or Ventura (134) freeways. Hours are Tuesday and Thursday, 1-9 pm; Wednesday, 1-6 pm; and Friday and Saturday, 1-5 pm. Admission to all events is free and open to the public unless otherwise stated. There is ample free parking. Call 818-548-2051 for additional information.

"12 Artists 24 Ideas"
Curated by Raoul De la Sota
Linda Arreola, Raoul De la Sota, Roberto Delgado, Roberto Gutierrez, Poli Marichal, Isabel Martinez, Andrés Montoya, Tomas Owen, Sonia Romero, Linda Vallejo, J. Michael Walker and Jaime Zacarias
Opening Reception: Saturday, March 10, 2007 from 7-10 pm
The Avenue 50 Studio is proud to present its new exhibit, "12 Artists 24 Ideas" curated by Raoul De la Sota, featuring paintings, sculpture and prints from 12 LA artists: Linda Arreola, Raoul De la Sota, Roberto Delgado, Roberto Gutierrez, Poli Marichal, Isabel Martinez, Andrés Montoya, Tomas Owen, Sonia Romero, Linda Vallejo, J. Michael Walker and Jaime Zacarias. These are artists who range from their most prolific mid-careers to the emerging artists of tomorrow.
"12 Artists 24 Ideas" defines a community of artists who have had an artistic history with the Avenue 50 Studio. This exhibit demonstrates the wide range of subject matter undertaken by today's artists. It provides the visitor with an evolution of styles and techniques that erase limitations to the creative process. As with most exhibits in our non-profit gallery, "12 Artists 24 Ideas" is an exhibit more about community than about single individuals.
With artists coming from the Chicano, Native-American, Caribbean, Anglo, Central American, and Mexican cultures, "12 Artists 24 Ideas" displays an exciting cross-section of today's Los Angeles art scene.
When: Opening Reception: Saturday, March 10, 2007 from 7-10 pm
Where: Avenue 50 Studio, Inc., 131 No. Avenue 50, Highland Park, CA 90042
Duration: March 10 through April 8, 2007.

What Happened to Peace?
A selection of artwork from "Yo! What Happened to Peace?", poster exhibit, will be on display at Imix Books in Eagle Rock, CA from March 4, 2007 to April 1, 2007. The "Yo!" show will be shown in conjunction with "We Say No," a participatory activist video project. This event is presented by The Ministry of Culture and will have an opening reception on Sunday March 4, 2007 from 12:00pm to 4:00pm.
"Yo! What Happened To Peace?" is an exhibition of contemporary pro-peace, anti-war & anti-occupation posters, designed to spread the message of non-violence and showcase the beauty of hand-crafted printing. After traveling to Tokyo, San Francisco, New York, Milan, Rejkyavik, Washington D.C., Boston and Chicago, the "Yo!" show is making a return to its hometown of Los Angeles before heading back to Europe for a series of exhibitions.
A limited number of prints will be for sale during the exhibition. For more information, please visit: http://www.yowhathappenedtopeace.org
The activist video project, "We Say No," is a participatory concept in which anyone who wishes may voice their opinion on the 700 mile long proposed border fence between the United States and Mexico. Attendees are encouraged to step into a video booth and have their opinions recorded about the proposed dividing fence. The two-minute statements from this project will be used in a documentary made in collaboration with The Ministry of Culture, Imix Books and Patricia Cunliffe. To learn more, please visit: http://www.ministryofculture.org
Imix Books is located at 5052 Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041 Noon - 4pm. Free parking on street and in the lot behind Imix Books. For more information, please visit: www.imixbooks.com.

100 HP Students Participate in Poster Contest

J. Aries Santiago & Silvia Esqueda,Hathaway-Sycamores Family Resource Center; Dinan Guan, Grand Prize poster winner, 10 years old, Aldama Elementary School; Heinrich V. Keifer, president, Kiwanis Club of Greater Highland Park

The young winners of the 3rd Annual Highland Park Beautiful Poster contest, which received over 100 entries, were announced last week at the Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services' annual LA Bridges Safety event held at the Highland Park Lutheran Church. Three first place winners were named; one each from elementary, middle school, and high school student entries. Of the three first place winners, or finalists, Dinan Guan, age 10 from Aldama Elementary School, was the Grand Prize winner. Her poster, depicting children beautifying their community and encouraging others to help, will be duplicated and displayed throughout the Highland Park community at businesses, local city council offices, and several schools including Garvanza Elementary, Aldama Elementary, San Pascual Elementary, Yorkdale Elementary, Luther Burbank Middle School, Good Shepherd Lutheran School and Franklin High School. The other finalists were Damaris Mercado, age 11 from Luther Burbank Middle School, and Ana Bribiesca, age 15 from Franklin High School.
Six semi-finalists were also named: Kristina Hemming, age 8, Priscilla Hernandez, age 8, Amy Aldana, age 8, Sequoiah Salazar, age 13, Bein Giron, age 13, and Miriam Bribiesca, age 11. They will join the three finalists at a ceremony in their honor next month at City Hall.
Supported and sponsored by LA Bridges at Hathaway-Sycamores, The Highland Park Chamber of Commerce, the Kiwanis Club, and the Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council, this year's poster contest received entries from over 100 students from ten local schools, each depicting images of cleaner, greener, and safer neighborhoods.
Over 100 children and families attended the LA Bridges Safety event which also included youth performing a play dealing with the tough issues of gangs and drugs performed by the Hathaway-Sycamores Youth Leadership Council, a CLEAR Gang Task Force Probation officer speaking to the crowd about the importance of gang prevention programs, and performances of dance by the Hathaway-Sycamores Family Resource Center Dance Group.

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Gunfire Kills Girl in Glassell Park
Another apparent gang related shooting has taken the life of a 16-year-old female from Highland Park.
On February 6, 2007, at approximately 7:30 p.m., officers were called to the area of 3200 Verdugo Road in Glassell Park to investigate a shooting. When they arrived they discovered Melissa Paul lying on the sidewalk with a gunshot wound to her chest.
Detectives believe Paul was the victim of a drive by shooting. The victim was transported to a local hospital where she failed to respond to treatment and died. Anyone with information is asked to call Northeast Area Homicide Detectives at 213-847-9636.

Man Shot After Attack on Officers
A resident of a board and care facility in Highland Park attacked a Los Angeles police officer with a screwdriver after two officers answered an emergency call around 2:30 in the morning. The officer's partner shot the man, who later died at a local hospital.
The incident unfolded Sunday morning, February 11, 2007, at the Fair Oaks Manor, a residential treatment center for adults with mental and developmental disabilities, located at 5035 Echo Street. Staff members called 9-1-1 around 2 AM and reported 24-year-old Francisco Mondragon was threatening others with a screwdriver.
Police officer Ivan McMillan, 29, and his partner, confronted Mondragon as he stood on the porch of the board and care, holding a screwdriver. The officers tried to reason with Mondragon and convince him to drop the weapon. Mondragon turned and ran into the building, posing a potential threat to persons inside. The officers followed Mondragon indoors, where he turned and charged Officer McMillan's partner.
As Mondragon stabbed the screwdriver at the officer's chest several times, Officer McMillan fired three times in defense of his partner, which stopped the attack. Mondragon later died from his wounds at the Los Angeles County USC Medical Center.
"The officers were confronted with any officer's worst nightmare, a hand-to-hand fight with an armed suspect," said LAPD spokesman Lieutenant Paul Vernon. "Thankfully, the officer's ballistic vest stopped the screwdriver from causing any serious injury, but it could have been much worse, as ballistic vests are not designed to protect against edged weapons."
While neither officer was seriously injured, the officer's uniform shirt was torn in the attack.
Last year, LAPD officers were assaulted 769 times by suspects, compared to 969 times the year before. Officers were involved in 44 shootings at suspects in 2006, the same number as in 2005. Officers were shot at 23 times in 2006, compared to only 16 times the prior year.
Sunday's shooting was the ninth officer-involved shooting this year. Two officers have already been wounded by suspects' gunfire this year, compared to a total of three officers wounded for the whole of 2006.
Officer McMillan has nearly five years with the LAPD. He and his partner are assigned to the Northeast Police Station.

Eagle Vista Seniors
March 6 - Tuesday - The Eagle Vista Seniors start out the new month with the usual Board and Business meetings. At 10:\00 am, there will be a speaker from the ROCK, (Reach Our Community Kids).
March 13 - Tuesday - BINGO! Lou Agrati, caller.
March 16 - Friday - A St. Patrick's Day Party will be held at the Grand Tradition Mansion. Departure to the site will be at 9:00 am, from the Eagle Rock Recreation Center, and the bus will return us to the same area at 5:00 p.m. Cost is $73 for the day-long outing.
March 20 - Tuesday - Another St. Patrick's celebration (at our regular meeting place) will be catered by East Side Market and will cost $10. Birthday cake will honor those members born in March (Sign up with Ann Eaton.) Our favorite magician World Famous Johnny Ace Palmer (Grandson-in-Law of Earl Major) will keep us guessing in his inimitable fashion.
March 27 -Tuesday - BINGO! Caller - Alan Miller.
LOOKING AHEAD: The trip to Washington D.C. and Williamsburg VA will be ongoing April 20 to 27. Watch for further information.

The Caltech-Occidental Band FREE Concert
Occidental College – Thorne Hall - Saturday, March 3, 2007 2:00 p.m. (323) 259-2785
The Caltech-Occidental Concert Band will perform new music in Thorne Hall, at Occidental College. The concert will be directed by William Bing with guest composers Stanley Friedman, Bruce Lofgren, and Raymond Burkhart, and featured soloists will include Andrew Mollner, trumpet, and Kjerstin Williams, vocalist.
Caltech Theater Arts presents its annual Shakespeare play with 8 performances of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale.
Director Shirley Marneus has set the romance, one of the Bard's last plays, in medieval Japan. Leontes, ruler of Shikoku, suspects that his wife Hermione and his lifelong friend Polixenes, the ruler of Hokkaido, of having an affair and goes insane from his jealousy. After casting out his newborn daughter (who he believes to be fathered by Polixenes), his wife and son die, leaving him bereaved and remorseful. "A sad tale's best for winter" (II.i.33), but after this tragic first half, the play turns light and comical, and is resolved with "more amazement."
Performances are held in Ramo Auditorium (Caltech Campus). General Admission is $15, Student Admission is $5. Please call (626) 395-4652 for tickets.

Does "Four Years of Standing on the Corner" do anything to inform or improve?
A Pro-Bush Perspective on the Highland Park Protest
by Michael Candide
Let's take another look at the Boulevard Sentinel's February coverage of the peace rally in Highland Park by Jennifer Murphy. Its enthusiastic support for the participants in a well-written, but less-than-critical, report deserves further analysis on what the protest meant and whether or not it did anything to help.
The relative shallowness of the cause is showcased, through the expert photography of Brian Frobisher, on the front page depicting what is not profanity, but an incredible simulation on a sign. Does it take "the Paper" to a new level of titillation traditionally the domain of rags like the L.A. Weekly, festooned by sexually suggestive ads? Not so fast. Tom Topping publishes a family-friendly paper. But that's not the point. To demonstrate what I'm really talking about, let's focus on the signs that are described in the story and put them in context, beginning with "No War, No Empire, No Occupation."
"No War" —A universally accepted right in international law is the ability for nations to defend themselves. Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990, was pushed out by coalition forces and signed a ceasefire. For twelve years he proceeded to shoot at U.S. and British aircraft patrolling the no fly zone to prevent Saddam's forces from creating another genocide against the Kurds in the north, and the Shiites in the south, along with attempting to reduce Iraq's offensive capability in the region. While the coalition's carefully chosen targets were military capabilities during this period, Saddam could count on western protesters to promote his propaganda. Iraqi officials would parade coffins from hospital still births as evidence of U.S. aggression and protesters would carry the fabricated message to the streets of America and Europe. We did not start the war and every effort was made for more than a decade to use diplomatic and economic means to disarm the dictator. That is why there was bi-partisan support for more than twenty points in a resolution to authorize additional force. It went beyond the issue of weapons of mass destruction—the presence of which many countries, including the intelligence services of France and Germany, believed Iraq possessed. Iraq did, indeed, use banned missiles to attack Kuwait City in the first weeks of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"No Empire"- as former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said repeatedly, "we are not interested in that real estate." There is no case in the late twentieth century or recently where the United States established a colony. Nor have we been the first country to fire a shot. In all cases of invasion, either U.S. Forces or civilians, or our allies were attacked.
"No Occupation"- Long periods of occupation following World War II gave us a Germany with a robust Green Party a largely pacifist Japan, in addition to a hedge against the spread of communism. The current Administration was widely criticized for not occupying Iraq with enough forces, until this year when the new Democratic majority switched to a position of less troops- a meddling into the operational level of war that could make our troops more vulnerable and lead to more coffins. The symbolism used as exploitation in the protest suggests that they died in vain.
"Death is not Liberation. Stop the Killing" If the protesters can get the message to the insurgents who have been blowing up mosques, torturing and executing people to obtain ransom, and bombing market places, then good luck. If you believe that American soldiers are engaged in wanton killing, I would tell you that reports indicate the Iraqi people trust the American military more than others in their country. If you have a perennial disdain for the U.S. Military expect for a few flag waving months after 9/11, then little of this will mean anything to you.
"No Bushit"- I suppose what this is meant here is that this Administration, unlike in any other period of history, should have had perfect intelligence on all issues of the global war on terror and, if any mistakes were made… well, that was really part of a conspiracy and the protesters would have done better under the same circumstances. Maybe America under another president could have retreated to its borders after 9/11 or imagined that the War on Terror could be waged exclusively within the not-so secure borders of Afghanistan.
A thoughtful person was quoted in the article saying, "I'm totally frustrated… how long Mr. Bush?" Well we don't know, but insurgencies usually take about ten years to put down. Why should we care? After the U.S. pulled out of Vietnam, following a democratic congress' refusal to fund the effort in the 1970s, three million people died in genocide and war in South East Asia. If you don't like killing, don't allow Iraq to fall into anarchy with the inevitable genocide that would ensue.
If you want to prevent the spread of terrorism, don't allow anarchy to prevail in Iraq or for Syria and Iran to dominate the country. And if you care about access to gas, we have to be involved in the Middle East. There isn't enough corn to power everything running on Colorado and Eagle Rock Boulevards (Although you can find some of it in speeches by city council candidates). Promoting democracy throughout the world? Well, that's out of fashion these days, isn't it?
One of the protesters is quoted as saying that it's hard to get people to "give up a haircut or a ball game to be here." Now that you mention it, how about giving up even more, by joining one of the contractors or non-governmental organizations (some are left-leaning to your liking) to help rebuild Iraq and elsewhere in the world, or even supporting the effort from the United States?
Some acts can be merely symbolic. The air-brushed name of a service member on each rod that cruises up to Oinkster would be a nice touch, but find out what kind of car the soldier, sailor, airman, or marine likes first. MOPAR guys aren't going to want their name on a Chevy and I don't know anybody who wants to be on a Rambler.
It's not just a partisan thing. The Boulevard Sentinel always has a ribbon on the inside page in honor of the troops, although Tom Topping was recently seen at a conference in Berkley.
After all, the military isn't for everyone. I served overseas and also "occupied" and owned an "imperial" two-bedroom bungalow in Eagle Rock. Fletcher Figueroa knows I sold it before the prices went up. Nowadays, I couldn't afford to live in Glassel Park near Lalo "El Cuervo" Morales. I'm no genius. I used to eat breakfast at Jenny's and buy the overpriced stuff at the Italian market. I am not, and certainly most of "the Paper's" readership is not, cut out to do things like fly single seat F-102 fighter jets on all-weather missions, intercepting threats to America, like President George W. Bush did in the Air National Guard.
That is why, if you care about what happens to the people in the Middle East and the impact it has on our own lives here in America, you should do something to help in your own way. And why not a constructive and supportive contribution that goes beyond just your constitutionally protected right to protest?

Woman Dies, Man Hurt in Freeway Fire
On Wednesday, February 28, 2007 at 1:00 AM, three Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, two LAFD Rescue Ambulances, one EMS Battalion Captain and four Arson Investigation Units, a total of 24 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel under the direction of Captain Greg Olsen responded to an Auto Fire with Civilian Fatality on the Northbound Golden State (5) Freeway south of Fletcher Drive in the Atwater Village area of Los Angeles.
Responding to reports of a vehicle fire, Firefighters arrived quickly to discover a compact sedan on the right shoulder of the freeway against vegetation, with heavy fire in the passenger compartment. There was no clear evidence or witnesses describing a collision.
Firefighters came to the immediate medical aid of a severely injured adult male burn victim found near the car, but despite their prompt efforts at extinguishing the flames, were unable to rescue an adult female from within the burning vehicle.
The woman was declared deceased at the scene.
LAFD Paramedics transported the approximately 30 year-old burned man to the Los Angeles County USC Medical Center in serious condition with an altered level of consciousness, as well as second- and third-degree burns to his face and hands.
The relationship between the man and the deceased woman was not determined by Fire Department responders, and no other injuries were reported.
A positive identification of the deceased woman, as well as the exact cause, time and manner of her death will be determined by Coroner's officials, who - pursuant of protocol - were joined in the death and fire investigation by the California Highway Patrol, Los Angeles Police Detectives and Los Angeles Fire Department Arson Investigators.
The incident remains under investigation.

Tow Trucks Will Once Again Be Regulated

Beginning in 2007, tow trucks in Los Angeles will once again be regulated, and the Los Angeles Police Commission Investigation Division will be the regulator.
In 1994, the towing industry was deregulated by the federal government. While the majority of tow operators are honest business owners, some unscrupulous tow operators were functioning virtually unchecked during the deregulated period. Often, tow operators would "lie in wait" on private parking lots and ignore California Vehicle Code regulations. Terms such as "predatory," "bandit," and "rogue" tows became common, and unfortunately, tarnished the entire tow industry.
California Assembly Bill 2210, sponsored by Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, will change how tow operators function in California. This change in legislation includes several provisions, however the major features are as follows:
* Allow municipalities to license and regulate tow companies and their drivers. In Los Angeles, this process will be handled by Los Angeles Police Commission Investigation Division (CID). All tow companies and their drivers will be required to obtain permits from CID beginning January 1st. Enforcement of this requirement will begin in April.
* Require that the property owner or lessee provide written authorization for a vehicle to be removed, and that the tow company provide fact of the removal of a vehicle, the grounds for the removal, and the place where the vehicle has been removed.
* Require, that upon a vehicle owner's request, a tow company or its driver, must immediately and unconditionally release a vehicle that is not yet removed from private property and in transit.
* Require that tow companies accept credit cards.
* Require that tow companies notify the local law enforcement agency that the vehicle has been towed within 30 minutes of the removal.
* Require that a tow company's California Highway Patrol approved rates be made available for inspection and copying within 24 hours of request.
In the last two years, CID has conducted several successful stings on "rogue" tow companies, and with the City Attorney's diligence, numerous cases have been filed on these types of tow companies. The media has also assisted greatly in bringing this issue to light, and actually brought it to the level of legislative change. In many ways, Los Angeles has led the way to this victory for California motorists.
IN ORDER TO GAIN COMPLIANCE TOW OPERATORS MUST OBTAIN A POLICE COMMISSION PERMIT BY APRIL 1, 2007, OR THEY MAY BE SUBJECT TO CIVIL, CRIMINAL, OR ADMINISTRATIVE SANCTIONS. PERMIT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AT 213-485-8081.

Oxy to Join In Lummis Day
Occidental College will serve as Presenting Sponsor for the second annual Lummis Day: The Festival of Northeast Los Angeles event, a free, public celebration of the of the multi-cultural heritage of L.A.'s Arroyo neighborhoods, on Sunday, June 3, featuring musical, visual, culinary and literary artists representing an array of the region's cultural traditions.
Principal activities for the event will be staged as Sycamore Grove Park at 4900 N. Figueroa Street, where music, art, multi-cultural performances and food service begins at noon, and at Lummis Home, 200 E. Avenue 43, where the program will begin with an 11:00 am poetry reading followed by a "trek" led along the route of Arroyo Seco riverbed. Musicians, a variety of local restaurants, dancers and other performing artists and the work of visual artists representing many cultural traditions of the Southern California region will be featured.
Last year's inaugural event drew over 1500 people to events at Sycamore Grove Park and Lummis Home. Over 25 community groups, a dozen galleries and half dozen restaurants participated in the event.
Sponsorship of "Lummis Day: The Festival of Northeast Los Angeles" is consistent with Occidental's long history of mutually beneficial engagement with Northeast Los Angeles. Occidental's Community Literacy Center, Upward Bound – one of the country's first – GEAR UP, and student-run programs serve hundreds of students from local elementary, middle and high schools. More than half of Occidental's students participate in some form of community project through the College's Center for Community Based Learning.
Lummis Day takes its name from Charles Fletcher Lummis, who served as the L.A. Times' first city editor upon his arrival in L.A. in 1885. Lummis was also one of the city's first librarians, founded the Southwest Museum and helped introduce the concept of multi-culturalism to Southern California.
"Lummis Day" is presented by Occidental College and sponsored by the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council, the Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council, the Autry Center for the American West, and public radio station KPFK 90.7 with the support of the North Figueroa Association, Los Angeles City Council Districts 1 and 14, the Department of Recreation and Parks, the Historical Society of Southern California, the Heritage Square Museum, the MTA, NELA Bikes, the Highland Park Heritage Trust, the Arroyo Arts Collective, the L.A. Poetry Festival and other community organizations.

HHPNC to send 9 Franklin Students to Sacramento
by Stan Moore
For the fourth time the HHPNC will be sending nine Franklin High School students to the Sacramento Legislative Seminar (SLS), Feb. 25 to Feb. 27. Seventeen students wrote a 500 word essay on "What would I do to make Highland Park Better." It then became the very difficult job of the committee to select the nine plus two alternates.
The students were told on Tuesday morning, Feb. 20, who the fortunate ones were. Alternates are guaranteed to go on the trip next year if they so choose.
The HHPNC has allocated $1900 for the trip - paying for the 15 passenger van, four rooms for two nights, the SLS fee and the cost of the Monday night reception for legislators and staff personnel. The Monday night reception in the State Capitol is primarily paid for by Pepperdine University, Loyola Marymount University and the Unruh Institute of Politics at U.S.C. The students need to come with about $40 for food over the three days.
The selected students are three men and six women, and all of them are in their Junior year at Franklin. The three men are: Juan Cortez, David Gonzalez, and Manual Montenego, with the alternate being Giovanny Ramirez. The six women are Glenda Cruz, Marlene Fierros, Vanessa Gonzalez, Elsa Ramos, Samantha Salinas, and Daisy Soto. The alternate is Tina Sanchez.
The students' essays focused on control of gang activity, drug use, and elimination of graffiti, the placing of more trash cans on the streets, the improvement of our local parks, more activities for students after school to provide opportunities that will divert students from getting into trouble, and, for at least two students, more language choices at Franklin so that students can be exposed to other cultures and other nations' civilizations.
The essays are impressive and if the students give their permission, they may be placed on the HHPNC's website: www.historichighlandpark.org.
Two members of the HHPNC will be driving the van to Sacramento: Heinrich Keifer, president, and Dr. Stanley W. Moore, treasurer. Dr. Moore taught at the university level for 43 years, the last 33 at Pepperdine, and he believes Yim Tam is simply an amazing teacher and take Franklin High School is fortunate to have her.