Good Riddance That Project is Downsized

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Posted by Socal on 03/17 at 11:46 AM

It was with some bewilderment that I read your front page article “Another Chapter for Washington-Centinela” (March 8). As a resident of Colonial Avenue, I had attended several neighborhood meetings with the Olson Company’s representative. The size of the planned development was enormous and despite the pretty drawings we were shown, I was very apprehensive about it.
Now Olson is out, presently the Woos are in. Before the final decision is made, the city should consider that a high density development is not appropriate for our area. Traffic is not bad enough yet?
Art galleries, fine restaurants and shops do not require four-story buildings.
I am also very suspicious about the city’s dealings with a developer (Olson) which “cannot be disclosed.” Secrets, intrigue? I would find this amusing if it were not happening in my own neighborhood.
Anyway, thank you Scott Malsin for your investigations!
Annelise Spira
Culver City

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“I Simply Cannot Walk That Fast”

Posted by Socal on 03/17 at 11:44 AM

I just read the letter from Janet and Charles Hoult about the hazardous crossing at Culver Boulevard and Overland Avenue. I totally agree with them. I am not decrepit yet, but I am old and I can certify that I can never complete the crossing of Culver in the allotted 27 seconds. I simply cannot walk fast enough.
For a member of the City Council to say that there is no problem is myopic to put it kindly. Obviously she is too young to know what a physical difficulty is. The problem is worse on Tuesdays because there is a free movie at the Senior Center and all of us who do not attend the movie are there for classes or some other activity. We find the parking overflowing and have no choice but to use the parking at Veterans Auditorium, so we have to cross Culver, like it or not.
At the very least the crossing time could be made longer; that should cost nothing more than a few seconds longer for cars to wait for their turn. To ignore the problem is absurd, and I am glad that the Hoults brought it up because I was going to do the same, and I know if anybody wanted to collect signatures the City Council would be overwhelmed by the response.
Maria A. Iannone
Culver City

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Sepulveda Stores Need Renovating

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Posted by Socal on 02/15 at 02:14 PM

After reading articles and letters to the editor in the Culver City News, I thought that I would like to add my insight.  Currently, the west side of Sepulveda Boulevard between Sawtelle and Jefferson is gridlocked during weekday rush hours and many times on weekends.  This has got to change.  Currently, northbound Sepulveda Boulevard has three lanes, while southbound Sepulveda has two lanes.  A suggestion would be to do as Los Angeles has done in Westchester to have three lanes in each direction and do not allow curb parking during morning and evening weekday rush hours.  Most businesses along the west side of Sepulveda have off street parking to begin with.  It is amazing to me why the Culver City traffic engineers did not realize this solution and do something about it years ago before the traffic got to be as bad as it is today.
The stores along this portion of Sepulveda Boulevard. in my opinion need some help.  The store fronts look awful.  They look like they have not changed since the 1950s.  Since Sepulveda is a gateway to Culver City, the area does need help.  I am not so sure we need additional building in this particular area, however; I do think what needs to be done is perhaps renovate the front of the stores currently in the area.  This would give a more modern feeling in an area that frankly looks dated.
Richard Beaver
Culver City

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Remembering Sam Brooks

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Posted by Socal on 01/18 at 08:26 PM

On December 31 I attended the funeral of Sam Brooks, a Culver City resident for over 50 years, who succumbed to cancer.  I met him through my dear friend, Lee, to whom he was married for the last 10 years.  When people die, it’s very natural to endow them with saintly characteristics, but Sam was the real deal.  I always used to joke with Lee that if he could be cloned, there would be no single women left on the planet. 
I’ll never forget when Lee and Sam and two or three others were chatting in my living room after a party years ago, and suddenly I noticed Sam wasn’t there.  Then I heard cheery whistling and Lee said, shaking her head, “Tweety bird is at it again.” And he was in the kitchen, happily cleaning up.  The only way I could entice him back into the living room and prevent him from vacuuming the first floor of the condo was to tell him that if he left the kitchen immediately, I’d let him come back later that week to do the windows—and I don’t doubt for a moment that he would have!
A decorated veteran of World War II, a devoted family man, and for many years a dedicated volunteer for Make-a-Wish Foundation and Starlight/Starbright where he was dubbed “Mr. Wonderful,” it would be easy to go on at length about him.  He was the personification of energy as he vigorously applied himself to making this a better world for everyone:  his family, his friends, his neighbors, and absolute strangers.
At the gathering in their home after the funeral, two teenage boys dropped by from across the street with a bouquet of yellow roses for Lee, in Sam’s honor.  The boys reminisced about when they were little and would watch to see that Sam was working in his garage, as they knew they’d be able to run over and ask if he could spare some nails or wood or whatever they needed. He always accommodated them, showed them how to put things together, and always threw in some lollipops for good measure.
My friend, Sam Brooks, will be greatly missed.  Rest in peace, Mr. Wonderful.
Sandra Coopersmith
Culver City

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Resigned to High-Density Living

Posted by Socal on 01/18 at 08:23 PM

Albert Cutler’s letter (Jan. 4) re traffic on Duquesne Avenue points out a problem that is getting worse not only there but on Overland Avenue and throughout the city, country, and world.
In 1952, after being away for two years in the Army, I could hardly believe what had happened in those two years. I saw what was coming, and I was right – it’s here.
Population is increasing, but living space is not. The solution is very
simple: reduce the population to what it was 60 years ago.
Can’t do that? Ok, then we’re stuck with high-density living and traffic which can only get worse.
Jerry Brown
Culver City

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City Needs Clean Money Law

Posted by Socal on 01/18 at 08:19 PM

Your long and thorough article “Clean Money Campaigns Now Include Local Focus” (Jan. 4) was excellent. I’m just sorry that the local focus was buried in its last few inches.
It’s shocking that Councilmembers Gross and Corlin received campaign contributions from the Hayden Tract developer and then voted to sell him key property at perhaps half its real value.
I hope that future articles in your excellent series will focus on this and other local potential scandals that illustrate the need for a Culver City clean money law.
Barry Tunick

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Sawtelle Hazardous for El Marino Academy Kids

Posted by Socal on 01/18 at 08:15 PM

Something so extraordinary happened Monday morning, I have to tell you about it. I was walking my kids to school, and a car stopped to let me cross the street. WOW! I have been walking to El Marino for about a year and a half now, and I can count on my fingers how many times traffic has stopped to let me cross the street, and still have fingers left over.  I know, pedestrians have the right of way in the state of California, but it doesn’t help to have the law on your side when your competition is made of steel and coming at you at 40 miles per hour.  When you are teaching two small children the rules of traffic safety, it’s best to just wait.
I’m not just waiting for traffic to let me cross the street, I’m waiting for the city to put up a crosswalk.
We are so very lucky, here in Culver City to have one of the best elementary schools in the state. El Marino Language Academy has been a jewel in our school system for decades now.  As we are often reminded by the administration at the school, El Marino was built to be a neighborhood school, and therefore does not have any kind of parking available other than the surrounding streets. By making it so hard for local kids to walk to school, we are creating huge amounts of traffic, and a twice-daily parking crunch for blocks around.
While the current traffic calming study for the neighborhood proceeds very slowly (we started last August, the next meeting has been postponed until February), we still have dozens of children who are crossing this street twice a day in hazardous traffic.
Why has the city not remedied this obvious problem with the obvious solution? If we had the same kind of crossing and signal that serves the school kids crossing Culver Boulevard at Elenda, we could be safe. A flashing yellow light that only stops traffic when someone is in the crosswalk leaves traffic to move at its own rate.
Let’s cut through all the time consuming studies and surveys and recognize that this one benefits everybody. More people walking and fewer cars, slower cars crossing over the Ballona Creek bridge at Sawtelle, and the folks who live near El Marino could even park on their own street during the school year.
Maybe we should add it to the curriculum – in Japanese, you would say, “Sawtelle de oudanhodokyou wo tsukutte, kudasai” In Spanish, you would say, “ Necesitamos on cruce de peatones seguro sobre Sawtelle.” All those in favor, repeat after me – We Need a Crosswalk on Sawtelle.
Judith Martin Straw
Culver City

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Look at What They’re Doing to Duquesne…

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Posted by Socal on 01/04 at 01:14 PM

As a long-term resident on Duquesne Avenue, I would like to ask the City Council and City Hall administrators to address these current situations:
The traffic volume on Duquesne during rush hours – 7 to 9 a.m., 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. – has increased drastically in just the past year. Has a traffic survey been done in the past few months to compare with prior year’s figures?
Getting in and out of private driveways during rush hour periods has become a battle of wits…frequently traffic stopping for the flashing signal at Duquesne/Lucerne can back up all the way to Jefferson Boulevard and all the way to Culver Boulevard in the other direction. I noticed last summer that police cars had difficulty getting in and out of their parking lot. In early autumn, “KEEP CLEAR” zones magically appeared at the City Hall parking entrance, the police station lot and the main parking area for Municipal Bus employees.  We appreciate that a solution was found for these government departments. But I would like to know what solution(s) can assist the “everyday residents” on Duquesne?
Modifying traffic in other areas has added to the Duquesne traffic. Higuera was modified with little islands and one lane, each way, and was closed to through traffic in the Hayden Industrial area.
Residents in other portions of Culver City have been provided relief from increased through traffic…several streets are now cul de sacs at Playa; Sawtelle, near Sepulveda, has several streets with no turns during rush hours. Can a solution be found to decrease or in some way modify the traffic flow on Duquesne?
Solutions?  For westbound Jefferson Boulevard traffic, there is no right on a red light at Duquesne during rush hours. Solutions? There is no parking on Duquesne during rush hours.
Regarding new development at Duquesne and Culver: This is (was) surplus Culver City property that is being developed by a private firm. The Community Development Agency told me the private project would be first floor retail and condos over.
This lot, although small, has always been most convenient for the Post Office (minimal parking), City Hall, Kirk Douglas Theatre and nearby restaurants. The nearest city parking structure is a few blocks away. Remember years ago, there was a nice large public parking lot between Culver and Washington Boulevards, where the Film Corp. Building now stands. I was told that I was not made aware of this new development as I live on the other end of Duquesne and that the surrounding neighbors were mostly in favor. I hope that they appreciate increased traffic!
Albert M. Cutler
Culver City

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Time to Refurbish Sepulveda Stretch

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Posted by Socal on 12/28 at 07:11 PM

I have lived in/around Culver City since 1945 and I am one of many who used to rent horses from Red Riding Stable. We would ride across Sepulveda and then Centinela…across railroad tracks etc., and race across very empty fields now known as Westchester. From those days until now I have despaired that Sepulveda Boulevard would look any better than it did in 1945.
Mr. (Bob) Champion comes along with a proven background, according to all news info available, to improve it.
It took the Redevelopment Agency how many years to clear out the ridiculous display of ugly signs along the street? Across the street, Albert Vera spent a chunk of change and re-did the facades of all the businesses he owns. On the other side ONLY Culver City Hardware and attached businesses look terrific.
The Tattle Tale Lounge and attached businesses have all looked terrible for years! And don’t start me on that sloppy “parking lot” in front of those stores.
Why can’t the Culver City section get a re-do/re-hab?
Kay Kemp
Culver City

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Knowing You is Better By Adele Siegel

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Posted by Socal on 11/09 at 07:48 PM

Our Correspondent on Braddock
How many of you know your neighbors on both sides of your street on your block? Braddock Drive neighbors have been pleased about their homes with charming landscapes, colorful flowers, and the variety of plants, whose tantalizing aromas please the essence of our daily lives.
However, do neighbors know each other from one end of the block to the other end of the block personally? In which house do they live? Do they
Recognize each other shopping, at school board meetings, or even attending the City Council meetings? 
A few neighbors at 11100 Braddock Drive celebrated the birth of Lisa Renee, daughter Cristine and Greg Kinsey, who was five weeks old,
and the passing of Henry Siegel at the age of 93, who lived with his wife Adele for 60 years, at 11169 Braddock Drive. They were married for 69 years.
Getting to know you! There are 26 occupants and two vacant houses on the block, and more than half the neighbors plus their guests attended, on Oct. 22, a Sunday afternoon. After attaining a permit from City Hall, they were allowed to have the street sans auto¹s. It was a day of many activities: roller skating, walking, playing, even lying on the street gazing at the stars (on a sunny afternoon), plus games which were available for all.
Potluck, cold drinks, homemade cake and chocolate cup cakes were devoured with yumminess, as the aroma of the barb-b-q floated under the trees that line the street.
Ronnie Jayne entertained us all afternoon, with her electric piano and sound system.  Her excellent performance with singing songs and playing an instrument was a joy and a pleasure to listen to, on the west side of block.
On the opposite side of the block, Aaron and Daisy Shapiro, hosted live
Brazilian musicians, whose rhythms, tone and beat, varied their selections, to create very distinct music from various parts of Brazil.
Roger Maxwell and Tom Camarella efficiently organized games for kids, no matter the age, as well as the hard work of set-up and clean-up.
President of the School Board, Saundra Davis, and Mayor Gary Silbiger also had a chance to mingle and discuss individual community interests.
This is merely a start to a grand tradition in which we must work together to ensure survival. While many of us had known Henry for a long time and others not all, attendee’s joined together to commemorate and celebrate the philosophy of a memorable person. we want to commemorate and celebrate the philosophy of a memorable person.
L’chaim To Life.
And so we shall carry on with his life and move forward with JUSTICE and PEACE.
P.S.: Catherine Paul, 86, mother of Bill Paul died Oct. 19. She lived in Culver City for one year.
Charles (Charlie/Chuck) Baral, 86, died Oct. 29. He and his wife Rhoda, lived at 11163 for 50 years.

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Local Animal Control in Torrance

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Posted by Socal on 10/14 at 11:44 AM

In response to Peggy Zimmerman’s letter (Who to Call?,Sept. 28),I have some exciting news to report. Last week I was fortunate enough to be invited by the Friends of Culver City Animals on an exploratory field trip to
the Torrance Animal Control office. We were greeted by the mayor of Torrance, Frank Scotto, the police captain who set up the animal control program, John Neu, and the staff of four full time employees.
The mayor proceeded to tell us of the overwhelming success of the program in Torrance and more importantly how it is self-sufficient and not a financial burden to the city. Mayor Gary Silbiger was on hand to receive the information and I assume he will be reporting back to the other council members about his experience. One of the field officers told of a meeting with one of their council members, who had originally voted against the project on budgetary grounds, where she expressed a change of heart once she saw the success of the program.
Of course the program succeeded due to the overwhelming support of the community – the same community support that I believe we already have here in Culver City.
So there is hope on the horizon, Peggy, for all of God’s creatures who are unable to help themselves.
Mehaul O’Leary
Culver City.

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Why Huge Sepulveda Redevelopment?

Posted by Socal on 10/14 at 11:44 AM

As a resident of Culver City for almost 40 years I thought I had heard everything regarding our City Council but the new plan regarding Sepulveda Boulevard between Sawtelle and Slauson is just plain ludicrous. There are many locations in Culver City that could use a facelift more than the west side of Sepulveda. Why is one side of the street more “blighted” than the other?
I don’t know whether this big project is about money or just the Redevelopment Agency’s ability to do just what it wants to with peoples lives and businesses. Over the past several years Imminent Domain has taken on a whole new meaning to me.
I live in adjacent Sunkist Park and our traffic situation is bad enough what with Playa Vista and the “normal” traffic, but considering what this huge construction project would create is ridiculous. Many people use the businesses that would be removed whether they like it or not, and I for one would be seriously inconvenienced if those businesses were closed.
I understand the plan is to build residences and condos along parts of this location. Be serious – who in their right mind would live on one of the busiest streets in Culver City?
Tearing down and rebuilding our city seems to be the order of the day with the City Council; do they really think that people from Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Bel Air and Westwood are going to throng to Culver City for and upscale shopping experience. Except for a few nice restaurants and a theater that has to my knowledge no more business than the other downtown theater, what’s the big attraction – Gucci, Tiffany’s, Neiman Marcus? I don’t think so. And why does the Council think we need all the outside traffic in an area already grid-locked? It just doesn’t make sense.
Residents I have spoken to feel much as I do. We want our city to remain a nice quiet, small, unsullied place to live in and enjoy, not a war zone where something needs to be torn down and replaced at the whim of the local government.
The definition of blighted is: dilapidated, decayed or deteriorated per Websters Dictionary of the English language. I see nothing on Sepulveda Bloulevard that falls into that category.
Is no one safe from these five elected officials or is your neighborhood next? Be vigilant!!!
David Loupe
Culver City

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CCHS Security Policy Thought Out

Posted by Socal on 10/14 at 11:42 AM

I hope that Jeff Cooper’s letter (Security Questions at Culver High, Oct. 5) doesn’t result in the baby being thrown out with the bathwater. 
Mr. Cooper’s letter raises one legitimate concern; namely, anyone from outside the school who goes inside school grounds should have to present legitimate ID (a high school policy which I believe is in place, but appears not to have been applied for Mr. Cooper’s wife).  Mr. Cooper should not take comfort that consistent application of this policy will prevent violence in our schools.  The very sad fact is that “the violence at high schools by deranged individuals rampant across the country” as referenced in Mr. Cooper’s letter is not preventable.  A mentally ill person with a desire to spill children’s blood will find a way.
I had a similar experience as Mr. Cooper’s wife at the high school; however, when I explored the “policy” of parent delivery of forgotten items with office staff I learned that it was, in fact, well thought out.  The policy is designed to a) encourage students to remember all of their belongings every day, b) minimize disruption of the learning process when students do forget lunch or homework; and c) to gently inconvenience parents in the event forgetfulness occurs. 
Accountability. 
What a novel concept in this Age of Entitlement where no one has to accept consequences for their actions, or lack thereof.  My oldest daughter attends the high school, my middle daughter attends the middle school, and my youngest daughter attends a Culver City elementary school.  In my 10 years as a Culver City resident, I have seen a steady improvement in all of the schools.  I’d encourage anyone to visit the district’s web site and look at all of the performance indicators under the district’s SARC link for the high school.  The numbers speak for themselves.
Yes, our Culver City schools are not perfect, but they are improving.  I have been very impressed by Pam McGee’s leadership as principal at the high school.  This year’s back-to-school night was one of the best organized I have attended and the professionalism and ambition of the administration, counselors and teachers was palpable.
Finally, Mr. Cooper’s recommendation that we call our Board of Education members on this “issue” is the exact wrong thing to do, in my view.  The board needs to focus on the critical issues of strategy, budgeting, and improved labor relations with the teachers.  With strong principals at virtually all of our schools, the last thing they need is a micro-managing Board of Education (e.g. LAUSD).
Jim Dodenhoff
Culver City

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Security Questions at Culver High

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Posted by Socal on 10/05 at 06:11 PM

So your kid forgets his lunch or homework at home and you drive to Culver City High School to drop it off at the reception area only to be told you must go to your child’s class to bring it to her, and you are given a pass and a map to her class. Your identification is never checked and you scratch your head in wonderment that security is so non-existent in a time when violence at high schools by deranged individuals is rampant across our country.
This actually happened when my wife went to Culver High to drop off a notebook my daughter had left at home last Friday morning, Sept. 29. It is important to note that she did not know anyone at the reception area nor did staff know her – in other words they had no clue that she was truly a parent outside of her stating she was. 
With the current policy in effect, anyone can enter this campus anytime without fear of procuring identification or being checked for firearms and be given a map and a pass to the campus. This truly is an invitation for trouble and I hope that the Board of Education members read this and make policy changes.
Both my daughters attend Culver High and this is not just about someone entering campus to kill our kids – what about the sexual predator who gets his free pass and lurks in a restroom waiting for a victim?
Maybe this sounds extreme, but this scenario has become a reality at many schools and our school leadership needs to make a change immediately. I urge parents and teachers to contact your Board of Education members to take proper action. It seems to me that dropping off lunch or homework at the reception area and the child being notified to come to the front office to pick up these items would be a very easy solution.
Jeff Cooper
Culver City

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No Shelter From the Bickering

Posted by Socal on 10/05 at 06:02 PM

Re “No Shelter From the Storm for Silbiger” (Sept. 21), I am a resident of Colonial Avenue in Culver City and was notified by mail of the City Council meeting on Sept. 18 with one item on the agenda being the contract for demolition at the northwest corner of Washington and Centinela. Being a nearby resident, I attended the meeting.

I was surprised - all that time spent by six grownups (council members and city manager) bickering about where to hold a youth group meeting. This could have been discussed more appropriately at someone’s kitchen table.

I was disgusted, having wasted my time, and left together with another neighbor who voiced similar thoughts.

Annelise Spira
Culver City

The obvious location for a youth advisory committee is the newly renovated Teen Center, with its neat new sign. Why City Hall should be involved in any way is a mystery. If the City Council has not requested the formation of such a committee, then the meeting should be held in a more appropriate place and that should have been Mr. Fulwood’s response. There is nothing discriminatory about sticking to the rules.

Jule Hachigian
Culver City

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