PPCC Area Representative Election 2018 - 1

2018 PPCC Area Representative Candidates 

Presentations and Q/A

on Thursday, August 9, at 7 p.m. at the Palisades Library
Online elections will be open from August 9 to August 30 

The Pacific Palisades Community Council (PPCC) holds Area Representative elections for each of its 8 Areas and one At-Large Representative every two years.  This year, eleven motivated candidates will introduce themselves. For the 100-words official candidate statements please click here.  Please click on the candidates' names below for expanded personal statements.

The PPCC acts as the voice of the residents of Pacific Palisades to our neighboring communities, and to the elected officials and representatives at the city of LA, the County, and the State.  The PPCC Area representatives take their own community's needs before the PPCC to gain support.  They also take information back to their community on local and city-wide concerns, projects, laws, and regulations.  

Area 1: Joanna Spak 

North and south of Sunset, west of Palisades Drive

Area 2: Steve Cron, Adam Handler  

Palisades Highlands

Area 3: Haldis Toppel   

Marquez Knolls north of Sunset, and the area between Palisades Drive and Bienveneda south of Sunset.

Area 4: Rick Mills
North and south of Sunset Blvd. from Bienveneda Ave. to Temescal Canyon Road. 

Area 5: Sue Kohl

North side of Sunset Blvd. from Temescal Canyon Rd. to Rivas Canyon Rd.   

Area 6: David Kaplan  

South of Sunset between Temescal Canyon and Chautauqua Blvd.

Area 7: Steve Boyers 
Santa Monica Canyon, Rustic and Lower Rivas Canyon, Will Rogers State Park

Area 8: Reza Akef, 
Riviera sections north and south of Sunset Blvd. up to Allenford Ave.and  Paul Revere High School  

At-Large: Alan Goldsmith, John Padden

Entire Palisades, including all 8 Areas listed above.

Note: Area descriptions above are approximations.  For an exact Area definition please click here.  

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Tai Chi for Seniors - every Thur 10 - 11:30 AM, Palisades Woman's Club

  www.theppwc.org

Join Mary Dean for Tai Chi for Seniors - 
call the PPWC Clubhouse with any questions, 310/454-9012

Classes are held every Thursday from 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM. 
Next class will be 8/9/18

Tai chi is an ancient Chinese tradition that, today, is practiced as a graceful form of exercise. It involves a series of movements performed in a slow, focused manner and accompanied by deep breathing.

Tai chi, also called tai chi chuan, is a noncompetitive, self-paced system of gentle physical exercise and stretching. Each posture flows into the next without pause, ensuring that your body is in constant motion. 

PPWC member Mary Dean is your volunteer instructor and hostess. Loose, comfortable clothing and shoes are recommended.  Please telephone her directly if you plan to join the class (310) 454-3800.

Pacific Palisades 2017/18 Season Rain Report

Official Los Angeles County Rain Gauge Report on Bienveneda

Double rainbow from Tom at Chattanooga 

Pacific Palisades has its own official rain gauge operated by Carol Leacock and located at lower Bienveneda.  Carol is sending regular updates and we are proud to publish the readings after any noticable rainfall for your "first to know" experience.  We very much appreciate Carol for her service to our beautiful community and its residents.  Please come and visit this page often.

Weather information on this page is under construction.  Please come back soon.

 Rainbow magic over Palisades soccer team from Geoff at Barrington

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We would like to acknowledge Ted Mackie's contribution to this site in past years.  We miss Ted dearly and thank Carol Leacock, Ted's wife and longtime Palisadian, for her continued support of this blog site.  Ted along with Carol was an avid hiker  and lead many nature walks into Temescal Canyon. He operated the Palisades Bicycle Shop and tuned the bikes for generations of kids and adults.  

Scam Reports from LAPD, DWP, and our Residents

Scam - The Invisible Crime 
It's All About Money

Scams come in many forms and have always plagued the unwary.   We all know about the "Snake Oil Salesman" from the past.  There is much snake oil sold lately.  Below are reports of serious and real scams from LAPD, DWP and from many of our residents.   If you have a story, please share it to protect others. Send to hrtoppel@aol.com.

If you are alert you can figure out scams pretty easily.  They are usually  obvious when all your bills are paid and you are financially comfortable, have no outstanding tickets, and have a clear tax record.  There are so many people, who live on the brink of bankruptcy, getting chased by bill collectors.  They are the most vulnerable, scared, pay, and then find out that they have been duped.  That is the biggest tragedy.  

A note of warning: when verifying a claim that seems suspicious, never contact the number or e-mail  provided with the suspicious communication.  It will of course connect you with a fake contact as well. Use previous bills, the number on your credit card, or your e-mail list to assure yourself that you speak with a legitimate contact.

Clicke here for: LAPD Warns of Scam Bill Collectors by Phone or in Person

Click here for:  DWP Warns of Telephone Scam posing as Bill Collectors

Click here for: The 12 most common scams of Christmas

Click here for: Scams with cars, cellhones, GPS, and other gadgets.

Click here for: Grandpareant Scams

Click here for: Testimonies of more Scams reported by our Residents or continue reading below.


Different Versions, more of the Same
1) Caller identified themselves saying they were from Micro Soft and that my computer was infected with multiple viruses and kept asking me for my password to enable them access to my computer.   I realized it was a scam but my mother did not when they called her.  They implanted over 800 viruses and took over her computer allowing them access to all her files.  When she finally figured out that it was a scam and hung up they shut down her computer and she can no longer access anything and has had to change her passwords.  One of her friends was not so lucky.

2) I got an email supposedly from Amazon asking me to follow a link and update my information.  I realized it was a scam when I looked at the questions and discontinued.  When I called Amazon they said it wasn't them.

3). Calls on my cell phone claiming they were from my credit card company and they detected fradulent activity on my Credit card but when they asked for my acct# and security code I hung up.

~jars~

Stranger asking personal questions at the front door.

A neighbour on Iliiff street had a stranger at her door- selling books- he started asking personal questions about her occupation, which car was hers etc. Be safe and don't give out any personal information. Best to be firm, polite and withdraw from the situation quickly.   ~Ninkey 

Come to the front door - a new one.
I am elderly.  I received a phone call in the evening from a male pretening to be my grandson.  I don't have a grandson.  The caller said that he was here to visit and was waiting at the front door, asking me to "come down" to let him in.  I was indeed on the second floor of my house.  Suspicious, I stated that I was not able to come down, but he now insisted that I come to the sliding glass door that opens into the back yard,  I again declinded.  At that time I asked him if he was "Jason" (that is my nephews's name), and he answered "yes."  I then asked him to give me his last name, assuming that as a stranger he would not know that.  The caller then hung up.  I reported this conversation immediately to LAPD and was told that they had not heard the "come to the door and open up" approach to a potential home invasion.  LAPD suggested that I share this experience with my neighbors as a warning.  My suggestion: always ask questions that only your family member or friend would know to determine the true identify of a caller or e-mail if there is any doubt, especially when calls come in late at night when you are alreay asleep and perhaps not too alert to know the difference.  Always immediately notify LAPD by calling 911, this could be an immediate threat to you or it may now be targeting others.  ~Jack


Robbed in a foreign country scam

I received the urgent scam message pretending to be from a dear friend.  (Note the poor grammar and foreign phrasing with a hue of British).  ~Natasha

really hope you get this quickly. I could not inform anyone about our trip, because it was impromptu. we had to be in Istanbul, Turkey for Tour.. The program was successful, but our journey has turned sour. we misplaced our wallet and cell phone on our way back to the hotel we lodge in after we went for sight seeing. The wallet contained all the valuables we had. Now our passport is in custody of the hotel management pending when we make payment.
I am sorry if i am inconveniencing you, but i have only very few people to run to now. i will be indeed very grateful if i can get a short term loan from you ($2,950 USD). this will enable me sort our hotel bills and get my sorry self back home. I will really appreciate whatever you can afford in assisting me with. I promise to refund it in full as soon as soon as I return. let me know if you can be of any assistance. Please, let me know soonest.

Click here for: Testimonies of more Scams reported by our Residents

Scams Using Cars, Cellphones, GPS, Garagedoor Openers, and other Gadgets.

Not all thieves are stupid!

1. LONG - TERM PARKING

Some people left their car in the long-term parking at San Jose while away, and someone broke into the car.  Using the information on the car's registration in the glove compartment, they drove the car to the people's home in Pebble Beach and robbed it.  So I guess if we are going to leave the car in long-term parking, we should NOT leave our registration/insurance cards in it, nor the remote garage door opener.  This gives us something to think about with all our new electronic technology.

2. GPS:

Someone had their car broken into while they were at a football game.  Their car was parked on the green which was adjacent to the football stadium and specially allotted to football fans.  Things stolen from the car included a garage door remote control, some money and a GPS which had been prominently mounted on the dashboard.  When the victims got home, they found that their house had been ransacked and just about everything worth anything had been stolen.  The thieves had used the GPS to guide them to the house.  They then used the garage remote control to open the garage door and gain entry to the house.  The thieves knew the owners were at the football game, they knew what time the game was scheduled to finish and so they knew how much time they had to clean out the house.  It would appear that they had brought a truck to empty the house of its contents.  Something to consider if you have a GPS - don't put your home address in it.  Put a nearby address (like a store or gas station) so you can still find your way home if you need to, but no one else would know where you live if your GPS were stolen.

3. CELL PHONES:

I never thought of this!  This lady has now changed her habit of how she lists names on her cell phone after her handbag was stolen.  Her handbag, which contained her cell phone, credit card, wallet, etc., was stolen. Twenty minutes later when she called her hubby, from a pay phone telling him what had happened, hubby says, "I received your text asking about our PIN number and I replied a little while ago."  When they rushed down to the bank, the bank staff told them all the money was already withdrawn.  The thief had actually used the stolen cell phone to text "hubby" in the contact list and got hold of the PIN.  Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their bank account.

Moral of this story 
a. Do not disclose the relationship between you and the people in your contact list.  Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad, Mom, etc.
b. And, very important, when sensitive info is being asked through texts, CONFIRM by calling back.
c. Also, when you're being texted by friends or family to meet them somewhere, be sure to call back to confirm that the message came from them.  If you don't reach them, be very careful about going places to meet "family and friends" who text you.

4. PURSE IN THE GROCERY CART SCAM:  
A lady went grocery-shopping at a local mall and left her purse sitting in the child seat of the cart while she reached something off a shelf.  Wait till you read the WHOLE story!  Her wallet was stolen, and she reported it to the store personnel.  After returning home, she received a phone call from the Mall Security to say that they had her wallet and that although there was no money in it, it did still hold her personal papers.  She immediately went to pick up her wallet, only to be told by Mall Security that they had not called her.  By the time she returned home again, her house had been broken into and burgled.  The thieves knew that by calling and saying they were Mall Security, they could lure her out of her house long enough for them to burgle it.

*PLEASE PASS THIS ON
Even if this does not pertain to you, please let your family and friends know so they don't get caught in a scam.

Internet Safety for Young and Old by Abby Brown

Abby Brown is a is a sophomore at PaliHi and is completing her Girl Scout Gold Award.

For it, she has created a web site for parents and kids as a resource about Internet safety.

This site is simple, to the point, and easy to understand.  It is of interest and applies to all ages.

Please click here to view the slide show.

Stay safe!

Palisades Library

Palisades Branch Library


Hours of Service
Mon & Wed: 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Tues & Thurs: 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Fri & Sat: 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Sun: Closed

Library Book Store Hours 

Monday through Friday 1-5 p.m. 

and Saturdays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information on Library locations and programs please click here.

Volunteers for Monthly Book Sales
Many of the volunteers who have generously volunteered to receive book donations for the Palisades Branch Friends book sales  are no longer able to help for a variety of reasons. Therefore, we are in need of new able bodied volunteers who can lift books and would enjoy spending a few hours a month in the Palisades Branch Library. The volunteering shifts are either from 12:30-3:00pm or 3:00-5:00pm on a Tuesday or Thursday once a month.

I schedule the volunteers two months ahead and there is always flexibility in the scheduling.If you or anybody you know are interested in helping with this crucial part of the book sale process please  contact me at 310-962-8313 or email me at wendypacpal@yahoo.com.  I will be happy to answer all questions and further explain the volunteer position.

Thank you very much!

Wendy Edlen

Friends and Supporters of the Library:  Arlene Halper, Councilman Mike Bonin,  Laurel Seifer Garver, Sandy Eddy, Jene Brown of LA Library Administration, and Wendy Edlen.

Click here to read more 

GriefHaven Support Groups: Loss of Spouse/Partner and Loss of Child to Drug Overdose, Boutique Fundraiser 5/9

Visit Spousal/Partner Support Group, Visit Mother's Day Boutique

Our New Spousal/Partner Support Group Wednesdays , from 7 P.M. at Kehillat in Pacific Palisades

About the Spousal/Partner Group

This group is for men and women who have lost a spouse or partner. Susan Whitmore and Kane Phelps (see below) have joined together to bring those who are grieving the death of a spouse or partner a beautiful, loving, and powerful experience of rebuilding every aspect of their lives. The first meeting was held at Kehillat in Pacific Palisades, Wednesday, March 11, from 7:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. PLEASE LET OTHERS KNOW: If you know someone who has lost a spouse/partner, please let them know about this unique group.

Your Guides

Susan Whitmore Kane Phelps

Meals on Wheels needs Volunteer for Wednesdays

The Meals On Wheels Association,  supported by 2 million volunteers, delivers a nutritious meal, a warm smile and a safety check to keep 2.5 million seniors healthy, safe and living independently in their own homes.

Needed Immediately for Wednesdays
Volunteer to deliver meals.  Can you help out?

The Pacific Palisades Woman's Club is coordinating volunteers to provide Meals on Wheels to Pacific Palisades residents.  It takes about an hour a week to pick up 3-5 meals in Santa Monica and deliver them in the Palisades on 

Wednesdays, pickup in Santa Monica at 10:30 a.m.

While these meals are of most urgent service to the elderly and needy and are often subsidized, all residents who are temporarily disabled or unable to fend for themselves can subscribe to the service, pay for the meals, and/or make an extra donation to the organization. It often makes the difference in being institutionalized, or living independently in their own  homes.   It is an invaluable service, especially during a Holiday, where 100% of your efforts go to a much worthy cause.

If you can spare 1 hr. on Wednesdays , please contact Pacific Palisades Woman's Club Administrator, Roberta Donohue, at 310 454-9012.

All About Harmless Snakes

 It is reassuring that the only poisonous snake in our region is the rattler.  However, never approach any snake or touch it, always walk away from it.  If bitten by a rattler, seek immediate medical attention.  Click here to read all about rattle snakes.  

Below is a collection of reports received from residents after we published snakes sightings in the local area.  This information is meant as a precautionary note as well as an effort to preserve the harmless types, as they are good for our environment. 

Mark Galanty, 7/17/2014 (Mark and his family are still the original owners of their Lachman home)

When I was growing up on upper Lachman we had a very large rattler in the garage.  Firehouse 69 came, killed it, and we and the fireman cooked it up.  It was actually very tasty.  One of those unique memories of growing up in Marquez.

Amy, 7/9/14
I am assuming this is not a rattlesnake as there are no rattles on the tail. Does anyone know what kind of snake this is? I hate snakes!!!!

harmless garden snake on patio in lower Marquez Knolls

Carol Sevilla, 5/22/13
The snakes in our area are all harmless except the rattlers.  There's a local tri-colored snake that looks like a poisonous coral snake,  but our local snake is actually a type of harmless kingsnake with its colors (red between black) in a different order (red between yellow) than the poisonous snake.  Don't bother trying to remember the  stripes.  The poisonous one doesn't live here.

Please also know that the baby rattlers are more dangerous than the adults because they tend to release all their venom at once.  Not all rattlers have rattles, but they're all much uglier and dull looking than our other local snakes.  Only the curious dogs need to worry about our rattlers.

harmless Kingsnake

Sonja Alper, 5/22/13
We found your "guest" in our backyard last year (on May 22, 2012, to be exact). She was trapped in some netting that had been discarded by our gardener. We called animal control because I wasn't able to see the end of the snake and not sure about it's kind. The officer came in no time and we freed it together and let it go on top of our hill (not far from your backyard). Glad she is happy and alive and enjoying our backyards and helping to keep them free of little unwanted critters. You're right, she seemed to be very shy and - if one can say that about snakes - she looked quite cute and lovely.

Harmless garden snake

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Haldis Toppel, 5/22/13

I came across a rather large snake near our driveway yesterday at lower Enchanted Way, about 4 ft long, which turns out to be harmless.  It did not have rattlers on its tail so I was a bit relieved.  I checked up on it on Google to find that it is rather common in the Southwest and it is NON-VENOMOUS, so please let it live if you or your gardener come across it.  It feeds mostly on small rodents and insects and it therefore actually beneficial.

You may not see it at all because it is mostly nocturnal and shy.  Its common name is Faded Snake because of it somewhat faded color, or Glossy Snake, again its appearance.  The formal name is Arizona elegans occidentalis. It can grow to 50 inches. 

 harmless Arizona elegans occidentalis

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Linda White, 3/16/13 

This healthy Gopher snake was quite a sight yesterday when our neighbor found it as she gardened the patch between our houses. We loved seeing how healthy it looks and that it didn't have rattles on it's tail. We named it Donna since she  lives on Donna Ynez. 

Harmless Gopher snake

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All About Rattle Snakes

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Sunday June 2, 2013, 8:51 AM LASD - HQ Newsroom (SHB), Los Angeles County Sheriff Community: It's Rattlesnake Season & People & Pets are Getting Bit. Learn more about how to protect yourself & those you love Hi Haldis Toppel, # 1 If you see a snake, step away from it and DON'T TOUCH IT. * Managing Rattlesnake Problems --- How to Identify a Rattler & What to Expect, Protecting Yourself and Others, For Hikers, If the Worse Happens Los Angeles County Dept. of Animal Care & Control: (Click here: http://animalcare.lacounty.gov/Rattlesnake.asp California Dept. of Fish & Wildlife: (Click here: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/issues/snake.html * VIDEOS --- RECENT NEWS VIDEOS ABOUT PEOPLE BEING BITTEN BY RATTLESNAKES Toddler Bitten By Rattlesnake http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/04/30/toddler-bitten-by-deadly-rattlesnake-near-idyllwild/ SoCal Rattlesnake Season Begins; Residents Urged to Be Careful Outside http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/SoCal-Rattlesnake-Season-Begins-Residents-Urged-to-Be-Careful-Outside-208711311.html Safety Tips For Pets and Kids During Rattlesnake Season http://ktla.com/video/#axzz2V4N6ZTB0 SoCal man fights for life after snake bite http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=6803464 Before you leave on a hike, be sure to fill out a LASD – HIKING PLAN sheet and provide to a loved one to hold onto just in case something happens to a member of your hiking/camping expedition. Or, if you know someone going on a hike, ask them to fill out this easy form, so that it will help your mind at ease. You can download the form by visiting: HIKING PLAN Sheet http://file.lacounty.gov/lasd/cms1_163961.pdf Captain Mike Parker Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau - Newsroom Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department 323-267-4800 Email: SHBNewsroom@lasd.org Website: http://www.lasd.org LASD HQ Text and Emails: www.Nixle.com http://nixle.com/lasd----hq-newsroom-shb-los-angeles-county-sheriff/ Twitter: @LASD_News http://twitter.com/#!/LASD_News Twitter: @LASDtalk https://twitter.com/LASDTalk Twitter: @LASDvideos https://twitter.com/LASDvideos Facebook LASD HQ: http://www.facebook.com/LosAngelesCountySheriffsDepartment LASD Photos: http://pinterest.com/lacountysheriff/ LASD YouTube Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/LACountySheriff/videos?view=0 Partner to prevent or report crime by contacting your local Sheriff’s station. Or if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org Leroy D. Baca, Sheriff Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department To receive more detailed, up-to-date information directly from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) via e-mail, register for "Nixle" alerts at www.Nixle.coww.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Owners/m or more directly at https://local.nixle.com/register/ and register for "LASD – Headquarters Newsroom (SHB), Los Angeles County Sheriff" and your local LASD station area. Or, text your zip code to 888777 to receive text alerts only. Standard text messaging rates may apply depending on your calling plan. For full details, view this message on the web. Sent by LASD - HQ Newsroom (SHB), Los Angeles County Sheriff 4700 W Ramona Blvd, Monterey Park, CA 91754 To manage your email settings, click here. To update your account settings, login here. If you prefer not to receive future emails, unsubscribe here. Powered by . © 2013 Nixle, LLC. All rights reserved.