Local Mountain Trails Deteriorate
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TRAVELING ON THE SNOWMAN TREK Vol. 1, No. 21 • September 2, 2015 Uniting the Community with News, Features and Commentary Circulation: 14,500 • $1.00 See Page 22 Local Mountain Trails Deteriorate By SUE PASCOE Editor ver the past few years, local hiking trails have become too crowded Oon weekends for repair work, so volunteer crews have switched to weekdays. When members of the Sierra Club, led by trailmaker Ron Webster, arrived at Los Leones early Friday morning on July 3, the parking lot was full and cars extended down the street to Sunset Boulevard. The low estimate was 400 people hiking, the high 1,000. “The trails are not built for these crowds,” said Jim Kenney, a former dentist and now a photographer who until a few years ago was a member of the trail-repair crew. “Hundreds and hundreds of people are passing each other and the trail has dete- riorated,” said Webster, 81, who has won awards from the Sierra Club (in 1974, 1978 and 2012) for his trail work. “Many years ago, Milt McAuley’s Hiking Trails of the Santa Monica Mountains (1980) was so much in demand that it went all the way to a sixth edition,” Kenney said. “Still, Many of the trails in the Santa Monica Mountains, such as Los Leones, were not designed for the large number of hikers who now it reached a relatively small number of in- use the trail in ever-larger numbers. Photo: Jim Kenney terested hikers who bought the book.” California State Parks Trails coordinator Dale Skinner was asked about Webster’s and Kenney’s concerns. Money Sought for Homeless Solution “Unfortunately, many of these trailheads By SUE PASCOE page 1 in Post 283 Newsletter), and reflects who want to come off the street, do you that have become popular were not de- Editor the work of Dr. Sam Tsemberis, who found - have housing for them?” signed to handle the sheer volume of traffic ed Pathways to Housing in New York City “No. There isn’t enough affordable hous- they are getting,” Skinner said. “When we ousing is core to any homeless so- in 1992. ing,” Maceri said. “On any night, we might first developed Los Leones, we would be lution,” John Maceri, executive di- He promoted the Housing First model have space for 10 to 20 [at OPCC]. We work lucky to see a few cars on a weekday and Hrector of OPCC (Ocean Park to address homelessness among people on triage. Our priority is based on helping maybe 50 cars on the average weekend. Community Center), explained to more with psychiatric disabilities and addiction those find housing who are most vulnerable.” Today the visitation is big. than 80 people squeezed into the Palisades disorders. “We recently completed a survey and Library community room on August 25. The idea was simple: provide housing ask force chair Maryam Zar said that compared the numbers to a survey done Responding to concerns about the in- first, and then combine that housing with T160 people (not 260) have been iden- in 2005,” he said. “The results have shown creasing number of homeless in Pacific supportive treatment services in the areas of tified as homeless living in canyons and us a large increase in traffic.” Pali sades, a homeless task force was formed mental and physical health, substance abuse, hillsides in the Palisades. Stephen Bylin, Topanga Sector Super- last November and has been exploring ways education and employment. Housing was Maceri explained that the L.A. housing intendent for State Parks added, “Use of (Continued on Page 9) to deal with people who can be abusive, provided in apartments scattered throughout market is expensive and there is a dearth of violent or unwilling to follow proper pub- the city, which helped speed the reintegration apartments because of gentrification and lic behavior. of the homeless back into the community. redevelopment. The OPCC approach with the homeless A resident at last Tuesday’s meeting Additionally, there are no incentives or PPCC Hosts seems to mirror the VA approach (see story, asked, “If we have 260 people living here subsidies for builders to construct lower- income housing and most neighborhoods Councilman don’t want those buildings. Postal Customer Postal “If we see 2,000 homeless people, prob- Mike Bonin ably 250 to 300 will go into housing,” Ma - The next Pacific Palisades Commu- ceri said. **************ECRWSSEDDM************* nity Council meeting will be held He also blamed bad public policy deci- from 7 to 9 p.m. on September 10, in sions as one reason for the increased home- the Pali sades Library community lessness. When mental institutions were Permit #422 Permit room, 861 Alma Real Dr. Pasadena, CA Pasadena, closed in the late 1970s-early ‘80s, people City Councilman Mike Bonin will PAID were turned back into communities with be the guest. He will answer questions U.S. Postage U.S. the idea that there would be resources there and address residents’ concerns. The Presorted Standard Presorted to help them. The resources were lacking public is invited. (Continued on Page 8) Page 2 Palisades News September 2, 2015 AAVVAILABLE PROPERTIES 018 K awaga1 45 C6 DacisroC evir 6 b sdeb , b6. s 6,hta5 50 sq6 ft b b5.,de5 hta5 A rpp 5,.xor 000 sq ft 13,, 362 sq ft tlo $ 149,6,149, 00 1018K0 awaga moc. 0195,$6, 000 moc.acisro945C0 m 1555555 DiflmaA1 evir e 152045204 StrsdneirF1 tee 5 ,dBe ba4 3,,hta 357 sq ft 17,, 019 sq ft tlo 5 d,be 4 bathth 3,200 sq ft 7,675 sq ft tlo 000900,$4, 59,$2, 08 0 0 etatsrEegnillBo0 moc.e Anthony has sold over Wall Street Journal’s TToop $700 Million in Homes 100 Agents Nationwide 37011730#REBlaC September 2, 2015 Palisades News Page 3 Palisades High students filled the gym to hear presidential appointee David Johns speak last Friday. Photo: Thomas Adjani Obama Appointee Revisits PaliHi Roots By LAUREL BUSBY come so far.” Staff Writer At Pali, Johns played defensive end on the football team. He ran cross country and now what your passion is,” David played volleyball. He worked on the year- Johns urged Palisades Charter High book, but he also had struggles. In fact, the KSchool students last Friday. reason he wasn’t president of his senior “If you do nothing else while you’re a class was that he got into a fight that year, student, . you need to identify what your and he was not allowed to run for office. purpose is.” The 2000 PaliHi grad, who in “I didn’t start [the fight]; I finished it,” March 2013 was chosen by Pres. Barack Johns told the crowd, who cheered his Obama to be the executive director of the words, but he told them. “The consequence White House Initiative on Educational Ex- of finishing it was that I could no longer be cellence for African Americans, spoke to an in a position of power. You can have your assembly of more than 1,000 students last moment and people will cheer for you in week. “What you should all know is that the that minute,” but then reality arrives. “There path toward where you want to be is not an are consequences to your actions.” easy one.” People you love may not support Throughout the day, Johns said students your choices. “What’s important is that you asked him about whether racism had af- pursue your passion . Pick a major be- fected him and how he dealt with failure. cause it makes you happy, not because David Johns visited with PaliHi principal Dr. Pamela Magee. Photo: Thomas Adjani He told them, “Anybody who says that they somebody told you to.” from Hawthorne. Her friend Kendell Ryan, Johns, 33, credited his mother, Edith, don’t fail every day is lying to you. If you do For Johns, following his passion required 16, of Marina del Rey added, “He empha- who was in the audience, as his biggest in- it right, you’re going to make mistakes, and some trial and error. While at PaliHi and sized that your biggest enemy is yourself.” spiration, and afterwards, she said that as a as a black man in America, I know I have later at Columbia University, he experi- Another senior, Jordan Travis, 17, of boy, her son had originally attended Brent- a lot of challenges that are different. Don’t mented with different paths. He prayed for Inglewood, who attended a segment of the wood Elementary School before the family spend time and energy fighting people’s guidance, made mistakes and took risks, day specifically for about 700 young men moved to Inglewood, when he switched perceptions of you . Just do the work.” including becoming an elementary school of color, said, “I learned we all have a pur- to their neighborhood school. There his He also told them, “I’m young. I’m black. teacher in New York City. “People looked pose. We can do something no matter teacher might choose to read the newspa- I’m from Inglewood, California, and I am at me like I was crazy, but it was the thing where we come from. We can change the per rather than teaching the students. unapologetic about how brilliant I am. I that mattered most.” world for other people.” Gangs were also problematic. Eventually threatened a lot of people. Know that there The students got the message. Like Travis, Johns lived in Inglewood her son entered Paul Revere Middle is not a challenge that you are not capable A group of senior girls chatted at lunch while he attended PaliHi.