Celebrate Get Ready to Pollack Wins Cinco de Mayo Celebrate Lifetime at the Cantina Mother’s Day Achievement With A New Look Award and New Clothes See Page 6 See Page 12 See Page 3 VolumeValley 33, Issue 8 A Compendious Vantage Source of Information April 29, 2021 News in Brief Finding Those He Thought Were Lost LAPD Captain Ryan Retiring Discovering Relatives That Survived the Holocaust LAPD Captain Maureen By Laura Levinsky Ryan is retiring this week. It is a sad story, Ryan started with the but it has a happy LAPD in 1988 and worked ending. a variety of assignments. Paul Gross was She was the first female born and raised in assigned to Valley Traffic New York in the Division Detectives, but has 1960’s and 70’s. It’s also worked Hollywood, his story now to tell, West Valley, Hollenbeck, but it is actually his Robbery Homicide and father’s story. One Force Investigation. Upon of survival, fighting her promotion to Captain back, keeping others she was selected to be the Captain Maureen Ryan safe, saving the life of Patrol Commanding Officer a small girl. of the new Topanga Division captain to open a new division Aron Gross, in 2015 - and the first female in LAPD history. Paul’s father, lived through the Holocaust. Born Three West Valley Libraries Reopen and raised in Poland The Los Angeles Public Library will launch the next phase prior to World War Paul Gross and newly found cousin Sallie Mars. of its rolling reopening on May 3 with limited in-person II, most of his family services at the Central Library and 37 branch libraries was murdered by the Nazis. Aron New York - he had cousins that Calabasas Rotary or for Hadassah. across the city. In the West Valley the Platt Branch Library and his brother Samuel hid in the could have been around the Another way he feels he is doing at 23600 Vanowen Street, Woodland Hills, will offer Browse forest for survival, existing on corner or the next town over and that is by cherishing his family. and Borrow and wireless printing. The Canoga Park Library potatoes and turnips, hunted by never knew it. They are all Aron’s legacy. His at 20939 Sherman Way will offer Browse and Borrow, public Nazis, including a boyhood friend Paul has been in touch with children, grandchildren and more computer services and wireless printing. The West Valley of Aron’s. branch at 19036 Vanowen in Reseda will offer library to go But those weren’t stories For all the people and generations that and wireless printing. The Woodland Hills branch at 22300 Paul heard growing up. Like Ventura Blvd. will continue as a library to go only branch. many survivors, Aron didn’t were lost in the Holocaust, he found what For a complete list of libraries and the services offered at each really want to talk about what he little family he has left. location, visit lapl.org/reopening. Follow #LAPLreopen for went through. “He never told me updates. anything. A few comments here these cousins, but hasn’t met them will know Aron’s story - and the and there, but never the story of all in person. It doesn’t matter. fact that if he had not survived, Valley Cultural Releases New Podcast how he and Samuel survived,” he They are family. His family. For they would not exist. told Valley News Group. all the people and generations How many legacies were lost The new episode of Valley Cultural Foundation’s “Arts It wasn’t until he listened that were lost in the Holocaust, he when over 12 million people, six on the Move” takes us to our neighbors south of the border to an interview Aron did for found what little family he has left. million of them Jews, were killed to embrace Mexican heritage music. The May 6 podcast the Shoah Foundation that Paul Finding this all out has been in the Holocaust? How many will include Maricela Martinez, the director of the all- learned the story. “I wished I had an emotional roller coaster. doctors, painters, sculptures or female Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas. With over 20 years in watched the video when he was Genealogical research takes musicians would there be in the the business, Maricela comes from a long line of Mariachi alive.” By then, both his parents a long time, especially when world if not for the Holocaust? musicians from Jalisco, Mexico. It will also feature the had died and he had no way of records were destroyed in the war. Paul is in the community Delgado Brothers, a well-known name throughout Southern expressing all the emotions he Just sitting down and watching telling his very sad story, but it California, who have played their brand of Latin blues, roots, was feeling. the Shoah interviews is a time has a happy ending. He is here soul and reggae for over 30 years; Conjuto Jardin featuring One of the things he did was commitment. and he is keeping Aron’s memory sisters Libby and Cindy Harding, who as children learned to sign up for Ancestry.com and Paul spends time trying alive. He remembers. He will from their father, Latin American scholar and harpist Tim take a DNA test to try and find any to find ways to honor never forget. Harding the updated and reinvigorating music of Veracruz,. existing relatives. It worked and his father Aron’s legacy. Laura Levinsky is a life- The podcast is broadcast the first and third Thursdays of Paul was able to locate cousins One of those ways is by long valley resident and the the month beginning at 5 pm at Facebook, https://www. who were raised in New York. speaking to groups and telling the stepdaughter of a Holocaust facebook.com/ValleyCultural. New York! Paul was raised in story, like he did recently for the survivor. Page 2, Valley News Group, April 29, 2021 COMMUNITY MAY COMMUNITY CALENDAR STATEWIDE: We featured a story last week on the deadline for the California REAL ID. Subsequent to our publication the DMV announced they have extended the deadline for obtaining the REAL ID to May 2023. WOODLAND HILLS: The second annual virtual Ovarian Cancer Circle 5K will take place April 29 to May 10. Run virtually anywhere at any time during those two weeks and get sponsors to support you. Funds raised go to the Ovarian Cancer Circle inspired by Robin Babbini. Babbini lost her life to the cancer at age 20. Her mother, Paulinda Schimmel Babbini, founded the non-profit to raise money for research, networking, education and support. Register to run at theovariancancercircle.org. For more information call (323) 610-8991. CALABASAS: The Calabasas Library’s Writers’ Corner Club for third through seventh grade students will be on Saturday, May 1, at 2:30 pm as a Zoom meeting. It is hosted by Calabasas Library staff and run by high school students. No experience in creative writing is necessary; the club is for fun. If you wish to participate and receive the Zoom meeting information, you need to send your child’s name, school and grade to Karilyn Steward at ksteward@calabasaslibrary. org. WOODLAND HILLS: Woodland Hills resident Jackie Goldberg will host Mickey Stevenson, Motown’s first A&R man with such greats as Berry Gordy, Stevie Wonder Smokey Robinson, Lionel Ritchie and more on Sunday, May 2 and 9 on her “Pink Lady Presents” television show. The show airs at 5 pm on KCSI Channel 18. For more information email [email protected]. WOODLAND HILLS: The West Valley Warner Center Chamber of Commerce will hold their May networking breakfast on Wednesday, May 5 at 7:30 am. Price is $10 for members and guests. For reservations call (818) 347-4737 or visit woodlandhillscc.net. CANOGA PARK: Get your tickets now! The West Valley Playhouse will present their next round of original Zoom plays on Sunday, May 9 at 2:30 pm. Visit wvplayhouse.com or call the box office at (818) 884-1907. CALABASAS: The Calabasas Library is offering a series of free online instructional programs for adults on art, crafts and healthy living. “Spring into Creativity” will continue every Wednesday through May. The May events on the 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th include learning how to create an acrylic painting, knit, relax with yoga and learn to write Chinese calligraphy. Free kits will be provided to patrons beforehand by appointment or a drive thru. Patrons can sign up for the classes and get more information on the Library website. For more information, email Barbara Lockwood at [email protected]. CANOGA PARK: A free COVID-19 mobile vaccination and testing site has been set up in Canoga Park. Residents 16 years and older are eligible. The program is by appointment only and you must have proof of identity and proof of LA residence or workplace. The site will be administering testing and vaccinations now through Saturday, April 24. To make an appointment call (818) 742-7836. Have a community event you want to promote? We want to know! Email the event information, date, time, location and contact name and information to [email protected]. Submissions must be sent two weeks prior. Mark “Calendar” in the subject line. Valley News Group, April 29, 2021, Page 3 People in the News We’re Here to Help Students in the News You Save. Jacob Bobrosky of West Hills was recently initiated into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all- discipline collegiate honor Calabasas society.