25880 bca newsletter 2009 9/30/09 1:52 pm page 1 benedict...

Benedict Canyon

25880 BCA Newsletter 2009 9/30/09 1:52 PM

Benedict Canyon Association Newsletter Volume V Issue 13Fall 2009

Early in the morning of June 16, 1959, those words would be diminished by the sound

of a gunshot and subsequent death of one of Benedict Canyon’s most idolized residents. George “Super-man” Reeves, the quintes-sential hero of television fans across the country was dead at the age of 45. He was killed by a single shot from a German Lugar which he kept in his modest canyon home. One could say that the sound was heard around the world, as children and adult fans alike received news of the untimely death of the “The Man of Steel.” It has been fifty years since that morning. I was five years old and recall receiving the news in my parents’ home in Kansas City, Missouri. As my eyes fixed on the television screen and my ears heard the news, I could not know that one

day I would reside in the house of this super-hero. This story is not intended to be an attempt at presenting another the-ory regarding the unsolved mystery of his death, but rather a celebration

of his life. This is a tribute to a man who brought so much entertainment to so many of us. It is time to re-member the reporter known as Clark Kent, who along with Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane and editor Perry White dedicated their days to reporting the

news for the “Daily Planet.” While sidetracked to fight crime, somehow Clark Kent conveniently disappeared into a telephone booth to change to his alter ego, Superman, only to reap-pear as the bespectacled Clark Kent

just as the action subsided. Of course everyone wanted to know where Clark had been. Too bad he once again missed all the action. George Reeves was born in Woolstock, Iowa on January 5, 1914. His real name was George Keefer Brewer. His par-ents, Don Brewer and Helen Lescher, separated soon after George’s birth.

Helen then moved to California to stay with her sister where she met and married Frank Besselo. George’s real father remarried and George never saw him again. In 1927 Frank Besselo adopted George as his own

“Look - Up in the Sky!It’s a Bird – It’s a Plane – It’s…”

by Michael Chasteen

Cont. pg. 4

INSIDE THIS ISSUE “Look - Up In The Sky! It’s A Bird – It’s A Plane – It’s …”, pg. 1. . . .A Letter from the President,

pg. 2. . . .Mission Statement, pg. 3. . . .End of an Era, pg. 5. . . .A Picnic for Gordon, pg. 6. . . .Almost Dead Man’s Curve, pg.

7. . . .Future Fireman, pg. 8. . . .2009 BCA Membership Application, pg. 9. . . .2009 BCA “Trees of Support” Donor Program

Roster, pg. 10. . . .It’s a Jungle Out There, pg. 11. . . .When It’s Good to get the “Brush-Off”, pg. 11. . . . Talkin’ Trash (How

to get a handle on your household hazardous waste), pg. 12. . . .The Most Famous Zip Code in the World, pg. 13. . . .New

BCA Board Member Profiles, pg. 14. . . .In My Canyon View, pg. 15. . . .Night Light in the Canyon, pg. 16. . . .Don’t Let This

Rattle You, pg. 18. . . .The Canyon Crier, pg. 19

25880 BCA 09 Newsletter DRAFT 7.indd 1 10/29/09 3:40:44 PM

Benedict CanyonBenedict Canyon Association

P.O. Box 1265Beverly Hills, CA 90213-1265

PRSRT FIRST CLASSU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDBEVERLY HILLS, CAPERMIT NO. 1719

Deliver to Addresseeor to Current Resident

KEEP THIS MANOUT OF YOUR

BACKYARD!

Clear brush and weeds200 feet from ALL structures.

“BE FIRE-SAFE”

BECOME A BCA MEMBER- DETAILS INSIDE THIS ISSUE -

HELP PROTECT BENEDICT CANYON







BACKYARD!


“BE FIRE-SAFE”




BCA Newsletter (310) 553-4BCA benedictcanyon.org

Fall 2009 Volume V Issue 132

You came in numbers and you filled the room. Civic minded and dedicated to our community, you, the residents of Benedict Canyon, made the Benedict Canyon Association’s 2009 Annual Meeting a grand success. We are tremendously grateful to Drs. Larry Elder and Marcia Selz for generously giving their time, professionalism and wit to moderate our 5th District Candidates’ Forum. Their expertise made this an enlightening, lively event and the fantastic turnout indicat-ed to all of the Council District 5 candidates that Benedict Canyon is a cohesive and formidable presence in this city. We also thank the management of the Beverly Hills Hotel for graciously providing us the Rodeo Room for our meeting. We always appreciate their hospitality.

The strength of Benedict Canyon is and always has been a communal effort. Your involve-ment helps to prevent environmental damage, protect public safety, and preserve our chosen way of life, our homes, and the beauty of Benedict Canyon. Passionate about our Canyon, the Benedict Canyon Association (BCA) helped originate the Hillside Ordinance, which specifi-cally pertains to construction in the hills. Our board members continue to work with the City to update this vital legislation and we remain vigilant about matters that violate and attempt to circumvent The Ordinance. We interface with the City of Los Angeles Planning Department, City Council, Fire Department, Police Department and the State of California’s Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to protect our interests. We also meet with property owners and project applicants regarding many and diverse aspects of land use in Benedict Canyon.

Please come to a monthly BCA Board meeting to find out more about what we do and join us in our endeavors. We are residents of Benedict Canyon like you, we volunteer our time and effort to Benedict Canyon. Each one of us is a monetary donor as well. In this era of uncertain-ty, the need for each and every household in Benedict Canyon to have current membership in the BCA is particularly relevant. With your continued dedication and devotion, Benedict Canyon will remain lovely, safe and sound.

Please take the time now to fill out the membership form conveniently enclosed in this news-letter and mail it along with your check. If you would like to know how the membership funds are allocated, please come to a BCA Board of Directors meeting held the second Monday of every month, 7:00pm, Beverly Hills Women’s Club, Benedict Canyon Drive, southwest corner at Chevy Chase. Also visit our new website www.benedictcanyon.org. Thank you in advance for joining, and we look forward to seeing you.

Letter from the President

Nickie MinerPresident, Benedict Canyon Association



Volume V Issue 13 Fall 200919

60 years ago in Benedict Canyon


10

Benedict Canyon2008 BCA “Trees of Support” Donor Program Roster

OAK TREEThe David Geffen Foundation(1) Anonymous

SYCAMORE TREEAlex & Youki BouzariMichael & Lori EisenbergRodney Kemerer & Lindsay DoranMichael J. Libow Armand & Marie MarcianoLarry & Nickie MinerFred & Joan NicholasAnthony PejuJamie Tisch(1) Anonymous

EUCALYPTUS TREESteven BanchikBarbara L. BerkowitzJoni BerryJacqueline BissetMichael ChasteenRafe CohenHal & Marta CooperTed & Karen CoyneKen & Randee DevlinVera DunnDavid & Barbara ElsonIn Memory of Dr. Gene FeldmanBurton & Nanette ForesterEvans FrankenheimerSidney & Linda FurieDavid & Bridget HedisonUrban Hirsch IIIRichard & Dea HolesappleChapin & Tabby HuntStuart & Shirley JaffeBarbara JaynesIn Memory of Gloria KahnGertrude KlineMartin KrellIan La FrenaisAndrea LeftHenry LindemannGene Lucero & Marcia WilliamsGerald & Sandra MargolisDorothy J. MarloweSally MasonMargaret MawFarhad & Roya MelamedGeoff Miller & Kathryn ScottMark & Irene MontgomeryEustace MooreMr. & Mrs. James MurphyDiane NaegeleRick Nicita & Paula Wagner

Kim O’BrienKevin & Elizabeth ParryLee Polster & Marguerite Cascio-PolsterPhilip Proctor & Melinda PetersonJill RauSteven Rosenwasser & Kelli SagerLou & Joanne SavageWilliam ScheetzLink K. SchwartzRobert Schwartz & Karen BreslowLinell ShapiroSheldon & Andrea ShapiroDiane Sherman SmithRenee & Art SpenceMelissa Rosenberg & Lev L. SpiroLarry Steinman & Lucy SuzarWalter & Bernadine TownsGlen Williams & Elizabeth Hirsch(7) Anonymous

PINE TREERobert & Maria AbeloffElaine & Dennis AbramsonDeborah AdriMichael & Elaine AgranDoris AlexanderJim Anderson & Lynn FiresideSima & Bijan AnsariGordon & Nancy ArmstrongMr. & Mrs. William AxelrodThomas BarryGeorge & Carolyn BenderJoshua & Jenn BermanGary & Valerie BirdPaul & Marie-France BlochRonald Boldt & Judith SheltonEllen BrownRobert & Joann BurchJan & Ron CannanJeff & Judy CarenBetty ChaplinLarry ChryslerEric Cleveland & Annette StantonCristina Colissimo & Jordana FranzheimG. CollinsMr. & Mrs. Alessio CoppolaMark & Maggie DamonCarmen D’Angelo, Jr.Marvin & Patti DemoffMorris & Marlene DennisEddie DeOchoa & Denise AnthonyRaul Diaz & Viktoria TemesvaryJoe Distefano & Beth RubinNassir EbrahimiJoseph & Marilyn EisenbergDonatas & Viktorija EmpakerisLinda Essakow

Ferdinand & Lennie FamRuth FelmusDon & Sandy FenmoreAlan FinePhilip ForteSamuel & Ardyth FreshmanEvelyn Furtak-DorfmanCarla Hacken & Lorraine GallacherJames & Donna GallagherHarland GreenGeorge & Nana GregoryMarvin & Inger GrossPaul & Renee HaasRoger Halfhide & Patricia McVerryStan & Mimi HandmanWilliam & Christine HarperIn Memory of Chick HarrisJames & Jean HarrisCynthia & Robert HartRobert & Mary HermanEdward & Sherry HeymanBruce & Lynn HeymontArthur & Gwen HillerTom Holliday & Stacy PhillipsDavid & Susan HornLouis HurlburtTerry JacksonLen & Nancy JacobyJoel JaffeElizabeth JamesRicky Jay & Chrisann VergesPreston Johnson & Vicki MartinHarold JosephsonPete KameronGreg & Susan KayBernard KesterSanjay KhianiMichael James KopchaRosa KoppensHerbert KramerJerzy KupiecDon & Hope KurzMorrie & Patti LachmanNorman & Helen LaporBrian LaSage & Afsaneh MalaekehHoward & Carol LevyMark Liszt & Karyl SissonElaine LotwinThomas & Linda MarkovitzLowell & Wende MateMaureen McQuistonMarci MerlissRon Michaelson & Lucinda CowellClaudia MirkinMark & Sylvia MortonWilliam MontgomeryAlex & Dagmar Moscowicz

Richard & Sandy MoskMary Ann MusicoMaud NadlerMelville & Alice NahinC.R. Neu & V. AmbrosiniAnthony E. NicholasBarbara NicholsArt & Daniele OchoaColleen O’RourkeWilliam & Nieva O’TooleOthella T. OwensEddie PinchasiGary & Nita PolinskyMax RambergStephen & Carol RandallJohn Rieber & Alex DudaAndrew RobinsonPaul RohrerGil & Val RomoffIn Memory of Sheldon RosenfeldSaul RosenzweigJim & Rachelle RostenJack RoswalRoman & Ida RussJoanne SackheimMartin & Marylin SalvinJohn & Gayle SamoreBarry & Nancy SandersRobert & Margaret SanfordKenneth A. SchwartzSamuel SchwartzArthur and Arlene SchwimmerMartin & Sheila SeatonEvvy ShaperoNorm & Libby ShapiroBetty ShelhamerBarbara ShulerJay J. Silverman & Janet WoodBrent Smith & Lisa EngelCortez SmithStanley & Susan SokoloffAndrew Solt & Claudia FalkenburgBernard & Wendy SparerIn Memory of Joseph StefanoJeff & Annie SteinSteve & Rosalie TenenbaumAndrew R. TennenbaumGordon & Phoebe TrachtenbergIn Memory of Dudley TrudgettMichael & Michele VignieriRobert J. WagnerBrandt & Tobi WaxBarry WeinstockJacques & Lynne WertheimerLawrence & Nancy WolfShirin & Peyman YadegarGreg & Virginia Young(11) Anonymous

Donations received after June 20, 2008 will appear in our next newsletter

Summer 2008 Volume V Issue 12

25080 BCA Newsletter Summer 2008 7/11/08 12:41 PM Page 10

AssociationBenedict Canyon Association

Board of Directors

ExEcutivE committEE

Nickie Miner President Michael Chasteen Vice-President Barbara Nichols Vice-President Vera Dunn Secretary Alan Fine Treasurer

AdministrAtivE AssistAnt

Claire Carafello

Advisors

David Elson, Esq – LegalRodney Kemerer – Membership and Newsletter

Michael Vignieri – Land Use

mEmbErs-At-LArgE

nEwsLEttEr committEE

Rodney Kemerer – EditorVera Dunn

Elizabeth ParryKevin Parry – Photography

Mark Blatchford – Cover Drawing

Copyright © 2009 byThe Benedict Canyon Association

All Rights Reserved

David BergerMarcy Braiker

Donald FenmoreRobert KesslerDonald Loze

Mark Montgomery

Mary Ann MusicoElizabeth Parry

Paul RhorerSteven Rosenwasser

Jacqueline SacksJoanne Savage

Seen in the Canyonby Kevin Parry




WWith the change in cli-mate, rattlesnake season is now unpredictable. A

few pointers provided by the very helpful and knowledgeable Fire Cap-tains Steve Resnick and Donna Lee, and Fireman Mike McNeal at our lo-cal Fire Station 99 on Mulholland at Beverly Glen are important to keep in mind.

• The Western Diamond Back Rattlesnakes, which we have in Benedict Canyon, can be readily identified by the fact they are (a) considerably thicker than the non-venomous snakes in the area such as gardener and gopher snakes, (b) have more triangular heads, and (c) usually have a rattle for a tail, but not always (if it has fallen off). Everyone in the household should be taught how to recognize them. They can strike at a distance of approximately 1/3 of their body length, and their strike is extremely fast and powerful, so keep a very safe distance from them. Baby rattle snakes are especially dan-gerous since they will discharge their entire venom supply on the first strike. Whereas 50% of the first strike of a mature snake may involve either no venom injection (a “dry bite”) or very small injec-tion of venom since it is intended as a warning. However, the second strike will definitely involve a con-siderable injection of venom, so avoid that at all cost.

• Rattlesnakes don’t always rattle before striking. The Fire Depart-ments are finding that these snakes are becoming more comfortable in their environment close to hu-

man habitation, and therefore feel less threatened and less inclined to rattle as a warning before striking.

• If you find a rattlesnake on your property, call 911 (preferably on your land line since it will enable the emergency responders to more readily locate the source of the call) and request that either animal control or the fire department be dispatched immediately to remove the snake.

• Should you be unlucky enough to be bitten, (a) call 911 immediately and request that a paramedic be dispatched to your location; (b) lie down and remain calm so as to not accelerate the spread of the venom; (c) do not use any type of tourni-quet or extraction device; and (d) keep the extremity in a neutral po-sition if possible – it is not neces-sary to raise or lower it below the level of the heart.

• The two closest hospital emergency rooms from Benedict Canyon are at UCLA [310/825-2111] and the Sherman Oaks Hos-pital on Van Nuys Blvd [818/981-7111]. Both have adequate supplies of anti-venom on hand. It is important to remember the time of the bite and the length of the snake for purposes of ad-ministering the anti-venom. If the victim can be transported to an emergency room within six

minutes of the bite, consideration should be given to possibly driv-ing the victim to the hospital rather than waiting for a paramedic. An-other technique to save time is to start driving the victim to the hos-pital, and advise the 911 dispatch-er what type and color car you’re driving, and your approximate lo-cation, so the paramedics can find you enroute and transfer the victim to their ambulance. Attempting this approach should be discussed first with the 911 dispatcher.

• Most important is to try to avoid be-ing bitten in the first place. Be alert and watch where you’re stepping. Rattlers are known to stretch out on the warm concrete steps leading up to one’s house, where they can be inadvertently stepped on in the evening or while picking up the morning newspaper. Bikers and hikers should stay out of the brush since rattlesnakes are masters of camouflage. Golfers who hit their ball into a brush area should leave the ball where it is unless they can clearly see it is in an open area not near any brush which could be shielding a camouflaged coiled rattler. Losing your $1.50 golfball is not worth being bitten by a rattler that could possibly take your life. ■

don’t Let This rattle youby Don Fenmore





Volume V Issue 12 Summer 20083

OUR MISSION:To promote, advance, further and protect the community interests and general welfare of

the homeowners and residents residing in the general area of Benedict Canyon Drive.

WHO ARE WE?We are a 100% volunteer organization made up of area residents.

All of our work is funded by donations. We are not sanctioned by any entity.

WHAT DO WE DO?Monitor ongoing projects, programs and policies by private entities and city agencies outside our area

which may impact or set precedent for land use and development within the canyon.Monitor crime, safety, traffic, development and quality of life in the canyon.

We have four seats on the Bel Air-Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council, an officially recognized component of our city government.

We have one executive seat on The Federation of Hillside and Canyon Associations.Preservation and beautification of our Canyon.

WHAT DO WE PROVIDE FOR OUR MEMBERS?Annual meeting for members at the Beverly Hills Hotel

Monthly meetings open to the public at the Beverly Hills Women’s ClubRepresentation at greater Los Angeles civic meetings

Representation at the West Los Angeles division of LAPDEmergency preparedness information

Regularly published newsletterHotline: (310) 553-4BCA

Website: www.benedictcanyon.org

WHEN AND WHERE DO WE MEET?The Second Monday of every month

Beverly Hills Women’s Club(Benedict Canyon Drive @ Chevy Chase Drive)

7:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M.Open to the public

Free parkingRefreshments

Benedict CanyonAssociation
















10













Board of Directors

ExEcutivE committEE



Claire Carafello

Advisors



mEmbErs-At-LArgE






All Rights Reserved



Mark Montgomery










































25080 BCA Newsletter Summer 2008 7/11/08 12:41 PM




son. Helen’s marriage to Frank lasted fifteen years and ended in divorce. George, as an accomplished athlete, had an early career as a heavyweight boxer competing in the Golden Gloves. His nose was broken nine times, and he was encouraged to give up his boxing passion by his mother in order to preserve his good looks. George became interested in act-ing and singing while in high school. He eventually took acting lessons at the Pasadena Playhouse where he starred in several productions. He met an actress there named Ellenora Needles. After nine years of marriage they eventually divorced. Reeves gained the attention of Hollywood producers and in 1939 he was select-ed to play one of the Tarleton twins in Gone with the Wind. He spent the next few years playing various roles at Warner Bros., Paramount and 20th Century Fox. He was praised by fans and received rave reviews for performances in Lydia (1941) and So Proudly We Hail (1943). George was drafted into the U.S. Army and in 1943 he was trans-ferred to the U.S. Army Air Forces and assigned to the Broadway show, Winged Victory, produced by and for the Army Air Forces. He had a long Broadway run as well as a national tour and a movie version of the play. Reeves was later transferred to the Army Air Forces’ First Motion Pic-ture Unit where he made training films. Upon his return from service George found it difficult to find good roles. Many movie studios had shut down or slowed down production during the war. He starred in several “B” pictures before landing the title role in The Adventures of Sir Gala-had (1949), but he mostly played the part of the villain in lesser roles. In 1949 George moved to New

York City and performed on several live television anthology programs, as well as radio shows. He returned to Los Angeles in 1951 for a role in the Fritz Lang film, Rancho Noto-rious (1952). In the meantime, the comic book decade of the 1940’s had launched its main star in DC comics’ Superman. The superhero had become a household word. In 1951, George starred in the Lippert programmer Superman vs. the Mole Men. This served as the introduction to the Superman television series in which George starred from 1952 through its cancellation in 1957. The original series was shot in black and white, but was switched to color in 1954. George had become an instant

national celebrity after the initial series aired and he was astonished at the sudden attention. The Superman cast had restric-tive contracts, forestalling other act-ing roles. This prevented them from taking longterm employment on ma-jor films, stage plays, or other series work. While the role of Superman apparently saved George Reeve’s career, it permanently typecast him. He had found his career floundering and made an appearance as a wagon train leader in Disney’s Westward Ho, the Wagons! (1956), but he was forced by the producer to wear a heavy beard to hide his identity. It is well known that George was dis-satisfied with the one-dimensional role as Superman and the salary of $5,000.00 per week. He was only paid when the show was in produc-tion; however, George had other op-tions for making a living, but those

options apparently all involved play-ing Superman, and Superman was no longer a challenge for him. George complained to friends, columnists and to his mother about his financial problems. He received minimal roy-alties from syndication of the Super-man show which could not keep up with his bachelor lifestyle. Despite the reputation of being a womanizer, George Reeves was in reality more like the mild-mannered Clark Kent that he played for years. His portrayal of Superman brought out fans of all ages, to meet him and obtain his autograph. George loved the public. One writer, James Beaver discovered that he was a “totally de-cent person. I honestly never spoke to anyone who didn’t like him a lot.” He made many personal appearances as Superman and had a genuine affec-tion for his young fans. Small chil-dren often poked, punched or kicked him to see if he was really “made of steel.” He often played practical jokes on the crew and cast over the course of filming the one hundred and four episodes of the Superman series. Jack Larson (Jimmy Olsen) and Noel Neill (Lois Lane) both remem-bered him as a noble Southern gen-tleman, with a sign on his dressing room door that read:

“Honest” George, the people’s friend.

Fifty years later as I stand in my kitchen making coffee, gazing out the window toward the rear lawn, I imagine for a brief moment the friend I never had the privilege to meet standing by the large sycamore tree, smiling back at me. Superman is alive in the memories of all those who “knew” him so well. ■

LOOK-UP . . . Cont. from pg. 1

In Memory of George Reeves

“Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to

leap tall buildings in a single bound”

George Reeves




TALKIn’ TrASh . . . Cont. from pg. 12

For the 2009 Benedict Canyon Association Membership Drive, the BCA Membership Committee

is offering a free BCA embroidered multi-use Picnic Blanket Tote in an English Plaid of

canyon colors: green, brown, black and white. The Blanket-Tote will be sent

to you upon receipt of your paid BCA Membership at the Eucalyptus

Level ($250.00) and above. The blanket features a heavy duty

waterproof backingwith a soft plaid fleece lining which folds

into its own handle for storage and portability. A generous 59” x

51” when open. Whether you are having a picnic in the Canyon, waiting

in line for tickets for the next Miley Cyrus concert or just in line outside your bank

checking on its solvency, you will want a stylish, comfortable place to sit down and spread out. As

usual, supply is limited so sign up today and become a BCA Member in stylish comfort.

BCA Hotline: 310.553.4222 (4BCA) Website: www.BenedictCanyon.org

2009 BCaMembership Premium Gift

Fiberglass epoxy, Moth balls, Glue, Mercury Thermometers, Mercury Added Novelties including greeting cards that play music when opened; Athletic shoes (made before 1997) with flashing lights in soles; and Mercury maze games.

What is not accepted at Household Hazardous Waste Dropoffs:

Ammunition, explosives, ra-dioactive material, bio-medical and pathological wastes, tires, paper, computer software and bulky Items such as furniture, refrigerators, washing machines/dryers, and con-ventional ovens.

Where to go: The City of Los Angeles’s Bu-

reau of Sanitation along with the Los Angeles County Department of Public works operate six S.A.F.E. (Solvents/Automotive/Flammables/Electronics) collection centers. The closest one to Benedict Can-yon is the UCLA S.A.F.E. Center, 550 Charles E. Young Dr. West, Los Angeles, 90095. It operates Thurs-days through Saturdays between the hours of 8:00am and 2:00pm. Electronic waste is accepted only on Saturdays. For information, call 1-800-98-TOXIC (1-800-988-6942). The City of Beverly Hills has a one-day HHW/E-Waste collection date per year. Check local papers for date and time. In addition, The City of Los An-geles Department of Public Works

(DPW) has partnered with Los An-geles-area Jiffy Lube franchisees, Target, and B&B Hardware stores to add battery recycling collection con-tainers at 40 stores.

Keep in mind: Collections are often suspended when it is raining. It is against the law to transport more than 15 gallons or 125 pounds of hazardous waste to collection sites. Residents are limited to a total of six pieces of electronic waste per visit. Small items (computer mice, cables, modems, cell phones, etc.) can be packed in a carton box and that carton will be considered one item. Talkin’ trash in your household should be a regular part of your fam-ily’s recycling program. ■




End of an Era...Sandy and Jerry say goodbye to the Canyon

by Vera Dunn and Mary Ann Musico

In 1973 a very special couple, Sandy and Jerry Mar-

golis, moved to Benedict Canyon from Culver City.

They may not have known it back then, but their for-

tuitous move was to change the profile of Benedict Canyon

forever.

Initially their paths crossed, seemingly by accident,

when they met at the wedding of their respective soror-

ity and fraternity presidents. How could they possibly

have known back then that this chance meeting would be a

foreshadowing for getting married themselves, moving to

Benedict Canyon, and each separately becoming president

of the BCA? Jerry came to this position naturally as he

was able to combine his talents and skills as a success-

ful attorney and City Councilman in Culver City with his

steadfast desire to contribute to the community in which he

lived. Sandy’s uncanny ability to command the attention

of a room, along with her organizational skills learned as a

teacher in Culver City and Beverly Hills, made her a natu-

ral for the position of president of BCA as well. They just

may have been the only couple in the history of the BCA

where both husband and wife served successful terms as

president. We fondly call them “BCA’s First Couple”.

Together this dynamic duo worked diligently and tire-

lessly as respective leaders of the BCA. They were both

relentless in their efforts to serve the community in which

they lived and loved so dearly. Their home was always

open for countless BCA meetings and social gatherings.

The summer BBQ at Sandy and Jerry’s became a yearly

tradition where all of us on the board would meet to share

home-made food, catch up on the latest happenings and

challenges in the canyon, while at the same time basking

in the warmth and hospitality of our hosts.

Both Sandy and Jerry contributed immeasurably to the

BCA and all of its various projects and endeavors. Sandy

was probably single handedly responsible for drafting half

of the members of the BCA Board of Directors. While she

manned the BCA Hotline answering endless questions, she

never missed an opportunity to seduce the caller into at-

tending the next Monday night meeting of the BCA. Her

humor along with her persuasive, engaging attitude was

hard to resist, and almost anyone she met who lived in the

Canyon was eventually persuaded to attend a meeting.

Their enthusiasm and just plain candor were hard to

resist. Most people would not only attend that first meet-

ing, but they would wind up staying and becoming part

of the BCA Board of Directors largely due in one way or

another to Sandy or Jerry.

They will be sadly missed not only at the BCA meet-

ings, but by everyone they have touched in their many

years of residence in Benedict Canyon. The BCA Board

of Directors wish them well in their new home in North-

ern California. We who knew them

best will be forever grateful

for their immeasur- ab le

contributions to our lives

and our community.

■



Fall 2009 16

night Light in the Canyonby Michael Chasteen

Between 1905 and 1940 several neighborhoods and business communi-

ties in the city of Los Angeles installed decorative street lighting. Those

years have been referred to as the era of ornamental lighting in Los An-

geles. While functional, the lights also provide a sense of identity for each com-

munity. There is the ornate lamp that lights the streets of Holmby Hills, known as

Model 866A. There is the Bel-Air 11, a short pole topped by a billowy lamp that

is found only in Bel-Air. In Bel-Air Estates we see another model. There was a lot of

pride in the design and craftsmanship of the lights, as each neighborhood strived for a separate identity. On

Olympic Boulevard, the lamp posts are particularly ornate with a dragon at the top. The Bundy, now called

The Walker, after The Walker Company which manufactured it, is not surprisingly installed on Bundy

Drive. Each neighborhood appeared determined to outdo the next. There are approximately 600 designs

in a system of over a quarter million street lights in service to the city of Los Angeles.

It was on an early foggy morning walk a couple of years ago that I first encountered the comforting

glow of the Model 895 Shepherd’s Crook design. The design is recognizable by its distinctive short pole

topped by an ornate hook and ball-shaped lamp. These are seen only in Benedict Canyon. I needed to

know more about these lonely sentries that would have stories to tell if they could speak.

In 1925 the city created the Bureau of Street Lighting which oversees the installation and maintenance

of all street illumination. In 1927 there were twenty-one model 895 Shepherd’s Crook light poles installed

in Benedict Canyon. These provided the canyon with its first electric illumination. The poles begin 400

feet south of Clearview Drive and extend 1,000 feet north of De Camp Drive. There seems to be no his-

torical basis for the limits of their installation; however, it is difficult to tell since the city has destroyed

any documentation. The property owners had to pay for the cost of installation and operation of the lights.

One could only imagine that the well entrenched movie colony living in the Canyon at the time stepped

up with the funds so as not to be outdone by their neighbors in Beverly Hills who purchased their street

lights in 1915.

The city’s policy has been to replace old street lights with newer technology and is currently commit-

ted to rewire old light poles with brighter and more efficient bulbs. I commend the city of Los Angeles

for maintaining the historic fabric of our individual communities. The Benedict Canyon Association is

working with Senior Engineering Manager, Stan Horwitz, of the Bureau of Street Lighting to restore our

treasured fixtures.

I encourage all of you to take the time to slow down while driving through the canyon and pay

homage to these twenty one pillars of the night that have brought a comforting ambiance to our com-

munity for over eighty years. ■

Volume V Issue 13




a Picnic for Gordonby Barbara Nichols

On February 21, 2009 the Benedict Canyon Associa-tion held an afternoon par-

ty with cake and sodas at our Fire Station Number 99 on Mulholland Drive. The get-together with our fire fighters celebrated the gift of a new picnic table for the fire station donat-ed by the membership of the BCA. The picnic table was given in honor of Gordon Smith, a past President of BCA, long time BCA Board Member and dedicated supporter of Station 99. A plaque with Gordon’s name (“In Memory of Gordon Smith”) is attached to the table. Gordon died not long ago while saving the lives of many others in a boating accident. Everyone who knew Gordon was not surprised by his heroism. For many years Gordon participated in the an-

nual Fire Station Open House for Station 99, raising money for needed rescue equipment and to make the

station more comfortable for our dedicated fire fighters. The event was attended by Sta-tion 99 Friends of Gordon, BCA members and Gordon’s widow Diane. Diane expressed her appreciation for our recognition of Gordon’s contribu-tions to Station 99 and felt the new picnic table was a wonderful gift in his memory. The firefighters on duty joined in the celebration remember-ing Gordon and Diane’s many contri-butions. Enough cake and beverages were left for the other firefighters who would come on duty later in the day. We wish our firefighters at Station 99 and Station 71 a safe fire season, and remind all our residents to clear their brush and report any unsafe fire con-ditions to the brush clearance division of the Fire Department. ■

rEaL EStatE In BEnEdICt Canyon - by aron Kincaid

“I don’t recall this on the disclosure list.”


In My Canyon Viewby Rodney Kemerer



sion of affordable housing. He was a member of the task force that drafted the air rights or “TFAR” transfer or-dinance for the City of Los Angeles.

JACQUELINE SACKS Jacqueline Sacks is a business school graduate of Chapman Uni-versity in Orange County, California. She lives in Beverly Hills with her husband David and daughter Reagan. Jacqueline has had a long his-tory of attend-ing and partici-pating in local and national charities. Her volunteer work includes Service for Sight Aid to the Blind, C.H.O.C Hos-pital, The Well-ness Comunity, and BeStirred. In March 2005 she started an annual Fashion Show for Service for Sight Aid to the Blind. It is a national charity aimed at eliminating child-hood blindness relating to disease and or genetic inheritance. It also funds optical related medical research. She was able to raise over $55,000 for the charity at the first annual Fashion Show. Jacqueline is looking forward to helping the Benedict Canyon As-sociation this year. ■

Jacqueline Sacks It is 8:00pm in the Canyon on a Wednesday evening in August. The moon is full, the color and shape of a perfect melon ball. The recent brush fires have tinted the sky in Autumn shades. I rather like the moon in its amber glow,

homey, comforting. The power has been out since 4:00pm and as darkness falls over the Canyon the only sound is crickets. We have no idea how much noise we live with until the power goes out, then, remarkably the only sounds are liv-ing things, not mechanical. I sit outside reading a magazine in the last daylight, knowing that with evening will come total darkness. I can hear a lone deer on the far hillside crunching through dried leaves looking for anything green to eat. The sound is amplified by the silence around her. Darkness falls and I close my magazine, and the last hoof-falls fade away as my lone deer goes looking for a sheltered resting spot. I too go inside looking for my own resting spot for the evening. No television blaring, no air conditioning hum, not even the purr of a thousand digital devices can be heard. Just me, the Canyon and the crickets. I always try to imagine life here decades ago. It almost doesn’t matter if it’s twenty, thirty, forty or fifty years ago, I know it was quieter. Fewer houses, fewer people, less traffic and no illegal leafblowers. Always a more gentle life-style than in the city only minutes away. For decades the Canyon has been a retreat for people who choose a differ-ent way of life from the city. It is just that as time moves on that uniqueness begins to fade and is harder to find. Sundays in the Canyon are always good. They are relatively quiet compared to the rest of the week, and all that is left of the way it was. Occasionally you will hear some inconsiderate neighbor fire up a power tool or an overly ambitious gardener decide to trim trees on a Sunday. I am happy to report that I have stopped more than one chainsaw in my bathrobe and slippers. Just for effect mind you, sometimes I have to change into the bathrobe and slippers to make the point. I value Sundays in the Canyon because they speak to me of the past, of how life in the Canyon used to be, nature first, then people. Now I find that a good long power outage in the evening can give me that same feeling of being surrounded by nature. It’s just like Walden Pond. (Except it’s not in Walden.) (And there’s no pond.) ■




Everyone seems to

know there’s a lot of police on pa-trol within the city limits of Beverly Hills. However, as soon as you cross the city line on Bene-dict Canyon Drive you can expect to encounter a speeding driver, a driver who crosses a double yellow line at a blind curve to get ahead of you, or a car going through a red light. It’s happened to all of us, especially after nightfall, and it’s turned into a driv-ing nightmare. We have two police-men on duty to cover an area from Sunset to Mulholland and from the 405 Freeway to Doheny Drive. Ev-ery day that I’ve used Benedict to and from my home I’ve wondered to myself when will I be the next vic-tim of one of these reckless drivers. Every week there’s another accident, or some type of property damage by a vehicle on Benedict Canyon Drive. Here’s my story.

The Accident. On Tuesday evening May 5, 2009, I was on my way down to the Rite Aid Pharmacy in Beverly Hills to pick up a prescription. It was 10:45 pm and I was turning left onto Benedict Canyon from Hutton Drive. The light had changed and I had the right of way to make my turn. From the moment I made my turn I noticed a car speeding behind me. The car

went thru the red light at

Hutton and proceeded to tailgate my car and flash its bright

lights at me. The driver then crossed the double yellow line and tried to pass me at the most dangerous blind curve on Benedict, at Yoakum Drive. The car forced me off the road. My car hit a mail box, then a parked car in a driveway and finally crashed into a telephone pole which was knocked down by the impact of the collision. The air bags went off in my car caus-ing panels on my dashboard to go fly-ing thru the car. The car immediately filled with a smoky type of dust from the air bags. I was in a state of shock. I had never experienced the air bags going off in an accident before. My first reaction was that the car was on fire. I immediately got out of the car and sat down on the driveway to try and clear my head. I realized I had just experienced a near death car ac-cident. Dazed, I tried to walk back to my home. I didn’t have a cell phone with me, and no lights were on near the site of the accident. Halfway through my walk, a neighbor driving by gave me a ride home. I immedi-ately passed out. At the time I was home alone. When I awoke a few hours later I fully realized what had just happened to me. My body was sore and bruised and my forehead had a major bump on it. I went back to the

accident scene to find that my car had been towed away. A few months be-fore this accident I had been on a two month, six thousand mile road trip thru the southern United States. I had never driven in those areas previously. Not one car honked at me, nor was there so much as a scratch on my car when the trip was completed. Ironi-cally, this terrible accident happened three blocks from my home.

The Aftermath. I had totaled my beloved 2001 Toyota Rav 4, but it had saved my life. I went to my doctor to find out that I had a fractured rib and a bad bump on my forehead all caused by the airbags. The knocked over tele-phone pole was immediately tempo-rarily bandaged with wood and chains and can be viewed on the westside of Benedict at the blind curve at Yoa-kum Drive. I reported the accident to the po-lice and to my insurance company. After thinking about the situation I de-cided to contact the Benedict Canyon Association and our councilman Jack Weiss’s office to hopefully help pre-vent this from happening again. Dur-ing this process I learned that someone had been killed three weeks before my accident in a similar accident on Cold-water Canyon. Officer Tucker of the LAPD who took my police report had spent many years patrolling our area and was aware of the serious problems. She informed me that the traffic lights on Benedict hadn’t been reset in many years and may contribute to the exces-sive speeding in the late hours.

The Next Step. I’m writing this article to make

almost dead Man’s Curveby Joel Gilman

Cont. pg. 8




DAVID BERGER David and his wife moved into Benedict Canyon in 1994, and im-mediately fell in love with the Can-

yon lifestyle. “I love waking to the sunrise and enjoying a cup of coffee in my gar-den and the peace and tranquility of the canyon be-fore the traffic reminds me that the hustle and bustle of city life

is but a short distance away,” says Da-vid. For most of the time that David has lived in the canyon, his profes-sional life was in downtown Los An-geles where he was a Deputy District Attorney. As such, he had little time for anything other than law enforce-ment. However, David recently be-came active in the BCA as a result of his foray into local politics. David was a candidate in the 2009 election for Los Angeles City Attorney. “Run-ning in the election made me aware of the importance of associations like the BCA in giving voice to the con-cerns of residents.” David hopes to use the experience he gained in local politics to enhance the effectiveness of the BCA. David left the District Attorney’s Office in 2009 when he was appointed as a Special Assistant to newly elected Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich.

ROBERT KESSLER My wife, Lynda, and I pur-chased our home in June 2007 on Portola Drive. While living in a very active and congested neighborhood in Venice Beach, we discovered the Benedict Canyon area on the advice of our real estate agent. It was a drastic change from the beach to

4 new BCa Board Member Profiles

David Berger

canyon life. Now settled, we have never looked back. More impor-tantly, we feel we are in “our home” and enjoy the privacy and quiet, the great sunsets while looking across the hill tops. Appreciating our new home, we both felt that being involved with the BCA would be the best way we could contribute to our neighbor-hood. I attended my first meeting about nine months ago and was im-pressed with the individuals and the format in which issues were being addressed. I wanted to be involved but did not know what would be an appropriate area of contribution. I felt that if I attended meetings and expressed support eventually I could find the right area for my talents. I feel extremely fortunate to have been elected to the board. With my landscape development background I plan to proactively participate in areas that effect the overall appearance and function of the canyon and its wild-life. I own a Landscaping & Design Group in Los An-geles and main-tain two differ-ent contractor’s licenses. I am also Master Sergeant In the US Army Re-serves with the 3rd Criminal Inves t iga t ions Division(CID), 506th Military Police Corp in Long Beach. I attended Robert E. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland and completed studies at Seattle Pacific and Fachhochschule Wurzburg-Schwienfurt Germany.

Robert Kessler

I look forward to participating in BCA activities in the coming years.

PAUL RHORER Paul is a committed Benedict Canyon resident who thinks that our membership is lucky to live in one of the greatest big-city residential environments on earth. Paul moved

to the canyon in 2003 -- and does not plan on leav-ing. “It is such a pleasure to live in a quiet rustic canyon in the middle of one of the world’s great mega-cit-ies. When I’m at home, it’s like I’m in the coun-

try with “the birds and the beasts” -- but then I can drive down the hill and participate in a vibrant urban life-style. Living in Benedict Canyon, we really get the best of everything -- urban life, with bobcats and coyotes thrown in. I am happy to serve on the Board’s Land Use Committee where I can use my professional skills to as-sist a neighborhood I truly love.” When not at home in Benedict Canyon, Paul is a land use and trans-actional real estate lawyer at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. He represents governmental entities, nonprofit educational institutions, developers and property owners in land use and entitlement matters. He works with governmental officials, private parties and nonprofit entities to create devel-opment solutions that are economi-cally and socially viable. In addition, Paul actively participates in the con-sideration, drafting and passage of state and local laws and special use districts to facilitate smart growth, transit-related density and the provi-

Paul Rhorer




sure that something is done about this situation. The LAPD has been aware of these problems for many years, and yet we still have the problem. Solutions have been tried but obviously haven’t worked. Everyone has been extremely co-operative regarding my request to make some changes, but will they ever happen? Will we have to con-tinue to be put in danger every time we need to drive on Benedict? I hope not.

The good news.1. I am now aware that when I see

this kind of behavior by drivers I can take down their license plate number and report them to the LAPD and something will be done.

2. I’ve purchased a 2009 Toyota Rav 4 that gets great mileage, and I really love it.

3. I hope this article may save some-one’s life in the Canyon, maybe yours. ■

ALMOST . . . Cont. from pg. 8

BENEDICT CANYON ASSOCIATION2008 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Benedict CanyonI want to help protect and preserve our canyon and the environment in which we live and express my support

by joining the Benedict Canyon Association at the following membership level:

$1000+ Oak Tree$500 Sycamore Tree$250 Eucalyptus Tree$100 Pine Tree$75 Basic Membership

Name

Address

City, State, Zip

Daytime Phone Evening Phone

E-Mail Address

Benedict Canyon Association mailing lists are strictly confidential and are never sold or shared.

I do not wish my name to appear in the BCA Newsletter, but please accept my enclosed contribution.

You can become a member of BCA through Basic Membership or as part of our “Trees of Support” Donor Program. Many members are choosing to designate their membership “In Honor of...” or “Memory of...” for someone who used to

live in Benedict Canyon, a beloved family pet or anyone whom you would like to honor in this special way. Basic Membership names will not be published. Also, you may contribute at the donor level and elect not to have your name published.

Benedict Canyon is protected only through your individual contributions. Thank you for supporting your community.

For membership information, please call our Hotline - (310) 553-4222(4BCA)Benedict Canyon Association is a non-profit organization.

My payment of $ is made by:

Check payable to Benedict Canyon Association

Please charge my VISA MasterCard AMEX

Card # Exp. date

Name as it appears on card

Signature

Please return this application along with your payment to:Benedict Canyon Association, P.O. Box 1265, Beverly Hills, CA 90213

2008Cut

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Benedict CanyonI want to help protect and preserve our canyon and the environment in which we live and express my support by joining the Benedict Canyon Association at the following membership level:

_______ $1000+ Oak Tree______ $500 Sycamore Tree______ $250 Eucalyptus Tree______ $100 Pine Tree______ $75 Basic Membership

Name ______________________________________________________________________________Address ____________________________________________________________________________City, State, Zip ______________________________________________________________________Daytime Phone _____________________________Evening Phone_____________________________E-Mail Address ______________________________________________________________________Benedict Canyon Association mailing lists are strictly confidential and are never sold or shared.______ I do not wish my name to appear in the BCA Newsletter, but please accept my enclosed contribution.

You can become a member of BCA through Basic Membership or as part of our “Trees of Support” Donor Program. Many members are choosing to designate their membership “In Honor of...” or “Memory of...” for someone who used to live in Benedict Canyon, a beloved family pet or anyone whom you would like to honor in this special way. Basic Membership names will not be published. Also, you may contribute at the donor level and elect not to have your name published.Benedict Canyon is protected only through your individual contributions. Thank you for supporting your community.For membership information, please call our Hotline - (310) 553-4BCA(4222)Benedict Canyon Association is a non-profit organization.

My payment of $_______________ is made by:______ Check payable to Benedict Canyon Association______ Please charge my ______ VISA ______ MasterCard _______ AMEXCard# _________________________________________________Exp. date ____________________Name as it appears on card _____________________________________________________________Signature ___________________________________________________________________________


future firemanby Oliver Litchfield

The Los Angeles Fire Depart-ment’s Cadet-

Explorer program has introduced a count-less number of young adults to the exciting career of fire ser-vice. Explorers have a specific explorer post/station of which they are a member. Upon joining the program, explorers begin training and learn about tools and equipment carried on fire trucks. Tests usu-ally require them to explain all the equipment carried on the Engine or Truck, and to perform basic opera-tions, hose lays, and first aid. Once they pass the test they can respond to emergency calls out of any LA Fire Department Station. They can assist and perform routine tasks

with Firefighters and Paramedics during emergencies, includ-ing incidents ranging from fires to emergen-cy medical services. Cadet-Explorers also help out around the fire station with the housework and main-tenance, perform rou-tine community tasks and practice fire pre-vention. These future fire-men wear a uniform and are equipped with firefighting pro-

tective clothing. Any young adult 14-20 years of age, male or female, is welcome to join. This is a fantas-tic opportunity to get a head start in the fire service. For more informa-tion on the explorer program visit; http://joinlafd.org/Explorer_Post_Info.htm. ■

Oliver Litchfield

Love the BCA Newsletters? Perhaps you are new to the Canyon or you have missed an issue. Good News! Now you can go to our new website (www.benedictcanyon.org) and download fullsize copies of past issues. Makes a great gift for someone new in your neighborhood. Print out all ten issues, tie with a green ribbon and say, “Welcome to the Canyon!”

-Editor

Benedict CanyonBenedict Canyon Association Newsletter




On August 4, 2009 the Beverly Hills City Council considered the request by one of its members to petition the U.S. Post Office to remove “Beverly

Hills, 90210” from any address not within the city limits of Beverly Hills and to give the Los Angeles city designa-tion and a new zip code to the area north of Beverly Hills known as Beverly Hills Post Office (BHPO). The BCA was represented at the Beverly Hills City Council meeting by BCA Board Member Barbara Nich-ols. The Beverly Hills Weekly news publication described Barbara as “a forceful leader of the Benedict Canyon As-sociation who strongly protested the zip code change.” The council member proposing the zip code change cited confusion among residents as to whether they lived within the city of Beverly Hills or in BHPO. Some residents of BHPO would call the Beverly Hills Police Department or believe that their children could attend schools in the City of Beverly Hills. The Councilman cited “safety issues” and the identity of 90210 with the City of Beverly Hills as his reasons for requesting the change. BCA was the only group represented at the meeting to speak for the BHPO area and our Benedict Canyon resi-dents. The Council was reminded that the current address for BHPO has been in existence for decades. Property val-ues in BHPO would be negatively affected by this change. Any loss in property values would not only be viewed with considerable distress by BHPO residents but also by the City of Los Angeles which would lose property tax reve-nue. The U.S. Post Office would have to undergo consider-

able expense to change postal delivery routes and establish a separate post office with a new zip code at a time when post office branches are being closed. Residents of BHPO would suffer considerable inconvenience and expense in changing addresses for billing, businesses, etc. Barbara also pointed out that many residents of BHPO have busi-nesses in the City of Beverly Hills and would view this change very unfavorably. It was made clear to the Beverly Hills City Council that BCA would vigorously oppose any vote in favor of such a change. BCA has previously succeeded in suing the City of Los Angeles on another issue for the best interest of the residents of Benedict Canyon and won. A vote in favor of this proposal would initiate a long fight to stop it and se-riously damage relations between the City of Beverly Hills and the residents of BHPO. The Mayor and other members of the City Council noted that the idea could possibly hurt relations with the newly elected Councilman for District 5, Paul Koretz. They did not view the current BHPO name and zip code as causing any significant safety issues and felt that the neighbors in BHPO were not damaging the caché of the 90210 zip code. They agreed with the arguments put forth by BCA and voted 4 to 1 to defeat the proposed zip code change. A special thanks goes to BCA Board Member advisor Rodney Kemerer, who coordinated BCA’s efforts with Barbara and the press to ensure this win. Once again BCA was there to protect the interests of our community. ■

The Most famous Zip Code in the Worldby Mary Ann Musico and Barbara Nichols




If recyclables go in the blue bin and garden waste goes in the green, everything else must go

in the black bin, right? Well, not exactly. There are a multitude of everyday household items deemed too toxic to be put in our landfills. Some of these items may even sur-prise you. Anything considered too toxic must be deposited at House-hold Hazardous Waste drop-off cen-ters. But, don’t despair. The ability to deposit them safely and legally is easier than you think and depositing is free of charge.

What is accepted at Household Hazardous Waste Dropoffs:

E-Waste (Electronic Waste) Computers, Monitors, Printers, Copiers, Fax Machines, Network Equipment, Cables, Telephones, Tele-visions, Microwaves, Video Games, Cell Phones, Radios, Stereos, TV’s, VCR’s, and Electronic Toys. Keep in mind, a typical Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) or picture tube in computer monitors and TV’s contain approxi-mately two pounds of lead.

Batteries Dry Cell Batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9-Volt), Rechargeable Batter-ies (e.g. cell phones and power tools), Button Cell Batteries (e.g. watches, cameras, and hearing aids). These contain corrosive chemicals that can burn as well as toxic heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and nickel.

Light Bulbs Fluorescent Tubes and Bulbs, High Intensity Discharge (HID), Metal Halide, Sodium, and Neon Bulbs all contain dangerous mercury vapor that may be released into the environment if the bulb is broken.

Household Cleaners Ammonia-Based Cleaners, Oven and Drain Cleaners, Floor Care Products, Aerosol Cleaners, Window Cleaners, Furniture Polish, Metal Polishes and Cleaners, Shoe Polish, Tub, Tile and Toilet Bowl Cleaners.

Unused or Expired Medications Prescription drugs such as hor-mones (birth control pills, estrogen replacement drugs, etc.). Over-the-counter medications such as pain relievers (aspirin, ibuprofen, etc.) and cold/flu remedies. Antiseptics (germ killing liquids). Veterinary medicines. Unused medica-tions that are flushed down the toilet or placed in drains pass through the sewer sys-tem and eventually enter our streams, lakes, and rivers.

Beauty Products Alcohol-Based Lotions, Isopropyl Alcohol, Nail Pol-ish and Nail Polish Remover, Hair Relaxers, Dyes and Permanents, products in aerosol cans.

Sharps Diabetic residents must dispose of their sharps appropriately hypo-dermic needles, pen needles, intrave-nous needles, lancets, and other med-ication delivery devices that penetrate the skin. Use state-approved sharps containers which you can get from your pharmacist or doctor, or create a sharps container by using a clean, sturdy plastic bottle (bleach bottle or detergent bottle). DO NOT use wa-ter bottles. They are made of plastic that will puncture. Fill your contain-er only until 3/4 full. Seal it securely and label the container “SHARPS.”

Lawn and Garden Care Bug Spray, Fertilizer, Pesticide/

Insecticide, Fungicide, Herbicide, Weed killer.Paint and Paint Related Products Latex/water-based paint, Oil-based paint, Turpentine paint strip-per, Rust remover, Paint thinner, Var-nish.

Automotive Products Used motor oil and filters, Gaso-line and diesel fuel, Kerosene, Auto body repair products, Windshield washer solution, Antifreeze, Brake and transmission fluid, Lead acid batteries, Metal polish with solvent.

Other Pool and garden chemicals, Pho-tographic chemicals, Lighter fluid,

Cont. pg. 17

talkin’ trash(How to get a handle on your household hazardous waste)

by Elizabeth Parry







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Cont. pg. 17


by Elizabeth Parry







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25080 BCA Newsletter Summer 2008 7/11/08 12:41 PM

OAK TREE

Your Name Here in 2010!

SYCAMORE TREE

Alex & Yuki Bouzari

Barbara JaynesRodney Kemerer & Lindsay DoranMichael Libow Armand & Marie MarcianoLarry & Nickie MinerDiane NaegeleFred & Joan NicholasDavid & Jacqueline SacksBeverly Sasson

Diane Sherman Smith

EUCALYPTUS TREE

Barbara Berkowitz

Joni Berry

Jacqueline Bisset

Hal & Marta Cooper

Ken & Randee Devlin

Vera Dunn

Michael & Lori Eisenberg

David & Barbara Elson

Burton & Nanette Forester

Evans Frankenheimer

Lloyd, Rachelle & Lorraine Galvan

Robert & Cynthia Hart

Gary Hecker

Robert A. & Mary Ridings Herman

Urban S. Hirsch, III

Lee Ann Jacobs

Stuart Jaffe & Shirley Stamen Jaffe

In Memory of Gloria Kahn

Ian & Doris La Frenais

Gene Lucero & Marcia Williams

Margaret Maw

Farhad & Roya Melamed

Eustace Moore

Hugh & Virginia O’Brian

Kevin & Elizabeth Parry

Philip Proctor & Melinda Peterson

Steven Rosenwasser & Kelli Sager

Albert Ruddy & Wanda McDaniel

Len & Joanne Savage

Linell Shapiro

Sheldon & Andrea Shapiro

Art & Renee Spence

Lev L. Spiro & Melissa Rosenberg

Larry Steinman & Lucy Suzar

Dan & Cynthia Wyse

(2) Anonymous

PINE TREE

Robert & Maria Abeloff

Michael & Elaine Agran

Jim Anderson & Lynn Fireside

Suzy Aspinall

Mr. & Mrs. William Axelrod

Tom Barry

George & Carolyn Bender

David & Eithne Berger

Paul & Marie-France Bloch

Ronald Boldt & Judith Shelton

Jeri Ann Boyd

Robert & Naomi Brofman

Ellen Brown

Joann Burch

Ron & Jan Cannan

Jeffrey & Judy Caren

Betty Chaplin

Michael Chasteen

Larry Chrysler & Matthew Michael

Eric Cleveland & Annette Stanton

Mary Ann Mobley Collins

Mr. & Mrs. Alessio Coppola

Carmen N. D’Angelo, Jr.

Billy & Marilyn Davis

Tim & Tabitha De La Torre

Morris & Marlene Dennis

Laurence & Judith Dornstein

John & Julie Eidsvoog

Donatas & Viktorija Empakeris

Don & Sandy Fenmore

Pamela Fenton

Alan Fine

Philip Forte

Sidney Furie

Evelyn Furtak Dorfman

Isabel Goldsmith

Marvin & Inger Gross

Jack Grossbart & Marc Schwartz

Paul & Rene Haas

Roger Halfhide & Patricia McVerry

George & Bobbie Hamori

Stan & Mimi Handman

Bill & Chris Harper

James & Jean Harris

David & Bridget Hedison

Edward & Sherry Heyman

Bruce & Lynn Heymont

Elizabeth Levitt Hirsch

Tom & Kathi Holland

David & Susan Horn

Terry Jackson

Len & Nancy Jacoby

Joel Jaffe

Elizabeth James

Ricky Jay & Chrisann Verges

Preston Johnson & Vickie Martin

Greg & Susan Kay

Robert & Lynda Kessler

Bernard Kester

Brian Kinney

Michael J. Kopcha

Rosa Koppens

Robert C. Kopple

Michael Kosdon

H.S. Kramer

Jerzy Kupiec

Don & Hope Kurz

Morrie & Patti Lachman

Brian LeSage & Afsaneh Malarkeh

Howard & Carol Levy

Cathleen Fitzpatrick Linder

Justin I. Linforth

Mark Liszt & Karyl Sisson

Elaine Lotwin

Jeffrey Lynn

Carol Matthews

Avery McCallister

Michael McLachlan

Thomas & Linda Markovitz

Sally Mason

Lowell & Wende Mate

Mr. & Mrs. Greg Meidel

Geoff & Kathryn Miller

Mark & Irene Montgomery

Mark & Sylvia Morton

Dagmar & Alex Moscowicz

Richard & Sandy Mosk

Mr. & Mrs. James Murphy

Maud Nadler

C.R. Neu & V. Ambrosini

Anthony E. Nicholas

Barbara Nichols

Vyen O’Leary

Colleen O’Rourke

William & Nieva O’Toole

Othella Owens

Alan and Donna Perris

Gary & Nita Polinsky

Max Ramberg

Stephen & Carol Randall

John Rieber & Alex Duda

Andrew & Kelly Robinson

Paul Rohrer

Gil & Val Romoff

In Memory of Sheldon Rosenfeld

Saul L. Rosenzweig

Donald & Patti Ross

Roman & Ida Russ

Joanne Sackheim

John & Gayle Samore

Robert & Margaret Sanford

Thomas & Arlene Schneider

Gene & Myrna Schwam

Samuel Schwartz

Arthur & Arlene Schwimmer

Martin & Sheila Seaton

Evelyn Shapero

Norm & Libby Shapiro

Betty Shelhamer

Lilli Shoen

Barbara Shuler

Jay J. Silverman & Janet Wood

Mark Sklansky & Lauren Ina

Brent Smith & Lisa Engel

Stanley & Susan Sokoloff

Andrew Solt & Claudia Falkenburg

In Memory of Joseph Stefano

Jeff & Annie Stein

Swindel Family

Phil & Milly Torf

In Memory of Dudley Trudget

Vince & Jeanne Uzelac

Robert J. Wagner

Barry & Eleanor Weinstock

Jacques & Lynne Wertheimer

John & Joyce Winters

Lawrence & Nancy Wolf

Robert Yuro & Rosemary Forsyth

(5) Anonymous

2009 BCA “Trees of Support” Donor Program Roster

Contributions received after September 30, 2009 will appear in our next publication




When many residents move to our local canyons they are intrigued by the amazing vegetation and closeness to nature--having hills and mountains

literally as backyards. So often, without proper awareness, a newcomer feels that their pets should enjoy the outdoors along with them. However, allowing pets to be unleashed or unattended can be a recipe for a shocking loss of the pet to a wild predator. Benedict Canyon is part of the Santa Monica Moun-tains which is home to a variety of wildlife. Among them are coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, hawks, owls and rattlesnakes, just to name a few. These animals survive with other animals as their food source. They cannot differentiate between wild prey and domestic pets. Often they spot a cat or a small dog and identify them as food--“an easy dinner.” Leaving pets to roam about unprotected exposes them to danger. Even a large dog could be vulner-able under the right circumstances. When walking locally, especially at an open space park an extended leash may not allow you to control your pet’s proximity in case you are suddenly confronted by wildlife. So, be aware and respect the wildlife around you. Be informed. Your pet’s safety and your peace of mind are at issue. ■

This year, as we enter into the fire season, we have ev-ery reason to be more cautious than ever before. We are in the third year of a designated drought. The

canyon is dryer than ever, which puts us all at an elevated fire risk level. For environmental reasons, the DWP has mandated that we all conserve water. It encourages volun-tary cutbacks, and has restricted water usage for landscape, in-cluding the brush areas surrounding the larger proper-ties in the hills. Although we are more vulnerable than ever to the fire hazard risk in the canyon, we can all help by complying with mandated clear-ances on our own properties and also by being constantly vigilant regarding violations that might endanger our frag-ile canyon. The Fire Department wants to hear your com-plaints so that they can monitor the clearance necessary to protect your property and our neighborhood. You can send an e-mail with specific details to [email protected]. You can also report hazards to your local Fire Stations #99 and #71. Every year, the Fire Department sends out notices to homeowners and land owners in the areas advising them about required and recommended brush clearance mea-sures. If you do not comply with these recommendations you might be in violation of brush clearance regulations and possibly be endangering yourself and neighbors. For questions about brush clearance, please refer to the brochure that you received from the Fire Department. If you do not have a copy of this brochure you can obtain one online from www.lafd.org/brush/brushmailer.pdf. For additional questions regarding brush clearance or non-compliance by other residents in the canyon, you can call The Los Angeles Fire Department Brush unit at (818) 374-1111. Their office is open between 7:00am and 5:00pm Monday through Friday. You can also check out the fire department website www.lafd.org/brush or send an e-mail to [email protected]. The website is very informative, and tries to anticipate any questions you might have. Fire safety is ev-eryone’s business in Benedict Canyon. The home you save may be your own. ■

It’s a Jungle out Thereby Mary Ann Musico

When It’s Good to Get The “Brush-off”

by Marcy Braiker

tIPS for PEt HEaLtHAllowing your dog or cat to drink the wa-ter running down the street (run-off) can be dangerous to its health. The water can contain oil from cars or other material which could be toxic to the pet.

“Skeezix” - a Canyon Cat





10












OAK TREE

Your Name Here in 2010!

SYCAMORE TREE

Alex & Yuki Bouzari

Barbara JaynesRodney Kemerer & Lindsay DoranMichael Libow Armand & Marie MarcianoLarry & Nickie MinerDiane NaegeleFred & Joan NicholasDavid & Jacqueline SacksBeverly Sasson

Diane Sherman Smith

EUCALYPTUS TREE

Barbara Berkowitz

Joni Berry

Jacqueline Bisset

Hal & Marta Cooper

Ken & Randee Devlin

Vera Dunn

Michael & Lori Eisenberg

David & Barbara Elson

Burton & Nanette Forester

Evans Frankenheimer

Lloyd, Rachelle & Lorraine Galvan

Robert & Cynthia Hart

Gary Hecker

Robert A. & Mary Ridings Herman

Urban S. Hirsch, III

Lee Ann Jacobs

Stuart Jaffe & Shirley Stamen Jaffe

In Memory of Gloria Kahn

Ian & Doris La Frenais

Gene Lucero & Marcia Williams

Margaret Maw

Farhad & Roya Melamed

Eustace Moore

Hugh & Virginia O’Brian

Kevin & Elizabeth Parry

Philip Proctor & Melinda Peterson

Steven Rosenwasser & Kelli Sager

Albert Ruddy & Wanda McDaniel

Len & Joanne Savage

Linell Shapiro

Sheldon & Andrea Shapiro

Art & Renee Spence

Lev L. Spiro & Melissa Rosenberg

Larry Steinman & Lucy Suzar

Dan & Cynthia Wyse

(2) Anonymous

PINE TREE

Robert & Maria Abeloff

Michael & Elaine Agran

Jim Anderson & Lynn Fireside

Suzy Aspinall

Mr. & Mrs. William Axelrod

Tom Barry

George & Carolyn Bender

David & Eithne Berger

Paul & Marie-France Bloch

Ronald Boldt & Judith Shelton

Jeri Ann Boyd

Robert & Naomi Brofman

Ellen Brown

Joann Burch

Ron & Jan Cannan

Jeffrey & Judy Caren

Betty Chaplin

Michael Chasteen

Larry Chrysler & Matthew Michael

Eric Cleveland & Annette Stanton

Mary Ann Mobley Collins

Mr. & Mrs. Alessio Coppola

Carmen N. D’Angelo, Jr.

Billy & Marilyn Davis

Tim & Tabitha De La Torre

Morris & Marlene Dennis

Laurence & Judith Dornstein

John & Julie Eidsvoog

Donatas & Viktorija Empakeris

Don & Sandy Fenmore

Pamela Fenton

Alan Fine

Philip Forte

Sidney Furie

Evelyn Furtak Dorfman

Isabel Goldsmith

Marvin & Inger Gross

Jack Grossbart & Marc Schwartz

Paul & Rene Haas

Roger Halfhide & Patricia McVerry

George & Bobbie Hamori

Stan & Mimi Handman

Bill & Chris Harper

James & Jean Harris

David & Bridget Hedison

Edward & Sherry Heyman

Bruce & Lynn Heymont

Elizabeth Levitt Hirsch

Tom & Kathi Holland

David & Susan Horn

Terry Jackson

Len & Nancy Jacoby

Joel Jaffe

Elizabeth James

Ricky Jay & Chrisann Verges

Preston Johnson & Vickie Martin

Greg & Susan Kay

Robert & Lynda Kessler

Bernard Kester

Brian Kinney

Michael J. Kopcha

Rosa Koppens

Robert C. Kopple

Michael Kosdon

H.S. Kramer

Jerzy Kupiec

Don & Hope Kurz

Morrie & Patti Lachman

Brian LeSage & Afsaneh Malarkeh

Howard & Carol Levy

Cathleen Fitzpatrick Linder

Justin I. Linforth

Mark Liszt & Karyl Sisson

Elaine Lotwin

Jeffrey Lynn

Carol Matthews

Avery McCallister

Michael McLachlan

Thomas & Linda Markovitz

Sally Mason

Lowell & Wende Mate

Mr. & Mrs. Greg Meidel

Geoff & Kathryn Miller

Mark & Irene Montgomery

Mark & Sylvia Morton

Dagmar & Alex Moscowicz

Richard & Sandy Mosk

Mr. & Mrs. James Murphy

Maud Nadler

C.R. Neu & V. Ambrosini

Anthony E. Nicholas

Barbara Nichols

Vyen O’Leary

Colleen O’Rourke

William & Nieva O’Toole

Othella Owens

Alan and Donna Perris

Gary & Nita Polinsky

Max Ramberg

Stephen & Carol Randall

John Rieber & Alex Duda

Andrew & Kelly Robinson

Paul Rohrer

Gil & Val Romoff

In Memory of Sheldon Rosenfeld

Saul L. Rosenzweig

Donald & Patti Ross

Roman & Ida Russ

Joanne Sackheim

John & Gayle Samore

Robert & Margaret Sanford

Thomas & Arlene Schneider

Gene & Myrna Schwam

Samuel Schwartz

Arthur & Arlene Schwimmer

Martin & Sheila Seaton

Evelyn Shapero

Norm & Libby Shapiro

Betty Shelhamer

Lilli Shoen

Barbara Shuler

Jay J. Silverman & Janet Wood

Mark Sklansky & Lauren Ina

Brent Smith & Lisa Engel

Stanley & Susan Sokoloff

Andrew Solt & Claudia Falkenburg

In Memory of Joseph Stefano

Jeff & Annie Stein

Swindel Family

Phil & Milly Torf

In Memory of Dudley Trudget

Vince & Jeanne Uzelac

Robert J. Wagner

Barry & Eleanor Weinstock

Jacques & Lynne Wertheimer

John & Joyce Winters

Lawrence & Nancy Wolf

Robert Yuro & Rosemary Forsyth

(5) Anonymous

2009 BCA “Trees of Support” Donor Program Roster

Contributions received after September 30, 2009 will appear in our next publication




When many residents move to our local canyons they are intrigued by the amazing vegetation and closeness to nature--having hills and mountains

literally as backyards. So often, without proper awareness, a newcomer feels that their pets should enjoy the outdoors along with them. However, allowing pets to be unleashed or unattended can be a recipe for a shocking loss of the pet to a wild predator. Benedict Canyon is part of the Santa Monica Moun-tains which is home to a variety of wildlife. Among them are coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, hawks, owls and rattlesnakes, just to name a few. These animals survive with other animals as their food source. They cannot differentiate between wild prey and domestic pets. Often they spot a cat or a small dog and identify them as food--“an easy dinner.” Leaving pets to roam about unprotected exposes them to danger. Even a large dog could be vulner-able under the right circumstances. When walking locally, especially at an open space park an extended leash may not allow you to control your pet’s proximity in case you are suddenly confronted by wildlife. So, be aware and respect the wildlife around you. Be informed. Your pet’s safety and your peace of mind are at issue. ■

This year, as we enter into the fire season, we have ev-ery reason to be more cautious than ever before. We are in the third year of a designated drought. The

canyon is dryer than ever, which puts us all at an elevated fire risk level. For environmental reasons, the DWP has mandated that we all conserve water. It encourages volun-tary cutbacks, and has restricted water usage for landscape, in-cluding the brush areas surrounding the larger proper-ties in the hills. Although we are more vulnerable than ever to the fire hazard risk in the canyon, we can all help by complying with mandated clear-ances on our own properties and also by being constantly vigilant regarding violations that might endanger our frag-ile canyon. The Fire Department wants to hear your com-plaints so that they can monitor the clearance necessary to protect your property and our neighborhood. You can send an e-mail with specific details to [email protected]. You can also report hazards to your local Fire Stations #99 and #71. Every year, the Fire Department sends out notices to homeowners and land owners in the areas advising them about required and recommended brush clearance mea-sures. If you do not comply with these recommendations you might be in violation of brush clearance regulations and possibly be endangering yourself and neighbors. For questions about brush clearance, please refer to the brochure that you received from the Fire Department. If you do not have a copy of this brochure you can obtain one online from www.lafd.org/brush/brushmailer.pdf. For additional questions regarding brush clearance or non-compliance by other residents in the canyon, you can call The Los Angeles Fire Department Brush unit at (818) 374-1111. Their office is open between 7:00am and 5:00pm Monday through Friday. You can also check out the fire department website www.lafd.org/brush or send an e-mail to [email protected]. The website is very informative, and tries to anticipate any questions you might have. Fire safety is ev-eryone’s business in Benedict Canyon. The home you save may be your own. ■

It’s a Jungle out Thereby Mary Ann Musico

When It’s Good to Get The “Brush-off”

by Marcy Braiker

tIPS for PEt HEaLtHAllowing your dog or cat to drink the wa-ter running down the street (run-off) can be dangerous to its health. The water can contain oil from cars or other material which could be toxic to the pet.

“Skeezix” - a Canyon Cat














Name

Address

City, State, Zip


E-Mail Address










Card # Exp. date


Signature


2008Cut

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Oliver Litchfield


-Editor


























Cont. pg. 17


by Elizabeth Parry







Name

Address

City, State, Zip


E-Mail Address










Card # Exp. date


Signature


2008Cut

On

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ted

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Name

Address

City, State, Zip


E-Mail Address










Card # Exp. date


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2008Cut

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Oliver Litchfield


-Editor












a Picnic for Gordonby Barbara Nichols

On February 21, 2009 the Benedict Canyon Associa-tion held an afternoon par-

ty with cake and sodas at our Fire Station Number 99 on Mulholland Drive. The get-together with our fire fighters celebrated the gift of a new picnic table for the fire station donat-ed by the membership of the BCA. The picnic table was given in honor of Gordon Smith, a past President of BCA, long time BCA Board Member and dedicated supporter of Station 99. A plaque with Gordon’s name (“In Memory of Gordon Smith”) is attached to the table. Gordon died not long ago while saving the lives of many others in a boating accident. Everyone who knew Gordon was not surprised by his heroism. For many years Gordon participated in the an-

nual Fire Station Open House for Station 99, raising money for needed rescue equipment and to make the

station more comfortable for our dedicated fire fighters. The event was attended by Sta-tion 99 Friends of Gordon, BCA members and Gordon’s widow Diane. Diane expressed her appreciation for our recognition of Gordon’s contribu-tions to Station 99 and felt the new picnic table was a wonderful gift in his memory. The firefighters on duty joined in the celebration remember-ing Gordon and Diane’s many contri-butions. Enough cake and beverages were left for the other firefighters who would come on duty later in the day. We wish our firefighters at Station 99 and Station 71 a safe fire season, and remind all our residents to clear their brush and report any unsafe fire con-ditions to the brush clearance division of the Fire Department. ■

rEaL EStatE In BEnEdICt Canyon - by aron Kincaid

“I don’t recall this on the disclosure list.”


In My Canyon Viewby Rodney Kemerer



sion of affordable housing. He was a member of the task force that drafted the air rights or “TFAR” transfer or-dinance for the City of Los Angeles.

JACQUELINE SACKS Jacqueline Sacks is a business school graduate of Chapman Uni-versity in Orange County, California. She lives in Beverly Hills with her husband David and daughter Reagan. Jacqueline has had a long his-tory of attend-ing and partici-pating in local and national charities. Her volunteer work includes Service for Sight Aid to the Blind, C.H.O.C Hos-pital, The Well-ness Comunity, and BeStirred. In March 2005 she started an annual Fashion Show for Service for Sight Aid to the Blind. It is a national charity aimed at eliminating child-hood blindness relating to disease and or genetic inheritance. It also funds optical related medical research. She was able to raise over $55,000 for the charity at the first annual Fashion Show. Jacqueline is looking forward to helping the Benedict Canyon As-sociation this year. ■

Jacqueline Sacks It is 8:00pm in the Canyon on a Wednesday evening in August. The moon is full, the color and shape of a perfect melon ball. The recent brush fires have tinted the sky in Autumn shades. I rather like the moon in its amber glow,

homey, comforting. The power has been out since 4:00pm and as darkness falls over the Canyon the only sound is crickets. We have no idea how much noise we live with until the power goes out, then, remarkably the only sounds are liv-ing things, not mechanical. I sit outside reading a magazine in the last daylight, knowing that with evening will come total darkness. I can hear a lone deer on the far hillside crunching through dried leaves looking for anything green to eat. The sound is amplified by the silence around her. Darkness falls and I close my magazine, and the last hoof-falls fade away as my lone deer goes looking for a sheltered resting spot. I too go inside looking for my own resting spot for the evening. No television blaring, no air conditioning hum, not even the purr of a thousand digital devices can be heard. Just me, the Canyon and the crickets. I always try to imagine life here decades ago. It almost doesn’t matter if it’s twenty, thirty, forty or fifty years ago, I know it was quieter. Fewer houses, fewer people, less traffic and no illegal leafblowers. Always a more gentle life-style than in the city only minutes away. For decades the Canyon has been a retreat for people who choose a differ-ent way of life from the city. It is just that as time moves on that uniqueness begins to fade and is harder to find. Sundays in the Canyon are always good. They are relatively quiet compared to the rest of the week, and all that is left of the way it was. Occasionally you will hear some inconsiderate neighbor fire up a power tool or an overly ambitious gardener decide to trim trees on a Sunday. I am happy to report that I have stopped more than one chainsaw in my bathrobe and slippers. Just for effect mind you, sometimes I have to change into the bathrobe and slippers to make the point. I value Sundays in the Canyon because they speak to me of the past, of how life in the Canyon used to be, nature first, then people. Now I find that a good long power outage in the evening can give me that same feeling of being surrounded by nature. It’s just like Walden Pond. (Except it’s not in Walden.) (And there’s no pond.) ■




Everyone seems to

know there’s a lot of police on pa-trol within the city limits of Beverly Hills. However, as soon as you cross the city line on Bene-dict Canyon Drive you can expect to encounter a speeding driver, a driver who crosses a double yellow line at a blind curve to get ahead of you, or a car going through a red light. It’s happened to all of us, especially after nightfall, and it’s turned into a driv-ing nightmare. We have two police-men on duty to cover an area from Sunset to Mulholland and from the 405 Freeway to Doheny Drive. Ev-ery day that I’ve used Benedict to and from my home I’ve wondered to myself when will I be the next vic-tim of one of these reckless drivers. Every week there’s another accident, or some type of property damage by a vehicle on Benedict Canyon Drive. Here’s my story.

The Accident. On Tuesday evening May 5, 2009, I was on my way down to the Rite Aid Pharmacy in Beverly Hills to pick up a prescription. It was 10:45 pm and I was turning left onto Benedict Canyon from Hutton Drive. The light had changed and I had the right of way to make my turn. From the moment I made my turn I noticed a car speeding behind me. The car

went thru the red light at

Hutton and proceeded to tailgate my car and flash its bright

lights at me. The driver then crossed the double yellow line and tried to pass me at the most dangerous blind curve on Benedict, at Yoakum Drive. The car forced me off the road. My car hit a mail box, then a parked car in a driveway and finally crashed into a telephone pole which was knocked down by the impact of the collision. The air bags went off in my car caus-ing panels on my dashboard to go fly-ing thru the car. The car immediately filled with a smoky type of dust from the air bags. I was in a state of shock. I had never experienced the air bags going off in an accident before. My first reaction was that the car was on fire. I immediately got out of the car and sat down on the driveway to try and clear my head. I realized I had just experienced a near death car ac-cident. Dazed, I tried to walk back to my home. I didn’t have a cell phone with me, and no lights were on near the site of the accident. Halfway through my walk, a neighbor driving by gave me a ride home. I immedi-ately passed out. At the time I was home alone. When I awoke a few hours later I fully realized what had just happened to me. My body was sore and bruised and my forehead had a major bump on it. I went back to the

accident scene to find that my car had been towed away. A few months be-fore this accident I had been on a two month, six thousand mile road trip thru the southern United States. I had never driven in those areas previously. Not one car honked at me, nor was there so much as a scratch on my car when the trip was completed. Ironi-cally, this terrible accident happened three blocks from my home.

The Aftermath. I had totaled my beloved 2001 Toyota Rav 4, but it had saved my life. I went to my doctor to find out that I had a fractured rib and a bad bump on my forehead all caused by the airbags. The knocked over tele-phone pole was immediately tempo-rarily bandaged with wood and chains and can be viewed on the westside of Benedict at the blind curve at Yoa-kum Drive. I reported the accident to the po-lice and to my insurance company. After thinking about the situation I de-cided to contact the Benedict Canyon Association and our councilman Jack Weiss’s office to hopefully help pre-vent this from happening again. Dur-ing this process I learned that someone had been killed three weeks before my accident in a similar accident on Cold-water Canyon. Officer Tucker of the LAPD who took my police report had spent many years patrolling our area and was aware of the serious problems. She informed me that the traffic lights on Benedict hadn’t been reset in many years and may contribute to the exces-sive speeding in the late hours.

The Next Step. I’m writing this article to make

almost dead Man’s Curveby Joel Gilman

Cont. pg. 8




DAVID BERGER David and his wife moved into Benedict Canyon in 1994, and im-mediately fell in love with the Can-

yon lifestyle. “I love waking to the sunrise and enjoying a cup of coffee in my gar-den and the peace and tranquility of the canyon be-fore the traffic reminds me that the hustle and bustle of city life

is but a short distance away,” says Da-vid. For most of the time that David has lived in the canyon, his profes-sional life was in downtown Los An-geles where he was a Deputy District Attorney. As such, he had little time for anything other than law enforce-ment. However, David recently be-came active in the BCA as a result of his foray into local politics. David was a candidate in the 2009 election for Los Angeles City Attorney. “Run-ning in the election made me aware of the importance of associations like the BCA in giving voice to the con-cerns of residents.” David hopes to use the experience he gained in local politics to enhance the effectiveness of the BCA. David left the District Attorney’s Office in 2009 when he was appointed as a Special Assistant to newly elected Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich.

ROBERT KESSLER My wife, Lynda, and I pur-chased our home in June 2007 on Portola Drive. While living in a very active and congested neighborhood in Venice Beach, we discovered the Benedict Canyon area on the advice of our real estate agent. It was a drastic change from the beach to

4 new BCa Board Member Profiles

David Berger

canyon life. Now settled, we have never looked back. More impor-tantly, we feel we are in “our home” and enjoy the privacy and quiet, the great sunsets while looking across the hill tops. Appreciating our new home, we both felt that being involved with the BCA would be the best way we could contribute to our neighbor-hood. I attended my first meeting about nine months ago and was im-pressed with the individuals and the format in which issues were being addressed. I wanted to be involved but did not know what would be an appropriate area of contribution. I felt that if I attended meetings and expressed support eventually I could find the right area for my talents. I feel extremely fortunate to have been elected to the board. With my landscape development background I plan to proactively participate in areas that effect the overall appearance and function of the canyon and its wild-life. I own a Landscaping & Design Group in Los An-geles and main-tain two differ-ent contractor’s licenses. I am also Master Sergeant In the US Army Re-serves with the 3rd Criminal Inves t iga t ions Division(CID), 506th Military Police Corp in Long Beach. I attended Robert E. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland and completed studies at Seattle Pacific and Fachhochschule Wurzburg-Schwienfurt Germany.

Robert Kessler

I look forward to participating in BCA activities in the coming years.

PAUL RHORER Paul is a committed Benedict Canyon resident who thinks that our membership is lucky to live in one of the greatest big-city residential environments on earth. Paul moved

to the canyon in 2003 -- and does not plan on leav-ing. “It is such a pleasure to live in a quiet rustic canyon in the middle of one of the world’s great mega-cit-ies. When I’m at home, it’s like I’m in the coun-

try with “the birds and the beasts” -- but then I can drive down the hill and participate in a vibrant urban life-style. Living in Benedict Canyon, we really get the best of everything -- urban life, with bobcats and coyotes thrown in. I am happy to serve on the Board’s Land Use Committee where I can use my professional skills to as-sist a neighborhood I truly love.” When not at home in Benedict Canyon, Paul is a land use and trans-actional real estate lawyer at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. He represents governmental entities, nonprofit educational institutions, developers and property owners in land use and entitlement matters. He works with governmental officials, private parties and nonprofit entities to create devel-opment solutions that are economi-cally and socially viable. In addition, Paul actively participates in the con-sideration, drafting and passage of state and local laws and special use districts to facilitate smart growth, transit-related density and the provi-

Paul Rhorer














George Reeves




























End of an Era...Sandy and Jerry say goodbye to the Canyon

by Vera Dunn and Mary Ann Musico

In 1973 a very special couple, Sandy and Jerry Mar-

golis, moved to Benedict Canyon from Culver City.

They may not have known it back then, but their for-

tuitous move was to change the profile of Benedict Canyon

forever.

Initially their paths crossed, seemingly by accident,

when they met at the wedding of their respective soror-

ity and fraternity presidents. How could they possibly

have known back then that this chance meeting would be a

foreshadowing for getting married themselves, moving to

Benedict Canyon, and each separately becoming president

of the BCA? Jerry came to this position naturally as he

was able to combine his talents and skills as a success-

ful attorney and City Councilman in Culver City with his

steadfast desire to contribute to the community in which he

lived. Sandy’s uncanny ability to command the attention

of a room, along with her organizational skills learned as a

teacher in Culver City and Beverly Hills, made her a natu-

ral for the position of president of BCA as well. They just

may have been the only couple in the history of the BCA

where both husband and wife served successful terms as

president. We fondly call them “BCA’s First Couple”.

Together this dynamic duo worked diligently and tire-

lessly as respective leaders of the BCA. They were both

relentless in their efforts to serve the community in which

they lived and loved so dearly. Their home was always

open for countless BCA meetings and social gatherings.

The summer BBQ at Sandy and Jerry’s became a yearly

tradition where all of us on the board would meet to share

home-made food, catch up on the latest happenings and

challenges in the canyon, while at the same time basking

in the warmth and hospitality of our hosts.

Both Sandy and Jerry contributed immeasurably to the

BCA and all of its various projects and endeavors. Sandy

was probably single handedly responsible for drafting half

of the members of the BCA Board of Directors. While she

manned the BCA Hotline answering endless questions, she

never missed an opportunity to seduce the caller into at-

tending the next Monday night meeting of the BCA. Her

humor along with her persuasive, engaging attitude was

hard to resist, and almost anyone she met who lived in the

Canyon was eventually persuaded to attend a meeting.

Their enthusiasm and just plain candor were hard to

resist. Most people would not only attend that first meet-

ing, but they would wind up staying and becoming part

of the BCA Board of Directors largely due in one way or

another to Sandy or Jerry.

They will be sadly missed not only at the BCA meet-

ings, but by everyone they have touched in their many

years of residence in Benedict Canyon. The BCA Board

of Directors wish them well in their new home in North-

ern California. We who knew them

best will be forever grateful

for their immeasur- ab le

contributions to our lives

and our community.

■



Fall 2009 16

night Light in the Canyonby Michael Chasteen

Between 1905 and 1940 several neighborhoods and business communi-

ties in the city of Los Angeles installed decorative street lighting. Those

years have been referred to as the era of ornamental lighting in Los An-

geles. While functional, the lights also provide a sense of identity for each com-

munity. There is the ornate lamp that lights the streets of Holmby Hills, known as

Model 866A. There is the Bel-Air 11, a short pole topped by a billowy lamp that

is found only in Bel-Air. In Bel-Air Estates we see another model. There was a lot of

pride in the design and craftsmanship of the lights, as each neighborhood strived for a separate identity. On

Olympic Boulevard, the lamp posts are particularly ornate with a dragon at the top. The Bundy, now called

The Walker, after The Walker Company which manufactured it, is not surprisingly installed on Bundy

Drive. Each neighborhood appeared determined to outdo the next. There are approximately 600 designs

in a system of over a quarter million street lights in service to the city of Los Angeles.

It was on an early foggy morning walk a couple of years ago that I first encountered the comforting

glow of the Model 895 Shepherd’s Crook design. The design is recognizable by its distinctive short pole

topped by an ornate hook and ball-shaped lamp. These are seen only in Benedict Canyon. I needed to

know more about these lonely sentries that would have stories to tell if they could speak.

In 1925 the city created the Bureau of Street Lighting which oversees the installation and maintenance

of all street illumination. In 1927 there were twenty-one model 895 Shepherd’s Crook light poles installed

in Benedict Canyon. These provided the canyon with its first electric illumination. The poles begin 400

feet south of Clearview Drive and extend 1,000 feet north of De Camp Drive. There seems to be no his-

torical basis for the limits of their installation; however, it is difficult to tell since the city has destroyed

any documentation. The property owners had to pay for the cost of installation and operation of the lights.

One could only imagine that the well entrenched movie colony living in the Canyon at the time stepped

up with the funds so as not to be outdone by their neighbors in Beverly Hills who purchased their street

lights in 1915.

The city’s policy has been to replace old street lights with newer technology and is currently commit-

ted to rewire old light poles with brighter and more efficient bulbs. I commend the city of Los Angeles

for maintaining the historic fabric of our individual communities. The Benedict Canyon Association is

working with Senior Engineering Manager, Stan Horwitz, of the Bureau of Street Lighting to restore our

treasured fixtures.

I encourage all of you to take the time to slow down while driving through the canyon and pay

homage to these twenty one pillars of the night that have brought a comforting ambiance to our com-

munity for over eighty years. ■

Volume V Issue 13














George Reeves


























Benedict Canyon

25880 BCA Newsletter 2009 9/30/09 1:52 PM Page 1

Benedict Canyon Association Newsletter Volume V Issue 13Fall 2009

Early in the morning of June 16, 1959, those words would be diminished by the sound

of a gunshot and subsequent death of one of Benedict Canyon’s most idolized residents. George “Super-man” Reeves, the quintes-sential hero of television fans across the country was dead at the age of 45. He was killed by a single shot from a German Lugar which he kept in his modest canyon home. One could say that the sound was heard around the world, as children and adult fans alike received news of the untimely death of the “The Man of Steel.” It has been fifty years since that morning. I was five years old and recall receiving the news in my parents’ home in Kansas City, Missouri. As my eyes fixed on the television screen and my ears heard the news, I could not know that one

day I would reside in the house of this super-hero. This story is not intended to be an attempt at presenting another the-ory regarding the unsolved mystery of his death, but rather a celebration

of his life. This is a tribute to a man who brought so much entertainment to so many of us. It is time to re-member the reporter known as Clark Kent, who along with Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane and editor Perry White dedicated their days to reporting the

news for the “Daily Planet.” While sidetracked to fight crime, somehow Clark Kent conveniently disappeared into a telephone booth to change to his alter ego, Superman, only to reap-pear as the bespectacled Clark Kent

just as the action subsided. Of course everyone wanted to know where Clark had been. Too bad he once again missed all the action. George Reeves was born in Woolstock, Iowa on January 5, 1914. His real name was George Keefer Brewer. His par-ents, Don Brewer and Helen Lescher, separated soon after George’s birth.

Helen then moved to California to stay with her sister where she met and married Frank Besselo. George’s real father remarried and George never saw him again. In 1927 Frank Besselo adopted George as his own

“Look - Up in the Sky!It’s a Bird – It’s a Plane – It’s…”

by Michael Chasteen

Cont. pg. 4

INSIDE THIS ISSUE “Look - Up In The Sky! It’s A Bird – It’s A Plane – It’s …”, pg. 1. . . .A Letter from the President,

pg. 2. . . .Mission Statement, pg. 3. . . .End of an Era, pg. 5. . . .A Picnic for Gordon, pg. 6. . . .Almost Dead Man’s Curve, pg.

7. . . .Future Fireman, pg. 8. . . .2009 BCA Membership Application, pg. 9. . . .2009 BCA “Trees of Support” Donor Program

Roster, pg. 10. . . .It’s a Jungle Out There, pg. 11. . . .When It’s Good to get the “Brush-Off”, pg. 11. . . . Talkin’ Trash (How

to get a handle on your household hazardous waste), pg. 12. . . .The Most Famous Zip Code in the World, pg. 13. . . .New

BCA Board Member Profiles, pg. 14. . . .In My Canyon View, pg. 15. . . .Night Light in the Canyon, pg. 16. . . .Don’t Let This

Rattle You, pg. 18. . . .The Canyon Crier, pg. 19








BACKYARD!


“BE FIRE-SAFE”









BACKYARD!


“BE FIRE-SAFE”




25880 bca newsletter 2009 9/30/09 1:52 pm page 1 benedict...

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