Fourth in a series Re “Meet a Beggar with a Growing Family” As I was saying the other day, I noticed a difference between the beggars on my recent visit to Armenia and in Europe and those in Los Angeles. Here a lot of young and old men write on their boards that they are war veterans. They ask for … Read More
Burke Eager for Board Role as a Mentor
Ms. Burke, left, with friend Jeannine Wisnosky Stehlin, at United Parents of Culver City Oktoberfest
Her mother had a third-grade education in Thailand, her father went directly into the U.S. military. And so it was with pardonable pride that Anne Burke, oldest of nine children, broke through a steel barrier and became the first in her family to go to college, and leave with multiple graduate degrees. Quietly, impressively, she has scaled slippery career mountains. … Read More
Flag Football Team Remains Unbeaten
David Lee scores winning touchdown
The Culver City Middle School sixth grade flag football team, unbeaten and unchallenged in the sixth grade league, moved up to face more competitive seventh and eighth graders in a D-1 League. After a minor hiccup in their first game, a loss to Ocean, the Culver City Panthers defeated Park Century School, 16-8, Tuesday at the Culver City field. Park … Read More
Syd’s Memories Are Made of This
Pallbearers remove Mr. Kronenthal’s casket this afternoon following funeral service at Hillside Memorial Park.
The cover was lifted, slightly, undramatically, this afternoon on Syd Kronenthal’s most precious secret, fittingly at the outset of his funeral service at Hillside Memorial Park. Dana Jean Ginsberg, Uncle Syd’s niece, revealed that he was born Dec. 27, 1922. This means that every guesser was wrong about the age of the 92-year-old former director of the Culver City Parks … Read More
Spank ‘em, Send ‘em to Bed
Prof. Abdullah
Since winning election 2½ years ago, E. Garcetti has been correctly panned as a sissified version of a big-town mayor, once crawling along the unforgiving pavement to his car to elude journalists ready to pounce because he had fibbed about a secretive fundraising date. Night before last, for the second or third time in his life, Hizzonor behaved like a … Read More
Burke-McVarish – Perfect for the Board
Ms. Burke
I moved to Culver City five years ago specifically so that my children could attend its phenomenal grade schools. As my daughter prepares to graduate from El Marino Language School, I am looking at the Middle School and high school with the hope and expectation that she and her brother will continue receiving an extraordinary public education. Though both schools … Read More
13 Centaurs Set Personal Bests
Abraham Vasquez. Photo, George Laase
When Culver City High School’s cross country team ran in the Ocean League cluster meet No. 2 at Rancho Park last Thursday, nine boys and four girls set personal bests. The varsity boys were led by senior Abraham Vazquez, clocking in at 16:32.97, followed closely by junior Max Flynn at 16:35.15. Freshman Brandon Cummings also broke the 17-minute barrier, running … Read More
A 1998 Look at Retiring Uncle Syd
Syd Kronenthal, right, with musician Paul Pitti, in 2003. Photo, Efrem Violin.
Re “Syd Kronenthal Dies” [Editor’s Note: This Los Angeles Times story, from June 26, 1998, recorded the retirement of the legendary Syd Kronenthal, Culver City’s Parks and Recreation Dept., director, upon his retirement. Mr. Kronenthal died Sunday. A memorial service will be at 12 noon today at Hillside Memorial Park.] At long last, the folks in Culver City are saying … Read More
Meet Possibly the Best Ever School Board Field
Children of candidates, who may succeed their parents on the School Board
Anne Burke, Kelly Kent and Scott McVarish probably form the strongest field of School Board candidates this century. Partisans in the community have railed against them for reasons that seem petty – their personalities and perceived but not proven flaws. Uniformly, all look like Central Casting graduates without a detectable chink in their armor. They present as imaginative – but … Read More
Syd Kronenthal Dies
Syd Kronenthal, right, with musician Paul Pitti, in 2003. Photo, Efrem Violin.
Beyond being the most admired, most talked-about, most accomplished, best known, best loved, the most lionized, longest serving employee in the City Hall history of Culver City, there was not much to say about the iconic Syd Kronenthal except that he repeated and perfected all of those traits in his private life. Uncle Syd died on Sunday at his home … Read More