june 24th 6-8pm
1627 south La Cienega Blvd
Chabad of SOLA
Adult and Infant Cpr/First Aid Course
45$ per person
please rsvp lashmirapatrol@gmail.com
The Laddered Bond Portfolio And The Path To Wealth
Deafening Roar Of Fighters Overhead
I just ran outside to check out a loud roar of planes ahead (over 90035).
I saw four fighters bank away in the horizon. They were flying only a few hundred feet above street level.
What’s up with that?
Rabbs says: “If it was four, then they were likely Navy F18s doing a formation over a stadium before the start of some game.”
Probably related to the X Games?
Read MorePower Out For Two Hours Throughout Much Of 90035
The traffic lights were working on Pico and Robertson Blvds, but as you traveled south on Robertson, the next three traffic lights were out.
Power was out in much of 90035 from 9:40 a.m. until 11:40 a.m.
Read MoreCantor Concert Sunday At 4pm
The Best It’s Ever Been
Pico-Robertson is the best it’s ever been.
Until recently, no decent person would consider living East of Robertson. It was regarded as a trashy place, way too close to blacks and gangs and social dysfunction.
Now the area has nice new apartment buildings and condos.
Until 1980, Hamilton High School on Robertson Blvd was about 60% Jewish. Now it is about 90% black.
Read MoreMiracle in the Hood
Yaelle and Nouriel Cohen and their 6 children are a family like no other. Every day from the moment they wake up until the moment they go to sleep they dedicate their lives fully to serving and helping those who need it the most. Through their grassroots organization, Global Kindness (which they run from their own home), this amazing family provides food, furniture, clothing and financial assistance to individuals and families in need. They´ve changed the lives of hundreds of people!!
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Now it’s time for us to give something back! The Cohen’s need our help to raise enough money to renovate their worn down home so that they can continue to provide service and assistance to those in our community. This is our chance to help a deserving family and touch the lives of many more!!
To donate please visit www.miracleinthehood.org
Are Pico/Robertson Residents Nuts?
Here’s an essay arguing they are. It concludes with a look at relative morality:
Read MoreFor example, theft is not considered wrong if the person doing the taking has a more serious need for the item taken. This is perhaps an embodiment of the scene in the popular movie, “Ushpazim” in which the protagonist steals a sukkah from a more well-to-do member of the community. For the past two (2) years, my family has erected a sukkah behind our apartment building that we have shared with our friends and neighbors. We take the observance of sukkot seriously and invest a lot of time, effort, and expense in building the sukkah and hosting. After the holiday, we store the frame in our garage. While the gate is often unlocked, the pieces are not visible from the street (one would have to be very close to see them) and upon cursory glance the frame does not appear to be anything more than ordinary steel poles. In fact, the poles have quietly resided in front of our car for 11 months. But, now mysteriously, someone has been taking the poles a few at a time. Sadly, this does not surprise us. The previous year, we had stored the thatch roof in the garage only to have it disappear two weeks before sukkot. The timing of both of these incidents makes it highly unlikely that some random person took the parts. The theft of these parts was deliberate. Someone is preparing to build their sukkah and knew exactly where to get free parts.
What Do You Have Against Pico/Robertson?
“I’m moving out,” says an acquaintance. “I moved here to meet girls but it is just too crowded. There are too many lines just to go to the supermarket. Too many cars. I’m moving away. I’ll come here once a month for a social weekend.”
A friend: “I don’t like the perfect Jews. Everybody’s like, the kids are gifted and they go to the best schools. You are in a fishbowl. God forbid you go out on Shabbat outside of your house and you’re wearing shorts. Acch, I can’t eat at your house.
“I know all the people who are in power now. They were always snobby. There are parents at Harkham Hillel who are not observant. We have friends in Pico/Rob who will eat at Souplantation and they’ll drive on Shabbat.
“I have a feeling that the people who are in the power structure at Bnai David are very much into your business.”
Levi: “I didn’t find that. I often wore a suit that had holes in it, or an untucked shirt, and nobody made fun of me. It’s just a bunch of nice people. I don’t think they pry.”
Friend: “Bnai David is suffocating. It’s too much. Pico/Rob is too crowded. There’s no open space. There’s Circle Park and there’s Roxbury Park. And that’s it. You feel like you are in New York.
“Every major synagogue in Pico/Robertson is run to succeed. Bnai David has realized that its charter is married families with kids. Beth Jacob is somewhat Death Jacob though to some extent Rabbi Weil has gotten his share of the young marrieds, the ones not smart enough to make it at Bnai David, the ones who are not lawyers and engineers and run their own businesses.
“You know the three shortest books? Jewish Business Ethics. Italian War Heroes. Blacks I’ve Met While Yachting.
“After viewing that thing in Loma Linda University where your dad was speaking, it’s ‘Blacks I met While Being An Adventist.’ You guys don’t take them? It’s too cerebral?”
Levi: “They have their own churches.”
Friend: “That crowd is the Republican party’s wetdream. It’s not even homogeneous. They even have the same color grey hair. They wear the same crappy clothes from JC Pennys. It looked like the Twilight Zone.
“Why don’t you like that religion?”
Levi: “The chicks are hot. But you’re out of it. There are no great Seventh-Day Adventist politicians, generals, financiers, directors, producers, writers, painters, journalists. When you’re Jewish, you are right in the middle of what’s happening.”
Friend: “Give it some time.”
Levi: “They’ve been around 170 years. They’ll always be out of it. It’s an eschatological religion. It’s about the next world.”
Friend: “They’re waiting for Hale Bob to come down and land and take them away?”
Levi: “Yes.”
Friend: “It seems like a lot of people leave. I have a friend who was an Adventist. To this day, he’s a vegetarian, but he’s like, ‘Ahh, those people, forget about it.’”
Levi: “They’re nice sweet simple people.”
Friend: “But there’s no action?”
Levi: “Yeah. But a lot of hot chicks.”
Friend: “But they’re all white.”
Levi: “No. A lot of Asians. My Yellow Fever was burning up while I was there. I went to the Korean church and I was in shangrila.”
Read MorePico/Robertson Beauty
Every once in a while I grab my camera, a Canon Rebel, and walk around our neighborhood, Pico Robertson, here in Los Angeles, snapping photos of, well, whatever.
Here are some snapshots—isolated textures and geometric details—of my local gas station.
It’s true, gas prices are painfully high; it’s true that bums—drug addicts and alcoholics—panhandle at the station; it’s true that the gasoline fumes make me ill, but there is great beauty in this space.
Hey, I’m just a romantic fool.
The round plate, the inner triangle, and the two bolts create an organic composition.
White on white, an elegant window that’s never open.
Red and orange spheres, bisected by a slanting shadow.
The Beauty Of Pico/Robertson
It’s Friday, Baruch HaShem. Time to take a break from politics and terrorism. Time, once again, to take a stroll around my wonderful neighborhood here in Los Angeles and focus on the startling beauty that is everywhere.
Found this beautiful industrial composition on the side of a building on La Cienaga Blvd.
On Pico Blvd., I was transfixed by part of a wall that looks like an archeological dig.
Street display from a Jewish-Persian store on Pico Blvd. This art falls under the heading of the classic Jewish-Byzantine-Elvis style.
On a side street off Pico Blvd., I found this mellow yellow grill.
Discovered these color-coded steel girders on Glenville, off Pico. They look like huge toys.
New Yorker Obama Cover Sold Out In Pico-Robertson
That’s the report I got from one rabid Hillary supporter who tried to buy the magazine.
Read MoreChabad Retreat In Salt Lake City
(lubavitch.com) Nadine Veibell is still looking for words to adequately capture her experience at the National Jewish Retreat over the Fourth of July weekend at a resort in Park City, Utah.
“All I can say is ‘Wow!’ I had an awakening. At 41 years old, I found the connection I seemed to be looking for my whole life,” Veibell said.
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Veibell was part of a group of nine Idahoans who drove six and a half hours to join 250 Jewish people at the third annual retreat hosted by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute. The five-day event at Canyons Grand Summit Resort drew participants from 20 states, from major Jewish communities in Los Angeles, New York, Florida and New Jersey and from dots on the Jewish map like Plano, TX; Missoula, MT; Richmond, VA; and Alberta, Canada.
Participants were from every demographic. Parents brought children, who enjoyed a mini-Camp Gan Israel during their stay. Fifty college students from thirty-two campuses attended. Baby boomers and seniors rounded out the mix.
The diverse group helped Rebecca Runyan feel comfortable. She chose to come at the urging of Rabbi Mendel Lifshitz, director of Chabad of Boise, whose Jewish Learning Institute courses she enjoyed. As the social action chair at Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel, a Reform synagogue in Boise, Runyan copped to “feeling a little nervous because I did not know what to expect” before the retreat. “I was really pleased and relieve that everyone was so warm and friendly.”
Rabbi Efraim Mintz, director of the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute and the JLI retreat, likened the spirit of the retreat to “a family reunion for people who may have never met but discovered their oneness as part the Jewish people.”
Staying at a five star location at the base of majestic mountains awash in greenery and golden wildflowers didn’t hurt either. “You can’t help but feel close to G-d in this setting,” said Rabbi Mendy Weg, the retreat’s coordinator.
Read MoreSpeakers At Bnai David-Judea
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Song of the Soul In Maryland
SILVER SPRING, Md., July 1 MD-Jewish-music-chrch
“Song of the Soul” Embraces Music, Social Action to Inspire Worship, Learning
SILVER SPRING, Md., July 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Rabbi Gerry Serotta and Cantor Ramon Tasat have agreed to become the religious leaders of Shirat HaNefesh (Song of the Soul), an emerging Jewish congregation in southern Montgomery County, MD that seeks to express its faith through music, prayer, lifelong learning, and repairing the world (tikkun olam).
Serotta and Tasat will lead Shirat HaNefesh’s religious services and work with the community to provide a full range of lifelong Jewish learning opportunities, including b’nai mitzvah training, to members and their children.
Founded in May 2008, Shirat HaNefesh is an unaffiliated community that draws from all Jewish traditions and denominations. Shirat HaNefesh members include traditional and non-traditional families, Jews by choice and birth, and non-Jews who seek the Jewish spiritual experience Shirat HaNefesh offers.
“We are very excited that Rabbi Serotta and Cantor Tasat have agreed to lead our new community and bring their energy, imagination and inspiration to Shirat HaNefesh,” says steering committee member Heidi Coleman. “Rabbi Serotta’s learning and focus on social action plus Cantor Tasat’s skills as an operatic tenor and teacher of liturgical music will help make Shirat HaNefesh a home for those seeking a joyous expression of their faith.”
Serotta says he sees his role at Shirat HaNefesh as teacher, community organizer and facilitator of Jewish spiritual growth, both personal and communal. “Today virtually all American Jews are in some ways ‘Jews by choice,’” Serotta says. “Shirat HaNefesh recognizes and builds on this restless diversity by striving to offer something new.”
Before joining Shirat HaNefesh, Serotta worked as the associate rabbi at Temple Shalom in Chevy Chase, MD. Previously, he was Hillel director at The George Washington University and earlier at Rutgers, Vassar and CCNY. Serotta has also been the Senior Rabbinic Scholar-in-Residence at the Religious Action Center. He is the current co-chair of Rabbis for Human Rights-North America (http://www.rhr-na.org).
Tasat: “bringing a rich musical tradition”
Tasat says music will play an important role at Shirat HaNefesh. “My goal is to bring a rich musical tradition that inspires both joy and contemplation,” said Tasat. He plans to use a choir and instrumentalists to enhance the spirituality and communal participation of different religious services.
One of the most celebrated cantors locally and internationally, Tasat is also the director of Cantorial Studies at the Academy for Jewish Religion, musical advisor of the Berkeley Richmond Jewish Music Festival, president of Shalshelet: The Foundation for New Jewish Liturgical Music. Tasat recently worked at Temple Shalom in Chevy Chase, MD and has made numerous recordings of Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jewish music.
For more information about Shirat HaNefesh, visit HYPERLINK “http://www.shirathanefesh.org/” www.shirathanefesh.org.
Read MoreLeaving Los Angeles
I’m not sure you can call this week’s Lives essay by Rachel Cline in the back of The New York Times magazine brilliant. Critiques of Los Angeles always seem hackneyed and trite to those who never lived there. Cline, however, captures the gothic feel of Los Angeles, how time slips away and one month becomes ten years overnight, leaving you with nothing but a few fragmented memories:
I lived in Los Angeles for almost 10 years, but it all runs together. I can never remember what happened when. In memory, I’m always driving down a sunny stretch of road, listening to National Public Radio, trying not to spill my latte. Sometimes I have a splitting headache, which must mean I am on the east side or in the valley, and sometimes the ocean is glittering nearby. Occasionally I can remember the jacarandas being in bloom, which means, what? May? But that still doesn’t tell me the year. It’s just an odd lot of incidents, a memory salad.
I was in Los Angeles last month. One afternoon, I decided to drive to a favorite shop in Pico-Robertson. I parked my car on a side street, in front of a 1930s Spanish four-plex with an “Apartment For Rent” sign in front.
Read MoreThe Legacy Of Islamic Anti-Semitism
More Los Angelenos Living Out Of Their Car
Shortly after I moved to Los Angeles in 1994, I started living in my car (from September until March 1995) to pursue my acting (which never took off).
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Having lost her job and her three-bedroom house, Darlene Knoll has joined the legions of downwardly mobile who are four wheels away from homelessness.
She is living out of her shabby 1978 RV, and every night she has to look for a place to park where she won’t get hassled by the cops or insulted by residents.
“I’m not a piece of trash,” the former home health-care aide said as she stroked one of five dogs in her cramped quarters parked in the waterfront community of Marina del Rey.
Amid the foreclosure crisis and the shaky economy, some California cities are seeing an increase in the number of people living out of their cars, vans or RVs.
Acting on complaints from homeowners, the Los Angeles City Council got tough earlier this year by forbidding nearly all overnight parking in residential neighborhoods such as South Brentwood.
But some people are just crowding into other parts of the city, including the seaside community of Venice, where dozens of rusty, dilapidated campers can be seen lined up outside neat single-family homes. The stench of urine emanates from a few of the vehicles, and some residents say they have seen human waste left behind.
“They’re nasty and gnarly,” said Venice resident Jeff Scharlin. “We’ve heard about drug dealing and prostitution in them. I’ve never seen it, but visually they’re a blight and they take up parking space.”
In Los Angeles, as in many other cities, it is illegal to live in vehicles on public streets. But the law is not easy to enforce. Police have to enter a vehicle to find signs that people are living there, such as cooking or sleeping, and occupants often refuse to answer when cops knock.
An easier way is to restrict overnight parking. In L.A., a first offense carries a $50 fine, and subsequent violations can cost as much as $100.
Parking-enforcement officers often give vehicle owners a warning and tell them to move on before issuing a ticket, and that usually solves the problem, said Alan Willis, a city transportation engineer. But other cities in the area are not as lenient.
Read MoreLA Press Club Award Winners
Journalists of the year announced at last night’s Los Angeles Press Club awards:
Big print: Melissa Healy, L.A. Times
Small print: Anat Rubin, Los Angeles Daily Journal
TV: Antonio Valverde, KMEX
Radio: Steven Cuevas, KPCC
Sports: TJ Simers, L.A. Times
Entertainment: John Horn, L.A. Times
Photojornalist: Robert Gauthier, L.A. Times
Designer: Kelli Sullivan, L.A. Times
Health: Charles Ornstein, L.A. Times
Online: Michael Collins and Denise Anne Duffield, EnviroReporter.com
Plus a gazillion more in a plethora of specific categories, dominated by the Times. Rip Rense won for his blog commentary on Cathy Seipp, Brad Greenberg won best blog for The God Blog and the OC Weekly’s Navel Gazing won for group blog. Full list of winners (and some finalists and judges’ comments) after the jump.
A1. PRINT (Over 100, 000 Circulation)
Reporter, Columnist or Editor
1st Place: Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times
Judges’ comments: Healy’s work stood out for its incisive journalism, going beyond merely reporting how things are and explaining how things ought to be. She examined the forces behind the marketing of pharmaceuticals and the influences on physicians and patients.
2nd Place: Robyn Dixon, Los Angeles Times
Judges’ comments: Dixon’s work showed depth of reporting. It covered an important issue that we don’t often think about.
A2. PRINT (Under 100,000 circulation)
Reporter, Columnist or Editor
1st Place: Anat Rubin, Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Prosecutors Target Drugs on Skid Row.”
Judges’ comments: Rubin’s series on L.A.’s crackdown on the homeless and its “quality-of-life” crime-fighting program made for a must-read. It also provided a reality check against glowing pieces published elsewhere
2nd Place: Sandra Hernandez, Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Denied Medication, AIDS Patient Dies in Custody.”
Honorable Mention: Michael Collins, Los Angeles CityBeat, “The Radiation Rangers.”
A3. TELEVISION
1st Place: Antonio Valverde, KMEX
Judges’ comments: This was quality work from a quality journalist who is a relevant, solid storyteller.
2nd Place: Ana Garcia/Fred Mamoun, KNBC
Honorable Mention: Willa Sandmeyer, KTLA
A4. RADIO
1st Place: Steven Cuevas, KPCC
Judges’ comments: Cuevas’ work left us wanting to hear more. His story selections, audio production and delivery were strengthened by outstanding writing. All these talents woven together had the listener by his side as homeless people peeked out from a tent or a stunned homeowner sifted through the rubble of her house.
2nd Place: Frank Stoltze, KPCC
Judges’ comments: Stoltze showed versatility, and all his stories were well produced, with excellent audio quality.
Honorable Mention: Patricia Nazario, KPCC
Judges’ comments: Nazario offered a solid presentation of the facts while telling the story through the people affected. Her live reporting skills were strong and put the listener at the scene.
A5. SPORTS – Print, Broadcast or Online
1st Place: T.J. Simers, Los Angeles Times
Judges’ comments: Simers showed great depth and breadth in topics. Never boring..
A6. ENTERTAINMENT – Print, Broadcast or Online
1st Place: John Horn, Los Angeles Times
2nd Place: Meg James, Los Angeles Times
Honorable Mention: Nikki Finke, LA Weekly
A7. PHOTOJOURNALIST
1st Place: Robert Gauthier, Los Angeles Times
Judges’ comments: This is a strong portfolio. Gauthier is clearly able to gain the trust and confidence of his subjects.
A8. DESIGNER – Print or Online
1st Place: Kelli Sullivan, Los Angeles Times
Judges’ comments: There’s a subtle yet strong intensity of focus in Sullivan’s work. Regardless of the complexity of the topic (“Sahara”) or the deadline pressure (“Facing the Flames”), she aptly applies an invisible glue. The result is a compelling design.
2nd Place: Derek Simmons, Los Angeles Times
Honorable Mention: Laura Dobbins, The Daily Independent (Ridgecrest, CA)
A9. HEALTH JOURNALIST – Print, Broadcast or Online
1st Place: Charles Ornstein, Los Angeles Times
Judges’ comments: It was a difficult decision in this category. We chose Ornstein for his powerful, gripping writing that brought the story to life. He was persistent in chronicling the events leading up to the closure of Martin Luther King-Harbor Hospital.
A10. ONLINE JOURNALIST
1st Place: Michael Collins and Denise Anne Duffield, EnviroReporter.com, “Schooled for Scandal”
Judges’ comments: The amount of supplementary material and the detailed analysis of supporting documents were astounding. Aided by forceful and effective writing, Collins and Duffield presented a comprehensive exploration of a local issue with national significance.
2nd Place: Jacob Soboroff, “Why Tuesday?”
Honorable Mention: Eric Longabardi, ERSNews.com, “The Summer of Love: The Mayor and his Mistress”
B. DAILY/WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS (Over 100,000 Circulation)
B1. HARD NEWS
1st Place: Staff, Los Angeles Times, “Southern California Wildfires,” Oct. 24, 2007.
Judges’ comments: This was consummate storytelling, from the sweeping, comprehensive look at the devastating infernos to the small, intimate story of a Times’ staff member returning from her wedding to find her home threatened by flames. Every element—reporting, photos, graphics–was top-notch.
2nd Place: Staff, Los Angeles Times, “Southern California Wildfires,” October 23, 2007.
Honorable Mention: Staff, Los Angeles Times, “Assassination Rocks Pakistan.”
B2. NEWS FEATURE
1st Place: Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, “Attacked by a Grizzly“
Judges’ comments: This compelling narrative hooked readers at the beginning and propelled them into the attack. Vivid descriptions highlighted the dramatic encounter; the commitment of rescuers and doctors; the courageous, gentle soul of the victim and his enduring love for his daughter
2nd Place, tie: Luis Sinco, Los Angeles Times, “Two Lives Blurred Together by a Photo”
2nd Place, tie: Kurt Streeter, Los Angeles Times, “A Teenage Girl, a Terrible Injury and a Will to Recover
Honorable Mention: Christine Pelisek, LA Weekly, “Flying High with the Vicious Ladies”
B3. INVESTIGATIVE/SERIES
1st Place: Charles Piller, Edmund Sanders, Robyn Dixon and Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, “An Investigation of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.”
Judges’ comments: This series was a real eye-opener, revealing the left hand of investments acting against the right hand of philanthropy. It did a wonderful job of reporting different aspects of the same theme.
2nd Place: Alan C. Miller and Myron Levin, Los Angeles Times, “U-Hall International Skimped on Safety”
Honorable Mention: Jeffrey Anderson, LA Weekly “The Town the Law Forgot”
B4. BUSINESS
1ST Place: Alan C. Miller and Myron Levin, Los Angeles Times, “U-Haul International Skimped on Safety”
Judges’ comments: We couldn’t put down this well-researched, in-depth story on an unusual subject.
2nd Place: Staff, Los Angeles Times, “Mortgage Series”
Honorable Mention: Chip Jacobs, Los Angeles Times, “Inherit a Home, Not a Hassle”
B5. SIGNED COMMENTARY
1st Place: Jervey Tervalon, LA Weekly, “The Slow Death of a Chocolate City.”
Judges’ comments: Well written in a clear voice, this commentary takes readers into a community and gives them a look at changing demographics from a different point of view.
2nd Place: Amy Alkon, Creators Syndicate, “Look Before You Sleep.”
Honorable Mention: Marc Cooper, LA Weekly, “East Versus West.”
B6. COLUMNIST
1st Place: Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times
Judges’ comments: Lopez’s work stood out in a large field. Well-crafted and well-chosen stories.
2nd Place: Marc Cooper, LA Weekly.
Honorable Mention: Tim Rutten, Los Angeles Times, “Regarding Media” columns
B7. EDITORIAL
1st Place: Editorial Board, Los Angeles Times, “American Values and the Next President.”
Comments: The well-researched series gave readers a good look at the campaigns and candidates. The even tone took the high road and gave a fair, balanced picture.
2nd Place: Dan Turner, Los Angeles Times, “A Warming World.”
B8. ENTERTAINMENT REVIEW/CRITICISM/COLUMN
1st Place: Tim Rutten, Los Angeles Times
Judges’ comments: Rutten’s reviews offered style, wit and insights into both substance and form, drawing readers to books they otherwise might not have considered.
2nd Place: Scott Foundas , LA Weekly
Honorable Mention: Jonathan Gold, LA Weekly, “Counter Intelligence”
B9. ENTERTAINMENT, HARD NEWS
1st Place: Staff, Los Angeles Times, “Hollywood Writers’ Strike”
Judges’ comments: This comprehensive package revealed behind-the-scenes mechanics of the strike, plus its effects on everyone from television-show workers to dog walkers. Well-sourced and tightly written.
2nd Place: Matthew Garrahan and James Politi, Financial Times, “Credit Crunch Stalls Film Funds”
Honorable Mention: Nikki Finke, LA Weekly “Deals, Lies and Back Channels”
B10. ENTERTAINMENT, FEATURE
1st Place: Judith Lewis, LA Weekly, “The Way He Lives Now”
Judges’ comments: Well written and interesting to the end, this story presented a perfectly hewn subject matter and angle.
2nd Place: Glenn F. Bunting, Los Angeles Times, “Special Report: Sahara”
Honorable Mention: Judith Lewis, LA Weekly, “Chaos Control”
B11. SPORTS
1st Place: David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, “Young Gay Athletes Find a Place Out on the Field”
Judges’ comments: Well-written and straightforward, the story flows well and offers good insights into a pertinent subject.
2nd Place: Jeffrey Anderson, LA Weekly, “The Boras Factor”
Honorable Mention: Scott Gold, Los Angeles Times, “Savagery as Spectacle”
B12. SPECIAL SECTION
1st Place: Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times, “Under the Influence”
Judges’ comments: Healy’s work stood out for its incisive journalism, going beyond merely reporting how things are and explaining how things ought to be. She examined the forces behind the marketing of pharmaceuticals and the influences on physicians and patients.
2nd Place: Staff, LA Weekly, “People 2007”
Honorable Mention: Kelli Sullivan, Michael Whitley, Mary Coaney and Calvin Hom, Los Angeles Times, “Facing the Flames”
B13. HEADLINE
1st Place: Tim Lynch, Los Angeles Times, “A Town Right on the Default Line”
Judges’ comments: Although this headline is a play on words, it does not come across as flip or humorous. Instead, it effectively nails the point of the story.
2nd Place: Dave Bowman, Los Angeles Times, “A Pair of Stars/an L.A. Sky/a Happy Galaxy”
Honorable Mention: Steve Devol, Los Angeles Times, “Cast as a Leader, but What’s his Motivation?
B14. DESIGN
1st Place: Michael Whitley, Kelli Sullivan, Mary Vignoles and Genaro Molina, Los Angeles Times, “New Orleans Two Years Later”
Judges’ comments: We couldn’t keep our eyes off this beautiful black-and-white layout, which was powerful and clear. A true stand-out.
2nd Place: Ryan Ward, LA Weekly, “Jonathan Gold’s 99 Essential LA Restaurants”
Honorable Mention: Staff, Los Angeles Times, “Massive Evacuations”
C. DAILY/WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS (Under 100,000 Circulation)
C1. HARD NEWS
1st Place: Wendy Thomas Russell and Tracy Manzer, Long Beach Press-Telegram, “Nine Guilty in Beatings.”
Judges’ comments: This story provided strong, comprehensive coverage of the verdict in a trial that polarized a community. Good details, solid reporting.”
2nd Place: Andre Coleman, Pasadena Weekly, “Tale of the Videotape.”
Honorable Mention: Gabe Friedman, Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Prosecutors Will File Plea Deal for Lerach.”
C2. NEWS FEATURE
1st Place: Michael Collins, Ventura County Reporter, “Dirty Business”
Judges’ comments: Collins provides an unflinching look at the serious soil-pollution problems at a huge planned housing development in Simi Valley. Aggressive reporting, told with a distinctive style.
2nd Place: Wendy Thomas Russell, Long Beach Press-Telegram, “A Tale of Abuse and Murder.”
Honorable Mention: Anat Rubin, Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Historic Hotel Offers Homeless Remedy.”
C3. INVESTIGATIVE/SERIES
1st Place: Anat Rubin, Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Prosecutors Target Drugs on Skid Row.”
Judges’ comments: Writing about L.A.’s Skid Row gentrification program, Rubin revealed efforts to imprison the homeless by turning minor drug offenses into serious felonies. Then she tackled the intractable homeless issue itself, revealing how the city ignored successful programs elsewhere. Outstanding public service.”
2nd Place: Sandra Hernandez, Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Denied Medication, AIDS Patient Dies in Custody.”
Honorable Mention: Michael Collins, Los Angeles CityBeat, “The Radiation Rangers.”
C4. BUSINESS
1st Place: Jon Regardie, Los Angeles Downtown News, “The Navigator”
Judges’ comments: This was not the usual mogul profile. By including his cultural background, his way of doing business and more, the story revealed him as an individual and a business leader worth caring about.
2nd Place: Staff, Los Angeles Business Journal, “Wealthiest Angelenos: Mega Moguls”
Honorable Mention: Rebecca U. Cho, Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Greener Pastures”
C5. SIGNED COMMENTARY
1st Place: Bennet Kelley, Santa Monica Daily Press
Judges’ comments: Every piece was thoroughly crafted, to the point and a good read.
2nd Place: Judea Pearl, The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, “A Mighty Heart.”
Honorable Mention: Thomas Elias, California Focus syndicated columns
C6. COLUMNIST
1st Place: Amy Alkon, Creators Syndicate, “The Advice Goddess”
Judges’ comments: Alkon’s column is a searing combination of science, libertarianism, and sass that makes for fun and thought-provoking reading. She’s not afraid to make people angry.
2nd Place: Gustavo Arellano, OC Weekly, “Ask a Mexican”
Honorable Mention: Amy Klein, The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
C7. EDITORIAL
1st Place: Harold Glicken, Long Beach Press-Telegram, “Fatherhood.”
Judges’ comments: This editorial provided a good look at a father’s perspective.
2nd Place: Sue Laris and Jon Regardie, Los Angeles Downtown News, “Mayor Needs Substance, Not Style.”
Honorable Mention: John Canalis, Long Beach Press-Telegram, “New Boss Wears a Badge.”
C8. ENTERTAINMENT REVIEWS/CRITICISM/COLUMN
1st Place: Luke Y. Thompson, OC Weekly, “Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em”
Judges’ comments: An easy, fun read. Thompson brings a knowledge of the genre into play to point out the strengths and weaknesses of the film.
2nd Place: Robert David Jaffee, The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, “Creative Minds at Work”
Honorable Mention: Anthony Miller, Los Angeles CityBeat, “An American Hymnal for Gastronomes”
C9. ENTERTAINMENT, HARD NEWS
N/A
C10. ENTERTAINMENT, FEATURE
1st Place: Alexa Hyland, Los Angeles Daily Journal, “Drama Dominates Entertainment Industry’s Year”
Judges’ comments: This was a well-researched and aptly reported story about an issue that is important to the economy of the Los Angeles area.
2nd Place: Amy Tenowich, Pasadena Weekly, “Salsa Without Borders”
Honorable Mention: Derek Olson, OC Weekly, “Chicken Babies, Bondage Nights and Severed Monkey Heads”
C11. SPORTS
1st Place: Daffodil J. Alton, OC Weekly, “Ronny”
Judges’ comments: Well-written and well researched, this story captured nuances of the subject’s relationships with various people who influenced him.
2nd Place: Robert David Jaffee, The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, “Joe ‘Master Blaster’ Weider, Still Going Strong”
Honorable Mention: Bob Keisser, Long Beach Press-Telegram, “Little Fishies in the Brook, Come and Bite my Little Hook”
C12. SPECIAL SECTION
1st Place: Staff, Los Angeles Business Journal, “The Next Century”
Judges’ comments: This section displayed an excellent use of graphics and photos, interspersed with facts to back the story headlines.
2nd Place: Linda Renaud, Palisadian-Post, “Real Estate Stories”
C13. HEADLINE
1st Place: Todd Cunningham, Los Angeles Business Journal, “Broke-o-Matic”
Judges’ comments: Clever and apt.
2nd Place: Amy Alkon, Creators Syndicate, “Opportunity Knockers”
Honorable Mention: Jay Firestone, The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, “One Camp, Two Camp, Red Camp, Jew Camp”
C14. DESIGN
1st Place: Robert Landry, Los Angeles Business Journal, “Dream Teams That Shape L.A. Skyline”
Judges’ comments: The design was clean, contemporary and readable.
2nd Place: Dan Kacvinski and Carvin Knowles, The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, “My Mother’s Table”
Honorable Mention: Dan Kacvinski and Carvin Knowles, The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, “Jewish Gelt”
D. ART/PHOTOGRAPHY
Print – Newspaper/Magazine/Wire Service/Online
D1. NEWS PHOTO
1st Place: Diandra Jay, Long Beach Press-Telegram, “Iraq War Funeral”
Judge’s comments: Stunningly close to the casket and mourners, the photographer offers a haunting, sensitive photo.
2nd Place: Rick Loomis, Los Angeles Times, “Baghdad Raid”
Honorable Mention: Robert Gauthier, Los Angeles Times, “Virginia Tech Vigil”
D2. FEATURE PHOTO
1st Place: Carolyn Cole, Los Angeles Times, “Dirty Job”
Judges’ comments: This was a haunting, empathetic image.
2nd Place: Robert Gauthier, Los Angeles Times, “On the Inside”
Honorable Mention: Bob Chamberlin, Los Angeles Times, “Bora Bora”
D3. SPORTS PHOTO
1st Place: Wally Skalij, Los Angeles Times, “Football Player Upended”
Judges’ comments: Peak action made this the clear winner.
2nd Place: Kevin Chang, Long Beach Press-Telegram, “Boxing”
D4. EDITORIAL CARTOON
1st Place: Dwayne Booth, LA Weekly, “Mr. Fish 2007″
Judges’ comments: Embracing a variety of subjects and media, these are some of the most biting cartoons we have seen.
2nd Place: Patrick O’Connor, Los Angeles Daily News, “Summer of Scandal”
Honorable Mention: Doug Davis, Los Angeles Downtown News, “Four Cartoons: Mayor”
D5. PHOTO ESSAY (Single Topic)
1st Place: Luis Sinco, Los Angeles Times, “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder”
Judges’ comments: This powerful set of photos revisits the life of a man three years after he appeared in an iconic image.
2nd Place: Robert Gauthier, Los Angeles Times, “Stanley Cup”
Honorable Mention: Genaro Molina, Los Angeles Times, “Katrina Survivors”
E. TELEVISION
E1. REGULARLY SCHEDULED NEWSCAST (35 Minutes or Less)
N/A
E2. REGULARLY SCHEDULED NEWSCAST (Over 35 Minutes)
1st Place: Rich Goldner, Joseph Russin, Angela Kye, Leila Feinstein, Emmett Miller and Todd Griffithe, KTLA, Prime News
Judges’ comments: With solid reporting and storytelling, KTLA brought it home.
2nd Place: Rich Goldner, Michaela Pereira, Frank Buckley, Brad Luck and Bill Stratford, KTLA, Morning News
E3. BREAKING NEWS
1st Place: Rich Goldner, Joseph Russin, Angela Kye, Todd Griffithe, Stan Chambers, Willa Sandmayer, Hal Fishman and Leila Feinstein, KTLA, “Griffith Park Fire”
Judges’ comments: This report featured spectacular pictures, plus stellar turns by Hal Fishman and Stan Chambers. .
E4. FEATURE
1st Place: Fred Mamoun and Ana Garcia, KNBC, “Traffic Test”
Judges’ comments: This report was topical, relevant and surprising. KNBC gets points for throwing resources into a story and doing it the right way.
2nd Place: Chris Blatchford, KTTV, “$100,000 Tupac Challenge”
Honorable Mention: Val Zavala, KCET, “Lenore Rae Smith”
E5. INVESTIGATIVE/SERIES
1st Place: Frank Snepp, Yvonne Beltzer, Paul Moyer, Jim Hourani, David Fernandez, Hernan Vasquez, Martin Proctor, Joel Cooke and Scott Meadows, KNBC, “Fire Safety”
Judges’ comments: This was a terrific group of entries. The winner was shot well and had great sourcing and information.
2nd Place: Chris Blatchford, KTTV-Fox 11, “Prison Clampdown”
Honorable Mention: Fred Mamoun, Colleen Williams, KNBC, “Without a Tribe”
E6. SPORTS
1st Place: Damon Andrews, Ted Green, Bob Konysky and Michael Allred, KTLA, “Jackie Robinson: 60 Years Later”
Judges’ comments: This work was a terrific way to mark one of the most important sports events of the 20th century.
E7. ENTERTAINMENT
1st Place: Sam Rubin, Grace Mendoza and Willa Sandmeyer, KTLA, “Writers’ Strike”
Judges’ comments: This coverage did a good job in explaining the issues dividing the two sides. Rubin really knows his subject and presented it well.
E8. TALK/PUBLIC AFFAIRS
1st Place: Bryan Hileman, Todd Griffithe, Frank Buckley, Leila Feinstein, Cher Calvin, Janet Choi and Jay Wilson, KTLA, “Access L.A.”
Judges’ comments: Nice opening, with the anchors sharing their own stories. Highlights included a good explainer on problems that Asians face in the world of film and television, and a clash-of-cultures package with a Korean family that combined strong video and sound.
2nd Place: Val Zavala, Linda Burns, Hena Cuevas, Saul Gonzales and Vicki Curry, KCET, “Life & Times.”
Judges’ comments: Highlights included powerful stories about meth’s effects and why street kids use it.; and what people can do to help with oil crisis.
E9. DOCUMENTARIES
1st Place: Eric Longabardi, Suzanne Murch, Melanie Switzer and Raheem Dawson, E! Entertainment Television, “Paparazzi.”
Judges’ comments: This was a great story told well, with great reporting and photography. We learned what life is like for the paparazzi and the stars as they mix in each others’ worlds.
2nd Place: Adam Wilkenfeld, CWK Network, “On the Rocks”
Honorable Mention: Christine Miceli, Rich Goldner, Joseph Russin, Gerald Ruben, Leila Feinstein and Scott Aulerich, KTLA, “A Tribute to Hal”
F. RADIO
F1. NEWSCAST (5 Minutes or Under)
N/A
F2. NEWSCAST (Over 5 Minutes).
N/A
F3. BREAKING NEWS
1st Place: Brooke Binkowski, Steven Cuevas, Julie Small, Brian Watt and Doualy Xaykaothao, Air Talk, Patt Morrison, KPCC, “Fires in the Southland”
Judges’ comments: This comprehensive coverage was vividly descriptive, thorough and engaging without being alarmist.. It featured great analysis, natural sound and on-the-scene reporting and follow-up.
2nd Place: Lance Orozco, KCLU-FM, “Santa Rosa Valley Fire”
Honorable Mention: Warren Olney and Karen Radziner, KCRW FM, “Scooter Libby Verdict”
F4. FEATURE
1st Place: Steven Cuevas, KPCC, “Iraq Veteran Puts Wartime Experience Into Music”
Judges’ comments: This was a strong, passionate piece that struck a delicate balance between the ugliness of war and the beauty of music.
2nd Place: Rachel Myrow, KPCC, “Meth Survivor Tells Her Story”
Honorable Mention: Cason Smith, KSAK, “Serious Songs, Serious Respect”
F5. INVESTIGATIVE/ SERIES
1st Place: Cheryl Devall, Adolfo Guzman-Lopez and Frank Stoltze, KPCC, “A Killing in Harbor Gateway”
Judges’ comments: This was compelling radio, with great on-scene interviews.
2nd Place: Steven Cuevas, Rachel Myrow and Frank Stoltze, KPCC, “Meth Abusers and Survivors in the Southland”
Honorable Mention: Steven Cuevas, KPCC, “More Worries for Hinckley”
F6A. CRITICISM
1st Place: Joe Morgenstern, KCRW, “Film Reviews”
Judges’ comments: Morgenstern’s engaging delivery and information made us want to see the movies.
2nd Place: James Taylor, KCRW, “Theater Talk”
F6B. ENTERTAINMENT REPORTING
1st Place: Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, KPCC, “Gustavo Dudamel”
Judges’ comments: This feature, tied to current events, had excellent writing – descriptive, colorful, humorous and crisp. It made good use of natural sound, music and live interviews.
2nd Place: Cason Smith, KSAK, “Silly Songs, Serious Respect”
Honorable Mention: Cason Smith, KSAK, “Super Bowl and the Alumni”
F7. SPORTS
1st Place: Cason Smith, KSAK, “Super Bowl and the Alumni”
Judge’s comments: This was very well produced. It grabbed all the elements and captured the excitement of a spectacle that some might think is overblown.
2nd Place: Matt Holzman, KCRW-FM, “What Makes the Lakers ‘The Entertainment Industry Home Team’”
F8. USE OF SOUND
1st Place: Matt Holzman, KCRW, “Remembering Columbia Square”
Judges’ comments: This was A-plus work and the clear winner.
2nd Place: Steven Cuevas, KPCC, “Iraq Veteran Puts Wartime Experience into Music”
Honorable Mention: Matt Holzman, KCRW, “The Business”
F9. TALK/PUBLIC AFFAIRS
1st Place: Warren Olney and Karen Radziner, KCRW, “Which Way, L.A? – Pedophiles, Parents and the Constitution”
Judges’ comments: This report presented a compelling discussion of a sensitive topic. The host and interviewees were careful with their facts and didn’t let the topic become sensationalized.
2nd Place: Larry Mantle, Linda Othenin-Girard, Jackie Oclarey, Mindy Steinman and Chumi Paul, KPCC, “AirTalk – Racially Motivated Gang Violence in South L.A.”
Judges’ comments: Another delicate handling of a sensitive subject tied to the news of the day.
Honorable Mention: Matt Miller, Arianna Huffington, Robert Scheer, Tony Blankley and Sarah Spitz, KCRW, “Left, Right & Center: CIA Tapes; Iran, No Nukes?”
Judges’ comments: With a panel not afraid to speak their mind, this round table discussion gave listeners a different look at the day’s news.
F10. DOCUMENTARIES
1st Place: Gerald Zelinger, KCRW, “Remembering Columbia Square”
Judges’ comments: Well-done documentary, with great use of new and archival sound.
2nd Place: Patt Morrison, Aimee Machado, Janice Watjer-Hurst, Jonathan Seniss, KPCC, “Recidivism: Ending the Vicious Cycle”
F11. NEWS BUREAU
1st Place: Warren Olney and Karen Radziner, KCRW, “House Votes”
Judge’s comments: This was a well-done news magazine, especially considering that it was a daily.
Tied with
1st Place: Catalina Island Conservancy, Isla Earth Radio Series
2nd Place: Warren Olney and Karen Radziner, KCRW, “Libby”
Honorable Mention: Warren Olney and Karen Radziner, KCRW, “Obama”
G. MAGAZINES
G1. NEWS/INVESTIGATIVE
1st Place: Kerry Howley, Reason Magazine, “Who Owns Your Body Parts?”
Judges’ comments: This story’s terrific lead drew you in with a revelation on how lucrative this business is. It fits the definition of a good expose.
2nd Place: Radley Balko, Reason Magazine, “CSI: Mississippi”
Honorable Mention: Vince Beiser, Tu Ciudad Magazine, “ U.S.-Born Children of Illegal Workers: A Moral Dilemma”
G2. FEATURE/COMMENTARY
1st Place: Jacob Sullum, Reason Magazine, “Thank Deng Xiaoping for Little Girls”
Judges’ comments: This engaging story mixes comprehensive, well-researched material with the author’s personal experiences and perspective.
2nd Place: Champ Clark, People Magazine, “Thumbs Up”
Honorable Mention: Matt Welch, Reason Magazine, “Be Afraid of President McCain”
G3. ENTERTAINMENT REVIEWS/CRITICISM/COLUMN
1st Place: Joe Woodward, Poets & Writers Magazine, “A Novelist’s Inner Poet”
Judges’ comments: Woodward has a wonderful knack for getting inside his subjects’ heads. His well-crafted, thorough piece took us into the home of Carol Muske-Dukes, setting the scene while skillfully weaving background material into the interview.
2nd Place: Joe Woodward, Poets & Writers Magazine, “His Soft Side”
Honorable Mention: Amy Sturgis, Reason Magazine, “Florida’s Forgotten Rebels”
G4. ENTERTAINMENT NEWS OR FEATURE
1st Place: Seth Lubove, Bloomberg News, “Star Struck”
Judges comments: This story provided a solid, behind-the-scenes look into a financial debacle that rocked Hollywood.
2nd Place: Brian Doherty, Reason Magazine, “Robert Heinlein at 100”
Honorable Mention: Amy Keith, People Magazine, “Fighting Autism with My Son”
G5. IN-HOUSE OR CORPORATE PUBLICATION
1st Place: Bryan Alexander and Lizz Leonard, People Magazine, “Insider’s Poll”
Judges’ comments: This special issue was entertaining, concise and served its audience well.
2nd Place: Jim Perry, United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, “The Los Angeles Firefighter”
Honorable Mention: Dave Wagner, Juan Carlos Sanchez, Eric Santiago, Los Angeles Firemen’s Relief Assn., The Firemen’s Grapevine”
G6. DESIGN
N/A
H. NEWS BUREAUS AND CORRESPONDENTS
H1. BREAKING NEWS
1st Place: Terri Vermeulen Keith, City News Service “Man Convicted of Murdering 10 Women Sentenced to Death”.
H2. INVESTIGATIVE/SERIES
1st Place: David Evans and Richard Tomlinson, Bloomberg News, “Subprime Mortgage-Tainted Investment Scandal”
Judges’ comments: A prescient package of reporting paved the way for this critical look at the national mortgage industry.
2nd Place: Jacob H. Soboroff, “Why Tuesday?”
H3. ENTERTAINMENT NEWS OR FEATURE
1st Place: Amy Keith, People Magazine, “Tyra Talks”
Judges’ comments: This well-written story keeps you reading with good color and detail. It reveals an unknown side of this celebrity.
2nd Place: Seth Lubove, Bloomberg News, “Poseidon Misadventure”
Honorable Mention: Lyndon Stambler, Emmy Magazine, “Where to Draw the Line?”
I. ONLINE
I1. NEWS STORY, FEATURE, SERIES OR PACKAGE
1st Place: Ken Ellingwood and Richard Boudreaux, Los Angeles Times, “40th Anniversary of 1967 Israel War”
Judges’ comments: This was an in-depth, comprehensive look at a situation that affects the world. It offered interesting videos and great photos and writing.
2nd Place: Staff, Los Angeles Daily News, “Coverage of Brush Fires”
Honorable Mention: Michael Collins and Denise Anne Duffield, EnviroReporter.com, “V.A. Nuclear Dump in Brentwood”
I2. MULTIMEDIA PACKAGE
1st Place: Anthea Raymond, Tony Co and, Gary Dauphin, National Public Radio, “Photo by Sammy Davis”
Judges’ comments: We didn’t want this package to end. The components complemented each other and provided a deeper understanding of an icon.
2nd Place: Drew Carey, Reason Online, “Medical Marijuana”
Honorable Mention: Rick Loomis and Hector Baccera, Los Angeles Times, “Gang Flash”
I3. COLUMN/COMMENTARY/CRITICISM
1st Place: Rip Rense, The Rip Post, “Miss Seipp”
Judges’ comments: This piece was engaging, witty, insightful and beautifully written. A true work of love.
2nd Place: Sandra Kobrin, Womensenews.org, “Beat a Woman? Play On; Beat a Dog? Your’re Gone
Honorable Mention: Ronald Bailey, Reason Online, “The Secrets of Intangible Wealth”
I4. DESIGN AND LAYOUT
1st Place: J. Craig Williams, Esq., “May It Please the Court”
Judges’ comments: Interesting to look at and easy to maneuver through, this site was packed with information.
2nd Place: Reason Online
I5. SPORTS NEWS/FEATURE/COMMENTARY
1st Place: Lonnie White, Los Angeles Times, “Possible Plays for Super Bowl XLI”
Judges’ comments: This was a great concept for online sports commentary, wonderfully executed.
I6. ENTERTAINMENT NEWS/FEATURE/COMMENTARY
1st Place: Nikki Finke, LA Weekly, “Morton’s: A Million Deals. Now a Wake.”
Judges’ comments: This was an interesting historical walk through Morton’s, showing what a powerful presence it was, spiced with vignettes of the personalities that made it so.
2nd Place: Staff, Los Angeles Times, “Hollywood Writers’ Strike”
I7A. BLOG – INDIVIDUAL
1st Place: Brad Greenberg, The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, “God Blog”
2nd Place: Amy Alkon, AdviceGoddess.com, “Tea & Crumpet/Know Your Death Threat”
Honorable Mention: Jill Leovy, Los Angeles Times, “The Homicide Report”
I7B. BLOG – GROUP
1st Place: Staff, OC Weekly, “Navel Gazing” (Sept. 20-21)
Judges’ comments: This blog covered a nice range of subjects, with sharp writing, It was analytical and interesting.
2nd Place: Nick Gillespie, Reason Online, “Hit and Run Blog”
Honorable Mention: Staff, Los Angeles Times, “Dustup”
I8. WEBSITE – ONLINE ONLY
1st Place: Eric Longabardi, Roger Scott, Steve Butler, ERSNews.com/The Enterprise Report”
Judges’ comments: The world needs more investigative reporters, and it’s refreshing to find those who have the patience, focus and fortitude to do the hard work.
2nd Place: Adam Rose and Zach Behrens, “LAist online”
Honorable Mention: Don Frederick and Andrew Malcolm, Los Angeles Times, “Top of the Ticket”
I9. WEBSITE – NEWS ORGANIZATION
1st Place: Nick Gillespie, Reason, “Reason Online”
Judges’ comments: The true marks of a successful website are graphics and functions that pull you in, then content that doesn’t easily let you go. Whenever we started to exit, something else would catch our eyes.
2nd Place: Ted Johnson, Variety, “www.WilshireandWashington.com”
Honorable Mention: Staff, Los Angeles Times, “LATimes.com”
J. INTERNATIONAL JOURNALISM
Print, radio, TV or Online
J1. HARD NEWS
1st Place: Joy Malbon, Adam Blair, Tom Walters, Caryn Lieberman, CTV News, “California Fires”
Judges’ comments: This was a searing report on a major disaster. From the opening footage – in which a man slips down a smoky hill while an off-camera voice yells “You OK?” – to the agonized faces of residents waiting to hear what happened to their homes, this work documents the devastation and shows the human toll.
J2. NEWS FEATURE
1st Place: Helena Groll, Swedish Broadcasting, “The Price of War”
Judges’ comments: This feature on brain-injured soldiers was devastating. Most heartbreaking was the small, weak voice of a first lieutenant, whose labored attempts to answer a reporter’s questions brought home the cost of the Iraq war.
2nd Place: Gry Winther, TV2, “Arlington Memorial”
Judges’ comments: Most effective in this piece, on an anti-war memorial made from more than 3,000 crosses, was an interview with a woman who bent down, kissed items she left on her son’s cross and wondered how many more soldiers would be lost..
Honorable Mention: Gry Winther, TV2, “Waiting for a Quiet Revolution”
Judge’s comments: This feature on Westwood’s “Little Tehran” neighborhood revealed the complex emotions and tortured past of these new Americans.
J3. ENTERTAINMENT NEWS OR FEATURE
1st Place: Tom Walters, CTV News, “Price is Right”
Judges’ comments: Mining archival footage on the occasion of Bob Barker’s retirement from his long-running gig as host of “The Price is Right,” Tom Walters crafts a proper send-off for a true American phenomenon.
2nd Place: Michael O’Sullivan, Voice of America, “Munchkins”
Judges’ comments: Hearing the elated (and now very old) voices of the Little People who played such crucial roles in “The Wizard of Oz” was an unexpectedly stirring experience.
Honorable Mention: Tom Tugend, The International Jerusalem Post, “I Just Met a Girl Named Fatima”
Judges’ comments: This lively tale of Ari Sandel’s Oscar-winning “West Side Story” treatment of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict covered a humorous approach to one of the world’s toughest problems.
J4. COLUMN/COMMENTARY/REVIEW
1st Place: Tom Tugend, The International Jerusalem Post, “Who’s a hero?”
Judges’ comments: This thoughtful and excellently written commentary was a strong reminder of our culture’s tendency to cheapen even the most important things.
2nd Place: Diana Ljungaeus, Resume, “Mr. Brooks Review”
Judges’ comments: This review of a standard thriller went deep to reveal a culture in which murder is a popular amusement, even as some may be unwilling to seriously debate the war in Iraq or genocide in Darfur.
Honorable Mention: Tom Walters, CTV, “Jamie Lynn Spears”
K. STUDENT JOURNALISM
K1. NEWSPAPER
1st Place: Brentwood Flyer
Judges’ comments: This newspaper had solid design, a good choice of photos and relevant, interesting articles.
2nd Place: LA Collegian
K2. WEBSITE OR BLOG
1st Place: Patrick Becker and Katherine Riese, Annenberg TV News, “ATVN.org”
Judges’ comments: This website had a good variety of news and features and was easy to navigate.
K3. BROADCAST – RADIO
N/A
K4. BROADCAST – TV:
1st Place: Annenberg TV News Staff, “Your Health and Wellness”
Judges’ comments: This was slick and well-written, with solid talent and stories.
2nd Place: Annenberg TV News Staff , “10/22,10/23, 11/05, 11/06”
Judges’ comments: These shows had good information, looked good and made great use of graphics.
Honorable Mention: Ana-Luisa Gallo, “School Truancy”
Judges’ comments: This was a well-produced entry, with touching interviews and good information on a troubling issue.
K5. REPORT – PRINT
1st Place: Giuliana Repetti, Brentwood Flyer, “Little Women”
Judges’ comments: The reporter made keen observations, asked relevant questions and used good quotes to tell her story.
2nd Place: Justin Ostroff and Abby Zeltser, Brentwood Flyer, “Writers’ Strike: Students Take Sides on the Latest Hollywood Dispute”
Honorable Mention: Arianna Hanson-Ashkar, Brentwood Flyer, “School Surveys Bullying”
The God Blog Is The Best Blog
Brad A. Greenberg, Top Blogger
I just got back from the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, downtown, where Brad A. Greenberg’s The God Blog, published here at JewishJournal.com, was named best individual weblog at the Fiftieth Anniversary Los Angeles Press Club awards banquet.
I txt msg’d Brad (I think he is gambling in Vegas) with the news and he msg’d back that he was ‘shocked!’
We’re not shocked; we love Brad and we love The God Blog.
Mazal tov, bro, you deserve it!
Posted by The Web Guy in 0 Comments — Leave your comment
Read MoreJewish LA Resources
Synagogues:
Aish HaTorah – Los Angeles
Anshe Emes
Bais Bezalel
Beth Jacob Cong of Beverly Hills
Beth Jacob of Irvine
Calabasas Shul
Cong. HaShalom
Congregation Joseph Jacob Abraham
Etz Jacob
Happy Minyan
Israeli Chabad
Jewish Learning Exchange
Jews for Judaism
Kehillas Yaakov
Knesset Israel Cong.
Merkaz Kollel
Mogen David
Pacific Jewish Center
Shaarei Tefila
Sharei Zedek
Torah Ohr
Toras Hashem
Torat Hayim
Westwood Kehilla
Young Israel of Century City
Young Israel of Hancock Park
Young Israel-Los Angeles
Young Israel-Northridge
Young Israel-Venice (Torah Learning Center)
Religious Organizations:
Aish Tamid
Agudath Israel – Los Angeles
Arachim
Bais Chana of California
California Torah Connection
Chai Center
Jewish Studies Institute
Jewish Women’s Events
Kol Neshama – Women’s Drama Conservatory
Los Angeles Community Eruv
NCSY – West Coast
Ohr Somayach
Orthodox Union
Orthodox Union (West Coast)
Project NextStep
Restaurants
A Cow Jumped Over The Moon
Cafe Eilat
Delice Bistro
Fish Grill
La Gondola
Milk N Honey
Pat’s
Pico Cafe
Schwartz Bakery
Shanghai Diamond Garden
Shiloh’s
Temptation Prime Bar & Grill
Schools:
Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy
Shalhevet
Yavneh
Yeshiva of Los Angeles
Yeshiva Ohr Eliyahu
Singles:
Social Services:
Aleinu (Jewish Family Services)
Bikur Cholim
Etta Israel Center
Jewish Community Library of L.A.
Beating The Heat
So if anyone needs to be told to avoid running or other aerobic activity outdoors in the hottest part of the day and to stay well-hydrated, we’re here for you. Avoid running or other aerobic activity in the hottest part of the day and stay well-hydrated.
For more such basics, go to the Mayo Clinic, which — perhaps more important — includes links to first-aid basics for heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Then check out this listen-to-your-body advice from U.S. News & World Report. It’s both practical and relevant to exercisers who don’t want to stay indoors. And, adds writer Katherine Hobson, the good news is that over time you’ll get used to the heat.
To learn how to use urine as a diagnostic tool in assessing your body’s ability to cope with heat and exercise, go to the Body Shop at revolutionhealth. Blogger Carol Torgan also includes a link to a recipe for making your own re-hydration drink. It’s a cool concept, but I think that funky lemon-lime flavor is gonna be hard to beat.
And, as a bonus, here’s what totalhair says about exercising outdoors if you have long hair.
Read MoreNextbook Comes To LA
They’re having a festival at UCLA June 29.
Here’s the one thing I’m interested in:
Writers Shalom Auslander and Daphne Merkin consider the therapist’s couch as a particularly Jewish space, from Freud and the origins of psychoanalysis to Woody Allen and In Treatment to their own musings on the “Jewish science.” They are joined in conversation by Joanna Smith Rakoff, editor of nextbook.org.
Shalom Auslander is the author of the critically acclaimed short story collection Beware of God and the memoir Foreskin’s Lament, a New York Times Notable Book for 2007. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, Esquire, The New York Times and The New York Times Magazine. He is a regular contributor to nextbook.org and public radio’s This American Life.
Daphne Merkin is the author of a novel, Enchantment, which won the Edward Lewis Wallant Award for best work of American-Jewish fiction, as a well as the non-fiction collection Dreaming of Hitler. She has published fiction, reviews, and essays in The New Yorker, The New Republic, The New Leader, American Scholar, and The New York Times Book Review. She has also contributed to numerous anthologies, ranging from Women On Divorce: A Bedside Companion to Out of the Garden: Women Writers on the Bible. She is a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, where she writes on matters of sex, style, and culture.
Joanna Smith Rakoff is Editor in Chief of nextbook.org. Her novel, Brooklyn, is forthcoming from Scribner in 2009. She has written for The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, Vogue, and many other publications.
Unemployment Jumps In LA
The jobless rate in L.A. County was 6.7 percent in May, up sharply from the revised 5.9 percent level in April – and, it would be fair to say, quite a bit higher than what had been expected (month-to-month increases of 0.8 percent are unusually large). The statewide rate was 6.8 percent, up from 6.2 percent in April. The U.S. unemployment rate was 5.5 percent, a 0.5 percent bump. Now it should be noted that the jobless figures can be a little funky this time of year for various seasonal reasons. And economists like UCLA’s Ed Leamer are clearly looking for some revisions. But for now, the number is the number. Here’s how Leamer described the U.S. jobless rate in the just-out Anderson Forecast:
That May increase in the unemployment rate to 5.5 from 5.0 has shocked Wall Street and me too. That 5.5 is the only number I know that is clearly in the recession range. And just when I was about ready to take a victory lap, carrying my no-recession banner! Now we have to spend valuable time decoding the message in that datum, and try to repair the damage this number has done to our no-recession idea, if we can.
[CUT]
What is really strange about this figure is that the March, April and May points lie along a straight line. It’s as if the government statisticians were trying to torment me, so they decided to double reverse the improvements that had occurred from March to April. I cannot for the life of me fi gure out what feature of the data collection or the seasonal adjustment would lead to this outcome, but it is sure strange.
A separate payroll survey shows a decline of 3,200 jobs in L.A. County last month. Construction and manufacturing took big hits, both from April and May 2007. But the entertainment sector picked up 2,100 jobs from April. Here’s the report.
Read MoreYU Chancellor Richard Joel Cancels On Bnai David
Richard Joel was to be the scholar in residence at Bnai David last weekend.
He cancelled and has made no plans to reschedule.
Read MoreBuy Your Eggs At Wallgreens
Eggs are $1.50 at Walgreens right now. You should buy a dozen for yourself.
Eggs are now about $4 at the grocery store so this is a good deal.
Read MoreA Tale Of Two Laundromats
The one on Airdrome and Robertson is “ghetto,” say my lady friends who prefer the whitebread one on Cashio and Robertson.
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How To Stay Cool In Pico/Rob
I must truly love the Jewish Journal. I just walked half a mile to the Robertson branch of the LAPL to pick up a print edition.
The library is a great place to stay cool during hot days.
Another favorite hangout of mine in the summer is the Starbucks on Pico/Robertson. Iced tea refills are only 50c.
Read MoreJewish Living Magazine Profiles America’s Top Ten Jewish Neighborhoods
Lisa Alcalay Klug writes for Jewish Living magazine:
7. Pico-Robertson, Los Angeles
For decades, Jews have congregated near where Pico Boulevard meets Robertson Boulevard in West L.A. Of late, the community has grown exponentially, yet it still gives off the comforting sense that you are among brethren. Clustered within a mile-long strip between Beverly Drive to the west and La Cienega Boulevard to the east are a slew of synagogues, kosher markets, and eateries from fast food to fine dining. There are also Judaica stores, wig and dress shops, countless schools—even, a few blocks farther, the Museum of Tolerance and Simon Wiesenthal Center.
Most shuls are Orthodox, with every variation represented from Persian Chabad to the Carlebachian Happy Minyan, which meets in a Jewish-owned karate dojo. There are both old-school frum-from-birthers and a growing wave of ba’alei tshuva, newly observant returners to the faith who congregate at Aish HaTorah and several Modern Orthodox shuls. Housing is relatively expensive: Glamorous Beverly Hills starts one block north, and Beverlywood, an equally exclusive area, begins several blocks south; in between are “modest million-dollar homes,” small in size but big in price, as well as apartments popular with singles and young families.
- At-a-Glance Essentials:
- Epicenter: Roughly the intersection of Pico and Robertson boulevards.
- Downside: Pico is a somewhat unsightly boulevard that becomes highly congested during peak hours. Smart shoppers avoid the pre-Shabbat rush.
- Contacts:
The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles (www.jewishla.org)
L.A. Jewish Guide (www.lajewishguide.com) - More: Click here (PDF) for further information on this neighborhood.
Pico/Robertson Is A Top Jewish Neighborhood
The Jewish Journal writes June 19:
California had two neighborhoods listed among the top 10 Jewish neighborhoods in North America. North/West Berkeley and Pico-Robertson made the list compiled by Jewish Living magazine.
The magazine, in a story written by Lisa Alcalay Klug, said size and amenities were not the only criteria.
“We have identified neighborhoods across the continent that are growing, rebuilding, reinventing themselves, unifying their disparate parts and exploring our traditions in unconventional ways,” Klug wrote.
Other communities on the list are Aventura, Fla.; Boulder, Colo.; Lower Merion, Pa.; McGill Ghetto, Montreal; North Dallas, Texas; SoHo/TriBeCa in New York City; University City in St. Louis, Mo.; and West Seattle, Wash.
Read MoreKosher Water
You can’t have too much of a good thing.
The Pico-Robertson neighborhood is the spiritual, cultural and commercial center of L.A.’s Modern Orthodox community.
There are schools, shuls, David Suissa, and, of course, fools, Miriam and Shoshana, and now, it seems the Hood is the world headquarters of a new kosher water bottling enterprise, Mizmor Kosher Water.
Bloggish co-blogger Jay Firestone wrote about Mizmor here.
Until I heard about Mizmor I had no idea water could be kosher — or un-kosher for that matter. I had to turn to the WWW to research it for myself. Yes, Google is my Rebbe. 
Sure enough, the Orthdox Union is on the case. Teeny weeny shellfish like critters could be in your water and they’re too small to see. Ergo, don’t drink the tap water in New York City
— filter it first.
And it’s the OU that certifies the Mizmor mayim, as we learn in VideoJew Jay Firestone’s video, in which he tests the water, so to speak.
Read MoreWikipedia On Pico-Robertson
South Robertson (also Pico-Robertson[1]) is a Los Angeles neighborhood south of Beverly Hills. The commercial district along Robertson is sometimes called SoRo Village.[2]. It is served by zip codes 90034 and 90035, and a local neighborhood council. It is generally bordered by Whitworth Drive on the north, Sawyer Street on the south, La Cienega Boulevard on the east, and Hillcrest Country Club on the west.
[edit] Education
Part of the Los Angeles Unified School District, the neighborhood is served by Canfield, Crescent Heights, Shenandoah, and Castle Heights elementary schools and Emerson Middle School. The high school for the South Robertson neighborhood is Hamilton High School. The magnet school Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES) is in the nearby Faircrest Heights neighborhood.
[edit] Jewish Community
According to Los Angeles’ Jewish Deaf Community Center, “The Jewish community in the Pico/Robertson area is a very close-knit community.” [1]
The neighborhood features at least ten strictly kosher restaurants, including delis, [[Chinese, Italian and Mexican restaurants, a donut shop, a frozen yogurt shop, bakeries, and butchers. The community features the Los Angeles Mikvah and several Jewish day schools and Yeshivas. The Chabad community operates two schools, Bais Chaya Mushka and Bais Chana, both of which are on Pico Boulevard. Yeshiva University High School has campuses on both South Robertson Boulevard and West Pico Boulevard, in the heart of the Pico-Robertson Jewish community.
The community overall has a wide variety of Jewish denominational groups. In recent years, the Orthodox community has especially grown. This is evident in the growth of the Hasidic community. According to Chabad [2], the Hasidic movement has seven centers in the immediate Pico-Robertson area, including the two high schools, four synagogues, and a community center. The Orthodox Union reports that there are nine Orthodox synagogues in the area. [3]
[edit] References
Read MoreCalling Pico-Robertson
This is my first post on my new site devoted to covering Pico/Robertson in the zip code 90035.
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