Santa Monica, a Lifelong Learning Community


Lifelong Learning Community News - October 2006...

Well, another month is beginning with people leaving who have made significant contributions to our lifelong learning community.... It is no exaggeration to say that Change Is Constant!!!

After 20 years with SMMUSD, Ilene Straus has accepted a position as Assistant Superintendent with the Beverly Hills School District. Under Dr. Straus' leadership, both Lincoln Middle School and Samohi made significant gains in standardized test scores while improving organization, communication, instruction, personalization, and accountability for students and their families. Dr. Straus lives in Santa Monica so she will continue to be a part of our lifelong learning community while she dedicates her professional skills to improving public education in Beverly Hills.

Carolyn Sackariason, founder and editor of the Santa Monica Daily Press for the past 5 years has announced that she is stepping down and will be leaving Santa Monica, at least for the time being. She has done a great job in making a go of the paper, something very difficult to do in today's market. I begin every day by reading the Daily Press and also the online daily paper, SurfsideSantaMonica.com. The Daily Press will continue under the direction of new editor Michael Tittinger. Good luck Carolyn! Come back and visit.

NEW Theatre Arts Building at SMC debuts with EVITA!
The Santa Monica College Theatre Arts Department is inaugurating their new, very cool looking $17 million facility with a production of Evita, the Tony Award-winning Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice smash Broadway musical. Evita is the story of Eva Peron, an ambitious actress who married Juan Peron, the ruler of Argentina, and won the country's love and support before her early death in 1952 at the age of 33. The original Broadway production won seven Tony awards, including "Best Musical."
Friday, October 13 through Sunday, October 22
Evita

SMC, Main Stage of the new Theatre Arts Building
1900 Pico Boulevard
Friday and Saturday shows, 8pm
Sunday performances, 2pm
additional 2pm matinee on Saturday, October 21
TicKets $20 general admission, $18 for non-SMC students and senior citizens, $15 for SMC students and employees. Please call (310) 434- 3000 or go to http://www.smc.edu/theatre.

Candidate and Ballot Measure Forums
The November 7th election is fast approaching with absentee ballots going out October 9th. The League of Women Voters of Santa Monica is sponsoring a series of forums for the public to help us become informed voters. For information on the forums, please visit http://www.LWVsantamonica.org/calendar.html

For the CityTV election coverage schedule, check http://www.citytv.org/

The City Clerk also has information posted on candidates and ballot measures at http://santa-monica.org/cityclerk/Election2006/electioninfo.htm

Here's a listing of the October Forums:

Thursday, October 5, 6:30- 9:00pm
City Council Candidates Forum on Santa Monica Airport Issues

Ken Edwards Center
1527- 4th St.
The forum is free to the public, and members of the public will also have an opportunity to ask questions.

Concerned Residents Against Air Pollution, supported by the Board of Friends of Sunset Park and the North Westdale Neighborhood Association, is presenting this forum, (not the League of Women Voters.) It will focus on: Environmental issues (including air quality), Noise, Safety, and other Quality-of-life issues. For more information, contact Martin Rubin by e-mail at jetairpollution@earthlink.net, by phone at 310-479-2529, or check the website www.jetairpollution.com

Monday, October 9, 7pm,
LWV Forum: State and local ballot measures

Montana Avenue Branch Library (Montana & 17th)
Free. The public is urged to attend!

Tuesday, October 10, 6pm
LWV Forum: Candidates for Rent Board, College Board. and School Board
SMMUSD District Offices

1651-16th Street
Free and open to the public.
6:00pm -- Rent Control Board candidates forum
7:15pm -- SMC Board of Trustees candidates forum
8:30pm -- Board of Education candidates forum

This evening's forum will be taped for replay.

Tuesday, October 17, 7pm,
Forum: City Council Candidates

Santa Monica City Hall, Council Chambers
1685 Main Street
Free and open to the public.
This will be broadcast live on CityTV and taped for reply.

Community Voices 2006
The City of Santa Monica is learning more about the needs and interests of residents of Santa Monica as part of a community-wide process known as Community Voices 2006.

Community Voices 2006 provides public input that will inform the Human Services effort to update and identify new needs and trends as the City plans for the future. The process includes survey questions and focus groups to determine specific needs of seniors - both current and future - and families with childcare and after-school activity needs. Please participate in one or all of these ways:

Take the online Community Voices 2006 survey at
http://santa-monica.org/hsd/communityvoices.htm

Attend a community discussion group. You must register to attend. Call 310-458-8701 or email Human Services at humanservices.mailbox@smgov.net
The remaining dates are:

Tuesday, October 3rd, 6:30 pm
Community Voices Discussion Group
McKinley Elementary, Room B-4
2401 Santa Monica Boulevard
(especially for parents of Elementary School children)

Saturday, October 7th, 10:30 am
Community Voices Discussion Group
Santa Monica Swim Center
Santa Monica College (the pool is adjacent to 16th Street and Bay)
1900 Pico Boulevard
(for Baby Boomers, 41-62 years of age)

Tuesday, October 10th, 6:30 pm
Community Voices Discussion Group
Santa Monica Main Public Main Library
601 Santa Monica Boulevard
(for Baby Boomers, 41-62 years of age)

Here are just a FEW of the many other special October events that you can find posted on the Lifelong Learning Community Calendar at www.smllc.org/calendar.html

Sunday, October 8, 7:30pm
Santa Monica Symphony, Allen Gross, conductor

Pre-concert talk at 6:30pm with Raymond Knapp
Allen Gross, conductor
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
1855 Main Street, on the corner of Pico Blvd. and Main Street,
FREE, open seating, no tickets required. Parking at the Civic is $8.00 per car.

Program features Dvorák: Carnival Overture, Op. 92; Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466; Shostakovich: Symphony No. 9 in E Flat Major, Op. 70
For more information on The Santa Monica Symphony, please go to http://www.smsymphony.org/

Thursday, October 12, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m
"An Evening with John W. Dean"

Santa Monica Main Public Library, Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium
601 Santa Monica Boulevard.
Free. All ages are welcome.
Tickets for Auditorium seating will be distributed in the Main Library's courtyard lobby one hour prior to the event. One ticket per person and guests will need to be on hand to receive a ticket. Seating is first come, first served. A live video feed of the program will be available in the Main Library's Multipurpose Room for those unable to get an Auditorium ticket. All guests will be welcome at the book signing following Mr. Dean's talk.

Mr. Dean will discuss his latest best-selling, non-fiction book, Conservatives Without Conscience. Started over ten years ago between Dean and the late Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater as a joint inquiry into what was happening to conservatism, Dean's book eventually evolved into an exploration of the motivations behind the radical conservative political movement. Conservatives Without Conscience is not a partisan work, but rather that of a ÒGoldwater conservativeÓ distressed by today's conservatism.
A book sale and signing will follow Mr. Dean's talk.
For more information about this free public program, contact the Santa Monica Public Library at (310) 458-8600; or visit the Library's web site at www.smpl.org.

Friday, October 13, 7pm
Native Americans & Religious Freedom: "An Evening with Dr. Huston Smith"

Santa Monica College Main Campus, Concert Hall
1900 Pico Blvd.
Free. Seating is on a first-arrival basis, and parking is free.

The Santa Monica College Associates and University of California Press are pleased to present "An Evening with Dr. Huston Smith," the world-renowned religious scholar who will speak on his body of work and his latest book, A Seat at the Table, which covers the Native American struggle for religious freedom.

Smith is the author of The Religions of Man, which has been translated into 12 languages and is considered the seminal textbook on comparative religion; producer of award-winning documentary films on Sufism, Hinduism, and Tibetan Buddhism; and the subject of "The Wisdom of Faith with Huston Smith," a five-part PBS series hosted by Bill Moyers.
A book signing will follow the lecture, and books will be available for purchase.
For more information, please call (310) 434-4303.

Sunday, October 15, 10am - 6pm
Pico Artists at Work
An art walk along Pico Boulevard and at Virginia Avenue Park
Free
This first ever event presented by the Pico Improvement Organization showcases the many artistic enterprises and activities that happen along Pico Boulevard. Galleries and artists will offer demonstrations, educational materials and promotional items in addition to art work for sale. Shuttle vans will make stops at centralized locations. Virginia Avenue Park will host varoud arts organizations and a performance venue. For more information, please call 310-449-1444

Sunday, October 15, 2-4pm
Landmarks Tour
Meet at the parking lot of the DMV
2235 Colorado Avenue
Plan to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to departure.
Seating is limited to just 49 persons. Sorry, no walk-ins or young children permitted.
$25 for Santa Monica Conservancy members, $30 for non-members, $40 for joining-members.
For more information and to purchase your tickets, please go to http://www.smconservancy.org/mtpages/events.shtml

The Santa Monica Conservancy is sponsoring this tour of timeless landmarks of historic Santa Monica. Join USC architecture professor Ken Breisch for a lively tour full of education and entertainment aboard a comfortable Big Blue Bus. The tour route offers an overview of the most beautiful and fascinating historic sites in Santa Monica. A tour book is provided.

Sunday, October 15, 2-5pm
Elect Louise Campaign Open House Party!

1121 Grant Street
I won't be able to attend any of the other amazing events today because I'm hosting an open house. If you support my campaign for a seat on the SMC Board of Trustees, please stop by and pick up a lawn sign. Bring your address book and neighborhood roster to sign and address preprinted Elect Louise postcards to your friends and neighbors. We'll have refreshments and it should be fun. Everyone is welcome!

Tuesday, October 17, 7pm- 9pm
An Evening with Marcia Wallace
Santa Monica Main Public Library, Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium
601 Santa Monica Boulevard.
Free
Join the Santa Monica Public Library for an evening of fun with Emmy®-winning comedic actress Marcia Wallace. Ms. Wallace is famous for her roles as receptionist Carol Kester on The Bob Newhart Show, grade school teacher Edna Krabappel on The Simpsons, and multiple appearances on the 1970s game show classic Match Game. Ms. Wallace will discuss her autobiography, "Don't Look Back, We're Not Going That Way," and share how she has maintained her ability to laugh at life despite some of the difficult challenges it has thrown in her path, including breast cancer, a nervous breakdown, early widowhood, the loss of her home to fire, struggles with weight, and menopausal single motherhood. I've read "Don't Look Back, We're Not Going That Way" and I can't remember ever laughing and crying so much --- especially at the same time!!!
A book sale and signing will follow Ms. Wallace's talk.
The Library is proud to be partnering with the Los Angeles Breast Cancer Alliance (LABCA) to present this event, which falls during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For more information on LABCA, please visit their website at: www.labca.org.
For more information about this free public program, contact the Santa Monica Public Library at (310) 458-8600; or visit the Library's web site at www.smpl.org.

Sunday, October 29
Westside Food Bank's Annual Hunger Walk
Registration begins 11:30am
Opening Ceremonies 1:15pm, Walk Begins 1:30pm
Santa Monica High School, Science Quad
(Parking off Michigan between 7th and Lincoln)
For more information on the Westside Food Bank and to make and obtain pledges, please go to www.westsidefoodbankca.org

And SAVE THIS DATE!
Tuesday, November 7, 7am-8pm
Statewide General Election
Check your sample ballot for polling places, or call 800-345-VOTE, or visit www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_d.htm

There are MANY more wonderful lifelong learning events scheduled this month. Please be sure to check out the Lifelong Learning Community Calendar at http://smllc.org/calendar.html

That's all for now.

Thanks, Cheers, and Onward,
Louise Jaffe
www.smllc.org


Please note that Lifelong Learning Community Links include many local theatrical companies – listed under "Local Museums and Special Venues" as well as other useful websites. Please use these links to stay abreast of these wonderful local organizations. Links can be found at http://smllc.org/links.html

Thank you for forwarding this email to others who may be interested.

If you would like to receive Lifelong Learning Community eNews, please go to http://smllc.org/subscribe.html

To be removed from this E-mail list, simply reply to LCJaffe@aol.com and ask to be removed.


For more information about the Lifelong Learning Community, contact

Louise Jaffe
lcjaffe@aol.com
310-450-2487


HOMEPAGE

CALENDAR

LLC LINKS

NEWSLETTER 


CALL TO ACTION

GOALS FOR A
MASTER PLAN


IMPORTANT RESEARCH

INFORM US

SUBSCRIBE

USE OUR LOGO


January 2005 Newsletter
February 2005 Newsletter
March 2005 Newsletter
April 2005 Newsletter
May 2005 Newsletter
June 2005 Newsletter
July 2005 Newsletter
August 2005 Newsletter
September 2005 Newsletter
October 2005 Newsletter
November 2005 Newsletter
December 2005 Newsletter


January 2006 Newsletter
February 2006 Newsletter
March 2006 Newsletter
April 2006 Newsletter
May 2006 Newsletter
June 2006 Newsletter
July 2006 Newsletter
August 2006 Newsletter
September 2006 Newsletter
October 2006 Newsletter