By Mary Getlein They called Patty Warivonchik, “Blue Bus Patty,” until her bus burst into flames in the Ralph’s parking lot. She lost everything she owned in the fire. Then a camper was given to her and she lived in that for 11 years. I saw her at the Westminster school meeting about what to...
By Greta Cobar As we are celebrating the 100th Anniversary of The International Women’s day this March 8, let’s look around us and see where women stand this day and age in our society. California Democrat congresswoman Jackie Speier gave an emotional speech February 19 in Congress against the amendment passed by the House to...
On that day, mostly women garment workers were locked into their workplace on the eighth, ninth and 10th floors as usual. On March 25, a fire broke out. The Fire Dempartment arrived, but their ladders only reached to the sixth floor. Sixty-two workers jumped to their deaths to avoid being burned to death. A man...
By Lynne Bronstein What year is this? 2011? Was it only back in 1963 that Betty Friedan wrote The Feminine Mystique? If you look at television (or movies or magazines) you would never know that all this time has passed. It’s the 1950s except for the technology. To wit: here’s a TV ad for a...
Jane Harman, congressional representative for Venice and the 36th district, has abandoned her position, effective Feb. 28. Gov. Jerry Brown was expected to announce a special election to replace her. The election will likely be held on June 7, in conjunction with several budget initiative that will be on the ballot. At least three Venice...
By Jackie Goldberg On March 8, there will be almost “secret” Municipal and local elections throughout California. Many important issues will be decided, city council members, school board members and community college board members will be elected, and only about 15 percent of those eligible to vote, will cast ballots, mostly by mail. Your vote...
By Krista Schwimmer March is designated “Women’s History Month”, a designation that began first as a week. In 1978, the “Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission On the Status of Women” started a Women’s History Week, choosing the week of March 8 to coincide with International Women’s Day. The idea caught on. So,...
By DeDe Audet Living, working, and playing here in Venice gives us environmentalists more in common with the California Delta than it is comfortable to think about. I am no exception. It gives me great pleasure to respond to criticism by saying “I have been saving water, power, and nonrenewable fuel by taking two-minute showers,...
By CJ Gronner For years I’ve sent people to what I believe is the best book store – for sure in Los Angeles, but maybe even the country – Small World Books. I’ve loved it so long, but just finally got to sit down with owner Mary Goodfader and hear about how they came to...
By Mary Lou Johnson Come on, come all All you hippies, have a ball! Now’s the time, today’s the day Lose your blues, pay no dues Style your life, discard your shoes. In the process of a much needed desk cleanup, I came upon the above piece of doggerel jammed in the back of a drawer....