Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words

Articles written by Mary Leipziger


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  • Nike Turns Australian Kangaroos Into Running Shoes, Group Alleges in Protest Outside the Nike Store in Santa Monica

    Mary Leipziger, Observer Senior Staff Writer|Jul 15, 2022

    7/9/22 a protest outside the Nike Store in Santa Monica demonstrate against the shoe giant’s continued use of kangaroo skin in soccer cleats. "Nike is one of the biggest buyers of kangaroo skins used in soccer cleats," wrote " said the Center for a Humane Economy in a press release it released with Los Angeles for Animals. "In New South Wales alone, more than 40,000 kangaroos are killed every month (even during Covid lockdown) solely for this commercial purpose. There are no farmed kangaroos, a...

  • Trade Your Junk For Gas, One Local Junkyard Owner Offers Los Angeles County Customers

    Mary Leipziger, Senior Staff Writer|Jun 27, 2022

    Errol Segal says he will give out a free $20 gas card in exchange for 3000 LBS of paper, cardboard or metal. Segal, a nice Jewish boy from Chicago, issued the following press release: Almost every day the price of gas is going up but people who recycle scrap iron, tin, cardboard, newspaper and haul trash can get a free $20 gas card once their weight tickets add up to 3000 lbs. at Active Recycling Co., Inc. 2000 West Slauson Ave Los Angeles, CA 90047 (3 blocks west of Western Ave) Open "7" Days...

  • Protest of the Tigray War At the Federal Building in Westwood.

    Mary Leipziger, Observer Staff Writer|Mar 11, 2021

    A protest of the Tigray War took place at the Federal Building in Westwood Saturday. The conflict over a semitic ethnic minority in Eritrea, has led to accusations of war crimes against both sides. The Tigray War is an ongoing armed conflict that began around midnight of 3–4 November 2020 in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. It is between the Tigray Regional Government, led by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), and the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) aided by the Ethiopian F...

  • St. Monica's Catholic Church quietly Provides Thanksgiving Food and Supplies for All Comers

    Mary Leipziger, Senior Observer Reporter|Nov 30, 2020

    St Monica's Catholic Church couldn't provide its annual Thanksgiving dinner for those in need, due to the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic and the Los Angeles County Health shutdown. So instead, Wednesday on the grounds of St Monica's High School, guests in need were given a boxed Thanksgiving dinner, warm clothes and toiletries. Their temperatures were taken, hand sanitizers were supplied and guests were requested to stand 6' apart. The event took place on Wednesday afternoon at St. Monica's on...

  • Guard-a-Heart Offers Free Covid Antibody Testing to the Community at Calvary Baptist Church

    Mary Leipziger, Senior Staff Reporter|Nov 30, 2020

    Medical staff in the parking lot at the Calvary Baptist Church on 20th Street in Santa Monica, tested about 600 people for Coronavirus antibodies, during a free event from November 19-21. Guard-a-heart has previously provided this service to members of the community, at the Baldwin Crenshaw Mall. One reason to go to the church is its easy access. Also many doctors are hesitant to test patients, especially if they are asymptomatic as to Covid-19. First the woman takes your temperature even if...

  • Day of the Dead Memorial Held at Woodlawn Cemetery in Santa Monica

    Mary Leipziger, Observer Senior Writer|Nov 9, 2020

    Woodlawn Cemetery is owned and operated by the City of Santa Monica. Anyone who drives by the neighborhood of 14th and Pico can see that it's a cemetery. There is a long list of celebrities who's eternal resting place is there. Among the forgotten people famous in their day who are buried there, are "Our Gang" acting twins, Winston and Weston Doty. Tragically, they died in a flood, at only 19 years of age. They were college students at USC when they died in a New Years Eve flood at the end of...

  • Dozens of Local Ballots Found in Trash Bin, Alleges SM City Council Candidate

    Mary Leipziger, Senior Staff Photographer.|Oct 14, 2020

    Oscar de la Torre, the often outspoken candidate for Santa Monica City Council alleges that dozens of ballots were found in a trash can. He has called a press conference for 3 pm Wednesday. We sent our most senior staff photographer, Mary Leipziger, to attend. "A young man in a chartreuse jacket said came home from work at 4 AM Thursday October 8. (He would not give me his name, nor some photos he says he has). He is a local resident, and found his neighbors congregating in an alley between...

  • Massage Parlor Reopens in Santa Monica, But This time The Action is on the Street For All to See

    Mary Leipziger, Senior Staff Writer|Sep 21, 2020

    Who are those masked men and women massaging backs and feet on Wilshire Blvd? We sent our most senior photographer to find out. After a 6 month closure mandated by Governor Newsom because of Covid 19, The Bao Foot Spa reopened several weeks ago. A small comfortable spa works out bodily kinks using massages on the back,neck,feet, calves and hands. It has set up two outside stations on Wilshire Blvd at Euclid. It has been in that location (Euclid and Wilshire) for 5 years. Piran Zarisan, the...

  • Life in Santa Monica Returns to Normal, Sort Of, as Coronavirus Pandemic Rules Ease a Little

    Mary Leipziger, Observer Senior Writer|Aug 30, 2020

    Most Santa Monica residents are trying to obey Gov. Newson suggestions about interacting with people, wearing masks and flattening the curve, during this pandemic crisis. One of his dictums was that beauty/barber shops were allowed to work if their services were outside. So the Santa Monica Beauty and Barber shop set out two chairs on Wilshire Blvd at 20th street and gave people haircuts. The beauty shop on Main Street and Hill has outdoor tables which do manicures. Many Montana Ave restaurants...

  • Rip City Suddenly Has a Near Monopoly on Skateboard Stores in Santa Monica

    Mary Leipziger, Observer Staff Writer|Aug 24, 2020

    Jim McDowell and William Poncher were very serious when they opened RIP CITY - a skateboard shop at 2709 Santa Monica Blvd on April 1, 1978--April Fools Day . They were semi retired , and had come to California in the 1960's . Skateboarding began as a sport in Santa Monica in the 1970's and their shop was at the end point of Route 66, which began in Chicago and snaked its way across the country. They do not advertise, but yesterday a middle aged man from Minnesota, a family with 3 children and...

  • Life at Costco has Changed. Not entirely for the good.

    Mary Leipziger, Observer Senior Writer|Aug 16, 2020

    Life has changed. Usually Sunday a parking space at Costco was golden- you had to walk to one edge of the lot to find one, but not any more. I found one in aisle A Getting into the building before the virus was on axis- straight through the door. Now management has set up metal barriers- three in parallel formation. You pick up a shopping cart, that has been sanitized with spray and enter the facility along the front wall edge-. where you are counted at the doorway. There are many signs,...

  • Santa Monica Pier Reopened, Partially. What Does That Mean? We Sent Our Most Senior Photographer to Investigate

    Mary Leipziger, Observer Staff Writer|Aug 15, 2020
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    The Santa Monica Pier is opened- sort of. The usual entrance is off Ocean Ave and Colorado, on a steep incline. This has been closed and pedestrians are directed to Seaside, several blocks south. A visitor is deposited at Hot Dog, a good place for a snack. Bubba Gump Shrimp , some ice cream stores/cake shop/coffee bars are opened, with seating nearby to enjoy a warm summer afternoon. It is possible to order food to take out as well. Pacific Park is an oceanfront amusement park situated on the...

  • Cycle Bar Moves Exercise Machines and Social Distances to Keep Clients Coming During Covid

    Mary Leipziger, Observer Staff Writer|Jul 22, 2020

    Cycle Bar in Culver City has taken extreme measures to continue classes during the most recent County of Los Angeles health closures. Steph Sklar-Mulcahy told Inside Edition that moving outside is the only way she can keep her business alive. "We're about 60% regulars right now," Sklar-Mulcahy said. "It's actually pretty awesome. People saw that we're doing this outside and they're coming out for the first time." "People need to continue to exercise to stay healthy, even during the virus...

  • Virginia Tokunaga's 90th Birthday Party at Silvercrest Underlines Stop Senior Scams

    Mary Leipziger, Observer Staff Writer|Jun 22, 2020

    A party with her friends from the community and fellow residents at Silvercrest Senior Apartments was planned but it did not happen. Instead there was a birthday parade to celebrate Virginia Tokunaga 90th birthday on 5th street in Santa Monica. Two cement mixers across the street did not drown out a happy birthday chorus on this special occasion. There were balloons, presents, decorated cars, a fire truck, a police car and musical noise makers. Virginia was born and raised on a farm in...

  • Local Man Celebrates his 100th Birthday With Drive-by Neighborhood Block Party

    Mary Leipziger, Observer Staff Writer|May 12, 2020

    Sam Marquez turned 100 on Tuesday, and his family, friends and neighbors didn't want to let a little thing like Covid-19 get in the way of a celebration. So they threw him a drive-by 100th birthday party to maintain social distancing. The centenarian has been a Santa Monica resident for over 90 years and his lived in Los Angeles County all of his life. He has lived on Hill St. for over 55 years, reports his grandson Steven Marquez "In the keeping with the social distancing rules, we...

  • Topping Off Ceremony on Discovery Building at Santa Monica High School

    Mary Leipziger, Observer Staff Writer|Feb 8, 2020

    1/30: Would that I could aligned the world and its intricacies similar to the delightful "Steeling Topping Out" ceremony, - given by the McCarthy Building Companies Inc. on the grounds of Santa Monica High school on Jan 30, 2020. It consisted of having the last steel beam hoisted in place on the new building's steel framework, after the guests, teachers, engineers, structural officials, construction workers, educational officials, Santa Monica politicians and assorted students had signed it....

  • Story Corps Oral History Project Records on SM's Promenade

    Mary Leipziger, Observer staff writer|Jan 12, 2020

    Slightly south of Wilshire Blvd on the Third Street Promenade sits a big silver van, with Story Corps scrawled in flowing red letters. A red metal desk sits near by. When I arrived yesterday Mia Raquel asked if she could help me. A graduate of Oberlin College, she did radio there for 4 years and joined Story Corp in 2003. Her responsibilities include taking care of the audio equipment in the van and making notes about the interviews for the archives. The van travels to 10 cites a year,...

  • Chabad of Simcha Monica conducts Sukkos Festival on 12th Street Thursday

    Mary Leipziger, Observer Staff Writer|Oct 25, 2019

    Chabad in Simcha Monica is located on 17th Street. It held its annual Sukkot Extravaganza Block party, closing the street at Broadway and 12th Street Thursday afternoon. Chabad invited the entire community and close to 1,000 people, of all faiths, attended. Rabbi Isaac Levitansky with a group of volunteers, helped participants shake the lulav and etrog, symbolizing the unity of the entire nation. This is an ancient holiday, mentioned in the Torah, and each Sukkot day, a blessing is recited over...

  • Seafood Centric Restaurant Bottlefish Uncorks Your Fishiest Fish Wish List

    Mary Leipziger, Rocklobster|Oct 17, 2019

    Three years ago Rick Rosenfield and Larry Flax opened Bottlefish, a seafood-centric restaurant. They had been successful for 25 years owning a California Pizza Kitchen (the one across the plaza) and wanted to try something different. Located on the second floor of the Brentwood Gardens, it is a big space with floor to ceiling glass windows overlooking San Vicente Blvd. There is a narrow balcony that borders the whole front window of the restaurant. There are 88 seats in the dining room, 36...

  • Friends and Family Gather Under Santa Monica Pier to Remember 34 Divers

    Mary Leipziger, Observer Staff Writer|Sep 16, 2019

    Friends and loved ones gathered in front of the Santa Monica Pier aquarium on Thursday, for a memorial to those killed in the boat fire on September 2nd. Two of the 34 divers killed in the Labor Day morning fire were from Santa Monica: Marybeth Guiney, 51, and Charles "Chuck" McIlvain, 44. "Heal the Bay extends its deepest sympathy to all of those who experienced loss in the destruction of the dive boat Conception out of Santa Barbara. Heal the Bay Aquarium and Eco Dive Center are hosting a...

  • Lou D'Elia artist at California Heritage Museum- exhibit extended to Aug 28

    Mary Leipziger, Observer Staff Writer|Jul 29, 2019

    Lou D'Elia is an assemblage artist working with found/obsolete objects to create 3 dimensional artworks. D'Elia frequently incorporates vernacular photography, artificial light and visual puns in his work. They are often social commentaries on politics, sexuality, and gender role expectations. He frequently uses vintage wood industrial foundry molds as a tribute to his father, who was a pattern maker in the 1950s. D'Elia grew up in Ocean Park in the 1950s. At that time the community was...

  • What Drives a Salesman to Suicide Makes for Compelling Theater in "Death of a Salesman"

    Mary Leipziger, Observer Staff Writer|Jul 29, 2019

    Deception, ambition, illusions, reality all play a part in the" Death of a Salesman" at the Ruskin Group Theatre in Santa Monica . Set in New York and Boston in 1949, the action takes place in the last 24 hours of Willy Loman's life. Willy Loman (Rob Morrow) ,after 35 years as a salaried salesman, is demoted to working for commissions . He is determined to keep up appearance to his supportive wife (Lee Garlington) and his sons. In the opening scene, has just returned from driving around New...

  • Can a Soft Hearted Waitress Find Happiness With New Jersey's Favorite Wedding Singer?

    Mary Leipziger, Observer Staff Writer|Jul 24, 2019

    A raucously enthusiastic "The Wedding Singer," adapted from the Broadway musical and hit movie opened June 29th at the Morgan-Wixson theatre. A cast of 28 multi racial singers and dancers told the story of Robbie Hart, NJ's favorite wedding singer in the 1980's. After he is left at the altar, he vows to make every wedding he performs at as disastrous as his own. He subsequently meets a soft hearted waitress who helps him with his song writing, but she is soon to be married to a greedy Wall...

  • Classic Book "The Diary of Anne Frank" Retold From a Feline Perspective

    Mary Leipziger, Observer Staff Writer|Jun 27, 2019

    In 1996 Steven Rubin had the idea for retelling this tale in another media. His friend David Miller was a knowledgable of children's literature, had a poetic nature and they worked well together. Originally they thought of making an animated movie, but 3 years ago they went back to the idea of writing it as a book. David was in charge of production of the Criterion Collection which invented an the interactive sound track for classical feature films. Steven is an expert of James Bond movies and i...

  • Carousel of Time: LGBTQ Prom on the Pier Was A lot of Fun for all

    Mary Leipziger, Observer Staff Writer|Jun 18, 2019

    Despite the fact that the United Methodist Church nationally is in limbo about the LGBTQ community, the Church in Ocean Park sponsored its 8th dance for this community last Saturday night. The City of Santa Monica contributed the Carousel on the Santa Monica Pier. A balmy night, where it seemed throngs of visitors filled with the space with a multi generational/racial crowd. The LGBTQ Prom included a brief social hour followed by DJ Claudio spinning until 11 PM. It was free with pre...

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