Update 6-24-08

Hi,

Kind of unusually hot and dry here last week in Southern California.  107.  One of my neighbors mentioned that we hadn't had this kind of sustained heat wave since 1973, and another was glad to know it had happened before and this wasn't something new.  It is to me.  I was hanging a half-dozen shirts out, and by the time I got the last one on the hanger, the first one was dry.
        This week's class mail, pretty much in the order it arrived.
   
    From  Steve Gootzeit:  I enjoyed Jerry Bittman's recollections.  To quote the title of Mickey Rooney's autobiography, "Life is too short."  Regarding the small strip mall at the back end of Green Acres:  I do not recall the name of the restaurant, but the supermarket was Daitch Shopwell and the gas station across the road was a Gulf.  That was owned by twin brothers with the name Hoeffner.  I was also told they had owned all the land on which Green Acres sat and had sold it to Chanin.  My father had a "house account" at the Gulf station.  He signed a slip each time he got gas, took the carbon copy, and received a monthly bill directly from the Hoeffners.  Who sang the song, "Yesterday When I Was Young?"
   
    From Larry Rugen:  And while we recalll those good old days...  Ice skating on Mill Pond, tubing in the creek -- way back when, Newsday routes in the new part of town at the end of Hungary Harbor Road -- those were mansions at that time.  I also recall the Reising Farm by Harbor Road School .  At that time, the farm was a long-haul trucking concern.  Anyone know whereabouts of June and Nancy Reising?  Any there were many, many more good times.
   
    From Amy Bentley:  When I was growing up the card shop was Royal Cards not Al's.  I am also trying to remember the name of the luncheonette.  And where was Whitey's riding stable?
   
    From Ellen Epstein Silver:  I'm finally home -- it was almost a month this time.  My daughter Lisa has hired a companion to help after her stroke.  The woman is thirty-three, works for United Airlines at the Albany airport, leaves the house at 4:30 AM, and is home at 11:30 AM.  This is ideal.  She also has the same interests in animals as Lisa, can drive her to all her appointments, and prepares meals.  In exchange, Lisa gives her room and board and a salary.  Because of this, I felt I could leave Albany with a clear head and not a heavy heart.  So now I'm back home in Texas with my husband Alan, trying to get my life back on track.  I keep thanking all of you for your thoughts and prayers.  The situation is getting better every day.  Love to all.
    From Jean Cohen Oklan:  Hope all is well with everyone this first week of summer.  A few weeks ago, a New York Times article about "prolonging death or not," was in the reunion newsletter.  I'm not having any luck locating that article.  My mom died last Saturday, and that article would be very helpful to some family members.  If you could point me in the right direction, I would be grateful.  Thanks, take care, and have a great summer.
   
    [Rich --  Of course, I told Jean how sorry I was to hear about her mother's death.  It seems we don't mention these things until they've happened, so we don't know what other people are going through.]
   
    From Amy Lieberman:  So here's some more of the music story.  After the hotel had to cancel Monday night performances, people offered to write to the manager, and they did.  Getting all those letters did not make the woman happy, so she and I spoke.  All is well, and the hotel sincerely hopes to bring Billy and the band back when the economy improves.  Then, this morning, the phone rings.  Stu Elster, the piano player who still plays there on Wednesday nights with the singer Barbara Morrison, called to say that Barbara couldn't do this coming Wednesday, and would Billy please fill in.  "Yes," Billy said, and that's where we are now.  This may be our last chance this summer to sit in that great space and enjoy Billy and the setting sun, so if you're in Los Angeles and can make it, we'd love to see you there.  Billy Valentine and the Stuart Elster Trio at Casa Del Mar Hotel, Santa Monica, Wednesday, June 25, 6:30 -- 10:30 PM
   
    Finally, from Jerry Bittman:  I knew about the following three weeks ago but had to keep it quiet.  My niece Robin Schwartz is going to be the president of OWN -- the Oprah Winfrey Network.  We are all so proud of Robin.  Wow, we are talking Oprah.  You can't get any bigger than that.
        Oprah is currently at her house in a town called Montecito, which I believe is a suburb or part of Santa Barbara.  She is sending a car to Los Angeles to pick up Robin to bring her to Montecito for lunch and to hang out.  Robin told Oprah that she wanted to begin work on July 14th, but Oprah said that she'll be on vacation then at her house in Hawaii.  So she invited Robin to go spend the week with her in Hawaii.  I can't even begin to say how proud we all are of Robin.
   
    Jerry also sent the related story from Variety:  Regency TV topper Robin Schwartz has been tapped to serve as president of Oprah Winfrey's new cable network.
        To head up the day to day operations of the new channel, Winfrey and Discovery Communications chose an exec with an 18-year background in broadcast, cable and studio experience. Channel is still scouting for a CEO, to whom Schwartz will report.
        Schwartz will join OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network as president on July 14.
        At OWN, Schwartz will oversee development, programming, production, marketing, research and communications. She'll also work closely with the ad sales and distro side to help develop the OWN brand.
        "I look forward to working with Robin to build a network that will celebrate the best in people," Winfrey said.
        Based on Los Angeles, OWN will take over the slot currently inhabited by the Discovery Health Channel in mid-2009.
        Schwartz has served as president of Regency TV since 2004. Shingle is behind the hits "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Bernie Mac," but has had a tougher go of things lately, with its two series last year, "New Amsterdam" and "The Return of Jezebel James," failing to catch on with viewers. Shingle is next behind the ABC pilot "The More Things Change," which Schwartz recruited Todd Phillips ("Old School") to direct.
        "With her extensive production experience and industry-wide relationships, she will spearhead the development of OWN's original programming slate for next year's premiere," said David Zaslav, President and CEO, Discovery Communications. "With Oprah's editorial vision, Discovery's global platforms and the reach of Oprah.com, Robin has tremendous tools to make OWN a trusted source of information and the definitive voice for living your best life."
        Before Regency, Schwartz was VP of programming at ABC Family. She's also spent time as a writer at 20th Century Fox TV and as VP of primetime series and children's programming at NBC.
        "OWN embodies the ideals I value most," Schwartz said. "This is the chance of a lifetime to work on expanding a brand and a philosophy I so greatly admire."