Culver City Observer -

Shake it Out! Beginning this year Culver City will combine its former December 7 City-Wide Disaster Drill with California’s Great Shake Out, set for October 21. Now we will join millions of other Californians at 10:21 a.m. to Drop, Cover and Hold On, plus display our “OK” signs prominently in a window or on the front door by 7 p.m. when first responders will travel the neighborhoods counting them. (In a real disaster if your family was not all right, you’d of course eliminate the sign and call 911.) Get more info by going to www.culvercity.org/emergencyprep.

Lots more birthday wishes to extend, like to Larry Ebner, Barbara Hodson, Cathy Seeman, Denise (“Life is short and busy and there’s never enough time to spend with good people”) Friese, Lila Swenson, Caroline Hanna, George Audet, Jean Urushima, Kim Jacobi, Judith Carlson, Robert Tidwell, avid Friedland, Carmen Chavolla, James Kerswell, Caroline Bernard, Joyce Dallal, Lisa Davis, Alejandro Hernandez, Betty Mendoza, Joanne Lapison, Tilomai Blyth, Patricia Parker, Andrew Harrison, Linda Silva, Nancy Perdomo-Browning, Maria Quintanilla, Janice Church, Deborah Gregory, Kimiko Kelly, Kurtya DesJardins, Karen Sackett, Bud Ramirez, Alyssa Jarnot, Mary Catherine Micka, Monique Adams, Eugene Lago, Kate Martindale, Sharon Gordon, Tobias Pete Magnusson, Lynn Pacino, Sara Bock, Harmony Leiker, Sudhakaran Dharmaraj, Masha Shuvalov, Christopher Picardi, Jessica Villegas, and Jonelle Reyes.

Culver City History in a nutshell: On Saturday at the Culver City Historical Society’s Archive & Resource Center (ARC), located in the back of the Veterans’ Memorial Building, Culver City High School senior Katherine Maxwell (a fourth year film major at the school's Academy of Visual and Performing Arts) will present the history film she created to complete her Girl Scout Gold Award. The movie will be screened every half-hour from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and features many Culver City residents and teachers as well as some “Looney Tunes” characters. Your job is to determine just which is which! A "Q and A" will follow each showing, and admission is free.

Here’s something fun to share with family and friends: Walking Tours of Sony Pictures Studios! Tickets are available to those who live or work in Culver City (you must show a valid picture ID with a Culver City address). The limit is four tickets per person, and you can pick them up at the Culver City Chamber of Commerce office, 4249 Overland Avenue during business hours M-Th 9 a.m.to 5 p.m. Tickets are valid now through November 30. The two-hour tour takes place throughout the day, Monday – Friday.

The popular Culver City Exchange Club Shish-ka-bob Picnic will be held October 17 at the home of Gus and Dr. Anita (Agzarian) Rendon. This event, held years ago in Paul Carlson Park, has been an ongoing tradition of the club, dating back decades. Founders, as this columnist recalls, were Chuck Pratty and Dr. George Agzarian.

Just asking: Shouldn’t Culver City Rotary Club Reciprocator editor Dannie Cavanaugh be fined for still referring to “President Bill” Gardner in the Announcements section of last month’s newsletter (at least in the 9/22 edition)? You’re welcome, President Linda.

Those are howls of dismay you hear (and that’s just from the owners) on word that water was detected seeping from an undetermined location into the Culver City dog park, necessitating its temporary closure. The “large dog” area was most affected, and the seepage, along with the presence of a very low level of methane gas being emitted made the closure necessary until the condition could be corrected. We’ll keep you and Fido posted.

Yep, Flu season is coming, and it’s time to learn the facts. Max Lebow, M.D., will discuss what you need to know next Wednesday from 10 a.m to-11. at the Culver-Palms Family YMCA. Dr. Lebow will explain how to distinguish among the symptoms of a virus, flu, cold and bacteria and will offer guidelines in deciding whether to call the doctor, visit an Urgent Care, or head for the Emergency Room. The event is free and open to the community. (Starting at 9 a.m. at the Y before Dr. Lebow’s lecture, a Flu Clinic sponsored by Prospect Medical Group will offer free flu shots to the first 100 Active Older Adults 55 years of age and above.) The Culver-Palms Family YMCA is located at 4500 Sepulveda Blvd. For more information, call (310) 390-3604.

There’s still time to join the fun at the Culver City Sister City’s afternoon of wine tasting and food pairings on Sunday, October 17 from 3 p.m.0 to 6 at the Radisson Hotel, 6161 W. Centinela Ave. in the Catalina Room. OMG, as they say: strawberries and brie? Beef Wellington? And acting sommelier (not just attorney) Michael Fate sharing from “Tales from the Wine Bibber’s Bible” while you sip? All this plus a silent and live auction and raffle, all geared toward international student exchanges with our sister cities in Japan, South Korea, Canada and Mexico. The cost is $50 per person, so hurry and call Maureen at (310) 405-1835 or email Maurgent@aol.com.

Let’s go planting! This Saturday from 1:30 p.m. to-4:30 the Creekside Native Plant Learning Garden Planting Day #3 will take place, and you and your family are invited to participate in helping make the “Ballona Greenway” become a reality. For further information and to RSVP, call (310) 839-6896 or visit the event on Facebook.