July 18, 2025 Your Source for Brentwood News

Brentwood Beat: Tom Kalette, Archer School & Wendell Brown connected?

Brentwood Beat columnist Jeff Hall.
Brentwood Beat columnist Jeff Hall.

Believe it or not, I think there’s a connection between Archer School, Tom Kalette, and Wendell Brown. Let me explain.

I knew last issue I would draw the ire of some members of the anti-Archer expansion crowd when I suggested we all cut Archer a little slack, and indeed, that’s what happened.

But there are a few things I’m still not “getting” here.

If Archer School for Girls magically disappeared in a puff of smoke tomorrow, does anyone really think the traffic situation on Sunset would instantly improve the next day?

Really?

Archer isn’t the problem. L.A. is the problem. We have too many cars on the road, especially at rush hour. This is true everywhere, not just at Sunset and Barrington.

I think the hyper-focus on Archer – when other schools, businesses, and institutions in the area do far less to reduce traffic – is unfair.

Tom Kalette was dearly beloved by all who knew him. He was a real fixture in Brentwood Village and served admirably on the Brentwood Community Council.

One of the things we all liked about him was that he studied issues like what needed to be done at particular intersections to improve traffic flow. His ideas were always practical, and, once stated, came to be viewed as the obvious solution.

He’s no longer here to brainstorm the Barrington/Sunset problem, but in his memory, here are a few ideas:

Let’s put a big sticker on all L.A. County residents’ rear bumpers: A, B, or C.

One week, all “A” commuters would have to report to work at 7 a.m.

The “B” commuters would take the 9 a.m. shift and the “C” commuters would get to work at 11 a.m.

The following week we’d all move forward a shift – the 7 a.m. shift would move to 9 a.m.; the 9 a.m. shift would move to 11 a.m.; etc.

So one week you would go to work early, the next week you’d go at a normal time, the next week you’d get to sleep in a bit.

Everyone would work his or her normal 8-hour days.

So 7 a.m. starters would knock off at 3 p.m.; 9 a.m. starters would quit at 5 p.m.; and 11 a.m. starters would work till 7 p.m. The first one in could open the office; the last to leave could lock up.

Traffic would no longer hit all at once they way it does now.

Isn’t this essentially what L.A. did during the 1984 Olympics? To this day, people talk about how well this worked. It didn’t cost anything, really.

Let’s try it for a month. If it works – and I can’t see why it wouldn’t – let’s make the idea permanent.

Telling Archer to cut back on a few daily car trips won’t change much; the “ABC Plan” just might.

Traffic is a big problem. We need an equally big solution. If for some reason “The ABC Plan” falls short of the mark, we could use the same ABC system to give all office workers one “work at home” day per week.

For those of us who sit behind a computer all day, does it really matter where we do it from? Now THAT would take a LOT of cars off the road.

Are there any Brentwood commuters reading this who wouldn’t be willing to give this “ABC Plan” a try? If so, I’d be curious to know why. Please send an email with your thoughts to: jeffhall@brentwoodnewsonline.com.

Which brings me to Wendell Brown. We celebrated his life near “his” corner on Sunday, Nov. 9 (see front page story). One of his great poems was called “Gratitude.”

Wendell was thankful Brentwood adopted him the way it did. And, in so doing, many were affected in a very positive way by Wendell. He had so little, and yet he was so happy all the time. He inspired us.

In his memory, rather than thinking Brentwood is going to hell in a hand basket because Archer School wants to improve its campus, maybe we should be thankful we live here in the first place.

Is life here really so awful? Would we really rather live elsewhere? That’s always an option. If you are at wit’s end because of the traffic, you could always move to Montana.

But solving real problems right where we live is always an option, too.

Let’s try the “ABC Plan” for a month. We might just amaze ourselves.

Related Posts

Nearly $1B Secured for Refinancing of Westfield Century City Mall

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

The proceeds will replace a $925 million commercial mortgage-backed securities loan, originally issued by Morgan Stanley in 2023 and due...

West Coast Premiere of ‘The Opposite of Love’ Opens at Hudson Backstage Theatre

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

Produced by Neil Gooding Productions, behind shows like Back to the Future: The Musical, the play runs Thursdays through Saturdays at...

Study Highlights Economic Impact of Cap-and-Trade Extension in Los Angeles

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders are pushing to reauthorize the program this year, citing its role in generating 287,000...

Man Arrested in Brentwood for Impersonating Firefighter During Palisades Fire

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

The suspect faces at least 28 criminal counts—including 23 felonies—spanning incidents from 2023 to May 2025 Federal and local law...

Mayor Bass Hails National Guard Withdrawal as Victory for Unity

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

The Pentagon’s decision to reduce the troop presence follows weeks of legal challenges and public demonstrations Mayor Karen Bass celebrated...

(Video) Did You Know Emma Chamberlain’s Coffee Shop is in Century City?

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The outpost is a first for the popular influencer Did You Know Emma Chamberlain’s Coffee Shop is in Century City?...

Tesla Seen Nearly Crashing into West LA Home After Collision

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

Footage depicted a blue Prius on the road with significant front-end damage A crash involving injuries was reported around 12:30...

DUI Checkpoints to be Conducted Across LA This Weekend

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The LAPD selects checkpoint sites based on data indicating high incidents of impaired driving-related crashes and arrests The Los Angeles...

Dodgers to Host Back to School Bash for Fire-Affected Families

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The free event will offer free groceries, school supplies, outfits, haircuts, medical screenings, and carnival rides The Los Angeles Dodgers...

What to Expect at This Weekend’s “Conquer The Pier 5K and 1 Mile Race/Walk” in Venice

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

Proceeds will fund community programs, youth sports, and park enhancements The Conquer The Pier 5K and 1 Mile Race/Walk will...

LA Sees Second Straight Year of Homelessness Decline, Leaders Celebrate Progress

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

The survey, designed by the University of Southern California, reported a 17.5% drop—the largest two-year decrease on record The Los...

Hundreds of Red-Legged Frog Tadpoles Released in Santa Monica Mountains

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

Once widespread in California, red-legged frogs vanished from the Santa Monica Mountains by the 1970s Nearly 600 California red-legged frog...

Federal Judge Sides with Santa Monica, Other Local Governments Against Immigration Raids

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete praised the ruling, saying it reaffirmed the city’s commitment to protecting residents from unjust detention...

California Hits Two-Thirds Clean Energy Milestone

July 14, 2025

July 14, 2025

This year, clean energy has powered the state for an average of seven hours daily, with over 90% of days...

Beverly Hills Plans Major Apartment Development Near Civic Center

July 14, 2025

July 14, 2025

The site, currently holding 13 residential units, is slated for demolition to make way for the new development A proposal...