His life might not exactly mirror “Green Acres,” but L.A. native Jerrold “Jerry” Bregman could feel as if he’s starring in a reprise of the old TV show.
Bregman, 51, had been a bankruptcy lawyer for a high-powered New York firm, but a year ago he, his wife and their year-old twin sons moved out of their posh Central Park West apartment and moved to a farm.
OK, so the “farm” is really a one-acre horse property in Agoura Hills, and the Bregmans have no horse. But he said the situation feels similar to the premise of the 1960s sitcom.
Actually, the reason for the move was a serious one. Bregman’s mother, Joyce, was dealing with some serious heart issues, and he decided he wanted to be near. The new place is minutes from Bregman’s mom, dad and brother.
“It was one of these moments in life where decisive action was necessary without regard to what appeared to be pretty severe short-term consequences,” Bregman said.
Luckily, Bregman’s wife, Jenn, totally backed the decision.
“She’s an incredibly supportive, patient and talented mother,” Bregman boasted of the former criminal defense attorney.
After the move, he took a few months off then landed a job as a partner at Ezra Brutzkus Gubner in Woodland Hills, a position he said affords him the flexibility to spend time with his family.
Most importantly, his mom’s health has improved.
“She’s thriving now, relatively speaking, and we’re very grateful,” Bregman said.
Top Tribute
Local public affairs strategist Coby King’s passion for hiking has taken him in an unexpected direction: leading a campaign to get a peak in the Santa Monica Mountains near Malibu named after his hiking icon.
King, 53, runs High Point Strategies, a public affairs and lobbying firm in downtown Los Angeles. He’s also a longtime San Fernando Valley resident and is the current board chair of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association.
But at least once a week, King takes early morning hikes in the local mountains. It’s a passion he’s had since his early 20s. After he climbed Mount Whitney, he got into “peak bagging,” or climbing to the top of specific peaks. He found a guidebook to hiking in the Santa Monicas by Milt McAuley. He soon climbed every peak in McAuley’s guide.
“That guide really spoke to me; you heard Milt’s love of the mountains in its language,” King said.
After McAuley died in 2008 at age 89, King searched for a fitting tribute. There was one peak in the guidebook that had no name, only its elevation: Peak 2049, located in Malibu Canyon and featuring a distinctive sandstone outcropping. King set out to get the peak named after McAuley through the federal Board of Geographic Names. He got permission from McAuley’s family.
“They were grateful that I, as a stranger, was willing to do the work to preserve his legacy,” he said.
King plans to submit the application to the board by the end of this year, with supporting letters from local elected officials. A year from now, he hopes the trail to the peak will have a plaque in McAuley’s honor.
“This whole effort is a way for me to combine my two driving passions: hiking and political action,” King said.
Staff reporters Omar Shamout and Howard Fine contributed to this column. Page 3 is compiled by editor Charles Crumpley. He can be reached at [email protected].
