highlights
Beverly Hills, Calif.
Volume 90, Issue Four - October 28, 2016
Beverly Hills High School
THE ELECTION ISSUE It’s Spooky. It’s Scary. It’s Real.
M ea s u r e HH p. 4
Learn About the p. 2 Props What is Locker Room Talk? p. 8
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2 news
October 28, 2016
Highlights
BHEA, district continue to negotiate Jamie Kim news editor In an attempt to push back the first day of school for the 2017-18 calendar year from Aug. 7 to Aug. 14, the Beverly Hills Education Association (BHEA) has created a petition in favor of this change. The push for an additional week of summer vacation does not come about unsubstantiated. According to an email sent out by BHEA president Telly Tse to educators, parents and other Beverly Hills community members, a conceptual agreement was reached in February of 2016 by the union and the district which entails the administrators and the Board of the Education. A part of this agreement was when the 2017-18 school year would begin. “Finally, it was agreed between BHEA and the district to move the 2017-18 calendar so that the school year would start later. We also created the 2018-19 calendar to start later as well,” Tse wrote in the email.
The appeal for a later start date for the next school year, as Tse stated, is part of a larger issue: the district’s renegation of a previously approved compromise. “To us, it’s very simple. [The district and the union] reached an agreement as both sides sat at the table and said that we agree to this. They then came back later and said, ‘Oh sorry, we made a mistake.’ You can do that when you’re with friends. You say, ‘Let’s go to dinner,’ and oops, something came up; that’s fine. But at the bargaining table, something like that is very serious, and it’s a violation of the law, in our opinion,” Tse said. Tse believes that the district is now contradicting its original agreement with BHEA to gain more benefits for its side of the agreement. “We feel that the district made this agreement, and then somehow said, ‘Oh, we should have asked for more things in our favor. Let’s use this as an opportunity
to get something more from the teachers.’ So they decided to try to back away from the agreement that they made,” Tse said. “I think that there’s a part of them that may feel that they could do this, and that we would not do anything in response to that, but I think we’ve clearly shown that when they act in such an unfair way, we will respond and we will stand up for what is right.” However, Howard Goldstein, president of the Board of Education, said that the board could not disclose any information about the negotiations, due to a “ground rule that permits the release of information only when agreed to by the parties.” During the special bargaining meeting on Monday, Oct. 24, Tse said that the agreement remains to be resolved. “At today’s special bargaining meeting, the district again did not sign the tentative agreement reached between BHEA and BHUSD back in March. Bargaining
for 2015-16 remains unresolved. K-3 class sizes can continue to go up to 29 students per class as interpreted by the district. Increases to sub pay and protections remain in limbo as is the revised 2017-18 school calendar that would have school start Aug. 14 instead of Aug. 7,” Tse said. In further efforts, union members will express their concerns at the Nov. 1 board meeting. Nonetheless, the union remains hopeful to resolve this issue as soon as possible. “We definitely want to end as soon as possible so we can start bargaining for this school year, for which we are already three months behind. That would be in the best interest of both the district and the educators,” Tse said. “We will continue to inform the community, answer questions as thoroughly as we can, let them know why things are the way they are, and see what happens.”
California conflicted over condoms Priscilla Hopper staff writer In 2012, Los Angeles, a major production city of pornographic films, approved Measure B, requiring actors in the pornography industry to wear condoms on set. In 2013 the law was upheld as constitutional in hopes of preventing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/ OSHA) began the strict enforcement of condom usage in adult films after Measure B was passed in Los Angeles. A 2016 California ballot initiative was introduced as Prop 60 to increase health and safety requirements during any adult film production in California. “[Prop 60] requires adult film performers to use condoms during filming of sexual intercourse.
[It] requires producers to pay for names and home addresses,” acperformer vaccinations, testing cording todontharassca.com, the and medical examinations. [It] re- official website against Prop 60. quires producers to post condom Endorsers of Vote Yes Prop 60 requirement at film include healthsites,” according to care associations, the Official Voter Beyond AIDS and Information Guide the Santa Monica of the California Democratic Party. Election. They believe this A no vote on this measure is conproposition would sistent with court keep the same rerulings requiring quirements, as earadult film employlier established by ees to wear protecMeasure B in 2012, Photo by: ELIJAH BERKE. tion during sex. currently in place. “Just as personal “Prop 60 also gives 38 million protective equipment such as Californians the ability to sue porn gloves for health care workers or stars/distributors and to make goggles or masks are used to rea profit off each lawsuit. [It] will duce the risk of injury or acquirweaken workplace safety and vio- ing an infectious disease, condoms late the privacy of adult film per- should be mandatory to protect formers by divulging their legal workers in this industry,” the
American Sexual Health Association said on www.voteyesprop60. com, the official website for Prop 60. However, campaign manager Eric Paul Leue believes Prop 60 instead harms industry workers. “[It allows] anyone in the state to sue and harass them for the way they do their job. That is one of the reasons the California Democratic and Republican Parties, as well as the editorial boards of the state’s seven largest papers — and most importantly, the performers — have spoken out against this dangerous measure,” Leue said. Fiscal effects include a likely reduction in annual tax revenue by several million dollars. The state of California would presumably spend at least one million dollars to meet the health and safety requirements.
Highlights Print Ben Shofet and Keith Stone editors-in-chief
Benjamin Dahan, Jason Harward, Priscilla Hopper, AJ Wolken staff writers
Jamie Kim news editor
Vivian Geilim opinion editor
Isaiah Freedman sports editor Front page designed by Jason Harward
Web Veronica Pahomova and Max Yera editors-in-chief
Rinesa Kabashi, Evan Minniti, Sam Bernstein, Lauren Hannani staff writers
Eleanor Bogart-Stuart culture editor
Natasha Dardashti multimedia editor
Sophia Goldberg business manager Gaby Herbst adviser —
Our goal as a student-run publication is to provide reliable, accurate and fair content that informs and intrigues the Beverly Hills community by following the principles of ethical journalism and represents the student body. We will deliver a broad spectrum of coverage through a variety of mediums, including online and print. Highlights is a forum for public expression that is produced by the Advanced Journalism class of Beverly Hills High School, 241 Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Letters to the editor may be sent to beverlyhighlights@gmail.com. Visit beverlyhighlights.com. Follow @bhhighlights on Instagram and Twitter. Highlights is sponsored by PTSA and BHEF.
Union expresses support for Proposition 55 Jamie Kim news editor The Beverly Hills Education Association (BHEA) is urging for the passage of some California ballot propositions, including Prop 55. Prop 55 extends Prop 30, which places an increased temporary tax on those who earn more than $250,000, or couples who together make $500,000, annually to help fund education and schools. President of BHEA, Telly Tse, believes that Prop 55 should be passed to circumvent the period of panic and worry that preceded the passage of Prop 30. “I remember as a teacher, I was relatively new back then, that the district sent out a list of potential areas of cuts that would happen if Prop 30 didn’t pass and the taxes from the top earners in California didn’t go through,” Tse said. “There were just a lot of concerns, and the years before then, there were teachers that would get layoff notices. I think ultimately no one
got laid off, but it was a very stressful time at the end of each year.” Specifically, Chief Administrative Officer La Tanya Kirk-Carter says that the additional money from Prop 55 taxes, which states that the funds can only be used for education, would help in stabilizing revenues. “The $835,122, which the district got from Prop 30, is fully integrated into our spending, and Prop 55 will continue most of that allocation. Without it, the district would have to further strain any new revenue the district would receive, to plug the hole for the loss of Prop 30 dollars,” Kirk-Carter said. Tse said that luckily, there has not been any organized opposition as there was before the extension of Prop 30 was passed. “I would say with Prop 55, there is no organized opposition the way there was back in 2012. In 2012, certain billionaires were financing resistance to the passage of Prop
30. But obviously, it went through and passed pretty easily, so this time around, there’s no organized attempt to stop it, as far as we know,” he said. However, some community parents who will be voting in November have voiced their opinions about this proposition. Parent Sheida Pourat expressed concerns about how the government spends the tax dollars. “I would rather give money to a private company than the government. I feel like we are already giving enough tax for something like this. I would rather give the money straight to the school than give it to the government and not know what they are really going to do with the money,” Sheida Pourat said. Board of Education president Howard Goldstein said that the board has not “taken an official positon on any other ballot initiative except to support Measure Y.”
October 28, 2016
Highlights
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October 28, 2016
Highlights
Measure HH
Rendering of property is Measure HH pases, courtesy of: Adam Englander.
Ben Dahan staff writer Isaiah Freedman sports editor Residents of the city of Beverly Hills have been deeply divided the last couple months over the passing of The Hilton Condominium Tower Initiative, commonly known as Measure HH. The developer behind the initiative, Israeli-born owner of the Beverly Hilton Beny Alagem, obtained enough signatures in March to add the measure to the Nov. 8 ballot. The initiative would amend the development plan of the Hilton property, approved in 2008 as Measure H, in a plethora of ways. Measure H, officially known as the Beverly Hilton Specific Plan, squeaked through with 129 votes, .82 percent of the total cast, in 2008, making an exception to the city’s General Plan to allow the Hilton’s revitalization project, which includes the creation of the Waldorf Astoria and the two condominium buildings. The changes, known as Measure HH, include combining the two 18- and 8-story condominium buildings, into one 26-story, 345 foot condominium tower, designating 1.7 acres as a generally publicly accessible park, reducing the required amount of recycled “graywater,” and incorporating hotel facilities, including a pool and restaurant, into the conference complex while avoiding the typical city review process and going directly to the residents. “This is about building the best possible project for Beverly Hills residents, and for the beloved Beverly Hilton property that will ensure its future for years to come,” Alagem said. John Mirisch, mayor of Beverly Hills and ardent opponent of Measure HH, along with the Beverly Hills City Council, has chosen to officially oppose the measure. “The majority of the council is recommending that residents vote no on HH,” Mirisch said. If Measure HH is not passed, the development will stick to the plan that was approved in 2008. “It is not my vision that needs to be implemented. It is whatever the residents will vote for. We want to share it with all the residents,” Alagem said. Condo Combo The major change from the 2008 plan is the consolidation of the two buildings into a highrise, with the same number of condos, on Santa Monica Boulevard and Merv Griffin Way. The measure stipulates that an additional 30 feet of rooftop accessories can also be added. Alagem claims he amended the original proposition to include one large building instead of two smaller ones due to complaints fielded by parents of the adjacent El Rodeo Elementary School for fear of the building, on Wilshire Boulevard and Merv Griffin Way, being so close to the school’s campus.
“In the years since our plan was approved in 2008, I’ve thought a lot about it. We have heard a lot from parents of El Rodeo students who have asked if there is a way to remove the 8-story building across from the school. So, we came up with a new plan,” Alagem said. By going through with the change, the average value per condo would increase from $6.2 million per unit in the two buildings to $7.55 million in the 26-story high rise. After subtracting construction cost, this would increase the overall value by $48 million. The added value is expected to net the city an additional $33 million in revenue over the next 30 years; however, Mirisch believes the city could be getting a fairer share. “In my opinion, the city will lose tens of millions of dollars because we will not be able to renegotiate the bad deal we made eight years ago.” Mirisch said. The height of the tower has been subject to much controversy. It would be more than twice as high as the current tallest building in Beverly Hills, the 14-story, 164-foot Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Chairman of the Beverly Hills Municipal League Thomas White has his reservations. “Our organization is opposed to the passage of Measure HH because it will change the skyline of Beverly Hills dramatically,” White said. “[The building exceeding the General Plan height limit] is contrary to the low-rise community standards that Beverly Hills residents support.” The proposed height of the building is also a daunting possibility to residents. “I want the development of [the Hilton highrise] to be less obstructive,” long-time resident Gail O’Farrell said. However, as Alagem and Robert Tannenbaum, former mayor and President of the Beverly Hills North Homeowners Association, point out, the tower would be on the outskirts of the city, and would “blend in well” with highrises from the adjacent Century City. “It is in the perfect location to have a 26-story structure because of where it is; it is not adversely impacting quality of life, with respect to intruding into any neighborhoods,” Tannenbaum said. Another long-time Beverly Hills resident, Bill Sheinberg, is supporting Measure HH to pass, citing the rights of the property owner as the incentive behind his vote. “I recognize that property owners have a sacred right to develop their property, much like I wouldn’t want somebody telling me, without proper basis, how and what to do with my property,” Sheinberg said. Commercial real estate agent Jay Luchs supports fellow developer Alagem, saying there is an unfair amount of negative reception any time a developer comes forth with a new plan. “Some people just do not want developers to get their way, no matter the situation. I think what [Alagem] is proposing will be beautiful for the city,” Luchs said.
Information from a survey of 108 students. Graphic by: Jason Harward. Park Possibilities HH, initially submitted as the Open Space and Park Initiative, will add .61 acres of open space, some of which will be used to extend the already-approved 1.25 acre park into a mostly publicly accessible one of 1.7 acres. “The park will be the most beautiful public space in all of Beverly Hills,” Alagem said. “We envision the park as a one-of-a-kind gathering space for Beverly Hills residents.” The park will be privately owned and maintained by the Hilton, and is liable to be closed at the discretion of the owner. Adam Englander, the campaign manager for the Beverly Hills Residents and Businesses for Preserving our City, the biggest adversary of HH, took issue with that fact. “The so-called ‘public garden’ is actually a private event space that can be closed by the Hilton any time they want,” Englander said. However, Alagem maintains that the park will always be open with the exception of special occasions, which are usually limited only to the venue spaces. “The 1.7-acre park created through Measure HH is open to the public, and only 15 percent of the park’s total area can be closed for special events,” Alagem said. Sheinberg, who is aware that the park may be closed at any time, is not concerned because he has already watched a similar plan bear fruits: the publicly accessible garden in the Montage hotel. “The park that is north of the Montage hotel, between Montage and Buchon, is public, but it was paid for, granted and maintained by the Montage, and I don’t see this as much different,” Sheinberg said. According to Alagem, the park will include walking paths, a rose garden, a lemon arbor, an indoor-outdoor restaurant inspired by New York City’s Tavern on the Green, fountains, backgammon and chess tables, and more. It will also host community programs such as yoga and outdoor movie nights. Englander and Mirisch point to numerous ads aimed at passing Measure H, the plan drawn up in 2008, as saying that there would be a 1.3 acre public garden and 4.5 acres of open space. “Saying there is going to be no park if the no vote passes directly contradicts the mailings that they sent out eight years ago regarding Measure H,” Englander said. The new plan will also reduce the required amount of recycled “graywater” that the buildings will use. The new amendment requires that the graywater collected from the 26-story building is used only on the open space landscape and gardens, instead of the 2008 plan which called for the collection and usage in all of the property’s new buildings. “They say the garden is designed to be environmentally sustainable, but what they don’t say is that they are reducing their graywater requirement [from the 2008 proposition],” Englander said.
City Circumvention The new amendment would not need to go through the same city review process, which consists of public hearings in front of the Planning Commission and City Council, and compiling an environmental impact report, as Measure H did in 2008. Alagem’s direct appeal to the residents is unprecedented, which has ultimately led to detractors frustrated with his approach in the passage of Measure HH. “It’s a circumvention of our process. There’s a process that
Graphic by: Jason Harward. If passed, Alagem’s unprecedented process could encourage other developers to do the same. “It sets a bad precedent for the future,” White said. “If approved, other developers could try to emulate the same approval [process] and if that should occur, our skyline and density will change forever.” However, Tannenbaum believes that Alagem appealing directly to residents is the best possible way to proceed. “Now the Hilton is going directly to the people; what more democratic way can you possibly proceed? This is a vote of the people,” Tannenbaum said.
“[HH] sets a bad precedent for the future. If approved, other developers could try to emulate the same approval [process] and if that should occur, our skyline and density will change forever.” we have, sometimes it may seem laborious, but it is there to protect the residents and the community,” Mirisch said. “I think that [avoiding it] is fundamentally wrong.” However, Alagem states that going straight to the residents coincides with the fact that the initial plan was rigorously reviewed and approved in 2008. “First, we already went through the city process in 2008 that culminated with the City Council approving the project. Then there was a referendum, and Beverly Hills residents became the ultimate deciders when they voted to approve our plan in 2008,” Alagem said about Measure H. “In reconfiguring the plan, I felt it was best to go directly to the residents.” The examination process was extensive. Nineteen hearings, 109 conditions and 32 pages of mitigation measures were poured over. Additionally, two individuals working with the city are closely monitoring construction. “This was very unique; the Hilton was the most vetted process in order to get the entitlements that [it was approved for in 2008],” Tannenbaum said. However, some believe that the changes to the 2008 plan are too substantial for the same review process to be applied to what is presented in Measure HH. “They went through the process for a very different project. They would have to provide a new or supplementary environmental impact report for this project,” Mirisch said. In addition, Mirisch believes that Alagem is going directly to residents as a way to avoid the typical process. “This is not the way land use decisions should be made. If they want to do whatever they want to do, let them go to the back of the line and let them go through the process like all the rest of us,” Mirisch said.
spotlight 5
2008 Debate Measure H was not passed without controversy of its own, however. When the initiative made its way through the city’s process in 2008, it was denied by the Planning Commission. It was appealed to the City Council, which in a 3-2 vote, decided to approve the plan. The three who voted yes were Jimmy Delshad, Fred Fenton and Linda Briskman. Even though Delshad is not registered as a lobbyist, the company he founded and presided over, American International Business, has been paid $50,000 by the Hilton for consulting services. Fenton passed away this year, but his wife, Judie, is a registered lobbyist for the Hilton. Briskman is also advocating for the passage of Measure HH, although she is not a registered lobbyist and maintains that she is not being paid for doing so. According to the city’s “revolving door” lobbying ordinance, elected city officials who voted on a land use project not allowed to represent the actors of those projects for compensation to the city. Shortly after the City Council decision, residents of Beverly Hills garnered enough signatures on a petition to pose the question on a city-wide referendum. Challenging the close win were claims that at least 500 of the yes votes were fraudulent, and not from residents of the city. “I feel that something was wrong, something phony was going on,” attorney Larry Larson, the treasurer of the Residents Right to Decide, an organization against Measure H, said. After a five month long voter verification investigation by
Larson and his colleagues, he handed off his findings to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, which conducted its own months long investigation. The DA concluded that there was not sufficient evidence to prove that the 559 “unqualified” voters intentionally and willfully committed voter fraud, and chose not to attempt to prosecute any of them. Campaign and Controversy One of the major combatants to Measure HH is Wanda Beverly Hills Properties LLC, a subsidiary of the Chinese development giant, the Wanda Group, which is building its own $1.2 billion condo/hotel development: One Beverly Hills. Wanda’s project, which was approved by the city council on Oct. 20, 2016, is separated from the Hilton property by Merv Griffin Way, the narrow road that will serve as the entrance for both developments. The neighbors have been tangled in an ongoing dispute over each other’s development plans for several months. The Hilton has interjected itself into many of the public discussion over its competitors’ project, including showing up to many of the public city commission hearings of the project. In turn, Wanda Beverly Hills, with financial loans from East Lakeshore Parcels, an affiliate company, has poured in $1.2 million into the Beverly Hills Residents and Businesses for Preserving Our City, an anti-HH group. “I do not know why the Wanda Group has spent so much time and money opposing our campaign and spreading misinformation about Measure HH,” Alagem said. Englander, the campaign manager for the anti-HH group, and his father, Harvey, of Englander Knabe and Allen PR are both registered lobbyists for Athens BH Development, LLC, Wanda’s partner in the One Beverly Hills Project. Both sides have spent a lot of time, effort and resources for the upcoming vote. Alagem and his affiliate companies have spent approximately $6.4 million on the campaign to get the measure to pass, as of Oct. 9. Mirisch and Englander have claimed that he may end up spending $1,000 per vote. “Elections should be won and not bought. It’s polluting our democracy,” Mirisch said. “My hope is that the good residents of our city will not be deceived by the millions and millions of dollars spent on propaganda.” Opponents to Measure HH similarly label the campaign by the Residents for The Beverly Hills Garden & Open Space Initiative, the Hilton backed organization, as misinforming the residents. Despite the the money filtering through from both parties, ultimately, the verdict will all come down to the residents to decide which route they prefer. “I trust the residents of Beverly Hills to choose which plan they prefer and I will build whatever plan they decide,” Alagem said.
6 culture
October 28, 2016 Highlights
Halloween Must Go’s Eleanor Bogart-Stuart culture editor Veronica Pahomova co-editor-in-chief
Even as Halloween creeps near, school continues to occupy a substantial amount of a student’s time. This weekend and early next week, however, grant the general public an opportunity to experience this exhilarating holiday. Here, the staff of Highlights lists some must-go places and must-do activities sure to (pumpkin) spice up your Halloween.
Photo by KATRYNIENSIS
Photo by PUAMELIA
Photo by KERTTU
Photo by LIZ WEST
The Hex Room 4245 East La Palma Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92807
The Tragical History Tour 6603 West Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
The 17th Door 2856 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA 92782
Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch 10100 Jefferson Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
The Hex Room is the perfect place to test your friend group’s horror movie survival skills. After taking a short quiz, everyone will be categorized as either a nerd, virgin, jock, rebel, prom queen, or detective. After being grouped into teams, they will be placed in their own rooms where everyone works as both a team and individuals to solve puzzles, mysteries and eventually escape. According to the organization’s website, there’s a 20 percent escape rate and only a 5 percent survival rate. This game is only recommended for ages 16 and over. This event is a private game for five to 10 participants in a prearranged group--perfect for friends! Tickets are $35 per person.
The Tragical History Tour takes participants on a journey both eerie and informative. Here you will learn the deepest and darkest secrets that may be hidden right on your street as the tour travels through homes and sites of Beverly Hills, Hollywood and the Sunset Strip, uncovering the locations of famous and infamous celebrity deaths. Accompanied with crime scene photos and vivid details, this tour is restricted to ages 12 and older due to its macabre tone and gruseome images. From the Menendez Brothers’ murders to the death of Bela Lugosi, this tour will take members on a vivid ride of their lives--or in this case, deaths. Tickets start at $50 per person.
If you (for some reason) thought this school was bad, just wait until you see Gluttire University! Experience terror and vulnerability as you travel alongside Paula, a formerly pregnant, scarred and tormented student who attempted suicide, through the doors of her haunted past. With each grotesque memory, experience an interactive horror house as you progress from room to room until you hit the horrific finale: Room 17. As individuals struggle to not scream “Mercy!”, all of the five sense are stimulated in the 34 minutes of sheer terror that will seem to last longer than ever imagined. Doesn’t sound scary enough? Watch the YouTube videos. Regular tickets are $24.
Can it even be Halloween without a pumpkin patch? Los Angeles has a huge selection of patches that offer much more than just pumpkins. Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch in Culver City offers spooky rides for kids, face painting and a petting zoo. Their “sideshow”- an entertainment program featuring knife throwing, juggling and an assorted cast of characters- takes place on Oct. 28. If you want something more standard, try Shawn’s Pumpkin Patch. Although it does contain art stations for kids, the main focus is on their sizeable amount of gourds. My personal favorite is “Forneris Farms” one of the only patches that contains the classic feature of a cornfield maze that spans four acres.
Clowns come to Cali Keith Stone co-editor-in-chief
There has been an explosion of clowns across the United States and people are not amused. People dressed as scary clowns have been appearing all over the country and on the news as they menace cities and threaten schools. Social media has been blowing up with frightened accounts of clown sightings while many light-hearted videos are spreading rapidly on Youtube, Facebook, and other websites. Now, the creepy clown craze seems to be spreading to California. While over the past few weeks these creepy jesters have been mostly in Ohio and the Midwest, a few were recently spotted in San Pedro, California. An Instagram account was also created with the username @wearecomingtocali. The first post was of a clown in a park with the caption “We are hitting Culver City first.” People, regardless of age, seem to be terrified of this threat. Police departments are on high alert and some schools have even taken radical steps to protect their students. One school in Connecticut even banned clown costumes for Halloween to prevent hysteria. While Los Angeles is so far clown-free, according to the Los Angeles Police Depart-
ment, students are still frightened. “I’m scared of clowns because of their creepy makeup and since there has been a lot of talk about killer clowns, I’m worried that there will be an outbreak of clowns,” senior Jade Garland said. “I hope they go away and stay out of California.”
Garland will not be getting her wish. Along with the Instagram account threatening Culver City, multiple other twitter accounts and facebook posts have targeted other cities in California. Pasadena, Whittier and LA County are next on the list.
Photo by STEVE C
With such a serious and potentially dangerous situation, police stations across the state have already gotten involved. Sergeant Joe Grubbs of the Bakersfield Police Department explained it best. In his opinion, the reason the clown craze is terrifying people is partly due to their deepseated fears, and partly due to the actions and mannerisms of these clowns. “There’s a natural phobia of clowns. And, clearly, if someone is dressed up as a clown and holding a weapon in a threatening manner, that’s going to frighten people,” Grubbs said. Even though the clowns have spread across the country and seem to be gaining traction, panic just adds power to their campaign to spread fear. The only reason they are in the news is because people are terrified of them. The best way to respond is to simply remain cautious and vigilant without getting worked up. “Even though clowns are freaky, I just make sure to stay out of sketchy places where they might be. We live in a safe city so I’m not too frightened of an encounter with a scary clown,” senior Ariel Moaddel said. “I just make sure to stay cautious and I’m not afraid.”
opinion 7
October 28, 2016
Highlights
Not fit to be our president
Donald Trump Vivian Geilim opinion editor July 2015 will infamously go down in American history as the month that real estate developer and successful entrepreneur Donald Trump first decided to run for the presidency of the United States. However, in the timespan of these 15 months, the racially unjust, bigoted and misogynistic Donald Trump has transformed America into the laughing stock of the world. This destructive man is poisoning America’s youth with his impulsive and derogatory actions and language. His notorious comments vulgarly insult and debase women, discriminate against Latinos, ostracize religious groups and advocate violence at his campaign rallies. It is difficult to focus on the logistics and importance of the presidential campaign when chaos is a constant variable. However, Trump’s disorganized campaign isn’t the only factor that should completely disregard him from being considered a frontrunner for such an esteemed position. According to Politifact. com, only 4 percent of the words that come out of Trump’s mouth are true, meaning that more than half of Trump’s deceitful promises to “Make America Great Again” are lies. In addition to his degrading actions, he also has some highly questionable policies he plans to implement if he wins the election. Trump first gained the attention of many with his talk about “building a wall.” Trump’s first and foremost policy on immigration includes creating a wall along the 1,900-mile U.S-Mexico border that stretches from California to Texas. On his website, Donaldjtrump.com, he describes his “10 point plan to put America first” with “1. Begin working on an impenetrable physical wall on the southern border, on day one,” and emphasizes that, “Mexico will pay for the wall.” The fact that Trump believes he would be able to impose a multibillion dollar payment on Mexico
As the voting day of Nov. 8 draws near, Measure Y has become a controversial topic that will impact not only the District’s schools, but also the community for the next four years. As an editorial staff, we ask those voting to recognize the clear benefits that will result for each school in the district and understand the necessity of passing this measure. According to Board of Education President Howard Goldstein, Board of Education member Noah Margo and Board of Education member Lisa Korbatov in their analysis of this measure on votersedge.org, the majority of the schools in the district are between 85 to 100 years old. For the sake of the students and faculty who spend the majority of their days in the facilities, it would be most ben-
Hillary Clinton
is ridiculous and completely impolitic. It will destroy hundreds of archeological sites along the border zone. It will completely go against the Native American Graves Protection and Reparation Act. It won’t stop illegal immigrants from coming into America, and Mexico will not pay for it. Peña Nieto, Mexico’s president, says that there is “no way,” his country will pay for the wall. If he cannot impose a reasonable immigration policy, how can he be expect to lead our country? The only thing he is doing with talk of the wall is discriminating against Hispanics. “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best…They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people,” Trump said as he announced his bid for the Republican nomination for president. Trump claims to have respect for women while proving to be a misogynistic candidate. “I have great respect for women. Nobody has more respect for women than I do,” Trump said at the second presidential debate. However, recently, audio tapes of Trump and Billy Bush were released in which Trump describes himself sexually assaulting women. Rather than taking responsibility for his actions and admitting to the heinous mistake he made, he instead disregards the scandal and characterized his words as “locker room talk.” To generalize the male sex and say that they casually speak in such a manner is a disgrace to men in general. It is ironic that Trump would be degrading men when he has previously stated that men are superior to women and that they are entitled to more money until women, “do as good a job as men.” The facts are there, proven in quotes and statistics. Donald Trump is in no way fit to lead and protect our country. Wake up, America. He shouldn’t have gotten this far.
eficial to allow the Beverly High School Unified School District (the District) to address the concerning needs in “health, safety, and instructional problems that [are needed] for [students’] success in college and future careers” by raising $260 million with legal and reasonable increases in property tax. Saying yes to the measure will certainly enhance the quality of teaching in numerous areas such as science, technology, arts and music by, “construct[ing] performing arts classrooms/facilities to provide our students with additional educational opportunities, [and also] construct[ing] new science labs and career and technology classrooms to support high quality instruction in science, technology, engineering and math. Though the facts stated above should be enough to convince any
Ben Shofer editor-in-chief
Throughout her campaign for the presidency, Hillary Clinton has ridiculed her Republican opponent Donald Trump for his crass remarks on minorities. In both the public and private eye, however, Clinton has made remarks, similar to those of Trump’s, regarding Bernie Sanders’ supporters during the Democratic primary. In a leaked speech given to Goldman Sachs, Clinton was caught saying that Sanders’s supporters are a “bucket of losers.” Had Trump referred to any of his opponents’ supporters in the same way there would be a media outrage. As both the Los Angeles Times and New York Times have formally endorsed the Clinton campaign, it raises serious concerns about the ability of those papers to objectively cover each candidate, especially as neither publication ran a single story online about the incident. Her words aside, let’s now look at her actions. As Secretary of State, Clinton’s “extremely careless” handling of her private email server, to quote FBI Director James Comey, placed our nation’s top national security secrets at risk. In an era where nearly no online server is safe, it is imperative that our secretary of state take the right precautions when handling classified information. If Clinton acted in an extremely careless manner as secretary of state, then who knows what she will do as president of the United States. On the topic of foreign contributions, while Clinton was secretary of state, the amount of contributions from foreign governments doubled, according to the Wall Street Journal. In another report by the International Business Times, “Clinton’s state department approved $165 billion worth of commercial arms sales to 20 nations whose
Editorial
reasonable voter who understands the concept of long term benefits, the opposition claim their moral grandstanding with invalid rebuttals that not only exaggerate any unwanted compromises, but also overlook benefits in their entirety. One of the most popular arguments, according to opposers Former School Board President Myra Lurie, Former School Board President Nooshin Meshkaty and Beverly Hills Mayor John Mirisch via votersedge.org, is that the District, “has a dismal fiscal track record of waste and broken promises,” and, “should not be trusted with another dollar at this time.” Though combatants allege that this operation will have no citizen oversight and can not be trusted to fulfill its stated objectives, they could not be more wrong. This measure is a “fiscally conservative plan,” meaning that all gathered
governments donated to the Clinton foundation.” Although Clinton was no longer on the Board of Directors of the Clinton Foundation as she was secretary of state, there remains a clear correlation between the contributions and actions. Clinton has especially been criticized for her close knit relationship with Saudi Arabia. The kingdom had donated somewhere between $10-25 million to the foundation in 2008, the same year Clinton was sworn in as secretary of state. And just three years later, Clinton oversaw the a $29 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia, a nation which, according to U.N. Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer, “has beheaded more people this year [2015] than ISIS.” In a leaked email between Clinton and her advisor Cheryl Mills, Clinton expressed that she holds Saudi Arabia to a different standard on humans rights. Clinton famously said in 1995 that “women’s rights are human rights,” and 20 years later she oversaw an arms deal with a country that forbids women from driving. Clinton’s double standard regarding human rights is despicable. It is highly likely that Clinton treated different nations more favorably if they donated to her foundation. Could it be a coincidence? Yes. But with numerous investigations pointing toward there being a direct correlation between Clinton’s actions and contributions to the Clinton foundation, it is unlikely that Clinton would have acted the same way if these countries had not donated. As Trump continues to ridicule and mock nearly every person who opposes him, one must stop and think before voting this November about whether Hillary Clinton places our nation’s interests or her own interests first.
funds are required to stay in Beverly Hills and are forbidden to be used on administrators’ salaries or pensions, to be taken by the state, or to be used for anything besides the items stated in the ballot measure. Also, it is said that the Board of Education will create a citizens’ oversight committee that will be responsible for conducting annual and independent audits to check on the Board and reassure the public that the funds are only being spent on district projects. Another wrongfully compelling argument claims that the owners of average and medium sized single houses will watch their property tax bills exponentially increase. In reality, according to the District’s Tax Rate Statement, Measure Y is estimated to have the highest tax rate to only be $44 per $100,000 of assessed valuation for each year. We urge those who deny the value
of this measure to broaden their perspectives past their checkbooks and recognize that not only will safe schools benefit the students, but will also help protect and improve local property values. We could continue to debunk each baseless argument out there for Measure Y, but, the conclusion is obvious. Measure Y will increase the rate of property taxes, but only on those who are perfectly capable of paying it. With this overdue plan enacted, all schools in this district will experience immense improvement in almost every structural and pedagogical field. This measure is crucial for the longevity of the District’s schools. For the sake of the students, the Board, the District and the overall community, make the right decision and vote yes on Measure Y.
October 28, 2016
8 sports
Highlights
Athletes voice opinions on locker room talk Isaiah Freedman sports editor After recent derogatory slurs directed toward women, Donald Trump attempted to defend himself. In his own words, via a video posted on his Twitter feed: “This was locker-room talk. I’m not proud of it. I apologized to my family, I apologized to the American people. Certainly I’m not proud of it but this is locker room talk.” Not everyone is perfect, but not everyone is Donald Trump either. While he constantly spews hateful comments like when someone tastes a bad cup of coffee toward anyone who dares lift a finger against him, normal people just shrug it off. Everyone on the planet has imperfections, and they rightfully attempt to minimize them, not sadly embrace them in the way Trump has. Among the dozens of boys and girls sports teams at school, a little bit of chatting in the locker room is customary. Teams are together for a season of conditioning and practice, as well as a season of playing. That is a whopping six-month partnership. Many conversations take place, some of which are bound to be a tad unflattering. It is just human nature. Most like, if each and every person had a microphone on them for their whole lives, all have said some ugly remarks they wouldn’t want repeated. Despite the subtle differences in each comment, most team captains interviewed for this story fronted a unified, opposed position regarding Trump’s comments. Co-captain of the boys varsity volleyball team Owen Lloyd admitted there are some wacky statements stated in private, but he, just like everyone else, understands there is a proverbial line to never cross: a line Trump stepped over without thinking twice.
“I can only hope that members of my team wouldn’t condone any of his actions. I think many teammates of mine wouldn’t stand for such things to be said in our own locker room,” Lloyd said. Trump’s comments should be
preciate the way he talked about women. As an athlete myself, I have been in locker rooms and that is not locker-room talk,” Korasidis said. Most student-athletes interviewed disagreed heartily with
week. Even with my over-the-top sense of humor, I would never say something that promotes sexual assault; even to my closest friends in private,” Van Pelt said. “As for Trump’s locker room excuse, of course nobody agrees with what
Illustrated by: Veronica Pahomova treated as non-factual since they were so denigrating toward women, kind of like another rich pig named Donald who used to own the Los Angeles Clippers. Rubini Korasidis of the girls varsity swim team was very concerned regarding Trump’s comments. “It is upsetting and we do not ap-
Trump’s comments, but perhaps none more staunchly than cocaptain of the boys varsity football team, Harrison Van Pelt. “In our locker room, the primary topic of conversation revolves around Fantasy Football and the challenges our football team will face throughout the upcoming
he said nor do any of us condone his words.” Actually Harrison, not everyone disagrees with Trump. In fact, one student-athlete who wishes to remain anonymous surprisingly concurred with Trump. “I lowkey agree with him,” the student said. “People probably
do not want to admit it, but those talks do happen and it is part of our culture.” Trump makes so many outlandish statements that wash out each other, making it hard to pinpoint and focus on one wrongdoing. It’s actually one of his only schemes that is working for him. Look at Hillary; she cannot escape questions over her email scandal just because that is her only “scandal.” His latest “grab” statement, though, is a notch of cruelness above the others, and it is getting the bashing it deserves. It’s apparent Trump has no idea what he is talking about (I could end the sentence here) concerning locker-room talk. Just a couple of days ago, he openly asked what the big ideas about concussions were, claiming they were only “dings on the head” and that players are not as tough as they used to be, which is of course wrong. Concussions are the scariest injuries in sports, more so than anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) tears and ruptured achilles, since those, while devastating physically, do not make your brain an eggplant when you turn 50. These captains understand the overarching message. Lockerrooms should serve as places for goofing-off. After a win, a locker room is full of fist pumps and words of encouragement. After a loss, silence. After a long practice, there is complaining and bickering about the coach and how much he made you run. That emotional privacy is what makes them locker-rooms. But Trump would not comprehend that. The closest he has ever been to a real locker room is about as close as the Cleveland Browns are to winning the Super Bowl.
Boys varsity handcuffs BHPD in exhibition Isaiah Freedman sports editor The boys varsity basketball team handily defeated the Beverly Hills Police Department 62-46 in a fundraiser scrimmage in order to raise money for a potential basketball tournament in Hawaii. The entire event was months in the making, and its conception started back at Horace Mann’s grand opening in August, where Bradley Gibbons, father of forward Barry Gibbons, had a talk with the police chief. “I was talking with the police chief and I asked her, ‘How would you guys feel about putting together a charity game against the varsity team?’ She loved the idea. I asked [boys varsity coach] Jarvis Turner about it and he loved the idea. We got donations from BHBL and the Beverly Hilton. It was a lot of fun to watch. These are good kids. I’ve known all of them since they were six or seven years old. I wanted everyone to to have fun,’” Gibbons said. The entire event, sponsored by the Beverly Hilton and BHBL, provided free cookies and water bottles for the audience. This was not a haphazardly organized game. Gibbons even contacted his good friend Richard Waters, a certified Division I college basketball referee and Assistant
Varsity poses for a photo before they take on the police department in a fundraiser game. Photo by ISAIAH FREEDMAN
Principal of Hawthorne Elementary School, to officiate the game. “I asked [Waters] about reffing and he got his two friends together, so we had three Division I refs for the game. It was just a fun thing to do,” Gibbons said. Although boys varsity ultimately emerged victorious, they started the game very shaky. A female police officer crossed up guard Kevin Cho, then sunk a deep threepointer right in his face. The crowd roared. Then, on the ensuing pos-
session, Cho dribbled down and hoisted a three of his own, which air-balled. After his team had secured the victory though, it was nothing but a funny memory. “Don’t worry about it,” he grinned, sweat dripping down his face on the bench. The varsity team was fueled by guard Jason Mehraban, who led the team with 14 points, including two three-pointers, as well as freshman Albert Nassan, who
scored 10 points on 4-4 shooting. After the first quarter, the varsity team started to crack open the lead, leading 31-10. Coach Jarvis Turner’s troops consistently passed the ball into the middle of the defense in order to create easier pathways for players to cut to the rim and score. For patrol officer Starkov, the game was a great community event and also a convenient chance for the police department to work on its game.
“It was a lot of fun. I have almost never played basketball, but I think it was a great community building opportunity. We have a lot of work we gotta do [regarding our basketball skills]. We did our best with what we had,” Starkov said. The varsity team has yet to begin their league schedule. Guard Grant Gaon and forward Chandler Sooferan were sidelined due to ankle and foot injuries. They are, however, expected to be ready for action as the season draws near.