Happy New Year – Party’s Over, Back To Work!
BEVERLY HILLS NUMBER 1
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THIS ISSUE
Dancer is a 10-month old Wheaton Poodle pup in search of a new home. 4
Beverly Hills resident Marie Borofsky “carries The Courier” to Christmas dinner. 5
Preeminent UCLA clinicians discuss breaking new ground in aging. 17 •Arts & Entertainment 8 •Health & Wellness 13 •Birthdays 18
George Christy, Page 6 “We Were Fooling Around On A Beach In Maui, And We Were Photographed, Which Launched A Tradition 20 Years Ago Of Personal Holiday Greetings Based On Classic Movies,” Says Madelyn Hammond Editorial from Rabbi Pressman AND MORE
CLASSIFIEDS • • • • •
Announcements Real Estate Rentals Sales and More
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January 2, 2015
Buzzworthy In B.H. – The Top 5 Stories To Hit Beverly Hills During The Year 2014
Longtime resident and real estate pioneer Guilford Glazer passed away. 4
Julian and Michele Gold volunteered on the “Donate Life” Rose Parade float. 4
SINCE 1965
BEVERLY HILLS GIVES BACK — Pictured above: BHUSD student Yael Salama and Lisa Primavera bag oranges to be distributed. Above, left: a table full of volunteers make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and other food items. Above, right (from left): Solly Salama, Ian Goldstein, Juliet Goldstein, BHUSD boardmember Howard Goldstein and Gabe Goldstein prepare sandwiches.
Season Of Giving – Beverly Hills Community Feeds 1,500 On Christmas Eve By Laura Coleman Horace Mann Principal Steve Kessler was all smiles on Christmas Eve morning as he prepared peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the Husky cafeteria alongside colleagues and students to “Feed the Hungry” on Christmas Eve. This year’s annual event drew families from all four Beverly Hills Unified K-8s to Horace Mann, including Hawthorne, El Rodeo, and Beverly Vista, to create 1,500 sack lunches later distributed by the West Hollywood Food Coalition. Under the auspices of “Coach” Kessler, the most senior Beverly Hills Unified School District employee, friends, new and old,
chatted at various stations to craft lunches of a sandwich, fruit drink, fresh fruit and chips while simultaneously doing something really good. “I am always touched by the generosity of our community (joining) together to spread the season to those less fortunate by preparing holiday lunches,” said Board of Education VP Howard Goldstein, who has been attending the annual BHUSD service learning event for years with his family. At last year’s equally festive event, which was held at Hawthorne, the community created approximately 1,000 lunches.
L.A. City Attorney Feuer Could File Criminal Charges Against Mohamed Hadid’s 901 Strada Vecchia Over Violations By Matt Lopez A private hearing is scheduled for Jan. 6 at the L.A. City Attorney’s office to determine whether criminal charges will be filed against celebrity megamansion developer Mohamed Hadid’s massive 901 Strada Vecchia project in Bel-Air. The Courier has learned that the hearing was referred to City Attorney Mike Feuer by the L.A. Department of Building and Safety over violations that have come to
light over the past year at the nearly 30,000 square foot home. Permits were pulled at the site earlier this year when LADBS determined major unpermitted work had been done at the site. In December, LADBS determined that more illegal work had been done over the Thanksgiving holiday, violating an existing Stop Work Order. L.A. City Attorney spokesman Frank Mateljan said Hadid is one (see ‘MOHAMED HADID’ page 17)
By Matt Lopez What a year it was! Beverly Hills got another year older (and wiser), but that wasn’t nearly all that happened. Here’s a quick look back at some of the top stories that made headlines in 2014, in no particular order of importance: 1. Beverly Hills Turns 100 The City of Beverly Hills celebrated its Centennial year like... well, like only Beverly Hills can. The Centennial Sing-Along at the Saban Theatre on Jan. 28 kicked off a year-long string of events that included a Centennial Block Party on Rodeo Drive, Centennial Arts of Palm installations, the Centennial Rose and Tree Planting and several other Centennial-themed events throughout the year. (See Beverly Hills Courier, Jan. 3, 2014). 2. Metro breaks ground on Purple Line Extension Whether you like it or
not, and according to the results of Measure J most in Beverly Hills don’t, Metro is coming. Well, at least to La Cienega Blvd. Construction kicked off this fall with a groundbreaking ceremony at LACMA in November. “Today we’re off to La Cienega, then Century City,” L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti proclaimed. What route Metro takes to get there is still up for debate, according to the City and BHUSD. Metro backed out of a mediated settlement agreement with Beverly Hills pertaining to the Purple Line Extension under Beverly Hills High in early November, just before the groundbreaking ceremony. (See Beverly Hills Courier, Nov. 14, 2014). 3. Two LAPD Officers killed on Loma Vista Drive In March, Officer Nicholas Lee was killed when a truck struck his vehicle. (see ‘BUZZWORTHY B.H.’ page 11)
REMEMBER THIS? — Just a year ago, Beverly Hills had not one, but two floats in the Tournament of Roses parade. Picture above, left: thenMayor John Mirisch rides the Beverly Hills Centennial float. Pictured above, right: Playboy’s “first lady” and devoted animal advocate Crystal Hefner on the Beverly Hills Pet Care Foundation’s “Loving Dreams...Adopt A Shelter Pet” float. For more great pictures from 2014 in Beverly Hills, see page 16
Celebrity Photo/Scott Downie
VOLUME: L
T H E AWARDS BEGIN! — Gwen Stefani and mother Pa t r i c i a Stefani along with Kate Hudson strutted down the Red Carpet during The P e o p l e Magazine Awards at The Beverly Hilton.For more photos, see George Christy’s column on page 6.