BHCourier E-edition 020119

“STOP THE SMEAR CAMPAIGN” – Guest Editorial by John Mirisch

BEVERLY HILLS VOLUME: LV

NUMBER 5

www.bhcourier.com

SINCE 1965

February 1, 2019

BHPDCrisis Group Seeks Takeover Of Tuesday’s City Council Meeting During RSO Hearings

ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, GO! – Runners take off on a 5K/10K dash through the Historic Business Triangle Sunday morning, as part of the BHEF 5K-10K Walk/Run & Fitness Blast. Hundreds of participants joined in, despite cool temperatures, bringing friends and family to cheer them on.

Photo by Zale Richard Rubins

THIS ISSUE

Community members turned out Thursday for “Coffee With A Cop.”

4

The Peninsula and Beverly Hills Hotel were named AAA Five-Diamond hotels.

5

The BHHS girls soccer team clinched the Ocean League championship. 19 •Arts & Entertainment •Birthdays •Letters to the Editor

10 22 31

George Christy, Page 6 Not Only Is Indian Food Healthy, The Dishes Are Deliciously Flavorful And Unlike Any Other Food You'll Have, Report Our Beverly Hillbillies Who Enjoyed A Month-Long Visit Throughout India, The Grandmother Of Tradition.

CLASSIFIEDS • Announcements • Real Estate • Rentals • Sales • and More

25

School Board Approves Laying Off 26 Employees

By Laura Coleman On Tuesday, during the very same meeting where the Beverly Hills Unified School District Board of Education discussed its 2017/18 audit report by Moss, Levy & Hartzheim LLP, which showed a general fund balance of $18.2 million at the end of the previous school year, the board unanimously voted to approve laying off 26 full time employees.

Before the vote, which represented a diminishment of the 31 employees slated to be given pink slips when the board meeting agenda was originally posted, Beverly Hills Education Association (BHEA) President Ethan Smith expressed his concern with how the process of layoffs has been unfolding.

“BHEA has concerns with how programming at the new middle school and the reduction

in staff across the district are progressing,” he said, at the start of Tuesday’s formal meeting, drawing board members’ attention to the fact that they would be voting on layoffs before knowing the master schedule.

“Today or tomorrow 5th, 6th and 7th graders will be given information about what their potential electives might be next year. They are due back no later than February 8th. After they are returned, they will take time to process and, once students’ choices have been made, you will know what teaching staff will be required,” he reasoned while recommending that the board wait to take action.

According to BHUSD’s website, the decision to lay off at least 20 teachers is directly tied into the (see ‘LAYOFFS’ page 15)

$1.2 Billion Woodbridge Judgment Started With Local Attorney And Lago Vista Project

By Victoria Talbot The Securities and Exchange Commission announced this week that a federal court in Florida ordered Woodbridge Group of Companies LLC and its former owner to pay $1 billion in penalties and disgorgement for operating a Ponzi scheme that targeted retail investors.

Judge Marcia G. Cooke of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida approved judgments against Woodbridge and its 281 related companies ordering them to pay $892 million in disgorgement. The court ordered former owner and CEO Robert H. Shapiro to pay a $100 million civil penalty and to

disgorge $18.5 million in ill-gotten gains plus $2.1 million in prejudgment interest.

In December 2017, the SEC filed an emergency action charging the company and other defendants with operating a massive $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme that defrauded 8,400 retail investors nationwide, many of them seniors who had invested their retirement funds. The SEC's complaint alleged that Shapiro made Ponzi payments to investors and used a web of shell companies to conceal the scheme.

RS Protection Trust and several relief defendants were (see ‘LAGO VISTA’ page 12)

By Victoria Talbot Vera Markowitz and her alleged “group of concerned citizens of Beverly Hills” are at it again.

This week, instead of naming names as she promised, her ad admonishes her group of followers to come to the City Council meeting Tuesday evening to demand that Chief of Police Sandra Spagnoli be removed from office for alleged discrimination.

It just happens to be the night that the City Council will also be deliberating the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) - which will impact over 61 percent of Beverly Hills’ most vulnerable residents for years

to come, as well as the schools and the City for decades.

Who is Vera Markowitz?

In last week’s Beverly Hills Weekly she tells a version of her story that completely contradicts another version she told to the Park La Brea Beverly Press.

Rosen features prominently in her ads; he is the poster child for discontent at the BHPD, having sued the City for alleged discrimination (Jewish and over 40) and won $2.3 million.

Beginning with her complaints that she did not have a social relationship with exPolice Captain Mark Rosen. (see ‘BHPD’ page 21)

Communication Is Superintendent Bregy’s ‘Largest Area Of Concern’

By Laura Coleman When Superintendent Michael Bregy started working for the Beverly Hills Unified School District two years ago, he was often told that much of the news about the schools was coming from the local paper, as opposed to the school district.

Today, he counts the diminishment of news available to the community via the press as an accomplishment - a fact he shared at Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting

following feedback from the board on his draft revisions to BHUSD’s media policy, which was last updated in 2009.

“A non-negotiable for me, after spending 60 days when I first got to the district and was on a listening tour, and the item of concern that I received most from students, staff and parents, was that ‘We’re not getting information from you, we’re getting information from the media; that’s how we’re getting our school district (see ‘BHUSD’ page 15)

LIVING HIGH — Our Parapetetic Beverly Hillbillies stayed at the Imperial Palace In New Delhi where they admired the vast collection of museum-worthy colonial and post-colonial art.

Built In 1931, the Imperial Hotel was New Delhi's first luxurious grand hotel.

For more photos, see George Christy’s column on page 6.

Page 2 | February 1, 2019

BEVERLY HILLS

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TRAFFIC AND PARKING COMMISSION – deadline to apply: March 1, 2019 at 5:00pm The Beverly Hills City Council is seeking qualified residents to fill one vacancy on the Traffic and Parking Commission.

For more information on the Commission position and to apply online, please visit the City’s website at www.beverlyhills.org/applyforacommission or call the City Clerk’s Office at (310) 285-2400 to obtain the application form by mail or e-mail.

LOURDES SY-RODRIGUEZ, CRM, MMC Assistant City Clerk

BEVERLY HILLS

February 1, 2019 | Page 3

BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | FEBRUARY 1, 2019 Page 4

HERE!

B E V E R LY H I L L S M A I N N E W S

Where To Eat With Your Sweetheart On Valentine’s Day In Beverly Hills

DOUBLE BREVE LATTE EXTRA HOT, PLEASE! – On Thursday morning, dozens of cops were sipping coffee with the public, talking over the issues of the day, at Peet’s Coffee, 258 S. Beverly Dr. Pictured (fromleft): Traffic Control Officer Simmons, Traffic Control Officer Jeffrey Grijalva, BHPD Chief Sandra Spagnoli, Mayor Julian Gold, Assistant Chief Marc Coopwood, Lt. Elisabeth Albanese, Councilmember Robert Wunderlich, Detective Christopher Lelong, Sgt. Eric Olson and Sgt. James Keenaghan.

Local Author, Lecturer Marianne Williamson Announces 2020 Presidential Bid

By Victoria Talbot Local spiritual lecturer and best-selling author Marianne Williamson, 66, announced Tuesday that she is running as a Democrat for the office of President of the United States, from the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills.

Williamson spoke for 40 minutes to hundreds of her supporters at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills.

Her announcement was met with scathing criticism in her twitter feed. Said one post, “Please don’t do this. No one wants you to run.” Other posts said she would split the vote for Kamala Harris, who announced her candidacy last week, and expressed fears that splitting the vote would ensure a Trump victory.

This is not the first foray into politics for Williamson, who is a Beverly Hills local.

The New York Times bestselling author ran as an Independent in the primary for the 33rd Congressional District and came in fourth. She

received 13.2 percent of the vote in 2014. Ted Lieu (D) and Elan Carr (R) were the two-top vote-getters, followed by former LA City Controller and Councilperson Wendy Gruel (who received 16.6 percent of the votes).

Williamson also created Sister Giant, a political action conference to engage women in politics, and to promote female candidates. Now she turns her sights to the 2020 race for the presidency in a Democratic field crowded with women.

Williamson’s career began

in the 1980s when she began teaching “A Course in Miracles,” a self-help program for spiritual seekers that gained momentum quickly.

At the time, the AIDS epidemic was full-blown. Many of her students were affected. In 1989 she founded Project Angel Food to bring meals to those suffering from the disease. It has since expanded to include many services for ill and homebound residents.

By 1992, she authored her first of 12 books, A Return to Love,a treatise on the “Course in Miracles.” Seven of them have been on the NYTimes bestseller list.

According to her website, “Our deepest problem is the disengagement of the American heart from the values we purport to hold most dear, and the failure of too many of our citizens to vitally participate in the expression of those values.”

For more information visit: www.marianne2020.com.

Beverly Hills Public Library To Host Book Signing For Pediatric Health Pioneer Dr. W. Thomas Boyce

By Victoria Talbot Physician and acclaimed author Dr. W. Thomas Boyce will discuss and sign his book The Orchid And The Dandelion: Why Some Children Struggle And How All Can Thrive at 7 p.m. in the Beverly Hills Public Library auditorium on Feb.21.

The event is free and open to the public.

Boyce is a renowned researcher and pediatric health pioneer and professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry and he heads the Division of Development Behavioral Pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. He is also co-director of the Child and Brain Development Program of the Canadian

Institute for Advance Research and a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.

His book, The Orchid And The Dandelion: Why Some Children Struggle And How All Can Thrive, explores ways that parents, teachers, and child health care experts can find new pathways to help “difficult” children find happiness and success.

Boyce’s research as an social epidemiologist and a developmental-behavioral pediatrician addresses the ways genetic, neural and psychosocial processes work together to produce inequalities in childhood health and disease across socioeconomic groups. His work has shown

how psychological stress and neurobiological reactivity to aversive social contexts interact to produce disorders of both physical and mental health in populations of children.

Boyce and his wife are Oakland residents. He has two adult children, one orchid and one dandelion, a common metaphor used by psychologists to refer to children who are Highly Sensitive Persons orchids (HSP) and those who are hardier- dandelions. He is also an avid sailor.

Free parking is available adjacent to the Library, located at 444 N. Rexford Dr. For more information visit www.beverlyhills.org/bhpl.

By Matt Lopez Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching on Thursday, February 14, and nobody wants to be left in the lurch, trying to make last minute plans when every decent restaurant is booked solid.

Plan ahead, impress your darling, and book a dinner reservation at one of these Beverly Hills restaurants that are currently offering Valentine’s Day specials: Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills: Jean-Georges will serve a special Valentine’s Day menu with options like fresh tagliatelle with black truffles, nut and seed crusted cod. Menu begins at $155 per person, beginning at 5 p.m. Call 310860-6566.

The Beverly Hilton: CIRCA 55 hosts a “Romantic Date

Night for $130 per couple, including a four-course dinner from 5-10 p.m., along with one bottle of French sparkling wine and a mini chocolate truffle box. Live music will be performed beginning at 6 p.m.

Call 310-887-6055.

The Peninsula Beverly Hills: The Belvedere will offer a four-course dinner, including a glass of Champagne, and live piano music, for $125/person from 5-10 p.m. The Roof Garden will offer a threecourse dinner under the stars, for $65/person. Call 310-9752885.

The Beverly Hills Hotel: The Polo Lounge will offer a three-course gourmet dinner specially crafted for Valentine’s Day. Priced at $175/person, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Call 310-887-2777. (see ‘VALENTINE’S DAY’ page 17)

FOXY ROXIE – Roxie is a toy poodle chi mix who weighs 5 pounds. She’s great with other dogs and loves to make other furry friends. Roxie is in search of her forever home and would do great in a home that already has one dog and needs a friend. To learn more about Roxie, visit www.shelterhopepetshop.org/ or call 805-3793538.

Pet Care Foundation Needs Help Finding Forever Homes For Lobo, Henry

By Victoria Talbot Lobo is a handsome yearold German Shepherd with a gentle nature who was surrendered by his owners when he developed a medical condition common to the breed.

The condition, perianal fistulas, causes lesions beneath the tail in the anal area and requires treatment, including diet, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and possibly, surgery.

Most common in German Shepherds, the condition can arise in any breed and even treated, can become recurring.

Unfortunately, poor Lobo was left at the shelter with advanced symptoms; he was both emaciated and infected.

Bill Crowe, executive director of the Pet Care Foundation, discovered Lobo when he was on site at the West Los Angeles Animal Shelter to film their weekly adoption program.

One of the shelter employ-

Lobo

ees said they had a dog in the medical unit he should look at.

The dog was available for adoption, but visitors would never have had access to him.

“They were going to put him down in a few days,” said Crowe.

Lobo was sick and in pain, constantly reaching around to lick his painful fistulas.

Nonetheless, his good nature showed through. Lobo is not only extremely handsome, he has a profoundly gentle (see ‘SPECIAL NEEDS’ page 24)

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BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | FEBRUARY 1, 2019 Page 5

City Council Set To Vote On Draft Rent Stabilization Ordinance

Pictured: A rendering of the Glorya Kaufman Performing Arts Center

Glorya Kaufman Performing Arts Center At Vista Del Mar To Open In Fall 2019

By Laura Coleman Just over two years after Beverly Hills philanthropist Glorya Kaufman agreed to support the creation of a state-ofthe-art center for the performing arts on the century-old campus of Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services, construction is now well underway following October’s groundbreaking.

Come fall, the new Glorya Kaufman Performing Arts Center will be both the home of the Glorya Kaufman Therapeutic Dance Program as well as an inspiring treasure for the arts community at large.

“I thought this would be a wonderful thing,” said Kaufman, who reinvigorated dance at the L.A. Music Center in 2003 and three years ago founded the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, which is set to graduate its first class in fall.

The new performing arts space, which includes a 300seat theatre, a rehearsal studio, lobby, box office, dressing rooms, theatrical support

spaces and storage, will be used for school events, professional performance groups, and artist and student workshops. Vista Del Mar educates roughly 250 students on a daily basis, in addition to providing housing for around 48 children, and a learning space for dozens of autistic children during the week.

“These kids are all going to learn movement and camaraderie and they’re going to see the arts,” Kaufman predicted.

“Who knows what it’s going to do for them?”

Designed to be a catalyst for the school's long-term goals

of advancing its arts programs and to help shape the future of the kids and their campus, AUX Architecture’s remodel and expansion of the onetime campus synagogue, which was built in 1965, considers both the students who will enjoy it during the day time, as well as the greater community of artists who will make use of the facility via rental agreements.

“We are building something that will have a positive and lasting impact on so many children,” said architect Brian Wickersham. “Working with Glorya Kaufman and everyone at Vista Del Mar is inspiring.”

Kaufman said she had but two conditions she wished to set before moving forward with the creation of the performing arts theatre: Vista Del Mar students needed to be able to use the facility throughout the school day and later, students would have the opportunity to see a rehearsal for every company that rented the space.

“I didn’t want them to see it and not feel that it was theirs,” she told the Courier.

POGO FOR HEALTH – Hawthorne second grade students practice "Poga" (Pilates + Yoga), something they have done with Principal Sarah Kaber since she was a classroom teacher. “The weekly lessons have promoted a calm, controlled, mindful and engaging learning environment while encouraging the kids to be joyful and active,” she said.

Pictured: (Front Row, from left): Sana Nishihara, Chloe Kaveh, Jason Chadorchi, Seth Braverman, Mary Montague, Matai Mizrahi, Sienna Naysan, and Jonathan Zokaeim; (Middle Row, from left): Charles Ravaei, Raquel Ebrahimian, Daniel Shekhtman, Baran Omrani, Emely Paredes De Leon, Milan Benafsheha, Aaron Lau, and Sunday Magdalena; (Back Row, from left): Ariel Emanuel, Blake Kashani, Emily Mehdizadeh, Madelyn Monempour, Riley Metcalfe, Matthew Riesenberg and Justin Aziz.

SCIENCE OLYMPIAD – Beverly Vista Elementary Won the Gold Medal at the L.A. County Science Olympiad for the second year in a row. BV’s third-through-fifth grade students competed in a series of science and engineering events at Antelope Valley College in Lancaster on Saturday, Jan 26, including Barge Building, Animal Anatomy, Tennis Ball Catapult, Chopper Challenge, Mystery Architecture and more. Out of the 15 schools that competed, Beverly Vista was one of two that earned the gold medal.

By Victoria Talbot Tuesday evening, the Beverly Hills City Council will be presented with the draft Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO), a process that has taken over three years to reach this point. It is anticipated that the City Council will take public comment, discuss the ordinance and finally, vote on the provisions that will likely govern the next several decades for tenants and landlords in the City.

The RSO was to provide tenants a measure of security in a City where landlords had historically raised rents 10 percent annually and evicted tenants without cause or relocation fees for decades.

Provisions put forth at the Nov. 20 City Council Study Session were shocking to many renters because they had never before been discussed and

they may undermine the most important provisions of the RSO, enabling landlords to evict renters, albeit, politely, much as they had been doing prior to the ban on No-Cause evictions last year. The council also arbitrarily raised the annual rent increases from 3-7 percent to 3.5 – 7.5 percent, with no explanation and decided to exclude duplexes from the RSO, meaning residents in a duplex are not protected. Passthroughs, possibly amounting to an additional hundreds of dollars per month, are also in the draft ordinance.

The Draft RSO will include the Probationary Tenant provision, which allows landlords to tell tenants in their first year that they cannot continue to rent a second year. A tenant who has just paid first month, last month, security deposit (see ‘RSO’ page 21)

The Peninsula Beverly Hills

Peninsula Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills Hotel Earn AAA FiveDiamond Ratings

By Matt Lopez Two of Beverly Hills’ preeminent hotels were once again honored Thursday morning with AAA’s prestigious Five Diamond rating.

The Automobile Club of Southern California released its annual list Wednesday, and The Peninsula Beverly Hills and The Beverly Hills Hotel were both honored as FiveDiamond resorts.

It marks the 26th consecutive year that The Peninsula Beverly Hills has earned AAA’s Five-Diamond honor.

“We are honored to have received the AAA FiveDiamond award for the 26th consecutive year. Without our exceptional staff, and ownership commitment to quality this award would not be possible.” said Peninsula Managing Director Offer Nissenbaum.

Just like last year, The Beverly Hills Hotel joined The Peninsula on the FiveDiamond list.

The Peninsula and Beverly Hills Hotel were among 13 Southern California hotels that earned Five-Diamond honors.

Also making the list were: Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, Montage Laguna Beach, The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach, Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, Park Hyatt Aviara Resort in Carlsbad, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara, Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa in Rancho Santa Fe and the Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego.

AAA also released its list of Four-Diamond resorts, which listed six local properties, including the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, Viceroy L’Ermitage Beverly Hills, SLS Beverly Hills, Montage Beverly Hills, The Beverly Wilshire and the Four Seasons Hotel.

GEORGE CHRISTY

George Christy “After

landing in Singapore, all passengers are presented with a card that reads drugs are punishable by death. As they are at Customs for those entering by other means.

“S

ingapore’s among the cleanest cities in the world,” informs our peripatetic Beverly Hillbilly Elgart Aster, who stopped by before his monthlong visit to India with partner Paul Swerdlove.

“We felt very much at

home when we found a Spago in the heart of downtown.

“O

ur itinerary began in Tokyo, a wonderful city which is neat, clean and exciting, with its mix of history and contemporary life side by side.

“W

e stayed at The Palace Hotel across from The Imperial Gardens that provide a beautiful way to relax for an afternoon.

“E

verybody ‘Arigato’ frequently means thank you.

coli and mustard leaves, with added spices.

“T

he popular aloo, is prepared with potatoes and peas in a vegetable curry.

“I

’m crazy about the assorted lentil dishes that make my mouth water just thinking about them.

“It makes no difference if

you dine at Thacker’s in Mumbai, with its very reasonable local cuisine, or the posh dining room at the Taj Palace. A delicious experience with both.

“I

ndia has a population of nearly 1.4 billion people. A friend pointed out that if you sell a product and have only a 1 percent share of the market, you still have 14 million customers!

Whether you sell shoes or cars to just 1 percent of the popu-

lace, you have the opportunity for major wealth. Imagine if you have a 5 percent share!

fishers, peacocks and larger animals like tigers only several feet from our vehicle.

higher concentration in this neighborhood.

“New Delhi is the capital

“American friends attend-

hen there is beloved Mumbai, where we stayed at the Taj Mahal Palace directly across from the Gateway to India and the Arabian Sea.

of India, and the place to stay is The Imperial Hotel, a beautiful mix of Indian, Colonial, and Art Deco architecture. The city itself is home to diplomats and 151 embassies. The famous Red Fort is New Delhi’s iconic monument, having provided national security to the royals. The name comes from the red sandstone unique to the area.

“A

gra is home to the famous Taj Mahal, built as a tomb for Shah Jahan's favorite wife. The place to stay is The Oberoi Amarvilas, where all rooms face the Taj Mahal.

“R

athambore is the city known for its safaris. The Oberoi Vanyavilas remain an incredible experience - you stay in what is essentially a very luxurious tent.

The walls are solid, the outside roof is canvas and the inside roof is upholstered with beautiful fabrics. We went on Safari and saw different kinds of animals, stunning birds like king-

ing the $100 million Ambani wedding are still gossiping about the extravagant first-class flights and accommodations and royal service around the clock with limousines, etc.

“T

“T

“J

he hotel has been beautifully refurbished since the 2008 attack by radicals, and security is extremely tight.”

“The Rambagh Palace is

ndia’s the great grandmother of tradition,” reflected Mark Twain after his visit.

“J

hile Vogue’s legendary fashion empress Diana Vreeland, whose wit never fails her, declared in her crisp analysis, “Pink is the navy blue of India.”

aipur, known as the Pink City due to the number of buildings in its various shades. the home of a Maharaja, who lives there and has now opened it to the public to allay the expense of this daily operation. odhpur was the comical moment on our trip. Since it was wedding season in India The Taj Hotel in Jodhpur was fully booked and we could not secure a reservation at any price. Frantic, we ended up staying in a hotel adjacent to a mosque which had a call to worship through loudspeakers every day at 4:30 a.m. Aye, aye, aye. Ten percent of India is Muslim, although I suspect a

“I

W

B

ack in California, former San Francisco’s Mayor, Willie Brown, formally announced this week that Kamala Harris, vying for the Presidency in 2020, had been his mistress for two years.

Obvious to the world at large that observed them coupling hand-in-hand here, there and everywhere. Should Kamala take over the Presidency, would Willie be named Secretary of State?

Online at www.bhcourier.com/category/george-christy

says which

“W

e flew then into India, which has changed tremendously since my visit 30-plus years ago, when there were only two kinds of cars: Ambassadors and Fiats. Today, you’ll find every car imaginable including Range Rovers and Jaguars. The company now owned by the Indian Company, Tata Motors!

Tracy Morgan with Megan Wollover

Kellan Lutz with wife Brittany Gonzales

Brian Tyler with Sofie McCue

Amy Adams

Tamala Jones

Taraji P. Henson

“T

he unanticipated consequence of success is traffic which makes the traffic in Los Angeles look like nothing at all.”

“W

e love India for the colors and for the women dressing in saris. Pink and pink.

And red, fuchsia, yellow, orange.

“W

Porsche Coleman

Phoebe Robinson

Nazanin Mandi Richard Roundtree

Mary J. Blige

Kelly Rowland

Kausar Mohammed

Celebrity Photo/Scott Downie

e were fascinated with the intricate textures of the various handicrafts that you may want to ship home.

“A

dditionally, we loved the architecture and art. And, of course, the food, all good reasons to book a journey to India.

“The food is healthy.

“Chicken Tikka Masala,

is chicken marinated in a spiced curry sauce.

Erykah Badu attended the Paramount Pictures premiere of What Men Want at Regency Village Theatre

“Saag,

is cooked with finely chopped spinach, brocPage 6 | February 1, 2019

Karen Civil

Jessica Allaine Jasmin Brand

Darrin Henson

Auston Jon Moore

Aldis Hodge

Adam Shankman

BEVERLY HILLS

BEVERLY HILLS

February 1, 2019 | Page 7

W E A LT H MANAGEMENT

Wall Street Ends Banner January As Talks Progress Between U.S. And China Wall Street stocks finished a banner month on a mostly positive note Thursday on optimism over US-China trade relations, while European bourses were pressured following tepid economic data.

The Dow finished the session a hair lower, but up 7.2 percent for all of January, in its best start to the year in 30 years.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq finished solidly higher as Wall Street continued to cheer the Federal Reserve's dovish stance on monetary policy outlined on Wednesday.

Stocks also picked up momentum late in the session when President Donald Trump hailed "tremendous" progress in US-China trade negotiations held over the last two days in Washington.

In a letter to Trump from Chinese leader Xi Jinping, that

Google Dow Jones graph.

was read out by a Chinese official, Xi said relations were at a "critical" stage and that he hoped "our two sides will continue to work with mutual respect."

But Trump said they still face a "hard deadline" of March 1, which the US is set to more than double tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports.

Trump said relations between the two countries are "very, very good."

American trade officials are due to travel to China next month for the next round in shuttle diplomacy after which,

Trump said, he and Xi will meet to strike the final bargain.

"We have to get this put on paper at some point if we agree.

There's some points that we don't agree to yet. I think we will agree. I think when President Xi and myself meet, every point will be agreed to."

Last year, Washington and Beijing slapped tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade and US duty rates on $200 billion in Chinese goods are due to rise to 25 percent from 10 percent if no agreement is reached by March 1.

––– AFP

BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | FEBRUARY 1, 2019 Page 8

L.A. Seeks Online Portal For Small Businesses To Compete For Large Contracts A Los Angeles City Council committee moved forward with a proposal Wednesday to create a free online database that would link local businesses to major contracts, including ones related to the 2028 Olympics and other major events.

The program would be modeled after a system that was developed for the 2012 London Olympics. Over 200,000 businesses have registered with the London website since its creation and more than 75 percent of the contracts on the platform have been awarded to small and medium businesses, according to a report from the Los Angeles Business Council Institute.

"I want to thank the Los Angeles Business Council for bringing this concept to us because it seemed to me an exciting opportunity to emulate what has worked elsewhere in order to broaden our pool of potential businesses who can benefit from the enormous amount of economic activity in procurement that we are going to have, not just public procurement but private procurement in relation to the big events that we

have coming up, and will allow more businesses to know about those opportunities, to compete effectively for those opportunities and to not be buried in the red tape that's usually involved in the procurement process," said Councilman Paul Krekorian, chair of the Ad Hoc on Comprehensive Job Creation Committee.

A motion introduced by Krekorian and approved by the committee noted many of the economic opportunities that are coming to Los Angeles in the coming years.

"Over the next decade, Los Angeles will benefit from an unprecedented amount of investment in public infrastructure projects such as those funded by Measure M and Measure HHH," the motion says.

"Los Angeles will also benefit from significant events that will create extraordinary economic activity, including the 2020 MLB All Star Game, 2022 Super Bowl, 2023 College Football Playoff, 2026 World Cup, 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and more."

––– City News Service

W E A LT H MANAGEMENT

BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | FEBRUARY 1, 2019 Page 9

TAX PLANNING: Income & Retirement

Understanding How The Tax Law Affects Income & Retirement Planning

By Lisa Detanna Given the complexity of changes to the tax code of the United States, thanks to taxreform legislation passed in late 2017, the sweeping changes and the impact they could have on each of us with regard to our income and retirement are not always easy to understand.

The new law included tax-rate cuts for individuals, corporations and pass-through businesses, and eliminates many individual and business deductions.

Here are a few tips we have compiled to help make sense of it all: Retirement Saving Retirement plan contributions: If you are paying less income tax, you could have more money to save toward retirement goals. As a result, you may be able to boost your pre-tax retirement savings and take advantage of an employer match.

Roth IRA Conversions: Although re-characterization of a Roth IRA conversion is no longer permitted, this doesn’t mean you

shouldn’t consider a Roth conversion when it makes sense. For example: You anticipate a lower effective tax rate in retirement, or, alternatively, for wealth transfer planning to children or grandchildren.

Itemized Deductions Interest on new home debt: If you are planning to purchase a home, consult with your tax advisor regarding the deductibility of any new or refinanced mortgage indebtedness.

Home equity loans: Interest is still deductible on home equity lines of credit used to buy, build or substantially improve the home that secures the loan. If you have home equity lines of credit used to finance other endeavors, you may want to evaluate repaying them, depending on rates and net cost.

Vacation homes: You may want to discuss with your tax advisor whether it makes sense to convert a vacation home into a rental property and possibly transform the deductibility of interest and taxes.

Limited casualty and theftloss: Since theft and some

casualty losses are no longer deductible – with some exceptions – and a tax benefit will likely be unavailable until 2025, you may wish to reconsider deductible levels on your liability insurance policies.

Alternative Minimum Tax Goodbye AMT: Given the increased exemption and phaseout thresholds, as well as the elimination or limitation of cer tain itemized deductions, you may find you are no longer subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT).

Stock options: Corporate employees with vested and unexercised incentive stock options (ISOs) may benefit for the same reasons noted above. So, you may be able to exercise and hold larger numbers of these options, thus obtaining significant income tax savings by converting more ordinary income into long-term capital gain.

AMT credits: If you have AMT carryovers from 2017, you could find it much easier to recoup them given the higher exemption levels.

Domicile Tax jurisdictions: People have long evaluated the benefits of changing their domicile to a more tax-friendly state, such as Florida, to avoid state income and/or estate taxes. This trend likely will continue, and the deduction limits on mortgage interest and state and local taxes may influence residents of states with high income tax rates, property taxes and property values to relocate to more tax-friendly states.

Divorce Alimony: Since alimony is no longer deductible to the payor spouse, or taxable to the payee spouse, divorce, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements should address these changes, be completed before 2019, if possible, and contemplate the law’s potential sunset on Jan. 1, 2026.

Future law changes: If you are seeking a divorce, consult with your legal counsel about including a provision that the divorce agreement can or must be renegotiated if the tax law changes again.

BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | FEBRUARY 1, 2019 Page 10

ARTS & E N T E RTA I N M E N T

Getty To Present ‘Pontormo: Miraculous Encounters’

Eve Brandstein Again Helming Barra Grant’s Show Of Growing Up As Bess Myerson’s ‘Ugly Daughter’

An international traveling exhibition will bring works by 16th-century Florentine painter Pontormo (Italian, 14941557) to L.A. for the first time. “Pontormo: Miraculous Encounters, “on view at the J. Paul Getty Museum from Feb. 5 through April 28 features the artist’s recently restored altarpiece the “Visitation” (about 1528-1529).

“It is a privilege to bring the Visitation, one of Pontormo’s supreme masterpieces and one of the most enigmatically beautiful paintings of 16th-century Italy, to L.A. This is the first time this painting has traveled to the U.S. It is one of those exceptional paintings that, once seen, will never be forgotten, and I have no doubt it will be a revelation to our visitors both for its striking beauty and for its moving depiction of a key episode in recognition of Jacopo da Pontormo (1494-1556) Christ’s coming,” said “Visitation.” Oil on panel. Parrocchia Timothy Potts, direc- Dei Santi Michele e Francesco tor of the Getty Carmignano.

Photo by Antonio Quattrone Museum.

The exhibit was organized by the Getty Museum in conjunction with the Gallerie degli Uffizi in Florence and the Morgan Library & Museum in New York.

More than six feet tall, the “Visitation” depicts Mary’s meeting with her cousin, Saint Elizabeth, when both were expecting their sons, Jesus Christ and John the Baptist. First recorded in 1677 by the historian Giovanni Cinelli, the painting remained virtually unknown until its re-discovery in 1904 in the small parish church of Carmignano, a hill town west of Florence. The intricate arrangement of the draperies and range of colors—fully revealed by its recent conservation— produce an effect of abstraction that was greatly admired by 20th-century artists and connoisseurs.

For more information visit www.getty.edu.

By Steve Simmons Director Eve Brandstein is a big fan of Barra Grant’s story of growing up in the shadow of her famous mother, the first Jewish Miss America and trailblazer Bess Myerson.

She directed the premiere and sold-out run of Miss America’s Ugly Daughter: Bess Myerson & Me last summer at The Edye at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica and is helming the return run, back by popular demand, Feb. 8-March 24 at the Greenway Court Theatre, 544 N. Fairfax Ave., L.A. “Growing up in the Bronx, I had always heard about Bess Myerson,” says Brandstein. “She was an icon of our immigrant family and I found her fascinating.

And I remembered the scandal.”

Myerson was an accomplished pianist, television personality, New York City’s first commissioner of Consumer Affairs, a close advisor to Mayor Ed Koch, and a national spokesperson against anti-Semitism — until she fell in love with the wrong man and went down with her Mafia boyfriend in a judge-bribing scandal.

“Bess was a formidable force when a lot of women didn’t step into those areas,” says Brandstein.

“She was at the vanguard in that way; she was a beauty queen who cared about the world, politics and history.”

Brandstein met Grant when the daughter/writer took part in Brandstein’s Poetry In Motion group at Beyond Baroque. “Barra wanted to do an evening of stories and I told her I had a better idea,” recalls Brandstein, “we could do a

Eve Brandstein

one-woman show.”

Brandstein worked with Grant over the course of a year to develop the piece, which features Monica Piper (Not That Jewish) as the voice of Myerson, a constant presence throughout the play, heard in persistent phone calls.

The play takes Grant, from an awkward, chubby kid with frizzy hair, buck teeth “and no obvious talent,” on the journey of her life as she tries to fit in at school, meet the right man, find a career and forge her own way in the world.

“Although not all of us have been raised by beauty queens, we’re all seeking to understand how we came to be who we are,” says Grant. “This is a story for any daughter who has had to maneuver her way around the potholes left by her mother while trying to forge her own path.”

“I was drawn to this story about the love/hate relationship between Barra and her mother,” says Brandstein, “and of a wounded mother (Myerson was always trying to mold her daughter in her

Barra Grant

own image) Barra trying to raise a child without the skills and realizing she would have to the opposite of what her mother did.”

Brandstein was also moved by Grant’s relationship with her daughter and late husband. “I like the concept of grieving and coming through loss and finding yourself and becoming the person you want to be. A good play should take you through a sense of transformation, and that’s what this play does.”

Brandstein, a Beverly Hills resident since 1997, also directed Rain Pryor’s solo show Fried Chicken & Latkes at the Jewish Women’s Theatre’s Braid, and is an executive producer of the TV series based on the show now in development.

She hoping to take Ugly Daughter to New York. “A lot of people there still remember Bess Myerson.”

Tickets, $40, Friday-Sunday, $25 Monday are available by calling 323-285-2078 or online at MissAmericasUglyDaughter.com.

Actress-Writer-Comedian Chelsea Peretti To Host

French Filmmaker Agnès Varda To Be Honored At Writers Guild Awards Gala Influential French filmmaker Agnès Varda, whose innovative, unconventional films La Pointe Courte, Cleo from 5 to 7, and Le Bonheur helped define France’s New Wave cinema, has been named the recipient of the Writers Guild of America West’s 2019 Jean Renoir Award for International Screenwriting Achievement, which recognizes an international writer who has advanced the literature of motion pictures and made outstanding contributions to the profession of screenwriter.

Varda will be honored at the WGAW’s 2019 Writers Guild Awards L.A. show on Sunday, Feb. 17 at The Beverly Hilton.

“The Jean Renoir Award was made for Agnès Varda. She is one of our industry’s pioneers, a revolutionary artist who paved the roads of filmmaking. Her films are relentlessly curious, complex and challenging, and her body of work continues to influence modern filmmakers and res-

onate with modern audiences.

The Board of Directors is thrilled to give her this honor,” said WGAW President David A. Goodman.

Varda’s body of work has been defined by a documentary realism, a feminist sensibility, and a focus on social commentary, all charged by her signature experimental style, including her then-innovative use of on-location shooting, non-professional actors and other techniques.

Born in 1928 in Belgium, Varda changed her named from Arlette to Agnès at age 18. She initially studied art history before making the transition to photography.

After embarking on a career as a photographer, shooting typical subjects such as families and weddings, she soon emerged as one of the leading voices of Left Bank cinema and the French New Wave, or Nouvelle Vague, while maintaining a life-long, symbiotic interrelationship between

Agnès Varda

Chelsea Peretti

photo and cinematic forms. As she once remarked, “I take photographs or I make films, or I put the films in the photos, or photos in the films,” as one medium informed the other and vice versa.

Actress-writer-comedian Chelsea Peretti (Brooklyn NineNine, Parks and Recreation) will host the event.

Behind the camera, Peretti has written for Parks And Recreation, for which she earned two Writers Guild Award nominations for Comedy Series in 2012 and 2013, Saturday Night Live, Portlandia, The Sarah Silverman Program, and Kroll Show, as well as the podcast WTF with Marc Maron.

In addition to co-starring

for five seasons on Fox’s comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine as 99th precinct administrator “Gina Linetti” – a role which garnered her a 2014 American Comedy Awards nomination as Favorite Comedy Supporting Actress and a 2015 Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination (Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series) – she has appeared in HBO’s farewell season of Girls, Fox’s New Girl, FX’s Louie, and Freeform’s Alone Together, as well as Comedy Central’s Kroll Show, Drunk History, Another Period, Key And Peele and The Sarah Silverman Program.

She also voices “Monica” on Netflix’s animated series Big Mouth and contributed voice work on animated series American Dad! and China, IL. The 71st annual awards will be presented at concurrent ceremonies at The Beverly Hilton and the Edison Ballroom in New York City. For more information visit www.wga.org or www.wgaeast.org.

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B E V E R LY H I L L S R E A L E S TAT E

BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | FEBRUARY 1, 2019 Page 12

Home Prices Up, But Sales Drop Dramatically In L.A., Orange Counties Home prices in Los Angeles county rose 2 percent in December, but home sales dropped dramatically by 20 percent, according to a report this week by real estate information service CoreLogic.

The median price of an L.A. County home, according to CoreLogic, was $581,000 in December, up from $570,000 in December 2017.

Home sales, however, took a pretty drastic dip. In L.A. county, 5,291 homes were sold, down from 6,613 during

December of last year.

A total of 15,781 new and resale houses and condos changed hands in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura, San Bernardino and Orange counties last month, according to CoreLogic. That was down 8.2 percent from 17,192 in November, and down 20.3 percent from 19,800 in December 2017.

The median price of a Southern California home was $515,000 in December, down 1.5 percent from

$523,000 in November and up 1.1 percent from $509,500 in December 2017. ”Last month's sharp drop in home sales stands out in several ways,” said Andrew LePage, research analyst with CoreLogic. “The number of homes sold was the lowest for any December in 11 years, since the onset of the last housing downturn in 2007. Sales fell about 8 percent between last November and December, whereas they normally rise significantly between those months.”

LePage added: ”Additionally, the 20

percent annual decline in December sales was the largest for any month in more than eight years. This drop in activity reflects a variety of factors.

Mortgage rates hit a 2018 high in November, affecting December closings, and stock-market volatility created an additional headwind in high-end markets. Meanwhile, some would-be buyers remain priced out or unwilling to buy amid concerns that prices have overshot a sustainable level.”

–– City News Service

LAGO VISTA

and did not make interest payments on the loans.

One such company was Sagebrook Investments, LLC, that filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Dec. 4, 2017 listing its primary asset as the property 1258 Lago Vista Dr. The property was the site for a proposed project that galvanized residents in opposition and clarified the importance of not only the Hillside Ordinance, but also the soon-to-come Basement Ordinance, in an effort to preserve the hillsides and deter developers from overbuilding.

Represented by attorney Ben Reznik of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP and Maggie Smith and Jason Sommers of Crest Real Estate, the 1258 Lago Vista property was one of an estimated $650-750 million in properties purchased by Woodbridge through-

out Beverly Hills, Malibu, Bel Air, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades and the Hollywood Hills.

The Lago Vista property, with a purchase price of $4.5 million, had acquired liens totaling $12.277 million, including a bogus construction loan for $7.885 million. Using money from over 100 individual retirees who contributed $15,000-250,000 each, the company purchased the property and then added their own first mortgage and second construction lien to it with the investor’s money, though there was no equity in the property to support the debt.

The debt, rather than being based on the asset, was based on a false projection that the property would be worth $20 million, though no plans had been approved, according to local resident and president of the Beverly Hills Hillside Protection Association attorney Ronald Richards, who first scoped out the fakery.

Reznik represented the project, which sought an R-1 Permit for hauling more than 1,500 cubic yards of export on a street less than 24-feet wide. The project was denied at the City Council level with robust community support.

However, early in the project’s history, Richards had discovered that the property was part of what the SEC called a “Ponzi scheme.”

In letters written to the Planning Commission early in February 2017, Richards expressed the objections for himself and the neighbors he represented on the project. He also discussed the circumstances of Woodbridge and its investments, and his concerns regarding the property.

The Woodbridge Group of Companies LLC responded with their own letter, objecting to Richards “attempt to mislead this Commission in order to influence it.”

Their response dedicates more than a page of a four-page letter to a defense against Richards’ allegations about Woodbridge, Sagebrook Investments LLC, and whether they were qualified to do business in California, and his concerns about the property “being used in violation of the owner and lender’s own marketing materials.” The Woodbridge letter accuses Richards of having a “farfetched claim that the lender might, possible, someday be ‘barred from California.”

On Feb. 16, 2017, ten months before Woodbridge declared bankruptcy on Dec. 1, 2017, Richards filed a complaint with the California Department of Businesses Oversight.

Richards submitted his findings to the City of Beverly Hills in a letter to the City Council on Sept. 25, but he was

largely ignored. “No one understood,” he said. “I had to lay it all out.

Sagebrook Investments, LLC, is one of 231 limited liability companies that handled real estate for Woodbridge.

In Los Angeles, Woodbridge purchased properties in the most exclusive neighborhoods, including the former home of Sonny & Cher, Owlwood.

Woodbridge was also the sole owner of a real estate company called Mercer & Vine, whose meteoric rise to include 55 agents with over $1 billion in sales occurred in record time. Mercer & Vine’s Chief CEO was Robert Shapiro, who was also the secretary, CFO, and sole director.

Woodbridge, said Richards, even sent threatening letters to his wife and neighbors by FedEx. But he prevailed.

Richards was interviewed by the FBI and the SEC. On Dec. 1, 2017, Woodbridge Group of Companies LLC and Robert Shapiro declared bankruptcy. The SEC announced charges in the $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme on Dec. 21.

“I was able to show the regulatory authorities that the owner of Sagebrook Investments, LLC, the Delaware company that owned the Lago Vista house, was a trust whose beneficiary was Robert Shapiro. Mr. Shapiro was also the owner of Woodbridge, the lender. Therefore, the investor money was being lent to a borrower owned by Shapiro who was also the lender. The relationship was a sham. Furthermore, the parceling of small portions of the first deed of trust to individual investors was also a security.

Once they saw the lack of a bona fide relationship between lender and borrower, they saw the fraud for what it was and things escalated quickly. Not only was this man terrorizing our community, but he was also ripping off elderly people,” said Richards.

The SEC echoed Richards’ sentiments.

“Woodbridge’s business model was a sham. The only way Woodbridge was able to pay investors their dividends and interest payments was through the constant infusion of new investor money,” said SEC Enforcement Division codirector Steven Peikin.

As part of the agreement, “Shapiro also consented to the entry of an SEC administrative order, without admitting or denying the SEC's findings, permanently barring Shapiro from association with any broker, dealer, investment adviser, municipal securities dealer, municipal advisor, transfer agent, or nationally recognized statistical rating organization, and from participating in any offering of a penny stock,” according to the SEC.

(Continued from page 1)

collectively ordered to pay $5.3 million in ill-gotten gains and interest. Shapiro also consented to the entry of an SEC administrative order, without admitting or denying the SEC's findings, permanently barring Shapiro from association with any broker, dealer, investment adviser, municipal securities dealer, municipal advisor, transfer agent, or nationally recognized statistical rating organization, and from participating in any offering of a penny stock.

Woodbridge advertised that its primary business was issuing loans to allegedly third-party commercial property owners who paid 11-15 percent annual interest annually. In fact, the majority of borrowers were Shapiroowned companies that had no income

BEVERLY HILLS

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BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | FEBRUARY 1, 2019 Page 14

HOW DO YOU FEEL?

H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

Registration Now Open For 13th CHLA Kicks Off Annual Valentine’s Day Card Drive Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) will Annual Los Angeles Walk To travel back to prehistoric times for its annual End Genocide Valentine’s Day card drive, which kicks off today Early bird registration is now open for Jewish World Watch’s (JWW) 13th annual Los Angeles Walk to End Genocide, beginning with registration at 10 a.m., Sunday March 31 at Pan Pacific Park, 7600 Beverly Blvd., L.A. Funds raised by walkers help JWW raise awareness of ongoing atrocities including the Darfuri genocide survivors in Chadian camps, Congolese women trying to rebuild a life after rape, and Syrian refugees desperately seeking asylum.

The nonprofit advocates for survivors in Myanmar, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Burma/Myanmar and in the Democratic Republic of the

Congo (DRC); and provides funds for relief projects and development in refugee camps and communities in conflict.

There will be music, activities and shopping at the “Global Village” before the program for the two-mile walk begins at 10:45 a.m., with the walk, featuring JWW staff and thousands of others, starting at 11 a.m.

Rates are $30 for adults 23 and older, $15 for youth 5-22, and free for toddlers.

For more information, visit https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/ReturningRegistrantOption .aspx?EventID=233934&LangPr ef=en-CA&welcomeBackReg=y or call, 818-501-1836.

Winter Storms, Canceled Drives Strain Red Cross Blood Supply The American Red Cross is reissuing its emergency call for blood and platelet donors to give now after multiple snow storms, frigid temperatures and the government shutdown further reduced donations.

In January, more than 4,600 Red Cross blood and platelet donations went uncollected as blood drives were forced to cancel because of severe winter weather blanketing parts of the U.S., and additional cancellations are expected this week.

Weather travel advisories may cause even more donors to delay their planned donations.

Upcoming donation opportunities include: • Culver City—Veterans Memorial Complex, 4117

Overland Ave.—1-7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 4; 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 16 and 2-7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 28.

• Santa Monica—American ed Cross Chapter, 1450 11th.

St.—Mondays, Feb. 4, 11, 18 and 25, 1-7 p.m.

All blood types are needed.

A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Those 17 or older, who weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health are eligible to donate.

Donation appointments may be scheduled by using the free Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 800-RED CROSS (800-7332767).

on CHLA.org.

Because Valentine’s Day is a very special day at CHLA, the hospital is inviting supporters and friends to send its pediatric patients a special dinosaur-themed holiday greeting card.

The easy two-step process only takes a couple of minutes. First, go to chla.org/Valentine and choose a card bearing one of three dinosaur images —a tyrannosaurus rex, a stegosaurus and a triceratops. Second, write a personal message of cheer to a patient.

For each card with a message sent Feb. 1-14, Party City has pledged to donate $1 to CHLA, up to $25,000.

Hospitalized children are unable to attend school parties or exchange Valentines and thus, miss out on getting to celebrate the holiday with friends and classmates. These special greeting cards and their kind words lift CHLA patients’ spirits and let them know how much people care.

In past years, patients have received Valentine’s Day cards and good wishes from the L.A. community and international supporters from Canada, Europe, Australia and Asia.

Beverly Hills Earns An ‘A’

California Earns Top Grades In Lung Association’s Annual State Of Tobacco Control Report According to the American Lung Association State of Tobacco Control 2019 report, California again leads the nation in efforts to reduce and prevent tobacco use. The association adds that tobacco use remains the nation’s leading cause of preventable death and disease, taking an estimated 480,000 lives every year.

Beverly Hills earned its “A” grade in the categories of “Smokefree Outdoor Air,” “Smokefree Housing” and “Reducing Sales of Tobacco Products.”

The City was also recog-

nized for its stand against flavored tobacco products.

While California received solid grades in many areas, a disturbing trend is the increase in youth e-cigarette use reaching epidemic levels. There has been a 78 percent increase in high school e-cigarette use from 2017 to 2018, according to results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey.

This caused the U.S. Surgeon General to declare ecigarette use among young people an epidemic in an Advisory

issued in December 2018.

The 17th annual “State of Tobacco Control” report grades states and the federal government on policies proven to prevent and reduce tobacco use, and finds California is among the top states in the nation in several key areas, The state earned an “A” in “Smokefree Air Policies” and “Bs” in “Funding for State Tobacco Prevention Programs,” “Level of State Tobacco Taxes,” “Coverage and Access to Services to Quit Tobacco” and “Minimum Age of Sale for Tobacco Products to 21.”

Christine, Dr. Gabriel Chiu Open The Prince’s Foundation Chiu Integrated Health Programme Last week, L.A. philanthropists Christine and Dr. Gabriel Chiu celebrated the opening of The Prince’s Foundation Chiu Integrated Health Programme, the new health and wellness center located at the Dumfries House in Cumnock, Ayrshire, Scotland.

Providing holistic health and well-being services to the areas surrounding Dumfries House—one of the most deprived regions in the U.K.— the project exemplifies the Chiu Family’s commitment to health causes and support of The Prince’s Foundation.

“We are humbled to support HRH Prince Charles’ passion for revitalizing and uniting communities through the Centre,” said Christine Chiu about the opening. “The collaboration of Eastern therapies with traditional (Western) medicine in addressing physical and emotional health reflects the core purpose of The Princes’ Foundation—‘to champion and celebrate the most important

part of any community: its people.’ We find no greater honor than to infect health and happiness,” “I believe that there is a place for alternative medicine and treatments alongside traditional medicine,” added plastic surgeon Dr. Gabriel Chiu. “So when Prince Charles invited us to become involved with his vision at Dumfries House, it was a compelling opportunity to not only help the community, but to see how much good could be done with the full arsenal of traditional, holistic, herbal, homeopathic, and naturopathic medicines and therapies. We hope that it will be a model for future medical integration throughout the world.”

Nestled in a far corner on the perimeter of the Scottish Estate, the new center was inspired by the success of the Dumfries House’s existing health and wellness program, where, in partnership with local doctors, natural remedies and traditional techniques are cham-

Prince Charles with Christine and Dr. Gabriel Chiu.

Photo courtesy Paul Burns Photography

pioned. The new building will comprise one large room, which will be used for group yoga or meditation sessions, with six smaller individual treatment rooms. With energy-efficient underfloor heating, the center was designed to create a sense of warmth and encourage relaxation, putting patients at ease, in addition to providing a much-

needed space for the program’s practicing therapists.

The new center will accept patients to multi-week programs addressing the five most pressing health needs of the East Ayrshire community: pre-diabetes and obesity, depression and low-level mental health issues, young single mothers requiring support and advice on

parenting, isolation of the elderly and women’s health issues.

The new center seeks to complement local services in the areas of primary and tertiary care.

The area surrounding Dumfries House is one of the most depressed regions in the U.K., unenviably coming at or near the top of the U.K. league tables for obesity, diabetes, depression and child poverty.

Ravaged by the closure of its coal mines in the 1980s, East Ayrshire has never recovered while New Cumnock, adjacent to Dumfries House, has an unemployment rate of more than 25 percent.

For the Chius, founders of Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery, Inc. and the Anti-Aging Institute of Regenerative Medicine in Beverly Hills, this marks their first major philanthropic endeavor in the U.K. The center’s east and west treatment lodges are named for their six month-old son, Gabriel Christian Chiu, III.

BEVERLY HILLS

February 1, 2019 | Page 15

BHUSD

(Continued from page 1)

communication. It was the largest area of concern because people felt, especially staff, that the way that they were getting information was third-hand. That’s something that I feel has been an accomplishment; that we’ve done a better job of letting staff know, and parents,” Bregy said from the dais on Tuesday.

His comments served as a response to Board VP Isabel Hacker’s question as to whether or not he had shared a recent communique related to the reconfiguration process with the media. In fact, no one from Bregy’s team, including his communications officer or a member of his “cabinet” of support staff, shared the referenced informational email with the Courier.

Tuesday morning’s email to BHUSD families from Bregy opened with the sentence: “We're pleased to share the first update from the Steering Committee on reconfiguration planning initiatives.” It then continued on to detail some of the work that had been done in the process thus far, including a promise to continue to update the community every two weeks.

Hacker pointed out that sharing such news with the broader community could stand to work in the district’s favor, particularly given the wealth of new middle school electives in the pipe line.

Board member Tristen WalkerShuman likewise expressed sup-

port of sharing the information with the community, highlighting how she had posted the entire email on her Facebook page in an effort to further expand its reach.

“We have residents in the City...and they also want to be informed,” Hacker emphasized.

“In this (draft) protocol, I don’t see it clearly identified or addressed; What is the expectation I can have from staff, once a release is sent out to the school community...that you are communicating with the outside agencies; newspapers, the City, and what not? What is the expectation? What is the turn around?”

“For example,” she continued, “Today, there was a communication that just went out (to families).

Did that go out to anyone else or did it just remain internal ... and why would we do that?”

Since Bregy took over as superintendent, the Courier has observed a marked diminishment of outreach on the part of the schools – including teachers and principals reaching out to invite the paper to cover various events or highlight positive stories. A Public Records Act demand issued by the Courier revealed that Bregy and BHUSD’s previous communications officer sent multiple messages throughout the district advising employees to refrain from directly contacting local media.

Bregy’s draft of revisions to the policy, which board members reviewed on the dais in hard copy form, was not shared with the community at large via the posted online agenda. The current plan –

Board Policy 1112 – emphasizes the need for strong media relations; a facet which Bregy’s draft proposal appears to continue to emphasize.

“I’m responsible for ensuring that we have plan so that we can keep and maintain strong relations with our media partners,” Bregy declared on Tuesday in anticipation of getting feedback from the five elected board members. “I do feel this has been a topic of late that is in need of improvement and so I think we all agree, let’s get a good plan down, so that clear expectations from the media to us and to them are in the plan.”

A request to review the draft by the Courier remained unanswered as of press time, however, Bregy did confirm that a revised policy would be returned to the board for further review.

“I will be collecting information from the Board of Education and do not have a timeline yet,” he wrote in an email.

The updated policy is expected to designate a BHUSD spokesperson in order to ensure consistency.

“It doesn’t need any added text,” board member Mel Spitz said after reviewing the draft revisions. “My suggestion is, let me help you...It just needs to be rewritten.”

Bregy declined to take Spitz up on his invitation, responding: “I’ll take responsibility for this. ...

We’re working on this while we’re working on a million other things.”

A STROLL THROUGH THE TRIANGLE OF BEVERLY HILLS HISTORY – Beverly Hills Historical Society Board Members Robbie Anderson and Zale Richard Rubins lead a tour through the Business Triangle. Here, the tour stops in front of the Anderson Court Shops on Rodeo Drive and to review a few spots that no longer exist, including The Daisy, where OJ Simpson met the then-teenaged Nicole Brown. When in its prime, the Daisy was the hottest night club in town, frequented by everyone who was anyone.

LAYOFFS (Continued from page 1)

school district’s plan to reconfigure. When the 2019/20 school year begins next August, El Rodeo will be closed, Beverly Vista will be a dedicated middle school, and Hawthorne and Horace Mann will both be elementary schools.

Notwithstanding the fact that BHUSD’s K-5 student population has continued to remain relatively steady, the proposal calls for the reduction of 17 K-5 teachers.

“This is a tough time for staff,” Superintendent Michael Bregy told the board in anticipation of the vote.

Bregy’s comment on the dais followed an informational email sent out Tuesday morning to BHUSD families, in which he wrote: “The annual process of a reduction in workforce started earlier this year to align with our reconfiguration plans. Notification to staff will begin this week and we hope to conclude by the end of February. All impacted staff will be noticed by March 15 per Ed Code.”

TO SEE AND BE SEEN

LUMIERE AWARDS — The Advanced Imaging Society awarded 25 Lumiere statuettes for distinguished creative and technical achievement during its 10th annual awards ceremony this week at Warner Bros Studios. The awards are voted by members of the Hollywood creative and technology community working in motion pictures, television, and emerging media. Honored for Best Immersive Entertainment Feature Film was Marvel’s Black Panther. Two Lumiere’s for Best Animated 3D Feature Film and Best Stereography were presented to Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse. Amblin Entertainment’s Ready Player One was also honored with two awards for Best Live Action 3D Feature and Best Stereography. Other films honored included, A Star is Born, Netflix’s Roma and Disney’s Ralph Breaks the Internet. The Best Scene or Sequence Lumiere was presented to Christopher McQuarrie and Mission Impossible: Fallout for the movie’s final helicopter chase sequence, which was filmed in New Zealand; Tom Cruise piloted the helicopter. Pictured (from left): Suzanne Lloyd, Jim Chabin, Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie at the 10th annual Lumiere Awards.

BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | FEBRUARY 1, 2019 Page 16

THE FASHION OF BEVERLY HILLS

HIDDEN TREASURES — Christie's Los Angeles debuted its newest exhibition, “Hidden Treasures - Impressionist & Modern Masterpieces,” last night at an exclusive cocktail reception in Beverly Hills. The preview exhibition, in anticipation of the upcoming auction in London on Feb. 27, will remain on view through Tuesday, Feb. 5, at the Beverly Hills auction house. Pictured is an oil on canvas painting by Henri Matisse (1869-1954), “Danseuse assise sur une table, fond rouge,” done in 1942. It is estimated to sell for between $7-$9 million.

Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Advanced Imaging Society

NEW HOT SPOT — In anticipation of Wednesday’s official opening of Kass, the new L.A. restaurant by Chef Christophe Eme, who once helmed the sublime Ortolan, locals enjoyed a taste of Eme’s inspired wine bar concept. Those familiar with Ortolan, which earned Eme a Michelin star before it closed in 2011, will find a refreshing concept in a comfortable atmosphere that will invariably draw repeat customers thanks to an excellent selection of wine and tasty fare. Pictured above with Chef Eme (from left) are Beverly Hills Fine Art Commissioner Deborah Frank, Beverly Hills Human Relations Commission Chair Annette Saleh and Franny Rennie, who together with Frank and Saleh, co-chairs the Friends of Beverly Gardens Park.

-Laura Coleman REJLANDER AT THE GETTY — The J. Paul Getty Museum, is poised to present the first major exhibition of work by Oscar G. Rejlander in March. Born in Sweden in 1813, Rejlander was one of the 19th century’s greatest innovators in the medium of photography. Known as “the father of art photography” for his bold experimentation with photographic techniques early in the medium’s development, Rejlander counted Queen Victoria, Charles Darwin, Lewis Carroll, Prince Albert and Julia Margaret Cameron among his devotees. Featuring 150 photographs that demonstrate Rejlander’s range, from landscapes and portraits to allegories and witty commentaries on contemporary society, alongside a selection of his early paintings, drawings, and prints, “Oscar Rejlander: Artist Photographer” will be on view from March 12 to June 9. “Rejlander tells us in his writings that ‘It is the mind of the artist, and not the nature of his materials, which makes his production a work of art,’” says Timothy Potts, director of the J. Paul Getty Museum. Visit: http://www.getty.edu. Pictured above: Oscar Gustave Rejlander’s “Child Study after Raphael's Sistine Madonna” circa 1854 - 1856. Image courtesy of Princeton University Art Museum. Museum purchase, David H. McAlpin, Class of 1920, Fund.

February 1, 2019 | Page 17

BEVERLY HILLS

VALENTINE’S DAY (Continued from page 4)

L’Ermitage Beverly Hills: A fivecourse tasting menu with optional wine pairings (for an additional $30) at Avec Nous will be highlighted by a menu that includes lobster ravioli, black truffle caviar, roasted Brussels sprouts, candied pork belly and much more. Five-course dinner is $95 per person from 5-11 p.m. on Valentine’s Day. To reserve, visit https://avecnous.com/.

The Beverly Wilshire: Romance your sweetheart at THE Blvd with featured dishes such as egg caviar, slowbraised Kobe prime rib and honeynut ravioli. Five-course dinner is $135/person, with breakable heart trio and chocolate confections available for dessert for additional $50. Available from 5-11 p.m. Call 310-385-3901. At CUT, a three-course dinner by Chef Hilary Henderson includes Farmstead Sturgeon Caviar from Bordeaux, France.

Three-course dinner is $195/person.

First seating 5-5:45 p.m.; second seating 7-7:45 p.m.; third seating 9-9:45 p.m.

Call 310-276-8500.

Montage Beverly Hills: The Restaurant offers a four-course prix fixe dinner with decadent offerings like Leek and Potato Cream Soup with black truffles, along with much more. Fourcourse menu is $105/person, with optional wine pairings at $55/person.

Call 310-860-7970. The Bar will offer specialty cocktails such as “The Heart” and “The Spirit” - both twists on classic offerings, along with Valentine’s Day dessert favorites. Call 855-691-1162.

The Rooftop Grill will offer endless mimosas for $42/person. Call 855-6911162.

Lawry’s The Prime Rib: Enjoy an elegant, romantic atmosphere at Lawry's Valentine's dinner for two, served from Feb. 14-17. For $150 per couple, Lawry's offers a four-course meal with a complimentary glass of wine. Call 310-652-2827.

Ruth's Chris: Valentine's Day "surf and turf" special featuring two buttery cold-water lobster tails will be served from February 8-17, for pricing ranging from $49.95 for a 6 oz. filet to a 16 oz. ribeye for $67.95.

208 Rodeo: Enjoy Valentine's Day European style with special prix fixe offerings. Call 310-275-2428.

La Dolce Vita: Four-course prix fixe menu with Valentine's Day specialties offered for $90/person, including a glass of Champagne. Call 310-278-1845.

Avalon Beverly Hills: Viviane will offer prix-fixe menu options from Chef Michael Reed beginning at $75/person.

310-407-7791.

Cattle & Claw: Located inside Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, Cattle & Claw will offer a five-course menu featuring options like Tournedos Rossini or Lobster Thermidor. For $75/person, from 5-10:30 p.m. Call 310-770-1654.

Il Cielo: Dine under the stars with your loved one in one of the most romantic settings in Beverly Hills.

Three-course menu offered for $320 per couple, from 5:30-11 p.m. Call 310276-9990.

Ocean Prime: In addition to its regular menu, Ocean Prime will offer its special Red Berry Fizz cocktail, softshell crab roll, 12 oz. Wagyu New York Strip Steak, pan-seared sea bass and a strawberry shortcake. From 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., call 310-859-4818.

Correcting The Record The December 14, 2018 issue of the Courier, in the article titled Beverly Hills/Rosen Settlement, Part II: Spagnoli Inherits A Department In Disarray; BHPD Lt. Dave Hamel was reported to be “Described by arbitrators as having been untruthful in testimony during the arbitration’s proceedings.” This was incorrect, The arbitrator never commented on Lt. Hamel’s testimony.

TO SEE AND BE SEEN

BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | FEBRUARY 1, 2019 Page 18

THE FASHION OF BEVERLY HILLS

Site-Specific, International Contemporary Art Exhibition Desert X Returns To California Desert

DESERT X RETURNS — Cara Romero’s “Winka & The Windmills”, 2019 gives a glimpse of what visitors to the second iteration of Desert X, which returns to the California desert on Feb. 9, can expect this year.

By Laura Coleman The inspiring contemporary site-specific art exhibition known as Desert X, returns to the California desert for its second edition on Feb. 9. Free and open to the public through April 21, the recurring international contemporary art exhibition is once again being curated by Artistic Director Neville Wakefield, this time together with co-curators Amanda Hunt and Matthew Schum.

“It’s been an honor to be a part of the continued expansion of Desert X, adding co-curators Amanda Hunt and Matthew Schum to the team, reaching south to the Salton Sea and beyond into Mexico and embracing a range of ecological, environmental and social issues that have been driving conversations about our role in the anthropocene,” Wakefield said.

The inaugural Desert X in 2017 attracted an audience of more than 200,000 diverse and

multi-generational, local and international visitors over nine weeks and engaged millions across social and digital media channels.

The upcoming Desert X exhibition, the full details of which will be revealed just hours before the public opening, will activate the desert landscape through 19 site-specific installations and performances.

Personally selected by Wakefield’s team, artists’ works explore ideas of site-specificity, the frame of post-institutional art and the interactive possibilities that attend it. Participating international contemporary artists include: Iván Argote, Steve Badgett & Chris Taylor, Nancy Baker Cahill, Cecilia Bengolea, Pia Camil, John Gerrard, Julian Hoeber, Jenny Holzer, Iman Issa, Mary Kelly, Armando Lerma, Eric N. Mack, Cinthia Marcelle, Postcommodity, Cara Romero, Sterling Ruby, Kathleen Ryan, Gary Simmons and Superflex.

Diversifying the range of media presented in 2017, Desert X 2019 adds film projects and evolving, process-driven works to its presentation, which will span 50 miles across the Coachella Valley, expanding to the south to explore the ecological bellwether of the Salton Sea, and further across the border into Mexico.

In tandem with the exhibition, there will be a three-day symposium, “Desert, Why?” Set to take place at the Annenberg Theater at Palm Springs Art Museum and at Desert X artists’ sites, the three-day celebration of art and the environment includes a series of performances, panels, tours and reception.

There will also be a panel at the Salton Sea on the impending climate crisis.

Descriptions of the 2019 artists’ projects, a site map, details of exhibition-related programming and parallel programs will be posted on desertx.org on Feb. 9.

FEELING GOOD AND BEING HAPPY—The Beverly Hills Women’s Club hosted Cindy Jones in a program called “Atomic You,” where she discussed developing the tools to achieve happiness and success, feel good and be happy. Enjoying the presentation were (from left): Mary Ann W. Tapper, Jones, Marianne Berman, Kathleen Spiegelman and Elena Danielson, BHWC president. On Saturday, from 8:30-11 a.m., the club will hold a breakfast to benefit the Boys and Girls Club Mar Vista Gardens Jack and Cindy Jones Youth Center.

To RSVP and for more information, visit https://bhwclub.org/events/boys-girls-pancakes-brunch.

GUARDIANS OF LOS ANGELES — On Saturday night, Guardians of the Los Angeles Home celebrated 80 years of supporting LA’s largest single-source provider of senior care in Los Angeles at The Hollywood Palladium with the fundraising event, “1938: A Comedy Night for the Ages,” which honored Michael Koss. The Jewish Home cares for over 4,500 seniors each year through in-residence and community-based programs. More than 650 people attended, raising over $630,000 at the event, which also honored Beverly Hills realtor Josh Flagg with the Ambassador Award. Comedians who performed included Dan Ahdoot, Orny Adams, Nikki Glaser and Jon Lovitz. Pictured (from left): Josh Flagg; Zane Koss and Michael Koss.

PHOTO LA RETURNS — Photo L.A. kicked off its 27th edition yesterday evening at Barker Hanger in Santa Monica. Open through Sunday, Feb. 3, Photo L.A. is a collaborative platform which cultivates connections between industry elite and up-and-coming talent through its curated selection of over 65 local and international galleries, dealers, collectives, leading not-for-profits, art schools, and global booksellers. From the Classic Masters to the Contemporary Greats, Photo L.A. offers an extensive selection of photographic art works. The longest running international photographic art fair on the West Coast, Photo L.A. has been in operation for nearly three decades. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: http://www.photola.com.

FREEDOM FOUNDATION – The local chapter of the FreedomFoundation at Valley Forge hosted a luncheon in the Peninsula Beverly Hills where it welcomed Freedos Foundation National President David Harmer. He is pictured with Wendy Dio (left) and Elaine duPont Bernard of Beverly Hills.

BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | FEBRUARY 1, 2019 Page 19

S P O RT S

Patriots, Rams Collide Sunday In Super Bowl Generation Game

Pictured: BHHS girls varsity soccer players – Pictured: Emme Hayes, Jenna Kramer, Dani Elitzur, Ashley Heravi, Kayla Shadgoo, Lauren Stein, Sara Schwartz, Esther Goldberg, Eden Bechnainou, Ellie Ferd, Celine Albarian, Lindsey Khorsandi, Yasmin Kamara, Angela Bradbury, Adrianna Goldman, Estella Rosen and Rebecca Sanchez. Not pictured: Nahal Sarafian. Coaches – Melony DeSalvo, Justin Commins, Ryan Franks and Michael Sun.

Beverly Hills High School Girls Soccer Team Captures Ocean League Title

By Matt Lopez Thanks to a scoreless tie after double overtime against its Ocean League rival Culver City on Wednesday, the Beverly Hills High girls soccer team clinched the Ocean League championship.

BHHS and Culver City played to a 0-0 tie after double overtime Thursday at Culver City High, helping BHHS end

the regular season at 13-4-2 overall and 7-2-1 in the Ocean League.

Culver City had an identical league record, but BHHS’ better overall record, combined with its 1-0 win over Culver City earlier in the season, gives the Normans the edge.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment for the BHHS

girls soccer program to be the 2018-2019 Ocean League Champs,” BHHS coach Ryan Franks said. “The last time we won league was 2011-2012.

We have an extremely difficult league but the girls rose up to the challenge.”

The BHHS girls will learn their playoff seeding when pairings are announced next week.

SUMMER CAMPS Special Supplement & SCHOOLS Summertime Planning Starts Now! et your kids unplug next summer with a great overnight camp or teen program experience. Join us at our 2019 Summer Opportunities Fair from 11 a.m.

- 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 3 at the Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., L.A. Explore up to 50 overnight camp and teen programs for students 7 - 18+.

Use this opportunity to meet with Jill Levin, your local Tips on Trips and Camps advisor, for personalized advice and recommendations. Meet with program directors to ask questions. Bring your children and teens to get them excited about Summer 2019.

Tips on Trips and Camps is a FREE service representing more than 600 overnight camps and teen programs.

"For 48 years we have helped thousands of families find quality summer overnight programs for their children,” says Levin.

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• Traditional and Specialty Camps • Community Service • Language Immersion • Teen Travel • Outdoor Adventure • Creative and Performing Arts AND MORE! For more information, email Jill@TipsonTripsandCamps.com or visit TipsonTripsandCamps.com/LA.

Tom Brady will chase a record-breaking sixth Super Bowl crown here on Sunday as the New England Patriots take on the Los Angeles Rams in a clash of the generations set to rewrite NFL history.

Brady, 41, will become the oldest quarterback ever to lift the title if he masterminds yet another championship in the latest milestone of a career that has shown no signs of flagging.

A win would also see Brady become the only player in history to win six Super Bowls, an achievement which may never been beaten in an era where the average length of a playing career has shrunk to around three years according to recent statistics.

Records are also set to tumble in the event of a win by the youthful Los Angeles Rams, who are led by 24-year-old quarterback Jared Goff and head coaching prodigy Sean McVay. McVay, still only 33, will become the youngest head coach ever to win the Super Bowl if he manages to outwit Patriots counterpart Bill Belichick, 66, who has won

five Super Bowls as a head coach and two as an assistant in a coaching career that dates back to 1975.

The generational chasm that exists between Sunday's principal protagonists is highlighted by a cursory comparison of their respective biographies.

When Brady inspired the Patriots to their first Super Bowl in 2002, Goff was only seven years old.

"What do I remember about it? Nothing," said Goff, the 2016 No.1 draft pick who has looked a model of calm this week as he prepares for his first Super Bowl.

Like the Patriots, the Rams have developed a solid running game to expand their options, with the arrival of the physical C.J. Anderson at running back in December complementing Todd Gurley.

The Rams also boast the best defensive player in the NFL, Aaron Donald, who has a league-leading 20.5 quarterback sacks to his name in 2018, as they look to knock Brady out of his comfort zone.

––– AFP

Page 20 | February 1, 2019

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BEVERLY HILLS

OUTLOOK B E V E R LY H I L L S Members of the Capitol Ensemble—Phillip Levy, Serena Mckinney (violins), Zach Dellinger (viola) and Eric Byers (cello) perform Schubert’s String Quartet in E flat major Op.125 no 1 D.87; and Mozart’s String Quartet no 14 in G major K 387 as part of the Sundays Live series at 6 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 3 in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s Bing Theater, 5905 Wilshire Blvd.

The ensemble, which has collaborated with artists including Mstislav Rostropovich, Sir Neville Marriner and Michael Tilson Thomas, has given live broadcasts on NPR, and premiered and recorded works by several California composers.

For more information on the free concert, visit http://www. lacma. org/event/capitol-ensemble-31.

• • • • • The American Institute for Levinassian Studies (AILS) will present “Phenomenology & Artistic Creation—the 19th Century in motion” at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 6 at Gallery 19C, 229 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills.

Agnes Penot, Ph.D., art historian at the gallery, will discuss how “since the Middle Ages, both thought and artistic expression have often derived from each other in succussion over time. However, the changes of the 19th century, and in particular the industrial revolutions, shook up the European landscape and gave rise to a new form of expression in the arts and in thought.”

Christian Grusq, AILS president, will moderate the conversation.

For more information and to RSVP, email admin@afdela.org or call 310-652-0306.

The weekly update

of local and SoCal events.

• • • • •

animals.

For more information, call 310-550-0101 or visit amanndafoundation.org • • • • •

Jean-Michel Richaud as Vincent Van Gogh.

French actor Jean-Michel Richaud will play famed artist Vincent Van Gogh in Leonard Nimoy’s one-man play, Vincent, at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 7 at Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz at Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles, 10361 W. Pico Blvd.

The play uses excerpts and reminiscences from more than 500 letters between Van Gogh and his brother Theo, who hopes to set the record straight about his brother’s life and death.

Throughout the play, more than 100 of Van Gogh’s paintings will be projected on a screen, providing an overview of the artist’s work and a complement to the unfolding story.

Tickets for the 75-minute play, in French with English subtitles, are $25 for adults, $15, students. Call 310-286-0553 or visit http://tinyurl.com/ofmdyxh or more information.

• • • • • The Amanda Foundation will hold its Valentine’s Day event, Mimosa Madness! from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 10 at Craig’s Restaurant, 8826 Melrose Ave. West Hollywood.

The event will feature a silent audition, a tarot card reader and a “Ruff’s Raffle.”

Tickets are $50 in advance and $65 a the door. Proceeds support the care of the foundation’s orphaned and stray

Jean Marais in Orpheus.

As part of its “Unknown Fates” series highlighting European filmmakers, the Norton Simon Museum will screen Jean Cocteau’s Orpheus (1950) at 6 p.m., Friday, Feb. 8. at the museum, 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena.

Cocteau’s update of the Orpheus myth, in French with English subtitles, depicts a famous poet (Jean Marais) scorned by the Left Bank youth, and his love for both his wife Eurydice (Marie Déa) and a mysterious princess (María Casares).

Screenings are free with museum admission of $15. For more information, visit www.nortonsimon.org or call 626-449-6840.

• • • • • Pianist Olga Kern, who in 2001 became the first woman in more than 30 years to win the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, will present a solo Olga Kern concert at 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb.

9 at The Broad Stage, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica.

The program will include three sonatas by Scarlatti, Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 “Waldstein;” Gershwin’s Three Preludes and Fascinating Rhythm from Seven Virtuoso Etudes, Rachmaninoff’s Moments Musicaux, Op. 16 No. 4 in E minor; 7 Morceaux de salon, Op. 10 No. 3 “Barcarole” and Morceaux de fantasie, Op. 3 No 4 “Polichninelle,” Scriabin’s 2 Etudes (No. 4 Op 42) and Balakirey’s Islamey, Op. 18.

Tickets, ranging from $50$95, are available by calling 310-434-3200 or by visiting, www.thebroadstage.org.

• • • • • Hollywood Heritage and The Hollywood Foreign Press Association will present an “Afternoon @ the Barn” with “The Four Musketeers: Douglas Fairbanks and the Founding of United Artists,” at 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb 10 at the Hollywood Heritage Museum, 2100 N. Highland Ave. Kelley Smoot, who expanded and revised her stepmother’s biography of Fairbanks, will be special guest for the event.

Leticia Fairbanks originally published the biography of her famous uncle in the 1950s, and the new addition, to debut at the event, has now been lavishly illustrated with photographs.

In addition to a book signing, there will also be a screening of rare archival clips from the collections of Karl Theide and Stan Taffel. Scott Lasky of the Famous Players Orchestra will accompany the films.

Tickets are $15. To purchase and for more information, visit https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4054594.

BEVERLY HILLS

February 1, 2019 | Page 21

Beverly Hills Counts 16 Homeless Individuals Among City’s Residents

(Continued from page 5)

By Victoria Talbot More than 60 volunteers, including residents, City staff, Beverly Hills police officers, the Beverly Hills Homeless Outreach Team and the Beverly Hills Ambassadors participated in the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s (LAHSA) Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count last Wednesday, resulting in a count of 16 individuals, one RV and one car counted by volunteers.

The effort was part of an annual three-night Countywide effort to understand and address the homeless population and its complexities.

LAHSA’s three-night homeless count consisted of 166 deployment sites and over

8,600 volunteers. The population of homeless individuals is reported to the Department of Housing and Urban Development where the numbers directly influence federal funding directed to Los Angeles, which is said to have one of the largest homeless populations in the nation.

With homelessness an increasing phenomenon in Los Angeles County, the City of Beverly Hills has seen a decrease in recent years.

This year’s count yielded one more individual than 2018 count, which had 15 individuals, one van and a makeshift shelter.

“We attribute this to innovative collaborations and part-

nerships,” said James Latta, Human Services administrator.

“The City’s Human Services Division works with the

Chronic Homeless Assistance Team (CHAT), comprised of

BHPD

chief in Garden Grove and Albuquerque, New Mexico before joining Management Partners.

“We heard criticism; those are reflected in the report…

Change is difficult,” he said.

“The vast majority [of police employees] looked at it as ‘white noise.’ There was no issue with new hires...You have a fine police department that you should be very proud of.”

Spagnoli, at last confirmed count, has on-boarded more than 36 new hires in two years, compared to the 31 officers hired from 2010 – 2016 during Snowden’s era. For the first time in nearly a decade, there is a full house.

According to Human Resources Manager Shelley Ovram, the assistant chief of police position was managed by her office. There were 13 people seated on the three panels to select the assistant chief.

Interviews were conducted by each panel with each candidate. Each “rater” (the term Ovrom uses to describe their function) assigned each candidate a ranking. They looked for agreement in the top three rankings among the raters.

Rosen simply did not make the cut. It wasn’t discrimination; other candidates were more qualified, especially Marc Coopwood, who won the spot, said Ovram.

Markowitz also did not make the cut. She received only 1,147 votes when she ran for City Council in 2017.

Her message at the time, that she is a negotiator and a peace maker, and opposing factions should “sit down together,” a theme throughout her campaign that always ended with a “solution,” did not resonate with voters.

During the campaign, she failed to offer a substantive platform. She finished third from last, including hairdresser Jim Wayne, who did not campaign at all, in a field of eight candidates.

Repeatedly, Markowitz has

claimed her qualification is that she ran the office for her husband, a renowned orthopedic surgeon.

Changing tactics now, she seems to be campaigning again. This time, she has discovered one single issue.

To the Weekly, Markowitz denied that she was involved in the creation of BHPDCrisis.

“I had no involvement in developing it, but the people who were involved came to me. I told them I couldn’t be involved but said that I didn’t mind being the face of it, being the person to buy the ads,’ Markowitz told the Weekly. “I don’t mind doing that. They pay me and I pay for them. I don’t mind at all, but the fact is that I’m not behind it.”

On the same day, in an article in the Park La Brea Beverly Press, Markowitz, was named the leader of the group.

“Led by longtime resident and former City Council candidate Vera Markowitz, the BHPD Crisis campaign has created a website, run advertisements and is generating support for Spagnoli’s removal,” said the opening paragraphs.

The article stated that she told them she has the support “of many current and former officers and other personnel in the Beverly Hills Police Department, as well as many residents. She declined to name the supporters out of fear of retaliation from the police department and the City.”

“Bottom line is, the goal is to get rid of the Chief and the people around her. They should have gotten rid of her after the second lawsuit,” she told them.

The Weekly also interviewed Bradley Gage, the attorney.

Gage implied to the Weekly that police officers in Beverly Hills were pulling over motorists “simply because of the color of their skin.”

Such an implication paints the entire Police Department with a broad brush. Over 40 applicants were interviewed

Wednesday for ten positions in Traffic Control. They represented an array of nationalities and cultures, according to sources within the Department, who were deeply impressed with the high caliber of applicants and the diversity they represented.

Since Spagnoli became Chief, the Department has transformed from 71 percent white males (2010-2016) to 47 percent white males (20162018). The gender gap has improved from 10 percent women (2010-2016) to 16 percent women (2016-2018).

There are nine lawsuits, representing 12 employees, three that date to before Spagnoli.

Documents show that nearly every officer who is currently involved in litigation against the Chief and the City of Beverly Hills was also a signatory on a petition to remove the 2014 Beverly Hills Police Officers Association (POA) Board.

The petition was precipitated when then-POA President Michael Publicker went to the LA County District Attorney (JSID) over Sgt. Brian Weir’s allegations that Lt. Terry Nutall lifted a sheet covering the body of Whitney Houston and made inappropriate comments, and subsequent allegations of retaliation against him and other actions surrounding the arbitration of Sgt. Richard Ceja.

This was a police department in freefall. Police Department sources say the best and the brightest were being driven out because they would not knuckle under to join the Snowden Posse – led

by Capt. Mark Rosen.

Nutall was also at the top of the Snowden posse; Sgt. Brian Weir, a military veteran, was marginalized for doing the right thing.

Many of the officers negatively impacted during Snowden’s heyday remain on the force, and report that they are very happy with Spagnoli.

(Continued from page 1)

At a town hall meeting before she ran for City Council in 2017, Markowitz publicly made a point of singling out former BHPD Capt. Mark Rosen, who came to her home when it was burglarized.

With the settlement, according to sources within the City, the City was able to remove Rosen from the department. Those sources say that without Rosen, morale in the BHPD has improved considerably. He was the “cancer” said more than one individual, that “infected” the department.

However, the settlement has cost the City credibility and lent the BHPDCrisis group traction.

Spagnoli was hired, sources say, to bring about change to a department in tatters after ex-Chief Dave Snowden was forced into retirement following the BHUSD school security scandal, where he created EBI and placed his loyal retirees before the company declared bankruptcy and pulled out.

But change is not always easy for those whose entitlements were granted through the Old Guard.

“It is pretty telling that you were as successful as you were,” Jay Trevino, project manager for Management Partners told the City Council in December, upon delivering the updated 2018 Management Partners report. “The changes worked. The data clearly showed that.”

“There is a high level of support; morale is definitely positive,” said Trevino.

Councilmember Bob Wunderlich asked how that high morale squared with the lawsuits. “No police department is immune to criticism,” said Jay Polisar, special advisor with Management Partners.

Polisar is a law enforcement veteran, having served as

COUNTING EVERYONE BECAUSE EVERYONE COUNTS – Human Services Specialist, Rachel Evans, Senior Management Analyst Stephanie Harris, Dr. Sharona Nazarian (former Human Relations Commissioner), son Aaron Nazarian and Current Vice Chair of the Health and Safety Commission Dr. Daniel Nazarian participated in the 2019 Homeless Count.

(see ‘HOMELESS COUNT’ page 24)

RSO and moving expenses could thus be on the line to do it all over again in less than a year.

There is no relocation fee.

Those who wish to speak should be aware that the BHPDCrisis ad urges followers to attend the City Council meeting and to speak out in the public comment period prior to the agenda item. This is the only agenda item, but if there are speakers, they could hold up the agenda. Renters should attend the meeting, or to send their comments by email to bhrent@beverlyhills.org. The agenda will be available to review on Friday evening, Feb. 1, on the City’s website at www.beverlyhills.org.

Today, these officers say they are proud to be a part of the BHPD. They relish taking pride in their work, they feel confident they are judged on performance, and when they have a question about how they can improve, Spagnoli offers guidance and training incentives.

Nonetheless, Snowden loyalists remain, both active and retired or active in other law enforcement agencies.

The officers we spoke with believe that the principal intention of the discrimination lawsuits such as Rosen’s is to force the City of Beverly Hills to abandon Chief Spagnoli.

They report that officers and civilians loyal to Snowden are the primary source of negative gossip and rumors despite his forced resignation under a cloud.

Under the guise of weeding out discrimination, Markowitz and her group, including Rosen, have tried to portray Spagnoli as a failure despite the crime and other statistics including successfully hiring the most diverse recruits in Beverly Hills history.

Unfortunately, the rent stabilization Ordinance has taken three years to mature through dozens of facilitated discussions and meetings and effects over 61 percent of the City’s most vulnerable residents - the renters.

It is the only topic on the agenda to allow robust discussion prior to approving the draft ordinance. Now, the RSO has to share the stage with a repetition of Markowitz’ comments from former council meetings.

Nonetheless, she has ramped up her audience for months and she is raring to go with more half-truths.

It will be interesting to see which former and present police officers might show up for her on Feb. 5.

A N O T H E R B I RT H D AY !

Robin Blake

Marion Goldenfeld

Lisa Sherman

Shirley Arconti Jennifer Jason Leigh

Chris Rock

BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | FEBRUARY 1, 2019 Page 22

Morgan Fairchild Michael Nourmand

Ashton Kucher

James Spader

BIRTHDAYS—Lisa Marie Presley and Pauly Shore (Feb. 1); Christie Brinkley (Feb. 2); Marion Goldenfeld, Amal Clooney, Michael Nourmand, Nathan Lane and Morgan Fairchild (Feb 3); Alice Cooper, Lisa Eichhorn, Oscar de la Hoya, and Dan Quayle (Feb. 4); Barbara Hershey, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Hank Aaron, David Murphy, Robin Blake and Jane Bryant Quinn (Feb. 5); Lisa Sherman, Carol Katzman, Fabian Forte, Alice Eve, Robert Townsend, and Shirley Arconti (Feb. 6); Garth Brooks, Chris Rock, Ashton Kutcher and James Spader (Feb. 7).

Joan Mangum Last week saw the end of one of Beverly Hills iconic stores when Carroll & Company closed its doors after serving our community for 70 years. This was the place my husband would go to have his suits made and pick up fabulous sweaters and accessories.

Since its closing was announced a few weeks ago, we’ve been stopping in to pick up many terrific items and were lucky to find some wonderful antique pieces for sale that had been used for display purposes through the years.

We kept running into so many of their loyal customers from celebrities to well-dressed locals, and even ran into many of their overseas clients who, like us, were hoping to take home some last minute “finds.”

Thank you to John Carroll and his family for making so many men look so great. I’m looking forward to hearing about the Carrolls’ next venture and will let you know when I do. Meanwhile the rumor mill is ablaze that Brooks Bros., which recently closed its Rodeo Drive store, will be renting the Carroll & Company space on Canon Drive.

And as you’ve been reading in the Courier of late, another of my favorite stores, Edwards-Lowell will no longer be selling new furs but will continue selling vintage furs from top designers owned by celebrities and many of their long time clientele.

Paul and Jeffrey told me they have so busy selling their “new fur” line with 50 percent off plus some sports and Hollywood memorabilia, they decided to extend the sale to the end of February.

After that, they will keep their fur storage and cleaning divisions going while still being heavily involved in charity events. ****** On Wednesday, March 27, at The Beverly Wilshire, Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services will honor six extraordinary people whose boundless generosity has enhanced the experiences of local children and families most in need.

Receiving Vista’s 2019 Ruth Shuken Humanitarian Award will be Jackie Dubin, Inez Gelfand, Gail Hershowitz, Ruthe Newmann, and for the very first-time, an excellent man–Irv Cooper. The Visionary Award recipient will be Linda Greller.

The luncheon co-chairs Nancy Epstein and Vista Board Chair Laurie Konheim stated: “We are so delighted to honor these five outstanding women and our first ‘excellent man.’

They embody all that is best in terms of leadership, vision and giving back.”

For information contact: Lisa Barden at 310-836-1223.

For the past century, Vista Laurie Konheim Nancy Epstein Del Mar Child and Family Services has cared for some of the area’s most vulnerable children,

310.275.0579 • 434 N. CANON DRIVE MON. - THURS. 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM FRI. & SAT. NOON - 10:00 PM I TA L I A N R E S TA U R A N T

providing a range of exceptional programs in education, mental health, autism, adoption, residential care, prevention and early intervention. ****** Just in time for Valentine’s Day, St. Vincent Meals on Wheels has again designated the month of February as #FoodisLove. The month-long campaign, which has secured the generous participation of nearly a dozen restaurants, will raise much-needed funds for the organization which each day prepares, delivers and serves over 3,000 meals to some of the area’s most vulnerable residents who are hungry and homebound, regardless of age, illness, disability, race, religion or ability to pay. The $8.2 million budget is completely privatelyfunded.

Among nearby participating restaurants taking part with signature dishes are Clementine’s on Civic Center Drive (garden salad), Petrossian on Robertson Boulevard(caviar frites), and Granville on Beverly Boulevard (uptown mac and cheese).

For more information on St. Vincent Meals on Wheels and #FoodisLove, visit: www.stvincentmow.org.

Astrology

By Holiday Mathis TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Feb. 1). Dare to make happiness a priority. People will mirror your happy state. Because they feel happier around you, you’ll get better results, sweeter deals, more pleasing relationships and the satisfaction of knowing you made people's time here better. March shows you in a new position, and you'll be boosted again in May. Leo and Gemini adore you.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). To be someone’s soft place to land is a beautiful role. You’ve needed that in your own life, when it wasn't there or when it was. You know the difference, and so you’re happy to provide.

PISCES (Feb. 19-Mar. 20). Sometimes it takes laser focus to progress, and other times, like today, it just takes moving forward in the same direction all the others around you are going, like you’re one fish in the school.

ARIES (Mar. 21-Apr. 19). Don’t always take the safe path. It’s not scenic nor more direct, and really not smoother. The redeeming thing about that path is that it's known. So take the unknown and less traveled path.

TAURUS (Apr. 20-May 20). You like a person because of how they laugh, sound, look, smell, reason and more. But if one of those things is off, it can impede the progress of the relationship.

SCORPI0 If you feel you know everything about a person, you’ll be uninterested in them until something happens to shake it up, reminding that you can never know everything about a person.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Don’t mind being a servant (everyone is in one way or another) but you want to make your own terms for your servitude, and this you should do. Spell them out.

Write them down. Understand your rights and responsibilities.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Make a move to show you know your own value. You are one of a kind. As you honor your unique character, the world will seem to cater to your sensitivities and proclivities.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Critiques are not personal and shouldn’t be taken as such. The proverbial red marks on your essay are signals that there’s room for improvement. Take the note; get better. Before you know it, you’ll be a master.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Doors open and close quickly today.

Drink more water. It will keep your brain sharp and ready to jump through the opportunities as they open up, without hesitation.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). When one person in the couple is happy, the other is, too. That’s love. Compassion takes it one step further—to be happy because another human is happy, perhaps a human you don’t even know. That’s great love.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Noisy, superfluous thoughts could easily distract you from what’s useful and important if you weren’t so vigilant. Ways to mentally quiet down include meditation and exercise.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). The new currents will be strong as riptides. How does one keep from getting caught up in something as powerful as that? Don’t fight it in a polarized way. That’s futile. How can you move sideways?

Frances Allen’s Desert Roundup Eighty years is a long span of time for most anything, especially in the Desert where the heat seems to act as a preservative. Chronicling all this is the Palm Springs Art Museum, which celebrated its 80th anniversary at its annual

80TH ANNIVERSARY–Attending the anniversary gala for the Palm Springs Art Museum were philanthropists Marcia French (left) and Diane Deshong; Photo by Kevin Parker

gala last week.

Thanks to the generosity of its members, the museum is the largest cultural institution in the Coachella Valley focusing on the visual arts in three separate buildings.

The flagship locale in downtown Palm Springs features world class exhibitions, vast permanent collections and the 433-seat Annenberg Theater all in a 150,00-square foot structure.

The museum’s Architecture and Design Center features exhibitions and programming which explore the rich topics of culture and design.

Meanwhile, the museum’s Palm Desert building is The Galen named after Helene Galen, a major supporting benefactor. This supports major exhibitions and special collections, as well as the being the home for the museum’s fouracre Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden.

Daily admission to The Galen is free.

The Palm Springs Art Museum itself has free admission on the second Sunday of each month as well as free admission every Thursday.

With its substantial reputation to live up to, the Palm Springs Art Museum knows how to put on a gala celebration, turning a cavernous convention center into an artistic wonderland.

Guests – male and female - were requested to wear white to help carry out the evening’s theme: “The Art Is You,” where the guests had well known works of art projected onto their formallyattired-in-white guests.

Among these having themselves “painted” for the anniversary gala were its platinum sponsors: Donna MacMillan, Harold Matzner, Stacey and Greg Renker; and double platinum sponsors: Helene Galen, Patti and Jack Grundhofer, JoAnn McGrath, Faye Sarkowsky, Arlene Schnitzer and Jordan Schnizer.

February 1, 2019 | Page 23

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Page 24 | February 1, 2019

BEVERLY HILLS

SPECIAL NEEDS (Continued from page 4)

A DUCK’S WORLD – An extended family of ducks has moved into the Lily Pond and declared Beverly Hills “home” for the winter. Over 30 ducks, mostly babies, can be found in the park whenever it rains. Several ducks can be seen in the foreground with parents looking on, while more can be seen floating in the pond.

HOMELESS COUNT (Continued from page 21)

City’s Police and Fire Departments and the City Prosecutor to coordinate services and concentrate resources on the most severely ill homeless individuals who suffer from mental health, physical health and/or substance abuse. In addition, the City’s homeless outreach team focuses on intensive case management.

The City holds monthly Homeless Collaboration meetings with community stakeholders, including faith-based organizations in the City, the

Beverly Hills Homeless Outreach Team, Beverly Hills Public Library staff, City parking staff, Park Rangers, the Beverly Hills Ambassadors Team and other community organizations to coordinate homeless service efforts,” said Latta.

Participants for the Homeless Count gathered at City Hall for training in count procedures. There, they learned about homeless services in the City prior to being deployed to the several census tracts that make up the City.

In 2009, when Beverly Hills first participated in

LAHSA’s official homeless count, there were 42 homeless individuals recorded in the City. Since then, the extensive efforts on behalf of the homeless have resulted in many fewer individuals on the streets, and many getting the help they need.

Every day in Beverly Hills, Human Services, CLASP, BHPD, park rangers and the ambassadors provide regular outreach to homeless individuals in City parks, parking structures, resident areas and in the business district to offer services including health care and counseling.

disposition. He is docile and friendly. Unfortunately, his owners were not able to care for him when he developed the condition, which could cost $250 a month.

Crowe agreed to have the Pet Care Foundation foster the dog. Then he brought Lobo to Dr. Shipp’s Animal Hospital at the Amanda Foundation.

When he arrived, said Teri Austin, owner of the Amanda Foundation, his condition was so advanced that it was difficult to diagnose the primary cause.

The Amanda Foundation is the only animal charity in Los Angeles that operates a full-service hospital with some of the best medical care available.

Lobo’s wounds were flushed and treated. He has received medications that have greatly improved his condition, and thus, the quality of his life. At the Amanda Foundation, he receives round-the-clock attention. His care givers are close by to visually monitor his progress throughout the day.

He receives regular walks and hugs, while he continues to improve.

Soon, Lobo will be well, and he will be ready for adoption by that special person who will be able to take on his medical needs, if they reoccur.

Lobo, with his beautiful, goodnatured personality, will make

Henry

someone a loyal and loving companion one day.

Like Lobo, his friend Henry, a mid-sized terrier mix, arrived at the Amanda Foundation with a chronic problem, one that had developed over a long time and was left untreated. He arrived nearly without hair, his skin hot pink from inflammation. Like Lobo, Henry has a face to die for and a personality that melts hearts. This boy is being treated for his skin condition and in a short time, has shown great progress. Soon, he too, will be ready for his forever home.

Special needs dogs like Lobo and Henry are lovingly cared for by the Amanda Foundation, and fostered by Paula Meehan’s Pet Care Foundation, paid for through donations. If you are interested in seeing these sweet dogs, visit them 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Dr. Shipp’s Animal Hospital/The Amanda Foundation, 351 Foothill Dr. in Beverly Hills.

Call: 310-278-2935.

PUBLIC NOTICES NOTICE OF TRUSTEE'S SALE T.S. #2650 YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST DATED OCTOBER 28, 2014 UNLESS YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF THE NATURE OF THE P R O C E E D I N G AGAINST YOU, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER. On January 25, 2019, at 11:00 A.M., Imperial Mortgage Corporation, a California corporation, as duly appointed Trustee under and pursuant to Deed of Trust recorded October 30, 2014, as Instrument No. 20141147975, in book , page , of Official Records in the office of the County Recorder of Los Angeles County, California, WILL SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH OR CASHIER'S CHECK OR OTHER INSTITUTIONAL CHECK ACCEPTABLE TO THE TRUSTEE, (payable at time of sale in lawful money of the United States) in the lobby of Imperial Mortgage Corporation, 4751 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 203, Los Angeles, CA 90010 all right, title and interest conveyed to and now held by it under

said Deed of Trust in the property situated in said County and State described as: LOT 22 OF TRACT NO. 13101, IN THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AS PER MAP RECORDED IN BOOK 280, PAGES 1 TO 9 INCLUSIVE OF MAPS, IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY RECORDER OF SAID COUNTY. Parcel Number: 4350-019-012 Trustor. RICHARD ASHBEE AND DIANE ASHBEE, husband and wife as community property with right of survivorship The street addresses or other common designation, if any, of the real properties described above are purported to be 1251 Lago Vista Drive, Beverly Hills, California 90210. The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrectness of the street addresses or other common designation, if any, shown herein. NOTICE TO POTENTIAL BIDDERS: If you are considering bidding on this property lien, you should understand that there are risks involved with bidding at a trustee auction. You will be bidding on a lien, not the property itself. Placing the highest bid at a trustee auction does not automatically entitle you to free and clear owner-

ship of the property. You should also be aware that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are, or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the property.

You are encouraged to investigate the existence, priority and size of outstanding liens that may exist on this property by contacting the County Recorder's Office or a title insurance company.

If you consult either of these resources, you should be aware that the same lender may hold more than one mortgage or deed of trust on the property.

NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: The sale date shown on this notice of sale may be postponed one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the California Civil Code.

The law requires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale. If you wish to learn whether your sale date has been postponed, you may call 323-6512107 for information regarding the sale of

this property, using the TS number shown on the sale notice.

Information about postponements that are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale date may not immediately be reflected on the telephone information. The best way to verify any postponement information is to attend the scheduled sale. Said sale will be made, but without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances, to pay the unpaid balance of the note(s) secured by said Deed of Trust, to-wit: $1,500,000.00, not including as provided in said note(s), advances, if any, under the terms of said Deed of Trust, fees, charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust. Accrued and Default interest, Late Charges, Maturity Late Charges, Forbearance Fees and additional advances, if any, will increase this figure prior to sale. All personal property as stated in the Deed of Trust, Security Agreement and Fixture Filing with Assignment of Rents and any other Loan Documents shall be part of this breach and shall be included in any sale as this shall be a unified sale under

Section 726 of the Code of Civil Procedure to any such unified sale, the personal property or fixtures included in the unified sale shall be deemed to be included in the real property or other interest sold. The beneficiary under said Deed of Trust heretofore executed and delivered to the undersigned a written Declaration of Default and Demand for Sale, and a written Notice of Default and Election to Sell. The undersigned caused said Notice of Default and Election to Sell to be recorded in the county where the real properties are located on September 28, 2018 as Instrument No. 20180994335.

The Beneficiary, or its designated agent, declares that it has contacted the Borrower, tried with due diligence to contact the Borrower as required by California Civil Code 2923.5, or it otherwise exempt from the requirements of 2935.5.

Trustee or party conducting sale IMPERIAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION, a California Corporation Dated: December 28, 2018 IMPERIAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION JOHN SHAIKIN, President 4751 Wilshire Blvd., #203, Los Angeles, California 90010 (323) 651-2107 A-4680506

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2018317035 The following is/are doing business as: COLLABORATIVE MEDIA GROUP 433 N. Camden Dr. #970, Beverly Hills, CA 90210; Jason Reynolds 433 N. Camden Dr. #970, Beverly Hills, CA 90210; The business is conducted by: AN INDIVIDUAL, registrant(s) has begun to transact business under the name(s) listed January 2018: Jason Reynolds, CEO: Statement is filed with the County of Los Angeles: December 20, 2018; Published: January 11, 18, 25, February 01, 2019 LACC N/C –––––– FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT 2019 012649 The following is/are doing business as: PERIODONTAL AND IMPLANT SPECIALISTS OF BEVERLY HILLS 9400 Brighton Way #311, Beverly HIlls, CA 90210; Ziv Simon, DMD, Inc. 9400 Brighton Way #311, Beverly HIlls, CA 90210; The business is conducted by: A CORPORATION registrant(s) has begun to transact business under the name(s) listed in Ziv ON January, 2019: Simon, President: Ziv Simon, DMD, Inc.: Statement is filed with the County of Los Angeles: January 15, 2019; Published: January 25, February, 1, 8, 15, 2019 LACC N/C

www. bhcourier .com

NOTICE Fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (See Section 14400, et seq., Business and Professions Code).

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February 1, 2019 | Page 25

BEVERLY HILLS

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Page 26 | February 1, 2019

BEVERLY HILLS

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In Boutique Building

Call Ray:

Adj. Beverly Hills PRICE REDUCED $1,500

323/782-1144

310/274-7988

————— BEVERLY HILLS SINGLE OFFICE Attorney Suite

Bank of America Building Wilshire Bl./Beverly Dr. Shared reception / kitchen areas.

Beautiful Office /

NOW AVAILABLE GATED 5 STAR LUXURY PROPERTIES *BEL AIR *WESTWOOD *CENTURY CITY

CENTURY PARK EAST CONDOMINIUM

$1,080,000 Corner High Floor Unobstructed Views Jumbo Balcony Renovated Hardwood Floors Large Closets

DOHENY & BURTON WAY

1 BEDROOM/1 BATH $620,000 3rd Floor Front Unit Light & Bright Quiet Location CENTURY PARK EAST $671,000 TO $1,050,000

CENTURY TOWERS $699,000 TO $1,099,000

$935,000 TO $1,139,000

2nd floor, 500 sq ft., easy access & parking.

$2,099,000 TO $2,895,000

8950 W. Olympic Bl. #213, B.H., 90211 Please Call: 323/655-1212

270

CONDOS FOR SALE

WESTWOOD

—————––––

www. bhcourier .com

all listings are on CenturyCityLiving.com

Semi-Retail Call 310/277-4662 Space For Lease

EMPLOYMENT Let me provide you w/ FIXER CONDO the special care you OPPORTUNITY desire for your special BEVERLY HILLS needs, Driving to appts, CARE GIVE RS SUBLEASE cooking, shopping, NE E DE D 2-OFFICES companionship, etc.

1870 VETERAN AVE. Great BH references. At least 5 years in home Wilshire Blvd. experience. Speak fluent Call Kim: @ San Vicente Great Westwood location

310/488-6675 Reasonable Rates!

REAL ESTATE (310) 966-0900

—————–––– 1 BED+DEN, 2 BATHS

Please Call:

HAIRSTYLIST & MANICURIST ————— Beverly Hills & ASSISTANT Shopping Center

Prime Location!

Experienced Female Certified Great Atmosphere.

Nursing Professional

12+ Years as Caregiver & Case Manager Exemplary record of care.

Great References.

2-4 Year Lease.

• 310/202-1752 • pauline.windman@ sbcglobal.net Adj. 405 freeway.

English and can also speak 140 sqft. Quiet, private Farsi, Russian, Hebrew, and professional Armenian or Polish. Must environment. Possible have car and available for phone answering live-in positions. service. Prkg. avail.

Call 323/655-2622 Unfurnished.

Mon.-Fri. • 10am-5pm $1,050/Mo. DO NOT APPLY 310/281-2667 IF NOT EXPERIENCED

300

HOUSES FOR SALE

First floor corner unit. Needs remodel. Only 1 common wall, high ceilings, very private.

Security cameras, 2 storage units, 2 parking spaces. First time on market in over 20 years. Great opportunity for investor. $800,000 L TOOMIN 310-612-2322

PARK PLACE LE PARC

CENTURY HILL

$1,250,000 TO $2,390,000

ONE CENTURY

$3,400,000 TO $10,099,000

CENTURY WOODS

$1,369,000 TO $2,799,000

BEL AIR CREST $1,788,000 TO $9,500,000

Some Complexes include Heated Pools, Sundeck, Tennis, Doorman, Houseman, Staff Engineers, Switchboard, Security Staff, Switchboard, Saunas, Business Center, Pet PlayLand, Restaurant, Acres of Flower Gardens and Grassy Lawns.

ROCHELLE ATLAS MAIZE

GAYLE WEISS

rochelle@rochellemaize.com

gayleweiss@gmail.com

310.968.8828 I dre #01365331

310.880.7948 I

dre #01050268

BEVERLY HILLS

405

WANTED TO RENT

Beverly Hills Courier Reporter

SEEKING to RENT Guesthouse or Room with Private Entrance With pet.

up to $1,500/Mo. 424/901-9942

410

ROOM FOR RENT

FURNISHED

ROOM FOR RENT in Beverly Hills Home Separate entrance, private bathroom, parking included.

Laundry & kitchen access included. $1,250/Month Utilities Included 310/499-6504

425 HOUSES FOR RENT

336 S. WETHERLY DR. BEVERLY HILLS HOUSE FOR LEASE

GORGEOUS 3 + 2 WITH HUGE POOL

440

440

UNFURNISHED APT’S/CONDO’S

UNFURNISHED APT’S/CONDO’S

KELEMEN REAL ESTATE (310) 966-0900 License 00957281

all listings are on CenturyCityLiving.com

N O W AVA I L A B L E GATED 5 STAR LUXURY PROPERTIES F URNISHED & U NFURNISHED

*BEL AIR *WESTWOOD *CENTURY CITY

CENTURY PARK EAST

3 BED/2 BATHS

2 BD/2 BA./ DEN $4,950/MONTH

Exciting High Floor. Great Views Magnificent Newer Renovation. Chic European Kitchen. Custom Cabinetry Quartz Counters. Luxurious Baths. Fireplace. Hardwood Floors. Lots of Fitted Closets Air Cond. Heating Paid

2 BED/2 BATHS

CENTURY TOWERS

AGT. 310-770-4111

$6,500 to $7,000/month

BRE #00456048

CENTURY HILL $4,950 to $8,900/month

LE PARC Sorry

ONE CENTURY

Wilshire Corridor

$16,500 to $27,000/month

Prime Location 3 Bd.+4 Ba. Condo

Sorry

Updated • 2,500sf.

Travertine floors, central air, balcony.

Full Service Bldg.: 24-hr. doorman, valet, pool, gym, rec. room. $7,500/Month

619/831-2789

Wilshire Marquis 10535 Wilshire Blvd.

2 Bdrm. 2 Baths Full Amenities!

• $3,800 1,088sf.

• $3,850 1,037sf.

• Jr. Penthouse $4,500 1,352sf.

Joan Fields-Evans Realtor, Keller Williams

440

440

440

UNFURNISHED APT’S/CONDO’S

UNFURNISHED APT’S/CONDO’S

UNFURNISHED APT’S/CONDO’S

BRENTWOOD B E V E R LY H I L L S BEVERLY HILLS ADJ. 11933 Darlington Ave. BRENTWOOD 9549 OLYMPIC BL. 309 S. Sherbourne Dr. ==== 519 S. Barrington Ave.

LARGE ONE BEDROOM

(•••

----- • • • )

BEAUTIFUL MASTER BATH 1 Bd.+Den +1.5 Ba.

Guest powder room, hardwood floors, separate dining room, stainless steel appliances, washer and dryer, A/C. Beautiful French Normandy building close to market, shops and restaurants.

====

2 Bd.+2 Ba.

˚Δ˚Δ˚Δ˚Δ˚Δ˚Δ˚

• • • • • • Bright & Sunny 2 Bdrm. + 1 1/ 2 Bath Good closet space, a/c, Spacious, balcony, Bright unit. elevator, dishwasher, large closets, hardcontrolled access. Close Dishwasher, On-site wood flrs., refrigerator, to Cedars/shops/trans. laundry, parking. on-sight laundry, prkg.

310/247-8689 Close to 310/473-1509

————— GRAND OPENING

Close to Shops & Restaurants.

Brentwood Village.

310/472-8915

Brand New 2018 Construction

—————–––– —————

:::::::::::::: Newly remodeled bath• Single • • Open floor plan, high • room, spacious liv. rm., Old World Charm! ceilings, French oak hrwd flrs, stove, fridge, a/c, Bright, intercom entry, flrs+porcelain tiles, x-lrg. new d/w, recessed lighting, fridge, stove, laundry fac. walk-in closets, stainlaundry facility, parking. less steel appliances, +Updated Single $1,650 CLOSE TO RESTAURANTS quartz countertops, pool, & SHOPPING. • 310/704-4656 • state of the art gym, 323/651-2598 Close Cedars/dining/shopping laundry hook-ups, controlled access, prkg, BEVERLY HILLS BEVERLY HILLS ADJ. free WiFi. Close to 120 S. Swall Dr. 221 S. Doheny Dr. Brentwood Village.

• • • • • • • • • • 310/440-0208 • • • • 1 Bd.+1 Ba. • VERY UNIQUE • MUST SEE • 1 Bd.+1 Bath • • • •

• 3 B d . + 2 / 2 B a . 2 Bdrm. + 2 Bath • 2 Bd.+Den+21/2 Ba. 1 Bdrm. + 1 Bath • 2 B d . + 2 1/2 B a .

••••••••

• 310/714-2151 •

—————––––

Call 310/475-9311

—————

••

••

—————–––– —————

$4,550/MONTH High Floor. Ocean Views • • • • Separated Suites. Hardwood Spacious, hardwood flrs., • • Floors. Renovated huge closets, built-in • • • • • • • • Large Balcony. Lots of Closets

SANDRA LEWIS

440

• WESTWOOD •

Luxury Hi-Rise Condos

440 UNFURNISHED APT’S/CONDO’S

$5,950/MONTH = BRENTWOOD = Grand Opening BRENTWOOD BEVERLY HILLS BRENTWOOD ’s 11640 Kiowa Ave. Largest Size Condo. Lower Newly Updated The Sanremo BEVERLY HILL S Most Spectacular Floor. City & Garden Views 417 S. Barrington Av. Lower Front •••••••• 218 S. Tower Dr. Apartments Renovated. Hardwood Floors 1 Bd.+1 Ba. • $2,250 :::::::::::::: • • 2 Bdrm. + 2 Bath 120 Granville Ave. Newly Updated 2 Jumbo Balconies Best Unit in Bldg.! • • 1 Bd.+1 Ba. •• 3 Bdrm.+ 21/2 Bath * * * * * * * * New Plantation Shutters.

1

TOTALLY REMODELED WITH GRANITE KITCHEN AND GRANITE BATHROOMS. CENTURY PARK EAST MASTER BATHROOM SUITE INCLUDES $4,000 to $5,300/month STEAM SHOWER. HUGE DRIVEWAY PARK PLACE FOR PARKING PLUS 2 CAR GARAGE. $4,200 to $4,950/month 7,995/MO.

UNFURNISHED APT’S/CONDO’S

February 1, 2019 | Page 27

A PA R T M E N T / C O N D O R E N TA L S

Great Location!

————— BEVERLY HILLS GREAT LOCATION!

————— Border of

Border of •• BEVERLY HILLS • 321 S. Sherbourne Dr. • • • • • Spacious • French doors in bdrm. • • • open to large balcony • • Jr. 1 Bdrm. • overlooking pool • •• ••

•• • • • • • • • 1 Bd.+1 Ba. • •

CENTURY WOODS Some Complexes include Heated Pools, Sundeck, Tennis, Doorman, Houseman, Staff Engineers, Switchboard, Security Staff, Switchboard, Saunas, Business Center, Pet PlayLand, Restaurant, Acres of Flower Gardens and Grassy Lawns.

Beverly Center, shops, cafes & transportation.

424/303-7142

• GORGEOUS UNITS •

Balcony, controlled access, a/c, stove, elevator, laundry facility, parking.

Hardwood flrs., central • 310/247-8689 • air, pool, elevator, Close to Cedars-Sinai, on-site laundry, Beverly Center & intercom entry.

Trendy Robertson Bl. Easy Move-In! *1+1 only

320 N. La Peer Dr.

• 310/246-0290 •

C LOSE TO S HOPS & D INING

www. bhcourier .com

* * * *

*

424/272-6596 •

• 310/826-4889 •

—————

Close to Brentwood • BrentwooD • Village, Restaurants, • BRENTWOOD • UCLA, Mt. Saint Mary’s, 11815 Mayfield Ave. 125 N. Barrington Av. & Transportation. < < <

—————

a/c, dishwasher, pool, Very Spacious, A/C, N E W LY U P D AT E D elevator, controlled balcony, intercom entry, • • • • • access, laundry on-sight laundry, prkg. • 1 Bdrm. + 1 Bath • facilities. No pets.

Close to Cedars-Sinai,

424/343-0015

*

* * Balcony, dishwasher, Large units, walk-in closet, a/c, heated pool, custom kitchen, built-in WiFi, elevator washer/dryer, all applicontrolled access, ances, hardwood floors throughout, some units on-site laundry, prkg. w/ skylights+high ceilings.

Close to Health club, wifi, sauna, Brentwood Village, heated pool, controlled Shops & Restaurants. acess, parking.

• 2 Bdrm. + 2 Bath •

————— • BRENTWOOD • 922 S. Barrington Av.

• 1 Bdrm.+1 Bath •

Fireplace, balcony, wet bar, dishwasher, Upscale, Bright, laundry facility, Gorgeous & Spacious. elevator, parking.

<

<

Newly Remodeled

• 2 Bd.+2 Ba. Hardwood floors, impressive living room, dining room, balcony, a/c unit, fridge, dish-

washer, walk-in closet, • • • • • Close to shops+dining.

Upscale, Bright, intercom entry, laundry 310/826-0541 Gorgeous & Spacious. facility, carport parking.

With Pool, hardwood 310/312-9871 BRENTWOOD floors, balcony, central 11730 SUNSET BLVD. Close: great restaurants, air, fireplace, stainless NEWLY REMODELED shops, UCLA, beach. steel appliances, • • • • • • elevator, intercom • CULVER CITY entry, parking. gym.

—————

—————

• Jr. Executive 1 Bdrm. +1 Bath • Close to shopping, • 310/476-2181 •

dining & schools.

—————

TO ADVERTISE YOUR LISTINGS Contact Rod at 310-278-1322

3830 Vinton Ave.

• • ••••••• •

Single

Rooftop pool, • • •• •• deck, central air, • elevator, intercom Pool, sauna, entry, on-sight laundry, intercom entry, gym, parking. elevator, on-site

• Free WiFi Access • ~ 310/476-3824 ~ BRENTWOOD & U.C.L.A. CLOSE

•

•

laundry, parking.

All Utilities Paid.

310/841-2367

Page 28 | February 1, 2019

440

BEVERLY HILLS

UNFURNISHED APT’S/CONDO’S

440

440

UNFURNISHED APT’S/CONDO’S

UNFURNISHED APT’S/CONDO’S

**C **CENTURY CITY** 2220 S. Beverly Glen

L.A.’S FINEST, MOST LUXURIOUS APT. RENTAL

• WESTWOOD •

•

••

••

•

The Clarige

* * * * * *

670 Kelton Ave.

1350 S. MIDVALE AVE. L.A., 90024 Contact Mgr.:

310/209-0006

440

440

UNFURNISHED APT’S/CONDO’S

UNFURNISHED APT’S/CONDO’S

SUDOKU

WILSHIRE CORRIDOR MID-WILSHIRE 10530-10540 Wilshire Bl.

340 S. St. Andrews Pl.

• Free WiFi •

423 S. Hoover St. • Single • • 1 Bd. +1 Ba. •

∞

∞

∞

• • • • • Spacious 1 Bdrm + 1 Bath • • • • •

Brand New Building ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ • 1 Bd.+1 Ba. • The Mission” • 2 Bd.+2 Ba. ∞ •• S i n g l e •• “ • Westwood • •• • 3 Bd.+3 Ba. •• • 1 Bd.+1 Ba. • Balcony, controlled L o t s o f • • Everything Brand New • • • • • • • Character & Charm! ∞∞∞∞∞∞ access, parking, Hardwood floors, + • 1 Bd. 1 Ba. Glass Fireplace • Luxury Living • elevator, on-site laundry. appliances, washer/ • • • • • Newly Remodeled.

6-Month Lease Avail. dryer in each unit, with valet, lush garden Close to shopping, New hardwood flrs., surrounding pool, * * * * * * great restaurants Every Extra Luxury central air. Pool, jacuzzi granite counters, gym, elevator, etc. custom cabinets, and Metro. spa, fitness center, Hardwood flrs., granite stainless steel appl., granite countertops, 213/738-9849 alcove fireplace, rooftop garden patio+ counters, dishwasher, stone entry, pool, health club, spa.

————–––– fridge, laundry facility, central air, balcony, — fire pits, courtyard, • Free WiFi Access • laundry facility. gated parking, intercom • Close to UCLA • • KOREATOWN • controlled access, prkg. entry, WiFi and more.

• 310/552-8064 • Rooftop jacuzzi with panoramic city views.

• 310/864-0319 •

S A N TA M O N I C A

WESTWOOD

• CONDO QUALITY •

1 Bdrm.+1 Bath

Steps to UCLA & Westwood Village.

————— ————— ————— WESTWOOD North of Wilshire

1810 Prosser Ave.

8 4 3 4 th S t . * * * * * Newly Remodeled 1 Bdrm. + 1 Bath

Parking, on-site laundry, controlled access.

Nice, Quiet 12-Unit Building.

Balcony, a/c, wet bar, large closets, walk-in closet, controlled access, elevator, laundry room, parking.

Heated pool/gym/sauna.

310/477-6885 Close to Century City.

————— • WESTWOOD •

1

Bd. + 1

Ba. Single 2 Bd. + 2 Ba. • ••••• WiFi, pool, elevator,

310/477-6885

—————

WESTWOOD 1409 Midvale Ave.

Call 310/475-9311

CLOSE TO U.C.L.A., SHOPPING & 1 BLK. TO WESTWOOD PARK. 310/478-8616

323/851-3790

laundry facility.

213/385-4751 Close to transportation, downtown & great restaurants.

SUDOKU ANSWER 01/25/19 ISSUE

————–––– ————— — LOS ANGELES Close to Everything.

* HOLLYWOOD *

• 1 Bd. + 1 Ba.

—————

Newly Remodeled Great Views • • • • • • • • Control access, pool, Great views, controlled dishwasher, elevator, access, balcony, elevator, lrg. pool, on-site laundry prkg, on-sight laundry. and parking.

H IKING IN R UNYON 213/385-4751 C ANYON , H OLLYWOOD Restaurants.

B OWL /N IGHTLIFE .

pool, e levator, laundry facility, prkg.

TO

WiFi, a/c, intercom entry, laundry facility, elevator, parking, pool.

Controlled access, laundry facility.

Utilities Included.

covered parking,

Close to U.C.L.A.

Close To U.C.L.A. •••• ••• •••• WESTWOOD • • 310/477-6856 10751 HOLMAN #5 • 1 B d . + 1 B a . • ————— • LARGE 2 BEDROOM, •• • •• 2 FULL BATHROOMS • • • • • ADVERTISE

Balcony, huge walk-in closet, hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, washer and dryer, A/C, close to market, shops, restaurants & UCLA

H O L LY W O O D

Balcony, air conditioning, 1769-1775 N. Sycamore Av. controlled access bldg.,

controlled access, on- 1134 N. SYCAMORE AV. 401 S. HOOVER St. sight laundry, parking. * * * * *• • • • • • • •

—————

—————

—————

• • • • • 1380 Midvale Ave. • S i n g l e • • • • • • • •

550 Veteran Ave. 310/473-1509 • • • • • 310/473-5061 4 Blks. to Beach. • 2 B d . + 2 B a .

WESTWOOD • Single 10905 Ohio Ave. WEST L.A. • •• 1433 Brockton Ave. • • • • • •• 2 Bd.+2 Ba. Very spacious, •• Spacious •• granite counters, Single 1 Bdrm+1 Bath • microwave, intercom • • • Laundry facility, • 1 Bd.+1 Ba. • entry, on-sight laun•• parking. dry, parking & WiFi. •• Close to shopping, • • Very close to UCLA • • dining & & Westwood Village. Wifi, Bright, controlled transportation.

310/208-5166 access, balcony, Please Call:

Call: 310/470-4474

YOUR LISTINGS Contact Rod at 310-278-1322

• 1 Bd. * * * * *•

+

1 Ba.

323/467-8172

————— LAFAYETTE PARK

274 LAFAYETTE PARK PL.

CRYPT/PLOT FOR SALE

• 1 Bdrm.+1 Bath

••••••

Granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances, air conditioned, new hrwd. flrs., designer finishes, balcony, ceiling fan, elevator, controlled access. Fitness ctr, yoga room, wi-fi, skyview lounge w/ outdoor fireplace, laundry facilities.

213/382-102 1 Easy freeway access

PUZZLE ANSWER

464

MOUNT SINAI, HOLLYWOOD HILLS Side-by-Side, Maimonides $40,000 Firm INCLUDES ALL FEES Contact Owners: Benita 818-522-4280 or benj56@sbcglobal.net Susan 818-274-1262

01/25/19

C H I C H I

L A S H E D

A S T U T E

M A H R E S

H O W S A R E A G O T C W H O R I E D E L T E E L S K Y S E W H A T A I R B I N K A F D I C S I N K

S P A T E M A T A F R O S R O W H O O D O O M I T H A S S N H A O S E S N T A T O I D S R R S M S O B E S E A T R U S H V S O R E D E T S

C O A C H K

E T C H E S

N O L I E

G O A D

W A S I P S Y

T H R O N E

D A E D T A E R R E S C H L O A I N G T S T F E A R R N A B O N O S C X S T G H I N I D A N Y S T U H O P

P O S I T E D

S E E T H E

D R E A M

S Y N S

G R A A R E Y

S B O M P I S

E N R E A W S A D E P A R E D S L I I N C M H O O U O S M I A N I N G N E H C A S A N A R D Y H N O O P

I C I E R

B O R A T

S L Y L Y

A B O U N D I N

G O A S

A N T E

G E M E O W

A S L O P E

T O A M A N

E N T E R S

February 1, 2019 | Page 29

BEVERLY HILLS

480

FASHION WANTED

ANTIQUES / JEWELRY

ANTIQUES / JEWELRY

BUY & SELL

BUY & SELL

WANTED

CHANEL, HERMES, GUCCI, PRADA EXOTIC SKINS, AND ALL HIGH-END DESIGNER HANDBAGS, CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES.

WE PA AY Y TOP DOLLA AR FOR YOUR TREA ASURES

NEW, USED OR VINTAGE.

BUY/SELL TOP DOLLAR PAID Call (310) 289-9561

488

FURNITURE FOR SALE

DINING SET

Antiques, Fine Art, Sculpture, Porcelain Silver, Arrt Glass, Furniture, Clocks & More!

310-858-7666 • 310-467-1338 9000 Wilshire Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA CA 90211 Artela@aol.com | Ar rteantiques.com Lic #19101157

310-273-8174

WWW.MIZRAHIDIAMONDS.COM

LIC#0789

FOR SALE

Antique Gold, Hand Carving Solid Wood with 8 chairs.

Great condition!

Call 310-402-4597

We buy your jewelry, diamonds, gemstones, watches, coins, gold, antiques...

Cash on the spot

No appointment necessary

201 South Beverly Drive • Beverly Hills • 310-550-5755 store license # 19101172

Page 30 | February 1, 2019

S E R V I C E

CARPET CLEANING

ELECTRICIAN

D I R E C T O R Y

HANDY PEOPLE

www.careelectric.net

CLOCK REPAIR

CONCRETE

Nichols’ Clock

G.C. CONSTRUCTION M A D A N

& Watch Repair • Antique Clock Repair • House Calls Available • Complete Watch Repair Specializing in grandfather clocks, mantle clocks, wall clocks, cuckoo clocks

• Any Concrete Flatwork • Concrete Walls • Resurfacing of Old Concrete • Natural Stone Specialist

818.207-8915

Competitive Prices Call 310/562-3698

ncwrepair@yahoo.com

Lic. #841143

Mark Nichols

ELECTRIC

All Your Electrical Needs at Low Rates!

Specializing in lighting designs, service upgrades, and rewiring low voltage.

Up To 50% Off First Job Bonded • Lic. #605252

Call 213-591-1378

THE NEW YORK TIMES SUNDAY MAGAZINE CROSSWORD PUZZLE

107 Capt.’s guess 108 More balanced 109 Popular font 110 Airport near D.C. 111 Unemployed prestidigitator?

116 Efficient kind of shopping 117 Iconic 1950s-’70s female TV role played by a male 118 Achieve something by merit 119 Like the lion slain by Hercules 120 Be short with 121 Peanutbutter choice DOWN

1 Tested the waters, say 2 Request for an online R.S.V.P. 3 Bluegrass instrument 4 ____.com, site with the category “Cellphones & tablets” 5 One out?

6 Came before 7 ____ tea 8 Sheriffs, marshals, etc.

9 “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” character 10 Short snicker 11 Easy ____ 12 President during the Vietnam War 13 Straddling 14 Surgical tube 15 Suppositions

A.S.K.

MAINTENANCE 213-300-9294

• Marble Polishing • Sealing • Floor Restoration • Grout Cleaning

WE DO ALL REPAIRS FOR APARTMENT Plumbing, Electric, Carpentry, Minor Painting Install Appliances & More!

New Tenant Prep Free Estimates • Insured 40 Years of Experience

Call For Free Estimate:

• 818/348-3266 • • Cell: 818/422-9493 •

Call 818/314-1650

• Member of BBB •

REAL ESTATE AGENTS/SELLERS, PREP YOUR PROPERTY.

• MARVIN •

Reliable Handyman & General Contractor

Painting • Ceramic Tile Plumbing • Re-Piping Electrical • Drywall Window Installation Kitchen & Bath Remodels General Repairs Apt Bldg. Maintenance For any home improvement.

Call Marvin,

TO ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS

2

3

4

5

6

7

19

9

10

Lic. # 689667 • Bonded / Insured

310/653-2551 Call Young anytime

11

12

13

31

39

40 46 53

63

77

70

47

42

43

44 49

55 59

60

61 66

89

81 85

86

87

107

108

96 101

97

102

92

104

114

115

117

118

119

120

121

79 Marie and Donny Osmond, e.g.

80 It borders Ida. 84 Find with difficulty 85 Hon 86 Not very much 87 Produces a revival of 92 Royal Charlotte’s father

106

110

116

69 Two-masted sailing vessel 70 Longtime host of “American Top 40” 74 Source of a Boston “curse” 75 Defaulter’s comeuppance 76 Every 24 hours 78 Normandy invasion town

105

98 103

113

76

93

109

112

75

88

91

95

74

82

90

100

67 73

80

84

99

62

72 79

94

50

56

65

71

83

18

37

48

64

78

17

33 36

41

58

69

32

54

57

16

28

35

52

15

27

34

51

14

24

30

45

“I Do My Own Work”

21

26

29

111

8

23

25

68

Since 1982 I Have Great Preparation

20

22

38

Apt. • Industrial • Hi-Rise

www.bhcourier.com

25 Years Experience

16 Like Feburary 17 Advertise excessively 18 It’s the truth 21 Used as a role model 23 Part of S.O.P.: Abbr.

24 Beauty that’s seldom seen 30 Suffix with linguist 31 Okinawa port 32 “____ Rhythm” 37 Exec 38 Spill the beans 39 Second 40 Send in a different direction 42 Fast-food sandwiches introduced in 1985 43 “Bingo!”

44 They go down easily 47 “Brave New World” drug 48 Responded in court 49 Dash gauge 50 AAA suggestion: Abbr.

52 It borders Ky. 53 You can page through them 59 Like “A Star Is Born,” several times 60 A mean Amin 61 Blackjack combo 64 Maven 65 Locker-room shower?

66 Every which way 67 ____ center 68 Hospital unit

Interior/Exterior House • Commercial

Call 310-278-1322

Fully Insured • Lic #934284

1

PAINTING

LE SERVICE DIRECTORY PAYA INTING

310/430-1808 & Get it done for less!

UNEMPLOYMENT LINES

54 Remote figure: Abbr.

1 Google Calendar, e.g.

55 Hydro-plant locale 7 In addition 56 Exam scored on a scale of 1 to 13 “Foundation” author 5, informally 19 Hit 2009 movie 57 Designer Geoffrey set in the 22nd century 58 “____ Live” (onetime cooking show) 20 Cry of exasperation 61 ____ tear 21 When Hamlet dies (sports injury) 22 Unemployed 62 Jay preceder salon worker?

63 Unemployed 25 Venusians, educator? e.g., informally 68 Media inits. before 26 In base 8 One, Two or Four 27 Bob ____, 1968 recordsetting long jumper 71 Wall Street order 72 Question 28 Foreign title that’s after “I’m back” an anagram of its English equivalent 73 Fish in a tank 77 Rubber 29 Unemployed nail polisher?

79 Article in La Repubblica 33 Most preferred 81 Kitty 34 Coffee order 82 Port Authority 35 Jokester posting: Abbr.

36 Some TV drama 83 Unemployed settings, for short loan officer?

37 Hot 88 Watchdog 38 Troublemaker since org. established birth

by Nixon 41 Something 89 Salon supply paid to a hero 90 “No returns,” e.g.

44 Cosby’s 91 “Extra! Extra!”

“I Spy” co-star shouter 45 Jack-in94 Repeated word in a the-box part 1957 Harry Belafonte 46 Unemployed men’s hit clothier?

95 Fan noise 51 Wing it 96 Cote call Online subscriptions: Today’s 98 ____ spell puzzle and more 99 It’s kept in a pen ANSWERS than 4,000 pastFOUND puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords IN NEXT 100 Unemployed ($39.95 a year). rancher?

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BEVERLY HILLS

93 Abbr. in many an office address 94 Failed, as a cellphone or car to its user 95 Estée Lauder competitor 97 “Evangeline” setting 100 Symbol of change 101 Young and Simon 102 Preceder of “Do I have to?”

103 Headgear for a knight 104 Padre’s hermana 105 Look for 106 Beethoven’s “Choral” Symphony 112 Suffix with expert 113 Code-cracking org.

114 Special gift 115 ____-Magnon

February 1, 2019 | Page 31

BEVERLY HILLS

Chairman 2014 Paula Kent Meehan President & Publisher Marcia Wilson Hobbs Senior Editor John L. Seitz Special Sections Editor Stephen P. Simmons

STOP THE SMEAR CAMPAIGN An Op-Ed From Vice Mayor John Mirisch At our best we’re Mayberry RFD. At our worst–as Recreation & Parks Commissioner Susan Mishler has said–we are Peyton Place in an Ibsen play.

The nonsensical and nasty smear campaign currently going on surrounding our Beverly Hills Police Department is one of our Peyton Place moments. Every such place has its own Adrienne Van Leydens, George Andersons and Leslie Harringtons although, at this time, there are a few local candidates. Perhaps we’re looking at amalgamations of various schemers and troublemakers.

A glitzy website and slick anonymous full page ads are meant to create the impression that the BHPD is in a state of crisis. “A group of concerned [and unnamed] citizens” urges us to read the agitprop on the website. We know at least one of the names of these “concerned citizens.” It’s Vera Markowitz who paid for the ad in the Courier with her own credit card and has spoken in front of the City Council on numerous occasions about what she considers to be the failings of our police department. Markowitz unsuccessfully ran for council two years ago and the BHPD was one of her main “issues.” She obviously did not gain any traction then and perhaps she is trying to resurrect this issue as a precursor to another run for a council seat next year.

Whatever the motivations, attacks on the current Chief Sandra Spagnoli include a rather nasty slut-shaming whisper campaign, in addition to charges of racism and incompetence. The campaign is fueled by a number of lawsuits against the department including a recent settlement of more than $2 million (ultimately the call of the insurance company) to a disgruntled police captain. As Mayor Julian Gold himself has remarked, the suggestion that there is institutional anti-Semitism within our BHPD is absurd on its face, especially considering the fact that we are probably the only city in the world (possibly outside of Israel) which has 11 elected officials, all of whom are Jewish.

While we of course want to do everything to avoid a hostile work environment for our employees, let’s also remember that all of our employees are human beings, not widgets. And that includes our chief who may have made some insensitive and downright silly remarks, which is hardly the same thing as systemic discrimination or institutional racism. Police are supposed to, at least in theory, deal with some very rough and dangerous situations; the notion that “hurt feelings” should be worth millions of dollars in damages reveals a severe systemic problem. Thanks to POBOR (police officers’ bill of rights), the police sometimes have more rights than the people they are supposed to be protecting. As soon as greedy lawyers hear the words “Beverly Hills” we sometimes start to see dollar signs spinning in their eyes like in a Looney Tunes cartoon. It’s like throwing chum in the water waiting for the sharks to circle. And in many cases it’s nothing else than a good old-fashioned shakedown.

We hired Chief Spagnoli to make changes within a police department which had numerous issues. The department was ruled by a culture of machismo and a “good-ole-boys” club ran the show. It was a breeding ground for toxic masculin-

ity. It’s not difficult to imagine that the old guard that had been empowered in the previous regime would revolt against a change agent, not to mention the added indignity of having a woman in charge. No doubt the self-entitlement of some of these individuals is behind much of the smear campaign and – aside from greed -- some of the lawsuits. The hard truth is that however much he himself felt he “deserved” it, the captain who sued the City did not get passed over for the chief or assistant chief jobs because he was Jewish. How nonsensical. He got passed over because the other candidates were better than he was. It’s that simple.

What’s more, the notion of framing this as an instance of anti-Semitism trivializes the very real and increasing instances where anti-Semitism and hatred of Jews are at play. While she was running, Vera Markowitz complained that we didn’t have enough police officers. In fact, the City Council at the time had tasked the department with hiring more officers.

Sadly, within the old regime, there was a complete lack of transparency about hiring procedures.

The police captain who sued the City was among those responsible for this black box method of hiring which effectively rejected almost any and all candidates as “not being good enough.“ For example, they rejected a former Beverly Hills High School track star with all-American qualifications and a true desire to become a BHPD officer for some ticky-tacky reason, like having smoked a joint once five years ago. Make no mistake about it: this was all part of the game.

The power base within the BHPD had every reason to want to keep the department understaffed, despite the City Council’s clear direction. It enabled them to dish out lucrative overtime assignments to their favorites and those who played ball.

As said, we hired Chief Spagnoli to change things.

In line with council’s direction, she has managed to recruit our police force to the highest number of sworn personnel in years and is actively working to end the culture of toxic masculinity.

What is even sadder than residents who don’t have all the information and allow themselves to be used to shake down the City is the utter hypocrisy behind the smear campaign. The same group attacking the chief for purported discrimination is now dissing new recruits because of their height.

Even though the City has paid for independent reports which show both an improvement in the practices and procedures of the BHPD since Chief Spagnoli came on board, as well as a lack of institutional discrimination, the good-ole-boys along with self-righteous and misinformed opportunists continue to accuse the chief of anti-Semitism and bigotry.

The irony should be lost on nobody that the failed council candidate and ringleader of this smear campaign herself made blatantly racist remarks at a very public forum in Beverly Hills less than a year ago. You can go to https://vimeo.com/260095027 and scroll forward to 1.09:25 to see for yourself. This goes beyond opportunism. This takes us into new realms of Peyton Place which make Leslie Harrington look like a yeshiva bocher. The time has come to say: shoyn.

POLICE BLOTTER

.

The following assaults, burglaries, and grand thefts have been reported

by BHPD. Streets are usually indicated by block numbers.

ASSAULT

04/23 200 S. Carson Rd.

BURGLARIES 01/12 01/14 01/14 04/14 01/16 01/16 01/17 01/17

600 N. Crescent Dr. 8300 Gregory Way 8300 Gregory Way 700 N. Beverly Dr. 300 S. Clark Dr. 300 S. Doheny Dr. 400 N. Camden Dr. 100 S. Linden Dr.

01/18 01/18 01/18 01/18 01/19 01/19 01/19 01/20

9600 Wilshire Blvd.

600 N. Sierra Rd. 9500 Brighton Way 300 N. Crescent Dr. 200 S. Doheny Dr. 200 S. Doheny Dr. 300 S. La Cienega Blvd.

500 N. Camden Dr.

GRAND THEFTS

12/18 200 N. Rodeo Dr. 01/06 200 N. Rodeo Dr.

01/16 01/17 01/17 01/18 01/19 01/19 01/19 01/19 01/19

Burton Way/N. Maple Dr. 9570 Wilshire Blvd.

9600 Wilshire Blvd.

9700 Wilshire Blvd.

600 N. Bedford Dr. 9500 Wilshire Blvd.

9500 Wilshire Blvd.

9500 Wilshire Blvd.

9300 Civic Center Dr.

ROBBERIES

01/20 400 N. Rodeo Dr. 01/20 Rodeo Dr./Wilshire Blvd.

Cartoon for the Courier by Janet Salter

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Thank you to those who responded to our letter from a few weeks ago in which we asked the question: “What would you like to see happen in Beverly Hills” to make life even better?

In general, it is clear our residents live here because they believe in what Beverly Hills represents – a higher standard and quality of life, that embraces both conservative and liberal ideas, with a high degree of tolerance and acceptance. We believe in the basic ideals of America itself – freedom, creativity and equality, embracing a wide diversity of backgrounds, respecting values of hard work and discipline, but also common sense rule of law and civility.

Based on replies to our previous letter and many conversations around town, here are the top five responses and ideas we have heard.

1) A little less catering to tourism and more focus on making life better for residents. With a City Council election coming up next year, any candidate promoting a “BH First” agenda will have much support.

2) More measures and mitigation to help curb lawless traffic violators, particularly around the school zones. Make BH streets safe again. And that means pedestrians too and all this jaywalking that puts drivers at risk of running over someone when it is the pedestrian's fault!

3) Help and promote local businesses, no matter what it takes, to initiate new business endeavors and preserve those who are struggling due to increasing retail costs. Where are the Fred Haymans and Bijan Pakzads of tomorrow? Right here – waiting for their chance.

4) Expand recreation and entertainment resources, for youth and all residents. A full scale recreation center with an indoor pool, a skate park, youth center etc, all of which would be for residents who prefer to stay close to home.

5) Make changes to help mitigate the daily influx of tourism, on Rodeo Drive and elsewhere. This would include a new security protocol to help deter and prevent smash and grab theft, home robberies and other crimes. Visitors should in fact feel a little intimidated by our security, and thus residents should feel very safe. We already have the best police department in the nation so we are ahead of the game.

As we said before, this is a village with a rich heritage of creative, generous and successful people that defies the ridiculous Hollywood stereotypes. Beverly Hills residents are not stuffy and rude, as is so often misrepresented by those who have no idea what they're talking about. If anything, it's the visitors, not residents, who see that image on TV and then bring those attitudes with them. Those who live here have a humility that comes with the hard work it took to achieve their dream.

Having been in virtually every business, from Chanel and Tiffany to the smallest mom and pop cafe, we can honestly say we have never encountered anything but genuine warmth and professionalism by locals and those who work here. This community has nothing to prove to anybody, we need only prove to ourselves we can be the best we can be, to adapt to change but keep that which is cherished the same. Being surrounded on all sides by the largest metropolis in the country, this is no small task, but we have to try.

Brad and Jess White ****** Two years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Shirley Foley Boone and was immediately impressed with her strong dedication to her faith. We began a series of sessions studying the scriptures during which she shared with me some of the moving events in her life, both welcomed and sometimes challenging.

Together with her husband Pat Boone and their daughters, she brought musical joy to our world for decade after decade.

Do not consider it strange that an orthodox rabbi welcomed this opportunity. The Almighty works in many strange ways!

Recently Shirley went to her eternal reward.

May her husband and their family be comforted in these days of mourning, and may they continue to bring joy and music to our world.

Rabbi Simcha A. Green

Page 32 | February 1, 2019

BEVERLY HILLS