The Courier Salutes Our New Owner, Paula Kent Meehan
BEVERLY HILLS VOLUME XXXXVIIII NUMBER 18 $135 PER YEAR - $1.25 PER COPY •
www.bhcourier.com
SINCE 1965
May 2, 2014
THIS ISSUE
The Peninsula Beverly Hills was named Best Hotel in the United States. 4
Longtime Beverly Hills resident Dr. Mitchell Karlin died at age 88. 5
CELEBRATING 100 YEARS—Pictured above: R&B Legend Martha Reeves on stage at the Beverly Hills Centennial Block Party last Sunday on Rodeo Drive. Reeves sang Dancin’ In The Street and a crowd of thousands danced along on Rodeo Drive. Pictured right: An explosion of streamers fill the street as visitors enjoy the music, food and fun of Beverly Hills’ 100th birthday celebration. For more photos of the once-in-a-lifetime event see page 9. PASSING THE TO R C H — P i c t u r e d left: Outgoing Courier publisher Clif Smith and new Courier publisher Marcia Hobbs. Smith served as publisher of The Courier since 2004. Hobbs has been with The Courier for eight years.
The Centennial Youth Art conest winners announced yesterday. 5
The Thalians Gala honored Smokey Robinson last Saturday. 13 •Health & Wellness 10 •Arts & Entertainment 12 •Birthdays 20
Her Serene Highness Charlène of Monaco Was Presented With The Champion Of Children Award During The Colleagues Luncheon. She Is The Wife Of Albert II, Prince Of Monoco. Editorial from Rabbi Pressman AND MORE
CLASSIFIEDS • • • • •
Announcements Real Estate Rentals Sales and More
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By Matt Lopez Beverly Hills is currently staring down the barrel of $126 million in unfunded pension liabilities, according to the latest financial report released by
the City. That number has risen dramatically since 2002, when the City posted a mere $2 million in unfunded liabilities. (see ‘UNFUNDED’ page 14)
Chamber Wants Taxpayer Courier Officially Sold To Paula Money For Its Own Website Kent Meehan; Marcia Wilson Hobbs Named Publisher The CouriBy Matt Lopez Escrow closed on the sale of the Beverly Hills Courier on Thursday, officially making Paula Kent Meehan the new owner of The Courier. Meehan, a well-known phi-
George Christy, Page 6
City’s Unfunded Pension Liabilities Hit $126 Million
lanthropist and founder of Redken haircare, takes the reigns from Clif Smith, who has served as publisher since the San Marino Tribune Company purchased the newspaper from its founder March (see ‘COURIER SOLD’ page 16)
By Laura Coleman Under the guise of an enhanced ‘My Beverly Hills’ marketing campaign, the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce is once again asking the City
Council for $60,000 to at least in part bolster its new website, which debuted this week. On Wednesday, er attended the City (see ‘CHAMBER’ page 16)
Beverlywood homeowners blast L.A. City Officials on news Planning Commission will approve new JMB Realty development - full story on page 14.
Matt Damon, Charlize Theron, Tony Blair Share Wisdom at Milken Conference In Beverly Hills
M I L K E N — Pictured, clockwise from left: Matt Damon, Charlize Theron and Tony Blair at the Milken Conference in Beverly Hills.
By Laura Coleman In the wake of the World Bank’s announcement that China would become the world’s leading economic power this year, the 17th annual Milken Institute Global Conference, held this week at the Beverly Hilton, offered a resounding message throughout the four-day event that had somehow gotten lost in the previous years of global uncertainty - a message of hope. Over the course of the Beverly
Hills conference some 650 visionary panelists offered myriad insights and possibities into how to solve the world’s problems ranging from the disinvesment into education, infrastruction and posterity in the U.S. to international crises to the future of mining the solar system for global resources and colonizing a new environment. In the panel “The Future of Higher Education,” University of (see ‘MILKEN’ page 14)
Alex J. Berliner/ABImages
BHHS student Sara Rodier stars in new CBS sitcom Bad Teacher. 4
YO U N G AT HEART — Oscar de la Renta showcased his 2014 Fall Collection during the 26th A n n u a l Colleagues Springtime Luncheon, where he previewed his designs for the chic young crowd. For more photos, see George Christy’s column on page 6.