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BEVERLY HILLS VOLUME: LV
NUMBER 22
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SINCE 1965
May 31, 2019
George Chavez Takes Reins From Mahdri Aluzri As Beverly Hills City Manager
THIS ISSUE
Tator is a 5-year-old chi terrier mix in search of her forever home. 5
RWall Paint Lounge celebrated its grand-opening with a ribbon cutting. 9 •Health & Wellness •Birthdays •Letters to the Editor
10 18 27
George Christy, Page 6 The SHARE Sisterhood Never Stops. Working At Home To Better The Lives Of Children In Desperate Need. They Are Angels, Funding The Best Equipment Available.
CLASSIFIEDS • Announcements • Real Estate • Rentals • Sales • and More
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Beverly Hills Fire Backdraft Ball Set For Wednesday By Matt Lopez One of the Beverly Hills community’s favorite annual events, the Backdraft Ball, is set for next Wednesday, June 5. The 27th annual Backdraft Ball, which benefits the Beverly Hills Firefighters Association, will take place at The Beverly Hilton. Silent auction bidding begins at 6 p.m., while the ceremony itself starts at 7:30 p.m. As always, the Backdraft Ball will feature an incredible dinner, silent auction and many surprises from Beverly Hills firefighters themselves. The event annually welcomes more than 1,000 distinguished guests, residents and dignitaries to honor Beverly Hills firefighters. Above all else, it is a celebration of the brave and committed
firefighters who protect the Beverly Hills community during fires and other catastrophic emergencies. Among this year’s many highly-anticipated silent auction items are: • An 8-night South African safari; • Seven nights in the Maldives; • “Beverly Hills is Beautiful” art piece by Mr. Brainwash; • Goodyear blimp ride for two; • Three nights in a French castle at Chateau Challain; • Los Angeles Police Department helicopter ride; and • Stagecoach 2020 VIP passes For more information on the event, visit http://www.beverlyhillsfire.com/.
The Innocence Legal Team Agrees To Champion Case Of Gene Therapy Pioneer By Laura Coleman Laboratories at the University of There was a time in the early 2000’s when the world was on a trajectory to have cured cancer by now. At the time, the “Father of Gene Therapy,” Dr. William French Anderson, 82, so-named for having successfully performed the world’s first gene therapy procedure, had yet to be arrested for allegedly molesting a girl. Today, due to extraordinary circumstances, whereby Anderson’s drug trials to cure cancer as head of the Gene Therapy
Southern California (USC) led to the lab’s second-in-command, Dr. Yi Zhao, the mother of the alleged victim, pulling a patent in China for the science behind Anderson’s work on IL-12, China could potentially be more than a decade ahead of the United States when it comes to nuclear warfare response. IL-12, which stands for Interleukin-12, can be manipulated to help cells heal faster - ideal to counter the effects (see ‘FRENCH ANDERSON’ page 13)
George Chavez
is in the community. When it was announced that Chavez would ascend to the position of city manager, there were nods of approval throughout the community. Chavez began his career in the Community Development Department as a building (see ‘GEORGE CHAVEZ’ page 19)
Huma Ahmed Named New Beverly Hills City Clerk By Victoria Talbot Community Outreach Manager Huma Ahmed has been unanimously selected by the Beverly Hills City Council to assume the position of city clerk. Ahmed, whose dynamic personality and sharp wit have powered the City’s BOLD initiative, will replace Byron Pope, who retired in 2018. Ahmed has served the City of Beverly Hills since 2007 in community outreach, eventually becoming a community outreach manager. Most recently, Ahmed has become highly visible as the lead on BOLD, coordinating and liaising with the
Celebrity Photo Agency/Scott Downie
RECOGNIZING BEVERLY HILLS POLICE – The Beverly Hills Police Department held its Police Recognition Ceremony in the Boat Court Tuesday, serving to promote a sense of pride in BHPD officers, their families and colleagues, and to introduce these new officers to the community they serve. BHPD Chief Sandra Spagnoli recognized (pictured, back row): Communications Dispatcher Lupe Ortega; Communications Dispatcher Nicole Polk; Senior Forensic Specialist Segalit Oz; Sgts. Rodney Solorzano, Kevin Orth, and Scott Dibble; officers Go Hovhannisyan, Francesca Fasullo and Walton Cabrera; Communications Dispatchers Brian Flores and Jennifer Munoz; officers Jerry Whittaker, Zachary Travnitz, Connor Reeves, and Maddison Lee; Traffic Control Officers Melissa Sutton, Karen Ortiz and Patrick D’Andrea; and Senior Records Specialist Dana Denton, standing in front of Interim City Clerk Lourdes SyRodriguez to take their oath to join the Beverly Hills Police Department. For additional photo, see page 19.
By Victoria Talbot It was a beautiful relationship for three decades, and now, Mahdi Aluzri is leaving. With plans to relocate to the Midwest, Aluzri is stepping down as city manager, and handing the reins over to Assistant City Manager George Chavez on June 1. “Mahdi has been a friend and mentor for 30 years,” said Chavez, with characteristic modesty. “I am grateful for his leadership and will do my best to uphold the incredible standards he has put in place that benefit our City every day.” George Chavez has earned not only the respect of the community – but also their affection. Posts on social media and greetings that turn to hugs in City Hall and on City streets demonstrate how ingrained he
Huma Ahmed
Conference and Visitors Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce, the Rodeo Drive Committee, businesses, the community, City staff and City (see ‘HUMA AHMED’ page 19)
A FASHIONISTA BEAUTY — MOCA Director Klaus Biesenbach and Billy Idol flank fashionista China Chow during MOCA’s 40th Anniversary Benefit at The Geffen Contemporary. For more photos, see George Christy’s column on page 6.