BHCourier E-edition 062218 by BH Courier Acquisition LLC

RIP Charles Krauthammer

BEVERLY HILLS VOLUME: LIII

NUMBER 25

www.bhcourier.com

SINCE 1965

June 22, 2018

Beverly Hills Salary Survey: Employees Drop, Costs Rise

CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE — A gloomy day didn’t deter the more than 30,000 people who filled Rodeo Drive last Sunday to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance. For more photos, see page 26. Photo: Vivien Killilea/Getty Images

THIS ISSUE

The City Council honored legacy business Roberts Optical. 4

Ollie is this issue’s Adoptable Pet of the Week.

The City of Beverly Hills has hired a new Public Information Manager. 25 • Real Estate • Arts & Entertainment • Birthdays

8 11 26

George Christy, Page 6 Gone With The Wind Producer, David O. Selznick, Conducted An International Search For The Role Of Scarlet O’Hara In His Epic Movie. More Than 14,000 Actresses Were Auditioned

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

More Than 30,000 Fill Rodeo Drive For 25th Annual Concours d’Elegance By Matt Lopez The Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance celebrated 25 years in silver style last Sunday, welcoming more than 30,000 people to the City’s most famous street for the annual Father’s Day tradition. The event was topped off with a 1938 Hispano Suiza H6B Dubonnet Xenia, owned by the Mullin Automotive Museum, being awarded “Best of Show” honors. Sunday’s event was highlighted by a special display of approximately 50 silver cars, signifying the event’s 25th anniversary. That collection included European classics, luxury sedans, muscle cars, and supercars, encompassing an entire block along Rodeo Drive. The “Best of Show”-winning Xenia was based on the Hispano-

Suiza H6, incorporating modifications that included independent suspension designed by World War I flying ace, race car driver and Olympic athlete André Dubonnet. The Xenia’s Art Deco-themed hand-built coachwork by Jacques Saoutchik features teardropshaped wings and a sculpted cockpit. Celebrity sightings included Arnold Schwarzenegger, David Spade, Caitlyn Jenner and Fabio, among others. “Our 25th anniversary celebration generated the largest turnout and the most spectacular cars ever... until next year, of course,” said Bruce Meyer, chairman of the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance.

Subway Extension Project Work Comes Crashing Into Beverly Hills High School By Laura Coleman The stark reality of challenges afoot in constructing the Purple Line subway extension came crashing down on Beverly Hills High School last week when a chunk of the concrete partition wall separating the subway staging area from classrooms fell onto the campus, according to school district officials. “They’d busted through the property line wall,” clarified Beverly Hills Unified School District Superintendent Michael Bregy at Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting, noting that the district had still yet to be contacted by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation

Metro-related demolition created a hole in this concrete wall abutting Beverly Hills High School.

Authority (Metro) about the incident. “No one’s watching out for us, so we have to do it ourselves.” Metro spokesperson Dave Sotero said the property damage to (see ‘METRO’ page 25)

By Matt Lopez Beginning on Page 14, the Courier this week once again prints its annual comprehensive chart detailing salary, pay and benefits for City of Beverly Hills employees. This chart details 2017 financial data for the City of Beverly Hills and, because of the large number of City employees, will be broken up over two weeks. The first half will be printed in this issue, with the second half printed in next week’s issue. This year’s survey provides complete financial details on the City of Beverly Hills’ 1,204 employees in 2017. Although that’s a slight decrease in the 1,220 people that were employed by the City in 2016, the City’s employee expenses actually rose last year. In total, the City of Beverly Hills spent approximately $128.3 million on employee

pay and benefits in 2017, up from $126.9 million in 2016. Two culprits for the rising costs appear to be Overtime and Leave Payoffs. The latter is defined by the City as a lump sum that can be paid off when an employee has an “excess amount of vacation time, beyond what is needed on the books.” The City’s Leave Payoff expenses spiked to $4.4 million in 2017, up from $3.5 million in 2016. Additionally, City employees earned $12.8 million in overtime pay in 2017, compared to $10.7 million in 2016. For a glossary of terms you’ll find on the salary chart, see page 13. The full chart begins on page 14. Next week, the Courier will print the second part of the chart, along with comparisons against neighboring cities.

Beverly Hills Land Company Effort To Park Dealer Cars On Lots 12-13 Needs Zone Change By Victoria Talbot Beverly Hills residents affected by the cutting down of 196 trees on Lots 12 & 13 were abuzz last week when efforts to use the parcels for temporary parking for a car dealership came to light. Hypervigilant after losing the trees that once provided a shaded and beautiful buffer between Civic Center Drive and the residential area to the south, a hail of inquiries culminated in a California Public Records Act (PRA) request from resident Lionel Ephraim. The PRA revealed a letter from Deputy Building Official David Yelton to Bruce Howard,

attorney for the Beverly Hills Land Company (BHLC) and Lyn Konheim, owner of the land. Howard confirmed that he had received the letter regarding the City’s zoning law. The letter had two purposes: The first was to withdraw a request for a temporary construction easement on Lot 13, which Konheim turned down. Though the Courier made repeated attempts to confirm that the construction easement was for the arborists staging on the site while they work on the reforestation project on the City’s 20-foot easement on the (see ‘LOTS 12-13’ page 25)

AT LONG LAST — The good news this month is that the Hollywood Reporter’s executive editor Stephen Galloway is contracted for a long-overdue biography of the two great stage and screen stars, Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, who curiously only made three movies together. Their longtime passionate affair is a legend in Hollywood history. For more photos, see George Christy’s column on page 6.

Page 2 | June 22, 2018

BEVERLY HILLS

NOTICE OF EXTENSION OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND AN ADDITIONAL SCOPING MEETING FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (EIR) Wednesday, July 18, 2018

DATE:

TIME:

6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Municipal Gallery – Beverly Hills City Hall, 2nd Floor 455 North Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 PROJECT:

Beverly Hilton Specific Plan Amendment

The initial comment period occurred from May 18, 2018 to June 18, 2018 and the first scoping meeting was held on June 12, 2018; however, the comment period has been extended to July 23, 2018 to ensure all individuals and/or agencies have an opportunity to provide input. A second scoping meeting has also been scheduled for Wednesday, July 18, 2018. The City of Beverly Hills is preparing a Draft Supplemental EIR for the proposed Beverly Hilton Specific Plan Amendment (herein referred to as the Modified Project). The public is invited to attend an additional preliminary “scoping” meeting on Wednesday, July 18, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. to comment on environmental issues that should be addressed in the Draft Supplemental EIR. Project Location: The project site is located at 9876 Wilshire Boulevard in the City of Beverly Hills (City). The site is bounded on the north by Wilshire Boulevard, on the south by North Santa Monica Boulevard, on the east by the intersection of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards, and on the west by Merv Griffin Way. The site is 8.94 acres (389,426 square feet [sf]) and includes Assessor Parcel Numbers 4327-028-004 through -015. The project site is regionally accessible from Interstate 405 (the San Diego Freeway) and State Route 2 (Santa Monica Boulevard), and locally accessible from Wilshire Boulevard. The project site is currently developed with the Beverly Hilton, the Palm/Oasis Court Hotel, and the recently completed Waldorf Astoria. Project Background: The Modified Project would involve an amendment to the Beverly Hilton Specific Plan (Specific Plan), which was approved in 2008 and subject to an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The Final EIR for the 2008 Specific Plan was certified in 2008. The Specific Plan included the following demolition, renovation, and new construction on the project site (herein referred to as the Approved Project): Project Background: The Modified Project would involve an amendment to the Beverly Hilton Specific Plan (Specific Plan), which was approved in 2008 and subject to an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The Final EIR for the 2008 Specific Plan was certified in 2008. The Specific Plan included the following demolition, renovation, and new construction on the project site (herein referred to as the Approved Project): • Demolition of: o The Palm/Oasis Court Hotel o The existing above-ground and below-ground parking structure • Renovation of: o The original Beverly Hilton Wilshire Tower, with 352 guestrooms upon full buildout of the Approved Project o The Beverly Hilton pool, pool deck, and pool cabanas • Construction of: o A subterranean parking structure to accommodate no less than 2,183 vehicles o An 8-story, 36-unit condominium building (Residences A) o An 18-story, 74-unit condominium building (Residences B) o A 12-story, five-star luxury hotel with a restaurant, a maximum of 170 guestrooms, and meeting room space (the Waldorf Astoria, which has already been constructed) o A 22,000-sf Beverly Hilton conference center o A maximum of 20,253 sf of restaurants o Approximately 142,799 sf of landscaped gardens and pedestrian amenities Project Description: The Modified Project would include modifications to the Specific Plan and related entitlements to consolidate the two residential towers into one 23-story residential building; change the configuration of the pool, open space, and restaurant(s); and modify the distribution of conference center space. The table below provides a summary comparison between the Approved Project and the Modified Project. The Modified Project is anticipated to begin construction in 2019 and construction would be completed in about 50 months. Initial Study: Based on the conclusions of the Initial Study prepared for the Modified Project, the following areas of potentially significant environmental impact are anticipated to require analysis in the Draft Supplemental EIR: • • • • •

Aesthetics Air Quality Cultural Resources (specifically Historical Resources) Geology Greenhouse Gas Emissions

• • • • •

Land Use and Planning Noise Transportation/Traffic Tribal Cultural Resources Utilities and Service Systems (specifically Water Supply)

Potential cumulative impacts and potential for growth inducement will also be addressed; alternatives, including the No Project Alternative, will be evaluated. Specific Plan Characteristic Site Area Demolition Area Maximum Floor Area Beverly Hilton Waldorf Astoria

Summary Comparison of Approved Project and Modified Project Approved Project Modified Project Difference 8.94 acres 204,349 sf

8.94 acres 205,926 sf

No change Increase by 1,577 sf

395,012 sf 207,100 sf

395,012 sf 207,026 sf

Residences A

108,153 sf

Residences B

263,300 sf

No change Decrease by 74 sf (construction has already occurred and the floor area of the Waldorf Astoria is not being reduced as part of the Modified Project) Not included under Modified Project (replaced by Luxury Residences) Not included under Modified Project (replaced by Luxury Residences) Continue to Page 3 >>>

June 22, 2018 | Page 3

BEVERLY HILLS

Specific Plan Characteristic Luxury Residences -

Approved Project -

Total Floor Maximum Floor Area Ratio Maximum Building Height* Beverly Hilton Beverly Hilton Conference/Hotel Facilities Waldorf Astoria

Area 973,565 sf 2.5:1

973,565 sf 2.5:1

Difference Not included under Approved Project (replaces Residences A and B) No change in total maximum floor area No change

95 feet (8 stories) 29 feet (2 stories)

95 feet (8 stories) 17 feet (1 story)

No change 12 feet (1 story) shorter

150 feet (12 stories)

154 feet (12 stories)

Increase by 4 feet (construction has already occurred and the floor area of the Waldorf Astoria is not being reduced as part of the Modified Project; the 4â&#x20AC;&#x2122;-0â&#x20AC;? height increase was approved by an Administrative Modification in 2014) Not included under Modified Project (replaced by Luxury Residences) Not included under Modified Project (replaced by Luxury Residences) Not included under Approved Project (replaces Residences A and B) 107 feet (5 stories) taller under Modified Project

Residences

97 feet (8 stories)

Residences B

200 feet (18 stories)

Luxury Residences Tallest Building On-site Number of Hotel Guestrooms Beverly Hilton Waldorf Astoria Total Number of Dwelling Units Residences A Residences B

-307 feet (23 stories)

200 feet (18 stories) (Residences B)

307 feet (23 stories) (Luxury Residences)

352 170 522

No change No change No change in total number of hotel guestrooms

110

140

Not included under Modified Project (replaced by Luxury Residences) Not included under Modified Project (replaced by Luxury Residences) Not included under Approved Project (replaced by Residences A and B) 30 more dwelling units under Modified

37,409 sf

No change

20,523 sf 12,810 sf

No change No change

3.28 acres

3.62 acres

0.39 acre more under Modified Project

1.20 acres 0.52 acre 5.34 acres 2,183 parking spaces

0.02 acre less under the Modified Project 0.01 acre more under the Modified Project 0.33 acre more under the Modified No change

Luxury Residences Total Project Meeting Rooms (not including Ballrooms) Restaurants Retail Publicly Accessible Open Space Landscape and Pedestrian Areas at Ground Level Design Paving Landscape Space on Structure Total Parking Spaces (all subterranean)

Modified Project 371,453 sf

1.22 acres 0.51 acre 5.01 acres 2,183 parking spaces

140

* Height above 285-foot datum point elevation. Heights do not include mechanical penthouses.

Purpose of the Scoping Meeting: The purpose of the scoping meeting is to present the Modified Project in a public setting and provide an opportunity for a full airing of the environmental issues that are important to the community. The meeting will include a presentation of the proposal and the environmental issues to be analyzed in the Draft Supplemental EIR will be described. Following the presentation, interested agencies, organizations, and members of the public will be encouraged to present views concerning what environmental issues should be included in the Draft Supplemental EIR. The oral and written comments made during the scoping meeting will provide an inventory of potential environmental effects of the Modified Project to be addressed by the Draft Supplemental EIR. Extended Comment Period: As stated previously, the initial 30-day comment period occurred from May 18, 2018 to June 18, 2018; however, the comment period has been extended to July 23, 2018 to ensure all individuals and/or agencies have an opportunity to provide input. The City invites all interested members of the public to attend the public scoping meeting. The City also invites written comments on issues related to potential environmental impacts during the comment period, which will conclude on July 23, 2018. Written comments should be addressed to: Cindy Gordon, AICP, Associate Planner City of Beverly Hills Community Development Department 455 North Rexford Drive Beverly Hills, California 90210 Fax: (310) 858-5966 Email: cgordon@beverlyhills.org After the Draft Supplemental EIR has been prepared, it will be released for public review and comment. The Planning Commission will then hold a public hearing on the Draft Supplemental EIR and on the Modified Project. Separate notices of the availability of the Draft Supplemental EIR and of the hearings on the project will be released at later dates. The case file on this project, which includes the plans and applications, is available for public review at the Planning Division, 455 North Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills, California 90210. Copies of the Initial Study are also available in the Planning Division at City Hall and online at www.beverlyhills.org/environmental. If there are any questions regarding this notice, or if you would like to review the file or receive copies of available documents, please contact Cindy Gordon, AICP, Associate Planner at (310) 285-1191 or via email at cgordon@beverlyhills.org. Cindy Gordon, AICP Associate Planner In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Municipal Gallery is wheelchair accessible and is equipped with audio equipment for the hearing impaired. If you need special assistance to attend this meeting, please call the Planning Division at (310) 285-1191 or TTY (310) 285-6881. Please notify the Planning Division at least fortyeight (48) hours prior to the meeting if you require captioning service so that reasonable arrangements can be made.

HERE!

BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | JUNE 22, 2018 Page 4

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

Old School Italian Joint Madeo To Open On Camden Drive In Beverly Hills By Matt Lopez Madeo, the old school Italian eatery that doubles as a celebrity hotspot and has been shouted out in rap songs by Drake is set to reopen in Beverly Hills as soon as next week. The longtime local favorite played to a packed house at its West Hollywood location for decades before shuttering in March. At the time, Madeo’s future was unclear. It only took a couple of months, however, for the Italian restaurant to find a new home. Eater LA reported Wednesday that it’s set to reopen next week in Beverly Hills, PUCKER UP FOR PICKLES – Picklers, it’s time to harvest the garlic and season the brine. Entries are being accepted now through July 22 for the annual Picklefest, sponsored by Nate ‘n Al, which is set for Aug. 5 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Farmers’ Market. To enter, visit www.beverlyhills.org/picklefest or call 310-285-6380 for more information. Categories are “Best Dill Pickle” and “I Can Pickle That!” for any fruit or vegetable grown in California. Nate ‘n Al will award $200, $100 and $50 gift cards for first, second and third place winners, judged by a distinguished panel that will include Mark Mendelson, owner of Nate ‘n Al.

possibly as soon as Tuesday, June 26. Owner Gianni Vietina’s operation is set to open at 362 N. Camden Dr. in the space most recently occupied by Doma and, before that, Prego. How long Madeo will call Beverly Hills home remains to be seen. Its former WeHo home at 8897 Beverly Blvd. is undergoing a major renovation and Eater LA reports Vietina is looking to return as soon as construction is complete around 2020. In the meantime, Madeo and Drake’s favorite calamari rings and tomato sauce will be just a stone’s throw away for Beverly Hills residents.

HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU– Legacy Business Roberts Optical, owned by John and Isabel Roberts, was honored Tuesday as part of Mayor Julian Gold’s Legacy Business initiative. The business was started by John Roberts’ father 72 years ago, in 1946, just after WWII. Roberts came to work for his father in 1968, ultimately taking charge of the business when his father passed away in 1980. Roberts, along with his wife Isabel, have run the business for 50 years. Pictured, from left: Isabel Roberts, John Roberts, Mayor Julian Gold, Vice Mayor John Mirisch and Councilmembers Lili Bosse, Les Friedman and Robert Wunderlich.

Todd Fisher Pens ‘My Girls: A Lifetime With Carrie & Debbie’ By Laura Coleman There are few onetime Beverly Hills residents who have quite the insight into old Hollywood like that of Todd Fisher, whose legendary family is the subject of a new book released earlier this month. Published just six months after the sudden deaths of Fisher’s sister Carrie Fisher and their mother, Debbie Reynolds, in less than 24 hours of each other, Fisher’s debut novel, My Girls: A Lifetime With Carrie & Debbie (Harper/Collins), is a poignant homage to the two incredible women who shaped him. “They were both truly unsinkable characters,” Fisher described, referencing Debbie’s starring role in the 1964 musical film The Unsinkable Molly Brown. “I say [my mom] was more Molly Brown than Molly Brown – and there’s no question that got handed down to Carrie.” “They were both hugely inspirational women for other women,” he added. Offering a candid glimpse at his unique family amid the wealth and

glamour of Hollywood’s elite, Fisher’s 383-page novel, written with the help of biographer Lindsay Harrison, is an autobiographical journey of life with Carrie and Debbie. “When Carrie died, [writing the (see ‘FISHER BOOK’ page 25)

Outreach To Begin For La Cienega Park Master Plan By Victoria Talbot The City of Beverly Hills will begin outreach for the La Cienega Park and Tennis Center Master Plan with a consultant organization that specializes in public engagement. The City Council approved engaging the Consensus and Collaboration Program (CCP) for California State University Sacramento on behalf of the College of Continuing Education to perform the outreach. La Cienega Park has two large sports fields for fall and three baseball diamonds in the spring, and is the home of AYSO, Little League and the Beverly Hills High Baseball Team. Since opening in 1928, the last upgrades were the addition of outdoor gym equipment four years ago and playground equipment nearly 10 years ago. The Community Center was built in 1981 and is heavily trafficked; HVAC and roofing improvements keep it func-

tioning. The Tennis Center and parking facility includes 16 courts, a pro shop, locker rooms and offices. The park also houses the Academy of Motion Pictures Art and Sciences Library in the old Water Treatment Plant and Frank Fenton Field is adjacent. The public engagement process will be lengthy and thorough “to ensure that the data that is collected is neutral and is not influenced by any specific architectural “vision for the site,” according to the staff report. A similar process for the Roxbury Park Community Center several years ago began with a presentation of plans, generating tremendous controversy in the community. “Staff feels that the primary purpose of this project should be to focus on what the Beverly Hills community wants to see at La Cienega Park and Community Center,” according to the staff report.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Residents Updated On Oil Well Plugging On High School Campus

UNITED – After winning the Section One League Championship last fall, Beverly Hills AYSO’s G16U 76 United team went on to a successful tournament season, playing a total of 12 tournaments. Winning six silver and four gold medals after playing their last competitive tournament and winning four straight games against rival Rancho Cucamonga in a fast and heated Championship game on Father's Day at the Huntington Beach Butch Ducharme Memorial Sun & Surf Tournament.

Building And Safety Commissioners’ 901 Strada Vecchia Hearing Set For Tuesday By Matt Lopez What could just be one of the most important hearings to date in the ongoing battle between Bel-Air residents and developer Mohamed Hadid’s monstrous 901 Strada Vecchia megamansion is set to take place next Tuesday in downtown Los Angeles. On Tuesday, June 26, the Los Angeles Board of Building and Safety Commissioners (BBSC) will hold a hearing on the Strada Vecchia property. Bel-Air residents are hoping the hearing answers one key question – why has the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) ignored a 2015 mandate from the BBSC to demolish the property? On April 8, 2015, the LADBS levied Orders to Comply to Hadid’s megamansion that stated large parts of the home were built outside of permit and that Hadid must “demolish and remove all unauthorized, unapproved construction and restore the site to its approved state.” Hadid went on to appeal both orders to the BBSC, and also sought a

two-year extension that would allow him to obtain after-the-fact permits for the unapproved work. In June of 2015, the BBSC soundly rejected the appeal, confirming the original LADBS order to destroy and remove all illegal construction from the site. Three years later, the entirety of the megamansion still remains, towering over the Bel-Air hillside, and nothing has been done to actually follow through on the enforcement of that 2015 order. Bel-Air residents say they hope Tuesday’s hearing with the BBSC will help shed light on why LADBS has, by all accounts, dragged its feet on the process. “In our view LADBS is completely at fault for not enforcing its own orders to comply,” said Beatriz Horacek, who lives below 901 Strada Vecchia. “This matter should have been settled in 2015. LADBS clearly needs to explain their failure to enforce their own orders as affirmed by the BBSC.” The hearing is set for Tuesday, June 26 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 201 N. Figueroa St. Room 900.

Marc Selwyn Fine Art Exhibits Radical Drawings By Artist Hannah Wilke By Laura Coleman A selection of works by Hannah Wilke, one of the most courageous American artists of the 1960’s, is on display through July 7 at Marc Selwyn Fine Art in Beverly Hills. A pioneering figure in feminist art, Wilke explored issues of beauty, gender, and western cultural convention. “Wilke was one of the first artists to take control of the traditional male gaze and transform it into a means of celebration and liberation,” said Marc Selwyn, whose eponymous gallery is now exhibiting the late artist’s drawings from the 1960’s and a trio a of ceramic sculptures from the 1970’s. “Her work really talked about the female experience in a way that’d never been done before.” A multidisciplinary artist who asserted ownership over her body through photography, performance, video, sculpture and drawing, the drawings pictured in this exhibition feel as though they were organically created as part of a very personal performance. Powerful and engaging, Wilke’s expressionist drawings of abstracted organic forms, which Selwyn described as “exuberant shapes and undulating

BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | JUNE 22, 2018 Page 5

Hannah Wilke’s Untitled, circa 1965

lines [that] meander between figurative forms and abstracted landscapes,” dynamically challenge issues of gender beyond the confines of the male gaze. “Wilke’s work melded PostMinimalism, second wave feminism and Abstract Expressionism making her one of the most influential yet underrecognized artists of the late 20th century,” Selwyn said of the New York-based artist who died in 1993 at the age of 53. Visit www.marcselwynfineart.com for more information.

By Victoria Talbot About 100 people listened as Mary Jane Wilson, president of WZI, Inc., explained the steps being taken to plug the 19 wells beneath Beverly Hills High School. Wilson is working with contractor ARB Inc. to plug the wells on the high school campus. Beverly Hills Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Michael Bregy, School Board VP Noah Margo and School Board Members Isabel Hacker and Howard Goldstein were joined by City staff including Public Works project manager Vincent Chee. Since May, the oil well plugging has been underway, financed with an advance by the City of Beverly Hills for $8 million. The funding will expedite the project so that the wells can be plugged as soon as possible, and the Beverly Hills

Unified School District, which owns the property, will reimburse 50 percent of the cost (approximately $4 million) at a later date. The project has generated considerable interest, with several residents’ questions centered on safety - not just for the duration of the project, but well into the future. Notification of the meeting was sent to a 1,000 foot radius of the project by the Department of Community Development and to BHUSD families by BHUSD. Regarding safety, Wilson talked about an uncontrolled well situation and said that there is a “very comprehensive plan in place for “wild well control,” a circumstance that she called “rare.” “When this set [of wells] is destroyed, they will be filled with cement and the highest standards of (see ‘OIL WELLS page 28)

HELLO OLLIE – Ollie is a long-haired Doxie mix. He is 3-years-old and weighs 12 pounds. Ollie’s owner moved away and left him behind and he is now looking for his forever home. To learn more about Ollie and to find information on how to adopt him, contact Shelter Hope Pet Shop. Visit www.shelterhopepetshop.org or call 805379-3538.

GEORGE CHRISTY

Davis, Jean Harlow, Katharine Hepburn, Lana Turner, but David insisted on an unknown.

George Christy

ivien was born under the Raj in India to an Anglo Indian mother and a stockbroker father. Performing on the London stage, she was swooned over by Laurence Olivier before filming Gone With The Wind.

passionate affair ensued that led to marriage and the later revelation of Vivien’s disturbing bipolar syndrome disease, which haunted her, leading to eccentric behavior and uncontrollable sexual desire. Becoming, as insiders know a vision of her nymphomanical character, Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire.

P eter

Finch soon became a lover (“Her affections were lethal”), among others.

ast opposite Dana Andrews in Elephant Walk,

scheduled for filming in Ceylon, her hysterical behavior was unmanageable. Refusing psychiatric care, she was fired and replaced by Elizabeth Taylor.

igh personal drama pursued Vivien throughout her life, with Olivier suffering hopelessly from her behavior, prevailing upon friends David Niven and Noel Coward for help.

ivien’s archives remain in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, where Stephen Galloway furthers his major research and he informs that reading Olivier’s love letters to Vivien, he found that they are among the sweetest and most tender ones we’ll ever read.

W ill

they be in his

book?

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

Vivien Leigh won the Best Actress Oscars for her roles in Gone With the Wind and A Streetcar Named Desire.

midtown Manhattan is where we met Vivien Leigh, the Academy-Award-winning actress for her roles as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind, which won 10 Oscars, and Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire, winning four Oscars.

e were heading to a rooftop party for Bob Dylan’s album.

Several Brits accompa-

nied Vivien, and she never looked more beautiful. A creamy, pearl like complexion with sparkling green eyes. She was smiling and flirty in a white silk blouse and a pale yellow dirndl skirt that swayed alluringly as she strolled, wearing the classic beige Chanel pumps.

e were reminded of George Cukor’s comment during a luncheon when he said, “Talent is wonderful, but it isn’t enough. You become a star only when your skin receives the light on camera.”

e chatted briefly, laughing that a freight elevator was an odd way to go to a party. We don’t recall if, at that time, she was married to Laurence Olivier, the stage and screen award-winning star of Wuthering Heights, Hamlet, Henry V, and other classics.

Page 6 | June 22, 2018

“Call

me Vivien,” she said as we mixed in the bustling crowd on the roof where everyone dispersed.

e were a roving editor with Town & Country at the time, and little did we know then that she, like Audrey Hepburn, had been involved in numerous dalliances with screen idols and others.

n Stephen Galloway’s upcoming biography that will be published by Grand Central Books, he will, knowing Stephen’s high professionalism, tell us all.

tephen is the executive editor (features) of The Hollywood Reporter who’s written reams about the Who and the Who of H o l l y wo o d . As well as the b i o g r a p h y, Leading Lady, about the popular studio chief, S h e r r y Lansing.

and enthuses about his current project, writing about Vivien Leigh and Sir Laurence Olivier, that we anticipate will reach bestsellerdom.

ivien’s casting for the prize role of Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With The Wind became an intense two-and-halfyear search in 1936 by the producer David O. Selznick, claiming this choice from 1400 hopefuls would establish an star international overnight.

ying desperately for the role were Bette

Steven Spielberg

Director J.A. Bayona

Celebrity Photo/Scott Downie

In a freight elevator in

ritborn Stephen reveals he was obsessed with the L o n d o n Theater during his youth,

Bryce Dallas Howard was a standout during the premiere of Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment's Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom at the Walt Disney Concert Hall Frankie J. Grande

Isabella Sermon

Chris Pratt

BEVERLY HILLS

June 22, 2018 | Page 7

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

STRADELLA PARTY – The megamansion at 779 Stradella Road has been no stranger to controversy in recent months, angering residents with ragers that have lasted well into the wee hours of the morning on more than a few occasions. That appeared to be the case again Saturday, with a big party at the property owned by Jeffrey Yohai, Paul Manafort’s former son-in-law. Illegal parking was reported on a “no stopping tow-away” blind curve and “no parking” areas on Stradella Road. Empty drinking cups and beer cans and bottles were left littering the street. A uniformed traffic service was on-site trying to manage the drop-offs, but did nothing about the illegal parking. Yohai had previously been warned in court to follow sanctions and cease holding any loud parties.

Bel-Air Residents Report Workers At Chalon Project Removing Parking Sign By Matt Lopez A new development in Bel-Air raised a big red flag with residents over the weekend. The Courier received several reports of “No Parking” signs being removed so workers could park at the 10891 Chalon Ave. project. The removal of No Parking signs is a misdemeanor, and is extremely dangerous on the narrow and winding

streets of Bel-Air. “20-plus cars a day and a fire truck could not pass if necessary,” one resident wrote on the community website NextDoor. To report parking violations in Bel Air, residents are asked to call the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) at 213-485-4184, you can also send them pictures of the areas where the signs were removed.

BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | JUNE 22, 2018 Page 8

COURIER IN FRANCE – Beverly Hills realtor Rochelle Maize enjoyed a relaxing vacation in France this month, but not without her copy of the Courier. The Maize family visited La Bastide de Gordes. Pictured (from left): Rich, Rochelle and Michele Maize.

Beverly Hills To Crack Down On ShortTerm Party Rentals In Residential Areas By Victoria Talbot A new ordinance will soon give Beverly Hills’ police officers a powerful tool to shut down nuisance gatherings held by short-term tenants in the City’s party houses. In addition, Therese Kosterman from the Office of Communications issued a press release stating that the City is “actively enforcing regulations covering short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods,” which is allowed only twice in a calendar year in Beverly Hills. For single-family homes, Beverly Hills Municipal Codes 10-3-403 and 10-3-1101 apply. For multi-family apartments, 10-3-205 applies. In recent years the short-term rental phenomenon has taken hold in the City, often resulting in multiple calls to police for noise, trash, public intoxication, parking and other violations at specific residences that are being rented on short-term rental websites such as Airbnb. With the proliferation of so-called “party houses” throughout Los Angeles, municipalities across the area have tightened local ordinances. Beverly Hills is just the latest to enact ordinances. Homeowners advertise on these sites with terms such as “event estate,” charging as much as $5,000 per evening or in one case we found, $1,250 per hour for the privilege of having a wild party in a private mansion. Partygoers or event organizers supply the amenities, including libations, food and entertainment. Short-term rentals are defined as leasing a single-family home for a period of less than six months. “Due to recent increases in multiple, transient tenants who often host noisy

gatherings, the City has stepped up efforts to proactively identify and penalize property owners,” wrote Kosterman. Rentals of apartments for less than 30 days are not allowed. Landlords will be required to pay all applicable annual business taxes, transient occupancy taxes or hotel taxes. The City monitors vacation rental websites and investigates complaints of unlawful rentals. Property owners and tenants who illegally sublet are subject to fines and taxes and renters may also be cited. Adding to the crackdown, the Loud and Unruly Gatherings Ordinance approved Tuesday night by the City Council, presented by BHPD Chief Sandra Spagnoli and Lt. Dave Hamel. “Codes that address unruly gatherings, disturbing the peace – a peace cannot be disturbed,” he said. “We can take action on the individual, but not the person with the party.” The person holding the party and the owner of the property aren’t being held responsible. The new ordinance will allow the police officer responding to a call to advise the partygoers that they are in violation. “This is holding them responsible for the problem,” said Hamel. “We can take immediate action and shut the party down.” The new ordinance will define key terms, such as “loud or unruly gatherings,” “minor,” “owner,” “responsible person” and “residential unit.” “It shall be unlawful and constitute a public nuisance for any owner or responsible person to cause or allow a loud or unruly gathering to occur at any residential unit within the (see ‘PARTY HOUSES’ page 28)

Home Prices Still On The Rise In L.A. County, But Sales Drop The median price of a home in Los Angeles County rose by 8.4 percent in May, compared with the same month a year earlier, a real estate information service announced Thursday. According to CoreLogic, the median price of a Los Angeles County home was $609,000 last month, up from $562,000 in May 2017. A total of 7,323 homes were sold in the county, down 4.2 percent from 7,643 during the same month the previous year.

The median price of a Southern California home was a record $530,000 in May, up 1.9 percent from $520,000 in April and up 8.2 percent from $490,000 in May 2017. “With inventory tight and affordability worsening, the number of Southern California homes sold has fallen on a year-over-year basis during three of the last five months,” said Andrew LePage, research analyst with CoreLogic. –– City News Service

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June 22, 2018 | Page 9

HOW DO YOU FEEL?

BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | JUNE 22, 2018 Page 10

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

Providence Saint John’s Health Center Sets Annual Community Meeting Area residents and property owners are invited to Providence Saint John’s Annual Community Outreach Meeting from 6-7:30 p.m., Thursday, June 28 on the fourth floor of the Chan Soon-Shiong Building, 2121 Santa Monica Blvd. Providence Saint John’s representatives will provide information about the benefits it provided to the community during 2017. Updates on Development Agreement compliance will be given by Providence Saint John’s leadership and attendees will be able to

ask questions. The meeting is not about Providence Saint John’s plans for its own second phase of development. Questions related to these particular development plans, may be emailed instead to psjplan@gmail.com. Those with questions or concerns related to Providence Saint John’s Development Agreement with the city of Santa Monica may contact Ronald Sorensen, director of community, Ronald.Sorensen@providence.org.

‘Team Up For Tourette’s’ Saturday In Hollywood The Tourette Association of America’s Southern California Chapter, the leading national nonprofit serving the Tourette syndrome (TS) and tic disorder community, in partnership with actor Devin Denicola and the ScholasTIC Tourette’s Supporters, will host the fourth annual “Team Up For Tourette’s” event at 8 p.m., Saturday, June 23 at The Parlor Hollywood, 7250 Melrose Ave. The event will feature a red carpet entrance, raffle prizes, music by DJ Bad Ash, tequila and beer tastings, specialty cocktails and more. Event Proceeds will help send kids with TS to summer camp and

offer high school students with TS scholarships to attend college. “I was diagnosed with TS at 7 and it was severe for many years,” said Denicola. “I know the daily/nightly struggles trying to cope; and I feel it is my duty to give back to the Tourette Syndrome community, while bringing TS awareness to the forefront and educating people who don’t know what TS is, or are misinformed about the disorder.” The Southern California Chapter represents more than 800 people affected by T.S. To RSVP, call 855-487-2762 or email TEAMUPFORTS@gmail.com.

More than 1,500 participants and 130 teams took park in CHLA’s “Walk and Play L.A.” 3-kilometer walk around Exposition Park.

‘Walk and Play L.A.’ Supports CHLA’s Care Mission Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) hosted its second annual “Walk and Play L.A.” earlier this month at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. Patients, their families and friends, and CHLA staff and faculty walked to help improve children’s health and raised more than $300,000 to date. “Every dollar raised at Walk and Play L.A. will support Children’s Hospital Los Angeles’ mission, ensuring our patients receive the lifesaving and critical care they need,” says Paul S. Viviano, CHLA’s CEO. In addition to the walk, the event featured sports clinics hosted by professional athletes, including mixed martial artist Anderson Silva. It was a personal affair for Lawrence

Jackson who came to CHLA for asthma care when he was young and went on to play college football for USC and professionally in the NFL. “I had breathing problems and serious allergies as a child, which made playing football a struggle early on,” says Jackson. “Children’s Hospital Los Angeles gave me the care and support I needed to step onto the football field and play at a high level, and for that I’ll always be grateful.” The event was hosted by Coleen Sullivan and ABC7’s Rob Fukuzaki. Donations may still be made at WalkandPlayLA.org through July 31. Donors may choose between 350 specialty programs and services to support.

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BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | JUNE 22, 2018 Page 11

ARTS & E N T E RTA I N M EReprise! N T Gets Reprise, Returns With Three-Musical

City To Honor Famed Songwriter, Disney Legend Robert Sherman

The City of Beverly Hills will present Supercalifragilistic–90th Birthday Tribute To Richard M. Sherman at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, July 21 at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. Oscar- and Grammy-winning composer and lyricist Sherman, alongside his brother Robert B. Sherman, was half of The Sherman Brothers, Walt Disney’s favorite song-writing team he referred to as “the boys.” The Sherman Brothers created songs for Disney TV shows and theme parks including It’s a Small World, along with films Winnie the Pooh and The Jungle Book. Their beloved score for Mary Poppins was composed in Beverly Hills; and after leaving Disney, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang became another one of their hits. Admission is free, but advance ticket reservations are required. For tickets (four per person) visit The Wallis.org/Sherman or call 310-746-4000. For more information, visit Beverly Hills.org/Sherman or call 310-285-1014.

Jerry Cutler On Film

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Full Of Scary, Non-Stop Action Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom will make a ton — the approximate weight of a dinosaur — of money. Many moviegoers will slink in their seats in fear of being eaten by one of the creatures whose threatening teeth and billowing saliva overtake the screen. If that, coupled with the menacing nerve-shattering and deafening sounds emanating from the special effects doesn’t scare you, then the realization that a major studio accepted this screenplay, will. However, if it’s thrills you’re seeking, without the thought of silly dialogue and actors trying to look serious, then flowing lava consuming everything in its path, maniacal people-eating behemoths, evil men conspiring to make millions, poachers who will stop at nothing as they viciously track and imprison the (see JURRASIC WORLD page 24)

Season, Opening With Sweet Charity At UCLA Reprise! is getting a reprise. The popular series that produced classic American musicals is back after a five-year absence and kicking off its three-show season with Cy Coleman, Dorothy Fields and Neil Simon’s Sweet Charity, playing now through July 1 at UCLA’s Freud Playhouse, Macgowan Hall, 245 Charles E. Young Dr. E. Directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall, the production stars Broadway veterans Laura Bell Bundy, Barrett Foa and Jon Jon Briones. Under Marcia Seligson’s previous direction of Reprise! Broadway’s Best, which she founded in 1997, the series presented such hits as Promises, Promises; Finian’s Rainbow, Wonderful Town and The Pajama Game, starring some of the best musical theater talent in America. Seligson left in 2007 and the series continued. Unable to obtain “sustaining funding” the series folded in 2013. “Reprise! was always in my heart,” says Seligson. “People would come up to me all over L.A.—any place I was, restaurants, the Landmark theater, at the vet’s office—and tell me

Marcia Seligson Photo by Tom Drucker

how much they missed it. “People would say, ‘please bring it back,’ they loved what we were doing and we had a specific vision.” Seligson’s goal was to “bring back” classic Broadway musicals from the golden age that were rarely revived, in a simple style, combining minimal sets and costumes with outstanding directors and choreographers and focusing on the score with the band on stage. REPRISE 2.0 was born two years ago when Seligson invited people involved in the first iteration of Reprise! to her Malibu home for a brunch. “Twenty-

seven people showed up and we brainstormed for several hours about bringing Reprise! back. And now things are going well, tickets sales have been robust, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed.” Seligson wanted to return to the series’ popular home, the Freud, and so met with Brian Kite, UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television Department of Theatre chair, with the intention of being a renter. “He said no,“ recalls Seligson. “He wanted to partner and collaborate with us. It was one the best meetings of my life.” The new initiative allows the school to expand activities for its theater students — in performance, lighting, sound and set design, as well as interning with REPRISE 2.0 personnel in directing, stage management, casting, producing, musical direction, costuming and choreography. One current student and two recent graduates will appear in the show. “They’re in the ensemble and they’re terrific performers and dancers,” says Seligson. The “dance heavy” show with hits like Big Spender, If My Friends Could See Me (see ‘REPRISE’ page 24)

BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | JUNE 22, 2018 Page 12

TO SEE AND BE SEEN

Beverly Hills Goes BOLD Once Again This Summer Throughout August Nights By Laura Coleman Following up on the success of last year’s BOLD (Businesses Open Later Days) initiative, Beverly Hills is set to once again energize its nightlife with shopping and festivities that run through 8 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings from Aug. 2-25. The upcoming second BOLD Summer in Beverly Hills is set to kickoff on Aug. 2 from 6-9 p.m. on Rodeo Drive with live music, fireworks, food and a plethora of engaging activities. “We are all thrilled to be continuing with our BOLD Summer programming for 2018,” said Rodeo Drive Committee President Kathy Gohari. “Building on the success of last year’s program, we will feature enhanced immersive experiences and social installations for visitors and residents to enjoy, while bringing the streets of Rodeo Drive to life, BOLD style.” From flash floral installations across Rodeo Drive to monogramming booths that will enable you to take home a personalized memory to live painting performances, the upcoming BOLD event is certain to draw a crowd. Said Mayor Julian Gold: “Bringing new and exciting attractions to the City is important to the financial success of the City in the future.” Originally launched last year as part of then-Mayor Lili Bosse’s

GOING BOLDER—Former Mayor Lili Bosse and Sen. Ben Allen pictured at a BOLD event last year.

#BHHealthyCity initiative to promote a healthy community, this year’s BOLD Summer festivities are set to close out on Aug. 25 with the return of the Next Night Block Party on South Beverly Drive. In addition to live entertainment and dynamic installations in tandem with BOLD Summer nights, restaurants are offering some tantalizing dining specials throughout the Golden Triangle. Visitors and locals can even take a ride in a classic convertible to experience the City on Saturdays. “We will once again be alive, vibrant and dynamic in the day and the night,” said Bosse. “A Bold Summer in Beverly Hills is the most electrifying place to be.” For the full calendar of events, visit lovebeverlyhills.com/bhopenlate.

REEL TO REAL—The Hollywood Museum debuted its latest exhibition, “Reel to Real: Portrayals and Perceptions of Gays in Hollywood,” last Friday to coincide with the annual Christopher Street West Pride activities. An annual exhibit, which includes more than 500 artifacts spanning 100 years, shines a spotlight on the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBTQ) community in television and film through the decades. This year's event also featured a special recognition for The Future of Hollywood Award presented to actress Stephanie Beatriz and the Legacy Award to Tony Award winning actress, Julie Newmar. Pictured (from left): Alison Arngrim, Roslyn Kind, Judy Tenuta, Geri Jewell and Kathy Kinney. Photo by Bill Dow

THE CHAINSMOKERS—In a quest to provide exclusive experiences for customers, American Airlines and Mastercard hosted a private show of L.A.-based band The Chainsmokers at The Wiltern through their #MilesMakeMemories program. At the recent L.A. show, musicians Alex Pall and Andrew Taggart (right) of the Chainsmokers treated fans to a lively performance, complete with pyrotechnics and high energy. “Drew has the voice of an angel,” Pall told the Courier about his bandmate, whom he originally linked with seven years ago when their manager introduced them. The band’s first big hit, Closer featuring singer Halsey, has over 2.1 billion views on YouTube. Its debut album, Memories…Do Not Open, released last year, continues to top Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart. “Both of us were such passionate music fans growing up,” Taggart said. “What’s exciting for us is mixing together all the things that we’ve always loved to create something new. I always think of our music as a collage.” Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Mastercard

June 22, 2018 | Page 13

BEVERLY HILLS

Beverly Hills Salary Survey - What It All Means Base Pay: The fixed salary an employee is paid on a yearly basis. Overtime Pay: Compensation for hours worked beyond the employee's fixed amount of time allocated for a workweek. Pay for Performance/Bonus Pays: Any extra performance incentives or bonus compensation for meeting specific goals that an employee receives. “It’s a program for our management, professional and executive folks based on performance, goals and objectives that are set up at the beginning of the year. They are evaluated at the end of the year and depending on how well they met those goals and objectives, they would qualify for some amount of pay for performance, which can be all the way from one percent to 10 percent of a total pool of dollars. It’s the closest thing we have in the government sector to perform-

ance plans and that sort of thing.” - retired City CFO Don Rhoads said last year. As for bonuses, Rhoads said that if an employee does something “particularly meritorious,” there is a provision where a bonus can be given. Car Allowance/Other Pays: Car Allowance is a stipend to help offset the cost of an employee using their own vehicle for City work. Other Pays generally falls under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which allows an employee to receive funds in a different category while they are out on personal leave. Uniform Allowance: Police, and Fire Department and some Public Works employees receive a uniform allowance, which is used to clean and maintain their City uniforms. Leave Payoffs: When an employee has an excess amount of vacation time, beyond what is needed on the books, it can be paid off in a lump

amount. Cafeteria Plan: An employee health benefits plan that allows an employee to chose from a variety of benefit plans. What the employee doesn’t spend on a health plan, they get back in the form of additional wages. This column is what the employee gets back after money is not spent. Total Pay: The total amount of take-home income an employee receives. Retirement: The amount the City pays toward an employee’s PERS retirement plan. Deferred Compensation: A matching deferred contribution between the City and Employee, where the employee contributes a certain amount of their paycheck, tax-deferred, which is matched by the City. Health/Dental/Vision: The amount the City pays toward an employees various health insurance plans.

RHS Health: An employee Retirement Health Savings plan. Total Benefits: All monies an employee receives that do not count toward their take-home pay. Total Compensation: The full cost of an employee to the City of Beverly Hills. Sick, Administrative or Universal Leave/Vacation: Rhoads says: “These hours don’t add any additional cost to the other columns. The only way they add cost is if someone doesn’t use all their leave at the end of the year, so they want to cash it out. That would generate additional cost outlay, which shows in the ‘leave payouts’ column. If someone used their leave time, it would be recorded in the salary column.” Sick leave is now being called Universal Leave because, according to Rhoads: regular parttime employees technically earn “universal leave”,

which can be used for either sick time or vacation time. For all other employees, sick leave and vacation leave can only be used for their intended purpose. Included with this year’s salary survey was a note from the City stating: “To comply with a change in the CalPERS reporting and billing process, beginning July 1, 2017, the cost for pension unfunded accrued liability (UAL) is no longer paid as a percentage of payroll, but instead is paid in lump sum. The FY17/18 payment made was $13,239,793.00 and therefore the portion for the last six months of the calendar year is $6,619,896.50.” Note: the majority of City employees work a 9/80 (nine eighty hour days every two weeks) or 4/10 (four 10 hour days per week), meaning they get off either every Monday/Friday, or every other Monday/Friday.

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