Adopt A Pet This Sunday At Woofstock At La Cienega Park!
BEVERLY HILLS VOLUME XXXXVIIII NUMBER 26 $135 PER YEAR - $1.25 PER COPY •
Lucy Meyer won a second Gold Medal in the Special Olympics. 4
Larry King was on hand to help Rite Aid re-open its Canon Drive store. 4
Daffodil, a 4-month-old Dachshund/Papillon mix is looking for a home. 4
The Beverly Hilton hosted the “Entrepreneur of the Year” awards. 5
By Matt Lopez & John L. Seitz Ask one of Paula Kent Meehan’s many friends and you’ll get a different answer about what made her so special. Whether it was her loyal friendship, her wide-reaching philanthropic and generous spirit or her reputation as a savvy, nononsense businesswoman, it’s clear that Meehan left an indomitable legacy behind when she died peacefully Monday at her Beverly Hills home. The beginning of Meehan’s landmark life that saw her build a beauty product empire from
“The Staff ’s Excited About The Liquor License For Trattoria Amici, Which We Won Through The Lottery,” says Owner-Chef Gelber Tovar. Bartender Martin Lee Promises The Best New Drinks From Europe Editorial from Rabbi Pressman AND MORE
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scratch was at a Christian Science maternity facility in Beverly Hills, where she was born in 1931. Her father, who had previously been an accountant for Fox Films, resettled the family to Burbank, where Meehan met her lifelong friend Debbie Reynolds. “Debbie actually wanted to be a gym teacher while my aspiration was to be an actress.” Meehan told The Courier in 2004. Meehan dropped out of high school and became a mother while in her mid-teens. While (see ‘PAULA KENT MEEHAN,’ page 15)
See pages 2 and 3 for pictures of Paula Kent Meehan’s extraordinary life. Paula’s family will be accepting a commendation from Mayor Lili Bosse Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Woofstock.
Paula Kent Meehan 1931-2014
Mark Tronstein To Lead Rodeo City Staff Prevents City Council From Further 9900 Drive Committee Following Wilshire Investigations Jim Jahant’s Departure NEW ERA ON RODEO DRIVE—The much beloved Jim Jahant said farewell to the Rodeo Drive Committee he has helmed for the past three years in a ceremony at the Luxe Hotel on Wednesday. Mayor Lili Bosse declared the day “Jim Jahant Day” in his honor, saying: “You are such a big part of what makes Rodeo Drive so special.” Jahant said: “When you do something you love, you don’t call it work.” Pictured (from left): Jahant with incoming Rodeo Drive President Mark Tronstein.
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George Christy, Page 6
June 27, 2014
Courier Chairman, Philanthropist Paula Kent Meehan Dead At 82
Beverly Hills’ Ora Kohan was named 2014 National American Miss California. 5 •Fashion •Active Retirement •Letters To The Editor
SINCE 1965
By Laura Coleman In anticipation of Mark Tronstein taking the reigns of the Rodeo Drive Committee, which his father helped co-found, The Courier caught up with Tronstein over coffee from Bouchon Bakery at the Beverly Canon Gardens, across the street from where he oversees the real estate activities at Andell Holdings. The Committee, which annually lights the City up with holiday decor, puts on the Concours d’Elegance on Father’s Day, is known for the Rodeo Walk of Style, and recently held the biggest bash the City has ever seen with the Centennial Celebration. It also represents most of the 70 businesses on the
exclusive Beverly Hills shopping destination. The Courier: Who is Mark Tronstein? Mark Tronstein: Probably first and foremost, I am a father and husband. Family is very important to me. Especially given that I lost my father and a brother early. As I look at my kids, and spending time with my kids, it makes it more meaningful. It’s important to me. The Courier: How did you get involved with the Rodeo Drive Committee? Tronstein: I moved back to Los Angeles in 2006, and at that time, I was looking to get more involved in (see ‘TRONSTEIN,’ page 7)
By Laura Coleman Despite allegations by the Beverly Hills Unified School District that the City had prematurely accepted a “Fault Rupture Investigation” for 9900 Wilshire, on Tuesday City Manager Jeff Kolin told the City Council it was prohibited from
deferring acceptance of the report and reopening the investigation because of a 30-day provision in the Municipal Code. “That provision has run and passed,” he said. “We cannot do what was asked of us.” (see ‘CITY STAFF,’ page 19)
Bosse, Mirisch, Krasne Protect Taxpayers From Rising Employee Costs By Victoria Talbot Mayor Lili Bosse and councilmembers John Mirisch and Nancy Krasne took a major stand against rising Beverly Hills City Employee costs on Tuesday. On the second formal
reading of five proposed Memoranda of Understanding between the City of Beverly Hills and the Municipal Employees Association, Safety Support Association, Management and Professional Employees (see ‘PROTECTING TAXPAYERS,’ page 16)
ON THE GO GUY — Prince Michael Jackson mingled with the crowd at the Los Angeles Premiere of HBO’s True Blood season 7, the final season, at the TCL Chinese Theatre. Celebrity Photo Agency
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For more photos, see George Christy’s column on page 6.