Jewish National Fund Dinner - Sept. 6
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BEVERLY HILLS VOLUME XXXXVII NUMBER 29 $135 PER YEAR - $1.25 PER COPY •
www.bhcourier.com
SINCE 1965
THIS ISSUE
Residents Reject Bloated Roxbury Park
Summer fun at Beverly Hills Junior Firefighting Camp. 4
Adopt this loving 2-month old “Mastador” named Aragon. 4
SPEAKING UP–Pictured clockwise (from top left): residents Marilyn Gallup, Mickey Kaus, Rose Norton and Steve Dahlerbruch were among many who voiced opposition to Roxbury Park plans favored by the City Council majority at a pair of meetings earlier this week. Courier photos by Matt Lopez
Updated from bhcourier.com By Matt Lopez After a pair of meetings on consecutive days on Roxbury Park earlier this week, the Beverly Hills community has made its stance perfectly clear – it is firmly against the huge facility currently being pushed by the City Council majority. The turnout came after the council majority followed the liaisons recommendation to further study a plan that effectively turns back the clock and ignores many concerns residents had about the project when it started several years ago. Mayor Willie Brien and While Mayor Willie councilmembers Barry Brien and councilmemBrucker and Julian Gold bers Julian Gold and agreed Tuesday to move ahead with “Site Plan D” as (see ‘PLAN E,’ page 10)
Roxbury Park’s New ‘Plan E’: The Community’s Last Hope Mark Rosen becomes Beverly Hills Police Captain.
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By Matt Lopez A potential olive branch was dangled before Beverly Hills residents who want nothing
to do with the overdeveloped Roxbury Park Community Center structure currently being pushed.
Kolin Challenges Courier Leonardo da Vinci sculpture gets world premiere at Greystone Mansion. 5
Fashion trends explored in Fashion Forward. 15 •Birthdays
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Our popular columnist George Christy has offered his Page 6 for our glamorous 12-page Fashion Forward feature that begins on page 15. George will be with us next week writing about fascinating details from three film classics. Editorial from Rabbi Pressman AND MORE
CLASSIFIEDS • • • • •
Announcements Real Estate Rentals Sales and More
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July 27, 2012
Eyewitnesses Back Up Courier’s Report That City Staff Falsified Water Rate Increase Documents By Matt Lopez and Courier staff In its July 13 issue, The Courier reported that City of Beverly Hills staff falsified information it provided to the City Council that community groups support a City-wide water rate increase. The article was entitled, “City Staff Falsifies Water Rate In-
crease Documents.” City Manager Jeff Kolin wrote The Courier asserting the staff did not falsify the report and demanded a “retraction.” The Courier has reexamined its article, spoken with elected officials of the groups cited by the City staff, and reconfirmed its reporting. City staff falsified
the report in question. The Courier stands by its reporting in full. The issue in question centers on a staff report about an April 24 meeting between Homeowners Association (HOA) presidents and board members, along with Kolin and City staffers to discuss a
the favored plan for a new community center. Plan D was one of four plans presented to the liaison committee Monday and the one the committee unanimously favored. This just-under 20,000square-foot plan calls for a 4,500-square-foot “multipurpose room” to allow for large banquets and other events and might also include a middle school-sized regulation basketball gym that many community members have spoken out against for years. Gold and Brucker admitted they would be open to a multipurpose room without the gym if it got the project moving quicker. It has also been dis(see ‘ROXBURY,’ page 14)
Editorial
Feeding The Beast Daily we are bombarded with reports of another city, county, state or nation running out of money. Almost nowhere to be seen is a proposal to cut back government employees, their benefits or compensation to balance them with the private sector. In Beverly Hills, as one citizen leader after another comes forward, we hear the same thing – bloated staff, bloated compensation, huge retirement payouts, and reduced service. Beverly Hills prides itself on an excellent city government. We certainly have a police department other cities envy and a fine fire department. We have no quarrel with public safety. Where the citizens, The Courier, and reform
(see ‘WATER,’ page 12)
THE LOVE CONNECTION—It happens— Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan discovered each other and fell in love while co-starring in Ruby Sparks. A modern take on the Pygmalion myth, Ruby Sparks is the story of a novelist’s vision who inexplicably comes to life, only to prove far more complicated than even he could have imagined. Zoe Kazan wrote the screenplay which attracted the attention of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, who directed the runaway hit Little Miss Sunshine. 6.) Listed on nation- The film reveals the al or state list of historic way we invent love, and how love can reinvent (see ‘HOTEL,’ page 14) us.
(see ‘FEEDING THE BEAST,’ page 29)
Beverly Hills Hotel Named City’s First Historic Landmark Updated from bhcourier.com By Matt Lopez when designating a hisTwo months ago, toric landmark: The Beverly Hills Hotel 1.) Is identified with celebrated its 100th important events. birthday in grand style. 2.) Is directly assoTuesday night, the ciated with significant City Council gave the person. hotel the best belated 3.) Embodies disbirthday present it could tinctive characteristics have ever asked for of a style, type, period when it voted unani- or method of construcmously to designate The tion. Beverly Hills Hotel as 4.) Is the notable the City’s first historic work of a master archilandmark. tect. The Cultural Her5.) Yields important itage Commission looks information on prehistoat the following criteria ry.
Celebrity Photo/Janet Gough