Wilshire Area Residents Are on the Stump
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BEVERLYPRESS.COM INSIDE • New Beverly Hills mayor. pg. 3 Partly cloudy, with highs up • WeHo expands to 80 this public safety weekend program pg. 4 Volume 29 No. 13 Serving the Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hancock Park and Wilshire Communities March 28, 2019 Price of oil in Beverly Hills Wilshire area residents are on the stump n City, school district at odds over funding the n plugging of oil wells at the high school campus Windsor Village resident’s idea helps By luke harold now approximately $21-26 million. The city and school district clear the way for new Faced with an increased estimate planned on splitting the first esti- trees to be planted for plugging oil wells at Beverly mate by paying $4 million each. In Hills High School, Beverly Hills a letter to Superintendent Michael By edwin folven school board members rejected a Bregy, Beverly Hills Public Works proposal from the city for how the Director Shana Epstein said the city To Windsor Village resident two sides will divide the costs. offered to fund up to $8 million as Julie Stromberg, a member of the An original estimate of $8 mil- costs began to rise. Greater Wilshire Neighborhood lion provided two years ago, estab- “From the beginning, the city Council who also recently fin- lished after the company that leased ished two years of service on City the wells filed for bankruptcy, is See Plugging page 21 Councilman David Ryu’s Discretionary Funds Task Force, trees are a critically-important component of the city’s land- scape and environmental health. Realizing stumps from dead trees were being left on city- owned land between sidewalks and roadways, and were prevent- ing new trees from being planted because of space, Stromberg pitched an idea last year to the 4th District Council Office for a pilot project to remove stumps and have them replaced with new trees. The council office worked with the Urban Forestry Division to identify funding and this photo courtesy of Julie Stromberg photo by Luke Harold month, a year after Stromberg Conrad Starr, president of the Sycamore Square Neighborhood Association, posed with one of the new trees planted on Orange Drive, District counsel said the project was always likely to cost upward of $20 See Stump page 21 million, despite the $8 million figure that was floated two years ago. south of Wilshire Boulevard. College admissions scheme hits close to home Local group celebrates n Two Beverly Hills residents charged, unsung female heroes WeHo private school By cameron kiszla showing women talking about scrutinized by U.S. gov. the often forgotten or down- Hancock Park resident Janna played role their heroines have By luke harold Bodek Harris first learned about played in history, told stories that Look What SHE Did! last year hit home for her. The director of a West when the nonprofit group came “I loved the idea of showing Hollywood private school and two to the Ebell of Los Angeles, role models for younger women Beverly Hills residents are among where Harris serves as a board through these videos,” she said. the more than 40 defendants facing member. Harris reached out to the charges from the federal govern- Harris said Look What SHE ment over a scam to bypass admis- Did!, which creates short videos See Nonprofit page 22 sions processes at some of the top colleges and universities. Between 2011-18, parents allegedly paid $25 million to col- lege admissions consultant William Singer to circumvent college photo by Luke Harold admissions processes by having West Hollywood Preparatory School is housed in the Hollywood Temple Beth ACT and SAT test results altered or El building at 1317 N. Crescent Heights Blvd., but the two are not affiliated. having their children recruited as athletes, with for-profit business Buckingham, a marketing execu- “But if she got a 32 or 33, I’m The Key and nonprofit Key tive, allegedly paid $50,000 to have assuming that would make her pret- Worldwide Foundation facilitating a person who was involved in the ty competitive,” Buckingham said, the financial transactions. Singer scheme take the ACT for her son at according to a wiretapped conver- became a cooperating witness, list- a testing center in Houston and sation she had with one of the ed as CW-1 in the complaint, and arranging a score of around 34 out alleged perpetrators of the scheme. agreed to plead guilty to charges of 36. The hired test-taker ended up Attorneys representing including racketeering conspiracy, scoring a 35 on behalf of her son. Buckingham did not respond to a photo courtesy of Look What SHE Did! money laundering and conspiracy Buckingham then allegedly sought request for comment. The nonprofit Look What SHE Did!, which includes several local res- idents, creates videos showing women talking about their heroines to defraud the United States. the same arrangement for her See Admissions page 22 Beverly Hills resident Jane daughter. whose contributions have often been underappreciated or forgotten. 2 March 28, 2019 CALENDAR Park Labrea News/Beverly Press Michael Sherman European Car Show on Sunday, March The April 4 program, titled 31, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. California Car “Indescribable Beauty,” includes music comedy show Cover, Dub-Nation Events and HRE by Mason Bates, Frédéric Chopin and Wheels will host the show featuring Robert Schumann. Tickets start at $30. Enjoy an afternoon of laughs with Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, Porsche, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica. newwest- Michael Sherman on Thursday, March MINI, Volvo and Mercedes Benz auto- symphony.org. 28, at 1 p.m. at the Pan Pacific Senior mobiles. Car owners can register and Center. Sherman performs stand-up display their vehicles for $50. General comedy and impersonations of Jack admission starts at $25. 6060 Wilshire Benny, George Burns, Ed Sullivan, St. Anne’s Guild Blvd. (323)930-2277, petersen.org. Louis Armstrong, Jimmy Durante, Spring Boutique Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, and more. Admission is free. 141 S. American Youth St. Anne’s Guild is holding its annu- Gardner St. (323)654-6505. al Spring Boutique on Saturday, Symphony April 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. American Youth Symphony presents People can shop for Easter baskets LGBTQ film “Sounds About Town,” a concert also and spring décor from the guild’s In observance of Women’s History including the National Youth Chorus thrift shop and many vendors. Month, Brittany Ashley and the Los on Sunday, Proceeds benefit the guild’s pro- Angeles Women’s Network present March 31, at 7:30 grams helping women, children and “Crystal Queer: Loving Women,” a p.m. at the Walt families. Admission is free; lunch is screening short films about women, Disney Concert available for $30. 155 N. Occidental relationships and love on Thursday, Hall. Music Blvd. (213)381-2931. March 28, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Los Director Carlos Angeles LGBT Center’s Village at Ed Izcaray (pictured) Gould Plaza. The films “Whale Hello leads the orches- There,” “Misdirection,” “Foxy Trot” tra in a perfor- and “There You Are” will be shown, mance of works by Fauré, Muhly, followed by a Q & A session with the Stravinsky and Schriabin. Soloists filmmakers moderated by Ashley and include soprano Jessica Rivera and Fawzia Mirza. Admission is $10. 1125 pianist Gloria Cheng. Tickets start at N. McCadden Place. lalgbtcenter.org. $15. 111 S. Grand Ave. aysympho- ny.org. Rooftop film photo by Courtnay Robbins Bragagnolo April Albie Selznick returns to host the fourth year of the “Magic Monday” screening series running from Monday, April 1, through Monday, Aug. 26, at the Rooftop Cinema Club and APLA Santa Monica Playhouse. Every Monday evening, audiences will see a Health are hosting a special screening Film at LACMA new and different lineup of award-winning magicians and variety acts. of the film “Love, Simon” (2008) on Musical film fans won’t want to miss a Thursday, March 28, at 8 p.m. at Selznick oversees an unforgettable season of show-stopping feats screening of “All That Jazz” (1979) on LEVEL in downtown Los Angeles. The including sleight of hand, interactive parlor magic and mind-blowing illu- Monday, April 1, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at film by director Greg Berlanti and star- sions. Showtime is 8 p.m., Monday. Tickets are $40. 1211 Fourth St. the Los Angeles County Museum of ring Nick Robinson is a coming-of-age (310)586-1166, magicmondayla.com. Art. The movie starring Roy Scheider drama. Proceeds benefit APLA follows the story of film choreographer Health’s programs for underserved and director Joe Gideon, who must communities affected by HIV. Doors heart-wrenching meals that align with bring stories to life using children’s decide whether or not his non-stop open at 6:30 p.m., and audience mem- stories of her childhood, relationships words. In the new work schedule and hedonistic lifestyle bers can enjoy cold drinks, street food with men and her complicated relation- production, the are worth risking his life. It is a semi- and rooftop views. Tickets start at $17. ship with her mother. Showtimes are 8 group is celebrat- autobiographical tale written and 888 S. Olive St. p.m., Friday and Saturday; 3 p.m., ing the release of directed by the legendary Bob Fosse. rooftopcinemaclub.com. Sunday. Tickets are $30. 6539 Santa its latest book with Admission is $5 for LACMA members, Monica Blvd. (323)960-7788, debrian- a show, but the $7 for nonmembers. Bing Theater, namansini.com. script has van- 5905 Wilshire Blvd. (323)857-6000, ‘The Meatball ished and the lacma.org.