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BEVERLYPRESS.COM INSIDE • WeHo helps small businesses Partly cloudy, pg. 3 with highs in • Mounted police the 60s on Melrose pg. 6 Volume 31 No. 6 Serving the Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hancock Park and Wilshire Communities February 11, 2021 BH residents divided on 11 ‘Orange’ you glad they are helping? n Volunteers gather proposed office buildings fruit from city-owned n Lots 12 and 13 project requires decontamination grove for those in need BY CAMERON KISZLA Stanley Black. BY CAMERON KISZLA The buildings, which will range A contentious scoping meeting in height from three to four stories Southern Californians are like- on Feb. 4 made clear that the city’s to create more than 114,000 square ly aware to some degree that the residents are split on the Beverly feet of office space, will be built second-largest metropolitan area Hills Creative Offices. mostly on Lot 12, a 60-foot-wide, in the United States was once a The plan to build 11 office build- third-of-a-mile-long strip of land hub of agriculture. The area was ings on the land known as Lots 12 between Civic Center Drive and long known for farming and and 13 is a product of the Beverly Santa Monica Boulevard. Much of ranching, but that is now often Hills Land Company, which was Lot 13 and the nearby triangle in relegated to books and street purchased in 2014 by a group of Santa Monica Boulevard will be names. Beverly Hills residents that include given to the city, according to One 4.3-acre orange grove, Lyn Konheim. Other owners of the however, still operates not far BHLC include Bob Barth and See Lots page 21 from the tourist attractions of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills. The Franklin Canyon Orange photo by Cameron Kiszla Grove, located in the 90210 zip Carolyn Ramsay, executive director of the Los Angeles Parks code just south of the similarly Foundation, joined the harvest on Feb. 6. named reservoir and park and just a couple minutes’ drive from the parcel is that it ties us to Los are harvested and given to people bustling Sunset Strip, is a Angeles’ past as the sort of bread- in need. reminder of what Los Angeles basket of the country, and it’s Much of the harvesting is done County used to be, said Carolyn serving the current needs of our by Food Forward, a nonprofit that Ramsay, executive director of the city,” Ramsay said. specializes in urban gleaning. Los Angeles Parks Foundation, The grove, which dates back to “The missions complement which operates the Los Angeles at least the 1950s, last year pro- each other really nicely,” Ramsay rendering courtesy of Beverly Hills Land Company Department of Water and Power- duced 70,000 servings of oranges said. “We’re looking for a way to The Beverly Hills Creative Offices project expects to include 11 three- owned grove. – mostly navels, with some and four-story buildings. “The amazing thing about this Valencias included as well – that See Orange page 22 Raman joins Mid City West to outline priorities n Homelessness a receive support to help them move WeHo council allows off the streets. focus for first-term “One of the first motions I intro- council member duced during my first week in gyms to move outdoors council was to find a local space for BY EDWIN FOLVEN an access center, to find a place n Music likely to be help an industry hit hard by the where the community can serve limited to prevent pandemic find ways to operate. Los Angeles City Councilwoman people experiencing homelessness, Gyms and other fitness estab- Nithya Raman, 4th District, where volunteers can connect with impact on neighbors lishments were recently given the appeared in a virtual meeting of the people experiencing homelessness go-ahead by the Los Angeles Mid City West Community Council as well and provide support in that BY JUSTIN SAYERS County Department of Public on Feb. 9 to meet members and dis- way,” Raman said. “I think one of Health to operate outdoors with cuss ideas for the local community. the biggest challenges here in Los The West Hollywood Council certain stipulations after the busi- Raman said since being sworn in Angeles is that once you’re experi- unanimously voted Feb. 1 to nesses had been forced to close to office in December, she has been encing homelessness, it’s very hard allow outdoor gyms, fitness facil- for months to slow the spread of connecting with community to get the resources that you need ities and private training facilities the coronavirus. groups, local leaders and con- quickly to get out of that particular to expand their business to non- See page stituents throughout the district, situation.” adjacent property in an effort to Gyms 21 which stretches from the Miracle Raman said she and her staff photo courtesy of Nithya Raman’s Facebook Mile and Hancock Park to have been canvassing the district Councilwoman Nithya Raman Sherman Oaks. Raman added that looking for a suitable location, and she is also getting up to speed on is open to any support or sugges- tion and the Purple Line Extension the many projects and develop- tions from the public. She intro- project as key developments that ments occurring throughout the duced Tabatha Yelos, her new field will impact the community. She district, and is working on strate- manager for Hollywood, the said those projects are exciting and gies for moving forward in the Miracle Mile and the surrounding will attract people and significant coming months. area, and encouraged constituents opportunities to the area. However, Key components of her cam- to email [email protected] future projects must be weighed paign were addressing homeless- with concerns and suggestions. against the impacts on the people ness and raising community sup- Raman also said she is excited already in the community, she said. port. She highlighted an effort to about the many major projects that The creation of affordable hous- identify locations for community are currently ongoing in the 4th ing is also key, and Raman said she drop-in centers where people expe- District, and cited the new is looking for places where housing photo by Justin Sayers riencing homeless can take show- Academy Museum, Los Angeles West Hollywood gyms, which have been closed for months, are now ers, be linked with programs and County Museum of Art transforma- See Raman page 22 able to open outdoors. 2 February 11, 2021 Park Labrea News/Beverly Press CALENDAR Beverly Hills’ Kindness Week partially notated, following specific 13, at 5 p.m., via Looped. The concert Art of John direction and guidelines in the score, also features spe- but largely improvised. The Aizuri cial guest Sheléa. Simmons Quartet’s music will be entirely notated, Tickets are $35 and offers inspirational activities In celebration of Black History utilizing its full range of techniques. include an exclu- Month, the Jean Deleage Art Gallery The city of Beverly Hills Human Viewing is free. cap.ucla.edu/calen- sive digital copy of at CASA 0101 Theater is holding Relations Commission will observe dar/details/cline_aizuri. the “A Romantic “Capturing Beauty: The Artwork and National Kindness Week from Feb. Night In” EP – a Photography of John Simmons” 14-19 by hosting activities centered collection of Koz’s available for on inspirational acts of kindness. most romantic online viewing French short films Kindness Week in Beverly Hills songs. VIP experiences, including from Thursday, Theatre Raymond Kabbaz, a 220-seat has previously involved in-person exclusive virtual one-on-one meet and Feb. 11, through theater that specializes in French and social activities, but due to the pan- greets, are also available. app.loope- Saturday, June 5. international cultural offerings, is dlive.com/talent/796193/events/?eventI demic, the city’s Human Relations The program hosting a “Night of Short French d=3157. Commission pivoted to celebrate photo courtesy of the city of Beverly Hills includes a free Films” online on Friday, Feb. 12, at 8 online and through social media. Best-selling author and motivation- virtual guided p.m. The evening will include a selec- Community engagement is encour- tion from the top short film festivals al speaker Leon Logothetis, host tour by two-time aged and there are many interactive Emmy Award-winning cinematogra- in France, including one César nomi- Music for of the Netflix series “The Kindness activities. pher John Simmons. His multi-lay- nated short film. trkshortfrench- “As we know, kindness is being Diaries,” will appear for a virtual ered paper collage cartographies and films.eventive.org/welcome. Valentine’s Day The Los Angeles County Museum of friendly, generous, considerate and author talk and Q&A session dur- black and white photography repre- Art invites audiences to enjoy a spe- so many other actions that describe ing Beverly Hills’ Kindness Week. sent a full spectrum of life from 1965 cial “Sundays Live: Encore Edition” acts of love, which is so fitting that through the present day. Simmons Culinary history online program on Sunday, Feb. 14, Kindness Week begins on will appear for a Q&A session mod- “Storytime,” reading books about Culinary Historians of Southern from 6 to 7 p.m. Experience some of erated by Jimmy Centeno on Sunday, Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14,” Human kindness to children. Videos will be California presents “Our Daily Bread: the best local and international per- Feb. 28, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. The Relations Commission Chair Ori available in the media library by vis- Food in Western Christianity” with the formers, as well as emerging cham- exhibit can be viewed by visiting Blumenfeld said.