WWW.BEVERLYPRESS.COM INSIDE • Sheriff Baca to retire, pg. 3 Temps in the • Architect 70s, sunny pleads this weekend pg. 4 Volume 24 No. 2 Serving the West Hollywood, Hancock Park and Wilshire Communities January 9, 2014 L.A. County Supervisors Special election to fill LaMotte seat n LAUSD to study ‘seal’ fate with cross vote representation options n Tuesday vote may lead to ACLU lawsuit in the interim By AAron Blevins By AAron Blevins It appears likely that Los After four hours and approxi- Angeles County is headed toward mately 80 speakers, the Los litigation after the county’s Board Angeles Unified School District of Supervisors on Tuesday voted (LAUSD) Board of Education on 3-2 to again add a cross to the Jan. 7 voted 4-2 to fill the late county’s seal, which depicts sever- Marguerite LaMotte’s 1st District al elements of its extensive histo- seat via special election. ry. LaMotte died Dec. 5 in San The supervisors removed the Diego. The board voted to delay small cross, which once hovered determining how to fill the vacant above a depiction of the seat until Tuesday, and the meet- Hollywood Bowl, in 2004 after the ing was well attended by a divid- ACLU threatened to sue the coun- photo courtesy of Los Angeles County ed audience. While some wanted ty. In lieu of the cross, the board The county’s Board of Supervisors an appointment to ensure repre- photo by Aaron Blevins added a depiction of the San has voted to include a cross on the sentation now, others wanted an Gabriel Mission. Now, the board depiction of the San Gabriel opportunity to select a new board Shown here during a press conference, an animated Marguerite has voted to add a cross to the mis- Mission (middle right panel). member. LaMotte drew smiles from city attorney Mike Feuer (left) and Mayor sion’s likeness. Board member Steve Zimmer, Eric Garcetti (right). She died on Dec. 5, and her District 1 seat will be “This is very simply an effort to 4th District, attempted to find a filled through a special election. correct an historical inaccuracy on County region. It was the historic middle ground, proposing that the the Los Angeles County seal,” center for culture and art for this board appoint someone in an referenced the Local Control it.” Supervisor Don Knabe, 4th entire area, and was the site of our interim role until a special elec- Funding Formula, the state’s new Board member Tamar District, said in a statement. area’s first hospital. For hundreds tion could be held on June 3. school funding formula, and the Galatzan, 3rd District, questioned Knabe and Supervisor Michael of years the mission has been an “It is right to call for an elec- Local Control Accountability the legality of Zimmer’s motion. Antonovich, 5th District, intro- influence on the expansion and tion, and it is right to call for ade- Plan, which describes how school LAUSD attorney David duced the motion. “The purpose of development of Los Angeles quate representation. …We boards intend to meet annual Holmquist said the proposal any seal is to reflect the culture County, and that’s why it was should attempt to do this,” he goals for all students. The school would not be illegal, but he did and history of a region. The San added to the seal in 2004. But, it said. board will debate both in the com- not recommend it. He said the Gabriel Mission is arguably the was added to the seal inaccurate- Like many speakers noted, ing months. caretaker’s votes might not hold birthplace of the Los Angeles See Seal page 20 Zimmer said the board will make “We have been presented a up in court. some crucial decisions in the next problem, board members,” The proposal was defeated 2-4. few months that could have seri- Zimmer said. “Let us not be Galatzan then moved to have a ous implications for District 1. He restricted in our attempts to solve Burger stand bounces See District page 20 back in West Hollywood Gas explosion rocks apartment building n location at 7998 Santa Monica n Investigation continues Irv’s Burgers settles Blvd., near the intersection of in to new location on Laurel Avenue. into blast that displaced Sonia Hong, who runs Irv’s 18 residents Santa Monica Burgers with her brother, Sean, By edwin folven and her mother, who is affection- By edwin folven ately known as Mama Soon, said The aroma of burgers and fries loyal customers are slowly start- The Los Angeles Fire is in the air again in West ing to return. The Hongs have Department’s Arson Unit is investi- Hollywood after Irv’s Burgers owned Irv’s since 2000, but the gating an explosion and subsequent fire that occurred on Jan. 3 at an reopened on Monday at a new See Irv’s page 21 apartment building in East Hollywood. The incident occurred at approxi- mately 11 a.m. in a second-floor unit in the building at 719 N. Heliotrope Drive, across the street from Los Angeles City College. The explo- sion blew out an exterior wall of the second floor unit, and caused exten- sive damage to the apartment. No photo by Edwin Folven one was inside the apartment when An explosion on Jan. 3 blew a hole in this apartment building on the explosion occurred, LAFD Heliotrope Drive. One person was injured. spokesman Brian Humphrey said, and only one person was injured. An unidentified occupant of the apart- Humphrey said 18 other people who he said. ment directly above the damaged live in the building were temporarily Investigators are focusing on a photo by Edwin Folven unit suffered smoke inhalation and displaced. natural gas line in the apartment. Sonia Hong is pleased with the new location for Irv’s Burgers. was treated at a local hospital. “It’s under active investigation,” See Apartment page 20 !+''$'( .. !#,(&*$' '#$')$-$*' $$' #-'' "# # $*)"#*)( For delivery orders only. $)$ One coupon per order. Must present coupn ,,,%# $)$" to driver. ''$$#!#+ #-''"# Exp. 1/16/14 For delivery orders only. $ !+'- ' One coupon per order. Must present coupn 1-800-PINK DOT to driver. 323-656-6060 Exp. 1/16/14 2 January 9, 2014 Park Labrea News/Beverly Press 10 Classical Concert cello, and Edith Orloff, on piano. onductor Edo de Waart and vio- Works by Poulenc, Boellmann and linist Augustin Hadelich perform Martinu will be performed. A discus- C C a l e n d a r sion of the works will follow, and with the Los Angeles Philharmonic guests can enjoy a buffet and cham- on Friday, Jan. 10 and Saturday, Jan. Picadilly Children’s Ballet” on pagne. Tickets are $65. 135 N. Grand 11 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 12 at 2 Saturday, Jan. 11 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Ave. (310)498-0257, LeSalon- p.m., at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. the Bru Coffeebar in Hollywood. The deMusiques.com. The performances mark Hadelich’s book focuses on Esmeralda Walt Disney Concert Hall debut, and VanOrneryMunchen, who makes works by Beethoven and Dvorak will everyone around her miserable. Will a Chamber Music be performed. Tickets start at $62. 111 visit from Ferda and Felicity, an exot- hamber music fans are invited to S. Grand Ave. (323)850-2000, ic Turkish duo, cure Esmeralda of her Cperformances by Da Camera www.laphil.com. grouchiness and save Swan Lake? Society musicians Ida Levin, 1866 N. Vermont Ave. (323)664- Nokuthula Ngwenyama and Ronald Mystery Play 7500, www.brucoffeebar.com. Leonard on Sunday, Jan. 12 at 2 and 4 andall J. Gray’s new mystery, p.m. at the private Thorne House in “The Lake House Project” runs Pasadena. Works by Mozart and Bach R Josh Nelson Quartet will be performed. Tickets start at from Friday, Jan. 10 through Feb. 16 he Josh Nelson Quartet, with gui- $80; address provided upon purchase. at the Hudson Guild Theatre in tarist Anthony Wilson, will per- T (213)477-2929, www.dacamera.org. Hollywood. The production focuses form on Saturday, Jan. 11 from 4 to on Byron, a famed writer of best-sell- 4:30 p.m. at the West Hollywood ing mystery novels whose reputation Library. The quartet is comprised of 14 Hip Hop Book is damaged when his accountant, Wilson; Josh Nelson on piano; Dave uthor David Scheinbaum will dis- Chris, lets slip details of Byron’s less- Robaire on bass; and Dan Schnelle on Acuss and sign his new book, “Hip than-secure financial situation while drums. The concert is part of the city Hop: Portrait of an Urban Hymn” on in a casual conversation with a gossip of West Hollywood’s free “Winter Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. at Book columnist. Showtimes are at 8 p.m., Sounds” series. 625 N. San Vicente Soup in West Hollywood. The author Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m., Sunday. Blvd. www.weho.org. approaches hip hop as a positive cul- Tickets are $25. 6539 Santa Monica tural influence akin to the youth move- Blvd. (323)960-7776, photo courtesy of the Wallis Annenberg Center ment of the 1960s. The book contains www.Plays411.com/lakehouse. Visible Fictions presents a production of “Jason and the Argonauts” run- Photo Exhibit photographs that explore the breadth outurier Gallery presents a new ning Thursday, Jan. 16 through Feb. 2 at the Wallis Annenberg Center of the hip hop phenomenon, with por- exhibition titled “Andrew Moore: C traits of Erykah Badu, Chuck D., for the Performing Arts. The production is part of the center’s family pro- Cuba” running from Saturday, Jan.