BEVERLYPRESS.COM INSIDE • One BH before City Council pg. 3 Partly cloudy, • Work begins on with highs in Purple Line’s third the 70s segment pg. 7 Volume 31 No. 21 Serving the Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hanock Park and Wilshire Communities May 27, 2021 Beverly Hills man charged Two men arrested after attack in murder-for-hire plot n Authorities claim Berkett sought hit man online on Jewish restaurant patrons n Leaders come BY EDWIN FOLVEN together in united A 24-year-old Beverly Hills man stance against hate was arrested on federal charges on BY EDWIN FOLVEN May 21 for allegedly orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot targeting a woman he briefly dated in 2020. Two men have been arrested for The defendant, Scott Quinn an attack on May 18 on La Berkett, was taken into custody Cienega Boulevard that is without incident on May 21 when believed to have been a hate crime federal agents searched his father’s committed against a group of residence in the 300 block of South Jewish individuals by members of El Camino Drive. A criminal com- a pro-Palestinian group. plaint filed in U.S. District Court in The suspects, Xavier Pabon, 30, of Banning, California, and Samer Los Angeles charged Berkett with photo by Edwin Folven one count of murder for hire. Jayylusi, 35, of Whittier, were Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center expressed taken into custody on different Federal authorities were notified confidence that all of the perpetrators of recent hate crimes against about the alleged plot on May 7 photo courtesy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office days in different locations. Pabon Scott Quinn Berkett members of the Jewish community will face justice. through a tip about an individual was arrested on May 21 at an seeking a hit man online, according undisclosed location outside the to the criminal complaint. The indi- ment, authorities said. FBI agents city of Los Angeles by the United presenting the cases to the Los The attack occurred at approxi- vidual had allegedly been seeking a said the website advertising murder- States Marshals Service, police Angeles County District mately 9:50 p.m. at Fumi Sushi, hit man on a dark web site advertis- for-hire services is a scam, but the said. Detectives from the Wilshire Attorney’s Office and will ask that located at 359 N. La Cienega ing murder-for-hire services, the individual allegedly seeking a hit Division arrested Jayylusi on May hate crime charges be filed. Greg Blvd. Cell phone footage from the complaint read. The dark web refers man believed he was legitimately 25 in Anaheim. Risling, spokesman for the D.A.’s scene posted on social media to websites using encrypted corre- corresponding with someone who Both men were booked for office, said Wednesday that the showed a group of a pro- spondences and messages designed assault with a deadly weapon. cases had not yet been presented See page to be untraceable by law enforce- See Suspect page 21 Investigators are in the process of by the LAPD. Antisemitism 22 Recall looming for Councilwoman Raman n Despite residents’ recall Raman, said Raman and her Roxy, Rainbow billboards staff focus too much on homeless- concerns, chief of staff ness and have been ignoring other asserts situation is district issues. moving ahead in WeHo improving “Now that COVID is waning and n Historic Preservation planned 26-foot-by-10-foot inter- the city is reopening, issues are Commission protects nally lit static billboard for the BY CAMERON KISZLA going to start popping back up Roxy Theatre and 58-foot-by-10- again, issues that have been sort of Rainbow sign foot billboard near the Rainbow With the threat of the pandemic buried for a year because of Bar and Grill with one internally easing, the office of Los Angeles COVID,” Cohen said. “… In some BY CAMERON KISZLA lit static side and one digital side. City Councilwoman Nithya regards, Nithya has had it easy, Both billboards also are expected Raman, 4th District, is ready to because that’s really been the only The West Hollywood Historic to include visual components return to in-person engagement thing in the news, COVID and the Preservation Commission near ground level and up the pole with community stakeholders, but George Floyd protests. Those are approved a pair of billboard to the advertising space. some in the community claim large things … but now that changes near Sunset Strip land- Mikael Maglieri, co-owner of they’ve seen enough. COVID is waning, the more bread- marks on May 24. the Rainbow and Roxy, as well as The website recallraman.org, and-butter issues of the district are The commissioners voted which was produced by a group going to come back into play. unanimously to approve a See Billboards page 21 called the L.A. Council District 4 Therefore, her staff needs to get up Neighborhood Coalition, claims to speed on these issues as soon as Raman, who was elected in possible.” photo courtesy of the 4th District office Councilwoman Nithya Raman November 2020 and took office the Raman was not made available next month, is “reckless” and “in for an interview, but Najeeba denial” of “gang-run encamp- Syeed, Raman’s chief of staff, said said. ments” and “terrorized residents.” the office is focused on keeping the “The transition period between It also claims her urban-planning district and city clean, homeless- the winning of the election and tak- ideas are “ruinous” and would ness, public safety and helping ing office was a very fast timeline,” “restrict single-family homes.” businesses and the community she said. “The turnaround time was “How much damage can one recover from the pandemic. Though very quick. We also started in a tone-deaf politician do in a four- the pandemic made the first few period of COVID when we weren’t year term? … Yea, a lot!” the web- months difficult in terms of getting able to appear in person. It was real- site said. to know area leaders and con- ly an unprecedented start to a new Allison Cohen, publisher of the stituents, the easing of public health office in terms of the challenges rendering courtesy of the city of West Hollywood The adjacent Rainbow Bar and Grill and Roxy Theatre want to use Los Feliz Ledger news website and restrictions are making building a lead proponent of the effort to those relationships easier, Syeed See Raman page 22 new billboards to help recapture revenue lost during the pandemic. 2 May 27, 2021 Beverly Press/Park Labrea News CALENDAR views hosted by LACMA’s Mitch Heights” on June 4, as well as fea- ‘Released, Glickman. Viewing is free. ture films, short films, master class- lacma.org. es, arts programs and musical per- Not Free’ formances. Events for industry pro- Skylight Theatre Company and fessionals are also included during Housing Works present “Released, Industry Days programming. RSVPs Not Free,” a collection of 10 unique Bold Faced required. 6925 Hollywood Blvd. For stories of formerly incarcerated a full schedule, visit laliff.org. individuals available on demand Secret series from Thursday, May 27, through Enjoy the Echo Theater Company’s Sunday, May 30. Michael Kearns Bold Faced Secret series, an online collaborated with formerly incarcer- hour-long production of curated per- Holocaust story ated individuals from Housing sonal stories on Friday, May 28, at L.A. Theatre Works presents the Works, Van Ness Recovery House 7:30 p.m. The theme is “elephant in world premiere and M.E.N.T.O.R.S. Inc. in writing the room.” Storytellers were invited of “A Good Day workshops to further explore stories to submit stories about a big topic, at Auschwitz,” a photo by Cameron Kiszla about how they are rebuilding their hot button issue or controversy. new play based The Beverly Hills Complete Streets Plan examined different modes of Viewing is free but reservations are on an extraordi- lives. “Released, Not Free” includes mobility, including driving, cycling, walking and using public transit. the stories and a Q&A session with required. echotheatercompany.com. nary true story the writers. Minimum donation is available for on $15. skylighttheatre.org/event/sky- demand viewing light-live. History of Tulsa beginning on Wednesday, June 2. The production City adopts Complete Streets Race Massacre by actor Stephen Tobolowsky stars Petersen auto talk Join the Hammer Museum for “The Alan Mandell as Abe, a Holocaust The Petersen Automotive Museum 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre: A survivor whom the playwright met at Plan for improved mobility is holding “The Numbers Behind Historical Context” on Tuesday, June Adat Ari El synagogue in Valley the Passion: A Conversation with 1, at 5 p.m. UCLA professor Brenda Village. Tobolowsky also stars as After several years of develop- in the plan include installation of McKeel Hagerty” on Friday, May E. Stevenson will moderate an online himself in the production about ment and community outreach, the signal upgrades citywide to help 28, from 6 to 9 conversation with Karlos K. Hill and Sarna’s life. Sarna was imprisoned in Beverly Hills City Council recently prepare for connected and p.m. Join muse- Hannibal Johnson, authors and the Auschwitz Concentration Camp adopted the Complete Streets Plan, autonomous vehicles; expanding um board mem- experts on the 1921 Tulsa Race during World War II. With tenacity, which balances the needs of bicy- bike parking on sidewalks and in ber Hagerty for Massacre, in which a white mob he survived atrocities, moved to the clists, pedestrians, transit riders and bike corrals; purchasing software to a special in-per- assaulted and murdered residents and United States and settled in Los motorists.