BEVERLYPRESS.COM INSIDE • Fatal apartment fire pg. 4 Partly cloudy, • Famed record with highs in store reopening in the 60s Hollywood pg. 6 Volume 31 No. 12 Serving the Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hancock Park and Wilshire Communities March 25, 2021 WeHo commissioner Pan Pacific Park shelter closing in May n Homeless facility accused of embezzlement faces pushback from n Sunnanon allegedly took $50K from nonprofit some in community BY CAMERON KISZLA California city governments. BY EDWIN FOLVEN Sunnanon served as executive A West Hollywood commission- director of the ICA from June 2017 Los Angeles City er is facing an accusation that he to September 2019, according to a Councilwoman Nithya Raman, embezzled approximately $50,000 report filed on Feb. 5 at the Los 4th District, disclosed plans that from a government-related non- Angeles County Sheriff’s the emergency shelter for home- profit. Department’s West Hollywood less individuals at the Pan Pacific Tai Sunnanon, who chairs the Station. If appropriate, the matter Park recreation center would West Hollywood Public Facilities would be referred to the Los remain open for two more Commission, is alleged to have Angeles County District Attorney’s months. stolen from the Independent Cities Emergency shelters created at Association, a group of Southern See Sunnanon page 25 Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks facilities are scheduled to close on March 31, photo by Edwin Folven but the Los Angeles County Approximately 75 people are currently staying at an emergency shel- Homeless Services Authority has ter for homeless individuals at Pan Pacific Park. allocated resources to keep the emergency shelter in Pan Pacific May 31,” he added. Serve, a nonprofit operating the Park open through the end of May, Approximately 75 people are emergency shelter, to ensure there according to Raman’s staff. The currently staying at the shelter. are no recurring issues involving additional time was necessary to Once it closes on May 31, a reno- people camping around the recre- prevent people in the process of vation project will begin in the ation center or in the park. First to transitioning into permanent hous- recreation center’s gymnasium, Serve is providing 24-hour securi- ing from returning to living on the with plans for work to be finished ty in the recreation center and has streets, Raman’s spokesman Jesse by mid-summer and programs to committed to helping people who Zwick said. resume, Zwick said. arrive at the shelter when it’s full photo courtesy of Tai Sunnanon “There is no plan for a perma- In the meantime, Raman’s staff to find alternative housing, includ- Tai Sunnanon, chair of the West Hollywood Public Facilities Commission, nent shelter in Pan Pacific Park or will work with the Department of is accused of embezzling from the Independent Cities Association. for the shelter to remain open past Recreation and Parks and First to See Shelter page 26 Galleries, museums prepare to reopen BH resident reunites n Institutions expanded reach during pandemic BY JUSTIN SAYERS Holocaust survivors n Shoah Foundation decades searching for With local pandemic conditions Annemarie, devoting a chapter to improving, and health and govern- indexer reconnects her friend in the book she wrote, ment officials loosening restrictions friends after 82 years “Once My Name Was Sara: A on what types of businesses can Memoir,” and mentioning her in open, many museums and art gal- BY CAMERON KISZLA speeches to schools, religious leries have started – or plan – to organizations and community reopen their doors to the public. When escaping Nazi Germany groups. That has prompted optimism with her family more than 80 “She would always say to the among local leaders in the arts com- years ago, Betty Grebenschikoff schoolkids, if you ever hear of munity who discussed reopening was separated from her best Annemarie, let me know,” said plans, how they withstood the friend, Annemarie. Betty Grebenschikoff’s daughter, financial impacts of pandemic clo- Grebenschikoff, who now sures and their role in recent social lives in Florida, spent the ensuing See Holocaust page 25 justice movements during a virtual photo by Justin Sayers meeting of the Greater Miracle LACMA, which will reopen on April 1, is one of many museums and art Mile Chamber of Commerce on galleries that pivoted to virtual exhibitions during the pandemic. Thursday, March 18. “We’re just very, very excited to be back,” said John Rice, marketing museum will have six new exhibi- tions came to a halt last year when director for the Los Angeles County tions, as well as extensions of some government officials took measures Museum of Art. “We’re just very, exhibitions that were on display to curb the spread of the coron- very excited to have everyone when the museum closed more than avirus, such as banning gathering in back.” a year ago. public indoor spaces. The museum will reopen on “Of course I’m excited about all Museum and gallery leaders April 1 – also the museum’s birth- of them, but there are some recent admitted the closures were devas- day – and be limited to 25% capac- acquisitions that we’ve made that tating, but also forced them to get ity, with social distancing and mask have some really beautiful works in creative in how they reached the photo by Rachael Cerrotti/courtesy of USC Shoah Foundation wearing required. Tickets must be them,” Rice said. public, such as virtual exhibits, Betty Grebenschikoff and Ana María Wahrenberg plan to meet for purchased in advance. He said the Operations at the cultural institu- See Museums page 26 the first time in more than eight decades for Rosh Hashanah. 2 March 25, 2021 Park Labrea News/Beverly Press CALENDAR Progressives retain most seats company.org. RSVP by visiting ther- spectators must be pre-registered to Carthay Circle obeytheatrecompany.org. participate. 6060 Wilshire Blvd. Theatre history (323)930-2277, petersen.org. in Mid City West election Step back in time with the Art Deco Mexican film By justin sayers Society of Los Angeles with a virtual “Cocktails at the Carthay Circle Latin American Cinemateca of Los Sundays Live Angeles presents the second annual The Los Angeles City Clerk’s Theatre” event on Friday, March 26, at 7 p.m., via Zoom. Join spirits advi- “Cine Nepantla” on Friday March 26, at LACMA Office released results for the first featuring the Mexican horror docu- Experience some of the best local and batch of elections of the Los sors Beth and James Silverman, orig- inal bartenders at the Carthay Circle mentary “Feral.” Directed by the international performers and emerging Angeles Neighborhood Councils, Restaurant and Lounge in Disney’s emerging Mexican filmmaker Andrés chamber music artists in encore pro- including the Mid City West California Ad- Kaiser, “Feral” is set in the Oaxacan grams from the Community Council, on Tuesday, venture, as they mountains and involves videotaped 30-year history March 23. share moments diaries and interviews revealing a of Sundays Live Those totals showed that 32 of and history shocking series of horrific events at LACMA. Join the 35 seats on the Mid City West about the origi- involving a psy- the museum on Community Council, which repre- nal theater – one choanalyst priest Sunday, March map courtesy of Mid City West sents areas including Park La Brea, of Hollywood’s and his child 28, from 6 to 7 the Melrose and Fairfax districts, First results from the Mid City West grand movie patients. The p.m. for a virtual Beverly Grove and Miracle Mile, Community Council showed the palaces – while film can be encore perfor- are likely to be held by candidates Mid City West Progressive Slate is crafting cocktails. The Carthay Circle viewed anytime mance featuring harpist Cristina that aligned themselves with the leading in 32 of 35 seats. Theatre was located on San Vicente from March 26- Montes Mateo with Susan Greenberg Mid City West Progressive Slate. Boulevard south of Wilshire 18 and includes a (flute), Madalyn Parnas Möller (vio- “Obviously, it’s a vindication that Boulevard from 1926-69. The post-screening lin), Virginie d’Avezac (viola) and discussion with Kaiser and screen- the community agrees with our pro- the Mid City West Council. The 35 Silvermans will also explore other Juliette Herlin (cello). They will per- writer and critic Guido Segal. The form works by Haydn, Saint-Saëns gressive values and progressive seats are broken into six categories: Disney recreations of art deco archi- tecture. Tickets are $10 for ADSLA cost is $5. lacla.uscreen.io. and other composers. The concert was platform,” said Michael Schneider, three homeowner representatives, originally recorded on Dec. 1, 2019. a progressive slate candidate who five renter representatives, six non- members; $14 for nonmembers. art- decola.org. Viewing is free. lacma.org. won a business seat after previously profit representatives, six business serving as a representative in Zone representatives, seven geographic How to create a 2. zone representatives and eight at- solo show Temple Beth El He pointed to the closeness of large representatives. The Robey Solo performer Jessica Lynn Johnson some of the results – two of which The election, which featured all will offer a free workshop on “The Passover were decided by a single vote, one mail-in ballots, was held earlier this Theatre Company The Robey Theatre Company con- Art of Creating the One-Woman Hollywood Temple Beth El is holding in his slate’s favor – as evidence of month. The results are considered tinues its Evening Conversation Show” on Saturday, March 27, at 10 its annual “Some Enchanted 2nd the importance of the election. unofficial and will be formalized by series with a discussion about a.m., via Zoom.