BEVERLYPRESS.COM INSIDE • Murder on Melrose pg. 4 Cloudy, with • WeHo considers highs in the library name 70s change pg. 8 Volume 30 No. 52 Serving the Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Hancock Park and Wilshire Communities December 24, 2020 First COVID-19 vaccines Making sure there’s food on the table n O’Farrell plans to reach L.A. health workers continue food n More doses expected in coming weeks distributions into 2021 BY EDWIN FOLVEN Health care workers in Cedars- BY EDWIN FOLVEN Sinai’s intensive care units and Health care workers at hospitals emergency department voluntarily With food insecurity and in the local area began receiving the received the first vaccinations, hos- hunger increasing due to the pan- first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine pital officials said. demic, Los Angeles City late last week, including the staff at “I am incredibly excited to be Councilman Mitch O’Farrell held Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and among the first group of health care a distribution on Dec. 21 to ensure Olympia Medical Center. workers to be offered the vaccine,” families in the 13th District have The workers were among the first said Dr. Sam Torbati, co-chair and food during the holidays. in the nation to receive the COVID- Approximately 100 residents 19 vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech. See Vaccine page 21 who pre-registered waited in line outside O’Farrell’s field office on Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park and were given bags of food, including eggs, fruits and vegeta- bles, and boxed and canned prod- ucts. Some families received gift photo by Edwin Folven cards to purchase more food from Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, foreground, distributed food on Dec. 21. grocery stores, and gifts were pro- vided to young children. other weekly neighborhood farm- we want to make sure that they are The food distribution was part ers’ markets. The nonprofit staying healthy,” said Jocelyn of a larger program held monthly Salvadoran American Leadership Duarte, executive director of the at the councilman’s field office in and Educational Fund acquires the Salvadoran American Leadership partnership with the Salvadoran produce directly from farmers and and Educational Fund. “We are American Leadership and coordinates the distribution. providing them with healthy, fresh Educational Fund and Sustainable “We found our communities are food. It’s something that is defi- Economic Enterprises of Los highly impacted by COVID. They nitely needed in the community. photo courtesy of Cedars-Sinai Angeles, which operates the are mostly communities of color Cedars-Sinai health workers were among the first to receive the vaccine. Hollywood Farmers’ Market and and immigrant communities, so See CD13 page 21 WeHo compels enforcement at grocery stores Just in Case seeks safer BH n Council approves BY LAURA COLEMAN with Just in Case BH. “Just in Case BH brings resi- plan after reported Among the many lessons that dents, businesses and all city ser- outbreaks COVID-19 offers, according to vices together by seamlessly Beverly Hills Fire Chief Greg assisting each other before, dur- BY CAMERON KISZLA Barton, is that the community as a ing and after emergencies whole can always be better pre- through disaster preparedness, The West Hollywood City pared for an emergency. Members organizational leadership and Council will require grocery stores of the Beverly Hills Fire communication,” Barton said. in the city to have an employee ded- Department, Police Department “It’s very similar to neighbor- icated to ensuring that pandemic- and business community are hood watch … but now we’re related health measures such as ramping up efforts to partner with mask-wearing are followed. residents to better prepare the city See Emergency page 22 Grocery stores were previously allowed to have such an employee to monitor safety protocols, though it was not required. The requirement, which was unanimously approved To our readers on Dec. 21 as part of the consent cal- photo by Cameron Kiszla endar, took effect immediately. Following a lengthy judicial ties, as well as fulfilling the needs West Hollywood requires grocery stores to have an attendant monitoring process that began in November of the legal profession. Mayor Lindsey Horvath noted mask-wearing. that “there have been reports of out- 2019, the Beverly Press has been We would like to thank our breaks at Pavilions, Gelson’s and officially deemed a newspaper of supporters for their encourage- the Ralphs on La Brea” in West “There’s been a lot of discussion immune systems, West Hollywood general circulation within the city ment, and especially our counsel, Hollywood. Though the Los around the hospitality industry and will require each grocery store to of Beverly Hills. This process, Scott H. Talkov of Talkov Law, Angeles County Department of its impact on COVID numbers, but place an employee at the entrance though long, arduous and costly, for his professionalism and his Public Health did not show records the grocery stores aren’t closing to check for masks, ensure compli- will reap benefits for the citizens steadfastness. of cases at those locations, commer- and we are seeing impacts there,” ance with the occupancy limit and of Beverly Hills as we are now Although 2020 has been a cial businesses in West Hollywood Horvath said. enforce social distancing. authorized to publish legal challenging year in many ways, that have seen cases include Best In addition to state and county “The proposed ordinance is nec- notices in the public’s interest. we look forward to a healthy and Buy, 1015 N. La Brea Ave.; regulations, which already require essary in order to assist in protecting We are now able to publish any prosperous future and continuing McDonald’s, 1133 N. La Brea Ave.; that grocery stores limit capacity, essential workers and customers and all required legal notices to serve our community in 2021. Pankow Construction, 8899 monitor the number of people in the from the potential risk of exposure within the city of Beverly Hills Beverly Blvd.; and Target, 7100 store and institute special hours for and the county of Los Angeles Karen and Michael Villalpando Santa Monica Blvd. seniors and those with weakened See WeHo page 22 for local and county municipali- Publishers 2 December 24, 2020 Park Labrea News/Beverly Press CALENDAR 2013, he released “Who the Funk is Jan. 16, 2000, in LACMA’s Bing ‘La Virgen’ Cliff Beach?” His most recent album, Theater. lacma.org/event/sundays- Latino Theater Company is extend- “The Gospel According to Cliff live-encore-edition-14. ing free access to archival video of its Beach,” was nominated for an holiday pageant “La Virgen de Independent Music Award. Viewing Guadalupe, Dios Inantzin” from is free. lacityview.org and 885fm.org. Thursday, Dec. 24, through Thursday, LATW holiday Dec. 31. Starring opera singer Suzanna Guzmán as the Virgin and show The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Sal Lopez as Juan Diego, and featur- ‘Call The Midwife Festival presents a virtual celebration ing over 100 actors, singers, indige- of the holiday season on Wednesday, nous Aztec dancers and children and Holiday Special’ PBS SoCal presents The “Call The Dec. 30, at 6 p.m. Florence LaRue, an seniors from the community, “La Midwife Holiday Special” premier- original member of the Fifth Virgen” is Los Angeles’ largest holi- ing on Friday, Dec. 25, at 9 p.m. The Dimension and a Rock and Roll Hall day theatrical production. The 90-minute festive special is set in of Fame inductee, COVID-19 pandemic has forced the December 1965. Filming for the spe- will provide a theater company to move the holiday cial was completed under special pre- welcome before show online. It tells the story of cautions to make sure everyone was the show featur- Diego, a peasant to whom the Virgin safe on set. Viewing is free. ing R&B vocal- Mary appeared on four occasions in kcet.org/holiday. ists Freda Payne, the mountains of Tepeyac near DeBorah Sharpe- photo by Edwin Folven Mexico City in 1531. Taylor and thelatc.org/lavirgen. An outbreak of COVID-19 cases at the Ralphs grocery store on Sunset Celebrate Porsche Kamakshi Hart. Boulevard in Hollywood raised concerns in April. In celebration of all things Porsche, Join a holiday sing-along and toast join the Petersen Automotive the new year. Admission is free; sug- ‘Wonder Woman Museum for the inaugural virtual gested donation is $5. Porsche Concours on Sunday, Dec. eventbrite.com/e/lawtfs-end-of-year- 1984’ 27, at 8 a.m. funraiser-tickets-131657337641. L.A. seeks hazard pay for Cinelounge, which has reopened as a Participants sub- drive-in theater on Las Palmas mitted videos of Boulevard, will be showing “Wonder their Porsches Lucinda Williams Woman 1984” from Friday, Dec. 25, that were com- See Lucinda Williams play “It’s Only essential grocery workers through Thursday, Jan. 7. The action- bined in a compi- Rock and Roll: A Tribute to the Working to ensure assistance and O’Farrell said. “This is by definition adventure blockbuster stars Gal lation to premiere Rolling Stones” on Thursday, Dec. 31, protections for the city’s essential hazardous work and the money they Gadot, Pedro Pascal, Kristen Wiig, live on the muse- at 5 p.m. in an online program present- workforce, Los Angeles City earn should be commensurate with Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen and um’s YouTube ed by the Troubadour in West Robin Wright. Fast forward to the Council President Nury Martinez, the risks associated on the job.” channel. The program was open to Hollywood. Viewing is $20. boxof- 1980s as people around the world, and the fice.mandolin.com/pages/lucinda- 6th District, and Councilmember Since the beginning of the Wonder Wo- Mitch O’Farrell, 13th District, on COVID-19 pandemic, grocery store videos show many Porsche enthusi- williams-livestream-series?rf- man faces new asts sharing stories.