Here’s the latest news round-up from the Westside.
BEL AIR – You might welcome the advent of the newly formed Bel Air Homeowners Alliance, if you live in Bel Air or Beverly Hills, but it’s not likely. The group came into being after plans were announced to construct a large living structure on Somma Way in Bel Air. In order to do so, they have to meet strict height requirements – and 29,476 cubic yards of earth would have to be removed from the project site. That would allow construction of a 40,000-foot residence, with just 16,000 feet of the residence above ground. The Alliance went before the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety to seek approval for construction to begin, but opponents said the access roads cited in the plan could lead to situations where emergency vehicles could not pass each other while trying to maneuver around the site. The development includes a lot of living and recreation space, as well as a 16-car garage. Critics note that the development is situated on a particularly narrow street, abutted by 22 residences. This project would be at the end of the street.
BEL AIR – Authorities say they are especially concerned about a break-in that occurred at the
Bel Air home of Sandra Bullock, because the alleged burglar had a machine gun. The renowned actress had barricaded herself in an out-of-the-way location in the home after an alleged burglar scaled a fence and got inside the house. A 911 call brought police to the property, where they cornered Joshua James Corbett, 39, of Montrose without any violence. According to a press release from the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, Deputy District Attorney Wendy Segall of the Target Crimes Division indicated that Corbett has been charged with one felony count of first-degree residential burglary, stalking and possession of a machine gun. Police caution that the alleged burglar did not have the machine gun with him when he broke into the house, but they’re taking the situation very seriously. Prosecutors have recommended that Corbett’s bail be set at $185,000. He could go to prison for more than seven years if convicted of all the charges he faces.
BEL AIR – Protests and a boycott are underway at the Southern California luxury hotels owned and operated by the Sultan of Brunei. Pickets organized by Dump BHH came mostly from feminists upset with the conditions under which women and homosexuals must live in the Middle Eastern kingdom. Hassan al-Bolkiah Mu’izzadin Waddaula owns the Dorchester Collection of luxury hotels in Beverly Hills and Bel Air, and he rules over a nation where homosexuality is punished by the death penalty, as is adultery. Protest signs borne by demonstrators outside the Beverly Hills Hotel warned that, “This hotel is owned by homophobes.” Celebrities backing the initiative to force the Sultan to change policies or sell the hotels include Sharon Osbourne. The television personality reached out to a variety of social media outlets to endorse the boycott, and also raised the politically charged issue during an appearance on her television talk show, “The Talk.” British actor and writer Stephen Fry took the boycott to Twitter, as did Sir Richard Charles Branson, the founder of Virgin Entertainment. A news release authored by Therese Kosterman, Public Information Officer for the city of Beverly Hills, noted that the City Council has unanimously backed a resolution condemning the government of Brunei for several harsh laws that focus on women and homosexuals.
BEVERLY HILLS – Police say the daughter of one of the stars of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Yolanda Foster was driving with a suspended license when she was pulled over on Pacific Coast Highway after blowing a stop sign and almost hitting a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department squad car, according to the celebrity news source TMZ. But things get worse for Bella Hadid. The 17-year-old motorist allegedly had a blood alcohol level of .14. The legal limit for alcohol content in the bloodstream of drivers is .10, but it’s zero for drivers who are below the state’s legal drinking age of 21. Police placed Bella under arrest and informed her stepdad that she was in custody. Bella is the daughter of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Yolanda Foster, and was released into the custody of her Yolanda’s husband, Grammy award-winning composer, David Foster. The teen is the biological daughter of Iraqi politician Mohamed Hadid, who divorced her mother in 2003. Reports from the scene said the youth had been partying with a male friend at Sugarfish restaurant in Los Angeles.
BEVERLY HILLS – The showcase was in Beverly Hills, but the location of the potential Fox Television hit is in a city that doesn’t exist. At least, it doesn’t exist if you don’t believe in that famous, hooded crime fighter, “Batman.” Jada Pinkett Smith and Donal Logue took part in a panel at the Fox 2014 Television Critics Association press tour at the Beverly Hills Hotel to provide a profile of what might be expected when the superhero drama “Gotham” hits the small screen this fall. Critics note that comic book-inspired action adventures are all the rage going into the new television season. And this one deals with the youthful adventures of the man who would someday strike terror into the hearts of evildoers in the mythical city known as Gotham. The campy excesses that marked the “Batman” television series in the 1960s are nowhere to be seen, in this new styled look at the adventures of Bruce Wayne. Look for Logue to set the pace in the new show as world-weary cop Harvey Bullock and Pinkett to make the action happen as villainess Fish Mooney. Check local newspapers for times and channels for “Gotham” to make its debut.
BEVERLY HILLS – One Southland community is taking the governor’s water conservation measures seriously. As of Aug. 1, residents of Beverly Hills who use sprinklers on their lawns or take up a garden hose to clear debris from driveways and sidewalks will be in violation of the law, and subject to fines of $500. Also, banned is the use of potable water in non-circulating fountains in the community. Similar laws are technically in effect in towns and neighborhoods throughout California, though residents have not been taking them very seriously, and enforcement has been patchy. The City Council has also recommended a 2 percent rate hike for water users in Beverly Hills, with enforcement expected to begin in early April.
BEVERLY HILLS – President Obama came to Southern California recently, trying to boost his popularity at a time when he doesn’t have a lot of it to spread around. Despite the multifaceted crises in the Middle East and a problem with no clear winner when it comes to undocumented young people on America’s southern border, the president tried to sound upbeat and steadfast during a pair of fundraisers. One event took at the home of “Scandal” creator Shonda Rhimes, with actress Kerry Washington co-hosting, and tickets ranging from $1,000 to $32,400. An overnight stay in the Southland had the president gearing up for a cozier event, a roundtable discussion with about 30 people at the home of Michael Rapino, CEO of Live Nation. Tickets went for $32,400 each. But what most Southern Californians will remember about this trip is two days of snarled traffic as the president’s motorcade and entourage made its way through highways in Beverly Hills, Brentwood, and Hancock Park.
BRENTWOOD – One of the best-known faces in Hollywood has gone the way of all flesh, with James Garner succumbing to what officials call “natural causes” at his home in Brentwood at the age of 86. Garner came to the attention of his contemporaries even before he began his career in acting. While serving with combat troops in the Korean War, Garner earned two Purple Hearts for being wounded in battle with North Korean forces. Back in the states, Garner went to work on the small screen, where a generation of viewers got to know his sly, cool-tempered cowboy persona while he performed in the lead role of “Maverick” and “Cheyenne.” Garner is survived by his wife, Loise Clarke Garner, and daughters Greta Garner and Kim Garner and two grandchildren.
BEVERLY HILLS – If a Los Angeles judge has his way, it will be a long time before Alonzo Harris gets a chance to break any more laws. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephen A. Marcus said the 54-year-old career criminal is, in his eyes, a “crime machine,” and sentenced him to 620 years to life in state prison for carrying out a series of robberies and attempted heists at businesses in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and the San Fernando Valley. Harris had a string of convictions dating back more than three decades when he went to court, including more than three-dozen convictions for robbery, attempted robbery, false imprisonment and possession of a firearm by a felon. The judge in the case said Harris had a peculiar way of carrying out his crimes. Typically, the judge said dozens of employees were “terrorized” during the commission of his crimes, which generally took place at businesses in the middle of the night or early morning hours.
BEVERLY HILLS – The American Civil Liberties Union has agreed to back two Iranian nationals, who are residents of Beverly Hills, in suing the federal government on their own behalf and the behalf of thousands of other law-abiding residents over federal immigration laws. Abrahim Mosavi, 60, Neda Behmanesh, 45, and three other local residents contend the Controlled Application Review and Resolution Program is unconstitutional because it was put into action without any congressional approval and violates the Fifth Amendment’s guarantee of due process. A USCIS spokeswoman said public policy prohibits comment on ongoing litigation. But the ACLU was very vocal about the issue as it went to court. The ACLU lawsuit said the application review program has been unlawfully applied to hundreds of Middle Eastern immigrants during recent unrest in their homelands, and lets government officials get away with taking years to respond to applications for residency or citizenship. The ACLU said the law was originally drawn up in such a way that immigrants would spend only a few months waiting to see if they could become U.S. citizens.
BEVERLYWOOD – Police in Beverlywood are withholding the name of an 18-year-old woman who was so frightened by two would-be burglars that she barricaded herself in a bedroom closet at her family home and used a portable phone to summon help. In fact, authorities say the woman was so distraught by the incursion that she remained barricaded in the closet even after police arrived on the scene. The woman was home alone when she heard someone trying to get in the back door and approached, thinking it might be someone she knew. One quick glance proved she was wrong, and she beat a hasty retreat to the bedroom closet, stopping to grab the cell phone. The action was apparently all the would-be burglars needed, and police say they fled the scene without taking anything. Police immediately mounted a search for suspects, but came up empty-handed.
CENTURY CITY – The Century City Chamber of Commerce officially launched its new logo July 29. With a nod to the Century City Chamber’s nearly 45-year heritage, the contemporary logo also points to the future. The updated design features a fresh color palette and image scheme. The overlapping gray and teal pattern represents a conceptual interpretation of the community’s high-rise buildings; the three straight lines symbolize the water of the famed fountains located along Avenue of the Stars; while the curved crescent shape represents the sun or moon, as well as the letter “C” derived from “Century City” and “Century City Chamber of Commerce.”
CENTURY CITY – The Los Angeles Fire Department says faulty construction practices led to the partial collapse of an underground parking structure in Century City on July 25. As part of a landscaping project, earth-moving equipment at the West Galaxy Way site was clearing out lava rock and dirt, when a storage location got too heavy, and part of the parking garage collapsed. There were no injuries, but rescue workers were taking no chances. A Los Angeles Fire Department Urban Search and Rescue Team was deployed with specialized hydraulic equipment brought to the scene, and the detritus was meticulously combed for any sign of victims. During the rescue project, nearby structures were yellow-tagged, barring people from going inside while two nearby buildings were searched.
CENTURY CITY – The Zagat ratings system is honoring the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza this year for excellence in overall quality, service, and facilities. Recognition was no mean feat. The Associated Press calls Zagat one of “the world’s most influential travel and food guides,” and singled out the magazine as the most accurate source for determining the overall quality of America’s finest hotels, noting that the organization utilizes the ratings of regular, everyday users of hotels in making their choices. The New York Times also had praise for Zagat, saying the magazine was second in importance only to a valid credit card in choosing a good place to stay in a strange town.
CULVER CITY – The Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Sports Awards has a new champion. And in keeping with the young person focus of the entertainment cable television channel, that champion is 15 years old. Culver City native Ricardo Jacobo, Jr. was given the chance to win a very respectable $50,000 just by sinking a basketball from half court at Pauley Pavilion (this was before the whole structure was flooded out by an aging water pipe.) TV cameras were set up, and the teen was told he’d have five chances to make the basket – which is recognized as a pretty difficult task even for a seasoned pro. He only needed three to win the 50 grand, and thousands of fans got to see him do it. They might even see him in reruns someday soon. And there’s no telling what might happen to his sports career if he keeps practicing.
MALIBU – The combination of balmy temperatures along with cloudless skies has brought lots of people out to the coasts of Southern California, including a few people who probably would have been better off if they stayed home. Malibu Search and Rescue was called out three times over one extended stretch during a four-day period in the middle of a beautiful, sunny week. One rescue was performed on a 28-year-old Santa Ana resident, who fell and hit his head on a rock in the Rock Pool area of Malibu Creek State Park. The unidentified man got a ride in a helicopter for his trouble, as that was the most expedient way to get him to a trauma center. And even though the rescue seemed to mark a high point in the number of rescues in the Malibu area, it was only one of 72 SAR rescues on this part of the coast carried out by midsummer. Those medical emergencies included a woman rescued from the Rock Pool on June 10, a hiker rescued from Point Dume on June 30, a climber rescued from Malibu Creek on July 13, a hiker rescued in Agoura Hills on July 24 and the two youngsters rescued from Tapia Park on July 25. The only other injury reported by midsummer among the steep cliffs and canyons around Malibu was a 15-year-old hiker who took a header off a trail and also merited a helicopter ride to a trauma center. His identity was not revealed because of his age, but he was reported in stable condition a day after the mishap.
MALIBU – A man suspected of firing shots at a police officer in Chatsworth was taken into custody July 30 after leading authorities on a high- speed chase that ended in Malibu. The suspect drove a black BMW with a number of bullet holes in its front window at high speeds from Chatsworth to Pacific Coast Highway. The initial calls came from De Soto Avenue and Nordhoff Street. California Highway Patrol Officer Patrick Kimball said the shooting involved an off-duty officer, just after 7 p.m. The chase began about 10 minutes later and the vehicle went from the Ventura (101) Freeway to Las Virgenes and Malibu canyons to Pacific Coast Highway. The chase ended when the suspect ran from the car at Bluff Park in Malibu, apparently throwing a weapon away and then falling down and not moving from a hillside. The initial call indicated he was a kidnapping suspect, which might explain reports that a woman who was in the car with him got away. As he ran down the hill from Bluff Park, it appeared he threw away a woman’s purse as well as a weapon. As he sat, apparently injured, on a hillside, officers slowly moved in to capture him. The California Highway Patrol and the sheriff’s department were also involved. The suspect was taken into custody just before 9 pm. Pacific Coast Highway was closed in both directions below the park.
MARINA DEL REY – Police booked two men picked up on warrants while investigating a break-in Aug. 5 at the Culver Marina Little League snack bar, which was spray-painted with a pentagram and “Satan” spelled backward. The culprits who broke into the snack bar along Ballona Creek in the 13000 block of Culver Boulevard Monday afternoon took pots and pans and cooking equipment, according to police and broadcast reports. The property also was vandalized. Police picked up three suspects and booked two of them, said Los Angeles police Sgt. Mike Fox of the Pacific Station. Their names were withheld.
SANTA MONICA – Santa Monica City Manager Rod Gould announced Aug. 1 he plans to retire at the end of January 2015. Gould said he had relished his time with the City of Santa Monica and view it as the capstone to his 35-year career in public service. “I have thought deeply about this decision and began discussing it with my family and my two closest colleagues early this year,” Gould stated. “I’ve concluded that after 29 years of city management in five cities, it’s time to reset my work-life balance. The next phase of my career will involve more teaching, consulting, volunteering, and service to my profession and less night, weekend, holiday and vacation work.”
SANTA MONICA – Nine years in the making, the grand opening for Belmar Apartments in Santa Monica was held July 31. The affordable housing development located at 1725 Ocean Avenue includes 160 new apartments that are now home to a diversity of households. It is the largest single affordable housing development that the City has helped finance. Most of families in the new apartments already lived or worked in Santa Monica, and finding affordable housing near their jobs, schools, and extended family members has been life changing for many of them.
VENICE – Chances are that if you grew up in Southern California, you have never heard of a locally occurring lightning fatality. But four direct lightning strikes zapped the renowned shoreline of Venice Beach in the middle of the summer this year, claiming the life of a 20-year-old man Nick Fagnano who was swimming in the ocean off the coast of the celebrated boardwalk on July 27. The mid-afternoon lightning strikes also injured seven others. The extremely rare 15-minute thunderstorm struck as more than 20,000 people were visiting the southern portion of Venice Beach. Bill Patzert, an expert climatologist with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, gave a vivid illustration of just how rare lightning storms are in the area of Southern California coast between San Diego and Venice Beach. Your chances of being hit by a bolt of lightning in this area are about 1 in 7.5 million, compared to 1 in 600,000 in Florida, which has the dubious distinction of being the United States’ capital for lightning deaths.
WEST LOS ANGELES – The U.S. Best Hospitals Honor Roll for 2014 has been released, and UCLA Health System’s hospitals rank among the best in the nation. U.S. News and World Report said UCLA hospitals in Westwood and Santa Monica outscored hundreds of other health care facilities. UCLA’s hospital came up at Number 5 in the nation and Number 1 in both California and the Los Angeles metropolitan area. To reach that lofty ranking, the hospitals must show they excel at treating patients who need an especially high level of care. This year’s Honor Roll highlights just 17 hospitals out of nearly 5,000 nationwide for their expertise in treating the most challenging patients across a range of medical specialties. To be included on the Best Hospitals Honor Roll, a medical center must place in the top tier in at least six of the 16 specialties in which U.S. News ranks hospitals.
WESTWOOD – It hardly looked like the locale of a historic drought, as water spewed 30 feet into the air after a 93-year-old water main broke near the campus of UCLA on July 29. The owners of about 340 vehicles that were heavily damaged at UCLA parking garages by last week’s flood began claiming them Monday, but some will likely have to begin shopping for new rides. The university announced Monday that it had established a loan-assistance program for students and staff whose vehicles were damaged. Information on the program is available the Campus Human Resources website at www.chr.ucla.edu. Sunset Boulevard was reopened Monday, six days after being closed down by a 20-million-gallon flood that resulted from a water main rupture and also inundated parts of the UCLA campus. Roughly 900 vehicles were stranded in garages No. 4 and No. 7 at UCLA after the pipe break. Most of them remained dry but about 400 were left in standing water to varying depths.
WESTWOOD – A string of “peeping tom” incidents at UCLA and surrounding apartments in Westwood may have ended with the arrest of a 47-year-old man by UCLA police. University police officers arrested Christopher Mendicino Aug. 1, after he asked an acquaintance to store his belongings and buy him an Amtrak ticket to Santa Barbara under a false name, the Daily Bruin reported. Police officials told the newspaper that Mendicino may match the description of about eight peeping suspects in Westwood since March, including five on Kelton Avenue. Three of the eight incidents took place since he was last arrested in May on a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct after peeking into an inhabited building. After he did not show up for his arraignment, police released a wanted poster in July, the newspaper reported. Campus police had also arrested Mendicino in 2007 for probable cause burglary after officers saw him peering into an apartment on Ophir Drive and trying to open the door, university police Lt. Mark Littlestone told the Daily Bruin. Littlestone told the newspaper that UCLA officers staked out a home near the corner of Rochester and Saltair avenues where they arrested Mendicino just after 6 am, Friday. Mendicino was held at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles in lieu of $30,000 bail.
WESTWOOD – UCLA campus police and their civilian counterparts are searching for clues that will lead them to a knife-wielding man who tried to attack a jogger on the grounds of UCLA. The university says the female student was out for a run on a Wednesday night at the end of July, when a man grabbed her from behind and drew the knife on her as they passed near the Murphy Sculpture Garden just south of Macgowan Hall. A passerby saw the attack and started yelling, scaring off the assailant. The unidentified jogger suffered some minor cuts and scratches, and was able to provide a partial description of the man, who she says was wearing dark clothing and smelled heavily of alcohol. Authorities noted they were already at work trying to track down 46-year-old Christopher Mendicino, who is accused of being a peeping tom at residences near the campus. Police say it does not appear that the attacker is the same man as the peeping tom, but they want women on campus to remain aware of their surroundings, and be prepared to make a quick getaway if cornered.
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