Due to renovations , the Children’s Library section of the Beverly Hills Public Library will be closed from Feb. 4-6 as children’s material is relocated to the facility’s second floor/auditorium wing. New features to the Children’s Library will include: Larger space with separate areas for younger and older children Designated “noisy” and “quiet” areas Enhanced technology and wireless capabilities Multifunctional children’s theater Two study rooms Safe bathrooms located near the Children’s Desk and offices A family restroom Other library services will not be affected during the closure. The Children’s Library will reopen Tuesday, Feb. 7. For more information about this project, visit the library’s website here . Be sure to follow Beverly Hills Patch on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook . View post: Children’s Library Closed Feb. 4-6
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Osborn Snags Another Dem Club Endorsement
Torie Osborn ‘s campaign for the new 50th Assembly District , which includes Beverly Hills, continued to gain steam Tuesday night as she picked up the endorsement of the Santa Monica Democratic Club . The political veteran has already garnered support from the Malibu Democratic Club and the Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley . Osborn won the Santa Monica club’s endorsement overwhelmingly with 77 percent of the vote, beating out her Democratic opponents—53rd District Assemblywoman Betsy Butler and Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom . The three fielded questions about an array of issues plaguing the financially troubled state. Butler ended up with 13 percent of the club’s votes and Bloom received 9 percent. The primary election is June 5. The top two vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, will face off in the November general election. West Hollywood resident Brad Torgan is the only Republican in the race. “Because of you I’m going to win,” Osborn told her supporters. ”My life’s work has been making opportunities out of emergencies.” Known in local circles for championing feminism and gay rights, and working with the homeless, Osborn said her backers were “kickass” for their enthusiasm in supporting her campaign. “She is honestly the most inspirational of the three,” Santa Monica Democratic Club President Jay Johnson said of Osborn. Osborn dubbed herself a “community organizer with an MBA.” Her responses often evoked hollers and applause from her supporters, who wore blue and yellow campaign stickers on their chests. They were the most boisterous in the 100-odd crowd at the main branch of the Santa Monica Library, where the candidate forum was held. “I want a fighter. Their voice has to be fresh and authentic,” said Santa Monica resident Sally Breiter, who met Osborn for the first time Tuesday and said she now supports her. But Osborn’s political ideologies are generally shared by her Democratic opponents, who are equally educated and whose resumes are just as formidable. When asked about their plans to raise taxes, Osborn and Butler said they support Gov. Jerry Brown’s initiative to hike taxes on sales and the wealthy, while Bloom replied “we have a menu of options to choose from. The most important question isn’t which one we chose, but how do we get people to vote for it?” Osborn and Butler also said they support taxing oil. Osborn added that she’s working on a money-saving ballot initiative to reform the property tax legislation of Proposition 13 . The two women are also aligned in their opposition to the death penalty. Bloom said he supports it only for mass murderers and terrorists. All three want to see health care reformed into a single-payer system, such as the one proposed under Senate Bill 810 . In an effort to appeal to voters, Bloom reminded the audience that he has served on the Santa Monica City Council for 13 years. Butler told those in attendance that she already has experience in the state Assembly. “I’m finishing the first year of my first term, and I’m quite happy with what I got to work on this year,” said Butler, who went on to name six bills she penned that were ultimately signed into law by Gov. Brown. Yet Butler and Bloom will have another chance to face off against Osborn. The West Hollywood/Beverly Hills Democratic Club is holding its endorsement meeting for the State Assembly at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 25. The meeting will take place at the West Hollywood Park Auditorium, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood, CA, 90069. Current members’ dues must be paid by Jan. 25 to vote. It is too late for new members to join and vote at this meeting. For more information, call 310-278-7596 or email WHBHDEMS@gmail.com. Be sure to follow Beverly Hills Patch on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook . View post: Osborn Snags Another Dem Club Endorsement
Library Honors Volunteers at Thank You Luncheon
Those who donate their time to the Friends of the Beverly Hills Public Library were honored last week at the group’s annual volunteer thank you luncheon. Friends President Charlotte Hill-Skura welcomed volunteers and board members, as well as Mayor Barry Brucker, Councilman, John Mirisch, City Manager Jeff Kolin, Director of Community Services Steve Zoet and Human Services Administrator Jim Latta. Marketing Supervisor Ellen Prager represented Whole Foods Beverly Hills , which has contributed to Friends through its “Community 5% Days” program. The Beverly Hills High School Madrigals were on hand to entertain at the luncheon. Hunt-Coffey praised the Friends, adding that all monies raised by the bookstore and membership drives go dollar-for-dollar to programs, including the Friends Reading Group facilitated by Judith Palarz. Assistant Director of Community Services Nancy Hunt-Coffey also commended the City Council for its recent approval of funding for library renovations and an expansion of the children’s area. It was, however, not all was good news at the event. Hunt-Coffey said that the library lost $175,000 due to recent state budget cuts—with the adult literary program losing $55,000. If you would like to volunteer with the Friends of the Beverly Hills Public Library to help raise funds for library programs, call 310-288-2286 for more information. Be sure to follow Beverly Hills Patch on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook . Read the rest here: Library Honors Volunteers at Thank You Luncheon
R&B Artist R. Kelly Lists Suburban Chicago Mansion
SELLER: R. Kelly LOCATION: Olympia Fields, IL PRICE: $1,595,000 SIZE: 22,000 square feet, 6 bedrooms, 8 full and 6 half bathrooms YOUR MAMAS NOTES: Word slipped down the Chicago celebrity real estate gossip grapevine this week that native Chicagoan R&B singer/songwriter R. Kelly–née Robert Sylvester Kelly–has officially placed his mega-mansion in suburban Olympia Fields, IL on the market as a short sale with an asking price of $1,595,000. Our brief and entirely unscientific research on the interweb informs us that Mister Kelly has a number of notable professional accomplishments that include three Grammy awards. He has also written and/or remixed songs for a long list of music industry superstars such as Luthor Vandross, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Michael Jackson, Usher, Mary J. Blige and the Jennifers Hudson and Lopez. However, iffin Your Mama is being honest–and we always are–we’d confess to the children that we wouldn’t know an R. Kelly ditty if it chewed the leg from our body and, in fact, before this morning just about the only thing we previously knew of Mister Kelly is that some years ago he was indicted on a slew of lurid charges related to a video tape that (allegedly) showed him as he fornicated with and peed on a minor female. Mister Kelly declared his innocence, the young female came out and said the activities were consensual, the case eventually went to trial, and in June 2008 a jury determined Mister Kelly was not guilty on all 14 counts . Case closed. Anyhoo, the affluent Olympia Fields community sits about 45 minutes by car due south of downtown Chicago and a short sale, for any real estate neophytes who somehow don’t already know, means Mister Kelly owes more on the property than it’s currently worth. Although Mister Kelly only recently put his big ol’ crib on the market he did not just get on this-here real estate merry-go-round. Over the summer (2011) it was revealed a lender initiated foreclosure proceedings after Mister Kelly stopped making payments on a $2,900,000 mortgage he secured with his celebrity-style estate. At the time Mister Kelly it was reported the entertainer’s failure to make mortgage payments was likely an executed strategy designed to induce the lender to renegotiate the loan. We’re not sure if the strategy worked but as far as we can tell Mister Kelly still holds the deed on the property, which indicates the foreclosure was not finalized. Property records and previous reports on the matter indicate Mister Kelly purchased the property in 1997 and custom-built (or custom-finished) the architecturally uncatagorizable stone, stucco and wood-accented mega-mansion. The approximately 22,000 square foot beast–the Cook County Assessor, for what it’s worth, shows it as 11,140 square feet with a 2011 market value of $3,357,700–sits towards the back of six-ish fully-landscaped acres behind towering wrought iron and stone gates and 12-foot concrete-encased fencing. Inside there are, as per listing information, all the expected formal and informal lounging and entertaining areas as well as 4 fireplaces, half a dozen bedrooms, and 8 full and 6 half bathrooms, a count that ensures Mister Kelly requires a full-time minimum wage crapper cleaner. Listing photos that depict the mansion’s vast innards are few (fuzzy and ill-framed) but we do catch a glimpse or two of a rather colossal kitchen complex with u-shaped center island/snack counter, top-grade commercial-style appliances, very ordinary beige tile floors and a soaring ceiling criss-crossed by heavy wood beams coarsely draped with hundreds if not thousands of twinkling white Christmas lights. Listing photos also show snippets of a wood-floored double-height family room with adjoining home theater space as well as a wee-looking wood-paneled room with fireplace which is probably the library but since we don’t see any books (or bookshelves) we can’t say for sure. The humongous but otherwise stylistically ho-hum home’s undisputed defining moment would surely be the truly troubling and
Week in Review: Vice Mayor Interview, Community Center Bids and Library Renovations
The City Council held a meeting and the new school board was installed last week. Read about that and more in the top stories from Dec. 4-10. 1. Don’t miss part one and part two of Patch’s interview with Vice Mayor William Brain. 2. The council rejected all construction bids for a project that will revamp the Roxbury Park Community Center . 3. The new Beverly Hills Unified School District Board of Education was installed . 4. The council has approved a construction firm’s bid to renovate the Beverly Hills Public Library . 5. The city and the Beverly Hills Police Officers Association have reached an agreement for a new five-year employment contract . Also, don’t miss the chance to win $100,000 for BHUSD schools. Be sure to follow Beverly Hills Patch on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook . See the article here: Week in Review: Vice Mayor Interview, Community Center Bids and Library Renovations
Bizarre Drug Busts of 2011
We take a look at some of the more creative drug smuggling attempts from the past year. Excerpt from: Bizarre Drug Busts of 2011
Council Selects Contractor for Library Renovations
The City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday to approve a construction firm’s bid to renovate 16,500 square feet of the Beverly Hills Public Library . The project will focus on “the children’s area of the library, circulation lobby and relocation of the Teen Zone,” according to a report by Associate Project Manager Donielle Kahikina. Fifteen firms applied for the city’s contractor prequalification process. Three firms were prequalified by staff. W.E. O’Neil Construction, Bayley Construction and C.W. Driver Construction were permitted to submit bids. W.E. O’Neil was chosen after tendering the lowest bid of $3.2 million. The council added an additional $320,500 in contingency funds “to cover unforeseen conditions,” the report states. Assistant Director of Community Services Nancy Hunt-Coffey said the project, which is designed by Culver City-based architectural firm Johnson Favaro, will improve the library’s lighting and reduce noise levels. Hunt-Coffey also told council members the renovations will maximize the library’s floor space, improve access for computer technology, and boost seating capacity for the public and library staff. “We’re looking for light and bright,” Hunt-Coffey said, adding that there will be a ”balance between the classical design of the library and contemporary design.” The library is slated to close Feb. 4-5 as staff members relocate the youth areas to the auditorium and meeting rooms on the second floor. Construction will begin the following week. The project will likely take a year and a half to complete. Prior to the council’s vote, Beverly Hills residents spoke on the issue. Susan Mischler questioned the amount of money the renovations will cost the city and called for a “line-item” review of the project’s expenses “so that the public knows exactly what we’re spending and for what.” Former Mayor Nancy Krasne, Human Relations Commissioner Tom Pease and former Mayor Ed Brown all agreed that the cost of the project is too high. “I just don’t see where you’re going to build for $250 a square foot … to get these improvements,” Brown said. “Something’s wrong.” Charlotte Hill-Skura, president of the Friends of the Beverly Hills Public Library, and Laurie Goldman, a former president of the group, are in favor of the project. “If you think about what this money’s being spent for, it’s the children’s area,” Goldman said, noting the increasingly large number of young library patrons. Citing concerns over the project’s $3.5 million price tag, Councilman John Mirisch cast the dissenting vote. “Is this something that we need, or something that we want?” he said. Mirisch said the money could be better spent on priorities such as improvements to the city’s southeast section . Still, the majority of the council was enthusiastic about the forthcoming library renovations. “I think the whole project, every part of it, is an investment in our future,” Mayor Barry Brucker said. Be sure to follow Beverly Hills Patch on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook . See the article here: Council Selects Contractor for Library Renovations
Regis & Letterman: Man Kisses, Slut Talk & A Wrecked Vespa
Regis Philbin appeared on the “Late Show with David Letterman” on Thursday to discuss his television talk show career retirement. The final episode of “Live with Regis and Kelly” aired yesterday in front of a live audience filled with family members and famous faces. more › See the original post: Regis & Letterman: Man Kisses, Slut Talk & A Wrecked Vespa
Girl, 10, Attacks Teacher Who Took Her Halloween Candy
Hit teacher in stomach, threatened to killer family, say police. Photo Credit: Getty Images Continue reading here: Girl, 10, Attacks Teacher Who Took Her Halloween Candy
SB 101 Lanes Closed After Big Rig Crash
The southbound 101 Freeway was closed early Monday after a crash involving a big rig near Las Virgenes Road. Photo Credit: Jonathan Lloyd Read more from the original source: SB 101 Lanes Closed After Big Rig Crash
