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In honor of Boyz II Men getting the 2,456th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today, we offer a video retrospective of some of the hits of the top-selling R&B group of all time (that’s over 60 million albums, wowzers!). Turn the lights down low, because the slow jams are about to roll hard. more › Read this article: The Boyz II Men Video Retrospective You’ve Always Wanted
We haven’t been hearing much about the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department investigation into Natalie Wood’s death, which was reopened with great fanfare last November . That is until yesterday when someone from Access Hollywood asked the Sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore about whatever happened to that Natalie Wood case. more › Continued here: Sheriff’s Spokesman Can’t Seem to Get It Straight: Is the Natalie Wood Case Open or Not?
Former Beverly Hills Unified School District facilities director Karen Christiansen was sentenced to four years and four months in prison Thursday morning after a jury found her guilty of four felony conflict of interest charges . She was also ordered to pay $2,046,000 in restitution to the district, though there will be a separate hearing on that payment. The judge also ruled that Christiansen must pay the BHUSD $15,575 for its legal fees. Christiansen was released on $500,000 bail pending an appeal of the sentence. She has been in custody since being found guilty Nov. 21 of four felony charges relating to a secret deal she negotiated to be an independent BHUSD contractor while performing her duties as facilities director. Christiansen had served as project manager for the $334 million Measure E bond and was reportedly also paid $5.2 million by the district for consultant services between 2006 and 2009. The successful prosecution and sentencing of Christiansen bodes well for the BHUSD, which has spent more than $2 million on legal fees relating to the trial. “This is a victory for our community and for governemnt,” Board of Education President Brian Goldberg told Patch. Goldberg was in attendance at the Tuesday hearing. The district recently recovered $6.6 million in a legal settlement from Johnson Controls, an Orange County energy company that secretly hired Christiansen to be a consultant. BHUSD officials are also pursuing settlements with other businesses that profited from their association with Christiansen. Christiansen’s sentencing comes a day before a related trial starts of former BHUSD Superintendent Jeffrey Hubbard. He has been charged with three felony counts of misappropriation of public funds, including two counts stemming from allegations that he approved a raise and a car allowance for Christiansen without approval from the BHUSD school board. Hubbard now serves as superintendent for the Newport-Mesa Unified School District. He would lose his teaching and administrative credentials—and hence his job—if he is found guilty, the Daily Pilot reported Dec. 31. The California Education Code bars a district from employing a superintendent who has lost his or her credentials. The Commission on Teacher Credentialing is required to automatically revoke credentials for the conviction of a felony misappropriation of public funds, Commission General Counsel Nanette F. Rufo told the Pilot . If Hubbard is found guilty, his credentials would be revoked once the criminal appeals process is complete, the paper said. Hubbard’s trial is scheduled to start Friday morning in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Be sure to follow Beverly Hills Patch on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook . More: Karen Christiansen Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison
Two cars on the lot caught fire after the crash at Quality One Auto Dealership. Originally posted here: Driver Crashes SUV Into Auto Dealership
Beverly Hills will lose its last movie rental store when Blockbuster closes its doors on Jan. 22. The corner store at the intersection of South Robertson and Charleville boulevards has been in operation for at least a decade. It is no longer offering rentals and is selling its entire stock of DVDs, video games, snacks and even furniture. Still, several patrons were trying to rent DVDs there Tuesday, despite the red “everything must go” signs. Many Blockbuster stores in California were closed last year after the chain was acquired by Dish Network. Employees at the Beverly Hills location were informed last week about the store’s impending closure and were not given a reason for the decision, Assistant Manager Anthony Ruiz said. The closure comes as the city’s Southeast Area Task Force is looking for ways to revitalize Robertson Boulevard and the surrounding area. There are several vacant storefronts on South Robertson and Olympic boulevards. An often-cited problem is a lack of public parking, although that was not an issue for Blockbuster, which has a sizeable parking lot. Councilman John Mirisch, who is leading the task force, said he did not know if any retailer has made plans to open in the Blockbuster building. “The closing of the Blockbuster probably has very little to do with the local area and much more to do with the evolution of the entertainment business,” he said, referring to the trend of movies being streamed over the Internet. The Beverly Hills Blockbuster will remain open from 12-9 p.m until its scheduled closure. The store is advising its customers to transfer their accounts to one of three nearby Blockbusters: 677 S. La Brea Ave., 4470 Sunset Blvd. and 9201 Venice Blvd. Be sure to follow Beverly Hills Patch on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook . Read the original: South Robertson Blvd. Blockbuster to Close
Newly married for the second time, award-winning San Anselmo filmmaker Kate Schermerhorn wanted to pry into this most sacred of American institutions – marriage . Visit link: Kate Schermerhorn looks at marriage in documentary
The sizable 7BR/8BA Beverly Hills sprawl belonging to actress, director and Academy Award-winner Jodie Foster has sold for $8.3 million. See the original post here: Jodie Foster’s Gated Beverly Hills Spread Sold for $8.3m
http://www.youtube.com/v/r2zWXn_loR4?version=3&f=user_uploads&app=youtube_gdata Lakers Coach Mike Brown on Andrew Bynum in win over Houston Rockets See more here: Lakers Coach Mike Brown on Andrew Bynum in win over Houston Rockets
At the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, Calif., the new design of its restaurant isn’t as traditional as its lobby. See the original post: Who Took the ‘Hotel’ Out of the Hotel Restaurant
Strong December sales capped a banner year for car sales. Go here to read the rest: 2011 a Banner Year for US Auto Industry
