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It’s not the end of the road for Boyz II Men — in fact, it’s only the beginning. Or maybe the middle. The location remains to be seen, but the point is, 90′s R&B group Boyz II Men are getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today. more › Go here to see the original: Boyz II Men Getting Star on Walk of Fame
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
2011 has come and gone and we’re now looking 2012 straight in the face. Well, maybe we’re actually inside its face since it’s already January. Hmm… anyways, silly season rumors have been laid to rest, and old and new race teams alike are gearing up for the big one, and I’m not talking about the end of the Mayan calendar doomsday predictions. I’m talking about the first round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, CA this coming Saturday, January 7 . The Supercross Class Players James Stewart #7 Is James Stewart ready to take on another championship run? No one doubts his speed, but turning speed into wins is another story. Stewart’s 2011 highlight reel unfortunately would include more crashes than flames and checkered flags, but the latest rider to join the JGR squadron still has incredible potential even as he heads into his 11th season of professional racing. With Davi Millsaps racing alongside as his teammate, and his old mechanic from his Kawasaki days, Jeremy Albrecht, as the team manager, the pieces seem to be falling into place for two-time champ to have a positive season of Supercross racing. If he can ride as well as he did in 2011 ( or better ), minus all of the crashes, there is no reason why Stewart couldn’t take the fight all the way to Vegas. Ryan Dungey #5 Ryan Dungey had a fairy-tail season back in 2010 capturing both the indoor and outdoor titles; the first rookie to do so. But it wasn’t complete. Why? Because the air surrounding Dungey was rank with caveats. Both Stewart and Chad Reed got hurt at Phoenix, and were out for the indoor season (although Reed did come back for the last five rounds). Villopoto had some serious momentum going and was clicking off wins until he crashed something awful at St. Louis and broke his leg, taking him out for the rest of the year. It was suggested time and time again that if anyone of these riders had been healthy, Dungey would not have had it so easy. In 2011, the opposite happened. If not for three major mechanical failures, namely a damaged sprocket at Anaheim Part Deux, depleted gas at Freestone, and ignition woes at Southwick, the Dunge could have been the 2011 SX and MX champ. Villopoto did miss qualifying at Jacksonville, but that was not due to mechanical failure. Caveats 2010: Against Dungey 2011: For Dungey For 2012, Dungey has switched teams and brands and will once again be working under the tutelage of Roger DeCoster on the Red Bull/KTM team. Despite this being a new venture for Ryan in both team and machinery, let’s hope he can get through the year without any ifs, ands, or buts. Chad Reed #22 In 2010, Chad Reed was a veteran, factory-backed playboy who was losing favor with critics and fans alike. In 2011, Reed went from largely self-funded, former factory star, to underdog hero with his Supercross title hunt as a privateer and his harrowing Spring Creek National crash and subsequent redemption. What a difference a year makes. Now TwoTwo Motorsports has official Honda Racing support, (with pretty works parts), a reinvigorated fan base, and some of the coolest duds in the sport . At the ripe old age of 29, Chad is nearly a decade older than some of his competition, but by no means does that imply he is out matched. With the addition of the MoSTE (Most Successful Technician Ever [no idea if that’s true, but it sounds good]), Mike Gosselaar, to the program there is nothing standing in the way. Reed certainly still has victories left in him, and will be a frontrunner. Ryan Villopoto #1 Villopoto was supposed to come out swinging as a 450 rider back in 2009. It didn’t happen (aside from his first win in Seattle). Then he was supposed to have put his demons aside for 2010. It almost happened. Would he finally become the moto prophet everyone expected for 2011? It happened big time. Villopoto hit the ground running, taking Anaheim I convincingly. Then he, gasp, showed he could run with Stewart at Phoenix until a small crash set him back. But as the series continued on, so did Ryan’s momentum, taking several wins and doing what he needed to do for the ultimate Supercross prize (despite not qualifying at Jacksonville). Then he captured the outdoor championship. Then he helped Team USA win the Motocross of Nations in France. Then he took an extra million smackers from one of his biggest sponsors, Monster Energy, when he conquered the inaugural Monster Energy Cup in Vegas . Will Villopoto be ready for the Big A on Saturday? You bet your butt. Coming off of one of the most successful seasons ever for a pro racer, the Poulsbo, WA ginger will be a force in 2012 aboard his Kawasaki. The Others Okay, why don’t these “others” get their own dedicated paragraphs? Because none of them have Supercross Class titles to their credit. That and I’ve already gone over my word limit. Trey Canard undoubtedly would have been a championship contender had he not broken his collarbone a few weeks ago . When the Honda Racing Muscle Milk rider returns to action, as the only other rider to win a race last season aside from the big four, he could still play into the title chase. Riders such as veteran talent, Kevin Windham of Geico Powersports/Honda, along with Yoshimura/Suzuki’s Brett Metcalfe, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jake Weimer, and Honda Racing’s latest acquisition, Justin Brayton, will all be regulars within in the top ten and could very well land on the podium. Then there are about 15 other racers who will be fighting for every inch of dirt in the nations stadiums. With only 20 spots available in for the main events, every race will be more intense than the last. Get ready moto heads, A1 is almost here. Follow this link: Bayo Olukotun: Anaheim I: Game On
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
“2011: The Adult Industry in Photos” is a candid look back at the past twelve months at a business that is headquartered in the San Fernando Valley. more ›
Some poor tuba players returned to school after a long winter break, only to find that they were victims of tuba thieves that struck again. Tubas have become a popular target for thieves, as banda music’s popularity has grown. more › Go here to see the original: Tuba Thieves Strike Again Over Winter Break
