Century City-Westwood News 12.30.22

Century City/ Westwood

UCLA Signs Agreement With Tongva Tribe Community for Use of Land

Gabrielino Tongva gains access to gather, plant and harvest on campus

By Sam Catanzaro

A new agreement has been signed between UCLA and members of the Gabrielino Tongva tribe, the original inhabitants of the land that UCLA has occupied for nearly 100 years.

According to UCLA, the new agreement “will ensure that traditional ways of planting, harvesting and gathering are part of campus landscaping and caretaking practices.” It also establishes guidelines that provide access to the descendants of the original inhabitants for ceremonial events, workshops and community educational opportunities.

“It is with our deepest gratitude that we, the Gabrielino/Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians, enter into a partnership

with UCLA,” said Anthony Morales, tribal chairman. “There are those that speak words and those that follow up with action. When action is taken, healing can begin. This is the first step of many that are needed to ensure our tribal members and ancestral home lands have a shared space where gathering can occur. We look forward to future endeavors and continued partnership with UCLA.”

In 2019 UCLA implemented an acknowledgment, now used during campus events and in official communications, that the campus is located on the traditional, ancestral lands of the Tongva. The new agreement is one of a series of recent developments at UCLA and across the University of California, that expand access to education for Native students. It also includes provisions related to Sage Hill, three acres of undeveloped land in the northwest corner of campus.

In April the University of California announced the Native American Opportunity Plan, ensuring that in-state systemwide tuition and student service fees for California

students from federally recognized Native American tribes are fully covered by grants or scholarships. In June, UCLA introduced the Native American and Pacific Islander Bruins Rising Initiative, which will create eight new faculty positions for scholars with expertise in American Indian and Pacific

Islander Studies.

“We are in a time of welcome sea change for Native issues on campus with great support from the highest level of leadership,” said Shannon Speed, director of UCLA’s

Beverly Hills Developer Sentenced for Offering a MillionDollar Bribe to Secure a $45 Million L.A. County Lease

Attorney Martin Estrada. “The scheme culminated in a massive million-dollar bribe that was motivated by Mr. Gabaee’s immense greed. By facilitating this pay-to-play system, Mr. Gabaee undermined confidence in the integrity and fairness of our public institutions.”

By Sam Catanzaro

A real estate developer was sentenced recently to four years in federal prison for offering to buy a million-dollar home for a Los Angeles County public official in exchange for the official’s assistance securing a $45 million county lease for the developer.

Arman Gabaee, 61 of Beverly Hills, was sentenced December 15 by United States District Judge George H. Wu, who also ordered him to pay a fine of $1,149,000. Gabaee had previously pleaded guilty on May 2 to one count of bribery.

“This defendant gamed the system during a seven-year bribery spree designed to expand his real estate empire,” said United States

Gabaee was a co-founder and co-managing partner of the Charles Company, a Hollywoodbased commercial and residential real estate development firm. The then-county employee whom Gabaee bribed was Thomas J. Shepos, 72, of Palmdale, a upper-level official in Los Angeles County’s Real Estate Division involved in awarding contracts to real estate developers.

According to prosecutors, in the years leading up to his million-dollar bribe offer, from approximately 2010 to April 2017, Gabaee paid Shepos bribes and kickbacks of approximately $1,000 every month in exchange for county leases, preferential contract terms, non-public information and other benefits. Shepos began cooperating with the FBI in December 2016. From then until April 2017, Gabaee paid Shepos $6,000 in cash bribes during recorded meetings in cars,

restaurants and men’s restrooms, prosecutors said.

After years of paying cash bribes, Gabaee in 2016 “sought to further exploit the corrupt arrangement, this time soliciting Shepos’s help obtaining a $45 million county lease for his Hawthorne Mall property – a lease he believed would increase the value of his property ten-fold,” prosecutors said in sentencing papers. In recordings, Gabaee offered to buy Shepos a million-dollar home in exchange for his assistance securing a 10year, $45 million county lease for office space in the Hawthorne Mall, which Gabaee owned and was redeveloping. Gabaee admitted in his plea agreement to placing two offers on a Northern California home, first for $1,035,000 and later for $1,065,000, as a bribe for Shepos in exchange for the $45 million lease.

“Wiretap calls showed that with a longterm, reliable tenant like the county anchoring the mall, Gabaee believed he could get bank loans to redevelop the property, attract other tenants, and ultimately increase the mall’s assessed value from $17 million to $500 million,” prosecutors said. With the county lease, Gabaee was

considering

wiretap

Shepos pleaded guilty in November 2018 to one count of making false statements to federal investigators who were investigating his financial relationship with Gabaee and one count of subscribing to a false tax return related to payments he received from Gabaee. Shepos is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2023.

Arman Gabaee sentenced to 48 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $1.1 million fine

selling the mall to capitalize on its increased value,

calls showed.

Photo: Pamela J. Peters UCLA professor Stella Nair; Florida State University professor Paul Niell; Rudy Ortega Jr., tribal president of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians; Mona Morales Recalde, Gabrielino Tongva Band of Mission Indians community outreach coordinator; UCLA professor Shannon Speed; Darnell Hunt, UCLA executive vice chancellor and provost; and Abel Valenzuela, dean of social sciences.

Photo: Twitter (@armangabay) Arman Gabay (left).

Beloved Mountain Lion P-22 Euthanized Following Medical Evaluation

“Several severe injuries and chronic health problems,” cited by state biologists

By Sam Catanzaro

Beloved mountain lion P-22 was euthanized this month due to “several severe injuries and chronic health problems.”

On December 8, CDFW announced their intent to capture the world-famous mountain lion and bring him in for a health evaluation. CDFW and NPS found P-22 the morning of December 12 south of his long-time home range in Griffith Park, in the Los Feliz area. An anonymous report Sunday night indicated that he may have been struck by a vehicle.

According to Ed Pert of the CDFW, P-22’s behavior had changed recently, having taken to chasing and attacking dogs on leash. Last month, the NPS confirmed that P-22 killed a chihuahua on a leash in the Hollywood Hills.

“That is something that has never been seen in the years he has been tracked by the NPS,” Pert said during a press briefing last week.

After receiving a comprehensive medical evaluation, CDFW has received a clear picture of the P-22’s condition indicating the mountain lion was in poor health.

“He had several severe injuries and chronic health problems,” the CDFW said in a press release.

Based on these factors, compassionate euthanasia under general anesthesia was unanimously recommended by a medical team at San Diego Zoo Safari Park. CDFW officials made the decision to do so on Saturday, December 17.

“P-22 has had an extraordinary life and captured the hearts of the people of Los Angeles and beyond. The most difficult, but compassionate choice was to respectfully minimize his suffering and stress by humanely ending his journey,” the CDFW said.

The CDFW said tests showed significant trauma to the mountain lion’s head, right eye and internal organs, confirming the suspicion of recent injury, likely a vehicle strike. The trauma to his internal organs would require invasive surgical repair, the CDFW noted. In addition, a examination also revealed significant pre-existing illnesses, including irreversible kidney disease, chronic weight loss, extensive parasitic skin infection over

his entire body and localized arthritis.

“P-22’s advanced age, combined with chronic, debilitating, life-shortening conditions and the clear need for extensive long-term veterinary intervention left P-22 with no hope for a positive outcome. His poor condition indicated that he may also have had additional underlying conditions not yet fully characterized by diagnostics,” the CDFW said.

The CDFW has announced it is not seeking information on a vehicle collision, saying a potential driver would not be at fault.

“This situation is not the fault of P-22, nor of a driver who may have hit him. Rather, it is an eventuality that arises from habitat loss and fragmentation, and it underscores the need for thoughtful construction of wildlife crossings and well-planned spaces that provide wild animals room to roam,” the agency said.

Following the euthanization, the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area issued a statement paying tribute to P-22 which can be read below:

Statement on P-22 from Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Mountain lion P-22 was more than just a celebrity cat. He was also a critical part of a long-term research study and a valuable ambassador for the cause of connectivity and for wildlife in the Santa Monica Mountains and beyond.

He was one of the oldest mountain lions in a study that the National Park Service has been conducting since 2002 and one of its most interesting. When he was captured and collared in March 2012 by National Park Service biologists, he was estimated to be about 2 years old.

Likely born in the Santa Monica Mountains as the son of adult male P-1, he somehow found his way to his tiny, ninesquare-mile home in Griffith Park, separated

Photo: Steve Winter via NPS.gov. P-22 in front of the Hollywood Sign in Griffith Park (taken with remote camera).

Hammer Museum to Mark 2 Decades of Transformation

New Lynda and Stewart Resnick Cultural Center will present exhibitions, collections in spaces designed

by Michael

Maltzan Architecture

By Staff Writer

The Hammer Museum at UCLA ’s twodecades-long project to remake itself inside and out — including expanding, renovating and transforming the building — will culminate on March 26, 2023.

The public will be welcomed into the final major architectural components of the project, designed by Michael Maltzan Architecture, and a new group of exhibitions celebrating the Hammer’s collection of contemporary art.

The new Lynda and Stewart Resnick Cultural Center will welcome visitors through a new street-level entrance located prominently at the corner of Wilshire and Westwood boulevards. The naming of the building recognizes the Resnicks’ gift, through their foundation, of $30 million — the largest single gift in the Hammer’s history, which was

announced in 2018.

Since 2015 the Hammer has fully renovated its existing galleries, public event spaces and restaurant; expanded its offices and other back-of-house spaces; added a brand-new gallery and study center for works on paper; and, most recently, renovated the singular Hammer Store. In total, the Hammer has grown by 40,000 square feet, while achieving its goals of:

• creating a dramatic presence across a full city block;

• increasing gallery space by 60%;

• providing 20,000 square feet of renovated and enhanced community space;

• showcasing its permanent collection — including the Grunwald Collection of more than 45,000 works on paper and the Hammer Contemporary Collection of more than 4,000 objects — while at the same time presenting its renowned temporary exhibitions.

“When we began collaborating with Michael Maltzan more than 20 years ago, he was an ‘emerging’ architect, so it has been a joy to work together and see him gain international acclaim for his work. From the start, our goal was to make the Hammer into a welcoming, public-facing, university-affiliated institution engaged with today’s art and artists and the urgent issues of our time,” Philbin said.

“With the unflagging support of our visionary board of trustees chaired by Marcy Carsey, and generous donors, especially Lynda and Stewart Resnick, the UCLA community, our brilliant staff and Michael Maltzan’s design wizardry, we succeeded in quadrupling attendance over those years, and have become a beloved institution to our audience and especially the artists of this city. I am beyond thrilled to welcome everyone to a reimagined Hammer Museum that is more than 20 years in the making.”

Signs Agreement, from page 1

American Indian Studies Center and one of two special advisors on Native and Indigenous Affairs to UCLA Chancellor Gene Block. “I look forward to working with tribal leaders and the community to fully realize the potential of the agreement, as well as develop future endeavors of mutual benefit to the Tongva community and to UCLA.”

UCLA is one of a handful of colleges and universities across the country that are formalizing such agreements with tribal communities. The memorandum addresses several goals expressed during listening sessions with the community. The memorandum, which aligns with the goals of the campus’s sustainability plan, was developed and co-written by Mishuana Goeman, a former special advisor on Native and Indigenous Affairs to Block.

“It is not enough to plant Native gardens and call it decolonization,” said Goeman, who is currently on leave from UCLA at the University at Buffalo. “We must instead plant gardens, nurture them through our actions with First Peoples and learn from those actions as we move forward. It is not just the work of one person on campus, but the responsibility of all of us to engage and learn and be better guests on Tavangar,” referring to the large expanse of Gabrielino Tongva land in Southern California that includes the area in which UCLA is located.

Photo: UCLA

The renovations and expansions at the Hammer Museum added 40,000 square feet of space.

Four Robbery Suspects Wanted for Westfield Century City Smash-and-Grab Sushi Enya Opening on Sawtelle

Facebook (@sushienyadtla)

Macy’s reportedly victim of December 16 robbery

By Sam Catanzaro

Four suspects are wanted for committing a smash-and-grab robbery at Westfield Century City recently.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the robbery was reported December 16 at 4:48 p.m. Officers, upon arrival at the mall, learned the suspects

entered a store and began smashing display cases and grabbing merchandise. The nature of the merchandise and its total value have not been released.

Police say the suspects ran from the store and fled in a black four-door BMW and a silver Lexus.

KCAL9 has reported the store robbed was Macy’s, though the LAPD has not confirmed this.

No injuries were reported. The LAPD provided no suspect description.

Popular sushi restaurant to open in former

Kiriko space

By Dolores Quintana

Sawtelle Japantown and the Westside were sad at the loss of Kiriko Sushi, a popular restaurant that lasted for 23 years at 11301 W Olympic Blvd.

However, there will be a new restaurant taking over the space shortly. As reported by Toddrickallen.com, Sushi Enya has decided to add its fourth location to its roster.

Sushi Enya has branches in Little Tokyo, Old Town Pasadena and Marina del Rey locations. The restaurant’s website states that “Our owner Chef Kimiyasu Enya trained for over 10 years in Japan to perfect his craft.”

Mountain Lion, from page 2

from the Santa Monicas by the 101 and 405, two of the busiest freeways in the world. Defying expectations, he persisted for more than 10 years in the smallest home range that has ever been recorded for an adult male mountain lion.

Although he made frequent appearances on the streets of the Hollywood Hills and even, more recently, of the Silver Lake neighborhood, he was also clearly a wild cat, doing so mostly late at night, and subsisting largely on natural prey such as deer and coyotes.

In the end, he found his way into many Angelenos’ hearts and home surveillance camera footage.

Park biologists aim to understand and conserve the species that live in and around the park for generations to come. Although P-22 is now physically gone, scientists will be analyzing his data for years to come.

This animal’s life and safe passage to Griffith Park are a testament to both the challenges and the possibilities for wildlife in Los Angeles. He showed us what mountain lions must do to survive in our urban landscape, as he dispersed through it to find a remaining island of habitat.

He also showed us what they are capable of: surviving and co-existing with millions of people in a city as dense and sprawling as Los Angeles.

Goodbye, P-22. Your scientific legacy will live on.

Photo:

43-Unit Development

Planned Near Expo/ Sepulveda Station

Five-story building planned for 26002616 South Sepulveda

By Dolores Quintana

Another multifamily residential development has been approved near the Expo Line’s Sepulveda Station as reported by Urbanize Los Angeles. This new development will be located at 2600-2616 South Sepulveda and Darius Khakshouri is the developer behind the project.

The new structure is a five-story building with 43 units of one, three, four and fivebedroom apartments and an underground parking structure that will hold 46 vehicles. This structure will replace the existing four single-family homes.

The developer successfully applied for entitlements that are granted by the Transit Oriented Communities incentive program which will allow a five-story building to be built in this area despite existing local building codes. As part of this deal, the

developer will only be asked to reserve five of the units as extremely low-income level housing.

The designer on this project is Warren Techentin Architecture and, according to Urbanize Los Angeles, the rendering of this building shows the currently popular contemporary podium design with exteriors of metal, painted stucco and wood. Open space and setbacks have been reduced in light of the TOC incentives, so the design provides for private balconies for over half of the units and a recreation room and roof decks.

MixedUse Development Planned for Westwood Boulevard

Property located just north of former Westside Pavillion

By Dolores Quintana

The newest mixed-use development on the Westside at 2336 S. Westwood Boulevard has almost reached completion as reported by Urbanize Los Angeles. The parcel is located near Pico Boulevard in the West Los Angeles neighborhood.

The structure is a three-story building that contains 24 units with a first floor comprised

of commercial space and a parking area in the building’s basement. According to Urbanize Los Angeles, the website to lease property on the site says that the retail space will be available starting this month.

This new housing development is very close to the former space that housed the Westside Pavilion Mall which is now an office space “campus” with Google as the principal occupant. Hudson Pacific Properties is the developer that flipped the property into office space.

The architect of record for this project is also the applicant, namely Arbel-Henderson & Associates, Inc.

Rendering: WTARCH

Rendering: Arbel-Henderson & Associates, Inc.

SANTA MONICA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Dr. Louise Jaffe, Chair; Barry Snell, Vice Chair; Dr. Susan Aminoff; Dr. Nancy Greenstein; Dr. Margaret Quiñones-Perez; Rob Rader; Dr. Sion Roy; Catalina Fuentes Aguirre, Student Trustee; Kathryn E. Jeffery, Ph.D., Superintendent/President Santa Monica College | 1900 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 | smc.edu