Century City - Westwood News 3.6.2020

Century City/ Westwood Mar. 6 – Mar. 19, 2020

NEWS CenturyCity-WestwoodNews.com

Housing Homeless Veterans Final touches on West LA VA homeless shelter for veterans See more, page 8

The membrane tent that will house homeless veterans at the VA.

YOUR AD HERE!

Contact Judy Swartz judy@smmirror.com 310.204.4255

TAX

Photo: City of LA Samuel Moses, CPA 100 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica

310.395.9922

2

CENTURY CITY-WESTWOOD NEWS

MAR. 6 – MAR. 19, 2020

UCLA Raises Over $5 Billion One

of most ambitious campaigns ever by a public university

By Chad Winthrop

The Centennial Campaign for UCLA, one of the most ambitious fundraising campaigns ever by a public university, has raised $5.49 billion.

“As UCLA enters its second century, the funds are already supporting a broad array of priorities, including student scholarships and fellowships, faculty research, and programs that enrich communities in Los Angeles and beyond,” the university said in a news release.

The campaign launched publicly in May 2014 and closed in December 2019, in the midst of UCLA’s 100th year. During the initiative, nearly 220,000 donors from all 50 U.S. states and 98 additional countries gave more than 574,000 gifts to advance causes across campus and in communities in Southern California and around the world.

Approximately 95% of those gifts were less than $10,000, and 81% were less than $1,000, indicating the broad-based support for UCLA’s mission.

UCLA also received philanthropic commitments of more than $100 million, including Marion Anderson’s giving for students, faculty and facilities at the UCLA

Anderson School of Management; David Geffen’s gifts for medical student scholarships and the Geffen Academy at UCLA; Meyer and Renee Luskin’s giving to name the school of public affairs and build a campus conference center; and Henry and Susan Samueli’s gifts to expand engineering education and research.

“As we celebrate UCLA’s first hundred years, the Centennial Campaign for UCLA has exceeded its goals and engaged students, faculty, friends and leaders in setting up the university for an even more remarkable second century,” UCLA Chancellor Gene Block said.

“We are so grateful to each and every person who has participated in this extraordinary effort.”

Throughout the campaign, philanthropists supported UCLA initiatives in a wide array of fields with real-world relevance: Brain health: A gift from James L. and Phyllis Easton advanced research on the prevention and treatment of neurodegeneration, and concussion and traumatic brain injury. Wendy and Leonard Goldberg endowed a migraine research program, and Laurie and Steven Gordon funded faculty chairs, a new lab and research dedicated to curing Parkinson’s disease. Gifts to the UCLA Depression Grand Challenge made UCLA the first university to offer depression and anxiety screening for students and immediate connection to appropriate levels of care.

Cancer: Agi Hirshberg’s campaign gift

SEEKING ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY Westside Law firm specializing in Community Association Law seeks an attorney with 5 -10 years’ experience.

We provide a competitive salary and excellent benefits.

Please contact: attyhire@adamsstirling.com

Photo: Patricia Marroquin/UCLA

created a center dedicated to, and supported seed grants for, pancreatic cancer research. Eli and Edythe Broad made a major new gift to their eponymous stem cell research center at UCLA, which will help researchers translate findings into clinical applications for cancer and other diseases. And Dr. Victoria Mann Simms and Ronald Simms gave to support the expansion of integrative psychosocial care for people with cancer and for their families at UCLA clinics throughout Los Angeles.

Humanities, culture and entertainment: Tadashi Yanai’s gift endowed an initiative for globalizing Japanese humanities, which supports students, faculty, international exchanges and public events. Jeff Skoll’s gift established a center for promoting social change through entertainment, and Kenneth Ziffren gave multiple gifts to establish an institute in entertainment law. The Patricia Mitchell Trusts not only partnered with Ziffren to support that institute, but also created endowments to support UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television students and the UCLA Film & Television Archive.

Environment and sustainability: Dan and Rae Emmett added a matching gift for their namesake institute for climate change and environmental law, whose research regularly informs policy leaders and the media. Morton La Kretz has helped the UCLA College renovate its botany building and the Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden, both in support of conservation education and research. Gifts to UCLA’s Sustainable LA Grand Challenge helped produce valuable research and policy recommendations for the region.

Public outreach and service: The Anthony and Jeanne Pritzker Family Foundation established an interdisciplinary center for strengthening foster youth and families, and Matthew and Jennifer Harris established the UCLA Bedari Kindness Institute. Campaign commitments enabled UCLA to found the Promise Institute for Human Rights and the Promise Armenian Institute, and many donors gave to UCLA Operation Mend, which provides medical and psychological treatment for service members, veterans and their family members.

Well-being for all ages: A major gift from Mattel Inc. advanced the local and international work of UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital.

Jane and Terry Semel endowed the Semel

Healthy Campus Initiative Center at UCLA, spreading activities, resources and healthier habits across campus and encouraging similar initiatives at college campuses and other institutions across the nation. James and Carol Collins have advanced research and programs serving older adults, including creating a chair in geriatric medicine and supporting fellowships, residencies and training for medical students and physicians.

At the time of its launch, the Centennial Campaign’s $4.2 billion goal was the most ambitious fundraising goal ever announced by a U.S. public university, and UCLA surpassed that target 18 months ahead of schedule. Since then, the higher education sector has continued to see an upturn in fundraising and campaigns.

According to the Voluntary Support of Education survey, giving to colleges and universities grew 6.1% in 2018–19.

The same survey ranked UCLA the No. 1 public university in philanthropic funds raised for 2017–18, and the campus was included in the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s special report on multiyear campaigns in April 2019. The feature highlighted the proliferation of such fundraising drives across the country, including at several other high-profile institutions across Los Angeles.

“In a philanthropic landscape overflowing with opportunities to give, the success of the Centennial Campaign for UCLA speaks to donors’ generosity and their belief in UCLA’s mission,” said Rhea Turteltaub, UCLA’s vice chancellor for external affairs. “We take the responsibility to steward their trust very seriously, and we will continue working to ensure students’ access to education, secure resources for research and deliver on our commitment to public service every day.”

The Centennial Campaign, which was cochaired by Tony Pritzker and UCLA alumnus Garen Staglin, counted the contributions of nearly 220,000 donors, including nearly 127,000 first-time donors and more than 108,000 alumni donors.

“I truly believe in UCLA as a unique public research institution that benefits students from every walk of life, the city of Los Angeles and the world at large,” said Pritzker, who is not a UCLA alumnus but serves as a tireless benefactor and champion of the campus.

UCLA, see page 6

CENTURY CITY-WESTWOOD NEWS

MAR. 6 – MAR. 19, 2020

3

T:10"

No appointment?

No problem.

Urgent care in Culver City, Playa Vista and West L.A. Winter is here, and that means cold and flu season as well.

With Cedars-Sinai urgent care locations across the Westside, including our newest location at Wilshire and Federal, a trusted team of doctors is here to keep you healthy.

Culver City: 10100 Culver Blvd. | Playa Vista at Runway: 12746 W. Jefferson Blvd. | West L.A.: 11620 Wilshire Blvd.

T:11.7"

cedars-sinai.org/urgentcare Most insurance plans accepted.

1-800-CEDARS-1 © 2020 Cedars-Sinai

4

CENTURY CITY-WESTWOOD NEWS

MAR. 6 – MAR. 19, 2020

Up to $50K Reward for Information on Hit and Run LAPD

seeking the

public ’ s help

By Chad Winthrop

Los Angeles police are offering up to $50,000 for information to help identify a suspect in a mid-city hit and run.

“Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s West Traffic Division are asking for the public’s help in providing any information that would lead to the identification and arrest of the suspect involved in a hit and run collision,” the LAPD said in a statement.

According to the LAPD, on Thursday, January 30, 2020, around 7:15 a.m., a Mitsubishi Montero was traveling southbound on La Brea Avenue and collided with the victim who was walking eastbound on 3rd Street. The victim survived and sustained serious injuries.

“The driver of the Mitsubishi fled the scene without identifying himself or herself and did

not render aid to the victim, as required by law,” the LAPD said.

The hit and run vehicle is described as a 1998 or 1999 Mitsubishi Montero, possibly dark green or maroon in color, with a brush guard on the front and a spare tire mounted on the rear.

“A reward of up to $50,000 is available to community members who provide information leading to the offender’s identification, apprehension and conviction or resolution through a civil compromise,” the LAPD said.

Anyone with information about this collision is asked to contact West Traffic Division Detectives, at (213) 473-0234 or (213) 473-0222. During weekends and offhours calls should be directed to the 24hour toll free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247). For anonymous calls please call LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or visit www.lacrimestoppers.org.

Photo: Getty Images

Potential Life Sentence for Wrong-Way 405 Crash “Horrific night” for first responders

By Sam Catanzaro

A man faces life in prison for driving the wrong way on the 405 Freeway and killing a driver near Brentwood during what an LAFD spokesperson described as a

“horrific night” over last weekend that saw two fatal wrong-way crashes.

According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the crash occurred on the 405 Freeway north of Getty Center Drive on Sunday around 2:30 a.m.

Authorities say a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck traveled up to four miles in the wrong direction going southbound in the

The scene of a fatal car crash near Brentwood.

northbound lane before crashing into a Jaguar. The driver of the Jaguar, 43-yearold Joey Allen, died on the scene.

The driver of a third vehicle involved in the collision also was injured, prosecutors said.

On February 20, the Los Angeles County District Attorney (DA), announced that the driver, Antonio Marco Abrego faces one felony count each of murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage causing injury.

The case includes allegations of causing great bodily injury and/or death and refusing to submit to a chemical test.

Bail is set at $2.1 million. Abrego faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years to life in state prison if convicted as charged.

The case remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol, West Los Angeles Station.

The 405 crash was one of two wrong-

Photo: Citizen App.

way crashes reported that evening. Another wrong-way crash occurred on the 210 Freeway in Monrovia two hours later. A woman traveling west in the eastbound lanes of the freeway collided head-on into a pickup truck and was pronounced dead at the scene.

In a Reddit thread, Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Firefighter and Specialist Public Service Officer Brian Humphrey described the evening as “horrific” “It was a horrific night on Los Angeles area streets and freeways, with multiple deadly crashes, including those involving at least four wrong way drivers and/or headon collisions. While cause investigations continue, driver impairment is strongly suspect,” Humphrey wrote.

Humphrey went on to describe the task of delivering death notifications to family members of the deceased.

Car cash, see page 6

MAR. 6 – MAR. 19, 2020

CENTURY CITY-WESTWOOD NEWS

SPECIAL EVENT

5

SMC ASSOCIATES SPRING 2020

FREE PUBLIC EVENT

EXPERIENTIAL DESIGN, DRIVEN BY MUSIC AND SOUND Dr. Jason Heath

Come be inspired by a truly interdisciplinary approach to crafting unique immersive and interactive experiences. Dr. Jason Heath, founder and CEO of Heath Interactive, will talk about recent work with collaborators from architects to game developers, sculptors, and fabric artists, to create projects that include an interactive musical playground for children on the autism spectrum, and a large fabric interface controlling over 3,000 LEDs, musical sounds, and tactile vibrations at the new Cayton Children’s Museum in Santa Monica. Presentation includes interactive demonstrations and working prototypes integrating sensors, light, sound, and musical experiences.

Thu, March 19 | 11:15 a.m. | Free | SMC Stromberg Hall (HSS 165)

Visit smc.edu/associates for more details.

Seating is on a first arrival basis. Public parking is limited during the day at SMC. Please allow extra time. See smc.edu/transportation for parking options.

Purchase visitor’s parking permit online at smc.edu/parking If you need an accommodation due to a disability to participate in any of these events, please contact Denise Henninger (henninger_denise@smc.edu or 310-434-4497) or Nathalie Laille (laille_nathalie@smc.edu or 310-434-4299) at least 5 business days in advance.

The Santa Monica College Associates is a community-based support group that brings outstanding speakers, performers, and special events to SMC to enhance student excellence. Associates members receive invitations to special receptions and advance notices of lectures. Annual Associates memberships are entirely tax-deductible.

Call 310-434-4100 or visit smc.edu/associates for more information.

Santa Monica Community College District Board of Trustees Dr. Nancy Greenstein, Chair; Dr. Susan Aminoff, Vice Chair; Dr. Louise Jaffe; Dr. Margaret Quiñones-Perez; Rob Rader; Dr. Sion Roy; Barry A. Snell; Brooke Harrington, Student Trustee; Kathryn E. Jeffery, Ph.D., Superintendent/President Santa Monica College 1900 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90405

6

CENTURY CITY-WESTWOOD NEWS

UCLA,

from page 2 “Ensuring a successful start to its second century is an investment not only in the university and its students but in everyone’s future.”

Staglin and his wife, Shari, launched the organization One Mind, which bridges gaps in mental health research and patient support, and they have been strong advocates for the UCLA Depression Grand Challenge. “UCLA is leading the way in so many areas, and it has been a privilege to see alumni and friends come together to support causes close to their hearts while advancing education, research and service that change lives,” he said.

MAR. 6 – MAR. 19, 2020

Popular San Gabriel Valley Dumpling Restaurant Coming to Sawtelle

Sawtelle to welcome Dan Modern Chinese

By Kerry Slater

Did somebody say soup dumplings? A popular San Gabriel Valley dumpling and dim sum restaurant will be opening on Sawtelle, giving Din Tai Fung competition in the West LA dumpling scene.

Food blogger Toddrickallen has reported that Dan Modern Chinese is opening near

LIVE MAINE

Lobster Special

Photos: Nomsandbeyond (Facebook).

42

$

95

*2 LB. STEAMED MAINE LOBSTER CHOICE OF 2 SIDES SERVED WITH HOT DRAWN BUTTER

MONDAY & TUESDAY *APPROXIMATE WEIGHT

1

$ 00

OYSTERS SELECT OYSTERS ON THE HALF SHELL

ALL DAY WEDNESDAYS Since 1977

ENTERPRISE FISH CO.

174 Kinney St., Santa Monica • 310-392-8366 225 State St., Santa Barbara • 805-962-3313 Pricing For Santa Monica Location Only www.enterprisefishco.com

the intersection of Sawtelle Boulevard and Missippi Avenue. In addition, the restaurant is also opening a location in the South Bay. Dan Modern Chinese, known for their xiaolongbao dumplings and noodles, opened in Pasadena in 2018.

“While there’s pleasure to making dim sum at home, there’s even more pleasure to eating

it at an affable café like Dan,” wrote Merrill Shindler in a review for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. “The place feels like the first of many Dan Modern Chinese restaurants.”

Dan Modern Chinese’s move to the Wetside is seen by many as competition for chain Din Tai Fung, which has a location at Westfield Century City.

Car crash,

asks “who is it?”. Those three words will be the last ones spoken in a normal tone by the family that morning…Before we have a chance to get them seated and explain… the ‘Oh no, Oh no…’ phase commences.

Sobs are stifled as they allow us to explain what they’re hoping isn’t true.”

from page 4

“Walking up the driveway to a house in moonlit darkness, there is nothing but the empty sound of leaves or gravel beneath your feet, punctuated by the inevitable deep breath and long exhale of those in your group who are equally dreading their duty.

Not a one likes to think that hours earlier, the deceased walked that very path,” Humphrey said. “house lights come on – a scurry – as a person in semi-dream state

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE LATEST LOCAL NEWS!

MAR. 6 – MAR. 19, 2020

CENTURY CITY-WESTWOOD NEWS

7

Sharing Oscars With The Stars SOCIAL

CITY NEWS

by Marci Weiner We were pleased to attend the Fifth Annual Roger Neal and Maryanne Lai Oscar Viewing party at the fab Hollywood Museum. We were particularly thrilled to be seated with our BFF Terry Moore. The petite beauty was a former Oscar nominee and was the young star of “Joe Young” in 1949 and was once married to Howard Hughes. For your benefit,, we include a photo of Terry with the life-sized ape you can meet at the Museum!

Icon Lifetime Awards were presented to Lee Meriweather, Grammy Legend Joel Diamond and ET host Nancy O‘Dell. Classic game show host, Wink Martindale and his adorable wife, Sandy were also enjoying the delicious fare at our table.

Super star attorney, Gloria Allred was also in attendance as well as Burt Ward (Robin from “Batman”. And in the spirit of giving a donation generated from the event was given to the Jose Iturbi Foundation. Other celebs walking off with great goodie bags included sexy Courtney Stodden, former James Bond George Lazenby, the pretty Pointer ssisters and Barbra Luna (“Star Trek”).

Next year, you may have the opportunity to share Oscar Night with the Stars. I will hope to see you there.

Photos: Courtesy

The Pointer sisters with Andranik Madadian.

Photos: Courtesy

Terry Moore with mighty Joe Young at Roger Neal Oscar Party 2020.

Photo: Harrison Held’s Scene Around Town

Gloria Allred and Barbi Benton

Nancy O’Dell

Photo: William Kidson

8

MAR. 6 – MAR. 19, 2020

CENTURY CITY-WESTWOOD NEWS

Final Touches on VA Homeless Shelter for Veterans Spring opening for shelter

By Sam Catanzaro Final touches are being added to a homeless shelter near Brentwood that will house around 100 veterans.

In his February newsletter, Councilmember Mike Bonin announced that work crews have completed installing the sprung-structure tent, added a pet area to the facility and continued improving the landscaping around the area at a bridge housing facility at West Los Angeles VA Campus “The crews will now move into the final phase of site preparation before the facility can open – installing beds and dividers in the sprung structure,” Bonin said.

Once complete, the site will include two 40’ x 120’ tension membrane structures and modular trailers, which will be located within the VA campus near existing buildings and services.

The site will offer roughly 100 beds for currently homeless veterans, as well as storage for residents, personal hygiene and laundry facilities, supportive and community engagement services, and 24hour security.

This bridge housing facility will be temporary — and not to be visible from the exterior of the campus — as the VA constructs out its Draft Master Plan, which will provide 1200 units of permanent supportive housing on the campus.

The facility was expected to open in early 2019, but crews experienced a delay on the site when they uncovered old pipes

The membrane tent that will house veterans

that needed special attention as the site was prepared for the temporary structures.

In addition, mud from a rainy winter and asbestos that was discovered hindered the project.

Across the street at the West Los Angeles National Guard Armory, the federal government has approved plans to build a bridge housing center there for non-veteran homeless individuals in the area.

Last week another bridge housing center opened in Venice.

The Pacific Sunset site is the tenth A Bridge Home facility to open, bringing the total number of beds made available by the program to 673.

According to Councilmember Mike Bonin, the city remains on-track to stand up a total of 26 A Bridge Home sites, filled with about 2,000 beds, by July 1. This site features 100 beds for single adults — 66 men and 34 women — and 54 beds for transitional age youth — 36 men and 18 women. Pacific Sunset is the first A Bridge Home site to be partially dedicated to serving young people experiencing homelessness.

“The homeless and housing crisis is a citywide challenge that requires citywide solutions,” said Mayor Garcetti. “Today’s opening is a reminder that people across Los Angeles are saying ‘yes’ to delivering the housing, healing, and hope our unhoused neighbors need and deserve.”

“A roof and a bed will replace a tent and a sidewalk for many of our unhoused neighbors who have been sleeping in encampments in Venice. This is a big and important step in our long march to confront our homelessness crisis,” added Councilmember Bonin.

Photos: City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering.

Photos: City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering.

Work being done a bridge housing center underway at the VA.

MAR. 6 – MAR. 19, 2020

CENTURY CITY-WESTWOOD NEWS

9

Stephen Sachs’ World Premiere of “Human Interest Story” at The Fountain Theatre CENTER STAGE

With Beverly Cohn, Editor-At-Large

Definition of Political Theatre: Plays that deal with compelling

socio - political themes .

The use of theatre to influence public opinion on pressing socio-political issues is not a new theatrical art form. It dates as far back as ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes’ Lysistrata, a play about women who withhold sexual favors from their husbands until they agree to stop going to war. There are too many to list but what comes to mind are playwrights William Shakespeare, Bertolt Brecht, Henrik Ibsen, and Eugene O’Neill, each of whom spoke to the socio-political condition through illustration rather than overtly identifying the problem. Some of the Broadway hits that would qualify with such a theme might include, Angels in America, The Book of MormonCabaret, Dear Evan Hansen, Hairspray, Newsies, Next to Normal, Ragtime, Rent, South Pacific, and Spring Awakening.

Does Stephen Sachs’ Human Interest Story, loosely based on Meet John Doe, qualify to be in that category? Maybe yes.

Maybe no. Here’s the storyline. The play begins in the office of Carl Miller, (Matt Kirkwood) editor of a newspaper, which is part of publisher Harold Cain’s (James Harper) Cainmedia Corporation. Andy Kramer, very well played by Rob Nagle, is a journalist specializing in stories about the homeless. He has a strong following but on this day, due to cutbacks, he is fired, along with dozens of other reporters. Andy is instructed to write his last column, “My final story will be on the homeless, and I might be one of them.” Instead, he prints a letter supposedly from a homeless woman named Jane Doe who is about to give up on living, indicating she will commit suicide on July 4th. The letter, which results in a landslide of mail from readers, prompts the cold-hearted Miller to rehire Andy and assigns him the task of finding this woman. While walking through the park on the way to meet his friend for sushi, Andy comes upon an AfricanAmerican homeless woman, excellently played by Tanya Alexander, holding a sign that says “I Am Not Invisible.” She asks for a handout and soon the two of them engage in a conversation. She finds out Andy is a newspaper man and almost demands his attention saying that she read about Jane Doe and that she is that very same Jane Doe, which he challenges for good reason.

She shares what it’s like to be homeless and how she is treated by people, some of whom

spit on her. As it turns out, this woman is highly educated and was a teacher laid off because of lack of funding. Our journalist, desperate to get his job back, formulates a plan whereby she would come forward as Jane Doe and takes his plan back to his boss who re-hires him to write a follow-up story.

Meanwhile, the crass publisher is concerned that they are dealing with an “unhinged, fuc…ng homeless woman who has not been vetted. With the avalanche of letters pouring into the paper, however, he green lights the project, which includes Jane Doe writing a weekly column on the homeless, which Andy would write for her. Jane is now “cleaned up” and is ensconced in a lovely hotel room where she takes her first bath in a long time. She poses for photos in her new clothes and by and by is identified by a school principal as Betty Frazier, a teacher from her school.

In Act II, Jane has become an internationally recognized voice for the downtrodden, as well as the empowerment of women, appearing on multiple talk shows including “Ted Talk,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” and “Good Morning St. Louis.” In one scene, she is interviewed by a militant host of a talk show out of Oakland, who restates just about everything concerning the oppression of blacks. While she speaks the truth, there needs to be a more theatrical delivery rather than just listing the facts, which becomes diatribe. The play is at its strongest in some of the scenes between Andy and his on again, off again girlfriend Megan, played by Aleisha Force. She is a high-powered journalist who writes for “The Bulletin.” She has a strong sex drive, which she comments, “If I were a man, my sex drive would not be an issue.” She berates Andy saying, “Guilt is the only way you feel good about yourself,” to which he replies, “I’m Jewish,” one of the very few funny lines in the play. This is also true of the strong scenes between Andy and Jane where she discusses her concern for her homeless friends. Although he is complicit in what could be referred to as a charade, Jane reminds him, “You see me through white tinted glasses,” telling him that her father was once a fourth grade teacher who drilled into her over and over, “Never trust a white man.” In the meantime, the ambitious Cain is about to run for mayor and wants to use Jane as his spokesperson. He threatens her by saying “I am not as bad as you think; I’m worse.” He has actually been stealing money from their non-profit charity to fund his campaign for mayor. How she handles it is quite interesting. Andy warns her that public opinion can turn on a dime, which it does, but not in the way you might expect.

The rest of the cast, playing what amounts to mostly cardboard characters, include Richard Azurdia, and Tarina Pouncy.

Performed on almost a bare stage except for a table and a few chairs, Matthew

Photos: Jenny Graham

Matt Kirkwood (Carl Miller) and Rob Nagle (Andy Kramer) in Stephen Sachs’ “Human Interest Story” on stage at The Fountain Theatre.

Photos: Jenny Graham

(Kneeling) Aleisha Force, Richard Azurdia, Tarina Pouncy, and Matt Kirkwood

Hill’s Video Design is quite creative and is used as backdrop to support the onstage

Photos: Jenny Graham

Tarina Pouncy, (Mayor Woods) Rob Nagle, (Andy Kramer) Aleisha Force (Megan).

Photos: Jenny Graham

James Harper as the publisher Harold Cain.

action. The photos range from bucolic park

Human Interest, see page 10

20% OFF

OF ANY SERVICE ON YOUR FIRST VISIT 424-293-0335 10929 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, Ca 90025 http://www.mendmemassage.com/ Social Media: @mendmemassage

To u c h - Sq u e e z e M e - M e n d M e Me

10

CENTURY CITY-WESTWOOD NEWS

MAR. 6 – MAR. 19, 2020

OPINION

Candidates Still Not Talking California Issue TOM ELIAS CCWN Columnist

So…, as Elizabeth Warren would start out, the Democrats held a presidential primary debate in California, in the Westchester district of Los Angeles to be specific. And still California issues get virtually no attention on the national scene.

Even now, more than a month after that debate, with ballots appearing soon in mailboxes across the state, there’s still no substantial talk about California issues except from late-coming candidate Michael Bloomberg, the former New York mayor.

Nothing much on homelessness; no creative ideas from any candidate – or from President Trump, for that matter.

Nothing much on wildfire safety, other than condemnations of big privately owned utilities like Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison. No easy-tofollow formulas for buying them up and splitting them into local pieces.

Nothing on offshore oil drilling or fracking; certainly no hints on fighting off Trump administration efforts to expand both in California. Nothing on how to solve the state’s massive housing shortage and affordability crisis. Nothing on charter schools or Trump-spurred threats to national parks and monuments.

Not a word on water or the bullet train, which will go nowhere without more federal funding.

What’s wrong here?

If there’s any real answer to the lack of attention to this one state that will choose far more Democratic nominating convention delegates than any other both in the March 3 Super Tuesday voting and during the entire primary season, it may lie in the way Democrats apportion delegates.

While Republicans employ a winnertake-all system giving almost all of every state’s delegates to whoever gets the most votes in a primary or caucus, even if that candidate only wins a plurality, Democrats employ proportional representation.

So no one running in California’s primary – basically separate elections in each of 53 congressional districts – will get the full pot of 495 delegates. Each district will annoint anywhere from 4 to 7 delegates, split among candidates who get at least 15 percent of the vote in a district.

Another 114 delegates go mainly to the overall statewide winner.

If all California’s Democratic delegates went to that overall winner rather than getting splintered, maybe the likes of Sens.

Warren and Bernard Sanders, ex-Vice President Joe Biden and former Mayors Bloomberg and Pete Buttegieg would be forced to learn about the many issues now shaping lives in California.

But today’s Democratic system doesn’t

SANTA MONICA SINGLE FAMILY HOMES

2212 20th St. 3040 Delaware Ave. 1404 Ashland Ave. 2626 Highland Ave. 2922 Washington Ave. 2602 23rd St. 826 Princeton St. 2343 Ashland Ave. 523 7th St. 507 18th St. 457 23rd St. 37 Haldeman Rd. 347 22nd St. 331 Palisades Ave. 309 21st Pl. 229 22nd St. 451 16th St. 334 25th St. 355 22nd St. 370 21st Pl. 734 18st St. 421 17th St. 308 Alta Ave.

$900,000 $1,250,000 $1,800,000 $1,825,000 $1,900,000 $2,035,000 $2,110,000 $2,115,000 $2,550,000 $3,295,000 $3,300,000 $3,950,000 $3,983,000 $4,000,000 $4,045,000 $4,334,000 $4,400,000 $5,200,000 $5,200,000 $6,177,000 $6,350,000 $6,749,000 $7,350,000

2019 vs. 2018 NUMBER SOLD: 23

MEDIAN PRICE: $3,950,000 UP 41.07%

AVERAGE PRICE: $3,687,739 UP 24.869%

MURRAY A. WEISBERG

A S S O C I AT E M A N A G E R | 2005 P R E S I D E N T B H / G L A A R DRE#00916751

mw729@aol.com w w w.rodeore.com

require this from them. Yes, they’ve become conversant with local candidates and issues in Iowa and New Hampshire, where the earliest votes and caucuses might provide momentum going into Super Tuesday states like California and Texas.

The Democrats crafted their system almost 20 years ago. They wanted to prevent anyone from getting all California’s delegates – or any other state’s – with a mere 25 percent or so of the votes but still beating out competitors who finish barely a percent or two behind in the total vote.

That leaves candidates open to damaging gaffes, like Sanders’ now-revoked endorsement of a far-left candidate in the race to replace Democratic Rep. Katie Hill in the 25th Congressional District stretching from Simi Valley into the High Desert of Los Angeles County. Yes, Cenk Uygur agreed with Sanders on most things, but the podcaster and former conservative has a history of homophobic and sexist rants.

Sanders’ California staff advised him not to endorse, but he did anyway and ran into a buzz saw, then withdrew the

endorsement after barely a day. Would this have happened if Sanders had studied California issues and knew how strong the LGBT and feminist movements are here?

Instead, Sanders, like every other national candidate this year except Bloomberg, has viewed California almost entirely as a cash register, some candidates – like Buttegieg – even going to great lengths to conceal the luxury of several fund-raising venues.

Will this all add up to yet another failed effort to give California more influence in choosing presidents by moving the primary ahead from its traditional June date? It’s too early to tell. For one thing, Bloomberg is concentrating time and money here heavily, hoping to make up for his late start by doing well here. Plus, if the very early small-state primaries yield contradictory results, California can still be a bellwether.

Email Thomas Elias at tdelias@aol.com.

His book, “The Burzynski Breakthrough: The Most Promising Cancer Treatment and the Government’s Campaign to Squelch It,” is now available in a soft cover fourth edition. For more Elias columns, visit www.californiafocus.net

Human Interest,

interesting. It’s as if his profound concerns are in search of a theatrical voice. That said, he deserves “A” for effort in trying to illuminate some of the world’s lifethreatening issues.

UP 53.33%

SPECIALIZING IN WESTSIDE REAL ESTATE & COMPLETE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

310.729.6156

Photo: LAPD Pacific Division (Facebook).

“There’s still no substantial talk about California issues except from late-coming candidate Michael Bloomberg, the former New York mayor. Nothing much on homelessness; no creative ideas from any candidate – or from President Trump, for that matter,” writes Tom Elias.

Rodeo Realty

LOCAL EXPERTISE, GLOBAL

from page 9

scenes to the interior of the luxurious hotel room, to city shots, and a haunting night scene. This device overcame the lack of any real set pieces. Other members of the excellent production team include Jennifer Edwards on lighting design, Shon LeBlanc’s costumes, and Peter Bayne’s original music and sound effects.

Unlike other plays that illuminate social issues through clever story telling, Sachs’ “Human Interest Story” sinks into diatribe much of the time by reciting the domestic and international issues with which we are dealing, from global warming to the war in Afghanistan. It is during those moments that he is on a soapbox, making the play less

The Fountain Theatre 5060 Fountain Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90029 Fridays: Saturdays: Sunday: Mondays: Closing:

Run:

8:00pm 2:00pm & 8:00pm 2:00pm 8:00pm* April 5, 2020

Tickets: $40 Adult, $35 Senior, $25 Student

323.663.1525 or info@fountaintheatre.com *Dark Fri. Feb. 21, & Sat. Feb. 22: 2:00pm

CENTURY CITY-WESTWOOD NEWS

MAR. 6 – MAR. 19, 2020

11

Film Review: “The Painted Bird”

by Whitney scOtt bain

Jerzy Kosinski’s 1965 book inspired by Roman Polanski’s childhood is brought to the screen by Czech director Vaclav Marhoul encompasses everything from his novel at a running time of 2 hours and 49 minutes is not for the squeamish.

Only known as, “the Boy,” (an outstanding, haunting performance by first time actor,Petr Kotlar.) travels the bleak, depressing landscape of a non-descript Eastern European country during World War II. His loneliness and being ostracized by everyone including psychological and physical abuse is disturbing as he encounters a variety of characters in his cross-country odyssey such as superstitious backwards tribes, a Baba Yaga witch/ healer, a jealous, maniacal bread maker (Udo Kier who knows who to present evil incarnate on the screen.), the Bird Man which the title of the film is presented as a game of entertainment, a kindly priest (Harvey Kietel) who unknowingly places the boy in the custody of a perverted, child

molester (Julian Sands), a kind-hearted, German corporal (Stellan Skarsgard) who has orders to shoot him, but allows him to escape and a nymphomaniac woman into bestiality.

When Cossacks attack a rural village and are saved by the Soviet army using American tanks and weapons that were given to them during the war by the U.S., the Boy is adopted as a mascot and taken in by a overzealous, Stalin touting, Communist officer and his sensible, counterpart-incharge, (Barry Pepper in a father-like role for the Boy.) who is also a sniper. He’s also the most interesting, sympathetic character that teaches the Boy after he shoots three village men who killed three of his fellow soldiers that the world is not a good place, that he must learn to take care of himself as he gives him a .45 automatic and to remember, “a tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye.”

The Boy finally meets his father and mother who, in his eyes, feels like they abandoned and betrayed him though they believe doing what they did leaving with him with his aunt was best protecting him

Photo: IMDB

Petr Kotlár in The Painted Bird (2019)

from the savagery of war.

Shot in stark, 35mm black and white, the beautiful cinematography is stunning and Marhoul’s one-take filming presents a contrast between good and evil, but there is very little good to be presented in this movie.

This film, like Pier Passolini’s, Salo: the 120 Days of Sodom and the two Chinese movies, Man Behind the Sun parts one and two (if you can get past the first ten minutes of part two.) should only be seen once, but beware as its nightmarish images will haunt you forever.

Westwood Sinai Temple Disputes Reports of Kirk Douglas Donation

Temple says they haven’t been given cash by tOi creel

The February death of famous Hollywood Actor Kirk Douglas has made national headlines.

Throughout his 103 years Douglas was known not only for his work in Hollywood but

his philanthropic efforts, specifically through his organization the Douglas Foundation which “aims to help those who cannot otherwise help themselves”.

The Douglas foundation gives to many, some of the beneficiaries including West LA organizations such as Westwood’s Sinai Temple, which holds the Kirk and Anne Douglas Childhood Centre. There’s also Culver City’s

50BRAZILIAN sqft 50 SQFT GRANITE SLABS GRANITE SLABS FROM $300/SLAB $200/SLAB 50 SQFT ITALIAN 50 sqft MARBLE WHITE CARRARA WHITE CARRARA SLABS MARBLE SLAB $999/SLAB FROM $700/SLAB

While supplies last

UNIVERSAL TILE & MARBLE, INC. Tel 310-451-1900/ Fax: 310-394-1800 www.utminc.us

YOUR NO 1 SOURCE FOR NATURAL AND ENGINEERED STONES

1431 Colorado Avenue (corner 15th Street) Santa Monica, CA 90404 Stocking Distributor for Silestone and Dekton

Kirk and Anne Douglas outside Culver City’s Kirk Douglas Theatre.

Kirk Douglas Theatre. The theatre had fallen into disuse but was remodeled and turned into a live performance venue.

While recent reports have claimed $60 million of his estate has been left to philanthropic efforts, Century City Westwood News contacted both organizations, both of whom said they have not received any money from his Douglas’ estate.

According to Sinai Temple Executive Director Howard Lesner, what’s being reported is speculation and that there has been no money donated to the Temple.

Photo: Center Theatre Group.

The news of Douglas’s deaths was confirmed via social media by his son, Michael Kirk Douglas who wrote in part on his Instagram: “To the world he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to.

But to me and my brothers Joel and Peter he was simply Dad, to Catherine, a wonderful father-in-law, to his grandchildren and great grandchild their loving grandfather, and to his wife Anne, a wonderful husband,”

12

CENTURY CITY-WESTWOOD NEWS

MAR. 6 – MAR. 19, 2020

Local decisions.

Local commitment.

Solutions with extraordinary attention to detail.

Santa Monica | Century City | Beverly Hills | Downtown Los Angeles | San Fernando Valley 1cbank.com | MAIN 310-270-9500 Member FDIC

1CB0131 - Century City News Ad Back Cover Local 2017.indd 1

A division of MidFirst Bank

1/29/20 12:40 PM