Experts Emphasize Flaws in Metro's Westside Subway Studies

If Metro decides to route a subway under Beverly Hills High School, it will be faced with a lawsuit to prevent tunneling under the campus.

Geologists hired by the Beverly Hills Unified School District argued Thursday that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is using flawed studies to support a subway route that requires tunneling under Beverly Hills High School to reach Century City. The controversial route is part of the proposed Westside Subway Extension, an expansion of the Purple Line to Beverly Hills, Century City, Westwood and the Veterans Administration Medical Center. The allegations that Metro is relying on faulty data were made during a public hearing before Metro's Board of Directors. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who chairs the board, said the purpose of the hearing was to allow Beverly Hills the chance to present evidence and testimony regarding …

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The Notebook

California State Budget Cuts Could Affect BHUSD Programs

Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed budget revision could end up cutting billions in education funding.

With a plea to voters to accept tax hikes, Gov. Jerry Brown proposed steep cuts across a variety of programs Monday to close a nearly $16 billion state budget deficit. Public education from kindergarten though college could see billions in cuts, pending voter approval of tax hikes this November. The fiscal year starts July 1. "We're going to have to cut deeper," the Democratic governor said in Sacramento while releasing his annual budget revision. "I'm linking these serious budget reductions—real increased austerity—with a plea to the voters: Please increase taxes temporarily on the most affluent and everyone else with a quarter-of-a-cent sales tax." Brown said the state's budget deficit ballooned to $15.7 billion since January, when it …

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Registration Now Open for Beverly Hills Summer Academy

Summer enrichment courses are available for K-12 students.

Registration is now open for the Beverly Hills Summer Academy, which offers K-12 students enrichment courses in academics, arts and athletics. Proceeds from the summer academy go toward the Beverly Hills Education Foundation, a nonprofit that helps fund extracurricular programs and staff members at all five city schools. To make the summer courses a success, the BHEF works hand-in-hand with Beverly Hills Unified School District principals and officials. Summer courses for K-8 students are held at El Rodeo School with more than 35 classes offered. "We have developed a roster of classes that will engage students in core academic subjects such as math, science and English in fun, creative ways," said Kevin Painter, who heads the K-8 program…

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The Notebook

BHEF Recognizes Apple Ball Recipients, Donor

The education foundation is honoring eight district employees and a local supporter at its annual spring fundraiser.

Eight Beverly Hills Unified School District employees and one family are being honored by the Beverly Hills Education Foundation this month at the Apple Ball. The event is the biggest annual fundraiser for the BHEF, a nonprofit group that pays for extracurricular programs and staff members at all five city schools. The Apple Ball honors one teacher from each of the K-8 schools and two Beverly Hills High School teachers. One BHUSD administrator and one classified employee are also honored, along with a private BHEF supporter. The foundation’s honorees were introduced to the community last week at the Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive, which donated the reception. “We thank these hard-working teachers and staff members for all of their dedication to …

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L.A. Times Calls Beverly Hills PTA Subway Video 'Dramatic'

The video was paid for by Beverly Hills' umbrella PTA organization as part of their fight against routing the Westside Subway Extension under the city's high school.

A Los Angeles Times article quotes an engineer featured in a Beverly Hills PTA Council YouTube video depicting flames engulfing the city's high school as "over the top." The video titled No Subway Under BHHS was posted in late April. It warns viewers of the possibility of methane gas explosions at Beverly Hills High School should the Metropolitan Transportation Authority tunnel under the campus, which sits on an oil field. The Times article quotes an engineer hired by the Beverly Hills Unified School District who is featured in the video: The PTA Council video has more than 6,000 views as of Monday. At the end of the video, viewers are asked to sign a petition to stop a subway from going under BHHS. The ability to leave comments about the …

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zymonyaz

10:06 am on Friday, May 11, 2012

Simon: Greater Los Angeles is not laughing at BH. Perhaps you may think that because you only read LA Times editorial section and not real news coverage. If you did, you would see that the rest of the local media covering this imporant issue, including the LA Times news staff, seem to be taking it a lot more serious and are aware of Metro's shenanigans. If anyone should be concerned about …   more ›

Beverly Hills Releases Notice of Public Hearing With Metro

The Metro Board of Directors has scheduled its hearing with Beverly Hills for 1:30 p.m. May 17.

The following is a press release from the City of Beverly Hills. NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority The Board of Directors of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) will hold a public hearing at the time and location described below. This hearing is being held pursuant to California Public Utilities Code sections 30639-30645, in response to the request for hearing filed by the City Council of the City of Beverly Hills on April 23, 2012. TIME: Thursday, May 17, 2012, 1:30 p.m.  PLACE: Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Boardroom  One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012 The subject matter of this hearing is Metro’s proposal to fix the location…

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Metro Board Hearing Set; Beverly Hills Hires Attorney

The Gilchrist & Rutter law firm will represent Beverly Hills at a May 17 Metro board hearing as the city attempts to stop the Westside Subway Extension from going under BHHS.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors has set the public hearing requested by Beverly Hills regarding the Westside Subway Extension for 1:30 p.m. May 17. Beverly Hills has hired attorney Robert McMurry of Gilchrist & Rutter to represent the city in its objection to Metro's plan to tunnel under Beverly Hills High School as part of the subway extension. "The purpose of this hearing is to introduce evidence, including oral testimony, regarding the reasonableness of the Metro proposals," according to a Beverly Hills press release. Metro's proposed plan would extend its Purple Line to stops in Beverly Hills, Century City, Westwood and the Veterans Administration Medical Center west of the 405 Freeway. The subway line …

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