Chamber Testifies on Runaway
Production
Chamber
President & CEO Leron Gubler testified this week
before the Assembly Select Committee on the
Preservation of California’s Entertainment
Industry about the impact of runaway
production. The hearing was held at IATSE Local
80. Gubler noted that there is not a
business in Hollywood that is not impacted
directly or indirectly by productions leaving
the state for filming. He said that the Chamber
has been traveling to Sacramento and Washington
for more than 10 years seeking action, and he noted
that he had never seen the business community so
discouraged as this year by the inaction of the
State Legislature. He asked the committee to
work with the industry to clear the roadblocks
in the legislature to secure passage of
meaningful legislation. The hearing was attended
by numerous entertainment representatives, who
pointed out the loss of revenue to workers as
well as the loss of tax revenue to the State. The issue will be further explored on Sept. 26th
at the Chamber’s annual Entertainment Industry
Luncheon.
Send a
Message to Sacramento:
Do Something About Runaway Production!
 Hollywood
Chamber members will have an opportunity on
September 26th to send a message to the State
Legislature that we are dissatisfied with the
State’s lack of action. The Chamber will be
sponsoring its annual Entertainment Industry
Luncheon featuring the theme: Sacramento and
Hollywood – Can the Gap be Closed? Steve
MacDonald of FilmL.A., Inc. will moderate a
panel that will discuss the topic. Panelists
will include Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas, Chair
of the Senate Subcommittee on Professional
Sports and Entertainment Industry, Assemblymember Paul Krekorian,
Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on
Preservation of the Entertainment Industry, and
Assemblymember Michael Feuer, Stan Brooks of the
California Film Commission, Kent McCord of the Screen Actors Guild,
and Lisa Rawlins of Warner Bros. Also being
honored for his contribution to the industry
will be Johnny Grant. Tickets to the luncheon
are $75 for members and reserved tables of 10
are available for $800. Help send a message to
Sacramento by attending this luncheon.
Reservations can be made by going to the Chamber
website:
www.hollywoodchamber.net.
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Reserve Here
Annual Tooth Fairy Rewards
at Famous Hollywood Dental Care.
Retail
Attraction Committee Looks at Impacts of Street
Construction
 The
Retail Attraction Committee, chaired by Laurie
Goldman of GO! Goldman Organization, met this week with City officials to
gain a better understanding of how the City’s
website works that tracks construction.
Committee members were concerned about the
impact of three major projects that will all be
under construction simultaneously by next year. Lem Paco of the Bureau of Engineering
demonstrated the City’s Public Way Reservation
System (PWRS) that allows anyone to monitor
construction activities on a daily basis by
going to
www.lacity.org. The committee was impressed
with the detail of information that is
accessible to the public and will consider
sponsoring a workshop at a later date for
Chamber members to learn to use the City
website.
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Reserve Here
KBKG reduces
taxes with Enterprise Zone Tax Credits
The Red Pearl is
a Gem for Cultured "A-LIST-ers"
 On
Tuesday the Red Pearl Kitchen Hollywood played
host to the A-LIST, the Chamber’s monthly mixer
for young professionals. Located at 6703
Melrose Ave., Red Pearl Kitchen was created by
the same duo responsible for the Roosevelt
Hotel’s Dakota Restaurant and 25 Degrees’
gourmet burgers. Guests were treated to
numerous samplings of upscale dim sum and some
of the town’s best cocktails amidst a stylish
mix of ancient Chinese culture and trend-setting
design. The venue's intimate lounge served
as the gathering place for the
evening’s program, which included an introduction
to the world of wine by Adam Leemon, Red Pearl
sommelier and recognized wine expert. Call
(323) 525-1415 for information and reservations.
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Members Take 15-20% Off with I&A Dry Cleaners:
Call 323-953-9988
Foxx Adds
Walk of Fame to Accomplishments
 Oscar®
winner Jamie Foxx was honored with a Hollywood
Walk of Fame star last week and was greeted by a
tremendous crowd of adoring fans on Hollywood
Boulevard. Foxx arrived in style by limo with
his daughter and friends and family. Universal
President and COO Ron Meyer was one of the
speakers and Hollywood’s Honorary Mayor Johnny
Grant, who emceed the ceremony, proclaimed it
“Jamie Foxx Day in Hollywood.” Grant remarked
that Foxx is a multi-talented individual, who
would actually qualify in each of the five Walk
of Fame categories, due to his huge body of
work.
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Kiecker Returns to
Chamber
 The
Hollywood Chamber is pleased to announce that
Kaylee Kiecker, a former Chamber employee for
several years, has returned to take over the new
role of Vice President of Marketing and Business
Development. Among her new responsibilities,
Kiecker will serve as the staff liaison to the
Tourism Committee.
Tourism Committee
Grapples with Costumed Characters
The Tourism Committee met this week and
discussed the challenges and safety concerns
presented by the proliferation of unlicensed CD
vendors and costumed characters on Hollywood
Boulevard. Hollywood’s Neighborhood Prosecutor,
Deputy City Attorney Will Rivera, explained to
the committee that,
in most cases,
these “entertainers” are not violating street
vending ordinances. However, they can be overly
aggressive and, with masks on, pose a security
threat to the Boulevard. Although each
entertainer/vendor is required to carry proper
ID and is regularly checked by local officers,
new efforts are being made to create an
ordinance which does not allow full-face masks.
The City Attorney's Office, along with the
Hollywood Entertainment District BID, is also looking
into the possibility of creating a program that
would be similar to the Venice Beach Boardwalk
Public Expression Permit Program. This would
allow Hollywood to have more control over the
process by setting rules regarding the number of
entertainers on the Boulevard at any one time,
setting aside specific areas for their public
expression, and creating rules of conduct.
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Free
business counseling at the Hollywood Chamber
Offered by the Service Corps of Retired
Executives (SCORE)
Richard Krelstein, a retired business
turn-around specialist
Consulting services will be available most
Fridays 9:30 - 11:30 am
To schedule an
appointment, call Vivian at (323)469-8311.
Hollywood & Highland Center
Shuttle Service for WICKED
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