– San Fernando Valley Haggen Food & Pharmacy, a Bellingham, Wash. grocery chain, is buying more than 83 Albertsons, Pavilions and Vons stores in California, of which there are more than 30 in the greater Valley. The purchases are the result of a diversification required by the Federal Trade Commissions after reviewing the $7.6 billion merger of Albertsons LLC and Safeway Inc., announced in March. In the merger, all outstanding shares of Safeway were acquired by AB Acquisitions, owner of Albertsons LLC, which is controlled by Cerebus Capital Management. Burbank San Fernando Valley movie studios grossed more than $4.2 billion at the domestic box office in 2014, or 41 percent of Hollywood’s market share. In total, the U.S. box office hit $10.2 billion, down 6.4 percent from last year, according to Burbank movie reporting service Box Office Mojo. L.A.’s 20th Century Fox was the top studio of the year with $1.8 billion in revenue. Walt Disney Co., in Burbank, led the pack of four Valley-based studios with $1.6 billion in box office revenue from 17 movies. That included animated smash “Frozen” held over from 2013, and break-out summer hit “Guardians of the Galaxy,” the top grossing movie domestically for the year at more than $332 million. The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority spent $50,000 to hire Anyone Collective, a South Pasadena marketing firm, to improve awareness of Burbank Bob Hope Airport. The airport has seen a decline in passenger counts as major airlines consolidate operations at big airports. The authority is considering using Hollywood-Burbank Airport as a new marketing identifier while retaining the airfield’s existing legal name. Anyone Collective, founded in 1998, has had clients that included Warner Bros., NBCUniversal Inc. and Walt Disney Co. Michael Riley, a former Walt Disney Co. executive, was named chief executive of KCETLink Media Group, owner of independent public television station KCET-TV. Riley is the fourth chief executive in the 50 year history of KCET, headquarteredd in March he would be stepping down after 18 years with the station. Riley was president of cable channel ABC Family at Disney and helped it become the No. 1 network in primetime among young women. He also served as senior vice president and general manager of Radio Disney. The CW Network has reached an affiliation agreement with broadcaster Media General Inc. that covers 16 markets in the U.S. The Burbank network, a joint venture of Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corp., will continue to have affiliates in 14 states that are owned Media General, in Richmond, Va. The markets covered include Texas, Michigan, North Carolina, Colorado and Hawaii. WISH-TV in Indianapolis has been added as a new station. Canoga Park The California Department of Public Health issued an alert after an adult performer tested positive for HIV and infected at least one other performer at a Nevada film shoot. The Dec. 29 alert recommends that adult film performers use condoms and that the production companies require on-set condom usage. Supporters of mandatory condom use in adult films cited the Nevada case as an example of why the industry needs to be more tightly regulated. But the Free Speech Coalition, a Canoga Park adult industry trade group, said mandating condom usage has actually caused more health dangers by encouraging shooting outside California where testing protocols are less rigorous. Glendale Two successful film producers for DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. have been named as co-presidents of feature animation, replacing the former animation chief at the Glendale studio. Bonnie Arnold and Mireille Soria will oversee the creative development and production for theatrical releases. They are replacing Bill Damaschke who served as chief creative officer since 2011. The pair have produced a combined eight films for DreamWorks – Soria the “Madagascar” films and Arnold the two “How to Train Your Dragon” films. The change follows disappointing box office results that have prompted the studio to take write downs on three films in the past two years. Sherman Oaks Serviz, a provider of on-demand home services, received a second round of funding of $12.5 million led by PointGuard Ventures, a Menlo Park venture capital firm. The Sherman Oaks company has now received a total of $20 million in the five months since its launch in Los Angeles and Orange counties. Serviz provides an online platform to schedule and pay for handymen, plumbing and electrical work, carpet cleaning and appliance repair. The company, which has a network of licensed professionals, was co-founded by Zorik Gordon, founder and former chief executive of ReachLocal Inc., a Woodland Hills online marketing company. Sylmar Tutor Perini Corp. will receive a nearly $190 million settlement from the owners of the CityCenter project in Las Vegas over a 48-story hotel that never opened due to alleged construction flaws. The Sylmar construction company was the general contractor on the Harmon hotel, which was to be a showpiece of the 67-acre development that opened in 2009 and features other hotels, a casino and a shopping mall with restaurants. Owners MGM Resorts International and CityCenter Holdings halted construction at 26 stories but Tutor Perini denied the hotel was unsafe and the dispute ended in court. The agreement was reached on the eve of trial in Las Vegas. The hotel is currently being demolished. Woodland Hills The Warner Center location of the upscale Kate Mantilini restaurant closed Dec. 23. The Owensmouth Avenue eatery was the last of the chain’s locations. Its Beverly Hills restaurant closed in June after 27 years in business when a new lease could not be negotiated. Difficulty in reaching new terms with landlord Douglas Emmett Inc. also prompted the closing of the Valley restaurant. Restaurant manager Omar Romero told the Los Angeles Daily News that he was unable to negotiate a less expensive lease as sales declined at the restaurant. The restaurant opened in 2003 and was operated by brothers Adam and David Lewis, whose parents founded the Hamburger Hamlet chain. – Conejo Valley Westlake Village LTC Properties Inc. is raising $24.5 million through a private offering amid a big expansion with a strategic partner. The Westlake Village real estate investment trust, which primarily owns nursing homes and medical offices, is selling 600,000 shares of common stock at $41.50 a share to RREEF America, a Chicago affiliate of RREEF Property Trust. The proceeds will be used to pay down existing debt, general corporate purchases and to fund acquisitions, development and other investments. LTC said it has entered a partnership with Senior Lifestyle Corp., a Chicago-based owner and operator of senior housing. – Santa Clarita Valley Valencia Princess Cruises debuted its first float in the Rose Parade on Jan. 1 as part of its 50th-anniversary celebration. The Santa Clarita line’s “50 Years of Inspiring Travel” float, in the shape of a cruise ship, featured six original cast members of the former ABC television show, “The Love Boat,” who rode at the bow for the five-mile Pasadena parade route. Princess, a unit of Carnival Corp. & plc, of Miami, scored a huge marketing coup when two of its boats served as sets for the popular Aaron Spelling comedy series that ran from 1977 to 1987. – Simi Valley Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Leigh Nixon announced that she is stepping down this spring after 16 years of service. Nixon joined the chamber in April 1999 after serving at the Santa Clarita, Palmdale and Temecula chambers of commerce. She also was the president of the Simi Valley Education foundation for nearly 15 years. “I’m excited to be retired with my husband after 30 years, but on the other hand this is really sad because this has been my home,” said Nixon, 62. “(But) you have to go sometime; it’s inevitable.” – Around the Valleys To be considered for publication, submissions should be emailed to [email protected]. Please put ATV in the subject line. For more information, call (818) 316-3123.
