AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE FOR GRAND VIEW CEMETERY GATES WILL REMAIN CLOSED UNLESS BUYER IS FOUND.Byline: JASON Jason, in Greek mythology Jason, in Greek mythology, son of Aeson. When Pelias usurped the throne of Iolcus and killed (or imprisoned) Aeson and most of his descendants, Jason was smuggled off to the centaur Chiron, who reared him secretly on Mt. Pelion. KANDEL Staff Writer GLENDALE -- Grand View Memorial Park, whose owner is accused of improperly disposing of thousands of cremated remains, will be closed indefinitely unless a new owner comes forward to buy it. The 121-year-old cemetery locked its gates Tuesday after talk of a closure had mounted during the last few weeks. Its interim operator, Moshe Goldsman, had originally said he planned to close the site May 30, then pushed it back to June 8. He managed to keep it open a few more days, but said he can no longer afford the $40,000 to $50,000 a month for mortgage, insurance, utility bills and salaries for about a dozen employees. On Wednesday, he was referring residents who have loved ones loved ones npl → seres mpl queridos loved ones npl → proches mpl et amis chers loved ones love npl buried or who have purchased plots at Grand View to call either the state Department of Consumer Affairs or attorney Myles Mattenson, who represents Grand View owner Marsha Howard. The 25-acre property at 1341 Glenwood Road has 112,000 spaces for interments, including burial plots and wall crypts. Forest Lawn Forest Lawn is the name of a number of different places:
n. A place, especially a funeral home, where dead bodies are kept before burial or cremation. , based in Glendale, has offered to assist the Department of Consumer Affairs in finding alternate locations for those who could be locked out of Grand View. ``Forest Lawn is saddened by the unfortunate circumstances that have presently put the future of Grand View Memorial Park in question,'' Forest Lawn spokesman William Martin William Martin can refer to:
Mattenson did not return a call seeking comment. Howard could not be reached. Water and electricity at the cemetery will remain on month-to-month to maintain the grounds and for security at night, but how long is unclear, Glendale Senior Assistant City Attorney Mike Grant said. Meanwhile, Grand View is up for sale, and even though several unidentified parties are interested, no offers have been made, said Doug Meyer, an attorney who represents Grand View's owners in their effort to sell the business. A sale price has not been advertised. ``We are waiting for offers,'' said Meyer, adding that a typical business sale can take up to 90 days, and six additional months for the state to issue the new owner a license to operate the cemetery. ``Cemeteries present unique opportunities and unique problems. It takes experienced operators to run a cemetery. A sale of a cemetery I would characterize as rare.'' The state Department of Consumer Affairs alleges Howard illegally resold already purchased graves, illegally disposed of remains and removed human remains, said Kevin Flanagan Kevin Flanagan was a computer programmer who worked for The Bank of America in Concord, California, USA. Flanagan committed suicide in the parking lot of Bank of America's Concord Technology Center after he and colleagues were laid off in April 2003. , a spokesman with the Consumer Affairs Department. Howard is due in an administrative court hearing June 27 to determine whether her operator's license will be revoked. Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. county prosecutors recently dismissed felony felony (fĕl`ənē), any grave crime, in contrast to a misdemeanor, that is so declared in statute or was so considered in common law. and misdemeanor misdemeanor, in law, a minor crime, in contrast to a felony. At common law a misdemeanor was a crime other than treason or a felony. Although it might be a grave offense, it did not affect the feudal bond or take away the offender's property. By the 19th cent. charges stemming from the state's investigation. Meanwhile, the closure tore at the hearts of family members, who for years have brought flowers to the graves of loved ones, swept off dust from grave markers and reminisced about the times they had together. ``They have no right to close,'' said Eleanor Moschetti, 63, a retired owner of a travel agency who has six family members buried at Grand View. ``The place where your loved ones are buried, that's a sacred place (Civil Law) the place where a deceased person is buried. See also: Sacred . It's sacrilegious sac·ri·le·gious adj. 1. Grossly irreverent toward what is or is held to be sacred. 2. Having committed sacrilege. sac almost. They can't do that. How can they have the nerve to do that?'' jason.kandel(at)dailynews.com (818) 546-3306 WHO TO CALL For information on the status of Grand View Memorial Park, call the state Department of Consumer Affairs Cemetery and Funeral Bureau at (916) 574-7870. CAPTION(S): box Box: WHO TO CALL (see text) |
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