PVT
INDEPENDENCE, Calif. — The owners of the Amargosa Cafe, next to the Amargosa Opera House and hotel in Death Valley Junction, will appear in California Superior Court here at 1 p.m. Wednesday, in an attempt to reopen their business.
Larry and Theresa Cantwell, who own A-Valley Enterprises LLC, opened the Amargosa Cafe, in May 2009. The Cantwells moved their restaurant equipment from Colorado.
The complaint alleges on Dec. 30, 2010 Richard Regnell, director of operations at the Amargosa Opera House and hotel, entered the Amargosa Cafe, took possession of personal property, equipment and inventory, the cash register and credit card machines, $1,000 in cash, credit card slips and physically barred the Cantwells from entering the premises.
The complaint alleges Regnell verbally threatened them to prevent them from recovering possession.
After Regnell entered the Amargosa Cafe and changed the locks, the Cantwells contacted the Inyo County Sheriff’s Department Jan. 2, who advised them to pursue civil remedies, the complaint said.
“Plaintiff has no adequate remedy at law for the injuries currently being suffered as it will be impossible for plaintiff to determine the precise amount of damage that they will suffer if defendant’s conduct is not restrained,” the complaint said.
The Cantwells ask for a judgment against Regnell; a temporary restraining order and injunction barring Regnell and his agents from entering the Amargosa Cafe or interfering with their business; allowing Amargosa Cafe patrons to use the Amargosa Opera House and hotel restrooms; the immediate return of all restaurant property, inventory, computers, credit card machine, cash, credit card slips, payroll records and inventory records; $10,000 in damages and attorneys’ fees.
Regnell couldn’t be reached for comment.
Sandy Scheller, who was putting on a tribute to Marta Becket at the Amargosa Opera House entitled, “If These Walls Could Talk,” put on her last show Dec. 26. She blamed the cancellation on a dispute with Regnell.
Becket, 86, is nursing broken bones and no longer dances in performances she began at the Amargosa Opera House after settling in Death Valley Junction in 1967.
Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist John L. Smith reported Inyo County social services was recently called to Death Valley Junction to check on Becket’s well being.
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- Marta Becket
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- PVT FILE PHOTO – The interior of the Amargosa Opera House, was painted by Marta Becket, a former dancer on Broadway, who performed for years on the opera house stage.
It doesn’t surprise me that Board Members knew, but didn’t take action. Hopefully the investigation will shed light on their complacency. What concerns me is that in addition to the Director of Operations, there appears to be other individual(s) of questionable character inserting themselves in this situation. Who they are is becoming increasingly obvious on the new Amargosa Opera House Facebook page. Those individual(s) are writing comments that are clearly a form of damage control.
Amargosa Opera House Facebook page.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amargosa-Opera-House/169547653089689
Well, court is Monday, 2 p.m. and we’ll see what happens then. It’s also rumored that law enforcement, at a higher level than the local sheriff’s office, is now involved.
Not only are the people “of questionable character” showing up on that Facebook site, they are allegedly taking up residence, rent free, at the Hotel.
What is of concern is that some of the board members, and others involved, claim to be friends, some for many years, of Ms. Becket, yet they have allowed this situation to grow to where it is today, abandoning this 86 year old woman, who, strong-willed as she might be, is basically helpless.
It’s been rumored that Marta Becket will return again to Independence on Monday, to be in the courtroom, possibly as a witness regarding the Amargosa Cafe civil suit (will it become criminal?). I wonder what she’ll have to say.
Will she be there as a volunteer, or as a victim of kidnapping and brainwash?
I guess we’ll have to wait and see. May justice prevail.
Ah, you’re seeing what I’m seeing on Facebook too. Interesting that one of the members supporting the Director of Operations at the Amargosa Opera House, is in line to take over one of the last privately owned parcels in Death Valley, located just over the hill from the Amargosa Opera House. Odd. I can’t imagine why anyone would risk their professional reputation by aligning themselves with the Director of Operations of the Amargosa Opera House.
I feel so badly for Ms. Becket.
Yes, may justice prevail.
We’ll see what happened in court today. I did not attend, but know those who did and may be able to post what I find out.
Please do keep us informed on the proceedings!
Is there anybody here who was at court who could update us on what happened? Was there anybody from the ousted board of directors there? was there anybody to represent Ms. Becket other than the director of operations? Is the judge still sick of the director of operations? What other members of the director of operations gang members were there?
Strange to see all of this going on. I know the “Director” personally and can only say BAD things about him. I hope for all involved that the outcome of this whole situation is a good one. I hope he gets what’s coming to him and I hope that poor woman is saved.
It seems that guests are sensing something is wrong there too. Here’s a recent comment I found on Trip Advisor below.
Trip Advisor:
““Something creepy was going on at the Amargosa, and it wasn’t the ghosts.
I consistently felt like the man who was running the hotel (and the opera house) was running some kind of racket. We are not picky travelers. In fact, we like to stay in quirky places. This went off the map with quirky on several levels.
We had called ahead to ensure Marta Beckett was going to perform, so we are one of the few reviewers on this site who actually saw her. What I saw was the manager and his girlfriend basically running a racket with the remainder of something that used to be wonderful 50 years ago. Ms. Beckett was escorted to a seat by the manager (who had eagerly taken money for tickets from everyone). She then sang bits and parts from various plays she had written years ago, with about an hour total of chatting/singing. I was torn between admiring Marta and feeling absurdly sorry for her and what seems to be her situation. After about an hour, the manager hauled her off stage and we were left to return to our rooms.”
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60787-d312319-Reviews-Amargosa_Opera_House_Hotel-Death_Valley_Junction_Death_Valley_National_Park_California.html
Ya the Director of Operations has been causing trouble throwing his weight around and harassing people in the aria since he got there. Marta might have a Stockholm syndrome type of thing or simply be deceived. This guy Regnell is a low life he cheats every one his ex con buddys living at the hotel will find this out soon enough.
I am not surprised to hear about this Director of Operations. My husband and I had a very bad feeling about him the first time we met him. We were at the cemetary putting flowers on a grave of a friend when he came along on his scooter and asked what we were doing there. He was polite enough but there was a very distinct feeling about him that he didn’t like us there and wanted to know who we were. We have known Marta for years and the person buried there but this Rich was very definitely territorial. He stood there while we attended the grave and kept inquiring about who we were. We didn’t tell him. We were uncomfortable with his presence. I can’t even reach Marta anymore and I used to visit with her over cake and coffee. He is a very unattractive persona. But Marta hired him to take care of the place and be a protector. She has the power to get rid of him. But if he is taking care of her needs she would hesitate to do so. But this man needs to go.