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City Hall transport staffers want to hear from you about proposed changes to the Glendale Beeline bus system. Among the route changes is the "Buzz" -- a runabout connecting the Metrolink station and Stocker by way of Brand and Central -- Glendale's answer to Downtown LA's DASH, scheduled to run during peak times. Download a meeting flyer and the proposed route map here.
Public meeting begins tonight at 6 p.m. at City Hall council chambers.
A note in Burbank's showbiz history -- excerpt via AP.
PORTSMOUTH, Va. - Tommy Newsom, the former backup bandleader on "The Tonight Show" whose "Mr. Excitement" nickname was a running joke for Johnny Carson, has died. He was 78.Newsom died of cancer Saturday at his home in Portsmouth, the city of his birth, according to his nephew, Jim Newsom.
Newsom, who played saxophone, joined "The Tonight Show" in 1962 and rose from band member to assistant music director. He retired along with Carson in 1992.
Update 4 p.m. -- Here's an article by Jim Newsom on his uncle from 2003, and a wikipedia entry.
Another day, another leaked memo to LAObserved about the whole Times-Arax-Armenian Genocide flap -- this time from Mark Arax, the Armenian-American senior staff writer at the center of this mess.
BURBANK -- A fire at John Burroughs High School has led to a campus-wide evacuation, fire officials said.
The fire at the basement of the school auditorium was reported about 11:30 a.m. at 1920 Clark Avenue, Burbank Fire Capt. Ron Bell said.
No injuries have been reported. Firefighters were working to extinguish the flames, and the preliminary cause of the blaze appears to be electrical, Bell said.
Update 1:47 p.m. -- Fire's out, but students are being held on campus until the end of the school day. The auditorium basement contains electrical equipment and backup batteries for the school's computer systems, and so a Hazmat crew has been notified. Power remains out in parts of the campus.
A couple more items from the weekend:
Relive Burbank on Parade at this Daily News Photo Gallery.
New week, new distractions...
Otherwise, fairly quiet so far -- why don't we take a look back at our Armenian Genocide multimedia coverage last week here -- videos, words, pictures and more! Happy Monday.
Grand View Memorial Park blogger Lisa Burks talks to Bob Garcin, who served on the City Council from 1975 to 1983, about disintering his father and stepmother from the troubled cemetery. Edwin Thomas Garcin died on May 20, 1954 and Lucille Norman Garcin followed Jan. 2, 1966.
"I'm thankful that they are in urns and not caskets," Garcin said. "I don't know if I'd be doing a disinterment if it was a casket. I don't think I could go through that."
More here at valleynews.com.
Daily News columnist Dennis McCarthy attends the wedding of Howard Hull and Kristen Word, who went through with their nuptials despite a recent accident involving 4,000 volts of electricity...
Howard, the groom, was standing outside in the hallway with his best man, an IV line carrying medication into his left hand to keep the circulation going.The apprentice line mechanic for the Burbank Water and Power Department touched a couple of electrical lines a week and a half ago that were supposed to have been de-energized. They weren't.
More than 4,000 volts of electricity entered Howard's body through his chin and exited through his left hand, basically blowing off two fingertips.
...
The couple could have postponed the wedding until Howard got out of the hospital in a week or so. But when you've been zapped by 4,000 volts and are still around to talk about it, it puts things in perspective, Howard says.
"It makes you realize some things are important; others are not. Kristen showed me incredible love and strength through all this."
You mean I have to do one of these every (week)day?
Buena Vista, of coruse, is the street in Burbank where Disney is headquartered.
And it's really the congressman blogging back there, according to his press secretary Sean Oblack -- "It is still a work in progress but I think it is working out pretty well so far. The challenge for me is pushing him to post
regularly enough."
William Shatner's Wells Fargo Hollywood Charity Horse Show enters its 17th year of fundraising with a roof-raising, spectacular affair on Saturday April 28, 2007 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, 480 Riverside Drive, Burbank, California. Guests will be treated to an exciting professional event by Equine Extremist, Tommie Turvey and Karen Turvey-Marshall, followed by an entertaining western dinner with a special LIVE performance by Grammy-winning recording legends, Riders In The Sky. ...
Proceeds from the event will benefit special-needs children across the City of Los Angeles through local charities: Ahead With Horses and Camp Max Straus Foundation. ...
Doors open at 4 p.m.
And how could another day go by without more on the Times-spiking-Mark-Arax's-Armenian-Genocide-story-community-outrage hulabaloo?
Frantz was a longtime correspondent based in Istanbul for both The New York Times and the L.A. Times. As Sassounian noted, Frantz is scheduled to be back in Istanbul next month to moderate a panel for the International Press Institute’s World Congress that is titled, “Turkey: Sharing the Democratic Experience.” Among the panelists is Andrew Mango, who Sassounian describes as a “notorious genocide denialist.”And then there’s the matter of Frantz’s coverage of the Armenian genocide while at The New York Times. In January 2001 the paper ran a correction on Frantz's reporting, for downplaying the genocide. A month later, the Armenian National Committee of America put out an action alert again accusing Frantz of downplaying the genocide and casting it as merely an Armenian allegation. The paper never ran a second correction. Frantz joined the L.A. Times as a reporter in Istanbul, brought on by his friend, then-managing editor Dean Baquet, who left the paper in spectacular fashion late last year and then rejoined The New York Times.
Excerpt from the O'Shea memo:
First of all, the allegation that the story was killed is not true. Doug Frantz did place a hold on the story about a pending congressional resolution in which the Congress would recognize as genocide the massive deaths of Armenians at the hands of Ottoman Turks. The editorial policy of this paper is to recognize the Armenian genocide as a historical fact, although the Turkish government does not.
The story in question was sent back to the department from which it emanated for additional reporting and because of concerns by Doug that the story, as written, might be in violation of the ethics policy of the Los Angeles Times. This was not because of the ethnicity of the reporter but because the policy prohibits reporters from covering stories if they have taken a position or some action that could appear to compromise their objectivity. There is no implication here that Armenians can't cover the Armenian community or that other ethnic groups can't do likewise.
Excerpt from letter rebutting Hernandez' piece, from Times Asst. Managing Editor Simon K.C. Li:
Daniel: May I please set the record straight on one portion of your article about The Times, the repetition of a nasty innuendo from Harut Sassounian's piece urging that Managing Editor Doug Frantz be fired over Mark Arax's accusations.I refer to this passage: "As Sassounian noted, Frantz is scheduled to be back in Istanbul next month to moderate a panel for the International Press Institute's World Congress that is titled, "Turkey: Sharing the Democratic Experience." Among the panelists is Andrew Mango, who Sassounian describes as a "notorious genocide denialist."
...
The facts are these: As one of three vice chairmen of the International Press Institute, I put Doug's name forward last spring as a journalist who might help us by taking part in the program of the organization's annual world congress, precisely because of his knowledge of Turkey. I specifically suggested that we invite novelist Orhan Pamuk, who was later awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, and ask Doug to interview him one-on-one.The IPI host committee in Turkey, at the strong urging of the IPI Secretariat in Vienna, accepted the basic idea, adding another Turkish writer Elif Shafak for the congress' opening session. Doug duly received an invitation to act as interviewer of these two writers. Both of them, it's relevant to note, have been subject to legal action and personal threats precisely because they have written or spoken urging their countrymen to change the majority view about the Armenian genocide. Doug graciously agreed.
But then that panel failed to materialize, for what reasons I don't know. Doug agreed to moderate the opening session with a different panel, consisting of Shafak, a Lebanese broadcaster and Shirin Ebadi, the Iranian lawyer who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003. Then that idea fell apart, too. I was later told that after the murder of Armenian journalist Hrant Dink in January, both Pamuk and Shafak had safety concerns about returning to Turkey from their temporary domiciles abroad.
IPI then asked Doug, somewhat apologetically, whether he was still game to moderate a panel. I believe they offered him the title of the session in question and a description of it, without specifying the participants. The description, incidentally, does not mention the Armenian question.
Complete memos are posted at LAObserved.
From Glendale City Hall this afternoon:
Glendale City Manager Jim Starbird announced today that Dan Waters will serve as interim Director of Glendale Water and Power. Waters will replace outgoing Director Ignacio Troncoso who announced last month that he is retiring. Waters, 72, is scheduled to begin working April 30.This is the second time Waters has served as interim Director of GWP. He replaced former Director Bernie Palk in September 2000 and remained with the City until Troncoso was appointed in April 2001. Starbird says Waters brings extensive experience to the position. “Dan is well respected by those who work in the industry,” says Starbird. “We’re fortunate to have someone of his caliber serving as our interim Director.”
Waters has an extensive background in the area of water and power. He worked for the LA Department of Water and Power from 1962-1994 including four years as General Manager and Chief Engineer. Waters also served as Executive Director of the Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA) from 1994-2000. He was also hired in 2001 by the cities of Glendale, Burbank and Pasadena to serve as Project Manager for a series of electric generating units in partnership with the State of California.
Waters has a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of California Los Angeles.
Government in action...
Burbank Water and Power is recruiting for high-paying jobs! -- screams the press release...
Contact information: Lianne McGinley Burbank Water and Power 818-238-3661 Burbank Water and Power is recruiting for high-paying jobs!Burbank, CA April 24, 2007 — Burbank Water and Power (BWP) is a community owned public utility serving Burbank businesses and residents with electricity and water. BWP employees pride themselves on providing the community with the highest degree of reliable and safe electric and water service.
We are currently looking for candidates to fill several openings in four different positions: Power Plant Operator Trainee; Power Plant Maintenance Trainee; Pipefitter Apprentice; and Line Mechanic Apprentice. These are all trainee positions requiring only a High School diploma and an interest in earning lucrative wages while working for a great employer! The City provides a great benefit package, and BWP will provide all the training and tools.
If you think you’re right for a rewarding career with our utility please apply by June 29, 2007 by contacting the City of Burbank’s Human Resources Department at 818.238.5021 or visit us online at BurbankWaterandPower.com where we encourage you to download the City of Burbank job application form.
Larry Mantle of KPCC's Airtalk discussed the issue this morning with guest Harut Sassounian, publisher of the California Courier, who broke the story, reported earlier by LA Observed.
And here's another take on the whole affair from USA Armenian Life Magazine's Appo Jabarian -- scheduled to be published in Friday's edition. Excerpts:
In recent years, the Los Angeles Times officially adopted a journalistically accurate editorial policy regarding the veracity of the Armenian Genocide. Readers welcomed Times’ highly commendable editorial position. In fact, the Times illustrated how much it values its professional integrity. Over the next few years, the common expectation that Times will no longer question the veracity of the genocide, metamorphosed into a sigh of relief. But alas, that sigh of relief turned out to be a false sense of security when a very disturbing development emerged only recently.
In his weekly commentary yesterday, titled “Los Angeles Times Must Dismiss Managing Editor Douglas Frantz,” Harut Sassounian, the Publisher of The California Courier, wrote: “When a company discriminates against an employee on the basis of his or her ethnic origin, it violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits ‘employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.’ It appears that such a breach of the law took place when Douglas Frantz, the Managing Editor of the Los Angeles Times, blocked the publication of an article on the Armenian Genocide written by Mark Arax, a distinguished journalist of Armenian origin, who has worked at the Times for 20 years. On April 11, 2007, in an e-mail to Arax, Frantz accused him of having ‘a conflict of interest that precludes you from writing about the Armenian genocide, and particularly about an ongoing congressional debate about it. …Your personal stance on the issue, in my view, prohibits you from writing about the issue objectively.’"Sassounian continued: “To justify his discriminatory action, Frantz used the pretext that Arax and five other reporters at The Times had signed a joint letter in September 2005, reminding the editors that the newspaper was not complying with its own policy of calling the Armenian Genocide, a genocide. The editors, at that time, had no problem with that letter. On the contrary, they thanked all six reporters -- five Armenian-Americans and one Jewish-American -- for the reminder and pledged to comply with the paper’s policy on this issue. To make matters worse, in his e-mail, Frantz falsely referred to the above-cited letter as a ‘petition,’ and on that basis accused Arax of taking ‘a position’ on the Armenian Genocide. He thus implied that all six letter-writers -- Mark Arax, Ralph Vartabedian, Robin Abcarian, Greg Krikorian, Chuck Philips, and Henry Weinstein -- were political activists rather than independent journalists. By ‘prohibiting’ Arax from writing on the genocide issue, Frantz, by implication, was also prohibiting all six journalists … of ever reporting on this subject,… thus practically issuing a gag order that silences all Armenian Americans working at the Times.”
Sassounian added: “By the same logic, Frantz is implying that Latinos will be barred from writing on illegal immigrants, African American journalists from covering civil rights, Jewish-American reporters from writing about the Holocaust and Asian-Americans covering issues peculiar to their community. … Jim O’Shea, the top editor of the Los Angeles Times, in a meeting with this writer last week, said that the letter signed by the six journalists was not a ‘petition’ at all, and that there was nothing improper about it. In fact, he admitted that the letter upheld existing L.A. Times policy. Amazingly, even after discovering the truth, rather than reversing themselves and publishing the Arax story, The Times’ editors continued to endorse Frantz's censorship and compounded the discrimination. They did this by assigning their Washington reporter, Richard Simon, supposedly to update Arax's story.”
Having completed an in-depth investigation in this matter, Sassounian further outlined the employment discrimination problem created by Frantz expressing his belief “that rather than Mark Arax having an ethnic bias, Douglas Frantz himself seems to be the source of the problem. … It appears that he has strongly held personal views on Armenian-Turkish issues which have clouded his professional judgment, causing him to take actions which are improper and
possibly illegal:1) In a discriminatory e-mail, Frantz falsely accused Mark Arax and five other Times’ reporters of signing a "petition" on the Armenian Genocide.
2) Frantz … reportedly … personally opposed the congressional resolution on the Armenian Genocide.
3) Frantz was stationed for several years in Turkey … during which he may have developed very natural friendships with Turkish individuals and officials.
4)The Turkish Consul General in Los Angeles has reportedly bragged about his close friendship with Douglas Frantz and said that he turns to him whenever he has a problem with The Times.
5) This writer was told by the editor of The Times, Jim O’Shea, who has known Frantz for many years … that Frantz has a very abrasive personality. No wonder he was short-tempered and abrupt during a phone conversation that he initiated, falsely accusing this writer of threatening him, when in fact he was simply being told that the controversy regarding the Arax article might upset the Armenian community, if it turned out that the story was blocked due to the Armenian background of the journalist.
6) Frantz is scheduled to moderate a panel at a conference in Istanbul, May 12-15, on "Turkey: Sharing the Democratic Experience." The panelists are asked to discuss: "Can the Turkish experience be emulated by other countries in the region and beyond?" … the conference does not cover the lack of freedom of speech in Turkey, the jailing and killing of journalists such as Hrant Dink, and draconian laws on ‘denigrating turkishness.’“
Instead of being belligerent against journalists that are being guided by the truth about the facts of the Armenian Genocide, Frantz should have acted fairly and professionally. On the contrary, he chose to act with a denialist’s Turkish Chutzpah and shamelessness!One wonders if the Times is trying to fool its readers by giving them a simple lip service through an editorial policy regarding the facts of the Armenian Genocide that is blatantly ignored by Frantz. Or has the Times lost its authority on an individual employee like Douglass Frantz who has all too willingly allowed his denialist position to interfere with his duties as Managing Editor?
What right does Frantz have to disobey the editorial policy of his employer? And to add insult to the injury, how can he shamelessly punish those who adhere to that policy by permanently denying them their basic right to write about any topic related to the facts of the Armenian Genocide?
This writer, along with several readers and community members is shocked that the Los Angeles Times is allowing a single individual to fail an entire institution unchecked.
We urge the Los Angeles Times to do the right thing by dismissing Frantz who has committed the very crime of having personal conflict of interest that he has grossly accused those journalists who continue to uphold the Los Angeles Times’ still-valid editorial policy.
I would like to encourage the readers to express their outrage on Douglas Frantz and his ill-treatment of Mark Arax by sending their e-mails to: Publisher David Hiller: David.Hiller@latimes.com, and Editor James O’Shea: James.oshea@latimes.com.
Two more items:
Running to standstill...
The City of Glendale will hold its 11th Annual Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. This program will also provide an opportunity for daughters/sons to gain a deeper understanding of employee’s role and contribution to the City of Glendale.At 9:30 am there will be a ceremony and presentation in the Council Chambers (City Hall) with Mayor Ara Najarian. After the ceremony, participants will be invited to the parking lot immediately behind City Hall where the kids will have an opportunity to interact with representatives from various departments, and learn about the challenging work they perform.
Not to detract in any way from the Armenian horror, but if you dig deep enough you'll find the FIRST of the 20th century genocides was the attempt to exterminate the Herero tribe by Von Trotha in German Southwest Africa (now Namibia) in 1904. About 50,000 died, exceeded by later events but just as evil.
Here's an extended interview with the 96-year-old Rev. Dulgarian conducted yesterday afternoon. Click here for the Daily News story on the 92nd anniversary of the Armenain Genocide.
The video also is available in a higher-quality stream, along with other genocide remembrance coverage at the Daily News Web site
Update 8:40 p.m. -- Jason interviews local Armenians on remembrance day.
LA Observed has this item on a brou-ha-ha between the Times and Harout Sassouian, publisher of California Courier -- an Armenian American paper -- and noted genocide activist. Apparently, Times editors have blocked publication of an Armenian genocide story by a staff writer of Armenian descent because of an alleged bias. Whoa.
KPFK is doing special coverage today about the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The station aired a special edition of "Uprising" earlier, and will have another special at 4 p.m., hosted by Serge Tankian, the lead singer of the rock band System of a Down, whose documentary, "Screamers," pushes to have the genocide acknowledged across Europe and the U.S. Our own reporter, Brad Greenberg, wrote earlier today about a conservative Encino synagogue that has begun pushing for Jewish recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
To listen to KPFK's report, click here.
I was informed that the station's audio archives were down earlier, but listeners can download audio from the archives later by clicking here.
Today, Armenians around the world remember the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian genocide.
"The garbage wagon - all the bodies just piled up - the blood was flowing for three days," Dulgarian, 96, said Monday as he recounted memories of a massacre of Armenians in Izmir in 1922. The city on Turkey's Aegean coast, then held by Greeks, was set ablaze by invading Turks.
More ...
The gavel came down today in a big way in the Vineland Boys federal racketeering case when a judge sentenced gang boss Rafael "Sneaky" Yepiz to life in prison without the possibility of parole, Eugene Tong writes. Yepiz, convicted of 21 charges, including violating the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, drug trafficking and money laundering, is the last of nine gangsters and associates to be sentenced in one of Los Angeles' biggest gang cases in recent history.
The Vineland Boys, originally a football team, are accused of growing into one of the worst and vicious gangs that had a hold on Burbank, North Hollywood and Palmdale for more than a decade. Their chief business was cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana trafficking. The gang killed people, including rookie Burbank Police Officer Matthew Pavelka, who died senselessly in a shootout with David Garcia, a Vineland Boy, who still faces murder charges.
Update at 4:15 p.m. Here's the United States Attorney's press release.
Since I was more caught up in an evening of back-to-back Simpsons and The Sopranos...via NBC4
BURBANK, Calif. -- A Burbank defense lawyer is Donald Trump's new "Apprentice."Stefani Schaeffer was named the winner last night in a live finale at the Hollywood Bowl.
Web entrepreneur James Sun was the runner-up. He tried telling Trump that Stefani wasn't a true leader, but more of a behind-the-scenes player.
Trump wasn't convinced.
Stefani had the choice of working on Trump's new resort development in the Caribbean or a condo project in Atlanta. She choose the Caribbean.
According to Schaeffer's bio on NBC's Apprentice site, she's 32, born in Burbank and raised in Palm Springs.
She defends California employers against worker's compensation, subrogation and discrimination claims, and defends large real estate developers in construction defect litigation. In her spare time, she enjoys snow skiing, golf, tennis, scuba diving, karate, motorcyle riding and volunteering.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled program...
Granola goodness...
NEW YORK -- Barnes & Noble, Inc., the world’s largest bookseller, announced it has signed a lease agreement to open a new Barnes & Noble bookstore in Glendale, California, which is in the Los Angeles area. The bookstore, expected to open in April 2008, will be located in The Americana at Brand on Colorado Street between Central Avenue and Brand Boulevard. The day prior to the opening of the new store, the existing Barnes & Noble at 245 North Glendale Avenue in Glendale will close. The new store will stock close to 200,000 book, music, DVD and magazine titles and include a café serving Starbucks coffee.
Store features include a "giant" newsstand and pay as you go Wi-Fi. Wonder how rival Borders with react, with its two-story store just down the street in the Marketplace...
A tapas plate before the main course...
The theme -- Growth Spurt -- a story in two acts. Act One -- in which we follow Suzanne Knode's odyssey in getting her first ever screenplay made at age 63. Knode, a Colony resident, wrote the 10-minute short "Bandida" in a screenwriting class, and she's got big plans for it. The page here has a few clips.
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Mitch O'Farrell, the field deputy for Los Angeles Councilman Eric Garcetti, recently gave an overview of the Glassell Park Streetscape Masterplan, in case you missed it. Fletcher is going to get a makeover and the city wants your input. O'Farrell is encouraging residents to "dream big." The first workshop on the plan is to be held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, May 5 at Council District 13 Field Office, 3750 Verdugo Road, Glassell Park. Folks have already been weighing in on the project. At the Glassell Park Kick-off meeting April 11, Marie Conte stressed the importance of maintaining a neighborhood identity; Luis Lopez (whose auto shop is on Fletcher in Atwater Village) and Sandra Caravella asked about the project boundaries; and James Bond asked to have zoning issues clarified.
This photo is from Lopez's Web site, a historic shot of an earlier auto shop on Fletcher.
Note the meeting is scheduled Wednesday April 25, since April 24 is Armenian Genocide remembrance day.
Locke or Hobbes?
An analysis of the records found that close to $1 million has been given since January by donors who identified themselves as living in San Fernando Valley-area communities. And contributors who identified themselves as being from Los Angeles - which could include Valley residents - gave more than $3 million.Valley donors gave twice as much to Democrats as to Republicans, with Clinton easily leading the field. But Republicans - particularly former Massachusetts Gov. Romney - still have found pockets of strong support.
This handy contibutions table shows Romney withdrew more than $58,000 from Glendale donors, followed by Encino and Woodland Hills with about $14,000 each. Glendale's other pick is Illinois Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, who received about $7,997 from area donors.
Burbankers favored Democrats -- New York Sen. Hillary Clinton led with about $35,000, while Obama trailed with $16,900. But Romney again led the Republican ticket here with $5,700 from donors, followed by Arizona Sen. John McCain with $2,100.
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fitch assigns an 'A' rating to $53.9 million of Burbank Public Financing Authority, CA's revenue bonds, 2007 series A (Golden State Redevelopment Project). The bonds are scheduled to sell via negotiation with E.J. De La Rosa & Co., Inc. and Wedbush Morgan Securities on April 25. The Rating Outlook is Stable. Authority bonds are secured ultimately by tax increment revenue from the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Burbank's (the agency) Golden State Redevelopment Project Area. A portion of the bonds utilize a cross-over structure, in which part of the debt service will be paid by a government securities escrow though Dec. 1, 2013.The 'A' rating reflects the good debt service coverage and strength of pledged revenues, the project area's maturity, its strategic location in Burbank and within the Los Angeles County and the strong disincentive to further leverage project area tax increment. Credit risks are centered in the project area's large proportion of unsecured property and the low property tax collection rates. The concern regarding unsecured property is somewhat mitigated because the project area includes the Bob Hope Airport (Fitch rated 'AA-') and the majority of the unsecured property consists of commercial and private jets. Prospects for continued growth in secured assessed valuation (AV) are very good, although total AV growth will be moderated since unsecured AV is subject to depreciation, market values and mobility. Legal protections are strong, including the additional bonds tests of 1.25 times (x) maximum annual debt service (MADS) on senior and subordinate obligations. However, issuance of additional bonds would require a project area amendment triggering sizeable tax-sharing requirements offsetting much of the gain.
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Providencia Elementary in Burbank was among the first to raise the flag this morning in a ceremony with county Supervisor Mike Antonovich.
It was green. Feel free to inhale until tomorrow. Click here for a full-size PDF of the smog guide.
Burbank blogger (and photographer and mid-level bureaucrat trying to get by...) Dan Evans comes roaring back to life this week with an interesting idea:
The recent Burbank general election had a certain Lockean quality - nasty, brutish and (thankfully) short. From my perspective down in the flats, it seems odd that so much anger and vitriol would be spewed over a friggin' city council election. ...... You should be able to point out your opponents flaws, as much as you can (and must) tout your own ideals and credentials. But voters must know where those attacks are coming from. And to do that, the city of Burbank should create an Ethics Commission to oversee the local political process and make things more transparent.
As a guy whose job includes following the money in the last election (and doing a mediocre job, I might add), it would be great to have a body enforcing local election laws. Buddha knows the state Fair Political Practices Commission has had enough going on already.
What do you think, council? Gary? Anja? Berlins? Gordon? hello? anyone? anyone?
Atwater Village resident James Omahen started a new blog today, The Atwater Village Enquirer on valleynews.com.
Omahen tells us that carp can grow to 5 feet, weigh up to 80 pounds, and can live for more than 60 years. They spawn more than rabbits, laying 300,000 eggs at a time. They eat everything, the bottom feeders, even their own eggs and young. Here's the carp entry on Wikipedia.
A colleague here joked that he hoped dogs don't go missing ...
Omahen writes ...
Over the past few weeks, large numbers of sizable fish have been seen thrashing about in the LA River near Atwater Village - referred to as the Glendale narrows. Reports thus far have identified them as carp, and that they are spawning. Much to the surprise and delight of many, comments have ranged from, "that's great," to "it's really becoming a river once again." Even the pessimists are buzzed how terrific it is that there are fish in the LA River.Fish in the river - more specifically that's carp in the river, and that may not be so good. Although the carp have not yet been identified as to type, carp generally have a reputation as an invasive species to established ecosystems - invading and quickly dominating new ecosystems often with serious negative effects. They are also known for prolific reproduction and very rapid growth.
A couple of items on politics:
City management places Council in a no-win position on Beeline Contract; Vanguard invites Fire Department to open discussion; Unsuccessful Council candidate had undisclosed city contracts; Challenge to City Council...
To subscribe to Vanguard Weekly News, send an E-mail to
Vanguard1@charter.net with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. Disclaimer: The views expressed by Vanguard are not necessarily those of Daily News Los Angeles or this here reporter.
Enjoy your Web surf with a little Raisin Bran ...
Cast members of the musical, "Bush is Bad," will sing tunes like "How Can 59 Million People Be So Dumb!" at the next meeting of the Burbank Democratic Club on April 25. Also, Robert Nakahiro, the vice chairman for Region 3 of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, will be on hand.
From the group's e-mail promo:
Have you ever wondered how delegates are selected or elected to attend the state and national conventions? Or the role that local clubs play? Come and join us to find out.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on April 25 at McCambridge Park Recreation Center, Room 1, 1515 Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank.
Just in time for lunch -- the Times digs into the mysterious Armenian Tahini cookie. Excerpt:
They were tan domes with a tight spiral pattern on top, making them look a bit like snail shells lying on their sides. The pastry had a distinctive taste, more wholesome than cookie dough, followed by a little blast of richness from that spiral, which turned out to be a filling of sesame tahini. It tasted like peanut butter without peanut butter's funky edge.In other words, these were cookies we could eat a lot of, and we proceeded to do so. But not before I saved one or two to explore their mystery.
There are plenty of pictures, a few recipes and even a list of the top 10 Armenian bakeries in SoCal -- definitely a clipper.
A regular part of a balanced breakfast...
April 17, 2007 -- Los Angeles, California – A former City National Bank Vice President who was found guilty of participating in a conspiracy that was designed to structure cash deposits into accounts in a manner that was intended to aid his coconspirators avoid bank reporting requirements, was sentenced yesterday to serve 21 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Edward Munoz, 43, was previously found guilty in January 2007 of participating in a conspiracy to structure cash deposits to avoid cash transaction reporting requirements that banks are required to follow. Munoz, along with Shane Woodland and Donald Loya, was originally indicted in a conspiracy to launder the money that Woodland and Loya received from coconspirators that were trafficking cocaine, crack, and methamphetamine as well as in a conspiracy to avoid cash transaction reporting requirements.In order to avoid cash deposit reports made by banks and financial institutions, Munoz instructed Loya to structure his cash deposits into his bank account. Following Munoz’s advice, Loya and Woodland deposited cash into the business account they had at City National Bank. Over the course of a month, Loya and Woodland deposited approximately $95,966.00 in cash into their account at City National Bank.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Los Angeles High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, which consists of agents and officers from several agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Los Angeles Police Department, and IRS Criminal Investigation. The Burbank police Department and the Glendale Police Department participated in the investigation.
I went over to Woodbury University in Burbank today to do a video on the reaction from faculty and students about the shooting tragedy at Virginia Tech. Here's a couple of clips. One is of the vice president of academic affairs who recites a poem she wrote to remember the tragedy. The second clip is a brief interview with one of the students.
Turns out the guy behind the wheel of the car that crashed into a few folks and injured them while they were dining at a Burbank Costco today was booked for being under the influence of prescription medications, cops say.
The crash, at 11:14 a.m. at 1051 W. Burbank Blvd., occurred as a car struck several patrons at an outdoor Coscto food court. Cops said that Robert Livingston, a 66-year-old man from West Hollywood backed his 1991 Lincoln Town Car into the COSTCO food court and injured three adults.
A 29 year-old woman suffered bruises to her body. Her 1-year-old daughter was ejected from her stroller, but did not appear to be injured. The woman’s 54-year-old mother suffered bruises to her chest, left hand and left leg. A 49-year-old man suffered a broken pelvis, and multiple injuries to his head and extremities.
The three females were transported to Providence Saint Joseph’s Medical Center. The man was transported to Holy Cross Hospital for treatment. Livingston put into custody for driving while under the influence of prescription medication.
If you're into reading the tea leaves that is the Glendale City Council, Monday night's special meeting installing a newly-elected councilman and a new mayor was a warts-and-all display of both what has been, coupled with a silver-lining of what could be.
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| click on Ara for meeting video |
For on full-display last night, after all the congratulations, platitudes and oath-taking, was the sour, fractious relationships between the four sitting council members, who once again broke down into camps in electing a new mayor for 2007-08.
Now the mayorship is mostly a ceremonial role in this town, a first-among-equals who gets to represent the city's elected leadership at local functions and forums, and can set the agenda at meetings. The title is rotated among the five, and can offer incumbents a boost at the polls if they're up for re-election.
But the evening also revealed the keen political sense of newcomer John Drayman, who managed to stay above the fray and look good doing it.
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Living up to his street-rep as a bridgebuilder, Drayman spoke of reconciliation and a new start after taking his seat at the dais.
"I assume we don’t need one of these this time," he joked, holding up an orange a public speaker’s card. He went on, crediting his win to community outreach:
We did something unique. Our campaign was far reaching in terms of personal contact. We literally went out and met our neighbors. We out-talked, out-walked, out-worked and out-lasted our competition, and never gave an inch to those detractors who sought to make this election about personal, petty or ethnic politics. ... Business as usual is about to become a thing of the past. Change we will, and change we must I’m here to help heal. I’m here to bring the voice of the people back to local government. ... (An election) is a chance to wipe the slate clean and start over. ... We are blessed with the promise of renewal and we must be open to that promise.
Dave Weaver prefaced his remarks by saying John's eloquence is a tough act to follow -- it is. He spoke mostly about HIS broad base of multiethnic support that got him back into office, while dismissing claims that it was Rafi Manoukian, the favored incumbent, who lost. He also addressed his detractors -- it's just a part of the job. "Let see where you are in four years," he remarked to Drayman.
"I've lived here all my life, and I'm not going anywhere."
Then came time to pick the mayor -- both Councilmen Bob Yousefian and Frank Quintero nominated Drayman, but he declined and would abstain:
I will not serve and cannot serve at this time. I will abstain. I would like for our four council members to put whatever personal, political dramas that are going on aside, and as one of them or two of them to step across that threshold to vote for someone they’re not fond of politically, but feel they can still do the job.
Shrewd AND smooth, and the crowd jubilant at every word. Weaver can't serve again, and Quintero's not running for office, nor does he appear to have the votes.
So it falls to Najarian and Yousefian. Weaver and Quintero pushed for Najarian, since both had run-ins with Yousefian in the past (plus Najarian backed Weaver in the election.) Meanwhile, Najarian and Yousefian sided with, uh, Bob Yousefian.
It's 2-2 -- deadlocked again. Partisanship wins!
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"This is going to set a precedent," Yousefian said. "Easiest vote in the city of Glendale, we can’t get three votes. ... How do you think the rest of the year and the rest of the 4 years going to go?"
Drayman: "This is your red wagon, you’re pulling it, and I’m not going to climb in." He's put the council, and Yousefian into a corner. Bob relents and all four agree on Ara Najarian. The crowd goes wild.
"Welcome to Glendale, folks," Najarian quipped. "This is not the manner by which I want to be elected mayor…one of the primary responsibilities of the mayor is to make sure the business of the city are conducted efficiently and deliberately."
The new mayor said he will act as a "judge" and work toward prioritizing the public's business. An astute politician as Najarian may had an inkling he would get the job, but he also seems genuinely surprised -- his family wasn't around to watch his coronation.
Let’s really be the best council we can be. Each one of us brings something to the council that’s unique. There’s no reason we can’t get thorugh these issues. ... Not that we’re going to always agree. It’s through the give and take and the argument and the exploring of each other's positions that we’ll really get to the truth.
Najarian pulls out a bundle of olive branches, and hands them out to his fellow council members and the audience. "I brought these for whomever was going to be mayor. I ended up using these myself."
Yousefian appeared to keep his distance to this gesture of peace -- he said he's allergic to olives.
Happy trails.
Before getting off to our morning routines, I'd like to offer condolences to those dealing with the senseless tragedy in Virginia this morning ...
I lived in a dorm adjacent to the one in which (the shooter) killed the people. I actually have two cousins there. One was at home. I was worried about both of them.
In other news ...
Updated 4:30 p.m. -- Here's video of the visit:
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I've been thinking about a recent article in the Los Angeles Times (registration required) that followed up on the Glendale municipal elections story that you read here first. The thing that stood out for me in the Times story wasn't the fact that John Drayman came out on top in the City Council race, or that he is Jewish. What was curious was the fact that Glendale was once the West Coast home for the American Nazi Party. Believe it or not, a city with one of the most ethnically diverse populations today, with a Jewish councilman elect, with tens of thousands of Armenians, Latinos and many others, Glendale was once the West Coast outfit to one of the most notorious political and hate-mongering groups in world history. I guess it could be seen as ironic, but it also probably made sense to locate in Glendale, at the time a bastion of white, Anglo Saxon and Protestant folks, for those bent on reviving the ideals that we went to war for to wipe off the face of the earth.
For the uninitiated ... In 1964, George Lincoln Rockwell picked Glendale to be the location for the headquarters of the ANP for the West Coast, with the hope of continuing twisted ideals laid out earlier by Adolf Hitler's National Socialist German Worker's Party. Ironically, it was one of Rockwell's own unhappy party members who killed him in 1967. But his American Nazi Party headquarters at Colorado Boulevard would remain open through the 80s. The group's Web site has a page dedicated to Rockwell.
So we don't forget where that ideal led the Nazis. They slaughtered six million Jews in what was deemed "the final solution." Yet, the deaths of those who perished will never be forgotten. Every April 15, we remember.
Some deep thoughts to digest with your coffee...
More to come...
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Now that rapper Snoop Dogg's had his day in court after getting busted on gun and drug charges at Bob Hope Airport, what now? The AP takes a look at celebrity justice, and what Snoop can expect. An excerpt:
Superior Court Judge Terry Smerling said the 35-year-old rapper, born Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr., could spend 400 of those hours working with the youth football league he started several years ago. The remainder of his time will be spent working with non-profit organizations approved by the county's probation department, according to court documents.He should consider himself lucky. Not all celebrities get choice gigs; some are even treated like average citizens.
A couple of thoughts from Barry Allen of Vanguard this week -- Who's going to be Glendale's new mayor when the new City Council convenes next week? Barry tries to handicap the proceedings; A couple of genocide-related events with Holocaust Remembrance this week and the Armenian Genocide march next week.
To subscribe to Vanguard Weekly News, send an e-mail to Vanguard1@charter.net with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. Disclaimer: Vanguard's content are from its publisher, and does not represent editorial content or views of Daily News Los Angeles or its staff.
The dust has settled in the final canvassing for the Glendale Municipal Election -- No changes on the City Council. It's still John Drayman, followed by Dave Weaver. Rafi Manoukian gained some more votes, but it still wasn't enough for a seat. In the school board race, board member elect Nayiri Nahabedian finished second, 230 votes ahead of first-time candidate Todd Hunt, increasing her lead from just 29 votes last week.
Election results
Earlier
Even earlier
Daily News school board story
Daily News City Council election story
So when she's not digging around for stories at Grand View Memorial Park cemetery, Lisa Burks is a habitué of ebay. She writes ...
Most of the memorabilia-type items I find are related to Forest Lawn, (Go figure) schools or businesses.But today I found what I consider to be a true treasure: a listing for a fantastic, vintage postcard depicting a gorgeous home nestled in Glendale's foothills.
She's hoping someone out there in the world can identify the home in the postcard. Send in your comments, if you think you know.
valleynews.com
The art of Paul Batou is being featured tonight at the Harvest Gallery in Glendale. His work, entitled "My Iraq ... The Destruction and Aftermath of Mesopotamia," features 25 paintings and the release of his new book, "My Last Thoughts About Iraq." His work shows the pain, humiliation and destruction from ancient Mesopotamia to today's Iraq. Harvest Gallery is at 938 N.Brand Blvd., Glendale. His reception will be held from 7-10 tonight. The gallery will be open Friday through April 27. Batou, a native Iraqi, is a Burbank resident and pharmacist by trade, who served in the Iran-Iraq War as a medic.
The driver who was killed early this morning when he slammed his car into a tree at 12:30 a.m at North Verdugo and Monterey roads has been identified as Edward Bagdasarian, 22 of Glendale. Authorities said he was wearing his seatbelt and alcohol was not suspected, though he may had been speeding -- going as fast as 60 in a 35-40 zone, according Glendale police spokesman John Balian.
A couple of informative Friday items to get your day going:
Burbank Police announced the arrest of two women in connection with a hit-and-run collision that killed a 77-year-old grandmother on April 6.
From Burbank Police Sgt. Matthew Ferguson:
Soledad Lamb, a 45-year-old woman, of Panorama City was arrested for Felony Hit and Run with a Fatality and Vehicular Manslaughter. Bail was set at $1 million. Arraignment is scheduled for April 16, 2007 at the Burbank Superior Court.Catherine Salazar, 28, of Reseda was arrested for being an “Accessory” to the crime. Bail was set at
$25,000.00$500,000. Arraignment is scheduled for April 16, 2007 at the Burbank Superior Court.
On April 13, 2007, the Burbank Police Department will be stopping traffic in the area of the collision, (Olive Avenue at Beachwood Drive) from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM. The traffic will be stopped in order to contact drivers who may have additional information related to this investigation. The attached Hit and Run notification sheet will be distributed to all of the drivers contacted.
Here's a link to the Wanted Poster Burbank Police put out. Download file
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My name is Arsineh and I am not the President of Armenia, but I do have an idea. I have been joking lately about the idea of running for president of Armenia and the joke itself has sparked a lot of interesting dialog among my peers about the issues facing Armenia and its Diaspora. It seems everyone has an opinion about everything, but perhaps some of them would interest the real candidates. The one thing I don't see in Armenia is the public debating on these issues and the ideological fight to win over the hearts of the citizens, as I'm used to in the US. That said, I'd like to see what would happen if we open up the debate to the backseat-drivers of the world. You might think your right, but what do others think?So, in the spirit of election season in Armenia (even though this year is just parliament), I would like to try running an actual mock election. I am inviting all Armenians worldwide to run an mock campaign for the presidency of Armenia here on this blog.
Sign me up!
As the Glendale City Clerk's office canvasses ballots from last week's election, Armenia was racked by two explosions that ripped through the offices of the pro-presidential Prosperous Armenia party in Yerevan. Prosperous Armenia is challenging the ruling Republican Party in the May parliamentary elections. The blast, which caused no injuries, is the latest escalation in fights between campaigning activists.
Read the full story here.
The bombing follows the shooting in Armenia of the mayor of Gyumri.
Earlier.
The Glendale City Clerk's office is canvassing all the ballots today from last week's election, including some 2,000 provisional ballots that could decide the Glendale Unified School Board race (a 29-vote gap separates 2nd-place Nayiri Nahabedian and 3rd-place Todd Hunt), or even narrow the City Council results (though that's unlikely)
Results are expected Friday.
Barry Allen promises to hover over the proceedings (but apparently couldn't make it, he just told me), while Will Rogers riffs on the topic at his site.
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Both Fry’s locations in the San Fernando Valley – the 100,000-square-foot Burbank store, built in 1996, and the 115,000-square-foot Woodland Hills store, built in 1995 – feature fantastic imagery for customers to gaze upon.John Fry decided Burbank’s proximity to the motion picture industry lent itself particularly well to a 1950s science-fiction B-movie theme. When it came time for Christensen to conduct his research, the designer went to a previous employer for help.
“I went out to George Lucas’s Skywalker Ranch, which I had worked on and designed for a number of years. I went to the library and checked out a bunch of science-fiction movies from his collection,” Christensen says.
Consider this your morning reveille ...
Last month the paper profiled our fellow neighborhoods in Northeast Los Angeles, or NELA. New Yorkers, it seems, are learning that some California homes are priced under $600,000 and have views of Mount Washington - "which could be mistaken for Tuscany."
And finally ...
Have fun ...
Stealing a moment from Glendale/Burbank news to remember one of my literary idols. I first met Kurt Vonnegut's words in 1992 as a high school junior in Milpitas, California. It was Mr. Davis' Honors English class -- to get our minds used to performing close textual readings, he had us consider a passage from Breakfast of Champions. It was a something spoken by Kilgore Trout, one of the author's early alter-egos.
I've forgotten what it was exactly -- likely something observant and cynical, yet comforting in its truth. There were three grades you can get -- you were either on the level, close to it, or way off base. I ended up in the middle.
The author was out of my mind until a year later, when I picked up Breakfast of Champions, intrigued by Vonnegut's crude drawings of human anatomy and ironic toilet humor, then absorbed by his particular brand of humanism, of laughter against human cruelty.
The rest followed -- from Cat's Cradle to Slaughterhouse Five to his collection of short stories and essays (which kept me company the first weeks of college) to Timequake.
And so it goes.
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Born: Nov. 11, 1922
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Died: April 11, 2007
New York, New York, USA
Updated 12:30 a.m. -- The Daily News' Mayor of Television has this remembrance.
Updated 3:05 p.m. -- There IS an Armenian connection (just to tie this back to the blog)! The protagonist in one of his later novels -- Bluebeard -- is none other than Rabo Karabekian, a fictional, one-eye abstract expressionist painter and son of genocide survivors whose works fell apart because he used cheap paint. Thanks, Raffi K.!
My Burbank Election 2007 Scrapbook:
Sorry for the delay -- got caught up on an assignment (and I probably should've uploaded this stuff last night...)
Since the photos from City Hall weren't all that, I'm just going to go with two post-election interviews conducted last night with the winners.
Post-election interview with Gary Bric:
Post-election interview with Anja Reinke
The Friends of Atwater Village offer up crime statistics.
Here's the run-down:
Burglary (Property): 5 incidents – YTD 12 incidents
Grand Theft Auto: 3 incidents – YTD 13 incidents
Theft from Vehicle: 10 incidents – YTD 13 incidents
Personal/Other Theft: 3 incidents – YTD 14 incidents
Robbery: 0 incidents – YTD 3 incidents
Aggravated Assault: 3 incidents – YTD 8 incidents
Rape: None – YTD 0 incidents
Homicide: None – YTD 0 incidents
For more read here.
You can map out crimes in your neighborhood by clicking on the LAPD's crime maps.
In the never-ending saga of one Long Beach rapper, Snoop Dogg has pleaded no contest to two felony charges of gun and marijuana possession.
The court today gave the 35-year-old rapper five years probation and he'll have to perform 800 hours of community service. His sentence was suspended, meaning that if he behaves, he won't have to go to jail. Mr. Dogg, whose real name is Cordozar Calvin Broadus, was arrested in October at the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank on suspicion of transporting pot. He was popped for the gun charge after Burbank cops found a weapon while searching his home in November.
Think we'll see Snoop picking up trash in an orange vest on the side of the road as part of that community service?
UPDATE at 4 p.m.
As to the trash -- don't think so. Read below.
Here's the District Attorney's press release.
PASADENA – Rapper Snoop Dogg pleaded no contest today to felony charges of gun possession by a felon and sale and transportation of marijuana. He was sentenced immediately by Pasadena Superior Court Judge Terry Smerling.The 35-year-old entertainer, whose real name is Cordozar Calvin Broadus, entered the plea at his arraignment. The case was filed against him yesterday. The plea was the result of a negotiated settlement.
Deputy District Attorney Marian Thompson outlined the plea prior to it actually being taken by Judge Smerling. Broadus was sentenced to three years state prison, but the term was suspended. He was placed on five years probation with the understanding that if he violates probation, he will be sentenced to three years in state prison.
Broadus also is to do 800 hours of community service. Only half of that – 400 hours – can be the time he already volunteers with his youth football league. In addition, restrictions were placed on people in the rapper’s employ as well as his entourage. He cannot employ anyone in a security or driving capacity who has a criminal record or is gang-affiliated.
He also must employ California-licensed security personnel. They must be licensed to carry firearms if they are armed. Defense attorney Donald Etra told reporters outside of court that all of the rapper’s staff and entourage will be “completely vetted.”
Broadus, wearing a black fur-lined leather jacket, black jeans and a tee-shirt, answered only, “Yes, sir,” or “No, sir,” when the judge inquired about the plea agreement. When asked his plea to each count, the defendant replied, “No contest.”
He did not meet with reporters after the court session. His attorney said he had a prior commitment.
Broadus was first arrested Oct. 26 at Burbank Airport. Thompson said he had 39.14 grams of marijuana – some of it in individual canisters – at the time of this arrest. A search warrant served at his home in Diamond Bar in November turned up a semi-automatic handgun, she said.
Two prior felony convictions – drugs in 1990 and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in 1997 – were admitted by Broadus as part of the plea agreement.
The rapper also waived his appellate rights and agreed to comply with the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 that allows possession of a certain amount of marijuana for medicinal purposes. His attorney said in court that Broadus has a medical certificate to use marijuana. Outside court, he told reporters it was for migraines.
I ran into Fabiano Iha, a former Ultimate Fighting Champion, who since 1990 has amassed an impressive record -- 20 wins, 5 losses, 0 draws. He's knocked out five and made 15 other challengers submit -- four of whom broke their arms trying to resist. He's been knocked out three times and lost two matches by decision. The guy who earned a reputation for breaking arms on the mat owns Xtreme Training Center -- XTC -- and like a martial arts master he demonstrates his moves daily to aspiring grapplers in Northeast Los Angeles. He also trains actor Vin Diesel and other stars.
Read the story here.
Just a couple of things this morning:
That's all for now -- I gotta run to an assignment, but will be coming back with more Burbank election goodness, including photos, video and notes later in the day.
8:20 p.m. -- No results yet. I'm holed-up inside the City Council chambers watching channel 6 with the crew and city spokesman Mike McManus.
About a dozen die-hards are waiting for the returns in the City Hall foyer, gathered around the T.V. Lively crowd, at least as much one can be for local politics.
8:30 p.m. Fresh results -- 5 of 42 Precincts
Gary Bric 776
Anja Reinke 772
Phil Berlin 416
Carolyn Berlin 441
8:35 p.m. Fresh results -- 8 of 42 Precincts
Gary Bric 1226
Anja Reinke 1220
Phil Berlin 635
Carolyn Berlin 659
8:45 p.m. -- okay - 14 precincts in, and Bric and Reinke are winning 2-1 against the Berlins. I'm close to calling it...
9:30 p.m. -- It's over. Gary Bric and Anja Reinke won. I'm wrapping this up and heading to Lashers.
From the Los Angeles County District Attonrney's Office:
APRIL 10, 2007PASADENA -- The rapper known as Snoop Dogg was charged today with gun possession by a felon and sale or transportation of marijuana, both felonies, the District Attorney’s office announced.
The 35-year-old musician, whose real name is Cordozar Calvin Broadus, (dob 10-20-71), is scheduled to be arraigned at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Pasadena Superior Court, Dept. D, said Deputy District Attorney Marian
Thompson. He is charged in case No. GA069334.Broadus was first arrested Oct. 26 Burbank police at the airport in Burbank on suspicion of transportation of a controlled substance. The gun charge stems from Burbank police executing a search warrant at his home
where the gun was allegedly discovered.The complaint alleges that Broadus was convicted of felony drug possession and possession for sale in 1990.
If convicted, he faces up to four years in state prison.
Update --
Arraignment for Snoop Dogg, whose real name is Cordozar Calvin Broadus, (dob 10-20-71), has been changed to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in Pasadena Superior Court, Dept. D, said Deputy District Attorney Marian Thompson. He is charged in case No. GA069334.
So having read through Snoop's wikipedia entry -- I had NO IDEA he shared a birthday with Dannii Minogue!?
A few notes on tonight's electoral showdown in Burbank:
Meanwhile at Valley of the Shadow, "JSF" assesses the state of GOP politics in Burbank and Los Angeles.
Good morning. Here are a few items to go with your morning Cheerios.
Presentations include:
Edison’s guidelines for river adjacent properties
Trust for Public Land’s Parks for People – Los Angeles Program
Location: Montebello Service Center, Conf. Room A
Address: 1000 Potrero Grande Dr., Monterey Park, CA 91755
A couple of Armenian Genocide-related items:
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“It's an important opportunity for the Legislature to take a moment each year to remember the victims of the genocide and also demand truth and accountability on the part of the Turkish government,” Krekorian told me. “By doing that, the Legislature is reallly taking a step in trying to prevent future genocides from occurring. ... Through inaction in response to human rights violations, we run the risk of encouraging future violations.”
The federal government has only taken baby steps on this issue for fear of alienating Turkey -- an ally in the War on Terror. Asked if it's the state Legislature's job to move on this, Krekorian said: “We're elected to lead. When the federal government fails to act as it should, it's incument on state government to press the issue.” Plus California is home to the largest population of ethnic Armenians outside of Armenia.
It's now up to the state Senate also to approve the resolution.
After decades of denial and silence, scholars, historians, journalists, and authors like Orhan Pamuk and Elif Shafak have published books that tell about the killings of Armenians. Orhan Pamuk has been indicted by a prosecutor in Istanbul on the grounds that his remarks amounted to "public denigration of the Turkish identity". Shafak’s latest novel, The Bastard of Istanbul, has caused an uproar in Turkey as it may be the first Turkish novel to explore the emotional realities of the Armenian Genocide through three generations of women in a Turkish family in Istanbul and an Armenian American family in the United States.
This just in -- the Glendale Community Foundation, a nonprofit which distributes funds to local charity groups, has a new executive director. Sharon C. Collins takes over from Tom Miller, who unexpectedly died of a heart attack in December. Here's the release:
Glendale -- The Board of Trustees of the Glendale Community Foundation announced today that they have selected Sharon C. Collins to be the Foundation’s new Executive Director.Collins’ work background includes management positions in large private non-profit agencies, midsize health services organizations, and community hospital and medical research foundations. Her public service career began with eight years at the State of California Department of Social Service as a senior administrator.
“I am very pleased to have been selected for this prestigious position,” said Collins. “What could be more worthwhile than helping our community’s generous donors connect with important causes that provide social enhancement, cultural enlightenment and education.”Bruce Hinckley, chair of the Selection Committee consisting of seven current Board members and two past Presidents of the Glendale Community Foundation said, "after reviewing numerous resumes and interviewing many well-qualified candidates from all over the country the Selection Committee was delighted to present Sharon Collins to the Board for their consideration and unanimous approval as the Foundation's new Executive Director.”
A Glendale resident since 1999, she has been actively involved in many local causes. Her background includes membership in nonprofit organizations such as the YWCA, American Association of University Women, and Big Brothers-Big Sisters. In addition, Collins serves on the executive committee for the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Los Angeles and is a member of the Planned Giving Roundtable.
"The Glendale Community Foundation celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2006 and is prepared for growth with the goal of improving the quality of life in Glendale and the Foothill area," said Doris Boyer, Board president. "Sharon's experience as a volunteer with so many good causes gives her a real understanding of the important role of the Foundation."
Board member Dr. John Davitt, recently retired President and Superintendent of the Glendale College said: "Miss Collins brings a wealth of experience in working with non-profits and we look forward to her expanding the influence of the Foundation in the years ahead. She will be able to continue the fine work of Tom Miller to make the Foundation the heart of philanthropy in the Glendale area."
Collins holds a master of business administration from California State University, Dominguez Hills and a bachelor of arts from California State University, Northridge.
The mission of the Glendale Community Foundation is to provide counsel to donors and financial support to diverse needs for the people of the greater Glendale community — Glendale, La Crescenta, La Cañada Flintridge, Montrose, and Verdugo City. Established in 1956, the goal of the Foundation to furnish leadership and act as a catalyst in identifying and addressing evolving community needs. For more information, please contact us at 818.241.8040 or go to www.glendalecommuntiyfoundation.org
I didn't know Tom that well -- Jason and I had lunch with him when I first started covering Glendale last summer, and Jason was beginning to pitch valleynews.com. The sense I got was that he really knew and loved this city, despite all the challenges it faces. As for the foundation and new leadership -- good luck.
A note from Glendale Commnity College -- April 6, 2007:
Glendale Community College received a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the Math and Science Transfer, Excellence and Retention (MASTER) Scholarship Program. The five-year grant program will focus on providing scholarships to financially disadvantaged students maintaining a level of academic achievement and majoring in science, technology, engineering or math.
The goals for the MASTER program are:
1. To increase the success of students majoring in science and math through scholarships and the provision of support services that promote full-time enrollment and the attainment of Associate Degrees in the following disciplines: astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, geology, oceanography, math and physics.
2. To assist student transfer to four-year institutions to continue their education in one of the named disciplines.
3. To increase participation of low-income academically talented students in science and math careers, especially students of underrepresented groups.
Starting in the 2007-2008 academic year, up to 70 qualified students per year will be supported in this scholarship program. Students who are accepted into the program are not only guaranteed transfer assistance to a four-year university with transfer application fees paid, but are also given a five-week summer bridge/academic enrichment program, for which they will receive a stipend and a top-of-the-line graphing calculator. Scholarship recipients will also receive approximately $1,500 per year if they maintain a 2.5 grade point average and continue progressing in their major. Each student is assigned a professor/mentor and they may also attend special MASTER Supplemental Instruction classes to give them additional help with their science, engineering and math classes. Students have a special MASTER counselor, priority registration and assistance with the development of a student education plan.
For additional information on the MASTER program and the NSF grant, contact Dr. Sid Kolpas, Professor of Mathematics, at 818-240-1000, ext. 5378 or skolpas@glendale.edu or visit the web site at www.glendale.edu/master .
A couple of goodies to tie you over 'til lunch...
For the folks who are into it, Happy Easter:
GLENDALE – Assemblymember Paul Krekorian (D-Burbank) is the author of Assembly Joint Resolution 15, commemorating the 92nd Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and demanding justice from Turkey and formal recognition of the Genocide by the US Government. The entire State Assembly and Senate will vote on the joint resolution during their session in Sacramento on Monday, April 9th.As the first genocide of the 20th Century, the Armenian Genocide claimed the lives of a million and a half Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire, upon the orders of its Turkish rulers. To this day, the Turkish government refuses to acknowledge its responsibility for the annihilation of its Armenian population during World War I.
Authoring this resolution has special significance for Assemblymember Krekorian, as he and his wife both lost members of their family in the Genocide.
via Barry Allen de Vanguard...
Let's talk with Barry Allen about the election results in Glendale. One popular Council member was not re-elected and another who is the subject of FPPC violations and has used City resources for the benefit of ‘friends’ was returned to office. You can vent and share your thoughts on the election. Was it a manipulation of one professional politician? Did incumbent Manoukian fall victim to endorsements? Did 4 Armenian candidates slice the cake too thin? Call in Tuesday April 10th at 9 AM. You can participate by calling - (605) 990-0400 Access Code - 244852#To subscribe to Vanguard Weekly News, send an e-mail to Vanguard1@charter.net with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line..
The classics ride again!
From Glendale City Hall APRIL 5, 2007...
Officials for the City of Glendale announced today that Classic Rock and Roll stars The Marcels, Johnny Tillotson, The Chantays and Al Wilson will be performing at this year’s Cruise Night Car Show and Street Party. The 14th Annual Cruise Night will be held on Saturday, July 21, from 5:30 to 10 pm on Brand Boulevard in Glendale. Over 35,000 people are expected to attend this year’s event.
Headlining this year’s entertainment will be The Marcels, who will be making a rare West Coast appearance. Their 1961 hit “Blue Moon” sold over two million records. They will be joined by Tillotson who had several hits including “Poetry in Motion” and “It Keeps Right on A Hurtin.” Also appearing this year will be the surf rock sound of The Chantays who had the 1963 hit “Pipe Line”. Rounding out the entertainment will be Wilson, who had several songs on the charts including the 1973 hit “Show and Tell”. This year’s emcee will be KRTH legend Brian Beirne, Mr. Rock and Roll ®.The 14th Annual Cruise Night will feature over 400 classic cars and trucks on display. People who would like to register their vehicle can call (818) 548-2782. In addition to the cars and trucks, this year’s event will also feature booths and displays including police and fire vehicles and various games for the children.
For additional information, please call the Glendale Community Hotline at (818) 548-6464.
Click here for the form to enter your ride.
Here's the city's Cruise Night 2006 Web site, with aphoto gallery.
Here's something from the stupid crooks department ... Three people, one a 17-year-old La Crescentan, stab a cabbie in Bullhead City, Az., carjack him, drive the cab to the Inland Empire in California, crash the cab and get cuffed by cops in Corona. Sounds like something out of the Wild West. Except these folks are no horse wranglers and Bullhead City is not Dodge.
Back in the saddle after two days of Glendale election madness with the MSM...
Finally, for Burbank folks looking to serve the city, it's commission application season once again! Follow the link...
For Immediate Release
April 5, 2007
Contact: Margarita Campos
City Clerk's Office
(818) 238-5851
Burbank Accepting Applications for Boards & Commissions
Applications are being accepted through Friday, May 4, 2007 by the Burbank City Council for vacancies on the following Boards, Commissions and Committees. Anyone interested in applying for one of these vacancies should contact the City Clerk's Office at (818) 238-5851 or pick up an application at City Hall, 275 East Olive Avenue. Some Boards, Commissions and Committees have certain restrictions on their composition. Application forms and committee descriptions are also available on the City's Web site,www.BurbankUSA.com/cityclerk/cityclerk.htm.
...
The deadline for submitting an application to the City Clerk Office is Friday, May 4, 2007 at 5:00 p.m. with the appointments scheduled to be made at the May 22, 2007 City Council meeting. Most City Board, Commission and Committee members serve without compensation (BMC Section 2-405) and must be electors of and actually reside in the City. No person shall serve on more than one Board, Commission or Committee at the same time.
Per the Burbank Municipal Code, these Boards are required to file annual Statement of Economic Interests (FPPC Form 700) disclosure forms. All new members will be required to file their Form 700 within 30 days of assuming office
Blogger Lisa Burks asks "who's in Mr. Lenn's Grand View grave?"
That is the question behind the latest mystery surrounding the creepy story at Grand View Memorial Park, which has apparently lost track of who's buried where, at the century-plus old Glendale cemetery. The story reads like a Sherlock Holmes novel, with an attorney speculating he's solved the mystery of who's buried in John Lenn's grave.
Burks writes ...
After two recently successful court-ordered interments at the little cemetery with big problems, a third was cancelled this week when an apparent occupant was discovered in what should have been an unused grave.
Paul Ayers, a lawyer for the family of Lenn, speculates, "In 1989, Wayne Warrington was buried in Grave 69. In 1999, Ms. Howard sold Mr. Lenn then empty Grave 68, but did not update her records to memorialize the sale. In 2002 when Patricia Warrington died Ms. Howard sold the family what she thought was an available grave next to Wayne Warrington. In my opinion the most likely decedent now in Grave 68 is Patricia Warrington."
Read "Two bodies and a cancelled funeral at Grand View".
Update at 12:40 p.m.: Attorney Paul Ayers forwarded a court document, an order for Lenn's burial, that you can read here.
Good morning ...
He writes ...
How did the best-financed incumbent lose his City Council seat, a mayor widely believed to be vulnerable retain his and a community advocate who once fell short of a win emerge as top vote-getter?For Glendale City Hall pundits, Tuesday night's surprising election results could be rooted in an odd political convergence: a strong grass-roots campaign by the newly elected John Drayman, who rode an anti-incumbent tide into office, coupled with a miscalculation from those counting on Armenian politics to win the day.
Just don't look to me to completely explain it! Here's what I gathered so far:
The council voted 3-2 (yay: Campbell, Vander Borght, Ramos; nay: Gordon, Golonski) to approve it at about 1 a.m. Wednesday, but made a few more changes to grant some leeway for smokers to light up in downtown, at bus stops and in residential complexes.
Other then that, it's the more or less the same from last week. For all the details, visit the ordinance’s new Web site.
Glendale elections are tame, fortunately, compared with what's going on in Armenia right now. Yerevan reporter Marianna Grigoryan writes that a car with no plates sprayed bullets into a Mercedes carrying the mayor of Armenia's second-largest city and his entourage. Nobody's been arrested and there's no motive for the attack. But Democratic Way Party Chairman Manuk Gasparian predicts more bloodshed as the country is set to hold a contentious parliamentary election on May 12.
Grigoryan writes ...
Vardan Ghukasian, mayor of Armenia’s second largest city, Gyumri, and his staff came under gunfire late in the evening of April 2 while returning to Gyumri from a meeting of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia in Yerevan. At the gathering, party leaders made acting chairman and Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian their choice to become prime minister, replacing Andranik Markarian, who died from a heart attack on March 25.A car with unidentified license plates sprayed Ghukasian’s Mercedes-Benz automobile and another car accompanying the mayor with automatic gunfire near the town of Ashtarak on the northward-bound Yerevan-Gyumri highway. Three security guards died on the spot; Ghukasian, Deputy Mayor Gagik Manukian and the mayor’s driver were badly wounded. The driver subsequently died from his wounds. Ghukasian and Manukian were reportedly in serious, but stable condition.
...One opposition leader argues that the shooting is a sign of trouble to come in connection with Armenia’s upcoming May 12 parliamentary vote. "During a press conference this year, I said that blood would be shed in Armenia during the elections, and this is only the beginning," commented Democratic Way Party Chairman Manuk Gasparian. Like other observers critical of the government, however, he notes that it "is not ruled out" that Ghukasian’s alleged business interests played a role.
Will Rogers just posted an update on the election results. The column's titled "DRAYMAN WINS, AND WEAVER TAGS ALONG!" Oy vey...
A quick briefing today -- got a load of work today:
1. John Drayman 8,576
2. Dave Weaver 6,582
3. Rafi Manoukian 5,906
4. Greg krikorian 5,754
5. Chahe Keouroghlian 4,351
6. Vrej Agajanian 2,330
7. Herbert Molano 2,314
8. Lenore Solis 892
If you're into ethnic politics, this spells an end to the three-out-of-five Armenian American majority on the council. It's two of Armenian descent, a Latino, a returning councilman who's white and married to an Asian Amerian, now joined by a self-proclaimed Jewish atheist. It almost reflects the city's demographics. More Daily News coverage here.
Now I have to make sense of all this, or you can check out tonight's Armenian American Real Estate Association mixer. Flyer coming up...
Armenian American Real Estate Association
April 2007 Mixer
Speaker: Mr. Eric Hacopian, President EDH and Associates
Topic: Glendale’s Political Landscape & Election Results
Mr. Hacopian is a political consultant. He has been working in politics since 1988. He started his own firm EDH and Associates in 1997. The firm specializes in direct mail, TV advertisement and direct voter contact. He is a local graduate of Glendale Schools and UCLA with a degree in Political Science. His firm has worked on school board, city council, statewide initiatives and presidential campaigns through out the state of California.
Partial List of his clients are Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Congressman Adam Schiff, Congressman Brad Sherman, State Senator Jack Scott, California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunuez, Assemblyman Paul Krikorian, City Councilman Rafi Manoukian, American Association of Retired Persons, other corporate clients such as Caruso Affiliated and Arden Realty. He lives in Van Nuys with his wife Christina and their son Luka Rafi.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007 (6:00-8:00 p.m ; 6:00 -- 6:45 p.m. – Social Hour and Dinner; 6:45 – 7:00 p.m. – Announcement and Marketing ; 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. – Speaker(s)
Brandview Collection
109 East Harvard Street, Glendale, CA 91205
Second Floor 818-242-9500
Not open to the general public
Admission Fee: Members $10 Non-Members practicing real estate $30
It's all over -- just after midnight, Glendale elected one new councilman, John Drayman, and kept Dave Weaver, the incumbent mayor. Two-term councilman Rafi Manoukian got the boot. He finished third -- 676 votes behind Weaver. More coverage here.
Here's a trip down live-blogging memory lane...(thanks Technorati for keeping a record of that post after I deleted it!)
As of 10 p.m. Tuesday, wth all 11,589 absentee ballots counted and all 57 precincts remaining:
Glendale City Council
Incumbent Dave Weaver 16.9
John Drayman 18.2
Chahe Keuroghelian 14.0
Greg Krikorian 16
Incumbent Rafi Manoukian 20.1
Herbert Molano 4.5
Lenore Solis 2.2
Vrej Agajanian 7.7
Glendale Unified School District
Todd Hunt 19.5
Naira Khachatrian 7.3
Elizabeth Manasserian 14.6
Nayiri Nahabedian 24.9
Hasmig Aslanian 6.0
Incumbent Mary Boger 27.5
Glendale Community College District
Incumbent Vahe Peroomian 35.2
Christine Rodriguez 29.0
Incumbent Tony Tartaglia 35.7
10:41 p.m. update -- Holy cow! Drayman's lead against Weaver is widening, AND he's beating Manoukian with 10 percent reporting. Could Montrose finally win the day?
11:26 p.m. -- Who woulda thought it'll be Manoukian running neck-and-neck with Weaver? Or that Drayman is waay ahead in first with 30 of 57 precincts counted? When the count gets to south Glendale, the mayor may be headed for trouble...
Updated 10:15 a.m. Wednesday
If you're looking to do more than just spend Tuesday night in front of the television (I'm a Frontline man myself), have I got a slate of alternatives for you! It's election day in Glendale, and that means candidate election night PARTIES!
Word so far from local muckraker and party animal Barry Allen of Vanguard is council candidate and Montrose Shopping Park honcho John Drayman is holding his shindig at Damon's downtown. Lenore Solis, the former GWP commissioner who's also running but is not really spending much on it, will likely be there too.
Candidate and immigration consultant Chahe Keuroghelian is staging his party at Little Russia on Broadway; TV host Vrej Agajanian will be kickin' it at his office at 436 W. Broadway.
Challenger and Glendale Unified School Board member Greg Krikorian is holding up at that new Phoenicia restaurant on Central; his rival and incumbent Councilman Rafi Manoukian will dance the night away at Giggles on Brand.
Candidate and City Hall agitator Herbert Molano will be at Bacara restaurant downtown; Mayor Dave Weaver -- will be having a private party? Hope there's no velvet rope.
And if partying with Glendale politicos isn't your drink, there's always the Burbank City Council, where they'll attempt to sign-off on those new public smoking restrictions. The Burbank Armenian National Committee also is planning an action during public comment tonight to condemn a city grant committee's questioning of whether to fund a local charity with the word "Armenian" in its name. The Armenian Relief Society has been around since 1910, and provides social services such as job placement and immigration adivce geared towards Armenian Americans, though they won't turn away anyone who show up needing assistance.
Sharon Y. Garrett, the president of the NAACP's San Fernando Valley branch, posts a story today on valleynews.com about a meeting she is set to have April 5 with officials at Burbank High School. The issue -- violence among Armenians, African Americans and others on and off campus. She has been getting angry letters from parents complaining about Armenian students challenging others to fights, and blaming school administrators and police for not protecting students and not punishing the culprits. This issue has been brewing under the surface for quite a while now. Maybe this will open up some dialogue. Read the story here.
So besides two City Council seats, Burbank voters also will have the pleasure next Tuesday to decide on a slew of amendments to the city charter. The changes proposed by the charter review committee last year and arrived at after many hours of public hearing are intended to give the city's constitution an overhaul.
Among the bigger changes being considered are turning both the city clerk and city treasurer from elected to staff positions just like the city manager.
Supporters believe that will offer more immediate oversight, granting the City Council the ability to hire base on experience rather than popularity, and fire as needed instead of waiting until the next election. Opponents, which include Councilman David Gordon, would prefer to keep both these posts elected by the people as another check on council power. Then there's the argument _ if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Will Rogers shares a few belated thoughts on the matter here.
Get your news here -- Cemetery update, election news and hurt feelings over the Jermuk water recall ...
Word from Atwater is carp -- big ones -- are spawning in that concreted stretch of the oft-maligned river channel. More from LA Observed.
Just when you think you can rest easy -- another week chock-full of action and excitement ahead...
If you recall, opponents in the Whole Foods Market in the Rancho squabble wanted the council to shut-up and pass the thing already when it came to second readings, and got into a fit when the council was perceived to give the developer exceptional courtesy when they failed to show for the second reading and got an extension. The moral is Always Be Closing, I guess.
Earlier: Burbank smoking ban extended
The City of Glendale Cultural Affairs section of the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department is seeking applicants for a full-time summer internship position. The paid position is being funded through a grant from The Los Angeles County Arts Commission. Eligible candidates must be full-time undergraduates who either reside or attend college in Los Angeles County. Candidates must have completed one semester of college by June 2007 and will not graduate before December 2007.The Administrative Intern will work with the Cultural Affairs section and the Arts and Culture Commission on several projects, including the 4th annual Open Studio Tour and gallery exhibition and Unity Fest. The internship is full-time for 10 weeks between June and September.
Send letter and resume to Eve Rappoport at erappoport@ci.glendale.ca.us; fax to (818) 548-3789 or call (818) 548-2780 for more information. All applications must be received by April 19.
CITY AND STATE
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LOCAL INTEREST BLOGS
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hyelog
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