Fresh from the Burbank City Manager's office...

May 31, 2007

Tim Stehr Named Burbank Police Chief

Burbank City Manager Mary J. Alvord has announced the selection of Timothy A. Stehr as the Police Chief for the City of Burbank effective August 2, 2007. Stehr, a 27 year veteran of the Burbank Police Department, has served as Deputy Police Chief for the past year. He will replace current Chief Tom Hoefel who is retiring on August 1st after 27 years of service, the last seven as Police Chief.

“I’m pleased to appoint Tim as Burbank’s next Police Chief. I am very excited about adding Tim to the talented group who manage the City. I believe he has already demonstrated that he’ll be a good fit with our executive team. I very much look forward to working with him,” said Alvord.

Stehr began his career in the safety services as a Police Cadet in Monrovia. Then he worked as a Police Cadet in Burbank. Since joining the Burbank Police Department in 1979, Stehr has come up through the ranks. He has served as Officer, Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Captain, prior to being named Deputy Chief last year.

When Chief Hoefel announced his plans to retire effective August 1st, the City began a competitive nationwide recruitment process. This resulted in Deputy Chief Stehr coming out on the top of the list.

“I’m pleased that our department’s succession planning has produced our next police chief,” said Chief Hoefel. “I have worked with Tim for many years and know that he will be an outstanding chief.”

Stehr has a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from California State University, Los Angeles and a Masters Degree of Public Administration from California State University, Northridge. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the FBI Southwest Command College, and Leadership Burbank. He is involved in many professional associations including the California Police Chiefs’ Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police, California Narcotics Officers Association, and Burbank Police Officers Association. He serves on the Burbank YMCA Board of Directors.

Among his many honors are two Professional Esteem Awards (in 1988 and 2004) from the Burbank Police Department, the State Attorney General’s Commendation for ASaLT Crackdown Program in 1989, and the Rex Andrews Police Scholar Award in 1999.

As Police Chief, Stehr’s salary will be in the range of $11,815 - $14,355 per month.

The Burbank Fire Department has 286 employees who work in four major divisions: Uniform, Investigation, Special Operations, and Administration.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 6:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Curbed LA is backing off from their earlier post that the Glendale Home Depot will be closing to make way for a residential/retail mixed-use development.

According to the latest, a City of Glendale planner told one of their tipsters no such thing is in the works for the San Fernando Road property. However, they did say Lowe's would be building a store at the old Levitz site on 5375 W. San Fernando Road.

I would check for myself, but I'm technically still on vacation...

Posted by Eugene Tong at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

valleynews.com stalwart and Grand View Memorial Park blogger Lisa Burks has a pair of posts -- one looking at times past, the other at an uncertain future...

• First up, the Glendale City Council will review the Grand View situation at its June 12 meeting, as mentioned in her valleynews post about the cemetery's increasingly dry conditions.

  The National Weather Service reports that the Los Angeles area has had less than four inches of rain this season, nearly a foot below normal precipitation levels, making this the driest year in history since it began record-keeping in 1877.

  Nowhere in Glendale is that more evident than on the increasingly arid grounds of Grand View Memorial Park, which hasn't been watered in nearly a year.

  Most of the grass is now dead and picker-filled, many of the flowering bushes are shriveling and large palm tree branches are dropping to the ground making it increasingly difficult to safely walk to grave markers, particularly in Section M.

• Though the cemetery was closed for Memorial Day for the first time in 122 years, Burks takes a look back at how locals commemorate servicemen and women in times long past:

  The earliest records of Memorial Day ceremonies held at Grand View that I've found date back to the 1920s, in old news clippings from The Glendale Evening News housed at the Glendale Central Public Library's special collections room.

  In 1924, when Grand View was advertised as an American Legion Cemetery and several months before construction began on the West Mausoleum, 75 Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Civil War veterans' graves were decorated on Memorial Day morning under the direction of two men from the GAR Gen. N. P. Banks' post: Past Commander T. M. Barrett and Comrade R. N. Taylor, post officer of the day.

  Graves of 112 heroes from all wars, including the Spanish-American War, were decorated on Memorial Day in 1926 with "California's most beautiful flowers" during "impressive services" sponsored by both the GAR's Banks' post and the Burbank American Legion, with the Banks post's chaplain, Rev. Charles R. Norton, officiating the "ritualistic service."

  It was reported that people from cities throughout the San Fernando Valley attended the elaborate event to assist decorating the graves with garlands of flowers in addition to the floral arrangements placed by the Memorial Day committee.

  
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 8:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

• Curbed LA is reporting the Glendale Home Depot on San Frenando Road is closing to make way for a mixed-used residental/retail development. It's a use made possible by a 2004 rezoning of the area.

• Meanwhile, a bit of hillside development news...

  Gangi Development Unveils ‘Last’ of Area’s Hillside View Lots in Whitting Woods Area of Glendale, CA --Surrounding Area Preserved

  GLENDALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With new hillside view residential opportunities in close-in Los Angeles areas virtually gone in the wake of community and environmental sensitivities, Gangi Development Company has unveiled two estate-sized lots in the rustic Whitting Woods neighborhood of Glendale, CA that it terms “the last dream sites in the area” and which assure preserving surrounding hillsides.
  

Frank Gangi, president of Burbank, CA-based Gangi Development, reports that the two lots, comprising 3.53 acres and 2.84 acres, are now fully improved and have large landscaped flat pads nestled in the Verdugo Mountains. The sites provide dramatic and unobstructed north facing views of La Crescenta, the San Gabriel Mountains, east Glendale and Verdugo Hills. The properties are located south of the 210 Freeway and west of Pennsylvania Ave. at Whitting Woods Rd.

Gangi Development has completed all of the infrastructure and site improvements for these two estate lots, Gangi said. This includes building a long private concrete road, sewer, storm drains, underground utilities, hillside landscaping and stream improvements, while retaining the bulk of the pristine property’s numerous mature oak trees.

“I don’t know of view lots of this caliber and location available anywhere in greater Los Angeles. The views are truly spectacular. Since the surrounding hillsides will be preserved, there will be no one below or above future residents. It’s an opportunity for someone to build something unique and retain their complete privacy. Your closest neighbors are the numerous deer that roam the hillside.

“I also don’t know many companies that would do what we’re doing – developing a hillside for only two estate lots. We’ve gone forward because of our extensive construction experience in sensitive hillside development. Our in-house construction capability allowed us to control the high cost of grading and infrastructure improvements. This includes the long private concrete drive and split faced concrete block retaining wall extending from the property’s entry on Deerpass Road,” Gangi said.

Gangi notes that the two estate lots are secluded and are far larger than typical hillside sites – approximately three acres each – and are surrounded by oak trees and hydro-seeded fill areas with blossoming flowers.

Gangi explained that the lots are currently being appraised and are expected to be for sale at from $2,500,000 to $3,000,000 each.

“Our banker commented that there is no comparable hillside opportunity because communities have adopted hillside preservation ordinances that do not allow further land development. Our project is sensitive to the hillside, while providing rare opportunities for dream homes,” Gangi concluded.

About Gangi

Serving Southern California since 1947, Gangi Development is a third generation family run enterprise that applies professional principles throughout the design, build and manage phases of projects ranging in scope from custom homes to entire communities. Among its other successful projects are Vermont Avenue Lofts, a 26-unit for sale condominium, live-work and residential loft project now underway in Glendora, CA, and Media Village, a mixed use development in Burbank which included 147 units of senior housing, 60,000 sq. ft. of retail and office space, and 500 subterranean parking spaces.

Contacts
For Gangi Development
Frank Gangi, 818-247-2414, x110
Art Ansoorian, 805-653-1648

Posted by Eugene Tong at 8:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

I'm still on vacation -- but here are a few items that, if there's any justice in this world, ought to receive more eyeballs...

• Driving around Burbank at night could be hazardous to your vehicles with these kids on the loose -- here's some YouTube video of cars getting ambushed by youths with water balloons. Their kill zones include the Burbank Town Center and near Olive and San Fernando in downtown. As for the video, it's a compilation of several shorter ones that have been making the rounds online since last summer. Note foul language -- view at your own risk.
  
  

• Everyone loves it when cameras pan pimp rides -- here's the Armenian-American version, with some fancy HYE rides flashing the tri-color on local streets during April's genocide commemoration, all set to a kickin' beat.

• via RyanBomar: First arrival for this (SkyBus) airline on 3/28/07 at 10:47AM for a proving run from Columbus, OH (CMH) to BUR. Extremely windy day with a visual Runway 33 arrival as a United 737-300 holds short. Registration is N521VA because the plane belongs to Virgin America and is leased to SkyBus.

  
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 8:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Officially-sanctioned news from Burbank Unified...

• Assistant Superintendent for Business Services Resigns

  BURBANK, Calif., May 25, 2007 – Superintendent Gregory Bowman announces that Steve Bradley, Assistant Superintendent, Business Services, has tendered his letter of resignation with the Burbank Schools to pursue a career in the private sector. Mr. Bradley joined the District in November of 2001, and during his years, made certain that the District’s financial house was in order by establishing practices and procedures for budget development that ensures safeguards are in place to address the stability and use of all District’s resources. Throughout the past five years, funding for modernization and construction projects has been carefully monitored to use these resources to the maximum and to assure that the final four modernization projects will be completed. His financial guidance has also established a prudent reserve for the District, where one did not previously exist. The District’s financial future was at a crossroads upon his arrival. Upon his departure, the District is by any measure, in sound financial condition.

  The District will begin the process of recruiting a new chief business officer in the near future. In the meantime, Gary Mortimer, a Burbank resident and retired chief school district business official, who has served in this capacity with the Conejo Valley, Beverly Hills and Manhattan Beach unified school districts, will serve as the interim chief business official.

  for more, see the Leader story here.

• Principal Appointed at Jordan Middle School

  BURBANK, Calif. May 23, 2007 – Gregory Bowman, Superintendent of the Burbank Unified School District, is pleased to announce that Mrs. Sharon Cuseo will become the principal at Jordan Middle School upon the retirement of principal, Mary Margaret Kljunak at the end of June.

  Cuseo, serving as Assistant Principal at John Burroughs High since 1999, began her teaching career with the District at Jordan in 1989, teaching Spanish, English and English Language Development. She transferred to Burroughs in 1998, serving as Spanish teacher and department chair. Mrs. Cuseo earned her B.A. in Spanish from San Diego State University; completed requirements for a clear credential at California State University, Northridge; and earned a Masters degree in Educational Management at the University of La Verne, completing work on her clear administrative credential in 2005.

  Mrs. Cuseo has held several areas of focus in her tenure as assistant principal – discipline, guidance, and instruction. Her leadership in the area of curriculum and instruction has been cited as a major reason for Burrough’s impressive record or academic progress. Colleagues have praised her skills at working with teachers and parents, creating an atmosphere of respect through open communication.
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Officially-sanctioned news from Glendale Unified's Linda Junge...

• Crescenta Valley High School--June 2, It is a one-time, all-day, school-wide fundraising event for the "invisible children" of Uganda. You can check our website at: www.cv-icvc.org for more info on this event. Basically, from 10:30-12:30, we have a walk-a-thon at the CV track. Then from 12:30 - 1:00, we will have dances and entertainment at the ampitheater. Then from 1:00 - 4:00, we will have a carnival at the quad. Food, games, silent auction, rummage sales, local bands playing, etc. There will be something for everyone! ALL proceeds will go Uganda!

  ICVC (Invisible Children Visible Change) event is an official project of the Assets Team that was a result of an outpouring of concern for the citizens of Northern Uganda that followed a school-wide assembly in April. ICVC involves hundreds of students planning aloing with the assets advisors, coaches, and interested teachers. It will start with a walk-a-thon from 10:30 to 12:30 with multicultural dancing exhibits and entertainment, and will be followed from 1-4 with a carnival in the quad, entertainment at two locations (quad and cafeteria), and an educational display in Ms. Weller's room on the issues of the displaced persons of Northern Uganda. All funds raised will go to support Invisible Children or Life in Africa. These two organizations serve the needs of Ugandan children and families displaced by 20 years of civil war, sometimes called the worst atrocity of the 20th century. All
  events will be family friendly-- i.e. fun or interesting things for all ages from toddlers to senior citizens. Anyone interested in participating in the walk-a-thon can contact Pat Rabe for a donor form and/or for more information.

• Crescenta Valley High School Ranked in Newsweek’s Top 1000 schools Nation-Wide, Again

  CVHS was ranked 387 out of the top 1000 schools in the nation based on the Newsweek Challenge Index. Remember you take the number of Advanced Placement tests given to all grade levels and divide that number by the number of graduating seniors you get the index number. In 2003 CV’s Challenge Index number was 1.351 with a ranking of 470. In 2005 they were ranked 319 with an Index number of 1.902.

  For more information on this index, check the msnbc.com website.
  
  

• Clark Magnet High School Awarded $10,000 for Energy Grant

  Clark has been awarded a $10,000 A+ for Energy grant from Atlantic Richfield Co. from a pool of nearly 1,300 applicants nationwide. The grant "Lighting the Path to Our Future" will center in our ninth grade physics classes and study alternate forms of energy with an emphasis on white LED technology and analysis.

• Glendale High Students Prepare to Head to Japan in July

  Lois Sheridan, Glendale High counselor, will be accompanying a team of students to Japan in July. Because Japanese is taught at Glendale High, she and the team will also be investigating and researching the possibility of developing a Japanese Dual Immersion Program.

  For over ten years, both Hoover and Glendale High Schools have participated in a student exchange program to and from Japan. Glendale Unified School District has a long-standing relationship with the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles through our first two Teaching American History Grants. In 2000, two teachers from Glendale High School presented in Japan at a national teachers' conference on "How to Use Museums in the Classroom." Due to the California State Testing schedule and the expressed concernes of the high school principals, the exchange program in Glendale has been rescheduled to July. In this way, neither the students nor the chaperone/teacher would miss precious instructional or testing time. In March, a meeting was held with the leadership at Glendale High School to discuss how the District could provide some support to keep this outstanding and worthwhile program alive. At the request of secondary leadership, funds were found to pay $1,200 for the airfare of Ms. Sheridan.

• Glendale High Teacher Part of 10-Teacher U.S. Delegation to German Seminar

  As the teacher of contest winners and as a follow up to her participation in last summer's J8 Summit, Olivia Macaulay will be attending the National History Day German Institute. She will be one of 10 teachers from the United States traveling to Germany for a ten-day seminar that will focus on the Cold War. The 2008 theme for National History Day is "Resolving Conflict" and Olivia will be returning to present to GUSD teachers in October at the first meeting of the GUSD/UCLA History-Geography Project's Teaching American History Grant. The cost of the seminar is $2,000 plus airfare which is approximately $1,400. The entire cost will be paid for out of Teaching American History Grant funds. Once again, a GUSD teacher shines a spotlight on the excellence of our staff and programs! If you want any further details about the seminar, please contact Joanna Junge.

  For the past two year as a part of the Teaching American History Grants, Olivia Maccaulay has participated in National History Day with her Glendale High School students. This year, her students placed first in Los Angeles County and participated in the California State History Day finals at Long Beach in April.

  
  

• Edison Students to Open Biomes from Sister Class in New York

  Kim Labinger's elementary students are involved with a short study of biomes. They are in the process of trying to identify the plants around us. They also collected samples to place in a "biome box" that they have sent to Mrs. Gatto's class in Rochester, New York. They are waiting to receive the biome box they are preparing and sending. When they get the box, they will open it, study the contents, make comparisons, and see if they can identify the plants and come to some conclusions about the differences and similarities seen. They will also be writing about, drawing, and sending their findings to their partner class and vice versa.
  Along the way, both have been keeping track of temperatures and humidity readings in both regions and students have been graphing them.

  They plan to open it on Wednesday or Thursday, May 30th or 31st. If the reporter has a preference, they can adjust accordingly! It would be fun for the kids to have a larger audience. For more information, contact teacher Kim Labinger at Edison Elementary School.

• California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) Results, March 2007

  87% of the 2393 Sophomores who took the ELA test passed on their first attempt, up 5% from 2006
  88% of the 2392 Sophomores who took the Math test passed on their first attempt, up 1% from 2006
  34% of the 241 Juniors who took the ELA test passed on this retest opportunity.
  41% of the 212 Juniors who took the Math test passed on this retest opportunity.

  For more information on CAHSEE results and data, contact Terry Dutton at 247-3375.

• Miners, Loggers, Farmers, Ranchers, and Fishermen to visit Roosevelt Middle School

  Provider Pals (www.providerpals.com) will visit Roosevelt Middle School on June 8th. Provider Pals is a program designed to inform students where our 'stuff' comes from by introducing students to miners, loggers, farmers, ranchers, and fishermen from different states. Students learn about these jobs as they relate to their grade level standards, the students write the providers questions, and the provider pals write back. Then, at the end of the year, the provider pals fly to CA to visit the classrooms and bring pictures and other articles from their job to show the students. This is a growing program that is at schools across the nation and even earned a presidential award from President Bush (you can see the picture of their website).

  This summer four of 8th grade students, (Kimberly Hernandez, Alissa Carnicelli, Kevin Velasquez & Ernie Mejia) along with 2 teacher chaperones (Mary Cook & Jean Marie Pascale) will fly to Camp Raven, Montana from July 27-Aug 3. On this visit they will see a real mine, farm, ranch, and logging site, along with other fun activities. The students were chosen for this opportunity based on an essay contest. Students from other states will be at the camp so it is also a neat cultural exchange for the students as well. For more information, please contact Mrs. Mary Cook, 8th Grade Science Teacher at (818) 242-6845.

• Glendale High School Golf Tournament

  The first annual GHS Golf Tournament is currently in planning for Thursday, June 21, 2007. Angeles National Golf Club. Donations and tournament registration checks made out to Glendale High Athletics c/o Brent Forsee. Please register by June 7th. Registration includes Lunch, Range balls, Course Souvenir and Nitro Gear. $150 per player, $600 per foursome. Proceeds will benefit GHS Athletics. For more information please contact Brent Forsee (818) 242-3161 ext 1199 or e-mail at bforsee@gusd.net
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Hey, it counts as an update...

• GWP Increases Income Eligibility Guidelines for Low-Income Programs

  GLENDALE, California – On June 1, Glendale Water & Power (GWP) will increase its income eligibility guidelines for three of its low-income programs. The guidelines will match those approved by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for utilities and the Gas Company’s CARE Program for 2007-2008.

  Currently GWP has three low-income programs available to customers: Helping Hand, Senior Care and Cool Care. In order for customers to be eligible for participation in these programs, they must:

  - Meet the income eligibility guidelines (below)
  - Provide the total income for all wage earners living in the home
  - Provide proof of low-income status to qualify

  The following income guidelines are updated annually.

  Income Eligibility Guidelines - Effective June 1, 2007 – May 31, 2008

  Number of Household Members	Maximum Gross Annual Income*
  1 - 2	$29,300
  3	$34,400
  4	$41,500
  5	$48,600
  6	$55,700
  For each additional household member	add $ 7,100

  *Maximum income is for the total for all households members as updated every year

  GWP’s Helping Hand program provides a one-time electrical payment or deposit assistance up to $150 for customers experiencing a temporary financial emergency and cannot pay their deposit or GWP bill. The Cool Care refrigerator replacement program offers low-income customers that have a 10-year old (or older) working refrigerator, a new ENERGY STAR® refrigerator for $100. The Senior Care Program offers a monthly electric bill discount of $12.00 to low-income seniors age 62 or older or low-income customers age 55 or older on medical retirement or with permanent disabilities that prevent employment.

  For information on all low-income and general residential programs, customers are encouraged to call GWP customer service at (818) 548-3300 or visit www.GlendaleWaterAndPower.com.

• CITY (Glendale Water and Power) TO PAINT SOUTH BRAND LIGHT POLES

  Over 100 light poles on South Brand Boulevard between Colorado Street and San Fernando Road are scheduled to be painted beginning May 30. The project is expected to be completed prior to July 30.

  The poles will be painted during the hours of 10 pm and 6 am in an effort to avoid taking up parking spaces along Brand Boulevard. Sidewalks in the area will be temporarily closed while painting is occurring.

• Burbank Cancels July 4th Fireworks Due to Fire Hazard

  The City of Burbank has announced the cancellation of the aerial fireworks display slated for the Independence Day celebration at the Starlight Bowl on July 4th.

  Burbank City Manager Mary Alvord announced, “We’re sorry to do this, but the fireworks present a huge safety concern. The show will still go on; it will just be minus the fireworks this year.”

  Given the extreme drought conditions currently plaguing Southern California, the Burbank Fire Department does not believe that it is safe this year to conduct the fireworks show.

  “This year’s extreme drought followed by early high temperatures has made the hillside vegetation highly flammable. The aerial fireworks would present too great a risk and we are committed to assuring everyone’s safety,” said Fire Chief Tracy Pansini.

  The July 4th entertainment at the Starlight Bowl will still include the Burbank Philharmonic Orchestra playing pops and patriotic music. Classic rock will be performed The Answer. The Jokesters will entertain throughout the evening. Other special entertainment is being planned.

  “We’re working on securing a patriotic tribute to replace the fireworks. I am sure the audience will leave feeling patriotic and uplifted,” said Park, Recreation and Community Services Director Eric Hansen.

  Ticket prices for the July 4th celebration will be the same as the upcoming concerts during the summer season: $8 for Adults, $5 Senior (60 +) and $5 Children (3-12).

  Tickets go on sale June 4th at the three recreation centers – McCambridge, Verdugo and Olive – as well as the Administrative Services Building, 301 E. Olive Avenue, Suite 300.

  For more information, please call (818) 525-3721 or visit www.StarlightBowl.com

• Glendale Beeline Buses Designated as Safe Place for Youth

  Glendale, California – The Glendale Beeline transit service in cooperation with the Salvation Army will begin providing a “Safe Place” for youth in crisis. A commencement event will be held at 11:00am on Thursday, May 31, at Roosevelt Middle School located at 222 East Acacia Avenue, Glendale.

  Safe Place is a national youth outreach program providing immediate help and supportive resources for all young people (ages 10-17) in crisis. Through a network of sites sustained by qualified agencies, trained volunteers and businesses, the program educates young people about the dangers of running away or trying to resolve difficult, threatening situations on their own.

  The Beeline buses will provide mobile Safe Place sites throughout Glendale. When a youth needs assistance, they merely inform the bus driver. The driver will follow a preset protocol and counselors at the Salvation Army, which administers the program in Glendale, will be notified. The youth will be dropped off at an arranged stop to meet an awaiting trained counselor.

  “We are very pleased not only to provide transportation for many of Glendale’s kids but also crisis assistance,” said Jano Baghdanian, Glendale’s Traffic & Transportation Administrator. “It is reassuring that a young person boarding a Beeline bus can tap into a network of community resources and trained counselors.”

  A “Safe Place” will be available for youth onboard 35 buses on all of the Beeline routes. Throughout the year, the Beeline carries an estimated 2.3 million passengers who will have an opportunity to learn of Safe Place and share information with those in need. For additional information please call 548-3960.

• Glendale Youth Orchestra Features Six Concerto Competition Winners at Alex Theatre on June 5

  GLENDALE, CA -- The Glendale Youth Orchestra, under the batons of conductor Brad Keimach and assistant conductor Michael Armstrong (in his Alex Theatre debut), will present the final concert of its eighteenth season at 7:30 PM on Tuesday night, June 5th at the historic Alex Theatre in Glendale.

  The concert will feature six soloists from the ranks of the orchestra – each playing a movement from a concerto. Carol Joe will perform the Ibert Flute Concerto, Jerry Joo will play the Haydn Cello Concerto, Andrew Marlin performs the Vivaldi Bassoon Concerto, Zachary Price will play the Dittersdorf Double Bass Concerto, Amira Polack will perform the Strauss Horn Concerto, and Jon Lusher will perform the Strauss Horn Concerto. In addition the orchestra will perform Mozart’s Overture to “The Marriage of Figaro”, and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 1.

  Tickets are $9.50 and may be purchased from the Alex Theatre Box Office. Students and seniors, and groups of ten or more, may purchase tickets for $6.00 each. Call 818-243-ALEX, or visit www.alextheatre.org. The concert will be preceded by a silent auction in the courtyard of the Alex Theatre to benefit the orchestra.

  Formed in 1989 by a group of Glendale music lovers and school teachers, the Glendale Youth Orchestra now attracts talented young musicians in the 6th grade through college from all over Los Angeles, and the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys. Auditions for membership in the orchestra are on going, and may be arranged by calling the Glendale Youth Orchestra at 818-321-3083. For more information visit www.glendale-online.com/gyo.

• Glendale Police Department’s Introduction of New Aerial Speed Enforcement Program

  The aerial speed enforcement program began approximately a year and a half ago. On May 31, 2007, at 10:00 a.m., the Glendale Police Department will be holding a press conference at The Glendale/Burbank Air Support Unit, located at Bob Hope Airport, 7540 Wheatland Avenue Sun Valley, Ca. 91352 (818-504-0191). Chief Randy G. Adams, along with Glendale Police Management, will discuss the program at the news conference.

  The program stemmed from numerous citizen complaints about cars speeding, cars racing, and the number of traffic collisions where unsafe speed was a factor. The Glendale Police Department had utilized a variety of traditional measures, including saturation type patrol and special enforcement details in an attempt to address the issue. Several miles of roadway have been determined to be a problem with excessive speeds by motorists. Given the number of areas of concern within the City of Glendale and the limited amount of resources, the Glendale Police Department Air Support Unit was identified as another possible means by which to further address the issue.

  The program has been modeled after a program currently used by the California Highway Patrol. The California Highway Patrol program has been in place for more than 30 years. “Fly alongs” were conducted with California Highway Patrol personnel during their regular patrol flights to obtain operational experience. Training was conducted by our personnel in visually estimating the speed of cars on the ground from the helicopter and establishing the ground speed of the helicopter through the utilization of ground targets.

  The department identified several areas within the City of Glendale where aerial speed enforcement could be utilized. The area of West Glenoaks Boulevard was selected to be first area where the City will begin using the helicopter to conduct aerial speed enforcement. The roadways have been surveyed by the Glendale Public Works Department and have placed aerial targets on the roadway. Signs have been posted advising drivers that speed is enforced by aircraft. Additional areas of the City will be incorporated as the program evolves.

  Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

I'm off for two weeks and updates will be infrequent -- there'll probably be a few news summaries, depending on the strength of the free wireless signal I'm currently mooching off...

Posted by Eugene Tong at 5:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Could horses (and people) be allowed back on Griffith Park's trails this weekend? Rumblings among Burbank's equestrians, who have been kept out of the fire-scarred park since the May 8 wildfire (while one ranch was allowed back in), is that LA Recreation and Parks will open some of the trails late Friday or Saturday. The rumor mill says it'll all be clear at a Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa news conference tomorrow, and parts of the Rattlesnake, Oaks Canyon and Skyline Loop trails are on the list. That means five to six miles of trail for those traveling on two and four legs.

I called Recreation and Parks just before noon for an update, and they weren't talking. But Villaraigosa is scheduled to tour the park at noon Friday and do a news conference at 1 p.m., during which he will discuss the park's recovery, according to a press aide I spoke with earlier.

If the comments on Rec and Parks' Griffith Park Recovery blog is an indcation, there are a lot of frustrated trailblazers out there.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 9:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

• Police are saying today a series of fights that broke out between two groups of students at Glendale High Wednesday was not due to Armenian vs. Latino tensions.

  A News Press story this morning quoted a couple students who suspect it could be a cause for the melees between two groups of friends, the first of which began at about 12:30 p.m. -- lunch time. Several more fights broke out throughout the day that students had to be dismissed in groups. And this all happened during the Every 15 Minutes DUI prevention program, with several GPD officers on campus.

  "There is no evidence in yesterday's incidents that says it's racially motivated," Glendale Police spokesman John Balian told me. "It was a 'What're you looking at?' -- that type of thing." In fact, another fight happened today after school on the soccer field, he said. No one was hurt.

  As for ethnic tensions, Balian said: "It's been quiet for a long time."

  Tensions between the two groups erupted in 2000, when Latino Hoover High student Raul Aguirre was stabbed to death when he was caught in a fight between rival gang members. Three charged in his murder were Armenian Americans.

  I'm just waiting for the YouTube video to see for myself.

• Meanwhile, Jason Kandel blogs about Glendale's pay-to-stay jail. It's a Crime.
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 8:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

So Unite Here Local 11, that union shop trying to organize Glendale Hilton workers, was all set this morning to register their displeasure at a meeting of the state Lottery Commission at Pasadena City Hall, but they ended up handing them kudos instead.

The campaign had intended to pressure the Lottery to honor their boycott and stop putting up out-of-town contestants appearing on The Big Spin, which is shot at KCET studios in Hollywood. Their leverage -- an allegation that Lottery Director of Broadcasting Richard Leeson, who oversees hotel contracting for the show, is receiving kickbacks from the Hilton in the from of "Hilton Honors" points -- more than 96,800 points. According to their relesae:

This is more than enough for a free night at the Grand Wailea Resort in Hawaii, two nights at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, three nights at the Glendale Hilton, or up to twelve nights at other Hilton hotels.

Despite having been notified of these kickbacks, the Lottery Commissioners continue to allow their staff to do business with the Glendale Hilton in violation of the workers' boycott. On May 24, hotel workers and other concerned members of the public will call on the Commissioners to honor the boycott and answer for this unseemly use of public funds.

They were all set to rock, until Unite Here's Ty Hudson said he received a phone call Wednesday morning from a Lottery attorney saying the state agency has ended its contract with the Hilton, and is conducting an investigation. "It's a victory for us," Hudson told me today.

A call from a Lottery spokesman confirmed they had cancelled their Hilton contract yesterday for a cause, but it wasn't for the union, whose campaign they are impartial to. He declined to give further information, and would not say whether an investigation is being carried out or if it has anything to do with the union's allegations against Leeson, as they don't comment on personnel or matters that could involve litigation.

Follow the link to see the union's May 22 release...

For immediate release:

May 22, 2007

State Employee Receives Kickbacks for Steering California Lottery Business to Boycotted Hotel

70% of Glendale Hilton workers have called for boycott of their workplace

WHAT: Hotel workers and community allies ask Lottery Commission to honor boycott, repudiate hotel contract clouded by the appearance of impropriety

WHEN: Thursday, May 24, 2007

TIME: 10:00 am

WHERE: Pasadena City Hall Council Chambers, 100 N. Garfield Ave, Pasadena, CA

WHO: Glendale Hilton workers, religious and community leaders from Glendale and the surrounding area

Glendale Hilton hotel workers have been struggling for over a year for the right to organize, but their efforts were met with fierce resistance by hotel management. Workers cite poverty wages, a lack of affordable health insurance, and dangerous working conditions as some of the issues they face.

In April of 2006, 70% of the workers at the Glendale Hilton signed a petition calling on customers to boycott the hotel. Since then, the boycott of the Glendale Hilton along with a boycott of other hotels owned by the same company has cost the owner, Eagle Hospitality, more than $1 million in lost business.

Lottery Director of Broadcasting Richard Leeson has known about the boycott since shortly after it began, but has refused to support workers who are struggling to escape poverty. The Lottery continues to house scores of Big Spin contestants in the Glendale Hilton on a monthly basis, exposing lottery winners to picket lines and other protests. Dozens of supporters from the Sacramento and Bay Area community have visited two previous Lottery Commission meetings in Sacramento and asked the Commissioners to honor the boycott, only to have their calls go unheeded by officials appointed to serve the public. Now, Glendale Hilton workers will confront the Commissioners face to face.

UNITE HERE, the union assisting the Glendale Hilton workers in their organizing efforts, has discovered that Lotter Director of Broadcasting Richard Leeson, the state employee responsible for contracting with a hotel to provide housing to Big Spin contestants, is receiving kickbacks from the hotel in the form of at least at least 96,800 "Hilton Honors" points. This is more than enough for a free night at the Grand Wailea Resort in Hawaii, two nights at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, three nights at the Glendale Hilton, or up to twelve nights at other Hilton hotels.

Despite having been notified of these kickbacks, the Lottery Commissioners continue to allow their staff to do business with the Glendale Hilton in violation of the workers' boycott. On May 24, hotel workers and other concerned members of the public will call on the Commissioners to honor the boycott and answer for this unseemly use of public funds.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

All aboard...

• Glendale story of the day -- I visited EnVironmental Motors, one of the Valley's only car dealers dedicated to electric cars, scooters and other green alternative transports. Taryn Sokolow, the head of the venture, is the daughter of Colonial Honda owner Kent Sokolow, and she's motivated by Al Gore's movie to help drivers reduce their carbon footprint..

  Check out some ECARS photos to the right, under our new PHOTO GALLERY feature. Then watch video of the test drive below.

• In other transport news, the travel site Jaunted.com liveblogged the launch of Skybus -- AKA that airline that takes you to Columbus from Burbank for $10 a leg. Loads of photos and video from inside the cabin on this trip from Portsmouth , NH to Columbus, Ohio. Marvel at the new plane smell and the muscular calfs of flight attendants!

• Meanwhile, the Glendale City Council have disembarked from their trip to the International Council of Shopping Centers convention in Vegas. News Press
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 6:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Local Assemblyman Paul Krekorian is chairing the new Select Committee on Preservation of California's Entertainment Industry, charged with developing policy to combat runaway production and piracy. Have to admit -- it could use a snappier name. Or just use the initials! SCPCEI --pronouced "sep-see." Awesome.

Also on the committee is Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, whom I once knew as Santa Clarita Councilman Cameron Smyth when I used to cover THAT valley, and whom I've read is a snappy dresser, according to at least one gay Republican blogger.

Click the link to see the full release...

SACRAMENTO, CA- Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez today announced the formation of the Select Committee on Preservation of California’s Entertainment Industry, which will be chaired by Assemblymember Paul Krekorian. Krekorian represents the heart of the nation’s entertainment industry -- his district includes the areas of Burbank, Glendale, North Hollywood and Los Feliz/Silver Lake, and encompasses most of the major motion picture and television studios and countless other entertainment businesses. Before his election to the Legislature, Krekorian, a Democrat, represented entertainment industry clients as a lawyer specializing in intellectual property and First Amendment matters.

“California’s entertainment industry is a treasured part of California’s heritage, and it is also an invaluable foundation for our economic future,” said Assemblymember Krekorian. “So many other states and countries are working overtime to lure this industry away from us because they know it produces tremendous economic benefits and revenues with good middle class jobs. Let me make clear -- we are going to fight hard to keep those jobs here, keep California competitive and make sure the state is a great partner for this industry. I’m grateful to the Speaker for entrusting me with this responsibility, which is of enormous importance to working people throughout the state.”

Besides Krekorian, the members of the Select Committee are Assembly Majority Leader Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles), Assemblymember Sam Blakeslee (R-San Luis Obispo), Assemblymember Mike Davis (D - Los Angeles), Assemblymember Kevin de Leon (D - Los Angeles), Assemblymember Betty Karnette (D - Long Beach), Assemblymember Mark Leno (D - San Francisco), Assemblymember Anthony Portantino (D – Pasadena), and Assemblymember Cameron Smyth (R - Santa Clarita).

Krekorian stated that the committee will hold hearings throughout the state to study the economic impact of the loss of entertainment industry jobs, and will develop a range of policy options to address the problem. The Select Committee will focus on a variety of issues important to the industry, including:

· Runaway production due to incentives outside California;
· Piracy, counterfeiting and other intellectual property crimes;
· Work force development and investment in arts and career/tech education;
· Tax policy that encourages development of jobs and infrastructure in California;
· Promoting California locations and reducing impediments to production in the State.

Assemblymember Paul Krekorian (D-Burbank) represents the cities of Burbank and Glendale, and the Los Angeles communities of Atwater Village, Los Feliz, North Hollywood, Silver Lake, Toluca Lake, Valley Glen, Valley Village and Van Nuys.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

This YouTube user uploaded yesterday this tribute to BPD Officer Matthew Pavelka, who was killed in a shootout with members of the Vineland Boys gang Nov. 15, 2003. David Garcia, who is charged with his murder, has a court hearing July 18.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

To make up for my occasional absence (sometimes reporting means leaving the office), this here blog will be rolling out some new features I hope could keep things fresh -- beginning with the Breaking News feed to our right.

Only top headlines from dailynews.com for now, while I tweak the widget to gather news SOOOO local, it'll leave you wondering, WHY?

Play with it, subscribe to it, put it on your cell phones! More to come...

Posted by Eugene Tong at 11:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Nine local high school seniors and Glendale Community College students were awarded a total $6,000 in scholarships from the Glendale Latino Association at a special fete this morning. From the release:

Almost all of the 2007 recipients are the first in their families to attend college. Many have beaten incredible odds. Their successes are remarkable compared to their counterparts nationwide. According to a June 2003 report issued by the U.S. Census Bureau, more than two in five Hispanics aged 25 and older have not graduated from high school. Only 57% have earned their high school diplomas and the percentage of those earning a Bachelor’s degree is even more staggering at 11.1%.

“Unfortunately, Latino students are facing so many challenges today in pursuit of higher education… Learning the process as they go along, not having the right guidance, or not having the means to pay for the astronomical college tuition fees and costs of books,” stated GLA President, Martha Rivera. “Their stories mirror that of many of the association’s Latino professionals. Inspired and remembering their own struggles, the members have pulled together to give back and help out the next generation.”

The 2007 scholarship recipients are: Christiane Gomez and Desiree Jerez of Crescenta Valley High School, Luz Ramirez, Norma Rojas and Erick Santos of Glendale Community College, Yared-Montalvo-Montano of Glendale High School, Aksana Guzman of Holy Family High School, and Alejandro Hernandez and Jessica Olivas of Hoover High School.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) |

Speaking of air travel, it seems flyers are more satisfied with Burbank Bob Hope Airport than they were a year ago, according to the 2007 J.D. Power and Associates North American Airport Satisfaction Study.

This year, BUR ranked 9th out of 19 small airports surveyed in terms of overall satisfaction, compared to 18 of 19 a year ago. It scored higher than John Wayne (12th) in Orange County and Long Beach (17th), but it's index score is still a few points below average. Small airports are those that see fewer than 10 million passengers a year, and #1 among them for the second year in a row is Houston Hobby International.

Meanwhile, LAX ranked 12th of 17 large airports surveyed -- that's airports with 30 million passengers or more per year. Dallas/Ft. Worth International is the top scorer here.

The 7th annual study measures airport accessibility, baggage claim, check-in/baggage check, terminal facilities, security check, food and beverage, retail services and immigration/custom control.

Other factoids: The number of flyers who are checking baggage increased to 77 percent compared to 67 percent in 2006 due to tighter restrictions of what you can bring onboard. While customer satisfaction levels increased for the check-in process, they're not so happy with baggage claim, likely due to the increased volume.

Moreover --

• Customer satisfaction levels flattened in 2007, after climbing steadily between 2002 and 2006.

• One in five travelers experiences a flight delay—a 12 percent increase over 2006. Leading reasons for flights delays are bad weather (31%), unavailability of aircraft (20%) and mechanical problems (14%).

• Satisfaction with retail services posts the greatest decline of the measures studied, driven by decreases in satisfaction with cost and variety of products. On average, airport consumers spend $25.54 on retail purchases.

• The average airport customer spends $11.91 on food and beverage. This figure is higher ($14.72) for travelers in small airports.
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 4:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

With the blog a one-man show now, posts may not be as frequent as I would like given the demands of my day job. Let's see how it works out...

• Record high gas prices thoughout California. Daily News Here's the News Press' Glendale-centric version.

• If driving's too expensive, try flying! Skybus, that Columbus, Ohio-based startup airline with the $10 seats, is taking off the tarmac this morning with flights bound for Burbank's Bob Hope Airport, Kansas City, Mo., and Portsmouth, NH. All flights include a stop in Columbus, which means it's not a bad deal if you're flying west to east. WBNS-10 Central Ohio

• Meanwhile, expect airline delays this summer. Times

• Local Chromium 6 clean-up hinges on a $2 million grant application with the state Department of Health Services. News Press

• New Daily News Crime blog. It's a crime

• City of Burbank has issued its first tobacco sales license. Amayak Tarkhanyan, owner of "A to Z Service Station," 2005 N. Glenoaks Blvd. was the first person to sign-up, according to a city release. The City Council unanimously approved the ordinance in March 2007, which requires all Burbank tobacco dealers to comply by July 1.

  The license costs $200 a year with a $35 application fee, and officials believe it would assist in preventing children under 18 from buying smokes. If a retailer is caught selling tobacco products to under-aged children, then this can lead to either a suspension or revocation of this newly established license which grants the privilege of selling tobacco products. Call the Burbank License and Code Service Division at (818) 238-5280 for more info.
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

A federal study about the health affects of ingesting chromium 6 found that high doses of the stuff in drinking water causes cancer in lab rodents, this according to a release from U.S. Rep Adam Schiff.

We here in Glendale have some of that stuff in a couple of groundwater wells, and city officials and the EPA have been working up a plan -- currently in testing phase -- to remove the industrial chemical.

An excerpt from my Oct. 13, 2006 story on the topic:

...
Hexavalent chromium -- more commonly known as chromium 6 -- is a metal-finishing chemical that gained public attention in the Academy Award-winning film ``Erin Brokovich.'' The environmental crusader helped win a landmark settlement for residents of Hinckley who were sickened by chromium 6 contamination in the town's water supply.

The chemical is a legacy of the defense and aviation industries that dotted Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley since the 1940s.

The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board is still trying to determine the source of the local contamination, which also affects wells in North Hollywood and Burbank.

The contaminant appears in high concentrations at three of eight alluvial wells managed by Glendale Water & Power -- between 35 to 54 parts per billion as of July. One part per billion is about a drop of ink in an Olympic-size swimming pool.
...
State law allows 50 ppb of the chemical in drinking water, with federal standards at 100 parts per billion. The Glendale City Council wants to further reduce that to 5 parts per billion.

Us folks here East of the 5 is living on Arrowhead deliveries. Click the following link to read Schiff's release:

Federal Study Called for by Schiff Reveals
Chromium 6 in Drinking Water can Cause Cancer

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Adam Schiff announced the release of a draft report of a federal cancer study of the health effects of ingesting chromium 6. In 2001, Rep. Schiff spearheaded a California delegation-wide effort to commission the study by the National Institutes of Health’s National Toxicology Program. The two year study found that high doses of chromium 6 in drinking water cause cancer in lab rodents.

“This study provides us with valuable information on the serious health risks associated with chromium 6 in drinking water,” said Schiff. “It offers definitive evidence that chromium 6 contaminated drinking water can cause cancer and highlights the need to ensure that our federal drinking water standards are up to date to keep Americans healthy and safe.”

Congressman Schiff cautioned that the doses of chromium 6 used in the study far exceeded the amounts found in drinking water. Nonetheless, this is the first extensive study of chromium 6 in drinking water, and it shows that chromium 6 may pose a real health risk.

The link between chromium 6 and cancer garnered national attention after the release of the movie “Erin Brockovich” in 2000. Congressman Schiff has long worked to keep chromium 6 out of drinking water, dating back to his work in the California State Senate. As a State Senator, he sponsored a bill requiring the California Department of Health Services to prepare a report on the amount of chromium 6 in the San Fernando Valley aquifer and the danger it poses to residents.

As a U.S. Congressman, he secured more than a million and a half dollars to develop technology capable of removing heavy metals such as chromium 6 from drinking water in Glendale.

He has also written to the EPA Administrator asking the EPA to determine whether a new, lower national public health standard is needed for chromium in drinking water. The national public standard is 100 parts per billion (ppb) of total chromium; California has established a standard of 50 ppb, and some health experts believe 2.5 ppb levels of chromium 6 are necessary to further protect public health.

Rep. Schiff was recently appointed to serve on the House Appropriations Committee in the 110th Congress and is a member of its Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee, the State Department and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, and the Select Intelligence Oversight Panel. He also serves on the House Judiciary Committee and its Subcommittee on the Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property. He represents California’s 29th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, East Pasadena, East San Gabriel, Glendale, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Temple City.

-30-

Posted by Eugene Tong at 3:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Not much in the way of material this morning, but I'm working on a few things...

Meanwhile, Barry Allen of Vanguard had this thought: If the latest $255,000 grant from the state office of Homeland Security for Glendale to replace expired nerve agent and antidote kits only covers 10,000 victims of a biological incident and 1,000 for a chemical one, who decides who lives and who dies?

Happy Friday!

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

A couple of items of relative interest...

• More on that 13-year-old busted for bringing an airsoft gun to Toll Middle School Friday and causing a lockdown -- he won't be charged with a felony anything, just obstructing or delaying an investigation, but he might be expelled. News Press

• GUSD board member Greg Krikorian says the district should get paid for letting the city of Glendale use their facilities like swimming pools and fields, according to the News Press. You may remember a few months ago, Krikorian, who ran for City Council and lost, pushed for greater cooperation with the city regarding facilities...hmmmm...

• KABC 7 takes a look beyond the check-in conveyor belts at Bob Hope Airport, and finds four honking Explosive Detection machines.
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

A.O. Scott, The New York Times's chief film critic, does a Griswold and tours Hollywood with his wife and two kids in this travel piece last Sunday. They stopped by Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank. Excerpt:

The tour, in keeping with the endless scrambling of past and present, was less about Bette Davis than “The Gilmore Girls.” We stopped in Stars Hollow to take permitted photographs, and wandered through the Gilmore mansion, which is housed in a sound stage. But Stars Hollow used to be Walton's Mountain, and before that, part of it was Kings Row, where Ronald Reagan lived before he went into politics. And the “Gilmore Girls” sound stage used to be “Casablanca.” Much of the lot was built in the early years of the sound era, and its city streets and country towns have been used hundreds of times — in bad and good movies and (more frequently now) in television shows — ever since.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 6:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Dan Evans laments the state of democracy after working the polls in Burbank in yesterday's mostly ignored, mostly school-related elections.

We had about 600 registered voters for our little area, 12 of whom showed up at the polls. ... It was dull, friends, dull. I did get a fairly lengthy discussion about Burbank politics going with my fellow workers, but spending 15 hours in a flooring showroom off Hollywood Way is about as much fun as it sounds.

Of the three valley races, the main event was the battle for the LAUSD District 3 seat, which pitted LA Mayor Villaraigosa-backed city prosecutor Tamar Galatzan against union-backed incumbent Jon Lauritzen. Galatzan won, which means Mayor V gets majority support on the LAUSD board, which I guess is like Plan B or C in his campaign to assert executive influence over the school district.

As for Burbank voters, they only get to pick the undercard -- a Los Angeles Community College District race between incumbent Georgian Mercer and retired sheriff's Deputy Roy Burns. Burns won by just 88 votes, with voter turnout hovering around 6 percent.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Dr. Debs at Good Wine Under $20 sings praises of Burbank Costco's wine buyer. Excerpt:

You see, Costco wine selections are determined by the store's buyer. Get a good buyer, you get good wine. Get a bad buyer--you get nothing but Chard and Cab and some very tired Australian shiraz that sits for 9 months. Finally, I asked the folks on Chowhound's wine board if they could tell me which LA area Costco has good wine. And the answer came, in the voice of Johnny Carson: beautiful downtown Burbank.

Thank you, Burbank Costco wine buyer, for stocking two islands of bins and mountains of pallets with really, really good wine. You know you're in good hands when the pallets do not contain case after case of Clos du Bois but instead case after case of Cotes du Rhone.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) |

LA River explorer Jay Babcock checks out the view below the 2 Freeway in the Glendale Narrows . Check out his blog Nature Trumps. He also edits and publishes Arthur.