Well, the Tonight Show may be leaving town in a couple years, but all is not lost for fans of a good monologue. Sure, he's not as well known as Jay Leno, but Will Rogers can tell a good story. On Dec. 6, the veteran journalist will put on a one man show at the Colony Theatre in Burbank. All proceeds from the show will go to the Burbank Temporary Aid Center, a food bank for the poor.
In a press release on his Web site, Rogers explained why it's a charity show:
“Face it,” Rogers said. “A lot of people who might otherwise be interested would never buy a ticket if they thought there’s a chance the cash they’ve worked hard to amass through city redevelopment projects and rampant cronyism could ever make its way to me.”

Posted by Alex Dobuzinskis at 9:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

With each passing day since the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a resolution condemning the Armenian Genocide, the chances that it will be approved by a full House vote seem increasingly unlikely. Today comes a story in the New York Times highlighting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's slow backing away from the proposal. Radio Free Europe reports that Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian begins an official visit to Washington, D.C., today and will meet with Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Apparently the Armenian prime minister will not be meeting with President George W. Bush, who yesterday angered China by meeting with the Dalai Lama. The Times article mentions that the chief House sponsors of the Armenian Genocide resolution point out the inconsistency of risking poorer relations with China but not risking a formal recognition of the genocide.

And on a totally different topic, Ellen DeGeneres is calling for a truce in the dog fiasco that she started by crying on-camera during a taping of her show at NBC Studios in Burbank. The Daily News carried a story today about the death threats that the dog agency's organizer says she is receiving as a result of DeGeneres' on-air plea.

Posted by Alex Dobuzinskis at 12:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

OK, this is inexcusable on my part, but I missed a vital piece of information in the O.J. Simpson robbery saga. Way back on Sept. 21, uber community columnist Will Rogers wrote an unbelievable story about Alfred Beardsley, one of O.J.'s alleged victims in the Las Vegas robbery. Rogers and Beardsley had a run-in, or a series of uncomfortable encounters culminating in a wild car chase through the streets of Burbank. To find the story, click here and then click on the Sept. 21 column "Council Candidate a Victim in Alleged OJ Rip-Off?" There's also a similar story at The Smoking Gun. Anyway, here is a passage from the Will Rogers piece:

At one point I was racing at high speed in reverse up Hollywood Way, and at another (Beardsley) was driving for blocks at a time in the oncoming lanes of Hollywood Way after I’d avoided him with a “k-turn” just like those I’d seen performed for years on “The Rockford Files.”

Throughout the event I was on the line with a Burbank police dispatcher. The episode came to a close when we were finally descended upon by a phalanx of Burbank police motorcycle officers, patrol cars, unmarked detective vehicles and even the police helicopter.

Will Rogers' account makes the bit of backstory I turned up look pale in comparison, but you can click here to find out about Beardsley's slugging match with the KKK and his involvement with the late Irv Rubin.

Posted by Alex Dobuzinskis at 11:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Ellen DeGeneres made a heartfelt plea during the taping of her show in Burbank on Monday. She wants her dog back, or more specifically, she wants the dog that she gave away to her hairdresser to be returned to her. You see it's not the hairdresser who has it; the dog was taken away by a rescue agency called Mutts and Moms. Ellen cried real tears, according to the Associated Press story about her on-air plea. The whole thing involves a written contract between Ellen and the rescue agency, and Ellen says she didn't read the contract carefully enough. What's this? A Hollywood star getting ripped off by not reading a contract? How could it be?

The show airs today.

Posted by Alex Dobuzinskis at 12:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) |

Little known fact, but Providence Saint Joseph chief flak (and former Daily News staffer) Dan Boyle is an author who has just finished his second novel, "Housecleaning." The book was published by The Haworth Press and it concerns a gay scientist who is busily trying to unravel the secrets of the universe while caring for his dementia-suffering mother.

I haven't read the book, but that summary Dan provided me bears a striking resemblance to "Proof," the Pullitzer Prize winning play by David Auburn. In "Proof" the reclusive daughter of a brilliant but insane mathematician struggles to prove his theorum after his death, and after spending the best years of her life caring for him.

Still, it sounds like there are some big differences from "Proof." First of all, the dementia-suffering mother takes the reader back in time, and Boyle uses the device to write about the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial, the 1936 Berlin Olympics and the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington. Boyle, who grew up in Washington State, also weaves in descriptions of the Pacific Northwest and the Los Angeles area.

Reportedly, the nurses and orderlies at Providence responded to Boyle's book announcement by lining the hallways and shouting "Author! Author!" OK I made that up.

Posted by Alex Dobuzinskis at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Well, there's been a lot going on in the past 24 hours, almost too much to keep up with. First off, NBC announced it is moving the "Tonight Show" and a grip of other shows out of its Burbank facility and across the border to Universal City. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is anticipating that the move will pump $3 billion into Los Angeles' economic veins. Burbank officials are glum about the move, and a few of them told me that NBC didn't bother to inform them about it before yesterday's announcement, although the move has long been talked about and the announcement came as no big surprise. Our own David Kronke and Gregory J. Wilcox did a great job of covering the announcement.

And there's more big news, as the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday voted 27-21 to recognize the Armenian Genocide. When the same proposal was approved by the Foreign Affairs Committee in 2005, the Republican House leadership blocked it from getting to a full House vote. Now it looks like a bill that would recognize the Armenian Genocide is not only heading for a full House vote, it looks like it will pass. Check out our article on the vote here.

Posted by Alex Dobuzinskis at 10:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Burbank police had a wild chase last night, after a robbery at a Burbank liquor store lead officers on a chase all the way to Santa Clarita, as the officers dodged bottles thrown at them by one of the suspected robbers. Burbank blogger Dan Evans happened to stop by the store that was robbed, Burbank Reese Market, at 1701 W. Burbank Blvd., because his wife was suffering from a case of the munchies. He relates the following depressing exchange between the robbery victim who worked at the store and a TV reporter, after the clerk told the reporter that he got punched during the robbery.

"But I've seen worse," [the clerk] said. "I'm from Cambodia. I escaped from far worse people."

Whoa.

"You mean Pol Pot?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Who?" asked the reporter.

"The dictator," I said. "The Khmer Rouge. You know?"

"No," said the reporter.

"Yeah," said the clerk, lifting up his shirt to show a constellation of long-ago scarred burn marks. "They did this. Those kids, they nothing."

Dan Evans is suitably depressed about the reporter's ignorantly breezing past the Cambodian Genocide, but who knows, maybe the TV reporter was just annoyed at the spontaneous intrustion on her interview by one Dan Evans? I don't know, I wasn't there. Having seen a TV reporter a couple months ago mention the non-existent "city of Sherman Oaks," I can definitely relate to Dan's frustration at the "Duh" moment.

Anyway, back on the trail of these alleged robbers, police followed them for 43 minutes. Burbank police reports that one of their men in blue spotted the suspects just a few minutes after the robbery and started the chase, which went up to Santa Clarita. As we reported in the Daily News story:

Live footage from KCAL9 showed a man leaning out of a driver's side rear window, throwing full beverage bottles at pursuing officers. The [suspects'] SUV nearly struck a white car during the chase.

The suspects parked their vehicle on 14 Freeway near the Via Princessa offramp and surrendered to police.

Burbank police report today that the suspects were a 23-year-old from Los Angeles, who was booked on robbery and felony evading arrest, an 18-year-old from Alhambra, who was booked on robbery, and a 17-year-old from Los Angeles, who was arrested for robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. All three of the suspects are suspected gang members, according to Burbank PD.

Posted by Alex Dobuzinskis at 1:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Following up on yesterday's blog post about Alfred Beardsley, 46, we learn today that the sports memorabilia collector and former Burbank or Glendale resident (now tangled up in the O.J. Simpson robbery case) was a friend of the late Irv Rubin, leader of the Jewish Defense League. Interestingly enough, Rubin's widow, Shelley Rubin, says that her late husband and Alfred Beardsley met at O.J. Simpson's murder trial.

"Al, I remember that he said he collected O.J. memorabilia even back then," Shelley Rubin said Thursday in a phone interview. "He was on the periphery during that trial, I guess he would try to ingratiate himself with the O.J. people, which really infuriated my husband and I guess that's how they started talking."

In case anyone's wondering, Irv Rubin was at the O.J. trial because Ron Goldman was Jewish, and the JDL wanted to show solidarity. Eventually, Irv Rubin and Alfred Beardsley got to talking, and Beardsley became a good friend of Rubin, a firebrand Jewish activist who was later arrested and accused of plotting to bomb the King Fahd Mosque in Culver City and the office of Arab-American congressman Darrell Issa. Before that, Beardsley and Rubin appeared together on "Jerry Springer," where they got into a brawl with some Ku Klux Klan members. When Rubin died in federal lockup from what authorities describe as a suicide, Beardsley spoke to the Daily News about his late friend. "I've always found him fascinating and intriguing," Beardsley said. "This is a guy who spoke right from the heart."

Now, Beardsley is in custody on a parole violation case, just days after he emerged as an alleged victim in O.J. Simpson's new robbery rap. Check out the Daily News article here on the latest developments with the case.

Shelley Rubin says that O.J. Simpson had given personal possessions to Alfred Beardsley because Beardsley was part of Simpson's entourage during the murder trial.

"I think Al Beardsley is quite in awe of celebrities," Shelley Rubin said. "I think that might be part of Al’s problem.’’

But while he was friends with her late husband, Beardsley was reliable, she said. "The way Beardlsey acted toward my husband was like a bodyguard. But he was very annoying and he talks about himself a lot.’’

Posted by Alex Dobuzinskis at 1:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

For your viewing and calendaring pleasure, here is short notice that LA Shorts Fest 2007 in Burbank will soon be over. The short film festival started on Sept. 5 and it runs through Sept. 17, which is Monday, when the closing night awards happen in Hollywood at CineSpace. The festival has categories for everything, including foreign, horror, latin, and sci-fi. This year, writer/director James Toback won the "Maverick Film Achievement Award" for being the reckless artistic prodigy that he is. Toback, in case you didn't know, wrote the screenplay for the 1992 film "Bugsy."

The opening night venue was the AMC Burbank 16, but now that they're in the festival's daily grind, it has moved over a few hundred feet to the AMC Burbank Town Center 6. Enjoy!

Check out the Web site for the festival here.

Posted by Alex Dobuzinskis at 5:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

It's a deal. Workers at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center have approved a four-year contract with the hospital. These are the workers who were about to go on strike on June 13, but they pulled back from the brink. On Thursday, hospital officials said Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon helped them and Service Employees International Union reach a deal. Here's our story in the Daily News:

BURBANK — Nurses and other workers at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center have approved a contract giving them a 5.25 percent pay rise in the next year, a hospital spokesman said Thursday. The four-year contract approved Wednesday also includes a wage scale based on experience and also bans subcontracting for services, spokesman Dan Boyle said. Officials credited Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon with helping to avert a threatened strike by the 1,500 nurses and other workers represented by the Service Employees International Union.

Posted by Alex Dobuzinskis at 5:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

On Wednesday, nurses and other caregivers at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank will vote on a deal union negotiators reached with the hospital last week. The union, Service Employees Internation Union, is pretty vague about what the deal entails, at least until after their members vote. They do say it would grant 1,500 workers at the hospital "their first ever wage scale system," and that it would ban subcontracting and provide wage increases.

The union narrowly avoided a strike at the hospital back on June 13. The proposed contract would go through September 2011, so presumably there would be no near-miss strikes until that time. But then again, you might not want to count on that. Unions and hospitals aren't exactly getting along these days.

Posted by Alex Dobuzinskis at 6:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Higgins Development Partners announced this week that it has broken ground on a $130 million office building at the 2300 Empire Center project. The seven-story project is the last phase of Empire Center, which is a mix of shops, offices and hotel rooms. The project is at West Empire Boulevard and Buena Vista Street, close to the Golden State (5) Freeway.

It seems the development company thinks Burbank's quite a plum city to build an office tower in, because office vacancy rates are lower than in any other city in the Los Angeles area. Companies such as Paycheck and Employers Compensation Insurance recently moved to the city, according to Higgins.

Meanwhile, look for the Glendale City Council next week to approve a 16-story condominium project in the downtown area.

Posted by Alex Dobuzinskis at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

At the Bob Hope Airport, as you go up the stairs to the meeting room for the airport authority, there is a photo of the camouflage netting that used to cover the airport during World War II (at least the photo was there when I last stopped by more than a year ago.) During World War II, the airport was a Lockheed plant. Eager to keep the plant protected from Japanese aerial bombardments (which never came by the way), the government had it camouflaged so that it didn't look like an airplane plant from the air. Well, the folks at www.newlaunches.com have just posted some killer photos of how the Lockheed plant looked from the air. Apparently, they tried to make it look like a rural subdivision, which is what you can see in the photo above. Check out the rest of the photos here.

Posted by Alex Dobuzinskis at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

A few things to wrap-up the week:

• It's The New York Times' turn to quiz IHOP CEO Julia Stwart about her Glendale-based company's impending takeover of Applebee's. Who knew her nickname among the franchisees is "Velvet Hammer?"

• Burbank city leaders are anxiously monitoring the effort to rescue the Utah coal miners trapped after a mine collapse. The city -- along with Glendale, Los Angeles, Anaheim, Pasadena and Riverside -- owns a stake at a Utah coal powerplant that gets 5 percent of its fuel from said mine. Leader

• Two new executives at Burbank Unified School District -- Lori Ordway-Peck was appointed to the position of Assistant Superintendent, Business Services, and Kathy Granger was appointed to the position of Director, Human Resources Services. Ordway-Peck comes to the District from the Palmdale Unified School District where she has served as Deputy Superintendent. Granger comes to Burbank from the West Covina Unified School District, where she served most recently as middle school principal. via BUSD release.

• Santa Clarita realtor and blogger Linda Slocum left a review of a Garlic Jim's pizza pie from the chain's Valencia outlet in our comments box. The Washington-based chain is opening an outlet in Burbank.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Sorry about the lack of updates the last few days -- granted, it's been busy with the shooting at that Burbank apartment building Thursday night that left three people dead and one in the hospital. Police say it's the first multiple homicide in the city in some 20 years.

All the details are here -- the grief and shock of a neighborhood in mourning.

Meanwhile, valleynews.com blogger Lisa Burks, who lives nearby, has this account of the scene Thursday night.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

The seedier side of Burbank -- police arrested two women at a hotel near Bob Hope Airport last Thursday on suspicion of prostitution in a sting.

Jessical Gonzales of Fremont and Raeanna Valencia of Fairfield, both 19, were arrested for the misdemeanor and have bailed out, police Sgt. Matt Ferguson said.

The women were allegedly offering escort and massage services in the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena area on Web sites such as Craigslist. Police, following a tip, set up a rendezvous with at the hotel. They weren't actually based out of the hotel, Ferguson said.

Both the ladies were from out-of-town, though police suspect they may be linked to a prostitution ring operating in the San Fernando Valley.

Here's the Leader's version.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 3:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

"Sleepy" got pulled over in Burbank for driving without a seatbelt, but little did authorities know at the time, they've hauled a big fish from the world of Russian-Armenian organized crime.

The crime ring canvassed truck yards from Oxnard to Chino, sneaking in at night and lumbering away with big rigs full of fancy TVs, children's clothes, new tires - even a $55,000 shipment of Gatorade.

They hauled the loot - worth some $10 million in all - to a Van Nuys warehouse that served as a central drop-off point, where they unloaded the cargo in the middle of the night. Later, they'd take an inventory, sort it and sell it on the black market.

If not for the arrest of a guy named Sleepy and the carelessness of the group's ringleader - who forgot to buckle up while driving through Burbank late last month - the stolen trucks might still be rumbling through the night, authorities say.

Read the rest of Daily News reporter (and East of the 5 alum) Jason Kandel's story here.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 11:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Meanwhile in beautiful downtown Burbank, City Council meetings could start at 6 p.m. instead of 6:30 p.m., and it'll require a majority vote for discussion to go past 11 p.m., according to the Leader.

This in a town where meetings often run past midnight (I personally have stayed till 2:30 a.m. during that Whole Foods in the Rancho flap a couple months ago). It was a 4-1 vote to introduce the changes last week, which also includes combining into one the two seperate public comment periods.

Councilman David Gordon -- that beacon of contratrian freedom and targeted populism who is still fighting the good fight despite backing the losing horses in the council race earlier this year -- dissented. He wanted the start time kept at 6:30 p.m. to accomodate people's work schedules.

If I were conspiracy minded, I would read this as just another erosion of our right to free speech in the name of efficiency, while limiting City Hall accountibility to the public; an overall affront to civil discourse and democracy, the very foundations of our system of government....

But I'm not. I guess we'll see how it all works out, but it won't be happening tomorrow -- the council's dark this Tuesday, 8/7.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 6:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

If you're into following the money, the latest round of Form 460 campaign disclosure statments covering March 18 - June 30 have hit the Web, at least in Glendale.

(In case you're wondering, the Burbank forms were not too exciting...check this space -- the City Clerk may have it up soon.)

According to latest campaign finance disclosures due last week, Rafi Manoukian, the incumbent councilman who lost despite spending nearly $222,000, was the top fundraiser in the April council election with $150,382 from the first half of 2007.

First-place finisher John Drayman collected $73,740, while reelected Councilman Dave Weaver received $68,771.

In comparison, Gray Bric, who won a seat on the Burbank City Council in earlier this year and was the race’s top fundraiser, received just over $21,000 in contributions in the same period. Burbank has a $250 per donor contribution limit, unlike Glendale, where the sky's the limit.

But Bric and candidate-turn-Councilwoman Anja Reinke, who raised nearly $13,000, both enjoyed support from an independent political committee. Working Californians, spent more than $18,000 campaigning for Bric and about $5,000 for Reinke.

Among the biggest donors in the Glendale race — Weaver received a total $17,500 from developer Rick Caruso’s Americana at Brand LLC, the company behind its namesake downtown retail and residential project.

The Glendale Management Association — a City Hall union — gave Manoukian $11,000.

CREPAC/BORPAC, the political arm of the California Association of Realtors, gave $4,000 to both Weaver and Drayman. Local contractor Alen Builders Inc. also gave Drayman $5,000.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 3:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

To the disappointment of the Glendale and Burbank police departments, pregnant celebutant Nicole Richie will doing her four-day DUI jail sentence at a Casa de Baca -- or Lynwood jail, the same county slammer where Simple Life co-star Paris Hilton served most of her sentence.

Richie was sentenced to four days in jail, three years probation and 21 days in a drug rehab program for her Dec. 11 DUI arrest in Burbank -- she was driving her black Mercedes SUV the wrong way on the Ventura Freeway. The reality-TV star and Hilton BFF (still? I've lost track..) failed a field-sobriety test and told police she had taken a pain killer and smoked marijuana.

Last Friday she entered a guilty plea -- her second DUI conviction (the first was in June 2003) and she could have been jailed for up to a year.

She was allowed to choose between a county and city jail. Although a city jail is considered less arduous, she would not be eligible for early release and would have to serve her full sentence there.

Earlier this week, Richie told the sheriff’s department she will serve her time in a county lockup, said sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore. Lynwood is the only county jail for female inmates, which is where Paris Hilton served most of her 23 days behind bars for driving on a suspended license while on probation for HER DUI arrest.

Richie has until Sept. 28 to serve her time. Because county jails are overcrowded, some are guessing nonviolent inmates like her could score an early release.

Earlier:
Getting elbowed in the head on the Nicole Richie beat

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

A few bits of news of nominal interest:

• Two Vineland Boys members pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and murdering a witness and accepted terms of life in prison without parole. Jose "Peps" Ledesma, 24, and Javier "Coco" Covarrubius, 23, faced multiple charges stemming from the 2003 murder of 16-year-old Martha Puebla, who was going to testify against one of the gang members, and for dealing methamphetamine. Both men, who are from Sun Valley, pleaded guilty as jury selection for their trial got under way. They would have faced the death penalty if convicted. Daily News

  But it's not over yet -- besides David Garcia, who is facing state murder charges for the 2003 slaying of Burbank Police officer Matthew Pavelka, word this morning from Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Young (whose team got a commendation for the Vineland Boys prosecution) is Horicio Yepiz may yet see his day in court. He was in an institution after he was ruled incompetent to stand trial, but that could change with a compentency hearing Monday.

• Beeline service cutbacks for Glenoaks Canyon. News Press

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:09 PM | Permalink |

Policy wonking and mad-cap violence:

• Amid concerns about a soft real estate market, the Glendale City Council on Tuesday finalized the details of a proposed fee on local development projects to finance parks and libraries. The draft Development Impact Fee ordinance -- considered a watered-down version by at least one councilman -- could return for approval later this month. Daily News

• As for bizzare crime -- a 61-year-old Tujunga man has been arrested for allegedly shooting three men and a women in a south Glendale apartment after an argument. Police arrested Valodia Balabekyan on suspicion of attempted murder at the South Belmont Street unit 7:45 a.m Tuesday. The victims were all related and were in staple condition. News Press

• Burbank City Council, where free speech is valued at the expense of time and meetings usually run well past 11 p.m, is once again talking about ways to streamline their meetings. One proposal would require a majority vote for a meeting go run past 11 p.m. What did they decide? We don't know since that meeting ran long and past the Leader's deadline.

• A milestone at Bob Hope Airport -- passenger traffic of 2.86 million for the first half of the year is 23 percent higher compared to the same period in 2001, before the air travel industry tanked after 9/11. Leader

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Looks like another flap between six Southern California cities (including LA, Glendale, Burbank and Pasadena) and Utah area cities over the Intermountain Power Project.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports the California cities, which take 75 percent its power, are blocking the construction of a third coal-fired generator to the 1,800 megawatt plant. They cite California state laws aimed at rolling back greenhouse gases, but the 23 Utah cities operating the power plant say they could use the extra juice.

Six California cities, concerned about global warming and greenhouse gas emissions, are refusing to allow a third coal-fired generating unit to be built at the Intermountain Power Project near Delta.

Their action promises to pit California's tough new environmental laws and the state's commitment to rolling back greenhouse emissions against the interests of thousands of Utah consumers who eventually may need the electricity that a third generating unit could provide.

The six California cities take 75 percent of the electricity generated at the IPP. As a result, their votes far outweigh those of the 23 Utah municipal members, which are represented by the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems, or UAMPS, and Rocky Mountain Power.

The whole matter could wind up in court, with the Utah municipalities and Rocky Mountain Power vowing to do whatever is necessary to clear the way for the new unit.

"We have no problem if they don't want to participate in building that unit," said spokesman Dave Eskelsen of Rocky Mountain Power, which takes 4 percent of the power produced by IPP and is interested in getting more to meet its customers' demands.

Rocky Mountain Power, however, considers it improper for those California cities - Los Angeles, Pasadena, Anaheim, Burbank, Glendale and Riverside - to block needed generating capacity in Utah to satisfy California's environmental laws.

You may recall last fall when Intermountain asked the six cities to renew their energy contracts until 2044 (the current contract expires 2027), but the Sierra Club pressure them to sit it out. All did except for Burbank, which unknowingly signed the renewal, and later managed to wiggle out of it after Intermountain agreed to extend the deadline until 2023.

Still, the Six Cities won't be cutting ties to the plant any time soon-- they lent $3.2 billion to construct the project and it has paid them back in cheap power at the cost of roughly 15 million tons in carbon-dioxide emissions per year.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Looks like about-to-be-sworn-in-Wednesday Burbank Police Chief Tim Stehr will be joined by Springfield's finest. With 7-Eleven ending its Simpsons Kwik-E-Mart promotion and the stores reverting back to their boring ol' 24-hour convenient selves, they're donating the props to Children’s Miracle Network hospitals, some of which will auction them off for charity.

Except for the life-size Clancy Wiggum cut-out -- he's heading to the Burbank Police Department and will appear at community events.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

A 36-year-old Van Nuys man was arrested after a technician at a Burbank Best Buy store servicing his computer found child pornography on its hard drive, Los Angeles police said Monday.

Kenneth Chernow, 36, was arrested Thursday at his home in the 13500 block of Hart Street on suspicion of possessing child pornography after the Best Buy technician reported the discovery to authorities. He was released on $20,000 bail.

The LAPD’s Computer Crimes Unit conducted an analysis of the computer and confirmed the presence of several images of child pornography on the machine.

Police searched Chernow's home, which also turne dup more evidence. No victims have been identified. Anyone with information was asked to call LAPD Juvenile Division Carlos Monterroso at (213) 485-4220 or (877) 529-3855 evenings and weekends.

Meanwhile, two Valencia Best Buy Geek Squad members -- those house-call making service techs in the black-and-white VW Beetles -- have been suspended and the entire local operation is under investigation after a former employee accused his former co-workers of snooping in files in computers left for repairs, a company spokeswoman said. Daily News

Posted by Eugene Tong at 11:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Burbank Water and Power has a goal generating 33 percent of its electricity from "green" sources by 2017, compared to the 35 percent goal set by LADWP, according to story on green power from the Pasadena Star News.

The story actually looks at what Pasadena is doing to diversify its energy portfolio, but this tidbit from Fred Fletcher, BWP's assistant general manager, was rather eyepopping:

Public opinion polls showed a large number of Burbank residents would be willing to increase their energy bills by $15 a month in exchange for greener power, Fletcher said. The average bill for BWP customers is about $50.

Are we talking about same city where people often grouse about too much money going to City Hall? Burbank, I hardly knew ye...

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Two on smoking -- First comes word Disney will remove smoking from all films released under its own label (which isn't too difficult I guess -- when was the last time you see some one light-up in one of their family flicks?).

Also, the Burbank-based company will "discourage" smoking in films released under its Touchstone and Miramax arms. Now that's going to be tougher. YOU try telling Quentin Tarantino or Kevin Smith or some European auteur snuff out the butt in their films...

via Associated Press:

By GARY GENTILE, AP Business Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Walt Disney Co. will eliminate smoking from all its films released under its label and will discourage smoking in films released under its Touchstone and Miramax brands, the company said Wednesday.

Disney chief executive Robert Iger made the pledge in a letter to U.S. Rep. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass, chairman of the House Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee, who last month held a hearing in Washington, D.C., on the topic.

“The Walt Disney Co. shares your concern regarding deaths due to cigarette smoking,” Iger wrote.

Continue reading "The Mouse House kicks the butt; the truth behind the "anti-smoking" movement" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 6:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

At least that's what the Burbank Tournament of Roses Association has in mind with their design for the 2008 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena. The Burbank City Council gave their nods yesterday, and it's now up to the group of local volunteers to build and decorate the thing. (Other towns, like the City of Glendale, has all the work contracted out to professionals...)

The Burbank association also is taking applications for an Oompah band to perform on the float, and some backup dancers.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 2:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Finally a free morning to get our blog on...

• Along for the Ride columnist Sue Doyle rode out east early this week and visited some folks whose rides have more than 200,000 miles on the odometer

  GLENDALE - The upholstery on the driver's seat is in shreds. Masking tape patches a cracked taillight. And the odometer reads 223,626 miles.

  To some, it would definitely be time for a trade-in.

  But to Suren Rostonmyan, the 1986 Toyota pickup still has a lot of kick left. By staying on top of oil changes and continuing the TLC, he figures the reliable red truck could hit 300,000 miles without a hitch.

  Check out Suren's rig in the photo galleries to our right.

• Convictions in the 2004 beating death of 17-year-old William Maldonado -- a jury yesterday found William Torres, 24, Pedro Pena, 25, and Fredy Gudiel, 21 guilty of second-degree murder with a gang enhancement. Maldonado was riding his bike to his sister's house when the trio attacked him with baseball bats. Daily News

• Angry residents near Glendale High lashed out at the Glendale City Council last night about broken sprinkers and In-n-Out wrappers littered in their 'hood. They blame the campus' stadium, which holds too many events for their liking. News Press

  What do you guys think? Do they have to live with it since they did move next to a high school ? or do we blame the city and the school district? Me -- I blame society.

• Target at the Galleria -- "We're a normal Target." Good. News Press

  *The CurbedLA crowd marvels at the tri-level Vermaports inside the new Target store.

• The Times catches-up with the Burbank 7-Eleven turned Kwik-E-Mart. Since making the switch as part of a month-long marketing campaign for the Simpsons Movie, business has shot up 300 percent, and hot dog sales jumped from 800 to 3,000 a week.

• And finally, ain't no party like a Burbank party in which a couple of possibly uninvited guests blasted a few holes in the ceiling during a wedding reception Saturday night at Castaway restaurant. No injuries, no arrests and few are talking. Leader

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

via Bob Hope Airport (bolding by yours truly...):

Airport Mounts Campaign to Make 11th Annual Airport Blood Drive Largest in City

WHAT: The Bob Hope Airport business community – including the airport, Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, Yahoo!, several airlines, and companies within the Media Studios North campus are teaming up for a huge blood drive to benefit patients in hospitals throughout the San Fernando Valley – including Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank and Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills. The event is expected to be the largest blood drive in the history of the city of Burbank.

Participants will have great views of airplanes taking off from and landing on the runway as they donate blood in the Bob Hope Airport’s Skyroom. All participants will also be entered into drawings for several roundtrip airline tickets and hotel stays, courtesy of JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, US Airways and the Airport Marriott. Employees from Yahoo!, Technicolor, Central Staging, GMAC and many other businesses in the airport business community will be shuttled throughout the day between the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel and Bob Hope Airport.

Continue reading "Blood Drive at Bob Hope Airport" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 2:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Robert Phipps, one of the local activists who helped shepherd the second-hand smoke control ordinance through Burbank City Council earlier this year, has a new proposal for our local officials -- past a resolution in support of troop withdrawal from Iraq.

But our council -- unlike those in West Hollywood or Santa Cruz -- wasn't in the mood to play. Only Mayor Marsha Ramos and Councilman David Golonski addressed Phipps' comments, and both said it was inappropriate for city councils to deal in federal issues.

Here's a copy of Phipps' remarks at Tuesday night's council meeting:

Mayor Ramos, members of the council, I’m Robert Phipps, a Burbank resident, and a grateful citizen of the United States.

Some of us have loved-ones in the military. Some have probably lost loved ones in the military.

Every member of the military is a hero. They, like our police officers, fire fighters, rescue workers, and others, have made it their job to keep the rest of us safe. They have agreed to put their lives on the line to protect our lives. They have said to the President, or other leaders, “We trust you to do what’s right for our country, and we will go into harm’s way whenever and wherever you say we must.”

But we have learned that sometimes our presidents lie to us. Presidents Johnson, Nixon, and now this President Bush have shown us that they will go to war for reasons of their own and then lie to us about those reasons.

I am not a hero, and I do not trust presidents, and I did not agree to sacrifice my loved ones to a folly.

We’re a smart people and we can learn from our mistakes. And I don’t think we want to wait ten years and lose 58,000 of our family members and friends like we did in Viet Nam before we finally decide to make a change. If someone is lost in the military, their family’s emotional survival demands, they believe the cause was noble. But in advance, I doubt there are many people in Burbank--even if they voted for Bush--who would willingly sacrifice a loved one for Bush’s … reason of the month. Bush will be gone in eighteen months. This war will soon end. But a lost love is gone forever, and the pain in the heart lasts forever.

Therefore, I ask you as the collective voice of all 105,000 people in our city, to pass and send a resolution to President Bush--with copies to Congress and the major news media--telling Bush that the people of Burbank are not willing to lose any family members or friends for his unnecessary and counterproductive war in Iraq, and to remove all our troops from there immediately.

Thank you.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

*Update -- Check out the photos by DN Photographer Hans Gutknecht here. You won't regret it...

Also at Burbank Airport today -- more shameless Simpsons Movie marketing!

JetBlue Airways, The Official Airline of Springfield, Unveils First-Ever Specialty Aircraft in Celebration of The Simpsons Movie Release

WHAT: JetBlue Airways, recently named The Official Airline of Springfield, will christen its first-ever specialty aircraft “Woo-Hoo! JetBlue!” in celebration of The Simpsons Movie release.

WHO: *Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson

*The Simpsons Movie filmmakers and producer Denise Sirkot
*JetBlue crewmembers and executives

WHEN: Tuesday, July 17 11AM - 12 PM
*Please allow adequate time for parking and set up.

WHERE: Million Air Burbank
2800 N. Clybourn Ave Burbank, CA 91505

VISUALS: Plane christening with Buzz Cola from Kwik-E-Mart/7-Eleven
Life-sized, 3-D The Simpsons Movie couch theater display
Interior of aircraft (Airbus A320) will be available for media tours, featuring a continuous offering of Simpsons episodes on FOX Channel 41.

We may even have photos later...

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

BURBANK -- Several hundred passengers were evacuated just before 8 a.m. this morning from Terminal A at Bob Hope Airport because someone entered the terminal gates before the person was properly screened.

The terminal was re-opened about a half hour later, and airport spokesman Victor Gill said the breach appeared to be accidental trespassing by a passenger. No word how many flights have been delayed. Daily News

Posted by Eugene Tong at 9:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

via Bob Hope Airport:

BURBANK, Calif. -- The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority, owner and operator of Bob Hope Airport, today elected officers for a new one-year term from July 2007 through June 2008. Glendale Commissioner Bob Yousefian was elected president. Burbank Commissioner Bill Wiggins was elected vice president, and Pasadena Commissioner Frank Logan was chosen secretary. The Authority elects officers once a year at its first meeting in July.

Yousefian was appointed to the Airport Authority Commission in 2005 and is a current member of the Glendale City Council. Wiggins was appointed by the City of Burbank to the Authority in 2001 and served as secretary for the past year. Logan was appointed to the Authority in 2005 by the City of Pasadena.

The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority is governed by a nine-member commission. Each of the three cities appoints three commissioners. In addition to the officers, the sitting commissioners are: Don Brown and Charles Lombardo of Burbank; Carl Povilaitis and Rafi Manoukian of Glendale; and Joyce Streator and Chris Holden of Pasadena.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 5:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

A dispatch from Eric Michael Cap, one of the activists who pushed the secondhand smoke control ordinance through the Burbank City Council back in March...

Here in Burbank we finally have “No Smoking” signs Downtown and the City is about to hire a “SHSCO Ambassador” to go business-to-business to educate folks such as Albertson’s, who don’t seem to know about it.

My family has had several positive smoke-free dining experiences at Market City Café & Pomodoro’s. Last night we were at The Fab Four Beatles show at the Starlight Bowl and before the show began they announced “there is no smoking” and there was a loud cheer from the audience.

No problems either in the amphitheatre or on the walk out to the parking lot. I feel like we’re making real progress on this and people are starting to “get it”. More and more cities are considering following in our footsteps and that’s encouraging. To quote my colleague Robert Phipps; “Smokers are a dying breed”. Cheers!

Posted by Eugene Tong at 4:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

BURBANK - Two Burbank police officers who were in a pursuit Sunday were injured when the car they were in swerved to avoid hitting an oncoming car, jumped a curb, hit a tree, and a sign post before flipping, police said.

The incident began about 1:30 a.m. Sunday when the officers were chasing a suspected car thief when they crashed near Victory Place and Lake Street, said Burbank Police Lt. Brian Matthews. The unidentified officers were treated for minor injuries at a local hospital and released. More at Daily News.

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

Enough blood and guts...here's a fun one spotlighting Beautiful Downtown Burbank from LAist' "Neighborhood Project."

According to poster Elise Thompson:

Beautiful downtown Burbank was the butt of many a Johnny Carson joke. Sometimes one does get the sense that Burbank is a little podunk town, caught in a time warp. It’s like living in Mayberry. People in the higher tax-brackets live in the hills, and around the The Equestrian Center. This post is going to focus on the flats, particularly around the neighborhood called "Magnolia Park" by Real Estate agents trying to make it look more attractive.

Besides great photos of "freakishly clean" streets and other local oddities, she also compiled a local barhopping guide.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

From the mouth of Burbank City Hall to your eyes...

Burbank Mayor Marsha Ramos is asking residents to take simple measures to save water.

“Water is our most precious resource and this year has seen the lowest recorded rainfall in Burbank in over one hundred years. It’s time for all of us to pitch in and make every drop count,” said Ms. Ramos.

This call for water conservation challenges every Burbank citizen to reduce their water use by 20 gallons daily. That amount may seem like a tremendous goal, but in reality it can be readily achieved by taking the following actions inside and outside homes:

Continue reading "Burbank's mayor wants you to conserve water" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

A smorgasboard.

• A 24-year-old woman was killed in Glendale last night by a hit-and-run driver. The woman was hit by the car about 9:40 last night on Glendale Avenue near Windsor Road, said Glendale police Sgt. Dennis Smith. The victim was walking west across Glendale Avenue, about 50 feet south of Windsor Road, accompanied by another woman, when she was struck by a black Mercedes-Benz. Daily News CBS2 (video)

• The Times profiles Burbank's Autobooks-Aerobooks, which has been in business since 1951. It's collection of books, models and memorabillia for gearheads has drawn a celebrity clientele including Nicholas Case, Tim Allen and Jay Leno.

• Since gunfire errupted at Brand Park a couple weeks ago, frightened residents have been stroming the Glendale City Council pushing for more police patrols, security cameras and removal of the basketball hoops there, which they say draw unsavory elements. News Press

• Here's a tale involving unsuspecting travellers flying to Vegas from Burbank on Southwest, and rock god Tommy Lee. E! Online
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 9:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Six people who allegedly skipped-out on paying an estimated $1 million in state taxes as construction contractors have pleaded not guilty today to multiple counts of felony tax evasion.

The six people, who resided in Burbank and Glendale, were arraigned in Los Angeles Superior Court, state Franchise Tax Board officials said. The next hearing is scheduled Sept. 5.

They include:

• Sarkis Ter Abelian, aka Mike Terabelian, 42, of Burbank and his wife, Alisa Oganyan, 32;
  
• Zohrab Mkhitarian, aka Rob Mikitarian, 39, of Burbank and his spouse, Marine Metspakyan, 31;
  
• Avetik Gyandzhyan, 37, of Glendale and his wife, Lilit Lusparyan, 27.

The defendants allegedly operated businesses providing plumbing, air conditioning, and electrical work, and operated companies under multiple names. Investigators said the companies failed to file state income tax returns for 2001-04, or filed returns claiming expenses were equaled to reported income.

The county District Attorney’s office, which began the investigation, also alleged the defendants of overcharging, billing for services not performed and for substandard work.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 6:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

All-Star Tuesday.

• Glendale story of the day -- Brittani Idom had just finished her first year at Glendale College and was captain of the cheerleading squad there. But the life and promise held by this 18-year-old was severed last week in a senseless shooting. Daily News

• Grand View case moves another inch -- a judge yesterday allowed the city of Glendale to clean-up dried growth and other hazards, paving the way for the twice-a-month visiting hours to resume, though we're not sure when. News Press

• Glendale Water & Power wants to test drill for water near Dunsmore Elementary School to tap into the Verdugo groundwater basin. News Press

• Meanwhile in Burbank, theives are targeting fire hydrants for their bronze caps, which are fetching good prices, with metals and other building materials in high demand worldwide. "A phenomenon of three-dollars-a-pound scrap," Burbank Water and Power General Manager Ron Davis said.

• And a laser light show is no fireworks at the Starlight Bowl Fourth of July Spectacular Leader
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Back in action...

• Burbank story of the day -- A chat with Tim Stehr, soon-to-be chief of the Burbank Police Department. He started out as a cadet right here, and now he's about to be running the place.

• Glendale Police has been busy -- they arrested Kevin Cunningham, 22, whose runaway fireworks lit-up an apartment building on Chevy Chase Dr. Then on Thursday, they arrested two men on suspicion of attempted murder for a shooting in Brand Park a couple weeks ago.

• If you only get your news from these Internets, the biggest news to come out of Burbank last week was the conversion of the 7-Eleven on Verdugo and Olive into a Kwik-E-Mart -- part of a big fantasy-intrusion-into-the-real-world marketing campaign for the upcoming Simpsons movie.

• Lisa Burks over at valleynews.com tries to make sense of the Grand View executor Tom Trimble's cemetery bail-out plan.
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Call it an early start for the Fourth of July holiday for you office workers -- about 450 Burbank Water and Power customers around downtown are sweating it out right now due to a power outtage. BWP Assistant General Manager Greg Simay said the outage was reported just after 10:30 a.m. and affects 370 residences and 80 commerical offices and shops.

The boundaries are roughly between 3rd Street and the 5 freeway, as far north as Olive and south as Providencia.

No word yet what caused the short to the system, but it wasn't an overload due to summer heat, Simay said, though he suspects a runaway mylar balloon to be the culprit. He hopes to have power restored by 12:30 p.m.

A spot of news for an otherwise slow day so far...

Posted by Eugene Tong at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

So the Immigration Reform bill went down in flames this morning, and among the losers is The Home Depot.

According to this report from Marketplace, the Atlanta-based company convinced Georgia Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson to squeeze an amendment in the package that would "ban local governments across the country from forcing home-improvement stores to build shelters for the day laborers who gather on their properties seeking work."

Burbank pull a day labor shelter out of The Home Depot to build an outlet there last year. They also got $94,000 from the company to pay for additional services .

But none of that matters now -- no one in Washington will be talking immigration for at least the next 18 months.

Here's the AP story.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Free ride/ Take it easy.

A pox of thefts and rip-offs for Glendale's cornucopia of BMWs, according to the News Press

Catching up from the weekend...

• In case you haven't heard, Burbank homeowners will be seeing a $1.61 hike in trash fees beginning July 1. That's an 8 percent hike. It's because of operations expenses -- read fuel and salaries. Leader

• Meanwhile, firefighters battle stubborn blaze in South Glendale Residence
  
  On Monday, June 25, 2007 at 5:11 AM, 6 Companies of Glendale Firefighters, 1 Rescue Ambulance, 1 Air Utility and the Arson Investigation Unit under the direction of Battalion Chief Corey Creasey responded to a Structure Fire at 1814 Vassar Ave. in South Glendale.

Continue reading "Burbank Trash Fee Hike; Glendale blaze" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

A nice write-up of the Burbank Media City Church's softball league from valleynews.com user Richard Colon...

For Rick Fry, senior pastor of Media City Church in Burbank, spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ doesn't end at the pulpit. With three services every Sunday morning and one on Wednesday night, Fry has encouraged church members to take their faith to the local parks by playing on church-sponsored softball teams.

An avid golfer, Fry believes in building the total person - body, soul and spirit.

MCC put two teams together for the city of Burbank's slow-pitch church league. The makeup of the two teams is as different as day and night - or as written in the Old Testament, "alpha and omega."

The Alpha team is made up of young players who are highly competitive and the 2006 champions of the church league. Omega, with many players considered Senior Saints, plays for the love of the game and an opportunity to get some exercise.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 9:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Arraignment for Alan Freibaum -- the "Irreconciliable Differnces Bandit" -- has been postponed until July 13 in Burbank Superior Court. The 55-year-old alleged made off with more than $44,000 in Southland bank robbery spree between December 2006 and until his June this year. He apparently began knocking down banks because he was going through a divorce and needed money. Victims include four Citibank branches in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Glendale and Burbank, two Wells Fargo branches in Glendale and Encion and others.

He's charged with 25 counts of robbery, and was being held in lieu of on $2 million bail.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 4:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Some results from this year's California English Language Development Test (CELDT). Students are graded as beginning, early intermediate, intermediate, early advanced and advanced. The last means the student is deemed proficient in English.

At Glendale Unified School District, 2,829 English learners, or 46 percent of 6,198 students tested, were rated early advanced proficiency or better. Of that, 807 received the top ranking of advanced. Last year, 61 percent of the 6,815 English learners GUSD tested earned a passing grade. See complete GUSD results here.

Burbank Unified School District tested 1,828 English learners, of which 43 percent, were deemed early advanced or better. Among them 133 students were rated advanced. About 65 percent of the 2,047 students tested passed the exam last year. See complete BUSD results here.

*Update 3:17 p.m. -- GUSD's Director of Assessment and Evaluation Terry Dutton said doing a year-to-year comparison of the numbers doesn't really show what's happening, since English learners who are deem proficient don't have to take the test anymore. Overall, the English language learner population here is shrinking, as overall enrollment declines and students master the language. Also, district is seeing fewer immigrants who do not speak a word of English -- most have some prior knowledge.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 2:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Finally, some news...

• The Glendale City Council approved a trash fee hike -- an extra $1.11 for residents to offset fuel costs. It's a 7 percent increase to $16.95 from $15.85. News Press

• The Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission is looking at potential ethnic tensions between Armenian and Latino students at Glendale High, after a student brawl last month. Some attributed inter-group tensions as a cause of the fight, though police disagreed. News Press
  Earlier: Law and order in Glendale

• For you entertainment techies -- Joost threw a party for Hollywood execs in North Hollywood, though this tech columnist thought it closer to Burbank than Tinseltown.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 9:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

I have one simple request. And that is to have sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads...

• A Glendale motel clerk was bind and gagged in an early Monday robbery, according to police, and the perb got away with $250. News Press

• The Leader checks out helicopter traffic patrols police are operating over Burbank and Glendale.

• Burbank is now contemplating replacing the cancelled Fourth of July fireworks show at the Starlight Bowl with a LASER show! City leaders cancelled the event last month due to high brush fire danger. LASER is an acronym -- light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 8:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

It's all part of a $3 million grant from the MTA and the state Air Resources board. ABC7

Posted by Eugene Tong at 4:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Burbank story of the day -- there's a Nancy Drew convention in town just as the new Warner Bros. movie about the plucky teen detective goes into wide release today, and I spent some time them over the past two days in researching this story.

These members of the Nancy Drew Sleuths national fan club were as young as eight and as old as 71, and they all shared a love for the mystery series. For some, it's nostalgia and comfort, while others are thrilled by the hunt that comes with trying to collect the 77 year-old kid-lit series. And of course, some are just discovering Nancy's adventures for the first time, inheriting the novels from their mothers, sisters and grandmothers.

For a fresh assessment of Nancy's legacy, check out this 1999 Salon.com write-up, which attempts to place the girl detective in a contemporary context. There's also an interview with Mildred Wirt Benson, the first ghostwriter to assume the mantle of Nancy Drew author "Carolyn Keene."

Other resources: Stratemeyer Syndicate expert James Keeline's site; Nancy Drew's wiki.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Today's theme: Gluttony...

• An Washington-based pizza franchise is moving into Burbank and other locales in Daily News-land (that being Simi Valley, Stevenson Ranch and Valencia), according to CurbedLA. Never had a Garlic Jim's pie, but if anyone out there has and cares to share, leave a comment below!

• Meanwhile, Daily News restaurant critic Larry Lipson stops by the year-old Porto's Burbank. Excerpt:

  Last year, Porto's came to neighboring Burbank's Magnolia Park and took off right away. It's a mega hit. Tasty, refreshing, quickly served fare at very reasonable prices. And no tips.

  What originally was primarily a bakery where there were a few tables available for a pastry nosh and a cup of coffee had turned into a hugely successful, quasi-self-service cafe.

  See the rest of the review here.

  Also, Sharon Kaplan over at our reawakened Table Talk food blog praises Porto's potato ball!

• Don't forget to check out our link to Chowhound's good eats in Burbank/Glendale thread to our right...
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) |

Andrew Bruce of Burbank wanted to take a break to sail around the world -- and he did, on a freighter. KNBC4 visits with the man who traded his audio and video equipment rental business for three months on the high seas.

And get this, the trip just cost him roughly $10,000...

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Despite a call for help making picket signs and plans to hire temp nurses in anticipation of a one-day strike scheduled today, both sides in the conflict between the nurses union and management at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center have pulled back from the brink, at least for now...

Brent Hopkins reports both sides have agreed to a 30-day cooling off period brokered by Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon, who obviously doesn't represent Burbank, but got involved because of his union ties and his district in L.A. covers Providence Holy Cross, the hospital's sister facility in Mission Hills.

BURBANK - Late Monday, hours before nearly 1,500 members were set to walk off the job at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, the unions representing nurses, technicians and staff called off a planned strike.

Seeking to prod hospital management into better job security and added staffing, SEIU-UHW West (formerly Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West) and SEIU Local 121 RN had called for a one-day walkout beginning at 6 a.m. today.

Hospital officials said they would use replacement workers on a three-day contract and threatened to keep strikers off the job on Wednesday and Thursday.
...
The two parties hope to resume negotiations later this week.

A marketing/pr official at St. Joe's told me this morning ths deal is holding and everybody's at work.

Update 9 a.m. -- In fact, both sides are slated to return to the negotiating table Wednesday.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 8:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

via Globe St...

The Burbank Collection, that city-block size, mixed-use residential/retail project bound by by Magnolia Boulevard, San Fernando Boulevard, Orange Grove Avenue and First Street has sold more than 60 percent of its 118 condo units, according to developer Champion Development Group of Los Angeles.

Four retailers Skechers USA Inc., Johnny Rockets restaurant, Café Venizie and Amuse Jewelry have sign leases at the complex.

The Burbank Collection is the second phase of a project called Burbank Entertainment Village, a $90 million urban infill mixed-use development. The first phase was developed by Kansas City, MO-based AMC Entertainment Inc. and completed in July 2003. It is anchored by a 16-screen AMC Megaplex with a Macaroni Grill, Chipotle Mexican Grill and Coldstone Creamery among the tenants that occupy the 30,000 sf of retail and restaurant space in phase one.

I recalled when that was AMC's parking lot -- in fact, I went out to movie there back in 2000, (the forgettable Bounce with Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck) and got stuck there for a couple hours when the battery on my old VW Jetta died and needed a jump from a good samaritan.

Now it's part of the Burbank Entertainment Village -- which some locals are still hating on during City Council meetings, nitpicking on traffic and arcane land use formulas that are the province fo the obsessed.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 9:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

The labor dispute between nurses and management at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center is escalating, with the union preparing a one-day strike on Tuesday and talk of a two-day lockout beginning Wednesday (because the contracted temps to fill-in Tuesday have to stay a minium three days).

Here's Jason Kandel's story from Saturday:

BURBANK - Management at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center and the union that represents its employees have discussed bringing in a federal mediator to help move stalled contract negotiations forward, but it won't be in time for a planned one-day strike at 6 a.m. on June 12.

The 1,500 employees represented by the SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West and SEIU Local 121RN -- announced last month that they will protest unfair labor practices and call on the hospital to work with its employees on issues affecting patient care.

The bargaining committee is stalled over a no-subcontracting clause -- which would ensure the employees wouldn't be laid off, retirement health benefits, a unionized education fund, safer staffing ratios and to bring an outside arbitrator for patient care. But the group has made movement on wages.

Meanwhile, the union is busy making signs for the picket, according this release:

Continue reading "Providence St. Joseph Nurses Prepping for Strike" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Day 4 of the Daily News' Exposed: Porn in the Valley series includes my write-up of Porn Star Karaoke -- an industry mixer/party held at Sardo's Restaurant in Burbabnk for the past three-going-on-four years.

It's my small, geographical contribution to our look at XXX -- and I have to admit, a pleasure to take on. Contrary to any images of Boogie Nights its name may conjure, it was mostly a mellow night of song, dancing, drinks and conversation, porn or otherwise. Still, it was raining that night and they weren't holding a special event, so the crowd may have been a little off...

Allow me to thank PSK organizer Konnie and Sardo's manager Seymour Satin for letting me in on their party, and putting up with my questions, which got more and more aimless as the clock approached 1 a.m.

While you're at it, check out the audio slide show DN photographer Michael Owen Baker and I put together of our PSK night out.

If the story link above doesn't work (Flash required), try this. And here's the PSK Club's Yahoo! group.

As Konnie told me, PSK is "whatever you want it to be -- just don't bring a bunch of guys." Remember -- ratios, people.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

YouTube find of the day! It seems a group of creative Burbank High film production students shot a 22 minute short titled "Burbank Battle Royale" -- their take of the 2000 Japanese Box Office hit (turned cult classic in the West) Battle Royale, in which a fascist state pits teenagers against each other in a deadly survival game on an island. It's actually deeper than it sounds...but I'll leave it to you, dear reader, to see for yourself.

NOTE CONTENT -- In the tradition of the best do-it-yourself horror cinema, the filmmakers spill A LOT of fake blood, and if you find the idea of teens being coerced to fight one another repulsive, DO NOT PUSH PLAY!

Just move along -- nothing to see here...

For parts 2 and 3, check out uploader Zilgor's channel here.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 5:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) |

via Burbank Police

FATAL TRAFFIC COLLISON On Saturday, June 2, 2007, at approximately 3:00 a.m., a fatality traffic collision occurred at Hollywood Way and Pacific Avenue in the City of Burbank. A male driver of a 1983 Allegro motor home collided with a parkway tree and a utility pole. As a result of the collision, the motor home overturned and crushed the partially ejected driver. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The identity of the male driver is being withheld pending notification of relatives.

No other parties were involved in the collision.

The investigation into this collision is on-going, so determinations relative to the cause and whether alcohol played a role are still pending. Anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to contact the Burbank Police Department

Questions regarding this statement may be directed to Lieutenant Ron Caruso or Detective Joe Dean of the Traffic Bureau at 818 238-3100.

Update June 3, 3:45 p.m. -- The victim has been identified as Kenneth John Rome, 49, of Burbank.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

via Variety.com

Scare from sky on Warner Bros. lot
Low-flying military jet causes a stir at studio

By JOSEF ADALIANA

A low-flying military jet caused a stir on the Warner Bros. lot Friday afternoon, with eyewitnesses saying the plane came within a few hundred feet of crashing before making a sharp ascent.

Around 2:40 p.m., employees on the lot heard the loud roar of a jet engine, with some reporting feeling their buildings rattle.

"I looked outside my window and you could almost touch it," said one studio staffer.

About an hour later, studio officials sent out an e-mail to staffers saying the jet was "performing an approved fly-over maneuver as a part of a funeral ceremony at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

"The Studio did not receive prior notification of the fly-over, which we usually do. We are looking into the reasons that such notification was not made. In the meantime, we wanted to apologize for any concern or discomfort you may have experienced."

Car alarms all over the lot began going off as a result of the near-miss. Many staffers began pouring out of their buildings, worried that there might have been a crash.

"It scared the hell out of everyone here," said one witness.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) |

The feds have their eye on this local bandit, who brazenly robbed three banks this afternoon. Daily News

A serial bank robber known as the Irreconcilable Differences Bandit struck again today at three banks in Burbank and Glendale, the FBI reported.

The unidentified white man alleged to have committed 14 bank robberies since December attempted to rob a Bank of America at 142 E. Olive Ave. just after 1 p.m., but was unsuccessful.

Soon after, he stuck up two Citybank offices in Burbank and Glendale, at 360 Magnolia Blvd. and 700 N. Brand Ave., respectively, and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash, according to the FBI.

During the Glendale holdup, he reportedly apologized to a teller several times for having to rob the bank.

Continue reading "Irreconcilable Differences Bandit Strikes Two Banks" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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.

Continue reading "New Burbank Police Chief" »

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

Officially-sanctioned news from Burbank Unified...

Continue reading "This Week in BUSD Happenings" »

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

Hey, it counts as an update...

Continue reading "This Week in Government Press Releases" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:06 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) |

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) |

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:

Continue reading "What's in your water?" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 3:11 PM | 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) |

Top o' the morning...

• Burbank city revenue for 2007-08 is slated to grow 9 percent, they're also spending more due tohigher staff and benefits costs. Leader

• Burbank Unified School District is installing a $50,000 emergency phone notification system to reach about 11,000 households. Leader

• Blame the horses? A Hampton Inn still under construction on Glenoaks Blvd. near Burbank Airport "has had a sign up saying 'coming, Fall, 2006' for ages." It makes to the list of "What's that gonna be?" projects at Curbed LA.

• Lisa Burks wonders what happened to the late Grand View Memorial Park owner Marsha Howard's dogs at valleynews.com

  

  Have you seen Meeka and Ivory?

  These two gentle American Eskimo dogs, left unattended, got out of the Grand View Memorial Park residence last November during the removal of their owner Marsha Howard's body, and they remain missing.

  "Marsha loved animals. Her dogs were her family, her kids," says Betty Haskell, who was Marsha's friend and is currently the fiancé of Marsha's brother, Tom Trimble.

  Then there's Bear, a black Labrador Retriever-Chow mix, who was left locked inside the home that same evening, hiding under Marsha's bed, says Betty. Sadly, Bear was picked up days later after authorities received calls about her barking, taken to the Pasadena Humane Society and eventually destroyed.

  
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 8:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

If you're not home watching the Gilmore Girls series finale (as I likely will be), stop by your local City Council meeting! It has its moments, though both the Burbank and Glendale councils seem a lot less exciting with the elections out of the way.

• On the Glendale Council agenda -- new nerve gas antidote kits for first responders, paid for by a Homeland Secuirty grant; new traffic signal at Wilson and Kenwood; a final vote for that proposed at-grade railroad crossing on Flower Street between San Fernando Road and Air Way; more Adams Sqaure mini-park revisions and a no-bid $980,000 contract for a GWP generator overhaul. Meeting starts 6 p.m. at City Hall, 613 E. Broadway.

• Meanwhile, Burbank offers, uh, parking lot resurfacing at Central Library, Northwest Library, Verdugo Park and Foy Park; sidewalk extensions and bike racks! Also a bit of budget study action. Starts 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 275 E. Olive Ave.
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Cha-Cha-Changes...

• Daily News Burbank story of the day from your humble narrator-- GloZell Green has seen Leno as part of the live audience for 177 times -- and counting, and she blogs about it here.

• The News Press follows Friday's lockdown at Toll Middle School, Hoover High and Keppel Elementary with a story on charges filed against the 13-year-old Toll 7th grader who brought the airsoft gun to campus and started the scare. Two other kids were charged for misleading police. Of course, it also milks a Virginia Tech mention.

  I'm more interested in the YouTube videos from the scene that're making their way online. Here's one from outside Hoover High:

  and this one, from the inside...

• And today we bid farewell to Jason Kandel, my partner in crime in the blogosphere, who is now working breaking news-online over at our mothership, dailynews.com. I wouldn't have started this wee blog without his backing, and he kept it interesting with fresh ideas and cool community items when things got too bogged down around here with boring ol' news. Good luck, dude!
  

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

Fruit topping with your museli...

• The Armenian National Committee of America got some love from Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa after the mayor received a package from the Turkish Consul General of Los Angeles, reports Asbarez.

  In the Mayor’s letter, he states that “[T]he Turkish Consul General of Los Angeles recently sent me, as gifts, two books denying the Armenian Genocide. [The Turkish Consul General] also sent a letter protesting my support of House Resolution 106 and my request to Speaker Nancy Pelosi to bring the Resolution to a vote as soon as possible.

  “I would like to donate the books to the [ANCA] so that your organization can study them and ensure that any attempts to diminish the gravity of the Armenian Genocide are met with factual retorts."

• Glendale Police honors its finest at an award ceremony. Officer Joe Allen of the vice/narcotics detail was named officer of the year for his work and for mentoring other officers. News Press

• And finally in today's boy band news -- former 'N Sync star Lance Bass turned gas pump attendant in Burbank Thursday morning as Star 98.7's morning intern. He apparently lost a bet when boybandmate Joey Fatone had a mediocre showing.
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 9:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

It's summer again, and that means Ellen Degeneres is taking her show out of the studio and across the street to Johnny Carson Park...and they were bumpin' to 2PAC and Dr. Dre's "California Love" (Remix). Nuthin' like the best of 90s hip-hop under the Cali sun, yo.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 4:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

• Atwater Village Newbie posts a great photo of the brush fire in Griffith Park.
  Atwater Village Newbie

• Here's a view of the brush fire from Atwater Village.
  Friends of Atwater Village

• Red flag warnings remain in effect today.
  Daily News

• Ongoing brush fire coverage ... 817 acres burned ...
  Daily News

• Both the Burbank Leader and the Glendale News-Press seemed to be silent on the brush fires, but the News-Press did cover a fire in Glendale that left four people without a home.
  Glendale News-Press

• A registered sex offender is in custody in connection with an assault on a 14-year-old boy.
  News-Press

• The newly reorganized Burbank City Council talks traffic, development, and the environment at a recent meeting.
  Burbank Leader

• Grand View Memorial Park will be open for Mother's Day.
  valleynews.com
  

Posted by Jason Kandel at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

There's a brush fire burning up the Hollywood Hills, threatening the Los Angeles Zoo, in case you haven't checked your favorite news Web site lately. Here's a photo from citizen journalist Lisa Burks, who, during a break from work at Yahoo! in Burbank, snapped a shot with her cellphone camera. I would encourage everyone else out there who passes by the smoke to take shots (carefully, please) and we'll post them here. Thanks to Burks for the shot. We'll keep you posted on the condition of the fire. Our own intrepid Eugene Tong is in the thick of the smoke now shooting video, surely to be posted here shortly. Stay tuned.

Posted by Jason Kandel at 4:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Good morning ...

• Eugene Tong follows up on the murder-suicide in Burbank.
  Daily News

• An apartment complex in Montrose that has been trying to evict tenants is cited for safety violations by the Glendale Fire Department.
  Glendale News-Press

• Glendale Community College does a follow-up story on the march on the Turkish Embassy two weeks ago to push that country's government to recognize the Armenian genocide.
  El Vaquero

• Grand View Memorial Park cemetery in Glendale may be open on Mother's Day this Sunday, Lisa Burks writes at valleynews.com.

• Atwater Village Newbie immortalizes Glendale in song.
  Atwater Village Newbie

• Atwater Village News posts an article from the Griffith Park News in 1936 about a school open house that featured a musical accompaniment and a reasonably priced spaghetti dinner.
  Atwater Village News blog
  

Posted by Jason Kandel at 8:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Both Burbank and Glendale police are setting up DUI checkpoints just time for the annual bacchic revelry of Cinco de Mayo, a celebration for every American's inner Mexican.

BPD is keeping mum about the location and duration. GPD also isn't talking, though it'll run betweem 7:30 p.m.- 1:30 p.m. operation. Drive safe.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 4:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

BURBANK — A man and a woman were found shot to death inside an apartment early this morning, police said.

The victims, both 28 years old, were found inside an apartment on the 1700 block of West Alameda Ave. at about 3 a.m, after police received calls of numerous gun shots in the area, authorities said.

The identities of the victims were not immediately released.

Update 2:53 p.m. -- Police believe it's a murder-suicide. The shooter -- the man -- broke into the woman's home and shot her before turning the gun onto himself. They were formerly in a relationship. The women's son and daughter, both younger than 10, also were in the apartment, but they were unharmed.

Update 3:38 p.m. -- Police found some sort of suspicious package believed to had been left by the shooter. A bomb squad has been dispatched to the scene.

Update 3:54 p.m. -- County Coroners have ID'd the victims -- Roxanne Paul of Burbank and Garret Miao of Reseda.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

News here!

• A builder wants to bring down an old Craftsman house to build five apartments on a lot zoned only for two.
  Glendale News-Press
  
• A dog in La Crescenta has died after suffering kidney failure from the recent nationwide pet food contamination recall.
  Crescenta Valley Sun
  
• Glendale City Council hears concerns of residents about a mini-park and changes its plans.
  Glendale News-Press
  
• Los Angeles Councilman Eric Garcetti is creating a River Management & Maintenance Task Force made up of an alphabet soup of city and county agencies to clean up everything from vandalism to the environment in and along the L.A. River.
  Atwater Village News - blog
  
• Is Starbucks coming to Atwater Village soon? Soon is a relative term.
  Atwater Village Newbie
  

Posted by Jason Kandel at 8:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

This morning was the annual Burbank City Council reorganization meeting -- or for City Hall insiders, an annual love-fest of teary farewells and triumphal smiles during which we say goodbye to the old and hello to the new.

There was nothing blue about the proceedings (unless the electorate didn't swing your way) -- Todd Campbell, stepping down as mayor and councilman and Jef Vander Borght, also retiring from the dais, reflected over their years in office (four years and five years, respectively), their turns as Huell Howser-clones on City Hall public access TV and gave shout-outs to their relatives -- holla.

In a Top Gun moment, Campbell called Vander Borght his "wingman" -- both were on the same wavelength on many land-use issues, despite one being an environmentalist and the other an architect. I was waiting for Iceman Jef to make Campbell his Maverick, but no dice.

Then time came for Gary Bric and Anja Reinke to be sworn into office. They did, and took their seats. Both thanked their supporters, and Bric brought the house down when he thanked Todd and Jef for NOT running. Otherwise he wouldn't be sitting there.

Finally, it's time to pick the mayor -- since Marsha Ramos was vice mayor this past year, it's now her turn to be mayor (her second time, actually). It's unanimous -- with Bric, Reinke, David Gordon and David Golonski voting her in. Golonski gets to be vice mayor.

Gordon, who supported Carolyn and Phil Berlin in their failed bid for council seats, chatted me up briefly on the way out -- "It's going to be an interesting year..."

Let's hope so. It's tough keeping a daily blog interesting otherwise.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 3:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Viva la (blank) revolucion!

• It's May Day, a day now commemorated by student activists looking to make a statement about immigration by taking to the streets -- will we see any "La Gran Marcha Deux" activity in Burb-Dale?

• The News Press has this report on last nights Glendale Beeline community meeting about proposed new services.

• Burbank blogger Dan Evans found this cool craigslist ad...
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 9:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Happy reading ...

• Glendale Redevelopment Agency meets to vote on a 100-unit condo complex that could be a part of the Americana at Brand project. Glendale News-Press

• Glendale's Board of Education will consider hiking before and after school care fees at a meeting tonight. News-Press

• Burbank Councilmembers elect Gary Bric and Anja Reinke will be sworn in at Tuesday's City Council meeting. Burbank Leader

• Heat over comments about the Armenian Relief Society ... Leader
  

Posted by Jason Kandel at 8:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

A couple more items from the weekend:

• Relive Burbank on Parade at this Daily News Photo Gallery.

• My weekend preview of the new Glendale Adventist Medical Center tower includes a video tour -- take a stroll with hospital COO Warren Tetz.
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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."

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 5:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Running to standstill...

• A little Adam Schiff news -- activity has picked up a bit at the congressman's new blog. A few interesting items, including his recent meeting with LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and his trip a couple weeks ago to Pakistan.

• Is this for real? A new airline out of Ohio called Skybus is offering $10-a-leg flights from Burbank's Bob Hope Airport to its hub in Columbus, Ohio. In fact, that the only place you can fly to (and back). Once you're there, don't forget to visit the Jack Nicklaus Museum!

• Tomorrow in Glendale is Take Your Kids to Work Day -- from the City Hall release:

  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.

• An update on the development fight brewing in the Verdugo Hills Golf Course. News Press

• The Leader writes-up nurses and hospital staff picket at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center. The have been working without a contract since March 31.

• KROQ's "Doc on the ROQ," Boyd Britton took time yesterday to remind us of another geoncide in this email:

  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.

  
  
  

  Posted by Eugene Tong at 8:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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.

Posted by Jason Kandel at 1:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Today, Armenians around the world remember the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian genocide.

• The blood-stained carriage and the smoldering city still seemed fresh to the Rev. Vartan Dulgarian as he recalled personal memories of what many believe was the first genocide of the 20th century, Eugene Tong writes in today's Daily News.

  "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.

• A remembrance at Glendale Memorial Hospital ...
  Glendale News-Press

• The Armenian genocide was inspirational to Hitler.
  Daily Kos

• Still can't call it a genocide, though ...
  Chicago Tribune

  More ...
  

Continue reading "Morning Briefing -- April 24, 2007" »

Posted by Jason Kandel at 8:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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.

Daily News

Update at 4:15 p.m. Here's the United States Attorney's press release.

Posted by Jason Kandel at 2:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Granola goodness...

• Sentencing is scheduled this morning for Rafael Yepiz, lead defendant in the federal racketeering case against the Vineland Boys street gang, whose turf includes Burbank. Yepiz was convicted of racketeering, drugs and weapons charges last year, and he could face up to life in prison.

• The January 2005 Glendale Metrolink crash has made freight rail line owners around the nation leery of allowing commuter and light rail trains on their tracks. Rocky Mountain News (Denver)

• More Americana on Brand news -- books and media mega-mart Barnes & Noble has signed a lease to house a store at the Caruso "lifestyle center" slated to open next year. From today's release:

  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...

• On the right, more from local blogger Joe Fein; On the left, it's guns, Wolfowitz and the Superfriends from the Burbank Democratic Club.
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Locke or Hobbes?

• Glendalians for Mitt Romney? -- Lisa Friedman of Daily News' Washington Bureau runs the numbers on the major 2008 presidential contenders and breaks contributions down by local geography:

  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.

• Glendale Community College teachers finally finished drawn-out salary negotiations -- the 700 Glendale College Guild members will be getting up to a 7.5 percent raise for the current school year. News Press. That leaves Glendale Unified School District and the Glendale Teachers Association still stuck in salary talks -- and with a state mediator involved.

• City of Glendale reminds us a blood drive will be held Sunday, April 22, as Glendale’s Week of Remembrance activities continue. The blood drive will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Saint Mary’s Church, 500 E. Central Avenue. The one day event is being put on in coordination with the American Red Cross. For an appointment call (818) 243-3444.

• The Times noted sub-prime lender WMC Mortgage in Burbank is cutting another 771 jobs.

• Bond rating news! -- Burbank Public Financing Authority's revenue bonds, 2007 series A (Golden State Redevelopment Project). Excerpt:
  

Continue reading "Morning Brief -- April 20, 2007" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 4:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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?

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) |

A couple of items on politics:

• Burbank blogger Joe Fein at Valley of the Shadow ("A man in exile from the Washington Beltway. An artist and policy-maker.") posts another installment of his analysis of the local and state GOP.

• Glendale City Hall's favorite uncle Barry Allen has this preview of this week's Vanguard newsletter:

  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.
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Enjoy your Web surf with a little Raisin Bran ...

• Eugene Tong writes a tale of two cities ... Burbank makes a $9.65 million deal with its schools to open athletic fields to the public. Glendale, on the other hand, might follow Burbank's lead, if its city's bosses can all agree on how to work it out.
  Daily News

• Glendale residents mourn the loss of the Virginia Tech students and family members who suffered in the senseless shootings.
  Glendale News-Press

• Gravehunter Lisa Burks is getting reader mail. One person wants to know how to find a loved one buried at the beleaguered cemetery. She tells him how.
  valleynews.com

• La Crescenta holds its first Crescenta Valley Town Council land-use meeting of the year and the group will mull a 26-unit condo project that would cut into a hill.
  Glendale News-Press

• For those interested in keeping tabs on the work of developer Rick Caruso, the Arcadia City Council just approved his latest development for an 825,000-square foot project, called the Shops at Santa Anita, on a part of the 304-acre Santa Anita Park property. Readers recall that Caruso is developing the 475,000-square foot Americana at Brand.
  globest.com

Posted by Jason Kandel at 7:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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.

More

Posted by Jason Kandel at 5:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

A regular part of a balanced breakfast...

• NEW FEATURE: East of the 5 on YouTube!

• The News Press has a write-up on Sudanese genocide survivor Valentino Achak Deng, who gave a talk at the Glendale Library last night. Dave Eggers novelized his story in "What Is the What."

• The News Press also has a round-up of rest of the City Council committee assignments for the year.

• Glendale College -- meet your new golf coaches! PGA pro Greg Osbourne and actor James Caan are taking on the program, writes Daily News columnist Jill Painter: "Osbourne, who landed the job as head coach in February, and Caan are both competitive and passionate about the game of golf. They hope to breath some life - and a little humor - into a program that was cut in 1985."

• Checking in with Will Rogers -- the local newshound parses the Burbank election results in an eagerly-awaited column (for me, at least!). Scroll down a bit for the April 16 entry. Up top on the same page is a piece about Burbank Councilman David Gordon outlining allegations he mixed optometry with politics. Now I haven't looked into this -- judge for yourself. Also, we may see a lot more of Will's pontifications online. Thanks for the kudos!

• Just in time for tax season -- a release from the IRS Criminal Investigation Los Angeles office.

  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.

Continue reading "Morning Briefing -- April 18, 2007" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 9:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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.

Posted by Jason Kandel at 5:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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.

Daily News

Posted by Jason Kandel at 4:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Before getting off to our morning routines, I'd like to offer condolences to those dealing with the senseless tragedy in Virginia this morning ...

• A community meeting is scheduled for noon today at New Woody's to provide Woodbury University students, faculty, and staff with an opportunity to share their feelings regarding the Virginia Tech tragedy and to pay their respects to members of the Virginia Tech community and their families. "We send our condolences to the students, faculty, and staff of Virginia Tech. The tragedy which occurred on their campus today cannot be imagined – more than 33 people killed in a senseless mass shooting. Please remember their community in your thoughts," says Dr. Kenneth Nielsen, president, Woodbury University.

• A Burbank man was among those who has family members at Virginia. The Virginia Tech alumnus recounts his story of hearing the news about the shootings. He tells nbc4:
  

  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.

  
  nbc4

  In other news ...

• They built a science lab and improved test scores at Luther Burbank Middle School, and that helped earn the campus new status as a California Distinguished School, one of 171 middle and high schools statewide earning the distinction this year.
  Daily News

  Updated 4:30 p.m. -- Here's video of the visit:
  

• Ara Najarian is Glendale's newly selected mayor on a City Council that rotates mayors. The selection wasn't easy. Before Najarian was selected, newly minted Councilman John Drayman was nominated. He declined. Oh, and, uh, Councilman Bob Yousefian offered up himself, Dave Weaver, Najarian, and Tony Soprano ... think he's a member of Glendale's shadow government ...
  Glendale News-Press
  

Posted by Jason Kandel at 8:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Some deep thoughts to digest with your coffee...

• Expect politiking galore tonight when the Glendale City Council installs new Councilman John Drayman, and elects a mayor. Is Dave Weaver, who won another four years earlier this month, going for another term? Do Bob Yousefian and Ara Najarian have the time? (One serves on the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Commission and the other serves on the MTA board.) What about Frank Quintero? I don't have the answer, and they're not telling the News-Press. Here's the agenda for the 8 p.m. party.

• Meanwhile, Burbank City Council is preparing to adopt tomorrow night a deal with Burbank Unified School District to share recreational facilities.

• Local blogger Joe Fein talks further about whipping the California GOP back into shape at Valley of the Shadow. Scroll down a bit to read about his take on Burbank.

• The New York Times has an editorial up over Turkey's protests of a Rwanda genocide exhibit at United Nations headquarters because it mentions the Armenian Genocide.

• The Times looks into earlier reports of fish in the LA River near Atwater and the Glendale Narrows.
  

More to come...

Posted by Eugene Tong at 9:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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

Posted by Jason Kandel at 4:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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.

valleynews.com

Posted by Jason Kandel at 12:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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

Posted by Jason Kandel at 5:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 11:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Consider this your morning reveille ...

• Eugene Tong writes about Rocky Delgadillo's crackdown on unlicensed contractors, complete with a short online video. (Tong's getting pretty high tech)

• Jason Wells writes about the fact that Glendale is having one of its driest years on record, equaling that of the yearly average for Death Valley, and causing firefighters to be on high alert. Glendale News-Press.

• Atwater Village Newbie ribs the New York Times for its recent articles discovering life in Northeast L.A. and Atwater Village. Newbie writes:
  

  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."

  
  Read the rest here.

• Lisa Burks follows up on the unfolding situation at Grand View Memorial Park with a story asking whether Grand View is a Harley-Davidson biker cemetery, and reveals a new civil complaint filed in Superior Court alleging misplaced remains.
  Grave Concerns: Inside Grand View Cemetery

  And finally ...

• Glendale resident George Reyes has won the Dorothy Cook Lifetime Achievement Award for improving the grounds at Five Acres, a non-profit in Altadena that helps turn around the lives of abused children. Reyes is the owner of Rey-Crest Roofing in Los Angeles. Since 1994 he has done many projects on the Five Acres campus free of charge -- from painting, refencing and even installing an emergency generator. In 1998, after joining and then chairing the building and grounds committee, he became vice chair for business affairs. Five Acres says George has made the lives of the children of Five Acres better today because of his extraordinary generosity with his time and expertise and his devotion to children.
  

Have fun ...

Posted by Jason Kandel at 8:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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

Posted by Eugene Tong at 8:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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.

Posted by Jason Kandel at 2:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Just a couple of things this morning:

• Burbank election results -- Bric and Reinke are in, beating the Berlins nearly 2-1 at the polls; meanwhile, voters defeated the hotel occupancy tax hike and the appointed city clerk and treasurer proposals; but they embraced the other four measures. Daily News

• Interesting precinct-by-precinct analysis of the Glendale elections in the News-Press.
  

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.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 9:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 8:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

From the Los Angeles County District Attonrney's Office:

APRIL 10, 2007 PASADENA -- 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!?

Posted by Eugene Tong at 4:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

A few notes on tonight's electoral showdown in Burbank:

• It's time to check that ballot -- whether it's Carolyn Berlin, Phil Berlin, Gary Bric and Anja Reinke for City Council or deciding between those seven ballot measures -- make sure they're dropped-off at these designated collection centers by 7 p.m. tonight.

• As for potential parties, word is Gary Bric will, of course, be at the Ramp after checking-in at City Hall; while Anja Reinke will kick it at Lasher's across the street. As for the Berlins -- I haven't check-in with them yet.

• I'll be in Burbank City Hall tonight live-blogging in between filing stories and monitoring returns -- feel free to stop by online with your comments and for updates.

• New finds -- a couple of Burbank political blogs, one from the left and one from the right. The Burbank Democratic Club blog has some good items on the local election if you scroll down, including some endorsment news on the Berlins and thoughts on the Bric/Reinke attack mailer fracas.

  Meanwhile at Valley of the Shadow, "JSF" assesses the state of GOP politics in Burbank and Los Angeles.
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Good morning. Here are a few items to go with your morning Cheerios.

• Arthur Pilavyan, the owner/operator of A & L Nursing Registry located in Pasadena, was arrested by Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and Federal Bureau of Investigation recently on charges stemming from his indictment last week on federal criminal charges including health care fraud and money laundering.
  Click here to read the press release from the IRS.
  
• Irish Police are investigating the apparent theft of 122 R.E.M. concert tickets for the band's forthcoming sold-out Olympia Theatre show on Saturday, June 30.
  marketwire.com
  
• The next meeting of the Los Angeles River Master Plan Advisory Committee is Wednesday, April 25 at 9:30 a.m. at Southern California Edison's Montebello Service Center.
  

  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

  
  
• Vahe Balabanian at hyelog has more on the Armenian genocide.
  
• More than 50 Nobel laureates from around the world have appealed to Armenia and Turkey -- Can't we all just get along?
  rferl.org
  
• Glendale-based Focus on the Children Now, Inc. (FCN), an organization that helps needy children in Armenia, has recently completed its first successful clothing drive for people in Gavar and Sevan who make about $500 a year.
  more
  
• A little bubble gum ... A Burbank resident is among the final four on "The Apprentice."
  The Bushido Way
  

Posted by Jason Kandel at 8:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

A couple of Armenian Genocide-related items:

• The state Assembly unanimously passed Assembly Joint Resolution 15, co-authored by local Assemblyman Paul Krekorian. It designates April 24 as "California Day of Remembrance for the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923."
  It's an annual gesture by the state Legislature to remember this still-contentious piece of history -- Armenians contend the Ottoman Empire began an orchestrated slaughter in 1915 in which about 1.5 million Armenians were killed. Turkey denies it was a genocide, saying about 300,000 were killed and noting that Armenians sided with invading Russian troops in the aftermath of World War I and took up arms against Turks.

  “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.

• Burbank Library Blog has a post on genocide history and recommended reading. An excerpt:

  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.

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

For the folks who are into it, Happy Easter:

• Two separate car crashes killed two elderly Burbank residents early Friday. One of the drivers who drove the wrong way on the 134 and struck a 73-year-old driver head-on, is in custody on suspicion for vehicular manslaughter and a DUI. Another driver ran over a woman going home from breakfast on Olive Avenue.
  
• Meanwhile, Glendale Police caught a hit-and-run driver Thursday with a little detective work. The elderly victim was only injured, and the 21-year-old driver turned himself in.
  
  
• Valleynews.com prep softball blogger Richard Colon has a write-up on this week's match-up between cross-town rivals Burbank and Burroughs.
  
• Also, Grand View blogger Lisa Burks has two new posts -- one about the case of a pair of missing headstones; the other has a few thoughts about the nature of news coverage and sensitivity to Grand View's victims.
  
• Schiff, Bono Introduce Comprehensive Arson Legislation -- now when I saw this in the email inbox Friday, I thought whoa, our own U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff working with the U2 front man on a campaign to save the world from, uh, arsonists? But no, it was referring to U.S. Rep. Mary Bono, republican of the 45th congressional district, which includes Palm Springs. And short of third-world debt relief, they're proposing a database to track arsonists.
  
• A word from local state Assemblyman Paul Krekorian, who's pushing an Assembly resolution Monday condemning the Armenian Genocide, just in time for the annual remembrance in two weeks. Excerpt from the release:

Continue reading "Weekend Update -- April 8, 2007" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Back in the saddle after two days of Glendale election madness with the MSM...

• But first, more Gledale election aftermath -- Did the ethnic divisions in Glendale's City Council elections spill over to the school and college board races? Daily News
  
• A few words from -- well, there's no other way to say this -- the losers, via Glendale News Press. MIA -- Rafi Manoukian, who word has it, win or lose, is taking a break with his family.
  
• More election analysis from my idol Will Rogers. It starts with "They elected who?" -- financing, identity politics, attitude adjustments -- it's all here.
  
• Here's Pasadena Weekly's take.
  

• The News Press comes through with gavel-to-gavel coverage of Carlos Palma and Julian Martinez, who were found guilty of first degree murder in the 2004 New Years' Eve drive-by shooting death of 16-year-old Carlos Pinon in Glendale. Palma, the shooter, faces 50 years to life while Martinez, the driver, could see at least 25. Here's a partial copy of the charges.
  
• Burbank Library Blog! -- I know it's been online for a year since last August, but it's new to me! And any blogger who digs author Haruki Murakami and Mike Judge's underappreciated Idiocracy is worth plugging in my book (hey -- book! get it?).
  
• It's an actor's life in Burbank -- from the Branford Era in Pennsylvania.
  

Finally, for Burbank folks looking to serve the city, it's commission application season once again! Follow the link...

Continue reading "Morning Briefing -- April 6, 2007" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) |

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.

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

A quick briefing today -- got a load of work today:

• I'm sure Glendale folks are reeling this morning at the surprising City Council election results. John Drayman, the head of the Montrose Shopping Park Association, came out on top, and Mayor Dave Weaver, who many thought was vulnerable, kept his seat, leaving incumbent two-term councilman Rafi Manoukian out in the cold. Here's how the numbers break down:

  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.

• The Burbank City Council finalized the details and enacted the Second Hand Smoke Ordinance early this morning by a 3-2 vote. I'm still trying to sort out all the changes.
  

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...

Continue reading "A little late Morning Briefing April 4, 2007" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 9:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 4:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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.

Posted by Jason Kandel at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Lisa Burks, who has been writing for valleynews.com about the beleaguered Grand View cemetery in Glendale, took a break to put on her fire coverage hat this afternoon and posted great photos of a large white/gray plume from a brush fire in the hills of Universal City. She writes ...

I took these photos from the fifth floor balcony at Yahoo! Search Marketing headquarters in Burbank, located at 3333 W. Empire Ave., between Buena Vista and Hollywood Way, near Bob Hope Airport.

Check out the rest of her photos here.

Posted by Jason Kandel at 3:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

A blogger out of Chicago has taken interest in Burbank's new smoke ban outdoors.

Fanningtheflames writes:

I can't help but think we are rolling ever faster down this slipperly slope of eroding personal freedoms and government intrusions into all aspects of our lives.

Read more here.

You agree?

Posted by Jason Kandel at 5:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Look what followed me back to Glendale from downtown Burbank yesterday?

The driver gave me a look over the shoulder when he spotted my camera phone rollling down Glenoaks. I flashed him back a peace sign. We parted near Brand _ he headed north into the hills, and I went south back to the office.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 3:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

It's settled -- big chunks of the the city are now smoke-free zones with a City Council majority introducing the "Second Hand Smoke Control Ordinance" early this morning.

Among the key changes is a reduction of the smoke-free zones to five feet from 20 feet from the entry and sidewalks of some downtown businesses in order to allow designated smoking areas.

Mayor Todd Campbell and council members Jef Vander Borght and Marsha Ramos voted in favor of the ban, while councilmen David Golonski and David Gordon dissented. The ordinance will return for a second reading Tuesday before it is enacted.

“I think it’s a great start, and honestly, I think the city has come up with a pretty comprehensive ordinance that addresses our concerns,” said Eric Michael Cap, one of the ordinance’s proponents. “I’m very happy with it.”

Joe Georges, whose family operates several hookah waterpipe cafes downtown, said the changes will allow him to stay in business.

“It will still affect me, but it’s better then them banning the whole thing,” he said. “I’m still not happy with it, but they did take consideration of some of the business owners.”

more updates at Daily News
Earlier:
Burbank Smoking Ban Hot Issue
The Debate So Far
Council to kick some butt

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Some early thoughts from the Burbank smoking ban debate at City Hall tonight:

For Jessicka Martinez, a proposed ordinance forcing smokers butt out in public areas would spell an end to usual break-time ritual.

“It’s nonsense,” she said Tuesday, puffing away on a cigarette on the sidewalk outside a downtown hair salon where she works. “We’re in a public area. We’re outside. I’m not smoking around people. It’s not a bad as a problem as exhaust from cars.”

Calabasas city Councilman Barry Groveman told the council the fears about negative impacts _ whether it’s a lost of business or noncompliance _ when his city enacted a smoking ban, did not come to past.

“You might hear the sky is falling,” he said. “I’m here to tell you the sky is up, the sky is blue and the air is clean.

“There is no smoking police. The businesses are complying. They have the ability to create smoking areas, and in many cases, many have chosen not to do it. … Not one person has come before our council last year to complain.”

“My 4 ½ year old daughter hates smoke,” said Eric Michael Cap, one of the ban’s prime proponents. “She’s bothered by it. I believe we have a moral responsibility to protect those who can’t protect themselves.”

Amy Weyand, a Burbank resident for 25 years said she is allergic to cigarette smoke and supports the ordinance.

“If you stand in line in the theater, people are allowed to smoke,” Weyand said. “Smoke in your house and smoke in the car, that’s my feeling.”

The council entered deliberation at about 11 a.m. after some three hours of public testimony. Mayor Todd Campbell and Councilman Jef Vander Borght are for it, Marsha Ramos and David Golonski are looking for a compromise; David Gordon was disputing the ordinance while expressing willingness to compromise.

Updated 12 a.m. Wednesday:
The best bit of entertainment came when Campbell, the enviromental lobbyist, locked horns with Gordon _ and out-Gordon the good doctor by citing scientific studies that concluded secondhand smoke is a health hazard. Gordon wasn't sure there was enough evidence on the dangers of secondhand smoke with respect to outdoor areas. Usually it's Gordon citing the studies and past decisions, especially in land use.

Or maybe Campbell, with only a month left in office before stepping down, just wanted to go out with a bang.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 11:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

The state Academic Performance Index base scores are out today.

Burbank Unified’s overall 2006 API Base score was 782 out of a maximum the state-set goal of 800. All of the district’s schools (individual school results here) were in the top half of schools statewide.

Jefferson Elementary held the highest statewide ranking -- 9 out of 10 -- of all the schools in the district. Four elementary schools remained below 800 on the index, along with Burbank Middle, Burbank High and Burroughs High. Disney Elementary is required to hit the 800-point goal this year.

“We want to see continuous growth in student learning no matter where they started,” said Joel Shapiro, the district’s deputy superintendent. “Even if a school is well above 800, we’re looking for constant improvement.”

Glendale Unified’s API base was 802. Of the district’s 20 elementary schools, seven were below 800. (Campus-by-campus report here)

Three of the campuses -- Cerritos, Edison and Mann -- scored below 6 in the statewide rankings, though they measured-up among schools with similar demographics. Four campuses -- Dunsmore, Monte Vista, Mountain Avenue and Valley View -- scored 10.

Roosevelt and Toll middle schools, along with Glendale High and Hoover High, also scored below 800, though all remained in the top half of statewide rankings.

updated 3/29 at 3:17 p.m.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 4:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) |

Glendale and Burbank headlines for Tuesday, March 27, 2007:

• Glendale incumbent Councilman Rafi Manoukian is the only 100,000-dollar-man so far in campaign fundraising among the eight candidates running for City Council April 3. More financial breakdowns at the Daily News. The raw Form 460s are here.
  Earlier:
  Council Hopefuls Speak Out
  Candidates -- In their own words

• Trial against two Echo Park gang members charged with murder in the 2004 shooting death of a 16-year-old Glendale boy is wrapping up. More gavel-to-gavel coverage from the Glendale News-Press.

• Looks like the price tag for the Mountain Street widening that's part of Glendale Commuty College's new $24.7 million parking structure project has hit $1.67 million_ higher than its original estimate of $910,000. From the News-Press.

• Get ready for a double header tonight at the councils: Burbank will be hearing out a smoking ban ordinance at 6:30 p.m.; Glendale will be looking at a hillside view protection ordinance at 6 p.m. Check out the city's slide show on the subject.
  Earlier:
  Burbank Council to kick some butts
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 6:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

More from the bonfire of the Weilands _ as in Scott and Mary Weiland. Oh how I wish celebs pull more of their shenanigans in the Inland Empire or something, just as long as they leave this overworked reporter the heck alone.

via AP...

BURBANK, Calif. (AP) -- The wife of Velvet Revolver singer Scott Weiland was arrested in the torching of his clothes outside their Toluca Lake home hours after the couple brawled at a luxury hotel, police said Monday.

Mary Weiland, 31, was booked for investigation of felony arson vandalism after officers responded to a call Saturday night that a female was burning clothes. They found a trash can full of smoldering clothes, Sgt. Mathew Ferguson said.

Continue reading "Flambe a la Mary Weiland" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 6:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Burbank community activist Eric Michael Cap, who has been leading the charge to get the Burbank City Council to impose strict new rules on smoking outdoors, posts an update on valleynews.com. His story, "D-Day looms for Burbank smokers," says the council is set to vote tomorrow on the controversial issue. He predicts fireworks.

A standing-room-only crowd and some very lively debate is expected prior to Council deliberations and the vote, he writes.

The public hearing will take place Tuesday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m. at Burbank City Hall, 275 E. Olive Ave.

Read the proposed second-hand smoke control ordinance here.

Posted by Jason Kandel at 4:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Intrepid citizen journalist, Fronnie Lewis, knocks us out with the latest round in the Burbank Whole Foods bout.

In a development that has surprised many, Whole Foods, a giant in the natural and organic foods business, has emerged as the Rocky Balboa in the controversy surrounding a proposed market in the equestrian Rancho District of Burbank. Like the tenacious pugilist in the first Rocky movie, the project at the corner of Main Street and Alameda Avenue has taken a vicious beating from its adversary - in this case, a group of relentless Rancho residents. Up until the March 20 Burbank City Council meeting the possibility still existed that Whole Foods might squeak out a victory in the last round and win approval from the council members.

Posted by Jason Kandel at 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Via KTEN (by way of the Associated Press)...

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. -- A man who owns the property where famed television horse Mister Ed supposedly is buried wants to take advantage of its notoriety and develop it.

Homebuilder Todd Carroll of Tahlequah has a monument to the horse on his 16-acre property in Tahlequah, where the horse may -- or may not be -- buried. His plan is to build 12 to 15 log homes and create a subdivision, with the entrance going past the Mister Ed monument.

The 1,000-pound granite monument commemorating Mister Ed has been in Tahlequah since 1990.

There is some debate about whether Mister Ed actually is buried in the eastern Oklahoma town.

Some of Carroll's neighbors recall the horse's owner bringing him to Tahlequah after his retirement, but some Internet accounts say the horse buried there is one that was used in publicity shots after Mister Ed died in 1969.

A representative for Alan Young, who played Mister Ed's owner on the TV show, says the horse died in Burbank, California, was cremated and had his ashes spread there.

Two words -- SELL OUT. What would Ed's buddies down back in the Rancho think?

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

via TMZ.com...

Velvet Revolver frontman Scott Weiland and his wife trashed a Burbank hotel room during a rockstar-caliber rampage last weekend, and now the hotel is pressing charges against the Weilands for the damage they caused.

more HERE...including photo galleries!

Posted by Eugene Tong at 3:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

It didn't take long for the sharks to smell blood as revelations about Gary Bric, the perceived frontrunner for Burbank City Council, and his past run-ins with the law made the news last week. A mailer paid for by the Coalition for Responsible Leadership, also known as the Good Government Committee, juxtaposes his Los Angeles Superior Court case history with the bullet point "Bric's record shows a repeated history of BAD judgment." (emphasis from mailer)

On the back, the mailer knocks Anja Reinke, who finished second in the primary and has the support of most of the current council except for Councilman David Gordon. The good doctor is backing Carolyn and Phil Berlin. Both long-time local activists, the Berlins supported Gordon's run last year in the special council election.

Now I haven't looked into the allegations _ and there are plenty in this one _ but Will Rogers takes a shot analyzing the hit piece in his latest column.

Not sure how Bric and Reinke plan to respond _ hope it doesn't get too ugly.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 3:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Just some advice from Burbank Police Sgt. Matthew Ferguson.

According to the public information officer, back on 3/19 Monday, a woman in her 40s driving a dark van pulled up to the home of an elderly couple on the 2500 block of N. Parish Place. The woman met the 87-year-old husband and his wife, 84, at the door and said she was hungry.

The man let her in house to make a sandwich, but just when she was allowed in, two other women -- one in her 20s and the other in her 50s -- came out of hiding and followed. According to Ferguson, the first woman chatted with the couple in the kitchen, and out of sight from her cohorts. The trio left after a sandwich.

About three hours later, the couple got a call from their credit card company reporting suspicious activity -- about $1,400 worth of charges racked-up from three locations in the city. That's when they noticed their credit and ATM cards were missing. The thieves also tried and failed to withdraw money from the ATM.

Ferguson said it's a classic scam that often victimizes seniors: "They're often trusting. ... Don't let strangers into your house."

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

The Burbank Council is holding a public hearing March 27 on a proposed public smoking ban ordinance.

It's now called the Secondhand Smoke Ordinance, and includes the following restrictions:

• Indoor and outdoor areas at all City parks and other City facilities and public areas within 20 feet; except that smoking would be permitted at the DeBell Golf Course;

• Pedestrian sidewalks, alleys, paseos, plazas and walkways in a defined area of Downtown Burbank and all outdoor areas within 20 feet;

• The Chandler Bikeway and all public areas within 20 feet;

• Outdoor dining areas, including at restaurants and bars and all outdoor areas within 20 feet;

• Outdoor areas and lines where people wait for goods or services and all outdoor areas within 20 feet;

• Public transit vehicles and pedestrian areas of transit stations and stops and all outdoor areas within 20 feet;

• Outdoor areas where people are seated or gathered to witness or participate in a show, event, or competition and all areas within 20 feet;

• Outdoor shopping areas such as Farmers Markets and swap meets, pedestrian areas of outdoor shopping malls, and all areas within 20 feet;

• All elevators;

• Within 20 feet of a door, operable window, or air intake to a building that is open to the public;

• Any area that a business or property owner has identified as a non-smoking area; and,

• Common areas of multiple-family residential development projects (staff is recommending that smoking not be prohibited in multi-family common areas; however, they have been included in the draft Ordinance based upon Council direction).

Meeting starts 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 275 E. Olive Ave.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Chicago-based Higgins Development Partners is close to breaking ground on a seven-story, 363,000 square-foot office building on 6.3 acres at 2300 W. Empire Blvd. The $130 million project is the company's first major development in the state, since the 2001 completion of the Yahoo! corporate campus in Sunnyvale. Chicago-based Walton Street Capital, LLC is financing.

It's not exactly a new project _ the property was entitled back in 2001 and is the last undeveloped portion of the former Lockheed Skunk Works site where the Burbank Empire Center now sits. City planners are going over plans to see whether they conform what's allowed.

From the release:

"Higgins is committed to developing office product throughout California," said Nader Shah, senior vice president with Higgins Development Partners. "2300 Empire Center has the distinction of being one of the last entitled development sites in Burbank, and we are already hearing from area tenants with requirements for new space inthe constrained Burbank market."

Located at 2300 West Empire Boulevard, in the Media North District of Burbank, 2300 Empire Center is being designed by the architecture firm Ware Malcomb. The project is situated just off Interstate 5, near Bob
Hope Airport and adjacent to a Marriot Courtyard and Extended Stay America. Nearby amenities include the Burbank Empire Shopping Center, which is home to tenants such as Best Buy, Lowe's, Target, the Great
Indoors and several restaurants.

Groundbreaking is slated for September 2007, with completion of the project scheduled for late 2008. CB Richard Ellis will handle the leasing.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Burbank City Council candidate Gary Bric's past run-ins with the law are just coming to light, and his opponents are smelling blood.

According to the Burbank Leader, court documents show Bric, a local restaurant owner, pleaded guilty to driving under the influence in June 1997. He also was arrested in 1990 on bookmaking charges, which were later dropped. The charges were apparently based on allegations from an informant.

The informant alleged that Bric accepted wagers at his residence, also acting as a pay-and-collect person for a gambling operation. The informant also alleged that he often settled up on wagers with Bric.

...

Bric maintains his innocence in the bookmaking charge, which he said is evidenced by the fact that when another defendant in the case, Arthur Hanlon, was convicted for bookmaking in February 1991, the charges against Bric were dropped.

"I know the arrest doesn't look good, but I hope people will look at the fact that all charges were dropped against me after the bookmaker pleaded out," he said.

Word on the street is these revelations about Bric have already found their way into the latest round of mailers. Since I'm working out of Glendale, can someone Email me a copy?

Background checks the Leader conducted on the other candidates in the April run-off _ Carolyn Berlin, Philip Berlin and Anja Reinke _ didn't turn up much.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Richard Colon is a sports junkie. Not only does he like to roll out the barbecue for USC and UCLA tailgate parties, but just like a sports reporter on the beat, Colon has been hefting his camera and telephoto lens to the playing fields of Burbank to cover his daughter's softball games. She plays for the Burroughs' Indians. Colon's been turning in good play-by-play stories on his blog, "The Forgotten Sports," on valleynews.com, the Daily News' new citizen journalism Web site. Here's his latest piece about a double-header. Burroughs beats Glendale, then Burroughs gets beat by Arcadia.

Posted by Jason Kandel at 4:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

The Burbank City Council finally, wholly rejected a proposal to develop a Whole Food Market in a parcel at the Rancho equestrian district. It was a night full of last-minute twists and turns like this letter and this deny "without prejudice" suggestion from the proponent. The council didn't come to a decision until just after midnight this morning.

Developer Tom Davies and consultant Michael Hastings played a good game, exploiting techicalities in the system I didn't know existed; so did the opponents, whose crowning moment I thought was when they came to a council meeting wearing buttons that read "Whole Fraud."

Either way, now I can catch up on my sleep Tuesday nights, and the Rancho posse can ride off into the sunset, at least until the next developer dare to push a controversial project in their hood.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Here's another column from local pundit/blogger Will Rogers involving one Bob Garcin, which is not entirely flattering for Burbank City Council Candidate Phil Berlin. Judge for yourself here.

A disclaimer _ Will is a former writer for my local competiton who has since taken his opining online. His views are entirely his own, and in no way reflects the views of this Daily News reporter. I do read his stuff, and I think he could try cutting it down a bit. (Info-snacking is the future, as envisioned by a certain institutional investor whose firm owns a large chunck of Tribune Co. stock.)

Why link to him? Why not? This site is operating in the age of open media, and if there's a Burbank or Glendale angle to any item, I'm going to post it, regardless of ideology. Think of this site also as a local editorial page, where the market and a little news judgement are the best filters.

So I look forward to hearing from any online Garcin or Berlin backers, either in the comments section or by email. If you want me to post your email, be sure to include your name and a number (hey, stand by your words! The phones are just for a quick check, and will remain confidential).

Posted by Eugene Tong at 11:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

It's a supermarket shelf-full of policy decisions facing the Burbank City Council Tuesday night.

First up is the introduction of the shopping cart ordinance, which is intended to corral the carts within local stores and parking lots. Then it's another shot at the Whole Foods Market, the controversial proposal to build a branch of the natural foods grocer in the Rancho. A council majority already rejected it 3-2, but the developer wants one last crack at it, this time with a 40,000 square-foot store.

Finally, a discussion of Councilman David Gordon's suggestion of installing security cameras in the City Hall underground bunker where City Clerk officials count ballots.

Meeting starts 6:30 p.m. at 275 E. Olive Avenue.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

New blog playing a little catch-up...

Via Jason at valleynews.com:

Burbank Police arrested two men who were allegedly involved in the March 15 stabbing of 22-year-old Jonathan Corella on the 800 block of North Buena Vista Street. The vicitm was treated at a hospital, and police say they all seem to know each other.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Test post. Welcome to East of the 5 _ your HUB for news and views concerning the cities of Glendale, Burbank and adjacent hoods. Send comments here.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |