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) |

At noon Thursday, Unite Here Local 11, the union trying to organize the Glendale Hilton, will stage a picket to welcome the hotel's new owners.

via Unite Here

On Wednesday August 8, 2007 Eagle Hospitality Trust shareholders voted to sell the Glendale Hilton to AP AIMCAP, a joint venture of Apollo Real Estate Investment Fund V LP, Aimbridge Hospitality LP and JF Capital Advisors LLC.

Workers at the Glendale Hilton hotel cite poverty wages, a lack of affordable health insurance, and dangerous working conditions as some of the problems they have endured. In September 2005, Glendale Hilton employees requested a fair process to decide whether to form a union. The employees' request was met with fierce resistance from the hotel.

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

Hotel workers hope that the Glendale Hilton's change in ownership will mean an end to this long-running dispute and allow them to end the boycott. "We hope that the hotel's new owners will allow us to decide whether or not to join the union without any interference or harassment from management. I hope they know that we are prepared to stay in this fight as long as it takes, and we are not giving up," said Angela Reid a bartender at the Glendale Hilton hotel.

Earlier:
What Frequent Stay Points Get You at the Glendale Hilton
State of Protest

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

Jennifer Mann's story on IHOP CEO Julia Stewart in The Kansas City Star looks into pher past as president of Applebee's International, which is the Glendale pancake house chain is looking to pick up for $2.1 billion.

In 2001, Julia Stewart left Applebee’s International after three years as president when it became clear she was being passed over as the eventual chief executive officer.

Stewart moved on and in 2002 became the CEO at IHOP Corp., then a tired and flat pancake chain. She and management, in her words, reinvigorated the business by selling most of the company-owned stores to franchisees and updating the restaurants, menu, uniforms and marketing.

Now, with IHOP’s pending $2.1 billion acquisition of Applebee’s, she appears poised to assume the role she initially missed at Applebee’s — running the company. She believes applying a similar recipe to Applebee’s can return the company to growth.

“A strong point of difference — that’s what Applebee’s desperately needs because we all fall into the ‘look like everybody else, act like everybody else,’ ” Stewart said. “I don’t think anybody in casual dining is setting the world on fire, and it was the same situation when I came to IHOP … but we distinguished ourselves in the (family dining) category, and I don’t view the challenge any differently at Applebee’s.”

The fix may be a bit more complicated. IHOP’s revenue is a third the size of Applebee’s, which is the country’s largest casual dining chain. Stewart intends to finance the $25.50-a-share acquisition and turnaround by selling Applebee’s 508 company-owned restaurants and using a sophisticated debt transaction paid off by future franchise revenues for the two operations.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 5:59 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) |

Let me say that early reports of a light crowd at the Galleria Target were GROSSLY exaggerated.

On the way to the overpriced churrascaria stand in the Galleria food court (and at the behest of my LAist-reading editors), I decided to dive into the three-story belly of a retail beast that has been a subject of obsession for LA's Web dwelling hipsters.

My first sight of the red bullseye -- 12:45 p.m. Friday -- were the shopping bags hulled by a group walking through the mall toward Mervyn's. Surely they couldn't be --gasp! -- Target shoppers!

After walking through one end of the mall to the other, I arrived at the Target's mall-side entrance -- there they were: clerks in red polo shirts, Starbucks, Pizza Hut and a row of check-out stands. At first glance -- a good crowd of 30-50 shoppers with moms, kids and downtown workers on their lunch break. It's the same scene upstairs and down, some pushing red shopping carts, others with a few sundries in hand.

All-in-all, a fair lunch-time crowd -- not quite as busy you'd expect in more established Targets as Burbank, Valencia or Pasadena, but not exactly empty either. The parking structure behind the building is about half-to-2/3rds full, with some folks opting to park in the sun (which I'm sure they wouldn't if the lot was empty).

Okay, so it's not exactly the weekend madness and traffic nightmare and meat market that is the West Hollywood Target, but hey, maybe after a few weeks?

Besides, those couple blocks of downtown Glendale are still a work-in-progress -- Rick Caruso's Americana won't open until next summer, which will definitely mess with the area's retail dynamic.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) |

Three-story Targets are all nice and good, but for Echo Park blogger Hexdous, it's all about Armenian beer at the Galleria food court.

The real story about the Glendale Galleria is the food court. Not talking about Pollo Campero here, I am talking about the fact that you can buy beer in the food court. What a concept, I know - but I don’t think most malls sell beer - do they?

Anyways, the International Grill sells kebabs, but they also have a fridge full of Erebuni beer from Armenia. So go there, knock back a few and then buy a bunch of stuff in the Apple store.

According to brewer Kotayk's Web site -- "It’s harmony in strength and flavour makes Erebuni the beer of choice."

Posted by Eugene Tong at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Now it's all speculation at this point -- the Galleria Target's only opened for a few days, but the crowd is looking a bit light for LAist Callie Miller's liking:

So we checked it out during prime evening shopping hours and could not believe that it was empty, empty, empty. We asked some questions. Are there more things here than at our own Target? New items you can't get at other Targets? More Libertine clothing? Whole new sections other Targets haven't even dreamed up yet? Nope, nope and nope. Just more space.

I don't know -- I would at least wait till after the weekend before unleashing the snark. How about the folks who have shopped there--any thoughts?

Posted by Eugene Tong at 6:10 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) |

IHOP posts 37 percent rise in second-quarter earnings on sales growth

GLENDALE, Calif. (AP)— Pancake house operator IHOP Corp., which is acquiring casual dining chain Applebee’s International, said Wednesday its second-quarter profit rose 37 percent, helped by new franchise restaurant openings, same-store sales growth and cost controls.

Net income for the quarter ended June 30 rose to $14.1 million, or 82 cents per share, from $10.3 million, or 56 cents per share, a year ago.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial were looking for profit of just 59 cents per share.

Revenue climbed to $89.5 million from $85.1 million last year, above the $87.3 million analysts projected.

In early trading, IHOP shares rose 95 cents to $65.97.

Chairman and Chief Executive Julia A. Stewart said the company drove topline sales through new franchise restaurant openings and same-store sales growth, while moderating general and administrative expenses and continuing share repurchases.

For the three months ended June 30, systemwide same-store sales increased 2.5 percent, reflecting solid growth despite a continuing difficult consumer environment and increased competition for breakfast customers, the company said.

IHOP said it remains comfortable with existing guidance for 2007 as it relates to its IHOP business, but is suspending its fiscal 2007 profit outlook as current guidance doesn’t account for the effect of the Applebee’s acquisition on results.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:29 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) |

Looks like the Unite Here folks will have someone new to tangle with in their quest to unionize Glendale Hilton workers...

via the Baltimore Business Journal

Hilton Hotels Corp. has appointed Linda Norman as the general manager for the Hilton Baltimore, a publicly financed convention headquarters hotel opening August 2008.

Norman will assume her new job as head of the 757-room hotel Aug. 13, 2008.

Currently general manager of the Hilton in Glendale, Calif., Norman was one of two finalists for the position. Norman and Thomas J. Thomas, resident manager of the Chicago Hilton, were interviewed by city officials last month during a Baltimore Development Corp. meeting.

A Duke University graduate, Norman was previously general manager of the Doubletree Guest Suites Tampa Bay in Tampa, Fla.

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

via Associated Press

GLENDALE, Calif. - General Electric Co.'s energy investment unit acquired a 90 percent interest in the operator of the Scholl Canyon Landfill gas project in Glendale, Calif.

GE Energy Financial Services bought the operating partnership from Scholl Canyon Landfill Gas Corp., which will continue to manage the operations, for an undisclosed amount.

The project captures methane gas from decomposing landfill waste and transports it to Glendale's Grayson Power Plant, where the gas is used to generate electricity sufficient for 10,000 California homes. The project reduces 615,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Since opening in 1963, the Scholl Canyon Landfill has accumulated 26 million tons of trash at a rate of 1,500 tons of trash per day.

The acquisition is part of GE Energy Financial's goal of investing $4 billion in renewable energy by 2010.

Shares of GE gained 59 cents to finish at $40.71. The stock reached a 52-week high of $40.95 earlier in trading.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Daily News biz-maven Julia Scott delves into the IHOP-Applebees proposal...

GLENDALE -- IHOP said Monday that it would buy Applebee's for $2.1 billion in cash as part of a plan to revive the bar-and-grill chain.

The $25.50-per-share deal offers shareholders a small premium over the recent trading price of Applebee's stock. The stock rose to $24.91 on news of the deal.

IHOP stock rose almost 9 percent, to $61.24, after news of the acquisition broke.

IHOP chief Julia Stewart plans to sell nearly all of Applebee's company-owned restaurants to individual franchise owners to boost cash flow and stock prices, a strategy she used to help breathe new life into the pancake chain.

Of the 1,319 IHOP eateries across the globe, 99 percent are franchises. Nearly 75 percent of Applebee's 1,943 locations are franchises.

"We've been down this road before and successfully led a total business transformation," Stewart said during a conference call. "We plan to do it again with Applebee's."

Read the rest at dailynews.com

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:37 AM | 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) |

A balanced meal to start your week.

• They've snuffed out cigarettes in Calabasas, Santa Monica, Burbank and Beverly Hills — and now a group of local residents has started pressing for a public smoking ban in Glendale. Advocates behind the "No Butts Glendale" campaign have been pushing the City Council since June to consider outlawing smoking in parks, lines and within 25 feet of sidewalks and business entrances. Daily News
  See their online petition here.

• Glendale-based IHOP (that's International House of Pancakes, for those not hip with the lingo) announced today it has entered into a deal to acquire Applebee's International Inc., operator of Applebee's restaurants, for $25.50 per share in cash, or about $2.1 billion. The all-cash transaction, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2007, is subject the usual shareholders and regulatory approvals, of course.

• Lawyers in the Grand View Memorial Park civil suit will be doing some discovery Tuesday. News Press

• The Pasadena Star-News paid their repsects at slain Glendale College cheer captain Brittani Idom's memorial.
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

As noted in my colleague-in-biz Julia Scott's Bargain Hunter blog, Target's Glendale Galleria store will open its doors July 24 for "Family & Friends," then heading into Grand Opening festivities Sunday, July 29.

When the news broke last year the red bullseye is heading into the hollowed-out anchor once home to Robinsons-May, I recalled a couple of haters say the Galleria is going downmarket with this new tenant. To you, I say stop the hate and relish the store that carries everything including a $46.89 Lobster Mold and a $679 espresso machine.

Target Opening Schedule:

Tuesday, July 24 – Family & Friends opening from 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Wednesday, July 25 – Soft opening
Sunday, July 29 – Grand opening for the public.

Target at Glendale Galleria Operating Hours
Monday – Saturday: 8:00 am – 10:00 pm
Sunday: 8:00 am – 9:00 pm

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:04 PM | 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) |

For the record, that last blog post took 15 minutes to type out on the iPhone (granted I included the half-dozen tries it took me to log into Movable Type -- it's tougher than you think to get those fingers exactly on the right key to spell my login and password, even if they're already 10 times the size of those itty-bitty Blackberry keys...)

So I couldn't resist running back to the Galleria Apple store to taking the thing for a test drive when 6 p.m. rolled around. After I cruised past some anti-war protesters outside Mervyn's and made the store at about 6:20 p.m, the gadget grab was already on -- about 65 people through the store so far, with more coming.

More pics and thoughts on the way...

Continue reading "iPhone Test Part Two -- or More Thoughts From a Tech Layman...*" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Blog entry by iPhone.

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

The obligatory iPhone post -- what self-respecting blogger could ignore the hype? Heck, this'll probably drive a couple more hits to this humble blog...

So I got to the Glendale Galleria at 10 a.m., and the line was bout 150 long and snaking from the mall Apple store, rounding the corner at Abercrombie & Fitch then out to the parking garage and beyond.

Continue reading "iCame, iSaw, iGot Paid 100 Bucks by My Aunt to Wait Here..." »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 2:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

i-blog.

• The Armenian National Committee takes its share of credit in the LA Times Managing Editor Doug Frantz's resignation, pegging it as fallout from his spiking that Armenian Genocide story back in April. But so far, no actual reason from the Times newsroom, other than word Frantz is heading back to Istanbul to head Middle East coverage for the Wall Street Journal.

• Meanwhile, if you're still keeping score, this year's version of the Armenian Genocide recognition bill making its way through the House now has 218 co-sponsors -- a majoirty -- screams Rep. Adam Schiff in a release this morning.

  "In gaining 218 cosponsors today, we have demonstrated that a majority of the House strongly supports recognizing the facts of the Armenian Genocide,” said Congressman Adam Schiff. “While there are still survivors left, we feel a great sense of urgency in calling attention to the attempted murder of an entire people. Our failure to acknowledge these dark chapters of history prevents us from taking more effective action against ongoing genocides, like Darfur.”

  “The Affirmation of the U.S. Record on the Armenian Genocide” resolution (H. Res. 106) calls on the President to "ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding" of the 'Armenian Genocide' and to “accurately characterize the systematic and deliberate annihilation of 1,500,000 Armenians as genocide.”

• It's new to me: The Falcon, Crescenta Valley High's school paper.

• The line was out the door and into the back parking structure at the Glendale Galleria this morning as about 150 people line-up for the iPhone, Apple's new must-have gadget....we'll have photos as soon as i upload...
  

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

Another quarter, another blast of tenant news for The Grove East, otherwise known as The Americana at Brand. You already know about Barnes & Noble relocating to the Rick Caruso mixed-use extravaganza next to the Glendale Galleria. The new list includes some heavy hitters, opportunities for shoppers to work up that national debt. The release from Caruso Affiliated says the mall is now 80 percent leased.

Shoe mavens have Kate Spade, which is opening its first Los Angeles-area location; Barneys New York CO-OP features designer casuals. There's also fancy cookware dealer Sur La Table. (I'm looking at YOU, Galleria tenant Williams Sonoma...)

For the hoi poloi, there's The Cheesecake Factory, and a pinkberry outlet. (Taking the faux-gurt back from knock-off purveyor Roseberry or Rosegreen or whatever their name is up the street...)

*For more Caruso goodness, check out this past weekend's edition of KPCC's Off-Ramp, which spent some time with LA's uber-developer -- there's a chat with Ed Leibowitz, who profiled the man for Los Angeles Magazine; and take a walk with Caruso through The Grove, where he shares a few hidden secrets...

Other Americana tenants:

Continue reading "A Barney, a Kate, more Cheesecake and Faux-Yogurt Multiplies*" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 9:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

The City of Glendale is working on a license system for tobacco sellers doing business here as a tool to prevent underage smoking. City officials are holding a meeting tonight to take-in public comments -- Perkins Building Community Room, 141 N. Glendale Ave., Room 118. Call Noreen Benjaminsen at (818) 548-2125 for more details.

Burbank already launched a permiting system for retailers of cancer sticks within their borders last month. It costs stores $200 a year.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 11:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Here's a look at Baskin-Robbins, which has been trying to shed its old, linoleum-ecnrested image for something more hip in order to compete in a crowded marketplace. Boston Globe has the story, though I wrote about this about two years ago when they opened one of their first new concept stores with the new logo in Stevenson Ranch. It reminded me of Starbucks, but brighter.

Local historians will recall those 31 flavors started life in Glendale in about 1945. It's now owned by the company that owns Dunkin' Donuts back east, though it still operates an ice cream test lab out in Burbank, I believe. Ah, here's a 2003 Time magazine story with a peek inside the lab.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 11:37 AM | 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) |

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) |

Another year, another anniversary for Damon's the venerable bamboo-and-palm frond tiki steakhouse on Brand. For it's 70th today, they're doing a fundraiser for Glendale Healthy Kids. The $20 cover gets you in on a celebration of meat and protein at 1937 prices -- that's $1.10 for a New York, $1 for a Filet Mignon. See the menu here.

Party begins at 4 p.m.

Yelp.com's reviews and Citysearch's entry.

How TIki is Damon's? Ask Critiki!

Keep reading for the release...

Continue reading "Damon's Spices 70th Bash with 1937 Prices" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:51 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) |

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Continue reading "Of Homes and Depots" »

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Continue reading "What Frequent Stay Points Get You at the Glendale Hilton" »

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

All aboard...

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

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

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

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

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

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) |

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) |

Westfield said it would duke it out in court with high-profile Los Angeles developer Rick Caruso to try to prevent his latest 830,000-square-foot mall project from going forward in Arcadia, the Pasadena Star-News reports. The Australian-based Westfield plans to use the California Environmental Quality Act within the next couple of weeks or so, saying Caruso's The Shops at Santa Anita is "fatally flawed" and reflective of "a political process where the City of Arcadia's haste and desire to approve the project outweighed proper and objective consideration of critical issues and long-term impacts." Arcadia Assistant City Manager Don Penman, whose city recently approved the Caruso project, says everything was done properly, according to the required Environmental Impact Report. Caruso said Westfield is simply trying to "stop competition" and is abusing the court system. Readers recall that Caruso is the developer behind Glendale's Americana at Brand, slated to open in 2008. Caruso's best-known project is The Grove.

Posted by Jason Kandel at 3:57 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) |

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) |

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) |

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) |

Jason at valleynews.com got the skinny on the latest Jermuk mineral water recall from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Here's the FDA's March 24 release, which follows the first recall from March 7, also due to excessive arsenic:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is re-issuing its warning to consumers not to drink "Jermuk" brand mineral water due to the risk of exposure to arsenic, a toxic substance and a known cause of cancer in humans. The agency is providing this information again to consumers due to an expansion of the recall initiated by the products' importers and distributors. "Jermuk" water is imported from Armenia and distributed under different labels in California. Five brands of these products have been recalled since March 7.

Continue reading "Another Jermuk recall" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 8:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

It was like two screaming siblings fighting for attention...

While Glendale Mayor Dave Weaver's State of the City luncheon carried on inside the Hilton, about 100 sign-tolling picketers organized by Unite Here Local 11 staged in a peaceful "Shame of the City" rally outside to showcase their two-year effort to organize the hotel's workers and urge city officials to honor their boycott.

The gathering of civil and business leaders were starting their salad coruse when about 15 protesters stepped out onto Glenoaks Blvd. and sat down in a circle, prompting police to arrest them for blocking traffic in a carefully choreographed dance of civic disobedience.

The ones arrested _ some all smiles as police officers hauled them way in plastic cuffs _ included students, union volunteers and workers from other hotels, but no Glendale Hilton workers.

The actual Hilton employees were either inside or took time from their 15-miniute breaks to walk the line and talk to reporters.

By the time they served the main course _ some kind of chicken over rice _ the protesters have disbanded.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 3:07 PM | 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) |

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) |

Unite Here Local 11, the union that has been trying to organize workers at the Glendale Hilton for several years, is staging a protest there Thursday as counter programming to Glendale Mayor Dave Weaver's State of the City address. Here's the spin from the union:

Dozens Plan to Risk Arrest at the Glendale Hilton During Mayor's State of the City Address

Protesters to Highlight the Glendale Hilton as the 'Shame of the City' at Civil Disobedience Action

WHAT: Dozens of hotel workers, faith leaders, community members and students will risk arrest on West Glen Oaks Blvd. in front of the Glendale Hilton during the Mayor's State of the City address.

WHEN: Thursday, March 22, 2007, 11:30 a.m.

WHERE: 100 W. Glenoaks Blvd. Glendale, CA

WHO: Glendale hotel workers, faith leaders, students, and community members

Dozens of hotel workers, faith leaders, community members and students are planning to risk arrest on March 22, 2007 in front of the Glendale Hilton during the Mayor's State of the City Address which is scheduled to be held at the Glendale Hilton. Protesters are planning an action set to highlight the Glendale Hilton as "The Shame of the City", because of the poverty wages, lack of affordable health insurance and dangerous working conditions that hotel workers face at the hotel.

This civil disobedience action was planned after repeated visits by workers to the Glendale City Council, at which workers asked the Council and the Mayor to honor their boycott. Despite the workers' repeated pleas for support from their elected representatives, city officials have continued to hold and attend events at the boycotted hotel. Just two weeks ago, hotel workers and their supporters held a prayer vigil outside of the hotel during the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast at the Glendale Hilton.

Glendale Hilton hotel workers have been struggling for over two years for the right to organize, but their efforts were met with fierce resistance by hotel management. "I am a long time Glendale resident, and have given years of my life to make sure this hotel is successful. Yet, despite working full time, I still can't afford health insurance for myself or my children. We are disappointed that officials from the City of Glendale have chosen to cross our picket line instead of standing with us in our hour of need," said Rosa Garcia a housekeeper at the Glendale Hilton.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |