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) |

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 |

GLENDALE — A 61-year-old man has been jailed without bail after he allegedly shot and stabbed four of his relatives during an argument, and was later subdued when his victims fought back, police said Wednesday.

Police found Valodia Balabekyan of Tujunga pinned by three men and a woman Tuesday morning when they arrived at an apartment on the 500 block of S. Belmont Street, Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

He was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday at Glendale Superior Court.

The victims — either uncles or siblings to Balabekyan and resided at the apartment — were shot with a small-caliber handgun. Some also suffered stab wounds and were covered in blood when police arrived. They were treated at area hospitals and were in stable condition.

"Four people get shot, which could've been a horrible situation," Lorenz said. "Amazingly they're alive."

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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) |

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) |

via the
News Press

A choir director at Incarnation Catholic Church was arrested Friday in Pasadena after he allegedly gave a 17-year-old parish boy alcohol and suggested "inappropriate sexual activity," according to Pasadena Police.

Russell Jackson, 46, of Pasadena, faces three misdemeanor charges stemming from the alleged July 1 incident. Those charges include child annoying, exhibiting harmful material to a minor and providing alcohol to a minor, said Janet Pope, spokeswoman for the Pasadena Police Department.

Jackson, who was also a music teacher for the Incarnation Catholic School, was fired from both jobs the day the incident was reported on July 6, said Tod Tamberg, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Archdiocese.

Jackson turned himself in Friday on advice from his attroney, and was cited and release. Arraignment is Aug. 16.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:40 AM | 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) |

GLENDALE - A man died early this morning when a woman backing out of a driveway hit him as he walked by, police said.

The man was killed at 1:15 a.m. in the 100 block of East Lomita Avenue near Brand Boulevard, police said. His name and age were not immediately available.

Police said the woman did not see the man, who died at the scene.

No arrests have been made, police said.

Last week, the Glendale Police presented a report on pedestrian safety before the City Council, which found the number of car-vs.-people collisions in Glendale to be steady the past couple years, but overall still lagging when compared to neighboring cities.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

In case you didn't hear Friday...

A Glendale man suspected of a hit-and-run crash that killed a 24-year-old Glendale woman was charged Friday with second-degree murder, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office announced. Ara Grigoryan, 21, was expected to answer to the charge in Pasadena Superior Court today, said Deputy District Attorney Robert Knowles. The D.A.'s office will ask that Grigoryan be held without bail.

Grigoryan is suspected of driving a black Mercedes-Benz on July 10 that struck and killed Elizabeth Sandoval as she was walking on Glendale Avenue near Windsor Road. The driver did not stop. The vehicle was found last Saturday near a Van Nuys body shop. Grigoryan was arrested in Mexico City this week by U.S. Marshals as he was allegedly going to take a flight to Europe and possibly his home country of Armenia, police said.

The Mexican government deemed him undesireable and turned him over to U.S. custody. If convicted, he's facing 15 years to life in prison, officials said.

Meanwhile, got a call from a reader who felt the fact that Elizabeth Sandoval was jaywalking when she was struck and killed should be emphasized more in the coverage. I mentioned that early in the coverage, but that detail dropped off when the story became that of an international manhunt for a hit-and-run driver.

The reader felt Sandoval's family should stop to consider that Elizabeth also broke the law, which resulted in her death. Any thoughts? It's one thing to jaywalk -- we all do it from time to time -- but did she deserve to be killed for it? Isn't a bigger crime for the driver -- who was speeding -- to hit her, then tried to escape responsibilty by fleeing the country?

I supposed it's all best left for the jury to grapple with when this gets to trial.

Earlier:
"Person of interest" in Glendale hit-n-run arrested in Mexico City
A break in the Glendale hit-and-run case?

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) |

A late item:

A man who lit a bottle rocket inside his Glendale apartment and sparked a blaze post-Fourth of July that destroyed his building has pleaded no contest Tuesday to criminal charges.

Kevin Carpenter entered his plea to two felony counts of recklessly causing a fire to an inhabited structure, and was sentenced to one year in county jail and three years probation, said Jane Robison of the District Attorney’s Office.

Burbank Superior Court Judge Patrick Hegarty suspended a two-year state prison term that Carpenter, as long as he complies with the terms of his probation.

Carpenter was accused of lighting a bottle rocket around 2:45 a.m. July 5 in his apartment at 807 E. Chevy Chase Drive with the intention of throwing it into the street. But it exploded and burned him, according to Glendale fire Capt. Tom Propst.

It took 44 firefighters 13 minutes to knock down the fire, which caused $800,000 in damage to the building and $200,000 in damage to the contents, he said. Three units were destroyed and a fourth was heavily damaged.

Carpenter was treated for second-degree burns, according to Glendale police Sgt. Susan Hayn.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 6:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

via Glendale Police:

Today the Glendale Police Department has Ara Grigoryan in custody for his involvement in a hit and run accident that caused the death of Elizabeth Sandoval on July 10, 2007. With the assistance of State and Federal Authorities, we were able to locate Ara Grigoryan in Mexico City. We would specifically like to thank Immigration Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, United States Marshalls, and the Mexican Authorities for their assistance in this case.

We would like to take this moment and give you a chronological order of events that took place during our investigation regarding this case.

On July 10, 2007 at 9:45 pm, Glendale Police Officers responded to Glendale Avenue and Windsor Road, regarding a traffic collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian. Elizabeth Sandoval was pronounced at the scene. An investigation into the fatal hit and run accident began.

On July 11, 2007, traffic investigators were able to identify a location where the suspect vehicle might have been. Officers did not locate the vehicle in question; however, they were able to identify evidence that was left behind by the possible suspect.

On July 12, 2007, anonymous tips and more investigative work led us to identifying the vehicle and the person of interest who had been driving the vehicle in question.

On July 13, 2007, Glendale police investigators requested Mercedes Benz of America and ATX to activate the Global Positioning System to assist us in locating the suspect vehicle. After retrieving two court orders, our request still went unanswered. On July 14, 2007 at 7:00 am, the Los Angeles Police Department notified us that ATX had activated the GPS and the vehicle in question was located parked on a public street in the City of Van Nuys. There were obvious signs of fresh bodywork done to the front-end portion of the vehicle.

At the beginning of this week, we received information that a person matching the description of Ara Grigoryan was in custody in Mexico City. Today we have verified that Ara Grigoryan is in fact the person that was detained by the Mexican Authorities. With the assistance of the United States Marshall’s, Ara Grigoryan was transported back to the United States and released to the custody of the Glendale Police Department.

Our prayers again go out to the Sandoval Family and we hope this will give them some type of closer.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

GLENDALE — A man has barricaded himself inside a house today in what appeared to be a botched burglary, police said.

The man, who appeared in his late 20s, is believed to be holed-up by himself in a home on the 1100 block of Avonoak Terrace, police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said. Police had arrived at the home at about 11 a.m., after its burglar alarm was triggered, and saw the man come out of the garage.

When he saw the officers, he ran back inside, Lorenz said.

There has been several daytime residential burglaries reported in the area, and investigators suspect the man may be the culprit, Lorenz said.

*Update 5:46 p.m. -- Police has arrested Jerome Wilson, 26, of Tujunga, after a five-hour stand-off. Daily News

Posted by Eugene Tong at 2:09 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) |

GLENDALE _ Police located Saturday the Mercedes Benz sedan that struck down in the a 24-year-old woman earlier this week, while the hunt continued for a man believed to be involved with the fatal hit-and-run.

The black four-door S430 sedan with a California license plate of O7TT777 was found parked along the curb in Van Nuys after the car’s tracking system was activated, police spokesman John Balian said. Investigators were trying to turn up new leads at area auto repair shops.

Police said the driver of the black Mercedes struck and killed Elizabeth Sandoval at highway speeds while she crossed the street at Glendale Avenue near Windsor Road Tuesday night, then fled the scene.

On Friday, police complained an attorney for the German automaker had refused comply with a court order to activate the car’s global positioning system. But the device’s Texas-based manufacturer contacted Los Angeles Police with a location Saturday, Balian said.

Authorities were looking for Ara Grigoryan, 21, of Glendale, a “person of interest” who matches witness descriptions of the man behind the wheel. The car is registered to one of Grigoryan's relatives, but he has been cited for seven traffic violations over two years while driving the car, including failure to yield to pedestrians and three cases of speeding.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 6:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

GLENDALE - Police are looking for a man believed to be involved in a hit-and-run crash that killed a 24-year-old woman earlier this week, but their efforts were stymied Friday when an automaker refused to cooperate with investigators trying to locate the suspect’s car.

Police said Ara Grigoryan, 21, of Glendale is a “person of interest” who matches witnesses’ description of the man behind the wheel of the black Mercedes Benz-sedan that struck and killed Elizabeth Sandoval at Glendale Avenue near Windsor Road Tuesday.

The car is registered to one of Grigoryan’s relatives, but he has been cited for seven traffic violations over two years while driving the car, police spokesman John Balian said. They include failure to yield to pedestrians and three cases of speeding.

Police attempted to locate the car by requesting Mercedes Benz to activate the vehicle’s onboard tracking system.
Many recent model luxury cars are equipped with a global position system allowing authorities to locate them if they were stolen. Police presented two separate court orders Friday, but attorneys at the German automaker’s North American headquarters in New Jersey refused to comply.

A message left with Frank Berenz, an attorney representing Mercedes Benz, was not immediately returned.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 6:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Alan Freibaum -- the "Irreconciliable Differnces Bandit" pleaded not guilty to 31 felony robbery and other charges at his arraignment at Burbank Superior Court.

Freibaum, 55, is accused in 14 bank robberies, during which he made off with more than $44,000 between December 2006 and until his capture in June this year. He also faces charges of kidnapping a woman, first-degree residential robbery and first-degree burglary, which could result in a life sentence if convicted.

He's being held in lieu of $2 million bail. The next hearing is scheduled Aug. 8 at Pasadena Superior Court, Dept. E.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Glendale Police is calling an 11 a.m. news conference to present a "person of interest" in the Elizabeth Sandoval hit-and-run case. Sandoval, 24, of Glendale was killed Tuesday night when a speeding black Mercedes-Benz sedan struck her at Glendale Avenue near Windsor Road. The vehicle was traveling at up to 60 mph on impact, and flung her about 75-100 feet. See Daily News story here.

*Update 10:54 a.m. via Glendale Police
The suspected vehicle is described as a 2003 black 4-door Mercedes-Benz S430, with a California license plate of O7TT777, and is believed to have sustained front-end damage. The person of interest in this incident is Ara Grigoryan of Glendale, who is described as a male Armenian, approximately 5’9 with black hair and brown eyes. The investigators have developed information that Mr. Grigoryan is related to the vehicle that we are seeking.

It is expected that Glendale City Council will approve allocations for a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the hit-and-run suspect. LA County Board of Supervisor Michael Antonovich will also be asking for an additional $10,000.00 reward to be provided by the County. The Glendale Police Department is urging any witnesses or other involved parties to come forward with any information that they may have.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the Glendale Police Department at (818)548-4840. They can also call the Glendale Crime Stoppers anonymous hotline at (818)507-7867.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

The basketball hoops are down and there was a fresh coat of paint on the benches at Brand Park on Thursday, just more than two weeks after a shooting there raised concerns about public safety. Residents said the b-ball court - in a remote corner of the park and far from the gaze of police patrols - is a magnet for illicit rendezvous - drug deals, vandalism and other crimes.

The park made headlines June 26 when someone shot at an occupied vehicle after a confrontation. No one was injured, and two men - Harutyun Abrahamyan, 21, of Pasadena, and Haroutioun Aivazian, 19, of Glendale - were arrested about a week later on suspicion of attempted murder.

Police have stepped up patrols. Meanwhile, spooked residents are demanding the city clean up the sprawling 31-acre park nestled at the base of the Verdugo Mountains, the former estate of Leslie C. Brand, one of the city's pioneers.

more at dailynews.com...

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

On assignment this morning -- here's a quick update to fill the hours

A husband and wife from Glendale and two female accomplices from the San Fernando Valley were accused of running an adult day health care center out of a church community room, endangering senior citizens by having uncredentialed social workers conduct therapy and filing false claims to the state's Medi-Cal program, state officials said today.

Five felony counts, including false claims, grand theft, and subjecting seniors to great bodily injury have been filed against Simon and Vardui Rosi Dulbandzhyan, both of Glendale; Ani Ter-Gevorkyan, of North Hollywood; and Salphy Boyajian, of West Hills.

More at dailynews.com

Posted by Eugene Tong at 6:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Authorities have identified a 24-year-old Glendale woman who was killed by hit-and-run motorist while crossing the street.

Elizabeth Sandoval was struck down at about 9:40 p.m. by a black Mercedes Benz-sedan at Glendale Avenue near Windsor Road, police spokesman John Balian said. The vehicle was traveling at up to 60 mph when it struck Sandoval, and flung her about 75-100 feet. The speed limit at the intersection was 30 mph.

Sandoval was leaving an area convenience store with a friend, Balian said. Witnesses told police they were crossing the street against a red light, though one motorist had stopped for them before Sandoval was struck. Her companion was not injured.

Police believe the Mercedes was being driven by a man, and suffered major front-end damage. Television news footage showed the car’s front grill left at the scene. Anyone knowing more about the case was urged to call police at (818) 548-4818.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 2:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

It didn't take even an hour for Jason to post an item about the 24-year-old Glendale woman who was killed in a hit-and-run last night on the Daily News Web site that we get one reader lashing out at immigration and immigrant drivers.

Now I'm not going to repeat the post here -- here's the link if you're curious -- but the writer's argument seems to be based on the fact the car that hit the woman was a Mercedes Benz sedan. That's big leap in logic, but extreme nativism is rarely logical.

I usually expect this kind of talk AFTER police have an identified suspect in custody, but then it doesn't take much set off the anti-immigration crowd nowadays. I wonder what the commenter will say when he or she finds out the victim was Latina.

Maybe it's something against the Germans, those engineers of fine automotive products. We have to put a stop to German immigration! Who knows how many of teutonic scofflaws are living among us without proper papers?

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

GLENDALE -- Two banks were robbed Tuesday just 15 minutes apart, one by a man authorities have dubbed “The Zorro Bandit” and the other by a group who pulled off a well-organized heist, police said.

The first robbery occurred about 9:45 a.m. when three men wearing baseball caps and armed with handguns entered Bank of the West at 400 N. Glendale Blvd. Two of the men ordered the patrons and the tellers to lie down on the floor while the third man took money from teller stations and entered the vault, Glendale police spokesman John Balian said.

Outside, the trio joined an accomplice waiting in a gray Toyota with no license plates.

The other robbery was reported about 10 a.m. at Union Bank at 33 N. Brand Blvd. when a man armed with a handgun approached a teller demanding money.

The man is described as 5-feet-5 and 160 pounds and appeared in his mid-20s to early 30s.He had slick, greasy hair and wore a goatee — hence the Zorro nickname, Balian said. The FBI has linked him to at least five previous heists.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:07 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) |

Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich has dished-out a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of 18-year-old Brittani Idom's killer. Idom attended Glendale College, and was captain of the cheerleading sqaud there.

Meanwhile, LA City Councilman Herb Wesson is waiting for his council to approve a $50,000 reward in the Idom case -- she was shot early Friday while driving in his Mid-City district.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 2:12 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) |

That's right -- you, who's looking for handouts at a cement median near Glenhurst or Glenfeliz. The good people of Atwater Village have their eye on you, and so does the LAPD...

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:20 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

Via Glendale Police spokesman John Balian:

Glendale Police Officers responded to 1601 West Mountain, Brand Park after receiving a call of multiple gunshots coming with in the park. On June 26, 2007, at 5:00 pm, witnesses reported hearing gunshots coming from a white SUV type vehicle at Brand Park. The driver of the vehicle was described as a male Armenian, in his twenties, wearing a hat and sunglasses. The driver exchanged words with a group of males in the park and then began shooting.

Approximately five shots were fired and three of the shots fired struck a vehicle that was in the path of the gunshots. No injuries were reported at the time of the incident. The Glendale Police Department has made steps to add extra police patrol at Brand Park, by utilizing Park Rangers, Special Enforcement Detail, Gang Unit, and field patrol units.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the Glendale Police Detectives at 818-548-3987.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:48 PM | 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) |

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) |

Local state Assemblyman Paul Krekorian got some lovin' from the Los Angeles City Council today, when they went on the record in support of a tough-on-crime bill package. Among the proposals is one from the Burbank Democrat, AB1013, that would grant city attorneys the right to bring eviction actions against building tenants who illegally use or possess dangerous weapons.

Other measures in the package:

• SB 271, a bill authored by Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, would allow district attorneys and city attorneys statewide to go after gang assets to satisfy criminal judgments, and return recovered funds to the communities they terrorized.

• SB 989 would make it easier for law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to deal with racially motivated gang activity. The bill, introduced by Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas, D-Los Angeles, would add hate crimes to the list of crimes in the Street Terrorism and Enforcement Protection Act.

• SB 844 -- also authored by Calderon -- would establish sentencing enhancements for gang activities, hate crimes, child abuse and drug crimes committed within 1,500 feet of a school.

• AB 1033, which targets gang members trying to recruit children. If approved, offenders would be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, sentenced to a year in jail and fined $2,500, according to the bill’s author, Assemblywoman Anna Caballaro, D-Salinas.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 3:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

It's bound to happen sooner or later -- five banks in four days and you're just asking to get caught...

GLENDALE - The suspected "Irreconcilable Differences" bandit, suspected in 16 bank robberies, was arrested today after trying to hold up a Wells Fargo Bank branch, officials said.

The unidentified suspect, who matches the description of the robber in 16 other Southland bank heists since December, was nabbed in the parking lot of a McDonald's restaurant near the scene of today's robbery, said Laura Eimiller of the FBI.

The "Irreconcilable Differences Bandit" robbed the Newport Beach branch of California National Bank on Monday, two days after holding up a Citibank branch in Santa Barbara, according to the FBI.

He also tried to rob a Burbank bank Friday, but did not receive any cash from the teller. He robbed another bank in Burbank, then a bank in Glendale later that day, escaping with an undisclosed amount of cash.

In addition to the bank robberies, he is also suspected in a street robbery in Beverly Hills.

He got his nickname from his first bank robbery on Dec. 22 in Beverly Hills, when he told a teller he was going through a divorce and needed help wiring money, requesting that the transfer be done in such a way that his estranged wife's attorney would not learn of it.

More at Daily News.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 2:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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) |

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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) |

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) |

Internet Explorer ate my post! Let's start over...

• The Daily News looks at crime organized and otherwise -- first with a series from Troy Anderson and Jason Kandel on Eurasian mob activity in the valley. The Sunday story is an overview of the problem and the scams, while Jason follows today with a tale of how a Ukrainian family used Medicare fraud as a shortcut to the American Dream.

  Oppressed in their native Ukraine, Konstantin and Mayya Grigoryan came to the United States a dozen years ago in search of the American dream.

  They didn't speak English, struggled to pay the bills and relied on family and friends to make ends meet. Eventually they found jobs and began to acquire wealth, opening a restaurant, starting a string of medical clinics and finally buying a $661,500 home in a gated community in Altadena.

  But this American dream was built on a crooked foundation, authorities say. Indicted by a federal grand jury in 2004, the couple was convicted of leading a Russian-Armenian organized crime ring that paid kickbacks to doctors, recruiters and patients and defrauded the U.S. government out of $20 million over five years.

• Also, DN's Tony Castro profiles Timothy McGhee, an Atwater Village gang member who is standing trial this week for two murders, seven attempted murders and five shootings. He writes:

  His spiral notebook of rap lyrics depicts McGhee as a 21st century American psychopath, devoid of conscience, who used the Atwater Village area as an urban killing field.

  In the words of Andy Teague, the now-retired LAPD detective who tracked him, "It's his high, and he does it for kicks."

  "Here I come last chance to run," McGhee writes in one set of lyrics. "Killer with a gun out to have some fun/ In my dreams I hear screams/ Pleasure I feel is so obscene."

  McGhee, after all, is believed to have killed one young man - 16-year-old Ryan "Huero" Gonzales in 2000 - simply because he thought Atwater Village wasn't big enough for two people with the same nickname.

  It is the kind of violent rampage for which McGhee came to be called in his neighborhood "the Monster of Atwater." Some cops even compared his murderous nature to that of Charles Manson.

• Meanwhile, Sunday's Armenian Parliamentary elections were deemed fair, according to international election monitors. The Life in Armenia blog has posts about observing the balloting and the day after.

• For those still following the Times spiking an Armenian Genocide story fracas, here's an account of a recent meeting between Times executives and members of the ANCA, California Courier Publisher Harut Sassounian and others. via Asbarez

• And finally, one of Glendale's blingy-est residents, rapper The Game, was arrested late Friday after LAPD searched his home in the hills for three hours. He was booked for making criminal threats, then bailed out for $50,000 Saturday morning. Here's YouTube video of KABC7's report, with The Game himself mugging for the cameras.
  

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

GLENDALE - A student who brought an air-soft pistol to school grounds triggered a lockdown at three local schools today after administrators received reports of an armed student on campus, officials said.

Eleanor J. Toll Middle School at 700 Glenwood Road, where the rumor surfaced, entered lockdown mode about 1:45 p.m. after a student reported seeing a handgun on campus.

About 4,500 students were affected as Hoover High School and Mark Keppel Elementary also were secured as a precaution.

Police recovered the model gun from a backpack just after 3 p.m., and officials began releasing students. Police identified the boy as a seventh grader from Toll Middle School, who was being held for questioning.

Brian Crosby, who teaches journalism at Hoover High, was holed up with about 18 students in his classroom as police conducted a room-by-room sweep.

"The door is locked, the lights are off and we're under tables," he said during the lockdown.

Nayiri Nahabedian, a Glendale Unified School District board member, praised the vigilance of the student who made the original report to school officials.

"We are very fortunate that one of our students acted responsibly and notified an adult when they saw something suspicious," she said. "Everything happened the way it was supposed to."

Posted by Eugene Tong at 4:09 PM | 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) |

Grand View Memorial Park blogger Lisa Burks talks to Bob Garcin, who served on the City Council from 1975 to 1983, about disintering his father and stepmother from the troubled cemetery. Edwin Thomas Garcin died on May 20, 1954 and Lucille Norman Garcin followed Jan. 2, 1966.

"I'm thankful that they are in urns and not caskets," Garcin said. "I don't know if I'd be doing a disinterment if it was a casket. I don't think I could go through that."

More here at valleynews.com.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 2:19 PM | 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) |

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) |

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) |

Now that rapper Snoop Dogg's had his day in court after getting busted on gun and drug charges at Bob Hope Airport, what now? The AP takes a look at celebrity justice, and what Snoop can expect. An excerpt:

Superior Court Judge Terry Smerling said the 35-year-old rapper, born Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr., could spend 400 of those hours working with the youth football league he started several years ago. The remainder of his time will be spent working with non-profit organizations approved by the county's probation department, according to court documents.

He should consider himself lucky. Not all celebrities get choice gigs; some are even treated like average citizens.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:45 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) |

The Friends of Atwater Village offer up crime statistics.

Here's the run-down:
Burglary (Property): 5 incidents – YTD 12 incidents
Grand Theft Auto: 3 incidents – YTD 13 incidents
Theft from Vehicle: 10 incidents – YTD 13 incidents
Personal/Other Theft: 3 incidents – YTD 14 incidents
Robbery: 0 incidents – YTD 3 incidents
Aggravated Assault: 3 incidents – YTD 8 incidents
Rape: None – YTD 0 incidents
Homicide: None – YTD 0 incidents

For more read here.

You can map out crimes in your neighborhood by clicking on the LAPD's crime maps.

Posted by Jason Kandel at 4:17 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) |

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) |

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) |

Here's something from the stupid crooks department ... Three people, one a 17-year-old La Crescentan, stab a cabbie in Bullhead City, Az., carjack him, drive the cab to the Inland Empire in California, crash the cab and get cuffed by cops in Corona. Sounds like something out of the Wild West. Except these folks are no horse wranglers and Bullhead City is not Dodge.

pe.com

Posted by Jason Kandel at 10:15 AM | 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) |

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) |

Atwater Village Toonerville gang poo bah Timothy McGhee is now accused of silencing a murder witness after she implicated him in an earlier killing.

This is the latest argument prosecutors are making leading up to the potential capital murder case against McGhee, one of the country's most-wanted fugitives, blamed for killing three people and attempting to kill six others -- including two cops -- between 1997 and 2003.

Read more at my blog, Walk beside me.

Posted by Jason Kandel at 4:31 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) |

Glendale Police is looking for one Antonio Olguin Espinosa, 37, of Los Angeles on suspicion of bootlegging DVDs and CDs. The story so far from GPD:

On 03/09/07, a male identified as Antonio Olguin Espinosa was stopped by a Glendale Police Officer in the 1200 block of S. Maryland. Espinosa attempted to conceal a duffle bag from the officer. The officer later located the bag and saw it contained over 80 counterfeit/pirated DVD’s and music CD’s. The counterfeit DVD’s and CD’s were seized as evidence.

Detectives from the Glendale Police Department conducted a follow up investigation. On 03/21/07 the Burglary/Auto Theft Detail served a search warrant at 315 W Avenue 38 Apt. 209, Los Angeles. Espinosa was not home. During the search over 1,700 counterfeit/pirate DVD’s and music CD’s, 63 video tape masters, DVD burners used to reproduce DVD’s, and over 500 CD trays and inserts was recovered. The evidence recovered from Espinosa’s residence indicated he is manufacturing and selling counterfeit DVD’s and music CD’s. The estimated value of the evidence recovered is over $ 17,500.

Investigators from the Motion Picture Association of America responded to the scene and assisted with the investigation.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 10:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

When ya gotta go, ya gotta go...

LA CRESCENTA - A female convict on her way to the state correctional facility in Corona escaped from her guards Wednesday while stopping at a gas station restroom, but she was recaptured hours later.

Lucy Passalacqua, 34, who was 18-weeks pregnant, was being transferred to prison from a minimal security facility in Bakersfield when she said she needed to use the bathroom, Glendale police spokesman John Balian said.

Her guards let her use a gas station restroom near Pennsylvania Ave. and Foothill Blvd. at about 4:20 p.m. Passalacqua entered the restroom and then fled.

Authorities found her about 2 hours later.

She was convicted of grand theft and identity theft, and was serving her third year of a five-year sentence, Balian said.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 11:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

A teary-eyed accused murderer, Carlos Palma, took the stand yesterday in his first-degree murder trial and said those words, the Glendale News-Press writes. The trial continues today for Palma and a second reputed Echo Park gang member accused of doing a drive-by shooting on a 16-year-old Glendale boy in 2004. Palma said he fired in self defense. But prosecutors said Palma, now 20, and Julian Martinez, now 21, killed Carlos Pinon as a way to earn their stripes in a local street gang, though there also may have been a beef over a girl. Martinez is expected to take the stand today. Read the partial copy of the charges.

Posted by Jason Kandel at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Trial continues today for two Echo Park gang members accused of doing a drive-by shooting on a 16-year-old Glendale boy in 2004. Prosecutors said Carlos Palma, now 20, and Julian Martinez, now 21, are accused of killing Carlos Pinon as a way to earn their stripes in a local street gang, though there also may have been a beef over a girl. Attorneys are presenting their defense in the first-degree murder case with gang enhancements and an attempted murder charge -- Pinon's friend, Juan Beltran, was injured in the shooting.

Here's a partial copy of the charges.

Posted by Jason Kandel at 2:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

The body of a man identified as Edwin Garcia, 24, of Los Angeles, was found in the River under the 7th Street Bridge on Sunday, cbs2.com.

Posted by Jason Kandel at 10:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Valleynews.com citizen correspondent Lisa Burks needs no introduction to those of you following her coverage of Grand View Memorial Park. As a gravehunter, she has dug up tales both personal and riveting while documenting the unthinkable toll a troubled cemetery has on a community.

Definitely the kind of citizen journalist that inspires both envy and sleepless nights in this reporter, and excitement in what this bold medium is capable of in the right hands.

Case-in-point: her March 10 entry -- an exclusive interview with Tom Trimble, the brother of Grand View's former majority owner, the late Marsha Howard. A few choice excerpts:

He not only grieves the loss of his only sibling - a fact clearly evident each time the tears well up in his eyes as he talks about her death - he is equally distressed by Grand View's current situation and wants to see it re-opened as soon as possible, in accordance with his sister's wishes.

...

"People who knew Marsha loved her, and those who didn't like her just didn't like her," said Tom. "But she was a generous person. When she had money she would lend it to friends in need. Every holiday she would cook a big turkey dinner for whoever didn't have a place to go whether they were friends she invited over or people visiting graves," said Tom.

...

"Marsha wanted to fix everything at Grand View, but she could only do what she could do when she had the money to do it," said Tom, who surveyed the grounds as he spoke. Marsha had been manager at Grand View for eight years when the property came up for sale, and according to Tom, she wanted to buy it not just as a natural career move, but because she felt a deep attachment to cemetery and wanted to see it revitalized.

Meanwhile, no word from the civil case attorneys trying to restore basic burial and interment services at the cemetery.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 12:18 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) |