Michael Antonovich and the rest of the county supervisors are adding their voices to those calling for a stamp for the Japanese-American soldiers who fought in World War II. Antonovich, who brought the motion before the Board of Supervisors and represents "East of the 5" country on the five-member panel, says that the U.S. Postal Service recently announced they will consider issuing a stamp for Japanese-American fighters when their Stamp Committee convenes this fall.

Antonovich mentions that Japanese-Americans fought for the United States despite the fact family members and friends were being put in internment camps during World War II. And he mentions the many Japanese-Americans who fought in the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team and Military Intelligence Services, one of the most decorated units in American history.

Check out this article from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin about the Japanese-Americans pushing for a stamp for the 442nd.

Posted by Alex Dobuzinskis at 6:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Barry Allen, self-appointed public watchdog number one, is still going after Glendale City Councilman Dave Weaver over Miss Asia USA. This month, Allen filed a complaint with the city attorney, accusing Weaver of "improper use of the official position" of city councilman for his involvement with the Miss Asia USA Pageant. Weaver has been a member of the pageant's executive board. In his complaint, Allen accuses Weaver of making improper use of Glendale police officers for the event, commandeering a city library auditorium so the girls could rehearse, making Glendale Water and Power send cases of bottled water and a host of other allegations.

Weaver and City Attorney Scott Howard, whom the complaint was addressed to, declined to comment.
One of the most interesting allegations has to do with payments made by Benvani Inc. to the Alex Theatre for the use of the facility for the beauty pageant. Allen says Benvani Inc. paid $12,500 to the Alex Theatre for Miss Asia after getting $6 million from the city for some open space.

As an exhibit attached to his complaint, Allen included a letter from Weaver to Police Chief Randy Adams asking for some cops to hang out at the pageant for security.

Posted by Alex Dobuzinskis at 6:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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

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

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

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

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

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

Speaking of Dave Weaver, what was up with his lashing out at the Glendale city employee unions at the council meeting last week?

It was an oddity that aligned the councilman with his nemesis -- City Hall gadfly Barry Allen -- who blames unions for what he believes is an overstuffed city payroll.

The clip starts at 3:43, when Weaver, who got no love from the Glendale Management Associaiton, and the police and fire unions (the GMA gave $11,000 to incumbent Rafi Manoukian, who lost) wanted to strip their right to contribute to council candidates.

Weaver: One thing I like to see ... I would like to see every association in this city, GMA, fire, police, not be allowed to give a single penny to any council candidate.

To this day, GMA has not congratulated me. the police have not congratulated or spoke to me, fire has been kind enough just to say congratulations. Now there's no dialogue, all because the association sat out there and forced-handicapped who's going to win. We wanted to be on the winning side. I was supposed to lose -- well gee I didn't ... and now we ahve a problem. I love to see that removed off the books.

Uh...not so fast Dave. Isn't there a First Amendment issue here? City Attorney Scott Howard was around to remind our honorable councilman: "With regard to a ban on union contributions, I'm somewhat reticent about recommending that you can do that pursuint to Supreme Court deicions."

In fact, while the city can prevent city employees from donating to City Council candidates due to conflicts of interest (it's in the city charter), it can't prevent individual employees from participating in the political process -- a First Amendment right -- through their unions. Still, the city could set contribution limits.

Weaver wouldn't have any of it -- "I say ban it! Let them defend themselves in court."
Howard: "Actually if we impose our ban as a government, we would be defending ourselves in court."

I wonder which Constitutional right Weaver will try to curtail next...just because some person or group didn't congratulate him on his council win.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 5:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gledale's self-appointed watchdog Barry Allen is hosting a series of discussions and workshops on being a pain-in-the-rear in City Hall...

Here's the skinny:

CONTACT: Barry Allen –818 243 1502
Vanguard -- POB 11202 -- Glendale CA 91226

Vanguard1@Charter.net

DATE: July/21/2007 Glendale California USA
HEADLINE: The Future of 101 Year Old Glendale
Summary: The City is 101 years old? What is its future?
Body: Through a series of nine 2-hour, small group meetings in Conference Room ‘A’ at the Glendale Central Library on Louise between Harvard and Colorado on July 25, 26 and 30, Vanguard, a community fiscal watchdog, will focus on the future of the 101-year-old city.

Vanguard Executive Director Barry Allen said, “Like most large cities, the residents suffer from a disconnect with the local government that dissolves into apathy demonstrated by a lack of involvement and engagement with the governmental process. Our guests will learn how to turn that apathy into advocacy; how to use the ‘Sunshine’ laws effectively and the possibility of living with an accountable, responsible and responsive government through grass roots involvement, engagement and advocacy.”

Vanguard started in 2003 as the need for community advocacy arose and has fulfilled that need through the use of the Open Government laws, publication of a widely distributed, weekly electronic newsletter and through successful interaction with Glendale City Officials.

Reservations are suggested, as the space is limited. Contact Barry Allen at 818 243 1502 or Vanguard1@charter.net.

Posted by Eugene Tong at 4:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you.

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

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

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

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

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

Here's the AP story.

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

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) |

As if working to save Hollywood from runaway production and piracy wasn't enough, Assemblyman Paul Krekorian has brought some acting muscle to the issue of health care. Here's the release:

Assemblymember Paul Krekorian, Hollywood Stars and Local Activists Join In Demanding ‘Healthcare For All’

GLENDALE, CA– Assemblymember Paul Krekorian (D-Burbank) will join actors Yvette Freeman (Nurse Haleh Adams on ER), Kirkwood Smith (That 70’s Show) and John Harnagel (formerly in Desperate Housewives), along with activists from the Service Employee International Union and League of Women Voters, to discuss California’s healthcare crisis this Saturday afternoon in Glendale.

The gathering will feature personal stories of concerned local citizens, a brief video program and comments from Assemblymember Krekorian regarding the landmark healthcare reform proposals passed by both the Assembly and Senate on Thursday.

“More than six million Californians lack any health coverage at all, and millions more are underinsured. That is a crisis by any definition, and we need to get serious about solving it,” said Assemblymember Krekorian. “Yesterday we took a bold step by passing a sweeping proposal to ensure that all of California’s children will have the health care they need, and to substantially reduce the number of adult uninsured in our state. But we still have so much more to do. Our leaders of the past wiped out poverty among the elderly through the Social Security program, and they ensured comprehensive quality health care for seniors through Medicare. Certainly we can have similar vision and courage in solving the healthcare crisis for all Californians.”

WHAT: It’s our Healthcare!

WHEN: 1:00 p.m., Saturday, June 9th

WHERE: 326 Cumberland Road, Glendale, CA

Posted by Eugene Tong at 7:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Glendale City Clerk Ardy Kassakhian wants to pick your brain about the conduct of the recent municipal elections. If you have something to say, stop by the Glendale Police Department's Community Room Wednesday night. Come one, come all!

Me? I expect absentee returns by 7:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. on election night, and a good third of the precincts counted by 9:30 p.m. I got a couple screaming editors to mellow, y'know...

The City Clerk of Glendale is holding a public meeting to discuss the last city election and seek input from the public about ways to improve the municipal electoral process. Community members are invited and encouraged to share thoughts and ideas at a “Town Hall” meeting and express how they think the City can improve its municipal elections.

WHO: Glendale City Clerk

WHAT: Election Process Town Hall

WHEN: Wednesday, June 6 6:30 – 8:30 PM

WHERE: Glendale Police Community Room
131 North Isabel Street

CONTACT: 818-548-4000 www.ci.glendale.ca.us/city-clerk

Posted by Eugene Tong at 4:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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

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

Click the link to see the full release...

Continue reading "Paul Krekorian Goes Hollywood" »

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you ever find yourself in hungry in Washington D.C. on a Wednesday morning and U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff's in town, you can breakfast with the congressman. Constituents, be sure to call ahead for reservations, and let us know how it went.

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

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

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

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

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

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) |

Lisa Burks, Burbank resident, history buff, and resident gravehunter for valleynews.com, decries the loss of yet another historic L.A. home, as a developer has requested to bulldoze an old Craftsman in Montrose, one of the city's first homes, to make way for an apartment complex.
Lisa Burks Online

Posted by Jason Kandel at 4:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

James Omahen writes today in the Atwater Village Enquirer on valleynews.com that the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council and others are lobbying the city of Los Angeles and the Department of Water and Power to change the annual Light Festival Christmas celebration at Griffith Park. Folks apparently want it to become solely a walking or shuttle-riding experience not a drive-through.

He writes ...

Some advocates for change have also suggested moving the display to another location in the park which would better accommodate the numbers of people and the vehicles they come in. Then there are those who believe to counter global warming or to spare the park wildlife of such disturbances, this annual event should just be discontinued.

Full disclosure: This reporter has both walked and driven the route and, yeah, it's kinda kitchy, but still pretty cool and definitely a parade befitting of our car-obsessed culture. And nobody walks in L.A.

Read the rest here.

Posted by Jason Kandel at 9:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy reading ...

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

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

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

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

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

Larry Mantle of KPCC's Airtalk discussed the issue this morning with guest Harut Sassounian, publisher of the California Courier, who broke the story, reported earlier by LA Observed.

And here's another take on the whole affair from USA Armenian Life Magazine's Appo Jabarian -- scheduled to be published in Friday's edition. Excerpts:

In recent years, the Los Angeles Times officially adopted a journalistically accurate editorial policy regarding the veracity of the Armenian Genocide. Readers welcomed Times’ highly commendable editorial position. In fact, the Times illustrated how much it values its professional integrity. Over the next few years, the common expectation that Times will no longer question the veracity of the genocide, metamorphosed into a sigh of relief. But alas, that sigh of relief turned out to be a false sense of security when a very disturbing development emerged only recently.

Continue reading "More on the Times-Arax-Armenian Genocide Flap" »

Posted by Eugene Tong at 3:18 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) |

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) |

• More on Glendale's affinity for former Massachusetts Governor and presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who is Mormon -- a friend who grew up here told me the city apparently has a large population belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Could they be the ones funneling contributions to Romney?

• Could next Wednesday's Glendale City Council meeting promise the return of former Councilman Rafi Manoukian? When Manoukian lost re-election, he also lost his seat as one of the city's three representatives on the nine-member Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority governing Bob Hope Airport. The council can choose to reappoint him to serve until May 2009, which wouldn't be a bad deal since he does have the experience, though council members Dave Weaver and Frank Quintero may also want in (Bob Yousefian already serves on the panel with Lt. Carl Povilaitis from Glendale Police and Ara Najarian is going to be pretty busy as mayor; John Drayman is a freshman...). Watch out!

  Note the meeting is scheduled Wednesday April 25, since April 24 is Armenian Genocide remembrance day.
  

Posted by Eugene Tong at 2:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Burbank blogger (and photographer and mid-level bureaucrat trying to get by...) Dan Evans comes roaring back to life this week with an interesting idea:

The recent Burbank general election had a certain Lockean quality - nasty, brutish and (thankfully) short. From my perspective down in the flats, it seems odd that so much anger and vitriol would be spewed over a friggin' city council election. ...

... You should be able to point out your opponents flaws, as much as you can (and must) tout your own ideals and credentials. But voters must know where those attacks are coming from. And to do that, the city of Burbank should create an Ethics Commission to oversee the local political process and make things more transparent.

As a guy whose job includes following the money in the last election (and doing a mediocre job, I might add), it would be great to have a body enforcing local election laws. Buddha knows the state Fair Political Practices Commission has had enough going on already.

What do you think, council? Gary? Anja? Berlins? Gordon? hello? anyone? anyone?

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

A couple of items on politics:

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

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

  City management places Council in a no-win position on Beeline Contract; Vanguard invites Fire Department to open discussion; Unsuccessful Council candidate had undisclosed city contracts; Challenge to City Council...

  To subscribe to Vanguard Weekly News, send an E-mail to
  Vanguard1@charter.net with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. Disclaimer: The views expressed by Vanguard are not necessarily those of Daily News Los Angeles or this here reporter.
  

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

Cast members of the musical, "Bush is Bad," will sing tunes like "How Can 59 Million People Be So Dumb!" at the next meeting of the Burbank Democratic Club on April 25. Also, Robert Nakahiro, the vice chairman for Region 3 of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, will be on hand.

From the group's e-mail promo:

Have you ever wondered how delegates are selected or elected to attend the state and national conventions? Or the role that local clubs play? Come and join us to find out.

The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on April 25 at McCambridge Park Recreation Center, Room 1, 1515 Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank.

More

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

A regular part of a balanced breakfast...

• NEW FEATURE: East of the 5 on YouTube!

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

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

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

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

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

  April 17, 2007 -- Los Angeles, California – A former City National Bank Vice President who was found guilty of participating in a conspiracy that was designed to structure cash deposits into accounts in a manner that was intended to aid his coconspirators avoid bank reporting requirements, was sentenced yesterday to serve 21 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.

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

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

If you're into reading the tea leaves that is the Glendale City Council, Monday night's special meeting installing a newly-elected councilman and a new mayor was a warts-and-all display of both what has been, coupled with a silver-lining of what could be.

click on Ara for meeting video

For on full-display last night, after all the congratulations, platitudes and oath-taking, was the sour, fractious relationships between the four sitting council members, who once again broke down into camps in electing a new mayor for 2007-08.

Now the mayorship is mostly a ceremonial role in this town, a first-among-equals who gets to represent the city's elected leadership at local functions and forums, and can set the agenda at meetings. The title is rotated among the five, and can offer incumbents a boost at the polls if they're up for re-election.

But the evening also revealed the keen political sense of newcomer John Drayman, who managed to stay above the fray and look good doing it.

Continue reading "Hopping on Mayor Najarian's Red Wagon" »

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

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

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

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

  I lived in a dorm adjacent to the one in which (the shooter) killed the people. I actually have two cousins there. One was at home. I was worried about both of them.

  
  nbc4

  In other news ...

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

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

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

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

Some deep thoughts to digest with your coffee...

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

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

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

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

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

More to come...

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

A couple of thoughts from Barry Allen of Vanguard this week -- Who's going to be Glendale's new mayor when the new City Council convenes next week? Barry tries to handicap the proceedings; A couple of genocide-related events with Holocaust Remembrance this week and the Armenian Genocide march next week.

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Posted by Eugene Tong at 1:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |