The Glendale Community College Parent Education Association’s Harvest Hoedown was held Saturday at the school’s parking lot in Glendale.
Mayla Prado-Court, 3 of Burbank, center, selects a pumpkin to decorate during the annual Glendale Community College Parent Education Association's Harvest Hoedown at the school's parking lot in Glendale on Saturday, October 17, 2009. (Raul Roa/News-Press)
The 6th Annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life at Scholl Canyon Park in Glendale on Saturday, October 17, 2009.
Terminally ill Jon Harrison, who has cancer and is a retired Glendale Police officer, center, does the first ceremonial lap with GPD civilian employee Jenny Lau, left center, and his daughter Katrina Harrison, right, during the opening ceremony for the 6th Annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life at Scholl Canyon Park in Glendale on Saturday, October 17, 2009. (Raul Roa/News-Press)
About 150 people gathered from Long Beach to as far as Bakersfield to protest in front of the NBC studios in Burbank on Saturday.
The group had signs which called for a stop to illegal immigration, against what they termed "Nazi healthcare," and perceived media bias toward their cause. (Raul Roa/Leader)
From the Pasadena Star-News:
LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE — Coroner’s officials released the name Saturday of a woman who was killed in an apparent murder suicide at her home.
Genny Herrera, 39, was fatally shot and was pronounced dead in her home in the 4500 block of Lasheart Drive, according to sheriff’s and coroner’s officials.
The name of the suspect, a 47-year-old La Crescenta man who fatally shot himself, was not released Saturday pending notification of his family members, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Investigator Sherwood Dixson said.
Click here for the full story.
Area residents take a tour of Deukmejian Wilderness Park, the first time since the recent Station Fire, in Glendale on Saturday October 10, 2009. Residents learned what the city is doing to curtail mud flows in the coming rainy season. (Raul Roa/News-Press)
Though I’m usually a pretty regular reader of Bill Boyarsky’s blog on LA Observed, I have to admit I missed his Oct. 9 post regarding the Station Fire. I first met Bill during his time on the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission. He was a commissioner, and I was a senior investigator for the CEC. Prior to that point, I only knew him by reputation — a tough, but fair, journalist and writer. During commission meetings, I was consistently impressed with Bill’s ability to cut through the bureaucratic b.s., and to make complicated issues transparent.
His post, a portion of which is below, excoriates what he feels are the real villains of the fire. It’s pretty tough stuff. Read the full post here.
The flames of the Station fire will be blamed for the floods that may follow in the denuded San Gabriel Mountains. But let’s place the blame where it belongs, on land development, acquiescent local officials, and a tax structure that subsidizes hillside building.
I was interested to read the Los Angeles Times story on the U.S. Geological Survey’s warning that winter rains may produce huge mudslides and floods in communities just below the San Gabriel Mountain areas hit by the huge blaze.
In 2004, fellow journalist Emmett Berg and I studied this area for the Center for Governmental Studies and wrote a report entitled “Losing Ground: How Taxpayer Subsidies and Balkanized Governance Prop Up Homebuilding in Wildfire and Flood Zones.” We did it after major loss of life and homes in the 2003 wildfires and floods.
Since there was no big fire or flood in 2004, our report was pretty well ignored, as we had predicted: “When fires and floods kill people and destroy residential areas, the disasters bring out heavy television news broadcast and print media coverage. But once the danger has past, the media, always in search of something new, shows little interest in examining systemic or policy-based causes. Those involved in dry and fire-free year discussions of potential danger are treated like Henny Penny, warning the sky is falling.”
Our report showed how taxpayers all over Los Angeles County—from rich to poor—subsidize the high cost of fire protection for subdivisions built on the edge of Angeles National Forest and just below it. In addition, we reported how state forest fire personnel, financed by state revenues are now “suburban firefighters, battling house by house to save homes in suburban areas.”
These subdivisions shouldn’t have been built. But now they are there, let local homeowners and government pay for firefighting costs in areas around and below the forest. Why should working people in Pico Rivera pay for firefighting in affluent and high-risk neighborhoods in the San Gabriel Mountain foothills? [...]
Children and adults participated in the annual Red Ribbon Ride at Johnny Carson Park Saturday morning. Click on the link below for a gallery.
Children and adults participated in the 21st Annual Safe, Healthy & Drug Free Red Ribbon Ride at Johnny Carson Park in Burbank on Saturday, October 17, 2009. (Raul Roa/Leader)
Richard Phillips, 52, of L.A. and a videotape operator, who has been out of work for most of the time since May 2008, looks for any type of work at the Verdugo Jobs Center in Glendale on Friday. (Raul Roa/The Leader)
Jobless rates rise in Burbank, Glendale
BURBANK — The unemployment rate in Glendale rose slightly to 11.1% in September, up from 11% last month, according to the latest state figures released Friday.
Commissioners vent frustration
DOWNTOWN — Against the backdrop of an FBI probe into police misconduct and a number of lawsuits claiming internal harassment, the Burbank Police Commission on Wednesday called on city officials to expand its oversight role.
Lt. rank on hold in FBI probe
CITY HALL — A city commission has blocked the temporary promotion of a Burbank police lieutenant because he was named in an FBI probe into excessive-force allegations.
Harvey Milk Day is neither in, out
BURBANK — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s decision to sign a bill that encourages local school districts to commemorate the life and legacy of the first openly gay elected official in the U.S. has put education officials in familiar territory.
Burbank wins OT thriller
MEMORIAL FIELD — When his Burbank High football team scored a touchdown in the second overtime to pull to within one point of defending Pacific League champion Muir, Bulldogs’ Coach Hector Valencia decided his team had had enough.
Their place of honor
From a coach, to athletes to a city official and alumna who has helped support the school’s stadium renovation project, the honorees ran the gambit Thursday as the latest class was inducted into the Burroughs Athletic Hall of Fame.
SMALL WONDERS: Reader, husband redefine marriage
Each week I mine my brain for something witty or poignant to say to you here in my corner of your local newspaper.
The Glendale YWCA held a candlelight vigil to help light the way to end domestic violence in front of its East Lexington Drive location in Glendale on Friday. (Raul Roa/News-Press)
To educate, remember
Mona Marcos endured 20 years of verbal abuse from her husband until she decided enough was enough and left him.
Collision highlights speeding on street
NORTHWEST GLENDALE — Some residents call Glenoaks Boulevard “The Raceway” due to the number of speeding motorists it attracts. But on Thursday, two teens took the street’s nickname literally — and suffered harsh results.
Layaway makes comeback
KENNETH VILLAGE — It happens too often at Audrey Robles’ women’s boutique: one customer, two dresses and a lot of indecision.
Mixing up two types of flu
GLENDALE — Local school administrators are struggling to obtain seasonal flu vaccines for students amid regional shortages.
Win slips away from St. Francis
LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE — Seven yards and five points removed from the euphoria of a monumental upset, St. Francis High’s football team was instead dealt heartbreak.
SMALL WONDERS: Reader, husband redefine marriage
Each week I mine my brain for something witty or poignant to say to you here in my corner of your local newspaper. Some weeks are less inspired than others, I know, and for that I apologize. But I am always grateful when I hear from readers commenting on something I said, good, bad or indifferent.
Linebacker Joey Orlandini, far left, is out for today's Glendale Community College football game
Glendale Community College freshman linebacker Joey Orlandini will not be available for today’s 7 p.m. Northern Conference National Division game at College of the Canyons after suffering a concussion in practice during the team’s recent bye week, Vaqueros Coach John Rome said.
The former Golden Knight is fourth on the team with 23 total tackles with an interception, a fumble recovery and 1.5 sacks.
Orlandini was a 2007 All-Area second-team selection in his senior year at St. Francis High, where he was an All-Mission League first-team pick.
Third-graders at Valley View Elementary School in La Crescenta on Wednesday learned about evacuation and safety techniques from the Kid’s Safety House.
Awards were handed out Tuesday night to volunteers from throughout La Cañada Flintridge schools by the PTA at La Cañada High School.
From the Burbank Leader
[DEVELOPING] A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge on Wednesday postponed the arraignment of a Burbank Unified teacher accused of having sex with a 14-year-old student so that she can continue to work with authorities, her attorney said.
Amy Beck, a 33-year-old teacher at Jordan Middle School, will remain in jail and is [...]
A singer from the pop group Girlicious was arrested Tuesday night after police allegedly found more than a dozen individual packages of cocaine in her Gucci purse, officials said.
Natalie Mejia, 21, of Diamond Bar is being held today in Glendale City Jail in lieu of a $30,000 bond, according to a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s [...]
The Glendale Police Department took a Glendale News-Press photographer on a helicopter ride for an aerial view of the the Station fire burn areas.
Burbank resident and Former Dodgers outfielder Willie Davis, 69, died this morning, police said.
Authorities continue to investigate and are waiting for the coroner’s report detailing cause of death, Burbank Police Sgt. Robert Quesada said.
Davis, who made his debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1960, was a speedy outfielder during his baseball career, with 20 [...]
From the Burbank Leader
A Burbank Unified School District teacher turned herself in Monday for having sex with a 14-year-old student from March to September last year, police said.
Amy Beck, 33, a sixth-grade teacher at Jordan Middle School, surrendered Monday afternoon to Burbank police with her lawyer, and was being held on $400,000 bail, Burbank Police [...]
President Obama declared the neighborhoods affected by the Station fire and subsequent debris flows a disaster area Monday, paving the way for federal assistance with cleanup efforts.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced a federal disaster declaration for neighborhoods in the Station fire burn area that have been affected by recent debris flows.
The declaration makes city, [...]
Glendale and Burbank unified school districts are on track to meet the first of several turning points in the teacher layoff process, one week after officials approved eliminating a combined 197 teaching positions.
California education code mandates that public schools notify employees of potential job loss by March 15. Two months later, districts must have informed [...]
BOB HOPE AIRPORT — After a year of falling passenger numbers, Bob Hope Airport in January saw a slight increase in traffic compared with the same period last year, officials reported Monday.
Nearly 360,000 passengers traveled through the airport in January, up 1.6% from 2009, according to a report to the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority on Monday. [...]
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