Goal Shot

 

[caption id="attachment_3293" align="alignnone" width="630" caption="Hoover's Hakop Kaplanyan makes a goal attempt past Flintridge Prep's Kevin Matthews and Garrett Wat on Monday, October 26, 2009. (Roger Wilson/News-Press)"][/caption]

 

 

High Kick

 

[caption id="attachment_3290" align="alignnone" width="630" caption="Providence's Buzand Oganesian (13) gains control of the ball against Mesrovian's Shant Magdesyan during a game at the Glendale Sports Complex Monday, Oct. 26, 2009. Providence won 3-1. (Scott Smeltzer/News-Press)"][/caption]

 

 

Three Falcons to take part in Pacific League Individual Final

Katie Park, Sally Chun and Jenny Lee of the Crescenta Valley High girls’ golf team will take part in the Pacific League’s Individual Final at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Harding Golf Course in Griffith Park. Park will be looking to win her second individual crown in three seasons. Park, a reigning All-Area member, missed the league prelims Wednesday at Hansen Dam Golf Course in Lake View Terrace because of a death in her family. She finished second in the league final last season. Chun shot a 10-over-par 85 at the prelims and Lee carded a 95. Nineteen players are slated to participate in the 18-hole tournament. The top six finishers will move on to the CIF Southern Section Northern Divisional Individual Tournament in November.

Joslyn Adult Center looks to launch state-of-the-art computer lab

From the Burbank Leader: WEST BURBANK — Catherine Nicholls’ family has tried many ways to goad the 89-year-old into trying her hand at the personal computer. But each time she’s avoided lessons, despite pleas that it would serve as means to connect with 13 grandsons via e-mail and social networks. “To be honest, it seems a little scary,” said Nicholls while waiting for lunch at the Joslyn Adult Center, which serves those 55 and older. “They say, ‘Why don’t you join Facebook?’ I don’t know how to respond.” Her refrain is common among a generation more prone to pick up a phone than log on to a computer. But as baby boomers retire and continue to seek socialization, entertainment and education, city officials are hoping that a proposed cyber café might change that. The roughly $500,000 project, funded through a mix of federal grants, calls for converting an courtyard into an arts-and-crafts center complete with a sky-lit atrium, and changing the craft center space into a state-of-the-art computer laboratory with about two dozen machines and a coffee bar. Construction is slated to begin this winter. Click here for the full story.

Burbank Leader poll

Poll results: A city commission has blocked the promotion of a Burbank Police lieutenant because he was named in an FBI probe into excessive force allegations. Do you agree with the commission? (1) No. The commission hasn’t denied this kind of promotion before. Let the police promote who they choose. (36 votes, 27%) (2) Yes. The commission shouldn’t appoint someone who might be prosecuted for police misconduct, even if it means they don’t have all positions filled. (98 votes, 73%) Current poll: A federal judge refused to dismiss a lawsuit accusing Burbank-based Walt Disney Co. of polluting the surrounding area with chromium 6. Do you think the lawsuit is valid? No. Disney officials have denied the charges levied in the lawsuits, citing a soil investigation that found chromium levels well within California and EPA regulations. Yes. I side with the plaintiffs who allege that for decades Disney pumped groundwater for its air-cooling system and added chemicals. Cast your vote now at BurbankLeader.com.

Space flight building opens at JPL

[caption id="attachment_3281" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="NASA and city of La Cañada Flintridge officials cut the ribbon on the new Space Flight Building on Oct. 26, 2009. (NASA/JPL)"][/caption] Area lawmakers and Jet Propulsion Laboratory officials turned out Monday morning to cut the ribbon on the new Flight Projects Center at the La Cañada Flintridge facility. NASA is touting it as its "greenest" building to date, having received the LEED Gold Certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system. To qualify, buildings have to make "efficient use of water, energy and resources, and provide a healthy and comfortable indoor workspace," according to a NASA/JPL  press statement. Among the dignitaries seen at the ribbon cutting were La Cañada Flintridge Mayor Laura Olhasso, Councilman Dave Spence and La Cañada Flintridge Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Pat Anderson. Also attending the ceremony were U.S. Reps David Dreier and Adam Schiff.

Five face felony charges in beating of two loan officers

Five people face multiple felony charges in connection with the beating and torture of two loan modification agents, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office announced today. Daniel Weston, 52, of La Cañada and Gustavo Canez, 36, of Los Angeles were charged today with two counts of torture, two counts of false imprisonment by violence and two counts of second-degree robbery in the alleged attacks against Lamond Dean and Luis Garcia. Weston and Canez also allegedly used a handgun during the assault, the complaint states. Click here for more on this developing story.

Will Kaplanyan make history?

Just how good a season is Hoover High standout Hakop Kaplanyan having? Well, the Tornadoes boys’ water polo standout, after scoring 11 goals on Monday afternoon in his team’s 17-11 nonleague win against Flintridge Prep has 190 on the season. [caption id="attachment_3264" align="alignright" width="384" caption="Hakop Kaplanyan (Roger Wilson/News-Press)"][/caption] With at least three matches left in the regular season and a likely playoff contest, Kaplanyan, an All-CIF and All-Area pick as a freshman last year, is a safe bet to earn himself a spot in the top 10 for all-time, single-season goal scorers in the CIF Southern Section — and he might even have a chance at eclipsing the top spot. Arcadia’s Scott Langendoen is No. 10 on the list with 196 in 2002. The top spot is held by Alexander Hernandez of Bell Gardens in 2005, when he tallied 226 goals. All of the stats are provided by www.cifss.org. A full list of the top 10 appears below. MOST GOALS SCORED IN A SEASON No. Player/School Year 226 Alexander Hernandez, Bell Gardens 2006 225 Gilbert Estrada, Bell Gardens 1989 223 Ryan Williams, San Bernardino 1993 213 Sergio Macias, Bell Gardens 1996 207 Arthur Kotanjian, Los Altos 2003 201 Edgar Villa, Bell Gardens 1994 201 Edgar Villa, Bell Gardens 1995 199 Josh Garcia, Ayala 2004 197 Tommy Gilfillan, Pasadena Poly 2007 196 Scott Langendoen, Arcadia 2002

Glendale News-Press poll

Poll results: Metrolink agreed to pay $30 million to settle 90% of the lawsuits filed against it in the aftermath of a 2005 derailment that killed 11 passengers on the Glendale border. Is $30 million enough? (1) No. After the crash, 150 complaints were filed, including wrongful death lawsuits. Metrolink did much more damage to people’s lives. (17 votes, 24%) (2) Yes. Most of the cases filed did not involve critical injuries – let’s not drag out this litigation any further. (55, votes 76%) Current poll: Residents and mobile carriers will get their first chance to weigh in on a draft ordinance meant to regulate the placement of cellular antennas. Should Glendale be able to deny permits for antennas because they aren’t keeping with the city’s aesthetics? Yes. The city should require carriers to not only prove why they need to place their antennas at desired locations, and face denial if their proposals are deemed unsightly. No. This gives the city too much control over cellular antennas – we don’t do this for similar services, why single out mobile phone carriers? Cast your vote now at GlendaleNewsPress.com.

Cell antenna ordinance proposed

From the Glendale News-Press: CITY HALL — Residents and mobile phone carriers will get their first chance this week to weigh in on a draft ordinance meant to regulate the placement of cellular antennas in Glendale. The ordinance, if adopted in its current form, would require carriers to not only prove why they absolutely need to place their antennas at desired locations, but to also apply for permits and possibly face denial if their proposals are deemed unsightly. “If it’s proposed to be in an area that’s more intrusive visually, then it would go to the Planning Commission and that would be for a full hearing with community notification,” said Christina Sansone, general counsel for the Public Works Department. Glendale’s efforts to increase regulation on cell phone towers based on aesthetics got a boost in recent weeks after the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Sprint PCS in its suit against Palos Verdes Estates, which had denied permits for the company’s antennas because they “were not in keeping with the city’s aesthetics,” according to court documents. Glendale will hold its first of three community meetings on the draft ordinance at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Pacific Community Center. Click here for the full story.