Harley ‘novice’ breaks speed record

From the Glendale News-Press Rachel Keown has gone from rookie to record-holder. The newly-minted motorcycle racer, who works at Harley-Davidson of Glendale, broke the speed record for a 1,000 cc motorcycle this week at the BUB Racing Inc. Motorcycle Speed Trials at Bonneville Salt Flats outside Salt Lake City. The final results won't become official until certified by the American Motorcyclist Assn., which is expected to take place on Friday. But Delvene Manning, the meet manager, said Tuesday that Keown reached a top average speed of more than 141 mph on a milelong run, followed by a 133 mph run. ... Continue Reading: Harley 'novice' breaks speed record

Bill could help smokers kick the habit

From the Glendale News-Press Smokers in Glendale, which has one of the highest smoking rates in Los Angeles County, could gain free access to tools to help them quit smoking under a bill passed by state legislators Tuesday. County officials and health care representatives gathered on the steps of the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration Wednesday morning to call on the governor to sign Senate Bill 220, sponsored by Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco). If signed into law, the bill would require health insurance companies statewide to provide free access to a range of smoking cessation treatments, including counseling and all federally-approved prescription and over-the-counter medications. ... Continue Reading: Bill could help smokers kick the habit

CV drug, alcohol prevention program awarded $625,000 grant

From the Glendale News-Press LA CRESCENTA — The Crescenta Valley Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition on Tuesday was awarded a major federal grant that will total $625,000 over the next five years as they work to thwart substance abuse among local teens. The Office of National Drug Control Policy selected the coalition and 168 other groups to receive the funding after determining they had show "significant reductions" in substance abuse over a 30-day period for teenagers, said the agency's spokesman, Daren Briscoe. "They have demonstrated their usefulness and results in helping to reduce youth substance use," he said of the groups. ... Continue Reading: Coalition awarded federal grants

Woman kidnapped, savings stolen

From the Glendale News-Press SOUTH GLENDALE — Two women kidnapped another woman Wednesday afternoon, forced her to withdraw her bank savings and then burglarized her Pacific Avenue home, police said. The Glendale woman, who was unharmed in the incident, was walking home about noon at Pacific Avenue and Oak Street when she was approached by one of the suspects, Glendale Police Det. Keith Soboleski said. The suspect then intimidated the woman and forced her into a vehicle which was occupied by a second woman. ... Continue Reading: Woman kidnapped, savings stolen

Kindergarten age change passes Legislature

A state bill that increases the minimum age to start kindergarten passed the state Legislature Tuesday. To begin kindergarten, students must turn 5 years old by Sept. 1 of the school year. Previous law set the minimum at 5 years by Dec. 2 of the school year. If signed into law by the governor, it would force Glendale and Burbank school district staff to reevaluate its projected kindergarten attendance. Much of district revenue is determined by pupil attendance, and staff can expect fewer kindergarten students next year, officials said. The bill has some exemptions for families who want to begin kindergarten early, and it brings California in line with the rest of the nation, said state Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), who wrote the bill. California and three other states have the Dec. 2 kindergarten cut-off date. "This change ... enables us to redirect our limited school resources in a way that will make them most effective in providing children with the level of education most appropriate to them,” Simitian said in a statement. “It just makes sense, educationally and financially.” The bill's detractors said state legislators were trying to lower attendance-based payments to school districts.

Station fire victims may receive tax break

[caption id="attachment_20865" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Tom Smith overlooks a home on Feb. 7, 2009, that was destroyed in La Cañada. (Scott Smeltzer/Glendale News Press) "][/caption] A measure to give Station fire victims tax breaks passed both houses of the state Legislature and is headed to the desk of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The measure, by Assemblyman Anthony Portantino’s (D-La Cañada Flintridge), would extend income tax exemptions to homeowners and businesses victimized by fires and natural disasters in 11 California counties. The Station fire wiped out 209 structures, including 89 homes, according to Portantino. “As we head into another fire season, I am hopeful that Gov. Schwarzenegger will sign this bill and provide tax relief for these homeowners,” Portantino said in a statement. “Because it is an urgency measure, it would go into effect immediately once it is signed into law.  For those who lost homes and property because of fires, mudslides and other natural disasters, this tax relief cannot come soon enough.” The measure, AB 1662, was co-authored by Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries (R- Lake Elsinore) and offers assistance to disaster victims in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Francisco, Calaveras, Monterey, Siskiyou, Imperial, Kern and  Placer counties.

Stabbing victim recovering at home

From the Glendale News-Press GLENDALE — A Glendale man who was stabbed last week after a road-rage incident was recovering from his injuries at home Tuesday, police said. The man was released Saturday from a local hospital after having sustained a stab wound that sliced his liver, Glendale Police Det. Keith Soboleski said. "He is doing OK," Soboleski said. "He is on bed rest." Also on Tuesday, detectives released additional details about the attack as they continue to seek the public's help in identifying the suspects who fled from the scene on the 1000 block of Western Avenue after the attack on Thursday. ... Continue Reading: Stabbing victim recovering at home

Dehydrated hikers rescued in Verdugo

After murder conviction, Glendale man’s sanity is on trial

[caption id="attachment_20847" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Soo Duk Kim (Courtesy of the Glendale Police Department)"][/caption] From the Glendale News-Press BURBANK — A Montrose-based psychologist testified Tuesday that the 48-year-old Glendale man who was convicted of stabbing his girlfriend to death reported hearing controlling voices moments before the attack. During Soo Duk Kim's sanity trial, which began Monday after jurors found him guilty of second-degree murder for killing 52-year-old Susan Kim on Dec. 16, 2007, psychologist Jungyeol Oh testified in a Los Angeles County Superior Courtroom in Burbank that the Korean immigrant felt humiliated after a confrontation over smoking marijuana. After the argument, Susan Kim took his keys and told him to return to Korea. ... Continue Reading: Man's sanity is on trial

City Council stalls Glendale affordable-housing project

From the Los Angeles Times CITY HALL — The City Council on Tuesday put the brakes on a potential affordable-housing project after several members said the process had run afoul of established procedures. The Housing Authority on Tuesday was set to discuss the potential for building a new affordable-housing project on city-owned property near the corner of Sonora Avenue and 5th Street in northwest Glendale. But the City Council postponed any action after several council members questioned a presentation from an affordable-housing developer, which Councilman John Drayman said sounded "an awful lot like an attempt to circumvent a process." ... Continue Reading: Affordable-housing project stalls