Americans

GLENDALE — Jenny Dalton-Hill and the United States Baseball Women's National Team didn't leave Venezuela empty handed. Though the United States didn't win the gold medal at the 2010 International Baseball Federation World Cup, it did manage to grab a medal. The United States received two hits and two runs batted in from Jenny Dalton-Hill, a former Glendale High and University of Arizona softball star, to earn a convincing 15-5 win against Venezuela on Sunday at Jose Perez Stadium in Maracay, Venezuela in the bronze-medal game.

Restaurateur Tancredi DeLuca walked purposefully around his new Glendale delicatessen last week, tasting prosciutto as it came off the slicer, joking with employees in their first day on the job and talking business in Italian with executive chef Piero Topputo. DeLuca was celebrating the grand opening of his new delicatessen, DeLuca's, next door to his Amici restaurant. It is one of two recent openings at the Americana at Brand. American Eagle Outfitters, specializing in denim jeans and casual wear, recently took the space formerly occupied by Martin & Osa, a spin-off that failed to catch on nationally.

In the middle of a day-long hike in the expansive San Gabriel Mountains last summer, Eric Kleinsasser briefly stumbled. He wasn't sure what the consequences might lead to from his unexpected mishap. While walking on a slight incline on a dirt trail near Claremont, a rock popped out of the ground and bruised Kleinsasser's left ankle. Kleinsasser didn't feel any sharp pain initially, but his ankle eventually swelled and bruised. Stumbling or even taking a spill on a course isn't something that's been customary for Kleinsasser, a former Crescenta Valley High standout cross-country runner now excelling at Occidental College.

LOS ANGELES — Glendale resident Edgar Torosyan clutched a small American flag on Thursday as he waited to take the oath that would declare him a United States citizen. "This is a dream come true," said Torosyan, a Glendale resident who was a teenager when he immigrated to the United States from Armenia with his family 18 years ago. "We love it here. We call it home." Torosyan was one of the 3,340 Southern California residents who packed the Los Angeles Convention Center on Thursday to be sworn in as U.S. citizens.

What is wrong with Americans? Most are unhappy with the way our country is going, but they do nothing. On Memorial Day, I was driving on one of Glendale's streets and I saw only three flags displayed in three or so miles. Then today, the paper tells me that less than 20% of registered voters voted in Tuesday's primary election! I had my flag displayed the entire Memorial Day weekend, and I was the first at my polling place to vote. I want change instead of warmed-over incumbents, but I can't do it alone.

F or the Klee family, days like Friday are reasons why they said they immigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala. Rafael Klee and his son Miguel came to Glendale Community College early for seats at the 50-yard line of Sartoris Field — prime position to watch the family's matriarch, Dora Klee, graduate with honors. "It's the American dream," Rafael Klee said. "My wife's mother had helped us immigrate. We believe there's a better future here." Dora Klee was one of more than 980 students on Friday to come home with a diploma, certificate or both.

GLENDALE — The following are updates on area athletes at the collegiate level. Christian Bergman (St. Francis High, 2006) UC Irvine baseball : With the Anteaters pushing toward the postseason, Bergman is rounding into top form. He displayed it on Friday, twirling eight shutout innings in leading Irvine to a 5-0 home win against UC Riverside. Bergman allowed six hits and two walks, while striking out five. It also continued a scoreless innings streak that now sits at 15 1/3 . Bergman owns a 7-3 record with a 4.21 earned-run average over 18 appearances and 14 starts.

GLENDALE — After one rather windy race, Glendale Community College emerged with two All-Americans. Vaqueros freshman Karen Rosas took second place in the women’s 10,000 meters race on Friday afternoon in the California Community College Athletic Assn. Track and Field Championships, while teammate and fellow freshman Vivian Ochoa finished fourth during a gusty day at Antelope Valley College. “It was stressful, but it was great at the end,” said Rosas, who finished in 39 minutes 52.98 seconds, behind first-place Lenore Moreno, a sophomore from Mount San Antonio College, who finished in 38:44.

Paul Vago suffered a stroke a year ago March and recently completed outpatient physical therapy at Glendale Adventist Medical Center. ?The physical therapists got me to walk,? he said. ?They encouraged me every step of the way. My left side was pretty much inoperable.? An avid golfer before the stroke, Vago said he has been out to the driving range a few times to work on his swing but the ball keeps pulling to the left. The Glendale resident will attend the American Heart Assn.

Republicans have had little luck over the last decade in the 43rd Assembly District, but favorable election timing and anti-government sentiment could offer valuable boosts to Sunder Ramani, who could become the first Indian American elected to the state Legislature. Ramani moved with his family from Bangalore, India, to the United States when he was 7 and initially struggled to become a fluent English speaker before eventually going on to own a small business. He has so far avoided focusing on his heritage and has instead emphasized his experience as an immigrant to relate to other communities, he said.