Auditorium

At Glendale Community College on May 9, author James Ellroy addressed students. I am not exaggerating when I say he started his speech by insulting his audience. Students were afraid to ask a question because they didn't want to be cussed out by him. Ten minutes before the speech was over, a student decided to leave the auditorium and this is where his second round of insults began. The girl was so ashamed that she left the auditorium blushing. Students have witnessed and met so many authors where they had the opportunity to learn something and ask questions, but unfortunately this was the only meeting when almost no one learned from a presentation.

Scholars, local representatives and clergy will converge on the Civic Auditorium on Thursday in an event to commemorate the Armenian Genocide. Vahakn Dadrian, a scholar on the genocide, will speak, along with local dignitaries. The free event will be from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the auditorium, 1401 N. Verdugo Road. The event will also include the film, "Winds of Passion," produced by Michael Hagopian, and poet Alicia Ghiragossian. An Armenian Genocide photography exhibit will also be featured on the auditorium's lower level.

Jackson Bell Nearly two months after an arsonist torched Dunsmore Elementary School's auditorium, school officials said the building is almost completely renovated. The auditorium is expected to open by the first week of November, possibly sooner, Dunsmore Principal Mary LaMasa said. Workers are finishing installing lightings, stereo system and stage curtain, then the air quality needs to be tested. In all, the work has cost about $300,000. And the venue's quality is better than before, LaMasa said.

Glendale Community College will host several music performances Sunday in the auditorium at the college, 1500 N. Verdugo Road. The GCC Jazz Band will perform its spring concert at 4 p.m. Sunday. The concert is open to the public. Admission is $7, and students and seniors get in for $5. Children younger than 12 get in for free. Vocal and instrumental music groups will perform during a music recital at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in the auditorium. The music recital is free and open to the public.

Congratulations to PTSA Honorary Service Award recipients: Donald Ashman, Homa Javidan, Addora Beall, Diana Zelezny, Mitch Zelezny, Kathy Yepez and all Hoover volunteers. Tea with the Principal is from 9 a.m. to noon Friday, followed by a tour of the science labs. Hoover’s musical theater presents “Into the Woods” at 7 p.m. March 3 to 7 in the auditorium with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Teen Physical & Mental Health is the topic of Hoover’s next PTSA meeting at 7 p.m. March 14 in room 12101.

More than 100 students in Wilson Middle School's choral program will perform their spring Choral Music Concert at 7 tonight in the auditorium at the school, 1221 Monterey Road. The show is open to the public. Tickets are $3 at the door. Students spent Wednesday afternoon rehearsing for tonight's show, which will feature show tunes by George Gershwin. Students also performed two assemblies Wednesday in the school's auditorium. Student performers will wear costumes from the 1920s and the performance will include choreography.

Alecia Foster SOUTHEAST GLENDALE -- Hundreds of singers will grace the stage at Glendale High School's auditorium tonight for one of the school district's biggest choral productions of the year. The concert will feature the voices of Glendale Unified's high school and Glendale Community College's choral groups. Each group will sing their own piece, then combine to perform other works together. "It's really powerful," said Kerry Burtis, a music teacher at Crescenta Valley High School and director of choral programs.

Book group to discuss Enger novel SOUTHEAST GLENDALE -- The Central Library Book Group will hold a discussion on Leif Enger's novel "Peace Like a River" at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Central Library Special Collections Room, 222 E. Harvard Street. For more information, call 548-2030. Josh Kleinbaum College to host year-end music recitals NORTHEAST GLENDALE -- Several year-end music recitals will be performed this month at Glendale Community College.

Janine Marnien The La Canada Unified School District might close Lanterman Auditorium on June 30, but the city of La Canada Flintridge will reopen it July 1. The City Council unanimously decided to assume responsibility for renting the auditorium for two years on Monday, after a decision by the school board earlier this year to stop leasing the facility. The district was experiencing about a $50,000 shortfall from operating and maintaining the facility.

Judy Seckler GLENDALE -- The following is a schedule of Glendale Unified high school graduations and middle school and elementary school promotions. HIGH SCHOOLS DATE TIME LOCATION Crescenta Valley June 15 8:30 p.m. Verdugo Park Stengel Field Daily June 14 10 a.m. Professional Development Center Glendale June 15 6 p.m. Glendale High campus, Moyse Field Hoover June 15 2 p.m. Hoover campus football field MIDDLE SCHOOLS Roosevelt June 14 2 p.m. campus field Rosemont June 14 6 p.m. campus amphitheater Toll June 14 5 p.m. Hoover High's Ferguson Field Wilson June 14 5:30 p.m. Wilson Athletic Field College View June 14 10 a.m. College View campus Young Parent Education Program June 13 10 a.m. Glendale Presbyterian Church ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS Balboa June 29 11 a.m. Balboa front lawn Cerritos June 15 8:30 p.m. call for location Columbus June 27 5 p.m. Hoover High School Dunsmore June 13 5 p.m. Dunsmore campus Edison Track A May 25 TBA Edison Tracks B, C and D TBA Franklin June 14 10:30 a.m. Franklin auditorium Fremont June 13 6 p.m. Fremont upper field Glenoaks TBA Jefferson Track A May 26 10:30 a.m. Jefferson auditorium Mark Keppel June 28 6 p.m. Hoover auditorium La Crescenta June 15 9 a.m. La Crescenta campus Lincoln June 14 9 a.m. Lincoln auditorium Horace Mann Track A May 26 TBA Roosevelt campus...

Rinks are for skating, right? Not at all. Glendale's new indoor soccer rink debuted to excited young soccer players Saturday morning during a grand-opening event that saw the months-long efforts of many community members and officials fulfilled. Plans for an indoor soccer rink in the upper level of the Glendale Civic Auditorium were unanimously approved by the City Council in February following requests from locals who have driven many miles to gain playing time on soccer fields.

At Glendale Community College on May 9, author James Ellroy addressed students. I am not exaggerating when I say he started his speech by insulting his audience. Students were afraid to ask a question because they didn't want to be cussed out by him. Ten minutes before the speech was over, a student decided to leave the auditorium and this is where his second round of insults began. The girl was so ashamed that she left the auditorium blushing. Students have witnessed and met so many authors where they had the opportunity to learn something and ask questions, but unfortunately this was the only meeting when almost no one learned from a presentation.

With demand for soccer fields far outstripping availability in built-out Glendale, city officials are taking a novel approach to freeing up additional space. They're going indoors. Starting in June, the Civic Auditorium's upper level is slated to be converted into an indoor soccer area. The plan - approved unanimously by the City Council this week - comes as demand for a soccer area in Glendale has become so great that some residents drive as far as Chatsworth to play, organizers said at a council meeting Tuesday.

The organizer of the Glendale Gun Show is declining to discuss his future plans after the City Council on Tuesday moved to ban gun sales from all city-owned property. In an interview, Steve Friesen, the gun show's promoter, declined to publicly discuss his feelings on the ban, saying only that he planned to be at the next City Council meeting when the draft ordinance returns for review. “We still got a lot ahead of us in this whole process,” he said. Meanwhile, city parks officials say they plan to wait until the ban is official before starting the process of finding alternate events to take the place of the gun show, which had a contract at the Civic Auditorium for three shows in 2013 and 2014.

George D. Stepper was the man behind the building at 220 West Broadway that became known as the Stepper Auditorium building. It later became the first home of the Verdugo Club, then gave way to redevelopment in the late 1970s. Stepper's building opened in 1928 with four stories, 24 office spaces and, on the second floor, the “largest and most beautiful auditorium or social hall in Glendale,” as glowingly described in a booklet Stepper produced at the time. “The conception of this building has been largely shaped by the public spirit and civic pride of the owner who has not allowed the usual consideration of maximum returns for the investment to influence his decision.” Glendale then had a population of 78,000 and described itself as one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States.

The annual Crescenta Valley High School Prom Plus Holiday Home Tour has been canceled this year, but there are some great locations lined up for 2012. In place of this event, join the fun at a new tradition - Prom Plus Holiday Boutique and Food Truck Festival. The festivities will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 at St. Luke's of the Mountain Church on the corner of Foothill Boulevard and Rosemont Avenue, rain or shine. There will be wonderful vendors, great breads and treats from Berolina Bakery, incredible opportunity drawings, food trucks galore, and musical entertainment provided by the talented Rosemont and CV students.

Glendale High School academics and leadership shine at the 46th annual Pat Navolanic Memorial Award assembly June 1 spotlighting 2011 finalists Jeff Asano, Justin Belen, Alan Ghazarians, Ani Ghazikhanian and Ji Su Yoo. Glendale High student Pat Navolanic passed away at the age of 20, but not before leaving a trail of accomplishments. Today, the memorial award has become the most prestigious honor bestowed on a Glendale High senior and encourages a higher level of achievement in leadership, academics, community service and athletics.

A Taste of Downtown Glendale is from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. May 11. This year, 40 restaurants on Brand Boulevard will be participating — from Harvest Inn at the north end to the Americana at the south end. There will also be an Elvis impersonator singing his heart out! Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under. All proceeds go to Glendale Healthy Kids to support uninsured students in kindergarten through 12th grade and assist them in obtaining access to medical, dental, vision and mental health care.

Congratulations to PTSA Honorary Service Award recipients: Donald Ashman, Homa Javidan, Addora Beall, Diana Zelezny, Mitch Zelezny, Kathy Yepez and all Hoover volunteers. Tea with the Principal is from 9 a.m. to noon Friday, followed by a tour of the science labs. Hoover’s musical theater presents “Into the Woods” at 7 p.m. March 3 to 7 in the auditorium with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Teen Physical & Mental Health is the topic of Hoover’s next PTSA meeting at 7 p.m. March 14 in room 12101.

The Glendale Educational Foundation presents the Inaugural Diamond Awards at the Dancing with Diamonds Gala on Friday at the Hilton Glendale. Awards will be presented to Harvey Mason Jr. for Distinguished Achievement in Arts; Dr. Leland H. Hartwell, Distinguished Achievement in Science and Technology; Dr. Deb Rinder, Distinguished Achievement in Health and Fitness; Paul A. Raggio, colonel (retired), Paragon Award; Matt Zakarian, Premier Rose Award; and Nadia El-Fakih, Hope Diamond Award.