Basketball Court

Shelley Gupilan doesn?t fist pump after a key play or pop her jersey when she makes a big basket. She never yells at teammates or taunts opponents. She also never hangs her head or sulks when she makes a mistake. Gupilan?s lack of emotion on the basketball court doesn?t mean she?s complacent when it comes to her dedication to the game ? or her teammates. While many players wear their emotions on their sleave, the Bellarmine-Jefferson High senior keeps hers tucked neatly inside her Guards jersey.

CITY HALL — An extensive makeover plan for Griffith Manor Park got a strong endorsement Tuesday from the City Council and nearby property owners who said it was high time to upgrade the long-neglected enclave. The roughly three-acre park is the largest plot of green space in an otherwise drab industrial corridor that has been in a near-constant state of flux, from the build-out of the Walt Disney Company’s Grand Central Creative Campus to the multitude of multimillion-dollar public infrastructure projects along the San Fernando Road corridor.

There is something that happens to Shelley Gupilan every time she steps onto a basketball court. It is a transformation of sorts, not of the physical nature, but instead an alteration of her personality. And when the Bellarmine-Jefferson High standout basketball player flips the switch, the change is instantaneous. ?When I?m not playing basketball, I like to joke around a lot with people,? said Gupilan, a self-described prankster. ?I just think that some people are way too serious all the time and they should enjoy things a little more.

There is something that happens to Shelley Gupilan every time she steps onto a basketball court. It is a transformation of sorts, not of the physical nature, but instead an alteration of her personality. And when the Bellarmine-Jefferson High standout basketball player flips the switch, the change is instantaneous. “When I’m not playing basketball, I like to joke around a lot with people,” said Gupilan, a self-described prankster. “I just think that some people are way too serious all the time and they should enjoy things a little more.

BRAND PARK — On June 26, a teenage boy pointed a gun at a car where his ex-girlfriend and another boy sat near the basketball court in Brand Park. He fired several rounds, and neighbors reported hearing the blasts from several miles away. Shock swept through the community, and eight months later, Glendale city officials and security personnel convened a meeting in the park to address neighbors’ concerns about what city staff can do to make the park safer. More than 50 residents, some of whom live close to the park, filled the Brand Studios, a room that usually houses art classes and gallery openings.

LA CRESCENTA — County parks and recreation crews will install a temporary outdoor performance stage at Crescenta Valley Park within the year, according to arts commissioners, who plan to announce the addition at tonight’s Crescenta Valley Town Council meeting. The mobile stage, which will be owned and maintained by the county Department of Parks and Recreation, will fit atop the basketball court at Crescenta Valley Park, said Town Councilman Robert Thomas, who co-chairs the council’s Arts Commission.

CITY HALL — Hell hath no fury like that of a half dozen mommies angered over crime in the local park. Such was the scene at last night's City Council meeting as mom after mom lined up to voice concerns over what they said has been an insufficient response by the city to persistent crime at Brand Park — crime that culminated in a non-injury drive-by shooting two weeks ago. "Quite frankly, it's disappointing that it took a shooting...

CITY HALL — For neighbors concerned about the future of Carr Park, tonight could be a turning point. The City Council will look at possible renovations to the park, which some say has become more tranquil since the removal of basketball courts in September. One of the decisions that the council is scheduled to make is whether to reconstruct the courts, a change that would likely appeal to some but upset others. "We've had a lot less problems with the court down," said Norbert Style, who lives next to the park.