Boards

PASADENA - Cleaning the glass was key to the Muir High girls' basketball team keeping a spotless Pacific League record when Crescenta Valley visited Tuesday. The Mustangs out rebounded the Falcons by 22 in the second half to maintain a healthy lead and pull off a 45-34 home victory. Muir's Emoni Jackson, who finished with a game-high 22 points and 11 rebounds, said the boards are always key. "We always focus on rebounds because if you get the rebound its another second chance and those rebounds might be important when it comes to close games," Jackson said.

The future of Glendale's design review boards may be on the line next month when the City Council takes up options for changing the process of reviewing plans for single family homes. The DRBs were set up ten years ago when there was a flurry of concern over construction of large, non-compatible homes, the problem generally known as "mansionization." The council was talking up the first proposals arising out of the view ordinance discussions, but most of the debate seemed to center around the boards, which have been a subject of controversy for some time.

Buck Wargo CITY HALL -- Standing side by side Tuesday night, officials from the city's three elected boards said they will work together to resolve problems in the community over gangs and ethnic tensions. Glendale Mayor Dave Weaver read a statement backed by his City Council, Glendale Unified Board of Education and Glendale Community College Board of Trustees calling on their staffs to kick off a communitywide study for reducing violence. Although no dates have been set, several meetings will be held in the upcoming weeks seeking advice from the public.

CITY HALL — As City Council members grapple with how to fill 12 vacancies across the city’s 18 boards and commissions, a looming task awaits them for next year, when terms for 28 seats will expire, according to the City Clerk’s Office. The frustration some council members have felt in trying to lower the persistent vacancy rate was highlighted at last week’s council meeting with heated finger-pointing and a call for a report on how the system of nominating and interviewing candidates might be revised for tonight’s meeting.

Robert Chacon Community service has been City Council candidate Larry Miller's focus for more than two decades. The list of groups and boards he has worked on is extensive. He has served on three commissions, seven boards of directors, been a member of multiple service groups and elected president of others. He has found time for these extra duties while running a flower shop and acting as a real estate investor. "I am someone that gets things done," Miller said.

Assembly Bill 2160, which would move several K-12 school policy issues away from the control of school boards, parents and administrators and make them part of the collective bargaining process with teachers' unions, is a flatly bad idea that should go no farther. The bill -- condemned by school boards, school administrators and parent groups across the state, including the school boards in Glendale and La Canada Flintridge -- would take the decision-making process for curricula, textbooks, standards and other issues away from boards and administrators and lump it in with the countless issues covered during collective bargaining for teacher contracts.

School boards are an American democratic institution whose members are elected to provide the leadership and approve the policies for their local community schools. Those elected to serve on the school board are individuals who reflect the local community’s values, aspirations and expectations with respect to what is taught to the children in the schools. More than ever, school boards have the challenge and responsibility to balance the academic needs of students and the wishes of their community while adhering to numerous mandates, laws, pressure groups and the microscope of public opinion.

  Sevak Amranyan, Senior, Guard, Burbank First-team All-Pacific League selection averaged 20.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists a game for Bulldogs.   Shara Davoodi, Senior, Guard, Hoover Second-team All-Pacific League pick put up 15.3 points and 5.5 assists a game.  Steven Johnson, Senior, Forward, La Cañada An All-LA84 pick and co-Rio Hondo League MVP, he averaged nearly 15 points and seven boards a contest.

Mixer to raise cash for Relay for Life The Glendale Chapter of the Armenian National Committee will host a mixer at 8 p.m. Thursday to raise money for Relay for Life. “Toast to a Cure” will be at Sidebar, 1114 N. Pacific Ave. Admission for the fundraiser is $15. For more information, call the committee at (818) 243-3444.   Boards to discuss ‘middle’ high school The Glendale Unified School District and Glendale Community College District boards will have a special joint meeting Tuesday to discuss offering a middle college high school on the college campus.

In the wake of the discussions by the Community Advisory Boards for the Burbank Leader and Glendale News-Press, I want to announce a number of adjustments and tweaks to our offerings and features. Not all of the suggestions of the two boards have been directly implemented as yet, but I'm happy to report a number of things have already occurred or are about to go live. In particular, the News-Press board asked that the paper look to hiring reporters who are already part of the Glendale community.

With plenty at stake, Tina Karwasky didn't have to think too much before stepping on to the court. Knowing it would come down to a winner-take-all match against Great Britain for the prestigious International Tennis Federation Maureen Connolly Cup, Karwasky tried to remain calm. While it proved to be hard at first for Karwasky, a Glendale resident of more than 20 years, the adrenaline eventually began to flow while teaming with Susan Wright to post a 6-4, 6-2 victory against Sue Bartlett and Anne Clark on April 25 in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. to lead the United States past Great Britain, 2-1. It marked the eighth straight year that the United States won the competition in the women's 55 and over bracket.

Reaction from Glendale school board members on transferring the Sagebrush territory to La Cañada Unified was mixed Tuesday night during the board's first public discussion of the issue since 350 people attended a town-hall meeting last month and most of the speakers supported the move. “At the end of the day, I think it's the best move for all of us,” said school board member Greg Krikorian. “Far too many times, elected bodies bump heads.” Board member Christine Walters lauded La Cañada city officials as well as school officials in both districts for creating a “democratic process” that has involved hearing input from residents at public meetings and entering into monthslong negotiations that has resulted, in part, in a six-year phase-in plan.

Good morning, readers! Today is Thursday, April 10, 2014. The high is predicted to reach 82 and low 58 in the Glendale region. These are the top headlines in your area this morning: Retired Col. Nancy Sumner, a Glendale resident and a Burbank High School graduate, was recently appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to serve on the California Community College Board of Governors , a 17-member group responsible for helping guide and...

Mary Boger assumed the position of president of the Glendale Unified school board Tuesday during its annual reorganization meeting. Meanwhile, Nayiri Nahabedian, who has served as the board's president during the past year, said in her closing remarks that she has grown to appreciate the board's ability "to work through things together [and] for our ability to struggle through things together. " She said board members have strived to listen to the community. "We've had many parents and community members be present and give their input, ideas and concerns, and their kudos to us," she said.

The Glendale school board unanimously voted this week to extend Glendale Unified Supt. Dick Sheehan's contract through 2018. Sheehan - who previously served as a deputy superintendent for the district - took the helm in 2010, replacing Michael Escalante. That year, Sheehan made a base salary of $240,000 with a contract through June 2014. Aside from extending the time that Sheehan will serve at the helm of Glendale Unified through the next four years, the terms of his contract and salary remain the same as they were in 2010, which call on him to supervise the instruction and business affairs of the district.

With a formal vote this week, the Glendale school board established the paths that students in dual-language immersion classes will take through high school . Of all the high schools, Hoover High will be home to the most languages. The school will be home to French, German, Italian, Spanish and Korean dual-language programs. Hoover will also host an Armenian dual language program and the district's Armenian heritage program where students study that country's culture and literature.

A bit less than a month ago, about two dozen people squeezed into a conference room at the Glendale YWCA, all there to share their feelings about the Glendale News-Press. The Wednesday evening meeting marked the inaugural of the paper's Community Advisory Board, something I hope to make a tradition for both the News-Press and the Burbank Leader. (As I write this, I am finalizing the time, date and venue for the Leader's community board, tentatively slated for later this month.) The purpose is simple: In order to serve its communities, the paper and its editor need to know what readers care about and couldn't care less about; what they like about our coverage and what makes them cringe, blanch or yawn.

Glendale Community College's baseball team is well aware of its recent history. The Vaqueros have won three consecutive Western State Conference Southern Division championships, they just had four players named to the preseason All-American list and they're ranked in the top 10 by the California Community College Athletic Assn. Their success has been noticed by high school athletes wishing to continue to play at the next level and other community college players, including David Whitaker, a Crescenta Valley High graduate who transferred to Glendale college from Pasadena City College.

Good morning readers. Time to shake the sleep out of your eyes, get the coffee going, and slide into the week with these news headlines from around the 818 area code. Today is Monday, Dec. 16.  Your humble narrator and editor, Dan Evans, is urging all interested parties to apply for the News-Press or Leader Community Advisory Boards . The Glendale board will meet in Februrary, and the Burbank one will meet in March. Read more about the details by following the link. Glendale News-Press A three-alarm blaze broke out above Paradise Pastry in Glendale , closing the popular bakery and cafe while the owners assess the damage.