Burbank

PASADENA - Leave it to the Hoover High boys' tennis team to break up a near Burbank city monopoly at Wednesday afternoon's Pacific League boys' tennis tournament finals. While the Tornadoes walked away without clinching either a singles or doubles titles, Hoover's Oleg Simonyan finished runner-up on the singles side and, in the process, earned advancement to the CIF Southern Section Boys Individual Tennis Tournament. “I'm proud of the way both Oleg and Emile [Ohanyan] played,” Hoover Coach Julie Hoppe said.

I spotted this gem of a statement/protest by an anonymous artist near the corner of Chandler and Victory boulevards in Burbank. Made me laugh, I have to admit. And, just so you know I'm not glorifying graffiti. it's in chalk. I checked. 

With aviation as its theme this year, Burbank on Parade kicked off Saturday with a flyover by five helicopters followed by other fliers, marching bands and flight-themed floats. The rain that hit the L.A. area Friday had moved on, and the almost 100 parade entries traveled down Olive Avenue under sunny skies. One of the most popular entries came near the end of the parade, with about 25 vintage cars from the Road Kings club. Ashley Nesbit said the cars are always her favorite part, along with the Burbank/Burroughs Alumni Band.

 At least 15 people in Burbank have been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol within the last week, police reported today.   “That's amazing in one week's time,” Burbank Police Lt. John Dilbert said of the DUIs logged between Aug. 2 and Aug. 8.   The summer weather, students anticipating the start of the school year and the upcoming Labor Day holiday likely contributed to the unusually high number, he added.   There was also an increase in traffic accidents, he said.

The city attorney for Thousand Oaks has been tapped for the chief legal spot in Burbank, city officials confirmed Thursday. Amy Albano will officially begin Oct. 17 if the City Council votes to confirm her to the job, as expected. She will replace City Atty. Dennis Barlow, who is retiring after close to 14 years of service. He announced his retirement in January. Albano joined the city of Thousand Oaks in 2005 after 14 years in the city of Ventura, also as a city attorney.

Burbank police officers responded to a possible arson fire at 316 North San Fernando Blvd. at 11:40 p.m. on Friday, police said on Monday. Upon arrival, officers noticed a small fire at News Stand Etc., which was closed and secured with a roll-up metal door. The fire was burning through the door's rubber frame. Police believe someone lit a piece of paper on fire and threw it toward the door, said Lt. Eddie Ruiz. No suspects have been identified. Burbank firefighters arrived shortly after and extinguished the fire.

Burbank was honored this week for a major project completed in 2010 that increased the capacity of the city wastewater treatment facility from from 9 to 12.5 million gallons per day. Burbank received the “Project of the Year” award from the American Public Works Assn. Southern California Chapter at a ceremony on Wednesday, according to an announcement from city officials. By expanding capacity, the so-called Two-Million-Gallon Equalization Basin captures peak daytime flows for treatment during lower demand times at night, which makes more reclaimed water available for irrigation and other reuse, according to the city.

A flock of wild, squawking parrots has decided to nest in Burbank, residents say. At sunrise and sunset, about 100 of them swoop along a path roughly following Verdugo Avenue, creating quite a disturbance. "It's like this noise," said Burbank resident Cindy Brown. "It feels like this roar that just comes overhead. " Though the birds make a lot of noise, experts say they disperse into smaller groups later in the day and at night, when they're fairly quiet. Pockets of the colorful birds can be found throughout Southern California.

Burbank firefighters extinguished a blaze Thursday that was confined to within the exterior walls of a home. Responding to reports of smoke at 6:40 p.m. in a house on the 200 block of North Niagara Street, firefighters used rotary saws to cut into the home's exterior, where the found the fire traveling up through the walls. There were no immediate reports of injuries, and the cause of the fire remained under investigation. -- Ross A. Benson, for Times Community News

This past week the city of Burbank hosted a yearly event where city employees bring their kids to work. The day started in City Council Chambers with about 45 participants; they were welcomed by Mayor Jess Talamantes, and told what the day would entail. Kameron Sandoval, the son of Executive Assistant Jessica Sandoval, got to send emails and help his mom with other tasks around the office.

Despite plans by Gov. Jerry Brown to spend roughly $1.6 billion more on education, local school officials this week remained only cautiously optimistic about their financial prospects. The additional funding included in Brown's budget revision unveiled earlier in the week was the result of state revenues that came in $4.5 billion higher than projected for the first six months of the year. But local school district officials say it will take some time to decipher exactly what that will mean for their own beleaguered budgets.

Frank passed away May 7th in Burbank, CA. There will be a private burial. Frank is survived by his wife Jerilyn, sons Robert Enthofen and James Robinson, and his loving family and friends. We want Frank's memory to make a difference to others through the City of Hope. Donations in his name can be made to www.CrowdRise.com/FrankPrimmMemorial

A "South Pasadena" girl, with only an outside shower, Doreen had a "Norman Rockwell" youth. As a young adult, she helped service men at the USO. She met Don while working the order desk. They married, had 2 girls and moved to Burbank. Doreen worked in the cafeteria at LBJH 74-76 and Macys, in Glendale 77-95. Stopping only after her first battle with cancer and having to take care of her elderly aunt. Doreen never made an enemy. Her motto was "kill them with kindness". She always had a loving ear to listen and encourage people.

ARCADIA - It appeared hope for capturing the Pacific League baseball title and avenging a previous loss against its rival was running low for the Crescenta Valley High baseball team Friday night. Down two runs headed into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Falcons appeared to be down to their final out after consecutive strikeouts. The second, however, came on a wild pitch to CV's Joe Torres that rolled to the fence. Torres beat the throw to first, representing the tying the run and bringing the potential winning run to the plate.

Eugene Erwin Sader Born May 24, 1935 in Glendale, California passed away April 13, 2013. He grew up in Burbank, California the son of Conrad and Marie Sader, German immigrants who came from Russia, through Nebraska, and settled in Burbank. He had an older brother, Clyde Conrad Sader, who preceded him in death, and who he greatly admired. They loved to toss the baseball around, and they will now be reunited. He grew up around his uncles' ranch. The Hudkins Brothers Stables worked with the movie studios, and owned the horse Trigger, which was sold to Roy Rogers.

Pat Miller passed away peacefully in her sleep Tuesday morning, April 2, 2013, at the age of 74. 33 years with Columbia Pictures, she retired as an executive secretary in 1998. A resident of Burbank since 1970, she and her husband Jim were members of the local B.P.D, and Elks Club. They enjoyed life in Burbank and liked their quiet neighborhood where they had many friends. Pat loved travelling, reading, and her rose garden. A varied assortment of family pets added joy to her life.

Jean Lucille Szoke passed away peacefully at the age of 93 on April 25, 2013. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and sister. She is survived by son, Bob (Sally), daughter, Marian Childress (Bud), grandson, Mike (Michelle), granddaughter, Wendy, great-grandchildren, Evan, Haley and Jenna, and siblings Helen, Lois and Jim. A celebration of her life will be held on May 4 at 2 P.M. in Burbank. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Joseph Palliative Care Dept.

Fire crews from Burbank and Glendale were called Thursday to help battle a raging 2,000-acre brush fire in Ventura County. The Burbank Fire Department sent 13 fire personnel - including a battalion chief - as well as three engines to respond to the fire, said Burbank Fire Capt. Peter Hendrickson.  Two of the engines are protecting homes on Borchard Road and Via Las Brisas in Thousand Oaks, while the third is stationed at the command post, Hendrickson said. “The state of California set this thing up where we respond and take care of each other,” Hendrickson said.

A 36-year-old man was found guilty this week of kidnapping a Burbank woman in 2006 and then raping her at a hotel in Glendale, officials said. Edward Nikolayan was convicted Monday of kidnapping, drugging, raping and assaulting the woman on Sept. 19, 2006, according to Jane Robison, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. He faces life in prison when he is sentenced on May 16 in Los Angeles County Superior Court in Pasadena, according Robison. U.S. Marshals arrested Nikolayan in December 2009 in New York on an outstanding arrest warrant related to the rape case, according to Glendale police.

PASADENA - Leave it to the Hoover High boys' tennis team to break up a near Burbank city monopoly at Wednesday afternoon's Pacific League boys' tennis tournament finals. While the Tornadoes walked away without clinching either a singles or doubles titles, Hoover's Oleg Simonyan finished runner-up on the singles side and, in the process, earned advancement to the CIF Southern Section Boys Individual Tennis Tournament. “I'm proud of the way both Oleg and Emile [Ohanyan] played,” Hoover Coach Julie Hoppe said.