Burbank

A crash Wednesday afternoon on Alameda Street near Victory Boulevard damaged two parked cars and knocked down a utility pole.  Antoinette Schwartz of Burbank was parked on the side of the road when she witnessed the crash.  "I would have been right there if I hadn't stopped to answer my phone," she said. 

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.

Two games into the Little League District 16 Major Baseball Tournament, the Crescenta Valley All-Stars have looked unstoppable. In two games that have lasted a combined eight innings, Crescenta Valley has scored 30 runs, belted eight home runs and limited its opponents to a total of two runs. Half of those runs and three home runs came Sunday, as Crescenta Valley defeated Burbank, 15-1, at Montrose Park to advance to the championship game of the tournament. The game was called at the end of the fourth inning because of the 10-run mercy rule.

Third row seats were taken from at least four sport utility vehicles since Aug. 23, police said. The seats were valued at $500 to $2,000, and in three of the four incidents, thefts occurred by punching the driver-side door lock. Other vehicle thefts included two laptops, valued at about $900, on Aug. 28 from an SUV parked on the 1600 block of Victory Place.

Burbank is accepting applications for a seat on the Police Commission after Jim Etter resigned his post last month. Etter resigned before the City Council was to take up a possible no confidence vote after he suggested that a public speaker at a meeting in November be "slapped around a bit. " He cited his upcoming assignment to the Los Angeles County Fish and Game Commission -- and the time required to serve -- as the main reason for his...

Burbank police this week continue to investigate an alleged act of vandalism at Councilman David Gordon's optometry business on Hollywood Way. Burbank police said they received a report of gunshots in the 800 block of Hollywood Way on March 16, near where Gordon has his optometry practice. When police arrived, they discovered a broken window and a brick. Authorities searched the area, but did not find any suspects.  “We are looking for any witnesses that may have been in the area during the time of the incident,” Sgt. Darin Ryburn said.  Officers are also reviewing video surveillance for additional leads.

Burbank youth came out in force to spend part of their summer at ShowCamp. This past Friday night the kids showed off their talents with the play "Wonka!"

A Burbank woman suffered cuts to her hip and arm Monday night during a home invasion robbery in which at least $10,000-worth of jewelry was stolen, police said. The 29-year-old woman was home alone in the 1900 block of North Buena Vista Street when someone knocked on her apartment door at about 9:30 p.m., Police Sgt. Darin Ryburn said. When she answered, a man burst in a knife and warned her not to scream. The man cut the woman twice as she attempted to get away and call police, Ryburn said.

The California Highway Patrol was investigating a fatal accident Tuesday morning on Highway 134 in Burbank that closed three westbound lanes. The accident was reported shortly before 5 a.m. on the freeway just west of Buena Vista Street, said CHP officer Francisco Villalobos. Continue reading > > -- Sam Quinones, Los Angeles Times

Burbank's chief spokesman, Keith Sterling, has announced that he will leave his post in January to become communications director at the University of Utah. Sterling, whose last day is scheduled for Jan. 17, has overseen a major revamp of Burbank's website and other public relations tools while also guiding the city through a maze of major news events, including revelations that the FBI had launched a probe into misconduct at the Police Department. His wife, a freelance television journalist, has also accepted a position at the ABC affiliate in Salt Lake City.