Center Stage

Car enthusiasts admired the shiny coats of paint, chrome and steel that glistened in the sun during the 15th annual Jewel City Kiwanis Car Show on Sunday at Verdugo Park. Classic cars, hot rods and muscle cars brought back memories of decades past for attendees the show, which helped raise funds for local charities. About 185 cars participated in the show, which was expected to raise about $10,000, said Bob Morris, secretary of the Jewel City Kiwanis Club. Sitting underneath a tarp, Walter Rogers of Antelope Valley took refuge from the sun and the occasional gust of wind as passersby stopped to look at his 1959 Pontiac Bonneville.

Last Friday was a wonderful night for romance at Two Strike Park. Hosted by the Crescenta Valley Arts Council, La Crescenta?s second annual Shakespeare in the Park event, in association with Southern California Lyric Theater (SCLT), brought to life the Bard?s romantic comedy, ?Much Ado About Nothing.? Under the artistic direction of Alison Eliel Kalmus, founder of SCLT, this adaptation was set in 1936 rural Italy, complete with zoot suits and backless evening gowns which put the play in a timeframe more familiar to the audience.

GLENDALE — The last half of 2009 brought many surprising results and stories. The area saw Crescenta Valley High graduate and former phenom Trevor Bell make his major league debut with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and former Glendale Community College standout Freddy Sanchez appear in his third All-Star Game in four seasons before being dealt by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the San Francisco Giants in July. The Crescenta Valley High boys’ water polo team saw its bid to win a second consecutive CIF championship fall short during a memorable and historical boys’ water polo season that saw Glendale also advance to the semifinals and Hoover make it to the quarterfinals during a season in which Hakop Kaplanyan set a CIF Southern Section record for most goals scored in a season.

When I first heard that Mama Mia was opening in Burbank, I had visions of the critically acclaimed Broadway musical in my mind. Well, maybe ABBA did not inspire this version, but it definitely deserves the spotlight. Mama Mia in Burbank is the latest entry in the Italian pizza and pasta take-out trend. I admit, they have some serious competition in this city alone, but if given a chance, they just might take center stage. Take note, when you first walk into Mama Mia, the stark white floor and walls may blind you for a moment.

SOUTHWEST GLENDALE — Municipal campaign reform took center stage at Fire Station 21 Wednesday evening, with regional elections officials fielding questions during a forum as the City Council readies to tackle the issue. At issue is the ability of incumbents to raise more money and outspend their first-time counterparts in elections that have become increasingly expensive in a city that has no contribution limits. The regulatory void has in recent years produced campaigns that have spent more than $200,000 in a bid for a seat on the five-member City Council.

Verdugo Woodlands Elementary School students got a lesson in the "the's" yesterday. "The Samba," "The Twist," "The Charleston," "The Hitchhike," "The Monkey" and "The Mess Around" were just some of the moves that wiggled their way through a crowd of more than 200 kindergartners through second-graders. They were part of a dance performance by the Lula Washington Dance Theater — a well-known L.A.-based dance corps dedicated to modern, street-dance and jazz techniques as a way to tell the African-American story.

CITY HALL — When Ann and Mike Collard went public in October with a $347,000 fine they received for illegally pruning 13 trees, they could not have predicted the outcome — intense media interest, a promise to revoke the fines, public apologies from politicians and, at today’s City Council meeting, an in-depth analysis of their case to help change an ordinance. Still singed from weeks of public outcry and intense criticism over the fines, the City Council today will examine how the Collards’ case came to be, and how to stop it from happening again.

As is the case for the team she plays on, all the pieces would seem to be in place for Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy outside hitter Katie Condon to have a huge season in 2007. Following years spent playing opposite former Tologs standout Julie Herrera, Condon enters the season as the team’s consensus No. 1 offensive option. Feeding her the ball on a nightly basis will be Sam Orlandini, a Mission League co-Most Valuable Player and All-CIF setter with whom Condon has spent several years honing an on-court rapport.