Delegation

Regarding ?Council priorities desired projects? (Feb. 14): What a great idea. Now we will have a ?delegation? from Glendale, which will probably include some city officials flying off to Washington, D.C., spending Glendale money to pimp for dollars. Almost as obscene is the fact that each of these fine Glendale delegates will leave a carbon dioxide footprint of at least 1 1/2 tons just getting to and from Washington, D.C. Why not get modern and use video teleconferencing to beg our elected federal representatives for our share of the budget earmarks?

Josh Kleinbaum Eighteen Glendale residents, including city, school and college officials, said goodbye to Glendale on Thursday from St. Mary's Armenian Church, departing for Los Angeles International Airport and a 10-day trip to Armenia. The Rev. Ardak Demirjian of St. Mary's blessed the group before the delegates piled into three vans and a town car. The group, which includes Mayor Frank Quintero, City Manager Jim Starbird, School Board President Pam Ellis and Paul Schlossman, the dean of student affairs at Glendale Community College, will spend time in several Armenian cities, including Yerevan, the nation's capital, and Ghapan, Glendale's sister city.

Josh Kleinbaum The 18-member delegation of Glendale city, school, college and business officials learned plenty during a 10-day whirlwind visit to Armenia. They learned that Glendale and Armenia have a much deeper connection than some delegates believed, and just about everywhere the delegation went, they found people from Glendale, or people with family or friends in Glendale. They learned that after decades under communist rule, Armenia has more problems than some thought, especially outside of Yerevan, the capital.

Darleene Barrientos Hybrid vehicle-drivers can now live life in the fast lane because President Bush signed a transportation bill Wednesday that includes a provision penned by Rep. Brad Sherman that clears the way for California to allow hybrid vehicles in carpool lanes. Since a state law went into effect Jan. 1, allowing hybrid vehicles getting at least 45 miles per gallon to use carpool lanes, the state Department of Motor Vehicles has been ready to issue special stickers to owners of hybrid vehicles that will allow them to drive solo in the carpool lane.

Fred Ortega Kaitlin French had such a great time on her first trip overseas to England last week that the 13-year-old Wilson Middle School student didn't once call her mother to tell her how she was doing. "She claimed there was only one phone available and it was always busy," Barrie French, Kaitlin's mom, said Wednesday. "But she was there meeting new people and having fun, so I think I'll let her slide." French's daughter was one of 20 local youths representing the city as part of the Team Glendale USA delegation to the 2005 International Children's Games, held in Coventry, England, July 6 to 12. The delegation included four teams, two soccer teams and two swimming squads, composed of equal numbers of girls and boys who competed against other 12- to 15-year-olds from up to 50 countries and five continents.

EDUCATION School board President Mary Boger had her job description grow exponentially last week after being elected vice president of the largest state educational association in the nation. Boger will not have to relocate to Sacramento, but her position in the California School Boards Assn. leadership will require a lot of traveling. She will finish her term as Glendale Unified’s board president, and said the new responsibilities would be arranged around her local schedule.

Claudia Peschiutta LOS ANGELES -- Witnessing President Clinton reminisce about his eight years in office. A bag of M&Ms. Hanging out with Enrique Iglesias. A silver medallion, compliments of Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan. These are just some of the perks of being a delegate to the 2000 Democratic National Convention. Just ask any of the Glendale residents who are among the nearly 5,000 delegates taking part in the four-day event at Staples Center this week.

Glendale officials on Thursday welcomed a delegation of elected officials from South Korea, including a candidate in the country's upcoming presidential election. The presidential candidate, Moon-Soo Kim, governor of Gyeonggi Province, joined officials from the city of Gimpo, Glendale's newest sister city, for the trip. The City Council approved adding Gimpo to the sister city program this week. Sister City Committee members recommended the addition of Gimpo, a city with plans to become an entertainment capital in Korea.

GLENDALE ? A delegation of Vietnamese education leaders visited three Glendale Unified School District campuses looking for the best practices to bring home as that country prepares for ambitious education reform. Glendale Unified officials maintain close ties to USC and were connected to the foreigners through the university?s school of education. The Vietnamese Ministry of Education is preparing to sponsor thousands of students? Western education, and wanted officials to see some slices of the American system.