East Broadway

NORTHEAST GLENDALE — Hundreds of local residents are expected to gather this weekend at Glendale High School to watch and compete in various activities at the Glendale Homenetmen's first-ever Friendship Games and Festival. The games will go on throughout the campus from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday and will be accompanied by a festival from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and 11 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. "Our organization decided that sport is a good venue to create friendship and harmony in the community," said Armond Gorgorian, executive director of the Glendale Homenetmen.

The following were taken from daily booking reports from the Glendale Police Department. AREA 1   40 0 block of East Broadway Mesrop Ginosyan, 19, was arrested Feb. 6 on suspicion of making threats.   200 block of North Glendale Avenue Valod Nazari, 32, was arrested Feb. 6 on suspicion of burglary.   South Glendale and East Lomita avenues Armen Babaian, 21, was arrested Feb. 7 on suspicion of reckless driving.

FRIENDSHIP GAMES The council unanimously approved a resolution endorsing the 2007 Glendale Friendship Games, set to take place Oct. 13-14 at the Glendale Sports Complex and the Glendale High School campus. WHAT IT MEANS It will be the second time the Homenetmen Glendale Ararat Chapter will help throw the citywide event, to include soccer tournaments at the Sports Complex and all other activities at Glendale High on East Broadway. Last year, more than 2,000 residents participated in and attended the tournaments while enjoying live multicultural entertainment, including live mariachi, salsa and Armenian music alongside food, carnival games and other festival events, organizers said.

Joshua Pelzer Boosting business expansion, pedestrian traffic and visual appeal along Brand Boulevard continues to draw the city's redevelopment efforts. The stretch of road between Lexington Drive and Broadway has been a target for improvement since the city adopted its downtown strategic plan in 1996. Since then, parking and landscaping on surrounding streets have been added with lighting in exchange alleys along Brand. Projects underway include an animation school and museum on East Broadway, street lighting on Maryland, a shuttle service for area workers and shoppers, and a grant program that matches up to $30,000 in funding for merchants who enhance the exterior of their stores.

Defining our civic fiber, quality of life It is sad that crisis be the mother of opportunity, especially when the crisis in question is one so close to my heart -- and interests. As the prospect of library closures is no longer secret, the opportunity I refer to above is that of hectoring the city sages on East Broadway. "I have often thought that nothing would do more extensive good at small expense than the establishment of a small circulating library in every county," wrote Thomas Jefferson to John Wyche in 1809 (I even wonder if our East Broadway sages know who he is -- Jefferson, that is)

DOWNTOWN — Some local merchants are voicing concerns over parking constraints that could arise as a result of a plan to turn the former Department of Public Social Services building into an office building. "Whatever happens — if it's an office, residential — if they add more movement in the area, there will be a parking shortage," said Varoujan Ourfalian, owner of La Belle Café on East Broadway. Ourfalian's worries echo those of some other merchants in that area who say that the businesses near the Department of Public Social Services building on Broadway are already affected by limited parking availability.

The following were taken from daily booking reports from the Glendale Police Department. 200 block of East Maple Street A 20-year-old woman was arrested May 11 on suspicion of spousal assault. 200 block of East Los Feliz Road A 27-year-old man was arrested May 11 on an outstanding warrant for theft or unlawful taking of a vehicle. Riverdale Drive and Central Avenue A 30-year-old man was arrested May 11 on an outstanding warrant for battery on a police officer.

EAST BROADWAY PARKING RATIOS WHAT HAPPENED The council postponed a decision on parking ratios in the East Broadway mixed-use and commercial-use zones. WHAT IT MEANS After a survey of residents in the area showed that the average number of cars for residents in the area is below the required number of parking spaces for apartments and condominiums, staff recommended reducing the requirements to be consistent with the survey results. Developers argued that the higher number of spaces is necessary for condominiums, and recommended lowering only the apartment building requirement.