Identity

"Sometimes we feel we straddle two cultures; at other times, that we fall between two stools," wrote Salman Rushdie. His words are the essence of what it means to be part of a diaspora, a word with Greek origins meaning “scattering.” It is the quintessential feeling that arises when someone, somewhere asks me the question, “Where are you from?” and expects a short, one word answer. If you're part of a diaspora, there is no short answer, there is no one place and no simple explanation as to how you ended up where you did. “Where are you from?

A 49-year-old Glendale man is expected to appear in court today on suspicion of stealing the personal information, including Social Security numbers, of more than 90 Korean-Americans, police said. Dong Ho Han, who is being held in lieu of $4.6-million bail, was arrested early Wednesday on suspicion of identity theft, possessing a forged driver's license or identification card and possessing pills without a prescription, according to Glendale police reports. “There is no indication of what he was going to do with them,” Financial Crimes Sgt. Harley Wing said.

NORTHEAST GLENDALE - With a seemingly endless string of turnovers and lackluster defense in the first half, the Glendale Community College men's basketball team got its season opener off on the wrong foot Friday afternoon. It didn't take long for the other shoe to drop, as the Vaqueros, who had played their way back from a double-digit deficit to within six points by halftime, were run out of their own gym by El Camino Compton College after a horrendous start to the second half.

Keeps you guessing Kathleen Marcellino of Burbank is a retired property manager. At first blush, "Identity" looks like a regular who-dun-it, but James Mangold's thoughtful direction and Michael Cooney's tightly written script produces a gem of a thriller: Just when you think you've guessed the killer, they, too, wind up dead. Ten travelers seek refuge at a seedy Nevada desert motel from a violent thunderstorm that has made the highway impassible.

PROTECT YOURSELF Shred all items with personal information before disposing of them. Drop off outgoing mail at the post office instead of leaving it outside your home for pick-up. Scrutinize credit-card statements and receipts, and never release information over the phone. Watch who handles your credit card and where it goes. Contact credit bureaus annually to monitor your credit reports. IF YOU ARE A VICTIM Report the crime to police immediately.

Judy Seckler Marlin Miller, a literature and history teacher at Montrose Christian Montessori School, whipped his fourth- and fifth- grade students into shape for a class production of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night." While the middle school version of the bard's comedy was shorter, the play's language was left intact for the students to enjoy. Kids loved the humor and the sword fights throughout the play, Miller said. Much foraging at vintage shops helped the class create a slew of funky costumes.

Adams Avenue: A Honda Accord was reported stolen in the 9800 block at 4:35 p.m. Thursday. Amberleaf Circle: A prowler was reported in the 7600 block at 2:53 a.m. Saturday. Atlanta Avenue: A sign was reported stolen in the 9000 block at 10:22 a.m. Friday. Aspen Circle: Vehicle theft was reported in the 14500 block at 6 p.m. Saturday. Aquatic Lane: Identity theft was reported in which the reporting party suspected a babysitter in the 20700 block at 3:35 p.m. Sunday.

Wounded man appears in court A 35-year-old Glendale man, who had fought with inmates before his hearing, was ordered Tuesday to stand trial for stealing $12,400 from his roommates and forging checks, court officials said. Alen Manookian sat in court during his preliminary hearing with his mouth bloodied after two other inmates struck him in the Burbank Superior Court jail just minutes before his hearing was scheduled. Paramedics treated him and allowed him to go to his hearing.

The United States Department of Veteran Affairs announced this week that last month's theft of personnel data concerning 26.5 million veterans may also include active duty military personnel, including those from the Crescenta Valley. 1.1 million active duty military including, 430,000 National Guard and 645,000 National Guard Reserve members may have been in the stolen data. No reports of stolen identity theft due to this incident have been reported to date. Art Napowocki, La Crescenta VFW representative, said he had received information from VFW headquarters concerning the matter.

COSTA MESA Avenue of the Arts: Petty theft was reported in the 3400 block at 9:41 a.m. Tuesday. Bristol Street: Vandalism was reported in the 3000 block at 11:02 a.m. Tuesday. Paularino Avenue: Auto theft was reported in the 800 block at 3:11 p.m. Tuesday. Pitcairn Drive: A residential burglary was reported in the 1700 block at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. Pomona Avenue and West 19th Street: Auto theft was reported at 11:05 a.m. Tuesday.

A 31-year-old Glendale man who was allegedly wanted on an outstanding warrant was arrested Monday after he hid from police in a home attic during a probation search, officials said. Police arrived at Ricardo Van Rossen's home in the 900 block of South Glendale Avenue at about 9:20 p.m. after Orange County Probation Department issued the no-bail arrest warrant for Van Rossen, who was on probation for narcotics sales, according to Glendale police. Conditions in his probation allow officers to search his home, according to police.

In real life, there's nothing funny about identity theft, as anyone who's gone through it can attest. (Believe me, I learned the hard way.) Unfortunately, if the new comedy "Identity Thief" is anything to go by, there's nothing funny about it on screen either. OK, not nothing funny. Let's be generous to director Seth Gordon and screenwriters Craig Mazin and Jerry Eeten and say there's not very much funny here. It's a film built around a simple log line: average nice guy must share a road trip with the resourceful sociopath who has destroyed his credit rating (and pretty much everything else in his life)

NORTHEAST GLENDALE - With a seemingly endless string of turnovers and lackluster defense in the first half, the Glendale Community College men's basketball team got its season opener off on the wrong foot Friday afternoon. It didn't take long for the other shoe to drop, as the Vaqueros, who had played their way back from a double-digit deficit to within six points by halftime, were run out of their own gym by El Camino Compton College after a horrendous start to the second half.

The following were taken from daily booking reports from the Glendale Police Department. 800 block of South Glendale Avenue A 27-year-old man was arrested Aug. 11 on suspicion of grand theft of access cards and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Harvey Drive and Ventura (134) Freeway A 40-year-old man was arrested Aug. 12 on suspicion of possessing methamphetamine. 300 block of East Cedar Avenue A 25-year-old man was arrested Aug. 12 on suspicion of identity theft and impersonating someone else.

Two men were charged with identity theft Tuesday after police discovered other people's mail and personal information inside a car belonging to one of them, officials said. One of the men - Jonathan Togiai, 36, of Los Angeles - was charged with one felony count of identity theft, according to a Los Angeles County Superior Court criminal complaint. He was convicted of the same charge in 2008. The second man - Paul Lim, 31, of Glendale - was charged with four misdemeanor counts of identity theft and one felony count of possessing methamphetamine.

"Sometimes we feel we straddle two cultures; at other times, that we fall between two stools," wrote Salman Rushdie. His words are the essence of what it means to be part of a diaspora, a word with Greek origins meaning “scattering.” It is the quintessential feeling that arises when someone, somewhere asks me the question, “Where are you from?” and expects a short, one word answer. If you're part of a diaspora, there is no short answer, there is no one place and no simple explanation as to how you ended up where you did. “Where are you from?

In the clubby world of Glendale's gadflies, Harry Zavos gets admiration from the network of regulars who come to most City Council meetings, questioning the ethics of some members as they pepper them with criticism over just about everything they do, from fixing potholes and setting utility rates to employee salaries and economic development policies. Even some council members give the 79-year-old retired lawyer and Loyola Law School professor grudging respect as an adversary focused on issues, forcing a halt to the unconstitutional transfer of “surplus” water revenue to the General Fund and now challenging a similar transfer of $21 million in “surplus” electricity revenues.

Brotherly love has turned sour between two siblings after police said one of them fraudulently obtained credit cards, established a bank account and bought a new car under the other's identity. Glendale police were alerted to the identity theft two weeks ago when an Allen Gwyn Chevrolet employee advised Christopher Higa, 24, to return a new 2012 Chevy Malibu that he purchased using the identity of his 21-year-old brother, Nicholas Higa, according to Glendale police reports. Employees at the Brand Boulevard dealership spotted the bogus purchase when they ran a credit report on Nicholas Higa and discovered a fraud alert warning.

Four members of an alleged Armenian organized crime ring were convicted by a federal judge in San Ana Wednesday on charges of identity theft and bank fraud, prosecutors announced Thursday. The five-week trial at the U.S. District Court in Santa Ana ended this week, where prosecutors linked the four defendants to a crime operation that lasted six years and claimed $10 million from victims in Texas, Arizona, Nevada and Southern California. Arman Sharopetrosian, of Burbank, ran the operation while behind bars at Avenal State Prison and directed the co-defendants to illegally obtain information from investors' bank accounts, according to prosecutors.