Peace

A peace pole with a white dove perched on top stood on the front lawn of Crescenta Valley United Methodist Church on Sunday as dozens of parishioners gathered to pray and dedicate the symbol of unity. Joining the Methodist church were members from the Korean congregation of the Hansarang United Methodist Church and parishioners from Christ Armenian Church. ?We wanted to have this symbolic pole,? said the Rev. Hendrik Shanazari of Christ Armenian Church. ?It?s a peace pole.

Alex Coolman GLENDALE -- If the Town Center project is going to incorporate a park for residents, it should be dedicated to the cause of peace and cultural harmony, residents told the City Council. The idea for a "peace park" is one that has been brewing among members of the Character and Ethics Project, the Seeds of Peace and the Glendale Council PTA, said Nancy Stone, a Character and Ethics Project member who is an advocate for the proposal. The Seeds of Peace is a group of community members that organized in the aftermath of the slaying of Hoover High Student Raul Aguirre.

Residents and officials including county Supervisor Mike Antonovich and members of the Crescenta Valley Town Council gathered Saturday to plant a tree for peace in honor of the victims and rescue workers of the Sept. 11. The event was part of this year's Arbor Day celebration. It included entertainment from local children's performing groups, Character & Ethics Kids and Showbiz Kids. A banner with the names of those who lost their lives was also displayed.

Tim Willert CITY HALL -- A 46-year-old Glendale man was arrested on suspicion of disturbing the peace after allegedly yelling obscenities and making obscene gestures at a plainclothes police officer, police said. George Pedro was arrested about 1:05 p.m. Friday near City Hall after he ran toward Officer Lt. Mark Distaso, waving a rolled-up newspaper and yelling expletives, Sgt. Bruce Fox said. Fox said Pedro stopped about 30 feet from the officer before turning and walking away.

Amber Willard LA CRESCENTA -- La Crescenta residents are asked to join others tonight in developing ideas for a community center. The group will look at what the area needs in such a center and what programs it would offer. The meeting is a follow-up to one in May sponsored by the group Seeds of Peace, which organized 11 neighborhood meetings to bring together residents in Glendale and La Crescenta. The La Crescenta meeting will start at 7 tonight at the Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station at 4554 Briggs Ave. For more information about the La Crescenta meeting, call Nancy Stone at 957-4987 or Susan Stroh at 541-7668.

Janine Marnien As news of a possible war with Iraq greets residents on a daily basis, the Justice and Peace Forum at St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church is turning to one of its most powerful weapons in an effort to prevent violence: prayer. The group will host an hourlong prayer service Wednesday to pray for a peaceful ending to the conflict with Iraq. The event is nonpolitical, said Katy Sadler, a participant in the service. Sadler is also the assistant principal in charge of student affairs at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy.

Alecia Foster DOWNTOWN -- Buddhist monks will use sand to re-create the design of the Shi-Tro Mandala Sculpture during a two-week stint at the Glendale Galleria. The sand mandala, a spiritual work of art used for worship by Tibetan Buddhists, will be created in a storefront between Macy's and Nordstrom department stores. "It'll be a work in progress," said Cindy Chong, vice president and general manager of the Galleria. The monks, or lamas, will begin the sculpture Thursday, but the exhibit will not open until Friday.

Gary Moskowitz The West African colony of Burkina Faso just got a lot a lot closer for a group of Clark Magnet High School students. About 60 Humanities students in Chris Davis' class Friday spoke directly to Peace Corps volunteer Erik Shang on speakerphone. Clark Magnet was one of 33 schools to speak directly to a Peace Corps volunteer Friday via speakerphone as part of International Peace Corps Day. Shang, a college friend of Davis, is stationed in a small village called Kiem Bara in the French colony of Burkina Faso.

Amber Willard GLENDALE -- When the members of We Care for Youth helped the community express its pain and sort out its angst over the stabbing death of a student, Frankie Lee Slater and other volunteers were there filming it. Caught on film was the emotional outpouring at a memorial on the sidewalk in front of Toll Middle School, where Raul Aguirre fell in May, fatally stabbed while trying to break up an alleged gang...