San Fernando Road

Development continues to spread into Glendale's neglected southern section as a third large mixed-use building along the San Fernando Road corridor received initial approval from city officials this week. On Tuesday, the city council unanimously approved a preliminary design for The Link, a five-story apartment building with 142 units and 16,000 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor. It will be constructed on a roughly one-acre lot on the northwest corner of Central Avenue and San Fernando Road.

The Planning Commission on Wednesday recommended approval for a proposal to add 58 apartments and an extra floor to the planned Glendale Triangle project in the San Fernando Road corridor, bringing the total number of apartments to 287. Twenty-two of the apartments would be low-income units, according to the proposal, which must still get final approval from the City Council. The project was originally approved in October 2011 with 229 units, 11 of which would have been low-income units.

San Fernando Road, one of the oldest and most historic streets in Glendale, is part of a route that traces its roots back to Southern California's earliest days. Once a primitive, dusty trail, it was the primary route for those traveling from Mexico City to Northern California. No doubt, many of the Spanish soldiers, priests, Indians and early settlers used the trail as they passed through this area. The route ran right through the 36,000 acres on which Spanish soldier Jose Maria Verdugo grazed his cattle.

GLENDALE ? A man crashed his truck into a utility pole on San Fernando Road Monday morning, knocking it and a second pole down and cutting off electricity to surrounding homes and businesses, police said. The man apparently lost control of his Chevrolet S-10 pick-up truck, hitting a utility pole after he turned north onto San Fernando Road from Electronics Place just west of the railroad tracks, Los Angeles Police Officer Richard Eagleson said. At least two other cars parked alongside the road were damaged, he said.

GLENDALE — The world's top franchiser of paint-your-own-ceramics studios is bringing its headquarters into the city — a move that takes Glendale one step closer to filling its vacant office space. Color Me Mine Enterprises Inc. — formerly of North Hollywood — has purchased a building on the 3700 block of San Fernando Road. Company President Michael Mooslin said he chose Glendale because of its location and efforts to revitalize the corridor. "I love what Glendale's been doing over the years," he said.

GLENDALE — After years of being held up in fruitless negotiations between the city and railroad and utility authorities, the Redevelopment Agency is poised to approve a whittled-down plan to beautify a portion of San Fernando Road today. The project would add $1.5 million worth of new trees, shrubs, vines and irrigation infrastructure along the west side of San Fernando Road between Grandview and Goodwin avenues. "It is a much scaled-down version of our original planting scheme," Glendale Mayor Ara Najarian said.

GLENDALE — City officials are stressing the need for calm during ongoing construction on San Fernando Road that has closed two lanes of traffic and caused prolonged delays along one of Glendale’s main thoroughfares. Construction crews this week will be installing four 90-foot-tall columns between West Doran Street and Fairmount Avenue as part of the bridge extension project that will expand Fairmont Avenue west over San Fernando Road, the adjoining railroad tracks and the Verdugo Wash, Public Works Director Steve Zurn said.

Crews will soon begin work on a $3.8-million revamp of San Fernando Road with new pavement and more aligned intersections for the busy industrial corridor. The City Council is expected to sign off on the construction contract today, with work on the six-month project slated to begin in February. The second phase of the San Fernando Road rehabilitation project — funded by state bond proceeds — will run from Tyburn Street to Pacific Avenue. For a corridor that sees up to 35,000 daily vehicle trips — many of which are heavy work trucks or big rigs — the street needs it, said Public Works Director Steve Zurn.

Dozens of people lined up outside a San Fernando Road building Thursday morning as a familiar face returned to the Glendale retail scene. The Salvation Army opened a new thrift store in south Glendale, about two years after closing a Brand Boulevard shop. The new store breathes life into a site abandoned by Smart & Final warehouse stores when that chain opened a store on Glenoaks Boulevard. Opening day brought Glendale Chamber of Commerce ambassadors, shoppers and treasure hunters to the Salvation Army at 6850 San Fernando Road.

A former NBA player who had a short stint with the Clippers was arrested this weekend on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs after he was pulled over by Glendale police for allegedly speeding. Police on Sunday stopped LeRon Ellis - who played three seasons in the NBA in the 1990s - in his 2007 Chrysler 300 sedan about 11:31 p.m. at San Fernando Road and Goodwin Avenue in Los Angeles after he was spotted driving 50 mph in a 35 mph zone, according to Glendale police. His license plate lamplight also wasn't working, which was a violation, police said.

Development continues to spread into Glendale's neglected southern section as a third large mixed-use building along the San Fernando Road corridor received initial approval from city officials this week. On Tuesday, the city council unanimously approved a preliminary design for The Link, a five-story apartment building with 142 units and 16,000 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor. It will be constructed on a roughly one-acre lot on the northwest corner of Central Avenue and San Fernando Road.

A squirrel caused 1,500 homes to briefly lose power Thursday morning in West Glendale, officials said. Glendale Water & Power crews discovered the singed squirrel and short circuit just before 8:30 a.m. at San Fernando Road and Allen Avenue, city spokesman Tom Lorenz said. Power was restored within about 20 minutes. -- Veronica Rocha, Times Community News Follow Veronica Rocha on Google+ and on Twitter: @VeronicaRochaLA

Glendale's development boom is spreading south from downtown to the city border as a planned six-story, 238-unit apartment complex received initial approval Tuesday in a unanimous vote by the City Council. Proposed by L.A.-based Avalon Land Co., LLC, Tropico Apartments would be built on a 91,926-square-foot lot at 435 W. Los Feliz Road, which was the site for two proposed developments in the past several years that were never completed. In 2005, a mixed-use project with condominiums and retail was approved but fell through.

A former NBA player who had a short stint with the Clippers was arrested this weekend on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs after he was pulled over by Glendale police for allegedly speeding. Police on Sunday stopped LeRon Ellis - who played three seasons in the NBA in the 1990s - in his 2007 Chrysler 300 sedan about 11:31 p.m. at San Fernando Road and Goodwin Avenue in Los Angeles after he was spotted driving 50 mph in a 35 mph zone, according to Glendale police. His license plate lamplight also wasn't working, which was a violation, police said.

Glendale plans to begin construction on two railroad crossings in the San Fernando Road corridor in March, continuing a years-long effort to create a section of railway in which trains won't have to blow their horns. Pushed by residential noise complaints, Glendale officials have been working on improving several railroad crossings, a necessary step before the city can apply for a so-called “quiet zone” from the Federal Railroad Administration. Once all the crossings have adequate safety improvements approved by federal transportation officials, engineers could stop honking their horns when they pass a crossing, a welcome development for Pelanconi Estates residents.

So your sweetheart wants to go out on the town for Valentine's Day? Dinner can be pricey and reservations hard to get. How about cocktails, small bites and entertainment till the wee hours of the morning? Can this be found in Glendale? Absolutely. Here's a guide to the burgeoning Glendale night life scene and to some tried-and-true spots. Instead of splurging on an expensive dinner, why not start the night by sharing the outstanding Taco Tasting platter at Frida in the Americana at Brand.

Pro Italia Motorcycles, which has sold European brands in Glendale for 25 years, is opening a second store to sell Triumph and Moto Guzzi models. Owner Bill Nation said sales were up 14% in 2012 compared to the year before, but he's wanted to expand with the Triumph brand for years, making the new shop the fruition of a longtime desire. He secured the rights to sell Triumph six weeks ago after a three-year pursuit, and said he was looking forward to helping the venerable British brand expand its presence in the United States “They will eventually be a bigger brand [in the U.S.]

A local company on Friday donated more than $5,000 in toys and sports equipment to the Glendale Fire Department's toy drive for low-income children. Glendale firefighters picked up the large donation from 4 Over Inc., a wholesale trade printer in the 5900 block of San Fernando Road. The toys will be distributed to local children. The Fire Department's toy drive is part of the larger Spark of Love campaign, in which firefighters from Southern California collect new and unwrapped toys for under-served children.

A 27-year-old Glendale man was robbed Wednesday evening while jogging on San Fernando Road near Cerritos Avenue, police said. The jogger was running about 7:30 p.m. on San Fernando Road when he heard a man call out to him, according to Glendale police. The man asked the jogger if he had any money. But when the jogger replied that he didn't, the man threatened to shoot him if he didn't hand over his necklace and money, police said. Fearing for his safety, the jogger gave the man his necklace and $18 in cash, police said.

The shelves at the Wonder Hostess Bakery Thrift Shop in Glendale Friday were sparse as customers made runs on Twinkies, Ho Hos and Ding Dongs after the iconic snack food company asked a judge for permission to go out of business and lay off 18,500 workers nationwide. Twenty-five workers at the Hostess shop and distribution center on San Fernando Road, and another 138 bakery workers at a plant in Atwater, will lose their jobs. Others, including delivery drivers, will also be impacted, although the total number has yet to be determined, said Hostess Brands spokeswoman Tammy Taylor.