San Gabriel

Amber Willard GLENDALE -- San Gabriel is the newest addition to the Verdugo Communications Center, started 15 years ago by Glendale, Burbank and Pasadena. San Gabriel is the ninth city to join the 911 system, which has computer-aided dispatching that connects all of the areas. By linking to the system, San Gabriel will also help pay for the $1.7-million annual operation cost. The nine cities split the costs on the basis of size and number of calls.

GLENDALE — A first-ever meeting between the Flintridge Prep and Renaissance Academy boys’ basketball teams became a distinct possibility when both teams found themselves in the same pool of the San Gabriel Tournament earlier this week. The matchup never came to fruition, as both teams managed to stay undefeated through the first three rounds while never crossing paths. A 57-31 win for Prep over host San Gabriel on Friday night, coupled with a 61-33 win by Renaissance earlier Friday against El Monte, saw both teams emerge from pool play with perfect 3-0 records.

In some respects, fielding has become a lost art of sorts on the baseball diamond. With an increasing emphasis of the game placed on offense and more offense, the steady and even stunning plays supplied in the field are often overlooked. However, the importance of making all those plays is not lost on Kris Kauppila, who, with his glove, has often turned the spectacular into routine. The Crescenta Valley High shortstop is a throwback of sorts, a kid who savors his time spent in the field as much, if not more, than stepping up to the plate.

NORTHWEST GLENDALE — Hoover High boys' basketball Coach Vigen Jilizian doesn't mind low-scoring affairs. In fact, he prefers them. The coach liked what he saw on Wednesday night, as the Tornadoes defeated San Gabriel, 46-39, in pool play of the Hoover Classic Tournament. "As a coach you can never be concerned when your team is thinking too much defensively," said Jilizian, whose team defeated South Pasadena, 69-55, the Tuesday. "I like [Wednesday's] game better. "I don't mind these low scores.

LOS ANGELES — Just like they were in Ohio in August, all eyes were on the members of the San Gabriel Valley Babe Ruth All-Stars on Thursday. Except this stage might just have been a bit grander. The squad stood alone on the field at Dodger Stadium as it was honored for capturing the 16-18 Babe Ruth World Series title, prior to the Dodgers’ game with the San Diego Padres. Some picked pieces of the infield grass, others used their cell phones to capture lasting images and each and every member heard their name echo through the stadium during individual introductions.

ARCADIA — When the Arroyo Seco and San Gabriel Valley Babe Ruth All-Star squads get together, it's not your ho-hum Babe Ruth game. "We go head to head every year," said Arroyo Seco Coach Aaron Milam, an assistant on the St. Francis High team. "It's a big rivalry." In past years, it's a rivalry San Gabriel has gotten the best of, though. After all, it's won the World Series in Ohio two of the last three years. This time around, things are a bit different. "That's a good team," said San Gabriel Coach Phil Torres, who's also the head coach for Crescenta Valley High.

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan BURBANK -- The Hoover High girls' basketball team knew it was a matter of time before it stopped its losing ways. The Tornadoes have struggled early in the season losing seven of their first eight games. On Tuesday Hoover took a turn in the right direction against San Gabriel High in pool play of the Bellarmine-Jefferson Holiday Tournament. It defeated the Matadors, 47-26, at Bell-Jeff High to snap a six-game losing streak.

Mary G. Theiss passed away September 24, 2010 in San Gabriel, California.  She was 103 years of age and succeeded her husband, Joseph Theiss and son, Joseph Edward (Ed) Theiss.  Mary was a life long resident of Glendale, CA after arriving here from Providence, Rhode island in 1922. Mary is survived by one nephew, Michael Sciaraffa of San Gabriel, CA, and two nieces, Monica Sciaraffa Uballez of Santa Monica, CA, and Carol Ann Sciaraffa Sullivan of Riva, Maryland. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, October 4, 2010 at 10:00am at the Holy Redeemer Chapel in Holy Cross Cemetery, 5835 W. Slauson Avenue, Culver City, CA.   Callanan & Woods Scovern Mortuary 818-242-0258, www.callananwoodsscovern.

Charles Rich Defense won't go unnoticed this year under John Nelson. In fact, the veteran Crescenta Valley High boys' volleyball coach won't be shy to render an immediate observation concerning defensive positioning, blocking and digging. Nelson dug right in after the host Falcons opened their season Wednesday with a 25-6, 25-18, 25-16 victory against San Gabriel in a nonleague match that took 50 minutes to complete. -- BOX SCORE -- -- San Gabriel 6 18 16 Crescenta Valley 25 25 25 -- -- SAN GABRIEL Lee 7 kills.

Hoover boys' basketball story.Basketball: Tornado boys run away from San Gabriel en route to Hoover Tournament final.NORTHWEST GLENDALE -- While Hoover High boys' basketball Coach Vigen Jilizian isn't quite certain, he believes the Tornadoes last won their host tournament in 1996. They'll have a chance to do it in 2005 tonight. Thanks in large part to a second quarter in which Hoover was near-perfect, the Tornadoes dismantled San Gabriel, 62-21, in a pool-play game Thursday night at the Hoover Tournament.

State agricultural inspectors have enacted a quarantine and are going door-to-door in a Hacienda Heights neighborhood in an effort to help save the state's $2-billion citrus industry and beloved backyard fruit trees from a disease that has wreaked havoc in Florida and Brazil . The sale of citrus trees is banned in a five-mile radius around the Los Angeles County neighborhood where Huanglongbing, or yellow dragon disease, was first detected...

SAN GABRIEL — Every match the Holy Family High girls' soccer team has played this season has come with a handicap, as the Gaels' roster consists of just 10 players — one short of a full team. On Wednesday, the team's numbers were whittled down even further to nine due to a missing player and, with opponent San Gabriel Mission fielding a full 11 with bench players to spare, the deck was stacked even more heavily against Holy Family. The Gaels never got a shot attempt off in a 10-0 Horizon League loss that saw the host Pioneers continue to attack the goal with full force right up until the final whistle.

More than 3,000 Southern California customers were without power Friday after a short-lived but strong thunderstorm hit the region and residents braced for a day of high winds. Southern California Edison estimated that 3,196 customers did not have electricity early Friday morning, mainly in the San Gabriel Valley. At the height of the storm more than 20,000 lost power, said Vanessa McGrady, a spokeswoman for the utility. A high-wind warning issued by the National Weather Service remains in effect until Saturday afternoon in Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

One of the most widespread groundwater contaminants in the nation is more dangerous to humans than earlier thought, a federal agency has determined, in a decision that could raise the cost of cleanups nationwide, including large areas of the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys. The final risk assessment for trichloroethylene by the Environmental Protection Agency found that the widely used industrial solvent causes kidney and liver cancer , lymphoma and other health problems.

Public health officials have issued air quality warnings for valleys from San Fernando to San Gabriel, and cautioned residents to protect themselves against extremely high temperatures through Thursday. Daytime highs through Thursday could hit 107 degrees in the Greater Glendale area, 105 degrees in Pasadena, according to the National Weather Service. Los Angeles County public health officials today said the blistering heat, combined with unhealthy air conditions, could spell serious trouble for the elderly, small children and pets.

GLENDALE — Midway through the fifth batter of the game, San Gabriel Valley Babe Ruth 16-18 All-Star Coach Phil Torres had to make a difficult decision in removing starting pitcher Gary Acuna. The usually reliable Acuna struggled early with his command, walking the first four batters of the game before being removed after tossing two balls to the fifth batter. "Acuna is a real good pitcher and he wanted to pitch well, but we had to give ourselves a chance," Torres said after San Gabriel Valley was handed a 4-0 loss against Ottumwa, Iowa, on Monday night in an American Division pool-play game of the World Series at Ephrata High in Ephrata, Wash.

GLENDALE — With the San Gabriel Valley Babe Ruth 16-18 All-Star team unable to advance in the bracket portion of the World Series, Elliott Surrey made sure to send his team out on a winning note. Surrey proved to be more than up for the challenge and, in the process, pinned the defending champions with a rare loss Tuesday afternoon. Surrey tossed a five-hit shutout and struck out four to help San Gabriel Valley earn a 3-0 victory against Mobile, Ala., in an American Division pool play contest at Ephrata High in Ephrata, Wash.

Though it had been together for nearly a week, the San Gabriel Valley Babe Ruth 16-18 All-Star baseball team already knew its main strength - a dependable starting pitching rotation. For San Gabriel Valley to return to the World Series for the first time in two years, it would have to rely on its starters going deep into games at the Pacific Southwest Regional Tournament while protecting slim leads. The rotation proved to be up to the challenge, with Kyle Murray getting things started.

GLENDALE — To get the newest cast of players acclimated to the lofty expectations set by its brethren, San Gabriel Valley Babe Ruth 16-18 All-Star baseball Coach Phil Torres made a video presentation. Torres, who also serves as the Crescenta Valley High baseball coach, showed highlights from the San Gabriel Valley squad that won the 2006 World Series championship and explained the rigors of what it takes to beat some of the top-flight national programs. "It's so they understand the tradition," said Torres, whose piloted San Gabriel Valley to three championships since 2004 and will seek a fourth, beginning when San Gabriel Valley meets Middle Atlantic in a World Series American Division pool-play contest at 11 a.m. today at Ephrata High in Ephrata, Wash.