Stars

Beginning this week, the Crescenta Valley Sun will feature a local youth — or in this week’s case youths — who is/are worthy of a little recognition as our C.V. Sun All-Star. The child must be a resident or a student in the Crescenta Valley — which includes anywhere in Sunland, Tujunga, Montrose or La Crescenta — and should be outstanding for talent, personality or just being a great kid. All-Stars can be nominated by family, friends, teachers, youth leaders, or just about anyone who knows or works with young people.

The Crescenta Valley Major Baseball All-Stars went 8-2 in post season play this year. It would be a good record in anybody's book. However, the way the post season ended for CV wasn't as positive as it could have been. After winning eight games in a row to get to the Little League Division 3 Tournament last weekend at Stearns Champions Park in Long Beach, CV was riding high. The All-Stars went up against Aliso Viejo from District 55 in a first round game in the 11-and-12-year-old division on Saturday and lost 8-4 to the Section 5 Tournament winner.

Los Angeles is a place known for its celebrity-driven star-power but not known for the star-power that forms beautiful constellations in the night sky. Due to the pollution produced by the daily grind of urban living, the L.A. sky is not one that is conducive to viewing the splendor of the Milky Way. But for those of us out there who crave a little astronomical entertainment, Glendale offers an awe-inspiring alternative. Along the 1500 block of Verdugo sits Glendale Community College.

The La Crescenta Babe Ruth 13-year-old All-Star baseball team won't be going to the Babe Ruth World Series in Pine Bluff, Ark. this year as two straight loses in the Pacific Southwest Regional Tournament in West Jordan, Utah, last week ended the locals' season. The All-Stars ran out of gas against a team from Murray, Utah last Saturday, losing 6-4, in a second chance bracket game to finish their post season with a 3-3 record. La Crescenta experienced the same problem with Murray as it did with Buchanan in a 9-3 opening round defeat on July 29, it couldn't stop late inning rallies.

Darleene Barrientos Stepping away from the table where she had just met two of the stars of "Degrassi: The Next Generation," 17-year-old Monrovia resident Tricia Olbribge needed a moment to collect herself and look at some of the pictures her mom had taken of the encounter. "I'm, like, shaking so bad right now," Tricia said, wringing her hands. "I'm, like, speechless right now." Tricia, along with nearly 4,000 other teenagers from all over Southern California, clamored to meet Stacey Farber and Aubrey Graham, who play Ellie Nash and Jimmy Brooks, respectively, on "Degrassi," a cable TV drama.

Community members were jiving, grooving and shaking Wednesday night at the "Dance Under the Stars" event of the Verdugo Swing Society. The free event gave residents an opportunity to dance to the swing and big band music of the organization outdoors at Verdugo Park, 1621 Canada Blvd. The evening was part of a series of dancing events being hosted by the Verdugo Swing Society on Wednesdays over the summer. The group will also be at Verdugo Park on July 17, 24 and 31 and Aug. 7 and 14 for more music, dancing and socializing under the stars.

The North San Gabriel Valley All-Star baseball team, now competing in the Babe Ruth 16-18-year-olds World Series at the Babe Ruth National Complex at Don Edwards Park in Newark, Ohio, made it look easy for the first three games. But then the All Stars ran into the team from Worchester, Mass., the New England Regional champ, in the fourth National Division pool play game on Wednesday and fell to them, 10-3. However, the locals, who are now 3-1, will enter bracket play today (Friday)

Darleene Barrientos Following a serpentine queue, just outside the Glendale Galleria entrance at Central Avenue and Harvard Street on Saturday, thousands of teenage girls -- with their parents in tow -- waited for hours with magazines in hand. Among those teenagers, Bailee Marshall, 12, of Santa Clarita and Nadine Greene, 11, of Los Angeles were nearly in the door after four hours of waiting. "But it's worth it," Bailee said, with Nadine nodding vigorously in agreement.

RESIDENT STARS IN NEW PLAY IN HOLLYWOOD Glendale resident Gioia Marchese will be starring in The Bridge West’s production of “Parallel Lives,” opening Friday at The Complex Theatre, 6470 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. The play also stars Emily Schweitz, and is a comedy written by stand-up comediennes Kathy Najimy and Mo Gaffney, based on “The Kathy and Mo Show.” Under the direction of Elina de Santos, the actresses will portray more than 22 characters.

The Platinum All Stars' Senior All-Girls Team won the National Championship at the Universal Cheerleading Association's National Championships at Disney World in Orlando, Fla., on March 12. Defeating several all star cheerleading teams from around the country, Platinum captured its first ever national UCA title. The 18-member team ranges in age from 12 to 18. Platinum's Senior Co-Ed Team, made up of members ages 12 to 18, placed third in the Co-Ed division. The UCA National Championships is the largest and most prestigious cheerleading competition in the nation.