Success

After helping the Crescenta Valley High boys' basketball team reach the semifinals and qualify for the state tournament for the second straight season, Cole Currie reflected on the accomplishments from each season. The senior point guard, regarded as the linchpin to the Falcons' offensive attack with a knack for also grabbing a big rebound or threading a nifty pass to a sprinting teammate upcourt for an assist, had no difficulty drawing up a comparison between the two teams. “Last year, we expected a lot of success because we had a lot of experienced players who had been together for a long time,” Currie said.

A terrific organization is having a positive impact on the foothills from La Crescenta to Altadena. Founded in 2000, the Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy has preserved natural areas, planned regional trail systems, and educated residents about issues pertaining to local history and open space. Recently, the Arroyos and Foothills Conservancy (AFC) successfully secured funding to purchase, preserve and maintain land in La Crescenta. The 7.75 acre property is located atop Rosemont Avenue.

I do not understand all the hoopla over the Americana at Brand and the Golden Key Hotel. Rick Caruso built the Americana on land that the Glendale Redevelopment Agency essentially gave to him. Ray Patel's Golden Key Hotel was not part of that land deal. Instead, he and his employees put up with years of inconveniences during the building process. This process also allegedly drove a recording studio out of business ("Caruso lawsuit plot thickens," Jan. 22). If Caruso wanted this piece of land, why didn't he buy it from various owners at the start of the project?

Graduates of Glendale Adventist Academy celebrated their milestone on Sunday with family and friends during the commencement ceremony on Sunday in the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills. About 60 students from the centennial class of 2007 walked down the aisle during the processional and took their seats on stage. Commencement speaker Sam Leonor, a pastor at La Sierra University, addressed the graduating class at the podium. "The question is whether you have defined success," Leonor said, to the class.

The success of "Carmageddon" has given way to a political and lifestyle question: If L.A. residents can cut their driving for one weekend, why can't they drive less the rest of the time? The closure of the 405 Freeway over the Sepulveda Pass came with the threat of epic gridlock -- but the exact opposite happened. Streets and freeways were clear. Caltrans statistics show there were significantly fewer cars on some freeways and significantly less traffic, even in areas far from the 405. The outcome has Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other politicians suggesting the city try to build on the success and encourage people to stick close to home and stay out of their cars more often.

Erik Boal If it isn't already, the theme for the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy girls' volleyball team this season should be new additions. On Aug. 8, Tolog Coach Nancy Tinkham and her husband, David, welcomed a new member into their family -- joining 15-month-old daughter Emily -- with the birth of their son, Ian Scott Tinkham. In addition, Flintridge Sacred Heart is welcoming a group of talented newcomers -- featuring sophomore Kelly Smiland -- who will be joining the area's best core of returning players, led by 2001 News-Press All-Area selections Jillian Davis, Brittany Esser and Kacey Knauf.

Josh Kleinbaum John Wooden lived on a farm about eight miles north of Martinsville, Ind., during his freshman year at Martinsville High School. That's the year his father, Joshua, decided to raise horses, a simple decision that might have done wonders to shape one of the greatest basketball coaches in NCAA history. "He had the horses vaccinated," said Wooden, now a 93-year-old retired legend. "The vaccination happened to be bad, and they all died.

The Glendale Adventist Academy Class of 2006 paraded into Forest Lawn's Hall of Liberty Sunday to the sounds of "Pomp and Circumstance," wearing white gowns and flowered leis. And while the 37 graduates were accompanied at commencement by myriad family and friends ? many of them cheering loudly as their own graduate entered the huge auditorium ? their religion teacher reminded the class that no matter what they did in life, they would always have God on their side. "What is success?"

Ms. Deravanesian quoted me ("Board ignored south Glendale and its citizens," April 1) as saying that New Horizons was more successful than all the other CDBG applicants. I did not say that, nor is it true. My comment was centered on their success and/or ability to raise huge amounts of money, real estate and land. In turn, New Horizons, I hope, will counsel and teach children of south Glendale. I would suggest that New Horizons study and attempt to copy the methods used by the Homenetmen facility, which is a classic example of success.

"What do I need to do to make this year a success?" That is the question Lincoln Elementary School students were asked their first day of school. The students were greeted with red and white balloons, racecar cut-outs, and a rug designed like a road, and called the "road to success" as they walked through the school gate and toward their classrooms. A boom box playing "On the Road Again," filled the air with the theme. New principal Linda Edmond came up with the "road to success" theme to help motivate teachers and students alike.

For the first time in more than three years, the Glendale Fire Department is looking to hire. Fire officials plan to start accepting applications in August in an effort to hire 15 new firefighters who meet department qualifications, have a good work ethic and are willing to provide community service, Battalion Chief Tom Propst said. "There is a lot of competition out there and a lot of interest," he said. The push to hire new firefighters comes after a protracted recession, citywide budget cuts and operational changes in the Fire Department that kept hiring at a standstill despite ongoing retirements.

GLENDALE - Throughout the CIF Southern Section Division VI playoffs, Daniel Enzminger found himself involved all over the diamond in some bizarre and extraordinary plays involving the budding Flintridge Prep baseball team. Enzminger routinely patrolled center field, making several outstanding defensive plays. He also struck out on a wild pitch that allowed the winning run to score in what would be Flintridge Prep's most improbable victory of the entire season. Enzminger had the same feeling again Tuesday during Flintridge Prep's semifinal contest against top-seeded Desert Christian Academy at the Glendale Sports Complex.

Oleg Simonyan arrived at Andulka Park Tennis Center in Riverside on Thursday ready to compete in the CIF Southern Section Individuals Tournament. The Hoover High senior boys' tennis player got to the venue around 10 a.m. and received a first-round bye. He then had to wait nearly three hours before stepping on to the court. Simonyan couldn't find a rhythm after the waiting session and saw his season conclude with a 6-2, 6-2 second-round loss to Justin Zhang of Crean Lutheran. “Waiting around was very annoying,” said Simonyan, who finished runner-up in the Pacific League Tournament on May 1 and helped the Tornadoes advance to the Division I playoffs.

There was hardly any space left for students to park their bikes at R.D. White Elementary Wednesday morning after dozens peddled to school as part of the nationally recognized Bike to School Day. The event came less than a week after 13-year-old Jonathan Hernandez, a student at Roosevelt Middle School, died after he was struck by a school bus while riding his bicycle. Still, the organizers of "Bike to School Day" remained committed to hosting the event to encourage students to ride their bikes to school, reinforce safety tips and promote exercise.

The Montrose Harvest Market has become so popular that vendors are fighting over a limited number of spots. The issue came to the fore on Thursday when a feud between chiropractors for booth space sparked the need for the Montrose Shopping Park Assn. to clarify rules that allow the market manager to rotate vendors of certain types. That could spell trouble for Dale Ellwein, a chiropractor who has set up a booth at the market for roughly eight years. He said he generates about 33% of his business from the packed Sunday market on Honolulu Avenue.

More Glendale voters used the postal service to cast their votes than a polling center ballot box for the election on Tuesday, a trend that's been on the rise in the city - and across the state - now for years. The shift, candidates and elections experts say, has meant harder and longer campaigns that must capture voters over a much longer period of time. “You have to make sure you get your message out there in time for the earlier voters,” said Lori Cox Han, professor of political science at Chapman University.

LA CAÑADA - While half the Prep League was on spring break Thursday afternoon, the other half prepared for the second half of the season with a competitive league tri-league meet at La Cañada High that may have been more hotly contested than expected. In what may very well foreshadow a close Prep League championship later this season, the host Flintridge Prep boys defeated Pasadena Poly, 64-63, while the Panthers' girls exacted a measure of revenge by scoring 81 points in topping the Rebels (51)

Zareh Sinanyan - the City Council candidate at the center of this election season's biggest controversy so far - has also amassed the largest campaign war chest, with $70,065 on hand, according to the most recent financial disclosure filings. “The money is just flowing in,” Sinanyan said. “People are overwhelmingly supporting me.” Contributions for the April 2 election continued despite a request by some council members earlier this month to remove Sinanyan from his city commission seat because of vulgar and threatening comments that were posted under his name on YouTube and other websites.

Glendale Unified school board challenger Armina Gharpetian has raised far more money than her competitors so far, taking in roughly $20,000 as of March 16, according the most recent filings. Records show 26 contributors donated about $7,000 to Gharpetian's campaign for the period of Feb. 17 through March 16. That's more than all but one of her six competitors have raised so far for the entire campaign. And she's done it without hosting a major fundraiser. Gharpetian said her participation in several “meet-and-greets” have been proven effective in interacting with voters.

After helping the Crescenta Valley High boys' basketball team reach the semifinals and qualify for the state tournament for the second straight season, Cole Currie reflected on the accomplishments from each season. The senior point guard, regarded as the linchpin to the Falcons' offensive attack with a knack for also grabbing a big rebound or threading a nifty pass to a sprinting teammate upcourt for an assist, had no difficulty drawing up a comparison between the two teams. “Last year, we expected a lot of success because we had a lot of experienced players who had been together for a long time,” Currie said.