Vehicles

  The announcement was made Nov. 15 during media days leading up to the Los Angeles Auto Show, which opened to the public the following morning and runs through Sunday at the Convention Center in downtown L.A. Other vehicles considered for the honor were the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid, Mazda Tribute Hybrid, Nissan Altima Hybrid and the Saturn Aura Hybrid. To be considered, a vehicle had to be on sale and widely available to the public as of Jan. 1, 2008. "We look for vehicles [to honor]

GLENDALE — Since April, more than 40 sets of passenger-side and driver-side mirrors have been reported stolen from Mercedes and sport utility vehicles. In October alone, more than a dozen such thefts have been reported, mostly from residents on Roselawn Avenue, Glenoaks Boulevard, Viscano Drive and Valley View, Greenbriar and Philips roads, according to police reports. Mercedes E32 models are among the most affected, according to reports. “When you start noticing trends like that happening on particular items, it’s because there’s a market out there for it,” Glendale Police Officer John Balian said.

Glendale officials today opened the registration period for car enthusiasts who want their vehicles -- made in 1979 or earlier -- to have a spot on Brand Boulevard for Cruise Night. The event on July 21 is expected to showcase roughly 400 vehicles, but the slots fill quickly, according to a announcement from the city today. Those who want to enter their vehicles may submit their registration online via www.ci.glendale.ca.us/CruiseNight2012.asp or by calling (818) 548-4860 with questions.

GRAFFITI CODE WHAT HAPPENED The City Council introduced an ordinance to amend the city's code relating to graffiti. WHAT IT MEANS The ordinance would update and expand the definition of graffiti to include more modern tools, including aerosol paint containers, paint stick, adhesive labels and etching tools. In addition, the city now has only 10 days, rather than 20, to remove graffiti, according to the amendments. VOTE No vote.

Janine Marnien When it comes to safety, the California Highway Patrol is more concerned about drivers than parked vehicles. Safety concerns surrounding large, parked vehicles in La Crescenta have been voiced by some residents in support of a proposed parking ordinance, arguing that such vehicles block visibility for drivers and pedestrians. But visibility can be blocked at any time by a number of different objects, CHP Officer Vince Bell said.

A new exhibit opened at the Petersen Automotive Museum last weekend that features American convertibles. Called Going Topless In Style: The American Convertible, it will run through Oct. 7. Southern Californians have always considered convertibles the ideal vehicles for the area's mild climate and vast network of scenic roads. Going Topless in Style will celebrate our fascination with convertibles by presenting a wide variety of domestically produced ragtops that illustrate the development of the body type from the first versions built during the early twentieth century to modern times.

Buck Wargo CITY HALL -- Just what every driver dreams of: the ability to change a red light to green at will. Beeline buses and fire department vehicles will have that technology available to them in April 2002. Glendale is carrying through on its plan announced more than a year ago to install transmitters on buses that would keep them on schedule and install similar devices on fire vehicles that would help them respond to emergencies faster.

Janine Marnien Some of those who attended the first of two public hearings on a proposed ordinance that would limit street parking of nonconforming vehicles didn't agree with the dimensions chosen to define such vehicles. Some didn't agree with the time chosen to limit the parking -- between 1 and 6 a.m. And others just plain didn't like the ordinance at all. In a hearing that lasted more than two hours Wednesday in the stuffy cafeteria at Rosemont Middle School, about 100 residents on both sides of the issue made their opinions known to a panel of county representatives.

SOUTH GLENDALE — Thieves broke into 11 vehicles parked in six subterranean parking garages over the weekend and stole more than $3,500 worth in navigation systems, music players and eye wear, police said. The thieves struck six apartment buildings on Concord Street, Wilson Street and California Avenue on Saturday and broke into vehicles whose owners left valuables visible to passersby, Glendale Police Det. Mauricio Barba said. Police were investigating whether an individual or a group committed the string of vehicle burglaries during the weekend and other burglaries that have occurred this year, he said.

A sport utility vehicle overturned Tuesday afternoon on the westbound Ventura (134) Freeway to the northbound Glendale (2) Freeway. Three people sustained moderate injuries in the crash at 12:42 p.m., officials said. A Sigalert was issued shortly after the accident. Authorities closed the road for less than an hour as crews cleaned up. The SUV driver reportedly swerved to avoid a big rig, which was parked on the side of the road, according to Highway Patrol reports. Vandalism incidents 'connected' Police have been investigating a series of vandalism incidents in north Glendale that resulted in eight cars being extensively damaged by rocks, eggs and BB gun pellets, officials said.

An 18-year-old Montrose woman was arrested Monday on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol after losing control of her car and crashing into a light pole on Canada Boulevard, officials said. The woman, Teri Haggar, was driving south about 9:30 p.m. on the 2900 block of Canada Boulevard when she decided to pass a slower car, according to Glendale police reports. She lost control on a turn at speeds of up to 70 mph, went into the bike lane and struck a light pole and tree, according to police.

Glendale officials today opened the registration period for car enthusiasts who want their vehicles -- made in 1979 or earlier -- to have a spot on Brand Boulevard for Cruise Night. The event on July 21 is expected to showcase roughly 400 vehicles, but the slots fill quickly, according to a announcement from the city today. Those who want to enter their vehicles may submit their registration online via www.ci.glendale.ca.us/CruiseNight2012.asp or by calling (818) 548-4860 with questions.

A 300-pound black bear was struck and killed by a vehicle two miles east of Piru over the weekend, but Fish and Game officials confirmed Monday that it was not the meatball-loving bear from Glendale. "We know it's not Glen Bearian because it weighted 100 pounds less," said spokesman Andrew Hughan. "We would know if it was him because he has a big bright orange '210' ear tag. "  The incident occurred about 7 a.m. Sunday morning on Highway 126, according to Hughan, who said there were car "parts everywhere" at the scene, but the driver did not stop.

A 50-year-old Montrose man was arrested this morning after he allegedly fired shots at an occupied vehicle, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said. At about 2:20 a.m., the man, whose name wasn't immediately released, allegedly fired shots at a vehicle occupied by two people, in the 1900 block of Waltonia Drive, said sheriff's Sgt. Brett Hanson. No one was injured in the shooting, which occured in the unincorporated part of Montrose. Sheriff's deputies are asking residents to avoid the area because they are still investigating the shooting.

Police reinforced the need for community involvement Tuesday night to dozens of residents following a spate of vehicle thefts in the South Glendale area. The spike in vehicle thefts was partly due to residents leaving their keys inside the ignition while they run inside their homes for a few seconds, said the area's lieutenant, Todd Anderson. While police arrested two men who allegedly were responsible for some of the thefts, police still warned residents at a town hall meeting at the retirement community, Windsor Manor, to protect their belongings and to be vigilant.

The Bob Hope Airport put into service on Monday a firefighting vehicle that's the first of its kind in the country because it delivers more concentrated foam to knock down fuel-related aircraft fires, officials said. The vehicle is equipped with a compressed-air foam system that uses less water than systems now deployed at other airports in the United States, officials said. The higher concentration of foam allows the substance to adhere better to burning surfaces, which are typically more volatile when they involve aircraft carrying heavy fuel loads.

These days a dollar can buy a can of soda, a song on iTunes - or, in the case of South Pasadena, an armored vehicle. Last week the city took delivery of a vehicle known as a Peacekeeper, paying Burbank $1 for the privilege. Burbank originally received the Peacekeeper as surplus from the U.S. Air Force. The Peacekeeper is primarily used for rescues and creates a barrier between a potential shooter and a resident or police officer, said Burbank Police Lt. John Dilbert. The Peacekeeper saw no action during its Burbank years, except during SWAT exercises, but South Pasadena Police Chief Joe Payne said his agency is boosting its SWAT training and capabilities, and he's pleased to have the vehicle.

A vehicle fire on the shoulder of the northbound Golden State (5) Freeway just before Colorado Street is snarling the morning commute. The fire, reported about 7:15 a.m., at one point fully engulfed the vehicle before Los Angeles firefighters arrived on scene. The incident has temporarily blocked the No. 4 lane, according to Caltrans, and a Sigalert has been issued. The occupants of the vehicle reportedly exited before the blaze ignited. -- Jason Wells, Times Community News Twitter: @JasonBretWells

Glendale has received $300,000 from an air pollution control agency to purchase 10 new natural-gas-powered vehicles for the Public Works Department. The natural-gas vehicles emit less toxins and particulates into the air than their diesel and unleaded gasoline counterparts, according to a city report. The Public Works Department is in the process of replacing a significant portion of its diesel and unleaded gasoline fleet. The South Coast Air Quality Management District grant will help Glendale follow up with a sweeping policy that calls for the reduction of greenhouse gases created by city activities.

Eleven new electric vehicle charging stations will debut in Burbank this week, and until July 1, motorists will get to plug in for free. After the “holiday rate” - approved by the Burbank City Council this week - the price to charge a vehicle will be $2 per hour. But any other charging stations that come online after January will also feature a six-month grace period, according to the city. Burbank Water and Power officials settled on the $2 rate after surveying similar pricing across Southern California, but that could change during the three-year demonstration project funded partly by a $61,000 grant from the California Department of Energy.