Verdugo Park

A small notice in a 1916 edition of the Glendale Evening News informed readers, "Emil Kiefer, an employee at the White Store, is now working for Pulliam Undertaking Co. He intends to make this his life's work. He is a young man of great energy. He came here from Minnesota two years ago and has made many friends. " But shortly after this notice ran, Kiefer said good bye to his many friends - including a young lady we'll meet later in the story - and left town. He was in the first group of volunteers who responded to the call to fight in the Great War, as World War I was known in those days.

The Glendale Police Department's top dogs will show off their crime-fighting skills Saturday during the fourth annual Glendale K-9s in the Park event. Along with watching Glendale's police dogs in action, residents will get to enter their pets in a dog costume contest. Dog owners can also test their pets' running speed, which will be clocked with a radar gun. The free event - which is sponsored by the Police Department, Glendale Police Foundation and the city - will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Verdugo Park, 1621 Cañada Blvd.

Joshua M. Pelzer Automobile history will be on display when more than 300 collectible cars, trucks and motorcycles make their way to Verdugo Park on Sunday for the annual Jewel City Kiwanis Car Show. Car enthusiasts will see rows of vintage collectibles with period music playing from when these classics owned the roads. The tunes will be accompanied by live jazz performances by local high school bands from Hoover, Glendale and Crescenta Valley high schools.

Gary Moskowitz A few thousand people are expected at Verdugo Park this weekend for the fourth annual Armenian Independence Day Festival, an event designed for people of all ages. The festival will be from 11 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Verdugo Park, 1621 Canada Blvd. The event is free and open to the public. The event, which will celebrate the 11th anniversary of Armenia's independence from the former Soviet Union, is sponsored by the Nor Serount Cultural Assn.

Siran Kazanchyan and her two granddaughters laid out a plaid blanket Sunday on the lawn of Verdugo Park to celebrate a historical cultural milestone —the 17th anniversary of Armenian independence. “The event is a great way to teach my granddaughters about Armenian culture,” Kazanchyan said. “Even though they were born here, I always try to help them learn about our history. Every time they come over to my house, we only speak Armenian.” Kazanchyan was one of an expected 5,000 people who filled Verdugo Park to take part in the 10th Annual Armenian Independence Day Festival.

As a business, Glendale parks improved their earnings last year, with demand higher for events at parks and buildings. The city's Community Services and Parks Department took in $136,174 in facility permit fees for fiscal year 2010, an increase from the $125,000 made in 2009, according to a recently released year-end report. The parks system was able to grow earnings despite fewer options for inclement weather or renovations. Last year, rentable facilities included two community buildings and six park locations.

Karen S. Kim NORTHEAST GLENDALE -- Glendale residents interested in getting a good workout while promoting the idea of healthy living are invited to lend their feet to the 5K and 10K "Just for the Health of It" run/walk Sunday beginning in Verdugo Park. Sponsored by the Homenetmen Glendale Chapter, Glendale Adventist Center and the Glendale Alcohol Referral Center, the event will include an aerobics session offered by 24 Hour Fitness trainers, a performance by the Hoover High School Jazz Band and free food and drinks donated by local retailers.

Buck Wargo CITY HALL -- Griffith Manor Park has been eliminated from consideration as a permanent location as a skate park facility. Nello Iacono, director of the city's parks department, said Wednesday the 2.85-acre park doesn't have the room, especially since frontage will be removed because of the widening of the Golden State (5) Freeway. That may put more of an emphasis on Verdugo Park, 1621 Canada Blvd, to be home of the skate facility. The Verdugo Woodlands West Homeowners Assn.

"The Sandlot" comes to Verdugo Park The Glendale Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department will screen the children's classic "The Sandlot" at dusk Friday in Verdugo Park, 1621 Canada Blvd., as part of its Summer Moonlight Movies program. Families are invited to arrive early and bring a picnic dinner. For more information, call (818) 548-3785. Zarian to host local reform advocates Local residents B. Ritchie Payne and Richard Seeley will discuss City Council districts, voting by mail and campaign finance reform on the "Larry Zarian Forum" at 7 p.m. today on Charter Communications Channel 26. The live call-in program's phone number is (818)

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.

A small notice in a 1916 edition of the Glendale Evening News informed readers, "Emil Kiefer, an employee at the White Store, is now working for Pulliam Undertaking Co. He intends to make this his life's work. He is a young man of great energy. He came here from Minnesota two years ago and has made many friends. " But shortly after this notice ran, Kiefer said good bye to his many friends - including a young lady we'll meet later in the story - and left town. He was in the first group of volunteers who responded to the call to fight in the Great War, as World War I was known in those days.

Hyundai, the TV drama "Bones" and others shooting commercials, magazine spreads and movies have all recently rented out the Verdugo Skate Park, which has seen a bump in its popularity among location scouts. “Film permits are definitely going up,” said Gabrielle Goglia, the city's community services supervisor. “We've been seeing a lot more requests coming in since July.” The hope is that as word of mouth spreads within the filming community and Glendale parks get a good reputation, the extra money made through film permits can supplement the city's operations.

The brunch meeting of the American Assn. of University Women (AAUW) opened with pizazz as six young women, all beneficiaries of scholarships to Tech Trek, were introduced. Tech Trek is a one-week immersion into science and technology for girls from Wilson and Toll middle schools. The program is sponsored and, in part, financed by AAUW, Glendale Chapter. Members of the Glendale Soroptimists also contribute funds. On Saturday (Oct. 13) at the Oakmont Country Club, some 60 members and guests were treated to the young women's remarks.

The Glendale Police Department's top dogs will show off their crime-fighting skills Saturday during the fourth annual Glendale K-9s in the Park event. Along with watching Glendale's police dogs in action, residents will get to enter their pets in a dog costume contest. Dog owners can also test their pets' running speed, which will be clocked with a radar gun. The free event - which is sponsored by the Police Department, Glendale Police Foundation and the city - will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Verdugo Park, 1621 Cañada Blvd.

A 45-year-old Los Angeles woman on Monday reported seeing a man who was masturbating while sitting in a parked car at Verdugo Park, police said. The woman spotting the man shortly after parking next to his white, older model sports car about 10 a.m., Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said. She quickly looked away and called police. Officers searched the area for the man, but were unable to find him, Lorenz said. She described the man as Latino and in his 60s with black and grey slicked hair.

The city has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed on behalf of an 11-year-old who suffered a roughly 5-inch gash on her forearm while on a school field trip at Verdugo Park nearly two years ago. Anahit Allakhverdian was pushing a younger student on a swing when a broken metal strap jabbed into her forearm, causing the injury, according to court records. After Armenouhi Ghourgoian, Anahit's mother, sued the city over the June 2010 incident, last week the city finalized a $28,000-settlement with the Sun Valley family.

Kudos to parks services officials for the brush-clearing this year at Verdugo Park. It is great to be able to see the trees through the forest. And my dog likes it, too! James Diffley Glendale Half a loaf better than no loaf? As a kid growing up in Boyle Heights, there were no parks nearby, so we improvised and made the city street a football field and my youngest cousin the “football.” As a teenager in Glendale, my sister and I played tennis in the street.

GLENDALE — The 49-year-old driver of a Mazda sedan could face reckless driving charges after police caught him doing 30 mph in Central Glendale — in reverse. An off-duty Glendale police spotted Gurgen Gukasyan about 6 a.m. Saturday driving in reverse on North Glendale Avenue at about 30 mph for more than three miles, Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said. Gukasyan was also the driver who allegedly caused thousands of dollars’ worth of damage after driving his car up onto Verdugo Park in December before parking and blaring his music.

As a business, Glendale parks improved their earnings last year, with demand higher for events at parks and buildings. The city's Community Services and Parks Department took in $136,174 in facility permit fees for fiscal year 2010, an increase from the $125,000 made in 2009, according to a recently released year-end report. The parks system was able to grow earnings despite fewer options for inclement weather or renovations. Last year, rentable facilities included two community buildings and six park locations.