Women

The women and children of this state are facing a crisis of major proportions. When California faces tough times, those times are even tougher for women and the families in their care. For the past several years, the state has consistently balanced its budget by cutting services to women and children. The California Commission on the Status of Women is needed now, more than ever, to ensure women are not unfairly burdened in this dire economy. It is the official voice of women in this state and advises the administration on gender equity issues.

Two women reported Tuesday that a motorist rolled his vehicle window down and began masturbating as he drove pass them, police said. The women, who were both 23, were walking for exercise about 8:38 p.m. on Kenneth Road near Merriman Drive when a white, four-door, 2002 Toyota Camry pulled up and stopped at a curb, according to Glendale police reports. The driver of the Camry rolled down the passenger side window as they were walking by it, and one of the girls looked inside the Camry and saw the motorist masturbating, prompting her to yell, according to reports.

State legislators honored six local women during a luncheon Friday for contributing to the business community and serving as role models. “Women make up a key part in the success of our economics and our recovery,” said keynote speaker Lisa Stevens of Wells Fargo Bank, adding that “women get better with age” because they are better at realizing perspective and learning from past experiences. Sen. Carol Liu and Assembly members Mike Gatto (D-Silver Lake) and Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge)

Nelson Nio is a man in a woman's world ? and he feels right at home. The self-defense instructor, producer of feminist theatrical events and rape-crisis counselor from Brentwood has recently thrown himself into the fight for women's rights. "I feel like I'm aligning everything that I do," Nio, 36, said. "I don't know. It just feels right." Members of the Glendale YWCA's Board of Directors also felt Nio was right. In June, they elected him as one of two men to serve on the board.

The Glendale Commission on the Status of Women announced its winners for the third annual Jewel of Glendale Award this week, selecting two women who they say have created exemplary results in their own lives and for the community. "This award is granted on the basis of succeeding despite obstacles in one's life," said Lana Haddad, city liaison to the commission. "It takes uncommon courage to make it through the challenges of everyday life." This year's winners were Cynthia "Chick" Benveniste, a cancer survivor and community activist, and Jeanne Brewer, owner of Acura of Glendale, who is highly involved with the community.

Glendale resident Charlotte Hogan believes in empowering women to take on leadership roles. Hogan, a volunteer and board member of the San Gabriel Valley Habitat For Humanity, is a mentor for women taking part in the Glendale Women's Build, a group of 20 women volunteers who are working to raise funds for Habitat For Humanity's upcoming Kenwood Project in Glendale. "Women have always had a soft spot in my heart," Hogan, 61, said. "This is a neat opportunity for us to bring women together to help build a future for families."

For all the progress made on the ethnic diversity front, female officers make up just 10% of the Glendale Police Department's sworn staff, records show. Of the 244 sworn officers employed with the Police Department last year, 219 were men and 25 were women. But the ratio here is higher than that of similarly sized law enforcement agencies elsewhere, such as those in Ontario or Modesto. As of 2011, 12 women held sworn positions in the Modesto Police Department, which had 230 officers.

Who would have thought that a little white-walled living room in a Montrose condominium could be such a hotbed of literary energy? Vicki Abelson did, and she still does as she moves into year two hosting monthly literary salons in the vein of 20th-century writer Gertrude Stein, who held salons in her Paris home. What started as a platform to workshop her recently completed novel, Vicki Abelson’s Women Who Write has become so much more. Accomplished writers and singers share their latest work in front of a welcoming and often raucous group of 30 or so women who may or may not be writers themselves.

Women from Verdugo Valley Baptist Church enjoyed their monthly evening "Ladies Meeting" at the home of Pat McLeod in La Crescenta. "Beautiful for Thee" is the theme for these meetings, taken from "He hath made every thing beautiful in his time" (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Candace Johnson, Pastor Jesse Johnson's wife, presided over the devotionals from the King James Version Bible and presented each woman with an inspiring pad of paper with pen titled "Abundant Blessings for a Woman's Heart."

Glendale Community College track and field Coach Eddie Lopez is basically conceding any thought of a team title when the Vaqueros women take to the Cerritos College track for the 2012 California Community College Track and Field Championships. "Laney [College] is going to win it, but as the other teams cancel each other out, we're going to be right there for second or third with Cerritos and Antelope Valley," Lopez said. "Every point counts. We start with the 10K, get some places there.

“The Glendale Commission on the Status of Women is the most active commission in the city.” That's according to Glendale Mayor Frank Quintero. Led by Commission Chairman Paula Devine, the 8th Annual Jewels of Glendale Awards Luncheon on Thursday (May 10) was the best ever. And that's according to yours truly. The Oakmont Country Club was a jewel of a setting. Some 275 supporters were there to honor five Women of Courage: Lori Hartwell, Christine Hovnanian, Betty Porto and her sister Margarita Navarro, and Suzonne Slaughter.

Authorities are looking for help with identifying an alleged carjacker who is responsible for more than a dozen thefts and robberies in Glendale, Burbank and the Los Angeles region. The man, who police have dubbed the “Opportunistic bandit,” allegedly started targeting lone women April 14, physically assaulting them before taking their purses and sometimes their vehicles, Los Angeles Police Department detectives said at a press conference on Tuesday. “Intimidation is a big part of this,” said Glendale Police Sgt. Jeff Newton, who is also working on the robbery investigation.

Authorities are looking for help with identifying an alleged carjacker who is responsible for more than a dozen thefts and robberies in Glendale, Burbank and the Los Angeles region. The man, who police have dubbed the “Opportunistic bandit,” allegedly started targeting lone women April 14, physically assaulting them before taking their purses and sometimes their vehicles, Los Angeles Police Department detectives said at a press conference on Tuesday. “Intimidation is a big part of this,” said Glendale Police Sgt. Jeff Newton, who is working on the robbery investigation.

An appearance in the California Community College Athletic Assn. State Tournament was a goal leading up to the season for Sevana Zargarian and Samantha Sismundo. The Glendale Community College top women's doubles team got through each obstacle in the Western State Conference and Southern California Regionals to reach the state tournament for the first time. Unfortunately for the duo, their run fell short, as Zargarian and Sismundo suffered a 6-2, 7-6 (7-2) loss to Fresno City College's Kate Abston and Regina Leyba on Friday afternoon in a round-of-16 match at Balboa Tennis Club in San Diego.

It didn't play out ideally for Cecilia Nicolas and Nohemi Martinez, but both Glendale Community College women's track and field runners said their desire to succeed fueled them to cross the finish line first at the Western State Conference Championships. Rodriguez and Martinez were the only Vaqueros - both men and women - to finish first Friday at Moorpark College, as the women took third with 108 points, behind West L.A. College (119) and College of the Canyons (112). The Wildcats swept on both sides, as their men also finished first with 135 points.

With his right ankle practically healed, Trevor Campbell went about his normal business of staying aggressive Friday afternoon. The Glendale Community College sophomore men's singles tennis player shuffled from sideline to sideline returning shots during his round-of-16 Western State Conference match at Ventura College. Campbell, a Burroughs High graduate, rolled his ankle April 14 during an opening-round match and it wasn't determined until Thursday if he would compete Friday.

Glendale resident Bill Lefkovits, 57, was outnumbered Thursday evening as he walked in a pair of women's shoes to raise awareness of sexual assault and rape. Across the country, the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes campaign draws thousands of men to walk a mile in high heels. Among more than 100 men and women participating in Glendale on Thursday, Lefkovits appeared to be the only man to don women's footwear, wearing his wife Kathy's low-heel brown sandal wedges. “Good causes like this - I'm into it,” he said.

With the end of the season at hand, the Glendale Community College women's tennis team's veterans know nothing can be taken for granted in their final season with the Vaqueros. The mindset paid off on the first day of the Western State Conference Tournament Saturday - after rain postponed competition for a day - with two victories for Glendale's sophomore members Sevana Zargarian and Samantha Sismundo and another for freshman Sofia Tavitian, who all advanced to the round of 16 in singles.

WALNUT - Months after winning a state cross-country championship, the Glendale Community College women's distance squad is still setting the tone, just in track and field. Members of the Vaqueros' title squad wrapped up a couple of victories and a few impressive times, highlighted by Alyssa Selve and Cecilia Nicolas, in leading GCC at Saturday's 54th annual Mt. San Antonio College Relays. For the aforementioned Selve, running at Mt. SAC was a return to normalcy for the sophomore from Canyon High, who was competing in only her third race since suffering a stress fracture in her foot at the beginning of the year.